Veronica decides to die-Paulo Coelho(review by Princy John)

"Veronika decides to die" is an inspirational novel which has been meticulously written down by Paulo Coelho .This novel feeds the mind of an inquisitive reader with the realisation that every second of existence is a choice we all make between living and dying .
             The protagonist of the novel,Veronika decides to commit suicide ,though she possessed beauty,wealth,boy friends and all other leisures that a typical young lady crave for.  She thought of the myriad ways of committing  suicide and finally switched on to taking an overdose of sleeping pills,only to wake up some time later in a mental hospital named Villete.
               Dr Igor ,the in charge of the hospital convince Veronika that her heart is now irreparably damaged and she has only few days to live her life. Veronika ,who is now admitted in the hospital started cracking a friendship with the inmates of this hospital who doesn't at all seem mad. Zedka was among the first and her ideas about life aroused a spark of surprise in Veronika.Zedka  believes that anyone who  lives in their own world is mad. Like schizoprenics, psychopaths,maniacs.  People who are different from others seems mad.
            
              Veronika had given up many of her desires so that her parents would continue to love her as they had when she was a child,even though she knew that real love changes and grows with time and discovers new ways of expressing itself. She failed to decipher the meaning of her own life and lost interest to live.   But  the very idea that those were to be her last days made her think over the topic "is life worth to live". Moreover the encounter with friends like Zedka  and Eduard was moulding her bit by bit .Eduard  never spoke to anyone as he was acting as a schizophrenic in order to escape from the hardship of reality.

         Dr Igor, who was watching the whole drama in silence was happy about their eloping. Because it was his idea to cook up a story that Veronika 's heart was irreparably damage .Dr. Igor knew that both Veronika and Eduard are perfectly normal except for their lack of interest towards life and fear of taking challenges.

MAYYAZHIPPUZHAYUDE THEERANGALIL by M.Mukhundan (Book Review by Sajna NS)

MAYYAZHIPPUZHAYUDE THEERANGALIL
     

           "Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil" [ On The Banks Of Mayyazhi] is a Malayalam novel by M.Mukhundhan.It is a classic novel describes the political and social background of Mahe [Mayyazhi] the former French colony, in the past ,in a mystical way.It was a story of an age, a story of love,independence and rebellion. The writer charts the mythology and legends of this region,existing in the period between colonization and democracy


                Dasan is the central character in this novel.Dasan is a person who is influenced by a political ideology.He appeared as a strong communist worker.His whole endeavor was to send back the foreigners to their mother land France. In between dasan fall in love with the niece of his school master. Mukhundhan could portray some real lives through this novel.Mayyazhippuzha itself is treated as the character in this novel.the novel stressed on the life styles of each and every people resided over Mayyazhi. The writer defines them 'mayyazhiyude makkal'. The life of people in Mayyazhi during pre independence period is described in this novel.Many foreigners used to live in mayyazhi during those days. Mayyazhi people had a very close relationship between them.They both lived in a co-operative manner.But when Dasan and his ideologies attained its highest growth,he and his followers tried to vanish the French people from Mayyazhi. Thus the life of the people at Mayyazhi became rebellious. As a result, Dasan was forced to go through many difficulties.

                    The novel has  a plenty of heart throbbing characters.Kurambiyamma, Kunjakkan, Lesley sayipp, Kunjichirutha, Girija , Pappan,  Achu, writer, Kausuamma were some of them. The interesting fact is 'Velliyaamkallu' which is located in the lap f the ocean , where the souls of the departed who became dragonflies  and traversed the sea to that distant island of souls. The main sensitive fact for the readers was that Dasan was not able to marry Chandrika .After all it seems to be a tragic end. 

The American Champa Tree (Book Review By Sandra Roy)

 THE ARMENIAN CHAMPA TREE

"THE ARMENIAN CHAMPA TREE" is written by Mahasweta Devi, an Indian social activist and writer . She is belonging to a literary family. Her father was a well known poet and novelist.Her mother was also a writer and a social worker. 

          This is a sensitive and attractive story especially for young readers,for whom over the years Mahasweta Devi has written extensively.She used her considerable experience of verbal history and grass root realities to create stories  which educates future adults about an India very few of them would otherwise know of.

                          This is the story of a ten year old young Buno tribal boy named Mato. He is a pain to his mother. because he doesn't do any useful things that Buno boys are meant to do. And he spend all his time simply daydreaming.He is completely dedicated to his pet baby goat , Arjun. At that time their place was facing huge famine. Then their comes a saint . Actually he was not a real saint. since the people are very orthodox and superstitious,he tried to cheat them.He demanded that  Mato's goat should be sacrificed to the goddess Kali,to get rain .And he prescribes a date  for sacrificing .It should be done before the prescribed date otherwise they will be punished with flood. Hearing this Mato runs away with Arjun in a desperate bid to reach the refuge of the Armenian church. They  were followed by the whole village . Mato and his goat wrestle to fence the arrest and reach safety. The villagers didn't  get them.The prescribed date has already passed. No flood came and the villagers understood the saint was cheating them.

                      This is a short and simple story tat can be read in one hour.Te writer follows a simple language that can be easily understood. We will be definitely tempted to read Mahasweta's other books ,if we read her Champa Tree.This is such an interesting novella. Through this story Mahasweta Devi unmasks the system in which religion  utilizes superstition for its own needs.

The American Champa Tree by Mahasweta Devi (Book Review by Alina Celine Lancy

The story speaks of a group of primitive tribes leading  confined lives according to ancient beliefs and practices.Their main source of livelihood is farming and livestock.The whole tribal area was famine striken and the tribals suffered from severe poverty.Many of the tribals turn into dacoits inorder to fulfill their basic needs.The central characters in this story are Mato,a young and innocent Buno tribal boy and his goat named Arjun.Things remain quite normal until a wicked sanyasi predicts the commencing of a destructive flood in the region.The flood would be more like adding fuel to fire as the Buno tribal clan was doomed completely by the famines.The wicked sanyasi ensures that the place could be saved if Arjun would be sacrificed to Goddess Kali.Then the whole story shifts its focus onto how Mato saves his pet from being fed to the Kali.Inspite of being chased and threatened ,Mato escaped with Arjun to the other side of the river.He seeks for help from a priest who lived a beautiful place where sweet smelling and light yellow shaded champa flowers bloomed in all glory.The tribals fail to make sacrifice ,but no floods occur.The wicked sanyasi is beat severely and driven away from their land by the tribals.Mato and Arjun returns back to their village to lead a more happier and peaceful life.

As you like it-William shakespeare(Review by Rinol job)

As you like it is basically a cliché love story..well it's also a story of hatred between brothers.The story begins with Duke senior,in banishment living in a forest named Arden with his well-wishers,they engage themselves by hunting and gathering fruits.
His brother Duke Frederick was plagued by guilt and suspense especially towards his niece,Rosalind.She wasn't banished,because she was Celia's,only daughter of Frederick,childhood playmate.The story then paces forward when Rosalind accidently meets Orlando,the son of Frederick's arch rival.Later it depicts how Rosalind falls in love with him,and she too gets banished from the kingdom at the same time Orlando too had to flee from there in order to evade from getting himself murdered.Rosalind and Celia rents a house and live there disguised,in order to find her father and Orlando.Later when she meets him,she doubts his love for her,so decides to find out if he does now.The story then revolves around them while more characters drop-in in later,adding more colours to the story.
This story is one of Shakespeare's classics.I would recommend all fantasy-ardent readers to read this drama once,I guarantee

 a feel-good book..

Modieen Kanchanmala-P.T Muhammed Sadik,Review by S.R Gowri

Modieen was born in a  rich and powerful Muslim family  in Mukkom.
               His grand father ,father, mother, uncle etc.  were
highly respectable people. in the
society.  His father  was a great polictian   and respected  person in
Mukkom       .While
his mother was gentle person ,but a very brave woman. Modieen was  an average
student in studies . But he was  best foot ball player , singer ,
social  reformer, above all  he  was  humanitarian , and a great
personality .He was always kind  to poor and untouchables, children
.He believed and loved all religious, .He was very helpful person .
       More than anything he loved someonemost dearly. she was
kanchanmala.  Kanchanmala  was  also born in   in a richest family in
Mukkom.
She was  one of the  12 the daughter of her father and mother. Her
father was also
a polictian .Both fathers of kanchanmala andmoideen  were close
friends. Unlike Modieen .Kanchanamala was  one of the best student in
the school. Her father wanted  her to become a doctor. Kanchanmala
used to fight against social evils in the college .Kanchanmala met
moideen in a bus. Both fell love at
first sight. They exchanged  love letters .But after sometime  a
letter sent by modieen was caught  by kanchana' s uncle .Kanchan mala
was forced  to stop her studies and was
and put house arrest. Meanwhile  moideen was thrown out from his home
by his father  but their love and exchange of letters  did not stop
.They cointued write letters to  each other. They used many methods to
exchange letters . They even found a  separate  language to write
letters. They faced many difficulties,harassments. etc. But didn't
stop writing letters . Both of  of their families  were against  their
love  . But  Modieen 's mother , uncle . sister Amina  and his friends
Mukkom bhasi ,Appu and their workers' supported  love affairs between
Kanchanmala and  Modieen .Kanchanmala was kept under  house arrest for
24 years by her family. But exchange of their love letters continued
.After many years  both decided to leave the  place and go to Paris
and live together  .Modieen made all  arrangements' for their
elopement and collected  passports
That evening  on his return he travelled with many others in a boat  .
Suddenly  was heavy rain. the  boat capsized. Modieen saved many
people. But in  heavy  current in the
river he drowned. When Kanchanmala heard  tragic death of Modieen  she
tried to committed  suicide  .But Modieen's mother came toher rescue
she took her to moideen's house .Thereafter Modieen's mother   cared
and looked after her kanchana as daughter in law, moreover as her own
daughter

Looking For Alaska- Book Review by Navya K.S

Looking for Alaska is a beautiful novel written by John Green. The story revolves around Miles who leaves his place,that is,Florida to Culver Greek,Albama for his higher education.There he meets Colonel,his new roommate who later introduces him to a very beautiful and energetic girl,Alaska. Miles or Pudge as called by Colonel,discovers a new world with them and later Pudge falls in love with Alaska.The story takes a different turn when the very impulsive Alaska is no more and the rest of the story is how the roommates deal with the heavy loss while also trying to figure out what exactly caused her death.
                                     

  Personally,I loved the whole story as it explores the different elements of life, especially the teenage life.The story also talks about the tale of friendship and love in a very beautiful way.Basically it's a book worth reading.