In a city where old is meeting new, daughters are surprising mothers, and love is breaking all the rules, this heartfelt and wickedly funny cross-c...
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reviews
Apr 06, 2009
Samir
rated it: 
I took this book up for reading rather hesitantly. However, when I started, i found this book humorous, witty you can say and of course, wirtten very matter of factly. I mean, it is a light read. Enjoyed the first half of the book very much. I saw my enthusiasm dwindling down a bit after the first half of the book. Then it, kind of, became predictable and boring. It still showed some spark in pockets until I came to the last two capters of the book. I felt the book dragged its feet (so to
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Mar 21, 2010
Shermel
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Mar 22, 2009
Sonia
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Originally published in India, much of the book was lost in translation or more accurately, not translated at all. Some conversations were entirely in Hindi (I think) and not translated. (other conversations were).
I love reading about different cultures and part of the experience and appeal of reading a book taking place in India is learning about India. And for that reason this book sorely disappointed. There were several cultural references, which were not given supporting deta More...
I love reading about different cultures and part of the experience and appeal of reading a book taking place in India is learning about India. And for that reason this book sorely disappointed. There were several cultural references, which were not given supporting deta More...
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Apr 09, 2010
Borntobepurple
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I really dont know what was i thinking. when i picked this book. atory about 30 year old obese Indian woman ..blah blah . I started to read and kept on saying such a bad rip off of Bridget jones. The book has no perspective to offer about urban working women. The whole booked is loaded with cliche's.Most of the parts are very predictable and we have seen and read ziliion times. There is no freshness to the book. The dialogues were weak,the characterisation look too uplifted from the popular wome
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Feb 12, 2012
Komal
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This book is a complete hilarious with loads of fun factor. I found myself continuously giggling, every time I picked it up - in metro, bus, home, - or put it down - while working, talking, bathing, eating, and all! The book is complete fiction (as the author says in an interview) still closest to Delhi's uppar-middle class life style. The best parts are the emotional and societal events in a 29 year old single, surviving alone, pressured with a high profile, higher expectant job title, with a f
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Apr 16, 2009
Blueballads
rated it:
I would never have picked up almost single, had it not been gifted to my by a friend. I mean, I am not even thirty!! So who wants to read about thirty something single women? With some luck, I might never make it to that category!!
But what if I do?
So I read to be forewarned.
And what a read it was! It was as if the women stopped growing beyond thirty, or twenty rather! They were just like me, with similar aspirations, confusions, dreams and wishes.
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But what if I do?
So I read to be forewarned.
And what a read it was! It was as if the women stopped growing beyond thirty, or twenty rather! They were just like me, with similar aspirations, confusions, dreams and wishes.
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Apr 14, 2009
Eva
rated it:
A story about an over-the-hill Indian girl, living in Dehli, looking for love. Okay, over-the-hill is an exaggeration, but by traditional Indian standards, 29 and single is getting up there. I think anyone that comes from a traditional Indian/Asian background can relate to the main character, Aisha's situation; Her struggle between pleasing her traditional mother and being a modern Indian girl. Her mother is constantly calling her and asking her about her love life, letting her know who else
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May 19, 2009
Neha
rated it:
Almost Single is a light read probably over coffee.. or if you are in a girls hostel or PG where all girls kind of catch up & discuss their experiences similar to the incidents in the novel.. though not so dramatic. The ups & down in the novel are probably obvious.. and expected so no surprises there.. The characters represent a very small percentage of the modern and independent girls in the metro cities of India... with not much social obligations or reality checks except pushy mothers, nosy a
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Nov 18, 2011
Amalie
rated it:
In the early chapters, I didn't feel this to be a novel in an Indian setting, I felt the characters, basically everything, is too westernized. I felt no Indian vibes other than the names, places and the nosy relations. But about half a way, it gave exactly what I was expecting and more and I'm so glad I didn't put it away.
The protagonist, Aisha Bhatia is 29, single (that's a capital crime over here in South Asia) belongs to a new breed of women who are trying to draw balance between t More...
The protagonist, Aisha Bhatia is 29, single (that's a capital crime over here in South Asia) belongs to a new breed of women who are trying to draw balance between t More...
Apr 02, 2009
April
rated it:
I believe that this is Adavita Kala's first book. It is writn from a first person point of view that gives it almost a childish feel but it is about a 29 year old Indian woman who is coming to terms with herself and the fact that she is still single. All I can really say is that it is cute, but there is so much rambling and the story almost seems to contradict itself on occasion. But it also isn't a fantacy book which might have something to do with me not being that into it, my mother on the ot
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Jun 19, 2011
Pawan
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http://iandbooks.wordpress.com/
I was looking for books by contemporary Indian authors when I found that there is lot of new women authors coming up mostly writing their first or second book. At that time I also came across the word “Chick Lit” meaning books written mostly by young women addressing their issues in humorous way. I was tempted to pick it up to see the other side of stories and this was one of the first that I read. I realized why this is being referred to as a separate genre a More...
I was looking for books by contemporary Indian authors when I found that there is lot of new women authors coming up mostly writing their first or second book. At that time I also came across the word “Chick Lit” meaning books written mostly by young women addressing their issues in humorous way. I was tempted to pick it up to see the other side of stories and this was one of the first that I read. I realized why this is being referred to as a separate genre a More...
Oct 19, 2009
Charlene
rated it:
Almost Single tells the story of Aisha Bhatia, a guest relations manager at a luxury hotel, and her (unintentional, intentional quest for love).
The positives. Set in New Delhi, Kala manages to capture India's role in the global business world. At the same time, Kala suggests that relationships can be difficult, complicated, surprising, and wonderful.
The negatives. Each character lacked depth. They were overly simplistic and relatively superficial. At times, the sto More...
The positives. Set in New Delhi, Kala manages to capture India's role in the global business world. At the same time, Kala suggests that relationships can be difficult, complicated, surprising, and wonderful.
The negatives. Each character lacked depth. They were overly simplistic and relatively superficial. At times, the sto More...
Dec 04, 2011
Kanchan
rated it:
The concept was good but the narration is too boring, it can be narrated in much much better way. While reading the book I never felt she hates her job.
While writing this book the Author may be in over enthusiastic mood because of which the minute details has been missed, there is an improper flow of story, In book summary it is specified as Aisha had big bond time with her friends…but while reading I felt big-bond time only covers late night parties and selection of costumes (if Aish More...
While writing this book the Author may be in over enthusiastic mood because of which the minute details has been missed, there is an improper flow of story, In book summary it is specified as Aisha had big bond time with her friends…but while reading I felt big-bond time only covers late night parties and selection of costumes (if Aish More...
Apr 11, 2009
Samia
rated it:
An easy read. I read it on a flight, and it was amusing and entertaining in some parts, and most importantly my flight went by quickly because of it. Not a literary great, but sometimes you just want to read something that is entertaining like a Bollywood movie. That said, there is no real story aside from the fact that Aisha is kind of obsessed with getting married, and the reader has to wait and see if she will finally find "Mr. Right," much like a Bollywood film. The chapters ar
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Jun 29, 2009
Elysal
rated it:
What a worthless piece of crap this book was. Any comparison to Bridget Jones is a terrible insult to that book's author. Almost Single is singularly awful: irritating characters, disjointed plot, undeveloped supporting characters, nearly nonexistent setting description, which is particularly criminal given that this story is set in New Delhi, India. This book represents eight of my hard-earned dollars flushed down the toilet.
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Jun 22, 2011
Renu
rated it:
Purest form of Chicklit. Started out fine, but it was downhill from then on. So much so that I found it unbearable to complete it with it's 'oh-so-predictable" ending. I have no intention of ever completing it, and since there is no category to file books under "started reading but left midway", I am putting this under "read" category in deference to time spent reading it till I could bear it.
Nov 08, 2010
Lavin
rated it:
Well, this book isn’t that bad as I thought when started. It’s a quick fun read. I was thinking about reading it on my way back to Dubai but the flight was so noisy that I was forced to settle for a movie. I started reading it when I reached home and initially it wasn’t keeping my interest alive. But as I turned few pages I got glued and kept reading it. The author keeps it simple and the book keeps you occupied if you are familiar with Indian marriage and the funda behind it.
Apr 24, 2009
Nicole
rated it:
Bridget Jones has her diary, Carrie Bradshaw has her newspaper column, but what does Aisha Bhatia have? That’s the question I kept asking myself has I read Almost Single. Previous reviews have compared this book to those two and it’s obvious Almost Single really wants to be like them. But it's not working for me. The characters needed far more development if I was supposed to care.
Mar 03, 2010
Ranjita
rated it:
I had a tough time trying to keep my eyes open on this one..I felt it has nothing new to offer..boring story line coupled with antics suited to teenagers rather than nearly thirty year olds have left a sour taste in my mouth.
The chemistry between the main couple was non existent ..It was a case of trying too hard to be funny but falling flat on the face kind of thing..I wish I had never picked this one up.
The chemistry between the main couple was non existent ..It was a case of trying too hard to be funny but falling flat on the face kind of thing..I wish I had never picked this one up.
Aug 02, 2011
Chick Lit. Not my choice of book. My cousin gifted it to me. It's one of those witty, sarcastic, breezy reads that take a couple of hours to finish. It's catchy, and makes for good light reading. I wish the "hero", so to speak, was better described.
Overall, only if you're on the train and have time to spare.
Overall, only if you're on the train and have time to spare.
Mar 19, 2010
Elizabeth
rated it:
Promoted as an Indian "Bridget Jones", but that goal is not achieved. People should not set that as the standard because most books would fail.
The book never really engaged me - it seemed to try to be to many things, and I never felt truly engaged with the characters.
The book never really engaged me - it seemed to try to be to many things, and I never felt truly engaged with the characters.
Jan 09, 2011
Snehal
rated it:
funny and humourous and reality of metroplitian city single ladies they become sandwich between there so called tradition and there own desires even though it didnt shoewed dark side with pain but it showed that with humour which is adorable.
May 24, 2009
Miko
rated it:
This is a seriously trashy book, found from brother Matt's throw outs. It was a fun predictable Indian romance novel UK review says, "Bridget Jones dons a sari." and that bout says it all. But actually a good diversion during my sick day!
Oct 12, 2010
Advaita Kala knows how to present a perspective. No wonder " Almos Single" strikes a chord with the evolving, contemporary indian woman. A sardonic comedy on a single-woman, Alomst Single left me in splits. And chicklitly satisfied!
Jan 17, 2010
Heather
rated it:
A fun beach read. It really is a Bridget Jones of India story with similar characters and experiences. The plot is not identical and all the cultural elements are fun and funny. Quick read, but wouldn't have bought the book on my own.
Jul 29, 2009
Lucy-liux
rated it:
The plot is predictable, and the style is nothing special or sophisticated in any way. However, the cultural aspects of young women's daily life in a big Indian city it reflects are very interesting. It's just an entertaining, easy read.
May 12, 2009
Teresa
rated it:
A single girl and her friends looking for romance. I thought there'd be more Indian culture in it. But her and her friends are pretty westernized.
they're like any 3 girls in the US, going out partying and drinking, etc.
they're like any 3 girls in the US, going out partying and drinking, etc.
Jul 27, 2011
Emily
rated it:
It was a fun, quick read but didn't really have any staying power. It was in and just as quickly, out. The ending was "ehhh" and fairly predictable but there were parts that made me laugh as well.
