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The Tara Trilogy #1
The Third Eye
2009 Silver Birch Award — Winner
2009 Red Maple Award — Shortlisted
2009 Best Books for Kids Teens — Commended
2008 CLA Book of the Year for Children Award — Longlisted
For Tara and her brother, Suraj, the year their mother and grandfather fled the village of Morni in the middle of the night has been a nightmare. Their new stepmother is cruel and deceptive, and the village itself is lacking a healer. What’s more, men of the village have been disappearing, often returning in a strange, altered form.
When a new healer, Zarku, a mysterious man with a third eye possessing strange power, suddenly appears in Morni, all are mesmerized by his magic – all except Tara, who sees through his evil disguise.
With nothing but her own courage and wit, Tara tries to find her missing mother and grandfather, the true healer, in time to save her village. But along the way she must enlist the help of the god Ganesh and the lord of death, Yama, or she, like others before her, will fall victim to Zarku’s third eye.
2009 Red Maple Award — Shortlisted
2009 Best Books for Kids Teens — Commended
2008 CLA Book of the Year for Children Award — Longlisted
For Tara and her brother, Suraj, the year their mother and grandfather fled the village of Morni in the middle of the night has been a nightmare. Their new stepmother is cruel and deceptive, and the village itself is lacking a healer. What’s more, men of the village have been disappearing, often returning in a strange, altered form.
When a new healer, Zarku, a mysterious man with a third eye possessing strange power, suddenly appears in Morni, all are mesmerized by his magic – all except Tara, who sees through his evil disguise.
With nothing but her own courage and wit, Tara tries to find her missing mother and grandfather, the true healer, in time to save her village. But along the way she must enlist the help of the god Ganesh and the lord of death, Yama, or she, like others before her, will fall victim to Zarku’s third eye.
240 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2007
11 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 28, 2012
Junk. Absolute junk. This book has the worst usage of grammar I've seen in a published novel. The plot was juvenile. The characters intensely dislikable. I can write better than this, and I'm not that great. I was looking for a Sunday afternoon time-waster, and instead I got a tear-your-hair-out-by-the-roots piece of gibberish. I have not hated a book this much since Meyer and the Devil got together to make that vampire farce.
Take a deep breath in, hold it, hold it. Let it out. OK, good. Now that I'm slightly calmer it's time for my review. To be honest the only thing I liked abut this book was the relationship between Tara and her younger brother Suraj. I loved Suraj. He is a lot like my younger brother, and he is so sweet (yes. I am a teenage male. Shut up). Tara is such a goody two-shoes such that even in the scene where there is a slight nod to Orpheus leading his wife from Hades, instead of her failing you just know she's going to succeed. That particular scene is indicative of the entire novel. Nothing, and I mean nothing, has any emotional intensity. If anything the author seems as if she was indulging in a pointless game of "fool the reader", and one which she didn't particularly want to play.
Take a deep breath in, hold it, hold it. Let it out. OK, good. Now that I'm slightly calmer it's time for my review. To be honest the only thing I liked abut this book was the relationship between Tara and her younger brother Suraj. I loved Suraj. He is a lot like my younger brother, and he is so sweet (yes. I am a teenage male. Shut up). Tara is such a goody two-shoes such that even in the scene where there is a slight nod to Orpheus leading his wife from Hades, instead of her failing you just know she's going to succeed. That particular scene is indicative of the entire novel. Nothing, and I mean nothing, has any emotional intensity. If anything the author seems as if she was indulging in a pointless game of "fool the reader", and one which she didn't particularly want to play.
August 7, 2013
A highly suspenseful tale about a very brave girl by the name Tara who lives with her wicked step-mother, (like in typical stories, step-mothers are usually very evil), in a village where very strange events have taken place-people poisoned and some missing. When a mysterious man comes to the village and claims he has a third eye which is magical, Tara has second thoughts about him and declares to herself that he is up to no good. She and her brother set off on a long journey to find their missing mother and their grandfather, who was kicked out of the village due to the suspicions of witchcraft. On her journey, she must avoid dangerous obstacles in order to reunite with her family and gain the aid from her grandfather to stop the third-eyed man. In this, she learns to stay focused and determined, for the village's fate depends on her.
August 10, 2016
A light fast paced read..That's it...Like Dev Prasad's COS..
December 10, 2025
Read this as a kid (maybe 4th grade?) and decided to reread didn't really hold up though
March 8, 2019
The third eye
Tara trilogy part 1
Cover has been well designed. Title is catchy. Theme is of mystery, adventure, fights, warfare, struggle, magic, weapons, will, determination & many other factors which are essential for a fantasy book.
Language is simple & good. Narration is okay. A good fantasy book to read.
For Tara and her brother, Suraj, the year since their mother and grandfather fled the village of Morni in the middle of the night has been a nightmare. The village has been left without a healer, their new stepmother is cruel and deceptive and the men of their village have been disappearing, often returning in a strange and altered form.
When a new healer, Zarku, a mysterious man with a third eye possessing strange power, suddenly appears in Morni, all are mesmerized by his magic all except Tara, who sees through his disguise.
With nothing but her own courage and intelligence to rely on, Tara tries to find her missing mother and grandfather, the true healer, in time to save her village. But along the way she must enlist the help of the elephant god, Ganesh and the lord of death, Yamaor she, like others before her, will fall victim to Zarku's third eye.
Tara trilogy part 1
Cover has been well designed. Title is catchy. Theme is of mystery, adventure, fights, warfare, struggle, magic, weapons, will, determination & many other factors which are essential for a fantasy book.
Language is simple & good. Narration is okay. A good fantasy book to read.
For Tara and her brother, Suraj, the year since their mother and grandfather fled the village of Morni in the middle of the night has been a nightmare. The village has been left without a healer, their new stepmother is cruel and deceptive and the men of their village have been disappearing, often returning in a strange and altered form.
When a new healer, Zarku, a mysterious man with a third eye possessing strange power, suddenly appears in Morni, all are mesmerized by his magic all except Tara, who sees through his disguise.
With nothing but her own courage and intelligence to rely on, Tara tries to find her missing mother and grandfather, the true healer, in time to save her village. But along the way she must enlist the help of the elephant god, Ganesh and the lord of death, Yamaor she, like others before her, will fall victim to Zarku's third eye.
July 15, 2011
The Third Eye showed us how a little girl (named Tara) could save everyone with her bravery, loyalty, and overall stupidity. Children are often thought of as "cute" and "childish" and so we are childish but that's because we are CHILDREN! Because of this, we are often underestimated but one thing we do have if not experience is love for our families even if they infuriate us sometimes and we will go to great lengths to save the ones we love most, though for most kids it's not destroying a creepy dude named Zarku with a creepy eye on his forehead and his creepy minions. NO, for most circumstances, it's just cleaning our rooms, helping with dinner, or helping around the house when our parents are sick. I'm getting off topic, the thing I liked most about this book was that kids outsmarted an evil guy plotting to kill everyone and take over. I have to say, the author knew lots about Indian culture, food, and had a lot of imagination with the "minions" of Zarku.
April 14, 2013
This is one of the fastest novel I’ve ever read. Things change in on time and more and more dangers come to thrill you. I was a bit disappointed to see a little girl facing such extremely dangerous situations but after all it’s a children’s fiction where characters see real gods and devils and a mouse that talks. I loved the way Indian culture’s good and bad sides were shown. The land of miracles has so many real stories more strangely than these fictions and of course it would be easy to make a story like this one. I admire the story and the writer who had my brain tortured with so many new words that I irritatingly ignored looking into the dictionary.
July 15, 2014
Bought the book looking at the title and thinking it would be about Lord Shiva ........... was a little disappointed as it is a fictional story about magic ...... a story that children would enjoy reading about a magician who uses his third eye to do harm to people ...... anyway it teaches the moral that faith in God will help people to achieve anything in life. ..... children will definitely enjoy reading the book because of all the magical moments in it.
October 5, 2010
This book was amazing, I always was wondering what would happen next! It was very well written and thrilling.
September 14, 2022
Diwali is supposed to be a joyous occasion that holds all the promise to come in the new year. For siblings Tara and Suraj, though, this year is already beginning on a terribly unpleasant note. Their mother Parvati disappeared in the night without explanation months earlier, and since then the siblings have been living with the vengeful wrath of an unjust stepmother. When a new healer comes to town and unexpected occurrences begin taking place, Tara knows she and Suraj must leave to both protect their own lives and find their missing mother–wherever she may be. But the world is filled with danger and enemies, and Tara must summon all of her courage in order to survive.
This suspenseful novel transports readers to a small town in India where everyone has a job to do and life progresses predictably from one day to the next. Nearly every page is filled with references to Indian cuisine and culture, which helps to paint a vivid picture of Tara's surroundings. Intentional descriptions are included that give readers unfamiliar with this part of the world a better understanding of the nuances of the references that are used, and this happens without distracting from the main plot. Tara and Suraj's world is easy for readers to fall into regardless of their background, and this narrative keeps the pages turning thanks to the drama and intensity found in the storytelling.
Written for a middle grade audience, this story flows smoothly and focuses on accessible, young characters who must learn to fend for themselves despite their youth. References to horror elements like evil characters, death, and physical transformation are included, as are poisoning and starvation experienced by the children. When these are relatively light based on the target audience, they can become more intense depending on the reader's individual imagination. The first in its series, this book introduces readers to Tara, Suraj, their town, and the unusual circumstances taking place within it and leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next installment. This is a good addition to library collections for middle grade readers with an interest in horror and the supernatural.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.
This suspenseful novel transports readers to a small town in India where everyone has a job to do and life progresses predictably from one day to the next. Nearly every page is filled with references to Indian cuisine and culture, which helps to paint a vivid picture of Tara's surroundings. Intentional descriptions are included that give readers unfamiliar with this part of the world a better understanding of the nuances of the references that are used, and this happens without distracting from the main plot. Tara and Suraj's world is easy for readers to fall into regardless of their background, and this narrative keeps the pages turning thanks to the drama and intensity found in the storytelling.
Written for a middle grade audience, this story flows smoothly and focuses on accessible, young characters who must learn to fend for themselves despite their youth. References to horror elements like evil characters, death, and physical transformation are included, as are poisoning and starvation experienced by the children. When these are relatively light based on the target audience, they can become more intense depending on the reader's individual imagination. The first in its series, this book introduces readers to Tara, Suraj, their town, and the unusual circumstances taking place within it and leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next installment. This is a good addition to library collections for middle grade readers with an interest in horror and the supernatural.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I chose to leave this review.
Read
May 2, 2022I had initially read this book many moons ago (when I was like in fifth grade) and really enjoyed it then. I was recently reminded of this book and couldn't remember everything about it so I decided to read it again! I enjoyed reading this, it was fun and suspenseful. The storytelling overall was quite simple but I think that's too be expected since this is a children's book. I am not rating this book because I do think I am outside of this target audience and I don't know what standards I would hold this too.
My favorite part of the book was all the the cultural references and Hindu mythology. I think all of it was well incorporated into the book and it was nice that the main protagonist is a young girl. I think if you enjoyed Percy Jackson or mythology in general, you would really enjoy this book as well.
This is is trilogy, and for the most part I dislike trilogies or series in general. However, this was a fun and light read for me so I may or may not consider reading the other two books. I am not heavily invested in happens next but I enjoyed this enough that I think I'll eventually get to the other books. In general, give this read! I do think most people will like this.
My favorite part of the book was all the the cultural references and Hindu mythology. I think all of it was well incorporated into the book and it was nice that the main protagonist is a young girl. I think if you enjoyed Percy Jackson or mythology in general, you would really enjoy this book as well.
This is is trilogy, and for the most part I dislike trilogies or series in general. However, this was a fun and light read for me so I may or may not consider reading the other two books. I am not heavily invested in happens next but I enjoyed this enough that I think I'll eventually get to the other books. In general, give this read! I do think most people will like this.
August 4, 2022
Exciting, unexpected and surprisingly tense, this fantasy for young readers goes hard. Great for kids who want a little more bite to their fantasy. Set in rural India and incorporating elements of myth and mysticism, this thrilling underdog story features some scary moments and an admirably driven heroine.
April 8, 2018
Feels like it was written by a twelve year old.
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April 4, 2013Strange things have been going on in the village of Morni where Tara and her brother live. Men from the village have been disappearing, and returning in a strange and altered form. When a new healer Zarku appears — with a third eye possessing a frightening power — only Tara can see through his evil disguise. With nothing but courage and wit, Tara will set out to find her missing mother and grandfather, and try to save her village. But if she fails, she’ll fall victim to Zarku’s third eye and meet a terrifying fate. In her first novel, author Mahtab Narsimhan combines elements of classic fairy tales, such as “Hansel and Gretel,” with Indian mythology for a highly original and entertaining fantasy adventure. The story begins on a strong note, creating an eerie and tension-filled atmosphere that immediately raises questions with the readers, and foreshadows what is to come. The author also touches on important themes in the story, including courage, self-reliance, loyalty, ingenuity and perseverance. From the moment Tara and her brother run away from their malevolent stepmother, she begins to discover these traits in herself. After making a deal with Yama, the Hindu lord of death, to save the life of a friend, she realizes that she alone can decide which way her moral compass is pointing and that the fate of many rests on her courage. Overall, the book moves along at a swift pace, but the dialogue occasionally feels forced, and some passages clunky and awkward. Though the age of the characters are never specifically mentioned, the book reads much younger than the apparent target audience of teens. Despite this difficulty, readers will enjoy the lushly described Indian setting as well as the cultural references to Hindu gods and celebrations, making this a solid middle grade read suitable for literature circles or book club discussions.
Reviewed by Rachel Steen in Canadian Children's Book News
Spring 2008 VOL.31 NO.2
Reviewed by Rachel Steen in Canadian Children's Book News
Spring 2008 VOL.31 NO.2
September 19, 2022
Received as an ARC, I am leaving my honest review. This is a nail biting action packed plot of good versus evil. Two young children are the subject of cruel treatment after their mother is forced to leave their village. Being accused as a witch, she left to save her life. Evil soon moves in her place, and her children, determined not to fall to the evil plans overheard one night, plan a daring escape. They will search for their mother and grandfather through dangers that will test their strength, their faith and their courage. Be prepared for many twists and turns as this story grips your attention and keeps it til the last page.
January 9, 2012
This is a fantasy novel set in India, bringing to many North American readers a description of mythology and cultural traditions that might otherwise be unknown. Narsimhan crafts her story with rich descriptions of environment and sensory detail, particularly her insightful descriptions of light and its varied qualities that seep into each scene, infusing the entire book with an air of mystique and magic.
September 30, 2022
Action-packed and engaging The Third Eye by Mahtab Narsimhan is a page-turning read. I like the intelligence and courage of the character of Tara. It's a suspenseful story of good vs evil. Kids Vs the world. Survival and family/community. 5 star recommendation. Can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy!
February 11, 2010
A Silver Birch award winner, and I can see why. Suspenseful, dark, creepy, and just the right amount of, er, gross to complete the mix. Looking forward to reading the next in the series - The Silver Anklet - by this talented #torkidlit author!! (#torkidlit - check it out on twitter!! :0))
December 11, 2014
I enjoyed this book very much. I found it to be a page turner and thrilling. Mahtab's writing style is lyrical, but it never gets in the way of the action, rather it draws you into an exciting adventure in India in fairy tale fashion.
January 18, 2024
I am once again writing book reviews instead of doing my work :)
I remember finding this book at the library and being SO EXCITED to see a book about Indian characters. I am so glad brown kids now have more representation in media. Also this book was just really good in general hip hip hooray
I remember finding this book at the library and being SO EXCITED to see a book about Indian characters. I am so glad brown kids now have more representation in media. Also this book was just really good in general hip hip hooray
May 19, 2009
A very enjoyable first book! I enjoyed the mythology sprinkled in as well as the fairy tale-like feel of the novel. I anxiously await her next book!
October 9, 2010
it was pretty cool...kinda scary though...
April 14, 2011
reli awesome!!
the third eye is soo mysterious!
the third eye is soo mysterious!
April 12, 2016
My problem with this book is that it felt like high fantasy parading as reality.
December 8, 2022
good story
Enjoyed the story. Had a few good life lessons in it. The main character was a decent role model.
Clean of bad language and sexual content
Enjoyed the story. Had a few good life lessons in it. The main character was a decent role model.
Clean of bad language and sexual content
Want to read
November 8, 2012I didn't read this book but my friend did. She says it is a great book. SO u should read it
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews