3 Books for a Lazy Weekend

The Dark Side Of Light
Sanil Sachar
Rupa Publications
Seventy-five tales. One book.
Delhi-based Sachar’s second tome is a collection of short stories, poems and plays that trace themes of comedy, tragedy, romance and mystery. Ranging from 10-line verses to lengthy plays, each piece in the book displays the 23-year-old’s talent with words. They portray his take on love, life and everything in between, and manage to hold your attention right till the very end. Whether one is looking for works that are deep or just easy reads, The Dark Side Of Light is a pleasant pick from the upcoming author.

Menaka’s Choice
Kavita Kané
Rupa Publications
After Karna’s Wife and Sita’s Sister, Kané has come out with another fictional work. This one focusses on the life and trials of Menaka, one of the most beautiful apsaras in Hindu mythology. The action pulls you in right from the prologue, and keeps you gripped till the very last page. Including characters that many have grown up hearing about, the novel has all the makings of a potboiler — there’s love, drama, action, conflict and tragedy in plenty. And it’s a perfect throwback to those childhood days when grandmothers would regale with stories of Harishchandra, Indra and Vishwamitra — now see them through the protagonist’s eyes. This is one for that Sunday afternoon when all you want to do is sit back and enjoy a quick, captivating read.

Runaway Writers
Indu Balachandran
Speaking Tiger Books
This humorous novel starts off with one of the main characters creating an ad to rent out her uterus. A tale of three women — Amby, Bobby and Mini — Runaway Writers is a witty story that centres around relationships, careers and love lives. As readers travel with the protagonists to a writers’ workshop in Greece, they’re sure to identify with their trials and tribulations throughout the 288-page read. A breezy ‘romedy’, Balachandran’s work will definitely bring a smile to one’s lips. And it’ll hit home for anyone who’s tried to balance their relationships and a career — with a dash of humour, of course.