Book Review - Tarikshir (✩✩✩✩✩)

I got the book as a part of the review program in Outset.

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Took me a while to decide on the rating but I think I will stick to 5 because the book was, indeed, amazing!

When I read the blurb, I definitely did not anticipate what I am in for. The narration, the storyline, the execution of the plot - I loved every bit of it! And (bless the author!!) the book was edited. If you have read my previous reviews, you will know how this has been a big big big hindrance for me in the past. Congratulations on this beauty! Aapke khayaal kaafi behtereen

hain. :)

The cover: The cover design is beautiful. It is different and crisp and not screaming for attention, like sometimes cover illustrations do. The quality of the image is what makes the reader want to dive in the beauty, head first.

The blurb: I was a little disappointed with the blurb. While it is not inaccurate or lacking per se, it could have been made more exciting. The book is one hell of a roller-coaster ride and, for a reader who relies heavily on the blurb before picking up the book, the blurb does not do justice to what lies ahead. Spice it up, I'd say.

The plot: The plot is fresh and detailed. The story is, as the blurb says, of one Rudra, a newly crowned prince faced with the daunting task of saving his empire from the British army. In the process of unearthing secrets that led to his father's death/murder, Rudra uncovers some deep, dark ancient secrets that have the potential of reshaping his entire world. What follows is a nail-biting war between Rudra and dark powers, between the good and the bad, between peace and power.

There is an element of mythology in the book which gives it a unique flavour, a flavour that, in my opinion, should be introduced in the blurb as well. The fight between good and bad is age old, and placing this book contextually in the frame of Hindu mythology has rendered it a notch above your average good vs bad literature.

The execution: The plot had been executed commendably well. The author has left no stone unturned to make this book a definite page-turner. The editing is crisp and keeps the reader always on the edge, eager to know what's next. There are layers and layers to the book that keep uncovering every now and then. All the loopholes have been neatly tied the end, making this one satisfactory read.

The writing style: The author's got style (if you know what I mean). And damn, that style is thoroughly enjoyable. The imagination that the narrative is able to ignite in the reader's mind is commendable. The writing flows, along with the story, gently moving forward but still journeying like a bullet (geddit?). Oh, and the splash of humour here and there made me smile quite many times.

The characters: The characters are well-etched. The protagonist, Rudra, has been sketched fairly well, and is relatable. Burdened with the daunting task of running an entire kingdom under extreme circumstances, the young king is often faced with the same dilemmas we face in our lives. The choices may be difficult, but they still have to be made. There is a long list of supporting cast, who have been given their due place and time in the narrative.

The climax and end: The climax is exactly like it should be, unexpected yet plausible. This is not one of those "what the hell just happened?" kind of stories. Everything eventually makes sense, you just have to dig deeper.

The end is open, both in terms of interpretation and in terms of content. Maybe the end is an indication for a sequel, maybe it is a satire (that's not the most appropriate word but my vocabulary is failing me terribly in conveying what I want to say without giving any spoilers), a general remark on how the world functions. Read the book now to know more!

Definitely recommended! Looking forward to reading more by the author, and soon.

*****


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Book Review - DareDreamers (✩✩✩✩✩)

I got the book as a part of the review program in Outset.

I absolutely loved this book!
People who follow my reviews must certainly know how strict I am with my ratings. Hence when I give this book five stars, trust me that it certainly deserves it.

The book came to me as part of a review program, and I am very glad it did. I am certain that I would not have picked this up otherwise. And am also certain I would've definitely missed out on something great!

The story: The story is of one Rasiq, and his journey from being an MNC slave to being a part of a start-up of daredevils. The narrative opens with Rasiq's first day in Bombay, the city where dreams come true, as an investment banker. While the first part of the book discovers the struggles faced by Rasiq in an extremely hectic job, it also discovers the changes that money can bring in a man's life. The struggle to balance work with the rest of his life has been portrayed beautifully, along with the struggle of being in a difficult and unrewarding relationship.
In contrast, the second part of the book shifts gears as Rasiq decides to quit his job and invest in a start-up of super heroes. While the blurb details why exactly 'DareDreamers' a start-up of superheroes, the readers will also understand in the pages of the narrative that the service offered by the start-up is no less than that of heroes. Amidst competition and cheating and cunning competition, will the start-up survive? Will the dare-dreamers' dreams be crushed under the weight of politics and treachery? The narrative is one hell of a roller-coaster ride, leaving no time or space for the reader to get bored.

The stunts were OTT, but I think that was the fun part. They truly lived up to the description of 'superheroes'.

The language: The biggest plus point of the book was the fact that it was edited! And it is a shame for me to admit it, but most new books authored by Indian authors lose majorly on this ground. It was nice to read a well-edited, proofread book. The language is flowy and simple. No unnecessary fancy words thrown here and there for the sake of it.

The characters: Most characters are sketched well. The character of Rasiq's father is extremely endearing. He was my favourite background character. Even the character of the main villain had shades of grey to it, making him more believable. Narad Money, of course, was a man without any conscience.

The end: The end was satisfactory. This book made me feel quite happy.

Definitely recommended. The father-son duo have done a wonderful job and I hope more and more readers get to enjoy their work.


*****

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I am participating in the Thursday Thoughts challenge by Vidhya Thakkar.

Book Review - Chennai to Chicago (✩✩.5)

I got the book as a part of the review program in Outset.

I am very conflicted in my rating for this book. While it was definitely better than 'ok', I am not sure I can commit to the statement that I liked it. So, for me, this would be a 2.5.

The story is of one Sriram, and his journey across nations and his journey within himself. While I did not enjoy the first half of the book at all, there was something about the second half that held my attention. The narrative, however, was not very fluid and jumpy at many places. It was because of these reasons that I did not read the book in one stretch. Plus, this was a kindle copy, not my most preferred mode of reading.

The story: The narrative was slightly jumpy for me. There were too many things in one plot. While initially the blurb made me think that the story would revolve around the journey for an Indian from a city in south of India to the land of dreams, 'Merica, the beginning of the plot was quite different from my expectations. There was a flavour of heartbreak and romance in the initial chapters. And the detailing of the same, in my opinion, was very amateurish. Also, the romance (or the lack of it) between the characters named 'Sriram' and 'Madhuri' instantly made me think of Madhuri Dixit (a popular Bollywood actor) and her husband, Sriram Nene. What are the odds!

The story then moved on to the life of the protagonist in terms of his career and the set-backs he faces in that arena. This part was mildly attractive. The struggle that the protagonist faced in terms of his professional life is detailed but comes across as a diary entry/venting rather than a flowy narrative. The other area that the book explored was soul-searching. There are flashes of it throughout the narrative but it is mostly focused on towards the end.

My problem with the narrative was there was a mix of too many things, with no satisfactory conclusion to any part. Maybe there was a deliberate attempt on the part of the author to transition from romance to career to soul searching, but that transition did not work for me. When I pick up a book, I like to know what part of someone's life am I going to be privy to. Too much happening in too little always leaves me with a taste of dissatisfaction. The same was the case here. I would have, I think, preferred, if the story was categorically written in parts, or at least divided that way.

The language: At the very best, the language is poor. I am all for simple language. I firmly believe that the simpler the language is, the more the reader will enjoy it. However, the language used here seemed like an exact production of the thought process of the protagonist, with no effort made to add to the character of the narrative.

The book has not been edited. It is riddled with grammatical mistakes and spelling errors, so much so that I had to keep the book away for a few days as initially the bad editing was all I could focus on. The backbone of any piece of literature is the language used to narrate the story. This book lost out majorly in this criterion.

A major part of the book is on the lines of this happened, that happened and then that happened, with very little to portray the feelings/thought process of the character.

The characters: Apart from the character of Sriram, no other character is developed. May be that was deliberate, but a story (even of it is of a certain person's life) is wholesome when there is an interplay between characters. That was missing from the narrative.

All in all, the book has major potential if only someone would spend time editing and proofreading it. There is a story in there if you dig deep. In my opinion, the book needs some solid editing and, maybe, a bit of rewriting as well. Recommended if you want something light to read, probably in between books.

*****

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