What do you think?
Rate this book
Full Circle
Outwardly, Malini is a contented, sixty-something grandmother with a loving family and everything a person could wish for. But Malini has lived her entire life with a secret confined to the deepest recesses of her heart.
Haunted by the past, she travels to Kumbakonam, her native town, which she had left years ago. There, she comes face-to-face with her long-lost love.
After forty years, will Malini be able to reclaim her own life, when love comes knocking at her door once again?
Haunted by the past, she travels to Kumbakonam, her native town, which she had left years ago. There, she comes face-to-face with her long-lost love.
After forty years, will Malini be able to reclaim her own life, when love comes knocking at her door once again?
- GenresRomance
99 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2013
87 people want to read
About the author
Yamini Vijendran
3 books5 followersYamini Vijendran (@saimini) is the author of ‘Full Circle’, a romance novella published by Indireads. After being a Software Professional for 7 years, Yamini has been freelancing from home for the past 3 years. She loves to dabble in fiction and romance and drama are her favorite genres. Her short stories have been published in ‘Love Stories That Touched My Heart’, an Anthology published by Penguin India, New Asian Writing and Six Sentences. Yamini also likes to pen poems when inspiration strikes, and her poetry has been published in The Indian Review, Contemporary Literary Review of India and ‘A World Rediscovered’ a poetry Anthology by Cyberwit Publications. Yamini draws material for her stories and poems from the world around her. When she is not converting her experiences to stories or poems, Yamini reads, plays with her toddler, and fools around her laboratory, that is, the kitchen. You can visit her at http://www.facebook.com/YaminiVijendr...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 23, 2013
Yamini Vijendran’s ‘Full Circle’ promises a hearty dose of old-fashioned romance – the kind that is almost non-existent nowadays. The mellow, subdued and gentle expression of love that is reminiscent of black and white cinema may be an alien concept to the present generation but thanks to Yamini’s narrative style, it is not at all difficult to relate to. Yamini deftly weaves in traditional elements and delightful details of placed and things, adding a rich cultural flavor to the story. A heart-rending tale of two lovers parted by circumstance and reunited by destiny, Full Circle will reinstate your belief in timeless and ageless love.
June 29, 2013
Full Circle is a beautiful tale of finding a love, that one thought lost many decades ago. Malini, the protagonist is a widow and a grandmother, a quietly strong woman who has lived her life for her family. Now satisfied that they are all capable of taking care of themselves, Malini decides to return to an old age home in her hometown in search of answers for questions she has carried along with her for all her life. This is where the story begins.
Full Circle is reminiscent of ‘Love in the time of cholera’ because of the age of its protagonists and the almost lyrical descriptions. A heartwarming read and a must-read for anyone looking for a story that makes one believe in that irrational but powerful force called love.
Full Circle is reminiscent of ‘Love in the time of cholera’ because of the age of its protagonists and the almost lyrical descriptions. A heartwarming read and a must-read for anyone looking for a story that makes one believe in that irrational but powerful force called love.
October 24, 2014
Full Circle is the first book by Yamini that I’ve read and I’m floored.
The story, about Malini and Ranjan, is about how true love can never fail, that it will stand the test of time, and do all that is expected of it. Eighteen year-old Malini falls in love with her Maths tutor, Ranjan. Their love is pure and perfect – of the kind that fairy tales are made of.
Malini first meets Ranjan at a temple where is enchanted by her beautiful voice. Several chance meetings later, Ranjan becomes Malini’s maths tutor and while teaching her to master her equations, gives her an opportunity to explore her singing talent. Soon enough, Malini and Ranjan fall in love with each other.
Just when they are both spinning dreams of a happily-ever-after together, Malini’s elder sister Nalini does something that causes Malini’s family to relocate immediately. Ranjan, who goes to his hometown, does not come back on the day he promised to Malini, leaving her completely heartbroken when she leaves her home. In one strong blow, destiny takes away from Malini two people who she loved the most.
Do Malini and Ranjan ever meet? If they do, when and how? Why did Ranjan not come back? What about the lives they’ve come to building without each other? The story is about all this and more.
Spanning less than 100 pages, the story is simple, sweet, and breathtakingly-beautiful. Yamini has very beautifully sketched out each and every character. Thought the book is less than 100 pages, the story does not jump from one plot to the other. Descriptions of people, places, and events are vivid enough to let your imagination soar.
This is one of those books that you can pick up on one of your very uneventful days and lift up your mood immediately.
The story, about Malini and Ranjan, is about how true love can never fail, that it will stand the test of time, and do all that is expected of it. Eighteen year-old Malini falls in love with her Maths tutor, Ranjan. Their love is pure and perfect – of the kind that fairy tales are made of.
Malini first meets Ranjan at a temple where is enchanted by her beautiful voice. Several chance meetings later, Ranjan becomes Malini’s maths tutor and while teaching her to master her equations, gives her an opportunity to explore her singing talent. Soon enough, Malini and Ranjan fall in love with each other.
Just when they are both spinning dreams of a happily-ever-after together, Malini’s elder sister Nalini does something that causes Malini’s family to relocate immediately. Ranjan, who goes to his hometown, does not come back on the day he promised to Malini, leaving her completely heartbroken when she leaves her home. In one strong blow, destiny takes away from Malini two people who she loved the most.
Do Malini and Ranjan ever meet? If they do, when and how? Why did Ranjan not come back? What about the lives they’ve come to building without each other? The story is about all this and more.
Spanning less than 100 pages, the story is simple, sweet, and breathtakingly-beautiful. Yamini has very beautifully sketched out each and every character. Thought the book is less than 100 pages, the story does not jump from one plot to the other. Descriptions of people, places, and events are vivid enough to let your imagination soar.
This is one of those books that you can pick up on one of your very uneventful days and lift up your mood immediately.
December 7, 2014
Malini is a sixty plus woman, who has fulfilled all her responsibilities. For more than fifty years she had been there for her family. First for her father and brother in her paternal home and then for her husband and son in her home. She had worked tirelessly to make her family happy and comfortable. Now, ever since her husband’s death, a year ago, an unsatisfied yearning continued to haunt her. A yearning for all that she had lost in her native place, Kumbakonam. She wanted to find the answers and go back to her roots, before the last stop of her journey.
Malini’s doting son, daughter-in-law and grand daughter, could not comprehend why she had set her heart on settling at a retirement home. But soon they let her follow her heart.
On reaching, Kumbakonam, life comes full circle for her as she meets her lost love. Is it late to reconnect with a long lost love? Well if you don’t try, you’ll never know. And you’ll never know what happened to Malini and her first love, Ranjan, till you read, Full Circle.
Full Circle is a mature love story and takes you back in time where love and its expression was so simple and pure and was so different from the times today. It is a heart-warming love story that also gives you a glimpse of life, culture, traditions in the South of India.
I liked Yamini’s storytelling skills and it definitely worked for me. It kept me engaged and completely interested and this is when I could guess how it would end. The climax seemed to be a bit rushed, though. I wish, there was more of it. And tying of the loose end through David was a bit hurried and forced.
Overall, Full Circle is a light breezy read that will touch and warm the cockles of your heart too!
http://shilpaagarg.com/2014/10/full-c...
Malini’s doting son, daughter-in-law and grand daughter, could not comprehend why she had set her heart on settling at a retirement home. But soon they let her follow her heart.
On reaching, Kumbakonam, life comes full circle for her as she meets her lost love. Is it late to reconnect with a long lost love? Well if you don’t try, you’ll never know. And you’ll never know what happened to Malini and her first love, Ranjan, till you read, Full Circle.
Full Circle is a mature love story and takes you back in time where love and its expression was so simple and pure and was so different from the times today. It is a heart-warming love story that also gives you a glimpse of life, culture, traditions in the South of India.
I liked Yamini’s storytelling skills and it definitely worked for me. It kept me engaged and completely interested and this is when I could guess how it would end. The climax seemed to be a bit rushed, though. I wish, there was more of it. And tying of the loose end through David was a bit hurried and forced.
Overall, Full Circle is a light breezy read that will touch and warm the cockles of your heart too!
http://shilpaagarg.com/2014/10/full-c...
October 27, 2014
Grandparents share a special bonding with the grandchildren. Here comes, one more of the anecdotes that brings you close to India and closer to family and grandparents, in general.
We always have been blessed with gifts and blessings from our grandparents. Can we re-pay them, anyhow? Actually, ethically speaking the answer is a big ‘NO’ but in way it can be a ‘YES’. We can at-least try to make them feel happy and provide them with a company to kill their loneliness. This is something you will witness in the story as well. This simple gesture can work wonders for the oldies and imbibe a refreshing aura around them.
Malini is a strong woman who has nurtured a strong valued family and today when she has satisfactorily dispensed her duties (as expected from the societal customs); she plans to invest some time for herself. The best elements of this book for me are the book cover and plot based on familial bonding. A self-explanatory book cover that deciphers the journey of a woman from her young age to lonely old age and then turning around to look back into the past – a full circle, indeed!
The author pulls of the story diligently touching every single aspect of an elderly woman. The unsatisfied satisfactions and unheard stories need to be heard and time invested. This is a soft and kind-hearted tribute dedicated to the elderly. She has carved a strong female protagonist and not any victimized soul sobbing while standing in front of mirror.
Caution: You won’t be able to refrain yourself from hugging your grandmother, once you finish reading the book. I am already missing mine.
Source: http://booksnewsindia.wordpress.com/2...
We always have been blessed with gifts and blessings from our grandparents. Can we re-pay them, anyhow? Actually, ethically speaking the answer is a big ‘NO’ but in way it can be a ‘YES’. We can at-least try to make them feel happy and provide them with a company to kill their loneliness. This is something you will witness in the story as well. This simple gesture can work wonders for the oldies and imbibe a refreshing aura around them.
Malini is a strong woman who has nurtured a strong valued family and today when she has satisfactorily dispensed her duties (as expected from the societal customs); she plans to invest some time for herself. The best elements of this book for me are the book cover and plot based on familial bonding. A self-explanatory book cover that deciphers the journey of a woman from her young age to lonely old age and then turning around to look back into the past – a full circle, indeed!
The author pulls of the story diligently touching every single aspect of an elderly woman. The unsatisfied satisfactions and unheard stories need to be heard and time invested. This is a soft and kind-hearted tribute dedicated to the elderly. She has carved a strong female protagonist and not any victimized soul sobbing while standing in front of mirror.
Caution: You won’t be able to refrain yourself from hugging your grandmother, once you finish reading the book. I am already missing mine.
Source: http://booksnewsindia.wordpress.com/2...
November 7, 2014
A main character that is 60 and her story still holds interest leaving the reader with hope and a positive vision for future; that is Full Circle for you.
In our lives we come across various elderly who never got a second chance at love and life. Even in the late 30 or early 40’s they are relegated to live life as shadows. No life, no love, no hope and definitely no future.
Here is a tale that talks about this issue of not just remarriage but remarriage of an elder of the family. Yamini’s novella raises a lot of very valid and much needed questions.
The story line is quite simple and uncomplicated yet it works. A story about looking back and looking for closure, hoping to revisit the land of youth and hoping to make amends. Malini chooses to go back to the land where she was born and yet when she finds what she is looking for, she hesitates before making her choice.
The language of the book is another plus point, clean, error free and crisp sentences. A smattering of the local language adds to the charm of the book. It could have been based anywhere and still come out a winner.
The ending is a bit abrupt for me, though it was concluded well but I think a little more interaction between Malini and Ranjan in present would have been better. It is a novella hence less scope but maybe the earlier portion could be shortened and the latter increased. Well, I am no author so it is just my opinion because all the portions between Ranjan and Malini were superb.
A thoughtful and fresh read for a weekend or short break.
Readers, who look for substance in their romance and chutzpah in their chick-lit, look no further than FULL CIRCLE!!
In our lives we come across various elderly who never got a second chance at love and life. Even in the late 30 or early 40’s they are relegated to live life as shadows. No life, no love, no hope and definitely no future.
Here is a tale that talks about this issue of not just remarriage but remarriage of an elder of the family. Yamini’s novella raises a lot of very valid and much needed questions.
The story line is quite simple and uncomplicated yet it works. A story about looking back and looking for closure, hoping to revisit the land of youth and hoping to make amends. Malini chooses to go back to the land where she was born and yet when she finds what she is looking for, she hesitates before making her choice.
The language of the book is another plus point, clean, error free and crisp sentences. A smattering of the local language adds to the charm of the book. It could have been based anywhere and still come out a winner.
The ending is a bit abrupt for me, though it was concluded well but I think a little more interaction between Malini and Ranjan in present would have been better. It is a novella hence less scope but maybe the earlier portion could be shortened and the latter increased. Well, I am no author so it is just my opinion because all the portions between Ranjan and Malini were superb.
A thoughtful and fresh read for a weekend or short break.
Readers, who look for substance in their romance and chutzpah in their chick-lit, look no further than FULL CIRCLE!!
November 1, 2014
Rea the review here: http://taleoftwotomatoes.wordpress.co...
Full Circle is a beautiful story of finding your true love. It’s a tale of Malini, a grandmother and a widow who goes in search of answers to her long lost love. She is a 60-something woman, who stays with his son and family and is content of the life she lives. But why the urge of going against her family’s wishes and stay at a retirement home in her home town? Will she be able to succeed in her quest of finding answers to the secrets she kept hidden in her heart for ages?
This is a beautiful story with intense emotions. It is well-written and is a thoroughly enjoyable read. There is a lot of positivism, sibling love, family values and traditions and a sublime and classy romance. The writing style and narration is impeccable and the story ends in a very bold note.
The book cover is pleasant and different portraying both the younger and older self of Malini. But being a South Indian, I did have a thought on why she is having a pallu on her head.
Sincere appreciation all the way to Yamini on her maiden voyage.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Full Circle is a beautiful story of finding your true love. It’s a tale of Malini, a grandmother and a widow who goes in search of answers to her long lost love. She is a 60-something woman, who stays with his son and family and is content of the life she lives. But why the urge of going against her family’s wishes and stay at a retirement home in her home town? Will she be able to succeed in her quest of finding answers to the secrets she kept hidden in her heart for ages?
This is a beautiful story with intense emotions. It is well-written and is a thoroughly enjoyable read. There is a lot of positivism, sibling love, family values and traditions and a sublime and classy romance. The writing style and narration is impeccable and the story ends in a very bold note.
The book cover is pleasant and different portraying both the younger and older self of Malini. But being a South Indian, I did have a thought on why she is having a pallu on her head.
Sincere appreciation all the way to Yamini on her maiden voyage.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
October 26, 2014
Romance and marriage in sunset years is heard of, but it’s a risky subject for a novella that too in South Asian setting. And hats-off to Yamini Vijendran for taking that risk and tackling the subject with great finesse and compassion. She has woven a beautiful romantic and emotional tale which kept me rooting for the protagonist Malini.
Malini is a grandmother and a widow, who is still finding answer to her failed relationship in the past. Ranjan’s character is dignified and mature. The lifestyle differences between the two phases of Malini’s life, which are forty years apart, have been captured exactly right and are very convincing.
‘Full Circle’ is a fantastic blend of unrequited romance, sibling relationship, familial values and rituals of South India.
A heart-warming story.
Malini is a grandmother and a widow, who is still finding answer to her failed relationship in the past. Ranjan’s character is dignified and mature. The lifestyle differences between the two phases of Malini’s life, which are forty years apart, have been captured exactly right and are very convincing.
‘Full Circle’ is a fantastic blend of unrequited romance, sibling relationship, familial values and rituals of South India.
A heart-warming story.
February 2, 2014
Malini is 60 plus and lives with her son, daughter-in-law and teenage granddaughter in the city of Chennai. She’s been widowed since two years and feels a strong urge to visit her roots at Kumbakonam. Much against her family’s wishes, Malini shifts to a Retirement Home there. Is fate calling out to her?
I am amazed at Yamini coming up with a 60-year-old heroine for a romance novella. But the author has proved that she can write a convincing story and how! Beautiful story, well-written making for a thoroughly enjoyable read.
There were at least two situations where I could not help shedding tears. Congratulations, Yamini Vijendran! Considering this is her maiden venture, the author is bound to get better and better. It really makes me look forward to more from her.
I am amazed at Yamini coming up with a 60-year-old heroine for a romance novella. But the author has proved that she can write a convincing story and how! Beautiful story, well-written making for a thoroughly enjoyable read.
There were at least two situations where I could not help shedding tears. Congratulations, Yamini Vijendran! Considering this is her maiden venture, the author is bound to get better and better. It really makes me look forward to more from her.
July 21, 2013
Yamini’s Full Circle took me literally to the streets of Kumbakonam. And I could almost visualize the story just as it happened.
Malini is a recently widowed grandmother who comes to Kumbakonam to stay at a retired home facility much against the wishes of her family. Her reasons for opting to stay alone are something she is not able to discuss with her family and is the secret that keeps the story together.
This is a very mature story about deep relationship and unfinished dreams that will keep you hooked on until the end. A fantastic ending that is very fulfilling and optimistic. A must-read!
Malini is a recently widowed grandmother who comes to Kumbakonam to stay at a retired home facility much against the wishes of her family. Her reasons for opting to stay alone are something she is not able to discuss with her family and is the secret that keeps the story together.
This is a very mature story about deep relationship and unfinished dreams that will keep you hooked on until the end. A fantastic ending that is very fulfilling and optimistic. A must-read!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews