Nikita Singh, famous for her romantic novels, didn’t exactly write a love story tale this time in her latest release The Reason Is You. It started on a love note, but gradually the novel tuned to a coarse note which when played was bound to turn all the romantic feelings, which seared after reading the first date scene in the book, to sour.
The Reason Is You
Rating 3/5
Story in Brief
The Reason Is You is about Akriti’s degrading mental health after the sudden death of her father. She felt loveless and keep falling in the deep pit of depression. In the process, she makes the life of her so called stand in boyfriend Siddhant a living hell. Both Akriti and Siddhant were resident surgeons by profession.
Cerebration
The moment I read about their profession, I can’t help myself thinking about the memoir When Breath Becomes Air written by Paul Kalanithi. It is a heartfelt memoir of Paul Kalanithi, also a resident surgeon, was diagnosed with cancer right at the time when hay days in his career were about to begin. But he lived each remaining days of his life with enthusiasm and doing things which he always wished to do.
Theme of The Book
Anyways, coming back to the main theme of the book The Reason Is You. Mental health is often brushed aside and looked upon as stigma. So less discussed. Opening up and accepting the condition to seek help is imperative not only for oneself, but also for the near and dear ones. Otherwise, their condition will be no better than that of Siddhant.
Well Written
The author Nikita Singh has done a commendable job in portraying the depressing condition of Akriti. The way she used to freak out at the slightest pretext, to fuss over nothing, nitpicking and overreacting, her angry spats used to jolt me and my reaction was in no way different from that of Siddhant.
My Remorse
Almost the entire book is about the depressing situation of Akriti and the fights and arguments between Akriti and Siddhant. It became tiring and depressing for me to read. The only respite moments came when Siddhant’s ex girlfriend Maahi comes into the picture. There were few sane and normal scenes.
But I felt something amiss. The author Nikita Singh wrote more than 200 pages about the condition of a depressed person, but she didn’t write a single page about the process of her recovery. Just three lines, “she is progressing”.
I think equal importance should be given to showcase the therapy she went through and how she became emotionally stable and overcome her trauma. That part was completely missing.
The Verdict
The distressing condition of Akriti and suffocation of Siddhant both has been remarkably depicted by the author Nikita Singh.
I have read so many fiction books on depression, they are all about the phase of depression. Sadly none of them are about the recovery process. I wish to read more about that.
Nikita Singh
Nikita Singh is the bestselling author of eleven novels, including Every Time It Rains and Like a Love Song. Born in Patna and raised in Indore, Nikita worked in New Delhi for a few years before moving to New York for her MFA in Creative Writing.
Nikita Singh Book
- Love @ Facebook (2011)
- Accidentally in Love… With Him? Again? (2011)
- If It’s Not Forever… It’s Not Love (2012)
- The Promise (2012)
- 25 Strokes of Kindness (2013)
- Someone Like You (2013)
- The Unreasonable Fellows (2013)
- Right Here Right Now (2014)
- After All This Time (2015)
- Like A Love Song (2016)
- Every Time It Rains (2017)
- Letters To My Ex (2018)
- The Reason is You (2019)
