The Centipedes

An extremely powerful story of a journalist who encounters the various shades of human while investigating a rape crime. I use the word ‘powerful’ because the enormity of the mundaneness actually hit me in the last chapter.Contrary to the expectations (probably set by web series Delhi Crime), the story doesn’t delve into the nature of the crime or the actions of the victim leading up to the crime. It revolves around how the incident transforms the lives of the victim’s family members and her friend who was the prime witness in the whole incident. It delicately touches the societal shackles and norms that shape the lives of the surviving family members and interlinks the web to a much larger machinery at work. I reiterate the use of the word ‘powerful’ during the beginning of this review- it is powerful because very unwittingly, the reader has acknowledged and accepted the machinery at work here. How the system affects the society at large and how it has attributed mundaneness to the things that ought to be anything but prosaic. It will compel the reader to spare a thought about society at large.So, I’d highly recommend this book to all the unsuspecting readers who want to contemplate about things in general, long after finishing with the book. The story will stay with the reader.

A brilliant book which takes a varying and insightful view on many of the contemporary political and social changes underway in India. A great read for someone who wants to understand Indians’ and some of their peculiar behavior – from the aspiring Rurban class to upper-class politicians. Mr. Piyush has also provided enough interesting insight on “private lives” and the behavior of leading personalities, that keeps a reader gripped to the novel. But most important has been the behavioral changes in a common man when he gets unintentional attention and money. Highly recommend this book and glad to have stumbled on this name.

Such a powerful story is rare in the modern history of fiction. The author bares each and everything ruthlessly without being vulgar or obnoxious- a result of maturity arguably because of his long experience in journalist.Many authors write successful fictions without having a story that sounds real. Piyush Srivastava has a mountain of stories and he reveals some in limited words.I read this fiction in two sittings and found it more than worth money.If you are a reader you will not be able to resist finishing it after reading two chapters. This book is going to grow with time, as happens with those books which are not pushed by marketing tricks.The story moves with Ramayan Prasad, the central character, who loves the luxuries of life but not by earning them through unfair means. He loves drinking and speaks truth after taking some.The story has a reflection of the Delhi gangrape case as it was said even that time that the government was trying to manipulate the incident. The treatment of the victim was a drama played by the government, which was fast becoming very unpopular.But we didn’t know that so much was being played behind the curtain- whosoever comes Ramayan’s way compromises for undue benefits.Ramayan is honest and so he feels insulted every time, yet he doesn’t stop meeting them out of professional compulsion. As a result, he suffers and suffers until he breaks.It happens with anybody he is al out in search of truth. A point comes in the life of the lead character that he starts believing that truth is worthless because there is no buyer for it. There is post-truth only around which, which is attractive for the players of the game but disgusting for Ramayan.The author knows so much of the political and crime words that he speaks with authority through the mind of the lead character.I would like to support the author and wish his book a grand success sooner than later.

In today's day and time when we are in an era of the post truth where we are unsure of whatever is being shown, written and spoken we always know that there is a system which does things with a different motive and showcases it in a light which is completely different. You always know that there is a system and there are people doing so.Its just that not all get to see it straight up. This is where is this book brings in a perspective from a journalist who can see how perception is played with and how everything is about perception. In this game of perception we are just observers. We might have one particual perception or a different one but the reality is that we are unsure of it's truth.Quick read. Insightful and interesting.