Sharp Read and Review: Sharadha & Arpit

[[deleted user]]

Sharadha wrote: "We should read more of Mistry's works, buddy."

Definitely. He's a talented writer for sure.

[[deleted user]]

TBH, Maneck's suicide didn't affect me as much as the condition of Ishwar and Om did!
At least, Maneck found his peace (even though he had lots of other options. He could've still make things better. Maybe I'm being hard on him :(
But what about Ishwar and Om? They had been living that miserable life for at least 8 years till Maneck came :( And what about their future? And what about Maneck's mother who wanted nothing more than just her son?

[[deleted user]]

A thing that's puzzling me is:
According to Wiki chacha, Mistry left India in 1975, the year when the Emergency was declared!!!!!
He didn't experience it (or maybe he did, for few months, since I don't know exactly when did he leave)

Then why did he write about this particular thing with such passion and intensity. I thought he personally witnessed it, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

[[deleted user]]

Sharadha wrote: "Oh, by the way, we finished a tome this year, buddy 😌"

We did :)
Our third successful BR (Jekyll and Hyde, Swami and Friends, Ishwar and Om) yayyy

[[deleted user]]

Sharadha wrote: "I want to unread this book but at the same time I'm happy that I read it 😭"

This is exactly how I felt.

[[deleted user]]

Sharadha wrote: "Ok buddy, some serious questions:
1. Most and least favourite characters?
2. Most and least favourite chapters?
3. Liked the ending? If no, then what would have been your ideal ending?
4. Most and ..."

Kill Ms. Gandhi? lol...that's harsh, buddy! :D:D Consider the other side of coin too buddy :P :P Read some pro-Emergency literature (Why I Supported The Emergency: Essays And Profiles by Khushwant Singh)

1. Most and least favourite characters? Most favourite: Ishwar until the chapter where he went crazy for Om's marriage. Liked Dina aunty too. Least favourite: Rajaram (not for the fact that he committed those murders. They were accident, I agree. But he was responsible for Shankar's death, and then he started all that scam of Balbaba and what not...)

2. Most and least favourite chapters? Most favourite was "Sailing Under One Flag" winning by a huge margin. Least favourite was "Family Planning".

3. Liked the ending? If no, then what would have been your ideal ending? I mean I'm okay with the ending now, but if I could change it, I would stop it at "Sailing under one flag" chapter :P

4. Most and least favourite character arcs? Umm...maybe Dina's and Om's. Dina became more empathic towards the tailors, got over her fears and made her peace with destiny. Same with Om. Least...I guess Maneck.

5. Most and least favourite pairings? Most favourite: Om and Mac. Least: N/A

Now what about you? Your answers. And Gorab buddy, yours too!

[Sharadha]

Gorab wrote: "when you think it's ending on a grim note, there's a shocker and it gets grimmer :("

THIS!!! 😭

[Sharadha]

ARPiT wrote: "A thing that's puzzling me is:
According to Wiki chacha, Mistry left India in 1975, the year when the Emergency was declared!!!!!
He didn't experience it (or maybe he did, for few months, since I d..."

This seems to be interesting piece of trivia, buddy. He may have got away with it because it's fiction. Maybe he interviewed people? I don't know, fiction justifies everything you read, because, fiction 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Sharadha]

ARPiT wrote: "Sharadha wrote: "Ok buddy, some serious questions:
1. Most and least favourite characters?
2. Most and least favourite chapters?
3. Liked the ending? If no, then what would have been your ideal end..."

OK, mine match most of yours, but here goes:

1. Most and least favourite characters -
M: Ishvar, tied with Ashraf Chacha
L: Moron Dharmasi and Rajaram next.

2. Most and least favourite chapters?
M: Same as yours (closely followed by Mountains)
L: The one with Rajaram's adventures? That was so draggy! Yes, it is Wedding, Worms and Sanyas.

3. Liked the ending? If no, then what would have been your ideal ending?
Liked the ending, but would have done what you suggested 😂

4. Most and least favourite character arcs?
M: Dina aunty takes this one. Second comes Om.
L: Avinash (well, not much development) followed by Mr Kohlah.

5. Most and least favourite pairings?
M: Will it amount to cheating if I said the 4 of them together 🙈
L: Shankar/Beggarmaster, felt a little pretentious and OTT to me.

6. Most and least favourite plot lines?
M: Om and Maneck's friendship, their ups and downs were a treat to read.
L: Rajaram's ranting, ugh! Got on my nerve. Even Vasantrao Valmik, the proofreader's was a bit drab.

Buddy, you didn't answer the last one. And @Gorab sir, please, your thoughts. Can we also draw in @Parikhit for this? Or is it better I put this up on the AFB thread?

[Sharadha]

ARPiT wrote: "TBH, Maneck's suicide didn't affect me as much as the condition of Ishwar and Om did!
At least, Maneck found his peace (even though he had lots of other options. He could've still make things bette..."

Yes, you're right. I keep thinking how Maneck, if alive, could have helped Om and Ishvar. Maybe gotten them jobs in his shop? That would have been a better solution. I feel angry with his ending now. He was clearly the royalty in the story and he blew it.

Ishvar and Om I thought would have stuck to tailoring, with Ishvar sewing in Dina aunty's hand machine (like Om has suggested) and Om doing the bulk work. Expanding thereafter? I don't know, it was just so so sad. And imagine them working for whoever succeeded Beggarmaster, a wreck!

[Sharadha]

ARPiT wrote: "Kill Ms. Gandhi? lol...that's harsh, buddy! :D:D Consider the other side of coin too buddy :P :P Read some pro-Emergency literature (Why I Supported The Emergency: Essays And Profiles by Khushwant Singh)"

Important question when it comes to politics - fiction or non-fiction, this one?

I just want to kill IG in fiction 😋

[Sharadha]

ARPiT wrote: "We did :)
Our third successful BR (Jekyll and Hyde, Swami and Friends, Ishwar and Om) yayyy"

I see what you did there 🤜🏽🤛🏽 Next BR let's decide after Sampath :)

[[deleted user]]

Oops, missed that. Here it is:

6. Plot line:

M: Dina and Rustom's love story, the concert-going days!
L: that work-camp thing. It reminded me of those Nazi concentration camps!

[[deleted user]]

Shankar/Beggarmaster, felt a little pretentious and OTT to me.
+1

[Sharadha]

ARPiT wrote: "L: that work-camp thing. It reminded me of those Nazi concentration camps!"

It was a winner for me too until Mr Rajaram came in trotting with his mindless life chronicles.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

Scared to show my face in this thread *shudders*
What difficult questions and all!!!

[Gorab, TheGunman]

1. Most and least favourite characters?
I'll avoid all main characters...
Most: Avinash, monkey that got brutally killed :(
Least: Dina's elder bro... forgot his name.

2. Most and least favourite chapters?
Most - beautification; sailing under one flag
Least - the train story one. Relatively. It was also good though.

3. Liked the ending? If no, then what would have been your ideal ending?
Loved it :D That acknowledgement of Om and Ishwar... and for what Maneck did out of frustration. Heart wrenching stuff... but lovely writing.

4. Most and least favourite character arcs?
whats arcs?

5. Most and least favourite pairings?
Most: monkey and Shankar (or what was the monkey masters name?)
Least: Dina and her bro. Dina and Ishwar.

6. Most and least favourite plot lines?
most-blending emergency time to add that historical fiction touch.
least-don't know... that beggar master part may be. oh no.. that was also good. don't know.

[Gorab, TheGunman]

ARPiT wrote: "A thing that's puzzling me is:
According to Wiki chacha, Mistry left India in 1975, the year when the Emergency was declared!!!!!
He didn't experience it (or maybe he did, for few months, since I d..."

Excellent point! Yeah it cant be first account writing. But considering the book was written a couple of decades later, he must have studied that thoroughly.

[Sharadha]

Gorab wrote: "Scared to show my face in this thread *shudders*
What difficult questions and all!!!"

No no, we don't mean to scare anyone away 😁 Wonly answer if you wish to :)

[Sharadha]

Gorab wrote: "4. Most and least favourite character arcs?
whats arcs?"

Character development/storylines, overall impact of characters and their contribution to the plot(s), etc.

[Sharadha]

Gorab wrote: "Least: Dina's elder bro... forgot his name."

Nusswan :) Yeah, him and his bullying uff! He was third on my list. And monkeyman was monkeyman, don't think they gave him a name.

[Sharadha]

Interesting answers, G :D

[[deleted user]]

I have different views of Nusswan. I don't think he was an evil guy...:/

[Gorab, TheGunman]

I felt he was pretty evil... especially that bathroom scene... it was molestation wonly!!!