I've known Ruchira Khanna, the author and prolific blogger for some years now and I am happy to read and review her book " Voyagers into the unknown ", an unusual story.
Thanks to The Book Club for a digital review copy of the book
First, the book blurb.
Paperback: 156 pages
Publisher: BalboaPress (January 15, 2016)
Language: English
In the historic Indian town of Agra, you can find a very unusual tour company, which is owned by a charming young man named Raj. Although Raj's official job is to show off the historical landmarks of Agra, including the legendary Taj-Mahal, his true mission is to heal the souls of his broken "birds," as he affectionately refers to his tour participants.
His business operates purely upon word-of-mouth referrals, ensuring that all of his tour members arrive in Agra with their hearts in their hands, ready for the spiritual growth and cleansing that Raj is known to provide. Healing the hearts of the spiritually damaged can be a difficult job, and in this particular tale, Raj finds himself faced with his most challenging tour group yet.
First, there is Ira, a stunningly gorgeous but fragile young woman on the brink of suicide. Next, we meet Darci and Lennard, a couple on the verge of divorce. Then there is Carl, an irritable, antisocial workaholic who has burned all of his bridges.
Lastly, we meet Asha, an elderly widow who still yearns for the company and comfort of her late husband. When disaster strikes the tour group, everything is thrown into jeopardy, including lives, relationships, and Raj's very reputation as a tour guide.
Raj must find a way to lift the spirits of these five special travelers, even in the face of death and despair. Venture into the unknown and discover how Raj Touristry heals the brokenhearted, one soul at a time.
My reviewThe book opens with Raj, owner of Raj Touristry in Agra getting ready to receiving his group of tourists. His colleague Albert goes off to the airport to receive each one, and we get an insight into the backstory of these guests, why they're making this trip and what they expect to achieve. There is Ira in search of love, Carl who hopes to solve his life issues, Darci and Lennard who are very much in love but estranged emotionally and have a problem they hope to resolve, and Asha, who lives in Delhi and who appears to be on the trip just to enjoy herself.
What everyone has in common is the anticipation of feeling healed at the end of the tour.
Raj is portrayed as a sensitive, sensible and strong individual who has his own dark past, but has gotten past it and shares a loving relationship with his girlfriend, Meera. He now focuses on helping other people step out of their past, learn from it and heal from within.
The narrative takes us through the feelings, emotional processes and gradual affinity between the members of this small group. It looks like everything is going as Raj anticipated, until they are confronted with a disaster while returning from the day's outing that changes their perspective about themselves and grounds them.
Will Ira find her true love?
Will Carl get what he expected?
Will Lennard and Darci be able to bring back the closeness they once shared?
Why is Asha on a trip that usually has foreigners?
Do Raj and Meera have a future together?
You'll find answers to all these questions when you read this book.
What I likedAs I mentioned before, I liked the concept of the story as soon as I read the book blurb. It is simple, yet offers great scope for stories within stories, keeping the reader engaged and introducing her to a diverse set of characters, each with an interesting background. Kudos to Ruchira for picking such a winner of a theme for the book.
I liked the flow of the book and the almost logical outcome in each guest's life. It is true that travel and meeting people can transform the way we look at life as we see many things from the outside, setting aside our own baggage.
What could have been betterI found some of the narration repetitive, along with the usage of words. Synonyms could have been used. It was a bit weird to see the tourists being referred to as "birds" far too often than was necessary. The book could have been edited better for language and grammar.
Nevertheless, "Voyagers into the Unknown" is a great story and I enjoyed reading it as it conveys the message that no matter what life dishes out, it is always possible to heal, forgive and find happiness and peace - both of which stem from within. Life after all, is a journey where we find ourselves.
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a Rafflecopter giveawayThis Tour is Hosted byWriter, editor, blogger, social media enthusiast. Love DIY, Coffee, Music, Reading, Photography, Family, Friends and Life. Mantra: Happiness is a DIY Project. In my free time I play with my dust bunnies and show my diabetes who's boss. Tweet as @vidyasury