The title was good enough to catch my attention. The quote by Abhinay Deo, film Director of Delhi Belly on the cover screamed “‘like watching a movie… incredibly ballsy…. Scarily honest” and as I flipped it- many more quotes stared at me. Normally I do not give any importance to such quotes but this time round- for no explainable logical reason- they seemed genuine. Price Tag 225 and with my flight a bit further delayed- I took the bait.
WISE ENOUGH TO BE FOOLISH
Ok as usual let me place my impressions first. THANK GOD I PICKED THIS MARVELOUS BOOK- I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED READING- cover to cover. I always enjoy whenever there are traces of self experience (watch I hate to say autobiographical) weaved into the whole narration. This was definitely such a case.
Don’t try to remember characters and incidents. They are TNTC- Too Numerous to count. But the few that are important somehow filter up like cream in a pan of boiling milk. They remain a fresh till they are required to fulfil their role in the story. The story takes you through the life of Gauri; confused yet clear in what she wants, open honest yet rebellious, flowing with the current yet ambitious Indian Girl- who later on tries finding her North-star love; one that will always be there for her.
Set in a complete Urban environment- toggling between Bangalore and Mumbai- it creates the brutal nakedness I like in the narration.
So as a true voyeuristic delights- like right watching it from the ring side- on a wide canvas of a growing girls heart and mind- she takes you to a lady who at the end desperately wants love- and children. Like all of us there are people she hates and love, people who leave impression and some even deep marks in her life. Yet I agree this is definitely a Ballsy- scarily honest read.
Its not all good throughout the book. The last 10 pages of a 204 page book- where she tries wrapping up the story- and that’s just 5% of the whole story- I found a BIT WEAK.
she sometime takes a very basic thought to its death- “ Yet, There were things that didn’t match up sometimes. I understand from family gossips that girls were expected to be virgin brides, while for the boys it was an added qualification to have bedded lot of women…. Despite an accomplished career, a girl ultimately had to prove herself by being home before the man, holding a glass of water when he comes back from work’
And then surprised you a few pages later with simplicity; “And, it was also very much one of those relationships you desperately want to forget after it’s over. Most of the first love are so embarrassing that when we look back at them, we end up asking ourselves the question that usually has no answer. What the hell I was thinking?”
For me the character being a Capricorn was added advantages. Sharing the zodiac sign I read her glorifying Capricorns with “Capricorns would rarely waste their time on anything meaningless”- and well the book had a new meaning. Seriously the main character in the book are Capricorn or Aries- if that makes any difference.
If that was not enough many places she echo’s my way of thinking- and that could have biased me. If it did- I am ok with it. Come on how lovely is the thought ‘Life is an individual sport and only you count… sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose”
And on a more serious note she playfully places her point of view, pain of a daughter- under the garb of societal ways; “You know, a friend of mine from lost her mother to cancer. Her father allowed her to light her mother’s pyre at the funeral, and my parents didn’t approve when they heard of it, because according to Hinduism, only if a son lights the pyre of a dead person can they go to heaven. Is that why people go on having kids until they have a boy, so that they can go to heaven when they die?”
So many episodes- so many incidents – so many characters – yet well knit narration. My only issue- some of these pivotal incidents sounded too much from my story- a story I have been writing for too long to remain original. And that tells me where should I focus if I don’t want it to be stale soon.
‘WISE ENOUGH TO BE FOOLISH’ by GAURI JAYARAM. 204 Pages, INR 225. JAICO BOOKS.
