What secrets are hidden for more than a century on the walls of the dreaded Cellular Jail?1912 A priest found himself in the whirlwind of swadeshi movements that brought him finally to the infamous Cellular Jail, Port Blair. There he witnessed the unbridled tortures that the jail authority unleashed on the political prisoners. He hatched up a plan to escape from the prison and left some symbols on the walls of his cell that might help someone understand his story one day.2004 In Great Nicobar Island a small boy survived the tsunami. The orphaned boy was named ‘Andaman’ and was prophesied to fulfil a noble task that only he could do. Years later, the wheels of events brought him to a cell in the Cellular Jail where he was surprised to discover certain strange symbols on the walls that he had seen before.As his exploration started from the jail to the deepest jungle of Andaman, the home the Jarawas, slowly many deeply-buried secrets uncovered, embracing Andaman in a century-old chain of events; a long saga of trust, betrayal, and retribution where he also had a role to play.But Andaman knew the entire story he would understand only if he could understand the secret of that strange-looking Swastika.To know more read... Andaman****************************************************************************************************Ratnadip Acharya is the author of four successful novels, The Speaking Stone, Your Love Makes Me Complete, Life is Always Aimless... Unless you love it and Paradise Lost & Regained. His historical thriller, The Speaking Stone, is a phenomenal success and loved by many readers across the country. He is a columnist for The Speaking Tree in The Times of India. He contributed many write-ups in different collections of Chicken Soup for the Soul. He lives in Mumbai with his wife, Sophia, and son, Akash.You can connect with Ratnadip via the following www. facebook.com/ www.facebook.com/ www.instagram.com/ www.twitter.com/RatnadipAcharya
Have you read about the lives of political prisoners from the time of India's freedom struggle?
Andaman & Nicobar Islands is primarily famous for its scenic beauty. However, it is also home to the infamous The Cellular Jail, a colonial prison. It has been described as a hell on earth and rightly so. The treatment meted out to prisoners is gruesome.
Andaman by Ratnadip Acharya captures the lives of political prisoners in the early 20th century. The book spans more than 100 years and runs parallelly between 1911 CE and 2004 CE. While the first timeline has an imprisoned priest describing the horrors of living in the jail, the second one shows a young boy (whose name is Andaman) who loses his family to Tsunami and is rescued by a man, Paritosh.
Thereafter, the story unfolds at its own pace and shows how the two timelines converge in the end to make sense.
The title of the story gives an impression that it is solely about the island but well, that's not so. It has more meaning to it that definitely impressed me. It wouldn't be an overstatement if I say that Andaman has a very refreshing storyline. I have never read about the cellular jail and so, this book has opened me to some interesting facts from History. It is based on true events and that goes on to lend authenticity to the plot.
It travels from Andaman to Bengal to the forests of Jarawa tribes and more. The vivid storytelling creates a strong impact on the readers. While the language is simple, the interplay between history and contemporary brings us an intriguing story to read and educate ourselves.
At some 450 odd pages, the author has done a wonderful job at researching and executing the story. Each detail is finely covered and the coherence of events is good. However, I did feel that it needed editing to omit some typographical errors and polish the overall narrative. I was not much convinced with the end either. I felt it could have been executed in a better way.
If you are willing to read historical fiction, do check out this one!
A historical mystery thriller that not only brings an intriguing side of history but blends it with fiction and emotions to make it much more livid yet dynamic. As two parallel plots converge in a single point it creates a sense of trepidation and anticipation. Reading this book was a different experience than reading the other historical mystery thriller by the author, The Speaking Stone. This book is based on real events and humiliation of political prisoners in cellular jail of Andaman and it cleverly portrays the lifestyle of different tribes present in those areas. It's evident that much thought has been put into the story and the book is borne out of diligent research.
Although a very good, detailed plot, yet the feeling of streched out plot is not easy to shrug off. Often it felt the plots are unnecessarily dragged. Writing style is good but again too much details in the narration slowed down the pace. If you're expecting a fast paced thriller then probably it's not a right pick but there's something in this book that keeps you motivated to read more and more and unravel the mystery. However the ending didn't suit me well, I was expecting a much more pacy and nail biting suspense or something but that didn't come.
It always fascinates me to read and know more about the past, especially the cellular jail of the Andaman. I was intrigued by the structure and also keen on knowing about the life of the inmates. I'm glad that I picked this book as it not only gave me a good amount of information about the prison but also a satisfaction of reading a wonderful book.
Andaman as the title reads is a novel that runs 2 parallel stories set in 2 different centuries 1911 and 2004. One talks about the political prisoners of the Swadeshi Movement and a priest who leaves clues for the future generation to learn about the inhuman behaviour of the authorities on the inmates . The other is about a boy called Andaman who is is set to unlock the mystery behind the clues, by the game of fate. The question here is Do these stories have a Connection?
Switching between 2 timelines is tough and the author has done it perfectly. The clues to solve the mystery is interesting and the suspense is maintained till the end. I like the explanation about the swastika symbol and the kundalini. The gripping plot has been narrated in a Language that is crisp with well developed characters. Though I have read and liked the previous books of the author, this is a masterpiece I would say which proves that he has mastered the art of storytelling.
I have always been intrigued by Andaman Island ,not only because of the beauty of the landscape but also the horrors of the cellular jail located there which our freedom fighter faced . I have read a couple of previous books by the same author so dint think twice before picking this one up and I must say it is a remarkable work of fiction.
In the novel ,two parallel stories are running which are a century spaced apart. During the struggle phase for our independence amongst various prisoners who were held captive here, there was one priest who carved some drawings on the wall and left some clues so that upcoming generations can take a cue of what kind of horrible treatment they encountered from the Britishers. Fast forward hundred years , a boy named Andaman in a chance encounter discover those clues and take the onus on himself to solve it . But still there is one Swastika whose history is waiting to get unravelled. Will it be resolved or just like various other mysteries in this world it will also be lost in the sands of time? Grab the book to find.
The book is brilliantly written. Though it is around 450 pages long but even the sheer volume won't dissuade you from reading it relentlessly if you are even remotely interested in historical fictions. The amount of research author has put up speak volumes of his pedantic nature. Also he is able to maintain a constant thrill element throughout the tale which doesn't let the reader feel monotony in any way. One can not underrate the emotional aspect of the book either and the acute characterisation. Also the transition between the two timelines is quite seamless
'Andaman' by Ratnadip Acharya is a historical fiction read and the story sets up in two different timelines of Indian history and revolves around the protagonist Andaman who unravels the mystery and hidden secrets in the walls of a cellular jail. A priest in 1912 CE. during the time of Swadesi movements witnessed the tortures on political prisoners by jail authority so he made an escape plan and left some symbols on the walls of his cell in the jail that one day someone might understand his story.
What were the hidden secrets of that jail? To know you have to read this mysterious book.
The author has done a deep research work and provided us with the exact dates and locations in each chapter. He has described the adventurous scenes and historical events in detail that makes it an interesting and engaging read. Twists and turns in the story has the power to keep the readers glued to their seats. Language used by him is simple and easily understandable. His writing style is smooth and flowing. The cover of the book is aptly designed and the title is related to the content. The flow of the book is well paced. I recommend it to all those who love reading historical books.
I am not a history fanatic but when told in an interesting way, I can be all ears. When Ratnadip sir's Andaman was released, I was a bit sceptical about picking it up owing to the length and the genre. Blimey! It was the right decision to pick this one. Yet again, the illusion specialist uses his wit and logic to create a mystery using symbols and missing pieces of the puzzle. Like The Speaking Stone, this time, Andaman brings you a spirit that tries to communicate with the protagonist. No, not in reality but in a parallel world.
Andaman by author Ratnadip Acharya is a historical fiction consisting of 52 chapters. The story is set in two timelines, 1911 CE and 2004 CE. The first one is about swadeshi movements where the political prisoners faced the unbridled tortures in the Cellular Jail, Port Blair. The second story revolves around a small boy, who survived in tsunami and years later destiny took him to discover the strange symbols in the Cellular Jail.
Which were those strange symbols? Why he was taken to the Cellular Jail? Will the priest be able to escape from the prison? Which secrets were uncovered in the Andaman? To know the whole mysterious story do grab this book.
This was the second book I’ve read by the same author with a gripping plot. With the flip of page, the story was becoming more intriguing. Wherever necessary pictures related to that specific part were well portrayed. The timelines and pace between them were well maintained. The language was simple. The title and cover are apt.
Overall, it was a good mysterious read. I would recommend this book to the readers who love historical fiction.
The story was excellent and Andaman's part in it is huge, very telling of his character, his morals and you see once again just how awesome he is. He's so complex, and I loved listening to his thought process, such a wise man, but it also broke my heart to look at his life experiences. I picked this one up mostly because of the title and the cover. It's sort of beautiful in a very plain and morbid way.
Every once in awhile you stumble upon a book that is rich in history, so much so that sometimes, it will take your very breath away. Sometimes it steals that breath because of how beautiful it is and sometimes because of how very sad and horrifying and raw and true it is. The alternating narration, for the alternating points-of-view, was done very well and gave the listen a little something extra.
It made me cringe, it made me suffer right along with it's heartbreakingly real characters that were so real and lovable and full of life. It made me rejoice in their simple joys and happiness when they could find it and most of all, it had me rooting for them all along the way hoping like crazy that they would all be rescued and redeemed. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for a breathtaking, poignant story.
Ratnadip Acharya has written a gripping, almost thrilling, mixture of fantasy and history and deserves to be congratulated. Personally, I would have been happier if he had shifted the balance a little more in favour of history and reduced the fantasy element a bit. The editors too needed to be a little more sharp- several errors of language.
"Exactly, but in our religion 13 is a holy and pure number, or rather the holiest, unlike in Christianity. Do you know why?"
The orator speaks about the Hindu religion while discussing a fascinating fact about the number 13 which is unfamiliar to most of us. Wouldn't you be interested to know why the number 13 is holy? and not just that so many such interesting facts which only the writer of "The Speaking Stone" could bring to the plate through his extensive study tangled with patriotism and predilection towards the history of the freedom struggle with the name of "ANDAMAN" Port Blair was just a nook for me until I read about the significance and whereabouts of this place from this book which enchanted me with awful suspense. The columnist respects point of view and thus codified the tale in two timelines giving the POVs the best credit they deserve. Even after making all efforts for crafting the emotions into pages, the ink slinger expressed his worry through the mouthpiece of the lead by pointing towards people's aloof attitude even towards practical site visits. Will his extensive literary work/research get recognition in the cognizance of humans?
This book isn't only a storey; it's also a journey to Andaman (which has always been a destination for gorgeous seas and scuba diving for the general public) because the author has meticulously and accurately depicted every scenario on the opposite side of the coin.
The goal of this book is also to make people remember the sacrifices made by freedom fighters and the tortures perpetrated on local Indians by Britishers, which I must say is the most thought-provoking portion of the novel while solving puzzles and quelling the urge of every mystery lover's inner Sherlock. The illustrations in between the pages maintain the pace of the story while reading various clues as engraved on the wall of the cellular Jail. The author was quite clear in selecting the title which sums up the subject. Easy language is the strongest point of the book while discussing complex theories which is quite indispensable here.
"And then started his journey to return home. He was the same Andaman. All that changed in him was that his heart was now pregnant with the most singular story" What was the final discovery Andaman made? Did he solve the mystery? What's it with the Swastik symbol? To know more get the book and set yourself towards a bit long journey of reading a true masterpiece. This book is something I would love to transmit the name to my avid reader friends to share the taste of literature mixed with research. A highly recommended book!
When was the last time you really sensed the lurking fear and goosebumps in prose? This scintillating narration and I am indeed in awe of its enormous research. I couldn't find out anything that can persuade me to give this book less than five stars.
I devoured this book vigorously. Author Ratnadip Acharya's profound knowledge drives me away. Thanks to him for bringing back all the forgotten days of Anushilan Samiti, the names like Jugantar, and the sacrifices that are fading away from our memory. Thanks for retelling the saga of freedom fighters and reminding the names like Hemchandra, Jatin Das once again..
Two stories are running in parallel, one started in colonial India and another one starts in 2005 after the massive tsunami that shook the whole world. In the first story, December 17, 1911, three friends, three freedom fighters were sent to cellular jail on the charge of making conspiracy against the British government, they were sentenced to Sazaye Kalapani. Only one of them can escape from the hell aka cellular jail. And in the second story starts on December 24, 2004, the very next day tsunami hits the seashore of the islands and Paritosh received his motivation for life, he rescued a five years old boy who became his everything.
In this book, author draws extensive research on Andaman and its' cellular jail. Provides deep insight into all tragic incidents with acute details about the island.
It's a truly compelling book, both in the way it waves profound knowledge of cellular jail's political prisoner's life and the twisted mystery in the Islanders. The twisted story of what the expedition leads to as well as the exhaustive truth that it presents about civilized human nature, its behavior towards others. Based on authentic research this book gives a comprehensive narrative about the Andaman And Nicobar Islands and most interesting the Jarawas. The shivering details about people's behavior toward these vulnerable Jarawa's gave me shivering ….kudos to the author for this vast research.
Searing pain engulfed me while reading the insights of India's freedom fighter's life in cellular jail and again when it says about the islanders, the Jarawa's life.
This book gives full picturesque details about the whole Andaman and Nicobar cluster which is majestic, if you want to go to Andaman this book will guide you thoroughly.
I have never read about the cellular jail. I think that I have been living under a rock and I am very glad that I picked this book. After reading the blurb, I thought that it was a work of fiction and a sort of mystery/ thriller book instead, it turned out to be insightful and made me realise that most of the details mentioned in this book are facts.
"Andaman" by Ratnadip Acharya elucidates the lives of political prisoners in cellular jail during the Indian independence movement. The story runs parallelly in two different timelines ie between 1911 CE and 2004 CE. One story is about the priest, who is imprisoned in the cellular jail of Andaman. It captures the inhumane treatment of prisoners by the British during the Swadeshi movement. My heart ached while reading about the brutal punishments that are imposed on political prisoners and how they are deprived of basic human rights. The other one is about a boy named Andaman who has survived a deadly tsunami and is destined to fulfil a noble task. As the story unfolds, we get to know about the connection between the story of political prisoners and Andaman. Switching between the two timelines and making sure that the story is engaging is not an easy task and the author has done a commendable job in balancing it.
Initially, the book is slow-paced but eventually, it becomes a thrilling and emotional ride with twists and turns and has all the things you can hope for in historical fiction/ mystery.
This is a historical fiction that is set up in different timelines (i.e) 1911 CE and 2004 CE on Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 💫 In 1911, When India was under the control of the British few people were caught under Swadeshi movements including a temple priest who land him in the infamous cellular jail in Port Blair, it is famous for the Kala pani punishment. He plans to escape from the cellular jail. 💫 In 2004, It was a day before Tsunami hit the islands. This leaves few survivors & one among them was a 5-year-old blue-eyed orphaned boy Andaman. After he grows up, he goes to the same cellular Jail the priest was held in once. What is he going to discover and did he end his search, is the remaining story for you to catch up on. 💫 This is a wonderful read one should never miss. The author has done a lot of research and hardwork for this book. I remember my trip to Andaman and mainly about the cellular jail with small and dark rooms few years ago after grabbing this read (Which I have seen and it was the real hell of a life for those freedom fighters). 💫 The language is very good and enthralling. The narration is just perfect. The title and the cover page is marvellous. The story has many twists and turns which will captivate any reader. I would like to recommend this mesmerizing read to all book lover.
The beauty of books in the historical fiction genre is that they take us into a time/world that is beyond physical travel and make us feel a life we would not have lived otherwise. (Quite a time travel, isn't it?) However, very few books are capable of touching the reader's heart and invoking intense thoughts. Andaman is one such book! Thanks to author Ratnadip Acharya's extensive knowledge and engaging storytelling, this book is both thought-provoking and a delight to read.
Andaman's cellular jail and its horrific history are not unknown. But very little has been written about the inhuman life that political prisoners had to go through there. Traveling between two timelines which are centuries apart, on one hand, the author takes us into the horrific life of political prisoners inside cellular jail during the early 20th century, on the other hand, he takes us on the thrilling journey of a little boy Andaman during the early part of 21st century who is destined to complete an incomplete task. The switch between both the timelines and stories is seamless and never at any point does it let the readers confused.
The beauty of this book is that the author has weaved fiction with nonfiction so effortlessly that the difference between both is blurred. Usage of illustrations to explain the horrible punishments given to political prisoners add to the positive sides of this novel. Apart from an engaging narration, each of the characters is well thought of and fits the story perfectly. While the book majorly falls under the historical fiction genre, it has a good amount of suspense thriller essence too. I would recommend it to fans of both genres.
This is very amazing and must read book. Something that is full of secrets and thrill which won’t you sit idle and without reading. It will keep you hooked on your seat and on the edge until you reach the end. There are two stories which run parallel to each other side by side i.e. from 1911 to 2004 and upto 2020 and even Covid. How to relate and combine is something that you will have to know while you read. It doesn’t just end here; it holds a lot more than just A STORY. It holds the vivid descriptions of what our people had went through in Andaman ‘kale pani ki saza’. There is a lot of information, details, knowledge, thrill and a lot more. There are secrets hidden in the cell of a jail which leads to somewhere that we can’t even imagine. How the nature help us in understanding everything on our will. How the world helps bring on the path that you are meant on. And so much more that we cannot even think about. Just One question from the author that why wasn’t he able to meet his son when Andaman found him? *Insert sobs*. Saying that - The story has so many possible turns that it could have taken but the one which it took was so unexpected. The foundation of sign made me so hopeful and happy for that now the stories of the sufferings will be known by everyone. (Which sign M talking about is something for which you’ll have to read the book and know about it.) A LOT has been kept in mind while writing & researching the book. Even many little things like the detailing of the little stuff and even the names & description of everything is upto the mark. Its commendable.
The book has clandestine and page-turner origins hooked on it to deliver delight to the bibliophile. The story is about the Swadeshi movement and in what way guiltless was scared out of your wits behind the blocks and was enforced to go through marvelous agonies. Port Blair, a residence which is disremembered by Indians, I initially read about the Port Blair in “We Need a Revolution” book and that book was a masterpiece. This timeline is established in the era of revolution, Independence Fight. The volume liveliness into feature of how the time flies and by what method David Barclay usages several mechanisms and tactics to give suffering to the inmates. The book's description spins around the secret of the swastika sign. The magnificence of this volume is that the writer has intertwined creative writing with factual so smoothly that the alteration among both is faint. Story is divided into two timelines of time. 1911, Paritosh Chakraborty, the priest leaves mysterious marks on the wall of cellular jail and 2004, A boy named “ANDAMAN” found those marks and try to solve them with numerous tricks. The design of the story will hook the booklovers till the finish and story flanked by two timelines is very easy to read. This volume is a unification of belief, treachery and restructuring.
Have you heard about The Cellular Jail? Well, let's know more about The Cellular Jail through fiction. I have heard about it and have seen some references of it in some movies and books. Andaman offers a new perspective. One of the interesting facts about this book is that all the places discussed in this book actually exist. In addition to that, the events in the book and time frame also exist.
We could call Andaman a perfect blend of fiction and reality. Cellular Jail plays a vital role throughout the storyline. We could learn more about the secrets as the story progresses.
There are two timelines, one around the 1900s and the other one around the 2000s. The common link between the two timelines is the jail itself. The plot is well researched and executed. The author has also provided illustrations for better understanding. The explanation is detailed and just perfect. I'm a fan of the plot and storyline and this one was quite intriguing.
Well, I am not going deep into the story as it may reveal some plot spoilers. Narration is rightly paced and lucid. Do check this out and find out more about Andaman and how he would unravel the secrets.
The story of 'Andaman' sets up in two different timelines 1911 and 2004. One story is about the prisoners of Swadeshi movement when India was under British control. During that time a priest was imprisoned by them and kept in the jail of Andaman. He carved puzzles and mysteries on the wall for his future generations.
What mysteries he carved on the walls of the cellular jail?
And in 2004 an orphan boy named Andaman has tried to explore the secrets of these walls.
Will he be successful in his task?
Read the book to know the answers.
The cover of the book is aptly designed and the title is totally relevant. The plot of the story is interesting, engaging and adventurous. It is a perfect blend of mystery, thrill, adventure, and history with lots of twist and turns. The author has penned down the adventurous scenes amazingly which seems like watching a movie. Language used is simple and lucid. Writing style is superb and flowing. Hats off to the author for his research work and providing exact dates and locations.
Overall, an engaging read.
Rating - 4.8/5
I recommend this book to all specially to history lovers out there.
Andaman is perhaps one of the best Indian Historical fiction books that I have come across. I am soo intrigued by the author's work that I am looking forward to reading more books by him.
The book follows two different storylines, set in two different eras. The protagonist named Andaman was prophesied to carry out a noble task. But one of the major obstacles that Andaman faced was that strange Swastika. Will he be able to decipher it? Read the book to find out.
If you are someone who loves Indian History and wants an interesting and fresh concept, please pick this book. This is one of the books that will keep you hooked, it was hard for me to put this book down once I started it.
The book is jampacked with thrill and suspense. I had a hell of an experience while reading it.
Moreover, the symbols, the numbers and all the explanations are very well presented, while reading it was nodding to the lines. And that is something I loved about the book.
If you are in a reading slump or are struggling to find your next read, this is the best pick. I assure you.
Book: Andaman Author: Ratnadip Acharya Pages: 441 . The book's narrative revolves around the mystery of the swastika symbol. The narrative flits between two timelines. Some symbols left by a priest at a cellular jail are found by a boy. The curiosity to find the meaning behind these symbols leads him to an adventurous journey. It's said that everything has secrets in the world and this place has also some secrets. The image of the strange looking Swastika has a major impact in the story. It's a story of a priest who came to this jail at the time of Swadeshi Movement and here he witnessed the unbridled pains and sufferings of political prisoners by the Authority so he had made his escape plans and draw certain signs and symbols on the walls of his cell that one day someone could understand his story. The time flies from 1911 CE to 2004 CE and an orphaned boy named 'Andaman' exolorated this place The Cellular Jail again and in his journey he had come across lots of deeply buried secrets and mysteries. Read the book to know more about the story.The Language of the Book is Rich. The Writing Style of the Book is Fast - Paced and Gripping. The Cover of the Book is Captivating. The Title of the Book is an Intriguing. Rating- ✨✨✨✨
The book "Andaman"is written by the author Ratnadip Acharya is a historical fiction read . The title of the book has attracted me the most to read this book 🌼 🌿 The story is set in two different timelines - 1911 CE and 2004 CE on the Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal. missing dots between the long timeline get connected as more mysteries gets unfold. Paritosh Chakraborty, a priest residing in the Great Nicobar Island, encounters a huge tsunami that contributes to change everything in his life. The destruction that the natural disaster has caused compelled him to flee from the beautiful island, taking with him an unknown member that he recently encounters to a place he never thought of returning. 🌼 🌿 On the other side, the story of the political prisoners who were locked up in the Cellular Jail during the British Raj has a different story to unfold.The image of the strange looking Swastika has a major impact in the story. When you read this book, you will feel that everything is happening in front of your eyes. 🌼 🌿 You will be completely engrossed in this book The book is very well written.I thank to author for writing this amazing book. Title and cover page of the book is really good. Personally I enjoyed this book, definitely I'm highly recommend this book to all readers.
Book:Andaman Author:Ratnadip Acharya Format:Paperback ........... I was seeing this book a lot on bookstagram,so i decided why not to give this a shot.
Reading this book was a different feeling altogether.I loved how the author has mentioned everything and the way in which every detail has been written.
When Andaman name comes,the first thing which comes in my mind is jails!Yess..for me it is true!I have heard a lot about the cellular jails there but this book actually visualised everything.
This book is not a very short read.I don't think the beginner readers who are looking for short,crisp and light plot will enjoy this book.But the ones who are explorative will surely enjoy this.
The plot and the storyline is very well narrated by the author.And the whole story has been written in an appropriate pace.
I loved the cover of the book.It is designed in a very good manner.
Historical thrillers were never part of my reading habits but after reading this book, I'm looking forward to read more and more historical thrillers.
The book is about a mysterious Swastika, though it was not exactly like what we make Swastika in our house. It was very strange and uneven. Story unfolds about mysteries of this sign. This symbol was actually made by a priest in a cellular jail, where he was tortured, but he made plan to escape and left behind this symbol, which later in this story was unsolved by a boy. What was the mystery behind this symbol? Will World be able to understand what priest wanted to convey through that symbol?
Though the book was lengthy, I was completely intrigued to the book and I could only put it down after I completed it. It took me three days to complete this book as all my attention was on only this book. You should read this book, if you haven't yet explored, historical thrillers yet. I would really recommend this book to you.
The story is set in two diffrent era 1912 CE: A priest found himself in the whirlwind of swadeshi movements that brought him finally to the infamous Cellular Jail, Port Blair. There he witnessed the unbridled tortures that the jail authority unleashed on the political prisoners. He hatched up a plan to escape from the prison and left some symbols on the walls of his cell that might help someone understand his story one day.
2004 CE: In Great Nicobar Island, a small boy survived the tsunami. The orphaned boy was named ‘Andaman’ and was prophesied to fulfil a noble task that only he could do. Years later, the wheels of events brought him to a cell in the Cellular Jail where he was surprised to discover certain strange symbols on the walls that he had seen before.
These two parallel stories running but i found it intresting and author has done work from his skin to keep the secrets into every next page which is engaging read. though it is fictional read but author has done extensive research about the history and prehistoric movements.
The prisoners found it very terrible the way they treat , facts and figures leaves you stunned.
The Jarawa tribes are also mentioned in the book , the swastika, the godess pictures in between there are few clues which make the book engaging read Language used is simple and understandable to new readers also.
After so many days I have read a historical fiction that is absolutely mindblowing. Andaman by Ratnadip Acharya is an outstanding book that anybody can pick and enjoy for sure.
The story consists of 2 parallel stories set in 2 different centuries that are 1911 and 2004. I will not spoil that for sure but all I can say is, I really could not stop reading until the story ends. Yes! It's very much interesting and page-turner.
Author's writing style is very standard. The way he has managed two timeline with same pace that is appreciating. A highly recommended book from my side.
People who loves historical fiction, literature reading, they will love this for without any doubt.
I love historical fiction books, and this one is no different. The jail on Andaman called Cellular Jail has always been an object of interest for me. That was the place where political prisoners were sent during the British Rule in India. It was hell on earth.
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This book runs parallelly in two timelines. One in 1911 and the second in 2004 - a few days before the fateful Tsunami strikes the coast to present. A priest ends up being sent to Cellular Jail, but he plans on a escape. In 2004, the tsunami wipes out entire settlements, but a kid survives. He ends up exploring the Cellular jail and finds mysterious signs etched on it's walls.
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The story is great, but it is a tad bit too long. While I appreciate the extra details about the jail, they are distracting from the main flow of the story.
In 1912 CE, a priest, witnessing the tortures on political prisoners during the Swadeshi movement, imprinted the clues of the inhumanity in the cell walls. Years later, the protagonist Andaman is all set to unravel the mystery behind those symbols in search of his destiny.
Yes, ‘Andaman’ by Ratnadeep Acharya is a historical fiction with all its shades but is no less than a gripping thriller. Once you get into the plot, I'm sure, you cannot let go of it unless you finish the reading. It is a bit slow-paced, but the well-woven storyline and unexpected plot twists are more than enough to keep the readers glued till the end.
The parallel narration, shifting between two time frames, is indeed impressive. It implicates a lot of emotions and is properly conveyed in suitable yet lucid language. Overall, it is a perfect historical fiction, in all its grandeur, and at the same time a thrilling page-turner too.
Whenever we come across something new, weird, or something unique, our brains tend to think about it as our interest gets piqued for that matter leaving us to discover the mystery behind it.
The author has brought forth the behaviour that the political prisoners went through by the authorities of the prison, the injustice and the torture into the book.
A priest during the Swadeshi moment when jailed forged an escape plan and left symbols along the way in hopes that someday his life incidents and his story can be known.
Andaman, a boy with a highly curious mind starts uncovering the symbols and the path it leads to along the way finding more about Indian history.
The author has well blended two different timelines running as a parallel story without inducing any kinds of confusion in timeline shifts. He has done a deep research of the facts and even mention the place and time. Bringing all of so much in a book, clustering it together to read and know more parts about the past of our nation.
The book revolves around two parallel stories. One was of 1912, about a priest who is being tortured in jail where he leaves the signs of his own existence and story so that somebody someday could decipher what the priest went through. The other story was in 2004, a young boy called Andaman survives Tsunami and reaches the same cell and decipher the story of the priest.
The book is an adventurous ride and a mystery that unfolds with each chapter as we delve further in the book.
The book cover was really beautiful and the story as well. The book was a long read but never had any full moment. The research is immense and all credit goes to the author. The premise of the book is interesting and so is the writing style. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
"When you are in shackles and cannot move, patience must be your best friend." This is the second book I read by Ratnadeep Acharya... (First I read was 'Your love makes me Complete')... Both of them are from totally different genres... Your love makes me complete was a love story involving the characters' corporate and personal lives and this one, loaded with the history and geography of 'Andaman' which has rendered me curious to know what he might have provided in his other masterpieces. This book isn't just the story but also a trip to the place, for the author has very minutely and perfectly described every scenario as if he was living there, and just jotting down in words what he saw. Similarly, with his writing, he has made his readers go through exactly the plot, the emotions, the sceneries described. I must say it is well researched and plotted about the habitat, tribes around the area, info about the vegetation, traditions, events from history and parts where information involves history, religion etc. Hence, it's a book filled with lots of information conveyed through the story, perfectly plotted. Plus the objective of this book, what I think is, to make people relive the sacrifices of the freedom fighters, remember the tortures that britishers inflicted upon native Indians, which I must say, is the most triggering part of the book. And author is somewhere successful in delivering the cherishing purpose, at least in my case, yes! I loved the book and its value, the book deserves to be a wonderful part of our literature.