My Name is Cinnamon-Vikas Prakash Joshi

Book: My Name is Cinnamon
Author: Vikas Prakash Joshi
Publisher: Hay House India

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Are you an inquisitive person and question a lot?

Both a captivating chronicle and an endeavor of remarkable depth and ambition, My Name Is Cinnamon provides a richly textured narrative of a boy trying to find his roots and place in the world. On each part of his journey, he encounters new people, new cuisines, and new adventures as he learns a lot about himself and the world around him. While being a light-hearted and heart-warming read, the book also covers some difficult themes that are rarely explored in ­children’s and young adult literature. It is a deeply moving testament to the unceasing desire to know oneself, the unrelenting pull of familial bonds, and the power of hope, sacrifice, and love. With his perceptive observations, vivid descriptions, and an authentic voice, the author, Vikas Prakash Joshi, weaves an immersive plot with fully realized environments and characters that are sure to stay with you for a long time. Above all, My Name Is Cinnamon is about finding your own people and accepting who you are.

The book is a wonderfully told story of a young boy struggling with his identity. I loved the concept that Vikas has built into this story. The storytelling is quite interesting and the book keeps you turning the pages as we explore the shenanigans of Cinnamon. Vikas uses two concepts that are not much talked about and weaves a story that entertains as well as informs the reader. The book covers an important perspective into a rare genetic condition, however talking about it would be a spoiler. The language is easy to understand and you are driven to find out more about the food and places mentioned in the book. What stood out for me in the story was the fact that Vikas uses Cinnamon’s innocent view of the world to tell it and uses that as a perspective to drive the narrative. Right from the bunking of Math lessons to the football games, the school kid’s idea of an ideal day is imaginative. As Cinnamon tries to find his place in the world, I liked how Vikas keeps the core element of the story for the last and doesn’t ruin it till the very end. The plot is fast-paced and easy to read. The climax has been very well written and brings the story to a fitting end.

The characters in the book have been created with minute details in mind. Having the primary character with a unique nickname is quite interesting and keeps the reader interesting into the story behind the name. Creating a family with a Bengali Mother and a Maharashtrian Father added a wonderful flavor to the story, adding another layer to the storytelling and having a part of the book set in Kolkata, the sounds and flavors of the city were a wonderful touch to the book.

The illustrations in the book are quite good and they provide some great context to the plot as you read the book and imagining the characters becomes quite easy.

The book is highly recommended for anyone who is looking for a fresh story that educates and entertains at the same time. The book scores a 4.75/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon or your nearest bookstore.

The Great Indian Tamasha-Rasika Bhatia

Book: The Great Indian Tamasha
Author: Rasika Bhatia
Publisher: Om Books International

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever wondered what goes behind the scenes of a Big Fat Indian wedding?

The band, baaja, baraat have got louder. With destination weddings, experiential events, curated guestlists gaining popularity, the wedding planner has become a permanent fixture on the shaadi scene not just as the event organiser but as the friend, philosopher, and guide to the entire khandaan. The Great Indian Tamasha makes us realize that saying yes to the proposal is probably the easiest part. As we immerse ourselves in the chaos of the stories laced with black humour, we are exposed to the dark underbelly of the weddings of the affluent and the influential. These weddings are more than just a glamorous return to traditions or celebration of new kinship bonds; they have come to epitomize conspicuous consumption and a show of strength. Well-known wedding planner Rasika Bhatia’s incisive portrayal of spirited brides, hesitant grooms, controlling parents, greedy in-laws, fraudulent clients, and conniving competitors aptly depicts the behind-the-scenes shenanigans of the modern big, fat Indian wedding that has indeed become a tamasha.

The book is a wonderful collection of 22 instances from Rasika’s experience as a wedding planner in Delhi where she introduces us to what all can go wrong while planning a wedding. Rasika’s narration is engaging and her emotions as she deals with the good, bad and the ugly keep you hooked to the book. I loved the fact that the stories have been carefully chosen to bring out the craziest of the events to the fore. Right from weather playing spoilsport to clients with weapons, each of the story is quite unique. As a planner, Rasika brings forth the struggles of bringing the dreams, whims and fancies of her client to life through the execution of the wedding they want and how it can test the limits of her patience. The book has been written in an easy-to-understand language which keeps you focused on the story and the umpteen characters that we meet. Another aspect of the book that I liked was that the book is always high on emotions and as a reader, I really appreciated those because it kept me interested in what was unfolding. Of the 22 stories, the ones that stood out for me were “In the Don’s Den”, “I’m going to Make You an Offer You Cannot Resist”, and “Pressing the Wrong Button”.

This is highly recommended for anyone who has a interest in drama and the human psyche. The book is definitely designed to be read one story at a time, savouring the moments as they happen. The book scores a 4.63/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book from Amazon India or your nearest Bookstore.

Balli of Bagdih-Nilotpal Dutta

Book: Balli of Bagdih
Author: Nilotpal Dutta
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Smart and confident Balli has a deep connection with Bagdih, a coal mine in a fairly remote part of Bihar where his father works and where his Nana had chosen to work after the partition of India. Bagdih, which nurtures everyone who comes to earn livelihood and still holds no grudge when they never return, has a special relationship with Balli, whom she finds so much like herself. Growing up in a small colony, Balli builds his beautiful world with Samar and lovely Samaira, whom he loves and feels fiercely protective about. As he helplessly watches his world slowly disintegrate due to misunderstandings and unmet expectations, he only has his promise of joining the Indian Army made to Nana and affection of a much older Shambhu to keep him moving. Balli leaves the place that gave him everything to pursue his goals only to return years later on a rescue mission. As he encounters several emotions on his return and goes through upheavals, he finds solace only in Bagdih's serene lap. Set in the later part of twentieth century, 'Balli of Bagdih' is a depiction of how the characteristics of a place can build the character of a person born and brought up there.

The book is a wonderful example of how a single-person narrative can be used to show how a place and the events around that person can affect their mindset. Nilotpal uses Balli as a central character and uses his life to show how the thoughts of a person get molded as they age. Setting up the story in the small mining town of Bagdih, he creates a world that is self-contained, yet is connected with the world to show that the national and international events do affect a person’s psyche. The storytelling is engaging and keeps you hooked into how Balli negotiates his life and faces reality. The idea of weaving in key events in Indian history such as partition, the emergency etc. is quite brilliant. Another interesting aspect of the story is friendship and how the facets of friendship change during various stages of our life. Balli’s friendships evolve and as a reader, you start empathizing with Balli. Nilotpal also weaves in the social construct of the Indian society and how the social divide starts right from when we are kids and gets ingrained into our minds. I loved the climax and the call back to the idea of friendship and the power of love.

The characters created in this book are quite relatable. Balli as a middle-class child exploring the world is well crafted. He is created as a simple person, without malice in his heart and I loved the manner in which his helpful character has been exhibited through ample examples throughout the story. His character grows from the time we meet him, a young child about to start school, right to his twenties. Other characters have been duly detailed, such as the characters of Samar and Samaira, the friends that provide context to quite a bit of Balli’s character and drive the story forward. Lastly, the town of Bagdih and the coal mines are an important part of the story, almost like a character telling their story.

Overall, this is a wonderful book and a definite recommendation. The book scores a 4.75/5 for me.

Get a copy on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore!