All and Nothing

All and nothing is a tightly packed riveting novel about the complexities of human nature and how volatile it is. Man has demonstrated that he is master of everything -- except his own nature. Henry Miller
It is a book about the journey of life and accompanying pain hurts and even pleasures.
The friends include a physically battered wife ,a designer tormented by her lack of talent and going to any lengths to hide it even if it means killing her colleagues soul and self respect.
The main protagonist is a talented photographer who could never be loved the way she loved. Hiding her despair in alcohol she finally conquers the demons in her life. The fourth friend is a rich bahu who loses confidence because she could not produce an heir which her sister in law did. The fifth friend is a man who lets his loved one slip through his fingers because of his fragile ego plaguing him. They all meet and tell the stories of their lives in that way they exorcise their insecurities and life attains a different hue for them at the end of the novel.
What is interesting while as the story moves on laterally the introspection grows in all the characters mind gives a sensitive insight of the human psyche. The different layers in the novel make it an fascinating read.

With her first fiction All and Nothing, Raksha Bharadia has established herself as a gifted narrator. It is a gripping story of the journey of five individuals through the labyrinth of life. The book is soul-stirring and awakens one to the grim realities that lie hidden beneath our daily lives. No frills and flounce - the plot is remarkably simple and straightforward as Raksha tells the story with passion and an admirable insight into her characters that can be easily identified as you, me or someone we know.
We would all know a Tina - simple, lovable and easy to please. But her simplicity juxtaposed with the complexity of her marraige to Aditya makes you want to just keep reading on. Aditya-ambitious and self-absorbed. In an effort to liberate himself from his past he throws away what could be a great future with Tina. Amongst the other characters there is Kriya who is beleaguered by her lack of talent. Poorvi is the wife of a rich man, stoically carrying the burden of her inability to produce a male heir. Upasana is a physically abused wife. Manav is deeply in love with Gayatri but as a victim of his own ego, foolishly lets her slip away. These five friends meet at Mahabaleshwar at Tina's behest and give vent to the upheavals in their lives and in the process succeed in overcoming most of their own fears and uncertainties.

One can relate effortlessly to the diverse shades of these beautifully depicted characters. Tina is shattered by Aditya's betrayal and even attempts suicide but unlike a typecast deeply-in-love character, comes out of her situation in a refreshingly different way. Her recovery has no drama but is real and effective. Wiser after having been there, she goes on to catalyze the lives of her troubled friends. The transition from the bustle to the serenity of Mahabaleshwar is almost therapeutic to the readers as well. Like the plot, the ending is not contrived but is well in keeping with the idea of life being a force to be dealt with leve-headedness but not without listening to your heart.
All and Nothing is definitely worth reading, even a second time, for its strong emotions, uncertainty and the familiar struggle of each character to overcome personal conflicts. It makes a fascinating read for its reflective mood yet steady pace as it unravels five stories running parallel to each other.
Take your time to read this book and enjoy it like an invigorating cup of hot coffee that opens the eyes and awakens the soul.

a very good read, a path bearer for a distressed soul, a great book in the not so great rs100 category

1 - the title is apt, there is something called as nothing in life
read this book if you havent seen this 'nothing'

2- this book frees you and it has also changed my definition of freedom today

book shows the experience of writing and intelligence the author has. other reviews speak a lot about the book so i dont have much to add although i can go on

Indeed, a complete urban tale, that weaves a beautiful canvas of human expressions, subtle and nice, till you forget, that you are sitting outside the pages. Something pulls you in and makes you the part of shadows switched to the back of the characters. A novel, it might be, but a story no different to the world we have around us.

A quick, racy read—All and Nothing dwells on things unsaid; it swiftly corners around the emptiness we all feel at some point in our lives. Your insides ache as you get hooked to Tina’s attempts to make peace with her conflicting world. Flipping through its pages, the title, All and Nothing, gradually comes to life. Raksha Bharadia, thank you for this joy ride....