Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Truly, Madly, Deeply

by Faraaz Kazi (Goodreads Author)

3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 · rating details · 1,057 ratings · 209 reviews

THE ONLY INDIAN NOVEL IN THE 'TOP 100 YA GLOBAL FICTION LIST.'

What happens when the most popular guy in school falls in love with his beautiful female equivalent?

A pompous Rahul is head over heels in love with Seema, a shy lady from the same school. After a whirlwind of innocent encounters, their teenage romance blossoms but the two never confess their love for each other....more

Paperback, Third, 310 pages

Published November 10th 2012 by Mahaveer Publishers (Vaibhav Book Service) (first published November 10th 2010)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Books You Wish More People Knew About

6th out of 6,878 books — 6,870 voters

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

Best Books of the 21st Century

91st out of 3,584 books — 9,493 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 26, 2010 Kashish Khan rated it 5 of 5 stars

‘Truly, Madly, Deeply… memoirs of a broken heart’s first love’ is one of the most wonderful romance novels I have read till date. This is not your usual college-kind of a fairy tale romance but a very unique and subtle love story with intense emotions right from the word ‘go’. I picked up this book from a bookshelf in a store, just to sample it with my eyes after seeing the striking blue cover. And for the next six hours straight, I was at the store on a bean bag, reading this delightful tale. I...more ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply… memoirs of a broken heart’s first love’ is one of the most wonderful romance novels I have read till date. This is not your usual college-kind of a fairy tale romance but a very unique and subtle love story with intense emotions right from the word ‘go’. I picked up this book from a bookshelf in a store, just to sample it with my eyes after seeing the striking blue cover. And for the next six hours straight, I was at the store on a bean bag, reading this delightful tale. I finished this book in the store itself yet I bought the copy as it will always remind me of a feeling called love in this world. Every page of this book is a delight to the reader. It took me back to my school days, making me recollect my first love. You laugh, cry and even dance with the protagonist. Some moments are really heart touching, though it moves slowly at the start, it gathers pace in the middle.
The story is about the protagonist, Rahul and his love for a girl named Seema from his previous school. The story is put on paper through a vivid narrative and the author using multiple POV's brilliantly to sketch the minute details of some of the most wonderful characters a reader might come across. From essaying beautiful moments in a person's love life which they usually take for granted to portraying raw human emotions through effective dialogue and scenery, catches the attention of the reader. The subtle use of metaphors and the added poetic effect are alluring and pleasant though some do seem like they have been 'stuffed in unnecessarily'.
Rahul is made to recollect his days of yore back home in India from his current location in Philadelphia. In those days, Rahul was an extravagant, over-confident youngster riding high on his academic success but in the present, he’s shown to be a shadow of his past recovering from a heart-break but is he really recovering? That’s the main element of the story. In a viral promo that was released some months back, the author talked about the protagonist landing up there when the only thing he desired in this world was the comfort of Seema’s lap. Thus, the journey of Rahul from the apple of everyone’s eyes to being a nothing is really well sketched and holds the reader’s attention. The way Rahul talks in first person as a normal, hormone-driven teenager and when the author uses the third person to display his growing maturity is really the highlight of the book other than the surge of the confused emotions. Though if the poetic lines just before the protagonist goes into flashback, should have been italicised or underlined to give the reader a hint that the flashback is about to begin. It does get confusing in the earlier chapters before the reader starts expecting the same effect in the subsequent chapters.
Seema is as the writer says ‘Rahul’s female equivalent’ but only more beautiful. Exactly how an on-track love story falls to the wolves makes the reader sit up and take notice. The author makes use of delicate misunderstandings which teenagers often have the habit of blowing them out of proportions, ego clashes cause the lead characters to drift apart only to realise that the enormity of their feelings was much more than they had thought of. The good times the characters share makes one recollect their school days and the innocent encounters of first love and then once the turbulent times begin, the story takes a while to sink in. Heavy emotions mark the downfall of Rahul’s love life. Other than the main characters, some other characters like Sahil and Grazil are noteworthy even though they aren’t a part of the main story. Their loveable nature instantly strikes a chord with you. Farha, Naziya and Jay have a distinct evil shade to their characteristics and manage to evoke the exact opposite emotions once the reader realizes the extent of their doings in an adolescent world. The cricket scene and quiz are so wonderfully done by the author that it seems like a live scene is playing in front of your eyes. And emotions not just mean the dark, depressing Devdas types but also include well-constructed humour and drama. However, some dialogues sound really filmy and the author only reinforces the belief that teenagers are hard-core movie buffs who aspire to be in the shoes of their favourite actors. It can actually be made into an interesting movie with a bit of editing in the script as some scenes are your typical Bollywood masala types. Fighting sequences and the deliciously rhyming song that Rahul sings for Seema on the annual day are other highlights of this loveable adolescent tale. The good part however is that though the story talks of first love and conjures up teenage protagonists, it does not limit itself to the same target audience due to the fact that the author has used multiple POVs quite efficiently. The teenage drama coupled with a very interesting climax that comes out brilliantly because of the way the author has built up the story, make this book a true love saga. Coming from a first-time writer, it is apparent that there was a lot of self-influence going into the story yet this book is a gem though there was room for improvement in editing and hopefully, they will be corrected in the next edition. The book should strike a chord with people who cherish their first love and have ever passed through the funny stage of life called adolescence. Slow to pick up but a fiery tale, intense with emotions and filled with enjoyment, this book is a must-read for die-hard romantics and all other readers in general. Uread and Flipkart are offering author-signed copies of this book, if you cherish a well-written, emotionally charged love-story then go for it!
(less)

141 likes · like · see review

Dec 23, 2010 Priyanka Vaswani rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: love, romance, top-rated, great-reads, superb, tragic, young-adult, best-books

‘Truly, Madly, Deeply!’ – One of the best romance sagas from an Indian writer.

I picked up this book after seeing the endorsements and hype it has generated recently including the brilliant soul-stirring promo tune composed by some Bollywood music director for the story, said to be the first such incident ever for a novel. The book is a joy to read for all those people who have experienced love first-hand. ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply…memoirs of a broken heart’s first love’ is supposed to be a light rea...more ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply!’ – One of the best romance sagas from an Indian writer.

I picked up this book after seeing the endorsements and hype it has generated recently including the brilliant soul-stirring promo tune composed by some Bollywood music director for the story, said to be the first such incident ever for a novel. The book is a joy to read for all those people who have experienced love first-hand. ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply…memoirs of a broken heart’s first love’ is supposed to be a light read but draws heavily on your emotions. It’s a tale of the love of two teenagers in different parts of the world and how each landed up being where they are. Rahul is the brilliant student, no one in school can dream of becoming. Flamboyant, egoistic, over smart and overconfident are suitable adjectives for him, all until he meets Seema-who as the author says is his female equivalent- a girl from a junior grade who is a crush of all the young hearts in school. And as it so happens with first love, they both fall for each other without declaring their feelings.

Everything seems to be sailing smoothly and at this stage you realize the author’s expertise as he ditto replicates the feeling of first love on paper. For a moment, I thought how can a teenager make statements like that in the middle of adolescence but the author has cleverly used multiple POVs to overcome that aspect. Mainly the story has been told through the third person narrative but at times, the author moves in the first person narrative, i.e. in the protagonist’s (Rahul’s) voice and you can almost see the difference in the mature and confusing states in both the POV’s. A good example is when the author makes humorous statements with respect to the music in Rahul’s ears, the butterflies in his stomach, etc. in the first person and then in the subsequent chapters, looks at the same feelings from a distant mirror. I have seen major authors fail while doing this but Kazi handles it naturally; right since the start where the prologue causes you anguish enough to generate curiosity about the story.

The good times are short-lived though as the story is supposed to be a tale of unrequited love and is narrated through flashbacks of Rahul, who is currently based somewhere in Philadelphia. Then the ego clashes and misunderstandings happen between the primary characters, Rahul and Seema and sometimes these incidents are so minute that a mature person really wonder are they even worth fretting about? But remember, it is a teenage love story and I could actually relate to it if I went back a few years and thought about myself then. And moreover, it makes on feel nostalgic of those days in your adolescence when attention from the opposite sex was at the top of our minds and our definition of family problems was so very different. One such scene is of the first kiss and I could almost feel the tension in the air, the author has generated through his choice of words. Philosophical prose is few and far in between but makes sense in connection with the story. Hushed phone calls, stashed cards, clandestine meetings and so many other such identifiable and well-written incidents make this book stand out amidst the clutter. And post the misunderstandings, you feel as if you are drifting apart with your beloved as by then you start to feel a real strong emotional connect with the characters. Secondary characters like Sahil, Farha and Grazil also steal the lime-light on occasions and one can’t help but laugh at Sahil, curse Farha and feel sorry for Grazil but the author manages to involve the reader till the end where he does a surprise climax. The climax certainly stands out in the book and the author seems to leave a little to the reader’s understanding, which I think is justifiable considering the heavy saga that this book is.

There are sonnets and poetic lines right before the protagonist goes in flashback, giving a hint of what the chapter is about or what is to follow. If they could have been italicized or spaced out a bit, that would have made it easy for the reader but nevertheless, some of the lines are really touching even in those poems. The book seems a little slow at times, almost as if the author is recounting it word by word and when major incidents happen, it picks up steady pace. At times, the long sentences hinder the pace of reading and complicated emotions seem to crop out of nowhere. The title is a little misleading as the book is not just about a depressed heart but includes so much emotional saga, right from some fast action to tricky teenage songs and some swirling ballroom dance. The cricket scene and debate scene also are exciting enough as if you’re watching a live session unfold in front of your eyes. The last sentence of each ‘memory’ just before it fades haunts you long after you have closed the book after having read chapter and the haunting is strong enough to make you sit up, grab the copy back and go on to the next chapter just to know what happened next? Tempting to read it at one go but difficult as there is so much happening towards the middle and the end which suddenly gather pace that the reader will have some difficulty to keep track of things. Kazi calls himself a romance writer in one of his interviews that I happened to come across, he is in fact an amalgam of so many genres and that it is easily identifiable in the book. I could almost see shades of an intense Erich Segal and a subdued Nicholas Sparks in his writing style. He draws heavily from the old-school, using poetic lines to good effect and getting all those mushy emotions thrown in as a bonus. Once done with this, I’m sure the readers will be waiting to read his next saga. As for this one, it should be read ‘truly, madly, deeply!’ (less)

130 likes · like · see review

Jul 11, 2012 Neha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, own

For the book, the only word that comes to my mind is.. ENDEARING.

Frankly I am not too fond of romantic novels, I have never and here I stress never-ever read a Mills & Boons.. the ones that “all girls” grow up with. All the romantic notions, dreamy encounters, and knights in shining armour for us are based on heavy doses of MBs. So you can imagine my uptake on romantic novels is limited to the only one that I have read and that is - ‘Love Story’ a nice but sad story the others that I have re...more

47 likes · like · see review

Jun 30, 2012 Faraaz Kazi added it · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

“Faraaz Kazi sends you on a nostalgic trip — back to those days of first love.”
- The Hindu.
"It is warmly recommended to readers of all ages who have a strongly romantic bent of mind. Young rush of passion!"
- Sakaal Times.
“Amazed with the author’s narrative and literary prowess, this being his first book. Truly Madly Deeply is a touching read that will surely make you fetch the tissues and recollect your first love.”
-Verse and Verbs Literary.
“The alternation of feelings and actions, sometimes...more

62 likes · like · see review

Jan 05, 2013 Sarika Patkotwar rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought the book Truly, Madly, Deeply was a great read. I loved it for it's innocence and pure emotions. It is a must- read for every Indian who loves to read. A little reference here and there to Bollywood films and music makes it all the more fun. Rahul and Seema make a lovely couple. The book took me back to my school days. It makes you realize not only the power of love, but also that of memories... something that will remain with us forever, even when the world backs out. The lines from p...more

23 likes · like · see review

Jan 10, 2011 Lavanya Watumal rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Read this for sure

Shelves: popular, young-adult, romance, fiction, great-reads, read-in-2010

Exquisite detailing. One of the sweetest love stories ever. And that too by an Indian author. Simple story, well fabricated and seems like you almost live it along with the characters, which ultimately makes you happier with the turn of every page. But that happiness is just a literary marvel, the essence of the book is of last love and at times you can literally feel the pain of the main character, Rahul. Promising debut. Recommend it to all those who possess a heart.

120 likes · like · see review

May 31, 2012 Tash rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book was a waste of my time. Voting this book in all the lists under different user names won't make it an international hit, I'm sorry. This author has no idea how Americans talk and I was having second hand embarrassment for him while reading some of the dialogues. Seriously, how many people in Philadelphia use the word 'bloke'?(unless they are doing some harry potter role playing of course.)

14 likes · like · see review

Jan 29, 2011 Jhanvi Mehta rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011, contemporary-romance, best-sellers, popular-books, indian-author, don-t-miss-it, superb

This one is for you if you ever fell in love with someone truly, madly, deeply.The online promos and the buzz surrounding the book made sure that I picked up a copy as soon as it hit the shelves. And trust me, I wasn't in the least disappointed. It's a simple romantic tale of the love life of two teenagers. The centre point of the story lies in the way the author has handled it by accurately describing even the tiniest of all the emotions of a person's first love.
This book is the story of Rahul...more

111 likes · like · see review

Oct 02, 2011 Vinaya marked it as someday-i-ll-finish-this

Shelves: bleh, books-i-hated, dont-read-if-you-value-your-sanity, hope-springs-eternal-but-falls-flat, i-coulda-done-it-better, india-needs-me, jeez-they-ll-publish-anything, not-for-me, romance, stab-kill-shred-burn, too-much-hype-not-enough-substance, what-the-eff, worst-book-ever

I'm up to Page 28 now. Every once in a while, when I'm feeling lazy about rewrites, I whip out this book to reassure myself that India needs me. This book should NOT be a popular representative of Indian English genre fiction.

Seriously, I had a friend in law school who used to write like this. He had no idea of the rules governing grammar, let alone those required to write fiction. His idea of a good paper was to string together a bunch of multi-syllabic words with no cohesion and no integrity...more

13 likes · like · see review

Dec 31, 2012 Vignesh Camaradje rated it 5 of 5 stars

'truly madly deeply' was such an wonderful love story....never before red one such...the way in which the author has flaunted rahul's character was splendid....and seema's character is portrayed well too...in total, this book will b a good treat for all romance lovers out there....

5 likes · like · see review

Feb 11, 2011 Prasad Kalmare rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, best-sellers, rereads, awesome, great-reads, top-rated, tragic

Cute story with a brilliant ending. One of the best Indian love stories.

76 likes · like · see review

Dec 26, 2012 Nish Shukla rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who like unrealistic bollywood movies

This is my first time rating a book at goodreads.com, But there is a reason for this,I never found a book that could be so irritating and unreal(not in a good way) which would make the reader think that what was the author thinking while he wrote it,until i read this book. No offense Mr.Faraaz Kazi i know how hard it is to write a good book and get it published but seriously,what were you thinking??!. Nobody and i'm sure nobody who has had a middle class type of schooling and childhood can conne...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 13, 2013 Cristina Istrati rated it 4 of 5 stars

I`ve really enjoyed reading Faraaz Kazi`s novel, Truly Madly Deeply:) Boy, this writer has lots of talent!:) His ability to keep the reader alert and curious about the events and the characters` next step is simply amazing! No doubt, he`s truly a gifted writer and he knows his craft! He also knows how to play with the words, creating wonderful metaphors. I really liked that! These metaphors not only they are beautiful and easy to be read, but they also have depth and sensibility, and this is som...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 23, 2011 Yanka Shetty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: top-rated, best-books, indian-author, romance, tragic, love, wonderful-2010-novels, amazing-books

I am not quite a reader of sentimental romance novels but this book changed my opinion about such stories. When this book made me laugh, all it did was make me laugh. When it made me cry, all it did was made me shed those tears of frustration from the past. This is not just a book, it's a tool to relive (not relieve) your first love. I wanted to keep the book down, not because it was bad but I couldn't afford to change myself again. I did end up reading it completely, simply cuz it would have fe...more

114 likes · like · see review

Sep 22, 2011 Naveen rated it 3 of 5 stars

the book was plain on the story! not a negative word i would comment on the book,but the character of the lead role was too whiny! certain parts of the book were brought in so big where i felt wasn't necessary for eg: the 3 min speech,the last talk (though i liked the way it was put up)..i was anticipated to know i end,getting along with it during my boring class...i did have fun ! the liked the scene of mars chocolate.. and to tell many memories i shared with the book of my broken love like rah...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 27, 2011 Ayesha F rated it 5 of 5 stars

Author Faraaz Kazi has captured the word and emotion 'Love' in it's absolute raw form.Only a person who longs for someone to call their own can understand the obsession of being in love along with the magnitude of attraction a 'first love' carries.The story comes straight from the heart and touches a nerve that's somehow always open to the slightest touch of remembrance.

"Love is such a well explained emotion; yet we fail to define it when asked to!"-Afs

Lines that i specifically liked in Truly,Ma...more

37 likes · like · see review

Mar 16, 2011 Tamanna Wadhwa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: priceless, romance, unforgettable-romance, rereads, true-loves, award-winning, best-sellers, five-stars

Amazing book that does not manage to lose grip on the reader even for a second. Love drips off its pages and into the reader's mind. Very well written prose and poetry both.

66 likes · like · see review

Feb 02, 2013 VaultOfBooks rated it 3 of 5 stars

NOTE: The book is available in a newer, better package this 2013.

Click HERE for more details:

By Faraaz Kazi. Grade: B

What happens when the most popular guy in school falls in love with his beautiful female equivalent?
A pompous Rahul is head over heels in love with Seema, a shy lady from the same school. After a whirlwind of innocent encounters, their teenage romance blossoms but the two never confess their love for each other. Friends and even a few teachers approve of their relationship which...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Payal Shahewar rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, tragical-romance, passionate, indian-author, best-selling-books, too-good-to-even-describe, five-stars

Heart-Breaking - I don't know if I have anymore words than that. I've been crying for an hour and I find the need to go take a tissue box. I’m at a loss of words, so emotionally drained that I am actually cursing why I read this. It became bad in a good sort of way. Arggh, difficult to explain.
But one thing is for sure- this has to be the best and I mean the BEST book I have read ever and that means classics and big names all included.
It took me quite a while after reading this novel to get my...more

8 likes · like · see review

Jan 02, 2013 Meenakshi Rajan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-sellers, romance, love, sad-love, five-stars, indian-literature, great-reads, made-me-cry

I was expecting something either overly romantic or overly childish in Faraaz Kazi's Truly Madly Deeply. I’m not sure why, perhaps I just didn’t give the blurb enough thought. I was beyond pleasantly surprised to find a story, however, full of emotion and depth. Kazi has created a beautiful story that transports the reader into the lives of Rahul and Seema and shows us what it means to truly live.

Rahul is your typical teenager. At the beginning of truly Madly Deeply, Rahul tells us all about See...more I was expecting something either overly romantic or overly childish in Faraaz Kazi's Truly Madly Deeply. I’m not sure why, perhaps I just didn’t give the blurb enough thought. I was beyond pleasantly surprised to find a story, however, full of emotion and depth. Kazi has created a beautiful story that transports the reader into the lives of Rahul and Seema and shows us what it means to truly live.

Rahul is your typical teenager. At the beginning of truly Madly Deeply, Rahul tells us all about Seema as he learned to love the girl in the little time they spent together. Rahul is a sweet guy, good where it counts, but like any typical teenager he does have a rebellious side. His entire life seems to be focused on the cute and charming Seema. From the moment Rahul lays eyes on her, it becomes his mission to attempt to reel her in. Kazi treats us with one hilarious moment after another as we watch Rahul chase after this teenage girl. Of course we know that Seema couldn’t possibly be good enough for our spunky and intelligent Rahul, but that doesn’t stop us from enjoying the fun because Seema too doesn't lag behind in any department, as Kazi says both are equivalents.

The story was wonderfully complex, few subplots and of lotdepth. One of my favorite aspects was the twists and turns that the story takes towards the middle and the end. Kazi does a wonderful job of making the story anything but predictable (especially the ending). One moment we’re expecting Rahul to sweep Seema up into his arms and the next moment he’s nowhere to be seen. The same goes with Seema. Whatever we expect the characters to do, I found that they usually ended up doing something completely different or an event would unfold in a different manner. It was nice to be able to read a book and not know what was going on next. With the story within Truly Madly Deeply, this was particularly lovely because the emotions were so deep and the feelings so raw; I wanted to get lost within the pages and Kazi allowed that to happen.

The character development in Truly Madly Deeply is superb and I think that after reading the prologue, this will be evident to most readers. Kazi doesn’t just tell us all about the characters in the beginning of the book and then throw this into the story; instead, he integrates the character development into the story. We slowly learn about the characters, discovering who they are and what their lives mean. Gradually the characters, Rahul and Seema, become a part of us and beings that are so real they may as well step off the page. Kazi’s ability to create real people, real flesh and blood beings out of nothing more than a few black words on a grey page is stunning. I’d heard that he was a fantastic writer and now I’ve seen that for myself.

The last thing I’ll discuss, and one of the things that really brought the book to life for me, was the authenticity of the book. Kazi leaves nothing out in terms of discussing Rahul and his teenage life or Seema and her worries. Rahul is a realistic teenager with the expectations and attitude that I would expect in a real life teenager except for the way he falls in love with Seema. Seema’s life is falling down around her and Kazi doesn’t hide that from us. He allows us to experience firsthand the joys and pains that encompass both lives, giving us a clear picture of who these characters are. Kazi really brought Rahul and Seema’s story to life in a completely believable way and I applaud his skills for this.

If you couldn’t tell already, I have to give top marks to this novel. With the depth of the story and the way the characters tugged at my heartstrings, it’s a wonder that I’m even typing this review up right now instead of sitting and thumbing back through the pages. What’s best, at 310 pages, Truly Madly Deeply is the perfect read to last long enough to get really engrossed in the story but not long enough to wear the reader out. I actually felt a nice sense of completion after finishing the book, even if the story and ending left me thinking for long afterwards.

I would recommend this book to any romance buff out there and any readers who want to read a book that really makes you feel good inside, the kind that touch your soul.(less)

9 likes · like · see review

Dec 30, 2012 Brajesh Chitpaddey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, true-love, young-adult, tragic, best-indian-books, favourite-books, indian-author, contemporary-romance, emotional-ride, five-stars

Funny and true and sophisticated and charming and the best Indian novel I have read in a long long time. Reading this book just felt like a breath of fresh air. I completely fell in love with it, it struck a chord with me and I know this book will resonate for a long time. In fact, I already can't wait to re-visit it (have to wait as my friend has borrowed the copy for now!)

It's told in mixed PoV's - but not in alternating chapters - more in chunks - first from Rahul, the protagonist, and then i...more Funny and true and sophisticated and charming and the best Indian novel I have read in a long long time. Reading this book just felt like a breath of fresh air. I completely fell in love with it, it struck a chord with me and I know this book will resonate for a long time. In fact, I already can't wait to re-visit it (have to wait as my friend has borrowed the copy for now!)

It's told in mixed PoV's - but not in alternating chapters - more in chunks - first from Rahul, the protagonist, and then in the third person from the author giving us an eagle eye on what drives him. When it swivels to Seema's POV in the end it rewinds and plays with time which was brilliant, as I was anticipating up-coming events but from her perspective - loved that angle, kept me flipping the pages as my eyes got all watery. Sniff!

I don't want to say much plot-wise as when I went into it I didn't really know what to expect and I loved approaching it like that...

Rahul spends a lot of time crushing on Seema, which is understandable because, hey, I was crushing on her too (her description is simply beautiful!) :)

As for Rahul? He is such a well written character, from the author's POV and from his own. His struggles with his past and present just felt so real and his character would give all heartbroken lovers an inspiration to fight it out.

Really, it wasn't just the story but the themes in this book that spoke to me: that hopefulness and angst that teens have, being naive yet day-dreamy. The perspective that a few months brings in Rahul when nothing goes his way like he is used to and the tide changes and how the age gap between elders and teens really does feel like an impossible thing. That feeling of being in your teens and not knowing what the heck you're doing with your life- so relatable!

Maybe some people won't realise the power of this book - but underneath such an unassuming storyline there is magic in there. Magic. Faraaz Kazi has the same talent for characters that feel real and a voice that comes straight from the soul of someone who has experienced love as it is- in its true form.

I think some of the best contemporary novels are the ones that don't strive to be LOUD and edgy all the time but that have the confidence to quietly bleed emotion and genuine characters on to the page. Somehow Truly Madly Deeply is one of the rare ones I have found that successfully does that and makes your emotions bleed as well alongside its characters.

The prose was seamless, beautiful and engaging. I'm in love with the poetic flow of writing that Kazi has.

The ending was so startling and bittersweet that I realised it's been a while since I've read such a perfect and lingering ending. Endings are important, isn't it? This one made me ache and took my breath away and guaranteed a permanent place for Rahul and Seema in my heart (would love a continuing book on this!)

I didn't want it to end. I still want to imagine Rahul and Seema out there beneath their school reliving their silent love and then re-visit them in their twenties and thirties and when they're old so that their story doesn't have to end for me. So, yeah, if Kazi's keen on a sequel I'd absolutely be there! (Hey author, are you listening?)

I recommend this to readers who love an unpredictable and original heart-felt coming-of-age emotional love story.(less)

12 likes · like · see review

Dec 28, 2012 Kanisha Rambhal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourite-books, five-stars, true-love, romance, indian-literature, contemporary-romance, bestselling-books, made-me-cry

Heartrending and marvelously beautiful. I am completely in awe of Kazi's writing. He pulls in so many different elements in this book and entwines them faultlessly. This story not only tells a modern tale of a high school boy in love but the tragic history of a young couple, brought together by circumstances and striving to find an endless love.

The writing is astounding and the plot heartfelt. The effort and thought Kazi puts into this story is very clear and as with his debut novel, my emotions...more Heartrending and marvelously beautiful. I am completely in awe of Kazi's writing. He pulls in so many different elements in this book and entwines them faultlessly. This story not only tells a modern tale of a high school boy in love but the tragic history of a young couple, brought together by circumstances and striving to find an endless love.

The writing is astounding and the plot heartfelt. The effort and thought Kazi puts into this story is very clear and as with his debut novel, my emotions were strung along on a twisting, turning extensive roller coaster. Shock coursed through me more than once but towards the end with the most impact. In many ways, I should have seen that end coming but I became so lost in the story- so engrossed in what was happening right then- I put no thought in what was going to happen in the coming 40, 30, 20, 10 pages!

There are a multitude of questions about a range of topics that are brought up in this book- questions and subjects that are timeless, repeating with each new generation no matter how much progress we may have made. There are absolutes- and there are thousands of gray areas. Truly Madly Deeply delves headlong into plenty of those gray areas, spinning similar problems in different ways with different outcomes.

Character development is very strong in this book and though there are many places where I want to smack Rahul and Seema for being an idiot, I do realize they are mere 16 year olds, desperate and crazy in love with just enough hope to find reason to keep going despite how obvious it is that they should stop. We all do this- we read books or look at our friends, see the pathetic situation they are in and beat our heads against a wall trying to make them listen to us and see it like we do. But we don't see it like THEY do- and when it's us in the middle of it, we have the prophetic rose colored glasses on and choose to not see things like everyone else does. That scenario played out with Rahul and I think it added a great, naive element to the story in light of all the other events. In some ways, this is a coming of age story but in a way that not many people go through it, in terms of the obsessive first love Kazi shows.

Rahul's character is one I felt for and the glimpses into his past only deepened my affection for him. The alternating perspectives between Rahul and Seema really helped this story- putting the reader into both of their minds, getting to know them intimately. Seema's love as it grows and declines is the most profound act displayed here but Rahul's additions, I believe did help build her in many ways. Sahil was probably my favorite character because he was so sweet but so idiotic in several ways- he had the perfect amount of turn off and appeal.

The ending- I don't even know what to say. It stunned me, took my breath away, left me in thought, and cloaked me in contentment. This ending was bittersweet in many ways but tied the entire work together- without ever just taking an easy way out. The climax surely set off this book, right there into the best ones I have ever read. There were no loose ends in this book.

I give this one 5 stars for many reasons, from the overall plot to the characters to the writing and raw emotion. This one was hard for me to read- having gone through a tough emotional setback recently in my love life, there were plenty of features the same- plenty of things I remember. It took me longer than it should have to read this one because of that but the story was still completely breathtaking and gut wrenching. I recommend this one to pretty much anyone who can stomach true love.(less)

14 likes · like · see review

Dec 27, 2012 Natasha Khurrana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, bestsellers, love, indian-romance, true-love, contemporary, favourite-books, cute-books, awesome-covers

First thing that I loved about the book was its cover. I know, we should not judge a book by its cover. And I don't but really, it caught my attention out of all the books in the shelves at the bookstore. The book, in my point of view, stands out very well. Also, I have a feeling that this is something that I would have loved to write myself!

When you read this book, I guarantee that you will fall in love with the male character. I know, I did! In some parts of the book, I couldn't help but go cr...more

15 likes · like · see review

Dec 27, 2012 Poorva Shastri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, tragic, bestsellers, true-love, tear-jerkers, love, indian-lit, love-drips-from-each-page, unforgettable-reads, rereads, favourite-book

Awe-some! This is just the most beautiful love story. I love the characters and what they stand for. There is so much value in the characters and the story that every page I turned I was a part of their inspiring world and I felt almost euphoric while reading each letter. I was dreaming the most beautiful dream that I didn't want to wake up from.
I wanted to be Seema and experience her sensuality and her love of life, beauty, quality, art, along with Rahul yet at the same time I knew I couldn't d...more

15 likes · like · see review

Dec 27, 2012 Anubhuti Shankar rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bestsellers, romance, contemporary, indian-literature, young-adult, tragic, true-love, touching-reads, great-reads, favourite-book

I had assumptions when I picked up Truly madly Deeply. I guess it had been a while since I read all the reviews for this book and of course I didn’t read the back cover because I had heard so many positive reviews from friends and people in office that I knew I just wanted to read it. Needless to say, I was not surprised by the contents of this book. It was every bit the romantic ride I was expecting it to be!
After losing myself in this book, crying my heart out, my ripped and crashed 4-chambere...more

17 likes · like · see review

Dec 26, 2012 Suman Jagannathan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, young-adult, tragic, true-love, indian-literary, review, bestsellers, touching-reads, top-selling, indian-literature

I cannot tell you how emotionally driven this book is. Within the first half itself, I was literally in tears! Throughout the book, I was kept having to pull back soft sobs.

Though (at times) difficult to read because of the alteration between poetry and prose, I still managed to stay up all night and finish it. I loved the characters (especially Rahul and Seema). When they felt pain, I felt pain. When they laughed, I laughed. Just like Rahul, I kept hoping and praying somehow Seema would return...more

17 likes · like · see review

Dec 26, 2012 Subhendu rated it 1 of 5 stars

Its a terrible book. The ratings here are rigged and that's not to insult anyone's personal choice.

Sample some lines from the book to understand how dreadful it really is:

"Sahil, fair-skinned, blue-eyed - thanks to his half-American father - had looks that would make Marilyn Monroe drool. Hair as dark and thick as the devil's velvet covered his head and high, proud cheekbones chiselled out of a face of sweet beauty; but, lately his growing potbelly had become the butt of all classroom jokes."

"Ra...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 29, 2012 Kashish rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, best-sellers, ya-fiction, awards

Truly Madly Deeply is book of complex emotions that never refuses to fizzle out with the turn of pages. Strong emotional words are the defining point of this book and silly yet practical life problems plague the protagonists of this novel. Kazi's writing style is very unique and different than what one is used to seeing from young male romance writers who thrive on sex and glory. Unlike them, Kazi focuses on actual romance and for the first time I see the formula working for a male Indian author...more

22 likes · like · see review

Oct 03, 2011 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

19 likes · like · see review

Aug 16, 2011 Shaziya Tamboli rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, very-touching, true-love, inspiring, indian-author, can-t-miss

I have read quite a few books since I grew up and have been able to judge each one of them very accurately until I stumbled on 'Truly Madly Deeply'.
Very few love stories have the ability to inspire a reader so much that the reader gets ready to change a very integral part of himself or herself as it happened in my case. Speaking from a personal experience, this book made me 'get over' and 'move on' in the true sense. I realised love is not about owning or escaping, but love is the most wonderful...more

27 likes · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
About buying	21	64	Jan 12, 2013 05:05am
Are you floored by Rahul Kapoor?	26	63	Nov 23, 2011 02:38am

combine
Other Editions (2)

Videos About This Book

56 comments

41 comments

Genres

Romance

136 users

Young Adult

81 users

Love

35 users

Tragedy

29 users

Romance > Contemporary Romance

18 users

Asian Literature > Indian Literature

11 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

11 users

Realistic Fiction

7 users

Contemporary

7 users

Drama

4 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Faraaz Kazi

The winner of the 2013 National Debut Youth Fiction Award and also the recipient of the YCOF National Excellence award in Creative Writing apart from being the first Indian author to win the coveted ‘Best Debut (Romance)’ title at the international Goodreads choice awards, Faraaz Kazi has been tagged as the 'Nicholas Sparks of India’ by many and is rated amongst the top male romance writers in the...more

More about Faraaz Kazi...

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Truly, Madly, Deeply

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Truly, Madly, Deeply

“Love never comes with a brochure of rules and regulations, a prospectus with guides of what is acceptable and what is abominable. It’s a standard to follow your heart, and that’s what I did and if doing that hurt you, then I’m sorry… sorry for coming in your life and wasting your time, for causing you an anguish so great that you could not bear the sight of me. Today, I am proud to stand up and honour myself and proclaim to the world… yes, I loved someone more than myself. I loved someone truly, madly, deeply!” — 33 people liked it

“If not towards his case to give him glimpses of what could be a happy future, it stayed back at least to warrant her happiness, stayed back with the pain that strangely didn’t hurt anymore.” — 16 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Truly, Madly, Deeply
avg rating	preview: Truly, Madly, Deeply Goodreads rating: 3.94 (1057 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9996645-truly-madly-deeply?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1293090850l/9996645.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9996645-truly-madly-deeply?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Truly, Madly, Deeply by Faraaz Kazi[/url]

Truly, Madly, Deeply

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website