June 24, 2015

Book Review: Paradise Lost & Regained by Ratnadip Acharya

Paradise lost & regained
Author: Ratnadip Acharya
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing
Rating: 4/5


About the Author
An Electrical Engineer by profession, Ratandip Acharya is also a well trained street magician. He has contributed in various collections like Chicken Soup for the Soul and many more. His debut novella, “Life is always aimless…unless you love it”, came into print in December, 2012. The work was loved and appreciated all over the country.
Since Nature and its mysteries interest him so much, his next work, “Paradise Lost & Regained” aims to unravel the hidden truths and solve the mysteries of nature.



Summary
Paradise is always where love dwells- be it inside the womb or outside. This novella is an invigorating blend of nature and the other unexplainable things. The books voices out the life of a deer. Life is not a bed of roses. Once a child is exposed to the outside world, the state of being a bundle of nerves, persists. The sole motive of survival gives heebie jeebies! This book is different, the concept is different and the narrator is not a human. Indeed, it is a deer. Right from the emotional turmoil being faced, when inside the womb of a mother deer, to facing the complexities of life and snatching success even from the jaws of death, this is what the story is all about. Nature has the ability to put the senses in proper order. The deer, in the story, helps us believe this. Read the book to get an insight into what is it like being a deer and living in a forest. Overall a new and refreshing read and a soothing collection to add into your library of books!



My opinion
The blurb on the introductory page of the novella, “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known”, is what decks out the concept of this book, beautifully. The author has used extended dimensions of his imagination to portray life beyond the horizon. The myth, that it is beyond the human capacity to unravel the mysteries of nature, has been proved wrong. “Paradise lost & Regained” is an action packed, engaging and evocative piece of work. The cover of the book is mesmerizing, the color effects and the print quality is superb. The title is catchy. The synopsis at the back cover of the book is apt.  The best part of the book is that the vivid imagination of the author cannot be underestimated, for he has not only portrayed the life of a deer but has also included and blended the essential elements like air, water, trees, grass and sky. While reading the book, the reader is forced to dive into the ambience and start experiencing what the protagonist is experiencing. The language, used in the narration, is the plus point. The expression and emotions are lucid, the characters seem so real as if jumping right infront of you and the suitability of the theme to any nature lover, is perfect.
Overall, a simple read! Best wishes to the author!



Drawbacks:
The text is repetitive in most of the paragraphs and some of the chapters are too long to keep the attention of the readers gripped. Secondly, the sentences are way too long (pertaining to the number of words used in every sentence).



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**First published on IWW webpage (http://www.induswomanwriting.com/book-review-of-paradise-lost-and-regained.html)
                                                                                   


June 23, 2015

Book Review: Dear Mom...with Love

Dear mom…with love
Editors: Smita Salins and Shalini Samuel
Publisher: Shlok Publishers
Rating: 2.5/5


Summary
“Dear Mom…with Love” is a heart melting dedication to all the mothers. It is an anthology that includes poems, short stories and memoirs. The content of the book has different flavours and different perspectives, all blending together into an entertaining read!


My opinion
The overall concept of the book is nice. The cover is catchy and the title also suits the purpose.

A tribute by Aashisha Chakraborty: A well crafted poem, with every line perfectly relating to the life of every child.

A definition of pure love by Arjun Bhattacharyya: This memoir on motherhood and its essence, is perfectly cut and dried. The author has made a good effort in voicing out his perspective on mother’s love.

For Mom and Dad by Gaurav Somawanshi: The best part of this poem is the dedication to both, mother and father. How the childhood of every child is influenced by his/her parents, what role do the parents play and how much do they mean to the children, all these questions have been answered through this poem.

‘O’ Mom by Gurdeep Singh Kohli: ‘O’ Mom depicts the emotions and psychological state of a child, who is down in the dumps because his mother has left him. Overall, a heart touching piece.

Being Mom by Kamal Jain: Yet again a marvelous feat in form of poetry.

Making me “me” by Medha Sarkar: Mothers are a dab hand at everything, be it giving love or sacrificing themselves for their children. This is one such story of a mother who gives her daughter, the most precious gift- a new life. A soul stirring tale indeed!

Thank you mom by Meenu Yadav: Lucid emotions, clear cut presentation and emotional word flow- good effort by the author.

The silver lining of love by Neeti Banga: Love cannot be understood. It may cause pain at one time and can make you feel elated, the other time. The plot of the story, although predictable, successfully manages to hold the attention of the readers till the very end.

Because I am special by Neha Ghosh: Being disabled does not mean that the most important pleasures of life will be taken away from you. It is the belief in self and the support of your parents that does the trick. Riddhima is one such person, who loves life only till the realization, of her being disabled visually, stays away from her sub conscious mind. How she manages to get back her confidence and how she starts living afresh, the answers lie within this story. Good effort!

Like mother, like daughter by Neha Lalwani: The blurb of the story, “The moment a baby is born, the mother is born too”, is self explanatory. A rattling good read!

Unravelled family by Preet Kaur: The irony of life is that it takes sadness to know happiness, noise to appreciate silence and absence to value presence. This tale describes the emotional turmoil in a young girl, who lost her mother and when she tried to find love in her father, he turned down all her hopes and forced her to leave behind all the memories and walk past. Nicely written.

This is for you mom by Rachna Iyer: A nicely written poem- short but so heart touching.

My parents are my God by Renu Yadav: I found this tale the most appealing one. The story runs on a different track and the climax acts as an icing on the cake. The diversion from the general norm of praying for a male child, grabbed my attention. Good read!

I proudly call her mother by Sabi Shaikh: The lyrical combo and the rhythmic word flow gives this poem strength to reach out to audience. Yet another marvelous feat!

Mom, I lived my life in you by San Soans: A different approach and perfect amalgamation of emotions of an unborn child.

Guardian Angel by Shalini Samuel: The use of words and vocabulary is alluring.

‘O’ Mother by Sumeet Gulabani: Good effort by the poet!


Drawbacks
The book lacks proofreading and there are several editing mistakes. The titles of the entries are different in the content section and different on the specific page numbers. The grammatical errors are frequent.


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