January 25, 2013

Book Review---"Truly, Madly, Deeply" By Faraaz Kazi

Title: Truly, Madly, Deeply

Author: Faraaz Kazi

Publication House: Mahaveer Publishers

Genre: Fiction

Price: Rs 150/-

About the author: Faraaz Kazi is rated amongst the top romance writers in India.
He is the founder and CEO of 'DigiImprints India' (India's first exclusive promotional agency for writers and artists) and operates his own academy in Mumbai.He is also a certified soft skills trainer and a three times post grad degree holder and a fellow member of the esteemed 'Film Writers Association of India' with a 'Nicholas Sparks of India' award to add to his kitty This 'Young Marketer' has a revolutionary blog by the same name and writes for major media houses
"Truly Madly Deeply", his debutant novel is the only Indian novel so far to have seven category nominations in the good reads 'annual readers' choice awards and is also the only Indian book in the 'Top 100 YA Global fiction' list.
His website: www.faraazkazi.com

Amidst the busy humdrum of life, who would not but once in a while love to be carried away in a whirlpool of nostalgia?
"Truly, Madly, Deeply"  by Faraaz Kazi takes us down memory lane...to look back and smile on how simple life would be in those days of young glory (our teenage years) and how complex we made it out to be.
A simple love story churns between Rahul---the pompous all rounder at school who exels not only in academics but also in singing, elocutions, music and extra curricular activities...and his female equivalent---the somewhat timid yet equally smart and good looking  Seema.
The characters are well described, the scenes well sketched and the story progresses in an entertaining manner.The story twists through a series of interschool, interhouse competitions where both Rahul and Seema learn from and about each other and like what they learn.
All until, an old admirer gets in the picture and decides to skew the equation...
All until, ace rivals and competitors decide to play dirty...
All until, a trap is laid and fallen prey for...
Will their innocent 'puppy love' triumph over all misunderstandings? Will Rahul and Seema manage to overcome all distractions and achieve their goals and ambitions?
or does loving someone truly, madly, deeply come with a price (too high) to pay?
 Faraaz Kazi's novel is a subtle answer to all these questions.

Written in a simple narrative is wrapped a not-so-simple-love-story set in the simplest (retrospect'ically speaking ofcourse) phase of our life-our teenage years.

However, I also thought a few sequences to be a little over the top for a 15 year old protagonist---like Farha (another 15 yr old) playing seductress and seducing Rahul, a few bollywood 'dishum-dishum' fight sequence  and not to forget the epic 'rakhi' scene which scares Rahul away (that was hilarious though)...but I guess, one always faces a little drama in those hormone dominated years, eh?

The romance begins on a fresh note but dips a little towards the middle, with a lot of unnecessary fillers---though i must admit, I quite liked the debate competition  bit.
But somehow all empathy was lost for Rahul towards the end (wherein he goes on and on 'lecturing' Seema about his love for her while she just stays dumbfounded.) though I am not sure that was what the author had in mind.
But then again, perhaps that's just me!

That apart, I particularly liked the open end which leaves scope for a sequel. I think the author has great potential and going by his fan following, has already captured a lot of young hearts with this debutant novel of his.

Personal Rating: 3 out of 5


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(This book review is written on the request of the author, though the views above are entirely mine and are not subject to obligation of any sort)