Reviews

The Queen of Jasmine Country by Sharanya Manivannan

neerja12's review against another edition

4.0

3.5 stars. The story of Kodhai is one which I never knew before reading this book. I enjoyed it and it was a new experience for me to get into this book. This book was a special one with its poetic writing. The story flowed like a river slow and sensuous with its own beauty which is difficult to describe unless you have experienced it yourself. The writing made me feel as if I was travelling and moving to the places with kodhai. Although this book was
short, it took me a little longer to complete because of the poetic way it was written. It was lovely to read this book and I will definitely recommend it.

surabhichatrapathy's review against another edition

4.0

Andal was a mystic poet of the 9th century, hailing from Southern India. A poet belonging to the bhakti movement she was then elevated to the position of a goddess.
Unlike many other Bhakti poets who sought oneness with their God in spirit, she also sought a physical oneness. Andal wrote of liberation and oneness with God as a 13 year old girl.
Her poetry translated and interpreted over centuries are not only revered but also deeply controversial.
The Queen of Jasmine Country is a novel inspired by Andal's life.
Highly poetic prose weaved together with a vivid description of the Tamilagam landscape.
It was an immersive experience, imagining Kodhai (the young poet) unearthing her devotion for Vishnu and growing deeper deeper into her own world of poetry and prayer.
The novel also highlights the limitations and the freedoms of growing up when she did, painting an interesting socio-political background.
Kodhai' garden of worship from where she and her father pick flowers every morning is a garden I would love to have. The image of it is stuck in my mind along with its aroma of devotion and love.
The poetic-prose is heavy, but owing to the life she has attempted to describe or fathom I suppose it is justified

starryeyedenigma's review against another edition

4.0

I have to start this review with a heartfelt thanks to a lost friend, who had presented this book to me, after a lot of thought clearly, for my birthday. We used to have long conversations about sexuality, accepting desires, the relevance of monogamy or the traditional institute of marriage, poetry, feminism, history, among many things. So I can imagine why he picked this book for me to read, since this fictional retelling of the life of the south Indian devotional poet Andal, touches upon many of these subjects.

I really enjoyed reading this book. If you’re a fan of books with prose that sound like poetry, then this might be one for you. It is also a short book of just 156 pages, and I was able to finish it in a single sitting.

All the description about Kodhai’s desires, or the rituals she partakes in to find her life partner, or her love for words and poetry were simply breath taking. I could picture myself in that age, in that setting of the jungle, where people lived simply and loved deeply.

I’d like to read more of Sharanya’s books now – she has a collection of poems and a collection of short stories, and the description of both sound very interesting. Glad to have read an Indian author whose work I enjoyed after such a long time :)

pratikshyamishra's review against another edition

5.0

One of the favorite books i read this year. Prosaic poetry. The life of Andal. I would go back to this book time and again. Yes. Decided. Such sensuous was the writing. The narrative is love. Addictive.

rishitha's review against another edition

3.0

The mysterious Tamil poet Andal is said to have lived in the 8th century CE. Sharanya Manivannan reimagines this story of a young girl Kodhai, and how she becomes the revered Andal. The writing in this novel mimics the writing styles of the sangam literature - imagery of nature, fruits, flowers, animals, and a sense of longing. The most moving aspect of the novel is Kodhai's arduous penance to please Lord Vishnu and convince him to marry her. Kodhai performs testing rituals with grit and doubt. What will happen of her life when she is married off to an intangible being, God himself, when she has to continue to live among the living? In these sections, Kodhai's ache is visceral. However, the novel suffers from grandiose language and a lack of depth. How does Kodhai come to believe that she has to marry Lord Vishnu? What does it take for a young girl to become singularly focused on such an untrodden path? These are questions that are left half-baked. I would have also liked for Manivannan to explore more deeply the idea of scholarly persuit for women of the century, considering Andal was said to have been the only female Alvar. 

crown0fwishes's review against another edition

reflective fast-paced

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

sushmamanava's review against another edition

4.0

Packed into less than 150 pages is the story of Kodhai who was found in a Tulasi grove in the home of an ardent Vishnu disciple (a God in Hindu mythology)
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Kodhai’s character was every bit intriguing and i couldn’t put down the book as I wanted to find out more about how her story would pan out. And through the pages I learnt more about Kodhai and I enjoyed the many variants of her personality.
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The book highlights many Hindu traditions and has glowing descriptions of many rituals. I also was reading a few interviews by the author and learnt that she was a poet and I think the lyrical writing reflects that. But I also think that a reader who doesn’t have any idea of the Hindu religion might find it difficult to relate

b0rn_2_read's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars