Vikas Khanna and Keyaan Akhtar

Reviewing the book for mid-day, 12-year-old Mira Road resident Keyaan Akhtar, a student of Class VII, said what struck him most was how “inspiring” Karthyayani Amma’s journey was. “I didn’t know about her,” he shares, “until I read Barefoot Empress. It’s also what I loved most about this story... she was forced to marry at a young age, but she didn’t give up. It reminds us that it’s never too late to pursue one’s dreams.” 

Poll

Who will win the Punjab Elections?

BJP 32.84%

AAP 41.79%

INC 25.37%

Submit

View All In Poll

He adds that since the book is meant for a younger audience, “the art style is perfect. It immediately grabs the reader’s attention”. “The story [by Khanna] is short, and could have actually fit into fewer pages. But his grand vision for the book, which is making it illustration-heavy, makes it seem fatter than usual.” While Keyaan felt that the illustrations depicted Karthyayani Amma’s circumstances to the T, and will have younger readers absorbed, one of his pet peeves was that the “facial details of the protagonist were missing”. “It made me difficult to imagine what Karthyayani looked like.”

Keyaan himself finished reading the book in “three minutes flat”, telling us that’s only because he is a fast reader. “Otherwise, it would take about 20 minutes to complete it.” But that’s also what he thinks is a drawback. “It ends as quickly as it begins. This is a one-time read.”

Available at all stores