Eagle Spotted, Message Decoded (Frog, Rs 295) by Siddhartha Choudhary chronicles the various existential crises in the life of an engineering graduate who is “awkward, nervous”, and who considers himself to be a good-for-nothing bloke. Fresh out of college, he is forced to choose one of the toughest professions that the world has to offer, and, expectedly, is reduced to a nervous wreck. He seeks help from a batty senior, a troubled colleague and from the love of his life, but isn’t sure who exactly is going to bail him out of the mess. More worryingly, there are chances that he will make the same mistakes once again. This is another of those dreary “coming-of-age” stories that seem to be a favourite with Bollywood scriptwriters.
The Apple Elusionist (Virgin Leaf, Rs 200) by Avrina Jos tells the story of Nadine Parkman, who has been blessed with a perfect life. A caring father, a kind mother and a supportive sister help Parkman lead a fairy-tale existence, which, however, is ruined one fine day because of her own fault. Standing alone, amidst the debris of her life, Parkman seeks and receives a gift that will help her escape her troubles. But soon, she realizes that there is a price that one pays for every wish that is answered. Corny and supremely puerile, this work by a teenage debutante will hopefully find an audience among anguished teens.
The Telegraph, Calcutta, Friday, June 25 , 2010
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