An Eye for an Eye is a dramatic tale of two friends who are Olympic medal winners in Hockey. Belonging to different social strata, the two are able to maintain friendship across their lifetimes. While the two are able to remain friends, their children are at cross purposes creating an interesting narrative of jealousy, and revenge.
The tale starts in pre partition India and continue well into the 21st century. Garg has woven anecdotes from modern Indian history into the tale. Juxtaposed against a political backdrop and changes in power, the novel traces the rise of a business empire. It highlights two of the strongest addictions in the world- money and power. I liked the reference to Dutta Samant. However, disappointingly, it was only a passing reference. Although there is a disclaimer at the beginning of the book, you are quite tempted to draw inferences about the real life characters the two main protagonists may be representing.
The story would remind you of the Bollywood sagas of the 1970s. There are twists and turns at every stage and there is the cliched portrayal of the ‘dirty’ world of business and politics. Ofcourse, it is occasionally interspersed with romance and gossip! The book can serve as a useful reference for understanding business in a political context.
The language is simple and most suited for early readers in teenage and young adulthood. The attempts at complexity are too obvious and the detailing of thoughts and emotions leaves little to the reader’s imagination. The book is in serious need of proof reading and editing!