My review
Emotions —isn’t that what binds us to each other, and that is what Sudarshan Mahabal’s book is rich in. The story does say that it is about a man, Anant, from a small town in India making it big in the Silicon Valley of California, then leaving it all to come back to India. But the real story which runs like a gentle stream, tinkling and splashing its way over the rocks is the emotions that the author has weaved into the plot. The scenes start subtly but end in an explosive bang, that squeezes the heart of its emotions which the eyes can’t help but reveal.
I read this in a post-— People are very open minded about new things as long as they are exactly like the old ones. But there are those unexpected exemplary shining gems of people who delightedly prove the above statement wrong. One such person is Ajji, a character from this book. She is an inspiration; her character is written with so much strength that it brought tears to my eyes. I read this book Women’s Day, and I was delighted to meet her. A woman living through the 1940s so open to accept the new ideas of the generation next, making those bold strides where few dared to even step through.
The second thing that impacted me while reading is the journey which the main character Anant takes with his best friend, Chris through India to Nepal to see Mount Everest. India has its own set of problems, but the underlying richness of its culture and the goodness in the hearts of the people is what the author Sudarshan has brought forth as a gentle reminder to all of us.
Every book demands that there should be a beginning, the main part, and the ending and so does this book. But what cuts through the prose like an arrow to the heart is the raw talent to interweave the story with scenes that take your breath away, scenes where the emotions play like a harp to the unknown melody, scenes which take us back to the past memories of our life, scenes which remind us of what is really important at the end of the day – loved ones.
The niggles, though minor, distracted me a bit. Certain chapters written in third person when the entire book is in first person read off to me, also I found the ending rushed. But these did not detract me from reading the book in a day.
A journey known as life, which the two main characters Anant and Sameera travel on, where people come aboard Chris, Amy, Madhura, and some leave, but most travel together, finding a common thread to bind themselves, to find the beauty even in the trials of life. The trick to living a good life is living a life together, an enriching and beautiful life, filled with laughter, smiles, innocence, hardships, decisions, goodbyes, and above all the love which binds us all together. Love does trump all!!
My rating : 4 stars
About the Author
Sudarshan is a Data Scientist in one of the large Silicon Valley companies by day, and a writer by night. He is a Production Engineer from VJTI Mumbai, MBA from California State University, Stanford Certified in Strategy and a research scholar working on his PhD in predictive analytics from SIU. He is also a visiting professor of statistics and data mining at different MBA institutions. He splits his life between Silicon Valley, USA and Pune, India with his wife, their two sons and a golden retriever dog named Steffy who is the furry love of his life. ‘Love Trumps All!’ is his first novel.
Contact details
Book blurb
Love Trumps All!’ is a work of fiction that takes the reader, along with its protagonists, on a journey that waves of Indian immigrants have made to the US and back, and many American businessmen have made to India in search of cheap labor since the Y2K phenomenon. It is an illuminating interwoven story of five unlikely friends in a global setting across Silicon Valley, Manhattan, Mumbai, Pune, Khamgaon (representative of small-town India full of youth with stars-and-stripes in their eyes!), Hyderabad and Nepal, as they explore their liberal progressive identities in a world powered by immigration and divided by nationality, religion, and politics
Product Details
Publication date : 12th December, 2017
Publisher : LeadStart Publishing Pvt. Ltd.
Language : English
Available on
A journey of love and life
21 Responses
Well well after a long time I see a poetic review by shalini for love trumps all. Nice review but when it comes to the book I liked somebody’s daughter. Anyway good to see you back in WordPress. Keep reviewing.
Hey Vijay, I write reviews when I am able to sit up. Rest of the time it’s reading or sleeping.
Yeah take rest and review only when you can.
Yes I am doing that. This time I want to be fully alright before I start my routine work
You will be fine may be you will take some time to cope up.
Yes I know. Don’t want to hurry up this time. So I am going slow and resting most of the time.
Good
Shalini I wanted to suggest you book for which I had recently red an review by a fellow blogger. The book name is THE DEFECTIVE. The book deals about disabilities of super heroes. I thought you might like it. The authors name is
Burgandi rakosaka is the name of the author.
Ok will check it out
Njoy, get well soon
Vijay the price is 450 rs on amazon, not in my book budget, as this month too many medicines etc.
OK no problem, leave it shalini. You might have lot of books to read. Go with them.
Hahaha yes that I have. I have put this book on the wish list. Maybe one day price may come down
i really dont know that the book was so costly.
Even I am shocked. Ebook is so expensive. Some of the authors I like, their books cost 700+ rs so I put them on wish list, wait for a few years, when price comes down, then I buy.
Cool, someday even I will make a wish list for sure.
Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region! and commented:
Another blog with amazing reviews. Please visit, like and come back to us. Thank you!!!
Thank you so much for all your reblog. Your efforts are so appreciated
Thank you for all the great reviews, Shalini! Sorry for the late re-visit. I hope you stay well, and you do not have to much stress Michael
Hey Michael, I have just got up from flu and strep throat, so the past one month has been difficult.
Thank you for all the reblogs