Book Review: I am Life by Shraddha Soni

Details of the Book:

Front Cover of the Book 

Publisher	: Ebury Press/ Random House India
Cover	: Paperback
No. Of Pages	: 192
Date of Publication	: 2013-12-15
Language	: English
ISBN 13	: 9788184003581
ISBN 10	: 8184003587
Year Of Publication	: 2013
Author Price	: Shraddha Soni : Rs 250 (I got mine as a review copy)

About the Book:

An edgy modern-day fable that takes you on a mystical journey with life.

‘You are from India—the land of three hundred and thirty million Gods, andyou say you don’t believe in even one of them? I think it’s time to go home, Sid.’

Andrea’s words have been echoing in my head since last night when she pouredanother round of scotch. I entered God in the Google search bar and of all theplaces, it directed me to India—a place where I had buried my childhood dreameleven years ago, and moved to New York. I waived God away when I got toNew York, and, to be honest, I didn’t need Him either. Until now...

Life’s always been a bitch but this time it’s gone too far. I want my money andmy company back, and I will find God one way or the other to get my answers.

I’ve boarded the flight. Hop on...and yes...carry some scotch along.
See you on the other side.
Cheers,
Sid—Siddharth Khanna

About the Author:

Shraddha Soni 

Shraddha Soni is born to life. Having been raised in Mumbai with humble yet firm roots, she has breathed life into life with every passing moment: be it joyous, indifferent or otherwise. Bold and a bit of a brat, very little can get past this petite author’s eye. It comes as no wonder then that she has been able to develop a story with so much force and flow that you are barely able to prevent it from taking you with it.

Her life is a tale in its own, call it what you may: romance, adrenaline, entwinement, her tryst with the Higher Power gets stronger with every passing day. 
Shraddha is known to unlock people before they even know it. She sees through the cloud, and cuts through the jargon with a simplicity you would not expect. She will narrate the blueprint of your life and its purpose like a movie, cutting it clear in black and white. She travels through life as much as across cities, spreading her gift through workshops, inspirational talks and sessions - all to connect people back to their soul’s journey.

The Review: 

This review has been long overdue. One, because I couldn't wrap my head around the book with the very first read. And two, because when I finally sat down to write the review, I wondered what a twenty four year old with a mad love for romance and young adult fiction possibly say about a genre that's gained popularity through the works of Paulo Coelho. 

Despite India being the land of three hundred and thirty million Gods, this is a genre that most people don't really tread on. For various reasons. Our books are mostly religious, not spiritual. And being a student of Comparative Literature, I had a fair few number of religious texts forced down my throat. 

While I love quoting Paulo Coelho, I have never had the patience to go through most famed works. Because I found it to be heavily didactic and there's about enough preaching I can handle at one go. Shraddha Soni's writing is not preachy. 

Sid is a confused person. His world has fallen apart because he is going through a messy divorce, he has lost his money and his company...he is left with literally nothing. So Soni basically uses the concept of everything falling apart so that it can be put together again in the most perfect way possible...just like it was supposed to be from the beginning. 

It took me quite sometime to go through the book because, well, I don't like slow moving plots. But I understand why the plot moves slowly...because there are so many questions raised and when you get the answers, it only raises more questions. 

The book definitely deserves more attention that it has been given. Despite all the glam and the book launch, it failed to gain a hold over the market. While I partly blame the genre being very new to Indian audiences, people who are familiar with the concept of the Law of Attraction, will pick this up without a single thought.... 

In it's own way, I am Life, is a beautiful read. She is right - "I AM" are the two most powerful words in the Universe. 

This review is written on behalf of Writers Melon