Brahmahatya - Book Review

Rajiv Mittal’s Brahmahatya is a daringly original novel. It opens brilliantly. There is an old widower, whose only son is abroad. The old man meets with an accident and is rendered immobile. There is an elderly woman, devoid of any emotions. She provides (both unofficial and unprofessional) health care services. Dejected as his father is unable to secure admission into the plush Govindarajan Memorial Residency, Ravi is forced to admit his father in the rickety Blessings. The old man dies and then a saga of revenge unfolds.

I really liked the premise of the novel. It keeps you hooked, at least initially. The writer succeeds in creating believable, real life characters and setting. But then starts the confusion. Initially I thought that there was spelling mistake when the author was referring Ravi as Naru Sir. I felt that the impersonation should have been more swift and clear. The novel drags after a fantastic start. The reference to mythology and scriptures though works at some places, appears disjointed with the narrative at more places than one. Bhavna’s sexual fetishes were unnecessary. Dr. Chari, though eccentric, doesn’t come across as a villain who deserves to be murdered.

Yet the writing is clean. The language is lucid. With a little tight editing Brahmahatya would have been a terrific read. Yet for the enchanting dark world that it sucks you into, Brahmahatya deserves to be read.