BEYOND THE BLUE RIVER by B.VINAYAN(book review)

Beyond The Blue River by B.Vinayan

Wheels, check; breaks, check; engine, check-  let’s go!

Grace operates in the city of Sadram and looks like any other Auto, but she isn’t! She hears her master Guru hum the tune of ‘ The Blue River ‘ , sure enough she picks up the tune as well. Soon she has an urge to find The Blue River and when her driver and family go on a vacation, Grace vrooms away through the city into a whole new world!

Fantasy is always fascinating. Autorickshaws have a charm of their own. B.Vinayan, not only brings the Auto alive but  spins a world which is fantastic and educative. Writing for children is an art and the author is very good at it. The charm lies in extending known boundaries by making use of a child’s creative to enthrall and bring to life a whole new world.

The book flows easily and one looks forward to what happens next. As ‘grownups’ one has to try to forget our preconceived notions and prejudices- once one does that, it is a jolly ride! After all not everyday do you come across an Auto that can bend its handles, talk to the wind and even turn into a subatomic particle!

Vinayan, introduces the idea of ‘ extremely tiny creatures’ , ‘ nowHere’ and such in a magical yet elegant manner. The mythological elements are done with gusto. The cart telling stories of The Blue River, reminds me of the narrative tradition in our country.The poems and songs add to the fun.

For children, the universe comes alive to become a cohesive part of their world through stories. The book comes out among other things as a novel attempt to introduce the quantum physics at a very early age- I am not complaining!

While the cover says 12+, I would say 9+ would be more appropriate. The Auto might not be the boy who lived but her adventure sure is exciting and fantastic!

Rating:- 7/10

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