Book Review: The Perfect Drug by Chaitanya Saini

The Perfect Drug
Author: Chaitanya Saini
Publisher: Pakhi Books
Rating: 3/5

“Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic is alcohol or morphine or idealism.”
― Carl Jung
The presence of nootropic drugs in the market and their right utilization has been a bone of contention for quite many years. Nootropics (better known as the smart drugs) are cognitive enhancers that help augment the powers related to the mind. 4-5% of the students in almost every country use these drugs as a means to improve their cognitive functions. But these do have an adverse effect. ‘The Perfect Drug’ is a novella that presents a hypothetical concept of inventing a drug (a chemical mix) that can help achieve enlightenment. The idea is speculative yet the strong narrative and robust framework scaffold it so well that it appears admissible.

‘The Perfect Drug’ is a story of Ananya who is retrospective as well as conscious of his well-being. Assiduous and always on the ball, Ananya is well groomed and mature in his conduct. He does extremely well in school and when it is time for him to be enrolled in the college; his ability and merit pass the muster. Like a magic dust, his persona starts affecting the people around him.

The story describes the emotional turmoil within Ananya’s progressive mind when he discovers that his love interest is succumbing to the after-effects of drugs. That is when he decides to invent something that is unheard of- the perfect drug that can propel the mind towards enlightenment.
For the ones who think this plot is very new, I would advise you all to watch ‘Limitless’ or read ‘The Dark Fields’ by Alan Glynn. It is also based on the same concept. There are two drawbacks in the book: incorrect use of prepositions at certain places and presence of so many characters.

Overall, the book is intriguing yet the superfluous descriptions and lack of dialogues make the reading monotonous at times.

Best wishes to the author!