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The One You Cannot Have (Book Review)

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My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some things are just fated. They may not work out exactly like how you had wanted, but they are meant to happen so you learn to grow.
- Preeti Shenoy, The One You Cannot Have

'Relationships do come with hurt and disappointments. Even the best ones die out and all that remains is the embers that still burn.'

And that's what this book is all about. The embers that burn and somehow makes one feel that there is not going to be a happy ever-after if things don't go the way they once planned. And yet, with time, as impossible as it might seem to be, there does come a time when we find ourselves flowing with the waves of time.

In a brilliantly described and poignant tale of love, longing and emerging victoriously from the cobwebs that settle around us after an unexpected occurrence, the author has crafted the characters of Aman, Shruti, Anjali, Rishabh and all others very well to suit the modern mindsets of today.

There are some things in the book that I really found to be worth mentioning. Some of them are as follows-

1. The Indian family's obsession of completing the family with kids soon after marriage has been dealt with in a comical yet gentle way. The pressures on a woman from all parts of a family after she gets married but is not ready to have a kid, is really well-described.

2. The differences between India and foreign countries (UK here) makes you smile, laugh and at times, even makes you question about the world we live in!

3. The author's love for Bengaluru (I love 'Bangalore' more)and the subtle placement of various places and people are commendable. Also the way in which 'saar' is used instead of 'sir' is enough to make one understand the change in pronunciation and utterance of various words the moment one moves around a bit in India ( Cheers to the variety, cheers to India! )

4. Aman's mother represents so many of today's parents who are so open with their children and are trying their best to be good friends to their children instead of the so-called strict ones! I simply adored her in the story.

5. Mr.Sanjeev Adani's presence as a great humanitarian that one encounters once in a while as one happens to walk on the path of life, is the perfect example of how we as humans can often go wrong when judging people. We often mistake smiles on various lips as eternal happiness when in reality we won't even have a hint of the devils they might be fighting inside them.

It is a book that you just can't place down unless and until you don't reach the last page of it. You can be rest assured that you will have the opportunity to savour some whirlwinds of the heart, the turmoils of the mind,the best decisions of the brain and above all, the perfect story that is always written in advance by destiny!

Preeti Shenoy, yet again, presents the reader with a story that is more than just that. It's a journey that will stay with the reader to remind that there definitely will be someone whom we cannot have, no matter how much we try... But you know what? It's just alright! Yes, that's what we will end up saying after we read the story. After all, can the ever-positive author guide her readers towards a sad end? :)

- Divya Nambiar



P.S. The fact that I got an autographed copy of the novel just made it all the more special to read it as well as to gain more positivity that is a good trait of all her books! ;) 
 

Comments

  1. Santhosh PanditMay 6, 2014 at 10:10 PM

    Preeti Shenoy is kinda expert in writing about relationships and is best at expressing emotions. While reading her books you feel that something like this has happened to you at some point of your life. Well I don't know about you all but I do feel this way. Her last book "Life is what you make it" helped me to understand my friend's pain and agony and this book has helped me in a way to move on.
    Those of you who have ever fallen in love would definitely love this book. It gives you hope that no matter what happens you will find your soul mate or you will find a friend for lifetime.
    It tells you that no matter what it's best to tell your partner everything, try not to keep secrets because if you have got secrets in your past then they will be coming soon to haunt you in your future.
    Extra bonus of the book is the free relationship advises from Shenoy which actually help you. Trust ,me on that I have tried them and they actually works.
    But on the flip side some of you might get irritated while reading the book as Preeti Shenoy has written this book through three main characters- Anjali, Aman and Shruti. You are left hanging in between, sometimes there is no co-relation to the things happening. Something which is happening in Shruti's life now will be happening very late in Aman life. So in a way timeline do get disrupted.
    But if you leave that thing apart, its an amazing book.
    So all those of you who are with broken hearts or are in the bubble of love, go and get the book and read it. Who knows may be you know something new in love which might actually help you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Divya NambiarMay 9, 2014 at 6:34 PM

    Thank you Santhosh for your review of the book. It is a good viewpoint.

    ReplyDelete

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