Book: Mahagauri
Author: Nitya Neelakantan
Publisher: Rupa Publications
I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
How would you react if you were to be transported to a different realm
suddenly?
The brilliant Gauri Vishwanath is a senior scientist at a top defence lab
in Bengaluru. A recurring violent dream sees her transformed into a fierce
warrior, wielding weapons and spilling blood on the battlefield. One night, the
dream turns into a horrific reality when a freak lab accident transports her to
the ancient kingdom of Saptapuri. Saptapuri is under siege—Moishan, the
buffalo-demon, and his formidable army of demons are marching towards the
kingdom to seize the precious Ajna Chakra. According to legend, the purple
jewel, forged from the fire of Shiva’s Third Eye, grants immortality and power
to whoever possesses it. Saptapuri’s only hope lies in an age-old prophecy that
speaks of one of Goddess Durga’s avatars descending from another world to save
them from Moishan. To Gauri’s astonishment, the prophecy points to her. Torn
between disbelief and destiny, Gauri must embrace her overnight transformation
into Mahagauri, the fierce warrior avatar of Durga. As Saptapuri burns, she
must choose between clinging to the modern world she knows or unleashing her
power as the divine force destined to change the fate of a
seven-hundred-year-old kingdom. Gauri’s journey from an ordinary woman of
science to becoming the indomitable Mahagauri makes her confront her own
courage and the unyielding power within. Epic in scale, rich in mythology, and
driven by a heroine who is at once vulnerable and unstoppable, Mahagauri is a
spellbinding saga of the eternal battle between light and darkness.
Mahagauri is a story that explores how sometimes we just need the right nudge and the moment to discover the power that lives inside us. Nitya’s storytelling is gripping and keeps you hooked to the story of Gauri and how she deals with the sudden in her life where everyone feels that she is the one to save an entire kingdom. The plot of the book keeps you engaged through skirmishes in the alternate timeline and there are times where you almost agree with Gauri that she might not be the saviour that they are looking for. I loved the moments where you see the unleashing of Gauri’s powers. Another aspect of the book that I loved was how Nitya shows that while saving the world’s may be one’s destiny, it cannot be fulfilled until everyone comes together, specially in the climax scene. I loved how the plot created a wonderful pairing of Shankar and Gauri. Their interactions across the book were wonderful to read, and added a nice arc to the entire story. The book also has these minute details that make a lot of sense in hindsight, and I loved how there are clues are spread across the book, keeping you intrigued. The climax scene is wonderfully written, and specially after the faceoff with Moishan, Gauri’s actions are nicely penned which show how time can change a person, and help them take decisions which they might not have taken otherwise.
Coming to the characters, I loved the way Gauri’s character arc develops
over the course of the book. You start with this scientist who is a bit
awkward, and is suddenly thrown into a mix of things she barely understands, to
a warrior who faces a demon army. The entire transformation is the foundation
of the book, and Nitya pens this in a wonderful fashion. Another character who
I really liked was that of Shankar. His role in the entire story is subtle yet powerful,
specially how he manages people and reads them to manage the situation at hand.
His chemistry with Gauri is something I truly enjoyed reading. Anandmayi was
one character in the book I am in awe of, and she was a wonderful character
that Nitya has penned.
Overall, Mahagauri is a book that explores the idea of self-discovery, and that sometimes destiny might have plans that might change your life forever. The book scores a 4.63/5 for me.
Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or a bookstore near you!
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