Sunday 18 October 2015

#IAm16ICanRape - Book Review


#IAm16ICanrape
-By Kirtida Gautam

Plot:
This is the story of Kashyap family in which the relations between parents and children are not as the way they are in a common Indian family. The family gets a sudden shock when after the celebrations of Aarush's (grandson of Gayitri and Rudransh, son of Ananya and Mrigyank and brother of Navya) 16th birthday are over, he was arrested by police as an accused rapist. The victim Shubhangi gives her statement that she was raped by Aarush and Vijay, a bartender, on his birthday night.

No one in the family is ready to believe this statement keeping in mind his innocence and intelligence in view. Then slowly the chapters of that gang-rape start to open giving a new direction to the case.

Vijay takes all the blame on himself and commits suicide in Jail. Rudransh start believing Aarush has raped the girl. Mrigyank is against his father's belief and Pihu, daughter of Kashyap family's domestic help is very much in love with Aarush.

What happens next?
Did he commit this heinous crime?
If yes, will he be punished or being juvenile will give him an unnecessary advantage?
Is Shubhangi right? Or is she just feeling that she was raped by this Juvenile Kashyap?

Read this heart-breaking tale on one of the pensively subjected crime and know the psychology of criminals who commits rape.

My Opinion:

POSITIVES:

A very courageous topic is been selected by Kirtida for her debut novel. Talking about its plus points the book is wonderful in terms of defining emotions, thoughts and expressions. 

Narration is kept simple and language is also kept simple which is nice in the context of this topic. Dialogue writing is perfect. Though the book is lengthy but a well-planned plot is penned in it which doesn't let this thought cross your mind once you start reading it. The way she described with psychology and brain functioning, criminal thinking and other issues in a conversation manner are commendable and makes things easily understandable. Talking about its title, I can definitely say that nothing better could be thought than this (Bang on). Book cover is fine but could have been better. A perfect amount of literature is used as and when required.


There is no particular target audience but I seriously think this book should be gifted by parents to their children in their teenage to clear them about this act called RAPE. Besides, right from a teenage kid to an old soul, this book is for everyone. Just read it with a broad mind and absorb as much as you can from this book.

SOME OF THE BEST WRITTEN PARTS OF THE BOOK WERE:
Shubhangi's lively moments in hospital.

The incident from Aarush's childhood when he sing “Lab pe aati hai dua banke tamanna meri…” and pointed towards his grand-dad when it focused on the word “Ishwar”.

The way deaths are described in the book. (Mentioning the one that pierced by heart will be a spoiler for any reader but yes Kirtida has made me shed some tears while describing the feeling and emotions of those who died and those who got affected by those losses)

The planning that a 16 year old, the way he behaved and lived two different personalities and made fool of his elders and family members on small issues will blow your mind away.

NEGATIVES:
Though the positive impact this book has left on me don't allow me to write this section but still there are certain things which I can't neglect as a reader and reviewer.


At one side when Kirtida had described most of the psychological jargons used in the book perfectly, at some parts, few terms and abbreviations are not at all described or described late (BDSM, CSWCS and some more).

Some characters are unnecessarily added including those of Aarush's friend and that of Journalist 'wife. There was no need to add them in the book. Further, despite the fact that the book is well edited and written, there was some typing and grammatical errors (Their extremely less quantity can even make them ignorable).

MY TAKE ON THE BOOK:
Discussing this dark topic, there was no point in the book that made it looked over-expressed or vulgar. (Special mention for author's experience and maturity level in this context)

The book raises some important questions about child-rearing and things parents should keep in mind when their kids are in learning and growing stage. It discussed about human mind, child psychology, criminal thinking, impact of elder's actions on their young ones, importance of each parent (mother and father together and mother and father separately), about the interior and exterior human energy, masculinity, femininity, Hero's Mythical Journey and its associated stages, human personality and the two sides, Persona and Shadow, each with equal amount of focus and description.

Further, she described one more important aspect of phycology which is the DARK TRIAD in which the shadow of a mind is either, child-psychopath, an adult-narcissist or a parent-Machiavellian. (These things will provide you multiple areas to read and learn if you are interested in reading psychological stuff)

She discussed how we parents accept tomboyish behaviour of a girl but a sissy boy is not tolerable.

But above all it raised an immense issue of convicted Juvenile Rape Laws. A rapist of any age must be counted as an adult keeping in mind the intensity and type of crime he has committed. Each time a Rapist is made free on account of his age, we give birth to a future criminal in our society.

Inspired by 16th December gang rape, this was an exceptional effort by the author to give light to this not-so-commonly-discussed topic RAPE.

They say that the only person who is punished after a rape is the victim. 

IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF OUR LAWS OR HER-NOT-ACCEPTING IT IN PUBLIC, BUT BECAUSE OF THE SOCIETY THAT ACCUSES HER FOR THE CARELESSNESS SHE SHOWED ON HER PART.

Also, the women who don't stand against what happened with them must understand that if you won’t stand for yourself, no one will ever will to stand for you.

Stand up.
Speak against evil.
And fight for yourself because Even if one is 16, one can't rape.

Rather than teaching your girls to stay in their limits teach your sons the limits they must not cross.

Final Rating:

Title / Cover: 4/5
Character justification: 3.75/5
Story, Language, literature: 4.5/5
Final Rating: 4.25

We read a rape case and ask Who? How? When? 
But leave behind a major question which is WHY?
A psychological fiction, that delves deep into the mind of a Juvenile rapist to know WHY?


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