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A Goan Adventure Starfish Pickle
It wasn’t time to fly. Besides, she prefers the ocean to the sky.
A skilled commercial diver in Goa, Tara Salgaonkar is a mystery to everyone around her. A strong girl who defies social conventions, she is trying to come to terms with her dark past.
Her life takes an unpredictable turn when she visits Bholenath Guruji at one of his trance parties. What happens when she enters his realm? How does that fateful encounter change her life?
Set in the vibrant locales of Goa, Starfish Pickle is an adventurous story which revolves around the impact of past secrets and unconventional life choices.
A skilled commercial diver in Goa, Tara Salgaonkar is a mystery to everyone around her. A strong girl who defies social conventions, she is trying to come to terms with her dark past.
Her life takes an unpredictable turn when she visits Bholenath Guruji at one of his trance parties. What happens when she enters his realm? How does that fateful encounter change her life?
Set in the vibrant locales of Goa, Starfish Pickle is an adventurous story which revolves around the impact of past secrets and unconventional life choices.
270 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
7 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 27, 2021
Within the deepest recesses of our mind are often chests with heavy bolts and padlocks that contain our darkest scars, memories, and phantoms that willfully remain caged, offering a false sense of security but deviously spread their subtle influence from within.
This murky and dark influence, a dooming quagmire, slowly creeping upon the mind is very much an easy prey to a darker predator of the outside.
A beacon to creatures that have fallen, foul and maleficent.
An uneasy interaction that beckons to accept the darkness within and the darkness outside.
What follows acceptance, is the granular degradation of free thought and rationality in exchange for momentary happiness and relief from the unnerving bindings of the dark influence.
A plague it is.
The plague of influence.
A plague that hits a commercial diver in the paradisal land of Goa.
Starfish Pickle follows the life of Tara, a woman who's one with water and the sea, more aquatic than terrestrial, and her war against life.
Now, Tara, she's this unique human being with a sense of humor that teases the line between amusement an offensive, a protagonist that you would love to read about, someone your heart goes to, and someone you wish to know.
A supposed escapee of the system, still being ushered towards a life that the system deems appropriate for her. She aims to break it in her own way, in the deep seas with fishes, coral, and her lovely starfish around her.
She might have succeeded to swim away to a life she deserves when her past, a monstrous enigma, leaps on her like a hungry tiger on an unsuspecting mare, digs its black foul claws and holds her down while her life is slowly extinguished before her eyes.
A dark story, not one for the light-hearted or the short visioned.
Yet, Starfish Pickle is a heavenly treat for your imagination, a visual celebration of stars and the sea aided by the bewitching and boisterous illustrations drawn by the hand of the author herself.
Prose that flows, writing that demands to be read, and a story that wants to be heard.
Read Starfish Pickle, for Tara and for Goa.
If you won't then stay tuned as it releases as a movie in theatres near you!
This murky and dark influence, a dooming quagmire, slowly creeping upon the mind is very much an easy prey to a darker predator of the outside.
A beacon to creatures that have fallen, foul and maleficent.
An uneasy interaction that beckons to accept the darkness within and the darkness outside.
What follows acceptance, is the granular degradation of free thought and rationality in exchange for momentary happiness and relief from the unnerving bindings of the dark influence.
A plague it is.
The plague of influence.
A plague that hits a commercial diver in the paradisal land of Goa.
Starfish Pickle follows the life of Tara, a woman who's one with water and the sea, more aquatic than terrestrial, and her war against life.
Now, Tara, she's this unique human being with a sense of humor that teases the line between amusement an offensive, a protagonist that you would love to read about, someone your heart goes to, and someone you wish to know.
A supposed escapee of the system, still being ushered towards a life that the system deems appropriate for her. She aims to break it in her own way, in the deep seas with fishes, coral, and her lovely starfish around her.
She might have succeeded to swim away to a life she deserves when her past, a monstrous enigma, leaps on her like a hungry tiger on an unsuspecting mare, digs its black foul claws and holds her down while her life is slowly extinguished before her eyes.
A dark story, not one for the light-hearted or the short visioned.
Yet, Starfish Pickle is a heavenly treat for your imagination, a visual celebration of stars and the sea aided by the bewitching and boisterous illustrations drawn by the hand of the author herself.
Prose that flows, writing that demands to be read, and a story that wants to be heard.
Read Starfish Pickle, for Tara and for Goa.
If you won't then stay tuned as it releases as a movie in theatres near you!
January 1, 2023
I saw this book in a Goan bookstore when i was having a week long Vacay there. I read it soon after. So i could easily relate to the places mentioned in the book, Goan culture, food etc. It elevated my reading experience.
So the book is about this Goan girl Tara who is a diver and what happens in her life. There are so many things that this book tells you about a woman’s life in our society and how own folks and society pressurises her and forces her to do things that she doesn’t like. Here Tara is also at fault though.
The beginning was too much dragging. You get into the story after 100 pages or so. It was more a predictable story, but the backdrop of the story, goan lifestyle, goan parties, goan carnival, goan hippies, tourists etc. made it a different experience to read.
So the book is about this Goan girl Tara who is a diver and what happens in her life. There are so many things that this book tells you about a woman’s life in our society and how own folks and society pressurises her and forces her to do things that she doesn’t like. Here Tara is also at fault though.
The beginning was too much dragging. You get into the story after 100 pages or so. It was more a predictable story, but the backdrop of the story, goan lifestyle, goan parties, goan carnival, goan hippies, tourists etc. made it a different experience to read.
June 20, 2022
This has been as awsome read.
i truly enjoyed it <3
i truly enjoyed it <3
May 4, 2022
It wasn’t time to fly. Besides, she prefers the ocean to the sky.
A skilled commercial diver in Goa, Tara Salgaonkar is a mystery to everyone around her. A strong girl who defies social conventions, she is trying to come to terms with her dark past.
Her life takes an unpredictable turn when she visits Bholenath Guruji at one of his trance parties. What happens when she enters his realm? How does that fateful encounter change her life?
Set in the vibrant locales of Goa, Starfish Pickle is an adventurous story which revolves around the impact of past secrets and unconventional life choices.
A nice and completely different plot by Bina Nayak having a beautifully portrayed role of the protagonist 'Tara'. Though not a beach lover at all, still this book can make people wish to travel beaches more often. The projection of the things in Goa and the commercialisation shown is good. Language is simple to understand. Cover of the book is also quite nice. This book clearly depicts the various twists and turns of one's life and especially at that time when one plans to deal and live freely without any hurdles. This part of the book can be called the true replica of a common man's life.
A skilled commercial diver in Goa, Tara Salgaonkar is a mystery to everyone around her. A strong girl who defies social conventions, she is trying to come to terms with her dark past.
Her life takes an unpredictable turn when she visits Bholenath Guruji at one of his trance parties. What happens when she enters his realm? How does that fateful encounter change her life?
Set in the vibrant locales of Goa, Starfish Pickle is an adventurous story which revolves around the impact of past secrets and unconventional life choices.
A nice and completely different plot by Bina Nayak having a beautifully portrayed role of the protagonist 'Tara'. Though not a beach lover at all, still this book can make people wish to travel beaches more often. The projection of the things in Goa and the commercialisation shown is good. Language is simple to understand. Cover of the book is also quite nice. This book clearly depicts the various twists and turns of one's life and especially at that time when one plans to deal and live freely without any hurdles. This part of the book can be called the true replica of a common man's life.
Read
December 30, 2022I might have not liked the idea of the starfish Pickle, but that just might have been me. The book is really engaging with the facts and insights it provides you about Goa and Goans. The illustrations by the author also deserve praise, they'll keep you thinking about what you've just read and what you are seeing.
October 12, 2022
Great story by debut author Bina Nayak and even better narration by D Acharya.
PS - Loved it so much that I bought the book - if you buy her book from a bookstore, you get a poster signed by Bina.
PS - Loved it so much that I bought the book - if you buy her book from a bookstore, you get a poster signed by Bina.
January 7, 2024
Wonderful and an easy read! Probably i connected well as a diver as well. But what a relief after the last two books I read! 😊
November 6, 2023
"Starfish Pickle" takes readers on an adventure through the vibrant locales of Goa, introducing us to the enigmatic Tara Salgaonkar, a skilled commercial diver with a mysterious past. This unconventional tale explores the impact of past secrets and unorthodox life choices. While the book offers intrigue and unique characters, its mixed pacing reading experience.
The protagonist, Tara Salgaonkar, is a strong-willed individual who defies societal norms, and her preference for the ocean over the sky creates an interesting dynamic. The author skillfully captures the essence of Goa, bringing its beauty and charm to life through vivid descriptions and captivating imagery. The setting becomes a character in itself, adding depth and authenticity to the story. The narrative takes an unexpected turn when Tara encounters Bholenath Guruji at a trance party, altering the course of her life. The exploration of this encounter and its consequences adds a sense of mystery and intrigue to the plot. Readers are drawn into Tara's world, eagerly anticipating the revelations surrounding her past and the impact they have on her present.
READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE:
https://www.bibliophiletalks.in/book-...
The protagonist, Tara Salgaonkar, is a strong-willed individual who defies societal norms, and her preference for the ocean over the sky creates an interesting dynamic. The author skillfully captures the essence of Goa, bringing its beauty and charm to life through vivid descriptions and captivating imagery. The setting becomes a character in itself, adding depth and authenticity to the story. The narrative takes an unexpected turn when Tara encounters Bholenath Guruji at a trance party, altering the course of her life. The exploration of this encounter and its consequences adds a sense of mystery and intrigue to the plot. Readers are drawn into Tara's world, eagerly anticipating the revelations surrounding her past and the impact they have on her present.
READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE:
https://www.bibliophiletalks.in/book-...
August 16, 2024
Perfect to read during a vacation or train journey
Read
January 26, 2026As I know the writer personally, I would not like to rate her book, I would be biased.
Not for Bina Nayak, the conventional Goa of sun, sea, sand and palm trees gently swaying in the wind. Bina pulls us through the unconventional Goa that surprisingly does exist.
We see Goa through the eyes of Tara Salgaonkar, a professional diver.
A professional woman diver?
Yes that’s what Tara does for a living and if that doesn’t astound us… Tara is a diver who works at retrieving, dead human bodies from wrecks, plunging the depths of the seas and oceans.
Tara, as most of the young people in the seventies and eighties is deeply attracted to the peaceful culture of the Hippies who had come by the overland route to India in droves. Their music, their devil-may-care attitude is what drew Tara and her group of friends to Goa every summer.
In Goa, Tara is deeply mesmerised by Bholenath Guruji and his trance parties, something that all young people were very attracted to, with most of the times unsavoury consequences.
Tara collects some dark experiences as she navigates through life.
Now, the question that confronts the reader is, will Tara be able to surpass these unfortunate experiences and move on peacefully through life? Or will she succumb to the darkness.
Not for Bina Nayak, the conventional Goa of sun, sea, sand and palm trees gently swaying in the wind. Bina pulls us through the unconventional Goa that surprisingly does exist.
We see Goa through the eyes of Tara Salgaonkar, a professional diver.
A professional woman diver?
Yes that’s what Tara does for a living and if that doesn’t astound us… Tara is a diver who works at retrieving, dead human bodies from wrecks, plunging the depths of the seas and oceans.
Tara, as most of the young people in the seventies and eighties is deeply attracted to the peaceful culture of the Hippies who had come by the overland route to India in droves. Their music, their devil-may-care attitude is what drew Tara and her group of friends to Goa every summer.
In Goa, Tara is deeply mesmerised by Bholenath Guruji and his trance parties, something that all young people were very attracted to, with most of the times unsavoury consequences.
Tara collects some dark experiences as she navigates through life.
Now, the question that confronts the reader is, will Tara be able to surpass these unfortunate experiences and move on peacefully through life? Or will she succumb to the darkness.
December 21, 2022
Reading the book for the second time, I am struck again by how unique this book. Set in Goa, over the last couple of decades, it could have been just another cliched book about Goa and its beach parties. Instead it opens up the life of Goans to the reader. Just like any other community, Goans come in different shades, with different beliefs, aspirations, lives, families, et al. The book opens with a bang - the protagonist Tara is surrounded by corpses on a ship at sea - and I was completely hooked. Through the book I learnt a lot more about commercial sea diving - I didn't even know such an occupation existed!
There is a touch of magic realism in the book which reflects life in Goa really - the "unknown" plays its part in village life in Goa, but no one really talks about it since it is seen as a sign of being old-style and unscientific. I read the book a second time to enjoy its twists and turns and way the author plays with words right through.
There is a touch of magic realism in the book which reflects life in Goa really - the "unknown" plays its part in village life in Goa, but no one really talks about it since it is seen as a sign of being old-style and unscientific. I read the book a second time to enjoy its twists and turns and way the author plays with words right through.
May 29, 2024
My friends often ask me, "Do all Goans get drunk and do drugs every day?"
Often, Goa gets stereotyped with sex, drugs and rave parties. Perhaps, always!
What people tend to generally forget is that not all Goans or maybe not even 50 per cent are into sex, drugs and rave parties. It is mostly the tourists who are so crazy about it.
This stereotype is the basis of the storyline of this book.
The lead character, Tara, portrayed in the book seems too unrealistically headstrong and arrogant. If this was a movie then I would have called it overacting.
By the end of the book, I felt sorry for other characters than for her. Also, I wonder, would a woman who aborted her baby and lost her mother to suicide because she got pregnant, behave in a manner Tara does in the book? I do not know if the Author has put any thought into psychology while building Tara's character.
Also, the ending seems hurried betraying the pace of the book in general.
Often, Goa gets stereotyped with sex, drugs and rave parties. Perhaps, always!
What people tend to generally forget is that not all Goans or maybe not even 50 per cent are into sex, drugs and rave parties. It is mostly the tourists who are so crazy about it.
This stereotype is the basis of the storyline of this book.
The lead character, Tara, portrayed in the book seems too unrealistically headstrong and arrogant. If this was a movie then I would have called it overacting.
By the end of the book, I felt sorry for other characters than for her. Also, I wonder, would a woman who aborted her baby and lost her mother to suicide because she got pregnant, behave in a manner Tara does in the book? I do not know if the Author has put any thought into psychology while building Tara's character.
Also, the ending seems hurried betraying the pace of the book in general.
November 27, 2023
I listened to the audiobook last year when it had first came out. Gave the book a 4 star rating because I found the ending abrupt. However, last week I went to watch the movie. It was a 2 star experience and I’m being generous. If I was not happy with the ending of the book, the way the movie was ended was even more abrupt. But it encouraged me to listen to the book again.
Have to increase my rating to 5 stars. This story and narration immerses you in a world gone by. The character of Tara with her many flaws is well developed and one should keep her mental state in mind. One cannot help but fall in love with Tara, the city, and the water.
Highly recommend it everyone. I’d listen to the audiobook than read the book just because of Dhawani’s voice and honest accent.
Have to increase my rating to 5 stars. This story and narration immerses you in a world gone by. The character of Tara with her many flaws is well developed and one should keep her mental state in mind. One cannot help but fall in love with Tara, the city, and the water.
Highly recommend it everyone. I’d listen to the audiobook than read the book just because of Dhawani’s voice and honest accent.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews