What is your opinion?
More Than a Success Story
"What stayed with me most after finishing this book was that it never felt like a simple story about building a successful company. From the early chapters, there is a much deeper thread running through Jan's journey: loneliness, loss, friendship, the need for connection, and his growing belief that technology should be useful rather than intrusive. That theme quietly follows him through his time at Yahoo, his travels with Brian, rejection, the first fragile version of the app, the technical failures, and eventually the moment when everything begins to work. I especially enjoyed how success was not presented as one brilliant idea followed by an inevitable rise. There were so many points where the project could have simply disappeared. Jan doubted it, users were scarce, servers became a problem, money became a problem, and sometimes Brian's belief seemed stronger than Jan's own. That made the later success feel earned rather than convenient. The friendship between Jan and Brian was one of my favorite parts of the book. Their personalities and approaches are different, but that contrast is exactly what keeps the story moving. One builds, doubts, protects and withdraws; the other pushes, experiments, changes the math and refuses to let the idea die. I also liked that the story did not end with the huge acquisition as though money were the final victory. The chapters that follow are arguably some of the most important, because they return to the values established much earlier in the book - simplicity, usefulness and privacy - and ask what happens when success begins to threaten the principles that created it. The epilogue completed that idea beautifully. After a story about connecting millions of people, ending with silence, an open road and a machine valued for its simplicity felt surprisingly fitting. Overall, I found this to be a fast-moving, human story about technology, friendship and persistence, but also about something harder: how difficult it is to build something according to your values, and even harder to protect those values once the world decides that what you built is worth billions. I really enjoyed following Jan's journey from beginning to end.🫡 😊"
Review
"Best history book, you all need to believe me! This book educated me! I didn’t know who Jan Koum was until I read this book. Also, I realised this book was trending in a competition. I hope this wins because it’s totally worth it. Moreover, the friendship between Jan Koum and Brian Acton was so wholesome that I genuinely wished to have it in my life. Great work, I would say."
Review
"I did not know about Jan Koum and his invention before this. You were right to say that one moment can change everything. One of the best! Highlyyyyyy recommended! "
Review
"One of the best books out there. Jan Koum deserves a lot of respect. "
Jan koum
"Its a very unique idea 💡 that expresses the authors observation 🤔of the world in a very different way The concept of the story being significantly different from the usual stories that we see these days..... is a very welcome respite 🤗 The expressions and emotions of the characters are phenomenally written 🤩and the entire story is a quick read tht makes it hard to put down 🤓"
PERFECT
"I started reading this today AND i just could not put it back down.....I’ve heard of THE jan koum but such insights of his life that to told in such a wonderful gripping manner man, I tell you its a treat to read. Jan koum truly was a genius who struggled alot and here the author have wrote down his life exactly like that I’m only half way through and my favourite character is actually not jan koum but his dear friend his character is so loveable I love the pinch of humor every now and then so good...100% reccomemded if you take my word for anything take it for this and start reading it now."
Jaun Kim Review✨
"Just like other writings of Abeer, when I started reading this one I didn’t know what I was getting into as I try to read without spoilers. As the story developed, I began to get more and more curious about Jan Koum. Because I literally didn’t know anything about him, but this writer really outdid her work. She did her research about the character and the background, which we can see in the story, and I love her for that. It was a short yet intriguing story which got a good plot and made every reader hooked to it. I really felt bad when Jan Koum had to sell it to others(iykyk) , but at least at the end he got peace. Abeer, you’ve got some loyal readers who love your work and are always rooting for you. Your writing is getting stronger day by day and I just love it. A little bit sad that this story ended so quickly, but I know you have some other masterpieces on the way. Lots of love and prayers for you❤️"
A WELL DEFINED STORY
"I HAVE NOT FULLY READ THIS STORY BUT I LITERALLY FELT TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND WROTE A REVIEW FOR THIS PERFECT NOVEL. I will talk about storyline but before that I just want to appreciate author that she literally took positive criticism. Length of each chapter is very good now and precised like not even dragging or something which is not necessary. I am literally in awe with the writing style. Plot is great like a full gradient transition from poverty to betterment and i love how author mentioned years that passed by. High empathetic and moral characters are beautifully beaded in this masterpiece. For Author, I will literally say that you are making big and lasting changes in someone's life by your presence and writing this beautifully. THIS IS ETHERAL. keep writing and taking on positive criticism. Overall 10/10"
Perfect
"What a lovely read! The book gives the impression of a screenplay and helps us imagine the scenes vividly. Jan Koum is a true software engineer who didn’t work for his own sake only but also for us. He created a messaging app that is so GOATED that no one can compete it. Jan Koum is so underrated that I only came to know about him through this novel. Even after dropping out of college, San Jose State, he didn’t lose courage. This is truly inspirational that even after being a drop out from Silicon Valley, he continued to work for the sake of his career. What he did was truly remarkable. Also, I love how Brian Acton and Jan Koum developed over time. He is a true friend, there is no doubt in that. The way the story was heartbreaking but only for the readers to realise that it will shape Jan Koum’s character in the longer run. Morever, the grammar, the pacing and the plot development, everything was so on point. We start to root for Jan Koum with so much passion. He had many tough moments in his life which includes the death of his parents, poverty and rejection from a certain company which ironically bought his app later on. This was ironic and gave me goosebumps. Must be a great moment in the history. This was my first read on inkitt, I binge read it in one day and I have realised the author has true talent to hook the readers. One thing I forgot to add before was that how show vs tell was handled in the book. All I have to say is “perfect”. I will have to check out all of your books now. Keep growing, you are an amazing writer."
History Of Jan Koum
"First things first, a massive great job to the author for writing this! This is truly an incredible work, and I'd like to also thank the author for making this book! Because of her, we now know more about Jan Koum and his journey to creating the app! 🤩 The story about Jan Koum's journey to successfully creating one of the largest apps in the world is truly a roller-coaster of emotions! The beginning was sad, finding out that his father had passed away, and then his mother passed away. Jan suffered watching people he loved pass away. He had a dream. He had a goal he wanted to achieve. It's upsetting how his parents couldn't get the chance to see it together. 💔 Jan didn't stay down though. He still worked and was dedicated to creating the app he wanted to make! He suffered through so much with financial issues and app problems, but he managed to successfully create one of the largest apps in all of the media! ❤️ Jan's and Brian's relationship is simply incredible! Brian was a huge support for Jan, and he was always there for him! Their friendship lasted so long, it's incredible just to see how they get along well! The app Jan worked on so hard for years, Brian was there! For food, drinks, ideas, help, he was always there for Jan and that loyalty was strong and massive! The rejection they both got from a certain company was sad, but their reactions are what sparked the moment! Their confidence built up! A rejection tears down a person's confidence, but the rejection Jan and Brian received manage to build their confidence to build something successful! One of the biggest successful apps was made! ✨ The pacing is quite gentle! This is a biography about a man who created one of the largest apps in all of the media! It handled both his personal life and his work life well! We managed to see his sufferings through making this app, but we also managed to see his successes through making that app along! We saw that although the biography was about him making the app and struggling, he was still human and successfully achieved his goal! The book taught us that although a person can become successful, there are struggles and sufferings a person would need to go through. Jan is a successful man, but he's also a human who deals with struggles and sufferings. The pacing did incredibly well by balancing both his personal life and his work life! 💫 Another thing I'd like to talk about was the "show and tell"! The author did an incredible job showing! It's amazing! The writing style itself is quite marvellous! The author did a spectacular job writing! 😆 With the ending of that one person betraying them, it's just upsetting how he treated Jan. But despite Jan and Brian officially taking retirement, they've earned their places for retirement. The struggles, the suffering, the hard work, the dedication, they've earned every bit of retirement after years and years of launching a successful app! Despite walking away from something he built, he managed to successfully create the app and achieve his goal! 🥹 Amazing book! I enjoyed reading this a lot! This is an incredible book that deserves great recognition! Well done! ❤️"
WRITER WRITING STYLE IS SO AMAZING
"Jan Koum— a true legend who made our lives easier by making our famous messaging app. The book feels like a screen play, highly recommended. Fell in love with this ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️"
Overall chapter
"Such a beautifully written and heartfelt journey! Watching characters stay true to their soul over billions is pure magic. A stellar read from start to finish!"
Review
"The story is so compelling and well written that I am proud of this author. It feels like a screenplay though🥹. "
Jan koum
"It was remarkable to see someone who came from nothing build something that changed the way the world communicates. The story was well written. Although biographies are not my usual genre, I found this one interesting and it pulled me in. The author did an amazing job portraying the human side of Jan koum, his struggles, relationships, determination and emotions, which made him feel relatable rather than just a successful entrepreneur. The way he stood by his principles, never compromised his values and gave back to charities and supported his community resonated with me. All in all, a satisfying read. 🤍"
Your biggest fan
"Can I tell you that you are my favourite writer? I thought biographies were boring but you made this genre, EVEN THIS GENRE interesting for me. Not for once I felt I thought Jan wasn’t one of us. His moment of decisions are as confused as ours are. The difference is his idea worked out. I can’t wait to read more from you. "
Jan koum
"What a masterpiece! I haven’t read any biography written so well. It was a short read and didn’t bore me for a second. You nailed it, author."
Review
"Your writing always hits. I am so happy that I came across this book because some people deserve genuine recognition and Jan Koum is one of them. We can’t spend a day without his app which shows how much he did for us. This is the right time we start considering our heroe’s efforts and remember them and be grateful for their contributions. His idea was unique, a system based on internet that surpassed all the other platforms available. I would highly recommend this book to everyone as this doesn’t bore the reader for a second. It may sound absurd but Brian Acton played a major role in this book. It wouldn’t have been possible without him. Keep writing, I have to check out every book of yours now. "
Great story
"A well written and engaging story that kind of feels like a mystery and a biography. Jan is a sympathetic character and in following his journey towards success you can't help but cheer him on. I wasn't familiar with who he was, so I had fun trying to guess what all the part of his past added up to. The author's writing style really helps you fall into the moments with him. You feel his sadness, disappointment, frustration and joy. Highly recommend."
Review
"Everyone thinks that Jan Koum was did dirty. I agree but in the end it was all for good. He chose peace for himself and privacy for his users. The way his invention is connected with his past, to his father’s death, it hooks the reader and we began to cheer for Jan genuinely. I also loved Brian Acton’s role in Jan’s life. It is truly a 10/10 read, highly recommended. "
WOWWWW!
"SPOILER ALERT DEAR READERSSSSS! What a book!!!! I think the author made me fall in love with historical fiction. Jan Koum's story has been narrated so brilliantly. We see Jan Koum's initial reason to work was for his mother, for his father, who was no longer there. He wanted to provide a good life for his mother. He started working at a platform that starts with Y. There, he met many amazing people, especially his lifelong best friend Brian, who remained his friend through thick and thin. Jan Koum made Y a better place. He introduced many significant changes and earned a lot of respect. During this time, seeing platforms like F Jan also built a desire to create a similar platform that would make it easy for people to message without spending dollars just to contact. Initially, he built a status app, but it didn't turn out to be the way he planned. With the help of his friend Brian and his supporters, despite giving up multiple times, he ended up going on a vacation, yet Jan still got up and worked hard to achieve his dream. And after years of working hard, he finally built the platform W that changed the way we see the world today. Initially, Jan never charged money, not because he didn't want to, but because he built it for the people, and he didn't want them to be burdened. But at one point, he started taking one dollar for something I don't remember, on the saying of Brian, so that they could manage the expenses of W. Then came another challenging phase of Jan's life when Mark asked him to sell W. Despite the huge sums of money, he refused because Jan didn't want the people who used W to be used as a product. Mark promised him that he wouldn't do that. Keep in mind, Jan and Brian were working at F at that time. But Mark didn't stay true to his promises, and when Jan and Brian found that, they retired from F because no matter what, their people, their morals mattered more than money. Jan donated the huge amount of money he had earned to charity donations, and he and Brian finally retired after long years of hard work. And the author delivered each of the emotions, each of the scenes, brilliantly. The weight of each scene could be felt deeply. The author did a great job writing this. I loved how Jan and Brian stayed together side by side, never giving up and supported each other. If even one had given up, we wouldn't have W today. Once again the Author wonderfully wrote the book. One of the author's best works. Keep up the great work, author! Hoping to see u win"
