Where to begin with this one? I'll start by saying the composition of the book is rough! The heavily abridged contents come from a 1913 publication written by Donald A. Mackenzie, a Scottish journalist and folklore enthusiast, whom the snooty introduction takes pains to tell us held no formal qualifications. The introduction goes even further, almost like its trying to sabotage the book, by stating that Mackenzie is not held in good stead by modern scholars, that he's a self-taught amateur, and his text is riddled with Imperialistic prejudices. The usual hysterical modern disclaimer exists to warn sensitive readers about potentially harmful language or outdated stereotypes. But I encountered none of these - I found Mackenzie very respectful about Indian mythology. Even so, the introduction does not exactly inspire confidence in someone hoping to properly delve into Indian myth for the first time.
The format of the book is not going to appeal to everyone, and I can see from the limited reviews in existence that people were turned off by the old fasioned, often stodgy prose. The first half of the book is academic ramblings, loosely divided into categories such as overviews of the Vedic deities, demons, giants and fairies, the various Ages of Indian myth history, and the social and religious developments. The structure could have been better organised, as I was frequently confused about the overwhelming variety of gods and when they appeared and/or supplanted one another. I was hoping for more stories about favourites such as Kali and Ganesha, of which I know there are many, but Mackenzie only gives them a short paragraph each. The second half of the book is his re-telling of the epic Mahabharata. I was really enjoying this section, it being my first exposure, until the book abruptly ends before the big finale! Something clearly went wrong in the editing process here, totally unacceptable for 2025.
Rating: 2/5
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