Anya’s Lyric is the journey of a girl who the world sees as a misfit but never hesitates to exploit for their benefit. This book is like a collection of stories but each is linked to the next as a part of Anya’s life.
The author has done a commendable job of writing the book and not mentioning the names of each character. “The man with one hand, the magician, the strange man, the ordinary man, the woman with a mole on her left cheek – the characters have been described but not named.
I loved the aura of mystery it gave to the stories. The way we describe strangers for all these were strangers as I followed Anya’s journey. These strangers were a part of her life, affecting her yet staying on the periphery.
I was pleasantly surprised when I picked this book, I was not aware of the author Nikhil Kumar but I am so glad I found his book. Anya’s Lyric has been a refreshingly different read for me. It is by no means a time pass or rushed read, the book, her story and the characters and emotions expressed made me take notice and appreciate the subtle twists in the book.
The writing is excellent, fluid and kept me engrossed and I enjoyed the book in spite of the harsh truths it presents. It gives the reality of life, of how we each look out for ourselves ignoring the consequences and the collateral damage. I cannot say much about the stories except praise the way the author has linked them.
A mother’s loss, a lover’s betrayal, a wife’s deceit as well as a thief, a woman, a child, a daughter, a magician, a man with the tattoo – all of them and more feature within the pages of this book.
The initial pages threw me off since the blurb gives no indication of the surprise I found within the chapters of how the story is linked and moved forward. However by the second chapter I was reading and re-reading passages. Anya’s thoughts, her inability and her helplessness tugged at my heart. The final chapter healed the wounds but the scars remain – sad but such is our world.
The book deals of the fate of the differently able yet it is not sad or condescending. I found the writing crisp, impactful and thought provoking. The boy with the twisted leg was such masterful linking as was the one about the gold chains. I often wonder who has lost or left these things we find, why they have been abandoned, are they missed by the owner… when I find fallen money or a bottle, toy or pen left behind in a train, room, office, park etc.
The author has given such compelling reasons and linked papers, biscuits, even gold in Anya’s Lyrics to weave a book like a beautiful tapestry. Anya’s Lyric is an emotional and engrossing read.
Anya’s Lyric
A story of one girl’s courage in the face of our society’s worst offences. Anya’s Lyric is the critically acclaimed new book by Nikhil Kumar, that tracks the journey of a young girl’s self-discovery and the roads that lead her from a turbulent childhood to peace. We see the world through Anya’s eyes – a girl who suffers from a learning disability – and discover places, incidents, and people through her. A girl born on an unlikely day to an unlikely couple, Anya stumbles through her chaotic life that gets undone at every step because of her inability to communicate what she wants to say. Follow her journey of courage, self-discovery, and empowerment as she gradually finds the hidden path to peace.
About the Author – Nikhil Kumar
Nikhil Kumar is a 30-year-old social media, SEO and advertising professional. He lives and works in Bangalore, with his wife Mansi Pal. They have a stuffed dog who has been potty-trained.
Nikhil has been blogging for about 12 years. He writes primarily on MirrorCracked (www.mirrorcracked.com) and contributes to a travel blog that he maintains with his wife – ChaiAroundTheWorld (www.chaiaroundtheworld.com).
He is a genetic engineer by education, but that has only been useful for picking up women. Before he got married. He’s been trying to write meaningful prose for a long time and each time he thinks he’s done it, it turns out to be toilet humor.
You can email Nikhil Kumar directly, in case you are feeling lonely and need someone to talk to: [email protected]