The Curse of Brahma - Book Review

Title: The Curse of Brahma 

Author: Jagmohan Bhanver

Publisher: Rupa Publishers

ISBN: 978-81-291-3533-9

Number of Pages: 375

Price: 295 [INR]

Genre: Mythological Fiction

The Blurb:

The man who became a Brahmarishi...

The curse that banished him to the hell of hells...

And the revenge that threatens to destroy the three worlds...

When Lord Brahma, the God of Creation, banishes his star pupil from Swarglok in a fit of rage, he does not foresee that his decision will alter the fate of the three worlds. Mortally wounded, and anguished at Brahma's unfair punishment, his pupil struggles to survive in Tamastamah Prabha, the hell of hells. In time, he becomes the Dark Lord, the most feared figure in Pataal Lok, who swears to destroy Brahma.

The power of the Dark Lord soon begins to make its presence felt in the mortal world. Vasudev, the brave prince of Bateshwar, becomes the hunter of Asura assassins; his closest friend, Kansa, almost dies while trying to save his sister from a group of deadly monsters; and the most valiant kings in Mrityulok turn over to the dark side, driven by forces beyond their control.

Only one person threatens the Dark Lord's well-laid plans - Devki, the beautiful princess of Madhuvan, who is destined to give birth to the warrior Krishna.

Will the Dark Lord allow Krishna - the person who has been prophesied to destroy him - to be born?

My Review:

       I love mythological stories and that is what prompted me to read this book. And I must say, I wasn't disappointed. Generally, when we are told the story of Lord Krishna, it is Krishna's glory that is sung all the while. And Kansa will just portrayed as an evil uncle. But what was the story behind his behavior? Why did a person so good as he was, turn out to be so evil? What exactly is the definition of evil and why people turn over to the dark side? The book deals with so many such aspects before coming to a halt at a point just before Krishna's birth.

       There is one more story that runs in parallel with Kansa's story and soon gets interlinked with it - the story of the Dark Lord who once was Brahma's favorite pupil. Banished to the hell of hells, he seeks revenge and he has risen so much in power that even Brahma is somewhat scared of his pupil. The mere mention of his name itself sends chills down the spines of even the deadliest demons but there is one person who has the potential the upsurge all his plan - Devaki. And the dark lord leaves no stone unturned until he gets rid of her. But it isn't that easy. 

       This book is all about The Dark Lord and Kansa. It will reveal many secrets unknown to most of us, which will help us evaluate the story in a different perspective.

Things I Liked:

       I loved the way the author has handled the whole story. The way he has described each and every event, I could visualize what was happening in the book. The horrific details are written to such a perfection that at times you get chills down your spine. The book was unputdownable. The narration was gripping and so was the story. It will leave you asking for more. I am eagerly waiting for the next book in the trilogy.

Things I Disliked:

      At some points, I felt the story was dragged a bit which might make the readers lose interest for a while but the story soon gets back on track, not leaving the reader much disappointed. There were a few typos too which could have been avoided and the book would have been much better.

Verdict:

       I loved reading this book. Recommended for all mythology lovers.

My Rating:

PS: I received this book as a part of b00k r3vi3w Tours.

Until the next review,

Keep Reading :)

Love,

Starry Eyed Reader :)

The Great War of Hind - Book Review

Title: The Great War of Hind 

Author: Vaibhav Anand

Publisher: Srishti Publishers & Distributors

ISBN: 978-93-82665-46-5

Number of Pages: 165

Price: 175 [INR]

Genre: Historical Fiction

The Blurb:

"In the beginning, there was no such thing as heaven or hell. All that there was then, was earth… There are raconteurs and mischief-mongers in our ranks and I have no doubt they shall pervert the truth with their self-serving versions. The events of history – this history of our land – shall thus inevitably have many versions, doubtless. But, I was there with General Ramm, I fought by his side…” 

— Sanjaay, official chronicler of General Ramm

Around 12000 B.C., Hindustan as we know it today (or Hind), comprised five kingdoms of man, sandwiched between Parbat – the kingdom of the Gods in the north, and Lunka – the kingdom of the demons in the south. The ‘Legend of Ramm’ unravels the story of the military general called Ramm in the kingdom of Ayodh and how his actions came to define our world as we know it today.

My Review:

       When I first read the blurb, I thought it would be a retelling of the great epic - Ramayana but a bit differently. I was all set for reading Ramayana once more. But when I started reading it, I realize how wrong I was. It is anything but the Ramayana I knew of! The author has modified the entire story and presented it in a new and brilliant manner, which leaves you asking for more. This book narrates the story of Ramm, not as the God we know but as a common man (!) just like us.

      The story begins with General Ramm displaying his skills and winning one of the winter war games held in the presence of six kings seated together - his own king Vikramadetya, Sheikh Muhumud of Persis, King Talib of Kurd, Emperor Trystan of Nipalaya, Lord Garman of Ga and Russ, the cow king of the kingdom of Sur. The story soon jumps to Lunka, where Kaikesi narrates the young Raavan a bedtime story about the creation of man and demons and the curse bestowed upon Adum.

       Back in Persis, Sheikh Muhumud plans a war against King Vikramadetya to conquer Awadh. The story picks up momentum from here. The war plans, the tricks and the actual course of the war cover up the rest of the book. There are also snippets from Prabat where Lord Vishnu seems to be agitated about something and the few and far fetched scenes of Prabat slowly unfold the mystery which leads to a shocking revelation in the end!

Things I Liked:

• Writing something new is easy. But picking up a popular epic like Ramayana as base and then recreating the whole story in a different manner definitely requires lot of effort! The author has done a brilliant job in this front. If you could just give the starting few pages some time, you are sure to like the book.
• The narration was gripping and smooth.
• I loved the attention given to the details. Every incident, every war formation and every strategy has been explained in detail, making the story more interesting.
• The whole plot has been carefully planned and penned in a way that makes this book enthralling.
• The course of the war was the best part of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the war techniques and the wise moves made by Ramm in order to turn the odds in his favor.

Things I Disliked:

• While there wasn't anything specific that I disliked, I guess some people might feel offended reading this version of the Ramayana (and there were some parts which I felt weren't apt either). But one has to keep in mind that this is not a mythological novel but a historical fiction and agree that the work done by the author is indeed brilliant.

Verdict:

       I had once said in one of my reviews that the success of any series depends on how eager the reader is to read the sequel of your book. I am definitely curious to know what happened next to Ramm after the shocking realization that too especially now with Shiva and Vishnu plotting for more destruction. Highly recommended to those who enjoy reading historical fictions. This one is surely an entertainer!

My Rating:

PS: I received this book from the author in exchange of an honest review.

Until the next review,

Keep Reading :)

Love,

Starry Eyed Reader :)

Scion of Ikshvaku - Spotlight

Read the first chapter Here 

RAM RAJYA. THE PERFECT LAND.BUT PERFECTION HAS A PRICE. HE PAID THAT PRICE.

Scion of Ikshvaku 
by 
Amish Tripathi 

Preorder @
Amazon.in

Blurb 

3400 BCE. INDIA
Ayodhya is weakened by divisions. A terrible war has taken its toll. The damage runs deep. The demon King of Lanka, Raavan, does not impose his rule on the defeated. He, instead, imposes his trade. Money is sucked out of the empire. The Sapt Sindhu people descend into poverty, despondency and corruption. They cry for a leader to lead them out of the morass. Little do they appreciate that the leader is among them. One whom they know. A tortured and ostracised prince. A prince they tried to break. A prince called Ram.

He loves his country, even when his countrymen torment him. He stands alone for the law. His band of brothers, his Sita, and he, against the darkness of chaos.

Will Ram rise above the taint that others heap on him? Will his love for Sita sustain him through his struggle? Will he defeat the demon Lord Raavan who destroyed his childhood? Will he fulfil the destiny of the Vishnu?

Begin an epic journey with Amish’s latest: the Ram Chandra Series.

Watch the trailer

Excerpt

Nilanjana sighed. She wasn’t even sure if the child would be a boy. But she wouldn’t risk the merest flagging of her mistress’ spirits. She administered some herbal pain relievers to the queen and bided her time. Ideally, the doctor wanted the birth to take place before midday. The royal astrologer had warned her that if the child was born later, he would suffer great hardships throughout his life. On the other hand, if the child was born before the sun reached its zenith, he would be remembered as one of the greatest among men and would be celebrated for millennia.

Nilanjana cast a quick glance at the prahar lamp, which measured time in six-hour intervals. The sun had already risen and it was the third hour of the second prahar. In another three hours it would be midday. Nilanjana had decided to wait till a half hour before noon and, if the baby was still not born,

she would go ahead with the surgery.

 Kaushalya was stricken with another bout of dilatory pain. She pursed her lips together and began chanting in her mind the name she had chosen for her child. This gave her strength for it wasn’t an ordinary name. The name she had picked was that of the sixth Vishnu.

 ‘Vishnu’ was a title given to the greatest of leaders who were remembered as the Propagators of Good. The sixth man to have achieved this title was Lord Parshu Ram. That is how he was remembered by the common folk. Parshu means axe, and the word had been added to the name of the sixth Vishnu because the mighty battle axe had been his favourite weapon. His birth name was Ram. That was the name that reverberated in Kaushalya’s mind.

Ram… Ram… Ram… Ram… 

Read the First Chapter @

About 
Amish Tripathi

Amish is an IIM (Kolkata)educated, boring banker turned happy author. The success of his debut book, The Immortals of Meluha (Book 1 of the Shiva Trilogy), encouraged him to give up a fourteen-year-old career in financial services to focus on writing. He is passionate about history, mythology and philosophy, finding beauty and meaning in all world religions.

Amish has most recently written the Shiva Trilogy (The Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of the Nagas & The Oath of the Vayuputras), which have sold over a million copies in the Indian subcontinent since 2010. The books that he plans to write in the future are also in the areas of mythology & history.

Amish lives in Mumbai with his wife, Preeti and son, Neel.

Stalk him @

Website | Twitter | Facebook 

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Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | Pinterest | Linkedin

Until the next review,

Keep Reading :)

Love,

Swathi :)

Ramayana: The Game of Life - Shattered Dreams - Book Review

Title: Ramayana: The Game of Life 

          - Shattered Dreams 

Author: Shubha Vilas

Publisher: Jaico Publishing House

ISBN: 978-81-8495-531-6

Number of Pages: 387

Price: 350 [INR]

Genre: Mythology

Blurb on the Cover:

Shattered Dreams is the sequel to the National bestseller, Rise of the Sun Prince, in the new spiritual and motivational series Ramayana - The Game of Life. Twelve joyful years have passed in Ayodhya since the wedding of Rama and Sita at the end of Book 1.

Now, in Shattered Dreams, Shubha Vilas narrates the riverting drama of Rama's exile. Through tales of Rama's unwavering and enigmatic persona, the book teaches us how to handle reversals positively; through Bharata's actions, it teaches us to handle temptation; and through Sita'a courage, to explore beyond our comfort zone. This complicated family drama provides deep insights on how human relationships work and how they fail.

With Valmiki's Ramayana as its guiding light, Shattered Dreams deftly entwines poetic beauty from the Kamba Ramayana and Ramacharitamanas, as well as folk philosophy from the Loka Pramana tales, to demonstrate how the ancient epic holds immediate relevance to modern life. Experience the ancient saga of the Ramayana like never before!

My Review:

After reading the first book, Ramayana: The Game of Life - Rise of Sun Prince, I was waiting eagerly for the next book in the series to be released and no sooner did I get my hands on this book, I started devouring it right away. And I must say, the book lived up to my expectations.

In this second book, the main focus is laid on the events revolving around Rama's coronation; the turn of events that leads to Dasaratha's decision, Manthara's scheming, Kaikeyi's wishes and the agony that follows Rama's exile. There is also a brief introduction about Ravana, whose role is important in the coming book.

Continuing the tradition set in the first book, the author has given emphasis on each character, giving enough spotlight to each of them, to describe in detail their side of the story. Major part of the first half describes Dasaratha's turmoil and the second half describes Bharata's agony upon discovering the truth of what transpired in his absence. The emotions of the citizens, their love and devotion towards Rama and their devastation when he leaves for exile are all expressed well with giving importance to minute details.

There are many things to learn from the book. Sita's love for Rama which sees no material comforts, Lakshmana's absolute conviction with which he serves Rama, Bharata's humility and the determination with which Rama stands by his principles of truth. Urmila's sacrifice which, though spoken less of, commands respect in the hearts of readers. The description of hell, through Ravana's visit there, manages to send a chill down your spine.

And of course, foot notes! I had these little pieces of information which offered details and knowledge through out the first book. It has been continued in the second book too. The author has so much wisdom to offer to the readers and these foot notes are like tit bits of this wisdom. I absolutely loved them. I found many favorite lines in these. Few of them are:

• The present on the canvas of life is the result of a mu;titude of past strokes. Rather than brooding over those erroneous past strokes that can no longer be undone, learn from them and apply those strokes of wisdom today to paint a beautiful future.
• How long can one go with smiling faces and crying hearts? Either till the smile of the face goes to the heart or the cry of the heart reaches the face.
• Gossip is like a cacophony of crows, where every crow seems to be saying the most important thing, but has neither the time nor the inclination to hear an equally important message from any of the other crows.
• Confidence is a key to all locks, but overconfidence is the lock to all doors. Confidence leads to inspiration, but overconfidence leads to perspiration.

The language is eloquent and the narration crisp. I loved the flow of the story. There were a few typos this time but they were few and far stretched to spoil the bliss of reading. There are a few books which can be read multiple times and every time you read it, you get to learn something new. For me, this is one such book. I said in the review of the first book that a series can be considered effective when the readers are enthusiastic and look forward to reading the next book. Well, I am definitely looking forward for the third book in the series.

I recommend this book to all mythology readers. Go for it. It is definitely one of the best Ramayana books I have read. And I have a piece of advice - Don't rush reading this book. Go slowly and you will discover various facets of the story and every facet has something to offer to you.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars.

Until the next review,

Keep Reading :)

Love,

Swathi :)

The Aryavrata Chronicles, Book 3 - Kurukshetra - Book Review

Title: The Aryavrata Chronicles, Book 3 - Kurukshetra

Author: Krishna Udayasankar

Publisher: Hachette India

ISBN: 978-93-5009-718-2

Number of Pages: 427

Price: 350 [INR]

Genre: Mythofiction

Blurb on the Cover:

War is upon the realm, but is Aryavrata prepared for what it will bring?

The empire that was Aryavrata fades under the shadow of doom. As a botter struggle ensues to gain control of the divided kingdoms, Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa of the Firstborn and the Secret Keeper of the Firewrights both watch from the wings as their own blood, their kin, savage and kill on the fields of Kurukshetra. Restraint and reason have deserted the rulers who once protected the land and they manipulate, scheme and destroy with abandon - for victory is all that matters.

At the heart of the storm stands Govinda Shauri, driven by fickle allies and failed kings to the very brink of darkness. He may well be the greatest danger Aryavrata has faced yet, for he is determined to change things forever. Reforging the forsaken realm in the fire of his wrath, he prepares to destroy everything he loves and make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of one last hope: that humanity will rise, that there will be revolution.

In this spectacular, gripping episode of The Aryavrata Chronicles, Krishna Udayasankar's recreation of the world of the Mahabharata establishes her as a storyteller of formidable power and imagination.

My Review:

The book Kurukshetra is the third and final installment of The Aryavrata Chronicles. The first two books in this trilogy are Govinda and Kaurava. The first book 'Govinda' deals with Govinda's plot to destroy the Fire Wrights and make Dharma (the name of Yudhistira in this trilogy) the emperor of Aryavrata. The second deals with the after math of this; the dice game and the consequences that follow, leading to the big war. The third book, as the name suggests, is about the great war of Kurukshetra.

The story of Mahabharatha, though similar to the epic we have read, is still different in many ways. In the very beginning, the author writes "We are the stories we tell. The Aryavrata Chronicles are neither reinterpretation nor retelling. These stories are a construction of reality based on a completely different set of assumptions" Here, the characters are not divine. They are all ordinary people. There are no miracles; instead the author has given logical explanation to events which were termed miracles.

The story begins with Govinda's peace proposal, which is rejected by Syoddhan (Duryodhan). What follows is the series of events, where both the sides try to form allies with other kings, trying to expand their forces. Though they prepare for the war, there is still hope in everyone that it wouldn't come down to war and the other side would surrender. But when peace proceedings fail, it leads to the great battle.

I was waiting to see what form this war would take, as the author has mortalised all the characters. What would be the war like without the divine astras used during the wars? But by hinting that the arrows were coated with nitre, which caused such massive destruction during war, the author has managed this part brilliantly. The war takes the centre stage of the book and almost 200 pages is devoted to the 18 days war, but never once does the reader loses interest. The author has managed to narrate the whole story with precision keeping the reader engaged throughout.

The author has done justice to almost all characters, without letting just some dominate the whole story. Even Syoddhan has been portrayed as a Just ruler, who fights for what he believes is right - The Divine Order and their way of life. By showing compassion to Abhimanyu during the battle, he wins the hearts of the reader. On the other hand, Dharma fails to do so. Dharma was supposed to be all great but reading this book, one cannot stop themselves from harboring ill feeling s towards him. Reading about his reactions during war councils, his pushing Abhimanyu towards the chakra formation, even when he knew the chances of Abhimanyu returning back safe is almost nil, his behaviour towards Hidimbya and even toward Govinda; they all make you wonder if he is really the same Yudhishtira whose praises are sung with devotion! I didn't like this part of the book where Dharma was downgraded.

One more story line, which I enjoyed was that of Abhimanyu and Uttara. Stuck in a marriage which both weren't happy to begin with, there is a barrier between them which both fight to keep and break at the same time. But eventually, love finds its way. There is particularly one line which Uttara says to Abhimanyu "If a woman is truly your equal, prince, then there is no need to talk about it. The more you spout these declarations and postulates, the more you reveal the truth of the matter - that in your world, women are not equal to men, and so rhetoric to the contrary is required" It speaks volumes about Uttara's courage. One cannot help but feel the pain when Abhimanyu is so brutally killed later in the war.

There are many mytholgical incidents, which Krishna Udayasankar deals with reason. She has managed to give attention to even minute details, to keep the readers in loop as to why things are the way they are. For instance, when describing the war arrangements, she says there were different kitchens in each units and sometimes more than one in each sub unit. This arrangement was to reduce the risk of poisoning the army either accidentally or deliberately. A simple yet effective approach. It was easy to keep up with the story. Her writing is eloquent and engaging; her narration skills exceptional.

Here are a few quotes from the book that I loved:

• In every story, there are heroes. But it is not always the heroes who move the tale forward or do what needs to be done. There are others and their story is hardly told.
• True rebellion takes courage of different sorts. True rebellion takes letting go.
• No one person can save the world. But the fact that we all try, against all odds, is what the world is worth saving for.
• What amazing creatures we are, to carry this very essence of existence within us. Hope -  the undefined potential of all creation, the power of the creator itself.
• No one person is the cause for or consequence of all that happens. I am just the tenth man, the threshold, the turn in the tide. I stand here on the shoulders of humanity, a mere instrument of Time.

The book makes a great read. Without miracles and just logical reasons to support the events, it seems more believable. The pace is perfect, slowing down only when need be, without exaggerating anything unnecessary. I will suggest this book to all mythology lovers.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars.

Until the next review,

Keep Reading :)

Love,

Swathi :)

The Mahabharata Quest - The Alexander Secret - Book Review

Title: The Mahabharata Quest 

           - The Alexander Secret

Author: Christopher C. Doyle

Publisher: Westland Ltd.

ISBN: 978-93-84030-59-9

Number of Pages: 358

Price: 295[INR]

Genre: Fiction

Blurb on the Book:

334 B.C.

Alexander the Great begins his conquest of the Persian Empire. But his plans for everlasting glory do not end there and the young king marches towards the Ends of the Earth - the lands of the Indus - on a secret quest. It will lead him to an ancient secret concealed in the myths of the Mahabharata; a secret that is powerful enough to transform him into a god...

PRESENT DAY

In Greece, the ancient tomb of a queen is discovered; a tomb that has been an enigma for over 2000 years. In New Delhi, the Intelligence Bureau discovers unexplained corpses in hidden lab. Vijay Singh and his friends, now members of an elite task force, are sucked into a struggle with a powerful and ruthless enemy. In a deadly race against time, they will need to solve a riddle from antiquity that will lead to encounter shocking secrets from the past; secrets that will reveal mystifying links between ancient history, the Mahabharata and an ancient enemy with diabolical plans for a future that will hold the world at ransom...

My Review:

This book arrived on the day before my exams and it was very difficult to hold back for four days, until my exams were over to start reading the book the book. I love mythological stories and I love mysteries. This book is a perfect combination of both, along with dose of history! Though I wasn't very fond of history during school days, this book didn't fail in captivating my attention through out. Here is what the book is about -

In the past, Alexander The Great had been on a secret quest in order to gain the power of gods. The person who succeeds in finding this 'secret of gods' is supposed to live on forever; a secret that was mentioned in The Mahabharata itself! But something went wrong on this quest and the secret was buried with him, until now! But not anymore!

The story is about a secret hidden in our mythology - The Mahabharata; a secret that can provide human kind with immortality. A group of mysterious people are  trying to put their hands on this secret in an attempt to rule the world. If they succeed in this mission, then there is no stopping them. Will the Intelligence Bureau succeed in stopping them? Or will the world become a slave to those powerful people who belong to a mysterious Order which is as ancient as time?

While reading the story, I felt that the author has done a great job of combining mythology, history and science. It shows that a lot of research has been made for writing this book and the hardwork has paid off well. The story is gripping. There are a lot of elements that keeps one engaged throughout the book - the riddles, the mystery, the anticipation of what might happen next! The plot becomes so believable sometimes that it is difficult to differentiate between reality and fiction.

Though this book is first in the series, it has some references to the author's previous novel - The Mahabharata Secret. The book would be even more interesting if one has read the previous novel, as it gives more insight about the characters and their adventure together. There are some questions left unanswered in this book - like 'What happened to Radha? Will she survive?' or 'Who these mysterious Order people are?' that piques the curiosity and leaves you waiting for an answer. But the wait doesn't end in this book; you have to wait for the next book in the series to find answers for these questions.

Though I liked the book very much, there were some places where I lost interest. Sometimes there are too many scientific terms used and scientific explanations provided which was an overhead transmission for me. Explanation about these terminologies are provided at the end of the book but I still felt that the pace was slowed down when the narration got too much scientific!

Other than a few glitches, the story makes a very interesting read. I finished it in one stretch and now eagerly waiting for the next book in the series. I would recommend this book to anyone who love mystery and mythology.

My Rating: 3.7/5 stars

Until the next review,

Keep Reading :)

Love,

Swathi :)

Ramayana: The Game of Life - Rise of the Sun Prince - Book Review

Title: Ramayana: The Game of Life - 

          Rise of the Sun Prince

Author: Shubha Vilas

Publisher: Jaico Publishing House

ISBN: 978-81-8495-530-9

Number of Pages: 217

Price: 250 [INR]

Genre: Mythology

Blurb on the book: 

One of the World's great literary masterpieces, skillfully retold for modern audiences.

Epics like the Ramayana have been recounted infinite times. Is there a need for another chronicle in the presence of so many? How is this one different? And is it relevant to our ever-changing modern lives?

My Review:

There are some stories, which no matter how many times you have read, you find something new each time! Epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata are such stories. I have always been a fan of these. There have been numerous books on the epic Ramayana and many attempts have been made to re-narrate this epic over time. So what could be possibly different about this book? It was with this mindset that I picked up the book, expecting it to be just another story retold. But was I wrong?

The book is not a typical Ramayana story retold! The narration is crisp. As I started reading it, I was totally mesmerized by the story and the effort made by the author to illustrate even the minute details. There are so many details in this book that I wasn't aware of before. The book deals with the story from the time of Rama's birth till His marriage. But there is also a story in the beginning which narrates how this greatest epic of Ramayana came into being. How Rathnakar becomes Valmiki and how his angry curse turns into a beautiful verse of Ramayana.

As it is the story of Ramayana, it is natural to expect the hero of the book to be Rama. But instead of centering the story around Rama, the author has made the sage Vishwamitra as the hero of this book, which is the first of the six book series. Equal importance is given in describing each and every character in the story. The author has managed in providing a different perspective to the story, yet not spoiling the originality of the Ramayana.

The cover page is just awesome. It is attractive and prompts readers to pick it up instantly. The language used is simple yet compelling, which manages to engage the reader's interest throughout. What caught my attention the most are the footnotes that are present in almost every page of the book. The author has become successful in catching the reader's attention and interest by providing insights on various topics that otherwise will go unnoticed. It is said that Ramayana is not just a tale but a way of life. How the inherent wisdom from the tale can be imbibed in our life is effectively described in these footnotes.

Though there are so many quotes that are worth mentioning, the one that I loved the most is

• Heroic acts may attract a common person, but acts of compassion and kindness attract the heart of great souls.

• It is not the divine knowledge you possess that makes you divine but what you do with it that does.

Any series can be considered effective when the readers are enthusiastic and look forward for the next book. If you ask me, I say I am definitely looking forward for the second book in the series - Ramayana: The Game of Life - Shattered dreams. I suggest this book for all the readers who are interested in Mythology. Don't think 'Another Ramayana book?' Because when you read the book, you will find it worth it!

My Rating: 5/5 stars!

Until the next review,
Keep Reading :)

Love,
Swathi :)