When I Was Husbandless | Ritika Madaan | Book Review

SUBJECT: 3/5
LANGUAGE: 2.5/5
WRITING STYLE: 2.5/5
HUMOUR: 2.5/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 2.5/5

My Musings

There are some books that speak to the woman in you, that identify with you, and that bond with you in a way most others don’t. I recently had the opportunity to read one such book and in this post, I am going to talk about author Ritika Madaan’s latest work, When I Was Husbandless.

Read on to know more about my thoughts on the book and how was my experience of reading it.

What to expect?

Expect a book that is a short and simple read. Expect a book that will make you take a trip down the memory lane. Expect a book that does not come without its own shortcomings – editing, grammar and language. Expect a book that finds humour in everyday situations and finally expect a book that would relate to you as a woman.

Who can read?

The book is written in an easy language and hence can be picked up by any level of reader – including beginners. However, the content is such that it’ll appeal to mostly women and especially those who have been married for some time.

What is the book all about?

In this book, the author takes us back in time to her life before marriage. While she also narrates stories and anecdotes of her post-marriage period, she realistically contrasts them against that of her bachelorette days. Madaan drives attention to the magnitude of change that occurs in a woman’s life once she is married.

But this isn’t all. The reader also gets a sneak peek into the author’s struggles as a girl, as a teenager, as a young lady and finally as a pregnant woman struggling to find sanity in her utterly chaotic life.

Let’s talk about the writing style

To be very honest, the writing style is a little bit amateurish. There are instances in the book where the writing is naïve and childish. Though, I strongly believe that with experience and a bit more honing Madaan can do wonders to her writing.

What bothers me the most, however, is the poor editing. Simply put, there are many editing errors in the book, too many to be ignored.

An added bonus is the poetry that the author uses to complement her narratives. All in all, this book has that rare ability to bring back childhood memories and make one reminisce about school, friends, college etc. Reading this book felt like taking a trip down the memory lane.

How good is the humour?

Humour is something that I believe comes naturally to the author. The editing and the poor sentence construction do take away some of the pleasure but wherever it manages to stay unscathed, it is heartfelt and candid.

I particularly enjoyed the parts where Madaan writes about the experiences and experiments of a chubby teenage girl and her struggles with weight-loss. For anyone who has ever had troubles with weight loss, this section is very relatable, often hilariously so.

At most places, the humour comes naturally and blends well with the narration.

It all boils down to the entertainment quotient

The book does not lack entertainment. Just the fact that most of the episodes and anecdotes that the author narrates relate to many women in more than one way, speaks enough about the book’s appeal.

The adventures and misadventures of a woman are narrated with full gusto and candidness, and this makes the book interesting enough to be read.

In the end

In the end, When I Was Husbandless is a book that delivers some and misses some. It gives a few humorous sneak peeks into the life of a woman and manages to do so in an easy and effortless way. But at the same time, what it glaringly lacks is good editing and a proper language.

Pick the book if

• You are looking for a short and easy read.
• You are looking for a book that will appeal mostly to women.
• You are looking for a funny read that finds humour in everyday situations.
• You are looking for a book that talks about the struggles of a married woman.
• You are about to get married and want to know about how life changes after marriage.

Skip the book if

• You can’t stand poorly edited books.

Can’t wait to read it? Buy your copy of When I Was Husbandless using the link below.