Gone With The Bullet by Sheeja Jose (Book Review: 3.75*/5) !!!

     I am just done reading 6th novel of the new year and what can be the better way to celebrate your weekend than sitting with a book for hours. Isn't it? This time I picked up Sheeja Jose's 2nd book "Gone with the Bullet" which is published by the Whitewall Publisher. This 318 pages thick book is a crime thriller about how a girl falls in love with the man who might be her father's killer. It's always wonderful to read a thriller written by a female author because there's already many men in this genre releasing book one after another. Last time, Aarti Venkatraman surprised me with her "Kingdom Come" and I can surely say that Sheeja Jose is another competitive author in our Indian market. 

    

         The writing style of the authoress is wonderful and she narrates her story very well. The best that I found in this book has been the way the past life of each character is intertwined perfectly and the way it has its reflection in their present behaviour in the social circle. Even though the book stays on its main plot but still the characters are built with each chapter and you can understand what's going in mind of each one of them. Also the curiosity of what shall happen in the end stays with you as a reader which makes this book a great page-turner. Author have researched well therefore the technical terms that she have used for explaining the backdrop of shooters, terrorists and police force is worth-reading. 

     

     Initially, it is hard to get into the flow of the story because the way the first chapter begins isn't reader-friendly but once 60-70 pages are done, we start getting used to the author's unique way of narration and start enjoying the story of two couples simultaneously. Also, Mark begins to get over you and becomes the favorite character by the middle of the book. And the final section when the task has to be executed is also well-written and you are surprised by the turn of events. Though it had become predictable at one point of time that who among the protagonists would ultimately do that final task in the climax but still the whole scenario is worth reading and experiencing.

            Coming to the drawback: I felt that the author stretched the story for almost 40-50 pages. Even after the climax when the suspense starts getting unfolded to us, it takes almost 50-70 pages and you are made to read the same scenes again with a different angle which is interesting in the beginning but starts irritating after a while and you want to skip the pages even when you want to know how exactly the real player ended up ruining everyone's plan. Also, as I have said it above, the initial chapters aren't reader-friendly which could have been written little better. Author have failed in narrating the first 50 pages and the last 50 pages of the book. Rest, it is a wonderful book which should be read if you are into thrillers. Just for this I am cutting 0.25 stars from my rating which is 3.75* out of 5. But Sheeja Jose is one of the better Indian authors away from the mediocrity that we are finding in bookshelves daily. 

 Thanks.

 ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!