Book Review: Glittering shadows by Manish Ranjan

Glittering Shadows

Poet: Manish Ranjan

Genre: Poetry collection

Publishers: Cyberwit.net

‘Glittering shadows’ is a rhythmic and lyrical journey of the poet, on the path of love. This is not just a book but a dedication to all those who never give up and still have the spark that kindles hope in their hearts. The book is divided into three sections: Love and be loved, reflections of life and womanhood and her crisis. Away with the fairies, the poet imagines himself in a dreamland afar. A dreamland where there is peace and love, hope and loyalty and there is no place for hatred and narcissism. The poems have a subtle feeling attached to them and it reflects in the words used.

Readers can spot almost all rhyme schemes here- aabb, abab, free verse, etc. The use of figures of speech make the content likable. However, the poems are quite lengthy and for readers, who do not delve into profound poetry, this book might be a big turn off. For Literature enthusiasts, this is a good option as they can get a chance to explore the vocabulary (not forgetting to mention that the vocabulary used, is splendid).

Somehow, the title of the book seems off track. Secondly, the poet talks about love in the beginning. So, the other two sections are not coherent with the flow of the book. ‘Love and the ocean’ needs a special mention here because of its magnificence and poet’s outlook on love and beyond. Apart from this, ‘The Battlefield’ is another jewel in the book. The dedication is honest and the amalgamation of love in this poem, acts like a cherry on the cake.

Overall, a subtle read and profound work of literature!

Best wishes to the poet/author!

Buy the book from:

Amazon

Review copy: provided by the poet

Book Review: Mrs. Funnybones by Twinkle Khanna

Mrs. Funnybones

Author: Twinkle Khanna

Publisher: Penguin Publishers

Rating: 3/5

‘The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only…to support the ultimate career’. With ‘Mrs. Funnybones’, our very loved columnist and actress, Twinkle Khanna, has made a debut in the world of writing. No doubt this book has wit and humor in it, it also relates to the daily happenings of a working wife. Just because you are a celebrity, it is not compulsory that life treats you fair and is a mere cakewalk.


Read more here.

Buy this book from:
Amazon

Book Review: Unanswered by Kunal Narayan Uniyal

Unanswered: When all is answered

Poet: Kunal Narayan Uniyal

Genre: Poetry collection

Publishers: Samaya Sakshaya

‘Unanswered’ is a lilting journey of the poet. This book is not just a poetry collection, but it offers profound insight into the life experiences of the poet. You might or you might not be able to figure out the underlying meaning/ answers associated with every new poem or anecdote because unlike other poetry collections, the poet has not used broad strokes to portray any emotion or feeling. But does this count as a negative? No. This book demands solitude and ardor for getting a glimpse of what is hidden behind the veil of woven words.

To begin with, the very first poem in the book is ‘You and I’, in which the poet is requesting Lord Krishna to meet him in a state that is not only humane but simple. The poem has been written in a liberal and religious tone. Next up, is an anecdote on the life of a Yogi and the poem following it, acts as the cherry on the cake. The poet has maintained sufficient balance between the inclusion of poems and short excerpts. Some of the poems that really have the potential to affect the readers are: Mysteries, Not what I wanted and Walk alone.

Coming to the technical aspect of the book, the font is legible but the size is larger than it should have been. I especially liked the indentation/alignment of the content section which is few and far between. The placing of header at the end of every page, along with the page number, is appealing. The cover of the book could have been made better. The title is not apt. If the book talks about answering all the buried questions, then the title misleads the readers. Also the punchline- ‘When all is answered’, is contrary to the title. Other than this, I do not like the fact that this book lacks a blurb. Even if it is a poetry book, it should have been accompanied by a blurb at the back because blurbs are essential in reinforcing the decision of buying or not buying the book. 

The use of vocabulary and language is splendid. Although I also felt that for not-so-avid-readers, the language will be comparatively difficult to comprehend. The poet’s selection of words to describe the emotional turmoil, is remarkable. All the poems have been written in free verse and that adds a personal touch to them. For those who are aware of our mythological history, the book is relatable. Even for the new readers, there is something new to know about, in every poem.

Overall, a subtle read and profound work of literature!

Best wishes to the poet/author!

Review copy: provided by the poet