Shikhandini-Warrior Princess of the Mahabharata-Ashwini Shenoy

Book: Shikhandini-Warrior Princess of the Mahabharata

Author: Ashwini Shenoy

Publisher: Platinum Press (Leadstart Corp)

India has a long history, and even longer epics. With multiple characters and multiple POVs, every retelling of those epics presents a new picture of what could have happened during those times. In the recent times, a lot of retellings of the Mahabharata have come up, with some wonderful and amazing storylines and plot points.

Shikhandini-Warrior Princess of the Mahabharata is the story of an often sidelined, yet critical character, Shikhandini. Born as the Princess of Panchala, her name is still uttered in whispers, but was it just her gender that defined her, or was there more to her story? Ashwini Shenoy takes up the story of Shikhandini and traces her life’s journey through the times, how she was prophesized to be the one to avenge her ancestor Amba by slaying the Maharathi of Hastinapur, Bheeshm. The book begins with her birth, and how one prophecy changed her life. She was trained to be a warrior by her father and her Grandfather, just to achieve that transgenerational vengeance. But destiny has funny ways of influencing events. Had it not for her destiny, would the Mahabharata have a different story? The book explores her life, the sacrifices that she did to fulfill her destiny and how patriarchy forced her hand at different stages in her life to make her take tougher decisions. The book is a vivid retelling of the epic, from Shikhandini’s POV, her transformation from a Woman to a Man and how she paid the ultimate price.

Written in a simple manner, Shikhandini is a story that catches the reader’s attention from page 1 itself. The plot is written in a sequential manner with some of the incidents overlapping and this has been given a good treatment and nowhere does the story looks rushed. The book envisages the mythical technologies as scientific marvels and there are hints of a science fiction element in the book as well. The story also brings out the ill-effects of patriarchy that were prevalent, in fact still are, and how those rules make a person have to take life-changing decisions. Ashwini has addressed this topic very beautifully and this is what forms the soul of the book.

Talking about the characters, the central character of Shikhandini is crafted in detail with each nuance of her personality coming to fore at different and apt times in the story. The character of the king of Panchala has been expertly handled and how duties of a king overshadow the ones of a father is shown in a heart wrenching manner. The other characters are also praiseworthy and talking about others might prove to a spoiler, but each of them has a distinct identity.

Overall, Shikhandini-Warrior Princess of the Mahabharata is an engaging read and a definite recommendation from me if you like mythological fiction. The book wins over 4 stars from me.

Made in China-Parinda Joshi

Book: Made in China

Author: Parinda Joshi

Publisher: HarperCollins India

What would you do to save your rapidly sinking business? Would deal in something that goes against your beliefs just so that you can make ends meet?

Welcome to the life of Raghu Mehta, a man who has tried his hands in multiple business opportunities but is not successful. His latest venture of handicraft imports collapses when he gets a call from his supplier one day. Stuck with a shop full of imported idols, with no sales to say of, his world comes crashing down. Dejected, a ray of hope comes in when his childhood friend, Dev asks him to accompany him on a trip to China to scout for opportunities. After a long back-and-forth on the decision, that included cajoling from his wife and taunts from Dev, that Raghu decides in favor of going on the trip. What happens in China starts a chain of events that from the core storyline of the book. Walking on the path towards imports of consumer goods, he gets sucked into the black-market trade and entices him to do something that goes against his very beliefs of being a vegetarian, God fearing man. Will Raghu succeed in this venture or will this be a proof of the pattern of the life of Raghu Mehta, read Made in China by Parinda Joshi to find out.

The basic premise of the book is based on comedy of errors and how each step taken by Raghu changes things and the reactions of the people around him. Set in Surat, Parinda has taken a good situation of a desperate man to highlight as the protagonist. Unfortunately, the storytelling seems a bit stretched. Some incidents are rib tickling in isolation but as a whole, the book does not seem very comical. The story suffers from many quick jumps in the story which break the reverie that the storyline manages to build. The part set in China is good and the situations are plausible and are genuinely funny. The post-China storyline is good enough and manages to salvage the book. The climax of the book is expertly hidden but seems disconnected as it jumps out of nowhere. A subtle parallel storyline could have probably helped in this regard. Overall, the loose ends of the sub-plots should have been tightened in the end.

Coming to the characters, Parinda has created Raghu in the image of a typical middle-class, small town businessman. A person with high dreams with no means to achieve them, he is desperate for a break. His emotional upheaval through the book is depicted nicely and that it gives a good spine to the storyline. The character of Dev too has been created in good detail with aspects of his personality that change the narrative quite effectively. The characters of Dr. Vardhi, Rukmini and Raghu’s children provide the much-needed comic relief in the book in patches.

I can recommend this as a light read to any person looking for a break from the monotony of the routine life. Made in China manages to convince me to let 3.5 stars out of my warehouse.

When Life Cartwheels-Raj Supe

Book: When Life Cartwheels-Tumultuous Love Story of a Sannyasi

Author: Raj Supe

Publisher: Platinum Press (Leadstart Corp)

Any usual love story usually has 2 people, who meet under certain circumstances, emotions get triggered, and it may or may not have a happy ending, right?

Welcome to the world of When Life Cartwheels-Tumultuous Love Story of a Sannyasi, a story of how life changes for Shaman, a Harvard Professor, who took sacred vows and lives near an Ashram near the river Alaknanda, under the tutelage of his Master. He is an accomplished yogi, with complete control over his feelings and senses and there are multiple instances in the plot which highlight this particular facet of him. Things take a turn when the Master’s adopted daughter, Shambhavi comes visiting to the Ashram. Vivacious and restless like the river Mandakini, she takes things in her flow and we see different aspects of her as the story progresses. Subtly juxtaposed on the life of the famous 12^th century poet Jayadeva, When Life Cartwheels-Tumultuous Love Story of a Sannyasi is a story of how life love can break the holiest of vows and how destiny can upturn your life within a few moments. The book asks some pertinent questions and is a deeply engrossing story of how the story unfolds at Nagaprayag, the confluence of Mandakini & Alaknanda.

The plot of the book is wonderfully woven with incidents put in at right intervals that make the plot feel like a song that has crests and troughs. The setting of the book on the banks of the river is a wonderful idea and imagining the plot unfolding is really amazing. The scenes in the book are really vivid and ther have the ability to transport the reader into the moment in the book. The turning points in the book are somewhat expected but they do deliver the punch very effectively. Though it seems like a movie plot, there are a lot of minute details that make the book a very definite read. The climax scenes are touching and even though I was expecting that plot point, that almost made me stop for a while and process the events.

The character building of the book is the highlight of the book for me. Setting up the character of the accomplished yogi of Shaman with a myriad of examples and situations, the author has prepared the perfect baseline for the protagonist. On the other hand, the description and the actions of Shambhavi are completely opposite which sets the tone of the book perfectly. The chemistry between the lead characters and along with the supporting characters is wonderful.

I would like to specially mention the wonderful use of allegories and personification by the author and the importance of using Nagaprayag as a location, which comes to light in the story.

For me, it was an emotionally exhaustive read, in a good way, and this story gets 4 hearts out of 5 from me.

A Useful Death-Sriram Chellapilla

Book: A Useful Death

Author: Sriram Chellapilla

Publisher: Westland India

How many times have you heard the news of a suicide on the TV and changed the channel?

Have you ever paid heed to a person who had asked you for help and support?

A Useful Death is a story of a suicide of an upcoming actress in Hyderabad and Anil, the son of a prominent former Telugu Superstar and upcoming politician, Mohan Krishna is accused of driving her to it. To manage the fallout and the crisis, Partha and his firm are hired by the family. Having his own doubts on the superstar, he refuses to help them manage the PR but agrees to get Anil out of the situation if he was innocent. As the story progresses, it moves through the murky lanes of the city of Hyderabad, student politics and the underbelly of the film industry. Partha and his team push their own boundaries in their quest for the truth and what comes out in the end is truly something no one would have imagined. In the end, it boiled down to just one question, to whom her death was useful?

The plot of the book is very well written. The opening scene sets the stage in a wonderful manner. The unfolding of the crime as the plot progresses like peeling of the layers of an onion is something that gives a distinct flavor to the plot. The author has crafted the crime in a detailed manner and that keeps the reader engaged. The role of media in changing the narrative and how grapevine changes the news cycles has been brought up really wonderfully and that how different stakeholders were trying to benefit from the death brings out the dirty side of politics and media. Another angle that the plot covers is that of student politics and how the student community is sometimes used by people with vested interests. The climax of the book is unexpected and does manage to give the reader some chills. The concept that your past always catches up with the present is a good touch to the story as well.

Talking about the characters, Sriram has taken pain to detail each of the characters of the book so that they stand out. Be it the mighty Mohan Krishna, or the clever researcher Partha or for that matter, Malvika, each of them have been given enough time so that the reader gets to identify with each of the characters for a while. The character of Priya could have been given some more time for the backstory which would have helped readers connect with her as well. For the purposes of the current plot, she’s treated as a prop for the story to move forward.

Overall, a decent read. It manages to create a feeling of thrill and mystery for me.

A Useful Death manages to dazzle me a little and take away 3.5 stars.

Udayan-The Forgotten Pandava-Rajendra Kher

Book: Udayan-The Forgotten Pandava

Author: Rajendra Kher

Publisher: Platinum Press (Leadstart Corp)

How often do you get to read a story that tells you the happenings after a very epic and a known event?

Udayan-The Forgotten Pandava is the story of Udayan, the direct descendant of Arjuna, taken from what remains from the third great epic of India, the Bruhatkatha. We meet our protagonist and the namesake, Udayan, who is the Emperor of Bharatvarsha, but is more inclined towards his heart which leans towards the Veena. A supremely gifted Maestro, he prefers playing the Veena over his duties as a King and the kingdom is expertly managed by his Maha Amatya, or the Prime Minister Yaugandharayan. Things take a turn when the kingdom begins to disintegrate because they start losing wars and yet the King shows no inclination towards his duties. On the other hand, his desire to catch a White Elephant, with the power of his Veena drives him to such a level of obsession that he gets entrapped in an elaborate espionage plan by the King of Pradyot. It is also the story of how he falls in love with Pradyot’s daughter and elopes with her, under the very nose of her father.

The plot of the book is very well written and is very refreshing to read as it is quite different from the retellings of the various epics that has become the latest trend. The author has taken up the story from the folktales, the background of which is very well explained. The twists and turns of the book are engaging and keep the tempo of the book in a good pace. The plot points are very well spun, and the storyline does not break in between. Some parts of the climax are predictable but that does not bring down the charm of the book.

Talking about the characters, the author has created distinct personalities for each of the characters that we encounter in the book. Be it the Veena Playing Udayan who is easy going and prefers passion over duties or be it Yaugandharayan, who is ever-so-serious, duty-bound and stickler for the rules, or for that matter Princess Vasavadatta, who is love-struck yet chooses duty over jealousy and enmity. The author has given due space for emotions to be expressed and that is something that gives an edge to this book.

It is a refreshing and a wonderful read. Definitely recommended.

The book certainly struck a chord and a musical note with 3.5 notes hummed out.

A Ticklish Affair and Other Stories-Sunil Kapoor & Sudhir Kapoor

Book: A Ticklish Affair and Other Stories

Author: Sunil Kapoor & Sudhir Kapoor

Publisher: Rupa Publications

A Ticklish Affair and Other Stories is a collection of 10 short stories that deal with a wide range of human emotions. Starting from the very first story, “Blackmail”, which talks about how emotions can get better of a person and how guilt is one of the major factors driving a person. The second story, “Let Me Soar High” is a social commentary on how women are objectified in the society and how they are subjected to crimes and how they are expected to bow down. This story shows how important is the support of family and peers for a person to come out of that abyss. The next story in the collection is “Masqueraders from the North” which talks about the problem of fake recruit agencies that are cropping up daily and take advantage of the innocent and gullible people. This story shows how things pan out and how the people realize they have been duped. The authors have also highlighted that it is not just the poor people who get duped, but even educated and wealthy people too get caught up in these people’s scams. Another story that caught my attention was “Rickshaw Faridabadi” which is a story of how life comes a full circle and how sometimes words spoken casually may come true and how they can haunt you. A romantic story, this heart wrenching account is the one that stood apart from all the stories in the book for me. Then we encounter the short story that gives the book its name, “The Ticklish Affair”. A flashback story, this one talks about the power of old love and how that can sometimes turn into a reason to stay alive and that sometimes the best wishes of the people can give you the strength to live. “The Kikar Tree” is the story that highlights the superstitious society that we live in and how our need to be pious is turning faith into a business. It is an eye-opener and deserves a special mention in this collection. The story titled “Agnates and Cognates” is a tight slap on the faces of the people who do not aim to serve their aged parents out of love but to get hold of their property and monies. This story shows how these relatives fight like dogs just so that they could get hold of the money, which wasn’t even rightfully theirs. “Tiger Trail” is a typical Bollywood-style story that shows 2 friends who run away from an orphanage, one turning to a life of crime and another getting a proper life and becoming an IAS officer. The climax of the story brings them face-to-face and how things unfold after this is quite interesting. In “Spark of the Divine”, the authors have shown how faith can move mountains and how everything that happens in our lives happens for a reason. The trials that the protagonist faces and how everything falls into place in the end is very touching. The last story of the book “A Lover’s Message” is a story that brings out the power that true love has. The story takes us through the life of the protagonist, how he falls in love with a girl, they plan to get married and how that plan takes a turn due to nature and then years later, it is nature itself that unites the lovers.

The stories in the book are crafted nicely. Each of the story is quite different from the other and that many human emotions are very delicately captured. The climax of the stories is well thought out and executed. Some of the stories are really engaging and can capture the essence of the reader, making them live the story. The one thing that I did not like about the book was the self-praise at the beginning of the story highlighting how that has been picked for a movie or a short film or what award the adaptation has won. Frankly, as a reader, that was a put off. Another thing that was unnecessary in the book is the photograph section in the book as being a book of fictional stories, that is just an extra appendix and could have been edited out.

For me, the book tickled, and 3 stars escape my shelf.