The Pillion Rider

Author : Hirak Kar

Review:

Pack your bags and get ready for an adventure. Breathe the fresh air, embrace the woods, get lost in those lovely country roads and immerse yourself in what nature has to offer. Travel is more of a journey than a destination. That summarizes Hirak Kar's travelogue and personal memoir, 'The Pillion Rider'.

Two young officers , Hirak and George, one from the army and the other from the airforce, set off on a road trip to Delhi from Calcutta  on their newly acquired possession, the Renegade, to attend their friend's wedding. The year was 1971, where the armed forces were being mobilized for a war against Pakistan to free BanglaDesh. Naxalite tension was prevalent in Calcutta and Delhi was gearing up for the big war. Bold and brave, the two officers set off on their journey, George the driver and Hirak, 'The Pillion Rider'. They make it to Delhi, and the adventure does not stop there. George and Hirak embark on their journey across India, from Delhi to Jhansi, to Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad and finally back to Calcutta. What had started as a 7 day road trip to a friend's wedding eventually ended up as a 35 day motorbike feat across the nation.Those were the golden days when the petrol prices were at Rs. 1.25 per liter. If you end up calculating all the money the two men spent on the whole trip, it will not exceed Rs. 1200.

The book is a personal experience, hence there are no dramatic incidents or no turns and twists. On the contrary, it is a very beautiful and realistic narration. What strikes you more is the camaradarie which people from armed forces have. The two bikers make their stops at various venues, and everywhere they enter a regiment office or a PWD guest house or sometimes barge into their ex-colleague's house. They are so warmly greeted, offered food, place to stay and also given generous amounts of money  to take their trip forward.  I had known about this strong bonding even before, when one of my friends from an army background had mentioned that she had taken a train from Delhi to Gwalior  and had booked the ticket for a wrong day. By the time the TC had arrived, the train was well out of the city. She called her husband, who in turn , contacted the army office at the nearest town and someone had come all the way to the railway station to give her the money for her ticket.

For a first book, it is very well written. The language is excellent. The hard work of the author and the editor shows up. Hirak and George are energetic, youthful and daring. Their energy and zeal for life is quite infectious. In the back of my mind, I am still humming the song :

"Country roads, take me home !!!"

So, what are you waiting for?? 

Read the book, pack your bags. Get,set, go !! 

Recommended : 👍👍

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BBC Adaptation : MiddleMarch by George Eliot

Plot Review:
Another lovely BBC Adaptation based on the book by George Eliot, the story is set in the fictitious town of MiddleMarch in Provincial England. Set around the time when England was on the verge of reforms and revolution, following the footsteps of France, the people are divided in their opinions on change and progress. The story is centered around two main characters, the idealistic doctor , Tertius Lydgate, and an intelligent aspiring girl, Dorothea Brooke. Both of them, naive , principled, and with strong convictions set forth on a journey to change the world. Instead, they find themselves trapped completely into wrong marriages and the narrow minded society in which they live in.

They falter, struggle, try to work around the circumstances in which they find themselves in. The revolution sweeps England, things change. Small steps taken by small people bear fruits somewhere else in the country. The story indicates that the efforts of both Lydgate and Dorothea may not have been conspicous , but somewhere, their convictions and ideas  have indeed given birth to something bigger and better.

And then there is Will Ladislaw, the rebel, who does not confirm to any of the society rules. He lives life on his own terms. He loves the fresh grass under his feet and the sky , which he fathoms as a roof. Disinherited from his rightful claim, he has no fixed income, but yet he is full of talent. Property matters stand as a barrier between him and the woman he loves, Dorothea.

MiddleMarch is filled with many characters, each one of them struggling to work around the problems life has posed before them. Some pass with flying colours, some fail and get exiled. But the story belongs to the three main characters, Lydgate, Dorothea and Will Ladislaw. They stand out beautifully in their lead roles. You cannot be indifferent to the agony Lydgate goes through, he sets out to make a difference in this world, offering free medical service to the hospital in MiddleMarch. All odds stand against him and he has to give up his dream to make a breakthrough in the medical field. On the other hand, the romance between Dorothea and Ladislaw is refreshing to watch, subtle and very endearing. Dorothea has to finally let go of her deceased husband's vast fortune to marry Ladislaw. The same fortune, with which she had set forth to change the world in her own small way, has to be given away for love. Thankfully, things are not as tragic for Dorothea as for Lydgate, as she does not repent on her decision in marrying for love.

So, MiddleMarch ends with happy tidings for Dorothea and not-so-good consequence for Lydgate.
And it ends with me, feeling content and happy , having watched yet another good British period Drama. And also lucky, because I bought the last DVD from Amazon India and it is not currently available in stock  right now :)

Recommended : 👍👍👍

Buy MiddleMarch online from Amazon.com

Indeliberate Deliberations

Author : Shivansh Umatt

Review:

The Verse goes like this :

Even though I didn't know

What hyperbole is,

I had written them

And even the simplicity

Of the poem had its beauty.

Even my sixth grade self

had a lot to say,

And that surprised me.

The poet has described himself in his own words. My exact reaction:

"Your 17 year old self

has a lot to say,

And that surprised me ."

Shivansh Umatt's poetry is simple yet mature, tender yet deep, expressive yet delicate. The book is divided into 4 themes.

Abyss :  This section mostly deals with bereavement, and separation.

Latency : Its about self and poetry. Poetry is everywhere, but why is not unread and unopened yet?

Frost and Froth : Diving deep into the elements of nature, and into one's own minds.

Gory Musings : the words can indeed hurt . Yes, pen is mightier than a sword.

The poems are very light, delicate like feather and you feel warmth in your heart when you read them. I loved all the poems, especially in the Latency and Frost and Froth sections. This poet delves deep into reflection of his own thoughts and expresses them so beautifully and in such simple words, it appears as if he is mirroring what you are thinking. 

At a tender age of 17, Shivansh is extremely talented and gifted.

Looking forward for more such beautiful poetry from him.

Recommended : 👍👍

Buy Indeliberate Deliberations Online

The Book Thief

Author : Markus Zusak

Review:

There are books which make you cry, there are books which make you think. And then there are books - which rip your soul apart. The pages slip by in your hands, the book ends. And you sit there, quiet, complacent. You get back to your daily chores. But somewhere, those pages beckon you, the words haunt you. Words - the power of words.

Words from the Fuhrer,  from a Jew, from a German and then, from Death himself. Words break you, they shake the world beneath you.The Book Thief, shakes up your body and soul, every inch.

Who else can be a better narrator  to describe Nazi Germany other than Death ?

But when events such horrific unfold, Death himself is dumbfounded. 

What can we humans do then, who are mere pawns??If tears come rolling down your cheeks when you read this book, do not hold back. Weep, shed few tears in the name of humanity.

The story revolves around a  girl named Liesel, who is adopted and is raised by her foster parents. Liesel looses her own biological brother when they were coming to her foster home. .The era is Nazi Germany, and Liesel has to grow up amidst war, hatred and bloodshed. 

In what looks like an otherwise gloomy world to live in, Liesel  finds peace and solace in her kind-hearted ,doting , foster father Hans Hubbermann. He recognizes her unquenchable thirst for reading and learning  when he finds out that she stole a gravedigger's hand book  in her brother's funeral.

He teaches her to read and write, and the Book thief keeps stealing books, one after another , at the right opportunity. One, she steals from the burning pile of books set ablaze by the Nazis, and many from the Mayor's house. Few are gifted to her by her own foster parents.

 Her father encourages her to read - read in a bombing shelter to keep people away from panic, read to a heart broken mother who has lost her son in the war,read out to a sick Jew , Max, who seeks shelter to escape the concentration camp.

Her foster parents take a very risky decision to conceal a Jew in their basement. Liesel befriends Max, who with limited means , is very articulate in penning down his own thoughts on paper- the plight of Jews and his hatred for Hitler. Her relationship with her best friend Rudy, with whom she races, steals and shares everything, until he succumbs to bombing, is heartbreaking. 

In the end, nothing remains ; Death arrives, to collect all the souls and witness their last visions.

But what Death sees, amidst the gruesome mass murder and the wave of hatred prevalent in Nazi Germany, is the strong bond of love and the unseen power, connecting  a father and a daughter, two friends, a German and a Jew , a rich lady and a poor girl - the power of words, which books can bring, essentially binding humanity together.

In Summary : Should I summarize ? Haven't I said enough??

Recommended : 👍👍👍

Buy The Book Thief Online

The Trials of Apollo - The Burning Maze

Author : Rick Riordan

Review:

I am a huge fan of Rick Riordan and follow all his books. Those who have read my earlier reviews  know how much I like this author and also the reason why. In synopsis, he blends mythology in the current day setting so well that along with a gripping plot, you learn a lot about the eccentric Gods and their demeanours. And his sense of humor is terrific. On any gloomy day, pick up one of his books as relexation therapy. You never know when that smile comes on your face and in no time, you are laughing aloud.

Coming to the book itself, this is book 3 in the Trials of Apollo series. The fallen God Apollo is in pursuit of his quest to find the third Oracle, the Sybil of Erythrae. The prophetess is imprisoned in the Labryinth, which for some reason has frequent fire outbursts. The fire outbreak has caused major part of California to go dry and humid, and harming the nature. Apollo has to journey through this burning maze and solve the ciphers to rescue the Sybil. In his mission, he has to suffer grief and part with people who are dear to him. 

The book starts in a very light note and the plot is really gripping. But somewhere towards the end, it starts picking steam and turns serious. There is urgency and pain in the voice of Apollo, as he looses his dear friends, one after another. The transformation of  a detached, cynical God to a caring brother and a loving friend is hard to miss. You empathise with Apollo as he is miserable and helpless, when circumstances go beyond his control.  

Surprisingly, there are deaths, deaths of very prominent characters. Not to give away the plot, I was really surprised that one of the most level headed and leading characters of the Olympus series is brought in and killed. Very unlike Riordan to kill his protogonists. 

To summarize, undoubtedly, one of the better books from Riordan, full of wit, humour and yet at the same time, poignant and moving. If you have not fallen for Apollo by now, you will, by the end of this book. Don't miss this one !!

Recommended :  👍👍

Buy The Trials of Apollo - The Burning maze online

Wives and Daughters

BBC Adaptation based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell

Review:

The adaptation is based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell, one of my favourite authors. Her books are usually compared to those of Jane Austen. Though I feel her stories are more grounded to reality than Austen's, which are far more romantic in nature. The central theme of Austen's books is romance, whilst Gaskell focuses on all others relationships including romance.

Set in provincial England, the story is centered around a sensible girl with dreamy eyes, Molly, her family , her friendships and the society she lives in. It is her journey and struggle from childhood and mainly focuses on her relationship with her father, her step mother, her step sister and her secret love.  Molly looses her mother in her early years and her father, a well established doctor in the province, falls in love and marries again . Her step mother is a governess with polished manners and though outwardly appears a kind person, is very concieted. She has a daughter from an earlier marriage, Cynthia, who is ravishingly beautiful but is rebellious in nature. Molly endures a silent struggle of acceptance and gets accustomed to her father's divided attentions to the new family. The squires in the town are very fond of Molly and they consider her as a part of their family. She falls in love with the younger son, Roger, but she never reveals her feelings to him. He in turn falls in love with Cynthia and Molly has to deal with the hardbreak silently. 

The squire, over a period of time, looses his wife and his elder son to illness. He struggles between the matters of status and heart when he figures out that his elder son had secretly married a French maid and has a son. Molly helps him accept the daughter-in-law and grand son.Cynthia has her share of struggle with her secrets of the past and has to deal with heartbreaks herself.

The story is more of a journey of each one of the characters, they recognize their weaknesses and evolve over a period of time . Set on the backdrop of provinicial England, there is an undercurrent of how the society was, at that point of time. The character of a young girl , if she is seen with someone unworthy and exchanging a secret word, is looked upon on derogatory terms. The fame of the girl and her family is questioned. There is a matchmaking talk which always goes on in town between a certain eligible young man and a pretty girl. What is worthy and who is worthy is discussed with utmost scrutiny.  

The BBC adaptation is brilliant and sticks to the book to the core till the end. The ending is modified a little bit as the book was left unfinished by the author, who died suddenly. Shot mainly in the country side, the visuals are beautiful. The costumes, the sceneries, the carriages transport you to the period which is so appealing. On a weekend, sit back, relax and enjoy this adaptation.

Recommended : 👍👍

Buy Wives and Daughters online

Also read my review on North and South

Review !!!

Avengers - Infinity War- Part 1

Review:

I am a huge fan of Avengers, and I look forward to see all the Marvel movies. In Avengers-Infinity War-Part 1, the plot follows Thanos going behind all the six powerful stones in the universe and gaining the ultimate power to wipe out the life on Earth. He follows the typical logic , which is followed by most of the villians in the science fiction movies -  help the Earth from getting over burdened , annihilate most of the life , and leave the chosen few to pave the new path. In his quest of six stones, he has to encounter and fight the Avengers and the Guardians, who are in posession of those stones. The part 1 ends in a distressing note when he manages to acquire all the six stones and disintegrate half the team of the Avengers and the Guardians, and wrecks havoc on Earth. He,for some reason, leaves the oldest ones alone .Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America are all intact, watching helplessly, as the world around them diminishes. Looks like Part 2 will pick up the strings and turn things around. The plot is a good one, and you are hooked to the film from the beginning to the end. But I felt the movie was one of the most grim and serious one from Marvel. I missed the quirky dialogues ( not that they are completely missing, they are there, but very few). I missed the wit from Iron Man, the star power from Thor, Banner's innocent and adorable comments. Each hero has very less screen time, simply because they were too many of them. I somewhere seemed to have sided with Hulk who refuses to show up throughout the movie. It was like a boycott from him that he would'nt show up. The whole film looked like a red carpet where the Avengers come, show their face and go. The good part though is Captain America competes with Thor on his good looks with his newly grown beard and super toned body. But we are all so used to Avengers now, and we wait for them to come, entertain us in their own sporting and stylish way. So, I left the movie hall wishing they would have made their presence better in the film. One of my cousins had shared a pic which summarizes the cast and the sequence of the whole movie.

To summarize, Avengers is always a feast to watch. But too many cooks, spoil the broth. Here's hoping, by the end of Part-2, the broth is indeed tasty.

Recommended : 👍

Lavender's blue - lovely lullaby !!

Lavender's Blue (Dilly Dilly)

Lavender's blue, dilly dilly,
Lavender's green
When you are king, dilly dilly,
I shall be queen

Who told you so, dilly dilly,
Who told you so?
'Twas my own heart, dilly dilly,
That told me so

Call up your friends, dilly, dilly
Set them to work
Some to the plough, dilly dilly,
Some to the fork

Some to the hay, dilly dilly,
Some to thresh corn
Whilst you and I, dilly dilly,
Keep ourselves warm

Lavender's blue, dilly dilly,
Lavender's green
When you are king, dilly dilly,
I shall be queen

Who told you so, dilly dilly,
Who told you so?
'Twas my own heart, dilly dilly,
That told me so.

How far I'll go - Moana

I've been staring at the edge of the water
'Long as I can remember, never really knowing why
I wish I could be the perfect daughter
But I come back to the water, no matter how hard I try
Every turn I take, every trail I track
Every path I make, every road leads back
To the place I know, where I can not go, where I long to be

See the line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me
And no one knows, how far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
One day I'll know, if I go there's just no telling how far I'll go

I know everybody on this island, seems so happy on this island
Everything is by design
I know everybody on this island has a role on this island
So maybe I can roll with mine
I can lead with pride, I can make us strong
I'll be satisfied if I play along
But the voice inside sings a different song
What is wrong with me?

See the light as it shines on the sea? It's blinding
But no one knows, how deep it goes
And it seems like it's calling out to me, so come find me
And let me know, what's beyond that line, will I cross that line?

The line where the sky meets the sea? It calls me
And no one knows, how far it goes
If the wind in my sail on the sea stays behind me
One day I'll know, how far I'll go