BUY I WISH I HAD NOT MARRIED MY LOVE | ASHISH ROY | BOOK REVIEW

PLOT: 3.5/5

WRITNG STYLE: 2.5/5

CHARACTERS: 3/5

CLIMAX: 3/5

ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3/5

My Musings

I am always happy when I get to read different genres and different authors. Discovering new authors and making people aware of their latest works is the one aim that shaped our baby – bookGeeks.

This is probably the first time that I am reading and reviewing a book by an author from Tripura and the joy that it brings me is immense. Diversity in literature is a topic that needs to be often spoken about and I am glad that I am able to contribute to it in whatever small way that I can.

It was at the beginning of this year that I discovered a literary gem in Mamang Dai (author of The Black Hill), a Sahitya Academy winning author from Arunachal Pradesh. Now, towards the end of the year, I am having the pleasure of holding a book from an author from Tripura.

I wish I Had Not Married My Love is a short romantic thriller that I had the opportunity to read recently. Read on to know more about my thoughts on this book.

Cover, font style and size, ease of readability

When it comes to the cover, the book does a good job of enticing the reader. The picture on the cover tells us a lot about what lies inside. It makes the book look scandalous and that’s definitely a plus point.

But, one thing that could have been better was the colour theme. The pink washed cover doesn’t add to the appeal of the book, rather, it makes it look a bit drab.

Moving on to other aspects, the font size and style of the book are pretty decent. The quality of the pages isn’t the best but that’s okay as the cost of the book is kept on the lower side.

What to expect?

The book has a good mix of college romance and murder mystery. To be very specific, it is more of a psychological thriller than a regular murder mystery.

I Wish I Had Not Married My Love also has a decent dose of drama.

The author, Ashish Roy, has tried to balance all the elements but in the end, the college romance part is rather dull and cliched. The same boy-meets-girl story has been told countless times before in many other contemporary novels.

The story as it goes

Madhav and Aakarsha are college sweethearts who get married. Now years later, their best friend Mohit gets the shock of his life when he learns of a controversy that Madhav has got himself embroiled into.

Madhav has been accused of sexual harassment by one of his colleagues. Aakarsha who is now Madhav’s wife and also a colleague has been made the head of the inquiry committee.

To everyone’s surprise, the committee, after going through all the facts and evidence, finds him guilty. Mohit is unable to believe all this and decides to head over to Mumbai to find the truth.

Much to Mohit’s chagrin, the news channels start flashing breaking news about Madhav’s alleged suicide. Suspecting some foul play and sure of Madhav’s innocence, Mohit decides to investigate further. What Mohit discovers is not only scandalous but extremely outrageous.

So, what is the truth behind Madhav’s death? Was Madhav really guilty? Will Mohit be able to prove Madhav’s innocence to Aakarsha?

I Wish I Had Not Married My Love is the tale of one man’s fight for the dignity of his best friend.

Let’s talk about the writing style

With such an interesting story in mind, Ashish Roy surely has good storytelling skills but his writing fails him. The writing is naïve and amateurish.

All throughout the book, you get this uncanny feeling of incompleteness and something missing. The plot is surely a good one but sadly it isn’t backed by a good narration and writing style.

What about the characters?

The characters are a decent bunch. I don’t intend to reveal much about the story but it will be safe to say that the book has characters on both side of the spectrum. Fair, honest and decent souls to people straightaway diabolical. It was interesting to see how the perception about a few of them changed, as the pages unfolded.

How good was the climax?

The climax of I Wish I Had Not Married My Love was indeed one of its highlights. I love the way it shapes up. In the end, it was absolutely unpredictable. I was expecting something totally different when all of a sudden, the climax leaves me shocked and surprised. So, I am going to keep it short – the climax was a winner.

What did I like?

I loved how the plot is conceived and the story branches out. If I leave the romance and the cliché college flashbacks out of consideration, the book has a good plot in place with some really interesting twists and turns. As the story was unfolding, it always kept me guessing and glued.

What could have been better?

In my opinion, had the author not included the college romance angle and the normal hostel dramas, the book would have made for a much fast-paced, nail-biting and adventurous read. Also, often during flashbacks the switch from past to present and vice versa was quite abrupt and poorly done.

It all boils down to the entertainment quotient

In the end, if you are somebody who doesn’t mind a bit of botchy writing, I Wish I Had Not Married My Love does have some decent dose of entertainment.

Pick up the book if

• If you enjoy romantic thrillers.
• If you enjoy murder mysteries with a decent dose of romance.
• If you aren’t a regular reader who reads a lot.
• If you aren’t particular about good writing as long there is a decent story involved.
• If you enjoy college romances.

Skip the book if

• If you don’t like romance or romantic thrillers.
• If you can’t stand mediocre editing.
• If you can’t stand shoddy writing.

Can’t wait to read it? buy your copy of I Wish I Had Not Married My Love using the link below.