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Sunday, October 25, 2015

Diabolical by Supriya Parulekar : A Review



BOOK TITLE: Diabolical
ISBN: 9789384382094
AUTHOR: Supriya Parulekar
GENRE: Fiction / Thriller
NUMBER OF PAGES: 194
FORMAT: Paperback
SERIES / STANDALONE: Standalone.
REVIEW BY: Dhivya Balaji
HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: I thank Pulkit Gupta of Gargi Publishers for this review copy.
SUMMARY:
          Lost and alone, Sonya fought with the demons that haunted her, threatening to rip her apart! “They want me dead…” Sonya mumbled as fear took hold of her. Being a superstar in Bollywood provided no solace to the gorgeous Sonya Rana and there was no running away from the fear that she experienced every waking moment. Jay tried to soothe her frayed nerves with his love but she chose to shut herself from the world. All she wanted was to leave her dark past behind, somehow.

          “Let me go… please," Sonya pleaded to Tania, her step-sister who fiercely loved and protected her. Sonya knew the bitter truth. In the end, either one will survive; she or the demons raging within her, and if the demons won, it would spell an end for Sonya. When one’s soul takes a beating, all hope is lost and everything is over in a single heartbeat. The ‘Diabolical’ had manifested itself within the gorgeous Sonya, killing the hope of a chance at a beautiful life she could have had. Read this book to unravel the dark games our mind plays with us. Experience a tumultuous ride of emotions as Sonya’s past catches up with her sending her life spiraling down.
REVIEW:
          Everything is not what it seems – Diabolical is something everyone would relate to.
First impression:
          The book arrived as a review copy from Gargi publishers. I thank them for it. The print was good, the book small and nice to hold. The words were clear. But the beginning of each chapter had a grey background that hampered the reading noticeably in places. I really do love the cover that sets the sombre mood for the book as a whole.
Now the story:
          There is a Japanese proverb that says every man has three faces. One, they show to the world. Two, the face they show to their close friends and family. And the third face that is known only to them, and is their real face. This is true for every human. Mental illnesses or ailments are one of the most rarely spoken about issues both in literature and in real life. And if done so, they are treated with disdain and sometimes mockery.
          The society needs to understand that not every man is either white or black. The world is filled with Greys and all it takes is a moment’s insanity or indecision to change one’s life path. This book takes the spotlight in dealing with this in a thrilling, engaging manner. Diabolical works based on a principle similar to astrology posts do – it talks about something every man generally faces, thereby making it very relatable, and very close to the readers’ mind. People sigh with relief that they are not the ones who are prey to the diabolical element.
          Diabolical is the story of Sonya Rana – all glitz and glamour, successful bollywood star at the peak of her career. But we are not introduced to her as a star in her films, nor are we first shown her best side. We are introduced to Sonya when she is consulting with a shrink, showing the raw and harsh side of all that beauty.
          She is gorgeous, successful, has a very understanding and supportive man in her life – someone she throws away and a staunch brick of a support in her sister and BFF, Tania. While this might seem like the best life to most people, Sonya is fighting the worst possible enemies – the demons inside her mind that don’t leave her alone.
          Depression is not limited to a particular time and the hatred that stems from it is not limited to one particular person. It is all encompassing and makes the sufferer lose their common sense on so many levels, still making them seem happy and lively as a façade. This story deals with abusive childhood and its long standing psychological effects. But that is not the only thing you will take back from this book.
          Without revealing many spoilers, the story is one thing that will give you a thrilling ride. It is so relatable and that is what makes it scarier. That is one of the best elements about this book. Supriya has managed to craft an edge of the seat thriller. The language is simple, the words are not complex and this makes the book easy to read. The story takes care of holding the readers’ interest – until the very end.
WHAT I LIKED:
The character of the sister.
The ending – I hated it, but I realised it was apt for this book
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:
The book’s typeset is good. But the first page of each chapter need not have been grayed.
There are a few minor typos, and a few elements in the story that could have been written somehow else.
VERDICT: Go for it – this minces no words in being a perfect thriller.
RATING: 4.2/5
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Supriya Parulekar is a published author with four books in her kitty and has written a story, a screenplay and dialogues for two movie projects that are under consideration at present. She has also worked as a script editor for TV18 and History Channel. She was a columnist for ‘YUVA’, a magazine for the youth. Her passions include reading, writing and travelling to new places in search of inspirations.
Supriya’s debut novel ‘A Soulful of Lie’, a supernatural thriller, was very much appreciated by Lat Gautam Rajadhyaksha, a well-renowned celebrity photographer. ‘DReamcatcher’ belongs to the romance genre and it was a huge success in a couple of days since its launch. The third, ‘The Gangster’s Muse’ is a thriller and is available online and in stores. Recently, ‘BFF: Best Friends Forever’ was released and it did quite well in the ‘Teen fiction’ category.
Supriya compose poems too when she is not working on her books or reading.
She can be connected at:
Facebook: /supriya.r.parulekar and /parulekarsupriya
EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Paperback, Kindle
PRICE: Rs.99 for Kindle, Rs. 185 for paperback.


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