Book Review: Psycho Path

Book Name: Psycho Path
Author: Prerna Wadhawan

Publication: Self-Published

Genre: Psychological Thriller

“Psychopaths aren’t made. They’re evolved. A gene that strips out the noise of empathy, guilt, hesitation. It lets them do what the rest of us can’t.” 

- Prerna Wadhawan

Psycho Path by Prerna Wadhawan is a psychological thriller that explores the depths of the human psyche in the name of revenge and fragile ego.

Note for Readers: This book contains portrayals of abuse, psychological harm, rape, violence, and disregard for human and animal life and emotions.

Review

The plot follows two best friends, Tejas and Shubh, who turn into hardcore enemies in a race to prove what they can do and go viral, even when it comes at the cost of other people’s lives, respect, emotions, and feelings, including those close to both of them. What starts as a mere conflict between them grows into something much bigger and leads to one mishap after another. One of them turns into a psychological manipulator along with his gang and builds a dangerous community. As one of them transforms into a psychopath widely known as Robinhood, he eventually comes under trial, but that does not come easy. His deeply rooted system and loyal community make sure to erase every piece of evidence against him. Then Niya enters the picture, and things begin unfolding in unexpected ways. Robinhood challenges her by refusing to reveal anything about himself that could help the court. It is an unsettling read, but how things unravel, and whether Robinhood is finally brought to justice, can only be discovered by reading the book. So, choose for yourself.

The characters are flawed, relatable, and at times frustratingly reckless for their age. It makes you wonder how they could make such rash decisions simply to take revenge or go viral on social media. There is such an intense rivalry between the two gangs that they completely lose sight of how deeply they are hurting the people they love and the people who love them. The novel explores the human psyche effectively and shows how dark the human mind can become when chasing something it wants, regardless of who stands in the way.

Shubh, a rich brat who constantly faces his father’s wrath, cannot stop himself from becoming part of the madness until one incident destroys his sister’s life. His character shows how love for family can either become a reason to change or push someone toward becoming even worse. Tejas, a boy struggling with belonging and dealing with deep personal issues, chooses destruction instead of trying to heal himself or the society around him. Arunima and Deepu are portrayed as unfortunate pawns caught in this madness. Sher, the mastermind behind Robinhood’s every move, truly paves the psycho path.

The writing style is intense and engaging throughout. Readers will feel chills while going through the violent scenes. Every other moment feels like something terrible is about to happen, and just then the author delivers a quiet warning instead of an immediate mishap, which builds tension really well. In a few places, the descriptions may not feel completely clear, and readers might have to reread certain sections to fully understand what happened. Although the visual impact of some scenes feels slightly less striking, the overall reading experience is deeply unsettling.

The story often feels like a personal attack because of how relevant social media has become in our lives, and the way social media itself acts like a character in the novel makes the experience even more disturbing. Hats off to the author for coming up with such a gripping and unsettling story.

Readers who enjoy stories involving psychopaths will likely enjoy this book. If you are faint-hearted, pick it up at your own discretion. Overall, it is an unsettling, discomforting, and mind-boggling read.

Buy From Here: Psycho Path