Book review for Feathers, Shades, Shadows and a Few Raindrops, by Mandar Naik

Feathers, Shades, Shadows and a Few Raindrops, by Mandar Naik, is a poetry collection that deals with being human, whether the experiences be good or bad, joyful or sorrowful.

The collection is separated into four different parts. The first part, Feathers, talks about dreams, and the nostalgic differences between childhood and adulthood. The second part, Shades, deals with the harsh realities of emotions, and how we handle our most primitive instincts. The third part, Shadow, illustrates the painful lesson of learning from life’s hardships, all the while reflecting on the fragility of our beliefs. The final part, And a Few Raindrops, demonstrates the sorrow that we’ve come across, and how we react to it. Naik paints a beautiful picture of humanity, alongside our emotions and our beliefs, that make up our entire world.

One of my favorite poems comes from the first part, called Woven Dreams. It shows the differences between the past and the present, all the while wishing for what once was. The poem carried on a bittersweet tone that made me reminisce on my own past, and how simple everything seemed. The poems in this collection reflect the same emotional caress woven into the words. There were some words that seemed a bit extraneous to me, and I did find a couple of poems particularly repetitive. Nevertheless, the poetry was wonderful.

I enjoyed this collection. Naik showed the foundations that make up humanity, as well as the world around us. From portraying the differences between past and present, to dreams and reality, the words weave an almost magical atmosphere the reader will truly enjoy. As such, I will give this book a rating of a 4.4 out of 5.0 stars, and would recommend it to those who enjoy Written Constellations, by Hanzel Writes, and My Ladybird Story, by Magus Tor.