BUY TWO WINTERS AND 365 DAYS | ANURADHA PRASAD | BOOK REVIEW

PLOT: 3/5

CHARACTERS: 3.5/5

WRITING STYLE: 3/5

CLIMAX: 2.5/5

ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3/5

Reading a debut author’s work is always a bit of an adventure, whether that adventure will fulfil what one is seeking or will it turn into a mere disappointment, is just a matter of sheer luck. Anxious to try out yet another debut Indian author, and that too a writer of romance, I sat down with a cup of coffee and a copy of Two Winters and 365 Days. Let me tell you something here, though being a woman, I am not much of a fan of romance fiction, so it is really hard to please me out on this front and that holds true especially for this particular genre. But as I made my way through the pages, I found, much to my relief that the book was indeed beautifully penned and was worth every word the author had written.

Ananya was leading a peaceful and fulfilling life in America, when all of a sudden, one night, she loses her husband in an accident. In hope of starting anew, she comes down to Mumbai, and with the help of a loving friend, Amanda, lands herself with the job of an editor-in-chief at a slowly declining lifestyle magazine AFTER TEA. As she finds herself in her new job, many challenges stare at her in the face, a few of them being her inexperience and lack of professional qualification along with the media mockery and humiliation. But soon she gears up to the challenge and decides to turn around her magazine. With the help of her natural creativity, innovative ideas and a supportive team she soon realizes her dream of making AFTER TEA one of the best magazines in India.

On one hand, she is driving home professional success, while on the other she is still the lonesome widow grieving her husband’s sudden demise. But this loneliness soon gets cured by the entry of the young debonair Vicky Arora, who after much cajoling, convincing and wooing sweeps Ananya off her feet and fills Ananya’s and little Alia’s life with never-ending love.

I liked the writing style of the author; descriptive yet not monotonous, detailed yet specific. I also liked the main characters of Ananya and Vicky. The simple girl next door appearance, as opposed to her fiery and highbrow professionalism, was indeed a great contrast delivered beautifully and as naturally as it could have been possible. On the other hand, the effervescent and suave young tycoon was a man of any bachelorette’s dream. Even the young cherubic Alia and the ever-feisty Amanda were a treat to read about.

The characters set into the plot beautifully and almost effortlessly. Though the end is a little predictable, it was more than compensated by the “happily ever after” ending. What could have possibly made me like the book more was a better and more appealing cover and less usage of the bold paragraphs, for they were many and sometimes even without a purpose they seemed to have been highlighted to stand out amongst the crowd. But rest assured, the Two Winters and 365 Days is definitely worth a read.