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Manu
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Jan 18, 2013 11:12AM

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My Malayalam reading till now was limited to the works by greats of our literature, and a few short stories by the new writers. I had no idea what to expect from this. It felt good to start reading a book without any prejudice.
The novel begins with the death of the protagonist at a very early age of 54, and traces back his life starting from his great grandfather executed by the king, hung in a metal cage. The story passes through every one of ayyattumbally family to where our protagonist Jitendran will eventually be born. The author takes ample time in setting up the environment in which Jitendran is born and kind of blood that flows in his veins,that by the time he is born we know what he is going to go through. About Jitendran, well he grows upto be the guy who is searching for the meaning of existence the kind of protagonist we have seen in many movies of 70s and 80s ,which I have seen only in Malayalam movies. The guy who loves poetry who carries a cloth bag and wears a Kurta.Whose reference in today’s cinema is more for a comical purpose, I have also laughed at the jokes on unhygienic irresponsible dumb intellect. There is a part in this novel where unsuccessful Nair youth makes comical stories about the Muslim youth who became successful by hard work, I think our media today have played a big part in conveying to our youth that thinking is a substandard thing to do. Also our serials today have writers as the guy/girl who is responsible for many illegitimate children which made my mom tell me once”Adhikam book onnum vayikkanda ketto , ee korae book vayikkunnavarum katha ezhuthunnavarum okkae vrithikettavanmaara”.The novel the follows the life of Jitendran from the childhood.His dreams of using his creativity to build something that would stay long after his death,his dream of not to be the man whose only creativity is procreation. There is death in every pages of this story thoughts about it or the death itself.Reader cannot take any Idea putforward lightly as it’s all put forward in the backdrop of the death.
Though death is the constant theme of the novel.On sleeping over it, I realize that the novel is more about hope.Its more a call for humanity to raise from the mundane and create something worthwhile. It’s a call for every keralite who has gone back from that period of new resurgence and raising ,the time of Nararayana Guru and Palpu, to create a new rising ,to think .This novel has influenced me deeply.Subash Chandran sure have built a Taj Mahal ,like the Taj Mahal though reason for which it was built is death the sight of it would sure bring new hopes. Go for it.

My Malayalam reading till now was limited to the works by greats of our literature, and a few short stories by the new writers. I had no idea what to expect from this...."
gud review

i wil spel it as assuravithu"
whatever in english

Reading the synopsis of Francis Itty Cora first thing came to my mind is "not another conpiracy theory ,not another history twister"
When I read prologue to the book written by Asha Menon, though written in a very difficult academic language, it felt like it has more to it.
Asha Menon talked about the book tracing the start of all violence happening in the society now to small incidents happened in the past,that sounded interesting.So I decided to read anyway despite my dislike for the genre.Does the book fulfill what it promises?, Lets find out.
Itty Cora was an affluent spice trader who traveled allover the world and sow his seeds everywhere.Calling him just a spice trader would be undermining Cora,his knowledge and interests were in varied fields.His fields of interest include mathematics,astronomy,women and alcohol.Itty Cora left a set of rules for his family before he died.And a secret group called Cora group came into existence whose God is Itty Cora and whose rules were set by Itty Cora.The story moves through one of the modern Cora(a man who is also part of Cora family) who is an Iraq war veteran in search of his lost mojo and his ancestry.Three women and there accomplice who gets entangled in his search for his ancestor lured by financial profits.A mathematician who is doing a research in Francis Itty Cora's contributions to mathematics.It's their adventures twists and turns in there fortunes.
Plot might look promising,but the sad thing is that's all to it.The novel never rises above the possibilities of that basic plot.The style of story telling or language doesn't really add anything to it.Language many times made me feel like I am reading a malayalam translation of some English book.The only malayalitham the book offer is the setting of some parts of story in kunnamkulam.Its a easy read the pace is good,there is always something happening and the settings keep changing and take as to many places.Its good in patches could have been an OK read if it all were concluded well,but the writer decided to dish out a half cooked ending with lots of plot holes.
And if there were anything good about this book it was all spoiled by that stupid ending.



You have written a very good review. But i disagree about your words about writing style .Novelist is keeping the central theme intact while exploring the other aspects of modern life across continents and culture.

"The Man Who Loved Books Too Much" by Allison Hoover Bartlett"
we ll update currently reading malayalam books here
:) :)

VKN kathakal the paperback one with black cover or the hard bound one?


Punathil??"
Yes Manu......Hw is it?
Another one i am waiting for "Pandavapuram" by Sethu.

Had started it long time back.... Stuck in the 40th page for about 8 months!


This book is currently draining all the negativity that I have stuffed in my life.

This book is currently draining all the negativity that I have stuffed in my life."
It really is a masterpiece.

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