Review: Battle for Bittora

Anuja Chauhan’s first book The Zoya Factor was a runaway hit, and, is soon going to be released as a movie by none other than Shahrukh Khan’s production house Red Chillies Entertainment. The book was a brilliant love story between Zoya Solanki, an advertising professional and Nikhil Khoda the captain of the Indian cricket team. The book made you laugh, make you go all mushy and awww on reading it. So as is obvious her second book was eagerly anticipated and looked forward to ,especially going by the buzz, that it would be a politician's love story!

Battle for Bittora is her second book which again has full movie-in-the making potential. It is a love story between two young, dynamic, good looking politicians. The only hitch, despite knowing each other since childhood and being in love is, that they are going to be at loggerheads soon as they battle for Bittora as candidates for opposing parties.

The story is of 25 year old Jinni (Sarojini) who lives and works in Mumbai is perfectly happy with her carefree and happy existence. Until one day her grandmother, a veteran politician herself, asks or rather expects Jinni to drop everything and contest from their hometown Bittora. The grandmother is bossy and she is just not used to hearing a no. Jinni’s life is soon to change from a hip career woman in Mumbai to  a cotton sari clad wannabe MP campaigning as the candidate for Pragati party in Bittora.

Though she is reluctant she soon finds herself swathed in cotton saris and frumpy blouses, battling prickly heat, accusations of nymphomania and corruption in her battle to uphold the illustrious Pande dynasty of Pavit Pradesh. She is soon to learn that everything in politics is not as easy as it seems from outside right from the voters to her so-called friends, to understanding how her campaign is funded.

It definitely doesn’t help to know that her main rival in the election is going to be her friend from childhood Zain Altaf Khan. Zain is an ex-Royal of Bittora who is a candidate of IJP, a pro-hindu party, which by fielding a Muslim candidate is trying to signal a change of its party ideologies.

The book takes you through the battle royale. It is commendable that the author has attempted a light hearted love story between two politicians something which is so difficult to imagine keeping the Indian politicians in mind. The book is a laughathon most of the times but also tends to drag at places. What is interesting is her generous use of hinglish and hindi words which an Indian reader can connect with instantly. Words like Saakshaat fart to describe a person, kitaanu animator to describe Jinni’s job profile and her grandmother’s liberal use of broken English in the typical Pavit Pradesh accent will keep the reader laughing.

Obviously no marks for guessing which parties she means when she says Pragati, IJP or, for that matter, the place, Pavit Pradesh is also not too difficult a guess.  But the author in her own hilarious, fun way manages to give a reader an insight into what it takes to fight an election in India… it surely is not for the faint-hearted!

The book has an interesting premise but unfortunately it doesn’t keep the reader interested enough to read till the very end.  Coming after The Zoya Factor as a reader you may be disappointed since it is not as engrossing as her first.

But as a standalone it is a total value for money, entertainment guaranteed kind of a book! 

About the Author:

Anuja Chauhan was born in Meerut and went to school in Meerut, Delhi and Melbourne. Anuja lives in Gurgaon with her husband Niret Alva and their three children, and works in Advertising. Her contribution to the nation’s real politik is mostly limited to serving tea and being seen and not heard in her mother-in-law’s drawing room. (Her mother -in-law being veteran and respected politician Margaret Alva).

Review: Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of The Mahabharata

The Mahabharata is an ancient Hindu epic where:

A son renounces sex so that his old father can remarry

A daughter is a prize in an archery contest

A teacher demands half a kingdom as his tuition fee

A student is turned away because of his caste

A mother asks her sons to share a wife

A father curses his son-in-law to be old and impotent

A husband lets another man make his wife pregnant

A wife blinds herself to share her husband’s blindness

A forest is destroyed for a new city

A family is divided over inheritance

A king gambles away his kingdom

A queen is forced to serve as a maid

A man is stripped of his manhood for a year

A woman is publicly disrobed

A war is fought where all rules are broken

A shift in sexuality secures victory

The vanquished go to paradise

The victors lose their children

The earth is bathed in blood

God is cursed

Until wisdom prevails.

The story of Mahabharata continues to intrigue, fascinate, mesmerize and captivate us till date. This is one epic from which many have learnt the art of war, art of business, the art of living and is as relevant in today’s times as it was 3000 years back.In his book Jaya, Devdutt Pattanaik takes us into a fascinating journey and retells the story in his own brilliant way.

In this enthralling retelling of India’s greatest epic, The Mahabharata, originally titled as Jaya, Devdutt Pattanaik, seamlessly weaves the Sanskrit classic as well as its many folk and regional variants into a single narrative plot. Most of us broadly know the story of Mahabharata through BR Chopra’s magnum opus on Doordarshan and through various story books such as Amar Chitra Kathas that we read as children. But Pattanaik’s book gives a fairly detailed description of the various plots and sub plots of the grand epic. He also provides explanations linking these stories to other Hindu texts such as Puranas. Mahabharata in itself has been interpreted and written in various different versions and till date no common consensus exists about this great epic.

The book is a very engrossing read. It gives a reader amazing insights into the Mahabharata and its various twists and turns. The book is a must read for any reader interested in mythology or just for a good and spellbinding read.

About the Author:

Devdutt Pattanaik is a medical doctor by education, a leadership consultant by profession, and a mythologist by passion. He has written and lectured extensively on the nature of sacred stories, symbols and rituals and their relevance in modern times. His books include The Book of Ram, Myth=Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology and The Pregnant King. The Book of Kali is based on his talks. Devdutt’s unconventional approach and engaging style is evident in his lectures, books and articles.

Review: Pyre of Queens

David Hair’s book Pyre of Queens is an extremely interesting and riveting book. A book which will keep you hooked to the very end with its various twists and turns. Hair has managed to pack horror, reincarnation, mythology, ritual of Sati, history all in one book!

The book alternates between two periods one is in 769 AD in Mandore, Rajasthan and the other is current day Jodhpur, Rajasthan. When you have a horror, mystery, intrigues set in a place like Rajasthan you have a sure winner in your hands. So is this book.

The story starts with Ravindra-Raj, the evil sorcerer-king of Mandore in Rajasthan, devises a
deadly secret ritual, where he and his seven queens will burn on his pyre, and he will rise again with the powers of Ravana, demon-king of the epic Ramayana. But things go wrong when one queen, the beautiful, spirited Darya, escapes with the help of Aram Dhoop, the court poet. Aram Dhoop loves Darya but she is in love with Shastri, the commander of king’s soldiers. Theirs is an unfulfilled love story and they are to be re born till the time they do not put their demons to rest.

So  after many re-incarnations they meet again in Jodhpur, Rajasthan in 2010. At the site of ancient Mandore, teenagers Vikram, Amanjit,  Deepika and Rasita meet and realize that the deathless king and his ghostly brides are hunting them down. As vicious forces from the past come alive, they need to unlock truths that have been hidden for centuries, and
fight an ancient battle . . . one more time.

The book falters in its plot at times. It also gets a bit confusing when the teenagers fight with their past life demons.  The love story between Shastri and Darya is a bit unconvincing.

Some characters that stand out are Ravindra Raj, the man is particularly evil and gory. Aram Dhoop the poet is also an endearing character but the decision he takes in the end will make him suffer till his death.

Will they manage to set all things right and go back to live a life more normal without being haunted by their past lives? What happens to Ravindra Raj and his brides? Read the book to know more.

Very fascinating read. Look forward to his next!

About the author :

David Hair is a New Zealander, who has worked primarily in financial services. He has a degree in History and Classical Studies. He has lived from 2007 to 2010 in New Delhi, India, but usually resides in Wellington, New Zealand. Apart from writing, he is interested in folklore, history and has a passion for football.

Review : The Wolf At The Door

Jack Higgins is back with his brand new book The Wolf at the Door. The book also brings back the old protagonist Sean Dillon, General Charles Ferguson and his team of operatives.

So this time someone is targeting the members of the elite Intelligence Unit known as ‘the Prime Minister’s private army’ and all those who work with them. For Sean Dillon the hunt is on. A very well-connected old nemesis has clearly become tired of the private army’s interference in his schemes. But proving it is going to be a difficult task and surviving it the hardest task of all..

The story is about murder attempts on Fergusson and his team members both in London and New York. Each of the assailants in the attempt is found to carry a catholic prayer card with a specific Irish prayer. The story takes you through how the Russian GRU activates a sleeper provisional IRA cell in London to take revenge on General Ferguson since he was involved in the breakup of GRU/Russian Secret Services covertly operating in London.

Although the premise is good the book fails to build up the plot and catch the reader’s attention like previous Jack Higgins’ books. The pace of the book slackens in the middle and even the climax does not build up as a reader would have anticipated.

The book is a good read for someone who is looking for a thriller but do not expect the usual high standards of Jack Higgins.

About the Author:

Jack Higgins (born 27 July 1929) is the principal pseudonym of UK novelist Harry Patterson. Patterson is the author of more than 60 novels. As Higgins, most have been thrillers of various types and, since his breakthrough novel The Eagle Has Landed in 1975, nearly all have been bestsellers. The Eagle Has Landed sold tens of millions of copies worldwide.

Review: Radiant Shadows

 

Review for Radiant Shadows

Author: Melissa Marr

Radiant Shadows is not what you call a fairy tale romance – it’s a faerie tale romance. It is the fourth installment in the Wicked Lovely series. Devlin, a faerie who was created by Order and Discord - Sorcha and Bananache, is sent to the mortal world to see how the newly formed faerie Seth is doing. Meanwhile, the Summer King Keenan is missing, and there is chaos in the Summer courts. Devlin did expect a fight or two with Bananache who creates discord, but what he didn’t expect was to find love. And the girl who steals his heart was one who was to be killed.

Ani is a halfling. She is part hound and part faerie, which makes her liable to the hunger of both creatures. Her short temper and beauty are what attract Devlin to her. But Bananache orders her to do a terrible thing which involves killing Ani’s loved ones and give her blood to her. With Devlin’s help, Ani flees her home in an attempt to get away from Bananache. But it’s not all that easy. Bananache kills Ani’s sister, for which Ani is determined to find her and kill her.

Another essential character is Rae, who is a dreamwalker. She can combine the threads of people’s dreams and interact with them. Meanwhile, Sorcha is unwell because of the absence of her son Seth. When she finds out about Rae’s abilities, she orders her to show her Seth in her dreams. This causes the Queen of Order to go into a deep slumber just so that she can see what her son is doing. Due to this, there is discord in Faerie. Everything slowly starts disappearing, and unless Sorcha wakes up, the land will disappear into nothing. It is only Devlin and Seth who are capable of waking her up. Thus Devlin and Ani’s plans to flee come to a standstill as Devlin needs to go back to Faerie.

The book’s ending is one that leaves the reader knowing that they haven’t seen the last of Devlin, Ani and Faerie. Together they have a future fraught with danger, but they are prepared to face it since they have new powers.

The book has been very imaginatively written. Melissa Marr’s unique writing style and cheek make it a fun read. This book is recommended for reading only for those who’ve read the previous books, since there is a huge connection to the previous books. A good read.

Reviewed by Shivani Singh

Review: Mini Shopaholic

Becky Bloomwood is back and how!! If you are a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella’s Shopaholic series this is a book you must read! As usual brilliantly written, a book which will keep you laughing from page to page and make you wonder how, just how does Becky (Rebecca) Bloomwood manage to pack in so much action in her life without meaning to! Also how does her husband, Luke Brandon, quietly and calmly handle her shopping ways! Another fabulously funny book by Sophie Kinsella!

So our favourite heroine Becky returns two years after she's given birth to Minnie. Minnie is as bratty as they come. A feisty two year old who knows her mind and can express her attitude with no qualms.

Becky who thought motherhood would be a breeze and that having a daughter was a dream come true- a shopping friend for life will soon learn that is not as easy as she thinks! As Minnie, the 2 year old Ms. Smarty Pants, has an absolutely different approach to shopping. She can manage to create havoc everywhere from Harrods to Harvey Nicks and her favorite word is Miiiiinnnnneeeeee this again is hilariously narrated!

While the country is in a huge financial crisis after Bank of London has gone bust and everyone is talking of cut backs our dear Becky is busy preparing a huge surprise event for her husband. Cut backs et al is just not her style! She finds a way to work around those issues not just for herself but also her clients at The Look. She is the only person at work who is managing to make money for the company with her innovative shopping ideas!

Becky soon finds herself in a series of unfortunate events that she is determined to solve in her own special way – so whether it is Luke's birthday party or Minnie's tantrum prone behavior and her job she knows or rather thinks she can manage it single handedly! Though she manages to get herself in a million tricky situations, she always finds the way out leading to various laugh- out- loud moments! Becky can unintentionally manage to crack you up like no one else in this world!

There are some really jaw aching laughter moments in the book. Some really funny ones are when she introduces Minnie to the concept of pocket money, Minnie’s christening ceremony or when she buys Minnie a birthday dress for her 21^st birthday.

The book is highly recommended to all the women who have a bit of a Becky streak in them. Of course for all the men this book should be compulsory reading so that they can try to be like the uber cool Luke Brandon and learn to let their women indulge in shopping!

A fun book all the way!

About the Author:

Sophie Kinsella is an internationally bestselling writer and former financial journalist. She is the author of the number one bestsellers Can You Keep A Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess,Remember Me? and Twenties Girl as well as the hugely popular Shopaholic novels, the first of which is now the hit Hollywood movie Confessions of a Shopaholic.

Review : Saraswati Park

Anjali Joseph’s debut novel Saraswati Park is a fascinating story about a family residing in Bombay. The book is a vivid and detailed description of Bombay and manages to capture the essence of the city brilliantly. The book is almost an ode to the city. Saraswati Park, the colony where the protagonists reside will transport you to the lanes and by lanes of quiet areas of Matunga, Dadar or rather any old colony of Bombay. It is totally nostalgic at times right from its old colonies to the almost dying profession of letter writing which the protagonist Mohan does for a living.

This book is Mohan’s story. Mohan Karekar is by profession a letter writer who sits outside the post office in Bombay, he has helped put other people’s thoughts and feelings into words day on day. He is also a closet writer who also loves to read. Residing in a quiet suburban colony with his wife at Saraswati Park his life is pretty ordinary and mundane. Though on the surface all looks well between the two but underneath it all their marriage is thawing. Mohan’s lack of engagement and his contemplative attitude is pushing him further and further apart from his wife, Lakshmi. This again he does not notice or realize.

Soon they are joined by Ashish,a diffident, sexually uncertain  19-year-old nephew who is studying English literature. The book then takes us on a journey of these three different individuals who are deeply unsettled with their existence and are constantly striving to better it but are unable to do so.

So we have Mohan who would much rather read his books or attempt to write ignoring the tensions in his own marriage, his wife struggling to salvage the marriage and their relationship and Ashish who is coming to terms with his own problems. Though they are all battling their personal demons they intentionally or unintentionally end up being a support system for each other.

When Lakshmi loses her only brother she decides to leave Bombay under the pretext of helping an ailing relative, to mourn not only the death of a sibling but also the vital force of her marriage.  Mohan finally realizes the cracks in his marriage which he had been ignoring all along when there is no sign of Lakshmi returning; he finally manages to take a few decisive steps to salvage it. Meanwhile Ashish jumps from one failed relationship with his school friend into another with his English tutor who ends up breaking Ashish’s heart yet again but it also helps him find his peace. Mohan‘s dreams of turning into a writer also soon start taking shape.

The writer manages to breathe life into each character with her detailed description. Though every character is well thought of and characterized it is Ashish’s story which is the most interesting.

The book which is initially very slow paced ends up being very vague and hurried at the end. The book meandering at times.and  is agonizingly slow paced in places, even if you skip a few pages you don’t really end up missing anything.

But all in all an interesting and promising debut.

About the Author

Anjali Joseph was born in Bombay in 1978. She read English at Trinity College, Cambridge, and has taught at the Sorbonne, written for The Times of India in Bombay and has been a Commissioning Editor for ELLE (India)