Favorite picks from Different genres

Another book club that I am a part of, named Book It Up, decided to dedicate a day to all the regular book reviewers where the latter post about their favorite books or just books that have left an impact on them. Since it was my turn, I decided to line up a book under each genre.  While making this list, I realized that most books that I read belonged to Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classics, Mystery/Thriller, Mythology, memoirs, sports and Translated Literature.  I realized that Fantasy or Science Fiction didn't feature too high in my list. There was a point when I love reading Fantasy. Somewhere along the lines,   I migrated to intense reading that reflected reality. Having said that, I am hoping to incorporate more books under the fantasy genre in my upcoming holiday reading list. 

Taking a sneak peek into my list of books that I shared. It was difficult to choose among the plethora of books, so I decided to go with reviews of recent reads or ones that re read after a long time.

1. Fiction

Title: Where the crawdads sing

Author: Delia Owens

Genre: Fiction 

'Where the Crawdads sing' is a story centered around the trials and tribulations of a marsh girl's life.  

Set in coast town of  North Carolina, there are many alleged rumors about the Marsh girl namely Kya. Kya,however, is just a lonely child abandoned by her family. She treats the marsh  as her mother and finds solace in the sea gulls and herons around the area.  She doesn’t know to read or write but can read nature and tides to perfection. As Kya comes of age, she has a couple of affairs- one particularly with Chase Andrews- a popular athlete in town. When Chase Andrews is found murdered, all blame falls on Kya, ultimately leading to a heated debate and drama inside the courtroom.  

This is a book that is a coming of age story as well as a murder mystery, which makes it quite an engaging read. The debut author in her lucid style of writing describes the beauty of desolated marshlands of North Carolina through the eyes of a little girl. Some of the descriptions of the marsh tends to remind one of Amitav Ghosh's 'book-The hungry tide'.  

Themes of family, change and loneliness are also explored here.  The court room drama keeps the readers on the edge of the seat. This story also reiterates the fact that Mother Nature tends to nurture those souls who have no-one else to care for them. The character of Kya elicits both sympathy and admiration from the readers. Heartbreaking, enticing and haunting, 'Where the Crawdads sing' is a book that is lyrical, poignant and a wonderful tribute to nature.

2.  Historical Fiction 

Title: Before we were yours

Author: Lisa Wingate

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Before we were yours is a story set around the Great Depression era. Its inspired by true horrific incidents revolving around the Tennessee Children's Home society.  Children were kidnapped from poor families, tortured and later sold to rich families. 

This book captures the story of Rill Foss and her siblings who were born to river gypsies. One day their father leaves them alone as he has to take their mother for a medical emergency. During that intermediate period, these children are kidnapped by some men and thrown into the orphanage. Rill tries to protect her siblings fiercely but loses some of them over time to unprecedented circumstances. 

The story unfolds to the life of Avery Stafford in the present day scenario. Avery has it all-born in a reputed family, a promising career as a senator following her father's footsteps and a handsome fiancee. Her chance encounter with someone compels her to dig deep into her family history and uncover a secret that has been buried for many years. 

Alternating between perspectives of Rill Foss back in the 1940s and Avery Stafford in the present, the writing style is compelling and poignant manner. The book captures some heart wrenching instances that make the readers go teary eyed. Themes of family, loss and redemption are dealt with here. It emphasizes a message that irrespective of where life take you, your heart will eventually take you back to your roots.

3. Thriller

Book review 

Title: The Silent patient

Author: Alex Michaelides

Genre: Thriller

A lady shoots her husband 5 times on the face and goes silent. A psychotherapist is intrigued by her case. 

Alice Berenson is a famous painter married to Gabriel- a dashing fashion photographer. She seems to lead the perfect life. However one evening when Gabriel returns home, she shoots him on the face 5 times and goes silent. Her refusal to speak a word piques the interest of Theo- a psychotherapist. Determined to break her silence, Theo sits down to unravel this rather peculiar mystery. All those several therapy sessions with Alicia spirals into several turns and a chilling twist in the end. 

Narrated from the perspective of Theo, this thriller hooks the readers right from the start. It’s fast paced with some interesting revelations. There is an interesting blend of psychotherapy with art and a dash of Greek mythology.  The Silent patient showcases the dark side of passion. A thriller that sends you on a roller coaster ride and blows your mind away. 

No doubt it is deserving to be the winner of the goodreads choice award for best thriller.  Thriller fans will love this one!

4. Memoir 

Book Review

Title: Educated

Author: Tara Westover

Genre: Memoir 

Educated by Tara Westover is one of the best memoirs that I have read so far. 

This is a true story of a little girl who grows up amidst the mountains in Idaho. Her family is rather queer and does not believe in education or treating ailments in hospitals. Her father is quite radical in his views and her brother suffers from bipolar condition that makes him quite violent. 

Out of frustration, Tara begins to educate herself and manages to get admitted in Brigham Young University (BYU). For the first time she learns about significant world events like the civil war and holocaust. As Tara delves deeper into her academics, she finds education taking her across the world and to places she only dreamt of including Cambridge and Harvard. 

‘Educated’ describes the struggles with a little girl trying to survive in a world different from the one she was exposed to. It’s also sort of a coming of age story. Dealing with themes of family, loss, education, Tara Westover has crafted a poignant story of her life. Showcases the importance of education which transforms a person enough to see the world with a new lens. A powerful read that tugs the strings of your heart!

5. Translated Literature 

Title: Poonachi

Author: Perumal Murugan

Genre: Translation (Tamil)

Poonachi' by Perumal Murugan is a life story of a black goat, its trials and tribulations in a human dominated world. 

When an old man is watching the sunset, he is unexpectedly thrusted with a tiny black kid by a mysterious giant.  Naming it 'Poonachi' after their dead cat, the old man and his wife decide to bring it under their care. From escaping the clutches of an eagle, a wild cat, bullied by other sturdy kids and facing hostility by nanny goats, Poonachi miraculously survives it all. 

The story also traces the coming of age of Poonachi from an innocent kid to gaining exposure into the outside world, tasting freedom, falling in love and bearing its own kith and kin. Simultaneously the problems faced by the villagers with regards to drought, poverty and famine are also brought to light. 

Written in a compelling narrative style, the author instills such emotions in the protagonist, making the goat almost feel like human. Themes of kindness, love and sexuality are touched upon gently as humans get a glimpse into the ongoings in the animal world. It is interesting to learn about aspects like ear piercing amongst goats as a marker and the existence of the hierarchal differences in caste and color. 

This book also makes us wonder about the nuances of right or wrong. Is it fate or karma that one living being's death becomes a source of survival for another? Poonachi leaves you amazed and yet with an unsettling feeling that lingers in your mind.

6. Horror

Title: The Haunting of Hill House

Author: Shirley Jackson

Genre: Horror  

The Haunting of Hill house is the story of four individuals who come to Hill house to study and examine certain supernatural occurrences. Dr Montague is a scholar searching for evidence of certain phenomena. Theodora is his lively and effervescent assistant. Eleanor is a sheltered young woman with a past and Luke is the future heir of Hill House. 

The four experience spooky instances that are beyond their realm of understanding. Hill House stands tall and proud in a desolated place. It remains to be seen if the house manages to entice them into its grasp. 

Some of the eerie occurrences send a chill down the spine. The author's descriptive style of writing has a wry tone to it. She manages to bring Hill House alive and it appears as though the characters were narrated from the point of view of Hill House. It is certainly gothic in its feel and sort of reminds you of Daphne Du Maurier's description of Manderley in her book Rebecca. 

Themes of isolation and fear are dealt with here. It is intriguing to see how fear can manipulate the human mind that is often haunted by the ghosts of the past. The tension in the plot is quite palpable and unnerving. A book that is bound to haunt your mind for a long time.

-- 

7. Mythology 

Title: The Palace of Illusions

Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Genre: Mythology

Being an ardent fan of the Mahabharata, I would just pick up any book that is a retelling of the epic. The Palace of Illusions offers a fresh outlook through the perspective of Draupadi. It takes us through a series of events right from her birth, to her marriage to the Pandavas, move to Indraprastha, the game of dice until the war. Panchali, as she is referred to in the book here, is a rebel of sorts, trying to fight the social hierarchy and a patriarchal system. 

The writing style is engaging and powerful. The author gets into the interiority of the character of Panchaali. It gives readers a feel of what its like to be in another person's stream of consciousness. Interestingly, Panchali's secret love to Karna comes across strong here. There are times when you empathize with her character and times when you are annoyed with the trouble she caused. It can be interpreted as not her fault but perhaps her Karma which establishes her purpose and destiny of her life. 

Mahabharata elicits a myriad of emotions and sparks off some intense discussions. The Palace of illusions is one such book that will remain etched in your minds and wonder if life is a illusion or a web of reality in which we are all pawns of destiny. 

8. Classic

Title: The Great Gatsby

Author: F.Scott Fitzgerald 

Genre: Classic 

The Great Gatsby is slated to be a love story-an undying love of a man who will go any lengths to get the women he loves. Yet this classic goes beyond the realms of love, into something deeper that reflects society and the shallowness of a carefree life. 

Set in the 20s in America, the story is told from the perspective of Nick who lives opposite Gatsby's mansion. Gatsby throws the most extravagant parties which have captured the fancy of many people. Yet no one seems to have met the host. One fine day Nick bumps into the man. Gatsby holds a secret about his past which is gradually unveiled as the story progresses. 

The writing is lyrical and descriptive. It addresses issues like gender roles and inequality-that are largely prevalent even today. The characters are flawed and makes it tough for the readers to empathize with them. Tom is absolutely despicable and Daisy isn't very likable either. While Gatsby is unreasonable many a time, he is one character that evokes a little sympathy. Interestingly this classic also highlights capitalism and shallowness to an extent. Its irony that a man who had millions flocking to his parties had no one by his death bed. 

The Great Gatsby is thought provoking and in a way depressing as its not always that one gets to fulfill their dreams and ambitions. 

9. Sports

Title: Open

Genre: Sports/Autobiography

Reading autobiographies of athletes is always interesting as it gives you an insight into their persona behind that tough exterior that you see on field/court. 

Open chronicles the life and journey of  Andre Agassi both as a man and a tennis player. In his unflinchingly honest tone, he talks about his immense hatred for Tennis, his harsh upbringing by a Tennis obsessed father, rebelling against some structures, taking to drugs, his wins, marriage to Brook Shields and divorce, reviving his success under mentor Gil Reyes and second marriage to Stefanie Graf. He not only takes you through his stardom but also his failures and vulnerabilities. 

Open is unabashedly honest, unapologetic and inspiring. The fact that a man who hated Tennis and excels at the game never ceases to amaze me. Another aspect that I admired in his book was his ability to not paint a rosy picture of himself and come clean with his misgivings. Whether its the manner in which he describes the Tennis camp at Florida as prison, his confusion and his struggles after being a school drop out. Written in an engrossing manner, the prose is beautiful and vivid. It takes the readers into the mind of a champion as he indulges in a see saw game of triumphs and troubles. 

It strikes a chord with every person who has faced difficulties with regards to pressurizing parents. Another interesting aspect is how his life comes a full circle as he opens a school for at risk kids in Las Vegas. Open is a book that will leave you awe inspired and moist eyed.