All Drama, No Queen-Andaleeb Wajid

Book: All Drama, No Queen
Author: Andaleeb Wajid
Publisher: Penguin Random House India

Do you think we all need a bit of drama in our lives?

All Drama, No Queen by Andaleeb Wajid takes the characters from Twenty-Nine Going on Thirty, and tells the story of Farida, whose parents passed away in an accident when she was young. Brought up by a distant relative, Reshma Phuppu, who is secretly planning to take control of her ancestral property in Bangalore. To add to that, her best friend, Priya’s boyfriend digs out her old crush, Irshad, a doctor living in Mumbai. The plot thickens when they meet and he brings along his fiancée, Shagufta. As Farida comes to terms with her feelings for Irshad, and Priya makes some life-altering decisions, would the drama in Farida’s life subside, or is she just inviting more trouble?

There is a certain charm to romantic dramas that involve love and heartbreak. In the book, Andaleeb has woven threads of love and friendship seamlessly as she explores the characters’ lives. The storytelling is excellent and the shadow of drama looms over the plot throughout the story. I loved how the focus of this book is on Farida and her reactions to things happening around her. Be it her equation with Irshad, or her friendship with Priya and Mini, each of them play a crucial role in the plot and help it move forward. Another interesting bit about the story is the plethora of comebacks that Farida has and seamlessly they flow out of her character. The language of the book is simple and easy to understand, making it a breezy read. The detailing of the scenes in terms of clothes, sound effects, expressions etc. is meticulous and is helpful in visualizing the scene, making the experience of reading this story even better. The story arc with Reshma is imaginative and it is no less than a filmy plot unfolding. The last part of the book was a surprise, and frankly, Farida’s actions justify the title to the T. The climax is fun and bubbly and closes this chapter of Farida in a beautiful manner.

Coming to the characters, Farida’s character as a person is well drafted with uncertainties and indecisions dogging her all the way. She shows many shades of her personality throughout the book, be it vulnerable, die hard romantic, sad lover or a friend. Her story arc is well plotted, and it was interesting to see how Andaleeb hasn’t changed the core of her character and we see the same person that we meet on the first page and the last page, yet she matures in a certain manner in some relationships. Irshad as a character was a revelation in the manner that I wasn’t sure of his intentions till the last page of the book, and I think that is the best way I can describe the brilliance of this one. Priya as a best friend was all that Farida needed and her character plays that role beautifully, especially the interrogation scene.

Overall, the book is a definite recommendation from me if you love reading romance and love drama playing out in someone’s life. I can assure you that at no point does the plot become boring, rather you would prefer sitting with a notepad to note down the catchy phrases. The book gets a 4.75/5 from me.

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