Review: The Outcasts by Lidija Stankovikj

“The Outcasts”, named perfectly for this novel. The visual description of the storytelling that increased my appetite to read this book. How religion and culture portray society and add consequences in human life?

Lidija Stankovikj’s writing style is mind-blowing. During the study, I really wonder, how intense her research on the anthropologic diversity in different religions. Her writing style is vigorous and the footers are very helpful time to time to understand typical terms associated with a different culture. I also liked the chapters like The River, The Kalpataru Tree,  A Thread of Evil, there were stories concealed like the jewels and added new flavours, colours to portray the characters in the novel.

Book Cover: The Outcasts

The story is wrapped around major three characters, their spirituality, religious practices, fight about survival and breaking out the obstacles to overcome the criticality of their moral obligations.

To live in a society, where we all have to oblige a few rules and embrace the reality. Which is always a difficult task. People who cannot oblige by the hardcoded reality is bound by the sadness and battling an eternal fight against their very existence. Which is not wrong and the world keeps learning from them and evolves.

Thanks for the book and heads up to Ms. Lidija for your excellent first novel. I will wait for your next book.

 

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Review: Secret Notes From Iran by Nadim Siraj

This could not be possible to know Iran’s geopolitics, culture, war without reading the “Secret Notes From Iran”. The book I picked up randomly for review from LeadStart. I wanted to understand like a few things, what will be the difference between Iran and my neighboring countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan.

I traveled many of these countries and was curious to divulge the same about Iran. I found many known facts like the headscarf for women, solo performance is banned in public by woman, but I wasn’t aware of group performance is allowed by women. Interesting, to know the anti-American slogans posters in Teheran. I am worried about reading the notes on the high tension circumstances people living in, which deeply moved my utter sympathy for the peace and prosperity for the localities.

Book Cover: Secret Notes From Iran

I would like to thank lionhearted journalist, Mr. Nadim Siraj, for his brave storytelling. I would like to visit the historic Azadi Tower in Tehran. I would also like to thank Platinum Press for their honest approach of publishing the confidential notes. Great inventiveness and I would look forward to reading more geopolitical books in the future.

 

With Love,

Vikram Roy

Perfect Love by Shubha Vilas: A Review

I am glad to get an opportunity to write this review for the book, ‘Perfect Love: 5.5 Ways to a Lasting Relationship’ written by our respective good friend, devotee, TEDx speaker Shubha Vilas.

Vilas has a gifted talent to write stories from Indian Mythology. I am surprised everytime I read a book written by him. His use of language and narrative is very fluent and rich. I never felt bored of reading ‘Perfect Love: 5.5 Ways to a Lasting Relationship’. This book is a treasure for the people who wish to understand the meaning of ‘True Love‘. Traditional Vedic Indian culture is purely based on human experience. Vilas picked some of those beautiful experiences and cultivated the complicated meaning of love in his own methodical way to depict the true love’s consequences. More you read ‘Perfect Love’, more you understand the hidden signs of love and its true nature.

Paperback Cover Page: Perfect Love by Shubha Vilas

I am reading books of Shuba Vilas from the beginning of his ‘Ramayana: The Game of Life’ series. His talent of the writing is unconditional. ‘Perfect Love’ is one of the jewels. I would suggest all the readers, please collect the book and read the hidden treasure from Indian Myth. Love has no boundaries and love is equally stronger to fight the evil. Love is a gift. Love is pure. God loves us all, and the only sacrifice can lead us into the enlightenment of love for Him.

‘Perfect Love’ is about six omnibuses published in a single volume for the first time. Here you can read all the beloved stories of Nala and Damayanti, Lord Krishna and Devi Rukmini, Shakuntala and Dushyanta, Udayana and Vasavadatta, Satyavan and Savitri, Draupadi and the Five Pandavas.

I have a suggestion to Mr. Shubha Vilas. Please inclued some interesting illustraions in the next edition of ‘Perfect Love’.

 

With love,

Vikram Roy

 

Sweden: Walked on Water with Storsjöodjuret, the Lake Monster.

It was 30th March, Good Friday. The city of Östersund was celebrating a holiday. All shops and public transportation communication were closed. We had no other option but calling our friend in the city, Mr. C. Martin. Martin is one of our good family friends, an old man, aged 61. We do not disturb him without his own interest in roaming. But today he has somehow seemed energetic. It was Good Friday we do not want him to be alone either. We stepped together out with him in search of the Storsjöodjuret, the Lake Monster.

Me Standing on Storsjön Lake

We were five people. First, we traveled to the Ski Resort snow hill. Had warming hot coffee over the hill. There were snow cannons and ropeway. But due to the holiday, all were closed. We found the Östersund Zoo but closed as well.

Aayushi playing with Lockless Monster at Östersunds kommun.

We traveled back to Storsjön, the fifth largest lake in Sweden. Also, popular for the myth of Storsjöodjuret, the Lockless monster. The lake was frozen solid and it became the Vinter Parken or Winter Park during the winter season. People surrounded by the city gathered in the evening to see the sunset and say hi to the Lockless Monster.

We run on the lake, one corner to the other. Played with ducks. Finally, crossed the lake and met the mythical Storsjöodjuret. Some folks say its real. Some say its just a myth. Some claims they saw Storsjöodjuret. He lives under the deep blue water of Storsjön.

 

Storsjöodjuret, the Lake Monster, Shekhar Roy, Mr. C. Martin and Me.

 

Imagine, there perhaps a Lockless monster living under the frozen lake, maybe hibernating. Will wake up in the summer, and swim across the lake, unobserved, keeping a great secret of its existence.

We had evening meditation, by the lake and set goodbye to the Lockless monster.

 

With love,

Vikram Roy