Having bought the book on the recommendation of my regular book store guy, I was at first glance expecting a take on “Five Point someone” by Chetan Bhagat. While there are certain similarities, I have to admit the whole treatment and agenda in Above Average is different. Based in Mayur Vihar and IIT, Delhi the book takes you through the Engineering years of these students and a whole gamut of people connected to them. It is this entire network of relationships, friendships, competition and animosities that make it worth a read.
The East Delhi connection and narrative is very engaging although someone who has never lived in Delhi might not think so. I would say just look at it as any city with a corner cut out for the middle class Government and service class employees. It is the corner where they work hard at making a living and aspire to achieve all their dreams through their children. Amitabha Bagchi has brought out the middle class way of living at least in north India quite well. It is something a lot of readers would connect to.
The IIT environment has been done and then done some more by just one book and the movie that followed, yet here the author tries to take you away from the usual study related issues and try connecting to life outside of classes in one of India’s premier institutes. Bagchi has an uncanny way of finding humour in our daily lives and yet convey harsh realities that exist.
He has an easy way of flowing and connecting between different characters, situations and stories. Aridam and his various friends help you appreciate the craziness in the lives of youths today, addressing issues which are gender related, caste related, peer pressures and the compromises we are willing to make to succeed.
It is an easy read, leaves you thinking and has some special moments like the rock competition, the first kiss, typical desi Delhi humor. I would not call it a fantastic book but a book that if you chance upon is worth reading at least once.
Book title: Above Average
Author: Amitabha Bagchi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reviewer: Geetanjali Dogra
Availabe at : Amazon, Flipkart
