King Ashoka, or Ashoka the Great as he was known, ruled India more than 2000 years ago. He was all for conquering and expanding his kingdom. But the heavy loss of life in the battle at Kalinga (modern Orissa) made him a changed man. He took to Buddhism and became a proponent of non-violence, imposing a ban on animal sacrifices and promoting vegetarianism. He issued his views in the form of edicts and inscriptions carved on rocks and pillars in his kingdom.
“Ashoka and the Muddled Messages” is a fictional story. Someone is tampering with Ashoka’s edicts by conveying the opposite of what the king wants to communicate to his people. Ashoka seeks help from his Tremendous Ten, a team of trustworthy female bodyguards, who use their prowess to investigate.
Other interesting characters in the story are Ashoka’s chief minister, Agramatya who dons different coloured beards and an incredibly fussy Queen Tishya who is sick of the strictly vegetarian meals cooked by the royal chef!
Who is responsible for altering the edicts? You’ll have to read the book to find out!
I learned a few things about King Ashoka as part of my school curriculum years ago. But, thanks to this story (especially the Fact or Fiction section in the end of the book), I learned a few new things – that Ashoka had female bodyguards, that coloured beards were in fashion in that era (why not now, I wonder?), how Ashoka married Queen Tishya, the different names for units of time, and so on.
A part of the HISTORY-MYSTERY series from Duckbill Publishers, this is an interesting read for middle level readers (9+). Though some younger children may be able to read it, I think the sarcasm and humour will not be fully understood and appreciated.
I loved the Fact or Fiction section at the end of the story. But I would’ve liked to see a separate word glossary to look up while reading the story.
The author, Natasha Sharma has creatively chalked out a well-written story about Ashoka’s real edicts. Tanvi Bhat’s illustrations are wonderful, making it attractive for readers to pick up the book and satisfy their curiosity.
Look out for other books in the History-Mystery series – "Razia and the Pesky Presents", “Akbar and the Tricky Traitor” and “Raja Raja and the Swapped Snacks”.
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