A fantasy novel of a modern-day American boy's journey back in time as the reincarnation of John Lennon. Sixteen-year-old John Palmieri is living an average life in Brooklyn until one day he wakes up as a prince in India, thirty-five years before he was born. Suddenly, he finds himself with riches and power beyond his wildest fantasies. Brooklyn is readily forgotten. Life becomes a constant stream of debauchery, coming to a stand-still only when he meets "the one." However, love doesn't come easy. He must become a better man and sing his way into her heart, a pursuit ignited by his memories of the vintage Beatles music on his iPod. Will these legendary songs change John's life? Can he escape Lennon's tragic fate? Will he ever find his way back to Brooklyn at his own time? |
Review
Bollywood Invasion mostly stays true to the Beatles success story, yet the romance between Raj and Ankita is very much a Bollywood style love story. This mix may sound strange, but it works well and I had fun reading Bollywood Invasion.
John’s transition to living Raj’s life is coupled with a lot of confusion and he blatantly takes advantage of the privileges of his new circumstances. Raj is popular, rich, and untouchable, and it’s interesting to see how this corrupts his morals in the first part of the novel. It’s just as interesting to read how he turns his life around, even if love at first sight is the catalyst for his transformation. While it does work in the story, I felt Priyanka’s acceptance of Raj’s feelings for Ankita was a little too easy.
Alexanders’ pacing is good as Raj/John uses Beatles songs to raise his college band, the Beetos, to equally phenomenal success. The conclusion is clever and bittersweet all at once.
Bollywood Invasion is a fun and touching novel for Beatles and time travel fans.
Book provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review