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Book Review: Love Story of a Commando by Swapnil Pandey

Love Story of a Commando
Author: Swapnil Pandey
Publisher: Westland Publishers
Rating: 2.5/5

Einstein said- If your head tells you one thing and your head tells you another before you do anything, decide whether you have a better head or a better heart. There is conclusive evidence that in the matters that involve both the heart and the mind, the victory is unpredictable. Well, this book is a fitting example of this conflict. ‘Love Story of a Commando’ narrates the story of an exuberant Riya and a brilliantly audacious Virat. Just like yin and yang, their lives are poles apart; while one is a devil-may-care young woman, the other is earnest and sombre. But they prove the theory of ‘opposites attract’ right, for they fall in love at first sight.

Mildly impractical and a far cry from reality, this is a book where the story takes precedence over the factual content. Predictable plot and a clichéd ‘happily-ever-after’ make this story as dry as dust. However, I liked the first half. The narrative seemed stronger and the characterization of Riya was palatable. Fast forward to the second half- the narrative loses its charm because of the unessential descriptions and a minimal number of dialogues. Riya comes across as ‘the girl next door’ who lives in a fool’s paradise, waiting for her prince charming to come and sweep her off her feet! But fate pierces her delicate bubble when she falls in love with a commando- an undaunted mat-at-arms, Virat. Riya and Virat seize what little time that is offered to them for love- then they part again- and finally, meet again never to part again (sounds too familiar, isn’t it?).

The plot has some loose points which fail to establish a strong connection with the characters. Swapnil’s novella basically vibrates with the relentless activity of various interconnected plot-threads, eventually leading to a highly dissatisfactory end! I cannot refrain from mentioning the colloquial writing style of the author which snatched away the gravitas of the plot! Moreover, the desperate attempt to fit in intimate scenes just for the sake of it failed to impress me. While I was waiting for a twist in the end and an actual sneak-peak into the life of an army man, the impact of the story was equivalent to a nine-day wonder.

Overall, the book is fast-paced and at some point, offers moments of genuine love and solitude.

Buying Link: Amazon

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