Truth is stranger than fiction

Book Review     Title: The Mezzanine Author: Nicholson Baker Genre: Fiction   The Mezzanine chronicles the mundanity of everyday life of a twenty something office goer and what happens during his office lunch break.    Meet our protagonist-.Howie. While riding the escalator to the Mezzanine floor, he recollects the events occurred that day. His main goal is to get new shoe laces for himself and during this time, he gets lost in his thoughts about milk cartons, straws, office colleagues, his experience at the pharmacy and the men’s room. While he mulls over these observations, he realizes that he is largely influenced by his childhood.    The specialty of this book is mainly the protagonists stream of consciousness. The author manages to get the readers into the interiority of this character. It’s interesting to observe how Howie categorizes his thoughts in a scientific manner. People tend to have fleeting thoughts but not all of them spent a lot o...

Book Review   Title: Karate Chop Author: Dorothy Nors Genre: Short stories/ Translation (Danish)     Karate Chop is a collection of 15 short stories that captures the mundanity of everyday life. These are lives of ordinary individuals which oscillate between reality and imagination.    The stories are set in Copenhagen and revolve around various Danish people You have two men who plan to kill each other’s dogs, a woman whose thoughts flutter on a recent occurrence, a woman who finds solace in a graveyard, a depressed actress finding an escape by the sea, a man who reinvents himself to become a Buddhist and a woman finding proximity with a heron.    The characters in these stories clearly experience loneliness and thrive on their imaginations to break the monotony in their lives. They appear to enjoy their solitude and eccentricities. The author gives an insight on how people deal with traumas in several ways. She gets into the characters’ hearts elicit...

  Book Review  Title: Why We Swim Author: Bonnie Tsui Genre: Non-Fiction   Water as an element is mysterious and magical. Despite its imperceptible dangers, there is something that draws people to it.     In ‘Why we swim’ author Bonnie Tsui explores this mystical element of water and immerses the readers into an unforgettable aquatic journey. She believes that everybody has their own swimming story. She goes on to her own tryst with the swimming pool that morphed into a passion for swimming in open waters. The book takes us through the various terms associated with swimming and also numerous inspirational tales.    We learn about the Homo sapiens’ first attempts to feel at home in water and the sea nomads-the best free diving fishermen who swim down to two hundred feet. These tribes namely Moken and Bajau have unique abilities to understand the mercurial nature of the ocean. She also introduces us to the most compelling and inspiring people. ...

      Book Review  Title: Klara and the Sun Author: Kazuo Ishiguro Genre: Dystopian/Science Fiction   Reading a book by the winner of the Nobel prize in literature feels like traveling to a different era and experiencing the sheer magic of being alive.    Klara and the Sun takes us on a pilgrimage into a world of humans and humanoids. The story is set in a dystopian society, somewhere in the United states. It’s a time when technology has led to the unemployment of many people. There is a hint of a caste system where we see the ‘lifted’ people on top of the hierarchy. While this is the broad social set up, the story is told from the perspective of Klara who is an AF or Artificial friend.    Klara is appreciated by her manager in the store for having remarkable observational abilities. These AFs are designed in a manner to provide companionship to little children. One day a teenage girl named Josie sets her eyes on Klara and chooses her as...

Book Review   Title: Scare me if you can Author: Sid Kapdi Genre: Horror   One writing workshop in a hill station resort. Nine people and ten stories.    ‘Scare me if you can’ is a novel that has a feel of an anthology of short stories in the horror genre. The novel starts off with the protagonist Sivan-a best-selling author, who conducts a workshop in advanced horror writing in a resort. After the four-day workshop, each participant reads out their stories. Besides these nine people, there is an outsider whose story turns out to have an interesting twist.    The collection has a good range of diversity with regards to the degree of scares and locations.   It’s interesting to observe the presence of sub genres within the main genre of horror. In his simple style of writing, the author covers a range of topics with a subtle message in some of the stories. This includes romance, reincarnation, premonition, cruelty to animals and serial killings. He ...

Book review   Title: The Kindest Lie Author: Nancy Johnson Genre: Fiction   The Kindest Lie is a poignant portrayal of how lies and secrets impact lives.  It’s the story of a woman who carries a secret from the past that she must confront before starting a family with the man she loves.    The story is set around the time of the election of the nation’s first black President, Barack Obama. We have our protogonist  Ruth a Yale graduate Black woman engineer and her husband Xavier. When Xavier is eager to start a family, Ruth is forced to confront her past memories –a baby boy she was forced to give up when she was a teenager. She is curious to know the whereabouts of her son and goes back to her home town to discover the truth. During her quest, she befriends a white boy named Midnight. She stumbles upon secrets and witnesses traumatic instances that are a manifestation of the racial tensions in the community.      The story is s...

Book Review   Title: The Coldest Winter Ever Author: Sister Souljah Genre: Urban Fiction    After a discussion on the topic of Urban Fiction this semester, I was compelled to pick up a classic in this genre.    The Coldest Winter Ever chronicles the story of 17-year-old Winter Santiaga, daughter of Ricky Santiaga who is one of the biggest drug dealers. She thrives and takes advantage of her name, stature and sexuality. This rich spoilt brat’s life takes a turn when her mother is shot and the FBI arrests her father. Things take a turn for the worse when her family possessions are confisticated and when she discovers her father’s mistress and baby. Winter is enraged and determined to seek stature. Amidst her roller coaster is a series of bad choices, pain, suffering and betrayal.     There is rawness in the voice that is manifested in the roughness and raunchiness in the language. It contains considerable amount of lingo that is typical of a book un...

  Based on a professor's recommendation, whose class I am taking this Spring Semester, I watched this movie. Incidentally it won a Golden Globe award in the Best Supporting actor category and has potential to win an Oscar as well.  Set against the cold backdrop of Chicago, the movie showcases the movement of the Black Panther Party who stood of civil rights and communism. Two things that were averse to the American Government in the 1960s. The movie attempts to showcase certain events that precede Fred's death. One key event is when William decides to become an informer of the party to the FBI when faced with an ultimatum. Either he goes to prison for his car thefts or helps the FBI bring down the Black Panther party. Willan opts for the latter albeit reluctantly. It is evident with the stiffness that he portrays and faces a lot of inner conflict. His conscience pricks him every second and resigns to his sad fate for being subjected to something like this.  What follows i...

Title: The Wife Upstairs Author: Rachel Hawkins Genre: Thriller/Gothic Fiction    Reading ‘The Wife Upstairs’ feels like revisiting Charlotte Bronte’s 'Jane Eyre' in many ways. This Gothic thriller offers some interesting twists and delves deep into the complexity of each character.    Our protagonist is Jane who is a dog walker in Thornfield estates-an affluent community with flashy cars and stylish housewives. A perfect place for the newly arrived Jane to escape from her past. Things change when she meets the Eddie Rochestor. Eddie is a wealthy and handsome widower whose wife Bea and her friend died in a mysterious boat accident. When Jane and Eddie fall in love, Jane is constantly haunted by Bea’s accomplishments-a sophisticated owner of a lifestyle brand. It makes matters worse when Jane begins to hear thumping sounds inside Eddie’s mansion. The narrative unravels some skeletons in the closet. This includes the traumatic past lives of the characters and their dyn...

Book Review   Title: Who is Vera Kelly? Author: Rosalie Knecht Genre: Spy thriller/ Historical fiction   There are books where the storyline allows it to be classified under multiple genres. ‘Who is Vera Kelly?’ is one of them. While its technically classified as a spy thriller, there are many layers to the characters that leads to an overlap in genres.    Vera Kelly works at a radio station and is struggling to make ends meet in New York city. When a recruiter from CIA notices her for her technical skills, Vera finds herself in Argentina on a mission. As an undercover spy, she disguises herself as a student of Psychology amidst the political unrest in Buenos Aires. Things go awry when she finds herself betrayed in the middle of a coup. In order to fight for her survival, Vera resorts to some extreme measures which spirals into a series of incidents.    Narrated in first person from the point of view of Vera, the story alternates between the past and presen...

 Thanks to some recommendations from my professors, I managed to read some great books in the month of February. Here is a summary of the titles. The Awakening is a daring portrayal of a woman named Edna who indulges in an extra marital affair. Set in New Orleans, this book entails the struggles of a woman caught between her own desires and the prevailing societal attitudes.  The Girl with the Louding Voice captures the plight of women in Nigeria and their battle against a patriarchal society. It tells the story of Adunni who is forced into a abusive marriage to a much older man with two wives and children. When she escapes her village, she lands up in Lagos as a domestic worker for a wealthy household. It chronicles her journey of finding her voice and standing up for her individuality.  No One Writes to the Colonel is a realistic portrayal of a retired Colonel and his wife on the brink of poverty. He is perennially waiting his pension letter which never arrives. The st...

  During my childhood, I'd have a rough day at school where my grades wouldn't be up to the mark or I would have gotten a math problem wrong. Being this studious nerd, all it would take was a bad grade to upset me. At that time, I'd resort to two things-ice cream or watching Tom and Jerry cartoon. The cat and mouse battle and their antics had always managed to cheer me up.  Several years later in 2021, I had a grueling week at University. I am at the brink of 40, juggling multiple things like my workouts, domestic chores, a full time Masters program at University that includes, seminars, workshops, interviews for the newsletter, reading and writing. But it wasn't a bad grade this time. Since I was studying Gender and trauma this semester, it tends to get exhausting mentally. All I wanted to do over the weekend was to unwind by watching something that induces a feel good factor.   It was a blessing in disguise to see the Tom and Jerry movie being aired on HBO. Curling up...

Book Review   Title: Island of Blue Dolphins Author: Scott O Dell Genre: Historical Fiction   Island of Blue Dolphins is based on a true story of a Nicoleo Native girl who was stranded alone for 18 years on San Nicolas Island until she was rescued by a few hunters. The island is located 70 miles from the California coast of Santa Barbara. When she was brought to the Santa Barbara mission, she was christened as Juana. Since no one spoke her language, the author, based on a few facts, has attempted to recreate this girl’s story, introducing the readers to a whole new world.    We have the protagonist-12-year-old girl named Karana. She lives with her family in a village called Ghalas-at where the tribe survive on fishing. One day when a group of Aleut people try to swindle their island by hunting sea otters without any payment in return, a war breaks out, resulting in the death of Karana’s father and many other village folks. When another white ship comes to rescue the ...

  Book Review   Title: Blanche on the Lam Author: Barbara Neely Genre: Crime Fiction   Blanche on the Lam is the first book in the series by Barbara Neely. It tells the story of a street smart African-American domestic worker named Blanche who works for the rich in North Carolina. When her checks bounce, she escapes custody and is on the run.  She manages to hide in a wealthy family’s summer home in the country side. This Southern mansion comprises of a dysfunctional family who are battling their own idiosyncrasies. Her plan goes awry with the occurrence of a couple of murders which makes Blanche the prime suspect. Using the gossip grapevine of her domestic workers’ network, Blanche manages to discover the truth and gets to the bottom of the mystery.    The writing seamlessly flows throughout the book and is interjected with a certain amount of quirkiness. The characterization is one of the stronger points in the novel. The detailed descriptions of the...

Drishyam 2 seemed to be the favorite amongst my friend's to-see list last weekend. As I scrolled down Facebook, there were at least a few posts about this Malayalam film. Curious to see if it lived up to its hype, I logged on to Netflix. While searching for this particular title, I came across News of the World starring Tom Hanks. The synopsis piqued my interest and going by the past record, movies starring Tom Hanks were bound to be good. I particularly loved some of his earlier works- particularly Forrest Gump, Cast Away and The Terminal.  I decided to watch this one and shelved Drishyam 2 for another day.  News of the World chronicles the story of a war veteran Captain Kidd who travels from one place to another to read news to audiences who paid for it. During his tenure, he crosses path with a ten year old girl taken by the Kiowa people and decides to take her back to her family. Together, they embark on a tumultuous journey, braving the harsh landscapes of Texas. They end...

  Book Review   Title: Girl A Author: Abigail Dean Genre: Thriller/Psychological Fiction   Girl A explores the psychological consequences of trauma on children and how it effects their lives.    Lex Gracie aka Girl A is the one who manages to escape the house of horrors. The same house where she and her siblings were chained, tortured and starved by their parents. Her father never made it out of that house and her mother was sentenced to prison. Years later, when her mother dies and leaves the family home for her children, Lex is forced to return to come to terms with her painful past. In the process, she must return to that house and also meet her siblings who are now placed in different foster homes.     Written in first person from the point of view of Lex, this immersive psychological tale explores the several dynamics of the sibling relationships that includes shifting loyalties and betrayals. From the very first line, you are drawn into the ...

Book Review Title: The Bluest Eye Author: Toni Morrison Genre: Fiction This debut novel by Toni Morrison is an unrelenting portrayal of societal prejudices on appearances and its psychological implications on individuals.  In The Bluest Eye, we have our protagonist-a girl named Pecola who suffers from an inferiority complex  because she is considered ugly. She longs for blue eyes which she believes will make her beautiful and will eventually free her from the unforgiving blackness that her community hates her for. However the book is much more than that. It delves into a series of flashbacks, unveiling the complex lives of Pecola's parents -Cholly and Pauline and portrays their struggles against a White community. It goes on to reveal how the obsession for beauty eventually results in insanity, making the readers wonder about its importance.  Set around the time of the great depression, the story is narrated from multiple points of view. Sometimes...

  Title: On earth We're Briefly gorgeous Author: Ocean Vuong Genre: Fiction This debut novel by Ocean Vuong is a semi autobiographical work of fiction and a moving portrait of a family, identity and survival.  This is a letter written by a character named Little Dog to his illiterate mother. In this letter, our protagonist brings out some of the most traumatic issues. This includes the history of Vietnam, the war and secrets about his family. He writes about his childhood where he was bullied, recollects memories of his mother and grandmother and how they fled vietnam during the war. He narrates about his life of a boy  trying to find his identity in a new place and hours spent in the nail salon where his mother worked. A large part of the narrative focuses on Little Dog's sexuality and his intimate relationship with another boy named Trevor.  The writing is eloquent and flows like poetry. His words come to life and his style can be described as aching...

 Inspiration comes from the most unexpected places. Its remarkable how you draw lessons from various sources. They could be people, nature and in this case even a magpie.  I stumbled upon this movie on Netflix which is apparently based on a real life incident and is adapted from a book. Set in Australia, Penguin Bloom tells the story of a family and how a mishap on a vacation changes their lives forever. We have Samantha aka Sam played by Naomi Watts-happily married to a lovable husband and is blessed with three sons. She loves the ocean and the outdoors. An unexpected fall from the roof on a holiday results in Sam being paralyzed from chest down. Understandably, Sam is depressed. A year later when her son brings home an injured Magpie, she befriends it gradually and learns to embrace life again.  The story is told from the perspective of her oldest son Noah. Sam's listlessness evokes empathy, considering how she had been independent prior to her accident. She prefers to ...

Book review   Title: My Sister the Serial Killer Author: Oyinkan Braithwaite Genre: Fiction   The provocative title is bound to pique your curiosity.    Set in Lagos, Nigeria, My Sister The Serial Killer tells the story of Korede who is the older and more responsible sister of Ayoola-the serial killer. When Korede gets a call one night from Ayoola, she braces herself for yet another clean up. This is the third boyfriend Ayoola has murdered. Korede sticks up to her nevertheless, just as families always do. However, when Ayoola begins to start dating Tade-the handsome doctor at the hospital where Korede works as a nurse, the latter’s world comes tumbling down. Korede loves Tade secretly and is caught in a snare. It remains to be seen if Korede would make a choice to save Tade or protect her sister once again.    While it is revealed that the sister is the serial killer at the beginning, this book is not necessarily all about the killings or Ayoola getting cau...