Book Review: Thank You Love by Ayush Gupta

Thank You Love

Author: Ayush Gupta
Publisher: Half Baked Beans
Rating: 2.5/5

You ask what is in these days; I say this is the era of people who follow the crowd blindly. And this is quite evident in the field of Indian Literature. 80% of the new books reek of teenage romance. Not that it is not interesting but the excess of everything is monotonous.

‘Thank You Love’ is a debut novella by Ayush Gupta. With a subtle yet simple cover, the book offers a fresh perspective on college/ teen romance. How meditation can restore the peace of mind and help the one who is down in the dumps after a break-up, is what this story highlights. Rayan and Akshita are madly in love with each other, but a sudden change of events forces Akshita to change her priorities and distance herself from Rayan. The story begins with Rayan narrating his love tale to a stranger. Sounds familiar, right? Immediately after reading the prologue, I was reminded of Chetan Bhagat’s novellas where one or the other protagonist narrates his/ her story to our dear author (not to forget Ranbir’s narration to Aishwarya in Ae Dil hai mushkil).

The sensitivity and desperation in Rayan’s character are made so evident by the inclusion of his lost love on every page possible. Though there are instances where readers can actually relate well to the protagonist, mid-section of the story is more like a monologue and that is boring. Rayan’s over-obsession with getting Akshita’s love back is something that makes his character unlikeable.

Amidst several editing and grammatical errors, and typos, the plot still fails to engage the reader’s attention. The part where meditation as a source of overcoming heartbreak is discussed can be interesting for the ones who are not so familiar with the concept of chakras and silent healing. The blurb, however, could have been written more lucidly and could have given a clearer idea of the basic plot.

The plot is gripping but the major drawback lies in the extended content of the flashback love story. It is high time that the authors realize that penning down each and every minute detail that is either inspired or adapted from a personal experience, makes the story boring and can result in turning the odds against you.

The plot lacks originality. It is very much predictable and might be liked by the ones who prefer mushy love tales/ college romance/ sad- emotional ending. For the ones who are looking for something deep and meaningful, this book might or might not serve the interest.

Overall, a good effort by the author!
Best wishes!

Buying Link: Amazon