Gaurika Gandhi

The book is an incarnation of Hindi mythology in a fictional love story. “Asur Kanya: Her Route to Unrequited Love” by Maneesha Agrawal is a very captivating story which keeps the reader hooked to the pages till the very end. Also, the ending is worth it. The storyline is really interesting. We see a female protagonist, Ira, who is quite stubborn and does not want to adhere to her father’s choice of her husband. The beginning of the book shows a patriarchal dominance while this perspective changes from the second half. Ira’s confidant, Nadia, helps her not make a big deal out of the stuff and keep calm. But when Ira meets Manu, the ruler of the kingdom of Manali, she is enthralled. She falls in love with him and then begins her route to unrequited love. To know how the story proceeds, check out the book. What is amazing is the depiction of characters along with references. There are footnotes to some of the facts which gives an idea of the authenticity of facts. We see that there are places where the reader gets so involved in the story that it becomes inevitable to stop. As it was just 160 pages, I read it in one go. The plot is very well represented as well. The book is very enjoyable and secretive at the same time. I recommend this book to those looking for sweet short story and those who want a chunk of Hindu mythology in it.