Storybook Favorites

Battle for Lanka
The Battle for Lanka was both an interesting read and folklore lesson. I am not too familiar with any of these stories so I learn more about the myths with each read. The title and introduction did a great job on explaining what the storybook was about and hooking my interest. What I loved most about the storybook was the layout and organization. I loved the journal entry style and how the events of the battle were told from different perspectives. It was interesting to see how each character's tone changed as the dates progressed. I appreciated how the author went into detail to describe Rama and Sita's relationship by the separate journal entries. The only confusing part was keeping track of the months in the journal entries. I'm hoping that keeping track of the months will come easier as I become more familiar with Indian folklore.

The Couple: Rama and Sita from Amor y Sabor

Creation Stories: In the Beginning
These creation stories offered me more Hindu philosophy lessons. The stories were nice to read because they offered the perspective of creation through the lens of Hindu philosophy. They were refreshing since I was able to recognize parallels to Bible. The story of the great fish could not stop me from thinking of the story of Noah and his Ark. It is nice to these parallels between religions and how similar they can be. I especially enjoyed the element that the three goddesses brought to the narration. It was both creative and entertaining while reading the stories. That technique allows the authors to add many personal elements to whatever story they tell, and I might keep that in mind for my own stories.

Celestial Weapons in the Star Wars Universe
I have always loved the Star Wars franchise ever since I was a kid. The title and introduction immediately grabbed my attention, and I was intrigued to how the author would incorporate the Indian mythic weapons. The three episodes were nostalgic yet refreshing. I enjoyed how the author carefully thought out how the weapons would be incorporated into each story. I also liked how they incorporated the villainous Ravana into Episode I. They were a joy to read!