• Title: Five Minutes Longer
• Language: English
• Author: Siddhant A. Joshi
• Genre: War Fiction
• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd (25 January 2019)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 935201135X
• ISBN-13: 978-9352011353
• MRP: Rs.199 (Buy from Amazon)

Summary: A thrilling look at some of the events that took place during World War II. Five minutes Longer tells the story of the unsung heroes of a war which no one wanted, but everyone fought. The big surprise is that this book is written by a teenager and doesn’t disappoint the reader. A racy read if not exactly a page-turner.

Detailed Review:

The book cover is attractive. It shows a bomber dropping parachutes with headless people. Fascinating way of explaining the innumerable nameless and unsung heroes of World War II who fought a war for their country without asking for anything in return. The back cover has a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:

“A Hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.”

This instantly clicks with people who have seen war and known heroes. The author’s note at the beginning of the book sets the tone for what follows. It is interesting how Siddhant has managed to do some interesting research on the story through various means to give as authentic a story as possible.

The protagonist of the story is a soldier in the commando unit of the British army in the middle of the second World War. This story is mostly told in his own words, with parts filled in from a third person’s point of view. The narrative is smooth and has a good flow, with erudite descriptions of the war zone and the lives of the commandos. The story itself is racy, with the hunt for the Mole within the British army who is leaking news to the Germans.

I liked the way the story ebbs and moves, especially the life of the commandos and the depiction of their camaraderie. The book takes the reader into a landscape littered with war kills, broken houses and debris, but also reminds of the beautiful landscapes we often miss while focussing on the remains of the war. An excellent debut novel for a 16-year-old!

What I liked about Five Minutes Longer by Siddhant A. Joshi

1. A racy read with an excellent and uncomplicated narrative.
2. Makes for a light reading, but is not a shallow read.

What I did not like about Five Minutes Longer

1. There are a few grammatical errors, and some words have typos. Not the author’s fault though.
2. The story could have been longer and built the characters a bit more.

Buy or Not to Buy? – This book will interest both teenagers and adults. A book for light reading on days in which you need a bit of inspiration.

I give the book a 3.0 out of 5. You can buy it from Amazon India or If you reside outside India try Amazon global.

Book Blurb:

September 1942: The once unstoppable German Army has been halted in Russia. The German advance in Africa is no longer the threat it was. For the first time since 1939, There is hope for the allies. But there have been no decisive victories on the ground since operation crusader. The commandos, an elite fighting force, called upon to conduct daring operations behind enemy lines, like operation chariot, have brought hope back to beleaguered Britain with their hard-won successes. But the war is far from over. And Winston Churchill warns his country, ‘it is not even the beginning of the end. But it is perhaps, the end of the beginning’.

Captain Jimmy McKay of the commandos, and his men must fight against great odds to snatch elusive victory in the face of deep personal loss. Though time and history have marched on since those years when the fate of the free world hung in precarious balance, the deeds of valour of the many unsung heroes who fought and fell for the cause, continue to fill our hearts and minds.