The Monsters of Mithi by Hywel Richard Pinto
My take on the book:
Mumbai which used to thrive once with multiple rivers, but these rivers have now turned into dumping yard of waste and pollutants from the bombarding population. Unaware to the mankind around these rivers, once such river Mithi becomes breeding ground to a dangerous monster which is attacking unsuspecting citizens on the bank of river Mithi.
As cryptozoologists, the army, geologists are working towards the common goal of catching and eliminating this monster, is everyone really interested in stopping this monster or few involved her their own ulterior motives forms the rest of the story.
A fictional monster that is born out of human mistakes with a back story of decades is a unique backdrop for the author to pick. The story picks up slow e with the author introducing all the characters in the initial chapters. The pace though picks up in the later chapters, and the reader is pulled into the narration with the multiple twists in the story.
The highlight of the book is the message that it attempts to convey, about environment, conservation, the widespread abuse of natural resources without any discretion. The language is lucid and hence the book is apt even for beginners. The thrill element is especially gripping in the second half. Pick this one if reading on contemporary issues interests you.
My rating:
4/5.