The 3 mistakes of my life...

It was my first read of Chetan Bhagat... I had heard a lot about him and the hype surrounding his latest book - The 3 mistakes of my life... Sorry to say, but I do feel it was a mistake to read this book... Not to sound rude, but the book has a very negative and disappointing effect on you...

To start with, I found the author boisterous at times repeatedly trying to convey how intelligent he had been and his IIM degrees and stuff... Leaving that apart, the style of writing doesnt appeal to me... The author tries to be funny at numerous places, but in my opinion, humor has to be situational not imposing... He makes it very apparent that you are supposed to laugh at this sentence!

Lets get to the plot now... The biggest flaw in the book is that the protagonist is shown to be in grey shades - bordering at being negative... That just doesnt get along... The book has such weird episodes - totally going over the top... Can you imagine a tutor oiling the hair of his female student?? That too of his best friend's sister!! Totally pathetic... The explicit descriptions of their intimate moments is even more repulsive... The author must have had something in mind when spelling out slang so freely throughout the book - maybe its his idea of being cool or representing the youth! Sorry boss, but you have failed to produce a decent read... Certain parts of the book including the ones just mentioned almost make you feel nauseated...

The Gujrat riots have been highlited- maybe as an attempt to gain some credibility and touch the local reader's chord... But all in all - the book has a very dulling effect... Misery, deceit, sex - and add to it cricket - just a poor mix of all potentially winning ingredients...

The only saving soul of the book is the little kid Ali whose character has been brought up quite well... You start to love the kid and his innocence... Besides that, nothing much to remain in your memories...

Lastly, I still do not understand why the protagonist chose to write to Chetan Bhagat when he was dying, of all people! The book shows the love for cricket of the protagonist, his business instincts and "what not"... But nowhere did it ever mention that Govind read any books except Maths! Maybe they could have shown him as a fan of Bhagat thus justifying the plot... But here sadly, out of no where you find a dying Govind writing to a strage choice of person!

Hoping for a better book from the author next time...

i haven't read this book and i never planned to either.... it just doesn't sound like my idea of a good read.....

well yep i read d book and was fine...like yea it hs loop holes...but u knw d book is such tht u cn just chillax n read...so was fine for me :)

Liked your analysis of the book, made an enjoyable read. Don't think I'll read the book though.

To the topic starter: Now u made me more convinced to read the book 😆. I dont have any problem with the protagonist being gray/negative...infact my favourite fictional character is a murderer....BTW lets forget that. But i found ur analysis quiet nice to read. So i will give this book a try, so to understand what is really inside it. Thank You.

personely i liked the book and i cannot say it was pathetic in anyway and regarding the storyline its a true story, i mean its really happened so seeing it that way for real is better anyways chetan bhagat writes the stories which have really hpnd and i luved all three of his books they are simply amazing specially a night @ call center

I love Chetan bhagat, hez a teenagers author acc to me!

Well.....Respect your viewpoints...

I agree point blank that the 3rd book was nowhere upto the other two books.....So , firstly i'd say u choose the wrong book to get a know how about the writer's style of writing..!

This book is just riding on the success of the writer's last 2 books...

Next, the way u have taken this book to be.....I m sure you wouldnt like the other 2 books of his either....lol.....Coz sum of the points you disagree with present themselves in those books as well !!

Next, the guy wasnt a professional tutor.......he himself was a student........just taking tutions to earn a lil extra money.....and all those instances with his sister.....well.......it was the sister initiating all the crap.....lol....even i hated those parts a lot !!

Next about the character being grey to negative.........I think no human being is completely positive......Except in yash chopra movies and ekta kapoor's tulsi ,parvati crap.........No one is sooo goody goody...!!

If sumone hits you, u hit them right back without wasting a second......you dont wait to analyse the facts n reasons why they hit you........And u dont do gandhi giri and show them your other cheek ,so that they can hit you again.... So no one is positive....As they say, its human to make mistakes....And to bring to your notice........The title of the book is - "The three mistakes of my life"........U can hardly expect the protagonist to be a hunky-dory and a good boy...!!

All said and done, the book emphasised too much on cricket and went overboard and unreal during all that "visiting the australian team"...."taking that muslim boy to australia"...."all that killing during the fights"...it was just gory !!

I didnt like the book for sure........But just that I dont think its important for the protagonist to be all "goody-goody".....Thats the only point i found in disagreement with to your review.....!

To people who havent read the book - "Dont bother.......If u are new to the writer then readind "Five point sumone " or "A night at the call centre" would be a much better bargain and to people who are acquainted to the writer........u wont be impressed this time....!!

Frankly the book is too overhyped for its own good !!