Shakti by Rajorshi Chakraborti     {Reviewed by STELLA} When Shivani, a fifteen-year-old, writes a private letter, distressed about her recently acquired power, to the advice columnist Chandra Sir, the life of a school teacher is altered forever. When that same school teacher’s home help and friend, Arati, is visited by Manasa, an ancient spirit, with news of her long disappeared husband, an act of revenge is instigated. Step into modern-day India and the life of Jaya Bhowmick, one of several women who has acquired special powers. Shakti is a feminist metaphysical thrill(er), a story shaped within a political pressure cooker. The shaktis that the women have acquired are specific and different, but all give the receiver an ability that is both a gift and a burden. And to top it off, there seems to be a malign force at the centre of this structure. The words on the cover of Shakti — “Your power. Our rules” — are the opening gambit that leads the reader into this dangerous game of smoke and mirrors, a game laced with irony and fateful consequences, a game that is far from the playful tone that pervades the book. Jaya is a sassy heroine, sharp-tongued, quick-witted and observant, and it is a pleasure to be in her company — in her internal world — even when the most outrageous and horrific things are happening around her. Within the first few chapters of the book, we are confronted with gender stereotyping, suicide, class prejudice and sectarian violence. These issues do not abate, but Chakraborti’s skill as a writer and storyteller keeps you hooked, juxtaposing these serious concerns with wry asides, almost soap opera moments and absurdist situations. In this way, this book reminded me of Aravind Adiga’s award-winning The White Tiger.  As Jaya navigates the present, coming to terms with her new-found power, and the past, divulging and facing her own violent family history against a backdrop of secrecy and control, she attempts to uncover the source of Shivani’s discontent, secure justice for Arati and find a meaningful role for herself now that her true identity has been revealed. Yet power comes with a price, and only by capitulating to the political forces who control this power can you be free and not haunted. What role will Jaya choose and is she the hero we all seek in ourselves? Shakti will shake you up, mystify you and make you laugh, as well as frighten you with its clear reflection of our current socio-political structures and our willingness to accept or dismiss these intrusions into our minds, as well as our hearts. Place Shakti at the top of your ‘to read’ pile.