Book Review - The Bankster - Ravi Subramanian

The Bankster- sounds like a funny name when you read it for the first time. Bankster is a word invented by author Ravi Subramanian it seems. It is an amalgamation of two words - Banker and Gangster!

Ravi Subramanian, aptly also known as 'John Grisham of banking' keeps you interested in the story with his thorough knowledge of banking industry! When i read his name for the first time, I had a deja-vu feeling! Then it hit me, I read his previous book - If God was a banker! It was a really good book, I tell you. On further research I found out, that Bankster is not his second book, it is his fifth book!

The book tries to weave multiple sub-stories into a larger picture. However, in doing so, I guess the book got somewhat confusing at many places. It is either that, or I have gone dumb in the past couple of years! Phew!

The story spans across several continents starting with Angola, where illicit diamond exchange happens. It soon moves to Mumbai and then to Venice. Now Venice is the key word here, not because it is relevant to the story, but because I am sitting at Marco Polo Airport of Venice while writing this review! :D

On a serious note, I personally feel that every writer is inspired by intricate details of Bourne series. But there are very few, if not zilch, writers that can do justice with the balance between intricate details and irrelevant details. Now either Apple paid the author a huge amount to write a iPad user manual or the author himself is a huge Apple fan. How else would you explain the presence of such morose details about functioning of iPad in this book!

Other than that I think there are too many issues touched upon in the book - illicit diamond trade, banking industry issues, corruption, arms exchange and money laundering! I felt at some places I was craving for some more meat on some of these issues. But what is lost on the plot is covered by the nice Indianised lingo used by the author throughout the book (most of it atleast). This keeps the book peppy and interesting specially for the Indian audience.

The book ends in a very melodramatic note though. I was waiting for ACP pradyuman to burst out of one door and shout 'Daya darwaza tod do'! :D

Overall, this book is a mix of interesting and sloppy segments, but deserves one read atleast. I would give it 2.5 out of 5.5!

And since you asked, my Italy trip was awesome, more posts coming soon on the wedding and the honeymoon!

PS: This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com . Participate now to get free books! Tata!!