Book Review: Table for One by Neha Bindal

Table for One
Author: Neha Bindal
Publisher: Half Baked Beans
Rating: 3/5

Khalil Gibran has advised trusting in dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity. Rules are for the rulebooks on the bookshelf; life is out there in the open! It is absolutely fine to break free from the mundane reality and dream (read desire) for something unconventional once in a while. ‘Table for One’ takes us on a journey that explores the frenzy of freedom concealed beneath the façade of sophistication and social stigma.

Taara, a round character who is shown to have the avowed intent of not falling prey to love (again), is relatable and just another girl next door who is a misfit in the society just because she is unmarried at the age of thirty! Even though she has a valid reason, her parents have a bee in their bonnet about getting her married. This not only worries her but also leaves her exasperated.

She is affable yet dejected in the matters of love and consequently, she decides to embark on a roller coaster ride that turns her world topsy-turvy. She literally decides to reserve a table for one by tactfully convincing her parents to send her on a solo trip to Europe. The story seems to be inspired by ‘Queen’ but still has a lingering freshness that is invigorating! Written with the aim to inspire the readers and instill fearlessness, this books does justice to the motive. The author’s prowess lies in her interactive narrative that engages the readers very well. I like the books that have more exchange of dialogues rather than verbose monologues. And Table for One is just the right choice!

However, yet again Half Baked Beans disappoints with the font and typesetting. This time even the proofreading is lousy. Coupled with several typing errors, the incorrect tenses and misplaced prepositions might irk the grammar goblins (like me). Simple words like phrase have been typed as ‘phase’. Present perfect tense has been confused with past perfect, etc.

Overall, Table for One is sure to become your guide to travelling alone, for there are genuine emotions and palatable struggles. I wish the proofreading was better.

Best wishes to the author!

Buying Link: Amazon