The Trip by Rohit Bandri

Published: September 5th 2016 by The Write Place

Read Date: August 17th 2017

Stars: 4/5

The Trip is Travel Fiction and Debut novel by Rohit Bandri.

Blurb (in my words)-

Ravi, Gaurav, Siddharth, and Akash – friends living in different states plan a trip to Ratnagiri and Goa on a phone call. They decide to meet their friend Siddharth, who has returned from US for a vacation, at his hometown, Ratnagiri and then leave for Goa to celebrate New Year eve. But life has different plans.
On arriving Ratnagiri, Ravi gets surprises. He finds out something is bothering Akash, Gaurav brings her friend Pooja to the trip and has not informed anyone about her before. Another big surprise his college crush Prajakata is also joining the trip, who is now married. All friends are hiding something. And on meeting Prajakata Ravi’s unrequited love gets hope again.
How this trip going to end? How is it going to change everyone’s life? Will Ravi’s and his friends’ complex life find a way to make it simple in this trip?

The Trip= Travel experience of friends + their life stories
‘The Trip’ is narrated by protagonist Ravi. It’s about friendship, love and life with insights on arrange marriage, separation, respecting feelings of friends.

“Sometimes life teaches us in the most unexpected ways.”

This line from the book exactly goes for the main character Ravi and his friends. ‘The Trip’ turn out most unexpected for these characters.
Characters– I feel so related with Ravi. His some of the characteristics like googling words and fining all meanings of the one words, checking pronunciations was very similar to mine. Even I feel the same way about my looks and education as Ravi felt. This character hooked me to the book right from the beginning. Other characters of the book were good but with flaws which made them more realistic. The only character I didn’t like was Prajakata, I didn’t her for specific reason (you will get it when you’ll read the book).
What I liked? When story is good even the simple words can also make it beautiful. You don’t need more vocabulary for that. That’s the first thought this book gave. First chapter gave the overview of these 4 friends, what they are doing in life, and how they planned the trip. I liked the thought of Ravi on their trip planning, how just a phone call from friends living in different states can plan the trip more easily than those who lives in the same state.
I so loved the vivid narration of Ratnagiri in this book that I wants to visit this place when next time I plan for vacation. I am glad author decided to add this place in the trip because Goa has become so common destination in Indian novels that if it was only on Goa I would not have liked the book that much.
I like the way author layered the chapters in the book about current trip with past college days of Ravi and Prajakata’ relationship, Akash’s problem in the life, and Prajakata’s marriage life. Even Siddharth’s life in US and Gaurav and Pooja’s secret added spices in the story. I liked the focus and insight on separation of parents in the book. Whenever I read this topic like this in books I feel when young generation get separated from their partner so easily with broad mind then why they have a problem when it comes to their parents and become narrow minded! I liked the way parents explained about their separation in the book. I liked this part of the book more.
Ravi and Prajakata’s life story was also interesting. Their trip in Goa was eventful. I liked that part, especially a stunt of Gaurav, and turn of events at this place was nice and smooth.
End– It was sweet. Loved the change ‘The Trip’ brought in character’s lives.
Why 4 Stars and not 5? – I felt Gaurav and Siddharth’s story were wrapped very shortly. Some drama and more details would have made this story even more interesting. The concept was not different or unique and as I said Goa has become very common trip place.
At the end, I liked the story as author has written. It was feel-good, relaxing and cozy ‘Trip’ that you would like to read on your trip.
Who should read it? Those who like to read travel fiction would love this.

Author: Rohit Bandri

Publisher: The Write Place

Buy Here: Amazon.in

*** Note: I won this book in Goodreads Giveaway.  ***

What do you think about the book and review? Share your thoughts in the comment-box below.
Happy Reading! 🙂

BT&R