Book Review — Do You Know Any Good Boys? by Meeti Shroff-Shah

Thank you Pan Macmillan India for sending me a copy of this book for review 🙂 

Meeti Shroff-Shah couldn’t have better encapsulated the over-the-top procedure of Indian arranged marriages in her hilarious & heart warming novel titled “Do You Know Any Good Boys?”. Hers is not a story that follows the normative plot structure we are accustomed to. Rather, just like the experience of meeting forty odd strangers in the hopes of finding a life partner, the novel shuffles back and forth between stories recounted from her several “first dates”. While the ordeal of presenting herself with renewed optimism at each of these meetings is bothersome and debilitating, Meeti’s clever wit and sarcasm doesn’t fail to transform the entire book into an enjoyable read. Through the use of elaborate pointers, she conveys exactly what the Indian mindset – be it of a traditional or traditional-modern kind – expects out of the arranged marriage and what is then seen to be as reality. From newspaper ads to matrimonial sites to overbearing, unrelated womenfolk (who take it upon themselves to play cupid), Meeti has born the brunt of it all and narrates to us the incredulity of some.

The title of the book, while being blatant about the content, implies a deviation from the supposed desires for a”not so good” boy – as is commonly believed to be true amongst today’s youth. While there is a reference to the tall, dark and handsome dude of Mills & Boons nature, Meeti and her family meticulously narrow down the educated, cultured and sensible Gujju bachelors. Meeti Shroff-Shah’s writing style is exceptionally good, displaying knowledge of different fields and that too not in a ostentatious way. Her love for literature and skepticism with regard to arranged marriage resonated well with me. I am sure it would be relatable to many others. This book isn’t just for an Indian girl looking to get married but also speaks to the families and friends of such a person. It conveys to them the frame of mind with which the girl agrees to have her alliance made through others. Meeti explores concepts like rejection, perseverance and hope that go hand in hand with the concept of marriage. Meeti’s parents are shown to be extremely supportive of her decisions and paint a very loving family picture. Being an Indian, I have heard first hand of similar arguments made about the astrology, height, weight and income of the potential groom. With all due respect to differing opinions, I think its absolutely ridiculous to have so many check-boxes that need to be ticked before a guy and a girl can meet to converse and discover for themselves whether they fit together. The author’s sense of humor and wit would be the highest selling point of this novel. There were times I was laughing out loud irrespective of my surroundings. Then there were also times when certain sections were dragged out a bit too much. But in the overall scheme of things, the cracks are very minor. I loved this book and insist that you all must give it a go.

Ratings – 5 stars on 5

– Meera