Vanara Paperback – November 15, 2018

Yet again this author has outdone himself. After reading this novel, I now have a lot more respect for Bali and Tara.

A compelling read that explores several themes and emotions. Once again it is proved how complex the world is and that life is indeed a million shades of grey.It is always interesting to read the elaborated stories of characters whose roles were restricted in the main epics. The characters of Baali, Sugreeva and Tara were well chalked out and many times I found myself empathizing with them.

This book is as good as Asura. Such a beautiful narration of an unforgettable tale. Great work! Great portrayal of Bali, Sugreeva and Tara ever.

Loved the style of story telling.History is written by victorious heroes, however, learning the story from different perspectives is refreshing and interesting.

If you really love mythology, don’t read. It’s an ambitious novel but lacks finesse and depth. The women are one dimensional and there’s a coarseness in the execution. One phrase “in a jiffy” jarred as parroting a Hinglish that belongs in a gymkhana or Himalayan boarding school. The perspective of Vana Nara’s as tribals is refreshing, but reductive to reduce the conflicts as race/class based - the rants get repetitive and no character is given complexity.