Deval

A couple of stories are good but otherwise nothing special.

The characters, the journey, the saga, the struggles and triumphs, what a mesmerising ride this book is! The sort of book that gives you a hangover, one that's absolutely hard to get over...

A wonderful story of Kya's journey from a bubbly 6 year old to the myth of being the marsh girl. If anyone wants to understand why a person would choose solitude over people, Kya's story explains it all. Poignant, yet powerful, Kya will stay with me forever. A brilliant combination of prose and poetry makes this a wonderful, cherished read.

P.S. With this book, I completed my reading challenge for the year. Couldn't have asked for a better book to bid adieu.

I don't understand the point of this book. I think the author started writing and then forgot to stop. And when he came out of his trance, he just published it. There are so many loose ends that it's extremely irritating, especially after reading mammoth 1400+ pages.

What a beautiful book about friendship and everything that matters. Completed this gem in one sitting. Just couldn't let go of Jess and Leslie.

The Lost Faith by Piyush Semwal

A fast-paced thriller in which two friends embark upon a thrilling trek and land up amidst back-to-back adventures. A plethora of amusing characters make the story enjoyable. A mix of mythology and facts keep the pages turning. It reminded me of the folk tales that I used to read as a child. Easily finish-able in one-sitting, made a nice weekend read.

A story about a powerful dysfunctional family in which the patriarch dies mysteriously followed by a an action-packed journey of the prodigal grandson to uncover the truth. What I really liked about the book was mainly the narratives of the setup, the places, and the situations. The book is faced-paced and I completed it in 2 marathon reading sessions.

Most of the characters are fairly stagnant and do not develop by the end of the story. The protagonist is the only character that undergoes significant change but without much ups and downs. I like the way story is written till the climax but after that I found the climax predictable and disappointing. The story could have definitely been a little longer and maybe that would have given the author the liberty to add more thrilling plot twists.

Spoilers

– I would have loved to know more about Aryaman and Aryan's bond. The anecdotes don't really help me understand their unbreakable bond mentioned throughout the story but not shared with the readers.

– Loved Zara and Aryan's sibling bond.

– I have no idea what Mandira was doing in the story nor Shreya. They were given characters but no storyline. Would have been good they could have played a bigger part.

Nonetheless, a power-packed narrative somewhat makes up for the other missing elements.

Worthy end to an amazing trilogy

I mostly never read a non fiction book unless & until someone strongly recommends it. I picked up the book Timepass just for the heck of it.I knew Protima Bedi only as Kabir Bedi's ex wife & Pooja Bedi's mother. After reading the book (completed in 1 day of marathon reading) I was bowled over... Protima Bedi was a free spirit... that the only identity I would want to remember her for...

One of the best book I have read. I loved it so much that I lied to my librarian that I lost it & ended up paying the entire cost of the book which was not in a great condition... But I don't regret it. This book is a treasure...