Review- Birds of Prey by Archana Sarat

Birds of Prey on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

You wake up, parched and famished, at the bottom of a deep well—dark and dingy with the foul smell of excreta and rotting scars and no seeming way to escape—what do you do?
This is the predicament that ex-ACP Anton Pinto faces when he reluctantly joins the investigation into the mysterious disappearances of men from affluent families of Mumbai. There is an inexplicable pattern behind the abductions and all suspicions point towards an old, physically-challenged, mysterious lady. Soon, Anton discovers that the seemingly unrelated men have one common link—the most popular and expensive international school in Mumbai.
Following clues that span from schools and old-age homes to illegal dingy hospitals, Anton is led through a labyrinth of incest, abuse, torture and suffering, spanning decades.
What secret does the school hide behind its gates? What was the undisclosed crime that is thirsty for justice? Will Anton be able to save the men? Will justice be served? 

Release date: November 1st 2016

Published by: Readomania

Page numbers: 192

REVIEW: 

It was, I believe, a year or two ago, when I probably read my last David Levithan book, that I read a book in one sitting. But once I picked up Birds of Prey and got into, I could not stop. It is such a fast-paced, engrossing, irresistible and thrilling read that I found myself finishing it in one dat itself, which is something that doesn't happen very often with me.

Posing as a contrast to what I just said, Birds of Prey was unputdownable, yes, but at the same time, every chapter, especially during the first half of the book, was so deep, depressing and devastating, that I found myself putting the book aside just to comprehend and digest what I just read. This book has so many feelings and emotions in it that it gets too much at times and all you want to do in such times is to just leave it all aside and try to understand.

There is such meticulous character-designing and development in this book that it's admirable. To top it all off, it is a brilliantly worded book. When I figured out the mystery on my own in the first quarter of the book itself, it was the writing that kept me going, because it was just so damn perfect, sharp and crisp. Author Archana Sarat delivers an absolutely well-written and flawless book.

Coming to the story of Birds of Prey, it was predictable but it was so well done and so well made. I don't really see a hero and a villain in this book, because every side was understandable. But the most interesting part of this book is that way in which it addresses an issue and a problem so important that it really makes you contemplate. Some of the gory descriptions get very uncomfortable sometimes, but this book is only trying to tell the truth.

I have barely read half a dozen books so far this year, but without any hesitation, I am able to say that Birds of Prey has been the most interesting and absorbing I've read, not only this year, but in quite some time now. I am falling short of words to describe how great this book is, which tells the story of both nice and bad people who make this world what it is.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by Readomania in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

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