Indian society has its own sort of problems, unique and bizarre. One of the reasons why Indian literature has to be read is because there’s no way you can know about those issues but by reading Indian literature.
Recently, I was given the opportunity to read and review an Indian book with a message- What Was My Fault. The book deals with a certain issue that often stays undiscussed in India. There are so many prejudices involved around the issue and real lives get affected by it.
However, it gets tough for me to explain the issue over here, for honestly, it will give away half of the plot. But I’ll try to put together my thoughts about this book – What Was My Fault by Aziz Padiwala.
About The Book – What Was My Fault
The author is currently based in Kuwait and works as a business development executive. What Was My Fault is his debut work in which he shares a real life experience and he shares it in hopes of helping somebody with this book.
The book features a man in his late twenties – Farhan, who makes a trip to India from Kuwait to attend a relative’s wedding. Farhan begins narrating his story from here onwards and gives hints of a painful past.
Farhan is a man who has been emotionally hurt and he has almost lost hope to find love in his life. But somehow, he comes across real love again but only to see his dreams shatter in a much worse way than before.
He struggles with deciding whether it is still his fault or should he just stop blaming himself all the time.
What I Think About What Was My Fault?
Honestly, the book is a very simply written story with a strong message.
When you begin with the book, you’ll admire the easy to understand and flowy writing. For a person who craves for an easy and quick read, What Was My Fault is a good option. It can be read in just one sitting. It’s short and good.
Farhan acts as a good narrator of the story and seems very unbiased. At times, you feel like the story is moving too fast or he’s being unrealistic but at the very next line, he tells you why is that so. He maintains the balance and the flow of the story very well.
The book has limited characters – the best friend, the lover and the mother. There are a few more characters added in for fun and they do their part well.
The main characters are also well put.
The best friend isn’t an overly intrusive person you usually see in books and movies. He has his own life but he cares for the friend as well.
The mother is just like any Indian mother – careful, possessive and loving.
The lover is somebody you have to decide what you think of her. But as far as character building goes, I believe it’s tough to make good characters in a short book. If a person does that successfully, which Aziz Padiwala does, he has all it takes to be a great writer.
The overall plot of the book is simple. Farhan begins his story with hints to his past, gets you curious about his past, keeps the present scene going at the same time and then both present and past meet. What happens next is for you to find out.
Honestly, I believe once you know what’s the theme of the book, you’ll appreciate it more. Almost the entire book seemed good to read but normal. That changes when you read the end of the book for you are touched and you admire that the author chose to write on this and just within a few pages, he puts your mind into deep realization and communication with yourself.
I still can’t stop thinking about the issue the author raised in the book. Well done!
My Final Thoughts
It’s a simple and short book. However, its theme makes it special. By the time you will reach the end, you will forget whatever flaws you may notice in the book and be absolutely happy about what you read. You’ll thank yourself for picking this book and giving yourself a fresh perspective on a much prevalent social issue in the country.
My ratings: 4/5 stars
