Saved In Sri Lanka - Devika Fernando

Book Review - Deepti Menon

                                                                 

 How can you not fall in love with a heroine with the romantic name, Sepalika, a name that she shares with the night jasmine, a flower that is fragrant, magical and fascinating? Daniel Byrne cannot keep his eyes away from the exotic beauty, who also happens to be his tour guide, a job she loves because it “involved being in touch with people from all walks of life.” Initially he is “a silent brooding riddle of an Irishman” who stays at the sidelines, but once he realizes the amount of local knowledge Sepalika possesses, he finds himself looking forward to being with her all the time.

Sepalika has spent five years in London, thrilled because “her mind and heart belonged to countries where a woman had the right to say no, to be herself, and to live.”  She returns to Sri Lanka for private reasons, and hence, finds it difficult to take in the ugly side of the country – corruption, politics, deceit and crime. However, she has shackles tying her down to the place, and she wills herself to say, “But the past should stay in the past. I can’t and I won’t go back.”

Her father is suffering from a chronic kidney disease, and when his former boss’ son, Mahesh, takes a liking to Sepalika, his father agrees to pay for her father’s treatment. She is hustled into an engagement to a man with whom she has nothing in common. 

Daniel too has his share of bitterness to combat, but as they are thrown together in the beautiful sights of Sri Lanka, the two find themselves attracted to each other. She is like “a moth drawn to the light,” while he finds that he has lost his heart to a forbidden flower, Sepalika , with her perfect name.

Is this just a fling, a one night stand, she wonders. Is she only “another exotic memory, an experience he might connect to some historical fact or other?” Daniel is incensed when he realizes that she is engaged to Mahesh, and storms out of her life, leaving her bereft, for “he knew her mind and owned her heart.” Is that the end of their tender love story that showed such promise?

Devika Fernando is an outstanding writer of romance, as she creates a love tapestry with words, both tempestuous and gentle, with all its ups and downs. Her situations, and the emotions that run through them, are all too real. Daniel with his “polished cheekbones you could cut yourself on” comes across as “a mysterious, history-loving, introverted red-head from Ireland”, but over the pages he reveals his chivalrous, often mischievous side as well. It is no wonder that Sepalika loses her vulnerable heart to him, drawn towards him, until the moment when she realizes that she is fettered to her fate.

Devika could as well have been a chronicler of history as well, so beautifully does she describe the wonderful sights of her country. Her chapters are aptly named after the various cities the tour group travel across – the Elephant Orphanage in Pinnawala, the Lion’s Rock in Sigiriya with its Mirror Wall, the Golden Temple of Dambulla with its 100 feet tall Golden Buddha, the Yala National Park whose King is the leopard, the Kande Vihare Buddhist temple, which houses the tallest statue of Buddha in Sri Lanka and many such marvels. 

                              The Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala - Photo courtesy: Devika Fernando

                                                                                   

                                                     
                              The Golden Buddha of Dambulla  - Photo courtesy: Devika Fernando     

There are two spots of special interest to Indian readers – the Hagkala Botanical garden where it is believed that Ravana hid Sita away from prying eyes, and the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree which was nurtured from the original tree at Bodh Gaya, a branch of which was brought to Sri Lanka by Sangamitta, Emperor Ashoka’s daughter in the 3^rd century BC.

Thus, ‘Saved in Sri Lanka’ is a riveting read that captivates even as it informs. 

Verdict: A gentle read that leaves the heart in bliss! 

                                              The petite writer herself - Devika Fernando at Colombo 
                                                           Photo courtesy: Devika Fernando

Vanity, Thy Name is Woman!

                                                                    

 “Vanity, thy name is Woman”.  Shakespeare could well be misquoted to denote the vanity case that women tote around, filled with stuff that men wouldn’t be caught dead carrying! My Vanity [case] was unique as it carried various stages of my life within its folds!

The Blushing Bride: When I got engaged, the first thing I received from Mom was a green VIP suitcase for my brand new saris, along with a smart little matching vanity case, which excited me no end. Never having used any cosmetics earlier, I went ballistic, filling the case up with every cream, powder and foundation under the sun. Hubby-to-be waited for my transformation into a swan, but every day I would appear, either looking like a pale faced wraith or an unnaturally red faced apparition. Finally, the cosmetics made their way into the waste paper basket, but the ‘Vanity’ remained [pun intended]!

The Young Mum: My daughter’s arrival was an event in itself, and romance and flowers went out of the window only to be replaced by nappies and milk bottles. The Vanity now smelt heavenly, filled as it was with Johnson’s baby soap, powder and oil. Ear buds, cotton wool balls and bibs all vied for space with gripe water and exact doses of syrups – anything for a good night’s sleep!

    

                                                                  

Off to School: All too soon that stage was over, and my daughter began school, [that hallowed place that eats up pencils, erasers and sharpeners], a stuffed satchel on her back and rosy dreams of having a fun gang of her own. The Vanity took on itself the task of preserving hair clips and red ribbons, accompanied by clean white handkerchiefs, school ties and errant badges, rubber bands and tiny earrings. One could delve into its depths and come up with a felt pen, a note from a teacher, a pocket diary or even a soggy toffee or chocolate. All these kept company with my lone kajal stick and half a dozen lipsticks.

The Terrible Teens: Where the fairy clips and the colourful hair bands disappeared, I never did know. Our little Miss had grown up, and how! In came the torn jeans with stone washed shirts, cool sporty shoes and requests for a tattoo! No more frills and flounces, she declared, as she walked around in T Shirts in the most basic shades- blue, grey, black, cream and more blue! The jeans were washed once a month as she lived in them and the Vanity thrived on chunky black metal jewellery, tiny functional earrings that were hardly there and nail polishes in bizarre shades like black, blue and yellow!

                                                                 

www.dreamstime,com

Working Girl: The changeover was a shocker - from tomboy to responsible young lady. T shirts turned into nightwear, the jeans perked up and lost their rents, the clothes turned formal. Smart was the catchword – tailored pants, skirts, tops and blazers.  The Vanity kept watch over the pearl jewellery, vibrant scarves and stoles, the sheer stockings and the MAC make up... all very classy indeed!

 Wedding bells: Life has come round full circle now. Now my daughter has turned into a bride, and the Vanity sits now, well worn and overused, as matrimonial plans flow around it. The little compartments have been emptied out, the mirror wiped squeaky clean, as gold ornaments have been placed inside, different sets for different occasions. For the first time, it has been kept locked. Brand new cosmetics have replaced old ones, with shimmering bindis and hair ornaments meant for a new bride, yet there is still enough place for my lone kajal stick and half a dozen lipsticks.  

                                                                

And I can say with conviction that when my little girl goes away as a bride, a brand new vanity case in her hand, I will sink down in exhaustion and by my side will be my old faithful Vanity – with a few extra scratches, ink blots, dabs of talcum powder and a bundle of precious memories! 

The "Oh Blimey!" Moment!

                                                                              

“Oh, blimey!” was what I uttered as I looked into the interiors of my cavernous refrigerator, only to be greeted by a number of tiny plastic containers, filled with a variety of food that we had had over the past couple of days. Why “Oh blimey?” Well, it seemed more exotic that ‘Ayyyo!” hand on head, and harked back to the times when we watched the iconic “Mind Your Language” series so avidly.

My husband believes that the refrigerator is the most dangerous invention of all times. “Remember those days when your mother would cook just enough for one meal, which would be delicious because there was just enough of it to nudge the taste buds?”

“No, I don’t!” I would shake my head at him, “When I was born, refrigerators were already in circulation!” After all, he was talking to a veteran planner, one who would cook in a giant cauldron so that she wouldn’t have to cook for the next few days, and more importantly, one who would pore over menus at restaurants, and refuse to go home without a doggy bag. The one embarrassing moment was when daughter dear, who was tiny but canny, said in ringing tones. “But Ma, we don’t have a dog!” a statement which I tried to cover up with a loud unmusical cough. However, the mocking gaze of the waiter kept haunting me for nights after, but didn’t cure me of the habit, much to the chagrin of my husband.

 And so I peered into my cavernous refrigerator, unable to recognize many of the little pots of gold within. What on earth would I cook, I wondered. And then came the “Oh, blimey!” moment, the Newton moment when the apple dropped, much akin to the penny dropping.

“How would you like to have gosai rice?” I asked my better half, who had his head stuck in his laptop.

“Hmmm, OK... fine!”came the mumble.

So I set to work with a vengeance! All the pots came out, with their little lids of blue, pink and yellow, looking as pretty as a set of poster colours. After all, wasn’t I an artist of sorts? (I did not say “out of sorts”, mind you!) It was a palette of culinary delights – mutter paneer, chicken curry, potato and sausage rounds, garlic curd and an assortment of Continental mixed vegetables. (Which continent? I have no idea!) In went cut onions and garlic, sautéed with ghee, till the aroma wafted out, and then went in everything I had, like little swimmers diving off the board, one after the other. They swam in perfect harmony, as I splashed the dry powders in, creating ripples of colours that swirled and bubbled over. Finally the rice was put in, a dollop of ghee dropped over and given a good stir, Now all I had to do was have a cup of my green mint tea and wait for the applause.

The applause was muted, but appreciative. My husband loved the gosai which looked exotic and tasted divine, even if I did say so myself. The satisfaction was in seeing all those tiny pots empty, and I patted myself on a good job done. There was a twinkle in my husband’s eye, but he refused to comment as he saw me putting in a huge vessel filled with the rice that contained all the little goodies that had been in the same pans that now sat on the counter! Whoever talked about reducing and reusing certainly knew what he/she was talking about!

                                                                   

That night as I sat watching my favourite serial, the “Oh blimey!” moment came back, albeit in a different form. My gosai had sparked off an idea deep within me. I thought of all those little dishes within tiny containers, each vibrant and delicious in its own way, yet so individual in itself. How could a mutter paneer be eaten with a continental vegetable dish, or a sausage round be savoured along with a garlic curd? The mind shuddered at the idea of certain combinations.

And yet, when they were all treated in the same manner and put in together to form one dish, didn’t they all work perfectly, adding their own flavour to enhance the end product?

It took me some time to sleep that night, Wasn’t this exactly how a democracy functioned – a vibrant nation which believed in unity in diversity? My last thought before sleep overpowered me was again “Oh blimey!”

                                                                            

                                                     

                                                                         

Catching the Departed - Kulpreet Yadav

 Book review – Deepti Menon

                                                                 

Andy Karan, the intrepid protagonist of ‘Catching the Departed’, published by Tara India Research Press, would probably be a dream detective in Bollywood! As the description goes, “Andy was always hungry for adventure”, informs the reader of why he becomes an investigative journalist, after a stint in the Indian Army. The action begins when Monica, his beautiful boss at the New Delhi Today magazine, sends him to Tilakpur to look into the murder of Ram Avtar, a drunk who knew too much about a terror plot.

There Andy meets Gulabo, Ram Avtar’s wife, who exudes “the pride which comes from living with bare minimum needs and surrounded by nature”. She admits that her husband has been killed.

The action speeds up as Andy is accosted in his hotel room and hit on the head by unknown assailants. When he regains consciousness, he finds himself in Safdarjung Hospital with concussion, along with the realization that he has stirred up a hornet's nest in the midst of a mystery that needs to be solved.

When he meets the elusive Mr. Kapoor, he senses that there are bigger elements at play, and a national emergency to boot. Much against Monica’s wishes, he goes back to Tilakpur, where he walks into Gulabo’s house and straight into a trap. Author Kulpreet Yadav keeps the tension alive, as Andy unravels the mystery, strand by strand, aware that his enemies are always one step ahead of him. He carries on relentlessly, for “where life and death become part of a plan, Andy Karan felt most comfortable.”

There are many questions that tantalize the reader. What is happening in the island fort of Marud Janjira? Who is the enemy that Andy has to face? Why is this a matter of life and death? What roles do Monica, and her influential boss, Krishna Bedi, have to play in the entire plot? Will Andy be able to cut through the brambles and act before it is too late?

There are many pawns in the game that play their parts and disappear. The action continues, unabated, as Andy goes through a gamut of feelings, from overweening confidence to the nadir of despair, when he compares himself to his unfortunate namesake from the Mahabharata. These moments make him intensely human, even though they are momentary.

The story hurtles towards a climax that is chilling. The style is racy, the narrative gripping. There is a sense of familiarity as the reader traverses through many landmarks in Delhi. This is a book that sticks to its genre of crime fiction faithfully, and pins its readers to the edge of their seats. Thus, it comes as no surprise that it was shortlisted for the Hachette-DNA ‘Hunt for the Next Bestseller’.

If there is one aspect that would have added on to the appeal of the book, it is the characterization of Monica. Maybe, the author could have fleshed her out a little more, and made her more authentic. One gets the feeling that she was more of a glamorous prop and less of a living and breathing person who made a difference to the narration. 

Apart from that one point, ‘Catching the Departed’ comes across as a true blue mystery. Andy Karan reveals enough charisma to charm his readers in the future as well!

Verdict: A racy, interesting read!

Jason's Duty - Alisha Guenzel

                                                               

Review by Deepti Menon

The McGregor ranch seems the perfect place for romance, though Jason, “a dark handsome cowboy”, the eldest son of the family, has no time or inclination to fall in love. When Jonas, his father, falls ill with a congestive heart problem, much of the responsibility of taking care of the horses, and the running of the ranch, fall on Jason. His brother, Jude, is still young. His other brother, Jesse “didn’t have the ‘crazy’ gene of taming horses.”

The story opens with Jonas receiving a phone call informing him about the death of his good friend, Edward Sheridan, in a car accident. His widow, Lindsey, is also a good friend of Jason’s mother, Anna, as the two “families families lived on the same country roads” years ago. Lindsey and her daughter, Haley, come down to the ranch for a change.

The first few meetings between Jason and Haley are stormy, as the girl is still getting over the tragedy of her father’s death. Anna’s maternal intuition fathoms that Jason and Haley need each other as both are loners. She tries to throw them together as much as she can, asking Jason to ‘babysit’ Haley, which he does rather unwillingly.

Haley, with her “crystal blue eyes and wavy blonde hair” is a mystery to Jason. He finds her “an ice queen” with “an attitude problem”. Haley too finds Jason difficult to deal with initially, but they slowly come closer while doing chores together and grooming the horses.

However, the spectre of Haley’s fiancé, Andrew Manchester, who belongs to a “big corporate family that owns their very own advertising agency”, looms large over their lives. When the Mc Gregor boys got off to auction their horses, leaving Haley behind at the ranch, both Jason and Haley struggle to put their relationship into focus. Andrew, however, wants her back in Los Angeles.

Haley finds herself hemmed in between the two men. Jonas and Anna feel that she is perfect for their Jason. However, Andrew lands up on a surprise visit to figure out what is keeping Haley at the ranch, and away from him.

There are some beautiful moments in the book. Anna tells Jason to be patient as “God works HIS best miracles when we are not looking”. Jason hangs on to his hopes, as he hopes to woo Haley who has “waltzed into his life like a tornado”. The underlying motto of the book is mentioned often. “Each situation has a reason for happening.”

Romance is a genre that touches the heart and this love story tugs at the heartstrings as it is simple and tender. When Haley falls off a horse, and is unconscious for a week, the readers wait to see who she will choose in the end – Jason, the rugged cowboy or Andrew, the city slicker.

Alisha Guenzel tells a tale that flows with ease, the language is uncomplicated and the narrative effortless. She leaves a few strands of the tale untold, confident that there will be sequels to be told in the future. This is a feel-good story that will bring cheer to the reader even on a cloudy day!

                                                         

 

A Beautiful Mind!

                                                                   

She was a teacher, one loved by all, for she gave of herself unstintingly. She gamboled with the young ones, playing games that they giggled over. She made her little students learn to hold a pencil, and draw lines till they were perfect. She would walk into a senior class and take a class on Shakespeare, enacting the roles of the three witches in Macbeth, while the students would sit, wide eyed and inspired, not moving a muscle till the last sinister chuckle. A big heart she had that could encompass the whole world, for she saw good in everyone and everything! Children loved her for what she taught them, parents adored her for what she meant to their children. She could be firm and inspire awe, but the firmness would disappear the moment her lessons were imbibed.
In Kerala, the Pulluva ladies are known for their songs sung to the accompaniment of little lute like instruments. These women come to houses and sing of blessings and little joys. They accept little tokens of money from the owners, who request them to sing of blessings to their loved ones.
It was on one such occasion that I watched as my beloved teacher stood outside her house, waiting for her turn. There were a number of women, including a lady sage, all of whom watched the little ceremony.
                                               
                                                 

The voices were soft, each mentioning the names of the people they wanted blessed. Most spoke for their sons and daughters, a few for their grandchildren, yet others for their nephews and nieces. The lady sage also asked for special blessings to be bestowed upon her children and grandchildren. The singing continued, the musical instrument played on.
Finally came the turn of the teacher, who had been standing patiently, with a smile on her beautiful face. She was the last in the line and the women looked at her expectantly, waiting for the names that she would utter. She offered them some money, folded her hands and said in soft tones, but clearly, "Bless all the children in the world, bless the child of every mother and every father, for they are all precious!"

                                                           

Tears came, unbidden, as I heard that lovely voice, and the compassion that shone from the face of that wonderful teacher. They were tears of joy, for I was also included in that list of children, as were all the children in the world. They were also tears of joy because I was so proud of that beloved teacher, who loved, and still loves the poem, Abou Ben Adhem, because it symbolizes all that she believes in. But what I was proudest of was the fact that this teacher who had taught thousands of children how to live life with joy and compassion, and still does so, is none other than my own mother. And in the words of Abou Ben Adhem, "May her tribe increase".

                                                               

 Dedicated to my mother, Mrs. Nalini Chandran

As a Beginning For a Beginner - Neelam Saxena Chandra

Book Review - Deepti Menon

It is heartening to see a book dedicated to all the budding authors of the world, a book that is the brainchild of the prolific author, Neelam Saxena Chandra herself. The stories were chosen through a nationwide contest for writers aged between 11 and 20, and this anthology is a culmination of the best examples of writing from the entries.

True Sport - Aravind Sampath

The saga of former boxing champion, Arthur Gordon, who loses a bout against reigning champion, Arnold Fischer, but is determined to leave his mark in the world by training a new champ in the form of Aaron Sam, a puny young man, 'toned' yet 'petite', as quick as lightning. The young man, whose 'feral senses were commendable' goes through defeat. However, does he triumph in 'the final sermon'?  Aravind Sampath delivers a knockout tale in true boxing parlance, blending emotion deftly with action, to create a story par excellence.

The Customers - Utkrishti Katheriya

The city of Lucknow "is a remarkably dusty book, full of stories, that are yet to unfold", seen though the eyes of a taxi driver, "within that white metal body on those four wheels', which encompasses his world. He ferries a young woman on her way to a divorce to the airport, but tips a motor cycle, whose rider is a 25 year old man, "with a sardonic but friendly smile", who is also about to get a divorce. The story ends, leaving the readers in a sense of shock, as the taxi driver throws out mementos handed over to him by his passengers into the Gomti river. A narrative that flows as gently as the river itself, written with maturity by a young writer.

Roll, Camera, Action - Chinar

A young girl dreams of meeting her favourite super star in this story that is short enough to keep the interest of the reader.

Twist of Fate - Vanshika Vikas

Robin Thompson goes through a life threatening ordeal only to find himself in a worse predicament than he had anticipated. The story, modern in its narration, speeds towards a crescendo as Robin realized that the truth can be very different and that life can be filled with deception. A well crafted tale with a twist in its tale.

A Reunion Surprise - Radhika

Six childhood friends, known as the 'Scandalous Six' in their school days, decide to have a reunion after twelve years in which they have not seen one another. "Time clotted and finally healed all the bruises caused by severance". The meeting is a joyous one at the Taj on 16th August, 2014, but the surprise at the end leaves the reader with a sense of bewilderment and loss. Radhika's writing has a lustre that shines on in the heart of the reader.

The Eventful Life of Athens - Divyashri Mishra

Athen looks up to his father, but is derided by him, and his wife's family, all his life. The reader sympathizes with "the ugly life Athen lived every day, the frustrating atmosphere he breathed every moment". How Athen finally finds his niche in society and turns his life around forms the crux of a story which is perfectly edited, and expressed by Divyashri!

The First Meeting - Nidhi

This is a tender story of a pair of jilted lovers, Rahul and Ayushi, desperate to pick up the pieces of their lives and move on. Their diaries play a significant role, bringing strangers closer. Nidhi writes maturely for her age, and uses the flashback angle to reel in  her readers. 

The Deluge - Anshika Jejani

Anshika Jejani reveals a breezy joyous style of writing, as apt descriptions of the rainy season dot the pages of her story. Despite her catchy tongue-in-cheek style, she manages to put across a message about the responsibilities of citizens, emphasizing on how social networking sites could be used responsibly to avert potential tragedies.

The Saviour - Lalima Yadav

The beginning intrigues, with a monologue by the protagonist, Antriksh, that reveals the troubled workings of his psyche. He is "an imperfectly perfect dude", a man with a golden heart who wants to extricate his mother from her job as a maid. He chivalrously saves a girl from a potential molester, only to find his troubles have miraculously disappeared. Here is a positive story, almost on the lines of an O Henry story, written with an ease that makes it a pleasure to read. Lalima ends it with a moral - "One is rich if he/she has a big kind heart not a heavy bank balance", but the lightness of the telling takes away any semblance of a moralistic tone.

The Gift - Shreyansh Jain

Alan Smith gets a special gift on his 13th birthday, after he flounces out, disappointed with his gifts. He excitedly realizes that he suddenly has super powers. Will these powers be able to combat and defeat the super villain, Anarchy, all set to destroy the world? This story stands out in that it is very different from all the other stories in the anthology, a story written by a young writer with a highly imaginative bent of mind.

The Solitary Rag Picker - Shagun Shrivastava

This is one of the most beautiful and well crafted stories in the book, and Shagun Shrivastava reveals a masterly style of writing, descriptive and reminiscent of Gray's Elegy. "And even slower trudged the life of the ancient rag picker." The reader remains awe struck at the ease with which beautiful images are interspersed with stylish language to create a magnificent tapestry.

One Night @ Party!!! Aviral Sood

Rukmani helps her parents to celebrate her two year old brother, Manav's birthday. A frisson of dissatisfaction disturbs her as she feels like a cartoon sidekick bustling around to get things in place. Mrs. Sen, a guest, is dressed to the hilt in a red gown and a necklace worth four lakhs. The significance of the necklace emerges as the lights go off and it disappears. Inspector Sharma is summoned, and the Nightmare party turns into the best day of Rukmani's life. How does she solve the case? Where is the necklace hidden? These and other questions are put to rest as the mystery unravels in a manner calculated to pique the curiosity of the readers.

Ticket to Life - Ashi Mittal

Sahayta and Sihag are total strangers who share a common seat on a train to Mumbai, even as they chat, bicker and keep each other company. Ashi Mittal proves that she is a talented young writer with a flair for the dramatic, as she deftly nudges the narrative towards a twist that transforms the very tenor of the story. 

'Okay' - The Life Changer - Niranjan Navalgund

Can the word 'Okay' be a life changer? Niranjan Navalgund impresses with a philosophical story that showcases how people need to take responsibility for their own lives. There is a beautiful reference to Narendra Goidani's article on Kintsukuroi, a Japanese term meaning "to repair with gold". The story itself is simply expressed, but its message of filling cracks with gold stays on in the mind of the reader. As is the case with Niranjan's writing, once again he offers a story that defies pigeon holing as it goes beyond mere story telling.

The Girl on my Bench - Ayesha Adhikari

Ayesha Adhikari is an intuitive writer who weaves a tale of love, longing, disappointment and fulfillment, the tale of Aryan and Riya, of sweet embraces and ugly misunderstandings. "Sometimes, we have to wait; wait till the dawn breaks and brings with it the warm shine of love, happiness and joy." This story is a simple paean of the love of a star crossed couple, yet one that ends in hope. 

The Black Secret - Ishika Kumar

'The Black Secret' is an intriguing story written in the first person by Susan Black, the daughter of Professor Richard Black, a prominent scientist, who suddenly disappears when he was working on a top secret project. Susan is determined to delve into the mystery of her beloved father's disappearance. Ishika Kumar uses the unusual technique of writing in the present tense, taking the story forward in a precise and convincing manner, creating a well edited narrative that does not falter. "There is a wider world" is the oft used quote that exemplifies the theme of the story.

The Magical Stone - Aradhya Gupta

This tender little story is the stuff fairy tales are made up of, as it describes "fresh dew drops from the new born leaves, playing with the young rabbits." Angelina finds a magical stone, "a precious and gifted stone", a gift from the angels. Written in a style reminiscent of popular bedtime stories, Aradhya Gupta obviously believes that the world is a beautiful place, and it is to be hoped that she continues to have stars in her eyes, always.

Blue Jean - Viola Rastogi

Raven and Corbin find themselves adrift on an island named Hispanulas, on their voyage back from South America to the United States. They dodge bullets, and come across the inhabitants of the island led by a beautiful lady with "smooth olive skin, bewitching eyes and delicate features", all of whom are obsessed by the Americans. Raven discovers the reason why, and it is up to her to make the right choice. A story that plays on the nerves of the reader, suspenseful and intriguing!

Into the Garbled - Srishtika Prakash 

This appears to be the shortest story in the anthology. It narrates the story of Hans Hellmesberg, an erudite young man well versed in the works of Freidrich Nietzsche, as he makes a journey into the realms of his own psyche. Action packed, the story seems to end too quickly, leaving the reader a trifle off balance.

Can I Go To School? Nilakshi Pathak

Nilakshi Pathak wrenches the heart with a theme all too common in our country. Pinky, the daughter of a daily labourer, is proud of her brother who goes to school. She meets Sabi, who offers her a ray of hope, as she looks forward to being able to go to school herself, thrilled to have made a friend for a lifetime. She returns home where a heartbreaking verdict awaits. Nilakshi tells the story in a matter of fact, yet effective, tone, swaying the reader with her impeccable writing which hints at emotions that simmer under the veneer.

This is a laudable effort, bringing out the talents of young writers all of whom obviously love the written word. The one flaw that takes away from this effort is the large number of punctuation errors, peppered liberally across the anthology, which point fingers at the editing team.