My Friend's Dream

by Manisha Kaur Rathore

Faith gives them hope and hope keeps them going... but for how long? Kyara, a physics student and Jennifer, an English literature student are two extraordinary dreamers who meet as flatmates as fate intended. However, their dreams of becoming an Actress and Astronaut quickly become intertwined as they find themselves embarking on a dream chasing journey full of unseen obstacles and messy university life. The life of Kyara and Jennifer is different to those of other students who sit around playing on the PlayStation or re-posting memes on social media. These two girls are striving for something out of this world – literally. However, as they dive deeper, fate brings all kinds of turns and twists testing their friendship. They questions life itself making a terrible decision. With the unforgiving physics teacher Dr Kennedy on their tails, a gripping NASA internship opportunity and an accident uncalled for, will breaking the university rules pay off? Will committing a crime be worth the risk? Will their faith stay strong? Ultimately, what will it cost for their dreams to come true? Friendship? Love? Life?

254 pages, Paperback

Published August 20, 2019

About the author

Manisha Kaur Rathore is an author and poet from Birmingham, England. She began writing at the age of ten, where she attempted her first short story and wrote poetry published by Young Writers. In 2017, she was scouted to enter the Miss England West Midlands contest where she won the title of Miss Eco-Birmingham representing an eco-friendly environment, diversity and a goal to inspire young people to aspire through education. The following year she trained in acting at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain. She then went on to graduate with a honours degree in Chemical Engineering from Aston University and currently works as a Technical Architect in her day to day life.

She is passionate about spreading experiences through words, motivating people to have goals and dreams and is one to follow!

Reviews

[Khyati Gautam · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Friend's Dream by Manisha Kaur Rathore is a heartwarming tale of two friends who believe in fulfilling their dreams. They nursed a vision, they wanted to be something, life did present some odds but they didn't bow down before them. They persisted, did that 'extra' hard work, believed in themselves, and never gave up. Ultimately, they lived their dream. And in the end, that's all matters.

Kye and Jen meet at the University. Kye is learning Physics who wants to be an actress. On the other hand, Jen is studying literature but aspires to be an astronaut. Their destinies landed them elsewhere. They feel out of place with their respective disciplines of education. Do they try a way out of the big mess? My Friend's Dream is a story of unbound faith in oneself and in one's friendship. It is a story that backs the Bravehearts who do not hesitate to risk everything for what they want. Their 'want' is their 'everything' they need.

The story is set in the University life and thus would find its audience amongst the youth. With lucid writing and relatable characters, it gives a peek into the lives of its characters who are trying their best to live their lives and fulfill their dreams. In the midst of everything, they do experience their share of love, heartbreaks, success, and failures. Their smooth three years at University come to a happy end. However, the end of the book might leave you a bit shocked.

In my opinion, the story was simple and pretty straightforward. Along with that, the author heavily focused on dreams because they matter a lot. Only if we believe in the power of our dreams and uplift each other, we would lead a fulfilling life. I did find the story raw and thus, some polishing, some depth, some exploration would have done more good to the final narrative. Moreover, the climax left me dissatisfied with its abruptness and incompleteness.

All in all, it is a fast-paced read and the beginners can certainly give it a shot.