Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts

Saturday, October 24

Book Release! - Love and Other Enchantments



I am excited beyond words as I write this post today. In my recent post I had mentioned about my dream ship - The short story anthology by five writers - Along with me, Tanima Kedar, Ishan Dafaria, Anuj Kumar and Akash Deep. The book was released online on the auspicious day of Vijayadasami.

Here are the ebay and ShopClues link :-

Ebay :-  Click here and show some love :)

ShopClues :- Here


I am including here the blurb of the book along with an excerpt of one of my stories - He loves me not. Just to remind, this anthology has three of my stories published.

The blurb of the book :- 
Drag, it can, from the splendours of dawn to the gloomy even-fall; sooner or later, but, it touches us all – LOVE.. indeed. "Love and Other Enchantments" is a collection of fifteen heart-rending love stories where in each will reveal a new facet of love and will arouse a new set of emotions and even newer perceptions of relationship, sacrifice, devotion, depression, hurt, lust and madness.
Loose yourself in a whirlwind of emotions, only to be rescued by that thing called love. The Fictitious Five is a group of five writers.
Maliny MohanIshan Dafaria Tanima KedarAnuj Kumar Akash Deep Gupta
all united by their unabating passion for writing. 
They believe in the power of words and aspire to keep weaving them to create delightful stories that touch the hearts of the readers.





Excerpt from my story 'He Loves Me Not'  :-

'.........The moon was shining the brightest, showering powdery white rays over the surroundings. A light refreshing breeze slid past her, on the cue to which she wrapped her coat tightly around her, consoled by nature's gesture.
An eerie silence reverberated in the deserted parking lot which made her quiver a bit.
All at once, as if to prove her worst fears right, a sense of vertigo blinded her which seemed to over haul her more and more with each passing second. Whether it was due to the overpowering drink or due to the hot rush of hormones seeping into the kinky recesses of her cacophonous brain, she couldn't conjure a reason at that harrowing moment. 
The very next second, she slumped to the floor as if in a bolt, a groan escaping her throat............'
                                                       *************
I would like to thank the readers of my blog, who have always encouraged me with their resounding presence and through the indelible imprints they left behind as comments. 
Do take a took at the links and buy the book if you find it interesting enough :)

Wednesday, June 19

Of Pinto And The Return Of Gusto


Certain phases of life hit you hard. Merciless would be the apt word to describe those, if i insinuate myself deeper into the pile of specific words in search of one that brings to life the shade of grey in its totality. Merciless, because they simply don't let you wriggle away free from them quite that easily as our confident minds assume. Merciless, because they smother you till your life starts effervescing into snowy white foams to eventually fade into nothingness.

No, i am not clinging precariously on the steepest cliff staring deep into the abysmal low. But yes, i am partly gasping in the suffocating clutches of a dire work commitment, from which there seems little escape for a few more days at the least. 

Those minute seeds of literary inclination, that had been sprouting enthusiastically, though which much effort and sans perfection, seem threatened of being uprooted in the heavy monsoon that has been literally pouring down on my hectic days. More often , as i have always realised when skeptical, it is either everything or nothing at all for me. Either i give something my best shot or i don't even to bother to give it a try at all. Either i read a lot, burning the midnight oil for several consecutive days sans impatience or dreariness, or i don't read a single line at all for months. The same goes with writing. But then, i am not a professional writer barged with looming deadlines nor have i ever been a regular blogger. Infact, i see this space as my niche, my haven where i unwind when the flow gets fierce or where i confide in while sitting idle on my couch, with a couple of hours to spare from my routine to set ablaze those mysterious nerves specilised to fire off contrived pieces of work. 

When the situation remains so, with much acceptance form my part, out of the blue, there descended a bright sunny day on my otherwise murky cascade of events, when i decided to order a couple of books from Flipkart, one among them being ' Em and the big hoom ' by Jerry Pinto.

You may have the urge to label me as pseudo intellectual, but i have to admit this that post a particular write up of mine ( find here), i have been focusing less on Indian English works, a decision born out of the inclination of a working person to stick to the safer side lest you would have to sit back and helplessly lament over the loss of  hard earned chunks of money or worst yet, the sight of that hardly available slot of free time slithering down the drains - Until, i came across a few articles by Jerry Pinto

It might sound stupid, but truly, i have not been much of an admirer of satire. Somehow, satire has always hit me as biased with the cynical inclination of the writer projecting itself onto me more than the mastery of the craft which is particularly proclaimed by most literature savvy minds. But, Pinto, unabashedly and undoubtedly i say, has succeeded effortlessly in proving me wrong and that too, to a very intense degree! Check out this article for example -  Blame It On Wordsworth.

Well, and that was what prompted me to grab a copy of Em and the big hoom. Halfway through the book now and like every good piece of literature, this book too has struck me deep, igniting a spark in me to scribble down something on a piece of paper after a hiatus.

Words are magical and a good book sprinkled with meaningful thoughts is insatiable. Probably, the best inspiration for a budding writer. I know that this post is pointless, but i feel a lot relieved now. The vacuum that has been carving up my insides is being slowly replaced with a sense of purpose. I am reading a good book. And i cannot be happier. 

Leaving you with one of his astoundingly powerful interviews, for those who felt i was vague about the gusto part on my post title and would like to have a more reasonable proof than my imperfect write up to consolidate the same. Watch it. You will read him for sure, if you haven't already. 





Wednesday, April 10

Musings of a confused reader


Image Source : here

I have been reading a few books lately, maybe a tad bit more than my usual numbers. Pausing for a while to steal back a glance, it dawns on me that i have been savouring a couple of varying genres back to back, with equal alacrity and inquisitiveness, an ardent spark which unfortunately, incepts only once in a while every year.

There has been a thought penting up all this while too, rather a conclusion, something similar to the music or lyrics scenario when it comes to judging a song. Replacing the concerned terms, the million dollar question when it comes to books would be : 'Which matters the most to you - Story or the style ?'

There are authors who dissect each shred of sun's ray to its minutest layer concentrating on its spellbinding anatomy and contrarily there are authors who tend to sideline the nature to a mere statement and pass on to delve in more practical and pragmatic nuggets and there is yet another group who are oblivious to the mysteries of nature, but has gripping and fine tuned stories which leave you glued to the pages from end to end. 

There are readers who would devour a book for the sole purpose of satiating their passion and there are readers who in addition to sufficing their urge to read, utilise a book as a means to polish their own grip on language - the aspiring author bunch. For some its the fast paced propulsion of the story that matters, but for some, the succulent details and subtleties would be the elixir. I have seen people who chuck away a Amitav Ghosh and the likes ranting about its monotonous pace, instead they relish each and every word of the burgeoning pile of those ' You - may not - like - how -  i - say - it - but - you - will - definitely- like - what-  i - have- to - say ' kind, like there is no tomorrow. 

Is it just me, for i do feel that a realistic fiction written in superlative language is more appealing and engrossing than a thriller tagged one or for that matter any book contrived using a mediocre array of words and a bland style. On the contrary, definitely a thriller if sprinkled with an enviable choice of words can sometimes be the best too! And so is a book rich in enlightening or contemplative nuggets though written in a simple and lucid manner. Briefing it, i guess a good book for me is an amalgamation of good content and elegant style with equal weightage to both. Its not the story alone that matters, at least not so for me , but the  richness of the content and the way it is conveyed. There might be naysayers to this theory, but i believe i am not alone in this regard.

I strongly believe that getting published, to this day, hasn't become a smooth joyride devoid of bumpy obstacles, though the current publishing scenario might seem like one and i highly respect and admire the perseverance with which those books have been crafted. But somehow, a bunch of those books doesn't seem worthy enough of the time or effort from the part of the reader. On the other hand, good writers who are obstinate about getting their work published by an acclaimed publishing house get rejected, and they live with their worries for they are purists who are against the idea of self publishing. (On a serious note , with no tinge of sarcasm, do good books get released in that manner?)

There was a time when as a kid, i used to look upon published writers as the most gifted people in the world. They were mature people who wrote sensible stuff and had me reading late into the night while i rejoiced in the sheer beauty of the world they led me to. Now i see a published author in every other alley, some classy, but the others way too clumsy and casual; i see toddlers, teenagers and even infants signing their published books in every other corner and the confused and flabbergasted me has made it a habit to search the web for reviews before grabbing a freshly churned out book to read, instead of the usual norm of reading whatever one could lay one's hands on. On the other side of the coin, there are subdued prolifically penned works too whose existence is sometimes masked by the shimmering book releases of the over hyped ones.

It seems all that glitters isn't pure gold after all, especially not in today's world. It is high time we imbibed those proverbs rather than merely acknowledged them. Seriously. 


Friday, April 5

Tantra - Book Review


Title : Tantra
Author : Adi
Publisher : Apeejay Stya Publishing
Year : 2013
ISBN-10 : 8190863622
Pages : 344
Price : Rs. 195


The Story In Short : 


Anu Aggarwal is a vampire hunter and a well established and admired one at that, who flies to New Delhi from her usual haven of action, New York, the reason behind the detour being a debacle from her recent past. Her boyfriend Brian was murdered and Anu who couldn’t be her usual normal self after the incident sets out to quench her vengefulness and for that purpose reaches Delhi from where hails the murderer, supposedly a malicious vampire. The vampire hunters, as is revealed is a vast network with branches throughout the world. What awaits Anu in Delhi is yet another villain on prowl who is on a murderous rage, but this time the killings are more purposeful aiming small kids in and around the city. Anu decides to set aside her actual mission of tracking down Brian's killer to be followed up later as a dire situation is at hand that moment , involving the lives of children. Eventually Anu, owing to her late night vigilant strides through the dark alleys of the city, seeks out the person behind the cascade of murders and realizes that the mode of his action is entirely different, more to do with Indian tantric powers than mere slaying. 

Anu with the help of her hunter friend Amit finds out the roots of the particular ceremony utilizing fire, akin to black magic, from a person by name Dr. Sharma. Though reluctant at first to accept the relevance of such ideologies in the modern times, Anu soon comes to terms with the validity of the same and diligently masters the Astras that a Pandit Grover teaches her, so that she could win over the villain. The events that unfold in the backdrop of her mastery, finally leading to an eventful and gripping ending is what makes the rest of the story.

On parallel grounds follows the story of Anu’s encounters at home with her desi aunt, who is determined to have Anu in wedlock at the earliest. Irked by the intentions of her aunt and bogged down by the failure on her part to seek out Brian’s killer, Anu tries her best to coax her aunt against her fervent search for a groom, but her attempts go futile and eventually she yields to her aunt. A few incidents revolving around the event and also a marriage function which Anu attends with her aunt takes Anu’s life on a new turn and she starts acquainting with a person called Gaurav. Anu slowly falls for Gaurav and on realizing this the villain seizes Gaurav forcefully to use him as a bait to lure her into his dynasty. What happens eventually is for you to find out.

My Take:

The protagonist, a female warrior is new to Indian Fiction scenario and that comes as a welcoming change from the chunks of chick lit books flooding the market. Also the story is on the lines of a thriller, which means a fast paced page turner is in offer for the readers who struggle to find time for reading amidst their hectic schedules at work. The language is really good with a commendable choice of words and the author has maintained a lucid, engaging flow from beginning to end, something I look forward to in any book I take up to read. In that regard I am quite happy with my selection.

If to point the downsides, I feel the Anu’s past and the events in New York that ignited a spate of revenge in her needed to be dealt more in detail. I couldn’t relate much to her loss as the book didn’t provide any reason to, other than a few isolated titbits from her past sprinkled at places to serve the need for a plot setting for the story. In addition to that the author has left the characters dangling loose, without much probing on their life. Much more detailed account on each one’s life and path would have been engrossing enough. We don’t know much about Gaurav other than the fact that he is relentlessly flirting with Anu and that there is a resplendent thread connecting them together. Amit and Suresh, their Head in Delhi are also in the dark, brought to the foray whenever the story demands Anu to interact with them. The ' shift' that is mentioned in the story came across as vague to me. I had to go with the flow at those places, ignoring the doubts.

The cover page lacks charm, but then it doesn’t matter much, for the blurb is alluring enough and that should tempt the reader to grab a copy. Indian mythology and spirituality make vibrant topics for fictional works, as is evident from the wide acceptance of Amish tripathi’s Shiva Trilogy. The non Indian readers would definitely be intrigued by the details on the Asthras and the idea of Tantra. The portions narrating the same have been perfectly crafted and those would easily be one of the highlights of the book. The Dekhan Dekhi event is another enticing one and the author has sketched it interesting enough with a dash of humour to coat it with.

Anu’s quest for Brian’s killer is still on and that would probably be dealt with in the sequel. I would recommend this book to any reader who is in search of a fast and gripping read. If you are someone who is adamant on catching up with your reading on a working day, well then this book definitely is for you.

All in all a good read and i liked it despite the flaws. My rating would be a 3.5/5.


Reach the author at his website : www.tantrabyadi.com

Buy the book online here

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Programme for Indian bloggers by www.blogadda.com. Participate now to get free books.

Tuesday, March 12

Love Hurts, Love Heals - Book Review


The Title : Love Hurts, Love Heals
Author :  Sundeep Tibrewal
Publication : APK Publishers
Label : Non- Fiction
Price : Rs. 195
    ISBN - 13 : 9789381791141
  • Pages  : 154
  • Year : 2012



The Story In Short :

 Love Hurts, Love Heals is a short yet stirring autobiographical account of the author Sundeep Tibrewal. The story begins with an interesting and absolutely enticing account of the author’s first meeting with his future bride Neha, every single slice of the event unfurling in the traditional Hindu pattern. After having exchanged mutual consents for marriage, Sundeep and Neha embark on their committed journey together, having promised each other to take care of their partner in sickness and in health. In the next few chapters the reader is taken on an imaginary ride through the many incidents of their married life – about Sundeep’s plan to enroll for one year of formal training in MBA at ISB, Hyderabad, how Neha accompanied him to the college campus and her compassionate deeds in company of the spouses gang to teach the caretaker’s kids during their spare time, their return to Kolkata, where they were originally based, at the time of Neha’s pregnancy, about Sundeep’s passion to make it big in entrepreneurship and finally, albeit most importantly about the marvellous time with their angelic daughter Jiya. Like a bolting from thin air, an egregious news shudders the very existence of Sundeep’s life and the later part of the book deals in length and breadth about the inevitable transformation in Sundeep’s life and how he finally came to terms with the unpredictable facet of  life. 

My Take :

The Cover :

The story Love Hurts, Love Heals, basically is a love story and as if to consolidate the goodness and purity of married life, the cover page is glossed with the shade white, exuding serenity and peace. I am not sure whether it was intentional, but after having completed reading the book, I felt that the cover, with the picture of the man and woman holding hands, was designed such that it would highlight the very essence of the story – love and peaceful existence. 

The Story :

The fact that the story is an autobiographical account leaves less space for minute dissections, however I would love to delve deep into the book nonetheless. Take this line on the opening page - 
' It was a very big decision afterall. I thought from the girl's perspective and realised that it would probably be a bigger decision for her since she would have to become a part of a new family ' .  
Doesnt it shout loud about the sensible nature of the protagonist ? Lines like these convince the reader, for they state the otherwise untended truth in its rawness and make him/her trust the author, making the reader feel at home going through the book.

Certain portions like the couple’s trip to Brisbane and Hayman’s Island, the hushed and zestful plans for Neha’s birthday celebration, the birth of their daughter Jiya and the overwhelming emotions engrained into the narration, all these were heart warming, for the author has sketched to life the very basic emotional undercurrents in any persons life. The part where the author describes the heart wrenching event that wrecked the smooth and enviable existence of his family is detailed in a poignant manner and one is sure to be left moved by the author’s mental turmoil. The author also contemplates in depth about the concept of Karma and after lives and about the probable explanations for the imbalanced fate curve of humans. 

The letter to his daughter that the author has knit to the story towards the end, speaks volumes about his love and concern for his daughter. The message that he tries to convey to his daughter is enriched with the lessons that he had amassed in his life time, mostly during the aftermath of the debacle. The revamping of the author’s normal life and the sequence of subtle changes in his routine subsequently, like his diversion towards spirituality and the heightened intense of his family’s care, depicts the resilient nature of humans and consolidates the meaning of the book’s title that ultimately, its love alone that heals the pain caused by its loss.  

The writing is lucid and the author has maintained an appreciable flow till the last page. In the afterword the author speaks about his wife Neha and the intention behind writing this book and the reader is sure to be left applauding the author for his commendable effort for upholding the cause. A fleeting thought on the whirlpool of emotions the author must have gone through while penning down the story brought a pang to my heart. The book serves as an eye opener for the malicious minds existing in our society who vye over trivial matters, for through his book the author proves that love is the sole meaningful expression and that love alone would bring sanctity to our lives. 

Recommended : To all readers who would love to indulge in two hours of evocative read. The admirers of books on subtle emotions of love would especially love this one. 


My Rating :  4 / 5


About The Author

Sundeep Tibrewal is an author and digital marketing professional. He completed his MBA from the Indian School Of Business, Hyderabad. He holds a Master of Science in Engineering from Arizona State University, USA. Currently, Sundeep is the Director of NeoBVM. He was the Chief Product Manager at 9.9 Media, managing thir digital ventures, before NeoBVM. He has also conducted 'Positive Thinking' workshops for school students in Kolkata. 

Buy The Book

Buy the book online at Indiaplaza.com

Get in touch with the author at Love Hurts Love Heals Facebook Page or on his email lovehurtsloveheals2012@gmail.com. 

P.S : My sincere gratitude to the author Sundeep Tibrewal for having sent me an autographed copy of the book for review. 

P.P.S : The opinions that are part of this review are entirely the reviewer's. This is not a paid review. 

                                                             *****************

Tuesday, February 19

Chanakya's New Manifesto - Book Review

Image Source : here


TITLE :  Chanakya's New Manifesto To Resolve The Crisis Within India
AUTHOR :  Pavan . K .Varma
PUBLISHER :  Aleph Book Company 
LABEL :  Non - Fiction
YEAR :  2013
ISBN :  978-93-8227-09-5
PAGES :  242
PRICE :  Rs.295


The Essence :

           It would not be a tad bit ornamental if i say in affirmative that by authoring his latest book ' Chanakya's New Manifesto ' , Pavan . K . Varma has added one more golden feather to his already sparkling plumage . To brief the book in one word - Sensational ! . Let me explain the reason in detail . 

          The blurb highlights the pulp of the content using simple yet striking array of words , which inturn engraves the motive behind the book deep in the minds of readers . India is gasping in the clutches of malice which , shocking enough , has succeeded more or less in conquering every which lane of our country with its egregious act and the blurb acts to blow the trumpet as a wake up call to snap awake the people of our country from their long dreary slumber . The book starts off with a prologue where the author painstakingly explains in detail the impetus behind the specific title of the book and the reader is enlightened on the life and principles of Chanakya who went on to pen his seminal masterpiece ' Arthashasthra ' later in his life . Chanakya was one visionary who , roughly 2300 years ago , revamped the realm of downtrodden governance with his astuteness and acumen . The author intends to step into Chanakya's shoes and review the magnitude of problems carving our society and by doing so , brilliantly comes up with a manifesto which if utilised in its prescribed manner would see the inception of a much needed change to revive our country . 

My Take

1 ) The Cover :  The reader is welcomed by a modest cover design which hints about the gravity of the content and the brief note on the author speaks volumes about his glorious past , be it his academic history , his professional legacy or his highly acclaimed literary life . The reader's interest is sure to be piqued by the charming welcome the book offers . 

2 ) The Content :  The author has dissected the issues by segregating them into chapters for more detailed assessment which , intentional or not , makes the book easier to grasp . The chapters are headed as the following :

·       The crisis
·       1947 and After
·       Governance
·       Democracy
·       Corruption
·       Security
·       The creation of an inclusive society

      Each chapter begins with a brief albeit profound message , rather tactics , adapted from Arthashasthra which enlightens the reader on how the author's new manifesto is based primarily on Chanakya's principles . The author , with remarkable prowess delves into each section , at first speaking in length and breadth about the intensity of the issue plaguing the particular division and thereafter unveiling his manifesto to undo the damage and to reconstruct a more promising scenario . It is laudable the effort taken by the author to dig deeper into the country’s past so that he could arrive at a convincing and conclusive report on the facts leading to the bigger issues . However , the portions where the author deals with the vagaries concerning the judicial machinery did seem a bit cloudy for me and I suppose it would so for the common man otherwise unexposed to the subtleties of judiciary as well .  But then I am sure those contents were knitted there in the first place aiming at the concerned people who would imbibe the assertions in the right sense and debate further on it  . So no complaints .

 The chapter on Corruption is something to look forward to for the author highlights the emotional aspect consolidating the same . Take for instance the following lines  :

A business man looks upon the payment of bribe as part of the fixed cost he needs to incur to get over asphyxiating regulatory controls . Those accepting bribes consider the additional income a legitimate perk of the job . In this sense , the issue of corruption is entirely removed from the moral domain .  

Likewise the author has strewn together meaningful nuggets throughout the book which serves to open the minds of the readers to the stark realties in its utter rawness . Certain numbers detailed are of alarming amounts that one cant help but sit back and wonder about the gravity of the crisis . According to him , the crux of the whole crisis lies on a redundancy dominating our machinery which inturn restricts the further expanse of our glory even when the truth remains that India is one among those few countries blessed with abundant resource . 

 Truly speaking , I find it impossible to pick out any particular portion or idea illustrated to declare it the best . Every single bit of thought included in the blueprint deserves to studied in depth . Humble enough , the author himself considers his set of ideas a mere rough draft which needs to be evaluated under the microscope shred by shred , such that a polished blueprint for change is eventually created .

 At one place , to tackle the political hooliganism the author prescribes a measure in which the political parties are mandated to disclose their monetary funds and criminal records of candidates if any , prior to the election . The voters should be empowered such that they are given an opportunity to evaluate the skills and prowess of the candidate based on meaningful debates between the opposing candidates . He stresses the urgency for encouraging the moulding of an inclusive society by incorporating the service of  NGO into the state machinery such that the process keeps up  its steadfastness . He also speaks in depth about the insensitiveness shadowing our society , the result of which is the reluctance of the privileged to support the poor and the upper caste to acknowledge the backward . The inconsideration shown to farmers by neglecting the field of agriculture is also dealt strongly .

They say , when the book is enriched with content few would dissect the literary quality with criticizing eyes . The author is sure to satisfy the scanning eyes of the critics too with his commendable hold on language . The writing is lucid and every bit engaging . Typos hide at a couple of places which are almost unnoticeable . My suggestion is that this book ought to be distributed among the civil servants , politicians and bureaucrats at the helm such that they are offered the much longed for correction of their myopic vision . Perhaps inclusion of parts of this manifesto in the high school syllabus would even prove fruitful . All in all a riveting read . 
My Rating : 4.5 / 5
                                                   
To know more about the author visit his website Pavankvarma.com

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Programme for Indian bloggers by Blogadda.com .Participate now to get free books .

Many thanks to Blogadda for having let me review the book !

This review has been shared by Aleph Book Company . Find Here . 

Tuesday, January 29

RIP By Mukul Deva - Book Review



Title : RIP ( The Resurgent Indian Patriots )
Author : Mukul Deva
Label : Fiction / Thriller 
Publisher : Westland LTD 
Year : 2012
Pages : 286
Price : Rs.200

The Essence

                     The blurb is successful , more or less , in offering an alluring prelude to the fast paced story that beckons to the reader from inside . The Story flags off on an intriguing note in itself throwing around an air of adventure , with four prominent members of the political tycoon being murdered , their code of conduct quite proficient and impeccable . The team carrying out the mission calls themselves RIP ( The Resurgent Indian Patriots ) helmed by Colonel Krishna Athawale , an ex para commando of the Indian Army .  The other equally efficient members of the group ,  often bracketed as the K- Team - a tag tracing its origin way back into their army days ,  are Major Karan Singh , Major Kevin David and Major Kashif Nadeem . They are chained together by a single motive – To rescue the country from the filthy hands of the corrupted politicians and executives and retrieve the soul of the country in all its purity from the stinking muddle threatening to wash it away . 

                     Trying to hamper their diligently construed plan and to restore peace and security is the dedicated cop Vinod Bedi . Reena bhagat , a charismatic News reporter joins Colonel Krishna’s life and offers the readers a lighter detour from the otherwise heavily loaded scenario . Unfortunately Reena comes with an even complicated baggage with herself in the form of Raghav her husband , an ex commando himself , who has been appointed by the Home minister  Mr. Karunakaran to get rid of the RIP team lest his faulty political life would be unmasked to the public . How these characters stumble against each other at various junctures of their life spanning across a few days forms the crux of the story .

My Take :

   A )  The Cover :  It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a book coming with a promise of extreme action would be adorned by a cover combustible enough even in its appearance . So is this one . The amalgamation of the picture and the highly vibrant colours sure convey the nature of whats in store . The blurb , as I mentioned in my opening sentence is peppered with elements of suspense further perching the hopes of the readers on  a higher rung .

  B )  The Content :  The story races from one incident to another never letting the reader mull over details on the way , for such is the clarity of the events . With his ability to sculpture the accounts ,delving into the subtleties in its the right amount , the author succededs in guiding the readers through a perfectly etched out course packed with action . I managed to devour the book in one sitting for the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed reading it .The author , i feel has succeeded in churning out a gripping plot and the book has that simple and outright manner of story telling . The writing is lucid and the editing needs special mention , as it stood out , as I sailed past page after page welcoming the events knit together so flawlessly . Absolutely nil typos or grammer mistakes to irk you . The parts dealing with Krishna's interaction with his son Sachin and those  tantalising moments with Reena have been etched perfectly , with the narration blending with the story smoothly  . 

                      Though the author clearly stresses in his foreword note that the characters are fictional , noticing uncanny similarities to many personalities reigning the present India coudnt be ignored . However , that one particular aspect of the book failed to entice me , for a fiction when starting to state the obvious ( especially regarding people and deeds which are more or less the talk of the town at present ) turns less intriguing , right ? . A couple of movies have been created based on similar contexts , but then I guess proving his resentment towards the corrupted officials was the prime motive of the author , rather than deliberately spewing a tale skewed with fictious aspects which the readers would relate to less . 

                     For having bared the grueling intensity of the filth the country is sinking in , the author deserves to be lauded . Yet , a mind boggling question dangles in the air as to whether its morally acceptable for the citizens to contort the law even though its for a good motive . Though the emphasis is on how the K -Team carries out the venture more than on detailing in depth the stark realities plaguing the society , one cant help admit after reading the book that , at this point of time the country is calling out for that much needed change more than ever before – maybe for a revolution to seize back the long lost glory of our country . 

 My Rating :  4/5 . Go for it ! 


This review is a part of  the biggest Book Review Programme for Indian bloggers by  blogadda.com . Participate now to get free books !

Friday, January 18

Book Review - Carry The One



Title :  Carry The One
Author :  Carol Anshaw
Publisher :  Penguin Publications
Year : 2012
Label :  Fiction
Pages :  288


The Essence : 

                       Read the blurb , and one might be tempted to be suspended in a dejavu - a group of drunk youngsters racing down a pedestrian - the theme sounds familiar isnt ? But if you thought this book, for that matter , had anything even slightly to do with the movie that sprang up in your mind , then you are wrong . This is not a thriller , not even a tad close . Infact , the essence of the story is focussed on the youngsters , who are pushed forward to a period  shadowed by the tragic accident in every nook and corner , each crack and crevice of their life , rather than the accident and its repercussions . 

                          To sum up the story , the book opens with a wedding ceremony - Carman and Matt are getting married . Grazing the occasion are Carmen's siblings - Alice and Nick , Nick's girlfriend Olivia , Matt's sister and Alice's girlfriend Maude . Then there is Tom , the band guy . Except Carmen and Matt , the others set out on their return trip to their respective places late night , Alice and Maude immersed in the bubble of their fresh romance and Nick and Olivia doped to an egregious extent . With the situation being such horrendous , one cant but expect a gruesome event around the corner , here a girl , all of ten being crashed against by their car. Olivia , the girl behind the wheel , quite evidently stoned , gets sentenced for the penace and the others are left free . But they find themslves embarking on a journey from then on , a journey muddled with remorse , not in a formidable manner but a subtle one . No , their life isnt seen guided by this remorse , but somehow or the other the debacle of their past draws a line separating their lives into two parts - before the incident and after . 

My Take

                        The cover page is undoubtedly welcoming .I am not sure how it works for others, but stumbling upon decent reviews about the book i am about to read sure piques my senses . The opening pages of the book did uncork my curiosity with dozens of remarkable reviews about the writing . The book contains a cascade of events over a time period of twenty five years knit together  , with emphasis on the worth mentioning ones . Owing to this methodology , the story cruises forward fast , never rendering a dull moment . The fact that a multitude of lives are brought under scan adds to shunning even a speck of weariness that might creep in . 

                          In the world of fiction , there are stories which drive forward unreigned single mindedly in search of the climax . Then there are yet another sector of stories which , instead of focussing on the final point , immerse the reader in details , dissecting each character and event to tiny shreds . This book effortlessly slips to the second slot and a profound one in that sense . 

                         The attitude of Olivia post her release from the prison didnt quite entice me . She seemed to be shattered by the incident and her jail term following that in an immense manner that she turns arrogant in her approach to life and also to Nick . Her relation with Nick then on seemed almost mechanical , though they are seen enjoying each others company at times. Maybe she should have been a bit more concerned for Nick , when the situation remains that he wasnt completely freed from drug addiction . Instead , Olivia turns reticent and even leaves him high and dry at one point of time . But then , years of solitude in prison might drastically change a person's outlook as a whole , i suppose. Nick on the other hand is compassionate and sensitive with his yearly visits to the dead girl's mother as an act of remorse . 

                           Alice's character has been sketched in a commendable manner as sinking in a whirlpool of her love lives which eventually sucks out her passion . But how she stumbles onto probable girlfriends at every walk of her life , left me clueless ! Is the situation that rampant in real life ? 

                           Carmen emerges succesfull in her family life , although she carries her share of burden in the relationship front . If to pinpoint the lives which transformed unrecoverably after the accident , that would be Nick's and Olivia's . The others are seen culpable , albeit moving on ,  at time slogging yet holding on . Maybe that could be the take home message -'To keep fighting against the ill forces of fate ,come what may ' .    

                           The book offers everything - intriguing turn of events , commendable writing , nuggets to contemplate on and ultimate rawness in narration . However never pick this one up with an aim of savouring a spell binding or nerve wrecking end to the story . There isnt any . The events , sketched seamlessly , confluence to the climax in quite a natural manner leaving no space for a suspense of any sort . However , i felt an unusul craving for more clarity of the event which marked the end of the story . Maybe that the reason why when i hark back , its the story in its entirety that fills my mind , not a mere portion of it . The USP is the whole book itself and the roller coaster of a journey it takes you through . Go read it !

Friday, January 11

Book Review : When God Was A Rabbit



Book : When god was a rabbit
Author : Sarah Winman
Publisher : Headline Review
Year : 2011
Label : Fiction
Pages : 324
Price : Rs. 295


 The Essence :

                           The book sketches the life of Ellie , the main protagonist, with each stage of her life journey being  portrayed in varied shades , the shades being of human emotions , in its ultimate rawness . Ellie , as a toddler , is seen residing in Britain , with her parents and her elder brother  Joe .  As the blurb of the book rightly hints , the story has its basement rooted to the bonding of the love and friendship Ellie and Joe share with each other as siblings , though a multitude of characters are close knit to them as the story progresses . There is Mr . Golan who instills awe in Ellie with grueling stories of his prison life , unfortunately , the true intention leading to his softness being quite a contrast to what it seemed to be for Ellie . And there incepts her first case of molestation . If one person could read the laments of her broken heart vying the façade of joy she faked possessing , it was her brother Joe . Her parents are seen drowning in problems of their own , her father being chased by a ghost of guilt from his past,  concerning  a case of molestation he won against a girl . Then there is Nancy , her aunt , a lesbian and a rising Hollywood star , who nurtures deep feelings for Ellie’s mother , a fact which is sort of a widely known secret . Ellie shares an emotive bond with her aunt , a bond which probably is much stronger than her relation with her parents .

                             Joe’s rugby mate and close friend Charlie proves to be more than just a close friend to Joe . To Ellie’s dismay , she stumbles upon them in one of their private moments as lovers , an incident which she discusses with her brother later , and thus it  grabs a slot in their book of secrets . Her life takes a rough turn with her parents coming up with an unbelievable decision to move to America , a period of emotional wretchedness for both Ellie and Joe . But the fact which perturbs Ellie the most is the thought of leaving behind Jenny Penny , her best friend , for whom she used to be the life line . Jenny is constantly haunted by the wreck , her family is , with her mother dating a series of men , one after the other . Then there is God , the rabbit which Joe presented Ellie with one day , whose spoken words Ellie alone could decipher . The rabbit , according to Joe would satiate her need for a loyal companion in times of unhappiness , an act which polishes his love for his little sister .

                           In the new place , ellie is mesmerized by the green foliage surrounding her house and trekking the forest becomes one of her favourite past times , another being cruising the sea adjacent to her house on their boat . During one of those stints she befriends Arthur , an extensively read fellow , who eventually finds his long - yearned - for niche in Ellie’s home . Thus sprouts the friendship between Arthur and her family . Arthur’s love interest Ginger frequents their house at times , though she herself had soft spots towards a Mr. X , but that story gets eventually buried as an unrequited love story . Joe’s character is underplayed in these sequences with him pursuing education at a far away place and we donot see much of him . The first part of the story ends with  Ellie sending a present , a fossil , along with a note to Jenny , on Nancy’s advice,  a gesture which is an affirmation of the intensity of friendship Ellie cherished in her heart .

                           In the second part of the story , Ellie resurfaces as a 27 year old single woman , a journalist , yet not quite a happy person at heart . She is dragging through her life, accepting her near ones problems to be her’s as well . Ginger is fighting cancer, Jenny and Charlie reconnects in important albeit different ways, Arthur is old yet lively . Joe’s life is yanked to a halt owing to a gut wrenching incident, the unfolding of his normal self makes up the rest of the story .

My Take :

                            The title and the synopsis of the content is what made me grab this book in the first place . A story which is woven around the lives of a brother and a sister is almost unavoidable and alluring enough for someone who is a sister herself,  I assume . The cover is mesmerizing to say the least , but the blurb throws off a wrong signal that the content might be childish , the title being one with the essence of fantasy oozing all over it .  But yes , do remember the age old maxim to never judge a book by its cover or maybe its blurb , in this context .

                              The character I loved the most is that of Ellie , the dreamy girl , who irks at the idea of being tied down to one place . She loves to explore , is compassionate and caring , and is an epitome of friendship and love in all its purity . The story , though proclaims of being about the relation between a brother and sister , I would say , the story deals about the strength of Ellie’s relation with both her brother and her best friend Jenny .  In every page , the author has sprinkled a bit of love and its warmth , which is heart warming to the core .  The book is synonymous of a multi layered cake , baked with chunks of love , friendship , hope , trust and  oneness to its atmost perfection . With every bit you relish one or the other essence , melting into the character deeper and deeper . Ellie shares an endearing bond with all the characters , be it Joe, Jenny, Arthur , Nancy , Ginger or Charlie . Perhaps, the relation between Ellie and her father would be the least explored one . Through Joe , the incidents of Ellie’s childhood is nudged to limelight towards the later parts of the story , something which soaks her mother’s heart in guilt , nonetheless opening the doors to a more meaningful relation between them .

                                 It also deserves to be mentioned, how the intensity of the relations are governed by the one to one interactions between the characters , rather than by the prejudice and taboos existing in our society regarding homosexuality. The book teaches us that every one is entitled to one’s mode of  life , which in no way should threaten to be in the way of the emotional ties they share with their close ones , nor should it be pushed to the foray of dissections and judgments by unrelated people . Scrape away that impulse to be repulsed by prejudice, accept a person as he or she is and start knowing them.

                                 The language and sentence construction is intricate, at times tangled, which makes it not much of an easy read. But then most of the works which stand out in the scene of literature are hard to crack if you are an admirer of light reads. For the same fact , I was left bewildered most of the times at the  thought process of the author , which knit together bits of details so admirably ; such a rich and classic experience it has become when transformed into print ! No. this isn’t a book where the story treads a well beaten path. Here, there are side roads, milestones, potholes and evocative strangers who join the journey for a short span of time – ultimately culminating into a well deserved resting point with a path stretching before them, yet to be travelled.

                               The author’s note in the end is a must read . For me , it provided the much needed clarification regarding the fairy tale mode of storytelling in the second half . According to the author, the book is about second chances, about holding onto the one perfect thing in the world; Hope. I was disturbed by how a few incidents turned out in the second half, like as in a perfect world of our dreams. But then the whole thing adds up to the message the author had intended to convey through this book. So, no sorrows.  I loved it for its enriched content , remarkable style of writing and for the afterword by the author . Perhaps, this would be one book I would dive into undoubtedly , when in times of dearth of passion that writers shrink into at times . 

                                                                              
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