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Sita’s Curse by Sreemoyee Piu Kundu a Book Review

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  • Publisher Hachette India
    Imprint Hachette India
    ISBN-13 9789350097809
    ISBN-10 935009780X
    Language English
    Binding Paperback
    Number of Pages 344 Pages
    Book Type Fiction Book

Sometimes there comes a time when you know the author has decided shes’ going to play rebel and revolt against emotions and stereotypes and cast  herself in a new mould and discover herself within that. Society is but a reflection of the individuals in harmony. So here we come across a character who we might have seen many a time in parts and some time not so overtly. I loved the narrative in the first person. Its a story of emotion, deceit, marriage, betrayal and more, a  fast read and a spicy one at that we see a significant lifetime over 30 years to be precise infront of us.

The character of this story Meera traverses from her not-so-happy childhood in a village to the city of dreams Mumbai. In thorough her eyes the author has tried to build up an emotional story of the girls in villages,  her instincts, her urges and the sexual exploits of some of the men she comes across, then getting married to a city dweller and the life at the matrimonial home.

She moves to Mumbai, a unhappy marriage and a husband who cant support her mentally, and the usual tantrums of the matrimonial home and the story takes a turn with Meera trying to get into what the author calls it being a free bird unleashing herself.

She gets introduced to the internet and then she learns a lot, not that her neighbourhood dance master is very far into teaching her some moves apart from the dance. She tries to learn English too. The internet part of the story is akin to what we normally is exhibited as how dissatisfied wives are all over the net. And you also find a man who sells his body named Yousuf. The narrative ends with the big rain that Mumbai ever had and how the characters live to tell the tale.

Now the author perhaps has a lot of potential but is getting wasted in trying to get to the sexual fantasies into words and it treads into soft porn and sometimes a little tad over.

While the character has her exultation at her adventures, I am at a loss to understand why should she get emotional at the loss of Yousuf to rain in the end, perhaps she could have done without that after all that’s what she has become at least we think the constraints that the character is not bound to be, the free bird not being attached to all these.

In a way it’s a story of the village belle getting to know the city and trying to live in it getting adapted and be modern and whatever. But along the way the definition lacks the purpose simply because she has to become the same woman she probably didnt want. A women on leash, living her world the way she wants and true to her whims and fancies but still has the emotional tag.

Sita’s curse starts off very well and goes off track a bit in the mid and I still feel could have been a tighter grip to the narration in the end. The characters except Meera dont stay with us for long.

My ratings: 3 /5 stars ( rated adult reading )  

“This book review is a part of The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program. To get free books log on to thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com“

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No Man’s Land by Nilesh Shrivastava – a book review

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Publisher Prakash Books
Imprint Fingerprint
Publication Year 2013 November
ISBN-13 9788172344825
ISBN-10 8172344821
Language English
Binding Paperback
Number of Pages 352 Pages
Book Type Fiction Book

I am reminded of the poem by Lord Tennyson on The brook where he says the following:

For men may come and men may go,  but I go on forever.

A little analogy of the river to land would be read like this, men may come and men may go but I stay on forever.

Vagaries of nature and the way it has affected us and the everlasting inspiration for man to control nature is always beset with troubles and problems which extends to generations.

Here in this novel, No Man’s Land the author Nilesh Shrivastava very vividly takes us through a myriad of relationship of the characters in the novel , the relationships between a father and a son, an estranged father to a bastard son and of a wife and a mistress and much more revolving all around a piece of land which today is valued at crores and crores of rupees. And as they say every land has a history and the story unravels with its past and a tumultuous present.

With a setting as real as the Gurgaon realty, it is but natural that the author makes a piece of land infact a farmland the central theme of the novel. Around the land are characters built with unique perspective to what it means to them and there you go a scintillating story of men and women who take you on the ride with their whims and fancies taking over them.

I also found the naming of the characters pretty telling especially Karan and the uncle Dushyanth. Not to miss Agastya the central character, Pranay the narrator of this tale, Shreya his girl friend et al. The characters themselves stand out for whatever they are good, bad and in between moderate voices. The story moves very fast and why not the life is fast as ever.

There are times when it goes on expected lines and times when you get the twist at the unexpected times. There is romance, there is stalking, there is betrayal , treachery, deceit in optimum doses and these get played right in front of you as you turn the pages. Fast paced and well thought of plot this will leave you dazed and show a picture of what’s happening around you.

The author has succeeded to bring three generations in a seamless time frame with the change in perceptions and how ethics and things have changed and redefined themselves in the days they live.

May be sometimes the author’s been harsh on those characters but in the end he brings home peace suggesting that there are more things to life than those who value money or the land. If you think hard, probably every land is No man’s Land.

Pick this book for a fast paced read, you will finish this before know it. Some images will leave an imprint, sometimes you might see them in the realtor next door.

Thanks a lot to the publishers Finger Print for sending this review copy.

To pick up your own copy please visit:

Flipkart: http://www.flipkart.com/no-man-s-land/p/itmdppznhxysvhya?q=No+Man%27s+Land&as=on&as-show=on&otracker=start&as-pos=p_1&pid=9788172344825

Amazon: http://www.amazon.in/No-Mans-Land-Nilesh-Shrivastava/dp/8172344821/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394957468&sr=1-1

Senthilkumar

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Book Reviews

2nd Delhi Literature Festival

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First things first, I am not in Delhi, and unfortunately cannot be a part of this.

But the festival looks awesome to say the least and its going to be a rocking affair looking at some of the names we have in attendance. So get set and be there at Indira Gandhi National Center for Arts!

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Starting today evening with the Chief Guest in an author minister Mr. Veerappa Moily,  it would be a great 2 day affair culminating on Sunday evening with the Chief Minister and author Mr. Arvind Kejriwal in a discussion with Barkha Dutt.

Here’s a tidbit about Mr. Moily –  He  is a literary figure having received the prestigious Moortidevi Award of Bharatiya Jnanpith. He has authored several books in Kannada. The Bangaluru connection 😉

The first day inauguration session will be followed by a session : Reminiscing Rajendra Yadav – A Tribute

Rajender Yadav, who recently passed away in October 2013, was one of the most well-known writers of Hindi language. He is most known for pioneering the Hindi Literary Movement – Nayi Kahani. He also revived Munshi Premchand’s Magazine Hans in 1986 and has extensively written for the cause of Dalits, Women, Rural India etc. through it.

This session will have Namvar Singh, Ajit Kr. Chaudhary, Rachna Yadav, Dr. Nirmala Jain as Moderator.

So that’s for the day  one. In case you want to keep yourself abreast of the happenings, track it here https://www.facebook.com/events/591054270962795/

and also follow @DelhiLitFest and the hastag #DelhiLitFest on twitter.

Senthilkumar

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Book Reviews Books Reading / Read

The Hunt for Kohinoor by Manreet Sodhi Someshwar – a book review

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Publisher Westland Publisher
Publication Year 2013 October
ISBN-13 9789383260607
ISBN-10 9383260602
Language English
Edition 1st
Binding Paperback
Number of Pages 432 Pages
Book Type Fiction Book

I should admit that I am being introduced to Mehrunisa the protagonist of this wonderful story for the first time courtesy – Westland who sent this book for review.

After going through this novel – a 96 hour episode in as half the time given my relocation pangs, I am sure this is one of the racy pacy thrillers, call it a clean race from the lights to the chequered flag. A classical story with the background of a dad and a daughter in search of a secrets that could change the way the world is. What does it mean to see your father after 17 long years not knowing if he was alive or dead? And when you want to see him, you are assigned a mission impossible.

An extremely  well researched and well thought of plot carries the story with twists and turns as much as the geography and topography of the place it is happening across the border. The play of emotion and the characterization of the yearning daughter and the dad who has found his lovely daughter after 17 years and the motive to live the dream for both of them works very well. This takes them through the terrains, on the roads, and the hilly slopes, literally in between the bomb blasts and firing across the terrain.

Intricately woven story with the emotional tag of both the characters will get on you and that makes for a fast reading and a lucid writing narrative works like magical flow making you live the pages through.

The author has used a great deal of imagination with reality as she moves on with the saga and you can easily identify with the characters and their reactions. You have a best seller and a page turner in this book.

On another plane, I think we know very very less of our neighbouring nation  and in this story, the portrayal of the human connect and sanity is also well woven to suit the times and issues here.

It was a happy reading of the ways even in a fiction that some people stake their lives and family for the sake of the nation and it is being done without the fanfare that we are always used to.

I would consider these stories  as a celebration of the unknown men and women who are wide awake so that we could sleep without a second thought.

Read this and you will love the characterization, the human bonding especially the one with the family that drives people to heights and terrains that can best be described as geography in real.

Thanks Westland for sending in this book. This is a fast read, has the best twists and turns to keep you on the hook and get you racing till the end.

You would not take more than 96 hours I say! Literally! 

You can buy your copy here:   Amazon Click Here  |  Flipkart Click here

 

Senthilkumar

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Baramulla Bomber (Svastik Trilogy – Eka) by Suraj Clark Prasad – a book review

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The Baramulla Bomber at the outset is a great attempt in the espionage genre if you ask me. The author has his homework done, with the intersection of quantum physics, the study of ancient scriptures Vedas and ofcourse human frailties.

The story is set in Kashmir, I am looking forward to see many more Kashmir related stories and it gives a pretty insight into the workings of the intelligence wings spanning the important players including some European Nations. The story happens across time lines and takes you through with the characters at ease. We find the characterizations very deeply knowledgeable and hinting at the possibility of extremes.

One other important link central to the story is well you guessed it – cricket. And when you have a cricketer from the valley rocking internationally, you know India has made a point. The title of the book is a dedication to a fast bowler hailing from the valley – Mansur, for his exploits in the field and the press giving him this title.

We have other characters, Aahana his girlfriend, Adolf the spy from Sweden and ofcourse the Indian Home Minister and negative characters in Dr. Nazir.

The narration is fast moving, cutting across the time zones, interconnected events that surprise and make it racy towards the end.  I think the time gap could have gotten shorter in my opinion.

You get streaks of mined information on a weapon which you won’t be able to see it nor feel it and when you start to feel it, it would be the end. That could be spine chilling in real. The possibilities of such a weapon is what makes the intelligence sleuths spend sleepless nights to understand the science and the people behind all this. The coming together of characters sees a commonality in professional and personal interests to unlock the mysteries that have eluded them.

Some parts took me back to my college days, (did graduation in physics) and some readings to my classes in Atma Bodha about the spiritual part.

The author has touched upon the human sensibilities in a portrayal at the UN General Assembly with speeches delivered by the Indian contingent in Agastya Rathore and Mansur. After all the nations are all but lines drawn by human beings themselves. The fact is known but the realization of this fact is not easy at all.

A brave attempt in a trilogy and hope the next one already has some more fireworks in the days to come.  Eka will keep you with doses of quantum physics, vedas and reality.

The cover gives you ample things to imagine and anticipate. The author is a wonderful addition in this genre.

This review is a part of the Readers’ Cosmos Book Review Program. Visit www.readerscosmos.blogspot.in for more details.  Thanks Nimi for the literally “gifted” opportunity

Senthilkumar

Click here to buy the book at flikart.com

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Books reading / pending reviews

Its nice two books thats been waiting to be read will be done this weekend.

Baramullah Bomber and The Hunt for Kohinoor! Both are a treat because of its genre… espionage thrillers…

Am half way with the book and will get the review up and on the blog in the next 2 days…

Cheers

Senthil

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Book Reviews Books Reading / Read Spirituality Stories/storification

The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti – a Book Review

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Publisher Prakash Books
Imprint Fingerprint
Publication Year 2013 November
ISBN-13 9788172344870
ISBN-10 8172344872
Language English
Binding Paperback
Number of Pages 352 Pages

‘..The book will be  a best seller of the decade…’ Huffington Post was right! This would be a best seller for sure.

An awesome debut by any standards, this is a story that would resonate with the reader no matter where he is from. The purpose of literature would be to the serve in a way that it transports him to the realm of the story telling and make him an inclusive witness. If you wanted this experience then give it to the author MIchelle Cohen Corasanti for she makes you live the experience.

Its so very much like the title and the tree that stand the test of time this story would leave you with a healing touch for ever, standing beneath the tree like the characters do.

The story has a kind of uplifting experience when you take the trek through the eyes of the protagonist Hamid and his family. The author takes the audacious route to actually celebrate human weakness in the characters. It takes a kind of extraordinary guts to make the characters live through the situation and yet not give in to the kind of sword mongering that can happen.

The relationship among the characters are well etched throughout with each character standing on their own. The reader has the task of not judging since that’s the very aspect that the author wants to take a stance on. 

There are times you would be hearing the rain pitter patter and some time you can hear the gunshots just beyond the window pane.

It has been an experience to read through the novel which travels across a lifetime in a perspective that has a chance to redeem the lost love between human beings who on the garb of nationality and religion have discarded their own nature of being good.

To be frank, you will have tears swelling up as you read, sometimes anger seething within and sometimes empathy as you travel with the story. To think this is a debut novel, an extraordinary effort that goes into understanding human emotions and human relationships this is a great surprise and a revealing novel from the author. More than that it has the opportunity of talking to the people holding the guns across the borders of the land they call their homeland.

A story of positive human emotions, moulded by the characteristic of looking at other men and women as an extension of their self so much articulated by the character  Hamid. I loved the characterization of the relationship between a father and a son.

There are many inspirational times that you get to be a part of the tale and makes you sit up and decide. You would pause and recreate the image as the story progresses.

It’s a fast paced tale for sure, but a gripping one with pauses to think over and decide for the characters. I would be failing in my duty if I don’t thank Readers Cosmos for the book.

This review is a part of “The Reader Cosmos Book review Program” to get free books log on to : thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com 

The flipkart link here for the book http://www.flipkart.com/the-almond-tree/p/itmd9z5daznxxmgs?q=The+Almond+Tree&as=on&as-show=on&otracker=start&as-pos=p_1&pid=9788172344870

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The Homing Pigeons by Sid Bahri – a book review

The Homing Pigeons Cover -shashi tharoor

The Homing Pigeons by Sid Bahri is a great debut from a blogger turned author. The tale of two individuals who go through various paths ultimately come to roost to their nest. He takes the tale from the pigeons who fly the valleys and plains yet long for that coming home to the love that they have seen and can be always be sure of.

There’s a take on the middle class morals and ethics which the author casts aside in the way of making the life of individual the fulcrum of his story. The characters look surreal sometimes and also delve deep into the psyche which is formed in the childhood years. At one point I think this is the story of woman protagonist Radhika, because it is in her story that the author takes liberties in transforming the character with the aid of the situations that she is in.

The narrative is good and has a little bump towards the end, where Aditya’s take is a bit behind that of Radhika. The first person account is a nice revelation especially when some personal choices have to made by the characters.

This story is also that of the rising Indian consumer centric individual who is now pushed into material pursuit and makes a statement of choice, especially when you have the protagonist taking the road which would be impossible some decades ago.

As the narrative progresses there is a certainty to the story in the end, possibly that could have been avoided. Quite often the case of the characters is that of the real life where in the decisions could have been taken a little later. It’s a reflection of the life that we live.

A very fast paced read and very close to reality, and goes forth back in time without actually taking you off.

On the typos, for someone from Kerala the name of my state was wrong in the book.

Senthilkumar

“This book review is a part of The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program. To get free books log on to thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com“

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The good man Jesus and the scoundrel Christ – a book review

Philip Pullman

 

The book in review has a wonderful title to say the least, must be a provoking one in fact – The Goodman Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman.

And when you turn the book you get to read this also: This is a story. Well I shall buy it, but then the author makes no bones of what he is upto.

As I get introduced the new story that is part inspired by the real version of the Jesus which we have been accustomed to, this one takes on the alternative narration that could have been a reality and its only a reflection of how it could have been, especially in the sense how we do it today.

So we get introduced to the Abraham the father of Jesus Christ as we all know. He is a carpenter and is married to Mary who remains a virgin but due to the intervention of the angels, she gets pregnant. (This is a plugin from Hindu tales – esp Kunti’s five children are born from Indian Angels aka – Indra, Vayu, Agni, et al.)

When she delivers, they beget twins. Happy parents and happy neighbors everyone is filled with joy and then the parents name them no guesses – Jesus & Christ.

Jesus was the normal boy next door, he even is a good boy by all the counts, there are instances where he makes it up for Christ’s and the times fly.

Jesus becomes a preacher and is becoming a famous man by his own rights, in fact questioning a lot of things and the miracles happening a quite a bit. All the while Jesus says these things cant be led far to make for his praise or make him famous, but the disciples make it tough for him that way.

Then the story of how he is led to be crucified and the story could have ended there.

But of course for the entire world to have a story of someone who can rise from the dead and crucified, the body goes missing actually. No guesses how that is contrived or made it look happen when his twin brother comes to play the part.

Very well written, and fast paced, you know how its going to be in the last few pages but the narrative is pretty interesting how the story is built for the future and that what matters today.

Thanks Dear Pullman. Had a nice read and know what you should have also made some efforts on some time of his life when he was perhaps in India.

Senthilkumar

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Amreekan Desi Masters of America by Atulya Mahajan – a book review

Amreekan Desi - Masters of America
Amreekan Desi – Masters of America

There are some debuts which will make a difference! One such debut is this Amreekan Desi. Totally mesmerized  by the book especially the narrative was simple so close to your eyes. You would be walking, running and flying alongside the characters and not to mention making you laugh all the way even whenever they were thinking aloud.

Now to the story, we have three main characters, all get to the same campus at Amreeka, let me also turn the Punjabi way! Differing backgrounds, different families, and different aspirations to make it in Amreeka all in the way they have mentally prepared.

Meet Akhil Arora, the protagonist of this story, your goody goody boy and the eye of all the studious lot. In his portrayal the author has given us a valuable friend and advices galore just in case you are preparing for GRE or even the idea of America in a different vein.

He has a girl friend in Nandita, who actually gets introduced during their first flight onward to Amreeka and the blossoming of the relationship is beautifully woven without the extreme characterization that you normally find with the characters in love.

Then you have Jaspreet, oops he’s gonna kill me for calling him that name, its actually Jassi if you wana call him that.

He is your quintessential American addict or the dude who thinks that all women behave like they show on MTV.  Its his adventures which make it pretty interesting and gives a lot of insights into why there is so much we misunderstand American Culture. Oh I forgot he is the biggest fan of Pamelaji! Now dont ask me who is Pamelaji!

Its a nice story of all these three characters and more,  the families, the student friends at the campus, the life and times of these people in a new land and how they get transformed, adapted and make a beginning like no other. It casts the best of human frailties and emotional setbacks in an academic environment and transports us to the lives of these people over the two years they spend graduating from the University.

It also portrays how we stereotype the America Desi and for a change this book revels around the true picture without taking the liberty to be a novel. Its a pretty close to heart narration that makes you turn page after page till the end.

You will probably yearn to know – what would happen to Jassi, and curse Akhil when he does the worst and feel bad for Nandita during the course of the reading. The best part of this is the characters might be close to someone you know and may be someone you may meet in the future.

A class act, I would say some of the instances in the story like Akhil making his effort to convince Nandita’s parents, though it would seem filmy, it was grounded. Sprinkled with wit and laced with humour, this is an easy and a fast paced read that you would enjoy any time and I am sure yo uwould put it down only when you finish it. You would really have a new idea of America and also start loving your own country as much as you will start appreciating the diversity and the Indianess  associated with us. I have been asked to use the word appreciate. Hope the Americans appreciate that.

Absolutely great read and an awesome debut in this genre for young people, and according to me  the sense of humour it evokes is its biggest achievement.

Thanks to Nimi – The Readers Cosmos   Review Program for the opportunity to review this book.

To know more about the book : http://book.amreekandesi.com/ and for some excerpts of the book go here: http://book.amreekandesi.com/excerpts/

Senthilkumar Rajappan