Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

 Slaughterhouse 5 is satirical version of authors experience in World War II, centered primarily on the Dresden firebombing which wiped out the entire city centre. Narrated through the life of a disoriented and ill trained assistant to chaplain named Billy Pilgrim, since his unfortunate incarceration by Germans to the bombing day and its aftermath, author uses nonlinear narration to steer the story forwards, using satire dark humor to explain the devastation and absurdity of war, and uses his early Sci-Fi writing skills to explain the fatalistic nature of it.

It is something beyond the spell of ordinary writers to see the potency of using two dissimilar categories of writing, to tell a story of war. I might think it’s a catalyst for disaster, but in hands of Kurt its creation of history.  

War is fought by babies, a children’s crusade, but Billy who traversed the entire book referred as child ill trained, innocent war-not-ready-or-likely –to be kind of guy, who emerges as the enlightened one, who quite early learns the trade of avoiding the frenetic nature of war with his ability to time travel, and sulk in unknown world, there by remaining blind eyed to the surrounding madness. It’s a profound way to describe a war, with absence of all the hormones thumping actions and devastation, trying to glorifying the war, the machines and the trigger happy action junkies with uniforms and guns.

Just like Billy, author has surrendered to the insanity of war, and he is powerless to do anything about it.

   

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference.”

It’s also remarkable where in author, refuses to judge anyone involved in war, no blames are passed, no questions are asked, no one held responsible. Is just how the war is, we will continue to do what we do to each other. There were deaths, there are deaths, there will be deaths and so it will go on.

I highly recommend this book, irrespective of what genre you like.

I will also recommend the Israeli animated movie, “Waltzwith Bashir” which shares a striking similarity to this book. About a soldier in search of his lost memories of his experience in Lebanon war. Often times it’s even referred as Israeli Slaughterhouse.  Yeah it doesn’t have that bling of World War, but hey war is war, there are deaths, desolation and birds which will have its say. Poo-tee-weet?

The Drop by Dennis Lehane

The Drop by  Dennis Lehane

I know Dennis Lehane can weave stories like no other writers that he has proved time and time again. But I consider  the author  in high regard for his ability to bring out the raw emotion out of the characters involved, predominately pulled towards the dismal side of life, depiction of loss, despair, hopelessness of hope, question about haves vs the have-nots, class system, loneliness in case of this book. For a crime writer, I consider it as a major asset, where in you dive deep into troubled minds of the character and find the clear-eyed rational reason for their actions, however violent the action may be.  Not many writers can do that.  

Another notable feature in his books is that not a single character goes wasted and every one of them however minor the roles may be add to the success of the book. For instance there is a scene involving old lady named Mille ( who does nothing more than getting drunk in the bar) wherein she takes out a blank photo frame where once resided a photo of her family, while she ruffles in her bag in search of money to pay for her earlier due of drinks. The wretchedness of life explained in photo frame, very subtle. I mean you will be showered with such instances while reading his books including this one and that makes this short book a reason to rejoice and yet another accomplishment on writers part.

Cousin Marv’s bar is widely known for many things other than the service it offers.  Primarily for its ownership which is in the hands of Chechen mob, who use the joint for money drop that is accumulated form illicit business done during the day.  Bob is our lonely bartender, who works at the bar, like clockwork, drowned with the weight of loneliness, often searches for a reason to resurface with a guileless purpose. He finds it when he comes across a puppy beaten and left to die in a trashcan. With compassion swelled form likeness of both their current plight, Bob rescues the dog, and in turn that helps him in meeting a girl named Nadia, and Bob remotely just remotely senses that the life he always wanted is finally within his grab. But things takes turn when the bar is robbed one night, and Bob becomes a fluttering red-light on the radars of police, Chechen gang and a jailbird who alleges to be the owner of the dog and wants it back.

It’s a shame when book readers of my country frown their eyebrows in ignorance when mentioned about Dennis Lehane, to me he should be the most celebrated writer in here. Well I did my part.  Will check out the movie version sometime in future. 

The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri

For someone residing in India, you can totally relate to Inspector Montalbano and his police unit. In here you may find a police playing snake in his cracked phone, while a corpse is rotting to his side. You may find them arguing over a brand of whiskey they would have after shift or you may find two PC’s enacting Star Wars on the crime scene with their batons. Ok the latter one is gone too far, but the point is no one gives a hoot about the crime until a high brass asks them to do so. Most of the characters in this book, especially in the police unit have some kinda indolent attitude and everyone works in very lethargic manner yet they deliver what asked of them when they are railroaded.

So when city’s big-shot politician is found dead in his car, in a place called ‘Pasture’, with his pants down it doesn’t come as a surprise to Monatalbano, when everyone of his unit concurs with the idea that the old man died of stroke whilst stroking a prostitute, going by the sordid reputation of the place where he is found.  It’s a comically ironic to find a man of such repute to die in way he did.

But for Montalbano who although is dying to go along with the herd and wrap the case to avoid the great deal of effort to act otherwise, seems to differ in his mind that everything is not as innocent and straightforward as it seems it is. Why then the most reputed and powerful person of the city, negligent to his social image, strolls in a place like Pasture in search of prostitute. Surely he is not short of better place to carry out the task than inside a car however pimped the car maybe. Surely he can get a class-A sex worker at his doorstep in just a call. No- Someone is pouring water to crafted jar, to take the shape one desires. Surprisingly these thoughts tickle the brain of the Montalbano alone although he himself is not surprised by it and probes on the case a bit more, when everyone else has returned to their merry world.

It’s my first Andrea Cammilari book, and it ticked all the boxes of my checklist that I thought before buying it. It’s got raw sardonic humor, convincing characters, good dialogues and a great story.

Author in his forward at start of the book tells us how he defied everyone who told him that Sicily is not a perfect backdrop to set a detective story in and how it went on to be a major hit. Glad he was so adamant, because you have here a very good detective book, which treads its own path, in an already populated genre.  Although I do think that some of its authenticity is lost in translation, nevertheless its job well done. Eagerly looking forward to read other books in the series. 

Night Film by  Marisha Pessl

Ok to start with, the basic plot is something to be savored in this book. You got a movie director; know to the world only through his underground apocryphal films, termed as Night Films. Then you got his dead daughter, who treks the entire book in an uncanny shadow.  Then you got a shamed journalist, who in his search for redemption wants to unearth the mysterious truth behind the world of the cult director and his daughter.

Ashley Cordova, daughter of the celebrated movie director Stanlis Cordova has apparently committed suicide and Scott Mc Grath our disgraced journalist, has reason to believe that he was one of the person she came across before she jumped to her death. The bizarreness of it and an attempt his to find his lost glory, Scott dugs deeper into the life of Ashley and in his quest he befriends homeless teenager and petty drug dealer who both happen to stumble on Ashley at some point of time before her death. Together they go in search of the answers for her mysterious death, and conspiracies behind everything that unfolds, weaved carefully by the master of the trade Stanlis Cordova.  

Like the characters in the book, as we read on, the author at every step wants us to doubt if this is real or surreal world we are diving deeper into. Hence the usage of detective thriller style structure.  And she pretty much succeeds in it.  Probably it’s may be the strongest point of the book, as most of events that take place, is not entirely outside the realm of reality. But according to me author should have leaned a tad more on reality (Considering the hasty attempt at the end).

But this walk in the pitch black tunnel kinda situation although pretty enthralling and scary at first, you also want to get out of it soon enough before you come to the point of not giving damn anymore. And I almost did, but patiently continued, in wait of daylight telling myself ‘longer the wait, better the result.’ But although I liked the ending it somehow let me unfilled.

Having said that 'Night Film' is good experimental book, with lot of interactive pictures, web pages, and photographs which I guess carried it task as expected, to add to the spookiness. Writing is really good, better than some of the lady writers I read in past. Definitely recommended 3.5 stars. 

The End of Everything by Megan Abbott

For a quite sometime I wanted to read Megan Abott, ever since I learnt about her repute for noir, but I wanted to start of with Queenpin or The Song is You, but I had to be contented with The End of Everything, as it was the only book form the author that was available during my last visit to book shop. 

Evie and Lizze are little 13 year old chuddy buddies (although this is not the word you will associate with them after reading this book ), who are inseparable in many ways, doing things that every 13 year old would do, except a notion is buried deep within  their minds, a notion so disturbing and abhorrent, harbored all the while below the murky film of naivety, that Lizze will soon find out when her dear friend Evie goes missing without warning. But this incident is juts the beginning of the tragic tale, as we follow Lizze as she begins her own search for her best friend. 

Narrated form the Lizze perspective, we have to constantly remind ourselves that its the words and feelings of thirteen year old that we are following. It's the perplexity of the teenage mind  knocking the doors of puberty that author relies on to steer the better part of the book. The uncertainty comes from not the sudden disappearance of the girl, but its the shockingly unacceptable circumstance that leads to it all. Its also the reason that gives this book the cult status.

Its may also be the reason why most of them found this book quite revolting, but going by the reputation of Megan Abbott I believe you tend to expect such dubious plot. Probably that's what makes Megan Abott Megan Abott. Well it surely went down right way to me, being an avid reader of noir. Definitely it won't be her last. 

The Middleman by Sankar

Although “ The Middleman” was written in 1970, it still holds its pronounced relevance to present day as well. Because we still continue to breed like rabbits and want those kittens to be shining graduates. We still allow any two dime businessman or wannabe politician to setup his own college to accommodate them and they continue not to give flying fuck about the student studying in their colleges. (Neither the students are for that matter). It’s a safest business one can think of, it’s not like you can ask for replacement if the toothpaste turns out to be lip balm. As a result, after a roundabout of an academic year, we have millions of unemployed graduates dispensed form the safety of college compounds to the world ready to piss all over you for your failure in finding the JOB.

Somanth is one such grain of sand in vast desert of unemployed graduates, who can’t find his footing, besides toiling hard day and night for a respectable job. Unlike his fellow seafarer Sukumar, Somanth is surrounded with his well to do brothers, and his optimistic sister-in-law , who ensures his prerequisites are taken care of.  Yeah, for a graduate, his over reliance on his family for his living will come as tight slap to his dignity. But for Sukumar, who has to fend for his ailing mother and his three unmarried sisters its life and death. Bound by the self pity and despair, they both roam the streets of Calcutta like a “gentle shepherds caught in the human jungle.”  

While the callous time, makes Sukumar go bizerk (in one of the most powerful scene in the book) offending total strangers with his general knowledge quiz, living in a world of make-believe of knowing it all,  Somanth on the other hand tries his luck in being a Middleman, buying and supplying anything ranging ‘from pins for the office to elephants for the zoo’. But soon realizes that with the many incoherent skills necessary to survive in this highly competitive world, morality and rectitude unfortunately were not among them, while public relations (ass licking disguised) topped them all.  In one such act of servicing, Somanth is confronted with task to prostitute a girl to an affluent buyer who promised big orders for purchase, and his ticket to be a successful entrepreneur.

Author Mani Shankar Mukherjee in his afterword at the end of the book, admits the story being inspired form his real life experience as sales representative. He also gives us a brief account of how he came about in bringing Somanth and other characters mentioned in this book (all based on flash of real life people). The simplistic nature and its nearness to the reality made this short book a poignant yet powerful read. Probably it might be the reason that lured the Great Satyajit Ray to make a feature film out of it, and not some rinky-dink Bollywood director. There are also elements where in author brings about true to life, confrontations that take place between, Somnath and other characters. Especially his sister-in-law Kamala, and his girlfriend Tapati.  

Many complain about its pessimistic approach but to me its reality, we can note its extent in the incident explained by author, where in after the book was released two men confronted him seeking the address of one of the affluent characters son who resided in Canada.

Originally written in Bengali, the review is not complete without praising the beautiful translation to English by Arunava Sinha. Well I cannot check its authenticity with the original as I don’t know Bengali, but the choice of words and narration just about make me feel it’s sufficient enough to bring about the considerable degree of sentiment and fondness one is expected of it.   

A moving and powerful book from a powerful writer, that leaves every reader with a difficult conundrum to brood over.

The movie version by Satyajit Ray is called ‘JanaAranya’

A Stab in the Dark by Lawrence Block

I had plan to read at least three books from other authors before I go back to Lawrence Block. But like Matt Scudder's obsession with bourbon, I am obsessed to Lawrence Blocks' books. And the sight of the unread Lawrence Block books occupied in my modest library is just irresistible. 

A serial killer tabloided as Icepick prowler who picks eyes of innocent random women after he stabs them to death, gets caught by utter fluke and indicted presumably for eight murders.He confesses to seven of those eight killings, leaving Barbara Ettinger's murder which was presumed for nine years after hear death to be his work, unwraps the whole new possibilities. But police don't see it that way, and are content with the closing of other open homicides and are too inert to work on the nine year old cold case of Barbara.  

But To Charles V. London, Father of Barbara the denial comes as a whirl wind, disrupting his earlier belief that his daughter's death was not just a inescapable doomed fate, but a planned murder by someone impersonating as the ice-pick prowler, but more significantly someone who is close to her, some one who may be still walking free. The suspicion leads him towards Matt Scudder the unlicensed PI, and hires him to find the guy who killed his daughter. 

Once again in the heart of the well plotted mystery there is a strong self-condemning protagonist fighting battle with his pschye. Along with the hangover that lingers in his mind after some heavy drinking (which is quite often in this book), the moral dilemmas of right and wrong also tend to drift around in his brain like a bike speeding inside a silodrome and author does a effective job in bringing about  the wretchedness of human mind. 

Stab at the Dark is yet another powerful book form the author and if every book in the series are as consistent as this, then I am in for great reading time in future as I have already have another three  books from the author in my shelf waiting to be read. 

Journey Under the Midnight Sun by Keigo Higashino

Journey Under the Midnight Sun by Keigo Higashino

To me Kiego Higashino is a like a fast food restaurateur, who serves clean and simple food, with no fancy cutleries, no assorted mix of garnished colored vegetables,  no needless eating etiquette to follow.  But what draws towards him recurrently when there is new plat du jour by this chef, is the irresistible and uncompromising taste of the dish served before and blind trust on the dish to be served.  In the end that’s what matter, at least to me.

Writing being very plain and simple bereft of the grandeur that would incline him towards the crest of artistic merit, one who is unfamiliar with him would be hesitant to read his book. But like all his earlier books, once again it’s the mystery, the labyrinthine plot which is the cornerstone of this new book ‘Journey under the Midnight Sun.’

The books starts off with the murder of a man, father of the one of the protagonist Ryoji  Kirihara in an abandoned building. With the investigation that follows headed by homicide detective Sagasaki, traces the final movement of victim before he met his fate.  That leads him at the doorstep of Ms Fumiya, mother of another protagonist Yukiho. With the lack of evidence against most of the suspects and the sudden accidental death of the main suspect the police except for Sagasaki, were forced to conclude the case personally but officially the case remained unsolved.

But for next twenty years we follow the two protagonists, thorough their externally disconnected yet inexplicably intertwined lives as more vicious crimes continues to take place around them.  Unlike other books Kiego relies on darker and morally questionable context to steer forward the relationship between them, and he does a brilliant job in planting spooky and uncanny picture of those two in the minds of the reader, especially Yukiho. Like his earlier book ‘Malice’, it’s not a typical whodunit, heck it’s not whodunit at all, but a mystical journey we cover along with the protagonists, except the journey is treaded in darkness under midnight sun with characters even darker than that.

The story spanning for twenty years goes on and on and after a certain while it tend to get a little tedious.  Author uses his considerable knowledge of engineering background to weave some of his plot and mostly you careless about that. New characters are introduced right till the end and also with start of new chapter the story would leap forward to year or two to a new level of confusion and that will put you off especially when you think that they lived in harmony in between those years. Having said that even with its ignorable deficiencies and lagging behind just by a spitting distance with his earlier Detective Galileo series, it is still a profound book bound by two unforgettable characters ‘pistol shrimp and gobies’ with a brilliant and apt ending.  

3.5 stars and 0.5 stars for the ending.

P.S:

The character Yukiho reminded me of another character named Kanako, in the movie ‘The World of Kanako” from the Japanese director who gave a brilliant crime drama “Confessions.” Check it out if you haven’t. 

A Dance At The Slaughterhouse by Lawrence Block

I honestly don’t know what took me so long to get acquainted with Lawrence Block's books. Having read just two of his books 'Eight Millions Ways to Die' and 'The Sins of the Fathers'. Having liked both of them; I dived into A Dance at the Slaughter house.  Well I was instant fan of Lawrence Block writing, and had no apprehension regarding that, but could he able to deliver the same thrilling plot and story? I had my doubt, but I should have trusted him more.

 Richard Thruman woke up from his unconscious state to find his wife Amanda Thruman, gagged, beaten, raped and strangled to death beside him. The two burglars who did this heinous act also carried more or less same atrocity on him except they left him unconscious. This is what Richard says to responding police man who finds Richard with his hand and feet still bound.  Although the police suspect, foul play they had little evidence to contradict the theory, and not much scope to take it forward within their police limits.

Unlike police, an unlicensed private investigator is not bound by law, and Amanda’s brother knows it and meets P.I Matt Scudder to pry into this case and wants to clear the doubt clouds if Richard had anything to do with Amanda’s  murder.

 While studying Thruman’s movement, Matt visits a boxing arena where in his memory is triggered by a sight of a fatherly old man, caressing a younger boy. The sight reminds him of snuff film (a recording of the actual murder of human being passed around for entertainment purposes) he happened to watch six months back, where in the actors undoubtedly carried the same demeanor as the old man and boy. The bizarre similarity was enough to convince him to carry his own personnel investigation.  From there on Matt juggles with seemingly two different cases, and soon discovers the horrific connection between the two.

Yeah it’s a long shot occurrence, considering the time space between the two different mysteries, but Lawrence Block blends the two cases very well it forces the reader to forgo the massive coincidence.

I had learnt that Lawrence Block wrote soft porn before venturing into crime mystery, for which he is well known for, but even to him, it might not have been easy to describe some of the most sadistic and abominable scenes mentioned in the book.  Well its complete hard-boiled crime fiction for you.

I couldn’t comprehend the intention behind the chosen title, but it’s Lawrence Block that matters. One thing for sure, there won’t be any confusion on what book to choose when I visit my book store next time. Will soon return to another book in the series, once I complete the other books lined up.

The Cartel by Don Winslow

The Cartel by Don Winslow

There is scene in the book, where Keller the main protagonist, confronts a grieving mother who lost her son, in a fight against one of the drug lord. And she poses a question at Keller, if her son’s death was worth It.?  

Reading through this book as the violence ascends, bodies fall, village’s burns to ash, family’s gets slayed, and more bodies fall with no sight of end what so ever, you tend to ask yourself the same question if the whole gamut of war on drugs really that worth.

The cartel is a fictionalized version of true to life incidents of drug war that has rocked Mexico since past century.  Written in a very strong and undisguised prose, author sparse no one and feels no remorse in pointing the finger at the source of all this mayhem (on the largest market place for illegal drug use). For a person who has a little knowledge on drug war as I have, this book along with its prequel has been a real eye-opener, and yeah gripping and entertaining as well.   

With 15 years of research on the drug trade in Mexico, author probably still had enough material at his disposal to write a sequel to his earlier masterpiece on the same topic, ‘The Power of the Dog’. But there will be always be moral obligation on the author to match the compelling nature of his earlier book. Needless to say, Don Winslow does it again. This is an Epic book in its proportion and in content.

The Cartel starts off with the escape of the Adan Barrera, the Kingpin of drug trade, from the high security prison, with the help of the corrupt officials, and thus provides the necessary spark to set ablaze the whole situation out of control. Keller resurfaces, from his solitude to start the cat and mouse chase all over again. The commencement of yet another edition of ‘War on Drugs’, and with the influx of money and ammunition's, it gives way to a new ferocious force in drug business named as ‘The Zetas’ otherwise called ‘Z company’.   Made up of people trained to military precise, soon establishes their stronghold in the drug market rather too conveniently by killing any one in their path or not. For what follows is the elevation of the violence to the level never experienced before.  Decapitation, immolation, rapes, manslaughter becomes their trump card for climbing the ladder up the Drug business, to the point where in the other rival cartels, terms their act barbaric and mindless and wants the ‘The Zetas’ to be abolished. Even Adan Barrera- former El-patron has no good pretending otherwise.  

Reading this book, its rather too easy to lose hope in the humanity, but where this book score big time, is the introduction of small yet powerful characters, who within their limit, try to  defy the growing violence and disorder with little concern to their own life. Like the 19 year old girl who volunteers to be a police officer of a village ruined by the drug war, when everyone else have fled the village. Or a group of city journalist, who wants the truth to be known, or lady doctor who declines city comfort and nurses the wounded in the conflict zone. Or lonely old man, who single handedly fights against the Zetas, when they are at his door step.  I don’t know if these characters are real life inspired or not, but author has clearly made an attempt to celebrate these lives in the book, and restore some lost faith.

It’s one of the most passionate books I have ever read. Author puts all his heart and soul into it. A must read for every crime readers. 

The Friends of Eddie Coyle by George V. Higgins

When jail time is already looming above your head after getting arrested for driving a truck load of hijacked booze, a normal person would restrain from trading even the bogus Nike, let alone the guns. But Eddie is not normal, neither are any of his friends.

I came across Eddie Coyle in a website, where in it claimed the loftiest spot under the heading Don Winslow’s top five crime novel’s. Being a huge fan of Don Winslow, I put aside every other book in my pipeline, and started reading it. Now I see the source of Don Winslow’s inspiration for his writing, especially his book Savages.  Both are path breaking books, in their own right.  

Eddie Coyle is an illicit fixer, who buys and supply guns to his buddies who are intended to do more than just use it for target practice.  Robbing bank is one of them. That puts Eddie in centre of the whole tale as it unravels.  

You may be too intimate to your friend to be hitting on his sister or swapping his underpants, but with the kind of shady deals being carried out between these friends, there will always be a danger of someone ratting someone, sometime or the other. Especially when you are in a fix as Eddie Coyle is in. Yeah, Eddie likes his friends, but he likes his freedom more, so he decides to rat out his gun dealer to his another friend, a sleazy detective cop named Dave Foley in exchange for his freedom.  But Eddie should have known better than to trust the cop. And it’s high time that he realized that all the while he had no friends at all, and after this, there won’t be any.

With eighty percent of the book steered forward with just the witty, authentic dialogues George V Higgins sets a very high bar for any crime writer to out do it.  It deserves all the praise it garnered over the years and three pages into it you will know the reason why it’s deemed as a major influence on every present day Crime writers. Having said that it’s not an easy book to read, being a multiple narrative; your brain needs to be into it, to determine who saying to whom.  

Of the lot, for reason unknown, the below scene is parked on top of my mind.

Eddie Coyle replaced the handset in the receiver carefully. He opened the door of the booth and found a stout woman, about fifty, staring at him. “It took you long enough,” she said.

“I was calling my poor sick mother,” he said.

“Oh,” she said, her face immediately relaxing into an expression of sympathy. “I’m sorry. Has she been ill long?”

Eddie Coyle smiled. “Fuck you, lady,” he said, “ and the horse you rode in on.”

It’s a crime writing master piece, and any serious fan of crime writing should read it and as Dennis Lehane puts in his beautiful written introduction at the start of the book, raise the glass to Eddie Coyle. I would say raise the goddamn bottle to George V Higgins. 

KNOCKEMSTIFF by Donald Ray Pollock

 KNOCKEMSTIFF by Donald Ray Pollock

 My grand old uncle, like the most of the characters in this book, never went past the proximity of his little village. Not even in his dreams. But living eighty years of his life within four kilometers radius of his tiny village, he has enough stories if not anything else to narrate to spend the entire night, and he would go on narrating relentlessly through the day as well. Provided you give him, regular dose of cheap rum now and then.  Well he is not the only one in that village, there are many such wicked story tellers too. Nothing surprising there, you go to any small rural village in India, there will be grand old men sitting under the banyan tree, their mouth pooled with tobacco, exchanging views, stories,  lime and beetle leaves.  He had a diverse range of stories from drunken rooster thief, to naked beggar girl roaming the streets, to a chenda (percussion instrument) player who never stops playing.  It’s not only weirdness of these stories that makes it interesting   but also the way in which he narrates.  

KNOCKEMSTIFF  by  Donald Ray Pollock is one such collection of grim, bizarre and eccentric stories, all taking place in a village named KNOCKEMSTIFF , Ohio. But this book requires a special mention because of its authenticity and grim portrayal of the rural life, with a very good usage of dark humor.  You take way the chuckle some, quick witted language and yet you have a very profound book about the desolation and loneliness.

The stories baring KNOCKEMSTIFF and PILLS is my favorite of the eighteen. The below line is form PILLS.

“Looking up, I saw the red blinking lights of an airliner, miles above me, heading west. I’d never been on a plane, but I imagined big-shot bastards on vacation, movie stars with beautiful lives. I wondered if they could see the glow of Frankie’s fire from up there. I wondered what they would think of us.” You can almost feel the hopelessness in this line.

Reading this book, I went back to the stories my uncle narrated and it’s a shame how such interesting things went up in the air, without anyone knowing about it other than his fellow, wrinkly friends. It’s really admirable the author decided to write this book, and decided to write it in humors and most casual way or he was just being completely realistic in his usage of language. Point to be also noted is that, there is no judgment passed to any of the characters in any of the stories inked in this book, no matter how freakish or surreal it may seem.

It’s not the characters inability to fulfill the dream, but inability to dream which makes this book more ironic and bleak. The aspirations, desire, hope lives and dies within the rustic countryside.

Overall this is a sincere, heartfelt and devilishly funny book. Easily five stars.

After spending couple of weeks in second book store in search of this book, I was forced to spend a small fortune to buy just the paperback. But hey! It’s worth every penny.

But I can imagine if my old man comes to know, he would say, “Hell Boy, you buy me quarter of OLD MONK for 40 bucks and I will provide with twice the more stories than your damn book.”