Evoked – Book Review
Author: Mansi Babbar
Paperback Edition: 228 pages
Publisher: Harper Collins (13th March 2023)
Language: English
Genre: Thirller
ISBN:978-9356297029
Buy it here.
About The Book:
Something has been evoked in the dark corners of a mind . . .
Sevita and Sama are identical twins, but they couldn’t be more different. Sevita is popular and outgoing while Sama is a loner who never really fit in. As the two enter their first year of college, tragedy strikes-one of them dies a sudden death. Barely has the town come to terms with this, when the news of another death rattles them all. As the death toll keeps rising, police are perplexed. What is plaguing the idyllic town of Lavasa?
As Inspector Mohite investigates the deaths and soon secrets tumble out, it soon becomes clear that underneath the placid surface of Lavasa lurks a complex web of lies and deceit. Can he uncover the truth before more people die?
About The Author:
Mansi Babbar is a content creator and has her own podcast, Horror Originals. She was one of the top ten contestants in the Times of India—Write India campaign. Next to writing stories, she loves to binge watch shows on Netflix, camp out on starry nights and eat good food! You can reach her on www.mansibabbar.com or on her Instagram account @mansi_19.
My Take:
Written in simple English, this thriller is quick-paced to read through in a single sitting. With a few gasping twists, the attention of the reader is captured throughout the book.
The ending of the book seems quite predictable from the very first incident in the story but the anticipation of the next events keeps the reader glued to the story. The plot isn’t very new and feels like watching a good old Bollywood movie at times. For its predictable ending the book doesn’t feel very unputdownable. Also, it felt like the ending was abrupt and the story winded up quickly towards the end.
The story navigates through the emotions of fresh college students showcasing their rebellious behaviour, the excitement of experimenting with life, the blooming of new relationships and the blush of blossoming love. The narration feels very relatable for the youth for the range of emotions.
Apart from the bright side of the new college life, the story also highlights the negatives of the human mind. The fragile intricacies of the human mind are shown without hesitation. It focuses on how parents miss out on observing the dark emotions in their children, taking their behaviour simply as different. It boils down to how the neglect of a parent can evolve an innocent mind into a psychopath.
Although the story does touch upon aspects of mental health through various characters, some more depth into the troubled mind would have been insightful. A lot is left to the assumption of the reader.
Though the book tries to dive deep into the mind of the protagonist, the reader isn’t provided much information on the nature of many characters like the father, mother and lover of the protagonist. The insight into the mother’s indifference, the absence of the father and lover’s background would have added more depth to the story The extra information would have made the reader relate more with the characters and feel invested in the story.
The reader might feel that Lavasa being a small town, everyone should be knowing everyone else, especially the adults but such is not the case that has been shown in the book.Even the investigating officer feels the hunch of something being wrong but isn’t able to dig deeper and catch the culprit until the incidental evidence surfaces.
The book cover is intriguing but the title didn’t evoke much curiosity. Since a great writer like Ravi S endorsed the book, the reader might expect a much more engaged plot.
The open-ended nature of the story leaves the reader waiting for a sequel, hoping to probe further into the intricacies. I strongly suggest the author to consider the next episode of the story.
Bottom line: A Bollywood-like spicy thriller with fast-paced events and plot twists.
My Rating:
3/5
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