Another Chance by Ahmed Faiyaz

My first reaction on reading the book is "Thank god! It is not in present tense". I don't have anything against novels in present tense. I have read many, though I cannot name one offhand, that carry present tense very well, so much so that you don't notice the tense at all. Now, for the story. Aditya Sharma and Ruheen Oberoi's college romance ends in a jiffy, as Ruheen's ex who is obssessed with her will not let her go. The love birds part ways, Aditya still has feelings for Ruheen, Ruheen has moved on. In an impulse she gets married to London based Rohan and is thrown into a life of violence and abuse. Ruheen manages to escape this life and meets Aditya again. They live together. Their relationship faces lots of problem and finally they break up. Aditya wants Ruheen back, will he get another chance? Love, life etc was more interesting and engrossing than Anothet chance, probably because there were four protagnists, here it is mostly Aditya only. Will I give Ahmed Faiyaz another chance? No, mainly because it is not my genre. I am not the love story kind. I love crime fiction. I am drawn to this book because of the novelty of a love story set in contemporary India. But the novelty wears off. There should really be more substance to give it Another Chance.

Love, life and all that jazz by Ahmed Faiyaz

Ordered the book from indiaplaza along with Another Chance and Urban Shots. The book is supposed to be an easy- breezy read according to the comments on the book cover. On the contrary, the story written in present tense takes time to get used to. I wonder, what is with the present tense. The story is not an adventure or an action thriller for it to be in present tense. It is the story of four friends from college and their lives after college and how the decisions they make affect their life. A simple straight forward story. There is no reason for urgency or immediacy, it may as well be written in past tense and definetely read better. But once you get used to the tense the story flows by, even quite engaging. While there are no twists and turns and we know actually what is going to happen, it still holds enough interest that we want to finish it. I have one more grouse, that is, with the naming of characters, especially the two main female leads, they are called Naina and Tania. Thank god, he didn't name the other one Sania or Saina. While the names Tania and Naina don't sound simillar to the ear, to the eye they are simillar and most of the story I was confused mistaking one for the other. Also, wish the story was better edited. Indiaplaza promised an author signed copy but there was no signature anywhere in the book. I am just going to let it pass. Overall, the book is not profound or touching or earth shattering, ( it is not meant to be any of these), it is engaging and worth a read.