Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Recommended: 17 and up

A welcome change from recent literature, this book tells the story of a humble rickshaw driver in India, showing us that the occupation you hold doesn’t determine the difference you can make in the world.

While this book has graphic descriptions of rape, and some other sexual content, it does a fantastic job of exposing the issues that exist in Indian society. The book is a short read that still leaves you satisfied at the end.

That being said, there are some places in the book where the story could flow better. The author spends some time telling the reader that the main character’s life is about to change instead of just showing them the change.

Mannu is a humble rickshaw driver who has succumbed to his fate of barely getting by each day, and watching his life slowly wither away. However, one day, after a beautiful girl leaves her diary in his rickshaw, his mission to find her leads him to so much more.

Ankita is living not-so-happily with her boyfriend Sameer. She finds solace in her diary, where she has been documenting her life for the last two years. But after she leaves her diary in a rickshaw, she fears that she’ll never get it back.

When Mannu and Ankita finally meet, nothing special happens and they each go back to their own life, thinking about the other. But later, a horrifying incident brings them together again and forces them to take a pause and think about what they really want from life.

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