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Bramah and the Beggar Boy (THOT J BAP
One afternoon, in an old house in an abandoned village on the outskirts of Perimeter, in the place they call Pacifica, Bramah and the beggar boy find fragments of an ancient text. Hunched over scraps of parchment and broken computer disks, they blow the dust off a cover, and so our story begins. Many things happen—some good, but mostly bad—including five eco-catastrophes and a viral bio-contagion.
Steeped in the tradition of fairy tales, THOT J BAP (The Heart of This Journey Bears All Patterns) is a map-history of a world in which a small band of eco-survivors faces heartbreak and destruction. Speculative fiction meets rhymes and chants, soulful characters and a playful reimagining of the saga as a portent for our planet earth. Shapeshifting in and out of it all is the nimble Bramah, a female locksmith—brown, brave and beautiful. Ten years in the making, this work by award-winning poet Renée Sarojini Saklikar spans continents and centuries. Bramah and the Beggar Boy is the first instalment of the multi-part series.
Steeped in the tradition of fairy tales, THOT J BAP (The Heart of This Journey Bears All Patterns) is a map-history of a world in which a small band of eco-survivors faces heartbreak and destruction. Speculative fiction meets rhymes and chants, soulful characters and a playful reimagining of the saga as a portent for our planet earth. Shapeshifting in and out of it all is the nimble Bramah, a female locksmith—brown, brave and beautiful. Ten years in the making, this work by award-winning poet Renée Sarojini Saklikar spans continents and centuries. Bramah and the Beggar Boy is the first instalment of the multi-part series.
341 pages, Paperback
Published July 17, 2021
2 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Renee Sarojini Saklikar
17 books42 followersRenée Sarojini Saklikar is a poet and lawyer who lives in Vancouver on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples. Her newest book is Bramah and The Beggar Boy, an epic fantasy in verse, (Nightwood Editions, 2021) about a time travelling locksmith, “brown, brave and beautiful,” battling the evil Consortium on a planet ravaged by climate change. Renée Sarojini’s other books include the ground-breaking children of air india, about the bombing of Air India Flight 182 which won the Canadian Authors Association Poetry Prize; and Listening to the Bees, winner of the 2019 Gold Medal Independent Publishers Book Award, Environment/Ecology. An instructor for SFU and VCC, she curated Vancouver’s first free Poetry Phone, 1-833-POEMS-4-U and curates the poetry reading series Lunch Poems at SFU. Renée Sarojini was the first poet laureate for the City of Surrey, (2015-2018).
Connect with Renée:
http://facebook.com/bramahandthebegga...
http://twitter.com/reneesarojini
https://www.instagram.com/saklikartar...
More about this author:
Renée Sarojini Saklikar’s ground-breaking poetry book about the bombing of Air India Flight 182, children of air india, won the Canadian Authors Association Poetry Prize and was shortlisted for the Dorothy Livesay Prize.
Renée's second book, The Revolving City: 51 Poems and the Stories Behind Them, edited with Wayde Compton, was a finalist for the City of Vancouver Book Award.
Her book, Listening to the Bees, co-authored with Dr. Mark Winston, won the 2019 Gold Medal Independent Publishers Book Award, Environment/Ecology.
Trained as a lawyer, Saklikar is an instructor for SFU and VCC. She was the first Poet Laureate for the City of Surrey, (2015-2018) and was the 2017 UBC Okanagan Writer in Residence. In 2019, Renée served as Writer in Residence for the Surrey English Teachers' Association. Co-founder and curator of the poetry series Lunch Poems at SFU, her work has been adapted for opera, visual art and dance. Renée serves on the boards of Turning Point Ensemble, Poetry Canada, the Surrey International Writers Conference and The Ormbsy Review.
Connect with Renée:
http://facebook.com/bramahandthebegga...
http://twitter.com/reneesarojini
https://www.instagram.com/saklikartar...
More about this author:
Renée Sarojini Saklikar’s ground-breaking poetry book about the bombing of Air India Flight 182, children of air india, won the Canadian Authors Association Poetry Prize and was shortlisted for the Dorothy Livesay Prize.
Renée's second book, The Revolving City: 51 Poems and the Stories Behind Them, edited with Wayde Compton, was a finalist for the City of Vancouver Book Award.
Her book, Listening to the Bees, co-authored with Dr. Mark Winston, won the 2019 Gold Medal Independent Publishers Book Award, Environment/Ecology.
Trained as a lawyer, Saklikar is an instructor for SFU and VCC. She was the first Poet Laureate for the City of Surrey, (2015-2018) and was the 2017 UBC Okanagan Writer in Residence. In 2019, Renée served as Writer in Residence for the Surrey English Teachers' Association. Co-founder and curator of the poetry series Lunch Poems at SFU, her work has been adapted for opera, visual art and dance. Renée serves on the boards of Turning Point Ensemble, Poetry Canada, the Surrey International Writers Conference and The Ormbsy Review.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 16, 2021
A TINY INSIGNIFICANT OPINION
first person to open this copy
pages crisp yet ragged edged
lured by a local news article
drawn to its potential
Story: intriguing yet obstructed by
Writing: sentences end where not —
placement of, punctuation peculiar
like a James Kirk, soliloquy
meaning of any capitalization Unknown
(insert italicized non-sequitur and □□ random symbols
be it art, poetry or disjointed ravings
this reader Cannot decipher
fifty plus pages on
hopes high, effort and patience tremendous
but comprehension and enjoyment scant
time spent never to be recovered
so why this review, mockery or tribute
reflection, longing, dirge, Warning
hopes dashed
no more
May another more capable reader take up this burden
first person to open this copy
pages crisp yet ragged edged
lured by a local news article
drawn to its potential
Story: intriguing yet obstructed by
Writing: sentences end where not —
placement of, punctuation peculiar
like a James Kirk, soliloquy
meaning of any capitalization Unknown
(insert italicized non-sequitur and □□ random symbols
be it art, poetry or disjointed ravings
this reader Cannot decipher
fifty plus pages on
hopes high, effort and patience tremendous
but comprehension and enjoyment scant
time spent never to be recovered
so why this review, mockery or tribute
reflection, longing, dirge, Warning
hopes dashed
no more
May another more capable reader take up this burden
July 31, 2021
LOVE IT! The world, the characters, the adventures, love it all. Such a beautifully written fantasy! I applaud the author!!
September 20, 2021
I revived a copy of this book from the publisher and ZG Stories. So grateful.
The person who reached out to let me have a copy said it was unique and difficult to define. I completely agree and stand behind that 100%.
This was a very unique story written in lose poetry. While at times I found it could be difficult to follow I still was able to (usually) catch right back on to the story. I did find that the second half of the book was smoother to read and the story itself seemed to almost pickup/speed up. The one thing I struggled with was the lack of world building. I didn’t find there was a lot of visuals for the surroundings.
This was an ambitious project and focused on some big events (can’t e talk climate change, war, sickness… oooo) But for being so ambitious I still felt it was interesting and well done.
I actually love reading poetry and HATE reviewing it because of how subjective it can be 🤣 So we will go with I enjoyed this story. I would recommend it. Read slow. And pay attention.
The person who reached out to let me have a copy said it was unique and difficult to define. I completely agree and stand behind that 100%.
This was a very unique story written in lose poetry. While at times I found it could be difficult to follow I still was able to (usually) catch right back on to the story. I did find that the second half of the book was smoother to read and the story itself seemed to almost pickup/speed up. The one thing I struggled with was the lack of world building. I didn’t find there was a lot of visuals for the surroundings.
This was an ambitious project and focused on some big events (can’t e talk climate change, war, sickness… oooo) But for being so ambitious I still felt it was interesting and well done.
I actually love reading poetry and HATE reviewing it because of how subjective it can be 🤣 So we will go with I enjoyed this story. I would recommend it. Read slow. And pay attention.
September 29, 2021
This was quite an interesting and ambitious work.
I did enjoy what the author accomplished, playing with poetry form and images and line drawings.
Telling a story that is epic in scope and action and novel length is difficult, especially when it comes to keeping your reader engaged and immersed. In Bramah and the Beggar Boy, Saklikar has committed to trying to accomplish that.
She incorporates changing forms of poetry and uses images, acronyms, reports, drawings, communication and interrogation logs to break up and add to what can get overwhelming.
Her characters strengths and cunning, willingness to sacrifice and survive, as well as to save what they can of what is left of Earth kept me reading, plus I was intrigued at what she is attempting here. She calls this an epic fantasy in verse.
I am right there with the verse and elements of fantasy are there, but I have not yet fallen into the epic or maybe I just need to reprint my definition of epic.
What is clear is the disasters that have ravaged the Earth, leaving the vulnerable even more so and susceptible to exploitation to keep the Consortium running. The resistance that hides in plain sight, the spies and informers, the magic and stories, community and perseverance are all elements that endeared this read to me.
Some poems invited me to finish a line, others gave me rhymes, and still others told tales of adventure and love. A truly unique reading experience.
I did enjoy what the author accomplished, playing with poetry form and images and line drawings.
Telling a story that is epic in scope and action and novel length is difficult, especially when it comes to keeping your reader engaged and immersed. In Bramah and the Beggar Boy, Saklikar has committed to trying to accomplish that.
She incorporates changing forms of poetry and uses images, acronyms, reports, drawings, communication and interrogation logs to break up and add to what can get overwhelming.
Her characters strengths and cunning, willingness to sacrifice and survive, as well as to save what they can of what is left of Earth kept me reading, plus I was intrigued at what she is attempting here. She calls this an epic fantasy in verse.
I am right there with the verse and elements of fantasy are there, but I have not yet fallen into the epic or maybe I just need to reprint my definition of epic.
What is clear is the disasters that have ravaged the Earth, leaving the vulnerable even more so and susceptible to exploitation to keep the Consortium running. The resistance that hides in plain sight, the spies and informers, the magic and stories, community and perseverance are all elements that endeared this read to me.
Some poems invited me to finish a line, others gave me rhymes, and still others told tales of adventure and love. A truly unique reading experience.
July 26, 2021
An extraordinary fantasy pushing the limits of convention.
How did the book make me feel/think?
I’m not sure what I’m reading. Genres and style stretched to a breaking point, creating fresh tracks. I feel as I’ve entered a world where a talented disc jockey invites me into a new world. A battle for the soul of humanity ensues. Good versus evil. Everyday people, oppressed versus greed and corruption.
I step onto the disc. Spin. Spin. Spin. The verses and rhymes poetically layer on top of each other, elevating me, taking me places I’ve never been. I chase different dimensions. Just as I’m about to understand where I am, the mix master deftly sends me crashing through a portal to only have to rebuild once more. Another beat. Another layer. Another crash. The bad outweighs the good. Hope is being erased. But hope can never be eviscerated; it’s hope; it has its own pulse and thundering beat.
Bramah and the Beggar Boy beautifully challenge our conceptions of who we are and who we are destined to become. I think. I’m not sure what I’ve read.
What I do know is that long after I lock this book away on the shelf, the realm and dimension I visited likely will enter my dreams, and Bramah will help me unlock the mysteries of the unlimited creativity of THOT J BAP.
That’s how this book made me feel/think!
WRITTEN: July 26, 2021
How did the book make me feel/think?
I’m not sure what I’m reading. Genres and style stretched to a breaking point, creating fresh tracks. I feel as I’ve entered a world where a talented disc jockey invites me into a new world. A battle for the soul of humanity ensues. Good versus evil. Everyday people, oppressed versus greed and corruption.
I step onto the disc. Spin. Spin. Spin. The verses and rhymes poetically layer on top of each other, elevating me, taking me places I’ve never been. I chase different dimensions. Just as I’m about to understand where I am, the mix master deftly sends me crashing through a portal to only have to rebuild once more. Another beat. Another layer. Another crash. The bad outweighs the good. Hope is being erased. But hope can never be eviscerated; it’s hope; it has its own pulse and thundering beat.
Bramah and the Beggar Boy beautifully challenge our conceptions of who we are and who we are destined to become. I think. I’m not sure what I’ve read.
What I do know is that long after I lock this book away on the shelf, the realm and dimension I visited likely will enter my dreams, and Bramah will help me unlock the mysteries of the unlimited creativity of THOT J BAP.
That’s how this book made me feel/think!
WRITTEN: July 26, 2021
August 1, 2021
Renee Sarojini Saklikar’s epic journey, Bramah and the Beggar Boy, unfolds as a futuristic folklore in a long poetic form. This book is a unique read. The language draws the reader in for closer inspection, and each selected word is like an arrow shot through a bow, hitting its mark; deliberate, impactful.
The story of Bramah, her mysterious background and the way she is brought into the present setting, guides the reader through the initial and curious introduction of this strange woman and the boy, from the perspective of the residents in the small village.
The journey, the core, of this story also evokes the elements of magical realism, as it employs current social and environmental issues as a plot vehicle to address a way to combat these detrimental problems by jumping through time portals.
The characters themselves are solid beings, demanding their presence on the page and voices to be heard, despite their choppy dialogue and depictions due to the poetic flow and parameters of the work; however, the story does have flow, and its own rhythm, like a wave moving back and forth. The reader can step into the world of each character, as though wading through tide pools. Midway through, the story of poems delves deeper into character narrative and connection. There is also a thread of family lineage presented through the significance of the found oak box.
I particularly enjoyed the wisdom imparted in the Aunties’ stories and anecdotes, and the interwoven love story between Abigail and Bartholomew. The story parcels warnings that align with the global illness and, in our reality, the current pandemic; heeding precautions taken to avoid the illness and diminish the human footprint leading to global decline in the environment and, ultimately, existence of the earth’s species.
The tone of this book is both cerebral and enchanting. Each poem is a chapter, an opening, painting a new scene. The bond deepens between Bramah and the beggar boy, as she teaches him about travelling through the portals. The global problems are parallel, tied to the earth’s environment, a premonition of global desolation.
The imagery of bees establishes the symmetry in society; the notion of hives built in social hierarchal structures, bringing order, and in contrast showing the potential dismantling of order in the universe. There is a sense of the hoard mentality, and real-life events are mirrored as parallel happenings in history, shown through these portal events. This book is a monumental accomplishment. A thoughtful, essential read that forces the mind to dissect the language and reassess the story as a whole, and how it reflects the way we think about our own history, family, social and individual responsibility and awareness of place and purpose.
The story of Bramah, her mysterious background and the way she is brought into the present setting, guides the reader through the initial and curious introduction of this strange woman and the boy, from the perspective of the residents in the small village.
The journey, the core, of this story also evokes the elements of magical realism, as it employs current social and environmental issues as a plot vehicle to address a way to combat these detrimental problems by jumping through time portals.
The characters themselves are solid beings, demanding their presence on the page and voices to be heard, despite their choppy dialogue and depictions due to the poetic flow and parameters of the work; however, the story does have flow, and its own rhythm, like a wave moving back and forth. The reader can step into the world of each character, as though wading through tide pools. Midway through, the story of poems delves deeper into character narrative and connection. There is also a thread of family lineage presented through the significance of the found oak box.
I particularly enjoyed the wisdom imparted in the Aunties’ stories and anecdotes, and the interwoven love story between Abigail and Bartholomew. The story parcels warnings that align with the global illness and, in our reality, the current pandemic; heeding precautions taken to avoid the illness and diminish the human footprint leading to global decline in the environment and, ultimately, existence of the earth’s species.
The tone of this book is both cerebral and enchanting. Each poem is a chapter, an opening, painting a new scene. The bond deepens between Bramah and the beggar boy, as she teaches him about travelling through the portals. The global problems are parallel, tied to the earth’s environment, a premonition of global desolation.
The imagery of bees establishes the symmetry in society; the notion of hives built in social hierarchal structures, bringing order, and in contrast showing the potential dismantling of order in the universe. There is a sense of the hoard mentality, and real-life events are mirrored as parallel happenings in history, shown through these portal events. This book is a monumental accomplishment. A thoughtful, essential read that forces the mind to dissect the language and reassess the story as a whole, and how it reflects the way we think about our own history, family, social and individual responsibility and awareness of place and purpose.
September 23, 2023
Disclaimer: Kant says that aesthetic judgments are subjective but that make a claim to universality. This review is not making a claim to universality, even if written as if it does.
I respect the author’s ambition. She has tried something that I haven’t seen before, combining high fantasy, dystopian warnings, epic poetry, and social commentary. But it’s like a chef who has a dream of creating a gourmet dish with ice cream, raw oysters, and Velveeta. It doesn’t work. Too many ingredients that don't work together.
For example, two of the most common elements in high fantasy (or sci-fi or epics) are a discernable plot and well-defined characters. This book has neither. The main obstacle to plot development or character building is the author’s poetry. She uses so many styles and registers, but consistently avoids full sentences or regular punctuation. This criticism may sound like rank philistinism, but these things are useful when telling a story. Without the titles to each of the hundreds of poems that comprise Bramah (e.g., “Scientists of the Run”), the book would be a complete mystery. In fact, I tried reading a few of the poems without looking at the title and I had no idea what was going on. A guy on Youtube says that a poem is not a riddle, but this collection of poems is. Bramah more gestures towards a story than tells one. Conversely, the frustration at trying to find, much less follow, the story makes the poetry less enjoyable.
Goodreads says that one star means “I didn’t like it” and two stars means “its ok.” Honestly, I didn’t like it, but I wanted to give some credit to the sheer audaciousness of the project. Not every experiment succeeds. There may be an audience for this book, but I’m not part of it.
I respect the author’s ambition. She has tried something that I haven’t seen before, combining high fantasy, dystopian warnings, epic poetry, and social commentary. But it’s like a chef who has a dream of creating a gourmet dish with ice cream, raw oysters, and Velveeta. It doesn’t work. Too many ingredients that don't work together.
For example, two of the most common elements in high fantasy (or sci-fi or epics) are a discernable plot and well-defined characters. This book has neither. The main obstacle to plot development or character building is the author’s poetry. She uses so many styles and registers, but consistently avoids full sentences or regular punctuation. This criticism may sound like rank philistinism, but these things are useful when telling a story. Without the titles to each of the hundreds of poems that comprise Bramah (e.g., “Scientists of the Run”), the book would be a complete mystery. In fact, I tried reading a few of the poems without looking at the title and I had no idea what was going on. A guy on Youtube says that a poem is not a riddle, but this collection of poems is. Bramah more gestures towards a story than tells one. Conversely, the frustration at trying to find, much less follow, the story makes the poetry less enjoyable.
Goodreads says that one star means “I didn’t like it” and two stars means “its ok.” Honestly, I didn’t like it, but I wanted to give some credit to the sheer audaciousness of the project. Not every experiment succeeds. There may be an audience for this book, but I’m not part of it.
September 7, 2021
Bramah and the Beggar Boy is unlike any book I’ve ever read.
This epic fantasy told in verse is a genre-bending tale of speculative fiction that focuses on issues of social injustice & climate change. It’s a mind-blowing read! 🤯🙌🏻
What stood out most in this book were the various writer moves @saklikartartyone uses to tell this story and the unique text features both she & the publisher @nightwood_editions were able to envision and include on the physical page. Text features like: handwriting font, various shapes/patterns, images, the illusion of disappearing ink, etc. It made for quite the reading experience!
Admittedly, because I was so invested in the unique text features, symbols, and poetic language, I sometimes found myself losing track of the actual storyline. But I guess as the book suggests in the title: The Heart of This Journey Bears All Patterns … and for me, all these patterns may be at the heart of my reading journey for #bramahandthebeggarboy ! ❤️
I would recommend this book to readers who appreciate unique text forms and who enjoy a book that reads more like puzzle.
Thank you to @saklikartartyone , @nightwood_editions & @zgstories for this #gifted copy!
This epic fantasy told in verse is a genre-bending tale of speculative fiction that focuses on issues of social injustice & climate change. It’s a mind-blowing read! 🤯🙌🏻
What stood out most in this book were the various writer moves @saklikartartyone uses to tell this story and the unique text features both she & the publisher @nightwood_editions were able to envision and include on the physical page. Text features like: handwriting font, various shapes/patterns, images, the illusion of disappearing ink, etc. It made for quite the reading experience!
Admittedly, because I was so invested in the unique text features, symbols, and poetic language, I sometimes found myself losing track of the actual storyline. But I guess as the book suggests in the title: The Heart of This Journey Bears All Patterns … and for me, all these patterns may be at the heart of my reading journey for #bramahandthebeggarboy ! ❤️
I would recommend this book to readers who appreciate unique text forms and who enjoy a book that reads more like puzzle.
Thank you to @saklikartartyone , @nightwood_editions & @zgstories for this #gifted copy!
June 23, 2025
I attended a reading by this author several weeks ago and was captivated by her prose. Renee Saklikar has created an epic story and, as she notes at the back of the book, has broken down poetry into different forms to tell her story. In doing so, she adds diagrams and symbols to some of the poems. Admittedly, I don’t understand what all the symbols mean, but she’s certainly created a unique storytelling style.
Beautiful prose is juxtaposed against the harsh, dystopian world of Thot J Bap, where people struggle to survive after severe environmental disasters have destroyed the world as they knew it. The Consortium now rules and eliminates resistors. The author supplies an event summary at the back of the book, which I recommend reading first to help you understand what’s happening. Bramah is a mysterious individual who’s referred to throughout the book, although she doesn’t take center stage. I believe she is featured more in book 2, which I look forward to reading. Bramah and the Beggar Boy is a fascinating work that offers poetry fans a new and compelling reading experience.
Beautiful prose is juxtaposed against the harsh, dystopian world of Thot J Bap, where people struggle to survive after severe environmental disasters have destroyed the world as they knew it. The Consortium now rules and eliminates resistors. The author supplies an event summary at the back of the book, which I recommend reading first to help you understand what’s happening. Bramah is a mysterious individual who’s referred to throughout the book, although she doesn’t take center stage. I believe she is featured more in book 2, which I look forward to reading. Bramah and the Beggar Boy is a fascinating work that offers poetry fans a new and compelling reading experience.
February 2, 2022
A daringly original, futuristic adventure of survival written in long form poetry!
A unique blend of genres and styles, (speculative fiction, fairy tales, long-form poetry, magical realism, fantasy, as well as drawings and symbols) paired together with big themes like environmental disaster, sickness, greed, oppression, corruption, good and evil, life or death really made for an epic reading experience.
The characters were captivating and full of grit. I loved all the vivid imagery. There were times I was a bit lost but just decided to go along for the ride and ended up enjoying myself! An ambitious novel for sure and challenged me as a reader. What did I just read?! And this is only book 1!
Thank you to @@zgstories for sending me this book opinions are my own.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
A unique blend of genres and styles, (speculative fiction, fairy tales, long-form poetry, magical realism, fantasy, as well as drawings and symbols) paired together with big themes like environmental disaster, sickness, greed, oppression, corruption, good and evil, life or death really made for an epic reading experience.
The characters were captivating and full of grit. I loved all the vivid imagery. There were times I was a bit lost but just decided to go along for the ride and ended up enjoying myself! An ambitious novel for sure and challenged me as a reader. What did I just read?! And this is only book 1!
Thank you to @@zgstories for sending me this book opinions are my own.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
April 9, 2022
A review is coming soon for this amazing epic.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews