Infected With Life
Author: A.J. Job Xavier
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing
Rating: 3/5
In the world of real estate, Deepak is king, building on the legacy left behind by his farsighted father. He has with him, a bright youngster Arjun, whose ambition to grow big at any cost lands him in trouble with a lot of people. Luckose, Deepak’s advisor and close friend is his pillar of strength. Deepak is also in constant touch with Annie, his classmate from the US college, who though happily married to Pedro a budding politician in Mexico, still finds time to involve herself in everything that her ‘best friend for life’, takes up.
A young girl Aisha, hailing from riot-ridden Ahmedabad, gets intimate with Gautam a dashing young builder. Together they plan and implement innovative housing schemes for the youth. Aisha, however, has to take on roles she had never even imagined, all for her love for Gautam. Life has many surprises for her, from becoming a ‘Lady Killer’ to turning a new leaf as the promoter of Aisha schools, a new way of life for the rural poor. Arjun is the originator of RealtyEx, a unique commodity exchange for the real estate which finds phenomenal support in Dubai and Almaty in Central Asia though he is shunned in his own country.
Deepak and Pedro are forced to maintain their own protective armies while backing Aisha to the full and even encourage her to go ahead with her revenge mission. Set among the exotic Mexico cities, the upcoming Central Asian countries, there is intrigue, lots of action, tender family moments as well as love that blossoms among the innocent ones.
My Opinion
‘In the social jungle of human existence, there is no feeling of being alive without a sense of identity’. ‘Infected with life’ is one such tale about four individuals who are in a continuous struggle with life. In the race of proving their worth, they decide to stride on paths that can change the course of their lives forever. This is a heart-wrenching novella, with a twisted plot and a good climax. The cover of the book is subtle but not catchy; the blend of pastel golden with black adds to the overall impact of the title. The title of the book is fine and it matches perfectly with the central theme of the book. The typesetting and editing are fine.
The plot is gripping and the lucid narration acts like a cherry on the cake. The setting of the scenes is relatable and gives the readers ample opportunity to experience every moment. However, the lengthy monologues and extensive descriptions of things, sceneries and other situations are monotonous. The use of vocabulary is splendid. The author has successfully justified the inclusion of every chapter though.
Another turn off that I could find was the introduction of so many characters, all at once. The readers might be forced to flip the pages backwards and re-read the introductions. So many characters make the content baffling.
The suitability of the title can be felt as we move further into the story because all the characters are, indeed, infected with life. There are many printing errors and some grammatical mistakes too. These can act like the speed breakers and interrupt the flow of reading.
Overall, this story is strong and emotional. A good read.
Best wishes to the author!
Buying Link: Amazon