‘Ex’ by Novoneel Chakraborty was a surprise. It’s definitely a complex crooked twisted love story delivered in the forced First Person format that is a favorite with the authors and the readers. You definitely tend to more relate to them.
What sells now days- Love- romance-sex and the thought of it. So the line at the back cover ‘To get to his heart, she seduced his mind’ seems just that- as it does not do any justice to the storyline. Though the title EX does do justice to the lines ‘What will you do if one day a svelte and sexy girl comes up to you and says she is your EX? And the only thing you know about her is that you don’t know anything about her.’
I had read his earlier book – ‘How about a Sin tonight?’ and that left no lasting impressions- but trust I will not forget ‘EX’ at least that can be said about this story.
EX- everyone has one
Yes- I enjoyed reading it till almost the Page 239 out of 284 pages and that is quite a lot. Till that page- as in the start the story grips you with possibility. The treatment of a story within the story is not a simple treatment style but Novoneel does justice to it. The story moves at its own sweet pace and you enjoy it. Though there are inconsistencies and illogical episodes that are naked enough to be identified but they can be excused. GIVE IT A TRY- YOU MAY LIKE IT. But this does not make the recommended list.
In between the pages, I could see it becoming a dam good movie But when the story, many time in its attempt to hoodwink and sidestep the readers imagination- falters to a slow grind things do becomes UN-negotiable at time. And that’s when the author misses the trick- if a story is over- finish it- not test the reader intelligence and patience with the plot. After that it became far too predictable Indian Movie and the question ‘WHAT NEXT’ is no longer asked.
‘EX’ by NOVONEEL CHAKRABORTY. INR 150 Pages 284, Random House India
