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When She Smiled
Mrityunjoy Roy is a fifteen year old Bengali who has spent the last ten years of his life growing up in Shimla. While his family is completely academically oriented, he wants something more.
Finally he meets Akanksha in school, who turns his world upside down with her gorgeous looks and mind boggling smile.
As fate would have it, she joins his tuition, and thus begins the torrid year of puppy love, romance, heartbreak, tragedy, and self discovery.
Set among the scenic Shivalik hills of Shimla when mobile phones and internet were non-existent, this is a story of how an average young teenager comes to terms with his destiny.
Finally he meets Akanksha in school, who turns his world upside down with her gorgeous looks and mind boggling smile.
As fate would have it, she joins his tuition, and thus begins the torrid year of puppy love, romance, heartbreak, tragedy, and self discovery.
Set among the scenic Shivalik hills of Shimla when mobile phones and internet were non-existent, this is a story of how an average young teenager comes to terms with his destiny.
232 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2014
3 people are currently reading
711 people want to read
About the author
Ritoban Chakrabarti
6 books7 followersRitoban is an entrepreneur who ran an internet marketing company for five years, before trying his hand at writing. His first novel, When She Smiled, a coming-of-age fiction released in 2014. He is an avid traveller, and believes in a life without boundaries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 12, 2015
I received this book in return for an honest review.
While this book did have a few issues, typos/things I didn't agree with, I still think it deserves 5 stars. What I got from this story is when you think you have hit rock bottom and you think you can't go any lower, the pits of hell pretty much open up and you drop down ten more levels. But if you stick it out and get through it, you'll come out on top and you'll feel much better because you'll know you gave it your all and didn't give up.
Now about the book. There were A LOT of times I seriously wanted to throw this thing across the room. I can not tell you how bad I wanted to just waylay into Akanksha's face! Although, I must say Roy was pretty much borderline stalker there. Hate to say it, but he was. But hey, it was his first love /slash/ obsession. I mean when she first comes into the picture you think she is this really nice girl but real fast you learn she is (excuse me here) A BITCH! I mean good gah. School really tested him and showed him who his real friends were and weren't. Sucks they were such a-holes!
His teacher... oh my gosh. I'm sorry but cheating or not, you do not - I repeat - DO NOT have the right to waylay slapping the fire out of a child especially in front of the whole class! This really REALLY angered me to no ends. It wasn't even just one slap, it was multiple, both cheeks to the point of leaving marks! If I was his mother, that teacher would be out of his job because I would raise all kinds of hell to the point where he could never teach again! Ugh! Just makes me sick and furious that someone would do that to a child. Which of course by saying all of this, y'all must know I hate his father just as much. I'm glad about the ending though. The ending was amazing. It was kinda like going through the whole book tense, just waiting for something else bad to happen, then everything turns around for the good and you can finally relax.
Good book.
While this book did have a few issues, typos/things I didn't agree with, I still think it deserves 5 stars. What I got from this story is when you think you have hit rock bottom and you think you can't go any lower, the pits of hell pretty much open up and you drop down ten more levels. But if you stick it out and get through it, you'll come out on top and you'll feel much better because you'll know you gave it your all and didn't give up.
Now about the book. There were A LOT of times I seriously wanted to throw this thing across the room. I can not tell you how bad I wanted to just waylay into Akanksha's face! Although, I must say Roy was pretty much borderline stalker there. Hate to say it, but he was. But hey, it was his first love /slash/ obsession. I mean when she first comes into the picture you think she is this really nice girl but real fast you learn she is (excuse me here) A BITCH! I mean good gah. School really tested him and showed him who his real friends were and weren't. Sucks they were such a-holes!
His teacher... oh my gosh. I'm sorry but cheating or not, you do not - I repeat - DO NOT have the right to waylay slapping the fire out of a child especially in front of the whole class! This really REALLY angered me to no ends. It wasn't even just one slap, it was multiple, both cheeks to the point of leaving marks! If I was his mother, that teacher would be out of his job because I would raise all kinds of hell to the point where he could never teach again! Ugh! Just makes me sick and furious that someone would do that to a child. Which of course by saying all of this, y'all must know I hate his father just as much. I'm glad about the ending though. The ending was amazing. It was kinda like going through the whole book tense, just waiting for something else bad to happen, then everything turns around for the good and you can finally relax.
Good book.
May 29, 2015
This is a debut novel by this author.
Its aimed mostly at YA but I think anyone young at heart can read it.
Its a coming of age story, so we have difficulties, love, falling in love all that kind of thing.
We get to know the character very well.
Its well written, not a bad book for me to read, I quite enjoyed it.
Not an outstanding read, but full of growth for me to read more of this authors books.
March 6, 2015
It had been a long time since I read a book. Time constraints and busy schedules left me with no time to indulge in my reading fantasies. But last week I got some time and hence applied to review this book. Honestly, when I read the gist of this book I thought it would be a nice breezy romance that will take my mind out of my work and stress. The book said it was a teenage love story and I immediately thought of it to be like one of those mills and boon kinda romance. After a few tiring months all I wanted was a simple love story to begin my reading spree. I thought this would fit the bill. The book came in soon enough. The cover looked interesting and so did the thought of the teenage romance. So last Saturday morning, I made myself a hot cup of green tea, some cookies and sat down to read this book.
The main protagonist of this book is Mrityunjoy Roy, a fifteen year old boy who has spent two years at a Sainik school and has just returned to join his alma-mater DAV School in Shimla. Shimla is the second protagonist of this book as the author paints in vivid detail the beauty of this wonderfully famous hill station. The greenery, the wind, the snow; all of it comes to life due to the words of the author. Roy soon falls head over heels in love with Akanksha, his classmate and the most popular girl in school. Everything about her drives Roy crazy and soon he is all puppy eyed around her. Much to his surprise and happiness she even happens to join his Physics tuition and their friendship grows stronger. Thanks to the close proximity of the most popular girl with Roy, his friends envy him. Just as Roy is basking in his new found love and happiness, it all starts going down. Some sweet nothings later, the young love is plagued by misunderstandings and Roy experiences his first heart break.
Later when Akanksha meets Neeraj in her dancing class and starts getting closer to him, Roy cannot take it. He still pines for her but things are not all smooth as they seem. Roy is soon depressed and is unable to focus on his career. He decides to let go of the past and move into a different city to concentrate on his career. But is it that easy to let go of something? Or someone? What his destiny has in store for him forms the rest of the story. The climax comes soon enough and is not how I expected it to be.
When She Smiled is the debut book of author Ritoban Chakrabarti. It is always good to read books from new writers as I myself am planning to write and release a book of my own soon. I appreciate the effort and the thought behind the emotions that is portrayed in the book, but hardly any effort is put in to the story line of the book. A single page story has been stretched into a whole book of 200 odd pages. The journey of young love from infatuation, to love, to heartbreak can show layers of emotion and the love can be portrayed so beautifully. But sadly this book does not do any of it. I honestly did not feel the innocence of the young love at all. It actually felt like a boring episode of some school romance serial. This book reminded me a lot of the serial 'Hip Hip Hurray' and the movie 'Rockford', but in a bad way. That show and that movie was brilliant, and they reminded me of all that the book was not. The story line is so bleak that apart from the picturesque Shimla, you cannot connect with anything else. The characters are poorly etched and do not have a well defined track. And the title holds no relevance to the story whatsoever. But in the end, it seems forcefully justified.
The language used in the book is very bad with a large number of typos and grammatical errors. One or two issues in a book is fine, but when you find more than ten issues you realize that the language is of poor quality. I'm surprised that the editing team overlooked so many issues. There are a few books in which either the starting is good, or the middle if good, or the ending is good. But no part of this book is good. The ending is abrupt and disappointing. The climax holds no surprise and the pace of the book is staggering. I could have crawled a good hundred kilometers and yet the story would still remain at the same point. Clearly, this one was not the book through which I should have come back to reading. A very poor choice from my end.
Verdict: Slow and boring. Not even for a one time read.
Rating: 1 out of 5.
The main protagonist of this book is Mrityunjoy Roy, a fifteen year old boy who has spent two years at a Sainik school and has just returned to join his alma-mater DAV School in Shimla. Shimla is the second protagonist of this book as the author paints in vivid detail the beauty of this wonderfully famous hill station. The greenery, the wind, the snow; all of it comes to life due to the words of the author. Roy soon falls head over heels in love with Akanksha, his classmate and the most popular girl in school. Everything about her drives Roy crazy and soon he is all puppy eyed around her. Much to his surprise and happiness she even happens to join his Physics tuition and their friendship grows stronger. Thanks to the close proximity of the most popular girl with Roy, his friends envy him. Just as Roy is basking in his new found love and happiness, it all starts going down. Some sweet nothings later, the young love is plagued by misunderstandings and Roy experiences his first heart break.
Later when Akanksha meets Neeraj in her dancing class and starts getting closer to him, Roy cannot take it. He still pines for her but things are not all smooth as they seem. Roy is soon depressed and is unable to focus on his career. He decides to let go of the past and move into a different city to concentrate on his career. But is it that easy to let go of something? Or someone? What his destiny has in store for him forms the rest of the story. The climax comes soon enough and is not how I expected it to be.
When She Smiled is the debut book of author Ritoban Chakrabarti. It is always good to read books from new writers as I myself am planning to write and release a book of my own soon. I appreciate the effort and the thought behind the emotions that is portrayed in the book, but hardly any effort is put in to the story line of the book. A single page story has been stretched into a whole book of 200 odd pages. The journey of young love from infatuation, to love, to heartbreak can show layers of emotion and the love can be portrayed so beautifully. But sadly this book does not do any of it. I honestly did not feel the innocence of the young love at all. It actually felt like a boring episode of some school romance serial. This book reminded me a lot of the serial 'Hip Hip Hurray' and the movie 'Rockford', but in a bad way. That show and that movie was brilliant, and they reminded me of all that the book was not. The story line is so bleak that apart from the picturesque Shimla, you cannot connect with anything else. The characters are poorly etched and do not have a well defined track. And the title holds no relevance to the story whatsoever. But in the end, it seems forcefully justified.
The language used in the book is very bad with a large number of typos and grammatical errors. One or two issues in a book is fine, but when you find more than ten issues you realize that the language is of poor quality. I'm surprised that the editing team overlooked so many issues. There are a few books in which either the starting is good, or the middle if good, or the ending is good. But no part of this book is good. The ending is abrupt and disappointing. The climax holds no surprise and the pace of the book is staggering. I could have crawled a good hundred kilometers and yet the story would still remain at the same point. Clearly, this one was not the book through which I should have come back to reading. A very poor choice from my end.
Verdict: Slow and boring. Not even for a one time read.
Rating: 1 out of 5.
January 31, 2015
When She Smiles by Ritoban Chakrabarti,the story starts unfolding with the tale of Mrityunjay as he settles in his new school. His friendships, his crush on Akansha all introduce you to a world of teenage "love" and "loss".
Mrityunjay also known as Roy, makes the reader or for some may bring them back to their time when they were in high school, for teenagers relate or on some levels see similarities in their own environment or life's journeys up to this point. To the "love" or "puppy love" at a young age, the altercations, the studying, the pressure from ones peers, all those little things combined weaved into a story with a positive message at the end.
The story has a nice flow, easy to follow through from one scene to the next. You get to read the story as if you were taking the journey with Roy or as/through him. You see his life through different aspects from home, to school, with teachers, through the strong feelings he struggles with and for Akansha. Akansha,the girl, pretty, a little mouthy, dealing with her own issues, emotions.
Love, loss, forgiveness, never give up hope........
In the end we all face something we want to forget but will persevere and be just stronger for it.....
Mrityunjay also known as Roy, makes the reader or for some may bring them back to their time when they were in high school, for teenagers relate or on some levels see similarities in their own environment or life's journeys up to this point. To the "love" or "puppy love" at a young age, the altercations, the studying, the pressure from ones peers, all those little things combined weaved into a story with a positive message at the end.
The story has a nice flow, easy to follow through from one scene to the next. You get to read the story as if you were taking the journey with Roy or as/through him. You see his life through different aspects from home, to school, with teachers, through the strong feelings he struggles with and for Akansha. Akansha,the girl, pretty, a little mouthy, dealing with her own issues, emotions.
Love, loss, forgiveness, never give up hope........
In the end we all face something we want to forget but will persevere and be just stronger for it.....
January 14, 2015
This is an impressive debut novel by Ritoban Chakrabarti. A coming-of-age story about the joys and heartbreak of first love, it follows 15 year-old Mrityunjoy Roy as he returns to his old school after a two-year absence. He’s got to get reacquainted and fit in with his old chums all over again.
Then he meets the beautiful Akanksha. Everything else disappears for him when he sees her, and he falls wildly in love. He embarks on a year of self-discovery and is initiated into the thrill and heartbreak of first love.
The characters and setting, set in the hills around Shimla, India, are well developed. The story carefully follows the arc of the coming-of-age plot and is well written. Ritoban Chakrabarti is a fresh new voice in the YA genre. I look forward to more from this author.
Then he meets the beautiful Akanksha. Everything else disappears for him when he sees her, and he falls wildly in love. He embarks on a year of self-discovery and is initiated into the thrill and heartbreak of first love.
The characters and setting, set in the hills around Shimla, India, are well developed. The story carefully follows the arc of the coming-of-age plot and is well written. Ritoban Chakrabarti is a fresh new voice in the YA genre. I look forward to more from this author.
January 13, 2015
Read the complete review here.
I can describe this book best as a tale of innocent teenage love. The characters can be related to, the backdrop of Shimla for the cute puppy love story justifies appropriately. Also, it takes you back to the golden ages where love was not confined in the endless phone calls, internet chats or sex. A refreshing debut by Ritoban Chakrobarti indeed. An abrupt climax and typo errors refrains the book from achieving much more. But anyhow, a good light read that will take you back to your teenage.
I can describe this book best as a tale of innocent teenage love. The characters can be related to, the backdrop of Shimla for the cute puppy love story justifies appropriately. Also, it takes you back to the golden ages where love was not confined in the endless phone calls, internet chats or sex. A refreshing debut by Ritoban Chakrobarti indeed. An abrupt climax and typo errors refrains the book from achieving much more. But anyhow, a good light read that will take you back to your teenage.
January 15, 2015
I really enjoyed WHEN SHE SMILED. Young love always tugs at my heartstrings! Roy's journey is a deeply poignant one and I enjoyed the descriptive narrative. I look forward to reading more from this talented author.
February 24, 2015
Before I start my review, let me put the last things first for a change. Ritoban Chakraborti, making his first foray into the field of literature, has really given an absolutely fresh and honest view with his debut novel.
The story revolves around a teenager grown and brought up in the extremely picturesque and poetic town of Shimla. The scenic beauty of the locale where the story is spun adds more melodramatic value to this teenage love story.
I would be too judgmental in calling it a love story since it describes the turbulent mind of a 15 year adolescent who falls in love, his first crush and learns and realizes it the real hard way, the mystery about the girls of his age, their aspirations and their thinking.
While narrating the various confused state of mind, the protagonist in the story goes through, it makes us as the reader relate to the situation of all the troubles that one faces in his life and how in such situations, what one expects is just a few gestures of love from someone he really adores, admires and loves. It makes us feel that such gestures, though may be built on false promises and aspirations, but can really change the way we start looking at things and make us come out of those troubles for the moment.
As the story takes a turn from adulation to heartbreak, it again brings us to the same cross roads and forces us to think that whatever these small gestures of love had made can so easily be undone and change us in our thinking.
However, whether it is the gesture of love or a rejection resulting in heartbreak, the author has sublimely highlighted the fact that it does provide us a different perspective of looking at things, at the world and at us ourselves as a person in introspection.
As I read through the book, I can relate this story to all the young boys and girls during their teenage school and college days who surely would have fallen in love, whether reciprocated love, or calf low or one sided infatuation and crush. This story quite candidly explains how a sincere and honest young boy falls for the smile and guile of a new girl in class and how he ends up realizing that his world is actually much beyond the smile of the girl which he assumes to be his world. The story honestly makes me fall in love with the character of Roy, feel for his aspirations and turbulences and at the end desire that he really was worth much more than he got.
The character of Roy very easily mingles within the minds of the readers as we all during our teenage days were weighed down by the pressure of performance by our parents, to just concentrate on our studies with the assumption that it will only make us something worthy.
A little word of caution though in my review that I would surely like to add is that since I could narrate the entire story as seen from the angle and eyes of the main protagonist, Roy, it somehow left me high and dry to really know what was going through the minds of the charming little Akansha. There had been occasions when I had pitied her, and there had been occasions where I had hated her. However, I felt that I should have known her side of the story before being that judgmental about what she did and how she behaved with Roy.
The added twist to the story by knocking of the ever caring Ashima, the elder sister to Roy, I felt was an unwanted element to this otherwise smooth sailing narrative. As a reader, I felt that this particular incident was a bit unwarranted as it did not achieve the result of changing anything to the mindset and nature of Roy, which perhaps was the intention of the author, while adding this tragedy.
Though the story travels quite smoothly and is a good read for people who would like to have a causal read. The usual twists and turns, including, jumping from one narrative to a totally contradictory and different one in between split in chapters, is certainly wanting in this lucid presentation. Such twists and turns are what keeps the reader engaged and I felt that this novel lost out on that count.
I compliment the author for keeping a smooth flow of the events in an even pace throughout the story though perhaps he somehow tried to slightly hurry up things in the last three chapters which I felt was like shifting gears in the middle of a smooth ride. However, the joyful ending perhaps makes up for this flaw.
All in all, I would give this book a rating of 3.5 : 5, a good, honest and sincere attempt by a first time author.
The story revolves around a teenager grown and brought up in the extremely picturesque and poetic town of Shimla. The scenic beauty of the locale where the story is spun adds more melodramatic value to this teenage love story.
I would be too judgmental in calling it a love story since it describes the turbulent mind of a 15 year adolescent who falls in love, his first crush and learns and realizes it the real hard way, the mystery about the girls of his age, their aspirations and their thinking.
While narrating the various confused state of mind, the protagonist in the story goes through, it makes us as the reader relate to the situation of all the troubles that one faces in his life and how in such situations, what one expects is just a few gestures of love from someone he really adores, admires and loves. It makes us feel that such gestures, though may be built on false promises and aspirations, but can really change the way we start looking at things and make us come out of those troubles for the moment.
As the story takes a turn from adulation to heartbreak, it again brings us to the same cross roads and forces us to think that whatever these small gestures of love had made can so easily be undone and change us in our thinking.
However, whether it is the gesture of love or a rejection resulting in heartbreak, the author has sublimely highlighted the fact that it does provide us a different perspective of looking at things, at the world and at us ourselves as a person in introspection.
As I read through the book, I can relate this story to all the young boys and girls during their teenage school and college days who surely would have fallen in love, whether reciprocated love, or calf low or one sided infatuation and crush. This story quite candidly explains how a sincere and honest young boy falls for the smile and guile of a new girl in class and how he ends up realizing that his world is actually much beyond the smile of the girl which he assumes to be his world. The story honestly makes me fall in love with the character of Roy, feel for his aspirations and turbulences and at the end desire that he really was worth much more than he got.
The character of Roy very easily mingles within the minds of the readers as we all during our teenage days were weighed down by the pressure of performance by our parents, to just concentrate on our studies with the assumption that it will only make us something worthy.
A little word of caution though in my review that I would surely like to add is that since I could narrate the entire story as seen from the angle and eyes of the main protagonist, Roy, it somehow left me high and dry to really know what was going through the minds of the charming little Akansha. There had been occasions when I had pitied her, and there had been occasions where I had hated her. However, I felt that I should have known her side of the story before being that judgmental about what she did and how she behaved with Roy.
The added twist to the story by knocking of the ever caring Ashima, the elder sister to Roy, I felt was an unwanted element to this otherwise smooth sailing narrative. As a reader, I felt that this particular incident was a bit unwarranted as it did not achieve the result of changing anything to the mindset and nature of Roy, which perhaps was the intention of the author, while adding this tragedy.
Though the story travels quite smoothly and is a good read for people who would like to have a causal read. The usual twists and turns, including, jumping from one narrative to a totally contradictory and different one in between split in chapters, is certainly wanting in this lucid presentation. Such twists and turns are what keeps the reader engaged and I felt that this novel lost out on that count.
I compliment the author for keeping a smooth flow of the events in an even pace throughout the story though perhaps he somehow tried to slightly hurry up things in the last three chapters which I felt was like shifting gears in the middle of a smooth ride. However, the joyful ending perhaps makes up for this flaw.
All in all, I would give this book a rating of 3.5 : 5, a good, honest and sincere attempt by a first time author.
September 26, 2015
This book reminded me so much of the cute love story between Aamir Khan and Ayesha Jhullka in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander. If I had to imagine anyone playing the role of Roy, I would visualize Amir Khan during his Wohi Sikander days. I always seem to make irrelevant connections between a book and a movie. Well, its my imagination and don't you dare change the channel :P
The story starts unfolding with the tale of Mrityunjay as he settles in his new school. His friendships, his crush on Akansha all spin a sweet tale of youth. Mrityunjay or Roy, as he is known amongst his friends, makes a reader visualize all the nuances one faces in the high school. Along with the crushes comes the heartbreaks, the ridicules, study pressures and peer pressures.
I like the easy flow of the story. The author makes the reader see the world from the eyes of Roy. I was angry when his father beats him up and furious at the Sir who dares to slap him in front of the class. I was sometimes angry at Akansha and sometimes smiled at their confused age. When you begin reading this book, don't go looking for a teenage romance.Its not. Its about a young lad who comes to understand one very important aspect of life. Life should be wasted on what others feel for you, Something we all must have gone through in those awkward, innocent years.
But one thing I can definitely say - if you have gone to a DAV school in India, these incidents will not be a storyteller's pov but what you might have gone through.
One line that shows the positivity of the Author and that really connected me with the novel :
That is one attitude every youth should have today. Love is an emotion but obsessive love kills your future. The youth should have no time for obsessive love. Moving on from an experience is what makes you grow and being obsessed about a situation is want makes you stagnant. The author has brought this in his story very well.
"I Just wanted to think about me and how I could make my life better....."
What I did not Like :
I understand the book is written keeping the youth in mind, but travelling with the author only with his POV can slow down the pace of the novel at some spots. Specially the relationship between Akansha and Roy had too many on and off switches. At moments I want to shout at him- Atta boy! move on. But then this cannot go against the book for it is about puppy love. And we all know what that is :)
A mention to all the Youth who are dejected in Love...
Read this book. This book is about positivity and getting over it. Life is to short to mope.
Yeh Nahi Toh Woh Sahi
Woh Nahin to Koi Aur Sahi
... will keep you all happy. Specially when you are in high school.
Check out the whole review at
http://www.rubinaramesh.com/2015/01/w...
The story starts unfolding with the tale of Mrityunjay as he settles in his new school. His friendships, his crush on Akansha all spin a sweet tale of youth. Mrityunjay or Roy, as he is known amongst his friends, makes a reader visualize all the nuances one faces in the high school. Along with the crushes comes the heartbreaks, the ridicules, study pressures and peer pressures.
I like the easy flow of the story. The author makes the reader see the world from the eyes of Roy. I was angry when his father beats him up and furious at the Sir who dares to slap him in front of the class. I was sometimes angry at Akansha and sometimes smiled at their confused age. When you begin reading this book, don't go looking for a teenage romance.Its not. Its about a young lad who comes to understand one very important aspect of life. Life should be wasted on what others feel for you, Something we all must have gone through in those awkward, innocent years.
But one thing I can definitely say - if you have gone to a DAV school in India, these incidents will not be a storyteller's pov but what you might have gone through.
One line that shows the positivity of the Author and that really connected me with the novel :
That is one attitude every youth should have today. Love is an emotion but obsessive love kills your future. The youth should have no time for obsessive love. Moving on from an experience is what makes you grow and being obsessed about a situation is want makes you stagnant. The author has brought this in his story very well.
"I Just wanted to think about me and how I could make my life better....."
What I did not Like :
I understand the book is written keeping the youth in mind, but travelling with the author only with his POV can slow down the pace of the novel at some spots. Specially the relationship between Akansha and Roy had too many on and off switches. At moments I want to shout at him- Atta boy! move on. But then this cannot go against the book for it is about puppy love. And we all know what that is :)
A mention to all the Youth who are dejected in Love...
Read this book. This book is about positivity and getting over it. Life is to short to mope.
Yeh Nahi Toh Woh Sahi
Woh Nahin to Koi Aur Sahi
... will keep you all happy. Specially when you are in high school.
Check out the whole review at
http://www.rubinaramesh.com/2015/01/w...
February 22, 2015
I finished reading Ritoban Chakrabarti’s ‘Freaking novel’ today, the reason I am using this adjective for the book is that at the end of the ordeal I have to but presume that it is the author’s favourite word- ‘Freaking funny’, ’freaking hell’, ‘freaking planet’ and freaking brilliant’- the list continues. And how can I forget ‘ Ram sake’, dictionary please anyone! While I am still getting over the below average English grammar and choice of words let me do my duty of reviewing the book.
The story revolves around a boy who gets back to his town, Shimla after a stint of two years in a boarding school. What happens is something I wouldn’t stress upon much for reasons you will know at the end of this review. School life, studies, tuition, crushes, puppy love, friends, teachers, school fests, competitions, bus rides, parents, outings, trips, dance, games, siblings, loss, learning and disappointment are aspects of a typical Indian teen that are talked about in the story in different situations. While some scenes were close to reality, some in my opinion are pointless narration. The extreme detailing and the lack of flow only made me feel” So what?” at many places. There are contradictory statements here and there, in one scene he speaks about his wrist injury in the football field during boarding school days and says how painful it was- ‘HARD TO DESCRIBE’ (Pg 97) to the girl he is drooling at. A few flip of pages and you will find the wrist injury and pain again in a fight with his brother during a family trip to Rajasthan- ‘THE SINGLE MOST PAINFUL THING’ I wish the story moved on, well including the protagonist. The death of his sister who never came in any scene, apart from the few phone calls well even that did not add any empathy. I am sorry about this spoiler.
The theme or the skeleton of the story is totally Bollywood like, CB style but what murdered the plot was the abrupt ends between scenes. The shuttling between the past and present, I suppose that added to my trouble of interpreting what the author wanted to put across. At a point Roy seemed to be a determined and studious fellow, and at the next instance he was nothing short of a bozo calling the love of his life a ‘chicken to be caught in a basket’! And the same guy calls his guy friend ‘cutie pie’. I repeat again, the choice of words and grammar is what gave me many heart aches. If one were to look at the story from a fifteen year old boy's point of view, maybe this can pass the test. A decent adolescent Indian fiction, nothing beyond that. I am hoping for a day when Indian authors make me proud that I read them, no excuses just because the author is a debutant! I wish I could end this review just like the end of the story, abrupt. The title ‘When She Smiled’ made sense only in the last page, and that was the turning point, the closure. Done and dusted.
The story revolves around a boy who gets back to his town, Shimla after a stint of two years in a boarding school. What happens is something I wouldn’t stress upon much for reasons you will know at the end of this review. School life, studies, tuition, crushes, puppy love, friends, teachers, school fests, competitions, bus rides, parents, outings, trips, dance, games, siblings, loss, learning and disappointment are aspects of a typical Indian teen that are talked about in the story in different situations. While some scenes were close to reality, some in my opinion are pointless narration. The extreme detailing and the lack of flow only made me feel” So what?” at many places. There are contradictory statements here and there, in one scene he speaks about his wrist injury in the football field during boarding school days and says how painful it was- ‘HARD TO DESCRIBE’ (Pg 97) to the girl he is drooling at. A few flip of pages and you will find the wrist injury and pain again in a fight with his brother during a family trip to Rajasthan- ‘THE SINGLE MOST PAINFUL THING’ I wish the story moved on, well including the protagonist. The death of his sister who never came in any scene, apart from the few phone calls well even that did not add any empathy. I am sorry about this spoiler.
The theme or the skeleton of the story is totally Bollywood like, CB style but what murdered the plot was the abrupt ends between scenes. The shuttling between the past and present, I suppose that added to my trouble of interpreting what the author wanted to put across. At a point Roy seemed to be a determined and studious fellow, and at the next instance he was nothing short of a bozo calling the love of his life a ‘chicken to be caught in a basket’! And the same guy calls his guy friend ‘cutie pie’. I repeat again, the choice of words and grammar is what gave me many heart aches. If one were to look at the story from a fifteen year old boy's point of view, maybe this can pass the test. A decent adolescent Indian fiction, nothing beyond that. I am hoping for a day when Indian authors make me proud that I read them, no excuses just because the author is a debutant! I wish I could end this review just like the end of the story, abrupt. The title ‘When She Smiled’ made sense only in the last page, and that was the turning point, the closure. Done and dusted.
January 27, 2015
A coming-of-age fiction story of Mrityunjoy Roy, about his school life, his family, his puppy love, his first heart break, and how he had come to his senses and moved on from Akanksha.
The simplicity of Roy family's lifestyle, the humiliating and slapping of a teacher to students for cheating, the beatings of a very strict and academically-oriented father to his children, parents who aren't showy with their love to their children, the misadventures of Roy and his brother Sid, the pressure to get high grades and fear to fail to do so, Roy's obsessiveness to Akanksha and its consequences on his studies, the death of Roy's elder sister that devastated the family, how a supportive friend listened and helped Roy get through his studies and heart ache, and how Roy got better his life.....This is an emotional read that will keep you rooting for Roy to have a better life as you turn pages. I felt the fear, the pain, and the sadness of Roy from how his father treated them when they made mistakes; the expectations, the rejection, the heart ache of Roy from Akanksha. The characters and events are relatable that reminded me of my teenage years and the events in my own life that were similar with Roy.
This is a recommended light and fresh read especially to teens and will not only captivate the reader with the beautiful scenic views of Shimla and Kasauli from the author's vivid descriptions but also will leave the reader reminders and lessons of life succh as these quoted lines from the book:
It gets better with time. I know you feel like this is the end of the world, but it isn't. Time heals all wounds. The scars remain but you can always live with them.
It’s weird how some people alter your perceptions about love, life, and lust.
Life was a textbook. And I was learning every chapter of it.
Life has a way of taking unexpected twists and turns every now and then.
I respected all religions because I believed that every religion taught a person how to lead a humble and sincere life.
It's strange how the people you want to get close to so badly end up pushing you away, and yet the people who you don’t even consider getting close to, end up drawing themselves towards you.
Sometimes, the smallest incidents in life change your entire destiny.
The simplicity of Roy family's lifestyle, the humiliating and slapping of a teacher to students for cheating, the beatings of a very strict and academically-oriented father to his children, parents who aren't showy with their love to their children, the misadventures of Roy and his brother Sid, the pressure to get high grades and fear to fail to do so, Roy's obsessiveness to Akanksha and its consequences on his studies, the death of Roy's elder sister that devastated the family, how a supportive friend listened and helped Roy get through his studies and heart ache, and how Roy got better his life.....This is an emotional read that will keep you rooting for Roy to have a better life as you turn pages. I felt the fear, the pain, and the sadness of Roy from how his father treated them when they made mistakes; the expectations, the rejection, the heart ache of Roy from Akanksha. The characters and events are relatable that reminded me of my teenage years and the events in my own life that were similar with Roy.
This is a recommended light and fresh read especially to teens and will not only captivate the reader with the beautiful scenic views of Shimla and Kasauli from the author's vivid descriptions but also will leave the reader reminders and lessons of life succh as these quoted lines from the book:
It gets better with time. I know you feel like this is the end of the world, but it isn't. Time heals all wounds. The scars remain but you can always live with them.
It’s weird how some people alter your perceptions about love, life, and lust.
Life was a textbook. And I was learning every chapter of it.
Life has a way of taking unexpected twists and turns every now and then.
I respected all religions because I believed that every religion taught a person how to lead a humble and sincere life.
It's strange how the people you want to get close to so badly end up pushing you away, and yet the people who you don’t even consider getting close to, end up drawing themselves towards you.
Sometimes, the smallest incidents in life change your entire destiny.
January 24, 2015
http://www.njkinnysblog.com/2015/01/b...
When She Smiled by Ritoban Chakrabarti takes the reader to the hilly beauty of Shimla where a fifteen year old Bengali boy, Mrityunjay lives. This is his story.
The cover is quite different and the title also intrigues the reader. The blurb was interesting and compelled me to take up this book to read.
The writing style of the author is descriptive, lucid and simple. I loved his descriptions of Shimla and life there. However, at times, I felt my interest waning.The author has the talent but needs practice to brush up his skills to make his writing more crisp. The message he wants to give through his book is loud and clear and he could have easily cut down on some of the ranting that I felt was unnecessary.
The story is well conceived and admirably executed but could have been made more concise. The events flow fluidly and overall, I was interested in the story. It is engaging enough but nothing very noteworthy to make it memorable.
The characterization is admirably done but somehow I could not connect with any of the characters. I felt Mrityunjay was just a bit too naive so much so that he sometimes felt foolish to me. However, at times I felt myself empathizing with him and rooting for a better future for him. Akansha was someone I didn't understand at all. She seemed a nice girl at first but then suddenly turned this negative character. Roy's father angered me to no end. Had he been in front of me, he would have got a piece of my mind for the way he beat his son. Then the teacher added another layer of disgust and anger over my already angry self. Such teachers have no right to be near children, let alone teach anything to them.
All in all, When She Smiled is a fresh story of a young boy and his struggle to realise his life's true direction. I give it 3 out of 5 and congratulate the author at his first successful step into the writing world. I will definitely love to read his future work.
I received the book from the author and I am very thankful to him. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.
When She Smiled by Ritoban Chakrabarti takes the reader to the hilly beauty of Shimla where a fifteen year old Bengali boy, Mrityunjay lives. This is his story.
The cover is quite different and the title also intrigues the reader. The blurb was interesting and compelled me to take up this book to read.
The writing style of the author is descriptive, lucid and simple. I loved his descriptions of Shimla and life there. However, at times, I felt my interest waning.The author has the talent but needs practice to brush up his skills to make his writing more crisp. The message he wants to give through his book is loud and clear and he could have easily cut down on some of the ranting that I felt was unnecessary.
The story is well conceived and admirably executed but could have been made more concise. The events flow fluidly and overall, I was interested in the story. It is engaging enough but nothing very noteworthy to make it memorable.
The characterization is admirably done but somehow I could not connect with any of the characters. I felt Mrityunjay was just a bit too naive so much so that he sometimes felt foolish to me. However, at times I felt myself empathizing with him and rooting for a better future for him. Akansha was someone I didn't understand at all. She seemed a nice girl at first but then suddenly turned this negative character. Roy's father angered me to no end. Had he been in front of me, he would have got a piece of my mind for the way he beat his son. Then the teacher added another layer of disgust and anger over my already angry self. Such teachers have no right to be near children, let alone teach anything to them.
All in all, When She Smiled is a fresh story of a young boy and his struggle to realise his life's true direction. I give it 3 out of 5 and congratulate the author at his first successful step into the writing world. I will definitely love to read his future work.
I received the book from the author and I am very thankful to him. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.
January 14, 2015
Set among the scenic Shivalik hills of Shimla when mobile phones and internet were non-existent, this is a story of how an average young teenager comes to terms with his destiny.
When She Smiled is a perfect for a one day, light read and the narrative description of the content by the author is quite attractive. This ability would keep any reader interested into the book.
The plot revolves around Mrityunjoy Roy, a fifteen year old Bengali boy who has spent the last ten years of his life growing up in Shimla. While his family is completely academically oriented, he wants something more. Finally he meets Akanksha in school, who turns his world upside down with her gorgeous looks and mind-boggling smile. As fate would have it, she joins his Physics tuition, and thus begins the torrid year of puppy love, romance, heartbreak, tragedy, and self discovery.
The book engulfs a lot of topics regarding teenage days of one’s life, relationship values to be learned at that age, and of course the scenic beauty that the author has tried to indulge in his own words which I found beatific.
The characterisation expressed in the book is surreal, it had a great affect on me. Creating imaginary puppets easily and elucidating them in one’s own is an idle component a reader look forwards too before picking any book and this book offers you that.
There are few nudges from Bollywood movies but it did not work out for me, though at the same time I understand the fact that one can be slightly influenced by Bollywood, grown up and living in India but I found that quite blunt.
It’s an impressive book, debut, and Ritoban certainly has potential. I am looking forward on reading his next work.
3.5 out of 5!
When She Smiled is a perfect for a one day, light read and the narrative description of the content by the author is quite attractive. This ability would keep any reader interested into the book.
The plot revolves around Mrityunjoy Roy, a fifteen year old Bengali boy who has spent the last ten years of his life growing up in Shimla. While his family is completely academically oriented, he wants something more. Finally he meets Akanksha in school, who turns his world upside down with her gorgeous looks and mind-boggling smile. As fate would have it, she joins his Physics tuition, and thus begins the torrid year of puppy love, romance, heartbreak, tragedy, and self discovery.
The book engulfs a lot of topics regarding teenage days of one’s life, relationship values to be learned at that age, and of course the scenic beauty that the author has tried to indulge in his own words which I found beatific.
The characterisation expressed in the book is surreal, it had a great affect on me. Creating imaginary puppets easily and elucidating them in one’s own is an idle component a reader look forwards too before picking any book and this book offers you that.
There are few nudges from Bollywood movies but it did not work out for me, though at the same time I understand the fact that one can be slightly influenced by Bollywood, grown up and living in India but I found that quite blunt.
It’s an impressive book, debut, and Ritoban certainly has potential. I am looking forward on reading his next work.
3.5 out of 5!
January 22, 2015
To begin with, the book’s title is sweet and grabs our attention. The simple sketch of a smiling girl’s face blends with title. The book blurb straightway sets the premise – First love of a fifteen year boy!
The story takes off slowly wandering through the thoughts of the protagonist. He describes his first fifteen years of growing up while simultaneously taking us through his present.
The author has nicely captured the scenic beauty of Shimla. The seasons and how the shades of nature change is also well-described. Such vivid descriptions transports us to that place.
I liked the expressions like “Ram sakes”. It looked new and so-Indian. The protagonist’s references to Bollywood, music, FTV and cartoons makes him more real and reveals the extent to which we are influenced by the glamour industry.
His academically oriented parents who believe that scoring marks is the only objective of a student’s life is so regular and relatable. The instances where the protagonist is beaten up by parents and humiliated by teacher was sad. It shows how brutally children are treated sometimes.
I loved the fact that the story unravels in an era when internet and mobile phones had not reached the masses.
In short, studies… Exam stress… Pressure to score high marks… Cultural fests and the practice sessions associated with it… The happiness that first love gives… The expectation and heartbreak related to it are wonderfully essayed.
And, it is a feel good book consuming only few hours of your time. Yet, taking you through your delightful teenage days – Days when studies, exams and scoring good marks were the only worry… A time when the smile of our first love meant everything!
But...
The book takes a slow take off. And, the story ends abruptly; hurriedly.
The story takes off slowly wandering through the thoughts of the protagonist. He describes his first fifteen years of growing up while simultaneously taking us through his present.
The author has nicely captured the scenic beauty of Shimla. The seasons and how the shades of nature change is also well-described. Such vivid descriptions transports us to that place.
I liked the expressions like “Ram sakes”. It looked new and so-Indian. The protagonist’s references to Bollywood, music, FTV and cartoons makes him more real and reveals the extent to which we are influenced by the glamour industry.
His academically oriented parents who believe that scoring marks is the only objective of a student’s life is so regular and relatable. The instances where the protagonist is beaten up by parents and humiliated by teacher was sad. It shows how brutally children are treated sometimes.
I loved the fact that the story unravels in an era when internet and mobile phones had not reached the masses.
In short, studies… Exam stress… Pressure to score high marks… Cultural fests and the practice sessions associated with it… The happiness that first love gives… The expectation and heartbreak related to it are wonderfully essayed.
And, it is a feel good book consuming only few hours of your time. Yet, taking you through your delightful teenage days – Days when studies, exams and scoring good marks were the only worry… A time when the smile of our first love meant everything!
But...
The book takes a slow take off. And, the story ends abruptly; hurriedly.
January 21, 2015
What I liked?
I have been to Shimla in childhood and knew Ritz , mall road , kalika temple and scenic beauty of that place. It's refreshing to feel the scenic beauty and first snow in Shimla from the book, it's written very well. Flow of the story is good, though sometimes it's a bit slow. Characterization is good. Especially, Mrityunjoy's parents - how they fight for silly reasons, how they don't appreciate each other's talents and how Mrityunjoy's father doesn't show any emotions and prefers only education and doesn't allows kids to participate in annual events. They are all realistic for that generation. I feel, this generation parents are not like this. First love, first feelings, Mrityunjoy's excitement to talk to Akanksha, his prepaeration for the walks from dressing style to talking manners - everything is very good to read and it might remind you your teenage days.
What I didn't like?
Basically, this novel is not a strong story based but an emotional one. There are no twists and turns in the story. I didn't like the reasoning behind their breakup and explanation that Akansha gave in the climax. I felt, their relationship or friendship is not that weak to fail for some rumours and silly misunderstandings. There are one or two grammar mistakes, editing might have been better. Being a woman, I couldn't actually understand the heart break men go through from love failure that is explained in this book :)
I have been to Shimla in childhood and knew Ritz , mall road , kalika temple and scenic beauty of that place. It's refreshing to feel the scenic beauty and first snow in Shimla from the book, it's written very well. Flow of the story is good, though sometimes it's a bit slow. Characterization is good. Especially, Mrityunjoy's parents - how they fight for silly reasons, how they don't appreciate each other's talents and how Mrityunjoy's father doesn't show any emotions and prefers only education and doesn't allows kids to participate in annual events. They are all realistic for that generation. I feel, this generation parents are not like this. First love, first feelings, Mrityunjoy's excitement to talk to Akanksha, his prepaeration for the walks from dressing style to talking manners - everything is very good to read and it might remind you your teenage days.
What I didn't like?
Basically, this novel is not a strong story based but an emotional one. There are no twists and turns in the story. I didn't like the reasoning behind their breakup and explanation that Akansha gave in the climax. I felt, their relationship or friendship is not that weak to fail for some rumours and silly misunderstandings. There are one or two grammar mistakes, editing might have been better. Being a woman, I couldn't actually understand the heart break men go through from love failure that is explained in this book :)
April 14, 2015
A beautiful gentle tale of innocent young love, or perhaps a one sided teenage crush. The story follows 15 year old Mrityunjoy and the the person of his admiration and love, Akanksha.
Mrityunjoy, or Roy as his friends call him, has returned to his old school, after being in a all boys Sainik school for 2 years, which is 'the' school to go to if the aim is to join the army. Unfortunately for Roy injury ended that goal. He is a lovely character to follow through the story, nice and honorable, you can't fail to feel his joy and sadness at times.
As he describes his home life and the wonderful scenery around him, the simpler life without the things we now take for granted it made me smile that the thought of a being rewarded with a simple can of coke would make so much excitement. Although with harsh conditions, a strict father who saw beatings as a needed discipline to make his children stronger and who's one focus was for them to study for hours on end not everything was that good.
As Roy returns to his school, it happens, the smile of the century from a beautiful girl called Akansha. All the boys notice her and crave to be with her yet it appears that Roy may be the lucky one or is he?
An un-hurried story of the good and bad games of teenage first love, hope and heartbreak. Ideal read to relax with.
Mrityunjoy, or Roy as his friends call him, has returned to his old school, after being in a all boys Sainik school for 2 years, which is 'the' school to go to if the aim is to join the army. Unfortunately for Roy injury ended that goal. He is a lovely character to follow through the story, nice and honorable, you can't fail to feel his joy and sadness at times.
As he describes his home life and the wonderful scenery around him, the simpler life without the things we now take for granted it made me smile that the thought of a being rewarded with a simple can of coke would make so much excitement. Although with harsh conditions, a strict father who saw beatings as a needed discipline to make his children stronger and who's one focus was for them to study for hours on end not everything was that good.
As Roy returns to his school, it happens, the smile of the century from a beautiful girl called Akansha. All the boys notice her and crave to be with her yet it appears that Roy may be the lucky one or is he?
An un-hurried story of the good and bad games of teenage first love, hope and heartbreak. Ideal read to relax with.
February 10, 2015
When She Smiled by Ritoban Chakrabarti is a coming of age story from the point of view of a young Indian teenager.
The story begins with Mrityunjay (Roy), a fifteen year old Bengali who has spent the last ten years of his life growing up in Shimla, India. He settles into a new school and quickly falls for Akansha, the beautiful young girl with a wonderful smile. What follows is tale of young love, heartache, parental woes, school pressures and finally a great ending to captivating story.
The author did a great job in capturing the sights, sounds and lifestyles of India. Not having ever been there, it was eye-opening to read the portion of the book where Roy was slapped by the Sir in front of the class - apparently not an uncommon thing to happen in the school systems of India. Through it all, Roy comes out with an understanding of what he should focus on in life and does so with a positive outlook.
Very good for a debut offering. Looking forward to more from this up and coming author.
The story begins with Mrityunjay (Roy), a fifteen year old Bengali who has spent the last ten years of his life growing up in Shimla, India. He settles into a new school and quickly falls for Akansha, the beautiful young girl with a wonderful smile. What follows is tale of young love, heartache, parental woes, school pressures and finally a great ending to captivating story.
The author did a great job in capturing the sights, sounds and lifestyles of India. Not having ever been there, it was eye-opening to read the portion of the book where Roy was slapped by the Sir in front of the class - apparently not an uncommon thing to happen in the school systems of India. Through it all, Roy comes out with an understanding of what he should focus on in life and does so with a positive outlook.
Very good for a debut offering. Looking forward to more from this up and coming author.
January 26, 2015
This coming-of-age story has you cheering for the couple. The author goes into great detail with characterization, having you believe in the characters. Even the hero’s faults are endearing. The author transports you to grade school as well as high school, reminding us of what it was like. In that way, you understand and cheer for the hero. I’d definitely read more books from this author, and I rate his story a four-star read.
February 10, 2015
I think this book was very good. I liked the theme don't give up that the book tried to get across. I would love to get my niece and nephew into not giving up so easy. I good love story and a good ending. I did see a few typos but all in all not a bad book. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
July 3, 2022
Set among the scenic Shivalik hills of Shimla when mobile phones and internet were non-existent, this is a story of how an average young teenager comes to terms with his destiny.
When She Smiled is a perfect for a one day, light read and the narrative description of the content by the author is quite attractive. This ability would keep any reader interested into the book.
The plot revolves around Mrityunjoy Roy, a fifteen year old Bengali boy who has spent the last ten years of his life growing up in Shimla. While his family is completely academically oriented, he wants something more. Finally he meets Akanksha in school, who turns his world upside down with her gorgeous looks and mind-boggling smile. As fate would have it, she joins his Physics tuition, and thus begins the torrid year of puppy love, romance, heartbreak, tragedy, and self discovery.
The book engulfs a lot of topics regarding teenage days of one’s life, relationship values to be learned at that age, and of course the scenic beauty that the author has tried to indulge in his own words which I found beatific.
The characterisation expressed in the book is surreal, it had a great affect on me. Creating imaginary puppets easily and elucidating them in one’s own is an idle component a reader look forwards too before picking any book and this book offers you that.
There are few nudges from Bollywood movies but it did not work out for me, though at the same time I understand the fact that one can be slightly influenced by Bollywood, grown up and living in India but I found that quite blunt.
It’s an impressive book, debut, and Ritoban certainly has potential. I am looking forward on reading his next work.
3.5 out of 5!
When She Smiled is a perfect for a one day, light read and the narrative description of the content by the author is quite attractive. This ability would keep any reader interested into the book.
The plot revolves around Mrityunjoy Roy, a fifteen year old Bengali boy who has spent the last ten years of his life growing up in Shimla. While his family is completely academically oriented, he wants something more. Finally he meets Akanksha in school, who turns his world upside down with her gorgeous looks and mind-boggling smile. As fate would have it, she joins his Physics tuition, and thus begins the torrid year of puppy love, romance, heartbreak, tragedy, and self discovery.
The book engulfs a lot of topics regarding teenage days of one’s life, relationship values to be learned at that age, and of course the scenic beauty that the author has tried to indulge in his own words which I found beatific.
The characterisation expressed in the book is surreal, it had a great affect on me. Creating imaginary puppets easily and elucidating them in one’s own is an idle component a reader look forwards too before picking any book and this book offers you that.
There are few nudges from Bollywood movies but it did not work out for me, though at the same time I understand the fact that one can be slightly influenced by Bollywood, grown up and living in India but I found that quite blunt.
It’s an impressive book, debut, and Ritoban certainly has potential. I am looking forward on reading his next work.
3.5 out of 5!
June 26, 2020
The book jacket having a woman in the backdrop of the beautiful Shimla mountains smiling goes well with the title!
What I initially didn't like was the first few pages, which appeared to be bit slow-paced. The book takes us back to the era where technology had not taken precedence over humans, where family values were important. It describes people living in a different time-zone in remote areas, aloof to mobile connectivity and social networking. How getting pocket money was a rarity and those spent on candies or video games, where having a car or eating in hotel was a luxury.
The language is simple and lucid. The endeavour is honest. The book is engaging but not thrilling. The author had poured real emotions in it and has been easy on the elements of drama. The incidents are well described and the humour is delightful.
'When She Smiled' is a fresh story of a young boy and his struggle to realise his life's true direction. The struggles to meet up his parents expectations and also lead life of his own. The message in the book about moving on with life and the positivity that comes to light towards the end is a good one. The protagonist’s thought about how smallest incidents change the destiny and that one should move on in life if things fall apart rather than wasting time repenting are worth appreciating. It feels good that the author wanted to leave his readers with a thought to ponder on.
What I liked most is the simple way the book describes a teenager life, his emotions, his struggles, his grief, his confusion, in other words all the emotions that usually creates turmoil in a regular teenager’s life.
Read it just to have a light and youthful delight. A must read for romantics.
Full review here: https://intheclassroomoflife.blogspot...
What I initially didn't like was the first few pages, which appeared to be bit slow-paced. The book takes us back to the era where technology had not taken precedence over humans, where family values were important. It describes people living in a different time-zone in remote areas, aloof to mobile connectivity and social networking. How getting pocket money was a rarity and those spent on candies or video games, where having a car or eating in hotel was a luxury.
The language is simple and lucid. The endeavour is honest. The book is engaging but not thrilling. The author had poured real emotions in it and has been easy on the elements of drama. The incidents are well described and the humour is delightful.
'When She Smiled' is a fresh story of a young boy and his struggle to realise his life's true direction. The struggles to meet up his parents expectations and also lead life of his own. The message in the book about moving on with life and the positivity that comes to light towards the end is a good one. The protagonist’s thought about how smallest incidents change the destiny and that one should move on in life if things fall apart rather than wasting time repenting are worth appreciating. It feels good that the author wanted to leave his readers with a thought to ponder on.
What I liked most is the simple way the book describes a teenager life, his emotions, his struggles, his grief, his confusion, in other words all the emotions that usually creates turmoil in a regular teenager’s life.
Read it just to have a light and youthful delight. A must read for romantics.
Full review here: https://intheclassroomoflife.blogspot...
Read
February 19, 2015There are days when you just want some simple food like rice and daal. Similarly, there are days when you just want to get home to watch a mindless rom-com. There is some comfort associated with both of the above things. ‘When She Smiled’, a coming of age story of a 15 year old and the happenings in his life in Class 11 over a period of few months, could have very well been that comfort book.
With a pretty plain premise which takes its own time to unfold, the book does not promise an ambitious premise or a classic for sure. Instead what it does is it tries to get into the psyche of a 15 year old, talks about his feelings, his insecurities, the harshness in his life, the joyful moments that matter to him, and more. With a major portion of the story set in Shimla, it is easy to sketch the protagonist Roy in our head with his mostly harmless enthusiasm. Throw in a girl (with a smile of course) and some mild natured romance with all the high school jealousy and indecisiveness, you have the story of ‘When She Smiled.’
Two things related to movies came to my mind when I was reading this book. One, we continue to accept the same old love stories which seem to be churned out by the dozen with little new to them except the exotic foreign locales that the songs are shot in. Why is it that we crave for a much better rendered love story in books? Is it because writing offers more spoke for expression? I’d really love to know. On that note, I was reminded of the romances in Gautam Menon’s movies (with all the indecisiveness of the female characters) and the Hindi movie Lootera when I was reading the last few pages in the book. Two, is everyone’s life mostly defined by that one person, or the lack of that person? Is it that you don’t end up with the person who really wanted to be with, and that disappointment fuels the active guy in you? Speaking for myself, it has mostly been my selfishness that has brought me to where I am and I am too selfish to let anyone else walk away with the credit for my success. This is exactly what did not go down well with me in the last page of the book. A smile does many things is what it seemed like the author’s last words wanted to be, to emphasise on the title. But no! It sure doesn’t.
With some clean language (I didn’t see the F word in a book after a long time), decent writing, and a time tested coming-of-age story, the author Ritoban Chakrabarti has his debut book ‘When She Smiled’ falling into the category of books that definitely has more to it than the title or the cover. I am only curious to see, like with any other new author, how Ritoban will step up his game with his next book (which I hope is not a love story).
This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!
With a pretty plain premise which takes its own time to unfold, the book does not promise an ambitious premise or a classic for sure. Instead what it does is it tries to get into the psyche of a 15 year old, talks about his feelings, his insecurities, the harshness in his life, the joyful moments that matter to him, and more. With a major portion of the story set in Shimla, it is easy to sketch the protagonist Roy in our head with his mostly harmless enthusiasm. Throw in a girl (with a smile of course) and some mild natured romance with all the high school jealousy and indecisiveness, you have the story of ‘When She Smiled.’
Two things related to movies came to my mind when I was reading this book. One, we continue to accept the same old love stories which seem to be churned out by the dozen with little new to them except the exotic foreign locales that the songs are shot in. Why is it that we crave for a much better rendered love story in books? Is it because writing offers more spoke for expression? I’d really love to know. On that note, I was reminded of the romances in Gautam Menon’s movies (with all the indecisiveness of the female characters) and the Hindi movie Lootera when I was reading the last few pages in the book. Two, is everyone’s life mostly defined by that one person, or the lack of that person? Is it that you don’t end up with the person who really wanted to be with, and that disappointment fuels the active guy in you? Speaking for myself, it has mostly been my selfishness that has brought me to where I am and I am too selfish to let anyone else walk away with the credit for my success. This is exactly what did not go down well with me in the last page of the book. A smile does many things is what it seemed like the author’s last words wanted to be, to emphasise on the title. But no! It sure doesn’t.
With some clean language (I didn’t see the F word in a book after a long time), decent writing, and a time tested coming-of-age story, the author Ritoban Chakrabarti has his debut book ‘When She Smiled’ falling into the category of books that definitely has more to it than the title or the cover. I am only curious to see, like with any other new author, how Ritoban will step up his game with his next book (which I hope is not a love story).
This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!
March 9, 2015
The book "When She Smiled" is a debut novel of the author. The cover attractive and title interesting.
Set in the background of Shimla, well known for its picturesque beauty and the terrains. The book is written and narrated by Roy.
Plot:
The story is set up in the backdrop of the beautiful and mesmerizing city of Shimla. The story revolves around a fifteen year old Bengali , Mrityunjoy Roy, who has spent his ten years the hill town, enjoying the beautiful views, the first snow and the breezy lengthy walks. It is set at the time when he returns back from a Sainik school to Shimla to join DAV(where he pursued his primary education) to complete his higher secondary education. He leaves the Sainik school for he would be deemed unfit by NDA , the aftermath of an incident.
From a chubby boy to well groomed teenager, Roy is excited to go to his school and meet his old friends. He is raised in a family which is academics oriented. He being the youngest of the siblings, had to achieve a high benchmark set by his siblings Ashima and Sid. He has a strict father whose temper when bad could turn from verbal to physical,which have resulted in serious injuries in the past.
He likes to participate in all the competitions and has a goal of pursing engineering in one of the IITs. His not so complicated life is turned up side down when he first sees Akansha in the physics tuition. Akansha , the prettiest girl in the class with a captivating pair of eyes and a beautiful smile. She seemed out of league for he had competition, but she grows closer and he is happy with his achievement. Studies takes a backseat and day dreaming a regular affair. Walks and talks after the tuition becomes a routine.
An incident changes things between them. She no longer smiles at him or behaves in the same fashion, in turn becomes sarcastic.Furthermore, the death of his pillar, his sister completely shakes him off. The story continues as of how the smile lighted his path to success.
PROS:
The author beautifully brings out the city of Shimla and had made justice to the magical land.
The poetry by Roy a saving grace of the book.
The emotions between the siblings were portrayed out very well.
The student life brought out very nicely, the struggles and training to get into a good engineering college. Coping up with the main subjects and at the same time making time for extra-curricular activities.
Language simple and easy to read.
CONS:
The book is slow paced and not engrossing.
The emotions of love not brought out well.
The end completely abrupt.
Typos and grammatical mistakes.
Overall, the book is an average read. A one time read. If you are a nature lover and want to reminisce your life as a teenager in school then this is the book.
RATING : 2/5
Set in the background of Shimla, well known for its picturesque beauty and the terrains. The book is written and narrated by Roy.
Plot:
The story is set up in the backdrop of the beautiful and mesmerizing city of Shimla. The story revolves around a fifteen year old Bengali , Mrityunjoy Roy, who has spent his ten years the hill town, enjoying the beautiful views, the first snow and the breezy lengthy walks. It is set at the time when he returns back from a Sainik school to Shimla to join DAV(where he pursued his primary education) to complete his higher secondary education. He leaves the Sainik school for he would be deemed unfit by NDA , the aftermath of an incident.
From a chubby boy to well groomed teenager, Roy is excited to go to his school and meet his old friends. He is raised in a family which is academics oriented. He being the youngest of the siblings, had to achieve a high benchmark set by his siblings Ashima and Sid. He has a strict father whose temper when bad could turn from verbal to physical,which have resulted in serious injuries in the past.
He likes to participate in all the competitions and has a goal of pursing engineering in one of the IITs. His not so complicated life is turned up side down when he first sees Akansha in the physics tuition. Akansha , the prettiest girl in the class with a captivating pair of eyes and a beautiful smile. She seemed out of league for he had competition, but she grows closer and he is happy with his achievement. Studies takes a backseat and day dreaming a regular affair. Walks and talks after the tuition becomes a routine.
An incident changes things between them. She no longer smiles at him or behaves in the same fashion, in turn becomes sarcastic.Furthermore, the death of his pillar, his sister completely shakes him off. The story continues as of how the smile lighted his path to success.
PROS:
The author beautifully brings out the city of Shimla and had made justice to the magical land.
The poetry by Roy a saving grace of the book.
The emotions between the siblings were portrayed out very well.
The student life brought out very nicely, the struggles and training to get into a good engineering college. Coping up with the main subjects and at the same time making time for extra-curricular activities.
Language simple and easy to read.
CONS:
The book is slow paced and not engrossing.
The emotions of love not brought out well.
The end completely abrupt.
Typos and grammatical mistakes.
Overall, the book is an average read. A one time read. If you are a nature lover and want to reminisce your life as a teenager in school then this is the book.
RATING : 2/5
February 18, 2015
The original review, and many other reviews and features, can be found at www.thebookeaters.co.uk
This book was sent to us in return for an honest review, and as usual that is exactly what it will get. Well, as honest as any review can be after all reviews are opinions!
This is described as a Young Adult book and tells the story of Mrityunjoy Roy’s first love. Set among the scenic Shivalik hills of Shimla when mobile phones and internet were non-existent, fifteen-year-old Mrityunjoy has just returned to his local school after being in Military school for the last two years. His dreams of joining the army were dashed by an injury, but the school has worked all the puppy fat off him. Happier than he has ever been with his physical appearance, he is worried he might have fallen behind academically. His family is very focussed on academic success, particularly his father, but when he meets Akanksha in school his world is turned upside down by her beautiful eyes and stunning smile.
The two become friends but Mrityunjoy is obsessed with romancing her, everything he does or says from then on is to win her heart. The story is told in first person from his point of view, and fully exposes his confusion and vulnerabilities. His family is not well off and neither his father or his teacher shy away from beating him when he cheats or under-performs. The character of Mrityunjoy is mainly believable, in fact it reads more like a memoir than a novel.
Where it falls down is that all of the other characters seem very two-dimensional. Now I accept that teenagers can be very self-absorbed but for every other character to be so flat is unacceptable. Particularly as this includes the girl who has become the centre of his world. We do know some details about Akanksha, but only in how they might relate to him and his ability to impress her, even her brothers birthday is notable in his eyes only for the opportunity it gives him to remember it for the next year so he can earn brownie points with her.
I’m not sure this would be a popular book amongst teenagers, and to be honest I wouldn’t recommend it for them. There is no real learning throughout it and even at the end of the book the main character still hasn’t realised that he never deserved to win his heart’s desire. He comes across as pretty sexist to be completely frank. Had the main character realised where he went wrong it would be fair to categorise it as a coming of age novel, but he doesn’t.
I would have liked to have been able to recommend it as the descriptions of the setting are good and I’m sure some western teenagers might benefit from the contrast between this and their lives.
However, this gets a paltry 2 bites.
This book was sent to us in return for an honest review, and as usual that is exactly what it will get. Well, as honest as any review can be after all reviews are opinions!
This is described as a Young Adult book and tells the story of Mrityunjoy Roy’s first love. Set among the scenic Shivalik hills of Shimla when mobile phones and internet were non-existent, fifteen-year-old Mrityunjoy has just returned to his local school after being in Military school for the last two years. His dreams of joining the army were dashed by an injury, but the school has worked all the puppy fat off him. Happier than he has ever been with his physical appearance, he is worried he might have fallen behind academically. His family is very focussed on academic success, particularly his father, but when he meets Akanksha in school his world is turned upside down by her beautiful eyes and stunning smile.
The two become friends but Mrityunjoy is obsessed with romancing her, everything he does or says from then on is to win her heart. The story is told in first person from his point of view, and fully exposes his confusion and vulnerabilities. His family is not well off and neither his father or his teacher shy away from beating him when he cheats or under-performs. The character of Mrityunjoy is mainly believable, in fact it reads more like a memoir than a novel.
Where it falls down is that all of the other characters seem very two-dimensional. Now I accept that teenagers can be very self-absorbed but for every other character to be so flat is unacceptable. Particularly as this includes the girl who has become the centre of his world. We do know some details about Akanksha, but only in how they might relate to him and his ability to impress her, even her brothers birthday is notable in his eyes only for the opportunity it gives him to remember it for the next year so he can earn brownie points with her.
I’m not sure this would be a popular book amongst teenagers, and to be honest I wouldn’t recommend it for them. There is no real learning throughout it and even at the end of the book the main character still hasn’t realised that he never deserved to win his heart’s desire. He comes across as pretty sexist to be completely frank. Had the main character realised where he went wrong it would be fair to categorise it as a coming of age novel, but he doesn’t.
I would have liked to have been able to recommend it as the descriptions of the setting are good and I’m sure some western teenagers might benefit from the contrast between this and their lives.
However, this gets a paltry 2 bites.
March 3, 2015
It’s a beautiful poem written in prose!
A poem that tells us about a beautiful feeling called love. A poem that is also a saga of hope and despair- arrow of cupid targeting someone’s heart and then a painful feeling when heart bleeds-when heart breaks!
‘When she smiled’ by Ritoban Chakrabarty made me nostalgic-reminding me of my good old days-thinking of someone special under the twinkling night sky-recapitulating those priceless moments again and again-wishing those moments worth million zillion diamonds to happen again and again and again!
May be it’s my story-may be it’s your story-may be it‘s everyone’s story! When there was no internet-no chatting-no face book-no what’s app-when the teen age was the time of first addiction of love-he felt in love of her!
He is Mrityunjoy- a Bengali teen of fifteen who’s long and difficult name is the soft prey of his friends and she is Akanksha-a class mate of our protagonist Mrityunjoy. And true –it’s a heart warming romance-but not the typical Mill’s and Boon’s novel. More than a story of romance- it’s the story of a boy getting bigger in a whisker-it’s the story of realization-it’s the story of discovering himself.
It’s a long introduction –so let us straightforward go into the story. It’s a homecoming for our boy-back to DAV school at Shimla from the army school at Chandigarh after two years of study there-and “even through the distance between shimla and Chandigarh is a mere 120 kilometres, they are worlds apart in almost every aspect. Landscape, culture, people, lifestyle-you name it.”
The army school has changed the boy-psychically, mentally and emotionally. In the words of the writer
“The cute, chubby, round, stout kid who went to Saininik School returned home after a month on a weeklong vacation. When I rang the bell, Mom came to the door and actually asked “How can I help you?” I was dressed in my khaki military uniform and had lost at least ten kilograms in a month.
My own mom didn’t recognise me for a few seconds. It was golden.”
Read the review at
https://jayasreesown.wordpress.com/20...
A poem that tells us about a beautiful feeling called love. A poem that is also a saga of hope and despair- arrow of cupid targeting someone’s heart and then a painful feeling when heart bleeds-when heart breaks!
‘When she smiled’ by Ritoban Chakrabarty made me nostalgic-reminding me of my good old days-thinking of someone special under the twinkling night sky-recapitulating those priceless moments again and again-wishing those moments worth million zillion diamonds to happen again and again and again!
May be it’s my story-may be it’s your story-may be it‘s everyone’s story! When there was no internet-no chatting-no face book-no what’s app-when the teen age was the time of first addiction of love-he felt in love of her!
He is Mrityunjoy- a Bengali teen of fifteen who’s long and difficult name is the soft prey of his friends and she is Akanksha-a class mate of our protagonist Mrityunjoy. And true –it’s a heart warming romance-but not the typical Mill’s and Boon’s novel. More than a story of romance- it’s the story of a boy getting bigger in a whisker-it’s the story of realization-it’s the story of discovering himself.
It’s a long introduction –so let us straightforward go into the story. It’s a homecoming for our boy-back to DAV school at Shimla from the army school at Chandigarh after two years of study there-and “even through the distance between shimla and Chandigarh is a mere 120 kilometres, they are worlds apart in almost every aspect. Landscape, culture, people, lifestyle-you name it.”
The army school has changed the boy-psychically, mentally and emotionally. In the words of the writer
“The cute, chubby, round, stout kid who went to Saininik School returned home after a month on a weeklong vacation. When I rang the bell, Mom came to the door and actually asked “How can I help you?” I was dressed in my khaki military uniform and had lost at least ten kilograms in a month.
My own mom didn’t recognise me for a few seconds. It was golden.”
Read the review at
https://jayasreesown.wordpress.com/20...
March 6, 2015
First thing that comes to my mind as soon as i sit to write a review is that, i never read a book where Shimla forms a backdrop for a story.
Mrityunjoy Roy, though the youngest in the family, that doesn’t guarantee a pampered life, on the contrary, his parents are very strict. After being away from Shimla for a couple of years, Roy returns to his old school DAV.
Then comes Akanksha , the beauty in demand, the damsel in the dreams of every school goer(almost!) and the owner of the beautiful dimpled smile, which can be inferred from the title of the book.
Though Roy and Akanksha become thick friends, as the story progresses I was left wondering if both are meant to be together. Contrary to what roy may be feeling, the fate has other designs.
At one point of the story Roy comes across as a despo, who is craving for attention and Akanksha as the girl who changes from the sweet innocent girl to a girl who is ignorant of ones feelings!
As implied by the title of the book, the life of the protagonist changes with the smile of Akanksha at the very beginning and at the very end.
What i like:
Shimla described in all its glory making me want to go and visit it once , at the very least!
Even nature seems like a silent character,a friend, who continues to soothe and calm down the protagonist Roy, during the time of tragedy and heart break.
Reminded me all those beautiful days of school where we enjoyed cartoons, anime like Fushigi Yugi , dance rehearsals, combined studies, quizzes, debates and what not! My-my, let me also add, the tours in school and annual day celebrations,watching guys fight over WWF and cricket cards , pokemon and putting pocket money to good use . Those were the days.
The language is simple and easy.
Read more here..
http://beeafteryou.com/when-she-smile...
Mrityunjoy Roy, though the youngest in the family, that doesn’t guarantee a pampered life, on the contrary, his parents are very strict. After being away from Shimla for a couple of years, Roy returns to his old school DAV.
Then comes Akanksha , the beauty in demand, the damsel in the dreams of every school goer(almost!) and the owner of the beautiful dimpled smile, which can be inferred from the title of the book.
Though Roy and Akanksha become thick friends, as the story progresses I was left wondering if both are meant to be together. Contrary to what roy may be feeling, the fate has other designs.
At one point of the story Roy comes across as a despo, who is craving for attention and Akanksha as the girl who changes from the sweet innocent girl to a girl who is ignorant of ones feelings!
As implied by the title of the book, the life of the protagonist changes with the smile of Akanksha at the very beginning and at the very end.
What i like:
Shimla described in all its glory making me want to go and visit it once , at the very least!
Even nature seems like a silent character,a friend, who continues to soothe and calm down the protagonist Roy, during the time of tragedy and heart break.
Reminded me all those beautiful days of school where we enjoyed cartoons, anime like Fushigi Yugi , dance rehearsals, combined studies, quizzes, debates and what not! My-my, let me also add, the tours in school and annual day celebrations,watching guys fight over WWF and cricket cards , pokemon and putting pocket money to good use . Those were the days.
The language is simple and easy.
Read more here..
http://beeafteryou.com/when-she-smile...
March 30, 2015
Read the full review on my blog: http://newberyandbeyond.com/review-co...
The setting is amazing–it’s been a long time since I’ve read a book set in India, and I don’t think I’ve ever read a YA book with that setting. The author does a good job of drawing attention to the details of everyday life in what is (for me, anyway) an unusual setting.
That said, I had difficulties connecting with Roy, the main character. He narrates the book, but oftentimes his voice seemed a little off. I had a hard time believing that a teenager would say some of the things he said; his thoughts seemed stilted at times. At other times, Roy was so immature, especially in his interactions with the girl he likes, that I just had to roll my eyes at him. But that’s in keeping with most fifteen-year-olds I know (including my past self!).
*Note: I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The setting is amazing–it’s been a long time since I’ve read a book set in India, and I don’t think I’ve ever read a YA book with that setting. The author does a good job of drawing attention to the details of everyday life in what is (for me, anyway) an unusual setting.
That said, I had difficulties connecting with Roy, the main character. He narrates the book, but oftentimes his voice seemed a little off. I had a hard time believing that a teenager would say some of the things he said; his thoughts seemed stilted at times. At other times, Roy was so immature, especially in his interactions with the girl he likes, that I just had to roll my eyes at him. But that’s in keeping with most fifteen-year-olds I know (including my past self!).
*Note: I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2015
The title of this book When She Smiled suggested another run-of-the-mill love story where boy meets girl and vice versa, with both falling in love with each other and then living happily ever after. However, the book is not just simply a chick flick with Ritoban Chakrabarti describing the meaning of relationships and love seen through the prism of a 15-year old boy.
Read more at my blog post https://etherealjinxed.wordpress.com/...
Going through the turmoil of teenage crush, love, heartbreaks and humiliations, Mrityunjoy Roy, the protagonist of the story comes to terms with his destiny. The mellow numbers and the poems cast a shadow where it fits like a Bollywood movie. Holding hands, saying sweet nothings and day-dreaming was all it meant for one to be the happiest. Overcoming embarrassment of being made fun of one’s name, the slogging through the Sainik School and the silly talks of school days, the book offers aplenty to keep you going.
Read more at my blog post https://etherealjinxed.wordpress.com/...
Going through the turmoil of teenage crush, love, heartbreaks and humiliations, Mrityunjoy Roy, the protagonist of the story comes to terms with his destiny. The mellow numbers and the poems cast a shadow where it fits like a Bollywood movie. Holding hands, saying sweet nothings and day-dreaming was all it meant for one to be the happiest. Overcoming embarrassment of being made fun of one’s name, the slogging through the Sainik School and the silly talks of school days, the book offers aplenty to keep you going.
October 27, 2015
When She Smiled reminds me so much of my child hood. I was thinking the author must have been born in the 80's as I could truly relate to the things (wrestling, cartoons, gadgets, etc.) mentioned in this book. I had a good laugh reading Mrityunjoy's journey. I've seen reviews that some readers could not understand nor believe the characters' attitude towards life. I, myself, have been exposed to that kind of life, having strict parents and teachers (blogger is from the Philippines). Maybe if you are from the east, this is totally relatable. Mrityunjoy's struggle is real for me even the joy and pain of his first love with Akansha.
It was beautifully written although I note the author tends to over-describe things. Often, when the description's too much, say like a place, I forget the last thing the character is doing. Other than that, I still enjoyed reading the story. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
It was beautifully written although I note the author tends to over-describe things. Often, when the description's too much, say like a place, I forget the last thing the character is doing. Other than that, I still enjoyed reading the story. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
January 18, 2015
I thought it would be interesting to read a book set in India... but it wasn’t.
The writing is what killed this story. It’s just not well-written. I forced myself father than I normally would to find something that would make me want to keep reading this book, but I couldn’t. The writing was just terrible. Not the grammar or typos or anything, just the writing style. It was juvenile and not engaging. I suppose that you'd better read the preview if you want to know whether or not you'd like it, but personally this book speaks to me as something that a new writing without much skill put together. Maybe I'd give it another try if it it was edited heavily, but I can't force myself to get around to the amazing plot everyone seems to be talking about.
The writing is what killed this story. It’s just not well-written. I forced myself father than I normally would to find something that would make me want to keep reading this book, but I couldn’t. The writing was just terrible. Not the grammar or typos or anything, just the writing style. It was juvenile and not engaging. I suppose that you'd better read the preview if you want to know whether or not you'd like it, but personally this book speaks to me as something that a new writing without much skill put together. Maybe I'd give it another try if it it was edited heavily, but I can't force myself to get around to the amazing plot everyone seems to be talking about.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews