Product Description

Anand wants his life to change. He was a happy 12-year old before he was forced to go and work on the streets of his home in India. His chance comes, the day he meets a strange and ragged old beggar. Who is he? What does he want? The old man needs help returning a stolen possession of immeasurable value, and he reveals a tiny, beautiful shell. But this is no ordinary conch, it has a potent power of its own and must be taken to a place of safety many hundreds of miles away. Anand and the old man set out and are soon joined by Nisha, a headstrong but resourceful, young sweeper girl. Together they travel across burning plains and turbulent rivers to reach the mountainous Silver Valley. A journey made even more dangerous by evil spirits and fantastical creatures; sent by a thief who can feel the force of the conch, and who is never far behind them.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #705200 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

About the Author
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an award-winning adult author. Born in India, she now lives in California. First published by Neil Porter in the USA, The Conch Bearer has won critical praise.

Customer Reviews

The Start of Journey
Reading this kinda me of Harry Potter and LOTR but with its own ethnic quality, Hindi culture. The main character tought and acted with understandable weakness and has his own strength (not a superhero though) but sometimes he got me depressed by his ignorance. Well, I sometimes get depressed by my ignorance.

What impressed me most is how fast-paced but full story it was without abandoning the feeling of its reader. I cried and smiled with Anand, Nisha and Abhaydatta and I really like the tied up ends though it is very open to be continued in the next sequence(s).

Infinity Million Stars!!!!
This is a really lovely book. I'm only on chapter three and I think this is one of the best books ever written. There is some lovely discription, escpessioly when he describes the conch shell. THe conch shell is a magical shell, and it has been stolen. But they found it, and now is a long journey to return it to the crystal temple. Couldn't be better, a must read for everyone.