Book review: The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti

Author: Michelle Cohen Corasanti
Publisher: Fingerprint (Prakash Books)
Pages: 352
Price on Flipkart: Rs.205


A debut novel by the Jewish-American author, this book tells a story from the eyes of a Palestinian boy, Ahmed Hamid, the eldest of 7 siblings, who lives with his family on a land that is laden with strife and hatred. The back-drop is that of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. A story told to convey the message that we need to rise above hatred and contempt to be able to bring about a peaceful co-existence.

Here's the blurb:

Ahmed Hamid, a is a gifted and very intelligent 12-year-old boy. Everyone in the village admires him and is impressed by him. Living on occupied land, his family lives with the constant fear of losing their homes, jobs and belongings. On his twelfth birthday, this fear becomes a harsh reality. Ahmed’s father gets imprisoned and all their possessions and their home gets confiscated. What will Ahmed do to save his family? He embarks on an inspiring journey using his intellect to rescue his family.

Now, I don't have an in-depth knowledge of the Israel-Palestine history, hence wouldn't be in a position to validate or critically evaluate the portions of historical significance. My review is  purely of the fictional story that is woven around the premise.

The pluses:

The story-telling is very engaging. In some ways, it did remind me of "The Kite Runner". The first few chapters left me disturbed as Michelle delved into the details of the brutal manner in which Ahmed loses his little sister and the hopeless situation in which Ahmed and his family live. The story then rises to that of hope and positivity when Ahmed, who has a natural talent for math and science, is shown to rise above all the desperation, killings and abject poverty and achieve academic and material success. 

The minuses:

There are some flaws and inconsistencies in the narration and there are times when you feel that the side-characters could've been given more shades. The protagonist hogs most of the story-line, but his character has been etched well. While Ahmed chooses to follow his father's advice and path of seeking goodness even in adverse conditions, Abbas, his brother, seeks refuge in hatred. It would've been nice if the author could have elaborated a bit of Abbas's side of the story too. That way it would've been a more balanced portrayal.

For a debut novel, it is pretty good. I'd recommend it for the some insightful advice given by Baba, Ahmed's father. 

My rating: 4/5

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This review is posted as part of Book Review Program by The Literary Jewels.

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Book review: Nazaqat by Sasha Singhal

 Naazani, a shy girl with a lonely childhood, was born and brought up in Dehradun. She moves to a metropolitan for further education and gets absorbed. In a series of events, she decides to adopt prostitution and becomes one of the most successful high profile escorts of the city with the help of her manager Sharat. In a quest to be successful, she leaves her friends behind and dedicates more time to her profession. Nazaqat witnesses a police raid at a nearby place and the real scenario of prostitution terrifies her. She decides to take a stand and do something about it. However, Sharat convinces her that she is not powerful enough to make a difference. Nazaqat retires and pool all her money and starts a restaurant Joy foods in partnership with Sharat. The business grows and soon enough they have numerous outlets in various cities and Naazani Singh Shekhawat emerges as a significant entrepreneur of nation. To cherish the old memories, she organizes a group together and calls all her old friends. Next morning, it is found that something drastic happened the night before. Meanwhile, she invites an author Matthews, who is an old acquaintance to pen down her own biography. He visits her each night and in a series of ten nights, her story finds its crescendo. Will prostitution be legalized? Whats her intention with the biography she is planning? What shall be the fate of Naazani Singh Shekhawat aka Nazaqat? Nazaqat is a very detailed and carefully woven story which is a unique blend of thrill and drama. It is a refreshing story about a girl who adopts prostitution on her own will and starts a quest to legalize prostitution in India. While its entertaining because of the commercial voice, it also addresses grave issues of feminism, prostitution and homosexuality in society.

I received a request to review the book from the author. Although I didn't know the author, the premise of the plot seemed off-beat and interesting, hence accepted the request. However, I was quite disappointed. 

The book is full of grammatical errors. The first time I encountered one, I brushed it off as an editing error, but to my dismay, it did remain a constant feature throughout. Frequent use of analogies to convey a message also seemed unwanted.

The book did show some bursts of promise now and then, but that's about it. I expected to feel for the protagonist and understand her moves as the story moved but I was hardly convinced. The story lacked depth as it moved superficially and ended with a dramatic twist. Well, to cut the long story short, it didn't make the cut for me. The book has some good reviews too, so probably its just me.

Rating: 2.5/5 (for the off-beat plot selection)
Number of pages: 204
Price on Flipkart: Rs.125
Publication: Half-baked beans

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The Crossover Year by Bhargavi Bhalachandran

I've known Bhargavi through her blog  and liked her-straight-from-the-heart posts laced with a wry humour. So, when she published her book The Crossover Year recently, I wanted to lay my hands on it. While, I'd have liked to changed the end a bit, I did enjoy the book on the whole.

The book is about Anuprabha, who holds a MBA and works in a multinational bank but is dissatisfied at work. She wants to find her true calling before she turns three zero and dreads the consequences of quitting a dream job and treading on paths that are less travelled. 

The course of events where she quits her job and is faced with situations that she'd not accounted for when she dreamt of re-creating her life is laced with good humour and pace.

Whether she truly finds her calling in the end is for you to find out.

What worked: I loved the way the main protagonist was sketched. Her confusion of staying in the rat-race, when her heart is truly not, her being a closet feminist,of not being able to put her foot down despite being pushed to the wall at the work-place, her feeling of being let down when her judgment of people misses the mark, all of these varied emotions have been sketched very well truly making Anu a girl-next-door character; one you can relate to very easily. The other characters in the story also seem to be lifted from real-life situations- neither black or white but having several shades in between. The strong point of the book is that the events in Anu's life, the way she connects with the sub-characters, and her thought process is very rooted to real-life. You can definitely exclaim at many points through the book, 'hey, that's me!' or 'that's my life!'

What didn't quite work: It took me an initial few pages to get me hooked to the book after which the plot gathers momentum. The final phase where you expect a fitting closure somehow left me wanting for more in some ways; the all's well in the end conclusion came a little rushed perhaps? The bit where Anu takes part in a contest definitely had me in splits, but I found the aftermath of the event a tad unrealistic. Probably that's just me and an author is after all allowed to take some liberties with his/her creation. Also I did find some minor loopholes in the narration barring all of which I really liked and enjoyed the book. It's definitely a feel-good-book that has its elements of drama, humour and goodness.


My rating: 3.5/5
Publication: Alchemy publishers
Available on: Amazon: http://bit.ly/1gr302r

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Chanakya's Chant

Author: Ashwin Sanghi
Pages: 448
Publisher: Westland
Price: Rs. 125 on Flipkart (on a discount)
My rating: 4/5

Oh, what a book!I never thought a combination of history and politics could be so mesmerizing. I'd never been a fan of history in my school days, so attribute all my ignorance in that subject to the bland manner in which we were dished out history lessons. And, politics is a sphere I started to take interest in only recently. This book however kept me hooked on both levels.

The novel is actually two stories set in two eras ( one set about 2300 years ago and the other in the present) but connected wonderfully by a single thread-'Chanakya neeti' that is used to achieve a desirable consequence in the given set of political mish-mash. The parallel narration does more than fine justice to the stories from both eras, without compromising on the pace which is fast and gripping. I eased my way in and out of the two worlds without any jerk (in terms of waning interest or losing the thread in the flow of the story)-a proof of sound writing, IMO.


An insight into the blurb:

"The book begins in the year 340 BC, and shows how a young Brahmin boy is traumatized by the murder of his father. He decides to take revenge, and uses his calculating brain to plan it. Slowly, he becomes an expert political strategist and is known as Chanakya. He uses his skills to unify the country Bharat (ancient India). This unity, teamed up with his expertise, ensures that the army of Alexander the Great is defeated, and Chandragupta is crowned the king of the Mauryan empire. With time, Chanakya gets bored and decides to use his intelligence to pen down the Arthashastra.

Chanakya's Chant then shifts into modern India, two and a half millennium later. It focuses on Gangasagar Mishra, a poor Brahmin teacher. It turns out that this man becomes a puppeteer to people. He witnesses how contemporary India is riddled with corruption, greed, treachery, and hatred. He realizes that in order to succeed in this society he too must indulge is such malpractices. However, Chanakya's Chant highlights the possibility that this man could be a reincarnation of Chanakya. Gangasagar plans to make a slum girl the Prime Minister of India."

Interesting enough to grab a copy? Go ahead and you'll not be disappointed in all likelihood. And, do share your views if you've already read this one.

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar

By: Eric Carle
Picture book for 3-5 yr olds
Price: on discount at Flipkart for Rs. 175
My rating: 4.5/5

I got this book through Flipkart last week and it is currently the hot favourite in our house with R demanding to read the book at every meal each day. Eric Carle has beautifully put together different learning elements in one simple yet captivating story, which is nothing but the life-cycle of a butterfly.

And, what an interesting way for 3-5 yr olds to imbibe such knowledge! The journey of the caterpillar has been captured with bright, colourful pictures and simple narration. Not only that, a child can learn the days of a week, counting, get introduced to different variety of fruits, and other types of food, all of this packed together in a great read.

I loved the book as much as R. I highly recommend this book to all parents with kids in this age bracket. Do grab a copy, if you haven't done so already. As for me, I'm planning to buy the other books in the series by the same author :-)

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Asura-The tale of the vanquished

Author: Anand Neelakantan

Publisher: Platinum Press
Pages: 500 
Price on Flipkart: Rs. 190


Ramayana re-told by the vanquished seemed like an interesting premise and I picked it up with a lot of expectations. However, I was disappointed.The book begins well, then drags, then picks up in bits and parts but finally drags so much that you want to just quit reading. 

The story unravels through the voices of two persons- Ravana and a commoner Bhadra. The concept of having a third-point view of the story, told through a common man, seems novel and keeps you engaged. Some of the parts where he (Bhadra) brings out the voice of an ordinary citizen in the backdrop of an unjust life, braving against the odds and his grouses with the government of the country seems very relevant and realistic. Yet, Bhadra sometimes assumes a profile than is even larger than the main protagonist and you just want him to mind his own business after a while.

Ravana, according to the original mythology, although portrayed as a demon-God, was known to have shades of goodness in him. He was an intelligent ruler and a Shiva-devotee with a great love for arts. However, in Asura, these very qualities are just mentioned in some parts and that too sketchily. Ravana comes across as a very confused person, always with conflicting thoughts, even though he has a fierce and strong ambition to succeed. His goodness rarely comes across except in his thoughts. His decisions, action and their results seem quite accidental. You don't really feel any sympathy towards this Asura who is telling his side of the story. The plot seems far-fetched in many areas and the parts where the final battle is depicted is quite outrageous. I can understand that since it is Ravana's story, Rama has to come out as an evil person. Yet, it is difficult to stomach the twisted details towards the end.

I couldn't help comparing this book with The Shiva Trilogy, also a mythological fiction. Although, the third book was a let down, the book overall had a well-rounded effect with the plot flowing out naturally. 

The twists and plot of Asura seemed contrived and laborious in comparison. The book also was found wanting in the editing part with quite a few grammatical errors.

There are quite a number of good reviews for this book and I seem to be on the minority side. So, probably this is just me and you may like it.

Have you read this one? What are your thoughts?

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The Spy Who Lost Her Head

This is a long pending review of Jane's hilarious debut novel. I came to know Jane (via her blog)  through the marathon bloggers' group on FB. Sadly, I did not get a chance to meet her (or the other bloggers), during her book launch.

Gulabi hails from village called Gayab, but is high on ambition and spirit. Her mummyji wants get her married off at the next possible chance but she aspires to meet her Bollywood hearthrob Sharook and does not care for the uneducated youth in her village. 

She comes to Mumbai in search of her knight in shining armour, also known as Bemba (loved the term-it stands for BE MBA, a criteria that her man must pass) and ends up playing a detective to unravel the deadly mystery of a lost head that lands up accidentally in her rental home.

Gulabi's mastery over the Queen's English makes you doubt your own. Her antics land her in the most incredulous situations and yet it makes you want to play along, feeling for Gulabi in her trials and travails and having in you splits over the funny incidents.

I really liked the unique plot and the way it has been treated. The lingo grows on you (I'm guessing, it is difficult to maintain the flow of such a language throughout and Jane does a neat job!). It's a book you'll like if you prefer/don't mind light reading. Gulabi as a character will not fail to endear you since despite her flaws she has her heart in the right place and is also a strong-willed independent woman who knows what she wants and will not rest until she gets it.

ETA: Details of the book are available on Flipkart here.

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The Oath of The Vayuputras

The wait was finally over when I ordered the book from Flipkart and had it delivered sometime last week. With a length of around 600 pages, this was a book I knew would taker longer to finish. I never considered myself as a great reader but I was definitely better. Over the years, especially after marriage and motherhood, I have become a slow and poor reader. Necessary and unnecessary distractions keep me away from a book and unless the book is an absolute show-stopper with a well-written and etched out story line, I can take my own sweet time to complete it. Also, too many characters and details fog my little brain and I tend to gloss over those very details to focus on the larger picture!

Back to the book, sadly, it was not just the length that slowed the speed. The build up of the first two parts seemed to lose steam in the third and the parts containing the revelation just dragged on. Also, I am plagued by a certain doubt that is surely nagging many others too, "why is the book named the oath of Vayuputras???" As a tribe after whom a book is named, the Vayuputras surely did not get the needed footage and fame in the book and did I miss anything that alluded to the oath in the book?!

On the good side, after meandering for about 200 odd pages with lackluster interest, I found myself warming to the book. The parts that contained details of Sati's battle were especially riveting. Despite the many misgivings, the message contained does come across that evil need not be a mighty force. It could be anything: even good, that goes beyond control. Also, when the leaders of a nation put themselves before the interests of the country and its people, calamity is not far away. Even the side fighting against evil has to suffer the effects of the brutal war.

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Into the New Year...and here I'm

More than a fortnight into the New Year and am still settling down into my old routine. I wanted to take a break from the blog after the marathon blogging session but had no idea that the break would stretch endlessly so. So, has the New Year really brought in so many things for me to juggle that I had no time to mark my presence at my favourite hangout: the blog? Not really. It was just a combination of some factors coupled with inertia that just had to be shrugged off. 

Returning home after a vacation entails a not-a-very-happy session of unpacking, washing, drying, arranging and re-arranging things, stocking up groceries, gearing up for the familiar yet forgotten routine and eventually settling down to the pace and flow of things.  Just a week after going through the unpacking routine, I had to pack my bags off again for a short stay at the in-laws place for Pongal. We took our first solo road trip and I must say it was a great experience. Although I was a little jittery in the beginning, the husband's excitement levels rubbed on to me and I began to relax and enjoy as we progressed on our journey. It was a long weekend and not surprisingly we had plenty of company on the road. It really didn't seem like driving on a NH. It could have been any road within the city limits! The drive on our way back was far more peaceful and faster. Most importantly, there was a feeling of triumph, to have made our debut in style. So, here's to more road trips in future! 

The New Year saw me complete a book in the first week itself. I read P.S. I love you by Cecelia Ahern gifted to me by my lovely Santa. Thank you, Simran! It was good to start the New Year with a book. I hope this sets the ball rolling and I'm able to read much more by the end of the year. As for the book, umm..lets say, it was nice. The plot was good but some of the parts seemed a little unrealistic and difficult to imagine in a real-life scenario. Though the end was what I hoped for, the twist seemed like an after thought and hurriedly patched. But, for the overall emotions that were portrayed, I'd give it a thumbs up. There were parts that really tugged at your heart. It wasn't all tear-jerky and had some good humour too packed in. So, overall, a nice read.

Yet to catch up with all the reading and commenting on the blogosphere. See you at your space, soon!

Some pics from our road trip:

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The Stopover by Mr. Ram Prakash and Deepa Pinto

So, I was one of the few privileged persons to get a copy of The Stopover- A photo-fiction book. As the title suggests, it is a one of its kind photo-fiction book with four simple yet beautifully woven stories that has a generous dose of splendid photographs from around India-  Leh to Channapatna, Ooty to Kolathur.

The book is authored by Ram Prakash and co-authored by Deepa Pinto. Mr. Ram Prakash owns a flat in the complex where I stay, although he does not live here. As a special release, and on popular demand, he arranged to get a few pre-ordered copies delivered to our complex on as a Diwali bonanza and that's how I got to be one among the early birds to get to read the book.

The stories are refreshing and simple yet have an underlying message at the end for the readers to ponder upon. Each story reflects upon the lives of the people from different backgrounds, with actual photos from that location to make the reading more powerful and enriching.

The first story-The Tibetan Wheel Of Wisdom revolves around the lives of the Tibetans living in Leh. A story that tugs at your heart as it highlights the trauma that the Tibetan refugees have gone through and how in spite of all the hardships, they live positive lives, practicing the Zen philosophy in the actual sense. 

The second story-A Rocking Horse can gallop too-my personal favourite- etches out a very pragmatic and relevant story in today's times and brings out all the emotions in the right proportion without going overboard with melodrama. One gets a peek into the beautiful town of Channapatna and the lovely toys for which it is famous for.

The third story-The sun shines forever-is a story woven around the Toda tribe of Ooty. While it was enlightening to read about the lesser known tribes, their culture and also to visit the less-touristy spots of the most-crowded hill-stations of the South through this story, I was a little disappointed with how the story ended. It seemed a little far-fetched and un-realistic in the end.

The last story- I hear them calling- is a feel-good story that infuses the pulse of the current age youth with some strong principles thrown in to have you in good spirits after you put down the book.

I quite liked the book on the whole. The USP of the book is definitely the splendid photography showcased. The visual treat is enhanced by the breezy read of all four stories. The print quality of the book is fantastic and does fine justice to the picturesque journey that the reader embarks upon.

The current contest at the Write-up cafe is based on this book. You can also read a few pages of this book there to get a feel of the book.
Published by Krab media, it is available for Rs. 495 on Flipkart.

Have you read this book? What do you think of it?

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The Shiva Trilogy part I and II

I just finished reading the very exciting first two parts of the trilogy by Amish Tripathi- The Immortals Of Meluha and The Secret Of The Nagas.

What if Lord Shiva who is worshipped as God was only just a human being like you and me but was elevated to the status of a God due to his sheer karma? This is the basic premise of the trilogy which mixes fiction with historical facts very beautifully to send across a far deeper message. Shiva is portrayed as a ordinary person who is faced with the enormous challenge to rise to the call of his destiny that may elevate him to be called as the God of Gods or the Mahadev. The story is set in the period after Lord Ram, with two set of clans-the Suryavanshis and the Chandravanshis- fighting a moral battle. An age-old battle between the good and evil unravels through the life of Shiva, the path he chooses and the decisions he makes that makes him an extraordinary power.

The plot, the characters and the details of the story-line have been etched out brilliantly by Amish Tripathi. The riveting twists and turns in the story are a creative mix of the legendary faith and fiction, bringing out the larger message in an intriguing manner. That, the good, bad and evil are forms of our perception. Who is to say you are good and I am bad? We all fight the moral battles everyday. But is it really a battle with an outside force?
These are just a few things that you are forced to ponder upon when you read these books. Simply un-put-downable, my husband and I finished both the parts in three days flat. In fact we were competing with each other to finish first :-)

If you are interested in mythology or fiction with a mix of history, I'd strongly recommend both the parts. In fact, I suggest you to get both the parts at one go because after the first you'll surely crave for the next and you don't want to wait too long :-). As for me, I am eagerly waiting for the third and final part in this series to be launched soon.

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