Title: The Legend Of Virinara
Author: Usha Alexander
Publisher: Penguin India
Pages: 336
Price: Rs 146
Talk about modern day political scenarios and The Legend of Virinara thoroughly sums up our current state of life. Change is the necessity with the help of which the society changes its hierarchical structure according to the needs and demands of the people living in it. However, no change has been possible without a bunch of conflicts with regards to egotistical conflicts, the greed for power and paving ways for diplomatic solutions to a common problem.
The story revolves around the king, who in the greed of expanding his kingdom, has ventured into forbidden lands of the nomads without considering their good. The story keeps shuffling between flashbacks and present-day scenarios. We instantly relate to this epic saga as that is exactly the current political scenario wheezing around us. The need to prove one’s prowess irrespective of pondering over the pros and cons and failing to realise the outcome of one’s decision is when the reckoning of power goes wrong.
We are not new to the conflicts of royalty and the author has used her words precisely to depict the royal unrest within the dynasty. What transpires amidst all this chaos between the royalty and the nomads is what keeps the reader glued till the end. Not just that the narrator through each story showcases the gradual changes that take place in the social hierarchy within the nomads.
One of the best messages that this book offers you is that never take your enemy for granted and never consider them less powerful. The tiniest of the creatures possess the mightiest of weapons. The onset of each chapter brings with it a novel twist and turn making you feel all the more intrigued as to what might happen next in the story. For someone who is an insane history buff, this book is sure to give you some warm company.
Another spectacular element of the book is its portrayal of female characters. Each woman character has been gifted with extreme power virtues and stands their ground in strong positions in the royal and nomadic hierarchy. This book triggers your thought process and compels you into revisiting your ethics and philosophies thereby making you bring about a change in your perspective towards internal and external conflicts.
Philosophies shared by the protagonist in her journey are the prime necessities of modern day crisis which have entangled our lives. To cut the long story short this book lets you take a little sneak peek into our inner self and the way we lead our lives and deal with the daily conflicts surrounding us. The debate between power and justice has been on for ages and shall still remain if we as individuals fail to find a balanced median to it. This book is not just a story for us, but is an indirect reflection of our lives and hence as a reader we get instantly connected with the characters and their stories.