Aru Shah and the End of Time

Pandava #1

by Roshani Chokshi

'Has everything I humour, action, great characters and awesome mythology!' Rick Riordan, bestselling author of Percy Jackson 'A new star is born.' Eoin Colfer, bestselling author of Artemis Fowl Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. Whilst her classmates are jetting off to exotic locales, she'll be at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture where her mother works. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty, traveling to Paris, and having a chauffeur When Aru's schoolmates dare her to prove that the museum's Lamp of Bharata is cursed, she doesn't think there's any harm in lighting it. Little does Aru know that lighting the lamp has dire consequences. She unwittingly frees the Sleeper, an ancient demon whose duty it is to awaken the God of Destruction. Her classmates and beloved mother are frozen in time, and, accompanied by a wise-cracking pigeon and her long-lost half-sister, it's up to Aru to save them.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mythology, Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Audiobook

355 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2018

About the author

Roshani Chokshi is the award-winning author of the New York Times bestselling series The Star-Touched Queen, The Gilded Wolves and Aru Shah and The End of Time, which Time Magazine named one of the Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time. Her adult debut, The Last Tale of The Flower Bride, was a #1 Sunday Times bestseller. Her novels have been translated into more than two dozen languages and often draw upon world mythology and folklore. Chokshi is a member of the National Leadership Board for the Michael C. Carlos Museum and lives in Georgia with her husband and their cat whose diabolical plans must regularly be thwarted.

Reviews

[Rick Riordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book and thought, "Wow, I wish I'd written that!"?

For me, Aru Shah and the End of Time is one of those books. It has everything I like: humor, action, great characters and, of course, awesome mythology! But this is not a book I could have written. I just don't have the expertise or the insider's knowledge to tackle the huge incredible world of Hindu mythology, much less make it so fun and reader-friendly.

Fortunately for all of us, Roshani Chokshi does.

If you are not familiar with Hindu mythology - wow, are you in for a treat! You thought Zeus, Ares and Apollo were wild? Wait until you meet Hanuman and Urvashi. You thought Riptide was a cool weapon? Check out this fine assortment of divine astras - maces, swords, bows, and nets woven from lightning. Take your pick. You're going to need them. You thought Medusa was scary? She's got nothing on the nagini and rakshas. Aru Shah, a salty and smart seventh grade girl from New Jersey, is about to plunge into the midst of all this craziness, and her adventure will make your head explode in the best possible way.

If you already know Hindu mythology, you're about to have the most entertaining family reunion ever. You're going to see lots of your favorites - gods, demons, monsters, villains, heroes. You're going to soar up to the heavens and down into the Underworld. And no matter how many of these myths you already know, I'll bet you a pack of Twizzlers you're going to learn something new.

Can you tell I'm excited to share this book with you? Yeah, I'm pretty excited.

So what are you waiting for? GET THIS BOOK!

When we first meet Aru Shah, she is hanging out in the Indian-American Museum where her mom works. School vacation has started, and Aru is pretty sure it's going to be a boring day. Yikes. She is SO wrong.

[chai (thelibrairie on tiktok) ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book feeling the extreme weight of doing something remarkable for my older self to be nostalgic about, and, also realizing that the one thing all different mythologies seem to have in common is that apparently all gods just live for drama.

[Roshani Chokshi]

Hi guys! I got to sit down with Rick a couple weeks ago and talk about ARU! If you're interested in watching our interview, here's the link! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptmt1...

~*~*~*~

http://ew.com/books/2017/09/28/rick-r...

ARU SHAH AND THE END OF TIME has a cover! And a longer excerpt! I hope you guys enjoy <3 I've been dreaming of writing this story for eons...now there's only 6 months left until it's out in the world! I'll be hosting giveaways in the upcoming months, so if you're interested, check out my newsletter: https://roshanichokshi.com/newsletter/

[kav (xreadingsolacex) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This is no way impacts my review.

Aru Shah and the End of the Time is a middle-grade fantasy novel based off of Hindu mythology, following a 12-year old girl, Aru Shah, who finds out she is a reincarnation of one of the five Pandava brothers and essentially has to change the world.

If 12-year old me had had the ability to read a book like this, maybe I wouldn't have been ashamed of my heritage growing up because society told me that being Indian wasn't good enough. So to all the 12-year old Indian and/or Hindu kids who are going to read this book, you deserve to feel the way I never got to feel-proud of your heritage.

Aru Shah and the End of Time is not only one of the most important books I've ever read, it's also one of the best. From the plot to the characters to the writing, it is downright incredible in every way.

Let's start by talking about the characters. Our main character, Aru Shah, is a girl who lies a lot. And I loved that. I loved the creation of her character because it was unlike any middle-grade protagonist I have ever seen before.

Aru is not your classic heroine. She essentially causes the mess that sets off this books. She isn't a morally grey heroine because she is without a doubt good, but she is a pre-teen who doesn't necessarily understand good and bad and who just wants to be excited by the popular kids, but isn't. And then her world changes forever.

Then there's our other primary character, Mini. Mini is part-Filipina and part-Indian, knows way too much about medical stuff, and is Aru's "soul-sister."

I loved Mini just as much as I loved Aru. She, unlike Aru, is much more a classic heroine who you would root for, but she still has intricate details woven into her-such as her obsession with how anything and everything can make you sick and how smart she is.

And as these two characters are working together and are essentially sisters we get a huge dose of girls supporting girls in this book which I live for. If there's a trope we need to see more of, it's that one.

And of course, we have some other great characters in this novel. Boo, the girls pigeon guardian. Hanuman and Urvashi, part of the Council, the girls godly parents (which I'm not spoiling for you, you have to read and find out which reincarnations they are), and more. Each supporting character, villian, etc. had their own tone that made them their own character, no matter how big or small their part was.

And now, for the plot.

Listen, if you gave me this and Percy Jackson to choose from, no offense but I would choose this novel (not that I don't love Percy he's also rad).

Like I said, this is the book 12-year old me needed but never got.

The journey the characters go on in this novel was such a fun one to be a part of, but let me just say I got freaked out time and again hoping our heroines would survive the countless demons they faced.

Something that I think was really crucial to how much I enjoyed the plot was the pacing. The pacing in this novel is exquisite. That's all I can really say without spoilers, but I just really loved the pacing.

And also, how it tied in Hindu mythology to the plot. There were parts when I honestly thought I might cry because of how much it related to me growing up. And all the different stops Aru and Mini made on their way to defeat the over-arching antagonist of this novel were so fun to read.

I have been anticipating this novel with every bone in my body. I have been aching for it to be in my possession. I literally almost cried when it was announced. And it did not disappoint. It exceeded my expectations.

So please, read this novel.

[Ashley Nuckles · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! This was super cute and had all the Rick Riordan nuances I could have ever wanted! I loooove the humor in this book and I’m SO excited for the next ones!

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up)) · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5-stars rounded up**

12-year old, Aru Shah, doesn't quite fit in. It's not just the fact that she and her Mom live in an actual Museum, The Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, there are other factors as well.

For one, Aru attends a school where the vast majority of children are very, very wealthy. It's clear to all that Aru is not, although she has pretended to be from time to time.



Aru often feels ignored and neglected at home as well.

Her Mom frequently travels procuring artifacts for the museum, but even when she is around, Aru doesn't garner much attention from her.

This aspect of the story was fairly frustrating to read about actually. I wanted to grab her Mom and shake her, but I digress.



Aru feels lonely and frequently embellishes stories about her life in order to gain attention, or acceptance, from her peers.

Unfortunately, she does it so much, Aru has developed a bit of a reputation as a liar.



When three classmates unexpectedly show up at the museum, challenging her to prove the validity of one of her stories, that the Lamp of Bharata is cursed, Aru feels compelled to light it.

A lamp she has been told, numerous times, in no uncertain terms, to never, ever light. Yeah, she lights that.



Even though it is only for a moment, this one act ends up putting the entire fate of the world in jeopardy by freeing the demon trapped inside.

The demon, known as the Sleeper, is tasked with awakening the God of Destruction, who, as the name implies, will destroy everything. Luckily, the rest of the world is frozen in time, providing Aru with a chance to undo what she's done.



Aru sets out on an epic quest, along with some new friends, to try to stop the Sleeper.

Tying in the legends of the Hindu epic poem, The Mahabharata, Aru Shah and the End of the Time is a fast-paced Middle Grade adventure, full of heart and valuable lessons.



I had a lot of fun with this story and can definitely see why it is so popular.

Parts of it were a bit too chaotic for my tastes, but overall, I felt it was really well done.



Aru, as a character, was interesting. I had so much sympathy for her. I felt bad for her. It hurt my heart how alone she felt in the world.

I am hoping in the next book, her Mother redeems herself a little bit, because after this one, I'm pretty much furious at her. Sure, I understand she had her reasons for what she did, but they're not good enough for me.



I did love the relationship between Aru and Mini, the girl she meets who accompanies her on the quest. Their friendship was so pure. Pretty much every moment with Mini filled my heart with glee. She's just a precious gem.

I definitely plan to continue on with this series. I am hoping to learn so much more about these characters, this world and the myths and legends behind it.

Honestly, I feel the whole Rick Riordan Imprint is a gift.

[Hamad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.25 stars

*** Full review now posted ***

“Tales are slippery, her mother had often said. The truth of a story depends on who is telling it.”

Aru Shah and the End of Time is the kind of book that I would have killed for when I was younger. I mean it has the fast pacing just perfect for a middle grade book, a very good writing style, Indian mythology (How cool!) and a beautiful cover!!

Not only that, this book was hilarious, I was laughing out loud more than one time and if you know me enough, you'd have known by this time that Satan took my soul long ago and I am an emotionless creature now! The good things don't stop here, this was devoid of all the love drama which is so good for a change! And did I mention that it had many modern references for other books and TV shows!

And if you are into mythologies, then this will surely satisfy your needs...
No wonder Rick Riordan presented this as it was so good and reminded me of Percy Jackson but in a different way!



I can't wait for book 2 to be released as I am most definitely continuing this series!

[Mango · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A particularly good book has a way of opening new spaces in one's mind. It even invited you to come back later and rummage through what you'd learn.”

Note: This was a re-read, and I did originally review this book. Be warned, this was when I had no clue how to write reviews, so it was pretty short. But, if you really want to see my first review, scroll down to the very bottom.

My mind is bustling with so many thoughts right now, and I have no clue how to organize them. Whether this turns out to be an organized review, or a hopeless rant, just bear with me.

I loved Aru Shah so much. It was just as good the second time. I really appreciated the time and effort Chokshi put into writing this book. Indian mythology is INCREDIBLE and deserves to be shared with the world!



You think Greek mythology is amazing? You think the Illiad and the Odyssey are to die for? Well, to be blunt, they are nothing compared to the epics Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

(Of course, this is just my opinion, and all of you are free to disagree.)


Welcome reader, to the world of Indian mythology. Where we have warrior goddesses slaying demons, gods outwitting asuras, and so much more!





Yes, I felt the need to put some pictures.

Oops...that got off topic.

Anyways, I really enjoyed the Indian representation in this book. Many books attempt to do Indian representation, but they get it all wrong! This is one of the few books that succeeded.



Not only is the Indian representation done right, but Chokshi creates lovable characters, a riveting plot, and has amusing and witty writing.

Let's start with the plot:

Aru, the main character lives with her mom in a museum of Indian Art. Well, they live in an apartment connected to the museum. When some of Aru's schoolmates pressure her into lighting a cursed lamp, Aru is conflicted. Her mother told her to never touch the lamp, let alone light it. However, you know the power of peer pressure. Aru lights the lamp and unleashes the main antagonist, the Sleeper.

Now that the Sleeper is free, he plans to go to Shiva, the god of destruction, and awaken him to destroy the universe.

When the Sleeper awakens, Aru's soul awakens along with him. Because of this, she summons a pigeon who goes by the name Boo.. Boo tells Aru that she contains the soul of one of the Pandava brothers, from the myths.

Shocked, Aru is whisked into a world where the Hindu gods and myths are real. She is then claimed by Indra, the king god, and it is revealed that she is the reincarnation of Arjuna.

After the claiming, Aru gets sent with Mini, the reincarnation of Yudhishthira on a quest. A quest to stop the Sleeper.

Along the journey, they have to battle asuras, and rakshasas. Chokshi creates an epic quest with humor, adventure, and high stakes!

The plot twists were also crazy. I knew all of the twists, since this was a re-read, but it still came hard. I still got a cold chill down my spine when it is revealed that The Sleeper is Aru's father.

Anyways, I really loved the plot! It started off quickly, picked up the pace, kept me going on a thrilling ride.



Now onto the characters:

I love every single one of these characters. All of them were bursting with personalities. You know, many authors create characters which are so bland, you can't even come up with words to describe them. However, each of the characters the author made, had a unique and amazing personality!


Aru: Let me get one thing straight. Aru is my spiritual sister. You got that? She is just SO relatable! We must be long lost siblings. Are we twins?? We look somewhat alike, have similar personalities, and she is very funny.



Moving on...

I really loved Aru! She had such a bright and funny personality, it was hard not to love her. She was sarcastic, witty, and caring. Oh, and she had this habit of lying. However, throughout this book, she grows out of the habit. She realizes that she doesn't need anyone's approval to be awesome! She can be awesome in her own way. I think Aru's journey teaches a very powerful lesson if you look closely enough.

The lesson I think Aru taught all of us is: Be yourself. You don't need other's approval to make you awesome. Why? Because you already are.



Anyways, I really loved Aru's personality, and she grew so much in the book! At first, when she realized she was the reincarnation of Arjuna, she was shocked. She didn't believe in herself.

But throughout the story, she learned how to perceive the situations in a unique, different way (like Arjuna). She learned not to lie, but to imagine. And best of all? She made her first true friend.

Additional note: Aru also taught me how to curse people with food. (If you know, you know.)

To conclude, Aru was my favorite character in the book, and I have always loved her from the beginning.

Mini: I really liked Mini too! Honestly she reminds me of one of my best friends.

Mini, the second Pandava sister, is the reincarnation of Yudhishthira. She, similar to Aru, was also bursting with personality.

Mini is a paranoid girl, always worrying about illnesses, and frequently hand sanitizing herself. She is fearful, always scared of diseases, and all the ways of dying. However, even though she is paranoid, she is also very smart. She is very prepared throughout the story, and helps come up with several strategies to accomplish their goals.



Mini also grew a lot throughout the book! She learned not to underestimate herself, and not to always be scared of danger. Mini learned to focus on her goals, not just the obstacles. I really loved her growth, and I am excited to see how she matures in the next book. :)


Additional Note: This is just a note, but I really found it amusing how Chokshi developed Hanuman's and Urvashi's characters. I found the personalities she gave them fit perfectly.


Continuing on to the writing:

I can not stress how much I adore Chokshi's writing. It's so playful and funny. It was nothing fancy, but that's what was so beautiful about it. It was written in a child's perspective after all. I really felt like I was in Aru's head, and not some mature poet's head lol. I really like this writing, it made me smile throughout the whole book.



Also, for people who are new to Indian mythology, this book is very friendly. It doesn't do a huge information dump on you at once. It gradually exposes you to the wonders of this mythology in a friendly and non-confusing way. Chokshi even took the time to put a glossary at the end for Indian terms! So, it is a very easily understandable read for those who are new.

To conclude, I really loved this! The Indian representation was done well. The characters were brilliant, the plot was engrossing, and there were some beautiful life lessons embedded into it. Wait to go, Roshani Chokshi!


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THIS WAS SO GOOOD! Review to come.
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First review: This book is very good. It is like the Indian version of Percy Jackson. Like Greek/Roman mythology? Indian mythology is just as good!

[Prabhjot Kaur · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is my first read from the author and I am underwhelmed. I have heard a lot of praise for Roshani Chokshi's writing and her books and in particular for this series but I am so not impressed and no one is more upset than I for not loving this book and her writing.

I have rated it 3 stars but in reality I don't know what rating should I give this book and how I even feel about it. I might even change the rating later on after having slept on it. I honestly don't know how to review this book because before reading it I thought this was going to be a 5 star for me and I would love it and all. An Indian girl in a Hindu mythology and Hindu Gods, what's not to love? Having read this, I am mostly disappointed.

Things that I loved about this, not necessarily in the below order:

* The parrot (Boo)
* Mini
* Hindu mythology and adventure
* The fact that Pandavas are females instead of being males
* Hanuman
* And of course Urvashi

Things that I hated again not necessarily in the below order:

* Aru
* Aru's character
* Aru's annoying character
* Aru Shah
* Arundhati Shah
* Also, Arundhati's character
* Her lies
* Author trying to justify Aru's lies being imagination (please don't make all the children reading this think that it is okay to lie because after all, it is imagination and the more you lie the more imaginative you are). This is absolutely horrifying and wrong.
* I don't know if the author was trying to be funny or what but making a mockery of the God's names is not cool IMO. May be she did it for the non-Indian readers but still not cool. That's what every Indian person goes through that most of the non-Indian people cannot pronounce the Indian names and they make up these short names which quite frankly is not a good thing but whatever and in this case, Roshani did this through an Indian child (giving stupid nick names just because she couldn't pronounce the official name) is insulting.
* I could not distinguish between the voice of the author and the character.
* Has the author seen any Bollywood movies?

Don't get me wrong, I liked the story and mythology but pretty much everything about the main character annoyed me and of course the things that I mentioned above in my hate list. Also, why do parents always keep their kids (MC mostly) in dark? It was not explained or justified in this book. Did no one in the book suspect Aiden Acharya moving into the neighborhood? Well, I already read the book so of course not (answering my own question).

I will still read the next book in the series as I liked the mythology and I really want to meet the other three Pandavas.

Not sure about the rating. (3 stars for now)

[Katie.dorny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay for a middle grade/children’s book I absolutely fell in love with this.

Aru is a very imaginative girl who lives in an Indian museum. One day after making a bet Aru accidentally unleashes a demon god that has the capability to destroy the world. This book is how she stops him.

Along the way we meet Subala the pigeon (my personal favourite character) and Mini who is also gifted like Aru - the girls are Pandavas: reincarnations of famous Indian heroes with ancestors related to the gods.

This novel was so interesting and learning about Indian culture and mythology was so interesting! I’m actually really happy it’s becoming a series as well. For a book for younger readers it does not read as a novel that has been dumbed down which I found really refreshing.

[Vignesh Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my latest favorite of this year!

It's so difficult to get a book with Indian characters, let alone a fantasy one. Along with Hindu mythology, it's unheard of. Thank the Gods and Goddesses, for Roshani Chokshi, is here.

I absolutely loved this book! I adored the characters, Aru and Mini. I love Mini even more than Aru. She is allergic to almost everything and has a freaking Epi-pen! It's so good to finally see a character who is truly a human today, not like the always-perfect characters in YA novels. Talk about diversity! This book is full of that!

I love how Chokshi incorporates the Hindu mythology. As I am a Hindu, I know a LOT of this mythology. I always love the myth of Pandavas and Kauravas. I want more of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses. If you think Zeus is powerful, you haven't heard about the Trinity Lords Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma.

I can now see why Rick Riordan published this book! It's so like his books with the same sense of humor, down to the titles.

Ah! How great it is to hear the full Indian names like Arundati and Yamini, not the americanized Indian names.

Now I am thrilled to read the sequel!

[Scrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

When three classmates show up at her home slash museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture to confront Aru Shah about lying, she decides to impress them with stories of the artifacts in the museum. Such as the cursed Lamp of Bharata. Trying to save face, she lights the lamp and releases the Sleeper. Now Aru must stop the Sleeper from waking the God of Destruction, or everyone in the world will be frozen in time.

The Story-
First, let me just say, I loved this book. In the same thread as Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson, Chokshi writes the story of a young girl taking on challenges, except this time with Hindu mythology as it’s center. Personally, I think it’s better, but that’s just because I find Greek and Egyptian mythology stuffed down our throats in elementary school. Since I strive to learn more about other countries cultures this was just a treat.

The story follows Aru Shah as a young girl who just wants to be accepted by her peers and to feel loved by her parent(s). Now if you didn’t feel that way when you were twelve, you’re honestly, probably the oddity here.

As a middle grade book, this book was just non stop fun. While in the adult mindset I might think- impossible and childish. But in the vein of middle school reads it was just fantastic. From the hilarious chapter titles, the blend of the real world meets Hindu mythology (Such as a the night market being inside of Costco!) to the non stop action as our young heroes (ahem, heroines!) take on challenge after challenge. The book just makes for continuous enjoyment.

The World Building-
As I said earlier, I adore other cultures, and that includes their mythologies. In the last year I have had the joy of encountering a lot more fantasy that has been inspired by these cultures, and just really adds some extra flavor from the medieval castle with elves type of fantasy.

If you have never read a Chokshi book, than you probably don’t know, but she does a fantastic job of creating a beautiful creative world that surrounds her characters. The way she writes just add color and life to an ancient world. It’s the type of descriptions that have me daydreaming while I am sitting at work.

I just loved having these modern day pre-teens running around saving the world and encountering all the things from their bed time stories. There is so much depth to Hindu mythology and I can’t wait to see what Chokshi does in the next book. Regardless, if we had books like this when I was in middle school I think it would have inspired me to kick start my cultural studies at an earlier age.

The Characters-
Aru Shah is funny. The comments that Aru makes throughout the book had me LOL’ing, because so much of what she says is just the unfiltered thoughts that I would probably have. Except, my mouth is just a little more filtered because you know, adulting can be hard. My favorite thing about Aru was that she was brave. Not in the sense that she can take over the world, but that she was willing to do what it took to save her mom and the rest of the world. She was brave in the face of her failures and confronted them as well.

Minnie is just a little cupcake. I adore her and her germophobia and brainy ways. I thought she balanced Aru so well by checking her in her wild imaginations while also just being the supporting friend that she needed.

The Soundtrack-
SUCRÉ- When We Were Young


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[ambsreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIND MY REVIEW FOR ARU SHAH AND THE END OF TIME ON MY BLOG. CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE

I think I’ve made it pretty clear over time that I am a big fan of Rick Riordan. I love mythology and I love learning through his books. When Riordan announced that he was going to publish own voices authors take on mythology I was beyond excited. Aru Shah and the End of Time was no exception of this. I fell in love, fast. One reason was that it was a female lead, something we don’t typically see in Riordan’s work. An Indian female lead is something that holds incredible importance, and just to see Hindu mythology accurately represented.

12-year-old Aru Shah has a habit of telling lies. She lies about basically everything to the people at her school so they don’t look at her as weird, the joys of being middle class in a rich school. One day she’s caught out in the lie when three people from her school come to where she lives – she lives in a museum, like how cool is that?! Things turn pretty nasty quickly with one of these three kids recording Aru as an attempt to get her to tell the truth. Instead, she decides to light a lamp that, as her mother says, is cursed. Unfortunately for Aru, the lamp is cursed. A powerful individual is let free and everyone around her is now frozen in time. With the help of a pigeon guide, Aru discovers she has the soul of the great Pandava brothers. Along the way, Aru meets one of her sisters (because there are no brothers in this generation) and must go on a quest in order to stop the powerful individual she let go free. Simultaneously she must come to terms with being a demigod and how much her mother has hidden from her. Oh, and the best part? Aru must do all this in her spider-man pyjamas as if that isn’t a look.

I really loved Aru Shah and the End of Time. It was such a thrilling tale of mystery, surprise and, my favourite, humour. The writing of this particular story came across as pretty flawless. I also know, that if anyone reading this is like me you’re expecting this story to be basically identical to Percy Jackson. I’m here to say you’re wrong. This book completely holds its own and, dare I say it, is even better than Percy Jackson in some ways. It was truly such an important book and I am desperately waiting for book two!

Anyway, let me jump into a more detailed version of what I did and didn’t like about Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi.

L I K E S
✗ HINDU GODS > GREEK GODS

Hear me out, I grew up learning about the Greek gods in school. When I picked up Percy Jackson for the first time I had a big understanding of all the variations. It made it a little boring for me, honestly. I know nothing about Hindu gods. This particular topic wasn’t taught in my schools (I went to 9 over 13 years, as a little fun fact). I know own voices books don’t exist to teach the public anything but I really did love learning about the Hindu gods. I have been deeply curious about the mythology for some time and I don’t trust Google, so it was just great to read something that I was unfamiliar with.

Also, the Hindu gods weren’t as big of jerks as the Greek gods in Rick Riordan’s books, also a positive for me.

✗ THE CHARACTERS ARE HILARIOUS

The humour in this book is amazing. I was giggling and smiling almost the entire book and I’m not even the target audience. It was just such a fun journey that I can’t screech and rave about this book enough. The humour was similar to that of Percy Jackson, dry and most of the time from the main character being unable to shut up, but I just feel as if this particular style was better suited for the target audience. It felt like I could give this book to one of my cousins and she would be laughing along with me.

✗ I LOVE BOO

Boo is the pigeon guide that Aru and her Pandava sister Mimi are given. He’s not exactly the best guide nor does he really have the patience for two young preteens, but man was he hilarious. His character really brought Mimi and Aru together, and just the whole idea of a pigeon leading two girls on a quest makes me chuckle. To be fair though, I despise birds so the fact I even found this amusing shocks me a little.

✗ FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS

If you’ve known me for a little while you know I am a big pusher of female friendships in books. I live for them. I love when two girls support one another rather than tearing each other down. Mimi and Aru gave me this. The two are young and it would have been easy to write two girls that hated each other but Roshani Chokshi didn’t, and I loved it. The girls obviously bickered and struggled at some points, but they’d also only just met and been informed they were sisters which can put a strain on any time making friends.

2018 is the year of supportive friendships and I’m here for it.

✗ CANT WAIT FOR BOOK TWO

Do I have to elaborate on this? After the ending of Aru Shah and the End of Time, I desperately have grabby hands for book two. This series will also finish when I’m 24 and if you don’t think I’m going to read every single one, you’re wrong. I am here for this series.

D I S L I K E S
✗ I FELT ARU SOMETIMES STEPPED BACK IN THE STORY AND HER VOICE GOT LOST

I’m really just nitpicking here, but it did feel as if Aru got lost at points. Obviously this a big quest and a whole bit about discovering who you are but I just wanted more. It did seem at points that Aru was morally grey but in truth, she is simply a preteen trying to find her place in the world and her identity. I’m interested to see if she does become morally grey throughout the course of this four book series. I stand by the fact though there should have been a little more focus on Aru’s feelings and emotions at some points.

Overall, Aru Shah and the End of Time blew my socks off. I was not expecting anything that this book delivered and I’m slightly annoyed that it took me so long to even pick this up. The hype really stands true for this book, it is well deserving of your money and your time.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Suddenly, the world she thought she knew had opened up, as if stage curtains had been yanked back to show her that there was so much more than what she'd imagined. There was magic. Secrets crouched in the dark. Characters from stories, like the ones she'd been told all her life, were taking off their masks and saying, I was never a tale, but the truth."

...

Aru Shah and the End of Time was one of my most anticipated releases of 2018, and it didn't disappoint. Let me just get this out of the way: if you love Rick Riordan's books, read this. It's a colorful, lovely story steeped with rich Hindu mythology, and I couldn't get enough of it.

In this first book, we follow a young seventh grader named Aru, and she's a bit of a liar. She lives in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture in Atlanta, and her mother is the museum's curator. Unlike her wealthy classmates, Aru will be spending her Autumn break at home.

And like I said: Aru has a habit of fudging the truth to make her own reality more colorful and interesting. This backfires when four of her classmates come to the museum to catch her in a lie, and they end up daring her to light the ancient Lamp of Bharata. Even though her mother has warned her not to, Aru lights the lamp, freezing time and freeing the Sleeper, who is intent on awakening the God of Destruction.

So yeah, Aru's Autumn break has gotten off to a bad start.

I will admit, the first 100 pages of this book were fun, but I wasn't completely immersed. It wasn't until about a third of the way through that Aru's story wholly sucked me in; there's a scene in Aru Shah that really...surprised me, and it gave a depth to the story that I wasn't expecting. From that point on, I absolutely loved this book.

It is no surprise that Roshani's writing in here was beautiful, but oh man, was it lovely. I excessively tabbed my copy of this book, and I rarely ever do that. And for a middle grade? Not likely.

The flowery, humorous prose, paired with the rich Hindu mythology entangled throughout this story, made Aru Shah and the End of Time a truly wonderful reading experience. This is the most well-written middle grade book I've ever read, and I will continue to read anything Roshani writes.

As far as comparisons go, Percy Jackson meets Sailor Moon is completely spot on, especially if you consider what's to come in later books. A badass girl-gang of Indian demigods destined to save the world? YES PLEASE.

And like Rick Riordan's mythology-centered YA and middle grade stories, this book was incredibly funny. That's due in part to Aru's humorous and ironically honest inner monolgue. Also, I'm going mention Boo the talking Pigeon for a second: not only was he hilarious and comically self-righteous, but he also developed a very sweet connection with two of our main characters.

Yep, Aru has another young girl that she teams up with on this adventure. Unlike Aru Shah, who is loud, opinionated, and imaginative, Mini is...not. She's allergic to everything, has a big fear of death (don't we all), and is maybe too smart for her own good. But oh, did I love her for it. Both girls are wonderful in their own way, and I adored their friendship. There's no romance in this book: just a lovely friendship between two girls. Thank the gods.

The action was exciting. The plot was full of adventure and whimsy and strange, dreamlike imagery. The Hindu mythology was fascinating, and I can't wait to get more from this world, from these wonderful characters.

I have no doubt that the Pandava Quartet will be an amazing middle grade fantasy series. And now, I will anxiously wait for Aru Shah and the Song of Death. I can't wait.

...

Boo fluttered to Mini's shoulder. "Well, that's not how the legendary Arjuna would've done it."

"I'm not Arjuna," said Aru, lifting her chin. "I'm Aru."

Boo puffed out his chest. "I know."

[Rachel L · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

“Sometimes light illuminates things that are better left in the dark.”

Aru Shah is about a young girl who lives in a museum with her mother. In a bullying situation, she awakens an ancient demon. Now, she must work with her “sister”, a fellow reincarnated soul to stop the demon from ending the world.

“It was one of the things that she liked best when her mother told her the stories: villains could be heroic, and heroes could do evil.”

There’s something about a talking disgruntled pigeon that has to manage two tweens that really resonated with me. I didn’t expect to enjoy this book, I haven’t enjoyed the teen novels this author writes. But I had such a great time listening to the audio of this. Lots of myths and gods and goddesses I had never heard of.

It does follow the Percy Jackson format that I personally find annoying. You know, the one where every five seconds the main character gets attacked by a new creature? But I expected that since this is a Riordan imprint.

“Tales are slippery, her mother had often said. The truth of a story depends on who is telling it.”


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[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

you know what we respect? a white male author getting letters from readers asking him to write about mythology from other cultures, but instead of doing that and taking it for himself, he goes out searching for authors from said cultures and helps boosts their own voices and stories by creating an imprint solely for that purpose. ICONIC.

The last contemporary fantasy influenced by Hindu mythology I read was probably the Tiger's Curse series, and that was a long time ago. So it's wonderful to read a new series by an #ownvoices author, and Roshani Chokshi to boot! I love her work so I'm delighted to finally get around to her middle grade offerings.

Talking about middle grade, I picked this up because I wanted something light, but this book was actually a lot more complex and detailed that I had bargained for. It felt more like YA at points, and could have been if it wasn't for the the age of the heroine Aru. (For instance, compare the Aru Shah series to VE Schwab's City of Ghosts series - you will find both are technically middle-grade, but they differ greatly in terms of length and delivery.)

Because of this, I found it tricker to get into Aru Shah and the End of Time, though not by any fault of the book - I just wasn't in the mood for something so detailed. But after a few days I decided I needed to finish it, so I dived in.

I liked a lot of things about this book - I liked Aru, I liked Mini, I liked Boo. I liked the banter. I liked the detail, once I got used to it, and learning more about Hindu mythology. I liked the quest narrative, even though the pacing was slower. I especially loved the villain, the Sleeper, when his past was revealed such a sucker for a good backstory. And I was very intrigued by the implication at the end that in future, Aru could find herself on a side opposing her Pandava sisters. Very, very interesting indeed.

The end of the book sets up the next pretty clearly too: readers will meet the third Pandava sister, Aru may get a love interest, there's going to be some proper warrior training. And I'll definitely be reading it, and continuing with the series.

> 4 stars

[Starlah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fast-paced, great writing, Indian mythology is SO cool! This book is funny - albeit a little cheesy at times with just how many pop culture references there are. I love the mythologies! I love the drama! I love Aru Shah and how she is very flawed. She struggles a lot with her mother being very detached (and not having a father around), so she feels very lonely and does whatever she can to feel accepted, including lying. This book is the start of an epic, and it feels that way, but it's still super enjoyable and I can't wait to continue with the series.

[Noha Badawi · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was the coolest thing I've read in a long while.
Absolutely fell in love with both main characters; Aru Shah and her quirky friend Mini.
And on top of the amazing characters, the plot and Indian mythology is awesome.

full review

[luciana · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.7/10

Instagram | youtube

So as you can tell i have a new rating system and it's more efficient than Goodreads could ever be.

General review: highly enjoyable book, funny with great character depth and development. The worldbuilding was rich and meshed well with Uncle Rick's own work. The plot was also fun to follow with a couple of good plot twists.

detailed cawpile ratings:

characters: 8/10:
I can't believe I bonded with a pigeon, these birds are my nemesis. The palace was also cool.

Atmosphere: 4/10:
The writing style isn't anything to write home about and didn't create a distinct aesthetic or mood, but then again, it's a middle grade and the writing style is meant to be useful, not pretty. The worldbuilding while great didn't create a specific atmosphere either.

Writing: 5/10:
Like i said, it's a middle-grade book so i'm willing to be lenient regarding the writing style. It had a purpose, the sentences made sense and were easy to follow. The jokes were for kids so they didn't land but i'm not the audiance for them so it doesn't count. In general the writing was average.

Plot: 8/10:
One of my favourite aspects of the book. I loved the journey of self-discovery our characters take, the acts were well proportioned and the book was easy to binge. Great combo. i also loved how the plot complimented our characters and forced them to make choices, take responsibility, and eventually grow up. Which is what a plot should do but it doesn't do that often enough.

Intrigue: 8/10:
I was pretty surprised as to some developments of the book, and since I'm a character-driven person, the fact that the plot meshed so well with the character development, I found that part pretty intriguing.

Logic: 9/10:
My favourite part of the book hands-down. The worldbuilding. I don't know a lot about indian mythology but according to own voices reviewers and readers, Aru shah is faithful to the original tales. And i loved it. I don't have a lot to say about it, it's vast and well developed and goes well with the PJ universe. I don't know if that was on purpose or not, but these two fit well together.

Enjoyment: 10/10:
I haven't binged a fun, lighthearted book in ages and I missed it. I let myself fall in love with this story and the characters and what a fun time it was! I wish i could go back.

[Basically Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 Stars!

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm mad it took me so long to pick this one up! It was such a fun and engaging read!

Aru Shah and the End of the Time is one of the original Rick Riordan presents books and introduces middle grade readers to Hindu mythology. It follows main character, Aru Shah, who lives in a museum with her curator mother. Unfortunately, Aru has a difficult time making and keeping friends. When a group of her classmates visits the museum, Aru tries to prove that the museums Lamp of Bharata is cursed even though she's not supposed to light. She unknowingly releases the Sleeper who freezes time and then it becomes Aru's job to save them all by finding the five Pandava brothers from the well-known Hindu epic poem the Mahabharata.

What Worked: This was a fun and engaging read. As someone who is not as familiar with Hindu mythology, Chokshi did a MARVELOUS job pushing me to expand my cultural knowledge. There is an accessible guide in the back that I utilized frequently to stay on track with the introduction of the various gods and goddesses. The story is action packed and filled with so many various twists and turns. My favorite part of this story was probably the character development. Aru has a difficult time fitting in and making friends. Through her journey, she meets another character by the name of Mini who pushes Aru to do a lot of self reflection. Aru isn't always a likeable character and she has a bit of a reputation; however, I appreciate that Chokshi gives her the opportunity to grow and develop. It mirrors the same challenges and growth that a lot of middle grade readers will see in themselves. I also appreciated the growth that we see in the relationship between Aru and her mother. It's clear that Aru feels alone in the world since doesn't know much about her father and her mother is absent due to expeditions. Fortunately, there is a section of the book that focuses on her absense and how it causes Aru to feel. Additionally, the reveals in this book are jaw dropping! I wasn't expecting the true identity of the sleeper and it made the novel that much more intense.

What Didn't Work: This was such a good read so there wasn't much that didn't work; however, I did find the beginning to be a little slow. There were also some scenes that felt all over the place.

Overall, this was such a good introduction to the series and I'm excited to continue one with Aru and the rest of her friends.

[Jude: The Epic Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick Riordan was right..if you liked Percy Jackson you will like this as well. It was super adorable! I can't wait to read the other books in this series and all the other Rick Riordan presents books. I really like Aru Shah and all of the mythological creatures and gods.

[Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun romp for a younger middle grade audience. We get to follow Aru and Mini as they have to save the world from the Sleeper complete with a Mushu-Zazu-type animal sidekick. I loved that Aru really has to self-reflect and confront why she feels the need to constantly paint her life as more than what it is. She's so afraid of not being enough that she lands herself in all sorts of trouble (this book). I loved Mini in this. I think it's because I know people very much like Mini in real life, so seeing her point all all the possible ways that they could die was making me laugh. I also thought that Mini was a good representation of what can happen when you're a part of two strong cultures. Both sides of the family want to make sure you aren't ignoring the importance of their culture, but that can sometimes come across as dismissing the importance of the other.

I think Chokshi did a fantastic job of weaving Hindu deities and legends into the story. It does have a similar feel to the Percy Jackson series because many of the deities are very silly and make you question how they've lasted as long as they have being as incapable as they are. Even the scene where Aru and Mini meet their first baddie was similar to Percy's and Annabeth's trip to the Emporium. The chapter titles are just as silly as the Riordan's chapter titles (which I love them both). So it seems like Chokshi may have borrowed Riordan's formula a bit, but I don't mind. It was a fun time! Aru and Mini constantly have sassy lines. I have a child's sense of humor, so I was enjoying the jokes a lot.

There were a couple of things I did love though. I like a good pop culture reference as much as the next reader, but some of the dialogue seemed to be lifted straight from other stories. For instance, toward the end of the story, the scene where the characters are like, "whew that was close. more adventure to come" were uncomfortably similar to the lines from the ending of The Goblet of Fire movie. I like references, but it may have been a bit more of a crutch in this. I also unfortunately read this via audiobook, and I very much disliked the narration. The narrator elongates the words at the end of almost every line of exposition, so it just sounds like she's whining the entire time. Holy moly, it is grating. I had a difficult time deciding if the writing was good or not because the narration made it so annoying. Definitely recommend reading this physically rather than on audio, but in the end I did enjoy the story and look forward to seeing more Hindu deities in the rest of the series.

[Mrinmayi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hmmm....soo how do l start gushing over this book 🤔
IT WAS SO ENTERTAINING!!!!!!!!* excited Babbling *

Ok now about our MC Aru ...never have l ever seen a character so realistic in a MG book
I think the author wanted to make Aru an unlikable character BUT l ended up LOVING Her❤😍
Same goes for Mini; she provided the right amount of humor and was the anchor Aru needed

Me being someone who loves * coughs *
* whispers: ls obsessed with*
Indian mythology this experience was phenomenal
This was the portrayal of Indian culture l was eagerly waiting for * dreamy sigh*
The way this book portrays a mother's fierce love, friendship, loyalty, finding your self and becoming not only the better but best version of yourself was spectacular


Now the sorting ceremony 🤩🎉🎊
Aru : Slytherin
Mini: Ravenclaw
Boo aka Shakuni Mama: Slytherin
Aru's mom ( Krithika) : Hufflepuff
Urvashi: Slytherin
Hanuman: Gryffindor

[rachel, x · Rating 5 out of 5]

#2) Aru Shah and the Song of Death ★★★★☆
#3) Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes ★★★★☆
#4) Aru Shah and the City of Gold ★★★★☆
#5) Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality ★★★★☆

➸ Trigger warnings for ableism, racist microaggressions, parental abandonment and neglect, and bullying.

▷ Representation: Indian-American mc & scs.

Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph

[Paulo Ratz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esse livro é um lacre e eu fico feliz de ter lido com tanta antecedência ao lançamento, que só vai ser em 2018.

[Colleen Houck]

I love that Rick Riordan is inviting other authors to add to his mythological world. For all of you looking for more mythology of India, you'll want to pick this one up. So many gods and goddesses and demons and monsters. I love that Hanuman can grow super tall. So curious to see what's up with the boy next door we met at the end. Also, love the tiger and the seven headed horse!

[Niharika✩ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“People are a lot like magical pockets. They're a lot bigger on the inside than they appear to be on the outside.”

5 stars

Yes, I'm obsessed.
Speaking of which, I need to reread it.
Why do I get sidetracked so easily?

BACK TO THE POINT.

Aru Shah is my favorite series of all time. It's best described as my comfort book or you know, NOOOOOOOOO ARU WHYY YOU JUST [censored] AND [censored] WHY DID YOU WALK INTO A TELEPHONE POLE? [censored] IT'S OKAY I LOVE YOU SO DO YOUR SISTERS AND [censored], don't even make me say it. This dude was my first fictional crush. I LUV HIM.

You've probably filled in the gaps if you've read the series. If you have not, HEY WHY ARE YOU HERE? GO. SPEND YOUR MONEY ON FIVE 200 PAGED BOOKS WHICH YOU WILL LOVE, I GUARANTEE YOU.

GO.

Anyways, so in the first book, Aru touches a lamp that says no touchie because of course. She unleashes a demon who can end all time. She considers growing a beard and moving to Florida but her plans are ruined when a flying pigeon...flies...out? Wait, don't pigeon always fly? Aren't they the ones that go flying around like uncivilized gorillas and do their business in the air on some poor unsuspecting soul? Yeah, I know those...
Anyways, Boo is not like that. He's the best. [censored] They go on an adventure to a certain kingdom to retrieve the weapons and avoid the Sleeper.

*evil hand rub*

Like every book, I'm more obsessed with the characters than anything else. You know, that one character you relate to in every book your read? Even if it's as small as both of you being vegetarian? That's me and Mini. I just relate. No real reason. If I think about it, we kinda look alike. And I love her for her random information blurting sessions.

Everybody else in the group is like brothers and sisters to me. It's weird since it's a book. They don't really live. But if I ever met Roshani Chokshi, I would hug her and thank her for making these characters.

God knows my life without them

What else do we talk about in reviews?

Oh right, your fictional crush. Now, he's introduced the second book. So for the fear of spoiling, I won't say anything too much. Let's just say, he knows how to treat his girl. I was sooo close to bawling my eyes out during the scene. Like for real? I'm gonna go cry after finishing this.
Also, I have to include my favourite line.

"You are the Daughter of Death," hissed Aru. "You don't walk into a telephone pole because of a boy."

Aru Shah and The End of Time (Roshani Chokshi)

Also, if it could ever happen, I want to meet the author of this book. Because if anyone can create a book like this, they have to be legendary.

(also posted on https://niharikamalviya.wordpress.com/)

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those 3 stars aren't for me, they're for the young'uns to whom I'd recommend this book.
I'd give it 2 wobbly stars and a peeved side eye.

Confession: I am a hypocrite, a bad meme of a privileged white lady wanting #ownvoices but no, not like that.

I was impressed that Rick Riordan, who ever-so-graciously presents this book, stepped down and let someone from a Hindu background write this story. I like to think he got some pushback after he did the Egyptian gods series and decided to listen and let someone else take on Hindu gods. That's pretty awesome especially because these adventures with gods are incredibly popular and deserve to have an honest, non-white-centered telling.

This particular author says she's reflecting the stories she heard from her grandmother and I wonder if she found those stories boring as a kid so decided to dress things up a bit for this book?
Because here's the thing: Aren't Hindu gods still active? Greco-Roman gods, Norse gods, Egyptian gods have all been relegated to the realm of mythology because they're no longer considered forces in the universe even if they still have their adherents. This reviewer touches on that very sticky thorn - is the subject matter of this storyline treated with respect?

As far as the titular character goes, I couldn't find much to latch onto. She didn't feel like a fully-realized 12-year-old to me but more like an adult's idea of a tween. There's not much to her sidekick "sister" Mini, either; they're both somewhat bland, plug-n-play characters. That can be beneficial to readers who aren't familiar with Indian culture (or Filipino culture; Mini mentions her Filipino heritage a few times) and can insert themselves into these blank-slate heroes and, yes, I absolutely mean heroes because girls don't have to be relegated to another term. Anyone can be a hero. Ugh, why are we even backsliding on this?
Anyway, yes, great for young readers to be able to put themselves in the shoes (or Spider-Man pajamas) of Aru and Mini. However, that also keeps Aru and Mini from having agency of their own. They can't be models of whatever they need to be models of because they're malleable to every reader. It was worth Harry Potter being an Every Kid because he was a white English boy. We've all read plenty about white English boys to know how they work. The youngsters in this book are not white, not English, and not boys so is it work making them an empty shell for the reader to fill? Is it worth the sacrifice of showcasing what it feels like to not be the default? You get that with Aru at the beginning as she attends her predominantly white school full of rich kids while she is the child of a single mother who is always traveling and she lives in a museum but that sense of otherness ends as soon as her adventure begins and she becomes a generic, quippy pre-teen. It's kind of funny she's wearing Spider-Man pjs throughout because she's definitely a Peter Parker character.

I am not hopeful that this will age well, either. There are a lot of contemporary references and odd ones at that. I was confused when Game of Thrones was tossed out there as a thing adults watch. That's true now but won't be after the final season airs in fifty years. So this will be relevant again in fifty years, I suppose.

Also:
”They’re always found in a position as if the virus attacked quickly and caught them off guard--”
“Hence the name: The Frozen Syndrom!” The anchor laughed. “To bad we can’t just let it go, let it go. Am I right, Doctor?”

Ugh.
Sure, the audience currently reading this will get that. Disney is forever, moreso than even diamonds, so that will probably remain a relevant little joke but Frozen Fever is dying down and this already sounds pandering.

The one that really irked me, though:
”Did you hear that, Wish? They’re banding together! We’re going to be overrun. Forced into that awful samsara cycle of lives! As punishment! This is what we get for thinking that scaly orange skin and fake hair could keep that former demon out of elected office.”
Really?
I wound up having a certain political leaning because of hearing this kind of nonsense, though in the opposite direction, from my parents. It took me a long time to unbrainwash myself.
My point here is: Don't foist your political snark on kids. Sure, teach them the values you admire but being snide shouldn't be one of them because then they'll just grow up to post stupid memes and misinformation on whatever passes as social media in their day.
And, honestly, I'm sure many kids will get the jibe now but what about in four years (this better not still be a relevant remark at that point)? How will this make any sense to ten-year-olds in 2022? It won't so what's the point of having it in here other than to be contemporary?

I didn't like this story. I mean, as an adventure, it was ok. As an engaging romp with Hindu deities, it felt lacking. As an empowering tale for Hindu girls...I will leave that up to Hindu girls to decide. I just know I found it silly (not in a good way), reductive, and potentially disrespectful.
I'll still recommend it to kids, though, because they're not nearly so fussy as I am.

[stu · Rating 4 out of 5]

So apparently I’m writing a review for this! :)
The ending was awesome! I loved it a lot!
And it was fun kinda reading bout my culture! So yeah!
Review to come! I guess