Book Review: The First Coffin by M John

About the book:

The Mumbai underworld is controlled by the Devgun family. When an upright and senior member of the Mumbai police stands up to them, the ‘family’ decides to send out a strong message, by killing not just him, but his whole family. They employ the services of a professional assassin, who does the job, but is unable to kill the police officer’s son, who was not with his family at that time. Because of this technicality, the Devgun family decides to withhold payment to the assassin.

The assassin is now out to collect his payment.

The son has come back, and is now, out seeking revenge.

The Mumbai police are pulling out all stops to solve the case, because the victim was one of their senior officers.

Will things ever be the same again?


About the author:
M John is a retired fighter pilot, with extensive flying experience on the MiG-21, and the Mirage-2000 aircraft. He has also been closely involved in other facets of the military, including Military Intelligence. After retiring from the Indian Air Force, he has written a number of articles on military matters which have been published in a few magazines. He has also taken part in Panel discussions on military matters, on TV. He is a self taught computer ‘enthusiast’, and has written an article on alternative operating systems, which was published in a computer magazine. He likes driving, and has driven practically all over India.

My Review:

In yet another milestone for the crime fiction/thriller scene in India comes a novel which brings a fresh story of the demise of an underworld family- "THE" underworld family is more like it.
I especially like the plot- it is driven by the singular most important and powerful emotion of revenge. Revenge is what provokes the Devgun Family to hire an unknown assassin, revenge is what brings them a powerful enemy in the form of the same assassin who is denied full payment, revenge in the actions of the son whose family was murdered by the assassin. And one twisted plot it is- the initial chapters set the background for the thrill that awaits the reader. However, till the time the assassin is hired and sets to work, the pace is slow. There is an introduction of the characters over the first few chapters, and while it serves well for the purpose of the plot, it was very difficult to remain glued. However, as the story unfolded and the secrets unraveled, I started liking it. The pace, after the killing, was just perfect, and the actions, one following the other were beautifully written in the plot.

The plot keeps you hooked. Another part - the characters- were so deftly etched. Brownie points for that too! The author went under the skin of the characters and it did the trick.

Again, the book was correctly paced, until, in the very end, it ended, and it seemed rather abrupt. Maybe I was enjoying it that I felt it ended too soon, or maybe it left a cliffhanger with scope for a sequel. One can never know. But, the time spent reading it was spent fruitfully.
Crime fiction has indeed arrived in India.

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Author spotlight and Interview: Shama Patel

By the number of smiles in the interview, you can tell how positive a person the author is. True to her personality, she has written her debut work, "21 ways of being happy" which has been published by Grapevine Publishers. It received a 5* rating from our blog  here.

Today, she joins us for an insightful, cheerful and lovely chat!

Kritika: What triggered the writing bug in your case? Was there some moment of epiphany?

Shama: The writing bug was triggered in 2009 when I was all geared up to write a fiction script. I did complete the script, co-authored by a close friend (Asif Sayani). We managed to circulate the script to 12-15 publishers and got a ‘No’ from most of them. The rest never got back. Though I did enjoy working on that script, I was not drawn to writing as passionately as I am today. While I continued to work as an editor and take up various writing projects, the real breakthrough happened when I developed a sincere urge to write about my thoughts, feelings and experiences (sometime around 2012). I started maintaining a blog where I began writing about everyday human struggle and ending each post with something positive to take home. I maintained that while continuing my work as a Psychologist. It all started then and the passion was patiently transformed into '21 Ways of Being Happy' when Grapevine India identified my strength as a writer and a Counselor:-)

On her journey with the book:
This book has been a cathartic journey for me. There were time where I found my creative genius leading the entire process while I felt like a mere channel through which the words were spoken. There were moments when I was so involved into writing a part that I would begin writing at 1 am and be in the literary trance till 5-6 in the morning. So this whole journey has been mystically creative for me.

Kritika: How was writing the book a different experience than the sessions you have with your clients?
Shama: Haha. I like this question:) Well, when I take sessions, it is the client who does the talking and I play the role of a listener. In therapy, the clients speak out their dilemmas, unanswered questions, doubts, confusions etc. and it is during these conversations that they begin to see their life in a better and much healthier perspective.

However, in writing, it was left for me to do the talking and I had the entire Universe as my imaginary readers! So, I began to play dual role of both client and a Psychologist and began this beautiful journey towards happiness. Since I have gone through (and I still go through) day-to-day human challenges, I started sharing my own challenges (from a client perspective) so that the readers can relate to the feelings, behavior and emotions that we all experience. Then I would role reverse and see things from a Counselor's perspective and add ways that I personally practiced in my life. While in therapy, the clients bring in a problem situation, I had to come up with my own list of challenges that I would simplify through this book. The common thread that runs in both therapy and my book is my desire to touch lives. So, even though the process differ, my purpose of healing remains same in both the situations:-)

Kritika: How do you think does the genre of self-help ease the pain of those in distress?

Shama: I believe that each of us has a special gift. Some are gifted techies, some are gifted artists, some gifted dancers and similarly, there are people who are gifted with the ability to ease out the stress in people's lives. Psychologists and Counselors are some of those gifted individuals who, by nature, posses the art of healing which is further enhanced through studying the subject matter and learning various tools to overcome stress. In my opinion, any human being who has gone through problems in life and have managed to overcome them becomes compelled to share this learning with fellow human beings. This is how we have people write volumes of books on self-help. Since we all are human beings and most of us receive the same conditioning throughout our lives, we tend to have (almost) similar problem pattern and when we hear a person (aka self-help guru) talk about a problem and solution, we begin to relate to it with all our heart and mind. Since the self-help writers are human beings, their (hopefully) tried and tested ways do help in easing out the stress that a common human being experiences in his/her life. It works because when in distress, we refuse to see another perspective or fail to cross the fence and get on the other side of life. In that helplessness and hesitation, a self-help expert becomes the one who stands in front of you to say "Dude! life is difficult. It is painful. But you know what, I am here to be by your side. I am here if you need a hand or a light to assist you get on the other side of this fence. I know you can cross it because I have. If I as a human being can, then you as a human being definitely can". So, while you get comfortable relishing the role of a victim (the poor me), a self-help book/speaker can kick your butt and get you connected to the lost strength that lies within you.

What I do wish to highlight here is, self-help books are to be read with an intention of beginning your journey towards easing the stress in life and not used as a bible to refer to, each time you are in distress. While you continue to treat a particular book/author as a self-help guru, do not limit your search. Make your own self your own self-help guru (No one else but you). When you do that, you automatically begin to see how one book or one video or one self-help talk begins to transform your being in a positive manner, opening several healing channels within and around you. Get in touch with that self-help Guru within you, while you continue to explore this genre to broaden your knowledge and wisdom about human life:)

Kritika: What are the future plans? Can your readers expect more in the same genre, or is there a surprise?
Shama: Well I have signed a contract of seven books so, I have six more to go! For now, I hope the readers enjoy the journey into '21 Ways of Being Happy' :-) I am determined to write a book on Relationships so hopefully that would be my second writing venture:)
Future plans! To continue spreading happiness and healing through my work, be it writing, art, counseling or by simply being a human being! :)

Kritika: Any comments/experiences you'd like to share pertaining to getting published?

Shama: Now that I have a book published, I realize that it is easier to get a book published than to promote and market it in the literary world. Since first time authors are still looked at as wearing an 'L' board around their neck, not many people/bookstores are open to giving them bhav and promoting their work. Especially with the self-help tag, people develop a presumed notion that 'yeh toh badi boring and pakaau book hogi'. So, it is a real challenge for me to break that myth and pass this message of happiness to as many people as I can. Even though it is a challenge, I have been fortunate enough to come across blessed and wonderful souls like you who have been generous to join me on this journey of spreading happiness. I keep talking about the book/concept to whoever I meet and in that determination of promoting my work, I do encounter people who are willing to help me spread the word. What keeps me going on this journey is my faith on my work and the belief that it will touch numerous lives, sooner or later:)

This was such a great interview.
I am so happy to know that there are more books in the pipeline, I can't wait! And this author certainly endears herself to her readers! I adore the optimism and candour! It is at times like these that I find myself immensely lucky to be a book blogger.
Thanks for hopping on to my blog!
Find her book here:

Book Review: 21 Ways of Being Happy by Shama Patel

About the book

Happiness is a state of mind. Yes, it is. It is not a condition or situation that is presented to some and kept away from others. It is in our own hands to overcome guilt, self pity, regret and anxiety to lead a fulfilling, happy life. Shama Patel, a professional psychologist, enlists the ways and tricks to stay happy, forever.

21 Ways of Being Happy is written with the aim of bringing you closer to yourself. It is a book that will help you charter the course of your life, your own way






About the author:

Shama Patel holds a Post-Graduate degree in Marriage and Family Counselling. As a psychologist, she has worked with mature adults, confused teenagers, couples, senior citizens, alcohol and drug addicts, survivors of abuse and human trafficking and has been associated with various NGOs working for underprivileged children.

Correctly fitting in the term 'Jack of all trades', she is often found glued to books or locked inside her art den, bringing black and white images to life through sketching. When she is not being a psychologist, Shama spends her time listening to music, practicing yoga, appreciating nature and meeting people over masala chai

My Review:

This book is an answer to all the questions that doubt the relevance of self-help books. When it comes to this particular genre, I am myself highly skeptic and selective. Keeping that in mind, I loved reading this book and would definitely recommend it to others as well, which a great praise to say.

Down to the nitty-gritty: as is evident from the title, this book expounds on the ways you can keep yourself happy. 

Now why I liked this book is because

a) This book, unlike other self-help books, hasn't been written in the patronizing or sermonizing manner, you know, the kind of books where the author glorifies himself/herself much to the readers' misery. This book is such a good respite from those pseudo-self-help books, for the author takes it upon herself to be the example. Now, the whole point of such books is to make the reader feel better by telling her that she is not alone, and that the person who is helping her recuperate has experienced the same things, and made some mistakes, but has learnt from them nevertheless. For a reader who is suffering from a loss of hope as she picks the book, this book nails it.

b) This book is empowering. Just like Eat, Pray, Love, the philosophy of this book is not to spread universal brotherhood or any lessons from the class of those not-so-easily-achievable ideals, but rather to love our own self, and I really really do believe that loving one's own self is the most liberating thing to do, especially when the society tells us otherwise. Granted, there is a thin line between what is vain pride and what is loving one's own self. 

c) At times when you are felling low, you might want to pick up a book that answers all questions for you, and elevate your spirits, This book beautifully serves that purpose.

In addition to the content, the book has also been organised very well into 21 short chapters, which begin with anecdotes, proceed with the lessons learnt and end with a "how-to" list on bringing positive change in life.

If there has been any turn-off in the book for me, it has to be this: the book explains definitions from wikipedia at a point, which in my opinion is a very odd and unprofessional thing to do. 

My Judgement: 

A must have, it brought me much-needed love and goodness and optimism and empowerment, especially coming at a time when I was battling multiple problems at once. I can never be thankful enough. Trust me, as I reader, I have done myself a favor by reading this book.

Find the book:

I thank the author for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review!

On interviewing debut authors

 

I have interviewed a lot of debut authors on my blog. They have spanned various genres: self-help, thrillers, non-fiction, romance, mystery, fantasy, among others. 

They have been from various professions, while some of them have written books that suit their profession (see: Shama Patel, a psychiatrist who wrote 21 ways of being happy) while some others have taken a plunge from professions like medicine into writing a fiction piece with a cat and a dog as the protagonists. (Deepal Kripal who wrote The Devil's Gate)

Being an aspiring author and an avid reader, it has always piqued my interest to know what makes the authors take the call, and finally have the transition from their profession into the field of writing.

Here's what I found: they seek inspiration from whichever source they can: it can be their own profession, it can be their workplace, the eccentric people they work with, their own fertile imagination, or a gap in the published market they want to tap. 

So, RV Raman penned Fraudster, a thriller/crime fiction which was a product of his experiences in the corporate sector, as he remarks, "The corporate world is a fertile ground for stories – both inspirational and fictional. It has a fascinating interplay of every emotion one can think of, and every kind of conflict. Fiction, after all, is about emotive conflict. I saw an untapped potential for crime fiction there, and decided to give it a go."

 I have observed that all these authors share one common thread: they had been looking for inspiration, which means that they already knew they would write one day. Just like you and me, they had an itch to write, they just needed the right idea and plot. Saurabh Garg, author of The Nidhi Kapoor Story, confirms my belief, "There was no epiphany per se. But, there was this inkling that I had for almost ten years that I want to write a book. And rather than just one blinding flash of lightening striking my head from up above, a lot of things came together to make this book possible."

During one such interview, an amusing concept of an alter-ego comes up. I had seen so many authors with professional jobs in the corporate sector, which means that they obviously did not get much time from their work deadlines and other pre-occupations. I was naturally curious to know how they managed to go through the herculean and emotionally taxing task of writing and getting published. In her response, Shikha Kumar, author of the romance novel He FIXED the match, she fixed him, told me, "We all have an alter-ego which we at times even keep away from the world with fear of being mocked up. But I decided to embark an journey in unknown terrain with just one funda “I have nothing to lose”. Time management was certainly a challenge, but when the self-drive is so insanely lethal I think even odds starts working in your favor."

These were all lessons in writing, marketing and taking the plunge. However, there has been one very very important lesson I learnt in all my formal/informal conversations with the authors : never give up. I realised that all the authors were writing about the subject that was dear to them, that they felt the most passionate about: Lee Van ham wrote about the environment because that is where his mind belongs. Someone descended into a fictional world because because it was his/her escape just like it was the readers'. 

Yet another positive soul wrote a book on happiness because that's her goal in life: making more and more people happy.

You don't write for the sake of it. You write because you feel.

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Author Spotlight and Interview: Virendra Desai

Read our review of the book here.

Interview:

Ques: What inspired you to pen down such a different book: that of the courageous stories of ordinary women?

Ans: Well, I was out on a expensive shopping trip with my girlfriend (which I had gifted her). While she and her friends were in the trial room (which, usually takes around eternity!), I had nothing else to do rather than guessing the bill. There I saw a lady, old, may be 50, wrinkles on her face guarding the ladies changing room, she was the lady security guard there, for keeping an eye on number of clothes women take inside. I had a very strong urge to go up to her and talk! I spoke to her for five minutes, and my life took a different turn. She was 51, wearing a pant, shirt and a cap, working as a security guard. Her husband was disabled, her two boys were studying engineering, and she alone earned and provided food, shelter to the family,and education to her kids. I was taken aback by the lady's determination! I asked her, how much did she earn? The reply baffled me! Her one month's salary was my one month's petrol bill. In those five minutes she poured her heart out. I walked away with heavy heart and decided that no matter what, I would write a book, which would contain this lady's and many other inspirational stories of struggle and optimism. This way the idea emerged. I went and interviewed 7 different women, ranging from Manager of a multinational bank, to a lady security guard outside the ladies changing room in a shopping mall.

Ques: How did you choose the title of the book, considering I have been curious over how someone came up with such a simple, yet symbolic title?

Ans: The title is very symbolic Kritika. Whether she is my mother, your mother or anybody's mother; you yourself, or in that case any lady in the entire world- I truly believe that, every woman's life on this planet earth is like a poetry. Hence the title! Just like the concept, it popped up in my head one fateful day.

Ques:  How was the experience of writing a book, and seeing it get published?

Ans: I self published the book. The writing experience was life altering. The passion I felt was like never before. All the women in the book took me to the flashback in their lives, and believe me Kritika, I was awe-inspired. I was a layman in the publishing industry, hence in order to get published I had to do a lot of research. I tried pitching the book to some big publishers, but nothing fruitful happened. So, for a concept of this magnitude, I had to take the chance and self publish. I created checkpoints- like obtaining ISBN numbers for my company, designing a cover and the bookmarks, finding the cheapest printing option - almost at par with the rate at which big publishers print; and many more tasks involved with bringing the book to reality. Finally on 25th August 2014, the book saw the light of the day for the first time.

Ques: 4. What can we expect next?

Ans: Currently I am working on part-2 of the book "The Poetry Of A Common Indian Female: Real Indian Women, Real Stories of Hope and Optimism!". The second part will contain '11' real inspirational stories of common Indian women. Who knows, I might write a book about women with no nationality barrier! I would love to do that. Because I truly believe that every woman on this planet earth is special, and worthy of being an Inspiration to billions!

Thank you for the questions Kritika. It was wonderful answering them.

Find the book/author here:

Official website

Book Review: The Poetry of a common Indian Female By Virendra Narayan Desai

About the book

Whether a manager of a multinational bank or a lady security guard outside the ladies changing room in any shopping mall- A common Indian woman (in that case, any nationality!) fights all the circumstances with head on attitude! They can go to any limit for looking after their children and family. Fate only gives them one option- FIGHT! They fought, fought hard and finally conquered the destiny. Why? - Well, some of them, just to feed their children, and some of them to defy the barriers that were put upon them. As they say - Winners have scars! All the ladies in this book are winners and they do have scars! Want to know, how did they get it? and still came out victorious with a bright and a dazzling smile? Welcome to 'The Poetry of a Common Indian Female'. Come along and witness these truly spectacular, motivational stories of Common Indian Females, which would warm your heart. Witness these women as they fight; and re-live their stories! 

About the Author:

Virendra Narayan Desai is an Indian author. Born in Mumbai, India, Virendra obtained his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science & Engineering from the Shivaji University, Kolhapur. He is equally interested in, both from the smallest of atoms to the biggest of stars. This is his first book and plans to write many more (in short, always!)

He is currently based in Mumbai and is working on his second novel.

Author Website- www.virendradesai.com 

My review:

The book is a very different approach to narration of stories. While we read the success stories of famous people, we feel a trickle of inspiration. But this book is a one of its kind, for it tells the stories which inspire to the core. They are common women like the readers, and what has set them apart from others is the fact that they have been warriors.

No wonder three cheers go for the intention and motivation behind the writing of this book.

However, the book is not a package. Somehow it lacks the expression to elicit the kind of response and empathy and praise that such a work should. The narration does appreciate the struggles of the women mentioned in each chapter, but it doesn't appeal at once. Somewhere the usage of words and expression phrases go awry. Some stories looked more awe-inspiring than others, which should not have been the case. 

I especially liked how the narrator built a rapport with some ladies in the book. But there was still scope for improvement as far as reading pleasure and bibliophilic utility was concerned.

My Judgement:

Not the best literary piece, but certainly the best humanitarian piece out there. A one time read.

Book Links:

All images and information sourced from goodreads.

Author Spotlight and interview: Priya Narayanan

Priya has two published children’s books to her credit. Her first book for 5-8 year olds titled ‘The 

Moon wants to be Spotless White’ was released in May 2013 by Leadstart Publishing and has 

been received well by readers and reviewers alike. Her second book, ‘When Grandma Climbed 

the Magic Ladder’ was recently released in the e-book format, with the paperback expected to 

release later this year. Priya is currently working on a couple of ideas for picture books as well 

as a book for tweens.
(Our review here.)

Author website:

http://www.priyanarayanan.com/

Today she joins us for an interview. Read on, and you are sure to find her poetic. personally, I love the stance she takes on different things, and well, we love children's authors because they bring words to life at an age when we need them the most!

Here we go!

Interview: 

Ques: What incited you into authoring a children's book?

PN: Well, I’m basically a poet at heart and writing poetry is an impulsive and ongoing thing for me. 

And then, I also write short stories when I find something interesting to write about. So when I 

became a mother, I instinctively started conjuring a variety of stories for my kids – stories that 

were rooted in the cultural and geographical context of our country, but just as fantastic as 

your Enid Blytons or Hans Christian Andersons. 

The thing is, even though writing for Indian children has picked up in the last decade with a 

number of dedicated publishers doing a wonderful job, the first books that jump out at you at 

any bookstore are Western publications. You’ll find a Ruskin Bond or Sudha Murthy or Anushka 

Ravishankar book nestled comfortably in the rear racks, while the front row is stacked with 

Barbie, Dora, Geronimo Stilton and the Wimpy Kid. And while I’m not against them at all, I feel 

that children here could do with more stories that they can identify with, stories that have 

Indian protagonists doing some fantastic or even crazy stuff! 

So, coming back to your question, the thought of contributing in a small way to the pool of fun-

filled but meaningful stories with an Indian context was what egged me to write for children. 

And to be sure, I found it a whole new ball game! It was exciting to step into the mind space of 

little children and start to think like them.

Ques: The story is very subtle and simple with minimal characters, endearing ones at that. How did you go about the plot etching and character-sketching?

PN: When writing for children of the 5-8 year age group, it is important to keep the plot simple and 

characters to a minimum so that the readers don’t get confused. At the same time, the characters should be strong enough to leave a lasting impression. When I first had my story idea, I was clear about two things. One, that the story would be set in small-town India, because there is an irresistible charm associated with a quaint little town flanked by a river on one side and hills on the other that I hoped to reveal to my urban readers and two, the protagonist would be a girl, because – why not? After that, things kind of just flowed. I spent a lot of time getting the ‘voice’ of the characters right, specially the Moon’s. I wanted him to be the one to add the necessary humour to the story, while Dhobi kaka would add the mature bit. As for Mitu, I wanted my readers to identify with her; so I kept her as real as possible in her moments of wonder, dilemma, gaiety, fright and other emotional ups and downs as she encounters various twists in her adventure. 

Ques: Moon has long been a subject of children's fondness with its  being called the chanda mama, yet it hardly found a place as a character. Your book brings a different side of Moon, and features it as the protagonist. What is your take on this?

PN: That’s true. Even in the best of children’s books, the moon is just the moon. Children’s books 

are filled with animals, trees, toys, vehicles and even maps and backpacks that talk! But never the Moon, even though it’s the one thing that all children are enamoured by in the night sky. However, that never was the case with me. Growing up, I’ve imagined the moon to be so many things – a giant idly, secret door to a parallel universe, a giant’s mouth and what not. So when I was discussing the Moon with my five year old in that vein, I thought -what could be more exciting than having the Moon talk to you? 

And I continue to push the limits of my imagination even now. For instance, in my second book – When Grandma Climbed the Magic Ladder, I’ve come up with a completely different explanation to what the dark spots on the moon are . . .it’s really fun to see things in a different light. Finally, truth be told, I do have a special corner for the Moon in my heart –and he somehow finds himself in every story I write, be it for children or adults!

Ques: Inculcating the habit of reading among children in this age of reliance on devices that have invaded even childhood, your views, observations and endeavour?

PN: Well, there are two sides to your question. The first is inculcating the habit of reading, for which 

I feel we shouldn't restrict the medium –be it an e-book or printed book. This is because the moment you put that kind of restriction, a child will stop reading! So as far as children are ‘reading’ a book and not ‘watching’ an animated version of the book, I think e-books are just fine. And they offer variety for children who get bored too soon, allowing them to switch between the digital and print books. 

To answer the second part about the invasion of devices in our lives, frankly, I don’t think that 

can be stopped now. Technology is a double-edged sword, and it is up to parents to regulate 

how much their children use these devices. As for me, I believe everything in moderation is just 

fine. That said, there is a certain charm to print books that can be touched, smelt and toyed 

around with, that an e-book does not offer. Picture books come in various materials – cloth, 

plastic, paper, hard board- and with a play of textures, smells and sounds . . . infants and 

toddlers cannot get these important experiences through e-books. 

So parents should aim to use digital media as tools to complement print books rather than use them in isolation, and help children value and love print books rather than be wary of them. In my opinion, e-books should ideally be introduced when a child is already reading chapter books. That way, since they’re at an age when they can appreciate the pros and cons of things, they can decide for themselves the medium that best suits their sensibilities.

Get to know more here:

Book Review: Beyond school by Chitra Anand

About The Book:

Beyond School centres upon the weeks leading up to 17-year-old Shail s final board exams, as his world becomes a pressure-cooker and the weight of preparing for the exams sends him fleeing rebelliously in the other direction. Along with Shail s journey from boyhood to manhood, Beyond School vividly weaves between the narratives of four main characters, seamlessly uniting the past and present of Shail, his parents-Urmila and Sushil and his mentor-Gladys, in a story that is honest, funny, heartbreaking and ultimately, incredibly human.

About the Author:

Chitra Anand was born in Mumbai. She is a postgraduate in Physics and holds an Education degree. Beyond School is her first novel inspired by her journey as an educator.

My Review:
written in a lucid, and friendly narrative, the book seamlessly follows the story of Shail, a 17 year old, who is torn between his parents' expectations of him to perform well in Board exams and his own ambition to ace the soccer tournament.
Frog Books, an imprint of Lead Start Corp, Is churning great pieces. (Unconventional ones like The Devil's Gate). The writing is very real. And so is the plot. Very relevant. Very apt. Identifiable.
With just a little scope of improvement in editing, the plot and  story is ironically and undeniably tickling, heartbreaking at one time and so full of hope at another.
Above all it is so real, so bare and so open that one can almost dive into the book and look at things from Young adult's perspective.

Gladys' (mentor and teacher of the protagonist) character elicits a special, special mention. He character and its stort gives fodder for thought while simultaneously letting the plot seamlessly stretch, spanning two generations dealing with tgeur adolescence issues.  What Gladys is to Shail, her father was to her.
Her charcters probpem is quoted as "The girl worried: you needed to be nornal to exist peacefully in the school world-squint free eyes, twist less nose, correctly sized ears, unclipped lips, straight arms, stammer free speech, stupidity free brain ..."
Which makes us think, isnt this stuff we battle through our teenage. And then it strikes us dumb how real these stories are. Which is also the best part of the novel.

In the portrayal of Shail's skirmishes with his parents, advises lie with him for an untold gestation period and then at the least expected time, they come to fruitition.
His thoughts are an echo of this age of young-adult. When a teacher chides him calling him a terrorist,  he ponders why appreciation is never as intense as censure. And that such insults are too serious to get over, no panacea works for the wounded ego of the young-adult. No pacification, no compromise, no redemption.

More of such insights into the mind of people this age and more examples of how these are indeed our formative years, grab your copy. Although I doubt if this is temptation enough to buy a copy of ones own, but I would still have all school library shelves and all teachers and parents have a read.

Copies Available at all online stores:

1.    Flipkart:

2.    Amazon:  

Know More Inside Stories, Connect with The Author:

Twitter: @chtranand

Read the book? Write a review on Goodreads:

“This review is a part of The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program and Blog Tours.  To get free books log on to thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com“