Genre: Horror Mystery
"Something terrible had happened in the Green Room the first time around, or at least, that’s what the stories said. And yet, Rohan finds, the old stories turn out to be true. "
If only there were more such tales from this age-old school!
As the title suggests, the story centres on elements in the Theatre and Dramatics of a 160 year old institution. The oft expected tales of horror and mystery that abound in schools of such age are to be found in the annals of this school's history too. A concoction used to spook the juniors turns real for Rohan and the Dramatics team as the unexpected begins to happen during their practice sessions. Things escalate when strange incidents occur with his childhood crush, Chandni Joshi. Rohan seeks answers as he is drawn further into the distinctly paranormal phenomenon that is engulfing his life and is threatening to ruin his final days with Chandni. What he finds, is more than a simple explanation. Skeletons spill out of the closet and the school squirms to hide the darkness of the past. It is a battle between the unknown and the school's prestige that brings up the finale as Rohan strives to do his duty and answer a million questions.
The above summary forms the crux of this amazing story. The writer opens with an instance that is sure to spook you and further incidents in the book are definitely not for a quiet midnight read in the dark. A true mark of a horror story is the ability to scare the reader and keep them wanting more, this book scores a perfect 10 here. As the writer steers you cleverly through the mystery, you are definitely left biting your nails with the turn of the page. There are several side-stories too and these form the essential garnish required to portray the entire tale. Moreover, the boarding school narratives sprinkled across the pages rekindle emotions of huge variety among the reminiscing students. While the book carefully builds on the story, there are a few places where it slips and gets a little too sidetracked by other incidents that do not form the core of the story. While this is entertaining, steam is lost to some extent. Thankfully, the writer takes care of this issue and returns to the main narrative with a twist that is sure to get the residents of Ghost-town excited once again. The story wraps up with a heart-wrenching revelation which will bring new meaning to the phrase 'in stunned silence' as this will be the descriptor that the reader will attach to oneself as they turn the last pages of the book.
In my view, this is one of the top Horror and Mystery novels for the year 2015. I'll go so far as to say that if it weren't for the late release it would have definitely been a top contender for the Goodreads People's Choice Awards. It certainly is one of the best ones from an Indian author this year and we can only hope that Nag brings us plenty of tales to read from the corridors of Queen Victoria School. I must not forget to mention that this is Nag Mani's first book! An amazing talent come to light, surely.
My summary in numbers:
- Plot : 9/10
- Style of Writing: 7.5/10
- Flow: 7/10
- Entertainment Factor: 9/10
VERDICT : A must read entertainer!
Some details:
- Pages: 223 pages
- Publisher: Notion Press; First edition (2015)
- ISBN-10: 935206383X
- ISBN-13: 978-9352063833
Here are the links where the book can be purchased:
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