Book Review: The American Indian Dream by Pranay Sahu

The American Indian Dream
Author: Pranay Sahu
Publisher: Half Baked Beans
Rating: 3/5

“The negative side of the American Dream comes when people pursue success at any cost, which in turn destroys the vision and the dream.”
~ Azar Nafisi

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. ‘An American Indian Dream’ is a novel that takes you through a dilemma of dreaming and then making them come true. Be it America or India, both have their own positives and negatives, but how does one feel when the pressure of staying in one’s own country forces one to bear the brunt of not getting the chance of living the dream? This is a compelling read, for it highlights the emotional turmoil that Roshan goes through. It is a story about his consistent struggle; it elucidates a struggle that becomes ball and chain. The continuous process of chop and change shatters him, breaks him down, but it also lifts him up and gives him hope.

But life isn’t that easy, is it? Stuck with the complexities of love, answerable to a Guru who is an abbreviated piece of nothing and fighting the internal demons who constantly trouble him, Roshan stands out in his role and the author does justice to this character.

‘An American Indian Dream’ is a narrative or rather a monologue. We have a protagonist, Roshan, who takes charge to help turn the wheels of the story forward. This is a story about his life; a life which forced him to choose between going to America and staying in India. But was this that easy? No.

The graphical cover of the book is catchy and fits best with the plot. The title is apt and gives a clear cut idea of what the book has in store for you. The font (style and size) is fine. Typesetting and organization of text have been taken care of.
Coming to the plot, I felt there was an inclusion of unnecessary details every now and then. The narration is lucid and language is simple. It can be understood by not-so-avid readers too. But the lengthy monologues can be a turn off for some. The plot lacked the interest quotient; I kept on losing interest midway but the deadline somehow forced me to complete the book.

There are some grammatical errors, specifically- missing commas and incorrect vocabulary. Secondly, in the last few pages, the flaw in the editing and proofreading is evident. Incorrect tenses serve as hurdles in the reading process.

The author has been successful to a large extent in preparing a savouring potpourri. With storing opinions and portraying each and every minute detail so finely, the emotional setting of the story is enthralling.

Overall, a good attempt by the author!

Buying Link: Amazon