BOOK REVIEW OF- The highway man
By J. Alchem
• File Size: 1722 KB
• Print Length: 68 pages
• Publication Date: May 12, 2017
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
• Language: English
• ASIN: B072FDPL3G
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
THE PLOT IN BRIEF-
The whole world is upside down. People are walking in the sky with the
ground moving above their heads. And the reason is simple; a
bestselling author is in Love. But why the whole world is inverted?
What’s so special about this love? Or worse?
A man throws his masculine brain and heart aside and fixes a feminine
one there. And the reason is simple; he wants to live the life of his
lover, for 24 hours. But why does he want to do that? What’s the need?
A man, neatly dressed in a suit, is playing with his bowler hat, on a
highway at dawn. And the reason is simple; he needs a lift. But why
does he need a lift? What’s his purpose?
THE TITLE-
Indeed The Highway Man is a very interesting and appropriate title for
the book. It vividly gives you the glimpse that Life is like a drive
on highway. There will always be someone behind, along and ahead of
you. No matter how many people you overtake, life will always serve
you with a new challenge, a new commuter driving ahead of you.
Destination is the same for everyone, but what matters at the end is –
how much you enjoy the drive! All the three stories are so beautifully
penned down that I felt some beautiful paths can’t be discovered
without getting lost. Life is filled with unanswered questions, but it
is the courage to seek those answers that continues to give meaning to
life. You can spend your life wallowing in despair, wondering why you
were the one who was led towards the road strewn with pain, or you can
be grateful that you are strong enough to survive it. The title itself
gives us a hint that Someday this upside-down world will be turned
right side up. Nothing in all eternity will turn it back again. If we
are wise, we will use our brief lives on earth positioning ourselves
for the turn.
REVIEW OF THE BOOK-
The story Catherine is a very beautiful amalgamation of psychology and
thriller. After reading the story I’ve always been suspicious of the
assumption that great intelligence would be an unqualified benefit—
that the madness that so often accompanies it can be cavalierly
dismissed. So I always kept on asking the question in my mind :
Suppose there were an entire subpopulation of extreme geniuses, well
beyond anything that would occur naturally. What would that really
look like? The protagonist believed not in divine salvation but in the
proposition that we poor mortals are fully capable of saving
ourselves, if conditions and inclinations are right, and the evidence
of this potential is found in the smallest of gestures, like the
uncertain resting of a large hand on a bony shoulder.
The second story is plotted amalgamating love and women empowerment.
The story reveals if you have feelings for someone, let them know. It
doesn’t matter if they can be in your life or not. Maybe, it is just
enough for both of you to release the truth, so healing can occur. The
opposite is true, as well. If you don’t have feelings for someone then
never let another person suggest that you do. Protect your reputation
and be responsible for the wrong information spread about you. Never
allow anyone to live with a false belief or unfounded hope about you.
An honourable person sets the record straight, so that person can move
on with their life. Watching my parents I’ve learnt a lesson many do
not recognise. True love is not signalled by romantic, candle light
dinners, red roses glistening with dew, or even Valentine’s day
celebrations. While these things may accompany our feelings, love is
truly more than all those! Love is being with your spouse even when
its not pleasing. Sometimes, love is walking down the hall, with your
spouse hanging onto your shoulders and walking at a turtle’s pace down
the hall with your
spouse hanging onto your shoulders and walking at a turtle’s pace down
the hall, just because surgery made life a burden. Love is patient,
love is kind, and love is LOVE! May we always remember love is not
always tied in bows!
The third story is an amalgamation of silence with love and
motivation. Have you ever heard the wonderful silence just before the
dawn? Or the quiet and calm environment just as a storm ends? Or
perhaps you know the silence when you haven’t the answer to a question
you’ve been asked, or the hush of a country road at night, or the
expectant pause of a room full of people when someone is just about to
speak, or, most beautiful of all, the moment after the door closes and
you’re alone in the whole house? Each one is different, you know, and
all very beautiful if you listen carefully.
Here the highway man comes to play.
To find out what happens you need to order the book from
https://www.amazon.com/Highway-Man-Short-Stories-ebook/dp/B072FDPL3Gd
YOU SHOULD READ THIS BECAUSE-
1. THE BEAUTIFULLY AMALGAMATED PLOT
2. THE MOTIVATIONAL MEESSAGE LEFT AFTER EVERY STORY.
RATINGS-
Overall I would like to rate the book 46 on a scale of 50.
5 stars out of 5
1. Originality of the plot and sub plots- 9/10
2. Net emotions in the story- 9/10
3. Usage of words and phrases-9/10
4. The title, cover and the illustration-10/10
5. The net impact on the readers- 9/10
Life is truly a matter of choices, reactions, and actions. Each and
every choice is governed by our reactions which in turn affect our
actions and consequently the future turn of events
Reviewed by-
Sayan Basak
Kolkata
