Title: The Bestseller She Wrote
Author: Ravi Subramanian
Publication date: October 2015
Publisher: Westland
ISBN: 9385152386
Genre: Romance/Drama/Mystery
Didn’t expect this to be another Chetan Bhagat, though Ravi Subramanian shared a profile of being an IIM alumnus and banker. But was surprised at the intelligent narrative and turn of events in the book.
Checking out reviews on Goodreads after I’d finished the book, many have commented as this being a cheesy novel with need to flesh out some characters better. Sometimes I wonder if my review really does matter to anyone, because I find my viewpoint being deviant from the opinions of general or shall I say, learned public. For starters, I felt this has a fairly decent appeal, exploring the extent of how manipulative one can be. There are definite shades of truth in the way the characters have been portrayed, and I could relate to the raging emotions.
A novel about an author always gets my interest piqued as I find it an intriguing way to learn about the life of writers. There’s a nice peek into the mechanics of the publishing industry with a walkthrough of the journey of a manuscript to the bookstores. I was reminded of CB time and again when the novel began with a speech by the protagonist at an IIM auditorium and proceeded to show him leading a double life as a banker and a writer.
The darker side of human emotions has been portrayed deeply as the novel proceeds to conceptualise show characters being selfish, manipulative, and adulterous. Even a star studded hero can make mistakes, and needs to learn to live with it. The gorgeous belle who invites trouble with her domineering streak, leading to an unapproved romance, makes us cringe for a while, but later finishes off with a happy ending. Which is not so surprising as it is supposed to be a Bollywood motion picture. The wife character could have been spiced up a bit, as she appeared dull to a boring degree. Bringing in Ebola was a cheesy way to add weight to her character. The climax had splashes of suspense and I did enjoy the unmasking of the schemers.
~ Fahima Yousouf
A Writer's Retreat 