Skip to main content

Amba - The Question of Red by Lakshmi Pamuntjak (Book reviews: 3.5/5)



Lakshmi Pamuntjak's refreshingly beautiful Amba - The Question of Red is the story of Amba and Bhishma, with the Communist insurgencies of Indonesia post-independence in the background. The protagonists, named after the Hindu epic Mahabharata characters, are inspired from the actual characters of the epic themselves, and so is their love-fate. Amidst violence, riots, and death threats, the blooming of Amba and Bhishma's profound love story, layer by layer, emotion post emotion, is paced yet believable.  

The Mahabharata is widely read in the South Asian countries, and several folk tales have thus been told over the years. One of these folk tales quite popular in the Java islands is the forbidden love story of Amba, the princess of Kashi, and Bhishma, the celibate son of King Shantanu and Goddess Ganga.

According to the Mahabharata, Bhisma abducted Amba and her two younger sisters, Ambika and Ambalika to wed them to his step-brother Vichitravirya. After learning that Amba was in love with King Salva of Saubala, Bhishma apologizes to her and respectfully drives her to her betrothed. Salva though, embarrassed of being unable to protect Amba, humiliates and rejects her. Dejected, Amba pleads Bhisma to marry her since no Kshatriya King would marry her now. But having taken the oath of celibacy, Bhishma rejects her proposal as well, leaving Amba with a burning desire for revenge.

It is a popular folk-tale in Indonesia that during the entire chaos, Bhishma and Amba fell in love with each other, and given their situation, their love story remained incomplete and full of pain.

Lakshmi Pamuntjak's Amba Kinanti, Bhishma Rashad, and Salwani Munir's lives face the similar fates as of their mythological namesakes. The author has brilliantly put forward their emotions in the time of the violent tumult going on in their country. The war between love and duty, the sacrifices that have to be made, and the betrayal along the way have been given quite an emotional touch by the author.

Why you should read Amba: Despite a lot of riots happening in the framework, the story doesn't lose its touch. It is heartbreakingly soothing at times. Character development is the USP of the book. It is an intense read undoubtedly, but the theme and execution by the budding Indonesian female author is quite promising. And the cover is so temptingly beautiful, the book will definitely add gleam to your bookshelf.

I give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Title: Amba - The Question of Red
Author: Lakshmi Pamuntjak
Genre: Romance, Historic fiction
Publisher: Speaking Tiger

Find the book: Amazon |  Goodreads | Flipkart

  





Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Perks of being a Solo Traveler: What my amazing Solo Trips taught me

Today marks the first anniversary of my first ever solo-trip. I had picked Agra, Uttar Pradesh for I was always mesmerized by the breathtakingly beautiful Taj Mahal. After somehow convincing my parents to allow me to travel alone, I landed up in Agra for a three-day trip.              It's fun, it's slightly overwhelming, even weird at times, but the experience of being on your own in a new town taught me a lot. Here are some perks that the adventure of solo travel brings along with it:   1. You make all the rules: Wanna go lakeside at 5 am? Or feeling like taking a nap in the afternoon? You can do whatever you like, whenever you like. Evening walks by the sea shore or enjoying breeze in the balcony, it's totally your call. Taj Mahal, Agra, UttarPradesh 2. Staying at amazing hostels: Backpacker hostels are far safer and cheaper than hotel rooms. Moreover, sharing your dorm room with travelers from different nationalities is an...
5 comments
Read more

This Quora Answer Is A Proof Of How Double Standard Our Mindset Is Towards Women

Like every other day, I was busy scrolling down Quora and paused at a question, the  top answer  of which sort of, pissed me off. I was aggravated with the tone of the answer, which is sadly the major reason for the huge response the answer is receiving.  Here's the screenshot of the question: And here's the answer I'm talking about: The answer is hidden in this anecdote I : I have a  friend, NIT graduate used to work for one of the largest steel makers in the world, and in due course of time he was engaged to his girlfriend.  Two years into the job he applied for and was accepted into the prestigious Indian Military Academy.  When he broke this news to his girlfriend she immediately put a choice to him "Either join the Army or marry me". My friend chose the Army, and thus the engagement was called off. Sad ending no? But wait, this happened next : My friend joined the IMA, passed out this year and currently is busy being a certified badass at 11...
1 comment
Read more

The Serpent's Revenge : Unusual Tales from the Mahabharata by Sudha Murty (Book Reviews: 4/5)

Sudha Murty's books have always been a delight to her readers, and The Serpent's Revenge: Unusual Tales from the Mahabharata is no exception. Fascinating, light, and smooth to read, this 200-page short- story collection comprises less-known folk tales from the epic Mahabharata. While some of them are popular in different parts of the country, some of the stories are a pleasant surprise to the readers. I have been a major fan of the Hindu epic Mahabharata since childhood and love reading every story and folk tale related to it. Dozens of titles have been released revolving around the lives of the main characters of the epic, most popularly of those including Draupadi (Princess of Panchal, wife of the five Pandavas), Karna (best friend of Duryodhana and son of Kunti and Lord Surya), and Arjuna (the mighty archer Pandav and Krishna's beloved.) Most of the stories in the book belong majorly to the above characters and some are quite unheard of. My personal favourit...
Post a Comment
Read more