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Hungry Gods
Beaten and brutally raped, her body is never found. However, the killers make one mistake. They leave a witness, a witness who has nothing to live for except revenge. And when he crosses the boundaries of time to make the guilty pay, a whole lot of dark characters come to light. There is Valentine, the superstar brand ambassador who sells anything for a price; there is Medici, a pharmaceutical company fraudulently manufacturing banned drugs; there is the perverted and sinister minded Dr Ranga, and there is Este, the prostitute whose dark secret will blow up a daughter’s sanity. So, is there another murder waiting to happen? Will Police Inspector Dorab Silva be able to connect the clues to prevent another crime? Will these gods of greed be exposed? And yes, you will be surprised by who you will find there, finally. Deeply unsettling, Hungry Gods takes a hard look at greed for wealth and power.
204 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
11 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Richa Lakhera
14 books21 followersTen years of entertainment journalism. A lifetime of manoranjan junkie. Richa believes that you should accept your most demented thoughts fears and fantasies.
Born in Dehradun. Richa did her Masters in Chemistry from Miranda House, before she studied Journalism. Special Correspondent and TV Anchor Richa is currently Associate Editor, entertainment in a prominent news channel. She has extensively covered Hindi Cinema, Bollywood, Fashion and Art in several prominent national news channels and reported from Delhi to Dubai
She has produced, anchored and reported for shows like Night Out, Bollywood Quiz show idbi sawaal india ka, Glamour Show,Filmy Friday, Cinema India, Cinema ke Sikander, Raat Baki.
Richa is a fine artist. She stays in Delhi with her husband and daughter
Born in Dehradun. Richa did her Masters in Chemistry from Miranda House, before she studied Journalism. Special Correspondent and TV Anchor Richa is currently Associate Editor, entertainment in a prominent news channel. She has extensively covered Hindi Cinema, Bollywood, Fashion and Art in several prominent national news channels and reported from Delhi to Dubai
She has produced, anchored and reported for shows like Night Out, Bollywood Quiz show idbi sawaal india ka, Glamour Show,Filmy Friday, Cinema India, Cinema ke Sikander, Raat Baki.
Richa is a fine artist. She stays in Delhi with her husband and daughter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
September 18, 2018
I checked the blurb and cover of "Hungry Gods" by Richa Lakhera a few months back but I found it too bold for my taste, so I didn't approach it. But the book was discussed much in my social network and praise reached almost every day. On a special recommendation from author Kulpreet Yadav, I decided to give it a try. And finally, I got my hands on this dark tale of love, lust, and revenge.
The blurb is not at all exaggerating, the violence, sexual content, and description is really off the limits for anyone below 18 a strict adult genre. Frankly speaking, I have not read the story as dark and gruesome before. The nearest one was "The Unconquerable" by Shivish. But that was just 25% of this story.
Talking about the plot, a pharmaceutical giant Medici's was about to launch some new lines of drugs. The company had acquired mastery of marketing. Their products (no matter how much criticised by media or other pharma) were working well in the market. But things were not as simple, dark past of company (and some the high profile people) had started tracing them. Mysterious death with strange inhumane nature came into the light. The first death led to another and chain of events set in place.
The content of the book shows deep research and character mapping. It took me around 30-50 pages to grasp the nerve of the story. And almost 100 pages to accept the incidents described in the book.
So call it a mystery or a revenge tale it is something you read once in a while. I heard sacred games is one such dark tale, if that's true then this one is 10 times stronger story.
Detailed Review Link - http://chevusread.blogspot.com/2018/0...
The blurb is not at all exaggerating, the violence, sexual content, and description is really off the limits for anyone below 18 a strict adult genre. Frankly speaking, I have not read the story as dark and gruesome before. The nearest one was "The Unconquerable" by Shivish. But that was just 25% of this story.
Talking about the plot, a pharmaceutical giant Medici's was about to launch some new lines of drugs. The company had acquired mastery of marketing. Their products (no matter how much criticised by media or other pharma) were working well in the market. But things were not as simple, dark past of company (and some the high profile people) had started tracing them. Mysterious death with strange inhumane nature came into the light. The first death led to another and chain of events set in place.
The content of the book shows deep research and character mapping. It took me around 30-50 pages to grasp the nerve of the story. And almost 100 pages to accept the incidents described in the book.
So call it a mystery or a revenge tale it is something you read once in a while. I heard sacred games is one such dark tale, if that's true then this one is 10 times stronger story.
Detailed Review Link - http://chevusread.blogspot.com/2018/0...
July 21, 2018
An experimental narrative, alternating first-person and third-person points of view separated by chapters, no clear setting in terms of location except a time stamp before every chapter, an inventive voice that defines the contours of this rather unique plotline, Hungry Gods is a new-age crime novel that needs to be read and enjoyed at leisure.
And yet, at the core of this story is a cliched plot that involves rape-cum-murder which is avenged two decades later by a mystery person. But aren't all plots clichéd? "All stories," to borrow from what Brandon Sanderson recently said, "have been told before." How you tell it in your unique voice is the only remaining trick. Well, Richa's voice is unique indeed, one that fits well into the ambit of that word 'remaining'.
A part of the city where the story is set is called the Dune, a red light area next to the sea where the businesses of drugs and sex feed on one another to thrive. This is where lives Este, a prostitute, along with her infant daughter and her mother. The mother is mentally unstable and Este seems to be slowing moving in the same direction without her knowing, consumed as she is with the pressures of survival and the knowledge that her father and her daughter's father might be the same man, a rich superstar who goes by the name of Neville Valentine.
Mr. Valentine is a thickheaded and short-tempered superstar, who has been hired to do a film series for a pharma company called Medici. Valentine has a basement under his bungalow right next to the beach where he keeps his sex toys and indulges in fetishes with select few upcoming starlets. He is cruel, his mind poisoned with money, drugs, and success, and he hates the legal head of Medici pharma, a man called Ranganathan, or just Ranga. Ranga likes young boys and hates Valentine as much as Valentine hates him. Their paths have crossed earlier too, we are told, when they had committed a crime together.
Over and above these characters are others like Mr. Dinesh Thackrey, who is the first to be murdered by the person avenging the killing. Then there is Thackrey's daughter Rathi, and a journalist called Molly Limaye, who has access to information that can well derail Medici's money-making plans with its new drug. And finally, there are the two police officers: Inspector Dorab Silva (a rather unique combination of a Parsi first name with a Christian surname) and his assistant Gauda (not the cheese, of course). These police officers, though as immoral as the others, have a set direction to take and they do precisely that right from the murder of Thackrey, as their investigation takes them to the location where Ranga is murdered, and finally to the attempted murder of Valentine. As they make headway, consumed by their own addiction to sex and drugs, they make intriguing discoveries.
The uniqueness of the names of people and places stand out. The bar in the Dune is called Roobi Bloo, the superstar lives in 555, Neverland, there's a Pied Piper yacht in Dune harbour, and the police headquarters is located in South City etc.
The end, not quite as expected, is surprising if not rewarding. In many ways, reading this book is like watching a Guy Richie's movie where multiple characters come in and out of a unique and inventive plot. All in all, a good read that you shouldn't miss.
4.5 / 5 stars.
And yet, at the core of this story is a cliched plot that involves rape-cum-murder which is avenged two decades later by a mystery person. But aren't all plots clichéd? "All stories," to borrow from what Brandon Sanderson recently said, "have been told before." How you tell it in your unique voice is the only remaining trick. Well, Richa's voice is unique indeed, one that fits well into the ambit of that word 'remaining'.
A part of the city where the story is set is called the Dune, a red light area next to the sea where the businesses of drugs and sex feed on one another to thrive. This is where lives Este, a prostitute, along with her infant daughter and her mother. The mother is mentally unstable and Este seems to be slowing moving in the same direction without her knowing, consumed as she is with the pressures of survival and the knowledge that her father and her daughter's father might be the same man, a rich superstar who goes by the name of Neville Valentine.
Mr. Valentine is a thickheaded and short-tempered superstar, who has been hired to do a film series for a pharma company called Medici. Valentine has a basement under his bungalow right next to the beach where he keeps his sex toys and indulges in fetishes with select few upcoming starlets. He is cruel, his mind poisoned with money, drugs, and success, and he hates the legal head of Medici pharma, a man called Ranganathan, or just Ranga. Ranga likes young boys and hates Valentine as much as Valentine hates him. Their paths have crossed earlier too, we are told, when they had committed a crime together.
Over and above these characters are others like Mr. Dinesh Thackrey, who is the first to be murdered by the person avenging the killing. Then there is Thackrey's daughter Rathi, and a journalist called Molly Limaye, who has access to information that can well derail Medici's money-making plans with its new drug. And finally, there are the two police officers: Inspector Dorab Silva (a rather unique combination of a Parsi first name with a Christian surname) and his assistant Gauda (not the cheese, of course). These police officers, though as immoral as the others, have a set direction to take and they do precisely that right from the murder of Thackrey, as their investigation takes them to the location where Ranga is murdered, and finally to the attempted murder of Valentine. As they make headway, consumed by their own addiction to sex and drugs, they make intriguing discoveries.
The uniqueness of the names of people and places stand out. The bar in the Dune is called Roobi Bloo, the superstar lives in 555, Neverland, there's a Pied Piper yacht in Dune harbour, and the police headquarters is located in South City etc.
The end, not quite as expected, is surprising if not rewarding. In many ways, reading this book is like watching a Guy Richie's movie where multiple characters come in and out of a unique and inventive plot. All in all, a good read that you shouldn't miss.
4.5 / 5 stars.
September 19, 2018
They beat her spirit and then her body till she died.
Deeply unsettling, provocative, Nerve-wracking, heart-rending, terrifying!
This book is deeply captivating from page 1. The story has the capacity to engage the readers and keep them at the edge of the seat. The story is inexplicably dark and gloomy , and I must give you a trigger warning, because this is not a regular story that you read. It has got several layers and plot twists,but it deals with topics like sexual and drug abuse, strong languages, unimaginably gruesome murders and tortures,etc. So I would suggest to only pick this book up if you are comfortable with these things.
I was horrified and at a loss of words after finishing this book. This book made me realize how gruesome and morbid the real world is, and how trivial those horror stories are before this reality. The story slaps the readers to the dark reality that lingers behind all the glamour and splendor of city life. The title of the book is aptly chosen as it really shows the limits a person can reach in the hunger for riches, desires, drugs and sex. As the story moves forward you will find some unexpected plot twists and several other new levels. The narration is really good and the writing style is gripping. The author has done a great job in bringing new characters and plots to life.
The fact about brand ambassadors is very agreeable. The way most of the companies sell their “genuine” products with “100% guarantee” by featuring celebrities as brand ambassadors, and sell them at greater prices, is something the consumers must look into. Most of these products are bluff, but majority of the people buy these products just by believing in the words of the celebrities featuring these products, who themselves haven’t even tried those products. Apart from this, the book also deals with some other hungers as well, but I would like you to find them out yourselves when you read this book. I really liked the ending of the story.
Overall I liked the story but my only issue is that the book has so many characters and backstories and so many different perspectives that it may sometimes get difficult to remember everything. I mean I personally felt that I lost track of the story at some places and that is why I would suggest that you give the story the needful time, and you’ll enjoy it more, because, as I said, this is not some ordinary story, This book was darker than I had expected it to be, but if you are comfortable with this genre, then do give this book a try. I would recommend the book to all adults.
Deeply unsettling, provocative, Nerve-wracking, heart-rending, terrifying!
This book is deeply captivating from page 1. The story has the capacity to engage the readers and keep them at the edge of the seat. The story is inexplicably dark and gloomy , and I must give you a trigger warning, because this is not a regular story that you read. It has got several layers and plot twists,but it deals with topics like sexual and drug abuse, strong languages, unimaginably gruesome murders and tortures,etc. So I would suggest to only pick this book up if you are comfortable with these things.
I was horrified and at a loss of words after finishing this book. This book made me realize how gruesome and morbid the real world is, and how trivial those horror stories are before this reality. The story slaps the readers to the dark reality that lingers behind all the glamour and splendor of city life. The title of the book is aptly chosen as it really shows the limits a person can reach in the hunger for riches, desires, drugs and sex. As the story moves forward you will find some unexpected plot twists and several other new levels. The narration is really good and the writing style is gripping. The author has done a great job in bringing new characters and plots to life.
The fact about brand ambassadors is very agreeable. The way most of the companies sell their “genuine” products with “100% guarantee” by featuring celebrities as brand ambassadors, and sell them at greater prices, is something the consumers must look into. Most of these products are bluff, but majority of the people buy these products just by believing in the words of the celebrities featuring these products, who themselves haven’t even tried those products. Apart from this, the book also deals with some other hungers as well, but I would like you to find them out yourselves when you read this book. I really liked the ending of the story.
Overall I liked the story but my only issue is that the book has so many characters and backstories and so many different perspectives that it may sometimes get difficult to remember everything. I mean I personally felt that I lost track of the story at some places and that is why I would suggest that you give the story the needful time, and you’ll enjoy it more, because, as I said, this is not some ordinary story, This book was darker than I had expected it to be, but if you are comfortable with this genre, then do give this book a try. I would recommend the book to all adults.
August 26, 2018
Quote from the Book I Liked - 'It's not about finding answers. It's about managing expectations.' (Page 109)
Rating - 3 Stars
Synopsis - Beaten and brutally raped, her body is never found. However, the killers make one mistake. They leave a witness, a witness who has nothing to live for except revenge. And when he crosses the boundaries of time to make the guilty pay, a whole lot of dark characters come to light. There is Valentine, the superstar brand ambassador who sells anything for a price; there is Medici, a pharmaceutical company fraudulently manufacturing banned drugs; there is the perverted and sinister minded Dr. Ranga, and there is Este, the prostitute whose dark secret will blow up a daughter’s sanity. So, is there another murder waiting to happen? Will Police Inspector Dorab Silva be able to connect the clues to prevent another crime? Will these gods of greed be exposed? And yes, you will be surprised by who you will find there, finally. Deeply unsettling, Hungry Gods takes a hard look at greed for wealth and power.
About The Book - (Strict Warning for all the Young Readers, the following review contains Obscene and Provocative thoughts as per storyline. Continue under Parents Guidance.)
As the Tagline goes, The Book talks about 'Drugs. Sex Cults. A Horrific Crime. An Unthinkable Revenge'. The story is about the revenge from a person whose Mother was brutally raped, murdered and dumped right in front of him in his Teen years. His only Aim in life was to take revenge on the Demons who did this. The story talks about the dark side of the Film industry and corporate world where Power is all one needs to rule over all. The culprit Pharma company in the book makes unhealthy and life-threatening Medicines under the banner of innovation and sells it at the higher price with an excuse of Advancement and hard work. Later on, a reporter gets a parcel from a stranger who sends various proves and Papers which provides enough evidence to prove the company to be fraud.
The whole story is filled with Incest, Child abuse, Drug abuse and many other practices which may disturb a readers state of mind. Written on a very dark theme and Shadow world, chose only if you have this kind of taste. For me, it was a bit too Dark.
The author tried a very good attempt by writing such a Theme in a very vibrant way but the story of various characters didn't merge quite well which could have been done better and made the book perfect. You may find it Great but for me, it didn't work well. Alas, it's your choice to choose the book.
But the best part, the Cover of the Book totally blew it all away. It totally defines the story and the intensity of the insides of the book. I did have to keep the book face down on my table as that face of 'Hungry God', especially the piercing eyes literally gave me Goosebumps every time I saw it.
Verdict - Too Dark with not so smooth transition between characters. Go if you like to try Quality writing and Gloomy story.
Link to Blog - The Tales of Fugitive Biker
Rating - 3 Stars
Synopsis - Beaten and brutally raped, her body is never found. However, the killers make one mistake. They leave a witness, a witness who has nothing to live for except revenge. And when he crosses the boundaries of time to make the guilty pay, a whole lot of dark characters come to light. There is Valentine, the superstar brand ambassador who sells anything for a price; there is Medici, a pharmaceutical company fraudulently manufacturing banned drugs; there is the perverted and sinister minded Dr. Ranga, and there is Este, the prostitute whose dark secret will blow up a daughter’s sanity. So, is there another murder waiting to happen? Will Police Inspector Dorab Silva be able to connect the clues to prevent another crime? Will these gods of greed be exposed? And yes, you will be surprised by who you will find there, finally. Deeply unsettling, Hungry Gods takes a hard look at greed for wealth and power.
About The Book - (Strict Warning for all the Young Readers, the following review contains Obscene and Provocative thoughts as per storyline. Continue under Parents Guidance.)
As the Tagline goes, The Book talks about 'Drugs. Sex Cults. A Horrific Crime. An Unthinkable Revenge'. The story is about the revenge from a person whose Mother was brutally raped, murdered and dumped right in front of him in his Teen years. His only Aim in life was to take revenge on the Demons who did this. The story talks about the dark side of the Film industry and corporate world where Power is all one needs to rule over all. The culprit Pharma company in the book makes unhealthy and life-threatening Medicines under the banner of innovation and sells it at the higher price with an excuse of Advancement and hard work. Later on, a reporter gets a parcel from a stranger who sends various proves and Papers which provides enough evidence to prove the company to be fraud.
The whole story is filled with Incest, Child abuse, Drug abuse and many other practices which may disturb a readers state of mind. Written on a very dark theme and Shadow world, chose only if you have this kind of taste. For me, it was a bit too Dark.
The author tried a very good attempt by writing such a Theme in a very vibrant way but the story of various characters didn't merge quite well which could have been done better and made the book perfect. You may find it Great but for me, it didn't work well. Alas, it's your choice to choose the book.
But the best part, the Cover of the Book totally blew it all away. It totally defines the story and the intensity of the insides of the book. I did have to keep the book face down on my table as that face of 'Hungry God', especially the piercing eyes literally gave me Goosebumps every time I saw it.
Verdict - Too Dark with not so smooth transition between characters. Go if you like to try Quality writing and Gloomy story.
Link to Blog - The Tales of Fugitive Biker
September 13, 2018
{Warning: If you are disturbed by provocative thoughts and obscene actions, violence and abusive language, I will not recommend you to read “Hungry Gods”.}
A dead body is found and Inspector Silva is unaware that it is just the beginning. Slowly, one by one, renowned personalities are found dead. But what is that one thing that connects a director, a lawyer, an actor and a prostitute? When the secrets are revealed, the readers will be shocked at the dark forces at play.
Hungry God is a story of revenge and murder; a story of crime and its consequences. Narrated with different point of views in different chapters, the author keeps the readers engrossed and aware of the perception and action of the characters in the story. Moreover, there is a change in timeline, that doesn’t confuse but helps build the foundation of the tale.
Moreover, the author has not limited herself to a particular field, but provided an overall view of the major powers in action. Though there is no clear mention of a geographical location, depiction of The Dune interested me and I wanted to know more about that place.
The portrayal of each character is unique and the author provides the reasons behind their being eventually. Filled with suspense, the book spews horrible secrets, one after the other, some of them astounded me whereas I found some amusing and even, darkly comic.
Other than an excellent writing style, the book also provides an unimaginable climax. With the ongoing themes of drug abuse, BDSM, paedophilia, corruption, justice and ambition, Hungry God is a hauntingly beautiful tale of the powerful forces in the major industries that run the World and who are constantly hungry for money, lust and power. The title of the book and the striking cover art accurately describes the material within.
A dead body is found and Inspector Silva is unaware that it is just the beginning. Slowly, one by one, renowned personalities are found dead. But what is that one thing that connects a director, a lawyer, an actor and a prostitute? When the secrets are revealed, the readers will be shocked at the dark forces at play.
Hungry God is a story of revenge and murder; a story of crime and its consequences. Narrated with different point of views in different chapters, the author keeps the readers engrossed and aware of the perception and action of the characters in the story. Moreover, there is a change in timeline, that doesn’t confuse but helps build the foundation of the tale.
Moreover, the author has not limited herself to a particular field, but provided an overall view of the major powers in action. Though there is no clear mention of a geographical location, depiction of The Dune interested me and I wanted to know more about that place.
The portrayal of each character is unique and the author provides the reasons behind their being eventually. Filled with suspense, the book spews horrible secrets, one after the other, some of them astounded me whereas I found some amusing and even, darkly comic.
Other than an excellent writing style, the book also provides an unimaginable climax. With the ongoing themes of drug abuse, BDSM, paedophilia, corruption, justice and ambition, Hungry God is a hauntingly beautiful tale of the powerful forces in the major industries that run the World and who are constantly hungry for money, lust and power. The title of the book and the striking cover art accurately describes the material within.
August 29, 2018
Hungry God, The title itself makes the reader curious to know more about the story, isn't it? I loved the title and the cover of the book, it's apt and amazing. I loved how the author discussed the serious topics like Rape, sexual exploitation, black money, trafficking, drugs and other Illegal happenings in an Effective and crisp way. The writing style of the author is strong and gripping. One can get hooked with the story from the very first page. The author gives the gist of the glamour world, how one can just harm other to be on the top, the crime that happens here. She narrates each and everything in a stimulating way. It's just engaging in giving the reader a different perspective.
The plot of the story is full of twists and turns. The switching plot from one character to other made it more interesting. Each of them had their own story, solving the murder mystery. The pace and the flow of the story are smooth. The characters are strong having their unique personality. Each character is justified in its own way, lending credibility to the story. With each chapter, the story keeps on building great.
Themes like love, lust, hate, envy, relationships, mystery are used by the author in making this story more appealing. The drama keeps the reader invested in. One can easily connect with The language used in the story.
Overall, It's a book with the Unique plot, crisp narration, strong characters and a thriller story. Though it's a bit heavy read but worth a read. A powerful book.
The plot of the story is full of twists and turns. The switching plot from one character to other made it more interesting. Each of them had their own story, solving the murder mystery. The pace and the flow of the story are smooth. The characters are strong having their unique personality. Each character is justified in its own way, lending credibility to the story. With each chapter, the story keeps on building great.
Themes like love, lust, hate, envy, relationships, mystery are used by the author in making this story more appealing. The drama keeps the reader invested in. One can easily connect with The language used in the story.
Overall, It's a book with the Unique plot, crisp narration, strong characters and a thriller story. Though it's a bit heavy read but worth a read. A powerful book.
August 3, 2020
Not terribly written, this book has an interesting premise. Going from one POV to the other, I feel like there was a lot packed into about 200 pages. I wouldn't actually mind if the book was longer, just to do justice to what was said.
Having said that, the plot though slightly obvious in the end, was not entirely bad. I liked the fact that the author was so unabashed with regards to the sex - but omg, so much sex. There must have been at least 10 sex scenarios in the first 50 pages. But I guess that's what happens when you're talking about BDSM, prostitution and all kinds of perversion. (no judgement)
It was interesting as there was a hint of dystopia in this book. Though I wish she spoke more about 'Dune' and how it got there.
Basically, not a bad book.
Having said that, the plot though slightly obvious in the end, was not entirely bad. I liked the fact that the author was so unabashed with regards to the sex - but omg, so much sex. There must have been at least 10 sex scenarios in the first 50 pages. But I guess that's what happens when you're talking about BDSM, prostitution and all kinds of perversion. (no judgement)
It was interesting as there was a hint of dystopia in this book. Though I wish she spoke more about 'Dune' and how it got there.
Basically, not a bad book.
September 26, 2018
The book "Hungry Gods" evoked my interest in the very beginning with its cover page since it is the same pic which has been used by Kamal Hassan's "Uttama Villain" movie.
The title yet again needs to understood in its own concept. It is "Hungry" and not "Angry". What would a beast which is in great hunger do? Hunt its prey.
We can also say that a beast which has been inflicted with a wound may also carry the same mindset.
This is what happens in the story. The story brings forth what a reel star goes through in his/her real life. Having a mix of lust, love, envy, relationships given in a equal mix, the story revolves around characters that would keep you guessing as to who the real culprit is, till the end.
The story begins with a gruesome rape of a woman.
Who was she?
Who committed this crime?
Did she have the redemption against this barbaric act?
Then there is this huge pharmaceutical company named Medici which manufactured medicines and tried to sell it at a much higher price than the generic medicine. In order to achieve this, they hire Superstar Neville.
Dinesh Thackray, the director who was in the process of doing the commercials with Neville for Medici gets killed, no one could figure out as to why and how was he killed. Was he pushed out of his office window or did he jump all by himself in which case, it wouldn't be a murder. On the other hand, his daughter Rathi hated his to the core. Was she the culprit?
She was seeing Superstar Valentine. She had to face a challenge from Kimmy White who was also obsessed with Valentine. Kimmy was none other than the spouse of Thackray.
Ranganathan, lawyer of Medici keeps warning Valentine of his action as it may lead to the termination of the contract. He too had his own secrets so as Dorab Silva, the cop who was investigating the death of Thackray.
The story revolves around Este - a prostitute, the superstar who eventually gets kidnapped(there was a dark secret behind his stardom and why was he kidnapped and by whom also forms he integral part of the story).
The crime committed in the past comes back to haunt those who were involved in it, directly or indirectly making them pay for their sins.
The book revolves around the glamorous movie industry before taking us to the cops, a drug manufacturing company among others. I felt the story had a slight shade of story line from couple of kollywood movies which went on to become a hit when they were released.
With regards to my experience in reading this novel, I must honestly admit that I found it a bit difficult to follow the story and the pace in few places. I can correspond this to the movies of Kamal Hassan since he releases movies for class and not for mass. In that sense, the book is a perfect read but otherwise, I would say it is not recommended for beginners or those who would want to seek the help of a dictionary.The flow of the story, as mentioned above, was good and would keep you guessing as to who the real culprit was.
This book would keep you captivated till the end.
The title yet again needs to understood in its own concept. It is "Hungry" and not "Angry". What would a beast which is in great hunger do? Hunt its prey.
We can also say that a beast which has been inflicted with a wound may also carry the same mindset.
This is what happens in the story. The story brings forth what a reel star goes through in his/her real life. Having a mix of lust, love, envy, relationships given in a equal mix, the story revolves around characters that would keep you guessing as to who the real culprit is, till the end.
The story begins with a gruesome rape of a woman.
Who was she?
Who committed this crime?
Did she have the redemption against this barbaric act?
Then there is this huge pharmaceutical company named Medici which manufactured medicines and tried to sell it at a much higher price than the generic medicine. In order to achieve this, they hire Superstar Neville.
Dinesh Thackray, the director who was in the process of doing the commercials with Neville for Medici gets killed, no one could figure out as to why and how was he killed. Was he pushed out of his office window or did he jump all by himself in which case, it wouldn't be a murder. On the other hand, his daughter Rathi hated his to the core. Was she the culprit?
She was seeing Superstar Valentine. She had to face a challenge from Kimmy White who was also obsessed with Valentine. Kimmy was none other than the spouse of Thackray.
Ranganathan, lawyer of Medici keeps warning Valentine of his action as it may lead to the termination of the contract. He too had his own secrets so as Dorab Silva, the cop who was investigating the death of Thackray.
The story revolves around Este - a prostitute, the superstar who eventually gets kidnapped(there was a dark secret behind his stardom and why was he kidnapped and by whom also forms he integral part of the story).
The crime committed in the past comes back to haunt those who were involved in it, directly or indirectly making them pay for their sins.
The book revolves around the glamorous movie industry before taking us to the cops, a drug manufacturing company among others. I felt the story had a slight shade of story line from couple of kollywood movies which went on to become a hit when they were released.
With regards to my experience in reading this novel, I must honestly admit that I found it a bit difficult to follow the story and the pace in few places. I can correspond this to the movies of Kamal Hassan since he releases movies for class and not for mass. In that sense, the book is a perfect read but otherwise, I would say it is not recommended for beginners or those who would want to seek the help of a dictionary.The flow of the story, as mentioned above, was good and would keep you guessing as to who the real culprit was.
This book would keep you captivated till the end.
August 10, 2018
I read 'Item Girl' by Richa Lakhera and was wowed!
Picked up Hungry Gods eagerly, more so after the gorgeous and mysterious cover beckoned.
Was sorely disappointed with it though.
A flimsy storyline. Half baked characters and a disappointed reader, me.
Richa is an observant and brilliant writer, looking forward to her next one already.
Picked up Hungry Gods eagerly, more so after the gorgeous and mysterious cover beckoned.
Was sorely disappointed with it though.
A flimsy storyline. Half baked characters and a disappointed reader, me.
Richa is an observant and brilliant writer, looking forward to her next one already.
October 8, 2018
dark, and engrossing read.
Full review to follow up pretty soon...
Full review to follow up pretty soon...
December 15, 2018
Hungry Gods by Richa Lakhera is a complete novel with escapes against time to ensure salvation and find answers. Evil is in each of us. To explore this terrifying idea, the novel follows the parallel lives from beginning to end, and has adrenaline, death, sex, and tragedy. In each page Richa sends rabid bites for each one of her readers.
So we find ourselves catapulted into the dark world made of perversion, masochism and submissions. As for the characters we find Este, of whom only the essential traits are marked, as if she is the client of passage. Then appear other characters such as the superstar Neville Valentine, Ranganathan, Dinesh Thackrey, of whom we know little or nothing, but who still go to close the circle of characters.
There is Inspector Dorab Silva, a harsh, cynical, surly and unfriendly man, loyal to his intuition and to his work. The underlying issues that are felt are related to the crimes which has been witnessed often over the years. In practice each character has a physical or emotional handicap. This leads to a sort of spiral from Dante's inferno where everything is even more corrupt, and more hopeless with a background of suspicion, hallucinations, sex and drugs.
The episodes attempt a conciliation and then trial of the lives of the characters, intertwining with their personal stories, the many skeletons in the closet, the relationship of each with violence, suffered, observed or inflicted, their honesty, pushing them - individually and in secret - in front of a mirror.
Each portrait is traced with cruel precision, but also with a good dose of piety and benevolence. Yet even if this tsunami is overcome there unleash blows and kickbacks and in the end everything is absorbed. The carnival of sex, violence, secrets, alcohol, drugs, and half confessions will resume with the same desperate cheer.
None of the characters deviates from the claustrophobic and bourgeois sexophobic morality. That model has been completely introjected, however blatantly transgressed. Nobody shows serious intentions to try to demolish it, and affirm a new one.
Some residual hope the author seems to give it to us in the last chapter, dedicated to the young Este, struggling with the construction of her field of values. Overcoming the betrayals and the idealization, she is looking for a personal ethic, a light and translucent elastic that can keep her standing without weighing her down.
Her views, dancing in a crescendo manages to excite her innocence. Her romanticism touches us. It can be said that Richa succeeds, scandalizing and amusing the reader, although the attack does not appear so sharp and fierce, slipping at the end, in a sort of melancholy and nostalgia.
The character of Este is the emblem of abandonment, of loneliness that hurts and that often accompanies situations of profound discomfort. The reader may feel annoyed before the human and social tragedy that hides within each character of this story.
The reader could also feel anger in front of the ferocious cruelty described in some pages. But, the reader cannot help but devour this story in a very short time, so raw and strong as it is stripped of any hypocrisy and good-will.
In the small ecosystem created by Richa Lakhera everything, in the end, seems to keep together and softly turn on the track of a shared moral, well-oiled by a generous dose of hypocrisy. There is past and present violence, betrayals, private vices, as alcohol, sex and drugs flow.
In every chapter, guilt and sexual excitement seem to be the main engines that move the characters. They appear to us almost like children left alone at home and at the same time excited to the paroxysm and frightened by their freedom. They are insecure, hedonists, and inconclusive.
The blatant violence under the eyes of all, seems to have the power to temporarily put that fragile but perfect balance at risk. As if to say that everything is permissible, provided that it is carried forward discreetly or, at least, cloaked in a glamorous patina.
A single gesture carried out under the sun, rough and shameless in intention, unjustifiable but also profoundly human, constitutes a threat to the status quo. It must be stigmatized, analyzed, passed to the scrutiny of the law, of the family, and of interpersonal relationships.
The most unnerving aspect of the matter is that immediately it is clear that it will not be possible to avoid taking a position. In addition, Richa gives a meticulous description of a universe that may appear to us all roses and flowers, but that actually has its demons hidden behind the corners.
The style is fluid, sometimes raw, and incisive. Each page is imbued with darkness, a shadow of malaise that crawls under the skin of the protagonists, almost as though squeezing them into a lethal embrace.
The story is intense and has pain in every word and has the tension and all the narrative tricks, but it is also a novel that has sweat on its pages. It has the skin of its dead and the rage of its characters. The book is destined to let the readers get excited thanks to its incandescent mixture of sex and crime, within a splendid frame.
The author's way of writing is original and interesting where every single detail fits perfectly with everything else. The book never bores, but on the contrary, it manages to capture the reader in a crescendo of curiosities chapter by chapter, page after page. It is absolutely a thriller to read for all lovers of the genre.
The author, thanks to her ability, manages to maintain a very high pace throughout the length of the book. The pages of the book is full of rhetorical figures, symbols, metaphors, anaphors, similes, propose complex moral dilemmas, rough arguments, ethical themes which impose profound reflections.
Beautiful are the many descriptions, strongly suggestive of the moods of the characters. The in-depth description to the characters who, for their psychological and existential complexity were analyzed and presented in the least details with greater slowness, in such a way as to render the hard and cruel story to the reader more digestible and sensible, as only life, in cases of extreme violence and abandonment, can be.
The risk which is worth running, however, even for the pure pleasure of a good read is to find myself closing a novel like the slap with a sigh and a bitter, inconclusive reflection. It was better when it was worse or, at most, it was the same.
So we find ourselves catapulted into the dark world made of perversion, masochism and submissions. As for the characters we find Este, of whom only the essential traits are marked, as if she is the client of passage. Then appear other characters such as the superstar Neville Valentine, Ranganathan, Dinesh Thackrey, of whom we know little or nothing, but who still go to close the circle of characters.
There is Inspector Dorab Silva, a harsh, cynical, surly and unfriendly man, loyal to his intuition and to his work. The underlying issues that are felt are related to the crimes which has been witnessed often over the years. In practice each character has a physical or emotional handicap. This leads to a sort of spiral from Dante's inferno where everything is even more corrupt, and more hopeless with a background of suspicion, hallucinations, sex and drugs.
The episodes attempt a conciliation and then trial of the lives of the characters, intertwining with their personal stories, the many skeletons in the closet, the relationship of each with violence, suffered, observed or inflicted, their honesty, pushing them - individually and in secret - in front of a mirror.
Each portrait is traced with cruel precision, but also with a good dose of piety and benevolence. Yet even if this tsunami is overcome there unleash blows and kickbacks and in the end everything is absorbed. The carnival of sex, violence, secrets, alcohol, drugs, and half confessions will resume with the same desperate cheer.
None of the characters deviates from the claustrophobic and bourgeois sexophobic morality. That model has been completely introjected, however blatantly transgressed. Nobody shows serious intentions to try to demolish it, and affirm a new one.
Some residual hope the author seems to give it to us in the last chapter, dedicated to the young Este, struggling with the construction of her field of values. Overcoming the betrayals and the idealization, she is looking for a personal ethic, a light and translucent elastic that can keep her standing without weighing her down.
Her views, dancing in a crescendo manages to excite her innocence. Her romanticism touches us. It can be said that Richa succeeds, scandalizing and amusing the reader, although the attack does not appear so sharp and fierce, slipping at the end, in a sort of melancholy and nostalgia.
The character of Este is the emblem of abandonment, of loneliness that hurts and that often accompanies situations of profound discomfort. The reader may feel annoyed before the human and social tragedy that hides within each character of this story.
The reader could also feel anger in front of the ferocious cruelty described in some pages. But, the reader cannot help but devour this story in a very short time, so raw and strong as it is stripped of any hypocrisy and good-will.
In the small ecosystem created by Richa Lakhera everything, in the end, seems to keep together and softly turn on the track of a shared moral, well-oiled by a generous dose of hypocrisy. There is past and present violence, betrayals, private vices, as alcohol, sex and drugs flow.
In every chapter, guilt and sexual excitement seem to be the main engines that move the characters. They appear to us almost like children left alone at home and at the same time excited to the paroxysm and frightened by their freedom. They are insecure, hedonists, and inconclusive.
The blatant violence under the eyes of all, seems to have the power to temporarily put that fragile but perfect balance at risk. As if to say that everything is permissible, provided that it is carried forward discreetly or, at least, cloaked in a glamorous patina.
A single gesture carried out under the sun, rough and shameless in intention, unjustifiable but also profoundly human, constitutes a threat to the status quo. It must be stigmatized, analyzed, passed to the scrutiny of the law, of the family, and of interpersonal relationships.
The most unnerving aspect of the matter is that immediately it is clear that it will not be possible to avoid taking a position. In addition, Richa gives a meticulous description of a universe that may appear to us all roses and flowers, but that actually has its demons hidden behind the corners.
The style is fluid, sometimes raw, and incisive. Each page is imbued with darkness, a shadow of malaise that crawls under the skin of the protagonists, almost as though squeezing them into a lethal embrace.
The story is intense and has pain in every word and has the tension and all the narrative tricks, but it is also a novel that has sweat on its pages. It has the skin of its dead and the rage of its characters. The book is destined to let the readers get excited thanks to its incandescent mixture of sex and crime, within a splendid frame.
The author's way of writing is original and interesting where every single detail fits perfectly with everything else. The book never bores, but on the contrary, it manages to capture the reader in a crescendo of curiosities chapter by chapter, page after page. It is absolutely a thriller to read for all lovers of the genre.
The author, thanks to her ability, manages to maintain a very high pace throughout the length of the book. The pages of the book is full of rhetorical figures, symbols, metaphors, anaphors, similes, propose complex moral dilemmas, rough arguments, ethical themes which impose profound reflections.
Beautiful are the many descriptions, strongly suggestive of the moods of the characters. The in-depth description to the characters who, for their psychological and existential complexity were analyzed and presented in the least details with greater slowness, in such a way as to render the hard and cruel story to the reader more digestible and sensible, as only life, in cases of extreme violence and abandonment, can be.
The risk which is worth running, however, even for the pure pleasure of a good read is to find myself closing a novel like the slap with a sigh and a bitter, inconclusive reflection. It was better when it was worse or, at most, it was the same.
November 4, 2018
Title: Hungry Gods
Author: Richa Lakhera
Length: 196 pages
Genre: Crime Fiction
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Cost: Rs. 295 (Rs. 168 on Amazon)
Summary:
The story starts with a person witnessing his mother’s rape and brutal murder. The story then moves to the current day affairs with a Pharmaceutical company, it’s officials, a Superstar who’s also a brand ambassador for the company, the related murders and the investigation. The story is a revenge saga.
My Take:
To start with I found the title quite weird. Hungry Gods! Are Gods Hungry or is it the people who feel they are Gods, hungry for power were my initial thoughts about the title. I was proved wrong on in the end of the book. The title is completely justified with the fact revealed (read the book to know). So is the tagline of the book justified. It’s the darkest book I’ve laid my hands on. The story is a medium paced.
The story starts with the gruesome rape and brutal murder which is defined in a manner that gave me goosebumps. There is also witness who happens to be the lady’s son. The identity of the son is concealed till the climax. The chapters pertaining to the witness are written in First person while the remaining are from a third persons perspective.
Coming to the characters, interestingly all the characters in the book have very strong personalities and have a very dark side to themselves. The way a person has a face for the world and another which is his own is aptly used in the book. The descriptions of the characters are very detailed. They have vivid nature’s and it perfectly suits their described personalities. Each chapter in the book belongs to a character and events around him / her.
The events have detailed descriptions throughout the story. The author most definitely has a knack for details. The best part about the book is the new characters which are introduced in the story, merge in the story beautifully as if they were always a part of the it. It’s unlike many authors where the new characters are merged in the story at a later stage of the novel. Inspite of introduction of new characters the pace of the story is maintained.
The revelations about the characters past and dark side are eye popping. Harsh realities of life are portrayed in an excellent manner. Reading the struggles of some one can’t help but feel lucky and privileged to be leading a safe, secure and comfortable life. The investigation part of the story is very intriguing. The medical part of the book is equally mind blowing. The story is doubtlessly a work of well research and patient writing.
One more aspect of the book which I adored are the quotes mentioned throughout the book. They teach you lot many things and are definitely going on my status shortly. My favorite quote from the book would be “When your days are good, you will be tempted to forget What happened. And get on with your life – and then it will happen again. So never forget. But the choice is yours… ” Another commendable thing about the story is it never becomes predictable at any point and the descriptive never gets repetitive.
Thrill component in the book is very less and hence I have mentioned the genre of the book as Crime Fiction. The descriptions of the book have used Similar which slowed down the pace of book at a lot of places. The epilogue of the book is simply awesome. It provides a food for thought for the celebrities endorsing brands for money without paying heed to the side-effects of the product being endorsed.
I loved this book and would definitely pick up other books penned by the author. My rating for this revenge story would be 4.5/5.
Author: Richa Lakhera
Length: 196 pages
Genre: Crime Fiction
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Cost: Rs. 295 (Rs. 168 on Amazon)
Summary:
The story starts with a person witnessing his mother’s rape and brutal murder. The story then moves to the current day affairs with a Pharmaceutical company, it’s officials, a Superstar who’s also a brand ambassador for the company, the related murders and the investigation. The story is a revenge saga.
My Take:
To start with I found the title quite weird. Hungry Gods! Are Gods Hungry or is it the people who feel they are Gods, hungry for power were my initial thoughts about the title. I was proved wrong on in the end of the book. The title is completely justified with the fact revealed (read the book to know). So is the tagline of the book justified. It’s the darkest book I’ve laid my hands on. The story is a medium paced.
The story starts with the gruesome rape and brutal murder which is defined in a manner that gave me goosebumps. There is also witness who happens to be the lady’s son. The identity of the son is concealed till the climax. The chapters pertaining to the witness are written in First person while the remaining are from a third persons perspective.
Coming to the characters, interestingly all the characters in the book have very strong personalities and have a very dark side to themselves. The way a person has a face for the world and another which is his own is aptly used in the book. The descriptions of the characters are very detailed. They have vivid nature’s and it perfectly suits their described personalities. Each chapter in the book belongs to a character and events around him / her.
The events have detailed descriptions throughout the story. The author most definitely has a knack for details. The best part about the book is the new characters which are introduced in the story, merge in the story beautifully as if they were always a part of the it. It’s unlike many authors where the new characters are merged in the story at a later stage of the novel. Inspite of introduction of new characters the pace of the story is maintained.
The revelations about the characters past and dark side are eye popping. Harsh realities of life are portrayed in an excellent manner. Reading the struggles of some one can’t help but feel lucky and privileged to be leading a safe, secure and comfortable life. The investigation part of the story is very intriguing. The medical part of the book is equally mind blowing. The story is doubtlessly a work of well research and patient writing.
One more aspect of the book which I adored are the quotes mentioned throughout the book. They teach you lot many things and are definitely going on my status shortly. My favorite quote from the book would be “When your days are good, you will be tempted to forget What happened. And get on with your life – and then it will happen again. So never forget. But the choice is yours… ” Another commendable thing about the story is it never becomes predictable at any point and the descriptive never gets repetitive.
Thrill component in the book is very less and hence I have mentioned the genre of the book as Crime Fiction. The descriptions of the book have used Similar which slowed down the pace of book at a lot of places. The epilogue of the book is simply awesome. It provides a food for thought for the celebrities endorsing brands for money without paying heed to the side-effects of the product being endorsed.
I loved this book and would definitely pick up other books penned by the author. My rating for this revenge story would be 4.5/5.
July 29, 2018
Hungry Gods by Richa Lakhera is not a book but a thrilling ride into the world of glamour placed above the dark worlds of crime and corporate.
The current timeline begins with the murder of Dinesh Thackray, an act of revenge. Slowly, the author reveals more and more characters with a POV of their own. (Didn’t that sort of POV remind me of GOT? Only one was set in a fictious world full of fantasy elements, while other was set in a more realistic world).
While Dorab Silva, police investigator of Dinesh’s murder, goes about solving the mystery of Dinesh’s death, we get a peek into the lives of Neville Valentine (a rich, handsome, famous superstar), Ranganathan (a lawyer working for Medici), Rathi Thackray (Dinesh’s daughter, lover of Valentine), Kimmy White (Wife of Dinesh, ex-lover of Valentine), Este (a whore from a crime and poverty-stricken Dune trying to find a way out of the place for the sake her daughter) and others. Well, though the POVs are written in third-person, at times it switches to first person and only at the end of the book we get to understand why (my pointing this out is a spoiler in itself so I’m not going to talk about it anymore).
So, about the book’s storyline. Well, it’s an intriguing plot. A murder mystery, yes, but there is more to it. Dinesh’s murder was only the first of a long, haunting, mind-twisting, heart-wrenching series of events. The lives of these people entangled with the life of Dinesh is presented to us in a manner where we feel all kinds of emotion at the same time; disgust, thrill, sympathy, empathy, hatred, more hatred, and no goddamn admiration, thanks to Richa for making each character so dark, we totally love of for the fuck-ups they are. Anyhow the base of entire storyline depends on Medici, a pharmaceutical company that is selling lies to people at a very high cost while breaking all sorts of laws. If that’s not enough it has also setup its own studio to make a TV series and a movie—Healers—whose main purpose is to promote its own Heal drugs, but is nothing more than an amalgamation of violence, crime, sex and rape.
The book is a piece of fiction, but is it really much different from the real world? Although the overall story is a cliché and has been used and reused multiple times, a vigilante on a crusade to avenge rape and murder of a family member, it’s the way Richa has written it which makes it interesting. We also get a glimpse of a darker world of sadomasochistic sexual afflictions, drug abuse, incest and paedophilia plaguing people from each part of society ranging from the poor souls of Dune to the rich and famous people of the city. I must say how the author has represented the world in her book is a very bold move, as it intrudes into those domains of the society which no one is ready to talk about in the open, as if it will burn their tongue to speak about these issues, no matter how they might secretly enjoy it. Risky experiment but with an interesting piece in the end.
Read the full review here: http://bookswriters.org/book-reviews/...
The current timeline begins with the murder of Dinesh Thackray, an act of revenge. Slowly, the author reveals more and more characters with a POV of their own. (Didn’t that sort of POV remind me of GOT? Only one was set in a fictious world full of fantasy elements, while other was set in a more realistic world).
While Dorab Silva, police investigator of Dinesh’s murder, goes about solving the mystery of Dinesh’s death, we get a peek into the lives of Neville Valentine (a rich, handsome, famous superstar), Ranganathan (a lawyer working for Medici), Rathi Thackray (Dinesh’s daughter, lover of Valentine), Kimmy White (Wife of Dinesh, ex-lover of Valentine), Este (a whore from a crime and poverty-stricken Dune trying to find a way out of the place for the sake her daughter) and others. Well, though the POVs are written in third-person, at times it switches to first person and only at the end of the book we get to understand why (my pointing this out is a spoiler in itself so I’m not going to talk about it anymore).
So, about the book’s storyline. Well, it’s an intriguing plot. A murder mystery, yes, but there is more to it. Dinesh’s murder was only the first of a long, haunting, mind-twisting, heart-wrenching series of events. The lives of these people entangled with the life of Dinesh is presented to us in a manner where we feel all kinds of emotion at the same time; disgust, thrill, sympathy, empathy, hatred, more hatred, and no goddamn admiration, thanks to Richa for making each character so dark, we totally love of for the fuck-ups they are. Anyhow the base of entire storyline depends on Medici, a pharmaceutical company that is selling lies to people at a very high cost while breaking all sorts of laws. If that’s not enough it has also setup its own studio to make a TV series and a movie—Healers—whose main purpose is to promote its own Heal drugs, but is nothing more than an amalgamation of violence, crime, sex and rape.
The book is a piece of fiction, but is it really much different from the real world? Although the overall story is a cliché and has been used and reused multiple times, a vigilante on a crusade to avenge rape and murder of a family member, it’s the way Richa has written it which makes it interesting. We also get a glimpse of a darker world of sadomasochistic sexual afflictions, drug abuse, incest and paedophilia plaguing people from each part of society ranging from the poor souls of Dune to the rich and famous people of the city. I must say how the author has represented the world in her book is a very bold move, as it intrudes into those domains of the society which no one is ready to talk about in the open, as if it will burn their tongue to speak about these issues, no matter how they might secretly enjoy it. Risky experiment but with an interesting piece in the end.
Read the full review here: http://bookswriters.org/book-reviews/...
August 1, 2018
Drugs proves to a great boon when used is a prescribed amount but when abused it cause throes of changes which scars a body and mind for eternity.
Hungry Gods is an intense, dark, edgy crime thriller which explores the extremities of human nature when exposed to different temptations.
The narration starts with a boy witnessing the gruesome rape and murder of his mother by the powerful few.The story revolves around Medici, a pharmaceutical company fraudulently manufacturing banned drugs by the name healers and Individuals associated with it.Valentine is a superstar brand ambassador, who would promote anything for a price, Dinesh Thackery, a legendary director facing writer’s block, the queer Ranganathan ,Head of Legal affairs, a power crazy man, Kimmy White ex-wife of director want to shine bright in the glamour world, Este a young girl living in the murky streets of Dune with some dark secrets which can change everyone’s life and few others are the characters of the story.
The author surprised everyone with her unconventional writing style, well crafted multilayered characters and blind end twist and turns.With the progression of narration, the peels slowly comes off revealing a different individual.Each character has its own backstory. She breathed life into the story through her detailed description.The unique names of places and establishments like Neverland, Roobi Bloo, the Dune,Better Deal Pharmacy attracted my attention like a cryptic message encoded in them.The narrator used both first and third person point of view. The story-line moves to and fro between two different time-frames. A depressing streak of sadism runs through most of the story. A reader finds oneself vaguely guessing the killer whole time taking clues from the subtle hints the narrator drops all over the narration.
The writer exposed the dark, sadistic, hollow face of human with a dead moral compass who exploits the weak for fulfillment of their hunger.She addressed sensitive issues like child abuse,drug abuse, mental health, incest and sexual violence through the book which often remain hidden behind thick veils.
Living life on the edge under the trance of different drugs like money,power,glamour and love often silences the conscience, blurs the thin moral line that differentiates and provokes the mind to commit acts which are regretted throughout the life.With a watertight story-line the writer is able to maintain the suspense till the end.The climax is quite different and justified in its own way.The cover is beautiful and closely relates to the story and title.
Hungry Gods is an intense, dark, edgy crime thriller which explores the extremities of human nature when exposed to different temptations.
The narration starts with a boy witnessing the gruesome rape and murder of his mother by the powerful few.The story revolves around Medici, a pharmaceutical company fraudulently manufacturing banned drugs by the name healers and Individuals associated with it.Valentine is a superstar brand ambassador, who would promote anything for a price, Dinesh Thackery, a legendary director facing writer’s block, the queer Ranganathan ,Head of Legal affairs, a power crazy man, Kimmy White ex-wife of director want to shine bright in the glamour world, Este a young girl living in the murky streets of Dune with some dark secrets which can change everyone’s life and few others are the characters of the story.
The author surprised everyone with her unconventional writing style, well crafted multilayered characters and blind end twist and turns.With the progression of narration, the peels slowly comes off revealing a different individual.Each character has its own backstory. She breathed life into the story through her detailed description.The unique names of places and establishments like Neverland, Roobi Bloo, the Dune,Better Deal Pharmacy attracted my attention like a cryptic message encoded in them.The narrator used both first and third person point of view. The story-line moves to and fro between two different time-frames. A depressing streak of sadism runs through most of the story. A reader finds oneself vaguely guessing the killer whole time taking clues from the subtle hints the narrator drops all over the narration.
The writer exposed the dark, sadistic, hollow face of human with a dead moral compass who exploits the weak for fulfillment of their hunger.She addressed sensitive issues like child abuse,drug abuse, mental health, incest and sexual violence through the book which often remain hidden behind thick veils.
Living life on the edge under the trance of different drugs like money,power,glamour and love often silences the conscience, blurs the thin moral line that differentiates and provokes the mind to commit acts which are regretted throughout the life.With a watertight story-line the writer is able to maintain the suspense till the end.The climax is quite different and justified in its own way.The cover is beautiful and closely relates to the story and title.
September 9, 2018
Crime thriller is one of my favourite genres and it’s hard to wait to read one when the cover of the book is powerful and appealing like this one.
Initially, the cover of the book gave me an impression of superhuman touch in the storyline or an interconnection with some natural adversity. But the blurb of the book totally proved me wrong and is beyond what I initially thought it would be.
Hungry Gods is a crime fiction packed up with extreme mention of drugs, sex, prostitution, dreadful murder scenes, illicit use of power and wealth. It’s a bold narrative of darkness that exists in a powerful world of glamour and wealth.
The book is a rare Indian crime thriller which narrates child abuse like never before, intense sexual desires of a superstar (though I recalled a similarity with Fifty Shades of Grey), account of prostitute Este’s life where her father and father of her daughter awfully was the same man and felonious activities of pharmaceutical company making drugs.
The author has written an extraordinary crime thriller which is very much odd in the context of Indian literature. And top of that her exceptional writing style which has already made me in awe of her. The choice of words and her narrative style is no doubt the strength of the book. And yes, I did reach out for my dictionary quite a few times for meanings and clarifications.
Each character will leave an imprint in the mind thus showing the author’s notable characterization skills. It was effortless to visualize the inhumanity and misery of their nature.
Well, in my view half of the work has been done by the book cover which is expressive and demonstrative with a quirky title.
What wasn’t Good
The plot jumps from one point of view to another without giving a hint of where the story leads to and thus it was hard for me to track the continuity of the chapters until I reach the end. It was only in later chapters that the real thrill started to make sense.
Also, the book concluded with a few unanswered questions and an unanticipated climax.
I would surely recommend this book to the ones who are committed fans of crime fiction and doesn’t mind reading the dark and bold narrative.
Initially, the cover of the book gave me an impression of superhuman touch in the storyline or an interconnection with some natural adversity. But the blurb of the book totally proved me wrong and is beyond what I initially thought it would be.
Hungry Gods is a crime fiction packed up with extreme mention of drugs, sex, prostitution, dreadful murder scenes, illicit use of power and wealth. It’s a bold narrative of darkness that exists in a powerful world of glamour and wealth.
The book is a rare Indian crime thriller which narrates child abuse like never before, intense sexual desires of a superstar (though I recalled a similarity with Fifty Shades of Grey), account of prostitute Este’s life where her father and father of her daughter awfully was the same man and felonious activities of pharmaceutical company making drugs.
The author has written an extraordinary crime thriller which is very much odd in the context of Indian literature. And top of that her exceptional writing style which has already made me in awe of her. The choice of words and her narrative style is no doubt the strength of the book. And yes, I did reach out for my dictionary quite a few times for meanings and clarifications.
Each character will leave an imprint in the mind thus showing the author’s notable characterization skills. It was effortless to visualize the inhumanity and misery of their nature.
Well, in my view half of the work has been done by the book cover which is expressive and demonstrative with a quirky title.
What wasn’t Good
The plot jumps from one point of view to another without giving a hint of where the story leads to and thus it was hard for me to track the continuity of the chapters until I reach the end. It was only in later chapters that the real thrill started to make sense.
Also, the book concluded with a few unanswered questions and an unanticipated climax.
I would surely recommend this book to the ones who are committed fans of crime fiction and doesn’t mind reading the dark and bold narrative.
October 7, 2018
The tagline of the book aptly summarises the content "Drugs, sex cults, a horrific crime. An unthinkable revenge." Most gripping crime thriller that I have read in 2018. The plot is fantastic, dark, disturbing and bold. The writing style and narrations are mind-blowing, in fact the best part of the book I felt was narrations.
The book deals with topics like rape, sexual abuse, trafficking, drugs, illegal activities, celebrity endorsing, etc. The story of the book tries to picture the dark side of the film industry and corporate world which is ruled by power.
The cover and the title of the book are so thoughtful and amazing, couldn't have asked for better.
Hungry gods is a story of revenge. With many subplots running within, this book for me hooked from the very first page. .
.
BLURB OF THE BOOK:
Beaten and brutally raped, her body is never found. However, the killers make one mistake. They leave a witness, a witness who has nothing to live for except revenge. And when he crosses the boundaries of time to make the guilty pay, a whole lot of dark characters come to light. There is Valentine, the superstar brand ambassador who sells anything for a price; there is Medici, a pharmaceutical company fraudulently manufacturing banned drugs; there is the perverted and sinister minded Dr Ranga and there is Este, the prostitute whose dark secret will blow up a daughter’s sanity. So, is there another murder waiting to happen? Will Police Inspector Dorab Silva be able to connect the clues to prevent another crime? Will these gods of greed be exposed? And yes, you will be surprised by who you will find there, finally. Deeply unsettling, Hungry Gods takes a hard look at greed for wealth and power.
.
.
.
.
A definite page turner, I recommend it to all the lovers of crime fiction. 📚📚
The book deals with topics like rape, sexual abuse, trafficking, drugs, illegal activities, celebrity endorsing, etc. The story of the book tries to picture the dark side of the film industry and corporate world which is ruled by power.
The cover and the title of the book are so thoughtful and amazing, couldn't have asked for better.
Hungry gods is a story of revenge. With many subplots running within, this book for me hooked from the very first page. .
.
BLURB OF THE BOOK:
Beaten and brutally raped, her body is never found. However, the killers make one mistake. They leave a witness, a witness who has nothing to live for except revenge. And when he crosses the boundaries of time to make the guilty pay, a whole lot of dark characters come to light. There is Valentine, the superstar brand ambassador who sells anything for a price; there is Medici, a pharmaceutical company fraudulently manufacturing banned drugs; there is the perverted and sinister minded Dr Ranga and there is Este, the prostitute whose dark secret will blow up a daughter’s sanity. So, is there another murder waiting to happen? Will Police Inspector Dorab Silva be able to connect the clues to prevent another crime? Will these gods of greed be exposed? And yes, you will be surprised by who you will find there, finally. Deeply unsettling, Hungry Gods takes a hard look at greed for wealth and power.
.
.
.
.
A definite page turner, I recommend it to all the lovers of crime fiction. 📚📚
August 3, 2018
“Hungry Gods”!!! A tale and saga of the craves and desires of the top notches of the society for Power, Money, Lust and Dominance.
The colourful, phenomenal eye catchy cover page of the book intrigued me at once to pick up and relish it, and as I started reading this book it made me really understand the high and remarkable potential of the author. Commendable story, beautifully crafted characters and an extravagant command on the language are really laudable and Hats-off to Richa the way she has written this book.
The details and depth in the story shows-off the research and efforts of the author to hand craft such a marvellous readable material.
Story line is woven very well around a huge pharmaceutical company named Medici and people connected with the company. A prostitute and her horrifying past, A superstar star Neville valentine and his Fetish & sadist desires, A famous film director Dinesh Thackrey and his pain to maintain his name & fane, a legal head working for the medici & co. and many more people who gets involved somehow or the other in a series of crimes like rape, murder, extreme drugs and sadism and the indefinite twist and turns are magnetic to pull you to the book from the starting till the end of the story.
The title “Hungry Gods” signifies the lure and desires of the upper class or top class of the society and how they use and throw all the small people who come across them.
We all have a sleeping demon inside us and thats what authors has out-shown in the book. A definite read for thriller lovers and readers looking for a passionate writing. Must add Its a Material for the Class and Not the Mass….
The colourful, phenomenal eye catchy cover page of the book intrigued me at once to pick up and relish it, and as I started reading this book it made me really understand the high and remarkable potential of the author. Commendable story, beautifully crafted characters and an extravagant command on the language are really laudable and Hats-off to Richa the way she has written this book.
The details and depth in the story shows-off the research and efforts of the author to hand craft such a marvellous readable material.
Story line is woven very well around a huge pharmaceutical company named Medici and people connected with the company. A prostitute and her horrifying past, A superstar star Neville valentine and his Fetish & sadist desires, A famous film director Dinesh Thackrey and his pain to maintain his name & fane, a legal head working for the medici & co. and many more people who gets involved somehow or the other in a series of crimes like rape, murder, extreme drugs and sadism and the indefinite twist and turns are magnetic to pull you to the book from the starting till the end of the story.
The title “Hungry Gods” signifies the lure and desires of the upper class or top class of the society and how they use and throw all the small people who come across them.
We all have a sleeping demon inside us and thats what authors has out-shown in the book. A definite read for thriller lovers and readers looking for a passionate writing. Must add Its a Material for the Class and Not the Mass….
October 9, 2018
A gruesome murder, a crude affair, a mysterious woman, an eccentric investigator- All in all the word that could better represent the book would be eerily bizarre. The term could be counted as both pros and cons. The overall appeal of the book depends on the reading preference of the reader.
The plot takes off with the macabre death of a woman of which her kid is a witness. Further the book introduces the readers to different characters- all crazy and freak due to their idiosyncrasies. The characters are the highlight of the book. The craft of the characters alone stands for the major part of the plot. The real plot takes off when the police inspector Dorab Silva takes charge of the murder of the film director Thackaray. The investigation throws out a can of worms that were long hidden. Further the readers get to witness an unprecedented tale of eeriness.
The book is perfectly crafted for those who love books like Time to Kill by john Grisham. The book could not be counted as one similar to this but the gruesome crimes reminds the readers of the book. The crudeness of the reality depicted in the book is cringe-worthy but the news that we witness of late is an alibi to the fact the there could be relatable incidents similar to the plot.
On a personal note, I am not much a fan of such gruesome crimes and hence it was difficult for me to hook myself into finishing the book.
Verdict
Gruesome and crude reality
The plot takes off with the macabre death of a woman of which her kid is a witness. Further the book introduces the readers to different characters- all crazy and freak due to their idiosyncrasies. The characters are the highlight of the book. The craft of the characters alone stands for the major part of the plot. The real plot takes off when the police inspector Dorab Silva takes charge of the murder of the film director Thackaray. The investigation throws out a can of worms that were long hidden. Further the readers get to witness an unprecedented tale of eeriness.
The book is perfectly crafted for those who love books like Time to Kill by john Grisham. The book could not be counted as one similar to this but the gruesome crimes reminds the readers of the book. The crudeness of the reality depicted in the book is cringe-worthy but the news that we witness of late is an alibi to the fact the there could be relatable incidents similar to the plot.
On a personal note, I am not much a fan of such gruesome crimes and hence it was difficult for me to hook myself into finishing the book.
Verdict
Gruesome and crude reality
November 3, 2018
Just the cover picture will steal your peaceful nights for days and then the plot; the unnerving truth will haunt you forever. We have seen a lot of movies coming up in recent times which may relate somewhere with the story but the book is just exceptional.
When I started the book, it has been difficult for me to get into the tale just like the rest. I've felt like the plot is something thick and need to know more than fragments to actually get to the deep. This has been little disappointing for me but then this is the thing that makes the book standout. The truth behind the crimes will get revealed one by one, gradually, and later I have found myself being tied up to the book. It is one awesome thing a book can give you.
This book may not be of everyone’s choice and that too at the beginning. But just hold on to it. It has some unsettling truth to be told. The way the crime takes place is research filled. I am so much satisfied after turning the last page. Though things as said in the story still continue, you will get an indescribable comforting feel that will sooth and feed your hunger at the end.
When I started the book, it has been difficult for me to get into the tale just like the rest. I've felt like the plot is something thick and need to know more than fragments to actually get to the deep. This has been little disappointing for me but then this is the thing that makes the book standout. The truth behind the crimes will get revealed one by one, gradually, and later I have found myself being tied up to the book. It is one awesome thing a book can give you.
This book may not be of everyone’s choice and that too at the beginning. But just hold on to it. It has some unsettling truth to be told. The way the crime takes place is research filled. I am so much satisfied after turning the last page. Though things as said in the story still continue, you will get an indescribable comforting feel that will sooth and feed your hunger at the end.
January 2, 2019
The story of Hungry Gods introduces us to intensity of crime of drugs, rape and murder.
The novel starts with a very bold and to the point description of cruelty that is happening in society, a rape and murder takes place and one person witnesses it all and flies away to save himself and comes back for revenge, as and when the story progresses it also describes about various characters and their roles in crimes.
The cover is also attractive and catches the eyesight in a moment, setting up the story takes a bit of time but the prologue is amazing, the novel makes us realise our increasingly hunger for money and power.
I was able to feel each and every word and cruelty described in those words which victim faced, narration is so fluent and well paced that I finished it and wanted to read more of it at the end.
The climax is amazing with a proper touch of thriller in it, with strong characters and terrific language, hungry gods has it all that a good novel possess. A thriller which provides goosebumps and keeps you on the edge of the seat throughout.
The novel starts with a very bold and to the point description of cruelty that is happening in society, a rape and murder takes place and one person witnesses it all and flies away to save himself and comes back for revenge, as and when the story progresses it also describes about various characters and their roles in crimes.
The cover is also attractive and catches the eyesight in a moment, setting up the story takes a bit of time but the prologue is amazing, the novel makes us realise our increasingly hunger for money and power.
I was able to feel each and every word and cruelty described in those words which victim faced, narration is so fluent and well paced that I finished it and wanted to read more of it at the end.
The climax is amazing with a proper touch of thriller in it, with strong characters and terrific language, hungry gods has it all that a good novel possess. A thriller which provides goosebumps and keeps you on the edge of the seat throughout.
September 4, 2018
When was the last time you read something weird and gory?
I did it some 6 months back and then this book caught my eye. Yes the title was intriguing enough. “Hungry Gods” by Richa Lakhera is published by Rupa Publications.
So from the start I would like to warn you, this book isn’t for those who can’t handle violence especially in the sexually weird ways.
Family. Friends. Power. Position. Society. What lies beneath all these? Huge secrets that one can’t fathom and yet are real and explosive. The novel is gripping and keeps one hungry for what happens next – till the end.
The suspense, the mystery and the thrill – all of it is a great combination in this book. To give you an account of what the novel contains, it would rob it of its suspense. So will be putting down the blurb for your satisfaction. However, I would say, I had a refreshing read after a long time!
(A word of caution though: Recommended for readers above 18 years)
I did it some 6 months back and then this book caught my eye. Yes the title was intriguing enough. “Hungry Gods” by Richa Lakhera is published by Rupa Publications.
So from the start I would like to warn you, this book isn’t for those who can’t handle violence especially in the sexually weird ways.
Family. Friends. Power. Position. Society. What lies beneath all these? Huge secrets that one can’t fathom and yet are real and explosive. The novel is gripping and keeps one hungry for what happens next – till the end.
The suspense, the mystery and the thrill – all of it is a great combination in this book. To give you an account of what the novel contains, it would rob it of its suspense. So will be putting down the blurb for your satisfaction. However, I would say, I had a refreshing read after a long time!
(A word of caution though: Recommended for readers above 18 years)
October 10, 2018
The book talks about Drugs, Sexual abuse, a horrific crime, an unthinkable revenge.
The plot is filled with crimes,child abuses, book also deals with the dark side of entertainment industries.
In starting of book I thought that this book may contain some mythological factor because of its front cover, but it's not .
The one thing that attract readers to buy this book is it's cover it's really amazing, isn't it guys ?
Narration is fast paced and language is contemporary.
This book is bit confusing in some times because in the plot lots of thing happening in it,and also book is filled with lots of character wich is obvious you can confuse it sometimes.
I appreciate the author for her bold attempt ro write on those topics which most of the author avoid to writing on it !
book reflects the dark side of the entertainment industry which is rare.
The ending of the story is satisfactory and the readers won't be disappointed at end !
Overall the book is good, and recommission all those who like thriller, must give it a try .
Ratings - 3/5
The plot is filled with crimes,child abuses, book also deals with the dark side of entertainment industries.
In starting of book I thought that this book may contain some mythological factor because of its front cover, but it's not .
The one thing that attract readers to buy this book is it's cover it's really amazing, isn't it guys ?
Narration is fast paced and language is contemporary.
This book is bit confusing in some times because in the plot lots of thing happening in it,and also book is filled with lots of character wich is obvious you can confuse it sometimes.
I appreciate the author for her bold attempt ro write on those topics which most of the author avoid to writing on it !
book reflects the dark side of the entertainment industry which is rare.
The ending of the story is satisfactory and the readers won't be disappointed at end !
Overall the book is good, and recommission all those who like thriller, must give it a try .
Ratings - 3/5
October 17, 2024
The book overpromises and then underdelivers.
What starts with a bang with rampant abuse of all alive, devolves into a pedantic story which meanders pointlessly without going forward.
There are too many POVs and the juggling between them is confusing and hard to grasp.
The twist is created and delivered masterfully, however.
The ambiguity of the setting of the tale is also something else that I liked. The cover is striking.
Cannot help but feeling that this could've been an amazing book if only it was a little longer and the characters would've been fleshed out a little bit more. I could've actually liked some of them.
What starts with a bang with rampant abuse of all alive, devolves into a pedantic story which meanders pointlessly without going forward.
There are too many POVs and the juggling between them is confusing and hard to grasp.
The twist is created and delivered masterfully, however.
The ambiguity of the setting of the tale is also something else that I liked. The cover is striking.
Cannot help but feeling that this could've been an amazing book if only it was a little longer and the characters would've been fleshed out a little bit more. I could've actually liked some of them.
November 16, 2018
I am happy that I have started investing in Indian authors and books like Hungry Gods restores my faith. I a country where even the word Intercourse is also a taboo, I had a book in my hand that talked about sex, corruption, crime, rapes, drugs and every dark issue that we shy away from.
The catch for me in the book, however, was the fact that the chapters have been kept short and to the point, this really gives the reader an easy access through the story and easy to catch up. After a long time, I came across the kind of old-school English that we generally find in vintage classics, sleek and smooth.
The brief of the story is very much like the description, and the author has kept the elements grey and well researched. The underlying plot is like that of a 90s Bollywood movie, but the story narrated by the author is really thrilling. I actually am going to give the author credit for the choice of the subject and give a chance to other creations by her.
The catch for me in the book, however, was the fact that the chapters have been kept short and to the point, this really gives the reader an easy access through the story and easy to catch up. After a long time, I came across the kind of old-school English that we generally find in vintage classics, sleek and smooth.
The brief of the story is very much like the description, and the author has kept the elements grey and well researched. The underlying plot is like that of a 90s Bollywood movie, but the story narrated by the author is really thrilling. I actually am going to give the author credit for the choice of the subject and give a chance to other creations by her.
October 10, 2025
The book overpromises and then underdelivers.
What starts with a bang with rampant abuse of all alive, devolves into a pedantic story which meanders pointlessly without going forward.
There are too many POVs and the juggling between them is confusing and hard to grasp.
The twist is created and delivered masterfully, however.
The ambiguity of the setting of the tale is also something else that I liked. The cover is striking.
Cannot help but feeling that this could've been an amazing book if only it was a little longer and the characters would've been fleshed out a little bit more. I could've actually liked some of them.
What starts with a bang with rampant abuse of all alive, devolves into a pedantic story which meanders pointlessly without going forward.
There are too many POVs and the juggling between them is confusing and hard to grasp.
The twist is created and delivered masterfully, however.
The ambiguity of the setting of the tale is also something else that I liked. The cover is striking.
Cannot help but feeling that this could've been an amazing book if only it was a little longer and the characters would've been fleshed out a little bit more. I could've actually liked some of them.
July 30, 2018
By reading the title of the book and seeing the dangerous cover page, I had never expected that I would pick the book - “Hungry Gods” up to read it and that too on a weekend on a lighter note. The authoress, Richa Lakhera, has written this book in a thriller genre based on the following elements which are also the part of book’s tagline- Drugs, Sex Cults, A horrific crime and an unthinkable revenge. The book is based on the same concept of revenge of a rape but the way it has been handled with the authoress is what makes the book different than all the books written on the cliche topic.
The language used by the authoress is quite like Western writers which might make it difficult for Indian authors’ fans to read and comprehend the sentences. The book is written in first voice and third voice periodically which makes the narration of the book interesting for the readers. The characters are very well drafted and the way each one of them is dark in their very own way gives the story a very great premise. Right from the cops to the actor to the people involved with the drug company to the people associated with the actor, everyone’s character is very well written and the way story takes their character forward is another magical X-factor of this book.
I just felt that the timeline of the story becomes very confusing due to each chapter talking from point of view of a certain character most of the times. The pre-climax and the climax of the book is nicely closed which gives the book a perfect ending. Overall, this book is an average thriller written in a very good language and in a very different manner irrespective of having a very regular plot. I give this book 3.25* out of 5.
Thanks.
ABHILASH RUHELA!!!
The language used by the authoress is quite like Western writers which might make it difficult for Indian authors’ fans to read and comprehend the sentences. The book is written in first voice and third voice periodically which makes the narration of the book interesting for the readers. The characters are very well drafted and the way each one of them is dark in their very own way gives the story a very great premise. Right from the cops to the actor to the people involved with the drug company to the people associated with the actor, everyone’s character is very well written and the way story takes their character forward is another magical X-factor of this book.
I just felt that the timeline of the story becomes very confusing due to each chapter talking from point of view of a certain character most of the times. The pre-climax and the climax of the book is nicely closed which gives the book a perfect ending. Overall, this book is an average thriller written in a very good language and in a very different manner irrespective of having a very regular plot. I give this book 3.25* out of 5.
Thanks.
ABHILASH RUHELA!!!
September 21, 2018
My reading pile has recently been full of mystery and thrillers. All of them were enigmatic and stupefying in their own ways. But The Hungry Gods topped the charts by being the darkest of all. It left me wordless and cringing each time something unexpected happened. Above everything, it brought me closer to something truly fantasizing – the dark world of hidden truth.
The book kickstarts with a woman who is beaten and raped brutally. You know why? Because she held the secrets which were not to be revealed. She was audacious in a way a woman is not expected to me. And her very stubbornness cost her life and dignity. This incident took me back to the stories I read before – of women treated as objects and toyed with when they attempt to raise their voice, when they desire to stand for what they find true and right. It then moves to give more details in order to build the backdrop. As soon as the ground is set, the story hops to an entirely different setting. There’s this superstar Valentine who is obsessed with himself. He is keen on experimenting with various ways to derive orgasmic pleasure. He believes in giving pain, an utterly painful pain, to fulfill the air of frustration he is breathing. Dr. Ranga is a pervert who exploits the young boys to satisfy himself. There is Dinesh Thackray whose sudden death brings restless days and nights to Inspector Silva. There’s Rathi Thackray who vents his anger for his father, Dinesh, by indulging in dirty sex with Valentine. A long distance away, there’s Hiri and Etsie who are living in the squalid lanes, amidst the filth of everything considered condemnable by the ‘sophisticated’ society.
Revenge runs through the book. It is the only emotion that twists and turns the characters meddling with their lives in the goriest manner bringing the readers breath to an abrupt halt. I couldn’t agree more that this is one of those books where sex is not served as soft porn, just to garnish the content. Rather, it is an intrinsic and inevitable part of the narrative described subtly and emphatically. The details of the incidents, were indeed, deeply unsettling. And not to forget, the grim reality behind the drugs and addiction are dealt with in a fantastic manner. The truth of Medici reveals the ugly truth pervading our society.
The cover is heavily terrifying. Well, it completely complements the story that has everything ghastly to offer you. The title is again chosen well to add an extra ounce of fear to the book. And the themes discussed are sex, lust, revenge, drug, crime, and objectification of women. The hard take on the hush topics renders this book a beautiful effect, a terribly beautiful one. The heart aches when Etsie speaks indifferently about the pain impregnating her life, when Rathi confronts a bitter truth, when a woman is killed for taking a stand.
I enjoyed the book thoroughly for its narration and an entirely different concept – a hard to swallow one. You feed on this book and the venom would grip you so hard that it would actually be difficult to free yourself from it. For something to blow your mind, Read this amazingly and ruthlessly woven book!
The book kickstarts with a woman who is beaten and raped brutally. You know why? Because she held the secrets which were not to be revealed. She was audacious in a way a woman is not expected to me. And her very stubbornness cost her life and dignity. This incident took me back to the stories I read before – of women treated as objects and toyed with when they attempt to raise their voice, when they desire to stand for what they find true and right. It then moves to give more details in order to build the backdrop. As soon as the ground is set, the story hops to an entirely different setting. There’s this superstar Valentine who is obsessed with himself. He is keen on experimenting with various ways to derive orgasmic pleasure. He believes in giving pain, an utterly painful pain, to fulfill the air of frustration he is breathing. Dr. Ranga is a pervert who exploits the young boys to satisfy himself. There is Dinesh Thackray whose sudden death brings restless days and nights to Inspector Silva. There’s Rathi Thackray who vents his anger for his father, Dinesh, by indulging in dirty sex with Valentine. A long distance away, there’s Hiri and Etsie who are living in the squalid lanes, amidst the filth of everything considered condemnable by the ‘sophisticated’ society.
Revenge runs through the book. It is the only emotion that twists and turns the characters meddling with their lives in the goriest manner bringing the readers breath to an abrupt halt. I couldn’t agree more that this is one of those books where sex is not served as soft porn, just to garnish the content. Rather, it is an intrinsic and inevitable part of the narrative described subtly and emphatically. The details of the incidents, were indeed, deeply unsettling. And not to forget, the grim reality behind the drugs and addiction are dealt with in a fantastic manner. The truth of Medici reveals the ugly truth pervading our society.
The cover is heavily terrifying. Well, it completely complements the story that has everything ghastly to offer you. The title is again chosen well to add an extra ounce of fear to the book. And the themes discussed are sex, lust, revenge, drug, crime, and objectification of women. The hard take on the hush topics renders this book a beautiful effect, a terribly beautiful one. The heart aches when Etsie speaks indifferently about the pain impregnating her life, when Rathi confronts a bitter truth, when a woman is killed for taking a stand.
I enjoyed the book thoroughly for its narration and an entirely different concept – a hard to swallow one. You feed on this book and the venom would grip you so hard that it would actually be difficult to free yourself from it. For something to blow your mind, Read this amazingly and ruthlessly woven book!
October 20, 2018
This book was a very, very different read. Very different from what could be expecting of an Indian author. Very queer as a thriller.
What I feel about this book will be difficult to justify in words, but I'll have to give it a try.
It wasn't a bad book at all. What I loved most about the book is the writing style. The characters are not bad at all. But, did it make the book entertaining enough? I won't say so. But, was the book worth reading? Maybe...
The way everything in the book was described in is certainly something. I found myself totally indulged in the book at times. But at the other times, I also found myself frustrating as I found the descriptions too ambiguous. This makes one thing certain: this book ain't for a non-reader.
And as for readers, I'm torn between enjoying the book at times, and simply dragging myself to finish the book at other times.
There are books which bring new things into the storyline slowly, not everything at once. This surely acts as a great strategy when enough information is provided to keep the reader engrossed. But here, I found that there isn't anything to hold on to.
Sure, I was interested in the storyline little after the beginning. But I lost interest towards the end. Honestly, I didn't care about the plot or the characters after a certain point.
If you could compromise a little on the entertainment part as see the book as a good literary piece, it might turn out to be a delightful read for you.
What I feel about this book will be difficult to justify in words, but I'll have to give it a try.
It wasn't a bad book at all. What I loved most about the book is the writing style. The characters are not bad at all. But, did it make the book entertaining enough? I won't say so. But, was the book worth reading? Maybe...
The way everything in the book was described in is certainly something. I found myself totally indulged in the book at times. But at the other times, I also found myself frustrating as I found the descriptions too ambiguous. This makes one thing certain: this book ain't for a non-reader.
And as for readers, I'm torn between enjoying the book at times, and simply dragging myself to finish the book at other times.
There are books which bring new things into the storyline slowly, not everything at once. This surely acts as a great strategy when enough information is provided to keep the reader engrossed. But here, I found that there isn't anything to hold on to.
Sure, I was interested in the storyline little after the beginning. But I lost interest towards the end. Honestly, I didn't care about the plot or the characters after a certain point.
If you could compromise a little on the entertainment part as see the book as a good literary piece, it might turn out to be a delightful read for you.
August 22, 2018
A page turner. Thriller with who done it story, that makes the reader to hook to the book.
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