Book Review: Shanti and the Magic Mandala


About the Book:




Shanti and the Magic Mandala is an adventure in which fantasy and reality are mingled. The book tells the story of six teenagers, from different religious and cultural origins and different parts of the world, who are mystically recruited to form two groups - one in the Northern Hemisphere, and one in the Southern. They eventually gather in Peru, and through a single alliance, begin a frantic chase for the sacred object that can stop the black magician's final plan.

About the Author:
F. T. Camargo is an Italian Brazilian living in Sao Paulo, Brazil. An award winning architect and author, he also studied Arts and Media and has a post degree in Economics and MBA in e-commerce. He is a vegetarian because of his love for all animals and has been deeply involved in causes for their protection and freedom. He is a world traveler adventurer, outdoor sports lover, speaks 4 languages and has published a travel book “Rio, Maravilha!”
For many years he has been practicing yoga and meditation and studying the Kabbalah. His exploration of spiritual teachings motivated a commitment to self-development which in turn created a new path and goal in life. Shanti and the Magic Mandala was born from his inner journey.


Contact the Author:


Awards & Recognition for the Book:
- Winner of 2014 London Book Festival in the category “Young Adult”.
- 2014 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards: Bronze Medal at “Young Adult Fiction – Spirituality” category
- 2014 New England Book Festival in Boston:  Honorable Mention in the category “Young Adult”.
- Winner of 2015 Paris Book Festival in the category “Young Adult”.
- Winner of 2015 International Book Awards in the category “Fiction / Young Adult”.
- Winner of 2015 New York Book Festival in the category “Young Adult”.
- 2015 Los Angeles Book Festival – Runner-up in the category “Young Adult”.
- 2015 San Francisco Book Festival – Runner-up in the category “Young Adult”.
- 2015 DIY Book Festival in Los Angeles: Honorable Mention in the category “Young Adult”.

The Review:

What drew me to agree to review Shanti and the Magic Mandala was the fact that I am sucker for Young Adult stories. Plus, with the protagonist being named Shanti, I just knew this would be a story right up my alley.

Shanti, Helena, Itai, Antonio, Tadao and Nasir are the six teenagers who are brought together due a common thread of their past life, and their shared destiny. I really liked the multicultural aspect to the story - with all six of them being very well developed and defined as characters. It was nice read the struggles they faced, as they battle the odds to keep the Black Magician's final plans at bay.

If you are in the mood for something light and breezy, and a little adventurous at the same time, do pick up this book!

I do believe that twenty-somethings are not the target readership for YA books, and therefore, it is unfair on my part to even tell you what I might not have liked about the book. It had been written for an audience who is way younger than I am, for them, the book is full of magic and realism, and the adventure that six teenagers from different backgrounds go on would be for them completely believable.

I really enjoyed the three days it took for me to complete the book. Here's wishing F.T. Camargo all the best with all his future endeavours.

MY RATING:






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