Book Review - SHOES of the DEAD

As I lay my hands on the keyboard of my laptop with the book –Shoes of the Dead by Kota Neelima aside me, I am all set to write the review of this book. But I don’t know what to write. Having completed reading this book just a few minutes ago, I am not able to catch hold of all the feelings inside my heart. This book is a fiction, a story that is just made up by this author, but it did make me realize a lot of things. This story seemed to be the real story of my country – India. In fact it is, you would certainly agree with me after you read this book.

A blend of people – politicians, reporters, moneylenders, farmers. This book includes every one of them and it includes story of the poor people of this country where most of the people are living below poverty line.

Keyur Kashinath, a son of a very famous politician who was born with a silver spoon and was bound to maintain the dignity and power he inherited with his genes. He had to do anything or everything to be in power. But having been born with a silver spoon, he never got to knew what normal people of this country go through. Isn’t that what happens with the politicians of our country? They never realize the pain of the poor people. They never see what a poor person has to go through. All that rich have for poor is hatred for they are just ‘poor’. Only sometimes, they experience a sad feeling for the poor but not unless someone shows them what being a poor person feels like.

Nazar Prabhakar, a journalist who is unmoved with the glitters of the city life and money, is determined to work for people. But do such people survive in real life? It is difficult. Isn’t it? Fighting with the people in power and trying to do something for poor which is ultimately a lame effort as one person cannot be enough to make a difference to more than 1 billion people.

Lambordar and Durga Das – two people who are too lost in their thirst for money and power. They do not care what they do to the poor, they don’t care what atrocities they put on people. They just care about themselves. Well, most of the people in our country our like that. Even we are like that at some point or another. The people who are poorer than us just leave us with a feeling of disgust for they are a bad spot on our country according to us. But no one of us would ever try to help them. All we will do is to worsen their condition.

Gangiri Bhadra –once in a while, a man like him is born who would fight for other people no matter what happens to his own dreams, his own family. He wasn’t born that way; circumstances made him The Gangiri Bhadra in the book.

The story in the book revolves around the life of Gangiri Bhadra who stands up for the people of his country – the poor people of his country. He helps the widows of poor farmers who had committed suicide due to the burden of debts on their shoulders. The cruel world won’t let their dead souls rest in peace because of what they left behind for their families. But Gangiri bhadra decides to help them out, to give justice to the relatives of the dead people. He is mistaken by many people. He is threatened by people. A lot of people try to change him with offering many alluring benefits. But he still remains unchanged. He keeps fighting for the justice. This is what the book is all about. Story of Gangiri Bhadra who walks in the Shoes of The Dead.

This book has been amazing. I am glad I got this book to read. An amazingly written story which would keep you engrossed in the book till the end. I could not help myself stay away from this book, stay away from the story of Gangiri Bhadra. One must read this book as this would show you what is going on in our country. It is fiction, but still, the story goes in every village of this country – India.

At the end, well this cannot be the end. There is still a lot which is going in my heart right now because of what this book made me realize. This was my first book of Kota Neelima and all I can say about her is that – she just strikes at the right place in your heart. She knows how to make something seem real to you.

Do read this book and share what you felt after reading this. 

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