A Hundred Little Flames

Set in the picturesque settings of Kerala, this is a very enjoyable book. It is Preeti Shenoy's maiden fiction, and is a perfect balance of her imagination and personal experiences as a child.

The book begins with a sharp twist of events, when the protagonist, Ayan loses his job for no fault of his. He is sent to visit his grandfather who had a fall recently, in a far flung village in Kerala, a village so small that it is not identifiable on Google Maps.

He arrives to his ancestral home where his grandfather Gopal Shanker stays, only to find that there is no internet connectivity even in the idyllic village.

The story progresses as Ayan gradually falls in love with the slow life, making local friends and his interactions with his grandfather. He is kept in dark by his father who stays in Bahrain about his wish to sell off Thekke Madom, their ancestral home- something old Gopal Shanker would never have allowed. Ayan's father, Jairaj tricks his father into a mental asylum to achieve this; but Ayan rises to the occasion and rescues his grandfather with the help of his friends and presence of mind.

This book discusses human relationships in a subtle way but the characterization is very strong. You would almost be able to see the story unfolding in your mind's eyes, it is so well written.

There are very few things that I didn't like, but that can be overlooked.

I will confidently give it 4 stars. 

Cabbing all the Way

If you have had the experience of commmuting to and from office in a cab shared by colleagues, or are currently doing so, you would be able to identify with the book right away. Don't worry if you have not had this "exposure" - it is a book that can be enjoyed, nevertheless.

The story revolves around few colleagues who have to travel a fair amount of distance to reach office, using various modes such as overcrowded public transport, autorickshaws, pooling on two wheelers, etc. Needless to say, the idea of a cab is welcomed by everyone as it seems to take care of the common challenge. However, things are easier said than done. 

After the initial hiccups, issues such as people not reaching their pickup points on time, girls requesting for doorstep pickups and drop offs, especially if it is raining, start cropping up.

Jatin Kuberkar, in his simple narration style, portrays each situation with care and brings out the straits in each character. From colleagues, they become friends who provide tips to each other in critical moments, and also develop special bonds.

Nothing remains the same, but coping with change is also important. The book ends with a positive note.

I would give this book 3 stars out of 5.

03:02 by Mainak Dhar

Have you ever given it a thought that how much we are dependent on electricity and technology? And ever considered a life without any of it?

On a fateful night, the world we are so comfortable in just came to a standstill at 03:02 AM. No power, no gadgets, no cars. Aaditya, the protagonist, along with many others, initially thinks it is a power cut of a larger scale and things would get back to normal soon. However, the reality sinks in soon. 

Aaditya rises to the occasion to help people think with a cool mind, and is joined by Kundu who helps to organize teams of people to different tasks, Nitish who rewires the generators to restore limited power supply, Mahadev who gets a few autos running in the same way, etc. Slowly as the gravity of the situation sinks in, neighbouring societies join together to face a common crisis. 

As the story unfolds, what seemed to be power failure transforms into a nuclear attack. Unfortunately no help from the government can reach... so civilians consisting of bankers, teachers, businessmen, students and domestic helps, and such common people join to form an army that has to face dangerous terrorists.

What I liked about the book is that unlike our expectations, things are not restored to normal. Yet, people find ways to keep going. 

03:02 is a gripping tale where people are inspired to find the light within themselves when there is darkness all around.