“So many books, so little time.”
― Frank Zappa
We couldn’t agree more with Mr Zappa. That’s why we are bringing you a shorter version of book reviews. Our aim here is to post books that have passed muster with us, either because of the writing, plot, characters among other things. We hope you enjoy this quarterly series.
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
What if you could undo your regrets, start over and live the life you wanted? When Nora hits rock-bottom, she stumbles upon a library that allows her to do just that. As she slips into different lives – choosing different paths, partners, professions – she realises that each pick comes with its own baggage, trials and tribulations. These alternate lives aren’t the fix-it she’s hoping for, but they bring on a revelation:
“It is not the lives we regret not living that are the real problem. It is the regret itself. It’s the regret that makes us shrivel and wither and feel like our own and other people’s worst enemy. We can’t tell if any of those other versions would have been better or worse. Those lives are happening, it is true, but you are happening as well, and that is the happening we have to focus on.”
A bit too predictable and tad preachy. However, it’s a good reminder that one’s book of regrets need not be that heavy.
Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang
Yellowface gives us a glimpse of the publishing industry. It reveals just how skewed it is, how it brackets authors into genres, and how little concern it has for ethics. When Athena dies and June steals her unpublished manuscript, it’s at once a success compared to her forgotten and short-lived debut. Her climb to the top is, however, short-lived as the truth tumbles out. Amidst online trolling, cancel culture and climbing sales, the one thing that remains is June’s attempts to justify her actions and refusal to let go. It’s a decent read.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
A failed robbery, a hostage crisis and an unlikely bunch stuck together – that’s the basic setting of Anxious People. Unlike the heavy-duty action, frenzy and fast-paced narrative associated with the premise, this one is mellow (in a good way). It’s a book that reinforces that mistakes happen; be it the snarky rich, odd couples, soon-to-be parents, GenZ – we are all messed up in different ways. Backman manages to maintain a semblance of mystery about the robber but that’s hardly the point. It’s about idiots and how appearances can be deceptive. Witty, quirky and simple, it’s a book to pick up when overwhelmed with life.
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Not a tale of Paris and London, this is a tale of two families whose lives are intertwined by fate. Deftly told, it captures the cruelty of the aristocracy, the rising anger of the common folk, and the first stirrings of the French revolution. You see the ruthlessness of the citizens, bent on revenge; how comrades turn foes, and injustice is meted out at both ends. Still, at the heart of it, this is the story of family, integrity and love. A good read. Also, most definitely the best opening paragraph we’ve ever read.
The Mysterious Ailment of Rupi Baskey by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar
Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar gives us a glimpse of the Santhal life through the lens of the Baskeys in this debut novel. In Kamdehini, talk is rife about the misfortune and the fall of the once-powerful family. Rupi’s myserious illness, in fact, becomes the loci to explore deep-rooted beliefs such as witchcraft, karma, good and evil. A decent read.
That’s all for now. If you have any book recommendations for us, do drop us a comment. If you have read any of these books and have a different opinion, do write to us as well. Thanks!
A Thousand Mornings 