Initial reviews have started pouring in and its very exciting. The book is receiving good response in Pune and is available across most crosswords there. These are some of the reviews of the book from initial readers (more reviews here). Am looking forward to MS member's reviews soon.
"This is one of the very few books that I have read end to end in a go, from the title, tagline to the epilogue. Just could not take it out of my hands until I saw Akkie finally getting blissfully married to...a perfect life partner.
The way the plot has been woven is truly fascinating. The crisp narration catapulting the reader back and forth in time forces you to stay put and look forward to what will be next.Such captivating storytelling is no mean feat and its hard to believe that this is the author's debut attempt.
One striking thing about the writing style is the way the entire book creates pictures in your mind. The way typical behavioral traits have been outlined it makes you feel as though you are going through a motion picture. I could visualize in my thoughts Radha, Aartee, Zareen, the drooling toddler,even the aunty from Sydney and the confused faces of family on seeing the 50 kgs marigold.
Were it in my hands I would love to make a movie out of this book but am not sure if a movie can do justice to the fun of reading this book !!!!
Am really looking forward to the next book from Hitesha :-)."
- Aarti Rathi Soni, Consultant at Accenture, Avid reader of modern Indian Fiction
"Gosh!I never knew the plight of a marriageable young man who, like so many women of his age, still believes in falling in love and dream weddings.Hitesha brings a fresh perspective by a mere twist in gender.
This book stands as a lone voice calling attention to the miseries of thirty something unmarried Indian men still optimistic about finding a soul-mate and braving the emotional onslaught from family, friends and the world in general.
It is hilarious, well researched, fresh in concept and immensely contemporary."
- Prapti Banerjee, Calcutta based, Manager at Aanand Bazaar Patrika
"It(Knots And No Crosses) makes for a compulsive reading. It was after maybe three odd years that I read a book in one complete sitting,oblivious of the coffee getting cold on the tableside.
But getting back to the point, one of the best points about the book was the way past and present were not only alternated but linked too, so as to maintain a continuity.. and there would be no guy walking the earth who would not empathise with Akkie at one point or the other in the entire novel...
...all in all, a wonderful read... amazingly well done,because to sustain the tempo is easy for a short story, but to maintain it over the course of a novel takes some doing, and hitesha is one person who could have, and indeed has, successfully carried it off...bows in salute"
- Flight Lieutinent Rishi Verma, 48 Squadron, Indian Air Force
