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Book Review: The Sinners by Sourabh Mukherjee
The SinnersAuthor: Sourabh MukherjeePublisher: Srishti PublishersRating: 3/5 I believe that love and lust are like parallel roads. While one road leads to a peaceful and harmonious relationship, the other leads to a dead loss. ‘The Sinners’ is a tale of love, lust, gluttony and betrayal. Revolving around the vicissitudes of corporate life, the story traces the journey of several characters- the life of whom depends on the choices they make. Highlighting the repercussions of materialistic pleasures, this story offers genuine moments of thrill and suspense. The story begins with a death in a penthouse. The entire plot focuses on untying the knots of this mystery- whether Vikram Obrai is murdered…
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Book Review: Trials of Apollo- The Tyrant’s Tomb by Rick Riordan
Trials of Apollo- The Tyrant’s Tomb by Rick Riordan Author: Rick Riordan Publishers: Puffin Publishers Rating: 4.5/5 Trials of Apollo: The Tyrant’s Tomb is the 4th book in the pentalogy series by Rick Riordan. Oscillating between fantasy, magic and mythological fiction, this series is well-suited for children and adults alike. Like the previous books in this series, this book is also a roller coaster ride and offers an amalgamation of crazy, amusing yet poignant moments. With the passing away of Jason, one of the Demigods, in The Burning Maze, I assumed that nothing would be more difficult than that loss. However, I was at the loss of words when I…
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Book Review: Diversion of Death by Thalorh Balram
Diversion of DeathAuthor: Thalorh BalramPublisher: Leadstart PublishersRating: 2/5 It is said that pain eases with time but the wounds do not disappear. The scars still tell a story. ‘Diversion of Death’ is a love story that is not only clichéd but also predictable. Revolving around Arjun, a resolute young boy who hails from a middle-class background, and Aananya, whose mind is befuddled with the concept of class distinction, this story is about how their paths cross in the journey called life! Believing in the saying that fortune favours the bold, Arjun decides to burn the midnight oil and ace the test given by life. He works his way up the…
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Book Review: Loggie by Sapna Kappal
LoggieAuthor: Sapna KappalGenre: Children’s bookPublisher: Leadstart Publishers Plot SummaryOne of the most common problems of adolescence is fitting into society and dealing with bodily and environmental changes. This is not only limited to humans but also animals. ‘Loggie’ is a story of a young turtle for whom adjustment to the new life after a mishap becomes the bane of her life. The story, though short, has many life lessons that will help deal with loss and also encourage the children to value their family and friends. Area A: TextUsing rhyming quatrains as a medium of communication along with structured sentences, the author presents the conflict of the plot neatly and…
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Book Review: Straight to Normal by Sharif D. Rangnekar
Straight to Normal: My Life as a Gay ManAuthor: Sharif D. RangnekarPublisher: Rupa PublishersRating: 4/5 Having the courage of one’s convictions is very important in the world that is full of people who judge you at the drop of the hat. When it comes to societal issues like LGBT, child labour, women empowerment, excess service tax, there is always a voice in the wilderness. Written with absolute grit, this novella chronicles the ups, downs, victories and woes of a man who struggles to find a comfortable place in the society. Mr Sharif presents a bold account of his life which also acts as a reminder for people busy in wool-gathering.…
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Book Review: Second Night by Rajiv Dogra
Second NightAuthor: Rajiv DograPublisher: Rupa PublishersRating: 3/5 Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer.~Jean de La Fontaine Love in its purest form is often accompanied by anguish and sorrow, for happiness is sweeter at the end of the anguish. ‘Second Night’ by Rajiv Dogra is addictive and intense. It is a storehouse of emotions. The story oscillates between present and past, eventually shaping up the future of the characters. Terse narrative and the succinct plot make this an enjoyable reading experience. The story begins with the love story of Sat-Sati in college. Love knows no bounds, for their hearts are pure. After being hoodwinked by the circumstances, Sat…
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Book Review: Dark Blossom by Neel Mullick
Dark BlossomAuthor: Neel MullickPublisher: Rupa PublishersRating: 3.5/5 Running away from our diabolical past is something that most of us do. But when a similar past becomes our present, the real events start to unfold. ‘Dark Blossom’ is about the temerity that is required to sail through the woes and weal that haunt usevery now and then. It is a visual of the dark and complicated labyrinth inside the brain and psyche. Impressive plotting and engaging dialogues make this book a riveting read. The author describes Sam, the protagonist, as a hysterical man who has lost his wife and son in an accident. He finds it extremely difficult to come to…
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Book Review: Thinking Aloud by Prasoon Joshi
Thinking AloudAuthor: Prasoon JoshiPublisher: Rupa PublishersRating: 4/5 Known to possess one of the most influential voices in the country, Prasoon Joshi is an astute poet, writer, screenwriter and a communication specialist. His work has been appreciated at the global level. ‘Thinking Aloud’ is a collection of his thoughts and insights on the ‘emerging’ India. He advocates respect for Art (be it in any form) and selectively peels off the layers that guide our perspective about certain notions. ‘Thinking Aloud’ begins with a look at the nebulous cultural aspects and then the subsequent chapters explore some of the more complicated topics like art, religion and altruistic behaviour. One of the essays…
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Book Review: The Fork, the Witch and the Worm by Christopher Paolini
The Fork, the Witch and the WormAuthor: Christopher PaoliniPublisher: Penguin PublishersRating: 3/5 Tales of Eragon have always fascinated me and when this book came all the way to my doorstep, I could not wait to read it. A sequel to the Eragon series, ‘The Fork, the Witch and the Worm’ comprises of tales of Alagaesia. The book has three short stories and amidst those stories, the readers can also read about Eragon’s quest to build Dragon hold for the unhatched dragon eggs. After a long haul, the joy of reading about Paulini’s imaginative world is boundless. The stable, extensive epic fantasy spreads across acres of land and also transports the…
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Book Review: Lucknow Diaries by Partha S. Sharma
Lucknow DiariesAuthor: Partha Sarthi Sen SharmaPublisher: Rupa PublishersRating: 3.5/5 ‘Lucknow Diaries’ is a pot-boiler with all the necessary elements of love, greed, politics and revenge. The plot is new and revolves around the lives of three major characters- Rahul, Feroz and Dinesh. The story is set into motion with the assassination of the young, former prime minister. The religious sentiments are hurt and the blame game is on. Amidst all this chaos, the life of three good friends unfolds. Conceding to their circumstances, Rahul, Dinesh and Feroz begin treading on paths that looked quite unfamiliar sometime before. While Dinesh follows his father’s footsteps and plunges into diplomacy (politics), Rahul and…
