The Prince - Samhita Arni

Date of Reading: 12/02/2019

Author: Samhita Arni

Publisher: Juggernaut

Publication date: February 10, 2019

My Rating: 5/5

(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)

About the book:

The famous dancer Madhavi is at the court of the

Chera king for a grand performance. The king’s first son, Shenguttuvan – the crown prince of the Cheras – is getting ready for his engagement to a Velir princess. There is celebration in the air.

But when an astrologer predicts that the second son Uthiyan is destined to be greater than his elder brother, the Chera court erupts in chaos. The courtiers begin to play the brothers against each other. Life becomes dangerous for Uthiyan and the prince is forced to flee his home in the garb of a monk.

On the perilous journey rife with assassins and conspirators, he is joined by others who seek refuge at the just court of the Pandya king. But darkness is descending on the ancient city of Madurai. Warriors from the west, the single-minded and ruthless Kalabhras, have set out to conquer the prosperous Pandya capital and change the face of Tamilaham. Tormented by rage and lust, beset by betrayal and terror, Uthiyan is forced to choose a side in a conflict that is certain to end in bloody violence.

My Review:

        I don't know how much my words could do justice to such amazing work, but I am going to try my best. This has been an epic journey filled with trials and tribulations and Samhita Arni deserves all the praise she has got so far. Her captivating writing effortlessly draws you into the glorious times of Chera, Chola and Pandya empires.

     I was expecting a retelling of 'Silappadikaram', the story a woman's wrath burning an entire city, but 'The Prince' is the story of its creation; in other words, here we get a glimpse of the eventful life story of Illango Adigal, the author of this great Tamil epic. Born as a prince, he takes the garb of a monk, when a prophecy comes out predicting his future greatness which will surpass his elder brother's. He sacrifices all his claims to the throne and leaves the intrigues of the court in pursuit of his greatest love: poetry.
      So be prepared, you are in for a roller coaster ride through great cities of Tamilaham and we will suffer along with Uthiyan when he undergoes the birth pangs leading to the emergence of a timeless classic. Thanks to Samhita, never will I pass the hostels named after this great man without remembering him. A phenomenal book that should not be missed...

Something to ponder:

"All art, all dance, all poetry and music seek to breach the boundary between the inner and the outer - between what is felt and what is seen, between the human and the divine, between the soul and the material forms of our world - making them one." - 42

"The truth is this - we are all seekers, for the knowledge that makes us content with our lot, content with what we are, to make peace with the tragedies that befall all of us." - 50

"We must respond to the new ways, we cannot keep with the traditions of the past merely because they come from the past. If we do so, we destroy ourselves." - 168

Meet the author:

When she was eight, Samhita Arni started writing and illustrating her first book. The Mahabharata – A Child’s View went on to sell 50,000 copies worldwide. Her second book, Sita’s Ramayana, a graphic novel, was on the New York Times bestseller list for graphic novels for two weeks. She is also the author of the novel The Missing Queen.