Book review: A case of Exploding Mangoes

Title: 𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀

Author: 𝗠𝘂𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗱 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗳

𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔:

Storytelling: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Recommended: yes

Fact-fulness: 3/5

"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦."

-Muhammad Hanif

The story is about one of the most intriguing murder mysteries of recent times: The death of General Zia, US Ambassador Raphael and Top brass of Pakistan army (when they were planning to have a mango party) in a crash of Pak one on August 17, 1988. The time when US and Pakistan were busy fighting the Communists in Afghanistan. 

The novel tries to explore how President Zia’s plane that only flew less than 50 hours, had no technical faults, had top class pilots in the cockpit was crashed.

Personally, I feel the author has been too harsh on Pakistan Military. Factually, this book do presents a theory which by the looks of it, appears slightly flawed. Of course, If you want to reach the truth then you have to research & find the Military, US & Public's view of that time. 

Overall, if you judge it on the basis of story telling, then Mr. Hanif has done good job. It's a gripping story, which'll hook you up till the very end. 

An interesting parable of blind justice narrated by two characters: Zainab and A crow,  gives us a hint about public sentiments at that time.

The story has five main characters: General Zia, General Akhtar,MK,Under officer Shigri & Americans. 

Shigri: 

His story is driven by his vendetta for his Father, Col Shigri (late), who might or might not have committed suicide. 

He believes his father was murdered by Khakis on commands of GZ.

GA:

General Akhtar was DG ISI & the second most powerful man of his country. His story builds around his desire of being the leader of this country, as he was the most vital cog of machinery that beat Soviets. 

GZ: 

His story spins under the fear that he is going to get killed. Throughout the story, he remained under the code red (Highest protocol of security) but did everything a dying man would do.

Major Kiynai: 

His story was nothing but being a pawn of General Akhtar, who like any khaki officer will get things done for their superiors.

Americans: 

Their interest is mainly in the Afghan war and Mujahideens actions. There decisions are driven mainly by Afghan war.

Not going to dip further , otherwise * Spoiler alert *

Some of the quotes from this novel

1. “If they are all trying to kill General Zia, who is trying to kill them."

2.“There was one consolation for General Akhtar: he might be the second most powerful man in a Third World country but the intelligence agency he ran was worthy of a superpower."

3. “Only civilians learn their lessons behind bars, soldiers just soldier on." 

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