Blog Tour and Book Review–> Starcursed by Nandini Bajpai

Book Blurb:

In the ancient city of Ujjayani, the
planets align to decide the fate of two starcursed lovers. Born under the curse
of Mars, brilliant and beautiful Leelavati, daughter of the famed astronomer
Bhaskarya Acharya of Ujjayani, knows she can never wed. But when her childhood
playmate, the handsome and rich Rahul Nagarseth, returns from sea, their
attraction is rekindled under stormy monsoon skies. As Leela, forced by fate to
relinquish Rahul, tries to find solace in teaching at her fathers observatory,
a fleeting alignment of the stars is discovered that can help overcome her
curse. But Rahul is called away on a war to defend his kingdom. Can he return
in time or will she lose him forever to the will of the planets? Set in turbulent
twelfth century India, against the backdrop of the savage wars waged by
Muhammad of Ghor and his band of Turkis, Starcursed is a sweeping tale of
science, romance and adventure that will transport its readers to another
world.

Book Review:
Set in twelfth century India, Starcursed narrates the poignant love story of two people separated by the unfavorable alignment of the stars. Leela was born in such an alignment and so she is cursed. Rahul loved Leela and wants her despite this. But can they ever be together?

The first thing that attracted me to this book was the beautiful cover. Eye catching, the cover art is noteworthy and instantly piques our interest. The title is also very unusual which further adds to the allure of the book.

I love historical stories that give me a feel of the bygone times. Here too Nandini expertly sets her story in an era of wars, caste system and gender inequality. The scenes, people and land settings are noteworthy. The narration is crisp but lags at some points in the book. The language is simple and keeps our interest till the end.

The characterization is admirable and I could connect with Leela and Rahul. I could empathize with Leela’s parents who want to give there daughter everything in their power to compensate for something that has been decided by destiny for her! Leela’s father allows her to work alongside him and ignores all the talk from people. In an era where women were not allowed a status equivalent to men, this step is noteworthy. The emotional quotient is high and is bound to affect you while you pine for a love that is denied and too far away!

Packed with some surprises and unexpected twists and turns, I enjoyed reading Starcursed and recommend it to everyone. A 4 out of 5 to Starcursed from me, I look forward to reading more from Nandini Bajpai in the future.

I received the book from the author and the tour organizers and I am very thankful to them. The above review is my honest and unbiased opinion and in no way influenced.

Nandini Bajpai grew up in New Delhi, India,
one of four sisters and many cousins, in a family that liked to read. Although
she dabbled in corporate finance, business analysis, and fostering shelter
animals, her first love is writing. Her novel Red Turban White Horse: My
Sister’s Hurricane Wedding was published in 2013 by Scholastic India.  She
lives in the Boston area with her husband, kids, their dog Yogi and cat Rakhan.

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