Also Posted on For The Love of Fictional Worlds

Disclaimer: A physical copy was provided via Penguin India in exchange for an honest review. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.

I remember reading The Midnight’s Children without appreciating the nuances of the novel; I was after all, a kid when I read it – and though I have been meaning to re – read, life and other books always got in my way #lifeofbookworm :D

I do, however remembering appreciating the writing style of Salman Rushdie, the way he made the reader work for understanding what he exactly wrote. There was always a hidden meaning behind each and every twist and turn – yet that was enough for me to jump at the chance to review Quichotte.

Before, I proceed with my review, I have to expressly state, I haven’t read the classic “Don Quixote” so I went into the book, without any expectations or even hope for this adaption of the classic.

Ismail Smile is a television addict and is better versed in the happenings of the virtual world as compared to the real world – a situation all of us bookworms would definitely empathise with, for don’t we all spend our time immersed in the very fictional lives of our favourite characters, don’t we?

All the while Ismail fancies himself in love with Ms. Sophia, a character on TV; the character, not the actor; a distinction that is quite important; and writing a love letter to her under the name “Quichotte” – this leads him on a journey that is an experience in itself.


Within the pages of Quichotte, you will find everything; and when I say everything, I do mean everything; all the issues plaguing our society, from racisim, to misogyny to bullying to political issues – you name it, and it will be within these pages.

Now, the author is known for his very well opinionated thoughts; and that waters down on to the pages of this adaptation as well -  the plot, the opinions expressed are also loud, brash and more – in – your face than the subtlety I had been expecting from this book.

For a non – classical reader like yours truly; modern adaptations become a way to understand the basic plotlines of the original classic; but with Quichotte, the excessiveness within the plot, wasn’t something that I could reconcile myself with; so it just became a study to understand a classic in the modern setting, rather than trying to understand the nuances of the plotline.



For more reviews visit For The Love of Fictional Worlds :)

Do come join us at For The Fictional Worlds Facebook Page | Twitter | Instagram  | Goodreads  | Amazon |