The Girl in Room 105 - Chetan Bhagat.
The very first page of the book says that Chetan Bhagat is the author of eight bestselling novels (including this one - of-course) which have sold over twelve million copies and have been translated in over twenty languages worldwide. Not only that but also that The New York Times has called him "The biggest selling author in India's history". I am not sure how true this claim is but thats what is published as his introduction and so much more like so many successful Bollywood movies based on his books, his column writing prowess and public speaking talent and how can we forget his acclaimed degrees from India's prestigious IIT and IIM 
. On top of that what hurt me the most (post reading the book) is that he is still writing meaningless stories which will not qualify as "Literature" from any standard and this one fails big time even on entertainment grounds. I will call it the weakest of his books which is way below and boring than his own worst "One Night @ The Call Center". I guess his name is big enough that neither his editors spend anytime on his writing nor the proof readers or publisher. I am no expert but if I am able to point out a dozen grammatical mistakes and so many spelling mistakes and I am not even talking about the plot here (or lack of it as some of my friends will say post reading or some may claim without reading too). A complete disaster from the very start, which just drags, goes no where, gives nothing to the reader and refuses to end. The most challenging book ever written by Mr. Bhagat so far and I guess my last from him, I will certainly not look forward to any more books from him now-onward. This is Goodbye and Good-riddance to Mr. Bhagat from me.
. On top of that what hurt me the most (post reading the book) is that he is still writing meaningless stories which will not qualify as "Literature" from any standard and this one fails big time even on entertainment grounds. I will call it the weakest of his books which is way below and boring than his own worst "One Night @ The Call Center". I guess his name is big enough that neither his editors spend anytime on his writing nor the proof readers or publisher. I am no expert but if I am able to point out a dozen grammatical mistakes and so many spelling mistakes and I am not even talking about the plot here (or lack of it as some of my friends will say post reading or some may claim without reading too). A complete disaster from the very start, which just drags, goes no where, gives nothing to the reader and refuses to end. The most challenging book ever written by Mr. Bhagat so far and I guess my last from him, I will certainly not look forward to any more books from him now-onward. This is Goodbye and Good-riddance to Mr. Bhagat from me.
I don't know why but I seriously expected that he will not mention IIT in this book right from the day it was declared but as someone said "You can take a man out of IIT but you can never take IIT out a man from IIT" 
. Here the main protagonist is a loser from IIT who doesn't gets a campus selection even after passing from IIT, if that is some respite for people like me . Not only that, he ends up coaching in a institute where they prepare candidates for IIT entrance exams . So Mr. Loser has a girlfriend, who breaks off with him, meets another guy (super successful IITian), goes around with him and then she dies or gets killed. With Mr. Loser as the prime suspect and Delhi police investigating (read not doing anything) on the case. How Mr. Loser takes it on himself to solve the case on his own Ex Dead Girlfriend makes up for the rest of the book. He even has a Watson with him for support and that guy actually is a savior of sorts on this sinking boat with every page. If not for his comic timing, this would have become the second book in the history of my reading to have flown out of my 6th floor window. But I must say rather I guarantee that Mr. Bhagat has never touched a Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle for sure, let alone touching them, he has never ever read a Surendra Mohan Pathak even. If he had, he would certainly have written a better cat and mouse chase game or could have at least made it a little interesting for his readers. Now after reading this, I am actually ashamed to confess that I was clueless as for who are these people that he is writing these gems? What tortured me in the course of finding the killer and the reason behind all that was happening, was that he picks the most important character from Kashmir (A Muslim girl on top of that) and has no opinion whatsoever on the Kashmir conflict as he keeps steering clear of it throughout with his characters saying nothing about the political situation out there. I guess he should have chosen a girl from Manali to be safe and opinionated.
right from the day it was declared but as someone said "You can take a man out of IIT but you can never take IIT out a man from IIT" . Here the main protagonist is a loser from IIT who doesn't gets a campus selection even after passing from IIT, if that is some respite for people like me . Not only that, he ends up coaching in a institute where they prepare candidates for IIT entrance exams . So Mr. Loser has a girlfriend, who breaks off with him, meets another guy (super successful IITian), goes around with him and then she dies or gets killed. With Mr. Loser as the prime suspect and Delhi police investigating (read not doing anything) on the case. How Mr. Loser takes it on himself to solve the case on his own Ex Dead Girlfriend makes up for the rest of the book. He even has a Watson with him for support and that guy actually is a savior of sorts on this sinking boat with every page. If not for his comic timing, this would have become the second book in the history of my reading to have flown out of my 6th floor window. But I must say rather I guarantee that Mr. Bhagat has never touched a Agatha Christie or Conan Doyle for sure, let alone touching them, he has never ever read a Surendra Mohan Pathak even. If he had, he would certainly have written a better cat and mouse chase game or could have at least made it a little interesting for his readers. Now after reading this, I am actually ashamed to confess that I was clueless as for who are these people that he is writing these gems? What tortured me in the course of finding the killer and the reason behind all that was happening, was that he picks the most important character from Kashmir (A Muslim girl on top of that) and has no opinion whatsoever on the Kashmir conflict as he keeps steering clear of it throughout with his characters saying nothing about the political situation out there. I guess he should have chosen a girl from Manali to be safe and opinionated.
Main characters to look forward to, if you plan to read this book: A loser IITian (Hindu), A (Muslim) girl who refuses to join MIT and stays back for her love doing a PhD from IIT, A Super successful IITian (Dark South Indian Hindu), A not so corrupt Delhi police inspector, A ready for Padma Vibhushan IIT professor (wont go to Harvard or Stanford), A Jihadi, A very handsome Army officer. Still the story just doesn't take off or flies at all. Hindu Muslim inter-cast marriage is still not a cake walk in India. The only way Mr. Bhagat can can think of empowering his women is by letting them have sex with multiple partners (twice in a row now).
As the book comes to a conclusion, Mr. Bhagat proves that IIT not only churns out good writers but is also capable of giving us detectives too. If you plan not to read this book, I will still very highly insist that you go to your nearest book store, pick up the book and the read the very last page it gives out nothing about the story or the book but you must know what Mr. Holmes and Mr. Watson do in the end. How he delivers his punch line "An Unlove Story" deserves a standing ovation. As that was the only point where I actually laughed out loud in the last four days of me reading this.
it gives out nothing about the story or the book but you must know what Mr. Holmes and Mr. Watson do in the end. How he delivers his punch line "An Unlove Story" deserves a standing ovation. As that was the only point where I actually laughed out loud in the last four days of me reading this.
If you have read "The Girl in Room 105", you know that you have my sympathies for spending your precious money and time but if you haven't read, you are lucky and please keep it that way. But if there is anyone who has read and liked it, we really need to talk.
Although, I am an atheist but I prayed as I finished the book that "God, if you exist, please please please make sure that no movie maker buys this book's rights and makes a movie on it, please, mercy". Amen to that.
PS: To the darling Friend who sent me this book, OK, lets not debate on how I would have thrown it out of the window half read. You know how much I love you for saving my precious money 
so lets skip the debate.
so lets skip the debate.
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