This novel is the sequel to the bestselling novel Dork , starring the hilarious protagonist Robin ‘Einstein' Varghese. This time, Vadukut places Robin in a new situation— in London! True to his style, Robin has just as many funny mess-ups and misunderstandings in London as he did in Mumbai. This time, the story revolves around an illegal scheme, and Robin's journey through it. The most funny moments of mayhem include his visit to the British Museum, his microphone incident (both times!), and his failed attempts at wooing one of the interns. It is essentially the same mix of confusion, pretention and stupidity one would expect from Robin Varghese, with a different storyline.
Vadukut tries to be as loyal to his writing style in the first novel as possible. There are many moments in the book where the reader will hear himself/herself laugh out loud! However, the book falls far short of expectations. After a little while, the humour starts to feel monotonous and bland. The same types of jokes are employed, chapter after chapter, losing out on character development. In fact, Robin pretty much stays the same throughout the book— a fact that is quite disappointing, considering many of his idiosyncrasies. One would expect more of a change from a character so rich with details.
Furthermore, the plot seems to be a random string of disjointed events. The reader doesn't even understand the main storyline until about halfway through the book where the financial scheme is introduced. Even after a proper problem has been set, Vadukut continues to narrate side stories, here and there, hoping to get a few laughs.
Bottomline
On a boring weekend, when your TV, computer and cell phone have all failed to entertain you, God Save the Dork is an acceptable alternative as a way to pass the time. If you're looking for something more interesting, look away!
Title: God Save the Dork
Author: Sidin Vadukut
Publisher: Penguin
Price: Rs. 199
Samvitha is a student of American International School.
