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Girls of India
A Chola Adventure: Girls of India
990 CE, Tanjore, India
Twelve-year-old Raji is growing up during the reign of Rajaraja Chola in south India. Raji is a girl of spirit---brave, bright and bold. She is also a dancer, a warrior and a sculptor who models kingdoms in stone. Raji, however is not she misses her family. Her mother is in exile and her father has left home in grief.
On a dark night as a storm rages, Raji rescues a Chinese sailor at sea. This sets off a chain of events with unforeseen consequences.
A Shiva statue goes missing, a prince disappears and there is a murder inside a temple. As Raji and her friends, the prince Rajendra Chola and his cousin, Ananta, try to help the Chinese mariner, they realize that he may have some of the answers Raji has been looking for.
Will the Criminals be brought to justice?
Will Raji's family be reunited once again?
Will peace be restored to the mighty Chola Kingdom?
Twelve-year-old Raji is growing up during the reign of Rajaraja Chola in south India. Raji is a girl of spirit---brave, bright and bold. She is also a dancer, a warrior and a sculptor who models kingdoms in stone. Raji, however is not she misses her family. Her mother is in exile and her father has left home in grief.
On a dark night as a storm rages, Raji rescues a Chinese sailor at sea. This sets off a chain of events with unforeseen consequences.
A Shiva statue goes missing, a prince disappears and there is a murder inside a temple. As Raji and her friends, the prince Rajendra Chola and his cousin, Ananta, try to help the Chinese mariner, they realize that he may have some of the answers Raji has been looking for.
Will the Criminals be brought to justice?
Will Raji's family be reunited once again?
Will peace be restored to the mighty Chola Kingdom?
153 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2012
10 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 21, 2021
This middle grade historical tale talks about a girl, Raji, who's on a quest to find out about her mother, the most beautiful and talented dancer of the kingdom, who has been banished from the kingdom under false reasons to kill the prince. She's also waiting for her father, the well-known sculpture artist of the kingdom, to return once in a while to stay with her.
The story happens in Tanjore, South India during the reign of Rajaraja Chola, 990 CE.
Learning the art forms of both her parents, Raji grows up to be a strong artist, sculptor, and someone who's open to learning new things and brave enough to save people and hunt down miscreants with the help of her friend, Ananta.
The plot is a mystery which will solve who has stolen the precious Shiva idol as well as to identify some mysterious characters of a Chinese character who landed up mysteriously, a notorious prince long gone missing and another character doubted for the crime of stealing the idol.
The writing is fast-paced, packed with action and adventure with details and emotions in just 152 pages! The characters are developed quite well.
However, I feel the ending lack explanations and proper closure.
I appreciate the historical details given to towards the end of the book.
Thank you for the book.
The story happens in Tanjore, South India during the reign of Rajaraja Chola, 990 CE.
Learning the art forms of both her parents, Raji grows up to be a strong artist, sculptor, and someone who's open to learning new things and brave enough to save people and hunt down miscreants with the help of her friend, Ananta.
The plot is a mystery which will solve who has stolen the precious Shiva idol as well as to identify some mysterious characters of a Chinese character who landed up mysteriously, a notorious prince long gone missing and another character doubted for the crime of stealing the idol.
The writing is fast-paced, packed with action and adventure with details and emotions in just 152 pages! The characters are developed quite well.
However, I feel the ending lack explanations and proper closure.
I appreciate the historical details given to towards the end of the book.
Thank you for the book.
January 18, 2019
Another book from my kid's school library. I had not known about this series beforehand so I was curious to read the story. The author, Anu Kumar, has won Commonwealth prize for her children's books. This book is a historical novel laced with mystery. The author has made a good attempt to elaborate the ways of the kings (their lineage, their royal courts and proceedings, the wars fought, the kingdoms ruled, well you get the idea!) through this novel.
The Chola kingdom is very famous in the Southern parts of India and this story is played during the rule of Rajaraja cholan who is a very popular name in history. It reminds me of our epic Mahabharata as this kingdom too has its enemies near and far and the battle to throne is constant. Though the story is lined with imagination, it would not be difficult for any student to understand the lineage of the Chola kings if they would read this story once.
The story follows through the life of a young girl Raji and her parents. The plot was handled good and can get the kid's attention hooked as to they try to solve who had done what. But from an adult's point of view, it was easily predictable as we had been told the same story time and again starting with our epics. It was interesting to know about the Borobudur islands in Indonesia which plays a vital role in the story. The author has given a very flowing narration throwing in so many nuances that bring the grandeur of the palace and the kingdom itself. Since the story is all set in Tamil Nadu I was happy to see Tamil scripts. While the script read, “நான் மீண்டும் பார்க்க முடியாது”, the translation was just the opposite, "I will see you again". A very trivial mistake, but it makes you wonder which is right when the story has not fully evolved. Well for the reader's sake, the translation is correct.
Also it is said Raji's father works on a stone sculpture at first and then it is mentioned as a brass sculpture later. I had to rewind the pages to check if I got it wrong. But I think the author had changed it to brass owing to its weight. I know this is a children's novel and a young mind may or may not overlook these facts. Altogether it was a good read and would recommend to the middle grade readers.
The Chola kingdom is very famous in the Southern parts of India and this story is played during the rule of Rajaraja cholan who is a very popular name in history. It reminds me of our epic Mahabharata as this kingdom too has its enemies near and far and the battle to throne is constant. Though the story is lined with imagination, it would not be difficult for any student to understand the lineage of the Chola kings if they would read this story once.
The story follows through the life of a young girl Raji and her parents. The plot was handled good and can get the kid's attention hooked as to they try to solve who had done what. But from an adult's point of view, it was easily predictable as we had been told the same story time and again starting with our epics. It was interesting to know about the Borobudur islands in Indonesia which plays a vital role in the story. The author has given a very flowing narration throwing in so many nuances that bring the grandeur of the palace and the kingdom itself. Since the story is all set in Tamil Nadu I was happy to see Tamil scripts. While the script read, “நான் மீண்டும் பார்க்க முடியாது”, the translation was just the opposite, "I will see you again". A very trivial mistake, but it makes you wonder which is right when the story has not fully evolved. Well for the reader's sake, the translation is correct.
Also it is said Raji's father works on a stone sculpture at first and then it is mentioned as a brass sculpture later. I had to rewind the pages to check if I got it wrong. But I think the author had changed it to brass owing to its weight. I know this is a children's novel and a young mind may or may not overlook these facts. Altogether it was a good read and would recommend to the middle grade readers.
February 8, 2022
~2.5 stars~
I had some very high expectations for this but I'm not sure whether if it fulfilled all of it.
Plot:
This story takes place in 990 CE, Tanjore or Thanjavur, India
It's about Twelve-year-old Raji who is a girl of spirit---brave, bright and bold. She is also a dancer, a warrior and a sculptor. But she misses her family her mother, a wonderful dancer, has been sent to exile for a crime she didn't commit and her father has left home in grief.
Raji recuses a Chinese traveller sets off a chain of events. A Shiva statue goes missing, a prince disappears and the priest is murdered inside a temple. Raji and her friends, prince Rajendra Chola and his cousin, Ananta try to solve the mystery happening in their kingdom.
Characters:
Raji - She is the protagonist of the story. She's brave and quick. Learning the art forms of both her parents, she becomes a dancer and a sculptor.
Anata - He is a bird-lover and a pacifist. His father, a keen explore, got lost in the raging sea during a mission and Anata hopes to bring him back with the help of his birds.
Rajendra Chola - He's a king humble prince and he doesn't have much to do in the story.
The plot is highly engaging and interesting as well which makes you want to keep reading. But its engagiveness ( if that's a word ) drops at the end like the author lost interest.
But it was really fast-paced, like really fast-paced. I couldn't understand a few things and the ending, It was so frustrating that there wasn't a proper ending at all. I had to literally push myself to see finish this book and there was no epilogue.
I really liked the historical details given at the end of the book.
I would definitely read it again but I'm really not a big fan of it.
Blog
I had some very high expectations for this but I'm not sure whether if it fulfilled all of it.
Plot:
This story takes place in 990 CE, Tanjore or Thanjavur, India
It's about Twelve-year-old Raji who is a girl of spirit---brave, bright and bold. She is also a dancer, a warrior and a sculptor. But she misses her family her mother, a wonderful dancer, has been sent to exile for a crime she didn't commit and her father has left home in grief.
Raji recuses a Chinese traveller sets off a chain of events. A Shiva statue goes missing, a prince disappears and the priest is murdered inside a temple. Raji and her friends, prince Rajendra Chola and his cousin, Ananta try to solve the mystery happening in their kingdom.
Characters:
Raji - She is the protagonist of the story. She's brave and quick. Learning the art forms of both her parents, she becomes a dancer and a sculptor.
Anata - He is a bird-lover and a pacifist. His father, a keen explore, got lost in the raging sea during a mission and Anata hopes to bring him back with the help of his birds.
Rajendra Chola - He's a king humble prince and he doesn't have much to do in the story.
The plot is highly engaging and interesting as well which makes you want to keep reading. But its engagiveness ( if that's a word ) drops at the end like the author lost interest.
But it was really fast-paced, like really fast-paced. I couldn't understand a few things and the ending, It was so frustrating that there wasn't a proper ending at all. I had to literally push myself to see finish this book and there was no epilogue.
I really liked the historical details given at the end of the book.
I would definitely read it again but I'm really not a big fan of it.
Blog
July 12, 2020
I discovered this book (and the series) very recently, and knew I had to give it a read, despite being a children’s book on record. I do enjoy reading children’s books as they’re a great mood booster, and really cultivate imagination. A Chola Adventure delivers on these grounds brilliantly.
Set in the era of the Cholas, this book is a great introduction for anyone to get an insight into the era and the dynasty along with its workings. The plot is highly engaging, making you want to keep reading.
Then why the 3 stars you ask? A couple of reasons for that. One, the plot raised more questions than it could answer, and so the ending seemed rather rushed. Two, certain places while reading the book I felt lost, as to what exactly is happening. Maybe it was the phrasing of the ideas that was a little confusing for me.
However, it is a great read and totally worth the time. The author Anu Kumar is successful at brewing an interest in the reader to go study the Chola empire better. Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot.
Set in the era of the Cholas, this book is a great introduction for anyone to get an insight into the era and the dynasty along with its workings. The plot is highly engaging, making you want to keep reading.
Then why the 3 stars you ask? A couple of reasons for that. One, the plot raised more questions than it could answer, and so the ending seemed rather rushed. Two, certain places while reading the book I felt lost, as to what exactly is happening. Maybe it was the phrasing of the ideas that was a little confusing for me.
However, it is a great read and totally worth the time. The author Anu Kumar is successful at brewing an interest in the reader to go study the Chola empire better. Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot.
March 31, 2021
An excellent idea of basing a book in a historical setting but execution is poor.
The characters are shallow and difficult to relate to. Apart from Raji others are not described very well.
The narration is confusing. At times it’s difficult to understand who is saying what and what is going on. Appears quite arbitrary from time to time.
Even the language is not anything special/nice sounding and nor are there any insights into human nature or society.
Apart from the wonderful idea of setting the novel in a historical period and usage of some facts, this book is below average in every aspect.
Found it too muddled up and boring to finish. I had to abandon it.
The characters are shallow and difficult to relate to. Apart from Raji others are not described very well.
The narration is confusing. At times it’s difficult to understand who is saying what and what is going on. Appears quite arbitrary from time to time.
Even the language is not anything special/nice sounding and nor are there any insights into human nature or society.
Apart from the wonderful idea of setting the novel in a historical period and usage of some facts, this book is below average in every aspect.
Found it too muddled up and boring to finish. I had to abandon it.
July 20, 2022
3&half stars.
Goddess of Feminism knows, we need these books.
In that context, I did not feel enough force of character of the main protagonist. I understand that it is difficult to build strong female characters while keeping historical integrity intact, but the author had the concession of the hero being a child.
The end is sort of a damp sqiub. The mystery, which built up so beautifully, did not resolve satisfactorily, nor did the preparations of the hero, Raji come to much.
It's a nice sort of adventure, but could have been quite a bit better, a great premise was partially wasted.
Will update with my daughter's review.
Goddess of Feminism knows, we need these books.
In that context, I did not feel enough force of character of the main protagonist. I understand that it is difficult to build strong female characters while keeping historical integrity intact, but the author had the concession of the hero being a child.
The end is sort of a damp sqiub. The mystery, which built up so beautifully, did not resolve satisfactorily, nor did the preparations of the hero, Raji come to much.
It's a nice sort of adventure, but could have been quite a bit better, a great premise was partially wasted.
Will update with my daughter's review.
July 9, 2020
Well written book that would give the reader a fine glimpse of the society back in the times of the Chola, the mighty king RajaRaja Chola commands respect when ever he comes, while the actual mystery is solved by youngsters. What did not work for me is that it was kind of obvious who the culprits were and hence the ending felt a little flat. This book must be read for the fine writing style and to enjoy a story based on historical times.
May 1, 2021
This is set in the Chola Empire and it is a story of a girl whose family is affected by the conspiracy in the kingdom. This is the adventure of Rathi, her friend along with the price to get to the bottom of the mysterious deaths taking place in the kingdome and to know the reason behind the expulsion of her mother from the village and to find the enemy among their own people.
Just a one time read for me. The writing is simple and one can read it in a go since it's a short book.
Just a one time read for me. The writing is simple and one can read it in a go since it's a short book.
Read
December 1, 2020Nice boooook
Read
March 18, 2022Good one for kids
December 9, 2022
I love these historical adventures starring young women. Wish I had them while growing up.
January 12, 2016
This is a sweet little children's novel. The story is exciting and imaginative, and even better: it's got a rich historical context about the Chola Empire (the author gives background at the novel's conclusion. Excellent book for fourth standard students and above!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews