In The Realm of Demons-Imran Kureshi

Book: In The Realm of Demons

Author: Imran Kureshi

Publisher: Juggernaut India

We all have heard about stories of haunting of places around us right? Many a times we have visited a fort or a derelict place only to hear a terrible story behind the ruins?

In The Realm of Demons by Imran Kureshi is a horror story which begins in the pre-partition India. The story begins in the Royal Palace of Hashtpur. Our protagonist Mehran, or Meeru, lives in the palace with his widowed mother. Apart from Meeru and his mother, the other occupants of the palace are his uncle, the Nawab, his second wife, and Meeru’s cousin Koyel. The family has a curse on them which has becomes active on the night when the moon becomes red. On such a fateful day, the heir of Hashtpur gets beheaded. With ample historical events, the family believes the curse to be true and when the moon turns red this time, fear starts coursing through the family. Tragedy occurs when on one such red moon night, Koyel gets taken by the curse.

What happens next takes us through a ride through the world of demons, monsters and nagins. Mehran is determined to find Koyel and he takes up the adventure that takes him from Pakistan to Tibet and then back to Hashtpur where we see our protagonist face his fears.

I generally do not opt for horror as a genre, but this book did compel me to take this ride. Designed beautifully, the cover is an instant attraction for everyone who loves a wonderful book.

Talking about the characters, most of the book deals with Mehran who is our protagonist. Multiple incidents paint a picture of Meeru as a character. Faced with supernatural entities on the way of finding his soulmate, he takes each step with bravado and is quick in making decisions. He is a family man and decides to move his family out of harm’s way before he begins his quest. In Tibet, he is faced with unimaginable horrors but again perseveres in the face of hardship. Imran has patiently introduced all the antagonists that we encounter throughout the story. The halfling that follows Mehran is described vividly and his powers even more so. His cohorts are also described in detail and we can imagine the scenes as they play out. Other demons that we encounter include the Air-demon who is a major plot twist in the story, a friendly demon and some weird demons. All in all, it is a hero-wins-all story with the protagonist jumping hoops to finally cross the finish line.

The plot of the book is good with some wonderful plot points and unexpected turns. The book turns a bit boring for a bit in the middle but the last couple of chapters make up for it. The Climax is beautifully done, though expected, the execution is interesting. A bit more of context to the curse could have been a value addition to the plot but that is just an additional thing that could have come up.

For me, the book scores a 3.8/5.

The Hidden One-Ruchir Gupta

Book: The Hidden One (The Untold Story of Aurengzeb's Daughter)

Author: Ruchir Gupta

Publisher: Platinum Press (Leadstart Publication)

Family is something we trust blindly, right? They can go to any extent to protect us and do what it takes to be on our side. But what happens when your family is your nemesis?

Set in 1658, The Hidden One is set after the events of the play for the throne of the Mughal Empire after Aurangzeb imprisons Shah Jahan, murders his brothers, seizes the throne of Delhi and proclaims himself as the emperor. His reign is a story of tyranny, invading his neighbors, religious intolerance by destroying temples and churches and banning the music and the arts. During this time, Aurangzeb’s daughter Zebunissa forms a secret poetic society called the Makhfi (Hidden One in Persian). Though it is a society to promote the arts on the outside, Zebunissa uses the arts to plot and plan rebellions to overthrow her father and restore justice in the kingdom. How Makhfi influences the turn of historical events is the plot of The Hidden One.

The Hidden One is part-fiction-part-history. As described by the Author, the Makhfi did indeed exist but he intermingled it with the historical events to create the plot. The book progresses through the eyes of Zebunissa and we get to see the transformation of Mughal India into decline. Makhfi, though lost in history, deserves its place in history and that is what the author attempts to do.

The book is the second one in The Mughal Intrigues series by the author, though it can be read independently as well. The plot of the book is beautifully crafted with twists and turns at unexpected points. With many powerful characters like Zebunissa, Jahanara, Raushanara and the others, each of them gives their unique flavor to the plot. Cold and calculating Raushanara, Ruthless Aurangzeb, Assertive Zebunissa, each of them has a role in the events. The poetry in the book is amazing and has been taken from the actual writings of Zebunissa, hence should not be skipped. They are an integral part of the plot. The story is gripping with emotional upheavals at many points.

A special mention to the cover art of the book which is truly beautiful with many hidden elements.

Ruchir Gupta has created a wonderful account of what could have happened in this game of thrones of the Mughal empire. The events are described in detail. The ending of the book is truly heart wrenching and emotional.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, do give this one a read. 

I would give this book 4.25/5.

Heartquake-K.Vijayakarthikeyan

Book: Heartquake

Author: K. Vijayakarthikeyan

Publisher: Rupa Publications

All of us have questioned the workings of the political systems of our country. So much so, it has become a part of the regular conversations. The question still remains, what have done to improve the situation?

The protagonist of Heartquake, Vikram is an IAS officer, determined to expose a corrupt and powerful minister of Uttar Pradesh, Rudra Pratap Singh aka RPR. The book opens in the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussorie. We see Rakesh sneaking out of the hostel as he has other plans for his career, but persuaded by Vikram, returns to LBSNAA.

The next day, it is informed to Vikram that he has been chosen as the chief escort for RPR who was visiting the campus. Sensing an opportunity, Vikram decides to hold a QnA session with RPR. For which he gets the permission but only after he gets his questions approved. Vikram, being true to his self, bombards RPR on questions about corruption on the stage, which was secretly being live streamed by Rakesh on Instagram, despite no press being allowed into the event. RPR, angry and embarrassed, walks out of LBSNAA but the video becomes viral. Another friend of Vikram’s, Jaidev, had interjected as well from the audience during the session. Instead of getting Vikram suspended, RPR assaults Vikram’s family and gets him posted in Laxmipur, his backyard.

However, a new drama unfolds when Vikram gets to Laxmipur. A large number of unexplained heart attacks happen in the area in a short while. Though seemingly incredulous, it takes epidemic proportions and Vikram decides to take matter into his own hands and investigate. With him is Veda, a cardiologist and Raghu, a police officer.

Heartquake is a fast-paced thriller with 2 intertwined plotlines running almost simultaneously. We see tension brewing between Vikram and RPR at multiple times during the story. We also see Vikram trying to understand the curious medical emergency that has grappled Laxmipur. Utilizing his background as a medico-turned-bureaucrat, the author has given authenticity to the characters. Vikram is created as a perfect image of a public servant, working to save the people and to root out corruption from the system. His explanation for the epidemic is quite technical and well described. The book stays true to the genre and the thrill remains quite till the end. The other characters are crafted well as well. Veda as the medical professional and Vikram’s friend supports the second plotline of the story. His friend, Jaidev’s turn to activism after the incident in LBSNAA is quite understandable. The character of RPR is very relatable and can be placed easily in the context of electoral politics.

The book moves quite fast. Personally, I would have liked to see more altercations between RPR and Vikram. It would have added a bit more of interest into the story. Though the build up of the thrill is good, it does fizzle out quickly, again, I would have preferred a bit more of a buildup in this context.

But again, as a fast-paced book, it is crafted well enough.

Heartquake scores a 3.5/5 for me.

IM So Hacked-Gautam Mayekar

Book: !M S0 H@CK3D

Author: Gautam Mayekar

Publisher: Jufic Books (Leadstart Corp)

How secure are you while you browse the internet? Isn’t it the latest fad to have a Internet-enabled TV or maybe go up a notch and have IoT enabled gadgets controlling your house? Makes you pretty safe seeing a CCTV camera?

What if one day you wake up and find out you are no longer in control of your own house, own computer or for that matter your mind?

Welcome to Avidit’s world, or should I say @v!, as he calls himself. A hacker who works for India’s numero uno antivirus company as a security researcher and at night, crawls the deep recesses of the darkweb into the hacking forums. A general recluse, he despises his routine office work and lacks purpose in his life. Everything changes when he receives a letter from a person calling himself M@dR1; a revolutionary who wants to change the world. To convince @v!, he uses his horrific past to motivate him into doing what he wants, which begins with a not so damaging task of shutting down the internet of the entire city. Just the beginning, the innocuous hack transforms into a complex web of interconnected events leading to a major cyber attack that rocks the foundation of the country’s technological unit with the help of @v!’s friends, $@m and K!LL3R.

!M S0 H@CK3D is a book that keeps you on your toes all the time. The plot of the book is tightly bound and keeps you engaged. With common yet not-so-common hacking terms like DDOS and XSS are used but explained in detail, thus help keep the reader understand the technical aspects and keep track with what is happening in the plot. Moving along the plot at a brisk pace, you are sure to make some assumptions that are confirmed in the penultimate chapter of the book. Relating with Avidit with his corporate life is easy for any person who is working in that setup. For a person who is into hacking or understands the concepts, this book is going to be a wonderful ride.

The book also has some wonderful song recommendations and my personal suggestion would be to plug in your earphones and listen to the songs as they come into the plot and them move ahead. This would enhance your reading experience multifold.

The characters of @v!, M@dR!, $@m and K!LL3R are wonderfully crafted with careful details and specific roles each of them plays in the plot development. The character arcs move without a hitch and close all loose ends at the end in an amazing manner.

The title of the book is just apt and will become crystal clear one you read the book.

The plot twist at the end is just mindblowing and will make you question the very concept of Hacking! Just for this, I am adding half-a-star to the rating.

A sure shot recommendation for your TBRs, I will give the book 4.5/5.

The Code of Manavas (Maha Vishnu Trilogy-1)-Arpit Bakshi

Book: The Code of Manavas (Maha Vishnu Trilogy-1)

Author: Arpit Bakshi

Publisher: Rupa Publications

Everyday we hear of the environment getting degraded. With every technological leap that mankind has taken, nature has paid the price. With pollution levels extremely high and shortage of basic necessities like water, what is the future of mankind?

The Code of Manavas by Arpit Bakshi is set some 2 million years past 2050, which was when Earth, as we know it, ceased to exist and so is mankind. The planet, now known as Bhoomi, is divided into 2 city-states-Ayudhpur & Madhavpur. The protagonist is Krishna, who in the earlier days was a scientist and a researcher, working on ways to save the planet at NYCAR in USA. He developed a chemical called Bhoomidium which helped in stabilizing the crust of the Earth as well as develop the humans into a more advanced version of themselves, called the Manavas.

The plot of the book is basically set in Madhavpur, which is a technologically advanced city with all modern technologies like MagVahn or Maglev Trains, Invisibility Suits, Space travel and Supercomputers-Samganak & Paramganak. The Manavas have developed exceptional powers through Bhoomidium and thus are categorized between CD3++ (lowest) to CD1++ (highest). This is basically the level of development of the Cortex and determines a person’s intellect.

Krishna, long with his friend and colleague Mohan are working on a project called Café Evolution, which seeks to seek a solution to the declining condition of the Bhoomi’s Crust. Through his research, they manage to find a plane resembling Bhoomi called Prithvi-1408, where they observe and seed life and allow it to develop through evolution.

But like all good things, this one also has an enemy, one who wants to subjugate all Manavas.

Will the Swarnim Yuga of the Manavas end at the hands of this enemy?

Would Krishna be the savior of all?

The book is very well written. Arpit has combined mythology, fantasy and Science Fiction to create a wonderful and unique narrative. Basing the story on mythological characters and current situations gives it a different vibe to it. Coupled with unique yet simple names of Bhoomidium, MagVahn, Brahmportation etc., the book is easy to picture. Another interesting fact about the plot is that all characters of the book, Krishna, Vallabha, Gopal, Mohan etc. are named after different names of Krishna. The Character development of all the characters is done perfectly with details given vividly. Apart from Madhavpur, the glance at Ayudhpur is subtly done, which is ruled by Shriram, another veiled reference to the mythology.

Setting the stage for a beautiful plot, The Maha Vishnu Trilogy should be a definite entry in your TBRs.

I would rate the book 4/5.

Ravana (Enemy of Aryavarta)-Amish

Book: Ravana-Enemy of Aryavarta

Author: Amish

Publisher: Westland India

The long-awaited book in the Ramchandra Series, Ravana-Enemy of Aryavarta is the third book in the series.

To give you context of the plot, the Ramchandra Series is based on a multilinear narrative that explores the paths of the 3 main characters-Ram, Sita & Ravana in three separate books that culminate at one common point, which in this case is the abduction of Sita. The previous two books, Ram-Scion of Ikshvaku & Sita-Warrior of Mithila set the characters of Sita and Ram into the plot devised by Amish.

Ravana-Enemy of Aryavarta begins way before Ram & Sita were born. Starting with the childhood, we are introduced to the life of Ravana in the Ashram of Vishrava, his father. Being born a Naga, he faces constant ridicule of his father and starts to despise him. Things take a turn when Vishrava’s wife, Kaikesi delivers Kumbhakarna, another Naga. Facing ridicule from his clan, he had ordered them to kill Kaikesi and the child if he was a Naga. Saved by her brother, Mareech, they run to save their lives. What happens next, continues to mould Ravana’s life and his actions as we see them.

The book skips to specific instances in Ravana’s life. We see Ravana dissecting a live hare when he was barely a child, we see a brilliant strategist when he negotiates with Akampana for his ship and the way he deals with Kubaer in Lanka. We see an Artist who creates wonderful melodies with his Rudraveena. We also see an unrequited lover, paining to see the woman he fell in love with, A Kanyakumari he met in Vishrava’s Ashram when he was a kid. He continues to paint her portrait, imagining her age in his mind. We see Ravana as a devoted brother, who would do anything for Kumbhakarna.

Another point that Amish makes in the story is how Ravana was used as a pawn by Vishwamitra to catalyse the chain of events leading to Sita’s Kidnapping. Even though the actions of Ravana were truly his own, his being played by Vishwamitra turned things for the worse. The highlight of the book was the point where Ravana breaks and takes a severe vow that starts the domino effect.

Compared to other works by Amish, this one was not that exciting. Creating a character as complex as Ravana is difficult but the plots in Ram-Scion of Ikshvaku and Sita-Warrior of Mithila were better executed than Ravana-Enemy of Aryavarta. Jumping years at a time, each incident is wrapped up quickly, thus giving no time for the connection to sink in. The reference to Sabarimala was not required and it added no real material for the main plot. The change of name of the book is quite justified as we see how each incident turned him against his motherland. The characters are built properly with Kumbhakarna serving the voice of reason for Ravana. His contempt for his half siblings-Vibhishana & Surpanakha is shown though not much is dealt on it. Cunningness of Vishwamitra and the Malayaputras is depicted well.

Is he the greatest villain in history or just a man in a dark place, all the time?

Read Ravana-Enemy of Aryavarta by Amish to find out.

I would rate the book 3.5/5.

Mehrun-Najia Rizvi

Book: Mehrun

Author: Najia Rizvi

Publisher: Half Baked Beans

Do you believe in the concept of fate, of people meeting each other for a reason?

Do you believe that everything that happens in our life, happens for a reason?

“Mehrun” is the story of Mehrun Khan, an aspiring Healthcare Manager who enrolls in a course in a college in Indore and how her choices impact the direction of lives of Mehrun and all those attached to her. The book opens in the year 2004 when Mehrun joins her course in Indore. With the usual anecdotes of college life of introductions to seniors, freshers party, birthday celebrations, group outings and hostel life, we experience different emotions of Mehrun and get introduced to her thinking and her thought processes. We also get to meet her classmates and friends who become an indispensable part of her life as it becomes evident as the story progresses. Meera, Mehrun’s classmate is from the same town, Bhilai, that Mehrun is from. Her roommate is Neetu, who was the first person she met on the campus when she arrived. On the next day, we are introduced to other people in her class, Divya, the loud one, Mudit is the one who sketches amazing portraits and is extremely handsome. Nishan is the comedic one whereas Puneet looks exactly like Nishan but has a feminine voice.

Lastly, we are introduced to Aarush Nair. In Mehrun’s own words, “His sarcasm and wits keep us entertained between breaks. He walks as if he rules the world. He never initiates any conversation and you could easily mistake him to be arrogant, but he has deep, kind eyes. There is definitely more to his personality than what he is trying to project.”

As the story moves forward, it comes to light that Mehrun is a practical person, for whom reality comes before emotions. Her motto is to “follow logic” rather than “falling for emotions”. Despite other people around her who seem to be falling in and put of relationships, Mehrun keeps her distance from it. However, it is Aarush that seems to change her logic. What he means to her is what she cannot comprehend yet she always wants him around.  When Mehrun decides to move out of the country, and is in a dilemma, she wants to reach out to Aarush.

What happens next?

Has Mehrun given up her logic and fallen for Aarush?

Mehrun is a story of coming of age and how emotions drive is to certain decisions. Aarush and Mehrun, the two protagonists of the story meet each other and walk away multiple times during the course of the plot that spans from 2004 to 2016 and from locations from Bhilai, Indore, Jaipur, Delhi & Doha. As the time passes, we see Mehrun’s emotions changing. With a storm in her personal as well as the professional life, she now has to juggle a tsunami in her emotional life as well. Battling with multiple emotions, Mehrun is a roller coaster ride with unexpected twists and turns. A wonderful reminder of college times and young romance, it is also a story of how belief in the idea of love and soulmates still holds water in todays times.

Najia Rizvi has debuted with a 4 star story. A definite read.

Snakes in the Meadows-Ayaz Kohli

Book: Snakes in the Meadows

Author: Ayaz Kohli

Publisher: Rupa Publications

Snakes in the Meadows by Ayaz Kohli is begins in the year 1987 in a hilly village called Pathri Aali in Jammu and Kashmir. Aptly titled, the book deals with the onset of militancy, the suffering and the changes in the life of the people of Pathri Aali as times progress.

The book opens with a bull fight where the village head Haji Mir Baksh and his friend Avdal oversee the event, hoping to win it against the neighboring village. Everything is calm and happy with Haji’s son Aslam managing to win the bullfight. Later in the evening, he regales his grandsons, Kabir & Riaz with old stories, and also the one which made him a heroic figure in the eyes of the residents of Pathri Aali. We are also introduced to Ashwar, who is a strong-willed woman of the village and aims to become a teacher one day. As fate would have it, Aslam falls in love with Ashwar, who rejects his advances and says that she’ll marry him after 16 years or after she becomes a teacher, whatever happens first. With the turn of events, the village court directs Haji Mir Baksh to marry his son to Zaitoon, a woman who was spurned by her lover. A man of his words and asool, Haji instructs Aslam to marry Zaitoon but he runs away from home to Mumbai.

On a parallel note, we are introduced to the Army who is posted nearby at Jabari Hills. We meet Dr. Himanshu, who is a doctor with the Army on a short service commission and later becomes a crucial part of the narrative with his story intermingling with that of the people of Pathri Aali. Another character we meet is Major Dharam Pal Singh who symbolizes the people who abuse power and instead of being the protectors, become the oppressors. This is highlighted through multiple instances in the story. His lust for power, greed for money and stupor of having an upper hand makes him commit unspeakable acts. Then we have characters like Altaf Dastarkhan, Adalat Shah & Shaghir Khan whose lust for money becomes so high that even patriotism becomes a commodity for sale for them. How greed becomes a tool for corruption is another facet of life that has been discussed upon by Ayaz in the book.

The book is basically a social commentary on how life functions in the region of Jammu and Kashmir under the constant threat of militancy. The book takes the reader through the valley, both literally and figuratively, by introducing them to happier times which turn into a downslide of bad times and finally coming back up on a happy ending. Through the book is mainly focused on the state of affairs in Pathri Aali and how the village handles the influx of militancy, it also has, through the sub plots, commented on the psyche of the people in the surrounding regions. With a commentary on the lust of money corrupting the army, the merchant and the local people, it is well directed discussion on how we have changed with the times. With each character getting poetic justice, be it Altaf, Adalat or even Major Dharam Pal Singh, the author has emphasized on the fact that greed always leads to corruption of the mind.

All characters of the book are defined properly with the background of each one of them detailed. The reasons behind action of each character can be understood and the psyche behind making the character in that way becomes clearer as the plot progresses.The book spans exactly 16 years, and ends on a happy note.

A pleasant surprise was the name of Major Navniet Sekera who is quite an important character for the climax in the book. As I suspected during the reading, and later confirmed in the acknowledgement, it is inspired by the Supercop by the same name.

For me the book deserves a 4.5/5.

The Allegory of Endearment-Zeeshan Haider

Book: The Allegory of Endearment

Author: Zeeshan Haider

Publisher: Bluerose Publishers

Blurb:

The Allegory of Endearment is an anthology of poems which are the outcome of the Author’s world. It expresses the role of a believer, the aspiration of a lover, and the purpose of life. This work talks about the dimensions of the physical and the meta-physical world. In this book, the aspects of love, faith, charity, altruism, deceit, perseverance and mythology has been dealt with.

It is the work of perseverance of the inner voice. It conveys the irrationality in today’s world, propagates the virtue of morality, and throws light on the rudimentary principles of survival and death. This book is the mirror of knowledge.

It is the creation that also talks about self-governance, the virtue of evolution and the description of living. This text has the layers of the fictional realm which dictates about the attributes of hope, courage, affection, and mortality.
This work throws light upon the value of education and the damages caused by anti-social beings.

It is the interpretation of realism and at the same time deciphers the fictitious code of love and conviction"

Review:

A collection of 72 poems, the book deals with multiple subjects as mentioned in the blurb. Some poems in the anthology are good but most of them did not work for me for multiple reasons. There are grammatical mistakes in the book, which cannot be passed off as poetic liberty. Apart from some of the poems, the general mood of the book is that of sadness. There are certain poems where connecting to the theme is difficult as well and, in some poems, a symmetry or a rhyme is missing which makes it a seem like a prose written in disjointed sentences. The editing of the book could have been crisper as well because there are multiple places where double blanks are present.

As this is the first work by the author, I am sure we will see some good works come from him in the future. Some of the poems in the book do show good promise.

I would rate the book 2.5/5.

Tarikshir (The Awakening)-Khyaal Patel

Book: Tarikshir-The Awakening

Author: Khayaal Patel

Publisher: Westland India

A fresh retelling finding in its roots in the Ramayana, Tarikshir (The Awakening) is the story of a boon that could make the holder powerful beyond anyone’s imagination.

The book opens with the plot starting from Lanka, just after the events of Ravana is slain. We see a monkey, Valikesh, roaming around in the Palace, looking for spoils of war, when he comes across a stone that catches his eyes. Instinctively, he picks it up and we get a glance into the powers that stone carries. Cut to the present times, we come to a small princely state in Rajasthan, Devangarh, who is led by Raja Ravindra and is facing a confrontation by the British and their army. Hugely outnumbered, the king maintains his pride and opts for war rather than succumbing to the British rule.

We are also introduced the other prominent characters of the story. Prince Rudra, who is the heir apparent, is not exactly what the king wanted him to become. He is a fierce warrior, but deep down resents killing of a person. Having being influenced by both his father and mother, his conflicting conscience becomes a crucial part of the story. The King’s brother, Shamsher Singh Chauhan is another crucial character of the plot. Being a rebel, he goes into a self-exile and builds his own guerilla army that becomes a pain for the British in India. When the peace talks between Devangarh and the British fail, Shamsher offers his support to the king which he haughtily waves away. We are also shown different characters such as Duryadutta, Rudra’s teacher who plays the voice of reason in his life, Shen-Zou, A Chinese traveler who taught Rudra martial arts, and Rudra’s mother who gives him his conscience.

With the kingdom in turmoil due to the incoming attack, another blow hits the kingdom. King Ravindra dies suddenly. Suspecting the death of the king to be an assassination, he starts digging into the possible causes. One day in the library, he discovers his grandfather’s old diaries and he stumbles upon the legend of Tarikshir. Adding to this, the kingdom sees a spate of murders in which the bodies have been drained of blood.

What is the legend of Tarikshir? 

Is the death of the King really accidental?

What is the significance of the stone Valikesh Found?

The book answers these questions adeptly. The plot of the book is engaging and cohesive. The subplots are properly defined and can be inter-related without much difficulty. The climax of the book is wonderful and interesting with the entire plot coming to focus on one point. The way the plot has been treated is commendable. With just the right amount of mystery, thrill, mystery and science, the book makes for an engaging read.

The epilogue of the book is certainly the cherry atop the cake.

I would give the book 4/5.

What Mina Did-Geeta Menon

Book: What Mina Did

Author: Geeta Menon

Publisher: Rupa Publications

Do you have a person who knows every inch of you, who can tell when you are lying or when you are smiling to hide a sorrow deep down?

“What Mina Did” explores how one betrayal can have catastrophic consequences, while delving into the complex bonds that link mothers and daughters, and best friends.

The book opens in 1998, where we see a terrified 22-year old Mina escaping from her house while something terrible is happening. Cut to 2002, Mina returns to Bangalore with her husband when she is confronted with the demons of the past. She gets quite weak mentally. Another blow comes to her when she comes to know that Neelu, her best friend, who had supported her unconditionally 4 years ago is in a sticky situation and wants her help. Though she does what Neelu had asked, she does so half-heartedly.

Once back in the US, Mina now starts getting multiple job assignments and long working hours, thus widening the crevice between Mina & Neelu more and more as time passes. Sensing that Neelu is unhappy with her life in the US, Mina goes to her place and stays there for a couple of days to understand her situation better. After coming back, one day, Mina decides to give some unsolicited marital advice to Neelu, leading to her accusing Mina of something unimaginable.

“What Mina Did” is a story alternating between present day and flashbacks. The plot is very well planned and executed. The history is unraveled in parts which keeps the reader guessing as to what has happened. With the story moving from Bangalore to Chennai, Bangalore, California and New York, the transitions are planned beautifully. The character of Mina is blessed with emotions. She goes to all lengths to make sure her friends and family are always put on first, but at the same time, she is a determined career woman who balances her work and personal life perfectly. This is highlighted multiple times through various incidents in the plot.  Neelu as a person is strong-headed and compassionate person. She is very protective of her friends and this is very well accentuated in one of the moments where we see her coming to the rescue of Mina in an alley where cards were stacked against them. The character of Vijay, Mina’s better half, is a portrayal of a friend. He is understanding of Mina’s situation, gets mad when Mina takes reckless decisions but ultimately supports her. On the other hand, Ajit, Neelu’s husband, is portrayed as a person with a limited emotional wavelength, who is supportive but not very much and is in the relationship for the need of it.

Other characters of Neelu’s family, Vijay’s Mother, Mina’s co-workers and others are also well-placed and a wonderful word-picture can be painted of them.

The title of the book “What Mina Did” is apt as it shows how our actions have consequences. The entire book is based on the cause-effect premise. What Mina Does propels the story forward at all junctures.

I would rate the book 4/5.