Nirupama Subramanian's Keep the Change is a light chick- lit that will amuse you at certain points and leave a smile on your face once you are done.
Question of survival
The book revolves around Damayanthi, who is born and brought up in a conservative Tamil Brahmin family in Chennai. The book is in the form of letters to Damayanthi's friend Victoria with whom she shares everything. Despite the stark reality that she is sitting in 32 Amman Kovil Street, Damayanthi constantly imagines how life would be if she were in a place where she could be the bold, beautiful and courageous career woman with eye candy by her side! One day, Damayanthi decides to take charge of her life and leaves her low paying job as an accountant in a small office and goes to Mumbai to work in a multinational bank. Does Damayanthi remain the girl she always was or does corporate world take a toll on her? Does she achieve her dreams and become the girl she wanted to be or returns back home failing to survive in the big bad world is what Keep the change is all about.
The best part is that Damaynathi is not alien to us! Keep the Change stands out from other chick lits in the sense that Damayanthi is a strong character! The simple tam brahm girl comes across as natural and not a desperate wannabe. If you can relate to the cultural background, the “arranged-dates,” the horoscope matching, the little voice that goes on in her head while speaking to annoying maamis will definitely crack you up!
The hot guy who turns out to be a sleaze ball, the north Indian roommate with enviable legs , the good friend, the complete jerk of a boss are all clichéd but thankfully have minimal parts. Despite its quirky humour and great style the book becomes a little too predictable at times.
The verdict
For anyone with a crazy imagination, a little sense of humour, and even better, a taste of Chennai Keep the change will be a memorable experience for a rainy day with a hot cuppa.
But if you are not the Devil Wears Prada, Sex and the City types, I suggest you stay away.
Nanditha is a Std XII student at Chettinad Vidyashram.
Title: Keep the change
Author: Nirupama Subramanian
Publisher: Harper Collins
Price: Rs. 199
