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Book Review of Karna’s Alter Ego

by Enakshi Johri
(Bangalore, India)

Karna's Alter Ego

Author: Surendra Nath
Publisher: Dream House Publishers
Rating: 4/5

Summary
“Fate is inevitable. But it is our actions and the perception that pave our path for success.” Much has been read and talked about the mythological characters. Much has been hypothesized. There are beliefs and there are myths. But what if these beliefs help in materializing the character from mythology? Karna was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, yet he cherished his life. Probably he was the most admirable soul. He faced obstacles at every point of his life and always ended up burying the hatchet and striving to help others. Disowned by his own mother, failed in love, rejected by his Guru, Karna lived a life full of crests and troughs. “Karna’s alter ego” is about Vasu, who desires to be like Karna- strong willed, determined, focused and hardworking. The story begins 5000 years after Karna died. The protagonists idolizes Karna so much so that he hallucinates about him and is able to visualize him. The story is about the journey of Vasu and how Karna is there to support and guide him at every step.
This is a must read. Grab your copies soon!

My opinion
Personally, Karna is my favorite character from mythology. And the theme of this book caught my attention in a jiffy. The author has chosen
a subject that is seldom dealt with. Beginning with the cover, it is mesmerizing. The color scheme and the title is so catchy that judging the book by its cover you can only classify it as a mythological read. But wait, because something else is in store for you. The plot of the story is non-boring, relatable and nicely paced. The author has taken care to avoid long monologues and monotonous descriptions.
As said by our dearest Ruskin Bond, the genre of the book is still hanging question for me. There is mythology, there is fiction, there is mystery and there is spiritual aspect associated as well. The plus point of the book is the lucid and easy narration which captivates the reader’s attention. The only thing that was not palatable to me was the speech used for Karna. The inversion of words (figure of speech) would have been fine in some dialogs. But the usage in every dialog, befuddled me a little.

The character sketch of Vasu, as the alter ego of Karna, has been done beautifully and successfully. Not only does this book provide an insight into his life but also gives a sneak peek into the great Mahabharata.
Overall an entertaining read with all the essential elements of a good story!

Drawbacks
There are some printing errors in the book.

Buy this book at:
Amazon.in

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