Another book that I picked up, just by the blurb at the back.
The tale of two sisters. Two sisters who do not get along, who have their own set of insecurities which cloud their relationship. Aloka and Sujata have grown up in Darjeeling, with their father and loving Grandmother Nina. Aloka is the older, confident, accomplished sister who is the centre of attention everywhere. She has numerous suitors buzzing around her, while Sujata, the prickly, younger sister is ignored in the general scheme of things. Aloka falls in love with the tea taster and revolutionary Pranab, and the two get engaged. In the meanwhile, Pranab meets Sujata and they fall in love with each other. Pranab ends up marrying Aloka(let me not divulge too many details). They emigrate to New York, and have finally get divorced. Pranab is keen to re-kindle his romance with Sujata, who has been living in Victoria, Canada.
Grandmother Nina, invites all of them to come and celebrate her birthday with her in Darjeeling to try and get them to reconcile. I can’t write any more without giving away the whole story. It is an interesting story, but in a lot of places, I felt it was quite cliched. In some places, I found it difficult to understand what motivated the protagonists to behave the way they did.. I mean, some of the choices seem quite inane – at least to me. Pranab’s character especially felt quite lame.
What I did like about the book was the descriptions, and the way she brings out the feel of the places. It transports you to tea plantations of Darjeeling, New York or Victoria. She did make me drool with the food that she describes. I actually feel like making Channer Payesh, just to have a taste of it.
I would give it a 2.5/5. An easy read -but not exactly something I would buy – I would much rather pick it up from the library.
You are generous, with all that you share. Your reviews and your marks
What I like even more is when you review a book that may not have really been up to the mark, but you give it its due 
In a good author’s hands, they say even a cliché is manipulated so that we accept it.
Absolutely! I couldn’t agree more!
FTC
You certainly are
Thank you so much for the reviews. I get to know of so many new books that I might be missing otherwise.
These aren’t exactly new – I just pick up whatever I get in the library
This one does not sound like my cup of tea. However, I will try and look it up in my library…
It is not all that great – I would recommend that you try it only if you have run out of good books..
I started reading Eat Pray Love BTW. Have just completed 12 chapters, so can’t really say how the book is, but I liked what I read so far.
Waiting for your review!
one more book in the list…
The cover is just gorgeous- a tad kitschy ,maybe! This goes definitely into my TBR pile – but i wonder if my library will have it!
Do let me know how you find it
‘Sister of my heart’ by Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee also had two sister falling in love with the same guy, one sister being way more charming than the other, the man gets married to the not so charming one, but seems to find the other one attractive. Two women pining for one man.
Oh yes! But that was better executed.. It was a much better book. This one was not as impressive…
Had read this book more than 5 years back. Don’t remember much but the fact thaat had found it an average read like you
Yes, It is quite an average read, isn’t it?
Just curious, when was the last time you read anything in an Indian language?
Do you still think English is not Indian?
The story sounds just like from that old movie Aaina where Juhi Chawla and Amrita Singh plays the sisters and Jackie Shroff the man they fall in love with
Aah! I had no clue!