Book Review: Faith and the Beloved by Kochery C Shibu
When I first checked the novel on Amazon, it had a shinning badge before it #1 in Crime and Thriller genre. I checked over and again intermittently. The badge was still there. I picked it up. I have read many novels in this genre, from Indian to Agatha Christie. But there is sheer Indianism in this novel. This is a different sort of crime novel. I mean I was too shocked to see two teenage guys, one girl and one boy, who hail from opposite family background and never met in their life, driving the plot. Amazing thrill…indeed!
Mainly the story is about two families and some auxiliary characters that come in their way. First family is Cherokil from South India, and the second family is of Rollands cum Kumars from Bihar, North India. The major plot of the novel is mainly attached with these two family histories. Both families had one thing common: deceit. They were built by stealing others wealth and share. How? This is explained in detail in the story. You better read in the novel.
In the current time, Alice Cherokil, a teenage girl, murders her stepfather Tony D’Souza and moves away. Her mother Naithy is hospitalized, in coma. She is worried about her safety. The treacherous acts of Tony confirmed that something more evil and dreadful is on the way for her family. By the way they are damn rich.
On the other hand, Prem and Arun Rollands make their living by playing errands or thieving. They are on the wrong side. However, Prem, the younger one, is a master in himself. He is good at studies, learnt Kalari, hacking and is way ahead than his time. Both brothers love each other. But one day in Delhi, they broke into the flat of Naithy. They stole cash of 20 lakhs and also raped her. Things turn sour for both of them here onwards. Prem is forced to move to North East India and work in a hydro project. In Delhi, Arun is encountered by police. Probably Naithy is involved into that.
Prem and Alice are connected to the web of crime world on the pretext of Arun’s killing. Prem seeks revenge and Alice seeks safety. A lot of events are connected between these two characters roles. The author has served the story well by mixing LTTE and ISI angles. For example, there is a lot story about LTTE and how they fight and raise fund. Tony D’Souza is a sleeper unit of LTTE. He is the fine example of that. His character is passive but impressive.
I loved this novel for its story than anything else. I sighed in appreciation for the author for stretching its timeline and mixing so many characters and their allied idiosyncrasies into forming one strong story. Loved that there is no larger-than-life characters, rather things are real and Prem and Alice handle things on their intelligence and wits.
Anyone looking for a riveting crime suspense thriller from the Indian arena literature can definitely pick up this novel. Between 200 to 300 pages, it’s an extreme treat to read on Kindle, imagine the thrill on paperback.
Kochery C Shibu is a well-known author with a Wikipedia page. His debut novel ‘Men and Dreams in the Dhauladhar’ was also a great thriller.
