Hello everyone, here is my first book review!
Ancient Promises is a book that I read as part of my academic syllabus. To be frank, I started with an assumption that it would be boring. But contrary to all my beliefs, it went straight into my heart and became one of my favourites. When the idea of starting a blog for book review striked me, the first thing that came to my mind was the image of this book. Nothing would be better than starting with a beautiful story that has my whole heart! Here is the story of the development of a feeble young girl with no opinions of her own into a strong willed woman who dared to challenge all norms that the society imposed on her; a journey to self discovery through a carefree childhood, romantic teenage, a loveless marriage, and finally a magical reunion with the love of her life!
Plot
The novel revolves around the life of Janaki, a Keralite brought up in Delhi. She falls in love with Arjun, but the relationship ends too soon when her parents get to know about it. Janu is forced to go back to Alleppey, her native place in Kerala,and during the stay, she receives a letter from Arjun informing that he is moving to UK to pursue his higher studies. Situations changes so fast, Janu’s parents manages to arrange an alliance for her with the socilaly respected, rich Maaraar family. Unable to hurt her family any more, she accepts the match and Janu becomes the wife of Suresh on her eighteenth birthday.
In the Maaraar household, Janu is considered a complete alien because of her Delhi background and not-so-good Malayalam. Criticisms from family members and dejection from husband makes her life miserable. Janu starts believing that delivering a baby would fetch her some sort of an acceptance from her in-laws and would bridge the gap between the couple. But things get even worse when she gives birth to a mentally challenged child, Riya.
Already shattered by the ignorance from the family, the death of her father intensifies the worries. Unable to adjust with the trauma any more, Janu decides to pursue higher studies and applies for a scholarship to study abroad. She goes back to Delhi for arranging the scholarship where she accidentally meets Arjun and the couple realizes that they still had feelings for each other. The relations is rekindled and they depart with a firm decision that Janu, after fetching a divorce from Suresh, would flee back to the love of her life with Riya.
Back in Kerala, situation undergoes a nasty turn when Suresh refuses to part with Riya. The Maaraar family is highly concerned about the issue as a divorce would affect their social status. They does everything that they could do to prevent the divorce which included locking Janu in a mental hospital. After a period of uncertainties, Janu is forced to move to England without Riya.
In England, she starts a new life with Arjun, but soon realizes that she could not live with the void created by the absence of Riya. This makes her go back to Kerala where she fights for the custody of her daughter, which proves successful. The novel ends with a happy note with the reunion of Janaki and Arjun along with Riya, their sweet bundle of happiness.
My review
Ancient Promises is one of my all time favourites which has occupied a special place in my heart. Though the storyline is predictable, Misra has presented it so efficiently that the novel is sure to make you cry. Personally, I was moved by the narrative so much so that I found it hard to manage my tears (I am an overly sensitive person, so don’t blame me if you don’t feel as intensely as I had).
A major part of the novel is set in Alleppey,my home town, which is apparently one of the reasons why I love the book. The life portrayed in the story is not so strange to me as many of you might feel. Another factor that added to my curiosity is the many similarities between the lives of the author and the protagonist. It is a semi-autobiography of Jaishree Misra, and the fact that the life I experienced through the book is actually the life of a real person, that too of a favourite author intensified my love for the book.
Publisher : Penguin Books
Genre: Romance
Pages: 309
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
About the author
Jaishree Misra is an Indian writer from Kerala most famous for her debut novel Ancient Promises. She is an expert in special education, and is an active participant of many social institutions for the welfare of children who need special care. She has written many best selling novels like Accidents like Love and Marriage, Afterwards, and Rani, a historical novel based on the life of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. She signed a three book agreement with Harper Collins in 2009 which led to the publication of the 3 best sellers Secrets and Lies, Secrets and Sins, and A Scandalous Secret.
Reader's Alley 
Loved it!
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