Saturday 16 January 2016

Ramayana, Stolen Hope, Book 3 by Shubha Vilas: a review


The more I write about the Ramayana series by Shubha Vilas, the lesser it seems. Here, I am talking about the Book 3 of Ramayana – The Game of Life series which is aptly named- Stolen Hope. Similar to the earlier books, this book also has a very eye catching cover done in very bright colors that attracts attention from its first glance. It surely ups the reason as to why a reader should buy the book. The blurb of the book acts as the second most attractive reason.


According to the back cover of the book – In the evil labyrinths of Dandakaranaya forest, human values are put to test. Rama’s righteousness, Lakshmana’s loyalty and Sita’s endurance reflect our own sense of values and judgment in difficult times. The story unfolds the facets of human life- the conflict and the trickery, the praise and the slander and, above all, the hope and the despair in the eventful forest life of the Exiled Royals. Stolen Hope is about extreme deception and extreme love. It is about arrogant power and deep devotion. With every twist and turn, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana find themselves robbed of whatever and whoever they value most. Exploring the dynamics of human relations- between father and son, husband and wife, teacher and disciple- and the complex game of power and greed, Stolen Hope mirrors our own dilemmas in the modern world and teaches us how we must overcome them.


One of the very eye catching things in the book that is there is the way the author has written down the story of Book 1 and Book 2 before starting Book 3 which makes it easier to read for the readers who haven’t read the other books and have directly jumped to this book. The chapter division and the way of writing are such that it shows the way the author has researched and have loved the topic he is writing on.


The writer, Shubha Vilas is a spiritual seeker and motivational speaker and the depth of his wisdom speaks through his words in the book. The way he has presented the book can leave any reader enlightened at the end of it. The series is not for the readers who want a casual read. It is for the readers who want to read with a moral, for the readers who want to read something that has meaning.
I would again repeat my very own words where I had written that Indian traditions and stories should be recited in this very way so that it catches the attention of the children of the time. 


Yes, it is a self-help book and the book is not boring as the usual self help books are. This is a very interesting retelling of the Ramayana that can bring goose bumps in the readers. The way the characters have been told and their life story gives a very fresh much needed change in the story. Yes, the story in itself is age old and everyone is acquainted with the instances but the way it has been written in this series is very beautiful.


The name of the book has been very rightly kept- The game of life. We all have heard the Ramayana once in our lifetime from our parents or grandparents and we know that this is the way our life is in reality. Through this book, the author has tried his best to gather instances from the Ramayana and show the world what is meaning and importance of the incident and how can it affect us in real life.


 I also love the way small notes have been written at the end of the pages marking instances and explaining to the readers the importance. When it comes to the flaws of the book, there aren’t any. The author has maintained his style and written this book in a wonderful way. Eagerly waiting for the next book of the series, I would like to rate this book a 5 on 5 and also would love to recommend this book to everyone.


 PS- This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

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