...of Suspicious Frogs and Knights in Rusty Armour

This was a passage I had written back in Mangalore... home-bound thanks to the rains and left with nothing to do but voice my two-bit opinion on anything that caught my fancy.
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There has been a steady patter of rain for the past two days, the scenery could put a rain-forest to shame and people and places alike are water-logged.

An ideal romantic setting, except for the teensy-tinsy fact that you need an equally love- struck partner to get the best out of it!! All I get is commiserating smiles from the help and the occasional wide-eyed look from a passer-by (yep, after all these years, a Mumbaiite is still something akin to an exotic iguana in the local zoo!). Adding to my woes are the happily croaking thunder-frogs.....one sits dolefully outside the front porch eyeing me suspiciously. Maybe he’s heard the whole ‘kiss-a-frog and-*KABLOOM*-Knight-in-gleaming-tinfoil' story. That would spice things up a bit but since I am already considered a bit of a nut, I think I shall refrain from scandalising the villagers.

Which got me thinking on a totally different tangent: Fairy-Tales and the unrealistic expectations they fill your head with. My idealistic friends and I have grown up on a steady yet sugary diet of far, far-away tales. A time when chivalrous princes walked the earth, fair maidens (who more often than not, had gotten a raw deal) suddenly found the tides changing and the last chapter/reel almost always ended with the handsome couple waving benevolently at a cheering country crowd, whose highlight of the day was tossing flower petals at the passing procession. Over bowls of buttery popcorn, we ooh-ed and aah-ed and were impatient to be swept off our feet.

Time went by and we encountered more than our fair share of warty-frogs, fire-breathing dragons and the occasional crafty side-kick. The rose-coloured glasses were knocked off (or so we claimed). We decided to tuck our fancy ideals up in the high-tower where they belonged and settle for something lukewarm.

But the problem with an over-fertile imagination and a 'never-say-die' optimism is that the high-tower rarely stays locked for long. A heart-warming book, a classic movie with just-the-right-level of mushiness, a quirky quote that sticks like chewing-gum or a song with all the right words…..anything and everything acts like a trigger. The trumpet sounds and the walls of Jericho are down again. (Thank you, Mr.Gable!!)

And it’s a good thing, mushy and idealistic it may be, but that’s great….fantastic even. It shows that despite the bad twists and the bouts of rotten luck, we can’t let go of our hopes and dreams. We all want a happy ending and are willing to wait. And if we have to meet our fair-share of villains along the way, then so be it. After all, which self-respecting fairy-tale would be complete without the evil cackle of a nasty witch!!!

Journey to the River Sea

"Those who think of the Amazon as a Green Hell bring only their own fears and prejudices to this amazing land. For whether a place is a hell or a heaven rests in yourself, and those who go with courage and an open mind may find themselves in Paradise"

~ Journey To the River Sea

This is the kind of book that demands an ‘atmosphere’.....a stack of sandwiches, a tall cold glass of lemonade ;topped at regular intervals…a wooden Easy-Chair (the kind your grandpa sat on and smiled genially from) placed in a small, airy room that has a single antiquated table-fan whirring noisily…and a wide window from where you can hear the gentle crackle of crickets.

Maia has lost her parents in a tragic accident and the only existing relatives appear to be the owners of a rubber plantation along the mighty Amazon. Quelling her initial fears of cannibalistic animal life and hostile Indians…Maia who is an optimistic young girl is soon ready to embark on the journey. She is accompanied by seemingly stern governess Miss. Minton and a fanciful imagination where her foster family will welcome her with open arms.

Well after that build-up, it’s obvious that Maia is in for a rude shock. Mr. Carter, his insecticide loving wife and the terrible twins seem to be straight out of a nightmare. Maia is barred from venturing beyond the clinical grounds of the Carter house. Sullen Indians…..the constant smell of Lysol in the house…..bland food that quivers/ melts and the nastiness of the Carter family …all combine to crush Maia’s grand hopes.

But then Maia meets Finn, a wild boy in a canoe…..a boy who’s wrapped in mystery and adventure and who will soon take Maia on an unforgettable trip into the fantastic and magical rainforest.

A book that is almost lyrically beautiful….’Journey To The River Sea’ is choc-a-bloc with exotic plants and animals and ably supported by well-etched characters. Eva Ibbotson had apparently written this book in honour of her late husband who was a naturalist. And she makes a fitting tribute. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that you can effortlessly picture the rainforest in all it’s wild, damp greenery as it unfolds with each chapter.

And a simple lesson at the end of the day…a place is what you make of it. Heaven or Hell…it’s all about shedding your prejudices and seizing the day.

The Beasts of Clawstone Castle

Is it my imagination or does each Eva Ibbotson book seem better than the previous one?? I mean, there’s drama, children as mature protagonists, a couple of befuddled but well-meaning ghosts, seriously sinister villains, crazy plot-lines, an underlying message.....all neatly wrapped up in a humourous package! This is the stuff that summer holidays are made of!!

Case in point : The Beasts of Clawstone Castle.

Madyln and Rollo are sent off to Clawstone Castle, to live with eccentric Uncle George and his exhausted sister, Aunt Emily. Every week they have an Open Day when the castle doors are thrown open to tourists……who can tramp about the grounds and get a taste of ancient culture. But the castle is not exactly in it’s golden age…dilapidated structures, over-grown moss and the cold, damp environment are all contributing to diminishing tourists. It doesn’t help that a rival estate called Trembellow Towers is raking in the moolah, thanks to the unlimited funds that Lord Trembellow is investing in the upkeep. The reason why Uncle George needs the money Clawstone brings in is because the castle grounds are the home of a mysterious and wild herd of pristine white cattle.

The children soon come up with a plan to rev up tourism - a genuine Haunted Castle'. And doing the honours are a bunch of lonely, gruesome yet extremely helpful ghosts. Loaded with hi-jinx and blood-curdling screams……the plan proves to be effective. Soon people are flocking over to Clawstone Castle to be scared witless and have the thrill of their lives.

But a sudden nasty fate befalls the herd and things start looking very bleak indeed. What happens next is anybody’s guess.

In all a complete book.....loaded with Ibbotson’s usual combination of wit and slapstick. Recommended for all who have kids (or who themselves) fear the un-dead/ the spooks/ the slimy after-life. A sure-fire way to view ghosts in a new ectoplasmic light and shed the eepy-crays once and for all!!