It's All About Books!!!

Monday, 18 January 2016

Our Impossible Love by Durjoy Datta (Book Review-3.9*/5) !!!

And I spent my Sunday reading Durjoy Datta's 12th novel named "Our Impossible Love" which is my 5th book of this year and I'm very glad that I managed to complete this 289-pages book in a day. It's a very light read which makes it easy for you to keep turning pages to explore what will happen with the protagonist in the very next sentence. Durjoy Datta is a young author who knows what his young audience needs from him. He always manages to write a book based on teenagers yet touch a different layer of emotion each time. From last 2-3 years, he have begun experimenting with characters in his books which is proving him to be a writer better than many other claiming to sell more than him in off-seasons when these bestselling authors don't release their work. It is incredible on the author's part to write more than 12 books in his writing career of 9 years. Kudos!

Our Impossible Love is a story of Danish Roy and Aisha Paul, both different in their own way since school time, and find it very hard to compare themselves with their classmates and peers. But time brings both of them together and then how chemistry changes and twists and turns happen is what makes Our Impossible Love a book that you would ask everyone to read at least once. Yes, the initial 35-40 pages of the book are little annoying as some uncomfortable situations of both the characters are talked about and it becomes hard to accept in the initial pages itself and you assume that the whole book would carry about their trauma with their changing hormones etc. But the moment author starts introducing more characters in the story in form of Sarthak, Ankit, Vibhor etc, you know that the tale is about to begin.

Durjoy Datta has chosen to tell the story in first person for the main protagonists which gives a special touch to the narration. The Indian pulp-fiction writers should learn from Durjoy on how to speak about a current topic without being preachy yet speaking everything that's politically and morally correct. It doesn't bore you even for a while and you want to read the author's viewpoint on many other youth issues too. Author talks about uncomfortable sex a girl has to go through in the name of relationship, the scary days after the girl decides to stop the boy from misusing her body, an emotion of a boy who hears rumour about his sister sleeping with different boys daily, an emotional turmoil of a boy who realizes that he is a gay and his fight against daily abuses from his classmates for being something which isn't in his control, an inferiority complex of a boy who is always treated extra against his brother who's a performer and achiever etc.

This book talks on so many youth issues in such an interesting manner that you couldn't believe in the end that you read a story which actually opened your mind towards different kinds of people you have around you whom you don't even consider in your life. This book is definitely one of Durjoy's best attempt and the author have finally managed to find a purpose behind his passion of writing. I have always been a good critic to the author and have rated him both- High and Low but this time, it's definitely on a better side- I rate this book 3.9* out of 5. GO FOR IT! It's a recommendation. 0.1 less than 4 because I found climax little silly and not a very good end to a story which carried itself with a great stature throughout. :-)

</iframe>

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

Sunday, 10 January 2016

Heart of Bullets by Nikhil Kushwaha (Book Review: 2.5*/5) !!!

I am done reading the 4th book of the year this weekend and I am quite happy with the way it's moving right now. And this time I picked up Nikhil Kushwaha's 3rd book, "Heart of Bullets", which is published by one of the recently founded publication- Petal. The cover page of the book is indeed appealing and even the title. The book is basically about story of a soldier and his past life. It is spoken by one of his friends who also joins the army along with him and has been his friend since 2nd grade. I liked the idea of how author chooses one of the friend who always lost the race against his friend as the protagonist to tell the story and still kept the main hero of the book in the character of the friend who wins every time but leads a sad life through out.

I liked how the book begins with a scene based at LoC which gives a feel that we are about to read story of some great characters. A life of soldier during their vacations is also narrated in the initial chapter itself and you can surely relate with it if you know someone who is in army. And later on when the book moves towards the hero of this book- SAM, the tone of the story telling changes and becomes little mature. I liked how author has developed his character as intense and someone who keeps quiet with out letting anyone knows what pain and loneliness he feels within. And after a point of time, the book goes into a long flashback where his life is talked in detail.

And that's when I found this book going into the right direction but got really disappointed to read the whole teenage and immature love story once again. And author has narrated the whole thing in such details that it becomes irritating and unwanted after some time. Few scenes are surely worth reading but over all, I feel that it could have been cut shorter by almost half the length at which it is currently written. Coming to the climax, it is quite filmy which does not sound realistic from anywhere and therefore, you do not relate with it. Yes, indeed it is emotional and you will find yourself emotional but something that you'll soon find funny as it's quite like Bollywood of 90s when such things were done in the end to make you become emotional and feel good about the creation of the artist.

Nikhil has a great talent of writing which definitely gets proven in few of the scenes that he have written. The poems in the book are also very nicely woven but I felt they are inserted more than they were actually needed in the story. His passion for writing can be surely felt whenever he wrote regarding the life of soldier at the battle field and all the scenes he have written related to them are better and worth reading. Coming to the editors and publishers, I feel that the book is very badly edited with lots of grammatical and spelling mistakes. Also, the same story could have been completed successfully in about 240-250 pages but it seems nothing is edited out from what writer submitted as the final draft. Little effort on this front could have helped this book. I give it 2.5 stars and it surely reflects author's pure intention towards writing it. Kudos to that!

</iframe>

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

Friday, 8 January 2016

My Gita by Devdutt Pattanaik (Book Review-3.75*/5) !!!

I had read a lot about Devdutt Pattanaik but finally read his first work which is also his latest release- "My Gita", published by Rupa Publication. First of all, I must say that the cover page is very excellent which makes you curious to know what exactly is written in the book and you will not want to keep it aside until you are done with all the 18 chapters. I took almost 3 weeks to complete this book as I wanted to remember most of the events and understanding of the Hindu mythology. I must say that the reading experience has been great as the way Devdutt has made the concept easier for the novice readers isn't an easy task. The effort gone into research, translation and conversion can be easily deciphered.

The book starts with the introduction of Gita where the author tells about the numbers of Gita that are available around us and which one is the most popular among them. He also tells us about the connection between each one of them and during which era some of them originated to let us know their reliability. Also, the arrangement of chapters in Gita is also discussed along with what motive it serves. And then Devdutt continues telling us how he has written his version of Gita and what exactly is his purpose to write the same. The good thing about Devdutt's Gita is that he didn't focus only on Hinduism but also discussed other cultures too. He also tried explaining why cultures differ with each other.

In the book, Devdutt have not only given references of Mahabharat but also Ramayana and the period between both the major events. He have also made us understand how Krishna, Hanuman etc are related with both the epics. The verses and their explanation with diagrammatic representations make the experience of reading interesting, joyous and exploring. Devdutt have managed to not compare two cultures and prove which one of them is better but leaves it upon reader to find his own ideology among the two and go with any one of them. Talking about the drawbacks, I would say that the book is not even that good the way it is been over-rated on social media. It is just a fine attempt and not something I would recommend people every time someone asks me a good book on Hinduism. I would give this book 3.75* out of 5.

</iframe>

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

Monday, 4 January 2016

It's Not Right.. but It's Okay by Anuj Tiwari (Book Review-3*/5) !!!

I spent first Sunday of 2016 in completing the 2nd book of my year to start the year well in terms of my reading journey. This time I picked up Anuj Tiwari's "It's Not Right... but It's Okay" which has been released on 1st january, 2016 itself. As this is Anuj's 3rd book in 3 years of his writing experience, I had big expectations this time and I had decided to be harsh in case I see no improvements in his writing style. It's time to be little tough on the Indian fiction authors who write under romance genre. They are just writing the same kind of story each time with little twist and claiming it to be a true story. It becomes hard for readers to judge it considering that it's a true story and they start sympathizing with the protagonists without giving consideration to the quality of writing.

Well, getting back at the review, Anuj's writing has definitely improved twice than his last book. I witnessed a growth of 200% right from the first sentence to the last. With a flavor of romance, author have tried to tell a mature story with several characters having different background and personalities. The story sounds realistic hence you believe every scene that is been told in several small chapters and start imagining the characters around you. Anuj does justice to the locations he have chosen this time and the characters relate to the places they belong to. The story keeps moving in a flow with some sweet incidents, descriptions of tragic past, cute conversations, romantic Whatsapp chats etc until the last 25% of the book when a twist takes place and the characters start introspecting and believing and disbelieving and crying and resolving their cases to finally getting what they want from life with few exceptions.

The transitions that takes place in the story is well handled and you do not feel that the author was doubtful about any part that he was writing. Whenever the locations or the chemistry between the characters gets changed, you do not find a drastic change in terms of writing style or flow of story which makes this book one of the better light reads that you would love to carry with you while traveling or for a single-sitting read. I completed this book within 3.5 hours and it isn't boring at all like previous books of Anuj Tiwari which becomes monotonous after a point of time. This one surely stands out from his last two babies. I give this book a good 3 stars this time and I am sure Anuj is going to get better with each book that he's going to write. The only drawback about this book has been the distraction from the twist even when in the pre-climax part which begins to irritate a reader. Anuj should have handled it properly. Rest, it's a fine attempt.

</iframe>

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

Family Life by Akhil Sharma (Book Review-2.5*/5) !!!

I had heard about Akhil Sharma's "Family Life" a lot when it was released more than an year ago and since then I wanted to read it. But no one had told me that its a tragic story. As I am done reading this novel which is not quite lengthy, I have a totally different kind of emotional turmoil in my head. I am unable to understand if I liked the book or not. It is kind of a memoir and autobiographical narration where a small boy starts telling his story in terms of how each of his family members are. He tells about the relationship each one of them share with each other. As the book progresses, the story keeps taking leap and it finally reaches to making the protagonist earn his graduation degree in the climax.

The story mainly focuses on many emotions that the protagonist goes through in his life and how his thoughts keep getting changed with age. The book moves very slowly which might make people leave it in between as even I found it hard to continue with it after some 35-40 pages. No conversation is described in the book but only the thought process of the boy who is telling his story. It is all fine until he is in school but the quality of narration and language remains the same even when he turns into an adult. It is quite disappointing then as you want author to change the lane of the language in which the book is written and the fact that author have taken almost a decade to complete this book, expectations were quite higher.

Some issues are nicely depicted in the book regarding how racism gets introduced for a middle-class Indian when he gets migrated to a foreign land initially. Also how Indians are always looked down because of their standard of living is also well-stated. The emotions regarding other Indians in a foreign land is also discussed and that's the most cutest segments in the book. Haha! The protagonist is uncomfortable when it comes to girl and therefore reading even those scenarios were also enjoyable. Whenever author starts discussing the condition of his ill brother and alcoholic father, the book takes a tragic turn and it becomes hard to digest those chapters. Dysfunctional family life is what this book is all about and may be this genre wasn't for me hence I do not have much say whether you should go with it or not. I give it 2.5 stars from my side.

</iframe>

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

Sunday, 20 December 2015

You're Trending In My Dreams by Sudeep Nagarkar (Book Review-1*/5) !!!

Sudeep Nagarkar is now 6 books old in his writing career of 4 years with his latest release "You're trending in my dreams" which has already hit the Bestseller chart and has become his one of the best openings in terms of pre-order and initial sales. Penguin Random House had added many romantic writers in their list of annual releases some 3 years back and since then, each author co mes out with a novel every year. It has become more about marketing propaganda than quality for which these big publication houses are known for. Sudeep Nagarkar had improved with time as a writer and he had finally started writing mature stories based on youth but I think the target given by publishing house to complete the book by a particular deadline are making these authors write a story in a go without giving much research and time to overthink and make it better. YTIMD is the big example of the same. It stands no where even if compared to Sudeep's first book as a writer where he has scribbled his own story without much creative inputs.

The ratings that I have given to Sudeep Nagarkar in order of his releases are as follows: 3, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 3.25 which shows that he had almost become stably good in his performance with each book but I am very scared to even talk about his new release as I never believed it could be so plain with no great story, no memorable characters, no great twists and turns and no great climax which can either make you emotional or shocked or glad. It is very childish and written similarly as a junior college student writes his personal diary with few poems, few philosophical sentences which are cliche and known to everyone, talks on how girls are treated like an object etc. I have always liked an ability about Sudeep of picking up a location and doing pure justice with it and also describing the youth as similar as possible as they really actually are. This time he picked up Navi Mumbai and didn't discuss it quite well and also, the characters aren't built keeping the location in mind. It looks as if it's about the crowd from Lower Parel or Churchgate and not from Navi Mumbai where boys and girls still aren't that modern to share a room together.

Initially, the book picks well and the way it starts, it seems as if Sudeep is going to deliver another great story but the way it becomes quite obvious after a point of time, it starts irritating a fan in you. Finally, the main twist arrives and the book does get better but again, how easily the whole issue is handled becomes the drowning point of this story. I didn't feel as if Sudeep have written this story. Seriously! As I have discussed above, I feel publishers should give time to these writers who are actually making Indian youth read month after month rather than giving them targets like releasing a book every 8th month or so. Give the author plenty of time to research, prepare, write, edit, write, edit and finally review his work, share it with his close friends, get their reviews, again edit the story and build the final manuscript. I give this book just 1 star and I wish Sudeep bounces back with his next book as a fan in me is largely disappointed this time. I am waiting for one of my favorite authors to write better than his best work till date.

</iframe>

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

Sunday, 13 December 2015

The Bestseller She Wrote by Ravi Subramanian (Book Review: 4*/5) !!!

There can be nothing better than spending your weekend with a book. But when it's a book by one of your favorite authors, it becomes more special. I read Ravi Subramanian's latest book "The Bestseller She Wrote". This is his 4th book that I have read though he has 8 books under his name. I was really excited for this release as it was related with the literary world of India which I have been following very closely from last 6 years. And when it's written by Ravi Subramanian, you know that he is going to talk about some realities under the name of fiction which will make you feel connected with the characters and the story. And it happened ditto. The cover of the book is very unique and beautiful and it is great to know that the book is also under the process adapting it into a movie.

TBSW is a story about how a girl who aspires to be a writer meets India's most famous author. They meeting becomes a regularity and the married author starts falling for this young girl. But she is more concerned about her book to get published and turned into a bestseller with the help of this author who has himself written 4 bestsellers back to back each breaking record of the previous one. This is the basic plot which leads to many scenarios and leads to several twists and turns and finally in the climax, like every book of Ravi Subramanian, you are left alone for shocks and surprises.

Ravi Subramanian is an amazing thriller writer and his books start doing magic right from the first page itself. Talking about this particular book, I felt as if Ravi chose an easy way to tell his story with an intention of making it a light read for another mass of audience which do not read the genre he writes. For the whole first half, it felt as if someone else is writing it for Ravi S. Though in between of some chapters, author have kept dropping hints of something being wrong with the doings of few characters but it still does not give you any thrill until the second half begins when his marriage starts getting affected because of his extra-marital exploration.

Ravi Subramanian have integrated his story very well with many real-life incidents of famous Indian authors which keeps you interested if you have been in touch with the literary world lately. You start relating with the characters very soon and see your own favorite author in the lead character and you even start imagining other not-so-famous authors in the character of Shreya. The whole process of how a person writes a manuscript till how the book launches in a big event, everything is perfectly described by Ravi. And the way story unfolds in the end, it makes you happy that you have finally witnessed the excellence of Ravi Subramanian once again. The most unexpected person turns out to be the ill-wisher of everyone.

Talking about the drawbacks- I would again say that the first half is particularly very slow and not been written in the same language in which Ravi writes. There is not much happening in first half except one character continuously compelling the other person to publish her book and it becomes repetitive and boring after a point of time. Also the book isn't one of the best thrillers over all except what happens in the climax. And this is exactly half good of what Ravi Subramanian have himself written before. If this book would have been by a debutante, I would have easily given it 4.5 stars but because it's written by someone who have only gotten better with each book of his, I am giving it 4 stars. It is a great book which surely deserves 4 stars just that it doesn't look like one written by THE GREAT RAVI SUBRAMANIAN himself. He has set very high standards for himself to achieve. :-)

</iframe>

I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!