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Killingly by Katharine Beutner is loosely based on the disappearance of Bertha Mellish back in 1897 from Mount Holyoke College. A few characters are real and some have been fictionalised to suit the story. The book begins with Bertha missing and slowly makes its way to reveal the mystery. The story is solely run by two women, Florence Mellish (sister of Bertha) and Agnes (Bertha’s friend). As is expected in 19th century, women were easily pushed to the side and every action by them had severe consequences. Reputation and dignity were treasured and Katharine has cleverly used this facet to structure her novel.
Killingly is a slow burn murder mystery but at its core is a staunch feminist novel. The men who appear in this book are rarely good. The devious Mellish family doctor, Mister Hammond and Florence’s own father, Reverend John play ominous roles. While Florence, Dr Hammond and Detective Higham are restless to find out what exactly happened to Bertha, Agnes suffers with her conscience. Katharine has breathed life to the book through her writing style that aptly suited that period. It is a well researched novel, one that gives an abundance of importance to the characters.
I often felt that the book could have been cut short without the plot being dragged incessantly. There were few queer references but it was never confirmed. The unnecessary letters that were exchanged between some of the characters didn’t do much to the story. In spite of these flaws, I’m quite looking forward to reading Beutner’s future books. If you are looking for a gothic murder novel, this one may just be up your alley.
Thanks for the copy @penguinindia ✨
Killingly is a slow burn murder mystery but at its core is a staunch feminist novel. The men who appear in this book are rarely good. The devious Mellish family doctor, Mister Hammond and Florence’s own father, Reverend John play ominous roles. While Florence, Dr Hammond and Detective Higham are restless to find out what exactly happened to Bertha, Agnes suffers with her conscience. Katharine has breathed life to the book through her writing style that aptly suited that period. It is a well researched novel, one that gives an abundance of importance to the characters.
I often felt that the book could have been cut short without the plot being dragged incessantly. There were few queer references but it was never confirmed. The unnecessary letters that were exchanged between some of the characters didn’t do much to the story. In spite of these flaws, I’m quite looking forward to reading Beutner’s future books. If you are looking for a gothic murder novel, this one may just be up your alley.
Thanks for the copy @penguinindia ✨
The fourth and latest book in the series has left me feeling very lukewarm. Of course, I still enjoy Massey’s writing style, her cleverness of including a lot of cultural and political references from a pre-independent India era and certain delightful charms of her characters. Although this one is another well researched book by her, the entire concept of the book being a murder mystery was sidelined. This book is the lengthiest amongst her other titles but somehow I found it better paced than The Bombay Prince. It also happens to be a lot more bolder than her previous titles.
When Perveen attends a fundraising party on behalf of her sister-in-law, she somehow ends up getting a very unlikely client. A woman is wronged by the powerful and Perveen is instinctively alert to save her client. The story gets tangled as we proceed where secrets and threats fill the pregnant air. Perveen’s own family is under duress as she struggles to maintain a healthy relationship with her sister-in-law. Massey has once again painted a picture of how tough life was for women before independence, but she also manages to introduce some strong female characters in the story.
But somewhere along the lines, the murder mystery took a backseat and it became more of a historical fiction. Certain aspects of the story seemed a little exaggerated but surprisingly this didn’t affect my reading pace. I was expecting to see a lot more of Colin but their time was very limited in the novel. Gulnaz’s character arch too felt too over the top. Nevertheless, Massey has still managed to build Perveen’s character really well. Although this one didn’t impress me much, I do look forward to reading the next books in the series.
Thank you for the copy @penguinindia ✨
When Perveen attends a fundraising party on behalf of her sister-in-law, she somehow ends up getting a very unlikely client. A woman is wronged by the powerful and Perveen is instinctively alert to save her client. The story gets tangled as we proceed where secrets and threats fill the pregnant air. Perveen’s own family is under duress as she struggles to maintain a healthy relationship with her sister-in-law. Massey has once again painted a picture of how tough life was for women before independence, but she also manages to introduce some strong female characters in the story.
But somewhere along the lines, the murder mystery took a backseat and it became more of a historical fiction. Certain aspects of the story seemed a little exaggerated but surprisingly this didn’t affect my reading pace. I was expecting to see a lot more of Colin but their time was very limited in the novel. Gulnaz’s character arch too felt too over the top. Nevertheless, Massey has still managed to build Perveen’s character really well. Although this one didn’t impress me much, I do look forward to reading the next books in the series.
Thank you for the copy @penguinindia ✨
The Sea Elephants is the kind of book that’ll nestle into your heart and stay there for years to come. The story opens with two deaths, providing a brief glimpse of the seriousness of the novel. Set in an unnamed coastal city (which I later confirmed with the author that it was indeed Visakhapatnam), our protagonist describes the loss of his sisters; Mud and Milk, identical twins who were nothing like each other. This narrator, all of sixteen years of age carries an anger that radiates off of him like the sun emits heat. He’s angry to have watched his sisters die helplessly but he’s even more enraged that his father has come home six months after their deaths.
The Sea Elephants is a brilliant book that focuses on Shagun, a coming-of-age queer boy, struggling to find a family and space that accepts him for who he is. Shastri Akella creates a wonderful bunch of characters who fulfill the roles of excellent supporting characters to the protagonist. This book is more than just a fictional tale as it draws themes from mythology and stories to build the foundation of the story. Set in the early 90s, Akella describes the tough lives led by the queer community. The fact that nothing much has changed decades later really saddens me. Shagun is the perfect hero to lead the story. He has many facets to him and Akella peels them off like layers of an onion. He has a hard past, one that’s filled with guilt and abuse and as he navigates through life as a travelling theatre artist, this shadow follows him wherever he goes.
But what’s best is to see Shagun find love. Amidst all the chaos and violence, love blooms like a rare flower and I enjoyed watching it happen as a reader. This beautiful book brims with emotions, right from anger to disgust to affection, it has it all. I had immense fun in reading chapters that involved stories about Shagun’s mother and sisters, each of them taking little pieces of my heart. Shagun himself was far from perfect and I think this is why it’s impossible not to like him. His choices and actions come from a place that holds the most vulnerable aspects of his past which is why I wanted to hold him in an embrace many a time.
This book truly has a lot to offer and in no way did it feel like the work of a debut author. Concepts like unconditional love, friendships in which nothing is ever demanded, families that one gets to choose and the act of forgiveness; all of which were wonderfully executed in the story. I hope this book receives all the love that it deserves and I can’t wait to read more by Shastri Akella.
The Sea Elephants is a brilliant book that focuses on Shagun, a coming-of-age queer boy, struggling to find a family and space that accepts him for who he is. Shastri Akella creates a wonderful bunch of characters who fulfill the roles of excellent supporting characters to the protagonist. This book is more than just a fictional tale as it draws themes from mythology and stories to build the foundation of the story. Set in the early 90s, Akella describes the tough lives led by the queer community. The fact that nothing much has changed decades later really saddens me. Shagun is the perfect hero to lead the story. He has many facets to him and Akella peels them off like layers of an onion. He has a hard past, one that’s filled with guilt and abuse and as he navigates through life as a travelling theatre artist, this shadow follows him wherever he goes.
But what’s best is to see Shagun find love. Amidst all the chaos and violence, love blooms like a rare flower and I enjoyed watching it happen as a reader. This beautiful book brims with emotions, right from anger to disgust to affection, it has it all. I had immense fun in reading chapters that involved stories about Shagun’s mother and sisters, each of them taking little pieces of my heart. Shagun himself was far from perfect and I think this is why it’s impossible not to like him. His choices and actions come from a place that holds the most vulnerable aspects of his past which is why I wanted to hold him in an embrace many a time.
This book truly has a lot to offer and in no way did it feel like the work of a debut author. Concepts like unconditional love, friendships in which nothing is ever demanded, families that one gets to choose and the act of forgiveness; all of which were wonderfully executed in the story. I hope this book receives all the love that it deserves and I can’t wait to read more by Shastri Akella.
3.5
I’m a big fan of domestic psychological thrillers and when I was presented with the opportunity to review The American Boyfriend by Ivy Ngeow, I jumped at it. This fast paced novel had all the makings of a good thriller. We have our female protagonist whose choices leads her to certain dangerous situations from which she has to find a way out. The atmospheric setting of the story added a lot to the plot along with the myriad of characters thrown into the mix. But importantly, what I enjoyed the most was the slow burn experience of the book.
Phoebe Wong is a single mother who finds herself in Key West, a vacation spot chosen by her boyfriend, Carter. Their romance blossomed through social media and things quickly turned serious as they became increasingly close. But when Phoebe arrives with her daughter Jojo, everything goes topsy turvy. She realises that Carter won’t be meeting her anytime soon and is left alone in his summer house for six days. Ominous things start happening almost immediately, putting her on edge but she receives generous help from the locals. But the vacation house carries a mystery while the people in the town guard their secrets too well. She begins to wonder if she can actually trust her boyfriend and just then he arrives to meet her.
Ivy’s writing style is very easy to get acclimated to and combined with a thrilling storyline, it’s almost impossible to stop reading the book.The chapters are short, making me read it at a breakneck speed. But I had only two qualms with the book. One was the frequently used references to Jojo and the struggles of being a mother. It felt repetitive. The second was Phoebe’s personality. She didn’t behave rationally throughout the story even when she realised how her life was in danger. It seemed rather odd that she went along rather coolly in spite of many people warning her to be cautious. This didn’t sit well with me.
But I’m certain that I’d read more by Ivy hereon. Her knack for writing a gripping thriller is something that I really enjoyed.
I’m a big fan of domestic psychological thrillers and when I was presented with the opportunity to review The American Boyfriend by Ivy Ngeow, I jumped at it. This fast paced novel had all the makings of a good thriller. We have our female protagonist whose choices leads her to certain dangerous situations from which she has to find a way out. The atmospheric setting of the story added a lot to the plot along with the myriad of characters thrown into the mix. But importantly, what I enjoyed the most was the slow burn experience of the book.
Phoebe Wong is a single mother who finds herself in Key West, a vacation spot chosen by her boyfriend, Carter. Their romance blossomed through social media and things quickly turned serious as they became increasingly close. But when Phoebe arrives with her daughter Jojo, everything goes topsy turvy. She realises that Carter won’t be meeting her anytime soon and is left alone in his summer house for six days. Ominous things start happening almost immediately, putting her on edge but she receives generous help from the locals. But the vacation house carries a mystery while the people in the town guard their secrets too well. She begins to wonder if she can actually trust her boyfriend and just then he arrives to meet her.
Ivy’s writing style is very easy to get acclimated to and combined with a thrilling storyline, it’s almost impossible to stop reading the book.The chapters are short, making me read it at a breakneck speed. But I had only two qualms with the book. One was the frequently used references to Jojo and the struggles of being a mother. It felt repetitive. The second was Phoebe’s personality. She didn’t behave rationally throughout the story even when she realised how her life was in danger. It seemed rather odd that she went along rather coolly in spite of many people warning her to be cautious. This didn’t sit well with me.
But I’m certain that I’d read more by Ivy hereon. Her knack for writing a gripping thriller is something that I really enjoyed.
I won’t fool you, the title of this book is what made me read it in the first place. It’s quirky and makes one wonder what the story is all about. Akwaeke Emezi is no doubt a talented writer and the fact that this book was actually a fifth genre that they dappled with is really quite impressive. This romance novel comes with some serious flaws, starting with the protagonist herself. Alarm bells were going off in my head when I was reading about all the things that Feyi was doing. To me, she was a walking red flag and this was why the book didn’t work for me.
Feyi has loved and lost so now she’s afraid to give romance another chance. Five years after her husband’s death, she decides to give casual dating a chance. This book is big on second chances and finding love again but when Feyi finds herself being strongly attracted to her boyfriend’s father, the story lost all its credibility for me. Alim too, misses his wife who died decades ago and has dedicated his life to his children but upon a chance meeting with Feyi, he feels something worth fighting for. The problem for me was not the romance itself but Feyi’s destructive streak and a sense of entitlement that she possessed.
Firstly, the story would have done wonders for me if it wasn’t for certain moral conflicts. Her ability to rely on men to have everything served on a platter yet complain about all of it was very infuriating to read. She was manipulative in portraying good people as bad for the mistakes she did. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for too-good-to-be-true love stories but falling in love with a boyfriend’s father is stretching it too far. And to top it all, the romance didn’t even sound genuine to me.
Emezi’s novel is either a hit or a miss. If you’re able to look past Feyi’s many shortcomings, it may work for you. In spite of all this, the story was a breezy one. I read it in a single day but was left with the feeling of pulling my hair out in frustration. What I did like about the book was Emezi’s fluid writing style and this certainly won’t be the last book of hers that I will read.
I’d love to know your thoughts on the book.
Feyi has loved and lost so now she’s afraid to give romance another chance. Five years after her husband’s death, she decides to give casual dating a chance. This book is big on second chances and finding love again but when Feyi finds herself being strongly attracted to her boyfriend’s father, the story lost all its credibility for me. Alim too, misses his wife who died decades ago and has dedicated his life to his children but upon a chance meeting with Feyi, he feels something worth fighting for. The problem for me was not the romance itself but Feyi’s destructive streak and a sense of entitlement that she possessed.
Firstly, the story would have done wonders for me if it wasn’t for certain moral conflicts. Her ability to rely on men to have everything served on a platter yet complain about all of it was very infuriating to read. She was manipulative in portraying good people as bad for the mistakes she did. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for too-good-to-be-true love stories but falling in love with a boyfriend’s father is stretching it too far. And to top it all, the romance didn’t even sound genuine to me.
Emezi’s novel is either a hit or a miss. If you’re able to look past Feyi’s many shortcomings, it may work for you. In spite of all this, the story was a breezy one. I read it in a single day but was left with the feeling of pulling my hair out in frustration. What I did like about the book was Emezi’s fluid writing style and this certainly won’t be the last book of hers that I will read.
I’d love to know your thoughts on the book.
3.5 stars
Much Ado About Nada is my second novel by Uzma Jalaluddin and I saw huge improvement in terms of storytelling and inclusion. I have always enjoyed stories that are peppered with cultural references and this book had tons of it. Set in Toronto, Uzma introduces us to the 29 year old Nada Syed who is forced to attend a matrimonial convention by her parents. Nada isn’t really looking for a relationship, let alone a marriage but at the convention, she spots Baz and her entire past floats back into her mind.
This is the love story of Nada and Baz who share a complicated past which goes back upto seventeen years. They didn’t have an easy friendship but over the years their relationship morphed into a romantic one but time and space never allowed them to come together. The story is split into many timelines, from the time the two met, to the present day where they are strangers. We see Nada contemplating their lives, all the things that could have gone differently while she busies herself during her friend’s wedding. Amidst all the timelines, you keep wondering about what exactly happened between the two who still carry love for each other but aren’t at the liberty to say it.
There’s a lot of pining between the two characters and it lasts until the very end. The South Asian community in Toronto is pretty much the same as what we have in India, so a lot of things were relatable. Uzma cleverly touched upon certain important topics like divorce, disability and sex. For all of these reasons, I did enjoy the novel. But it did have its flaws. The story felt too dragged at certain points and Nada being a difficult character to understand didn’t make it any easier. Baz and Nada’s relationship lacked a certain level of depth, probably because it took too long for their entire past to be revealed.
This book can be a good summer read if you’re into romcom.
Much Ado About Nada is my second novel by Uzma Jalaluddin and I saw huge improvement in terms of storytelling and inclusion. I have always enjoyed stories that are peppered with cultural references and this book had tons of it. Set in Toronto, Uzma introduces us to the 29 year old Nada Syed who is forced to attend a matrimonial convention by her parents. Nada isn’t really looking for a relationship, let alone a marriage but at the convention, she spots Baz and her entire past floats back into her mind.
This is the love story of Nada and Baz who share a complicated past which goes back upto seventeen years. They didn’t have an easy friendship but over the years their relationship morphed into a romantic one but time and space never allowed them to come together. The story is split into many timelines, from the time the two met, to the present day where they are strangers. We see Nada contemplating their lives, all the things that could have gone differently while she busies herself during her friend’s wedding. Amidst all the timelines, you keep wondering about what exactly happened between the two who still carry love for each other but aren’t at the liberty to say it.
There’s a lot of pining between the two characters and it lasts until the very end. The South Asian community in Toronto is pretty much the same as what we have in India, so a lot of things were relatable. Uzma cleverly touched upon certain important topics like divorce, disability and sex. For all of these reasons, I did enjoy the novel. But it did have its flaws. The story felt too dragged at certain points and Nada being a difficult character to understand didn’t make it any easier. Baz and Nada’s relationship lacked a certain level of depth, probably because it took too long for their entire past to be revealed.
This book can be a good summer read if you’re into romcom.
Hidden Links: How Random Historical Events Shaped Our World
Sangeeth Varghese, Sangeeth Varghese
“For want of a nail the shoe was lost,
For want of a shoe the horse was lost,
For want of a horse the rider was lost,
For want of a rider the battle was lost,
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost,
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.” - Benjamin Franklin
Hidden Links is an aptly titled book which I picked out of sheer inquisition that arose as I read its blurb. Examples of butterfly effect shaping modern history as we know it, have always piqued my curiosity and have marvelled at the beauty of its sheer simplicity. What were you doing when you were 12? After taking the world by storm when Zac Sangeeth published ‘World History in 3 points’ in 2021 at the age of 10 , here he is with his third book co-authored by his father, Sangeeth Varghese. I remember playing hide-and-seek with my colony friends when I was Zac’s age.
What I loved about the book is how seemingly insignificant events, almost imperceptible to a commoner, have sculpted the world today. As I flipped through each chapter I had moments when I raised my eyebrows in a sweet surprise and an unfamiliar realisation. Despite most chapters being associated with climate change, the feeling of monotony was far and in-between. I particularly enjoyed reading the chapter about how Climate Change Altered Genetics of Women Empowerment’. Unfamiliar realisation.
In the epilogue - Hidden Randomness, the authors mention how our inability to connect past incidents is partly due to the gradual nature of time itself. That summarises the lingering feeling I had the entire time reading this book. For someone who hasn’t read a lot of history (unlike my husband), this was an eye opener and the simple language of the book only helped me in enjoying this book.
Hidden Links is an aptly titled book which I picked out of sheer inquisition that arose as I read its blurb. Examples of butterfly effect shaping modern history as we know it, have always piqued my curiosity and have marvelled at the beauty of its sheer simplicity. What were you doing when you were 12? After taking the world by storm when Zac Sangeeth published ‘World History in 3 points’ in 2021 at the age of 10 , here he is with his third book co-authored by his father, Sangeeth Varghese. I remember playing hide-and-seek with my colony friends when I was Zac’s age.
What I loved about the book is how seemingly insignificant events, almost imperceptible to a commoner, have sculpted the world today. As I flipped through each chapter I had moments when I raised my eyebrows in a sweet surprise and an unfamiliar realisation. Despite most chapters being associated with climate change, the feeling of monotony was far and in-between. I particularly enjoyed reading the chapter about how Climate Change Altered Genetics of Women Empowerment’. Unfamiliar realisation.
In the epilogue - Hidden Randomness, the authors mention how our inability to connect past incidents is partly due to the gradual nature of time itself. That summarises the lingering feeling I had the entire time reading this book. For someone who hasn’t read a lot of history (unlike my husband), this was an eye opener and the simple language of the book only helped me in enjoying this book.
Sometime this year I read my very first book by Freida McFadden called The Housemaid. Although I didn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to, I still wanted to give her other books a try. And so I proceeded to read The Locked Door and boy, was it a ride! I was hooked from the prologue and found it almost impossible to do anything else but to keep reading. With short, gripping chapters and intriguing characters, The Locked Door had everything that was needed for a great psychological thriller.
Nora Davis is a good surgeon who prefers to lead her life quietly. She is very cautious of the people around her and doesn’t believe in forging any kind of relationships. That’s because many decades ago, Nora’s father was convicted of multiple murders, all of them carried out in her family home’s basement. With her father in prison and a mother who is long dead, Nora likes to be unrecognised and forgotten. But when a similar type of murders are committed again, following the MO of her father, Nora is shaken up. How and who is responsible for copying her father’s actions when he is still in prison?
As Nora tries to figure out this mysterious case, she keeps revisiting her growing up years in her mind. The timeline shifts from past to present as she tries to make sense of things. Some characters are introduced to the story while Freida builds our protagonist’s character cleverly. There’s a lot of suspense to the story and although the end may get a tad bit dramatic, I was in no way disappointed. You may even guess the killer but even this doesn’t dampen the plot.
This was such a refreshing change from The Housemaid. So much so that I immediately read her next book. I’ll post a review of it soon, I promise.
Nora Davis is a good surgeon who prefers to lead her life quietly. She is very cautious of the people around her and doesn’t believe in forging any kind of relationships. That’s because many decades ago, Nora’s father was convicted of multiple murders, all of them carried out in her family home’s basement. With her father in prison and a mother who is long dead, Nora likes to be unrecognised and forgotten. But when a similar type of murders are committed again, following the MO of her father, Nora is shaken up. How and who is responsible for copying her father’s actions when he is still in prison?
As Nora tries to figure out this mysterious case, she keeps revisiting her growing up years in her mind. The timeline shifts from past to present as she tries to make sense of things. Some characters are introduced to the story while Freida builds our protagonist’s character cleverly. There’s a lot of suspense to the story and although the end may get a tad bit dramatic, I was in no way disappointed. You may even guess the killer but even this doesn’t dampen the plot.
This was such a refreshing change from The Housemaid. So much so that I immediately read her next book. I’ll post a review of it soon, I promise.
I read Stay With Me exactly three years ago and I haven’t stopped thinking about it yet. Six years later, she comes up with another hard hitting novel that is layered and important which is now longlisted for The Booker Prize. This book in every sense is what I’d expected from her. The characters are complicated and yet relatable, the relationships are crafted thoughtfully and the story begins and ends with a touch of intrigue. A Spell of Good Things is a brilliantly written novel that lets you take a look into the ground realities.
We see the lives of two families distinguished by their economic circumstances, each battling their own problems. There’s Wuraola who’s a resident doctor, always exhausted by being overworked. Born into a wealthy family, she has certain responsibilities to stick to and one of them is to get married to her boyfriend who’s approved by her parents. Social status plays a significant role in Nigeria where families play matchmaking to find alliances to suit their economic interests. Wuraola isn’t sure if she loves her boyfriend enough to marry him but she says yes to his proposal anyway by pushing his red flags under the rug.
Then there’s Eniola who gets flogged at school for not paying his fees again. His father is unceremoniously sacked from his job by the government and the family has started to live in squalor. His father reduces to a mere shadow, leaving the entire responsibility to his wife. Eniola is conflicted about how to feel about him and to come to terms with their financial situation.
An ominous and dreadful situation forces Eniola and Wuraola’s paths to cross. The story leading upto this point is intense, and makes you want to weep in helplessness. There’s a lot of angst and sadness that seeps out from the words as she paints a realistic picture of how a dearth of wealth can push some into situations that makes them do things they wouldn’t normally do.
Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ has a bold voice and I did see a notable change in her writing style from Stay With Me. Those six years of wait was worth it and I truly hope it gets shortlisted.
Thanks a bunch for the review copy @penguinindia x @meenakshikainth_ ✨
We see the lives of two families distinguished by their economic circumstances, each battling their own problems. There’s Wuraola who’s a resident doctor, always exhausted by being overworked. Born into a wealthy family, she has certain responsibilities to stick to and one of them is to get married to her boyfriend who’s approved by her parents. Social status plays a significant role in Nigeria where families play matchmaking to find alliances to suit their economic interests. Wuraola isn’t sure if she loves her boyfriend enough to marry him but she says yes to his proposal anyway by pushing his red flags under the rug.
Then there’s Eniola who gets flogged at school for not paying his fees again. His father is unceremoniously sacked from his job by the government and the family has started to live in squalor. His father reduces to a mere shadow, leaving the entire responsibility to his wife. Eniola is conflicted about how to feel about him and to come to terms with their financial situation.
An ominous and dreadful situation forces Eniola and Wuraola’s paths to cross. The story leading upto this point is intense, and makes you want to weep in helplessness. There’s a lot of angst and sadness that seeps out from the words as she paints a realistic picture of how a dearth of wealth can push some into situations that makes them do things they wouldn’t normally do.
Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ has a bold voice and I did see a notable change in her writing style from Stay With Me. Those six years of wait was worth it and I truly hope it gets shortlisted.
Thanks a bunch for the review copy @penguinindia x @meenakshikainth_ ✨