The Ex Factor: New-age Rom-com by Harini Srinivasan
My take on the book:
Oindrilla Roy (Oinks for her friends) who once ran away to Delhi to learn Korean language to forget her heartbreak, is now forced to work with the reason of her heartbreak, Vivek Rao, her classmate, and love from high school. When Oinks bumps multiple times into Vivek, little did she know that her next project assignment in the picturesque Shillong will bring back Vivek into her life.
More shocks await her in the form of her cousin Ankita and her best friend Sweety and her lover Ankita. Will Oinks be able to handle all the curveballs thrown at her all at once and will she able to rekindle the relationship that she always dreamt with Vivek forms the rest of the story.
The story in a light-hearted read concentrating more on the characters, their individual quirks and the humor created out of these situations than a solid plot. Oindrilla is the typical hard-working person at any workplace whom people can always depend on and the ever-obedient daughter to her parents. The most refreshing aspect of the narration is Oindrilla’s inner voice which says stuff that she never utters aloud owing to the image she maintains.
The first half is a breezy read with all the humor from Oinks interactions with her colleagues and her family. The second half is where the story takes a hit, as the narration drags, and the story lacks a proper direction. The twists also fail to impress in the second half especially towards the end. The fast-paced narration, quirky characters and humor are the plus points. A more engaging second half could have done wonders to this story that begins with a bang.
If contemporary urban stories that are lighthearted are your go to genre, then this book is sure to entertain you.
My rating:
3.5/5.