MouthShut.com Would Like to Send You Push Notifications. Notification may includes alerts, activities & updates.

OTP Verification

Enter 4-digit code
For Business
MouthShut Logo
Upload Photo

MouthShut Score

81%
3.69 

Readability:

Story:

×
Supported file formats : jpg, png, and jpeg


Cancel

I feel this review is:

Fake
Genuine

To justify genuineness of your review kindly attach purchase proof
No File Selected

Ravanayana - simply not living to expectations!
Jan 23, 2014 03:10 PM 6624 Views

Readability:

Story:

I was recommended Asura by a friend(who had not read it) and he wanted me to give a review on it so that he could pick it up. I looked up for the book on Google and came to know it was the story of Ravana - his version.


I thought this would be an interesting read and did not check any further review before buying this book. I am around 75% through and already am feeling bored to even complete the book. I could spot many grammar errors and even text like "beer belly". Now, which mythological story can have someone muttering about "beer"(later in the story, the drink becomes toddy).


Now, firstly if it was the story of Ravana, you would expect the main character to stay somewhat close to the real Ravana that you have read about - but this goes on a totally different tangent.  Whether the story stuck to the original or not, no one would be worried if Ravana was not shown as someone meek, vulnerable, and indecisive.


The portrayal of Ravana is pathetic and shows him to be a man with a dream but with no concrete plan in many situations but in some places, he is shown as an extremely brilliant person. The character lacks consistency.


Many scenes in the story look like a page out of a masala potboiler - a common man entering the palace fooling all the guards, a revolutionary soldier having clandestine meetings in the palace with King's sister every day and making love, etc.


The character Bhadra is so loose(not the person but the way the character has been built) and he is your guy who survives 100 battles. The author seems to carry a strong anti-Brahmin philosophy and he has tried his best to forcibly insert that into the story. It sticks out like a sore thumb.


If Immortals of Meluha is the standard, this falls way below the standard(even below curse of the Nagas and oath of Vayuputras).


I would not recommend this book, even if you did not know Ramayana! If you knew Ramayana, you mostly will not read it fully even if you buy it.


image

Comment on this review

Read All Reviews

YOUR RATING ON

Asura Tale of the Vanquished - Anand Neelakantan
1
2
3
4
5
X