Book Review: Half a Shadow - Dr Anurag Shourie

Book : Half a Shadow  

Author : Dr Anurag Shourie

Pages : 232

Publishers : InkHorn Publishing

Formats available: Paperback 

Premise:

A young middle-aged anaesthesiologist's vice catches up with him when his fondness of liquor has tragic consequences for a young patient. But things are not as they seem at the cancer center in Udaipur with mysterious deaths occurring all around. As the remorseful doctor starts to uncover the seedy underbelly of corruption and unethical practices around him, redemption becomes secondary to survival. A brutal attack leaves the doctor in an altered state of mind where he finally finds an unlikely guiding voice from a mythological being doomed to purgatory.

What Stands Out in this book.

The Genre

This book is unique in its choice of genres, blending a good medical thriller and murder mystery with mythology and spirituality. I have never had a book deal with this combination before and as the tempo picked up once the genres started to overlap, I found myself more and more impressed.

Research

Undoubtedly, a lot of work has gone into this book. The choice of Sanskrit shlokas, the Hindu mythological arc (and especially the connections between certain characters of different religions which I had not considered before), the medical and pharmaceutical knowledge are all well-researched.  

Twists 

I have purposely chosen to be vague in my premise section simply because it is necessary for you as the reader to appreciate the twists in the story as they arrive.

Believe me, the story does weave in many an unexpected direction which even I, as a seasoned reader of fiction, could not guess. Yes, there is a lot of mythology but there is a very good mystery here as well with a very satisfying conclusion. 

Grammar and Editing

Above notch, the author's (a doctor himself) grasp of language is worth noting, especially in today's day and age where Indian authors face a lot of backlash for poor grammar. 

A few Negatives

Balancing a story this complex that flits between some very unique genres is tough and thus, there are quite a few plot lines taking place simultaneously. This can be a tad difficult to follow, considering how well-fleshed the characters are, how we move between reality and (?) hallucinations and yes, between mythology and murder in real life.

Final impressions

There is no doubt in my mind that anaesthesiologist Dr Anurag Shourie is vastly underrated as an author. 

The level of creativity for a storyline as unique as this alone deserves credit but he does an extremely successful job in keeping you guessing while also showcasing a very impressive knowledge of both religion as well as medicine. 

I am going with 4 out of 5 Appletinis for this book. 

This is an excellent debut book and a very confident author eager to weave a tale and confident on sticking the landing. Definitely worth looking out for in the years to come. 

You can find Dr Anurag Shourie on Goodreads here and BUY his book "Half a Shadow" here via Amazon.