Jayanti Pandey

#MagpieMurders #AnthonyHorowitz A murder mystery in the classic Agatha Christie genre (much homage payed by Horowitz to the grand dame) it was enthralling and refreshing to read Magpie Murders. This is a pure mystery ; not a ‘thriller’ : there’s a difference between the two though we are all guilty of using both nouns synonymously. The setting is so wonderfully English ( after all, the countryside has to feature, right?) and the language, impeccable. The writing style is quiet, it’s cerebral. To add to the book’s charm, there are three murders which become part of the story; and there is another novel within this novel! The story’s author dies, mirrored suspiciously in the plot he has written about. A mystery within a mystery! Susan is the editor of the bestselling author, Alan Conway whose detective Atticus Pund, is loved worldwide. Editing Conway’s manuscript of The Magpie Murders, Susan is stumped when she finds the manuscript incomplete. The last chapters are missing. The following day Conway dies (or is he killed?). So while Pund, in the manuscript, is investigating two murders in the English village, Susan has to start her own search for the missing chapters (to find the identity of the murderer as thought by Conway) , and, find the truth behind Conway’s death. There couldn’t have been a better whodunnit! And the book within a book device couldn’t have been better illustrated. Adding to the punch is the murder within a murder! You find you are the reader, you find you are also the detective! My only discomfort: the length of book. It can drag a little somewhere in the middle; but the frequent red herrings and twists keep you on your toes; you have to wait right till the end to know the ‘reveals’. And hey, you also get to meet the grandson of Dame Agatha Christie as part of the book. “You read and you read and you feel the pages slipping through your fingers until suddenly there are fewer in your right hand than there are in your left hand and you want to slow down but you still hurtle on towards a conclusion you can hardly bear to discover”. Have I convinced you to pick this one up? The sequel to Magpie Murders is Moonflower Murders. I’m on it next. You joining me? #andsoiread #goldenageofmysteries

Under The Light of The Italian Moon by Jennifer Anton #newrelease ( Publication Date: March 8, 2021) ‘About the pressures of war and the resilience of women’. “The strength of the world is in its women; the power of the world is in its women. Yet it is the women we erase”. It was back to my beloved Italy and to the setting of World War II in this new novel by Jennifer Anton: Under the Light of the Italian Moon. Based on Italy under Mussolini and Fascism, with Nazis overrunning Europe, and recording the author’s families’ experiences, the book traces the life of a simple family over two decades in the small village of Fonzaso ( in north east Italy). Anton paints their portraits: struggles, shortcomings, failures, pressures: over two foci: different types of love in the family and the strength of the women. 🇮🇹 Adelasia Argenta affectionately called The Captain : the midwife bringing new life into the world. 🇮🇹 Nina ( Ninetta) loyal (and torn) between her love for her mother, her children, her husband. Their integrity and fight for a woman’s right to decide whether to have a family as opposed to Mussolini’s ‘cow breeding’ program. Love brings people together; it also divides. The male protagonists leave for America in search of a better world. Do they come back? Do they come back the same people as they left? Do their families stay together or drift apart? The moon is ever present in the book as it is in the Italian lives: important for the cycle of crop planting; as also for the cycle of births. It stands for passion. It stands for love. It makes lovers feel closer when they are apart. Pietro and Nina: straddling lives in the US coal mines and a nondescript Italian village respectively: work to keep their love and marriage alive. Inspite of years of not seeing each other, inspite of the hardships each faces in a bid to look after their children. This is a commendable debut effort by Anton to reclaim stories of her Italian grandmother and great grandmothers. Read it for 🌟women empowering women 🌟for real life stories 🌟for the love of Italy 🌟for the love of historical fiction 🌟 for family bonds 🌟 for tales of survival

#Kitchen #BananaYoshimoto Translated by Megan Backus “Those who in life don’t know despair at least once and don’t understand what things are really worth; become an adult without knowing what joy really is”. Banana Yoshimoto (Kitchen) How Japanese is this novel! Quiet strength Solitude Loneliness Loss A delicate writing style Lyrical prose Eccentric characters The absence of a plotline State of animated suspension Dreamy sensation Eye for detail Mouth watering recipes ( I really wanted to somehow get to the Katsudon ; the aromas through the prose were killing!) Kitchen is a short read in two sections; Kitchen and Full Moon. Highlights: A kitchen loving girl finding warmth and haven in her kitchen while dealing with the loss of her grandmother. Her unique friendship with a reserved man who is kind at heart. A female father; a man who became a woman to take care of his son because he loved his family so much. This character has been phenomenally etched; and given that the story was written in the 80s, very forward looking. Story 2: Moonlight Shadows: short, deals again with loss, with a touch of magic realism. I found it a tad abrupt and the closure not very convincing. Each, a string in a melody, each lonely and digging a hole to hide sadness, pain and fear. That suffering, loneliness, fear, fragility hit home. It felt very much my own. Isn’t that what we are coping with? Fear. That’s the one emotion I’m unable to deal with in 2021. The stories come juxtaposed with love, kindness, hope. That’s sometimes all we need to get through: hope. That’s what I’m clinging on to. To take me to the other side. And when I can’t fight it any more I retreat into my kitchen! “ The place I like best in this world is the kitchen. No matter where it is, no matter what kind, if it’s a kitchen, if it’s a place they make food, it’s fine with me”. Food brings solace and brings people together.

3.5 ⭐️ Synopsis: Even the strongest of families aren’t immune to malice, betrayal, and deceit. Supportive, loving, and affluent, the Pierson family is delighted to celebrate the marriage of their middle son Paul with Pamela. Everyone rejoices that Paul has finally recovered from the tragic loss of his beloved first wife and looks forward to Paul and Pamela’s new life together. But just as family members are celebrating his happiness, they start noticing that his beautiful bride may not be what she seems. As the strain between siblings and spouses worsens, the Piersons discover that neither their money nor their considerable influence can keep the family safe from one woman’s malicious intent. When the true nature of this family member is revealed, each of the Piersons is confronted with the quandary of human conduct and moral responsibility. My thoughts: The read took a while in settling down but once it did, it flowed effortlessly. I enjoyed it for two reasons specifically: The author created such an evil character in Pamela and yet it was totally realistic. Such people do exist and just when you think they can’t harm you any further, there’s another twist! The second was the backdrop of a family which cares for each other inspite of circumstances. It’s rare to find a close-knit family which still does family lunches and celebrations; and always ready to hold the other. This is a thriller no doubt but with a very strong emotional quotient. There are not many edge of the seat moments but the tension is maintained throughout. The book could have benefitted from being crisper and shorter. The end, though a complete surprise, didn’t quite fit in. After all the buildup, it seemed a very rushed resolution. One that happened a bit too easily in the circumstance. This book is based on true events and perhaps that is how events occurred. Read this book for an engaging writing style, an interesting domestic thriller and a for the family which stands together. Thank you @bookpublicityservices for sending me an e-copy of the book for review.

A story on love, life and food, #ThoseDeliciousLetters by #SandeepaMukherjeeDatta makes you laugh, makes you feel light and charms you through and through . Shubha, apart from going through a midlife crisis, turning forty, begins to receive letters from Didan (grandmother). Each letter represents a change in mood, a new season, and carries with it novel flavours. Her grandmothers are not alive. Shubha wonders who the letters are meant for. Much as she tries to find the rightful recipient, she draws a blank; and while reading the letters, forms an association with the Didan who evokes nostalgia of Kolkata, of Bengali cuisine, of festivals and of times of yore. Sitting miles away across the ocean, these monthly letters (timed with the change of the Hindu months) help Shubha, sitting in the US, to rediscover her self, her family and her life. The beauty of the book is in its simplicity. My favorite phrase, #directdilse, is apt for the way the author writes. She becomes your friend through the portrayal of Shush. You walk alongside as Shubha potters (amongst pans 🙂) in her kitchen, you stand alongside as Shubha gets experimental in a salon; you applaud from the sidelines as Shubha learns to find her feet and her self confidence; you give her company inflight when she makes the journey to Kolkata in search of Didan and hold your breath as secrets are revealed. I personally loved the idea of using month names as chapter titles. Each month of the Hindu calendar has a particularity: it could herald a change of season or a particular climate occurrence or a festival: all of which are linked to food and cuisine. The author mixes spices and condiments with emotions and visuals: the resultant melange is ‘aromatic ambrosia’ you close your eyes and succumb to the sensory experience. In addition, you may find yourself noting down the detailed recipes, searching for ingredients in your kitchen and, humming Rabindra Sangeet or playing a soulful Baul on YouTube, trying your hand at recreating Didan’s recipes. And why not? We all need love, laughter and food, right? Thank you @bongmom_cookbook for this delectable slice of life. #andsoiread #bookreview

#bookreview A pick of the Reese Book Club left me desirous of reading The Henna Artist, a debut novel by Alka Joshi. I’m wary of books set in the Indian milieu as they tend to cater to a foreign audience and not always are satisfactory to an Indian reader. The Henna Artist proved me wrong; and happily so. The book is written keeping a Western audience in mind, hence the end notes, glossary of Indian terms, a brief on henna and recipes of the dishes mentioned in the book. However, nowhere does it reek Bollywood or focus on the exotic Orient or try to sell stark poverty. The book is honest and that speaks volumes of the maturity of the author. The read does not glamourise or dramatise. It speaks. With a refreshing candidness of the protagonist Lakshmi who finds her way to the city of Jaipur of the 1950s escaping an abusive marriage. It is the story of a woman who fights to make her own self, who is proud to be her self, and who does not undermine or undersell herself. She is knowledgeable, sensitive, philosophical, ambitious but knows that her boundaries and expertise are of making the most exquisite henna designs: on wrists, hands and legs for a function, on palms for a celebration, around the navel to tantalise the lover, on other parts of the female figure to ensnare, bewitch and captivate. It is this art, for Lakshmi is an artist not just a professional, which gives her a standing in society, where she is much sought after by the British and the Indian well-to-do’s. Lakshmi gets help along the way: from the businessman Sameerbhai; and from the devoted Malik; but not once does she stoop to conquer. Lakshmi’s fast settling down world is shattered by the appearance of her sister, Radha, a thirteen year old: the existence of whom Lakshmi wasn’t even aware of. The story then moves parallely to chart the sisters getting to know and accept each other; of Lakshmi becoming mother to prevent a naive Radha ; of Radha turning rebellious and believing that Lakshmi is trying to thwart and control her. The end with the hint of romance, leaves the reader wanting for more; but nowhere does the pathos of the book flounder. The author subtly weaves insights on class, caste, Indian diaspora, gender inequality, a woman’s fight to have a right to choose; but nowhere do these critiques overpower. They intersperse deftly providing the human perspective. The writing style is pleasant as it does not gloss or provide miraculous solutions. The women (and the men) are not flawless. They make mistakes and suffer the consequences; yet they hold their own. Alka Joshi dedicates this book to her mother and says she wrote it for her. Read The Henna Artist for that reason alone; if not for the many others I could list. Recommended: YES.

#TheDressMakersGift #FionaValpy Another WW2 story found its way to me. This one being set in the heart of Paris made me dream of the time I can visit la belle ville again. Three seamstresses are part of the Resistance doing their bit to help a country under German occupation. They serve as passeuse or help give safe passage to soldiers or keep people in their atelier which doubles up as a safe houses Years later, the granddaughter of one of the three returns to where it all happened, to piece her grandmother’s story and, in the process, find herself and understand her own mother more closely. The book draws you into the life, work, struggle and courage of these three young friends as they go through the most harrowing period of their lives: not giving up, there for each other. Following two timelines, 1940s and 2017, author @fionavalpy takes you through all the emotions a historical fiction read based on WW2 can evoke. The sections on the Paris of the 1940s and its characters - Claire, Vivienne, Mireille - are more grounded than the ones on present day Paris and its protagonist, Harriett. Is it the war which brings out the resilience and inner strength? The descriptions of Paris add to the charm of the read. Walking down Pont Neuf, disembarking at Gare de Lyon, sitting on benches by the Seine on Ile de la Cite, taking in the grandeur of the Notre Dame and looking over the spires of St Germain des Pres, who wouldn’t get transported? Add to it couture and that it forms a large base of the storyline, and you are in the heart of Paris. A unique perspective of this book is the author studying the effect war trauma has on future generations. Does one inherit trauma genes? Are they passed on from mother to child? A quick read, those who enjoyed The Nightingale and The Tattooist of Auschwitz will like this book. It underlines sisterhood, friendship and hope and don’t we all feel good about that? #andsoiread

I was abandoned by my mother, uncared for by my father, married off when I was 13 to a man 14 years my senior, bore my first child when I was 14. I am Baby Haldar and this is my story. I do not know how to write. I only know I have a story to tell. In my kind of life violence is an almost routine affair. I was determined to escape from an abusive situation and protect my children. My childhood was very brief. The frock was exchanged for a sari and I grew up. It took me a long while to leave my husband, but finally I did. Left Durgapur for Delhi, frightened, but determined to give my children a life better than mine. It is in Delhi, and then on to Gurgaon, where I met with my mentor , Tatus ( Polish for father). I worked for him as a domestic help. He noticed my love for books and handed me over a paper and pencil and asked me to write. I knew nothing but I wrote. And once I did, he reminded me to treat it like Anne Frank’s diary and to never forget that God had put me on this earth to write. I am Baby Haldar and this is my story. ——————————————— ‘A Life Less Ordinary’ is a moving account of Baby Haldar’s life and journey, the story of how one woman escaped a life of hardship and poverty. Translated from the original ‘Aalo Andhari ‘ ( from Darkness to Light) by Urvashi Butalia, this is ‘ a book about reading. It is not a literary book, the writer is someone who almost learns to write as she goes along’. Where does it happen that a domestic help is treated like a human being? As Tatus noticed that Baby paid extra attention to his bookshelves, looking at the books with longing, he encouraged her to read and then to write. She was reminded that Ashapoorna Devi used to write deep into the night after she had finished her household chores and everyone had gone to sleep. A Life Less Ordinary ‘’is not so much about the the meaning of life or the angst of living. It is about living. It is a journey of a woman who leaves her familiar but cruel surroundings not for adventure but in search of an ordinary life. What she ends up with is something quite extraordinary”. A young domestic worker who goes on to make a name for herself as a writer; a story first published in Hindi, and then translated into eight Indian languages and fourteen international languages. This is Baby Haldar and this is her story.

“ So the stupidest thing we did was to trust the adults who said it was OK” (in this case to walk home in a snow blizzard). “The truth is, none of us know what the hell we’re doing, and we’re the grownups now. “ A memoir of the author’s childhood in the 70s and raising her children, Birth and Other Surprises by Kimberly Davis Basso is witty, hilarious, tongue in cheek and no - holds - barred There’s truths in it for all of you : whether you are a parent yet or not. The chapters are brilliantly titled and you can actually dive into the book anywhere and find a takeaway and some chuckles alongside. Sample this: “Having been parents for some time now we are trying to enjoy what we can and minimize the ill-effects of our parenting”. “The ‘I love veggies’ window may only be open very briefly. Take advantage. “ “If you don’t want your kid to act like a movie star, don’t act like a personal assistant.” “ You can raise a child by the book, but you need a different book for each child.” Planning kids Pregnancy Labour Delivery Raising children Schools The read has it all. The life of no car seats vs car seats; playing outside till the streetlights came on vs organised play dates struck a chord. I remember telling my daughter that we grew up with no cell phones, no video games, but still had loads of fun. If you’re a kid of the 70s or even the 80s you’ll find yourself nodding away at quite a few places. If you’re ‘today’s kid’ or a mom - to - be or not-yet-a-mom you might say ‘yikes’ to “what it was” but believe you me, you’ll get great insight into different aspects of parenting. ( Mind you it’s not a ‘how to birth’ or a ‘parenting’ guide but there’s so much to glean from it on both subjects). A great pick me up ( especially in today’s stressful Coronavirus struck scenario) and a great gift for Mother’s Day. “ You have to remember what it is to be a child to raise a child”