Aru Shah and the End of Time (2018)

Aru Shah and the End of Time is a 2018 American-fantasy-adventure novel written by Roshani Chokshi and published in March 2018 by Disney-Hyperion. It is the first of many "Rick Riordan Presents" imprint books, and focuses on twelve-year-old Aru Shah who doesn't fit in at school and often stretches the truth to please her friends, but discovers her Pandava sisters, and the very real world of Hindu mythology. The novel received critical acclaim, with critics praising the story, the tone, the humor, and the characters.

Synopsis

Aru Shah is a twelve-year-old girl, living in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, who often stretches the truth to please her friends, a trait developed due to her mother's distant behavior. She has a wide imagination and is ashamed to be living in a museum. While she is at home during school break, three of her classmates arrive at the museum to find that Aru lied about spending her time in France. Under pressure, she lights the Cursed Lamp of Bharata to prove them wrong, since she once told her class the Lamp is cursed. She accidentally releases the Sleeper, a demon who can freeze time. After time is frozen in her town and Aru herself is briefly frozen, a pigeon enters the museum and explains that Hindu mythology is real and that she is a Pandava. They leave to find the other known sister. Expecting a fierce warrior, they are both taken back by germophobic Yamini (Mini). Afterward, they visit the Council of Guardians, where they meet Urvashi and Hanuman. Hanuman reveals that the vahanas of the gods have gone missing and that the places where the Sleeper walked have frozen. Both of the sisters are claimed. Indra is Aru's soul father, while Dharma Raja is revealed to be Mini's.

The Pandavas, accompanied by the pigeon (nicknamed 'Boo') are tasked with stopping the Sleeper from awakening The Lord of Destruction, who will bring an end to all of Time. They have to find their celestial weapons by going into the Kingdom of Death, which can only be entered by finding the Three Keys: The Sprig of Youth, the Bite of Adulthood, and a Sip of Old Age. Indra gives a ping-pong ball to Aru while Mini is given a compact by Dharma Raja. They go on the quest with Boo. During the quest, Aru and her companions learn more about themselves and the Hindu Gods. They grow closer and eventually become friends. They also find out that Aru's ping-pong ball carries celestial light and Mini's compact has the ability to create or break illusions. They are attacked by several demons, like Bhasmasura (from whom they get the Sprig), and also grant Valmiki a day of their lives in exchange for a mantra for safety. The Sleeper attacks them various times during their journey. Once the Pandavas acquire protection from the Seasons, they are once again attacked by the Sleeper in the Library of the Night Bazaar, where they find the Bite of Adulthood.

There, the Sleeper reveals that Boo is actually Shakhuni, an enemy to the Pandavas during the Mahabharata War. He captures Boo, saying that in exchange for his freedom, they must give their weapons to him once they acquire it. Mini leaves Aru when she hears the truth, intending to finish the quest herself. Aru discovers that the Sleeper left behind a cage, which contains clay figures. The clay figures, once exposed to celestial light, become the vahanas of the Gods. They thank her for freeing them, and say that she can call them in emergencies. Uchchaihshravas gives her a ride to the location of the Sip. There, she is reunited with Mini. Collected, the Keys open the Door to Death, and they enter the Kingdom. After tricking the Guardian Dogs, Ek and Do, they go on to meet the Palace of Illusions, a living palace who was once the home for the Pandavas. The sentient palace tests them to find out if they are indeed Pandavas, and Aru has to escape an illusion within her mind. Their memories are nearly stolen by a Hindu deity, but Aru kills him by using his own power against him. He curses Aru that she will forget what she needs in an important time. After journeying deep into the Kingdom, they find out that their gifts, the ping-pong ball and the compact, are the weapons.

Aru and Mini witness a vision that reveals the Sleeper as Aru's absent father, which complicates Aru's feelings about destroying him. They return to Earth. There, Aru summons the vahanas, and develops a plan to assault the Sleeper. It nearly works. However, as Aru is poised to kill the Sleeper with Vajra, she doubts her decision for enough time for the Sleeper to make his escape. Boo, who has been rescued, explains the Sleeper had to wake Shiva at the full moon, which has passed, indicating that they saved the world. In the aftermath of the crisis, Aru and Mini continue school. They discover they have three more sisters out in the world.

Characters

Arundhati "Aru" Shah is the protagonist of both the book and the series. She is a Pandava reincarnation and the birth daughter of the Sleeper and Kirthika P. Shah, a museum collector. She does not fit it at school, and causes the Sleeper to be freed while showing off a "cursed" lamp in the museum to kids at school. Her soul father is Indra.

Yamini "Mini" Kapoor-Mercado-Lopez is a companion of Aru in the book and a germaphobe who is also a reincarnated Pandava. She worries about her friends' health and safety. Her soul father is the Dharma Raja.

Boo/Subala is Aru and Mini's guide to the Otherworld. He is really the Pandavas’ former foe Shakuni who is cursed to take the form of a pigeon in order to help them.

The Sleeper/Suyodhana is Aru's birth father and the main antagonist of the series. He is freed by Aru accidentally, beginning Aru's introduction to her Pandava life, and threatens to end time forever.

Urvashi is the Chief Apsara and a member of the Council of Guardians.

Hanuman is a monkey-faced Hindu demigod and a member of the Council of Guardians.