Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Book Review 2014 #21 : Half Girlfriend by Chetan Bhagat

Title: Half Girlfriend
Source- Goodreads


Author: Chetan Bhagat

About the story: Once upon a time, there was a Bihari boy called Madhav. He fell in love with a rich girl from Delhi called Riya. Madhav did not speak English well. Riya did. Madhav wanted a relationship. Riya didn't. Riya just wanted friendship. Madhav didn't. Riya suggested a compromise. She agreed to be his half-girlfriend.

Review: I know the first question that you would have on your mind is ‘why did you pick this book’ for reading. And my reply would be I surely don’t know except that I was curious. The only Chetan Bhagat books that I really liked were Five Point Someone and 2 States. After 2 States I was of the opinion that maybe this Bhagat fellow did not deserve the brickbats that people blatantly threw at his face.

Then came Revolution 2020 and I ordered a copy of the book and enthusiastically started reading it. But as I turned the pages of the book, the realization dawned on me that 2 States from Chetan Bhagat might have been a fluke, a stroke of luck. I don’t know what it was, but I struggled to finish the book.

Then when I heard that CB’s new book was coming out, curiosity got the better of me. Also I was baffled about what exactly a Half Girlfriend is!

The story starts with Madhav, hailing from a rural village in Bihar, trying to get an admission into a prestigious college, St. Stephens in Delhi. There he meets a girl, Riya, from an affluent and rich family. Though the two become friends, bonding over their love for basketball, Riya and Madhav are as different as chalk and cheese in their lifestyle and their upbringing. While Madhav is more rustic and crude in his nature and attitude, Riya is refined and more practical in her approach to life.

But the unwavering truth between them is the love that Madhav feels for Riya, though the way he confesses his love towards her could have been defined as crass and indecent.

Frankly the book is not Bhagat’s worse, but it lacks a strong plot. Madhav’s love seems to be lost in his lust and his constant endeavors to get Riya into bed begins to annoy the reader after sometime. And the mention of the author in his own book does hint a little bit of self-absorption.

I wouldn’t deny the fact that Chetan Bhagat has created many young readers in our country, who love such romantic theatrical fiction, but he has to really stop writing books just so that they could be produced into movies.

You could give this book a miss unless you are a die-hard CB fan J


Rating: 2/5

5 comments:

  1. I struggled to finish 2 States too and had leave it mid-way for it was that intolerable. Nice review. Reading this one is out of the question :P

    Happy Diwali!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice review. Thank you for the valuable inputs about the book. Yes as said I started reading as a part time fun through Chetan Bhagat books. Apart from 5 point some one ,3 mistakes of my life and 2 states partially I didn't see much in the later versions esp 20-20 revolution. Chetan Bhagat should concentrate on other fiction and non fiction excluding romantic versions.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I was of the same opinion after reading this one. I picked it out of curiosity but then started wondering if he is specifically writing stories that could be turned into a bollywood movie. Or maybe he wanted to write a screenplay and then thought "Anyway I am gonna make this into a movie, why not make it a book too and earn some more?"

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wanted to send across a book once for review. Do send your postal address at vibhort@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Prasanna,
    My book of short stories has been published by Rupa Publications. It is an assortment of genres - Love, Romance, Suspense, Humor, Drama and Philosophy.

    It is a collection of 14 True and Near True stories and is titled, 'Breath Go Away & Other Stories'.

    http://www.writerstory.com/sriman-narayanan-interview-breath-go-away-and-other-stories-book/

    Wanted to enquire if you would be interested in doing a review of the book ?

    Warm Regards,
    Sriman Narayanan

    ReplyDelete