Gin Soaked Boy  (English, Paperback, Mathew Sandeep)

Raj was a prodigy. He was witty, sharp-tongued and charming; the nonpareil from his school expected to do something fabulous with his life. At the very least, turn out to be a rocket scientist like his father. But as he grew older, a demon awoke within him, which slowly made his reflection in the mirror fade away. Fueled by anxiety and depression, he began to disappear under the dark shadow of alcoholism. And worse, no one close to him was able to discern that his issues ran deeper and darker than the bottle he held. As Raj’s depressive behavior draws a sharp polarity to the events of his past, his friends make desperate attempts to reclaim him from his dark state of steady deterioration. Will that critical help he needs arrive on time? Based on a true story, Gin Soaked Boy is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the elusive world of depression and its manifestations in the cultural context of a country like India. Written as 12 acts, each delves into one hidden symptom that could eventually lead to depression. This poignant book will resonate with anyone who may have come across someone like Raj in their lives – a soul who may be displaying one of these symptoms but none are able to lay their finger on the source of the problem. However, deep down, there is the unsettling feeling of witnessing a disappearing reflection.