Book Review : The Perfect Groom by Sumeetha Manikandan

The Perfect Groom by Sumeetha Manikandan

The Blurb

Very little has gone right in Nithya’s young life. So, when a proposal from a young, handsome NRI comes along, her mother jumps at the opportunity and packs her daughter off to the US with her perfect groom.

Nithya seems to have settled in with Ashok, ostensibly happy, if as yet childless, in her new life. When an old flame comes back into her life, however, the cracks in her perfect marriage begin to show…

MY REVIEW

Having read Mills & Boon, chicklits and romantic novels for over 15 years now, I get a bit skeptical when I come across a novel or in this case, a novella that falls into the romantic genre. It is easy to go wrong with this genre, isn't it? But, Sumeetha manages to do a good job with her book, The Perfect Groom.

The story line is different, but not unique. The "surprise factor" in the book has been dealt with many a times in both the literary world, as well as the entertainment industry consisting of daily soaps and movies. The story is all about Nithya's life, wherein the story moves back and forth with present day Nithya remembering her days back at her villainous uncle's house when she was younger. Present day, Nithya appears to be happily married to her perfect NRI groom. But in reality, the picture is anything but rosy. She is in a marriage that has nothing to offer and has no future. But, she doesn't want to give Ashok, her husband, a divorce because she has a younger sister, yet to be married, and she doesn't want to spoil her chances of getting married. The first thought that came to my mind was that it was a regressive portrayal of the main character, but, I realize that it might be true in most cases, considering how paranoid we are about the way our society thinks. Things change for better when Nithya meets her good old friend, Vasu and romance brews up between them. The story then explores the highs and lows of their relationship, entangled with Nithya's baseless marriage with Ashok. The hypocrisies hidden behind the labeled cultural values are dealt with in a very sensitive manner.  

The characterization of the 2 main characters, Nithya and Vasu are very well etched, whereas I feel Ashok's character could have been more elaborate. Other minor characters have been dealt with finesse. The story flows smoothly and Sumeetha does an excellent job at maintaining the pace of this lovely novella. The edition is crisp and pretty well done, though, I wish that the vocabulary for the Tamil words used was given on the same page below, and not at the end of the book. 

Overall, an easy to relate, fast paced, entertaining book. Given the circumstances, the story could have been yours or mine. If I have to rate the book, I will give it 4 out of 5 stars. 

Rating - 4 out of 5

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Meet the author

The Author's Thoughts

An author and a freelance writer, Sumeetha Manikandan has been writing for many years now. After working in dotcom companies, like Sulekha for over a decade, she started freelancing from home. 

Her debut novella, 'The Perfect Groom' was initially written in a script format, which was later converted into a novella for Indireads. The Perfect Groom touches a taboo subject that is most often shrouded in secret whispers and exclamations in the tambrahm community. Inspired by a real anecdote, 'The Perfect Groom' is in parts the true story of a girl who rose above myriad challenges to make her own way in life.

     

  

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Because I love you Puchhu...

            My lovely Puchhu.
               I loved you, and I will
            love you always. Promise.

 You are in my mind, always will be.

Jumping, wagging your tail, licking,

you taught me what no one would,

 what no one could. Jumping up the

     pane, whining for food, ears in curly

      folds, licking my whole being, always.
                           It is true that you were an
                           angel, halo intact, dropped

                            from heaven, for only me.

                            You were my light, bright.

                                 You were my soul, whole.  
       You were my silent prayer, you still are.
         You were my strength. You were my joy.
                                    You were my classy peer.
                                    You were my question. You
                                     were my answer, always are.
                 You were mine, you will always be. I vow.
                    You were my constant, you will always be.

                                          You were my  poetry, my story.
                                             You were my friend, a very dear 
                                                 friend. You will always be. Truly.
                                                   You were stray, but were here to stay.
                                                Why did you leave me so alone? Did
                                                    I not appease you to the bone? I tried  
                                                   to. I wish I had rolled on the floor with
                                                      you. I wish I had known your language, 
                                                    to talk,  to smile, to laugh, to cry. I wish 
                                                      I were you- A soul so pure, a heart ever so
                                                       clean, paws ever dirty. I wish I could jump,
                                                   wag my tail, return your wet kisses, with 
                                                   love, love so great that would surpass
                                                  any in this big, bad world. I
                                                                                      miss 
                                                                          you 
                                                      Puchhu, I    
                        always, always will.                       

* Lost her about 2 weeks back. Dedicated to the ever loving her. I tried to compose a concrete poem that would mimic the way she slept, stretching her whole body. I failed miserably.

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Goodbye

Source: WikimediaCommons

A goodbye isn't always sad,

To better things, some more will add,

Which will make us happy and glad.

*As a part of NaPoWriMo. #30

*The prompt by NaPoWriMo today was: "Today, as befits the final poem of NaPoWriMo, I challenge you to write a poem of farewell. It doesn’t have to be goodbye forever — like I said, NaPoWriMo will be back again next year. If you need a little inspiration, you might find some in perusing this selection of goodbye-and-good-luck poems from the Poetry Foundation website." 

*Also, do visit my friends who are participating in the challenge. You won't be disappointed.

http://andiwrite.com/ – Hrishikesh

http://janakinagaraj.com/ - Janaki

http://jaibalarao.com/ – Jaibala

http://advkaranshah.blogspot.in/ – Karan

http://whilethecoffeebrews.blogspot.in/ - Naina

http://eccentriccontemplations.wordpress.com/ – Nithya

http://viewsofpreethib.wordpress.com/ - Preeti

http://www.rinzurajan.blogspot.in/ – Rinzu

http://ponderingtwo.blogspot.in/ – Rohan

http://juztamom.blogspot.in/ – Sfurti

http://artofleo.wordpress.com/blog/ – Vinay

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Z for Zest

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Finally, we end this challenge,

Thankfully, we could all manage.

Salute to everyone's beaming zest,

I know everyone gave their very best!

*As a part of A-Z Challenge. 

*Dedicated to every A-Zeder and NaPoWriMoer. 

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Life - a poem?

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Life is a poem,

made up of a sea of tears; it is

an ugly sight, a silent scream,

a little bit salty, smelling a

little rotten, the touch of a 

thorn.

Life is a poem where

you can touch the 

smell, just like

Brad could touch 

his wife's perfume that lay

in her grave in Irvine.

Life is a poem,

made up of a sea of tears,

of happiness, smelling 

like freshly ground chutney - a

 little sweet, a little tangy,

a lot spicy.

Life is a poem,

of "all izzzz well".

Like a fierce  lion of bravery,

like a cold, dreadful sun,

like Brad eating a pizza

with chopsticks.

Life is a poem,

where Pooh dances to

the tunes of a 

ripped off Bollywood

number in the 

everlasting rain of Oregon.

Life is a poem,

where the earth 

will begin to move

 around the sun a lot 

faster than it does 

now. 

Life is a poem

like a sight,

a beautiful sight of 

a lovely crow

perched on a tree,

an ugly tree.

Life is a poem,

where Muchas gracias

overplays sorry. Like a

dog riding a big brown 

horse. Like a plant 

singing a happy tune.

Life -  a poem, or a prose, or a poetic prose?

*As a part of NaPoWriMo. #29

*The prompt by NaPoWriMo today was: "This may remind you a bit of the “New York School” recipe, but this prompt has been around for a long time. I remember using it in a college poetry class, and loving the result. It really forces you into details, and to work on “conducting” the poem as it grows, instead of trying to force the poem to be one thing or another in particular. The prompt is called the “Twenty Little Poetry Projects,” and was originally developed by Jim Simmerman. And here are the twenty little projects themselves — the challenge is to use them all in one poem:

1. Begin the poem with a metaphor.
2. Say something specific but utterly preposterous.
3. Use at least one image for each of the five senses, either in succession or scattered randomly throughout the poem.
4. Use one example of synesthesia (mixing the senses).
5. Use the proper name of a person and the proper name of a place.
6. Contradict something you said earlier in the poem.
7. Change direction or digress from the last thing you said.
8. Use a word (slang?) you’ve never seen in a poem.
9. Use an example of false cause-effect logic.
10. Use a piece of talk you’ve actually heard (preferably in dialect and/or which you don’t understand).
11. Create a metaphor using the following construction: “The (adjective) (concrete noun) of (abstract noun) . . .”
12. Use an image in such a way as to reverse its usual associative qualities.
13. Make the persona or character in the poem do something he or she could not do in “real life.”
14. Refer to yourself by nickname and in the third person.
15. Write in the future tense, such that part of the poem seems to be a prediction.
16. Modify a noun with an unlikely adjective.
17. Make a declarative assertion that sounds convincing but that finally makes no sense.
18. Use a phrase from a language other than English.
19. Make a non-human object say or do something human (personification).

20. Close the poem with a vivid image that makes no statement, but that “echoes” an image from earlier in the poem." 

*Also, do visit my friends who are participating in the challenge. You won't be disappointed.

http://andiwrite.com/ – Hrishikesh

http://janakinagaraj.com/ - Janaki

http://jaibalarao.com/ – Jaibala

http://advkaranshah.blogspot.in/ – Karan

http://whilethecoffeebrews.blogspot.in/ - Naina

http://eccentriccontemplations.wordpress.com/ – Nithya

http://viewsofpreethib.wordpress.com/ - Preeti

http://www.rinzurajan.blogspot.in/ – Rinzu

http://ponderingtwo.blogspot.in/ – Rohan

http://juztamom.blogspot.in/ – Sfurti

http://artofleo.wordpress.com/blog/ – Vinay

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Y for Youth

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The youth have the utmost power,

To build a magnificent tower,

Made up of soaring aspirations,

That can build a nation with strong foundations.

*As a part of A-Z Challenge. 

*Dedicated to the youthful power. 

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X for X'd out

Source: Wikimedia Commons

You might be temporarily x'd out,

But, it is nothing to be proud about.

Drugs can harm your life,

It is a slow-death without a knife.

*As a part of A-Z Challenge. 

*Dedicated to every person who falls into the drug-trap. 

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Sidewalk

Source : NaPoWriMo website, Day 27

Covered in white,

Not a man in sight,

I am happy with delight,

Today, I suffer no plight,

Old footsteps turn light,

I, the sidewalk, lay happily quiet.

*As a part of NaPoWriMo. #27

*The prompt by NaPoWriMo today was: " Our early-bird prompt this year (on March 31) was an ekphrastic poem. This is something similar — a poem written from a photograph."

*Also, do visit my friends who are participating in the challenge. You won't be disappointed.

http://andiwrite.com/ – Hrishikesh

http://janakinagaraj.com/ - Janaki

http://jaibalarao.com/ – Jaibala

http://advkaranshah.blogspot.in/ – Karan

http://whilethecoffeebrews.blogspot.in/ - Naina

http://eccentriccontemplations.wordpress.com/ – Nithya

http://viewsofpreethib.wordpress.com/ - Preeti

http://www.rinzurajan.blogspot.in/ – Rinzu

http://ponderingtwo.blogspot.in/ – Rohan

http://juztamom.blogspot.in/ – Sfurti

http://artofleo.wordpress.com/blog/ – Vinay

Continue