The Bankster – A review

My Copy of the book

Being a twitter-junkie, the name “The Bankster” had been on my mind for a long time even before the release of the book. Many people on my Timeline had been expressing their desire to read the book. So, when Blogadda put up this book for it’s review programme, i gladly requested for an opportunity to review the book.

Although i have no knowledge of investment banking or finances (the closest i have come to this term are the ads of HP), Ravi Subramanian makes it flawlessly easy for a layman like me to get a glimpse of the world his story is set in. Spanning continents, this novel zooms across cities like Bombay, Cochin and Vienna. While the introductory chapters give you a snapshot of what’s going to come next, the plot develops only after one-fourth of the book is over. Proceeding with a breathtaking pace, the story does not leave a scope for you to put down the book (for a person like me who barely gets half-an-hour a day to read, this amazing novel kept me hooked completely over the weekend and at work).

In some tabloid (or was it the cover of the book?) Mr Subramanian has been referred to as the John Grisham of investment banking. Although i am no fan of Grisham, i found his work worth a praise in “The Bankster”. You keep guessing the climax as you turn the pages, solve the who-dun-it mystery Agatha Christie style, and at the end curse yourself for trying to be a Poirot or a Murple.

One cannot take note of the few small incidents described in this book, which have a resonance in modern India and the world at large. The protests at the anti-nuclear plant, for instance. Recent “expose” by an anti-corruption crusader turned politician on how corporate India runs the government could have come at no better juncture than when i was engrossed in this mesmerising tale of hunger for power, deceit, gruesome politics and suspense.

Despite being an engrossing read, The Bankster fails to be different. It is yet another product of the “formula” thrillers that are churned out in numbers. Even “The Taj Conspiracy” or “The Krishna Key” in recent past have been equally enjoyable for a book-lover in me, without being out-of-the-box or extraordinary. But then, even Shyam Benegal’s films have song-and-dance routines these days, and no one’s complaining!

Overall, The Bankster deserves a thumbs up and a rating of 3.5 stars out of 5.

Looking forward to Ravi’s next book.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com . Participate now to get free books!