Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 40

Endurer by Kapil Raj-Review

Book Name          - Endurer Author                 - Kapil Raj Publisher              - Write India PublisherBuy books from Amazon


Review

Rape is a word that is still a taboo. People discuss about rape of unknown women but if it happens to their own, they try to hide it. Entertainment media too try to induce the feeling that the rape victims will be treated bad and hence should keep mum. Author Kapil Raj tells us that they are not victims but they are endurers.

Notwithstanding the similarity to the basic plot of the book #I'm16Icanrape, the book stands out in telling the story of a girl who used to party, wear short dress, had very close relations with boys who are her friends but still has to right to protest and protect herself if touched inappropriately. ,Endurer, is the tale of Palak, the rich dad's daughter who likes to party and have fun. Love,drugs,crushes, night hangouts and unplanned trips were what dominated her life. Her undeveloped fling towards Jahan and concern towards her secret admirer Rohin were not negligible to the readers. After a Rave Party, which was illegal in NCR, Palak who gets stoned, wakes up to see that she was brutally raped but without any memory of who did it. A day later she realises that her porn video was being circulated all over the college. In an attempt to stay away from all the trouble, she goes to a faraway village where she meets Sethani and Meethi, who shows her another life about which she has never heard or imagined about.

A series of subplots that traverse the main plot are equally grave and thought provoking. Child marriage, marital rape, gender discrimination and many more social evils are addressed through the subplots.
Nonetheless, author has failed in putting across the message that doing weed, hash and coke is not a funny game. A serious effort was invested in the same but somehow failed to give the impact. But author on the other hand has strongly put forward the fact that a woman doesn't deserve to be raped just because she wears short clothes or hang out with friends or even have sex with her boyfriend. Nothing gives anyone the right to violate her. The same neutralizes the fact that character development is poor.

Verdict
A strong message bearing book
Scenario:   5 /5Narration    :  4.5 /5Character   :  3.5 /5Entertainment Quotient: /54.5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher  

Book Name - Endurer&nbs...

Book Name          - Endurer Author                 - Kapil Raj Publisher              - Write India PublisherBuy books from Amazon


Review

Rape is a word that is still a taboo. People discuss about rape of unknown women but if it happens to their own, they try to hide it. Entertainment media too try to induce the feeling that the rape victims will be treated bad and hence should keep mum. Author Kapil Raj tells us that they are not victims but they are endurers.

Notwithstanding the similarity to the basic plot of the book #I'm16Icanrape, the book stands out in telling the story of a girl who used to party, wear short dress, had very close relations with boys who are her friends but still has to right to protest and protect herself if touched inappropriately. ,Endurer, is the tale of Palak, the rich dad's daughter who likes to party and have fun. Love,drugs,crushes, night hangouts and unplanned trips were what dominated her life. Her undeveloped fling towards Jahan and concern towards her secret admirer Rohin were not negligible to the readers. After a Rave Party, which was illegal in NCR, Palak who gets stoned, wakes up to see that she was brutally raped but without any memory of who did it. A day later she realises that her porn video was being circulated all over the college. In an attempt to stay away from all the trouble, she goes to a faraway village where she meets Sethani and Meethi, who shows her another life about which she has never heard or imagined about.

A series of subplots that traverse the main plot are equally grave and thought provoking. Child marriage, marital rape, gender discrimination and many more social evils are addressed through the subplots.
Nonetheless, author has failed in putting across the message that doing weed, hash and coke is not a funny game. A serious effort was invested in the same but somehow failed to give the impact. But author on the other hand has strongly put forward the fact that a woman doesn't deserve to be raped just because she wears short clothes or hang out with friends or even have sex with her boyfriend. Nothing gives anyone the right to violate her. The same neutralizes the fact that character development is poor.


Verdict
A strong message bearing book

Scenario:   5 /5Narration    :  4.5 /5Character   :  3.5 /5Entertainment Quotient: /54.5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher  

Vanished Girl by Lakshmi Menon -Review

Book Name          - Vanished Girl Author                 - Lakshmi Menon Publisher              - QuintusBuy books from Amazon



Review

A girl who sets out to meet her ailing father who is on his death bed vanishes into thin air. No-one has any idea where she went and when she was missed or abducted. The plot has a lot of possibilities and author has made use of these possibilities.

The plot takes off when Akila boards the train to Kerala where she is going to meet her father who is on death bed. A girl whose whole family depends on her, when goes missing the whole family is unhinged emotionally, financially and physically. Another angle of her teacher Vinod, with whom she had an undisclosed romantic connection is developing. Vinod is also clueless about where Akila has vanished. The next part of the plot shows us what happened to Akila, which could not be disclosed in an attempt to avoid spoilers. The suspense of the book is developing at different levels and author has carefully hidden them without mentioning it in the blurb as well.

The style of narration is simple yet uncompromising in quality. The step by step build up of the plot makes sure the readers are hooked to the book till the end. At every point, the readers would be curious to know what happens next. However, the conviction over what happened to Akila, why it happened and why she let it happen was lacking. Nonetheless, readers could give a benefit of doubt to the characters since they are in a scenario where everyone won't fit in. 

The characters of Akila's mother, brother, uncles and Vinod are not given due space since the plot develops after one forth of the book, forsooth. Nonetheless, the shift in scenario is done seamlessly and further the new characters that are introduced lead the plot and does that with finesse. From the author's first book, this one stands out in terms of uniqueness of plot, craft of characters and style of narration. The mysterious cover image has acted as a booster for the plot.


Verdict

A good, easy read with uncompromising quality.


Scenario:   4 /5Narration    :  4.5/5Character   :   4/5Entertainment Quotient: 4/5
This review is in return of a free book from the author

Super Siblings by Prachi Garg- Review

Book Name          - Super Siblings Author                 - Prachi Garg Publisher              - Srishti PublicationsBuy books from Amazon



Review

After her succesful books Superwomen and Super couples, Prachi Garg comes up with Super Siblings. How she comes up with the idea of studying these unique combinations is exemplary.

This time I think I need not delve more into the details of the narration and research. Because I have done that enough in the past two books. Hence an overall idea of which all arenas the author has covered would be enough.

Swapnil and Mayur who has started 360 track,Zainali and Azra who started Alpha cube to uplift the artisans, Ram and Laxman who founded App Virality to help Apps get more customers, Himanshu and Varun who founded Aspiring minds to identify talents for the educational institutions, Navya and divya who founded blueprint,and the list continues. Total 20 entrepreneur siblings are featured in the book. Author has made sure to preserve the warmth of sibling love while equally concentrating on the business part.

After the three books, author has made a mark for herself as someone who is dedicated and provide quality content.

Verdict

Stories of sibling entrepreneurs.

You can read the review of her previous books below
Review of SuperWomen
Review of SuperCouple

Scenario:   4 /5Narration    :   /5Character   :   /5Relevance   :   /5
Research     :/5
Entertainment Quotient: /5
This review is in return of a free book from the author

Wonder Girls by Varsha Adusumilli- Review

Book Name          - Wonder Girls

 Author                 - Varsha Adusumilli

 Publisher              - Juggernaut Books

Buy books from Amazon

Review

Inspiration is not just a word. It is a possibility that we open for others. Some inspire other with their words, some with their lives. Wonders girls brings forth the stories of women who have proved themselves and will inspire other women through their lives. 

From a time where it is believed that teaching is the only profession that suits a woman, we have reached a point where we have a rock climber, rugby player, neurosurgeon, gym trainer turned CEO and many more professions which were once a man's monopoly or which many are unaware that women have started making a mark. Wonder girls is all about their lives and struggle to reach where they are right now. 

The prime point that we notices about the boon is the uniqueness in the professions of the women who are featured in the book. It opens a wide arena for women and their future aspirations. The stories of their struggle gives a push to overcome the obstacles. If you get demoralised with anything around, all you have to do is grab this books and read it. You will emerge as a new person.

The level of research and hardwork invested in this book is praiseworthy. The style of narration is quality wise exemplary yet easily comprehensive. 

Verdict

Inspiring lives of women from unique arena.

Scenario:   5 /5

Narration    :   5/5

Relevance   :  5 /5

Research     : 5/5

Entertainment Quotient: 5/5

This review is in return of a free book from the publisher  

TheBallad of Ayesha by Anisul Hoque- Review

Book Name          - The Ballad of Ayesha Author                 - Anisul Hoque (Translator Inam Ahmed) Publisher              - HarperCollinsBuy books from Amazon



Review

Life in Bangladesh has been a topic of several book by now but still it has never lost its novelty as it is something no-one else can imagine and have gone through. A life of uncertainty is the greatest trauma one could go through. The female protagonist Ayesha's life is one that no-one could simply imagine and put into paper.

Inspired by a true story, The Ballad of Ayesha is the tale of a woman who got married at a young age to an Air Force Officer. Her live is a beautifull rhythmic ballad till her husband is accused of insurgency and she gets a mail informing her that he is sentenced to death. Grown up hearing the tale of Behula who fought death to bring her husband back, Ayesha is determined to find the truth about her husband. But life has several unexpected shock in store for her, which leaves her stupified but how she vanquishes her obstacles and emerge like a winner is the crux of the story.

The climax is straight and without much unexpected dramatic twists. Author has tried to bring the instances as close to reality as possible. Nonetheless the demography of the tale is purely fictional so are the names of the characters. The narration is lucid. The translator has done an exemplary job in preserving the authenticity.

Verdict

A lucid and palpable tale of a woman who emerged like a phoenix

Scenario:   4.5 /5Narration    : 4.5  /5Character   :  4 /5Entertainment Quotient: 4.5/5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher  

The Alpha Yeti by SUM- Review

Book Name          - Alpha Yeti Author                 - Sum Publisher              - AuthorhouseBuy books from Amazon



Review
 Yeti is a term that we have all heard associated with Everest. It has not been confirmed if it is real or not. Nonetheless we all believe that in some isolated peaks of Himalayas, there indeed is a creature that eats human beings.

The Kasi tribe is facing an unprecedented threat to the whole tribe. It the white giant is let unchallenged, it will take the whole White Mountain and the tribe will end up being unidentified in the history of manhood. Bhirendi, an elderly Kasi tries to find out the solution to this precarious situation. Further the readers get to see a cliffhanger. 

Style of narration is the USP of the book. The author has knitted the incidents with the embellishments of literature. The characters are momentous but in terms of variations and development they fall short. The level of intrigue has been sustained throughout. The cover image is what grabs the attention. The picture of Yeti is imagined and copied on paper such that it forces the readers to grab the book more so if they are fantasy lovers.

Verdict
Feast for fantasy lovers

Scenario:   4 /5Narration    :  4.5 /5Character   : 3 /5Entertainment Quotient: 4/5
This review is in return of a free book from WritersMelon

Where the River Parts by Radhika Swarup - Review

Book Name          - Where the River Parts Author                 - Radhika Swarup Publisher              - Rupa publicationsBuy the book from AmazonAmazon
Review
Two human beings. Two gender. Two families. Two religions. One nation. But after 1947 two of them becomes a part of two nations and two lives. What happens when they meet again decades later!
 Where the river parts is the story of the love life of Asha and Firoze. Rather it is Asha's story of how she fell in love with Firoze and used to keep fast during Ramzan and observe Karwa Chauth for him and how she came back to India and became Om's wife and how she became a mother and a grandmother. The book is definable in different dimensions. It is a pointer towards reality during partition. It shows the irony of how the daughter of a Muslim woman denies the permission for marriage of her own daughter just because she loved a Muslim. It touches different level of the societal norms.
If there is a usage called poetic prose, this book qualifies the best for it. The narration is exemplary. The love between Asha and Firoze permeates into the intellect of the reader even without any lovemaking scenes or explicit drama. The relationship between Asha and Om doesn't get overshadowed by that between Asha and Firoze. Even though for a very short duration in the narration, Om gains a prominent space in the psyche of the readers.
Further when the story develops, the plot seems rushed. The book should have been something like Gone With the Wind in terms of length or a story with a sequel. If so, it would have been helped the readers in connecting between Asha's next generation.
Verdict
Overall the book is a touching palpable and exemplary piece of art
Scenario:   5/5Narration    :   5/5Character   :   5/5Entertainment Quotient: 4.5/5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher  

All Seeing Digital Eyes by Neville J Kattakayam- Review

Book Name          -  All Seeing Digital Eyes Author                 - Neville J Kattakayam
Buy books from Amazon
Review

We live in an era where privacy is a dream. There would not be a single person who haven't wondered why I am getting personalized ads even if I don't do the search for the same. There would be lakhs and crores of people who have been victims of cyber bullying, phishing, etc. All seeing Digital eyes is a one stop solution for all problems that we face through internet.
There would be so many people out there including me who used to keep their location on all the time. The kind of risk that you take by doing this is not comprehensible unless and until you read the book. Similarly saving your bank details in your phone. Keeping pattern lock is what 99% Android users rely on. After reading the book, all of them are sure to switch to passwords, that to alphanumeric ones. The book gives us an idea and courage to deal with cyber bullying, phishing,sextortion, cat fishing, revenge porn and many more cyber crimes. 
The level of effort taken in drafting the book is palpable. Author has put in sincere effort to help the people all over the world. After about many months I got to read a book that is complete in every sense. I would love to have a paperback copy of the book and keep it in my book shelf forever so that even my kids and grandchildren could make use of it.
Verdict

Scenario:   5/5Narration    :   5/5Relevance   :  5 /5
Research     :5/5


This review is in return of a free book from the author.  

Thriller story by Asimava Roy Chowdhury-Review

Book Name          - Thriller Story: Motorcycle sports and Race help school fight criminals Author                 - Asimava Roy Chowdhury Buy books from Amazon



Review

For the readers who have grown up reading Nancy Drew , they will be happy to have an Indian version. Does kids only study in school? Are the school goers' life devoid of fun? Asimava Roy Choudhury has come up with a seemingly different yet relatable school life which is full of fun and thriller.
To pull off a thriller in the school backgroud that too about a robbery in school is quite difficult since there are a lot of difficulties in keeping the plot within the decorum of the school. Harsh is sporty student. While indulged in a game of football he comes across his friend's sister who later becomes his classmate and a friend. The new friend nicknamed Tidy is being ragged and lands in trouble in front of her principal who insists on checking the CCTV footage so that he could throw Tidy our of school. But the next day the CCTV is found missing. Further enquiry about the CCTV and other developments in the school form the crux of the book.
Overall the book is a good entertainer. For the students, a mix of science and literature model narration makes their comprehensive capability better. The pace is also maintained but at some places the pace drops and hence it could not be counted as consistent but still fares well. Characters are crafted well. Since they are kids, the crafting needed to be carefully done and author has made sure he did that well. Some of the actions were larger than life but that could be given a pass since overall book is appealing.

The title itself is unique and forces the readers to look twice. The cover is very appealing too.

Verdict
A good read for kids. 

Scenario:   4 /5Narration    :   /5Character   :   /5Relevance   :   /5
Research     :/5
Entertainment Quotient: /5
This review is in return of a free book from the publisher