BOOK REVIEW: TANTRA BY ADI

BOOK DETAILS

TITLE: TANTRA

AUTHOR: ADI

PUBLISHER:  APEEJAY STYA PUBLISHING

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

FORMAT: PAPERBACK

ISBN: 9788190863629

PAGES: 344

 

Anu is a leather wearing, no-nonsense professional guardian with a reputation for killing the most dangerous vampires in New York City. But when her enemies murder the one person she truly cared about, all she wants is vengeance. The only clue points to New Delhi, so Anu puts in for a job transfer.

What you read above is part of the synopsis of the book. And it makes me utterly happy when once in a reading span of months, you come across a book that is not a chick lit and yet has a Woman as the main protagonist. The little feminist in me applauds the theme. A lot of people consider writing from a woman’s perspective to be easy, but it isn’t so.

A woman’s mind is complex and imagining a female vampire slayer with a wicked sense of humor and a wisdom tooth for quick givebacks for attempted flirtations. I loved the naughtiness of Amit, the guy whom she meets in New Delhi who is supposed to help her get acquainted with the new city, and how things twist and turn into a different confluence altogether…

That’s the book for you, in a jist. Of course, you need to read the book for any more details. The USP of this book has to be the manner in which the protagonists have been blended into the plot, they are distinctly laid down before the reader as the reader delves deeper into the circumference of events. So there are vampires, dark and bright streets of Delhi, some situational characters… An easily one-time read, especially if you are the fantasy kinds!

It definitely is the kind of book you’d love to read before you go to sleep. And it is the kind of book that’ll edge you that little extra bit to delay your sleep and just read the next line..the next page…the next event….and before you realize you’ll be done with the book. The language is simple and flows readily with the adventures of Anu in the streets of New York to New Delhi.

Baba Senaka turns out to be a master in his arts, a tantric who is suspected to be the one killing children and Anu and Amit are in search of him with the help of Dr.Sharma.

However, there are attempts by the author to change his writing style as few parts of the book reflected, which I felt, broke the flow of the events in the narration. The author should have maintained the same pace, or perhaps been a little fast-paced considering it is a book which fantasy thriller.

There is a conscious effort to ‘Indianise’ a plot that is usually international in other books. The use of tantra makes it a wonderful attempt but sadly, not much has been incorporated to make it worth it. 

Instead, the book becomes an attempt at Indian Fantasy writing, I wish the storyline did not have such intentional spurts of mere acknowledgements of being situated in India..in Delhi.. I, despite of being a Delhiite could not imagine the roads and scenes as mentioned in the book. I also did not like the cover picture of the book and I think one can really work towards that!

Anyhow, I think in terms of a storyline and definition of characters, it was a good attempt considering this was the author's first attempt.

Buy a copy at discounted rates here: 

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APRILDOM: B for BIRYANI

I am so glad that the month of April is off to a fabulous start. Wrote my first post for Aprildom, the challenge as I have named it. You can see the post HERE. It is small and sweet so won't take much of your time!
Today's prompts are:

1. The topic has to begin with the word B (AtoZChallenge) and,

2. that of a poem that tells a lie. I think you could have a poem that’s all lies (that could be very funny — full of things like “the sun is the size of a nickel”) or a poem that steadily builds to telling one big whopper. (NAPOWRIMO)

B is a wonderful letter to begin with..From Bat to Batman and Bows to Brows the world can go twisting down its edges! So I closed my eyes and thought of that One thing I cannot live without that starts with the letter B. And guess what came to my mind....
BIRYANI!
So..what is Biryani?
Biryani is a one-dish rice-based meal that consists of layering cooked rice and meat in a casserole, before baking it in the oven. (Courtesy: Cookthink )
Want to try and cook Biryani? Try from a recipe at AllRecipes




•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ  BIRYANI   •● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ

Stratum by stratum

One Falls, another defaults

Feast of kings, the poor slain

Coronation of a new end.

Milky white pearls adorning the

Chunks of bristled boulders of time

Brush past them and they don’t mind

In vigour and praise, they both unite.

 

Fragrant

Makes the weak, weaker

Lets him dream of an illusion

He cannot fulfil.

He lurches, falls flat

The road ahead is nothing but a maze of tar.

Blocks bellowing blackness

Who knew Hope was a rainbow

And the powerful had the prism.
I shall someday grow pale
and hope shall see its death
as I see it dying in a pair of watery eyes
that knew the edges, etches and ebbs of life.

The little boy still looks at me

Hoping against hope, salivating

I give him my share of the tempest

He knows not, what greed beckons.

And as I move a step or two,

Four more little boys follow.

The Stratums

Shall be pierced someday
the lies shall be swallowed
and deceit unveiled.

But for now they must be hungry

For hope still has time.

•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ  BIRYANI   •● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ

This wonderful prompt also reminded me of two books, differing in genres that I'd read that have the name Biryani in their title. The Hyderabadi Biryani by Anil C.S.Rao and The Spicy Bites of Biryani by Ashwina Garg.

And I think, now that a lot of you who are visiting my blog internationally, have been duly informed about Biryani, which when objectified in a literary context would imply aspects of Spice, Twists, Humor or surprise. True to their titles, the two books have chunks of spice, humor, entertainment as is promised.

SPICY BITES OF BIRYANI

Spicy Bites of Biryani by Ashwina Garg is an Indian fiction published by Shrishti Publications.

They say that the world is changing. That social norms are altering too. With ideas of equality, freedom, ambitions, mobility flouting around like bubbles, I wonder being a woman, how much has changed really? The rising number of rape and assault cases against women, especially in India is a reason for concern. 

However, Ashwina Garg with a garnished usage of wit and sarcasm, manages to deal with the issue of "freedom to marry- the when, what and whom" with flair. The protagonist, Aditi is being pressurised into matrimonial alliance and she is firm with her decision to wait and watch till she finds the right guy for her.

All is fair in love and war and the plot gives us a sumptuous amount of both, with characters falling in and out of their compartments that finally lead to Aditi's re-discovery of her self, her thoughts about love, career, life, and relationships. Almost resembles a chick-lit except that Aditi isn't much of a "chick" but an ordinary female in an ordinary Diaspora to tackle. Does she find the man of her dreams? Or does she resort to compromising on her dreams? Will the tensions between Sanjay and her, ruin the possibilities that lay ahead? Read more to know!

You can buy the book at a discounted rate HERE.

•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ  BIRYANI  •● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ•● Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒჱ ჱܓܓ

HYDERABADI BIRIYANI

I picked this book up, especially because of its genre. Anil C S Rao along with a few others in the Indian Comic Books industry, has wavered the flag for the advent of Graphic novels in the Indian literary feat.

I know Anil personally, and as crazy as he is, his ideas for his novels and poetry anthologies perfectly define his zest for thinking 'out of the box'. He released the book in last year's Comic Con that was held in New Delhi.

Hyderabadi Biriyani describes a plot based in Hyderabad which involves a pizza delivery boy, Imran, An enigmatic personality named MC and Radha, his ex-girlfriend. Spicy to the core, racy and sporadic twists and turns make it an enjoyable read. 

Buy yourself a copy HERE.

BOOK REVIEW: A CALENDAR TOO CROWDED BY SAGARIKA CHAKRABORTY

BOOK DETAILS

TITLE: A CALENDAR TOO CROWDED

FORMAT: PAPERBACK

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

AUTHOR: SAGARIKA CHAKRABORTY

PUBLISHER: NIYOGI BOOKS

PAGES:192

ISBN: 9381523061

My Ratings:

3.5 out of 5

The entire episode of Nirbhaya's gangrape and then her death somehow dabbled my spirits down -not because a woman was wronged but also because she did not survive it - whether we like it or not, she became a victim, somehow representing how the journey from being a victim to a survivor is extremely Difficult. Almost impossible. And almost because I have seen women surviving, though with their scars hidden behind heavy cloaks they have burdened themselves with.

 It is with these things revolving in my mind that I began reading two books- A Calendar Too Crowded by Sagarika Chakraborty and The Edge of Desire by Tuhin Sinha both that address the cause of the woman who goes out to Survive despite everything that she undergoes. It isn't just about being a woman- it is about anyone who has faced hardships and who chooses to not give up..Who chooses to still believe in Life, who Hopes to and is willing to Survive and Live!

The book is wonderfully constructed in terms of its content. As the title suggests, it is like you are reading a diary -with dates relevant and little notes, quotes and idioms. These dates pertain to those related to women, girl child primarily along with some dates related to their rights and their institutionalisation.

Sagarika has added short stories or instances of the ways in which women face discrimination and exploitation in their lives and some are so silently construed within the 'working' of the system that literally entails the exploitation.

Not just women, but the book revolves around themes such as racial discrimination(March) ,Female genital mutilation (February), World Population day (July), World Friendship day, Youth Day (August), Anti-trafficking day, Migrants Day(December) and more. You get the idea, right?

This book entails you a mixed-bag of Powerful poetry, heart-wrenching letters and stark accounts which compel you to the most gruelling need of the hour- Change of the Mind. Pick this up only if you dare to change. Read this book only if you are ready to acknowledge where we've gone wrong. It is an important step - knowing that we went wrong. Because it is only then that we can overcome our own prejudices and work on changing our perceptions.

Though I really do not think one must look at such books with any literary criticisms, I must admit that the girl knows what she is writing. I did not find any major error of the language, although I would advise using of better imagery and vocabulary to describe emotions than what is presented in the book. Being such a sensitive book, the emotions heighten the effects of the experience that has been written and a provocative (not in the sexual sense but only as an instigator) command over words would ensure its effectiveness. 

By writing this book, Sagarika, you have earned my respect for a lifetime, if not more. Thank you for penning such a sensitive book. For those who wish to know how awesome a woman and a person she is, here are few links to get started! :D

BOOKCHUMS

Her Interview @Blogadda

ASIAN AGE

SAKAL TIMES

HER BLOG

If you are one of those who want to do something, make that difference and bring on change...I would say..Start by Reading about what actually happens..what the victim goes through and how a choice is not that friction-free from that of a victim to a survivor... Read and read, till your eyes see the truth, crystal clear.

You can buy the book at a discounted rate here..

BOOK REVIEW- HEXAGON BY ISHAAN LALIT

Well, there are two kinds of readers I know of- One who read Science Fiction and Love it, and second, those who have read something on those lines but refrain from reading the pure sci-fi genre, fearing it'd make no sense to them. I happen to fall in the latter category.

BOOK DETAILS

TITLE:HEXAGON

AUTHOR:ISHAAN LALIT

LANGUAGE:ENGLISH

FORMAT:PAPERBACK

PUBLISHER:MAHAVEER

ISBN:9788183520201

PAGES:232

MY RATING:

Call it fate or otherwise, I happened to meet Ishaan Lalit, the author of this sci-fi novel, Hexagon. I was instantly enticed by his lifestyle- the way he has multiple worlds in his mind and how he perfectly chaffs and juggles himself in and out of each of those with that constant smile of his and with the endearing and warm personality that he exudes. I have in the past couple of years dreamed of being a writer and I pretty much am the same sorts. Such personality types perhaps cannot be bracketed in any particular compartment or a "type"- I can be the wildest extrovert with the widest grin and biggest mouth and can turn into a recluse as I shut the door of my room. If I love you, I am passionate and if I hate you, I am even more passionate. You get the flow, don't you? :)

I have hitherto, been quite afraid of such genres, blame the humanities studies that I am still going through. But like they saw, if you fear something, overcome it. And thus, though I acquired a copy of the book, I fellshort of actually sitting down and reading it. It was then that I borrowed another book on the same lines, Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale Jr. and as I flipped through the pages, I realised that I was enjoying the journey. And thus, I began reading, Hexagon by Ishaan Lalit.

With Ishaan Lalit- This one I call The Formal-Informal Pic! :)

And trust me friends, if you have read Catch Me... you will relate to this one instantly. How? Well, that you'll have to discover on your own and come back and let me know if you felt it! The difficult aspect of writing a review for a sci-fi is that you cannot let out much details and yet, let your readers know how you felt without letting them know why you felt so.. Ah! Such tough Job you see! 

The story revolves largely around a certain brat named Rahul Oberoi who is a artistic heister in the sense that he steals precious artefacts and art pieces without being caught even once. (I think I am in love with adjectives, and see how double-meanings they acquire! Such talent I have!) Oh, and there's my favorite dimension to it- Ria, his partner in crime as well as his Girlfriend. (I know, this totally sounds like Dhoom 2?)

One day, they are caught by the Government officials and the police but are then sent to an underground address where Rahul learns that his grandfather is dead and that now there are more secrets to be revealed to him, which he had no clue of. He learns about Hexagon, a structure which is basically a gateway to six parallel Universes and that one of them ruled by the Moths, is about to declare war and seize control over the other universes, including theirs.

So, the main hounding question is- How does Rahul help the officials? What role does Ria play in the scheme of things? And what role do the other characters play to either stop the war or declare the war? And lastly, but most importantly, who wins the battle-The humans or the Moths?

It is an intense and gripping tale and keeps you hooked on to the plot, the characters. But it ends too soon. The situations, the emotions and the conversations seem to be in a scurry. I really wish Ishaan Lalit would have kept the pace a little slower with a slower pace of detailing of the places, such as the initial introduction to the Hexagon- one has to be either very creative or be a science-fiction fan to get a grip of the structure so described. Another flaw would be that of the errors. I really wish both, the author as well as the publisher  had taken care of the proof reading and editing bits and delved into them more seriously. Because at times it were these mistakes that broke the intensity of the plot. For example, Ria written Riya or Rahul being called the son at times, when he was the grandson.. More glitches like the book literally ended from cover to cover, i.e. till the last page. The last page is usually left blank or has information about the author's next or the publisher's next..and this one did not. (In a way good that they are saving on paper, but well...)

I am sure these things can be taken care of in the next re-print of the book. Otherwise,in terms of being one of the few sci-fi books, it deserves an applause and a worthy read. Also, though I did like the book cover, I think it does not do justice to the plot, perhaps you can come up with a better one too? And oh, by the way, this isn't Ishaan Lalit's first novel. He has authored a book titled, The Bracelet which also includes some other worldly characters. Clearly, he is an outstanding and out-of-the-world kinda author! (The love for adjectives is really getting unto me, isn't it! )

Also, the book received the Best Science Fiction Award at the Indian Literary Awards hosted by Butterfly and the Bee. Cool eh?

Being someone who isn't much of a sci-fi fan, I think anyone who likes to read can safely go for this book. It isn't technical or boring. One does not have to belong to the Sciences to get a hang of it and thus, I entered and safely exited the genre! :P And so will you, so do not fear my worthy friends, take a deep breath and jump in for the thrill of it!

 Here you can buy the book at a discounted price! 

For more updates on Hexagon and Ishaan Lalit's next, follow him on the HEXAGON FACEBOOK GROUP and FACEBOOK PAGE

BOOK REVIEW: THUNDERGOD- RAJIV MENON

BOOK DETAILS

TITLE: THUNDERGOD- The Ascendance of Indra
AUTHOR: RAJIV G MENON
PUBLISHER: WESTLAND
FORMAT: PAPERBACK
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ISBN: Unedited (My Copy)
ISBN(Edited Copy):9381626979

PRICE: Rs.295
PAGES:392





MY RATINGS: 3 out of 5

From the very childhood, I have been totally intimidated by Indra, the only God amongst the gods, who has been the very closest a god can get to being a man..A God that errs. So what happens when the  arrogant, egoistic, hot-tempered and insecure Indra, is blended into a wonderfully woven story by Rajiv Menon which basically deals with war between the Gods and the Asuras, and as the tagline depicts, ‘One day a prince from one of the four great tribes will unite the sons of Aditi and he will sow the seeds of an empire that will rule the world.’

The character of Indra has been entwined beautifully in the story that passes through different stories woven together into one with inferences such as the war at the gates of Susa, the flood that destroys the Harappan civilisation, the politics of the priestly class, the stories of Mitra, Indra's close affinity with Soma, and the trio Vayu, Agni and Varuna too. There are references to the Dravidians and also the Aryan Invasions.
What is so interesting about the book plot is that firstly, Indra has never managed to get so much attention hitherto and secondly, that so many divergent, and contradictory topics have been accumulated to form a gripping story that never manages once, to let readers like Me( read History students) raise a doubt or question.

And where, The Krishna Key failed for me, The Thundergod, worked fabulously! The ending is gripping, and twisted. One surely looks for an ending such as the kind this one has!

All in all, a book full of war and sex and drama. A book that talks of Gods and their imperfections- a genre that is being thoroughly explored by the present generation of the literati.

Once in a while, you receive a book, that widens the spectrum of your imagination. But what I felt was lacking in the book was clarity. As I have already mentioned above, there is a lot that has been put into the plot, so it was necessary that the characters and their personalities were clearly explained, shaped and moulded into the situations. This is where I felt the author's prowess in the field of character depiction stifled.
Also, the sexual scenes were way too "out there", in the sense that one could read through them without feeling anything at all- something that I both as a reader and a writer failed to connect to.

If I had to suggest for improvements, considering this is an unedited copy, then I would strongly suggest that

• - characters other than Indra should be shaped and detailed as well
• - the sex scenes need to be re-written into a more aesthetic manner
• - war scenes seem to stretch on. Some of it can be shredded and made more concise.

This was the first time that I had been sent an unedited version of the book and I feel privileged that BlogAdda felt that I could assess the book both as a reader as well as a reviewer. You can register for book reviewing programs too. Here is how.

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Get the book at a discounted rate here: 

BOOK REVIEW: YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'LL GET LUCKY

BOOK DETAILS

TITLE: YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'LL GET LUCKY
AUTHOR: PRIYADARSHINI NARENDRA
PUBLISHER: FINGERPINT PUBLISHING
ISBN: 978817234009
FORMAT: PAPERBACK
PAGES: 231
PRICE: Rs.150
MY RATINGS: 3.5 out of 5

Seldom does it happen that you find books that entice you to read, in appearance itself. People talk about how it is the content that finally attracts a reader to a book, but come to think of it.. The look does market the product that lies within. Priyadarshini Narendra’s “You Never Know When You’ll Get Lucky!” has a fantastic cover page and I can say so, because I have read the book and the cover and the content beautifully complement each other.

The things that I thought were quite unique in this book were:

The Cover Page

A white background is the perfect base to instill catchy symbols and metaphors for the 70,000+ words that embroider the inner pages. Inverted architectural symbols such as the Qutub Minar represents Delhi while the Gateway of India represents Mumbai, with a pair of sexy long waxed legs wearing red stilettos represents a story set in the 21^st Century, about a woman who is independent, glamorous who during the course of the story, shuttles between Delhi and Mumbai, and also moving back and forth between where her mind lies and where her heart lies..(The hearts are shown as bubbles moving around.)

Of course, the review of Durjoy Datta cannot go unnoticed, who describes the book as “Unputdownable and hilarious!” Imagine, a bestseller author, describing the book with an adjective, that hasn’t yet been created, simply because it rightly is a book, you cannot stop reading only halfway!

Also, every page number had a symbol next to it, a heart with a thread zig-zagged scrolled below it. These little things simply show how much effort an author and the publisher has put in, to attach sentiments and symbolism into this book.

The most striking bit for me was the absence of an acknowledgement page. I being part of the fraternity know exactly how difficult it is for someone to sell their manuscript to a publisher who wouldn’t treat it like any other piece but like a new born, that needs special concern and affection. That does involve a long list of people- family and friends to begin with but later on, agents, publishers, fellow authors, people attached to the marketing and PR…and the list can go on and on.

I do love reading the acknowledgement section in the books I review- they help me connect to the author’s sentiments about the coming up of the book.

Now talking of the book as per its content, No, I won’t say that it has the most unique plot ever. It is a simple story, talking of a lady named Kajal who works in an advertising company, who is more interested in getting her a promotion rather than getting into a relationship or even marriage- that her mother is driving her to do, to a childhood friend that Kajal isn’t exactly fond of. Kajal is in the course of getting a promotion after she bags a prized campaign on Condoms when she meets Sudhir- a guy in front of whom she had earlier embarrassed herself, but she found a connection that was hard to let go of. Events occur such that she spends considerable time with him and they fall in love in Mumbai. But she needs to go back to Delhi where she lives and works. Torn in between work and love, whom does she choose, considering even Sudhir cannot shift to Delhi.

There are other characters that add to the plot, Kajal’s neighbor who becomes a good friend after she realizes that he isn’t as bad as she thought of him; her temporary boyfriend who is a hypocrite-being all modern on one hand, but acting all conservative and orthodox in front of his parents; her boss who keeps tugging at her to work for the campaign on condoms, for her promotion and many more characters that silently play their roles to enrich the plot and bring the characters close.

Priyadarshini touches upon a variety of themes in this story- life of a 21^st C woman, how she looks at love, marriage and thus, life. Also, Gays and how they are pressurized to get married to women, due to the fear of embarrassment they and their families would be ascertained to.

The book feels so real, as if we have at some points, in bits and phases lived and reacted just how Kajal or Sudhir have. I could recollect reading Nikita Singh’s style of writing in it, though Priya actually manages to notch a level or two higher in terms of handling emotions of intimacy, love and desperation in a perfect blend.

All in all, a great ride of emotions. And trust me, you may get lucky, but if you do not work for it, nothing stays. Not work, not love and certainly not life!

Buy it here at a discounted rate 

Get in touch with the author here: https://www.facebook.com/fingerprintpublishing

BOOK REVIEW: QUEST FOR FREEDOM by Dr.Sandip Saha

 BOOK DETAILS 

TITLE:QUEST FOR FREEDOM
AUTHOR: DR.SANDIP SAHA
FORMAT:PAPERBACK
LANGUAGE:ENGLISH
PUBLISHER:CYBERWIT
ISBN:978-8182532298
MY RATINGS:3.5/5

Poetry is said to be a sign of progress; a sense of belongingness is said to have been achieved through poetry- something that is seldom achieved through any other mediums. The title of the book, Quest For Freedom, is in itself a self-explanatory expression for the wings that poetry instills onto oneself. As one scrolls through the pages of the book, the message of it gets sharper and clearer- Bring Freedom onto Expression. You must be wondering, freedom into expression-isn’t expressing all about freedom? Well technically yes, but then thanks to the art of flattery or that of getting our “15 seconds of fame” we tend to get biased, unruly and almost unethical. In contrast to this, Dr.Saha manages to skin out a structure of poems that call a spade: a spade.

The collection of poems surround around various themes that Dr.Saha has beautifully structured, making it look neat and composed unlike many others that seem random and out of structure. These themes are, namely Eluding Justice- that deals with the concept of a nation- our nation, India, peoples living in and around and furthermore, their characteristics in terms of their traits, their virtues and vices and concepts of patience, endurance and hypocrisy and an extremely significant attributes that have shaped our nation such as slavery and freedom. Further, he talks of the second theme of Life and Death where he questions concepts of what is Life and then what is Death- what are their consequences and effects, what happens after death happens and also what role destiny plays in the two scenarios. The third theme talks of a concept too much spoken of- Love. Love not like the ones our novels talk of but the kind of love this book talks of is tranquil and almost hypnotic with a reverence to love as God’s gift to us. He further explores love for parents, siblings, children and partners. The forth deals with a phrase- Longing for realization- which explores into dreams, success, fantasies, visions and their contradictions with destiny, fiction, failure and intrigue. The poems within this facet are my personal favorite from the entire lot with complexities of spirituality, dreams and realities are very eloquently tackled. The last but certainly the best theme is Enlightenment, a topic that intrigues me to no ends. It deals with illusions of the mind, one’s existence and purpose-his deeds, Salvation and his relation with Knowledge and also his past, present and future.

All in all, it is a book that encompasses themes that our humanly existence revolves around and the language, tone and simplicity with which Dr.Saha has dealt with the themes, moves the poet in me. The only thing that I felt is missing, was the usual foreword and the acknowledgements sections. I am one of those crazy readers who actually read “from cover to cover” and thus, I found it quite surprising when I found that absent. However, I also would add that these are trivial matters that rests solely upon an author to either pursue or not. Though the Quest for Freedom seems to find its shape, the quench for it still continues to seethe. Hopefully, the freedom shall dawn soon. Also, I felt that the language could be nuanced further, which would bring out the beauty of the poems even more.

Available at