The Sorcery Of The Senses – Tanima Das – Book Review

The Sorcery Of The Senses – Tanima Das – Book Review

Title: The Sorcery of The Senses

Author: Tanima Das

Price: Rs 289

Format: Paperback

No of Pages: 220

Publisher: ArtoonsInn Room9 Publications

Link For Purchase: The Sorcery of The Senses

Pros:

This book belongs to the fantasy/sci-fi genre and is based on the premise that the universe began with the creation of the senses. The protagonist Dhruv goes through several reincarnations linked to each other via mystical philosophical ideas. The author weaves a beautiful and imaginative story using a basic structure. One can see that she is gifted with a powerful imagination. I do not want to delve too deeply into the story for fear of revealing it to those who have not yet read the book.

The first thing that I look for in a book is the flow and the ability of the author to keep the reader engrossed and turning the pages. I found that this quality is present in the book in ample measure. Though there are a few places where the pace does slacken, overall, the author manages to keep the reader interested throughout. Two of Dhruv’s previous births are described. One is in the form of a village girl by the name Ghriz and another is in the form of a blind girl by the name of Mong. Both are narrated in the form of very interesting stories.

I liked certain ideas a lot, like for example, Dhruv looks through a hole in a crown and finds himself at the center of the universe speaking to the senses. He actually lives through his previous births. Being at the center of the universe and listening to someone is a quaint and beautiful idea and sends the reader’s own imagination into a topspin. I liked the conversations between Dhruv and Dristi, the sense of sight and Sparsha, the sense of touch, as these are sprinkled with several wisecracks from Dhruv.

Other things I really loved were the descriptions provided by the author when Mong cures diseases. These are the small pieces of writing that reveal the author’s rich and fertile imagination. At the end of the book, the author throws a surprise, and I am quite sure there is going to be a sequel to this book. The ending leaves Dhruv the protagonist with a purpose and an aim in life. The author is an extremely good storyteller; this is her debut novel. It is definitely an excellent start.

Cons:

In certain places, I found that the writing was slightly confusing, and I had to re-read a paragraph or two in order to not miss out on anything. The writing in these areas could have been slightly more cogent. But these areas are few and far between. This might sound like nit-picking, but I am saying it because it happens to be rather important.

Conclusion:

A big Yay! This is an excellent read, and I would certainly recommend it to lovers of fantasy/sci-fi.

Rating:

I am going with a 4.5/5 for Tanima Das’ debut novel The Sorcery of the Senses. It is a very good effort for a beginner, and I am looking forward to reading the sequel which I am more or less sure is in the offing.

Rating Scale:

         1  Poor

         2  Fair

         3  Good

         4  Excellent

         5  Outstanding

This book review is powered by the Blogchatter Book Review Program.

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