Title: Offside
Author: Kiran Vijayan
Pages: 146 Paperback
Publisher: CinnamonTeal Publishing
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Publisher: CinnamonTeal Publishing
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Release: 2013
Author's website:http://www.kiranvijayan.com/Gaurav Kale is back to his hometown Vadodara. It has been three years since he was last here, but old memories still continue to haunt him. He recollects the time when he joined a struggling club, Vadodara United Football Club(VUFC); his enmity with the club's captain, Bali; his one-sided attraction towards the hottest girl in college, Shreya; and his best friends Golu, who desperately wants to lose his virginity and John, the crackpot - all of whom cause havoc in his life. Plus, the struggles of getting a misfit team to gel and work together as the biggest tournament of the year approaches just adds to his troubles. As Gaurav reminisces and explores the past, he has to decide whether to go back to a life he has loved or forget the past and start anew once again.
When football, the world's most popular sport, and love, world's favourite subject come together, the result has to leave you spell bound.
MeThinks:
A signed copy!! YAYYY!! Thanks to the Author :) |
Finally a book on football/soccer (not cricket) by an Indian Author. Not that I dislike Cricket (Well I would never tell) but I am a big time Football fan, I respect all Football clubs (Not at all when they are on fields of course) but I am a Huge Real Madrid fan..specially their Jersey no. 7, forward player if you know who I mean. So It must pretty obvious how much I was anticipating thing book and the Book Cover with a football panel prints is enough to give the gist of the story one will confront. I liked it, Simple yet effective, Worn out football print shows how much it has been played in the book, at the beginning of every chapter there is a silhouette of a boy kicking football, I like the detailing...
"I have loved only two things Deeply, passionately in my entire life-- a girl who was like no other and a game that means more to me than just a game."-- Page no. 2
The protagonist Gaurav Kale, after completing his MBA is back in Vadodara, his home town after 3 years, a city where he grew from a shy awkward boy to a confident sports boy or a Jock boy if you prefer :) but a sweeter kind. A place where he always belonged with his football and on the fields of Reliance sports complex, he has grown kicking and playing on these fields long before he joined the Vadodara United football club (VUFC), local club where he found best friends for life, enemy and love of his life.
The story primarily revolves around Gaurav and his two friends Golu and John, where John makes every situation hilarious with his witty remarks; Golu is desperate to explore his Youth a lot more. They play Football every Sunday with other players of VUFC, Bali (A brute), Chang, Girish, Nair Uncle, Gaandpa (Funny story with the genesis of his name) and Ringo. Apart from football, these three friends are on a roll with mischievousness of college life, pulling pranks, drinking, messing around, pulling each other's leg and having each other's back.
Gaurav's love Shreya, pretty girl, damn good badminton player who is in relationship with Gaurav's enemy and Gaurav is utterly smitten by her, Shreya is trying to befriend Gaurav but are they 'Just friends' or something more than that??
As per the introduction-- "Offside" is a novel by Kiran Vijayan which revolves around football, friendship, college life and love in Vadodara.--- It is indeed.
Story is very well written, I'd say it is more sports oriented, nothing fancy but something a hardcore player who practices his butt-off on fields then enters a tournament by keeping his life at stake would understand. Someone who juggles his unrequited love, chase for his passion, experiments of new craziness an friendship all at the same time. The characters are weaved very carefully all being in their territory all the time, never slipping. I Liked the Villain of the story Bali, felt bad for him by the end.
The realtionship of Gaurava and Shreya was very delicately weaved, which is one of the many things I like about the story.
Over all a light yet enthralling read, specially for every football lover, no matter which Club you favor. :)
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Gaurav's love Shreya, pretty girl, damn good badminton player who is in relationship with Gaurav's enemy and Gaurav is utterly smitten by her, Shreya is trying to befriend Gaurav but are they 'Just friends' or something more than that??
As per the introduction-- "Offside" is a novel by Kiran Vijayan which revolves around football, friendship, college life and love in Vadodara.--- It is indeed.
Story is very well written, I'd say it is more sports oriented, nothing fancy but something a hardcore player who practices his butt-off on fields then enters a tournament by keeping his life at stake would understand. Someone who juggles his unrequited love, chase for his passion, experiments of new craziness an friendship all at the same time. The characters are weaved very carefully all being in their territory all the time, never slipping. I Liked the Villain of the story Bali, felt bad for him by the end.
"...Don't look at the players, who they are, what they have done', Uncle said, indicating towards the Boca A players.'Look to win. To win the Cup. To create history. Now Come on ...VUFC!'"-- Page no. 123I specially liked the pages where VUFC played semi final and finals for the Chandrashekhar Cup, the description of those matches were exhilarating, Commendable joy by the Author. He had used his own experience withe game very crafty.
The realtionship of Gaurava and Shreya was very delicately weaved, which is one of the many things I like about the story.
Over all a light yet enthralling read, specially for every football lover, no matter which Club you favor. :)
kick-off cups!!!
Goodreads Reading Graph:
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About The Author:
Source : HERE |
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Thank you so much for the review Ankita. Appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kiran Vijayan for a fantastic read. I am glad you liked the review. :)
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