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schyjo's review
challenging
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
raclmac's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
lisah1058's review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
mostlyshanti's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
found it hard to think this was funny because it's so real, so many people go through this, Indian culture is so puritanical towards women. And all the characters had such a hard time expressing any of the love or affection they clearly felt for each other! why was no one furious about the crime of being recorded???
shreyabaldwa's review
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Aravind Jayan's Teen Couple Have Fun Outdoors is an absolute honest representation of a middle-class Indian family in the face of a sex scandal. It also highlights the generation gap between parents and children and their approach to challenging situations.
Jayan's social analysis and touches pf humor along the novel are spot on. However, the entire story is driven by the POV of the narrator (brother of the guy in the sex scandal). The POVs of the other key characters are either told through the lens of the narrator or left on guesswork. I wish the other characters were well fleshed out. It would have made the story more enjoyable. Overall, a quick and easy read about a classic family drama set in the modern age of phones and social media.
Jayan's social analysis and touches pf humor along the novel are spot on. However, the entire story is driven by the POV of the narrator (brother of the guy in the sex scandal). The POVs of the other key characters are either told through the lens of the narrator or left on guesswork. I wish the other characters were well fleshed out. It would have made the story more enjoyable. Overall, a quick and easy read about a classic family drama set in the modern age of phones and social media.
fionamcdiarmid's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
williamvonbaskerville's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
ishatfrom5to7's review
4.0
this was extremely fun to read for the most part.
for the most part because it felt like it suffered from the bolly-approach of dragging out drama during the middle. the self-sabotage of narrator more than makes up for it. that was painful to read because i too have been through the self-sabotaging-daydreaming-random-dm'ing-pretentious-namedropping-teenager-guy phase.
when the drama drags out, there is a point made in the book... some 80 pages later about how the children should be subservient to their virtuous parents simply because other parents have done worse, and they could have as well, but they didn't. can't see that changing anytime soon.
for the most part because it felt like it suffered from the bolly-approach of dragging out drama during the middle. the self-sabotage of narrator more than makes up for it. that was painful to read because i too have been through the self-sabotaging-daydreaming-random-dm'ing-pretentious-namedropping-teenager-guy phase.
when the drama drags out, there is a point made in the book... some 80 pages later about how the children should be subservient to their virtuous parents simply because other parents have done worse, and they could have as well, but they didn't. can't see that changing anytime soon.
neethuraghavan676's review
4.0
A traditional malayalee family's equilibrium was disturbed and tremendously destroyed when a video of the eldest son with his girl friend was uploaded to a porn site and the news started spreading tremendously. The elder is kicked out of his home and the younger one plays the referee role. It was exactly similar to how the society around me in Kerala reacts to such events. The neighbour aunty who puts oil to the burning fire, the uncle who has numerous solutions logical and astrological, the over acting ladies, the youth who wants to dig in, everyone portrayed with a wit involved.
The plot was interesting and each characters were well built.
This is a book that i highly recommend to all those who loves to read family drama discussing generation gaps, living by society norms etc.
The plot was interesting and each characters were well built.
This is a book that i highly recommend to all those who loves to read family drama discussing generation gaps, living by society norms etc.
josephinebean's review
3.0
rated: 2.5 stars
this book had the bare bones structure of a good book - the plot was interesting and the characters all felt like they had strong individual motivations that were consistently characterised. the setting of a small town in india also was a strength of this book, and the author did a wonderful job of including indian cultural standards and explaining them in a way that was easy to understand from someone who is not familiar with them.
however, the limited perspective of the narrator and his lack of deep perception of the story left me guessing about a lot of things. while the motivations were consistent, they were also biased by the narrators understanding of his family members. i would have definitely enjoyed this story more if we were given the opportunity to see what was going on inside the heads of the other key players.
the ending did not go anywhere where i was expecting it to, and i was overall let down by the lack of resolution i felt had happened between the family.
I got an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.
this book had the bare bones structure of a good book - the plot was interesting and the characters all felt like they had strong individual motivations that were consistently characterised. the setting of a small town in india also was a strength of this book, and the author did a wonderful job of including indian cultural standards and explaining them in a way that was easy to understand from someone who is not familiar with them.
however, the limited perspective of the narrator and his lack of deep perception of the story left me guessing about a lot of things. while the motivations were consistent, they were also biased by the narrators understanding of his family members. i would have definitely enjoyed this story more if we were given the opportunity to see what was going on inside the heads of the other key players.
the ending did not go anywhere where i was expecting it to, and i was overall let down by the lack of resolution i felt had happened between the family.
I got an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley.