R.S.V.P.: A Novel by Ruchira Khanna

R.S.V.P.: A Novel by Ruchira Khanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

R.S.V.P. is a novel about forgiveness and understanding, with an emphasis on the latter. Jay is a young man, originally from India, who runs a tea cafe in California. He's a tight-fisted business man, proud of the ka-ching sound of his cash register and of the way he can make money from special events at his shop.

Jay has buried himself in his work because of two emotionally damaging events in his past, the loss of his father, who left their family when Jay was a teenager and the end of a relationship with a woman he loved. When the novel begins, Jay has found meaning and purpose in success, which he measures in dollars and cents. Gina, Jay's cousin, shows up and takes note of Jay's mercenary tendencies. But it isn't until Jay experiences an unexpected event and meets some unusual people that his life finally begins to change.

Ruchira Khanna's language is somewhat formal. For example she might say “...keeps inquiring about my welfare...” instead of “...keeps asking how I am doing...” It took me a while to get used to her style, but once I did the book read well. I liked the way each chapter begins with a quote from a different well-known person: writers, singers, philosophers, etc. The quotes appear to be carefully chosen and did a fine job of focusing my attention on what the author wants to say about life. But what I liked the most about the novel is what it says about the need to understand someone's actions before forgiveness can be achieved. There's also a subtext about finding balance between personal needs and family obligations. I'm not sure the author intended that message, but it was there for me.

R.S.V.P. is a good read for people who like a book with a message.


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