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_askthebookbug's Reviews (1.34k)
In custody 🌼
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"Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow" - Anita Desai.
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I was thrilled to read my very first book of Anita Desai, but I admit that it was not up to the mark. The story is simple but has been dragged till the end. .
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Deven is a Hindi lecturer in Mipore who loves writing poems in Urdu. When his friend Murad reaches out to him to interview a famous poet called Nur, Deven immediately accepts the offer. The story then revolves around Nur and Deven as they struggle to get the poems published. Deven takes loan from his college and even uses up his already dwindling savings account to meet Nur's demands. He reaches a stage of insanity when his entire work goes for a toss and Nur abandons him..
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The book is probably a tad too overrated. It focusses on toxic friendship, greed, hopelessness and obsession. It could have been well drafted and executed. I would rate it 3.2/5. .
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"Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow" - Anita Desai.
.
.
I was thrilled to read my very first book of Anita Desai, but I admit that it was not up to the mark. The story is simple but has been dragged till the end. .
.
Deven is a Hindi lecturer in Mipore who loves writing poems in Urdu. When his friend Murad reaches out to him to interview a famous poet called Nur, Deven immediately accepts the offer. The story then revolves around Nur and Deven as they struggle to get the poems published. Deven takes loan from his college and even uses up his already dwindling savings account to meet Nur's demands. He reaches a stage of insanity when his entire work goes for a toss and Nur abandons him..
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The book is probably a tad too overrated. It focusses on toxic friendship, greed, hopelessness and obsession. It could have been well drafted and executed. I would rate it 3.2/5. .
One Part Woman 🌸 .
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“There is no female without the male, and no male without the female. The world goes on only when they come together”. - Perumal Murugan. .
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Don't we all love a controversial book? It’s a significant quality that a reader will have in abundance. That’s what made me choose this book and I had my ‘Ooh’ and ‘Aah’ moments till the end. This novel created an uproar in the society because it pointed several issues with masculanity, rituals and gender.
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Perumal talks about a couple (Kali and Ponna) who struggle with fertility issues. They hail from a village where it’s a woman’s duty to give birth to a child in their first year of marriage and when this doesn’t happen to them, they are shunned by the community. The couple then start praying to every known God with tremendous hope. They make sacrifices, offer food, climb mountains and even think of other shocking solutions.Their families force Ponna to head out to the festivities of Vaisaki Temple where as part of a ritual, any childless woman can have consesual sex with an unknown man to become pregnant. This story is so natural probably because of the fact that it refers to the author’s native. Or merely because of the wonderful skills of Perumal. Living in this era, we might not know the atrocities and struggles that the villagers put themselves through even today. This book was an eye opener.
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I would rate it 4.5/5. I would have really loved to read the original script but it’s unfortunate that I cannot read Tamil. .
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“There is no female without the male, and no male without the female. The world goes on only when they come together”. - Perumal Murugan. .
.
Don't we all love a controversial book? It’s a significant quality that a reader will have in abundance. That’s what made me choose this book and I had my ‘Ooh’ and ‘Aah’ moments till the end. This novel created an uproar in the society because it pointed several issues with masculanity, rituals and gender.
.
.
Perumal talks about a couple (Kali and Ponna) who struggle with fertility issues. They hail from a village where it’s a woman’s duty to give birth to a child in their first year of marriage and when this doesn’t happen to them, they are shunned by the community. The couple then start praying to every known God with tremendous hope. They make sacrifices, offer food, climb mountains and even think of other shocking solutions.Their families force Ponna to head out to the festivities of Vaisaki Temple where as part of a ritual, any childless woman can have consesual sex with an unknown man to become pregnant. This story is so natural probably because of the fact that it refers to the author’s native. Or merely because of the wonderful skills of Perumal. Living in this era, we might not know the atrocities and struggles that the villagers put themselves through even today. This book was an eye opener.
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I would rate it 4.5/5. I would have really loved to read the original script but it’s unfortunate that I cannot read Tamil. .
14 short stories that inspired Satyajit Ray :) .
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“The only solution that are ever worth anything are the solutions that people find themselves.” - Satyajit Ray. .
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I don’t usually prefer reading short stories but when the guy in the bookworm store suggested this, I picked it up. Satyajit Ray as we all know was a famous Indian director and this drew further curiosity from me to read the same. While two of the stories were written by Ray himself, the rest are penned down by various authors including his father. The stories are fairly simple that describes both middle class families as well as the rich. This book can be a perfect beginner’s read but I’m afraid not everybody would find the book amusing. Fun fact, all the 14 stories are made into Bengali movies. I would rate it 3.8/5. There are no elements of surprise or quirk but it’ll be a good read with a cup of evening tea. .
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“The only solution that are ever worth anything are the solutions that people find themselves.” - Satyajit Ray. .
.
.
I don’t usually prefer reading short stories but when the guy in the bookworm store suggested this, I picked it up. Satyajit Ray as we all know was a famous Indian director and this drew further curiosity from me to read the same. While two of the stories were written by Ray himself, the rest are penned down by various authors including his father. The stories are fairly simple that describes both middle class families as well as the rich. This book can be a perfect beginner’s read but I’m afraid not everybody would find the book amusing. Fun fact, all the 14 stories are made into Bengali movies. I would rate it 3.8/5. There are no elements of surprise or quirk but it’ll be a good read with a cup of evening tea. .
Erotic stories for Punjabi widows :) “Out of all the opportunities Britain offered us, choice was the most important thing.” - Balli Kaur Jaswal.
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Did you know that Reese Witherspoon named it as her book club choice of the month? And the story is exactly as said on the cover. Nikki, a 22 year old law school dropout joins as a teacher for creative writing teaching position. Her students are the widows of the Sikh community who don’t even know how to write an alphabet. Just when she thinks she’s doomed, the widows start sharing their stories about desire and pleasure. The book is funny and very lively! It also has a tinge of murder mystery to it which keeps the readers enthralled. I would rate it 3.8/5. .
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P.S. And why should you read this? Because it’s unique and takes you by surprise :)
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Did you know that Reese Witherspoon named it as her book club choice of the month? And the story is exactly as said on the cover. Nikki, a 22 year old law school dropout joins as a teacher for creative writing teaching position. Her students are the widows of the Sikh community who don’t even know how to write an alphabet. Just when she thinks she’s doomed, the widows start sharing their stories about desire and pleasure. The book is funny and very lively! It also has a tinge of murder mystery to it which keeps the readers enthralled. I would rate it 3.8/5. .
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P.S. And why should you read this? Because it’s unique and takes you by surprise :)
Tales from the town of widows :) .
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I had never even heard of this book till I accidentally stumbled upon it in the library. The story is fascinating and very refreshing. .
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How would a town work if all the men disappeared? Who would fix things, farm vegetables and tend to animals? The book answers all these questions through a fictional story. When men of Mariquita are forced to leave with the communist guerrillas, women save their town. They build schools, grow food and even set their own time. This was quite a gripping book that kept me entertained till the last chapter. Nothing extraordinary, yet completely interesting. I’d rate it 3.8/5. .
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P.S. Women can really do wonders ;)
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I had never even heard of this book till I accidentally stumbled upon it in the library. The story is fascinating and very refreshing. .
.
How would a town work if all the men disappeared? Who would fix things, farm vegetables and tend to animals? The book answers all these questions through a fictional story. When men of Mariquita are forced to leave with the communist guerrillas, women save their town. They build schools, grow food and even set their own time. This was quite a gripping book that kept me entertained till the last chapter. Nothing extraordinary, yet completely interesting. I’d rate it 3.8/5. .
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P.S. Women can really do wonders ;)
Shantaram :) .
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This book has been in my reading list from couple of months and when I found it in the library, I just had to pick it up. Shantaram is the real deal. It’s pure, raw and utterly enrapturing. It even has a thriller/ mystery side to it that made me keep turning the pages at an astonishing speed. The story is about an Australian man who’s on the run from the government for a crime he has committed. He lands in Bombay and falls in love with the city. As much as he tries to stay away from his previous life, he manages to find himself amidst the Bombay mafia. The author beautifully describes the then Bombay, the slums, the sea, the people and the power of money. It made me want to fly all the way to Bombay to experience the city like Shantaram did. .
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This book is humongous, a total of 933 pages. Hence, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But the book brings out emotions of every kind. When I started reading it, I had little idea that I would come to love it. I would rate the book 4/5.
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This book has been in my reading list from couple of months and when I found it in the library, I just had to pick it up. Shantaram is the real deal. It’s pure, raw and utterly enrapturing. It even has a thriller/ mystery side to it that made me keep turning the pages at an astonishing speed. The story is about an Australian man who’s on the run from the government for a crime he has committed. He lands in Bombay and falls in love with the city. As much as he tries to stay away from his previous life, he manages to find himself amidst the Bombay mafia. The author beautifully describes the then Bombay, the slums, the sea, the people and the power of money. It made me want to fly all the way to Bombay to experience the city like Shantaram did. .
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This book is humongous, a total of 933 pages. Hence, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But the book brings out emotions of every kind. When I started reading it, I had little idea that I would come to love it. I would rate the book 4/5.
The pearl that broke its shell :) .
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We all know the stories about Afghanistan during the King’s rule but how well do you actually know it? The author paints a picture of the country and let me tell you that it is not pretty. .
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The story revolves around the lives of two girls, Shekiba and her great great granddaughter Rahima who later grows up to be a brave woman. Shekiba who suffers from a facial disfigurement due to an accident in her childhood, gets shunned by everyone including her family. Rahima who comes from a poor family gets forced into child marriage with a man who’s as old as her father. The author talks about how men were allowed to marry many women and live a life of luxury while the women had to live in a constant sense of insecurity. The atrocities that women had to go through in those days are truly shocking. The book will make you guess if either of the women can break shackles of the society and find peace that they deserve. Quite frankly I couldn’t put down the book in the last couple of days. It was such a wonderful and gripping read. I would give it 4.5/5. .
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P.S. Perfect read for women :)
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We all know the stories about Afghanistan during the King’s rule but how well do you actually know it? The author paints a picture of the country and let me tell you that it is not pretty. .
.
The story revolves around the lives of two girls, Shekiba and her great great granddaughter Rahima who later grows up to be a brave woman. Shekiba who suffers from a facial disfigurement due to an accident in her childhood, gets shunned by everyone including her family. Rahima who comes from a poor family gets forced into child marriage with a man who’s as old as her father. The author talks about how men were allowed to marry many women and live a life of luxury while the women had to live in a constant sense of insecurity. The atrocities that women had to go through in those days are truly shocking. The book will make you guess if either of the women can break shackles of the society and find peace that they deserve. Quite frankly I couldn’t put down the book in the last couple of days. It was such a wonderful and gripping read. I would give it 4.5/5. .
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P.S. Perfect read for women :)
And the mountains echoed :) .
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It is so difficult to explain how wonderful this book is. It truly is no surprise that this book was a bestseller considering how beautiful The Kite Runner was written. Khaled Hosseini's writing touch souls and makes you believe in relationships. .
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The book talks about many lives who belong from various roots of origin. He talks about the purest love between Abdullah and his sister Pari. The forbidden relationship between Nabi and Wahdati back in 1947 in Afghanistan and many more stories. It talks about people who have nothing in common but nonetheless affect each other’s lives and set it in motion. I took my time in reading this one because I cherished every single page of it. It sprung tears in my eyes and also made me laugh. By the time I was done reading, my heart felt a whole lot lighter and peaceful. The story is so beautifully spun that you can’t help but think about your own relationships with your family and friends. I would rate this 5/5, without a doubt :) They say when you read a really good book, you will be dazed for a while and now I know that it’s true 🖤
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It is so difficult to explain how wonderful this book is. It truly is no surprise that this book was a bestseller considering how beautiful The Kite Runner was written. Khaled Hosseini's writing touch souls and makes you believe in relationships. .
.
.
The book talks about many lives who belong from various roots of origin. He talks about the purest love between Abdullah and his sister Pari. The forbidden relationship between Nabi and Wahdati back in 1947 in Afghanistan and many more stories. It talks about people who have nothing in common but nonetheless affect each other’s lives and set it in motion. I took my time in reading this one because I cherished every single page of it. It sprung tears in my eyes and also made me laugh. By the time I was done reading, my heart felt a whole lot lighter and peaceful. The story is so beautifully spun that you can’t help but think about your own relationships with your family and friends. I would rate this 5/5, without a doubt :) They say when you read a really good book, you will be dazed for a while and now I know that it’s true 🖤
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The Help :) .
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Ah, what can I even say about this beautiful beautiful book! 💓The story is based on events that happened in the ‘60s, at a time where coloured people were differentiated from the Whites. The book talks about the The help (coloured women), who go through hardships and pain of leaving behind their own kids at home to look after the white kids. Their unconditional love towards the babies that they look after, and the heart-wrenching pain that they face when they turn out to be just like their mean mothers. I was shocked and pained to see how they were treated to such an extent that they had to use a separate coloured bathroom! The Help, silent for decades, finally open up when a white woman (Miss Skeeter) offers to write a book about them. The book brings out so many emotions that range from love to anger to hatred and sacrifice. I had watched the movie years ago and when I found this book, I knew I had to pick it up. Stunning! .
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Ah, what can I even say about this beautiful beautiful book! 💓The story is based on events that happened in the ‘60s, at a time where coloured people were differentiated from the Whites. The book talks about the The help (coloured women), who go through hardships and pain of leaving behind their own kids at home to look after the white kids. Their unconditional love towards the babies that they look after, and the heart-wrenching pain that they face when they turn out to be just like their mean mothers. I was shocked and pained to see how they were treated to such an extent that they had to use a separate coloured bathroom! The Help, silent for decades, finally open up when a white woman (Miss Skeeter) offers to write a book about them. The book brings out so many emotions that range from love to anger to hatred and sacrifice. I had watched the movie years ago and when I found this book, I knew I had to pick it up. Stunning! .
The widow of wall street :) .
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“Make sure you choose work that makes you happy”- Randy Susan Meyers. .
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Let’s talk about money. How much is really enough? Would you be happy with your average paycheque? If you’re not, would you try to think of something illegal to make millions? Many do, until they get caught. .
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This is the story of a criminal who endangers his entire family because of his greed for money. Jake, handsome and every girl’s dream marries his perfect girlfriend Phoebe, already envisioning her to be his trophy wife when he starts making money. He dives into business and builds an empire preferring only the best things for his family. Phoebe, clueless about his affairs and illegal business worships him every minute. Jake gradually gets caught up in a Ponzi scheme and loses everyone’s money. He then goes under an investigation and eventually lands in prison. Will Phoebe stick around till the end with her husband whom she has loved all her life? Or will she cut him loose? This book was a gripping read and also emotionally draining. It talks about relationships between siblings, children and spouse. .
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This was my first read by @randysusanmeyersauthor and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It talks about real life problems like greed and illegal systems. A big thank you to the author and publisher for sending me this Kindle version so that I could enjoy and review the book. I’d rate it 4/5. #bookchallenge #56 #bangalorebookblogger #bookreview #wordporn #booknerd #randysusanmeyers #bibliophile
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“Make sure you choose work that makes you happy”- Randy Susan Meyers. .
.
Let’s talk about money. How much is really enough? Would you be happy with your average paycheque? If you’re not, would you try to think of something illegal to make millions? Many do, until they get caught. .
.
This is the story of a criminal who endangers his entire family because of his greed for money. Jake, handsome and every girl’s dream marries his perfect girlfriend Phoebe, already envisioning her to be his trophy wife when he starts making money. He dives into business and builds an empire preferring only the best things for his family. Phoebe, clueless about his affairs and illegal business worships him every minute. Jake gradually gets caught up in a Ponzi scheme and loses everyone’s money. He then goes under an investigation and eventually lands in prison. Will Phoebe stick around till the end with her husband whom she has loved all her life? Or will she cut him loose? This book was a gripping read and also emotionally draining. It talks about relationships between siblings, children and spouse. .
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This was my first read by @randysusanmeyersauthor and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It talks about real life problems like greed and illegal systems. A big thank you to the author and publisher for sending me this Kindle version so that I could enjoy and review the book. I’d rate it 4/5. #bookchallenge #56 #bangalorebookblogger #bookreview #wordporn #booknerd #randysusanmeyers #bibliophile