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Half Life
On the morning that changes everything, Aruna Ahmed Jones walks out of her ground-floor Victorian apartment in London wearing only jeans and a t-shirt, carrying nothing more substantial than a handbag, and keeps on walking. Leaving behind the handsome Dr. Patrick Jones, her husband of less than a year, Aruna heads to Heathrow, where she boards a plane bound for Singapore and her old life. Educated and beautiful, Aruna has a desperate need to risk it all. But why? Waiting for her is a messy past and a perfect past lover she had once abandoned without even saying goodbye – a story left unfinished – until now. Aruna is not running away from home, she is running back to the home she always had, before it became impossible for her to stay. Before her father, the only family she’d ever known, passed away. Before she tried, and failed, to create a life and a family with her best friend and lover, Jazz. Before her doctor delivered a complicated psychological diagnosis she’d rather forget. After years of fleeing the ghosts that continue to haunt her, Aruna is about to discover that running away is really the easy part; it is coming home—making peace with her past, with Jazz and those they have loved—that is hard. Spanning the world from London to Singapore to India and back again, Half Life is a richly layered tale of love and conflict, friendship and sacrifice, the luminous story of a young woman who risks everything in order to find where she truly belongs.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
9 people are currently reading
531 people want to read
About the author
Roopa Farooki
18 books74 followersRoopa was brought up in London and graduated from New College in Oxford in 1995. She worked in advertising and it 2004 quit to write full time. She now lives in south east London and south west France with her husband and two sons. Bitter Sweets is her first novel and in 2007 it was nominated for the Orange Award for New Writer.
Her second novel, Corner Shop was released in October 2008 and her third novel is due in 2009.
Her second novel, Corner Shop was released in October 2008 and her third novel is due in 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
April 11, 2021
I usually love Roopa Farooki but this novel was very lacking for me. A very unlikeable main character fled her relationship and her home country of Singapore 2 years prior to the start of the novel and quickly got married to a man she barely knows. She then on another whim abandons her husband to travel back to Singapore seemingly on a whim.
I just found all the main characters annoying and exhausting. This was fairly short but it was a bit of a drag.
I'd recommend Bitter Sweets or Corner Shop by the same author instead of this book.
I just found all the main characters annoying and exhausting. This was fairly short but it was a bit of a drag.
I'd recommend Bitter Sweets or Corner Shop by the same author instead of this book.
October 30, 2011
This is one of those books that I enjoyed, but I'm not really sure exactly why. There was nothing spectacular or earth shattering about it. The writing style was well done and flowed easily, although I often had trouble with the story as it frequently changed narrative perspective. And I was disappointed with the mystery of the big secret in the book. Everything was leading up to the big reveal but then it felt very anticlimatic as to how the situation occurred in the first place. But the author did a good job of descriptively telling about the main character's mental illness and I felt like I had a better understanding of this disorder and the dysfunction, emptiness and struggle it can bring to one's life if not properly treated.
December 28, 2015
From the book cover: 'It's time to stop fighting, and go home'
Those were the words that persuaded Aruna to walk out of her East London flat in the middle of breakfast, carrying nothing more substantial than a handbag. Leaving behind her marriage to Patrick, she boards a plane to Singapore, running back home to the city she had run away from in the first place. There she finds her childhood friend and former lover, Jazz, troubled by the pleas of the dying father he refuses to forgive.
After years spent fleeing the ghosts of her past- the life that she and Jazz had together, the terrible revelation that tore their relationship apart, and the troubling diagnosis she would rather forget- Aruna is about to discover that running away is easy. It is coming home- making peace with herself, Jazz and those they have loved- that is hard.
Set against the backdrop of London, Singapore and Malaysia, Half Life is an extraordinary, brutal yet also lyrical novel of love and conflict, friendship and sacrifice.
My thoughts: I remember reading Bitter Sweets by the author many years back and liking it. Though much of the story has escaped me today, it was a good read at the time. So when I saw this book at my favorite bookstore, it captivated my interest from the blurb alone. It seemed just my kind of book.
The book alternates between the past and the present, narrated from views of three characters- Aruna Ahmed Jones, her ex lover Ejaz 'Jazz' Ahsan and his father Hari Hassan. All their lives are intertwined and the actions of some have consequences that echoes back many years later.
All the characters were well etched. I particularly liked Aruna's character. Confused and a rebel, she protests vehemently against her unfair circumstances. What I also loved was that none of the characters were stereotypes. They all had flaws, regrets and a need for redemption and closure. Aruna is diagnosed with bipolar which comes to surfaces on the death of her father. She has mood fluctuations, is on and off medication and how she deals with it is written very well. I could really relate to her character, as dark as it may seem.
Jazz is a popular commercial fiction writer who writes novels with couples who have adventures and their happily ever afters. He tries to write down what he couldn't in real life. Which is Aruna leaving him without a clue and disappearing from his life for two years only to surface back again. Their relationship, again is something that you can relate to.
Hassan is a character that I felt sympathy for. Be it his helplessness in being tied down to a bed at the end of his ears, or the love and longing he felt for a woman that he could never have. He is a popular poet and writer of his times; his story is set against the backdrop of the partition and the politics that prevailed at the time.
However, the character that I felt most sorry for was Dr. Patrick Jones, Aruna's husband. Though he does not have much space in the book, his devotion and love for Aruna shines in all the little things that he does for her. His frustration at having to deal with her weird mood swings, and how hard he tries to give her what she wants was all commendable. There were times when I wanted to shake some sense into Aruna; her attitude was tiring at times. Though we know why she acts the way she does, watching her husband suffer for her misdemeanors was something that made me squirm.
There are no major plot twists. The one that came towards the middle was something that I guessed when I was a little while into the book. That can be labelled as the turning point of the story and we know why Aruna takes off to London without a trace. The backdrops of London, Singapore and Malaysia served as an exotic background for the story and the author has done a good job in providing you with a feel of the respective places. I have also not read much books which deals with mental disorders such as this one and it is evident that the topic has been well researched from its tone. So, yes, for me the book wins a point for that alone.
Overall, it was a good read. The climax at the end in revealing the big mystery was a tad disappointing. It would have helped if we were given more of a glance into the past to know what really happened. All the characters however, get their closure and I was happy with the way things turned out for all of them. At 250 odd pages, the book is a short read and I finished it in over a day. A light read with interesting characters that dwells into their psyche, it is well worth a read and your time.
Those were the words that persuaded Aruna to walk out of her East London flat in the middle of breakfast, carrying nothing more substantial than a handbag. Leaving behind her marriage to Patrick, she boards a plane to Singapore, running back home to the city she had run away from in the first place. There she finds her childhood friend and former lover, Jazz, troubled by the pleas of the dying father he refuses to forgive.
After years spent fleeing the ghosts of her past- the life that she and Jazz had together, the terrible revelation that tore their relationship apart, and the troubling diagnosis she would rather forget- Aruna is about to discover that running away is easy. It is coming home- making peace with herself, Jazz and those they have loved- that is hard.
Set against the backdrop of London, Singapore and Malaysia, Half Life is an extraordinary, brutal yet also lyrical novel of love and conflict, friendship and sacrifice.
My thoughts: I remember reading Bitter Sweets by the author many years back and liking it. Though much of the story has escaped me today, it was a good read at the time. So when I saw this book at my favorite bookstore, it captivated my interest from the blurb alone. It seemed just my kind of book.
The book alternates between the past and the present, narrated from views of three characters- Aruna Ahmed Jones, her ex lover Ejaz 'Jazz' Ahsan and his father Hari Hassan. All their lives are intertwined and the actions of some have consequences that echoes back many years later.
All the characters were well etched. I particularly liked Aruna's character. Confused and a rebel, she protests vehemently against her unfair circumstances. What I also loved was that none of the characters were stereotypes. They all had flaws, regrets and a need for redemption and closure. Aruna is diagnosed with bipolar which comes to surfaces on the death of her father. She has mood fluctuations, is on and off medication and how she deals with it is written very well. I could really relate to her character, as dark as it may seem.
Jazz is a popular commercial fiction writer who writes novels with couples who have adventures and their happily ever afters. He tries to write down what he couldn't in real life. Which is Aruna leaving him without a clue and disappearing from his life for two years only to surface back again. Their relationship, again is something that you can relate to.
Hassan is a character that I felt sympathy for. Be it his helplessness in being tied down to a bed at the end of his ears, or the love and longing he felt for a woman that he could never have. He is a popular poet and writer of his times; his story is set against the backdrop of the partition and the politics that prevailed at the time.
However, the character that I felt most sorry for was Dr. Patrick Jones, Aruna's husband. Though he does not have much space in the book, his devotion and love for Aruna shines in all the little things that he does for her. His frustration at having to deal with her weird mood swings, and how hard he tries to give her what she wants was all commendable. There were times when I wanted to shake some sense into Aruna; her attitude was tiring at times. Though we know why she acts the way she does, watching her husband suffer for her misdemeanors was something that made me squirm.
There are no major plot twists. The one that came towards the middle was something that I guessed when I was a little while into the book. That can be labelled as the turning point of the story and we know why Aruna takes off to London without a trace. The backdrops of London, Singapore and Malaysia served as an exotic background for the story and the author has done a good job in providing you with a feel of the respective places. I have also not read much books which deals with mental disorders such as this one and it is evident that the topic has been well researched from its tone. So, yes, for me the book wins a point for that alone.
Overall, it was a good read. The climax at the end in revealing the big mystery was a tad disappointing. It would have helped if we were given more of a glance into the past to know what really happened. All the characters however, get their closure and I was happy with the way things turned out for all of them. At 250 odd pages, the book is a short read and I finished it in over a day. A light read with interesting characters that dwells into their psyche, it is well worth a read and your time.
June 16, 2010
I received this book as a first-reads giveaway. This book took me forever to read! With that said, let's first talk about formatting of the book. This book is 260 pages. However, the margins were ridiculously large on all sides and the font was larger than necessary. I almost felt like I was reading an over-sized print book at times. That was an initial turn-off.
The chapters are broken up by the names of the three main characters with a subtitle of the location. I didn't feel that the location was necessary and I honestly didn't read them because I'm not familiar with those parts of the world. I did like that the chapters were the characters' names though, because the perspective changed with each chapter and the reader was not left guessing whose perspective was being read.
Within each chapter there were 2-3 breaks. It took me the better part of the book to realize that the pattern seemed to go as such; first section: present time, second section: past, third section: present. This was very confusing.
Also, the information on the back of the book says, "With shades of Slumdog Millionaire..." which is a movie I enjoyed. However, I saw no shades of that movie/plot within this book; other than the characters were from a similar part of the world.
The cover of the book also does not give any idea to the story of the book. If anything, the cover is deceiving as to what the book might be about.
With all that said, the story was rather, meh. I did not feel all that connected to the characters and did not find the plot in general to be that intriguing. I made it through, did not like the ending, and was glad to be finished. The only reason I gave it two stars was that there were sections of the book where I found the writing to be very well written. I'm no writer, but I saw glimpses into the writer's potential.
The chapters are broken up by the names of the three main characters with a subtitle of the location. I didn't feel that the location was necessary and I honestly didn't read them because I'm not familiar with those parts of the world. I did like that the chapters were the characters' names though, because the perspective changed with each chapter and the reader was not left guessing whose perspective was being read.
Within each chapter there were 2-3 breaks. It took me the better part of the book to realize that the pattern seemed to go as such; first section: present time, second section: past, third section: present. This was very confusing.
Also, the information on the back of the book says, "With shades of Slumdog Millionaire..." which is a movie I enjoyed. However, I saw no shades of that movie/plot within this book; other than the characters were from a similar part of the world.
The cover of the book also does not give any idea to the story of the book. If anything, the cover is deceiving as to what the book might be about.
With all that said, the story was rather, meh. I did not feel all that connected to the characters and did not find the plot in general to be that intriguing. I made it through, did not like the ending, and was glad to be finished. The only reason I gave it two stars was that there were sections of the book where I found the writing to be very well written. I'm no writer, but I saw glimpses into the writer's potential.
June 14, 2019
The novel is narrated by multiple characters who are all deeply connected to each other. It takes place in modern London, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur. I picked it up yesterday, stayed up late to read more, and finished it yesterday. Here are some quotes I particularly liked:
"...How many tragedies do ordinary people with ordinary cares hide in the deepest recesses of memory, or imprinted across their hearts? It feels as though she could take whole cities, London, Singapore, KL, and shake them upside down like snowglobes, until parallel cities of past regrets and secret despairs are shaken out of their hiding places and whirl out and around them. And hers are just another snowflake in the dome; perhaps her cares are ordinary, after all." - p. 215
and
"She was uncomfortably aware that sometimes she felt that she'd seen too much of the ocean's vastness; that she was like driftwood, floating between two worlds, swinging between her two poles, and no longer sure that either the place she came from, or the place she was going to, was where she belonged." - p. 220
"...How many tragedies do ordinary people with ordinary cares hide in the deepest recesses of memory, or imprinted across their hearts? It feels as though she could take whole cities, London, Singapore, KL, and shake them upside down like snowglobes, until parallel cities of past regrets and secret despairs are shaken out of their hiding places and whirl out and around them. And hers are just another snowflake in the dome; perhaps her cares are ordinary, after all." - p. 215
and
"She was uncomfortably aware that sometimes she felt that she'd seen too much of the ocean's vastness; that she was like driftwood, floating between two worlds, swinging between her two poles, and no longer sure that either the place she came from, or the place she was going to, was where she belonged." - p. 220
February 4, 2021
This one was just not for me. Also, I don't like the lovers finding out they're related trope.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2024
I really struggled through this book, the main character was extremely annoying & the story just didn’t do it for me unfortunately.
August 3, 2025
One of the joys of contemporary literature is the huge number of different voices. So, thanks to Farooki, I can read about Bangladeshi migrants living in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and London, something I'd never dreamt I would.
Every country has its national trauma, and apparently that of Bangladesh it's its bloody war of independence of 1971, in which the country (then East-Pakistan) freed itself from (West-)Pakistan at a high cost.
This schism plays a role on the background of the novel, which tells about three Bangladeshis, who are obviously tied to each other, although the novel's main plot mystery is how exactly: Aruna, a woman who in the first chapter impulsively leaves her apartment and husband, Hassan, an elderly poet who's dying in a Kuala Lumpur hospital, and "Jazz", his son, who lives in Singapore, where he waits for Aruna's sudden return.
Farooki shifts the perspective every chapter, alternating between these three characters, steadily moving to the book's finale, which unfortunately is close to classic melodrama. Also, I'm not sure whether Aruna is really free from her demons in the end, and we leave her a little too soon to be convinced of a happy ending. But apart from that this was an enjoyable, if not all too memorable read.
Every country has its national trauma, and apparently that of Bangladesh it's its bloody war of independence of 1971, in which the country (then East-Pakistan) freed itself from (West-)Pakistan at a high cost.
This schism plays a role on the background of the novel, which tells about three Bangladeshis, who are obviously tied to each other, although the novel's main plot mystery is how exactly: Aruna, a woman who in the first chapter impulsively leaves her apartment and husband, Hassan, an elderly poet who's dying in a Kuala Lumpur hospital, and "Jazz", his son, who lives in Singapore, where he waits for Aruna's sudden return.
Farooki shifts the perspective every chapter, alternating between these three characters, steadily moving to the book's finale, which unfortunately is close to classic melodrama. Also, I'm not sure whether Aruna is really free from her demons in the end, and we leave her a little too soon to be convinced of a happy ending. But apart from that this was an enjoyable, if not all too memorable read.
May 17, 2024
An amazingly emotional novel with psychological depth and moving background stories for each of the main characters. I was (positively) surprised by how many heavy themes have been addressed and the complexity of Aruna‘s character.
However, it was a bit confusing until the end who the biological parents of A and E were tbh...
However, it was a bit confusing until the end who the biological parents of A and E were tbh...
May 15, 2018
Half Life by Roopa Farooki. The main reason I picked this is because of its beautiful cover, aren't they? So pretty and vibrant to look at. But sad to say, the story and content isn't as exciting as the cover is.
The story shifts from present and past, revolves around three character of Aruna the female lead , her ex-lover Jazz and his father Hassan.
Aruna lives with her husband Patrick in London. In the past she lived in Singapore with her ex-lover Jazz. She's addicted to smoking and alcohol and also suffering from bipolar which she hide from her husband. Patrick is deeply in love with Aruna but she doesn't shows the same affections as he does. Aruna just ran away from her home one fine morning leaving her London life, she wants to resolve the mystery of her life that she left in Singapore.
As the story moves on, we get a clearer picture of Aruna and Jazz background. Who they both are, and how they are connected. The mystery gets resolves finally when Aruna meets Hassan whom holds the answer for her questions.
It took me forever to finish, I even thought of abandoning it but I just want to finish it off quickly. First of all it's because the lead Aruna, I find her to be selfish and in total mess. Her only solution is to run away. She ran away from Jazz when things didn’t work for them, then she ran away from Patrick when she decided to solve her problem. She's also immune to show any feelings towards Patrick's undying love for her. I'm surprised to see someone like Patrick. Does someone like him really exist. He does have his flaws as well but at the end of the day he's back towards Aruna. He is willing to take her as she is.
Each chapter were break down by its location which I find it unnecessary. The location change didn't have its importance. The author, Farooki, could have used character name instead of location. And the ending, I feel that the ending was rushed. There are few loose end that needs it's proper closure of what happened which Farooki missed. I don't like to predict my own closure!
The story shifts from present and past, revolves around three character of Aruna the female lead , her ex-lover Jazz and his father Hassan.
Aruna lives with her husband Patrick in London. In the past she lived in Singapore with her ex-lover Jazz. She's addicted to smoking and alcohol and also suffering from bipolar which she hide from her husband. Patrick is deeply in love with Aruna but she doesn't shows the same affections as he does. Aruna just ran away from her home one fine morning leaving her London life, she wants to resolve the mystery of her life that she left in Singapore.
As the story moves on, we get a clearer picture of Aruna and Jazz background. Who they both are, and how they are connected. The mystery gets resolves finally when Aruna meets Hassan whom holds the answer for her questions.
It took me forever to finish, I even thought of abandoning it but I just want to finish it off quickly. First of all it's because the lead Aruna, I find her to be selfish and in total mess. Her only solution is to run away. She ran away from Jazz when things didn’t work for them, then she ran away from Patrick when she decided to solve her problem. She's also immune to show any feelings towards Patrick's undying love for her. I'm surprised to see someone like Patrick. Does someone like him really exist. He does have his flaws as well but at the end of the day he's back towards Aruna. He is willing to take her as she is.
Each chapter were break down by its location which I find it unnecessary. The location change didn't have its importance. The author, Farooki, could have used character name instead of location. And the ending, I feel that the ending was rushed. There are few loose end that needs it's proper closure of what happened which Farooki missed. I don't like to predict my own closure!
February 16, 2020
Book Review:
Half Life by Roopa Farooki
This was really a slow read for me and most of the time I wanted to put it away but the curiosity of how it will end made me continue..
In this book we follow the stories of Aruna(main character), Jazz and Hassan, the chapter dedicated to each person has the present story and also the past.
Aruna is married to a doctor and she lives in London, one day she decided to runaway and go back to her Home country where there is her lifelong friend & ex lover Jazz, who is also a novelist, waiting for her. Together they had a past that it’s really hard to forget...
On the other side we find Hassan, father of Jazz who is on old man that is currently recovered in a hospital. He will tell his story and also all his regrets...
Jazz and Aruna are connected, and this will be revealed slowly how..In Singapore, in fact, Aruna left an unsolved mystery which she goes back to solve..
This book, as I said, was really slow and it felt like a rollercoaster to me. The characters developed in each “chapter” and slowly we learn more about them until we arrive at the point of how they are all connected and find answers to the unresolved mystery..
It wasn’t a wow book but also it wasn’t even bad.The writer tried hard to keep the reader interested but for me it didn’t work, I had problems to wanting to continue reading .. There were parts that kept me wanting to know more but other times, I was feeling like I was wasting my time (details I felt were not necessary to know)I think that this book could have been easily narrowed and narrated from one point of view and kept the reader more interested..
I gave this book a 3/5 stars because I didn’t hate it but I also didn’t love it but found the story,without all the unnecessary details, interesting..
Half Life by Roopa Farooki
This was really a slow read for me and most of the time I wanted to put it away but the curiosity of how it will end made me continue..
In this book we follow the stories of Aruna(main character), Jazz and Hassan, the chapter dedicated to each person has the present story and also the past.
Aruna is married to a doctor and she lives in London, one day she decided to runaway and go back to her Home country where there is her lifelong friend & ex lover Jazz, who is also a novelist, waiting for her. Together they had a past that it’s really hard to forget...
On the other side we find Hassan, father of Jazz who is on old man that is currently recovered in a hospital. He will tell his story and also all his regrets...
Jazz and Aruna are connected, and this will be revealed slowly how..In Singapore, in fact, Aruna left an unsolved mystery which she goes back to solve..
This book, as I said, was really slow and it felt like a rollercoaster to me. The characters developed in each “chapter” and slowly we learn more about them until we arrive at the point of how they are all connected and find answers to the unresolved mystery..
It wasn’t a wow book but also it wasn’t even bad.The writer tried hard to keep the reader interested but for me it didn’t work, I had problems to wanting to continue reading .. There were parts that kept me wanting to know more but other times, I was feeling like I was wasting my time (details I felt were not necessary to know)I think that this book could have been easily narrowed and narrated from one point of view and kept the reader more interested..
I gave this book a 3/5 stars because I didn’t hate it but I also didn’t love it but found the story,without all the unnecessary details, interesting..
March 9, 2021
"I wouldn't change a moment that we shared together, and you will always be my best friend, but now I am letting you go. And saying goodbye. And saying that you don't need me to forgive you, because I love you, I always have, and I always will"
Aruna found out its not easy to move on with her life with her wonderful husband, Patrick in London when she still has unfinished business and couldnt give up the ghost of her past in the name of Jazz, her best friend of 20 years who she left without goodbye in Singapore 2 years ago.
She is also battling bipolar disorder throughout her life.
She has to go back to her past to give a chance to her future.
A love story. Not really my cup of tea but its still a good read.
Aruna found out its not easy to move on with her life with her wonderful husband, Patrick in London when she still has unfinished business and couldnt give up the ghost of her past in the name of Jazz, her best friend of 20 years who she left without goodbye in Singapore 2 years ago.
She is also battling bipolar disorder throughout her life.
She has to go back to her past to give a chance to her future.
A love story. Not really my cup of tea but its still a good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2010
"It's time to stop fighting and go home." After reading these words by a Bengali poet, Aruna Ahmed Jones decides to leave her husband Patrick and life in London to return to Singapore and her best friend Jazz.
I don't want to give away too much of the plot - there are so many little surprising reveals throughout the book and it would ruin it to say much more. I was totally engrossed in this book from start to finish. Just when I thought I had a character or where the plot was going figured out, another layer unexpected layer was revealed. The author managed to do this in a very authentic way. The book goes back and forth from flashbacks to present day but is never confusing.
This is Roopa Farooki's newest book and the first I've read by her. I'm looking forward to reading some of her earlier work now.
(Thank you to the publisher and the FirstReads programs at GoodReads for providing me a copy of this book.)
I don't want to give away too much of the plot - there are so many little surprising reveals throughout the book and it would ruin it to say much more. I was totally engrossed in this book from start to finish. Just when I thought I had a character or where the plot was going figured out, another layer unexpected layer was revealed. The author managed to do this in a very authentic way. The book goes back and forth from flashbacks to present day but is never confusing.
This is Roopa Farooki's newest book and the first I've read by her. I'm looking forward to reading some of her earlier work now.
(Thank you to the publisher and the FirstReads programs at GoodReads for providing me a copy of this book.)
April 25, 2021
The story line is very good and the "reality" idea on which it is based and even the geographical placing is very good. There are sections and words used to describe actions, thoughts, places etc. that are nothing less than brilliant. There is a problem though: jumping too much between past and present and in different continents and different seasons and from different people's narration...Yes it does work but then too lengthy, so I think there should have been a play off - shorter you can jump around a lot because it is a short novel( then I cope with it easily); longer novel - jump around less, so stay a couple of chapters before a jump! Alternatively just put it in a straight time-line because it is so well written, the idea is excellent and the story is powerful! I put it aside for a while but took it up again and then finished reading it. I think you can read it just for some expressions she used and it will be worth it.
July 4, 2014
I kept reading, the writing flows, but I didnt feel I got any time or space to really get into many of the characters, to breathe, to really feel as intensely as they must have done.
What I really didnt get was why Patrick was worth coming back for. He's the blandest and least interesting of the characters. Whats the attraction?
What I really didnt get was why Patrick was worth coming back for. He's the blandest and least interesting of the characters. Whats the attraction?
February 25, 2020
I would have liked this better if somehow Aruna was a bit more likeable throughout instead of towards the end only. The plot was a bit contrived, what with the strangeness about her heritage and her connection to Jazz. Seemed like their connection was somewhat unrealistic, no matter their close genetic relationship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2016
I regret buying this book out of all the books that could have been read among the gems. I found complete lack of continuity and nonsensical approach towards creating a big climax, which turned out to be anti-climax at all- a big turnoff. It is nothing more than one time read during long journeys.
September 30, 2018
An odd, topsy-turvy story of friends turned lovers turned siblings. Aruna dumps Jazz, goes to London, gets married, returns, and then goes back again. The spousal tension was insightful, but little else. The angle of Aruna and Jazz having a common father strange and unresolved.
March 4, 2019
Roundabout mystery/identity story of 2 friends in Singapore, who had a mysterious bond with each other, but Aruna had a bad habit, and suffered from bi-polar disorder, making her run away from people and problems. I got tired of all of them, too much soap opera for me right now.
November 6, 2010
waste of time..storyline is absurd...not captivating enough
November 12, 2015
Fast paced read, perfect for travelling with. Really enjoyed it! Great characters, terrific plot.
July 15, 2020
How can I not love a woman who is cold, distant, destructive, and free? Every time I want to feel more selfish than my usual self, I read this. and feel good about my self. and my choices.
July 24, 2025
I like how the book is sinuous; the transitions between the characters' points-of-view are smooth. Within those sections, however, the writing can get very choppy and inconsistent. Furthermore, although I feel like I understand the characters of Hari Hassan, Jazz, and even Zaida, I do not understand Rooney's motivations at all, and, by extension, any part of any other character's life that overlaps hers. She just seems to do things just to do them and there is no explanation as to why she behaves so deplorably aside from "it's the bipolar disorder!" People with bipolar disorder have motivations, just exaggerated ones.returnreturnI enjoyed the conclusion to one of the plotlines but not the other. I like how the mystery about the siblings' relationship feels like it is solved but remains a fluid, incomprehensible thing, but I did not understand why Aruna would return to Patrick. The novel is spent describing how she uses him for comforting, unemotional sex, and then she suddenly wants to return to him? It would have made more sense if she had only returned to him with the hopes of resuming their old life, but the ending seemed to hint at them ending up truly happy -- how would that be possible?
August 19, 2025
I wanted to read something from that particular region of the world. While reading, I was trying to place Singapore in a specific year. I was wondering when smoking was permitted in MRT, for example. Or, when the train connection between KL and Singapore was stopped.
I found the story itself rather convoluted, not very realistic, and overly emotional.
To be honest, the closer I was to the end the more exhausted I felt. I could barely finish the book. It felt that it could have been about forty pages shorter.
I don't know why the official book description includes India, the story never takes us to India.
I found the story itself rather convoluted, not very realistic, and overly emotional.
To be honest, the closer I was to the end the more exhausted I felt. I could barely finish the book. It felt that it could have been about forty pages shorter.
I don't know why the official book description includes India, the story never takes us to India.
October 25, 2025
Une histoire de secret de famille, qui même si nous sommes en Inde, reste quand même assez rocambolesque. Des personnages à qui il manque un peu de profondeur , et une fin qui me semble en totale inadéquation avec ces personnages.
Bref, pourquoi donner trois étoiles ? pour le romanesque de l'intrigue et la description de l'intérieur de l'Inde et des émigrés indiens et bengalis.
Bref, pourquoi donner trois étoiles ? pour le romanesque de l'intrigue et la description de l'intérieur de l'Inde et des émigrés indiens et bengalis.
August 11, 2022
There is the familiarity of home that can be traced throughout the chapters of the novel, nevertheless, its setting fails to sustain the never-ending clichés of its dialogues. It’s a casual read, but one I wouldn’t revisit anytime soon.
October 16, 2017
Rooney and Jazz. How can you learn so much but be left with knowing so little?
May 1, 2021
This was a well written book but I could not always follow references to earlier parts of the book that didn’t stand out to me at the time
June 25, 2022
I really didn't like this book at all.
The main female character was just so utterly dislikable I found myself just wanting to get to the end of the book and be done with it.
The main female character was just so utterly dislikable I found myself just wanting to get to the end of the book and be done with it.
July 14, 2012
I bought this book because of its blurb; I mean, who hasn't thought at one point or another about just standing up and taking the next plane to anywhere else? However, the book does not reflect that kind of mood at all. While the story line itself is really interesting and well written - I especially enjoyed the interesting way in which the author described the emotions of the characters - I had two main issues with this book:
First, the minor problem was the setting of the book: Especially during the sequences of rememberance of Hari Hassan, wars and conflicts in the region of Pakistan were mentioned, which frankly I had never heard about before. That made it sometimes I little hard to follow, especially regarding the feelings of betrayal and the changing loyalties of the characters. But you are still able to grasp the main topics, therefore it's not really a big problem.
Second, I really can't understand how two men can love Aruna; the woman is moody, passive-agressive all the time, can't express her feelings in any way and always seems to be drunk or drugged in some way. Jazz is a childhood friend and you can really feel the special bond they share; but Patrick? I mean, that guy is a successful doctor and seems to be completely delusional regarding the emotions and problems of his own wife. So, while I really can't understand Aruna and how she ticks, I liked the way Patrick was described through her eyes. At first, you get this impression of him being a completely ignorant jerk; this changes throughout the book, when it becomes clear that not he is the problem in this relationship, but Aruna and her unpredictable mood swings and her unwillingness to explain the reasons for her reactions. I really understood why the book ended the way it did because I could see what a great man Patrick seems to be and how much Aruna really needs someone like him.
Still, while the story line and the writing style are very interesting, the main characters are sometimes really hard to relate to; especially the men sometimes really seem pathetic over a woman that obviously has really big mental problems.
First, the minor problem was the setting of the book: Especially during the sequences of rememberance of Hari Hassan, wars and conflicts in the region of Pakistan were mentioned, which frankly I had never heard about before. That made it sometimes I little hard to follow, especially regarding the feelings of betrayal and the changing loyalties of the characters. But you are still able to grasp the main topics, therefore it's not really a big problem.
Second, I really can't understand how two men can love Aruna; the woman is moody, passive-agressive all the time, can't express her feelings in any way and always seems to be drunk or drugged in some way. Jazz is a childhood friend and you can really feel the special bond they share; but Patrick? I mean, that guy is a successful doctor and seems to be completely delusional regarding the emotions and problems of his own wife. So, while I really can't understand Aruna and how she ticks, I liked the way Patrick was described through her eyes. At first, you get this impression of him being a completely ignorant jerk; this changes throughout the book, when it becomes clear that not he is the problem in this relationship, but Aruna and her unpredictable mood swings and her unwillingness to explain the reasons for her reactions. I really understood why the book ended the way it did because I could see what a great man Patrick seems to be and how much Aruna really needs someone like him.
Still, while the story line and the writing style are very interesting, the main characters are sometimes really hard to relate to; especially the men sometimes really seem pathetic over a woman that obviously has really big mental problems.
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