A short, one- sit read, Ahmed straight ahead dives into the life of Akshay Mathur, an out of work editor of a defunct literary magazine in the UK. You won’t be able to recognize Akshay for book lacks the physical description, but you roll right into his life and enjoy the ride.
Akshay is in India to revamp an ailing publishing firm and polish his charms for getting back to London. The task at hand is not easy. Publishing scene in India is not what Akshay is used to. The benchmark set by the previous owner is attainable for its outdated and the world has changed. With comical characters making appearances, the book felt more of a stand-up comedy. A good one at that. There’s old Mr Samuel who doesn’t work in the company but comes to the office to not feel useless and leaves at 3. There’s Sudhir, the aggressive salesperson and some more fellows. Ahmed did not miss what most Indians look out for in the books, glamour, sex and drama.
Amidst all the drama of superstars, page 3 and politicians Bestseller is a laugh riot. Akshay’s snide remarks and sarcastic subtexts are what makes the book more relatable. The characters are not developed, and you don’t feel the need for it either. The story is fast paced and doesn’t bore you even for a second. It keeps you hooked from page one. There are a more than few unimaginable events that take place in the book but looking at the fun element they add to the plot, it’s easy to ignore them. One might be able to find one or two loopholes. They are forgivable. When something makes you laugh as much as Bestseller, you just focus on enjoying and easy writing.
The characters are all relatable and funny. Zorah’s smart and intelligent character betrays itself by being stupid at some point. Though it can be argued that, Love makes one stupid. There’s one moment where our hero tangled up in ridiculous situations does something good, and you feel proud.
It’s hard to come across books that make you laugh your heart out and authors who aren’t trying to sound extra smart just because its expected out of them. We might have been able to relate to it better for we belong to the same industry. Still, a terrific, wicked and engaging satire, Bestseller is a must-read.
You may buy the book here
