Friday, October 16, 2009

2 States - The Story Of My Marriage



Disclaimer : This is not a book review
Let me start by saying that Chetan Bhagat is the person behind me reading books in the first place. If it wasnt for his books i would have remained a non-reader all my life.

Chetan Bhagat the youth writer image that he has got has tried something different yet so similar this time. He decided to go one notch ahead and write a book on one of the most important and after reading the book adventurous event of his life.
I dont know the degree of adventure in the actual sense because he's mentioned to consider this book as a part of fiction.

The book that I am talking about is 2- States.
Its a book on love cum "please arrange" marriage in general in India , how it was a decade ago. Things have changed now obviously. Most importantly it has 2 states playing a very important part in the book,
Tamil Nadu and Punjab. Different like chalk and cheese isnt it?
If i tell you what the book is about it will sound very cliched but i wont be surprised if some tom dick or harry would want to make a movie on this book too cos it is surely entertaining.

Now the problematic part with Chetan Bhagat is that he raised his standards so high with the classic FIVE POINT SOMEONE that everyone expects him to churn out something like that everytime he pens down.

'5 point someone' was rocking cant put down till i finish type book.
'1 night at the call center' was okayish ( mixed response but personally I loved the book)
'3 mistakes of my life' was a disaster ( personally i hated it too)

after 3 mistakes of my life everyone started terming him as a one book wonder. Immature writer.
I always felt that he is an amazing story teller with a great humour element but not that great a writer that is why all his books are made into movies.
But again because he became so famous after his first two books which targetted the youth of india it became like a reflex action to read chetan bhagat if its a new book on the stands.
Just like people have to go and watch a Shahrukh Khan movie no matter how bad it is.. or how bad the reviews are.

But with 2- States Chetan Bhagat will manage to win the confidence of old readers and get some new ones.
The ones who are not okay with colloquial style of writing will still keep on disliking him probably because they are too sophisticated for his books or they have too much of Jeffrey Archer or John Grisham in their minds.

Although the typical Chetan Bhagat elements are there in the book like the over use of the sentence " and we made love" and overuse of sarcasm but that somehow keeps the grip and keeps you smiling.
Do not be too judgemental and read it with an open mind only then you will not find the writing too monotonous and relate to the character and eventually end up enjoying the book.






11 comments:

Amnn.......//1! said...

did u already readit //??

el_idioto said...

i haven;t this one yet and most likely wont coz the topic doesn't interest me...

but i have to disagree with you on one fact..

each of his books have been well received.. if one section abhors it, rest adore it... that's how reviews are.. nothing to do abt it...

in fact 2nd was worse scripted and sold mainly coz it was written by author of 5-pt someone.. 3-mistakes was a bit better than one night but he is what he is, no complaints... at least an indian is getting it there...

vikram said...

nice post man..

Sanket said...

Chetan Bhagat is kinda the reason why i started reading too!

Anonymous said...

m not sure about chetan bhagat

bt atleast ur review abou him were very correcting..

@Sanket:hey chetan bhagat may b the reason y u started reading but i m sure u dont even know wat u have missed in life then
believe me chetan b is jus one buk wonder..there are far better underrated writers in the world.

Prithwish....... said...

hey dude..blogohopped and visited ur blog..nice write..
I have read all chetan bhagats books, including the latest one..
his books are more like a commercial bollywood potboiler.he weaves his stories in such a way that u feel a film is running in front of u, and some how, u want to be a part of it...
keep writing...u have one more follower..and do visit mine too..
http://expressivearian.blogspot.com/
cheers...

malpani.!! said...

@ prithwish - hey buddy.. thanks a lot..rilly good to see new ppl coming and sharing blogs..i sure will be a regular on ur blog too.. take care!!

Anonymous said...

well i guess books really dont form one standard opinion or feedback...chetan bhagats books area fun read.I loved five point someone..call center one was ok...[i agree]..three mistakes of my life moved me..I simply loved the book.I remember chetan quoting that he did not want to become the most celebrated writer,but the most loved one.His books redable/relatable.[dont mind my english there..:P].and they are engrossing.Comparing would not be fair!

Amnn.......//1! said...

dude i just got over with it ....
n i lovvveed it .. yaah true// i feel like making a movie on this already ...!!!!

n i loved it so much that i feel lke bloggging bout it .. but u have already blogged bout it ,,,!!1
damn u ...!!

Amnn.......//1! said...

n i don care what u guys say ...
i personallly found one nite at call centre one of the best books i have ever read ..

the book moved me ...!!!

Unknown said...

like ur blog...
bt the 2states thing u sayin is of last decade!!!
nah man..it still is there in every indians blood...or rather...almost every indian blood...
n chetan bhagat has brought it out in its purest forms...hats off to him...wat a book...an apt sequel to 5point someone...(n ofcourse bak to standards)!!!
lol
nice work here though...