Pronounced Guilty-Monica Singh

Book: Pronounced Guilty
Author: Monica Singh
Publisher: Readomania

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

Do you believe that people convicted of crimes deserve a chance at redemption?

Is redemption possible behind bars? Dushyant Dave, a disillusioned advocate, spearheads a radical mission: Bandi Mukti Morcha, India’s first open-prison dedicated to rehabilitating criminals serving life sentences. Joining him are Vijendar Singh, a reluctant ex-convict, and Dr Anusuya Savarkar, a seasoned psychologist, both harbouring their own demons. As inmate resistance and political agendas mount, secrets unravel and trusts shatter; the project teetering on collapse. Can this unlikely trio bridge their differences to make the program a success or will Bandi Mukti Morcha crumble under the weight of its own ambition? Will society ever embrace a second chance for those it has pronounced guilty? Pronounced Guilty is not just a novel—it’s a reflection of the world we live in. Step inside the courtroom of conscience and explore the price of justice, the weight of guilt, and the echoes of redemption.

The book focuses on an important question of the possibility of redemption and the root cause of crimes. The book opens with a heart wrenching scene where Vijendar is arrested just because he has had a criminal past, and from there starts a journey to change the lives of people who have completed their sentences. The second part of the book is when the Bandi Mukti Morcha is created and the process of rehabilitation is shown. The courtroom part of the book is quite well written and I liked the detailing that the author has put in while describing those scenes and the emotions of the people while sitting as the arguments were being parried. What I liked about the book was the flow and the narrative that keeps you turning the pages. What did not work for me was the second half of the book where the entire setup of the open prison is shown and the writing lacked a bit of research and execution on that end. A book that focused on the redemption of convicts could have shed a bit more of light on the open-prison part of the book, but sadly there are glimpses, but not much of spotlight on the open prison. The sub-plot involving the female prisoner was good to show that corruption can breach lines everywhere, but it felt a bit unnecessary and its role in the climax was also a bit sketchy.

Coming to the characters, Dushyant Dave’s character was very well written and his scenes in the court were quite wonderful to read. Another character whose writing impressed me was that of Vijendar and his character arc throughout the story. I felt that Dr. Anusuya’s character could have been a bit more detailed and contributory to the plot, rather she felt more like a side character in the bigger scheme of things.

Overall, Pronounced Guilty is a book that I would recommend to people to understand the concept of redemption and the idea of open prisons. The book scores a 4.63/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore!