Bull by David Elliot

I prowl 

    The senseless alleys 

         Of the maze

In the darkness 

     And asphyxiating 

          Solitude. 

There used to be a monster. Half man and half bull. Often ridiculed, he became the face of the evil. Then came a prince who slayed the monster and everyone lived happily ever after. It is quite heard of Greek myth. Goodness triumphs over evil and that's how a great tale is born which is told over and over to the generations to come. But what happens when the evil side is given a voice. 

David Elliot has done a wonderful work in this retelling of the tale of Minotaur.

Cover page

The cover contains the illustration of a bull which, no doubt, is Minotaur. Inside the face of the bull is the nursery that Asterion sings. The idea to keep the cover page simple is lovely. The slight glimpse of different narrative style in the book is interesting. The composition is great.  

Characters 

The book is essentially the story of Asterion or Minotaur as we all know it. But each character is given a voice of his own. 

The sea god Poseidon is offended by a deed and he decides to punish. He is naughty and proud. He is a god and he knows it. 

Minos is the king of Crete and half father of Minotaur. Pasiphae is the wife of Minos. She is also the bearer of the animosity between Minos and the God of the sea. There are several other characters which are mentioned in the myth too, each serving their part well. All the characters are great epic. 

Content 

It is the story of the non-winners in a mythological tale. This is what makes the story extraordinary. 

Minotaur here is given a chance to narrate his side of the story. The book begins with the pride of Poseidon and anger of Minos. Poseidon, when disrespected, casts a spell of Pasiphae as a result of which she fornicates with a bull. This unusual copulation gives birth to Asterion. Pasiphae is advised to throw the child off the cliff or into the ocean, but the mother's affection does not allow her. Asterion lives but his life is a living hell. He does not make friends. Hell, he cannot even talk because of his thick lips. He grows up to modified nursery rhymes and self-loathing. 

Mommy had a little calf.
Little calf.
Little calf.
Mommy has a little calf.
His nose is black as tar. 

The entire book reveals the depressing side of Asterion's story, even though the myth remains the same. 

Language 

The way the story is written is the highlight of the book. The book originally meant for teenage reading is sure to become a sensation among other age groups too. The bluntness and pride of Poseidon, the anger of Minos, the helplessness of Pasiphae and the self-hatred of Asterion is aptly described. 

The poetic narration is catchy. It keeps the story rolling and helps you understand the temperament of each character. There is a mix of literary tools used, which convey the skill possessed by the author. 

Adriane, Minotaur's sister promises the Bull that there is a plan. The thrill is revealed in one word in each page. The spaces are used in narration with panache. The thrill and the sorrow are aptly expressed with the spacing amongst each word and sentence. 

This is definitely the best-narrated books I have read in a while. 

Good points 

The cover is beautiful. It is definitely one to own hard copy of. The characters are unique, we all know. But here they are quite relatable. The content is from the perspective of the losers. It is definitely to watch out for. But it is the narration that takes the cake away. A book which is narrated well makes a mark on the readers for life. This one surely has done the job well. 

Bad points 

The length is short. The book finishes soon. It leaves you wishing for more. But isn't it with all great books? 

Overall 

This is definitely one of the best books I have read this year. 

Whom do I recommend this to 

This is for those who like a great narration. Those who like the retelling of classic tales are going to enjoy it too. I recommend it to all the readers alike. This one is not to be missed. 

Quotable quotes 

Poseidon 

What?
You think a god should be more refined?
All touchy-feely?
No bump and grind?
Never uncouth?
Pure of mouth?
Pure of heart?
Never belch
Or swear
Or scratch himself
Or fart?
Never
Bawdy
Raunchy
Racy
Rude?
News flash:
You don't want a God.
You want a prude. 

Asterion 

I'd fly away. I"d leave them all behind.
Then they'd look up.
Instead of down on me. 

Asterion 

I watch Androgeos and try
To be like him.
But a rock can never fly.
A stone can't swim.
Poseidon
I'm talkin' 'bout physics.
If it goes up, baby,
It's comin' down. 

Adriane 

There's danger in sanity. 

Poseidon 

Along with that sorry hive
Of thirteen sacrificial goats
Don't tell me.
I know: Since I said hive
I should call it bees.
But I'm Poseidon.
I do what I please:
Call heaven a hell,
A ceiling a floor.
So I mix my metaphors,
Grin and swallow.
I'm Poseidon. Not Apollo.

I received an ARC of the book from the publisher. The opinion is my own, completely uninfluenced. 

Lanka's Princess by Kavita Kané

'Those who love you always find you beautiful.' Shrupnakha was neither loved nor beautiful. What she was though was a determined woman. This book is a story of Meenakshi who later became Shupranakha. It is the first of its kind that I have read and thoroughly enjoyed. 

Cover page 

On the cover is the lady herself. She is wearing a lot of gold as befits the princess of Lanka and she is looking over a burning palace. The illustration tells a tale of a woman who was the cause of the downfall of the richest city at one time and she does not look very regretful about it. 

The cover is a beautiful composition. Yellow and gold dominate cover, depicting the richness of Lanka very well. The illustration is a little off-centred though. The black patch right in the middle is a little disturbing but one gets over it quickly. The font below compliments the illustration. The red spine stands out of the shelf. 

As always Rupa publication has brought out a great product. The inside is as beautiful as the outside. 

Characters 

Meenakshi's birth shattered all her mother's dreams. It ought to be a boy but sadly it was a girl. Dark asura girl. Her fate was decided as soon as she was born. She was to stay single and lonely. No one would marry asura girl. She would always be an eye sore to her mother who lost Lanka even before she planned her moves. A girl would not help to achieve the goal. She was just a burden. 

Shurpnakha turned out to be just the opposite. She soon learned magic and the art of seduction. She was goodself-defenseense and her mind was as sharp as her older brothers'. A feminist by her own right she understood the difference between exuberance and class. 

On Lanka she says, 'There was a lot of wealth but a little sign of culture; the luxury in the chamber was senseless, haphazard, and ill-fitting. The marble floor shone with brilliant polish and the sparkle of the chandelier irritated her.' 

She was the woman portrayed a vamp in Ramayan. The author here has given her another life in the book. 

The other characters are same as any version of Ramayan. But those closer to Shupranakha are given more importance such as Ravan, Kumbha, Vishravas etc. They are quite interesting to read about. 

Content 

Krishna recites the story of Shurpnakha to Trivarka, herself in older life. The story begins when a girl is born to Vishravas and Kaikesi. The father is delighted to welcome a girl into the family but mother hates her right from the beginning. Shurpnakha grows up to become a beautiful voluptuous woman but always doubting her self worth. She is constantly questioning the love her family possesses for her, her father especially. As a child, she develops a constant frown which seldom leaves her face while she lives with her family in the ashram. The boys are protective of her but she cannot help but doubt their love for her too. 

Shurpnakha grows up to feel lonely and inadequate. She is often reminded what an unwanted daughter her was. 

The story progresses same as Ramayan but this one is from Shurpnakha's point of view. She is often seen justifying her actions but they do not help in cleaning her image. A lustful woman as herself seeking unmindful revenge, she lands herself in trouble all the time.

There is also a confusion throughout the book. Ravan is a protective brother but he does not like his sister much, too. Kaikesi sometimes a sweet mother but often hates her daughter for no good reason. Vishravas loves his daughter but not more than his sons. No one can blame Shurpnakha for turning out the way she did. 

The story gives the losers a chance at explaining themselves. It should be read for this very reason. 

Language 

It is a simple modern-day narration. There is a lot of lust in the book which may not have been narrated very well. The characters were described well, which keeps one's interest in the book. 

Good points 

The cover page is a beautiful composition. The book is a great product design. The characters are interesting to read about. The story brings forward a different angle altogether. The story is fast paced. Language is simple to read. 

Bad points 

There is a lot of confusion throughout the book about who hates who and who love whom and when. 

Overall 

It was the first book of its kind that I have read and I am definitely picking more books by the author. This one should be read just for another perspective. 

Whom do I recommend this to 

This book is for those who like retellings from different perspectives. Those who may be interested in Ramayan will like this one too. 

Quotable quotes

The men needed their women, and often they did not know it.

There was no respect in death, no dignity for the fallen. There was no hero in battle, just corpses. Honour meant nothing once dead: honour was a merit for the living.

Words once spoken could not be redeemed, they were like inflicted wounds, the imminent scars lingering long.

I received this book from writersmelon for review. The opinions are my own, comlpetely uninfluenced.  

Hag-seed by Margaret Atwood

As part of celebration of 400 years of Shakespeare, Hogarth classics has started this series where a prominent author is picked to write a retelling of a Shakespeare's play as we will see it today. Having read only a couple of plays in school by the literary genius, this endeavor gave me an opportunity to delve back into the classic world of Shakespeare, escaping the agony of interpreting his words by myself. Hag-seed is a retelling of 'The Tempest' by Margaret Atwood (famous for her book 'The Handmaid's Tale'). This book is nothing like the moving dystopian novel she wrote earlier but entertaining all the same. 

Cover page 

There have been two cover pages released for this book. Since I received a review copy it did not have a cover. But those who intend to buy the book are not going to be disappointed. 

The book with red cover is brilliantly detailed. The beautiful font and the creative barbed wires give away the setting of the book but only slightly. 

However the other cover with the eye of the hag-seed is my favorite. It is a sketch of the negative character. It doesn't reveal much but those who read the story are going to relate to the eye on the cover. 

Characters 

The book is primarily about Mr Felix. He is a successful play director. Think of him as a creative director who just wants to focus on his art and considers everything else vanity. Administration is not his area of interest and he hates board meetings. It only makes sense for him to hire someone else to do these for him so that he can focus of the plays. 

There comes the villain of the story. He will overthrow the creative idol and take over the company. 

These two characters are the prime elements of the story but there are plenty more who are going to be fun reading about. Watch out for Miranda. She is the best thing Mr Felix has created. 

Content 

There was a tempest of Shakespeare. A play within a play. And then there is a tempest retelling by Margaret Atwood. Both the stories are parallel to each other. A director is dethroned right when he is preparing for his next play, 'The Tempest'. Grieved by the professional and personal loss Felix exiles himself all along planning his own revenge. An opportunity for a same knocks at his door when he is teaching at a correctional facility, his students being non life threatening criminals. 

Then begins the preparation for 'The Tempest'. Felix is directing the play and there are some rules. Nobody is allowed to abuse unless it is in Shakespearean language. They work as a team but the director is a dictator. The play preparation part is quite hilarious. Atwood has played well with humor and characteristics of the prisoners. If someone does not know how plays are made, this is how they learn about the backstage drama. 

Everything goes on fine until the time for real revenge comes. It falls flat towards the end when the preparation for something grand does not justify the event. There is a glimpse of insanity too on the play but that is not harnessed well. 

This is no dystopian novel which will leave you biting your lips. It's a simple retelling of the play which may entice you but not fulfill the thirst for thrill. 

Language 

Margaret Atwood is a brilliant story teller. This is quite evident in the book. The Shakespearean references are aptly used. The narration is extraordinary. The interpretation of the master tempest is great. 

Good points 

The cover page is great. The book is on tempest, one of the best plays written by Shakespeare. That's a point for the book by itself. The characterization is brilliant. Readers will get to meet different kinds of people and spirits and what not. The content is quite interesting for most of the parts. 

Bad points 

The book does not quench the thirst of thrill for those who expect a grand revenge out of the tempest retelling. Also, because it is a retelling the story gets quite predictable. Miranda's character is not harnessed to its full potential. 

Overall 

It is an interesting retelling of 'The Tempest'. Worth a read. 

Whom do I recommend this to

This is for those who like to read retellings of classic tales. Those who enjoy Shakespeare are going to love this too. 

Quotable quotes 

Noble people don't do things for the money, they simply have money, and that's what allows they to be noble. They don't really have to think about it much; they sprout benevolent acts the way trees sprout leaves.

An ARC copy of the book was sent by the publisher. The opinion here are my own, completely uninfluenced.