Yayati

Title: YayatiAuthor: V. S. Khandekar

Translation: V. M. Inamdar

Published: 2015

Genre: Mythology, Fiction

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Date Started: 13 June 2020

Date Finished: 15 June 2020

My interest in this book is:

Ever since I read about the story of King Yayati in 10th grade, I had been curious to know more about the characters, plot, and the human psychology perspective. I have had this book for nearly 3 years and haven't had a chance to read it.

Ideas Expressed/Message/Plot:

King Yayati is obsessed with being just, the welfare of his kingdom and the people, and also about his looks. He accidentally meets Devayani, the daughter of sage Shukracharya, and marries her. Devayani, a woman filled with bitterness towards the princess Sharmishtha, asks her to be her servant once she marries Yayati. The story revolves around Yayati, Devayani, and Sharmishtha.

Yayati becomes a father to two sons, one from Devayani and one from Sharmishtha. His obsession with his youth, lust, and looks continues till the end. He was cursed by Sage Shukracharya, that he would be old and could get his youth back if anyone from his bloodline agreed. His obsession takes him to the extent that he gets the youth from his own son.

Although the book is about 440 pages, I was expecting the end to last for at least a few chapters. I felt that the ending was very hurried and didn't do justice to the entire storyline.

Favorite Characters:

Sharmishtha was my favorite character in the entire book. She was the kind of woman who had a 'go with the flow' attitude and never displayed any displeasure for the situations faced. She even accepted the fate that neither she nor her son could have any relationship with King. She tried to raise a son without the help of anyone.

When I finished this book, I felt:

We all resemble Yayati in a way, that we live our lives and by the time we realize, age would have caught up. From the human perspective, it is hard to accept the fact that we all lose our youths and not young anymore like we used to be, yet we will long to do things which we did during our younger years.

Favorite lines from the book:

• Gods are addicted to the pleasures and the demons are blindly worshipping power.
• Never forget that it is easier to conquer the world than to master the mind.

Tughlaq

Author: Girish KarnadPublished: 2018Genre: HistoryRating: 4 out of 5Date Started: 12 June 2020Date Finished: 13 June 2020

My interest in this book is:

Growing up in India, any crazy person is nicknamed 'Mohammad Bin Tughlaq' or just 'Tughlaq' was interesting enough to read more about him. He was one of the kings in the Tughlaq dynasty and is famous for his eccentric method of ruling. For a long time, I had been planning to read the drama written by Girish Karnad in thirteen chapters.

Ideas Expressed/Message/Plot:

The book mostly talks about Tughlaq's political aspirations and reality.

Favorite Characters:

N/A

When I finished this book, I felt:

Tughlaq was a brilliant individual and had ideas that were farsighted and brilliant. But the steps he took to execute them made them a total failure and brought him the name of 'Crazy'! Karnad very well writes where the plans the reality collide, which leads to failure and results in bloodshed.

Favorite lines from the book:

N/A

An American Marriage

 

Title: An American Marriage

Author: Tayari Jones

Published: 2018

Genre: Fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5

Date Started: 7 June 2020

Date Finished: 11 June 2020

My interest in this book is:

I picked up this book after reading great reviews on Goodreads and that the book was also on Oprah's Book Club. The book also had a good rating on Amazon. And let me be honest, the cover looked good too! Yes, I judged the book by the cover!

Ideas Expressed/Message/Plot:

The story is about Celestial and Roy, who are newlyweds, trying to achieve their American dream in the south. Roy is an executive and she is a doll maker. They are trying to settle into their life together when the unimaginable incident rips them apart. Roy is sentenced to twelve years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. The story revolves around Celestial and Roy's writing to each other and how things change outside when Roy is in prison. Andre, who is Celestial's childhood friend and best at their wedding comfort Celestial when Roy is away.

The lives of everyone around Roy change when he is in prison and when he is out of prison, it is hard for him to accept that everyone has moved on. This book is about the hearts and minds of three friends who are trying to make sense of whatever happened. Along with this, the story also covers the families of Roy, Celestial, and Andre and how the parents shaped their lives.

Favorite Characters:

I did not find any particular character as my favorite, but all of them had their own charm in the story. The one who left an impression on me even after I was done was Roys father Roy Sr. He stays true to his wife and to Roy.

When I finished this book, I felt:

It was a roller coaster ride of the emotions of all the characters. After I finished, I was still thinking about how things turned out even when no one was at fault, and was it fair on Roy's part to expect the same kind of love, affection, and acceptance as it was before he went to jail. But on everyone else's part, it was fair that they had to move on and make a living when Roy was away. Whatever happened to Roy, was it fair? - No, but was everyone else fair in moving on with their lives? - Yes!

Favorite lines from the book:

• For children, Thanksgiving is about turkey and Christmas is about presents. Grown-up, you learn that all holidays are about family, then few can win there.

• There is no weight like the burden of a body.

• I'll never forget the sound of the landing dirt.

• Even a dog can make a bunch of puppies, but a real man raises his kids.

• Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

• If you need a kid to keep you together, then how together are you?

Dawn

 

Title: Dawn

Author: Selahattin Demirtaş

Published: 2017

Genre: Fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5

I picked up this book after I read the reviews about the author writing this book while being behind the bars. The book captures the lives of ordinary people being arrested while living through the political turmoil in Turkey and surrounding areas. The stories are about a five years old girl who tries to escape war-torn Syria with her mother on the boat, a suicide bombing shattering a neighborhood in Aleppo, and a young factory worker who is robbed of her dreams in an act of violence.

Demirtaş, the author has been imprisoned in Turkey. He is a politician fighting for freedom and equality and has written many short stories during times of turmoil, yet hopeful about the future.