2025

2024 has to be my best year so far reading wise.I managed to read 83 books.2025 however is going very slow so far reading wise.Life gets in the way.

I want to come back to this space.

Ive been reading and writing here helps me put all my thoughts in a place where i can come back to them and probably relive that book all over again in a small way.(if its a good book of course :p)

 Most books ive read this year so far have been good.Except for thrillers.I go terribly wrong with thrillers and even the best one i pick leaves me underwhelmed.

Books I’ve read so far month wise

January

1.PIRANESI  by SUSANNA CLARKE 

2.THE GLASS PALACE by AMITAV GHOSH

3.MY FRIENDS by HISHAM MATAR

February

4.The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens

5.Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

6.We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson

April

7.On The Calculation Of Volume 1 by Solvej Balle

8.Three Days In June by Anne Tyler

9.Before I Go To Sleep by S.J.Watson

Loads of books on my TBR but Im presently reading I WHO HAVE NEVER KNOWN MEN by JACQUELINE HARPMAN.I will be back here with my thoughts on it soon.

DARK MATTER

“What might have been and what has been Point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory Down the passage which we did not take Towards the door we never opened. —T. S. Eliot, “Burnt Norton”

JANUARY READING LIST

At last its 2021 after what seems like a decade.Hoping this year brings health and safety to everyone all over the world.Planning to give some semblance of structure to my reading habits.Listing my January reading list here and hoping as usual that reading goes according to plan. 1.MOONFLOWER MURDERS BY ANTHONY HOROWITZ

2.WORLD OF WONDERS BY AIMEE NEZHUKUMATATHIL

3.THE SMALL PLEASURES OF LIFE BY PHILIPPE DELERM

4.MOUSTACHE BY S.HAREESH

I havent been too ambitious and listed more books than I can possibly manage.Hoping to post reviews as I finish reading these.Fingers crossed.

THE GREAT INDIAN TEE AND SNAKES (Short Story)-WINNER OF THE COMMONWEALTH SHORT STORY CONTEST 2020

Set in contemporary small town India, this story speaks about an  unconfessed chemistry between a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy in tension fraught times and how their love gets thwarted even before it has a chance to blossom. In a series of tragic events triggered by the simultaneously occuring socio-political upheaval  in the country, the author has revealed the ugly face of religion, caste, and power dynamics. 

Is there any place for fragile emotions amidst bias and hatred? What is the fate of innocent love in a world where man hates man? With its communal prejudice, intolerance and power politics,this disturbing story holds a mirror to the ever prevalent ugliness in Indian society.

The end packs a punch and raises a pertinent question--In these times of communal   disharmony can "happiness" even  exist? 

 

STARTED SOMETHING NEW

Just something I randomly did. A new blog : AN EQUAL MUSIC

https://anequalmusic2020.blogspot.com/

LOCKDOWN READING.

In the middle of a pandemic like most of the world and my brain is in lockdown mode.

Reading horror stories everyday in the news and being in a constant state of stress and panic isn’t helping.I find myself feeling dejected and anxious.

The present feels dystopian.

 In stressful times books offer me the much needed solace.I will be writing detailed reviews about what I’ve been reading very soon.

These are the few books that Ive read over time but right now there’s just too much to handle and I’m barely getting into reading mode.

But getting back to talking about books,I picked up these few to write about:

A thought provoking ,compelling and emotional read ,a reminder to never bow down to injustice ,ever relevant now as it was then.The unwavering love of a mother for a child she chose to have and raise in the difficult age of apartheid. #Blacklivesmatter .Trevor Noah is brilliant!

Unsettling ,gut wrenching ,powerful ......What a punch packed story this was and a bold statement in the times we live in.

A charming ,light hearted ,fun read.

A collection of horror stories which make you question life ,death and everything in between by the acclaimed writer Ratnakar Matkari who donned multiple hats(director,playwright) and who sadly passed away due to the dreaded virus in May this year.

BOOKS READ SO FAR IN 2020----Just a quick update

NEWCOMER

I can never figure out a Higashino puzzle and thats the one big reason which draws me to his books every single time.The 2nd of course is Kaga,the unassuming detective with the 'razor-sharp mind and bloodhound nature'.
Newcomer is the 2nd book in the Kyoichiro Kaga series to be translated into English(Happens to be the 8th in the Kaga series in Japanese)

Plot:
Kaga the famed detective has been assigned to help his superiors investigate the inexplicable murder of a middle-aged woman who lived alone and seemed to have no enemies.He has been recently transferred to a new precinct in the Nihonbashi area of Tokyo.The last few days of the woman's life is the clue that will lead to the murder.

My Views:
Fans of Higashino already know that the books are mostly about how and why.The motive is very important in each of his books.This book is presented in nine parts.We are taken along in the Nihonbashi neighbourhood lined with charming traditional Japanese stores,shops that specialized in wicker suitcases or shamisen lutes.We go from a clock maker to a rice cracker shop to a small cafe selling Japanese pastries.

There are too many characters but they are very well developed in the short chapters and gain a life of their own.At one point in the book I felt each character could have a motive but I couldn't figure out what it was.A box of cakes,a kitchen knife, a set of chopsticks ...everything seemed like a part of a bigger puzzle.In each business there is a mystery to solve.The chapters are superbly crafted and after having read each part I felt I was one step closer to solving the mystery only to realize how wrong I was in the end. It is like walking through a maze only to find yourself where you started.

However the subplots are important and Kaga notices details and looks into things which others dismiss as irrelevant.Intuitive,eccentric ,compassionate and always with excellent deductive powers he is many steps ahead of everyone and gets to the bottom of the chase with great elan.The only major difference from the rest of the stories is that we feel sympathy for the victim and want her killer arrested.This book was more about how he gets to the end than the end itself.After reading this book I can easily say that Kaga has found himself a place as one of the best fictional detectives of all time.

 So fans of Higashino ,rejoice!He is outstanding as usual and this is a winner all the way.A very enjoyable read.

And yes it is way better than Malice!

I rate it a 4 out of 5.

MALICE

'December'---that time of the year when I begin to introspect.Also a time when I want to read something fast paced and exhilarating in an attempt to bring some order to the chaos.Solving crime has always fascinated me.But I prefer to be an arm chair detective and try and piece together the puzzle on my own.So all I needed this season was a good thriller and a few uninterrupted hours.

So who did I turn to but none other than my go-to author for crime fiction Keigo Higashino. His books never disappoint. Often referred to as the Japanese Stieg Larsson but in my opinion a class apart.

Malice was a long pending read.Finally got around to it and finished reading it over two days.

The Plot:

Acclaimed bestselling novelist Kunihiko Hidaka is found brutally murdered in his home on the night before he's planning to leave Japan and relocate to Vancouver.His body is found in his office,a locked room,within his locked house,by his wife and his best friend,both of whom have rock solid alibis.Or so it seems.

At the crime scene ,Police detective Kyoichiro Kaga recognises Hidaka's best friend,Osamu Nonoguchi. As Kaga investigates,he eventually uncovers evidence that indicates that the two writers' relationship was very different than they claimed ,that they were anything but best friends.The detective and the killer battle over the truth of the past and how events that led to the murder really unfolded.

My Views:

This book is in a league of its own.In my opinion the hall mark of  a good thriller is 1.It should shock your brain in working mode 2.It should make you oblivious to everything and everyone else and Malice does succeed on both counts.I didn't want to stagger the read but I had to break it over two days.However that didn't affect the build up at all.The writing is crisp and streamlined.The characters well etched.Every loose end neatly tied up at the denouement.

The narrative is very compelling as it is split between Nonoguchi's written account of the events and Kaga's case notes.As he is drawn deeper into their world,so is the reader. I wracked my brain to try figure it out.At the beginning I thought I did know where the story was heading but as I read further ,the twists and turns were so unpredictable that I realized how clueless I was when I got to the end.

Kaga the detective is the brain behind solving the case.His mind works very intelligently and he doggedly pursues each lead until he gets to the bottom of it.This story is much more than just a murder mystery.It delves into the dark side of human nature,exposes prejudices,unlocks envy,brings forth the worst of human behaviour and as the title aptly suggests shows us how hate can fester into malice leading to disastrous consequences.

I would suggest reading this book in a single sitting.And highly recommend it to anyone who needs a fast paced,brilliant read.

I rate it a 4 out of 5.

P.S----Detective Kaga makes a reappearance in the latest novel --'Newcomer'out in November this year.Hoping to share my thoughts on it very soon.

HOW TO STOP TIME

My first book this year and aptly titled as well.

This also happens to be the 100th book review on this blog. (*Drumroll* and *Confetti*)

We are always racing against time.Havent we all heard the usual adages innumerable times which just go to prove that time has the power both to comfort and to terrify us.'Time is precious','Time is what we want most but what we use worst', 'Time and tide wait for no man' and  to scare us a bit more-- ,'The trouble is you think you have time'.

So what is it about the ticking clock that is so scary?What if we somehow find a way to freeze the illusory happy moments only to be able to relive that moment every time we wish to.Wouldnt that be great?Or even better still ,what if we stop time altogether.Stop ageing.Would it be a blessing or a curse?

But let me not digress.

The Plot:

'The first rule is that you dont fall in love,' he said.'There are other rules too, but that is the main one.No falling in love.No staying in love.No daydreaming of love.If you stick to this you will just about be okay.'

'You are, of course, allowed to love food and music and champagne and rare sunny afternoons in October.You can love the sight of waterfalls and the smell of old books,but the love of people is off limits.'
'Dont attach yourself to people,and try to feel as little as you possibly can for those you do meet.Because otherwise you will slowly lose your mind...'

These are the rules of  'The Albatross Society',a secretive group which protects people who have a rare condition called Anageria,in which the person stops ageing.

Tom Hazard is one of those people whos been alive for centuries but owing to this rare condition he looks like an ordinary 41-year old.But he isnt at all happy with his life because he is doomed to see everyone he loves age and die.Tragic events in his past refuse to let go of him and he has found people in all eras to be very suspicious and dangerous once they get to know about his condition.So for protection he joins 'The Albatross Society',founded by Hendrich who protects people like him.This society protects its members by moving them to new areas every eight years and providing them with new identities.They also kill anybody who dicovers the truth about them.In exchange the members have to return the favour by doing whatever it is Hendrich asks of them from time to time.

Tom moves to london to become a high school history teacher.But he has just one wish in life,to be ordinary.However a captivating french teacher in school seems fascinated by him and seems to think she's seen him before.This unsettles Tom and he is compelled to re-examine his life and the rules he adheres to.

My views:
Let me begin by saying that there is something about the cover of this book that I found most attractive.I thought it is beautifully designed.

This story took me on a wild adventure travelling through time,from Elizabethan England to jazz-age Paris,from New York to the South Seas.Tom is so proficient in playing so many musical instruments that Shakespeare hires him to play at the original production of 'As you like it 'and over time he meets Charlie Chaplin,sails with Captain Cook,has a drink with Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.All of it was most thrilling to read.

But the important question raised by the book is 'What is it that we live for?'Tom isnt happy and he is haunted my memories of his short lived love affair with Rose ,a london street seller in the 1600s.The only thing which keeps him going is the search for his daughter who has the same condition.The story took me back and forth in time and kept me engaged with the fascinating characters and events.

This book poses many questions while taking us through time.It is contemplative and brooding but very powerful and touching at the same time.It explores love,loss,loneliness and adventure.It also shows us that some things never change.Time can change but sometimes the attitudes of people over centuries dont.I had always thought that it would be wonderful to not be governed by clocks or time,the artificial restraints that humanity imposes on itself.But this does come with its own set of problems.It would be tough to live an unmoored life ,to live with a secret and to change identitites every eight years to protect it.It made me think about life and the choices we make to get through it and how we should never take anything for granted.Haig has nailed it when he writes , --'Thats the thing with time,isnt it?Its not all the same.Some days-some years-some decades-are empty.There is nothing to them.Its just flat water.And then you come across a year,or even a day,or an afternoon.And it is everything.It is the whole thing.' Isnt this exactly the way it really is!?

I hated the manipulative Hendrich,who sets his own rules and has his ulterior motives.People like this exist everywhere and sometimes feed on your weaknesses.I thought it was an apt portrayal.All the characters had very distinct personalities and voices but I was most entranced by Tom .His struggles seemed real.It was difficult to see him torn between the past and the present.It just went to show that sometimes it could take lifetimes to learn how to live.
My only grouse against this book is that the pace slowed down in the middle and the story seemed to drag a bit.

Matt Haigs writing is effortless and skilful.The story sends us a very positive message about life and living which will hopefully stay with me forever.

"Everything is going to be all right.Or ,if not, everything is going to be, so lets not worry."


Its no wonder that it will be adapted into a movie soon with Benedict Cumberbatch as the lead.Something to surely look forward to.
Im eager to read more by this author.

I rate this book a 4 out of 5.

TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN

This happens to be my last book this year and also my second John Green novel.I admit that I was a bit reluctant to pick this one up because I wasnt too impressed with 'The Fault in our Stars'.However the title seemed intriguing and there was something appealing about the cover.Posting this review today ,the last day of the year.

The Plot:

 16 year old Aza and her fearless friend Daisy investigate the disappearance of a fugitive billionaire Pickett in the hope of getting the hundred-thousand dollar reward.But Aza is friends with Picketts son Davis.
On the one hand she is also prey to a tightening spiral of anxiety and OCD which affects every aspect of her life and impedes normal living.She longs to be a person in control of herself and her thoughts and is fighting her own battle as she simultaneously tries to fulfil the roles of being a good daughter,friend and student.
This is Aza's story and a story of friendship,sacrifice,love,resilience and hope.

My thoughts:

I usually stay away from young adult fiction but somehow I was very curious about what this book was about and decided to take the plunge.I dont regret it.
 I think this book dealt with various issues and was a story about everything and nothing.Though the main plot about the runaway billionaire leaving everything to his pet Tuatara did seem very unrealistic.(Can something like this happen ever?)So though I loved certain parts of this book ,I didnt quite enjoy the central plot much.
However I loved the characters.Their teenage struggles were aptly captured.Aza's struggle with her mental health problem was portrayed in such a hard hitting way that it seemed all too real.The helplessness she feels touched me as a reader. That she has to live in this tightening spiral and the fact that it doesnt get better and it cant be fixed gives one insight into what really goes through the minds of such trapped lives.How she deals with these spiralling thoughts that are entirely out of her control and provoke her to even drink hand sanitiser and how despite all this she struggles to be a good daughter and friend and lead as 'normal' a life as possible.Makes us revaluate our lives.It is very tough to live with anxiety and OCD and it was painful to read about the frustrating and compellling nature of her illness and how it affects those close to her,family and friends.
The friendship between Aza and Daisy captured teenage spirit and  their exchanges were peppered with humor.Daisy is a writer of star wars fan fiction and that was interesting to read.Davis and his brother Noah deal with their own problems despite having material wealth.
However some bits did leave me wondering if American teenagers are really like this.Having the most profound converstaions and unearthing life lessons for themselves.It did get a tad too philosophical in parts.But I also enjoyed reading the entries Davis posts on his blog.Those made a lot of sense.So everything balanced out.
This simple story was about undying friendship,love,family and the power of hope.It reminded me how it felt like to be a teenager.
It does tell us that you dont need to lose yourself in the tightening spiral .This particular quote says it all 

"Spirals grow infinitely small the farther you follow them inward,but they also grow infinitely large the farther you follow them out"

I liked this book much better than 'The Fault in our stars'.

I rate it a 3 out of 5.

THE BIBLIOPHILE'S CORNER IS FOUR YEARS OLD!

I'm thrilled that I could come here today.I really wanted to.This place continues to make me happy whenever I visit but I really would love to live here rather than be an occasional visitor.This virtual space feels so real today.It feels like home.
I created this space four years ago on Christmas Day and I’m just happy that I’m able to come here and feel the way I do.

Im trying hard to not be too disappointed with my reading challenge this year because I don’t believe in having regrets.Instead I’m going to try and change a few things the coming year so that I use up my time more efficiently.Books continue to be an inseparable part of my life.So hopefully I will immediately write what I feel about a book after reading it and that way be able to connect more through this space.


It’s Christmas!
The magic in the air is making me feel a bit hopeful and a bit determined and how wonderful it would be to store it in jars and open a bit of it each day all year through.

So I’m signing off on this magical note that the coming year is full of wonderful possibilities ,lots to be grateful for and good things to look forward to.
Hopefully I can read more and write about it here and hoping this little virtual space never loses its magical charm for me.

So here’s wishing that the coming year is truly magical and fabulous for all of us.

Merry Christmas!

The Bibliophile.

CAMINO ISLAND

Brace yourselves ,people! Grisham's 30th novel has just hit the bookstores and the big surprise is that it is lawyerless.

This was supposed to be my weekend read but I just couldnt wait to start it and got so drawn in the plot that I finished reading it in a few hours.

The Plot:

The book begins with a daring heist-a theft of the original manuscripts of the five novels written by F.Scott Fitzgerald from Princeton University's Firestone Library.These priceless manuscripts are sent into the rare books black-market.

Bruce Cable,owns a popular bookstore in the sleepy resort town of Santa Rosa on Camino Island in Florida.But he is a prominent dealer in rare books and manuscripts (stolen or otherwise) and is said to have a vault in the basement of his bookstore specially intended for that purpose.

Mercer Mann ,a young novelist with a writers block and recently laid off from her teaching position is hired to get close to Cable and learn his secrets by infiltrating his circle of literary friends.

To complicate matters,one of the thieves also lands up in the same town and is in search of the manuscripts for himself.

What does all this lead to?Does Mercer fall deeper into the trap?

My Views:

I loved this book and finished it in a single sitting.I was completely taken aback because I had expected a legal thriller and this story came as a total surprise.A good surprise!

I loved the characters and the fast-paced story.It didnt take me long to immerse myself in the plot.Moreover it delved into the world of books and writers and it was thoroughly enjoyable to read about the authors gathering on the island.Their quirks,their alcoholic binges,the literary snobs,the 'vampire girl' who hits pay dirt with a series about vampires and ghosts.Never a dull moment in this book.

The setting of the book was rather charming.The beautiful quaint beach town was somewhere I would gladly pack my bags and go to. 

Mercer learns more than she expects to and  has a tough time making a decision.The characters were all too human and very real.

I didnt really know much about antiquarian bookselling and this offered me a peek into that very fascinating world.I was instantly transported into Bruce Cable's wonderful bookstore and could actually touch the mylar encased books.

The ending was just like I wanted it.It just couldnt have ended any other way.

Excellent book and highly recommended.

Go grab your copy now!

I rate it a 4 and a half out of 5.

STALKER

When I got to know that Kepler remains at the top of the Scandinavian crime fiction list the world over,I knew I just had to read the books.I picked this one up immediately because the title intrigued me .I never start a series with the first book because I feel I can decide better if im to read the series if I randomly choose a book and like it.So this is the fifth book in the Joona Linna series and can also be read as a stand-alone.

The plot:
The story begins with a voyeur clip sent to the National Criminal Investigation Division.The clip is of a woman doing everyday things.However just minutes after ,the woman is found brutally stabbed to death in a frenzied manner,leaving her unrecognisable.When this pattern keeps repeating itself ,they realise they are dealing with a sadistic serial killer and are horrified to know that any attempt to save the victims is impossible because the race against time starts as soon as they've been sent a video clip.
The case is being investigated by Margot Silverman and things get even more complicated when it becomes clear that the Stalkers hallmark style is identical to that of a previous murderer who is currently locked away.The question then arises if theres a copy-cat murderer on the loose or if there is some relation between the case that happened years ago.Things keep getting complicated when the forensic expert and hypnotist Erik Maria Bark is also involved in what has happened.Morover Joona Linna comes back from the dead!

My Views:

This plot unfolded in a maze of narratives and it was high intensity drama from the word go.I pulled an all nighter for this one.I just couldnt put it down.The intrigue level is very high and you dont see the twists coming.The characters are very well written and it can be read as a stand alone.Although its the fifth book in the Joona Linna series,he has very little role to play in this book.
However in the second half on the book the descriptions get too tedious.I was on the edge of my seat and literally tearing my hair out wanting to know what happens next when I was forced to read descriptive passages about the weather and the lake and the surroundings.My patience was wearing thin at this point and I was on the verge of shouting 'Just cut to the chase' more than once.But the unexpected twists saved the day and kept me going.
The part about how Joona Linna deals with things was a bit over the top but then I guess that was expected since he was brought back from the dead and some larger than life drama was on order.
It was just impossible to crack this one.It is a masterful,suspenseful tale and  I really enjoyed it.
What more can i say---Ive just discovered KEPLER!

I rate it a 4 out of 5.

16TH SEDUCTION

I am on a thriller reading spree and I spotted this on the top of the NYTimes Bestseller list .Now let me be forthright and say that I am not a James Patterson fan but I picked this one up to see if I could join the fan league.Turns out,some people never learn.

Plot:

This is the 16th book in the Women's Murder Club series.Detective Lindsay Boxer and her husband Joe are fighting to save their marriage when a bomb goes off in downtown San Fransisco killing twenty five people.As if this werent enough,the man she and Joe arrest as the bomber denies the allegations and turns the tables on Lindsay ,demanding she be put on trial.

There is also a parallel story running along in which a wave of mysterious and unnatural heart atttacks claim seemingly unrelated victims across town.

Lindsay must connect the dots and race against time in both the investigations to expose the real culprit and also save herself.

My Views:

This book certainly didnt manage to turn me into a fan.But before I go on and say what I didnt like about it let me begin on a positive note.The chapters are delightfully short,just the way I like them.So I finished reading this book in a few hours.I found it a tad boring at the start but I persisted because I wanted to see where it was going.I must admit ,it got a bit dramatic during the Bombers trial and I began reading it at a fantastic speed thinking at the time that I might have been a bit hasty in writing it off but the plot just fizzled and the interest and intensity plummeted in the latter half.The ending felt flat and I wasnt happy at all with the way it was resolved.Everything seemed made up for extra effect.These seemed like larger than life characters.

Moreover the parallel story was not eased into the main plot but felt hastily pushed when it was least expected and needed just to build the tempo because of a weak main plot.The serial killer story was just ridiculous because it is hard to imagine a mental patient locked up for 40 years can be so ingenious.The idea that he goes out at night through secret subterranean tunnels to commit murders was too far fetched.

I didnt really like any of the characters either but maybe it was the after effect of reading something so predictable or because I didnt have a background about their lives.I have no idea about the other books in the series so its possible that the characters have evolved .This can be read as a stand alone novel if you just have a few hours and want a breezy read.

I rate it a 2 and a half out of 5.

INTO THE WATER

Everyone knows Paula Hawkins.The author who shot to fame after 'The Girl On The Train' was touted as an international bestseller.Honestly, I wasnt too impressed with the debut novel.(reviewed here).But those who read this blog know that I never give up on authors so easily and so when I heard about 'Into The Water',I knew that I had to pick it up.Finished reading it over the last weekend.

The plot:
A single mother, Nel Abbot is found dead at the bottom of the river that runs through town.Earlier in the summer, a teenage girl Katie,who happens to be Nel's daughter's best friend,met the same fate.Nel has always lived in the small town of Beckford in the Mill House by the river.The river has a history of its own and long submerged secrets and Nel was completely obsessesed with the stories of the women who had lost their lives here.Moreover Nel's daughter Lena believes that her mother killed herself.

Are these deaths related?

Lena finds herself in the care of  her mothers sister,Jules who has been summoned to the very town she ran away from and vowed never to return.

Lots of secrets,a haunting past and one explosive finale.

My Views:

I picked this up as a weekend read and I dont regret it.This was exactly what I needed.

'Into the Water' has multiple narrators.And when I say multiple,I mean not just two or three but ....brace yourselves, because there are 11 people telling their viewpoints.Now,it does get a bit difficult to get to know each of these people and I had to turn back a few times to recall who it was I was reading about.So you really need to pay attention while reading because this book sweeps you to the eerie little town of Beckford and makes sure you dont leave it until you find out what has happened.Yes!The story is chilling and fast paced and it made me very curious.I just couldnt wait to find out what it was all about.

All the characters are in some way linked to the dead woman.Moreover they are unreliable narrators which only adds to the intrigue.None of the characters are very likeable but what they have to say is very interesting.I loved the complexity in their nature.There is a psychic to add to the mystery.
There is history entwined with the present.It was creepy to read about the river and what lies beneath its calm exterior.
The emotional thread that runs between the estranged siblings and the cause of all the misunderstanding was remarkably captured.It was a collage of the fragility of human relationships and emotion and mystery.

Loved how it all ended and I must say it left me gobsmacked.I liked it way better than 'The Girl on the Train' and her next book is already on my TBR list.

I rate it a 4 out of 5.

IN A DARK DARK WOOD

I was book hunting when I came across 'The Woman in Cabin 10' by Ruth Ware.I realised that I hadnt read any of her books before and decided to start with the first book.I also happened to read a few months ago that Reese Witherspoons production company is adapting this novel into a major motion picture.Curiosity got the better of me and I picked it up this weekend.

The plot :

This story is being told by Nora, an author by profession,living by herself,is reclusive and is haunted by her past.One day she gets an email from Flo,who is the matron of honour for Clare's (Noras childhood friend)wedding.The email is an invitation to Clare's hen night.

Nora and Clare used to be childhood friends.But Nora leaves her hometown and never looks back after a break up with her boy friend, James.After that she loses contact with everyone she knows from that town and decides to leave her past behind and start fresh.The big question is 'Why?'.

After much thought she accepts the invitation .The hen party is arranged in an isolated glass and steel estate set in the woods in winter..There is no connectivity there.The land phone is dead.And she just finds out that Clare is getting married to her ex,James.
And so the party begins and the next thing she knows is that she is lying battered in a hospital under the suspicion of murder.She has no memory of the events that occur and she is trying hard to fit the pieces together.

My Views:

I have conflicting views about this book.While I was reading it, I loved the fact that it was  incredibly fast-paced and easy to read.I was fascinated and thought that I had got my hands on a super thriller.But after having read it,when I put it down for a minute,I found the plot to be very predictable.The story builds up well but falls flat as it progresses.I figured out the plot even before I reached halfway and that annoyed me.

The poem at the beginning was unnerving and misleading and there was nothing creepy about the story.The characters were a bit exaggerated but from the supporting cast I liked Nina for her sharp wit.There was a lot of rehashing and in places it got a bit repetitive.
The group behaved like they never grew up but  I totally agree with a line in the book which says 'People dont change ,they just get more punctilious about hiding their true selves'.
Maybe it was the seriousness of what happens that it cant be wiped away.However here the whole focus was on the thriller part of it and that went a bit downhill.

Its not like I dont recommend this book.Maybe its something which can be read on a flight or if one is just looking for a quick read.

I rate it a 3 out of 5.

THE ORPHAN'S TALE

Every holocaust novel I read has managed to shock me to the core.I just cannot comprehend how inhuman people were and it is heart-wrenching to even read about the atrocities committed on millions of innocent Jews.
The Story:
Set in a travelling circus during a very dark time in history,The Orphan's Tale is narrated from the POV of two extraordinary women,Noa and Astrid and speaks about the special friendship they forge during a time when there is little hope for survival.

Sixteen year old ,Noa has been cast out in disgrace after becoming pregnant by a Nazi soldier and is forced to give up her baby.She lives above a small rail station where she works as a sweeper.When she discovers a box car containing dozens of Jewish infants bound for a concentration camp,she is reminded of the child that was taken from her.Unable to face the scene before her and overcome by emotion ,she snatches one of the babies and flees into the snowy night.She finds refuge in a German circus but she has to learn the flying trapeze act so that she can be considered one of their own and not arouse any suspicion.The task to train her is handed over to Astrid ,the leading aerialist,who initially is not pleased with the arrangement.But the rivalry slowly changes into friendship.But these are harrowing times and everyone has secrets which threaten their very existence if revealed.Does friendship transcend all barriers and is only friendship enough to save one another?

My Views:

I read this book in two -sittings and it was certainly unputdownable.It is a well researched book and the writing is flawless.The circus makes for an interesting background.Even with war raging all around ,it is as if this part of the world is untouched by it.People probably came there to forget about what was going on around them.It was like entering a snow-globe.It was heartening to read that the circus did shelter some Jews.Astrid is one of them and has a past of her own.It was horrifying to read how they constantly lived in fear.

The narration alternated between Astrid and Noa.The voices however were not very distinct and I had to turn back a couple of times to confirm who it was I was reading about.But the characters did propel the story forward.The supporting cast of characters have their own stories and bring to light the fact that people are not all black or white but always have shades of grey to them.

It was heartrending to read about the boxcar full of Jewish babies headed for the concentration camp.Noa ,searching for redemption takes one of them and this decision changes everything forever.

The relationship between Astrid and Noa is beautifully etched.Despite having secrets which can ruin their chance at survival they confide in one another.In times like these ,when its difficult to understand who to trust,a friendship is the thread that holds everything together.Eventually Noa and Astrid are more than family to each other.But time changes everything and sacrifices have to be made.It was heartbreaking to read about love found and then lost.It is an ode to the human spirit which does not die even in the bleakest of conditions.In times of uncertain futures and little chance at survival ,this is a riveting story about love,friendship,family,resilience,courage,sacrifice and survival.

The ending made me really emotional and I thought it couldnt have ended any other way.

This book is highly recommended.
I rate it a  5 out of  5.