Book Review: The Inimitable Chaos of Life by Maliny Mohan

The Inimitable Chaos of Life

Author: Maliny Mohan

Publisher: Storymirror

Rating: 3/5

‘We live in a rainbow of chaos.’

~Paul Cezanne

Life is chaotic and it takes a lot of courage and patience to face the storms standing tall and conquer the odds. This book presents the uncovered realities of life on the platter before the readers. Through several short stories, the authoress tries to throw light on the various minute details of life and how people deal with it.

The overall concept of the book is nice but a mundane or rather plain cover fails to appeal. StoryMirror is a great platform for the budding authors to showcase their work and through this book, they have proved that quality is what they believe in (in terms of content). The font (size and style) is not according to the standard norm and lacks neatness. The content has such exemplary vocabulary that the readers might develop that urge to turn the pages and read what is written. The stories have an amalgamation of personal experience and didactic purpose. The attempt is to capitalize on the same idea and try to make readers understand the complexities of life.

Overall, the concept of the book is appreciable but the font size acts as a negative factor.

Overall, good effort by the authoress!

Best Wishes!

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Book Review: Demons in My Mind by Aashish Gupta

Demons in My Mind

Author: Aashish Gupta

Publisher: Notion Press

Rating: 3.5/5

For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.

~Khalil Gibran

‘Demons in My Mind’ is a poignant tale of Dakshesh and his painful illness. The purpose of the story is not to entertain but to question the cult. There are numerous questions that are still unanswered: why is the world not a better place to live in? Should our mind be blamed for the sins we commit? Does repentance yield inner peace?

Starting with the cover, it is abstract and catchy. The title serves the purpose and matches the storyline. The blurb could have been better. No doubt the vocabulary is very good, yet the language might be a problem here. The type setting, font (size, style) and the overall layout are perfect.

Coming to the plot: The story is strong. The build-up of characters in a perfect chronological order is commendable. The character sketch is very balanced and they have been portrayed really well.

Dakshesh’s journey during the last few days of his life has been portrayed nicely. His quest to find solace in the teachings of the three monks is contrasted with the life stories of the three monks- the stories about how their life took a turn and transformed them from sinners to monks. That is something to look out for.

It is not necessary that every story ends on a happy note because every story does not originate in cloud cuckoo land! ‘Demons in My Mind’ is a different type of story that can make you jump out of your skin. The plot is gripping and the lucid narration acts like a cherry on the cake.

Overall, this is a strong, emotional and intelligent piece of fiction which will definitely touch your heart.

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Book Review: Parrot under the Pine Tree by Surendra Pratap Singh

Parrot Under the Pine Tree

Author: Surendra Pratap Singh

Publisher: Invincible Publishers

Rating: 3/5

“Having your heart broken is the easy part; knowing when to move on is the challenge.”

‘Parrot Under the Pine Tree’ is a subtle love tale that is relatable and sweet. The story revolves around Vedanta and Saranga, who come in contact by chance and are struck hard by Cupid’s arrow. But destiny is probably not in Vedanta’s favor, for the sudden turn of events sets the alarm bells ringing.

‘Parrot Under the Pine Tree’ is a love tale, which revolves around the two main characters- Vedanta and Saranga. The title of the book is ambiguous and the faded shade of the cover doesn’t help either. The font is fine and the language is lucid and understandable. I would like to compliment the author’s ability to present this piece of fiction in a language that can be understood by everyone.

The plot is gripping but the major drawback lies in the redundancy of the plot. The story lacks twists and turns and that is another potential reason to not classify the book as a must read. Barring some grammatical errors here and there, the book might be liked by the romantic fiction readers.

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Book Review: Siamese Compassion by Kaushal Suvarna

Siamese Compassion

Author: Kaushal Suvarna

Publisher: -

Poetry is an art that reeks of emotions and the one who can play with words and can express his thoughts is said to have lived life rightfully.

We all would have come across books titled as ‘Siamese Poems’ or ‘Siamese cats’ or ‘Ode to a Siamese cat’. For starters, Siamese is a term derived from the word ‘Siam’ which was used formerly as a name for Thailand. However, this book’s title is not a piece of cake to decipher. 

Read the complete review here. 

Book Review: The Moon in the Sun by Sanjay Kumar Singh

The Moon in the Sun: A Novel in Poetry of Love, Life, Soul & Wildlife

Author: Sanjay Kumar Singh

Publishers: Notion Press

Rating: 3/5

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

~Albert Einstein

Nature is said to be the best healer. When the curve of life changes because of the crests and troughs, it is always wise to succumb in the lap of nature and get peace of mind. ‘The Moon in the Sun’ is a poetry collection that is very different from the likes. It has a story weaved through the delicate beads (words) and offers the readers a delightful read.

‘The Moon in the Sun’ is the story of Narayan- the first part of the book deals with his past and the second part narrates his life after 50 years. His attachment with nature and the surroundings is what shapes his life. The emotional connect and the intricate feelings have been portrayed by the author very well. The characterization is fine. Barring a few grammatical errors, the plot is praiseworthy.

However, I feel that the cover design could have been made more intense. Why read this book? Because it will touch your soul and change your perception. This is a new form of poetry for most of the readers and giving it a shot will be worthwhile.

Best Wishes to the author!

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Book Review: Karma by Kevin Missal

Karma

Author: Kevin Missal

Publisher: Kalamos Literary Services LLP

Rating: 2/5

Targeting the social evils like inter-caste marriages and questioning the judicial system, ‘Karma’ turns out to be a quick short read. The story begins in the flash back when a woman is raped and killed and the murderers escape, leaving the body hidden. 8 years later, Urvi, the protagonist’s wife makes her appearance felt. The only unfortunate part is that she is no longer a human.

Crafted very precisely, this book will not take much of your time as it is not only fast paced but also comes with lucid narration. Since the main focus was only on the storyline, the character sketch did not come out beautifully.  The cover of the book is catchy and resembles more to a horror genre.

The major drawback is the poor editing and proofreading. I had read the author’s previous work and it comes as a disappointment that yet again, the author has ignored the importance of good language. Use of words like ‘babe’ spoilt the horror for me.

The book could have been better.

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Book Review: Window Seat by Yashluv Virvani

Window Seat

Author: Yashluv Virwani

Publisher: Half Baked Beans

Rating: 3.5/5

“Be genuinely interested in everyone you meet and everyone you meet will be genuinely interested in you.”

~Rasheed Ogunlaru

Life is unpredictable, yet it is possible to connect the threads together and form an opinion. ‘Window Seat’ is an anthology of short stories that are inspired from our day to day lives. It is the minute things that matter the most and if we focus on them instead of making a mountain of a molehill, we can understand life better. With an apt title, ‘Window Seat’ is a book that touches your heart. I cannot refrain from praising the title; it is so relatable. A window seat is the first choice of many as people see life pass by in different forms. The entire concept of watching and penning down the various stories belonging to random people is commendable.

The author has done a fabulous job of narrating stories and keeping them different from each other. None of the stories are related. But still, a common thought that hovered in my mind was the exemplary skills of observation and narration.

The real pleasure lies in reading each story that is not only fast-paced but also gripping. The cover is pleasant, the blurb is apt and the content is perfect for a light mood. With fitted use of twists and turns in the tales, the book has the potential to leave an indelible impact on your mind. Though philosophical, yet the life lessons are worth giving a shot.

Barring few grammatical and punctuation errors, the book is a delightful read.

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Book Review: Rafflesia- The Banished Princess by Gautam

Rafflesia

Author: Gautam

Publisher: Frog Books

Rating: 3/5

Who doesn’t like to live in a cloud cuckoo land? Who doesn’t like the fairy tale endings? And why shouldn’t one like such stories? There are plenty reasons for liking the impractical and irrational life, for one cannot find the same contentment in reality!

‘Rafflesia’ revolves around a similar concept where the protagonist admires the life of Rafflesia (a banished princess’ story) and desires to become like her- live in a world like her's where there is no one to pierce the delicate bubble of happiness. But soon he is exposed to the flip side of the coin- the side characterized by the blasts of winter. Life isn’t a bowl of cherries and this realization comes down heavily on Appu, for his belief in fairytales lets him succumb to the facade of make belief.

The storyline is good; it portrays the bond of friendship between Appu and Rahul. But on the same lines, the desperate attempt to make the title look relatable to the plot is very evident. The author doesn’t refrain from mentioning the name of the book time and again in the chapters. The story oscillates between the past and the present life of Appu and the narration brings out essence beautifully. Barring the grammatical errors and incorrect vocabulary (for an instance: incorrect use of the word vowed), the setting and the atmosphere of the story are overwhelming.

The story lacks connection. The monotonous descriptive paragraphs could have easily been skipped and the page count could have been reduced. With a misleading blurb and cover, the story offers something that is not even remotely related to what the first impression might be. Nevertheless, the positive aspect of the book is that it makes the readers realize that every cloud has a silver lining and it is these fairy tales that come to our rescue. We have to learn to dream and believe. The book also stresses the importance of friends in life. ‘Blood is thicker than water’- the story proves this adage wrong as the relationship shared by Rahul and Appu surpasses all doubts.

Overall, I would like to congratulate the author for his debutant work.

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Book Courtesy: ARUDHA