Books N Unicorns

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...

Preeti Shenoy's latest release is based in the small tourist town of Joshimath in the foothills of the Himalayas. The progatonist, Veda, a 20-year-old English Arts student has been raised in a house with a strict father, a meek mother and four siblings, Veda being the eldest of all. The story revolves around the dramatic lifestyle changes happening time to time in Veda's life once she moves to Pune post an expeditious wedding to live with her in-laws.   Veda has been an obedient, dutiful child of her parents quite in contrast to her immediately younger sister Vidya, the rebel of the house. Her parents were never interested in getting the women of the house educated and believed in preparing them for marriage as soon as the first proposal came towards their way. Shenoy's lead character gets married to an eight-year-older Bhuwan working in a multinational company. The plot moves forward with Veda's mother-in-law's torturous behaviour towards her, accompanied...

Rohan Monteiro's debut book is another young member of the 'Cool Non-fiction books Club' of recent times. Just like the title 'Keep Calm & Go Crazy: A Guide to Finding Your Inner Hero', every page offers something pretty catchy to the reader. The author's memoir on lifestyle differences while dating, post marriage and during and post childbirth is both fun and uplifting. Every chapter makes you feel happy since his lessons mentioned at the end of every chapter don't sound forced or too-philosophical-to-be-true type. After reading most of them, the reader feels like, 'Damn, this is so right! I must start following this immediately!' A few lessons from the book are as follows: The only way you can figure out what it is you are best cut out for is to experience it. Don't close yourself to the possibility that you might like something even if you don't know much about it. Cultivate friendship and relationships with people you can sh...

Anita Nair's third book and a global hit, Ladies Coupé is the story of Akhilandeshwari, a mercy-appointed Income Tax clerk travelling to Kanyakumari in an overnight journey train. The 45-year-old Akhila has been the unmarried sole bread earner of her family post her father's death. She meets five other women sharing the coupé on the journey, each with a vivid story reflecting the struggles and chaos in their respective lives. Anita Nair's lead character has been on an emotional roller coaster throughout her life with the singular question mark hanging on her mind , 'Is a woman incomplete without the presence of a marriage, a husband, a family she creates? Is life monotonously sad for a single woman?' Akhila's character goes through the casual patriarchy absorbed deeply in the South Indian society and her family's immense selfish attitude towards her. She is expected to be the 'perfect Brahmin head' in her house; take permission from her younger b...

The second book of the phenomenal high fiction series 'A Song of Ice and Fire', A Clash of Kings carries the legacy of George R.R. Martin's breathtaking writings. The second part of the seven books (five volumes in all) continues with the rising of the kings, beginning of the battle, and the tragic splitting of the Stark family. The story follows the beheading of Ned Stark by Ser Ilyn Payne on the orders of the boy king Joffrey Baratheon, and the different consequences falling on his respective children. Whilst Robb Stark has called upon the banners of the North to rebel against the Lannisters and claim the Iron Throne, Daenerys Targaryen, the mother of dragons, is traveling from city to city in hopes of raising an army to become the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. The second part of the high fantasy showcases the rising of the five kings in Westeros and surrounding nations, namely: Robb Stark, eldest son of Ned Stark and heir to Winterfell: King in the North Stannis B...

  The first book of the brilliant fiction series 'A Song of Ice and Fire', A Game of Thrones happens to be a majestic, jaw-dropping writing of George R.R. Martin. The first part of the seven books, five volumes in total, covers the introduction of the ruling Houses of Westeros, the land where the 'game' comes into play. The story begins with the slight hint of the Whitewalkers, commonly known as the Others, along with the Wildlings north of the Wall. Martin has managed to keep the description pretty vivid, and the reader can actually feel like witnessing every event of the fiction. The characters haven't been completely touched, and that's what creates a layer on their respective personalities. Martin has slid the history of most of the characters very smoothly in the book, without looking for a particular climax. This work of fiction seconds the fact that books definitely are better than their TV and movie adaptations. For sure HBO and the 'Game of...

Since the release of the trailer, every single person has been waiting for Dangal to hit the cinema screens, and the wait had indeed been worth for. Despite all the opposition for Aamir Khan for his 'intolerance' comments, the charm of the movie has been powerful enough to hush down the noises, all at once. The movie begins with a quick pace, portraying Mahavir Singh Phogat's desire for a wrestler son, fathering four daughters, and preparing them to be world-class wrestlers.  Characters Geeta and Babita Kumari Phogat have been peerlessly played by both the child actresses, Zaira Wasim and Suhani Bhatnagar, and Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra as adult sisters, respectively. The casting team has done an admirable job; Girish Kulkarni playing the national coach, Sammar as the sisters' close cousin, Sakshi Tanwar as Daya Shobha Kaur, all bring the characters to life with their flawless acting. Coming to Aamir Khan's performance, the PL actor proves that he a...