Book Review: Navapashanam
Book Name: Navapashanam: The Quest for the Nine Magical Poisons
Author: Nitya Neelakantan
Publisher: Readomania
Genre: Mystery & Crime Fiction
Navapashanam: The Quest for The Nine Magical Poisons by Nitya Neelkantan is a narrative across two distinct timelines.
Review
It is a thrilling story of the forgotten past, a battle with evil and the secret protected for two centuries. The dual timeline narrative follows through in 1798 and 2018. In 1798, the story revolves around Mookambikai, who is a fierce secret keeper of the Navapashanam. She is relentlessly hunted by a shady alliance, including a vile Aghora, seeking to steal and exploit the compound. Her trail comes to an end as she dies, yet leaving behind her legacy, she left space for her great-grand niece Manimeghalai (Megha), who continued her quest in 2018 as she unexpectedly returned to her ancestral home in India. After a series of near-fatal accidents, dead bodies in the garden in Mangal Mansion, and a missing fiancé, it is revealed that the dark elements of the past are still actively hunting for the lost Navapashanam. Follow Megha on her journey to find the Navapashanam.
The stories of the characters in the past timeline are well-backed with their existence and their life stories, though the characters in the later timeline do not have much backing for their stories, except for the motive why they were chosen for this quest after Mookambikai. Though the character's portrayal is vivid and flawed. Megha's passion and fearlessness showed that a woman can do anything if she decides to. Her fiancé, who trusted her even after his inner fears, her cousin, and her bonding are the epitome of a sibling's relationship that would remind readers of their childhood memories with their siblings and all the quests they went on, hiding from the elders. The central characters are fierce women in both timelines, making it a good experience and a reminder to society that women have always played an important role in history.
The author's writing style is vivid and evocative. There is rich imagery throughout. There are scenes in the 1798 timeline that would appear before the eyes of the readers as if happening in reality. Even with the serious tone and mystery element, the author explored multiple themes, like family bonding, sibling relationships, and societal expectations. The pacing is balanced, yet at some points it feels like you are losing context if readers miss reading in continuity. The suspense and intrigue are maintained till the end. Though a few plot points are guessable, there is enough mystery for readers to keep them on the edge of their beds while reading this book. There is thrill, action, and adventure to keep readers hooked and following the journey of the characters, well-written by the author.
Mookambikai and Megha have played their role in their timelines. Will Megha be able to find and protect the Navapashanam that Mookambikai lost before she died? Will she fail to chase the mythical heirloom? This book has all your answers. If you are someone driven by mystery, crime, and historical fiction, then this book is for you.
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