A review by vaniagarwal
The Sea Elephants by Shastri Akella

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This is a beautifully written novel. It’s clear that the author loves Hindu mythology, street art, etc and treats the subject matter with the care and respect it deserves. I enjoyed the characterizations of the main couple and parents but I wish they had fleshed out the friends a bit more. While nothing in the story literally repeated, it did at times feel like we were beating a dead horse. I think this was more an issue with pacing. The author spent a lot of time at the boarding school and almost no time on his travels. I also wish there was a point in which the whole sea of elephants legend was written (rather than a section of it) for clarity (or a sort of appendix). Despite some pacing issues, I found the writing and story to be deeply compelling. I am excited to read more by this author and to read more novels centered around Hindu mythology.