Book Review: Mokshaa

Literature and the forms of writing have been developed mainly by the male folk and  the portrayal of women been has also come from the pen of male writers. But some situations and predicaments can only be understood and described by women themselves. One of the finest examples in this regard is Haritha Sivakumar’s novel, “Mokshaa”.

Both the title and the cover of the book keep the readers in suspense and they can hardly even guess what the book could be about. This is one of the first factors that catches the attention of the readers and they are able to think of the plot only when they read the subtitle. 

Even then, as they begin the story, the prologue only serves to highten their interest and make them wonder as to what would be the events that would follow further. As the story develops further, the readers get to learn and understand the issues of a woman from the point of view of a woman and written by a woman too. Sivakumar develops the powerful character of Mokshaa who not only becomes an instant favourite among the readers but her impact is such that the readers start seeing things the way she sees and also understand her viewpoint closely. The author keeps the development of the plot at a fine pace and the readers engaged throughout without letting them lose track even for a single moment. 

Sivakumar’s writing on women and the issue of prenatal depression is something that can keep “Mokshaa” in the canon on Indian literary writing. The readers who want to read somepowerful content which could make them think should try reading “Mokshaa” for not just its fineness of plot and characters but also for the issues that the author has discussed. 

Book Review: Wild World

There was a time when Rudyard Kipling had taken the readers on the flight of his imagination in “The Jungle Book”. In this, a modern relfection of Kipling can be seen in “Wild Wold: The Adventures of Bali and Bhola” by Deepak Arora. For once, it may seem to be inspired by Kipling but reading, the book clearly assumes an individuality of its own and keeps the readers fixed. 

The readers are attracted to the substance of the book from the very cover and are well aware that they are in for something interesting. The story may be in the fable form, yet there is the presence of humans or human activities here and there. That provides the element of modernity and the touch of the present. The readers get a clear view of how human activities have affected animal lives. This makes the reading of the open to readers of all ages. Since the book has pictures here and there, young children are likely to enjoy it. Parents who want to develop reading habits in their children and go for this book and can try reading it themselves too.

Book Review: Binge and Nothingness

As times have changed, so has the lifestyle of people. As a result, the problems and situations they face prevail but are slightly different with the changing time. Juan Kaius’, “Binge and Nothingness” is an embodiment of the spirit of the present time and a thorough representation of the situation of the modern day youth.

The fact that the story features a 25 year old does fair justice to its generation but his story maybe the story of any 30 year old too. The author maintains the Camus like starkness of reality and the existentialist crisis that a person with a lifestyle relying heavily on fulfiling himself through external pleasures has. All the circumstances presented make the story directly relatable for a majority of readers as the author makes the reality hit the head and heart with the strongest impact. The book is short, but the impact casted on readers is way beyond in terms of time.

The book features not just the manner in which the author observes and explains things but also how he keeps the facts in their raw form without any tampering or subduing them. Readers of the present generation who have the courage to face things the way they are should read “Binge and Nothingness” as it strikes the right chord with the present day generation flawlessly and effortlessly. 

Book Review: Yours Truly

From the cover itself, “Yours Truly” by Anandarupa Chakrabarti presents itself as a soothing sight, as an image of relaxation for all readers. The readers are ready to read this personal form of writing by the author which strikes the right chord everytime a reader reads through.

As the author mentions, “Yours Truly” is specifically written for the present tough times when life is uncertain and nothing is assured. The book may seem to be written in the form of poetry, but above everything, it is more of a collection of letters. This makes the address of the poet even more personal and reaches much closer to the reader. As Chakrabarti begins every chapter, she starts with a powerful quote or saying which relates to the content she would talk about on the following page. This adds weight to her writing and also shows how well read the author herself is. All readers who are looking for a short light reading can try reading this book.

Book Review: The Final Weekend

When life is about to change, everyone wants to take a leap into the past and relive what they will be missing out in the coming future. “The Final Weekend: A Stoned Tale” by Neal Cassidy is a reflection of this thought. The novel, being told through the eyes of the characters themselves gives the plot a unique hold which keeps the readers interested in the lives of the characters at a personal level. Due to this technique, the characters come across as more realistic and may also be relatable for many.

How they decide for a weekend getaway and the events that happen in that span of time is basically what the book is about. Despite the length of the book being a little longer than usual book lengths these days, the readers remain interested throughout and keep observing the behaviours of the characters through their actions and their words. All readers who want to understand the states of mind of people who are oving from one phase to another and at the same time want to get the flavour of comedy and humor should try reading “The Final Weekend”.

Book Review: Age of the Imperfect Leader

As it is said, that no human is perfect, this trait goes along for life. This is the reason why everyone strives hard to get better at what they do and how to make themselves better. “Age of the Imperfect Leader: Leading from strength” is one such remarkable writing by Pawan Verma in this light.

Through the book, the author suggests that there are different circumstances and situations which carve out the leader in a person. He divides the book broadly into 3 parts wherein her explores different situations on the basis of what he says in the introduction, “my conversation with myself”. Through his personal experience, he intends to enrich the readers and help them become better and more skilled in achieving their targets. This is one of the few books that all readers should read, irrespective what genre they enjoy the most. A chance to get better and learn more is no less than an opportunity to grow, after all.

Book Review: The Destiny's Child Enima

A book which has the right combination of all elements becomes an interesting and thrilling read for every reader. If the book caters to the needs of not just the young folk but the grown up people then that only means that it would be read much more widely and perhaps beyond the expectation of the author. The same case seems possible on reading “The Destiny’s Child Enima” by the young writer Salma Afreen. In her work, she takes the readers on a magical spin in a world which is more or less not projected in the present day writings. This vintage and touch of the classic is what makes her book an inviting read for readers of all genres.

In simple terms, the book is definitely about kings, queens, royalty, evil, and other such salient features which gives the glimpses of the fairytale touch by the author and at the same time it also addresses other issues which are relevant in the present world. These issues include gender bias, subjugation of women, universal human nature of jealousy, faithfulness, loyalty and most importantly, the role of fate or destiny in the life of any person. These are the different factors that combine together to form an interesting and captivating book to keep the readers interested and willing to read through. But, the interesting fact is that these issues are never mentioned directly anywhere. The readers have to be wise and prudent to read between the lines and understand the author’s hints and by staying in tune with the words she has written.

The young author shows her talent of writing and influence of the classics in the language that she uses and the manner in which she constructs the characters. The characters surprise the readers by their behavior and actions and even though the chapter names make the plot a little predictable, yet the readers are tempted to read and go through the whole book without leaving any page unturned. The author keeps the readers engaged with her skill of narration and the Shakespearean touch that she gives her characters without holding the strings too tight. She allows the characters to take control and come to the Centre stage to perform their actions and let the readers be the moral judges of them. The manner in which Afreen develops the plot is also smooth but by keeping twists and turns here and there, she manages to reach the nerve of the readers making them hold on to the book till the very end.

The cover of the book has been kept simple but that may mislead the readers and the saying “Never judge a book by its cover” is proven true as the readers flip through the pages. The cover may show a girl trying to reach out to the moon but there is a lot more to that. The destiny of the protagonist, Enima remains in the background and despite the readers being aware, they still want to see how the events unfold how the girl’s destiny turns the cards and times of her life. Other than this, the author uses image illustration only towards the end, which gives a feeling of closure to the readers by the time they finish the book.

Afreen has displayed her skills and talents as a writer which are likely to blossom into a more refined version of her present writing and the readers can expect a lot of strong work that may be inspired from reality and would also discuss the modern day issues which are relatable for the present day people. “The Destiny’s Child Enima” may carry the aura of the vintage and classical, but the problems that the characters are confronted with makes it realistic and close to life. This nudge towards reality makes the book a work of relevance for not just the present time but also later times. It sort of makes the work universally relevant as these issues would never lose their contemporaneity. 

Perhaps, there is no reader in the present day who has not heard about fairy tales. “The Destiny’s Child Enima” does have the touches of fairy tales but at the same time the hints to issues of social relevance make the book a modern version of fairy tales. This is what makes the book a recommended read for not just young children but grown up people too. Readers who are looking for some light reading where they can take a plunge into their imagination and reach the kingdom of kings and queens should try reading “The Destiny’s Child Enima”. There is an amalgamation of love, romance, tension, and conspiracy that makes the book a combination of all the elements readers may be looking for to refresh themselves with some light reading.