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Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond #3
The Chaos Curse (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond 3): Volume 3
Creating order out of chaos has frightening consequences in this New York Times bestselling series!
Kiranmala must leave the Kingdom Beyond and travel to her hometown of Parsippany to save Prince Lal, who has been spirited to the unlikeliest of places -- a tree in the yard of her best-enemy-for-life. She also faces evil serpents (of course!), plus a frightening prophecy about her role in the coming conflict between good and evil. Most troubling of all, though, is the way reality all around her seems to waver and flicker at odd moments. Could it be that the Anti-Chaos Committee's efforts are causing a dangerous disruption in the multiverse?
Kiran must grapple with the increasingly tangled threads that threaten to ensnare her...and everyone in the world and the Kingdom Beyond.
Kiranmala must leave the Kingdom Beyond and travel to her hometown of Parsippany to save Prince Lal, who has been spirited to the unlikeliest of places -- a tree in the yard of her best-enemy-for-life. She also faces evil serpents (of course!), plus a frightening prophecy about her role in the coming conflict between good and evil. Most troubling of all, though, is the way reality all around her seems to waver and flicker at odd moments. Could it be that the Anti-Chaos Committee's efforts are causing a dangerous disruption in the multiverse?
Kiran must grapple with the increasingly tangled threads that threaten to ensnare her...and everyone in the world and the Kingdom Beyond.
387 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2020
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June 19, 2019I trust Sayantani DasGupta with my life and Vivienne To is always bringing it with her covers.
November 18, 2020
4.5 STARS
Full review in my video: https://youtu.be/pf0fhd85weI
Timestamps for titles in description!
Full review in my video: https://youtu.be/pf0fhd85weI
Timestamps for titles in description!
July 31, 2020
Colonialism, and colorism, and racism - oh my! Wait! No. I mean, one story to rule them all, one story to find them...no not that either. Oompa loompa dopidity di, they got a tiger who's non-binary. Mawriage? Mawriage is what brings us towgether today? Oh shoot, the crunch is happening to me!
Trust me, that will all make sense if you read the book. No promises it will be funny, but I think it is.
Another great entry into the series. I love these books so much and I particularly love the theme of this one.
Trust me, that will all make sense if you read the book. No promises it will be funny, but I think it is.
Another great entry into the series. I love these books so much and I particularly love the theme of this one.
November 19, 2020
The end of Kiran’s story certainly saves the best for last with its usual laughs and thrills to its somber conclusion. A- (91%/Excellent)
March 25, 2021
This was an amazing book. The Chaos Curse has a beautiful lesson to it and it is amazing to think that someone human wrote this. It is a very meaningful book. It's also full of references from some of my other favorite books.
Read
June 23, 2020It was very underwhelming. I love how the stories were put together and I love it when Neel and Kiran interact, but there wasn't enough of them 😭. And the ending was okay but felt very fast.
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April 27, 2020Read this with my twins. They have really enjoyed this whole series.
July 26, 2020
sad the series is over but super excited for the prequel about the Rakkhoshi Queen Pinki
December 5, 2021
"Her Royalosity Princess Kiranmala tricked that nasty bhoot into entering the Lola Morgana thermos all on his own!"
This one was clearly better than the other two.
First and foremost, it was much more manageable to understand what the actual heck was going, which for me was a bit of a problem at times in Book (1 and) 2. However, here the co-workings between story and science were explained very clearly, which made it much easier to follow the story. It also made me appreciate the way the two are spun together more.
Secondly, it's a little less punny. And while normally, I don't mind puns, there was just a bit too much of them in the first two books. And all the rhyming, oh my! There are still puns and rhymes in The Chaos Curse, obviously, but they've both been downsized.
Bunty was funny. He's clearly supposed to be some kind of British tiger, the way he talks.
Kiran is - obviously - a badass. There's a part where she mentions how she's grown since her first adventure started, how she's not standing on the sideline, waiting, anymore, but how she now undertakes action by herself immediately. And she said that about four pages after I was struck by that thought as well.
There's also Shady Sadie the Science Lady, who, ummm, I'm in two minds about. She's obviously terrific, but you see, there's this song from I think the 1970s. It's a true earworm and it's called Shady Lady which… Well, you can guess the lyric. So every time I read about Shady Sadie there was that song...
Anyway, good book, better than the other two as well, good ending. It was both exciting and hilarious.
8.2/10
Average rating for the series: 7.73/10
This one was clearly better than the other two.
First and foremost, it was much more manageable to understand what the actual heck was going, which for me was a bit of a problem at times in Book (1 and) 2. However, here the co-workings between story and science were explained very clearly, which made it much easier to follow the story. It also made me appreciate the way the two are spun together more.
Secondly, it's a little less punny. And while normally, I don't mind puns, there was just a bit too much of them in the first two books. And all the rhyming, oh my! There are still puns and rhymes in The Chaos Curse, obviously, but they've both been downsized.
Bunty was funny. He's clearly supposed to be some kind of British tiger, the way he talks.
Kiran is - obviously - a badass. There's a part where she mentions how she's grown since her first adventure started, how she's not standing on the sideline, waiting, anymore, but how she now undertakes action by herself immediately. And she said that about four pages after I was struck by that thought as well.
There's also Shady Sadie the Science Lady, who, ummm, I'm in two minds about. She's obviously terrific, but you see, there's this song from I think the 1970s. It's a true earworm and it's called Shady Lady which… Well, you can guess the lyric. So every time I read about Shady Sadie there was that song...
Anyway, good book, better than the other two as well, good ending. It was both exciting and hilarious.
8.2/10
Average rating for the series: 7.73/10
March 17, 2020
This was so cute! This series is so much fun overall but I really liked how this installment included mythology from other cultures as well with a focus on celebrating our differences without letting them divide us. Not sure if this was supposed to be the last book or if there are going to be more but I would definitely read more of them.
December 2, 2022
Ok so this was very different from the first two books in the series. It was very political I guess. It got to the point where it was kind of off-putting. It didn't have the same fantasy vibes and it wasn't as fun. I probably would have dnfed this if I read it as a physical book. It was still a good book. The vibes were just very off.
July 8, 2021
Kiranmala has just finished rescuing Neel, and now she needs to head another rescue operation to get Prince Lal out of a tree in her earthly hometown. Only the Parsippany, NJ she lands in is seriously wonky. Her parents are acting strange, her best friend is her frenemy and her frenemy is her best friend, and her school principal turns out to be a gorgon?! Something weird is going on with stories, characters and things that don't belong in the Kingdom Beyond or New Jersey keep showing up, and Kiran is becoming more and more convinced it is all her bio dad's slithery, snaky fault. If she and her friends don't stop her bio dad from marrying Neel's mom, it may be the end of the multiverse and all but the most popular stories!
Due to the nature of what is going on with the multiverse in this, DasGupta got to have a lot of fun with characters from other stories popping in. My favorite was a brilliant scene when Kiran totally paraphrases the entire iocane powder scene from The Princess Bride to foil a bad guy. I loved it. I appreciated that DasGupta has a list of stories whose characters/settings appeared in here in the back of the book (usually they aren't named, just described in a way readers should get). Kiran has finally gotten her confidence in being a heroine and now it is time for her to learn some stuff about humility and teamwork to make her a more well-rounded person. Important lessons for all. She and Prince Lal and Prince Neel also have a thing or two to learn about prejudices they harbor which they aren't necessarily aware of. It's handled very well. Overall, this is another fun set of adventures, and I liked this one better than the middle book. Hand this to readers who like cameo appearances from favorite book characters and fantasy mythology adventures.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a teensy hand hold among the kids (some adults kiss and totally gross out the kids). There are battles and some injuries but everyone ends up ok (just maybe sucked into a black hole).
Due to the nature of what is going on with the multiverse in this, DasGupta got to have a lot of fun with characters from other stories popping in. My favorite was a brilliant scene when Kiran totally paraphrases the entire iocane powder scene from The Princess Bride to foil a bad guy. I loved it. I appreciated that DasGupta has a list of stories whose characters/settings appeared in here in the back of the book (usually they aren't named, just described in a way readers should get). Kiran has finally gotten her confidence in being a heroine and now it is time for her to learn some stuff about humility and teamwork to make her a more well-rounded person. Important lessons for all. She and Prince Lal and Prince Neel also have a thing or two to learn about prejudices they harbor which they aren't necessarily aware of. It's handled very well. Overall, this is another fun set of adventures, and I liked this one better than the middle book. Hand this to readers who like cameo appearances from favorite book characters and fantasy mythology adventures.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a teensy hand hold among the kids (some adults kiss and totally gross out the kids). There are battles and some injuries but everyone ends up ok (just maybe sucked into a black hole).
August 12, 2021
Well, I can say that the story is on par with the title, The Chaos Curse. I felt like there were too many subplots or side actions really to get to the final end game, and then poof, the story is resolved.
I will say that I have mixed emotions for the final installment, it felt like the same issues I had with Game of Stars continued into the final book and I was just over it after a while.
For instance, I have trouble rooting for wreckless, jealous characters and I would never want to be Kiranmala's friend. Apparently since Kiranmala went through certain adventures, now she was an "expert"?!?! But the only thing she was an "expert" in was in risking her friend's lives and getting those closes to her injured.
Overall, the idea of different stories merging into one and having to stop it sounds interesting, but I was just confused and bored throughout the story.
I will say that the audio books are the best way to experience these stories! While this series started out great and ended up a disappointment for me I still recommend it because I know others will enjoy it.
I will say that I have mixed emotions for the final installment, it felt like the same issues I had with Game of Stars continued into the final book and I was just over it after a while.
For instance, I have trouble rooting for wreckless, jealous characters and I would never want to be Kiranmala's friend. Apparently since Kiranmala went through certain adventures, now she was an "expert"?!?! But the only thing she was an "expert" in was in risking her friend's lives and getting those closes to her injured.
Overall, the idea of different stories merging into one and having to stop it sounds interesting, but I was just confused and bored throughout the story.
I will say that the audio books are the best way to experience these stories! While this series started out great and ended up a disappointment for me I still recommend it because I know others will enjoy it.
June 24, 2022
A+ EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My first reason, for loving this book was that I love the character’s personalities. Because let’s just say, who does not like a brave person in a female role as an activist? It’s people like Mati, the PSS( pink sari skateboarders), and Princess Kiranmala that can make a big change in the world and the fact that girls can be just as strong as boys!
My second reason is, that it shows that people ( in this book people and rakkhosh.) from different races and countries with different cultures work together and make their own stories that can expand the universe and multiverse stopping the “Big Crunch.”
My third reason is that it’s a fun book, but my only comment before you start reading this one is read them in order.
Series: Kiranmala and the kingdom beyond:
- The Serpents Secret
- The Game of Stars
- The Chao’s Curse
More books you may like:
- The Force of Fire
- Debating Darcy
My first reason, for loving this book was that I love the character’s personalities. Because let’s just say, who does not like a brave person in a female role as an activist? It’s people like Mati, the PSS( pink sari skateboarders), and Princess Kiranmala that can make a big change in the world and the fact that girls can be just as strong as boys!
My second reason is, that it shows that people ( in this book people and rakkhosh.) from different races and countries with different cultures work together and make their own stories that can expand the universe and multiverse stopping the “Big Crunch.”
My third reason is that it’s a fun book, but my only comment before you start reading this one is read them in order.
Series: Kiranmala and the kingdom beyond:
- The Serpents Secret
- The Game of Stars
- The Chao’s Curse
More books you may like:
- The Force of Fire
- Debating Darcy
August 9, 2022
And with that, the story of Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond ends. "The Chaos Curse" was chaos with a lot of story and explanation, but I didn't feel like DasGupta went into it in a way that suits me personally. She had so much she wanted to share and wrap up in the last book that it got messy.
HOWEVER, she did an excellent job with this book and everything I learned from her 2 previous ones tied together with this one, which is absolutely superb (we love when an author gives flashbacks or includes stuff from prior books), and I genuinely had a blast with "The Chaos Curse"
HOWEVER, she did an excellent job with this book and everything I learned from her 2 previous ones tied together with this one, which is absolutely superb (we love when an author gives flashbacks or includes stuff from prior books), and I genuinely had a blast with "The Chaos Curse"
May 15, 2020
I feel like I say the same thing every time I finish one of Sayantani DasGupta's books: I wish I had books like this when I was 12! I love them. They remind me of my childhood and all the different stories that were read to me. I loved that this book not only included traditional Bengali stories but all sorts of other stories and mythology from around the world. Loved this book and I look forward to reading more.
January 24, 2022
After rescuing Neel from the underwater prison, Kiranmala and friends travel to New Jersey to rescue Lal from being trapped in a tree. Sesha and his minions have created the Anti-Chaos committee and different stories are merging together. In order to end chaos once and for all, Sesha plans to marry Neel's mom, The Demon Queen. Will Kiranmala be able to stop the marriage and preserve chaos?
This was a good ending to the series. I've loved DasGupta's word play throughout.
This was a good ending to the series. I've loved DasGupta's word play throughout.
June 24, 2021
At first I was a bit confused by the mixing of stories, but I love the way it all came together. This was a great end (?) to the trilogy.
And that other book I mentioned when I finished the second one, it's a prequel!!! 😻😻😻 I'm stoked!
And that other book I mentioned when I finished the second one, it's a prequel!!! 😻😻😻 I'm stoked!
April 15, 2020
It was okay. The plot seemed a little scattered and I found myself becoming increasingly annoyed at Kiran. I would not want to be her friend.
May 2, 2021
So fun.
July 22, 2021
perfect ending to this wonderful series, so wholesome <3
March 19, 2020
Third in the series. The story continues to develop. Characters are further developed and readers see back stories as Kiran and Neal travel back in time to prevent his mom from marrying her dad when they were young. She also rescues Prince Lal and works to restore order in the Kingdom Beyond.
The series has provided insights into the myths woven through the books. This book seemed to bog down and drag at times. The plot connections stretched a little too far for my taste.
The series has provided insights into the myths woven through the books. This book seemed to bog down and drag at times. The plot connections stretched a little too far for my taste.
November 7, 2020
After having saved Neel and loosing Ai Ma Kiran realizes that now she must also save Lal. Just when Kiran thinks that things are getting better there is news that Sesha is marring Pinki, Neel's mother. This is really confusing news since the last time they were seen Pinki and Sesha were so angry at each other. Things keep getting weirder because the stories from all the dimensions keep getting mixed up and the people in the Kingdom beyond are going crazy. Will Kiran be able to stop this story imbalance or will Sesha actually be able to collapse the stories?
February 5, 2021
The Chaos Curse was a strong ending to the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond trilogy. I enjoyed reading it, partly because of the unexpected events that DasGupta arranged. The ending was a happy one.
My only negative criticism was toward the end the extended (to me) push for reading a diverse array of books was prolonged. I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment; I just felt it was overdone.
I have always loved learning about the mythology of various cultures and this trilogy introduced me to a new set which has enriched my learning experiences.
My only negative criticism was toward the end the extended (to me) push for reading a diverse array of books was prolonged. I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment; I just felt it was overdone.
I have always loved learning about the mythology of various cultures and this trilogy introduced me to a new set which has enriched my learning experiences.
August 24, 2021
With this being the last book in the trilogy, I wasn’t sure what to expect. While some parts still felt rushed, it was a fun conclusion.
After nearly escaping Serpent Kings underwater lair and freeing Neel, Kiran discovers the Kingdom Beyond in worse shape than when she returned. Not only is the kingdom under the Serpent Kings rule, but as Kiran sets out to rescue Lal, other strange anomalies begun. On her journey, Kiran starts to see people and creatures act like those from other stories. As the stories mix, reality seems to be changing right before her eyes. With no time to lose, Kiran must save her friends and discover what is causing the multiverse to transform before nothing is recognizable.
Right off the bat, it was clear the theme for this book was about preserving different cultures and their stories. As a history major, this made it fun for me since learning about different cultures and how they have impacted each other shows how connected we are. Of course, mentioning the different stories meant plenty of references. The author did a great job showing them without saying them by name, giving the slightest nods or clues that would be recognizable to even those who have not read the story but heard of a part that is passed around from person to person. I loved how, like in other mythology books, Kiran and her companions knew about most of the stories and commented on them. Similar to how other books have the characters mention how they love a part or character from a series. Its always enjoyable, and makes them feel more relatable as a result.
Just like in the previous entry, Kiran is faced with different creatures and characters, but this time some are from the stories the author has referenced. At first, I thought it was going to be mostly ancient Greek or Norse characters, but it turned out to be so much more. From Bengal tales to Winnie the Pooh, it’s clear the author wanted to use both modern stories as well as ancient. Having Kiran interact with specific characters instead of just her friends at times was weird at first, but it ended up being very enjoyable. The things Kiran learned helped her character development advance from where she was in the previous entry’s.
The pacing near the end kept me from enjoying the last chapter to its full extent. What occurred wasn’t the problem, it was the fact that the conclusion was crammed into one long chapter instead of a few. Had another chapter been written to allow more closure with Kiran and her friends, it would have allowed the series to feel complete instead of rushing towards the finish line. I did enjoy the authors notes about explaining what was referenced in the book (just like in the last one), since it allows the author to show where she got her inspiration. In the end, Kiranmala’s adventures were another fun series to have gotten to know. Here’s hoping this isn’t the end of the action-adventure princess!
After nearly escaping Serpent Kings underwater lair and freeing Neel, Kiran discovers the Kingdom Beyond in worse shape than when she returned. Not only is the kingdom under the Serpent Kings rule, but as Kiran sets out to rescue Lal, other strange anomalies begun. On her journey, Kiran starts to see people and creatures act like those from other stories. As the stories mix, reality seems to be changing right before her eyes. With no time to lose, Kiran must save her friends and discover what is causing the multiverse to transform before nothing is recognizable.
Right off the bat, it was clear the theme for this book was about preserving different cultures and their stories. As a history major, this made it fun for me since learning about different cultures and how they have impacted each other shows how connected we are. Of course, mentioning the different stories meant plenty of references. The author did a great job showing them without saying them by name, giving the slightest nods or clues that would be recognizable to even those who have not read the story but heard of a part that is passed around from person to person. I loved how, like in other mythology books, Kiran and her companions knew about most of the stories and commented on them. Similar to how other books have the characters mention how they love a part or character from a series. Its always enjoyable, and makes them feel more relatable as a result.
Just like in the previous entry, Kiran is faced with different creatures and characters, but this time some are from the stories the author has referenced. At first, I thought it was going to be mostly ancient Greek or Norse characters, but it turned out to be so much more. From Bengal tales to Winnie the Pooh, it’s clear the author wanted to use both modern stories as well as ancient. Having Kiran interact with specific characters instead of just her friends at times was weird at first, but it ended up being very enjoyable. The things Kiran learned helped her character development advance from where she was in the previous entry’s.
The pacing near the end kept me from enjoying the last chapter to its full extent. What occurred wasn’t the problem, it was the fact that the conclusion was crammed into one long chapter instead of a few. Had another chapter been written to allow more closure with Kiran and her friends, it would have allowed the series to feel complete instead of rushing towards the finish line. I did enjoy the authors notes about explaining what was referenced in the book (just like in the last one), since it allows the author to show where she got her inspiration. In the end, Kiranmala’s adventures were another fun series to have gotten to know. Here’s hoping this isn’t the end of the action-adventure princess!
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April 25, 2020I liked The Chaos Curse! I wish I liked it as much as the first two books in the series but I still liked it. Even if it wasn't as much as I wanted to like it.
The characters felt really young in this book. I know it's middle grade, and the characters are supposed to be young. It's weird, because I didn't feel that way with the other books in the series. We are living in pretty weird times, and maybe I just wasn't reading this book at the right time. I'm not in the biggest mood to read right now, so I'm pretty sure that's why I had a hard time with this book.
The thought that the characters seemed young was something I thought pretty much the whole time I read the book. Don't get me wrong, I really like Kiran and seeing what adventures she has. Overall, this book was just as fun as the other books, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I really liked the story. Everything is definitely mixed up and very alternate universe. Things do go back to normal, of course, but things definitely go haywire for a while. I'm glad Kiran and her friends were able to get things back to normal.
Well, as normal as they'll ever be for this world. Things always go wrong, and there's always an adventure to be had. I really like the world, and I really feel like we learn more about it with every book in this series. It's a really big world, and I liked that there were all of these different dimensions and alternate worlds/timelines. We definitely saw one of them in this book, and it makes me wonder how many other versions of Kiran's world are out there.
We also see how connected everything is in this book. It's not surprising in a world like Kiran's, but I liked seeing how complicated things get, and how changing one thing changes so many other things. I think DasGupta did a great job with that, and I really liked seeing how Kiran dealt with that. I enjoyed seeing the characters try to save the stories they know and love.
It's a fun book, and a really good addition to the series. I also love the different characters we meet, and even though I will probably never read the original stories DasGupta drew from, I also love that she included stories from a variety of mythologies. In my opinion, these are great books for Percy Jackson fans. Or if you really want a series drawing from mythology that's not Greek mythology.
My Rating: 3 stars. I liked The Chaos Curse and I am excited about reading the next book.
The characters felt really young in this book. I know it's middle grade, and the characters are supposed to be young. It's weird, because I didn't feel that way with the other books in the series. We are living in pretty weird times, and maybe I just wasn't reading this book at the right time. I'm not in the biggest mood to read right now, so I'm pretty sure that's why I had a hard time with this book.
The thought that the characters seemed young was something I thought pretty much the whole time I read the book. Don't get me wrong, I really like Kiran and seeing what adventures she has. Overall, this book was just as fun as the other books, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I really liked the story. Everything is definitely mixed up and very alternate universe. Things do go back to normal, of course, but things definitely go haywire for a while. I'm glad Kiran and her friends were able to get things back to normal.
Well, as normal as they'll ever be for this world. Things always go wrong, and there's always an adventure to be had. I really like the world, and I really feel like we learn more about it with every book in this series. It's a really big world, and I liked that there were all of these different dimensions and alternate worlds/timelines. We definitely saw one of them in this book, and it makes me wonder how many other versions of Kiran's world are out there.
We also see how connected everything is in this book. It's not surprising in a world like Kiran's, but I liked seeing how complicated things get, and how changing one thing changes so many other things. I think DasGupta did a great job with that, and I really liked seeing how Kiran dealt with that. I enjoyed seeing the characters try to save the stories they know and love.
It's a fun book, and a really good addition to the series. I also love the different characters we meet, and even though I will probably never read the original stories DasGupta drew from, I also love that she included stories from a variety of mythologies. In my opinion, these are great books for Percy Jackson fans. Or if you really want a series drawing from mythology that's not Greek mythology.
My Rating: 3 stars. I liked The Chaos Curse and I am excited about reading the next book.
March 6, 2020
The Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series is that rare Middle-Grade series that can appeal as much to adults as it does to children. Sayantani DasGupta has put so much thought and depth into the way she constructs the Kiranmala stories and they are food for thought for adults who share them with their children. From her thoughts on immigration and the Bengali diaspora to astronomy and cosmology, to her skillful interweaving of Bengali and Euro-American stories, this installment is a delight.
In The Chaos Curse, Kiranmala returns to Parsippany to rescue Lalkamal, who is still stuck in a tree. Along the way, she meets the very odd Ned Hogar, and starts hearing about a big wedding that she hasn't been invited to attend. She's worried to find that her parents seem different, don't have a store, and want to totally forget their Bengali culture. Briefly back at school, she finds her frenemy Jovi is now her best friend and begins to realize that all this crunching together of stories that she saw on the way back to rescue Lal has also resulted in her being plopped into an alternate-universe-Parsippany that might have been smushed into her own. With an evolving dimensional disaster, Kiranmala, Lal and Neel find that multiverses and their stories are collapsing and that of course, Sesha is at the root of it all. But is Pinki, Neel's mother, working with Sesha or against him? If Sesha succeeds, he'll end the entire multiverse, so it's up to Kiran, Lal, and Neel to stop him.
With imaginative use of myths, folktales, and classic children's stories from Baum's The Wizard of Oz to Milne's "Winnie-the-Pooh," DasGupta has made a really enjoyable outing in this series, as the protagonists race to preserve stories and thereby cultures they represent.
I strongly recommend the audiobooks of this series, narrated by the author herself with marvelous voicing. They make proper names and the names of various creatures like rakkhosh more accessible for a younger reader but more than that, DasGupta imbues so much humor in the voicing of her characters. Even minor characters like Bunty, Tuntuni, and Tiktiki just come alive with her voicing. This series is a great road trip selection for traveling with your middle graders.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In The Chaos Curse, Kiranmala returns to Parsippany to rescue Lalkamal, who is still stuck in a tree. Along the way, she meets the very odd Ned Hogar, and starts hearing about a big wedding that she hasn't been invited to attend. She's worried to find that her parents seem different, don't have a store, and want to totally forget their Bengali culture. Briefly back at school, she finds her frenemy Jovi is now her best friend and begins to realize that all this crunching together of stories that she saw on the way back to rescue Lal has also resulted in her being plopped into an alternate-universe-Parsippany that might have been smushed into her own. With an evolving dimensional disaster, Kiranmala, Lal and Neel find that multiverses and their stories are collapsing and that of course, Sesha is at the root of it all. But is Pinki, Neel's mother, working with Sesha or against him? If Sesha succeeds, he'll end the entire multiverse, so it's up to Kiran, Lal, and Neel to stop him.
With imaginative use of myths, folktales, and classic children's stories from Baum's The Wizard of Oz to Milne's "Winnie-the-Pooh," DasGupta has made a really enjoyable outing in this series, as the protagonists race to preserve stories and thereby cultures they represent.
I strongly recommend the audiobooks of this series, narrated by the author herself with marvelous voicing. They make proper names and the names of various creatures like rakkhosh more accessible for a younger reader but more than that, DasGupta imbues so much humor in the voicing of her characters. Even minor characters like Bunty, Tuntuni, and Tiktiki just come alive with her voicing. This series is a great road trip selection for traveling with your middle graders.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2021
This book is certainly a great conclusion to the themes set up by the previous two. It drives home the importance of stories, of staying true to oneself and one's origins, of love and understanding even between very different people. These messages are integrated fluently into Kiranmala's world with its mix of mythology and astrophysics, tying the relations between celestial bodies to those between human beings. The final chapter really executes this idea beautifully, bringing victory over the conformity-minded villains . The symbolism in language and imagery used to express all of this is truly beautiful.
Nonetheless, I found this book weaker than its two predecessors. For all its strong themes, the plot was structurally quite all over the place. There were a lot of threads to it, entire sub-plots, that felt completely unnecessary. Additional villains were introduced and I expected them to show up again for the final confrontation, but they didn't, making that final chapter feel rushed in spite of its other strengths. And for half of the book, Kiranmala goes away on a quest with only Tuni the wisecracking bird and a new character, Bunty the non-binary tiger, leaving the entire rest of the cast behind. That is disappointing not just because it leaves the reader without more material on these already beloved characters, but because it undercuts the book's central theme of love and togetherness, giving the characters less time to develop their relationships with each other.
I will admit that Kiranmala's third and last adventure frustrated me a little at points, but I am still happy to have read it. It has rounded off the amazing and beautiful story begun by the other two, and it has given me much to think about in regards to stories and the cultural identity contained within them.
Nonetheless, I found this book weaker than its two predecessors. For all its strong themes, the plot was structurally quite all over the place. There were a lot of threads to it, entire sub-plots, that felt completely unnecessary. Additional villains were introduced and I expected them to show up again for the final confrontation, but they didn't, making that final chapter feel rushed in spite of its other strengths. And for half of the book, Kiranmala goes away on a quest with only Tuni the wisecracking bird and a new character, Bunty the non-binary tiger, leaving the entire rest of the cast behind. That is disappointing not just because it leaves the reader without more material on these already beloved characters, but because it undercuts the book's central theme of love and togetherness, giving the characters less time to develop their relationships with each other.
I will admit that Kiranmala's third and last adventure frustrated me a little at points, but I am still happy to have read it. It has rounded off the amazing and beautiful story begun by the other two, and it has given me much to think about in regards to stories and the cultural identity contained within them.
May 5, 2021
The Chaos Curse is the third and final book in the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series written by Sayantani DasGupta. It follows demon slayer Kiranmala "Kiran" Ray and her friends, who must stop her father, the Serpent King, from collapsing the parallel dimensions of the multiverse into one – in a nefarious plot to destroy its diversity.
Having saved Prince Neelkamal from her father, Kiran must now save Prince Lalkamal, Neel's brother, trapped in a New Jersey tree. However, as Kiran traverses the multiverse, things get stranger. The merging of story keeps happening, and when a wormhole lands Kiran back in New Jersey, she returns to parents who are colonized beyond repair – they keep referring to her as Karen and rejecting her bicultural Bengali American identity.
The Chaos Curse is written rather well. The narrative is action-packed and funny. DasGupta riddles the text with in-jokes and puns, and her verbal gymnastics are winks to readers who are fluent in Bengali or Hindi and/or familiar with South Asian culture. However, this installment is also the most ambitious of the trilogy. Not only does it draw inspiration from Bengali folklore, South Asian and American pop culture, and metaphysics, it also reinforces seamlessly that stories are powerful, and that many stories are necessary to imagine a just future.
Overall, the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond is written rather well. DasGupta has created an amazing world by blending in Bengali folklore – modernizing it and intermingle it with modern world and pop culture rather seamlessly. DasGupta has created a wonderful protagonist in Kiranmala "Kiran" Ray and seeing her grow throughout the series in a wacky coming of age story.
All in all, The Chaos Curse is written rather well and is a wonderful conclusion to an equally wonderful series.
Having saved Prince Neelkamal from her father, Kiran must now save Prince Lalkamal, Neel's brother, trapped in a New Jersey tree. However, as Kiran traverses the multiverse, things get stranger. The merging of story keeps happening, and when a wormhole lands Kiran back in New Jersey, she returns to parents who are colonized beyond repair – they keep referring to her as Karen and rejecting her bicultural Bengali American identity.
The Chaos Curse is written rather well. The narrative is action-packed and funny. DasGupta riddles the text with in-jokes and puns, and her verbal gymnastics are winks to readers who are fluent in Bengali or Hindi and/or familiar with South Asian culture. However, this installment is also the most ambitious of the trilogy. Not only does it draw inspiration from Bengali folklore, South Asian and American pop culture, and metaphysics, it also reinforces seamlessly that stories are powerful, and that many stories are necessary to imagine a just future.
Overall, the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond is written rather well. DasGupta has created an amazing world by blending in Bengali folklore – modernizing it and intermingle it with modern world and pop culture rather seamlessly. DasGupta has created a wonderful protagonist in Kiranmala "Kiran" Ray and seeing her grow throughout the series in a wacky coming of age story.
All in all, The Chaos Curse is written rather well and is a wonderful conclusion to an equally wonderful series.
May 6, 2021
I have experienced all three books on audio and am so glad I opted for that. I am sure that I would never have gotten the pronunciation on the character names and the cultural references to clothing and customs which would have slowed my reading enjoyment. (Maybe the print version has a reference and pronunciation help.)
Out of the three books so far this has been my favorite which should not be a surprise if you know how much I love references to books and stories. The plot focuses on the incursion on other stories into the Bengali tales. The references are so fun and you are very upset when you find out that the total effort of Sasha, the demon king, is to erase all cultural stories and blend/eliminate them from the multiverse. (Of course so he can rule the world!) What would our childhood backgrounds be without the fairy tales, fables and lessons we learn from them if they all disappeared. What a richness of life would be lost. This crunching of stories results in some funny and time bending episodes as Kiran and Neel seek to stop Sasha and his vision of a new universe.
I also enjoyed the introduction of monsters who unknowingly surround us, such the middle school principal who is a Gorgon and Mooti (spelling) who is a very social media, flighty 6th grader, who turns out to be a rich resource for guidance and courage, who also has wings. Who knew?
I only wish I would have had such an experience with other cultures at this age. I had only print geography textbooks and the encyclopedia which I read for fun. Seriously, there was no library and not many books available. But this is what shaped me and I am grateful for the amazing books that are being published for this age group which expands horizons and understanding of the rich cultures of this world. And that I can enjoy them and tell others of their existence.
Out of the three books so far this has been my favorite which should not be a surprise if you know how much I love references to books and stories. The plot focuses on the incursion on other stories into the Bengali tales. The references are so fun and you are very upset when you find out that the total effort of Sasha, the demon king, is to erase all cultural stories and blend/eliminate them from the multiverse. (Of course so he can rule the world!) What would our childhood backgrounds be without the fairy tales, fables and lessons we learn from them if they all disappeared. What a richness of life would be lost. This crunching of stories results in some funny and time bending episodes as Kiran and Neel seek to stop Sasha and his vision of a new universe.
I also enjoyed the introduction of monsters who unknowingly surround us, such the middle school principal who is a Gorgon and Mooti (spelling) who is a very social media, flighty 6th grader, who turns out to be a rich resource for guidance and courage, who also has wings. Who knew?
I only wish I would have had such an experience with other cultures at this age. I had only print geography textbooks and the encyclopedia which I read for fun. Seriously, there was no library and not many books available. But this is what shaped me and I am grateful for the amazing books that are being published for this age group which expands horizons and understanding of the rich cultures of this world. And that I can enjoy them and tell others of their existence.
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