13 October 2012

Circle of Three by Rohit Gore


Happy Birthday Ria, Aryan, Ranasahab
In this book, three interesting characters, each in a difficult situation and very unhappy, find solace in each others’ company. All are privileged and very ‘today’, and all are writers.  Not only that but their horoscope for the week will always be identical, because they share a birthday. However, they cross generational and gender boundaries, and there's also substantial personality diversity. Some of the subsidiary characters were also quite appealing.
I didn’t care for the title but I did find Circle of Three easy to read, with a gripping plot, lifelike characters and relationships, and even a gratifying moral base. Rohit Gore is a good storyteller. This book is well constructed and I found the ending satisfying without being clichéd.
Books like this make me happy. Like most readers, a no-stress and engaging story is my primary reason to read. Second, I particularly appreciate a story which has recognizable characters and situations from our own environment – until quite recently Indians who read in English did not have that.  Can I dare to hope that fans of Chetan Bhagat will branch out and discover Rohit Gore, whose language is as simple but less affected, whose values and perceptions are straighter and more dignified?