Book Review 32: Kartikeya by Anuja Chandramouli.

'Kartikeya' by Anuja Chandramouli is a work of mythological fiction. The book tells us the tale about 'the mysterious and misunderstood son of Mahadeva - Kartikeya'. 

Indian Mythology is a topic that really interests me. In fact, I personally feel that the whole concept of Mythology is very intriguing. There are so many different characters and numerous tales about them. Since our childhood, we have heard so much about the Gods and Goddesses. Mythology plays an important part in our life. Nevertheless, some people believe in the mythological stories, some do not.

Now, coming to the book. 'Kartikeya' tells us the tale of one of the most enigmatic gods, about whom there are not many popular stories among the masses. Most of us do not know much about him. Kartikeya. 

The book traces the story of his birth, his adventures, and his deeds. Another interesting fact about this book is that the villain is not any Asura. Here the villain is Lord Indra. 

However, there are some things about this book which I did not quite like. First of all, the writing style is not very smooth. The author has used bombastic words and lofty language which has made the book a difficult read for the readers. Also, the plot could have been much more interesting. If the book had been a little less descriptive, it could have been interesting. The ending was abrupt. I 

expected a better ending.

I had high expectations from this book, but it failed to impress me. The book could have been a lot more interesting.

About the author : Anuja Chandramouli is a bestselling Indian author and New Age Indian Classicist. Her highly acclaimed debut novel, Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava Warrior-Prince, was named by Amazon India as one of the top 5 books in the Indian Writing category for the year 2013. Kamadeva: The God of Desire and Shakti: The Divine Feminine is her other bestsellers. Currently, all three books are being translated into Hindi, Marathi, Gujarathi and Bengali, a real achievement for one so young. Her epic fantasies called Yama’s Lieutenant and its sequel has received an overwhelming response.

Her newest books are on Kartikeya, Padmavati and Prithviraj Chauhan. An accomplished orator, she regularly conducts workshops on Creative Writing, Story Telling and Mythology in schools, colleges and various other platforms. Her motivational speeches have also been well received. According to Chandramouli, her work with youngsters in the rural belt helping them improve their Spoken English and Writing skills has been wonderfully satisfying and enriching. 

My rating : 3 of 5 stars.
Publisher : Rupa Publications.
First Published : November 2017
Price : ₹295/-

Thanks to the publisher,Rupa Publications, for the review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.