Book Details
I got this book as part of Blogchatter’s Book review program in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. So there you go with my thoughts and opinions on the book, Eye On You.
Title: Eye On You
Author: Kanchana Banerjee
Illustrator (Cover Design): Mishta Roy
Genre: Action/ Crime/Thriller
Type: E-book
Page Count: 188
Price: Free with Kindle Unlimited Subscription otherwise, INR 200
Blurb (as on Amazon)
You’re seen, tracked, and followed everywhere you go. Every line & picture you post; someone is watching. All that information in the wrong hands is a recipe for disaster.
You have a smart door, a CCTV; everything is controlled via an app on your mobile phone. All they need to do is to hack into your phone. Anyone can get in, anyone can see you inside your home.
How safe are you inside your home?
Myra is a young, independent, single working woman living in Gurgaon. After a party in her home, she wakes up the following morning and discovers that she has been raped. But she was at home, surrounded by her friends.
Who could have done this to her? Was it one of her friends or a stranger?
Book Review
The author, Kanchana Banerjee has vividly captured the threats that come along with the advancement of smart technologies and the follies of human beings with her engrossing writing.
The fact that this work of fiction, Eye On You, blurs the line between imagination and reality is what makes the thriller more gripping.
Myra, the protagonist, depicted as an affluent, independent woman sharing every passing moment on social media, finds herself raped in her bedroom the next morning after she throws an open house party. What ups the horror factor of the story is the fact that all those invited to the party were her friends.
The plot set in Gurgaon, one of India’s leading industrial and financial hubs, brings out the real picture of the society we live in now. One cannot take Myra or the other characters in the book lightly as some fictional characters as we can easily identify them with someone from our circle and that’s what leaves us wary.
How safe are we in a tech-driven world where every information, personal and official, is just one click away? Honestly, as someone who is always in a love-hate relationship with social media presence, this thriller just sent chills down my spine and I find myself navigating more towards a less/no social media approach.
Author’s writing style
As with the writing, the lucid language with highly detailed characters and plot description, the story just comes alive before you. The way the mystery unravels in this page-turner making us guess and second guess with every twist makes the book unputdownable.
The author finds the right balance in walking us through the emotions of the victim sensitively even while keeping the generally prevalent outlook on a rape victim raw. Very much relevant to our current lifestyle, this book makes for a must-read.
The author leaves the reader (especially women) with many questions on cybercrime, abuse, affluent lifestyles, the pros and cons of technological advancements, etc.
This book is certain to make you take one step back and assess if there’s genuinely the need for your social media handles and the use of smart technologies. Yes, this story makes you ponder beyond the plot.
Wrap up words
What I loved much in the book is the equally detailed descriptions of the characters other than the protagonist that helps the reader immerse themselves in the story, feel one among them and wear their detective hat.
Even while I found the plot slightly hurried and predictable towards the end, I still would recommend this book for the way it keeps the reader guessing and second-guessing since the start. Also, its relevance to the current time makes it a must-read.
Not to forget, the cover design by the illustrator Mishta Roy is well thought of, giving that creepy feeling and perfectly going with the storyline.
Also after reading the story, the title of the book makes even more sense with another interpretation of Eye On You as I On You. The choice of keeping it simply as ‘Eye’ (to sound similar to ‘I’, maybe) and not ‘Eyes’ or ‘An Eye’, makes me think so. If you have read the book you will know what I mean. Let me know if you feel the same too.
Content Warning
There are mention of obscenities that are unavoidable for the storyline and if descriptions of physical abuse trigger you, you may want to stay away. Also, make sure to close your kindle reader while pausing or leaving it alone; you may not want your kid to even accidentally have an eye on it.
Buy here
Haven’t read it yet, then buy it here.
“This review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program“
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I enjoyed reading this book too. Nicely reviewed
Thank you, Manali.