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Snapshots
Death, infidelity, incest, rape, lies and the evil that lurks beneath the everyday lives of people form the substance of Snapshots, Shobha De's explosive new novel.
As the wine and conversation begin to flow at a reunion between six women, who were
As the wine and conversation begin to flow at a reunion between six women, who were
225 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 1995
6 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Shobhaa Dé
61 books153 followersShobha Rajadhyaksha known as Shobhaa Dé is an Indian columnist and novelist. She graduated from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai with a degree in psychology. After making her name as a model, she began a career in journalism in 1970, during the course of which she founded and edited three magazines – Stardust, Society, and Celebrity.
In the 1980s, she contributed to the Sunday magazine section of the Times of India. In her columns, she used to explore the socialite life in Bombay lifestyles of the celebrities. At present, she is a freelance writer and columnist for several newspapers and magazines.
De is married to Dilip De, her second husband and they have six children from their first marriages. She lives in Cuffe Parade, Mumbai.
In the 1980s, she contributed to the Sunday magazine section of the Times of India. In her columns, she used to explore the socialite life in Bombay lifestyles of the celebrities. At present, she is a freelance writer and columnist for several newspapers and magazines.
De is married to Dilip De, her second husband and they have six children from their first marriages. She lives in Cuffe Parade, Mumbai.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 1, 2016
You women performed so in character, so predictably, it was pathetic.
The perverse pleasure one gets from trouncing one-star material assuages a little the readerly rage burning inside you for having wasted your time. Granted, it's not very cathartic but it unburdens the heart and makes you feel a littlebitter better. But this novel was such a bad cliché that I am at a loss for words to pound it. I guess it's books like this that over time have cemented all the clichés we've come to learn of. But the author can't really be faulted. She takes her cue from the trash pile published year after year with kitschy covers to keep the plebs entertained in their own language, revelling in all its degradation [eg: no sex without rape sorta erotica] which also appears to be popular among women writers and readers. You wouldn't ask for proof when you have E.L. James still churn out rehash after rehash of the opening title would you...
But social concerns for another time. A couple of erotic scenes, especially the one in which the New York-returned brother-in-law masturbates the bhabi from beneath the table alternately with his big toe and the flat of the heel sent spittly giggles out of my mouth. This and the rest was standard fare and boring: copulating in the elevator (a few vigorous dips in the Ganga flowing upstream and he was done), fornicating in the back of the car at nighttime, doing it in the loo, anywhere and everywhere. Perhaps I missed the washing-machine and a public shag. I just skimmed-read the second half.
To relate the story of the discovery of a foxed, edgeworn and dampstained thing and the inopportune moment in which I picked it would be a waste of time. This is about six thirty-something women trying to undress each other, literally in this case. Old love triangles, underage sex rebellions, disappointments, jealousies, betrayals, secrets - everything is poured out along with the scotch. Star Plus meets desi gossip erotica!
I understand Shobhaa Dé is popular with Indian romance/erotica crowd. I don't know anything about her besides this novel so apologies if I get something wrong. The little I have read on interweb about her "taboo-breaking," "sexually-liberated" women characters found only a whimper of an echo in this story. Well, they do a good job of butchering the established conservstive morality but nothing beyond that; and I really doubt strong liberated women allow themselves to be humiliated every other night by cock-wielding machismo.
Some gems to seal it off:
- [Girl A to Girl B:] You need a real man, a real man, a real fuck. You need pain.
- Mediocre women use sex as bait. It was the shrewd ones who used their brains.
- Rashmi's hand flew to adjust her sari pallav. 'Oh quit your bullshit...' But it was obvious she was immensely pleased. [sometimes No does not mean No?]
- It's all in the genes. Some fuck. Some don't. Too much estrogen or something.
- Every woman longs for...I don't know what.
- Even ravishing superstars suffered a sexless existence, Reema had comforted herself as she read the gossip magazine, timing each line with her husband's snores.
- Ravi discharged his husbandly obligation - literally. [Perhaps Ravi should have ejaculated only metaphorically]
- 'You Indian women! Just how the hell is a horny man in a hurry supposed to get his hands on a female wearing yards and yards of stuff? Get these bloody things off, I can't wait.'
- 'Fear is key,' he'd joked, unzipping his fly. 'The best sex is tension-sex.'
- 'Listen you horny little bitch, I can't bear it any more. I smell you everywhere and it's driving me crazy. What is that you exude? Whatever it might be, consider bottling and selling it worldwide - you'd make a fucking fortune. Call it "SEX" - straight and simple.'
The perverse pleasure one gets from trouncing one-star material assuages a little the readerly rage burning inside you for having wasted your time. Granted, it's not very cathartic but it unburdens the heart and makes you feel a little
But social concerns for another time. A couple of erotic scenes, especially the one in which the New York-returned brother-in-law masturbates the bhabi from beneath the table alternately with his big toe and the flat of the heel sent spittly giggles out of my mouth. This and the rest was standard fare and boring: copulating in the elevator (a few vigorous dips in the Ganga flowing upstream and he was done), fornicating in the back of the car at nighttime, doing it in the loo, anywhere and everywhere. Perhaps I missed the washing-machine and a public shag. I just skimmed-read the second half.
To relate the story of the discovery of a foxed, edgeworn and dampstained thing and the inopportune moment in which I picked it would be a waste of time. This is about six thirty-something women trying to undress each other, literally in this case. Old love triangles, underage sex rebellions, disappointments, jealousies, betrayals, secrets - everything is poured out along with the scotch. Star Plus meets desi gossip erotica!
I understand Shobhaa Dé is popular with Indian romance/erotica crowd. I don't know anything about her besides this novel so apologies if I get something wrong. The little I have read on interweb about her "taboo-breaking," "sexually-liberated" women characters found only a whimper of an echo in this story. Well, they do a good job of butchering the established conservstive morality but nothing beyond that; and I really doubt strong liberated women allow themselves to be humiliated every other night by cock-wielding machismo.
Some gems to seal it off:
- [Girl A to Girl B:] You need a real man, a real man, a real fuck. You need pain.
- Mediocre women use sex as bait. It was the shrewd ones who used their brains.
- Rashmi's hand flew to adjust her sari pallav. 'Oh quit your bullshit...' But it was obvious she was immensely pleased. [sometimes No does not mean No?]
- It's all in the genes. Some fuck. Some don't. Too much estrogen or something.
- Every woman longs for...I don't know what.
- Even ravishing superstars suffered a sexless existence, Reema had comforted herself as she read the gossip magazine, timing each line with her husband's snores.
- Ravi discharged his husbandly obligation - literally. [Perhaps Ravi should have ejaculated only metaphorically]
- 'You Indian women! Just how the hell is a horny man in a hurry supposed to get his hands on a female wearing yards and yards of stuff? Get these bloody things off, I can't wait.'
- 'Fear is key,' he'd joked, unzipping his fly. 'The best sex is tension-sex.'
- 'Listen you horny little bitch, I can't bear it any more. I smell you everywhere and it's driving me crazy. What is that you exude? Whatever it might be, consider bottling and selling it worldwide - you'd make a fucking fortune. Call it "SEX" - straight and simple.'
September 5, 2016
I only read this because I was slightly drunk
Shobhaa De is a horrible human being and an atrocious writer. She is pretentious, annoying, and just bad. Her writing style relies on one mantra, which is "sex sells". Put six sexually frustrated woman in a room (or a book, as one does), and ramble on and on about their various sexcapades, or lack of it for 300 pages. Interject your book with some florid words here and there, because you know, you're so fucking smart. De tries to make her characters flawed, because of course that's how she tries to show off how smart and deep and profound she is. There's a catch, there, Shobhaa, make your characters too "flawed", and we'll hate them.
Career woman Aparna, who cannot make up her scarlet-woman brain about any fucking thing in life. Her whole life is a game of "he loves me, he loves me not", and goodness knows how many dandelions have died in the bargain. She's unsure about whether she's career-oriented, she constantly contradicts herself when she talks about her ex-husband's sexual prowess - make up your mind, Aparna, it's seriously not that hard, despite the obvious brain damage you seem to suffer each time you stick a dick up your... I'm all for sexually independent, career-oriented women; De just tries too hard to make us like Aps, and I'm sorry, but I can't. Aps is an amalgamation of every pseudo-intellectual trait that I hate. She's also kind of a bitch. She is condescending and disdainful about every person she knows. I don't think she'd like Mother Theresa, even, as a friend. I'm sorry you're so perfect for this world, Aparna. Let me sit here and serenade you with the world's tiniest violin, while you tell me exactly why everyone you know is an asshole. Maybe afterwards, we can brush each other's hair. Rashmi, the artsy, fiery actress, single mother, and fuck buddy extraordinaire. A woman who cannot maintain a house to save her life, and has probably had more men between her sheets than my friends and I put together. I don't know why De has to portray "independent career women" in such a vile, perverse manner. Rashmi tries to be a good mother, a good lover, she just keeps trying and trying till the end of the fucking world. She also swears like a sailor. Not that I have a problem with swearing, but the repetitiveness of it gets to me. She's also "single", and instead of embracing it, as one would, she panders to the public opinion by concluding that she feels incomplete in life because she hath no man. No matter that she finds it difficult to keep a roof over her head and her son's, her concern is that she's going to die alone. God save me. I didn't hate her with unadulterated passion, so maybe that's a good thing. Surekha, a quintessential housewife by day, and closet lesbian by night. Put down immensely by her family and scared of her own shadow. She's docile and completely under the thumb of her husband and his mother. She is also "fat", because nice girls who get married at a young age and have to live as housewives end up getting fat. Or at least, that's what De seems to believe. Reema, a hypocritical, snivelling "housewife" whose days revolve around her health club friends, her kitty party friends, and other socialite friends. Reema married rich, and now lives an enviable life with her sexually unattractive husband and her fifteen year-old daughter. She also has a torrid affair with her brother-in-law, complete with clandestine meetings in seedy motels and multiple orgasms under the dinner table. Thank you, Ms. De for ruining both food and sex for me. She also chastises Aps for having an affair with a married man, because what she is doing is so, so different, of course. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! I very strongly dislike people whose lives revolve around pleasing other people, and Reema seems to have built her entire fucking reputation around this. I'm sorry you're so rich Reema. Noor, silent, incestuous, and I'm positive, schizophrenic, and probably mentally retarded. She was also the most reasonable character in this clusterfuck. Gifted with some weird form of sixth sense, she could see through everyone. She was alright, Noor was. Swati, the piece-de-resistance. De tries so hard to make everyone hate Swati, the effects of this attempt are laughable. She's supposed to be this entitled, two-faced bitch that only cares about herself, but strangely enough, De tries to focus on her "good side" also. The structure of Swati's past goes in the format: Swati does something nice, she immediately does something bad, then she does something nice again, but for the purposes of this story, she's a bad person, you ken? Basically, she's actually a bad person, but she's a good person. Swati is stunning, apparently, and has the world and its mother under her spell. This is despite every character hating her, and being able to see through her, or at least claiming to be able to do so. And yet, she plays them like a fiddle. She's able to manipulate people into doing anything she wants, from the looks of it. I mean, really, I believe that the rest of the characters are as dumb as rocks, because seriously, the woman is vile.
De's female characters essentially fall into two categories. There's the sexually liberated, strong-minded independent women, and the plain, family-oriented women. Another problem with her writing is that everything her characters say or do contradicts their previous sayings and doings. Aps initially says her husband wasn't sexually wild, then goes on to state examples of their wild love-making, reminiscing about it. Rashmi says she wants a man, then she says she wants men only for sex, then she says she wants companionship, but finally concludes by saying she fucks around because she only wants sex. Swati at least is clear about her stance on men. The latter category of women also have their fair share of sexual experiences; there's Reema fucking her rakish brother-in-law, Noor fucking her brother (and not seeing anything wrong with it), and Surekha being a closeted lesbian. My problem is that the sex scenes mentioned by De are repetitive and boring. Merely using words like "multiple orgasms" doesn't make it oh-la-la steamy. Every "rakishly attractive man" removes his lover's panties with his feet under the dinner table and climaxes her with his big toe, and no one around them ever finds out. De has clearly never heard of UTI. There's also multiple elevator sex scenes. Even the scenes where sex is described as boring, are repetitive. Both Reema and Surekha describe exactly the same routine while talking about monotonous sex with their husbands. Every De leading man is the same: a horrible human being. Someone who has no qualms about cheating, and uses sex as a tool. Someone who hates children, and deserts their woman as soon as the going gets tough. Someone that everyone finds deplorable, and not handsome, and yet, also finds attractive at the same time. Someone who's not intelligent, ambitious, nice, kind, or even, hot, or good in bed. Someone who's so average, it makes me want to weep. But someone so pompous and full of himself, every woman wants to be with him. What kind of people do you socialise with, Ms. De? They sound like horrible people. Oh, wait, you're a horrible person too, it all makes sense now. All parents of the protagonists are also the same: cold and unfeeling. They fuck up their children by either not giving them anything at all, or by giving them everything they need. Basically, De's talent is to alienate every single character from her readers, just as her insipid Tweets and articles alienate her from the general public. She's an utter and complete bitch who needs to take up creative writing classes. Also, p'raps, sex ed classes. It saddens me that she is at the pinnacle of contemporary Indian literature. She claims to be an intellectual and "forward-thinking", but this missive is filled to the brim with conservative stereotypes and examples of why men are always superior to women. It's essentially crap masquerading as actual literature. Much like Ms. De is a bimbo passing off as an "intellectual", at least trying to.
Verdict: No matter how drunk you are, do not read Shobhaa De. She'll fill you with absolute loathing for the human race and disdain for the future of literature. Don't read her if you're paid to. I would gladly subject myself to reading Fifty Shades every day for the rest of my life if that convinces someone to annihilate her. I would burn this book, but it's a library copy, and I wouldn't pay to replace something as abysmal as this. If I have to read the word 'laconically' ever again in my life, so help me god.
If you would like to know more about the wonderful things Ms. De does with her free time, here are are some interesting links.
http://indianexpress.com/article/tren...
http://archives.deccanchronicle.com/1...
http://indianexpress.com/article/tren...
Shobhaa De is basically just someone who seeks attention in order to stay relevant.
Shobhaa De is a horrible human being and an atrocious writer. She is pretentious, annoying, and just bad. Her writing style relies on one mantra, which is "sex sells". Put six sexually frustrated woman in a room (or a book, as one does), and ramble on and on about their various sexcapades, or lack of it for 300 pages. Interject your book with some florid words here and there, because you know, you're so fucking smart. De tries to make her characters flawed, because of course that's how she tries to show off how smart and deep and profound she is. There's a catch, there, Shobhaa, make your characters too "flawed", and we'll hate them.
Career woman Aparna, who cannot make up her scarlet-woman brain about any fucking thing in life. Her whole life is a game of "he loves me, he loves me not", and goodness knows how many dandelions have died in the bargain. She's unsure about whether she's career-oriented, she constantly contradicts herself when she talks about her ex-husband's sexual prowess - make up your mind, Aparna, it's seriously not that hard, despite the obvious brain damage you seem to suffer each time you stick a dick up your... I'm all for sexually independent, career-oriented women; De just tries too hard to make us like Aps, and I'm sorry, but I can't. Aps is an amalgamation of every pseudo-intellectual trait that I hate. She's also kind of a bitch. She is condescending and disdainful about every person she knows. I don't think she'd like Mother Theresa, even, as a friend. I'm sorry you're so perfect for this world, Aparna. Let me sit here and serenade you with the world's tiniest violin, while you tell me exactly why everyone you know is an asshole. Maybe afterwards, we can brush each other's hair. Rashmi, the artsy, fiery actress, single mother, and fuck buddy extraordinaire. A woman who cannot maintain a house to save her life, and has probably had more men between her sheets than my friends and I put together. I don't know why De has to portray "independent career women" in such a vile, perverse manner. Rashmi tries to be a good mother, a good lover, she just keeps trying and trying till the end of the fucking world. She also swears like a sailor. Not that I have a problem with swearing, but the repetitiveness of it gets to me. She's also "single", and instead of embracing it, as one would, she panders to the public opinion by concluding that she feels incomplete in life because she hath no man. No matter that she finds it difficult to keep a roof over her head and her son's, her concern is that she's going to die alone. God save me. I didn't hate her with unadulterated passion, so maybe that's a good thing. Surekha, a quintessential housewife by day, and closet lesbian by night. Put down immensely by her family and scared of her own shadow. She's docile and completely under the thumb of her husband and his mother. She is also "fat", because nice girls who get married at a young age and have to live as housewives end up getting fat. Or at least, that's what De seems to believe. Reema, a hypocritical, snivelling "housewife" whose days revolve around her health club friends, her kitty party friends, and other socialite friends. Reema married rich, and now lives an enviable life with her sexually unattractive husband and her fifteen year-old daughter. She also has a torrid affair with her brother-in-law, complete with clandestine meetings in seedy motels and multiple orgasms under the dinner table. Thank you, Ms. De for ruining both food and sex for me. She also chastises Aps for having an affair with a married man, because what she is doing is so, so different, of course. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! I very strongly dislike people whose lives revolve around pleasing other people, and Reema seems to have built her entire fucking reputation around this. I'm sorry you're so rich Reema. Noor, silent, incestuous, and I'm positive, schizophrenic, and probably mentally retarded. She was also the most reasonable character in this clusterfuck. Gifted with some weird form of sixth sense, she could see through everyone. She was alright, Noor was. Swati, the piece-de-resistance. De tries so hard to make everyone hate Swati, the effects of this attempt are laughable. She's supposed to be this entitled, two-faced bitch that only cares about herself, but strangely enough, De tries to focus on her "good side" also. The structure of Swati's past goes in the format: Swati does something nice, she immediately does something bad, then she does something nice again, but for the purposes of this story, she's a bad person, you ken? Basically, she's actually a bad person, but she's a good person. Swati is stunning, apparently, and has the world and its mother under her spell. This is despite every character hating her, and being able to see through her, or at least claiming to be able to do so. And yet, she plays them like a fiddle. She's able to manipulate people into doing anything she wants, from the looks of it. I mean, really, I believe that the rest of the characters are as dumb as rocks, because seriously, the woman is vile.
De's female characters essentially fall into two categories. There's the sexually liberated, strong-minded independent women, and the plain, family-oriented women. Another problem with her writing is that everything her characters say or do contradicts their previous sayings and doings. Aps initially says her husband wasn't sexually wild, then goes on to state examples of their wild love-making, reminiscing about it. Rashmi says she wants a man, then she says she wants men only for sex, then she says she wants companionship, but finally concludes by saying she fucks around because she only wants sex. Swati at least is clear about her stance on men. The latter category of women also have their fair share of sexual experiences; there's Reema fucking her rakish brother-in-law, Noor fucking her brother (and not seeing anything wrong with it), and Surekha being a closeted lesbian. My problem is that the sex scenes mentioned by De are repetitive and boring. Merely using words like "multiple orgasms" doesn't make it oh-la-la steamy. Every "rakishly attractive man" removes his lover's panties with his feet under the dinner table and climaxes her with his big toe, and no one around them ever finds out. De has clearly never heard of UTI. There's also multiple elevator sex scenes. Even the scenes where sex is described as boring, are repetitive. Both Reema and Surekha describe exactly the same routine while talking about monotonous sex with their husbands. Every De leading man is the same: a horrible human being. Someone who has no qualms about cheating, and uses sex as a tool. Someone who hates children, and deserts their woman as soon as the going gets tough. Someone that everyone finds deplorable, and not handsome, and yet, also finds attractive at the same time. Someone who's not intelligent, ambitious, nice, kind, or even, hot, or good in bed. Someone who's so average, it makes me want to weep. But someone so pompous and full of himself, every woman wants to be with him. What kind of people do you socialise with, Ms. De? They sound like horrible people. Oh, wait, you're a horrible person too, it all makes sense now. All parents of the protagonists are also the same: cold and unfeeling. They fuck up their children by either not giving them anything at all, or by giving them everything they need. Basically, De's talent is to alienate every single character from her readers, just as her insipid Tweets and articles alienate her from the general public. She's an utter and complete bitch who needs to take up creative writing classes. Also, p'raps, sex ed classes. It saddens me that she is at the pinnacle of contemporary Indian literature. She claims to be an intellectual and "forward-thinking", but this missive is filled to the brim with conservative stereotypes and examples of why men are always superior to women. It's essentially crap masquerading as actual literature. Much like Ms. De is a bimbo passing off as an "intellectual", at least trying to.
Verdict: No matter how drunk you are, do not read Shobhaa De. She'll fill you with absolute loathing for the human race and disdain for the future of literature. Don't read her if you're paid to. I would gladly subject myself to reading Fifty Shades every day for the rest of my life if that convinces someone to annihilate her. I would burn this book, but it's a library copy, and I wouldn't pay to replace something as abysmal as this. If I have to read the word 'laconically' ever again in my life, so help me god.
If you would like to know more about the wonderful things Ms. De does with her free time, here are are some interesting links.
http://indianexpress.com/article/tren...
http://archives.deccanchronicle.com/1...
http://indianexpress.com/article/tren...
Shobhaa De is basically just someone who seeks attention in order to stay relevant.
August 19, 2010
the first time i picked up this book it was during my class and i so like the concept of the book that i want to read it more and more...i have just finished 60 pages but i am sure by the time i finish the book i will fall in love with it...i hope the ned surprises me!
December 9, 2007
Mom had tickets and wanted me to go with her to watch a young lad play cricket , who would later on go on to be The Wall. I had been doing Madame Agatha Christie almost alphabetically and wanted something lighter, cosier for the Sunday. So refused the cricket invite and picked this book up .
To save the long trauma, It was awful and made me sick. The story and the narration, if one can actually find them in it. This was the first book I abandoned in my life and I cant put into words how guilty I felt. Moreover I could never forgive myself for having missed the cricket for this trash.
This was more than a decade back. I have never even dared to try her again. And even now, I think I cant ever bring myself to read a Shobha De book, yes, for the book’s credit, I must say, I am yet to find a worser book published.
To save the long trauma, It was awful and made me sick. The story and the narration, if one can actually find them in it. This was the first book I abandoned in my life and I cant put into words how guilty I felt. Moreover I could never forgive myself for having missed the cricket for this trash.
This was more than a decade back. I have never even dared to try her again. And even now, I think I cant ever bring myself to read a Shobha De book, yes, for the book’s credit, I must say, I am yet to find a worser book published.
December 25, 2012
Gripping. Describes the complicated life of six Indian women. Sounded so much like a soap opera with some interesting stories and unwanted ones too. The climax however ended quick and unexpected. Highly recommended for staunch feminists!
March 17, 2025
What a waste of time! I only picked this book because I had another book of the author in my to read list. Now I am not sure if I will read the other books by the author.
I don't understand the climax. The ending looks incomplete. Don't know what sense to make out of it.
I couldn't connect with any of the six girls in the book. The only character I felt for in the book was Rashmi's son, and I hated how he was called as 'little pips'.
Swati's rage and 'revenge' seems so silly. It feels underwhelming to know where all this drama comes from.
If you remove the erotic scenes and chapters , the story of this book can be said in one line.
No takeaways for me. not worthy of reading.
I don't understand the climax. The ending looks incomplete. Don't know what sense to make out of it.
I couldn't connect with any of the six girls in the book. The only character I felt for in the book was Rashmi's son, and I hated how he was called as 'little pips'.
Swati's rage and 'revenge' seems so silly. It feels underwhelming to know where all this drama comes from.
If you remove the erotic scenes and chapters , the story of this book can be said in one line.
No takeaways for me. not worthy of reading.
April 23, 2018
Why is this even a book?
September 21, 2018
Very trashy, kind of fun, but with such high stakes it really needed a bigger reveal to make for a satisfying ending.
January 7, 2016
Too Many Cooks Spoil The Broth
Having read Shobhaa Dé over the years through her newspaper columns, articles, books and having seen / heard her views and interviews over a plethora of subjects, getting my hands on 'Snapshots' was definitely interesting owing to the fact that her commentary on certain subjects and particularly the one this book was based on always has an edgy, saucy take to it. But for some reason, everything just remained lukewarm and vapid.
With a strong and rather interesting subject at hand and a definite strength in the pen to create a wonderful story out of it, the book starts off pretty well with an elaborate caricature of all the leading characters of the story. The build-up is really good but unfortunately, that's all the height the book could achieve in the 300-odd pages. After the first 100 pages, the story just loses its grip, and worse so, at a time when it could have gone to great elevations.
Too many side-stories kicking in (most of which were useless in adding anything substantial to the basic plot), unnecessary inclusions of characters one after the other nearly till the end of the book and then no genuine use of them in spicing up the story or even taking it ahead, constant swinging between the past and the present without a specific focus on anything in particular (which if handled well would have been a wonderful tool of writing with the sought-out story).. it all just culminated in no-mans land.
Yes, Shobhaa indeed was able to carve the six main characters beautifully but she could not use that to full potential. Her way of building up the atmosphere, the ease with which she uses her language, the no-bar no-holds attitude of the book is all good but its all just a tease.. does not satisfy the reader. The end which supposedly was to be unexpected came across as irrelevant to me.
It was like a Cricket match when the team starts off to a great start and forcing everyone to expect a high score, but it just hits a lean patch in the middle overs and plateau-s further to a meager total at the end leaving the spectators disappointed.
Had she kept the book just to the main characters and explored the finer aspects of their personality along with their inter-connectivity at a more intricate level, the story could have been more gripping, more appealing.
Having read Shobhaa Dé over the years through her newspaper columns, articles, books and having seen / heard her views and interviews over a plethora of subjects, getting my hands on 'Snapshots' was definitely interesting owing to the fact that her commentary on certain subjects and particularly the one this book was based on always has an edgy, saucy take to it. But for some reason, everything just remained lukewarm and vapid.
With a strong and rather interesting subject at hand and a definite strength in the pen to create a wonderful story out of it, the book starts off pretty well with an elaborate caricature of all the leading characters of the story. The build-up is really good but unfortunately, that's all the height the book could achieve in the 300-odd pages. After the first 100 pages, the story just loses its grip, and worse so, at a time when it could have gone to great elevations.
Too many side-stories kicking in (most of which were useless in adding anything substantial to the basic plot), unnecessary inclusions of characters one after the other nearly till the end of the book and then no genuine use of them in spicing up the story or even taking it ahead, constant swinging between the past and the present without a specific focus on anything in particular (which if handled well would have been a wonderful tool of writing with the sought-out story).. it all just culminated in no-mans land.
Yes, Shobhaa indeed was able to carve the six main characters beautifully but she could not use that to full potential. Her way of building up the atmosphere, the ease with which she uses her language, the no-bar no-holds attitude of the book is all good but its all just a tease.. does not satisfy the reader. The end which supposedly was to be unexpected came across as irrelevant to me.
It was like a Cricket match when the team starts off to a great start and forcing everyone to expect a high score, but it just hits a lean patch in the middle overs and plateau-s further to a meager total at the end leaving the spectators disappointed.
Had she kept the book just to the main characters and explored the finer aspects of their personality along with their inter-connectivity at a more intricate level, the story could have been more gripping, more appealing.
March 3, 2012
Well written but the plot a little too soap operatic for my liking. Some interesting, nit fully developed, themes about women's role in modern India and the difficulty treading outside traditional roles imposes, and the difficulty living inside traditional roles, too. Suffered, perhaps, from trying to be too many different types of stories: raunchy romance? Melodrama? Serious feminist consideration? Touched on the same themes as Margaret Atwood's Cat Eye.
January 20, 2015
The usual suspects, if instead of suspects they had bored housewives that screw around on the side.
Although the Build-up was decent, Shobhaaji does not distinguish herself as an author. The backstories of some of the characters seem so obviously made-up that it detracts from whatever is passing off as story.
This novel is also incomplete in the sense that it doesn't have an ending at all. Read for amusement in public transit.
Although the Build-up was decent, Shobhaaji does not distinguish herself as an author. The backstories of some of the characters seem so obviously made-up that it detracts from whatever is passing off as story.
This novel is also incomplete in the sense that it doesn't have an ending at all. Read for amusement in public transit.
October 12, 2012
The first book that I read of Shobhaa De. Picked it without knowing the genre and was in for a surprise. Felt a bit overfed with the explicit thingies. Well, couldn't complain when I had chosen to read a pulp-function! But should confess that it was quite gripping.
wondering if Ms. De named Swati's dogs after Gatsby and Daisy of 'The Great Gatsby' :)
wondering if Ms. De named Swati's dogs after Gatsby and Daisy of 'The Great Gatsby' :)
November 7, 2011
honestly, i was extremely surprised to find a book so profound with technical brilliance from the author. six woman and six extremely unique stories with a secret of their - makes this book material for classic pulp fiction... De's execution is spot-one and hits the bull's eye..
October 15, 2015
Definitely not the kind of book I would want to read again. There was some story to this but some how the writing pissed me off!
This is the last Shobhaa De book for me. Only curiosity got me reading and eventually killed me!
This is the last Shobhaa De book for me. Only curiosity got me reading and eventually killed me!
July 27, 2014
It was on the sheer reputation of the author that I have taken to this book. Though the story isn't something riveting, you continue to read just because of the magic Shobha De casts with her words. Also the premise and the interesting set of characters is what keeps you going.
June 1, 2008
Great book about the lives of six very different Indian women.
Read
May 19, 2009Strange ending but interesting read!!
May 5, 2012
Just okay-ish. Not as good as the rest of her books.
September 14, 2015
fast paced...
March 12, 2013
A purely filmi touch...I had come across books being made into movies, but this is the first book I thought is a movie in itself.
May 14, 2016
Huhhh... 'real' reading capability filled personalities - Do not even think to pick this. Just you will roll over upon the garbage zhitz. waste of time reading!!
August 25, 2015
A story with a new concept of Emotions and Vengeance...
January 28, 2018
This was my first Shobhaa De book and it is unlikely I will pick another one.
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