This review is of the latest book that I reviewed as part of BlogAdda’s Book Review Program.
Title: I’m Not Twenty Four…I’ve Been Nineteen for Five Years
Author: Sachin Garg
Plot: Saumya Kapoor is a pretty, mall hopping, shoe loving, twenty four year old on the lookout for lasting love. However, cursed with a unisexual name, she finds herself in a not-very-ideal scenario when her company messes up her employment papers and sends her off to a remote village in Karnataka. Stuck in a place where a simple walk in the park brings on the stares, Saumya has to deal with some really tough situations that would set any strong person on edge. She is placed in a job she has no idea about, and has some gruesome first hand experiences at her new company. Needless to say, the hunk of her dreams remains elusive, as she battles it out in this new terrain and tries to overcome her inner demons. The story goes on to bring out the developments in Saumya’s character as she encounters one harrowing incident after another.
Review: On the whole, the book is a light read and not at all boring. It’s a decent page turner, with the author keeping the reader guessing as to what Saumya might encounter next in her new job. The description of places is quite good, and makes the reader feel like he/she has actually been there. The accident parts are also well written, with an edge-of-the-seat thriller feel to it. The humor is light and might resonate more with women.
On the downside, the editing of the book could have been much better. There are quite a few grammatical and spelling mistakes, especially in the latter half of the book.
Although, the plot does indicate that this is no heavy duty literature, you still feel like the book lacks depth somewhere. Some of the humor seems forced, and sometimes it just pops up at strange places. There is also a shift in focus throughout. I’m still not sure what the central theme was supposed to be – her search for love or her tenacity and will to stick to her job, difficulties notwithstanding? The author tries to make it about the protagonist’s search for a proper relationship, but you lose track of it midway, only to find it popping up towards the end.
The title, though catchy does not completely capture the essence of the book. If it was supposed to depict the protagonist’s maturing process, well, that is a bit confusing. The love angle part reiterates the fact that she hasn’t grown up and is still as impulsive as a nineteen year old, yet her job experiences appear to be leading to a development in maturity.
Certain incidents in Saumya’s life occur for no particular reason, and you are left wondering, “Why did that have to happen? What good did that do?”
Saumya’s character is more or less well defined, but the other axillary characters are left halfway in the lurch. However, Shubhro’s character development is quite good and he leaves more of an impact than Saumya’s does. His life is certainly more intriguing than Saumya’s.
Overall, a nice, light read. It is best to read it with minimal expectations, and you won’t be greatly disappointed.
This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!
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