Scan barcode
A review by thecuriouscase_pr
Between Queens and the Cities by Niranjan Kunwar
4.0
"What part of yourself did you have to destroy in order to survive in this world?"
I remember Niranjan Kunwar asking us this question in a poetry workshop back in 2021. That's when I learnt about this book, and I finally read it, and oh what a treat it was!
I have always believed that there's tremendous power in a person being vulnerable enough to share their story for the world to read. It is an art of courage to reflect back on your experiences, your struggles, and share the entries with an open heart. The heart of this book is the writer's vulnerability. He writes these vignettes with such honesty and nakedness that you almost feel as though he is speaking directly to you, like the people he talks about are people you know, and you're having these experiences with him.
There's extravagance in simplicity. And the stories the writer shares are stories of simplicity, of everyday life, that so many of us deal with, and move past. But not so often are able to reflect back on its extravagance. That fight with your parents, that person you met for coffee, the tension with your relatives, the fear of things changing, or your friends moving on from you - things are all the things you experience, but the writer finds a way to extract the the most reflective learnings from all these interactions and emotions, and find the answers in-between.
While the heart of the book is it's vulnerability, the stories at the end of the book is the strength. The writer highlights the stories of so many other people who have been othered or marginalized because of their gender and sexuality and brings them in the forefront, and I think that added more power to the book.
With all of this and more, the book is a learning experience - of a person taking power of their being, and their sexuality. If you haven't already, please pick up this book.
I've lost a lot of me because I've tried to survive. But this book taught me that you find a lot more of you if you try to thrive, instead of just survive.
I remember Niranjan Kunwar asking us this question in a poetry workshop back in 2021. That's when I learnt about this book, and I finally read it, and oh what a treat it was!
I have always believed that there's tremendous power in a person being vulnerable enough to share their story for the world to read. It is an art of courage to reflect back on your experiences, your struggles, and share the entries with an open heart. The heart of this book is the writer's vulnerability. He writes these vignettes with such honesty and nakedness that you almost feel as though he is speaking directly to you, like the people he talks about are people you know, and you're having these experiences with him.
There's extravagance in simplicity. And the stories the writer shares are stories of simplicity, of everyday life, that so many of us deal with, and move past. But not so often are able to reflect back on its extravagance. That fight with your parents, that person you met for coffee, the tension with your relatives, the fear of things changing, or your friends moving on from you - things are all the things you experience, but the writer finds a way to extract the the most reflective learnings from all these interactions and emotions, and find the answers in-between.
While the heart of the book is it's vulnerability, the stories at the end of the book is the strength. The writer highlights the stories of so many other people who have been othered or marginalized because of their gender and sexuality and brings them in the forefront, and I think that added more power to the book.
With all of this and more, the book is a learning experience - of a person taking power of their being, and their sexuality. If you haven't already, please pick up this book.
I've lost a lot of me because I've tried to survive. But this book taught me that you find a lot more of you if you try to thrive, instead of just survive.