Book Review: Men and dreams in Dhauladhar

In a time when we are spreading awareness regarding the grave danger our environment is in, Men and dreams in the Dhauladhar by Kochery C. Shibu is one interesting book which focuses on the important subject of man and nature. The very title itself is a signifier of this idea, of how man is at constant war with nature and  affecting not just nature but also the people living in harmony with nature. This is the central idea and the very essence of the book.

The author explores diverse and a variety of subjects in his book which is more or less an introduction to his craft and power as a writer. The subject he chose to write on is very critical and he seems to have done a lot of research work before plunging into writing the story.

The most gripping facts are the plotline and the lively characters the author has created. This exemplifies the talent and skill of the author. Since the subject of the book is about man and nature, the appeal of the book goes on to all age groups.

Book Review: Chand Ehsaas (Poetry Collection)

My review of a hindi poetry collection 

https://criticspace.com/2019/11/15/book-review-chand-ehsas-criticspace-2/

Book Review: Footprints (Poetry Collection)

My review of an interesting collection of poetry 

https://criticspace.com/2019/11/19/book-review-footprints-criticspace/

Book Review: The half mother

Since common people only get to hear the media version of Kashmir, the story from only one side, Shahnaz Bashir, in his "The half mother" makes a bold effort to present the story of the other side. His attempt is a daring feat because being a male, he takes the task of portraying and narrating the story and emotions of a woman. The Half Mother is a powerful account of what a mother feels and goes through when her child is taken away from her infront of her eyes.

This is the main theme around which the entire narrative revolves. There are other minor themes and issues that the author attempts to raise here. These are, the position of women, loss mistaken identity, relationships, love, family, political manipulation, subjugation of common man.

The power of Bashir is such that this idea of half resonates throughout the text and gives jolts to the reader. Resultant of this, the reader is helplessly sympathetic towards the protagonist, Haleema but at the same time is in awe of her powerful transformation from a mute, voiceless, crying mother to becoming the leader of the Association of Relatives of the Disappeared Persons.

The two most important men in her life, her life, her father Ab Jaan and Imran also emerge as lively and realistic characters. They both meet their tragic fates which infuses pathos in Bashir's writing. Bashir's debut with this powerful and daring writing successfully gives voice to the women who suffer the most, especially mothers. They remain half not just as mothers but also in every phase of their lives.

Book Review: That thing about you

On reading the title, "That thing about you" by Abhaidev, it seems like a conventional love story. But on reading, the reader gets to know the subject matter is completely different. The beginning is quite abrupt breaking the illusion if the novel being a romantic text.

As the novel progresses  the reader finds out the other themes that the author intended to explore: aloofness and loneliness in the mundane city life, love, relationships, family, maturity, acceptance in society, the psychological effects on a person of rejection and non acceptance. 

The protagonist, Subodh is not accepted by his office mates because of his "immaturity". This makes him feel out of place and different from everyone else and eventually making him feel aloof and uncomfortable in opening up to anyone. The rest of the events in the story are a result of this. The most interesting is the twist the twist the author gives towards the end. It is completely beyond the wits and expectations of the reader. The appeal of the novel is not limited to any age group. Everyone can read it due to the simple language and the air of mystery the author creates from the beginning.

Book Review: Ishq Wala love 2

Love does Conquer All

As soon as I finished Sabira Mallick's "Ishq Wala Love 2", the first thing I remembered was Chaucer's Prioress of his Canterbury Tales and her pendant which said, "Love Conquers All". At the surface level the novel is a love story but the dimensions it explores are different. The novel explores the power of the connection and bond love creates among human beings. So much so that without actual communication senses work and develop as instincts.The power and strength love for someone can give is explored in the story. 

It can be said that the story is a step beyond or the next level of the college romance "Love Never Dies" by the author. Here the struggle for the lovers was to get united in matrimony. But in "Ishqwala Love 2" the story begins after the marriage of the protagonists. This is what makes the book interesting to be read not just youngsters but adults also. The cover of the book shows the protagonists together and surrounded by fire. That clears that they are at each other's side and against the world.

The style of writing is casual and serious at the same time. When the lovers are shown together, it becomes casual and full of love. But when the situation changes, so does the style become serious. The plot is swift and action packed. The reader doesn't get bored or lose track of what comes next. The characters are very lively and realistic with human qualities and flaws. How love affects people differently is also explored in the different characters who the author creates as villains.

One remarkable fact about the novel is that it is a modern romance where the beloved is not docile and voiceless as in Spenser's "Epithalamion". Rather she is bold, daring, wise and more powerful than her male counterpart. She is prudent and knows managing and balancing the situation. Today's women can relate more closely with such a character.

It is a one time read for all those who want a glimpse of life after the happily ever after (marriage of the lovers).

Book Review: Love Never dies

One of the books that explores the story after the happily ever after

Read for more

http://www.merrybrains.com/book-reviews/book-review-love-never-dies-by-sabira-mallick/

Book Review: Chand Ehsas

The first poetry collection I have reviewed. Best thing, it has poetry of all shades 

Read for more details:

https://criticspace.com/2019/11/15/book-review-chand-ehsas-criticspace-2/

Book Review: Walks through life

One of my few reviews of short stories collection. All stories of different styles and different genres, yet interesting to read. Read further here: http://www.merrybrains.com/book-reviews/book-review-walks-through-life-stories-by-santhosh-komaraju/

Book Review: One precious moment

A tale reminiscent of Nicholas Sparks, must read for all those who believe in love. Read for more:

http://www.merrybrains.com/book-reviews/book-review-one-precious-moment-by-ritu-kakar/

Book Review: Lute of the Nightingale

A different text from the mainstream writing, it held my grip from beginning to the end. Read the review further:

https://criticspace.com/2019/11/17/book-review-lute-of-the-nightingale-criticspace/

Book Review: The Dark Lord

In this mesmerizingly enthralling tale, the author attempts to connect the myth and the reality. Unlike mainstream contemporary writing, Sharma has a different story to tell the readers hoping to hear something different. 

As the title suggests, the story is about the darker side of the universe, the side which the readers may have only heard about but not read. The most interesting aspect of the book is the fact that the reader is on his toes till the end and the author cleverly gives interesting descriptions and turn of events time and time again. 

Must read for all age groups and definitely for ones looking beyond cult writing. 

Book Review: Call me Al

After writing the first novel, "The still point of the turning world" which was limited to college campus and terrorism effects on youth, Sheikh takes up the same subject charged with political flavour in his "Call me Al" He goes beyond college students and explores the life of a much mature and older character that he creates. At the surface level, the novel is about a person’s rise to power in his lifetime and all the ways he takes to reach that position. The life of the lead character Al (short for Almataash) is covered through the narratives of George Gary Grefory Jaffar (also called as GGGJ in the text seeing and narrating Al’s past), Almataash himself (narrating his present) and Edwin ‘Ned’ Steinberg (who is seeing and narrating Al’s future).  The interesting fact is that GGGJ and Ned are murdered by Al in the initial stages of the novel and the narrative is told by their spirits. By this, the author cleverly concocts this life and the afterlife.
One of the issues raised are GGGJ, the reporter’s hatred for Almataash as he knew Al was only an evil person. Other issue is Ned’s lonely life and his desire for love and and his death show how consuming one's career and job can be. So much so that they may earn and still they can not fulfill their own desires. Also, the plight of Indians gone to Pakistan after partition and not accepted as Pakistanis is discussed. They are called "second class" citizens, denied jobs and marriage proposals as the author has clearly highlighted. 
The most noticeable is the political tinge and an insight into how dirty and inhuman politics can be. This is most apparent on observing Al and his actions. The fact that he is the mastermind behind everything and yet given charge of taking care of public interest by offering him the most prominent political position makes it ironical. 
Everyone fears him and at the same time is in awe of him. But the reporter GGGJ knew Al was only doing evil and intended to kill him if given an opportunity. This intention of trying to end evil earns him a place in heaven in afterlife. Ned sees the future of Al and realizes his mistake of not protecting himself. But later he does wish for Al to suffer and his suffering comes in the most unexpected forms.
Al is not a round character but still different shades of his personality are visible. That makes him worth being placed in the title. Altamaash is shortened to Al and he tells people to call him Al (also implying Allah). This may mean he thought of himself as God. There are constant references to Al's body being fat and bulky. Perhaps the author suggested that size does not matter when brain is much more active. Massive size without any muscle and just fat can also evoke awe among all. The muscular Ned is one example of that. Politics and terrorism are interrelated. Al may not be a branded terrorist but his acts are no less than that.
Al is a bit selective about loving also. He loves his mother and daughter dearly, but ordered the murdering of his father. He idealized his grandfather but didn't mind his wife being sacrificed even when he was well aware how it would affect his daughter. Also, he is one smart fellow as he ensured his involvement never becomes obvious in all the acts that happen miles away in Pakistan while he is in England in exile. The back cover says he was an entertainer, but there are no instances in the text where he is shown entertaining anyone as such. Despite Al doing all heinous acts to get to the position is he is at, Sheikh develops him in such a way that the reader can not completely hate him or love him. His past and future are clearly shown but the exact reason and the events that led to his exile are not told clearly.
GGGJ and Ned fade away a little in Al's presence as the reader is never able to forget Al or think of what his next move could be. One noticeable thing appeared that GGGJ and Ned are murdered but there is no follow up investigation the readers get to know of. Does that mean that Al manipulated even the England investigation system? And why are there no relatives of either of the victims to inquire? Al did get punished by God for his deeds but that's a moral justification. What about justice at human level? 
The basic theme seems to be the moral lesson of suffering if you do evil. Al commits all atrocities, murders people, orders mass massacre but when it's his turn to suffer, he becomes a pitiable figure. 
The novel has sights of bloodshed and violence. The mob is manipulated and instigated into whatever Al wanted. This instigation and manipulation can be connected to today's incidents of mob lynching. Also, the value of a human's life is questioned through the acts of Al. He ordered the murder of anyone anytime for even slightest contraction. Blind hero-worship is also another interesting aspect of the novel. The case of A.D is one instance in this regard. His nephew's dying and his life's savings gone is not something he's sad about, on the contrary he's proud to have contributed in Al's revolution. Al's reactions to this are also noteworthy. This is relatable to the present scenario where people blindly start following anyone. (Asaram bapu, baba ram rahim) ignoring all the wrong deeds they did.
The women in Al's life are very different. His mother seems to never comment or guide or rebuke her son for all he does. Or perhaps she's completely ignorant of everything. Al's wife is also a bit contradictory as a person. She willingly followed him in exile, got married to him but she didn't want to give birth to his child and has no compassion for him at all.
The novel is a fictional account but the references to cities makes the fictional text seem realistic. Al’s character seems to come to life due to his directly telling  the reader about his thoughts. The coded names that Al keeps of people he knows and the ones in power more or less make the recall the actual political personalities of Pakistan. (1,069 words)

Book Review: Love in the time of Affluenza

Fairy tales have taught us in childhood that getting married to the person you love meant a happily ever after. Spenser wrote his Amoretti sonnets in this light and more or less similar were Austen's concerns in her novels. It was implicit that everything would naturally fall in place. Truth is, the real game begins thereafter. How things go about when people play that game is what Shunali Khullar Shroff's maiden fiction "Love in the time of Affluenza" is about. It explores love, relationships and changing nature of marriage through the eyes of the protagonist, Natasha Singh. 
The central issue if the novel is extra marital affairs. The concept is quite in trend in this time in metropolitans. The author examines the question of it being wrong or right.  When discovered as an accomplice, our innocent narrator appears like a Christ figure punished by just everyone. That seemed far too stretched. Her husband's punishing her so much seemed irrational and not completely called for. Whether she is able to reconcile her differences with Nakul or not remains unsaid. 
To a certain extent, the author tries to find out the possible reasons also but not in much depth. Why exactly Trisha and Nakul in the novel become estranged is not told. The uncertainty  of the future of their twins remains unanswered. It is clear that even if one marries for love, relationships can still be complicated. The author harps on "the connection" necessary for a happily ever after. But seeing that as the plot progresses, it seems too ideal and unrealistic. 
In between all this, the author successfully creates 3 vivacious women characters with completely different personalities. They are matched up with their equally lively male counterparts. One is a homemaker who left her career to raise her children (Natasha), another is the unmarried, career-oriented woman, free-spirited woman (Nafisa), and the third who brings in the moral question (Trisha). 
The narrator's husband did not give her time and that clearly is one reason the author gives for these out of wedlock activities. 
The narrator throws and also is a part of the grand page 3 type parties due to the aristocratic and royal background of her husband. Famous Bollywood celebrities and also British royalty appear in these parties. Sometimes the description is elaborate enough to actually see the page 3 come to life.
The language is simple with some touches of wit and sarcasm to make the reader smile. It has lines in hindi here and there to make it sound more Indian than it is. The plot is linear without any digressions or flashbacks and the narrator keeps updating the reader herself. This makes the novel an easy read for an average reader. 
Other issues include the acknowledgment if the importance of the role of a homemaker, the issues with in-laws (predicted in many daily soaps), and most importantly, parenting. How the behavior of parents affects and how the environment at home is important in the upbringing of children remains in the background.

Book Review: Yes, I met maruti

The title makes it amply clear if the book being about a meeting with lord Hanuman, a.k.a Maruti. The story is tightly knit around the protagonist Jay and the events in his life. How his love for someone brings the best out of him and stimulates his desires to achieve his dreams.
The author focuses on the themes of success and sacrifice but at the same time also raises the issues of education, how the Indian education system affects young minds, pressure on children, caste, society, morals and love (of different forms) and above all, friendship.
A definite read for all, the story holds the reader to the very end, even making him/her read the narrative frame of the author and the tourist. This gives him a chance to glorify and praise his home city. The frequent references to Bollywood music and movies shows the importance of cinema for an Indian which connects him more to the plotline. The sacrifice Maruti demands for keeps hold of the reader's imagination till the end of the story. The idea of success at the cost of sacrifice is repeated at the beginning and the end too. Being well aware of some sacrifice to happen, the reader can least guess what it could be about. Since the characterizations involve people of different age groups, it is a good read for all age groups.