My Review
I am not starting the review with the Chetan Bhagat is overrated kind of line. Lakhs of readers love is writing style and hence he is a bestselling author. I gave this disclaimer because I don’t want my readers to think that I am going with the flow by supporting or criticizing him.
The story is the first person narration of the protagonist Radhika. It is a good attempt on author’s part, as a man, to put forth woman’s view point. Radhika’s reverie doesnt sound like a creation of a man.
Some pre set norms of the society like ‘bride’s side should adjust and make sacrifices are mocked in the story’.
The give and take between Radhika and her mother is so realistic. I myself had such moments and liked the fact that in spite of all the fights, she called her mother when she wanted emotional support. The book is crafted to be a future bollywood movie.
Yet, some prejudices can’t be shunned. A woman doesn’t wax her legs so that men could stare at her legs. Radhika’s soliloquy when guys stare at her legs, sounded degrading at least for me. Another important fact is that I cannot endorse a book that shows the use of Weed as a cool thing. C’Mon, teens are your main target readers and you want them to feel that it’s cool to use these stuff? The inner voice thing is a huge overworked and died out cliche. The storyline is not novel
Half of the climax is good but rest disappointed me.
Overall the book is a one time read.
complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I waas not required to write
a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
About the author
Chetan Bhagat is the author of eight blockbuster books. These include six novels—Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ the Call Center (2005), The 3 Mistakes of My Life (2008), 2 States (2009), Revolution 2020 (2011), Half Girlfriend (2014)—and the non-fiction titles, What Young India Wants (2012) and Making India Awesome (2015). Chetan’s books have remained bestsellers since their release. Several of his novels have been adapted into successful Bollywood films.
The New York Times called him the ‘the biggest-selling English language novelist in India’s history’. TIME magazine named him amongst the ‘100 most influential people in the world’ and Fast Company, USA, listed him as one of the world’s ‘100 most creative people in business’.
Chetan writes columns for leading English and Hindi newspapers, focusing on youth and national development issues. He is also a motivational speaker and screenplay writer.
Chetan quit his international investment banking career in 2009 to devote his entire time to writing and make change happen in the country. He lives in Mumbai with his wife, Anusha, an ex-classmate from IIM-A, and his twin boys, Shyam and Ishaan.
