Yes, Life is What We Make it

   I don’t know if it is a mere coincidence or luck but it is happening with me. Last month, after a break of more than four months, I decided to go on reading spree. I picked up three books, taking them guaranteed for their similarity. But no, each one of them was unique, poles apart in subject matter. I have already written about two, here is third one, Life is What You Make it by Preeti Shenoy. I have been following her, reading reviews of her books but unable to read any, just because my wish list was already very long and then in between I kept picking books recommended by friends, social media etc. As she has written many books, I wasn’t sure for which one I should go. I followed a friend’s suggestion. And it was indeed a good one.  

Life is What you Make it begins like a usual, popular love story and just after a few pages I was sure how it was going to end. Nonetheless, I was enjoying it, as I love romantic novels, when suddenly it shattered my perspective and took hold over me by its narrative. I hadn’t expected such a sharp turn in the middle of the story. Of course, there is mention of mental illness in the prologue, but the way the story turned was beyond my imagination.

Life if full of surprises, no doubts about that. Tide may turn either way, it can take you in or it may throw you out. But once you are in, into the deep water, it’s all up to your courage and conviction, your ability to fight and to struggle, and your desire to keep yourself alive. And that is what happens with Ankita Sharma, the protagonist of the novel. She is a disciplined, obedient girl who wants to excel in life. But a small passage of love in her life changes the course of her life. Had only she listened to her inner voice, it could have been altogether a different story. But that what we call the destiny.

A sensitive issue has been dealt in the most sophisticated manner. It is a book that gives us hope: hope to survive, hope to struggle; how to be winner, how to find alternatives and above all hope to not to be hopeless. Also it warns us not to be blind to follow a race: race for materialistic life or for dreams or for wealth or for happiness. This is my conclusion as a reader, writer’s perspectives or yours may vary.  But it is a good book. The readers looking for an intense love story may face disappointment but those who just want to read a good story will certainly enjoy it.

Preeti Shenoy is author of many books. Apart from Life is What You Make It, her other books are 34 Bugglegums and Candies, Tea For Two and A Piece of Cake, The Secret Wish List and The One You Cannot Have, It Happens For a Reason, Why We Love The Way We Do and most recent one is It’s All in the Planets. She is also an artist and is based in Bangalore.