Review: The Edge of Desire

Author: Tuhin Sinha

Reviewed by: Purvi Shah

The Edge of Desire is a story of a female, who is raped and that event shapes up her life as a politician, seemngly changing the future course of events for the country. The inspiration comes from the age old epic "Mahabharata" where  Draupadi's cheer haran lays the foundation for the battle. 

There are principally two kinds of writers. One , who start a story and shape is up as the heart goes or as the pen prevails, the others who outline a story, chart out the characters, frame the sequence and go by joining the dots. Essentially a difference between way of thinking, but the end product of this book, makes you think of the latter ones.

The two central characters, Shruti and Sharad seem to have a lot in common. They are both enigmatic public personalities with a drive to do something for the country. Both politicians with failed marriages, lonely and depicting shades of grey. Yet they do not have a clearly defined relationship. They are not friends, they do not fall in love, they are colleagues, yes. Tuhin Sinha tries to define their relationship making them the modern day Draupadi and Krishna of the Mahabharata, citing the example many a times comparing various turns of events in the story. Not very convincingly , though.

The story does not rise and fall, or has many , sorry any highs and lows, mostly revolving around the Indian political scenario in the 70's and 80's. Except for the rape of the central female character, which is pivotal in her joining Indian politics, the story moves on pretty much like a daily soap.

Also , an important aspect, I noticed throughout is that: There are descriptions of emotional turmoils Shruti faces many a times (but as would be clearly evident to any female reader) and  all of them, I repeat ALL of them are starkly from a male viewpoint. When the author has attempted so much research on politics, the Mahabharata, etc, he should have done a little homework on the female psyche, especially since the book is in the first person, a memoir of Shruti, and if a female cannot relate to the emotional punch at all....I don't know what to say.

On that note, I leave it  for the reader to figure out whether to like the book or not. Its a difficult one to label and very tough to review. I would give it a 5 on 10. A good read for the political minds, maybe...

Guest Review: The Moonstone Legacy

Book details:

Name: The moonstone Legacy

Authors: Diana De Gunzberg & Tony Wild

Publishers (in India): Hachette India

Price: Rs. 250

What this book is about?

Inspired by the classic ‘The moonstone’ by Wilkie Collins, this novel brings the mystery and intrigue of the past into the 21^st century. Story is about ‘The moonstone’, a precious and sacred stone which was stolen by George Abercrombie from Gujarat, India and the curse which follows their family because of it on creepy full moon day.

The Plot:

Story is about Lizzy Abercrombie, a 14 year old girl, who discovers that there is a mystery behind her mother’s death and finds that there is a curse on Abercrombie family. She takes help of her Indian friend Ravi Chandra, travels to India, finds a chronicle of her ancestor George Abercrombie, and finds that the moonstone is stolen by George from Somnath temple in Gujarat. She deciphers each and every detail written in chronicle to find out where the precious stone is hidden in exotic mansion called ‘Shalimar’ in Yorkshire moors in England. She risks her life to save the diamond from famous Indian writer Shankar pujari to return it to the temple back. Will she succeed in this process?

What I liked?

Author impresses us with perfect characterization. We can actually feel and understand Lizzy’s mind set by reading the book. The way landscapes of India and Shalimar are explained with every detail is excellent. Unlike the novel ‘The moonstone’, where the emphasis or focus in much on British, this novel also covers Indian cities, history, the mindset of Indians when British conquered etc., Excerpts from novel like below about cricket show author’s humorous touch to the storyline and novel is interesting to read throughout.

“When India threw British out of Independence, we kept your bats and balls. Now we are better at it than you are..”

It really is a good thriller with gripping story line and page-turner for sure. Climax is simply superb.

Final say:

An enjoyable read throughout.

My rating:

4/5

(Mahathi Ramya is a software tester by profession, but is an artist by nature. She loves travelling, reading books, blogging, dancing, singing and painting. You can check her book reviews, travel experiences and other ramblings in my blog : www.fantastic-feathers.blogspot.in )

Guest Review: The Eight Guest and Other Muzaffar Jang Mysteriesr

Author: Madhulika Liddle

Reviewer: Ritika Palit

Mystery books often lack the layered prose which usually makes readers pick up their favourite books and re-read them. Yet, readers keep on going back to Sherlock Holmes, keep on picking up those Poirot novels and will still be moved by Father Brown’s impassioned speech to Flambeau. What makes readers return to mystery novels? To look for clues they might have missed in the first reading? To recapture that feeling of amazement and awe when they read the grand denouement by the detective?

Good detective novels, the ones which endure, are firmly ensconced in their humanity and in their atmosphere. Think of The Hound of Baskerville and the loneliness and gauntness of the moors immediately haunt you. Madhulika Liddle’s “The Eighth Guest & Other Muzaffar Jang Mysteries” is defined by its atmosphere. Set in 1656, the stories are written in the era of Shahjahan’s ruling. Liddle subtly mentions the class divisions, the gender divide, the debauchery of the aristocracy, the desperation of poverty. She does so without judgment. She is an author content with just building up the world where her detective lives, and we see the same world with her unbiased eyes. And what a world it is indeed.

Muzaffar Jang, described as a ‘Maverick Mughal Nobleman’, is an oddity in his era. He suffers from intense curiosity, is regardless of social positions, and has friends from all strata of society. This combination often results in his being entangled in mysterious situations. He travels all over Dilli, from the house of noblemen, exquisite gardens, the now-destroyed Begum ki Sarai to small villages with detailed explanations of their water supply, the Royal elephant stables and the imperial atelier. We go with him and get immersed in the flavour of Old Dilli. However, Jang himself remains a stranger to us. We never really empathize with the detective’s need to detect or with his flouting of social conventions. Perhaps little biographical details would help readers warm up to the nobleman more.

The mysteries themselves are quite lightly written, some of them rather blandly obvious, while some do have an interesting background story and can grip a reader. ‘A Pachydermal Puzzle’, which takes place in the Royal Elephant Stables, deserves a special mention. But the plot of the stories seems to take a backseat to the more beautifully detailed description of the world in which the mysteries are set.

Madhulika Liddle has done a marvelous job of researching old Dilli and has presented it to us beautifully. But the setting gives her yet more to explore. This is an unknown world to most readers, and details on political, social and cultural conventions from that era would make further tales more welcome. The mysteries are simple and the author can afford to be more adventurous with her content. However, this book can happily be recommended for a little light reading, if only for the world in which the author takes us.

(Ritika Palit is doing her Ph.D. in Development Economics and reads books to get over that)

Review: House of Silk

Reviewed by: Ananth

221B Baker Street. Dr Watson. Sherlock Holmes.

It is unquestionable that the above would bring to life a most vivid imagery for it is almost unimaginable for anyone to have not come across the Holmes'ian phenomena. Be it a text that has been forcibly thrust upon one during school or the sheer hunger that drives the avid detective fiction reader to devour every word written about Holmes, it is a given that each of us would have their own concoction of the Holmes image in our heads - for me though, throughout the House of Silk it was Robert Downey Jr who was invading my head!!

Amidst a plethora of stage and screen adaptations, there also exists quite a canon of derivative 'Holmes' in text - Laurie R King's Mary Russell series which I can quite recommend and Ben Kingsley's portrayal of Dr Watson in Without a Clue immediately spring to mind (a more extensive search is bound to produce a lot many results). January 2011 saw Anthony Horowitz being commissioned by the Conan Doyle estate to write a new novel featuring the genius and upon reading it I can safely say that it had been entrusted in the safest of hands. Well know for his Alex Rider novels and some acclaimed television work (Foyle's war), Horowitz has managed to produce a work that does complete justice to the original work while still being explorative enough to rein in the interest of the modern reader.

The House of Silk unfolds as one of the many unpublished case memoirs of Dr Watson that were safely stowed away in a safe-deposit box at Cox and Co. in Charring Cross Road (much like lost vault tapes, I suppose!). The specific events surrounding this account, as per explicit instructions, were to remain sealed for 100 years as Dr Watson believed that its full knowledge "would tear apart the very fabric of society" (as it existed circa 1890). The opening sees a rather dandified art dealer seeking Holmes' help sensing danger from a rather mysterious stalker wearing a flat cap. He relates to Holmes a fairly violent flashback set in America involving a train robbery and Irish gangsters, convinced that revenge was the motive of the stalker. Thus the ball is set in motion for an excellent mystery which takes on gigantic proportions as one ploughs through the pages - I would not be doing justice if I were to spell out events in their order as that is something to be experienced - how Horowitz manages to mesh these snowballing events expertly into a shuddering climax is the very hallmark of the House of Silk.

Horowitz manages to recreate the Victorian London and has remained true to the Doyle style in terms of the conversations that take place, Dr Watson's voice and other trifles as Holmes would say. However in between all this he manages to weave in the odd element here and there that would appeal to a wider and modern audience. Take for example the sentiments that Holmes expresses towards the Baker Street Irregulars - it manages to shade Holmes in a much warmer tone, something that is totally opposite to what Doyle used to portray him as - the single-minded harsh investigator whose sole aim rests with the resolution of a mystery.  As often echoed by Dr Watson in the book, there also seems to be a progressive and broader outlook towards societal scruples that is definitely new to a Holmes mystery and this eventually becomes critical to the untangling of events. The devout Holmes fan may not appreciate these detours (as with a couple of other minor items - you can solve the inconsistencies with the dates!!) but Horowitz manages to stray within limits. All the tropes associated with a Holmes'ian mystery are prevalent - Holmes pulling inferences out of thin air with subsequent explanations to Dr Watson, Homes retreating into a shell when challenged, and the inimitable Lestrade - the spirit of Doyle is alive and kicking without a doubt. I particularly enjoyed one interaction between Mycroft and Sherlock - it is probable a lesson on how great minds communicate whilst apparently saying very little (maybe akin to what might have ensued if Newton & Einstein were to have a dialogue!!).

I think it is needless to add here that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While being true to the original canon, Horowitz has opened the doors for a modern rendition. Paced extremely well with a well constructed mystery (in fact three mysteries resolve themselves by the time we are done with this book!), the House of Silk is a Holmes'ian mystery that would either leave you wanting for more from Horowitz or will make you go back and re-devour the original canon of 56 short stories and 4 novels - either way it is a treat and indeed, the game's afoot


(Ananth is a software engineer from Chennai who loves reading but loves even more the dissecting that follows the read.)

Review: 24 Akbar Road

Another interesting book that I recently read was on India’s oldest political party, the Indian National Congress. Written by Rasheed Kidwai this book takes you through the fall and rise of the grand old party. A short history of the people behind it. Very well written,full of anecdotes, some stories heard, some unheard.

The author manages to keep the book engaging enough for people to keep reading and to understand what makes the party tick, despite numerous challenges; the party has always managed to come back stronger than ever. Its ability to keep re-inventing itself, mould itself as per the wishes of the people is has managed to keep its tenuous hold at the Centre. The book provides an observer’s glance at affairs within the Congress.

The party has been considered elitist by many. There is a certain aloofness about it which many a times is misread by the people. More in these times than ever.

The book takes you through Indira Gandhi’s times and how she managed to wipe out the parent Congress and made Congress(I) the true national party, looks at her relationship with her two sons and their wives. The part I liked best was how events and circumstances drove the Gandhi and Bachchan family apart.

What followed after Rajiv Gandhi’s death makes for an interesting read, how the party went through tumultuous times, the era of Narasimha Rao, Sitaram Kesri, the exit of Sharad Pawar, the re-entry of Gandhis, Rahul Gandhi’s vision for Youth Congress. It touches on all aspects of the party. The good, the bad and the ugly it has it all.

I would consider this book a must read, you can of course ignore some sugar coating that the writer has done at some places. But over all a good, insightful read.

Review: Empire of the Moghul: Ruler of the World

Alex Rutherford’s third book was eagerly awaited as it was, after all, going to be about none other than one of the most revered king in history, Akbar. The last book on Humayun was a bit of a disappointment but honestly felt that it could be because of a very uninspiring leadership and reign. But this book on Akbar was also a huge let down.  Personally I felt that there is just so much more to write about Akbar to make it a very gripping and interesting read, sadly the book failed to deliver, in terms of content and quality of writing.

Only two Indian kings in history have been conferred the title of ‘the great’, Emperor Ashok and Emperor Akbar. Akbar though did not get a chance to study ,since at a young age he was crowned as the king after his father’s untimely death  but despite that he managed to bring in lots of changes in the way things were governed and was a far sighted king who did not give importance to religion. In fact he is credited with starting a new religious order Din-E-Ilahi which was borrowed heavily from various religions and which made him the head of the order. He was the first Muslim king who tried to bring harmony between the two religions Hindus and Muslims. The book instead of elaborating on these points speaks about his troubled relationship with his eldest son Salim as well as his immense faith in Abu Fazl. The book also fails to touch on the other great luminaries in his court, so there is absolutely nothing on Tansen, Birbal, Todarmal.

Salim his eldest son grows to manhood full of mistrust. He also makes the fatal mistake of falling for Akbar’s most voluptuous concubine, leading a rebellion, and realizing soon enough that Akbar neither forgets nor forgives easily. Salim finds himself in an unhappy and increasingly frustrating situation when Akbar shows his fondness for Salim’s son Khurram and making his intentions clear as to who he would rather see as the king after him.

The book though does justice by showing a side which is not spoken or written about much, of that, of his role as a father.  Akbar may have been a great king but he had his flaws too, this book manages to bring that out effectively.

So all in all of you are looking to read a book about Akbar as a great warrior or administrator this is definitely not the book you should pick up. Though book is fictional drawing inspiration from history yet the book fails to deliver. The book does seem inspired a lot by bollywood movies on the life and times of Akbar.

The book as a continuity to first two books is a good read but as a standalone book it is a letdown. 

PS: The book cover -as impressive as ever!

Review: Carte Blanche

Jeffrey Deaver is well known for his bestselling thriller novels and I had recently enjoyed reading his book The Burning Wire. So when I heard that Jeffrey Deaver is writing the next Bond novel I was super excited since both made for an exciting combination. But sadly I was to be disappointed.The 21^st century Bond is a pale shadow of 20^th century Bond that Ian Fleming created. The portrayal of Bond does not inspire the same aura and mystique that the earlier one did.

The story goes thus 007after returning from Afghanistan has been recruited to a new agency. The aim of the agency is to protect the Realm, by any means necessary. And to fulfill this mission Bond has been given Carte Blanche to do whatever it takes to succeed.

The story is flat and does not rise above being an average thriller. There is no real build up to a climax leaving us with an empty feeling. Even the villains in the book are neither menacing nor ruthless. You really can’t associate a garbage collector as a Bond villain. As a standalone Bond book, without going into comparisons of Ian Fleming’s Bond, it turns out to be a decent weekend read, that is only if you have nothing better planned. If you are really looking at reading a bond novel might I suggest that you stick to Fleming’s Bond. At the hand of a good scriptwriter the book might turn out to be a good movie but as a book not worth the money spent.

About the Author:

A former journalist, folksinger and attorney, Jeffery Deaver is an international number-one bestselling author. His novels have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, including The New York Times, The Times of London, Italy's Corriere della Serra, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Los Angeles Times. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. The author of twenty-seven novels, two collections of short stories and a nonfiction law book, he's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world. His The Bodies Left Behind was named Novel of the Year by the International Thriller Writers Association, and his Lincoln Rhyme thriller The Broken Window was also nominated for that prize. He has been awarded the Steel Dagger and Short Story Dagger from the British Crime Writers' Association and the Nero Wolfe Award, and he is a three-time recipient of the Ellery Queen Reader's Award for Best Short Story of the Year and a winner of the British Thumping Good Read Award. The Cold Moon was recently named the Book of the Year by the Mystery Writers Association of Japan, as well as by Kono Mystery Wa Sugoi magazine. In addition, the Japanese Adventure Fiction Association awarded the book their annual Grand Prix award.
Deaver has been nominated for six Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America, an Anthony Award and a Gumshoe Award. He was recently shortlisted for the ITV3 Crime Thriller Award for Best International Author.

Review: A Discovery of Witches

Reviewed by : Shivani Singh 

Set in a world where witches, vampires and daemons exist along with humans, A Discovery Of Witches revolves around Diana Bishop, who is the last witch in a legacy consisting of powerful ancestors. But Diana is different from the rest, much to the dismay of the others of her species. Ever since the horrific death of her parents when she was seven, Diana refused to use magic since she held it to blame for her being orphaned, despite the fact that her lineage had ensured that she had powers and abilities that other witches could only dream of. As a historian at Oxford, she pours herself into research surrounding alchemy for a conference. This not only causes a drastic change in her world, but stirs the interest of other creatures too.

In the Bodleian Library, Diana calls in a manuscript named Ashmole 728. As she examines and reads it, she can feel magic exuding from the book. But she resists using magic to decipher what was hidden in the manuscript. From then on, Diana finds herself surrounded by various creatures both hostile and helpful. One of these is Matthew Clairmont, a 1500 year old vampire who develops an interest in her. He explains to her the story of the manuscript, which went missing in 1859. Since then, there had been a search for it because of its coveted contents. Witches, vampires and daemons all wanted the manuscript in their possession, as it contained secrets of tremendous significance about them. As a result, all kinds of creatures set out to seek the manuscript from her.

In spite of Diana's blood appealing strongly to Matthew, he takes up the role of her protector amidst the dangers her life is suddenly fraught with. As they spend more time together, Diana falls for him without realizing the consequences of a relationship with a creature from another species. Its's not just external forces that force their bond on tethers, though. As Diana gets to know Matthew better, she unravels secrets kept from her by him.

But with time, Diana realizes that Matthew is not the only one who has been keeping secrets. She gets to know more about her parents that leaves her heart-broken. Eventually, Diana is caught in a battle between who she is and who she has been made to believe she is. Will she use the magic that has been building up in her for so long to the extent that it's not even within her control? And will Matthew succeed in protecting her from the multiple threats on her life? Can she manage to be true to her namesake, Diana who was the Goddess of the Hunt and track down the manuscript before it falls into wrong hands?

A Discovery of Witches is a highly compelling read, even though its vast length makes it an endurance test. Deborah Harkness has combined history, science and her splendid imagination to spin a unique tale. It is high on intellect and historical references considering the protagonist's profession, thus making it a challenging read at times. But it keeps your mind reeling - and is definitely a challenge worth taking. 

(Shivani Singh, who has just appeared for her 10th grade exams, is an avid reader and a writer in the making.)

Review:The Folded Earth

I have been lucky to have read good books back to back. The latest to join in my highly recommended reading would be Anuradha Roy’s The Folded Earth. The book is very well written, the book cover very well designed. Yes would re-iterate my obsession with book covers! But of course no book cover is above the story...And for this book I can surely say that the story will keep you captivated.

Maya, the protagonist of the book, defies her parents to marry the love of her life Michael. They both live happily together but fate has other plans for them. Though Michael by profession is a press photographer he is also a passionate climber and on one such trip to Roopkund in the Himalayas he ends up losing his life. Left with no friends, no family Maya decides to move to Ranikhet, a small town deep in the Himalayas to start her life afresh. With the help of her contacts she takes up a job as a teacher. While being a teacher during the day, in the evening she spends her time by helping her landlord Diwan sahib to write a biography on Jim Corbett. Her bond with the eccentric scholar and her friendship with a village girl Charu seem to offer her the chance of a new life in Ranikhet. Things though start changing soon enough in this quiet, peaceful town with a new administration in place. With the upcoming elections the town is seized by powerful outsiders who are trying to sow division there and usurp the school land, almost bringing it close to closure. Her life is set to change too with the arrival of Diwan sahib’s nephew Veer. Veer starts to live with his uncle and plans to set up a trekking company in the town. Maya finds herself instinctively drawn to him but his frequent disappearances also bring back memories of her past. Why and where does Veer keep disappearing too often? What secrets does he hide? All the pieces fit together at the climax of the book.  

The writing is poetic at times, humorous at places and well researched throughout. Beautifully written, poignant and a great read. An interesting story that will keep you hooked till the very end.

About the Author:

Anuradha Roy was educated in Calcutta and Cambridge. She has worked as a publisher and a journalist and is now an Editor at Permanent Black. She was the winner of the Picador-Outlook Non-Fiction prize in 2004 and her first novel, An Atlas of Impossible Longing, was shortlisted for the Crossword Prize. 

Review: Third Best

Reviewed by: Shivani Singh

Third Best is an entertaining story accurately throwing light on the life of students in Indian boarding schools. Set in the early 90’s, it spins around Mount Shore, a prestigious school where seniors command their juniors to do their homework and chores, girls sneak into the boys’ dormitories and infatuations are unrequited.

The protagonist of the story, Nirvan Shrivastava is enrolled in Mount Shore to continue the glowing legacy of his family. Each and every member of his family – be it his great-great grandparents or his aunts and uncles have attended the school and left with their names heroically embedded in its history. And the same success and excellence in academics and sports is expected of Nirvan, not to forget the coveted title of Head of the Mount which all of his predecessors with the exception of his elder brother Moksh had earned. But from the first day itself, he realizes that things aren’t easy as he’s been made to believe, because getting good grades to please his teachers and shouldering the pressure of his House to win an inter-house school football tournament weren’t the only problems he faced. No one had ever taught him how to talk to someone he had a crush on, how to stand up for the right and how to regain his lost respect.

Accompanied by Nirvan are his best friends at Mount Shore, consisting of Faraz, Gautam and Ruma. Faraz is a tall and incredibly good-looking young man who is desired by every girl he comes across – oblivious to his nonchalance to their advances and his desire lying in someone unattainable. That one friend everyone has who is a complete music freak is portrayed by Gautam, who in spite of his uncanny knack to get into trouble,  low grades and obsession with hot girls has hidden qualities and talents, which he learns to discover and nurture along with the help of his caring friends.  Meanwhile, Rumi is a girl who has lived abroad all her life and is a die-hard fan of Nirvana and Guns ‘n Roses, who falls for one of her unsuspecting friends.

Amidst the horrifying nervousness of dallying between studying for the upcoming board exams and playing football matches to bring glory to their House, they learn valuable lessons about sacrifices, hard work and making the right decisions. They learn to deal with heartaches and losing loved ones, and forgiveness too. The crime of bullying by seniors has a major role in this story, and the painful truth about violent bullying is openly displayed. But the most important lesson that the students learn is to always stand up for what is right, whomsoever the perpetrator might be.

Third Best is a light-hearted read for teens that enjoy the multiple interesting flavors of boarding school life. It successfully displays the concept of boarding school life which was popularized by Enid Blyton, the only differences being that in this book you find the abundant swearing, raging hormones and other aspects that come with the onset of adolescence and plots that are more appealing to young adults. Hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time, Third Best makes a fun read.

(Shivani Singh, who has just appeared for her 10th grade exams, is an avid reader and a writer in the making.)

Review: The Life's too short: Literary Review 01 New Writing from Pakistan

I recently read a very interesting book called ‘The Life’s Too Short Literary Review 01: New Writing from Pakistan’. It is an anthology of Pakistani writings which is very bold, entertaining and engaging. The book has some amazing stories which will keep you hooked to the very end.

I am a huge fan of Pakistani writing and have read most of the books coming from writers across the border. But what I particularly liked about the stories here was that they are not the usual stuff that one expects or for that matter of a Pakistan one usually watches on television. Except for maybe two stories Bilal Tanveer’s To Live- a brilliant read and Aziz A Sheikh’s Six Fingered Man.

The anthology hence makes for a very refreshing read. The book also contains some excerpts; I liked Husain Iqbal’s Challawa this excerpt features the amorous adventures of a lesbian lady detective, Sabiho Bano (translated from Urdu by Mohammed Hanif) and the other excerpt from a graphic novel Rabbit Rap which I found particularly vague. A photo essay and a non-fiction piece of work called The Last Moghul of Shalimar also find a place in this anthology. Yes unusual but appealing stories that a reader will enjoy.

The other stories worth a mention here would be The Wedding by Sarwat Yasmeen Azeem and Madiha Sattar’s Ruth and Richard.

All in all if you are a fan of Pakistani writers or you would want to read something out of the ordinary and refreshing pick this book up. You won’t regret it.

The book has been edited by Faiza S Khan:

Faiza S Khan is a Karachi-based columnist and book and film critic whose work has appeared in The Friday Times, Open magazine, The Caravan, The Times of India and the Express Tribune. She founded and co-administrates the Life’s Too Short Short Story Prize.

Q&A with Abbas Kazerooni

Recently I had the pleasure of reading ‘On two feet and Wings’ , (this book was published in the USA in 2008 under the title 'The Little Man') an immensely heartwarming story of a 9 year old boy’s journey from Iran to the UK.  I couldn’t help but remember the oft repeated quote from Spiderman “With great power comes great responsibility” but the 9 year old shows “With great responsibility comes great power” and that too with so much positivity and presence of mind.

This book is the author’s true story. Just close to his tenth birthday Abbas has to leave his parents and flee Tehran. The Iran-Iraq war has reached its bloodiest and the age of recruitment in the Iran army has been reduced. If Abbas doesn’t leave soon he will have to go to war. His ultimate destination is to reach London for which he will have to go to Istanbul to get a visa. On reaching Istanbul, Abbas shows exemplary courage and has no other option but take charge of his life and do the job he has to do. He has to learn difficult things-how to live on his own, how to make his way around the city and most importantly, how to judge who he can trust and who he cannot.

A story that will tug every mother’s heart and make every child believe that they have it in them to surpass all obstacles that come their way.

The Book Lovers blog posed a few questions to the author on his debut book.  Here is what he said:

The book’s journey from being called ‘The Little Man’ to ‘On two feet and Wings’ –

I have to give my Editor Vatsala Kaul Banerjee a lot of credit for this change. At first I was resistant but once I thought about it, it seemed to make a lot of sense. The Little Man is much less evocative, and the new title gives that message of the boy being on his own and small in a big world and yet still gives the message that it was miraculous and full of hope all at the same time. 

It was a huge responsibility to shoulder at such a young age, how did you manage to stay so positive throughout?

I think it was my naivete that kept me positive. If I had to endure the same experience at the age of 16, it would have been much harder for me. There were serious low points, don’t get me wrong…like constantly missing my parents and feeling bored and lonely…but as a child I felt like I was there to get a visa and that is what would happen. I was not old enough to constantly think about the negative and the “what ifs.” So I guess the answer is that ironically it was my lack of sophistication that kept me positive!

Did you at any point feel robbed of your childhood? Any regrets?

Yes, all the time. I still feel like I am dealing with that today.  By the time that I had abnormal drama in my life I was eighteen. That was the first time I had time to look back and contemplate what I had gone through…and that was the first time I felt sorry for myself. It was not a good time in my life.  I knew that this would be a downward spiral and I took action to stop this pattern of behavior. At eighteen I took a year out between school and university and went to teach underprivileged children in Malawi (which at the time was the second poorest country in the world). I lived in a hut with no running water or electricity for 6 months, got malaria in the process and yet it was the one most useful experience in my life. It put my history in perspective. I went home as a different person. That is not to say that I do not feel sad about what I had to endure as a child (like I said, I still have to deal with it) but it made it easier. There is always someone out there that has had it worse.

You handled multiple roles while you were in Turkey, you continue doing the same even now! Besides being a writer you are also a lawyer, actor and producer. How do you manage to wear so many hats?

I have a personality that does not allow me to sit still…sometimes to my detriment. I always have to be doing something. I like to be creative and I am always thinking. I have a pad and pen with me at all times and when ideas come to me, I write them down. I just have a character that once I get an idea in my head, I had to follow through with it. I get tunnel vision! Once I start writing, I do not stop till I have finished. That way I tend to get a lot of things accomplished. But if I am being honest it is my way of coping with a lot of issues…if I am busy, I do not have time to think about them.

I am sure many of the readers who have read the book would be curious to know how ‘the little man’ managed to handle his life in the UK and beyond..

Well, there very well may be a sequel or a whole new book that tells of my life in the UK when I arrived there. The story actually gets more dramatic if you can believe that! The next book will deal with an insensitive guardian and being homeless at a very young age.

Have you signed a movie deal yet for your story?

No…I am still waiting for an offer!

Are you working on another book, could you share more details?

As I mentioned before I will start working on the next book shortly. It will be showing how I survived living a double life, a life of contrasts, one during the day and another at night.

Any message for your young fans.

First and foremost thank you so much for caring and reading my story. I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to read about my story. Second, I just want them to know that irrespective how hard life may seem, if you stick with it and do the right thing, you will get the most from life… just be patient and positive.

Review: City of Thieves

Cyrus Moore’s book ‘The City of Thieves’ shows the murky insider dealings of price fixing and how the big broking houses fix share prices for their own and their clients gain. The lengths that these broking houses can go to, to achieve their goals makes this book worth a read.

The story, set in London, is about Nic Lamparelli a journalist who is hired as a research analyst for a telecom practice. Nic soon becomes a sharp and insightful analyst whose views and analysis of companies can move the share prices of the companies. He rises through the ranks to reach the pinnacle of his profession, and soon he has a high flying career in the city, with a reputation as one of the bank’s star analysts. But things change for him soon enough when Nic is pressurized to raise his call on a particular share which his bosses are fixing with their clients to make a killing on the insider prices. Nic refuses to play along and soon whatever Nic has managed to build starts to crumble right in front of his eyes. But in the face of everything can he hold true to his principles?

A very interesting and novel concept which shows the Armani suited villains of the financial markets in their true light. The villains may not be larger than life like Gordon Gekko but stay true to his mantra of ‘Greed is good’

A controversial page-turning thriller set in the days leading up to the credit crunch, City of Thieves is the novel that lifts the lid on city life.

Good and fast paced read.

About the Author:

Cyrus Moore is the writing name for Cyrus Mewawalla, a leading City analyst. After twenty years’ experience in the City, Cyrus left corporate banking to set up independently. In 2006 Bloomberg ranked him the number one telecom analyst in the UK. He lives in London with his wife and two children.