Title: The Girl who Chose
Author: Devdutt Pattanaik
Publisher: Puffin
ISBN:
9780143334637
Genre: Mythology, children’s book
Pages: 112
Source: Flipkart Review Program
Rating: 4/5
INTRO
When it comes to mythology, Devdutt
Pattanaik is a well known face for his superlative work. Although I have
introduced with him two years back, through his fascinating book “Shikhandi” As
he seems interested into retelling of mythological figures but with a fresh
perspective of his own.
There are things going on, we generally
accept them without even questioning, here Devdutt Pattanaik does a tremendous
job by unfolding many truths into most comprehended manner.
This time he tried to narrate a
Ramayana in an easiest frame so that every kid of our generation would know a
bit about our roots and values. When I started this book I thought I am going
to read a Ramayana with beautiful illustrations and from the perspective of
Sita. But believe me, it is more than that, no matter what title says, it’s a
whole Ramayana written into a most sophisticated way.
And when I came to know, those illustrated
figures created by author himself, then I was left with awe, they are so
beautiful that don’t require even text to understand the next phase of the story.
I literally hope every kid who is interested into reading could make a
connection with it and more kids would take interest into this genre, after all
they were our real superheroes.
NARRATION
Simple narration of this book makes
it catchier, it doesn’t seem like we are reading an old story with clichés. The
way author tells the story, curiosity would never diminish a bit. His work
reveals much more than we expect. Displaying of characters into majestic form
that’s where readers hooked with book.
CORE
Basically story is about the five choices
Sita had made. And the book completes its journey with the pros and cons of
these choices. Most importantly author wants to convey the message through Sita
that — when rules do not help people, we have the choice to challenge and
change them.
When Ram decided to leave the Ayodhya
she told him clearly “You are bound by rules, Not I. I am free to choose."
And at the end of the book when she
was with her kids, love and kush when they raged about the decision of her
father lord Rama, she tried to make them understand “some people have the
freedom to choose. Others don’t and they have to follow the rules, the world is
full of all kind of people”
One more thing I got to know while
reading this book that, hanuman was strong enough of killing all the rakshasas
by himself that was Sita who wanted ram to liberate her from Ravana’s clutches and
hanuman just respected her choice.
In short it would be the best thing
you can convey to your kid making their lives healthier.
ABOUT
AUTHOR
Devdutt Pattanaik is the author of
over 25 books and over 500 articles on the relevance of mythology in modern
times. He worked in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries for 15 years
before devoting all his time to his passion for decoding beliefs of all
cultures, modern and ancient, located beneath the veneer of rationality.
Extremely knowledgeable and exceptionally insightful, Pattanaik also boasts of
the added skill of simplifying his mythological accounts into delightful reads
that engage young readers. He is the master storyteller of the very popular Fun
in Devlok series and Pashu