Exploring the Bookish World

Translated from the Urdu novel  Barf Aashna Parindey , Birds of the Snows by Tarannum Riyaz tells the poignant tale of a Kashmiri family.  The novel mainly focuses on the life of Sheba, the youngest daughter of Chowdhury Najam Khan and Suraya Begum. Sheba is very different from her sisters and perceives life very differently. She desires freedom and knowledge. The various situations she faces in life help her come to terms with the responsibilities of life. Her decisions and the choices she makes for herself reflect her strong set of values and ideals. The author has brilliantly explored Sheba's relationship with various other characters in the novel. The wise and ambitious young woman has several sides to her character. She tries her best to fulfil her duties as a loving daughter, a sister, an aunt, a friend, and a student. She possesses a warm heart, a pleasant personality and has a deeply humanitarian and compassionate side to her character.  Besides Sheba, there are s...

  A fascinating novella, The Emperor: Live The Dream,  is an allegorical tale. It narrates the journey of the penguin-Em. In the frozen continent of Antarctica, lived a baby penguin, Em. He had big dreams. s he grew up, he was sceptical, he procrastinated. The other members of his tribe thought that his dream was impossible to achieve. But one day, Em did set off on a journey to pursue his dream. He faced tremendous difficulties and a number of tumultuous circumstances on his way.  Could Em succeed in his journey? Read the book to know about Em's exceptional adventure... Em's journey can be interpreted as the journey of life. An adventure with a goal to achieve in the end. A journey which is filled with challenges and difficulties. The final goal can be achieved only if one keeps going, braving every difficulty one faces on the way. And Em the penguin did just that. He kept going no matter what. The Emperor: Live The Dream is a motivational tale. Em's journey is very...

Unique and gripping,  Quaker by Rohan Singhvi is a thriller which focuses on cartel rivalry, mafia and gang wars. set in Warem, a fictional country in Southern Europe, the book tells the tale of Rick Quaker.  This short and crisp read is quite interesting.  Characters in this book are developed brilliantly. Each of the characters is provided with a detailed background description. This character-driven narrative is simple yet focuses on the internal struggles of the character. The writing style and the use of lucid language make this book a very easy read. The use of witty dialogues makes it all the more interesting to read. The book begins with an introduction to the characters. The writing conventions that are used in the book are also described in detail so that the readers can easily comprehend the story.  The entire plot is divided into four seasons, which are further divided into several episodes. I would love to see this book adapted into a series or movi...

  A Plate of White Marble   (Bengali:  Swet Pathorer Thala ) by Bani Basu , is an important read. It was originally written in Bengali and was first published in 1990. The book is translated to English for the first time by Nandini Guha . The book tells the story of Bandana - a young, educated and modern woman who loses her husband at a very young age. The author begins with a description of a North-Kolkata Bengali household, the house at Number 45 Shyambazar Street; in the year 1955. Bandana is the widowed daughter-in-law of the house. She is just 27. She is being forced to lead a life of austerity as a "virtuous widow", by her in-laws. However, Bandana eventually stops confirming to the orthodox traditions which were being forced upon her. She devotes her life for the sake of her only son, Roop. But... Life is unpredictable. It takes the most surprising turn when it is least expected. Bandana's life takes a turn when her uncle arrives at her house. Unable to ...

Shashi Warrier's book By God: The Making of a Messiah is a satirical tale of the socio-cultural scenario of many of the nations in today's world.  The plot is set in a utopian world, called Ghublistan, which is an island resplendent with the Divine herb. And this country is experiencing a surge in emigration. Two of Ghublistan's people, Tomikanza and a barber, Neepane set out in an endeavour to understand what 'democracy' is. As I was reading the novel, I felt how relevant it is in today's world. It made me think. The author, in this book, highlights various social issues which are extremely relevant. The brilliant use of satire is a speciality of this book. The plot is very well-knit and is subtle with layers of themes embedded in it. It is intriguing and has the capability to keep the readers hooked to the book until the very end. The story progresses at a perfect pace. The style of writing is beautiful and the use of lucid language has made the...

Priya Kumar's novel, I Will Go With You , or  The Final Call, which is now a web series on Zee5   is a rather interesting thriller. The plot is wonderfully constructed and it beautifully spins together spirituality with nail-biting suspense. The story starts with Sarah, a writer, who was almost about to miss her flight as she had lost track of time while she was busy shopping. The other important characters in the novel include Muttuswamy, an Indian astrologer; Jim, a teenager; Paul, a businessman who is a billionaire; and Captain Robert, who is going through a tough time. He was in his late forties and was suffering from severe depression. He was suicidal. Captain Robert had lost his wife and two daughters in a car crash. He was thinking about committing suicide while he was at work, mid-air at thirty-five thousand feet above sea level. Read the book to know more about the fate of all the characters in this novel! The book has the capability to make the readers thi...

Satyayoddha Kalki: Eye of Brahma is the second book of the Kalki Series by Kevin Missal. The first book Dharmayoddha Kalki was quite interesting. The second part is no less than the first one. It's equally good. After I completed the first book, I was very eager to read the second book of the series. After the events that took place in the first book, this book begins with the events that follow. The book begins with the third part - The Coup at Indragarh. (The first two parts - The Battle of Shambhala and The Rise of Kali has been covered in the previous book). To make it easier for the readers, the author has provided with a brief synopsis of the first book at the beginning. The book begins with Kalki's escape from the execution and his journey to meet Bhargav Ram at Mahendragiri. Padma and Kripa accompany him on his journey. On his way, he faces various adversities. There are many subplots intertwined with the main plot. As the story progresses, it becomes more inter...

Ballad of Kaziranga is a beautiful book originally written in Assamese by Dilip Chandan. It is translated in English by Parbina Rashid. The book beautifully narrates the story of three people and their experiences and journey in the forest of Kaziranga. Kaziranga is a forest region in Assam, North-Eastern region of India. It is a World Heritage Site, and the sanctuary is home to two-thirds of world's One horned-rhinoceros, which is on the verge of extinction and needs to be conserved. The book perfectly describes the beauty of this place and it reminded me of my trip to Kaziranga a few years ago. The plot is interesting and beautifully written. The main characters in this novel are Arunabh, his cousin brother Amal, and his friend Rishi. Amal has a plan of opening a resort for tourists adjoining the forest of Kaziranga. Read the book to know more about the journey of these three people and of course, Kaziranga! The book is very informative and descriptive. I got to kno...

Invisible Ties by Nadya A. R. is a beautiful and emotional tale of a girl, Noor. It narrates the journey of her life and how certain incidents and situations completely changes her as a person. The book has a beautiful cover. It shows an exquisite mirror, which plays a significant role in the novel. The plot is quite emotional and gripping. Noor is a girl from Karachi. From her childhood, her mother was very self-absorbed and did not pay much attention to her. However, when it came to making decisions, she was the one. She decided about her daughter's life without even asking about her thoughts. From the beginning of the novel, the character of Noor seems very mysterious. A robbery at her house, her chauffeur, Joseph's murder and the subsequent kidnap of her mother had a serious impact on her emotionally. She was shaken after this incident. The fact that Joseph died protecting her life had a hard-hitting effect on her. After this incident, at the persistence of h...

Gurgaon Diaries by Debeshi Gooptu is an amazing book where the author presents before her readers some of the incidents she experienced in Gurgaon. The sarcasm and humour in each and every account of hers is something that I absolutely loved about this book. A few months back, I attended a fun-filled session at the Oxford Bookstore, Kolkata where the author herself talked about the book and her experiences in both the cites, the one where she was born and raised, Kolkata, and the place where she lives, Gurgaon. And, after the session, I was absolutely sure that 'Gurgaon Diaries' is a hilarious book. So, I bought a copy of the book and got it signed by the author!😊 So, when I read this book, it was as good as I expected it to be. I could not stop myself from laughing while reading the anecdotes about different people and situations in Gurgaon. The book is divided into three major sections - Life, Work and Play. Each of these sections contain a number of short sketch...

Tides Don't Cross  by Simar Malhotra is a beautiful book. The cover is so pretty and vibrant. Also, the plot is just perfect! Unlike regular romance novels, it will keep you captivated till the last page and the turn of events that take place are quite unpredictable. The book tells the story of three extremely interesting characters as their lives cross in surprising ways. Rukmani is fierce and assertive. She is completely opposite of her elder sister Mrinalini in nature. Mrinalini is meek and cannot even think of defying their mother Neelam. And on the other hand, Rukmani constantly has a tiff with her mother. The story is divided into three parts. The first part is about Mrinalini's life. She marries Surya according to her mother's wishes and struggles to cope up with her life. In the second part, we are introduced to the character of Ayaan. When Rukmani and Ayaan meet in the magical city of Paris, they immediately connect with each other. We witness some mind...