The World is Not Going to End...

Last post of this year about something very small but important…!

My pregnancy has been the toughest phase of my life. The physical pain was much more than I had anticipated. I used to wonder whether I would be able to cope up with the upcoming responsibilities or not! But I am thankful and grateful to God for showing me a completely new facet of life during this period.

We witness a number of mishaps around us. Negativity reaches our minds via electronic, print and social media. And in this hullabaloo, we often miss the positive moments life brings to us. I realized this when I actually started looking for it.

During my pregnancy, my Boss and colleagues were very co-operative towards me. Especially my Boss was not only helpful, but also very caring and played the role of a Professional Guardian, a Father Figure! The most positive change happened with my workplace customers who used to complain about almost each and everything. They suddenly became very nice towards me as soon as they came to know about my condition.

But I am not here to talk about the change which happened to my known ones. I wish to share an experience with a stranger, which left a great impression on me.

I remember, it was the third trimester of my pregnancy when I had to go on deputation. The destination was relatively far from my house and I was worried of getting sick on the way. Somehow, the cab driver, whom I had hired, read my mind. During the hour long journey, he maintained a smooth drive and asked a couple of times, “Madamji, aap thik ho na?”

When I reached the office, he offered to walk beside me to the main gate. I denied and he left saying, “Apna dhyaan rakhiyega.”

I know it is not that big an incident, but if you ponder over its positive facet, it is a great gesture of humanity.

We do not fail to share our negative experience. I decided to share a positive one. The world is not going to end. There are good people around us. We need to share as many good experiences as we can. This way, we can motivate people towards good deeds. It is one hundred thousand times better than spreading negativity. It is a very small episode and it might appear insignificant to you. But as they say, “Small things can cause bigger effects.” So is this incident to me…

The light of God always shines upon those people who are nice to others…!

[pic. courtesy : google]

Stupendous Start-Ups : Amit Mishra's Uniting Earth

Gone are the days when career options used to come with limited scope in traditional strata. Nowadays, the Young India loves to explore beyond boundaries and challenge their limits. They welcome the risks of new ventures, work out on the strategies and emerge as winners.

Amit Mishra, with his venture “Uniting Earth”, is the new face in this league. The idea of giving new spectrum to Journalism was the reason behind its conception. He along with his team defines new age Journalism in a very artistic way. Whole functioning of “Uniting Earth” itself displays their zeal towards their goal as the team mates haven’t even met in reality but their operations never face any miscommunications.

Team “Uniting Earth” comprises enthusiastic young bloods who hail from different locations of our country giving true meaning to their venture.

Amit Mishra is the chairman of “Uniting Earth”. He is an alumnus of St. Xavier’s School, Sahibganj. He is also the co-founder & Partner (Operations) of Financial Freedom (A Partnership Firm), which renders services on Financial Matters. With years of studies & experience in overall management at different levels he stepped in at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata for his Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication & Public Relations. While he had completed only half the course, he decided to launch his venture, i.e; Uniting Earth.

Prerna Daga is the co-founder & Chief Editor of Uniting Earth. Education carved out an engineer of her but passion fastened her with the wings to quit mundane hours and pilot her dreams to be an editor. She has volunteered with Feeding India, a social organization working to establish a hunger-free nation. She has a long list of writings which have been published at various platforms. She is alongside pursuing her Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication & Public Relations from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata.

Kriti Dhara is the Associate Editor of Uniting Earth. Having graduated from management stream and with a wish to fly higher, she chose the field of Journalism to fulfill her dreams. She has worked in the Public Relations Department of a famous daily Newspaper. She then got admitted in St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata to pursue in Mass Communication & Public Relations. She is also going to change the news reporting pattern that has been followed for years in the world.

Isha Sharma is the Editor & overall in-charge for Hindi section of Uniting Earth. She is a bilingual writer and is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) from Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad (Uttar Pardesh). She has a passion for writing and her articles are published on various Online & Offline media houses/publications. She has also been editor for different Organisations. In 2015, she was awarded “Aagman Yuva Pratibha Sammaan” by Aagman group in Greater Noida.

Adrija Shrivastav is handling the HR department of Uniting Earth. Although a novice in this area, she has the mental ability and tact in dealing with people intelligently and em-pathetically. Been an active social service volunteer since school days and also interned with IIM-C on a project to help reach out to the unprivileged children by providing free education. She has also interned with an advertising agency for a short period of time. Being a Xaverian for the past 18 years and counting, she takes pride in having a moral sense to discriminate between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, ‘just’ & ‘unjust’ and that’s where the quality of a true HR professional lies.

These beautiful young souls create a perfect harmony in operating their venture. They mostly communicate via phone calls and emails. For the comfort of operations for this Proprietary Firm which is registered under the “Udyog Adhar”, they have divided team in two groups. Isha, Kriti and Prerna are in the First group which supervises the Core Activity including Editing and Publishing. Adrija and Amit manage all other activities. Any disputes or difference of opinion is handled and settled mutually considering the opinion of the person’s expertise in the area.

Amit Mishra, the chairman of “Uniting Earth” agreed to share few words.

     Q - What is it in journalism that attracts you so much?

Amit - According to me, “It’s better to be unique than trying to be perfect”. Journalism gives this option. Unlike all other career development paths, Journalists can convey to the world in their own way, whatever they feel, think & analyse. These days Journalists act as perfect Opinion Leaders for the masses. Being hungry for knowledge, I will also get the privilege to information, people & places easily.

      Q - What in "Uniting Earth" makes it unique?

Amit - We wish we will be able to Unite the people on the Earth into one family, i.e; Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (वसुधैवकुटुम्बकम), as in Maha Upanishad. Uniting earth is a start up with young blood, college going students, who will write & report based on facts and at this age anyone gives the most in their workplace. These days, print & electronic media are being replaced by social/new media and we wish to work totally on them. We are virtually connected & from the very beginning we are getting writers from international locations. We wish to keep the writing open for everyone, from every location and on variant of topics starting from World Updates, National Updates, Political articles, Government (State & Central) Plans & Programmes, Business, Science & Technology, Social Affairs, Environment, Spirituality, Lifestyle, Health & Education, Food & Recipes and anything to everything you can imagine of. The writer’s content will be published only when the editorial team deems it to be fit.

      Q- Do you think it is easy to convert your hobby into job especially in India?

Amit -  Answering on personal level, I love any work in which I become responsible and I get an opportunity to act as a leader. So, my work is generally my hobby.

Answering on a mass level, yes if one wishes and gives his/her best during the college & initial days of job, hobby can be converted to job in India too. Love what you do, and it becomes easy going.

      Q- What challenges you are facing in your venture?

Amit - To be very honest, since we are open from anything to everything and still very new, major challenges are yet to come. However, the number of people in the team will increase, and that has to be managed efficiently, and hope it to be easy as the communication channel (via internet) has become so smooth these days. The biggest challenge, which we are considering is trying to reach our article to maximum number of readers.

     Q- Your message to our readers.

Amit - Uniting Earth – In Search of Truth, as the name suggest, we will always provide true & fair information. We also wish the world attains our Objective, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, i.e. the attributes of an individual who has attained the highest level of spiritual progress. We make the option available to the readers, to join our Family of Writers by getting in touch with the HR Manager (hr@unitingearth.com). We wish to keep our contents crisp, true & related to the headline of the article. Also wish, you remain tuned to our website, i.e. www.unitingearth.com.

Good Luck to Amit and his team for their venture!

Book Review : "Dawn at Dusk" by Gaurav Sharma

I had a firm belief that contemporary love-stories under the popular fiction genre, come in rigid frames. I thought that there couldn’t be anything beyond a hero, a heroine, a villainous or favourable plot and a happy or tragic ending. With the impact being more on the characters and their development, I believed that these love-stories are destined to have nothing more to offer in terms of script and story development.

And here, I gleefully wonder at this shattered belief of mine after reading “Dawn at Dusk” by Mr. Gaurav Sharma. Not only the characters, but the development of the story itself left me in awe. What more to say about the narration which gives rapturous feelings for those hungry readers who starve for the beauty of words. And as if the book in itself wasn’t charismatic enough, the writer’s profile mind-blowing. Yes, Mr. Sharma is a Mathematics teacher. This book, which is adorned with the beauty of literature, has come from a mind full of integers. Yes, the wizard of numbers creates magic with words.

I wonder how ecstatic it would be to have Mathematics lessons from a teacher who writes. Elaborating theorems and axioms couldn’t have been easier. Sir, if you were my Mathematics teacher, I would never have been that poor in Calculus and Algebra. 

About the Author

Besides everything, a formal introduction of the writer is necessary. After devoting more than twenty years in teaching mathematics, Mr. Gaurav Sharma turned to a long cherished dream of being a published author. Half the day, he plays with numbers and for the other half, he is a puppet in the hands of his stories. A diehard optimist, lively and a lover of life, he wants his stories to stir the consciences.

“Dawn at Dusk” is his third book after “Lova@AirForce” and “Rapescars”. Besides, he writes magnificent prose and poetry in Hindi. His Hindi works can be read at http://gauravkipotlise.blogspot.in/

Storyline and Plot-Structure

“Dawn at Dusk” has a straight and evolving storyline. After losing his parents and being ditched by his wife, Aaradhya’s emotionally disturbed soul finds solace in Sambhavi’s intellectual and balanced company. He wants to take the relationship to another level but Sambhavi wants him to prove himself first. Aradhya takes it as a challenge and embarks himself on a journey which not only changes his views about life but also unleashes his stronger self. The story may not be called unique but the treatment of the storyline and technique is flawless. It is not the curiosity of the fate of their relationship which keeps the readers glued to the book, but the introspective journey of Aradhya which enhances the beauty of reading.

“Dawn at Dusk” is an unusual romance. In spite of having all the general characteristics of a romance fiction, it cannot be termed normal. In a straight plot, it is the intricacy of the story development which appeals. After long time, I have across such beautiful story development. The plot structure is technically straight and well configured. Instead of scene breaks, Mr. Sharma has considered small chapters which is quite a positive change.

However, the book ends sooner than expected. Some more twists and thrills in the plot could make the book more interesting.

Narration and Dialogues

Now, here comes the best feature of the book. Mr. Sharma is, undoubtedly, incredible in terms of narration. I don’t know what words use to describe his narrative skills. Lucid, vivid, beautiful, marvelous, amazing… all words fall short to describe his prowess. His words do not create a book, but paint a picture on the canvas on reader’s mind. The proverb ‘A picture speaks a thousand words’ can prove to be wrong in his condition because his words can subside the finest elegance of a picture. The usage of Scottish and Latin origin words is a feast to literature hungry readers.

Dialogues are relative and just. They are not glossy but articulate enough to go with the story. The blend of narration and dialogues is perfect in the book. Mr. Sharma takes some references of Indian literature studies and uses dialogues to create beautiful scenes which mark the progress of the story and also the characters.

Characterization

Characterization is another feature which makes “Dawn at Dusk” remarkable in treatment. The protagonists Aradhya and Sambhavi complement each other. Aradhya plays the role of an emotionally unstable youth who falls in love with Sambhavi and rises in life. He discovers that true love never harms, instead adds meaning to life. Sambhavi is a mature woman with composed personality. She helps Aradhya in introspecting himself and discover his worthiness.

Mr. Sharma has been quite technical with his characters. In this book, he touches almost every aspect of life and stratum of society through his characters. Through the life story of Sambhavi he depicts the hostility of the society for women. Aradhya represents the enthusiastic youth of India who can do wonders under proper guidance. Meera is the jovial and bubbly girl who, with the deep understanding of life, learns to live it to the fullest. Meera could be a role model for those people for whom intellect and liveliness become simultaneous characteristics. Shekhar represents an ideal friend who stands with his friend in all ups and downs. Devyani represents evilism. All other characters such as Uma, Sudesh, Deda Baba, Ravinder etc. play significant roles in their respective frames.

Treatment of Love and Romance

“Dawn at Dusk” has the elements of an epic love story. The love-story of Aradhya and Sambhavi germinates and proliferates slowly. It takes its own time and grows within its circumference. Love fills Aradhya with internal energy. With the power of love, he breaks open the cocoon of his personality and emerges as a crusader. Mr. Sharma instills sensitive strings of emotions in the guitar of love and plays this melody of a novel a lovelorn heart longs to cherish. “Dawn at Dusk” such a soothing tale of romance that it can inculcate the belief of love even in most rigid heart. Even the passive love of Meera is as vibrant as the notes of Sitaar. “Dawn at Dusk” manifests all the virtues of love – devotion, care, nurture, value and respect.

“Dawn at Dusk” is the novel version of Jagjit Singh’s famous ghazal – ‘Na umr ki seema ho na janm ka ho bandhan…’

If you wish to know what love is, “Dawn at Dusk” by Mr. Gaurav Sharma is your perfect guide.

Book Review : "7 Days" by Stanish Gill

Horror is the least explored genre in Indian fiction. As far as I recall, I haven’t come across a horror book by any Indian author in last few years. In spite of having versatility in themes such as gore, slasher, pure ghost horror, demon, Indian folklore version of vampires and werewolves [Narkitaas and Bhakol respectively], Indian authors seem less interested in creating spine chilling tales of this genre. Indian Film Industry have already come up with a number of blockbuster horror movies. Now, Indian popular fiction sets to explore the dark fantasy world.

“7 Days” by Mr. Stanish Gill marks the beginning of this trend. This psychological horror has much more to offer than just the chilling effect of its cover blurb.

About the Author

Mr. Stanish Gill is a young writer associated with Film Writer Association as an Associate Writer. Apart from writing fictional novels, he also writes Hindi songs. Some of his works have been published in newspapers and on the Film Writer Association portal. He is an Educationist by profession and lives along with his wife and two sons in Mumbai.

Storyline and Plot-Structure

The storyline of “7 Days” is not that intricate. The story opens with a romantic essence and gradually moves towards the haunting elements. After few lovey – dovey meetings, Apurva and Suman decide to marry. They choose the jungles of Nainital for their honeymoon and there strikes the horror. How they cope up with it and how they overcome, is the story the readers would love to explore. The beauty of the story lies in its alliance with psychology.  The author makes his intention quite clear when the impact is laid more on the psychological element than the horror one. With this twist, “7 Days” becomes more of a psychological exploration than a plain horror. That is the beauty if you may call it.

Plot structure is very fine. It is simple with evenly divided chapters. The scene breaks make the book more enjoyable.  One particular mentionable thing is the scene-shifts have been highlighted. It is not indispensable but it certainly makes the story more graspable leaving no room for plot confusion. The technical aspect of plot structure is quite evident in the book.

Narration and Dialogues

“Dracula” by Abraham Stoker is my all time favourite horror. Deep within, the story is not intricate. There is a blood-thirsty vampire against whom few humans stand challenging him and his allies. Quite simple! But it is the intriguing narration and nail-biting thrill in every page which keeps the readers hooked till end. Narration is a very important element in every thriller-horror book. Thankfully, “7 Days” stands up to this requirement. The narration of Mr. Gill is lucid and vivid. The striking feature of his narration is keeping up the readers’ interest without any unnecessary description. Not even a single scene seems dragged. Everything is just. Mr. Gill has kept the script tight perhaps keeping in mind the racy contemporary readers. Today, people don’t like reading a book of 300+ pages. It becomes difficult for dedicated writers to wind everything up in rather lesser pages especially when the story demands wide spectrum. But Mr. Gill manages everything quite well. Narration has not been bombarded with the technical horror elements. That is actually a ‘cool’ feature of the book.

Dialogues are abundant in this book. I firmly believe that abundance of dialogues gives any book a cinematic feel of reading as if everything is happening just in front. “7 Days” stood true to this belief of mine. To be true, the nature of dialogues actually gave me a screenplay type of feeling. Given the author’s profile, the screenplay effect of the dialogues and narration seems so apt. It gives more of a movie feeling than a book.

Characterization

Mr. Gill hasn’t dwelt too deep in characterization in this book which itself has very few characters. Both the protagonists are simple human beings who have different approach towards life. Both approaches are very common in our society. Apurva, who is quite serious about life, represents a majority of men. And Suman, who is very lively, can mingle easily with middle class Indian women. Parents of both individuals represent the typical affluent class. Apurva’s friend Arijit is a gem of a person who stands with his friend in most terrible times. Though, Apurva and Suman have got the credits of being the protagonist in this book, I believe that Dr. Vincent becomes the actual heart-stealer. Again, his character is not that much intricate. But he manages to leave a mark behind, with his philosophies and beliefs. Dr. Vincent represents those people who learn the lessons of life very hard way. And then, there is this mysterious woman Sapna whose seemingly innocuous womanly dreams never cease to torment her soul.

As I said earlier, Mr. Gill has kept the characterization quite simple. But simplicity is the best beauty and “7 Days” stands true to it.

Treatment of Love and Romance

“What do women want?”

It is the common question which almost every man whines about. The irony is they never accept the answer that easily. Leave aside few ambitious ones, then what could women want more than care, love, respect, and a bit of romance in their life? But instead of trying to accept it, men chose to blame the women stating ‘they are never happy’. It is because men have a broader universe which includes their family, career, friends, hobbies and ambitions. Once everything is concluded, a little room is left for their life-partners. Sometimes, they go so low in their priority list that their quality ‘times’ never match. On the contrary, women’s lives revolve around their men. They plan their career, friends, outings and even interaction with their own parents as according to their ‘men’. It is about time, men need to understand that the woman; who left the people who brought her in this world, educated her, taught the meanings of life, the people she grew up and played with; and happily made an unknown person and his dreams and wishes the topmost priority of her life actually deserves abundance of love and care. Since the day, she tied knot with this unknown man, her previous relations got twisted and she may never look upon them as before. She cannot confide in them as earlier. And if in return, she wants his attention and his pampering, is it too much she asking for?

“7 Days” explores this desire of women. I find this treatment of love very unique in this book. Perhaps, the vast experience of Mr. Gill shaped his emotions and views and he poured them in the love sequences. It is one of the strongest reasons I would recommend this book to book-lovers.

If anybody asks for my opinion on what kind of book this is, I would simply say that “7 Days” is an exploration of Love through a woman’s soul…

Book Review: 'Turning Back Time' by Shravya Gunipudi

I guess the purpose of writing is to be read. In whatever genre the write-up [including novels] is, the sole purpose of writing is to be read. But when it comes to publishers, the purpose of publication becomes profit which is as genuine as it could ever be. When a businessman invests money in his products his expectation of profit is quite obvious. That is the reason the sale potential of a book decides its fate of publication. Worldwide, romance books sell more than any other genre [except fantasy fiction] and that is why they are the eye-candy of publishers.

Gargi Publishers is an exception. It is not the first time that I read a lot of books from the same publisher/author. But, the diversity I found is quite an experience. Such a gem from their publishing house “Turning Back Time” by Shravya Gunipudi is a unique kind of book. I haven’t read any such book till date. Writing such kind of book requires exceptional prowess. But publishing such type of book requires quintessential confidence and courage. Such hard-hitting books seldom appeal to people who do not wish to face reality. Investment in such book by a new age publishing house itself speaks of the caliber of the book. I congratulate the publisher for daring to change the course.

“Turning Back Time” marks the new era of books which complete both the aspects of writing – to be read and to be remembered.

About the Author

Shravya Gunipudi is a 23 years old and she has been writing since she was nine. She has won numerous prizes for her articles, short stories and poetry which include ‘Best Writer of the Year, 2013’ by yourstoryclub.com

A CA and CS by profession, Ms. Gunipudi wishes to explore her passion both in Finance and Writing. It is her dream to merge her creative side with her analytical one. Writing, she believes, is the best form of expression that calms the mind and frees the soul. Her favourite quote is ‘Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing about’.

Storyline and Plot Structure

The storyline of “Turning Back Time” is hard-hitting and close to reality. It is really wonderful that a 23 years old girl decides to write about the ignored facet of life. It is the story of Alia who struggles hard to make her ends meet. She juggles herself in two different jobs at a childcare centre and old age home in the mornings and evenings respectively. Financial trouble makes her bitter and hostile. Ms. Gunipudi beautifully implements her philosophy in Alia’s life via several incidents at her work places. In the old age home, Alia acquaints four seniors who share their life-story with her which changes her approach towards life. She learns to live life without regrets.

There is a parallel plot structure in the book. One of the sub-plots is the record of present while the other travels via reveries. These reveries come as diary, notes or normal conversation time to time. The second sub-plot is divided in four stories which belong to the four seniors respectively. So, we can say that there are four stories comprised in this book. I appreciate the way Ms. Gunipudi has configured the plot. She has overcome the biggest challenge of reality social fiction of keeping the readers engrossed in the story. The articulation inculcates the curiosity and keeps up the interest.

Narration and Dialogues

Dialogues are abundant in this book. I personally believe that dialogues keep the story alive. Psychologically, dialogues give the readers an impression of a cinematic view. The book does exactly the same.

Narration of ‘Turning Back Time’ is lucid and fluent. The sub-plots, prologue and epilogue have been written with a flowing rhythm. However, I felt that it could have been better. The writing prowess of Ms. Gunipudi doesn’t match her narration skills. She can do better. At several points in the book, the scenes shift rapidly leaving the readers in confusion. I suggest her to consider scene-breaks in the chapters. Her best is yet to come in narration.

Characterization

Ms. Gunipudi has taken real life characters. There are a lot of girls in our country like Alia who bear the responsibilities of the family and struggle to make the ends meet. The hardships of life make her bitter which is also just and true in several cases. The seniors Hema, Sita, Girish and Raman are like Banyan trees – aged with a number of branches falling around and every branch telling the story of an unseen facet of life and unraveling the chosen-to-be-ignored strata of society.

Among such characters, Mayank is like a soft breeze of fantasy flowing in this otherwise desert of reality. He is romantic, consistent and responsible. Just like a romantic hero. Well, a minute observation depicts Ms. Gunipudi’s explanation on the equation of life. As all of us know that life is a balanced equation, dearth is equated with abundance at certain points of life. Mayank and Alia denote that. The dearth of comfort in Alia’s life is equated by Mayank and Mayank finds true love in Alia.

There aren’t many characters in this book which makes the book more composed with its perspective. All other minor characters play their role significantly in their respective short frames.

Treatment of Love and Romance

In the main sub-plot, love is the prevalent theme. The love-story of Alia and Mayank proliferates with the flow of story. They discover each other’s feelings and views on social concerns. However, in the parallel sub-plot, love has been treated more brutally. The sub-plots take the readers to those times and strata of society where love is unknown and only carnal relations and lust prevail. Ms. Gunipudi has been brutally honest on this aspect. Well, it takes guts to be so honest with the emotion which sells the most in today’s scenario. I congratulate Ms. Gunipudi for that.

“Turning Back Time” is a reality fiction coming from a girl who chose to pen it down when other writers of her age decide to document their failed relationships. It is a reply to such critics who mourn over the lack of depth in new age writers. Such understanding, such articulation, such depth at such a tender age! I wonder what next is coming from her brain!

Book Review: 'DNA... Dad's Not Adopted' by Shikha Kaul

Let us admit that we Indians don’t have that much affinity for paperback thrillers. Love and Romance tops all the genres. Perhaps the oppressed feelings of young Indian souls find solace in their I-wish-it-happened-to-me type of romance fictions.

That has always been a bad sign for other genres including thrillers. It takes guts to be an upstream sailor. And Ms. Shikha Kaul has done that with her stupendous book “DNA… Dad’s Not Adopted”

About the Author

A graduate with Honours in Physics and a P.G. in HR, Ms. Shikha Kaul is a doting mother and wife. She loves books of all genres and writing gives her the peace of mind.

Ms. Kaul has been the winner of “Author of the Year” award by Salis Online Magazine for her debut novel ‘Hidden Husband’.

Storyline and Plot Structure

“DNA…” is basically an investigation and court-room drama. There is an allegation which unfortunately leads to the murder of the plaintiff. And a normal case of legal heir becomes a murder mystery. As the story goes, a Thai national claims to be the daughter of an Indian business tycoon. The man denies and a case is filed. The trial goes on and just when both the parties agree on a settlement, the girl is killed. Her murder leads to the unraveling of series of secrets being hidden for years which question the bond of family and friends. The storyline is riveting and almost every paragraph is connected to its successor leading the story from one stage to another.

The story is full of thrills as per the demand of the genre. A murder mystery in its true sense, almost every second page brings a new phase in the consequences and the turn of events leaves the readers dumbfounded. An insight in the high-profile life of affluent class and the mechanism of media and police is very interesting.

The entire story is divided in four sub-plots as in ‘The Murder’, ‘Thailand’, ‘The Past’ and ‘The Trial’ and the chapters has been allotted accordingly. The division of the plot makes it easier to grasp the story and connect the links. I appreciate Ms. Kaul’s effort in such a meticulous creation of the plot and such a proper configuration. It surely makes the reading more enjoyable.

Narration and Dialogues

Narration of ‘DNA…’ is lucid. It is emphatic and fluent. The shift of narration is diverse and unique simultaneously, which is itself quite an achievement and I congratulate Ms. Kaul for this. Monologues and soliloquies are part of the confessions during the investigations in the story and they often lay foundation for the scenes and dialogues. Half of the story moves in the form of confession and after that the main events follow.

As I stated earlier, there is uniqueness in the diversification of ‘DNA…’ and dialogues form a major part of it. The dialogues are witty, romantic, intricate and amusing. They are fluent and just. The dialogues provide an articulate insight of the lives of the people involved. Another prowess of Ms. Kaul certainly!

Characterization

The main point about any thriller is the power of the story. The story of a thriller is so much powerful in itself that it leaves little room for the development of any particular character. In a thriller, the story itself becomes the protagonist and shadows even the main character. Only exceptions are the spy novels, where the spy characters become equivalent with the story. In such a scenario, it really becomes tough to create and develop such characters which could be remembered once the book is finished. But hats off to Ms. Kaul who successfully created such characters which turn out to be equally prominent with the story! There are more than one central characters in this novel and Rishabh Shenoy is one of them. He is an Indian business tycoon who finds himself dragged into an unwanted legal whirlwind. He is sensitive yet smart and professional both in his personal and business life. After leading a life of a playboy in his youth, he obediently surrenders towards family goals. Nisa Yuen is a Thai national who is innocent and just. People with soft cord may easily develop affection for her. Ghazal is a journalist who alongwith CBI Officer Pranab embarks on the journey of unraveling the murder mystery of Nisa. Ghazal is very smart and commanding in her professional life but very sensitive and lovelorn in her personal life. Pranab plays the role of a commanding authority both in her professional and personal life.

One more thing, which is quite commendable in this murder mystery, is the frame of the characters. Pratibha Shenoy, Krittika Shenoy, Anusha Shenoy and Balbir are the minor characters BUT they play very important roles in this story. Even the character of Mr. Sadashiv Shenoy, who is already dead long ago, plays a pivotal role in the story. The way their roles have been interconnected and configured in the story, marvelous would be simply unjust to comment. Characterization is certainly strong point of Ms. Kaul’s writing.

Treatment of Love and Romance

In this outstanding thriller by Ms. Kaul, love plays a significant role. The love-life of the protagonist Rishabh Shenoy creates all the mysteries. Besides, there is a love story of a cop and a journalist which proliferates simultaneously with the mysteries. Now here comes the point where I beg to differ from Ms. Kaul. The love-story of Ghazal and Pranab germinates and grows like teenagers. There seems a lack of mature concerns. The lady seems confused at first. But later, when she finally discovers her true feelings, she behaves as ecstatic as a sixteen year old. The man, on the other hand, gets smitten by the beauty of the lady. Normally when you attain a certain age you become able to see beyond the outer beauty of any person. That is the age when the intelligence, maturity and inner grace attract more than a lovely face. This facet of love was very new for me. Perhaps, Ms. Kaul tried to do some experiments with love. And the interesting fact of this experiment is it can be both amusing and distasteful depending on the readers’ perspective. I can perceive that this facet of love could prove to be more interesting to a number of readers.

The Climax

It is the climax of any thriller which makes it memorable for any reader. The tension, unpredictability, the consequences and the concluding part are the ingredients which garnish the climax. The writing prowess of Ms. Kaul reaches its epitome in the climax of ‘DNA…’. It is as racy and unpredictable as it could be. I was literally biting my nails while reading the anti climax and when the mystery unfolded in climax, it was equally mind-boggling. I salute Ms. Kaul for such an amazing story and equally amazing climax.

‘DNA… Dad’s not adopted’ can be read and read once again. And it can be read one more time. And even if you read it so many times that you almost by-heart all the scenes and the dialogues, it can be read once again. So, if you love thrillers, ‘DNA…’ is your cup of tea. And even if you don’t love thrillers, ‘DNA…’ can make you go crazy about it.