From mythology-inspired tales to environmental fiction and trilogies, some inspiring reads from my hoard

Since the last two years, book giveaways and blog hops have been a delightful source of literary discoveries, introducing me to a diverse range of authors and stories. Cherry on the cake: I won some books. And here are book reviews of the winning novels written by women and with women as the main protagonist.

Exploring Feminist Mythology in Tara by Koral Dasgupta

As I am not a mythology lover, I was a little skeptical about this book. This is the fifth and last book of the ‘Sati’ series by Koral Dasgupta.

Tara was a surprise. It is one of the finest speculative fiction novels that I have read.

The narrative revolves around Tara, the widow of warrior monkey king, Bali. In the epic Ramayana, Bali is killed by Rama at the instigation of his twin brother Sugreeva. The story of the two monkey brothers and their clan is part of the ‘Kishkindha Kanda’.

For the uninitiated, Bali, the powerful king of Kishkindha, was renowned for his immense strength and invincibility in battle. The twin brothers had a fallout due to a misunderstanding. Bali believed Sugreeva betrayed him. He banished him from the kingdom, also taking Sugreeva’s wife, Ruma, as his own.

Sugreeva seeks refuge in Rishyamukha, where Bali cannot enter, cursed by a sage. He goes many times to seek his brother’s forgiveness, to no avail. Then he meets Rama and Lakshmana during their search for Sita. Sugreeva forms an alliance with Rama, promising to help locate Sita in exchange for Rama’s assistance in reclaiming his throne. Rama kills Bali in combat, allowing Sugreeva to regain his place as the king of Kishkindha.

Koral Dasgupta’s narrative takes us into the nameless forest where Tara lives, tracing her life, Bali’s entry and his death, the changes it brings and her undying love for the brave monkey king.

There are traces of Panchtantra, Jataka Tales and Hitopadesha, but those are wisdom tales with animals as protagonists. Tara is a widowed monkey. She loses the love of her life, yet has the maturity to see her world like a hermit, respecting the circle of life. She stands for all the women who question the rules, gain experience and make peace with life by becoming mature mentors.

Like a spider’s web, the narrative takes us deep into the heart of the forest. Tara’s uncle is Hanuman, the wonder monkey god, and her sister is Ruma, the medicine woman. Her parents can’t control her willfulness. They call her pishachani or the wicked one. She has an ear for gossip and secrets. Her endearing trait is the trade-off: a secret for a secret. She’s bold, vivacious, restless, naughty yet creative. She’s creating a script for the monkey world.

Dasgupta’s narrative is embroidered with the natural world, the thoughts and ways of the animal world. And this is a spellbinding world, laced with flora, fauna, dark forces, misplaced malice and anger, love and knowledge. The spooky element of Tara’s talks with Bali’s ghost are moments of love; their fragrant love corner, a secret sanctuary.

An effortless, pacy read, Dasgupta has spun a magical tale where the silent women from Ramayana gain importance. Through short interactions with Sita, Mandodari, Ahalya, Tara seeks answers to some hard-hitting questions. Why was Ahalya cursed? Why did Sita leave Ayodhya? Bali and Ravana, Mandodari’s husband and villain of the epic, were friends. Yet, the monkey army helps vanquish the villain to bring Sita home.

Bali, the powerful, compassionate warrior dies without malice. He doesn’t let Tara wander in vain either. His last wish being that she marries Sugreev to raise their son Angad as a crown prince.

Avoiding conflict, the end retains the epic’s sanctity and Rama’s divinity, which probably won’t appeal to a more rational reader. Overall, the book is a good read, inspiring for its creative spark.

This pre-loved book was gifted by Manali Manan Desai and Sukaina Majeed for my blog titled, Magical Lights. This entry won the second prize for the blog hop on festivities.

Love, Tigers, and Conservation in Tiger Season by Gargi Rawat

The cover says it all—Stripes, Safaris and Sparks. Gargi Rawat, an environment reporter with NDTV for over two decades, has been instrumental in running many environmental campaigns with the well-known news channel. With her expertise in environment reporting, it’s fitting that she begins the journey into fiction with the most famous and striking animal on the planet.

The book has a skillfully crafted plot, bringing alive the connection between man and wild. The narrative is a spicy mix of the typical Mills & Boon romance, along with insights into conservation practices, fears of indigenous people, tiger going rogue, the ways of the tiger and celebrity lifestyle.

The protagonist, Sunaina Joshi, is a journalist with a leading TV news channel. She covers boring city-centric verticals. One fine day, she gets a chance to unleash her passion for wildlife with a documentary on tiger conservation when the channel is commissioned to run a campaign on the subject. This campaign features a Bollywood star who is trying to resurrect his image and career following a drug scandal.

Sunaina befriends the actor, falls in love with the sexy and famous resort owner, and becomes the voice of the magnificent tiger and its forest guardians. She learns about the impact of the wild on the nearby villages.

It’s a cosy read for those tiresome days when you are looking for some oomph.

I won this book in a giveaway by bookstagrammer Nitisha, insta handle @our_readingjourney

A Journey of Scents and Self-Discovery in The Perfumist of Paris by Alka Joshi

This complex book is the third and last book of a trilogy. The plot revolves around Radha and her sister Lakshmi.

In this last book, Radha, is based in the city of love and scents, Paris. She is married to a Frenchman, Pierre, and has two lovely daughters. She is working for a master perfumer, a profession she loves. However, Pierre is the archaic husband who wants a housewife, even though it was a love marriage. His mother has never accepted the Indian wife.

Radha’s past is dark. She had to give up a son whom she bore when she was a child herself. Now, she is in-charge of making a new perfume and travels to India. Along with her sister, Lakshmi, she reaches the homes of the courtesans of Agra. They are the guardians of the secret formula for an enticing handmade perfume, which comes from fresh flowers. We know it as ittar or attar. This perfume making process is beautifully described.

The author has created a web that spins from home life to a dark secret and intercultural marriages and feminine energy that seeks to express its individuality. The bigger picture here is the representation of woman breaking out of her shell, accepting her needs and taking on a career that brings her joy. She transforms like a butterfly.

The book is a slow, complicated read. There are too many characters and situations. Like the intricate process of making perfumes, these situations reflect the trials of life.

The first two books of this trilogy, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Henna Artist, are touted as better reads. I do have them on my TBR list.

I won this book in a giveaway by All Good Scents, Harper Collins and Alka Joshi. Along with the book, I got two bottles of perfumes by All Good Scents.

This post is part of the Bookish League blog hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile.