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31
It’s the first day of March, and it has been a great year for Ravi Shastry, a regional head at an international bank. Promotions and increments seem within reach, life is good, and the month of March should be very merry.
Until trouble in Imperial Bank, Brazil, snowballs into an international crisis, and the Indian bank also has to lay off one-fifth of its staff.
And battlelines are drawn, conspiracies are hatched as everyone struggles to make sure their name is not on the laidoff list. Meanwhile, Ravi’s wife is having her own professional and personal crisis, and Ravi must protect his team, his family, and himself—all of which is not helped by mysterious tweets from @ImperialInsider, who seems to know everything that is happening.
This crackling page-turner (set over a period of 31 days) reveals the ruthlessly cut-throat world of the banking industry, but also its humour, quirks and strange camaraderie.
Until trouble in Imperial Bank, Brazil, snowballs into an international crisis, and the Indian bank also has to lay off one-fifth of its staff.
And battlelines are drawn, conspiracies are hatched as everyone struggles to make sure their name is not on the laidoff list. Meanwhile, Ravi’s wife is having her own professional and personal crisis, and Ravi must protect his team, his family, and himself—all of which is not helped by mysterious tweets from @ImperialInsider, who seems to know everything that is happening.
This crackling page-turner (set over a period of 31 days) reveals the ruthlessly cut-throat world of the banking industry, but also its humour, quirks and strange camaraderie.
372 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2012
11 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
About the author
Upendra Namburi
3 books24 followersUpendra Namburi is a sales and marketing professional who has contributed to leading newspapers and online publications.
He is on the passionate voyage of writing the numbers triumvirate of novels titled 31, 60 and 8.
His debut novel 31, was a bestseller and also on the long list for the Tata First Book award.
His second book titled '60 minutes' is a unique story that spans a pulsating 60 minutes.
He has contributed to Indian and International publications on a wide array of subjects.
He is an evolving blogger, ardent dreamer and passionate writer.
He resides in Gurgaon, India
He is on the passionate voyage of writing the numbers triumvirate of novels titled 31, 60 and 8.
His debut novel 31, was a bestseller and also on the long list for the Tata First Book award.
His second book titled '60 minutes' is a unique story that spans a pulsating 60 minutes.
He has contributed to Indian and International publications on a wide array of subjects.
He is an evolving blogger, ardent dreamer and passionate writer.
He resides in Gurgaon, India
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 1, 2013
Upendra Namburi’s debut novel, 31, is about life in the fast lane of corporatedom.
Ravi Shastry, the regional head of a MNC bank is a great team leader and one of the top performers in his bank. The last 31 days of the financial year – March – are perhaps the most crucial ones in any corporate warrior’s life. But Ravi is a cool customer. He has nothing to worry about. He is eyeing a promotion or even an international assignment. But then what’s life without a few curve balls, right? Before he knows it, Ravi is fighting to retain his job as peers and team mates suddenly turn into conspirators. Even as he battles charges of fraud and corruption, his personal life turns grim. Will Ravi weather the storm or will the no-holds-barred competition do him in? And how much will Ravi have to compromise on his morals to emerge victorious?
The premise of the book is fascinating and has all the ingredients of a gripping corporate thriller. The protagonist teeters from one crisis to another as he counts down to the end of the month. The author throws in enough complications, twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. It is fast-paced – at times a bit too frenetic – and a realistic portrayal of the dog-eat-dog world of corporatedom.
But despite the frenzied action, the read is far from satisfying. There are a multitude of characters and keeping track of them becomes a tad annoying: with everyone mouthing the same corporate-speak, there is no unique voice to any of the characters. In the flurry of Blackberry pings, IMs, emails, tweets, the author has completely ignored the essentials of character development or even description to lend authenticity to the characters and their moral dilemmas. The book merely skims over the themes of loyalty and betrayal, corporate one-upmanship, corruption of values. If only the author had reined in the multiplicity of characters and spent some time on fleshing out the key characters, this would have been a much stronger story. But perhaps the most disappointing part of the book was the climax, which was a total cop out. By going for a feel-good ending, the author undermined the potential of the premise and lost out on the opportunity to give a powerful resolution to Ravi Shastry’s story.
Ravi Shastry, the regional head of a MNC bank is a great team leader and one of the top performers in his bank. The last 31 days of the financial year – March – are perhaps the most crucial ones in any corporate warrior’s life. But Ravi is a cool customer. He has nothing to worry about. He is eyeing a promotion or even an international assignment. But then what’s life without a few curve balls, right? Before he knows it, Ravi is fighting to retain his job as peers and team mates suddenly turn into conspirators. Even as he battles charges of fraud and corruption, his personal life turns grim. Will Ravi weather the storm or will the no-holds-barred competition do him in? And how much will Ravi have to compromise on his morals to emerge victorious?
The premise of the book is fascinating and has all the ingredients of a gripping corporate thriller. The protagonist teeters from one crisis to another as he counts down to the end of the month. The author throws in enough complications, twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. It is fast-paced – at times a bit too frenetic – and a realistic portrayal of the dog-eat-dog world of corporatedom.
But despite the frenzied action, the read is far from satisfying. There are a multitude of characters and keeping track of them becomes a tad annoying: with everyone mouthing the same corporate-speak, there is no unique voice to any of the characters. In the flurry of Blackberry pings, IMs, emails, tweets, the author has completely ignored the essentials of character development or even description to lend authenticity to the characters and their moral dilemmas. The book merely skims over the themes of loyalty and betrayal, corporate one-upmanship, corruption of values. If only the author had reined in the multiplicity of characters and spent some time on fleshing out the key characters, this would have been a much stronger story. But perhaps the most disappointing part of the book was the climax, which was a total cop out. By going for a feel-good ending, the author undermined the potential of the premise and lost out on the opportunity to give a powerful resolution to Ravi Shastry’s story.
August 23, 2016
3 starrer for the sheer - no-time-to-think-it's-all-happening - style of writing. Of course, the book claims to be a thriller, but nothing more than uncertainty and office politics made to sound deeper.
Ravi Shastry is the zonal sales head at a MNC bank where disaster strikes and the bank is facing layoffs. His personal life is in shambles (each day seems to start at 4:30 am! and ends at 11:00pm!). His professional reputation is on stake with the internal audit hounding him over a framed charge. The entire books happens in the most happening month of March (31 chapters for each day).
Since situations of uncertainty are pretty common these days (been through a couple myself), I could empathize with the madness and the sense of doom and being on your own. However, the book also packs a lot of caricatured characters - like the "ambitious" woman with a soft corner, the dope smoking bailout friend, the insider who takes to twitter, the well connected HQ relative, Cut throat bosses who throw the team to dogs etc. This is a book you do not pause to think.
If you look beyond all that, there is a sense of reality you can connect with. It is an easy read, though not literary material. Skip it and you won't miss much.
(Attractive cover btw)
Ravi Shastry is the zonal sales head at a MNC bank where disaster strikes and the bank is facing layoffs. His personal life is in shambles (each day seems to start at 4:30 am! and ends at 11:00pm!). His professional reputation is on stake with the internal audit hounding him over a framed charge. The entire books happens in the most happening month of March (31 chapters for each day).
Since situations of uncertainty are pretty common these days (been through a couple myself), I could empathize with the madness and the sense of doom and being on your own. However, the book also packs a lot of caricatured characters - like the "ambitious" woman with a soft corner, the dope smoking bailout friend, the insider who takes to twitter, the well connected HQ relative, Cut throat bosses who throw the team to dogs etc. This is a book you do not pause to think.
If you look beyond all that, there is a sense of reality you can connect with. It is an easy read, though not literary material. Skip it and you won't miss much.
(Attractive cover btw)
January 24, 2013
The beauty of the cover design is indirectly proportional to the content hidden beneath it. I wonder how did this book receive so many likes, when all it does is paint a stupid character as the protagonist who cannot have a handle on anything absolutely in life and all that carries the story forward is a series of inane conversations which also involves twitter feeds.
Nope, there is absolutely no thrill present here and is sure to give you a headache halfway through the book as you try and make sense of the corporate slang spoken between the ensemble cast.
And for everyone who aver this book due to its nitty gritty of the modern day corporate vices, I ask isn't fiction all about taking you away from reality than delving you into its murkier details ...
Full review : http://reviewbysi.blogspot.in/2013/01...
Nope, there is absolutely no thrill present here and is sure to give you a headache halfway through the book as you try and make sense of the corporate slang spoken between the ensemble cast.
And for everyone who aver this book due to its nitty gritty of the modern day corporate vices, I ask isn't fiction all about taking you away from reality than delving you into its murkier details ...
Full review : http://reviewbysi.blogspot.in/2013/01...
May 10, 2013
Whenever you read 14 consecutive thrillers and fictions in two months’ span, believe me, you cannot read more without a well-deserved break. For some, this break could mean catching up on lost movies or seasons; or what I’d like to call “A Reader’s Block”. But to me, a break means changing the genre and pick up something less gory, something subtle and pleasing. I came across “31: A Thriller” at a bookstore in the Trivandrum Airport and was instantly attracted by the cover (see for yourself).
Full Review here: http://www.bookgeeks.in/entries/gener...
Full Review here: http://www.bookgeeks.in/entries/gener...
November 14, 2020
Having worked in a corporate, it is easy to relate to the intricacies of one. Gossips and grapevines are an important part of corporate life.
"31" focuses on the sufferings and psyche of the employees in the time of layoff. Which considering today's situation, seems real. The burn seems fresh and you know that staying employed is crucial. The employees are ready to go to any extent to stay so.
I loved the build-up of the story. It starts with a typical employee's life—Exhausted but satisfied with everything. Gradually, as the tweets from @ImperialInsider start pouring in, their lives are drastically changed. From the goal of meeting the targets, they have to now make sure that they are visible. Just a good, but invisible worker won't have a chance at staying when we are talking about 20% layoff.
With the introduction of every new character, you know better than to trust anyone, given the situation. But you can't stay in isolation as well. The decisions between who to trust and who not to, what to share and what not to, were no less than a life and death situation. Add on to that, moral dilemmas of doing or not doing something to save your ass. It kept me on the edge of the seat.
The reader dives right in the middle of hot gossips about the latest updates, hard-core office politics, and blurred lines between ethical and unethical.
The story even if not real, seems believable to a large extent while the ending left me with a lot of questions.
Ravi Shastry's character appears to be very indecisive and unsure while he is wife appears to be a bit more confident and aware of what she is doing. There wasn't much of character development throughout the story for any character, which I would have loved to see.
The writing style is easy to understand and very capturing.
Overall a nail-biting thriller (without deaths) and fun read.
The front cover design of this book is very smart. It very smartly uses 2 cover pages. One, with all the deatils and cutout of no. "31" while the second has the picture of the model, which is visible through the cutout.
Highly recommended for those who love corporate thrillers, work in the corporate, love/hate office politics, or just want to try a new genre.
"31" focuses on the sufferings and psyche of the employees in the time of layoff. Which considering today's situation, seems real. The burn seems fresh and you know that staying employed is crucial. The employees are ready to go to any extent to stay so.
I loved the build-up of the story. It starts with a typical employee's life—Exhausted but satisfied with everything. Gradually, as the tweets from @ImperialInsider start pouring in, their lives are drastically changed. From the goal of meeting the targets, they have to now make sure that they are visible. Just a good, but invisible worker won't have a chance at staying when we are talking about 20% layoff.
With the introduction of every new character, you know better than to trust anyone, given the situation. But you can't stay in isolation as well. The decisions between who to trust and who not to, what to share and what not to, were no less than a life and death situation. Add on to that, moral dilemmas of doing or not doing something to save your ass. It kept me on the edge of the seat.
The reader dives right in the middle of hot gossips about the latest updates, hard-core office politics, and blurred lines between ethical and unethical.
The story even if not real, seems believable to a large extent while the ending left me with a lot of questions.
Ravi Shastry's character appears to be very indecisive and unsure while he is wife appears to be a bit more confident and aware of what she is doing. There wasn't much of character development throughout the story for any character, which I would have loved to see.
The writing style is easy to understand and very capturing.
Overall a nail-biting thriller (without deaths) and fun read.
The front cover design of this book is very smart. It very smartly uses 2 cover pages. One, with all the deatils and cutout of no. "31" while the second has the picture of the model, which is visible through the cutout.
Highly recommended for those who love corporate thrillers, work in the corporate, love/hate office politics, or just want to try a new genre.
October 3, 2012
India’s financial year ends on March 31, so March is a busy and crucial month for those running the rat race in the corporate world. It was no different for Ravi Shastry, the protagonist of the book ’31’, who is the regional head of an international bank – Imperial Bank.
The book captures cleverly how international business is linked, the ripple effect a meltdown in operations in one country (Brazil in this case) can have on the operations in another country, which geographically is so remotely located. And yes, the author Upendra Namburi has depicted office politics in a very interesting manner. Sometimes it is not what you do, but who you know that counts!
As they say, troubles come altogether and one can never know what tomorrow will bring. So while March 1, was a bright day in Ravi’s life, it soon fell apart both on the professional and personal front. The bank has to tighten its belt and that means cost cutting and retrenchment even in India. Another division – personal loans and credit cards is lagging behind, but as the head of this department is in the running for a top slot, his team cannot be laid off entirely and has absorbed in other departments. Ravi has to put his own team members on the black list to save the jobs of some of these guys. To add to his woes, someone is clearly causing trouble for Ravi, implicating him in a credit card fraud…. The internal auditors’ guns are trained on him. The to be CEO doesn't like him, his boss also aiming for the same top slot just isn’t there for him, he ends up having a one night stand with fellow colleague and competitor and his wife is fighting her own battles both on the work front and personal front. Top bosses arrive from overseas and add to the craziness, all guns are drawn and heads begin to roll. Of course, Ravi begins to job hunt, but that is another crazy story altogether.
Interspersed within the pages are the famous tweets by an Insider, who knows much more about what will happen next, than the bosses care to tell.
Does Ravi survive the countdown? Read the book. For a more detailed review, hop across to my blog:
http://www.booksonmyshelves.blogspot.com
April 16, 2018
What a corporate thriller.Loved every page of it.Its so relatable to any corporate guy.31 days of excruciating target chase and 31 days of office politics in a high voltage thriller.All that you can ask for is more.What happens to Ravi Sasthry after the last page is anyone’s guess.Characters straight from any office and situations from any work life.Keep going Upendra!!
November 19, 2024
I simply cannot continue reading this book. 4 chapters into the book and I began to think if I should stop it. I pulled myself up, convinced myself to continue hoping to find some interesting turn of things but nothing came and put the book down for good after mid-way mark.
Author works for an organisation that has its network spanned across countries and most of its employees rich enough to always hang out in 5 star hotels and using Mercedes is no luxury but a normal thing for them.
He thought he can show off his work life background through this book and foolishly believed his day to day stress filled hurry burry work experience in a rich organisation will be fascinating for others to hear.
No character sticks in mind even the main lead Ravi. Not a single incident in this book looks relevant after 3 pages. Even if you go straight to last page after reading first 3 chapters, you won't feel missed out on anything.
Author works for an organisation that has its network spanned across countries and most of its employees rich enough to always hang out in 5 star hotels and using Mercedes is no luxury but a normal thing for them.
He thought he can show off his work life background through this book and foolishly believed his day to day stress filled hurry burry work experience in a rich organisation will be fascinating for others to hear.
No character sticks in mind even the main lead Ravi. Not a single incident in this book looks relevant after 3 pages. Even if you go straight to last page after reading first 3 chapters, you won't feel missed out on anything.
February 7, 2018
The book starts with a very slow pace introducing so many characters at once which is very difficult to keep track of. I couldnt build up my interest. But still just to complete it once and for all I continued. Sometimes you feel irritated for the repititive things and confused between the characters. But after almost 150 pages, you start getting a feeling that something good is coming and then the actual thriller begins. But let me tell you its almost at the end of it. And also the end is good but not great and leaves with a trail of questions.
Those who are interested in corporate thriller, this is for you.
I hope this was helpful.
Those who are interested in corporate thriller, this is for you.
I hope this was helpful.
September 2, 2019
This is a genre I would not really pickup, but it was a well deserved break from the routine! And I thoroughly enjoyed the roller coaster with all the bell curves and all.
Got an insight into the crazy corporate life! It was pacy and I did read it cover-to-cover.
From a literary point of view, there was no great writing, no character build up and the climax at the end with absolute no further undertaking!
Got an insight into the crazy corporate life! It was pacy and I did read it cover-to-cover.
From a literary point of view, there was no great writing, no character build up and the climax at the end with absolute no further undertaking!
June 22, 2019
If you are a thriller lover like me please stay away from this book ,its just a pity story of a self obsessed narcissist person ! Plus the ending is too abrupt for anyones liking .
February 13, 2020
A corporate roller coaster
It's a gripping take on the corporate day to day and take on how things actually roll in these companies.
It's a gripping take on the corporate day to day and take on how things actually roll in these companies.
June 16, 2015
31, a corporate thriller, deals with a contemporary subject of restructuring and layoffs and has an unique narrative style, with one chapter for each of the 31 days in the month of March. It reveals the ruthlessly cut-throat world of the banking industry, but also its humour, quirks and strange camaraderie.
It is the story of Ravi Shastry, a regional head at Imperial, a multinational Bank. The month of March starts off on a positive note and he seems set for a promotion to the Head Office in Mumbai or possibly even an international assignment. However the next 31 days will change his life forever…
The collapse in Imperial’s Brazilian subsidiary triggers an upheaval within the bank as thousands are laid off across the globe. A restructuring is advocated in the Indian operations and to make matters worse, it becomes clear that a firing list will be released on 31st March which could cull a large portion of the Indian employee base. In such a state of cataclysm, battle lines are drawn, bizarre alliances of convenience are formed and conspiracies are hatched as employees struggle to ensure their name is not on the dreaded list. Ravi sees his friendships dissolving, his help lines disappearing and his reputation withering. He finds himself in a quagmire of deceit, lies and subterfuge.
In a perverted twist of fate, his wife Savitha discovers that her job is also on the line! A series of personal and financial debacles amidst social ignominy pushes Ravi to the verge of insanity. He has been a stellar performer and a fast riser. This is unchartered territory that challenges his principles and demands political acumen. Will he find himself compromising his principles to emerge victorious? Will he keep his family together by 31st March? Will he have a job on 31st March?
Nambudri has managed to create a suitably claustrophobic environment where he throttles his poor protagonist, slowly turning the screw on him by hitting him with one problem after another. This is commendable when you realize that most of the characters actually converse through emails, phone conversations and BB instant messages. Every one is on the run, everyone is saving their ass and it is difficult in such a situation to find out who is your true friend or enemy. The dialogues are fast paced and as action happens mostly in closed spaces, you are bound to feel the urgency and anxiety the characters are going through in their life.
The writing is lucid and the conversations are real. If you don’t like numbers, you may find this book a bit hard to pull through, as there’s a good amount of talk related to the financial number crunching. The climax in intentionally keep opened for a possible sequel and that's where i felt let down. There is a strong tendency these days in Indian fiction to have trilogies made out and this is one of those books where it just does not make sense to have a sequel. Me, as a reader definitely wanted a closure.
I am going with 3.5/5 for Upendra Namburi's '31'. Fast paced and well edited, it is one of those rare corporate thrillers which will make you turn pages with alarming rate. Read it in one go, it will make for even more pleasurable experience.
It is the story of Ravi Shastry, a regional head at Imperial, a multinational Bank. The month of March starts off on a positive note and he seems set for a promotion to the Head Office in Mumbai or possibly even an international assignment. However the next 31 days will change his life forever…
The collapse in Imperial’s Brazilian subsidiary triggers an upheaval within the bank as thousands are laid off across the globe. A restructuring is advocated in the Indian operations and to make matters worse, it becomes clear that a firing list will be released on 31st March which could cull a large portion of the Indian employee base. In such a state of cataclysm, battle lines are drawn, bizarre alliances of convenience are formed and conspiracies are hatched as employees struggle to ensure their name is not on the dreaded list. Ravi sees his friendships dissolving, his help lines disappearing and his reputation withering. He finds himself in a quagmire of deceit, lies and subterfuge.
In a perverted twist of fate, his wife Savitha discovers that her job is also on the line! A series of personal and financial debacles amidst social ignominy pushes Ravi to the verge of insanity. He has been a stellar performer and a fast riser. This is unchartered territory that challenges his principles and demands political acumen. Will he find himself compromising his principles to emerge victorious? Will he keep his family together by 31st March? Will he have a job on 31st March?
Nambudri has managed to create a suitably claustrophobic environment where he throttles his poor protagonist, slowly turning the screw on him by hitting him with one problem after another. This is commendable when you realize that most of the characters actually converse through emails, phone conversations and BB instant messages. Every one is on the run, everyone is saving their ass and it is difficult in such a situation to find out who is your true friend or enemy. The dialogues are fast paced and as action happens mostly in closed spaces, you are bound to feel the urgency and anxiety the characters are going through in their life.
The writing is lucid and the conversations are real. If you don’t like numbers, you may find this book a bit hard to pull through, as there’s a good amount of talk related to the financial number crunching. The climax in intentionally keep opened for a possible sequel and that's where i felt let down. There is a strong tendency these days in Indian fiction to have trilogies made out and this is one of those books where it just does not make sense to have a sequel. Me, as a reader definitely wanted a closure.
I am going with 3.5/5 for Upendra Namburi's '31'. Fast paced and well edited, it is one of those rare corporate thrillers which will make you turn pages with alarming rate. Read it in one go, it will make for even more pleasurable experience.
June 28, 2015
Premise/Pre-read Appeal: 4/5 - an innovative cover that immediately catches your attention, a plot that anyone who's worked with targets can relate to and an intriguing blurb. Plus, it's a book on an Indian corporate by an Indian author, and it's guaranteed a certain minimum audience.
Writing/Language: 1.5 - By far, the millstone around the narrative. As another review had also mentioned, I found the writing repetitive and monotonous. All the characters speak the same way; if the editor had been tougher (as he/she needed it to be), a lot of the repetitive, self-pitying woe-is-me-what-can-I-do statements would have been thrown out and the book would have been noticeably (and thankfully) thinner. If you like clean grammar and attention to punctuation, this book is definitely not for you.
Narrative/Plot: 2 - Marginally better than the writing, but only just. You'd imagine that a book that tries to cram thirty, hectic days of wheeling and dealing at a bank (in trouble) would make for compelling, event-filled drama. Namburi manages to reduce it to a round-and-round mix of the same few elements. There's even a sex angle thrown in for muddling up the already-muddled Ravi Shastry's life, and (spoiler alert!) it's never resolved in any way. Believe me, if you are going to read the book, knowing that little nugget isn't going to ruin your experience.
Characters: 1.75 - The Ravi-Savi connection (Savitri's his wife) is missing. Conspicuously. They rarely talk, and the author's style means that even the rare conversation that does happen is a staccato burst of corporatish. For instance, Ravi signs off on a conversation with his wife, telling her "Catch you later." And as a further consequence of the homogeneous conversations (between any pair of characters in the book), you kind of see the suits but never a human character anywhere. If the author intended to humanize any of the characters whatsoever, he's clearly left it for a later draft that was never undertaken.
Climax: I am not even going to rate this. The climax was unpredictable solely because I assumed the author (especially one who was allowed to publish more books) would have steered clear of the usual cliches and give us a closing that would make the tedium (of the writing style) worthwhile. Suffice to say I no longer assume this.
All criticisms aside, credit has to be given where it is due, and I found myself flipping page after page waiting to see what happens. I could relate to many of the shenanigans as I've seen 'em firsthand, or heard through friends; what was missing was that x-factor that takes real life and turns it into an unputdownable book. That the ending was a let-down shouldn't detract from the fact that you do want to find out what happens in Imperial (the bank in the story) at the end...
PS: I started by giving this book an overall score of 3; as I penned my thoughts, however, I realized that even 2 was a stretch. However, 2 it would have to be because it's definitely better than 1.
Writing/Language: 1.5 - By far, the millstone around the narrative. As another review had also mentioned, I found the writing repetitive and monotonous. All the characters speak the same way; if the editor had been tougher (as he/she needed it to be), a lot of the repetitive, self-pitying woe-is-me-what-can-I-do statements would have been thrown out and the book would have been noticeably (and thankfully) thinner. If you like clean grammar and attention to punctuation, this book is definitely not for you.
Narrative/Plot: 2 - Marginally better than the writing, but only just. You'd imagine that a book that tries to cram thirty, hectic days of wheeling and dealing at a bank (in trouble) would make for compelling, event-filled drama. Namburi manages to reduce it to a round-and-round mix of the same few elements. There's even a sex angle thrown in for muddling up the already-muddled Ravi Shastry's life, and (spoiler alert!) it's never resolved in any way. Believe me, if you are going to read the book, knowing that little nugget isn't going to ruin your experience.
Characters: 1.75 - The Ravi-Savi connection (Savitri's his wife) is missing. Conspicuously. They rarely talk, and the author's style means that even the rare conversation that does happen is a staccato burst of corporatish. For instance, Ravi signs off on a conversation with his wife, telling her "Catch you later." And as a further consequence of the homogeneous conversations (between any pair of characters in the book), you kind of see the suits but never a human character anywhere. If the author intended to humanize any of the characters whatsoever, he's clearly left it for a later draft that was never undertaken.
Climax: I am not even going to rate this. The climax was unpredictable solely because I assumed the author (especially one who was allowed to publish more books) would have steered clear of the usual cliches and give us a closing that would make the tedium (of the writing style) worthwhile. Suffice to say I no longer assume this.
All criticisms aside, credit has to be given where it is due, and I found myself flipping page after page waiting to see what happens. I could relate to many of the shenanigans as I've seen 'em firsthand, or heard through friends; what was missing was that x-factor that takes real life and turns it into an unputdownable book. That the ending was a let-down shouldn't detract from the fact that you do want to find out what happens in Imperial (the bank in the story) at the end...
PS: I started by giving this book an overall score of 3; as I penned my thoughts, however, I realized that even 2 was a stretch. However, 2 it would have to be because it's definitely better than 1.
March 17, 2019
A month back, I was at the airport on the way home. And I had decided this time that I would not be carrying any book along. This one week at home is supposed to be spent with family and not with a book.
And, guess what? I end up not only buying a book at the airport, but also spend the first two days at home glued to the book. Just had to.
Have to admit, this is probably the first time that a book has been marketed so well that I just had to pick it up impulsively. A complete wall at the book store at the CSIA was branded with this latest offering from westland. A new author and I had not yet heard of the book, but the blurb on the backside just gave me in. I HAD TO READ THIS BOOK.
31 by Upendra Namburi. Have to say, the title of the book does build up curiosty.
31 stands for the 31 days in the month of March, and the book is neatly laid out with each chapter detailing each day of the month.
Corporate thriller is not an easy genre to crack, and Upendra Namburi has given it a very good shot. Upendra succeeds in building an indian perspective and ensuring the humour is intact throughout the book. Any working individual would relate to most, if not all of the problems faced by Ravi Shastri, the main character in the book
Talking about the Story, the first few chapters are used in introducing the characters and the setting of the book. The protagonist is in a multinational Bank as a branch manager for south. He just completes February month on a high, and is all geared up for the last month of the financial year.
Target achievements, appraisals, reviews and pressures – all of these sound so familiar. Ravi Shastri is your regular professional trying to make a mark in this big bad world. All the clichés – an over demanding boss, Difficult recessionary times, head count reduction, arrogant HR guy, an even more arrogant top management, ex-flame, wife, kids and parents and of course the Black berries and twiiter. Upendra ensures all of them are tied in complete tandem with the main story.
One thing to be highlighted here is the way twitter is used in the main story to add continuation.
The litmus test for any thriller is the ending and Upendra does a fair job. Speaking any more of the ending would rob you of the pleasure of reading the book, and thus I keep my mouth shut.
This review was first published at http://bharatjhurani.com/2012/12/31-b...
And, guess what? I end up not only buying a book at the airport, but also spend the first two days at home glued to the book. Just had to.
Have to admit, this is probably the first time that a book has been marketed so well that I just had to pick it up impulsively. A complete wall at the book store at the CSIA was branded with this latest offering from westland. A new author and I had not yet heard of the book, but the blurb on the backside just gave me in. I HAD TO READ THIS BOOK.
31 by Upendra Namburi. Have to say, the title of the book does build up curiosty.
31 stands for the 31 days in the month of March, and the book is neatly laid out with each chapter detailing each day of the month.
Corporate thriller is not an easy genre to crack, and Upendra Namburi has given it a very good shot. Upendra succeeds in building an indian perspective and ensuring the humour is intact throughout the book. Any working individual would relate to most, if not all of the problems faced by Ravi Shastri, the main character in the book
Talking about the Story, the first few chapters are used in introducing the characters and the setting of the book. The protagonist is in a multinational Bank as a branch manager for south. He just completes February month on a high, and is all geared up for the last month of the financial year.
Target achievements, appraisals, reviews and pressures – all of these sound so familiar. Ravi Shastri is your regular professional trying to make a mark in this big bad world. All the clichés – an over demanding boss, Difficult recessionary times, head count reduction, arrogant HR guy, an even more arrogant top management, ex-flame, wife, kids and parents and of course the Black berries and twiiter. Upendra ensures all of them are tied in complete tandem with the main story.
One thing to be highlighted here is the way twitter is used in the main story to add continuation.
The litmus test for any thriller is the ending and Upendra does a fair job. Speaking any more of the ending would rob you of the pleasure of reading the book, and thus I keep my mouth shut.
This review was first published at http://bharatjhurani.com/2012/12/31-b...
March 28, 2015
PLOT: 4/5
CHARACTERS: 5/5
WRITING STYLE: 4/5
CLIMAX: 5/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 4.5/5
Whenever you read 14 consecutive thrillers and fictions in two months’ span, believe me, you cannot read more without a well-deserved break. For some, this break could mean catching up on lost movies or seasons; or what I’d like to call “A Reader’s Block”. But to me, a break means changing the genre and pick up something less gory, something subtle and pleasing. I came across “31: A Thriller” at a bookstore in the Trivandrum Airport and was instantly attracted by the cover (see for yourself).
The cover is not the only strong point of 31. The plot is very well thought of. If you have watched and loved the season 24, you will love this too. The plot runs over a period of 31 days with each chapter describing the events of a single day. The central theme of the book is the Indian Banking Industry and the glamour, the politics and the scandals associated with it. The book begins with a bang – a scandal in the Brazil operations of the ‘Imperial Bank’. As the story progresses, the author touches many compelling real-life situations like downsizing, restructuring, pink slips scare & to what extent your colleagues can scoop to keep their jobs and pull you down.
The book is narrated in first-person by Ravi (same as me). He is the Regional Head of Imperial Bank in South India. Most of the characters in the book belong to the banking sector and are frighteningly smart, intelligent; drink expensive malts, own luxurious accessories and are the alumni of top B-Schools.
The fact that the book is written in a “diary-style” is very catchy and engaging. Most of the working professionals can relate to this book at one point or another. The book also holds an important message for the readers – “Do not succumb to work pressure”.
Grab a copy today to know
“Who is the Imperial Insider, the anonymous twitter guy?”
“Who is getting the next pink slip?”
“What is Ravi’s fate?”
“Who will be the next CEO of Imperial Bank?”
CHARACTERS: 5/5
WRITING STYLE: 4/5
CLIMAX: 5/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 4.5/5
Whenever you read 14 consecutive thrillers and fictions in two months’ span, believe me, you cannot read more without a well-deserved break. For some, this break could mean catching up on lost movies or seasons; or what I’d like to call “A Reader’s Block”. But to me, a break means changing the genre and pick up something less gory, something subtle and pleasing. I came across “31: A Thriller” at a bookstore in the Trivandrum Airport and was instantly attracted by the cover (see for yourself).
The cover is not the only strong point of 31. The plot is very well thought of. If you have watched and loved the season 24, you will love this too. The plot runs over a period of 31 days with each chapter describing the events of a single day. The central theme of the book is the Indian Banking Industry and the glamour, the politics and the scandals associated with it. The book begins with a bang – a scandal in the Brazil operations of the ‘Imperial Bank’. As the story progresses, the author touches many compelling real-life situations like downsizing, restructuring, pink slips scare & to what extent your colleagues can scoop to keep their jobs and pull you down.
The book is narrated in first-person by Ravi (same as me). He is the Regional Head of Imperial Bank in South India. Most of the characters in the book belong to the banking sector and are frighteningly smart, intelligent; drink expensive malts, own luxurious accessories and are the alumni of top B-Schools.
The fact that the book is written in a “diary-style” is very catchy and engaging. Most of the working professionals can relate to this book at one point or another. The book also holds an important message for the readers – “Do not succumb to work pressure”.
Grab a copy today to know
“Who is the Imperial Insider, the anonymous twitter guy?”
“Who is getting the next pink slip?”
“What is Ravi’s fate?”
“Who will be the next CEO of Imperial Bank?”
November 2, 2013
The premise of the book was quite interesting and had everything needed for it to be a thriller. But the author fails abysmally in achieving his objective, primarily due to his lack of storytelling skills. The author takes a potentially exciting storyline and then wrangles every bit of excitement and thrill out of it to render it little better than a B grade Bollywood movie.
What failed was the author's ability to write and hold the reader's attention: in almost every sentence, I was forced to mentally correct his sentences before I could move on. The author seems to have missed the English lesson where they teach pronouns. Every sentence was a pain to comprehend because of basic lack of a doer: sentences like "Read the email.", "Need my room in the next five minutes." etc are just something that a real storyteller would never write. A manager in an MNC building a career on shrugging responsibility, maybe. When every sentence is missing the doer, you go through pages not really knowing who is doing what, and have to come back to the beginning of the paragraph/section to figure out. I have seen a lot of people (mostly middle managers) in MNCs write that way, and almost always requiring follow up clarification but--in a paper-pushing community--that is expected, if not acceptable. In storytelling, not so much.
I wouldn't recommend this. I got it at 70% off, it wasn't even worth that!
What failed was the author's ability to write and hold the reader's attention: in almost every sentence, I was forced to mentally correct his sentences before I could move on. The author seems to have missed the English lesson where they teach pronouns. Every sentence was a pain to comprehend because of basic lack of a doer: sentences like "Read the email.", "Need my room in the next five minutes." etc are just something that a real storyteller would never write. A manager in an MNC building a career on shrugging responsibility, maybe. When every sentence is missing the doer, you go through pages not really knowing who is doing what, and have to come back to the beginning of the paragraph/section to figure out. I have seen a lot of people (mostly middle managers) in MNCs write that way, and almost always requiring follow up clarification but--in a paper-pushing community--that is expected, if not acceptable. In storytelling, not so much.
I wouldn't recommend this. I got it at 70% off, it wasn't even worth that!
February 14, 2014
I don’t know of many books that use the days of the month in a theme. And to have exactly that many chapters as the days in the month is indeed different.
31 by Upendra Namburi is a spacy thriller based in a bank. The month of March probably may not be of great importance to a common man but ask a banker and he’ll describe as a month which can make or break his career. After all March is the last month of the financial year in India and the numbers in this month are all that matters to everyone, be it the company, markets, common man or even the country.
31 is another thriller that’s based in one of the up market banks in India. It’ the last month for the financial year to end and just like in cricket where you can’t say anything till the last ball has been bowled so it is in banking. As you progress through this book, with its setting you’ll wonder whether you are reading a debut novel or another Ravi Subramanian. There is no lack of twists and turns and politics and affairs. You may get frustrated with the same things going on but guess in a work place these things are the order of the day.
Not revealing much, the book is a story about a very simple, regular performing guy called Ravi Shastry. In fact Ravi’s story is so common that it’s very relatable.
- See more at: http://justamin.blogspot.in/2013/01/b...
31 by Upendra Namburi is a spacy thriller based in a bank. The month of March probably may not be of great importance to a common man but ask a banker and he’ll describe as a month which can make or break his career. After all March is the last month of the financial year in India and the numbers in this month are all that matters to everyone, be it the company, markets, common man or even the country.
31 is another thriller that’s based in one of the up market banks in India. It’ the last month for the financial year to end and just like in cricket where you can’t say anything till the last ball has been bowled so it is in banking. As you progress through this book, with its setting you’ll wonder whether you are reading a debut novel or another Ravi Subramanian. There is no lack of twists and turns and politics and affairs. You may get frustrated with the same things going on but guess in a work place these things are the order of the day.
Not revealing much, the book is a story about a very simple, regular performing guy called Ravi Shastry. In fact Ravi’s story is so common that it’s very relatable.
- See more at: http://justamin.blogspot.in/2013/01/b...
December 18, 2012
Fast paced corporate thriller where protagonist is Head of sales at leading bank.
His life takes a toll when recession hit and problems at their global
branch leads to lay off at Indian office too. He is forced to layoff
his best staff and his job is also in danger.He got one month in hand
( March 1st to March 31st) to keep his sales figure high, save himself
from crook colleagues who are trying to entangle him in credit card fraud and keep his name away from pink slip. AS if problem in office are not enough, he got issues in his personal life with upcoming job transfer of his wife Savitha .
Upendra has included every possible problem you may have
encountered at some or other point of time in your corporate career in the book. U will feel like - Yes i have been through this...
Overall nice plot with lots of twist and turn which keep you hooked till end.
Anybody who is from Sales and Marketing field will like this as it has lot of detail about sales target and pressure it creates on sales team
Looking forward to more such thriller from writer
His life takes a toll when recession hit and problems at their global
branch leads to lay off at Indian office too. He is forced to layoff
his best staff and his job is also in danger.He got one month in hand
( March 1st to March 31st) to keep his sales figure high, save himself
from crook colleagues who are trying to entangle him in credit card fraud and keep his name away from pink slip. AS if problem in office are not enough, he got issues in his personal life with upcoming job transfer of his wife Savitha .
Upendra has included every possible problem you may have
encountered at some or other point of time in your corporate career in the book. U will feel like - Yes i have been through this...
Overall nice plot with lots of twist and turn which keep you hooked till end.
Anybody who is from Sales and Marketing field will like this as it has lot of detail about sales target and pressure it creates on sales team
Looking forward to more such thriller from writer
October 30, 2012
This book is for people who can enjoy the story of urban corporate life. Rat race, ass-licking-ness, office politics, workplace stress, inverted work-life balance... Everything combines to form a pacy read.
It is by no means beautifully-written, articulate, humorous or a classic. But people who have a work experience in MNCs, Banks or any other high profile organizations can get an insight into what happens behind doors of a big company. And, those with intimidating titles and jobs can also enjoy various incidents in this book which would resemble their daily lives.
But I enjoyed this book. It reflected the Indian urban lifestyle and the peculiar problems involved in Indian companies. There were even some incidents where I was smiling.
Readers looking for hard-to-read prose or solid character development can keep themselves safely away from this book. Its all about the protagonist's struggle to keep his job in the face of recession. Book is pacy, that's about it!
It is by no means beautifully-written, articulate, humorous or a classic. But people who have a work experience in MNCs, Banks or any other high profile organizations can get an insight into what happens behind doors of a big company. And, those with intimidating titles and jobs can also enjoy various incidents in this book which would resemble their daily lives.
But I enjoyed this book. It reflected the Indian urban lifestyle and the peculiar problems involved in Indian companies. There were even some incidents where I was smiling.
Readers looking for hard-to-read prose or solid character development can keep themselves safely away from this book. Its all about the protagonist's struggle to keep his job in the face of recession. Book is pacy, that's about it!
September 10, 2014
I won this book in a giveaway, and let me say that I am by no means experienced in literary criticism. But I was fascinated by Ravi's life. I think that this book gives a vivid picture of life in the corporate world, and I could see that world in my mind as well. The story progresses at a brisk space, and there are many twists and turns. I rather liked this style of writing, with the chapters divided according to the days of Ravi's life, it helped keep me interested. I also liked that only essential conversations were included, and there were no lengthy descriptions of scenery and the like. This way I think the author has managed to relate in a couple hundred pages what would have otherwise been a lengthy, intimidating novel.
There is so much suspense, with a new plot twist almost every 2 or 3 pages. In short, this is the kind of book you have read in one go.
There is so much suspense, with a new plot twist almost every 2 or 3 pages. In short, this is the kind of book you have read in one go.
October 20, 2012
A Must read for everyone whose life depends on the rat race.
Upendra has the skill of converting boring corporate life into a fast paced thriller.
Everyone working in the corporate culture can related with it. Especially the stress, office politics, ass licking that happens today. Though the background is if a Financial MNC; it's equally true with any growing organisation to some extent.
Off Course Uoendra exaggerates in certain situations; he can be excused to bring the dramatisation effect.
Hope to be reading more of his works.
Upendra has the skill of converting boring corporate life into a fast paced thriller.
Everyone working in the corporate culture can related with it. Especially the stress, office politics, ass licking that happens today. Though the background is if a Financial MNC; it's equally true with any growing organisation to some extent.
Off Course Uoendra exaggerates in certain situations; he can be excused to bring the dramatisation effect.
Hope to be reading more of his works.
December 10, 2012
If one wants to read this to escape from one’s rat race life, it may not be the right one if you are a wage slave. Still, the (spoiler) ambiguous but somewhat happy ending will console professionals that there can be a rosy future at least on paper if not in life. (end spoiler)
Ironically, the ones who would most identify with this book may not have the time to read it. Unless it was mailed to them, a page at a time, on their Blackberrys…So that they can read it in meetings?
Ironically, the ones who would most identify with this book may not have the time to read it. Unless it was mailed to them, a page at a time, on their Blackberrys…So that they can read it in meetings?
August 20, 2013
I pick up the book b'coz of the review and i didn't disappointed.
Book is very well written and story is also very good.My first book on corporate politics.starts little bit slow but author has a great writing skill.Suspense remains till last day of novel.Way to reveal the suspense is also very good.But at the last there are some unattended questions.May be author missed it.but overall good book and will recommend to all who love to read about office politics.
Book is very well written and story is also very good.My first book on corporate politics.starts little bit slow but author has a great writing skill.Suspense remains till last day of novel.Way to reveal the suspense is also very good.But at the last there are some unattended questions.May be author missed it.but overall good book and will recommend to all who love to read about office politics.
August 17, 2014
Life is fast paced but tough. This is perhaps what the author has to convey about the private sector. The book has a happy ending but not before the Chief protagonist going through crisis after crisis, some of which are of his own making. When things go wrong almost everything goes wrong. Upendre uses a different style in conveying his thoughts. It is like a daily diary but not dreary. You can feel the action though on occasions it appears unreal to someone who hasn't led such a life.
November 24, 2015
Don't judge a book by its blurb.It is the key takeaway from book.Blurb promises you something that story will not deliver at all.
The story starts well however as it progresses I hope to find the thrilling part of this "Thriller" on every page but nothing comes out of it till the very end.
In Plain words,it is insipid.
I like the narration Style but only narration style can not make a story likeable and recommendable.
The story starts well however as it progresses I hope to find the thrilling part of this "Thriller" on every page but nothing comes out of it till the very end.
In Plain words,it is insipid.
I like the narration Style but only narration style can not make a story likeable and recommendable.
June 2, 2013
Since I started the book it really went well and I thought I would give this a 4/5 but the number of characters, the confusion and the stretch till the end makes me give it a 2. Over all a very nice read but a little lengthy. Well written. :)
October 18, 2013
At first blush, this seemed a me too imitation of Ravi Subramanian's books on the banking industry. But then, this book did blend relationships and banking quite well, and the last minute twists help earn this book its 4*. Worth a read
February 3, 2014
Loved this corporate thriller set in the Indian banking industry - only the denouement was a bit disappointing -- but had echoes of Crichton's Disclosure. Well worth a read, and I'll be looking out for his other books
January 8, 2013
Never judge a book by its cover. Absolutely true for "31" . Cover is awesome, book is very disappointing..
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