Book Review # 132 Give Your Heart A Break : Anuj Tiwari

Blurb:

When is it enough, really enough?
In love, never! In abuse, forever.
Written flawlessly with tenderness and fury, heartbreak and acceptance, Give Your Heart a Break is the story of Addya, a flamboyant, confident woman, leading a carefree life. That is, until the day she gets married, and her life suddenly takes a turn for the worse. Caught in a steadily deteriorating relationship, Addya is stretched to her limits as she tries to cope. Through it all, she has her brother Agastya standing by her side like a rock, vowing to avenge his sister.

Will Addya be able to survive unscathed? Will Agastya succeed in seeking justice? Or will he succumb to the wounds of his past? Can the love of his life, Tarjani, provide him succour? Inspired by a true story, this is an incredible tale of abuse and vulnerability, of the exhilaration of romance, of an unshakable sibling bond that is at once unique and universal. Above all, this is Anuj Tiwari’s unsparing account of love and loss, capturing the grit and courage of a woman trapped in a loveless relationship.

My Take:

Brother and Sister, the first bond border lining friendship, the ones who play a big part of our lives. Cousins, brother/ sister from other mother, our extended family the ones we play with, laugh with and cry.

Very few books have justified the bond of a brother sister. Books are written about best friends. This book is an eyeopener. A one with a strong social message. Revolving mainly around 3 characters Addya, Agastya and Arjun. The bond they share is just amazing. Truly having each others back at good and bad times. They all have been through a lot yet they stand by each other and understand each other better.

Addya is going through a abusive marriage which has made her doubt her confidence and ability to succeed. Agastya has a wonderful career and a broken heart. His world is his family. Tarjini is his crush since school days and now the both look for more in their relationship. Her character is well written and is a breath of fresh air in this emotional roller coaster ride. Arjun is a writer, has been in depression, has anxiety issues. Supported amicably by Dimpy aunty and batch mate Anushka, he is able to trend in the right direction.

The abusive marriage is something that is very emotionally weaved. The agony of Addya is very well captured by the author. You can feel her pain and helplessness. The divorce proceedings and the mental torture the cousins go through along with her touches you somewhere deep.
Tarjani supports Addya to become independent and trusts her ,helps her when she needs the most. It just defines how much a small step helps in giving a big boost to the person who is in dumps and doubting her self worth.

The story line is strong and very subtly switches between the characters. The narration is simple and captures the emotions of the characters well.

Rating won't justify the chord the book touches. Highly recommended for all we all go through difficult times and look for emotional support in tough times.