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An Indian Loser
In the other parts of the world when people fail, they gather themselves and try again; people around them encourage, motivate and inspire.
However, in India if a person fails, he is considered incompetent, inadequate and unworthy. People around him disregard him as a loser and he is finished even before he could start.
However, there are some ‘Indian Losers’ who refuse to give up.
‘An Indian Loser’ is the story of one such boy.
Peeyush was the poster boy of the great Indian dream for his average middle class neighbourhood. His life was almost set - crack the IIT JEE, run away to a better city, find a great job and marry the girl of his dreams. However, by a strange stroke of bad luck he encounters an unexpected failure that turns his life upside down. As a result, for the first time in his life, he witnesses the abhorrence that Indians have towards failures.
He runs away from his family, enrols in an average college course, joins politics and becomes arch political rival with his best friend. After years of unimaginable hardships, he is now desperate to make a success out of his political career. Finally, an opportunity arrives that can make up for the let-downs that he has faced in life. But, there is a price to pay. Will he take the plunge to win his old self back and become a winner again?
Read ‘An Indian Loser’ to discover the unimaginable story of human resilience, grit and determination.
However, in India if a person fails, he is considered incompetent, inadequate and unworthy. People around him disregard him as a loser and he is finished even before he could start.
However, there are some ‘Indian Losers’ who refuse to give up.
‘An Indian Loser’ is the story of one such boy.
Peeyush was the poster boy of the great Indian dream for his average middle class neighbourhood. His life was almost set - crack the IIT JEE, run away to a better city, find a great job and marry the girl of his dreams. However, by a strange stroke of bad luck he encounters an unexpected failure that turns his life upside down. As a result, for the first time in his life, he witnesses the abhorrence that Indians have towards failures.
He runs away from his family, enrols in an average college course, joins politics and becomes arch political rival with his best friend. After years of unimaginable hardships, he is now desperate to make a success out of his political career. Finally, an opportunity arrives that can make up for the let-downs that he has faced in life. But, there is a price to pay. Will he take the plunge to win his old self back and become a winner again?
Read ‘An Indian Loser’ to discover the unimaginable story of human resilience, grit and determination.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 22, 2019
An Indian Loser centers around the story of the ambitious Peeyush. He has the aspirations that many of the middle class have – of obtaining a good education and getting a decent paying job. As he looks forward to his 10th standard, everything looks promising. Peeyush, however, fails his chemistry exams and gives up hope, well almost. He runs away from home and goes on to become a labourer at a construction site. His friends though encourage him, and he takes the supplementary exam, this time clearing it.
Life now seems to be returning on track, though he has to downgrade his educational aspirations by enrolling in an arts course. He grows to be especially close to Mustang, who is his roommate. Peeyush thinks of a good social experiment as a project, but backs off from participating actively in it. This offers the chance for his friend Mustang to emerge as a leader. Jealousy bites Peeyesh, and he grows distant from Mustang. His relationship with Radhika, and later Swati go through ups and downs as a result of his mood swings.
Peeyush, fancies a career in politics and grows close to Chunnu Bhaiya, who is himself looking to win an election. Peeyesh has an idea of starting coaching centers for students (a chain named Prayas) as a way to improve political clout with the youth. This hits it off well with the local youth, and the initiative is a great success. And yet, the hard work and demands of politics causes his relationships with his parents as well as his girlfriend Swati to suffer.
It requires a moral crisis during the election campaign for Peeyush to rethink his priorities and approach to life.
The story is good, and the treatment is very detailed - from Peeyush’s aspirations early on to his emerging political career. The narration though could have been a lot crisper, would have benefitted with either more humour or pace to enliven proceedings, and the relationships approached with more depth.
This is a very credible story for a first book by the author. I read and reviewed this book at her request.
My rating: 3.25 / 5.
Life now seems to be returning on track, though he has to downgrade his educational aspirations by enrolling in an arts course. He grows to be especially close to Mustang, who is his roommate. Peeyush thinks of a good social experiment as a project, but backs off from participating actively in it. This offers the chance for his friend Mustang to emerge as a leader. Jealousy bites Peeyesh, and he grows distant from Mustang. His relationship with Radhika, and later Swati go through ups and downs as a result of his mood swings.
Peeyush, fancies a career in politics and grows close to Chunnu Bhaiya, who is himself looking to win an election. Peeyesh has an idea of starting coaching centers for students (a chain named Prayas) as a way to improve political clout with the youth. This hits it off well with the local youth, and the initiative is a great success. And yet, the hard work and demands of politics causes his relationships with his parents as well as his girlfriend Swati to suffer.
It requires a moral crisis during the election campaign for Peeyush to rethink his priorities and approach to life.
The story is good, and the treatment is very detailed - from Peeyush’s aspirations early on to his emerging political career. The narration though could have been a lot crisper, would have benefitted with either more humour or pace to enliven proceedings, and the relationships approached with more depth.
This is a very credible story for a first book by the author. I read and reviewed this book at her request.
My rating: 3.25 / 5.
February 22, 2019
First of all, it is very good to see many newcomers trying their fiction-writing skills! That's a welcome sign for us, the readers.
Uzma's writing is certainly new and it needs a number of amendments and that come naturally - with time. An Indian Loser, her debut work, depicts the reality. Reality is a little wayward at times but as a reader, one has to keep in mind that it's a fiction and the author has complete liberty excused.
Peeyush is a complicated protagonist at the beginning who falls in love at the very first sight with Radhika. He flunks his intermediate. He somehow passes the supplementary exam and gets a college admission. He almost puts his studies on the stake and involves himself in politics. He does well there, though.
Yes, there are a few things that one might not easily digest. However, there are many things that make this book an interesting fiction. So, the readers who are young and want to taste a bite of realism with a chunk of interesting fiction, An Indian Loser is for you only!
Uzma's writing is certainly new and it needs a number of amendments and that come naturally - with time. An Indian Loser, her debut work, depicts the reality. Reality is a little wayward at times but as a reader, one has to keep in mind that it's a fiction and the author has complete liberty excused.
Peeyush is a complicated protagonist at the beginning who falls in love at the very first sight with Radhika. He flunks his intermediate. He somehow passes the supplementary exam and gets a college admission. He almost puts his studies on the stake and involves himself in politics. He does well there, though.
Yes, there are a few things that one might not easily digest. However, there are many things that make this book an interesting fiction. So, the readers who are young and want to taste a bite of realism with a chunk of interesting fiction, An Indian Loser is for you only!
February 18, 2019
An Indian Loser does a very nice work of bringing out the ugly side of Indian education system and the emotional and mental toll it takes on not only a student but also on their respective families. This is a story of Peeyush, who aspires to become an engineer and works very hard to ace the engineering entrance exam but all his dreams take a backseat when Peeyush flunks in his 12th board chemistry paper. Thereafter, Peeyush’s life goes on a downward spiral plunging him into severe depression and his only drive is to prove his worth to everyone else and never be called a loser again. This book has a lot of drama as well as political and social intrigue unfortunately for me, I did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would.
I know the subject matter is quite relevant but I must say that the narrative of the story is quite bland, disjointed and unengaging never mind that the writing is dull and tedious. I am a very fast reader and it took me two weeks to finish this book, by the end I was just pushing myself because it is that boring. This story could have gone places but it lacked considerable depth and development. There is a lot of telling and a lot less showing. The main protagonist Peeyush goes through some really tough situations but honestly, I didn’t feel a thing for him, somewhere I understood where he is coming from and his need to constantly prove to others that he is not a loser but what bothered me is that most of the time he acts like a brat. I know he is flawed and he doesn’t intend to hurt anyone but he is also extremely naïve, a poor judge of people and most of the time comes across as a self-serving bastard.
Almost all the other characters from the story are forgettable and once again I didn’t care for their story arcs or the relationship dynamics, it wasn’t just deep enough for me. Also, a lot of things have been unnecessarily dramatized which took away the realism from the book. However, the thing that bothered me most is the poor representation of clinical depression. After failing in his 12th board Peeyush suffers from depression almost throughout the entire story but somewhere I just felt that his depression is used as an instrument to further the plot because for any person who is going through depression, it’s always a constant struggle, true that there are good days and there are bad days but the fight is real. I did not feel the same thing with Peeyush.
Peeyush behaves normally almost all the time and then out of a blue when something big needs to happen, his depression and the repercussions of his actions when he is going through one of his episodes comes into play. Nope, not acceptable. Mental health is a very important issue and it needs to be dealt with extreme sensitivity. Also, I think the book could really do with a few more rounds of editing because I spotted quite a few grammatical and spelling errors.
That being said, I think the author picked up a very important and pertinent topic but failed to execute it properly. 2 stars because this book has a lot of potential. I really liked the message it tries to convey, that winning is not everything, what is important is you find your niche and don’t let anyone say that you are worthless.
Review copy provided by Author, in exchange for my honest opinion.
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I know the subject matter is quite relevant but I must say that the narrative of the story is quite bland, disjointed and unengaging never mind that the writing is dull and tedious. I am a very fast reader and it took me two weeks to finish this book, by the end I was just pushing myself because it is that boring. This story could have gone places but it lacked considerable depth and development. There is a lot of telling and a lot less showing. The main protagonist Peeyush goes through some really tough situations but honestly, I didn’t feel a thing for him, somewhere I understood where he is coming from and his need to constantly prove to others that he is not a loser but what bothered me is that most of the time he acts like a brat. I know he is flawed and he doesn’t intend to hurt anyone but he is also extremely naïve, a poor judge of people and most of the time comes across as a self-serving bastard.
Almost all the other characters from the story are forgettable and once again I didn’t care for their story arcs or the relationship dynamics, it wasn’t just deep enough for me. Also, a lot of things have been unnecessarily dramatized which took away the realism from the book. However, the thing that bothered me most is the poor representation of clinical depression. After failing in his 12th board Peeyush suffers from depression almost throughout the entire story but somewhere I just felt that his depression is used as an instrument to further the plot because for any person who is going through depression, it’s always a constant struggle, true that there are good days and there are bad days but the fight is real. I did not feel the same thing with Peeyush.
Peeyush behaves normally almost all the time and then out of a blue when something big needs to happen, his depression and the repercussions of his actions when he is going through one of his episodes comes into play. Nope, not acceptable. Mental health is a very important issue and it needs to be dealt with extreme sensitivity. Also, I think the book could really do with a few more rounds of editing because I spotted quite a few grammatical and spelling errors.
That being said, I think the author picked up a very important and pertinent topic but failed to execute it properly. 2 stars because this book has a lot of potential. I really liked the message it tries to convey, that winning is not everything, what is important is you find your niche and don’t let anyone say that you are worthless.
Review copy provided by Author, in exchange for my honest opinion.
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August 3, 2019
Be brave enough to hold on to the hope, that life will be beautiful again
The book tells story of Peeyush, a middle-class boy, who carries a burden of fulfilling his mother's dream, of becoming an engineer. However, he fails in one of the subject ( Chemistry ¿, it could've been Physics :P ) and looses hope of ever being an engineer.
Not just loosing hope, but the thought of being a failure permanently occupies his mind and runs away from his home, never wanting to pickup studies or ever face his family again. With persuasion from his friend Mustang, he decides to come back and reappear for his exams.
He passes his exams, studies something to his liking and then his life takes a different course. But with every setback, he thinks himself as a failure , instead of taking the incident as temporary setback. Until one day , another friend of his , briefs him about solipsism ( fancy word, but Indians have been knowing , yet not practicing the mantra since ages).
The book takes a different turn and changes the life of Peeyush from a losser to winner.
This book talks about that journey.
The book , even though narrated as a fiction, is an eye opener for parents, who wants their children to fulfill the dreams, they themselves could not attain. Unlike many reviewers, I would not say, that the book targets Indian Education System. Nope, Nowhere , Uzma has pointed out flaws in the education system. The fault lies with parenting system rather, who expect too differently, than what their children desire to achieve.
The book was interesting read, which addressed lots of areas , with peppy lines from Radhika, which I enjoyed much. Picking up lines from engineering class and using them in dialogues , made this one an exciting read.
There were many things that humor you, and enlightened you, but the brainstorming of his life on paper by Peeyush was excellent. If everyone does that , there would be no one who would consider them as permanent failures.
Although, I found the backbone of the story , much resembling to that of Chetan Bhagat's books, An Indian Looser does have a proper narrative with chic language.
Like a Gujarati Thali (Main Course), the book has all the ingredient for an excellent reading experience and has it's Sweet, Sour, Spicy, and Bitter moments.
Excellent Read
The book tells story of Peeyush, a middle-class boy, who carries a burden of fulfilling his mother's dream, of becoming an engineer. However, he fails in one of the subject ( Chemistry ¿, it could've been Physics :P ) and looses hope of ever being an engineer.
Not just loosing hope, but the thought of being a failure permanently occupies his mind and runs away from his home, never wanting to pickup studies or ever face his family again. With persuasion from his friend Mustang, he decides to come back and reappear for his exams.
He passes his exams, studies something to his liking and then his life takes a different course. But with every setback, he thinks himself as a failure , instead of taking the incident as temporary setback. Until one day , another friend of his , briefs him about solipsism ( fancy word, but Indians have been knowing , yet not practicing the mantra since ages).
The book takes a different turn and changes the life of Peeyush from a losser to winner.
This book talks about that journey.
The book , even though narrated as a fiction, is an eye opener for parents, who wants their children to fulfill the dreams, they themselves could not attain. Unlike many reviewers, I would not say, that the book targets Indian Education System. Nope, Nowhere , Uzma has pointed out flaws in the education system. The fault lies with parenting system rather, who expect too differently, than what their children desire to achieve.
The book was interesting read, which addressed lots of areas , with peppy lines from Radhika, which I enjoyed much. Picking up lines from engineering class and using them in dialogues , made this one an exciting read.
There were many things that humor you, and enlightened you, but the brainstorming of his life on paper by Peeyush was excellent. If everyone does that , there would be no one who would consider them as permanent failures.
Although, I found the backbone of the story , much resembling to that of Chetan Bhagat's books, An Indian Looser does have a proper narrative with chic language.
Like a Gujarati Thali (Main Course), the book has all the ingredient for an excellent reading experience and has it's Sweet, Sour, Spicy, and Bitter moments.
Excellent Read
February 16, 2019
As a common Indian, I can certainly empathise with Peeyush. Though I don't share his mood swings! A novel that describes what most of us feel in so many ways - something to become; something to do; something to follow. The pressure of family and the ambition of parents often scare the students to hell. However, as meek and obedient, they follow everything as long as they can.
Peeyush's scenario is no different; he has to become an engineer but her turns out to become a politician - he loses and loses and loses tasting wins at times. But, is losing so bad? Peeyush loses when he fails his intermediate. He loses when he loses Swati. He loses when he plans to do something that might fail his ambitions as a politician... a very long but worthy tale to be read by the youngsters.
Peeyush's scenario is no different; he has to become an engineer but her turns out to become a politician - he loses and loses and loses tasting wins at times. But, is losing so bad? Peeyush loses when he fails his intermediate. He loses when he loses Swati. He loses when he plans to do something that might fail his ambitions as a politician... a very long but worthy tale to be read by the youngsters.
May 22, 2019
Find this review and many more on my blog: Ipshita's Book Alley
Ms Hameed does a splendid job portraying the pressures of society, the imperfect education system and the lack of necessary guidance and motivation needed to shape young minds, to build their resolve. However, I think she does too well of a job in bringing out the ‘loser’ side of Peeyush, our protagonist, and therein lies the problem. Indian Loser traces Peeyush’s story, an engineering aspirant whose dream halts when he fails his board exams, which brings me to my first point of contention.
Peeyush is OTT melodramatic. After flunking his chemistry exam he runs away from his home to become a day labourer for 45 days. But when his friend, Mustang, comes and tells him to prepare for the supplementary exams (holy hell, this guy was lucky he got that option because in my school board you had to repeat the entire year if you failed) which takes place about 3 months later, Peeyush right away refuses, he has to be coddled and cajoled before he sees any sense. So I get how the shock of failing and the fear of further failure might be working here and I would have totally sympathised with him if not for his ever-recurring insolent behaviour. The author succeeds in making him look pitiful but fails to make him someone worthy of any compassion or empathy, in my opinion. What with his attitude problems and inability to take even a hint of criticism, be it positive or negative.
Indian Loser does present all the stress and griping from family, and even neighbours, that one may have to undergo whilst prepping for important exams. So the parts highlighting anxiety, nervousness and depression are done really well. Peeyush develops a classical case of post failure depression, and he soon has a fall out with his extended relatives and decides to stay elsewhere. Still, I would have supported him, if only he decided to try for engineering, his (and his family’s) primary dream. He knows his father isn't a rich man, he's only going to apply for a college graduation degree so I couldn’t fathom why he felt it necessary to prepare for it while living in a rented apartment and adding to his family’s expenses?
Peeyush is also bent on believing college is for losers (an offensive sentiment to be sure) and seems to make little to no effort in actually learning anything or even trying to overcome or feel any guilt for his past failure.
As soon as joined college, I realized that most of the students had appeared for some or the other entrance examination and failed.
...
Therefore, as a rule we should practice hedonism in the first year of college.
His depression seems to strike him suddenly with no clear trigger. He acts normal and fine and then suddenly remembers he needs his anti-depression pills to survive. It’s like his depression is more of an excuse for him than a real illness he suffers from. However, if the idea was to present a discontent and insecure person then that much is definitely achieved in the portrayal of Peeyush. I certainly felt the scenes highlighting his anger and jealousy are quite remarkable.
‘You[Peeyush] desperately wanted your presentation to be selected by college and now that it is selected, you are no more interested.’
...
I[Peeyush] wanted him to say something stupid, make a mistake, or just forget something important.
I was simmering with hatred, jealousy and anger.
...
‘Omit...Omit..Omit,’ my brain commanded.
If only most of the conversations and dialogues were as striking. They start feeling rather repetitive and monotonous after a while, and when everything is judiciously described it makes the story’s pace linger and seem boring in turn. Inserting several ostentatious words and phrases such as cul-de-sac, billet-doux in normal conversations (when the same person asks after the spelling of exuberance) makes them seem unnatural at times (not even us English Literature students or our professors use such embellishments during informal conversations). I am all for using fancy SAT words in the monologues and even a handful of dialogues but it was overdone in here. An example of it is how Peeyush suggests cigarette smoking to his friend, “Let’s burn our lungs to become sombre.”
Some typos and errors like using anyways (correct form is anyway), scew (instead of screw) can still be overlooked so they didn’t bother me much. However, there are many unnecessary dialogues that add nothing to the plot, and then there are those occasional creepy observations made by our Peeyush like ‘The way she would smack her lips after every word made her look extremely cute.’
It’s even more bizarre when he seems to fall deeply in love with a girl for no apparent reason (just cause she looks amazing in her pink salwar?) and then starts crying right afterwards (why?), again with no apparent reason. Oh and only a couple or so months later, he starts dating a different girl and tells her he loves her when he really doesn’t, so it’s not like he’s an emotional or sentimental person (right?).
Having said that, I quite liked the minor characters, notably Mustang. I would have loved to read his POV. The political conspiracy in the later half of the book did pique my curiosity, especially when Peeyush finally turns from the underdog into hero material. Sadly, all this happens in the last 10% of the book (a little too late, IMO).
He[Mustang] was singing and I[Peeyush] wanted to cry. I wanted to cry for being so gruesome and covetous.
But kudos to the author for exploring these relevant issues that the younger generation are facing and the ultimate message that she manages to convey.
You and only you should define the yardstick for measuring your success.
...
“One success makes up for a lot of failures.”
My sincere thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
Ms Hameed does a splendid job portraying the pressures of society, the imperfect education system and the lack of necessary guidance and motivation needed to shape young minds, to build their resolve. However, I think she does too well of a job in bringing out the ‘loser’ side of Peeyush, our protagonist, and therein lies the problem. Indian Loser traces Peeyush’s story, an engineering aspirant whose dream halts when he fails his board exams, which brings me to my first point of contention.
Peeyush is OTT melodramatic. After flunking his chemistry exam he runs away from his home to become a day labourer for 45 days. But when his friend, Mustang, comes and tells him to prepare for the supplementary exams (holy hell, this guy was lucky he got that option because in my school board you had to repeat the entire year if you failed) which takes place about 3 months later, Peeyush right away refuses, he has to be coddled and cajoled before he sees any sense. So I get how the shock of failing and the fear of further failure might be working here and I would have totally sympathised with him if not for his ever-recurring insolent behaviour. The author succeeds in making him look pitiful but fails to make him someone worthy of any compassion or empathy, in my opinion. What with his attitude problems and inability to take even a hint of criticism, be it positive or negative.
Indian Loser does present all the stress and griping from family, and even neighbours, that one may have to undergo whilst prepping for important exams. So the parts highlighting anxiety, nervousness and depression are done really well. Peeyush develops a classical case of post failure depression, and he soon has a fall out with his extended relatives and decides to stay elsewhere. Still, I would have supported him, if only he decided to try for engineering, his (and his family’s) primary dream. He knows his father isn't a rich man, he's only going to apply for a college graduation degree so I couldn’t fathom why he felt it necessary to prepare for it while living in a rented apartment and adding to his family’s expenses?
Peeyush is also bent on believing college is for losers (an offensive sentiment to be sure) and seems to make little to no effort in actually learning anything or even trying to overcome or feel any guilt for his past failure.
As soon as joined college, I realized that most of the students had appeared for some or the other entrance examination and failed.
...
Therefore, as a rule we should practice hedonism in the first year of college.
His depression seems to strike him suddenly with no clear trigger. He acts normal and fine and then suddenly remembers he needs his anti-depression pills to survive. It’s like his depression is more of an excuse for him than a real illness he suffers from. However, if the idea was to present a discontent and insecure person then that much is definitely achieved in the portrayal of Peeyush. I certainly felt the scenes highlighting his anger and jealousy are quite remarkable.
‘You[Peeyush] desperately wanted your presentation to be selected by college and now that it is selected, you are no more interested.’
...
I[Peeyush] wanted him to say something stupid, make a mistake, or just forget something important.
I was simmering with hatred, jealousy and anger.
...
‘Omit...Omit..Omit,’ my brain commanded.
If only most of the conversations and dialogues were as striking. They start feeling rather repetitive and monotonous after a while, and when everything is judiciously described it makes the story’s pace linger and seem boring in turn. Inserting several ostentatious words and phrases such as cul-de-sac, billet-doux in normal conversations (when the same person asks after the spelling of exuberance) makes them seem unnatural at times (not even us English Literature students or our professors use such embellishments during informal conversations). I am all for using fancy SAT words in the monologues and even a handful of dialogues but it was overdone in here. An example of it is how Peeyush suggests cigarette smoking to his friend, “Let’s burn our lungs to become sombre.”
Some typos and errors like using anyways (correct form is anyway), scew (instead of screw) can still be overlooked so they didn’t bother me much. However, there are many unnecessary dialogues that add nothing to the plot, and then there are those occasional creepy observations made by our Peeyush like ‘The way she would smack her lips after every word made her look extremely cute.’
It’s even more bizarre when he seems to fall deeply in love with a girl for no apparent reason (just cause she looks amazing in her pink salwar?) and then starts crying right afterwards (why?), again with no apparent reason. Oh and only a couple or so months later, he starts dating a different girl and tells her he loves her when he really doesn’t, so it’s not like he’s an emotional or sentimental person (right?).
Having said that, I quite liked the minor characters, notably Mustang. I would have loved to read his POV. The political conspiracy in the later half of the book did pique my curiosity, especially when Peeyush finally turns from the underdog into hero material. Sadly, all this happens in the last 10% of the book (a little too late, IMO).
He[Mustang] was singing and I[Peeyush] wanted to cry. I wanted to cry for being so gruesome and covetous.
But kudos to the author for exploring these relevant issues that the younger generation are facing and the ultimate message that she manages to convey.
You and only you should define the yardstick for measuring your success.
...
“One success makes up for a lot of failures.”
My sincere thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
February 15, 2019
The story does show an interesting landscape to the readers. It has the thing to keep someone interested but even the fiction cannot be so fictional to the events being displayed in this novel. Love has almost not a bit of practical description in this novel - it just happens and happens quite fast and disintegrates even faster. At one moment, Peeyush is promised by Swati that she will stand by her even in the worst situation and in the next moment, she almost kicks her out of her home. Strange!
Mustang and Peeyush begin good - the buddies. They fall out later because of political and ambitious rivalry. Chunnu Bhaiya turns out to be monster and Radhika turns out to be a gem (but how).
Well, to me, the story seemed good but it could certainly be handled in a better way. Though the debut novel by Uzma, so I am sure she will get better with the days! All the best to the readers for a new experience where losing is sometimes the best you can do! :)
Mustang and Peeyush begin good - the buddies. They fall out later because of political and ambitious rivalry. Chunnu Bhaiya turns out to be monster and Radhika turns out to be a gem (but how).
Well, to me, the story seemed good but it could certainly be handled in a better way. Though the debut novel by Uzma, so I am sure she will get better with the days! All the best to the readers for a new experience where losing is sometimes the best you can do! :)
February 6, 2019
This book was recommended to me by the author herself and I was not quite excited.But once I started reading,it was very hard to put down.This is the largest Kindle book I have read.
The story is great and other than a few parts,it moves with a fast pace.There are some Bollywood like sub-plots and unnecessary characters but I highly recommend it anyone interested in contemporary Indian fiction.
Ms.Uzma Hameed,in cricketing terms,you have hit a century on debut...
The story is great and other than a few parts,it moves with a fast pace.There are some Bollywood like sub-plots and unnecessary characters but I highly recommend it anyone interested in contemporary Indian fiction.
Ms.Uzma Hameed,in cricketing terms,you have hit a century on debut...
January 20, 2019
There are books on how you should not give up. This is not a book on that. This is a book on what happens to you when you give up on yourself, but your circle doesn't.
Peeyush, a UPSC, aspirat has his dreams shattered when he fails his chemistry exam. Shattered he runs away from home. With despodency setting in and finally being diagnosed with depression, Peeyush's life is turned when his best friend Mustan eggs him on on another shot at life. And life does give him another chance, yet takes him on a path where he sets to lose everyone to find himself. Is the path taken right? Is it worth it to pursue personal greatness at the cost of everyone who was with you. This is a relatable book that provides you with the answers.
An engrossing book, I loved the concept and the way it flowed. I found the ending a bit jumbled, yet that is forgivable. The language is extremely simple,and that is the strength of the book. Do read.
Peeyush, a UPSC, aspirat has his dreams shattered when he fails his chemistry exam. Shattered he runs away from home. With despodency setting in and finally being diagnosed with depression, Peeyush's life is turned when his best friend Mustan eggs him on on another shot at life. And life does give him another chance, yet takes him on a path where he sets to lose everyone to find himself. Is the path taken right? Is it worth it to pursue personal greatness at the cost of everyone who was with you. This is a relatable book that provides you with the answers.
An engrossing book, I loved the concept and the way it flowed. I found the ending a bit jumbled, yet that is forgivable. The language is extremely simple,and that is the strength of the book. Do read.
February 24, 2019
Indian education system badly needs overhaul. It relies too much importance on marks and academic achievement. Average middle-class family has no other means to succeed and hence they push their children into rat race.
Peeyush (should it not be Piyush?) is from and average middle-class family who is under tremendous pressure to crack IIT joint entrance exam. He fails and has to run away. Will he succeed in the end or will simply give up?
The story is coming of age of Piyush. How he overcome all the odds and beats the moribund education system. This is a must red for parents also. Some tight editing is needed. Overall a great effort by Uzma. 3/ 5 stars.
Peeyush (should it not be Piyush?) is from and average middle-class family who is under tremendous pressure to crack IIT joint entrance exam. He fails and has to run away. Will he succeed in the end or will simply give up?
The story is coming of age of Piyush. How he overcome all the odds and beats the moribund education system. This is a must red for parents also. Some tight editing is needed. Overall a great effort by Uzma. 3/ 5 stars.
February 8, 2019
What is the first thing you notice in a book?
Book Cover and the name of the book, right?
Well in this case, what caught my eyes was the book’s very intriguing name ‘An Indian Loser’. I really wanted to know the story behind this name.
Opening Lines: I held the corroded bars of a ramshackle window to gain one last view of the outside world.
Students in India go through a lot of pressure from all sides to achieve something or to be on top of their studies: The parents, The Society, The Indian Education system and their own expectations from themselves. And a single failure can send them into the dark and murky world of depression.
Uzma’s An Indian Loser is based on such topic. The story revolves around Peeyush, who is an intelligent student and always tops the class, however, when he flunks in his final exams, his whole world turns upside down. Depression takes hold of his senses.
According to Uzma ‘Peeyush symbolizes the average middle-class Indian student who wants to realize his true potential through relentless hard work. He wants to create a better world for himself. And, for the people around him. He is ambitious, passionate and Zealous. But, what happens when he fails? The whole gamut of emotions that used to channelize his energy in the direct direction suddenly burst, spout and inundate everything around him. Will he be able to win his old self back or will he lose himself in the darkness that surrounds him? Read the book to find out!’
It is a first-person narrative. And a crucial element of any work of fiction is the NARRATOR, if he/she is good then the story is good too. In this case, we get to know the story through Peeyush’s perspective, which is a plus point as it helps its reader to establish an instant connection with the character.
An Indian Loser is a story of Peeyush so the story mainly revolves around him. A lot of the readers would connect with Peeyush instantly. Though there are other characters too in the book, but we don’t get to see them much. Though I would have loved to see more of Mustang in the book, I kind of liked that guy.
What I liked the most in the book is that how Uzma stressed upon the dark side of the conscious and unconscious pressure we put on students, but she also made it clear that it is up to us to fight the demon and find our own place in this world.
Beginning and the ending were amazing, really loved the ending part. What I really didn’t like was the middle part where the story slowed down. It dragged on quite a bit. 50 or 60 pages less and this book could have been amazing.
Book Cover and the name of the book, right?
Well in this case, what caught my eyes was the book’s very intriguing name ‘An Indian Loser’. I really wanted to know the story behind this name.
Opening Lines: I held the corroded bars of a ramshackle window to gain one last view of the outside world.
Students in India go through a lot of pressure from all sides to achieve something or to be on top of their studies: The parents, The Society, The Indian Education system and their own expectations from themselves. And a single failure can send them into the dark and murky world of depression.
Uzma’s An Indian Loser is based on such topic. The story revolves around Peeyush, who is an intelligent student and always tops the class, however, when he flunks in his final exams, his whole world turns upside down. Depression takes hold of his senses.
According to Uzma ‘Peeyush symbolizes the average middle-class Indian student who wants to realize his true potential through relentless hard work. He wants to create a better world for himself. And, for the people around him. He is ambitious, passionate and Zealous. But, what happens when he fails? The whole gamut of emotions that used to channelize his energy in the direct direction suddenly burst, spout and inundate everything around him. Will he be able to win his old self back or will he lose himself in the darkness that surrounds him? Read the book to find out!’
It is a first-person narrative. And a crucial element of any work of fiction is the NARRATOR, if he/she is good then the story is good too. In this case, we get to know the story through Peeyush’s perspective, which is a plus point as it helps its reader to establish an instant connection with the character.
An Indian Loser is a story of Peeyush so the story mainly revolves around him. A lot of the readers would connect with Peeyush instantly. Though there are other characters too in the book, but we don’t get to see them much. Though I would have loved to see more of Mustang in the book, I kind of liked that guy.
What I liked the most in the book is that how Uzma stressed upon the dark side of the conscious and unconscious pressure we put on students, but she also made it clear that it is up to us to fight the demon and find our own place in this world.
Beginning and the ending were amazing, really loved the ending part. What I really didn’t like was the middle part where the story slowed down. It dragged on quite a bit. 50 or 60 pages less and this book could have been amazing.
January 15, 2019
India’s education system and the pressure associated with it have given many authors a topic to write upon. There are so many books available on this topic but seldom comes a story that is so beautifully penned that it can hold you for several hours and entertain you till the very end.
The story revolves around the failures and the struggle of Peeyush to achieve something bigger than his own dreams. Through Peeyush, the author has portrayed the life of almost every middle class family’s story. The pressure of entrance exams and then moving on to following the path of dreams, without the support of parents. Peeyush’s story has the potential of motivating and encouraging every reader and the writing style of the dubutant Uzma Hameed is like a treat. She is flawless in her craft.
The only problem with the book is the same usual storyline of the first half of the book. I have read many books on the same topic. Although I am happy that the second half of the book had something interesting to offer. The whole political turn that Peeyush’s life took was good to read. Also would like to mention that the second last chapter (Chapter 18) is beautiful. I loved the writing of that chapter.
Overall, I would rate this one as 3.5. If the book was a bit shorter, I would have rated 4. I would like to congratulate the author for brilliant debut.
The story revolves around the failures and the struggle of Peeyush to achieve something bigger than his own dreams. Through Peeyush, the author has portrayed the life of almost every middle class family’s story. The pressure of entrance exams and then moving on to following the path of dreams, without the support of parents. Peeyush’s story has the potential of motivating and encouraging every reader and the writing style of the dubutant Uzma Hameed is like a treat. She is flawless in her craft.
The only problem with the book is the same usual storyline of the first half of the book. I have read many books on the same topic. Although I am happy that the second half of the book had something interesting to offer. The whole political turn that Peeyush’s life took was good to read. Also would like to mention that the second last chapter (Chapter 18) is beautiful. I loved the writing of that chapter.
Overall, I would rate this one as 3.5. If the book was a bit shorter, I would have rated 4. I would like to congratulate the author for brilliant debut.
January 23, 2019
Book Title: An Indian Loser
Author: Uzma Hameed
Format: Kindle
Book Title:
The title of the book ' An Indian Loser ' is very dark and intriguing.
Book Cover:
The cover image of the book is simple clip art of a trophy with a bright yellow colored background. The title of the book and the bright yellow are contrasting in comparison.
Plot:
In today's modern India where many things including normal life's tasks are done using gadgets that run on Artificial Intelligence, the process of increasing a child's natural intelligence has taken a back step. With the advent of IT in the employment sector, several other streams of education are ignored. In this connection, engineering is the main option that parents choose for their kids. There itself the independence of the child is ceased. From then starts the journey of pressure by the child. The pathetic and ugly face of present Indian Education system is narrated nicely.
The author has taken up this topic for which she must be appreciated and the way she has weaved the story absolutely interesting. There are many unexpected twists in the story and surely I do not want to include the spoilers in the review. Therefore, do not miss reading this book!
What I like:
1. A very honest, unique and brave attempt in choosing the storyline
2. The dreams and the fight to pursue them by a common middle-class teenager in some strata of society in India are showcased in a very nice manner.
3. The story is very relatable to all
4. How a child gets scared and runs away from the society to avoid embarrassment caused due to failure is explained in detailed.
5. The role of well-wishers and friends in one's life is also narrated nicely.
What I didn't like:
1. Some unwanted drama in the initial chapters
2. The unclear and haphazard ending of a beautiful storyline.
Characters:
Peeyush, the protagonist's character is so wonderfully scripted that while reading the book every reader will travel with him. As said all the other characters are also weaved very nicely and are realistic.
Narration:
With a nice story, the author has excelled in the narration though at some places it fell flat.
Language & Grammar:
A good language with fine grammar is observed.
My Final Verdict:
A very good read!
Book Title: 4/5
Book Cover:2/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Narration: 4/5
Language & Grammar: 4/5
Final Rating: 4/5
Author: Uzma Hameed
Format: Kindle
Book Title:
The title of the book ' An Indian Loser ' is very dark and intriguing.
Book Cover:
The cover image of the book is simple clip art of a trophy with a bright yellow colored background. The title of the book and the bright yellow are contrasting in comparison.
Plot:
In today's modern India where many things including normal life's tasks are done using gadgets that run on Artificial Intelligence, the process of increasing a child's natural intelligence has taken a back step. With the advent of IT in the employment sector, several other streams of education are ignored. In this connection, engineering is the main option that parents choose for their kids. There itself the independence of the child is ceased. From then starts the journey of pressure by the child. The pathetic and ugly face of present Indian Education system is narrated nicely.
The author has taken up this topic for which she must be appreciated and the way she has weaved the story absolutely interesting. There are many unexpected twists in the story and surely I do not want to include the spoilers in the review. Therefore, do not miss reading this book!
What I like:
1. A very honest, unique and brave attempt in choosing the storyline
2. The dreams and the fight to pursue them by a common middle-class teenager in some strata of society in India are showcased in a very nice manner.
3. The story is very relatable to all
4. How a child gets scared and runs away from the society to avoid embarrassment caused due to failure is explained in detailed.
5. The role of well-wishers and friends in one's life is also narrated nicely.
What I didn't like:
1. Some unwanted drama in the initial chapters
2. The unclear and haphazard ending of a beautiful storyline.
Characters:
Peeyush, the protagonist's character is so wonderfully scripted that while reading the book every reader will travel with him. As said all the other characters are also weaved very nicely and are realistic.
Narration:
With a nice story, the author has excelled in the narration though at some places it fell flat.
Language & Grammar:
A good language with fine grammar is observed.
My Final Verdict:
A very good read!
Book Title: 4/5
Book Cover:2/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Narration: 4/5
Language & Grammar: 4/5
Final Rating: 4/5
February 20, 2019
To keep it simple, I would not make a mess of my review by protracting it almost to the size of a paper. :)
Peeyush is a guy who is confused about his choices in life and he is compelled by his parents, like many of us have been, to become an engineer. However, he lands in a distant land and fails his intermediate examination. However, he works hard and clears the supplementary exam and gets admission in a college before becoming active politically. Though the narrative is a little shifting with two major themes - Peeyush's career and his relationships - with Swati and with Radhika. Still, the novel is interesting enough and keeps the readers indulged. Enjoy it!
Peeyush is a guy who is confused about his choices in life and he is compelled by his parents, like many of us have been, to become an engineer. However, he lands in a distant land and fails his intermediate examination. However, he works hard and clears the supplementary exam and gets admission in a college before becoming active politically. Though the narrative is a little shifting with two major themes - Peeyush's career and his relationships - with Swati and with Radhika. Still, the novel is interesting enough and keeps the readers indulged. Enjoy it!
February 22, 2019
Let's keep it simple.
It becomes a little too much at times and I felt like letting it slip. However, I controlled myself and I kept reading. Uzma has portrayed a typical Indian youth in her debut novel. She has tried to convey what many of us think. Failure is not last and success is not the first; we all know this. In case of Peeyush, we come to know that success is not always essential (when he saves the life of Mustang) and failure is not always discouraging (when is lauded by his friends to do what he did).
The plot is simple - Peeyush's life is at the centre and everything else is dwarfed. It could be mended a little to show things in a proper proportion. The theme is wide and it tries to cover a bunch of issues - ambition, over-ambition, failure, success, love, confusion and family pressure on children. The narrative is plain and sometimes a little too plain. It can be understood as the first-time author is writing.
My final impression - you can easily read this novel. It won't take much time if you get into liking it. You will become curious to know what happens next. Interesting enough - a guy failing class 12 and becoming the hero among students of the same class... a guy who couldn't be engineer becoming a politician and winning hearts...
It becomes a little too much at times and I felt like letting it slip. However, I controlled myself and I kept reading. Uzma has portrayed a typical Indian youth in her debut novel. She has tried to convey what many of us think. Failure is not last and success is not the first; we all know this. In case of Peeyush, we come to know that success is not always essential (when he saves the life of Mustang) and failure is not always discouraging (when is lauded by his friends to do what he did).
The plot is simple - Peeyush's life is at the centre and everything else is dwarfed. It could be mended a little to show things in a proper proportion. The theme is wide and it tries to cover a bunch of issues - ambition, over-ambition, failure, success, love, confusion and family pressure on children. The narrative is plain and sometimes a little too plain. It can be understood as the first-time author is writing.
My final impression - you can easily read this novel. It won't take much time if you get into liking it. You will become curious to know what happens next. Interesting enough - a guy failing class 12 and becoming the hero among students of the same class... a guy who couldn't be engineer becoming a politician and winning hearts...
February 5, 2019
In India, for the last two decades, Engineering and Medicine are the only two streams that were acceptable for the students to learn. Even after being a saturated economy the demand of the both streams remain the same. The kids who don't go for both streams are considered not worth by the society.
Indian loser is a sarcastic take on this prejudice. A boy who fails in the Higher Secondary exams falls into the pit of depression. However with lot of difficulty and perseverance, he put the pieces back and returns to life. How he finds the focus and proceeds is the crux of the story.
Indian loser is a mirror to the society. Author has come forward with a topic that needs to be discussed in detail and analysed with sincerity. However the topic as relevant and grave as this was not given full justice. Somewhere down the line, the topic was handled immaturely. The same could be attributed to the author's attempt to make the books readable to all masses so that the message reaches the maximum.
Overall the book is an easy read. It is particularly recommended to the parents of teenagers.
Indian loser is a sarcastic take on this prejudice. A boy who fails in the Higher Secondary exams falls into the pit of depression. However with lot of difficulty and perseverance, he put the pieces back and returns to life. How he finds the focus and proceeds is the crux of the story.
Indian loser is a mirror to the society. Author has come forward with a topic that needs to be discussed in detail and analysed with sincerity. However the topic as relevant and grave as this was not given full justice. Somewhere down the line, the topic was handled immaturely. The same could be attributed to the author's attempt to make the books readable to all masses so that the message reaches the maximum.
Overall the book is an easy read. It is particularly recommended to the parents of teenagers.
March 2, 2019
Overall: 2.75/5
Cover and Title: 2/5
(Cover is not engaging and the title also is pretty flat & regular.]
Language/Writing style: 2.5/5
(Simple, fast and light on eyes but the excessive use of adverbs makes the work less enjoyable and sometimes put you off. Spelling/punctuation mistakes, a few times, glare right into your eyes.)
Story: 3.5/5
(The beginning of the story is pretty common among Indian students. All the taunts, the pressures, the expectations of your parents and then, the hopeful glint in your eyes of your own dreams. The later part of the story involves politics and conflicts and a lot of drama. Overall, the author has tried her best to finish the story on the brink of an idea this book must have taken its roots from.
Character: 3/5
(Major part of the story features its central character, Peeyush. Sometimes he is relatable, sometimes he is not. Situations developed to mould the story around the character sometimes feel far-fetched. Chunnu bhaiya [before he joins politics] is my favorite character.)
Climax: 3.5/5
(The climax has been written well and touches every aspect of the protagonist’s life, in a creative way, to make us learn a few very important life-lessons.)
-----------------------------
For: For those who like to spend time with light reads. And also for those who enjoy Indian/Bollywood dramas.
Not for: Not for those who care for logic and relevance of the plots.
-----------------------------
Review (Without spoiler)
Peeyush is a failure. He has flunked his intermediate board exam and with it, his world gets exposed to all criticism, taunts, and mockery. He feels broken and tries to escape from everything until one day his best friend Mustang (Muzaffar) calms him down and advises him to focus on other different good things. He opts for BA and there, he becomes a part of a small circle with Swati there to help him cope with his miseries emotionally. He starts doing good things but despite all his efforts he thinks he is not good enough. Slowly life contrives all his endeavors into even bigger failures where he breaks up his friendship with his best friend, loses his girlfriend and all the affability with his parents. He is all alone and he is yet to prove himself that he is not a loser when his own friend is competing against him.
The story ends on a profound message.
----------------------
My verdict:
The story could have been written better. The beginning promised me a lot. All it was relatable until dramas swept things away. There were occurring things that aren’t common. There have been instances and dialogues which disappointed me totally and after finishing a good part of the novel, I started realizing that Peeyush is not a loser, he is not and even if he is, then certainly not because of the society. He is a loser because he is a careless, conceited and a lousy irresponsible boy. Reasons:
Is it a big deal to inform your girlfriend that because of an urgent trip you won’t be able to meet her father and so you both can save another date? [A simple text or call could do that. Peeyush is not a loser, he is forgetful.]
Peeyush is all muddy in his white shirt and still has no time to change that before reaching to meet his girlfriend’s father. (Even Chunnu bhaiya doesn’t give a shit about his appearance.) [Peeyush is not a loser. He just doesn’t care.]
He is jealous of his best friend. [Egocentric]
He doesn’t believe in small achievements, though he has failed to achieve one of the smallest things. Passing your exam. [ Conceited]
He is in love with another girl when his own girlfriend is giving her life for him. [Disloyal]
He cannot even think to live without her girlfriend but he does not have time for her [Not even for text or call], does not want to marry her. [He does not value others]
And here some impossible things:
I held the steering of the scooter in one hand and ran as fast as I could. [How is it possible?]
I could not see the person’s face due to water drops on the surface of the glass window. I cleaned the window with my handkerchief and saw Parwez uncle standing in the rain holding an old black umbrella. [ How did water come inside?]
Peeyush is all blood-mouth and he says it was a small accident and Chunnu bhaiya doesn’t even give a damn. [Would you not talk about it even if it is a small accident?]
Peeyush can break into a collector’s house, can break a door with his powerful kick.
But I can not. Realistic fiction gets unrealistic here.
------------------------
Favorite lines:
I can tell you that the readiness index of that girl in white dupatta is 73%.
in India you can figure out whatever you want to become after becoming an engineer. So, this is how it goes.
Seriously man! You have got a remarkable story. A boy who was going to crack IIT JEE flunks the board examination and becomes a labour.
I felt obliterated in the company of normal people. I envied to live and laugh like them.
You know when you will be as old as me, you will realize that every human faces at least one life-changing obstacle in their lives. People who do not give up in spite of those obstacles are the ones who make it big in life.
Will you be able to run away from yourself?
One success makes up for a lot of failures.
It is only within the confines of such places that you discover the true meaning of freedom.
I stood there like a worn-out sailor who was seeing land after months of tiring voyages in the sea.
Cover and Title: 2/5
(Cover is not engaging and the title also is pretty flat & regular.]
Language/Writing style: 2.5/5
(Simple, fast and light on eyes but the excessive use of adverbs makes the work less enjoyable and sometimes put you off. Spelling/punctuation mistakes, a few times, glare right into your eyes.)
Story: 3.5/5
(The beginning of the story is pretty common among Indian students. All the taunts, the pressures, the expectations of your parents and then, the hopeful glint in your eyes of your own dreams. The later part of the story involves politics and conflicts and a lot of drama. Overall, the author has tried her best to finish the story on the brink of an idea this book must have taken its roots from.
Character: 3/5
(Major part of the story features its central character, Peeyush. Sometimes he is relatable, sometimes he is not. Situations developed to mould the story around the character sometimes feel far-fetched. Chunnu bhaiya [before he joins politics] is my favorite character.)
Climax: 3.5/5
(The climax has been written well and touches every aspect of the protagonist’s life, in a creative way, to make us learn a few very important life-lessons.)
-----------------------------
For: For those who like to spend time with light reads. And also for those who enjoy Indian/Bollywood dramas.
Not for: Not for those who care for logic and relevance of the plots.
-----------------------------
Review (Without spoiler)
Peeyush is a failure. He has flunked his intermediate board exam and with it, his world gets exposed to all criticism, taunts, and mockery. He feels broken and tries to escape from everything until one day his best friend Mustang (Muzaffar) calms him down and advises him to focus on other different good things. He opts for BA and there, he becomes a part of a small circle with Swati there to help him cope with his miseries emotionally. He starts doing good things but despite all his efforts he thinks he is not good enough. Slowly life contrives all his endeavors into even bigger failures where he breaks up his friendship with his best friend, loses his girlfriend and all the affability with his parents. He is all alone and he is yet to prove himself that he is not a loser when his own friend is competing against him.
The story ends on a profound message.
----------------------
My verdict:
The story could have been written better. The beginning promised me a lot. All it was relatable until dramas swept things away. There were occurring things that aren’t common. There have been instances and dialogues which disappointed me totally and after finishing a good part of the novel, I started realizing that Peeyush is not a loser, he is not and even if he is, then certainly not because of the society. He is a loser because he is a careless, conceited and a lousy irresponsible boy. Reasons:
Is it a big deal to inform your girlfriend that because of an urgent trip you won’t be able to meet her father and so you both can save another date? [A simple text or call could do that. Peeyush is not a loser, he is forgetful.]
Peeyush is all muddy in his white shirt and still has no time to change that before reaching to meet his girlfriend’s father. (Even Chunnu bhaiya doesn’t give a shit about his appearance.) [Peeyush is not a loser. He just doesn’t care.]
He is jealous of his best friend. [Egocentric]
He doesn’t believe in small achievements, though he has failed to achieve one of the smallest things. Passing your exam. [ Conceited]
He is in love with another girl when his own girlfriend is giving her life for him. [Disloyal]
He cannot even think to live without her girlfriend but he does not have time for her [Not even for text or call], does not want to marry her. [He does not value others]
And here some impossible things:
I held the steering of the scooter in one hand and ran as fast as I could. [How is it possible?]
I could not see the person’s face due to water drops on the surface of the glass window. I cleaned the window with my handkerchief and saw Parwez uncle standing in the rain holding an old black umbrella. [ How did water come inside?]
Peeyush is all blood-mouth and he says it was a small accident and Chunnu bhaiya doesn’t even give a damn. [Would you not talk about it even if it is a small accident?]
Peeyush can break into a collector’s house, can break a door with his powerful kick.
But I can not. Realistic fiction gets unrealistic here.
------------------------
Favorite lines:
I can tell you that the readiness index of that girl in white dupatta is 73%.
in India you can figure out whatever you want to become after becoming an engineer. So, this is how it goes.
Seriously man! You have got a remarkable story. A boy who was going to crack IIT JEE flunks the board examination and becomes a labour.
I felt obliterated in the company of normal people. I envied to live and laugh like them.
You know when you will be as old as me, you will realize that every human faces at least one life-changing obstacle in their lives. People who do not give up in spite of those obstacles are the ones who make it big in life.
Will you be able to run away from yourself?
One success makes up for a lot of failures.
It is only within the confines of such places that you discover the true meaning of freedom.
I stood there like a worn-out sailor who was seeing land after months of tiring voyages in the sea.
February 13, 2019
DETAILED REVIEW: https://bodhisattwapalreview.blogspot...
"My aim in life is to be a doctor/ engineer" - that's a very common words of mouth of an Indian teenager taught by his/her parents & society actually. One hardly say he/she would be something else! And that's not unnatural, in our society, to be financially & socially stable, you have to be a doctor/engineer!
The debutante author Uzma Hameed satired in this book that what if an IIT aspirant somehow fail to pass board exam! Yes, he is lost.
A very very realistic plot! The author perfectly crafted the dreams and expectations of the middle class families. The main character Peeyush have no personal dream, he just want to glorify his parents. Everyone is watching him silently, but if he failed, none will say "it's OK" , instead everyone will compelled him to think "I am a loser!"
Quite a sarcastic take on Indian society and educational system. The author created some very good characters. The flow, languages were decent. The book definitely have it's own charm. It's not boring at all. It also have some inspirational essence which can describe what success really is! A self help book lover can find this book very entertaining.
As a debutante, the author's effort is really appreciative! It could be more appropriate if the ending would little less dramatic & the book would 50 page lesser. I will also suggest the author to work with a book's production designing, like the book cover could be more attractive.
Anyway, as mention earlier, 'An Indian Loser' is an interesting ride which is equally entertaining, I will definitely suggest everyone to try this one time. Looking forward to the author's next!
"My aim in life is to be a doctor/ engineer" - that's a very common words of mouth of an Indian teenager taught by his/her parents & society actually. One hardly say he/she would be something else! And that's not unnatural, in our society, to be financially & socially stable, you have to be a doctor/engineer!
The debutante author Uzma Hameed satired in this book that what if an IIT aspirant somehow fail to pass board exam! Yes, he is lost.
A very very realistic plot! The author perfectly crafted the dreams and expectations of the middle class families. The main character Peeyush have no personal dream, he just want to glorify his parents. Everyone is watching him silently, but if he failed, none will say "it's OK" , instead everyone will compelled him to think "I am a loser!"
Quite a sarcastic take on Indian society and educational system. The author created some very good characters. The flow, languages were decent. The book definitely have it's own charm. It's not boring at all. It also have some inspirational essence which can describe what success really is! A self help book lover can find this book very entertaining.
As a debutante, the author's effort is really appreciative! It could be more appropriate if the ending would little less dramatic & the book would 50 page lesser. I will also suggest the author to work with a book's production designing, like the book cover could be more attractive.
Anyway, as mention earlier, 'An Indian Loser' is an interesting ride which is equally entertaining, I will definitely suggest everyone to try this one time. Looking forward to the author's next!
January 14, 2019
It is a good book as it depicts the dark social-political image of the Indian society that we often ignore. Overall, it is a good book with young characters and to some extent paints the picture of today's India - as how people go for a particular career and to what extent they can stoop to have their political motif fulfilled.
The story revolves around a young boy named Peeyush, however, when he flunks in board exams, his life changes forever. After that he goes up and down in his life, and tries to resurrect himself or say his image in the society. But it certainly takes a lot of efforts and sacrifices. The novel is very much laced with the voice of today, as what Indian students go through. Written in good narrative, it builds up thrilling ambiance as events after event unfurl before your eyes. Terrific and tightly gripping. Go for it anytime.
The story revolves around a young boy named Peeyush, however, when he flunks in board exams, his life changes forever. After that he goes up and down in his life, and tries to resurrect himself or say his image in the society. But it certainly takes a lot of efforts and sacrifices. The novel is very much laced with the voice of today, as what Indian students go through. Written in good narrative, it builds up thrilling ambiance as events after event unfurl before your eyes. Terrific and tightly gripping. Go for it anytime.
September 3, 2019
An Indian loser.
A gripping story that keeps you engaged till you complete the book. The story revolves around Peeyush a young chap who wants to become an engineer and quench the money thirst of a normal middle class family.
But life had other options for him. Peeyush failed in high school exams which in turn make him ineligible for that year's engineering entrance exams. He enrolls himself in B.A course and life takes a lot of turns from there onwards.
I don't want to brief the entire story in my review and play spoilsport in everyone's reading. The author has narrated the story in a simpler way. Ofcourse, the author has showcased her enriched vocabulary here and there. An excellent work for a debut book.
I sincerely hope there are much more to come from the author and I also urge her to try out different genres.
A gripping story that keeps you engaged till you complete the book. The story revolves around Peeyush a young chap who wants to become an engineer and quench the money thirst of a normal middle class family.
But life had other options for him. Peeyush failed in high school exams which in turn make him ineligible for that year's engineering entrance exams. He enrolls himself in B.A course and life takes a lot of turns from there onwards.
I don't want to brief the entire story in my review and play spoilsport in everyone's reading. The author has narrated the story in a simpler way. Ofcourse, the author has showcased her enriched vocabulary here and there. An excellent work for a debut book.
I sincerely hope there are much more to come from the author and I also urge her to try out different genres.
February 22, 2019
My interest in the book grew once Peeyush leaves his home. How could he and how could his parents allow him? I just wanted to check the author's imagination and that's what I like about this novel now. A little longer than what it could have been, the novel is very apt for a weekend timepass. Grab your copies and you will not be disappointed!
December 29, 2019
A must read for the millennials born in India.
February 23, 2019
I liked:
Story in general
The way of setting up an example
The protagonist's character in general
Peeyush is the hero in this novel who is perturbed by the ambitions of his parents. Wanting to be an engineer just because his parents want him to be, Peeyush has to leave home after failing the examination and discovering his real purpose in life that he fails to realise until his life takes an unusual turn - politics.
Prayas is a good idea in the novel and seems almost like a real-life attempt that can be made.
The novel is a little lengthier than what could be the best length for it. However, it is worth the time and energy one invests. The conclusion is a little filmy but certainly alluring.
Story in general
The way of setting up an example
The protagonist's character in general
Peeyush is the hero in this novel who is perturbed by the ambitions of his parents. Wanting to be an engineer just because his parents want him to be, Peeyush has to leave home after failing the examination and discovering his real purpose in life that he fails to realise until his life takes an unusual turn - politics.
Prayas is a good idea in the novel and seems almost like a real-life attempt that can be made.
The novel is a little lengthier than what could be the best length for it. However, it is worth the time and energy one invests. The conclusion is a little filmy but certainly alluring.
January 23, 2019
I have spent considerably good time of my young age in north India, in the state of UP. So, while reading this book I got the vibes as the story is happening before my eyes. Politics is such a thing there that people who get astray in life, think it is a better option for them. The same happened with the main character of the book Peeyush.
However, the book starts with education aspirations as backdrop, but later on as the character fails to rise in academics, the book gains political stature. I loved the characterization of Peeyush - who seemed to be extra obsessed to prove his worth in the society. He goes so berserk and blind that he once loses almost everything - parents, love, girlfriends, friends, and dignity. It is a long book that tells us one has to be careful with career choices in life otherwise one will land up screwing up oneself. Tightly packed and full of suspense and drama, I loved this book. Go for it - it is a different book than the contemporary themes.
However, the book starts with education aspirations as backdrop, but later on as the character fails to rise in academics, the book gains political stature. I loved the characterization of Peeyush - who seemed to be extra obsessed to prove his worth in the society. He goes so berserk and blind that he once loses almost everything - parents, love, girlfriends, friends, and dignity. It is a long book that tells us one has to be careful with career choices in life otherwise one will land up screwing up oneself. Tightly packed and full of suspense and drama, I loved this book. Go for it - it is a different book than the contemporary themes.
June 15, 2019
The 'Indian loser' book is somewhat like Chetan Bhagat's book on a person who opened an engineering college. But it is certainly better written and deserves a wider audience. A rite of passage for many youth is to engineering entrance exams but not all manage to crack it. This book is an inspirational one for all, and helps understand the mental makeup of students, without compromising on the fiction quality. Can be made into the 'Dil Chahata hai' of today
April 5, 2020
Loved the story.
It makes you appreciate the resilience of human spirit.
Peeyush is the personification of human misery, dreams and courage.
It makes you appreciate the resilience of human spirit.
Peeyush is the personification of human misery, dreams and courage.
February 23, 2019
I read this novel rather quickly. It took me about two days only after I devoted my entire leisure to reading it.
Protagonist is Peeyush. Other major characters are Radhika, Mustang and Chunni Bhaiya. It is a story set in Kanpur middle-class society. Peeyush is pressurised to do engineering and the pressure takes his success in the intermediate examination away from him. Somehow, after passing the supplementary examination, Peeyush enrols in college and becomes active in student politics and ultimately only to be betrayed by his dear friend Mustang.
There are twists in the novel that might keep the readers of different interest groups interested. I enjoyed my reading.
Protagonist is Peeyush. Other major characters are Radhika, Mustang and Chunni Bhaiya. It is a story set in Kanpur middle-class society. Peeyush is pressurised to do engineering and the pressure takes his success in the intermediate examination away from him. Somehow, after passing the supplementary examination, Peeyush enrols in college and becomes active in student politics and ultimately only to be betrayed by his dear friend Mustang.
There are twists in the novel that might keep the readers of different interest groups interested. I enjoyed my reading.
February 24, 2019
Well, it was an interesting novel for me. I liked the way it ends in a cinematic style. A person almost feels his death from a close distance and comes to life and awakens in a changed world where he has achieved something.
Uzma has worked very well on her debut work. It's the story of an Indian youth Peeyush who is raised with so much expectations that he is overpowered by the will of his parents and cannot make the right calls earlier in his life before, ultimately, taking decisions on his abilities rather than the dreams of others. The twists in the plot, a few expected and a few unexpected, make the novel interesting.
Uzma has worked very well on her debut work. It's the story of an Indian youth Peeyush who is raised with so much expectations that he is overpowered by the will of his parents and cannot make the right calls earlier in his life before, ultimately, taking decisions on his abilities rather than the dreams of others. The twists in the plot, a few expected and a few unexpected, make the novel interesting.
February 23, 2019
Failure is not always bad. Sometimes, for better goods, it becomes just an essential thing. The conclusion shows that and then the epilogue sums it up perfectly. Like most of the Indian novels, Peeyush also becomes what HE wanted to become rather than what OTHERS wanted him to be.
Motivation is there but in an otherwise term. Characters are mostly the subordinates of the protagonist. There are twists and a few of them are so different that it becomes difficult for the readers to comprehend. A novel, that is lengthy, to be read and understood rather than enjoyed.
Motivation is there but in an otherwise term. Characters are mostly the subordinates of the protagonist. There are twists and a few of them are so different that it becomes difficult for the readers to comprehend. A novel, that is lengthy, to be read and understood rather than enjoyed.
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