Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Book Review: His Drunken Wife by Sundari Venkatraman

The Plot:
It is said, that the greatest gift you can give someone is that of unconditional love and acceptance. This probably sums up the plot of Sundari Venkatraman’s second novella in the Marriages Made in India series, ‘His Drunken Wife’.   

The story:
The story revolves around Abhimanyu and Shikha, characters who we get a brief glimpse of in Sundari’s previous novel. Opposite poles Abhimanyu and Shikha are bound together in a marriage. What is merely an association of convenience for Shikha, is a bond of love for Abhi. He is perfection personified and she’s your wayward girl. The story traces how their paths come together and how Abhi gives her unconditional love and support, helping her overcome her fears and addiction, in spite of her couldn’t-care-less-attitude towards him and the marriage. What’s troubling Shikha? Why can she not bring herself to trust Abhi? How does Abhi manage to win her over? You will have to read the book to know more.

What I liked:
The story is very different from the fairy tale romances that Sundari is known to weave. As the title of the book implies, it touches upon the important aspect of addiction and how it can consume someone’s life completely. It also talks about how unconditional love is very important to help a loved one cope with addictions such as alcoholism. Abhimanyu as the endearing and patient husband is adorable and Shikha as the brash, drunken wife manages to elicit our empathy once we know why she is in such a miserable place.

What I would have liked:
I would have liked to know Abhi a little more in terms of why he is so obsessed with Shikha in spite of her not reciprocating his feelings, like what went into making Abhi the soft, understanding person that he is, his emotions when he is constantly rejected by her, etc. I would also have liked Abhi to have some flaws because it is very rare that someone can be so perfect.

Final words:
This book is sizzling hot in terms of the number of steamy scenes it has. The intimate scenes between the couple are vivid and sensuously described. In fact, I think this book is a notch higher in sensuality as compared to Sundari’s other books. Perfect for cozying up in the winters, His Drunken Wife, is a fast paced read. It’s a book that is in sync with the times because there are a lot of women who have unwittingly or willingly become victims of addictions and substance abuse even in a supposedly conservative country like India.
If you are looking for a quick, romantic read, this book is for you. 

The Blurb:
The badass Shikha is startled when the nerdy Abhimanyu proposes marriage. She loves... herself, and Abhimanyu doesn't figure on her list anywhere. For Abhimanyu, however, it was love at first sight when Shikha walked into RS Software, where the two of them work.

When Abhimanyu shows her that he just might be rich enough for her, a pleasantly surprised Shikha accepts his marriage proposal and moves into his swanky apartment. 

But it looks like the love is all from only Abhi’s side as Shikha continues to drink herself crazy. Yeah, even at their wedding party.

And then Abhi sets out on a honeymoon to Thailand with His Drunken Wife... 

*MARRIAGES MADE IN INDIA is a five-novella series that revolves around the characters you have met in The Runaway Bridegroom.

Title: His Drunken Wife
Author: Sundari Venkatraman
No of pages: 101
Genre: Romance

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