Tuesday 31 August 2021

Women in Translation: 25 Books by Women Writers You've Got to Read. (Books from India and Elsewhere.)

 



Hello Loves! 

August is Women in Translation month and a time to read and talk about the incredible stories that exist in languages other than English. 

There is such a treasure trove of stories and characters written in various languages (regional languages in India and many international languages) and I am so so so grateful for the work translators do to make these stories accessible to all of us. 

I've been meaning to compile this list all month long, but it's taken me forever to sit down and get this written. 

I will split this post in two parts, 

Part I is All Indian Books. 

Part II is Books from All Around the World. 

So let's get Started. 

First here are some Indian Women Writers you need to/ have to/ got to Read. 


INDIAN WOMEN IN TRANSLATION: BOOKS TO READ

1. Matchbox Stories by Ashapurna Devi (translated from Bengali)

2. The Kept Woman and Other Stories by Kamala Das (translated from Malayalam) 

3. Lifting the Veil by Ismat Chughtai (translated from Urdu)

4. In the Name of his Mother by Mahashweta Devi (translated from Bengali) 

5. A Plate of White Marble by Bani Basu (translated from Bengali) 

6. A Night with a Black Spider by Ambai (translated from Tamil)

7. Pinjar by Amrita Pritam (translated from Punjabi)

8. The Liberation of Sita by Volga (translated from Telugu)

9. Poison of Love K.R. Meera (translated from Malayalam)

10. A Day in the Life of Mangal Taram by Anita Agnihotri (translated from Bengali) 


These are all literary fiction and cover a wide variety of topics. All of these are just great books and, in my opinion, mandatory reading! :)  



Now let's move to the rest of the world. 

WOMEN IN TRANSLATION: INTERNATIONAL SELECTIONS. 

1. Persepolis Vol I and II by Marjane Satrapi (set in Iran, translated from French)

2. Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi (set in Iran, translated from French)

3. House of Spirits by Isabel Allende (translated from Spanish)

4. Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi (translated from Omani) 

5. The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa (translated from Japanese)

6. Breasts and Eggs by Meiko Kawakami (translated from Japanese)

7. The Vegetarian by Han Kang (translated from Korean)

8. Kim Jiyong Born in 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo (translated from Korean)

9. The Legacy by Yrsa Sigurdardottir (translated from Icelandic) 

10. Lullaby by Leila Slimani (translated from French)

11. Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (translated from Dutch)

12. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (translated from Swedish)

13. Heidi by Johanna Sypri (translated from German) 

14. Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Al-sanea (translated from Arabic)

15. Confessions by Kanae Minato (translated from Japanese)


While most of the books under the international selection are literary fiction, there are also some graphic novels (the books by Marjane Satrapi), a crime thriller (Yrsa Sigurdardottir) and some classics (Heidi, Pippi Longstocking). 

Hope you give these great books a try! 


Monday 30 August 2021

Book Review: Dirty Women by Madhumita Bhattacharya.

 


Book: Dirty Women 

Author: Madhumita Bhattacharya 

Publisher: Role Books 

Pages: 324 

How Long it Took Me To Read: 2 days 

Plot Summary: When four-year-old Tara disappears from her own home in Calcutta one night in 2002, the ensuing media circus zeroes in on the private life of Drishti Sengupta, a singer of note and a single, unapologetic mother. Far less attention is paid to the investigation into the incident, which occurred in an upmarket neighbourhood, in a secure apartment complex. The police seem to have no real clue as to what happened – is it a real crime or fake? Is it a kidnapping or murder?

Told in two timelines – one in 2002, and one a contemporary ‘true crime’ book-within-the-book written by Ahana, a young journalist who is thrust into the heart of this case, Dirty Women is also the story of two tragedies: that of a missing child, and that of a city that joins hands to bring down a woman who wishes to live life on her own terms. Hope wears thin as everyone obsesses over who Tara’s father is, and police make no effort to even try to find her, concentrating on a rotating cast of suspects – culminating with Drishti herself.

General Thoughts: I don't even know how this book got on my radar. I think I saw someone on IG talk about it and it's plot sounded like something I wouldn't enjoy and I pretty much got it immediately. I am glad I did because I really enjoyed this book. 


Things I Liked: 

1. First and foremost I enjoyed the writing and the tone and voice this book is told in. Sometimes it felt like a true crime book and at others it felt like you were reading about women's place in society and for most part it felt like a thriller. I like all of these things individually and even better together. So every aspect of this narrative appealed to me. 

2. The book is almost a sort of character study of our leading lady, the woman in the eye of a storm- Drishti. She is a rebel. A one-of-a-kind woman, who wants to live her life on her terms. She has a child out of wedlock and raises her on her own and never discloses the name of the father of her child. She is single, independent and successful and this really irks the society in which she lives. Calcutta in 1998 (when she has the baby) and 2002 ( when the child goes missing) was not ready for or accepting of a woman like Drishti. I wonder if any city in India is, even now?! So, Drishti's gumption and her quiet resilience really comes across. She is content living her life and raising her daughter and excelling at her career and not really giving two hoots about society and those who hate her. I really liked Drishti. I liked how sorted she was in her own head. How clear she was about what she wanted in life. She was just a woman who wanted to live her dreams, whether it's pursuing music as a career or having a child without getting married. Choices she was often judged for. I found her relatable and realistic. Even in the aftermath of losing her child and her actions following the night Tara goes missing seemed very real and like you would expect someone in her position to do. She wasn't perfect but she came across as a real person and not like a character at all. 

3. The other main character is Ahana, our investigator if you will. Ahana is a young journalist tasked with covering this sensational News. She sort of knows Drishti, they live in the same building and run in the same circles, so she has an insiders view of this debacle. I liked Ahana. I found her so earnest and sincere and a perfect example of a woman in her early to mid-twenties. She is confused about where her life is going, is often bullied by her parents, her career isn't taken too seriously and she is being pushed to find seedier elements to Tara's abduction and Drishti's life and I love how her struggle with this aspect of her job was brought to life in this book. Ahana stays, largely, true to herself and her ethics as far as keeping her focus on the search for Tara. I also liked how Ahana investigates the case. She doesn't go out of her way or does outrageous things, instead, she takes some of the clues that the police had discarded to figure out who could've been behind Tara's kidnapping. Really liked how realistically her investigation was shown. 

4. The narrative structure of the book moves back and forth between the events of 2002- Tara's disappearance and the events that followed- and events from 1993, 1997 and 1998 where we learn more about Drishti and her baby daddy. Drishti and Tara's father's interactions almost feel like a love story- how they met, their paths intersecting over the years, their relationship and why they couldn't be together. Drishti's unwillingness to name Tara's father also makes a lot of sense when his identity is, finally, revealed! 

5. This book is not a typical thriller in so many ways, but it is pretty unputdownable! The book is pacy and the focus shifts between the investigation and Drishti's life and the pettiness of the residents of her building. The typical bhadralok middle-class mindset of late 1990s Calcutta is very well captured in the book. As was the music scene, ethos and culture of the city in that era. Very real and relatable to those of us who were in the city back in the day. 


Rating: 4.5/ 5 


Saturday 28 August 2021

Book Review: We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz

 


Book: We Were Never Here 

Author: Andrea Bartz 

Pages: 306 

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~3 hours

Plot Summary: On holiday in Chile with her best friend Kristen, Emily is having the time of her life.


Until one night, she finds their hotel suite covered in blood.

Kristen claims a backpacker attacked her. She shouted, but no-one heard. She struggled, but he was too strong.

She had no option but to kill him.

With no evidence of the assault, Emily must help her hide the body. . .

Back home, Emily tries to forget what happened, but a surprise visit from Kristen forces her to confront the events of that night.

As the walls close in, Emily asks herself: can her closest friend be trusted?


Things I Liked: 

1. Complicated friendships- male or female- always make for interesting stories. Add to it, a friend, who is a bit of a liar.. a gaslighter.. not who she seems to be... and that makes for a very interesting premise. 

2. The depiction of the power dynamics between Emily and Kristen is nicely written and interesting. Kristen's attempt to gaslight and manipulate Emily are nicely depicted; they make you want to shake Emily and tell her to see her best friend for who she is. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. Oh boy! Where do I start?! This book got so much hype on Bookstagram because it was picked up by Reese Witherspoon's Book Club and it got a ton of positive reviews from so many book reviewers! So, obviously add that to an interesting premise and it promised to be a really great book. Alas, that was not the case! The book was so disappointing! The worst thing about this book was that it was so predictable! From very early on when Emily thinks about the early days of her friendship with Kristen, it becomes very obvious that Kristen is a controlling, possessive freak. From then on, it is not difficult to figure out what was really going on in the book!

*SPOILER ALERT* STOP HERE IF YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK! 

2. When Kristen gets attacked in Chile, it is glaringly obvious and that she is faking it. Emily knows and sees it yet she blindly goes along with Kristen's plan to dispose the body. It is glaringly obvious to the reader that Kristen is lying. The author makes no effort to couch that. So, why should we keep on reading a book where it becomes obvious that Kristen is a total sociopath!

3. Also, it is revealed pretty early on in the book that Kristen's parents died in a house fire when she was 12 years old. Ding, ding, ding. Sociopath in the house! It does not help that the author makes it so freaking easy to figure out what this book's trajectory is going to be like! Come on! At least stick to the genre tropes where sometimes the reader has to wonder if Emily is the evil one and not Kristen! Create some reasonable doubt etc.! 

4. The ending is bizarre and long drawn and is just not needed! The whole book is a drag once we realise that Kristen is a sociopath and a liar! May as well rewatch Single White Female or one of the many movies about possessive, sociopathic friends! 

Rating: 2/5
Do not waste your money on this book. Do not buy into hype! 

Friday 27 August 2021

Book Review: 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

 


Book: 56 Days

Author: Catherine Ryan Howard 

Pages: 432

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~4 hours 

Plot Summary: 

56 DAYS AGO

Ciara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin and start dating the same week COVID-19 reaches Irish shores.

35 DAYS AGO
When lockdown threatens to keep them apart, Oliver suggests they move in together. Ciara sees a unique opportunity for a relationship to flourish without the scrutiny of family and friends. Oliver sees a chance to hide who - and what - he really is. 

TODAY
Detectives arrive at Oliver's apartment to discover a decomposing body inside. 

Can they determine what really happened, or has lockdown created an opportunity for someone to commit the perfect crime?

Things I Liked: 

1. The premise of this book was very interesting. A couple that meets just before the pandemic and starts dating. When the Lockdown gets announced in Ireland, they decide to move in together and one of them ends up dead. Nice, right? And totally believable, right? After all, between baking banana bread and sourdough and making Dalgona Coffee, it is very possible to really get sick of the people one's been sharing a house with and end up murdering them, right?! 

2. The build-up to Ciara and Oliver actually moving in is really nicely done! As we get to know Ciara and Oliver, the author cleverly lays out a brilliant and barely noticeable trail of breadcrumbs about both our protagonists. There are small moments in these chapters when you furrow your brow and wonder why this is being said about this character... does this make sense? The exposition, if you will, of this book is as good as any that I've read in a crime fiction novel. 

3. The book is also very atmospheric. We feel the emptiness of Dublin in the days leading to the Lockdown and fully becoming quiet during it. We feel the doubts Oliver and Ciara have for each other. We feel the cooped-up-ness of the residents of The Crossing- the apartment where Ciara and Oliver lived- as they stand in balconies and try to get a bit of the good summer weather. The quietness of the city and the isolation of the people comes alive really well in this book. 

4. The mystery unravels very slowly and when you think that you have figured everything out, there is a new little twist. Loved that about this book! (Don't want to give too much away about the mystery because that's the whole heart of this book.) 

5. The book is well written and fast-paced. Never a dull moment and no superfluous information. Always a good thing to have in a murder mystery. 

Things I Didn't Like: Nothing much really. 

Rating: 4/5 
This is a good mystery book to pick up! Highly recommend! 

Monday 23 August 2021

Book Review: Shyam- Our Little Krishna by Devdutt Pattanaik

 


Book: Shyam- Our Little Krishna 

Author: Devdutt Pattanaik 

Publisher: Puffin 


This is such a great little book for not only kids but also adults! It was beautiful little stories from Krishna's childhood. Plus, it has beautiful art and has the option to colour said art as well. A total win-win! 

Look at some of the pages! 



Yashoda Maa dressing up little Kanha in flowers. Love the note of gender positivity in this anecdote, where Yasodha Maa and Kanha didn't care about dressing Kanha in gender conforming styles! 




Krishna's role in the Mahabharata is one of my personal favourite parts of the great epic! Stories about how Krishna divided his support between the Kauravas and Pandavas, his sage counsel to Arjun in the form of the Bhagavad Gita and many big and small miracles performed by him are some of the highlights of the Mahabharata. 



The stories about Kanha's relationship with the Gopis are the stuff of legend and their friendship has been explained so beautifully in this book! 


This is a great little book to teach your child a little something about Krishna. A quick snapshot of his life and his miracles, if you will. 

Also, the art is simply stunning! Plus, you or your child can also colour in the artwork provided in the page opposite the story. For me, this is the perfect little book! Stories plus art! 

Highly recommend this for kids 5 and above. Yes, even for the grown-up kids :) 


Thank-you Penguin India for sending this book across. I really enjoyed it. 

Views are all my own. 


Sunday 22 August 2021

Book Review: China Room by Sunjeev Sahota


 

Book: China Room 

Author: Sunjeev Sahota 

Pages: 256

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~2.5 hours 

Plot Summary: Mehar, a young bride in rural 1929 Punjab, is trying to discover the identity of her new husband. She and her sisters-in-law, married to three brothers in a single ceremony, spend their days at work in the family's china room, sequestered from contact with the men. When Mehar develops a theory as to which of them is hers, a passion is ignited that will put more than one life at risk. 

Spiralling around Mehar's story is that of a young man who in 1999 travels from England to the now-deserted farm, its china room locked and barred. In enforced flight from the traumas of his adolescence - his experiences of addiction, racism, and estrangement from the culture of his birth - he spends a summer in painful contemplation and recovery, finally gathering the strength to return home.

Things I Liked: 

1. A historical literary fiction set in rural Punjab seemed really interesting to me because the only stories I've read about India in 1920s have been through an urban, educated and upper class lens via the writings of several Bengali authors. The only fiction based in rural India pre-Independence have been more agrarian in nature vs. social or familial. So, the premise of this book seemed very interesting to me because of the promise of a glimpse into this unknown (to me) society, culture and time in India's history. The author has said in interviews that this is a story inspired from events that occurred in his own family. Fascinating, right? 

2. Mehar's story is truly heartbreaking. It also evoked a lot of claustrophobia and anger in me. Imagine being married off at 15 to a man you don't know- in many, many ways. Mehar's husband is not only an unknown entity to her, but is also, quite literally, unknown. You see, thanks to the purdah system, women were veiled right upto their navels! They were not permitted to look up or make eye contact with any older person, especially, men, even if the man in question was her husband! So, Mehar doesn't have a clue what her husband looks like. To add to her difficulties, in rural Punjab, husbands and wives didn't cohabit. The wives were given a little room to the side of the house where they were sequestered. There was one tiny little room where a couple could spend a some time with each other. This room was unlit and the act of making love was perfunctory with almost little to no touching. It is, therefore, not at all shocking that through a series of guesswork, Mehar assumes the wrong brother to be her husband. The brother, who also, has been secretly watching her and wanting her. The events that follow from this forbidden attraction have some very devastating consequences. 

3. The book raises some important questions about the role and place of women in our society. Whether it is 1929 or 1999- when the second story of this book is based in- women are always judged basis their interactions with men. If she talks to a man, who is not her brother, father or husband, she is "characterless" and a harlot. Nothing much has changed for women over the centuries in this country. 

4. I also liked the journey of our unnamed teenaged narrator from 1999. He is sent to India as a rehab of sorts and ends up staying in the abandoned rural property where Mehar lived after her marriage in 1929. It is here that he formed unlikely friendships with a doctor in her 30s and a teacher in his 40s. This friendship and the simple act of cleaning and painting the old house brought him back to life. He also delves into the racism and racist violence that shaped his childhood in England and how it drove him to drugs. The sweet relationship he had with his parents- owners of a small shop- and the distance created between them by his drug use were really moving. 

5. The book is beautifully written and the stories of Mehar and our unnamed teenager are moving and make you think about life, society, rules, intolerance etc. The book stays with you long after you finish it. 

Rating: 4/5 
 

Sunday 15 August 2021

75 Indian Book Recommendations. (Indian Books You Need to Read.)

Happy Independence Day Loves. 

75 Years of Freedom.

A freedom that took blood, sweat and tears to achieve. 

This year and every year I can only wish we always value the sacrifice that went into building this country and that we always uphold the values and ideals that this country of ours was built on. 

:) 

My way to honour this day is to make a megaaaa list of book recommendations of 75 Indian Books that I love best and think everyone ought to read. 

This list is also a great place to start if you've always wanted to read Indian writing but didn't know where to start. 

This list is a mix of writing in English and translated works. 

A mix of literary fiction, historical fiction, romance, thrillers, and classics and contemporary fiction. 

I think there is something here for everyone. 

I hope you enjoy it and I hope it helps. 

So let's just jump into it..oh and this is in no particular order. 

 


75 INDIAN BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: 


1.  The Adventures of Feluda Vol I and II  by Satyajit Ray 

2. Chokherbali A Grain of Sand by Rabindranath Tagore 

3. The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh 

4. The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru 

5. The Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri 

6. Sister of my Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni 

7. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth 

8. Riot by Shashi Tharoor 

9. Matchbox and Other Stories by Ashapurna Devi 

10. Pinjar- Amrita Pritam 

11. Raavi Paar and Other Stories by Gulzar 

12. Belonging by Umi Sinha 

13. The Room on the Roof by Ruskin Bond 

14. Getting Granny's Glasses by " 

15. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy 

16. A Fine Balance by Rohington Mistry 

17. Binding Vine by Shashi Deshpande 

18. Jorasanko and Daughters of Jorasanko by Aruna Chakravarti

19. Inheritors by Aruna Chakravarti 

20. The All Bengali Crime Detectives by Suparna Chatterjee

21. Those Days & First Light by Sunil Gangopadhyay 

22. Difficult Daughters by Manju Kapur 

23. Lifting the Veil and Other Stories by Ismat Chughtai 

24. The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar 

25. Love and Longing in Bombay by Vikram Chandra 

26. The Lost Flamingoes of Bombay by Siddhant Dhanvant Sanghvi 

27. Byomkesh Bakshi Stories by Saradindu Bandhopadhyay 

28. Undertow by Jahnavi Barua 

29. Remnants of a Separation by Aanchal Malhotra 

30. The House with a Thousand Stories by Aruni Kashyap 

31. The Adivasi Wont's Dance by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar 

32. A Burning by Megha Majumdar 

33. Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Annaparna 

34. Good Talk by Mira Jacob 

35. The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga 

36. Jaya by Devdutt Pattnaik 

37. Night of Happiness by Tabish Khair 

38. Leila by Prayaag Akbar 

39. Those Pricey Thakur Girls by Anuja Chauhan 

40. Here Falls the Shadows by Bhaskar Chattopadhyay 

41. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie 

42. 1/7 Bondel Road by Gautam Benegal 

43. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri 

44. Arranged Marriage by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni 

45. What Really Happened by Banaphool 

46. The Taj Trilogy by Indu Sundaresan 

47. Our Trees Still Grows in Dehra by Ruskin Bond 

48. Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya 

49. Saraswati Park by Anjali Joseph 

50. Book of Rachel by Esther David 

51. Bitterfruit Stories by Manto 

52. Milk Teeth by Amrita Mahale 

53. Bombay Balchao by Jane Borges 

54. Clear Light of Day by Anita Desai 

55. The Widows of Malabar Hills by Sujata Massey 

56. The Inscrutable Americans by Anurag Mathur 

57. Poonachi by Perumal Murugan 

58. Indigo Stories by Satyajit Ray 

59. Parineeta by Saratchandra 

60. Left from the Nameless Shop by Aditi Rao 

61. Mrs. C Remembers by Himanjali Shankar 

62. No Presents Please by Jayant Kaikini 

63. The Wreck by Rabindranath Tagore 

64. The Lives of Others by Neel Mukherjee 

65. Red Earth and Pouring Rain by Vikram Chandra 

66. Ladies Couple by Anita Nair 

67. Bhaunri by Anukrti Upadhyay 

68. Dark Circles by Udayan Mukherjee 

69. The Adventures of Goopy Gayne and Bagha Byne by Upendra Kishore Ray Chowdhury 

70. Prelude to a Riot by Annie Zaidi 

71. The Sari Shop by Rupa Bawa 

72. Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandhopadhyay 

73. Night with A Black Spider by Ambai 

74. Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbag 

75. My Kind of Girl by Buddhadeva Bose 


~~~


And done! 

I have tried to be keep this list as varied as I can and not repeated too many books from the same authors and included books from years ago and also some recent-ish books. 

I hope this list helps and let me know how many books your's read from this list. 


Saturday 14 August 2021

Book Review: Dying Day by Vaseem Khan

 


Book: Dying Day 

Author: Vaseem Khan 

Pages: 437

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~4.5 hours 

Plot Summary: A priceless manuscript. A missing scholar. A trail of riddles.

For over a century, one of the world's great treasures, a six-hundred-year-old copy of Dante's The Divine Comedy, has been safely housed at Bombay's Asiatic Society. But when it vanishes, together with the man charged with its care, British scholar and war hero, John Healy, the case lands on Inspector Persis Wadia's desk. 

Uncovering a series of complex riddles written in verse, Persis - together with English forensic scientist Archie Blackfinch - is soon on the trail. But then they discover the first body.  

As the death toll mounts it becomes evident that someone else is also pursuing this priceless artefact and will stop at nothing to possess it . . .

Harking back to an era of darkness, this second thriller in the Malabar House series pits Persis, once again, against her peers, a changing India, and an evil of limitless intent. 


Things I Liked:

1. This book had a great premise! A noted scholar working closely with the Royal Asiatic Society of India goes missing. Along with him is also missing one of the few early copies of Dante's The Divine Comedy, a manuscript that is much demand- as a priceless artefact and as the national property of Italy, who are keen to have it back. The case is handed to the team at Malabar House and is given to Persis. What starts off as a theft and a missing persons case takes a turn when riddles and puzzles are found hinting at the hiding place of the manuscript and along with it more dead bodies! Nice, right? 

2. The book is very fast paced and between the missing persons' investigation, a dead body showing up, which seems unrelated to the missing manuscript and the clues left behind by Haley, there is a lot going on in this book and in a good way! 

3. The riddles left behind by Haley are interesting and at just the right level of difficulty that even you and I can take a stab at them! The resources used by Persis to solve these riddles also seem believable and are the kind of people that can be found in any city's academic circles even today, I guess. The unravelling of each clue and the next place it leads to happens at a decent clip as well! 

4. The motive for the missing scholar and why he is leaving all these clues is interesting and fairly unexpected. It is a nice little mystery and rooted in recent world history of the 1940s. *wink wink* 

Things I Didn't Like: Nothing much. Some historical inaccuracies persist, but I am willing to look past them for the sake of the narrative. 

Rating: 4/5 

Friday 13 August 2021

Book Review: Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan.

 



Book: Midnight at Malabar House

Author: Vaseem Khan 

Pages: 336

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: 4 hours 

Plot Summary: Bombay, New Year's Eve, 1949


As India celebrates the arrival of a momentous new decade, Inspector Persis Wadia stands vigil in the basement of Malabar House, home to the city's most unwanted unit of police officers. Six months after joining the force she remains India's first female police detective, mistrusted, sidelined and now consigned to the midnight shift.
And so, when the phone rings to report the murder of prominent English diplomat Sir James Herriot, the country's most sensational case falls into her lap.

As 1950 dawns and India prepares to become the world's largest republic, Persis, accompanied by Scotland Yard criminalist Archie Blackfinch, finds herself investigating a case that is becoming more political by the second. Navigating a country and society in turmoil, Persis, smart, stubborn and untested in the crucible of male hostility that surrounds her, must find a way to solve the murder - whatever the cost.

Things I Liked: 

1. The premise of the book is really interesting. A book set in 1950 in an Indian at the verge of becoming a Republic. The story of India's first (fictional) woman police officer and a murder mystery to boot! What is not to like?! 

2. The female protagonist of this book- Persis Wadia- is very likeable. She is bright, good at her job, hyper-focused on proving herself and is angry at being sidelined and under-estimated by her peers and the brass. She is a bit prickly, a bit awkward and not very good at all things "feminine". Her determination to solve Sir James' murder and the lengths she is willing to go to find the truth is very nicely depicted. 

3. The supporting cast of characters in this book are also varied and nicely written. Persis' colleagues- her boss- Roshan and his team- Fernandes, Haq, Birla and Oberoi are difficult but not all are misogynistic. Oberoi is entitled and misogynistic but Birla is supportive and is rooting for Persis. The politics of the police force is, as expected, quite frustrating and awful and Persis tries her best to rise above it. 

4. The actual mystery and motive behind Sir James' murder is quite interesting and the plot has enough red herrings to keep the reader's interest going. Don't want to spoil it for any of you because you should read this book! 

5. The book is well-paced and taut with very little superfluous chapters or details. Always a good thing in a murder mystery! 


Things I Didn't Like: 

1. This is a historical crime fiction book in which Bombay is as big of a character as anyone else. The author talks a lot about how Bombay is changing post-Independence with the influx of people from rural India moving to the city in search of livelihood etc. However, the author gets a lot of 1950s Bombay wrong. For instance, he puts several characters' homes in Cuffe Parade. A posh part of town that didn't exist until the mid-1960s (at the earliest!) because in 1950 all that area was under the sea :) This is not a very difficult piece of information to cull out as it is there on Wikipedia (of all the places!)! Similarly, a lot of the food available in Bombay's eateries in 1950 were just not a part of the city's foodscape until much later- iced tea, momos, for instance! :) Anyway, these are small pet peeves from someone who is from  Bombay and loves Bombay and has been a student of history. It doesn't take away from the core murder mystery or investigative process of the book. 

Rating: 4/5 

If you enjoy historical fiction and murder mystery with a plucky female protagonist out to prove herself, then do read this book. You'll enjoy it! 

Thursday 12 August 2021

Haul: Plant Bookmarks from Painted Petunias.

Hello Loves! 

I feel like being at home for over a year has made all of us into Plant Ladies. I know so many people have turned to plants and caring for plants for comfort and a sense of belonging. 

Plant Lady is the new Cat Lady!

And that is not a bad thing at all. 

I don't know if I have a green thumb or not, but I do come from a long time plant loving souls. 

My Mother loves her plants. 

As does Baba, who is a natural with plants. A happy perk of growing up on a farm. 

I do like plants. 

But I LOVE flowers. 

Someday, when I live in a house with a balcony again, I can't wait to have a thriving plant family. 

For now I get my plant fix from my parent's plant babies. 

And some plant art. 

:) 

Like these bookmarks! 

 

These beauties from Painted Petunias were love at first sight. 

I love her art and this was our second purchase from her. 

Sonali makes some beautiful art and I am glad I own some of her creations. 

We previously bought some minimal floral bookmarks and this time we got these and two more (will share them soon). 

Love her work and her aesthetic. 

Highly recommend. 


So pretty! 

Got them them to pose with our real plants. 




These bookmarks are perfect for you and your plant loving friends. 


Wednesday 11 August 2021

Book Review: A Plate of White Marble by Bani Basu.

 


Book: A Plate of White Marble 

Author: Bani Basu 

Translator: Nandini Guha 

Pages: 328 

Publisher: Niyogi Books 

Plot Summary: First published in 1990 in the original Bengali, a plate of white marble tells the tale of the ‘new woman’ of the post-Independence an era that just witnessed the independence of a nation bandana, the protagonist, though grieves over her husband early death, never conforms to the social connotation and ideals of ‘widowhood’, thanks to her uncle. She dares to begin her life afresh in every possible sense. But naturally, the road proves to be full of thorns as she gradually faces bitterness from many quarters of the society. The only thing she clings to is her son, but once that anchor too is lost, she leaves behind the safe concrete walls of what she used to consider ‘home’, only to work for a far greater cause—she joins a children’s home to work for those who need her the most. This first translation brings this significant Bengali novel with important social concerns to a wider audience.

Things I Liked: 

1. I knew of this book, this story for ages. I think I heard of the film back in the 90s and knew that it was a pathos filled tale. My family never wanted to see the film because it was too tragic. So I didn't either. But in April, the publishers- Niyogi Books, were very kindly giving out free ebooks and I got it and finally read it this month. The plot had me deeply interested and I finally understood why my family didn't want to watch it all those years ago. Widowhood is something we've seen up close and how crushing and cruel it can be. Especially Bengali widowhood with it's endless rules and fasting is something we know of because my grandmother was a widow and followed every single rule. 

2. This story really got under my skin. Really did. Because it's so relatable and so real. This sort of thing happens all the time. Whether in 1955 (where this book is set) or even now, if you think about it not much has changed for women in our country. A widow is still treated like a burden or inauspicious. Like her own fate is entirely her own doing or fault. This aspect of Indian Widowhood is captured perfectly well in this book. 

3. I really liked Bandana. She felt like someone I knew. Cultured, educated and lost and overwhelmed with life. Life throws her a curveball and her reaction to it seemed so painfully real. Her confusion, her rage and her sheer helplessly was palpable. It was done so well and perhaps the best part of the book for me. 

4. I love the motley characters in this book. The good, the great and the truly petty and mean spirited ones. All of them seemed like people that we see around us. The evil mother-in-law who turns cold and cruel overnight, the helpless aunt who wants to do better but can't, a greedy father-in-law who doesn't shy away from cheating his own daughter-in-law and grandson. These people are perfectly written and crafted. I especially loved Bandana's uncle, her Kaka is a wonderful man, open-minded and is such a support to his niece. The world needs more people like him. I also really liked Bandana's sister-in-law Koli, who was brave and supportive and is Bandana's cheerleader throughout her life. 

5. The book does a  fantastic job of capturing the time and the ethos of the time. 1955 comes alive in this book. The oppressive social conditions, the double standards and how women had to always had to live by society's standards. Not just at home, Bandana faces judgement and jibes even in the outside world. 

6. I love how we see Bandana through the years, we see her a a new bride and a young widow, a young mother, a working woman and an older independent woman. Her life journey is incredible and it feels like we were right next to her and walking along side with her. Her's is an incredible life, lived with dignity and with so much strength. 

7. This is such an important book about such an important issue that we sadly still grapple with. It is so important to learn and understand how women lived and survived in our country. There are many Bandanas in our world and we need to hear their stories and know their struggles. 

8. I really enjoyed the writing too. The translation was nicely done too. I am so glad I read it. Even if it broke my heart. 

Rating: 4/5 

I also finally watched the 1992 film adaptation and it was OK. I honestly expected better considering it stars Aparna Sen but it was a tad too dramatic and hammy for my liking. 

It's streaming on Jio Cinema and Amazon Prime. 

It's worth a watch. It is true to text for most part but they changed a few things here and there. 





Tuesday 10 August 2021

Book Review: Vanara by Anand Neelakantan.

 


Book: Vanara 

Author: Anand Neelakantan 

Publisher: Penguin India

Pages: 320 

How Long it Took Me To Read: 3 days 

Plot Summary: Baali and Sugreeva of the Vana Nara tribe were orphan brothers who were born in abject poverty and grew up as slaves like most of their fellow tribesmen. They were often mocked as the vanaras, the monkey men. Sandwiched between the never-ending war between the Deva tribes in the north and the Asura tribes in the south, the Vana Naras seemed to have lost all hope. But Baali was determined not to die a slave. Aided by his beloved brother, Sugreeva, Baali built a country for his people. The capital city, Kishkindha, became a beacon of hope for emancipated slaves from across the world. It was a city of the people, by the people, for the people, where there was no discrimination based on caste, creed, language or the colour of skin. For a brief period in history, it seemed as if mankind had found its ideal hero in Baali. But then fate intervened through the beautiful Tara, the daughter of a tribal physician. Loved by Baali and lusted after by Sugreeva, Tara became the cause of a fraternal war that would change history for ever.

The love triangle between Baali, Tara and Sugreeva is arguably the world's first. Written by Anand Neelakantan who gave a voice to Ravana in Asura, Duryodhana in the Ajaya series and Sivagami in the Baahubali series, Vanara is a classic tale of love, lust and betrayal. Shakespearean in its tragic depth and epic in its sweep, Vanara gives voice to the greatest warrior in the Ramayana-Baali.

Things I Liked: 

1. I love all things Mythology. It's one of my favourite things in the world to read and learn about. The Mahabharata is hands down my favourite amongst the Indian epics. So I have read a lot more from it's extensive world. The Ramayana for multiple reasons doesn't quite appeal to me. But with time I am beginning to seek out more stories from it's world. I have read a few adaptations of The Ramayana in the past. My favourite among them are Sita's Ramayana by Samhita Arni and The Liberation of Sita by Volga.  This book was another step in diving into the tales from The Ramayana. 

2. This particular slice of mythology, the tale of Baali, Sugreeva and Tara is one I knew very little about. Actually, next to nothing about. I only knew the basic outline of their arc. So this book, to me felt like a brand new story. I went in pretty blind and learn a fair about their story and struggles. 

3. These characters- especially our three main protagonists are so well-crafted and become so much more than figures in mythology. They seem like real people, with flaws, doubts and worries and complexities. It's very nicely done. 

4. I like we are presented with an alternative take on a tale as old as time. We see the other side, another explanation and maybe a different side and version of events we hold as sacrosanct. Every event, every story has two sides and we need to hear both these interpretations.  

5. This book covers pretty much the whole lifespan of these Vanara brothers and I think the author did a good job of covering so much and giving the reading a whole view of their lives and that of several of the supportive characters. I also liked that the story starts off in Sage Gautama's ashram and we meet Ahalya and Indra and see a new spin on this slice of mythology too. 

6. I also appreciated and found it interesting that we see the villains in another light. We see them as people, not these monsters and we see their lives in a new light. Who are  the victors? And does being victorious make them necessarily right? Are we seeing the whole story? Every possibly angle? Who determined right and wrong? I love books that offer a new insight and make you pause and think. 

Things I Didn't Like: 

1. The writing was decent for most part but not brilliant. I found a lot of things very, vert repetitive and the book would have benefitted from some sharper editing. 

2. I did find my interest waning at the halfway point. I wish the narrative would have picked up the pace and kept things crisp. I enjoyed the first half so much more than the second half of the book. 

Rating: 3/5 

Monday Moods: Dreaming of the Hills.

Hello Loves! 

Would give anything to go somewhere beautiful and fun. 

The hills. 

The Tea Gardens. 

 



Oh to be surrounded by flowers again! 


Blue skies. 

The mountains. 

Trees. 



A mouthful of sky and feeling calm. 

I would love nothing more than an old fashioned picnic. 

Like the ones from our childhood and storybooks? 

Yummy food, games and laughs! 


These flowers make me so happy. 

I am beginning to feel a little bit stir crazy and would honestly give anything for things to be better and hit the road and find myself in a new place. 

Once I get the second dose of my vaccine, I am hoping to run off to Darjeeling for a few days. 

I cannot wait to be back. 

Walk and people watch at the Mall. 

Shop for curios. 

Watch the fog rolling. 

Feel cozy and happy being bundled up. 

I hope it happens soon because I am *this* close to losing my mind. 



Sunday 8 August 2021

Stationery Sunday: Bookmarks from Glee Art.

Hello Loves! 

Time for another Stationery Sunday and another set of beautiful bookmarks to share with you guys. 

I bought these beautiful bookmarks from Srinanda of Glee Art as part of her Covid Fundraiser. 

We got these unique painted bookmarks to support a good cause and get something lovely. 

The Starry Nights one especially had our hearts. 



 

Love the loose watercolour effects in this bookmark. Something very dreamy about it! 



This Hobbit House is so cute!!! Such a dreamy little picture. 



Starry Night but in monochrome with a touch of gold. So lovely! 



Aren't these bookmarks so lovely?! 

We feel so fortunate to be able to support artists like Srinanda who donated all the proceeds from the sale of these bookmarks to charities working to help families impacted by the pandemic. 

Hope you have a great week ahead! 


Saturday 7 August 2021

Book Review: Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena

 


Book: Not a Happy Family 

Author: Shari Lapena 

Pages: 320 

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: 3 hours 

Plot Summary: In the quiet, wealthy enclave of Brecken Hill, an older couple is brutally murdered hours after a tense Easter dinner with their three adult children. Who, of course, are devastated.


Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of them is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did someone snap after that dreadful evening? Or did another person appear later that night with the worst of intentions? That must be what happened. After all, if one of the family were capable of something as gruesome as this, you'd know.

Wouldn't you?

Things I Liked: 

1. The premise of this book is quite interesting. A dysfunctional family, an Easter dinner fraught with tension and three grown-up children, who don't quite like their parents. Then these not-much-liked parents are found brutally murdered and the children are the obvious suspects because they stand to inherit a truckload of money. Nice, right? There is just something about dysfunctional families. We've all known some amount of dysfunction in our own families and so, at some level, we can all relate to some aspects of familial dysfunction and the weight of parental expectations or in some horrible cases to emotional neglect, manipulation or abuse. 

2. The characters in this book are all despicable. As they are meant to be, I suppose! The parents- Fred and Sheila- one is controlling and manipulative and the other is passive- more than willing to watch her husband heap abuse on her kids. The three kids- Catherine- the favourite daughter- a doctor- who wants her parents' house, Dan- the only son, who Fred thinks is not good enough and Jenna- the family rebel, who is still living off her parents' allowance, but wants more. The kids are all entitled and so awfully, transparently greedy! Fred's younger sister- Audrey- is equally greedy and spiteful, though she redeemed herself to me in the end! So, please don't go into this book expecting any characters you can connect with because you are not supposed to connect with any of the main players at all! 

3. The book is taut with tension. Each chapter reveals some new information about each of the three kids, which makes you wonder which of them is the killer! The book's pace is nice and crisp and there is no dilly-dallying or meandering at all- always a good quality for a crime thriller to have! 

4. The book is open-ended-ish. As in, we do know who killed Fred and Sheila and why and how, but we are left wondering if this person would get caught or not! So, it is not as awful as having an open-ended narrative where you don't know who the killer actually is. 

Things I Didn't Like: Nothing much at all, but it would've been gratifying to watch the smug killer get caught because this person is really vile! :) However, like I said, it was not a bad way to end the book. 

Rating: 4/5 

Friday 6 August 2021

Book Review: The Lost Girls by Jessica Chiarella

 


Book: The Lost Girls 

Author: Jessica Chiarella 

Pages: 336

Read on: Kindle 

Read in: ~4 hours 

Plot Summary: When her true-crime podcast becomes an overnight sensation, a young woman is pulled into the web of a case that may offer a surprising connection to her own sister's disappearance years earlier.

It's been more than twenty years since Marti Reese's sister, Maggie, disappeared. Only eight-years-old at the time, Marti can't remember what happened, just that Maggie got into a car and never returned. After years of grief and countless false leads, Marti is coping as best she can: abandoning her marriage, drinking to forget, and documenting her never-ending search via a true-crime podcast. But when the podcast becomes an unexpected hit and Marti thinks she's finally ready to put it all behind her, a mysterious woman calls with new information that could lead her down a dangerous path. 

For years, Ava Vreeland has been fighting to overturn her brother's murder conviction. After finding strange similarities between the two cases, Ava is certain there's a connection between the murder and Maggie's disappearance, one that could prove her brother's innocence. Together, Marti and Ava embark on a quest for the truth, but the more Marti digs, the more she's shaken by the answers she might find, and what it is she's even searching for.

Things I Liked: 

1. The premise of this book is quite interesting. A 20-year-old cold case of a girl gone missing. A murder case from 5 years ago. Both with some kind of a nebulous connection. And a podcast! Seemed like just the kind of book I'd enjoy! 

2. The connection between Maggie's disappearance and the murder of a young woman for which Ava's brother is in prison is nicely built up. The investigation undertaken by Marti and her podcast producer/ best friend is also interesting and throws up some decent leads. 

3. There is a nice twist towards the end, which you may or may not see coming. Always a nice thing when a book has those. 

Things I Didn't Like:

1. The book spends way too much time on Marti and her alcohol dependence and her inability to move on with her life since her sister went missing. Marti's descent into chaos and upending her own life just because a Jane Doe that could've been her sister is a bit much and, honestly, all the chapters focused on Marti's self-destruction and her failed marriage and her difficult relationship with her mother are just annoying. There is way too many of these and I was really tempted to skip past them!

2. The big mystery of this book is Maggie's disappearance and (I don't even care if I am spoiling this for you) by the end of the book we are no close to finding out what happened to Maggie apart from some vague hint that she might still be alive and out there! Listen guys, this is an expensive ebook in India- around Rs. 840 or so- and I am doing you a solid here. If you were planning to pick up this book because it is about a cold case and you think the podcast and the new leads are going to solve this cold case (like we did!), then don't buy this book, okay?! It is just not worth it!

3. The twist I talked about up there in the 'likes' section. It is weird and the whole book's journey is made to feel quite pointless because of it. There is no sense of justice prevailing and some people who don't deserve to get away with crap have gotten away with it! Not very gratifying! 

Rating: 1.5 / 5
Save your money! Don't buy this book!