Book Review: Revolution 2020 by Chetan Bhagat

Goodread's Review:

Once upon a time, in small-town India, there lived two intelligent boys.
One wanted to use his intelligence to make money.
One wanted to use his intelligence to create a revolution.
The problem was, they both loved the same girl.

Welcome to Revolution 2020. A story about childhood friends Gopal, Raghav and Aarti who struggle to find success and love in Varanasi. However, it isn't easy to achieve this in an unfair society that rewards the corrupt. As Gopal gives in to the system, and Raghav fights it, who will win?

Published: 2011
Author: Chetan Bhagat
Pages: 296
Genre: Contemporary, Asian Literature 
My rating: 4/5

I loved this book. I loved everything about it. The story is being told by a person whose point of view is changed by life itself and he does not do all good things. But somehow when you are reading it and even when he is handing out bribes to get the work done, he becomes the hero. I realized that being the narrative helps the character share their point of view, justifying their actions.

The main theme of the book was grate. I loved how Gopal struggles to fulfill the wishes of his father and become a big man. I also loved how his only goal was to make money. Ordinarily, I would have thought that that is very materialistic. But I was like, he does not have money to eat. He is right to set that goal. Gopal takes things into his own hands and decides that life will not give him anything by doing the right thing, so he decided how to get everything himself. Screw life. And I agree. 

But somehow, in between this great battle of earning money and being with the girl Aarti, he has loved all his life, he loses himself. He loses what made him, him. Raghav makes him realize what he has lost. And he somehow tries to make things right. He gives the most important thing in his life, which I have to say, I could not have done that. 

I loved the controversy between him and Raghav. Gopal is bribing and doing what everyone else does and Raghav wants to change that exact system. I loved how Gopal asks the writer at the end whether he thinks he is a good man. I mean, the man gave up his most priceless thing and still isn't sure of his goodness.

P.S. I LOVE the cover of this book. The colour combination is so awesome. I have been drooling over it since its been in my hands.

...SAP...

Book Review: Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat

From Goodreads:

Set in IIT, in the early '90s, Five Point Someone portrays the lives of the protagonist Hari and his two friends Ryan and Alok. It explores the darker side of IIT, one in which students- having worked for years to make it into the institute-struggle to maintain their grades, keep their friends and have some kind of life outside studies.

Funny, dark and non-stop, Five Point Someone is the story of three friends whose measly five-point something GPAs come in the way of everything-their friendship, their love life, their future. Will they make it?

Published: April, 2006
Author: Chetan Bhagat
Pages: 267
My Rating: 3.5
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Asian Literature

First of all, the concept was right up to my alley. It felt really good to read what I have felt studying in the system for the past four years. The concept was how the education system of IIT in India is all about rot learning and using your memory not your brain to study. That is exactly what happens in the Pakistani system as well. I am not saying its bad, I am saying, its not something I adjusted well to. That is one of the reasons I decided to do ACCA and not go back into the system to do medicine.

I loved the friendship between the three guys. Usually the guy friendships are very easy but not in this story. Friendship is the one thing that does not require any kind of label with you. It does not matter whether you are rich or poor or a failure. You are a friend. That is all matters. Which is exactly what this story was about.

I loved Ryan's struggle with the system he was studying in. Because that is exactly what I felt in the past two years of my studies. And I did mess up my life. Like Bhagat says' "Life screws you over just when you have figured it out." All the three friends had different problems which they did solve with their own point of view.

All in all, it was a refreshing read which really tallied with the life that Pakistanis and Indians live as students.

...SAP...