The Secret Wishlist - Preeti Shenoy
Genre - Fiction
Price - Rs.175/-
Pages - 256
Publishers - Westland
Publishing Year - 2012
ISBN - 978-93-82618-18-8
Author - Preeti Shenoy is a bestselling author and artist.She has several academic qualifications, but believes life is the biggest teacher. She is an avid blogger, poet, nature lover and yoga buff. She loves playing basketball, travelling and spending time with her family and her dog. Preeti Shenoy is currently based in Bangalore, India. To know more about her go to preetishenoy.com.
Previous books: 34 candies and bubblegums, Life is what you make it, Tea for two and a piece of cake.
Synopsis - Does true love really exist or is it just a cliche? Can a single kiss really change your life?
At sixteen, Diksha like any girl her age, finds her life revolving around school, boys and endless hours of fun with her best friend. But one day, all that changes.
What starts as an innocent crush explodes into something far beyond her control. Eighteen years later, she finds herself at the crossroads of life. Urged by a twist of events, a wish list is born. But can a wish list help her piece back her life together? Will she succumb to the tangled mess of an extramarital relationship? Once again, Preeti Shenoy brings an extraordinary story that tugs at the heartstrings, with insight and wisdom, as she explores the delicate matters of the heart.
The Secret Wish List is a captivating, engrossing, racy tale about following your heart, chasing your dreams and the meaning of friendship.
Behind the book: Live life, don't just survive. Live it for yourself in your way.
Me thinks: Preeti's novel have always had the same presence as she herself have. Just like her bright smiling face her books brings energy and happiness around. Her book might not create a magical web around you but would surely make you realize the presence of magic in your own daily life. Through all her previous books Preeti has made a spot as a beautiful story teller who weaves the realities and fiction in a way that it's hard to tell a difference, her closer to reality characters which she defines so well that it will make you smile and think "that's so like me or that's so like some person that you know", She deals with the matter of hearts with utmost tenderness and leaves you thinking and believing for something better, She reflects the true spirit of life through her writing and she did not fail to do so in this book either.
The story beautifully weaves around a sweet love story, A life-long punishment, A to-die-for friendship, the importance relationships and their warmness in life, the beauty of motherhood and also the mystified journey of a woman to get our of her long accepted cocoon, towards a life she wants to live, towards the love she wants to feel.
In "The Secret Wishlist", Diksha as the protagonist is introduced as a typical indian girl trapped in the clutches of a loveless marriage which seems like a very typical Indian household story, The story slowly unfolds as the reason of her present being comes into light and leads to the phase where an encounter with mortality of human life because of her closest cousin Vibha's husband's death makes her realize the futility of her own life and when she finally dwell upon her "secret wishes" in life.
It was one such moment where the God is willing to give from both his hands and say Amen to every wish made, when Diksha makes her "secret wishlist" and after that night, life never becomes the same for her.
"The secret wishlist" would surely make you dip in the ocean of thoughts, will carry you swiftly to the beauty of maldives and the ugliness of a loveless relationship. It'll make you flinch and will make you smile and most of all it will make you think about YOUR secret desires.
For me, the best novel is one which takes me to a place I have never been to and makes me search my heart for thoughts i never did and "the secret wishlist" dint disappoint me even a bit.
It's plain, simple and a lovely getaway for a beautiful weekend morning in the balcony with a warm cup of coffee.
Krsta recommends this book to anyone who admires life, love,friends, happiness & dreams and anyone who is yet to spread his wings.
"In the ocean of our life, we all have those bottled up wishes floating all the while, all we gotta do is to pick it up, bring out our secret wishes our and live them, Because life is too long to have 'what ifs' and 'regrets' and too short to live, love and be happy"
Concluding Note: This book made me think and discover a lot. In the book all that was needed was to make a step, to make a wish because 'you never know which falling star might hear your wish', maybe it's just a matter of a step ahead to have a life we want to have.
P.S. The empty wishlist on the last page of the book is one awesome thing because you'd surely need one after reading the book, I am already writing my own list. ;)
Ratings: 4.5/5
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| Stewie is SO excited! |
Ahem, so Krsta who happens to be an adorable friend of mine, really wanted me to read The Secret Wishlist! And seeing the number of books I read *Cough* None *Cough*, I seized the chance happily. This is a second Preeti Shenoy work that I have read, first being Tea for Two and A Piece of Cake, which was an emotional ride for me. I was skeptical at first, but then I dived right in. Books teach you to be non judgmental, don't they?
The story is of Diksha (I will call her D), a 34 years old woman, dissatisfied and hurt by her husband's indifference, who treats her like a paid slave. D, who had been pushed into this life of subservience and solitude, by her parents when she was 19 - has her own reasons to submit to this life. She was "caught" by her brother Rohan and best friend Tanu, while she was about to have a moment with her senior and brother's friend Ankit, when she was 16! Preeti has really captured the narrow thinking of parents who sometimes, pay more heed to society than their own children and this is what ruined D's teenage. Now, after almost 15 years, D still battles with the past and has not really known love that she rightly deserves.
A tragic mishap with her cousin Vibha, makes D take a new look at her own life. With her little son Abhay (who is barely 9 and really adorable!!!) for support and Vibha to push her, our lady D enrolls in a dance studio where the uber hot Gaurav teaches Salsa (and later becomes her very good friend). Rekindling the romance she had with dance, D starts loving little things of her life, except her husband. She also discovers a mother in her Mother-in-Law who supports Diksha in her endeavors. And when D thought things were finally going her way, her husband drags her out before everyone and humiliates her publicly. Preeti also takes on the issue of marital rape which is the harsh reality of our society. Going through so much humiliation from her husband and estranged family, Diksha finally takes a stand in her life, fulfilling her dreams on her Secret Wishlist.
A feel-good read and much fast paced than her previous book. Though, I personally adore Preeti's work, I felt that at some places in the book, she could have left out certain details and emphasized on the issues that really flouted Diksha's existence as a woman. However, if you need a quick fix of Sunshine in the bottle, do pick this one up! My rating: 4/5!
Sounds like you really liked it!
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of Preeti Shenoy before but she seems pretty interesting...And Krsta,please tag your posts so I can comfortably stalk you through your earlier reviews.:)
This looks good. I might actually read her completely this time. Couldn't finish her last two books. Third time lucky maybe?
ReplyDeleteTalitha - i certainly did and this is my first review :)
ReplyDeleteAdmin - Thank you. I would really want you to read it.
Krsta n MSM both ur reviews r delightful! I might actually give this a read. Happy New Year to u too! :)
ReplyDeleteI read Preeti's first book and liked it. that was about 3 year back. Never got to read her again, but this I am not missing. A trip to Daryaganj awaits and hope i get this book there :)
ReplyDeletelol. welcome back MSM. Your reviews make me laugh.
ReplyDeleteYou should read more often you know. We hardly get to see u here. or otherwise.
Nevertheless, about the book, as I said in my previous comment to Krsta, i might pick it up this time
Thanks for the heads up! This is the book I pick up next :)
ReplyDeleteI read Tea for 2 and a piece of cake last year, and it was good read. You guys speak good things of it, and rate it good too. Thinking of picking it up sometime. :)
ReplyDelete