Book Review- Indireads Reviewer Program- Done with Men

Title- Done with Men
Author- Shuchi Singh Kalra
Format- e-Book only
Publisher- Indireads
ISBN: 978-1-927826-32-4
Cover Illustration by Mariyam Iftikar

Genre- Romantic Comedy

Pages- 98

Price- $2.99

The book was given to me as a part of the Indireads Reviewer Program by Indireads which promotes fiction by writers from the subcontinent featuring stories about the region. 

About the author

Here is the introduction from the book itself- 

Shuchi Singh Kalra is a writer, editor and blogger based in India. She has been writing since
2005, and has freelanced with popular magazines such as Femina.in, Good Housekeeping,
Home Review, Parent & Child, Vista, Dogs & Pups, Women’s Era and Time ‘N’ Style
among many others. She also writes a monthly travel column for Investors India.

Shuchi is the owner of Pixie Dust Writing Studio, an editing firm that services a global
clientele, and the Indian Freelance Writers Blog, which is a fast-growing resource for Indian
writers.

Shuchi started dabbling in fiction only recently and her short stories have found a place in
anthologies such as Love Across Borders and New Asian Writing’s upcoming collection (to be
published in 2014). Done With Men is her first book.

Before she took to writing, Shuchi was an Optometrist at one of India’s leading eye hospitals.
People thought she was crazy to dump a seemingly good career to become a full-time writer but
looking back, she believes it was the best decision she ever made.
A self-confessed travel junkie, she now leads a happily nomadic life with her fauji husband
and livewire toddler.

The Review

The book as is evident from the blurb is about Kairavi Krishna, an urban, young woman's love life. She is 'done with men' apparently and has gotten the same phrase tattooed on her wrist. Anyone with a slight idea about human psychology can figure out that such a character is really sad and broken in her heart and the book too is also a story of how she might think so but is is definitely not 'done with men'. 

The book begins on predictable lines with a funny, mysterious air about it. There is the quintessential forgotten eventful night and the confusing repercussions to spice up the beginning. The novel begins to beg you to turn it into a movie script and pitch it to Saif Ali Khan's production house. Then there are the Anurag Kashyap moments when the author begins to pack a drama in the romcom. The pace slackens whenever the author takes the grim route but it is back up and next thing you know, you're chuckling at the quirkiness of the characters. 

The language is quite simple and lucid. The novel has no airs about itself and it is just a light, breezy read. I think it is going to be a hit with all the independent, strong women out there who are breaking stereotypes. To some, it might be a put off because Kairavi's is too rebellious a character and sometimes acts downright foolish. The book might soothe the ailing alter-egos of women who want to live life to the fullest. 

The cover art is quite beautifully done and the scenic beauty of Goan beaches and the free-spirited-ness of the character are beautifully captured. The fonts are easy on the eyes and the chapters are short and easy to browse. All in all, it is a popcorn romance with certain cliches but it is entertaining and the characters which are annoying turn out to be adorable at certain points. It is a slightly bitter, mostly sweet kind of story. I'd rate it with three stars out of 5.

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