I have never been a fan of popular Indian authors who are constantly in the limelight. Don’t get me wrong everyone has their own space but I prefer the lesser known authors who rightfully deserve a small pat on the back for the effort they put in.
Life is what you make it was an exception. Somehow the title kept resonating again and again until I could no longer hold myself. I picked it up with a bit of apprehension. What if it turns out to be another one of those routine romance stories? I decided to read it any way. The first thing that impressed me was the simple language. I have seen plots go haywire because of complex sentence structures but Preeti sticks to the keep it simple principle.
But what sets the book apart was Preeti’s attempt to explore the mental trauma of the protagonist. A lot of us tend to ignore mental illness. We never try to find out what’s wrong when someone is depressed. We all needed a Robin Williams to remind us that depression can be deadly. Preeti gives a bird’s eye view on how devastating Bi-polar disorder can be. It’s a common but rarely known disease. Hats off for presenting a complex disease in a language that connects with the masses.
My only regret was the book’s abrupt ending. A lot more space could have been given to the recovery process. Nevertheless it’s a good read for the message it tries to convey.
(This is not a review just an honest reader’s opinion. The first of many to come. I prefer to call it “An encouraging pat on the back”)
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