One cannot help but wonder how far this author has come in life to be able to
pen such a compelling book, especially given his simple schooling, upbringing
and home atmosphere.
Stories
The book is essentially a collection of 22 essays penned by the author
about his mother. The author preface and foreword penned by his wife offer more
insights into the stories contained within.
each essay is compelling in its own little shell. The topic on hand is
discussed with a background just sufficient to follow the narration and impact
that invariably follows at the end. All of them have the common thread of
interminable will and resilience that follows the struggle of a rural woman.
Her endless toil to feed and educate her sons, along with her peculiar
idiosyncrasies, cleverness, acceptance and realizations make for a compelling
read.
Stories like Making murukku and Gift Accounts are no different from some
instances that all of us may remember from our own childhoods, with our own
parental interactions.
The Book Addict is my favourite, for obvious reasons. I identify with
the bibliophile in the author completely, down to the last detail. The Thousand
Eyed Shirt is heartrending. However, it is the first one, AN invitation from
the moon that leaves goosebumps over the skin, when he recounts the sheer
courage, tenacity and spirit of his Amma.
It subtly points out how most city women have made laziness their forte
and are insufferable fusspots, not much worse than the spoilt brats they
normally raise. Also, it reminds us of the reality of the older generation
today, especially in the cities, who are addicted to serials, gossip and
general lethargy. There are many life lessons to be gleaned from this book.
Narration
The simple language and vocabulary are easy to read and relish.
The book contains multiple elements that strongly reminded me of an
earlier read of last year by Bama, called Karukku. The rural setting, the long
labour of women, the daily struggles and challenges, nostalgic childhood
memories, repetitive story-telling tendencies and even the Dalit and caste
connection towards the end, all of these were reminiscent of Bama’s famous
work.
Conclusion
A clean 4.8/5 for this one. Extra points may be awarded to the ruthless
honesty of the author – he neither spares himself, his family or his beloved
Amma – everyone is dissected by his ink on the pages.
This book is a gem – a showcase to society and ample learning for
generations to come.
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Happy reading, readers!
***
My 19th read of the year and first read of this author is a crime thriller by Arvind Narsima.
I
enjoyed it immensely, being my first real crime thriller by an Indian author. I
had the uncanny feeling of watching a masala movie on TV, a Telugu blockbuster
with subtitles running below. It is a rather large book, but fast-paced and
full of intellectual and some physical action along the way.
The
novel is distinctly filmy, a Tollywood flick. Seems like the author wrote it to
resemble a screenplay than as a book. The movie buff in me enjoyed it
thoroughly because it did not compromise on the language, albeit a few minor
errors that unlike many other Indian novels, do not take away the experience of
reading the book and enjoying it too.
Setting
The
setting is mostly in Chennai and Puducherry, along with some Hosur-Denkinikottai bits included in it. The various names of roads and places give
it a distinct south Indian feel. The climax is perfect for the encounter
between the cops and the thugs, offering vivid imagery for readers to imagine
the scenes that play out on the pages.
Characters
ASP Arya,
the super-cop protagonist is larger than life – the perfect sensitive man
beneath the hardcore cop. One wonders which Tollywood hero the author
envisioned in his mind while penning Arya’a character. Mahesh Babu, perhaps?
The tall dashing man who sends female hearts aflutter, wins grudging respect of
his seniors and stuns his male colleagues with his exceptional fights. His
boundless energy matches his superfast mind while on a case. The fatherly touch
is an added bonus to the perfect package. Overall, the book is a celebration of the protagonist – either his own acclaim-worthy acts or the females going gooey
eyes over him.
Shivani
is the besotted mom who is convincing as weak in the knees for Arya while being
a doting mom to Payal. The interactions between the fatherly IG, Shivani and
Arya wrt to their children are heart-warming.
Bhairavi
is rather predictable and a bit too filmy. The whole characterization of all
the antagonists and her interactions with them are heavily dosed with Bollywood,
Tollywood and Kollywood undertones. Rudra Guru is a powerful presence, more
than the politicians Adhi Kesavan and Prabhakar Reddy. The goons, Blade Rajan,
Kathi Kumar and Bullet Bhaskar are as terrible as the sobriquets awarded to
them. Jeyanth Nandan the singer, his wife Ananya and even the rowdy Jaya akka
have their own roles to play in the plot.
There
is a lot of detailing accorded to even the minor characters, especially the
foolish group of IT professionals from Bangalore, and most important is the
little girl Ahalya. The detailed descriptions of their clothes and behaviour of
minor characters does lengthen the book. Also, each of them has specific roles
to play to add to the detailing and ambience of the story.
The
only problem is the sheer number of characters. There must be more than 30 of
them, I stopped counting after the first dozen.
Story
The
story is an out-and out Indian masala flick. All the elements are present – the
brutality of child rape to betrayal, motherhood to blossoming love, fight
sequences to murders and anti-climactic finish. All this, with some suspense and
a bank robbery and high-profile murder mysteries are thrown into the mix.
Arya’s
quick brain and speedy action is breathtaking to read. The sheer number of
people involved and the innumerable processes that run behind the scenes of a
police investigation are picturized with flair. Also, the inherent corruption
of the police and the criminal-political nexus are showcased in detail.
I
liked the portrayal of a young mother yearning for the second chance at love in
life. It is time Indians move ahead from the age-old craze for virgin heroines
being wooed by playboy heroes. This characterization is a refreshing change,
although it is yet to become the norm on screen.
Narration
Easy
narration and superb vocabulary make this a good read, although it is a long
book. Some tighter editing from the publisher’s team would have made this novel
even more enjoyable.
Conclusion
Anyone
who loves masala Indian movies should not miss this book. I rate it 4.5 out of
5. Extra points for highlighting certain evils inherent in corrupt Indian
society while harping on the good over malevolence, with many messages attached
to it along the way.
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Happy
reading, readers.
***
This book is rare juxtaposition of history and science, with ample doses of culture thrown in for good measure. I totally loved the references to the ancient wisdom of the Aryans and the scientific genius that is depicted in the warfare sequences of the novel.
Characters
The characterization is the biggest strength of the book. It is powerful, relevant and compelling to explore each of them. What I liked most in the story is that all the characters are realistic. There are grey shades in all of them, including the heroic soldiers. Even the great rishis with all their powers are depicted as human, with tendencies towards losing their tranquility in the face of danger. Some key characters appear only in the second half but leave a powerful impact on the story.
Commander Bhakt Khan is the actual protagonist, who takes up more space than the hero of the story, owing to his importance in the proceedings that change the course of history of Gondwana. It is heartening to see how the largely negative character, with his brutality and anger issues, is given ample due in terms of showcasing his valour, bravery, cunning and especially the respect d fear he commands as ‘Abu’ amidst his soldiers. It is interesting how observant readers may notice that despite his immense prowess as a warrior, he wins over his enemies by stabbing them in the back, literally, instead of facing up to them like the brave soldier he is supposed to be.
Martand, the genius hero,
appears in full glory only in the second half of the story. It is interesting
how his grey shades in the beginning are almost completely reversed towards the
second half. Soudamini is charming, and adds the beautiful bonding between
siblings. Kuldeep and Ameen are intersting in theri valour and fighting prowess.
The Rishis are my
favourite characters in the book. I loved the character of Rishi Satvagyan, who turns
out to be a genius and valiant warrior in the climax.
The only challenge is
that there are a large number of characters, and hence it is possible to forget
some minor ones along the way.
Also, I liked how
history is a character in itself, playing a vital role in taking the story
forward. There are characters who will have a bigger role to play in the forthcoming chronicles of Gondwana. I am eager to read more about the beautiful warrior Princess Hansika in action in the next book.
Storyline
The story begins with ample suspense with the usurping of a silver chest by Arab Khidmatgars and the unleashing of terror amongst the Aryans. The repercussions of this singular event follow, and sustains till the end of the book.
The whole story is rich
with history and culture. This elevates the book by several notches. I have always
loved studying history and hence I found it interesting to read the aspects of
the past that are in the book, even in places where there are detailed historical
aspects included in it. However, some parts of the history, especially about
the divisions of society could have been trimmed, to render a more compact
read.
It is interesting how
it is possible for the Commander to emerge victorious only because of emulating
the stolen ancient Aryan wisdom. The
same can be said of the counter measures of excellent warfare techniques and
inventions by the Aryans who study the scriptures.
Also, the complicated,
yet simple technology behind telepathy is convincing. The Aum discs and double
domes are enthralling in the power depicted in the sequence. Further, the hot
air balloons add a nice twist to the time-versus-distance struggle of the period.
The best part is how all of this supposed modern advancement was already
existent in ancient scriptures, and yet a large majority of us are largely unaware
of them.
It is also endearing
that Lord Krishna has found a crucial role to play in the storyline, albeit
indirectly.
Martand’s embodiment
of the 'Ashwapurak Yantra' -Arjuna’s technique of feeding horses on the run, is another thrilling episode.
The Khidmatgar
commander having to take pains to learn Sanskrit to pull off a victory is an
ironic, classic touch. The power of Knowledge is not left to the imagination,
especially in the turn of events showcased in the story. War scenes are filled
with vivid imagery in their ruthless depiction. Reading the book was
reminiscent of the blockbuster Bahubali II in the technology used during the
war.
The story is thus a
thrilling celebration of ancient wisdom, which is undermined and ignored in the
modern era of technology.
Narrative
The narrative is simple and easy to follow. It is also fast-paced to retain the interest of the reader. The chapter names allow a forewarning of what is to come, but retain the suspense of how the events come about. Some of the dialogues are peppered with small Sanskrit sayings that are a joy to read. There are ample translations for these. What I liked was how the Khidmatgars who do not know Sanskrit perceive them as ‘symbols’, which is hilarious.
Also, I totally loved the vivid descriptions
of the war, the science behind the inventions of the weaponry.
The only grouse I had was that the editing team of the publishers should have been a lot more vigilant. Grammatical aspects, such as articles and tenses, could have been taken care of with more care. Definite articles are especially missing in the narrative, in most of the lines. Had this aspect been addressed, the book would have been elevated to a higher level of Historical literature.
Conclusion
I rate the book 4.6
out of 5. Extra points for the delicious depiction of scientific warfare during
the crippling challenges of the ancient times. A must-read for historical
thriller lovers. Will definitely watch out for the forthcoming books in the Gondwana Chronicles.
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Happy reading, readers!
***
Today, it has become the norm to put as less as two-three short stories together into an anthology. The Kindle platform has enabled even single short stories to be called a ‘book’. While non-readers may feel triumphant about having read another ‘book’, avid readers may be left feeling cheated when the reading ends too soon. In this regard, ‘Love’ is an anthology that sports a good length and a decent number of pages, with 20 stories for readers to enjoy.
Stories
Each story is different, some of them almost belong to entirely different genres, including paranormal and magical realism. The common thread that runs along all of them is the theme of love, in all its myriad forms. It is a sheer delight to devour the varying writing styles and expertise of the authors, all in one book.
The most impactful story for me was ‘Take Me to Your Heart’ by Pallavi Sawant Uttekar. The angst of suppression and loss, centered around the setting of a medical college, is showcased with panache. I also liked ‘Hand in Hand into the Sunset’ by Narayani Manapadam, with its distinct south Indian flavor in vocabulary and mannerisms of the characters.
Another poignant story is the one by Alpna Sharma titled ‘Of Forsaken Flowers and Forbidden Frontiers’, a classic heart-wrenching saga. So is the tale by Alipi Das, 'The Daffodils of the Yorkshire Moors', which resonates with delicious literary descriptions and sports nuances of timeless poetry of the lake poets. ‘The Unwritten Story’ by Sarves is a compelling read as well, with the right amount of humour and suspense woven into a tragic tale.
Narrative
It is sheer joy to read vocabulary that is flawless. It is well acknowledged by most readers that Indian authorial works are bound to have Indianisms, replete with what is now commonly referred to as Indian English. While this is becoming more acceptable by the day, seasoned readers however, may feel the jarring experience of constant grammatical incorrectness and common errors that are missed by the editing team of the publishers, in the recent spate of self-published Indian works.
One therefore prepares oneself to encounter ample errors in most Indie books, especially anthologies. This book turned out to be pleasant surprise, with its top-notch language and perfect vocabulary juxtaposed with compelling narration and multi-genre story-telling. Kudos to the editorial team that has ensured this challenging feat.
Conclusion
I rate the book 4.7 out of 5. Putting together such a sheer number of stories is not an easy task and the Hive team has brought out a compelling anthology.
The only grouse I had is that I missed having a contents page in the beginning of the book, with the stories and respective author names against them to click on and choose which one I wanted to read first. I had to keep scrolling the whole book, going back and forth trying to figure out which author had written which story.
Overall, a must-read, especially for readers who like short stories with good quality work.
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Happy Reading,
readers!
Characters
The characters are most interesting, especially the protagonist. The
plot develops within the first three pages and oddly enough the reader is
compelled to side with the contract killer instead of his supposed victim. He
is endearing in his self-deprecating shock and
The other characters offer the required narrative and dialogue to keep
the suspense and story moving forward. A certain character is depicted as more
annoying than the killer himself, which allows readers to feel less negative
towards the protagonist despite his actions.
Story
The plot develops with some degree of suspense, where a victim escapes
death. Although the confirmation at the end is only what a reader already
suspects has happened, it is enjoyable to unveil the same.
The plot twist at the end is karmic and satisfying. It is fun to read another
story set on a train, a moving one this time, similar to the railway theme of
his subsequent novel.
Narration
Typical of Indranil Mukherjee’s unique style, one guffaws and smiles
one’s way through the read. The ironic build-ups sustain till the very last
line and one almost wonders how the humane element has overflowed even to the
supposed negative characterization of the assassin, especially with regard to
his ‘professional pride’. The language is top-notch and the vocabulary is flawless.
The touches of humour add a classic touch to the narrative and descriptive
prose. I wanted the book to be longer, it ended too soon for me.
Conclusion
I rate the book 4.6 out of 5. Extra points for innovative plot-building,
reminded me of Agatha Christie’s bestseller ‘Murder on the Orient Express’
although the length and suspense are easier to tackle.
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Happy reading, readers!
***
Characters
The
unlikely friendship between Sundeep (yes, seems like a numerology-compliant
choice) and Swami, that progressively blows up into professional conflict,
peppered with jealousy is realistic to some extent. Natasha and Kalpana, the
respective wives, offer a realistic feel to the personal lives of the two
protagonists.
The sleazy
underbelly of couch politics that plays out in some corporate setups is
showcased in detail through Naresh and some minor but crucial women characters
along the story. Aditya as the mentor is almost too good to be true, especially
at the end.
There are
also a large number of characters, some of them included along the way, which
might confuse readers who return after a break in reading the book halfway. I
would recommend readers to finish the book in as few sittings as possible to
avoid this possible lapse in memory.
Storyline
Having read
that the author is an alumina of IIM-B, I expected the setting to capture a
little more of Bangalore within the pages, but the focus of the action is
mostly Mumbai. What I found interesting and intriguing were the inner workings
of the cutthroat banking industry.
What I
really enjoyed reading was how the multiple nuances of corporate politics have
been captured within the story. More importantly, I appreciate the brilliant
ways that depict sexual harassment at workplace, a common reality that most
organisations in India still choose to turn a blind eye to. Also, the realities
of the North-South divides within corporate workspaces that lurk just beneath
the surface are brought out through the dialogues (Madrasi, etc.) and the
thoughts.
I
especially liked the moral innuendoes that the story puts forth without being
preachy or moralistic. Money, fame and power may be obtained without being
unscrupulous or ‘morally flexible’. The triumph of a solid CHILD – Commitment,
Honesty, Integrity, Leadership and Dedication is the best takeaway of the book,
although many may argue that the real world allows little opportunity or growth
for such sticklers of ‘Gandhism’. The way the novel ends somewhat justifies this
theory, because one wonders if justice has really been served to the key culprit
in the story.
Another
important lesson to be gleaned is how effective leadership rests on a
foundation of integrity sans pressure fueled by greed for fame and fortune. The
book showcases that humane approaches to team management ensure better
performance and enriching working conditions. Deceptive appearances juxtaposed
with frill-free value systems display the disparity between individuals pitched
together in a typical corporate set-up.
The fag end
of the novel made me wonder why only India is shown to have the issue of gender
inequality, corruption and couch politics in the corporate sector. We are well
aware of these foibles being present in American companies as well, not to
mention the rampant racism that lingers just below the surface. It would have
only been fair, if this aspect would have been acknowledged somewhere in the
novel.
Narrative
The
narrative is smooth, easy-going and has a good flow. Dialogues are peppered
with some minimal Hindi, which is not a problem because translations are
provided as part of the narrative itself.
Also, some
portions of the detailing of long banking processes /methodologies and some jargons
could have been reduced along the way.
Rating
I rate the
novel 4.3 out of 5. Extra points for pointing out the importance of having a
system that offers safe working spaces for women, free from sexual favours and
harassment undertones. Also, for showcasing that ultimately, good always
triumphs over bad, in the classic old-fashioned way – through modern
storytelling.
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find my review useful? Do follow my blog for more.
Happy
reading, readers!
***
My 14th
read of the year is also a collection of short stories – four stories, each one
entirely different from the other. In fact, they may be charted into completely
different genres by themselves. This is my first read of this author and I’m
certainly looking forward to more.
The Stories
Kalyani is heart-rending. I do not want to risk giving away spoilers, so it’ll suffice to say that the story deals with one of the most crucial issues plaguing society today. Kalyani’s innocence and the subsequent end makes us loathe as well as believe in humanity. I like the way the quiet strength and unity of the villagers have been portrayed.
Shreeja the Invisible is completely unlike any story I’ve read before. Just when we begin to think something has changed in her monotonous life, the story takes a turn of surrealism and leaves us wondering, till the end. Psst, I love the characterization of the guy – intriguing and oozing charm.
The Compartment is unique in the way it juxtaposes the beauty of a book with the realistic movement of a train. The wordplay in the descriptions are delicious and rich with visual imagery.
The Old Age Home and Flat no. 4 is mind-blowing in its twist, especially at the end. The amount of suspense this short story builds up is amazing. A goos psychological thriller, this one.
Narration
I was bowled over by the author’s excellent vocabulary and classic narrative style. It is indeed rare to find Indian work that is free from the highly common mother-tongue translation-based Indianisms that plague the writing. We, as Indian reviewers understand the backgrounds of our authors and comprehend the effort that goes into writing. And thus, we end up rating books with even mediocre vocabulary with four stars.
It is indeed a
complete joy and pleasant shock to find work of high standards, especially when
it pertains to the language and wordplay.
A special mention to
the editing skills of the author / editor who has done a commendable job in
ensuring minimal typos or errors in the book. I know how tedious, boring and
back-breaking it can be, and it never seems to be enough!
Conclusion
A clean 4.6 /5 for this book (amounts to a five). My only grouse? I wanted to read more, it ended too soon for the avid word-devourer in me.
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Happy reading,
readers!
***
