ALPHABET SOUP FOR LOVERS BY ANITA NAIR

Anita Nair's Alphabet Soup for lovers is a foodie's delight. 

The author weaves in and out of the culinary world effortlessly. Most of the time, she seamlessly connects the name of dish/vegetable with the story; though it does feel a little forced at times.
The Book contains many interesting anecdotes and amusing stories about food and the many ingredients that go into it.

The book gives a strong call to follow one's heart..to go with the flow...So Komathi says: " I know the Zigarthanda should start with a 'J'. But this is my alphabet book. What is right for the world may not be right for me."

While reading the book, I had this overwhelming feeling that Ms Nair, when writing the book, was in a terrible hurry to wind up the book, so that she could attend to some very important and pressing chore. Maybe she had a deadline to meet, a foreign trip to proceed to (incidentally, it was while reading the book, that I also happened to read in the Hindu, Ms Nair's writings about her life in a far-off village in a far-off country). Maybe that's the reason why she left many of the characters unexplored and chose to just skim the surface. KK, for instance...why is he what he is? Similarly, Shoolapani's overwhelming need to run away from the incessant attention stardom begets is sadly unexamined.

As usual, Ms Nair's prose reads like poetry...there is a sublime old world charm to it. 

Unfortunately, Ms Nair's quintessential skills do not save the story from being nothing more than 'Mills & Boon'-ish. Though touted as a Love Story, the connection (the tug of their souls) between KK and Lena is far from convincing. If not for the author explaining in detail the way they feel for each other, there is nothing for the reader to read between the lines. Coming from a writer of Ms Nair's stature, that was definitely a letdown.