Hello All …. Before going deep into the review of The Bhais of Bengaluru by Jyoti Shelar, I would like to congratulate the Author for her efforts. Every Literary work is unique in itself and the review given below is an honest result of my understanding/expectations on the subject and must not be taken otherwise.
Let’s quickly go through the ratings
- Title : 4.5/5
- Cover : 4.5/5
- Blurb : 4.5/5
- Plot : 4/5
- Language Used : 4/5
- Presentation : 4.5/5
- Overall : 4.3/5
About the Book : The book truly gives a sneak peek into the lives of popular Bengaluru underworld figures. Taking it right from the birth of Bengaluru and various small or big time rowdies Bengaluru has ever witnessed, the book takes you to a journey full of thrill & adventure. The book discusses the thirst for power and popularity that gave rise to rowdies and gangs who flourished under their umbrella. As evident from various incidents mentioned in the book, rowdies have been a supporting pillar to many political bodies and even been on front face at many occasions. While on one hand the book quotes about bravery of many people who were part of police system, on the other hand it raises serious questions on the effectiveness of the same system quoting various incidents where the dons lived a luxurious lives inside jails and used to be masterminds of organized crimes while being in police custody.The book also discusses the battle for supremacy and power that existed between various gangs of the underworld while pointing out their allegiance with one another. Portraying the personal lives of underworld rowdies gives a true reflection of their thought process and emotional aspect of their personality. This book is not just a story of Bengaluru underworld but also a timeline of Bengaluru’s culture and society. Overall it is a great read for crime and mystery readers.
About Writing : Jyoti Shelar has not only summarized the underworld of Bengaluru in this book but has also showcased immense courage and commitment to her writing and research. Writing a book on such sensitive subject requires extensive research and analysis, putting various facts, figures and incidents in front of readers in form of a story is a tough task to achieve.
The author has kept the word usage as standard and easily understandable despite of usage of few kannada words here and there in the text. Readers may find it difficult to remember each and every name and alias but the important ones could easily be remembered. The plots and stories are well crafted and leaves an indelible imprint on the minds of readers. Being real life stories, one can easily relate to the plots and socio-political scenario at that time which adds to the reading experience of the reader. Full of thrill and adventure the way author manages to keep the reader glued to the chapters is remarkably commendable. Her writing induces a spark on the minds of the readers and encourages their conscience to think on the subject.
Through her writing Jyoti Shelar has tried to put every aspect of lives of underworld dons before readers; for them to assess and try to make society a better place to live. As evident from the story, no one is a born Criminal or Rowdy, sometimes life makes them so and sometimes they choose to be the one. In any case there is always a right path to choose though less traveled and there exists a path nurtured by rage, revenge and thirst for power which leads to “The Underworld”.
The words and story seem to come out from depth of Author’s heart and her effort is appreciable. I once again congratulate her and wish her luck for future endeavors.
The book can be purchased directly from Amazon by clicking on the link below
