Homepage
Reviews

Book Review: When She Smiled by Ritoban Chakrabarti

Set among the scenic Shivalik hills of Shimla when mobile phones and internet were non-existent, this is a story of how an average young teenager comes to terms with his destiny.

When She Smiled is a perfect for a one day, light read and the narrative description of the content by the author is quite attractive. This ability would keep any reader interested into the book.

The plot revolves around Mrityunjoy Roy or Joy, a fifteen year old Bengali boy who has spent the last ten years of his life growing up in Shimla. While his family is completely academically oriented, he wants something more. Finally he meets Akanksha in school, who turns his world upside down with her gorgeous looks and mind-boggling smile. As fate would have it, she joins his Physics tuition, and thus begins the torrid year of puppy love, romance, heartbreak, tragedy, and self discovery.more

The book engulfs a lot of topics regarding teenage days of one’s life, relationship values to be learned at that age, and of course the scenic beauty that the author has tried to indulge in his own words which I found beatific.

The characterisation expressed in the book is surreal, it had a great affect on me. Creating imaginary puppets easily and elucidating them in one’s own is an idle component a reader look forwards too before picking any book and this book offers you that.

There are few nudges from Bollywood movies but it did not work out for me, though at the same time I understand the fact that one can be slightly influenced by Bollywood, grown up and living in India but I found that quite blunt.

It’s an impressive book, debut, and Ritoban certainly has potential. I am looking forward on reading his next work.

3 out of 5!

About the Author: Ritoban Chakrabarti

He is an entrepreneur who ran an internet marketing company for five years, before trying his hand at writing. His first novel, When She Smiled, a coming-of-age fiction released in 2014. He is an avid traveller, and believes in a life without boundaries.

View Comments

moosha23 says: January 26, 2015 at 12:25 AM This sounds brilliant (thumbs up for the diversity). Coming-of-age novels have some of the best (timeless) messages, I think. Look forward to reading this one day.
Aman(@amanhimself) says: January 26, 2015 at 9:10 AM I hope you enjoy reading it! Yeah, sometimes reading books which are not in your comfort zone, proves well.

This sounds brilliant (thumbs up for the diversity). Coming-of-age novels have some of the best (timeless) messages, I think. Look forward to reading this one day.

I hope you enjoy reading it! Yeah, sometimes reading books which are not in your comfort zone, proves well.

BOOK REVIEW: Elephants in the Room by Suraj Laxminarayanan What is a better crime fiction novel where a crime revolves around not the detective…
BOOK REVIEW: Unforeseen by Chandan Sen Gupta Cleverly woven plots are often a delight for me to read. There are many factors…
#BookReview: Dystopia by Manoj Jain With a peculiar cover Manoj Jain, this is his 5th book release. I have read some…

What is a better crime fiction novel where a crime revolves around not the detective…

Cleverly woven plots are often a delight for me to read. There are many factors…

With a peculiar cover Manoj Jain, this is his 5th book release. I have read some…

BOOK REVIEW: Elephants in the Room by Suraj Laxminarayanan

What is a better crime fiction novel where a crime revolves around not the detective who tries to fit pieces…

Book Reviews
Books

BOOK REVIEW: Unforeseen by Chandan Sen Gupta

Cleverly woven plots are often a delight for me to read. There are many factors why I like these type…

Book Reviews
Books
Fiction

#BookReview: Dystopia by Manoj Jain

With a peculiar cover Manoj Jain, this is his 5th book release. I have read some of his work in the…

Books

#BookReview: Influencer by Brittany Hennessy

Brittany Hennessy does a great job on writing a book about that targets Instagram as the platform to promote your…

Book Reviews
Books
Non-Fiction

#BookReview: How To Earn $10,000 While Learning To Code by Rob Percival

Learning how to code is a common asset these days for the interested ones. As a full-time software engineer and…

blog
Blogging Tips
Books

Ten Day Book Blog Posts Challenge #1

One of the hardest thing about blogging is consistently writing and publish blog posts and for that, you have to…

Book Review: When She Smiled by Ritoban Chakrabarti - Confessions of a Readaholic