Book- Review: 2 States, story of my marriage
Author: Chetan Bhagat (CB)
Reviewer(FAN) : Dhruv Joshi
Charming, refreshing and enjoyable; these words come to mind quickly as I sit to review the latest book by Chetan Bhagat. There is a possibility that I may have a positive bias about the author, as I also belong to the clueless but confident breed of young MBAs!! However I have tried to reduce that bias to the extent I could.
The book opens with a sweet love story, moves through enticing descriptions of the relationships and ends at the macro level note of a unified India. CB’s ability to make concrete observations on the society has always grown better with each of his book. To give a deeper perspective on this, may I remind the readers that his first book, was a story of an individual with very personal set up and incidents. One night at call centre struck well with a particular section, larger than the one in his first book. Three mistakes – considered not so good by many- had some sincere and responsible remarks on the riots, passion for cricket and the entrepreneurial drive of young Indians. And the latest one opens even wider in terms of the scope and study. The following line from the book proves my point; “TV is the biggest boon for dysfunctional families” this shows the understanding of the author.
CB has also acquired an uncanny ability to relate his characters with many bigger issues, eg. In present book he almost covers all conceivable characteristics of people we find in our society. Though good at pointing the macro level issues his writing is not bereft of the personal touch and warmth. One of the most beautiful of all those cutely personal descriptions is expression of his desire to be an author, many of us personally relate to it to a great extent.
Ananya and Krish are the lead characters of the novel, they portray the ethical and moral dilemma of young generation of India. Though the story seems to be in sometimes in 1990s, this dilemma is still as astute as mentioned in it even today.
Their parents reflect the dilemma of a different order and nature. The episodes of the Minti’s wedding showcase the youth power against the ancestral and traditional autocracy. One point we, as youth, should not miss here is that the octogenarians (older people) are not against us or mutually exclusive to our thoughts, aspirations or desires. They are just a bit slower in adapting to them, understanding them. Who can forget that when everything ran out, it was Krish’s father – an old rigid and irresponsible man as described by Krish right from the beginning – who played a heroic stroke to salvage the ship of his son’s almost doomed love life.
We need both the types of unity that this novel brings, the obvious one is across the whole nation. And the not so obvious but a subtler one in terms of the generations.
I’d end on the clichéd but relevant quote,
United we stand……
POST SCRIPT: CB’s ability to create amusements, humour and tickle the reader is also appreciable.
