The Monk by Akshay Shroff is a page turner novel which chanes the mind sets of the people. This book’s theme is a well debatable topic.

Cover- The cover is fantastic and seems contradicting from the picture shown. The gun in man’s hand tell some other story that we cannot predict. The colour scheme is eye pleasing.

Title- The title is perfectly thought as the revolves around that only. We get the literal meaning only in the end.

Blurb- Ten-year old Lakshya Gaitonde dreams of following a career in cricket like his idol, Sunil Gavaskar. But destiny has other plans for him. He loses his father, Police sub-inspector Rajaram Gaitonde in the Mumbai terror attack of March 1993. He decides to follow his father’s footsteps and becomes a police officer. In the July 2006 serial train blasts on the Mumbai suburban network, he loses his mother and fiancée. In consultation with the Commissioner of Police, he devises a diabolical plan to crush the menace of terrorism at its roots. Does he succeed? How does he manage to avenge the killing of his parents and his beloved? Why does he finally don saffron robes? About the Author Akshay Shroff has been a successful advertising sales consultant of domestic and international media, spanning over three decades, first in New Delhi followed by Mumbai. He has been associated with voluntary organizations like the Lions and the Junior Chamber International in senior positions and also with trade bodies like the Delhi Advertising Club and the Press Club of India. Married to Jayna since February 1981, he has been a responsible family man, a doting father of Rohan and a loving father-in- law of Stuti. Has a Bon Vivant nature, nurturing friendships since over five decades. Travel, trekking, reading and writing have been his passionate hobbies. Lover of animals and Nature, dogs have been his companions on and off. While THE MONK is his debut novel, writing will now be his full time engagement.

PLot- The plot is beautifully woven. THe story revolves around Lakshya Gaitonde who aspired to be a cricketer at the age of 10 but all his dreams take a halt after the dark clouds of terrorism strikes his life.This book is an elucidation of his struggles till the end.

Characterisation- The author has beautifully  portrayed his characters. The character of Lakshya is intense and really powerful. He is Vitthal for his mother and an apple of eye of his father. Life takes a turning point when his father dies and then after 13 years, his mother and his fiance. His dream of becoming a cricketer ends up in vain which further adds a fear of acceptance in him.

The father is a police man whose name is not mentioned till the end of the novel. He is honest, dutiful and a caring parent. He is an idol for Lakshya. He plays a cameo role in the book and his presence is short lived as he dies in attacks but his values always stay wih Lakshya.

Seema is Lakshya’s fiance who loves him from the core of her heart. She is beautiful and easy to connect with but when she dies, readers shed fresh tears for her.

Style- The style of writing is lucid, clear and condensed. The way the author has given every inch detail of attacks and about terrorism is impeccable. Further, the narrative style is mind blowing. Some sentences are eye catchers and this book seems flawless and the marathi words are catchable but it is requested if the author can mention translation for those who are totally naive about this language.

Grab your copies from http://www.amazon.in/Monk-Akshay-Shroff/dp/9384382167/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478420211&sr=1-2&keywords=The+Monk

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