**Tantra Mantra**

The much talked about, 3AW reviewed, Tantra Restaurant in Doncater East requires, Experienced Supervisors and F&B Attendants to join the professional team. Excellent work conditions and remuneration on offer.

Contact 0412 254 186

The book wonderfully captures the political scene of the times. The arrival of the British, the local Indians being conscripted in the army as sepoys and sent to fight wars for the British, the sprawling coffee plantations in southern India, the rise of Nazism in Europe, India and the world touch around the fringes of this book, whose heart is set in Coorg and the life of Devi.

From a reader’s point of view, it is an easy read. The prose is basic and does not get bogged down in detail. The characters are well defined and their presence and interconnectivity with the central character of Devi and her men is well maintained. One quite enjoys the picture painted of village and family life during Devi’s younger years. As she grows into a shrewd businesswoman who indulges in a bit of scotch whiskey at night, she is far removed from the little girl skipping along the river in her village. But then, this is what life is all about.

As the 452 pages of this book come to end, one is left wishing for more. But one suspects that there is not much left to offer in this saga. Just as The Thorn Birds with its forbidden love brings forth suffering in the life of Meg, the sweet sorrow of Tiger Hills can take one only so far. It is a book which is highly recommended for its pure escapism, enjoyable without being too challenging.

Tiger Hills by Sarita Mandanna is available online from Hachette Australia for $32.99.