Dakini-K. Hari Kumar

Book: Dakini
Author: K. Hari Kumar
Publisher: Harper Collins India

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Do you think our past can impact our present?

While investigating a spate of unexplained deaths in a remote village, Mumbai-based journalist Mamta learns of the dakini: a bloodthirsty entity that haunts the surrounding forests, leaving mutilated corpses in her wake. As the villagers' terror grows, so does their dangerous suspicion of women. With lives on the line, including her own, Mamta is dragged into a race against time-all whilst trying to escape her traumatic past, which threatens to turn her own mind against her. By bestselling horror writer K. Hari Kumar, Dakini is a thrilling depiction of human courage in the face of terrifying adversity, and of superstition dwarfed by the power of the supernatural. It is a tale that is not easily forgotten.

Through this story, Hari brings to light some of the most crucial social issues that still exist, and we have continued with them in the name of customs or traditions. Set in the fictional village of Birpoor, Hari explores the myth of Kalibann ki Dakini, a blood thirsty entity that haunts the nearby forests. The book opens in the past with an exorcism in process, and while the result of that exorcism is not known, the book moves into the present and we meet all our characters. What makes the story stand apart is its storytelling and the ease with which Hari draws his readers into the book and makes them comfortable in the surroundings, only to spring a surprise. The visual descriptions make you live those moments and be it Kallu’s shop with frying samosas or the school with its classrooms, you are able to feel the situations and that makes the reading even more engaging. Another aspect that Hari maintains from his previous works is the element of horror in the storytelling, and there are no sudden movements or loud noises to induce fear. The fear just builds up, line by line, and when the reveal happens, the chill that goes down your spine is real. The visuals of the book are derived from mythology, and at times you’ll think that you’ve seen them somewhere and then the parallels and the derivations from the mythology comes into focus. The social messaging of the story is on point, and Hari has painstakingly built in references to the social and physical oppression of the weak by the oppressed, and how power has corrupted people to no end, and how that infuses a god-complex in them, leading them to heinous crimes.

However, the book must be read not just for its paranormal story or for its commentary on the social aspects of our society, but for some brilliant storytelling that shows the mastery of the craft that Hari has. The manner in which the entire plot has been woven, specially when you read the climax. While I can’t say anything about it to avoid any spoilers, I can promise the readers that you are in for a surprise as you finish the story and read the last page of the story.

Dakini’s story stands on the strength of the characters and the manner in which they have been described. Mamta’s character and her journey has been described in detail, and the layers are peeled off slowly so as to highlight her tumultuous past and how that impacts her present. Through her character, Hari also shows the social discrimination that single mothers face. Another aspect that Hari highlights through her is the impact of medical termination of pregnancy and how it impacts the mother-both physically and mentally. Another character who left their mark on me was that of Kuhu and how her situation was contrasted with the one highlighted in the opening scene of the book. Inspector Pande was another character that was created perfectly for the story and his arc was something that was truly heroic. There was one more character that I liked, and I would really not name them here, again for purposes of a spoiler-free review.

In a nutshell, Dakini is a story that will captivate you and keep you hooked till the very last page, because just when you think you have figured out the story, there is something lurking in the next page, just to surprise you. The book comes highly recommended for readers of horror, epic-horror, and even mythology. The book scores a 5/5 for me, for the storytelling, the social messaging, and for a climax that will take your breath away.

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore.