Maya's New Husband

Author – Neil D’Silva

Genre – Gore, Thriller, Horror, Crime, 

Source - Print

Rating - 4

Read - August 2015

Highly recommended !

I am an unabashed fan of commercial fiction. I have been having extended discussions with my classmates and facilitators at our writing workshop about the state of commercial fiction** in Indian English.One of my pet grouses is how so many of these commercial Indian English writers take refuge under the ‘we write for the masses’ umbrella to shortchange their readers in terms of not just character development, plot, and narrative, but also basic stuff like grammar and spelling.

Neil D’Silva’s ‘Maya’s New Husband’ gives me hope. The writer promises an exciting, entertaining ride, and he provides that in dollops. The first and most important parameter for a thriller - whether it has been a page-turner - gets him very good marks. Written in firm, strong, correct prose, the book catches the reader by the jugular and does not let go till the end. Gore/Horror will probably rate as my least favourite genre, print is not my favourite medium, yet I read through this book in only two sittings. Well done!

If Neil D’Silva’s (and Siddharth Tripathi’s) is the direction commercial fiction in India is moving towards, I am proud and hopeful. May their tribe increase.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

** Commercial fiction, as opposed to true middlebrow fiction – i.e. Nick Hornby, Tom Wolfe, Upamanyu Chatterjee and the likes; or pretentious quasi-commercial fiction – who I would not name-and-shame today.

Full Disclosure: I have met and have interacted with the writer in person and online (the Indian English writer’s community is a small world). I paid full market price to buy the book, and was not requested by the writer or publishers to write this.

The Virgins

Author - Siddharth Tripathi

Genre - Indian English, Fiction, Thriller

Source - Print

Rating - 4

May 2013

If this is the direction commercial Indian English fiction is taking, I am very proud! The book flows through quickly, does not get boring, and is rather busy and eventful. Things keep happening. I liked it. Captures the psyche of testosterone-driven high school kids quite well, as well as that of life in the 'wild north'. As for his depiction of Banaras, which I've never visited, I am not the best judge of. 
I say this with no trepidation, I would have complimented this book even if it weren't written by an acquaintance from college. There's quite a bit of good in this book.
If I have to critique something: The writer should have gone easy on the capitals and the italics. 

Full disclosure: the writer was my junior at Bschool. I paid full market price to buy the book, was not requested by the writer or publishers to write this review.