Jeffrey Archer - A Prisoner of Birth Book Review

As an avid reader, I was waiting for the book A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer to hit the book shops in India. I was eager to know what he had written in this book that had already become a world wide bestseller even before it was published. Jeffrey Archer is known as a master of fiction stories. His books Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, The Eleventh Commandment are some of the books that I read over and over again. These books fail to lose their essence even after you re-read them. However, how latest book, A Prisoner of Birth fails to live up to the hype.

The story starts with an incident that happens outside a watering hole in England. This incident changes the life of the protagonist Danny Cartwright and his fiancee Beth Wilson as Danny is charged with a crime he has not committed. The crime that of his to be brother-in-laws' murder. There are four friends who have actually got into a brawl with Danny and his best friend (aka his brother-in-law). However, the fight soon ends in a brutal murder which catches Danny unawares and he is accused of the murder as the four friends who have actually murdered the person are very powerful in the society.

Then Danny is sentenced to twenty two years in prison. This is the part of the book where the real story begins. The story takes many twists and turns like typical Jeffrey Archer novels and keeps the reader involved. However, some times the story line turns to be somewhat predictive and the reader can lose interest.

I have read ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ and it is arguably the inspiration behind this novel. The plot ends in a wicked twist which the readers should not miss. It could have been much better though. The book lacks clear writing, has some very usually used storyline and fails to impress even after beginning on a good note.

This book is for die-hard Archer fans and as I am one, I would recommend this book to them. I would still like to believe and say that ‘The Eleventh Commandment’ is the best work by Archer. This book could have been much better, but as they say ‘to err is human and to forgive is divine’ Jeffrey Archer fans will surely look forward to his next novel and expect it to meet the expectations of readers worldwide and also live up to all the hype that they generate before the book is published.

The book is a best seller no doubt, but I don’t think any reader would go in for a second reading. For 295 Rupees, I had expected a lot more from Archer, however, this book is a must read for every Archer fan, despite its flaws. Watch out for the protagonist Danny Cartwright in this book. Archer has really put in some strong points in him!!