Review : Kari

Medium: Print / Book / Graphic Novel / Fiction
Global Rating (How much a layman in any country would like it): 9/20
Relevant Rating (How much the target audience would like it): 17/20

What the book is about: First-time author/artist Amruta Patil’s protagonist Kari finds her feet slowly after heartbreak, urban life and workaday realities sucking at her every step. She makes of herself a superhero — sans tights, plus PVC. En route, Kari becomes a ‘boatman’ rowing to her own rhythm, ferrying other passersby across the sea of metropolitan life. Which pushes Kari along on her own journey of reconciling with the hand she’s dealt. (ripped from http://www.trendy.in/2008/03/18/carry-on-kari/ )

My review: The book is a great addition to any post 18 pre 30 something person living in Mumbai. It explores a young tomboyish girl who works in an ad agency. She is fairly disillusioned and plays her part in the unwilling but nonetheless prevalent drama that is life in Mumbai on one's own. She has two roommates and we get to look at what life is like through her mind and her eyes.

I read this in a single sitting at Crossword. I was totally hooked. Even though the chapters range from 2 pages to sometimes 15. I could not pick a good point to stop at. The life of Kari in the city is fascinating, and the art style is so good that you are sometimes left questioning what are the surreal parts in Kari's mind and what is actually happening. It's an interesting tale of love, survival, relationships and other aspects that all happen in the city of Mumbai. The thoughts reflected in Kari's mind are not so unlike our own and the city is captured perfectly. The author uses nice touches like a rail map of the town - city area and has interesting references to minorities as well.

There are subtle nods to recent events like the floods in the city. But don't get me wrong, I am an advertising student and I have seen the life of a 20 something girl living in an ad agency and the similarities are definitely there. Someone else though might not be as interested in this book as those who are young and in the advertising line.

This is a great graphic novel for anyone who wants to take a look at how life is for a 20 something girl in Mumbai (Kari calls it 'smog city'). For any 20 something in the ad field in Mumbai, I would say this book is a guide to how to live and survive, what to do, what not to do or just to compare if it is the same or not but definitely an essential part of their collection.

Buy it or don't buy it?

To be honest, if you like offbeat comics, this one is perfect. If you are an ad person who is young then even better. Otherwise no. It probably is better as an afternoon read at a bookstore or worth it as a coffee table book. I would have bought it if my own monetary staus were better than it currently is.