CHARACTERS: 5/5
WRITING STYLE: 4/5
CLIMAX: 5/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 4.5/5
Whenever you read 14 consecutive thrillers and fictions in two months’ span, believe me, you cannot read more without a well-deserved break.
For some, this break could mean catching up on lost movies or seasons; or what I’d like to call “A Reader’s Block”. But to me, a break means changing the genre and pick up something less gory, something subtle and pleasing.
I came across “31: A Thriller” by Upendra Namburi at a bookstore in the Trivandrum Airport and was instantly attracted by the cover (see for yourself).
The cover is not the only strong point of 31. The plot is very well thought of. If you have watched and loved the season 24, you will love this too. The plot runs over a period of 31 days with each chapter describing the events of a single day.
The central theme of the book is the Indian Banking Industry and the glamour, the politics and the scandals associated with it.
The book begins with a bang – a scandal in the Brazil operations of the ‘Imperial Bank’. As the story progresses, the author touches many compelling real-life situations like downsizing, restructuring, pink slips scare & to what extent your colleagues can scoop to keep their jobs and pull you down.
The book is narrated in first-person by Ravi (same as me). He is the Regional Head of Imperial Bank in South India. Most of the characters in the book belong to the banking sector and are frighteningly smart, intelligent; drink expensive malts, own luxurious accessories and are the alumni of top B-Schools.
The fact that the book is written in a “diary-style” is very catchy and engaging. Most of the working professionals can relate to this book at one point or another. The book also holds an important message for the readers – “Do not succumb to work pressure”.
Grab a copy today to know
“Who is the Imperial Insider, the anonymous twitter guy?”
“Who is getting the next pink slip?”
“What is Ravi’s fate?”
“Who will be the next CEO of Imperial Bank?”