THE VIRGINS - BOOK REVIEW

Title : THE VIRGINS
Language : English
Author : Siddharth Tripathi
Genre : Fiction
Publisher : Fingerprint! Publishing ( 2013 )
ISBN-13 : 9788172344542
ISBN-10 : 8172344546
Binding : Paperback
Price : Rs. 250 ( Buy from Flipkart.com for Rs. 210/- ( 16% Off )
Pages : 320

The Book Summary : How does one become a man?
Three young boys are about to find out.
With six unmarried sisters and a perennially drunk father, Pinku, a 19-year-old school dropout, has only one dream left to marry the plump girl who caught him stealing flowerpots. His friend and confidant, 17-year-old Bhandu, is not faring any better his parents are divorcing, his father has abandoned him, and the American tourist he is infatuated with doesnt even know that he exists. Bhandu and Pinku seek solace in the distracting shenanigans of their friend Guggi a pampered rich brat who can do anything for a thrill. Guggis reckless hedonism lands the threesome in a series of sexpot escapades each adventure weirder than the one before.
But their seemingly innocuous joyride is about to end. With their Class 12 exams around the corner, Guggi, restless to leave a mark, takes over the schools notorious protection racket in a violent coup. The fallout drags the trio into a murky world of heartbreak, betrayal and bloody vengeance...
Highlights : Funny, action packed and tragicomic coming-of-age story about three friends who live in Varanasi. Easy-to-read, fast paced writing. Strong backdrop of Uttar Pradesh's student mafia and protection racket

My Point of View ( P.O.V ) : The bright yellow coloured cover of the book along with its character's silhouettes and some witty comments, the book gives an instant youthful and pleasant feel. You know somewhat already, what to expect inside. But only when you start reading, you actually discover that it offers so much more and will be pleasantly surprised. The title of the book may raise a few eyebrows ~ but the book is not all about 'that', so be assured.

The story is set in Benaras city with three young male protagonists ( all in their late teens ), on their way to becoming 'man'. The names of the characters are quite interesting too and as you read the book, you'll find their personality suiting their names a lot as well. The feel of the old city and its surroundings in the book is amazingly described and is quite vivid - you feel you are living the story right in Benaras. It also gives that unassuming, 'raw'ish feel which generally is the case with smaller cities/towns. The book gives a peek into Pinku, Bhandu and Guggi's rather in-the-face, unapologetic lives. They are the three friends, all coming from diverse family backgrounds ( and situations ), and are facing sometimes weird, sometimes funny and sometimes overwhelming circumstances in their lives, and how they land in various trouble or get out of it, is what the book is all about. The characters are kept very real and believable, which is one pointer I liked about the book the most i.e you as a reader, can relate to the book and its characters instantly. Nothing is forced, pretentious or artificial. There are also other minor characters in the book which adds to the story rather than wastes. A plus point again.

I don't want to reveal the story much, as only when you read you'll enjoy the journey more. A coming of age tale, told in a very fun, intriguing manner that'll keep you captivated. The end is well crafted too and will definitely leave the readers with a good feeling for sure. The story is such that the characters will stay in mind for long after, as well.




Positives : A feel good fresh book, that's sure to tickle the funny bones in you every now and then as you flip through its pages. Written in simple language, lucid style, easy flowing; the book is surely going to keep you entertained till its last page. Highly recommended if you like fun, witty reads.
Negatives : None!
Who will enjoy this? - Everyone!
Buy or Don’t Buy? – A Must Buy!

About the Author : Siddharth Tripathi was born in Allahabad and schooled in Banaras. He is a B.E from NIT Trichy and an MBA from MDI, Gurgaon. Siddharth currently lives in Gurgaon and works as a consultant for a business advisory firm. He also writes a blog on music and films. The Virgins is his first novel.


Our Rating Scale is : 1 to 5 = ◕◕◕ - I liked it!
This book is part of Reviewers Programme - The Tales Pensieve

---