Synopsis:
Is there an acid test to gauge the success of a relationship?
Is it right to carry on in an unhealthy relationship with no conjugal bliss, or look for an alternate path?
Rihana is an adventurous and free-spirited girl, until she marries Veer, an eligible bachelor who comes from a wealthy family. While they appear ‘happily married’, their strong personalities are at odds. Veer, for the most part, is insensitive to Rihana’s physical and emotional needs, straining the relationship and leaving her feeling incomplete.
Caught between the devil and the deep sea, Rihana has to now decide whether to walk out of her marriage and be a victim of society’s ridicule, or compromise on her physical needs, which for her are the foundation for a healthy marital bond.
Can they work out their differences? Will Veer give her what she desires, or push her to do something desperate and scandalous?
My review:
I know that one should never judge a book by its cover, but the minute I got my hands on the ‘The Deliberate Sinner’, I was intrigued. Was it its enticing name that nudged to finish the book overnight or maybe the gorgeous cover? I cannot say. All I know, that at the first glance, it seemed to be a promising read.
‘The Deliberate Sinner’ is the story of Rihanna, a free spirited girl who marries Veer. What is so unusual about it? For one, Rihanna is not like traditional Indian girls; she has a mind of her own. She tries to elope with Raj, someone she has fallen in love with right after her engagement, but he spurns her. She goes ahead and marries Veer, hoping to fall in love with him eventually. Upto this point, the book sounds like a cliché doesn’t it? The story of nearly every soap opera on Television? But what comes next will definitely surprise you.
Rihanna, instead of acting like a ‘good Indian wife’, chooses not to suppress her desires and wants. In fact she is quite vocal about it. But somewhere down the line, she is forced to keep quiet for the sake of her family. This does not go on for long, though. What does she do to get out of a loveless marriage? Does she get back to her old flame? You will have to read the book to find out.
One thing that I really dislike is when Indian authors try to give a very western name to their characters; it seems so fake! Imagine a girl from a conservative family born somewhere in the 90’s being named Rihanna. Highly unlikely, I believe. I loved Rihanna’s in laws; not your regular scheming variety. Overall, the plot is a little predictable, especially towards the end but it is an interesting, lazy afternoon read. Rihanna’s character gas been well thought out but one can anticipate her next move. There were a few errors here and there, but since it is Bhaavna’s first book, we can forgive her.
So are you planning to pick up this book soon? Would love to discuss it with you. J
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