Short review: if you haven’t read it, trust me and buy it.
Longer one: I stumbled upon this book, while buying groceries. I had a look, since it was from unknown author, I didn’t spent extra time apart from reading the synopsis. The next time, I saw it in the hands of extremely good looking lady waiting at the airport. The third time, I was getting the information on ‘how to get your book published in India’.
The final time, it showed up in the list of Indian reads from librarywala.com. I just ordered it.
The book chose the reader
I haven’t come across a well written thriller attempted by an Indian author, post the dawn of Chetan Bhagat (CB). What CB has done with his writing style, is opening up of gates for newbies writers to write anything(and it will get published). Sad to say, no one has gone pass the usual love stories & relationship plots. And that is the precise reason, Karan Bajaj here deserves a big round of applause.
The novel grips you from the first few pages and you immediately get on the side of Nikhil Arya, The protagonist. Author did a very well job in pushing Nikhil to extremes and having him emerge out victorious on four occasions.
The story moves across countries, across continents. MIT, Cambodia, Thailand, Brazil, Minnesota and finally Delhi. Having Nikhil experiencing life of an MIT graduate with a secure job offer at NASA, of a prisoner in Cambodia, of a monk in Thailand, of a drug lord in Brazil, of a homeless accountant in Minneasota and finally.
Each character and situation is well researched(which you hardly come across in today’s Indian writing) and well thought off. I read the interview that the author has traveled to these places before. That explains.
Couple of things
I miss the humor in the novel.The Brazil plot(including the lingo) could have been better in terms of slowing down the pace and introducing character in a bit more detail. Again, this Novel has surely put a bar very high for aspiring authors like me. Don’t know if in the next few years, any one among Indian authors is going to attempt thriller.
Good Read, Deserves a rating of 4.5 out of 5
Go ahead and read. Let me know your views.
Love,
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