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thebookishelf's Reviews (431)
The Runaway Bridegroom was an intense, utterly riveting book that I literally could not put down, that kept my heart racing, that had me hanging off of every word that I read, and the story just ripped my heart out but yet still had a very sweet ending.
The author Sundari Venkatraman has done wonderful job with words. The writing was beautiful and flowed effortlessly, the characters were vivid, and the story was gripping and sucked you right in from the start.
I started reading this book around midnight after a whole day of traveling expecting to just read for an hour and put it down. Boy I was wrong! I read straight through the night and finished the book around 6am when the sun came up!! I just couldn't tear myself away from it!
The first few chapters of the book starts out in a small town of Rajasthan where Chanda Maheshwari, an 8 year-old girl from a very well-respected family who gets married as per the customs of family to Veerendra Singh Choudhry, a 13-year old boy. But the tragedy outside of their control strikes, when the Bridegroom, Veerendra Singh, runs away on the same day after his marriage with Chanda. After a few weeks of this incident, unable to face the disgrace brought on by the disappearance of their son-in-law after a few hours of wedding, the Maheshwari family, including Chanda, her parents and her siblings, move to Jaipur.
Chanda and her family continues with their life. She is now in final year of studying BMS (Bachelor of Management Studies) in Delhi and lives in a hostel. Soon she joins a software company owned and managed by Ranveer Singh, a young entrepreneur in Delhi. She falls for Ranveer but her childhood marriage is still in her mind. There is one more hurdle to add, Shikha, the secretary of Ranveer, Who is also determined to get her boss at any cost.
This story is about powerful love, loss, family, second chances, secrets that test the strength of family and relationship bonds, overcoming prejudices, but most importantly its about a very beautiful and sweet love story that start when Chanda and Veerendra were young and never lets go throughout all the years of hardship.
The book was wonderful. I won’t say too much about it and won’t give too much as it just needs to be read and felt. The Runaway Bridegroom really did come as a surprise to me. I never expected to finish this book within a few hours! I was able to predict everything that happened and that was a bit of a bummer but I still enjoyed this book nonetheless. I think this book is definitely worth a read. It's one of the better love stories I've read about in awhile.
If you are looking for a captivating, bittersweet, emotional read with a happy ending, this is it!
The author Sundari Venkatraman has done wonderful job with words. The writing was beautiful and flowed effortlessly, the characters were vivid, and the story was gripping and sucked you right in from the start.
I started reading this book around midnight after a whole day of traveling expecting to just read for an hour and put it down. Boy I was wrong! I read straight through the night and finished the book around 6am when the sun came up!! I just couldn't tear myself away from it!
The first few chapters of the book starts out in a small town of Rajasthan where Chanda Maheshwari, an 8 year-old girl from a very well-respected family who gets married as per the customs of family to Veerendra Singh Choudhry, a 13-year old boy. But the tragedy outside of their control strikes, when the Bridegroom, Veerendra Singh, runs away on the same day after his marriage with Chanda. After a few weeks of this incident, unable to face the disgrace brought on by the disappearance of their son-in-law after a few hours of wedding, the Maheshwari family, including Chanda, her parents and her siblings, move to Jaipur.
Chanda and her family continues with their life. She is now in final year of studying BMS (Bachelor of Management Studies) in Delhi and lives in a hostel. Soon she joins a software company owned and managed by Ranveer Singh, a young entrepreneur in Delhi. She falls for Ranveer but her childhood marriage is still in her mind. There is one more hurdle to add, Shikha, the secretary of Ranveer, Who is also determined to get her boss at any cost.
This story is about powerful love, loss, family, second chances, secrets that test the strength of family and relationship bonds, overcoming prejudices, but most importantly its about a very beautiful and sweet love story that start when Chanda and Veerendra were young and never lets go throughout all the years of hardship.
The book was wonderful. I won’t say too much about it and won’t give too much as it just needs to be read and felt. The Runaway Bridegroom really did come as a surprise to me. I never expected to finish this book within a few hours! I was able to predict everything that happened and that was a bit of a bummer but I still enjoyed this book nonetheless. I think this book is definitely worth a read. It's one of the better love stories I've read about in awhile.
If you are looking for a captivating, bittersweet, emotional read with a happy ending, this is it!
I thoroughly enjoyed Bhoot Bhavish Bartaman by Mehool Parekh. A happily married house wife, Rupali, is murdered; and Major Bartaman Bhowmick, southern command of the Indian Army, is determined to find real murderer of Rupali. Though police have arrested suspects but the detective Bhowmick is not satisfied with it.
The down-and-out Major Bhowmick and his assistant Robin are quite likable characters. They make a terrific team. Robin is smart and excitable and her character adds a lot to the book. The book carries a good cast of suspects. Many with different theories as to whom killed Rupali. Outstanding character development throughout the book. Detective's investigative process and interview skills were quite enjoyable and well done.
The mystery is excellent, it slowly comes together and it is fun to piece it together alongside the detective. I felt like it really worked and was very clever. This book is more than 300 pages long and I didn't feel like any of it was superfluous. It was well-crafted, and didn't go down the paths I expected it to go, especially with confrontations. Oftentimes I thought two people were going to hash it out, and the book would take a different turn - it was exciting and kept me guessing.
The storytelling was in top form, full of intrigue and drama that held my interest from the beginning and didn’t let go. I was invested in this story and was rooting for both Robin and Bhowmick as they searched for a killer no one else believed existed. The ending was unpredictable but also possible, leading to an overall feeling of satisfaction with the way the novel played out.
The characters are amazing. Of course the reader ends up loving the protagonists: Major Bhowmick and Robin, but author Mehul Parekh's talent also shines through strongly in all his supporting and side characters. He did an amazing job at crafting living, breathing characters that leapt off of the page. I could easily visualize all these people.
Overall this was a very vibrant and satisfying mystery, full of colorful characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Anyone who enjoys run-of-the-mill detective stories will no doubt adore this novel, and those who don’t may very well find themselves attracted to a new genre.
The down-and-out Major Bhowmick and his assistant Robin are quite likable characters. They make a terrific team. Robin is smart and excitable and her character adds a lot to the book. The book carries a good cast of suspects. Many with different theories as to whom killed Rupali. Outstanding character development throughout the book. Detective's investigative process and interview skills were quite enjoyable and well done.
The mystery is excellent, it slowly comes together and it is fun to piece it together alongside the detective. I felt like it really worked and was very clever. This book is more than 300 pages long and I didn't feel like any of it was superfluous. It was well-crafted, and didn't go down the paths I expected it to go, especially with confrontations. Oftentimes I thought two people were going to hash it out, and the book would take a different turn - it was exciting and kept me guessing.
The storytelling was in top form, full of intrigue and drama that held my interest from the beginning and didn’t let go. I was invested in this story and was rooting for both Robin and Bhowmick as they searched for a killer no one else believed existed. The ending was unpredictable but also possible, leading to an overall feeling of satisfaction with the way the novel played out.
The characters are amazing. Of course the reader ends up loving the protagonists: Major Bhowmick and Robin, but author Mehul Parekh's talent also shines through strongly in all his supporting and side characters. He did an amazing job at crafting living, breathing characters that leapt off of the page. I could easily visualize all these people.
Overall this was a very vibrant and satisfying mystery, full of colorful characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Anyone who enjoys run-of-the-mill detective stories will no doubt adore this novel, and those who don’t may very well find themselves attracted to a new genre.
Sartaj, the only son of a wealthy and influential family from Haryana, works in an IT firm in Banglore. He's also an impressive boxer and channels his frustration and anger on the punching bags. He's living a satisfied bachelor life anyone can be jealous of, hanging out with friends, liquor and girls, broken heart and relationships.
Sartaj learns about his powers with the help of voices in his head. He's now Badoga, one of the Music Men. They're safeguarding and defending humans since long time. This revelation unravels new responsibilities and expectations on Sartaj, now Badoga.
I thought long and hard about the many reasons I liked Music Men: Badoga and I think it’s mostly due to the way it was written. Pankaj Saini made his story some sort of puzzle and the longer you read, the more is revealed and every piece eventually falls into place. There’s a certain depth to his characters you never actually see on the pages, but it’s all there, in their actions, the way they behave. In the way they talk and interact with each other. There’s an entire background story and we get it piece by piece, little by little.
There is something about Pankaj Saini's writing that appeals to me on so many levels.
First of all he has great characters. I immediately liked the character of Sartaj. He is intelligent to the point of being geeky, but I could completely identify with that. I found his voice refreshing, honest and witty. The supporting characters are great as well, from Ranjana and Vishal to other characters introduced in the story.
Secondly, we have action, action, action. It doesn't get more amazing than reading about superheroes fighting villains.
Next we have the world building. It is so easy to step in and just get lost in the world author has created. They are so detailed, but he delivers it in such a way that it isn't an information overload nor do you get the feeling you are being spoon-fed.
Finally we have a little bit of mystery. Strange happenings, or little clues that when dropped mean very little, but at the end Author Pankaj Saini ties them all together into some system that absolutely just works. There are plenty of questions answered towards the end, though everything is not revealed as there is a sequel planned for this amazing book.
I would describe Music Men: Badoga as a graphic novel without pictures. From the breathtaking prologue through the final page, it is action, action, action. This makes for a pretty quick read, although I personally found that trying to visualize all the choreography of the scenes occasionally got a little exhausting.
The plot is exciting and eventful and the character's abilities and potential is endless so it's an enchanting read. It is fast-moving and there are a few twists which really made me read faster. This was a very strong start to a series and it is definitely an instant favourite. I'm really looking forward to reading the next instalment in the series.
Sartaj learns about his powers with the help of voices in his head. He's now Badoga, one of the Music Men. They're safeguarding and defending humans since long time. This revelation unravels new responsibilities and expectations on Sartaj, now Badoga.
I thought long and hard about the many reasons I liked Music Men: Badoga and I think it’s mostly due to the way it was written. Pankaj Saini made his story some sort of puzzle and the longer you read, the more is revealed and every piece eventually falls into place. There’s a certain depth to his characters you never actually see on the pages, but it’s all there, in their actions, the way they behave. In the way they talk and interact with each other. There’s an entire background story and we get it piece by piece, little by little.
There is something about Pankaj Saini's writing that appeals to me on so many levels.
First of all he has great characters. I immediately liked the character of Sartaj. He is intelligent to the point of being geeky, but I could completely identify with that. I found his voice refreshing, honest and witty. The supporting characters are great as well, from Ranjana and Vishal to other characters introduced in the story.
Secondly, we have action, action, action. It doesn't get more amazing than reading about superheroes fighting villains.
Next we have the world building. It is so easy to step in and just get lost in the world author has created. They are so detailed, but he delivers it in such a way that it isn't an information overload nor do you get the feeling you are being spoon-fed.
Finally we have a little bit of mystery. Strange happenings, or little clues that when dropped mean very little, but at the end Author Pankaj Saini ties them all together into some system that absolutely just works. There are plenty of questions answered towards the end, though everything is not revealed as there is a sequel planned for this amazing book.
I would describe Music Men: Badoga as a graphic novel without pictures. From the breathtaking prologue through the final page, it is action, action, action. This makes for a pretty quick read, although I personally found that trying to visualize all the choreography of the scenes occasionally got a little exhausting.
The plot is exciting and eventful and the character's abilities and potential is endless so it's an enchanting read. It is fast-moving and there are a few twists which really made me read faster. This was a very strong start to a series and it is definitely an instant favourite. I'm really looking forward to reading the next instalment in the series.
If you want to read about ghosts in order to be filled with dread, then Anita Krishan may not be your favorite supernatural author. On the other hand, if you are a fan of elegant realistic fiction but like a few chills from time to time, Anita Krishan's ghost tales may belong at the top of your list.
Each of stories in 'Ghosts of the Silent Hills' is a subtle exercise rooted in everyday reality, and the ghostly presences--such as they are--emerge from the nourishing soil that constitutes author's finely crafted realism. Many of her stories touch on the cruelty of domestic power relations, not only between husbands and wives, but also between their servants. Specters haunt those who once had the power to change things for the better but did not do so, and visit the living not only as a reproach for past sins, but also as a silent exhortation for redress.
All the stories here are worth reading, but when Anita Krishan's seriousness of purpose and subtlety of style combine with genuine ghostly thrills, the result is a handful of first-rate ghost stories ("An Uncanny Attachment", "The Hospital Room", "Lonely in Death", "A Girl's Mission ", "The Lodge") that should be on everybody's reading list.
Anita Krishan may be an unlikely ghost story writer, but she does it rather well. As you would expect they are well written and have subtlety and nuance and don’t have the gore and bludgeoning of some modern horror. There is a sprinkling of the gothic, a few rambling and creepy houses and a variety of settings: Shimla, Delhi, Assam, Chamba, and Australia. Several of the stories do explore the relationship between servants and their employers and the tensions between the two. Locks and keys play a significant role.
The sense of helplessness, collapsing competence and fear of the unknown are very telling.
Anita Krishan herself said that she believes in ghosts despite she doesn't want to, but she is doubtful to accept their presence indisputably; and what is needed here is imagination rather than belief. What makes Ghost of the Silent Hills by Anita Krishan interesting is the usual supernatural dread filtered through scepticism. These ghost stories often follow a familiar format but Author Anita Krishan does manage to subvert the genre in unusual ways.
Each of stories in 'Ghosts of the Silent Hills' is a subtle exercise rooted in everyday reality, and the ghostly presences--such as they are--emerge from the nourishing soil that constitutes author's finely crafted realism. Many of her stories touch on the cruelty of domestic power relations, not only between husbands and wives, but also between their servants. Specters haunt those who once had the power to change things for the better but did not do so, and visit the living not only as a reproach for past sins, but also as a silent exhortation for redress.
All the stories here are worth reading, but when Anita Krishan's seriousness of purpose and subtlety of style combine with genuine ghostly thrills, the result is a handful of first-rate ghost stories ("An Uncanny Attachment", "The Hospital Room", "Lonely in Death", "A Girl's Mission ", "The Lodge") that should be on everybody's reading list.
Anita Krishan may be an unlikely ghost story writer, but she does it rather well. As you would expect they are well written and have subtlety and nuance and don’t have the gore and bludgeoning of some modern horror. There is a sprinkling of the gothic, a few rambling and creepy houses and a variety of settings: Shimla, Delhi, Assam, Chamba, and Australia. Several of the stories do explore the relationship between servants and their employers and the tensions between the two. Locks and keys play a significant role.
The sense of helplessness, collapsing competence and fear of the unknown are very telling.
Anita Krishan herself said that she believes in ghosts despite she doesn't want to, but she is doubtful to accept their presence indisputably; and what is needed here is imagination rather than belief. What makes Ghost of the Silent Hills by Anita Krishan interesting is the usual supernatural dread filtered through scepticism. These ghost stories often follow a familiar format but Author Anita Krishan does manage to subvert the genre in unusual ways.
The basic premise of The Game of Votes by Farhat Basir Khan rests on the calculation made to differentiate successful election practices from unsuccessful ones. It is filled with amazing insider details about every big campaign in the last forty years. It will have you grinning and shaking your head at some of the strategy that various campaign analysts came up with. The author has obtained amazing access. This history familiarizes the reader with the thought process behind the decisions that campaigns make to identify & motivate likely voters. The second half of the book lays out in detail the sophisticated data analysis employed to great success in recent elections.
The Game Of Votes is basically a history of Indian research and practice of electoral politics. It begins modestly with quantitative research on elections and political campaigning in India. From the early elections in India to the present day, Author Farhat Basir Khan explains how changes in technology, media and developments in the marketing/public opinion industry have reshaped Indian politics.
What The Game Of Votes demonstrates is that commercial interests now have a tremendous amount of information about us and political parties and candidates are now learning how to use that information to press our buttons. On one hand it is a staggeringly cynical way to look at politics.
If you give the right data to a modern campaign operative she/he can identify the type of party/candidate/message will best appeal to you. It’s important to remember that this is not a one-to-one analysis. Buying Pepsi does not make you a Democrat, but a person who lives in your style of neighbourhood, with a luxury smartphone plan and premium cable tends to vote for candidates X, and prefers lower taxes, and worries about public safety issues. So instead of getting the mail item about the environment you get the one about policing. It’s clever, and vaguely terrifying.
Author lays out the history and how Indian politics has reached this point. The ubiquity of consumer data and the constant expansion of voter database information means that things are bound to change. The observations and some of the anecdotes are fascinating.
This is a narrative, not a how-to. It is not just a book about numbers. It is a book about social history, changing demographics and the choices made by human beings hoping to influence other human beings. Author Farhat Basir Khan provides a fascinating overview of how Indian campaigns have changed, and how they will likely continue to evolve.
The Game Of Votes is basically a history of Indian research and practice of electoral politics. It begins modestly with quantitative research on elections and political campaigning in India. From the early elections in India to the present day, Author Farhat Basir Khan explains how changes in technology, media and developments in the marketing/public opinion industry have reshaped Indian politics.
What The Game Of Votes demonstrates is that commercial interests now have a tremendous amount of information about us and political parties and candidates are now learning how to use that information to press our buttons. On one hand it is a staggeringly cynical way to look at politics.
If you give the right data to a modern campaign operative she/he can identify the type of party/candidate/message will best appeal to you. It’s important to remember that this is not a one-to-one analysis. Buying Pepsi does not make you a Democrat, but a person who lives in your style of neighbourhood, with a luxury smartphone plan and premium cable tends to vote for candidates X, and prefers lower taxes, and worries about public safety issues. So instead of getting the mail item about the environment you get the one about policing. It’s clever, and vaguely terrifying.
Author lays out the history and how Indian politics has reached this point. The ubiquity of consumer data and the constant expansion of voter database information means that things are bound to change. The observations and some of the anecdotes are fascinating.
This is a narrative, not a how-to. It is not just a book about numbers. It is a book about social history, changing demographics and the choices made by human beings hoping to influence other human beings. Author Farhat Basir Khan provides a fascinating overview of how Indian campaigns have changed, and how they will likely continue to evolve.
I still feel somewhat under the spell of this book (book allusion). 'Married to Mr. Nightmare' was honestly an amazing read. This ended up feeling like one of the best and most authentic romances I have read this year. In some ways, I feel conflicted like Rehan when I say that: my instinct is to say that can't be, because of what their relationship revolves around / how it's constructed... but somehow it can be and it's true. Mayra, Rehan, and their relationship are all so honestly and openly written and shown that there is no other way for us to feel. Even though its counterintuitive, I can't help but feel that their relationship is one of the most beautiful, complex, and emotional ones.
Mayra was one of the best heroines, because she felt so real and her reactions each and every time were so normal! Not over-the-top for effect, but not understated because the author wants to put lots of emotions. She also is very attracted - and eventually in love - with Rehan and wants to be in a relationship with him. Mayra feels a connection to him that she has never felt with any other person (Kunal) and she wants him in her life; he makes her happy. Her attempts to balance these two forces is wonderfully depicted.
Mayra is strong - she's somewhat strong and quiet, but like all real people, you cannot fit her into only one category: she may seem reserved and quiet, but she can also stand up for herself and really knows her own mind. Mayra examines her motivations and feelings when she's confused or unsure - not only about what she should do, but about what she wants to do and what Rehan wants from her. The story is told in first-person (from Mayra and Rehan's point of view), which is sometimes iffy for me, but it worked well here; Mayra's tone as narrator is smart, self-aware, and immensely likable.
Rehan is intense and dark and I know some people still see him as mysterious and the dark force in all this, but I actually found him to be so accessible. There are still things we need to know about his history, obviously - I have some guesses, but don't know anything for sure. Nonetheless, he's dominant, he's a man who has that part of himself incorporated into his life, personality, and mannerisms; so that it's integral to his character, even when we see him around other characters who don't know about this part of his life.
Rehan is possessive, domineering, elusive and more. He's also the most tender, tortured and sensitive character. His despair and his need for Mayra is his life are like living, breathing things and they jump off the page. He also has a deep understanding about himself and his desires, though he discovers and faces new things through Mayra's questions and confrontations.
Fantastic secondary characters, especially Vishal and Tara. No evil guy or superfluous subplot - the obstacles are within themselves and their relationship and that is more than enough; anything else would have ruined the book and taken away from their story. Subtle but sizzling chemistry, Complex characters.
Author Aakriti Srivastava is just genius at depicting emotions, understanding relationships, and communicating what is going on in her characters’ minds. The depth to which the characters are taken and described is beyond words. A wonderful blend of a deep emotional journey and love story… this is one of those books that will stay with you for long!!!
Mayra was one of the best heroines, because she felt so real and her reactions each and every time were so normal! Not over-the-top for effect, but not understated because the author wants to put lots of emotions. She also is very attracted - and eventually in love - with Rehan and wants to be in a relationship with him. Mayra feels a connection to him that she has never felt with any other person (Kunal) and she wants him in her life; he makes her happy. Her attempts to balance these two forces is wonderfully depicted.
Mayra is strong - she's somewhat strong and quiet, but like all real people, you cannot fit her into only one category: she may seem reserved and quiet, but she can also stand up for herself and really knows her own mind. Mayra examines her motivations and feelings when she's confused or unsure - not only about what she should do, but about what she wants to do and what Rehan wants from her. The story is told in first-person (from Mayra and Rehan's point of view), which is sometimes iffy for me, but it worked well here; Mayra's tone as narrator is smart, self-aware, and immensely likable.
Rehan is intense and dark and I know some people still see him as mysterious and the dark force in all this, but I actually found him to be so accessible. There are still things we need to know about his history, obviously - I have some guesses, but don't know anything for sure. Nonetheless, he's dominant, he's a man who has that part of himself incorporated into his life, personality, and mannerisms; so that it's integral to his character, even when we see him around other characters who don't know about this part of his life.
Rehan is possessive, domineering, elusive and more. He's also the most tender, tortured and sensitive character. His despair and his need for Mayra is his life are like living, breathing things and they jump off the page. He also has a deep understanding about himself and his desires, though he discovers and faces new things through Mayra's questions and confrontations.
Fantastic secondary characters, especially Vishal and Tara. No evil guy or superfluous subplot - the obstacles are within themselves and their relationship and that is more than enough; anything else would have ruined the book and taken away from their story. Subtle but sizzling chemistry, Complex characters.
Author Aakriti Srivastava is just genius at depicting emotions, understanding relationships, and communicating what is going on in her characters’ minds. The depth to which the characters are taken and described is beyond words. A wonderful blend of a deep emotional journey and love story… this is one of those books that will stay with you for long!!!
Great Content, Numerous Personalities being Quoted, Very Apt Anecdotes, Easy to Understand Principles and Universal Application is how I would describe what the book ‘Your Life Is Your Message’ is all about.
Every time I read a book like this I check the credibility of the authors and if you do your own research you'd know that these two (Nancy Stanford Blair and Mark L Gesner) are more than credible to write a book on leadership. While reading personal development books, I usually check to see if it's research based and not based purely on personal opinion. The book cites study, after study. Like frosting on the cake all of the ideas that they present from the studies and questionnaires are supported by stories of leaders around the globe.
‘Your Life Is Your Message’ is divided in three parts and 10 chapters. Each chapter deals with principles of improving yourself to be better YOU on a philosophical level and proceed to give practical suggestions on how to implement these principles. This framework for understanding leadership is by far the simplest, fully comprehensive approach I have come across. The book is full of good insight as to how to become a better leader. Many of the tricks they offer are easy to implement - being a better leader is as simple as choosing to be a better leader. This book is built on the fact that leadership can be taught. Its success is built on the fact that anyone can accomplish the extraordinary.
‘Your Life Is Your Message’ is a tremendous book. The book is highly readable, practical and encouraging. The broad research base that is utilized in the book add to its credibility.
Every time I read a book like this I check the credibility of the authors and if you do your own research you'd know that these two (Nancy Stanford Blair and Mark L Gesner) are more than credible to write a book on leadership. While reading personal development books, I usually check to see if it's research based and not based purely on personal opinion. The book cites study, after study. Like frosting on the cake all of the ideas that they present from the studies and questionnaires are supported by stories of leaders around the globe.
‘Your Life Is Your Message’ is divided in three parts and 10 chapters. Each chapter deals with principles of improving yourself to be better YOU on a philosophical level and proceed to give practical suggestions on how to implement these principles. This framework for understanding leadership is by far the simplest, fully comprehensive approach I have come across. The book is full of good insight as to how to become a better leader. Many of the tricks they offer are easy to implement - being a better leader is as simple as choosing to be a better leader. This book is built on the fact that leadership can be taught. Its success is built on the fact that anyone can accomplish the extraordinary.
‘Your Life Is Your Message’ is a tremendous book. The book is highly readable, practical and encouraging. The broad research base that is utilized in the book add to its credibility.
We can never imagine what kind of life lies ahead of us and this book made me realize that we can never say "never", "I will" or "I can", not until we are right at that very moment wherein we need to make a decision(rational or not). Yes, we can determine what we want to be in the future but we can never foresee the things and changes that we are to encounter. We can do nothing but to choose, and even by just making one wrong choice will change something sometime everything and the future will be far more different from what we sought it to be.
I Prescribe Love by Lavnya Krishnamurthy is a very well written book. It gives a good description about the daily lives of doctors and their profession. The book is mainly based on Shwetha and Gautam's journey through school, medical college and their respective field. The ups and downs, the rise and fall, the realisations they have. They both look out for each other no matter what the situation. Both go through disappointing relations, realising the true relation at the end .
I Prescribe Love is a breezy read yet it compels reader to think of mad ways of the world. The characters are very convincing and well crafted. There are many good dialogues and quotes that I kept highlighting. Before starting the book I came to know that the author is a doctor by profession but her passion lies in writing. Considering that she pulled off all practices of medical world in the best way.
I loved the character of Shwetha, who is a beautiful, equally strong in her brains, knowledge and hard work, faces the world and keeps struggling despite having everything needed for a successful career. The fantastic well-rounded story aside, the writing itself is very detailed and descriptive.
I would recommend I Prescribe Love by Lavnya Krishnamurthy for all graduate students of any discipline to understand that with the glamour and pride that comes with a profession, also comes responsibility and sacrifices which must be made.
I Prescribe Love by Lavnya Krishnamurthy is a very well written book. It gives a good description about the daily lives of doctors and their profession. The book is mainly based on Shwetha and Gautam's journey through school, medical college and their respective field. The ups and downs, the rise and fall, the realisations they have. They both look out for each other no matter what the situation. Both go through disappointing relations, realising the true relation at the end .
I Prescribe Love is a breezy read yet it compels reader to think of mad ways of the world. The characters are very convincing and well crafted. There are many good dialogues and quotes that I kept highlighting. Before starting the book I came to know that the author is a doctor by profession but her passion lies in writing. Considering that she pulled off all practices of medical world in the best way.
I loved the character of Shwetha, who is a beautiful, equally strong in her brains, knowledge and hard work, faces the world and keeps struggling despite having everything needed for a successful career. The fantastic well-rounded story aside, the writing itself is very detailed and descriptive.
I would recommend I Prescribe Love by Lavnya Krishnamurthy for all graduate students of any discipline to understand that with the glamour and pride that comes with a profession, also comes responsibility and sacrifices which must be made.
It is one of the mysteries of the human mind that nothing can be thought without eliciting a feeling, and nothing can be felt without eliciting a thought; and that moods and beliefs, so apparently separate, are really deeply intertwined. Without this deep bond between concept and affect, poetry would hardly be possible, seeing as it plays on the hidden cords that stretch between our sensory, cognitive, and emotional worlds, finding strange harmonies in disparate sources, revealing hitherto unimagined connections in our inner architecture. And since love—and its dark twin, loss—resides at the center of this poetry book, poet Kawtar Elmrabti has much to work with.
Thoughts Alight by Kawtar Elmrabti evokes romance and revolution in my consciousness, a riot of metaphors impregnated with sui generis imagery, an intense celebration of love and beauty, a flood of high emotions that assails my senses and then dulls them. Everything else blacks out and I’m transported to a world I have never seen before – and it's beautiful, it is magnificent, it is dancing with the joy of love, hope, self conception, and meditative thoughts!
There are very few poets who so brilliantly marries nature's metaphors of earth, sea, wind, trees, moon, stars with the enchanting anatomy of the beloved. Every line testifies to poet Kawtar Elmrabti's unique way of perceiving nature; she likens the beloved to nature, her beloved becomes nature. As you might expect of youthful love poetry, this book is full of ardor, of lust, of desperation, and of the deepest tenderness. The sky is pulled apart, the sea is drained, the stars are rearranged, the forests are uprooted, and the world itself is bent into new shapes in poet's attempt to express her heart.
I took my time reading this, choosing to savor the succulent, vivid, tactile words. I must say, these poems are luscious! I feel their imagery as much as visualize it.
It is hard to make selections from this book; every poem is a work of wonder. Instead of copying many full-length poems, I am sampling some lines to show the luxuriant quality of imagery and the thunderous motion of her poems, the finesse of her thought, and the intensity of her style. Below is one of my favourite poems from the collection Thoughts Alight by Kawtar Elmrabti:
Thoughts Alight by Kawtar Elmrabti evokes romance and revolution in my consciousness, a riot of metaphors impregnated with sui generis imagery, an intense celebration of love and beauty, a flood of high emotions that assails my senses and then dulls them. Everything else blacks out and I’m transported to a world I have never seen before – and it's beautiful, it is magnificent, it is dancing with the joy of love, hope, self conception, and meditative thoughts!
There are very few poets who so brilliantly marries nature's metaphors of earth, sea, wind, trees, moon, stars with the enchanting anatomy of the beloved. Every line testifies to poet Kawtar Elmrabti's unique way of perceiving nature; she likens the beloved to nature, her beloved becomes nature. As you might expect of youthful love poetry, this book is full of ardor, of lust, of desperation, and of the deepest tenderness. The sky is pulled apart, the sea is drained, the stars are rearranged, the forests are uprooted, and the world itself is bent into new shapes in poet's attempt to express her heart.
I took my time reading this, choosing to savor the succulent, vivid, tactile words. I must say, these poems are luscious! I feel their imagery as much as visualize it.
It is hard to make selections from this book; every poem is a work of wonder. Instead of copying many full-length poems, I am sampling some lines to show the luxuriant quality of imagery and the thunderous motion of her poems, the finesse of her thought, and the intensity of her style. Below is one of my favourite poems from the collection Thoughts Alight by Kawtar Elmrabti:
An Afterglow
Loving whispers
Bodies intertwined like tangled wires
I find the place to lay my head
As our freckles align like constellations
Pressed against your skin
Entangled limbs
As to where you and I begin
You woke my sleeping senses
And warmed me to the bone
Together we move as one
In the splendid moment
I see moonlight dancing in your eyes
Together in the afterglow
Locked in love’s sweet embrace
You’re the starlight
In between my midnight eyes
Our Love’s ballet
Crowned with splendor
Afterglow lover’s blush
Passionate blood rush
I lose myself in your beam
Our fingers lock like magnets
Blending into one
I’m yours and you’re mine
Your skin, the canvas
My fingertips, the paintbrush
Every touch, every glide upon it
Create a mark unlike any other
Writing our tale
Lulling you into dreams with my fingers
Waking you when sunlight creeps up the sheets
Our hearts and breaths in sync
Laying in the afterglow
Longing to paint our lives
In splendid memories
Days filled with bliss and passion
Sun shining on our tangled silhouettes
Our Love’s ballet, an endless glow
In modern marriages today the Michelangelo effect impacts us. We all want to shape our partners and we want to mould them. We also want to be in sync with them. In many ways this becomes acute when someone goes into crisis and the other partner isn't. The difference is glaring.
'How much is too much?: Divorce in India' is a part relationship self-help book, part memoir of the author Neha Mehrotra. Most of the book is an examination of the history of marriage and the recent changes in marriage, the repercussions of which we're still working through. It's only towards the end of book that the author gives some suggestions and shares her ideas for marriage to be worked out; she proposes contract marriage and discusses the benefits of having an annual contract.
This book goes very deep into how marriage is changing. Marriages that don't work are increasing in today's society than they were before. And a big reason as the book points to is an immature relationship which converted into a permanent relationship (marriage) due to family or society's pressure.
The author muses on her separation slightly, but the real focus is her own identity, femininity, how she relates to the outside world and how she rebuilds herself.
Author Neha Mehrotra does an autopsy of her marriage, of the roles that each partner played, the futility of the institutions called Marriage and Family, and in her own time explores the shadow that her failed relationship has cast on her, her capacity in the society, and the modified aspects of her life.
'How much is too much?: Divorce in India' offers a wider framework for perceiving the many ways a modern marriage can exist without losing the self and without falling prey to negative thought patterns perpetuated by family, society and many narrow-minded, guild educated therapists and counsellors who believe that marriage has to look one way in order to be considered healthy.
If you are data-driven and are interested in this topic, this book is for you. Bottom line, a good marriage is one that isn’t conventionally defined or defined by what the mainstream tells us but one that works for the two individuals involved.
'How much is too much?: Divorce in India' is a part relationship self-help book, part memoir of the author Neha Mehrotra. Most of the book is an examination of the history of marriage and the recent changes in marriage, the repercussions of which we're still working through. It's only towards the end of book that the author gives some suggestions and shares her ideas for marriage to be worked out; she proposes contract marriage and discusses the benefits of having an annual contract.
This book goes very deep into how marriage is changing. Marriages that don't work are increasing in today's society than they were before. And a big reason as the book points to is an immature relationship which converted into a permanent relationship (marriage) due to family or society's pressure.
The author muses on her separation slightly, but the real focus is her own identity, femininity, how she relates to the outside world and how she rebuilds herself.
Author Neha Mehrotra does an autopsy of her marriage, of the roles that each partner played, the futility of the institutions called Marriage and Family, and in her own time explores the shadow that her failed relationship has cast on her, her capacity in the society, and the modified aspects of her life.
'How much is too much?: Divorce in India' offers a wider framework for perceiving the many ways a modern marriage can exist without losing the self and without falling prey to negative thought patterns perpetuated by family, society and many narrow-minded, guild educated therapists and counsellors who believe that marriage has to look one way in order to be considered healthy.
If you are data-driven and are interested in this topic, this book is for you. Bottom line, a good marriage is one that isn’t conventionally defined or defined by what the mainstream tells us but one that works for the two individuals involved.