Book Review: The Demons of Jaitraya

Indian mythology and epics are rich with diversity and many loopholes for artists to create marvels and write works that would spark the readers' interest right from their titles. “The Demons of Jaitraya” by Shubira Prasad is an example that can be mentioned here. As intense as the title, equally exceptional is the book cover. The readers are instantly attracted to the book and are prompted to read it at once.

Prasad constructs a world that is an offspring of the post-Ramayan war scenario. The characters are shown to live their lives in the present day, and with a touch of destiny, they acquire their destined roles when the time calls for it. The readers get engrossed in “The Demons of Jaitraya” the moment they begin reading the prologue. Prasad’s style is characteristic of the dreaminess of the plot and making the readers more and more enthusiastic. It also has an air of divinity that pervades the atmosphere of the book from the first page itself. She resorts to frequent shifts of narratives and swings the dialogues between the first and third person as per the requirement of the text. This frequent change of narratives also shifts the positions of the readers where at one time they are directly involved in the action, and the next moment, they are distant.

“The Demons of Jaitraya” is likely to appeal instantly to people who are fond of mythological reading and also those who intend to venture into this booming genre of Indian literary writing. Prasad creates a unique space for herself due to the language that she uses and the patience with which she builds the fabric of the book. She takes time in building up the characters and also share minute details that would otherwise slip from the observation of the readers. The lives of people, how things change for the better, how these changes bring out the necessary changes in human beings, and how time chisels the hidden qualities of human beings would be some of the basic observations of the readers. Apart from this, another observable characteristic of the work is the naming of the chapters. Prasad keeps the titles short and crisp, and even if they say everything, there is a lot hidden to be unveiled. It also shows the research and homework the author did before giving words to her thoughts. The readers are likely to remain engaged throughout the book and would only want to keep coming back to reread the book.