Eye On You Paperback – 20 October 2021

The fact that this work of fiction, Eye On You, blurs the line between imagination and reality is what makes the thriller more gripping. The author, Kanchana Banerjee has vividly captured the threats that come along with the advancement of smart technologies and the follies of human beings with her engrossing writing.Myra, the protagonist, depicted as an affluent, independent woman sharing every passing moment on social media, finds herself raped in her bedroom the next morning after she throws an open house party. What ups the horror factor of the story is the fact that all those invited to the party were her friends.The plot set in Gurgaon, one of India’s leading industrial and financial hubs, brings out the real picture of the society we live in now. One cannot take Myra or the other characters in the book lightly as some fictional characters as we can easily identify them with someone from our circle and that’s what leaves us wary.How safe are we in a tech-driven world where every information, personal and official, is just one click away? Honestly, as someone who is always in a love-hate relationship with social media presence, this thriller just sent chills down my spine and I find myself navigating more towards a less/no social media approach.As with the writing, the lucid language with highly detailed characters and plot description, the story just comes alive before you. The way the mystery unravels in this page-turner making us guess and second guess with every twist makes the book unputdownable.Very much relevant to our current lifestyle, this book makes for a must-read. The author finds the right balance in walking us through the emotions of the victim sensitively even while keeping the generally prevalent outlook on a rape victim raw.The story leaves the reader (especially women) with many questions on cybercrime, abuse, affluent lifestyles, the pros and cons of technological advancements, etc. This book is certain to make you take one step back and assess if there’s genuinely the need for your social media handles and the use of smart technologies. Yes, this story makes you ponder beyond the plot.What I loved much in the book is the equally detailed descriptions of the characters other than the protagonist that helps the reader immerse themselves in the story, feel one among them and wear their detective hat. Even while I found the plot slightly hurried and predictable towards the end, I still would recommend this book for the way it keeps the reader guessing and second-guessing since the start. Also, its relevance to the current time makes it a must-read.Not to forget, the cover design by the illustrator Mishta Roy is well thought of, giving that creepy feeling and perfectly going with the storyline. Also after reading the story, the title of the book makes even more sense with another interpretation of Eye On You as I On You. The choice of keeping it simply as ‘Eye’ (to sound similar to 'I', maybe) and not ‘Eyes’ or ‘An Eye’, makes me think so. If you have read the book you will know what I mean. Let me know if you feel the same too.Content Warning: There are mention of obscenities that are unavoidable for the storyline and if descriptions of physical abuse trigger you, you may want to stay away. Also, make sure to close your kindle reader while pausing or leaving it alone; you may not want your kid to even accidentally have an eye on it.

The morning after a party at her house, Myra wakes up to realize she has been raped, in her bedroom, without her knowledge; as is revealed later that along with the high volumes of alcohol she consumed during the party, her drink has been spiked. Along with the 17 friends and acquaintances Myra invited, there had been 13 additional folks who walked into the party accompanying her friends. The police conclude that Myra forgot what happened that night, since there is no proof of forced entry into the house or signs of violence on her body. Will Myra be able to find what happened on that night and who the perpetrator is, forms the rest of the story.The story is a realistic commentary of the society we live today — as the narration shifts between Myra and Dipti, the police officer, who provide their conflicting views. Dipti mirrors the section of society who are obviously jealous of the rich and influential and hence quick to judge and hate them, whereas Myra is from a generation who believes in living life without any rules or limits, working hard, and partying even harder.The backdrop of Gurugram plays an important part in the story be it the constant reference to a city filled with smog or the landmarks. The story at the core is about the abuse of technology and social media by obsessed users who feel the need to share their lives every minute with unknown audience, strangers, and the entire world. The author highlights how technology can easily switch from being a powerful tool to a vulnerability that is waiting to be exploited by total strangers.All the characters have been well developed, though Myra’s confidence at times borders on stupidity. The contrast, especially between Myra, Dipti and Hridi is well portrayed by the author. For those who are ardent readers of mysteries, the clues may be too obvious to identity who is playing hide and seek with Myra, though the author tries to point the suspicion towards multiple characters.Pick this one for a racy thriller that will keep the reader hooked till the end and makes us introspect on the perils of excess online presence in today’s connected world.

I loved it! What a horrifying and believable tale. Anybody crazy enough can try to destroy you. We think we know our close friends...the question is, do we really?Read the book in a few hours. The pace and the plot are fantastic.