Official Review: Eighteen plus duets by Lata Gullapalli

AA1495 · Post by **AA1495** » 03 Nov 2016, 21:30

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Eighteen plus duets" by Lata Gullapalli.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Review - Eighteen Plus Duets: Saucy Spicy Stories

Eighteen Plus Duets: Saucy Spicy Stories is a collection of eighteen short stories by different authors. All the short stories revolve around the themes of marriage, relationships and cheating. A few short stories describe problems in relationships and how they’re solved. Some short stories simply describe the protagonist’s affairs. However, what I wasn’t expecting was that many short stories deal with extra-marital affairs. Furthermore, some of these stories even seem to promote them!

While the characters and settings for the stories are unique, they all deal with the same themes. The plots of the stories aren’t original either. Having read multiple stories in one sitting, I found them repetitive. Further, most stories are light hearted reads. They aren’t dramatic or mysterious. While they were enjoyable to read, I wasn’t motivated to read further (or finish the book in one sitting, which is often the case).

The book has elements of romance and humor. Most short stories revolve around romantic relationships. Many stories have funny dialogues and scenes. Prominently, one short story, which describes a sexologist’s experience with inexperienced clients, is funny.

The stories in the book have a strong Indian context. This relates to the names of the characters, the locations and the family backgrounds described. However, this will not prevent anyone from understanding the book. A few short stories also provide insights into Indian culture, which some readers could find interesting.

Despite the length of the stories, the characters were described well. However, I found it difficult to connect with most characters. They seemed egoistic and I didn’t agree with the decisions they made (especially about cheating). A few stories had strong protagonists who I could connect with and was rooting for till the end.

One story that stood out was Magic by Lata Gullapalli. The story described matchmaking in India. The marriage of two ambitious people is fixed by their families. Having spent little time together before the marriage, the beginning of their married life is uncomfortable. However, just when it seems like they’ve settled into a peaceful routine, a major professional opportunity arises, which could lead to their separation. How will they deal with this separation? Will they get their happily ever after?

The characters in this short story, Shruti and Shekar, are strong and realistic. I like strong female characters, and thus, I loved Shruti. She was clever, successful and independent. She made some difficult decisions in the story. I could connect with her and was rooting for her. Shekar, on the other hand, was funny and courageous. This was the only story where I liked all the characters.

Further, this story provides considerable insight into Indian culture. It describes match making in India, and how a pampered daughter turns into a responsible daughter-in-law. Further, there are certain scenes in the story which describe Indian customs. I found this very interesting to read.

Finally, without giving any spoilers, I liked the ending of the story. It made me feel happy to have read the story. Overall, I thought the author had put in considerable effort into the plot and narration. Further, this story is very different from the others in the book and clearly stands out.

In terms of language, all the stories were easy to read and follow. They seemed to be professionally edited and I found no obvious grammatical mistakes. Most stories are told from the female protagonist’s perspective. All the stories move at a good pace and seem to be of appropriate lengths. Simple sentence structures and vocabulary have been used. Overall, the stories were easy to understand.

What I liked best about the book was the short story Magic by Lata Gallapalli. The story beautifully describes arranged marriages, professional aspirations and Indian traditions. It has strong characters and a realistic plot. What I liked least about the book was the fact that certain short stories seem to be promoting extra marital affairs. While I agree that it’s a personal choice, I couldn’t connect with the characters and those stories were the least enjoyable for me.

Overall, I would rate the book 3 out of 4 stars. Most stories are light hearted and enjoyable reads. They have been written well and provide some insight into Indian culture. The book has mature content. I would recommend the book to adults who are looking for light hearted reads and don’t mind reading alternative perspectives.

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Eighteen plus duets
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kimmyschemy06 · Post by **kimmyschemy06** » 12 Nov 2016, 09:17

Sounds like an interesting and enjoyable collection. I loved the movie '3 Idiots' and I am very much interested in Indian culture. Good job on the review.

AA1495 · Post by **AA1495** » 12 Nov 2016, 12:58

kimmyschemy06 wrote:Sounds like an interesting and enjoyable collection. I loved the movie '3 Idiots' and I am very much interested in Indian culture. Good job on the review.

Oh I loved that movie too! This is an interesting book. Hope you give the book a chance! Thank you for your comment!

Kdonegan91 · Post by **Kdonegan91** » 16 Nov 2016, 00:02

Seems like an interesting book. However, I don't think it's for me. I love romance books but not ones that promote having an affair. Thank you for your honest and professional review.

AA1495 · Post by **AA1495** » 16 Nov 2016, 05:51

Kdonegan91 wrote:Seems like an interesting book. However, I don't think it's for me. I love romance books but not ones that promote having an affair. Thank you for your honest and professional review.

I understand! Thank You so much!

Post by **bookowlie** » 21 Nov 2016, 10:44

Nice, insightful review! The collection doesn't seem like my cup of tea, with repetitive storylines. I am glad you enjoyed the stories, despite the issues you mentioned.

AA1495 · Post by **AA1495** » 21 Nov 2016, 10:45

bookowlie wrote:Nice, insightful review! The collection doesn't seem like my cup of tea, with repetitive storylines. I am glad you enjoyed the stories, despite the issues you mentioned.

I did. Most of them were enjoyable to read. Thank you for your comment!

Post by **Kourtney Bradley** » 21 Nov 2016, 12:42

I looked in to this one a few weeks back for review. I'm usually not a fan of combined short stories, but it seems like it was done well by this author! Thanks for sharing your review!

AA1495 · Post by **AA1495** » 21 Nov 2016, 12:46

klbradley wrote:I looked in to this one a few weeks back for review. I'm usually not a fan of combined short stories, but it seems like it was done well by this author! Thanks for sharing your review!

Oh, I love short stories! I'm sure you would enjoy reading the book too. Hope you give the book a chance. Thank You for the comment.