Rating: 5/5 Stars
The novel, “Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss” centers on Professor Chandra, a world renowned economist who narrowly misses out on winning the nobel prize at the beginning of the story. His life has been focused on his work, and as a result he is a divorced father of three who spends his days as a professor at Cambridge with little regard for things other than economics. When his world is turned upside down by a bicycle accident, he is forced to take a vacation which ultimately becomes a life altering journey.
This book was simply sensational! Author Rajeev Balasubramanyam’s writing was witty and precise. He developed Chandra’s character perfectly through intrapersonal communication and short snippets of banter between characters. Chandra’s thoughts had me laughing, smiling and hoping for a happy ending for the main character.
The book explores Chandra’s relationships with all of the people around him. Of those relationships, the one that I found the most interesting was that between Chandra and his eldest daughter, Radha. Chandra spends the majority of the story estranged from her and the author uses a unilateral approach to dissect their relationship. As the anticipation builds throughout the story, the question remains of whether or not the two will reconcile.
At the beginning of the story, it is clear that Chandra has a lot of room for personal growth and his relationships with his children are in desperate need of repair. This story will weave its way into the hearts of readers with charming characters and fantastic prose. Following along with Chandra on this self-improvement journey was a wonderful experience.
Recommendation: I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys fiction, family and the occasional snarky comment.
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