Book review:Private India

Title: Private India

Author: Ashwin Sanghi & James Patterson

Price: 350 INR

Pages: 450

ISBN: 978-0099586395

My rating: 3/5

It has my first time reviewing a thriller. And thank you Blogadda for giving me the opportunity to do that. I enjoyed being in this train of thriller and here is what I discovered.

At first you would dismiss it being some run and catch thriller but when you start it you would know you picked up something different. The cover of the book takes inspiration from the James Patterson’s ‘Private’ series . Two  masters in their own art Ashwin Sanghi and James Patterson have collaborated for the first time to bring Patterson's popular 'Private' series to India. The story is true to its highlight “It’s the season for murder in Mumbai”.
 

In Private India, Sanghi's taste for mythology comes through with its cults, the Navratri festival and even Goddess Durga becomes an important part of the plot whereas Patterson's love for high drama and suspense mixed equally well with it. The starting of the book is with a murder-of a Thai doctor in a Mumbai hotel. She has a yellow scarf around her neck and her hands are tied with strings. There is a flower on one hand, and a fork on the other. There is also a small, Viking toy helmet tied to one of her toes. Eight such killings take place in Mumbai.The first murder is followed by many others. Afternoon Mirror reporter Bhavna Choksi being the second victim,then Elima Xavier, a school headmistress, Anjana Lal, the Chief Justice of Mumbai High Court, Ragini Sharma, a politician and so on the list continues. Every victim has a yellow scarf, with trinkets placed around them.

Private India is headed by Santosh Wagh an Ex-policeman and he is picked by Jack Morgan, a former CIA agent who heads Private Inc. The 51-year-old investigative genius is traumatized by his painful past where he has to live with the guilt of killing his own family, which he tries to drink with regular whiskey shots. Wagh and his peers drink a lot but apart from that he has a sharp mind and superb power of reasoning. The case of the serial killings is handed over to Wagh and Co by Mumbai Police. The serial killings have a pattern and the killer makes sure to leave a clue each time. Wagh connects the clues which lead to a discovery of the truth which is pretty scary. If you have never been to Mumbai, it is sure to take you some of the places such as Taj Hotel to Colaba and Haji Ali, to suburbs like Bandra, Andheri and Thane to the Tower of Silence and its vultures, Arthur Road Jail, Chowpatty Beach, Cooper Hospital etc.

The central characters are portrayed well, but others are also defined equally. There is a vile godman, an underworld bhai and a powerful lawmaker with his love for gambling. It has a detailed story and you would not know exactly where the mystery points to.

It is a fast paced thriller but has details about the not so central characters as well. You would think that you got the mystery but wait till you spiral down another twist. Though there are editing and grammar mistakes at some places but nevertheless one should give this book a try, when you pick it up, you can’t put it down.

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Book review:Prisoner,Jailor,Prime Minister

 

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Title:Prisoner,Jailor,Prime Minister
Author:Tabrik C
Year Of Publication:2014
 Publisher: Hachette India

The title seems very innovative and makes you think are there three characters that makes this book or one person is all these three.

The cover is bold and intuitive catches you like the book did when you held it in your hands to read.

This a book review of Prisoner,Jailor,Prime Minister written by Tabrik C.I am not very keen on anything relating to politics but i wanted to give this topic a try and so i chose this book to review.And i am quite happy with the results.I read the first page and i was thinking did i chose the correct book because it described to me a scene of desert.Then i proceeded further into a very interesting storyline.Knowing that it is a debut novel by Tabrik C. he has done a very fine work.

Siddhartha Tagore has become the Prime Minister in a swearing without any ceremony so that the country can be lead without any delay as the outgoing Prime Minister is leaving from the backdoor.As soon as he is appointed he is informed about a suspicious activity in Pokhran.And here begins his journey as a politician.

The writer has a very unique style of looking into the past.The flashbacks at times are very brief with few lines and at times consisting of several pages.His days in Harvard as a student where he had no interest whatsoever in politics.But his Baba(father) wanted him to follow in his footsteps and join politics.He pursued his career in classical music in Harvard for he had a love for Tansen and Mozart.

While turning the pages we can see how this Harvard student with little interest in politics transforms into a Prime Minister.

Though the writer tried building a rhythm to create the desired affect of a thriller but there was abruptness at times.It emphasizes on the human emotions and relationships.At times it felt like the main aim of it being political was overshadowed by the emotions and relations.The story is told in first person and third person alternatively. First person narration is through the eyes of Siddhartha and wherever he is not present, it is in third person.Together with Siddhartha Tagore the others such as Rubaya Jaykar Tagore, Karisma Jaykar, Kabir Jaykar, Gordon Thorburn, Gregory Templar, Rukmani Devi and many more supported this story very well.

Though i don't believe in destiny myself but this book is one which tells you about how your destiny is weaved beforehand,you follow what is there and it remains unpredictable.A must read i would say and all the best with your debut Tabrik C.

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Wishful morning..!

She-You know it is going to be a new day in sometime.
He-Yes i know.
Caressing her back,he sighed sweetly.As he pressed his lips softly on her forehead.She smiled while her eyes remain closed.He checked the time and hugged her more tightly.The blanket covered them both in the rosy winter dawn.As there warm skin touched each other,the cold was not at all felt.
He-Good morning..
She-Good morning..
He-Open your eyes for me.
As she opened her eyes.She gave a leisurely smile to him which was returned full fledged.
She-I want to spend rest of my life with you.Rise each morning to this wish and feeling of being with you.
He-Your wish my command darling.Even i am waiting for that time to begin...

Broken..

She-I love you so much it almost pains me.Why won't you answer me dammit?Are you even listening to me?
She heard silence from the other side of the reciever.
He-What do you want to hear from me?
She-Did you touch her?
He-Yes i did.
She-Hugged each other?
She holds her breathe.
He-Yes.
She-You kissed her?She wanted you to?You wanted to?
He-Why are you asking this?Please stop.
She-No.I want to know all about it.
He-Yes...Yes I wanted to kiss her.
She-You were with her all night.Weren't you?
He-Yes I was.
She-Did she crawl next to you naked and asking for it?
He-Asking for what?
She-Asking to loose it to her.
He-Loose what?
She-Your virginity.
He-Yes she did.
She-You gave in?
He-I...ah..Why are you asking me all this.It is paining you so much already then why all this?
She-I want to know please because anyway it would kill me from inside to just assume things.
He-Yes I lost my virgnity to her.
She-You..y..you..agreed just like that?..Howw..
She breaks into sobs.
He-Shhh...I didn't me..mean..t..too..
She-You did not mean to?You did not mean to have sex you are telling me.
He-I did not want you to feel this way.
She-This is still going fine.Now answer this to me.This is the last one.Do you love her?
He-Yes I do.
And she can't think anymore.As her heart breaks into pieces which she is unsure of being ever able to gather and mend back.A pained yelp escapes her lips as she bursts into a painful cry.He just listens helpless..cause niether he had words to soothe her and nor was he there present physically..

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Before destination reach.

I have been really lazy and not updated this blog of mine for a longtime.So updating with a conversation.

C-Which direction do we have to go?

A-Just wait we told him when we board the auto.

She starts giggling watching him all drenched in sweat

A-You want this?(showing the napkin she held in her hands)

He eagerly grabbed it, wiping the sweat of his face and neck.He glanced at his watch, nudging her.She saw what he wanted to make her see and smiled at him.

C-We are on time right?

A-No we are half an hour late.But never mind they will be waiting for us only.

Autowala-Aa gaya.(We have arrived)

C-Kitne huay bhaiya?(How much money do we have to pay?)

Autowala-Tees rupay.(Thirty rupees)

A-Ye lo bhaiya(Take this )(shoving a 50 rupees note in his hands)

C-Nahi uske paise wapas do ye lo tees rupay.(No.Give her money back and take this 30 rupee)

Pouting she takes back the money.Entering the gate..

C-Chal daude(Lets run)

A-Nahi woh intezar kar lenge aur maine heels bhi toh pehni hain.(No.They will wait, moreover i have worn heels)

He starts laughing.And they make way towards their destination.

Book Review:My Stroke Of Luck

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Title: My Stroke of Luck (Soft Cover) 

Author: Vijay Santhanam

Year of publication:2013

This is a book review of My stroke of luck authored by Vijay Santhanam.I did not know what i had put my hands on before i read the first few pages.I thought it to be just another story of struggle,trial and tribulations but this was something else.More than life and beyond the normal thinking.The mans own story in his own words.The journey of forgetfulness yet a hint of remembrance. What will you do when you can see a face recognize it yet not put a name or relation to it? Leave that! What if you cannot distinguish between male and female?

Vijay had a stroke at the age of 41 which left him paralyzed on right side of the body.The simplest of the daily chores weren't possible to accomplish without assistance but that changed eventually just because of the right mix of determination,companionship and motivation.Mentioned at the very beginning is that he is not from a medical background and whatever he shared,he has experienced.Everyone have their own personal experience and you can only learn from others experience.So there is a lot of learning that we get in this book.

First and foremost the valuable lesson that the book will teach you to not to ignore your gut feelings when something is wrong with your body system.You are brave,you know you are healthy but if you get yourself checked for a persistent little problem it can avert a very big problem[here a headache was a little problem but grew to a stroke when ignored(not checked)].How the desire for something(Vijay is a fan of cricket and during his  stroke he has co-authored “If cricket is a religion,Sachin is god” and “The business of cricket:The story of sports marketing in India” with Shyam Balasubramanian)you love with all your life makes a strong inspiration to fight with the problem.Family and friends being your support system in the harsh time.The unpredictability of what will happen next and will i be able to pass the time of test creates a leap of heart inside you as you would either be grinning with joy that he passed it or will be sad knowing he has to work on it again to pass it.He had to start learning from the very basics to get to the hard things which were so normal before being affected.Now what all did he learn and how did each day progress it surely is to be read by you.

You do not know what will life offer you the very next second and so it is better to make the most in the moment you are.The most intriguing part for me was where i learned that the side of brain affected is reverse of that of the side of body.The author of course has a very practical approach and why not because he experienced a situation where he was as good as half dead.The spirit to overcome the impossible and make come true the power of will is what is reflected strongly in every page you read.

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Book Review:Chilli,Chicks and Heart attacks

Title:Chilli,Chicks and Heart attacks

Author:Sanjaya Senanayake
Genre:Fiction
Year of publication:2013

Number of pages:320

First of all what catches and tugs at your heart is the title of the book>

Chilli Chicks & Heart Attacks..It is not at all like what it cover photo suggests and more of what was a bit of surprise that this books main lead i thought who would be a 'she' is a 'he' :Dr. Manjula Mendis.I guess the name comes like this because he is a south Indian in Australia.

So the plot that plays is..

Dr. Mendis is a Sri lankan living in Australia with his family which is i might add has a very vivid description in the beginning.He has just got out of medical school and is starting on an exciting journey while interning for the popular St. Ivanhoe Hospital.Six other new interns are his colleague.There is this very intriguing character Dr. Spyder who treats the celebrities and gets the detail of the most deepest,darkest secret they hold inside them to be treated.Names of some characters were quite funny like, Monty Bonkzalot, Precious Thyme and Fabulus Hips.Medical terminologies and information are in plenty all throughout the book.And amazingly they don't burden the reader but rather interests them inside it.

Dr. Manju is cheesy,lovable,melodramatic and at times over smart.Humour resides in a series of hilarious stories about life on the wards, most of which involve Dr. Manju.

Proceeding in their medical duties they come across different situations – some situations of dealing with frightening senior doctors and some even more with ‘sugardadiphiled’ ladies.[The secret of which lies inside the book]!

And as the age demands family of Dr. Mendis are finding 'The Match' for their son.Living abroad didn’t change a thing in the South-Asian mentality of Manju’s mother.Desperate to search a Sri Lankan bride for his ‘Kohinoor’ son she leaves no nook and corner of Australia.An ugly habit of taking bliss of discussing ugliness of their relative’s son and highlighting how her son so much more better than him.Dr. Manju is unlike his mother as he watches and accepts the modern views but that doesn't make him insensitive to his own culture and roots.

Rest of it which i should not be disclosing over here because that would kill the joy of reading the book.All throughout the book he has to maintain the harmony in his relationships with  the patients, colleagues, celebrities, and a girl with a not so good a past.

By the middle of it you can be totally sure that you are reading a sort of autobiography.All the incidents and instances depicted inside the book can be only written when you have been there and done that.

I like..

This whole book is a great package.I loved every page i leafed through.And not to forget the amazing writing style of Sanjaya Senanayake.Take it up and i assure you,you will like it if not love.Different shades of emotions keep striking.When you pick it up you will be kept stuck up with the book till it finishes.

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!