Among the many aspects of the mental and physical well-being of a person, the beginning of everything is a healthy mind. Although the brain and its activities have always fascinated scientists and continue to be one area of important studies till the present day, there are only a few counted texts in literary writing that have attempted to explore this subject at length. There may be explorations from the psychological point of view but going in-depth to study deeper issues of the brain, and its operations are not easily found in books. Shubhan Balvally, in his novel, “Noctambulism: Flood of Blood” attempts to discuss one aspect related to the brain and its activities during sleep time and explores it at length.

While the cover of “cc” is attractive and makes the readers wonder what the text has in the package, the title says plenty about the novel. The author takes an interesting framework of introducing a good number of characters that disclose different sides of life and human personality, and more or less, the readers are left in wonder about how the series of events will unfold.

It is only after their proper introduction and the highlight of their conflicts that the author introduces the main plot in “Noctambulism: Flood of Blood.” This gives the book the required human touch and indicates the presence of different personality traits in human beings based on the circumstances they go through and the treatment they get at different times. Through the presence of a universe of characters, the author also highlights how uniquely different human beings are from one another.

“Noctambulism: Flood of Blood” begins in an unconventional manner wherein the author oscillates the text techniques of flashback and coming back to the present while keeping the positivity that Christmas festivities bring in the background. At the same time, the setting of the plot in the landscape of Goa detaches the readers from the text and gives them the seat of a spectator who is more of an analyst based on what he observes through the actions of the characters.

Almost halfway through the text, when Balvally gives the text an unexpected twist that blows the readers’ minds away, they become alert and actively involved in the action to the extent that they forget the effect of the festive seasons and come to reality. Although it is unexpected, it serves to engross the readers far more and make them active investigators of the mystery that is created.

Through the characters of Lazarus and Lawrence Pinto, the author talks about the story from rags to riches, where he also conveys the message that everything is possible by sheer hard work and the determination to break ground even when the situations are not favorable. However, this is just one of the many messages that the book gives, and there are other messages in addition.

These are conveyed by the exploration of themes like the relationship between siblings, families, and stepfamilies, the conspiracies that happen within, the hunger and greed for wealth acquired by any means, and the cunning nature of human beings.

Other aspects of “Noctambulism: Flood of Blood” that make it a recommended reading are the swift plot development, a plethora of characters that show different sides of human personality, the unraveling of a mystery in a style that is intriguing, mind-boggling and unexpected, the description of nature and its relation with the activities going on in the text and most importantly, discussing the issue of sleep disorder and how is society’s attitude towards it. These are the primary features that open the book to reading among different circles of readers of different age groups.

Since the book is open to interpretation based on the age group of the person reading it, it can be understood at different levels. A younger reader would read “Noctambulism: Flood of Blood” with excitement, while a grown-up reader would read it from the perspective of a mature person who is trying to understand the events and how they happen.

“Noctambulism: Flood of Blood” by Shubhan Balvally is open to reading and is recommended to readers of all age groups not only due to its features and characterizations but also for a gripping plot that keeps the brain of the readers actively involved, engrossed, and lost in the mysteries that surround the events in the book. While for many, it may seem to be a fit read for bedtime due to the concise chapter size, it may appeal to many as an ideal travel partner.

This book is also recommended to parents who want to initiate their children into reading by sharing exciting stories. Through the story, they can also understand the serious issue of noctambulism and the efforts that are being made by researchers to study it closely.