The Hitman by Manoj V Jain (Book Review: 3.25*/5) !!!

 

15^th Book of 2023

There are few authors with whom you build a connection and end up reading their book just after it releases. Manoj V Jain is one such author whom I have read couple of times and always found his philosophical insights relatable. Repeating the phenomenon, I picked up his latest fiction book named “The Hitman” and completed it within couple of hours. This 125-pages book, I believe, is Manoj’s shortest book till date and I am surprised to know that he had almost thought of quitting but this story gave birth to his 2^nd innings as an author.

 

Story-wise, the book discusses about the protagonist, Vivek, who is going through the same mid-life crisis as his 40^th birthday is round the corner. He is not happy with his job, life, family, city etc. and is generally not excited and curious about anything. One day, a person promises him that if he doesn’t want to live, he will help him die within a couple of weeks. He is been given a deadline. The moment Vivek realizes that he has limited time to live, he tries to change his lifestyle and perspective so that he can experience few things and meet people before he is gone. While doing this, he finds many insights which starts making him realize the beautiful moments of life.

 

Author, Manoj V Jain, capitalizes on this plot and uses it to help us understand how we keep on ditching life and its beautiful aspects without feeling gratitude towards many great things happening with us. I liked the simplicity with which this book has been written which helps you as a reader understand the unrealistic beginning and accept it eventually. The character of Vivek is built up nicely and I believe almost every reader will be able to relate with him. If not now, eventually you will when you face the same mid-life crisis like him at 35-40. Haha!

 

Manoj’s intent is very evident as he tries to display how egoistic and self-centered, we eventually become that we never take care of giving any kind of relevance to our family and friends. We end up blaming them without ever talking with the person we see every morning in the mirror and ask what we have done for others. The way Vivek realizes these small facts about himself and how he starts feeling bad about not being able to live forever with these amazing people makes you cheer for him to live and avoid being killed by the Hitman. This makes you keep on reading and turning the pages until you finish the book. You just expect the story to end happily. I would not reveal what happens in the end – you need to pick up the book to know this.

 

This is a feel-good novel which can be read when you are feeling sad or demotivated. It is a kind of self-help book which will throw lights upon the fact about how simple life is and how complicated we make it. I would also like to mention a fact here that the story doesn’t have lots of elements or twists-and-turns hence from this aspect, there’s a disappointment too. Also, I believe that there could have been lot that could have been done with this plot but Manoj expected his readers to understand the emotions between the lines which Vivek was going through rather than deep-diving into it and getting spiritual about those events. I missed that because that is how I identify Manoj- an author who speaks about spirituality through fiction stories. He could have easily added 50-odd pages and weave magic to the story.

 

Overall, the book has a lesson and few quotes that you would love to read whenever you are feeling down. I give the book 3.25* out of 5. Definitely, not Manoj’s best but a one-time read, indeed.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE

 

Thanks!

 

WRITING BUDDHA