The Calling-Priya Kumar

Book: The Calling
Author: Priya Kumar
Publisher: BooksThatInspire

Have you ever thought about your purpose in life?

The Calling by Priya Kumar is a fable of an adventure that takes Arjun on a ride into the mountains. At the brink of losing his wife, he takes a trip into the Himalayas on the insistence of a Sadhu who predicted that this journey to Hemkund Sahib would change his life. With every turn, the mountains unravel their secrets and tests that urge him to change into the person to fulfil his purpose. All the pretenses, falsities and untruths start falling out of his life as he is faced with the truths of his life. With subtle messages, this fable would make you take a fresh look at your own life and urge you to find your own calling.

The story is very well told and for a book whose primary purpose is to inspire, it is not preachy, rather it is actually inspiring because of the way the story it unfolds. The storytelling is powerful, and the imagery is so engaging that it keeps the reader turning the pages where each step is a learning. I loved how the messaging was subtle, yet the impact was powerful enough to imbibe it in the readers’ mind. Another interesting aspect of the story is the wonderful use of humor, sarcasm, and wit to drive the message home. The tests that Arjun goes through are interestingly created and add quite a bit of weight to the plot. The climax was quite wonderful, and I loved how the continuity is maintained.

The characters that Priya has created are very interesting and fit their role in this story. Arjun’s journey that transforms him is well told and while his character has an awakening, relating to his issues is very easy and once that is done, the solutions to our own problems start jumping out, and that is what I think is the point of the fable. The details of the characters, whether it is Arjun or Jay, or the monks are specific and to the point, and they support their roles perfectly.

Overall, this is a story I would recommend you read if you wish to become a better version of yourself. This book scores a 4.69/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book here.