The Destiny of Minou Moonshine

MY THOUGHTS

Every once in a while, you need to return to that something which feels warm and familiar and gets your heart all buzzing! In movies, a good romcom does that for me. But with books, it has to be a good fantasy fiction where anything can happen and we are rooting for the underdog! The Destiny of Minou Moonshine by Gita Ralleigh is that book!

The book is about Minou, almost 13, a foundling raised by a kind old lady she calls Dima. Minou spends her days learning Kalari and foraging for food at churches until an incident where two boys deface the General’s statue throws her entire life in disarray. She comes home to find Dima dead, gets in touch with a rebel organisation determined to overthrow the General’s rule, and finds herself as a shadow to the General’s daughter. What follows is a fast-paced story with twists and turns that concludes in a very happy ending.

For an Indian reader, the name of the country (Indica), the animals, attire (saris), food and names all sound familiar. If is almost as though she writes this book to encapsulate the India she would visit as a child, where she would listen to stories of princesses. That image of a fairytale land leaves a lasting impression. The book is fast and occupies a space between uber-modern and traditional folklore. There is magic, a bit of sparkle, and a whole lot of heart.

Like romcoms, you need books like this because they make you believe in a happily ever after where all is right with the world and the bad guys get what they deserve. A world where women rule worlds and men fight alongside them. Where poetry and stories coexist and teach you about where you are from. And a story that doesn’t let you put it down until you have read the very last page.

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