hardkaapi's reviews
67 reviews

The Inner Courtyard: Stories by Indian Women by Lakshmi Holmström

dark informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

 A heartbreaking anthology of 17 stories of and by women across borders, fighting the same battles as we do today. Personal favourite- Revenge Herself, by Lalitambika Antarjanam. All these gems were written post independence in multiple languages, but each one is as timeless as the other. 

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

emotional funny inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 

Ever so often, there comes a book that changes something in you, in this case, becomes a part of you. A seemingly innocuous plot, a 59 year old man working his way through life. That isn’t an interesting statement. Not one you would read a book on. But that’s the thing about a good book, it’s magic. How do you take a character, deemed “unlikeable” by society, a character who is literally a grumpy old man and make his journey one of the most thought provoking yet entertaining things? What stupefies me further is that this is merely a translation of the original Swedish book but the words flow as freely and naturally as they would in any other book. Backman will make you laugh at one line and sob the next. Trust me, I was in tears a minimum of five times. 

“He was a man of black and white. And she was the colour. All the colour he had” 

This book, now my all time favourite, showcases love in its purest, most unadulterated form. The type of love which is rare these days. A relationship that is built on trust and faith, no matter what. This is the kind of book that doesn’t need any disclaimer before reading it, it doesn’t belong to a particular genre of readers, it is a story that I would recommend reading whether you read a lot or you’re just starting, whether you like happy themes or something relatable. It is everything you want a book to be, and for me personally, everything I will ever need. Suffice it to say, I have found The One:) 

The Sari Shop by Rupa Bajwa

dark reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

 Soul crushingly real story of Ramchand, an assistant at Sevak Sari House. Will make you want to visit Amritsar asap and crave chaat pretty badly but 10/10, would recommend for an engaging short read 

Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto

dark emotional funny slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

lighthearted reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

dark informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Our protagonist, 15 year old Kambili is the daughter of the richest man in Enugu, a state in Nigeria. The book, very much like an Aaron Sorkin script, starts at the end and takes you back and forth in Kambili’s journey as she finds herself and more. 

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Set in the town of Mississippi, in the 1960s, The Help is a novel which deals with the worst of humanity and is simultaneously one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. Stockett’s brilliant writing gives an insight into the lives of 3 women, who try to overcome the lines society placed between them in a heart-breaking, but powerful journey. 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I’ve always loved thrillers but this book is truly a class apart. It has a plot which will leave you hooked from the first page and a tension that stays with you, long after you’ve read it. It also has one of the best book to movie adaptations, so feel free to watch it for a wild ride. 

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Three Thousand Stitches: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives by Sudha Murty

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.25