Beast

I accepted this book for review because it promised to be a different genre from the books I normally read. I generally don’t read urban fantasy novels.

But the reviews for this book have been consistently good, and I felt that it would be worth a shot. So was it? Read on to find out 🙂 .

About Beast

When Assistant Commissioner of Police Aditi Kashyap is called upon to solve a gruesome triple homicide in a Mumbai suburb, she is dragged into the terrifying world of the Saimhas-werelions-who have lived alongside humans, hiding amongst them, since ancient times.
Faced with the unbelievable, Aditi has no choice but to join hands with Prithvi, an Enforcer called in to hunt down this seemingly otherworldly murderer.
But can Prithvi overcome the nightmarish burdens of his dark and violent past to unravel the mystery hidden deep within this secret world of werelions? Can he be trusted to save lives, or will he choose to serve a different, more powerful, master?
~ Synopsis from goodreads

My Review

This is the first urban fantasy book I’ve read, and so I went into it with an open mind, and no real expectations.

The book starts off with a gruesome murder, but just like any other kind of thriller. However, soon we come to know that there might be otherworldly elements to the murder.

What I liked about this book is the thriller element. Throughout, it’s a fast-paced read without a slow moment. Normally, fantasy novels spend a lot of time in the world-building (and I don’t mind that normally). However, in this book, the world is laid out very quickly; the focus is on the story and the search to catch the culprits.

So, in that way, it feels more like a thriller than a full-blown Fantasy novel.

I enjoyed this fast-paced approach, I also enjoyed how Indian mythology (the Narasimha avatar) was used as a starting point for this story. It gives it authenticity and a nice desi touch.

Overall, this is a book I would recommend to all. If you are looking for a pacey thriller, or a fantasy rooted in Indian mythology, you will like this one. It’s well-written, thrilling, and definitely kept me reading late into the night.

Two thumbs up to this novel.

Huge thanks to Penguin Random House for sending me this book for review consideration.