The juxtaposition of two iconic characters in the title of the text is reason enough to pick up this book. However, the wordplay in the subtitle is even quirkier. It goes like this – Sherlock homes India/ Devdas gets Sherlocked. This is indicative of the manner in which the two characters from two very different backgrounds and worlds cross paths.
Translated from the Bengali edition titled ‘Abbu K Mone Pore’ into English by Arunava Sinha, I Remember Abbu is a soul-stirring tale, told from the perspective of a little girl who used to share a deep bond with her father, but who hasn’t seen her father for 16 odd years. It is a story that unravels the tale of the birth of a nation and its many children who have met with a similar fate.
Meticulously written with old takes on an otherwise contentious topic like war, written to highlight the multi-dimensional implications of its central topic, The Art of War is an ancient Chinese text which is better termed a treatise written by Sun Tzu, who was a 6th-century warrior philosopher. Terse, crisp, and epigrammatic, the teachings of this text remain utterly significant, relatable, and relevant to modern-day readers.
While the title of the book goes as follows: Babalu – Tale of a Cute Li’l Boy, the content of the book is far from simple. In fact, the complexity of the plot arises with the recurrence of certain dream-like visions to the protagonist, who goes by the name of Babalu. Babalu is born in Pune and brought up in Bangalore. It is through these visions, which he thought were weird nightmares, that he is able to unravel his psychic abilities and powers.
The central issue within the novel arises when a tigress in the forest surrounding the village goes missing, followed by some men who are thought to have been devoured by the tigress. In course of events, William Bose turns detective as he is entrusted with the task of finding out the truth behind the abductions, and the mysteries that follow, leading to an enticing detective novel.
Thoroughly enticing though chilling, exhilarating but whacky and hyper realistic, yet deeply embedded in the realism of the mysterious nature of human existence in the universe, Master O is a futuristic novel with a twist. It is a mix of futurism, thriller, and suspense with a plot that is based on seemingly innocent creatures who have taken up greater responsibility on their shoulders to set human history right.
Isha and the Hedgerow-Folk serves to sensitize young readers about being conscious of their surrounding environment and those who live in the lap of Nature. The story is aimed at young readers and can be followed by those between the ages of 7 to mid-teens. The plot revolves around the central character of Isha who is an 11-year-old girl who has many animal friends who reside in the hedges near her residence.
Maya, after the death of her husband Ansh, is visited by a bachelor scientist Ravi, who is looking for a place to live. In need of some company and good money, she allows him to live in her villa until she starts falling for him. But as Ravi starts noticing the little things around him, he is creeped out by the secrets Maya is keeping.
Sense of Quiet is a heart-touching read that engrosses the reader with its sensitive take on love, life, and relationships, in contemporary India. The plot revolves around a couple, Milind and Diya who are both doctors and have a mutual friend named Rohan. The couple is settled in Haridwar and is struggling to balance their busy and demanding careers along with marriage.
This work of fiction is doubly fictitious and based in a dream-like land with elements that are fantastical and other worldly. It is a story that revolves around the idea of evil and explicates the manner in which evil thrives by being a sort of parasite.
Siddhartha Street by Sudha Yadav is a collection of short stories or rather perspective pieces from the aspect of different characters who live in the same neighbourhood.
Set in the fictional lane named Siddhartha Street, located somewhere in South India, this book is a touching, poignant, and emotional read about the life.
In this book, debut novelist Dr. Abhinav Atul explores the system of arranged marriages and its perks through his protagonist Hrishi whose unfulfilled sexual desires lead him on this quest for self-discovery and physical compatibility.
Unique, one of its kind, and deeply stirring, the story opens with a description which is sort of a poem about the unknown figure who is claimed to be immortal and comes out of his hibernation once in a while to strike at random people.
‘Marked by the shadow’s cry’ is a line that mesmerizes and raises curiosity at the same time. Who is this scary figure and why does he engage in such horrendous crimes against humanity?
Based on the author’s own experiences in the four-year stint at Regional Engineering College, Surat, Hostelitis: Surviving Hostel Life is a humorous, emotional, and adventurous journey that takes readers through the transcending and multidirectional lanes of friendship, career goals, and true love.
The collection comprises of nineteen short stories that are based on the saying of Kurt Vonnegut: “We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down.” The plots are varied in each of the short stories and they are not interconnected.
Gripping, mind-boggling, terrifying, and beautifully woven, Killing Strangers, is a didactic and entertaining debut in equal proportions, set in the America of recent times. The plot opens with the character of Larry Watson, a retired FBI agent, who is on his way for a job interview at Atlanta Tech Corridor stands witness to a mass shooting incident.
“Love is a miracle, and miracles happen through love. We are here to experience and spread only joy and love. Anything that comes in the path of love and divine success should be destroyed without fear or guilt” – these words succinctly sum up the evocative story of Mooncircles.
Set in an elite suburban area of Mumbai, the book is a mystery thriller that captures the lives of socialites, businessmen, landowners, and celebrities.
Hawa Mahal is the name of an old building in Mumbai which is not just named after the real Hawa Mahal of Jaipur but is an imitation of it, no matter how vague and wretched.