Book Review: 03:02 by Mainak Dhar

I am a girl who easily gets attracted to mystery and thriller novels. That is my favourite types of books to read. So, when I won this book called 03:02 by Mainak Dhar in a contest held by The Tales Pensieve, I was eager to go through it. The first thing that tickled my fancy is the name and the cover of the book. It was really easy to surmise that there might be an action-pact storyline. I thought that both the cover and the title of the book is quite innovative and brings out a feeling of anticipation and suspense in the minds of the readers. 

The story starts with the news the Aaditya, the protagonist of the novel, has been promoted. The first chapter of the book dealt with the ambitions, achievements, dreams and somewhat the emotions of Aaditya and his life. The next chapter begins with Aaditya experiencing a power cut at 03:02am of the next day that eventually turns out to be a massive breakdown when we are told that Mumbai is in a crisis with no electricity, no phones, no cars, no communication. It is as if the entire civilisation was snatched away from the people. Things get worse when a news of the Police Stations being abandoned is spread. These leads to the rise of a group of looters all around the city only making it more difficult to survive. 

03:02 is a story that revolves around Aaditya and hundreds of people from his residential complex and the neighbouring ones. They, as a unit, fought the odds in order to protect their homes and families from the danger that was lurking around in the dark. This was until the lights at the Airport came back, only to surprise the residents with the real danger. The terror was now unmasked and the real threat was far more dreadful. The enemy was something that is inevitable. Suddenly, the fight for survival becomes a fight for the nation. People who once were executives, doctors, teachers, bankers now become warriors. This story is about a crisis that teaches a lot of lessons, a perspective that we often tend to overlook. The power of unity, will, and fighting spirit is perfectly defined in this book.

Mainak Dhar's brilliant plot, an amazing flair for writing and a great narration make the novel worth a read. Although, at some point in time I felt it is a little stretch but the climax did such a magic that I knew I have not wasted my time. The story ends on a great note of expectation and hope, something that I had wanted it to be. Overall, I think 03:02 by Mainak Dhar is a great read. I would recommend this book to all of you. I would love to read more from Mainak Dhar in future.

My Rating- 4.5/5