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Book Review: Elephants in the Room by Suraj Laxminarayanan

‘Elephants in the Room’ is a debut novel of Suraj Laxminarayanan and it looks like pièce de résistance. The length of the novel exceeds 600 pages, but while reading you may delve deep into the plot and feel drawn to the intricacies of the storyline, thus after a point length hardly matters. You must have seen great Hollywood movies based on bank robbery, like The Italian Job and The Bank Job, etc. However, the prominent thing about these movies or novels is that their ending becomes predictable after a certain point. Well, with this book the kind of stance you get towards ending is not only nonplussed but also mesmerizing.


In the bank robbery there are three gangs; one of them is more of terrorists. However, the author has given much weightage to one gang as they are the people who collide with the other two gangs. Initially the novel runs on their back. They are six in number, their usual business is pickpocketing or to carry some errands for money. They aren’t professionals, but friends who meet up regularly. One funny guy is Nari and another one is Vel who sings death songs.

Unlike most of the bank robbers who think that one perfect crime can settle down their lives, well they are different. Why do they need to rob a bank, as according to their level they can come up with some shop robbery or can do away with stealing cars or bamboozling jewelry? The reasons are personal and differ from one member to another. Whatever it is, the crux is that they all need money. Well, they need it badly or casually, only you can tell after completing the story?

Suraj has invested a considerable amount of time in building the backstage for Nari and his team for the bank heist. Even for bank robbery they need money for arranging basic equipment and guns and of course that red van with a useless driver. Being novice, they arrange things for the heist according to their tenacity, which goes like a movie, and it will definitely leave you chuckling. You may have that gut feeling for these characters that they are far from reality and consultation is never made up for them.

Another interesting aspect of the novel is the backdrop of Chennai, the author describes this city as he knows it like a back of his hand. Till the time they get into the bank, you may feel bit pulled up and slightly exhausted but the moment they are in for the heist, a hell lot of commotion and confusion begin playing its role. After this point, understanding gang members require a bit of effort and brains. The real momentum of the novel starts thereafter and you will be lost for some time to get back to Nari and his team.

Inside the bank, you may discover that there are three gangs. One is of Nari and second of Dhanta and third gang is actually not a gang of robbers, rather they are terrorists. They are Bhambaris, notorious for terrorizing people and state authorities, for them status matters. Even the police fear them. Now the question is who is going to come winner and alive from the bank. Mind you, the bank robbery is taking place in the broad daylight and the bank is full of innocent people.

The police manage to come outside the bank and succeed in setting up communication with one of the gangs inside the bank. When three gangs are inside, it is sure that things will be botched up. So, how will they find out each other, how will they manage each other’s demand or in the worst case, as we see in the movies, will they kill one another and let the police take up the whole credit. To get all answers, you need to get inside the bank with the robbers and the trapped hostages.

Being a debut author, Suraj has done an exceptionally good job by planning and writing such a lengthy novel that too on a bank heist, otherwise people go for simple love stories or a collection of stories. The novel is well-written and well-edited, and optimum humour keeps the novel away from unrequited melancholy and melodrama.

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