PLOT: 2.5/5
CHARACTERS: 3/5
WRITING STYLE: 2.5/5
CONCEPT: 3.5/5
ENTERTAINMENT QUOTIENT: 2.5/5
“Most monks and spiritual teachers are that way, they worry about rivers, trees, hills, and the oceans. They realize how important it is for the human race to be in harmony with nature.” – Anuj Tikku, The Madness of The Monk
My musings
I don’t really read a lot of spiritual books. It’s not that I am not a spiritual person but somehow, I haven’t really discovered good books on spirituality. I do remember buying a book or two with the intention of getting to them when I do “find the time” but so far it has never happened.
Having recently found the opportunity to read and review a book that has spirituality as its core essence, I was quite thrilled with anticipation. Read on to know more about my thoughts on Anuj Tikku’s latest book, The Madness of the Monk.
What to expect?
Expect a book that is a really short read. Expect a book that takes you to a different tangent. Expect a book that is crisp and clear in its message and finally expect a book that doesn’t come without its own share of spelling and grammatical errors.
Who can read?
Since the book is written in a simple language and in a flowy style of writing, it can be easily picked up by a beginner level reader.
Let’s talk about the storyline
The Madness of the Monk tells us a fictional story of the author himself. The book narrates his meetings with a mystic “mad monk” whom the author inadvertently keeps bumping into while he is travelling around the scenic Dharamshala and the colonial Shimla. It is in these meetings that the author learns about the seven noble truths of life.
How good is the author’s writing style?
The Madness of the Monk is a book that doesn’t give the reader a lot of space to analyze its language and structure. And that’s because the book is a very short read. Truth be told, the book is essentially a short story of just 39 pages which is generously filled with beautiful and soothing pictures that further reduce the text part of the book.
Are the characters good?
The character of the mystic mad monk is an interesting one but I guess the book is too short for any character to have developed well and turned into someone that will leave an everlasting impression. In the simplest of terms, all the characters are mediocre at best.
What did I like?
I love how the pictures do a good job of conveying the message of the book. I also believe that the core message of the book – the seven noble truths – is something that we all need to imbibe in our daily lives. The message itself is not something new and out of ordinary but it is the careful and crisp articulation that does the intended job of reaching out to people and making sure that they realize the benefits of following the seven noble truths.
What I did not like?
Once again, like many other books from the author’s kitty, The Madness of the Monk too is full of spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and poor sentence constructions. It is sometimes so bad that it takes away all of the reading pleasure.
What could have been better?
Given that the book is fiction, an adequate focus should have been given to developing strong characters, putting together a rock-solid plot, assimilating a killer climax and a lot more. Many crucial aspects of storytelling are missing from the book and that is certainly a buzz-killer.
In the end
In the end, the book is a decent read for someone who doesn’t read a lot and is looking for an incredibly short read.
Pick the book if
- You enjoy books that are spiritual and inspiring.
- You like to read short books only.
Skip the book if
- You can’t stand books that are poorly written.
- You don’t enjoy books that have a spiritual bend.
Can’t wait to read it? Buy a copy of The Madness of the Monk using the link below.
