Book Review: City Times & Other Poems by Vihang A. Naik

City Times & Other Poems

Author: Vihang A. Naik

Genre: Poetry collection

Publishers: Authorhouse UK

Vihang Naik’s “City Times & Other Poems” is a collection of several poems that have been penned down in a skillful manner. The best part of this poetry book is that the poems are not restricted to one particular topic. The poet has depicted his ability to think out of the box. The poet has presented various ideas under different sections like Mirrored man, love songs of a journeyman, self-portrait, city times, etc., and the effort of keeping the interest of readers intact, cannot be ignored.

The cover of the book is something different; however, it failed to appeal as I was expecting something abstract. Since I received an ebook, I cannot comment on the print quality. There are no prominent editing mistakes.

The verses or stanzas are easy to understand and have been framed beautifully. The poems have an exclusive depth and reach out for a wider horizon. The poet has been successful in putting forward his perspective. Perhaps the poet has gone over all the topics with a fine-tooth comb and eventually has gotten down to a fine art.

Some of the poems really touched my heart; reading between the lines, I was able to relate and comprehend. ‘City times’ is not only about positivity but also describes our deepest fears and other pessimistic elements like the dawn of darkness on the human soul and change in humanity. Change is good, but definitely not this one. Exposing the dark side of human nature and simultaneously talking about the sweetest pleasures of life, the poet has done a commendable job is striking a perfect balance.

Most of the poems do not follow any particular rhyme scheme. The free verse doesn’t fail to impress. I wished, however, that the book’s title was more interesting. Even omitting ‘Other Poems’ could have been better.

Overall, a good read with an enjoyable collection of poems!

Book available at:

Amazon

Book Review: The Indian American Dream by Pranay Sahu

The American Indian Dream

Author: Pranay Sahu

Publisher: Half Baked Beans

Rating: 3/5

“The negative side of the American Dream comes when people pursue success at any cost, which in turn destroys the vision and the dream.”

~ Azar Nafisi

Einstein said- If your head tells you one thing and your head tells you another before you do anything, decide whether you have a better head or a better heart. ‘An American Indian Dream’ is a novel that takes you through a dilemma of dreaming and then making them come true. Be it America or India, both have their own positives and negatives, but how does one feel when the pressure of staying in one’s own country forces one to bear the brunt of not getting the chance of living the dream? This is a compelling read, for it highlights the emotional turmoil that Roshan goes through. It is a story about his consistent struggle; it elucidates a struggle that becomes ball and chain. The continuous process of chop and change shatters him, breaks him down, but it also lifts him up and gives him hope.

But life isn’t that easy, is it? Stuck with the complexities of love, answerable to a Guru who is an abbreviated piece of nothing and fighting the internal demons who constantly trouble him, Roshan stands out in his role and the author does justice to this character.

 ‘An American Indian Dream’ is a narrative or rather a monologue. We have a protagonist, Roshan, who takes charge to help turn the wheels of the story forward. This is a story about his life; a life which forced him to choose between going to America and staying in India. But was this that easy? No.

The graphical cover of the book is catchy and fits best with the plot. The title is apt and gives a clear cut idea of what the book has in store for you. The font (style and size) is fine. Typesetting and organization of text have been taken care of.

Coming to the plot, I felt there was inclusion of unnecessary details every now and then. The narration is lucid and language is simple. It can be understood by not-so-avid readers too. But the lengthy monologues can be a turn off for some. The plot lacked the interest quotient; I kept on losing interest midway but the deadline somehow forced me to complete the book.

There are some grammatical errors, specifically- missing commas and incorrect vocabulary. Secondly, in the last few pages, the flaw in the editing and proofreading is evident. Incorrect tenses serve as hurdles in the reading process.

The author has been successful to a large extent in preparing a savoring potpourri. With storing opinions and portraying each and every minute detail so finely, the emotional setting of the story is enthralling.

Overall, a good attempt by the author!

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Book Review: The Monk by Akshay Shroff

The Monk

Author: Akshay Shroff

Publisher: Gargi Publishers

Rating: 4/5

“There are no wrong turnings. Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk.”

― Guy Gavriel Kay, Tigana

As readers, what do we look for in a book? Good plot, strong yet magnetic protagonists, mystery and efficient dialogue delivery, isn’t it? Don’t we often get allured to the titles too? ‘The Monk’ might sound ordinary but it is a perfect example of contradiction (a combination of statements, ideas, or features which are opposed to one another). This is definitely that one book which should not be judged by its cover.

Lakshya Gaitonde, the male protagonist, is hard-bitten by the realities of life. With a dream of becoming a successful cricketer one day, he burns the midnight oil only to suffer in the hands of his destiny. He loses his father in a terror attack in Mumbai. And the action has an equal and opposite reaction. The ambition to shine with the bat changes to a desire to curb terrorism with the gun. No sooner does he settle in the profession, than his fiancée and mother die in a train blast. That was it. He had to avenge the deaths of his loved ones and to do that he came up with a fiendish plan of putting an end to the terror attacks.

The tables are turned when Lakshya fails to realize that there are charms about the forbidden that make it ineffably desirable. In the process, he becomes a sinner. But does every sin need a punishment? What if the sin committed results in something good? But Lakshya is not bothered about the outcome; his desire to quench the life of the terrorists is bigger than anything else. But will his plan reap benefits?

‘The Monk’ definitely has a lot more to it than it might portray. The elucidation of major terror attacks in Mumbai makes one relive the trauma; it makes one break out in a cold sweat! The title is contradictory to the cover page and that opens multiple doors for the curious minds. However, I felt that the blurb said a lot. Another drawback was the lack of space on each page; there was too much text and the desperate attempt to finish the book in less number of pages was evident. This could have been worked upon. Also, I missed the English translation on many pages.

Nevertheless, Gargi stands up to its name and yet again a fine story is given to the readers.

Overall, a fun-filled, action-packed novella that will lift up the spirits of all the Indians who have the deep desire to fight the bad.

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Amazon