“Freedom is expensive. For women, the price is slightly higher.” Varunika Rajput.
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The Author-
Born and brought up in the charming picture-postcard Himalayan Lake town, Nainital, the author has had a childhood frolicking in the laps of minty Deodars and Pines. Inadvertently, as it may be, her sheer fondness for the land reflects in her stories.
With a degree in Agriculture, Varunika also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management. She bid adieu to corporate life early in her career and chose the field of education. She has worked closely with several educational institutions as a management faculty, communication, and life skills trainer.
As per Varunika, it is Motherhood that taught her the most. She enjoys her weekend in the company of a good book, her camaraderie with a pen, and the smell of freshly baked cakes in her oven.
In pursuit of her passion for writing, she has authored ‘The Road to Redemption,’ published in 2022. Co-authored ‘Perfect Surprise,’ an anthology published in 2021 by the literary platform WriteFluence.
As an ardent blogger, she frequently pens her thoughts on her site, ‘The Lotus Flower Diary.’ In addition, she is also a celebrated blogger on ‘Momspresso’, earning herself a special spot through her simple and soulful write-ups.
Varunika lives in Mumbai with her two gregarious girls and her husband, happily juggling the roles of a mother, wife, and writer.
The Book-
Title–Women & Their World‒ Tales of Love, Loss & Survival
Language–English
Genre Specifics–Fiction
Publication–Independent–Evincepub
Length–128 Pages (Paperback), 124 Pages Kindle Edition
Formats–Kindle Edition @ 120/-, Paperback @ 249/-, Hardcover 299/-
Style–Contemporary (Informal)
On My Table–.6 point six
1. The Title–Pivotal. Is a hands-on depiction of women at various phases of their lives with which the book deals.
2. The Book Cover–Thematic and aptly conceptualized, with a symbolic representation of ‘Women.’
3. The Storyline–Explores women and their myriad facets from all walks of life. How the fundamental freedom taken for granted by men is still an aspiration for women.
4. The Theme–However successful women may be, they are confronted by discrimination and inequality every day in every country. They face violence, abuse and unequal treatment at home, work and in their wider communities—denied opportunities to learn, earn and lead.
They have fewer resources, less power and less influence than men and can experience further inequality because of their class, ethnicity and age, as well as religious and other fundamentalism.
How different women respond differently to such situations outlines the concept of this book. The book attempts to interpret multifarious women in our lives with its fictional characters. The stories are a classic blend of feelings, emotions and, at times, sheer courage that the author has carved out in each character through her stories.
5. The Characters–Women protagonists under various names and frames are the central characters in the stories.
6. The Narration and Style–The author has told the story in the limited third-person POV. The contemporary informal style of the narrative does well. The language is polished, and lots of flowery sentences and phrases make it sound chic.
1. Whose read–The book can be enjoyed across age groups. However, anyone looking for a crisp new read with a blend of soul-searching narratives in the modern context must go for it.
2. What I liked–“To the women who raised me. To the ones I am raising.
&
To women everywhere, I owe you this.”
The lines, though, lifted from the ‘Dedication’ page caught my attention particularly. It cleverly sums up the thematic interpretation of the entire book.
And–The stories are very interestingly and thoughtfully chosen by the author and would undoubtedly hold a special place in the heart of the readers. There is something in each one of them for us to muse upon.
And also–A sign that I look out for in a good writer is to be able to grab readers’ attention in the first few lines itself. Varunika very efficiently continues to do so; cover to cover with whatever she tries to convey.
And then–Easy and light read, with relatable characters and a familiar setting.
Not as much–There is nothing left out in the book as it has some in-depth thinking and a fantastic assemblage of ‘female emotions.’ A well-balanced mix of dialogue and narration leaves no room for comment.
My appraisal–The review is based on the specific genre to match it evenly.
Narrated in the third-person POV. Written in a contemporary style with a hard-hitting feminist perspective. The book revolves around the female protagonists and deserves to be read by bibliophiles across genres and niches.
I hope that gives you a clear insight. I won’t hesitate to recommend it to my reader aficionados, and neither should you. Must grab your copy and check it out, folks.
End Note–Many man hours, hard work, emotions, love, care and above all, some deep thinking has been put into writing the book; kudos.
Thank you, Varunika, for giving us another author, writer and torch bearer. Keep up the excellent work. Cheers!!
The Score–On My Table–5/6, and the stars as per the industry format–4+/5
Drop in your comments on this review until the next. Good Luck!
Bobby George
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