The Bestseller She Wrote #BookReview

The Bestseller She Wrote – Book Blurb

My Book Review:

The story begins with Aditya Kapoor, a banker-author who has everything going for him – a cushy life with a loving family, success as a bestselling author and a great job. While delivering his speech at IIM Bangalore, his alma mater, his ego takes a beating when Shreya, bright student, refutes his statements and in the repartee that ensues, a truce is reached. Everything changes when Shreya, who does not admire Indian authors decides to read Aditya’s books and gets hooked. Sparks fly, they are attracted to each other. Aditya’s bank conducts campus interviews at IIM-B, and he persuades his friend and colleague, Sanjay to induct Shreya as a Management Trainee (wow!). Shreya’s big dream is to write a book and become as successful as Aditya. With this intent, she pursues Aditya who succumbs to her charms. And this sets the snail’s pace for the story. Things happen. Shreya single-mindedly chases her dream.

200 pages later, the book suddenly focuses on Aditya’s wonderful wife, Maya, who, busy with her work, happens to travel abroad and returns with the Ebola virus, from which she recovers. But, as they say, it is the frying pan to the fire for her when she discovers Aditya’s infidelity and decides she wants nothing more to do with him.

Other key characters in the book are Aditya’s batchmate, friend and colleague Sanjay and his romantic interest Diana, and Shreya’s best friend Sunaina.

In the 60 pages when Maya recovers, things turn sour after a guilty Aditya wants a clean break from Shreya. He grovels with Maya to take him back even as he continues to see Shreya with the intention of breaking up with her. You know what they say! The strongest intention is useless unless followed by action. Yes, there’s action, but at the tail end of the book when the author hurriedly packs up the book with a series of events. Does Aditya break up with Shreya? Will Maya take him back? Go read the book to find out. I dare you!

What I liked

• The book cover background is a nice color.
• The print size was comfortable.
• Signed copy by the author, nice touch.
• Some insights into how the publishing world works were interesting.
• I always like it when a book is set around places I’ve lived in.
• I like that the author has snagged a movie deal out of the book. I am an optimist and wonder if the movie will be much better.
• The basic plot is okay. But the development, not so much.
• The reference to other currently popular authors – nice.
• Aditya Kapoor’s moments of realization where he admits to the power of choice were good – welcome.

What could have been better

I like a fast-paced book, or at least a medium-paced book, since it is nice to cruise sometimes rather than race, with a certain type of book. The Bestseller She Wrote was neither. I started reading with hope and very nearly ditched the book after 150 pages, as I kept falling asleep at every other page. There was barely any movement in the story until the author decided to wrap things up in the last 40 or so pages with almost a summary of happenings, hurriedly introducing a twist in the tale.

The writing was mediocre and full of fluff, which probably accounts for the 391 pages that could have easily been condensed. Scenes were repetitive. I had the distinct feeling that the book was ghost written, going by the language in the author’s other books. Editing was not adequate. I got a little tired of the repetitive use of the word “dalliance”. I found the profanity in the book out of place in most parts – a little odd to see a Director in a bank using the f word with a trainee. Not cute.

“An author who didn’t have time to read” did not sit well with me. Aditya Kapoor flaunts his no-time-to-read as though it is something to be proud of. Not.

I did not like the fused heads on the book cover.

Ah well, Ravi Subramanian, Not the Bestseller You Wrote.

Will I recommend the book?

I’ve read and reviewed two of Ravi Subramanian’s books so far: The Bankster and God Is a Gamer and think they were better. As for The Bestseller She Wrote, let’s just say there a plenty of other books to read.

♥

I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers.