Sorting Out Sid

by Yashodhara Lal

Meet Sid, a master at the art of denial, in this hilarious, insightful tale of modern-day living and relationships.

Siddharth Agarwal a.k.a. Sid has it all – a fifteen-year-long marriage, a bunch of devoted friends, and the chance to be the company’s youngest-ever VP, all at the age of thirty-six.

But, behind the scenes, his life is slowly falling apart, what with his marriage on the rocks, parents who treat him like a delinquent child, and overly-interfering, backstabbing friends. And that’s not even counting the manipulative HR vixen and the obnoxious boss he must tackle in office.

So, when lovely, spunky single mom Neha materializes in his life, she brings into it a ray of hope. But will she cause the brewing storm to finally erupt?

Who said it would be easy sorting out Sid?

Genres: Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Yashodhara Lal's USP is in taking the ordinary and making it hilarious. She graduated from IIM-Bangalore in 2002 and has over 12 years of experience in the Marketing Domain across two large corporations in FMCG and media. She lives in Gurgaon with her husband Vijay, and the three small children they call Peanut, Pickle and Papad - all of whom never fail to provide her with material for her entertaining blog at http://www.yashodharalal.com.

'Just Married, Please Excuse' is her first book. 'Sorting Out Sid' is her latest work of fiction.

Reviews

[Ahtims · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a refreshing read - a tinge of humor amidst all the serious books I've been reading nowadays, though the events itself are not funny at all. This book made me laugh out loud,as well as mull profoundly over the modern life. Sid, who considers himself a happy-go-lucky guy is on the verge of separation from his wife and a fifteen year old marriage (at one place it is mentioned as 10 years - which is confusing) He has a couple of best friends, an irritating boss, a bright future in the toilet cleaner related company he's working in, and gets to meet a lovely young divorcee mother. Sid is at cross roads as regarding to his professional and personal future and commits a few mistakes and finally puts his life together. It was a breezy read, very easy upon the eyes and mind, easy flow of story making all the characters believable most of the time. I liked all characters, including Mandira, his soon to be ex-wife who came across as more human than bitchish. Would recommend it to all who love an easy read with a tinge of humor, especially to Rom Com fans.
caution- there are a few repetitions. E.g. Meenakshi's reddish gums and Neha's pixie like face appear at least half a dozen times

[Diptakirti Chaudhuri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slice-of-life novel about marriage, careers, family and all sorts of high-pressure told in a tongue-in-cheek, breezy style.
Most of us will recognise many of the characters, will cringe at their mistakes and chuckle indulgently as the characters slowly get their lives back on track.

[Zarreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sid. Who thinks everything around him is good...GOOD!

The book works wonderfully to engage you with a story, yet keep you laughing. And the beauty of it is that it's very real. You know someone just like him! He's non confrontational, means well, but keeps messing up everything. His unintentionally funny life makes you laugh with him, makes you laugh with him, makes you want to bash him up, makes you feel sorry and basically makes you want to know how he'll finally sort himself out. It's not a chick-lit. But it's funny and insightful and just a very good read!

[Anirban Mukerji · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yashodhara reveals her understanding of modern day living in a humorous manner. Some of the incidents in the book are too funny to have not been partly borrowed from real life.

Extremely well written, will strongly recommend

[Maniparna Sengupta majumder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yashodhara Lal has a special skill to induce laughter even from day-to-day mundane incidents and Sorting Out Sid is a book which is sure to make you smile . Meeting the protagonist Siddharth Agarwal aka Sid is like meeting a guy-next-door. We are so acquainted with his idiosyncrasies , his unintentional messing up of things ...like " So ! when is the baby due ? " ..he blurts out as soon as he points a slightly bulging tummy ! Just think of the embarrassment of the lady who fails to shed that extra calorie !! But Sid is like that. A young man of thirty-six and almost at the zenith of his career with a company doing business with toilet cleaners . He is over-enthusiastic about some of the things in his life and loves to say " Fine ! FINE " at anything and just for a variation he uses " Good ! GOOD " . But actually everything is not really good as his fifteen-year-old marriage is about to yield a divorce and his relationship with some friends gets tangled .

Like all of us , Sid has many a shade in his life ... he is The Husband Sid, The Party Sid , The Uncle Sid , The Son Sid and of course The Work Sid . He tries his level best to play each role in an impeccable manner but evidently ends up in a conundrum. His aspiration for a six-feet stature makes him miserable in front of Krish's six-three frame and he gets a complex in spite of his spiffy appearance. His relationship with Mandira is such that he feels " replacing her Colgate Toothpaste tube with a tube of Odomos ". A small portion of Sid , actually , resides in everyone of us and that's why we can relate with the character so easily. His dilemmas , his confusions, eccentricities, complexes as well as joy and happiness become ours unknowingly.

By the middle of the story Sid actually gets himself to the chair of his ex-boss Akash by becoming the youngest Vee-Pee in the company. He cherishes his promotion and tries to be a tad more confident in his actions and decisions. But sorting out things is not a child's play and Sid , to his parents is still a child who are always there to protect him from every woe , even from his divorce. As happens in real life , things are harder than they appear and Sid continues his journey to figure them out, in a proper way and the readers take a stroll along with him .

Yashodhara really has a flare for....Read the full review here..
http://maniparna5002.wordpress.com/20...

[Darshana Unnikrishnan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read the author's first book and had liked it a lot. Thought that it was written in a very realistic way and that's why I had bought this book from the bookstore nearby when it was released.

But alas....
This second book of hers misses the non-masala touch of the first book. Maybe because the first book was fairly autobiographical and this is just a piece of fiction. After reading this one I think the author is slipping into the Chetan Bhagat clan. If there is a third book by Yashodhara Lal I might be a little skeptical bought buying it.

The storyline is about a modern day Sid's life before, thorough and after divorce. A very predictable story flow written in an above average english language (Though the use of the "bad words" unnecessarily did startle me a little bit). When we say modern day there comes beer, a female friend, flirtatious colleague, keeping parents at a distance etc etc. Not to forget the entry of the divorced single mother. Rest of the story can easily be guessed I guess!!!

Though the author claims to have a good sense of humor I don't think the book contains much of it. The jokes are really not the "laugh out loud" kind and rather the "shruggable" (if that is a word) kind.

So bottomline, the book is much better than many of the chetan bhagat's books. So if you still want to check it out, do go ahead and buy it.

[Priyanka Roy Banerjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is about Sid. It is his story. But it is as much a story of people cocooned around him – Mandira, Neha, Aditi – the women! Sid is someone most of us would be able to connect with – he’s not happy with his marriage, his job, his shortcomings and his love life. Sid has multiple persona, just like most of us – ‘Work Sid’, ‘Party Sid’,’Sid Uncle’, ‘Best friend Sid’, ‘Ex husband Sid.’
I hadn’t read the author’s previous book Just Married, Please Excuse. I wasn’t aware of her writing skills and must I say, I’m quite taken by her writing. Her ability to characterize is at par with quality writers.

Much recommended for everyone in and around their thirties. This is one book I’d love to wait for a sequel.

Read the full review here: http://oneandahalfminutes.wordpress.c...

[Kumar Anshul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok, First things first. i absolutely hate reading stuff like these but I read this one because it was a 'pre birthday gift' from someone special.
A man in his late thirties (who is still sorting himself out) who is a VP in a marketing firm surrounded by a wife from an almost broken marriage, over interfering female best friend and a sexy HR Executive who is all gaga over him. And if it wasn't enough there enters a beautiful 'recently divorced' single mother.
A predictable plot with hardly any humor or twists, you would like it if you are a voracious Indian reader with Chetan Bhagat and Durjoy Dutta as your favorite authors.

[Shivangi Yadav]

I need negative stars to rate this book.

Gosh, I do not have the words to explain how I finished this book. I was ready to shelve it unfinished after the first 5 chapters but I have no clue why I persisted. Maybe I am a masochist. Or maybe I could not believe that an author whose one book I had already read and liked, could write this.

To cut a long story short it is an absolutely terrible read, the story has no flow, the sentences are stilted and almost through 80% of the book you wonder what the point is here.

Avoid it at all costs.

[Aneesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all know a friend like Sid who can be fake without meaning to. Written by my dear friend who is so talented and in writing this "slice of life", funny fictional tale has added a new dimension to her successes. Yash is here to stay as an imp voice of the Hinglish times we have relationships in, full of blurred, real lines.

[Seeta · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you finally put this book down, what strikes you the most is how apt the title is - Sorting out Sid. Yes, right from the start till you have read the last word on the final page, all that is happening is Sid getting sorted out. Not by him or his friends or his colleagues or his parents or his wife. But by you and me as we leaf through the book, at times chuckling at his wit, sometimes rolling our eyes at his seemingly desperate attempt at pleasing his bosses or simply shaking our heads in exasperation at the superficial “always-the life-of-the-party” act. There are so many Sids within this Sid, that you as a reader are left with no choice but to keep sorting him out, wondering whether by the time you reach the end you would have peeled off enough layers to know the real Sid. That’s the journey Yashodhara Lal takes you through with her latest book; His life and the people that contribute knowingly or unknowingly to the various layers that define him.

Sid could be any of us. He exists in everyday life with his marital problems, dull yet ambitious career, childhood friends who have stayed for life and his grudging love for his over protective parents. These are facets of life that we all experience at some stage or the other in our lives, how we respond to these is what defines us as individuals. How Sid responds to it, defines the “Party Sid”, “Work Sid”, “Uncle Sid” “Friendly Sid” “Avoiding Sid”… that we get to see all through the book.

At parties held by his best friend Aditi, he puts on the “Friendly Sid” or “Party Sid” cap with much ease, cracking jokes and amusing all with his wit and humour. At one such party he meets Neha, a single mom who forms an integral part of the ups and downs he goes through.

At work, he puts on the “Work Sid” cap despite his dislike for the job he does. From portraying that all is always well in his life and cracking forced jokes filled with smelly office humour to plastering a superficial smile on his face and enacting fake laughter, Sid rises up the ladder not for once wondering whether he really cares for what he does.

When his parents visit him, “Avoiding Sid” comes to life. Finding ways to stay away from his over-expecting father and over-protective mother, yet finding it hard to break their hearts with the news of his impending divorce, “Avoiding Sid” knows to do just one thing. Avoid.

As his friendship with Neha deepens, “Uncle Sid” surfaces, befriending Kippy, Neha’s two year old daughter and making you wonder if he really is as averse to kids as he makes it to be otherwise.

What surfaces with the different faces of Sid is his love to please others. Even when he brings his guard down when he is all alone lounging on his bean bag “Brownie” with a couple of beers at hand, he can’t help but file away wise cracks he thinks off for future use. He can’t stop loving the different layers more than appreciating what he truly is. In all these faces however, there is one that stays strikingly absent – The “Husband Sid”. Right from the beginning, the cracks in his marriage are evident but does he do anything to figure out what went wrong? No. At one point, it made me wonder whether the different personalities that are Sid, sparked the discomfort for Mandira… There is an obvious communication gap and lack of effort from Sid’s end despite various jibes from Mandira which could have triggered a need to resolve matters. But no, Sid is too busy donning on his other masks to bother about this relationship. As far as he is concerned it was a failure even before he tried. Mandira is one person he does not care to please.

With his life the stage and his near and dear ones the actors, he sails in and out in each act with a different role and a different dialogue each time, letting his presence of mind effectively cordon off his true feelings and close the door to his inner self. Eventually the wall he has built around himself begins to show signs of weakening, when Neha comes into his life and he connects with her, especially her paintings.

Quotes by two characters in the book sum up what the book is all about for me. At one point Neha tells him “All you do is use people to feel better about yourself”. At another, Krish, Aditi’s husband says on the topic of his divorce “If you don’t find yourself difficult to live with, you are unlikely to find anyone else difficult”. For me, these two statements define the premise of Sorting out Sid. Throughout his life, Sid had aimed to feel better about him. His parents, friends, colleagues and his wife, in some way or the other have contributed to reinforce this self made goal that he has always had. They might have had his best interests in mind, but none really bothered to truly understand this nature of his. None, other than Neha. Does Sid finally get sorted out? Not overnight, no. Yashodhara ends the book on that note, with Sid acknowledging his sorting out phase and Neha telling him “ We’re all still figuring it out”.

Overall the book was a quick read but it did have some highs and lows which stood out for me.
Pros - Yashodhara sprinkles a delightful dose of wit and humour through the book. The “So! When is the baby due?” statement on seeing a women’s belly is a question every woman fears in her lifetime. She makes it as hilarious as it can get with that and many more. Another instance that stands out is her reference to India TV. “Ek sahasi murg ki kahani”… it can’t get funnier than that. With humour under her belt, next she targets the superficiality in the corporate world, esp. the references to “broad framework” and false deadlines. Extremely detailed descriptions, Yashodhara does a good job of playing back the current gen lifestyle. Across the book, she also spreads out a few gems that make you smile, be it the reference to how Ravi a marketing intern reminds Sid painfully of himself in his younger days or the beautiful manner in which she describes Neha’s attempt at discovering a subject for her to paint – only an artist (of the written word) could have described it so well.

Cons- Sorting out Sid takes a tad too long. There are moments where you get the feeling the story is dragging on its feet and could do with a bit of a push to make it move along. Overall a rather simple plot, there is not much to keep the reader engaged and glued till the last page. The story line demands a casual and simplified language but given that this is a piece of English fiction the “colloquial” ness in the conversations seems to go out of proportion at times, esp. when Hindi makes way into the writing. If the Author wishes to cater to an audience beyond those who speak the two languages, the idiomatic tone might not connect instantly with the reader.

Despite the length, in general “Sorting Out Sid” is a breezy read, made so by the humour Yashodhara provides in generous doses all across. If you want to relax with a chilled beer on your bean bag, this is a book worth picking up.

[Richa Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorting Out Sid by Yashodhara Lal is about Sid's life, the messy somewhat relatable life. Sid had everything rolling for him, a long marriage, quality friends and a promotion all at the age of 36. That's when it all went tumbling down... With marriage drama, backstabbing friends and obnoxious colleagues, Sid has to work on his life. Then enters Neha, a single mother with bubbling laughter and a strong willed personality. Is she the one made for the journey of Sorting Out Sid?

This is a book to chill with on a weekend, because of its fast paced story and easy to understand language. Many characters of this story will make you smile in recognition, you have been sure to meet such personalities in your life. The story is not so much a romance but a comic phase of Sid from what he was, to where he is supposed to go. This would make for a great prequel/accompanying novel, but as a standalone it felt forced and pale. The ending left a lot to contemplation, I was expecting a much more of a closure happy ending. I will recommend this book to a beginner for its funny dialogues and easy to follow plot.

[Locomente · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Sid, the hero.
He is like any of us who wears different hats for different occasions – The Office Sid, Party Sid and so on. He remains as the center of attraction and he has s charming persona. But he also gets bored of the pretense and likes to be alone. He is perfectly imperfect and that makes him lovable! He finds it hard to take up responsibilities and has a problem in growing up.

- Mandira, Sid’s wife
She is two years older to Sid. She comes across and bitter. May be owing to Sid’s reluctance to father a child; his reluctance to take up responsibility in spite of a decade old marriage! But, I think she is more like a jackfruit; a hard exterior and a sweet interior! She hides her emotions. She is bold

- Neha, Sid’s love
She is a single mother. She is bold and practical. She is emotional and get easily attached to people. She thinks a lot, which is a problem. She is an artist and cherishes friendship.

- Aditi, Sid’s friend
She is caring and I-will-always-be-there-for-you kind of friend. She is also protective and possessive. She also thinks a lot and as I said, thinking a lot can always cause problems.

Then there is Vikas, Sunny, Krish, Kapil and a few others who makes Sid’s life more interesting.
After all, this is Sid’s story!


What I think
To begin with, the cover-page is super-cool. It hints on what can be expected. Then there is a page dedicated to let us know about Sid, the protagonist. He is witty, easygoing, idiosyncratic, impulsive, smart-ass, metrosexual, Vice-President, Master of Denial, vain, amiable, lovable, beer-loving, thoughtless and idiotic. And as readers, we find ourselves flipping the pages to find out more about him. The simple book blurb only adds to the anticipation!

The narrative style flows with ease and Sid turns out to be everything that he promised..

One thing that I liked about Sid is that he is a real gentleman. Yes, he might hurt people or run away from responsibilities. But, he never carries grudge. He knows to stay within the limits. His gentlemanliness can be felt in the way he handles the women in his life… His mother, towards the end of course, his wife Mandira, his friend Aditi, his love Neha and his colleague Meenakshi.

I appreciate the author for writing a book with about 340 pages from the perspective of a male. I mean, it is really tough to write from the point of view of opposite gender. The author has done a great job here.

What I really loved is that the book sounds real and untouched by cliché. Especially, the unhurried climax. There is no real end per se. It is almost like a new beginning!


But...
The book seems too long and never ending. Almost like same thing is said again and again. It is like a television serial, skipping a few episodes will not make much of difference. I wish more editing was done to make it crispier and more enjoyable!


Should you read it?
Yes. For all the laugh-aloud moments that it offers…
And for Sid. He is a sweetheart in spite of the imperfections!

[Jairam Mohan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read too many books that are probably this easy to read, easy to relate to and easy to turn the pages with. Sorting out Sid is not just the story of the main protagonist but am sure that most of us will relate to this story or at least large parts of it. The blurb clearly lays out the ground rules in terms of the fact that Sid is stuck in a marriage that is falling apart at the seams, is stuck in a job which is quite literally being flushed down the drain and more importantly is stuck with a life that pretty much doesn't seem to be going anywhere pleasant. What exacerbates the situation is that Sid comes across as a perfectly likeable guy, and am sure readers will more than sympathize with the situations he finds himself in more than once.

What I personally loved about this book is that it doesn't get 'preachy' at all even for one paragraph. The author has displayed good restraint in restricting herself to reporting the proceedings in Sid's life and stands by on the sidelines and seems to be smiling (even laughing sometimes) at all that happens here. While the author could easily have prescribed her solutions for Sid's travails and help 'sort out Sid', she takes the harder pragmatic gamble where she allows the readers to make their own opinions of Sid and the other characters in the book. And the fact that Yashodhara Lal succeeds in this endeavor speaks volumes for the fact that this is a good book to be read.

Detailed review put up at my blog

[Divya · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Sorting out Sid' is the book equivalent of a Friends episode - it will be the perfect pick me up to a bad day or week. The more you read and laugh at Sid and his problems, the simpler your own will seem. After all, you don't have a weird boss, a crumbling marriage, nosey parents, a new love AND a back-stabbing best friend to deal with all at the same time, do you? And even if you, by the time you are done reading the book you will realize that in the end, things will be just fine.

For fans of Yashodhra's blog, or her previous book 'Just Married, Please Excuse', SOS is a step out of her comfort zone of more autobiographical writing, but she does a great job with the narrative and the characters. I would personally love to see her write more fiction of this nature. If you're looking for something entertaining, and would like to laugh out loud for a couple of hours, I'd suggest you head out to a bookstore nearby and pick up a copy of this book!

[Jaideep Khanduja · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://pebbleinthestillwaters.blogspo...

A Story of Multifaceted Sid

The eye catching, entirely different kind of cover, was good enough to make us curious to know about the story, content and plot. Two hours and a couple of Black Coffees were good enough to know Sid (the lead character) of Sorting Out Sid. Sid is a lively, active, extrovert, open and easygoing character. An interesting fiction story of Sorting Out Sid is about so many things happening in the life of Sid and how he manages to tackle each of the situation. Sid (Siddharth Agarwal) has been married to Mandira for 15 years and has reached to the peak of his career at an early age of 36. He becomes a Vice President of its sales division and interestingly is termed as CTO (Chief Toilet Office) by his boss as the company is into selling of toilet products.

[Sakshi Nanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading ‘Sorting Out Sid’ is like finding your long lost twin in the World Book Fair – for the young, modern, urban, educated, married, working in a metropolis reality that it shares with you. The book is a story well-woven and told, around a protagonist who draws at our hearts’ strings. Equally capable is Sid of driving you crazy, for he will rise to such depths of stupidity you scream S.O.S. from his idiosyncrasies, or for him from the women who surround him! Maybe even shake him by the shoulders and scream - ‘What are you doing, Mr. Toilet Cleaner?’
Read the rest of the review here ...
http://www.sakshinanda.com/2014/02/bo...

[Howard Roark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read on the whole, though I felt some of the lines were unnecessary for the story/characterization/humour. The story could have been told in 50 pages less with as much punch and humour. Barring a couple of grammatical aberrations, which could have been edited away, the book dwells in a humorous way, on the masks people wear, through the portrayal of Sid, the protagonist. There's nothing in the writing that would make me go back to read it, but I appreciate the subtlety in the narration of Sid's emotions/feelings. Kudos to the author for the lack of mundane and inconsequential drama. Would love to see more such light novels that delve into the human mind and existential distortions.

[Pankti Mehta · Rating 1 out of 5]

The most boring chick lit I've ever come across!

I really never thought a chick lit could make me yawn and go to sleep. Sorting Out Sid managed to do that. There wasn’t enough of masala for me. And the length! I couldn’t believe such a simple plot needs so many pages! This story could have been written in half the pages the author has filled up.

For more, visit http://panktimehta.blogspot.in/2014/0...

[Shekar Hariharan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with her first book (Just Married Please Excuse), whats 4 star in my review is predominantly the "punch" dialogues and anecdotes that Mz Y Lal uses throughout the book. She has a flair for quick one-liners that's amusing to read!

[Vinit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had a fine, FINE time reading the book – an immaculate cover page, aptly titled chapters, well-knit characters & an entertaining narrative right from the first page. It is really a good, GOOD-read. Awaiting a corporate fiction from the author.

[Harsh Tyagi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sid has it all- a fifteen-year-long marriage, a bunch of devoted friends and the chance to be the company's youngest-ever VP, all at the age of thirty-six. But the grass is always greener on the other side, for his life is slowly falling apart, with is marriage on the rocks, parents treating him like a delinquent child, annoying HR and boss, and overly interfering, backstabbing friends. It's going to be a big task to sort out Sid.

It's something like this when at a little point anyone can say, I know that feeling! She writes it well but it's a bit tad too long, the story is about a usual guy with life complications, a very simple concept but with life's complications, the complex characters and relatable moments in the story, with a tinge of humour, a journey of self realisation and of sorting out a human being. I wish it was a bit shorter as i felt it was dragging at times, and it could say what it wanted to say, in fewer number of pages. Overall an enjoyable read.

[Bandita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story about Sid who is a 36 years old man and has been married for 15 years. From the outside his life seems perfect but from the inside, his life is not going that great. His marriage is falling apart, his parents treat him as if he is a delinquent child, and his friends are backstabbers. His work life is not that great as well.

But when he meets a single mother Neha, his life changes for the better.

I have enjoyed the author’s other books before but this one kind of fell flat for me. Even though I liked Sid’s story and how he was still discovering himself at such an age, I still found him a bit confusing. Also, I felt the story dragged a bit. The ending was also a bit underwhelming.

Overall, this book is fine for a one-time read as it is an easy read with some funny moments and dialogues in it. I’d recommend this book to beginners if you’re looking for some lighthearted books to read.

[Craartology · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorting Out Sid, is a book that stands true to its title and blurb to the core (in an agreeable sense, ofcourse!). It’s a saga of Sid’s life that needs a lot of mending in its real being unlike the perfect facade known to the world. Career and relationships define the quality of his life be it the mishaps or little wins. Sid’s journey is loaded with self discovery and learning to deal with life along the course of time.

Yashodhara Lal is the most relatable and realistic writer I’ve come across in the recent months and her books are packed with details that induce emotions making the reader empathize with her flawed characters and intelligent plot.

Read this book to enjoy the crisp and witty narration.

[Honey & Anjali · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a story about Sid, a man in his mid-thirties who has it all; a long marriage, great friends and a successful career, but, things aren’t always the way they look like. Sid’s life is been all over the place and then Neha, a single mother walks into his life like a ray of hope.

I kind of enjoyed reading it because of how it were written, but coming to the story, it did not stand out to me or had any value to give.

I finished reading it in no time, partly because it’s too simple and partly because I wanted to be done so that I could pick up something that was more of my taste.

I'll recommend it to people who are just beginning their journey with books.

[Tisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I picked up this book, I knew that it was going to be an unusual story. But, I definitely did not know that I would get hooked to the author's writing style and specially Sid, the main character! The story dealt with different and true aspects of people's lives but in a very humourous way! At the end of the book, I grew fond of each character, however vastly different they were from each other! :D I absolutely recommend this book for those looking out for some unexpected laughs! :D

[Kuldeep Nikam · Rating 2 out of 5]

you can read it for your curiosity. don't waste your time, if you are expecting too much from this book.

[S B · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4 (RD)

[Prasanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story completely belongs to Sid and his eccentricities in life. And as the story moves forward the author manages to peel off yet another layer of Sid’s personality and leaves you confused.
All through the book Sid comes across as a person who tries to live in his fake identities, his various masks that he dons to entertain people. But almost at the end of the book, there is a paragraph where Neha accuses him to be too narcissistic and claims that even after months of knowing her, Sid never bothered to inquire about her two year old daughter’s full name, who she nicknamed quite oddly as Kippy.
Sid remains silent but as he strides out of Neha’s house, he softly says Kippy’s real name and remembers that he had noticed the name the first day he entered Neha’s house. That’s when you realize that there’s still hope for Sid. Such little gems in the book that keeps you engrossed in between the toilet jokes that failed to make me laugh.
As a writer, Yashodhara Lal, has grown tremendously from her last book. Fortunately the author, unlike in her previous book, managed to keep the usage of Hindi words to minimum. Sid’s characterization takes a major chunk in the story and I did feel that the other characters were a little sidelined. But I am not complaining because Sid has enough potential to keep you entertained with his antics throughout the 300-odd paged book.
Funny thing is even though the storyline vaguely reminded me of ‘Wake-Up Sid’ movie, I just couldn’t shake off the image of Jim Carrey in Sid’s role.

Verdict: Overall a delightful read that managed to keep me riveted and entertained till the end.

[Geeta Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

HIGHS
Storyline – Relevant, something we can relate to in today’s life.
Language – Simple and engaging.

Characters - Well etched with all their imperfections. One can relate to each one of them. We are all surrounded by the likes of Sid, Aditi, Neha, Mandira, Sunny, Vikas, Akash and Ms. Meenakshi. Some we recognize, some we ignore and some we deny. But the fact remains that they are all there around us.Each of the characters contributes to the story.

Message- The book is a wake-up call to the innumerable Sid’s busy making a career at the cost of a meaningful family life. It gives us an insight into the reasons for the ever increasing break –ups, divorces and embittered relationships the Indian Society is witnessing today.

LOWS

Length and momentum - The first part to me seemed to drag forcing me to put down the book quite often. However by the time I reached the second part things started gaining momentum. Fewer pages would have meant a crispier, engaging narrative right from the word ‘go.’

Humor- Each person’s sense of humor is different. So for me was this tale truly hilarious as mentioned in the back cover? Well, there were certainly a few places where my face broke out into a smile. But did I laugh out loud? No.

Editing- Unnecessary repetitions at a few places.

MY RATING/ RECOMMENDATION

If you are looking for a light read. Then, this is definitely one you can place your hands on. I will give this 4/5

WINDING UP>

The most relevant quote in the entire book-
Neha telling Sid: “All you do is use people to feel better about yourself.”
Now isn’t that true?