May 132021

Queen of Fire by the brilliant historian Devika Rangachari is the third in the ‘Queens’ series and unfolds the tale of the feisty, bold Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. I was intrigued when I got it as unlike the other two queens Dida of Kashmir and Prithvi Mahadevi, who were lost in the pages of history, Rani of Jhansi was a rather well known queen. I wondered what else could I discover about her…

Apr 182021

Abbakka is your typical warrior princess in training, a skilled archer, fierce, courageous, witty and embodies an easily likeable character as the protagonist. A girl thirsty for any sort of adventure as she sets out into dangerous missions to track down spies in her seas. She accompanies her mother whom she has a strong bond with in stopping the firangis (Portuguese) from capturing their precious pepper crop.

Apr 172021

Satyajit Ray in 100 Anecdotes is a delightful collector’s item, both for children and adults. It demystifies this genius through anecdotes, some little known secrets and some well known ones, which are already in the public realm. It’s an easy, memorable read. You really don’t need to worry which page you are on, as each page is a story in itself.