Exit Interview

by Amrita Mukherjee

When the rebellious Rasha Roy leaves the comfort of her home to pursue a career in journalism, little does she know of the challenges that lie in her path. But she quickly discovers that life isn't a bed of roses for young rookies-especially one with a mind of her own-despite her exceptional acumen for sniffing out stories. As she moves from one job to another-first in India and then in Dubai-trying to make herself heard, she realizes that the companies' exit interviews are all a sham. Those three short lines on the interview form are not enough to sum up her struggles. She cannot write about the sexual harassment she has faced at the workplace, the promotions she has missed because of nepotism and the trouble she has landed in for a shocking exposé. But a chance encounter with a young woman at a police station in Cairo leads Rasha to stumble on to the biggest story of her life. Will this be the big break that she has been looking for? Or will this story too, like so many of her others, be sent to an early grave? Exit Interview is the captivating story of an ambitious young woman trying to find her place in an unforgiving world.

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Reviews

[Abhilash Ruhela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I have not read many books published by Rupa Publications but I always stay curious for their new work and keep myself updated to it. I had Amrita Mukherjee's debut book "Exit Interview" in my hands since long but had to wait because of my Internship and final examinations. It is the first book that I have read completely after my examination and I must say, what a start to my vacations. :-) Seeing the cover page of the book, I was not quite impressed as I found it quite girlish and therefore thought it might be a boring stuff. But it is rightly said,"Never judge a book by its cover". But kya karein, bikta toh sub packaging se hi hai :-) After completing this book, I am happy that I read it as it's among one of the best debut work by a female author in pulp fiction genre.

Amrita Mukherjee's language is very fluid because of which this book serves as a wonderful read and you will be unable to keep it aside once you pick it up. So beware, do not read it while traveling as you might not prefer getting at your stop because it will pause your reading experience. :-) The characterizations of Amrita are powerful which makes them stay in your mind even after the book is over. Rasha is carved so beautifully that you fall in love even before Arun does. Haha! The flashback story in college is also nicely set which makes the book little more better than it is. The thrilling kind of feel given by the author in the second half through the prologue is also a nice turn given to this story.

Through this book, Amrita have tried to reveal many facts but made sure that it isn't preachy at all. She discusses about the challenges in journalism field and how bosses enjoy all the success while the real journalist behind the stories slog for a simple appraisal every day. She also tells about exploitation in the field. She discusses Kolkata and Dubai in detail and makes sure she does not insult her country even if comparing it with a developed one.

I liked the book since arrival of Ankita in the company in the midst of cold war between Sabrina and Rasha. That whole part is so well-managed by the authoress that "Exit Interview" gets into my favorite list. I just felt that the book could have been little shorter as I felt author over-describing even small scenes which weren't much relevant with the real plot. 270 pages could have been enough. The first trip to Egypt with Arun is stretched like anything which urges you with every sentence to skip few pages. Similarly, the climax is also stretched even though I liked how she have set her plot in a real world situation. Over all, Exit Interview is an amazing read and considering it as a work of a debutante, it is gold. I give it 4.25* out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

[Shreya Vaid · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I finally got my copy of Exit Interview by Amrita Mukherjee while strolling at Oxford Book Store. And this book has been exhilarating for me..

So going by the name, the Exit Interview is not about exit interviews which are conducted in companies when an employee resigns. So don’t think it’s gonna teach you what to say and what not to say in exit interviews. But it will tell you how bogus Exit Interviews are. There is no truth to them honestly, because how much a person puts into work, only he/she knows. Your HR, your boss will always think that you are a time passer and a slogger who works from time to time if pushed right. But then there are some people who take their work like worship, never get due credits, promotions and appraisals and are simply used in the organizations!

Rasha Roy, a girl from a simple middle-class Bengali family wants to pursue Journalism as her career. After much deliberation with her parents and keeping in mind societal norms, she finally makes a mark in this field. From running around to get exclusive stories, or saying goodbye to a mentor who would have nurtured her career, Rasha has experienced it all. But then a life threatening situation makes her move out of Kolkata to Dubai, to her boyfriend’s house, Arun. Here Rasha enjoys her sabbatical but then deeply misses the adrenaline rush of journalism too. She then lands up a job with a magazine, which reminds her struggles of the journalism field. From non-appreciating bosses to a boss-who-doesn’t-know-anything, Rasha works hard to prove to herself that she has still got the skills. But then, despite all her hard work, she got insulted by her boss, Sabrina who tells her that she is incompetent and her English is like her Bengali. Hurt by her boss Sabrina’s vicious words, Rasha quits from Silver Screen. But then an opportunity comes to her again, when she is asked to do a freelance assignment in Egypt. She takes a trip to Egypt with her now husband, Arun, but what they experience there changes everything for Rasha.

Amrita Mukherjee’s writing has been extremely fluid. The third party narration has been up to the mark and has made sure to cover every single detail. Also, Rasha’s character has been created keeping in mind how a newbie in any line of profession transforms themselves by hard work and dedication. This book has been a very light read for me and will surely crack you up at some instances.

The detail in which Amrita has explained hardship and perks of the field of Journalism are truly commendable. My favourite characters of the book are crazy in love Surit Da, sweetheart and super supportive Arun and of course daring and crazy Rasha. The book would have been a little better if parts of Dubai and Egypt struggle wouldn’t have been dragged that much. But then, it binds the reader till the end. I was expecting a Rasha-Sabrina tiff which would have justified the title. A little editing in terms of reducing pages would have done wonders, but for a first timer, Amrita Mukherjee has really made it top of my list of the authors to watch out for.

[Arpita Banerjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title was intriguing and inviting. So the count of 'plus' began from the cover page itself.

Some more 'plus' points:
1.The language used- very little Indianisms, no abusive words, and no jargons that catch you unaware; the quality of English is a benchmark that I would recommend all aspiring authors to try and achieve if they hope to catch the global readers.
2.The visuals etched were pretty much convincing. One could feel clearly visualise the cities that the author chose for her locales.
3. The subtle manner in which the various relationships were depicted...none of these dominated or became overwhelming enough for the basic story to meander off course.
4. The romance spun is of a quality that belongs to the long lost era of classic romance- certainly beyond the ability of many modern day story-tellers.

Reason for the missing 5th star:
1.Editing errors that could have been avoided.
2.The movement between the parallel narratives needed hand-holding for smooth transition.
3. The initial built up and progress towards the climax was brilliant while the climax seemed a wee bit abrupt although it certainly deserved a few more pages devoted to it. The reader would surely have enjoyed those pages containing a bit more detail given the complete attention that the entire novel commanded from the word go.

Having said that, I would certainly be following this promising author in her future endeavors.