Genre: Fiction
Pages: 397
The Plot:
A Hydel Power project in the remote Himalayas brings people from all over the world and all walks of life together. The snow-capped peaks of the mighty mountain Dhauladhar stand as a silent witness as the people make their way towards it with dreams that seem common and aspirations that are hidden.
As the dam begins taking shape, sinister plans to blast it are being hatched secretively. Innocuous looking faces holding explosive secrets work alongside people burdened with a past they are escaping from.
Three central characters; Nanda, an engineer from Kerala, a man who speaks little, sees everything and is constantly looking over his shoulder. Khusru, a rugged Kashmiri youth working as a labourer at the site associated with a terrorist organisation in the past. Rekha, a doctor turned dancer, and madly in love with her kidnapper Khusru, a lost soul looking to be found.
A melee of other characters make up this motley crew who work side by side and still manage to remain distant.
Will masks be ripped off faces or will plans of sabotage succeed. Will the dam be built or will it be sabotaged along with dreams?
My Thoughts:
There is always something special about debut books. The sincerity and passion with which they are written with can be felt by the reader. Kochery C. Shibu’s debut book is much the same. A beautiful cover that seems mysterious as well, urging you to pick up the book and start reading it.
The story is refreshing and the plot engrossing.
Shibu’s writing is clean and crisp. His eye for detail works for him, and at times also against him. His characters are well etched, allowing the reader to form an image in mind. On the flip side, too much of in depth technical detail about the machinery, the construction and peoples past had me skipping paragraphs.
An interesting book that could have shaped up even better with sharper editing.
*** 3 Stars to Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar by Kochery C. Shibu
My rating chart;
*Use it as a doorstop.
**Read it if you have nothing better to do.
***You will like it if you like this particular genre.
****Must read!
*****What! You haven’t read it YET?!
I received a copy of this book from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
