Book Review : The Green Room

 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:

Flipkart

Amazon IN

Shantaram : My view

Shantaram is a cleverly narrated masterpiece by Gregory David Roberts. Set in the Mumbai of  80's, this book is a vivid description of the protagonist's life as he discovers the city of Bombay, its slums and shanties,  the black market and the Bombay Mafia. The protagonist, a convict in Australia, escapes jail and travels on fake documents to the city of Bombay leaving all that he knows behind, forever. His first brush with the love and tolerance that exists in this alien country comes as a guide - Prabhakar. With Prabhakar, Lin, for that is the name on his current passport, explores the city - from the monuments to the beaches and then as time progresses to the dark alleys of the slums alongside the World Trade Center construction site. At the Leopold, he finds new friends - Didier, Karla, Ulla, Modena- all foreigners like him who have chosen to make this city their home. He falls in love. Complete with surprises and the necessary twists, this 933- page long saga doesn't confine itself to the streets of Colaba or the tables of the Leopold, but takes you on a journey of revelation to a nondescript village located in a remote corner of Maharashtra where he earns the name Shantaram and learns the native language of Marathi . He starts a free health clinic in the slum and becomes a true part of the 25000 strong slum family. New friendships are forged as he befriends the Great Khan - Khaderbhai. Life begins to amend and he finds himself helping Karla with a problem she has with the notorious pimp Madame Zhou. After a success on Karla's job and when it seems that nothing can go wrong, he is caught and thrown into jail. Here, he learns the misery and cruelty that exists in the prisons where is brutally beaten and has to live in a room crowded with two hundred humans and a million insects. He is bailed out by Khader Bhai and soon joins the Khan's force learning the black market trade as time progresses.Respect of the Khan grows and he begins to love the older man as a father. The Khan himself engages the protagonist in philisophical discussions awing the aide with his great insight. The mafia becomes his family and Abdullah his brother.His love drives him to the beaches of Goa to the south to seek Karla. He discovers love.On hearing of Abdullah's death, Lin crumbles and takes to heroin and is completely wasted when Karla rescues him.Fate makes him rejoin the Khan's brigade, he senses that something is afoot and he isnt wrong when Khaderkhan asks him to join them on the trip to assist the Afghan warriors. Through Pakistan, where they learn of a traitor, they journey across the perilous terrain of Afghanistan keeping care to travel through the darkness of the night. As friends and foes weave in and out and his life begins to spin wild, the protagonist is forced to make a choice when he learns the truth. It is this choice that he may come to regret later on, a choice that may crush him more than the truth.

This is a tale rife with all the elements of an epic. The poignant introspection keeps the reader glued to the pages and so do the exciting adventures. Seemingly unimportant incidents such as the bear Kano's hug, Johnny Cigar's story or the Khan's own story, too have profound impacts on the narrator's life. As life takes new turns and leads to new ventures, the protagonist discovers a new self with each turn of the page. He is the convict and the escapee.  He is the mafia, the doctor and the passionate lover. He is the warrior and the wounded He is Lin, Linbaba and he is Shantaram . 

This novel is a five star (☆☆☆☆☆) on my list. A must-read.

I have taken special care that no spoilers ruin your experience of the book in this review.