Done With Men
by Shuchi Singh Kalra
Travel journalist Kairavi Krishna (Kay) has had it with men. After a series of disasters (losers, philanderers, leeches, mama’s boys and possessive psychos), she is all too tempted to give up on the prospect of ever finding love. Accompanied by her best friend and flat-mate Baani, she heads to Goa, hoping to get away with a resolve to stay clear of the male species.
Goa, however, has a host of surprises in store for her. Ricky, her pesky ex-boyfriend, is busy painting the town red with his hot new girlfriend. Now what is poor Kay to do other than overdose on vodka, smoke pot, get an outrageous tattoo and fall off the hotel balcony?
She wakes up in the hospital to the tender ministrations of Dr. Vivian D’Mello—suave and handsome. Will Kay stick to her guns or will she fall for his ridiculously sexy charms? But what’s up with the mixed signals he’s giving out?
Video Introduction to Done With Men:
Discussion Questions about Done With Men:
- Does the narrative remind us that love is essentially a matter of timing or are we left with an alternative view?
- Was this just a light-hearted romantic comedy or does Kalra create a narrative with a rich Indian context that allows readers to walk away with something more?
- Did you find the characterization of "Kay" to mirror societal presumptions of a young woman's keen interest to land a man.
- What were you able to learn about Indian culture that you found staggering or different from your own?
- We read the narrative through the lens of Kay, but how does Kalra create her male characters? Does Dr. Crabby fit a stereotype?
