I read the last 50 pages almost breathlessly, completing it at 2 midnight.
If you've ever been into the confining world of a book, you would know why I did that. 'There's something about you' is one such work!
Trish looks at herself as a fat, unattractive woman who can never get along with the corporate gimmicks; yet can hold her heart and head strong against any level of criticism with her sarcasm - an attitude that will make you fall in love with the character.
She gets unexpectedly fired from work. She meets Sahil unexpectedly. She finds a new fortune through her sarcasm, unexpectedly. She unexpectedly discovers her potential interest and it's a series of unexpectation to the readers as well.
One might presume the fiction being directed towards love, overcoming difficulty or just a personal ranting, but believe me, at a deeper level, the story of Trish is about understanding relationships, diving into the subconsciousness and following one's heart. Shouldn't miss reading!
The first scene in the book is where she gets fired from her job because, well because for nothing actually. Her boss just prefers hot, smart chicks rather than a dull, pulpy woman. Her mundane life with an ever-hostile mother and a sick father in that tiny apartment in Mumbai comes to a serious chaos in those last few hours on her last day of her employment.
That's where we begin to know Trish. And we shall continue to know her till the last page or even beyond if there was one. There's really something about her that will touch you deep. As one can guess, the rest of the story is about how she begins to handle the sudden crisis-situation and what she becomes of all that she meets in a serendipitous way, thereafter. I am afraid I can't reveal any of it here to do justice to the book.
Trish's has become one of my favourite love stories. It's not about falling at the first sight, admiring this and that, hanging around aimlessly and finding an opportunity to overdo a relationship; I mean, not a fanciful and a magical love story of a teenager. It's rather a gradual understanding of each other's involvement with each other. It is magical, but a subtle magic, I would say. It's pure and it remains untold till the end. Suhail is one in a million character. If you are single, I am afraid, you'll begin to fantasize a guy like him :D
Trish has enough reasons to consider herself as an unattractive woman, perhaps her size and her withdrawal from artificial socialization. However, the author beautifully takes the reader gradually from the external appearances point of Trish's into her thought processes, into her psychology and finally into her subconsciousness. Unless the reader follows this one point from the book, the beauty of the author's perception cannot come into sync with that of the readers'. And, when at one point, the practical Trish steps aside to give way to the Trish as she is, she decodes it all by herself, she begins a new life; a new approach towards relationships with others and with herself. Indirectly, Trish's story reminds all of us to do that; to penetrate the hidden barriers within our psyches, in order to step out of those by-default perceptions and reactions we are confined in.
The disturbed relationship between Trish and her mother, the letters signed by Amy, her concern for the little neighbour girl - engaging and interesting is all I can say. And the wit in every word by the author! Did I miss the suspense factor? The reason I was forcefully awake till 2 in the night!
Just a trivial note: Although used appropriately, I didn't find the usage of the F and the B words at some places healthy, at least considering the genuine direction the book takes one to.
And it's strange that there's absolutely no connection to the lady on the cover page with Trish. Why?
Reviewed for Indiblogger's Get Published Column
My personal thanks to the author for her thoughtful note that was sent along with the book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy from Indiblogger in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
My personal thanks to the author for her thoughtful note that was sent along with the book.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy from Indiblogger in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Title:
Author:
Publisher: Harlequin (Harper Collins)
Pages: 256
Author Connect
Buy Online
About the Book
About the Author
Yashodhara Lal's USP is in taking the ordinary and making it hilarious. She graduated from IIM-Bangalore in 2002 and has over 12 years of experience in the Marketing Domain across two large corporations in FMCG and media. She lives in Gurgaon with her husband Vijay, and the three small children they call Peanut, Pickle and Papad - all of whom never fail to provide her with material for her entertaining blog at http://www.yashodharalal.com.
'Just Married, Please Excuse' is her first book. 'Sorting Out Sid' is her latest work of fiction.
I loved your detailed review...I am not into books, so would not get biased anyway!
ReplyDeleteThanks Alok. Ha! That was a good comment on a book review blog :)
ReplyDelete