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Book Review: The Book of Stamps by Vidya Math

The Book of Stamps by Vidya Math is a riveting novella with a high dose of imaginative storytelling. It’s purely fictional, set across mystical lands, and narrates a web of connected tales of the king, the prince, the dancing girl, and the shepherd through the book of stamps in the possession of the little girl Othelia.


Othelia’s best friend with whom she visits places in imaginary state is Harry.  The girl Othelia shares a deep love bond with her mother, who couldn’t understand what the girl is up to with her stories from the book of stamps.

“Othelia’s mother smiled to herself, ever amazed at the little girl’s imagination. This invisible character, Harry, seemed to be many things and now he was thinner too!”

Vidya has weaved a story of magical realism yet she connected the past of main characters with the girl Othelia. Lavender, the missing ruby, tragedy in the end – the girl gets the share and the influence of her characters in her life too. In a sense, the entire book was connected, but not interdependent.

“Behind the prince was pressed Maria; the spear flowed through the prince, then through her heart.”

As the book opens, readers may think of it as a collection of short stories. As the title suggests it Book of Stamps, could be possible that each stamp depicting a story from its area of origin. Rather it’s a fairytale kind of book with tragic end. The way story chugs ahead and characters turn familiar, it shows the brilliance narrative skill of the author. She didn’t spoon feed anything. She took the readers along to the lands of characters.

The story is formed, it gets clear in the mind, however, the condition is that one should read it from cover to cover. The story line follows the King of Orion and his son, Prince Thallon. The King worked all his life for the betterment of his people. He knew magic but never misused it.

Right at the beginning it is given that the King is not well, he longs to pass on the crown to his son Thallon, who is another benign soul in the land of Zohor. A shepherd man from Elvador brings special lavender to heal the King. However, he also brings the sorrow that animals are disappearing there. Only the King could resolve it.

The young prince Thallon takes up his army to investigate the issue. The Hunters who was once his childhood friends are ravaging the people of the village Melthon. Bloodshed…the prince’s army works as a rescuer. Humanity compassion is captured delicately in the story. The heartfelt emotions at the end fill up the book with tragic intensity. Despite all, it brilliantly weaves a tale together about the Old King, the Shepherd, and the Dancing Girl. This book has its own charm, the world building is absolutely stunning. It can be read by children and adults alike. Highly recommended!

Buy your copy from Amazon/Kindle.

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