'The Zoya Factor' which is also author Anuja Chauhan's maiden novel is a story of Zoya Solanki, who possesses an amazing supernatural ability to influence the result of cricket matches. She is endowed with this power apparently due to the fact that she was born at the precise moment when the Indian cricket team led by the great Kapil Dev won the 1983 World Cup. The rather auspicious moment of her birth has evidently turned her into an invincible lucky charm for those she chooses to support. Consequently she finds herself as a part of the Indian cricket team which is out to bring the cup home. This extraordinary situation leads to a number of interesting events and circumstances culminating into an enthralling and satisfying resolution.
I found this book a decent read. It has a fairly simple plot but the author keeps the reader riveted through her breezy narrative style which is extremely peppy and contemporary. She also uses humour extensively to ensure that there are very few moments of tedium if any. The story builds up momentum as it heads towards the end and despite a few subplots, one of them being the love angle between Zoya and the Indian skipper and another a satire on hero worshipping, the author keeps you engaged through twists and turns that are mostly unexpected. Overall, the plot and its treatment make for an interesting read. The mix of sport and luck or divine intervention is one that goes back a long way but when luck becomes the deciding factor rather than talent or skill then it may create several complications and none more critical and grave than the psychological ones, something this story smartly portrays.
The 'Zoya Factor' by Anuja Chauhan is a smart, witty, funny and eventually a satisfying read. The story has its digressions and some of which it could have avoided but the end makes up for all the flaws and delivers a crisp and enjoyable resolution.
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