Book Review: Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R. F. Kristi

Diary of a Snoopy Cat

Author: R. F. Kristi

Genre: Children’s book

Publishers: Amazon Asia-Pacific Holdings Private Limited

Plot Summary:

‘Diary of a Snoopy Cat’ is a children’s book that narrates the story of a cat called Inca, who is not only curious but also adventurous. She has a detective agency of her own that comprises of pet agents, human agents and a hamster agent too. Unlike the narrative atmosphere, this is more of a journal entry by Inca about her daily escapades. The story leaves a lot of scope for testing the cognitive skills of the children by asking them various questions related to the actions of the cat.

Area A: Text

The text has been organized in simple sentences. Cautiously yet beautifully drafted sentences do not fail to appeal to the children, for they describe the personality of the young cat so aptly. With appropriate subtlety, the authoress has tried to touch the right chord of the young minds by introducing valuable lessons. These lessons on the importance of friendship, importance of being there for others and appreciating the gifts that God has gifted us, appear time and again and the children can be probed to understand their relevance.

The target audience is young children aged between 7-13 years who have well developed auditory senses but take their time to work on their cognitive skills. The vocabulary is simple and elementary. the intelligent humour will lighten the mood and offer them moments of genuine laughter.

Area B: Illustrations

The cover of the book neatly presents the main conflict of the plot. The illustrations (in broad strokes) strike the right chord and will be liked by the children. The primary medium used in illustrations is rough sketching.

Area C: Characterization

The main character of the story is Inca and the most dominant trait that can be identified is her will power to achieve her goal. The central idea and the conflict of the story- the anxiety of Inca to go out and exploit her limits and test her potential- will be relatable. This short story explores the struggles of a young cat and leaves behind an important lesson of life that will be imbibed by the children.

Verdict:

I would give 3 out of 4 stars to the book because of the witty writing style of the author. However, I felt the illustrations could have been better. 

Book Review: That’s How it’s Meant to Be by Shilpi Chaklanobis

That’s How it’s Meant to Be

Author: Shilpi Chaklanobis

Publisher: Author Paradise

Rating: 3/5

“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.”

― Allen Saunders

‘That’s how it’s Meant to Be’ is a poignant tale of love. Despite the clichéd plot where a love triangle affects three lives in one go and leaves one wanting for more, this story offers moments of genuine pathos and elaborates on the paraphernalia of a happy life. Love is believed to surpass all emotions and be bellyful to combat any ordeal. Welcome to the real world and the thinking changes, for love is insufficient.  The real world demands more.

In short, the story revolves around a Bengali girl, who has spent her childhood with a lot of friends and with family. Life changes course for her when she leaves the city for higher studies. She meets her opposite (in terms of personality) and falls in love because opposites attract, don’t they? Bound by the chains of apprehension and anxiety, both- Nilanjana and Vikram, abstain from spilling the beans that they love each other. And when they do, it is too late, for Nilanjana has already found a soft corner for Arunabh.

Love triangles are common for us; we have heard and seen many stories based on the same theme. So what makes this book different? The unequivocal expression of love is well set. The narration sets the tone and makes it all sound more real. We can all empathize with the characters and that is what makes this story impactful.

However, yet again the editing acts as an impediment and vexes the reader. Another point that I would like to put forward is that I believe one-worded/ two-worded titles are more cogent. A title like ‘fated’, ‘destined’, etc. would have been better. Here, the authoress should have exploited her creative abilities and presented something more interesting. The cover is too docile in comparison to the content.

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

Buy this book from:

Amazon

Book Review: A Quest for Spring by Monica Mujumdar Dixit

A Quest for Spring

Author: Monica Mujumdar Dixit

Publisher: Notion Press

Rating: 3/5

Love is an uncanny emotion as it is ever evolving. But this story is not only about love. It is an amalgamation of appropriate amounts of drama, anxiety, love, romance and regret. The story revolves around Raehan and Amolika, two young souls who are subtly struck by cupid during their college days. The commendable character sketch of these ‘round’ characters is worth praising. With an objective atmosphere, the story describes the plethora of pathos in their life. Simple and predictable, the story progresses through a lot of ups and downs that drive the two protagonists apart and then destiny whirls its charmed wand and tries to bring them closer again.

What I liked about this book is the analogy drawn between happy days and the spring season. In that sense, the title makes absolute sense and is apt. However, the cover fails to appeal owing to the way in which 'SPRING' has been printed.

‘A Quest for Spring’ is a simple read. The plot of the story is predictable and is not new to the readers. The narration is lucid and easy to comprehend. The dialogue delivery is fine. But the major problem lies in awful editing that might surely irk the readers. Another problem is the meek character sketch of the side characters; they act like mere caricatures. A little more about them would have balanced the story.

Overall, a good yet simple plot that is comprehensible but clichéd.

Best wishes to the author!

Buy this book at:

Amazon