Looks like Chetan Bhagat loves the number 3, numerology or otherwise. It is his 3rd book and its called "The 3 mistakes of my life" and it revolves around the lives of 3 friends ! Overall a good read. It starts off with Mr Bhagat receiving an email from an anonymous person quoting that he has made three mistakes and is going to end his life. Bhagat goes in search of him ( yes, he is fortunately alive to tell us the story !! ) and the book forms his story ( Govind Patel) in the first person narrative. Govind along with his 2 friends Ishaan and Omi starts a small business, a cricket shop and the story is woven around their lives.
The 3 characters-
1. Govind - The protagonist, yes the very same guy who mails Chetan and pops pills at the end of every sentence. Business and mathematics are his main passions and he along with his mother runs a small catering business after his father walked out on them. He also makes money by taking maths tuitions. He is an agnostic and doesn't believe in emotions either. For him, life is all about probability and equations.
2. Ishaan or Ish as he is fondly called - Cricket is his main passion in life. He has been the best player in school and played at district level but feels terrible about not making it to the national team. He coaches the local school boys in cricket.
3. Omi - He is the son of a priest and doesn't know what he wants in life except that he doesn't want to be a priest. He gets the trio a place to set up their shop on the temple premises.
2. Ishaan or Ish as he is fondly called - Cricket is his main passion in life. He has been the best player in school and played at district level but feels terrible about not making it to the national team. He coaches the local school boys in cricket.
3. Omi - He is the son of a priest and doesn't know what he wants in life except that he doesn't want to be a priest. He gets the trio a place to set up their shop on the temple premises.
And here are 3 reasons to read the book-
1. The cover price ( Rs 95 ) wont really burn a big hole in your pocket and its worth the price for a decent read.
2. It has the regular ingredients of a potboiler - friendship, romance, fun, cricket - and then some serious stuff like politics, religion, violence and an action packed climax to keep you entertained.
3. It brings focus to the futility of fighting or killing in the name of religion or God.
2. It has the regular ingredients of a potboiler - friendship, romance, fun, cricket - and then some serious stuff like politics, religion, violence and an action packed climax to keep you entertained.
3. It brings focus to the futility of fighting or killing in the name of religion or God.
Some fine moments in the book-
1. Omi, a brahmin boy and the son of a priest hesitates to eat food at Ali's house since he is a Muslim, but the same Omi doesn't hesitate to risk his life to save Ali.
2. Govind calls himself an agnostic when it comes to having faith in God. When a natural disaster destroys his lifetime of savings, he starts believing in destiny and perhaps a little in God.
3. Ali, a cricket prodigy, whose every hit is a six is offered a free scholarship to train in Australia provided he applies for Australian citizenship. The 12 year old boy instantly declines the offer saying that he wont play if its not for India. Patriotism at its best !
2. Govind calls himself an agnostic when it comes to having faith in God. When a natural disaster destroys his lifetime of savings, he starts believing in destiny and perhaps a little in God.
3. Ali, a cricket prodigy, whose every hit is a six is offered a free scholarship to train in Australia provided he applies for Australian citizenship. The 12 year old boy instantly declines the offer saying that he wont play if its not for India. Patriotism at its best !
Some not so fine moments -
1. An 18 year old small town girl having sex on the terrace with her maths tutor and later worrying about pregnancy !
2.(i) These guys fooling the security guards by posing as big businessmen and entering the VIP enclosure of a cricket stadium before a match (ii) Convincing an Australian player to bowl to a small boy after the match (iii) The Australian player ( who is an amateur himself) sponsoring 4 tickets to Australia after bowling to a 12 year old kid and watching him hit sixes.
3. A guy breaks up with his best friend because he dared to love his sister.
2.(i) These guys fooling the security guards by posing as big businessmen and entering the VIP enclosure of a cricket stadium before a match (ii) Convincing an Australian player to bowl to a small boy after the match (iii) The Australian player ( who is an amateur himself) sponsoring 4 tickets to Australia after bowling to a 12 year old kid and watching him hit sixes.
3. A guy breaks up with his best friend because he dared to love his sister.
And last but not the least, the crucial 3 mistakes -
1. Business
2. Love
3. A few seconds delay in acting to save a life in a mob situation.
Whether these 3 actions are really mistakes or not, they form a crucial part of the story as one event leads to the other.
Whether these 3 actions are really mistakes or not, they form a crucial part of the story as one event leads to the other.
