The Chaos Within | Ashima Chalia | Book Review

PLOT: 2.5/5
CHARACTERS: 2.5/5
WRITING STYLE: 3/5
CLIMAX: 3/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 3/5

It is reunion time for the “Fiasco Five”.

Once the most happening, cool and notorious bunch in their batch the “Fiasco Five” have moved on with their lives and have got everything they had ever hoped for in life – money, fame, power and love.

Or at least that is what it seems from the outset. So when Krish, Samrat, Kabir, Mahi and Kamakshii are looking forward to meeting each other at the reunion party of their alma mater St. Magnum College, little do they know about the things which have conspired in their friend’s life since the time they left college.

They also do not know that something big and dangerous is lurking around the corner and is waiting to unleash its wrath at them at the college reunion party.

The Chaos Within starts with an interesting tone; throwing in memories out of the character’s college lives. The start is great and kicks off very well.

The middle is somewhat monotonous but still keeps the story going.

However, the most disappointing is the insipidness of the end. It is just plain boring.

All the tension and excitement which the blurb and the initial chapters build-up is rendered useless by the seemingly dull end.

In the end, The Chaos Within comes across as being completely different from what you would have initially thought it to be. The preciseness of the book, however, helps the reader to not put it down.

All of 142 pages, the book can be easily read in a matter of a few hours. The writing style and narrations are also breezy and help with the swift read.

The characters are the best part of the book. They are very easy to be related to and almost all of them have a certain charm about them.

The friendship between them is also a thing to cherish and will surely help the reader reminisce about their school and college friendships.

Another plus point of the book is the subtle mix of all elements – there is love, hatred, jealousy, fame, money, power, family, adventure, thrill and what not.

The ability of the author to put together all these so seamlessly is really commendable.

I have high hopes on the author and sincerely believe that her next book will surely bring out the best in her.

Saying this I end my review and would the rate The Chaos Within three out of five stars. I also recommend it to all general fiction readers.