Book Review- Best Intentions by Simran Dhir

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“Everything is not black and white; the world is grey.”


The lawyer turned author Simran Dhir, presents her debut novel, which incorporates all the elements that an elite Delhiite might encounter: politics, love, marriage, vandalism, history, and intellect.

This narrative revolves around four main characters: Gayatri, Akshay, Nandini, and Amar.

Gayatri is a 32-year-old self-aware, independent, and lovable bachelorette who fights for her beliefs, all while facing constant pressure from her family. Her younger sister, Nandini, has recently married Amar, a man from a well-respected business and politician family, and is a younger brother of Akshay. While Gayatri has always been a free spirit, having left her corporate law firm to pursue a career as a historian, Akshay holds completely different views.

Without revealing the intricate details of this drama reminiscent of OTT series, I want to commend the author for the delicate way in which she addresses domestic issues and household dynamics, alongside the clash of right-wing and left-wing ideologies. I appreciated how both Akshay and Gayatri agree that neither is wholly right or wrong; it is merely a matter of perspective, emphasizing the importance of listening to one another.

The characters feel real and possess distinct personalities that can make reader either love or dislike them. Each individual in the story has their own narrative that contributes to the overall theme. By the end, the author ensures that we see all perspectives and, at the very least, empathize with them.

"Best Intentions" is a captivating, dramatic, and fast-paced contemporary novel with multiple layers and themes. It is written in easy to understand language, making it an easy read, enhanced with mast Hindi dialogues.

“In some ways, my world has shifted from being murky grey to having defined boundaries between the black and white sides of life. Meanwhile, yours has evolved from a strictly black-and-white perspective to now include shades of grey.”

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