Review: The Hundred Names of Darkness by Nilanjana Roy

Title: The Hundred Names of Darkness (The Wildings #2)

Author: Nilanjana S. Roy

Pages: 313

Published: 2013 by Aleph Book Company

Find it at: Amazon

My Rating: 4.5/5!

Book Blurb 

Nilanjana Roy takes us back to the Delhi neighbourhood of Nizamuddin and its unforgettable cats - Mara, Southpaw, Katar, Hulo and Beraal. As they recover slowly from their terrible battle with the feral cats, they find their beloved locality changing around them. Winter brings an army of predators - humans, vicious dogs, snakes, bandicoots along with the cold and a scarcity of food. Unless Mara can help them find a safe haven, their small band will be wiped out forever. With the assistance of a motley group of friends--Doginder, a friendly stray; Hatch, a cheel who is afraid of the sky; Thomas Mor, an affable peacock; Jethro Tail, the mouse who roared; and the legendary Senders of Delhi - Mara and her band set out on an epic journey to find a place where they can live free from danger.

My Thoughts

I'd read the wonderful the Wildings (click link to read review) some years ago. I've had this copy for quite some time (an author-signed copy I got at the launch!) but hadn't got around to reading it till now. I was just as enchanted with the author's writing as I had been with the Wildings. It's simply engaging, lyrical and creative with the ability to pull you into a world run by cats, cheels, rats and others we "Bigfeet" either ignore or mistreat. It's such fun to be reading about the world from the perspective of these creatures. They're as varied as we are, though perhaps not as complicated.

Isn't the cover gorgeous?

The setting is in Nizamuddin, Delhi. In the Hundred Names of Darkness, we follow Mara, the "sender" of Nizamuddin's cats, as she grows and learns. Due to Bigfeet activity, the clan is in danger of being wiped out. It takes Mara a while to realize the level of danger, triggered more so when one of her favourite companions gets lost. Mara realizes the importance of her being a sender and having a responsibility towards her clan. She starts leaving her comfort zone and discovers the world as she never knew it before.

There a bunch of new characters whom I loved. I want to particularly mention Doginder Singh, not only because his name made me glad that I'm not the only one who thinks of such straightforward names, but also because--what a lively, cheerful character! The unique friendship between Mara and Doginder serves to break stereotypes in two ways. One is the parallel metaphor to differences in race and another is Doginder's likes and preferences that represent the breaking-away-from-the-norm by following one's heart. I also liked Hatch's character, a young eagle and son of a super-talented flyer, who stubbornly refuses to fly at all. It's a trying time for Tooth, Hatch's father, to get him up in the sky. Hatch is the embodiment of the hidden feelings of insecurity, lack of knowledge about oneself, and under-confidence. It is so easy to lose faith in someone like that. But sometimes what seems to be at the surface is not what is actually at work on the inside. There could be reasons we don't know about and mostly it could be tackled in a new, surprising way.

Compared with the Wildings, this book was more slow and deliberate. It lingered more on thoughts than action, and it showed places other than the Nizamuddin we knew of from the first book. Gone are some Wildings characters and instead we are introduced to some new ones--both the good and the mean. I felt that the second half of the book was better paced than the first, and there were some parts I wished had been described more when they seemed to get over too quickly or happened in the background.

As for the story, it is doubtless a wonderful tale with hidden meanings and references, narrated in a unique way by the langauge of cats. Artful illustrations at the beginning of each chapter add to the charm. The Hundred Names of Darkness is more 'dark' and sad than the Wildings, especially because we get to see the effect human activity has on nature and wildlife. A particular thing about the ending was just delightful (even though it was predictable)! I recommend this book (this author, this series) if you're interested in good Indian writing.

Behind the Blog # 7: Loving Animals

Behind the Blog is a meme to help bloggers connect their life and interests to the content showcased on their blog. The co-hosts, Faye, Kathe, andMelissa will provide a different topic, idea, or question every week that bloggers can relate to themselves and the books, films, or other media they find interesting!

Animals are everywhere and can make a large impact in people’s lives, so this week we’re asking how you feel about animals. Are you an animal lover? Do you get on with animals but don’t go out of your way to spend time with them? Do you dislike them? What is your favourite animal? Do you own any pets?

In relation to books and films, what animals have you loved reading or watching? This can include animals like werewolves, if you so wish!

When it comes to talking/thinking about animals, I'm pretty sure of what I feel about them. I love all animals and why not? Just because we've been created with far better abilities than them doesn't give us any excuse to hate them. But... and that's a big but, I still haven't got over my phobia of going within touching distance of them. It isn't that I don't like touching them, but I abstain from it because of the fear that they might bite or something because I've never had a pet and I don't know how they'll act! And it makes me sad. I mean, it's such a little thing, everyone I know is okay with it and I dream of sky diving and such stuff but I'm scared of animals because they might bite me? It's funny in a way as well and hugely embarrassing. 

I remember though, when we were kids, we built a makeshift shelter for little puppies of stray dogs in the neighbourhood. I know I was comfortable with them back then but I don't know how the aversion began. Maybe it's because I and my little brother did have stray dogs after us (and there are so many stray dogs here). Plus, once we were at a family friend's place who had two dogs as pets and when they were feeding them, I was watching them fascinated, the way their tongues lapped at the milk and the way they gobbled down the food. Before I could look away, one of them looked up and our eyes met (weird usage of words, but that's what it was) and the next instant they were barking like anything and came running straight at me. I was a kid and I guess I suffered a mini heart attack of sorts. I was later told that you shouldn't be watching them while they eat. Is that really true? Because the stray dog whom we feed with milk and bread occasionally never minds it. I watch it all the time. From behind the door. 

Let's say I did try to get over it. While in school, I visited a friend's place three or four times and she has a pug as a pet and she totally adores it. Of course I love it too, in a way. I just can't stop my heart from being terrified when they rush out to strangers (and it happens whichever place I go to), though now I've learned to be sure to be wearing full length jeans if we're going to anyone's place with a dog as a pet. As stupid as it sounds, I'm scared they might bite at my ankles otherwise. 

I hope I'm not sounding like I dislike them, because I do love them. They're fascinating, just from a distance. A stray one in our block once got stuck among some underground pipes while giving birth! There was a hole of sorts outside a neighbour's house and the dog had gone there to look for  a safe place for its puppies (apparently, another stray dog had been killing her babies previously and she needed a safe hiding place), but one of her legs got stuck among the mesh of pipes and she stayed there, crying for three whole days! I can proudly say I initiated her little 'rescue operation' when no one seemed bothered. I mean, even with all those fears, I can never see any living creature in pain. (If you really want to know the whole story, click here). I hope that made up for it. :) 

I've also never seen cats as pets where I live. The only family person I know who's had a cat as a pet lives in London. I love the stories about that cat (named Swea Pea) and I would very much like to see it for real (and pet it too, if I would be fearless enough)! I would love to have birds as pets but the idea of caging them seems revolting to me. It's just something I don't think I can do. Besides, I don't know how to take care of them. 

Apart from these, from what I've seen (real or TV) and what I've read, I think I would love to see penguins for real. And dolphins. They look very cute. I also love the peacock, which is India's national bird and I've seen them too! It's a treat to watch them with their feathers all open, which is a rare sight and I'm so glad I've seen them like that! I also like to see parrots, with their green bodies and red, sharp beaks. They're beautiful. Also, I found some spiderhunters in our neighborhood park and photographed one. They aren't here anymore though. (These three pictures have been clicked by me. :) ). And I just realized these all are birds, not animals. :|

Pretty parrots

A spiderhunter

The majestic peacock!

I also really want to go to a wildlife park or a Safari of sorts to see the animals in the wild. since I love natural, beautiful places and forests seem mystical to me (though I've never even been to a forest yet). We have quite a few famous national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in India where I want to visit, like Kanha National Park (the largest tiger reserve in India), the Sunderbans (a part of the world's largest delta formed by mighty rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. We can see all great types of animals and birds there!) and Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, famous for its birds! 

Books and Movies

Since I haven't really been near many animals, I know about them through books and stories and movies. Some books are based on animals and those we read mostly as kids. I loved reading 101 Dalmitians and also enjoyed the movie. Same with The Lion King. Most of the folk tales of India, especially in Panchtantra, by Vishnu Sharma, have the main characters as animals. They're all moral stories for kids with animals to portray behaviors considered good/bad/horrible/acceptable. 

Then I found some fascination for horses with The Saddle Club series (Bonnie Bryant), which just grew when I read about special Lipizzaner stallions in The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson. (We had horse riding in school and I remember I did that, but that was a million years ago! I gave up too soon and now I have a certificate I got many years later, of participating in the school's "Horse Show". The certificate doesn't say that I was among those dancers in white gowns who performed at the inauguration ceremony). Eva Ibbotson reminds me of one of her another books, Island of the Aunts, which had different creatures on the said island; not really real animals, fantasy ones, but animals nevertheless. I also find Aslan in the Narnia series interesting (and intellectual, of course). Reading books gives you so much to think about, makes you aware of things and places you never knew existed and even gives you the power so you can dare to imagine new things too. One of the finest points in reading and one that provides that zeal to read more and more! 

I don't really watch many movies, except those based on kids. They're just beautiful. One movie that always makes me cry (admitting) is Free Willy, a story about the friendship between a small boy and a whale. I also liked Chestnut, a movie about a dog and two sisters who loved it. I'm sure I've seen more, but I don't remember them at the moment, apart from the famous ones like Stuart Little, Finding Nemo, The Jungle Book and all.

What about you? Do you like animals? Which are your favorites?