Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: May 2022.

 Hello Loves! 

May is over and so is my reading for this month. 

May has been a month of reading big, fat, chunky books. 

I read some smashing books and I cannot wait to talk about them. 

So sit down, get comfy and let's begin. 

:) 

1. The Red Pony by John Steinbeck: Started my month right, with one of my favourite writers. I first read Steinbeck in college, Grapes of Wrath was part of my course and I loved it so much and read a few more of his books. But since then, I've read not nearly as much as I would like to. So it was nice to find my way back to one of my absolute faves. This one is a tiny little book that you can read in one sitting, I really enjoyed it's themes of coming of age, disappointment, nature and what it feels like to be a child. This book has made me want to read more Steinbeck and soon. I think it's time to re-read East of Eden and maybe even unearth my cope of Grapes of Wrath from college. 

3.5/5 

2. 3 Rays by Satyajit Ray: In honour and in celebration of Ray's 101st birthday I read this gorgeous book, seriously it's beautiful. It's stories from all three legendary Ray men and it's full of not only their literary works but also little glimpses of their personal papers and journals (which know I love) and some family history. An absolute delight which I enjoyed so, so much! 

5/5 

3. The Bangalore Detective Club by Harini Nagendra: I went into this book pretty blind. I was honestly excited to read this just based off the name and of course to read about Bangalore, a place I called home for five years. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that it was historical fiction. Set in Bangalore in 1921! What fun! A historical thriller. And this book was good fun. A perfect summer read. I really like our main protagonist, our detective, she is spunky, bright and I will be happy to read more of her capers in the future. This book had a good mystery, but one where I could guess the perpetrator from pretty much the get go. Still, fun enough.  

3/5 

4. The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson: I don't read a lot of YA anymore. Especially YA romance. But the genre I am reallllly enjoying lately is YA Thrillers. I think it's because growing up teen slasher films were my favourite things to watch. I still love some of those 90s classics, you know films like I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream and Urban Legend. So Ya thrillers have me all invested and excited. 

This book was fun and I really enjoyed my time with this book. Two girls, very different from each other, come together to solve the murder of a girl from their high school..and one of them takes inspiration and tutelage from the great Agatha Christie to solve said murder. Sounds amazing and it was good fun. The twists and turns keep you hooked and I really had fun reading this. 

3.5/5 

5. Book Lovers by Emily Henry: Hmm...the book the whole world seems to be reading and loving this summer. Like I've said before, I am not a big romance reader, not anymore at least. I have read my fair share of romance novels in my teens. Now....it doesn't quite work for me. I'd much rather watch a romcom than read one. But this one had so much buzz and it's about book people, so I figured I'd give it a read. 

It OK. Nothing special, I don't quite get the hype around it honestly. It's so basic and OK. Not my cup of tea. Some things were fun..but for most part it was tedious. 

2/5 

6. In The Language of Remembering by Aanchal Malhotra: My favourite thing I've read this month and maybe even all year. 

Brilliant. Important. Fantastic. 

A full review is up already, so I won't go on about it.  

5/5 

7. The Hundred Choices Department Store by Ginger Park: I loved this book so much. It's a middle grade book, though I'd even realise this while I was reading this. It doesn't feel quite like a children's book, maybe because it's about such a difficult time in history. Set in Korea (unified Korea) during WWII and immediately after, this is the story of a young girl and her family. What a brilliant little book! I read it in a day, I could not put it down. 

4/5 

8. Rohzin by Rahman Abbas: A book set in my city, where one of it's worst calamities is a major plot point. 

Full review for this one is up too. 

4/5 

9. Answers in the Page by David Levithan: I haven't read something by Levithan for a few years now, but I have read a few of his books in the past and really enjoyed them. This one is a very timely and important book about the often senseless banning of books. This is a middle grade book about a young boy trying to make sense of why his mother is hell bent on banning a book that was assigned to his class. 

This book is also one of those book within a book and there is also a whole other story of two young boys falling in love. So you basically get three stories in one book. I loved each strand  of this story. So good and so important to read about why every story is important and banning books is such a foolish and bigoted idea. 

4/5 

10. Seeking Fortune Elsewhere by Sindhya Bhanoo: This one took me by surprise. I randomly started reading this and loved it so much. So good. 

Full review is up for this one too. 

4.5/5 

11. A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami: Read Murakami after far too long! This book was a trip, like a lot of his books tend to be, a dash of bizzare things, some magical realism, some weirdness...you know the drill if you've read him. This one was just that...odd, beautiful, moody. Not my favourite Murakami by a longgggg shot. 

3/5 

12. The Eminently Forgettable Life of Mrs. Pankajam by Meera Rajagopalam: Another short read this one. Told in diary format, this one is about an older women who is slowly losing her memories and is attempting to hold on to some of those memories, while her life is going through some pretty interesting changes. Moving, sad and so rooted in our world, Mrs. P is like someone you know, your mum, an aunt or a kindly neighbour. Her story and her memories are like commonplace and ordinary and yet steeped in so much life. 

3.5/5 

13. Laburnum for my Head by Temsula Ao: I have this collection of short stories sitting on my Kindle shelves for a little while now. I have meant to read this Sahitya Akademi winning collection for while now. I finally picked it up this month and breezed through these stories set in Nagaland. Stories about people and a place often steeped in conflict. I really enjoyed these stories and I am so glad I finally got to it. I plan on reading way more Sahitya Akademi award winners. I own a few of those titles and this decision made me reach for this book. 

4/5 

14. Just Like Mother by Anne Heltzel: This book should have worked for me. It had things I tend to love. Cults. Sisters. And a conversation about motherhood. Yet...this felt a little flat. It was soooooo predictable and you could see every single twist coming from a mile away. Not fun. The leading character is such a dunce. Seriously, I wanted to reach into the book and shake some sense into her. 

1.5/5 

15. Dog Songs by Mary Oliver: A spot of poetry that I read one night just before bed. I am not a big poetry person at all. At all. But Mary Oliver is always someone whose words I find comfort and solace in. This collection of poetry, all about doggos was no different. It was wonderful and something I enjoyed very much. 

4/5 

16. Curious Tales from the Desert by Shaguna and Prarthana Gahilote: I won this delightful book of folktales in a giveaway last month. I was so happy to win this because I've read the first installment of this book, stories from the Himalayas, so this book was on my radar and I am happy to have read it. I love folktales and the quiet wisdom and wit in them. These stories from the deserts of India and Pakistan were so much fun. 

4/5 

17. Blood Sugar by Sascha Rothchild: I read this book completely invested in this story. It's about...a kind sociopath. I love, love, love books told from the perspective of a killer but a killer who (to me) seems quite justified. The main protagonist of this story is a soft sociopath. A shrink no less. She has killed three people and now she's been accused of killing her husband. I was hooked from the word go and was rooting for our little killer! If you read it you'll understand why! 

4/5

So there is all I read this month. 

I also read some 200 pages of Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, which has won the Man Booker International Prize. I am so happy for the author and what this means for Indian literature...but sadly I just can't seem to find a hook into this world and this book. I read 200 pages and then I didn't force myself to continue. I will give it one more shot...but like always, I won't make myself read a book if it isn't working out for me. I will let you know how it goes. 

Monthly Favourites: May 2022.

 Hello Loves! 

Month end means time to list some of my favourite things from May. 

May...was a strange sort of month. 

Felt too oddly long. 

Too hot in parts.

There was a smattering of much needed rain. 

I read some big books. 

Read some goooood books. 

Didn't buy a single book! Go me. Look at me being sensible. 

:) 

I watched a lot of things and a LOT of very good things. 

I was in a world of pain from Carpal Tunnel. I could barely journal or write and spent just the bare minimum time on my planners. I had to rest my hand and still it's not gotten much better. :( 

Ugh. 

Summer sadness was a real bedfellow this month. 

But let's focus on the good instead. 

Here are my May Favourites. 

1. Summer Rains and Blooms: While most of the country was burning up due to horrible heat waves, we, in my corner of the world in North Bengal, had many mild days thanks to a spot of rain. I have loved these low key rainy days and seeing our garden come to life has been nice too. 

2. Mangoes: Uff! The best, best part of summer in India are mangoes.I love them in every form. As is, in milkshakes, made into ice-cream...the possibilities are endless. But this month I've enjoyed them most in this delightful concoction..the humble Aam Makha. 

You take two or three ripe mangoes. 

Take on kacha mango. 

Sprinkle pepper, salt, black salt. a bit of Kashundi (Bengali mustard) and a squirt of lemon juice. 

Mix. 

Oh you can add a few sprigs of fresh coriander leaves.  

And you have a plate of absolute delight. 

This has been my lunch on very hot days and has brought me so much joy. 

3. New Ceramics from Chumbak: I don't know if I ever said so on the blog, but if you follow me on IG, you know that last year my sister won a 10K worth of hamper from Chumbak for sharing a picture featuring a mug. Yay! So over the last year, we've been slowly using this very generous hamper to buy little things from them. So far we've bought mostly mugs, we also got a watch and some other little bits. This month we got ourselves some more ceramic goodies. Two mugs and a bowl and a plate. I love mugs...a little too much some might say. I love these new additions to my coffee drinking. The plate I've used for my mango binging and I love it. 

4. Tote Bags from Ayenaa: I shopped very little this month. But I loved these totes and sling bag I got from this shop on IG called Ayenaa. Love the art and the colours and I can't wait to carry them around. 

5. May Journal: I sadly didn't really get to journal much this month due to my left hand being out of commission for most part. But I love, love, love how cutely I decorated my journal. I had so much fun doing this and this journal will be a roll over into June and I am hoping to fill up these pages with thoughts and ideas and musings. 

6. Reading Tote: Early in the month I set up my Reading Tote. A tote to hold my current reads ( I do tend to read more than one book at a time lately) and other reading paraphernalia, namely my Kindle and book journal and little scrap books for bookish notes and thoughts and a handful of highlighters and some of my pens. Wow...that's a lot! See, this is why I needed a tote. I will share a proper look into my tote at some point. I've found having a tote super useful and a good way to keep my things in one place. 

7. DIY Notebooks: Remember how back in January we made two tiny notebooks from unused paper from older notebooks? Well, in May it was time to make me some new notebooks from allllll re-used materials. The paper itself and even the cover was reused packaging. I love these tiny notebooks, I use them to jot down quick thoughts while I am reading. My on the go reading journal if you will! 

8. Affogato: I love coffee. This month we started making ourselves some late night Affogato as a special treat on hot nights. 

Brew your coffee as you do. 

I add a splash of caramel sauce to my brew. 

Pour over vanilla ice-cream. 

Done. 

Yum. 

9. Reading: Reading was very good this month. I read all sorts of books and some books that are some of the best books I've read all year. I read some 15 odd books...maybe even more. A good month of reading, I'll talk more about it in my Reading Wrap-Up tomorrow. But my favourite book of the month was In The Language of Remembering by Aanchal Malhotra. I loved it so much! 

10. Favourite Shows and Film: This has been such a gooooood month viewing. So many good things were watched and loved. For starters, I started re-watching an old favourite of mine- Criminal Minds and it's so good to be back with an old favourite. 

My favourite things I've watched this month has got to be Panchayat Season-2. Uff! What an incredible season. Funny, heart-warming and adorable and sweet and then that last episode comes and knocks the air out of your lungs. So good. Best. I laughed and cried and fell more in love with these folks! 

Also there was Stranger Things-4!!!! After three long years! So good to be back with these kids and back to the 80s. 

My favourite films this month was- Jhund, which I loved so much. It's streaming on Zee 5. It's such a wonderful and important and moving story that you need to see. I am so glad I watched it. 

I also watched The Lost City recently I loved it so much. It's funny and silly and wholly entertaining. An adventure and laugh filled caper from start to finish. 

So there are my May faves. 

Little joys and little things. 

Hope May was decent to you too. 

:) 

Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1: Quick Review (Hits & Misses)

 

So, I just finished bingeing Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1 and I have some thoughts! Without wasting any time, let's get into it, shall we? 

STOP! WAIT!! 

THIS POST WILL HAVE SOME SPOILERS, WHICH WILL BE CALLED OUT BEFORE EACH MENTION. PLEASE STOP READING IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED IT YET! 

Things I Loved: 

1. The very fact that the show was back after T-H-R-E-E long years! It was so good to be back with the characters that you've grown to care about so much! It was so good to re-visit that crazy ol' town of Hawkins, Indiana and get back with the gang and do some mind-flayer demon hunting shenanigans! 

2. It was good to see some real-life high school struggles faced by teens make its way into Stranger Things! 

SPOILER BEGINS: Mike and Dustin are struggling to fit into high school while Lucas has joined the basketball team and is considered (sort of) cool. On the other hand, in California, Will seems all alone and struggling to fit in as well but Eleven (now called Jane) is struggling even more so; she actually attracts the attention of some popular kids, who mercilessly bully her. So, issues like bullying, teenage struggles of fitting in, body image issues and, even trauma, are dealt with this season, which was nice to see. SPOILER ENDS. 

3. Everyone loved the trio of Dustin, Steve and Robin in Season 3 and I am happy to report that we see a LOT of them in Season 4 volume 1 as well! The gang is back and rapidly chasing down clues to figure out why strange things are happening in Hawkins this time around. 

4. Apart from our old favourites, just like we loved Robin, Murray (the Russian-speaking guy) and Erica (Lucas' sassy little sister) in Season 3,  this season has added some new, fun and loveable characters. 

SPOILER BEGINS: Argyle- Jonathan's new friend- and Eddie- Mike and Dustin's new friend and fellow Dungeons & Dragons player- are a really great addition to the crew! SPOILER ENDS. 

5. Stranger Things has been more of an action-adventure-thriller type series up until now, but the current season takes things up several notches with much more spooks, scares, gores and brutal killings. The body count is also significantly higher this season! Unlike most slasher flicks, where the huge body count is, often, of characters one doesn't care about, in Stranger Things, you end up feeling so awful about each innocent's death. The ability to build so much connect with side characters in such short screen time is no mean achievement and the Duffer Brothers have done such a great job with it! 

6. The evil this season is much scarier than what we have seen in the previous seasons. The big villain this season is so much more sadistic and cruel that what we have seen previously and is also somehow connected to Eleven.  

SPOILER BEGINS: In the previous seasons, we've seen the Demogorgons, who are like glorified monsters with teeth and, of course, The Mind Flayer, who likes messing with people's minds. This season, the Big Bad- labelled Vecna by Dustin- is truly sadistic and cruel. Unlike the Demogorgons, who just went for the kill, Vecna likes tormenting, torturing and then killing his victims- mostly, those in pain or recovering from some trauma. He is, truly, a monster and you can't help but feel helpless as someone dies right in front of our brave crew and there is little they can do about it! SPOILER ENDS 

7. My favourite thing this season, however, is the message that the creators intend to give all of us. 

SPOILER BEGINS: Recovering from grief and trauma may often seem isolating and lonely. You can feel disconnected even from those closest to you. However, if we lose that connection and keep dwelling in the dark places that grief takes us, it can only be self-destructive. This season is all about how friendship and community are important for our emotional well-being and not losing that connection with those we love and those who love us is, especially, important during our darkest times. A very timely reminder, indeed. SPOILER ENDS. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. Well, isn't this supposed to be an ensemble show? Don't get me wrong, I adored having an abundance of Steve-Dustin-Robin and Max and all of their shenanigans. Still, I felt that some characters were very, very unrepresented and barely there this season. Mike, Will, Jonathan and even Lucas, to an extent, are not really there for long stretches and I wish we had a more equal split of screen time between characters. And, if not equal, then at least see more of certain characters. Mike and Will and Jonathan felt like side characters and not part of the main cast of characters. 

2. I don't know why...or if this seems weird or off, but all those scenes with Eleven and the lab were just a little too boring. I was totally zoning out and wishing they would just hurry up with it. And it felt like we were watching the same thing over and over again. Not my favourite by a long shot. I get what  they were trying to build up to but I wish they had gotten there faster.  

Similarly, all the Russian prison scenes were also quite boring for me. Did not enjoy those. 

3. I am also not sure if I like the whole Steve and Nancy thing. Hmm..why? Can't we get Steve someone else? Someone new? Meh. Not exactly loving this arc. 

4.  The big reveal was very easy to guess. I saw it coming from a mile off. It's not a bad twist or anything but it's entirely too laboured and took up far too much air time building up to it. Also like I said, I guessed it from the get go. 

I can't wait for July and see where the rest of the season takes us and how our motley crew handles this big bad. 

I enjoyed these seven episodes. The last one, especially the last few minutes of final episode gave me some serious Harry vs. Voldemort vibes and I am here for it. Also Eleven doing the classic superhero landing was just..uuffff! July can't get here soon enough. 

Book Review: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

 

Book: Remarkably Bright Creatures 

Author: Shelby Van Pelt 

Pages: 368

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~4 hours 

Plot Summary: After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Things I Liked: 

1. A book told, partially, from the perspective of an intelligent, sentient octopus?! Sure, colour me excited! But, also colour me a tad (3%) skeptical! How would this story unfold? How would Marcellus, the Octopus, help figure out the mystery behind Erik's death?! Ever since I read Remarkably Bright Creatures' plot summary, I was hooked! I was in a bit of a reading funk and this seemed like a quirky enough book to sample and am I glad I did! This book is a treasure! 

2. The story is told from the perspective of 4 characters- Tova- a septuagenarian part-time aquarium cleaning lady, Cameron- a thirty year old, who is trying to find his purpose in life, Ethan- a friendly, kind, small-town-grocery-store owner and Marcellus- an almost-4 year old, highly intelligent and astute Octopus! While each and every perspective in this book is merited and brings something fresh and interesting to the narrative, my favourite chapters are those in which we see the world of humans from Marcellus' perspective! 

3. This is a book about surviving loss- a timely book to read given I have lost so many friends and family over the past two years. Tova lost her 18 year old son suddenly and without any closure. He'd gone out one summer night and never returned. His body never found but it was assumed that he drowned in the ocean. Tova and her husband, Will, had somehow moved forward with their lives and then Will got sick with pancreatic cancer and passed away. We know all this from Tova in present day- a lonely, slightly prickly 70 year old, who is fiercely independent and doesn't want anyone's pity. She enjoys her job cleaning the local aquarium, where she meets and befriends Marcellus, the octopus, when she catches him out of his tank and entangled in some electrical cords! Tova's journey from being this alone, slightly prickly but kind old lady to opening herself up for love and companionship is truly lovely to be a part of! 

4. Tova and Marcellus' friendship is so sweet! They both just understand each other! Marcellus figures out how Erik died and one other secret about Erik. His attempts to pass on that information to Tova is just so heartwarming and smart and, before you think I've lost my mind, done in a way that suits an octopus! Marcellus doesn't do anything outrageous to get that information to Tova; he only does what an octopus with its limited time out of water and other constraints can do. I love how the author has written Marcellus; he sounds like a wise, slightly grumpy but very smart, old man! I really loved getting to know him! 

5. This is also a story about finding human connections, trying to make peace with your past, letting it go and creating a new, happier, unexpected future. It left me with a sense of optimism that, I think, we all need right about now. 

6. Remarkably Bright Creatures is very well-written and taut. I found myself very engrossed in it and I really enjoyed this book! If you are looking for a book that's funny yet poignant but ultimately optimistic, then this is a good one to pick up! 

Rating: 5/5 

Book Review: The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard

 

Book: The Nothing Man

Author: Catherine Ryan Howard 

Pages: 295

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: 3.5 hours 

Plot Summary: 

I was the girl who survived the Nothing Man. 
Now I am the woman who is going to catch him...

You've just read the opening pages of The Nothing Man, the true crime memoir Eve Black has written about her obsessive search for the man who killed her family nearly two decades ago. 

Supermarket security guard Jim Doyle is reading it too, and with each turn of the page his rage grows. Because Jim was - is - the Nothing Man. 

The more Jim reads, the more he realises how dangerously close Eve is getting to the truth. He knows she won't give up until she finds him. He has no choice but to stop her first.

Things I Liked:

1. This was my second book by Catherine Ryan Howard. 56 Days being the first. I really loved 56 Days and so, when I realised that the author has written other crime thrillers before this, I simply had to try out another of her highly acclaimed books- The Nothing Man. Happy to report, the book lived up to its hype. 

2. The Nothing Man is written as a book-in-a-book format, which is a really engaging way to tell a crime story. So, we get to read Eve's- the sole survivor of a brutal serial killer dubbed 'the Nothing Man' by the press because the cops had no leads on him- book and we get to see the events of the present timeline from the killer's perspective. A very interesting narrative structure, which works very well in this book. 

3. The book-in-a-book is a retracing and re-telling of the Nothing Man's crimes. Highlighting the stories of the victims- their backgrounds, lives and families- in the days leading to their attack. It is nicely written and helps us get a sense of the killer's victimology and modus operandi. It helps the reader get a little bit inside the mind of this twisted person and to see the sadistic ways in which he continued to torment some survivors even after attacking them. 

4. The rest of the narrative is told from the perspective of Jim aka the Nothing Man, who, deservingly of his moniker, is an abject, pathetic loser. As he reads the book, we see him get increasingly angry, frustrated and careless. He wants to kill Eve at all costs before she somehow reveals his identity to the cops. Jim is somehow certain Eve knows who he is- he doesn't know how she does, but he is convinced she does. So, we watch Jim unravelling and also, get to see all the red flags in him that no one in his life seemed to have noticed. 

5. The ending of this book is fantastic and very, very satisfying! Not gonna give much away, but it is nicely done. 

Rating: 5/5 

A really great (and different from run-of-the-mill) crime thriller to sink your teeth into if you love the genre. 

Book Review: Seeking Fortune Elsewhere by Sindya Bhanoo

 

Book: Seeking Fortune Elsewhere

Author: Sindya Bhanoo

Pages: 241

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: 2.5 hours 

Plot Summary: Traveling from Pittsburgh to Eastern Washington to Tamil Nadu, these stories about dislocation and dissonance see immigrants and their families confront the costs of leaving and staying, identifying sublime symmetries in lives growing apart.

In “Malliga Homes,” selected by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for an O. Henry Prize, a widow in a retirement community glimpses her future while waiting for her daughter to visit from America. In "No. 16 Model House Road," a woman long subordinate to her husband makes a choice of her own after she inherits a house. In "Nature Exchange," a mother grieving in the wake of a school shooting finds an unusual obsession. In "A Life in America," a professor finds himself accused of having exploited his graduate students.
 
Sindya Bhanoo’s haunting stories show us how immigrants’ paths, and the paths of those they leave behind, are never simple. Bhanoo takes us along on their complicated journeys where regret, hope, and triumph appear in disguise.

Things I Liked:

1. A beautifully written and moving collection of short stories focused on South Indian immigrants in the US. Each and every story will make you think and feel really connected with the characters, which is a huge achievement, in my opinion, for short stories, given you have a limited amount of words in which to do this. 

2. Most of the stories are women-centric; told from the perspective of women characters across a large range of ages. Our youngest protagonist is barely 8-9 years old and the oldest is in her 70s. So, we see women across life stages and with different fears, concerns, aspirations, dreams and regrets. There is only one story told from a man's perspective and that is such a fun yet thought-provoking one. 

3. There is also a very surprising story about a very popular public figure and it was one of our favourites in this collection. This story really helped us understand, even if it is not real, why this person was the way they were. You need to read the book to figure out why! 

4. The stories, characters, settings, concerns, heartbreaks, regrets, joys captured in this book felt very real. The author has been able to really step into the world of these diverse characters and bring a core of reality to life, which is always so difficult to do but is so fulfilling when it happens in a work of fiction. You'll find yourself laughing, nodding, crying along with these characters. 

Rating: 4.5/5 

A really lovely collection of short stories for fans of Jhumpa Lahiri and, really, for anyone, who enjoys reading about people and their little (or not-so-little) lives. 

Book Review: In The Language of Remembering by Aanchal Malhotra.

 

Book: In The Language of Remembering. 

Author: Aanchal Malhotra 

Publisher: Harper Collins India

Pages: 756 

How Long it Took Me To Read: 8 days 

Plot Summary: Oral historian Aanchal Malhotra's first book, Remnants of a Separation, was published in 2017 to mark the seventieth anniversary of India's Partition. It told a human history of the monumental event by exhuming the stories lying latent in ordinary objects that survivors had carried with them across the newly made border. It was acclaimed for the freshness of its approach to a decades-old, much-written-about subject. But more significantly, it inspired conversations within families: between the generation that had witnessed Partition and those who had only inherited its memories.

In the Language of Remembering, as a natural progression, explores that very notion as it reveals how Partition is not yet an event of the past and its legacy is threaded into the daily lives of subsequent generations. Bringing together conversations recorded over many years with generations of Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and their respective diaspora, it looks at how Partition memory is preserved and bequeathed, its consequences disseminated and manifested within family, community and nation. With the oldest interviewees in their nineties and the youngest just teenagers, the voices in this living archive intimately and sincerely answer questions such as: Is Partition relevant? Should we still talk about it? Does it define our relationships? Does it build our characteristics or augment our fears, without us even realizing?

As the subcontinent marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of Partition, In the Language of Remembering will most importantly serve as a reminder of the price this land once paid for not guarding against communal strife - and what could happen once again should we ever choose division over inclusion.

Things I Loved: 

1. If you've read Aanchal Malhotra's first book, the brilliant Remnants of a Separation, a stunning book about material memory and the objects through which Partition and the memories of a lost home came to life, you know just how deftly she manages to bring these stories to life. Her first book was a knockout, a wonderful and sincere and heartfelt homage to lives displaced and altered irrovacably by the partition. I loved that book so much, and if for some reason you haven't read it yet...please pick it up. 

When I heard of this book I knew it would be good. It was, easily, my most anticipated book of the year. And it lived up to every hope I held in my heart. So I want to tell you, fresh off the bat, this is a book you need to read. RIGHT NOW. Seriously, go read it. I promise you need this in your life. This book should ideally made some sort of mandatory reading for the subcontinent, for this our collective story. We have all been touched by this and we need to understand the legacy of the Partition, now more than ever. 

2. This book is about the memories and the legacy of Partition. It's easy to think of the Partition as an event that happened so long ago and that it's aftermath is long gone. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even as we are losing the generation affected directly by the Partition, the ripple effect of this tragedy is well and truly alive. The pain, the displacement, the loss of home and the trauma can be seen even now and is felt  in subequent generations and is very much alive in  the hearts of the generations that come after. The people we meet in this book and the countless stories we read show in so many ways, big and small, how the Partition and the loss of people, home and land go on to shape the lives even 75 years later. The second and even third generation is feeling the pull to the homeland and wants to hold on the strands of family history. 

3. My life and the lives of my family weren't particularly touched by the Partition. My paternal grandma, my beloved Thamma and her family is from East Bengal, originally. We are Bangals- people from East Bengal vs. Ghottis- people from West Bengal. 

On both sides of my family we trace our roots back to East Bengal. Rajshahi on my father's side. Rajshahi is a place I know only by name. Yet..funnily when I see a picture from Rajshahi, which for some odd reason I've been seeing a lot on IG lately, I can't help but feel a strange, nebulous connection to it. I look at those pictures a little longer and imagine a life in those parts. A different life to the one we had, a life I am more than grateful for. 

I know a lot of Bangals who feel a very strong connection the Bangladesh, who speak very fondly of the land and it's people. Family members who've never lived on the other side..yet feel drawn to the land of their ancestors. I have aunts and uncles who've traveled to Bangladesh to walk the roads and eat the food and buy the sarees and maybe even make a trip to a village where their grandparents once lived. For most part, these sojounrs to the land of memories and family is a pleasant one. 

Then there is my aunt, my Mami (maternal aunt), whose memories of Home are so much more complicated. My aunt P, was born in East Pakistan in a zamindar family. Her family owned several villages and had only ever lived on their lands. When Partition happened, the family stayed on. Leaving home was not an option. Surely, they, a beloved family would not have to move? So they stayed on. For years life went on. Upheavels happened, riots broke out but leaving was never an option. Till 1971. The world went dark and staying on became impossible. I don't know too many details, my aunt never, ever, ever speaks about those days. 

But I know this- my 14 year old aunt saw her father and older brother killed in front of her eyes. She, her mother and her grandmother, somehow managed to escape to Calcutta. My aunt, my 14 year old aunt carried her grandmother on her back. Her grandmother, this strong matriarch of the family who saw her only son and grandson killed in front of her eyes, didn't want to live, let alone walk all the way to Calcutta. My aunt had to pretty much force her move, resorting to carrying her on her back. They got to Calcutta, to safety but life was never the same again. My aunt's grandmother, went from being the proud mother of a zamindar to living in her daughter-in-law's brother's home. It broke her spirit in ways I can't even imagine. She didn't live for very long after making it to safety. Her will to live was gone. My aunt too was forever changed by this ordeal. And now, so many years later..she still never talks about those hellish days, she barely talks about her erstwhile home, her father or her dada. 

Her pain lives on. The bad, the loss and even the good has all been put in a box and put away. 

This book is full of stories like this. Unimaginable loss and pain. And the legacy of this pain. 

4. I really appreciate how this book looks at the gendered reality of the Partition. And what it meant for the women, who were touched by this horrible time in history. Because let's face it, no matter what the occasion, we women have it harder. The danger is multifold for us. To hear stories of abductions, rape and even the lingering and constant fear of violence was painful and sadly something we can all relate to. The women who lived survived abductions and assault, even ones who were eventually rescued and re-united with their families... the silence and shame they've had to live with...God...there are no words for their pain. And this pain I am sure trickles down to how they raised their daugthers and granddaughters. Another legacy of the partition that lives on. 

5. The thing I love best about this book is the honesty of the writer and the gentleness and kindness with which she treats each story and each person who is baring their most painful memories with her. There is such a respectful gentleness with which she writes about these often horrific memories. It never feels invasive. 

6. I also loved how this book covered every possible side of the Partition. It was equally focussed on stories from Punjab, Bengal and Sindh. We read about Indians and Pakistanis and Bangladeshis in equal measure and almost all sorts of migrations. The representation is very good. 

7. I also found it very, very interesting to read about how certain behaviours, even now, 75 years later are legacies of the Partition. People who lost everything in the Partition tending to hoard things and this habit being passed down through generations, it makes so much sense. An uncle of mine, my pishemoshai (my paternal aunt's husband) lost pretty much everything during the Partition, his family was from Khulna, East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. They not only got displaced during the riots but shortly after moving to India, his whole family perished from cholera. This double trauma shaped who he grew up to be. He almost never ate out, was painfully particular about his food and ate his meals by the clock. And was known in the family as a world-class miser. He was a butt of many jokes and he was, occasionally, a nighmare to live with, but he became this version of himself because of the things he lived through and survived. Habits that were formed in reaction to his trauma and habits that he couldn't shake off. While reading this book and hearing similar stories, I had so much more empathy for my uncle and I wished he was still alive, so I could talk to him about his family. 

8. I honestly cannot recommend this book enough. Not because it has some important stories that deserve to be heard, but because even 75 years later we are still there- there with the hate, the othering and the pain and the anger. Our world, this fragile ecosystem in our subcontinent, is one spark away from unthinkable violence. Even our country finds itself in this dangerous place where hate and bigotry is at an alarming trajctory. WE NEED to understand the very serious consequences of hate and where it can take you. Like I said in the beginning, this book and books in the same vein need to be mandatory. Understand the history, learn the personal histories and do everything in our power to not repeat the same mistakes. 

Rating: 5/5 

Seriously I cannot recommend this book enough. 

It will break your heart, make you ugly cry (I know I did) but it is ultimately a book full of so much heart. 

I loved the 8 days I spent with this book and it's people. Pick this book and read it slowly, let these stories and this history wash over you. Sit with these feelings and like me, maybe say a prayer to those we lost to this tragedy. 

This book was sent to me by the publishers for review, but the thoughts are all my own. 

Monday Moods: A Very Floral Haul- Book Sleeves, Pouches, Bookmarks from Sangrah

 Hello, hello,

Hope your week is off to a great start! 

Sharing a recent very floral haul of all kinds of bookish and stationery-ish items from Sangrah Collective! They are an organization that empowers underprivileged housewives by making handmade fabric products. 

You can check them out here on their Instagram! 

These items are from their floral collection and are so pretty and well-made! 

To start with here is a pouch (big enough to hold pens, pencils and even a few stationery items like washi tapes, glue runners etc.) and one of their book sleeves! 

Three fabric bookmarks- squishy but not chunky. Very cute. They have a multitude of fabric options available, so check them out to pick what you like. 

These are the two pouches we got. Like I said, big enough to hold pens, pencils, highlighters. Also, wide enough to hold washi tapes and other supplies. My sister uses hers to keep her stickers and some washi samples. I have been using mine as a pencil case. 

In the same floral family- a bookmark, pouch and a large book sleeve.

The large book sleeve fit 1-2 paperbacks comfortably. Maybe a thin hardcover book. They do offer sizes, so check them out for more. 

The smaller sized book sleeves can easily fit your Kindle (with room to spare) and even a smaller sized paperback. Again, plenty of prints to choose from! 

Overall, the products are really well-made and the fabrics are so soft!!! All the items are so squishy! 

Sangrah supports a very good cause of helping underprivileged women be self-reliant and so, if you are in the market for some bookish goodies or even some travel-related goodies, then do consider supporting them. 

Have a great week ahead, peeps! 

Book Review: Rohzin by Rahman Abbas.

 

Book: Rohzin 

Author: Rahman Abbas 

Translator: Sabika Abbas Naqvi 

Publisher: Penguin India 

Pages: 256

How Long it Took Me To Read: 5 days 

Plot Summary: Mumbai was almost submerged on the fatal noon of 26 July 2005, when the merciless downpour and cloudburst had spread utter darkness and horror in the heart of the city. River Mithi was inundated, and the sea was furious. At this hour of torturous gloom, Rohzin begins declaring in the first line that it was the last day in the life of two lovers, Asrar and Hina.

The novel's protagonist, Asrar, comes to Mumbai, and through his eyes the author describes the hitherto-unknown aspects of Mumbai, unseen colours and unseen secrets of the city's underbelly.

The love story of Asar and Hina begins abruptly and ends tragically. It is love at first sight which takes place in the premises of Haji Ali Dargah.

The arc of the novel studies various aspects of human emotions, especially love, longing and sexuality as sublime expressions. The emotions are examined, so is love as well as the absence of it, through a gamut of characters and their interrelated lives: Asrar's relationship with his teacher, Ms Jamila, a prostitute named Shanti and, later, with Hina; Hina's classmate Vidhi's relations with her lover and others; Hina's father Yusuf's love for Aymal; Vanu's indulgence in prostitutes.

Rohzin dwells on the plane of an imagination that takes readers on a unique journey across the city of Mumbai, a highly intriguing character in its own right.

Things I Liked: 

1. This book, it's very premise, appealed to me from the get go. To be honest, as a life-long Mumbai person, any book or film for that matter, that's set in my city has my interest. I am always curious to see my city and read about in a new light. Especially, in a book like this where the city becomes so much more than just a backdrop to the action. A book where the city is front and center and part of the narrative. 

2. Mumbai- there is the city that I know and inhabit. And one that I occasionally see in spurts and glimpses. A drive through a different part of the city or a wandering around a part of the city on special occasions and experiencing something different from my usual normal. To me this book was just that, a step inside a world that's new to me. Very far removed from my view and experience of a city I know so well. So I can only imagine what it must feel like for someone who's not from Mumbai. Because you often get to see just this one side of the metropolis in films and books. The other, very real side, is often clean forgotten. So, for me reading about this side of Mumbai was very interesting and enjoyable. 

3. I remember 26/7/05 very clearly. Anyone who was in Mumbai on that day will remember it in stark detail. My family and I were driving down from Pune to Mumbai, after spending a week with my aunt her daughters. The whole drive down was insane, it was raining the whole way and on the Expressway the visibility was close to zero. Thankfully, my father, who's been driving since he was 10 and in the hills of North Bengal, was well equipped to drive through the deluge. We drove through water-logged streets and a city that was shutting down rapidly. We got home just in time and took long naps to sleep off the weird rain-soaked drive. When we woke up and saw the News, it was a horror show. My city was drowning. 

Over the next few days we'd hear heartbreaking stories of loss and strife. Of nature's ire and how a cloudburst had nearly wiped us away. It was horrible. And over the years more stories have emerged. But I had never read a book, where that cataclysmic event forms the climax to a story. So, this natural calamity, that hellish day from long ago, being a pivotal point in a story was something I was drawn to and I think it's something that's done very well here. It builds this dread in the pit of your stomach as you are reading this story. You know what's coming and you can't stop hurtling towards it. 

4.  What I liked best about this book was that it was difficult to really categorize it. You know how there are books that you can neatly categorize and put in neat little genres? This is romance. This is a thriller. A horror novel. This book...not so much. Sure it has a romance at the heart of it. But it's also about an immigrant to this giant city. It's a coming-of-age novel. A story about heartwarming friendships.  A novel about family, desire and lust and love. There is also myth and mythology and a touch of magical realism. It's rich and layered and hard to put in a box. 

5. I really enjoyed the writing and the translation felt like it captured the essence of the story. I also really appreciated how desire and love and sexuality are dealt with in this book. I liked the tone and the way in which the author about these things without making them seem tawdry. 

6. It's odd reading about a character who you know it about to die soon. It's a peculiar situation, getting to know them and getting to like them and knowing all along about their impending death. This aspect of this book was unique and occasionally painful. Especially, since we know this young, very much in love couple are going to die and all of their dreams and hopes and all that life that still had to live will be lost in the rain. I tried to occasionally not think of it and just focus on the page in front of me...but like any good love story, this looming tragedy made it so much more poignant. 

7. Asrar~ I really like him. He's not perfect, he's so human and that's what makes him so real and wonderful. I really liked getting to know him and spending time with him and I absolutely loved seeing my city through his eyes. His thoughts and musings and his past and his dealings with the people he meets and knows and loves were all wonderful and he really does leap out from the pages and feels like someone you know. 

Hina~ she shows up a little late in the book and something about her and her whole family story just surprised me. I don't want to spoil things for you, but this storyline had me very, very surprised just by the paths it took the story to. 

I really like Hina. She reminded me of girls from college. She could easily be a friend from college. We don't get to know her as well as Asrar but her world too comes alive in these pages. 

8. This book is full of characters, big and small, insignificant and significant. So people inhabit these pages and each of them, no matter how fleeting are fleshed out so well and infused so much humanity and heart. So many of them have full and very engaging back stories that I really enjoyed getting lost in.  

Rating: 4/5 

This book was very kindly sent to me for review by the publishers, but the thoughts and opinions are all my own. 

Friday Favourites: A New Set of OTT Series Recommendations

 Hello, hello! 

It is Friday (the 13th, at that) and I hope you are winding down your week and looking forward to the weekend! 

If you are planning on spending this hot, hot weekend at home, then we have some OTT series and movie recommendations for you! Let's get into it, shall we? 

1. Jhund 

A fantastic, heartwarming and inspiring movie about retired sports teacher, Vijay Barse's, journey to create Slum Soccer, an NGO that holds national-level football tournaments for slum-dwelling youth! 

Directed by the acclaimed director of Sairat and with realistic, moving, lovely performances, Jhund is an absolute must-watch! Jhund is streaming on Zee5. 

2. Anantham (Tamil) 

Anantham is a Tamil anthology series that tells the stories of various, different, families that have lived in the same art deco-style house in Chennai from the mid-1960s to present day. Covering different situations, challenges, emotions and struggles, Anantham has something that resonates with everyone. 

Anantham is streaming on Zee5 and is available with English subtitles. 

3. The Baby

The Baby is a horror-comedy series which follows the misadventures of a single, baby-hating woman when a baby, quite literally, lands on her lap. 

Part-laugh riot, part really spooky, The Baby is really fun and is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.  

4. Our Father 

Imagine you want to get IVF- an expensive, invasive, challenging treatment- to have a baby. Or imagine you are a single mother, who wants to have a baby using donor sperm. You have this baby and decades later, the child finds out that their father is actually... the doctor! The very same fertility specialist that women and families trusted used his own sperm to impregnate over 90 women! Yup, 90! 90 that we know of! 

This documentary speaks to some of the offspring, their parents, this guy's associates to show why what he did was so, so wrong! 

Our Father is streaming on Netflix! 

5. 7 Lives of Lea 

When 18 year old, Lea, is about to overdose, she stumbles upon a skeleton. A skeleton that has remained buried for over 30 years. The next morning she wakes up to find herself in the body of Ismael, the victim! And thus, over a period of 7 days, split between the summer of 1991 and 2021, begins Lea's quest of finding out who killed Ismael and how and if she can stop it. 

A really nicely done, gripping show! 

7 Lives of Lea is a French show and streaming on Netflix. 

These are the shows that we are planning on watching this weekend! 

1. Home Shanti Home 

Seems like a cute family caper of a middle-class family as they try to build their dream home. Very Khosla Ka Ghosla vibes! Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar! 

7. Mahabharat Murders 

Based on Arnab Ray's eponymous book, Mahabharata Murders, tells the story of serial killer, who thinks he is the reincarnation of Duryodhan and goes about committing a string of murders in Kolkata. 

Book Review can be read here. Obviously, we are excited to watch this show to see how it is different from the book! Mahabharata Murders is streaming on Hoichoi. 

8. The Lincoln Lawyer (Series) 

Another show that we might end up sampling is the Netflix series version of the critically acclaimed movie- The Lincoln Lawyer. 

In this series, a murder case is the focus and we do like ourselves a good old murder mystery and courtroom drama! 

Have a great weekend, y'all! 

Monday Moods: Haul from Craft's Bite- Pouches + Sling Bag + Notebook.

 Hello Loves! 

This Monday let's share some Small Shop Love. I came across Craft's Bite on IG a few weeks ago and really liked their prints and the many things they make. They have website and I browsed and bought a few things to try and I am happy to report I really love everything we got from them. 

Let's jump in and see all the pretty things I got. 

If you know us, you know we love pouches and we use them for a bunch of reasons. To keep our pens and pencils and art supplies organised and to even keep our handbags organised. 

So when we see a cute pouch, we can't resist it. 

:) 

This mint floral number is so stunning and my sister intends to use it as a make-up pouch for her handbag. 

Love this print. 

I got this simple pen slip to hold two pens at best and I wanted something like this to keep a few pens handy when I am journaling or planning. Love the colours on this one and the shop actually sent me two pens too! 

How sweet! 

We also got one notebook. 

Look how unique this is. 

Love the mix of prints and textures. 

Just too pretty to pass up. 

I got one sling bag. Love the red blockprint and this little dangly creature is too cute. 

This is a perfect sized bag to run some errands. Plus this was so reasonably priced I couldn't pass it up. 

Another slim-ish pouch in yellow florals. 

I love all things yellow and floral prints make me so happy and this one was love at first sight. 

I have a thing for elephants. And elephant print things just make me so happy. 

These pouches came in a combo and I mean how cute!! 

Love the colours of these guys too. 

I also really like how every pouch comes with a little creature attached to the zipper. 

So cute. And adds so much quirk to the things. 

A happy little stack. 

I will definitely be going back for more. 

Go check them out, they have a ton of stuff, everything from home decor to jewellery and of course lots of pouches. 

:)