Book Review- Vanara: The Legend of Baali, Sugreeva and Tara by Anand Neelakantan

About the Author: 

Anand Neelakantan is an Indian author who has published five mythological fiction books in English and one in Malyalam. His first book was Asura: the Tale of the Vanquished which was a bestseller. You can check out its review by clicking the link here. He has also signed with the producers of Bahubali to write a three-book series based on the prequel of Bahubali. The first book of the series, The Rise of Shivagami was released in 2017. Anand Neelkantan is famous for his way of writing and for retelling the famous mythological stories from the side of the defeated. He is an amazing writer and is one of my favourites.

You can check out his website by clicking the link here.

About the Book: 

Vanara by Anand Neelakantan was published on 9th November, 2018 and has been critically acclaimed ever since. It is the story of Baali, the Vanara king of Kishkinda who was killed by Lord Rama during his years in exile. It tells the story of the two brothers- Baali and Sugreeva and their common wife Tara. Anand Neelakantan is famous for writing a story from the side of the defeated and in the same way he has written this book from the side of Baali, by potraying him as a loving and a caring brother to Sugreeva, a kind husband, a great king and a powerful warrior. The story tells us that how Sugreeva who envied his brother Baali since childhood, conspired with Lord Rama to kill Baali. The story brings out the truth that nobody is perfect and the lives of all the species whether human or monkey, are filled with a number of flaws. The story brings out all the aspects of human life including power, love, enmity and discrimination on the basis of caste and creed. The book tells an unknown story of the monkey kingdom which will definitely be endearing for all the people who read this book.

Review: 

I am a person who loves reading Indian mythology and it’s definitely of my favourite genres to read. I’ve read three books by Anand Neelakantan and none of them have ever disappointed me. Vanara was also an amazing read which I absolutely loved. The way the book has been written is wonderful. The language is easy to understand and also beautiful in the way it has been used. The most beautiful part of the story was its character building. The way the three main characters of the story- Baali, Sugreeva and Tara have been portrayed and the way they have grown is something which was very real. The best thing about the book was how you feel for the characters while reading the story and you feel connected to them on so many levels. The way the important issue of discrimination has been taken up in the story is also something which made it an amazing read. I loved the story and I loved every bit of it. According to me, nobody can write mythological fiction in a better way than Anand Neelakantan. The book is interesting and always keeps you on your heels. It’s beautiful and is now definitely on my favourites list.

To read or not to read: 

If you are someone who is into reading mythology, do not forget to read this book. Also, if you are not into reading mythology then also read this book for the beautiful way in which it is written. It’s an amazing piece of writing which will never disappoint you.

You can buy the book from amazon by clicking the link here.

Rating: 5/5