Book Review : My Lovely Wife, Samantha Downing

 

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing was a best seller when it released a couple of years back. This one is supposed to be a domestic suspense thriller with a twist (if the endorsement on it's cover is anything to go by!).

Millicent and her husband are married for almost a decade now. They have two kids, Jenna and Rory. They are living their quiet boring life in the suburbs and their marriage is not really going anywhere.But there is a catch - they share a very dark secret!

The story is told in Millicent 's point of view and I must say that this one didn't really work for me. The chapters are really short and the language is pretty simple. Though tauted as a psychological thriller, I found this one to be a boring drama for it's most part.

Why should you waste your time reading pages and pages of really boring everyday chores after picking up a 'thriller', in the first place? Nothing much really happens for almost three fourth of the book and the proceedings get interesting only towards the climax portions. The climax also leaves us with a lot of unanswered questions and the tail end twists ends up as nothing but an over used trope. The unreliable narrator trope also doesnt work that much.

On the whole, I found this one to be a barely passable thriller.

-nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review: Yellow Face by R.F Kuang

 

Yellow Face by R.F Kuang, the latest international best-seller is an interesting novel which tells the story of Juniper Song(June Hayward), a white author who steals and rewrites an unpublished Novel by her deceased Asian- American Author friend , to become a global best selling author.

June Hayward is a struggling, failed white author who is a close acquaintance of Athena Liu, the latest literary sensation. Both of them are celebrating Athena’s recent literary success (a Netflix deal) in a bar . In a bizarre twist of fate, Athena chokes on a pancake and dies instantaneously. Juniper chances upon a nearly finished manuscript which Athena had been working on till then. Though initially clueless about what to do with it, June soon realizes that her deceased friend’s  manuscript might be her ticket to redemption. She steals it , works around a bit and publishes it as her own work. The book becomes an instant best seller, June’s  life takes an upward turn ,but she also makes a few enemies on her way.

The biggest strength of Yellow Face is that it manages to hook the reader from srtart to finish. There aren’t many characters in this Novel and the story is largely told from June’s point of view. Still,there is never a dull moment in the narrative. H.Kang offers an insider’s view on the publishing industry and also manages to be a social commentary on racial stereotyping. The anxieties and insecurities of new age authors and the futility of social media discourses are also well etched out. Though the book reads like a thriller , I prefer calling this one a satire- (a ruthless and a savage one at that!) .From June’s attempts at sounding ‘more Asian’( her ‘rechristening’ as Juniper Song) to the altercation scene at the Asian writer’s workshop , the critique is unmissable, but at the same time, not all over the place.

On the whole, I loved reading this one.

-nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review: Thiruvananthapuram Crime Kadhakal by Adarsh Madhavankutty

 

Thiruvananthapuram Crime Kadhakal ‘ by Adarsh Madhavankutty is an anthology of eight crime stories which are set in Thiruvananthapuram district. The stories feature Manudev, a rookie Police informer, who helps the investigating officers in unsolved cases.

As mentioned before, almost all stories in these compilation take place in and around Thiruvananthapuram and the cases range from a fresh double homicide (Irattakolapaathakam) to an alleged suicide (Punaranweshanam), which happened years ago. The stories are quite short and almost reads like a police procedural which is hardly half a dozen pages long . So each story has got a single page opening bang (the act), the comparatively longer enquiry sequences (forming the large chunk of each of these stories) and a single page long climax (which is mostly rushed). The anthology tries to cover varied varieties of criminal intents (murder) and their execution, albeit in a highly topical manner.

Coming to the positives, this book is a pretty easy read and if you are a fan of those really short crime stories by the likes of Batten Bose , (which used to come out in the late ninetees), you will definitely like this anthology. The language is pretty simple and devoid of any literary pretensions and this short compilation can be done with in a couple of hours. Some of the stories in this collection are interesting and provides the thrill which is expected out of an anthology of this genre.

On the downside, I wish the writer had put in a little bit of an effort to do away with those really amateurish phrases like ‘ avan bikkine meyaan vittittu..’, which are there in plenty. Though the stories are set in the modern era (there are references to watsapp and modern day gadgets), the writing is such a way that most of the stories end up giving a 80’s-90’s vibe (may be that’s an extremely personal opinion). Some of the stories are extremely predictable, with their motives and execution reminding us of the innumerable investigation stories that came out in the last decade.

On the whole, if you are in the mood to read an anthology of short pulp fiction, you can give this one a try.

-nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review:The Coworker by Freida Mcfadden

 The Co-worker by Freida Mcfadden is the kind of book that can be read in one sitting.I devoured this fast paced thriller during a two hour long flight and I must say confess that I enjoyed reading this one.

Natalie and Dawn are coworkers in Vixed, an MNC selling vitamin supplements. While Natalie, the super hot sales executive is the best performing employee of the company, Dawn Shiff works for the company as an accountant and is a bit of a recluse. One fine day, Dawn goes missing and it soon becomes evident that she has been targetted by someone close. Pretty soon the police arrests Natalie for  murdering her co-worker, and  Natalie finds herself caught in a cat and mouse game in which everything is at stake for her.

Like Mcfadden's previous works ( I have read five of her works by now), this one is a fast paced thriller and manages to engage the reader to a very large extend. There are twists happening at regular intervals and there is never a dull moment in the proceedings.

On the downside, I felt that towards the climax, the book fumbles a bit with a couple of loose ends. The portions pertaining to the dead body and the torture preceding it are poorly explained and fails to sound convincing.

However, these minor flaws apart, this one qualifies as a decent fast paced pulp thriller. Yes,  It doesn't break any new grounds in terms of story telling, but it works as a fast paced read.

-nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review: The Teacher by Freida Mcfadden

 It’s Sunday again and I picked up yet another Freida Mcfadden.

‘The Teacher’ is the author’s first release of the year and like her previous works , this one is also an edge-of-the-seat popcorn thriller. Eve Bennett is the Maths teacher at the local high school, Caseham High. She has a beautiful house, a fulfilling career and a super handsome husband, Nathaniel Bennett. All is as it should be. But it’s then  Caseham high is rocked by a scandal involving a student teacher affair, with one student, Addie Severson , at it’s centre. The teacher involved in the scandal is disgraced and leaves the school and Addie joins the class tutored by Eve. But Eve’s real problem starts when she realizes that the troubled kid is also assigned to her husband, Nat for teaching English.

Devoid of too many characters and too many perspectives over crowding and confusing the narrative , ‘The Teacher’ is a really engaging thriller. Besides Eve, Nat and Addie, there are only a handful of characters- (the school bully – Kenzie and her boy friend, Hudson being the most significant of the lot) and this works to it’s advantage as the readers are hooked to the lives of Eve and Addie for the most part.

The twists are hard to predict and just as you believe that you have figured out the ending , Frieda pulls the rug out from under your feet with a really surprising plot twist making this one a really addictive thriller.

Though this pop corn read doesn’t break any new grounds in terms of suspense, full credits to the writer for smartly using even the most conventional narrative tropes to her advantage. For instance, there is a brief portion in the book where the character of Eve, goes missing and at this point, the book could have easily fallen into the regular run-of-the-mill thriller zone, but Mcfadden doesn’t take the easier route there and the readers are rewarded with one brilliant twist after the other from there on. There is a double twist happening towards the end and though I liked the first one (the one involving Eve’s past), I didn’t like the epilogue one (the age time lines confused me there) and I believe Freida could have easily done away with the latter.

On the whole, ‘The Teacher’ is a paisa vasool  pop-corn thriller and I am pretty sure that someone will make a film adaptation of this one soon!

-nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review: 1980 by Anver Abdulla

 

Though Anver Abdulla is an accomplished name in Malayalam Detective fiction (he has given us some genuinely memorable detective Novels like Compartment and Onnaam Saakshi Sethuramaiyyer), not many know that he is also a screenwriter and Director. The writer’s fascination for the film industry has been evident in some of his past work (Operation Blue Star, Republic, Camera- the Novella in ‘Kappal Chethathinte Raathry’). But it is in 1980 (his latest work and the fourth installment in the Detective Perumaal franchise), his knowledge and mastery over the visual medium has come out in full glory.

One  night, an old acquaintance turns up in Detective Perumal’s house with a rather odd request- re-investigate the accidental death of the yesteryear Super Star Jagan! Jagan died almost 40 years back in the sets of a film named Padayorukkam during its Helicopter climax fight sequence shooting, which had received widespread media attention. So, when the Detective is confronted with this rather strange request, he is taken aback by the sheer absurdity of this request and he  immediately dismisses it.But a rather strange turn of events forces him to go back on this decision and pretty soon Perumal finds himself in the middle of the most challenging murder investigation of his career. Will he be successful in bringing out the mystery behind one of the most ‘notorious accidents’ from the past? 1980 is the story (but not limited to ) of this latest investigation by Detective Perumal.  

1980 is a work never confines within the limited realms of crime fiction .This can also be called as a  a work of speculative and altered historical fiction. With almost all the characters modelled on real-life personalities and real-life events, and the author’s perspective and imagination spicing up the proceedings, it often becomes impossible to distinguish the thin line between fact and fiction. Even the enigma around the late actor Jayan’s unreleased film (Panchapaandavar, incidentally set in Bombay) which had a stellar cast of Jayan, Raghavan, Poojappura Ravi and two others gets the author’s take in 1980. The Novel also serves as an ode to the Malayalam Cinema of the 70 s and 80 s. The story also has genuine heart warming moments. The episode involving the yesteryear stunt master  , and his final moments were delicately done. It is also pretty evident that the writer has also been inspired by some of the youtube interviews of yester year technicians of Malayalam and Tamil Cinema. It is remarkable that Anver Abdulla could come up with a gripping tale around an incident that shook not only the Film industry , but the whole of Indian Film Industry in the 80 s. The incident also paved the way for serious debates about the safety in the film shooting sets.

On the downside, the book also has it’s own share of cheesy moments. Some of the wild guesses of Perumal, including the speculative theory about Jagan living a secret life in America turned out to be unintentionally funny. Like wise, the portions pertaining to M.V.R’s crush with Saumini was also stretched a bit too far. Also at times, the reader finds it extremely difficult to differentaiate the real life personality from the fictional character. You also feel like Kamalhassan, Prem Nazir, MG.R, Latha , Balan K Nair, I.V Sasi, Seema et al are reprising their real life roles as fictional characters in the Novel which was some sort of dampener for the reader in me.The climax was also a bit convenient.

On the whole, these minor flaws aside, 1980 is a brilliantly written work by one of the finest writers of Detective Fiction in Malayalam.

-nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review: Sakhaavu by T.Padmanabhan

 Prakaasham Parathunna Penkutty was one of the first short stories in Malayalam I read in my lifetime. If my memory is correct, the story was there in the Malayalam curriculum of Kerala State Syllabus in sixth or seventh grade.

T Padmanaabhan’s Sakhaavu, published by Mathrubhumi Books, is the compilation of his ten latest short stories. The book also features an interview with the author by Pradeep Perashanoor. Though most of the stories in this anthology were published in the leading weeklies of Malayalam in the past year or so, I hadn’t read any of them. So I didn’t hesitate much before buying this latest compilation.

Critics often lament in Public Forums and Social Media Platforms that stalwarts like T Padmanabhan and M.T. have lost their mojo and have, in turn, lost connection with the present-day realities. But after reading this latest work by T. Padmanabhan, I can confidently say that none of these so-called critics hasn’t probably read any of the recent works by T.P.

In most of the stories in this anthology, the author is the narrator/principal character. The black humour and wit in some of them are spot on. Be it the episode around the wannabe NRI writer in ‘ Aadyathe Novel’ or the hullabaloo ensuing in the event of a famous officer’s superannuation in ‘Manoharam’; the sarcasm is unmissable. The title story, ‘Sakhaavu,’ tries to be a commentary on present-day politics and partially succeeds in its attempt. Peerumettilekkulla Vazhi is a memory lane trip that deals with themes like immigration and self-discovery. Snehathinte Vila is about kindness and humanity, whereas Ennittu delves with second chances. Though some stories have ambiguous endings, it doesn’t make them monotonous reads.

The book is edited well and has a good production design. The cover design and the beautiful illustrations (Devaprakash) interspersed between stories also deserve special mention. The interview with the author is also genuinely exciting and manages to illuminate the writer’s perspective on the current socio-political scenario.

On the whole, ‘Sakhaavu’ is an enjoyable anthology.

Ps- In the author’s bio, it is mentioned that he had refused Odakkuzhal Award, Kerala Sahithya Academy Award and Kendra Sahithya Academy Award. I found it rather amusing. I am unaware of the circumstances for him declining  the award, but if he found himself accepting those awards not worthy of his stature, why is he proclaiming the same in his bio as if refusing it is a great badge of honour?! Pathetic, to say the least!

-nikhimenon

Read More

The Ten Notable Books of 2022

  It's that time of the year when everyone is scribbling down their year-ender lists, and not wanting to be left too far behind, out of the 80-odd books read in the past year, I also managed to compile my list of the best of the year gone by. (Opinions, strictly personal and based on the books read last year)

 Rock Paper Scissors (Alice Feeney, HQ)

Alice Feeney's Rock Paper Scissors is one of the few genuine thrillers I have read for a long time. Adam and Amelia are spending the weekend in the Scottish Highlands. Adam is a successful screenwriter, and Amelia is his wife. The remote location is perfect for what they have planned. But can they trust each other? Twisty and engaging with a bit of horror element thrown in, this one is definitely worth your time and money!

2. 

1980 (Anver Abdulla, Mathrubhumi)

1980 is a work which can be safely bracketed as a work of speculative fiction. Inspired by the real-life accident of yester year Super Star Jayan, 1980 marked the return of Detective Perumal. An engaging mystery and an ode to the Malayalam Cinema of the 80 s, this work by Anver Abdulla can be regarded as one of the best works in the franchise. With Characters modelled on real-life personalities, the Novel also has some genuinely heartwarming moments, which makes this one much more than your typical detective story.

3.      The Tattoo Murder (Akimitsu Takagi, Pushkin Vertigo)

2022 was also a year where I found a taste for vintage Japanese Crime fiction. Set in Post War Tokyo, this vintage locked room Japanese mystery is the story of three cursed tattoos and the series of murders connected with them. Though the core story might have gotten dated a bit, the backdrop of Seedy Tokyo, dive bars and Yakuza Gangs makes this one a worthy read.

4. 

Aanandha Bhaaram (Jisa Jose, Mathrubhumi)

In a year which saw a slew of below-par works which tried to compensate for their hollowness with fake female centricity,  Aanandhabhaaram, stood out for its genuine writing and believable characters. Rathnamekhala and Parimalam were real, and their miseries were relatable. The Novel also had many heartwarming moments, and the ending was quite satisfying. Mudritha indeed got its worthy successor in AanandhaBhaaram.

5.   

The Trees (Percival Everett, Influx press)

Perhaps the bluntest and the most provocative books of this lot, this black comedy was short-listed in this year's Man Booker Prize. A series of murders are happening in a small town in Mississippi, and two State Detectives are brought in to investigate the same. This page-turning potent Satire of U.S. racism is a challenging yet racy read. Though this one is packaged as a regular Murder Mystery, its themes are pertinent and thought-provoking.

 (The Second Part of this post will be post will be published tomorrow)

-nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review: Adulting by Neharika Gupta

 

There was a time when I used to relish escapist urban chick lit works by Indian Authors. The likes of Advaita Kala, Ahmed Faiyas, and Durjoy Dutta came to my rescue whenever I used to suffer from reader's block. For that matter, I had even enjoyed the then-teen sensation Kavya Vishwanathan's How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, got wild, and got a life (which incidentally was pulled off the shelves due to plagiarism charges).

I picked up Adulting by Neharika Guptha, expecting it to be an entertaining young urban chick lit. The cover was somewhat attractive, and the blurb promised a 'Bold, unapologetic story of love and self-discovery, heartache, and book launches. Harper Collins had put faith in a debutant Indian author was another bait for picking up this one. Also, it's cool to get indulged in reading about rich people's problems once in a while, right?

The principal characters are Aisha, a famous blogger; Ruhi, a publishing consultant and Tejas, a budding author. The snail-paced plot tries to trace their lives, ambitions, and love life.

With bland, unlikeable characters, tedious scenes, and an unimaginative setting, Adulting suffers from pacing issues and a flimsy plot. The writer herself seems confused about the core theme of the book, and the narrative drags aimlessly, trying to fit in so many themes topically, parenting,  the cut-throat world of trade publishing, urban love, and body issues with none managing to leave any kind of impression with the hapless reader. Pages and Pages of boring text ensue, and even the love triangle involving Ruhi-Tejas-Aisha comes a cropper. The insipid journal entries by Aisha only serve to add to the boredom. The track involving the writer, Litracy Publishing House and the writer's block also comes across as half baked and monotonous and the reader never gets to sympathise with the predicaments of Tejas.

On the whole, I picked up this one expecting to read a fun, Indian Chick-lit after a long time. Sad that I couldn't even finish this one published by Harper Collins.Also, I don't think I will pick up an Indian Chick-lit any time in the near future, again!

Ps- Why the title, by the way?

-nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review: Hello Mike Testing by Suneesh Varanaad

 

Hello, Mike Testing (HMT) by the playwright-turned-screenwriter Suneesh Varanaad is a compilation of humourous stories told in the backdrop of stage programs. The book is almost in the same zone as Ramesh Pisharady’s recently released Chiri Puranda Jeevithangal (Suneesh has incidentally thanked Pisharady in the preface for telling him some stories which have found their place in the book). It becomes all the more interesting as one of the stories (Sinkara Velante Velakal) in this book has also been featured in Chiri Puranda...  

Coming to the positives, Suneesh’s stories are short and amusing and can be finished in one sitting. It’s undoubtedly a light read and is a perfect choice if you want something that won’t tax you much. The illustrations accompanying the stories also truly enhance the reading experience. The language has been kept pretty simple without any double innuendos, making it suitable even for a younger reader. Narasimhathile Simham and Stagile Jurassic Park are the picks of the lot.

On the downside, the writing is pretty flat, and though the writer has tried to sound funny, it sometimes falls flat. The supposedly real-life stories don’t have a laugh-out-loud quality, and most of them come across as if they have been tweaked to give that humourous ending.

Hello Mike Testing is a passable collection.

-nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review: A.K by Amith Kumar

 Despite Financial Thrillers being a sensation globally, not many authors from India have tried this exciting sub-genre. Though Ravi Subramanian and Ashwin Sanghi are notable exceptions, it is ironic that not many present-day authors have attempted anything related to financial fraud. This becomes more startling, considering that some of the present-day best-selling authors have a professional background in the Banking field. Ashish Ben Ajay's first two Novels had a banker as their protagonist, but I believe it is unfair to call them financial thrillers as corporate/financial frauds were not precisely the core plot points in either of them.

A.K, written by Amith Kumar and published by Logos books, aspires to be a legitimate banking thriller and depicts two significant episodes in the life of A.K and his deputy H.M. They work in the financial fraud investigation division of a Corporate Bank. A large-scale Gold Loan fraud has happened in one of the branches of the Bank, and the duo is sent there to investigate the matter and find a solution so that the Bank doesn't have to solicit the services of the Police. How they go about it and whether they manage to pin down the fraudsters is what the Novel is all about.

Coming to the positives, as mentioned before, this one is perhaps the most legitimate financial thriller to have come out in Malayalam in recent times. The narrative is smooth and gripping, and the writer has smartly avoided most cliches usually associated with the genre. This is no murder investigation to begin with (though something is happening towards the fag end of the story), and this alone adds to the freshness in the story. The setting feels fresh and relatable, and Amith Kumar has successfully included many interesting tidbits about the banking sector in the story. Twists and turns happen at regular intervals, and the book's tone also suits the genre. Though a significant portion of the book occurs in a closed setting with serial interrogations and the accompanying leads, the writer has managed to make the proceedings racy to a large extent. A.K. and H.M. come across as Holmes & Watson clones in a corporate bank setting. The occasional banter they indulge in (mainly concerning food and a few fellow characters) tries to make the proceedings light.

On the downside, one major issue I found with the book is the bland language and the overuse of local slang in the main text (nondialogue portions). Typos, grammatical errors, and incorrect usage of words are plenty and some of the dialogues that are supposed to sound 'heroic' end up cringe-worthy! The occasional attempts at humor and world play (including the one involving the protagonist's name, quite early on in the story) also fall flat and feel unnecessary. Also, I thought the dialogue mouthed by the principal characters could have been significantly improved. Though the writer has smartly tried to justify A.K.'s inability to speak in 'sanitised Malayalam' towards the Novel's closing pages, the inconsistent slang and the pointless cuss words he used don't gel well with the intended characterization of the protagonist. The introductory scene meant to establish A.K.'s intelligence and cunningness also fails to achieve the desired effect, as a large portion of the 'solution' seems to have happened by chance!

On the whole, A.K does have its flaws, but it is genuinely a decent read and deserves mention for trying out a sub-genre that hasn't been explored that much in the recent Malayalam Popular Fiction space in recent times!

-nikhimenon

Despite Financial Thrillers being a sensation globally, not many authors from India have tried this exciting sub-genre. Though Ravi Subramanian and Ashwin Sanghi are notable exceptions, it is ironic that not many present-day authors have attempted anything related to financial fraud. This becomes more startling, considering that some of the present-day best-selling authors have a professional background in the Banking field. Ashish Ben Ajay's first two Novels had a banker as their protagonist, but I believe it is unfair to call them financial thrillers as corporate/financial frauds were not precisely the core plot points in either of them.

A.K, written by Amith Kumar and published by Logos books, aspires to be a legitimate banking thriller and depicts two significant episodes in the life of A.K and his deputy H.M. They work in the financial fraud investigation division of a Corporate Bank. A large-scale Gold Loan fraud has happened in one of the branches of the Bank, and the duo is sent there to investigate the matter and find a solution so that the Bank doesn't have to solicit the services of the Police. How they go about it and whether they manage to pin down the fraudsters is what the Novel is all about.

Coming to the positives, as mentioned before, this one is perhaps the most legitimate financial thriller to have come out in Malayalam in recent times. The narrative is smooth and gripping, and the writer has smartly avoided most cliches usually associated with the genre. This is no murder investigation to begin with (though something is happening towards the fag end of the story), and this alone adds to the freshness in the story. The setting feels fresh and relatable, and Amith Kumar has successfully included many interesting tidbits about the banking sector in the story. Twists and turns happen at regular intervals, and the book's tone also suits the genre. Though a significant portion of the book occurs in a closed setting with serial interrogations and the accompanying leads, the writer has managed to make the proceedings racy to a large extent. A.K. and H.M. come across as Holmes & Watson clones in a corporate bank setting. The occasional banter they indulge in (mainly concerning food and a few fellow characters) tries to make the proceedings light.

On the downside, one major issue I found with the book is the bland language and the overuse of local slang in the main text (nondialogue portions). Typos, grammatical errors, and incorrect usage of words are plenty and some of the dialogues that are supposed to sound 'heroic' end up cringe-worthy! The occasional attempts at humor and world play (including the one involving the protagonist's name, quite early on in the story) also fall flat and feel unnecessary. Also, I thought the dialogue mouthed by the principal characters could have been significantly improved. Though the writer has smartly tried to justify A.K.'s inability to speak in 'sanitised Malayalam' towards the Novel's closing pages, the inconsistent slang and the pointless cuss words he used don't gel well with the intended characterization of the protagonist. The introductory scene meant to establish A.K.'s intelligence and cunningness also fails to achieve the desired effect, as a large portion of the 'solution' seems to have happened by chance!

On the whole, A.K does have its flaws, but it is genuinely a decent read and deserves mention for trying out a sub-genre that hasn't been explored that much in the recent Malayalam Popular Fiction space in recent times!

-nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review: Branthimaan by Manoj Bharathi

 

Manoj Bharati’s ‘Branthimaan’ is a thriller that starts interestingly but succumbs to a pile of cliches once it reaches its climax. The writing is pretty solid and set in the backdrop of the competitive world of the Corporate Media & Malayalam Film Industry. The writer deserves special applause for getting the background and nuances right.

Rishi, an intelligent journalist with big ambitions in Cinema, is the protagonist. He has his support system in Ragunadhan ( a veteran director with a couple of hits under his credit, but who is slowly fading after being labeled as ‘old school’), Satheesh (his mentor), and his daughter Shivani. Though Rishi is a highly successful journalist working in the prestigious ‘Channel Three,’ some incidents in his workplace force him to quit his job and turn to full-time screenwriting. Meanwhile, an old ‘news piece’ that he had worked on a few years back (involving a girl named Jeena who was allegedly brutally raped by her father, Samuel) comes back to haunt him. Mounted as a mystery thriller, ‘Branthimaan attempts to be a page-turner with two parallel tracks (Rishi’s professional life & personal ambitions) running in tandem.

As mentioned earlier, the writing is racy, manages to build up intrigue, and lacks significant hiccups for almost half of the book. But by the time it enters the core suspense, the tension is lost, and the reader gets a sense of Deja Vu and slowly starts losing interest in the proceedings. The convenient feel, good tail-end portions are not making the proceedings any better!

Coming to the positives, the author has got his setting right with the world of Malayalam Cinema & the behind the scene happenings in the design of a film project being depicted in a rather exciting way. There aren’t too many characters, and the story proceeds without losing focus on the protagonist’s life and ambitions. The language is simple and straightforward & never resorts to literary pretensions, which is okay for this kind of Novel. The book is also edited well and has tremendously helped make the narrative racy (for the most part). Branthimaan highlights how substandard content is being pushed through satellite channels, provided the makers have the right connections.

 On the downside, the racy nature of the narrative is lost after the big reveal about Jeena is made (which was done way too early, in my opinion). The predictable and emotionally manipulative nature of the Raghunathan episode also bogs it down further. By the time the convenient ending is made, the feeling left behind is of having watched a 90 s thriller well past its expiry date! The emotionally manipulative climax (the Ragunadhan track) reminded me of a couple of yesteryear Malayalam films and was highly predictable. Likewise, the ‘Samuel’ track also comes out as jaded as it has already been tried in films like ‘Anchaam Paathira,’ Naaradan’ & ‘Lucifer.’ There are a couple of female characters in the narrative, and Durga is undoubtedly the strongest ( and ironically the one who is the most poorly written one) of them all. The sufferings and the humiliations she had to endure are undoubtedly heartbreaking. Though she retributes it all towards the end (albeit filmi), one gets the feeling that the character could have been etched out even better. Shivani, Rishi’s love interest, also gets a raw deal.

Overall, ‘Branthimaan’ is a thriller that starts with a bang and fizzles out when it reaches its climax. However, even in its present form, it’s still okay, one time read, at best!

Branthiman

DeeCee Upmarket Fiction

280 INR

 -nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review: The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins

 

Though this one had been on my wishlist for quite a long time, I had almost refrained from picking it up as I had almost thought this one was a parody novel. The title sounded quite similar to another International Best Seller (The Family Upstairs- Lisa Jewell), and the author also seemed like the namesake of another Best Selling Author (Paula Hawkins). But a little bit of googling told me that the author is already a known name in young adult paranormal romance, and it’s just that this particular title is her debut work in adult fiction.

Set in Birmingham, Alabama, and narrated from multiple perspectives, The Wife Upstairs is the story of Jane, a broke, small-town girl with a past who is now a dog walker in an upscale neighborhood. She chances upon Eddie, the rich widowed millionaire, and love blossoms between the two, and Jane cannot believe her luck when she proposes to her. Bea, Eddie’s first wife, had died in a tragic boat accident with her best friend Blanche a couple of months ago while they were on a girl’s out during the weekend. But pretty soon, Jane realizes that it had all been a farce and Eddie might have had something to do with their death. So, is she in real danger?

Besides Jane, Eddie and Bea, there are only a few characters in this 250+ pages Novel. We have Tripp, Blanche’s drunkard husband; Emelie and Co- the posh, rich, gossipy wives in the neighborhood whom Jane befriends; John, Jane’s former tenant and who is nothing but a creep and the Detective who turns up with strange questions just before each significant plot twist. None of the characters are likable, and ironically, I could feel a little bit of sympathy for Trip Ingram, who is portrayed as a drunkard and a perpetual nuisance in the neighborhood.

Though pretty generic, the book is well-paced, and the multiple narrative technique has come out quite well. Hawkins has managed to retain the suspense for a larger part of the narrative with limited characters. The twists though a few, are done decently, but I must confess that I had figured out the final reveal (which was also a bit underwhelming) before the author intended it. Though the writer has tried to portray Jane as someone with a dark past, by the time this supposedly ‘dark past’ is revealed, you can’t stop asking what the big deal was about it all, though! But having said that, I liked how Hawkins drew parallels between Bea and Jane. The climax also felt abrupt, and the author seemed unconvinced to take sides.

On the whole, The Wife Upstairs is an average thriller. It’s nothing extraordinary, but not bad, either!

-nikhimenon

Read More

Book Review: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

 

Alice Feeney's Rock Paper Scissors is one of the few genuine thrillers I have read for a long time.

Adam and Amelia are spending the weekend in the Scottish Highlands. Adam is a successful screenwriter, and Amelia is his wife. The remote location is perfect for what they have planned. But can they trust each other?

Though none of the protagonists, be it Adam or Amelia, are likable characters, I think the author is justified as he has made up for it with the twists which happen towards the climax and explains why they are written the way they are.

As mentioned earlier, though there are only a handful of characters in this 300+ page-long thriller, the author gets full marks for making this one genuinely entertaining with the suspense intact. There are a couple of killer twists she has reserved for the climax, and the moment you think that you have figured it out, Feeney pulls the rug under your feet with yet another killer twist. The tail end portion with a tinge of horror is also dealt with nicely.

Coming to the characters, though there are only a few, it's the character of Henry Winter, the best-selling writer, who gets the reader's sympathy. Though in the initial portions, he appears to be a self-centered man who is full of himself, how the character gets revealed towards the climatic parts of the book blew me away. I think Robin, the hermit, also evokes similar feelings in the mind of the readers. Though she comes across as a lady with evil intentions, initially, you start rooting for her once the mystery about her is revealed. Though some of her actions are genuinely questionable, it doesn't matter as the author has managed to make her convincing to a more significant part of the narrative. The writing is fast-paced and is peppered with twists at regular intervals. Full credit goes to the writer for getting the atmosphere right. The Scottish Highlands, the converted Chapel, and the setting have come across well and set the Novel's mood right from the beginning.

On the downside, some of the great reveals were a bit contrived. The mystery around the disappearance of an internationally acclaimed best-selling author like Henry Winter was pretty hard to digest. Though Feeney has tried to make it sound convincing by making him an introvert and hermit, the supposedly shocking twist surrounding him became a cropper just because it appeared silly and illogical.

On the whole, this one is an entertaining read.

-nikhimenon

 

Read More

Book Review: Harlan Coben's Win

 

Harlan Coben's runaway success was with the Myron Bolitar Series, which first came out in the mid-nineties. Myron Bolitar, the handsome former Basket Ball Player and superstar sports agent, is now 11 books old. Bolitar's partner and accomplice, Windsor Horne Lockwood III, the eccentric, philandering Millionaire, gets his first stand-alone Novel in Win.

On Newyork's Upper West Side, a hermit is found murdered. The investigating officers have yet to find his identity,but Windor Horne Lockwood (Win) is called to the crime scene, as some of the articles the victim left behind seem to have a personal connection with him. Pretty soon, Win figures out that the crime has a connection with not only him but also his cousin, Patricia. With so much at stake, including his family's reputation and personal fortune, Win decides to solve the mystery in this fast-paced thriller.

True to his style, Coben has delivered a solid thriller with Win. The plot twists keep coming at regular intervals, and there is never a dull moment in this 400+ page long Novel. The fans of the Myron Bolitar series will definitely enjoy reading more about their favorite sidekick's adventures. Those who regularly follow the series might recall that Windsor Lockwood III has always been an anti-hero who doesn't hesitate to give a punch, even at the cost of being politically incorrect. Full credit goes to the writer for not diluting his character trait to make him a bit more likable, as he is the protagonist here. You get Win, as he is! In the intro sequence (with that terrific scene at Indianapolis Lucas Oil Stadium), Coben establishes his protagonist and his ways with great success.

As mentioned before, this one is a genuine page-turner, and as the secrets of the Windsor Family are revealed one by one, the reader is also aghast along with Win. The climax is also brilliantly done with all the loose ends getting tied up. The supporting characters in the Novel are also etched out well.

On the downside, the pace slackens towards the middle of the story, and some cliffhangers didn't work that well for me.

On the whole, this one is a paisa vasool thriller which is racy and entertaining.

-nikhimenon

Read More

Ultrashort Book Review: Death of the Eyes by Pallichal Rajamohanan

 

This one is a classic case of gimmicks spoiling the readability of a book. This is a thriller about a girl getting abducted , the investigation that ensues, and what happens eventually. But with a bland narrative, plastic characters, and a gimmicky find your clue at the end of each chapter trope which seriously hampers the readability and relegates the whole proceedings as a childish attempt, this supposed crime thriller ends up as an epic misfire. The cheesy title, which apparently refers to the villain's evil intentions, refers to Eyes and not Ice! (In fact, I figured this out only when I had a second look at the tagline after finishing with the book) 

I had a hard time finishing this one; maybe you might enjoy this one if your idea of a crime thriller  is cracking a ‘ Sheruvinu Vazhikaattuka’ kind of activity at the end of each chapter!

Skip this one!

-nikhimenon 

Read More

Book Review: The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

 

When your previous work is a Global Best Seller, you are likely to get confused when you are about to start with your follow-up Novel. On the one hand, there will be tremendous pressure to churn out something similar to your previous work so that Your fans don’t get disappointed. At the same time, the creator in you might constantly be nudging you to try out something drastically different. This constant tussle can put you into a tricky conundrum. Lucy Foley, the author of last year’s global hit, ‘Guest List,’ is back with her follow-up work,’ The Paris Apartment.’ When I picked up this Novel, I had kept my expectations considerably low as the previous experience with another follow-up Novel was still fresh in my mind (The Maidens). 

So, has Foley given us a decent enough thriller after her global success? Though this blog post is going to be strictly about that, for those readers out there with limited patience to go through this long post, here is my take- the author has succeeded in finding the right balance between retaining the flavor of her previous smash hit and, bestowing a distinct identity, for her follow-up work in  ‘The Paris Apartment.’

Told from multiple perspectives, ‘The Paris Apartment’ might not be entirely fresh, but it is undoubtedly an entertaining read. As the title suggests, the setting is an upmarket Apartment in Paris. We are introduced to Jess, who came to Paris from London for a fresh start. She is half-sister of Ben, who had recently moved in here on the persuasion of his childhood friend, Nick. Jess has had some run-ins with the law in her home country, and she has moved to Paris to start a new life here with the help of her half-brother. But when she reaches her brother’s rented Apartment, she is aghast to find that he has suddenly gone missing but not before leaving clues in the form of a WhatsApp voice message. The other inhabitants of the swanky Apartment, except for Ben’s old friend Nick, seem unwelcomed by her presence, and pretty soon, she discovers that each one of them is hiding skeletons in their closet. What happened to Ben and how Jess manages to solve the mystery is all this Novel is about. Old Love, Family Secrets, and a Past Crime catch up in this page-turner.

The plot structure and the narrative style of Paris Apartment are pretty much similar to Guest List. We have a host of characters in a closed setting, and the story is told from multiple perspectives. Right from the beginning, the reader feels that something sinister has happened somewhere but just as in ‘Guest List’ till the Novel reaches its third act, the author cleverly conceals the ‘who’ and ‘what’ of the central suspense. The chapters are short, but the detailing is apt, with the reader getting a vivid description of Paris and the posh Apartment where the story unravels. I liked how each incident is narrated from different perspectives and how the author has tried to build anticipation. Agreed, some of the cliffhanger endings fall flat, and the reader rightly feels cheated when the ‘other side is unfolded in the very next chapter.

One major issue I have with the book is that the core suspense in the tale is not that fresh, and if you are a genuine fan of this genre, there is a high chance that you figured it out much before the author intended it! Also, some of the attempts by the author to pull off thrills fall flat. Most initial chapters had (silly) red herrings, which were annoying after a point. Common, what is the point in creating so much drama in each chapter when you already know that nothing much is going to happen in the very next chapter? Ben, Jess, Concierge, Sophie, Antonie, and Mimi are some of the other characters in the story, and none of them, including the protagonist, are likable, to be honest. Infact Jess also behaves in a pretty idiotic manner at times. Also, towards the climax, the author seems confused about the choice of ‘villains’ in her story!

Overall, The Paris Apartment is a fast-paced but passeable thriller. It’s not bad, but not that great either!

-nikhimenon

Read More

പുസ്തക പരിചയം : പ്ലാനറ്റ് നയൻ -മായാ കിരൺ

 

മായാ കിരൺ എഴുതി ഡി .സി .ബുക്ക്സ് പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിച്ച പ്ലാനറ്റ് നയൻ സ്‌പേസ് ഫിക്ഷൻ എന്ന ഗണത്തിൽ പെടുത്താവുന്ന പുസ്തകമാണ് . അത് കൊണ്ട് തന്നെ എഴുത്തുകാരിയുടെ മുൻ പുസ്തകവുമായി താരതമ്യപ്പെടുത്താതെ വായനയ്‌ക്കെടുക്കുന്നതാവും അഭികാമ്യം എന്ന് തോന്നുന്നു .

ലളിതമായ ഭാഷ തന്നെയാണ് പുസ്തകത്തിൽ ഉപയോഗിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളത് . (അങ്ങിങ്ങായി ചില വ്യാകരണ പിഴവുകൾ ഉള്ളത് പോലെ തോന്നി) . ഇടവിട്ട് ഇംഗ്ളീഷിലുള്ള സംഭാഷണങ്ങളും കടന്നു വരുന്നുണ്ട് .സ്വാഭാവികമായും പുസ്തകത്തിന്റെ പശ്ചാത്തലം അത് ആവശ്യപ്പെടുന്നുമുണ്ട് .പുതുമയുള്ള ഒരുപാട് സംഭവങ്ങൾ നോവലിൽ ഉടനീളമുണ്ട് .റൊമാനിയൻ ഇന്റലിജിൻസ് വിഭാഗത്തെപ്പറ്റിയൊക്കെ ഈ പുസ്തകത്തിലെ വിവരണങ്ങളിലൂടെയാണ് ഞാൻ ആദ്യമായി മനസ്സിലാക്കുന്നത് തന്നെ .

രേഖീയമായ കേന്ദ്ര കഥാപാത്രവും , പാത്ര വികസനവും എന്നതിനപ്പുറം സംഭവങ്ങലിലൂടെ വികസിക്കുന്ന രീതിയിലുള്ള എഴുത്താണ് പുസ്തകത്തിന് . അത് കൊണ്ട് തന്നെ പുസ്തകത്തിന്റെ വിഷയവുമായി എത്ര മാത്രം വായനക്കാരന്  താല്പര്യം തോന്നുന്നുവോ , അത്രമാത്രം നോവലിനെ ഇഷ്ടപ്പെടുവാനും സാധ്യതയുണ്ടെന്ന് തോന്നുന്നു . ചില കഥാപാത്രങ്ങളുടെ വ്യക്തി ബന്ധങ്ങളും വിഷയമാകുന്നു എങ്കിലും (അർജുൻ -അച്ഛൻ ബന്ധം ), കഥയുടെ ഫോക്കസ് അവിടെയാണെന്ന് പറയുവാൻ സാധിക്കില്ല .

Astro Holocaust ഉം Cosmo Biowar ഉമെല്ലാം വിഷയങ്ങളാകുന്ന നോവലിൽ ഭാവനാത്മകമായതും അല്ലാത്തതുമായ  പല ശാസ്ത്ര വിവരങ്ങളും ഉൾക്കൊള്ളിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട് .വിഷയത്തിലുള്ള നിങ്ങളുടെ താല്പര്യത്തിനനുസൃതമായി പുസ്തകം വളരെയധികം ഇഷ്ടപ്പെടുവാനും അങ്ങനെയാവാതിരിക്കുവാനും സാധ്യതയുണ്ട് . എഴുത്തുകാരി ആത്മാർത്ഥമായി തന്നെ ഈ രചനയെ സമീപിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടെന്നും , വായനക്കാർക്കു മനസ്സിലാവുന്ന രീതിയിൽ തന്നെ ഓരോ വിഷയങ്ങളെയും അവതരിപ്പിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടെന്നും നിരീക്ഷിക്കുന്നു . പാൻഡെമിക്കുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ടു ക്ലൈമാക്സ് ഭാഗങ്ങളിൽ കൊണ്ട് വന്നിട്ടുള്ള revelation ഉം നന്നായി വന്നിട്ടുണ്ട് .

ambitious ആയ ഒരു ശ്രമം വിശ്വസനീയമായ രീതിയിൽ അവതരിപ്പിക്കുവാൻ സാധിച്ച എഴുത്തുകാരിക്ക് അഭിനന്ദനങ്ങൾ . മലയാള ജനപ്രിയ സാഹിത്യം ഇപ്പോഴും സീരിയൽ കില്ലർ മാരുടെ മാത്രം ചുറ്റുമാണെന്ന് പറയുന്നവർ തീർച്ചയായും ഈ പുസ്തകം വായിക്കണമെന്നാണ് എന്റെ അഭിപ്രായം . ഈ നോവൽ നിങ്ങളുടെ അഭിരുചികൾക്കനുസരിച്ചു ഇഷ്ടപ്പെടാം , ഇഷ്ടപ്പെടാതെ പോകാം . പക്ഷേ തീർച്ചയായും മലയാളത്തെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം ഇത് വ്യത്യസ്തമായ ശ്രമം തന്നെയാണ് .

 -നിഖിലേഷ് മേനോൻ

Read More

പുസ്തക പരിചയം : ചിരി പുരണ്ട ജീവിതങ്ങൾ -രമേഷ് പിഷാരടി

 

മലയാളത്തിൽ ഹാസ സാഹിത്യത്തിന് പുഷ്കര കാലമാണെന്ന് തോന്നുന്നു . പൊട്ടിച്ചിരിപ്പിക്കുന്ന , ചെറു ചിരിയെങ്കിലും സമ്മാനിക്കുന്ന മികച്ച പുസ്തകങ്ങൾ അടുത്ത കാലത്തായി മലയാളത്തിൽ സംഭവിച്ചു . ഒരു പക്ഷെ ലൈബ്രറി കൌൺസിൽ മേളയോട് അനുബന്ധിച്ചു , പെൻഡിങ് നിന്നിരുന്ന പുസ്തകങ്ങൾ ഒരുമിച്ചു പുറത്തു വന്നതുമാകാം . എന്തായാലും പുസ്തക പ്രേമികളെ സംബന്ധിച്ചിടത്തോളം ശുഭകരമാണ് .

നടനും , സംവിധായകനും , കൊമേഡിയനായ ശ്രീ .രമേശ് പിഷാരടി എഴുതി മാതൃഭൂമി ബുക്ക്സ് പുറത്തിറക്കിയ ചിരി പുരണ്ട ജീവിതങ്ങൾ നല്ല പത്തരമാറ്റ് ചിരി സമ്മാനിക്കുന്ന പുസ്തകമാണ് .മുകേഷ് കഥകളോ , ഞാൻ ഇന്നസെന്റൊ ഒക്കെ വായിക്കുന്നത് പോലെ രസത്തിൽ വായിച്ചു പോകാവുന്ന പുസ്തകം . തന്റെ ജീവിതത്തിലെ കൊച്ചു കൊച്ചു സംഭവങ്ങളെ പൊടിപ്പും തൊങ്ങലുമായി നർമ്മത്തിൽ പൊതിഞ്ഞു അവതരിപ്പിക്കുകയാണ് ശ്രീ .പിഷാരടി ഈ പുസ്തകത്തിലൂടെ . വിശാല മനസ്ക്കനെയോ , മോനി ഡോക്ടറെയോ , മഹേഷ് ഹരിദാസനെയോ , ബിപിൻ ചന്ദ്രനെയോ പോലെ വിദഗ്ധമായ ഭാഷാപ്രയോഗത്തിലൂടെ നർമ്മം സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്നതിന് പകരം , പറയുന്ന സംഭവത്തിലെ സ്വാഭാവിക നർമ്മ പരിസരത്തിലൂടെ ചിരിയുണർത്തുകയാണ് എഴുത്തുകാരൻ ഈ പുസ്തകത്തിലൂടെ ചെയ്യുന്നത് . അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ സ്റ്റാൻഡ് അപ്പ് ഷോ കളോ ,അഭിമുഖങ്ങളോ വായിക്കുന്നത് പോലൊരു അനുഭവം .

ഭാഷാപരമായി വലിയ പരീക്ഷണങ്ങൾക്കൊന്നും മുതിർന്നിട്ടില്ലെങ്കിലും ഇരുത്തി ചിന്തിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ചില വാക്യങ്ങൾ അങ്ങിങ്ങായി ചിതറിക്കിടപ്പുണ്ട് . ഉദാഹരണത്തിന് -' ഡിമാൻഡ് ' വല്ലാത്തൊരു വാക്കാണ് .കാലത്തിനനുസരിച്ചു പലതിനോടുമൊപ്പം ചേരുന്ന ഒന്ന് എന്നും ,സിക്സ് പാക്കിന്റെ തള്ളിക്കയറ്റത്തിൽ ഫീൽഡ് ഔട്ടായ സിക്സ് പാക്ക് സാമ്പത്തിക ഭദ്രതയുള്ള മുതലാളിമാർക്കാണ് കാണുകയെന്നും അവർക്ക് മാവേലിയായി വേഷം കെട്ടേണ്ട ആവശ്യമില്ലായെന്നും പിഷാരടി പറയുമ്പോൾ അതിൽ ചിരിയും ചിന്തയുമുണ്ട് .

ലളിതമായ ഭാഷയിൽ എഴുതപ്പെട്ട , ചിരിപ്പിക്കുന്ന അനുഭവങ്ങളാണ് പുസ്തകത്തിലെ മിക്ക കുറിപ്പുകളും . ഒന്ന് രണ്ടെണ്ണം അല്പം അവിശ്വസനീയമായി തോന്നുമെങ്കിലും (സുശീലൻ വർക്കിലാ ), രസകരമായി തന്നെ അവതരിപ്പിക്കുവാൻ സാധിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട് .ധർമജൻ ബോൾഗാട്ടിയും ചില കുറിപ്പുകളിൽ സഹ കഥാപാത്രമായി വരുന്നുണ്ട് , തന്റെ തിക്താനുഭവങ്ങൾ പിൽക്കാലത്ത് സിനിമയിൽ ഉപയോഗിച്ചത് വിശദീകരിക്കുമ്പോഴും (അര മണിക്കൂർ ചിരിപ്പിക്കുവാൻ എത്രയാ ) കൃത്രിമത്വം അനുഭവപ്പെടുന്നില്ല എന്നുള്ളത് എടുത്തു പറയേണ്ടതാണ് .ഷണ്മുഖവും , നടരാജൻ ചേട്ടനും ,വിജയൻ ചേട്ടനുമെല്ലാം നമ്മുടെ പരിസരത്തു തന്നെയുള്ളവർ ആവാനേ തരമുള്ളു .എൺപതോളം പേജുകളിൽ വരുന്ന നർമ്മക്കുറിപ്പുകൾക്കു അകമ്പടിയായി ശ്രീ .ബാലു .വി .വരച്ച ഇരുപത്തി അഞ്ചോളം ചിത്രങ്ങളുമുണ്ട് .

തീർച്ചയായും ചിരിക്കുവാൻ തയ്യാറെങ്കിൽ പുസ്തകം വാങ്ങിക്കൊള്ളൂ .

മാതൃഭൂമി ബുക്ക്സ് , 160 രൂപ

-നിഖിലേഷ് മേനോൻ

Read More

പുസ്തക പരിചയം : മഹേഷ് ഹരിദാസിന്റെ 'പണ്ട് പണ്ട് പണ്ട് '

 

ചില സിനിമകൾ കാണുമ്പോൾ തോന്നാറുണ്ട് ആദ്യ പകുതി അത്രക്കങ്ങു വന്നില്ല , എന്നാൽ രണ്ടാം പകുതിയും ക്ലൈമാക്സും ഗംഭീരമായി എന്നൊക്കെ . എന്നാൽ പുസ്തകങ്ങളെപ്പറ്റി പറയുമ്പോൾ അത്തരത്തിലൊരു താരതമ്യത്തിന് പൊതുവെ പ്രസക്തി ഉണ്ടാകാറില്ല , നിശ്ചിതമായ ഇന്റർവെൽ പോയിന്റോ , പകുതികളായുള്ള വേർതിരിവോ ഒന്നും അവയ്ക്ക് ബാധകമല്ല എന്നത് തന്നെ കാരണം .

വിശാല മനസ്ക്കന്റെ ബ്ളർബും പിന്നെ ഗ്രീനിൽ നിന്നുള്ള പുസ്തകം ആയതു കൊണ്ടുമാണ് മഹേഷ് ഹരിദാസിന്റെ 'പണ്ട് പണ്ട് പണ്ട് ' വാങ്ങിയത് . കൊടകരപുരാണം ശൈലിയിൽ ഒരു രചന തന്നെയാണ് പ്രതീക്ഷിച്ചതും . എന്നാൽ വായന തുടങ്ങി ആദ്യ ഇരുപത് പേജുകളോളം പിന്നിട്ടപ്പോൾ നിരാശയാണുണ്ടായത് . തമാശയിൽ പൊതിഞ്ഞു കുട്ടിക്കാല കഥകളും , നാട്ടു വിശേഷങ്ങളെയും നാട്ടാരെയുമെല്ലാം കുറിച്ച് എഴുതിയിട്ടുണ്ടെങ്കിലും തമാശകൾക്കൊന്നും വലിയ സ്പാർക് ഇല്ലാത്തതു പോലെ . ചിരിപ്പിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നുണ്ട് എന്നാൽ ചിരി വരാത്ത അവസ്ഥ , വാക്യങ്ങളും അനാവശ്യ ഉപമകളും വർണ്ണനകളുമൊക്കെയായി ആകെയൊരു കൃത്രിമത്വം പോലെ . ഇനി ചായക്കപ്പ്‌ മാറിപ്പോയോ എന്ന മട്ടിലൊരു ആശങ്ക . വായന നിർത്തണോ എന്ന് കരുതിയെങ്കിലും വിശാലന്റെ വാക്കിൽ ഒരു വിശ്വാസം തോന്നി .

വായന ഒരു അമ്പതു പേജ് ഒക്കെ പിന്നീട്ടപ്പോ സംഗതി കളറങ്ങട് മാറിത്തുടങ്ങി . അമാന്തിച്ചു നിന്ന ചിരിയൊക്കെ മിന്നൽ പിടിച്ചു വരണത് പോലൊരു ഫീല് .ബിസിനസ് മാഗ്നറ്റും ,റോസി ടീച്ചറും , ആർക്കിമീഡിസ് ആംബ്രോസേട്ടനുമെല്ലാം ഹാജര് വച്ചപ്പോ സംഗതി ചിരിച്ചിട്ട് ശ്വാസം വിടാൻ പറ്റാത്ത അവസ്ഥ .കുട്ടീഷ്‌ണ വധം ബാലെയും ,something unusual മെല്ലാം എത്ര കഠിന ഹൃദയനെപ്പോലെയും ചിരിപ്പിക്കാതെ തരമില്ല .കാതൽ ദേശം കാണാൻ രാഗത്തിൽ പോയി ജോക്കി ഓർ നതിങ് എന്ന സിദ്ധാന്തത്തിന് അടിവരയിട്ടതും , ബേക്കറി കളറാക്കാൻ സതീശൻ ഫോൺ കണക്ഷൻ എടുത്തതുമെല്ലാം ജോർ ആയിട്ടുണ്ട് . പുസ്തകം ഈയൊരു ഘട്ടം എത്തുമ്പോൾ കൊടകരപുരാണമാണോ ഇപ്പോൾ വായിച്ചു കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നത് എന്നൊരു ശങ്ക എന്നെപ്പോലെ നിങ്ങൾക്കും തോന്നും എന്നാണു എന്റെയൊരിത് .

പുരുഷോത്തമൻ സാറും ,ട്രെയിനിന് സൈഡ് കൊടുത്തു വലിയ മനസ്സുകാട്ടിയ ഷൂമാക്കറുമെല്ലാം വായന കഴിഞ്ഞാലും ചിരിപ്പിക്കും എന്നത് കട്ടായം .

ധൈര്യമായി വായിച്ചോളൂ , ചിരിക്കാനായി .

-നിഖിലേഷ് മേനോൻ

Read More