Author: Anuja Chauhan
While aimlessly walking through the aisles of a bookstore, I came across a book that had me laughing for days. In a cricket-crazed nation, I am among that tiny percentage, near extinct species of people, who have almost no interest in the game. Yet, some weird feeling nudged me, and made me go ahead and pick the book up.. and I sure am glad I did!
Zoya Solanki, the “truly spiritually evolved” protagonist, an advertising agent with a sarcastic tongue, chubby face and witty persona, is in no way pleased to be pulled away from the shooting scene of a video involving a shirtless Shah Rukh Khan. She is even less pleased to be informed that she has to work with the Indian Cricket Team and ensure that all tantrums are cut down and that her company can complete the advertisement on time.
Remembering the name of the captain of the team was hardly part of her Job description, and within a few chapters we see a harried Zoya rushing to and fro to keep the Men in Blue happy.
A confrontation with the captain follows... and is succeeded by further delays… foolish remarks… and before we know it, Zoya Singh Solanki is a miracle worker! The lucky charm who administers victory upon any team she has breakfast with on the morning of a match!
Born on 25th June 1983, the identical moment when India won the World Cup, Zoya’s luck is supposedly unfailing… and the ray of sunshine that the dying team has been looking for! Needless to say, Insanity ensues.
Lifted from her busy world, Zoya is thrust into a seemingly parallel universe, with adoring worshippers, money minded officials, a smouldering captain and a raging heart. Throughout this journey, we see how she copes with it all… and this laugh riot will make you heave a sigh of sadness as you turn over the last page and realise that you are done.
Written in a friendly, chatty style, punctuated with gossip columns, pilfered emails and other tidbits… the reader is in for an entertaining experience.
The descriptions and occasional Indian phrases introduce us to Delhi and all its spicy masala, leaving a homey feeling inside us. Despite being predictable in certain places, the plot is not exactly devoid of surprises. The characters are strong, lifelike and believable.. and extremely amusing!
Although it may strictly feature under Chic-litt, the book will have a plethora of readers hooked to it. In short, it’s a lovely read, appealing enough to be read over again!
Interesting! Shall pick it up and check it out. Nice going... I like the fluency with which you write!
ReplyDelete-RR
Good one padma! i got another post ready! :P
ReplyDeleteDamn cool! I would surely put it in my reading list. This one surely deserves to be good. I haven't read a fiction recently, so it should be a refreshing book... Let's see if I can get my hands on it. Thanks! :)
ReplyDelete@ Ramaa: Thank you! :)
ReplyDelete@ Karts: Keep at it then! We'll have a whole lot in reserve! :))
@ Manav: Thank you! And this is surely worth a read or two.. if not a third! :P
@padma> new one posted!
ReplyDeletePPG-NESS. YOU READ COOL BOOKS. I'LL CHECK IT OUT!!! (This is Pooja, btw :P And yuuck, this account I've signed in is olld. Monthss old.)
ReplyDeleteEek! Blogging again then? :D Yu shud really read this one though! Through my board exams i read chic litt cause it hardly required focus... this is awesome! :P
ReplyDeleteDunno if I'm blogging again but yeah :D Heheh even I could read nothing but chic lit during and before the Boards! Can't read anything else even now. Now it's chic lit and Wodehouse :D Yupp, it sounds amazing i'll read :) and keep blogging :D
ReplyDelete