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Quick answer: If you loved 2 States, read Chetan Bhagat's Five Point Someone, then Durjoy Datta's Of Course I Love You, then Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger, and Anuja Chauhan's The Zoya Factor and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's Devdas and Parineeta. All are light Indian campus romances.
Chetan Bhagat's 2 States is a 2009 novel about a couple from different Indian cultures. These picks share its warmth and humour.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Point Someone | Chetan Bhagat | Adult | campus humour |
| Of Course I Love You | Durjoy Datta | Adult | modern romance |
| The White Tiger | Aravind Adiga | Adult | satire of India |
| The Zoya Factor | Anuja Chauhan | Adult | cricket romance |
| Devdas | Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay | Adult | tragic love |
| Parineeta | Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay | Adult | love and family |
| Eleanor & Park | Rainbow Rowell | 14+ | readers who like quiet romance |
| Anna and the French Kiss | Stephanie Perkins | 13+ | readers who like travel romance |
| Fangirl | Rainbow Rowell | 13+ | readers who love books |
| Bet Me | Jennifer Crusie | Adult | romantic humor |
| Beach Read | Emily Henry | Adult | readers who want banter |
| The Rosie Project | Graeme Simsion | Adult | readers who want a lighter romance |
| The Inheritance of Loss | Kiran Desai | Adult | readers who like quiet depth |
| Sister of My Heart | Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni | Adult | more Divakaruni |
| The Namesake | Jhumpa Lahiri | Adult | readers who like immigrant stories |
1. Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat
Three friends struggle at an engineering institute. Light and very popular.
Best for: campus humour.
2. Of Course I Love You by Durjoy Datta
A young couple faces choices about love and career. Quick and light.
Best for: modern romance.
3. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
A driver tells his story of rising from poverty. Dark and funny.
Best for: satire of India.
4. The Zoya Factor by Anuja Chauhan
A marketing girl becomes a lucky charm for the Indian cricket team. Funny and charming.
Best for: cricket romance.
5. Devdas by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
A man loses the woman he loves and spirals into drink. The most famous tragic love story in Indian literature.
Best for: tragic love.
6. Parineeta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay
Lalita and Shekhar are neighbors who love each other but are separated by misunderstandings. Sweet and gentle.
Best for: love and family.
7. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Two misfits in 1986 Omaha fall in love over comics and mixtapes on the school bus. Honest and sweet.
Best for: readers who like quiet romance.
8. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
Anna goes to a boarding school in Paris and meets Étienne St. Clair. Charming and romantic.
Best for: readers who like travel romance.
9. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Cath, a fanfiction writer, struggles at college and finds love. Warm and nerdy.
Best for: readers who love books.
10. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
A romantic comedy about a bet and a diner full of friends. Not a mystery, but just as funny.
Best for: romantic humor.
11. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Two writers who are rivals swap genres for a summer. Banter, grief and a happy ending.
Best for: readers who want banter.
12. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Don Tillman, a professor, sets out to find a wife by a questionnaire. Funny and warm.
Best for: readers who want a lighter romance.
13. The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
A retired judge and his orphaned granddaughter live in the Himalayas. Sharp and poignant.
Best for: readers who like quiet depth.
14. Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Two cousins grow up like sisters in Calcutta, and their lives diverge. Warm and moving.
Best for: more Divakaruni.
15. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Gogol Ganguli grows up in America as the son of Bengali immigrants. Quiet and lovely.
Best for: readers who like immigrant stories.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with 2 States: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to 2 States. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For campus tales, read Five Point Someone. For romance, try Of Course I Love You. For comedy, pick The White Tiger.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote 2 States?
Chetan Bhagat, in 2009.
Is there a film?
Yes, a 2014 Hindi film.
Is it based on real life?
It draws on the author's own marriage.
Which book here is best for readers who like immigrant stories?
Try The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, which suits readers looking for readers who like immigrant stories.
Which book here is best for more Divakaruni?
Try Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, which suits readers looking for more Divakaruni.
Which book here is best for readers who like quiet depth?
Try The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai, which suits readers looking for readers who like quiet depth.
Which book here is best for readers who want a lighter romance?
Try The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, which suits readers looking for readers who want a lighter romance.