Book Review: Bestseller she wrote by Ravi Subramanian

I have read several of Ravi Subramanian’s books. Having worked in the financial services industry for about two decades, he boasts of a series of thrillers all set in the backdrop of a bank. The formula has certainly worked so far with a fast paced storyline and surprising twists for many of his earlier stories. But this book had me flummoxed. While I was set to delve into another conspiracy hatched and shady finance deals, I found a story about a squeamish and sordid extra-marital affair that was as interesting as shopping for a bag of potatoes.  

The story: Aditya is the hot-shot middle-aged successful banker and master storyteller who has never read books apart from his own.  Shreya is a student finishing her studies at B-school (obviously an IIM. Bangalore in this case) where Aditya is an alumnus. And stating the obvious – Shreya is gorgeous, ambitious, and talented. Most importantly, she wants to be a best selling author. Shreya adores the author in Aditya and looks up to him to achieve her means to be a best selling author – by hook or by crook. Aditya is good looking, successful and a very attractive ‘older man’ and yes..Married to the perfect woman. Interspersed are various other characters in the book such as Shreya’s friend and confidante, Sunaina, Ashok’s friend and batchmate Sanjay and others. More than any other plot, the story revolves around how Aditya and Shreya have an affair and the outcomes of the affair.

Well, the back page of the paperback did say this –

“What happens when their world’s collide? Is it possible to love two people at the same time? Can real ambition come in the way of blind passion? Can trust once broken, be regained?

Ravi Subramanian delves into the glitzy world of bestsellers and uncovers a risky dalliance between a superstar novelist and his alluring protégé.”

I guess, I shouldn’t have expected anything different really – no shady finance deals in this book! The entire story is summarized in those two lines and is easy to fathom!

What may work for some: If you are a reader looking for some dramebaazi Bollywood style, maybe this is a book you will like. If you like random twists in the tale that seem pretty senseless, perhaps you may find this book interesting. And well, this book is purported to become a motion-picture soon. So if you like to read the book before you watch the movie, maybe you will want to read this.

What did not work for me - was just the fact that the book had nothing new to offer and was quite insipid. Perhaps the author has become too repetitive in his rendition of the MBA story – finishing B-school, the first job, the ambition during the first job etc. Maybe it was time that he moved away from what he is comfortable with - the 2 Bs of Banking and B-school to something different. Something that was a little more intense than a lazy spin of a story woven umpteen times already.

All in all, I was disappointed in this book especially since I did get some good thrills from his previous books. I will give this book 2 stars out of 5.

I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!