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shankarhere's review against another edition
2.0
It is never the story but the storytelling that can make or break the attention of the reader.
This book appears to be a monologue of a person who wants to vent out. [Spoiler] It is about a Sindhi boy growing up in a large joint family of judgemental people, the regret of not telling father who possibly already knew, mother who still is coming to terms yet always , supportive aunties, disapproving uncles, friends who stopped talking after coming out, dating in the world of minimal online apps, struggle to lose virginity and not enjoy it, seeking acceptance where it’s not forthcoming, relocating cities to escape, numerous one sided feelings of love that were broken, and the continuous doubt if one will ever find love in a queer world where not love but supposedly lust is the only thing sought.
Almost felt like time machine went wrong. The chapters moved around the age 5 to 21 years of the author’s 35+ life. Last few chapters were more of recent reflection of thoughts of single life in general. However the chapters didn’t necessarily move with the age of the author and it was all over the place.
The story isn’t cohesive. The editor could have done better job of avoiding repetitions (of sentences and incidents across chapters).
The subtitle of growing up in India could very well be just called growing up in Bombay, the most cosmopolitan city of India. The book does not talk about the nuances for LGBTQ+ community living in other urban or rural areas.
I appreciate the authors focus on privacy by not revealing the names of people from his life but used pseudonym or first name initial.
Overall it is a 2.5 / 5.
ashish_ras's review against another edition
4.0
A deep and personal narration of the author's journey of growing up and finding themselves as a gay person in a not so welcome environment. A good read for anyone willing to understand the life experiences and narratives of the LGBTQ community in India.
apoorvasr's review against another edition
3.0
Growing up gay in India by Vivek Tejuja
"What are you doing with a book? was a question my grandmother often asked my mother"
I found this book on kindle unlimited and I really wanted to read it for a long time now. Author Vivek Tejuja is a voracious reader and provides the best book recommendations. His book albeit a short read is a testament to the prejudices which the gay community faces in India. This book is filled with childhood nostalgia of the authors love for books .
"The Amar Chitra Katha books adorned the bookshelf in my room and I remember coming back from school and devouring them over and over again."
The author puts a lot of his feelings forth the emotional turmoil he faced right from his childhood into finally accepting his sexuality.
Time and again books come into his rescue which I can always relate to.
'' When I was bullied, I read. When I wasn't I read. I could eat lunch at school by myself because I always had a book with me.
Its painful to see how the author gets in terms with it as well as tries to convince his family of the same and his final acceptance is rewarding
" Movies where there are gay characters-they are there to just provide a couple of laughs and nothing else"
"What are you doing with a book? was a question my grandmother often asked my mother"
I found this book on kindle unlimited and I really wanted to read it for a long time now. Author Vivek Tejuja is a voracious reader and provides the best book recommendations. His book albeit a short read is a testament to the prejudices which the gay community faces in India. This book is filled with childhood nostalgia of the authors love for books .
"The Amar Chitra Katha books adorned the bookshelf in my room and I remember coming back from school and devouring them over and over again."
The author puts a lot of his feelings forth the emotional turmoil he faced right from his childhood into finally accepting his sexuality.
Time and again books come into his rescue which I can always relate to.
'' When I was bullied, I read. When I wasn't I read. I could eat lunch at school by myself because I always had a book with me.
Its painful to see how the author gets in terms with it as well as tries to convince his family of the same and his final acceptance is rewarding
" Movies where there are gay characters-they are there to just provide a couple of laughs and nothing else"
fidoe's review against another edition
3.0
Week 33 Book 44
So now you know By Vivek Tejuja
Rating 3/5
I had been wanting to read this book for a while, and I finally got a chance.
SNYK is a memoir of growing up gay in the 1980s-1990s India. When coming out was totally unheard of, when there was hostility towards anything 'abnormal', when LGBTQ people were invisible, when there was no internet to meet people or safe places to interact.
Vivek was born in early 1980s to a well to do Sindhi joint family in Mumbai, with a sea facing house in Worli, a set of loving parents and sister, lots of books, and a steady dose of Bollywood. But life was tough for young Vivek, who knew he wasn't 'normal', who desperately wanted to fit in, who wanted to be swept off his feet and experience the filmy 'love'. Only, it wasn't so easy.
The book chronicles his life and experiences, from the time he was but a young child, to adulthood. The kind of stereotypes and bullying he encountered, the hostility he faced from friends and family, and the loneliness and longing he felt.
While Tejuja is surely well read and has a flair for writing, the book could be edited better. Many threads were left open, and there were many repetitions. Still I am happy this book was written, for it can help people from the LGBTQ community to realise they aren't alone, and the cis gendered straight people to empathise with those who are 'different'.
So now you know By Vivek Tejuja
Rating 3/5
I had been wanting to read this book for a while, and I finally got a chance.
SNYK is a memoir of growing up gay in the 1980s-1990s India. When coming out was totally unheard of, when there was hostility towards anything 'abnormal', when LGBTQ people were invisible, when there was no internet to meet people or safe places to interact.
Vivek was born in early 1980s to a well to do Sindhi joint family in Mumbai, with a sea facing house in Worli, a set of loving parents and sister, lots of books, and a steady dose of Bollywood. But life was tough for young Vivek, who knew he wasn't 'normal', who desperately wanted to fit in, who wanted to be swept off his feet and experience the filmy 'love'. Only, it wasn't so easy.
The book chronicles his life and experiences, from the time he was but a young child, to adulthood. The kind of stereotypes and bullying he encountered, the hostility he faced from friends and family, and the loneliness and longing he felt.
While Tejuja is surely well read and has a flair for writing, the book could be edited better. Many threads were left open, and there were many repetitions. Still I am happy this book was written, for it can help people from the LGBTQ community to realise they aren't alone, and the cis gendered straight people to empathise with those who are 'different'.
menomica's review
you have to struggle with yourself and the world outside. If along the way, some things make it easy, I suggest you grab them with both hands.
This book isn’t bad!… I don’t think. I don’t know, I guess I was expecting something more broad. That, and the writing was giving very much uncle who’s trying to be funny but is not funny at all vibes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia