Bharath's Reviews > Mohini: The Enchantress

Since I love reading Indian mythological fiction, Mohini was a fascinating book to read. Anuja’s retelling (of largely the mainstream versions) of the story of Mohini is excellent.

While this book is about Mohini, who is a form of Lord Vishnu, the book provides the larger context. This includes the story of Kavya, the wife of Maharishi Bhrigu whose life leads to Lord Vishnu being cursed to take his avatars. Mohini takes on her form in a difficult period and what she seeks to achieve is specific – in the battle for ‘Amrit’ nectar between the Devas and Asuras, she has to weigh in and ensure the victory of the good. Mythology portrays Mohini as the enchantress, who also captivates Lord Shiva. Lord Sastha is their son and is also venerated (also as Lord Ayyappan) especially in South India.

I always find the strong female characters and divine unions in mythology to be thought provoking. The surprises in mythology are not literal – they point us to think in new ways we have never done before, seeking to prompt us to check our assumptions & prejudices. This is especially true for the later part of the book when the life of Sastha is covered.

The writing tends to be dense in parts though and some parts need slow reading. However, it is a wonderful story and the retelling ties in various aspects of the best-known versions very well. The later sections are especially good, and the book finishes strongly.

Thanks to the author & publisher for a free copy of the book to provide a review.