The Homing Pigeons... by Sid Bahri

The Homing Pigeons... by Sid Bahri

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

ISBN(edition I've read): 9789380349916

Read between: 28-04-2013 to 03-05-2013

Review:

First of all, I like to thank Nimi Vashi (of http://thereaderscosmos.blogspot.in/) for electing me as an eligible reviewer to review such a great book. Yeah, I also want to apologize to her that I couldn't review this book as early as I had promised. It was the time, I have external examinations going and that was why I couldn't read this book on time. Anyways, better late than ever, here is the true and unbiased review you have asked for.

Plot:

In the middle of the catastrophic 2008 recession, Aditya, a jobless, penniless man meets an attractive stranger in a bar, little does he know that his life will change forever…..

When Radhika, a young, rich widow, marries off her stepdaughter, little does she know that the freedom that she has yearned for is not exactly how she had envisioned it…..

They say Homing Pigeons always come back to their mate, no matter where you leave them on the face of this earth. Homing Pigeons is the story of love between these two unsuspecting characters as it is of lust, greed, separations, prejudices and crumbling spines.

About the author:

A hotelier by education, an ex-banker and a senior executive in the outsourcing industry, Sid gave up a plush career in the outsourcing industry to follow up his passions. Based out of Ranikhet, he is now a struggling entrepreneur and a happy writer. A self-proclaimed eccentric, he is an avid blogger who loves to read and cook. Cooking stories, however, is his passion. The Homing Pigeons is his debut novel.

He can be reached at sidd.bahri@gmail.com

My take on the book:

Readers, let me explain the situation I have completed reading this book in. I started reading this book immediately after my lab examinations and I have my final examinations in a couple of days and I am writing a review on this book. Such a hook-up this book is.

Warning: Start reading this book only if you have no important examinations for the next four days. Anyway, I am sure you wouldn't take that long to complete this book.

This book is a total hooker. You start reading and it is very difficult to put this book down.

It was a honoring experience to review this book to which the very own Shashi Tharoor had said, "...a remarkable novel by a first-time novelist of immense promise...often exquisitely rendered...exceptional achievement that deserves all the plaudits it is sure to garner." (From the front cover)

The whole story alternates between the stories of two different characters - Aditya and Radhika. During the first few chapters, there seems to be no connection between both the characters. Aditya explains his pitiable situation after losing his job due the recession and how he lies off on his wife's money. Radhika, who has recently lost his husband, is marrying off her step-daughter, who is marrying just so that she can inherit the fortune left behind by her father.

Every chapter is narrated in the first-person narration of the character the chapter is named after.

As the story progresses there are little links seen between both the characters. Still further a concrete link is formed between the characters - they turn out to be deeply in love with each other. Then, the reader, starts to develop a strong curiosity how both the character end up in so diverse the situation they were in. Aren't lovers meant to end up marrying?

To top the story, the narration was equally exquisite. The language used by the author is at its simplest best. It is as smooth as hot mercury. The flow is uninterrupted due the such a smooth use of words.

About the publishers. Shristhi Publishers are those publishers which are considered a risk by the people. I don't blame people for that. Many of the books from those publishers are like that, but then we can't overlook some gem of authors from these publishers - like Ravinder Singh, Durjoy Datta, and now, Sid Bahri. This book was exceptionally good from the publishers. Seasonally, they keep providing us, readers, with such a treats. The Homing Pigeons is on helluva treat.

Also the cover designs. Most the cover designs of the books that release lately are a disaster. It is the cover design that attracts a reader. There is a saying since a long time that says, "Don't judge a book by its cover." And people are judging books by its cover since a long time, too. So it was very important to have a good cover design if you want a person to pick up a book. The Homing Pigeons's cover design is one good. It is simple and pleasant, as same as the story.

Overall, it is the smooth read one would prefer reading during the evening, sitting in the lawn having a tea. A pleasant read.

Recommendations:

For those authors who are looking for a pleasant read like a hot tea during the winter evening...

I hate to say this, but I think you should make some effort to improve your handwriting, Sid Bahri. (Take it in good humor.)

Damn, I didn't know that there was poster embossed inside the shipped parcel. I found it out only after the left bottom part of the poster is torn.

This review is a part of the Readers Cosmos Book Review Program. To get free books visit thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com