Book Review- A Book Of Light- Jerry Pinto

ISBN- 978-93-86050-17-5
Title- A Book of Light - When a Loved One Has a Different Mind
Edited by- Jerry Pinto
Contributors- Shashi Baliga, Leela Chakravorty, Sukant Deepak, Nirupama Dutt, Anabelle Furtado, Lalita Iyer, Sharmila Joshi, Manoj Menon, Patricia Mukhim, Parvana Boga Noorani, Ina Puri, Amandeep Sandhu, Madhusudan Srinivas
Genre- Nonfiction
Publisher- Speaking Tiger www.speakingtigerbooks.com
Pages- 175
Price- Rs 399
Hardcover

The dude in the picture below is Jerry Pinto. The writer who wrote Em and the Big Hoom- a book that immediately made me his fan. He spoke in the book of his mother's condition. She was a bipolar patient with schizophrenia. The odd taboo associated with psychiatric illnesses in India can only be removed if we are willing to talk about it. 

This guy is talented too. He has done the cover illustration for the book in question- A Book of Light. This one is a compilation of personal accounts of people from mostly the journalist or writer fraternity who have suffered at the hands of fate. Fate that has taken away the minds of their loved ones and wrapped those minds with barbed wire.

The stories in this book are heart breaking and the accounts are real as it gets. The editing is nice and except a punctuation error (apostrophe related) in Anabelle's story, I could not spot any errors.

The publishers have done a great job with the presentation and the hardbound book demands to be treasured in your bookshelf. The pages are crisp and off white and have a very international feel to them. Although relatively young, Speaking Tiger is going to make a name for itself.

Coming to the content, the book has beautiful stories which are personal accounts of the writers. Sukant Deepak's story about his bipolar dad shakes you from within. It is written with such intimacy yet, such distancing that it allows for the reader to assimilate the helplessness the patient's family feels.

Leela Chakravorty's angst against his schizophrenic mother is again a very personal account. It shows how it is not always as easy as it seems to love your family.

Amandeep Sandhu's story made me cry. It was the sheer burden of his mother's psychiatric illness and adding to that, her breast cancer, that made me realize how difficult it is to understand someone's pain.

Nirupama Dutt's story read like a story. It was a story of adoption and inner turmoils more than anything else. It had more sunshine moments than other stories in the book.

Patricia Mukhim writes about a Khasi mother's account of her daughter's illness. This one is again a story with positives and strength but, the fight against fate is difficult to win.

Sharmila Joshi writes about her neighbour who fought his demons. It was again a sensitively written story. Alcohol, depression and other demons are strong in this one too.

Madhusudan Srinivas's is a very small story of acceptance and sharing. Positive message awaits at the end.

Lalita Ayer's story is her love story with a schizophrenic Swedish guy. The sad part lasts for little less duration of time in the story and it is majorly a love story but the end has a thick blanket of guilt over it.

Anabelle Furtado fights her own demons in the story and it is a very brave thing to do.

Manoj Menon's story has some dark humour which ends up warming up your heart and makes one think about how different can mental illnesses be.

Shashi Baliga talks about his father but, the illness seems to be absorbed and assimilated in the family so much so that we are not really sure if it meant something more than 'mood swings'.

Parvana Boga Noorani talks about a mother and the unexplainable things that happened with her. It is written with poise and sensitivity.

Ina Puri's story raises some pertinent questions about depression.

All in all, the book contains heartfelt emotions and true to life feelings. It does have the light as promised on the cover and is an inspiring book for all those suffering.

Book Review- Maharaja In Denims- Khushwant Singh (Not that Khushwant Singh)

Title- Maharaja in Denims

Author- Khushwant Singh (Not that Khushwant Singh)
Publisher- Amaryllis
ISBN-10 9381506434
Edition- 1st
Book Type- Fiction
Number of Pages 184 Pages
Publication Year- 2014 February
Language- English
ISBN-13 9789381506431
Binding- Paperback

How would I rate the earlier Khushwant Singh? I would place him with greats like Manto and Rumi. How would I rate this Khushwant Singh? He knows how to hold a crowd's attention but is only average at telling the story. He can be placed in the same category as Chetan Bhagat. Make no mistake about it, this is not a literary masterpiece. In parts, the book doesn't even make much sense but, you still cannot put it down. The book starts with a love-making scene and the book seems to glorify promiscuity and silently endorses sexism. I would have called it liberal if the promiscuity was balanced but, while the male, Hari is shown to be aggressive and lustful gloriously, the female- Suzanne is completely devoted and admires the male chauvinism. It was slightly disturbing for me until I realized that the author is just presenting Maharaja Ranjit Singh with his flaws and not making any statements. The book does have an unapologetic Punjabi air about it which gets nauseating after a while.

I am not opposing the regional or religious pride of Punjabis. I think it is great that we have a group of people who are known for doing things wholeheartedly or not at all. I just think that it could have been given some variations. The stereotypes are too rigid and the book is laced with alcohol, sleaze, fast cars and pomp. 

The book also deviates from its main plot to cover more history like Anti Sikh riots and the partition riots. It seems like the author had strong views about some events in history and instead of writing a newspaper column, he wrote a fictional book on it to reach a wider audience. In the process, he didn't care much about the art of story-telling. Parts of the book seem hurried but just because the book has so many interesting premises, I was able to finish it in one sitting. Also the fact that the book is less than 200 pages long helped.

The parts about past life regression are slightly unbelievable. Not because they are unscientific but because of the abundance of cliches and predictability. The book stands tall on its content but fails when it comes to story-weaving. Also, the description of Hari- the teenager as a sleazeball and Suzanne as a devoted lover for no apparent reason- is slightly off-putting. I think the Maharaja deserved a better eulogy than this. It's a treat for the restless readers though- interesting bits from history in a capsule, plus sex.

The language is simple and lucid. Nothing will make you pause and ponder. Hence the reading speed. The cover art is intriguing. It is one of the good things about the book. There is an unnecessary suspense built around the fact whether Hari is really Maharaja Ranjit Singhji's reincarnation or not. You are almost confused why the author wanted you to be confused about Hari's genuineness. 

Two and a half stars **1/2 

Book Review- Frozen Summer and Columbina

Title- Frozen Summer & Columbina
Author- Geetha Madhuri, Cynthia Vincent Daniel
ISBN Code- 978-81-928937-8-5
Publisher- Half Baked Beans Publishing
Genre- Thriller
Price- Rs 225
Cover Design- Manoj Nath
Purchase on- Amazon

Columbina

Columbina is a part of the twin-novella book from authors Cynthia Vincent Daniel and Geeta Madhuri (Frozen Summer). This review is of the part- Columbina which is a thriller novella set in the North American continent and curiously doesn't seem like the work of a non-native writer.

I came into contact with the author recently through Blogadda's Game of Blogs initiative and I am so glad that I did. This short novella, in such a short span, does so many things so beautifully that it almost falls into the league of full-fledged 400 page novels. The characters are established, the backdrop is set, the inner turmoils are highlighted and racy twists are also given.

The work doesn't rely much on the shock and awe strategy and the plot is dealt with sensitivity and maturity. The emotional intelligence of the author helps create believable characters which are usually amiss from such thrillers.

The plot has two clear protagonists- Martin and Anna. But this is where the hero-heroine stereotype ends. There is a murder mystery in the backdrop of eerily beautiful island Alcatraz which is also known as the World's most cruel penitentiary.

The writing is easy on the eye and the author has steered clear of heavy metaphors and long sentences. The emphasis is clearly on the language's readability than its literariness. The cover art does justice to the ingredients in the novel and instead of cars and running men, there is an introspective feel to it. The author leaves no loose ends and that's a relief.

The vivid imagination of the author shines through in some of the scene, specially those of graphic encounters. The author has also done her research before writing about things like the lunar calendar and the Alcatraz. It just took me three hours to finish the novel but the story has lingered on with me since then. Very few pieces of fiction have that ability and Columbina is definitely one of those.

About the author-
Cynthia is an avid blogger (blogatcythia.blogspot.com) and loves to travel. On her blog, she writes short stories, book reviews, movie reviews, social commentaries and many more things. She is also a keen reader and loves books. Like a true Indian, she loves the art of story-telling and has trained herself in the same. The aforementioned novella is testimony to that fact.

3 stars ***

Frozen Summer

While Columbina is a work that involved research, Frozen Summer is much like a Telugu Masala entertainer movie. Geetha Madhuri has woven a gripping tale of two women struggling in weird situations. The story relies on extremes. There is extreme evil, extreme docility, extreme everything.

The language is simple and the backdrop of the story is very Indian. It is a tale set in Hyderabad and you feel like you're watching a Telugu movie when you read it. It is a breezy read and the choice of words has been kept quite simple. The crisply drawn characters are the highlight of the story and it can be rated higher than Columbina on the entertainment factor. Columbina scores in the plot and storyline department though.

The cover art is again the same black and white effect as Columbina and it succeeds in giving a racy theme to both the stories. It is marvelous how both the authors have succeeded in completing their complex plots in so few pages without compromising on the quality. There is enough detailing to help you empathize with the protagonists. The cliched plot twists can be forgiven for the entertainment value they provide.

About the author-

Geetha Madhuri is an IT professional in Hyderabad. She is also a writer by hobby and has written a short story - The One And Only Purpose in the anthology- Time's Lost Atlas. She is on twitter as @DGeetaMadhuri

2 and 1/2 stars. **1/2

Dream with Your Eyes Open (A book launch)

Hi everyone,

A friend from Flipkart sent me the following info about a recent book launch. Sharing it with you all-







The superstar of Bollywood’ first family, Ranbir Kapoor, launches the Book Cover of India’s early first-generation entrepreneurs, Ronnie Screwvala

~Ronnie Screwvala pens his entrepreneurial journey – Dream With Your Eyes Open and announces the commencement of online bookings~

28th February 2015, Mumbai: Ronnie Screwvala’s entrepreneurial journey is an inspiration, to say the least. Founder of one of India’s largest media & entertainment conglomerates, Ronnie Screwvala has penned a book on his journey, from Cable TV to toothbrushes manufacturing and from Theatre to Media and Entertainment, Dream with your Eyes Open, which aims to champion entrepreneurship in the country. Bollywood’s latest entry to the superstar brigade, Ranbir Kapoor, unveiled the cover of Screwvala’s book at the event held in the city today.



“Ronnie is an inspiration for everyone who dare to make their dreams come true. His conviction in an out-of-the-box film like Barfi made me realize that when belief meets innovation, it creates magic! I am delighted to launch the cover of his book and look forward to its release. I will definitely be buying the first day, first copy”, said Ranbir Kapoor at the event.



Speaking about this book, Ronnie Screwvala said, “Dream With Your Eyes Open shares failures and triumphs, thoughts and anecdotes of my journey. It details out my vast experiences and myriad lessons learned from more than two decades of building some successful (and some not-so-successful) businesses.

This book is about ‘it can be done’, not ‘I did it’. It’s all possible. Just dream your own dream—and when you do, dream with your eyes open”



At the event, Ronnie Screwvala also announced that the commencement of the online bookings for Dream With Your Eyes Open, with the book slated to hit the stands on 2nd April 2015.



Demonstrating an innate ability to merge creativity with commerce, Ronnie Screwvala has been termed Jack Warner of India by Newsweek, Esquire rated him one of the 75 most influential people of the 21st Century and Fortune as Asia’s 25 most powerful. He is credited with pioneering Cable TV in India, building one of the largest toothbrush manufacturing operations – before founding UTV, a media and entertainment conglomerate spanning Television, Digital, Mobile, Broadcasting, Games and Motion Pictures, which he divested to The Walt Disney Company in 2012.





Onto his second innings, Ronnie is driven by his interest in championing Entrepreneurship in India, and is focused on building his next set of ground up businesses in high growth and impact sectors. His more recent commitment to being a first mover in Sports has made him lend his support to Kabaddi and Football. He is passionate about social welfare and with his wife Zarina and through their Swades Foundation has given single-minded focus to empowering one million lives in rural India every 5-6 years through a unique 360-degree model.

-------------------------------------------

Here's the flipkart link to the book preorder- http://www.flipkart.com/dream-your-eyes-open-entrepreneurial-journey-english/p/itme5fushdmrzm7u?pid=9788129135889

---------------------------------------

Now, do whatever you want to do with that information!

Until next time then!

Book Review- Finders, Keepers- Sapan

Title- Finders, Keepers
Author- Sapan
Publishers- Frog Books (www.leadstartcorp.com)
Genre- Fiction/ Thriller
Price- Rs 400
Pages- 623

This book review is a part of The Readers' Cosmos Book Review Program. Sign up to receive free, freshly launched books.



A mega novel by Sapan spanning for more than 600 pages and containing researched bits of mythology along with some thrilling psycho-killer/ murder mystery backdrop- is how one can describe this book in my hands. It is surprising to see that the author is a BTech with a career in engineering. It goes on to show how in India, to be anything, you have to be an engineer first.

The artwork on the front cover is fascinating. The image of almighty Shiva always evokes reverence in the eyes of the beholder. Sapan nails it with the content of the novel. It is the current hot favourite among Indian fiction fans. A wild goose chase with mythology in the background.

The book falls in the much too familiar slot of historical/ mythological puzzles and a bunch of guys trying to put the clues together to look at a larger picture. There is nothing new in the premise of the novel but, if you like the genre, you will perhaps like the book.

The book's USP lies in its content. The clues and the parts where the protagonists Shoumik Haldar and Ishan Vajpayee put them together to decode the mystery. Ancient historical sects, brainy guys chasing them, murders- you can almost fit Ashwin Sanghi or Dan Brown's name on the cover, had it not been Sapan's excessive toil behind creating the clues. He has worked quite hard on it which is evident from the lengthiness of the book.

There are a whooping 108 chapters- all untitled. This is where Sapan has let go of a good branding opportunity. The chapters appear shabby without taglines or titles on the index page. The book could have easily been divided into different parts and sold as sequels.


All this book needed was a good editor and it has been kept bereft of the same. Surojit Mohan Gupta has let the typical Indian errors in the syntax creep in the narrative. They are distracting. It is so difficult to put down a novel which you know has great thrill quotient but some cringe-worthy English. For the most part, the language is good, but there is a colloquial element to it.

The publisher could have done a better job with the branding and design as the book appears too plain for all the thrill in contains. The blurb at the back cover is not quite up to the mark. The book could have been presented and edited better. It shines though, in parts, like a lotus in the mud.

I will give it 2 and a half stars out of 5.

For the love of books...

It might have come to the mind of regular readers of this blog that I have lately started writing a lot of book reviews. Before the advent of book review programs by popular blogging platforms eg Blogadda, my blog was just about cartoons, short stories and poems. I liked books but, I was not the kind of reader who would finish a book in one go and have strong feelings about it. I had purchased and started reading many classics but, couldn't finish even a single one.I wondered what it took in a reader to finish a book without losing interest midway. I applied for some of the book review programs on Blogadda and Indiblogger and slowly formed networks with many more book bloggers. Now the situation is such that I get review requests sometimes from publishers and authors themselves.

There have been incidents when I angered the authors by being too honest with my reviews. I don't think I can review the typical Leadstart authors anymore. (It's a publishing house which gives preference to beginners). With no disrespect to the publishing house, it has to be a little discriminate in choosing its manuscripts. I think it can take a hint from the publishers by the name of Aleph Publishing House. I think their books have relatively good quality of language.

I had signed up for IndiReads Book Review Program and ended up over-criticizing their pulp-fiction novellas. I have now realized that language is really important for me. There are authors out there who have a story to tell. They are ill-equipped in terms of medium i.e. language but they have content. All I can suggest for them is to get a good editor on board and get their book edited.

After all this experience and tumult, I am now ready to diagnose myself. I grew up in a household where Shakespeare and Shelly were lying around in the living room. My dad being a Literature post-graduate had a big collection of literary novels. I did read comics and other non-serious fiction as a young adult but, as a kid, my eye was slowly trained to look at literary fiction with special respect. I could never finish any of the classics and found them excessively boring but, whenever I had time, I would take out those hardbound, old books and look at all those lines that were written with much effort.

That is why I think in most of my reviews, I am looking for a certain literariness in the book and am disappointed when it is either too bland or too pretentious. My this habit lets me fall in love with books but doesn't let my enjoyment levels, while reading, remain on a steady graph. When they're classics, I am put off by the long descriptions; when they are thrillers, I am put off by the cheesiness. But then, I am in love with the printed word. That is for sure. If I could buy all the books in the World and keep them in a giant library with ladders and shelves, I would!

What is it about those printed and bound sheets of processed papyrus that makes the human preserve them in wooden shelves, dusting them, picking them up from time to time and flipping their leaves? There is something comforting about having the written word in your possession. The keeper of records and the protector of history is a role that may be bland in real life but has been much romanticized in films and stories.

I guess there is a certain power associated with owning books. It is intangible yet, very real. But I am not after that power. Or maybe I am. The point is, I could ramble on and on about books and that's why, I have started reviewing books.

Until later,

Abhyudaya

Book Review- Em and the big Hoom- Jerry Pinto

ISBN- 9789382277316
Author- Jerry Pinto
Title- Em and the big Hoom
Publisher- Aleph
Pages- 235
Price- Rs 295
Genre- Fiction
Award- Crossword Book Award for Fiction 2013, Hindu Literary Prize 2012

This is one book that is not going to fade away from my memory anytime soon. The book is about Em and The Big Hoom. Em stands for M, which in turn stands for Mother and the The Big Hoom is the father. Why do they have such quirky names is something you need to read the book to find out. It is not such a mystery though. There are no surprises or mysteries in the book. It is like a warm piece of fuzz, slightly burnt on the sides. The book is about a mentally-challenged woman and lives of people around her. The jokes in the book break your heart and the events are so real that they do not evoke tears. They hit you at some other higher level, where you just feel the paradox about manic-depressive disorders and the dilemma of people who care for the patients.

The book is set in Mahim, Bombay and the protagonists are Roman Catholic Portuguese characters. Imelda or Em had come with her family to India after 'Hitler' had invaded Burma. There are scars in her childhood but nothing explains her condition. That is how life is, right? There are causes but nothing explains existence except existence itself.

The quality is covert art, pages and fonts is top notch and the purple tinge to the pages is a nice twist. I am beginning to trust Aleph as an independent publishing house for quality literature. Jerry Pinto, the author, considering it was his first book, has done an awe-inspiring job. I'd love to read more from him. The awkwardness generated in everyday situations is too real and too funny. I'd have laughed my heart out, had I not known that on the very next page, there would be some tragic event lurking in the corner.

It is a book about bravery and humanity. It is a book of literary brilliance and the earnestness of its endeavour cannot be doubted. 5 stars all the way!

Book Review- The Martian - Andy Weir (5 stars)

Publisher	Ebury Publishing
ISBN-10	0091956145
Book Type	Fiction Book
Imprint	Del Rey
Number of Pages	384 Pages
Publication Year	2014 August
Language	English
ISBN-13	9780091956141
Binding	Paperback

The Martian (Buy on flipkart)

My first book of 2015 and boy! Did I choose wisely! This was the geekiest book I read and also the most hilarious. Mark Watney is the stuff heroes are made of. This book displays the most attractive thing about men- their sense of humour in the face of adversity. Isn't it why we love Iron Man and Spider-Man? It's the story of a guy can say 'fuck you' to a dinosaur coming to trample him and then think about an exit strategy with a cool head.

The novel is geeky and there is a lot of fascinating space-y stuff thrown in. There are calculations and measurements. The novel is about smart people being emotional which is a rare combination and that's what makes it endearing.

Watney's exasperation with disco music, the jibes in the emails he writes to NASA are all made of stuff great comedies are made of. The novel has an American heart and it speaks warmly to the Indian in me. I think Americans and Indians share affinity toward the same kind of humour which may have been a result of cultural exchange between us through movies and transmigration. The book is heavy on drama and all the moments when things go wrong bring the reader to the edge of the seat.

I would not be ashamed to say that I shed a tear when the novel came to an end. It was an epic saga and there was a lot at stake. Andy Weir has done justice with the language and the genre. I was so tempted to turn to the last page and read what happens in the end but I am proud that I didn't. The novel is going to go in my cherished list and I think I might re-read it for motivational purposes or just to cheer myself up.

Thank you, Andy for this bundle of joy.

5 stars without a doubt.

Book Review- When She Smiled- Ritoban Chakrabarti

Title- When She Smiled
Author- Ritoban Chakrabarti
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 881 KB
Print Length: 234 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1502850575
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Ritoban Chakrabarti; 1 edition (30 November 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital South Asia Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00QFXTPL6
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray: Not Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled

Price- INR 186

To purchase- click here

This is a review on request and I am thankful to the author for giving me the opportunity. 

The cover art on the book is of a silhouette of a woman in a backdrop of beautiful mountains and it seems as if she is smiling. It conveys a fairy-tale kind of beginning and romance is written all over it. People who are put off by sappy stuff may find it a bit 'too dreamy' but it sure catches eyeballs.

The novel begins in a warm, nostalgia-inducing setup of the protagonist Roy's school days. It is relatable and brings back memories of school crushes and the little games that we played. The characters of Roy, Akanksha, Ashima, Megha are all cut out from every child's past. The Army School, Shimla background makes the whole thing smell like old jeans and guitar.  

The language is simple and lucid but the beauty of the language has been kept intact. The incidents are well described and the humour is delightful. There are many references to the pop culture icons of the times the author is familiar with, they might sound alien if you were not a part of the frenzy but you can perhaps relate them to your own favourites. 

The endeavour is honest, perhaps too honest. The reality bites are all really familiar and you might subconsciously place yourself in the protagonists position. There is nothing out of the ordinary and that might not sit well with a reader who is more into fantasy and fiction. This one is a plain, tongue in cheek, biographical sketch. I am not saying the biography is of a real person, I mean the book is about the plain things that happen in life. I could have just said the book is realistic and cut this rant short but, I guess I like to rant.

The book is engaging but not thrilling. The author had poured real emotions in it and has been easy on the elements of drama. I'd rate it with 3 stars out of 5. 

***/5

Book Review- Indireads Reviewer Program- Done with Men

Title- Done with Men
Author- Shuchi Singh Kalra
Format- e-Book only
Publisher- Indireads
ISBN: 978-1-927826-32-4
Cover Illustration by Mariyam Iftikar

Genre- Romantic Comedy

Pages- 98

Price- $2.99

The book was given to me as a part of the Indireads Reviewer Program by Indireads which promotes fiction by writers from the subcontinent featuring stories about the region. 

About the author

Here is the introduction from the book itself- 

Shuchi Singh Kalra is a writer, editor and blogger based in India. She has been writing since
2005, and has freelanced with popular magazines such as Femina.in, Good Housekeeping,
Home Review, Parent & Child, Vista, Dogs & Pups, Women’s Era and Time ‘N’ Style
among many others. She also writes a monthly travel column for Investors India.

Shuchi is the owner of Pixie Dust Writing Studio, an editing firm that services a global
clientele, and the Indian Freelance Writers Blog, which is a fast-growing resource for Indian
writers.

Shuchi started dabbling in fiction only recently and her short stories have found a place in
anthologies such as Love Across Borders and New Asian Writing’s upcoming collection (to be
published in 2014). Done With Men is her first book.

Before she took to writing, Shuchi was an Optometrist at one of India’s leading eye hospitals.
People thought she was crazy to dump a seemingly good career to become a full-time writer but
looking back, she believes it was the best decision she ever made.
A self-confessed travel junkie, she now leads a happily nomadic life with her fauji husband
and livewire toddler.

The Review

The book as is evident from the blurb is about Kairavi Krishna, an urban, young woman's love life. She is 'done with men' apparently and has gotten the same phrase tattooed on her wrist. Anyone with a slight idea about human psychology can figure out that such a character is really sad and broken in her heart and the book too is also a story of how she might think so but is is definitely not 'done with men'. 

The book begins on predictable lines with a funny, mysterious air about it. There is the quintessential forgotten eventful night and the confusing repercussions to spice up the beginning. The novel begins to beg you to turn it into a movie script and pitch it to Saif Ali Khan's production house. Then there are the Anurag Kashyap moments when the author begins to pack a drama in the romcom. The pace slackens whenever the author takes the grim route but it is back up and next thing you know, you're chuckling at the quirkiness of the characters. 

The language is quite simple and lucid. The novel has no airs about itself and it is just a light, breezy read. I think it is going to be a hit with all the independent, strong women out there who are breaking stereotypes. To some, it might be a put off because Kairavi's is too rebellious a character and sometimes acts downright foolish. The book might soothe the ailing alter-egos of women who want to live life to the fullest. 

The cover art is quite beautifully done and the scenic beauty of Goan beaches and the free-spirited-ness of the character are beautifully captured. The fonts are easy on the eyes and the chapters are short and easy to browse. All in all, it is a popcorn romance with certain cliches but it is entertaining and the characters which are annoying turn out to be adorable at certain points. It is a slightly bitter, mostly sweet kind of story. I'd rate it with three stars out of 5.

***

Book Review- Train to Pakistan- Khushwant Singh

Title- Train to Pakistan
Author- Khushwant Singh
ISBN- 9780143065883
Published by- Penguin India
Price- Rs 250
Pages- 190



I finished this book in one day, that too in few hours. The drama is intense, the truth is bitter and the setting is very Indian. The expressions, the idioms, they are all translated and it would have been much more effective, had it been written in Hindi or Punjabi. But the book doesn't lose its charm in its Indianness simply because some stories are above narration, they are the stories that deserve to be told; Train to Pakistan is one such story.

It is grim and there are details of deaths and bodies that one doesn't want to hear, rather one is tired of hearing. Yet, the truth needs to be told because unfortunately, it is still relevant today. We make it about Muslims and Hindus and Sikhs when it is really about humanity. A bullet, a knife, a hacksaw- they don't ask your religion, sex or caste.

The horror of communal riots is just unfathomable to an urban mind. A mind that reasons, gesticulates, justifies just cannot comprehend the emotions behind these deaths. Iqbal is the urban mind in this story and he could have been Iqbal Singh or Mohammad Iqbal. Khushwant Singh deliberately chooses to keep his identity vague and the point is made emphatically.

The character of Jagga badmash is more layered and heroic than Iqbal. There are also the love stories between Nooran and Jagga, Hasina and Hukum Chand and the mind wonders how love makes heroism possible so naturally.

The best part about this book is that it is not a sad book. It is not a book which shows only one side of humanity which is bloodthirsty and exploitative. It disappoints the rightwingers and leftists alike. It is a book about political neutrality and emotional radicalism. It is the book for those who understand humans. Khushwant Singh excels in dissecting the tragedy and refrains from over-romanticizing it. A good, short, deep read.

4 out of 5 stars 

Ratings explained-
1 star- Unbearable
2 stars- Meh!
3 stars- Good
4 stars- Excellent
5 stars- Blew me away!

Book Review- The God of Small Things- The book that can be read backwards

Author- Arundhati Roy

Title- The God of Small Things

I am in love with this woman

This novel is an assault on the senses. Every other page has blood, phlegm, sweat or hair on it and yet it reeks of a lavender fragrance. It would be unfair to call it an English novel for the language used is hardly recognizable as any known language. Yes, it has the spellings and grammar of English but it doesn’t follow the rules. It flows on its own and yet is easily understandable.

Roy weaves a tear-jerker tale with panache but wants you to hold your tears while reading it. The assault is so rapid and intense that your mind goes numb from it and there is no way you can pause and weep for the small losses of the small characters. The words are also complex. If you try to read it in a hurry, it will feel like not reading at all. And reading it is not fun, it is work. You have to stay alert. You don’t need your intellect to understand the complex scenarios as there are none. But you do need your brains to understand the pathos and the quirky characters. Roy talks about spit and sweat so much that it gets disgusting but slowly, you get used to it. She is not trying to evoke repulsion, it seems. She is just trying to help you get into the skin of the characters and what better way than to catch the emotions when they’re most vulnerable. Most of our vulnerable moments involve bodily fluids and that’s why the novel is gross. (Just an opinion)

One more beautiful feature of the book is that it can be read twice, it can be read backwards, it can be read in any way fathomable. It is a much planned novel and some lines make sense only after you are done reading the next chapter. The craft of writing is taken to a whole new level while writing this one. You don’t read it, you indulge in it, you enter its world and it doesn’t depress you when you are done reading it because, you take the novel with you. It sticks to your psyche and since it had no great suspense or twist of plot, but just a good story, it leaves a good aftertaste. It is a tragedy but the author oversees the proceedings with such craft that you marvel at the unfolding of events instead of rummaging through your heart for hoots to give.

Age no bar! How pretty can one look?

Book Review- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

I know this book is intended for a younger audience and a man 26 years of age might seem funny reading it but I missed out all the fun in my teen years and wanted to catch up. J K Rowling did not disappoint. As a kid, I used to be a voracious reader. I don't know how I gave the Pottermania a skip.

The book is a delight and I'd recommend it to all those who are my age or past but are young at heart. It is written in a simple, delightful language. The world of potions and wands just comes alive in those pages. Although I knew the ending due to the spoilers given to me by my cousin, I still ended the novel at the edge of my seat, biting my nails.

Harry Potter is an adorable character and so are Ron and Hermione. Hagrid steals hearts with his big guy- big heart act. All the characters, Dumbledore, Voldermort (Oops! I said his name), Snape, Longbottom, they all leave a mark and it is no wonder they're a part of folklore now.

Small acts of courage and adventure warmed my heart throughout the novel. I liked it and it was proof that the child within me is not dead yet.

My favourite parts from the book in no particular order are-

1. Neville Longbottom stands up against his friends for what he thinks is right.

2. Dumbledore tries Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and gets 'ear wax'.

3. Snape tries to save Harry in the Quidditch match.

4. Ron and Hermione, whenever they talk!

5. Hagrid has motherly feelings for a baby dragon.

The book can be finished in one long sitting or two short ones. It provides for some light reading and the pages turn themselves. I read it on my Kindle and it was amazing how fast I was going.

I give it four stars.

Book Review- The Room On The Roof- Ruskin Bond

I have a special attachment to this book because Ruskin Bond himself signed it for me. It has everything Ruskin stands for and more.

It's a story for young adults. The protagonist Rusty is a teen Anglo- Indian. There is a lot of adventure and coming-of-age stuff in the book. Ruskin's trademark humour doesn't leave him for one bit in the book. It makes the book much more than a delight. It's a gift you can give to a confused teen soul.

The innocent crush that Rusty has on Meena is the highlight ot the novel for me. If only our crushes were this kind to us!

The friendship that Rusty shares with Somi and Ranbir is also something remarkable. It reminds us to remain human and form bonds whenever possible because it's the best thing humans do.

The rebellious streak shown by Rusty makes one feel that Ruskin
must've kept his stepdad in mind while writing the character of the guardian. There is anger, there is triumph, there is everything in this small little book.

Ruskin also nails it with the descriptions of nature in his smalp little book. It has hints of the awesome writer. he is going to become later when he begins to describe the trees, the squirrels and the flowing river streams.

The part where Suri throws a going away party and everyone is happy to see him leave is painted pretty funnily. The bazaar and the chaat shop in Dehradun also find vivid descriptions in the novel.

The novel switches gears from misery to gaeity to tragedy to joy abruptly, much like life itself.

All in all, a lovable book.

Book Review- It's For You Mihi- Md. Asif

Author- Md. Asif
Titile- It's For You Mihi
ISBN- 9789383023042
Genre- Fiction
Publisher- Parlance 
Price- Rs 150
Pages- 215

This review is much delayed mostly because I didn't know how to go about it. It is review I am doing on request and before and after this book, I read books like 'To Kill A Mockingbird' and 'A Narrow Road to The Deep North' so, when this book came in the middle of all those instant classics, it got more cringe-worthy than usual.

I will try not to be an intellectual snob while doing this because high chances are that my own beliefs will get in the way. First of all, stalking is glorified, then the filmy romance is the main masala of this novel. The theatrics and drama are high and the dialogues are your regular conversation statements. It would have been much nicer had the author written the novel in Hindi as the main flavour of the novel is very small town North Indian type.

It is a love story and a pretty sappy one at that. The book has flashbacks and romantic epiphanies abound. For someone as skeptical as me, it was difficult to sit through it so I would definitely not recommend it to those who don't enjoy that sort of stuff. Moreover, the books makes a lot of assumptions which are actually okay if you think from the writer's perspective but dialogues like, 'She made another boyfriend? What kind of a girl is she?' are not gonna be a hit with the feminist lot.

I am intellectualizing a simple novel I know. Anyway, let's talk about the language. It is nothing florid, just regular talk. Even the narrative is dull and unimaginative. The syntax is way off the mark and you'll find sentences like 'Among oceans, seas, rivers, ponds, swimming pools, dams, wells, pits and pots, eyes have the most powerful drops of water to shed.' There are good ones in there too but, some bad ones just ruin the narrative. The novel needs editing.

The pages are nice and crisp and the font is the right size. The cover design is better than the actual novel. The author actually had a good story but he didn't give it enough time to ripen. If only had he put down that thesaurus and actually thought more about the art of writing, probably attended a workshop, the novel could have been better.

The novel will appeal to teenage girls and boys who don't care much about the quality of English and share the small town sentiments about love and all the theatrics associated with it. I give it one and a half star.

*1/2