What do you think?
Rate this book
The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology
Did you know that the Trinity often turned to goddesses to defeat the asuras?Did you know that the first clone in the world was created by a woman?The women in Indian mythology might be fewer in number, but their stories of strength and mystery in the pages of ancient texts and epics are many. They slayed demons and protected their devotees fiercely. From Parvati to Ashokasundari and from Bhamati to Mandodari, this collection features enchanting and fearless women who frequently led wars on behalf of the gods, were the backbone of their families and makers of their own destinies.India's much-loved and bestselling author Sudha Murty takes you on an empowering journey through the yarns forgotten in time-abounding with remarkable women who will remind you of the strong female influences in your life.
171 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 16, 2019
212 people are currently reading
1409 people want to read
About the author
Sudha Murty
179 books2,985 followersSudha Murty was born in 1950 in Shiggaon in north Karnataka. She did her MTech in computer science, and is now the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation. A prolific writer in English and Kannada, she has written nine novels, four technical books, three travelogues, one collection of short stories, three collections of non-fiction pieces and two books for children.
Her books have been translated into all the major Indian languages and have sold over three lakh copies around the country. She was the recipient of the R.K. Narayan's Award for Literature and the Padma Shri in 2006.
Her books have been translated into all the major Indian languages and have sold over three lakh copies around the country. She was the recipient of the R.K. Narayan's Award for Literature and the Padma Shri in 2006.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
December 14, 2022
In a Nutshell: Loved it! It does what it sets out to do – focus on the women of Indian mythology, most of whom are unheralded in the world of men. Won’t work for everyone though.
Indian mythology is quite vast, and except for scholars in the subject and those who read it dedicatedly, no one can claim to be well-versed in it, especially in this world of new-fangled “experts” who consider themselves learned after browsing through a few Internet sites. As such, getting an authentic experience of Indian mythology while not making it overwhelming to newbies is difficult. This book feels authentic.
I am no expert of Indian mythology. What little I know is what I have gleaned by reading bits and pieces in comics and some retellings (and some TV shows - Ssshh!) As such, I can’t pass a personal comment on the accuracy of the stories in this collection. However, from what I know of Sudha Murty, I am sure her knowledge can be trusted.
As the tagline of the book declares, this collection focusses on ‘unusual tales about women in mythology’. (Indian mythology, to be specific.) Some of the stories were familiar to me, and featured characters I had heard/read about. However, a great chunk of the book was new to me and I loved learning about so many varied women characters. (I must add that my kids also read this book, and they had the same opinion as mine. All three of us relished this anthology, and its language works well for the tween plus age.)
The stories are written in typical Sudha Murty style: simple language, straightforward storytelling, no flowery prose. Her focus is always on the main plot and not on decorative writing - a tendency that causes some reviewers to look down on her works but appeals strongly to my taste.
Of course, we need to remember that mythologies (across cultures) were written by men of traditional thinking. As such, the role of the women in some of the stories isn’t what we are accustomed to in the contemporary world. ‘Unusual’ is the key word in the tagline; the women in the book aren’t all goody-goody but represent a wide spectrum of human emotions. At the same time, most of the stories have them as secondary/subservient to men. This anthology isn’t a modernised retelling but a faithful narration of some of the original stories with women in major roles. Keep this in mind if you intend to pick up the book; don’t go 21st-century-judgemental on it.
The stories are accompanied by full-page B&W illustrations. I have mostly positive feelings about these. They are drawn in a classic Indian style, which suits the book well. However, the human proportions are odd in a few sketches.
The only major shortcoming of the book is that it presupposes a certain familiarity with the Indian mythological epics. If you are an absolute novice to Indian mythology, this might not be the great book to begin with, as you will find yourself a bit lost in the proceedings. The stories still work well, but you won’t understand the background and significance of the characters.
Can we have a shout-out to that gorgeous cover art? See how dazzling the red and gold appears in my physical copy.
Definitely recommended to those who want to read some uncommon tales from Indian mythology.
4.5 stars.
Sudha Murty begins her book with this sloka. I’ll end my review with it.
‘Yatra naryastu pujyante, Ramante tatra Devata.’
(God resides wherever women are respected.)
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Indian mythology is quite vast, and except for scholars in the subject and those who read it dedicatedly, no one can claim to be well-versed in it, especially in this world of new-fangled “experts” who consider themselves learned after browsing through a few Internet sites. As such, getting an authentic experience of Indian mythology while not making it overwhelming to newbies is difficult. This book feels authentic.
I am no expert of Indian mythology. What little I know is what I have gleaned by reading bits and pieces in comics and some retellings (and some TV shows - Ssshh!) As such, I can’t pass a personal comment on the accuracy of the stories in this collection. However, from what I know of Sudha Murty, I am sure her knowledge can be trusted.
As the tagline of the book declares, this collection focusses on ‘unusual tales about women in mythology’. (Indian mythology, to be specific.) Some of the stories were familiar to me, and featured characters I had heard/read about. However, a great chunk of the book was new to me and I loved learning about so many varied women characters. (I must add that my kids also read this book, and they had the same opinion as mine. All three of us relished this anthology, and its language works well for the tween plus age.)
The stories are written in typical Sudha Murty style: simple language, straightforward storytelling, no flowery prose. Her focus is always on the main plot and not on decorative writing - a tendency that causes some reviewers to look down on her works but appeals strongly to my taste.
Of course, we need to remember that mythologies (across cultures) were written by men of traditional thinking. As such, the role of the women in some of the stories isn’t what we are accustomed to in the contemporary world. ‘Unusual’ is the key word in the tagline; the women in the book aren’t all goody-goody but represent a wide spectrum of human emotions. At the same time, most of the stories have them as secondary/subservient to men. This anthology isn’t a modernised retelling but a faithful narration of some of the original stories with women in major roles. Keep this in mind if you intend to pick up the book; don’t go 21st-century-judgemental on it.
The stories are accompanied by full-page B&W illustrations. I have mostly positive feelings about these. They are drawn in a classic Indian style, which suits the book well. However, the human proportions are odd in a few sketches.
The only major shortcoming of the book is that it presupposes a certain familiarity with the Indian mythological epics. If you are an absolute novice to Indian mythology, this might not be the great book to begin with, as you will find yourself a bit lost in the proceedings. The stories still work well, but you won’t understand the background and significance of the characters.
Can we have a shout-out to that gorgeous cover art? See how dazzling the red and gold appears in my physical copy.
Definitely recommended to those who want to read some uncommon tales from Indian mythology.
4.5 stars.
Sudha Murty begins her book with this sloka. I’ll end my review with it.
‘Yatra naryastu pujyante, Ramante tatra Devata.’
(God resides wherever women are respected.)
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
October 30, 2019
Actual Rating - 4.5/5.
| Book Review | The Daughter From A Wishing Tree.
~
Thank you for the copy @penguinindia :)
~
If you follow my reviews, you must already know how much I love and adore Sudha Murty's books. Though this was my first time reading mythological stories written by Murty, I somehow fell into a comfortable lull as soon as I began reading. The ease with which the author always pens down her novels holds true till date. There are not many mythological books that children can refer to considering the difficulty of the vocabulary but this particular book can be picked up by any child after age 10.
~
Enclosed within these beautiful covers are 24 short stories that are solely about the strength and virtue of women. It's not often that we get to read about the Goddesses who protected and saved the planet. Apart from the famous ones like Sita, Ganga and Draupadi, there are hundreds of others who are not known to the common folks. As I read along, I could begin to understand the rituals that are followed in Hinduism. The reason why the newlyweds are shown the Arundhati star or why the dieties in Kalinga are missing a piece of their hands, it's all in this book. The names of various rivers are feminine and it was very interesting to know why or how they were born or even the direction that they flow in. Few stories were familiar but some of them were completely unheard of.
~
Remember how I said these stories were informative? It's true because not many of us knew that Parvati had a daughter. The commitment and devotion that most of the Godly woman hold towards their husbands and society is fierce and through this book you can understand the reason behind the places and writings named as a tribute to them. Even though there are 24 stories, one can easily finish them within a day. It's lovely and extremely light, both of which I associate with Sudha Murty. Every time I finish a book of hers, I feel extremely pleasant and this book was no different. I recommend it.
| Book Review | The Daughter From A Wishing Tree.
~
Thank you for the copy @penguinindia :)
~
If you follow my reviews, you must already know how much I love and adore Sudha Murty's books. Though this was my first time reading mythological stories written by Murty, I somehow fell into a comfortable lull as soon as I began reading. The ease with which the author always pens down her novels holds true till date. There are not many mythological books that children can refer to considering the difficulty of the vocabulary but this particular book can be picked up by any child after age 10.
~
Enclosed within these beautiful covers are 24 short stories that are solely about the strength and virtue of women. It's not often that we get to read about the Goddesses who protected and saved the planet. Apart from the famous ones like Sita, Ganga and Draupadi, there are hundreds of others who are not known to the common folks. As I read along, I could begin to understand the rituals that are followed in Hinduism. The reason why the newlyweds are shown the Arundhati star or why the dieties in Kalinga are missing a piece of their hands, it's all in this book. The names of various rivers are feminine and it was very interesting to know why or how they were born or even the direction that they flow in. Few stories were familiar but some of them were completely unheard of.
~
Remember how I said these stories were informative? It's true because not many of us knew that Parvati had a daughter. The commitment and devotion that most of the Godly woman hold towards their husbands and society is fierce and through this book you can understand the reason behind the places and writings named as a tribute to them. Even though there are 24 stories, one can easily finish them within a day. It's lovely and extremely light, both of which I associate with Sudha Murty. Every time I finish a book of hers, I feel extremely pleasant and this book was no different. I recommend it.
December 16, 2022
Go for the illustrations and the cover. Go for this book if you are genuinely interested in knowing about the less known women characters in Hindu mythology.
The writing is easily accessible for all age groups even for young readers and beginners.
The stories are short and concise. The characters are introduced well and their parts explained enough I feel.
I love the full page illustrations though. Hopefully I get to read one of the author’s work with colourful illustrations someday soon.
A good introductory read for kids and for readers who wants to know about strong female characters from Hindu mythology.
The writing is easily accessible for all age groups even for young readers and beginners.
The stories are short and concise. The characters are introduced well and their parts explained enough I feel.
I love the full page illustrations though. Hopefully I get to read one of the author’s work with colourful illustrations someday soon.
A good introductory read for kids and for readers who wants to know about strong female characters from Hindu mythology.
November 6, 2019
Mythology is one of most favourite genre. I love to read this genre particularly to know more about us.
The Daughter from a wishing tree by Sudha Murthy is divided into three part and consists of twenty-four stories . I have read Sudha Murthy's book but not any mythological retelling.
According to Indian mythology we have thirty-three core gods. But there are lots of books about Indian Gods only. Stories of Our goddess are almost under the veil. But here, Sudha Murthy has taken us to a new journey .
From the very beginning ,we have heard stories about how gods has invested their powers together and has created a Devi in order to kill devils. Those stories are common . Kali, Durga, Saraswati ,Laxmi are well known. But the author has reveals their mostly unknown stories. I got to know that there are eight forms of Laxmi. And not only these goddess Sudha Murthy has unfolds story of other goddess too.
Apart from the beautiful cover the book contains beautiful illustrations which have made the stories more interesting. We are all familiar with the mind-blowing writing style so no comments on that.
A spectacular book about mythology's Spectacular women. A must-read book.
The Daughter from a wishing tree by Sudha Murthy is divided into three part and consists of twenty-four stories . I have read Sudha Murthy's book but not any mythological retelling.
According to Indian mythology we have thirty-three core gods. But there are lots of books about Indian Gods only. Stories of Our goddess are almost under the veil. But here, Sudha Murthy has taken us to a new journey .
From the very beginning ,we have heard stories about how gods has invested their powers together and has created a Devi in order to kill devils. Those stories are common . Kali, Durga, Saraswati ,Laxmi are well known. But the author has reveals their mostly unknown stories. I got to know that there are eight forms of Laxmi. And not only these goddess Sudha Murthy has unfolds story of other goddess too.
Apart from the beautiful cover the book contains beautiful illustrations which have made the stories more interesting. We are all familiar with the mind-blowing writing style so no comments on that.
A spectacular book about mythology's Spectacular women. A must-read book.
December 18, 2020
Thanks to Sudha Murty for reminding me some of the stories which I read during childhood and forget after time passes. This book includes even not so popular stories from mythology that have connections to our epics Mahabharata and Ramayana. Felt wondering how awesome is the one who created these mythologies in the past with this perfection. Hard to believe these stories as myths. These stories give us insight into how we the people from this Indian subcontinent treated women in the past. Women played a very important role in building our ancient culture and we treat women as the ones who do only the household chores.
“Behind every great work of a man, there always exists the unconditional love from a woman who deserves more recognition than the man himself”.
“Behind every great work of a man, there always exists the unconditional love from a woman who deserves more recognition than the man himself”.
December 25, 2020
I am always a sucker for mythology. And Sudha Murty writing style is very fast-paced.
Some tales, I already heard of. And some tales, read for the first time.
Happy camper.
Some tales, I already heard of. And some tales, read for the first time.
Happy camper.
May 19, 2021
The Daughter From a wishing Tree is totally filled with unknown stories.........
It is about the Brave Young Women and Goddess. And some of them are Rukamani,Parvati, Saraswati,Amba, Draupadi, Lakshmi and Durga.......
This is a Children's Book that is understandable by all........
And did you know that the first clone in the World was also created by A Women?
Or not this Question so this one.....
That the Trinity often turned into Goddess to defeat asuras??
No right? So read this wonderful book by SUDHA MURTY ◍•ᴗ•◍
It is about the Brave Young Women and Goddess. And some of them are Rukamani,Parvati, Saraswati,Amba, Draupadi, Lakshmi and Durga.......
This is a Children's Book that is understandable by all........
And did you know that the first clone in the World was also created by A Women?
Or not this Question so this one.....
That the Trinity often turned into Goddess to defeat asuras??
No right? So read this wonderful book by SUDHA MURTY ◍•ᴗ•◍
October 21, 2021
Quite ordinary not so 'Unusual' or maybe I felt like this bcoz I had already read or heard many of these stories, except a few.
Still a great compilation of short stories, beautiful illustrations and very easy to read.
My most favourite story was "Soldiers in elephant's stomach", it was the only story (love story) that gave me tinch of goosebumps.
3.5✨
Still a great compilation of short stories, beautiful illustrations and very easy to read.
My most favourite story was "Soldiers in elephant's stomach", it was the only story (love story) that gave me tinch of goosebumps.
3.5✨
December 7, 2020
A book suitable for readers of all ages, filled with 24 remarkable, insightful and truly inspiring stories of women in Indian mythology.
My two favorite quotes from the book are:
“Behind every great work of a man, there always exists the unconditional love from a woman who deserves more recognition than the man himself”
“The story shows Parvati’s longing to have a daughter and her profound belief and knowledge that a daughter is indeed rare and precious - a discovery that people continue to make even today”
My two favorite quotes from the book are:
“Behind every great work of a man, there always exists the unconditional love from a woman who deserves more recognition than the man himself”
“The story shows Parvati’s longing to have a daughter and her profound belief and knowledge that a daughter is indeed rare and precious - a discovery that people continue to make even today”
June 20, 2022
Along with history, my favourite book genre is mythology. "Those who do not learn history are bound to repeat it," as the saying goes. This book, authored by Mrs. Sudha Murty, is suitable for both children and adults.
This book instructs us on the role of women in Indian history. "Behind every great man stands a magnificent lady," as the saying goes. When mankind or even Gods are unable to solve difficulties, they appeal to Goddesses such as Parvati, Saraswati, Lakshmi, and others.
"The Forgotten Wife" is my favourite story out of all of them. I enjoy this narrative because it surprised me because I never imagined Vachaspati would spend his entire life writing the Bhashya.
This book instructs us on the role of women in Indian history. "Behind every great man stands a magnificent lady," as the saying goes. When mankind or even Gods are unable to solve difficulties, they appeal to Goddesses such as Parvati, Saraswati, Lakshmi, and others.
"The Forgotten Wife" is my favourite story out of all of them. I enjoy this narrative because it surprised me because I never imagined Vachaspati would spend his entire life writing the Bhashya.
June 21, 2023
Since I am fond of mythological stories, I enjoyed this book. The writing style is light and breezy. There is little repetition of the description of characters. For this reason, readers can finish it in one sitting. Through this book, I got introduced to many female mythological characters. Enjoyable read 🧡
August 3, 2020
The Daughter From A Wishing Tree - Unusual Tales of Women from Mythology by Sudha Murthy is a collection of stories of goddesses and women from mythology, some known, many unknown, that showcase the importance of women and how most of the wars and plans were accomplished because of these women.
Packed with information, Sudha Murthy weaves magical tales that take you back in time and make us understand the importance of a few temples that are still there, why certain rituals are being followed and how some stories that we hear today got their base from.
A few stories do smell of patriarchy and how women were perceived even then. But we can't blame the author for that as these are just the stories that have been carrying along since times unknown. But the way Sudha Murthy brings these stories to us is mesmerizing and that's what matters the most. The book makes you feel like a child who is listening stories from your grandmother.
Packed with information, Sudha Murthy weaves magical tales that take you back in time and make us understand the importance of a few temples that are still there, why certain rituals are being followed and how some stories that we hear today got their base from.
A few stories do smell of patriarchy and how women were perceived even then. But we can't blame the author for that as these are just the stories that have been carrying along since times unknown. But the way Sudha Murthy brings these stories to us is mesmerizing and that's what matters the most. The book makes you feel like a child who is listening stories from your grandmother.
July 4, 2020
Very nice
January 21, 2020
https://www.njkinnysblog.com/2020/01/...
I have read so many books by Sudha Murty but with each new book, she continues to amaze and engage me in her stories. Her writing style is elegant with no dramatic fanfare and yet so powerful that it draws the readers in and keeps them entranced until the end and then some more.
The title of the book "The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology by Sudha Murty" is self explanatory and one gets a general idea about the book but once you start reading it, it is only then that you understand the true essence of the book. I absolutely adored the stories that are short enough to be read during breaks and engaging enough to keep one interested throughout.
The cover is eye catching and the shiny gold-red theme attracts attention right from the first glance. The book has illustrations inside too that add to the overall appeal of the stories. Nishit and I fell in love with the cover art and the illustrations inside. While he is too young to understand the written word, he loves turning the pages to look at the pictures every chance that he gets while asking me to read the stories.
Consisting of 24 short stories, all about the women from Indian mythology, this book brings to light the strength, devotion and quiet sacrifices of these women who, though, so powerful and playing important roles in forging the memorable mythological tales that we read today, willingly took a backseat, opting to work in the background so that their male counterparts got all the glory.
I felt humbled. empowered and so happy after reading these stories. A great way to educate your kid, Nishit loves listening to the stories that have everything he loves right from magic, valour, strong characters, suspenseful events and the Gods and Goddesses he knows!
A lovely book that I am glad to have read, this is one book that can be read and re-read any number of times by readers of all ages.
4.5 stars to it out of 5, Njkinny recommends The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology by Sudha Murty to everyone. Go grab your copy now and enjoy this feel good book featuring strong heroines who loved, lived and fought passionately with no care for fame and glory.
I have read so many books by Sudha Murty but with each new book, she continues to amaze and engage me in her stories. Her writing style is elegant with no dramatic fanfare and yet so powerful that it draws the readers in and keeps them entranced until the end and then some more.
The title of the book "The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology by Sudha Murty" is self explanatory and one gets a general idea about the book but once you start reading it, it is only then that you understand the true essence of the book. I absolutely adored the stories that are short enough to be read during breaks and engaging enough to keep one interested throughout.
The cover is eye catching and the shiny gold-red theme attracts attention right from the first glance. The book has illustrations inside too that add to the overall appeal of the stories. Nishit and I fell in love with the cover art and the illustrations inside. While he is too young to understand the written word, he loves turning the pages to look at the pictures every chance that he gets while asking me to read the stories.
Consisting of 24 short stories, all about the women from Indian mythology, this book brings to light the strength, devotion and quiet sacrifices of these women who, though, so powerful and playing important roles in forging the memorable mythological tales that we read today, willingly took a backseat, opting to work in the background so that their male counterparts got all the glory.
I felt humbled. empowered and so happy after reading these stories. A great way to educate your kid, Nishit loves listening to the stories that have everything he loves right from magic, valour, strong characters, suspenseful events and the Gods and Goddesses he knows!
A lovely book that I am glad to have read, this is one book that can be read and re-read any number of times by readers of all ages.
4.5 stars to it out of 5, Njkinny recommends The Daughter from a Wishing Tree: Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology by Sudha Murty to everyone. Go grab your copy now and enjoy this feel good book featuring strong heroines who loved, lived and fought passionately with no care for fame and glory.
November 30, 2025
3.5 ⭐
Picked this book up during Navratri (A festival in India where Nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped) and it was a great experience to read about the history and culture of the goddesses and history-shaping women leads. With the Author's notes in chapters, it provides better context to current rituals and locations where the story was set in.
Also beautiful illustrations added to give more visual context.
Picked this book up during Navratri (A festival in India where Nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped) and it was a great experience to read about the history and culture of the goddesses and history-shaping women leads. With the Author's notes in chapters, it provides better context to current rituals and locations where the story was set in.
Also beautiful illustrations added to give more visual context.
October 22, 2020
The Daughter from a Wishing Tree – Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology by Sudha Murty is a book best gifted to school kids who like to read. To those who are familiar with Hindu mythology, it has very little to offer in terms of “unusual” content.
As an adult reading it, I had a bad case of “expectations versus reality”. I have read almost all the tales from the book as a kid; be it the one about how Godesss Lakshmi came into being, or the one about the slaying of the evil Hayagriva or the age old fable of Nala & Damayanti.
There is no distinct author voice to the tales and felt like a team of text-book editors wrote them. Unlike a Devdutt Pattanaik who spins familiar tales from mythologies with his own little twists and refreshing manner of story-telling.
Some of the stories were too rushed and could have been fleshed out in more pages. The illustrations however were very nice and had a lovely old-school mythological touch to them. Reminded me the regional magazines my grandmother used to read when I was growing up.
Like I said earlier, it would make a good gifting option for school children. But to those who know their Hindu mythologies, the book can be a big letdown. It’s a 3/5 from me.
As an adult reading it, I had a bad case of “expectations versus reality”. I have read almost all the tales from the book as a kid; be it the one about how Godesss Lakshmi came into being, or the one about the slaying of the evil Hayagriva or the age old fable of Nala & Damayanti.
There is no distinct author voice to the tales and felt like a team of text-book editors wrote them. Unlike a Devdutt Pattanaik who spins familiar tales from mythologies with his own little twists and refreshing manner of story-telling.
Some of the stories were too rushed and could have been fleshed out in more pages. The illustrations however were very nice and had a lovely old-school mythological touch to them. Reminded me the regional magazines my grandmother used to read when I was growing up.
Like I said earlier, it would make a good gifting option for school children. But to those who know their Hindu mythologies, the book can be a big letdown. It’s a 3/5 from me.
April 8, 2021
The Daughter From A Wishing Tree is a mythological retelling by Sudha Murty that delivers some unusual tales about women in Indian mythology. With her simple and graceful writting she draws you into the divine land of mythology right from the beginning. The book talks of Goddesses as brave women who mastered both home and battlefields equally. Women who fought at frontline to crush the vanity of asuras (demons) to women behind the men who were the real contributors to success- this book again brings out lesser known tales of women in Indian mythology.
It is a light read recommended for all age groups. It might be bit difficult for you if its your first time reading from Indian mythology nevertheless its a great book that you would surely want to add to your tbr.
✨Bonus reading: The book has beautiful illustrations after every chapter that you might want to check out.
......
Stories from mythology had been often narrated to us by by our grandparents in our childhood days. And reading this book has definitely refreshed some of those sweet memories. India is home to millions of Hindu gods. Each God is worshipped in different forms and tales associated with each of them continues to be passed down to the younger generations in different versions across the Indian subcontinent.
It is a light read recommended for all age groups. It might be bit difficult for you if its your first time reading from Indian mythology nevertheless its a great book that you would surely want to add to your tbr.
✨Bonus reading: The book has beautiful illustrations after every chapter that you might want to check out.
......
Stories from mythology had been often narrated to us by by our grandparents in our childhood days. And reading this book has definitely refreshed some of those sweet memories. India is home to millions of Hindu gods. Each God is worshipped in different forms and tales associated with each of them continues to be passed down to the younger generations in different versions across the Indian subcontinent.
November 25, 2019
The 24 unheard stories about the goddess are described wonderfully by the author. This book is for children above 10 years. The way the author narrated each story is commendable. Each story is unique and interesting in its own way. The beautiful illustrations added in the book made this book more precious. The author made the reader curious about each story. The language used by the author is simple and engaging. The writing style of the author is crisp and appealing keeping the reader hooked throughout. Each story is informative and well detailed. Loved how the author explained the details, the meanings.There are some stories which we already knew, where some were completely different.
Overall, it’s a wonderful book that you must read if you love reading mythology.
check: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4hc8pOABSI/
Overall, it’s a wonderful book that you must read if you love reading mythology.
check: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4hc8pOABSI/
November 6, 2019
To begin with, this book lies in between "fiction" and "non-fiction" sub-genre of Mythology. These are tales taken from Puranas and Puranas can be both history or just tales depending upon point of It shares stories of women who shaped and transformed the lives of "heavenly realms" and ancient India. They developed and empowered society as a whole. It's like a subtle reminder about our inner goddess.
The book is divided into chapters on Saraswati, different incarnations of Parvati and women of ancient Vedic India. The writing style is simple yet in an enchanting storytelling fashion. In a nutshell, the book is easy, short and inspiring and budding reader-friendly.
The book is divided into chapters on Saraswati, different incarnations of Parvati and women of ancient Vedic India. The writing style is simple yet in an enchanting storytelling fashion. In a nutshell, the book is easy, short and inspiring and budding reader-friendly.
November 4, 2019
Often we read about the epics from the point of view of men and the mention of women is quite minimal. Sudha Murty's latest book The daughter from a wishing tree brings us short stories about women in Indian mythology.
The book is divided into 4 sections and has 24 unusual stories from Indian mythology. All the stories are fast paced and a treasure trove for mythology lovers. The narration is simple and the language is easy to understand, for kids, especially.
More about the book on Instagram.com/book_gobbler
Ofbookbabiesandmore.wordpress.com
The book is divided into 4 sections and has 24 unusual stories from Indian mythology. All the stories are fast paced and a treasure trove for mythology lovers. The narration is simple and the language is easy to understand, for kids, especially.
More about the book on Instagram.com/book_gobbler
Ofbookbabiesandmore.wordpress.com
October 30, 2025
Women. Smash. Hindu mythology. Smash. Women in Hindu Mythology. OH MY GODSS
This in itself is the embodiment of how I feel about this book. But it also captures what I didn’t like about the book.
I loved that this book talked about a very underrepresented part of Hindu Mythology. Women. And I really really appreciate that.
But a lot of times I felt like goblets of unrelated information was dumped on me. It sometimes felt like reading unoriginal chapters straight from a textbook. That created a gigantic disconnect for me as I kept on dissociating for chapters at a time.
The book would’ve done a wonderful job had it stepped into the minds of the women in the myths and given us a narrative which appealed to us in their authentic voices and advocated their circumstances in their own voice, because I felt unrelated and out of touch with the feelings and emotions of the very women it claimed to revolve around.
Maybe I was expecting the stories of stronger women in Hindu mythology. Maybe such women don’t exist. Maybe I had too high expectations from the book.
Now that the negative is out of the way let’s talk of the positives (C’mon, I gave the book 3 stars there had to be good parts too guys)
There were so many myths that were very interesting. And this is where the paradox hits. Although quite a few of the myths stood independent without any correlation, they were new and refreshing. And there were stories that did connect to the mainstream. And those were also unheard of and fantastic. I actually really enjoyed some of the myths, which have imprinted themselves into my memory as I carry them on with me in the next chapters of my life. There are also some stories that I would definitely bring up in the long late night discussions with my family to share with them because they are so new.
The illustrations were a nice touch. They added lovely visual representation to the story. The unique and atypical designs reminded me of old mythological tales and enriched the ones printed on the paper.
All in all, it is a mediocre book that I might only recommend to the people who are looking for a new stories on the women in Hindu mythology and don’t particularly mind how it is written or don’t care much about the thoughts of the character, rather who want the book to just cover all the facts and just want to read an easy forgettable book one chapter at a time.
PS- I feel like this book lacked a distinct voice that it needed to represent women. I loved the theme and the stories chosen but a more fleshed-out version might just work better. I would definitely read it much more avidly than I did this one.
This in itself is the embodiment of how I feel about this book. But it also captures what I didn’t like about the book.
I loved that this book talked about a very underrepresented part of Hindu Mythology. Women. And I really really appreciate that.
But a lot of times I felt like goblets of unrelated information was dumped on me. It sometimes felt like reading unoriginal chapters straight from a textbook. That created a gigantic disconnect for me as I kept on dissociating for chapters at a time.
The book would’ve done a wonderful job had it stepped into the minds of the women in the myths and given us a narrative which appealed to us in their authentic voices and advocated their circumstances in their own voice, because I felt unrelated and out of touch with the feelings and emotions of the very women it claimed to revolve around.
Maybe I was expecting the stories of stronger women in Hindu mythology. Maybe such women don’t exist. Maybe I had too high expectations from the book.
Now that the negative is out of the way let’s talk of the positives (C’mon, I gave the book 3 stars there had to be good parts too guys)
There were so many myths that were very interesting. And this is where the paradox hits. Although quite a few of the myths stood independent without any correlation, they were new and refreshing. And there were stories that did connect to the mainstream. And those were also unheard of and fantastic. I actually really enjoyed some of the myths, which have imprinted themselves into my memory as I carry them on with me in the next chapters of my life. There are also some stories that I would definitely bring up in the long late night discussions with my family to share with them because they are so new.
The illustrations were a nice touch. They added lovely visual representation to the story. The unique and atypical designs reminded me of old mythological tales and enriched the ones printed on the paper.
All in all, it is a mediocre book that I might only recommend to the people who are looking for a new stories on the women in Hindu mythology and don’t particularly mind how it is written or don’t care much about the thoughts of the character, rather who want the book to just cover all the facts and just want to read an easy forgettable book one chapter at a time.
PS- I feel like this book lacked a distinct voice that it needed to represent women. I loved the theme and the stories chosen but a more fleshed-out version might just work better. I would definitely read it much more avidly than I did this one.
August 29, 2021
What is mythology? Mythology is a collection of myths or stories about culture, religion, and beliefs. The stories in mythology allow expanding the imagination. And this book is kind of one.
I am a big fan of the simple yet influential writing style of Sudha Murthy. I read many books about her, and every book holds a different charm.
About the book:
This is a book that holds the stories of 24 powerful women of our mythology, How, they sacrifice and fight to save humankind from the evils. The stories are about different forms of Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati and many unheard names from the mythology.
My musings:
I just love the whole book. listing some which I liked the most:
1. There are many lessons hidden in between these simple stories which we should follow in daily life like how reacting without thinking in anger can cause bad consequences (Shankrahrya curse). We should think twice when we speak I anger or in adverse situations.
2. The writing style is simple and straightforward.
3. For me, this is a good learning book, as I learned many lesser-known stories about our mythology.
4. The beautiful art illustrations make this read interactive.
Overall, this is a magical book to read.
March 17, 2022
When I picked up this book to read, it looked like children stories, but when I started reading, it reminded me of many stories which are our ancient heritage of Veda's time in the sacred Sanskrit langugage, some of stories I recalled and few I didn't know. I savoured these small nuggets of stories of strong, powerful women translated and put together by the respected author Sudha Murthy in her own style and wisdom. The book contains many such priceless stories including that of Nal-damayanti, Kach-devyani, Urvashi-Suryadeva, Chyavan-Sukanya, Goddess, Laxmi, Ganga and others, which every person will enjoy from a child to an adult. 4 stars for this one.
November 26, 2022
The cover itself made me ecstatic about this book as I personally have a lot of interest in mythology. Secondly Sudha Murthy is a legend herself. I find her writing style lucid and very convincing. Don't want to give you any spoilers, but in this book she has comprehensively explained about the audacity of women in "Indian Mythology" which at some point is very encouraging to know about. I would recommend this book to the people who are more into ancient Indian history and ideology....Hope this review gives you an idea of the book...See you until next time! Bye!
July 19, 2020
When it comes to mythology, you always get to read stories about men, so it definitely is different when the entire book is dedicated to the beautiful and powerful stories about the women that created a lot of impact during the ancient times.
Sudha Murthy's books are always a delight to read as they are simple and fun for the mind :)
Sudha Murthy's books are always a delight to read as they are simple and fun for the mind :)
April 30, 2021
Apart From the book I HAVE to mention the book has an amazing cover, it looks like royalty!!!
And content is equally royal.
The writing is very smooth and its easy to understand. The stories are unique and unknown and really open your eyes to new stories about Indian mythology.
And content is equally royal.
The writing is very smooth and its easy to understand. The stories are unique and unknown and really open your eyes to new stories about Indian mythology.
September 3, 2020
A quick read with several short stories ! Feel good kind of a book ! Mrs Murthy encapsulated the power of women in not just the good way but also the other way round.
December 14, 2020
Nice experience reading this book. The tales written here were totally unknown to me.
February 12, 2021
This book has three parts about the stories of three goddesses. I love books about mythology and this was the best book. ❣️
January 28, 2023
A lovely book with short stories that signify the women in Hindu mythology.
I have heard a few stories from my mom and it was great to read them all in this book.
I have heard a few stories from my mom and it was great to read them all in this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews