Love Me In The End
was not what I expected.
Perhaps a little context is required - most love stories I've read, especially the ones by Indian authors, ignore the concept of lust. So no one is ever physically attracted to anyone, no one ever seems to sleep with anyone at all, and while the hero and heroine always look absolutely gorgeous and flawless, no one ever seems to like them for the way they look, because that would just be too materialistic and detract from the idea of the great Indian love story. Over time, I have come to find this irritating - especially when the love story seems based on lust anyway, and the author is just unwilling to acknowledge that. And here's what I can say for Love Me In The End - it definitely doesn't do that. Catering to Gen Y, the book is refreshingly open about sexuality and relationships - in fact, if you're uncomfortable with that then I would definitely not recommend this book for you. As far as I'm concerned, this is a very open book (in fact, the last book like this was Nikhil Mahajan's "My Love Never Faked" - reviewed here - which, if you recall, had a main character who cheated, watched porn and got the girl from the porn he was watching and with whom he was cheating on her girlfriend to tattoo her name on him) but I was quite okay with that.
That is not to say that I enjoyed everything about this book. I did like Ria though - the main character - because she was fun, fiery, and definitely not perfect, and she was making more sense than anyone else in this book. Because I certainly could not understand the motivations of many, many people - Amitab, Ria's father, behaves like he lives in the previous century (engaging her with a guy she's never met and then blackmailing the guy into marrying her), her supposedly modern mother (who is divorced and remarried to Amitab, who is also a divorcee) is upset that her daughter is unhappy with her father's choice but still seems to blame it on her daughter for being 'pig-headed' (which seems like a joke! I consider everyone else pigheaded) and last but not the least Arman, Ria's fiancée who's motivations - both emotional and physical, I fail to understand completely. Also, his hypocrisy made me really hate him! (You will understand once you read the book. Nothing could be as annoying.)
The plot is, as I've explained above, not for everyone. On the other hand, if you're a fan of romance, (this book is reminiscent of Julia Quinn - read here) and you're okay with it, it is quite likely that you will really enjoy this book. Its fast-paced, modern, fun and reasonably well-written - none of the careless grammar and writing that so frequently destroy good stories these days. There are passages in this book that are funny, touching, and incredibly passionate - which is, of course, what all books should aim to do - and I feel the book succeeds in that.
Final thoughts: Its fun, and modern - definitely for the new Indian generation. Give it a miss if you dont like the concept, because its based pretty heavily on that.
Other thoughts: I've been reading a lot of books lately that I haven't got the time to review - like Eric Segal's "The Class
" and the first Percy Jackson
book, as well as a re-read of the Vlad Taltos 
series. Expect more reviews soon! Also see my interviews of Anurag Anand, Nikhil Mahajan and Sonia Kundra Singh here soon! Also, its about time for the Book Reading Challenge 2011 and The Book Giveaway of Stilettos in the Newsroom to End - get on it!
(Financial disclosure: Book source is the author.)
was not what I expected.Perhaps a little context is required - most love stories I've read, especially the ones by Indian authors, ignore the concept of lust. So no one is ever physically attracted to anyone, no one ever seems to sleep with anyone at all, and while the hero and heroine always look absolutely gorgeous and flawless, no one ever seems to like them for the way they look, because that would just be too materialistic and detract from the idea of the great Indian love story. Over time, I have come to find this irritating - especially when the love story seems based on lust anyway, and the author is just unwilling to acknowledge that. And here's what I can say for Love Me In The End - it definitely doesn't do that. Catering to Gen Y, the book is refreshingly open about sexuality and relationships - in fact, if you're uncomfortable with that then I would definitely not recommend this book for you. As far as I'm concerned, this is a very open book (in fact, the last book like this was Nikhil Mahajan's "My Love Never Faked" - reviewed here - which, if you recall, had a main character who cheated, watched porn and got the girl from the porn he was watching and with whom he was cheating on her girlfriend to tattoo her name on him) but I was quite okay with that.
That is not to say that I enjoyed everything about this book. I did like Ria though - the main character - because she was fun, fiery, and definitely not perfect, and she was making more sense than anyone else in this book. Because I certainly could not understand the motivations of many, many people - Amitab, Ria's father, behaves like he lives in the previous century (engaging her with a guy she's never met and then blackmailing the guy into marrying her), her supposedly modern mother (who is divorced and remarried to Amitab, who is also a divorcee) is upset that her daughter is unhappy with her father's choice but still seems to blame it on her daughter for being 'pig-headed' (which seems like a joke! I consider everyone else pigheaded) and last but not the least Arman, Ria's fiancée who's motivations - both emotional and physical, I fail to understand completely. Also, his hypocrisy made me really hate him! (You will understand once you read the book. Nothing could be as annoying.)
The plot is, as I've explained above, not for everyone. On the other hand, if you're a fan of romance, (this book is reminiscent of Julia Quinn - read here) and you're okay with it, it is quite likely that you will really enjoy this book. Its fast-paced, modern, fun and reasonably well-written - none of the careless grammar and writing that so frequently destroy good stories these days. There are passages in this book that are funny, touching, and incredibly passionate - which is, of course, what all books should aim to do - and I feel the book succeeds in that.
Final thoughts: Its fun, and modern - definitely for the new Indian generation. Give it a miss if you dont like the concept, because its based pretty heavily on that.
Other thoughts: I've been reading a lot of books lately that I haven't got the time to review - like Eric Segal's "The Class
" and the first Percy Jackson book, as well as a re-read of the Vlad Taltos series. Expect more reviews soon! Also see my interviews of Anurag Anand, Nikhil Mahajan and Sonia Kundra Singh here soon! Also, its about time for the Book Reading Challenge 2011 and The Book Giveaway of Stilettos in the Newsroom to End - get on it!(Financial disclosure: Book source is the author.)
hey thnks for sharing ur thoughts...nice one again.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. :)
ReplyDeleteHey, with due respect to your thoughts and nothing against the writing style of Sonia; it indeed is a fine piece of writing.
ReplyDeleteBut, my view differs when you talk about the fact that lust is the sole point behind loving someone which we often don't accept.
I rather believe may be in 99% cases, it might hold true. But still there is a small group of people for whom what only matters is that the person is happy even if they aren't with them.
Even for the rest 99% people, after a point lust takes a back seat and its the bonding, emotions, respect and understanding which sustain the relationship thereafter.
So, if a relationship is solely based on the prime factor of lust, it would never succeed.
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteI think you got me wrong though. I dont think lust is the main point at all. In fact, I rather felt that in this book the author was trying to make that point which I did NOT agree with. Thus, what I was trying to say was that I agree with you - relationships so based on lust are not likely to succeed, and I wouldnt call them relationships at all. I find that very hard to believe.
Hey,
ReplyDeleteNice Review! I happen to be a writer as well, with two books to my credit...was wondering if you would be interested in reviewing them? :)
Get in touch at insanemindfreak@gmail.com or alternatively, you can visit my blog at mithunmukherjee.blogspot.com.
Wishes
Scribblers Inc.
Nice review!! Kudos to you especially the fact as you mentioned that you are 17 you have quite canny sense and eye for critiquing the written work. Excellent inside especially sex vs love. I strongly believe they both go hand in hand,no relationship can be complete with just one.
ReplyDelete