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The Blue Moon Day by Santhosh Sivaraj (Book Reviews - 4/5)

 Santhosh Sivaraj's debut novel The Blue Moon Day is a collection of five short stories of an equal number of men who discover the most beautiful and simple truths of their lives during their journey of life. The novel throws light on the difficulties faced by the five humans of vivid ages and how they discover the joys of living.

The first story The Pizza Engineer belongs to an intelligent and desperately job-seeking  Abhinav, nicknamed Avi. The 29-year-old is looking for a high-paying job after completing his M.B.A and a Ph.D. during which he crosses path with Mr. Pillai. In the two days they spend together, Avi gets to learn the very basic facts of life in very simple ways, and at times the reader feels jealous why s/he doesn't get to spend time with Mr. Pillai. 

The second story The Messenger revolves around the life of a young and married man Deepak and his best friend Ajay. This story reflects the everyday problems of an MNC employee who is having troubles at home as well. The details of the quarrels and emotions of the story characters are presented beautifully and personally touch the reader's heart too. The Messenger is a moving blend of a young married man fighting the emotional pressures of  family and work and leaves the reader stunned.

The third story Not Today is the story of Vivian John, a workaholic family man who believes in spending more time at his office than with his wife Jenny and son, Danny. The family of three goes on a vacation which turns out to be a life-changing memory for them. The story focuses on how we humans realize the value of something we love only after we lose it. This is a precious story everyone in their 20s and 30s is advised to read.

Here's a precious quote on page 137:






The fourth story The Storyteller is my personal favorite. This story focuses on how a little positivity in attitude can bring an 180-degree turn in one's life. Two old men, Sankaran and Anustup have their paths crossed and that's when their life starts to change. The Storyteller gives the message that there is always a reason to celebrate life and it's never bad enough to give up. You never know how small efforts can transform your upcoming years completely.


The last story The Heaven is a heart-wrenching story of a teenage tennis player Prabha. The teen who has a lot of dreams for his family discovers a heartbreaking truth and that's when he leaves for an unexpected journey of his course of life. The author has described the war and medical camp incidents explicitly and takes the reader between Prabha, Isai, and Dr. Ezhil.


This beautiful 244-page book takes the reader on a spiritual ride with giving wonderful pieces of advice with every story, and the end is a treat to the readers from the author. It will force you to rethink about your lifestyle and behavior with your loved ones. 

A piece of advice from the author (and now the reader in me too): Just as writing fast is a talent, Reading slowly is also a virtue. I would recommend that you read this book slowly, to gain the most from the experience.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Book details:  

Title: The Blue Moon Day
Author: Santhosh Sivaraj
Category: Fiction - Motivational/Self-help 
Publication: Notion Press 

Find the book: Amazon | Goodreads | Kindle 

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