BOOK REVIEW - The Hunters' Trap by Sindhu John

 

The title entices and the excitement begins from page 1 itself as three hunters chase a mother elephant and her little baby with beating drums and flashes of light. From then on, the pace never slackens as two sets of people move along their own divergent paths. It is a race between unscrupulous hunters and a gang of intrepid children who are determined to unite the elephant mother with her baby. Will they be able to do so? Or will they be too late? If so, what will the consequences be? These and other questions remain on the minds of the readers as they partake in the race between good and evil.

Sindhu John may be a first-time writer, but she knows how to capture the imaginations of young ones. Right from the names she uses – Viper, Mamba and Spite for the bad guys, to the quirks of her young heroes, Penny, Jack, Lucy and Ethan, she has her facts spot on. There are no black and white characters here, but believable ones who might exist in the real world. For example, the innocuous rivalry between the younger children, Lucy and Ethan, and the older two, Penny and Jack comes across naturally. Trouble has a way of finding the lively nine-year-olds and the older two do not mind rubbing it in either.

When Sarah, an intrepid reporter, is given an assignment to cover the selfless work of wildlife enthusiast, Mr. Troy, who owns an exotic wildlife resort, she takes her children and their cousins for a four-day adventure trip.

The resort fascinates them all with its characteristic buggies, its picturesque villas and of course, the owner himself, Mr. Troy, who has a bizarre sense of dressing. While Sarah and her assistant Fredrick busy themselves with capturing the story of the resort, the children opt to explore the fenced area of the resort. It is then that they come across many startling facts and move out of their comfort zones to crack the mystery.

The excitement does not let up across the book. However, there are many fun moments when the hunters play pranks on one another, much to the chagrin of their leader. Sindhu’s descriptions are delightful, be it those of Mr. Troy, his attendant, Randy, the irrepressible chef or Lazy Lucy.

However, through all those fun moments, a few nuggets of wisdom come through. Sarah, who is a fearless, independent reporter, does remind her children to be grateful of life’s small gifts. She also warns Penny, “You shouldn’t trust strangers.” Equally vital is the advice given to Penny by her father when he gifts her a camera which plays a significant part in the story. “Be strong when life demands it.” All truly relevant in today’s chaotic world!

Sindhu John writes a story for children that intrigues for all the right reasons. It is adventurous as the narrative flows naturally, and the characters are realistic and believable. The character illustrations and the sketches have been drawn with delicacy by her daughters, Gia and Anita, and add much meaning to the book.

It is to be hoped that this is the first of a series of adventures by the undaunted four.

“They were always game for an adventure, especially if it meant helping someone, or in this case, a wild animal.”

If Enid Blyton could do it with such ease, so can Sindhu John, no doubt!

 You can find her at http://www.swindhujohn.com

The buying links for The Hunters' Trap: 

 https://www.amazon.in/Hunters-Trap-Sindhu-John-ebook/dp/B08LHFJHRT

Bhumi by Tina Sequeira

 "If you are alive, you produce some light.” Makosinski

(From the story ‘Switch’)

‘Bhumi’ is an anthology by a bold young writer, Tina Sequeira, who has created a mosaic of stories around strong and intrepid protagonists, mostly women. Her narratives bring out the fact clearly that modern women are no damsels in distress, but are one step ahead always, finding solutions to life’s darkest problems. Understandably, the book was the winner of the Rashtriya Gaurav Award by the Government of Telangana. The foreword by the versatile and prolific writer, Ms. Santosh Bakaya, is yet another reason to look forward to these beautifully written stories.

Hope and resilience are the themes of many of the stories in this anthology, be it ‘Mirror, Mirror on the Wall’ or ‘Fat Chance’. Women who have been hurt or shamed also rise like the phoenix and batter down the walls that have tried to contain them, breaking out in glorious freedom. ‘Climax’ has one such protagonist who picks up the pieces of her life, while ‘Stark Illusions’ teaches the lesson of bouncing back when thrown against the direst of situations.

There are also those fearless women, like the Professor in ‘Juxtaposition’, Dinaz in ‘Pound of Flesh’ and the ‘Unbridled’ Ramona, all of whom go through the travails of life and emerge triumphant at the end of it.

Tina Sequeira’s writing style has a free and unfettered flow to it, like a river that meanders towards the sea. Some examples that are ever so beautiful are found in some of my favourite stories, like the ones below from ‘Grey’.

“Green.

Like the radiant shade of the peacock’s feathers.

Or the thick feathery touch of the grasshopper.

Or moss snug closely to the bottom of the walls.

Or the olive border in Ammamma’s white-bodied sari.”

And again…

“Grey.

Like a big, gentle, and wise elephant.

Or the pearl inside a warm oyster shell.”

The above story reminds me of my own relationship with my grandmother, especially the wonderful quote, “You live life only once. Live it well. Be wild, but also wise.”

Another example is from ‘Crazy Courage’ where Saira who “carried the weather inside her, and made the most of her childhood days, wise enough to know that it would not last too long,” finally weathered the storm by living life on her own terms.

However, if you were to ask me which my favourite stories were, I would without hesitation pick the last story, ‘Bhumi’ and the story that kick starts the entire book ‘Amma’, both stories that prove that sometimes it takes time for love to blossom, but when it does, it is worth the wait.                                                                           

As is this book!

 The purchase link of this book is as follows:

https://www.amazon.in/Bhumi-Anthology-Stories-Tina-Sequeira-ebook/dp/B07RJH7ZKG

 

 

 

 

The Readomania Book of Romance

Romance reigns in every walk of life, forming a kaleidoscope of shared memories and incandescent moments, unfulfilled love and second chances, along with old regrets wiped away.   

The Readomania Book of Romance offers a bouquet of love stories, each forming a radiant bead in a chain lit up by love. These stories are unique – they traverse a journey which claims romance in its purest form, where age, gender, religion, marital failure and regressive ideas are no barrier to the union of two hearts.

While Neel Pari, Star-Crossed, Twilight Beckons, Payasam and Samara touched with their poignancy, A Clean Slate and The Desires of Love delighted, employing literary quotes to create magic. However, it was A Little Ambiguity that stood out for me with its beautiful narrative and exquisite writing style.

A book to be savoured, whether one is a romantic or not!   

Over A Samosa - Simple Tales, Simple Pleasures! Nithya Rajagopal

Nithya Rajagopal’s tales are as crunchy and as welcome as the samosa in the title of her book, short, crisp and palatable! They delight in their brevity, and yet, each tale leaves behind an emotion that is akin to a pleasant satiety.

What shines through in these tales is the fact that life is made up of simple joys, held together through stolen moments that make it perfect. Whether it is the strength of a baby girl who has withstood a storm, or the satisfaction on the smile on the face of a six-year-old girl; the camaraderie and banter between a well-adjusted couple or the travails of a mother trying to marry off her eligible son, all these thoughts blossom out through language that is spare, yet effective.

Sometimes, there is no looking back. Life moves on, despite personal tragedy, a love that repels or unfulfilled work issues, and in such cases, it is better to move on with it and find happiness in those flowers within reach. Besides, it is the quirky side that brings a smile, or allows a chill to travel down one’s spine. Who said that life had to be boring and mundane?

If I had to pick the tales that I enjoyed most, they would be ‘All Work and No Play’, ‘Chellayi’, ‘You and Me’ and ‘The Shelf’.

This is a book meant to drive the blues away; a delicious snack to be savoured along with a cup of steaming hot tea. Nithya Rajagopal could well be talking about her writing when she says, “When the roots are strong, the trees last for generations.”

YOU V/S YOURS - TALES OF BIASES AND COMPROMISES - MONA VERMA

This triad of stories by Mona Verma boasts of a theme quite unique, of relationships unimagined, and biases that rule. Whether it is the middle-aged Mansi and her perceptions in the story titled ‘I Need Colour’, or the 30-year-old Angela and her guilt in ‘Just at the Finishing Line’, or the older Bala and his patriarchal prejudices that cloud his thinking in ‘The Invisibles’, the readers are stopped in their tracks and made to ponder.

While all three stories are diametrically different, a common thread ties them together. They are sagas of when the paramount disparity arises out of degrees of difficulties. Life can often be unpredictable, where the worthy lose their self-worth as the decades go by, and the mediocre come up through sheer luck and opulence. When neglect hangs in the air, only because no one has bothered to bring the sparkle back in life.

At times, the weight of guilt is too heavy to shoulder, and “remorse is an unrelenting tormentor.” Friendships are priceless, and yet, one stray incident is enough to cause a break that can last over time. The first wobble, a shake, a hint of things growing apart! How many people try and mend that break and move on before it is too late?

Often, men grow old and their offspring take over their lives, turning parents into mere space fillers. Their windows turn narrow, obstructing their view of the world. A patriarchal outlook does not help either, especially when womenfolk are relegated to the background, their opinions never sought, their wishes never submitted to.

What is it that transforms these three tales and makes them brilliant? Mona Verma chooses her words with care, as she turns them into beautiful prose, playing about with metaphors that fall into place with perfection. The way she ends her final story is symbolic of the theme of the book.

“We kept some windows forever closed, but that is not what windows are built for.

They are willing to open if we let them.”

Once Upon a Lockdown - Gripping Tales From a Pandemic Era - Anurag Anand

Anurag Anand’s three stories bring in the gravity of the pandemic that has overtaken the world.

Bhumika, an aspiring actress, who is living it up, gets a break in an acclaimed web series. How does her life change when a virus makes her plans go awry?

The second story, titled ‘Corona Mai’, takes an amusing look at the how a little hoax can take on giant proportions, involving a whole village of gullible believers and canny upstarts who milk the situation for all they are worth.

‘One for the Road’ brings alive the worst nightmare that a woman can face in the times of lockdown.

In a world that has turned topsy-turvy, these three tales by Anurag Anand touch upon realities that thousands of people are going through across the world. Apart from his riveting style and his penchant for apt characterization, it is the looming spectre of the corona virus that makes his narration gripping.

Revolt of the Lamebren - The Super Dome Chronicles by Manjiri Prabhu

I have always run away from science fiction, mainly because I feel that my brain is not wired to enjoy it. However, ‘Revolt of the Lamebren’ by Manjiri Prabhu uncrossed those wires because I did read the book, and I did enjoy it as well.

The novel opens in the engineered Ace-World of the Altklugs, hassle-free and disease-free, where there is zero tolerance for wastage of time, “a world of limitless possibilities and perfection”.

 What, then, mars this seemingly perfect world? On the other side exist the lamebren, a word coined from lamebrain, a species pitiable, helpless and unaware of their fate. They cower under the tyranny of the super-intelligent Altklugs, with no control over their miserable lives.

It is into this world that G 23, a brilliant lamebirl who prefers to call herself Zinnia, is thrown. A square peg in a round hole, Zinnia is a true heroine, who refuses to knuckle down to the Altklugs, and her brave struggle for justice and survival is the theme of this book.

Zinnia moves forward, giving names to her comrades who answer to mere numbers. Her fortitude shines through as she keeps the Lamebren gang together “like the split crystals of a snowflake – split yet connected.”

As the novel progresses, the Altklug world is portrayed and contrasted brilliantly against that of the Lamebren. Perfection versus imperfection, knowledge versus flesh, bones and feelings!

What role does love play in this mechanical world? What is the price that lovers pay? What happens to the lamebren when they outlive their utility and what secrets are the Altklugs trying to hide? How does Zinnia pit her wits against those of her Altklug rulers and does she come out victorious? These, and many more interesting questions, are answered in this book which hurtles to its end, taking the readers along.

Manjiri Prabhu creates a world in her own right, one that talks of skyways, padlets, mudra, memory porters, isolation chambers, sky radars, the digi-eye and the terrifying Dissolution Crypt. What struck me was the way she uses contrasts to transport the reader away from this passionless world, leading them along the beautiful Paramour Path and the Dome Museum. There is a mesmerizing description of the Water Vein tunnel, where “the blend of colour, shimmering water and white stone was graceful and ethereal.”

While an overtone of fear runs through the whole book, it is highlighted in the descriptions of the Snarl or the Deep Forest, “raw, unpolished and wild and a little frightening too.” However, it is here that a ray of hope shines forth that helps the revolt to culminate in a thrilling climax. The Altklug do not “understand the melodious, touching music of love and life.” Manjiri Prabhu ensures that her readers, through the persona of Zinnia and the lamebren, do so.

‘Revolt of the Lamebren’ is a well-crafted book written by a writer who has mastered the art of balance. She spins a tale that keeps the interest of the reader, and their hope, alive!