The Third Eye - Novel by Mahtab Narsimhan
Last Updated on Wednesday, 04 November 2009 18:55 Written by Norm Tucker Wednesday, 12 August 2009 12:26
From the opening lines, Mahtab Narsimhan hooked me in her award winning novel, The Third Eye. And she didn't let up. This is a book written for young adults - and in my case, enjoyed by a 62-year old youngster. Readers who like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Narnia, or, just a good story, will enjoy this book.
The Third Eye opens with this prologue:
"Someone was following him. He was sure of it. Bare feet following in time to his steps and stopping just after he did. Late enough to be heard, soon enough not to give away their direction...
"Holding up the lantern, he peered intently for any sign of his pursuers. Darkness surged against the edges of the feeble light. He lowered the lantern and hurried for the village...."
Chapter 1 begins:
"A bright burst of stars lit the night sky, illuminating the upturned faces of the children gathered around the old banyan tree. The stars dissolved into smoke and it was dark again. Laughter rang out from the clearing where a dozen children of the village of Morni had gathered for the festival of lights. The smoke and smell of gunpowder hung in the air.
"A short distance away from the clearing, two silent forms sat huddled on the front step of their hut...."
And with these words, Tara and her younger brother, Suraj, start their adventure under increasingly difficult circumstances and ominous time constraints.
I found the book hard to put down and in the end I was struck at how well the story flowed and by the learning messages contained in this mystery adventure which is set in rural and poor India.
Read it and enjoy. You will also, along the way, learn something of Hindi traditions and mystical beliefs, and you may also relate this story to other stories of other cultures that reflect on universal themes and values (family, trust, community, growing up, belief systems). This is a multidimensional book - a gift to those who read it.
Ann Ketchason, a retired teacher and librarian, has written a favorable review at the University of Manitoba website.
The books' back cover gives us some personal information: "A native of Mumbai (Bombay), Mahtab Narsimhan has always been fascinated by Indian mythology. This comes together with the unique cultural and spiritual energies of her homeland in her exciting first novel, The Third Eye. Mahtab lives in Toronto with her husband, Rahul and her son Aftab."
To purchase the book click at Chapters.Indigo.
And there is a new book coming out next month.
Publisher: The Dundurn Group