Book Review #106 : Sonya

Blurb: 

"Sonya is born and raised under strange circumstances and in a world of darkness. But she thoroughly enjoys this world and her gloomy ambience, until one fateful night. That night literally transforms her whole life and destroys everything she possesses, leaving her with nothing but complexes, phobias and depression. Despite that, Sonya wants to lead a normal life like everyone else. A life comprising of a normal family, a few good friends and a good romantic relationship, but will her past allow her to have one? Sonya grows up in various different situations and meets many good people who seem better than the monsters of her past. But are they? This story is a coming of age drama that follows Sonya and her life which is coloured by deception, dilemma, seduction, tears, abuse and bloodshed." 

About the Author: 

Gautam Narayanan is from Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. He has been writing for four years now and has written around 25 short stories before writing his first novel, Sonya. Gautam has also penned scripts for a few short films and loves movies, music and photography. He welcomes feedback and constructive criticism and is active on his twitter handle 2393writes. 

Author : Gautam Narayanan 

Binding: Paperback 

Language: English 

Publisher: Notion Press 

Genre: YOUNG ADULT FICTION 

ISBN: 9781643243320, 1643243322 

Edition: 1, 2018 

Pages: 434 

Before reading the book I was terrified by its size. There are many books that are fat and have tons of pages which can make the reader doze off to sleep, as they pick it to read. But this book is a complete page turner. Each and every page justified its reason of being a part of this book. The storyline is very addictive and keeps you glued. The author has done justice to all the characters and has described each one perfectly to spin a perfect story. 

The novel was completely the opposite of what I expected when I saw the cover page. I am actually surprised by the fact that a male writer can encapsulate the deepest emotions and feelings of a girl so well! The way the writer has scripted each and every human emotion and thought processes in the simplest way possible is just worth mentioning. 

The girl i.e Sonya in the book, is not a perfect one, she is flawed, just like an ordinary girl. She does mistakes too. This is her story where she isn’t just turning into a woman but becoming a strong one - enough to face anything daringly that life puts her through. 

The author has superbly expressed the feelings of a woman. The plot is likely to touch the heart of every woman. This book made me self reflect. I felt like I learnt more about myself. Every incident is relatable. Being a girl and facing certain issues in my life, this book made me even more stronger. Gautam Narayanan has penned a masterpiece which changed me as a person and made me questions many beliefs. 

This is one of the books which leaves an impact on you. with simple yet elegant way of explaining emotions that aren't easily understood by many. This novel made me cry, made me rediscover myself and inspired me. A must read for all book lovers. Congratulations to Gautam for his hard work of 3 years! <yes, it took 3 years for him to finish this fat book> 

Verdict ~ Gautam Narayanan is a gifted writer. I am sure he has thoroughly enjoyed conceptualizing this book and has lived the process of writing it. The cover of the book justifies the theme of the book. Highly recommended! 

Rating – 5/5 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of book from the author in return for my honest review.