Polemic Jackanapes#3: Complete [NOTE + BLOG LINK Pg69]3rd Jan - Page 46

I'm sad to see the story go, it was nice to have your PMs to look forward to. Thank you for those btw, they really made my day

Loved everything about this stry till end

I miss this story and your WA messages and PMs.

Sorry for the late comment...

I'll miss this story a lot... I cant believe it ended...

This being your first venture was indeed remarkable... with the simplicity in the story and a dash of reality... it was so relateable...

Each and every character was well -defined... each had their flaws but each one managed to shine and take a spot in the story... All the couples were indeed an integral part of the story... in the last chapter of the story I had missed Anjali and Shyam but they too made an appearance in the epilogue and completed it... it just felt like all missing pieces of the puzzle are now neatly interwoven..and it felt complete...

thought the Arhi fan in me wanted to read some Arnav and Khushi.. but I am happy to know that Arnav will be proposing soon...and I am so happy for Khushi and can just wish these two, the love and happiness and companionship all their life... Khushi inspires me... though she had a passion for writing she found love and peace in what she was doing... the Khushi in this story is just like her name... as for Arnav the points you mentioned in your note... I do agree that for the love of God I cant understand why I fell for the character in the first place... but if i get this version of Arnav, i will have no second thoughts... this Arnav is a keeper...

For Aakash and Payal... i felt it right on the part of Aakash to let go... and be happy for each other rather than being bitter... Payal the strongheaded & talented girl that she is, she is going to excel... and it does not feel wrong to me for having her concentrate on work rather than tied to a relationship... when all she has truly loved with all her heart is her work...

Glad that Anjali for once is thinking about her happiness and is not losing her individuality in a marriage... in marriages usually a person forgets their ownself, and it becomes a nightmare for them and the others... I hope men like Shyam get the good sense too...

For Garima and Shashi, i know they are indeed proud parents of two such beautiful girls..

Looking forward to your next tale... hope you do not keep us waiting for long 😊

Twiggy!! 🤗

First of all, congratulations on successfully finishing your first story. Now that you've had a taste of the same, let's see how long you're going to resist picking up that pen again :P

Strictly objectively speaking, you are one of the best writers I've come across on this forum. The fact that you chose a character driven story for your first venture as opposed to a plot driven one speaks for itself. And the highly efficient, understated yet confident way you executed it further cements it. PJ was a true slice of life of your unbelievably realistic characters without a conventional beginning or end. You wove their individual conflicts into the narrative in the most natural, undramatic manner possible and the effect it created on us readers was just sublime. I love your prose...it's simple, unpretentious, mature and restraint and so very modern. There is a lot I learnt from it...so thank you for that :)

I loved all your characters. They were all quintessentially human, each with their own unique set of idiosyncrasies, qualities and flaws.

Arnav: I really liked this Arnav and liked him for the best possible reason to like a person. His innate goodness.
A honest, upright, sensitive person who lacks self belief...loved the way you etched out his character with such finely nuanced strokes. You took us on a journey of his heart, from confusion to self discovery, from self doubt to belief, from restlessness to peace and it was a sublime, visceral experience.

Khushi: This is what I took from Khushi's story. Happiness does not lie in getting what you want or doing( professionally) what you've always dreamt of. We have to actively search for it, find it in whatever we get, in whatever we do. Which, of course, is easier said than done and often involves long drawn out battles against the the self created barriers in our mind.

I will come back later with my thoughts on Payal and Akash :)

I read the whole story in one go and I LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Loved how you have shown their relationship,Akash was very bold and strong in coming forward and ending the relationship and freeing her to go pursue her dreams.I wish i got Arnav proposing to Khushi.

waiting for another new one from you soon

I am here finally.
One more beautiful story from a friend comes to an end.. 😭

Arnav and Khushi - Arnav in PJ was one of my most favorite Arnavs ever! I would wish him as my son in law.. I loved Arnav and Khushi bond and their understanding and unconditional support apart from love for each other.
Just wish you had included the actual proposal and her response as well.

Payal and Akash - Something are not meant to be. And It's better that Akash told Payal upfront and they parted peacefully. It is sad but much better than hanging onto something which wont work and make both of them miserable. Their lives are also entwined due to Arnav and Khushi. So it's good that atleast they are on good terms rather than being bitter.

Shyam and Anjali- Now that was a pleasant surpise! Guys are dumb sometimes or they just pretend to be?? but finally Shyam had to wake up when Anjali decided about the tour and realized (or acknowledged??) that he had a gem of a wife. So happy for Anjali. Hope Shyam keeps his word.

Garima and Shashi- As persons and parents - they were ahead of time and still quite real. Being a parent myself I could easily identify myself the challenges they faced.

What was the word Khushi was trying to find out for crossword??

P.S- Despite my irregular commenting I am grateful that you were kind enough to mention me. Your comments used to be so wonderful and interesting (as good as the updates or sometimes more) that many of us felt compelled to push you into writing!

Abt title- I kind of think that a simpler title might have attracted more readers. Sometimes due to complex titles readers may feel discouraged or wrongly think the story would be too complicated or beyond them! Possible. Also majority may not have had the chance to read your comments on others' stories like us.

Since I am pretty unimaginative- I would go with the tilte suggested by Meera and Sandy- Crossroads

Finally thanks for sharing this story with us and see it through the end!

Do start something new Twigs!

Brilliant story...
I am not sure I liked the not so confident Arnav in the beginning but as I read the story further I just started liking Arnav more and more...
Lovely story
Thank you sharing it.

Awesome end to an awesome story.. Grounded epilogue just like the story... I loved it bas...

a great story...there were so many elements in it ...it was both mind crunching and exalerating...I will,come out clean here...I saw this story a long time back...but I was holding myself from reading it...I was waiting for my holidays ..atlast it came...but it saw the end to ure story...I am glad I got to read the whole thing in one go...this story is a must read for every arshi reader ..I learned so many things here...ure writing opened my to mind to many other things...which I used to usually avoid...keep,writing. ..be healthy and happy...happy holidays...God bless!!