Gin Soaked Boy, published by Leadstart - An Elusive World of Depression & Manifestations

What happens when a young prodigy begins to disappear in the dark alleys of depression and alcoholism? Gin Soaked Boy based on a true story penned by Sandeep Mathew and published by Leadstart is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the elusive world of depression and its manifestations in the cultural context of a country like India. Written as 12 acts, each delves into one hidden symptom that could eventually lead to depression. This poignant book will resonate with anyone who may have come across someone like the novel’s protagonist Raj in their lives – a soul who may be displaying one of these symptoms but none are able to lay their finger on the source of the problem. However, deep down, there is the unsettling feeling of witnessing a disappearing reflection. And who could have portrayed such painful emotions better than Sandeep Mathew himself.

Sandeep is a Sales & Marketing professional at Unilever where he has worked for the last 15 years across Asia, Europe, and Africa. In his spare time, he writes articles on marketing and blogs and vlogs about his travels. His work can be found on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Travel Blog.

As the novel is based on a true story, Mr. Sandeep chisels every emotion of Raj; the protagonist with extreme finesse. Covering the timeline of Raj when he used to be a prodigy apart from being witty, sharp-tongued, and charming during his school days to his youthhood when the demon of depression made his reflection in the mirror fade away. Raj, the son of a rocket scientist was expected to do something fabulous and starts to disappear under the dark shadow of alcoholism which got fueled by anxiety and depression. Sadly, no one close to him could discern that his issues ran deeper and darker than the bottle he held. This book tries to throw light on the burden of expectations from our children. It also highlights our failure as a parent of not understanding the immense pain which our dear child have to go through while battling the demon of depression which can eventually cost his life.