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In the Golden Mountains
In the picturesque Pahari village of Ranachatti, Kshama, orphaned at 17, embarks on a journey of resilience, becoming the region's first female tour guide. Against the backdrop of the snow-capped mountains -her constant in the everchanging world- Kshama encounters Abhay, who reignites her belief in love. Just as life aligns, a heartbreaking twist shatters their world. In the coastal town of Jogibettu, Karnataka, Radhika's life takes a devastating turn. Overnight, she is unjustly branded a siren and a gold digger. To her dismay, her true love, Vidvath, proves himself a coward, refusing to stand up for her. To salvage their reputations, the elders devise the only moral solution - an immediate marriage between the 17-year-old Radhika and the 19-year-old Vidvath. Then December 2004 unfolds with a calamity of colossal proportions, weaving the destinies of Kshama, Abhay, Radhika, and Vidvath together. In the Golden Mountains is a poignant coming-of-age novel that delves into the delicate transition from childhood to adulthood, exploring the complexities of adolescence and the weight of grown-up responsibilities. As the characters confront their pasts, the narrative unfolds, offering a gripping tale of love, strength, and the profound impact of life-altering choices. About the Ashwini Shenoy is an Indian author best known for her debut novel Shikhandini - Warrior Princess of the Mahabharata. Her other works include Gift of Life (Contemporary fiction, 2021) and short stories such as The Mix-up, Those Girls, and The Woman in my House. Shenoy lives in Bangalore with her family, juggling her passion for technology and her love for the written word.
252 pages, Paperback
Published September 11, 2024
1 person is currently reading
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 20, 2025
Good one
Quick read.
Story happens in 3 parts. Though the story gets predictable as you keep reading, it's still good.
ಎಲ್ಲ characters ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಇದೆ.
Quick read.
Story happens in 3 parts. Though the story gets predictable as you keep reading, it's still good.
ಎಲ್ಲ characters ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಇದೆ.
November 21, 2024
The book is divided into 3 parts. The first part shows the picturesque village of Ranachatti close to Dehradun. Kshama is a tour guide staying alone atop of Ranachatti (given the forgettable past she has that keeps haunting, anyone would wish to). She has a close friend Amruta who stays closeby. I commend writer's effort for being very poetic all through, pages kept turning. What better place than our Himalayas to be poetic for its serenity. Felt the need for more exploration through the mountains, as I said, poetically captivating.
The second part revolves around Jogibettu, a coastal village in Karnataka where two teens in a relationship face challenges thrown at them by themselves and by the society. The patriarchal nature plays a slow poison in their lives, killing them from inside, also supported by the senior women. As I hail myself from the coastal areas, I could relate to a larger extent, bringing me back some of my older memories too. Honestly, I could predict many of the chain of events that occured. Kudos to author for 2 strong characters, Yashodha and Suman. Even with the limited space they had in the book, their impact can be felt. They act as a beacon of Hope for the teens, a change necessary to avert major consequences.
The final part, the concluding one does the job of repairing lives, brings mental peace to the characters, a deciding way to move forward, showing a light at the end of the tunnel.
My heartfelt thanks to author Ashwini (also a member of the Bookaholics Mangalore group) for providing a copy wholeheartedly.
The second part revolves around Jogibettu, a coastal village in Karnataka where two teens in a relationship face challenges thrown at them by themselves and by the society. The patriarchal nature plays a slow poison in their lives, killing them from inside, also supported by the senior women. As I hail myself from the coastal areas, I could relate to a larger extent, bringing me back some of my older memories too. Honestly, I could predict many of the chain of events that occured. Kudos to author for 2 strong characters, Yashodha and Suman. Even with the limited space they had in the book, their impact can be felt. They act as a beacon of Hope for the teens, a change necessary to avert major consequences.
The final part, the concluding one does the job of repairing lives, brings mental peace to the characters, a deciding way to move forward, showing a light at the end of the tunnel.
My heartfelt thanks to author Ashwini (also a member of the Bookaholics Mangalore group) for providing a copy wholeheartedly.
May 27, 2025
It is a bittersweet read where the author has so beautifully described the emotions being felt by each of the characters at any given moment ❤️ She has captured the beauty of living in small villages despite the hardships faced. Overall, it is a highly recommended read 📚
June 8, 2025
"In the quiet embrace of the mountains, I found not just the path ahead, but the strength within me to face every storm."
"In the Golden Mountains" by Ashwini Shenoy is a beautiful Young Adult romance fiction set against the gorgeous backdrop of the Ranachatti mountains, and I honestly loved every but of it. The way @ashwini describes the nature and trekking in the mountain ranges brought back my memories of Uttarkashi treks decades ago! It took me back and made me feel like I was right there, breathing in the fresh mountain air. The characters are well written and the narration is super fast-paced. What really stood out to me was how the story of Jogibettu village shines a light on the struggles women still face in rural India!
This coming of age romance is just beautiful and felt really refreshing. The book is divided into three parts, and the cliffhangers at the end of each part kept me totally hooked. I loved the writing style which felt really serene and poetic and simply a joy to read. I’m really intrigued to read @ashwini's first novel "Shikhandini" soon. If you’re looking for something heartfelt and immersive, definitely give this one a try.
"In the Golden Mountains" by Ashwini Shenoy is a beautiful Young Adult romance fiction set against the gorgeous backdrop of the Ranachatti mountains, and I honestly loved every but of it. The way @ashwini describes the nature and trekking in the mountain ranges brought back my memories of Uttarkashi treks decades ago! It took me back and made me feel like I was right there, breathing in the fresh mountain air. The characters are well written and the narration is super fast-paced. What really stood out to me was how the story of Jogibettu village shines a light on the struggles women still face in rural India!
This coming of age romance is just beautiful and felt really refreshing. The book is divided into three parts, and the cliffhangers at the end of each part kept me totally hooked. I loved the writing style which felt really serene and poetic and simply a joy to read. I’m really intrigued to read @ashwini's first novel "Shikhandini" soon. If you’re looking for something heartfelt and immersive, definitely give this one a try.
November 29, 2024
Ashwini Shenoy’s "In the Golden Mountains" is yet another riveting piece of work that lays bare the buoyancy of youth as it tries to celebrate love, memory and hope against all odds. Against the background of the Indian alpine and the seacoast of Jogibettu the film describes the experience of two young women Kshama and Radhika and their struggle in a world of relationships. The reversal comes with the theme of natural disaster, which in this case is Tsunami that brings the two women into reality to come to terms with their past and take on the future. This story is a tribute to the enduring strength of the human spirit and a celebration of the resilience found within the human heart.
Kshama, an orphan at the age of 17 years, gets the first job of a tour guide in her village to only find comfort in the snow-capped mountains that have been her companions. She is much in love with Abhay but their joy is cut short when fate brings a disaster in their lives. Radhika living in the coastal town of Jogibettu Karnataka also, fight a different battle all together.She is falsely accused of being a siren and one who only seeks wealth and her only potential suitor, Vidvath, is a wuss who will not fight for her in any way. He proves to be a coward refusing to defend her. They never want to face embarrassment thus they end up forcing the two to marry in an attempt to make it look like it was all planned. These two young women’s lives become linked when disaster strikes in the form of a powerful storm that changes the course of their lives and propels them into making challenging decisions about their future.
Among all the aspects that contribute to the success of the novel one can mention the revealing description of the characters. Both Kshama and Radhika are very prerogative and self-reliant women who are required to face suffering and sorrow. Their stories are sorrowful but hopeful since it captures the struggles of love, rejection, and prejudice. It is amazing how they stand up even under the most extreme situations and how they transform throughout the story. The subcharacters like Abhay and Vidvath are also fully developed. They are equally persuasive and enhance the comprehensiveness of a story.
Shenoy uses profound and picturesque words to describe the characters and the environment. The bareness of the mountains and the lively atmosphere of the coastal city symbolize the characters’ growth arcs. The author masters the plots of these two young girls with rich love, separation, and the spirit of people who are eager to survive. Although the novel can be viewed as a romance novel, the reader can also navigate concepts of social injustice, inequality of female and male characters, and the effects of natural disasters. This is where Shenoy incorporates social elements into the plot by portraying it in a sensitive matter.
It is very well paced and balanced, exploring a fairly calm and philosophical base with periods of intense action. The author does an excellent job of making sure that the pacing of the character development is much slower compared to the pacing of events like an earthquake and its consequences. The language of the tale is beautiful, sometimes verging on the poetic, to heighten the passion within the story. One of the strengths that come out sharply in Shenoy’s work is her creation of characters and speech. The characters are presented as real life individuals who have goals, problems, and achievements that can be understood by people from different backgrounds.
In conclusion, it is both poignant and thought-provoking; it leaves a lasting impression long after you’ve turned the final page. It explores profound themes of love, loss, resilience and the decisions we face when life takes unexpected turns. It serves as a powerful reminder that, even in our darkest moments, hope and love can shine through. It’s a must-read for anyone who values narratives that thoughtfully examine the human experience. It is a tribute to the enduring strength of the human spirit and a celebration of the resilience found within the human heart.
Kshama, an orphan at the age of 17 years, gets the first job of a tour guide in her village to only find comfort in the snow-capped mountains that have been her companions. She is much in love with Abhay but their joy is cut short when fate brings a disaster in their lives. Radhika living in the coastal town of Jogibettu Karnataka also, fight a different battle all together.She is falsely accused of being a siren and one who only seeks wealth and her only potential suitor, Vidvath, is a wuss who will not fight for her in any way. He proves to be a coward refusing to defend her. They never want to face embarrassment thus they end up forcing the two to marry in an attempt to make it look like it was all planned. These two young women’s lives become linked when disaster strikes in the form of a powerful storm that changes the course of their lives and propels them into making challenging decisions about their future.
Among all the aspects that contribute to the success of the novel one can mention the revealing description of the characters. Both Kshama and Radhika are very prerogative and self-reliant women who are required to face suffering and sorrow. Their stories are sorrowful but hopeful since it captures the struggles of love, rejection, and prejudice. It is amazing how they stand up even under the most extreme situations and how they transform throughout the story. The subcharacters like Abhay and Vidvath are also fully developed. They are equally persuasive and enhance the comprehensiveness of a story.
Shenoy uses profound and picturesque words to describe the characters and the environment. The bareness of the mountains and the lively atmosphere of the coastal city symbolize the characters’ growth arcs. The author masters the plots of these two young girls with rich love, separation, and the spirit of people who are eager to survive. Although the novel can be viewed as a romance novel, the reader can also navigate concepts of social injustice, inequality of female and male characters, and the effects of natural disasters. This is where Shenoy incorporates social elements into the plot by portraying it in a sensitive matter.
It is very well paced and balanced, exploring a fairly calm and philosophical base with periods of intense action. The author does an excellent job of making sure that the pacing of the character development is much slower compared to the pacing of events like an earthquake and its consequences. The language of the tale is beautiful, sometimes verging on the poetic, to heighten the passion within the story. One of the strengths that come out sharply in Shenoy’s work is her creation of characters and speech. The characters are presented as real life individuals who have goals, problems, and achievements that can be understood by people from different backgrounds.
In conclusion, it is both poignant and thought-provoking; it leaves a lasting impression long after you’ve turned the final page. It explores profound themes of love, loss, resilience and the decisions we face when life takes unexpected turns. It serves as a powerful reminder that, even in our darkest moments, hope and love can shine through. It’s a must-read for anyone who values narratives that thoughtfully examine the human experience. It is a tribute to the enduring strength of the human spirit and a celebration of the resilience found within the human heart.
June 5, 2025
In The Golden Mountains by Ashwini Shenoy is an engrossing novel. It has romance as its cornerstone, suspense as the lifeblood, humour as the binding factor, pathos as its underlining factor, and serene mountains of Uttarakhand where the entire script plays out. The first thing that drew me to this book is, it’s based in Dehradun, my favourite city after Bangalore.
The prologue shook me up and suspense in the novel is immaculately maintained till it’s required. The description of the mountains, and warm attitude of the people of Uttarakhand are true and endearing. The characters are well etched, and the narration is smooth. It is a must read for everyone, especially those who are dithering about taking a plunge.
The prologue shook me up and suspense in the novel is immaculately maintained till it’s required. The description of the mountains, and warm attitude of the people of Uttarakhand are true and endearing. The characters are well etched, and the narration is smooth. It is a must read for everyone, especially those who are dithering about taking a plunge.
October 30, 2024
“In the Golden Mountains” by Ashwini Shenoy is a beautifully woven tale set against the
breathtaking locale of the Pahari village of Ranachatti and the coastal town of Jogibettu. The narrative beautifully intertwines the lives of Kshama, Abhay, Radhika, and Vidvath.
Shenoy's writing is evocative, capturing the essence of adolescence and the bittersweet transition into adulthood. The themes of love, loss, and the pursuit of identity are explored with sensitivity and depth, which shapes the novel into a deeply moving tale of personal growth and self- discovery, that offers a heartbreaking perspective on women's experiences.
Inspired by the vivid descriptions of trekking in the stunning landscapes, readers may find themselves adding a trek to their bucket list (I definitely did), eager to explore the beauty that Kshama navigates in her journey. Overall, In the Golden Mountains is not just a tale of personal struggle and growth; it is a reflection on the choices we make and the unforeseen circumstances that bind our fates. This novel will resonate with anyone who has grappled with the complexities of love and the challenges ofgrowing up, making it a compelling and unforgettable read.
The parallel story narrative between Kshama and Radhika adds a compelling layer to the book. By following their journeys simultaneously, the reader can draw meaningful connections between their experiences, struggles, and choices. This approach allows for a deeper exploration of how
two individuals, perhaps living in different circumstances or facing distinct challenges, can still have intertwined emotional encounters.
I loved every aspect of the book and cannot recommend it enough.
breathtaking locale of the Pahari village of Ranachatti and the coastal town of Jogibettu. The narrative beautifully intertwines the lives of Kshama, Abhay, Radhika, and Vidvath.
Shenoy's writing is evocative, capturing the essence of adolescence and the bittersweet transition into adulthood. The themes of love, loss, and the pursuit of identity are explored with sensitivity and depth, which shapes the novel into a deeply moving tale of personal growth and self- discovery, that offers a heartbreaking perspective on women's experiences.
Inspired by the vivid descriptions of trekking in the stunning landscapes, readers may find themselves adding a trek to their bucket list (I definitely did), eager to explore the beauty that Kshama navigates in her journey. Overall, In the Golden Mountains is not just a tale of personal struggle and growth; it is a reflection on the choices we make and the unforeseen circumstances that bind our fates. This novel will resonate with anyone who has grappled with the complexities of love and the challenges ofgrowing up, making it a compelling and unforgettable read.
The parallel story narrative between Kshama and Radhika adds a compelling layer to the book. By following their journeys simultaneously, the reader can draw meaningful connections between their experiences, struggles, and choices. This approach allows for a deeper exploration of how
two individuals, perhaps living in different circumstances or facing distinct challenges, can still have intertwined emotional encounters.
I loved every aspect of the book and cannot recommend it enough.
June 26, 2025
A beautiful story set against the backdrop of Ranachatti and Jogibettu, In the Golden Mountains by Ashwini Shenoy follows the journey of Kshama — a tale full of surprises from beginning to end.
It is a moving narrative of friendship and unconditional love, shedding light on the struggles faced by women in remote areas, even in today’s world. The story shows how hope and a little support can help someone rise from the depths of despair.
I loved the narration. It was heartwarming, nostalgic, and deeply emotional at times.
Highly recommended!
It is a moving narrative of friendship and unconditional love, shedding light on the struggles faced by women in remote areas, even in today’s world. The story shows how hope and a little support can help someone rise from the depths of despair.
I loved the narration. It was heartwarming, nostalgic, and deeply emotional at times.
Highly recommended!
December 5, 2024
The story follows Kshama, an orphan who has moved to the mountains to find peace. The author uses a mix of first-person narratives from various characters and alternates between the past and the present to give us the entire story. You are treated to beautiful descriptions of the mountain ranges and get a glimpse into how the natives thrive in harsh climates.
The author draws upon her own experiences of living in South India and it shows in her descriptions of food and cultural practices. Intrigue is built with the readers trying to figure out how each character is related to each other but it felt like there were a little too many twists in the story. Although the end was predictable, the book is quick-paced enough for it to not get boring.
The author draws upon her own experiences of living in South India and it shows in her descriptions of food and cultural practices. Intrigue is built with the readers trying to figure out how each character is related to each other but it felt like there were a little too many twists in the story. Although the end was predictable, the book is quick-paced enough for it to not get boring.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews