Review- The Stopover by Deepa Pinto and Ram Prakash

Goodreads Summary:

4 stories, in 4 locations, brought alive with over 100 photos.

The Stopover is a book for those who believe that every new place we visit and every culture we experience enriches our lives and that at every stopover in the journey of life is an exciting new treasure trove. It has stories of 4 such stopovers, a combination of fiction & fact brought alive through photographs.

Read Sarika's review of The Stopover (Sample PDF) by Deepa Pinto and Ram Prakash

Read Special Mention- The Stopover by Deepa Pinto and Ram Prakash for additional information on The Stopover. 

REVIEW:

I was surprised to receive a message from co-author of TheStopover, Deepa Pinto asking for my opinion on the idea of a photo-fiction book, the first of its kind. When I checked out The Stopover website, I was completely intrigued and mesmerized by the whole concept. 

The Stopover, the brainchild of Deepa Pinto and Ram Prakash, is a photo-fiction book, consisting of four elegant and charming stories titled The Tibetan Wheel Of Wisdom, A Rocking Horse Can Gallop Too, The Sun Shines Forever and I Hear Them Calling, along with some really brilliant photos of the Indian cities where the stories are set. When it comes to India, I think she is best described in pictures and a few words, which is exactly what The Stopover is about. It’s all about India in her shining glory!

The Tibetan Wheel Of Wisdom is a story that took me by surprise. Set in Leh, a peaceful and calming destination, I actually felt peaceful while reading this rather enchanting experience of Varun who embarks on a visit to Leh to get away from his hectic schedule and depressing heartbreak. The pictures here are lovely, just like Leh.

‎A Rocking Horse Can Gallop Too is a simple yet extraordinary story about family and love. Vishwa and Kailash, two brothers who reunite after years and realise that their lives aren’t all that different, will be remembered for a long time. The pictures in the second story are colourful, vibrant and really mesmerising!

Before The Sun Shines Forever, the Todas from Ooty were just a part of my Geography text book in school. I now feel enlightened to know so much about them, they're a wonderful tribe from whom we have a lot to learn! This is the story of brothers, Deva and Vishwa who, in spite of their contrasting personalities, are grounded and respectful towards their people. The pictures here take you through a visual Ooty journey.

‎I Hear Them Calling is a lovely story about how the youth can after all make a difference! I loved reading about Vikram and Deepika, fresh graduates who are ready to step into the real world and start living life by their own terms. The sea life pictures here were mind blowing.

The Stopover is an altogether new and refreshing experience by way of which one journeys into a land full of surprises and grandeur.  The Stopover has left me speechless. It truly is a remarkable piece of art as I like to call it. The attention here is on the photos, which are enchanting and capture beauty in its natural, raw and fresh form. Apart from the photos, the writing in itself is absolutely stunning. Each story has a hidden message to convey while at the same time it gives a glimpse into the vast cultural euphoria that India is. Deepa Pinto and Ram Prakash deserve a huge round of applause for introducing the captivating concept of photo-fiction in writing and making it a reality.  

X 4

Sarika

Special Mention- The Stopover by Deepa Pinto and Ram Prakash

INTRODUCTION TO THE STOPOVER: 

Yesterday, on the 29th of September, 2012, Deepa Pinto and Ram Prakash's first of its kind photo-fiction book, The Stopover saw it's Author's Special Release. I had received a sample PDF consisting of a sneak peak into a wonderful short story and some beautiful photographs from The Stopover sometime early September from Deepa. You can read my review of it a little late in this post or you can read it seperately here. 

This post goes out to Deepa and Ram and the efforts they have put into making the intriguing concept of The Stopover a reality. 

THE STOPOVER BY DEEPA PINTO AND RAM PRAKASH: 

GOODREADS SUMMARY OF THE STOPOVER: 

The Stopover is a book for those who believe that every new place we visit and every culture we experience enriches our lives and that at every stopover in the journey of life is an exciting new treasure trove. It has stories of 4 such stopovers, a combination of fiction & fact brought alive through photographs.

The Tibetan Wheel of Wisdom : Varun seeks refuge in Ladakh from the storm in his life. There he befriends three Tibetans, one of them a Buddhist monk. The Lessons of Life he learns from them change him forever.

A Rocking Horse Can Gallop Too : Quaint wooden carts, colourful rocking horses, handcrafted dolls – that’s Channapatna, “the land of toys”. It’s the town that witnesses the highs and lows of Vishwa’s life, his dreams and his nightmares.

The Sun Shines Forever : In Ooty, well-hidden from touristic eyes, lies the unique simple world of the Toda tribe. Vijay, a true-blue Toda, is determined to shield his tribe from the danger that a young city girl brings.

I Hear Them Calling : Vikram has it all. Deepika, the love of his life, and his dream job. In Chennai he comes in touch with ornamental fish breeding and he wants to make a difference to the animal world.

ABOUT DEEPA PINTO AND RAM PRAKASH:

Deepa teaches German at the Goethe Institut. Her passion for languages is matched by her passion for travel and exploration. With a pen in hand and a yearning for the unknown in her heart, she set out. 

Ram had been in the advertising & marketing world for 12 years when he realised that we have but one life to explore the many fascinating worlds around us. Armed with a one-year photography course, he set out to seek beyond what the eye sees.

MY REVIEW OF THE STOPOVER (SAMPLE PDF): 

I was surprised to receive a message from co-author of The Stopover, Deepa Pinto asking for my opinion on the idea of a photo-fiction book, the first of its kind. When I checked out the website (you can take a look at it here). I was completely intrigued and mesmerised by the whole concept.
The Stopover, the brainchild of Deepa Pinto and Ram Prakash, is a photo-fiction book, consisting of four beautiful stories titled The Tibetan Wheel Of Wisdom, A Rocking Horse Can Gallop Too, The Sun Shines Forever and I Hear Them Calling, along with some really brilliant photos of the Indian cities where the stories are set. When it comes to India, I think she is best described in pictures and a few words, which is exactly what The Stopover is about. It’s all about India in her shining glory!
I read a sample copy of The Stopover given to me by Deepa Pinto, which had The Tibetan Wheel Of Wisdom in it. The story is set in Leh and is absolutely nice.
Varun decides to take a break from his hectic schedule and his break-up with Meghna. That’s when he goes to Leh, a peaceful and calming destination. There, he meets his guide and driver, Tashi and also makes new friends. Varun learns about the Tibetan culture, enjoys delicious authentic food and is having an amazing time. I liked that a lot of South-east Asian history and culture was described in it. 
The pictures of Leh were equally enthralling and I found myself admiring them for a long time.
From what I have read until now, The Stopover seems to be an interesting and wonderful book. It is going to be like travelling through India. I am really looking forward to reading the book in its entirety.

RATING FOR THE STOPOVER (SAMPLE PDF):

X 3.5

AUTHOR'S SPECIAL RELEASE OF THE STOPOVER: 

Photo Vault is the place where you can place an order for Author's Special Release copy of The Stopover. Click here to place your order. 

*NOTE: Photo Vault delivers only in India. 

MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE STOPOVER: 

I highly recommend The Stopover. It's a very interesting and an amazing journey. Being a new concept, The Stopover will be something different and readers will get a glimpse into the incredible country that is India. 

I'd like to wish both Deepa Pinto and Ram Prakash all the very best! I'm sure their brainchild will be an instant success. 

*All the data that I have used for this post has been taken from official website of The Stopover, Facebook page of The Stopover, @TheStopover on Twitter  and Goodreads. 

Sarika