The three mistakes of my life – Chetan Bhagat

Three mistakes of my life by Chetan Bhagat is the third book by him after the much hyped Five Point Someone and One Night at Call Centre. Now I read and liked five point someone quite a lot because it had a flow, and moreover because I was in the first year at IITK and the life in the book was quite recognizable to me. On hearing such disparaging reviews about his second book I decided to avoid it but this time before embarking on a train journey I had a choice between reading his third book (other than that my pocket could afford no other book) or going on without any book. Well, I gave in to the temptation of possessing another book and bought it. And guess what? I read it too.

So how is the book? It is okay!! Seriously! Nothing great nothing so bad either. It has story which mixes everything that is happening in India: Cricket, business, love affair and politics. The narrative is simple. There is a falsity which is blantatly visible in the prologue but after that the story takes over and things become interesting. Young guys running a cricket shop when they find a cricketing prodigy and finally some herogiri. Good mix!
I would commend the originality at least and the unpretensious language. Sometimes, Indian authors are bent on showing their wealth of knowledge about the English vocabulary and leave the reader with unnecessary trappins of the language. But Bhagat is careful not to fall in this trap. Reasons could range from limited vocab to the awareness of the aim that the book has. Also, I appreciate the fact that the he has defined for himself the realm he is going to work in which is that of popular, Indianized, readable fiction and he is astoundingly successful in catering to that.

All I would like to say is that I am not regretting the loss of 95/- in buying this book and consider my choice of train time pass as a wise decision. A fully timepass read. Try if you want to.