Every so often, a book comes along that feels less like reading and more like holding up a mirror to your own life. Ugesh Sarcar’s What Matters (Volume One: Credibility) is exactly that kind of book—raw, daring, and unsettling in the best possible way. The title, on the one hand, may seem pretty simple and straightforward, but it is the simplest things that carry the deepest meaning and sensibility when examined in an objective manner. Sarcar’s book fits the bill in the same sense. In his book, he features characters that appear to be quite regular and ordinary, but the situations they face distinguish them, make them extraordinary and at the same time, make them relatable too because every person would feel connected to them. It is the circumstances that define and make a person ordinary or extraordinary. “What Matters” does justice in explaining that accurately and in the most precise manner.
At its core, the story takes place in an unconventional college unlike anything we’ve ever known. Handpicked students are thrown into an experiment with no lectures, no exams, and no traditional structure—only a series of uncompromising challenges designed to strip them of illusions and force them to confront who they really are. The promise of a million-dollar reward may draw them in, but the true prize turns out to be something far more profound: the clarity of living with self-trust and authenticity. The picking of students again is not something that requires a person to be extraordinary, like we would otherwise witness in today’s competitive world. The author retains the element of relatability for the readers right from the beginning and ensures that they are hooked to find out what is next.
Whether it is experiments or unveiling the monologues in the minds of the characters or even what they say out loud during conversations, Sarcar knows exactly what is to be said by whom and when. What struck me most was the theme of credibility. Not in the external sense of reputation or status, but in the deeply personal sense of being true to oneself. Sarcar asks questions we often avoid: Do we keep promises to ourselves? Do we live by values that are ours, or ones we’ve borrowed? Who are we without the masks? The characters—Ria, Andy, Jules, and others—embody these struggles in ways that are painfully familiar. Their journeys feel less like fiction and more like echoes of our own hidden battles.
Sarcar’s prose is unflinching. It’s not polished to comfort—it’s deliberately gritty, even confrontational at times. But that is the beauty of it. Growth doesn’t happen in comfort, and this book refuses to let its readers stay in the safety of passivity. Instead, it immerses you, challenges you, and dares you to look inward. Reading it feels like being part of the experiment yourself. While he does use the fictional style of writing and takes readers into a world of his imagination, he makes sure it is strongly rooted in reality and never seems far-fetched or unrealistic to the extent that readers dismiss it, saying this can not be possible. This introduces the readers to his craft as an author and his extraordinary capabilities and ensures that the readers are left eager for his next work too.
“What Matters” is not an easy read, nor is it meant to be. It is thought-provoking, immersive, and at times uncomfortable. But in that discomfort lies its gift. This book doesn’t just linger after you finish it—it reshapes the way you think about identity, courage, and credibility. For anyone who has ever felt the weight of living for others’ approval or struggled with the question of who they truly are, this book is a revelation. It doesn’t hand out easy answers. Instead, it offers something far more valuable: the invitation to rebuild from within. This theme is strongly universal, as most readers will have encountered such situations at some point in their lives. The author effectively connects with the emotions of the readers and makes his tale an extraordinary one. “What Matters” teaches the readers what really matters and what does not. This message of empowerment will be highly relevant in today’s generation which heavily relies on validation by other people through social media and platforms that make them feel good about themselves.
Ugesh Sarcar has crafted not just a novel, but an experience—one that will challenge you, unsettle you, and, if you let it, transform you. What Matters is an unforgettable beginning to a series that promises to redefine how we think about growth, authenticity, and the human journey. It would not be wrong to call “What Matters” a bold, transformative read for anyone ready to go beyond surface-level living, because that is what every reader is likely to experience in their reading journey of the book.
Book Title: WHAT MATTERS (VOLUME ONE: CREDIBILITY)
Author: Ugesh Sarcar
Publisher: Astitva Prakashan, 2025
Buy Book: Amazon
Read Free Sample Chapter and Explore: What Matters Universe
Reviewed by: Akhila Saroha (The Literature Times)
