santhanakana's reviews
94 reviews

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

4.0

What a book which I thought was about how humans will never fundamentally know what the answer is to the meaning of life but yet we hold out belief, hope and faith that there is meaning and there is salvation. 

This book could also be about the importance of love and female friendships and motherhood and being a daughter! 

This book was beautifully written and although 0 questions were answered which was difficult and frustrating, the world created was so intriguing!!! 

Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott

2.0

This book didn’t come at the right time for me! Was enjoying it but wasn’t what I was looking for at the time xxxxx (I didn’t finish it)

Betty by Tiffany McDaniel

5.0

one of my favourite reads of all time. Wow pure poetry and just completely stunning and life changing. So so beautiful that Landon’s legacy will live on forever in what felt like a religious read, reminding you of the purpose of life and love and living and breathing and existing. What a love letter to her grandad and her mum, Betty. Wow ! I will talk about this book forever!

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

2.5

Now I thought i was gonna eat up she who became the sun and I didn’t. Icl the first part where it was about Zhu’s beginnings and her time in the monastery that was soooooo good!! I was invested! I cared about the characters. When it became political in the middle it became harder to follow and sooooo sooo boring!! There was less focus on the characters and more on the ongoing of war! I felt myself skimming and scanning! The book did pick up again after Zhu and Ouyang’s duel but I was just desperate to finish it! The ending aswell like poor Ma and Esen too! I ended the book not caring about what happens ! Do love Ma and Xu dang tho and wish there was more focus on their relationship with Zhu!

Marriage of a Thousand Lies by SJ Sindu

3.0

This was an easy and quick read but I felt like I wasn’t really invested in the characters and didn’t actually care about what happened to them. I wish she delved more deeply into family relations. I wanted to know what was at stake when one has to choose between love and a toxic family. Loved Ofc the Tamil family setting ! Also the rugby house was full of stereotypes lol! I love that this book exists in a queer space which is usually dominated by white men tho!!! Tamil lesbians forever ! 

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy

3.0

I loved the first third of the book and so I felt I was missing Anjum and her story for the rest of it. Also as someone who admittedly knows very little about the Kashmir violence, I felt I was getting whiplash from all the different characters and stories and political scenes. I desperately wanted to learn but I felt like I needed to have researched about the conflict beforehand to get a better grip of what was going on. 

The writing was beautiful tho but I really forced myself to finish this book. Not comparable to God of small things at all !  

Belonging by Umi Sinha

4.0

What a really fucking good novel that I’ve heard no one speak about. Quite literally COULDNT put it down. Interesting angle aswell like Colonial India is such an interesting setting. Three v interesting POVs aswell!! Jagjit my poor boy deserved so much better. The British are a nasty piece of work ! 

Passing by Nella Larsen

4.0

As a slut for Vanishing half, I had to read this classic! Wow what a read! I love to read about complex race relations and this novel was such an interesting insight into Harlem in the 1920s and also the complexities of 'passing.' I genuinely thought this was going to be a cheeky queer novel and definitely think Clare and Irene were feeling each other but surprisingly they never went there! I loved how short it was but still you cared for the characters! Clare served that pixie girl fantasy but I still enjoyed her character whilst still feeling for Irene! A must read for sure!

Daphnis and Chloe by Longus

4.0

What a fun read!! I’ve always fancied myself a farmer, need my shepherd that famously suckled on a goat xxx Honestly really enjoyed this! Young love, sensuality and devotion !!! I am obsessed xxx makes me really miss classics and my classics teacher ! What an easy read aswell!!!

Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan

4.0

What a book! Loved the spotlight on the tamil struggle and how racism forces people to turn to extremism. There was great anti-tiger sentiment and Idk how i felt about that! But i'm so grateful for a read like this! It's not a 5/5 for me because I felt that Sashi was sometimes 2D and wished there was more development and details about her friendship with K! I didn't feel it was as deep and profound as described! I also am a great lover of Arun and Niranjan! SO heartbreaking!! I will be reading other reads by the same author! This book is important.