Rosana Mary Jain

Well-written, gripping and magical. Even though it has built a world of its own, it is perfectly in tandem with the real world. The constant battle between good and evil and who is right or wrong is perfectly captured through the black and white striped tents that the 'Night Circus' goes by. Such well-drawn characterization makes it all the more difficult to establish the lines that separate right and wrong, once more adding a layer to the classic good and evil strife. Loved the tale, love the characters. Despite the fact that it doesn't tick the plot-driven category, it still is a book that is hard to put down!

"Pandemic has warped our sense of time and space. When days drag and months fly" These were the lines from a review I found of the book "The Blind Matriarch" , that piqued my interest. Through this latest book by Namitha Gokhale, she has proved once again her skill in crafting and narrating stories hooking the readers to the book, that come for the sheer desire of blending into that fictional world that she creates closely knitted with reality, melded with accurate real life events. It offers an alternate history of the pandemic in India that forced people to throng back into their houses for months in confinement. A complete isolation from the outside world in company of family, induced people to explore their inner-selves and their relations. The story that Gokhale has weaved around a joint family in the context of the pandemic, portrays beautifully, family dynamics and old age, all while exploring weightier themes such as love, passion and sacrifice, along with insight into anxieties and depression that the locking down has caused. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to gain perspective or process the time spent in lockdown which seems to have whooshed past, unaffecting our lives, when actually the impact of which is rather profound.

The book "Kafka On The Shore" by Haruki Murakami, is indeed a gripping tale which makes it hard to put the book down. This is partly because of the style in which it is written and partly it is the sheer despair that drive one to make sense of the bizarre symbols and events, hoping the final pages would come bearing revelations or at least sensible explanations. As of the former I was extremely pleased, the written language makes you feel tumbling down a complex dream that we all have from time to time, but when it comes to the latter I was rather disappointed as my questions were not meted out by inadequate answers and Murakami himself has opined on his official page that "he isn't a fan of symbolism either" which leaves me to the question what the raining of fish and leeches meant! And why Nakata, why Kafka, why Miss Saeki, why Oshima ...and Johnny Walker and Colonel Sanders? But if one were to adopt the Freudian angle to perceive the deeper meanings of the books, it is better to limit oneself to the concept of dreams being messages from the unconscious because the further analysis could result overwhelming and exhausting. Kafka in the book is undertaking a journey that every human takes but the tours and detours he takes in the physical world are ones our Self embarks upon. The simultaneously- occurring intricate storylines and bizarre symbols and dastard prophecies coalesce to serve a gripping book rich in deeper meanings, hidden deep between the lines, carrying secrets of life and the self, just like a dream!

I recommend Circe by Madeline Miller to anyone who wishes to plunge into the tales of Greek Mythology. It will introduce you to the story of gods and goddesses, wars and warriors. Just like her former novel "The Song of Achilles" it is a modern retelling of an age old story, and it introduces the characters as if for the first time, making it easier for total beginners. Unlike her first novel, that was equally good, I felt Circe had a more gripping hold, that would make it impossible to put the books down. The story as told by Circe, a goddess and witch, offered views of laws and prophecies, exiles and verdicts, from a female gaze. Rather than depicting heroes and gods of the past flawless, Miller has made sure to limn the various characters with their flaws and mistakes, that lends the whole tale a tincture of reality. I loved every chapter and page of the book and the language employed in it, that traversed me through a world reigned by Gods and Heroes, teeming with love and passion, just as much as corruption, betrayal and arrogance.

"1984" by George Orwell is a dystopian novel set in 1984 that was written in the year 1948, predicting a bleak future under the rule of a Party governed by "Big Brother", that enjoyed unfettered control over the people of Oceania, their language and even their past and future. The story revolves around a worker named Winston Smith and his realizations about the monstrosity of the Party and their flagrant laws and practices. One can sense the irony permeating the entire novel, as the story develops giving hope of a rebellion, foreshadowing a collective revelation resulting in revolution against the totalitarian govt, that finally ends in Winston, a staunch hater of the party, falling in love with the same and Big Brother. The prescient nature of the book is truly remarkable, as we can see glimpses of it becoming reality in the years to follow and even today. It educates the people about the importance of language in encouraging free thinking that is necessary for the well being of the society. It also shed light on facts like people constantly engaging in fights for power that are not meant to relinquish it for the betterment of people but rather for the sole purpose of savouring power as a selfish goal. The book could be both a warning to prepare its readers to the possibility of a dystopian future as well as an eye opener that helps readers understand how democracy and freedom of speech and thought are truly blessings, that if lost are surely worth fighting for.

Truly a modern classic! It caters the readers a different experience from the norm as it lays emphasis on elements that often act secondary to the story. One could not disagree to the fact that it is brilliant as the characterization and the ending is all very intricate, leaving no loose ends untied. The characters in the story have no reputation of neither being likable nor relatable. They shed light into the darker areas of human mind and its impulses, and as the story develops, the decision that they make, sound sensible enough and give us the erroneous impression that their solutions are the only way out of an intricate maze. The emphasis it lays on the description of nature and its palpable changes to the different seasons, are quite appealing and sensuous, serving the audience with a wholesome experience. The novel cannot be categorized as a "whodunnit" as the murder and the murderers are exposed in the Prologue itself. The book is a justification for the cold blooded murder executed on the pretext that it was the only escape they have, when actually it opens the doors to a new set of problems that are even more horrific. I should say, I was quite impressed by the way the author managed to get into our psyche and expose our innermost and darkest of human impulses, whether we agree to it or not!

One of the best books I read in 2021. Even through the simple language that it uses, it beautifully conveys the emotions and passion of the various characters. The story written in first person, from the perspective of Patroclus, takes you back to the times of Trojan war and before. It precisely carves out important figures in Greek mythology, for even a beginner who doesn't know much about the same. I loved the book and I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to get started with Greek Mythology!

"The Broken Wings" by Kahlil Gibran, set in 20th century Beirut chronicles the tragic story of 2 lovers who shared a spiritual bonding that [SPOILER ALERT] couldn't unite them in marriage. The pages are filled with poetic and trenchant language, just like any other work of Gibran. The lyrical quality of the lines just adds up to the trans like effect that the reader is placed in. How every description of place and character is inextricably melded to nature, heightens the intensity of the sensual imagery. While poetry is to be dived in to find the best possible meanings and secrets, Gibran's writing style caters to the reader, all the depth that it aims to convey, almost leaving nothing for interpretation. Despite the romanticized concepts of spiritual love and bonding, he doesn't fail to address the stereotypes of gender roles and themes of religion.