11-Apr-2023:
Took to reading a novel after many months and when I chanced upon this, I thought the 265 paged book could be covered easily. But as the author mis-estimated to write this book in 6 weeks only to finish in four years, I too took four days but it was almost impossible to put it down. Could have been done faster but the heaviness of the matter discussed , at times, took longer time to comprehend and digest and that necessitated few more days.
I have no prior knowledge about the author, but was all the more curious about many things as to how he could narrate things as though he were on the scene but then his notes at the end, Epilogue and ‘sources’ completely put at rest all my doubts. The language used was of such high standard that I had to use the ‘Lookup’ many times to get the right meaning of the word used.
The whole incident as many are aware, was tragic and brought gloom into so many of the victims’ houses and the aftermath the victim’s kith and kin suffered are well narrated in the ‘Life after Death’ chapter, which was to say ‘heart wrenching’. How else can one understand the extinguishing lives of a senior couple about to celebrate their wedding anniversary ; that of a budding Chartered accountant, a sportsman and a breadwinner whose family struggled no ends to make the surviving children to make a living.
Some chilling narratives are when some greedy cops allowed the destructive materials to seep through the police cordon, shattering plans, mindless vengeance with utter disregard to the innocent public who were the ultimate sufferers, where even some of the surviving family members reportedly attempted suicide ; the present status of the accused given at the end are thought provoking as to how the acts come back to haunt people; how some of the perpetrators are now facing the mental hangups by becoming a slave of other countries; how the right connections could work for the high and mighty ; a casual remark as to how such atrocities were planned even in some other cities, but fortunately could not be implemented. The author has done a good job of bringing the scenes supported by some good sources, as mentioned. Well written book, but would personally not prefer to read another one on a similar subject.
07-Apr-2023:
Just started reading this book more captivated by the title as , somehow in my busy schedule in my working days of 1990s, I had missed following the event.
Now the thrilling and shocking narrative by the author, acclaimed to be one of the best in business as evidenced in the ‘Praise for the book’ , reveals the same shock and spine chilling events as though one is going through the same now , after 30 years. Only half the book reading done so far, eager to complete.
