I don’t read enough to start a ‘Book
review’ section here, and also, I guess this book is well past its period of
being subject to review. So, after I saw everyone clamouring for the final saga
of Amish Tripathi’s much talked about trilogy, I thought it might be suitable
to give the series a go. Thus, after months of trying to re’kindle’ my reading
habits, I walked into a real book store and bought myself a copy.
With Indian writers, especially
those who come with a high-flying degree from a prestigious college (yes! I had
to say that) and are seen splashed all over the tabloids, one goes in with the
expectation of finding pedestrian writing. Through the first few pages of the
book, I was becoming more and more certain my fears were coming true. However,
the story became increasingly gripping from thereon. The romantic twist helped.
And I read the book much more eagerly that I had ever imagined I would.
The writing is fair. The plot is
novel. Most descriptions are pretty vivid. Sometimes the rather detailed
description of military formations, down to the exact angle, get to you, but
then one has to, perhaps, give it to the engineer in the author. However, with
books like these – which adapt or recount stories from mythology/religion- ala ‘The
Da Vinci Code’, it is sometimes hard to tell if it is the storytelling that
hooks you on, or the wow factor of coming across amazing facts about
symbols, their origin, clan wars, etc. Remember the ambigram, the revelations
about ‘The Last Supper’ and the ‘Aum’ symbol in this case. That been said,
Amish is way better with words than most of his Indian counterparts are.
Another bone I have to pick with
the author is in the way he depicts Shiva’s feelings, in between the narrative,
through text in italics. It is not the font that troubles me, but the
trivialization of the language used. I understand that using words like ‘dammit’,
‘bloody hell’ was Amish’s way of humanizing the character. Yet, inspite of the
book’s idea of bringing legend to history, the indiscrete language seemed like
a huge anachronism. Of course, the trouble with English novels set in the
Indian landscape is that one is not able to reconcile men named Veerbhadra or
Nandi conversing in the Queen’s tongue.
Well, that’s the little something
I wanted to share as far as the book goes. Given that, I would like to reiterate
my appreciation of the plot and, to a good degree, the writing as well. Jumping
to the next one, soon!
