"Anything for you, Ma'am", An IITian's Love Story by Tushar Raheja
I got to know about this book from Mehak's - 'Book Shelf'. Just seeing the title brought a smile on my face. After reading 'Five Point Someone' by Chetan Bhagat, I always had a firm conviction that some other author or publisher will soon use the IIT tag to sell a book and fail (probably miserably) and here I saw my prediction coming true - I had to smile.
I immediately placed an online order to get the book.
The next day the website(om-books.com) said that it has been dispatched and will reach in 2 days. It didn't even reach in 5 days and a call to them revealed that it will take 5 more days. Damn! it was my first order from that site - I'll never buy any book from them again. Why the hell do they mention that it will reach in 2 days, when then can't deliver it in that time?
Anyway leave that - finally, I did get the book to read.
The first thing I read was the reviews at the back of the book. They looked pretty ordinary, nothing much to write about.
Then I read that the writer was a fourth year IIT student, which lowered my expectations from the book by a considerable amount. They weren't much high to begin with, especially due to the IIT tag used at the top as a sub-title - 'An IITian's Love Story'. First, no matter How much one tried - a comparison of this book with FPS is sort of inevitable and FPS will win hands down. Secondly, the plot itself didn't seem much engrossing or captivating (from the reviews at the back). Thirdly, the publisher was some obscure one, about whom I haven't even heard before. Fourthly and more importantly, I hated the IIT tag being used again, just to sell a book.
This book did teach me a lot of things. Mainly, as a writer, which blunders should be avoided.
The starting of the novel is a sequences of pasts, presents and futures. That keeps the reader totally confused about the flow and sequence of the story. Sometimes suddenly the author dashes into the past then back, then again back, then forward. It's difficult to keep track of things especially in the starting one third of the book at least. After that its much better.
Of course, the author might have done this to keep the audiences hooked to the book, but sadly it doen't work. It would have been much much better if the writer had started from the beginning i.e. when, how and where - Tejas and Shreya meet and continued from their on, in the sequence as it had happened rather then darting from present to past to future, countless times.
The plot itself has nothing much to write about. It revolves around - How Tejas an IIT Delhi student could bunk his Industrial Tour and visit his beloved,Shreya; at Chennai.
The author's self important, self-centered style, me have brains, me can do anything, me can find a way to anything is also a big put down. I understand that at time of youth, in which Tushar, the author is - the thinking is of that sort. I also had the same sort of thinking at that time of my youth. But, sadly, as a hero of the book, it would never have worked. FPS worked because the characters in it were portrayed as normal human beings with their faults and fallacies and not as some super heroes. In fact, Chetan Bhegat was successful because he downplayed his characters. Hari, the topper of the class or Hari knowing answers to everything, wouldn't have sold.
There is a mention of DISCO in the book, but the author doesn't describes it much. Although, he does mention about it, but, then skips it totally. It gives a feeling that Tejas never went through DISCO, and the author just cooked it up.
Also the author has a nagging habit of straying from the path whenever something important or exciting is about to happen. He writes irrelevant or unnecessary things for a few lines or even paragraphs before coming back to that important issue. For some effects! I suppose, but this teasing by the author will be seen as highly irritating by the readers. At least for me, it was.
As said earlier too - the IIT tag has been wasted and is just there on the cover page to sell the book. The whole of the book has nothing to do with IIT, in fact, Tejas could have been studying in some commerce or art college, the story would not have required any change. There is no mention of IIT life, hostel life, about grading system or the countless and numerous things that go on there - except the crazy and absent minded professors; that would be present in any pajamachap college too.
The string of coincidences has also been taken too much far.
The story is good in some bits and pieces. For example, Tejas's heart to heart talk with his sister, candle light dinner on a roof top etc.
Overall - 2/5. You can neglect it.
Read Rashmi Bansal's review here.
I immediately placed an online order to get the book.
The next day the website(om-books.com) said that it has been dispatched and will reach in 2 days. It didn't even reach in 5 days and a call to them revealed that it will take 5 more days. Damn! it was my first order from that site - I'll never buy any book from them again. Why the hell do they mention that it will reach in 2 days, when then can't deliver it in that time?
Anyway leave that - finally, I did get the book to read.
The first thing I read was the reviews at the back of the book. They looked pretty ordinary, nothing much to write about.
Then I read that the writer was a fourth year IIT student, which lowered my expectations from the book by a considerable amount. They weren't much high to begin with, especially due to the IIT tag used at the top as a sub-title - 'An IITian's Love Story'. First, no matter How much one tried - a comparison of this book with FPS is sort of inevitable and FPS will win hands down. Secondly, the plot itself didn't seem much engrossing or captivating (from the reviews at the back). Thirdly, the publisher was some obscure one, about whom I haven't even heard before. Fourthly and more importantly, I hated the IIT tag being used again, just to sell a book.
This book did teach me a lot of things. Mainly, as a writer, which blunders should be avoided.
The starting of the novel is a sequences of pasts, presents and futures. That keeps the reader totally confused about the flow and sequence of the story. Sometimes suddenly the author dashes into the past then back, then again back, then forward. It's difficult to keep track of things especially in the starting one third of the book at least. After that its much better.
Of course, the author might have done this to keep the audiences hooked to the book, but sadly it doen't work. It would have been much much better if the writer had started from the beginning i.e. when, how and where - Tejas and Shreya meet and continued from their on, in the sequence as it had happened rather then darting from present to past to future, countless times.
The plot itself has nothing much to write about. It revolves around - How Tejas an IIT Delhi student could bunk his Industrial Tour and visit his beloved,Shreya; at Chennai.
The author's self important, self-centered style, me have brains, me can do anything, me can find a way to anything is also a big put down. I understand that at time of youth, in which Tushar, the author is - the thinking is of that sort. I also had the same sort of thinking at that time of my youth. But, sadly, as a hero of the book, it would never have worked. FPS worked because the characters in it were portrayed as normal human beings with their faults and fallacies and not as some super heroes. In fact, Chetan Bhegat was successful because he downplayed his characters. Hari, the topper of the class or Hari knowing answers to everything, wouldn't have sold.
There is a mention of DISCO in the book, but the author doesn't describes it much. Although, he does mention about it, but, then skips it totally. It gives a feeling that Tejas never went through DISCO, and the author just cooked it up.
Also the author has a nagging habit of straying from the path whenever something important or exciting is about to happen. He writes irrelevant or unnecessary things for a few lines or even paragraphs before coming back to that important issue. For some effects! I suppose, but this teasing by the author will be seen as highly irritating by the readers. At least for me, it was.
As said earlier too - the IIT tag has been wasted and is just there on the cover page to sell the book. The whole of the book has nothing to do with IIT, in fact, Tejas could have been studying in some commerce or art college, the story would not have required any change. There is no mention of IIT life, hostel life, about grading system or the countless and numerous things that go on there - except the crazy and absent minded professors; that would be present in any pajamachap college too.
The string of coincidences has also been taken too much far.
The story is good in some bits and pieces. For example, Tejas's heart to heart talk with his sister, candle light dinner on a roof top etc.
Overall - 2/5. You can neglect it.
Read Rashmi Bansal's review here.
posted by Navjot Kashyap @ Wednesday, January 03, 2007
5 Comments:
Ohh what a fab review Navjot..I agree with you totally..This book can be very much avoided....the initial part is soo confusing as u've mentioned..n i guess the author has just filled pages with unnecessary stuff...if this book wud have been like 150 odd pages or so...it wud def have been a better read....too much time is wasted in writing stuff which has nothing to do with the story....
I too hate the IIT tag..if ppl use to for such purposes....I've seen resumes with the top line being...IIT Graduate...chuck it out man..anyways digressing from the topic...
ohh I feel sad that u got to know about the book 4m my blog..n what a disaster it turned out to be...neways...
Let me read Rashmi's review on this book..n You DUDE...keep updating more often :)
navjot2Mehak
Thanks Mehak. I agree with you.
Yes, I'll try to update the blog more often.
haven't read this one, but FPS was wonderful novel
fuck u bastards if u speaK one more word about this book
mehak n rashmi u both stink just suck navjot's dick if he has one :X assoles go n get a life fr ul istead critisizing people,it was frst attempt of a young guy instd iof appretiating u strt criticizing,u r no way diff bitches bettr u show me wat can u do ???u cn only criticize but do nothing more :P.mc's n bc's go chek fr other books n screw d authors of dose buks also fuck off
Post a Comment
<< Home