BookRackTag Archive | Book Reviews | BookRack

Prince of Ayodhya

Jyoti Babel — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:07:47 +0000

My tryst with reading novels based on Indian mythology started with books like ‘A Palace of Illusion’ by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Jaya by Devdutt Pattanaik. Soon many such books made to my to-read-list. One fine day, I sat searching for books based on Indian mythology that are available in the libraries here and the title that came up was ‘Prince of Ayodhya’ by Ashok K. Banker. Long back when I had written a post asking my fellow bloggers to suggest me good books by Indian writers, Vibha had suggested the Ramayana series by Ashok K. Banker. So, I went ahead to reserve it. My librarian told me that this book might be missing as she could not locate it in the shelves. I had given up hope that I would be get hold of this book here. But, to my sheer delight after a couple of months, I received the book. I have to praise the libraries here. They are really very well maintained and managed.

The Prince of Ayodhya is the book one of the six books of Ramayana series by the author, Ashok K. Banker. Ramayana is one of the two great ancient Indian epics, the other being Mahabharata.

Quoted from the book’s cover:

The original Ramayana—a classic tale of war between absolute Good and Evil—was written 3,000 years ago by Valmiki, a reformed thief-turned-sage. Now, with breathtaking imagination, Indian novelist Ashok K. Banker has recreated this epic tale for modern readers everywhere.

Ayodhya, the Unconquerable is the legendary capital of warriors and seers, and the greatest fortress of the civilized world. Soon it will be a wasteland of ashes and blood. For Ayodhya lies in the shadow of a demon’s wrath—a demon that is sending all its dreadful power to ravage the world of mortals. And only Rama, Prince of Ayodhya, can hope to prevent the onslaught of darkness.

The book was every bit fascinating that I expected it to be. Even though I have read that the author has added his own imagination in the story telling and that his version of the story deviates a lot from the original Ramayana, the novel refreshed a lot of my childhood memories that I had of the epic saga. All thanks to the Ramayana TV serial that was telecast-ed on Doordarshan in those days.

The author has given a lot of attention to main characters and they are beautifully sketched. As you read the novel they will be well etched in your mind. The book also dwells on relationships – the brotherly love the four brothers shares, the relationship King Dasratha has with his queens, the respects disciples have for their guru, the love and concern queens have for their sons. Not only that negative emotions are also given ample space in the narration. Queen Kaikayi and her aide Manthara are characters you won’t forget, not to mention the devil king Ravana! They have bigger roles to play in the next books of the series.

The plot is gripping, the narration never falters, the subtle details of Dharma and Adharma will keep you engrossed till the end. If you have the slightest interest in Indian mythology, this is the book you can’t miss. I can’t wait to read rest of the series. Highly recommended.

Thanks for stopping by! Cheers!

This review was also posted on Jyoti’s Pages

Andy Leelu- a runaway by B L Gautam

Jyoti Babel — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 09:48:16 +0000

The story is set in 1962, in a sleepy little village named Sehore in the state of Punjab. The main protagonist is a rebellious teenager who lives by his own rules. He detests any authority over him and does what his heart wills. Because of his audacious nature and dare-me-if-you-can attitude, he is labelled as a bad boy.

The novel is semi autobiographical in nature. It draws inspiration from the author’s cousin Leelu who disappeared mysteriously and died at a young age. This book is a tribute to him. Through this story, the author takes us to his own childhood and reminisces his days spent in the company of Leelu and the various escapades he had been a part of.

Leelu comes to live in his maternal uncle’s place after his mother, unable to bear the cruelties and abuses of his husband, leaves Mohindergarh to return to her maternal home. It is then the companionship of the author with Leelu begins. Radhe (the author), son of Masterji is in awe for Leelu for his audacity and carefree nature. Radhe has the image of an quintessential good boy and Leelu is incorrigibly bad boy. Their companionship and camaraderie is not approved by Masterji, who has a reputation to live up to. The author dwells upon many of their secret missions, some of which finally put them in real trouble. There is also a liberal dose of a teenager’s sexual fantasies as he discovers his own body and desires. Also there is a tiny love story in the making.

The early sixties were a tough time for India. It was still a young nation and there was too many things to cope up with. The wounds of partition were still fresh, wars with neighbors were looming, there was a constant fight against cholera and famine, the nation was still learning to cope up with hard earned freedom. The back drop of this time is intricately woven into the story. As one reads the story, one knows not only the story but also the socio economic issues India faced at that time.

What I was intrigued at first was the name of the book itself – Andy Leelu. It seemed a very English name and wondered why would one be named such in 1960s even after fighting against the English for freedom. The answer was not very far in the novel. Leelu won himself the title of Andy after showing heroic courage and saving a life, while other onlookers were finding themselves helpless in the situation. The named Andy was apparently after a freedom fighter from Sehore.

The story builds up slowly at first and picks up momentum by half way. A few times I found the description monotonous but many a times I could relate to the village life and incidents. When finally Andy Leelu disappears, there are a string of unanswered questions that will leave the readers baffled. I wished if only he would return just once to solve the mystery behind. The author has put his heart in the story, that is evident when one reads the book. It is a compelling, multilayer-ed tale of love, companionship and rebellion.

To know more about the author and the book visit http://andyleelu.com

This review was also posted on Pages (www.jbabel.blogspot.com)

This review was requested by the author.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

The Playgroup by Janey Fraser

Jyoti Babel — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:24:01 +0000

Meet Gemma Merryfield, the in-charge of the “Puddleducks Playgroup”. The book starts with a typical day at the playgroup. There are anxious parents who worries whether their kids would be fine at the play school, there are late parents- who are never in time to drop their children at the play school and then there is a celebrity Mum who isn’t quite what she seems. And then there are these kids, some excited, some cranky and some shy and their 101 questions about everything they can think of, which Gemma and her assistants tries their best to handle.

Gemma loves her job but behind her happy demeanor, she is hiding a secret- a secret that only few close ones know about. Soon, it would change her life. But, what it is?

Apart from her personal problems, Gemma has Joe Balls to work with and share a bathroom with! Joe Balls, the former- banker- turned teacher has a few surprises of his own. He thinks Puddleducks put too much emphasis on fun and games, and not enough on numbers. They do not see eye to eye in most matters, but when one of the children falls dangerously ill and another disappears, Gemma and Joe have to set aside their differences and work together. It is not all fun and games at ‘The Playgroup’.

If one has small children, I guess they would be able to relate to the story more. As for me, I did enjoy reading it, yet I would have liked it more, had it been 50-70 pages shorter. The second half of the book was more happening than the first half. In fact, for the first 100 pages it was all about kids and the play group which was kind of too much for me. Yet, it was a fun and light read with balanced elements of humour, romance, suspense and fun. The writing style is simple and yet keeps you interested. There is always some suspense to keep you glued and keep wondering what would happen next. It dwells on a number of parents-kids issues, from raising kids – the naughty ones and the shy ones to nurturing an ill kid, the decisions often mothers take about their career when raising a kid and how a kid can make or break a relationship. There is also the right amount of romance if all the kid’s thing is too much for you.

My rating: 3/5

Janey Fraser is the pen name of Jane Bidder. She is a journalist and a writer and has written five books under the name of Sophie King. To know more about the author and her works visit the links below.

http://www.sophieking.info/

http://www.janeyfraser.co.uk/about-janey-fraser.htm

I received a free review copy from the publisher- The Random House

This review was also posted on Pages (www.jbabel.blogspot.com)

Thank you for stopping by. Cheers!

>ADVAITA THE WRITER-KEN SPILLMAN

admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:18:00 +0000

Dunham Girl’s School, the best school in Asia. That is Advaita’s new life. No longer is she at home. Her mother, her father and annoying little sister seem so far away in Delhi while she lives in and breathes the fresh air at Dehradun. She especially misseS her bookcase filled with her most beloved books which she haS read over and over again.

Advaita’s imagination becomes her refuge as she enters a world of fantasy and curiosity. While her annoying classmate,Priya, babbles on about the expanding business empire of her father, she skydives from an aeroplane,while Mrs.Rawat expoundeS on the beauty of algebraic equations ,she rideS an elephant through the bazzars of old Maharashtra, fanning herself with peacock feathers. Her letters home, strings of words which flow naturally from her pen, but a great sense of worry to her parents. Terribly homesick, she cries into her pillow and is ashamed with herself for doing so. She keeps a smiling face with tremendouse effort and tries not to burst into tears any moment. But one little piece of information gives her a purpose. The fact that Ruskin Bond, her favourite author lives just half an hour away from Dunham! Advaita is determined to become “The Writer” and a few simple, heartfelt words change her life.
A very well written book is “Advaita-The Writer” A very short book, only 45 pages, but the idea keeps it going. Little things make a difference. It is based on conversation Ken Spillman had with Advaita Kala, the author of the book Almost Single. A simple thing reassured Advaita Kala when she homesick, Ruskin Bond is practically her neighbour. Ruskin Bond in the flesh! The way in which the author has strung together his sentences keeps you wanting to read more.
There is an old world feel to the book. The author describes Uttarakhand in the most imaginative ways. A quaint setting. It makes one appreciate the charms of India.
A little too dark Advaita’s world of imagination seems at times. It seemed kind of unnatural for such a young girl to think like her. But maybe that is just me. After all no single person is the exact same as another.
Advaita the writer is a really good book, something you could take with you on a train journey. I definitely could read it more than once. And like Advaita I hope that whenever we have an idea we fold it into the shape of a kite and fly it high above the sky.

Rating-8/10

Ages-10+

>Expat Women Confessions by Andrea Martins

LindyLou Mac — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:20:00 +0000

eBook: 274 pages

Genre: Non fiction Factual

Publisher: Expat Women Enterprises Pty Ltd

Source: Provided by the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Review Quote : “A must for anyone who is, has been or will be an expat!”Peggy Love, GMS, CERP, President, FIGT (Families in Global Transition)

My Opinion: Valuable resource for Ex-pats.

I am sure this book is a valuable resource of information for Ex Pat Women in general, just not for me. I do not really fit into any of the categories, except as an ‘Empty Nester’. Whilst it was not of use to me I still found it made for an interesting insight into the problems that others may face. Although I visit the Expat Women Website I am not familiar with the Confessions column which is I believe where the majority of the material in this book first appeared.
Moving to a new country although an exciting experience can be hard, inspiration and guidance with various problems can be found if you read the stories of the women, whose real life questions are used as the basis for the book. The subjects covered are very varied and include subjects such as the language barrier, raising children, death, divorce and so on; including advice on the different sorts of documentation that may be required.

If you are about to become an ex-pat for the first time or you are already living abroad but having problems settling in, then this book is probably of interest to you. If nothing else you will realise that you are not alone and that your queries and problems have already been experienced by thousands of women before you! There is certainly plenty of practical, sensible and helpful advice to be found within this, for want of a better description, little manual of advice for Ex Pat Women.

For author information and further links please visit LindyLouMac’s Book Reviews

>Last Man in Tower

admin — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:55:00 +0000

Author: Aravind Adiga

Price: INR 699/- (Avlbl for 419/- @ Flipkart)

Publisher: Fourth Estate (Harper Collins)

Format: Royal Hardback

Set in Mumbai Last Man in Tower is the story of the residents of Vishram Tower in Vakola. It is supposed to be the oldest building in the area and is referred to as “the pukka one”. The residents are a strange mix of an old couple, a real estate agent, a cyber café owner, few retired couples, a family with a son suffering from Downs’s syndrome et al. They have always been there for each other, so, when the renowned builder Mr. Shah puts up a very attractive & irresistible offer to buy them out, the residents assume that everyone in the building would agree to it and thus they will live a better life.

But the Pinto’s resist the offer because Mrs. Pinto a blind lady has always lived in this building and knows it like the back of hand and she couldn’t think of moving out of this place. It was then that Masterji, their closest friend in the building decides to support them.

When he refused the lucrative offer from Shah Builders he thought he was doing the right thing & was standing up for his friends. Even his neighbor & his big admirer Mrs. Patel felt that Masterji was doing the most gentlemanly thing. What he didn’t know was he was letting himself into a game where friends become enemies and life becomes a dirty game of greed & politics.

Read the book to know more about the human greed & to the extent it can go.

My verdict

If I could get away with it I would just say

“Worth every penny, no more explanation needed, go grab a copy & finish it one read” but then this book deserves a better review.

Set in the contemporary Mumbai where space is a constraint and old buildings are paving way for new buildings, Last Man in Tower shows us the mirror. A well written & well-crafted book, the author brings us face to face with characters which are out of our own lives. He very deftly shows us how we are bound by our principles & greed. Bound by principles because we in our heart know what is right but our practical side also knows what is needed to survive and ultimately who wins of the two decides how good a human being you are.

The author has spent good time creating characters and that’s the very reason that they derive empathy & hatred out of us. He succeeds in reiterating that black or white doesn’t exist, it is grey which dominates our lives. When one by one the so called friends of Masterji start giving in to the offer you are unable to decide who is right & who is wrong. But yes what one can clearly conclude is that human mind has no limits, it can stoop down to any level if it sets its mind to a thing and most innocent looking people too can commit crime if they are ruled by greed. Another thing that I loved about the book was the underlying message of “you cannot run away from your crime, ultimately either your conscience will eat you or the circumstances will punish you.”

The book grips you from the beginning, slowly creeping upon you and the scariest part is when his erstwhile friends start plotting against Masterji. My heart went out for him when he is boycotted by everyone. The author very deftly builds towards the climax bringing it to a point that it will hit you where it matters.

A must read book about greed, principles, of people who have principles and will go to any extent to protect them, of people who have no principles and will go to any extent to achieve what they want. A book which shows us the nasty side of real estate; a side which we don’t even think about while searching for our dream home.

Rating 4.5/5

I blog @ Books Life N More

>The Iron King By Julie Kagawa

admin — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Genre: YA Fantasy

Fantasy fiction novels introduce you to a new world bringing with it the story of an ordinary person like us. It is an absolute thrill for some readers like me and I cannot get enough of it. Yet there are only few such books that really stay with you for a long time. Remember Harry Potter? Twilight? Eragon? Therefore, I am delighted that I can add one more to my list – The Iron Few Series.

The Iron King is the first of the series and this review is only about this book.

The book is about a sixteen year old girl, Meghan Chase, who is half-human and half-faery. She discovers this shocking truth on her sixteenth birthday when she is forced to enter the faery world with her best friend Robin Goodfellow a.k.a Puck (who also happens to be a faery) to save her kidnapped younger brother, Ethan. Not just that. She also discovers that she is the daughter of the Summer faery King. She is shocked, worried and utterly confused. To make things worse, she also falls in love with the Winter court prince Ash whose mission is to kill her. But something sinister awaits both the Summer and Winter courts and it threatens to wipe out their existence. So, Meghan, Puck and Ash (who are also sworn arch-enemies) along with Grimalkin (the cat) join hands reluctantly to save not just her brother but also the faeryland.

What works for the book?
The cover page draws you in immediately. It’s mysterious, beautiful and haunting and you are tempted enough to see more. Just like some of the creatures in the book’s faery world!

The writing is beautiful. Its very descriptive. Not in a dragging way but in a good 3D movie way. The writer has put in a lot of effort to help the reader visualize the whole fearyland. The English is not complicated and is an easy read.

The world of faery is not too explored (at least not many that I have read). So, the unique world pulls you in to it immediately. Combine it with the author’s superb descriptions, you are totally captivated.

The well carved out characters play a strong role as well. You have some interesting characters like Grimalkin (a cat!), Puck (the notorious Midnight Summer’s fame), Ash (the swoon-worthy hero) and of course Meghan (nothing ordinary about this girl when it comes to courage!). You start to feel for them from, say, page 10!

What doesn’t work?
According to me, only one thing – too many feary creatures in the very first book. It was sometimes difficult to follow who attacked who but that, in no way, matters too much in the whole scheme of things.

Verdict
If you are a fantasy novel enthusiast, it is MUST READ. It would enthrall you, I can guarantee that much!
If you want to know more about the author, you can click here: Julie Kagawa

The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger

Vivek Tejuja — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 20:35:00 +0000

Title: The Night Bookmobile
Author: Audrey Niffenegger
Publisher: Jonathan Cape, London
PP: 64
Genre: Graphic Novel
ISBN: 9780224089524
Price: £16.99
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 5/5

I am mesmerized by anything that is written about books or on the love of reading. It makes you connect in ways, as a reader that only other readers will understand and the bond will be instant. Of books and reading, of discussing authors – known and unknown, of living immersed in words – whether physical or on your e-readers, the bottom line is : Readers connect anywhere in the world and that is how it must be.

For a very long time, I have wanted to read this graphic novel only because this would have been my first by Audrey Niffenegger. I haven’t read any of her novels and I thought this would be the best place to start. So, “The Night Bookmobile” is as the title suggests about a Night Bookmobile Library that is open from dusk till dawn and that’s that. It is run by a certain Robert Openshaw – the librarian, and in it one fine early morning – 3am to be precise walks in Alexandra, after a fight with her boyfriend only to discover books she has read all through the years, stacked in the mysterious mobile library. Years pass and she comes across the mobile library only when it wants to show itself to her. She reads with every year passing and those books keep adding to the library. How? That is another part of the story. Alexandra wants to work for the library, however cannot. Why? Well to know that, you would to have to read this gem of a graphic novel about books for lovers of books.

What I loved about this book? The fact that it was so wistfully written – as if in a dream state and maybe it was. The illustrations are fantastic as well. As I read this graphic novel (hate to use the term, however there is no other way to describe the genre) I had this perpetual smile across my face, as the hungry reader, could relate to what was taking place. The want and need to be surrounded by books at all times seemed so satisfying that maybe had I been in the protagonist’s place, I would have given it all up, to be with books and read them endlessly.

One might think that there would be nothing to quote from a graphic novel at that, however here is one for you: “Have you ever found your heart’s desire and then lost it? I had seen myself, a portrait of myself as a reader. My childhood: hours spent in airless classrooms, days home sick from school reading Nancy Drew, forbidden books secretively late at night. Teenage years reading – trying to read – books I’d heard were important, Naked Lunch and The Fountainhead, Ulysses, and Women in Love…It was as though I had dreamt the perfect lover, who vanished as I woke, leaving me pining and surly. “ All I can say is that: If you are a reader and haven’t read this one, then maybe you aren’t a reader.

>Of Wooing, Woes & Wanderings by Amitabha Chatterjee

Amit Gupta — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 05:16:00 +0000

Author: Amitabha Chatterjee

Publisher: Gyaana Books

Rajarshi can barely stammer a few words in Spanish. Marisel does not know a word of English. He is an young, inexperienced Indian with the baggage of Indian values in tow. She is an expressive Venezulean, bold and open in her ways. They met at the welcome party to his new job at the oil rig. And hence begins Rajarshi’s humorous saga, across continents and cultures, as his job takes him from one oil rig to another.

OWWW is set in a unique milieu of oil-rigs around the world. The tales of Rajarshi move from Venezuela, Syria, Qatar, Egypt, Oman and India traversing lust, love, cultural differences and relationships in between. The narrative moves at a brisk pace, never indulging in unnecessary details than required and provides a feeling of belief about the characters. The work related issues and politics behind close doors is assured and at times, remind you of your own professional life. It is unpretentious in its approach, which is a highlight considering the author himself has spent years working in those oil rigs. In the end, it traverses journey of Rajarshi from a carefree bachelor to a responsible husband and a father which will charm you endlessly.

The real strength of the book lies in sensitive handling of a cross-cultural romantic relationship shared between the two main protagonists. It has that believable, non-filmy romance between them which is not easy to find these days in Indian fiction. Both of them share a smoldering chemistry and their sexual advances are well captured. The married life situations are real, the marital problems are common, their reactions to those problems are non-superficial and cleverly avoids any OTT knee-jerk actions. Hence, when the twist do come in the story… it doesn’t look contrived at all because you know exactly where the venom in their words is coming from.

It does have certain bumpy moments interspersed in between those numerous travelogues. The oil-rigs portions are very dry sometimes, devoid of any humour and looks straight out of those National Geographic documentaries. There is a sub-plot dealing with the mysterious death of the cousin in Calcutta and Rajarshi rushing back to deal with it, but in the end it is self-indulgent, don’t quite fit in the bigger scheme of things and required some editing to cut down in length. The Spanish dialogues may just irk a few readers, but they are kept shorter in length to keep the interest alive.

My favourite scene in the book is when Ankit, a colleague of Rajarshi explains how the owner of the oil rig spend on his sexual adventures from Bangkok to Dubai to Bali in one single weekend. It is a hard hitting scene because it brings out the irony of a man who is working tirelessly at his job to earn just that extra for his family, who incidentally is slipping away from him because of the same job. On a deeper level, it also highlights the gaping divide between the haves and have-nots in the society where the haves are becoming increasingly more stronger and the have-nots are left behind to make all the compromises.

I am going with 3/5 for Amitabha Chatterjee’s first book, Of Wooing, Woes & Wanderings. It is set in a new, almost unexplored world and has a bunch of wonderful moments. It does meanders along in between, but holds on to the narrative with some poignant and engrossing writing. If you are a reader who likes to explore a different world in books, this one is just that right pick!

I blog at Love is always new…

>The Diary of a Social Butterfly by Moni Mohsin

Amit Gupta — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:08:00 +0000

Author: Moni Mohsin

Publisher: Random House India

Let me start with the basics, the book is inspired from the collection of author’s own columns written for Pakistan’s national weekly, The Friday Times. It is in the form of a journal written during a crucial period in Pakistan history from 2001-2008 as the country faces tribulations – from 9/11 to the tsunami to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Here we meet Butterfly, Pakistan’s most lovable but silly socialite. An avid party goer, inspired misspeller and unwittingly acute observer of Pakistani high society…she is unfazed as the world around her glides through in turmoil. Each of her diary entry begins with two contrasting headings, a political heading, for her husband Janoo as she fondly calls him, and another one to her own self.

To be entirely honest, The diary of a social butterfly doesn’t actually feel like a book at all because there is no cohesion. At 228 pages, it is just a selection of columns slapped back-to-back in a chronological order. Books like these are small miracles of life, no one from the author to the editor to the publisher knew what actually they are trying to do with the written material. You look at them, and wonder how, at any stage of its publishing, anyone could have thought a little about the lack of a plot in the script. The characters go in and out of the narrative at their own whims and fancies and have nothing to show in terms of character sketches or growth.

The humour is derived from the constant misspellings and incorrect pronunciations, which keeps you a little engaged at the start of the book. So, angina attack becomes vagina attack, botox become buttocks and Bangkok becomes bangcock. All this makes you howl with laughter, but it gets boring after a point. After all, how much humour you can extract by being dumb. The jokes starts drying up, the one-liners become corny and you start to get fidgety while reading it. It’s a book that compels you to ask many, many questions but offer very few answers in return.

On the other hand, reading about the brand orgy in this book…it silently reminded me the reason why i have always disliked Sophie Kinsella’s Shopholic series. After all, how much fun you can extract from the mad “excitement” of owning designer wears and shopping for them. I can safely say after 28 years of my existence on this planet, i really don’t understand this facet of women. I mean, what is such a BIG deal about owning a brand new Louis Vuitton bag or a Gucci matching belt.

I am going with a generous 1.5/5 for Moni Mohsin’s ‘The life of a social butterfly’. There are some genuine LOL moments, hilarious one liners and kept me in spirits. But after that, i was seriously bored. Try it, you may feel different about it. Just filling up the pages with blonde dumb talks is definitely not my way of spending good 3 hours with a book. I am definitely not chasing this butterfly again in the future. (Yes, there are talks of a sequel,!#****$**$*!!!)

I blog at Love is always new…

>Chanakya’s Chant by Ashwin Sanghi

Amit Gupta — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:36:00 +0000

Author: Ashwin Sanghi

Publisher: Westland Publications

A hunted, haunted Chanakya vows revenge for the gruesome murder of his beloved father. Cold, cunning, calculating, cruel, he becomes the most powerful political strategist in India pulling off a wicked and astonishing victory and succeeds in installing Chandragupta on the throne of the mighty Mauryan empire. But history, which exults in repeating itself, revives Chanakya two and a half millennia later, in the avatar of Gangasagar Mishra, a Brahmin teacher in smalltown India who becomes puppeteer to a host of ambitious individuals—including a certain slumchild who grows up into a beautiful and powerful woman, Chandni. Can this wily pandit—who preys on greed, venality and sexual deviance—bring about another miracle of a united India?

When was the last time you read a book wishing you could start reading it again as soon as you complete it so that the excitement in your stomach stays longer? Well, Chanakya’s Chant provides one such instance of THAT sheer pleasure in flipping through the pages. There are so many plots, sub-plots, flash-backs, intrigues and counter-intrigues that you definitely need a master guide to keep a straight track. Going for a parallel narrative, the author presents a stunning amalgamation of the past and the present. The life of the two main protagonists – Chanakya (2300 years ago) and Gangasagar (in 1900s) are identical but take entirely different routes to achieve their means, ultimately turning it into a thriller novel.

Watch the trailer of the book before start reading as it provides a nice build-up to the book. And it may also helps to read about Chanakya so that you are not caught off-guard with the history when the action begins as early as the second chapter. Released recently by Shashi Tharoor, the main strength of the book lies in its extensive research of the Chanakya era and cleverly mixing the details to present nuances of current politics, corruption and twisting of principles based on one’s own convenience. The dialogues are witty and charming, and even though they do get corny at times, you tend to neglect them in the fast pace provided during the story telling. It is a little funny when Chanakya utter a liberal dose of cuss words, but as they say it’s all in the game.

True that some of the characters are unidimensional, there is very little growth curve for them and may leave you underwhelmed. But then the story is not about side-kicks, they are mere puppets in this fascinating tale of two cunning and manipulative people in politics who will go to any length to make things work for their proteges – Chandragupta Maurya and Chandni. It could have been a little shorter, there are portions where copy-paste has been used liberally and this could have been avoided with some better editing. The climax where Gangasagar helps Chandni becoming Prime Minister of India is a little too far fetched to say the least and makes up for some unconvincing reading.

But in the end, it provides enough crackle to keep you hooked. That’s 4/5 for Ashwin Sanghi’s second book, Chanakya’s chant. If you are bored with the numerous chick-lit or debut author novels, it’s a perfect time to pick this one up. The treatment is completely desi in its essence and never shy away from showing the good, bad and ugly of Indian politics through two entirely different ages. This is one history lesson you won’t find boring!

I blog at Love is always new…

Turtle Dove by Divya Dubey

Amit Gupta — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 05:45:00 +0000

Publisher: Gyaana Books

The six short stories in Turtle Dove are about ordinary and, sometimes, not-so-ordinary people. Though based in and around Delhi, these stories are really about people anywhere, any-when; about people like you and I, and the eccentric world we live in.

For the second consecutive time this year, i have been pleasantly surprised by a collection of short stories. After reading and reviewing Delhi Noir, i thought it was difficult to cross that standard. But i guess i just underestimated the literary talent floating around in the Indian book market. So, while in ‘Delhi Noir’, the trials and tribulations evolve from the external circumstances, in ‘Turtle Dove’ the complications and catharsis come mainly from within the individuals. The best part is that the book never insults your intelligence, there is no spoon- feeding here and you are required to read between the lines, understand the subtle nuances at times on your own. A wonderful feeling for me, at least!!

“Best friend” displays a dilemma we must have faced in our lives at some point of time – should you keep up with a friend even when he/she is good for nothing. So, here Shailaja is patient and provides all the emotional support she can, but Sonali can never stick to one decision and always uses her as a punching bag for the endless rants and mindless ruminations. The narrative is assured and even though rapid moves between past and present is a little unsettling in the beginning, it settles down admirably after that. The author has an eye for detail, however the long descriptive portions with excessive use of adjectives can be frustrating for few people.

“Arnab” is etched with so much sincerity that my heart went out to the central character while reading this story. It is a flesh and blood character dealing with effeminate emotions that seeks no validation, but commands so much adulation by the silence it portrays. The family pressures leads him to a path of self destruction and then causes a string of tragic events in the people around him, specially for his mother who has always longed for a daughter. The story strongly indicates gender stereotypes in our Indian society and its effects on the psyche of an individual.

The title story “Turtle Dove” is definitely the best tale in the book. The concept of incest is dealt in a dark, engrossing manner that is ironical and hard hitting at the same time. It is an amazing story of union and separation within the boundaries of family relationships, very bold and provocative yet sincere and endearing. The erotic portions come as a breath of fresh air in these times where subtlety is quietly vanishing in books while narrating such scenes. The symbiotic relationships each of the characters share have undertones of love, lust and most importantly, to create destruction in each other lives.

“Naani” portrays generation gap in bold and brave strokes, yet the colour of the story ranges from depressing and dark, with shades of bright and beautiful world interspersed cleverly. It is engaging and provides a very credible style of narrative, as the scenes are lifted straight from the Indian households. There is lot of panache and craft in this storytelling, so even though there is a possibility that the character come out to be caricatures, the author has stood his ground because she knows exactly where to draw the lines. It also highlights the scheming ways women can undertake to thrust their superiority, ironically towards women in their own household.

“Barkha Rani” is poignant, bizarre and ugly, all in the good form of the word. It portrays a journey of an ordinary domestic maid who is bounded by traditional and old-fashioned way of living, but still manages to surprise when it comes to the harassment dealt to her own daughter-in-law. I just wished a little more detail could have been given to the emotional turbulence she undergoes before taking THAT big decision. Ultimately, it talks about women emancipation in a broader sense but not investing enough in the metamorphosis the character should be subjected to. But it does manage to capture the Indian psyche beautifully within the different stratas of society.

“The science wizard” portrays emotions of a child prodigy who gets himself entwined in the bad world of crime and drugs. It deals with his rise, more rise, fall and more fall with the practicalities of the world and brings about an important issue of peer pressure, right from the school days. Even though it is dealt with deft sensitiveness, the story loses its grip in the portions when the action shifts towards his friends and does not remain focussed on the central protagonist. Written in almost a journal kind of style, it leaves you with an open ending which forces you to think about the vagaries of a regular life.

So that’s 4/5 for Divya Dubey self-published anthology, Turtle Dove. The first four stories are engrossing and enjoyable, last two left me a little underwhelmed. But i still make a strong recommendation to read this one. The cornerstone of her writing lies in evoking emotional responses through her characters. Most of the time it is not pleasant, but then the magic of reading always lies in exploring the unexplored. A commendable effort from the first time author, someone to look out in the future for sure!!

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>Zero Percentile by Neeraj Chhibba

Amit Gupta — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 07:16:00 +0000

Author: Neeraj Chhibba

Publisher: Rupa publications

As a brilliant young boy Pankaj never imagines that he will ever be swamped with problems. Life with his friends Motu and Priya is fun. Always destined to go to IIT, a cruel incident makes him end up in a place he has never heard of before, Volgograd – a Russian ‘City of heroes’. Zero percentile is a heady cocktail of the fascinating adventures of Pankaj, a less flavored son of destiny, across two completely different countries, India and Russia.

I am glad someone took an initiative to write a book about people who try their level best to get into IIT but don’t succeed for some reason. There is also a small issue about the exposure of young people from India to an altogether different booze-babes-BJs ridden culture and the subsequent ramifications on their personality. It can be a very depressing and life altering event for such individuals and if done well, can make up for engrossing read. Luckily, Zero percentile quite achieves in that sphere of writing with some witty, charming and cunning moments.

Having lived in Russia for close to 7 years, the author is well versed with the kind of environment he is leading us into and the detailing of the hostel life is endearing. The book’s basic plot remains faithful to the blueprint of your coming-of-age story, but the screenplay is bursting at its seam with numerous tricks to keep you on your toes. So we have an head-master who can do anything for your grades to earn quick money, we have a sex-addict friend who don’t think twice before sleeping with any Russian chick he can lay his hands, an old couple who treats Pankaj as their own child and a bisexual girlfriend who ditches him for another girl even when he is busy making plans to convince his parents to marry her.

Relying on some keen observations about the life of the good-bad-ugly side of Russia, the writer explores the personality of every possible individual from various strata of society associated with the college. Almost all the characters are grey here, full of flaws and a tad over-stretched specially when it came to the portrayal of those involved with the local mafia gang. With elements of hope, sex, violence, campus gangs and revenge, it offers almost all the pot-boiler moments of a Bollywood film. I particularly liked the sub-plot of role reversal of lives of Motu and Pankaj at various points in the narrative, it is ironical and humorous in equal mix.

The book is not free of flaws, there are some clichés which could have been easily avoided. In the end, they just add to the length of the book. The pun intended on the fascination with male child is hilarious in the first part of the book, though a tad over-stretched. The whole quizzing competition even though riveting is lengthy because the bond between the three friends has already been established sufficiently. The last act of getting back to Priya is done so conveniently that it looks contrived, emotionless and reeks of bizarreness to say the least. However, keeping in mind that the author is penning down its sequel, it may not turn out to be such a farce. One last thought, the blurb of the book is too long as it gives away all the major twists and turns in the narrative, which is quite preposterous for me. I want to explore them, not just read at the back of the book.

But these are small nitpicking’s in an otherwise engaging masala book which provides a good time pass read on a lazy day. I am going with 3/5 for Neeraj Chhibba’s first book, Zero Percentile. Even though it is quite predictable in parts, it covers up by some smart writing. It is set in a new world, and has a bunch of wonderful moments. It delivers more than it promises. Sometimes, that’s all you want from a book!

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>I bought the Monk’s Ferrari by Ravi Subramanian

Amit Gupta — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:54:00 +0000

Author: Ravi Subramanian

Publisher: Rupa Publications

Excited and nervous, a fresher of twenty-three, takes his first career flight from Bangalore to Delhi. He peeps out of the window as the flight takes off-and presto! He sees on the road below, fast fading from his vision-an immaculate bright red Ferrari. Thus, begins the quest of his life… for his own FERRARI.The authorprovides a step-by-step approach towards begins successful and acquiring one’s own Ferrari. The Ferrari here is not a mere luxury car; it is way worthier than that . . . it is something that even the monks wouldn’t want to relinquish.

Let me first confess that i was pleasantly surprised with Ravi Subramanian’s first book, If God was a banker. I thought even though it was a little too dry in portions, it knew exactly what kind of readers it was targeting and what milieu it is setting itself into. Within those limitations, it was a breezy and a real good time pass read. So with a decent first impression of the author, i decided to pick his next one. Add to the fact, that i haven’t read the self-help type book for close to 4 years now…it was worth a shot.

Having said that, I personally have never been a great fan of self-help books. I guess it is the revolting side of my personality which always pumps me up to live my life the way i want it and not pussyfoot myself based on someone else decisons. It may suit someone (like the writer’s personality) but there is no guarantee that it will actually help mine. I also feel self-help books are set in a perfect environment and an ideal world, something which will never happen in practical life.

In IBTMF, Ravi borrows the basic premise from Robin Sharma’s best seller – The Monk who sold his Ferrari and try to give it a twist in the Indian context. He give us the ten commandments of success which can make you “successful” in life. Problem arises because it is presented a little too preachy manner and is quite laid back. So even at a short length of 160 odd pages, it never manges to capture your attention.

Also with all due respect, i don’t think the writer is such an awe-inspiring personality that i will actually get positively influenced by him. The only saving grace in the book are the few examples provided in the Indian business context specially that of Rajnish Behl, retail head of HSBC Bank.

I am going with 1.5/5 for Ravi Subramanian’ second outing, I bought the Monk’s Ferrari. I have read much well-written and inspiring self-help books. You can safely skip this one. And as far as the writer is concerned, get back to fiction writing, it really suits you much better.

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Delhi Noir edited by Hirsh Sawhney

Amit Gupta — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:28:00 +0000

Delhi Noir (2009)

Publisher: Harper Collins (in India)

Editor: Hirsh Sawhney

Delhi Noir is a world of sex in parks, dirty cops, and vigilante rickshaw drivers. It is one plagued by soulless corporate dons, jaded journalists and murderous servants. These are 14 tales of darkness and despair, each one set in the distinct part of the city, a metropolis where opulence and poverty are constantly clashing, where old-world values and the information age wage a constant battle. It uses the device of crime fiction and film noir to provide riveting, incisive perspectives on this ever changing city.

Delhi Noir is definitely the best book i have read this year. It provides a murky, detestable side of the city and is extremely engrossing and enjoyable. There is so much happening in each of the story that you have to pause before moving on to the next one because the excitement in your stomach hasn’t subsided from the last one. The book is divided into three parts – each having a common theme which deals with police, youth and middle class.

Part 1 – With you, For you, Always

“Yesterday Man” written by Omair Ahmad take us into the lives of detectives and solving of a peculiar case whose motive lies in the cover up of an important file dealing with 1984 massacre of innocent Sikhs in the wake of Prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination. Based in and around Ashram, it is dark and humorous in equal proportions and there is an uneasy mix of rawness with brutality in the narrative. A great start to the book !!

“How I lost my clothes” written by Radhika Jha is arguably the weakest story in the book. It has an interesting premise and provides a stark naked opinion about the divide of rich and poor in the city. Based around Lodhi Gardens, the story falls apart in its last act because it’s trying to be too cool, philosophical and mystical, all at the same time ultimately making a mess of a decent story. But there are some real chilling moments to be explored here and it makes for a specious argument about the effects of inequality among the people.

“Last in, First Out” penned by Irwin Allan Sealy is my personal favourite in the book. Situated in the youth centric, yet dangerous terrains of Delhi Ridge; it brings home a valid issue about the numerous, yet unreported cases of sexual assault on couples visiting this area in late evenings for some clandestine romantic moments. Told from an auto-rickshaw driver point of view, it punches you in the gut when he tries to prevents a couple from the hands of a bunch of rapists. You can’t help feeling the irony of the situation…because believe it or not, it could be you as well.

“Parking” by Ruchir Joshi is based in Nizamuddin West Area. It is a powerful revenge story by the brutal and corrupt policemen lurking near the parking areas in the hope of a quick bribe. The narrative is brisk and one tone but at the same time it also highlights how the misuse of power ultimately backfires and then, unfortunately for the power holders there is no looking back but a dark and dangerous situation to deal with. This story has some of the best one-liners in the whole book.

“Hissing Cobras” by Nalinaksha Bhattacharya is a female retribution story located in posh R.K. Puram area of south Delhi. Mukta, the central protagonist is sexually exploited by the police officer who is working on the case involving the death of her own mother in law. Even though predictable in parts, it still has a raw energy floating in the narrative because the writer never shy away in showing the ‘cheaper’ and ‘slutty’ ways of Mukta’s grey personality to get her work done. And yes, there is a great pun intended on the regressive saas-bahu serials.

Part 2 – Youngistan

“The Railway Aunty” by Mohan Sikka exposes a gigolo rung run by a seemingly simple house-wife living in the obnoxious by-lanes of Paharganj. It exposes the fragility of the youth which can go to any distance for earning some quick buck. There is a hefty mix of desire and danger mushrooming among all the characters. So even if you cringe in embarrassment by their sexual innuendos, you can’t move an inch while the story unfolds in front of your eyes.

“Hostel” by Siddharth Chowdhary is set in the North campus of Delhi university, where a group of students are voyeuristically engrossed in the sexual escapades of their landlord, who incidentally is a notorious gangster. It is sensual, gory and gritty at several points in the narrative, never letting go of the stark realism it has set itself. This short story also forms the first chapter of the novel, Day Scholar written by the same author.

“Small Fry” by Meera Nair takes you along the ISBT of Kashmiri Gate, where an innocent kid working for a bus driver gets involved in adult crime to earn some quick buck, only to realise the fatal consequences later on. Watch out how he gets sucked into the whole drama, even when he is half-willingly to immerse himself into it. In a city where the haves are constantly clashing with have-nots; this is a dark, almost disturbing story to read.

“Fit of rage” by Palash Krishan Mehrotra pans out in Defence Colony. It covers an important issue of safety of senior citizens/old people in the city. I personally believe the development of any city is dependent on how these people feel while living here. Unfortunately, Delhi falls behind big time in ensuring their well being. The story is an exhilarating account of how the servants working for years in a home turns evil to kill their old employers to earn some easy money.

“Just another death” by Hartosh Singh Bal opens up the other side of the Yamuna and set his story in Gyan Kunj. It recounts the story of a young reporter surviving in a newspaper industry on the brink of a massive change. There is a distant disaffection with all the characters here, not because everyone is so mean but all provides a stark realism of the kind of manipulative world we live in these days.

Part 3 – Walled City, World City

“Gautam under a tree” written by Hirsh Sawhney himself traces the lanes of Green Park, a location where people from various strata of society meets, interacts and forget about each other in a matter of moments. It traces life of an ex-journalist looking for affection and coming into terms with his own past in one way or another. It does get too preachy at times, but don’t judge by its appearance because it has lot of heart and some genuine lump-in-the-throat moments.

“The Scam” by Tabish Khair is set around Jantar Mantar and focuses on the numerous migrants from different parts of India who have shifted here in the hope of a better living but ultimately leading a hand-to-mouth existence by cooking, cleaning and shining shoes. The tale is a nice mixture of following your instinct or giving up cynicism while coping up with all the struggles to live every day in this cosmopolitan city.

“The walls of Delhi” by Uday Prakash has been translated from Hindi and is located inRohini. The protagonist Ramniwas has stumbled upon a lot of ‘black money’, surreptitiously shoved in a wall in the house of his employer. This begins an enthralling journey where he starts spending the money to improve life style of his own family and the related complications thereafter. The psychological and sociological aspects of the whole journey provides a chilling adrenalin pumping experience of reading which is truly memorable.

“Cull” by Manjula Padmanabhan, set in Bhalswa is a fitting end to the book. It is in a sci-fiction mode and delivers a futuristic tale of caste divide in this “walled city” of Delhi. It has inherent sincerity attached to it and remains true to the spirit of the city, not for a moment compromising on the violent and almost cynical side of Delhi.

I am going with 4/5 for Delhi Noir, an anthology edited by Hirsh Sawhney. Almost all the stories are riveting tales of sexual voraciousness, corruption, hatred, greed, vengeance and above all, dark underbelly life of this urban city. All the character are flesh and blood, and even though you may hate a lot of them, you can’t ignore reading their fascinating trials and tribulations. Don’t miss out on this one, Strongly recommended!!

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>Piece of cake by Swati Kaushal

Amit Gupta — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 06:06:00 +0000

Minal sharma, MBA. Five foot ten. 29-year-old with a hyperactive conscience and a ton of attitude. Minal wants it all- a successful career at International Foods, a lifestyle to match and a ‘totally’ cool guy who’ll buy her diamonds, bring her flowers and laugh at her jokes. But given the unending record of her life’s embarrassment it’s not going to be that simple. Especially when her mother’s decided to take charge of the matrimonial front and the choice Minal has to make is between a wild and sexy radio jockey and a brilliant but boring oncologist. And it doesn’t help that her new colleague on a make-or-break ‘Cakes’ assignment is a nasty, grudge-bearing kid from her childhood who just might be out to sabotage her career.

You know, the basic problem i find with these chic-lit (or stud-lit) novels in the Indian fiction these days is that there is too much of ‘coolness’ shoven down our throats without either being funny or sensical. The tone and build up in this book is OK, it does reach a high point but after that it just falls apart because there is very less happening and too much blabbering. It is painfully dull in parts and fails to engage the readers. And on top of that, it is just notentertaining enough to forget all its flaws and turn it into a time pass reading.

There are some serious loopholes in the narrative, explanations of which i have found extremely impossible to understand. How on this world will you explain Minal taking responsibility of a work-related disaster without even cross verifying the details with the Radio Jockey she is attracted to, who incidentally is doubted to be the reason behind the goof-up? Not only this, she takes a demotion and move into sales department in a rural region. Let me be frank, no one is a saint these days in the corporate world. I can still understand owning up to your mistake if you are the guilty party but when you are not sure yourself, how can you take THAT plunge? How can she not bother to talk to the RJ even once and clarify the misconception in her professional life? why she can’t go around and talk to a person who lives 2 floors below her own flat, and so what if he is out of town for couple of days…it’s your bloody career after all !!

It’s even difficult to fathom all these corporate blunders from the author, who is an IIM graduate and have previously worked with Big MNC’s. It’s a pity because even though the boardroom scenes are well written, the narrative just falls apart when the professional and personal lives of the protagonist collide, mainly due to convenient ways of resolving conflicts.

How can you explain Minal not even showing an iota of interest in RJ’s life even when she has dumped the oncologist and ultimately falls for a simpleton working in the same company (by the last chapter). And where the hell her mom disappears every time… after suggesting a man for her, it appears her sole motivation is limited to just come for half a chapter and propose a groom for marriage.I even found myself second guessing the dialogues before hand at certain sub plots, they are THAT predictable and superficial.

There is one genuinely funny chapter in which she deliberately sets fire alarm of her own flat on coming to know how a perspective groom sent by her mother is actually giving her marks on every “asset” of being a wife. Even the scene in the charity function, even though misplaced in the narrative is well written and oozes warmth and affection. The tone of the book is light but it never picks up and has a flat feel to it. At 364 pages, it is about 100 pages too long and leaves you exhausted by the time you reach end of it. And if you are a reader of my kind, who generally finishes a book in 1-2 sitting(s), you are doomed.

I am going with 1.5/5 for Swati Kaushal’s debut novel, Piece of Cake. Read it if you are in the mood over going a mindless ruminations of a “successful” professional girl seeking companionship at the wrong side of the 20′s. It’s an exercise in excess, with some tight editing it could have been a better read than in it’s current form. In the end, the feel good moments are few and far between in what is ultimately a slow, silly book. The sweetness in this cake is missing!

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>My Friend Sancho by Amit Varma

Amit Gupta — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 05:10:00 +0000

When crime reporter Abir Ganguly is called out by the police to cover a routine arrest one night, the last thing he expects is a shootout. But bullets are fired, and a man is dead. Did the cops screw up? Abir’s boss, not knowing that he was at the scene if the crume, wants him to file a story about the victim. For this, he must meet Muneeza, aka Sancho, the dead man’s teenage daughter. Over the next few days, an unlikely friendship forms between the glib, wisecracking ‘armchair cynic’ and the simple girl who ‘travels on buses’. Can their fragile relationship survive the circumstances that brought them together? More importantly, can it survive the machinations of the jealous lizard that shares Abir’s flat?

Firstly, let me confess that before picking MFS, I wanted to go through Amit Varma’s famous blog, India Uncut. There is a notion prevailing that people who have been an ardent reader of his blog will identify with the book more and others may just feel alienated. But eventually i decided against it, I think it’s important to read every book independently and to judge it on its own merits. And in all honesty, that’s the approach I finally took while reading and critiquing this book. Now all i can say is… two cynical people always connect in life, you don’t have to read other people thoughts before hand

Let me start with the shortcoming – the biggest problem is the drama and the action are conspicuous by their absence. Trust me, the above blurb of the book is the only story twist and turn in the narrative which is a pity, because it had the core elements of humour and wit in the right place. Even though i must add that it is a character-centric book, in which the trials and twists in the screenplay does not come from the basic plot, but from the character’s motivations and catharsis.

I can understand that the author doesn’t want to make it into a “serious” literature even while making points about serious issues. But there is no excuse for taking the readers for granted and not even giving a decent narrative to take home. So even though nothing much happens all through the book, it still holds your attention because it fulfills the basic premise when you decide to pick a book – it entertains you.

What is excellent in the book is the irreverent humour and an adorable charm of being wacky and sarcastic. There are quirky punchlines thrown every now and too many similar references of cow, politics and pet animals just like his blog (which i have read now after finishing the book). Even though there are too many pointers of himself and his blog which may be goofed off considering it as an in-joke but unfortunately, it is done repetitively and at times, on such inopportune moments…it borders on narcissism and ultimately puts off the reader. However, with engaging dialogues, crackling wisecracks, and long food-for-thought passages, the book always keeps you on tenterhooks.

The romance between Abir and Muneeza has a fresh feel of innocence and to the credit of the author it is never being down graded by the cliche’ of making it an inter-religion or a caste issue. The moments of introspection and procrastination have been written with aplomb, which are deeply entertaining yet makes you cringe with embarrassment since you may have experienced them yourself at some point of time in your life. Almost all the characters are grey, even Inspector Thombre who has kills Muneeza’s father by mistake is portrayed to be sympathetic, citing his low case upbringing. It is pretty evident that the author doesn’t want to take sides and let readers decide what is right and wrong in the characters.

I was also a tad underwhelmed by the role of the lizard at Abir’s home, which is portrayed to be a really important part of his conscience but eventually falls apart by the end of the book. No doubts its well intended and provides the required sarcasm, but it never fly off on an tangent to make it more memorable. Similar sentiments are also echoed by the sudden climax of the book which may also be an indication for a sequel.

I am going to be a little forgiving regarding the lack of a proper plot and will go for 2.5/5 for Amit Varma’s first book, My friend Sancho. It reminded me of Arvind Adiga’s “The White Tiger”, one of the best straight faced humane humour book published in recent memory. If you are cynical with life or catches yourself every now and then thinking too deep about mundane things (like me!), you have to read this one. I am going to buy his next book, but Mr. Varma…can we have some concrete storyline next time please?

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>The Dollmakers’ Island by Anuradha Kumar

Amit Gupta — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 05:58:00 +0000

Do the elusive dollmakers, on a strange island forever adrift, really exist? What makes the new government and countless other suspicious of them? Are they simply waiting to return and claim their home once again? Ronen Ghito would give his left hand to find out. But he needsLeela’s help. And Leela is too preoccupied, sitting under the watchful eyes of a cagey government, waiting for her Shyam to turn up on this very mysterious isle that exists on no map. When Leela does decide to cooperate with the government, she does it through irregular long missives and emails, now that her voice is mysteriously lost too, revealing in bits and pieces lost myths and disquieting tales about the dollmakers from the time of the Mughal emperors to the present.

As the author puts it, the books is Alice-like in its feel and treatment, the Dollmakers’ Island is an interesting perspective on the socio-political scenario in India through the ages. Her narrative style is fresh and interspersing today’s characters with the past historical figures is innovative and intriguing. The problem lies in defining the character, their emotional depth, their right place in the narrative. Too many characters are introduced too quickly in a haphazard manner. As a result, few of the characters comes out to be just puppets in the box and really have no significance to the main plot.

I have both bouquets and brickbats for the book’s dialogues, which are punched with clever one liners and carry euphemistic tone. Pay subtle attention to how the word ‘Dollmakers’ is changed to ‘smugglers’ to fool the government officials or how she manages to utilize Gandhiji’s glasses as an efficient prop at various plot points in the narrative. The problems arises when every character keeps throwing repartees, it is just not funny anymore. There is a streak of madness in the way story unfolds, but as they say it lacks appropriate method to back it up. As a result, it turns out to be an incoherent story which mars the experience of enjoying it more.

There are certain questions left unanswered or you are expected to guess them on your own in this fairy tale, which is not bad if you ask me. Problem is that some of the ideas are so down right stupid, you cannot forgive the writer for taking the readers for granted. It is only because of tongue-in-cheek humour that she manages not to bore you completely.

I am going with 2.5/5 for Anuradha’s Kumar second outing as a novelist, with a hope that next time she invests a little more on her characters than concentrating on creating best environment and setting for them. It’s an honorable attempt to do something different and for the sheer novelty, give it a shot.

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>The Mysterious e-mail by Anirban Basu

Amit Gupta — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 05:57:00 +0000

A business magnate – Banibrata Mazumdar greatly perturbed on the receipt of an e-mail, seeks the advice of Aki Ray- a detective by passion and an independent software consultant by profession. Aki advises him to lie low. The very next day, Mr. Mazumdar is kidnapped. Aki rushes to the spot, trying to solve the crime wrenching the truth from the particular incidents. Will Aki be able to solve the mystery behind the email? Will he be able to place the jigsaw puzzle of the kidnapping piece by piece?

Tauted to be a thriller, a race against time…it is written with such a heavy hand that reader with a non-technical background may just need a jargon side-book to decipher the language. The basic premise is based on such a small thread of phishing, you want to mock at the intentions of the author. It has a clumsy screenplay which is so simplistic, you don’t feel any interest by the time mystery actually unfolds because you have guessed it well in advance. The dialogues are clunky and the twists and turns are superficial to say the least.

Based in Kolkata, the plot is formulaic, tried and tested… seen in numerous movies and plays. It has absolutely nothing to offer new and there in lies it’s biggest problem. The main protagonist Aki is too contrived and over the top, placing too much self importance with himself…something which could have been deviated in bringing better twists and tales in the story. There is one particular good chapter in which we discover the whole agenda behind the phishing e-mail, but that’s about it. Rest details are just too far fetched and bores you completely with the technical mumbo-jumbo. Considering it is just 146 pages long, it still seriously tests your patience.

I am going for 1/5 for Anirban basu’s The Mysterious e-mail. It’s a half baked predictable mystery book, read it if you have 200 bucks to waste. For a more satisfying reading experience, i suggest you better get back to Robin Cook’s Medical thrillers or John Grashim’s Legal thrillers. It is indeed a mystery how such a book can be published in the first place.

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>Right Fit, Wrong Shoe by Varsha Dixit

Amit Gupta — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:24:00 +0000

What does a woman want? Shoes, sex, money or love? And RFWS shall give it to her. The story of Nandini or as her hesistant paramour describes her ‘lassi in a wine glass’ is set in Kanpur. Her spirit is undefeatable; she mocks certain death (Aditya) and suffers stoically for love (Aditya, again). Her accomplice in all her escapades is Sneha Verma that function as a chaddi-banyan friend and a BFF to her. It encases a young women’s thoughts on the society she survives in.

RFWS isn’t a particularly bad book, it’ just not a good book either. Priced at INR 95/- and paged at 227, it’s a breezy read if you are a sucker for mushy romance. All the titles of the chapters are Bollywood one liners or movie titles which is innovative to the point of craziness. Set in Kanpur, it’s an Indian version of ‘Mills and Boons’ and honestly speaking, it should be judged strictly within those parameters only.

There are dozen of characters introduced right at the start of the book and if you are not attentive, you may just have to re-read them to place who-is-who in the narrative. Even though it settles nicely after that as it starts to concentrate on the lives of two main protagonists – Aditya and Nandini. There are some really witty, charming moments peppered through the book between them that are the best bits in an otherwise standard Bollywood style love story disguised as a realistic take on modern love. The conversations between them are the best portions, their smoldering chemistry and playful flirtations are a few things that actually make this book not a complete waste. I even enjoyed the woman-to-woman conversations between Sneha and Nandini, though the hangover of sex-and-the-city type dialogues is pretty evident.

Problem is, there is no element of surprise or unpredictability in the screenplay, and it is the kind of book that won’t stay in your head once you are done reading it .The characters in Nandini’s office disappear miraculously, never to come back till the end which raises doubt what was the need of introducing them in the first place and create chaos at the start. And can anyone please tell me, what kind of office is this where hardly no one ever talk about work but about ex-bf and relationships. It is even hard to imagine that even though Nandini visits Aditya’s home every now and then, no one in the immediate family hardly bothers or know about the kind of relationship they have developed over the years. Considering the fact that we live in an age of extreme media intrusion, the hot shot business magnate Aditya’s relationship with Nandini is never out in the open is again tad confusing.

Coffee reads like these should not be over-analysed, but all other characters are typical Bollywood stereotypes and utter dialogues which are straight out of those family oriented Rashri Movies. It’s idealistic and uncomplicated in its plot, its all characters are either good or misunderstood, and in the end everyone stays happy without any complaints. You see my point, it is constructed in a world where all families should stay under the same roof without the slightest bumps and makes a perfect universe around them. But i guess, i am just being cynical here.

I don’t know about others but i can’t take even one more book (or even a movie) where someone from the older generation chides the younger generation to stop following their dreams and do as per the family wishes. It is the oldest cliché in writing, exploited in numerous movies ad nauseam. How you wish the writer came up with a better logic behind the break up of the two main protagonists rather than relying solely on such regressive and retarded ratiocinations.

I am going with 2/5 for Varsha Dixit’s debut novel, Right Fit wrong shoe. I felt like being transported to those 1980′s Bollywood movies, where the parampara and pratistha of the parivaaar were kept ahead of your own wishes in life. It is corny and mushy but at the same time predictable and often senseless. It’s got its heart in the right place, but its other parts scattered all over. Read it if you must.

I blog at Love is always new…

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami

Mukta Matta — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 04:21:00 +0000

>The Guardian and the Complete Review are must visit places for all book lovers.

Often, I came across Haruki Murakami on many an author’s must read list. This is how the Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman came to adorn my book shelf.

Image Courtesy : Jing Reed’s blog

The book, a collection of short stories, all of which are set in Japan, is a treat for lovers of surrealism.

Most of Murakami’s heroes are every day Joes who experience uncommon situations. Each plot is as implausible as it gets and every character has queer mannerisms. However, common themes of loss, loneliness, deceit and fear are woven beautifully into all stories.

So good is Murakami with his art that by the end of each chapter you will have met with fear and loneliness, in person.

What also makes the book an absolute page turner, is Murakami’s lucid story telling. Even though most stories deal with dark themes and depressing milieu, there is always a tinge of thrill to the climax. Also, with time, you will realise that Murakami gives much space to his characters. There is no hurry to unveil their circumstances or idiosyncrasies. As a reader, you will have to be patient and let the stories unfold at their own pace.

Having been so kind to the book, I must add that reading Murakami can be difficult for his first time readers. Unless, they are open to lack of closure.

If you can handle unpredictability, Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman will definitely win your approval.

Review by Mukta Matta

>Sikander by M.Salahuddin Khan

admin — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 06:37:00 +0000

Title : Sikander

Author : M. Salahuddin Khan

Publisher : Karakoram Press

ISBN : 978-0-578-05288-5

Reviewed by : Vibha Sharma

Sikander – A story bringing glimpses of the changes in the world. The changes which rechristened the world as:

a) pre-dismantled USSR and post-dismantled USSR (Pre-dismantled USSR phase saw the world divided more on the basis of ideologies or philosophies – communism versus capitalism. After the demise of USSR, this division lost its existence to a large extent)

b)pre-9/11 and post 9/11 – (Post 9/11 world is now divided on religious fault lines)

This book enlightens the world’s citizens about the dreams, realities and struggles of people of Afghanistan and Pakistan and what it is like to be among those who bore the brunt of these changes the most. The saga provides just the right balance of historical facts of the happenings in the west Asian region as well as the personal and emotional perspective to the sequence of events through the central character Sikander.

The life of a seventeen-year old Pakistani student Sikander, takes an unexpected turn when after having an argument with his father, he decides to leave the comforts of the home in order to prove his worth to his family and specifically to his father. A chance meeting with an Afghan Mujahideen group steers his life towards the struggle to fight against the occupying Soviet. While being a part of them and dealing with the harsh realities of the war, he realized how different was the experience of actually living the war in comparison to the intellectual debates that he often engaged in with his class fellows.

Sikander gets chosen for the Britain sponsored special training of an advanced weapon – Stinger

Missile, which was conducted in the beautiful locales of Applecross (Scotland). The author brings out the irony of the whole situation through perfectly apt words – “He was in the nameless paradise having come to learn how to kill people whose names he’d never know, who would be trying their best to kill him without knowing who he was, for reasons at best only vaguely understood by them, but largely to avoid their own deaths. And it wouldn’t end there. Who knew how many disasters would be spawned by any one of those deaths? Or for that matter, by that same death not occurring?”

With America’s assistance in the form of weapons, expertise and the finances, the mujahideen could vanquish Soviets and made them retreat. Now Sikander could go back home as an experienced and a matured individual hoping to start a normal life in Pakistan with his new Afghani bride.

But unfortunately it was not meant to be. Shortly after Sikander’s home coming, 9/11 happened. Perhaps bad US foreign policy was responsible for the birth of a monster which had eventually attacked America itself. Sikander found himself trapped in the aftermaths of this ghastly event when he was falsely convicted as Taliban or Al-Qaeda terrorist .

People of Afghanistan, who were waiting for the peaceful period after Soviets left could not enjoy it for long. On one side, the Taliban brought more confusion in the country and enforced stricter rules especially for women and on the other they had the American attack to deal with. Pakistan was equally confused. The Pakistani people were expected to sever all links and ties with Afghanistan and Afghani people overnight.

I specifically liked the way author emphasized the need and desire of every individual to have a peaceful and happy environment and that hatred cannot be a solution to any problem. The end of Sikander’s odyssey could not have been better when Mahler(the American in charge of Sikander in captivity, post 9/11) so desperately wants to search for that one thing which had eluded him so far – the humanity. Humanity – which does not come by just belonging to a certain caste, community, religion or nation.

These are some of the questions that are so validly raised in the book:

1) Americans decided to catch the criminals in the Afghanistan land post 9/11, yet so many men, women, children had to die to let the Americans have their revenge. What kind of revenge is this?

2) With the aim to eradicate terrorism from the society, the nature of actions that are taken, is it ensuring a terrorism free world or leading to a situation where new terrorists are going to get spawned by the unintended death of a father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife or child? Would the surviving family members see these events as accidents and applaud the justice of America?

3) Who is responsible for the plight that the middle eastern part of the world is in – the misplaced priorities, short sighted foreign policies or petty interests?

The author has very rightly pointed out the doubts which must have bothered many Pakistani and Afghani people at some point of time – Did God that created the cosmos and managed all existence for tens of billions of years has formed a preference for blessing America, which has existed for a little more than two hundred of those years? If God cared for nations more than human beings, would he pick America over others? Why would he not want to bless Iraq, Pakistan or Afghanistan at least as much as America?

Many books have been written on this topic but ‘Sikander’ presents systematic and humane saga of common people living in Pakistan and Afghanistan. How like the people in the rest of the world, they also enjoy freedom, peace, fearless environment and happiness. World needs to understand what America is fighting for in Afghanistan and it is very important to realize that when any ammunition is used against people of a particular city or a village, it does not discriminate common innocent people from the handfuls who are at fault.

A must read for all those who want to know the truth behind the whole issue, why it gained such monstrous proportion and the questions which are unanswered still. A perfect mix of fiction, entertainment, reality and truth. In spite of the book exposing some harsh realities and ugly truths, the tone of the book is very positive and warm, because of the brilliant character portrayal of Sikander.

“You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend” – Paul Sweeney

After reading Sikander, I really felt like I lost a dear friend and am sure other readers will feel the same for this book. Sikander is one character who will stay with me for a very long time.

Crossposted here and here