Introduction
ISBN: 978-8129149114
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| Source: Goodreads.com |
Genre: Fiction / Mythology
Publishers: Rupa Publications
Price: Rs. 295/- ( I got the book for review from the author)
Behind the Book
Unravel the puzzle that is the mysterious and misunderstood son of Mahadeva.
Kartikeya was born from the flames of a desperate need, an ardent desire and an utmost devastation. In him was distilled the terrible powers of Mahadeva, at its fiercest and most deadly. Although he fought many wars and slew many tyrants, his gifts to humanity have always been those of mercy, compassion and love. What makes this possible?
For Kartikeya, there have always been more questions than answers. Did he really walk away from his family over a piece of fruit? What about the women in his life—was he the ravisher he is at times accused of being, or the protector of women? Was he the violent warrior who revelled in bloodlust, or a gentle family man? What was his relationship with his more popular sibling, Ganesha?
Anuja Chandramouli weaves together myth, imagination and folklore while looking to answer these questions and recreates for modern readers the story of one of the most enigmatic gods—Kartikeya.
About the Author
Anuja Chandramouli is a bestselling Indian author and New Age Indian Classicist. Her highly acclaimed debut novel, Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava Warrior-Prince, was named by Amazon India as one of the top 5 books in the Indian Writing category for the year 2013. Kamadeva: The God of Desire and Shakti: The Divine Feminine are her other bestsellers. Currently all three books are being translated into Hindi, Marathi, Gujarathi and Bengali, a real achievement for one so young. Her epic fantasies called Yama’s Lieutenant and its sequel has received an overwhelming response.
Her newest books are on Kartikeya, Padmavati and Prithviraj Chauhan.
An accomplished orator, she regularly conducts workshops on Creative Writing, Story Telling and Mythology in schools, colleges and various other platforms. Her motivational speeches have also been well received. According to Chandramouli, her work with youngsters in the rural belt helping them improve their Spoken English and Writing skills has been wonderfully satisfying and enriching.
This happily married, mother of two little girls, lives in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu. She is a student of classical dance and Yoga. She can be reached at : anujamouli@gmail.com
Her newest books are on Kartikeya, Padmavati and Prithviraj Chauhan.
An accomplished orator, she regularly conducts workshops on Creative Writing, Story Telling and Mythology in schools, colleges and various other platforms. Her motivational speeches have also been well received. According to Chandramouli, her work with youngsters in the rural belt helping them improve their Spoken English and Writing skills has been wonderfully satisfying and enriching.
This happily married, mother of two little girls, lives in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu. She is a student of classical dance and Yoga. She can be reached at : anujamouli@gmail.com
Author Anuja Chandramouli is someone I admire a lot for her well researched writings on Indian mythology. I have loved her Arjuna and since then have been lucky enough to have read all her works till date. It is overwhelming to see the growth she has made as a writer and the way her writing had got new layers. The books now are more layered, detailed and well articulated. It is wonderful to have witnessed an author's journey from their debut book and see them touch newer heights with every book. Kudos to the author for outdoing her self with every new book and managing to raise the bar every single time.
Coming to Kartikeya, this is a story I always wanted to read. Having grown up listening to them as a child (my brother is named after Him), this was one mythological character about whom not many books are found. So when I got this opportunity there was no ways I was going to miss this one. Like her previous outings, author Anuja Chandramouli sticks to the central character unveiling layer after layer about Him with every passing chapter. It is a revelation of sorts to know so many things about Him which shows her research.
Written in an extremely engaging tone, the book captures the life of the elder son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati very beautifully. What I love the most about the author's works is that she ensures mythology looks interesting, engaging and at the same time is entertaining for a reader. It is a huge plus point to make sure a book is a page turning read. Few passages left me with goosebumps with the sheer detailing in the narrative.
Without giving away any spoilers I would like to mention that there were many scenes in the story where my heart skipped a beat. It was either in extreme joy or extreme excitement but nevertheless the scenes were nail biting and kept me on the tenterhooks till the very end. Out of the many lessons that emerge from this story, one that strongly remains etched in my memory is that not everything in life is black(bad) and white(good), there are grey shades too and they are better left untouched.
Strongly recommended to one and all, for this book is a rare read.
Coming to Kartikeya, this is a story I always wanted to read. Having grown up listening to them as a child (my brother is named after Him), this was one mythological character about whom not many books are found. So when I got this opportunity there was no ways I was going to miss this one. Like her previous outings, author Anuja Chandramouli sticks to the central character unveiling layer after layer about Him with every passing chapter. It is a revelation of sorts to know so many things about Him which shows her research.
Written in an extremely engaging tone, the book captures the life of the elder son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati very beautifully. What I love the most about the author's works is that she ensures mythology looks interesting, engaging and at the same time is entertaining for a reader. It is a huge plus point to make sure a book is a page turning read. Few passages left me with goosebumps with the sheer detailing in the narrative.
Without giving away any spoilers I would like to mention that there were many scenes in the story where my heart skipped a beat. It was either in extreme joy or extreme excitement but nevertheless the scenes were nail biting and kept me on the tenterhooks till the very end. Out of the many lessons that emerge from this story, one that strongly remains etched in my memory is that not everything in life is black(bad) and white(good), there are grey shades too and they are better left untouched.
Strongly recommended to one and all, for this book is a rare read.
Foodie Verdict
This book is like Lychee Payasam - uniquely different and yet is deeply traditional.
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| Source: elephants and the coconut trees - blogger |