Book Review : #IAM16ICANRAPE by Kirtida Gautam

My Rating

Book Name : #IAM16ICANRAPE
Author : Kirtida Gautam
Genre : Psychological Thriller

Blurb : To destroy great EVIL, GOOD has to shed tears of blood.
Rudransh Kashyap is a self-made billionaire and man of high moral fiber. His life is shattered when he returns home one day to find that his prodigy, his 16-year-old grandson, Aarush, has been arrested and accused of a brutal gang rape. It is easy to say, "Kill the Rapist" but what if the accused is your child?
This case takes an unprecedented turn when Aarush's identity is made public on social media. Rudransh finds himself living a nightmare as he fights against tremendous odds to get justice for Aarush, to save him and to bring him back home... But what if the unthinkable is true? Can Rudransh save his grandson, or will he end up fighting a different battle altogether?

Book from my eyes:
This book is appropriate as per the current situation of society. A very well conceptualized and well-structured storyline. Also, the author has been incredibly successful to keep the attention of the reader intact until the end (though flipped some pages in between without reading them). The story revolves around a sweet little teenager, Arush, who is apple of eye for his grandparents, his friends, and girlfriend; very compassionate in compare to his age; heartthrob of the girls around him. One day this kid got arrested for the crime of brutal rape. Is it possible for such a sweet lad to commit something like this? What do his family and friends think of him? Will the truth be unveiled?

Thumbs Up:

• The storytelling style is very new and unique with the verse of every person it makes more sense.
• The flowchart at the beginning was a unique concept.
• Most of the characters are created very nicely and kept in sync till the end of the story.
• Name of the book and cover of the book deserves a big thumb up.

Thumbs Down:

• The conversations between characters or the verse of each character are very similar. For example, postulate, matter of fact, prodigy, these words has been overused and used by almost every character. At some point, it’s very distracting from the story.
• Because of the storytelling nature, the same incident has been repeated again and again. While in some incident it added value (like the verse of Shubhangi and Arush about the rape, or Arush and his friends verse about the next day morning added a new angle to the story), some were too much unnecessary and boring (like Pihu and Ananya talking about the gift Ananya gave to Pihu, or Rudransh, Ananya and Pihu everyone talking about how special Pihu is)
• Characterization of Arush and Ananya is not realistic. They don’t seem to be normal human being but some super humans.
• Elaborate examples from physiological perspective was a big turned down from me and to be honest, I had flip of most of the pages
• I personally didn’t like the climax of the book. It did seem to be Bollywood masala which doesn’t go with this kind of plot.
• There is a scope for improving the editing mistakes.

Verdict: Instead of all the negative points mentioned, Autor Kirtida Gautam has done a great job with the concept considering this is her maiden attempt and the book is definitely a must-read.

Book Review : S.O.A.R by Abir Mukherjee

My Rating

Book Name : S.O.A.R - Success over Adversity Reigns!
Author : Abir Mukherjee
Genre : Fiction

Blurb : Frustrated with their current jobs, Uday, Adhyayan, and Rajasekaran team up to start an innovative business, non-existent in India until then. Ignoring all pragmatic aspects of life, they chase their dreams with immense pleasure. However, their journey is no cakewalk, as they confront financial crisis and rejections soon. Uday plays a business trick to triumph over that uninfluenced market; it works initially, but soon boomerangs, blowing the team apart. The police arrest Uday accusing him of illegal activity by his organization.
Were there any blemishes in their plan or was it just a typical Indian market, reluctant to accept an un-experimented concept? Will they be successful in implementing their innovation, staking their hard earned money, stable jobs, relationships, and life?
'S.O.A.R is the story of chasing a dream, quandary between desire and responsibility, friendship and love.
Join the gutsy journey of three young entrepreneurs.

Book from my eyes:
This book is a perfect example of what I call a paradox. Every character is contradictory to their own beliefs and ideology at one or other point. Adi, loves his wife Shristi more than anything in the world and wants to give all the happiness to her? In this process of doing so, he hurts her most and not able to fulfill her basic needs. Shristi, a loving, logical and caring wife. One way she wants her husband to be all hers, on the other way she pushes her husband to support his friend when he needs. In the process of doing so, somewhere she lost her. Uday, who wants to prove himself to his family whom he actually hates the most. Raja, a normal guy from a conservative Tamil family and somehow a follower of the same, falls for an ultra-modern Bengali girl, Sneha, knowing his family can never accept her and takes a step which is completely opposite to his character. Sneha, who turns into someone any parents will never love, to get back her parents love.
This is how all of us are right?
When all these five characters are being portrayed so perfectly, the novel is about three friends Uday, Adi and Raja, who quits their jobs to start a business with a unique idea. Through the pages of S.O.A.R, Abir Mukherjee has successful in taking us to a wonderful journey of their ups and downs, rise and falls. There will not be a single place where one wouldn't be able to relate to the place. There are some moments which made me cry, some moments which made me burst into joy and some I just felt the author has stolen from my life. It is a book I will cherish forever and will definitely be one of the most precious pearls in my small ocean.

Thumbs Up:

• Characterization is the best thing in this book. Normally in any novel, the authors draw a dimension to their character and continue the same until the end. But Abir Mukherjee has been successful in making his characters multi-dimensional and which seems to be more like a real person from a real world than just a fictional character from any fictional book.
• Storytelling is very smooth, for once it didn't happen to me that I am reading a novel and need to remember. All the incident(ingredients) are described just to its perfect quantity, not a bit more, not a bit less.
• The pace of the novel has been just perfect as its ingredients.
• A very unique yet a very common story which kept me hooked to the book all the time.
• Last but not the least, you got me head over heels the way you took me through all the places in Bangalore and of course misti doi. (You earn an extra star here)

Thumbs Down:

• Storywise there is none. (Might be a very biased opinion as Abir Mukherjee has done a great job in making me fall in love with S.O.A.R). But I didn't like the cover of the book (And you lost the extra star you earned ) (:|)

Verdict: This book is a must read. Take a day for yourself and spend it in this book, I can assure you, this book will make you a completely different person, a better one.

The Broken Nest

It was 13th Feb, the day when Akansha and Abhimanyu met for the first time 6 years back. Like every year, Akansha has planned and arranged to make this day a grand and memorable day of their life. She was waiting for him to come home so that they could have a gala time.

The clock showed 9 pm. Akansha picked the cell to call Abhimanyu. “Soniye Hiriye Teri Yaad Aandi Ye; Seene Vich Tadapta Hai Dil Jaan Jaandi Ye. Tuhi Jind Meri Ye Dil Da Karaar Ni..Tuhi Jind Meri Ye Dil Da Karaar.. Tu Aaja Tenu Rabda Wasta.. Udekta Main Tera Rasta” Abhimanyu’s caller tune played and stopped, but no one picked the call. A messaged found its way to Akansha’s inbox which says “In a meeting, can’t talk”.

Akansha begged Abhimanyu to take a day off today but he couldn’t manage as he had his production deployment. Being a corporate employee, Akansha understand everything but her heart denies accepting the harsh reality, “Is that more important than me?” A question, her heart asks her all the time and she doesn’t have any answer to that. Sometimes she tries to make her heart understand, sometimes cries over her pillow or end up having a nasty fight with Abhimanyu. But nothing seems to help. She still had no answer for her heart as forever.

Akansha arranged the dinner in the dining table and thought of taking a bath. Abhimanyu will definitely be home by the time she is done. She dipped herself in a long bath and followed every skin care regimes she does to give Abhimanyu more time to be back. Never been a big follower and fan of all the girly maintaining stuff. She comforted herself in a comfortable night suit and made herself comfortable on the sofa. There was no trace of Abhimanyu at home, nor any call or message. She picked up a novel and lied down in the sofa.

“Sorry Sona, I got stuck in some work. I am so so so sorry! I promise we will spend the entire day together”. Abhimanyu plotted a kiss on Akansha’s forehead and hugged her tightly as soon as Akansha opened the door. All the anger Akansha had, was vanished in a moment.

Akansha woke up in a jerk with the ring of calling bell which was not ready to stop at all. She got a smile on her face back, her dream is about to be true. She must have slept deep and Abhimanyu must be worried. Akansha arranged her hair and plotted a pseudo anger in her face opened the door.

“Why were you not opening the door, Akansha? I am standing here for such a long time.”

“Abhimanyu, did you see the time? How long do you expect me to wait for you? It’s one in the night” Akansha rebuked, upset for Abhimanyu not plotting the kiss in her forehead as per her dream, frustrated as her special day was over.

“Akansha, please don’t start now. I am too tired for your stupid fights. I am going to sleep. Need to leave early tomorrow as well” Abhimanyu told. “Did you have your dinner?” He asked

“Did I ever eat without you?”

“Akansha, how many times do I have to tell you? Please have your dinner if I am late and stop torturing me. Please go and eat” Abhimanyu told and dozed off.

Akansha, always a demanding and perfectionist girl, stood there shocked and shattered. How come her wishes are so negligible to Abhimanyu? How could Abhimanyu forget it was their special day and tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. She composed herself, put the food in the fridge and came to bed to find Abhimanyu already asleep and her dreams of special day shattered.