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The Rape Trial
What do you do when the rapist is someone you know? What do you do when he has been found innocent in the eyes of the law? Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta’s friendship has been cemented over a lifetime, but now they find themselves struggling to answer these questions together. Nearly a decade has passed since Rahul Satyabhagi, heir to the mega Satyabhagi business empire, had raped Avni Rambha, bested her in court, and gone on to become a men’s rights activist, and the who’s-who of Badrid Bay had breathed a sigh of relief that the sordid mess was over. But now a sting operation proves what many, the three friends included, had suspected all along – he’d been lying. Furious that he has been exposed, Rahul plans to sue the media as well as his long-suffering victim. Now, Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta find themselves at a crossroad - can they carry on doing nothing? DC Virendra Dixit was among those who’d believed that the Rambha rape case had been a ‘false allegation’, but now the sting tape brings him to a case that promises to be a turning point in his career. Just as he thinks he is nearing a resolution, he finds himself at a crossroad of his own. Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta have carved out a path that has already affected DC Dixit’s, but do their paths cross? Who is the hunter, and who is the hunted? Can a story of hard questions and difficult choices have an easy resolution?
484 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 7, 2020
22 people are currently reading
221 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 497 reviews
March 9, 2020
The rape trial as the name suggests revolves around rape which one of the vital topic that needs attention. The book makes for a complex and intense read. Avni files a case against Rahul Satyabhagi on the account of rape but fails in vain. He is vindicated by the court of law and becomes men's right activist. Rhea, Amrutha and Hitaishi who are close friends and most vital characters in the story decides to do something about it.
What happens in the story next? The twist and turns in the storyline make for the rest of the read.
Pros of the book
- The story revolves around the concept of rape, one of the topics which need attention
- The author did a great job in her writing style and did not deviate from the main storyline
Cons of the book
- I felt that in the second half of the book, it was lengthy and dragged a bit.
My Opinion and views
Despite having proper rules and regulations in place with respect to rape and sexual harassment, there is still not much of respite for women. The way women are looked at haven't changed, are looked as if we are an object. Women are still questioned for each and everything - the way we dress, walk, behave and freedom with which we move around. We are at fault and made to feel guilty even for mistakes that men make. Yet men are never questioned for their intentions and hence they feel superior and are right at all times. Although things have changed for women in some aspects, there is still a long way to go. The attitude of men needs to change with how they treat women. Even the perception of men toward women and how they view our need to change drastically. The parents also have to be thought about how to raise their son. Change is always difficult, but it is always for the best. Hopefully, the change will happen sooner and for the better. Thus making the world equally safe place to live for both genders and with equality
The author has clearly projected the harsh reality of how women are treated and questioned them through this story.
What happens in the story next? The twist and turns in the storyline make for the rest of the read.
Pros of the book
- The story revolves around the concept of rape, one of the topics which need attention
- The author did a great job in her writing style and did not deviate from the main storyline
Cons of the book
- I felt that in the second half of the book, it was lengthy and dragged a bit.
My Opinion and views
Despite having proper rules and regulations in place with respect to rape and sexual harassment, there is still not much of respite for women. The way women are looked at haven't changed, are looked as if we are an object. Women are still questioned for each and everything - the way we dress, walk, behave and freedom with which we move around. We are at fault and made to feel guilty even for mistakes that men make. Yet men are never questioned for their intentions and hence they feel superior and are right at all times. Although things have changed for women in some aspects, there is still a long way to go. The attitude of men needs to change with how they treat women. Even the perception of men toward women and how they view our need to change drastically. The parents also have to be thought about how to raise their son. Change is always difficult, but it is always for the best. Hopefully, the change will happen sooner and for the better. Thus making the world equally safe place to live for both genders and with equality
The author has clearly projected the harsh reality of how women are treated and questioned them through this story.
August 17, 2020
Dear Society,
How long can you keep insisting that Living, breathing Indian women are not ‘True Indian Women’ before it gets Tired, old, and stupid? We were born and brought up here, Of parents who were born and brought up here, Everything that we are is because of this country, this society, A direct result of everything that has been taught to us, Said to us, Done to us.
Yet you insist we are an anomaly.
Violence is woven into the fabric of our lives By threat and by act. To accuse us of being the problem is to say you’re fine with Us being attacked by men, But not with men being attacked by us. Yes, we can hear all the NotAllMen’s already. You say it almost as much as you say BoysWillBeBoys. You say that you, yes you specifically, are different. And the men you know are better than the men we are talking about. That there must be something wrong with us for Meeting ‘such men’. But then, what is the degree of difference between you and those men? The men who rape, and you who say They ‘just made a mistake’? Who shakes her head at the survivor, Restricts her daughter that much more, Then says nothing to her son? As if the girl walking to the movie hall, Or the girl wearing a skirt, Or the girl talking with her boyfriend on the park bench Is the strange one? The odd one? The aberration? You, who treats the rapist as the norm. How much difference can there be Between the rapist who rapes and you who Understands and accepts him More than the victim? Ninety percent? Forty percent? Ten?
With a commendable effort and effortless balance of story and non fiction (Some parts felt so real that I really read some lines twice to understand the maturity and the raw emotions for an issue which is certainly important to the author and close to her heart) This book has stayed on spot 1 for last 100 days and it's noteworthy. I say instead of reading a thrill ride, why don't you read a book which offers thrill, shame and disgust and makes you wonder if not rivet. The story is about a braveheart Avni who is raped by a mogul, Rahul and there embroiled a murky trial which wasn't even about punishing the perpetrator but a field day for him even as he sued the victim and the media for ruining his namesake. Imagine the worst scenario.
Makes me really wonder how many rapes go unattested and buried in fear of losing face and in fear of more hurt present already. How the criminal justice is not the real justice maybe. After all, with so much character development and nuances of fine writing, more like out pouring, the author did a sterling job. Only drawback for me was that it's a lengthy script writing format which would do wonders as a Show or a movie. Somewhere it seemed inspired from PINK movie too. Have you watched it? The most recent show I watched which I could connect in parts was Unbelievable and Baise Moi.
Would you watch or read about such an ordeal? Or would you actually do something in your capacity to understand the message the author so vehemently asks in every chapter of the book?
How long can you keep insisting that Living, breathing Indian women are not ‘True Indian Women’ before it gets Tired, old, and stupid? We were born and brought up here, Of parents who were born and brought up here, Everything that we are is because of this country, this society, A direct result of everything that has been taught to us, Said to us, Done to us.
Yet you insist we are an anomaly.
Violence is woven into the fabric of our lives By threat and by act. To accuse us of being the problem is to say you’re fine with Us being attacked by men, But not with men being attacked by us. Yes, we can hear all the NotAllMen’s already. You say it almost as much as you say BoysWillBeBoys. You say that you, yes you specifically, are different. And the men you know are better than the men we are talking about. That there must be something wrong with us for Meeting ‘such men’. But then, what is the degree of difference between you and those men? The men who rape, and you who say They ‘just made a mistake’? Who shakes her head at the survivor, Restricts her daughter that much more, Then says nothing to her son? As if the girl walking to the movie hall, Or the girl wearing a skirt, Or the girl talking with her boyfriend on the park bench Is the strange one? The odd one? The aberration? You, who treats the rapist as the norm. How much difference can there be Between the rapist who rapes and you who Understands and accepts him More than the victim? Ninety percent? Forty percent? Ten?
With a commendable effort and effortless balance of story and non fiction (Some parts felt so real that I really read some lines twice to understand the maturity and the raw emotions for an issue which is certainly important to the author and close to her heart) This book has stayed on spot 1 for last 100 days and it's noteworthy. I say instead of reading a thrill ride, why don't you read a book which offers thrill, shame and disgust and makes you wonder if not rivet. The story is about a braveheart Avni who is raped by a mogul, Rahul and there embroiled a murky trial which wasn't even about punishing the perpetrator but a field day for him even as he sued the victim and the media for ruining his namesake. Imagine the worst scenario.
Makes me really wonder how many rapes go unattested and buried in fear of losing face and in fear of more hurt present already. How the criminal justice is not the real justice maybe. After all, with so much character development and nuances of fine writing, more like out pouring, the author did a sterling job. Only drawback for me was that it's a lengthy script writing format which would do wonders as a Show or a movie. Somewhere it seemed inspired from PINK movie too. Have you watched it? The most recent show I watched which I could connect in parts was Unbelievable and Baise Moi.
Would you watch or read about such an ordeal? Or would you actually do something in your capacity to understand the message the author so vehemently asks in every chapter of the book?
September 19, 2020
3.5/5
The first thing about Bidisha Ghosal's 'The Rape Trial' you should know is that the title is a little misleading. I was expecting the story to primarily be a court room drama revolving around a rape trial, and as a lawyer who works on child sexual abuse cases, that expectation is what drew me towards the book in the first place. While the second half of the book does focus on a trial, it is not a rape trial like I had expected. However, the element of surprise worked in favour of the book for me. Once I figured out that the story wasn't going to be what I thought it would be, I was curious to find out where it was headed. It helped that the (good) writing held my attention throughout and, despite a few pitfalls, the story flowed seamlessly. It was like watching a twisted and gory web series about vigilante justice, of which there are already plenty, but one more doesn't hurt. The book would actually translate well into an episodic web series because there are a lot of long and drawn-out plots in it.
The main characters Rhea, Amruta and Hitaishi, have interesting story and character arcs, but I was most invested in Urvi Nanda's storyline. Urvi Nanda is also my favourite character in the book. She is feisty, strong and smart. The events that unfold when the spotlight is on her are immensely satisfying. There were a few other "likeable" characters I wasn't particularly a fan of though. I didn't like Deputy Commissioner Dixit. He didn't come across as the righteous person he was supposed to be, atleast till the end of the story. I also did not like his colleague and girlfriend Kavita. In the beginning she complains about misogynistic practices in the police force, but she spends the rest of the story being extremely hostile to a female accused without even having enough evidence against her, much like her male colleagues. While every other character has a consistent behavioral pattern, Kavita frustratingly comes across as finicky, cruel and unrealistic.
My biggest gripe with the book is, however, its length. The book could have been atleast 100 pages shorter. Some descriptions are too stretched out and many repeat over time. For example, Hitaishi's noticeable scar is described atleast 4 times in excruciating details throughout the story. Also, some parts of the book could have been omitted considering that they did not have any relevance to the rest of the story.
On the more positive side, I thought the courtroom drama was quite well done. The arguments were logical, and the behavior of the lawyer tasked with disproving a (alleged) rape accusation was consistent with lawyers in real-life sexual harassment trials. They are, in fact, as insensitive and obnoxious. Even though how the trial ended was technically flawed (the burden of proof was placed on the wrong side in the book), the author managed to make us feel uncomfortable and uneasy throughout its course, which is exactly how a book about the judicial and administrative response to sexual assault cases should feel like.
The title 'The Rape Trial' perhaps refers to the trials (and tribulations) of every woman in a patriarchal society who has to constantly stay guarded, as also reiterated by many of the female characters in the book. Though a fiction, the book does a competent job of highlighting how unfairly sexual abuse is treated by the society, the police, courts and the media, and how hard it is to get justice. It's definitely worth a read.
The first thing about Bidisha Ghosal's 'The Rape Trial' you should know is that the title is a little misleading. I was expecting the story to primarily be a court room drama revolving around a rape trial, and as a lawyer who works on child sexual abuse cases, that expectation is what drew me towards the book in the first place. While the second half of the book does focus on a trial, it is not a rape trial like I had expected. However, the element of surprise worked in favour of the book for me. Once I figured out that the story wasn't going to be what I thought it would be, I was curious to find out where it was headed. It helped that the (good) writing held my attention throughout and, despite a few pitfalls, the story flowed seamlessly. It was like watching a twisted and gory web series about vigilante justice, of which there are already plenty, but one more doesn't hurt. The book would actually translate well into an episodic web series because there are a lot of long and drawn-out plots in it.
The main characters Rhea, Amruta and Hitaishi, have interesting story and character arcs, but I was most invested in Urvi Nanda's storyline. Urvi Nanda is also my favourite character in the book. She is feisty, strong and smart. The events that unfold when the spotlight is on her are immensely satisfying. There were a few other "likeable" characters I wasn't particularly a fan of though. I didn't like Deputy Commissioner Dixit. He didn't come across as the righteous person he was supposed to be, atleast till the end of the story. I also did not like his colleague and girlfriend Kavita. In the beginning she complains about misogynistic practices in the police force, but she spends the rest of the story being extremely hostile to a female accused without even having enough evidence against her, much like her male colleagues. While every other character has a consistent behavioral pattern, Kavita frustratingly comes across as finicky, cruel and unrealistic.
My biggest gripe with the book is, however, its length. The book could have been atleast 100 pages shorter. Some descriptions are too stretched out and many repeat over time. For example, Hitaishi's noticeable scar is described atleast 4 times in excruciating details throughout the story. Also, some parts of the book could have been omitted considering that they did not have any relevance to the rest of the story.
On the more positive side, I thought the courtroom drama was quite well done. The arguments were logical, and the behavior of the lawyer tasked with disproving a (alleged) rape accusation was consistent with lawyers in real-life sexual harassment trials. They are, in fact, as insensitive and obnoxious. Even though how the trial ended was technically flawed (the burden of proof was placed on the wrong side in the book), the author managed to make us feel uncomfortable and uneasy throughout its course, which is exactly how a book about the judicial and administrative response to sexual assault cases should feel like.
The title 'The Rape Trial' perhaps refers to the trials (and tribulations) of every woman in a patriarchal society who has to constantly stay guarded, as also reiterated by many of the female characters in the book. Though a fiction, the book does a competent job of highlighting how unfairly sexual abuse is treated by the society, the police, courts and the media, and how hard it is to get justice. It's definitely worth a read.
April 8, 2020
THE RAPE TRIAL by @bidishaghosal . What do you do when the rapist is someone you know? What do you do when he has been found innocent in the eyes of the law? The book is about how a rapist was set free because of his status and went on becoming a men’s right activist but after a decade sting operation showed for who he was. Now the question is will the justice turn blind eye again ? Can the victims be more than just prey for such predator ? Can a story of hard questions and difficult choices have an easy resolution?
The author of this book was an ex-award winning journalist and it shows in her writing style. It’s raw and makes the reader question everything he knows and in most of the cases they themselves have turned blind eye to. This is an eye-opening book for not only to the readers but to the society as a whole that we can’t stop. The research put into this book shows the passion of the author and at times the book will make you uncomfortable a lot but you can’t deny that it is a lie and it is not happening. We as a society don’t have that privilege where innocent victims are only mourned by candles an their killers are roaming free.
The friendships between the character was so real. I loved everything from the inner turmoil of characters to the courtroom part.
My only negative for the book was while dealing with such a heavy topic I didn’t expect it to get dragged towards the end. This book is around 548 pages long while the writing style did help in fast read but overall I believe the end could have been shortened but that's my personal preference of books with heavy topics
___
Rating :- 4⭐️/5
#notionpress #therapetrial
The author of this book was an ex-award winning journalist and it shows in her writing style. It’s raw and makes the reader question everything he knows and in most of the cases they themselves have turned blind eye to. This is an eye-opening book for not only to the readers but to the society as a whole that we can’t stop. The research put into this book shows the passion of the author and at times the book will make you uncomfortable a lot but you can’t deny that it is a lie and it is not happening. We as a society don’t have that privilege where innocent victims are only mourned by candles an their killers are roaming free.
The friendships between the character was so real. I loved everything from the inner turmoil of characters to the courtroom part.
My only negative for the book was while dealing with such a heavy topic I didn’t expect it to get dragged towards the end. This book is around 548 pages long while the writing style did help in fast read but overall I believe the end could have been shortened but that's my personal preference of books with heavy topics
___
Rating :- 4⭐️/5
#notionpress #therapetrial
March 7, 2020
I picked up this book purely based on title. It’s a huge book so it took a time to finish. Rhea, Amruta and Hitanshi are friends and few important characters of the plot. Rahul Satyabhagi is also an important character. The plot is quite complex so it’s difficult but I will try to summarise it briefly. The book opens with a nice suspense punch. I loved that. The interest is created by the author initially and that has been maintained till the end. Rahul belongs to a posh high society family and he was accused for the rape on Avani. And rahul became men’s rights activist. Amruta, Hitanshi
And Rhea are friends and they decided to take actions against it. Read the book to unfold further plot. I loved the concept as we all know the prevalence of rape in the country as well as struggle to deciding or punishing them. The other thing is how high society people can manipulate rules and can use money and fame to find loopholes in the system. And those two main concepts have been described perfectly. So it’s a complete package of the story. I loved how story has been started. It holds the interest of the reader from the first chapter. It’s bit lengthy but I enjoyed reading it. The language of the book is lucid. I liked the narration style of the author. It’s catchy. I liked how all the twists have been plotted. Overall good one. Recommended from my side.
And Rhea are friends and they decided to take actions against it. Read the book to unfold further plot. I loved the concept as we all know the prevalence of rape in the country as well as struggle to deciding or punishing them. The other thing is how high society people can manipulate rules and can use money and fame to find loopholes in the system. And those two main concepts have been described perfectly. So it’s a complete package of the story. I loved how story has been started. It holds the interest of the reader from the first chapter. It’s bit lengthy but I enjoyed reading it. The language of the book is lucid. I liked the narration style of the author. It’s catchy. I liked how all the twists have been plotted. Overall good one. Recommended from my side.
January 1, 2021
Rape- a word which carries a lot of weight, emotions and pain. Over the years, rape and rape stories become a common headline in the media. They lost news value, because they became a consistent column in newspapers. Our patriarchal society judge this unforgivable crime as a mere deed. Over the years there has been many voices which came out to demand justice to the victims. But unfortunately many struggles end up in vain.
The victim, a more accurate word is a 'survivor', has to live the rest of her life in pain and disgust because of this societal attitude. The society will never stand with the victim. So this story has to be told over and over again until it is heard by everyone.
Rahul Satyabhagi is a wealthy businessman who exploits the judicial loopholes and escapes after committing a grave crime, raping Avni Rambha. Will he able to stand behind a thin veil all the time?
The emotions which a survivor goes through in different stages of life cannot be expressed through words. Because it is that much intense and complex. The author has done a sincere attempt to portray these struggles. Justice can be denied if you have influence and wealth. But the justice will be served at last. The author ends it in a positive note hugging hope.
The victim, a more accurate word is a 'survivor', has to live the rest of her life in pain and disgust because of this societal attitude. The society will never stand with the victim. So this story has to be told over and over again until it is heard by everyone.
Rahul Satyabhagi is a wealthy businessman who exploits the judicial loopholes and escapes after committing a grave crime, raping Avni Rambha. Will he able to stand behind a thin veil all the time?
The emotions which a survivor goes through in different stages of life cannot be expressed through words. Because it is that much intense and complex. The author has done a sincere attempt to portray these struggles. Justice can be denied if you have influence and wealth. But the justice will be served at last. The author ends it in a positive note hugging hope.
April 19, 2020
It's one of the most realistic and heart touching book I have ever read.
It's about a rape case when a business tycoon Rahul satyabhagi raped a girl named Avni rambha.
Then, by the power of his connections.
And, money he proved that Avni was making false allegations against him.
Avni left completely broke and insulted.
But many people had this belief that Rahul used his power and it's wrong.
From those people there were these three friends also.
Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta. These know that all this happened was injustice but they didn't have the proff.
So, they decided to fight against it.
And meanwhile, a sting operation proves what many, the three friends included, were right. Rahul was the real culprit.
Now, cards turn on the table. Rahul's hidden secrets came in front of everyone.
But, again by using his power, he decides to sue the media. And Avni.
Now, comes the right time whether this bad guy will win or not ?
If not, then how will these friends fight against him ?
Will DC Virendra dixit take action against Rahul ?
Atlast who will win in this battle of good and bad, means Rahul versus all the supporters of Avni ?
My friends read this book to find answers of all these questions.
Trust me guys this book will change your mindset completely.
The way of presenting the content, the engaging writing, everything is amazing in this book.
It will show you the reality of today's time.
You will realize how these devils are roaming on streets freely because of us.
Yes, because of us. As, it's our duty to make sure that these kind of people get most strictest punishment possible.
But what are we doing nowadays.
Some kind of trending hastags. Candle march and and all these kind of things.
It's time to change. We need to take more better actions on our level.
Whether by helping the victim and her family.
By uniting together so strongly that government and the court gets more better to take actions as soon as possible.
It's not just about the punishment. It's actually about the values we put in our youths mind.
If the child gets to know about the moral values. And realise the importance of respecting everyone especially women.
Then, we can prevent these kind of cases.
Most importantly this book will show you the sad reality. As how these people use their money.
To do lots of bad things. And how the innocent ones get insulted.
My friends, it's an eye opening book. And a must read for everyone.
It will motivate you to fight against the injustice. To help others.
This book will make a big change in your mindset.
I am sure you will like it. And it will make a strong impact on your heart and mindset.
It's a must read book for everyone.
My ratings :- 5/5
It's about a rape case when a business tycoon Rahul satyabhagi raped a girl named Avni rambha.
Then, by the power of his connections.
And, money he proved that Avni was making false allegations against him.
Avni left completely broke and insulted.
But many people had this belief that Rahul used his power and it's wrong.
From those people there were these three friends also.
Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta. These know that all this happened was injustice but they didn't have the proff.
So, they decided to fight against it.
And meanwhile, a sting operation proves what many, the three friends included, were right. Rahul was the real culprit.
Now, cards turn on the table. Rahul's hidden secrets came in front of everyone.
But, again by using his power, he decides to sue the media. And Avni.
Now, comes the right time whether this bad guy will win or not ?
If not, then how will these friends fight against him ?
Will DC Virendra dixit take action against Rahul ?
Atlast who will win in this battle of good and bad, means Rahul versus all the supporters of Avni ?
My friends read this book to find answers of all these questions.
Trust me guys this book will change your mindset completely.
The way of presenting the content, the engaging writing, everything is amazing in this book.
It will show you the reality of today's time.
You will realize how these devils are roaming on streets freely because of us.
Yes, because of us. As, it's our duty to make sure that these kind of people get most strictest punishment possible.
But what are we doing nowadays.
Some kind of trending hastags. Candle march and and all these kind of things.
It's time to change. We need to take more better actions on our level.
Whether by helping the victim and her family.
By uniting together so strongly that government and the court gets more better to take actions as soon as possible.
It's not just about the punishment. It's actually about the values we put in our youths mind.
If the child gets to know about the moral values. And realise the importance of respecting everyone especially women.
Then, we can prevent these kind of cases.
Most importantly this book will show you the sad reality. As how these people use their money.
To do lots of bad things. And how the innocent ones get insulted.
My friends, it's an eye opening book. And a must read for everyone.
It will motivate you to fight against the injustice. To help others.
This book will make a big change in your mindset.
I am sure you will like it. And it will make a strong impact on your heart and mindset.
It's a must read book for everyone.
My ratings :- 5/5
May 16, 2020
The Rape Trial is the author's attempt at focussing on an issue at large everywhere across the globe - the plight of raped women.
In this book, the author has put together emotional and psychological nuances associated with the lives of those who suffer long after the crime is perpetrated. Avni was raped by Rahul of the bigshot Satyabhagi family. He gets away with it, and even after years leaves no chance to humiliate Avni and her family. This we see all the time how families of the victims are tortured, and the victims themselves cast to public embarrassment, forcing them to take drastic steps.
This debut novel highlights all this and a lot more. The detailed narrative on the topic sheds light on how the system struggles to subject the criminals to justice, especially when they are connected to high-places, or from honcho families. In such situations, people with high morals really put their lives on the line, and in most cases, it's all in vain. As for common people, no one wants to talk about it because everyone is uncomfortable with just the mention of that word. We've been witness to this amply with either the Talvar or the Nirbhaya case, and many others.
In this book, all efforts to put Rahul Satyabhagi behind bars are brought forth, and it is not a simple exercise. While the title speaks of a rape trial, there's certainly more to it. Even before one reaches the actual court room drama, a lot has transpired that gives a peek into the true dispositions of all the people involved in the crime, closely or distantly. Evidently, a trial is all those miserable efforts put together to convict a criminal even before he/she is brought to court.
As a reader, I felt the dialogues and narrative captured the plot in a way that isn't easy and yet brilliantly written. Life isn't easy for all the characters and their motives and actions string together the loose ends to give a picture of utter shock revealing it in just the right amount of surprise, extracting oohs and aahs, that mean it all makes perfect sense. Everyone of the richest families involved in here, do everything within their power to cover up notorious acts, and just how police always bend knees forth power is reminiscent of the headlines lining news every single day.
Judiciary is a puppet of the power-laden, and that I felt was at the core of this plot. In her simple yet captivating writing style, the author who is also a recipient of journalism awards, has managed to dissect that picture to pieces and just so rightly. That and the meticulous research done proves the author was serious and clear about what she went after.
The only drawback I can think of is the tedious number of pages that felt redundant by the end of it all, and obviously a keen editing eye could have corrected the plot by notches. That said, this vouches for a perfect story for a moving drama; not that it hasn't been done before. This however, can be veiled behind the sheer opulence of literary finesse of this first attempt at a novel that hardly feels so.
Read 'The Rape Trail' for its meat that is truly moving, and adds much meaning to your understanding of how such atrocious crimes are overlooked and how a system struggles to bring criminals to justice.
Have you read ‘The Rape Trial’? How did you like it? Share your thoughts in comments below.
P.S: I received a review copy from the author but the review remains unbiased.
In this book, the author has put together emotional and psychological nuances associated with the lives of those who suffer long after the crime is perpetrated. Avni was raped by Rahul of the bigshot Satyabhagi family. He gets away with it, and even after years leaves no chance to humiliate Avni and her family. This we see all the time how families of the victims are tortured, and the victims themselves cast to public embarrassment, forcing them to take drastic steps.
This debut novel highlights all this and a lot more. The detailed narrative on the topic sheds light on how the system struggles to subject the criminals to justice, especially when they are connected to high-places, or from honcho families. In such situations, people with high morals really put their lives on the line, and in most cases, it's all in vain. As for common people, no one wants to talk about it because everyone is uncomfortable with just the mention of that word. We've been witness to this amply with either the Talvar or the Nirbhaya case, and many others.
In this book, all efforts to put Rahul Satyabhagi behind bars are brought forth, and it is not a simple exercise. While the title speaks of a rape trial, there's certainly more to it. Even before one reaches the actual court room drama, a lot has transpired that gives a peek into the true dispositions of all the people involved in the crime, closely or distantly. Evidently, a trial is all those miserable efforts put together to convict a criminal even before he/she is brought to court.
As a reader, I felt the dialogues and narrative captured the plot in a way that isn't easy and yet brilliantly written. Life isn't easy for all the characters and their motives and actions string together the loose ends to give a picture of utter shock revealing it in just the right amount of surprise, extracting oohs and aahs, that mean it all makes perfect sense. Everyone of the richest families involved in here, do everything within their power to cover up notorious acts, and just how police always bend knees forth power is reminiscent of the headlines lining news every single day.
Judiciary is a puppet of the power-laden, and that I felt was at the core of this plot. In her simple yet captivating writing style, the author who is also a recipient of journalism awards, has managed to dissect that picture to pieces and just so rightly. That and the meticulous research done proves the author was serious and clear about what she went after.
The only drawback I can think of is the tedious number of pages that felt redundant by the end of it all, and obviously a keen editing eye could have corrected the plot by notches. That said, this vouches for a perfect story for a moving drama; not that it hasn't been done before. This however, can be veiled behind the sheer opulence of literary finesse of this first attempt at a novel that hardly feels so.
Read 'The Rape Trail' for its meat that is truly moving, and adds much meaning to your understanding of how such atrocious crimes are overlooked and how a system struggles to bring criminals to justice.
Have you read ‘The Rape Trial’? How did you like it? Share your thoughts in comments below.
P.S: I received a review copy from the author but the review remains unbiased.
January 28, 2020
I just finished reading 'The Rape Trial' by Bidisha Ghosal and I must say I'm pleasantly surprised. When she reached out to me for review, I was a bit hesitant initially because I have not had good experiences taking on reviews but thank god I took up this one. And today, I'm going to talk to you about her book. One of my best feminist reads recently.
The Book
The Rape Trial by Bidisha Ghosal
Premise:
While you might think that the title is in itself a giveaway, let me tell you, you couldn't be more wrong. I mean there is a trial but something entirely different from what you would have guessed.
This is a book which puts into black and white a lot of the things that goes on in the minds of every girl and every woman I know when they read about the countless rapes happening all around us and the injustice that women, girls and even children, that is, the victims need to endure. This book gives voice to our fears, our apprehensions, our raw anger and our helplessness too. Bidisha binds all this angst together and gives us a plot that if you ask me I wish were a reality. Well, a part of it definitely. What am I talking about? Well, if I give that away then how would you have the fun? Still, let me give you a peek.
Plot:
Rhea, Amruta and Hitaishi, were spending a night in their regular hangout, a room in Rhea's backyard, when a sting operation on Rahul Satyabhagi, Rhea's family friend, jolted them awake from their stupors. He was bragging on camera about raping Rhea's childhood friend Avni and getting away with it thanks to his father's clout in their city, Badrid Bay. Repulsed by his audacity of justifying his crime, they were dumbfounded at the conversation of raping her a second time around. The sheer injustice of the victim having to suffer a lifelong ordeal and mental trauma while this repugnant male goes scot-free seemed less and less palatable with every bit of news, article and op-ed they read. The question was when would it be enough?
When would justice be served or how? Was castration enough? Or, should the rapists be hanged? Whatever they came up with fell short considering the lifelong mental trauma the victim and her family would have to endure. No, something else had to be done. These rapists needed to be physically and mentally scarred too, leaving them alive to inflict on their families the same kind of torture that those of the rape victims endure every single day.
Rhea, Amruta and Hitaishi, therefore take it on them to teach Rahul a lesson, a lesson which could perhaps be a deterrent to others when nothing else could. But in doing so they set up a chain of events they couldn't have imagined.
What do they do? Do they get caught? Who goes on trial? And what happens to Rahul?
The answers, all in the book.
What I liked about the book:
I like the conversations. Bidisha uses dialogues brilliantly to progress the story. And at no point did I find those cumbersome. Every line that was spoken by a character helped in taking the story forward and I loved that.
The other aspect was the characters, each well developed. The girls, the police officers, the journalists, the lawyers, et al, had depth and were integral to the story. She had taken great care in building them up which always ensures a good read. She had also taken great care with the backstories and nothing was rushed which made it even better.
The Trial was another part of the book that was brilliantly written. She never seemed to be grasping for authenticity as a writer of courtroom scenes and that again makes this book a good read.
The story, the execution and yes, the poems and conversations around what women have to face on a daily basis hit home.
So, I loved it. I really did.
What Felt lacking
Honestly, I don't think there was anything lacking in it. The only thing that kept gnawing at me at times was how easily the three girls executed their plans. Almost seemed unreal but then it's fiction and it needs to be that way. Though, if you ask me, I really wish it was that easy to punish such perpetrators. They deserve it.
Some of my favourite quotes from the book:
“Imagine a world where you can walk out and no one ogles you,” Hitaishi said. “You can go wherever you want no matter what time of day, wear what you want, let any part of your body jiggle and bounce and not think about that bloody bra strap.”
“Rape isn’t just that one time of sexual violence; women have to live with it long after it’s done. Once you’re dead, it’s over. Murder, at least in my opinion, is not the best, not the most accurate response to rape.”
“It goes beyond the whole act, the orgasm isn’t even the point. The very fact that you can affect someone so much and have nearly every single person – friends, family, neighbours, strangers, the media, the cops, excuse you for it – that in itself is the high. The high of getting away with it, of knowing that people know you’ve done it but they excuse it, even like it, that even people who are unsure don’t want to be sure, they don’t care enough about the girl to want to know; and they actually turn on her for calling you out, for pointing a finger, because she’s the one making it difficult for them to just carry on with their lives. Whether it’s your parents who don’t want your future ruined or your friends who high-five you or your neighbours who won’t even question why you did it, nobody of any significance is taking a stand to stop you from doing it again.”
“The repercussion for raping should be as continuous and as debilitating as the high you get from raping. Leave them so shattered they won’t think of sex again, much less rape.”
“Any and every aspect of a woman’s agency is feminism,”
The book is filled with sentences and passages such as these pregnant with meaning and which will tug at your hearts and make you wonder. So, while this is fiction, this is a very, very pertinent read in today's times.
Do I recommend it?
Of course, I do. I recommend this book as a reader, a feminist, a woman, a mother and a human being. So, yes, you must pick it up, if you are up for a story set around something you read in the papers daily but can do nothing about.
The Book
The Rape Trial by Bidisha Ghosal
Premise:
While you might think that the title is in itself a giveaway, let me tell you, you couldn't be more wrong. I mean there is a trial but something entirely different from what you would have guessed.
This is a book which puts into black and white a lot of the things that goes on in the minds of every girl and every woman I know when they read about the countless rapes happening all around us and the injustice that women, girls and even children, that is, the victims need to endure. This book gives voice to our fears, our apprehensions, our raw anger and our helplessness too. Bidisha binds all this angst together and gives us a plot that if you ask me I wish were a reality. Well, a part of it definitely. What am I talking about? Well, if I give that away then how would you have the fun? Still, let me give you a peek.
Plot:
Rhea, Amruta and Hitaishi, were spending a night in their regular hangout, a room in Rhea's backyard, when a sting operation on Rahul Satyabhagi, Rhea's family friend, jolted them awake from their stupors. He was bragging on camera about raping Rhea's childhood friend Avni and getting away with it thanks to his father's clout in their city, Badrid Bay. Repulsed by his audacity of justifying his crime, they were dumbfounded at the conversation of raping her a second time around. The sheer injustice of the victim having to suffer a lifelong ordeal and mental trauma while this repugnant male goes scot-free seemed less and less palatable with every bit of news, article and op-ed they read. The question was when would it be enough?
When would justice be served or how? Was castration enough? Or, should the rapists be hanged? Whatever they came up with fell short considering the lifelong mental trauma the victim and her family would have to endure. No, something else had to be done. These rapists needed to be physically and mentally scarred too, leaving them alive to inflict on their families the same kind of torture that those of the rape victims endure every single day.
Rhea, Amruta and Hitaishi, therefore take it on them to teach Rahul a lesson, a lesson which could perhaps be a deterrent to others when nothing else could. But in doing so they set up a chain of events they couldn't have imagined.
What do they do? Do they get caught? Who goes on trial? And what happens to Rahul?
The answers, all in the book.
What I liked about the book:
I like the conversations. Bidisha uses dialogues brilliantly to progress the story. And at no point did I find those cumbersome. Every line that was spoken by a character helped in taking the story forward and I loved that.
The other aspect was the characters, each well developed. The girls, the police officers, the journalists, the lawyers, et al, had depth and were integral to the story. She had taken great care in building them up which always ensures a good read. She had also taken great care with the backstories and nothing was rushed which made it even better.
The Trial was another part of the book that was brilliantly written. She never seemed to be grasping for authenticity as a writer of courtroom scenes and that again makes this book a good read.
The story, the execution and yes, the poems and conversations around what women have to face on a daily basis hit home.
So, I loved it. I really did.
What Felt lacking
Honestly, I don't think there was anything lacking in it. The only thing that kept gnawing at me at times was how easily the three girls executed their plans. Almost seemed unreal but then it's fiction and it needs to be that way. Though, if you ask me, I really wish it was that easy to punish such perpetrators. They deserve it.
Some of my favourite quotes from the book:
“Imagine a world where you can walk out and no one ogles you,” Hitaishi said. “You can go wherever you want no matter what time of day, wear what you want, let any part of your body jiggle and bounce and not think about that bloody bra strap.”
“Rape isn’t just that one time of sexual violence; women have to live with it long after it’s done. Once you’re dead, it’s over. Murder, at least in my opinion, is not the best, not the most accurate response to rape.”
“It goes beyond the whole act, the orgasm isn’t even the point. The very fact that you can affect someone so much and have nearly every single person – friends, family, neighbours, strangers, the media, the cops, excuse you for it – that in itself is the high. The high of getting away with it, of knowing that people know you’ve done it but they excuse it, even like it, that even people who are unsure don’t want to be sure, they don’t care enough about the girl to want to know; and they actually turn on her for calling you out, for pointing a finger, because she’s the one making it difficult for them to just carry on with their lives. Whether it’s your parents who don’t want your future ruined or your friends who high-five you or your neighbours who won’t even question why you did it, nobody of any significance is taking a stand to stop you from doing it again.”
“The repercussion for raping should be as continuous and as debilitating as the high you get from raping. Leave them so shattered they won’t think of sex again, much less rape.”
“Any and every aspect of a woman’s agency is feminism,”
The book is filled with sentences and passages such as these pregnant with meaning and which will tug at your hearts and make you wonder. So, while this is fiction, this is a very, very pertinent read in today's times.
Do I recommend it?
Of course, I do. I recommend this book as a reader, a feminist, a woman, a mother and a human being. So, yes, you must pick it up, if you are up for a story set around something you read in the papers daily but can do nothing about.
April 2, 2020
Excellent read
The title was what drew me to the book. The word 'rape' still has a lot of stigma attached to it, particularly for a victim. People would rather you be murdered than be raped. Because then society would not have to accept a 'tainted' person living amongst them. I still don't understand why in this age, people are willing to believe that a rape victim somehow invited the men to rape her, or that she is lying to get attention, but they won't believe that someone may be a rapist. Admitted, some woman are notorious, but victim shaming is as bad as the rape itself.
Today's world exists in a grey space between justice and justified. Either you will get justice or the crime is justiced. This dark side of society is palpable in every action of the populace and yet they turn a blind eye because such issues inconvenience them. Why, a thief stealing to curb his hunger is a bigger culprit than a rapist trying to curb his desires.
The excuse that men will be men and women are just objectd of attraction is age old and has been ingrained in to our brains so much that even women feel that they are inferior in all aspects.
Thus, when I read about the actions of Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta, it instilled in me the idea that may be, just maybe, vigilantism is in order. Because what do you do when, people like Rahul Satyabhagi run scott free while his victim, Avni Rambha has to flee the country and ends up getting sued herself?
An excellently written book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The author has done a commendable job of highlighting the motif of injustice and biasness in the society. I found that the book was full of allusion and personification. Good at times, but too heavy always. The author has used the visual imagery to its fullest. I think that the story is sort of an oxymoron. On one hand, you have your good old law which can't be trusted and on the other, you have a strong sense of justice that leads you to break that law.
I was impressed by the tone of the story and excellent narrative. I urge readers to invest their time and read this book.
The title was what drew me to the book. The word 'rape' still has a lot of stigma attached to it, particularly for a victim. People would rather you be murdered than be raped. Because then society would not have to accept a 'tainted' person living amongst them. I still don't understand why in this age, people are willing to believe that a rape victim somehow invited the men to rape her, or that she is lying to get attention, but they won't believe that someone may be a rapist. Admitted, some woman are notorious, but victim shaming is as bad as the rape itself.
Today's world exists in a grey space between justice and justified. Either you will get justice or the crime is justiced. This dark side of society is palpable in every action of the populace and yet they turn a blind eye because such issues inconvenience them. Why, a thief stealing to curb his hunger is a bigger culprit than a rapist trying to curb his desires.
The excuse that men will be men and women are just objectd of attraction is age old and has been ingrained in to our brains so much that even women feel that they are inferior in all aspects.
Thus, when I read about the actions of Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta, it instilled in me the idea that may be, just maybe, vigilantism is in order. Because what do you do when, people like Rahul Satyabhagi run scott free while his victim, Avni Rambha has to flee the country and ends up getting sued herself?
An excellently written book, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The author has done a commendable job of highlighting the motif of injustice and biasness in the society. I found that the book was full of allusion and personification. Good at times, but too heavy always. The author has used the visual imagery to its fullest. I think that the story is sort of an oxymoron. On one hand, you have your good old law which can't be trusted and on the other, you have a strong sense of justice that leads you to break that law.
I was impressed by the tone of the story and excellent narrative. I urge readers to invest their time and read this book.
April 2, 2020
Why is it so??
As the name suggests story revolves around the concept of rape, one of the sensitive topic which needs attention.
What if we know the person who raped and think them of yours?
This is one such story which may put your thoughts lingering with quests like:
Why do girls have to go through so much of suffering?
What is the fault of these girls? Is it only because they are born as girls?
What if the system fails to give them justice and they themselves take things in their hands?
We get to encounter a similar situation in this story.
To know more read ‘The Rape Trial’.
Avni files a case against Rahul Satyabhagi on the account of rape but fails in vain. He is freed from an allegation by the court of law and becomes men's right activist.
To know more read ‘The Rape Trial’.
Reading felt a bit lengthy and little draggy somewhere.
The author has clearly projected the harsh reality of how women are treated and questioned them through this story.
As the name suggests story revolves around the concept of rape, one of the sensitive topic which needs attention.
What if we know the person who raped and think them of yours?
This is one such story which may put your thoughts lingering with quests like:
Why do girls have to go through so much of suffering?
What is the fault of these girls? Is it only because they are born as girls?
What if the system fails to give them justice and they themselves take things in their hands?
We get to encounter a similar situation in this story.
To know more read ‘The Rape Trial’.
Avni files a case against Rahul Satyabhagi on the account of rape but fails in vain. He is freed from an allegation by the court of law and becomes men's right activist.
To know more read ‘The Rape Trial’.
Reading felt a bit lengthy and little draggy somewhere.
The author has clearly projected the harsh reality of how women are treated and questioned them through this story.
April 4, 2020
As you can expect from the title this book has an intense start , it's quite creepy. It's a close knitted story , different people crosses paths with each other. What happens when a criminal is innocent in the eye of law ? after almost A decade a sting operation unfolds the truth behind the rape case and shocks everyone related to the case. It's story to decide for the truth admist the sea of lies. It's a very well written book , it is intense , stirring and at times leaves you dumbfounded. It has a powerful narration , which evokes different emotions in a reader. This book talks about the flaws in a judicial system , and the cruelty of those in power. It's a captivating read. I think everyone should read this book at least once.
May 26, 2020
Its not a courtroom drama like the name suggests but beyond that.
The impact that this book created is beyond what I expected. It truly exceeded my expectations and is worthy read.This book makes us think of how women are treated in the society and how they should be treated. Though we have made little progress in the society as women, there is still a long way to go. I so wish it was this easy to punish the culprit in real life. I was very satisfied by this one nd the character development was one of the many reasons for that. The story is engaging start to end and triggering at many points. A must read for all.
The impact that this book created is beyond what I expected. It truly exceeded my expectations and is worthy read.This book makes us think of how women are treated in the society and how they should be treated. Though we have made little progress in the society as women, there is still a long way to go. I so wish it was this easy to punish the culprit in real life. I was very satisfied by this one nd the character development was one of the many reasons for that. The story is engaging start to end and triggering at many points. A must read for all.
April 22, 2020
Okay, what do I say? I’m rendered speechless and totally, totally shocked, rather pleasantly though. Never thought in my wildest imagination that a book would be so power-packed with emotions that I’d be keeling over with a sucker punch of intense happiness and sometimes hate. The book that I am talking about and that made me go through myriads of emotions is ‘The Rape Trial by Bidisha Ghosal’.
From the onset, the moment Rahul Satyabhagi entered the scene I knew no bound to my hatred for this character. And it grew with every turn of page; the helplessness and the anger such people and their action evoke. I can’t even begin to imagine what the rape victims have to go through; the lifelong mental trauma, the damage that can never be mended.
“Rape isn’t just that one time of sexual violence; women have to live with it long after it’s done. Once you’re dead, it’s over. Murder, at least in my opinion, is not the best, not the most accurate response to rape.”
Well Initially, I had thought this book to be a story about a rape victim and her trials and tribulations. But as I started reading it and ploughed on further, I realized that I could have never be more wrong then now. Now don’t go thinking that it doesn’t have a trial or anything. It does, but it has all sorts of a different kind of trial, which I wish were a reality. And which set a chain of events in its wake that made reading the book more fun.
What I liked most about the book is the author Bidisha’s flawless narrative that kept me engrossed and hyperventilating throughout. With every chapter that ended, I had to take a deep long breath before starting on to the other. She knows how to jolt the readers out of their comfort zone. And she did jolt me out the comfort zone with her imagery writing style. The Author. In addition to the narrative, the conversations between the characters were impeccably served on the right moment and place. There was nothing rushed about this book. Nothing.
And oh, what do I say about the characters?! They were flawed yet there was something about them that made them feel more real and humane. And more attractive to me. And the author made sure every character had their own sub-stories, so that we, the readers could connect with them on a deeper level.
Do I recommend this book? Of course!!!! I highly recommend this book ‘The Rape Trial by Bidisha Ghosal’. This book I assure you is going to strike a chord in you. Make you question certain aspects of humanity. So I say go, read it at least once.
From the onset, the moment Rahul Satyabhagi entered the scene I knew no bound to my hatred for this character. And it grew with every turn of page; the helplessness and the anger such people and their action evoke. I can’t even begin to imagine what the rape victims have to go through; the lifelong mental trauma, the damage that can never be mended.
“Rape isn’t just that one time of sexual violence; women have to live with it long after it’s done. Once you’re dead, it’s over. Murder, at least in my opinion, is not the best, not the most accurate response to rape.”
Well Initially, I had thought this book to be a story about a rape victim and her trials and tribulations. But as I started reading it and ploughed on further, I realized that I could have never be more wrong then now. Now don’t go thinking that it doesn’t have a trial or anything. It does, but it has all sorts of a different kind of trial, which I wish were a reality. And which set a chain of events in its wake that made reading the book more fun.
What I liked most about the book is the author Bidisha’s flawless narrative that kept me engrossed and hyperventilating throughout. With every chapter that ended, I had to take a deep long breath before starting on to the other. She knows how to jolt the readers out of their comfort zone. And she did jolt me out the comfort zone with her imagery writing style. The Author. In addition to the narrative, the conversations between the characters were impeccably served on the right moment and place. There was nothing rushed about this book. Nothing.
And oh, what do I say about the characters?! They were flawed yet there was something about them that made them feel more real and humane. And more attractive to me. And the author made sure every character had their own sub-stories, so that we, the readers could connect with them on a deeper level.
Do I recommend this book? Of course!!!! I highly recommend this book ‘The Rape Trial by Bidisha Ghosal’. This book I assure you is going to strike a chord in you. Make you question certain aspects of humanity. So I say go, read it at least once.
June 5, 2020
“Any and every aspect of a woman’s agency is feminism.”
Bidisha Ghosal’s book ‘The Rape Trial’ is an excellent narrative that upholds the injustice and biasness prevalent our society. Though the book primarily is themed on rape—a word which already has a lot of stigma attached to it owing to the current scenario; it transcends to be a story that speaks of the dark sides of the legal system, the corruption present not only in the security forces but also in our own guarded minds, and turns out to be an alarming account of the drama and crooked stage-plays that goes on across the various strata of society.
PLOT:
A decade has passed since Rahul Satyabhagi, son of a massive business tycoon allegedly raped Avni Rambha. Amidst court hearings and accusations which had to be turned down due to insufficient testimonials, Rahul had risen above the judicial system and had successfully negated his guilt. But presently a sting operation brings to light the actual truth-- he had indeed committed the crime years ago. Just like that, a decade-old closed case stashed away in the corner, is brought out to the tables again, and further investigation is initiated. What follows is a political and social battle between the accused and the victim Avni, who had had to flee from the country and settle abroad. The three protagonist friends- Rhea, Amruta and Hitaishi—find themselves involved in the case from multiple directions. Rhea is Avni’s childhood friend but she also is acquainted well with the Satyabhagi family, who had scooped her out of disadvantageous siatuations many a times. In this tug of war between whom to favour and whom to sue, a horrid but accurate picture of criminal cases comes up. The trio devise ways to come out of this impending doom that is hideous and cruel—will they succeed?
The answers lie in the book.
The author’s narrative was gripping and meticulous—capable of holding the readers interest right from the beginning. She weaved the plot keeping in mind the sordidness of criminal cases which at times, made the writing raw. The descriptions and turnout of the events wasn’t sugar-coated or swerved from its harsh reality thereby making the readers flip the pages with bated breath. The conversations between the characters were very well crafted and it got represented just as a dialogue would in real life. The vivid narration was equipped with details which made the visualizations much more intense and set the tone for the incidents that were taking place. The book holds the capacity to trigger various emotions within the readers—sometimes we feel bone-shattering hatred, sometimes we feel unwavering empathy and sometimes just pure pity not only for the victims of the crime, but also victims of the several notorious chain of events these crimes evoke. The characters were developed potentially well, highlighting both of their white and black shades and even hovering enough on the aspects where they were blatantly grey. Justified importance was given to the explorations of each of the character’s own story and that facilitated the understanding of what lied at their core.
One of the most captivating traits that I found in the author’s writing is how cinematic her descriptions are. The beginning and the endings of the chapters, have just the right quantity of cliff-hangers and suspense elements which along with the vibrant visual imageries, set up the scene of the drama so well that it falls nothing short of a good cinema.
In all, the execution of the book is spot-on. It is the kind of book which makes us challenge our own perceptions of what is right and what is wrong, what is cruel and what is kind, and what is justice and what is not. A very thought provoking read, the author’s courage and fierceness against the flawed judiciary leaps out of each page: creating a very appropriate piece of literature for the 21st century.
Title: ☆☆☆☆☆ (5/5)
Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆ (5/5)
Plot: ☆☆☆☆☆ (5/5)
Characterizations: ☆☆☆☆☆ (5/5)
Overall impact: ☆☆☆☆1/2 (4.5/5)
Engrossing factor: ☆☆☆☆ (4/5)
Disclaimer: This review is in lieu of a review copy
Originally published on my own blog: https://deepansbookshelf.blogspot.com...
Bidisha Ghosal’s book ‘The Rape Trial’ is an excellent narrative that upholds the injustice and biasness prevalent our society. Though the book primarily is themed on rape—a word which already has a lot of stigma attached to it owing to the current scenario; it transcends to be a story that speaks of the dark sides of the legal system, the corruption present not only in the security forces but also in our own guarded minds, and turns out to be an alarming account of the drama and crooked stage-plays that goes on across the various strata of society.
PLOT:
A decade has passed since Rahul Satyabhagi, son of a massive business tycoon allegedly raped Avni Rambha. Amidst court hearings and accusations which had to be turned down due to insufficient testimonials, Rahul had risen above the judicial system and had successfully negated his guilt. But presently a sting operation brings to light the actual truth-- he had indeed committed the crime years ago. Just like that, a decade-old closed case stashed away in the corner, is brought out to the tables again, and further investigation is initiated. What follows is a political and social battle between the accused and the victim Avni, who had had to flee from the country and settle abroad. The three protagonist friends- Rhea, Amruta and Hitaishi—find themselves involved in the case from multiple directions. Rhea is Avni’s childhood friend but she also is acquainted well with the Satyabhagi family, who had scooped her out of disadvantageous siatuations many a times. In this tug of war between whom to favour and whom to sue, a horrid but accurate picture of criminal cases comes up. The trio devise ways to come out of this impending doom that is hideous and cruel—will they succeed?
The answers lie in the book.
The author’s narrative was gripping and meticulous—capable of holding the readers interest right from the beginning. She weaved the plot keeping in mind the sordidness of criminal cases which at times, made the writing raw. The descriptions and turnout of the events wasn’t sugar-coated or swerved from its harsh reality thereby making the readers flip the pages with bated breath. The conversations between the characters were very well crafted and it got represented just as a dialogue would in real life. The vivid narration was equipped with details which made the visualizations much more intense and set the tone for the incidents that were taking place. The book holds the capacity to trigger various emotions within the readers—sometimes we feel bone-shattering hatred, sometimes we feel unwavering empathy and sometimes just pure pity not only for the victims of the crime, but also victims of the several notorious chain of events these crimes evoke. The characters were developed potentially well, highlighting both of their white and black shades and even hovering enough on the aspects where they were blatantly grey. Justified importance was given to the explorations of each of the character’s own story and that facilitated the understanding of what lied at their core.
One of the most captivating traits that I found in the author’s writing is how cinematic her descriptions are. The beginning and the endings of the chapters, have just the right quantity of cliff-hangers and suspense elements which along with the vibrant visual imageries, set up the scene of the drama so well that it falls nothing short of a good cinema.
In all, the execution of the book is spot-on. It is the kind of book which makes us challenge our own perceptions of what is right and what is wrong, what is cruel and what is kind, and what is justice and what is not. A very thought provoking read, the author’s courage and fierceness against the flawed judiciary leaps out of each page: creating a very appropriate piece of literature for the 21st century.
Title: ☆☆☆☆☆ (5/5)
Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆ (5/5)
Plot: ☆☆☆☆☆ (5/5)
Characterizations: ☆☆☆☆☆ (5/5)
Overall impact: ☆☆☆☆1/2 (4.5/5)
Engrossing factor: ☆☆☆☆ (4/5)
Disclaimer: This review is in lieu of a review copy
Originally published on my own blog: https://deepansbookshelf.blogspot.com...
March 2, 2020
Rape is a horrific crime which we encounter every other day in newspapers and news. What has led people to behave in such a inhumane manner? We get to read about girls being raped by unknown people/strangers but what if we know the person and think of them as ours. We get to read about these incidences but hardly we get to see the victims getting justice. By the time the justice is given to the victims or sufferers these criminals get some or the other loop hole to get out of this whole situation. And they live on their life as if nothing has happened only to make life hell for these innocent life’s. What is the fault of these girls? Why do girls have to go through so much of suffering? Is it only because they are born as girls? What if the system fails to give them justice and they themselves take things in their hands? We get to encounter a similar situation in this story. To know more read ‘The Rape Trial’.
My Thoughts:
The plot is well written. Rape is a very sensitive topic and I must say that the author has handled it in a very excellent manner and will surely not hurt anyone’s feelings.
The characters are well developed. The author has explained each character in detail which makes them familiar to the readers. The way all the characters plan to teach a lesson to the person who commits this whole crime and help the victim is excellent.
The language is simple and lucid and the author has narrated the story very well. The flow of the story will surely keep the readers hooked till the end of the book.
The cover page depicts the characters of the book and we can definitely see the feeling that they are trying to depict the title of the book is also very intriguing. Both will surely make the readers to pick up this book.
Overall, it was a good read and I would surely recommend it to all the readers.
My Thoughts:
The plot is well written. Rape is a very sensitive topic and I must say that the author has handled it in a very excellent manner and will surely not hurt anyone’s feelings.
The characters are well developed. The author has explained each character in detail which makes them familiar to the readers. The way all the characters plan to teach a lesson to the person who commits this whole crime and help the victim is excellent.
The language is simple and lucid and the author has narrated the story very well. The flow of the story will surely keep the readers hooked till the end of the book.
The cover page depicts the characters of the book and we can definitely see the feeling that they are trying to depict the title of the book is also very intriguing. Both will surely make the readers to pick up this book.
Overall, it was a good read and I would surely recommend it to all the readers.
April 13, 2020
“Rape isn’t just that one time of sexual violence; women have to live with it long after it’s done. Once you’re dead, it’s over. Murder, at least in my opinion, is not the best, not the most accurate response to rape.”
This book is just not what the tittle suggests, this is much much more.
Kudos to the author to choose a topic which needs as much attention as it gets. The stigma related to the topic and overall functioning around it. Rape is something that needs to be talked about and make changes to the nation. This is not something to just hear and move on, we can do so much more than this. This book presented itself wholly across-The author did a great job in her writing style and did not deviate from the main topic although I have to say, it was dragged a bit. The author could've shorten the book by dissolving the unnecessary pages.
It’s a huge book so it took quite a big time to finish this. Rhea, Amruta and Hitanshi are friends and few important characters of the plot. This book gives a voice and a vice to our fears, our apprehensions, our burning anger and our helplessness too. The author binds all this angst together and gives us a plot that if you ask me, I wish were a reality indeed. I really liked the ongoing conversations in this book- they didn't felt awkward or unnatural at any point.
The book reads like a thriller with several twists and turns with excellent writing that’ll keep you hooked until the very ending- except some unnecessary drag ons, that is. I liked the narration of the story. The way the author narrated the emotions is commendable. The language of the author is pretty good and makes a reader appreciate the writing style and the narration. I would highly recommend this book for everyone to read- at least once.
March 31, 2020
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It generally doesn't take me so long to read books but with The Rape Trial being so huge and with it being such a trying time, I just couldn't find the time. Yet, here I am, having read and finished this book and writing its review. The story is, as the name suggests, based on a rape trial. The basic idea is that one man, despite being accused of a rape, escaped the trial with no charges. The case turned into a false allegation. And all was well, until it wasn't.
It's a great book that way. It keeps you right on the edge and makes you return for more and more. Personally, I spent a hard time putting it down. Had it not been for my stupid assignments, I would have never kept it down!
The book spoke to me on so many levels. There was our protagonist who was accused of making a false allegation, something I relate to personally. Then there is the shaming, something that has been a part of my life for so long. And of course, there was also the message that "high society people can get away with anything", which is true in so many aspects in our country. Honestly, it scares me how honest the idea is. This is why, what happened in the end deeply satisfied me.
I also want to put it out there that the theme of the book is very sensitive. At so many places, it is terribly emotional. It took me a little while to resonate with it on the same frequency, despite having gone through a less grotesque scenario of it. Some of the scenes here might also be triggering to others, so I'd suggest reading it accordingly. I mean, it broke me in so many ways. Having a book do that to you is always a good thing for the book itself, and I'm happy to have read it.
It generally doesn't take me so long to read books but with The Rape Trial being so huge and with it being such a trying time, I just couldn't find the time. Yet, here I am, having read and finished this book and writing its review. The story is, as the name suggests, based on a rape trial. The basic idea is that one man, despite being accused of a rape, escaped the trial with no charges. The case turned into a false allegation. And all was well, until it wasn't.
It's a great book that way. It keeps you right on the edge and makes you return for more and more. Personally, I spent a hard time putting it down. Had it not been for my stupid assignments, I would have never kept it down!
The book spoke to me on so many levels. There was our protagonist who was accused of making a false allegation, something I relate to personally. Then there is the shaming, something that has been a part of my life for so long. And of course, there was also the message that "high society people can get away with anything", which is true in so many aspects in our country. Honestly, it scares me how honest the idea is. This is why, what happened in the end deeply satisfied me.
I also want to put it out there that the theme of the book is very sensitive. At so many places, it is terribly emotional. It took me a little while to resonate with it on the same frequency, despite having gone through a less grotesque scenario of it. Some of the scenes here might also be triggering to others, so I'd suggest reading it accordingly. I mean, it broke me in so many ways. Having a book do that to you is always a good thing for the book itself, and I'm happy to have read it.
April 19, 2020
Rahul Satyabhagi, son of well known Narayan Satyabhagi was accused of raping Avni Rambha. Despite having strong evidences, Avni loses the case and Rahul was declared innocent According to law and he became a men's right activist leader. After around 10 years, a video of Rahul bragging about the rape was released by a journalist Karthik. Still, Rahul was not arrested and most of them are in the side of Rahul.Three best friends Rhea, Hitaishi and Amrutha decided to punish the rapists, those who are not punished by law. They are kidnapping, torturing and then dump them on the streets. But A team under DC Dixit was investigating this case, especially the gruesome torture of Rahul Satyabhagi. Did they get caught? When did they stop? Who is Urvi? What happened to her?
Read this book to find out!
This one is a really great read for me. There are many characters, but each one of them is portrayed realistically rather perfectly. Even the plot really expressed what it is to be like in a place where the laws has many loop holes and where one can go to any extent to keep up their dignity. This is one of those book which will make us aware of the realities around us. Things like Victim blaming, the way women are judged in this society and the norms which women are expected to follow in order to be a "good girl" are perfectly put down by the author. The misconceptions about feminism and what it really is are well explained. How Patriarchy has become an inseparable thing in most of the places can also be seen. These are only the few things, a lot more is awaiting for you while reading the book. The court scenes on the end is one of my favourites. That was so interesting and also thought provoking. The only issue with this book is that it's length. It's a long read as sometimes it gets too descriptive. Also, the gruesome details of the torture can be uncomfortable for some readers. Overall, a great read and highly recommend!!!
Read this book to find out!
This one is a really great read for me. There are many characters, but each one of them is portrayed realistically rather perfectly. Even the plot really expressed what it is to be like in a place where the laws has many loop holes and where one can go to any extent to keep up their dignity. This is one of those book which will make us aware of the realities around us. Things like Victim blaming, the way women are judged in this society and the norms which women are expected to follow in order to be a "good girl" are perfectly put down by the author. The misconceptions about feminism and what it really is are well explained. How Patriarchy has become an inseparable thing in most of the places can also be seen. These are only the few things, a lot more is awaiting for you while reading the book. The court scenes on the end is one of my favourites. That was so interesting and also thought provoking. The only issue with this book is that it's length. It's a long read as sometimes it gets too descriptive. Also, the gruesome details of the torture can be uncomfortable for some readers. Overall, a great read and highly recommend!!!
March 14, 2020
The Rape trial by @bidishaghosal Ghosal speaks about a reality that goes on in the world in the form of a fiction story. How the rapist who is the family members of Politicians or Actors or other bigger prominent members of the society are let go off as they pay money to the media and other people supporting the victim to keep silent.
.
This story is about a Rapist Rahul Satyabhagi who had raped Avni Rambha 8 years back and had been declared innocent by the court because Avni Rambha and their family didn't have enough evidence to prove also whichever they had were muted out since Rahul Satyabhagi had power in his hands.
.
Rhea, Hitiashi and Amruta are also the main protagonists of this story and they had been silenced down. What happens next? Will she get justice?.
.
I liked The storyline of the book.
The plot of the story is good and needs to be out in the society as to how a woman victim is always silenced because they aren't powerful enough or the sole reason is that they are born as a woman in the society highly powered as male-dominated.
.
I liked the narration of the story. The way the author narrated the emotions is commendable.
The language of the author is pretty good and makes a reader appreciate the writing style and the narration. The pace is a bit slow in the initial chapters but later on, the book takes up the pace and makes it more interesting.
The writing style of the author is simple and relatable. The cover of the book is very apt as per the story that has been entwined within.
Overall, a wonderful book.
.
This story is about a Rapist Rahul Satyabhagi who had raped Avni Rambha 8 years back and had been declared innocent by the court because Avni Rambha and their family didn't have enough evidence to prove also whichever they had were muted out since Rahul Satyabhagi had power in his hands.
.
Rhea, Hitiashi and Amruta are also the main protagonists of this story and they had been silenced down. What happens next? Will she get justice?.
.
I liked The storyline of the book.
The plot of the story is good and needs to be out in the society as to how a woman victim is always silenced because they aren't powerful enough or the sole reason is that they are born as a woman in the society highly powered as male-dominated.
.
I liked the narration of the story. The way the author narrated the emotions is commendable.
The language of the author is pretty good and makes a reader appreciate the writing style and the narration. The pace is a bit slow in the initial chapters but later on, the book takes up the pace and makes it more interesting.
The writing style of the author is simple and relatable. The cover of the book is very apt as per the story that has been entwined within.
Overall, a wonderful book.
April 1, 2020
Title: Rape trial by Bidisha Ghosal
Pages: 548
Format: Kindle
.
☘️This book revolves around the theme of family, friendship, motivation, injustice, embarrassment around three girls Rhea, Hitaishi, and Amruta.
.
🍀 First of all, I was astonished to look at the title of the book which suggests to us that the subject is going to be bold.
.
🍀As expected the plot turned out to be really well like how we usually see, the headlines in the newspapers every time with some or the other victim information.
.
🍀The writing style of the author is just fantastic that we can actually frame the sequential scenes.
.
🍀The story is gripping and I must definitely say that the storytelling way of the author was really great, it gives us like watching a film.
🍀The character development is done well. The language used is lucid and it is easy to understand.
.
🍀I could sense the pain, anger, and dilemma while reading over the lines of this book.
.
🍀The storyline is perfect and it is much relatable. I appreciate the author for bringing out the thriller scenes to make the story more interesting and to pen down such powerful words we need much guts and the author has done a wonderful job.
.
🍀Though it is a huge book, you will never feel bored to turn on the pages because you can encounter many twists and turns.
.
.🍀I highly recommend this book to everyone. The words are strong and powerful and it directly depicts the reality of the society.
Pages: 548
Format: Kindle
.
☘️This book revolves around the theme of family, friendship, motivation, injustice, embarrassment around three girls Rhea, Hitaishi, and Amruta.
.
🍀 First of all, I was astonished to look at the title of the book which suggests to us that the subject is going to be bold.
.
🍀As expected the plot turned out to be really well like how we usually see, the headlines in the newspapers every time with some or the other victim information.
.
🍀The writing style of the author is just fantastic that we can actually frame the sequential scenes.
.
🍀The story is gripping and I must definitely say that the storytelling way of the author was really great, it gives us like watching a film.
🍀The character development is done well. The language used is lucid and it is easy to understand.
.
🍀I could sense the pain, anger, and dilemma while reading over the lines of this book.
.
🍀The storyline is perfect and it is much relatable. I appreciate the author for bringing out the thriller scenes to make the story more interesting and to pen down such powerful words we need much guts and the author has done a wonderful job.
.
🍀Though it is a huge book, you will never feel bored to turn on the pages because you can encounter many twists and turns.
.
.🍀I highly recommend this book to everyone. The words are strong and powerful and it directly depicts the reality of the society.
July 20, 2020
The novel struck me right where it was supposed to strike. It brought back memories of people, specifically males, known and unknown, telling me how to behave, how to be like a 'girl', and how to act around other 'males'. I could relate with the three main protagonists of the novel, who decide to take things in their own hands and not leave everything to the law that's inevitably biased. One of the protagonists, Rhea's own acquaintance ends up raping one of her old friends. While sitting in the comfort of her huge villa, she could have done what most of us do. Forget about it! Light a candle! Join a march! Or post a tweet pitying the poor girl! But Rhea decides to actually do something about it. Rhea, along with her two friends, Amruta and Hitaishi, ends up becoming the most sought-after vigilantes in the city of Badrid Bay. What did they do as vigilantes is something to look out for! Were they successful in putting a halt on rapes and harassment from happening in the city? Did they change the course of things? Did they stand above the law?
Well, you must read the book to know. It's highly recommended; it's not like a regular novel. It reads like a tv-series and would be quite addictive.
Well, you must read the book to know. It's highly recommended; it's not like a regular novel. It reads like a tv-series and would be quite addictive.
May 19, 2020
Review:
✨Victim Blaming has been the sad reality in many incidents of Sexual harassment in india. Somehow its always the victim's fault which comes forward in our country.
✨Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta's friendship has been cemented over a lifetime, but now they find themselves struggling to answer these questions together.
✨Nearly a decade has passed since Rahul Satyabhagi, heir to the mega Satyabhagi business empire, had raped Avni Rambha, bested her in court, and gone on to become a men's rights activist, and the who's-who of Badrid Bay had breathed a sigh of relief that the sordid mess was over.
✨But now a sting operation proves what many, the three friends included, had suspected all along - he'd been lying.
✨The plot is very relevant & eye-opener for the society.
✨ The loopholes and the flaws in the country's judicial system are well explained.
✨The experience one can feel while reading about the trial process in a courtroom.
✨The characterization is strong and powerful.
✨The language used is simple and lucid.
✨Title and the cover are unique and well suited.
✨The book is lengthy but engrosses the reader as one moves from chapter to chapter.
I highly recommend it.
✨Victim Blaming has been the sad reality in many incidents of Sexual harassment in india. Somehow its always the victim's fault which comes forward in our country.
✨Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta's friendship has been cemented over a lifetime, but now they find themselves struggling to answer these questions together.
✨Nearly a decade has passed since Rahul Satyabhagi, heir to the mega Satyabhagi business empire, had raped Avni Rambha, bested her in court, and gone on to become a men's rights activist, and the who's-who of Badrid Bay had breathed a sigh of relief that the sordid mess was over.
✨But now a sting operation proves what many, the three friends included, had suspected all along - he'd been lying.
✨The plot is very relevant & eye-opener for the society.
✨ The loopholes and the flaws in the country's judicial system are well explained.
✨The experience one can feel while reading about the trial process in a courtroom.
✨The characterization is strong and powerful.
✨The language used is simple and lucid.
✨Title and the cover are unique and well suited.
✨The book is lengthy but engrosses the reader as one moves from chapter to chapter.
I highly recommend it.
February 10, 2020
What happens when women take justice in their own hands, going after their abusers, harassers, rapists–doing to them what men have been doing to women since centuries? What happens when the onus of protecting women lies no longer in the hands of the law? Women have been the victim of gruesome rape, of constantly being stalked by serial molesters, of having their agency defined by the standards men believe to be right. It’s no surprise then that years of systematic abuse and conditioning women continue to tolerate becomes too much to take in. The likes of powerful men like Harvey Weinstein, MJ Akbar, many journalists and celebrities who have been profiting off of the exploitation of women working with or under them has been brought to light. The question still remains: what measures have been taken since the Nirbhaya case and thousand other rape cases to make sure the accused got what they deserved? The answer lies in the fact that women, once again, have faced the brunt of being raped. They risked their lives outing their abusers at the cost of being ostracised.
When Rahul Satyabhagi belonging to one of the most affluent families in Badrid Bay was accused of raping Avni Rambha Ahuja, the members of the elite and friends of the Satyabhagis and Rambhas were divided. Rahul was vindicated at the trial and Avni moved to another country. This didn’t stop him from suing her and from the media from making him the flag-bearer of Men’s right activism. But a recent sting operation done on Rahul exposed him as guilty by his own admission. He not only bragged about the rape but joked about doing it again.
Rhea Arora Raj had been childhood friends with Rahul Satyabhagi and Avni Rambha. Their families were close-knit but it only lasted until Rhea’s parents filed for divorce. Rhea joined her dad’s business when she was still in school. Soon enough, she climbed the corporate ladder with her name on every achievement board. By the time she reached college, she was already handling majority of her dad’s work and launching projects of her own. That’s where she met her lifelong friends and confidantes; Hitaishi and Amruta.
The sting operation broke something inside the three friends; Rhea, Amruta & Hitaishi. They were appalled at Rahul’s audacity, of his lecherous mindset. They no longer wanted to be mute spectators to such a travesty. Here’s when they decide to do something to stop these rampant attacks on women. They took matters in their own hands & set things straight. Not really knowing where this would lead them, the trio set off a precedent in the city and all over the country. Suddenly several rapists were found mutilated and tortured. News broke out about a group of vigilantes who were out to attack men. It’s ironical how the society was now worried about rapists more than women being raped. Bidisha has handled the narrative with sensitivity making sure she drives her point across.
Things get even more interesting when the police, now desperate to catch someone, drag a young girl into the police station levering chargers of first degree murder on her. Urvi Nanda’s case becomes a sensation. Here I would like to mention how fantastically Bidisha wrote the court-room scene. From the journalists to the lawyers to the police, her characters seemed real and very believable. I raced through the pages because of how intense and captivating her arguments were.
The Rape Trial shows us what happens when women do to men what is being done to them since centuries. I don’t know what the moral stand or real solution to this problem is. The story is violent, gory and harsh but depicts the double standards our society seems to be reeling in. There were a lot of scenes that were uncomfortable, a lot of areas that are neither white or black but completely grey. But these are the times we live in. The author evoked feelings of anger, hurt, helplessness that countless women have felt and continue to feel. Their agencies being controlled or completely taken away at the whims of men. The power structure is so skewed, and if we’re taking a few steps forward, we’ll also going back a thousand times.
The book reads like a thriller with several twists and turns coupled with excellent writing that’ll keep you hooked. The Rape Trial by Bidisha Ghosal makes for a great read. I have been reading the book since the past couple of weeks and now that I have finished reading it, I already miss it. Such is the power of words.
When Rahul Satyabhagi belonging to one of the most affluent families in Badrid Bay was accused of raping Avni Rambha Ahuja, the members of the elite and friends of the Satyabhagis and Rambhas were divided. Rahul was vindicated at the trial and Avni moved to another country. This didn’t stop him from suing her and from the media from making him the flag-bearer of Men’s right activism. But a recent sting operation done on Rahul exposed him as guilty by his own admission. He not only bragged about the rape but joked about doing it again.
Rhea Arora Raj had been childhood friends with Rahul Satyabhagi and Avni Rambha. Their families were close-knit but it only lasted until Rhea’s parents filed for divorce. Rhea joined her dad’s business when she was still in school. Soon enough, she climbed the corporate ladder with her name on every achievement board. By the time she reached college, she was already handling majority of her dad’s work and launching projects of her own. That’s where she met her lifelong friends and confidantes; Hitaishi and Amruta.
The sting operation broke something inside the three friends; Rhea, Amruta & Hitaishi. They were appalled at Rahul’s audacity, of his lecherous mindset. They no longer wanted to be mute spectators to such a travesty. Here’s when they decide to do something to stop these rampant attacks on women. They took matters in their own hands & set things straight. Not really knowing where this would lead them, the trio set off a precedent in the city and all over the country. Suddenly several rapists were found mutilated and tortured. News broke out about a group of vigilantes who were out to attack men. It’s ironical how the society was now worried about rapists more than women being raped. Bidisha has handled the narrative with sensitivity making sure she drives her point across.
Things get even more interesting when the police, now desperate to catch someone, drag a young girl into the police station levering chargers of first degree murder on her. Urvi Nanda’s case becomes a sensation. Here I would like to mention how fantastically Bidisha wrote the court-room scene. From the journalists to the lawyers to the police, her characters seemed real and very believable. I raced through the pages because of how intense and captivating her arguments were.
The Rape Trial shows us what happens when women do to men what is being done to them since centuries. I don’t know what the moral stand or real solution to this problem is. The story is violent, gory and harsh but depicts the double standards our society seems to be reeling in. There were a lot of scenes that were uncomfortable, a lot of areas that are neither white or black but completely grey. But these are the times we live in. The author evoked feelings of anger, hurt, helplessness that countless women have felt and continue to feel. Their agencies being controlled or completely taken away at the whims of men. The power structure is so skewed, and if we’re taking a few steps forward, we’ll also going back a thousand times.
The book reads like a thriller with several twists and turns coupled with excellent writing that’ll keep you hooked. The Rape Trial by Bidisha Ghosal makes for a great read. I have been reading the book since the past couple of weeks and now that I have finished reading it, I already miss it. Such is the power of words.
March 26, 2020
Two questions :
What do you do when the rapist is someone you know?
What do you do when he has been found innocent in the eyes of the law?
Read this story of Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta’s friendship which been cemented over a lifetime, but now they find themselves struggling to answer these questions together where Rahul Satyabhagi, heir to the mega business empire, had raped Avni Rambha, bested her in court.
The story of what that woman becomes after being Raped, people just talk about her or recall her of think of her about ‘after the incident’, the before no longer exists. “Suspects,” they are called. As if they hadn’t done what they’d done to you and your mother but were only “suspected” of doing it!
What I mostly loved about this book is the humanizing of the events. Author Bidisha pulls the story of a rape incident and its aftermath off, however this is possible when this is such an unspeakable crime. For over a day I've been trying to understand why I can even remotely like this book when I was disgusted while reading it. And now I understand. Because I will hate every event if I re-read this, but I will simultaneously feel the honesty in every word.
I love it because it's the truth. No sugarcoating. No glitter at the edges. No soothing words. It's the truth. It's reality. It's what people must understand is happening to victims of rape in any form. I love it because of this brutal honesty that few authors can pull off. I love it because some authors are ready to show this crime. I love it because it says what needs to be said.
Just as the reasons for my adoration for the author writing this story, I hate that it needs to be written.
The title Rape Trial is both accurate and not. This is not a book for those looking for romance for none of this exists within these pages. The love is between people who wants to go to the last slot to find out the truth it's of struggling through the world when it turns against you with your family standing next to you. It's about doing what you have to do to survive, make it through.
Despite the title, I love this. As I said, I love how the author puts an honest, brutal, humanized presentation on the subject.
What do you do when the rapist is someone you know?
What do you do when he has been found innocent in the eyes of the law?
Read this story of Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta’s friendship which been cemented over a lifetime, but now they find themselves struggling to answer these questions together where Rahul Satyabhagi, heir to the mega business empire, had raped Avni Rambha, bested her in court.
The story of what that woman becomes after being Raped, people just talk about her or recall her of think of her about ‘after the incident’, the before no longer exists. “Suspects,” they are called. As if they hadn’t done what they’d done to you and your mother but were only “suspected” of doing it!
What I mostly loved about this book is the humanizing of the events. Author Bidisha pulls the story of a rape incident and its aftermath off, however this is possible when this is such an unspeakable crime. For over a day I've been trying to understand why I can even remotely like this book when I was disgusted while reading it. And now I understand. Because I will hate every event if I re-read this, but I will simultaneously feel the honesty in every word.
I love it because it's the truth. No sugarcoating. No glitter at the edges. No soothing words. It's the truth. It's reality. It's what people must understand is happening to victims of rape in any form. I love it because of this brutal honesty that few authors can pull off. I love it because some authors are ready to show this crime. I love it because it says what needs to be said.
Just as the reasons for my adoration for the author writing this story, I hate that it needs to be written.
The title Rape Trial is both accurate and not. This is not a book for those looking for romance for none of this exists within these pages. The love is between people who wants to go to the last slot to find out the truth it's of struggling through the world when it turns against you with your family standing next to you. It's about doing what you have to do to survive, make it through.
Despite the title, I love this. As I said, I love how the author puts an honest, brutal, humanized presentation on the subject.
April 18, 2020
A humongous and a touching read
I am usually not the one to read books on such sensitive issues. They tend to traumatize me but I guess at the end that is the whole point behind such books. To make you realize how horrifying human beings can be.
Rape Trial is a well written testimony of what women have to go through on an everyday basis. I'd totally recommend this one out there.
I am usually not the one to read books on such sensitive issues. They tend to traumatize me but I guess at the end that is the whole point behind such books. To make you realize how horrifying human beings can be.
Rape Trial is a well written testimony of what women have to go through on an everyday basis. I'd totally recommend this one out there.
March 4, 2020
The book narrates the story of rape trail and the how the culprit escape the justice .
The book depicts the sad picture of modern day society , where money and power can buy anything even court trails and justice.
The author has given wonderful narration to this horrific tale which creates a sense of triller right from the preface.
The characterisation is very rich and versatile . And the storyline very realistic.
Overall I think it was a great book
The book depicts the sad picture of modern day society , where money and power can buy anything even court trails and justice.
The author has given wonderful narration to this horrific tale which creates a sense of triller right from the preface.
The characterisation is very rich and versatile . And the storyline very realistic.
Overall I think it was a great book
March 4, 2020
A book on sensitive issues always stirs the public. The book deals with Rahul and Avni, Avni being the one fallen prey to Rahul's heinous act.
As we always get to see in India, the rapist gets out of trial and saves his neck. However when his crime is revealed, he succumbs to threatening.
The rape trial is a raw and fierce narration which stirs your soul. It confronts strong issues straight up. It's brutal and it gives you chills down your spine.
I'm glad that the author speaks truth without any hesitation in her words. She shows us the real face of society, how disgusting society and it's norms are and how the victim suffers.
As we always get to see in India, the rapist gets out of trial and saves his neck. However when his crime is revealed, he succumbs to threatening.
The rape trial is a raw and fierce narration which stirs your soul. It confronts strong issues straight up. It's brutal and it gives you chills down your spine.
I'm glad that the author speaks truth without any hesitation in her words. She shows us the real face of society, how disgusting society and it's norms are and how the victim suffers.
May 28, 2020
The rape trial by Bidisha Ghosal is a crime fictional novel of Rahul Satyabhagi who rapes Avni Rambla. Being rich his innocence was proved, and he went on to become a man's right activist. A sting operation brought many questions and they were undeniable. At a crossroad of this case Rhea, Hitaishi and Amruta find themselves. Will tehy be able to bring out the real truth? Will justice be served to Avni Rambla?
The rape trial title and blurb itself will give you the hint about the story. Kudos to the author to write such a strong story based on major topic “rape” which is not yet stoppable. The plot line is strong and it shows author has worked hard on it. The female characters are strong and well maintained. The narration was flawless. The cover and the title matched the plot. Overall, it was a flawless novel.
Thankyou.
The rape trial title and blurb itself will give you the hint about the story. Kudos to the author to write such a strong story based on major topic “rape” which is not yet stoppable. The plot line is strong and it shows author has worked hard on it. The female characters are strong and well maintained. The narration was flawless. The cover and the title matched the plot. Overall, it was a flawless novel.
Thankyou.
April 22, 2020
Okay, what do I say? I’m rendered speechless and totally, totally shocked, rather pleasantly though. Never thought in my wildest imagination that a book would be so power-packed with emotions that I’d be keeling over with a sucker punch of intense happiness and sometimes hate. The book that I am talking about and that made me go through myriads of emotions is ‘The Rape Trial by Bidisha Ghosal’.
From the onset, the moment Rahul Satyabhagi entered the scene I knew no bound to my hatred for this character. And it grew with every turn of page; the helplessness and the anger such people and their action evoke. I can’t even begin to imagine what the rape victims have to go through; the lifelong mental trauma, the damage that can never be mended.
“Rape isn’t just that one time of sexual violence; women have to live with it long after it’s done. Once you’re dead, it’s over. Murder, at least in my opinion, is not the best, not the most accurate response to rape.”
Well Initially, I had thought this book to be a story about a rape victim and her trials and tribulations. But as I started reading it and ploughed on further, I realized that I could have never be more wrong then now. Now don’t go thinking that it doesn’t have a trial or anything. It does, but it has all sorts of a different kind of trial, which I wish were a reality. And which set a chain of events in its wake that made reading the book more fun.
What I liked most about the book is the author Bidisha’s flawless narrative that kept me engrossed and hyperventilating throughout. With every chapter that ended, I had to take a deep long breath before starting on to the other. She knows how to jolt the readers out of their comfort zone. And she did jolt me out the comfort zone with her imagery writing style. The Author. In addition to the narrative, the conversations between the characters were impeccably served on the right moment and place. There was nothing rushed about this book. Nothing.
And oh, what do I say about the characters?! They were flawed yet there was something about them that made them feel more real and humane. And more attractive to me. And the author made sure every character had their own sub-stories, so that we, the readers could connect with them on a deeper level.
Do I recommend this book? Of course!!!! I highly recommend this book ‘The Rape Trial by Bidisha Ghosal’. This book I assure you is going to strike a chord in you. Make you question certain aspects of humanity. So I say go, read it at least once.
From the onset, the moment Rahul Satyabhagi entered the scene I knew no bound to my hatred for this character. And it grew with every turn of page; the helplessness and the anger such people and their action evoke. I can’t even begin to imagine what the rape victims have to go through; the lifelong mental trauma, the damage that can never be mended.
“Rape isn’t just that one time of sexual violence; women have to live with it long after it’s done. Once you’re dead, it’s over. Murder, at least in my opinion, is not the best, not the most accurate response to rape.”
Well Initially, I had thought this book to be a story about a rape victim and her trials and tribulations. But as I started reading it and ploughed on further, I realized that I could have never be more wrong then now. Now don’t go thinking that it doesn’t have a trial or anything. It does, but it has all sorts of a different kind of trial, which I wish were a reality. And which set a chain of events in its wake that made reading the book more fun.
What I liked most about the book is the author Bidisha’s flawless narrative that kept me engrossed and hyperventilating throughout. With every chapter that ended, I had to take a deep long breath before starting on to the other. She knows how to jolt the readers out of their comfort zone. And she did jolt me out the comfort zone with her imagery writing style. The Author. In addition to the narrative, the conversations between the characters were impeccably served on the right moment and place. There was nothing rushed about this book. Nothing.
And oh, what do I say about the characters?! They were flawed yet there was something about them that made them feel more real and humane. And more attractive to me. And the author made sure every character had their own sub-stories, so that we, the readers could connect with them on a deeper level.
Do I recommend this book? Of course!!!! I highly recommend this book ‘The Rape Trial by Bidisha Ghosal’. This book I assure you is going to strike a chord in you. Make you question certain aspects of humanity. So I say go, read it at least once.
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