ANY impressive penman who sets out to produce a lasting piece of fiction, needless to say, aims to be as creative as possible to ensure that he makes a profound impact on readers; Chetan Bhagat happens to hit the spot. The title itself, Half Girlfriend, is enough to lure a curious reader into grabbing the book and flipping a few pages in order to get a quick taste.

The structure of Bhagat’s narrative is simple: the book is divided into three acts with each containing fast-paced chapters that keep readers on the edge. The setting for every act is different, which is not just pertinent to the story, but also brings novelty to the plot. One can’t help but notice that despite the constantly changing settings, Bhagat’s narration is never too descriptive; he keeps the reader’s imagination going.

The other notable facet of Half Girlfriend is its characterisation. Since it is a love story, it goes without saying that there are two central protagonists: the hero and heroine. However, there are two more characters that, despite their sporadic appearances during the steadily progressing story, influence it massively — arguably, even more than the protagonists themselves: Bill Gates and the writer himself, Bhagat. Interestingly, Bhagat interacts with his protagonists throughout the book as he plays a major role in the plot’s continuity and closure.

In addition to a gripping plot and enthralling characterisation, Half Girlfriend also highlights certain social issues. The class difference prevalent in India can be instanced here. One of the protagonists, Madhav, hails from Bihar which is a neglected state. He later moves to Delhi, one of the most developed cities, and faces the mental anguish that the hierarchy of social and ethnic classes and better education systems in the modern cities can create for people from less-privileged areas:

“‘Got to go,’ she said. ‘Catch you later.’

I didn’t understand what ‘catch you’ meant. Did it mean she would catch what I had said later? Did it mean she didn’t understand what I had said? Or did she mean she actually wanted to catch me? Like, she liked me so much she wanted to catch me?

However, no boy from Dumraon has ever had the guts to approach a high-class girl from Delhi.” Hindi words and sentences make their way into the text occasionally, and Half Girlfriend is written in a manner that any reader who appreciates the ambiguity and allusions of language will enjoy. The philosophical elements and messages that the text contains were bound to be there, as the writer candidly admits right at the outset that to him writing fiction is not simply to entertain, but to leave a lasting positive message with readers: “Tiny bumps in time shape our lives, even though we spend hours trying to make long-term plans.”

Half Girlfriend

(NOVEL)

By Chetan Bhagat

Rupa Publications, India

ISBN 978-8129135728

260pp.