Book Name: The Jeera Packer
Author’s Name: Prashant Yadav
Rating: 3/5
Publisher: Fingerprint
Book Blurb: I once changed the history of this Uttar Pradesh with a gun and a finger. One shot, one man. Right man, wrong man. But that was thirty years ago. I shot people through their heads then. I pack jeera in a basement now.
This is me and here is my story.
He was the best sharpshooter in the state. A true bullet artist. But he gave it all up to lead a happy, normal, stable life . . . with his loving wife and dear son.
And that proved to be his undoing.
Resonant and deeply affecting, The Jeera Packer is the gripping tale of a man who after three decades of playing the happy family man returns to his profession of old for one final work—to shoot the chief minister.Convinced that this is his raison d’etre, will he manage to pull off this one last act, as his concluding hat tip to the man he could have been? Will he be able to brush away the jeera dust and rediscover himself? Or has the middle-aged family man already throttled the sharpshooter in him?
Book Review: The Jeera Packer is the story of a now retired shooter who earns an honest living in a departmental store with his wife. He manages to make an honest living but also is bored of his monotonous life.
The book is written in a pacy manner and is good for a one time read. Can be read during travelling which is what I did. The thrill and suspense is sort of missing and the plot isn’t as bold as you would like but considering the author is new, it is still a good effort.
Prashant has got the timeline and the political landscape of UP right and spices the novel with bold depictions of sensuality. The language is colloquial and descriptions aren’t detailed but nevertheless, a good effort. Lal Mani is an interesting character and his political maneuvers will be recognised by all who are familiar with the politics in UP.
Sample this from the book:
“Truth was that he had loved English-s[eaking women ever since he had been a pimpled student in Faizabad. Even today, listening to this gori, made his heart jump like red chilly on a hot flame.”
Circumstances force him to return to his old profession one last time for a big act. Will he prevail?