4 out of 4 stars
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No-man's Land, 2011 - the disputed border between India and Pakistan. Indian Lieutenant Mangesh Sharma is sent to Post 99 to watch for any encroachments by the Pakistani Army. While it is a quiet section of the border, he discovers that there is one other person near him, an officer from Pakistan who has much the same orders as he does.
Border Post 99 is a stunning story, reducing the conflicts, tensions and wars between two countries into a relatable, engaging and in some places even humorous tale of two soldiers from either side of the border. Author Kedar Patankar manages to tell the large political story of the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 and the trauma that it still causes, while also giving the two main characters individual motivations that lie apart from the wider story.
The main character, Mangesh Sharma, is very well written and well rounded. His actions, feelings and frustrations are all recognisable and believable. The same is true for Captain Abid Khan. Patankar crafts these characters, not as two halves of the same entity - as is common in some stories such as this - nor as polar opposites. Instead they are written believably, as individuals with their own stories. What they have in common is their mission and location and, as the story progresses, they discover even more of their similarities. Both their missions are simple; to keep a watch on the border and report any suspicious activity - without violence if at all possible - while high level peace talks are continuing. This is the basic plot, but it of course gets more complicated for both characters once they encounter each other, and must learn to live with having an ‘enemy’ so close to them. Early on in the story, just after their first encounter, they must both deal with a leopard. In this section of about ten paragraphs, the story alternates between the perspectives of Khan and Sharma, which highlights both their physical closeness as well as the similarities of their experiences.
The politics of the partition and the borders between India and Pakistan are not simplified or condensed, but they are viewed through the experience of the characters and especially their families. Both Sharma’s correspondence with his family, and Khan’s remembrance of his grandfather’s stories contribute to how each character views both themselves and the other side.
About the only criticism that can be levelled at the story is how fast the ending comes around. It is certainly a fulfilling ending and ties up most of the story threads well, but it does come out of nowhere. Creatively, this is explained, and the characters themselves are caught up by the suddenness of it, so it's certainly not a massive mark against it. But with the amount of time that is skipped through in some parts of the story where weeks pass without comment, it almost felt like there was more to come in the plot. That said it does remains satisfying and emotionally fulfilling.
Overall, I would give Border Post 99 a rating of 4 out of 4. It is a stunning story, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants an enjoyable and easy to read experience.
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Border Post 99
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