Book: Those Pricey Thakur Girls
Author: Anuja Chauhan
Pages: 400
I read: The paperback
I read it in: 2013.. and so, I don't remember how much time it took me :)
Plot Summary: In a sprawling bungalow on New Delhi's posh Hailey Road, Justice Laxmi Narayan Thakur and his wife Mamta spend their days watching anxiously over their five beautiful (but troublesome) alphabetically named daughters. Anjini, married but an incorrigible flirt; Binodini, very worried about her children's hissa in the family property; Chandrakanta, who eloped with a foreigner on the eve of her wedding; Eshwari, who is just a little too popular at Modern School, Barakhamba Road; and the Judge's favourite (though fathers shouldn't have favourites): the quietly fiery Debjani, champion of all the stray animals on Hailey Road, who reads the English news on DD and clashes constantly with crusading journalist Dylan Singh Shekhawat, he of shining professional credentials but tarnished personal reputation, crushingly dismissive of her state-sponsored propaganda, but always seeking her out with half-sarcastic, half-intrigued dark eyes.
General Thoughts: I bought this book, for a special silly reason, on my birthday in 2013. I read this book in February 2013- way before this little blog was even born! So, even though I really enjoyed this book, I didn't get down to reviewing it. However, given that now & TV (AND TV) is adapting this book into a TV show called Dilli waali Thakur Gurls, I thought I should put up a review, since this is a book that I immensely enjoyed.
What I Liked: Quick list:
- The writing is really good. Anuja Chauhan is the best Indian rom-com writer. Period. I also immensely enjoyed her previous books- The Zoya Factor and The Battle for Bittora.
- The book is set in Delhi in the late 1980s and it was such a delight to read so much Dilli-ness in the book! Plus, the 80s were awesome! So, if you enjoy flashbacks to the less tech-heavy but so-much-fun days of the 80s, then that is reason enough to pick up this book.
- I have three words for you- Dylan Singh Shekhawat. So dreamy! Ms. Chauhan has a knack for writing drool-worthy leading men. Read this book for Dylan.
- Debjani is also a fun character.. she loves stray animals of all kinds and she is no pushover. So, she was a delightful character to read about. Plus, she is a DD English newsreader. If that is not a flashback to our lives at 9 pm in the late 80s, then I don't know what is!
- The story is predictable but the execution makes you want to forgive that.
What I Didn't Like: Only a few things:
- There was some unnecessary political angle added in to make this book more serious than it needed to be! This is a rom-com/ "chick flick" / insert latest politically correct term for this genre and I think one should embrace it for what it is without trying to be profound. Being superficially profound does not work.
Rating: 4/5
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