Title : BANKERUPT
Language : English
Author : Ravi Subramanian
Genre : Fiction
Publisher : Penguin Books ( 2013 )
ISBN-13 : 9780143421382
ISBN-10 : 0143421387
Binding : Paperback
Price : Rs. 299 ( Buy from Flipkart.com @Rs.230/- ( 23% Off )
Pages : 320
The Book Summary : A university is an institution for higher education and research. It can also be a place where academic brilliance leads to overinflated egos, bitter politics and finally, murder. Cirisha Narayanan, a professor who has risen meteorically, stumbles upon a cryptic message. Aditya Raisinghania, her banker husband, sets up a highly innovative financial hoax. Her profiteering father harvests Australias largest bird the emu in India. The US elections are on and the debate on gun control has reached a fever pitch. Set in Mumbai, Coimbatore and Boston, Ravi Subramanian creates an impeccably researched world where everyone has a motive to kill. Nothing is as it seems in this cunningly vicious thriller where the plot turns on a dime.
My Point of View ( P.O.V ) : Sometimes you hear so much about some author that you're just bursting with curiosity as to why people are talking so much about him/her. Of course, you haven't read any of their books yet, so you're puzzled and look for an opportunity to finally read their work. Something similar happened with this book that I'm reviewing today. I hadn't read any of Ravi S's previous works, so was naturally curious. Thankfully, I got this autographed copy recently. I had heard his previous thriller series were all related to bank - hence, the name 'Bankerupt' looked obvious. So is this book related to 'banking' too? Lets find out shall we? The cover looks quite interesting and hints at definitely being a thriller - a man running with a briefcase on the highway.
I liked the story because it has many layers running parallel that spans across countries and different cities like Bombay, Coimbatore and Boston with that many sub-plots. The story is divided into short chapters, that keep you fully engrossed and at the edge of your seat wondering what happens next - full marks on 'excitement-suspense' quotient.
Starting off with a killing incident in the USA, that sparks off the Gun Control debate to a cryptic message and a cleverly put up financial hoax, the story involves impressive character like Cirisha Narayanan, who is a research associate in Social Psychology at MIT; very passionate about her career. Aditya Raisinghania, is her smart banker husband, whom she meets within pages of the book and who sets up a one-of-a-kind innovative financial hoax. Narayanan is her father who meets Aditya too, when he required 50 crore rupees to expand his business. He harvests Australia's largest bird - the 'emu' in India. A perfect mix of giant egos, politics, greed, manipulations, scandals, fickle loyalties etc - the book is one hell of a thriller, not to be missed. There are also other interesting ( complex ) characters like Michael Cardoza, James Deahl and Richard involving social psychology ( research, debate per se on gun control along with their bitter rivalry that makes the book very intriguing ) - that unleashes a series of murders, lies, deceit etc involving one another too - esp when Richard dies. Many people including the three main characters of the story get involved in all of these and how their lives get affected and totally altered is what the story all about. All the characters are sketched superbly, and you do end up wondering and being suspicious about each one of them too, cos' everyone has a similar motive i.e to kill.
Having read this now, I'm definitely curious to read the author's previous works too.
Positives : The book starts slow and gradually picks up pace, and Oh! What a pace it takes with twists, turns and surprises! I absolutely loved the smooth writing style of the author, easy language, easy flow - mindblowing. Highly recommended for those who love the thrills, this book is for you!
Negatives : None!
Who will enjoy this? - Everyone!
Buy or Don’t Buy? – A Must Buy!
About the Author : Described as the ‘John Grisham of banking’, by the Wall Street Journal, Ravi Subramanian, an alumnus of IIM Bangalore, is the author of four bestselling commercial novels—If God was a Banker, Devil in Pinstripes, The Incredible Banker and The Bankster—based on financial crime. Having been a banker himself, he has a unique insight into the industry he writes about and a flair for spinning intricate plots that keep readers on the edge of their seats. His debut novel, If God was a Banker, won the 2008 Golden Quill Readers’ Choice Award and, more recently, The Incredible Banker won the 2011 Economist-Crossword Book Award in the ‘Popular’ category. Ravi lives in Mumbai with his Biotechnologist turned banker wife, Dharini and his twelve year old daughter Anusha.
Our Rating Scale is : 1 to 5 = ◕◕◕ - I liked it!
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