Truth is stranger than fiction

  Book review Title: The Other Black Girl Author: Zakia Dalila Harris Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Horror The Other Black girl is a story about how a mere office rivalry between two colleagues ends up on a dangerous note. Nella Rogers is the only black girl in an all white publishing house-Wager Books. She longs for another black girl in the office with whom she can share her woes and pressures about being black in the American workplace. When Hazel joins Wager Books, Nella is delighted at first. However the new black girl does not project the same need for companionship. Over time, Nella realizes that Hazel is showcasing one upmanship at every given opportunity. When Nella starts to receive anonymous notes asking her to leave Wager books, things begin to take a dangerous turn. The plot unfolds into layers that go beyond just mere office politics.  The pacing in the initial part of the book is slow, focussing largely on the build up of the office setting and the various dynamics. I...

Book review Title: Notes on Grief Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Genre: Non fiction/Memoir Notes on Grief is a moving account of a sorrowful daughter written after her father’s sudden demise. One fine day in June, author Adichie received news about her father’s death. A father whom she had laughed and joked with just a day ago.  It chronicles her emotions and feelings of coping with this irreparable loss. As she recollects memories, she gives her glimpse of her father’s life and his influence on her upbringing.  Much of the book is focuses on the interiority of the author. There is a great deal of pain, shock, denial  and loneliness. It entwines readers into the mind of the author and makes them experience an avalanche of emotions. While reminiscing about her father, she realizes how laughter and sorrow are intertwined in a strange manner.  The honesty in the way she owns down her thoughts strikes a chord. Especially when she expresses her longing  to bring hi...

Title: The Forest of Vanishing Stars Author: Kristin Harmel Genre: Historical fiction Set in the backdrop of world war 2, The Forest of Vanishing Stars tells the story of a woman who has an unconventional upbringing. When she was two years old, Yona was stolen from her German parents by a mysterious woman named Jerusza and raised in the forest. Yona learns survival skills and multiple languages. After Jerusza's death, Yona stumbles upon a group of jews in the forest who have fled their homes to escape the German persecution. Yona decides to help them and ends up forming a bond with Aleksander-the group leader. A betrayal compels her to flee the forest and end up in aGerman village. Yona is forced to confront her shocking past and present.  The author's research clearly lends authenticity to the characters and setting.In her lucid and poetic style, she transports readers to this magical forest which is a character by itself. The relationship between Jerusza and Yona borders more...

  With my ongoing thesis project which incidentally is also my next fiction book, life has been pretty overwhelming. Especially when you are writing about characters battling some form of trauma.  When I interviewed authors in the past, they have always talked about living with the characters all day and night. I often wondered what that would feel like. And the past three months has given me that experience. When I was writing a story, I was in the character's head all the time, feeling their pain, grief and myriad emotions.  It was exhausting. Probably more exhausting than doing a triathlon race. But I had to undergo this ordeal in order to bring authenticity to the voice, story, setting and the complexity of the characters.  I had a similar experience when I was penning down my memoir couple of years ago. I had to relive some of my painful experiences in order to bring authenticity to my journey and voice on the page. But the efforts paid off especially since A Tu...

  Title: Of women and salt Author: Gabriella Garcia  Genre: Literary Fiction Of Women and Salt tells the complex story of multigenerational Cuban women set across different timelines..We have our primary protagonist Jeannette , daughter of a Cuban immigrant who is battling drug addiction. One day Jeannette rescues a neighbor's daughter Ana whose mother is picked up by the ICE as they are undocumented immigrants. Jeanette's mother compels her to call the police and turn Ana to them. This decision continues to haunt Jeanette who is also on the quest to visit her family in Cuba to uncover some secrets.  Written from the point of view of multiple characters, the story seamlessly moves between timelines from 19th century Cuba to 21st century Miami.This non linear narrative at times appears confusing and compels readers to turn back to the pages. The writing is beautiful and lyrical, capturing the struggles, turmoil and anguish of the characters. The author addresses the g...

Book review Title: The Sun Down motel Author: Simone St James Genre: Horror/Thriller/Mystery The Sun Down Motel is an engrossing psychological thriller that traces a girl’s journey to Fell town in New York who is search of answers of her aunt’s mysterious disappearance thirty five years ago.  Carly Kirk sets out of her Illinois home and gets a job as a night clerk at Sun Down Hotel. The same place where her aunt Vivian worked. Yet there is something not right at the Motel. With its disturbing past, chilling encounters, voices at night, doors opening and shutting by itself, Carly finds herself ensnared in a similar situation as that of her aunt. As she sets out to unravel the mystery, Carly finds herself going deeper into the rabbit hole and stumbles upon some shocking evidence. Clearly there is more to this murkiness than what meets the eye.  Set in the town on Fell in New York, the story alternates between two timelines- 1982 and 2017. One of the highlights of this novel is t...

Book review Title: The Secret Keeper of Jaipur Author: Alka Joshi  Genre: Fiction After reading The Henna Artist last year, I was eager to read its sequel which released just ten days ago. And it was wonderful to revisit the characters once again.  The story is set in the 1960s where our protagonist Lakshmi is married to Dr Jay and is in charge of the healing garden of herbs in Shimla. Mallik is now twenty and has just finished his education. He has fallen in love with a widowed tribal girl Nimmi but has been sent to Jaipur to assist the big project of the palace which is a state of the art cinema. When the cinema collapses on the opening day, it causes a lot of upheaval and  the blame games. Stumbling upon something unexpected, Mallik becomes suspicious of foul play and is determined to discover the truth.  Written from the point of view of Nimmi, Lakshmi and Mallik, the story moves seamlessly from the mountainous regions of Shimla to the plush society of Jaipur. Th...