Anarkali-Harshali Singh

Book: Anarkali
Author: Harshali Singh
Publisher: Readomania

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

Have you heard the story of Anarkali?

A woman loved by many but understood by none. Was Anarkali a pawn in the hands of a controlling monarch, or was she the knight? Anarkali’s dream of becoming a celebrated courtesan in Emperor Akbar’s harem in 16th-century Hindustan is realised. But soon life at Lahore’s Shahi Mahal becomes mundane for the free-spirited girl. In the midst of this ennui, Anarkali is pulled into a taboo relationship with the childlike Salim, Akbar-e-Azam’s heir apparent and favourite son. Marooned amid relationships that shatter her heart and threaten her life, Anarkali traverses the intrigues of the royal harem using her wiles to survive while skirting passion, danger and violence. She uses her charms, knowing men only want parts of her and never the whole—until she makes the ultimate mistake of raising her voice against powerful men. Was she purposefully erased from the annals of history for questioning free will? And yet, her story resonates even today, its myriad connotations catching our imagination, resulting in a rainbow of possibilities and hope.

Harshali’s retelling of the story of Anarkali is extremely well written and nuanced. The book explores the fictional tale of Anarkali based on real-life events. The book, however, is not just the story of Anarkali the courtesan, but also of her other facets of a pawn and a queen. The book starts from the moment when Anarkali was being immured into the wall and the story then travels back into time and we meet Nadira, before she became Anarkali. The book then explores the events that lead to her first meeting with Akbar and how he becomes enamored with her. the book then moves on to her first performance in front of the emperor which starts off a new dimension in her life and she becomes Anarkali from Nadira. Harshali’s portrayal of her is interesting because we have always known her as a courtesan, but never as a person. The author puts a face to this enigmatic character and paints a picture of a woman who was sharp and could play multiple roles at one time. I loved how Anarkali senses the politics of the harem, adopts an approach that helps her control the power dynamics in her favour. But while we see Anarkali as a courtesan in the harem in the first half of the book being practical to survive, the second half is where the brilliance of the writing shines through. Her first interaction with Salim and Durjan has been written with perfection and conveys the message she wants to convey perfectly. As we move in the story, the emotional side of Nadira comes forth over the practical one. The love story of Anarkali and Salim has been explored quite nicely. Their hush-hush sojourns and the interactions have been contrasted very well as compared to her interactions with Akbar, and you can actually feel her emotions when you read the book. While the story of Anarkali, Salim and Akbar is known to all, Harshali has put in a third arc in the story of Anarkali and Durjan which I felt was the ace in the deck. The emotional tension between the two is quite palpable and has been written with finesse.

While they storytelling is the star of the book, there is one more aspect of this book that astounded me and that are the chapter titles. Drawing reference from the game of Shatranj, each of these is a chess move and the description of each move forms the beginning of the chapter. These titles, however, serve a deeper purpose. They pre-empt the tone of the chapter and if you read carefully, you’ll be able to relate the two.

Coming to the climax (or climaxes), I am not sure what to say!!!, the author manages to create a sense of awe even in an historical fiction. As the story ends, you get to recall these little red herrings that had been left in the book which play a pivotal role in what happens at the end. I would recommend the reader to keep an eye out for anything that seems out of place while reading, because I can assure you that there are no random events in the book.

The review won’t be complete without mentioning the visual storytelling that Harshali has adopted in the book. The scenes are visually detailed and you can almost see the events as they take place. One scene that has stuck in my mind is when the sentence of Anarkali is being carried out and the trowel slips from the mason’s hand and hurts her. The description is so vivid that you can almost see the blood dripping. Another scene that I would love to mention here is the very first chapter. You can almost see all the primary characters of the story and it looks as if there is a play on the stage and the cast is standing there, addressing you.

So, long story short, if you want to read a very well written historical fiction, please pick up a copy of Anarkali and give it a read. This is a 5-star read for me for the storytelling, the characters, the visual cues and the chess references.

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

Iterum: Tales of Mystic Metamorphosis-Yashaswini Balasubramanyam

Book: Iterum: Tales of Mystic Metamorphosis
Author: Yashaswini Balasubramanyam
Publisher: Notion Press

What is your perception of reality?

When reality becomes unimaginable, the unimaginable becomes real. Iterum is a collection of eight magical short stories and seven little somethings. The tales come to life, when everyday characters stuck in quagmires of life, make the acquaintance of eccentric beings including a jury of spectacled Albino Pigeons, a man who claims to be a dinosaur, a distressed little soul, a maid’s inquisitive son, a bossy turquoise tortoise, a virtuoso in the window across the street, a ghost with a lisp, and a chatty dying puppeteer.

Short stories are usually a very tricky proposition for me, especially when I am reading a debut book. Yasha’s writing is quite fresh and the manner in which the eight stories have been written is quite exceptional. Each of the story is unique and the concept that she has explored comes out very nicely. The storytelling keeps you engaged through and through. Another aspect which I liked about the stories was that they have a subtle message that shines out in the end, and that is something that was truly a surprise for me as I read the very first story, and then it became fun to guess what would happen next in the subsequent stories. The stories have interesting twists that keep you guessing till the very end. Talking about each of the stories in the review would reveal spoilers, hence not detailing them out, but keep an eye out on subtle cues that she leaves between the lines to make the journey fun. The microtales between the stories are an added bonus and show the power of good writing, how so much can be said in such few words.

Overall, this is a wonderful collection of stories that will make you turn the pages till the end. The book scores a 4.81/5 for me.

Get a copy on Amazon India.

The Celebrity CEO-Tomson Robert

Book: The Celebrity CEO
Author: Tomson Robert
Publisher: NuVoice Press

What would you do if you had the power and the means to change people’s lives?

Just a year ago, I was on top of the world. I was the CEO of Neo, my revolutionary tech-based startup in Dubai. I was the coveted Speaker for all major corporate conferences, and a powerful member of the investor and Business communities. I could transform the fate of startups with just one tweet. But that one fateful day changed it all. .. I wake to find myself in a hospital bed in Goa, kept in Police custody. But I have no recollection of how and why I ended up here! Fired from my own company, hated by my own employees, cut-off by the Business community - I am reduced to just another meme on social media. Does life offer second chances? I am Ariyan, known as 'The Celebrity CEO.'

The Celebrity CEO is an interesting book that explores the idea of self-identity and how in the pursuit of success, our relationships have become transactional. The book explores the life of Ariyan, a celebrated CEO of a startup developing a smart glass technology in Dubai. Ariyan had everything someone could wish for-a successful career, lavish life, a partner-until it all comes crashing down one day due to his choices. Tomson has used the character of Ariyan to highlight the issues that have become a part of our lives as we live in this continuous race to accumulate wealth and fame, sometimes at the cost of our health and our relationships. The book has been written akin to a fable where you relate to the protagonist and the end goal is to take away a message from the story. The book is a comfortable read and Tomson has made sure that the message which he wants to put across is not preachy, rather woven into the plot to bring it out slowly. While the first part is about Ariyan and his celebrity status, I was quite impressed by the way the second half of the book is planned. The evolution of the story becomes evident in the conversations Ariyan has with the other characters in the story. The multiple call backs to conversations which seemed trivial in the first half suddenly make sense in hindsight. The climax, however, was a wonderful piece of plotting, which is something the reader would definitely not be able to guess, considering its link with the initial chapters of the book.

Ariyan as a character seems quite relatable because we have seen the concept of success change in the recent times with social media playing a crucial role in propelling successful businesspeople to the level of celebrities. I liked how Tomson has used the character of Vijay to throw light on the stress at workplace which has become a major issue today with this ever-connected world. Neha’s character had a small part in the story, but again was wonderfully penned to highlight the impact of chasing professional success on one’s personal life.

Overall, this is a book I would definitely recommend you to read as it highlights a major issue of motivation today. The book deals with some important real-world-issues and talks about prioritizing what is important in life. The book scores a 4.48/5 for me.

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

The Mars Conspiracy-Dr. Razi Ahmed

Book: The Mars Conspiracy
Author: Dr. Razi Ahmed
Publisher: Treeshade Books

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

Do you believe that there is life on other planets?

A man dreams of colonizing Mars. His quest has a connection with a great ancient civilization and the mysterious Pharaoh Ankhenaten. 1300 BC, Ancient Egypt: The great Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty—Amenhotep III, takes help of the 'visitors from the sun-disc,’ to save his dying son—Ankhenaten. He will change, they say, and he does! 2021, Simdega, Jharkhand: A mysterious creature attacks and kills a villager near the Space Tech Facility, where three social media influencers discover a crop circle. Dr Daniel Soren joins the Mars Colonisation Project headed by the enigmatic Noel Minj, unsuspecting of what’s brewing within. Noel is preparing for the inaugural unmanned rocket, 'The Starship’, to carry the resources for human survival to Mars. All eyes are on this mission. Nothing must go wrong! But what happens when Noel's secret starts to slip away? How are the Pharaoh Ankhenaten and the ancient Egyptian civilization connected to the mission of colonizing Mars? Are we alone in this universe? Is the first unmanned flight to Mars really unmanned?

The concept of the book is quite interesting and it brings together science fiction with history and creates a narrative that keeps you guessing about the motives of the characters. What I liked about the book was its writing. The storytelling is simple and easy to understand. The author has taken time to establish the plot and given due importance to the science bit as well as the fiction bit which keeps you interested in the events and not run to google each and every small thing. Razi has also explained the Egyptian history in detail as it pertains to the story and woven it into the fiction part of the story seamlessly. Another interesting aspect of the story is that the author has taken a real-life event and built the story around it which helps the reader relate to it a bit more. However, while the story works exceptionally at a concept level, the execution of the same in the second half didn’t work for me. The first half of the book is spent mostly in building up the research, science and the concept part of it, and the interest keeps rising as you turn the pages. However, as the second part of the book starts, it starts resembling more like a Bollywood romance movie rather than a science fiction novel. I felt that the focus on the relationship between Ankhenaten and Nefertiti was too much and the way it unfolds in the climax was something that definitely did not work for me. I felt that the science fiction part of the book got lost in focusing on Ankhenaten and his role in the climax.

The characters in the book are created in detail and I liked how a proper introduction of each character has been provided. I liked the character of David and the manner in which his story evolved right till the end. Another character that I liked was that of Dr. Daniel and how he brought a perspective to the entire story and acted as a reader to explain the things in the story. The character of Noel Minj seems to be inspired from a famous personality and was an easy one to guess.

Overall, this is a book with an interesting concept that could have been better executed to focus on the core story. The book scores a 4/5 for me.

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

Fool Me Twice-Nona Uppal

Book: Fool Me Twice
Author: Nona Uppal
Publisher: Penguin India

Do you think you can love more than one person romantically?

Since school, Sana has been the popular girl with excellent grades, beloved by both teachers and parents, living an enviable life. Sana and Ashish have been dating since the eleventh grade, sharing the kind of teenage romance that makes it to the bestsellers list, sells out theatres and causes their loveless friends to gag. Nothing, not even long-distance, can tear the two apart.  Except, maybe, a handsome, overachieving, book-reading senior from Sana's college? Pranav is the typical 'cool guy' sought after by the entire college. He also happens to be Sana's new friend, Aanchal's, brother. But he's nothing more than a friend! Sana already has the best boyfriend in the world! Set in New Delhi, Fool Me Twice is an unconventional story that will stump readers expecting a good, old romance trope. We meet and fall in love with a young couple planning their futures together when life rudely hijacks the steering wheel.

Fool Me Twice is a story that explores the various aspects of love-filial, platonic and romantic through its various characters. The story has been told in a simple but engaging narrative without any dull moments interrupting the narrative. The idea to anchor the story somewhere in the middle and explore the earlier life of Sana through memories was a nice way of showing the various aspects of her relationship with her family, Bani, Ashish and Tanya. Building up in the first half of the book, you connect so deeply with Sana, Bani and Ashish that when the first half of the book ends, you suddenly sit up in shock, no matter if you had expected that incident to happen from the back blurb because of the relatability quotient of the characters. Another aspect of the book that I liked was its treatment of grief and loss. Each of our characters in the book deals with a loss that impacts them significantly and through the book, we see how each one of them gets through the situation, helping the reader understand and connect with them. Nona’s writing is descriptive and you are transported and held in the scene she describes, presenting a wholesome reading experience. One thing that I want to highlight is the manner in which she brings out the power of friendships through the story is truly remarkable. Right from the basic ground rules between Bani, Sana and Ashish, to the discussions between Pranav, Aanchal and Sana, Nona’s presentation of love, friendships and everything else in between is just so perfect. Interestingly enough, the book also dwells upon 2 other societal stigmas that the author has explored which add another layer of complexity to the plot. The climax of the book is wholesome and a wonderful way to end, because if there is no happy ending, then there is always more to the story.

Coming to the characters, I simply love the way the author created characters with such unique characteristics, yet you would find your friends some way or the other in Bani, Ashish, Pranav and Aanchal. Apart from the relatability, the character flaws have been presented nicely and how they deal with them forms a critical part of the story. Of the characters that form a part of the story, loved the small but such a pivotal character of Professor Sarin, especially the doorway conversation between her and Sana, which highlighted an aspect of our relationships which a lot of us miss-that of a student and a teacher-and how that can impact a lot of our lives.

Overall, this is a book I would recommend not just because it is a wonderfully penned romance, but for the manner in which it talks about the idea of love, relationships and life. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.

P.S. the Bollywood and the Harry Potter references were quite the cherry atop the cake.

I got my copy of the book at the New Delhi World Book Fair!

Get your copies of the book at your nearest book store or on Amazon India.

The Velvet Hotline-Arsh Verma

Book: The Velvet Hotline
Author: Arsh Verma
Publisher: Penguin India

I was provided a Media Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What if a phone rings and you hear something you never expected to hear?

Ayingbi Mayengbam, a well-meaning primary school teacher, wants to take on some part-time work over the summer, ideally a job through which she can help people. When her first day as a volunteer at a suicide hotline ends in her finding a dead body, she is done with this line of work. But soon, she is approached by the winsome Dr Rastogi, a man who runs another suicide hotline with a more altruistic approach, and she is unable to say no. While initially shy and uncertain, Ayingbi learns quickly, her warmth and sincerity enabling her to connect well with callers, her fierce determination to save lives compensating for lack of experience. Over time, however, Ayingbi is confronted with an unfortunate realization: when working at a suicide hotline, you simply can’t save everyone. On top of that, there is something sinister afoot at Rastogi’s agency, least of which are the three phones in Ayingbi’s cubicle, one of which begins to ring without being plugged in.

The premise of the book is quite interesting and the first few pages of the book really set the tone and draw you into the plot. I was quite excited as the events were quite unexpected and the thrill of discovering things was adding to the joy of reading. The storyline has been planned well and keeps you engaged throughout, even though the interest starts dropping a bit towards the end. What I liked about the book that the themes have been planned well and the book is quite structured in the manner it is presented. The author has given time for the concept of the hotline to set in and understand its machinations, however this buildup is what affects the reading experience. The climax seems quite hurried, compared to the initial story and with all the details told in the story, the climax falls flat due to its swiftness and lack of a rush that should have developed after being a part of Ayingbi’s journey. The mystical element of the story was explained hurriedly towards the end, just before the climax and that somehow brough down the pace and the fun I was having with the book until that point.

Coming to the characters, Arsh has created interesting characters that fit well into the story’s mould. Ayingbi’s character as a schoolteacher contrasts nicely with her experience over the summer and the climax, which according to me, was a nice character arc. I also liked the eclectic and secretive nature of Dr. Rastogi and his character also rounds up nicely towards the end. I felt that the characters of Chaitanya and Hardeep could have been explored a bit more.

The book is a good read and a definite recommendation for anyone looking for a chilling read. The book scores a 4.38/5 for me.

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

This review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program

Razor Sharp (A Kutta Kadam Thriller)-Ashwin Sanghi

Book: Razor Sharp (A Kutta Kadam Thriller)
Author: Ashwin Sanghi
Publisher: HarperCollins India

I was provided a Media Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Do you like reading crime fiction?

A ruthless serial killer stalks the streets of Mumbai, leaving behind a gruesome trail of tortured victims. As the city reels in terror, the authorities grapple with a vital question: What links these seemingly random targets? Enter Prakash Kadam, once a decorated cop but now an angry, bitter wreck of a man haunted by his past. Summoned to put an end to the madness, he finds himself neck-deep in an investigation mired in police sluggishness and antiquated forensics. As old enmities resurface and perplexing twists in the case push him to the limit, can Kadam find the killer before it is too late? Or will he lose someone close to him---again? With Razor Sharp, the first book in an exciting new series, Ashwin Sanghi demonstrates yet again his undisputed mastery at weaving complex, gripping thrillers that keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Having been an ardent reader of Ashwin’s books since the first one, I was eagerly waiting for Razor Sharp since its announcement and I must say it did not disappoint at all. The storytelling is quite interesting and the book keeps you hooked. The idea to introduce a recurring character as a renegade ex-cop dealing with alcohol abuse and family troubles is nicely explored. The story explores a serial killer whose MO is gruesome, and it falls upon Prakash kadam to figure it out before the killer strikes again. The description on the victims is graphic and as you read ahead, you realise the reason why there are specific details that have been left behind. I like how the book is inherently Indian and while we have an adept investigating team, the author has retained the idea of how it functions in our country. Another aspect I wanted to highlight here is how Ashwin leaves seemingly random clues and keeps your mind whirring because everyone seems to be the killer and everyone seems to have motives, even Prakash Kadam.

In true Ashwin’s style of writing, there is an element that pops up as the pieces start adding up and the MO is identified, and while I cannot and will not reveal anything here, the moment the reveal happens is the place where you stop, place a bookmark and stare in silence for a full moment before moving ahead with the book. That was the moment when I decided that this has to be my first 5-star read for 2024 just for that crack-of-the-whip scene.

Ashwin has created a flawed yet wonderful character in Prakash Kadam who has the potential to continue this series quite some time. Slowly revealing his backstory, we come to realise why he was estranged from his wife and why was he removed from the force. The moment when his past is revealed was very emotionally penned and you start empathizing with him and how life was treating him. Ketul’s character is another one which I liked for her steadfastness and her relationship with Prakash as well as her will to fight for what she knows is right. Then we have the other characters who have shades which you get to know, but aren’t really sure if you’ve got the pulse right and you keep on reading to find out more.

This is a book that every crime thriller enthusiast must read because it exhibits mastery of the craft and some extremely fine writing. The book scores a 5/5 for me.

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