Saturday 21 July 2012

Book Review - Chasing Pavements

Today's guest book review was written by a customer of Smashwords.com

Book: Chasing Pavements
Author: Neha Yazmin
Reviewer: Smashwords customer

"It was very stupid but it was also very true. Mukti was in love with him and she didn't even know his name." Introverted singer/songwriter Jamie is suffering from writer's block. Until he meets the mysterious Mukti. Suddenly, his creativity blossoms and he feels torn - he has to see her, but can he bare his tortured soul to her? But Mukti has her own secrets and is just as troubled as he is.


This first novel by Neha Yazmin was also my first ebook, and I'm glad as it made it easier to read wherever I was, since towards the middle of the book until the end I found it unputdownable. Not to say I didn't enjoy the start, especially the opening prologue.

The story is well told, and a relatively simple one of troubled boy meets troubled girl and how they struggle to overcome their respective pasts and dysfunctional families with the support of one another, but also causing them obstacles to really commit to finding one another. Of course it doesn't go so smoothly along the way and there are a few twists along the way! 

It is a story about love, friendship, family, music, life, destiny and soul mates. Two people who need each other to become their true self.

Neha has a way with descriptions that make the scenes really vivid. I loved the London setting, that London itself becomes a key character in the story. It would not have worked in any other setting!

The recurring themes also come full circle through the course of the book, which I found unfolded beautifully.

I also couldn't finish the review without mentioning the songs (the lead character is a singer!). I enjoyed them all, although in parts I did think there were maybe a few too many - but that in itself was central to the storyline, reflecting key insight into and reflection of the characters and their state of mind. A great mechanism to add to the story telling.

Finally my hidden gem was the QandA with the author at the end which was a nice surprise to allow us to share Neha's experience of writing her first novel.

I look forward to reading some of Neha's other work but hope I don't have to wait too long!