Book Review : Don't Tell The Governor by Ravi Subramanian

Introduction

Image (C) Privy Trifles

ISBN:9789353024628

Genre: Fiction

Publishers: Harper Collins India

Price: Rs. 299/- (I got the book for review from the publisher)

Behind the Book

On 8 November, when the clock strikes 12, your money will be no good. Somewhere on the India-Nepal Border, a car full of passengers swerves off a highway and plunges into a valley, its trunk full of cash.

In the UK, a Bollywood starlet wins Big Survivor, the most popular reality TV show in the country. In Panama, Central America, a whistle-blower at a law firm brings down billionaires across the globe.

And in India, a new RBI Governor is appointed. Aditya Kesavan is dynamic, charismatic and ambitious. And he’s been handed the reins of the RBI on a platter. His only job: to make sure he doesn’t rock the boat. But, unknown to him, the wheels have begun to turn, as the country heads towards the biggest financial event in modern Indian history.

Governor Kesavan is about to carry out the most brazen act of his life – and, perhaps, his most foolish. Will he be able to pull himself out of the mess he has got into or will he have to surrender to the manipulative forces behind the scenes? Running desperately out of time, the Governor must set things right.

About the Author

Ravi Subramanian, an alumnus of IIM Bengaluru, has spent two decades working his way up the ladder of power in the amazingly exciting and adrenaline-pumping world of global banks in India.
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He is the award winning author of eight bestselling books :
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If God was a Banker (2007),
I Bought the Monks Ferrari (2007),
Devil in Pinstripes (2009),
The Incredible Banker (2011),
The Bankster (2012),
Bankerupt (2013).
God is a Gamer (2014)
The Bestseller She Wrote (2015)
In The Name of God (2017)
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If God was a Banker won him the Golden Quill readers choice award in 2008. He also won the Economist Crossword Book Award for The Incredible Banker in 2012. "The Bankster", released in 2012 won him the Crossword Book Award in 2013. In 2014 he won the Raymond Crossword book award for Bankerupt. His books have been translated into Hindi and Latvian. He lives in Mumbai with his wife, Dharini, and daughter, Anusha.
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To connect with him, log on to Facebook at www.facebook.com/authorravisubramanian or tweet to @subramanianravi or email him at info@ravisubramanian.in

As an author Ravi Subramanian is someone I have always admired. Having witnessed his journey closely, as an ex-colleague it is inspiring to see where he has reached today. I can proudly say I have read all his works and loved how he tries to weave a story around his professional observations bringing out something unique every time. My personal all time favourite will always be 'Devil in Pinstripes'. As an ex-banker, I secretly wished for some of the characters in his books to be real and bump into me in real life! For me both, his books and writings have been a slice of life. I have lived them all and it excites me to read someone write about it so beautifully.

Coming to his latest release, it is again not a surprise that he has used the latest challenge to the economy and bankers to weave a narrative around it. The story has all the elements of being called a perfect pot boiler - action, romance, suspense, thrill, adventure, suspense and most importantly excitement. He manages to leave you enthralled with the sheer pace of the book and ofcourse, his inimitable writing style!

However, there was something that was amiss in this book. Difficult to exactly put it in words but somehow it felt rushed and also lacked a certain WOW element unlike his previous works. He has always managed to keep the suspense intact but in this one I was able to predict the happenings after having read one third of the novel which is not a good sign. Predictability of books is a huge turn off and here the characters apart from the plot twists were giving hints aloud in every possible manner. Most importantly, it is tad disappointing to see the poor editing of the book. It needed to be on the editor's table for a bit longer!

But then if you were to ask me - Did you enjoy reading it? My answer would still be yes because the plot was great, it was the execution which lacked some luster, still it was a good engaging read.

Would I recommend it? Of course yes, it is a book that should be read for the thrill element in it. It is an interesting read, not the author's best work but definitely one that is truly commendable for being able to sew a plot involving so many aspects from real life.

Foodie Verdict

This book is like Lemon Grass, Ginger, Carrot Soup - A comforting food on a cold winter night when you are looking for warm cozy eats( and reads!)

Source: Epicurious