Category Archives: Constructive Criticism: Book reviews

Book Reviews – Anybody can criticize; but Constructive criticism is an arrow well-targeted at bettering the author.

#Read about Guest #Author Dr. Sweety Shinde

29 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by in Arjun : Journey of my Novel, Arjun Related posts, blog contents, Download Free Excerpt (pdf), Mahabharata, Mythology, Reblogged posts

≈ 19 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I got an opportunity to grace Chris Graham’s platform for authors. Here it is…

Chris The Story Reading Ape's avatarChris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

VRSOlZ

Perfect quote – It aptly sums up the motive to pen my novel.

Sweety Shinde 01
Why write at all? You cannot inhale and not exhale.
You cannot eat and not poop.
You cannot read and not write. (Did I just equate writing with pooping?) Yin & Yang. Reading is a passive, pleasant passion. Writing is challenging, invigorating, and pathologically addictive!

Profession vs Passion: I’m a Pathologist by profession. I dissect dead bodies and diagnose live diseases under the microscope. But human beings hold deeper mysteries beneath the visible surface. Mind, emotions, and idiosyncrasies – those are beyond the scalpel, but not beyond the pen’s might!

I decided to use my profession 2 ways. One, to fund my passion. Two, to stimulate both halves of my brain – the rational and the creative. Yin & Yang again. 

Flexing the muscles of Time: ‘Work expands to fill the time required to complete it.’ As a…

View original post 880 more words

Goodreads Giveaway (USA Only) of Arjun: Without A Doubt

19 Sunday Jul 2015

Posted by in blog contents, Constructive Criticism: Book reviews, Mahabharata

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

History forgot his voice, but misquoted his silence. 
Genre: Indian Mythology/ Mahabharata/ History
Premise: 5000 years ago, Arjun the superlative warrior paused on the eve of Kurukshetra battle. His poignant question, “How many should die for the sins of a handful?” churned with charioteer Krishn’s, “How many times the sinful should be forgiven for the lives of countless?” to create the Bhagavad Gita.
Arjun, the idealist in a non-ideal world. He held the power to unleash devastation – and the compassion not to misuse it. He was idolized for defeating demiGods & demons – and ridiculed for not being ruthless. He was Heaven’s heir – and endured exile after exile. His love Draupadi – had to become the wife of his four brothers. He was the peerless archer, the seductive monk, the epitome of masculinity, the danseur eunuch, exemplary student and eternal seeker of knowledge – all in one roller coaster Life.
Come, join Arjun’s turbulent journey. Unravel his emotions, passions and angst.
Find ‘other’ famous Arjuns, compare Arjun vis-a-vis Achilles & Alexander and explore Myths of Mahabharata.
Discover Arjun beyond the warrior extraordinaire.
Note: Draupadi’s narration in the book is marked with *** symbol. Arjun’s narration is without any symbol.
Youtube Trailer: https://youtu.be/ToTEldixJDA

Feel free to ask me questions: author-of-arjun-without-a-doubt
WIN an ‘Author signed’ copy today! Goodreads Books

Click here: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/146743-arjun-without-a-doubt

ArjunShindeSweetyAbsoluteFinaltoPrint.jpg

Book Review. Makeup & Breakup stories by Nihar Pradhan

05 Friday Jun 2015

Posted by in Constructive Criticism: Book reviews, Debutante Authors

≈ 39 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , , , ,

“Story telling is the best form of communication – It triggers imagination, stimulates inspiration and creates an impression.” Quotes author Nihar Pradhan .  nihar pradhan

Author: A renowned blogger at https://nrpin.wordpress.com  That apart, he is a consummate multi-tasker. His technical expertise takes shape as Digital Strategist and Process Innovator. His creative side emerges in blogging (Nature and nurturing ideas) and photography.

Theme: A collection of 40 stories depicting myriad characters in stages of evolution – either emotional, physical, professional or familial. Themes I could discern, include:

1] Humor : Nihar has a subtle humor, predominantly by twisting words. Examples, like ‘Today I have to serve them tea.  It’s not my cup of tea.’ and ‘He didn’t like the ringtone of his house bell. Not everything in life is to one’s favorite tune.’

2] Personification of inanimate objects : As seen in ‘Mirror’ (She reflected the entire gallery of my emotions) And in ‘The Lost Glory’ with the enigmatic Continue reading →

Book review – Ravan & Eddie by Kiran Nagarkar

31 Tuesday Mar 2015

Posted by in Constructive Criticism: Book reviews

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Twitter review: Vibrant premise. Promising buildup. Crazy characters. Parallel worlds. Dry wit. Wet dreams. Anti-climactic climax.

ravan & eddie

Exciting setup: Ram is a product of soporific Shankar & voluptuous Parvati. A freak accident converts baby Ram into a murderer(!!), gets him newly coined as Ravan (to ward off the evil eye) and unwittingly links his life forever with Eddie, son of the ‘murdered’ Victor. Aha!

Quaint world, a far cry from kiran nagarkar Kiran Nagarkar’s ‘Cuckold’.

Parallel criss-cross lives: Ravan is coaxed towards Hinduism and Eddie towards Christianity. Instead, both rebel and trespass into other’s territory.

Ravan gets into Eklavya-mode and finds his tutor Dronacharya in a Taekwondo Continue reading →

Book review: Shattered Dreams

13 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by in Mythology

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Premise: Part II of VI Ramayana series.

Story : Post Ram-Sita’s marriage upto Ram’s departure on 14 year Exile.

Tweet version: Mythology buffs know this span includes Keikeyi’s royal tantrum, Manthara’s manipulative move, Dasaratha’s cave-in and Rama’s ‘slip-between-cup & lip’ brush with Ayodhya’s crown.

So how does this 23 word Tweet translate into 386 pages?  Pretty smooth, in the able hands of Shubh Vilas. cover book

                            I liked :

1] Sparks of human emotions within exalted characters- For example Dasaratha (who feels envious & nervous when his courtiers cheer Rama’s coronation – and Dasaratha wonders if they are cheering the end of his reign!), in Rama (after he finds out Kaikeyi’s wish – ‘Here, before Sita, at last Rama dropped his guard. Every leader needs room to express his feelings. Sita was not just that space, she was a deep lake.’)

2] Rama’s angst : ‘Outside were people who expected him to lead. Inside were people who expected him to follow.’ – as he struggles to bridge the gap between being the perfect crown Prince and the perfect son.

3] Sita : Shubh Vilas justifies why he thinks original name of epic was Ramaa-ayana, story of Sita. His Sita is glorious & feisty – using logic, reason, love, pleas and even unexpected insulting taunts Continue reading →