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_askthebookbug's Reviews (1.34k)
Ganga - The constant goddess.
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I'd like to thank the author for sending this review copy.
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As I grew up, I've heard many stories about Lord Shiva who was and is still considered as the most handsome of all. When people refer to Shiva, it doesn't take much time for them to stress the importance of Goddess Ganga. From adorning Shiva's lustrous locks to being an epitome of serenity, Ganga has the power to save the world and also end it. This book is about Ganga in all her glory, one that celebrates her.
~
Ganga who was born to King Hemavat and Mena, was always a woman of her own mind. While her sister Parvati was shy of nature and Lord Shiva's confidant, Ganga was a woman who challenged Gods and won many hearts. She has always helped Bhoomi Devi in maintaining a balance and saving the world in many instances. This book shows us glimpse of Ganga from her being a child to growing up into a graceful woman. How she became Saraswati's dear friend to Bramha's consort, how she feels the pain of people and takes it upon herself to liberate them.
~
The very character of Ganga is free, beautiful and also serene like the river Ganges and more than one instance shows how compassionate she is and also outspoken when she decides to break the norms that are attached to women. Her journey is summarised in this book beautifully by giving readers the pleasure of knowing and understanding Ganga. This being my first read by the author, I quite enjoyed how she writes in an elegant flow. Her words are like balm to an agonised heart while she narrates events in a poetic manner.
~
I now wonder why not many books have been written about Goddess Ganga, the woman who remained in the shadows of Shiva and yet known for her forgiving and purifying ability. I'm glad that Anuja has written this splendid work of art about such a character who defines feminism and many other quirky qualities that women have come to admire. The flow was smooth though I suspect that all the readers will enjoy her writing. It's easy yet poetic which might complicate the read a little.
~
I would rate this book 4/5.
~
I'd like to thank the author for sending this review copy.
~
As I grew up, I've heard many stories about Lord Shiva who was and is still considered as the most handsome of all. When people refer to Shiva, it doesn't take much time for them to stress the importance of Goddess Ganga. From adorning Shiva's lustrous locks to being an epitome of serenity, Ganga has the power to save the world and also end it. This book is about Ganga in all her glory, one that celebrates her.
~
Ganga who was born to King Hemavat and Mena, was always a woman of her own mind. While her sister Parvati was shy of nature and Lord Shiva's confidant, Ganga was a woman who challenged Gods and won many hearts. She has always helped Bhoomi Devi in maintaining a balance and saving the world in many instances. This book shows us glimpse of Ganga from her being a child to growing up into a graceful woman. How she became Saraswati's dear friend to Bramha's consort, how she feels the pain of people and takes it upon herself to liberate them.
~
The very character of Ganga is free, beautiful and also serene like the river Ganges and more than one instance shows how compassionate she is and also outspoken when she decides to break the norms that are attached to women. Her journey is summarised in this book beautifully by giving readers the pleasure of knowing and understanding Ganga. This being my first read by the author, I quite enjoyed how she writes in an elegant flow. Her words are like balm to an agonised heart while she narrates events in a poetic manner.
~
I now wonder why not many books have been written about Goddess Ganga, the woman who remained in the shadows of Shiva and yet known for her forgiving and purifying ability. I'm glad that Anuja has written this splendid work of art about such a character who defines feminism and many other quirky qualities that women have come to admire. The flow was smooth though I suspect that all the readers will enjoy her writing. It's easy yet poetic which might complicate the read a little.
~
I would rate this book 4/5.
Dark Blossom.
🍃
Thank you for the review copy @rupa_publications :)
🍃
Dark blossom is a tale that hides dreadful secrets behind a smiling facade. The beautiful cover is what intruiged me to pick up this book but the story surprised me by keeping my concentration from wavering. If you're into thriller genre then I'd suggest you to give this book a try.
🍃
The protagonist is a psychiatrist Cynthia, who is on the verge of recovery from a bad marriage. She restarts her practice post divorce and meets her new patient Sam. Sam is a complex man with good looks who is trying to seek closure for his wife and son's death. Marisa and Will, die in a car accident and Sam has been trying to find answers ever since. He walks on the fine line between rage and sadness, prompting Cynthia to look after him more closely than she ever intended to.
🍃
Cynthia's personal life is in shambles as her daughter, Lily builds a wall around her. Lily struggles with her father's violence and throws tantrums when her mother failed to see the tell-tale signs of abuse. As Cynthia tries rekindling her relationship with Lily, Sam steps into the picture and takes over the role of white knight. They form their own little family as Sam starts feeling better each day. But Lily has her own secrets to hide and only Sam is aware of it. And maybe Lily isn't the only one with skeletons in her closet.
🍃
The story is written with such ease that you don't feel like keeping it down even for a minute. The plot was unique and can only be unravelled in the last few chapters. When you think about life as a series of coincidences, you might want to pause and rethink your opinion. This book will certainly change your notion about serendipity. The characters are well developed, the storyline crisp though few scenarios felt stretched. Language was commendable.
🍃
I would rate this book 4/5.
🍃
Thank you for the review copy @rupa_publications :)
🍃
Dark blossom is a tale that hides dreadful secrets behind a smiling facade. The beautiful cover is what intruiged me to pick up this book but the story surprised me by keeping my concentration from wavering. If you're into thriller genre then I'd suggest you to give this book a try.
🍃
The protagonist is a psychiatrist Cynthia, who is on the verge of recovery from a bad marriage. She restarts her practice post divorce and meets her new patient Sam. Sam is a complex man with good looks who is trying to seek closure for his wife and son's death. Marisa and Will, die in a car accident and Sam has been trying to find answers ever since. He walks on the fine line between rage and sadness, prompting Cynthia to look after him more closely than she ever intended to.
🍃
Cynthia's personal life is in shambles as her daughter, Lily builds a wall around her. Lily struggles with her father's violence and throws tantrums when her mother failed to see the tell-tale signs of abuse. As Cynthia tries rekindling her relationship with Lily, Sam steps into the picture and takes over the role of white knight. They form their own little family as Sam starts feeling better each day. But Lily has her own secrets to hide and only Sam is aware of it. And maybe Lily isn't the only one with skeletons in her closet.
🍃
The story is written with such ease that you don't feel like keeping it down even for a minute. The plot was unique and can only be unravelled in the last few chapters. When you think about life as a series of coincidences, you might want to pause and rethink your opinion. This book will certainly change your notion about serendipity. The characters are well developed, the storyline crisp though few scenarios felt stretched. Language was commendable.
🍃
I would rate this book 4/5.
The Third Hotel.
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Huge thanks to @fsgbooks for sending the review copy.
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The Third Hotel is such a daunting book and took me forever to finish it. My first thought as I read along was something in the lines of 'What on earth am I reading?'. This is a humungous book which seemed to go nowhere and instead left me with hundreds of questions post finishing it.
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When Clare, a recently widowed woman hops onto a plane to Havana, to attend the Annual Film Festival of New Latin American cinema , she stumbles upon her deceased husband, Richard. Richard who had died in a car accident less than a month ago, is a walking man in Havana. Clare feels that the ground beneath her has been removed and she tries finding balance throughout the entire book. The book narrates Cuba beautifully and felt so real that I could almost feel my feet touching the Cuban land. Clare goes through several mental changes in her journey of finding her dead husband and this entire book of countless pages, is her journey of being on a wild goose chase.
~
The plot seems interesting enough, the writing style was spectacular. I finished this book for the very reason of how the author has written her heart out, how simple her vocabulary is yet it sounded like a complex poetry. I often like books that leaves the story in the hands of readers to be interpreted as per their imagination but this book was a master of interpretation. I guess this is where I lost my grip. I like a certain amount of ambiguity surrounding a book but too much of it is not something I can handle.
~
The book is beautiful, don't take me wrong. But it's effective only in the hands of few readers who enjoy such type of story. The Third Hotel is loved by many readers and yet has left the others ones confused and asking for more. I feel that the story has not ended even though it has. It has sort of left me in a confused state of mind. Give it a read if you're intrigued about how the author has turned such a simple plot into a lovely story full of mystery.
~
I would rate this book 2.5/5.
~
Huge thanks to @fsgbooks for sending the review copy.
~
The Third Hotel is such a daunting book and took me forever to finish it. My first thought as I read along was something in the lines of 'What on earth am I reading?'. This is a humungous book which seemed to go nowhere and instead left me with hundreds of questions post finishing it.
~
When Clare, a recently widowed woman hops onto a plane to Havana, to attend the Annual Film Festival of New Latin American cinema , she stumbles upon her deceased husband, Richard. Richard who had died in a car accident less than a month ago, is a walking man in Havana. Clare feels that the ground beneath her has been removed and she tries finding balance throughout the entire book. The book narrates Cuba beautifully and felt so real that I could almost feel my feet touching the Cuban land. Clare goes through several mental changes in her journey of finding her dead husband and this entire book of countless pages, is her journey of being on a wild goose chase.
~
The plot seems interesting enough, the writing style was spectacular. I finished this book for the very reason of how the author has written her heart out, how simple her vocabulary is yet it sounded like a complex poetry. I often like books that leaves the story in the hands of readers to be interpreted as per their imagination but this book was a master of interpretation. I guess this is where I lost my grip. I like a certain amount of ambiguity surrounding a book but too much of it is not something I can handle.
~
The book is beautiful, don't take me wrong. But it's effective only in the hands of few readers who enjoy such type of story. The Third Hotel is loved by many readers and yet has left the others ones confused and asking for more. I feel that the story has not ended even though it has. It has sort of left me in a confused state of mind. Give it a read if you're intrigued about how the author has turned such a simple plot into a lovely story full of mystery.
~
I would rate this book 2.5/5.
Time Crawlers.
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Thank you for the review copy @varunsayal :)
~
Okay, I have never been an ardent fan of physics and all the time-travel concepts so I was a little hesitant to try this book. Time Crawlers contains six stories that revolve around the concept of time and many theories surrounding it.
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Eclipse - When aliens from fourth dimension take over Earth, humans with special power to detect them are entrusted with the task of killing them. This story explains the possibility of ET existence in our everyday lives.
~
Genie - When Marco stumbles upon a lamp, he's surprised that genies do exist and also stunned that his Genie was a she! This one's quite entertaining which also shows how greedy humans can be. Sigh.
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Death by crowd - Welcome to the world of darknet where illegal activities takes place. Terminally ill people sign up to die dousing themselves in kerosene and turning to ash, in return of a handsome pay to their families. This is for the sadistic people who are part of pay-per-view system.
~
The Cave - When a dark entity from a different planet swallows energy from Earth as fast as it's gulping water, a telekinetic legend is called forward to save the world. She does what she does best and saves the World. This story has ample amount of details about how telekinesis works.
~
Nark- Astra - The name itself suggests that the weapon is of hellish nature. When Prayaschakit wages war over his nemesis, he puts Nark-Astra to use to destroy the enemies. This story talks about how humans are willing to destroy the planet in their rage to take revenge.
~
Time Crawlers - Probably my favourite of them all. I'd refrain from saying much about it so that the mystery remains intact. I loved how this particular story was constructed and executed! Genius.
~
The overall reading experience was fairly good considering how I actually enjoyed reading scientific terms and topics. Writing style is commendable and the story flows with ease. There were few stories that I enjoyed more than the others but the author has done a splendid job in taking such a difficult concept and turning it into a book.
~
I would rate it 3.8/5.
~
Thank you for the review copy @varunsayal :)
~
Okay, I have never been an ardent fan of physics and all the time-travel concepts so I was a little hesitant to try this book. Time Crawlers contains six stories that revolve around the concept of time and many theories surrounding it.
~
Eclipse - When aliens from fourth dimension take over Earth, humans with special power to detect them are entrusted with the task of killing them. This story explains the possibility of ET existence in our everyday lives.
~
Genie - When Marco stumbles upon a lamp, he's surprised that genies do exist and also stunned that his Genie was a she! This one's quite entertaining which also shows how greedy humans can be. Sigh.
~
Death by crowd - Welcome to the world of darknet where illegal activities takes place. Terminally ill people sign up to die dousing themselves in kerosene and turning to ash, in return of a handsome pay to their families. This is for the sadistic people who are part of pay-per-view system.
~
The Cave - When a dark entity from a different planet swallows energy from Earth as fast as it's gulping water, a telekinetic legend is called forward to save the world. She does what she does best and saves the World. This story has ample amount of details about how telekinesis works.
~
Nark- Astra - The name itself suggests that the weapon is of hellish nature. When Prayaschakit wages war over his nemesis, he puts Nark-Astra to use to destroy the enemies. This story talks about how humans are willing to destroy the planet in their rage to take revenge.
~
Time Crawlers - Probably my favourite of them all. I'd refrain from saying much about it so that the mystery remains intact. I loved how this particular story was constructed and executed! Genius.
~
The overall reading experience was fairly good considering how I actually enjoyed reading scientific terms and topics. Writing style is commendable and the story flows with ease. There were few stories that I enjoyed more than the others but the author has done a splendid job in taking such a difficult concept and turning it into a book.
~
I would rate it 3.8/5.
{ Book Recommendation }
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"What song could Pablo Escobar possibly sing in the shower". - Ingrid Rojas Contreras.
~
Few books tug at your heart and it's mostly because the story often belongs to the authors' themselves. Fruit of a drunken tree is a brilliant story written based on the author's personal experience. While I knew how difficult it must have been for refugees and people who struggled during the refugee crisis and also during the era of Pablo Escobar, this book educated me by painting a not so pretty picture about the reality.
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This story is about a young girl called Chula Santiago who strikes a unique friendship with her house maid Petrona who is just 13 years old. Petrona lives in the invasions without a proper house and is plagued by poverty. Chula is the main protagonist who sees things through eyes of innocence and always gives others the benefit of doubt. Her friendship with Petrona turns out to be more dangerous than she could have imagined but that doesn't stop her from staying away.
~
It's hard to sum up this story because every chapter has something to say about Columbia and it's culture. The story is heart-wrenching and often stirs up emotions for Chula. This book is important because it shows how people were forced to kidnap children of the rich and demand for a random to curb their poverty. It shows how the drug lord shook people with fear and killed Galan in public. It shows how people suffered when their children went out for a job and came back becoming Guerrillas.
~
It's educative, stimulating and everything that we need to know about the unfortunate and brave ones who had to survive through all this. They had to leave their homes and move to a new country where they were stamped with a lable of refugees. I would recommend this book to those who are interested in learning about all the tragedy and richness that Columbia reflects.
~
A solid 5 star rating.
~
"What song could Pablo Escobar possibly sing in the shower". - Ingrid Rojas Contreras.
~
Few books tug at your heart and it's mostly because the story often belongs to the authors' themselves. Fruit of a drunken tree is a brilliant story written based on the author's personal experience. While I knew how difficult it must have been for refugees and people who struggled during the refugee crisis and also during the era of Pablo Escobar, this book educated me by painting a not so pretty picture about the reality.
~
This story is about a young girl called Chula Santiago who strikes a unique friendship with her house maid Petrona who is just 13 years old. Petrona lives in the invasions without a proper house and is plagued by poverty. Chula is the main protagonist who sees things through eyes of innocence and always gives others the benefit of doubt. Her friendship with Petrona turns out to be more dangerous than she could have imagined but that doesn't stop her from staying away.
~
It's hard to sum up this story because every chapter has something to say about Columbia and it's culture. The story is heart-wrenching and often stirs up emotions for Chula. This book is important because it shows how people were forced to kidnap children of the rich and demand for a random to curb their poverty. It shows how the drug lord shook people with fear and killed Galan in public. It shows how people suffered when their children went out for a job and came back becoming Guerrillas.
~
It's educative, stimulating and everything that we need to know about the unfortunate and brave ones who had to survive through all this. They had to leave their homes and move to a new country where they were stamped with a lable of refugees. I would recommend this book to those who are interested in learning about all the tragedy and richness that Columbia reflects.
~
A solid 5 star rating.
Preeto & other stories.
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Thank you for sending this book over @niyogi_books :)
~
Urdu stories are like poetry; an art in itself. They are melodious, intense and beautiful like a crystal clear pond. Preeto is a book comprising of 13 short stories which are translated from Urdu. A book that talks about women from male perspective. A book that puts forward stories from 13 different writers, worked on closely and edited by Rakshanda Jalil.
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The reason behind this book was to understand how men perceive women and Rakshanda has collated stories aptly to portray the same. In this world of modern times where women are voicing their opinions, stopping people from taking advantage of their ideas and opinions and are capable of being independent, these stories talk about how over the years women haven't had the chance to just be themselves. There are few stories which I absolutely loved, one of them is 'The Heavy Stone' in which a woman had to go through abortion against her wishes. She imagines her unborn child calling out to her but she is held back by societal and husband's pressure.
~
In another story written by Gulzar called 'Man', a woman who comes out of an unhappy marriage and is still not free to find love post her divorce. There's a line which struck a chord with me in which she says 'No matter what a woman might do, she always has to offer an explanation to a man. To a father, sometimes to a husband, and sometimes to a son.' This book is an anthology which talks about forbidden things like a woman's desire for another man even though she's married, unhappy marriages and loveless lives, bound by the shackles of society. Every story portrays a different shade of woman.
~
Rakshanda Jalil has done a tremendous job in bringing these stories together and making them perfect. Though there were few stories that I could not connect to, this book overall is a beautiful and intense read that I really enjoyed. Any story about women and their lives hold a special place in my heart.
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I would rate this book 4.2 / 5.
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Thank you for sending this book over @niyogi_books :)
~
Urdu stories are like poetry; an art in itself. They are melodious, intense and beautiful like a crystal clear pond. Preeto is a book comprising of 13 short stories which are translated from Urdu. A book that talks about women from male perspective. A book that puts forward stories from 13 different writers, worked on closely and edited by Rakshanda Jalil.
~
The reason behind this book was to understand how men perceive women and Rakshanda has collated stories aptly to portray the same. In this world of modern times where women are voicing their opinions, stopping people from taking advantage of their ideas and opinions and are capable of being independent, these stories talk about how over the years women haven't had the chance to just be themselves. There are few stories which I absolutely loved, one of them is 'The Heavy Stone' in which a woman had to go through abortion against her wishes. She imagines her unborn child calling out to her but she is held back by societal and husband's pressure.
~
In another story written by Gulzar called 'Man', a woman who comes out of an unhappy marriage and is still not free to find love post her divorce. There's a line which struck a chord with me in which she says 'No matter what a woman might do, she always has to offer an explanation to a man. To a father, sometimes to a husband, and sometimes to a son.' This book is an anthology which talks about forbidden things like a woman's desire for another man even though she's married, unhappy marriages and loveless lives, bound by the shackles of society. Every story portrays a different shade of woman.
~
Rakshanda Jalil has done a tremendous job in bringing these stories together and making them perfect. Though there were few stories that I could not connect to, this book overall is a beautiful and intense read that I really enjoyed. Any story about women and their lives hold a special place in my heart.
~
I would rate this book 4.2 / 5.
Ghoomophiro.
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Thank you for sending the review copy @himadri :)
~
We all love traveling but more often than not we have a tendency to litter the place that we visit with plastic, dirt and garbage. How long can our planet endure this before it starts waging a war against us all? Ghoomophiro is a travelogue put across as a story through which the author stresses the importance of keeping our nature clean and unharmed.
~
Nikita and Kritika are sisters who have sworn to travel as often as they can without any gadgets interrupting their journey. Set in the future where AI has overtaken the world, where bots and virtual screens are at out beck and call, the sisters are still following the traditional way of living and traveling. When they plan a trip with their families to get them away from the screens for few days, they relive their experience of various other journeys from the past.
~
This book gives us a clear picture about what our world would look like in the next ten years where nature is diminished and people are too busy to give it a second glance. There are plenty of details mentioned in this book about how traveling is important to grow as a person and how it is necessary to conserve mother nature's resources. It also gives tips about the next travel journey you would want to undertake, and how one can maintain travel and work balance.
~
This is a very simple read which can serve as a brilliant beginner's guide for traveling. The writing style is commendable and the flow is smooth. I, however found it quite predictable as I dived headfirst into the story. Having said that, it conveys a crucial message about today's generation.
~
I would rate this book 3.5 / 5.
~
Thank you for sending the review copy @himadri :)
~
We all love traveling but more often than not we have a tendency to litter the place that we visit with plastic, dirt and garbage. How long can our planet endure this before it starts waging a war against us all? Ghoomophiro is a travelogue put across as a story through which the author stresses the importance of keeping our nature clean and unharmed.
~
Nikita and Kritika are sisters who have sworn to travel as often as they can without any gadgets interrupting their journey. Set in the future where AI has overtaken the world, where bots and virtual screens are at out beck and call, the sisters are still following the traditional way of living and traveling. When they plan a trip with their families to get them away from the screens for few days, they relive their experience of various other journeys from the past.
~
This book gives us a clear picture about what our world would look like in the next ten years where nature is diminished and people are too busy to give it a second glance. There are plenty of details mentioned in this book about how traveling is important to grow as a person and how it is necessary to conserve mother nature's resources. It also gives tips about the next travel journey you would want to undertake, and how one can maintain travel and work balance.
~
This is a very simple read which can serve as a brilliant beginner's guide for traveling. The writing style is commendable and the flow is smooth. I, however found it quite predictable as I dived headfirst into the story. Having said that, it conveys a crucial message about today's generation.
~
I would rate this book 3.5 / 5.
Turn on the heat.
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Thank you bloomsburyindia for sending this over.
~
Lam and Cool series were well known back in the '40s and this particular book was the second one in the series that Erle Stanley Gardner wrote under the pen name of A. A. Fair. Having heard praises about Donald Lam and Bertha Cool, I couldn't contain my excitement as I began reading this.
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Donald Lam is assigned a case of locating a certain Mrs Lintig's whereabouts, years after she has gone missing. His client, Mr Smith doesn't happen to know much about her but urges Bertha Cool to alert him immediately if they find out her location. What seemed to start as a simple case, Lam finds himself being sidetracked by various factors. Be it the man who leaves him with a bruise all the while warning him to stay away, or the mysterious appearance of a woman posing as Mrs Lintig ; all this seems to be hiding a bigger secret and Lam is hellbent on finding the truth.
~
What follows next is a series of wild goose chase as Lam and Bertha uncover the details. I'll admit that the story began on a very interesting note. It has an aura of vintage crime mystery to it as they portray Lam as a guy who doesn't use his fists while confronted by a bulky man but instead uses his words to scooch out of danger. And then there's Bertha, a cool and elegant woman who knows how to let her diamonds talk and also knows how to rough up things. She has the knack of making people confide in her.
~
But somewhere along the lines of understanding the plot, the story begins to get a little messy with too many complications being involved. Too many characters and plenty of running around left me mentally exhausted. Having high expectations from the classic detective series, I was let down a bit post reading the book. Probably it's just me but I found this particular book from Lam and Cool series, a little damp. Having said that , if you're into vintage detective reads which involves a lot of focus on the minutest details, this is the one for you.
~
Rating - 3.3 / 5.
~
Thank you bloomsburyindia for sending this over.
~
Lam and Cool series were well known back in the '40s and this particular book was the second one in the series that Erle Stanley Gardner wrote under the pen name of A. A. Fair. Having heard praises about Donald Lam and Bertha Cool, I couldn't contain my excitement as I began reading this.
~
Donald Lam is assigned a case of locating a certain Mrs Lintig's whereabouts, years after she has gone missing. His client, Mr Smith doesn't happen to know much about her but urges Bertha Cool to alert him immediately if they find out her location. What seemed to start as a simple case, Lam finds himself being sidetracked by various factors. Be it the man who leaves him with a bruise all the while warning him to stay away, or the mysterious appearance of a woman posing as Mrs Lintig ; all this seems to be hiding a bigger secret and Lam is hellbent on finding the truth.
~
What follows next is a series of wild goose chase as Lam and Bertha uncover the details. I'll admit that the story began on a very interesting note. It has an aura of vintage crime mystery to it as they portray Lam as a guy who doesn't use his fists while confronted by a bulky man but instead uses his words to scooch out of danger. And then there's Bertha, a cool and elegant woman who knows how to let her diamonds talk and also knows how to rough up things. She has the knack of making people confide in her.
~
But somewhere along the lines of understanding the plot, the story begins to get a little messy with too many complications being involved. Too many characters and plenty of running around left me mentally exhausted. Having high expectations from the classic detective series, I was let down a bit post reading the book. Probably it's just me but I found this particular book from Lam and Cool series, a little damp. Having said that , if you're into vintage detective reads which involves a lot of focus on the minutest details, this is the one for you.
~
Rating - 3.3 / 5.
Everything here is beautiful.
~
" Our mother might’ve said this: that immigrants are the strongest, that we leave our homes behind and rebuild. Everywhere we go, we rebuild " - Mira T. Lee.
~
What can I say about a book that caresses your heart one minute and then leaves you in a daze in the next. 'Everything here is beautiful' is a stunning novel in which the author addresses several serious issues, be it about health, immigrants, bonding or courage. This is the story of two sisters who inspite of drifting away, somehow always find a way back to each other.
~
When Miranda and Lucia move to New Jersey with their mother from China post their father's death, they learn that life isn't always rosy. The girls were always good at what they did, securing good grades in school and finding a stable job. Miranda, being the older sister always looks out for Lucia but things change when Lucia faces her first mental breakdown. The first of many which changes her completely as she struggles to stay sane. She rebels against Miranda as she's forced to take medicines and also for being admitted into a hospital involuntarily.
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Lucia finds love in Yonah but their marriage is short-lived as she suffers another breakdown. She moves on to Manuel, a charming young man who lives in America without any papers. Very soon their daughter Essy is born and Lucia faces another mental disturbance. The author then tries to paint a picture of how real this illness actually is. Lucia explains what happens within her mind and body as she goes through this sickness, unable to explain it to others around her. Rest of the story focuses on the sisters as they strain under familial issues that keep bobbing up to the surface. It talks about Miranda's personal life as well as Lucia's frightening mental imbalance.
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I urge people to read this because it's utterly honest about how difficult it is to handle such illness when your family member gets affected by it. The author also portrays how important families are by bringing up various contexts within the story. It's like a kaleidoscope, a story within every story. A colourful backdrop for a black and white present.
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A solid 5 star read.
~
" Our mother might’ve said this: that immigrants are the strongest, that we leave our homes behind and rebuild. Everywhere we go, we rebuild " - Mira T. Lee.
~
What can I say about a book that caresses your heart one minute and then leaves you in a daze in the next. 'Everything here is beautiful' is a stunning novel in which the author addresses several serious issues, be it about health, immigrants, bonding or courage. This is the story of two sisters who inspite of drifting away, somehow always find a way back to each other.
~
When Miranda and Lucia move to New Jersey with their mother from China post their father's death, they learn that life isn't always rosy. The girls were always good at what they did, securing good grades in school and finding a stable job. Miranda, being the older sister always looks out for Lucia but things change when Lucia faces her first mental breakdown. The first of many which changes her completely as she struggles to stay sane. She rebels against Miranda as she's forced to take medicines and also for being admitted into a hospital involuntarily.
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Lucia finds love in Yonah but their marriage is short-lived as she suffers another breakdown. She moves on to Manuel, a charming young man who lives in America without any papers. Very soon their daughter Essy is born and Lucia faces another mental disturbance. The author then tries to paint a picture of how real this illness actually is. Lucia explains what happens within her mind and body as she goes through this sickness, unable to explain it to others around her. Rest of the story focuses on the sisters as they strain under familial issues that keep bobbing up to the surface. It talks about Miranda's personal life as well as Lucia's frightening mental imbalance.
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I urge people to read this because it's utterly honest about how difficult it is to handle such illness when your family member gets affected by it. The author also portrays how important families are by bringing up various contexts within the story. It's like a kaleidoscope, a story within every story. A colourful backdrop for a black and white present.
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A solid 5 star read.
{ Book Recommendation}
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Let's go swimming on doomsday.
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The Black and white Kindle cover does not do justice to how pretty the actual book cover is. I have been reading such amazing books lately and this one falls under the bucket of 'Must read' category. Let's go swimming on doomsday is a story that sheds light on how horrible the Somalian refugees' situation has been over the years. But more importantly this book is about Abdi who is the protagonist and goes ahead to break our hearts into a million little pieces.
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When Abdi loses his father to the terrorist group, he faces one tragedy after the other. He has to do unthinkable things to save his family who have been kidnapped. In his pursuit of freeing his family, he becomes part of Al-Shabaab, a ruthless group of young boys who resort to violence to get rid of the Americans. Dahir, his brother is already part of that group who was taken forcefully few years ago and Abdi tries seeking his help to rescue his family. The boys at Al-Shabaab trust Abdi completely and now he has a job of sending messages to the Americans to help them capture the leaders of the group.
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The book is split into NOW and THEN sections, which was initially a little hard to get used to. But few chapters in, I knew I was hooked. Abdi, still a teenager has a tremendously big heart as he takes the burden of releasing his family, freeing his brother and also keep everyone safe around him. The characters in the book are so smartly developed including the Social worker, Sam who sticks around to help Abdi. This is the kind of book that you will feel compelled to finish in just few sittings.
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A lot has been said and read about Somalian refugee scenario but this book helped me in truly understanding how horrendous it is in reality. You read to learn and this book was very educational by also being a splendid read. The world needs more people like Abdi.
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Five stars all the way.
~
Let's go swimming on doomsday.
~
The Black and white Kindle cover does not do justice to how pretty the actual book cover is. I have been reading such amazing books lately and this one falls under the bucket of 'Must read' category. Let's go swimming on doomsday is a story that sheds light on how horrible the Somalian refugees' situation has been over the years. But more importantly this book is about Abdi who is the protagonist and goes ahead to break our hearts into a million little pieces.
~
When Abdi loses his father to the terrorist group, he faces one tragedy after the other. He has to do unthinkable things to save his family who have been kidnapped. In his pursuit of freeing his family, he becomes part of Al-Shabaab, a ruthless group of young boys who resort to violence to get rid of the Americans. Dahir, his brother is already part of that group who was taken forcefully few years ago and Abdi tries seeking his help to rescue his family. The boys at Al-Shabaab trust Abdi completely and now he has a job of sending messages to the Americans to help them capture the leaders of the group.
~
The book is split into NOW and THEN sections, which was initially a little hard to get used to. But few chapters in, I knew I was hooked. Abdi, still a teenager has a tremendously big heart as he takes the burden of releasing his family, freeing his brother and also keep everyone safe around him. The characters in the book are so smartly developed including the Social worker, Sam who sticks around to help Abdi. This is the kind of book that you will feel compelled to finish in just few sittings.
~
A lot has been said and read about Somalian refugee scenario but this book helped me in truly understanding how horrendous it is in reality. You read to learn and this book was very educational by also being a splendid read. The world needs more people like Abdi.
~
Five stars all the way.