Exploring the Bookish World

Mayank Manohar's debut novel, Shadow of the Past is a short and simple light read. It is a story about three young people whose lives are affected by their own past and insecurities. The plot is quite simple yet emotional. The story juggles between past and present. Rehan and Lavanya had been in love with each other in the past but they eventually broke up. Arpita, a close friend of Rehan, falls for him and suddenly finds herself trapped between the incomplete love saga of Rehan and Lavanya. And this creates a love triangle between the three.  Will their lives be crippled by the shadow of their own past or will life give them a ray of hope and another chance to redeem what is lost? Read the book to know what happens to Rehan, Lavanya and Arpita. The title of the book is very apt. The story progresses at a fast pace and is a complete page-turner. Although the plot seems to be filmy, it is engrossing. All the characters are well developed. The writing style is really good

Shashi Warrier's book By God: The Making of a Messiah is a satirical tale of the socio-cultural scenario of many of the nations in today's world.  The plot is set in a utopian world, called Ghublistan, which is an island resplendent with the Divine herb. And this country is experiencing a surge in emigration. Two of Ghublistan's people, Tomikanza and a barber, Neepane set out in an endeavour to understand what 'democracy' is. As I was reading the novel, I felt how relevant it is in today's world. It made me think. The author, in this book, highlights various social issues which are extremely relevant. The brilliant use of satire is a speciality of this book. The plot is very well-knit and is subtle with layers of themes embedded in it. It is intriguing and has the capability to keep the readers hooked to the book until the very end. The story progresses at a perfect pace. The style of writing is beautiful and the use of lucid language has made the