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Saini Subramanyam vs. 2020
*** Shortlisted for Wattpad India Awards 2020 under Young/New Adult category ***
To love or not to love?
To pursue music or study engineering?
To eat South Indian food or North Indian?
Arjun Saini Subramanyam is a confused teenager with a life full of conflicting choices. Even as he struggles to pick the better choice, life throws more challenges at him as the lockdown is announced. His paternal grandparents, the Sainis, arrive from Amritsar; and his maternal grandparents, the Subramanyams, arrive from Visakhapatnam. His Mom and Dad are busy working from home, school is closed, and board exams are indefinitely postponed.
Arjun has to single-handedly deal with his constantly brawling gang of grandparents and try to unite them. As family secrets are revealed and old promises are broken, Arjun experiences a roller coaster of emotions before finding stability and zen-like wisdom on accepting life.
To love or not to love?
To pursue music or study engineering?
To eat South Indian food or North Indian?
Arjun Saini Subramanyam is a confused teenager with a life full of conflicting choices. Even as he struggles to pick the better choice, life throws more challenges at him as the lockdown is announced. His paternal grandparents, the Sainis, arrive from Amritsar; and his maternal grandparents, the Subramanyams, arrive from Visakhapatnam. His Mom and Dad are busy working from home, school is closed, and board exams are indefinitely postponed.
Arjun has to single-handedly deal with his constantly brawling gang of grandparents and try to unite them. As family secrets are revealed and old promises are broken, Arjun experiences a roller coaster of emotions before finding stability and zen-like wisdom on accepting life.
123 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 9, 2021
2 people are currently reading
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 22, 2021
This book is a collection of experiences Arjun Saini Subramanyam goes through while locked down in his house with his parents, his North Indian paternal grandparents and South Indian maternal grandparents. Also, both sets of grandparents are always at loggerheads with each other because of the difference between their cultures. During the course of lockdown, he tries to unite his grandparents, goes through whatever teenagers go through and uncovers a truth which may or may not change his perception about his father.
It's a short book. The writing style is simple but engaging. The cross cultural conflicts are depicted perfectly without being stereotypical. All the characters are flawed but lovable except one. Everyone's reason for behaving the way they behave is logical except Paati. She is manipulative and inconsiderate of others and I could not understand the explanation about her behaviour given to Arjun by his father. Maybe because my opinion is that if you're putting restrictions and boundaries around someone then no matter what you reasons are, it's not called love.
That being said, it's a decent book with some really hilarious scenes and can be read in about 1-2 hrs. You can read this if you want a simple story set in the backdrop of lockdown.
It's a short book. The writing style is simple but engaging. The cross cultural conflicts are depicted perfectly without being stereotypical. All the characters are flawed but lovable except one. Everyone's reason for behaving the way they behave is logical except Paati. She is manipulative and inconsiderate of others and I could not understand the explanation about her behaviour given to Arjun by his father. Maybe because my opinion is that if you're putting restrictions and boundaries around someone then no matter what you reasons are, it's not called love.
That being said, it's a decent book with some really hilarious scenes and can be read in about 1-2 hrs. You can read this if you want a simple story set in the backdrop of lockdown.
April 5, 2021
A light-hearted, quick read!
Saini Subramanyam vs. 2020. Interesting name for an interesting book!
As the name suggests, this is a story of a North meets South family and how they choose to face 2020, the year of the Coronavirus.
Teenager Arjun, the central character of this tale, is the glue keeping together his "gang of grandparents" as he terms it, helping to navigate challenging times when the whole family is unwittingly thrown together and tries to make the best of every situation. Naturally, when a multi-cultural family is forced to live together, there are bound to be clashes, especially during a lockdown when with having to stay inside the home, these would revolve mainly around television and food. That is exactly what happens here as well and the author creates hilarious scenes that keep you laughing throughout.
Arjun is brilliant. With his parents stuck to their laptops working from home all day, he takes it upon himself to come up with innovative ideas to keep his grandparents entertained, maintain peace within the household, all while he deals with teenage and its many confusions. We get a glimpse into the mind of a teenager and understand issues that affect them.
I'm not a fan of the YA genre of fiction, but I really enjoyed this one. The narrative is good and the author keeps the pace with a simple writing style. It is a light-hearted quick read and can be read at one go. Looking forward to the sequel and more books from this author.
Saini Subramanyam vs. 2020. Interesting name for an interesting book!
As the name suggests, this is a story of a North meets South family and how they choose to face 2020, the year of the Coronavirus.
Teenager Arjun, the central character of this tale, is the glue keeping together his "gang of grandparents" as he terms it, helping to navigate challenging times when the whole family is unwittingly thrown together and tries to make the best of every situation. Naturally, when a multi-cultural family is forced to live together, there are bound to be clashes, especially during a lockdown when with having to stay inside the home, these would revolve mainly around television and food. That is exactly what happens here as well and the author creates hilarious scenes that keep you laughing throughout.
Arjun is brilliant. With his parents stuck to their laptops working from home all day, he takes it upon himself to come up with innovative ideas to keep his grandparents entertained, maintain peace within the household, all while he deals with teenage and its many confusions. We get a glimpse into the mind of a teenager and understand issues that affect them.
I'm not a fan of the YA genre of fiction, but I really enjoyed this one. The narrative is good and the author keeps the pace with a simple writing style. It is a light-hearted quick read and can be read at one go. Looking forward to the sequel and more books from this author.
April 8, 2021
I received the book from author for review. I am leaving my honest review for the book in exchange to the review copy.
The story is obviously around the lock down; however, I really liked the story line and the simple writing of the author.
This is the story of Arjun, who hails from a mix of cultures and love stories. Arjuns both grandparents are married their love, his parents are also love-married. Arjun’s paternal grandparents are from Punjab, theirs was a neighbourhood love story, while his maternal grandparents are a mix of Tamilian and Telugu, his grandmother is a Tamilian and grandfather is Telugu. Their marriage was a bit of fight but eventually worked out. Now Arjun’s parents had a big fight to get their marriage accepted. Now the best learning in this whole thing is, though the parents go for love marriage, they still have issues with their kids love marriage, now this is something which we see very usually around in the society.
That being the background the story starts with both the grandparents sudden plan to visit Hyderabad in the view of lockdown, both unaware of the other having the same plan. Both the grand mothers start off the same day, which create a tense atmosphere in the house. Both the grandmothers are always on the opposite sides and in war fare, while the grandfathers are, of course grandfathers, they have their differences but never actually show it off, just go along with things.
With lockdown on, and grand parents in a war mood, Arjun thinks of cooling off the atmosphere with Tic-Tok videos. Only to realize that it is owned by China company, where the family decides to stop making the Tic Tok video. So ends the small break from grandmother’s fights. Then a sudden twist of events happens and Arjun gets a lot confused and lost. A lot of his understandings and confidence are tossed up. In the process of overcoming the same, the family starts off with a plan to provide food for those who are stuck and are hungry in the lockdown conditions.
The language is simple and easy to read, the situations are more realistic and can be related to any closest family that we know. A few nice things to learn like no one is perfect and it is not wise to try influence any person’s culture or their habits that they have grown up with, love is actually adjusting and understanding each other and live with any ups and downs.
@Author, I am glad to have reviewed the book, I really liked the book, as for the opinion that you were seeking towards the end of the book. I would love to read any of your next books, sequel or not does not make a lot of difference as long as the story is as simple, readable and enjoyable as this one. I sure will be looking out for your next book, thanks once again for the review copy.
The story is obviously around the lock down; however, I really liked the story line and the simple writing of the author.
This is the story of Arjun, who hails from a mix of cultures and love stories. Arjuns both grandparents are married their love, his parents are also love-married. Arjun’s paternal grandparents are from Punjab, theirs was a neighbourhood love story, while his maternal grandparents are a mix of Tamilian and Telugu, his grandmother is a Tamilian and grandfather is Telugu. Their marriage was a bit of fight but eventually worked out. Now Arjun’s parents had a big fight to get their marriage accepted. Now the best learning in this whole thing is, though the parents go for love marriage, they still have issues with their kids love marriage, now this is something which we see very usually around in the society.
That being the background the story starts with both the grandparents sudden plan to visit Hyderabad in the view of lockdown, both unaware of the other having the same plan. Both the grand mothers start off the same day, which create a tense atmosphere in the house. Both the grandmothers are always on the opposite sides and in war fare, while the grandfathers are, of course grandfathers, they have their differences but never actually show it off, just go along with things.
With lockdown on, and grand parents in a war mood, Arjun thinks of cooling off the atmosphere with Tic-Tok videos. Only to realize that it is owned by China company, where the family decides to stop making the Tic Tok video. So ends the small break from grandmother’s fights. Then a sudden twist of events happens and Arjun gets a lot confused and lost. A lot of his understandings and confidence are tossed up. In the process of overcoming the same, the family starts off with a plan to provide food for those who are stuck and are hungry in the lockdown conditions.
The language is simple and easy to read, the situations are more realistic and can be related to any closest family that we know. A few nice things to learn like no one is perfect and it is not wise to try influence any person’s culture or their habits that they have grown up with, love is actually adjusting and understanding each other and live with any ups and downs.
@Author, I am glad to have reviewed the book, I really liked the book, as for the opinion that you were seeking towards the end of the book. I would love to read any of your next books, sequel or not does not make a lot of difference as long as the story is as simple, readable and enjoyable as this one. I sure will be looking out for your next book, thanks once again for the review copy.
Read
April 27, 2021An easy read that brings out the cultural diversity of India. In some ways, it felt as if I were reading the sequel to the popular 2 states. The story revolves around a teenage boy – Arjun who gets caught between North and South Indian grandparents. The lockdown adds to his difficulties where he has to manage the clash of cultures. From fake stomach complaints to the use of technology and modern social apps like Tik Tok, Arjun attempts to soothe the light squabble between the two factions.
What is interesting is the way the author Avinash has attempted to bring out the nuances of each culture. The choice of breakfasts, the beliefs, the way they start their mornings – the narrative attempts to bring out these differences. To some extent, I felt that the same was stereotypical but for someone who is not from India or has not experienced a particular culture, these might come across as quirky differences. For example – the whole dilemma of eating nonveg being seen as a sin by certain cultures.
The story also, makes you live the various emotions that we might have felt during the lockdown - like the initial feeling of frustrations when you are forced to do your own work as the domestic help is not available. There are plenty of light moments within the book, making this a very enjoyable weekend read. Some of my favorite parts in the book are –
- The Endoscopy dilemma
- TikTok video and its making
- The idea of penance by doing some good to the society.
What is interesting is the way the author Avinash has attempted to bring out the nuances of each culture. The choice of breakfasts, the beliefs, the way they start their mornings – the narrative attempts to bring out these differences. To some extent, I felt that the same was stereotypical but for someone who is not from India or has not experienced a particular culture, these might come across as quirky differences. For example – the whole dilemma of eating nonveg being seen as a sin by certain cultures.
The story also, makes you live the various emotions that we might have felt during the lockdown - like the initial feeling of frustrations when you are forced to do your own work as the domestic help is not available. There are plenty of light moments within the book, making this a very enjoyable weekend read. Some of my favorite parts in the book are –
- The Endoscopy dilemma
- TikTok video and its making
- The idea of penance by doing some good to the society.
April 30, 2021
I didn't see this one coming. A very sweet book on acceptance and to live and let live.
This is a story about Arjun a single child from a multi lingual and an inter regional family. His father is a Punjabi whereas his mom is a South Indian. SS is the tale of the 2 extreme regions finally respecting and accepting each other .
Arjun is absolutely the tops...he's actually the only adult in this book- its touching, all those cute bumbling ways he invents just to make peace amongst his grandparents. What were his parents doing ?
The grandparents reactions to every situation was ott. Ive had friends who have married across caste, religion and race and in none of those cases have I come across such blatant disrespect. And speaking for myself I know for certain that neither my husband nor i would tolerate our parents behaving so. I truly think that globalisation and growing Internet influence have widened peoples perspectives and prejudices so I cannot agree with Priya's role in making Rahul and Arjun give up meat. Not cool.
I liked how the author incorporated the political and social.feel of the country especially wrt the pandemic.
I'm curious regarding Arjun and Natasha.and see how this new dynamic will reflect on his life mantra of To Live and Let Live..
Thank you Avinash for providing me with a copy of your book to read and I was pleasantly surprised.
Recommended:👍
This is a story about Arjun a single child from a multi lingual and an inter regional family. His father is a Punjabi whereas his mom is a South Indian. SS is the tale of the 2 extreme regions finally respecting and accepting each other .
Arjun is absolutely the tops...he's actually the only adult in this book- its touching, all those cute bumbling ways he invents just to make peace amongst his grandparents. What were his parents doing ?
The grandparents reactions to every situation was ott. Ive had friends who have married across caste, religion and race and in none of those cases have I come across such blatant disrespect. And speaking for myself I know for certain that neither my husband nor i would tolerate our parents behaving so. I truly think that globalisation and growing Internet influence have widened peoples perspectives and prejudices so I cannot agree with Priya's role in making Rahul and Arjun give up meat. Not cool.
I liked how the author incorporated the political and social.feel of the country especially wrt the pandemic.
I'm curious regarding Arjun and Natasha.and see how this new dynamic will reflect on his life mantra of To Live and Let Live..
Thank you Avinash for providing me with a copy of your book to read and I was pleasantly surprised.
Recommended:👍
April 7, 2021
Funny and relatable…
This book brings out a refreshing perspective on the cultural diversity, our country is so famous for. The story moves from the eyes of Arjun, who is an endearing character with a lot of energy. In our society where a groom’s parents are given preference over the bride’s, it's quite fascinating to see a story that brings them all together, to share the same space for months together.
It does break stereotypes in a way and emphasize that people can co-habituate, no matter the vast differences. It’s a laugh riot and at no point did I lose interest in the plot. From the grandparents’ arrival to fun TikTok sessions, to fight over aloo and dosa, to a viral meme, to humble community service to the rescue of a domestic violence victim, this book completes a full journey of various emotions most of us experienced during the lockdown.
Amazing writing by the debut author considering it is difficult to write humor. Looking forward to reading Arjun and Natasha’s story.
This book brings out a refreshing perspective on the cultural diversity, our country is so famous for. The story moves from the eyes of Arjun, who is an endearing character with a lot of energy. In our society where a groom’s parents are given preference over the bride’s, it's quite fascinating to see a story that brings them all together, to share the same space for months together.
It does break stereotypes in a way and emphasize that people can co-habituate, no matter the vast differences. It’s a laugh riot and at no point did I lose interest in the plot. From the grandparents’ arrival to fun TikTok sessions, to fight over aloo and dosa, to a viral meme, to humble community service to the rescue of a domestic violence victim, this book completes a full journey of various emotions most of us experienced during the lockdown.
Amazing writing by the debut author considering it is difficult to write humor. Looking forward to reading Arjun and Natasha’s story.
May 24, 2021
Story starts when both grandparents decides to visit hyderbad unaware of the fact that their mortal enemies 😂are planning the same thing. Both couple arrives at the same day and start off with their bickering the moment they see eachother. Arjun desperately tries everything to unite both parties. Author covered everything that happened in 2020 lockdown from boycotting Chinese goods & apps, atrocities faced by the migrant labourers to domestic violence. This lockdown was a turning point in Arjun's life because at the end his gang of grandparents resolve their issues. Some scenes were so hilarious like how babies are born 🤣🤣🤣
The title conveys symbolical relevance of the content and narrative is quite engaging, relatable and lucid. It is very smooth read and Avinash has indeed done fantastic job with this book. Can't wait to read the second part of the book
The title conveys symbolical relevance of the content and narrative is quite engaging, relatable and lucid. It is very smooth read and Avinash has indeed done fantastic job with this book. Can't wait to read the second part of the book
April 16, 2021
This book is a pleasant easy read about a family surviving lockdown - especially a young man who is put on the spot by parents, two sets of grandparents, everyone around him. Pleasant & well-written.
May 2, 2021
A hilariously realistic tale of the 2020 lockdown in India
My ratings: 4.6/5
Arjun Saini is the child of a Punjabi father and a Telugu+Tamilian mother. He has grown trying to keep his grandparents from cutting each others' throats during their year-end and month-long stays with him and his parents. Cut to 2020, when they're all forced to remain under one roof with no escape from each other. Will Arjun be able to make the adults and the senior citizens become amicable?
What I liked about the book:
-> The hilarious reasons answers listed out about the kind of explanations Indian parents give to their children when they ask, "How was I born?"
-> The cross-cultural conflicts are depicted perfectly (and hilariously) without being stereotypical.
-> The story makes you live the various emotions that we might have felt during the lockdown.
-> The discussions around Arjun's further education and career that bring out the 'Don't follow your passion because it doesn't get you money' thinking of most Indian parents.
What I did not like about the book:
-> Paati's character (maternal grandmother) is shown in a negative light, but then Rahul (Arjun's father) defends her, which seems a little wrong and unrealistic.
-> Dadi's and Paati's characters are shown to be bickering while Dada and Taata (maternal grandfather) seem to mind their own business despite not liking each other so much. It felt like only the women caused problems when it came to household disagreements and arguments, which is a stereotype.
Quotable quotes:
->Very few people in this world have the blessing to follow a path where the soul is content and the wallet is full.
->Too many cooks spoil the broth they say. Well, too many opinions in the family spoil the child's mind, I say.
-> Although a few differences will always remain, they're good differences. Because as a society we need some differences to keep us glued together.
-> To understand someone completely, it's important to understand their sometimes crazy family and how that affects their behavior.
More here:https://wp.me/p6XQyB-2Df
My ratings: 4.6/5
Arjun Saini is the child of a Punjabi father and a Telugu+Tamilian mother. He has grown trying to keep his grandparents from cutting each others' throats during their year-end and month-long stays with him and his parents. Cut to 2020, when they're all forced to remain under one roof with no escape from each other. Will Arjun be able to make the adults and the senior citizens become amicable?
What I liked about the book:
-> The hilarious reasons answers listed out about the kind of explanations Indian parents give to their children when they ask, "How was I born?"
-> The cross-cultural conflicts are depicted perfectly (and hilariously) without being stereotypical.
-> The story makes you live the various emotions that we might have felt during the lockdown.
-> The discussions around Arjun's further education and career that bring out the 'Don't follow your passion because it doesn't get you money' thinking of most Indian parents.
What I did not like about the book:
-> Paati's character (maternal grandmother) is shown in a negative light, but then Rahul (Arjun's father) defends her, which seems a little wrong and unrealistic.
-> Dadi's and Paati's characters are shown to be bickering while Dada and Taata (maternal grandfather) seem to mind their own business despite not liking each other so much. It felt like only the women caused problems when it came to household disagreements and arguments, which is a stereotype.
Quotable quotes:
->Very few people in this world have the blessing to follow a path where the soul is content and the wallet is full.
->Too many cooks spoil the broth they say. Well, too many opinions in the family spoil the child's mind, I say.
-> Although a few differences will always remain, they're good differences. Because as a society we need some differences to keep us glued together.
-> To understand someone completely, it's important to understand their sometimes crazy family and how that affects their behavior.
More here:https://wp.me/p6XQyB-2Df
June 8, 2021
There are not many books featuring the lockdown theme. Thankfully, we have a complete novel that revolves around the lockdown theme. This book is technically a YA novel meant for the young audience but it can be read by anyone. It has an interesting collection of characters who make the novel engaging enough to read for people of all ages.
The novel features a teenager Saini Subramanyam who faces the lockdown in his home with all his grandparents locked in. And yes, the grandparents hate each other! With this kind of a plot line, you can expect a fun novel and you get it. The writing style reminds you of Chetan Bhagat and parts of the story reminds you of '2 states'.
Saini's father is a Punjabi and the grandparents are the rough and tough Punjabis who love their butter chicken. His mother is a Tamilian with one of the grandparents being a Telugu speaker and they hate non-veg.
There are lot of interesting situations in the novel that bring out the comic element. This makes the book enjoyable. The book also deals with all the worries a teenager faces like deciding his career choice, appearing cool in front of his friends, and trying to ask his crush out.
The way our hero resolves the conflict within his family during the lockdown is the central theme of this novel and it is well done. The writing style is simple with engaging dialogues. There is humour, an interesting storyline, and strong characters. The book has all that is needed for a good read.
Strongly recommended to read this before the second lockdown ends!!
The novel features a teenager Saini Subramanyam who faces the lockdown in his home with all his grandparents locked in. And yes, the grandparents hate each other! With this kind of a plot line, you can expect a fun novel and you get it. The writing style reminds you of Chetan Bhagat and parts of the story reminds you of '2 states'.
Saini's father is a Punjabi and the grandparents are the rough and tough Punjabis who love their butter chicken. His mother is a Tamilian with one of the grandparents being a Telugu speaker and they hate non-veg.
There are lot of interesting situations in the novel that bring out the comic element. This makes the book enjoyable. The book also deals with all the worries a teenager faces like deciding his career choice, appearing cool in front of his friends, and trying to ask his crush out.
The way our hero resolves the conflict within his family during the lockdown is the central theme of this novel and it is well done. The writing style is simple with engaging dialogues. There is humour, an interesting storyline, and strong characters. The book has all that is needed for a good read.
Strongly recommended to read this before the second lockdown ends!!
May 17, 2021
I've been very slow in my reading in the last week and wanted to pick up a very light read to clear my head.
"Saini Subramanian vs 2020" came in handy just for this time. I read this book alongwith my brother, as I love doing Book Dates with him❤️❤️
And tell you what, we thoroughly enjoyed this quirky and fun read.
It's a story of a 15 year old Arjun Saini Subramanian who's stuck in the 2020 lockdown with a gang of diverse grandparents, paternal grandparents being Punjabi and maternal grandparents being south indian, all stuck in one house untill the lockdown is lifted.
Just as the Sambhar does not go well with Rajma, his gang of grandparents do not bond well and their sweet n sour relationship are the best entertainment possible in this lockdown. 😂🤣
This book rekindled all the fun memories of what all we did in the 2020 lockdown initially. Late-night ludo games to trying out every new recipe, we still managed to stay happy.
I'm glad I picked up this book, it really helped me to get back to my reading routine.
I would strongly recommend this book to all the children as well as people in their reading slump to read and have a little fun.
"Saini Subramanian vs 2020" came in handy just for this time. I read this book alongwith my brother, as I love doing Book Dates with him❤️❤️
And tell you what, we thoroughly enjoyed this quirky and fun read.
It's a story of a 15 year old Arjun Saini Subramanian who's stuck in the 2020 lockdown with a gang of diverse grandparents, paternal grandparents being Punjabi and maternal grandparents being south indian, all stuck in one house untill the lockdown is lifted.
Just as the Sambhar does not go well with Rajma, his gang of grandparents do not bond well and their sweet n sour relationship are the best entertainment possible in this lockdown. 😂🤣
This book rekindled all the fun memories of what all we did in the 2020 lockdown initially. Late-night ludo games to trying out every new recipe, we still managed to stay happy.
I'm glad I picked up this book, it really helped me to get back to my reading routine.
I would strongly recommend this book to all the children as well as people in their reading slump to read and have a little fun.
May 30, 2021
It's a sweet,short book & capable of making you laugh out loud. With really likeable characters, this book will take you on a trip down memory lane.
• Remember, how 2020 gave you enough free time to spend with your families, from taking long naps to chilling at home? From different social media challenges to fighting corona, saluting corona warriors together, this novella discusses it all through it's narrator Arjun who has to make a difficult career choice like any other 12th grade student.
• Amid all this chaos, Arjun tries really hard to maintain peace between his two sets of grandparents belonging to different cultures. Thus, giving rise to various humorous situations like Shorana virus, Suji & rawa etc.
• At times, the childish fights amongst dada dadi & patti taata become little irritating and a lot repetitive. These adults fight like cats n dogs all the time and thus makes you pity Arjun & his parents.
• Narrative is breaking the fourth wall. Arjun addresses the audience directly. This may acknowledge to the reader or audience that what is being presented is fiction, or may seek to extend the world
• Remember, how 2020 gave you enough free time to spend with your families, from taking long naps to chilling at home? From different social media challenges to fighting corona, saluting corona warriors together, this novella discusses it all through it's narrator Arjun who has to make a difficult career choice like any other 12th grade student.
• Amid all this chaos, Arjun tries really hard to maintain peace between his two sets of grandparents belonging to different cultures. Thus, giving rise to various humorous situations like Shorana virus, Suji & rawa etc.
• At times, the childish fights amongst dada dadi & patti taata become little irritating and a lot repetitive. These adults fight like cats n dogs all the time and thus makes you pity Arjun & his parents.
• Narrative is breaking the fourth wall. Arjun addresses the audience directly. This may acknowledge to the reader or audience that what is being presented is fiction, or may seek to extend the world
January 30, 2025
Saini Subramanyam vs 2020 is a humorous, anecdotal journey of those times when world came to a standstill due to the infamous Covid-19. It brings back so many memories of how life was during the days of lockdown with people trying out different skills like making TikTok reels or cooking to the (mostly harmless) little arguments with each other because of the ample time they found at home or simple out of sheer boredom.
Well, the phase was not the best for many of us but now that it's in the past, I actually enjoyed walking down those memory lanes. Overall, I would say that this little book of merely over 100 pages for someone who wants to read something light and maybe, remember one of the most difficult times on a lighter note.
Well, the phase was not the best for many of us but now that it's in the past, I actually enjoyed walking down those memory lanes. Overall, I would say that this little book of merely over 100 pages for someone who wants to read something light and maybe, remember one of the most difficult times on a lighter note.
March 23, 2021
A hilarious and frothy read!! It’s three states here and the writer brings out hilarious combat episodes and heart touching unions of the people who can be as different as can be. The teen protagonist’s acceptance of the entire situation, his growing up and his attempts to unite the family which moves in totally different directions is really humorous. The narrative is simple and memorable and even though the book is a breezy read it will stay with you for some time and it’s a book which you really want to read a sequel to!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2021
Humours Read
I chose this book especially for the title. I am glad I chose this and have completed the book within 2 hours. This book has different cultures, sentiments and humour.
A normal family would go through this and on top of it all culture mix . 😁
Found it and worth reading!
I chose this book especially for the title. I am glad I chose this and have completed the book within 2 hours. This book has different cultures, sentiments and humour.
A normal family would go through this and on top of it all culture mix . 😁
Found it and worth reading!
April 5, 2021
A well-written story that captures Arjun's struggle. A teen boy caught between his Punjab and South Indian grandparents. The incidents are pretty typical in such a circumstance, and Arjun narrates them with humour. Poor Arjun and that endoscopy incident! The author concluded it well, weaving in lockdown. Overall, an enjoyable read. I look forward to the story of Arjun's crush.
June 7, 2021
It is a total laughter package . Absolutely loved it.
First of all the author accurately penned down all the feelings each family experienced throughout the lockdown. Also the book is well edited and the story flows throughout the book.
This book is recommended for those who
Want a quick yet relaxing read
Are new readers
Want something funny yet crisp.
First of all the author accurately penned down all the feelings each family experienced throughout the lockdown. Also the book is well edited and the story flows throughout the book.
This book is recommended for those who
Want a quick yet relaxing read
Are new readers
Want something funny yet crisp.
May 30, 2021
~ This was definitely a mood lifter. It was fun to go back to the initial lockdown days when things didn't seem that bad. This was a perfect combination of entertainment and lessons.👌🏻
~ No superfluous lead and no fancy stuff. Just a normal teenage boy with normal teenager problems and a crazy desi family.🤭
~ This felt like a really homely read because of the language and the references to activities that took place in India during that time. Like the ban on apps or lighting diyas. It was good to revisit all that.💙
~ My favourite part was probably the one where Arjun brings his gangs of grandparents together with the help of music. Music really has something magical about it.💫
~ Overall this is a good light read and I would surely recommend it.✨
~ No superfluous lead and no fancy stuff. Just a normal teenage boy with normal teenager problems and a crazy desi family.🤭
~ This felt like a really homely read because of the language and the references to activities that took place in India during that time. Like the ban on apps or lighting diyas. It was good to revisit all that.💙
~ My favourite part was probably the one where Arjun brings his gangs of grandparents together with the help of music. Music really has something magical about it.💫
~ Overall this is a good light read and I would surely recommend it.✨
April 30, 2021
Hilarious Saini and Subramanyams
First of all thanks Avinash for sending me the copy of your book. This book Saini Subramanyam is a hilarious book ans a fun read. What happens when south india meets north india and vice versa you would have seen the glimpse of same in 2 states movie but its totally different from the movie only similarity is that narrators mother is south indian having roots in tamil nadu and andra pradesh whereas Dad is punjab the puttar from Amritsar. This story is about the last year when lock down was announced when his both grand parents come to stay in lockdown. How they live in those confined 4 walls of a house during the lockdown is the story. Author has hilariously written the situations and also has narrated well. I would say a best hilarious Goodread... 🙂👍
First of all thanks Avinash for sending me the copy of your book. This book Saini Subramanyam is a hilarious book ans a fun read. What happens when south india meets north india and vice versa you would have seen the glimpse of same in 2 states movie but its totally different from the movie only similarity is that narrators mother is south indian having roots in tamil nadu and andra pradesh whereas Dad is punjab the puttar from Amritsar. This story is about the last year when lock down was announced when his both grand parents come to stay in lockdown. How they live in those confined 4 walls of a house during the lockdown is the story. Author has hilariously written the situations and also has narrated well. I would say a best hilarious Goodread... 🙂👍
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