#Review: The Fierce and the Free by Virender Kapoor

The Fierce and the Free felt like walking through the corridors of forgotten history, where every turn revealed a face I should have known but didn’t. The book doesn’t just recount the sacrifices of well-known figures like Bhagat Singh or Rani Lakshmibai; it brings to light lesser-heard voices—Baji Rout, Matangini Hazra, Sido and Kanhu Murmu—who stood just as tall in the fight for freedom. What struck me most was the simplicity of the narrative style. It doesn’t drown you in heavy detail, yet it leaves you with a lump in your throat, as if you’re suddenly aware of how much courage can fit into one human life.

The structure makes it easy to move from one account to another without losing momentum, almost like turning pages in a memory album. Still, I wished for more depth in some stories—just when I felt invested, the narrative would cut short, leaving me hungry for more. At times, the uniformity of tone made the heroes blend into each other, when their individuality deserved sharper distinction.

Yet, despite these flaws, this book lingers. It reminds me that freedom wasn’t gifted—it was stitched together with lives and sacrifices we too easily overlook.

Find this book here.