The Demons of Rajpur: Five Tales from Bengal

by Betsy Bang, Molly Bang (Illustrator)

Retells five traditional Bengali tales.

81 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is definitely good to have a book of tales from an underrepresented culture, so that's a point in this book's favor.

I noticed that Betsy Bang had written another book of Bengali stories, so I assume that she's familiar with the appropriate cultural nuances, but I'm sad to say that I found the stories' voice to be a bit dull. To be honest, I mostly skimmed through the last two tales. Even Molly Bang's illustrations lacked their typical vivacity.

I don't know anything about Bengali culture and how they deal with gender roles, but I think it's worthwhile to note that while there is a woman on the cover and the first story is even called "The Enchanted Princess", these stories are all of the "dudes go on adventures while there are at times ladies present"-genre. There are, of course, female characters that do exercise more autonomy. They just happen to be flesh-eating demons.

[Rebekah Holladay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy and interesting stories about man-eating monsters (rakhoshes and rakhoshis), but don't worry--apparently when you get eaten you can get spit out alive again after a while... or a few years or something...

[Yousseif Abdellatif · Rating 4 out of 5]

The vibe was completely off in the first fifty pages of The Demons of Rajpur: Five Tales from Bengal, and I almost quit. Glad I didn't. Once Bang, Betsy stops setting the table and lets the main characters actually collide, it takes off, and the argument in the kitchen is one of the best scenes I've read this year. Pacing is uneven, but the payoff is worth it. For readers who'll give a slow burn a real shot. Not for anyone who needs a hook on page one.

[Yousseif Abdellatif · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into The Demons of Rajpur ready for a heavy, joyless grind and got something that actually reads like a person talking. Betsy Bang keeps the language plain and the stakes clear, which makes the tough stuff go down easy. A few chapters repeat themselves, but overall it's a good fit for readers who want to learn without feeling lectured.