🏝Novel               : 24 Rupai Theevu

🏝Author             : Sujatha

🏝Genre               : Crime, Mystery

🏝Pages                : 128

🏝Price                 : ₹95 (originally-195)

🏝Publication. : Visa publication,    Chennai, India

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Blogpost by Dhanu

A wonderful Tamil mystery novel by the famous Tamil writer, Sujatha. Highly recommended for quick read.

Content          4🌟/5
Cover design 4🌟/5

The novel “24 Rupai Theevu”, means 24 Rupees Island, is one of the elegant works of Sujatha. This is my first read of Sujatha works. But already I fell in love with his way of taking over the story. It make me curious to read like what next… What next? You can possibly finish it within two hours ( I took some more time). The novel was originally appeared as a series in a notable Tamil weekly magazine ‘Kumudam’. Later, in 1993, the series was converted into a full-fledged novel.

The entire plot of this novel sets in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The essence of eighties can be seen in the novel, notably like trunk call, jutka vehicles (horse drawn carriage), watching television in neighbourhood and the appearance of the characters.

The novel begins with the description of  the scenario of “Thina ozhi”, a daily newspaper office, where the protagonist, Viswanath works. Viswanath is a 25 years old Journalist. He is an young man from a decent middle-class Bhramin family background. His family is about five members, three younger sisters, Sumathi, Lakshmi, Vinotha and their mother.

The beginning of the novel itself indicates the political fragrance which clear about the central focus of the novel. There are two politicians Gobinath and Kannan ( Chief Minister in the story). But the character, Gobinath is often seen in this story. The life of Viswanath turns upside down after the phone call of a young girl, Lathangi who was murdered later. The evidence that she left behind and the incidents preceded in Viswanath’s life is the story of this novel.

As a young man, Viswanath manages loads of problem as the only man of the family. He runs his family with his own salary. His first sister, Lakshmi earns and saves for her marriage, his second sister, Sumathi enjoys her own life and the younger sister of all, Vinotha is doing her schooling. In between, Viswanath involuntarily engaged in writing an article about the murder case of Lathangi as a series. It impacts hugely in the surrounding of political which automatically lead Viswanath into issues.

Whether he overcome from the problem that he involved?

Whether the murder case of Lathangi come an end?

Who is the murderer?

The story travels towards the answer of these questions. As a Journalist, he does his duty, for that he has to meet many losses in his life.

Sujatha’s way of handling his characters is too strong and makes them pretty impressive before the readers. Each character has their unique standards and fulfilled their roles to the fullest. Especially, the arrival of the two characters, Ganesh, Lawyer and his assistant, Vasanth twist the plot and clarify the clusters around Viswanath. This helps Viswanath to find the solution to the confusions.

Other side characters like Nirubangi mainly mentioned as Rupa (Lathangi’s sister), Murugan (Sumathi’s friend), Paccha, Michael add more vibrant to the story.

Overall in this story, I feel bad for Viswanath’s younger sister, Vinotha, a 15 years old girl who was mercilessly punished in the political drama. Finding the face behind the incidents staged in Viswanath’s life, the challenge was profoundly carried throughout the novel. But you can easily guess the villain before the protagonist find him.

The front cover of the book depicts the shadowed image of a man and a tree and the top left side occupied with a image of a young girl, probably the girl who is most affected in this novel. The man is standing with his own thoughts and the dark clouds creeps in over his head. The book symbolizes the dark experiences in the life of the protagonist.

The back side of the cover has the image of the writer with a book in his hand along with his words about the book. Behind him portrays the night seashore. Both sides of the book cover profoundly picturizes the story of the novel.

As a native speaker, the language is super easy for me. However, one or two words are new to me. The style maintained by the writer, Sujatha is appreciable which successfully handles the plot narration.

The climax of the novel is not up to the expectations. But the novel gets the nerve of the reader to its perk till the end.