Five Point Someone is certainly a good read. Good, not great.
Its about 3 buddies from IIT Delhi - Ryan, Alok and Hari - their experience with the IIT way of life - crammed schedules, booze, pink floyd, girlfriends and grey haired profs. Chetan Bhagat deserves a pat on this back for his style of writing. The language is simple, fluent, easy; yet very vivid; There is a lot of desi lingo and ’IITian speak’. Far from being great literature, the language is very casual. This teen-speak, in fact, is a real plus for this book. It gets you into the teenage mindset : Free spirited and Clueless.. Larger than Life attitude.
I found the book to be nostalgic at times... Yeah, these are the very things we did back in college. How we as students always complained about the education system, the assignments and the profs. How rock music was highly regarded and how guys could never understand the girls they went around with. The humour is well balanced. Witty and rib tickling. It keeps you glued and you can finish the book in a shot.
Five point someone does come out with some strong messages :
Academic performance is not everything is life. Yes, it is an important part of student life. But Friends, Freaking out and Fun are an equally important part of your life, as a student. Dont miss out on the later..
Most teenagers are cluless about what they want from life. Teenagers get in and out of the academic system with the ’herd mentality’. Good jobs, western lifestyle is what they seek.. thats it... There is a lack of passion, a lack of vision towards life.
Our academic systems, even the very best - IITs - are too course oriented. This, at times, supressses true creativity. As they say, ’’I was born intelligent, Education ruined me’’