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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
3.5 Stars
This was a sweet story of a young woman trying to find herself and coming into her own through running her own business. I like how the ending was made to be open-ended, as I wasn't really so keen on either of the love interests in the love triangle. It was also nice to see how the author depicted Mumbai and I really felt like I was transported there while reading. I appreciated that the author introduced many characters from so many diverse backgrounds - the intersection of such diverse communities in Mumbai was heartening to see and represented a hopeful vision for harmony in India.
This was a sweet story of a young woman trying to find herself and coming into her own through running her own business. I like how the ending was made to be open-ended, as I wasn't really so keen on either of the love interests in the love triangle. It was also nice to see how the author depicted Mumbai and I really felt like I was transported there while reading. I appreciated that the author introduced many characters from so many diverse backgrounds - the intersection of such diverse communities in Mumbai was heartening to see and represented a hopeful vision for harmony in India.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A very heartwarming story of how Fiza, unsure common normal girl, went on to open her own Book Shop. Surrounded by ghosts of the past and present relationships, Fiza braves her way into a dream she didn't really have. I just loved this reference from the book, that defines the story - All readers have that sort of dream to open their own Book Shop, but it's not a real dream. It's for all of us readers who have ever wanted a book shop or a mini library, but we are just readers.
Picked up this book after reading another one about Bombay, saw bookshop on the blurb and I was sold.
This book felt like a warm hug, nothing intense and a sprinkle of adorable surprises. It made me feel like I wanted to be like Fiza, to own a bookshop, that it could be possible.
The author described the bookshop of my dreams in her novel, and I related to much to Fiza, travelling to new places, in need of a break.
And special mention to Ismail Anna, who had me letting happy teardrops whenever he appeared in the book; I loved his character. :)
This book felt like a warm hug, nothing intense and a sprinkle of adorable surprises. It made me feel like I wanted to be like Fiza, to own a bookshop, that it could be possible.
The author described the bookshop of my dreams in her novel, and I related to much to Fiza, travelling to new places, in need of a break.
And special mention to Ismail Anna, who had me letting happy teardrops whenever he appeared in the book; I loved his character. :)
Paper Moon is an ode to Mumbai, a love letter to Bandra. It is beautifully evocative of the city and its buildings.
The strong points of this book are that it is very atmospheric. You can visualise yourself walking through the streets and eating at the restaurants. I loved the description of the places. The book is mature in its writing of the city but not in the writing of the people.
The book doesn’t do a great job of characters though. The protagonist is not likeable. The love story is extremely contrived and books don’t play as large a part in a movie about a book store as you would expect.
It is impossible for me to dislike a book that is about books ( there has been one exception to that ) so this goes with a 3/5 stars. But that has more to do with the fact that I am comparing it to Milk Teeth which had better fleshed out characters. So good read, but to me the romance was superfluous.
The strong points of this book are that it is very atmospheric. You can visualise yourself walking through the streets and eating at the restaurants. I loved the description of the places. The book is mature in its writing of the city but not in the writing of the people.
The book doesn’t do a great job of characters though. The protagonist is not likeable. The love story is extremely contrived and books don’t play as large a part in a movie about a book store as you would expect.
It is impossible for me to dislike a book that is about books ( there has been one exception to that ) so this goes with a 3/5 stars. But that has more to do with the fact that I am comparing it to Milk Teeth which had better fleshed out characters. So good read, but to me the romance was superfluous.
Whilst this book made for a chill and easy read, it failed to make an impact on me. Fiza is a young bright woman who leads a cushy life in one of Bombay's elite suburbs. The turning point in her life occurs when the idea and capital for a bookstore is bequeathed to her by her late but estranged father. But from the get-go, Fiza's privilege not only helps her to smoothly transition from a fresh graduate to a bookshop owner but also navigate through her very "first-world" problems. The store itself serves as nothing but a prop to the plot as the latter progresses at a slow pace. Honestly, this book would have not worked for me had it not been for the author's breezy writing style. I have no problems with wealthy protagonists, but this story just seemed to be series of minor inconveniences strung together, failing to elicit any empathy from the reader.
Highly recommend-there’s books, music, and some romance ;)
Read this book! It’s absolutely worth the time. The author’s writing style and depiction of setting helped make this book even more entrancing. The engrossing and transformative story of Fiza is at the heart and soul of this book and I’m so glad to have read it.
Read this book! It’s absolutely worth the time. The author’s writing style and depiction of setting helped make this book even more entrancing. The engrossing and transformative story of Fiza is at the heart and soul of this book and I’m so glad to have read it.
"To Dhruv, the future was to be invented. She, on the other hand, thought of the future as something to respond to."
I picked up Paper Moon at a time when I was looking to find a way to get back to reading. I read 46 books in 2020, and in 2021, I'd hit a slump. Work, general pandemic existentialism, and exhaustion. And so, a book about a young woman who unexpectedly finds herself tasked with setting up a bookshop, and through that finds her place in the world, was a perfect read.
This is a great example of a city book that avoids cliches, I thought. It's clear that Rehana Munir knows Bombay, and loves it. Irani cafes, Colaba, St. Xavier's, an acerbic professor inspired by Eunice de Souza — all come refreshingly alive. There are two very suitable men, and Fiza has her fair share of romance troubles. But ultimately, it's her love affair with Bombay and books that shines through.
I picked up Paper Moon at a time when I was looking to find a way to get back to reading. I read 46 books in 2020, and in 2021, I'd hit a slump. Work, general pandemic existentialism, and exhaustion. And so, a book about a young woman who unexpectedly finds herself tasked with setting up a bookshop, and through that finds her place in the world, was a perfect read.
This is a great example of a city book that avoids cliches, I thought. It's clear that Rehana Munir knows Bombay, and loves it. Irani cafes, Colaba, St. Xavier's, an acerbic professor inspired by Eunice de Souza — all come refreshingly alive. There are two very suitable men, and Fiza has her fair share of romance troubles. But ultimately, it's her love affair with Bombay and books that shines through.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not-so-secretly, I want to be like Fiza Khalid and own a bookstore in Bandra and take long, moonlit walks along Carter Road. I want to climb inside this fictional universe and live there.