Yes it’s a debut novel of Kankana Basu and what a relief it’s not about IIT’s and IIM’s stories.
Actually recently crossword, Walden and many other book stores were just flooded with the IIT’s and IIM’s stories. I wonder is it because of an increase in MBA’s and IIT ians or is it because they have nothing to do so let’s write a book. And that’s the reason may be that very few docs get there book published. Now you know who works and who doesn’t. And I too belong to the latter category ;)
Anyways coming back to my Cappuccino Dusk…
The story starts silently (and a bit lengthy as well) giving you a picture of a Bengali family moving to Mumbai and then the normal “tic-tac-toe” to sustain and make a living.
And then it revolves around the five characters… four children and one mother. The Banerjee family!!
However with a slow start the story do have a good plot of Maltesh… who joins the newspaper as a cartoonist and it unfolds very well in the last chapters of cappuccino dusk.
Sadly though, none of it really comes together. At no point do you find yourself as a reader turning the pages of Cappuccino Dusk in bated breath; will Sid get his scholarship or will daughter of Head Professor get it? Will Bonny get married? Will Subroto lose his hatred for women? Will Mustafa overcome prejudices against Muslims and live happily ever after?
And then there’s the shock denouement; I won’t give it away, but it did appear suddenly, as if out of a hat. Nothing in the book leads up to that particular conclusion. Certainly it left me feeling extremely dissatisfied. But then again, perhaps life is like that.
Keep Faith
Chakoli :)
Actually recently crossword, Walden and many other book stores were just flooded with the IIT’s and IIM’s stories. I wonder is it because of an increase in MBA’s and IIT ians or is it because they have nothing to do so let’s write a book. And that’s the reason may be that very few docs get there book published. Now you know who works and who doesn’t. And I too belong to the latter category ;)
Anyways coming back to my Cappuccino Dusk…
The story starts silently (and a bit lengthy as well) giving you a picture of a Bengali family moving to Mumbai and then the normal “tic-tac-toe” to sustain and make a living.
And then it revolves around the five characters… four children and one mother. The Banerjee family!!
However with a slow start the story do have a good plot of Maltesh… who joins the newspaper as a cartoonist and it unfolds very well in the last chapters of cappuccino dusk.
Sadly though, none of it really comes together. At no point do you find yourself as a reader turning the pages of Cappuccino Dusk in bated breath; will Sid get his scholarship or will daughter of Head Professor get it? Will Bonny get married? Will Subroto lose his hatred for women? Will Mustafa overcome prejudices against Muslims and live happily ever after?
And then there’s the shock denouement; I won’t give it away, but it did appear suddenly, as if out of a hat. Nothing in the book leads up to that particular conclusion. Certainly it left me feeling extremely dissatisfied. But then again, perhaps life is like that.
Keep Faith
Chakoli :)
8 comments:
Just finished reading 2 States, and must say it is a novel written keeping in mind that it is going to be made into a movie...and nothing wrong with that..but if you yearn to read something more sophisticated Seth still rules...maybe I'll take your reco. and read cappuccino next..
Thats why I read lot but selectively...I hate but I have leave books halfway...
Guess what? The post left me indecisive- to take up Cappuccino Dusk or let it go...!
But yeah I did read 2 States, Bhagat is writing books keeping in mind the bollywood TG....yeah I too noticed too many IIT's & IIM's authors flooding the book shelves but the Rashmi Bansal's offers good take aways for struggling entrepreneurs...
Getting a gud buk out of the flooding thousands is a difficult task these days..!!
:)
I like the way the iitians n iimites write...it's different from the traditional style.
I used to have no appetite for books but after seeing 3 idiots and the following copyright controversy, I ready FPS, 2 States, It happened in India and abhi reading pour your heart into it and Monk who sold his ferrari..
I never knew that reading books can be so much fun. If you have any inspirational book in mind, do share..
so finally u became a book critique..hahhaha...so wats up...hws life..
I want to know if the book has any literary value? Your review does not really recommend reading the book and having less time I think I will skip it unless it has a literary appeal. I heard that the book was sent for man asian prize in the very first year of the prize inception and so they selected almost all acceptable books and included it in the long list.
@Anon
When I say that
Nothing in the book leads up to that particular conclusion. Certainly it left me feeling extremely dissatisfied. But then again, perhaps life is like that.
I thought it does makes sense that as a reader I didnt enjoyed it througly...so its an OK types... not amust read and even not must to avoid book...
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