Halfway Up The Mountain by Kiran Khalap: A Review

Blurb: Kiran Khalap’s first novel is a poetic work, in which prayer, spirituality and reality are interwoven, a village girl, Maya, fights her fate in a traditional Indian family. She makes steamed pancakes and turmeric leaf fragrance and skips school. Her fate is tied to Ravindra, in an arranged marriage that falls apart when Maya meets the poet, Krishnarao, and is forced to spend the night in his house marooned by a torrential storm. Ravindra refuses to believe that their son Sharan is his own, and leaves her. The young girl is undone by men closest to her, abandoned in an Indian society that places no value on woman on her own. A tale of snakebites, separation and liberation.

Verdict: Halfway up the Mountain, the debut book of Kiran Khalap centering around a woman ‘Maya’ this book is sure to catch the reader’s eye. The most eye grabbing thing in the book is the cover of the book and the the work of the designer who drawn this art makes it all the more interesting and fascinating.

When the book starts, one cannot get enough of complimenting the quality of the book. When in hand, it fits perfectly well and the book is also written in a very easy to read font. From the first scene till the last, the book has something special hidden it.

I would like to compliment the author for having efficiently described the minutiae of a woman’s life, her needs-desires, her life and love with such ease and comfort that every reader seems to be a part of the life of the central character.

I particularly loved the concept behind the whole story circling around Maya, the main protagonist. The relationships she had with the men of her life, starting from her father (who left her as a kid) to her elder brother, her husband, father-in-law and finally her son.

There are so many things one can learn from the life of Maya and the way she fought the world and all this teamed together makes this book one life turning one for many reader. The way the author has narrated all these makes the reader fall in love with the protagonists. A new and fresh narrating style also gives this book a whole new feeling. Kudos to the author for putting the glossaries at the end, which will definitely help the readers.  

As far as the flaw in concerned, the only thing I felt was that at the end of the book, all readers would want to read more and more of the life of Maya’s life and thus it is the only way why I would like to deduct a few points. Apart from that, I really loved the book; waiting for much more by the author.

Final Words: This novel has an absorbing flavor which is going to mesmerize the readers from the core. The unique narrating style and the efficient characterization helps this book to stand out from the crowd.

Title: Halfway Up The Mountain
Author: Kiran Khalap
Publisher: Amaryllis
Page Count: 232
My Rating: 4.75/5

Available at -
Flipkart – http://www.flipkart.com/halfway-up-mountain-english/p/itmczznz3yezfrjz?pid=9789381506417&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=halfway+up+the+mountain&ref=cf7a916e-6c05-41ef-98b4-3f1f73d9db17

Amazon - http://www.amazon.in/Half-Way-Mountains-Kiran-Khalap/dp/9381506418/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407573781&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=halfway+up+the+mountain+by+Kiran+Khalap