Sunday, December 20, 2015

Winds of Hastinapur - Review

I read Sharath's book in two nights, while I was on a vacation. Sharath is retelling a story that I am fairly familiar with and yet, he managed to hold my attention and kept me hooked to the electronic pages of my kindle. In a day and age where the retellings of Ramayana and Mahabharata are available by the scores, it is a challenge to give it a spin but full marks to the author for doing so.
Sharath retells, or should I say reimagines, the story from the perspective of the women. The first half being told from the POV of Ganga while the second from Satyavati's POV.  The book, like every other book out there, has positives and negatives. I shall go over both one by one.

Things I liked:

1. The language- The setting demanded an archaic prose and  Sharath more than lives up to it. His writing is poetic and flows effortlessly, almost like a mellifluous song. I could wax eloquent about his mastery of words. Suffice to say, he weaves an effortless tale that made me, the reader, very satisfied. 

2. The descriptions- Sharath paints a picture with his words and it was very easy for me to visualize the scenes. Be it Meru or Hastinapur or the fishermen's village on the banks of Saraswati, I was there with the characters.

3. The concept- It is a brilliant and innovative approach. In both the epics, even though women play pivotal roles, it's almost always the men who walk away with the accolades. A few authors have given a voice to Draupadi, but the other women, like Ganga, Satyavati, Amba, Gandhari, Kunti and Subhadhra, who had significant contributions to the story, rarely get a voice. The fact that Sharath has chosen to tell the tale from their perspectives is not only unique but laudable.

4. Satyavati- I had to mention her. She is a proud, confident woman who is comfortable in her sexuality. She knows the power she wields over men and is unafraid to use it. She is someone who speaks her mind, no matter what. We need more such characters in our fictions. The fact that she comes from the pen of a man is just the cherry on top of the ice-cream sundae.

What I didn't like:

1. Descriptions- Yes, I know I listed it as a positive but it is also a negative point. In places the description became too heavy. Almost as if Sharath wanted to make sure that the reader saw exactly what he saw in his mind.

2. Occasionally sagging narrative - While in most places, the narrative is razor sharp, on occasion, Sharath loses his tight grip on the story and the narrative starts to ramble. For example, that whole scene where Devavrata is growing up and Ganga is going through torment between her duties as a celestial river maiden and her maternal love. I understand Sharath wanted to show Ganga as a more rounded character, but the narrative could have been sharper.

3. Devavrat- And herein lies my biggest problem. Blame it on the fabulous rendition of Mukesh Khanna, but for me Bhishma is a towering figure who would command attention just by walking into the room. I have always pictured him as the overpowering figure who could force people into submission with a mere glare. Sharath's Devavrat doesn't convey that power to me. I am told that he is stealing the show, but I don't feel that awe.  With Bhishma being such an important character, I am worried how it will translate in the subsequent books.

Overall, this is a book I would definitely recommend to all the lovers of mythology. You want something different, look no further than Winds of Hastinapur.

Rating: 4.3/5

About the author

Sharath Komarraju (1985 -) was born in Warangal, India, to a doctor father and lawyer mother. At the age of twenty-three, on the eve of starting his first day at his newly acquired job, he sat down to write his first piece of fiction. He has not stopped since. His first novel, Murder in Amaravati, was longlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize, 2013. He now writes full time, and lives in Bangalore with his wife.



Buy it here

Friday, October 16, 2015

Surya Putra Karna - The Mahabharata Fanfiction


I started watching Sony's Surya Putra Karna because I had seen and enjoyed Starplus's Mahabharata which was made by the same team. Also because Karna is a character I love.

Given that the epic does not say much about Karna's childhood, I had expected some aspects of the series would be fictionalized. Also given the way Starplus's series was narrated, I knew some events from the original epic would be modified and presented in a way that would be relatable to the newer generation. What I wasn't prepared for was a fanfiction.

That is exactly what Surya Putra Karna is, a Mahabharata fanfiction. But I have to say, I am enjoying it thoroughly. I have set aside my brain  and am having a good laugh- although that was probably not the intended reaction of the makers. So without further ado, let me share some of the hilarious moments and sheer genius that the show provides us with.


 The show starts off with Karna's birth. We see Kunti setting off the newborn Karna down the river, on a basket. Then Adhirath sees the basket and rescues the kid from the river, while Suryadev shoots balls of fire down on earth.

Upon coming up from the river, Adhirath meets Kunti's maid who extracts a promise from Adhirath that he would never tell anyone that Karna is Kunti's son.

 Years pass and we see a nine year old Karna yearning for his mother's love. It is at this age that he discovers his natural talent for archery. In an effort to win his mother's love, Karna goes in search of a musk-deer and meets with Pandu and Kunti. (Keep in mind, at this point, Yudhisthir is not yet born.)

Circumstances force his family to go seek refuge in Hastinapura and from here on starts the fanfiction. Upon getting the news of Yudhisthir's birth the queen Gandhari, who's been pregnant for two years now attacks her own womb, forcefully induces labor and ends up delivering a blob of flesh.

Ganga tells Bhishma to get Ved Vyas for he has the skill to turn that blob of flesh into the hundred sons and one daughter that Gandhari was supposed to have. And who goes to get Ved Vyas? Not Bheeshma but our nine year old hero, Karna.
Look at that cute face, how could Ved Vyas say no?
 
Soon after Karna gets into fights with the Hastinapura court and Bhishma takes away Karna's bow. 
Why can't Bhishma stand straight? He always stands in this 45 degree angle. What's wrong with his center of gravity?


 Such circumstances are created that Karna is forbidden from practicing archery ever again. He is enrolled into the school for charioteers. Meanwhile, Duryodhan is born.

Ten years pass and now the 19-20 year-old Karna is preparing for the exam for charioteers and he comes to give the exam in this.
Hey Ravana came in Pushpak Vimaan to kidnap Sita. Why can't Karna fly in a hot air balloon?

And there he gets into a tiff with Dushyasana and eventually with Duryodhana. Now let me take a moment and remind you that when Karna was 9-10, Yudhisthira wasn't even born. And yet, somehow, by the time Karna is 19-20, the Kuru princes look like this. What growth potion have they been drinking?
How is Yudhistira (front, center) 10 years old? What sorcery is this?

With Pandu and Madri's deaths, the Pandavas are set to return to Hastinapura. But Shakuni's demon assassin attacks them and there the brothers along with Karna (seriously, he's everywhere!) kill the demon and save the day. Pandavas and Karna become BFFs. (EEYYUP).

Some days later Bheema is poisoned by Duryodhana and is drowned in the river. The Pandavas and Karna look for Bheema. Karna dons his sleuthing hat and figures out that Bheema has been poisoned.
Presenting Angraj Holmes!

They get into a fight with the Kauravas and are almost winning when Kunti intervenes and puts a stop to the fight. In the last episode that I saw, the Kauravas are planning to get Karna into their camp.

Thus far it has been a hilarious watch. Although, I can't help but wonder, what happens when a kid who is unfamiliar with the original epic watches this and believes this to be true?

My tip: Watch this for entertainment kids. If you want to know about the epic, read the Amar Chitra Katha version. It sticks closer to the original text written by Ved Vyasa.
 
Behold! Dushyasan's scowl of evil!
 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

A review of Me, Mia, Multiple by Debashish Irengbam


 

 

 
I was given a copy of Debashish Irengbam's 'Me, Mia, Multiple' by a mutual friend and writer Kirtida Gautam (Author of #IAm16ICanRape, another must-read book). I had read the blurb of the book a few days ago and it had intrigued me. A suicidal man and a woman with (I suspected) Dissociative Identity Disorder (otherwise known as DID). That seemed like a fun ride and I must say, Debashish does not disappoint.

Blurb:
Killing yourself should be easy, right? Pop a few sleeping pills, lie on a railway track and let the train do the rest of the work. Neat, swift, painless. Yet dramatic. What could possibly go wrong with Jeevan Raikar's plan? Well, this: a girls' night out happening at the graveyard next door, starring a vodka-swilling blackmailer and her dead mother. And so, Jeevan - who ought to be dead by now, mind you - is stuck with bubbly Mia, raging Tanya and sensuous Alisha. Which might seem like an enviable situation to be in, but for one tiny catch. They are all the same person. Me, Mia, Multiple is a debut that cares little for convention: a romance with a twist, a twisted romance, a romantic twister. Whatever you want to call it, you'll tear through it with sheer pleasure.
 

The Review:

All his life Jeevan has been fighting the mediocrity and monotony of his life. He is severely disillusioned and believes that there is no meaning to life. His viewpoint is almost nihilistic, save for the fact that he is secretly awaiting a big adventure, but that is something he does not want to admit even to himself. After his brief fling with a colleague comes to a screeching halt, Jeevan yet again tries to end his life. 

But fate had other plans and Mia steps into his life, foiling his plans. Mia, who is also Tanya as well as Alisha, is the adventure that Jeevan was not prepared for. As Mia she is sheltered, shy and a girl-next-door. As Alisha she is a sex-kitten and as Tanya, she is a person you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. What starts from then on is a laugh riot. The humor is genuine and never once feels forced or contrite.  

What I liked 

·       I'll start with the name of the protagonist, Jeevan Raikar. Jeevan means life in Hindi. It is ironic that a suicidal protagonist is named Jeevan. That little touch was beautiful in my opinion.

·       Even though I knew Mia's problem from the get go (the blurb reveals it clearly), I as the reader could relate to Jeevan's confusion as he met all the 'alters' one after the other. 

·       The narrator's voice is fabulous. Deliciously dark and humorous at the same time. He is a deeply flawed character and I thank Debashish for that. How many romance stories have we read where the hero is this perfect Adonis who could do no wrong? Debashish chooses a more relatable and human character and I give him full marks for that.

·       Mia. Alisha. Tanya. Three people, same body. Debashish brings out each character so well that just by the body language that Jeevan describes, I knew who was coming out. 

·       I liked the pacing, the gradual progression from dark romantic comedy to dark romance.

·       The writing is flawless. Debashish mixes show and tell perfectly, making it an interesting narrative that doesn't sag even once. Despite being in first person POV and in present tense, the prose moves without jarring. 

·       He explores suicidal behavior and a complex psychological disorder without once getting heavy handed or preachy.   

What I didn't like 
·       The sisters were almost indistinguishable from each other, as were the brothers-in-law, except for the cop guy.

·       Couldn't visualize Jeevan, except for his buck teeth. Wish there was a little more description of how Jeevan looked.

A special mention must be made about two minor characters, Ash and Kapil. I am willing to bet that the author has based them on actual people. Fabulous!
Even though I had correctly guessed the reason for Mia's condition, I am not going to dock points from Debashish for it. I guessed it only because I have had to do an extensive research on DID for a novel of my own. Had I not known what I know, I doubt I could have seen that ending coming. All in all, I would give him 4.75/5.
About the Author



Debashish is a Mumbai-based scriptwriter. So far, he has written for TV shows aired on Star TV, Sony, Channel V and MTV. He has also worked in the creative department of UTV Motion Pictures in the past. As of now, he is developing a couple of full-length feature film scripts. Me, Mia, Multiple is his first novel. His second novel, Charlie Next Door, is forthcoming from HarperCollins Publishers India in 2016.

You can buy the book here and here.


Please visit here and here to grab a copy of my book, 'I See You',

Monday, September 21, 2015

My Love- A Short Story

My Love- A Short Story
A story I penned for he cover reveal.

___

I still remember the first time I saw her. She sat under the tattered shadow of the oak, combing her serpentine locks. Locks that looked alive, moving of their own accord, or was it the wind playing with them? When I had seen her that night, I had been but a child. I did not understand what it was that drew me to her but drawn I was. Right from the moment I laid my eyes on her, I was reeled in like a fish on a hook. From then on, every night I sat by the window, as the sun dipped below the horizon. My gaze would linger on her silhouette as she sat combing her long hair that draped around her like a veil, cocooning her in a miniscule world of her own. I knew not whence she came or who she was; all I knew was that she was meant for me.

I tried to show her to my father, but he had scoffed at my childish fancies. Pretend play, he called it and the dutiful child in me agreed. I convinced myself that she was not really there. Closing the window, I attempted to shut my reality out. Days turned to months and months turned to years, but the window remained bolted. However, closing one’s eyes to the truth does not make it go away. Cut away from my anchor, I floundered like a rudderless boat in the stormy seas, slapped around by the waves. Hapless and untethered, I gasped and heaved as life tossed me hither and thither.

Years later, an unfortunate event in a series of unfortunate events drew me back to the home of my childhood. As I wandered in the lonely rooms of my erstwhile home, the longing which lay dormant in my soul surged forth. The feelings that gushed through me were akin to the bursting of a dam. I finally opened the window that had stayed bolted for years, just as the sun was ending its day’s journey. I opened the panes and there she was — sitting under the gnarly skeleton of the oak long gone. Still she sat, combing her tresses as they twisted and turned and weaved with a mind of their own. I stood transfixed, unable to shake the overwhelming feeling of belonging. I was home.

Over the next few days, I slaved over a love ballad, trying to put in words all that I felt, but it was akin to trying to capture a raging tempest. It would not happen. By the time full moon came by, sloppy, amateurish lines were all that I had managed to conjure up. I sat by the window, waiting for her to come. Every moment passed like an eon as I waited for the one I had loved all my life, not knowing a thing about her.

And then, just as the moon peeked from behind a cloud, she was there, combing her hair as she was wont to do. Trepidation filled my heart as I ventured out with the love ballad in my hand. I reached her and spoke. On and on I went, my love for her waxing eloquent. And yet she uttered not a word. She heard me though, I knew, for her hands stilled. I strove on undeterred but as her silence stretched, my bravado faltered. Haltingly I asked why she would not say anything. In response, she turned and my shriek rent the night. Where there should have been eyes, there were none. Nose and mouth were gone too. All she had was a smooth expanse of flesh. The love of my life was faceless.

Today I sit under the tattered shadow of the oak tree, every day after sundown, combing those serpentine locks. They really do move on their own for they have bound me to them. I cannot get out.

 

I See You - cover page



My book's cover.

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Saved In Sri Lanka by Devika Fernando; Book #76


Hosted by The Book Club, The Tornado Giveaway is a fantastic event. Today I'm sharing the book of an author I like and admire, Devika Fernando. And featuring as book number 76 is her book 'Saved in Sri Lanka.' Given below is the blurb of the book and the link to 'The Tornado Giveaway'.

"Some people are destined to meet.

It sure feels that way when Sri Lankan tour guide Sepalika meets Daniel. The mysterious tourist from Ireland steals his way into her heart and makes her question everything her life is built upon. Instant attraction turns to love – but does he feel the same? And what about the secret she’s hiding from him?

Follow the two on their quest for a happy ending amid the beauty and wonders of the tropical island paradise of Sri Lanka."



http://thetornadogiveaway.blogspot.com/2015/08/tornado-giveaway-2-book-no-76-saved-in.html

 

Monday, September 7, 2015

Liam Redmond


Meet Liam Redmon, my protagonist from I See You