Boons Curses: Legends of the Mythological Mother by Yugal Joshi

I have read many books based on mythology and my thirst for the same is still strong. Every book I read in this genre brings a new piece of information. Just a week back I read the book "Arjuna - Journey to the heaven ends in hell" and now it's the turn for "Boons Curses: Legends of the Mythological Mother"

by Yugal Joshi. Things that made me select this book.

1. Attractive cover

2. The relevance of title and cover

3. Mythology Genre

4. Perspective of Kunti

Till now I have read more than 20-30 perspectives or points of view from which Mahabharata was portrayed. And in those narrations, I have hardly found a version where Kunti was shown as innocent or a person without higher hopes. She was shown as a shrewd and a calculation woman. She was shown as a person with a determination of instilling her son as a monarch. Her desires made her took some dubious decisions. Many of us knew these dark facts, whether we accept it or not. Let's not go into that discussion. 

After the war when Kunti had introspected the outcomes, she found them very costly. She wanted to discuss her confusion with someone and who could be a better person than Krishna. The book contains a conversation between Kunti and Krishna. Very patiently and with thorough examples, Krishna had attempted to give answers to all questions of Kunti. His answers are not just theosophical or conceptual in nature. He has taken the proper support of other mothers who had been through tough times. And that's why the book subtitle is "Legend of mythological mothers"

Yugal has used references from various stories. You might be knowing many of these stories, but the difference is stark from normal narration we have heard or read. Yugal has focused more on the mother's role in those stories be it Diti-Aditi, Ruma-Tara, or Kunti-Gandhari. Each story shows why they have made some difficult choices. 

I found the book refreshing, as it brought around half novel stories or narrations to me. The language is easy for a fast read. The pace is fast but the grip on the story and conversation between Kunti Krishna continues. I have thoroughly enjoyed the book.

I will give 4 out of 5 to this wonderful book.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon