I finally started reading the graphic novel from 2019 and it honestly has been a great journey so far. In my 5th semester, I decided to pursue a Visual Studies elective. I was lucky enough to have a great teacher under whom I explored this genre and saw what fun it is!
Graphic novel: Pumpkinheads
I recently picked up Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks and it was my first graphic novel of the year. To be very honest, I was suffering from a terrible reading slump and so I wanted to read something fun and not very intense. That is the reason why I decided to pick up Pumpkinheads, about which my bestie Gayatri had been raving about from the time she read it. and I really enjoyed it. It certainly helped me get over my slump.
However, on that very note, it span over the time period of just a few hours. It is not a book with a lot of depth, so if that is what you are expecting it to be, you might be disappointed. I found it be a fun and flirty read. Moreover, it has great LGBT representation and it definitely broke free of the generic stereotypes of boys and girls. Lastly, I was blown away by the amazing art. The predominant colours were that of orange, burnt ochre, and all the autumn colours, which made the book an art piece to feast on. I certainly enjoyed every bit of it. It was a 3.75 star read for me.
Vyasa and Pumpkinheads: a glimpse
Graphic novel: Vyasa
After that I was so in love with pictures that can take over your imagination, that I decided to go after another graphic novel and this time, I picked up Vyasa. This book is on the Indian epic Mahabharata, a personal favourite. The story is by Sibaji Bandyopadhyay and the art is by Sankha Banerjee. The way this book was written was amazing. I loved the recurrent jumps in time and the overall framing structure that combined the stories within the story. However, it was only the first part and I was left dangling.
Now I am eagerly waiting for the sequel to Vyasa: The Beginning. The art in this book is stunning as well and I was spellbound throughout. The fact that I finally have pictures that can accompany the stories I, and we all, grew up with, was a wonder in itself. I absolutely loved this book and I rated it 4.5 star read for me.
Nonfiction November is here and I have got some amazing nonfiction recommendations for you all! I hope you all have a blast reading these books!
NonFiction November recommendations
Reading nonfiction is hard!
I feel like 2019 has gone by so fast. November is here; half of it is already gone and it is only now that I am making the #nonfictionnovember recommendations post! I know from personal experience that reading this genre can be quite intimidating for some of us. But for those of you who read non-fiction very often, I applaud you!
How to ease into this genre
Since easing into this genre may take some getting used to for many of us, I decided to compile a list of some non-fiction reads, which do not really read as such. So without further ado, here are some books I have read and some that are on my radar!
Craft!
Embroidered Life: The Art of Sarah K. Benning – a splendidly created coffee table book, Embroidered Life follows the work process of Benning. Benning is a self-taught embroidery artist nad this book is a wonderful book to leaf through. If you are looking for something creative to pick up to while the harsh winter months away, this might just be the book for you. I for one, am currently working on an embroidery project of my own, which I hope to complete and show you all soon! (Goodreads)
Sci-fi!
Lost Transmissions: Science Fiction and Fantasy’s Untold, Underground and Forgotten History – a book which I am absolutely thrilled to pick this month is this insightful behemoth. It is rightly regarded as the bible of science fiction and fantasy’s most interesting and least-known chapters. I have very high hopes for this mixture of essays, interviews, and stunning visuals! (Goodreads)
Memoirs!
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body – Roxane Gay’s searingly honest memoir of food, weight, and self-image has been described as being intimate, vulnerable, and bracingly candour. Having read excerpts of Bad Feminist, I am pretty excited to see how this much-acclaimed memoir will be for me. (Goodreads)
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft – Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft. I decided that no matter what I write could trump this brilliant description of the King’s book. I have yet to read any of his books so I think I will change that situation by picking up this one. (Goodreads)
I’m Not Here to Give a Speech – Garcia Marquez is already a much well-acclaimed author. And I think it is an ironically named book! This is his collection of speeches span from his high school days to his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize. If you have not yet read any of Marquez’s words, perhaps this could be great for you to start with. (Goodreads)
Important works!
City of my Heart – a 4 star read for me, this book is a translation of four texts that talk about Dilli (or Delhi, as it is now known), following the downfall and the fate of royalty following the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, with the capture of Bahadur Shah Zafar. (Goodreads)
I am Malala and We Are Displaced – Malala is the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the fact that I have yet to read her books, meant I just had to get to them this month. Both of these two books are a conglomerate of the global issues of terrorism, the utter destruction it causes to the innocents of lives all around, immigration crisis, etc. It also speaks of the displacement issue that crops up with it, war, the refugee situation, border conflict, etc.
Feminist works!
Brave, Not Perfect: Fear Less, Fail More and Live Bolder – a 5 star read that I’d recommend to all! It was a fundamental and impactful read that I loved. It talks about the unexplainable need for perfectionism (which is prevalent in all of us), albeit a bit more obsessively in girls. Please pick up this book! It would be a shame if we fail to read it and realize the way most of us limit ourselves. (Goodreads)
Feminist Rani – Can I brag that I have already met the author and got this signed? Shamefully, I haven’t read it yet! Perhaps there is no better time than this November! It shares the stories of 15 women – women who have strived to fight for their own rights to stand as equals to men. They talk of issues such as identity, the need for the realization of selfhood, etc. (Goodreads)
City of Screams was my first horror anthology in a long time. It was full with some amazing horror-filled stories that left me spooked!
A horror-filled experience
Reading it was a pleasure especially because it contains stories from various authors and as such with different writing styles included, the book was an amalgamating of some of the best horror stories in the Indian scene out there.
There are a total of 15 different short stories in the book, all adding a fresh new take on the topic we all love. The synopsis was compelling enough to draw my attention to it when I was first approached to review this book. And it goes…
Horror genre:
Lonely mall corridors, stuffy hotel rooms, that always-locked apartment in your building— Horror lurks in your city at every bend, and it is waiting to leap at you in your solitary unguarded moment. And when it does, all the commotion of the city wouldn’t be enough to stifle your screams. These 15 stories come from the grisly and ghastly underbellies of our cities. From a young man fighting his mortal fate to a foreigner encountering a ghost in a hotel room, from an urban legend that comes alive by repetition to an online game that seeks real blood, from a demon causing an infectious sleeping illness to a salon that pampers the living daylights out of its clients — these are stories that will make your skin crawl. Dive into this horrific world then… But know that your city isn’t the city of dreams that it is touted to be… In truth, it is the City of Screams.
Themes and plots
With the supernatural theme underlying all these stories, the book proved to be an absorbing read. I was thrilled throughout. Being an Assamese I could also relate to the tale by Nilutpal Gohain ‘Namu Ne?’ on a personal level. It assured me that I wasn’t the only one with the fear of the false ceilings so often found in the Assam-type houses found in the region. The stories are also set in urban areas and as such, urbanity is a theme in itself as well. Perhaps, being a dweller of the urban region of Guwahati, and reading this book at night, made me a tad bit jumpy and easily spooked. Is it laughable if I tell you that I got scared a couple of times during the day when I was home alone?
My verdict
Nonetheless, this has been a great initiative by Half Baked Beans. I myself have not come across very many horror anthologies In India. It is less frequent although not completely rare. I hope they also come out with a second volume soon so that I can get spooked again. I rate this book 4/5 stars and look forward to a sequel. Fingers crossed!
The Octopus Curse is a poetry collection by Dr. Salma Forook and I have yet to come across a more aesthetic anthology of poetry. Needless to say I loved it!
The Octopus Curse by Salma Farook is a collection of powerful poems, focusing on love, heartbreak, resilience, travel, self-love, feminity and women’s issues, etc. I have read What Your Soul Already Knows by the author last year and I had found it to be the best motivational book there ever was, without sounding too preachy and such. As such, when the author approached me for her second book, of course, I had to say yes!
Like her previous book, the words in this book too continue to be just as meaningful and full of depth. I love how the execution has been made. The words are rhythmic and lyrical and thus very heart warming as well as soothing to the ears. Through these different pieces, the author has inspired the reader to confront their feelings and accept them and most importantly, to be at peace with themselves.
How stunted,
Limited,
This language is!
I have searched and searched
But, never found a word
For pain coming so surely,
That you feel it already,
Long before it
Even arrives.
-‘Visceral’
Aesthetic:
The book is a work of art and a more aesthetic poetry collection, I have yet to come across. I am so glad I got to read this book when I did because this was just the right time for me. Perhaps, if I had read it at some other moment of my life, it wouldn’t have touched me as much as it has. Many thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy.
I pray that death be kind,
Not as much to the buried,
As to those left behind.
-‘Funerals are for the living’
Here’s one poem that I absolutely loved. Check this one out!
You lift your chin up
Like the cocking of a gun
Your eyes flash the coldest fire,
Your words erupt,
The hottest ice.
I see you wear your anger
Like a bulletproof vest
Over your pain; I must say,
Even as you walk away,
It looks bloody glorious
On you
-‘Woman’
You can also check out the book here: Amazon (the ebook is free upto 5th of November), Goodreads
The Dutch House is a hauntingly beautiful family saga following the lives of the inhabitants of the eponymous and magnificent Dutch House.
The Dutch House is a hauntingly beautiful family saga following the lives of the inhabitants of the eponymous and magnificent Dutch House.
Synopsis : At the end of the
Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to
begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to
enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a
lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for
his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves.
The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older
sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the
house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are
thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all
they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakable bond between them
that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.
Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot
overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are
only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives, they
return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But
when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the
relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is
finally tested.
The Dutch House
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett is a beautiful and haunting saga revolving around the characters, all stemming from the eponymous Dutch House. Throughout the novel, we see the house as a character in itself. It forms an intrinsic factor is affecting the lives of all the people involved. Because of the opulence, this house brings with it with its majestic architecture, it also brings with it a huge responsibility and the issue of image.
The Dutch House’s meaning
On the one hand, we have Cyril Conroy who had bought this magnificent house as a gift for his wife; it is his pride and he loves it. His children Maeve, and her younger brother Danny love all its nooks and crannies. But on the other hand, to his wife, it is nothing more than a burden, one that intimidates her.
The characters of Sandy and Jocelyn
The house help Sandy and Jocelyn are also portrayed as characters who love the children, the lady of the house and are always permanent fixtures, who, although on the side, are unavoidable and welcome rather. They add the warm bits throughout, showering the children with love and care where there is a lack.
The bold and brave: Maeve
I simply loved Maeve’s character. She is shown as this hard-working and kind soul who just goes on and on even in the face of hardships. I love her role, especially as an elder sister. She is always there for her brother and never hesitates to give up so that he can achieve more.
The indulged brother: Danny
Danny, on the other hand, felt like a bit of a spoilt person to me. He is forever incapable of making mature decisions, I felt and was confused as to what decision to make. He seemed like a passive person most of the time and that makes him a bit unlikeable to me.
The evil stepmother: Andrea
Coming to Andrea, the ‘evil’ stepmother, I feel that she is sort of an enigma. The author has not really provided a solid back story to her and her two daughters which is why I think I have mixed feelings for her. On the one hand, I hate her for being the typical cruel stepmother and on the other hand, my mind is still holding on, unable to let go without knowing more about her.
The Dutch House is a beautiful book
Overall, I loved the way the author has written this beautiful book. It is a truly beautiful and nostalgia-inciting book, one that pulls you into the world. The way the house got back into the particular owner’s hands (I am not going to give you a spoiler), felt as if the story had come to a full circle. In a way, it was satisfying to behold. This has been one of the best books I have read this month, without a shadow of a doubt.
I read this poetry collection over the course of two weeks because I usually read poetry quite slowly so that I actually feel the words and can mull them over. Walk With Wings was an enjoyable read that I delved into. The poems were all divided into 5 sections: Monsoon Love, Winter Sorrow, Autumn Grace, Spring Resilient, and Summer Freedom. In short, poignant verses, Tene’s poems are a compilation of reflections on her experiences, thoughts, and feelings through love, loss, pain, healing, and resilience. The collection takes you through the life story of the author while offering advice, notes, and affirmations, which were written to empower the author during difficult times. Walk With Wings tells the story of Tene falling in love, making bad decisions, learning from her mistakes, and discovering how to love her life and herself.
The
pieces here deal with hard work, discipline and the sacrifices we have to make
in order to pursue our dreams. They have been so relatable to me and I was in
love. It is always empowering in a way – to know that what we are feeling is
not just us. So many people are suffering and knowing that gives a sort of
strength – if so many others are dealing with these issues, and progressing,
perhaps we can too?
A few
of the pieces felt like quotes so irked me a bit, but then again, the content
is something you can easily relate to and that makes it the best, I think. Self-love
and empowerment are the two common threads that link all the different pieces
in the book. I think that my personal favourite is Summer Freedom perhaps,
because it is a process I am going through myself – I am healing myself by
learning to accept my own self. I am de-stigmatizing the faults I had
previously found in my skin which had once made me so very uncomfortable in
this skin I wear. Very enjoyable read and i rate it 4/5 stars.
#qotd : Do you have certain books you go back to whenever you need some healing?
A suggestion I have is What Your Soul Already Knows by Salma Farook. It is another book that I loved and I keep going back to it. It is a self-help/motivational book. I am generally not much for this genre but this one book was amazing.
The world is
mostly water when Pearl is born. The floods have left America a cluster of
small islands with roving trade ships and raiders.
Pearl knows
little of her father Jacob and elder sister Row, who left her mother Myra when
she was pregnant with her. Between them they make do, with Myra fishing and
trading to make ends meet, travelling from island to island on Bird, the boat
Myra’s grandfather made before he died.
Whilst their
life is a tranquil one, Myra still aches for the daughter she once lost. When a
chance encounter reveals that Row might still be alive, Myra packs up
six-year-old Pearl and together they begin a dangerous voyage to The Valley,
where rumours of violence and breeding ships run rampant.
Along the way
they encounter death and strangers, finally finding solace on board Sedna –
full to the brim with supplies and an able crew – where Myra feels like she
might be closer to finding Row than she has ever been. But to get to Row she
will have to deceive everyone around her, betraying the trust of those she’s
come to love, and ask herself if she’s willing to sacrifice everything and
everyone for what might be nothing at all.
My review:
I received
a review copy in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review
are completely my own.
After
the Flood was a very interesting read as well as scary to be honest. Scary in
the sense that it deals with an issue which might eve turn real in a few years
in our future. The dystopian genre is often an unsettling one because at the
rate that we are going, the instances portrayed in the books seem very
plausible.
After
the Flood was one of my most anticipated new releases from the second half of
2019. I was pumped and the book did not disappoint. From the eco-critical point
of view this book was a significant one that may well serve as a warning to the
present generations. In a futuristic yet primeval world where everything has
been submerged under water, Myra and Pearl are a mother-daughter duo who are
doing their best to survive in the Westworld like world. Throughout the book we
see them struggling with the scenario – they have to depend on fishing for
their food and trade with these at ports which have not yet been submerged.
The
theme of memory is quite significant here – Myra, for instance, deals with
recurring ones of a time when things had been very different. Pearl is a gem
and her bond with her mother is quite beautiful. For the most part, we see Myra
dealing with her loss of her older daughter and then she keeps on wondering if in
pursuing her, she will lose Pearl too?
The
other characters were also well made – the unraveling of Abran is a significant
one, especially as we see a person undoing their years of hard work because of
the stress and pressure they are feeling at the moment.
The
story was well-paced, the characters real and tortured in their own ways, and
the world a scarily real portrait of what might be our own future one day. The
language is easy to read and captivating as the reader grapples with the
horrifying scenario that it has become. The adventure is nail-bitingly
intriguing, and keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times!
Verdict:
I really loved this book and it just might be
the best book I have read so far in the second half of 2019! 5/5 stars!
About the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment
of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive and she
is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the
routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither
could have imagined. In this deft exploration of love, loyalty, race, justice,
and both Black masculinity and Black womanhood in 21st century America, Jones
achieves that most-illusive of all literary goals: the Great American Novel. Named an Oprah’s Book Club Selection.
Won the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction.
My review:
I received
a review copy from the publishers in return for an honest review. Opinions
expressed in this review are completely my own.
This
book left me speechless. I am honestly shook after reading it. An American Marriage
is riveting in its honest tone, the tangibility and the rawness was grating on
my soul. It was sad, or rather, bittersweet, in a way that reality often is.
The
author has made it a story which can be the story of someone we might know –
Jones has a magical quality to her writing. The issue of race is an important
one here – the one that makes fate take the turn it does. Celestial and Roy are
husband and wife until he is wrongfully accused of a crime he did not commit,
and sentenced to twelve years. It is at once, the most horrifying thing that
can happen to a couple, one that either breaks them or only makes them
stronger. These two individuals are bound together by their deep sense of love
and yet, separated by the twisted hand fate had dealt.
Societal
and familial expectations are often ones that can push a person to be better,
or they can become unwelcome burdens on a person’s shoulders. Celestial is a
person who has to deal with a lot of pressure – her life is not easy, and
neither is Roy’s. As a reader, I could not help but be overwhelmed by the
difficult choices these two had to made to just make it day by day.
Stories
also play a key role here – many of them reveal details that define the
characters and their beings. Often told through letters and flashbacks, An
American Marriage was an astounding book, one that I shall be keeping close to
my heart always. And thus, it is no surprise that my mother has also decided to
pick up this book soon.
Verdict:
This was devastating and yet utterly moving story, that touched my heart and shook me to the core. 5/5 stars!
About the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
Toni Morrison’s debut novel immerses us in the
tragic, torn lives of a poor black family – Pauline, Cholly, Sam and Pecola –
in post-Depression 1940s Ohio. Unlovely and unloved, Pecola prays each night
for blue eyes like those of her privileged white schoolfellows. At once
intimate and expansive, unsparing in its truth-telling, The Bluest Eye shows
how the past savagely defines the present.
My review:
I read The Bluest Eye for the #tonimorrisonreadathon organized by Vidya @letsdiscussourbooks. Thanks a lot for arranging this readathon!
The Bluest Eye was her first novel, published in 1970,
and it is a controversial novel still, for showing themes of incest, child
molestation, racism etc. By the time I had finished reading the last page, I
was blown away by the lyrical quality of Morrison’s writing. The repetitions
sometimes sound like a mantra that beats at your mind as you read of the
terrible beauty that is this book.
The shifting narratives offer glimpses into the lives
of the various characters – letting us understand how certain past events
shaped them into what they were in the present. What is important, is the
psychological implications the book also portrays throughout these shifting
perspectives. It is a wonder, that Morrison wrote things that still affect the
human race today – in that she is a writer on the human tragedies that are
eternal and everlasting.
The mental space is a big motif in this book. Later
on, when we see a life of Soaphead Church, we can infer from the writing that
his disgust against the dog directly reflects his internal feelings toward
himself. Much like Cholly, he uses Pecola for his own pleasure, although not in
a similar manner.
The Bluest
Eye was a beautifully terrible book – for its simplicity, and yet, the stark
truth reflected within the pages. No matter what the era, one will always seem
to relate on a micro level with the characters, their struggles and hopes and
wishes. Replete with the truest essence of humanness, Toni Morrison’s The
Bluest Eye is one of the best books ever. I rate it 5/5 stars.
About the
reviewer:
Nayanika Saikia, is one of
the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam, and is also an admin
for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She publishes her own
reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction etc. on her bookstagram
account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the NorthEast Creator Awards 2018,
as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
Seventeen-year-old Edgar Poe counts down the days until he can escape his foster family—the wealthy Allans of Richmond, Virginia. He hungers for his upcoming life as a student at the prestigious new university, almost as much as he longs to marry his beloved Elmira Royster. However, on the brink of his departure, all his plans go awry when a macabre Muse named Lenore appears to him. Muses are frightful creatures that lead Artists down a path of ruin and disgrace, and no respectable person could possibly understand or accept them. But Lenore steps out of the shadows with one request: “Let them see me!”
My review:
I received
a review copy from the publishers in return for an honest review. Opinions
expressed in this review are completely my own.
The
Raven’s Tale is a fantastical retelling inspired by the famous poem by Edgar
Allen Poe. It was a truly atmospheric story, one that I read at one go and
finished in a night. The physical manifestation of a muse is a truly unique
idea that the author has used in the book. It is melancholic and whimsical and
a possibly true account in an alternate universe! I like to think that it is.
The
character of Edgar is a tragic, sad and yet beautiful rendering of an artist’s
life that seemed real – the angst was portrayed well thorough the writing and
the reader could relate to Edgar. His character arc was well planned and it
seemed gradual and realistic.
In
a way, this book also shows what it is like to have parents who have certain expectations
for you – expectations that are rigid and more suited to their mentalist and
wishes than that of the child. In doing this, the author has smoothly
integrated an ever-relatable issue, no matter the times, and an amazing story.
I
also liked Lenore although I thought of her to be a bit vengeful at times. On the
other hand, Garland is a satirical and ironic part of him. These two
personalities show the often contrasting natures we humans find on ourselves
which so often confuses us.
The
writing is captivating and sucks the reader right in. Cat Winters has done a
really great job on this book and if you are a fan of the hauntingly beautiful
works of Poe, this is a must-read for you!
Verdict:
I
absolutely loved this book and I rate it 4/5 stars.
About the
reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
Selkies, wyverns, witches, and giants. Perilous
quests, true love, and animals that talk.
The traditional stories of Ireland, Scotland,
Brittany, and Wales transport us to the fantastical world of Celtic folklore.
These timeless tales brim with wit and magic, and each on is brought to life
with elegant silhouette art in this special illustrated edition.
My review:
I received
a review copy from the publishers in return for an honest review. Opinions
expressed in this review are completely my own.
This
was an absolute delight! I am so glad I could read this amazing set of tales,
so full of magic and fantasy! I have never read any folktales from these places
in the world, to be honest, and I loved every second I was immersed in them!
Separated
into the categories of Tricksters, the Sea, Quests, and Romance, the stories
all come with some amazing illustrations by Kate Forrester, and as is common to
all folktales, morals. I found some similar tales in Nordic Tales as well and
so it is really interesting to see that there are such overlaps in all our
different cultures too! I absolutely enjoyed it and am giving it to my brother
to read!
Verdict:
A gem! 5/5 stars!
About the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
The Dark Side Of The Moon is a collection of
short stories that is dark, grim and flirts ambitiously with notions of the
unexplained.
Volume 2 marks the return of the series with
another set of three thrilling, crisply narrated tales –
DECEMBER
Cold. Rainy. Windy. A typical December night in
Mussourie. The police receives a distress call. Typical for stormy nights, as
they say. But this night will be different. This night will be longer. This
night will remain unexplained.
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON – THE STORY
Humans haven’t been on the moon since 1972. They
have decided to return – though this time to the dark side of the moon, where
no human has ever set foot before. What does the unknown hold?
SEVENTY METERS
The swift morning breeze soothes her hair. The
tinkling wind-chimes call her to the window. She looks at him smiling in his
sleep. She smiles too. But that’s been a rarity for them.
Does love, like time, wither away as it’s consumed?
My review:
I received
a review copy from the author in return for an honest review. Opinions
expressed in this review are completely my own.
I
have not been much of a horror fan but… Shubham Arora had me hooked with his
first volume. And when he reached out to me for the second one, I was already jumping
with joy. That is another story in itself so we’ll keep that aside for now.
In
comparison to the first volume, I think the author’s writing has improved
immensely. Most importantly, he knows how to deliver a punch at the end, just
as succinctly.
In
the first story, December, the writing is very atmospheric and is enough to
give you the chills. When the story actually starts, and we venture into the
mansion, I almost felt as if something is going to jump out of the shadows, at
me. As a reader, I couldn’t help but feel as if I was a part of the story
itself and the instances were happening to me too.
The
stories have become creepier, with the eponymous The Dark Side of the Moon
being the creepiest of them all. I loved how he has taken on this urban myth
and given it his own twist. The idea itself, when you sit back and think about
it – being stranded on a strange place (the dark side of the moon, for God’s
sake!) The way this story is told – especially in day counts, is one that
really makes you tensed up as if awaiting the climax, the twist you know is
coming.
The
last story is Seventy Meters, and from the name, I could guess what the ending would
have been. Although the least favourite from all three, this was, a good story
too, although I did not think it was scary. In a strange sort of way, it was
actually sad.
Verdict:
It
was an enjoyable read and I hope to read more of the author’s writing. I rate
it 4.5/5 stars.
About the
reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
Publisher: Rock the
Boat, an imprint of Oneworld Publications
Publication date: 6 June
2019
Genre: Science
fiction/fantasy
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
No. of pages: 470
Synopsis:
From the internationally bestselling authors of THE ILLUMINAE FILES comes an epic new science fiction adventure.
The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…
A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder An alien warrior with anger management issues A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering
And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem—that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.
They’re not the heroes we deserve. They’re just the ones we could find. Nobody panic.
My review:
I received
a review copy from the publishers in return for an honest review. Opinions
expressed in this review are completely my own.
Superfluously
saying, if the cover does not make you pick up the book itself, then I’m sure
the synopsis will. Aurora Rising is an adventure story, set in space, one that
is bound to keep you turning the pages on and on, eager to know what happens
next. I was literally at the edge of my seat when I was sitting and reading,
and had to actually sit up in attention, when I had been lazing on my bed while
reading. Such is the writing of this powerful duo. I finished this book in like
5 hours and I went crazy throughout!
I’ve
never been a fan of sci-fi, to be honest. So many of us are not. But Aurora
Rising has completely made us switch sides! Although this book is so often described
as a SIX OF CROWS set in space, the only similarity I found was the presence of
this crew, where each one is so very different from the other. Through all the different
characters in this bunch, we see similarities in what each of them faces. The leader
of this team in known as the Alpha and he is Tyler, the golden-boy. He misses
the Draft because he is rescuing a girl frozen in time. So basically instead of
having his pick from the best, by the time he returns, the ceremony is over and
the other Alphas have picked the cream. Throughout the story, we see the inner
conflict in Tyler – he regrets that he was missing at the Draft but then again,
he was rescuing this historically significant person in their universe. Later on,
he is conflicted as to whether be the good pupil he has always been and follow
the orders of his superiors, or to do what he believes is right.
There
is also Scarlett, Tyler’s twin sister who is bold and flawed and yet is so very
caring. The brother-sister bond that these two share is so much beautiful to
see. Their love is always shining bright between them. And may I just say how
wonderfully charming she is? Scarlett is the Face of the group, the diplomat
basically and is an amazing people-person.
Then
we have the Ace – Cat. She is a very passionate person I feel. She hates with
all her might and she loves with all her might. Her love is real and made me
choke so many times. Her character arc is very relatable – her feelings towards
Aurora change from hate to respect and I love that the authors have made her so
bold. Women are too often subdued anyway.
Aurora
is literally the girl out of time. She had been cryogenically sleeping, you
could say, for 200 years, without ageing. And now, her dilemma and confusion as
she comes to terms with her new surroundings and learns more about what happened
to her that has led her here, is heartwarming. Her behaviour is funny and so
very awkward at times with the rest of the team and I couldn’t help but laugh
at so many parts. Her character arc is also significant in this story and
although I think there could be more to it, I look forward to the rest of the
books in this series. She is a person of our times and the references she makes
were like Easter eggs to me. Especially Middle Earth!
Finnin,
the alien (that rhymed!) is also another team member. He has always felt different
all his life and his struggles with it – underneath all that sarcasm, is slowly
revealed throughout the story. Zila is a character whose back story has still
not been properly explained in the book and I am very curious about her, I admit.
I look forward to reading more about her.
Lastly,
Kal is oh0my-god hot! If you have a thing for the tall, dark and brooding,
handsome kind. Especially, elfin-handsome kind! Aurora describing him as
Middle-Earth is so relatable and that is how I imagine him too. And may I say
that I am an absolute fan of the mate trope!
The
writing felt very interactive in nature and the reading just flowed for me. I am
absolutely in love with this duo’s writing and so I think that I am slowly going
to pick up and read all of their books. The world-building was also very
fascinating and made me stop and wonder myself, how it would feel like to stay
there – after remembering that I was not actually in the story. There’s humour
and the characters are so fierce in their natures, it was a fast-paced ride of
a read! The plot was very strong and the inclusion of multiple POVs worked
wonderfully with it. When there are so many characters, having multiple POVs
often make the story lose its beauty but in this case, it only gave more depth
to it.
Verdict:
I loved this book and I rate it a solid 5/5 stars! I know this review sounded more like an ode to these amazing complex but lovable characters, but god! You all need to pick it up ASAP!
About the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
It is July
and I know you have heard it everywhere, read it everywhere and felt it
yourself too – but my god, the year has passed by in a flash! I mean it was
just a few days back, it feel like, when I was preparing for the university
fest in February and now, it’s the end of my 4th semester! From
August onwards, I will be starting with my 5th semester and that
would mean that I will have only a year left for the completion of my Bachelors
degree! Whoa! I am feeling as if I woke up on the wrong side of the bed – I was
in senior year just a few days ago and it does not feel like 2 years have gone
by at all!
So since it
is July, I thought why not jump the bandwagon and do the Mid year book
freak-out tag myself! Everyone is doing well, and I think it is a great way
also to come across new books that might interest you as well! As of June 30th,
I have read 119 books in total.
Bestbook you have read so far in 2019 – Okay so I am going to cheat on this one and state the best books I read from various genres. I fell in love with LORD OF THE BUTTERFLIES by Andrea Gibson (Poetry), THE PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE by Samantha Shannon (Fantasy), CITY OF GIRLS by Elizabeth Gilbert (Historical Fiction), DARK TALES by Shirley Jackson (Horror), BRAVE, NOT PERFECT by Reshma Saujani (Non-Fiction), FINDING ESME by Suzanne Crowley (Middle-Grade), THE LUPANARIUM by Adele Leigh (Dystopian), and THE STILLWATER GIRLS by Minka Kent (Thriller/Mystery).
Best sequel you have read so far in 2019 – for this I shall go with THE KINGDOM OF COPPER by S. A. Chakraborty. It is the sequel to THE CITY OF BRASS, from THE DAEVABAD TRILOGY, and I rated it 5/5 stars. I am very excited for the last book in this series to come out!
New release you haven’t read but want to – Ah I am hoping to pick up AURORA RISING by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff this week! I have heard nothing but great reviews about this book and I am excited!
Most anticipated release for the second half of 2019 – oh my god! I have a really long list for this one but I’ll include a few ones which I think not very many people are talking about:
Biggest disappointment – well, I cannot really say that there was any such big disappointment. Sure, there were some not great enough reads, but thankfully, I did not come across any book i hated.
Biggest surprise – I will go with POETS, ARTISTS AND LOVERS by Mira Tudor for this. I rated it 5/5 stars and had not at all expected to be bombarded by its excellence. It was an amazing and welcome surprise.
Favourite new author – I am really loving Kerri Maniscalco and Maureen Johnson and I’m slowly going through all their books.
Newest fictional crush – might I say Thomas Cresswell? If you do not know who he is, well, please please please do pick up the STALKING JACK THE RIPPER quartet by Kerri Maniscalco. Its a mix of historical fiction , murder mystery and romance. Amazing series.
Newest favourite character – I think this has to be Vivian Morris from CITY OF GIRLS by Elizabeth Gilbert, Angelique from THE DUCHESS by Danielle Steel and Alexandra from THE RIGHT TIME, also by Danielle Steel. I have been loving these amazing women!
Book that made you cry – this has to be YOU WILL BE SAFE HERE by Damian Barr. It is a wonderfully tragic book and I rated it 5/5 stars. It was an emotional rollercoaster and I was full-on sobbing at some points in the story. If not for the story (which is impossible), you need to read it for the social and historical perspectives. It is so very important.
Book that made you happy – for this, I am going to mention CIRCUS FOLK AND VILLAGE FREAKS by Aparna Upadhyaya Sanyal, a collection of absurd and weird poetry. So much so, that it is really funny and made me laugh a lot, and very happy at the end.
Favourite book to movie adaptation you saw this year – I’m adding my own twist here. I don’t really watch that many movies and prefer series. So, I watched A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, based on the ALL SOULS TRILOGY by Deborah Harkness. Matthew Goode and Teresa Palmer are amazing. Somehow, Diana Bishop’s character gives me Bella (from Twilight) vibes. But it was a great season 1 and I’m excited for the next season to come out in late 2019 or early 2020.
Favourite review you have written this year – well, I have three reviews to share. I loved the books and I loved writing about them. And they are CITY OF GIRLS by Elizabeth Gilbert, CIRCUS FOLK AND VILLAGE FREAKS by Aparna Upadhyaya Sanyal and AN ATLAS OF IMPOSSIBLE LONGING by Anuradha Roy. (PS. I loved AN ATLAS OF IMPOSSIBLE LONGING so much that I even gave a class presntation on with. With reference to Indian Writings in English)
Most beautiful book you bought so far this year – for this, I will go with the FingerPrint Classics edition of ANNE FRANK: THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL. It is a beautiful hardcover edition with silver embossed cov
er on blue, and silver edges! I simply love it.
Meet the beautiful people of the Circus, and the freaks who live
in the Village next to them. Mangled, jangled, misunderstood, all find place in
the rich tapestry of this book.
Siamese twins separate to lose half a heart each, and find
snake-man and tiger-taming lovers. A man bitten by a crocodile becomes a God,
and a Devadasi woos the entire countryside with her culinary artistry.
Fates intertwined lead sometimes to tragedy, sometimes happy
summits of fame. A clown finds his place in Hollywood and mute animals break
unspeakable chains. A twisted man falls in love with a mirror and a white man
is unmade by the Indian sun.
In this book are tales for every season and every reason. Tales
of human depravity that take innocent lives, and of a murderers’ insanity that
follows, a fitting revenge by nature, red in tooth and claw.
These stories are told in the form of narrative poems in rhyming
couplets.
Look inside and you will find, you have been to this Village.
Surely, you have been to this Circus too.
My review:
I received
a review copy from the author in return for an honest review. Opinions
expressed in this review are completely my own.
Sanyal has played with magic to deliver to us a tale of absurd and unbelievable men and women, monsters and pets. Transformation from man to animal, man to monster etc. run rife throughout the “18 twisted tales” and provides an enjoyable and funny read.
Under these trivial and funny stories though, lies witty undertones, which are deep and metaphorical in the essence. The various themes I interpreted in the book include, but are not limited to, capitalist nature or bend of mind, issues of abandonment and finding one’s true calling, homosexuality, society’s reaction against this ‘perversion’, and suicide, the issue of one’s identity, love, depression and mental illness, being oppressed by the desires of tour elders, ambition, substance abuse and abuse of various other kinds, emotional trauma, acceptance of oneself no matter how different from the general populace, Divine Providence, karma, revenge, passion, as well as, class/caste importance in society, and most importantly, funny ways of including the gastronomical tales of food.
I absolutely enjoyed the book. Sanyal’s writing is immersive and I finished this book in one sitting, such was my undivided attention. The topics chosen by the author are easy for the general reader to dive into. Moreover, especially since they are on the ones society calls the ‘freaks’, it is a powerful collection. The verse is lyrical and rhyming and thus, sounds so musical. I definitely recommend reciting these out loud. It’s a magical experience.
My absolute favorite poems from here are The Unlikely Love Story of Lingam, and Jeeva, The Elephant Man. From the name itself then, it is not curious enough?
Verdict:
I
loved reading this book and I rated it a 4.5/5 stars.
About the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
A modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic
novel, Persuasion. Eight years ago, family pride and an obstinate father had
forced Anamika Eashwar to let go of the love of her life. Now he’s back again,
a decorated captain of the Indian Navy. Will life offer her a second chance?
My review:
I
really enjoyed reading Mr. Eashwar’s Daughter. It is the perfect modern day
Jane Austen retelling with a heroine who is just as dear and relatable. Often
ignored and overlooked this is a love story spanning years and oh my god, I
love it.
Being an Indian retelling, the element of the family is just as important. When it comes to Anamika’s character, I couldn’t help but feel that she is somewhat of a pushover. However, in regards to this protagonist, this is also a bildungsroman novel, where at the end, Anamika asserts her own self and her own identity and sheds all inhibitions, and also finds love in the process.
Verdict:
I
rate this book a solid 4/5 stars!
About the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
Genre: General
Fiction (adult), Mystery and Thriller
Format: E-arc
Language: English
Synopsis:
Two sisters raised in fear are about to find out
why in a chilling novel of psychological suspense from the author of The Thinnest Air.
Ignorant of civilization and cautioned against its evils,
nineteen-year-old Wren and her two sisters, Sage and Evie, were raised in
off-the-grid isolation in a primitive cabin in upstate New York. When the
youngest grows gravely ill, their mother leaves with the child to get help from
a nearby town. And they never return.
As months pass, hope vanishes. Supplies are low. Livestock are dying. A
brutal winter is bearing down. Then comes the stranger. He claims to be looking
for the girls’ mother, and he’s not leaving without them.
To escape, Wren and her sister must break the rule they’ve grown up
with: never go beyond the forest.
Past the thicket of dread, they come upon a house on the other side of
the pines. This is where Wren and Sage must confront something more chilling
than the unknowable. They’ll discover what’s been hidden from them, what
they’re running from, and the secrets that have left them in the dark their
entire lives.
My review:
I received
a review copy from Netgalley in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed
in this review are completely my own.
I
went into this book really intrigued – the synopsis was enough to arouse my curiosity
and the narrative gripping enough to keep me hooked in until the very end. The whole
trope of the unreliable protagonist is an interesting one and I personally love
it. After reading books like The Woman
in the Window, Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train etc., I was looking for more such domestic thrillers
and this book’s synopsis promised to deliver.
The
plot was well stitched together. At one point, I thought I knew how it was
going to end, but boy, was I wrong! The entire narrative had a jigsaw like feel
and in the beginning I had no idea how the author would possibly intertwine the
two storylines into one. The themes were universal and as such, I believe that
many readers will b able to relate to
them; some are relationships, dealing with authoritarian figures, infidelity,
keeping secrets, identity crisis etc. Of course, there are my interpretations.
The
character of Nicolette also underwent growth – she is absolutely different at
the end, from the way she was at the beginning of the book. The anagnorisis in
relation to her character is enormous and lends the narrative great depth and
feeling. Brant is also an interesting character and although not the
protagonist himself, his role is just as important.
Wren
and Sag also undergo growth and this is very important as we see them dealing
with various issues that most teenagers may perhaps relate to, (I am talking
about the happenings towards the end; needless to say, I wish no one has to go
through what they did).
The
writing style is flawless – it flows and gives a very lucid effect to the narrative.
Apart from the twist and the jaw-dropping end, the characters too were amazing
and had such great depth!
Verdict:
I
absolutely enjoyed the book and I hope to read something similar from the author
soon! I really enjoyed the book and I rate it a 4/5 stars!
About the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
The definitive story of Harley Quinn by her co-creator, Paul
Dini, and Pat Cadigan, revealing the secrets of her history even as she seeks
to kill Batman.
Dr. Harleen Quinzel grew up in an abusive household with a
criminal and became a psychologist to deal with her own broken family. At
Arkham Asylum, she attempted to treat the Joker and instead fell hopelessly in
love with him, helping him escape and becoming a member of his organization.
Quinzel became Harley Quinn, a bizarre contradiction of violence and mercy. She
blames Batman for her inability to maintain a stable relationship with the
arch-villain, and that causes her to have an abiding hatred for the hero, who
she seeks to kill. Upon capture she becomes a violent inmate at Belle Reve
Penitentiary, and is assigned to the group of government-maintained super
villains known as the Suicide Squad.
I
received a review copy for the publishers in return for an honest review.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Mad Love
was a fun and truly mad read and I enjoyed every bit of it.
This book
gave quite an insight to this infamous villain’s life – why she is how she is
and what made her that way. The most major themes that I saw throughout the
novel was the deceptiveness of appearances and how crucial it is to know the
reality of things. On a deeper level, things are never as they appear to be on
the surface. In the beginning the tone is in third person limited – Daddy this
and Daddy that. It is as if Harleen cannot really make all of her own decisions
and looks up to her Daddy for them. In retrospect, it is so much the situation
that occurs when she is under the Joker’s spell. She looks up to him this time.
I think, the underneath all of these,
Harleen does not lose her innocence and faith in these two authority
figures. Is she naïve? Or dumb? I understand that this is a polarizing concept.
But I believe that there is not always a good side and a bad side – we often
forget about the grey areas and only look at the startling black and white.
Mad Love is
a psychological novel to boot! There were so many nuances regarding human
behavior – as Harleen grew up and studied psychology, and then started
practicing it at Arkham Asylum. There is also a great play at words – both in
the narrator’s case and the Joker’s as well. The manner of writing was just as
enjoyable and easy to understand. The character arc of Harleen was a very
dynamic one – I feel that she goes through a lot and her story is one that had
needed to be told. The writers did justice to the character as well as the
plotline.
Verdict:
I quite
enjoyed reading this book and I rate it a 4/5 stars!
About
the author:
Paul Dini is an American television
producer of animated cartoons. He is best known as a producer and writer for
several Warner Bros./DC Comics series, including Star Wars: Ewoks, Tiny Toon
Adventures, Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New
Batman/Superman Adventures, Batman Beyond and Duck Dodgers. He also developed
and scripted Krypto the Superdog and contributed scripts to Animaniacs (he
created Minerva Mink), Freakazoid, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited.
After leaving Warner Bros. In early 2004, Dini went on to write and story edit
the popular ABC adventure series Lost.
About
the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
An extraordinary debut that explores legacies of abuse,
redemption, and the strength of the human spirit–from the Boer Wars in South
Africa to brutal wilderness camps for teenage boys.
South Africa, 1901. It is the height of the second Boer War. Sarah van der Watt
and her six-year-old son Fred are forced from their home on Mulberry Farm. As
the polite invaders welcome them to Bloemfontein Concentration Camp they
promise Sarah and Fred that they will be safe there.
2014. Sixteen-year-old Willem is an outsider. Hoping he will become the man she
wants him to be, his Ma and her boyfriend force Willem to attend the New Dawn
Safari Training Camp where they are proud to make men out of boys. They promise
that he will be safe there.
You Will Be Safe Here is a powerful and urgent novel of two
connected South African stories. Inspired by real events, it uncovers a hidden
colonial history, reveals a dark contemporary secret, and explores the legacy
of violence and our will to survive.
My
review:
I
received a review copy for the publishers in return for an honest review.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I
absolutely loved reading YOU WILL BE SAFE HERE. This is a poignant story that
really touched my heart and I have changed after reading it. There are 4 parts
in the story.
The first
part is written in an epistolary format – in the form of a diary. The ton of
Sarah van der Watt is so tragic. I found – not overtly so, but in its
undercurrent – I could feel it as I read – Sarah’s knowledge that the need of
her world as she knew it, was near. Things would greatly change and it is as if
she is deliberately and often times forcefully trying to be cheerful – why not
enjoy the last few days before all hell breaks loose?
Some lines
I liked were –
“There is
strangely little to do now but wait.”
During this
period of the second Boer War, the Kaffirs were freed by the English. The
resulting chaos was a great scar on the lives of so many people – both whites
and blacks. I was also pleasantly surprised by the resilience of the people –
specifically Sarah van der Watt and basically everyone else. It also talks about the feminine issues –
both social, and historical – the suppression of women and the masculine power play
over them, their objectification, etc. I
also loved that Samuel, the husband had been such a supportive husband to
Sarah, as we learn from the diary entries. Later on, the entries make you cry –
just reading of the utter inhuman situations that they, along with so many
other people were subjected to. The flashback method was also great and gives
great depth to the story.
One thing
that I really enjoyed was the inclusion of the literary references. It made the
text very relatable to the reader, as it surely did for me!
Throughout
all the different parts, the Southern Cross is a recurring motif. I interpreted
it as an objective correlative for the concepts of hope and strength that it
bestowed on the different characters. The use of regional words at certain
places give a certain authenticity to the text and a sense of reality.
In part 2,
Willem says “They wouldn’t understand, they never understand” which I think
resonates among so many teenagers, when thinking of adults and authority
figures.
One of the
major themes that I saw throughout Part 2 is that of toxic masculinity. For
instance, seeing Willem cry in desperation once, Jan had turned away – after
all, boys do not cry. We also see domestic abuse scenario in this part.
Later, when
Willem is at the camp and Rayna misses him. She understands that at the camp he
would be forced to do what they have wanted him to do always – things that
other boys do generally. “It’s these markers of his willingness to try that
break her heart”.
I really loved Rayna’s character. She is the
epitome of an independent and hardworking woman. When Irma accuses her saying
she could never “keep a man” Rayna says, “I never needed one… Maybe I wanted
one, sometimes but I never needed one. Not like you” and that is such a
powerful sentiment. Rayna is an inspiring woman just as Sarah.
Verdict:
This is one
of the best books I have read in my life, let alone in 2019. I rate it a 5/5
stars and will definitely be picking it up again.
About
the author:
‘Maggie & Me’ is my memoir and ‘You Will Be Safe Here’ is
my first novel (out in April 2019). You can follow me on twitter @damian_barr
and insta @mrdamianbarr. I host my own Literary Salon at the Savoy: www.theliterarysalon.co.uk
‘Maggie & Me’ is my memoir of surviving small-town
Scotland in the Thatcher years. It won Sunday Times Memoir of the Year:
“Full to the brim with poignancy, humour, brutality and energetic and
sometimes shimmering prose, the book confounds one’s assumptions about those
years and drenches the whole era in an emotionally charged comic grandeur. It
is hugely affecting.” BBC Radio 4 made it a Book of the Week. Following
Jeanette Winterson in 2012, Stonewall named me Writer of the Year 2013.
I host my own Literary Salon at the Savoy.
Guests include: Jojo Moyes, Bret Easton Ellis, John Waters, Mary Beard, James
Frey, David Nicholls, Colm Toibin, Taiye Selasi, Susan Calman, David Mitchell
and Rose McGowan. Do enjoy our podcast!
Commended as Columnist of the Year, I’ve also
been a journalist for over a decade writing mostly for The Times but also the
Independent, Telegraph, Financial Times, Guardian, Evening Standard and Granta.
I’m currently a columnist for the Big Issue and High Life. My first book, based
on a Times column, was published by Hodder in 2005. ‘Get It Together: A Guide
to Surviving Your Quarterlife Crisis’. I’ve
also co-written two plays for Radio 4 and appeared on PM, Midweek, Broadcasting
House and Today as well as The Verb and presented on Front Row. I live in
Brighton with my partner and our intensely demanding chickens.
About
the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She publishes
her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction etc. on
her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the NorthEast
Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
Publisher: Harper
Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Genre: Adult fantasy
Format: Paperback
Language: Language
No. of pages: 621
Synopsis:
Return to Daevabad in the spellbinding sequel
to THE CITY OF BRASS.
Nahri’s life changed forever the moment she
accidentally summoned Dara, a formidable, mysterious djinn, during one of her
schemes. Whisked from her home in Cairo, she was thrust into the dazzling royal
court of Daevabadand quickly discovered she would need all her grifter
instincts to survive there.
Now, with Daevabad entrenched in the dark
aftermath of the battle that saw Dara slain at Prince Ali’s hand, Nahri must
forge a new path for herself, without the protection of the guardian who stole
her heart or the counsel of the prince she considered a friend. But even as she
embraces her heritage and the power it holds, she knows she’s been trapped in a
gilded cage, watched by a king who rules from the throne that once belonged to
her familyand one misstep will doom her tribe.
Meanwhile, Ali has been exiled for daring to
defy his father. Hunted by assassins, adrift on the unforgiving copper sands of
his ancestral land, he is forced to rely on the frightening abilities the
maridthe unpredictable water spiritshave gifted him. But in doing so, he
threatens to unearth a terrible secret his family has long kept buried.
And as a new century approaches and the djinn
gather within Daevabad’s towering brass walls for celebrations, a threat brews
unseen in the desolate north. It’s a force that would bring a storm of fire
straight to the city’s gates . . . and one that seeks the aid of a warrior
trapped between worlds, torn between a violent duty he can never escape and a
peace he fears he will never deserve.
My review:
I received a
review copy for the publishers in return for an honest review. Opinions
expressed in this review are completely my own.
The
Kingdom of Copper is the sequel to The City of Brass, the first book is The
Daevabad Trilogy, and oh! What a book! I had absolutely loved reading the first
book and so was very excited to pick up this one.
The
Kingdom of Copper opens 5 years after City of Brass closes. We see quite a bit
of changes in the scenario. Firstly, the environment! It has grown so much more
serious that before and everyone is now being careful of what they say and
think twice before they do so. Nahri’s character has developed – she is so much
better with her skills and I think that by the end of this book she has evolved
even more. Nahri’s character arc is significant in other aspects also – we see
her dealing with a great loos, coping with it and as such, get a glimpse into
the actual situation that she hides behind the façade of being the perfect Banu
Nahida for her people. The way she copes, and goes on despite the pain and the
hurt and the anger, is commendable and really inspiring. I think that she is
portrayed very much as a real woman – in our eyes she is no more than real
flesh and blood.
Ali’s
character has also seen a lot of changes – for instance, he has grown more
serious. The terrible pressure that he has to live under – the burden – never
feels like it until he has to go back to Daevabad and it proves to be his
undoing. We also see Muntadhir is a new light – there is so much more to this
Emir and it has been such an enlightening journey that I have actually started
to quite like this conflicted prince – one who has just as many troubles.
The
plot of this book is just as intricate if not more so. There are so many
unexpected twists and turns that by the time the book ends you are left
reeling! I am very much eager and kind of nervous too to see how the author
wraps up this book. The themes again revolved around mental health and
well-being, societal pressures and expectations, and love, and longing and
coping with loss and so on. Of course these are some of the subtle ones I could
infer from the background. The concept
of faith and the strong belief in one’s faith and also in one’s own self is
quite strong here. Moreover, fantasy is a running element in this series but
the author’s representation of a Muslim fantasy is beautiful and resplendent. I
have absolutely loved reading about this culture (many are fictionalized, of
course) and this world as a whole is so intriguing for the modern reader. This
is truly a nook unlike any.
Verdict:
This
book was dazzling and beautiful and I have no words for it. I do think I love
this book more than the first one and as such I will wholeheartedly rate this
one a solid 5/5 stars!
About the author:
S. A. Chakraborty is a speculative fiction
writer from New York City. Her debut, The City of Brass, was the first book in
The Daevabad Trilogy and has been short-listed for the Locus, British Fantasy
and World Fantasy awards. When not buried in books about Mughal miniatures and
Abbasid political intrigue, she enjoys hiking, knitting, and recreating
unnecessarily complicated medieval meals for her family. You can find her
online at www.sachakraborty.comor on Twitter at @SAChakrabooks where she likes to talk about
history, politics, and Islamic art.
About the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com
.
Publisher: Harper
Voyager, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Genre: AdultFantasy
Format: Paperback
Language: English
No. of pages: 530
Synopsis:
Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly,
she has power; on the streets of 18th century Cairo, she’s a con woman of
unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trade she uses to
get by—palm readings, zars, healings—are all tricks, sleights of hand, learned
skills; a means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles.
But when Nahri accidentally summons an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn
warrior to her side during one of her cons, she’s forced to accept that the
magical world she thought only existed in childhood stories is real. For the
warrior tells her a new tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with
creatures of fire, and rivers where the mythical marid sleep; past ruins of
once-magnificent human metropolises, and mountains where the circling hawks are
not what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass, a city to which
Nahri is irrevocably bound.
In that city, behind gilded brass walls laced with enchantments, behind the six
gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments are simmering. And when Nahri
decides to enter this world, she learns that true power is fierce and brutal.
That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That
even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences.
After all, there is a reason they say be careful what you wish for…
My review:
I received a
review copy for the publishers in return for an honest review. Opinions
expressed in this review are completely my own.
For
my first foray into adult fantasy, I think I picked up an awesome book! The
City of Brass was a dazzlingly fantastical read, one that made me jump onto the
sequel as soon as I put down the first.
The
City of Brass is the first book in the Daevabad Series and after being kept
deeply engrossed by the story, I can definitely say that I will continue on
with this one. The plot is set in what we call the Middle-East today and the
setting is lush and beautiful. There is vivid imagery in Chakraborty’s writing
and it conjured up swirling sands and flying carpets and magic in my mind’s
eye.
The
character of Nahri is an entity in herself. She changes considerably from the
beginning until the very end of the novel, as we see the way the various
circumstances around her transform her, and shape her to be one who is an young
independent woman, coming out into this new world and relearning the concept of
survival once again in a totally new environment.
Daya
is also someone who really captured my attention. His history was one that kept
flirting within the reader’s reach and when the author finally reveals the
various truths about him, it is a damn breaking open. He is truly a
multifaceted character and offers great light on man and man’s actions. He is
proof that man can change. Oops! Not Human or man; rather a djinn! (Yes there
are djinns!)
The
entire story is told through multiple viewpoints and the other character
through whose eyes too we see the world, is Alizayd, the younger Qahtani
prince. He is a confident man – confident in his ardent desires to help the
people in his kingdom, a just and kind djinn.
The
element of the fantasy is one on which the story is based and it permeated
through every nook and corner of the incidents. The magical system devised by
the author is captivating – this view into another culture is refreshing and
beautiful. The themes of friendship, love, familial love, betrayal, court
politics (yes!) etc. are some of the other elements we see in this book and
this offers a multifaceted perspective on this novel. The magic system was also
a refreshing change from the usual Western-based ones that are more common in
the market. However, this could have been a bit better explained. I got
confused regarding the magic system quite a few times.
Talking
about the cover, it is absolutely beautiful and I love it. The writing is lucid
and engaging – as if the characters are conversing right in front of you. I
absolutely loved this book and will move on to the sequel soon!
Verdict:
I
completely fell in love with the characters and the plot. And as I look forward
to reading sequel, I rate it a 4/5 stars!
About the author:
S. A. Chakraborty is a speculative fiction
writer from New York City. Her debut, The City of Brass, was the first book in
The Daevabad Trilogy and has been short-listed for the Locus, British Fantasy
and World Fantasy awards. When not buried in books about Mughal miniatures and
Abbasid political intrigue, she enjoys hiking, knitting, and recreating
unnecessarily complicated medieval meals for her family. You can find her
online at www.sachakraborty.comor on Twitter at @SAChakrabooks where she likes to talk about
history, politics, and Islamic art.
About the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com
.
The capital has fallen.
The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne.
Now the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker,
and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army.
Deep in an ancient network of tunnels and caverns, a weakened Alina must submit
to the dubious protection of the Apparat and the zealots who worship her as a
Saint. Yet her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and
the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.
Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and
Mal race to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers. But as she begins to
unravel the Darkling’s secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her
understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is
the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction—and claiming it could
cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.
My review:
Considering
the fact that I have been reading this series since the beginning of 2019 (One
book in each month) along with Faguni, this last book in the trilogy was bound
to be a nostalgic and bittersweet read for me. Leigh Bardugo has finally tied
up all the loose ends (most, rather!) and this trilogy has come to a dazzling
close finale. The journey of this buddyreading series has been amazing and I
wholeheartedly thank Faguni for bearing with me! (We have alreays started and
finished with our next buddy read!)
I
found this book very bittersweet. And when I first started reading it, I felt as
if we were moving towards a poignant end and that made me so very hesitant to
read the book, where I was crazy to read it because of Bardugo’s amazing
writing.
The
adventure aspect in this book is one that I absolutely loved. From the
beginning to the end, the travels that this ragtag group of people made,
despite their differences, and infact, with these differnces making them a
strong unit in themselves, is amazing. Also, Nikolai sweeps in again with his
brilliant wit and charm. The entire episode that affects him (I’m so not giving
any spoilers! So please pick up this series!) made my heart so sore and I hope
so much for my baby prince!
Also,
how can I not love the Darkling despite everything? I know I reiterate this
again and again but that is because it is so true – Leigh Bardugo’s talent at
creating these multifaceted real characters is awesome.
Also,
Alina’s character arc is truly notable in this last book. Her development from
the beginning till the end in this one book itself is amazing. We see her grow
into this strong and independent woman, who is not afraid to stand up for her
friends, her people, and ask help when needed.
And
oh I cried! I cried so much. At one point, I just closed the book and cried
solid for a couple minutes straight. But well, I ofcourse went back to reading
it again, once sob-fest was over.
Verdict:
I
absolutely loved this book and I rate 4.5/5 stars to this amazing read.
About the author:
Leigh Bardugo is
a #1 New York Times bestselling author of fantasy novels and the creator of the
Grishaverse. With over two million copies sold, her Grishaverse spans the
Shadow and Bone Trilogy, the Six of Crows Duology, and The Language of
Thorns—with more to come. Her short stories can be found in multiple
anthologies, including The Best of Tor.com and the Best American Science
Fiction & Fantasy. Her other works include Wonder Woman: Warbringer and the
forthcoming Ninth House. Leigh was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Southern
California, graduated from Yale University, and has worked in advertising,
journalism, and even makeup and special effects. These days, she lives and
writes in Los Angeles, where she can occasionally be heard singing with her
band.
About the reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com
.
Publisher: Amazon through Kindle Direct Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Women’s Literature
Format: Ebook
Language: Language
No. of pages: 166
Publication Date: August 4, 2017
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
ASIN: B074L8W7XS
Synopsis:
PAL is
a fast-paced yet poignant character-driven novel, written in a witty and
bittersweet romantic key reminiscent in parts of David Nicholls’s books (One
Day), and set in the exciting world of several vibrant Romanian artists and
musicians.
Henriette, an accomplished sculptor, seems to find more joy in her
feminist-inspired work and her piano playing than in the people who care about
her. Ela, a piano teacher turned book reviewer, hopes to discover the key to
happiness and a more meaningful life through studying the workings of the mind
and crafting poems about emotions she trusts will lead her to a better place.
Joining them in beauty and blindness is Pamfil, a violinist who dabbles as a
singer and lives mostly for the moment and his monthly parties. As they follow
their passions, they find themselves on treacherous journeys to love and
happiness, and are slow to figure out how to best tackle their predicaments.
Fortunately, their lovers and friends are there to help . . . but then a
newcomer complicates things.
My review:
Poets, Artists,
Lovers is a great book – it is deep and sentimental, funny at times, but engrossing
and makes you sink dee into thought yourself. I tried to write a short review
but I guess I have too many notes made from when I read it – such was its power
over me.
The intertextual
references are a nice inclusion and brings in many themes from different times
and different minds to the instances in the novel. Moreover, the extensive
talks on the works of various musical artists, sculptors like Rodin etc. in
relation to life itself gave another layer to this story. Throughout the novel,
music is also a key binding element. There is also a lot of philosophy in the
book, and being a student of English literature, I quite enjoyed them as well.
The author’s own proficiency in these fields can be seen through her
characters.
There is a
cinematographic aspect to the novel, maybe because of the gradual changes in
the background that are not brought to the forefront – it is very much a
character driven novel, after all – but also due to the whimsical quality that
permeates throughout. Moreover, the inclusion of the visual arts, and also pop
culture, make it an intriguing read.
This is truly an art book – much like the art movies that wonder us so. Maybe I am a melancholic reader myself but wouldn’t you agree that so much of the melancholy in the book is beautiful –
“Yes. It actually talks of something that makes me think of solitude that grows and grows and is ever harder to take apart. Solitude that threatens to displace everything in its path.”
I found this part completely nostalgic and yet the delivery of the lines is so beautiful. The same can be said of the entire book. I now long for a hardcopy I can keep on my bedside table to read every now and then –
“I also rediscovered emails I saved,” Alice went on. “Reviewing some of them the other day felt like reading about a different person. If I had not recognized some terms of endearment, I would have thought someone else had written them. I was full of enthusiasm, all exclamation points and smiles. I didn’t recognize myself. I realized I had forgotten so much of myself, of my former self,” Alice added pensively.
Special mention for this poem that Ela wrote – it was so very beautiful, I think I may work my calligraphy magic on it and then frame it up-
She then got up and retrieved from her purse her most recent poem, which she had finished and printed out just before she left home that day. It was titled “After So Many Years,” and it went, when I cry, you cry inside me harder, when I stake out my spot in the wilderness I find you there, winding me, in the darkness, in the light, shaking my bed sheets, so I can’t sleep, or love another; I wonder who’s by your side now, in the darkness, in the light, if you’re crying, or if you’re lonely and silent, walking into the wilderness from an empty table and a floor littered with a handful of breadcrumbs you leave in your path for love to eventually find you and feed you, after all these years.
Sometimes the novel
also felt like reading absurdist literature because sometimes the characters
talk about such normal pointless things that it sort of seems absurd when seen
in context of life in the book throughout. Of course, this is a very personal
point of view. But this also brings in the debate over existentialism and the
essence of being.
Themes
The part where Alice and Anca are discussing about Henriette’s latest sculpture of pairs of breasts at different consecutive age decade, is one I found very bittersweet. How true it is that we are so much fixated on youth – we are so vain – I for one, despair that I am 20 now, when the heroines in all the fantasy books I love are not yet 20 and have still accomplished and gone through so much.
“The point being that in this youth-fixated Western world we don’t realize how invisible the human body becomes after a certain age. When I first saw two naked seventy-five-year-olds making love in a movie, and enjoying their bodies together at the edge of the sea, I was shocked. And I had seen Alice Neel’s paintings and other images like that.”
Other body image issues also crop in, and Ela says –
“My mother says that young healthy women with strong willpower should make sure they’re slim, or else they send the message that they don’t have enough willpower, or that they’re not healthy.”
It leads to mental health issues as well. Ela and her mental health issues; depression is truly an ugly viper-
“If only that pain and sinking feeling would disappear at all. It may take a while, though. It still takes me hours some mornings to get rid of them. I’m glad I have the books and my poems to give me a feeling of purpose strong enough to beat the ache out of my system. Or maybe it’s the concentration that does it. I’ve been able to concentrate better lately.”
Sibling tension is also portrayed well in this book.
Alice looked at her sister in silence, taking the latter’s acrimony in stride. “Sorry, Henriette, that I’m not more talented,” she spoke after a few beats. Her calm was that of someone who has felt and said that many times.
The utter clogging at my throat was real when I read these lines. To be second-best and that to against a sibling is truly a hard thing and for one to be so used to it to be able to simply admit it, is heart wrenching. Since I am currently taking a short story paper in university, I came across this story by Alice Walker, Everyday Use, where the younger daughter Maggie says – “She can have them, Mama”, she said, like somebody used to never winning anything, or having anything reserved for her.The despondency and the dejection that comes from reading these lines from two different texts is a bittersweet experience.
In chapter 10, when Alice and Anca are talking, and Alice points out that since Anca has so many problems with her boyfriend, Marcel, she could just leave him. But Anca says no –
“Because it could turn out to be for good,” Anca said. “And I’ve invested too much in this relationship.” “Really?” Alice said, in mock surprise. “That’s your argument?” “I love him,” Anca said powerfully. “Not for what he is now, but for what he was and what I think he can be again. He’s not being himself these days. He’s either trying too hard or sabotaging any chance at happiness.”
This really made me think about our relationships – how sometimes, we try to settle down despite that prick in our minds, and because we are used to used and now comfortable. We would rather live with that ache on our sides forever, than to move and settle somewhere new.
The use of the stream of consciousness method is also clear. For instance, in the paragraph in chapter 8, as Ela keeps on speaking –
“Yes, at first I thought that was it, but in reality I was in shock,” Ela said, taking a gulp from her mug. “He turned my whole world upside down, and I was asking myself all these questions: what it means to live life with a passion, or with love, or with a mixture of the two, what it means to feel both passion and love for the same person, what it means to love someone and life and God, what kind of passion and love you need for that …” She picked up another brownie and bit into it. “These brownies are really different from how I usually make them. They’re very good, aren’t they? And the recipe was very similar to mine. Same ingredients, just different quantities.” She drank some more of her tea. “I don’t think he was in love with Ettie,” she said, her gaze meeting Alice’s.
There are significant other instances too- Marcel’s mother says a very important thing to Maria, friend of Anca –
“We’re complex creatures, Maria. Don’t let anyone tell you that there’s only one thing in this world for you. Be creative with your life. Learn many skills. Don’t ever get complacent or lazy. You never know what life may throw at you, and you have to be prepared. We don’t live under communism anymore. You have to be ready to change paths if one vocation doesn’t pan out. Or a certain job. Don’t wait too long, either. Life is so very short.”
The book also
portrays the utter complexities of human emotions and human relationships, with
so many shadows harrowing them. For instance, TheThinker and the Lover movie that Ela, Henriette and
Pamfil saw and the resultant discussion that they had was very enlightening in
itself. And then later, the sudden competitiveness that comes up between
Henriette and Ela is noticeable.
Other important
motifs I saw throughout-out were – the non-linearity of time in the story as
the author tells it (which is also so reflective of the non-linearity in one’s
own life today), how one event can trigger another – for instance in Ela’s
case, seeing Pamfil and Henriette together, leading to her leaving her job and
becoming a book reviewer, or even the case of completely disregarding our
sadness and overworking out body, as we try to replace the emotional or mental
ache with the physical pain.
The
author has brought in various modern instances – psychological, for instance,
the things we do to alleviate anxiety, like online chatting, the need for real
communication and the fact that what we get in lieu of that is an utter
travesty, compartmentalization in regards to men and women, as explained by Pamfil,
which I agree mostly with.
Characters
At some points, I felt sad for Pamfil – to live such a hollow life – maybe he never felt it and it is only I the reader who thinks as such.
“I think he’d never learned to love,” Ela said. “Love with a passion and tenderly and on a higher level. Just like me. I mean I hadn’t either. I only began to love this way after I methim.Only after he shook my whole way of looking at things.” “That doesn’t make much sense, his teaching you a kind of love he hasn’t grasped himself,” Alice said.
But then again, in chapter 14, when Marie asks him what his favourite pleasure was, Pamfil had replied as follows. And I think that, really explains him and those few words are enough to tell us everything about him- why he does what he does and so on.
“The pleasure of being young,” Pamfil said, stretching his arms over the table for her hands.
The post-transformation Ela, if you could prefer to call that phase her transformatory years, is one I really liked. Her ideas for a book are also so magically spoken that I was enraptured.
“It starts with wandering around like Alice—not you,” she said with a smile as she read from a paper with put-on panache, “living a life of superimposed uncertainties—you know, uncertain about my purposes in life but no underlying tectonic plate motion to make me really seek a higher love—until they’re suddenly flung out… finding myself chained to barren solitude, and then slowly taking revolving steps to grind away my memories, feeling my way around them devoid of meaning, bereft of a soul, till, slowly, a zephyr drifts in, and I hear its call to make it beautiful, to make emptiness sing as I push it out, to wind through words as if it matters.” She took a deep breath. “And then I start the story. That was just the prologue.”
We find her this new person who is slowly learning herself and as she says, also learning to love George again. The character arc of Ela is really interesting. Although we do not see her much towards the beginning, after her transformation, this new Ela is at least superficially sure of what she feels and thinks. Her discussions with Henriette regarding happiness and health etc., although may not seem very significant, but the manner of her speaking is to be noted.
Henriette nodded, even though she had never been a big fan of his poetry, and accepted the printout, thinking how funny it was that he had just mentioned women trying to change him. Then her mood grew somber. Haralambie’s verse was now darker in his pronouncements. His poem, loosely inspired by Miguel Hernández’s “Después del amor” (“After the Love”), talked of solitudes so hard they were impossible to crush, firm obstacles in the path of happiness, boulders that not even time could erode much in the course of a lifetime.
– This of course made me check out the poem and I as was expected fell in love with it. I think that even though Haralambie or Har, might not show it overtly, the breakup with Henriette really affected him. His innate habits are so very different by the end of the novel. For instance, Henriette notices that unlike before, he smirks a lot now. And his entire demeanor is that of a very much cynical or disillusioned man. Moreover, he reminisces unconsciously again when they meet in chapter 15 –
“I don’t think you did, because some people—and you are one of them—are not capable of wasting time. It’s part of what I liked so much about you,” he said.
As for George I
found him a very sweet man, always being there for Ela despite the three years
of chaos that was wrought upon their relationship.
But does Marcel
really understand Anca? Years ago, at his 17th birthday party, when
the utter chaos of the party had overwhelmed her, he did not even understand
her feelings from her expression. So is his love, love, if he cannot truly
understand her?
I found the ending a
bit ambiguous. What did that enigmatic smile that Henriette let escape her lips
mean?
There are also a few
literary masterpieces of quotes that I took from the book:
“she felt life rippling softly through her body, slowing and quieting the rattle of her thoughts, her high hobbyhorses—being clever, being cultured, being creative—were swept by the immense relief and joy of riding, light and supple, the surf of the present, her mind, body, and soul in harmony.”
“There is no routine with a loved one. Lovers are supposed to change each other all the time” – Pamfil says.
“You know what I think? Some of us love some people once, and then we love them forever.” – Alice says to Anca.
And
“Later that week Anca sent a number of poems to the magazine Literary Romania. “Tell Me” was among them. It talked of roasted potatoes and onions, rooibos tea with honey, and perky sad music on the CD player. It considered whether life is ever more than swapping stories in a kitchen over a poor man’s meal shared threeways, each bite charmed with sunlight and music. It described an intoxicating scene with a long-haired woman in a vaporous dress, pirouetting on the kitchen table to humor her boyfriend, who then grabbed her by the thighs and hips and put her down in front of the piano, where she played God knows what, for she used no sheets, and she and her man were the only musicians in the room. Finally, it mentioned her bare foot pushing the brass pedal with conviction, her launching into Chopin’s Revolutionary Etude, whirling its listeners like a tornado, and her cutting loose as more water for tea boiled on the stove, and the guests were invited to crack walnut shells for a makeshift dessert.”
Verdict:
I was exultant in
blissful calm and contentment when I finished the book. Let me explain
myself… You know how there are some books that give you a sense of peace after
you finish reading them? It’s like you enjoy reading the book – annotate and
underline a ton of lines and reread some parts again and again; and after
finishing the book, you just hug it close to your heart because after this book
– this experience, rather – you feel that you have changed? This is what I felt
for this book. I do not know why. Maybe it is because it touched upon so many
issues that we all relate to despite age/geographical differences, or because
of the pure art that it is, or maybe even because as a literature student
I was mesmerized by it… But nonetheless, I am sure that I shall surely be
picking up this book soon. It has been one of the best books I have ever read!
About the
reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com
.
Recommended
for: Lovers
of fantasy – especially if you want to start with adult fantasy.
Synopsis:
A world divided.
A queendom without an heir.
An ancient enemy awakens.
The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen
Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from
destruction—but assassins are getting closer to her door.
Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of
lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a
watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.
Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is
forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.
Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are
rising from their sleep.
My review:
I got an ARC of the book from the publishers in
exchange for an honest review.
The
Priory of the Orange Tree is a massive book – with more than 800 pages, at
first glance it tends to intimidate the reader, but once one starts reading it,
there is nothing that can hold him back from flipping the pages.
The
world created by Shannon in this high-fantasy novel is as vast and powerful as
that of any other ones every created. The author has painted a world with her
own magical pen, and rendered the reader speechless. In this divided world,
there are various people – those of the West hate all wyrms, not distinguishing
the good ones from the bad ones, while the people in the East, worship them. it
is from these two opposing sides that we see the protagonists – Tane is from
the East, an aspiring dragon-rider, and Ead Duryan is from the West, tasked
with protecting the Inysh Queen, Sabran, who is the last in her line. What makes
the world so rich is the effort the author has put in, and given such depth –
there are so many myths and legends among these people, that it is as if you as
the reader are living it, and learning about their rules and customs.
The
author has portrayed the female inter-relationships beautifully. It is nice to
see these women, strong in their own rights, support and help each other. Everyone
has a demon and everyone suffers alone, but again, each of them are string
women who do not give up – they are selfless, young but idealistic. They make mistakes,
but are not afraid to accept them and learn from them. Seeing as how fantasy is
in such demand right now, I see this as something really powerful for the
author to have done – women empowerment starts from among the women themselves.
Another
amazing representation is the lesbian relationship which I perceived as the
major romantic relationship among the various others. This representation is impressive – from not
knowing of one’s sexual orientation to realizing it and accepting it fully
despite what society thinks, to being confused to following rules set by
society, the novels covers a myriad of aspects.
Speaking
of characters, I have to admit that I also share Gayatri’s feelings regarding
Sabran – at first I was just as different towards her, for she seemed like any
other pampered royal, unknowing of the harsh reality of the world. But her
character arc, as the novel goes on, is definitely very noticeable and all of
this makes her human and thus, very much relatable to the reader. She suffers,
both due to internal and external reasons, but it is all overshadowed by her truest
desire to help her people and be a good queen to them.
Eadaz
du Zala Uq Nara, or Ead Duryan as she is rather known, is a member of the
Priory of the Orange Tree, assigned to protect the Berethnet queen, Sabran IX. Her
relationship with the queen is dynamic and changes as the story progresses.
Tane
is also another woman who grows throughout. A Seiikinese from the East, her greatest
desire is to be a dragon rider. It is also through her dragon Nayimathun, that
we get the closest glimpse to these magical and awe-inspiringly majestic
creatures.
Apart
from these three women, Margaret Beck, sister to Arteloth Beck (who is friend
to both Ead and Sabran), is a wonderful woman. Always supportive of her
friends, she is not afraid to go into the midst of war to do her share in
helping the wounded and also, for the betterment of the future of course. The male
leads are also very modern – they are spportive and can accept these bold women
as their equals without being intimidated. They also made me admire them. Loth
and Kit were two amazing men. I will miss what Kate and Kit might have been. The
author has truly done an amazing job with the characters and made the entire
read an utter delight.
The
fantasy element – with the Eastern dragons, the wyrms, Fyredel and his siblings
and of course The Nameless one, the story reads like magic too. The issue of
immortality, the three trees, and the unsettling yet amazing family histories
are all crazy and yet make up the backbone of the story. The other theme of
politics is also intriguing and absolutely captures the reader’s attention.
The
altering narratives were not at all abrupt – the writing is done with fluidic
grace and one just glides through. However, I felt that the end was rushed
through – that the denouement was reached without much struggle.
Verdict:
It
was an amazing book. I took exactly 5 days to complete it. With its beautiful
and page-turning churn of action, high fantasy, romance, and politics, I rate
this book a 4.5/5 stars!
About the
reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam, and
is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com
.
Publisher: Greenwillow
books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Genre: Children’s
literature
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
No. of pages:
352
Reading level: Middle-grade
Synopsis:
Twelve-year-old Esme’s life changes when she
discovers dinosaur bones on her family’s peach farm in Texas. Fans of Wendy
Maas and Lynda Mullaly Hunt will love this perfectly pitched story about
friendship, family, and loss from Suzanne Crowley, the acclaimed author of The
Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous. After her grandfather died from a heart attack while
driving his tractor, Esme has avoided returning to the spot where he lost his
life. But when she follows her little brother, Bo, up the hill while chasing
fireflies, she makes an incredible discovery—dinosaur bones peeking out from
underneath the abandoned tractor. Esme
sees the bones as a message from her grandfather; a connection beyond the
grave. But when word gets out that Peach Hollow Farm is hiding something
valuable, reporters, researchers, and neighbors arrive in droves. Esme must
find a way to understand who has her best interests at heart—especially as the
memories of her grandfather begin to slip away. From acclaimed author Suzanne Crowley, this engaging adventure set on a
Texas peach farm is just right for fans of Rebecca Stead and Ann M. Martin.
My review:
I
had honestly no idea that I would come to love this book so much! Finding Esme
is truly a one of a kind middle-grade novel that I enjoyed delving into, as did
my brother!
Speaking
about the characters, the protagonist Esme is one I found to be utterly wonderful
and dynamic in her own rights. She is so matured for a mere twelve-year old and
while it awed me a lot, at times, I could not help but feel sad for she has
lost quite a part of her childhood. As she so ardently asserts to her
grandmother, she is after all a kid who has been force to grow up too early. It
also does not help that Bee admittedly treats her like an adult.
Bee
on the other hand, is a hard woman. She has faced a lot in her life and her
great tragedy perhaps defines a lot of this novel – I believe this backstory is
crucial in the way it has also defined the lives of Esme, her brother Bo, her
mother June Rain and her father Harlan. (If you want to know what great tragedy
I am talking about then you should surely read this book!) It is not a tragedy
in as much as a terrific incident or something of catastrophic expanse, but the
implications of that melancholy secret is utterly poignant and moving.
Speaking
of Bo, I absolutely loved this cuteball! Having a brother myself really made it
possible for me to relate to Esme on another level – the bond that one has with
siblings is simply unbreakable. Bo is fun and offers the bit of humour in this
story. One cannot help but fall in love with him. His understanding of the
things around him is also utterly profound and I found him, in some amount,
very enigmatic.
June
Rain broke my heart. It is only towards the end that we know so much as to why
she is what she is and behaves as she does. Sweetmaw, who is Bee’s sister is
also another lovable character. I also quite liked Finch’s character and he
truly is a good friend to Esme. We also see his story as the author really
wraps around the lives of the people with each other. The end product is
utterly magical.
The
plot was also really enjoyable and while the overall pacing was good, I think
that the beginning was a bit slow. Nonetheless, it wraps up the story
perfectly.
The
themes of family, friends, love, were well evolved in the story. We see so many
shades of human emotions that it was an utter ride in itself. Love, hatred,
jealousy, competition… everything was included and the result was something
very real. The supernatural element was also what I think formed a lot of the
backbone in this story, but of course that is a personal interpretation. I suppose
I cannot stress enough on how deep and impactful this middle-grade novel turned
out to be! And as such, I feel that this is a story people of all ages will
enjoy – the kids for the mystery, and the adults for the various hidden layers
of meaning and implications within the story.
Verdict:
I
absolutely enjoyed this story and I rate it a 4.5/5 stars!
About the
author:
Selected among Book Sense and Indie Next top
picks, and Amazon and Bookbub Editor’s Picks for Best Books, Suzanne writes
novels that School Library Journal calls “amazing” and
“poignant” and VOYA calls “heart-stirring” and
“marvelous.” Suzanne, the author of both middle grade and young adult
fiction, is a wife, mother, a crafter of dollhouse miniatures, an avid
traveler, dog hugger, nap expert, and chocolate lover extraordinaire. Suzanne’s
novels have received starred reviews in SLJ, KLIATT, VOYA and BCCB, and have
been selected for state and national reading lists. After living all over the
United States, Suzanne and her family now make their home back in her native
state of Texas. www.suzannecrowley.com
About the
reviewer:
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com
.
Twelve-year-old Esme’s life changes
when she discovers dinosaur bones on her family’s peach farm in Texas.
Fans of Wendy Maas and Lynda
Mullaly Hunt will love this perfectly pitched story about friendship, family,
and loss from Suzanne Crowley, the acclaimed author of The Very Ordered
Existence of Merilee Marvelous.
After her grandfather died from a
heart attack while driving his tractor, Esme has avoided returning to the spot
where he lost his life. But when she follows her little brother, Bo, up the
hill while chasing fireflies, she makes an incredible discovery—dinosaur bones
peeking out from underneath the abandoned tractor.
Esme sees the bones as a message
from her grandfather; a connection beyond the grave. But when word gets out
that Peach Hollow Farm is hiding something valuable, reporters, researchers,
and neighbors arrive in droves. Esme must find a way to understand who has her
best interests at heart—especially as the memories of her grandfather begin to
slip away.
So
the things I found in this amazing box were:
A beautiful turquoise
coloured black ball-point pen, with Finding Esme inscribed in orange.
Two amazing
badges with the illustration from the book cover.
A cute pin of
the book cover!
A soy candle,
scented Peach, from Minneapolis Chandlery.
Another soy candle,
scented Fresh Cut Grass, from Minneapolis Chandlery, as well.
A card from
the author!
Candies of
course! Of various flavours as well!
And last, but
not the least, a beautiful hardcover edition of the book Finding Esme. And it
was a signed copy as well!
I was absolutely delighted to unearth each item, just as Esme was, unearthing the dinosaur! I also loved reading this book, and my review is scheduled to be uploaded tomorrow evening in fact! So do click the follow button and like, to stay in tune to all my book reviews! But I also hope that you all will order your own copies as well! I totally loved reading this book!
Moromor Deuta is truly a book that I suppose almost every Assamese youth has read, and if not, then it is surely something that I would recommend them all to.
So this year, I have my very own reading challenge #readyourmothertongue wherein, I read at least 1 Assamese (I am from Assam, and my mother tongue is Assamese) book each month. Now I do not read as many Assamese novels as I do English ones and as such, my proficiency in considerably less in this language. I am trying to get better at it, however, and that is why I had picked up the famed Burhi Aair Sadhu by Lakshminath Bezbruah, for my beginner’s pace in January. In February, the book that I picked up – Moromor Deuta – is s story for kids, with its easy language, but the meaning is universal and it touches all of us.
I was first introduced to this story years ago when I was sick (I had the pox) and I had to rest and I was so bored that my mother bought me new books. One of them was ‘Dear Father’, a story which was originally written in Assamese, but Mom had got me an English version. I had loved the seemingly simple plot then and continued to pick it up again and again over the years. But this time around, as I read the real version in my mother tongue, it touched me deeply. This story will resonate within all the readers’ hearts.
The plot, while seemingly a simple one, encompasses a variety of morals and various themes. The family bonding, parents’ and siblings’ love is by far the focal one in my view and the author leaves with a bang. The reason why I read the English version, again and again, all those years back, is simply why this book, and this time in my mother tongue, did not fail to strike me – when I used to be angry with my parents, I inadvertently used to pick this one up and the message, which was loud and clear, continued to calm me down – it is simply that no matter how harsh one’s parents may seem at times, they never even once fail to think of the betterment of their children. And even if their rules and their authority may seem too much at times, we kids need to understand that they always have or good in mind.
The language used by the author is simple and easy to understand – I certainly did not find much difficulty in reading this book, considering that I haven’t read any ‘novel’ in Assamese before. I am truly enjoying this reading challenge and I hope it will be successful in bringing you closer to your roots as well.
Verdict:
I rate this book a solid 5/5 stars.
About the reviewer:
Nayanika Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam, and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com .
In September 1857, the Indian way of life
changed for ever, after the overnight downfall of the Mughal Dynasty, with the
capture and exile of Bahadur Shah Zafar. This book, translated by Safvi,
presents translations of four texts that talk about Dilli (today, Delhi) on the
eve of the downfall and the fate of royalty following the uprising of 1857.
Invoking nostalgia, chronicling both beauty and hardships, it is a gemstone to
understand exactly how the royal household functioned and how it ceased to
be.
My review:
City
of my Heart is a chronicle, a romance, and history all mixed in one. It is a
scenery of a time rich in cultural and intellectual activity in Dilli as it was
then known, the multifaceted aspects of the Mughals and their reign that made
it a paradigm, and it is a nostalgic read- almost as if one’s relatives had
lived and loved in those times, as if this illusion is just within one’s grasp
in a few years in the past and not in the actual centuries that separate them
and us.
City
of my Heart has a beautiful cover, and it catches the reader’s eye at the very
instance they fall on it. Had I not been given a review copy, I am sure that I
would have picked up the book just for the sake of the cover, without having
even read the synopsis. But this book is one of those rare ones, for which the
covers and the content go hand in hand.
While
the stories are wonderful, as a non-Urdu learner I cannot possibly waive aside
the diligent work of the translator, without the presence of whom I would have
still been believing Dilli of that time to be a mere decadent one.
As
I so vividly found out, the first half of the nineteenth century has been very
much misunderstood, and this book truly sets that to right. No words I utter
today can possibly pierce the pregnant thoughts I harbor for it – full of calm
yet sorrow, awe and some strange, perhaps misplaced (or not), sense of
nostalgia. It is a masterpiece, and apart from the actual academic importance
it has got, this is a must read for those wishing to know more about our country’s
past, from the works of actual people of those times, and translated by a
master storyteller into a language that is easy to understand, and a portrayal
of a world just as easy to slip into.
Verdict:
I
quite enjoyed this book and I rate it a 4/5 stars.
About the
reviewer
Nayanika
Saikia, is one of the foremost book reviewers from the North-east and Assam,
and is also an admin for the official India bookstagram page on Instagram. She
publishes her own reviews and recommendations for poetry, fiction, non-fiction
etc. on her bookstagram account @pretty_little_bibliophile which won the
NorthEast Creator Awards 2018, as well as in daily newspapers, online magazines
etc. She can be contacted at nayanikasaikia98@gmail.com
.
Publishers: Pratishthaa films & Media Genre: Magical Realism Format: Paperback Synopsis:
It is an ordinary summer evening in a remote village near India and Nepal border; Roli’s mother and grandmother are quarrelling beside the well of their dilapidated feudal mansion. Roli is lurking in the courtyard; no one from her joint-family pays attention, and suddenly her father appears and clasps his wife’s throat. Roli watches in horror and envisions her mother’s spirit releasing from the dead body. Her future gets haunted by the twin spectre – mother’s ghost and father’s crime. The narrative moves to a small town, in the large household of a village acquaintance, where Roli shifts for higher studies, and encounters various fascinating lodgers, including an eccentric priest, who collects sundry items on streets to construct a house, and catches an exotic bird which dazzles the neighbourhood, a perplexing night watchman, whose mysterious doings make the priest lose his mind, a bored wife of a sailor, who dabbles in occultism, a scholarly librarian, who convinces Roli to accept her troubled past, and the unhappy wives of her landlord play an intriguing role in her attachment to another of the tenets- a temperamental young man, who becomes Roli’s love interest. The protagonist is an imaginative teenager. She loves reading and is attracted to people with mysterious backgrounds – very much like the characters of her favourite novels. A sympathetic village woman gifts her amber necklace, which smells like ambergris, and details many supernatural incidents involving it. Does the necklace hold magical powers? Will the fragrance of ambergris capture the man she loves? Can Roli find success on the treacherous winding roads of adulthood? Anumita Sharma is the author of The Curse of Yesterday. Inherently a poet, a wordsmith, and voracious reader, Anumita loves telling stories set in the rustic environment of Eastern India. My Review:
I can easily classify this as the first Indian magical realism book I’ve read and I truly loved it. The overall effect was exquisite and I was hooked from the very first pages. The fact that it was written in poetic prose, made the effusive paragraphs almost lilting and soothing to me. The imagery that the author has created through the patterns her words create, is very picturesque indeed.
The writing style of the author is something that I have fallen in love with. The language used is beautiful but somewhat of a higher level and hence may not be easily understandable to beginners. The poetic tune that the author has inlaid the words with, are beautiful and exquisite and I have found no fault with them at all. Although the pacing isn’t fast, it is definitely well-matched with the narration and the actions taking place. The whole experience was something dreamlike and ephemeral and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Now, I do feel that while I was hooked from the very first pages, there will be a few who may find the beginning a bit slow, but fret not! Once you think it catches speed, you’re in for the ride of a lifetime. A lack of dialogues may also put off some people but the autobiographical way of narration is a personal favourite and moreover, I think it did great justice to the story.
When it comes to the characters, the author has done well to let the readers interpret for themselves, the protagonist, as the story unravels through her own eyes. Roli as a protagonist was a beautiful person and I will be lying if I say that I do not relate with her at all. Apart from that, her own self is admirable. The other multitude of female characters were all nice to read about- the author has nuanced upon different qualities through each of them.
I also especially loved the way the author has kept the ending- it’s not close-ended but it’s definitely something close. The open and kind of an ambiguous ending left the scope for many possibilities afterwards and keeps the reader reeling long after finishing the book. Verdict:
I have really loved this experience, and Some Very Dignified Disclosures has included itself into my most-loved books list and I shall definitely recommend it to others as well! I rate it a 5/5 stars!
