My review of Rohit Gore's 'Circle of three'

One word to describe Rohit Gore’s ‘Circle of Three’ is AWESOME.

“Ria was certain that two events would take place. The coffee she had put on the gas flame would boil over, and she would kill herself” – The book takes off with a bang from this starting line.

 “Circle of three’ is a story of three individuals, three totally different individuals who have one thing in common – frustration at life. They get involved with each other by a string of coincidences, and the events that follow change their lives forever. Rana, the old author who is long forgotten by people as well as his family, Ria, a young script writer whose life has been turned topsy turvy by an accident and some shocking revelations, and Aryan, who is yet to know what having a loving family means, form the three pillars of “Circle of three’. The author has beautifully sketched each character, and each character sketch remains true to itself till the end. Even though this is not a mystery or a suspense thriller, you keep on turning pages to know what is going to happen next. The narration keeps changing the point of view from Rana to Ria to Aryan, letting us know what each and every event happening has what impact on each of them. The story might sound a bit depressing but the author’s way of writing is beautiful. He has written some sentences in such a way that they make you laugh, or if not, they at least bring a smile to your face. I really laughed at the part of ‘Have a sherbet or something harder in the kitchen’. The supporting characters are also great and they also play vital role in the plot. Anju, Sheila Khosla, Vinny, Nina, Sakhumai – all are lovable for what they are. The story doesn’t just entertain you; it teaches you certain things. Rana’s transformation from a snob old drunkard who feeds on family money to a mature writer who is redeeming his identity, Aryan’s transformation from a neglected geeky boy who doesn’t know how to dress and is bullied constantly into a confident young boy who can make friends, and Ria’s transformation from the suicidal cheated widow angry with the world to a sane woman who can forgive and forget, seems natural along with the flow of the story. This is one of those books that keep you thinking about it for a long time after you have finished reading it. One minus point is probably the length of the novel; it sometimes gets a bit slow. Another is though Ria’s character has been nicely described, more emphasis seems to be given on Rana’s character. More of Ria’s psychology could have been good, but over all its an enthralling and engaging read.

I would rate it 4.5/5

P.S. I also appreciate the fact that the author has dedicated the book to his wife!