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Sunday, October 4, 2015

Love… Will find its way? by Ashish Ranjan : A Review



BOOK TITLE: Love… Will find its way?
ISBN: 978-9352013296
AUTHOR: Ashish Ranjan
GENRE: Fiction / Romance
NUMBER OF PAGES: 212
FORMAT: Paperback
SERIES / STANDALONE: Standalone
REVIEW BY: Dhivya Balaji
HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: I thank Sandeep Sharma of Author Paradise for this review copy.
SUMMARY:
          Luv is an innocent child from a lower middle class Indian family. As he grows older, his feelings shuttle between love and lust. Unaware about the problems, that their son is passing through, his parents continue exerting pressure on him to excel in academics. Incognisant of the cons of love, he falls in love with a girl in his initial school days inviting problems. His mind and heart are in constant battle. The heroine does not understand his feelings and falls in love with someone else. Coherent pressure of studies continues from his parents. He introspects if he should succumb or commit suicide. Will that girl realize his love before it is too late? Will he value relationships or career more? Will his parents guide him as a friend? Will the love of Luv, find its way? The story makes you think about your past and its own craziness. It's a story not just for youths, but also for Indian parents.
REVIEW:
          ‘Love… Will find its way?’ is a book that tries to give the answer to a different question in the stereotypical manner.
First Impression:
          The book’s cover is the first attraction. A darkened silhouette of a man holding a rose that is almost wilted and titled downwards speaks volumes about the sadness that is the ultimate theme of the book. The blurb is interesting enough to make me pick up the book and read through. The book is printed on good paper, and the overall feel is pleasant to read.
The story:
          The first page gets the dubious honour of one of the very few books that totally shocked me within few lines and made me put the book down and introspect, after looking into the distance. The first chapter and the really unique disclaimer almost made me consider not proceeding further.
          But I plodded on. And was (not) rewarded for my valiant efforts. The book is the story of Luv, narrated in first person, and about his many love affairs and immediate lusts. When the first chapter of a book explains about lust and self pleasure, you get the idea of how the next 200 odd pages are going to be… and this book, surely follows the expected style.
          I am not going to detail the story as such, I will leave it to readers’ discretion as to whether or not you would like to read a story of a male kid’s (yes, he starts off when he is about 7 years old… and continues till he is a grown man). The story line consists of his tries with various girls and how some cheat him.
          By the time I neared the end, I was feeling really frustrated both with the book’s language and story, but the last paragraph quickly increased the rating points I would actually give this. To those of you who take this book up – I recommend only one thing – if you have started, please finish it. The last chapter and the subsequent message is what the book is all about.
          The book had great potential, and though I don’t agree with what the author has said in the last chapter, I can safely say I like what he has tried to do with his book. Giving a message to the intended recipients – obstinate parents insisting on their children being all rounders in studies, sports and everything under the sun, and teenagers who dedicate most of their brain and energy to the feelings of love and lust.
          Please don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the book and its message. I just could not hold my patience till I read the whole story. The last chapter really increased my respect manifold for the author and his book, but there is only so much I can take when the female and male anatomies are considered oriented towards a single lustful purpose and the women are objectified. I also find it kind of sad that while the immature hero gets to talk with many girls, the mature hero who takes the right decisions is betrayed in the end. But I add this to the plus points of the book.
          Kudos to the author for this attempt, but as a reader I feel his message would have been much well received if his book wasn’t so… I cannot even find a right word for it. *Stops Typing*
WHAT I LIKED: The ending, and the message in it. I would recommend everyone who started this book to never stop midway and read till the end, even if you are frustrated at times.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER: The story should have been worded better. Yes, I understand that this is a story with a message. But the shock factor and the reality works only so far before making the reader cringe.
(My personal note to the author: If you want the good readers to understand and think about your message, it is not enough if your characters are relatable and realistic. They should also not frustrate the reader and make them wonder about taking huge breaks in the midst of reading that by the time they reach the ending they forget the message)
VERDICT: This is one of those ‘I didn’t like the story  but I really loved the concept and the message’ kind of books for me.
If you are already familiar with love stories that shift between multiple partners and are patient enough to travel with the characters as they try to differentiate lust from love, you might find this book interesting and enjoyable.
RATING: 3/5 (Taken for language and overall storyline. Given for the message and the adherence to the summary).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
          “Any author is not born, he is budded out of various circumstances”.
          Ashish Ranjan belongs to the capital of Bihar, Patna. He did his schooling from DAV, Khagaul and Ishan International Public School. He is an engineer by profession and a writer by passion. He did his engineering from Cochin, Kerala and the college name is pronounced as “School of Engineering (CUSAT)”. Presently, he is working in a renowned oil company in India.
          “Love…Will find its way?”, is his debut novel.
          “Lovely part of love is sacred whereas, ugly part of it is very acrid”. The above quote inspired him to write this lovely tale. For some, “Love is not a one-time affair”; but for few sentimental fools it is ‘life’. The book is dedicated to someone who is cherishing his life with his desired partner somewhere, and also to someone, who strangled himself today just because his ‘love’ brutally rejected him. He wrote it for someone who attempted suicide just because her ‘love’ cheated her and also for the one who is still encapsulated in memories…
          Besides writing, Ashish has keen interest in travelling, listening songs, playing cricket and badminton.
EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Paperback
PRICE: Rs. 175 for Paperback


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