This is the second book of Sachin Garg that I am reviewing. I don’t know about others, but I like the flow his stories have which takes us to the end without any effort. I have read and reviewed I am not twenty four here. His contribution to Shades of Love, Anthology of love stories was also simple and moving. He has come up with yet another coming of age story. This time, it is three people and how they find inner peace forms the crux of the story.
Samar is a chemical engineering student, whose girl friend died recently. Samar blames the death on himself and goes without food or sleep, making him look like a zombie. His friend suggests change of place for his well being and he ends up in the ashram in Rishikesh
Vandana, is a 40 something cheerful Punjabi lady, who is suffering from terminal illness, who befriends Samar in Ashram. The Swamiji in Ashram thinks that their journey together will benefit both.
Navya is a budding author, wasted on drugs. She loves Samar. Samar is bit late in reciprocating her affection. Eventually Navya fades away from his life. She becomes hopeless when Samar finds her again.
How does these people attain inner peace? Buy your copy to find more.
The novel starts with a very melodramatic tone with Samar feeling bad about Kanika’s death. But from the moment he steps in the bus to Ashram, things change. The novel picks up speed when Vandana is introduced into plot and Navya’s introduction. These twists and sudden introduction of few characters were handled really well by Sachin Garg.
Also, The way the Swamiji in Ashram counsels Samar is worth mentioning. He teaches Samar three things
1) Embrace yourself and stop trying to be someone else
2) It is OK to be wrong sometimes
3) Help as many people as possible.
Though it sounds like “beaten-to-death” quotes the way it is used in the novel and the way it helped the story to race forward is refreshing. These timeless advices can work wonders in lot of people’s life. But, if you can, try the three points given above. Most of the time we miss to try these things, not because its too mainstream, but because its so hard to follow. Accepting ourselves with all out mistakes and short comings is the most difficult part of the existence. When we have achieved that we will successfully piss off others.
There are few similarities with Sachin’s previous novel “I am not twenty four”. Like, the protagonist develops a website in this novel, where he had a blog in his previous novel. The lead characters standing up for what is right, in spite of their fears and conquering it also reminded me of the previous novel.
The exciting part of the novel is the part where Vandhana and Samar team up to find Navya. There are some hilarious situations and some super ideas to find Navya. Somehow my favourite character in the novel is Vandhana. She knows what she is and she had accepted her past. Her full enthusiasm in helping Samar makes us feel like she is a close buddy, though a little older.
The book with such a pace deserved a better proof reading. There are some grammar and spelling mistakes in the book glaring at the poor English reader like me. And also just like the Indian movies, forget about the logic when you read the novel. I am not sure how many 21 year olds loved, lost, ran away, did odd jobs and came back to continue studies. May be it is new for me. I have never come across such people, not at that age.
Overall, it is a good book to laze around on a Sunday afternoon. A different type of coming of age story. You can also watch the trailer of the book here
