PLOT: 4/5 CHARACTERS: 3.5/5 CLIMAX: 4/5 WRITING STYLE: 4/5 ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 4/5
“I liked this girl just as a friend, but after that kiss it was different.”
– Dr. Abhinav Atul, The Fourth Kiss
If The Fourth Kiss has to be described in a sentence, then it can be said that it is a page-turner that has its fair share of erotic scenes with great detailing.
In this book, debut novelist Dr. Abhinav Atul explores the system of arranged marriages and its perks through his protagonist Hrishi whose unfulfilled sexual desires lead him on this quest for self-discovery and physical compatibility.
As the cover page depicts, this book is a romance novel but it is a fresh take on the idea of true love, its discovery, exploration, and consummation that is also considered a mark of love. The book engages the reader in the search for true love through Hrishi who has had heartbreaks and bad luck with his love life previously that has left him deeply disheartened.
This is the reason Hrishi gives in to his father’s wish to seek the path of arranged marriage. The opening of the plot is unconventional for a romance novel as it shows the emotional experience that Hrishi and Preety go through in this arranged marriage setup.
The twist in the plot occurs when Hrishi has already fallen for Preety, her looks, her voice, and her style but she doesn’t realize any of that as she is worried that Hrishi’s family will talk about dowry as that is the kind of experience she has had in meetings with other boys. However, it is the revelation that Preety makes that turns things around for Hrishi who is again left disheartened to learn that she is not interested in marrying him as she has a boyfriend.
Nonetheless, it is the next scene that increases the entertaining aspect of the plot as they end up kissing for the third time, after eight coffees, within a fortnight of their first meeting, with no plans of sharing the future together in mind.
The plot moves to and fro between the past and present which gives a good background knowledge of the characters and helps us understand why they do what they do.
The pace of the plot may seem rather slow initially and may seem like another cliched story about two friends with benefits who eventually fall for one another but it catches up quickly and the revelations that are made in each chapter slowly start to make sense.
The narrative is written from the perspective of Hrishi. What leaves both readers and Hrishi astounded is the time of this transition from being strangers to sharing an attraction for one another, that only seems to increase with every kissing session. It all happens suddenly and it leaves everyone in surprise.
This is the point that intensifies the novel’s narrative which takes readers for a unique but enjoyable ride through this complicated relationship between the two characters. It foregrounds the underlying theme of the book that delves deep into differentiating between the physical, the emotional, and the psychological. It raises the idea that sexual compatibility and physical attraction are also a part of emotional bonding that is important to sustain a romantic relationship.
In this sense, The Fourth Kiss is very modern and addresses the issue that sexual fulfilment is as important as emotional fulfilment in any romantic relationship.
Nothing about the book feels forced or abrupt. Its multiple climaxes excite the reader, the love-making scenes arouse passion in the reader making the book highly relatable. Amidst all this is the beautiful portrayal of emotions. The entire book is deeply moving and surcharged with emotions.
The generation gap and the taboo that surrounds love marriages in India are delved with seamlessly, running parallel with the complications that arise between Hrishi, Preety, and their families. Along with this comes the subtle reference to the freedoms that boys enjoy like spending the night out enjoying with friends and coming home late without having to be answerable to anyone.
The first-person narrative voice is confessional, frank, and uncensored. This is the best thing about the novel. The writing style follows a simple, easy-to-understand manner of creating an ambiance that is emotionally charged with the desire to find love, contentment, hope, and friendship in a life partner.
This helps to show the emotional bonding that Hrishi and Preety begin to share and the inclinations that they have for one another. In this sense, the novel cannot and should not be considered a modern tale about urban individuals engaging in a physical relationship only.
While the physical relationship is important, it is the emotional bond that they share which makes them consummate their love.
Yet, it is not as easy as it sounds because everything has its consequences and if not handled with care, it can lead to great unpredictable ends. Things get complicated as emotions run riot through the book and create havoc between the characters.
There is very little description of what the characters look like and that makes it hard to visualize them although it has a tinging effect on the reader who will be mesmerized by the frankness of the author. This makes the book very different from others as it brings out the nuances of arranged marriage in urban India.
Perhaps, it is the scepticism that all the characters share about love and marriage that gradually unfolds alongside raising serious questions on taboo topics in India like love marriage and assessing sexual compatibility before marriage that makes The Fourth Kiss an entertaining and refreshing read.
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