Thursday, November 15, 2012

Book Review - The Bankster by Ravi Subramanian


THE BANKSTER

Author: Ravi Subramanian
ISBN: 9788129120489
Binding: Paperback

Publisher: Rupa Publications

Number of Pages: 358

Genre: Fiction
Language: English

Price: Rs. 250 (I received a review copy from Blogadda.com for review ) 



Book Cover says:

 Bankers build their careers on trust, or so everyone thinks, till a series of murders threaten to destroy the reputation that the Greater Boston Global Bank (GB2) has built over the years. Who is behind these killings, and what is their motive? Is the banker at GB2 fast turning into a bankster?


When Karan Panjabi, press reporter and ex-banker, digs deeper, he realizes that he has stumbled upon a global conspiracy with far reaching ramifications a secret that could not only destroy the bank but also cast a shadow on the entire nation. With only thirty-six hours at his disposal, he must fight the clock and trust no one if he is to stay alive and uncover the truth.


About the Author: 
Ravi Subramanian, an alumnus of IIM Bangalore, has spent two decades working his way up the ladder of power in the amazingly exciting and adrenaline-pumping world of global banks in India. It is but natural that his stories are set against the backdrop of the financial services industry. He lives in Mumbai with his wife Dharini and daughter Anusha. In 2008, he won the Golden Quill Readers Choice award for his debut novel, If God was a Banker.

Find the author at :

Website: http://www.ravisubramanian.in/index.asp

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Authorravisubramanian

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SubramanianRavi

Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/authorravisubramanian

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/AuthorRavi

 Swarnali Speaks : 


This is one book I heard a lot about ever since it was on the stands and I had almost planned to buy it when I saw it on Blogadda's review programs. 220 copies for the much awaited The Bankster were available and I'm pretty sure almost everyone who had applied for the book must have received a copy. :P

The book is worth the wait and is a complete page turner. What I loved best about the book is the fact that the author has done a brilliant job in withholding the suspense till the very last. There are moments when you think you've got the whole thing figured in your head but then a totally unexpected twist to the tale makes you realise that you've been digging in all the wrong places till now. The end is completely unpredictable. The entire book can be summed up as a jigsaw puzzle with all small pieces scattered here and there and you cannot make out which piece fits where until the author takes you by the hand and connects the dots and you are left with a sense of awe.


The author efficiently uses his banking background to his advantage in the setting of the book. The language is pretty simple but the book does contain a few banking jargon spluttered here and there but that doesn't act as a hindrance to the reading process. The book begins in Angola’s alluvial diamond mines and then the scenes keep seamlessly shifting from there to Devikulam in Kerala to Mumbai and to Vienna. I loved the wonderfully detailed descriptions of the setting which made the whole reading process feel like a movie watching experience. Despite the skips from one location to another, the reader does not feel a sense of fragmentation which is a big plus point for the book. The first few pages are a tad bit slow as the settings and characters are slowly established. I was in fact pretty puzzled trying to figure exactly what was happening and how all these different incidents happening at seemingly unrelated places relate to the main plot that is the deaths of the employees at the bank as mentioned in the blurb at the back. The protagonist of the book, Karan Panjabi arrives pretty late in the book and has a very casual entry and all of a sudden the book begins to move at a neck breaking speed.

The book was a pleasant read apart from a few minor issues here and there. There are a few typographical errors which were missed during the proof reading process. Another problem I found was with the usage of a few Hindi terms in the dialogues and a few direct and literal translations of Hindi terms and phrases into English. The use of colloquial language does make the story feel more believable and real but it obstructs the complete understanding of the connotations for a non-Hindi understanding reader.

I would definitely recommend the book to all readers who love fast moving thriller plots.
Rating : 4/5
This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com . Participate now to get free books!




14 comments:

  1. I too loved the book - though I did not like the use of certain words here and there but then I also know that such language is used in real life...so may the author wanted to give an authentic feel to the entire thing here!

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    Replies
    1. Exactly my point :) But the book was pretty good apart from these small glitches here and there. :)

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  2. Hi Swarnali :)
    Lovely review, you've covered most of the points.
    You're right about the part regarding the author holding the suspense till the very end.

    I too loved reading this book.

    Here's my review of The Bankster :
    http://road-to-sanitarium.blogspot.in/2012/11/the-bankster-my-first-book-review.html

    Regards

    Jay
    http://road-to-sanitarium.blogspot.in/

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    Replies
    1. Hellow Jay!!
      It is always a delight to see your comment here :)
      I did see your review...i have to go through it, didn't get the time to do that yesterday.
      And thanks a bunch for the appreciation :)

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    2. Glad to know that my comments are welcomed and liked. Thank you Swarnali :)

      You're welcome :)

      Regards

      Jay
      http://road-to-sanitarium.blogspot.in/

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    3. I loved your review ...it was great :D

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  3. Going past your review & Jay's too I have ordered the book & would love to get my hands on it soon. Thanks, a lot for the review Swarnali :) Take care!

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    Replies
    1. I hope you like the book. Do let me once you read it :)

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  4. Hey Shanaya!!
    Thanks so much ^_^
    It is great to know you too...I hope you love the posts here :)

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  5. Replies
    1. I like thriller movies too but I think i like the novels more...thanks for dropping in :)

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  6. i saw it in crossword and had checked it out..but your reviews wanna make me go back and get this book..

    :)
    http://musingofmumbaimalayalee.blogspot.in/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for those lovely compliments, Aswathy... :D
      I think you'll like the book, it is good :)

      Delete

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