Book Review: Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

Title: Wedding Night

Author: Sophie Kinsella

Publisher: Bantam Press (Random House India)

Pages: 400

Price: Rs 599

Genre: Fiction / Chicklit / Romance / Modern Fiction

Rating: 7/10

Format: Paperback

Frankly, I had read a few average reviews for the book, so I read it with very low expectations. And, I liked it. Sure, the story is over-the-top, preposterous and crazy. But nothing that a Sophie Kinsella fan cannot fathom or a chicklit reader cannot imagine. I can totally see a Hollywood rom-com on this story. 

Lottie and Fliss are 30-something sisters. Fliss is the older sister and has always been protective about Lottie. This book gives a new meaning to how far she would go.

Lottie is in a steady relationship and is pretty sure her boyfriend is about to propose, but nothing of that sort happens. Out of the blue, her boyfriend from fifteen years ago turns up claiming that she had been ‘the one’ for him and he never really found anyone like her. He proposes and she accepts. In her rose-tinted world, perhaps this was meant to be. Fliss on the other hand, is in the middle of a bitter divorce and does not want Lottie to do anything mindless such as jumping into a marriage without any thought. But Lottie would not listen and Fliss would not give up. Even when Lottie goes ahead and gets married, Fliss will pull all strings to stop their Wedding Night so that the marriage can still be annulled. What ensues is a crazy, roller-coaster till the end. The narration alternates between Lottie and Fliss.  

The fact is all Sophie-Kinsella heroines are crazy and over-the-top. They imagine things when there is none. Their imagination would start from one end and land up somewhere completely different. There is a whole world in their imagination. Add to that, all of them have a penchant for landing themselves in trouble, but luckily, things fall into place for them at the end. And true to the genre, they find the most deserving and charming men (and rich / successful).

Honestly speaking, this story is completely different from the Shopaholic series and yet the graph of the narrative is similar. The story takes off, the heroine lands herself in trouble, keeps falling in self-created mess, but miraculously things turn around for her benefit at the end.

There are several laugh-out-loud moments in the fast-paced narrative but very few mushy ones. It is more about the sisters than about the romantic angle, so to say. It is not in the league of the Shopaholic series or the author's last outing 'I've Got Your Number', but I had a fairly good time. 

If chicklit is your fare, you will like it; just keep your expectations at bay. 

Review Book courtesy: Random House India
Image source: Random House India

Book Review: Holy Cow by Sarah Macdonald

Title: Holy Cow! An Indian Adventure

Author: Sarah Macdonald

Publisher: Bantam Books (Random House)

Pages: 320

Price: Rs 375

Genre: Non Fiction / Travel / Memoir

Rating: 8/10

Format: Paperback

I first read ‘Holy Cow’ in 2006 or 2007. It was interesting to look at Indian diversity and idiosyncrasies through the eyes of an outsider who wanted to make sense of the chaos. I loved it. But in order to appreciate this book, you must have the ability to laugh at India’s eccentricities. It is one of the very few books which I have re-read and enjoyed.

Sarah Macdonald, an Australian journalist, broadcaster and presenter, did not like India on her first visit and never wanted to return. But she returns to India after almost 11 years to be with her boyfriend Jonathan Haley. “Holy Cow” is more of a spiritual journey of the author which takes her through interesting experiences and people.

She writes right at the beginning: “India is Hotel California: you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.”

In her early days, her cynical self only finds the problems: widespread poverty, no respect for time, no sense of space and privacy, people gawking at western women, dirt and filth, the unbearable heat, poor medical standards, etc., etc. But soon she decides to make the best of her stay in India, since Jonathan was away most of the time for long duration owing to wok commitments. Sarah’s experiences were diverse: finding anything but peace in the spiritual ‘market’ of Rishikesh, brushes with death in the forms of earthquake and double-pneumonia, making sense of the Indian marriage scene (its close connection with family and honour), cleansing of mind and finding inner peace through Vipassana, learning about Sikhs and meeting a unique group of white Sikhs, grim realities of a paradise lost in Kashmir, experiencing Jewish rituals, getting blessed by Mata Amritanandamayi, meeting film stars, exploring Christianity at our Lady of Velangiri, to name a few.

There are several such books by western travellers / journalists / explorers but Sarah Macdonald has a distinguished voice. Some may find a few of her observations or comments offensive, but you must remember while reading this book, or any such book, that this is a personal journey of the author. In this particular book, we find Sarah Macdonald transform from an atheist to someone who begins to enjoy the expansive spiritual roads India offers, its many religions. At the end of it, she is humbled by India’s accommodating culture, affectionate people, diversity and experiences. At the end, if you really read it with an open mind, there is not a thing to offend. She sounds a little conceited in the beginning but I think, it is purely to bring out the contrast in her transformation from someone not amused by the situation in India to someone who had begun to enjoy the “organised chaos”. 

Few gems from the book:

About the Hindi she learnt from her teacher who scoffed at the use of street language:

When I thought I was asking a taxi driver to take me somewhere I was really saying, ‘Kind sir, would thou mind perhaps taking me on a journey to this shop and I would be offering you recompense of this many rupees to do so, thank you frightfully humbly.’ And I have been greeting filthy naked street urchins with, ‘Excuse me, o soul one, but I’m dreadfully sorry, I don’t appear to have any change, my most humble of apologies.’

These lines beautifully capture her thoughts on religion:

“I realise I don’t have to be a Christian who follows the church, or a Buddhist nun in robes, or a convert to Judaism or Islam or Sikhism. I can be a believer in something bigger than what I can touch. I can make a leap of faith to a higher power in a way that’s appropriate to my culture but not be imprisoned by it.”

She says about her trip to Pakistan:

“I feel like I’ve travelled between two divorced parents who are trying to outdo each other.”

About war against Afghanistan

This war has shattered my Great Australian Dream – the fantasy that I could be part of the world community with all its benefits but isolated enough to be safe and separate from its violence and brutality.”

And finally, her thoughts on India towards the end:

”India’s organised chaos has exuberance and optimism, a pride and a strong celebration of life. I truly love it. There’s no place like this home.”

It is an interesting book; and people who love to read about India, or Non Fiction in general or travel stories in particular will love it.

Review Book courtesy: MySmartPrice Books - Get the Best Deal on Books!

Image source: MySmartPrice Books