Have you read a book that while you’re reading it you’re just like “what’s going on here?!” but also are like “okay, I like it, continue.”? That’s how I felt while reading this book.

When I heard it was about a judge about to give judgment over a case where a Muslim man was petitioning for his ancestral site to not get descritated by some people who had bought a plot next door, I thought this was going to go down the communal route - comparing this to Babri Masjid etc, but no, I was very very wrong.

We meet Bhavana, a single mom of a child with ADHD who is also a district judge - while presiding over this case she thinks she’s being possessed by the mind of the plaintiff. What follows is her telling the story of her ancestors, her speaking to her torn apart family and coming to terms with herself - a person who she thinks is split into half.

This was such a short book (112 pages) and yet it contained multitudes. From talking about the patriarchy and a woman's rights to that of love and marriage to the topic of religion and belief. This book was full of magic and absolute weirdness and I was so into it.

The writing was typical KR Meera - simple, to the point but says everything it needs to say. I’m so glad that I got to read this book. Thank you to Vivek who literally shoved this into my lap and let me borrow his copy.

The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante

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dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I don't know how Elena Ferrante does it. The main character was unlikable but also SO HUMAN. This just really showed the brutal ugly mirror to motherhood and how it truly can feel. So simple, but also so uncomfortable.

Assembly by Natasha Brown

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reflective tense fast-paced