Book Review: The Tree with a Thousand Apples

Book: The Tree with a thousand apples

Author: Sanchit Gupta

Publisher: Niyogi Books

Pages: 283

Price: 350 INR
Genre: Fiction | Thriller

Blurb:

Inspired by true events, this riveting narrative traces the lives of Safeena Malik, Deewan Bhat and Bilal Ahanagar, three childhood friends who grow up in an atmosphere of peace and amity in Srinagar, Kashmir, until the night of 20 January 1990 changes it all. 

While Deewan is forced to flee from his home, Safeena’s mother becomes ‘collateral damage’ and Bilal has to embrace a wretched life of poverty and fear. The place they called paradise becomes a battleground and their friendship struggles when fate forces them to choose sides against their will. 

Twenty years later destiny brings them to a crossroads again, when they no longer know what is right and what is wrong. While both compassion and injustice have the power to transform lives, will the three friends now choose to become sinful criminals or pacifist saints?The Tree with a Thousand Apples is a universal story of cultures, belongingness, revenge and atonement. The stylized layered format, fast-paced narration and suspenseful storytelling makes for a powerful, gripping read

My Rating:

Plot: 4.75/5

Writing Style: 4/5

Character Sketch: 4.5/5

My Review:

There are some books that drown you so deep within them that you feel you can see the characters in front of you. You feel you are a part of their life. You start empathizing with the characters and root for them to emerge victorious in the end. When I finished reading "The Tree with a thousand apples", I sat like a statue for about fifteen minutes, lost in thoughts. My mood was sombre as I thought about Bilal, Safeena and Deewan. It took me an hour to collect myself and write this review. 

The strongest love and friendship is the one that sacrifices with a peaceful smile. This book is a heart-wrenching and beautiful tale of friendship amidst a battlefield called Kashmir. Deewan, Safeena and Bilal are childhood friends, living in the beautiful city of Srinagar. They love each other so much that they won't even think twice before taking the blame for someone else's mistake. They can bear anything to save each other. As Bilal says "For us, Deewan Bhai, whatever it takes."

As the peaceful city of Srinagar converts into a ruthless battlefield where Muslims and Hindus start killing each other without any mercy, the lives of the three friends change drastically. On one fateful night, Deewan had to flee from Srinagar with his family. He doesn't get a chance to bid adieu to Bilal. 

Deewan loses his brother and later his mother that night. His arm gets amputated. Safeena loses her mother while her father tries to save Deewan's family. Bilal watches his sister molested and killed by the officers in the name of inquiry. One thing common with the three friends is that all of them loses their dear ones. All of them suffers at the hands of fate. While Deewan and Safeena do not think of revenge, Bilal avenges his sister's death. 

Many, many years later, Deewan gets an email from Bilal, pleading to save Safeena from walking in the wrong path and becoming another Bilal. Deewan returns back to his hometown after twenty years to save Safeena.

But how far does he succeed? What happens to the lives of the three friends? Who is the ultimate hero? Whose friendship and love is the purest of all? 

As you will complete the book, you will get all the answers. The quote with which the author starts the book "If the criminal was once a saint and a saint was once a criminal, then who is the criminal and who is the saint?" was ringing in my mind when I finished reading the book. 

The author has painted Kashmir beautifully in the book by mentioning about Kashmiri culture and Kashmiri cuisine. He has shown how the paradise turned into a battlefield suddenly, robbing the innocence of three kids and putting their friendship to test. The apple tree in the backyard of Deewan's house stands as a metaphor of their friendship. 

The narration of the book is mostly fast-paced. Only at few places, I found the pace dropping a little. There are a few typos in the book, but they can be overlooked because of the gripping plot. All the characters are beautifully sketched. The characters have a lot of depth and intensity. The ending is something that will stay with the readers after closing the book. Full points to the author for the heartwrenching ending!

I will go with 4.5 and would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good read. You won't be disappointed for sure!

'I received a copy from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.'