A Song to Drown Rivers - Ann Liang (#Review)

Date of Reading: 6/10/2024

Author: Ann Liang

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Publication Date: October 3, 2024

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 2.5/5

About the book:

Her beauty hides a deadly purpose.

Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within.

Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.

Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall—and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.

Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic historical fantasy about womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love against all odds.

Review:

        Guess I am going to be the minority here, but I just couldn't bring myself to give this book a higher rating. My disappointment can be attributed in part to the high expectations I held when I requested an eARC from NetGalley. And what did I get? An embellished replica of the Wikipedia page.

        Since the novel is based on the legend of Xishi, one of the four renowned beauties of ancient China, I did some background research to get a better idea. As someone who brought down the kingdom of Wu through her sexpionage operation, her story intrigued me. So could you fault me for expecting a story full of court politics, palace intrigue and unexpected twists? Unfortunately, this novel delivered none. 

         The characters, particularly Xishi and Fanli, are bland and failed to capture my interest. Unsurprisingly their doomed fate didn't create any ripples in my heart. The character that stood out the most and displayed some semblance of growth was the villain, Fuchai. Even Xishi herself comes to realize that not all individuals from Wu are inherently evil. Beyond this, I struggle to find any noteworthy aspects to comment on. The overall reading experience felt like flipping through a history book with some random dialogues thrown in, featuring characters that just didn't resonate with me.

Meet the author:

Ann Liang is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of the critically acclaimed YA novels This Time It’s Real, If You Could See the Sun, and I Hope This Doesn't Find You. Her books have sold into over twenty foreign territories. Born in Beijing, she grew up travelling back and forth between China and Australia but somehow ended up with an American accent. She now lives in Melbourne, where she can be found making overambitious to-do lists and having profound conversations with her pet labradoodle about who’s a good dog.

The Poppy War - R. F. Kuang (Review)

Date of Reading: 23/6/2022

Author: R. F. Kuang

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Publication Date: May 1, 2018

Rating: 4/5

About the book:

A brilliantly imaginative talent makes her exciting debut with this epic historical military fantasy, inspired by the bloody history of China’s twentieth century and filled with treachery and magic, in the tradition of Ken Liu’s Grace of Kings and N.K. Jemisin’s Inheritance Trilogy.

When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For a while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

Review:

        Well, it took me a rather long time; not only to finish reading this grim dark fantasy but also to decide whether I should open it or not. This is not a pleasant story as so many reviewers have already warned. You can read it as mere fantasy but considering the map presented at the beginning with its uncanny similarity to China and its neighbouring nations, that is going to be a bit stretching.

        Book 1 of the Poppy War trilogy is based on the second Sino-Japanese war and it is just the beginning. As I am nearing the end of the last book, I can say this with assurance . . . the worst is yet to come. The first half of the story focuses on Fang Runin's aka Rin's entry into Sinegard, the humiliations she faces as a dark-skinned southerner and her survival.

        War comes knocking soon enough awakening us from the dream of a happy-go-lucky fantasy. The sudden transition was a lot to take in and destroyed my reading pace. Hence the four stars. Unlike Jiang in the first half, there are no likeable characters. I didn't warm up to Altan like so many others and the same goes for the Cike team. I never quite understood Rin's infatuation with Altan (ok, maybe I get the appeal). Still, I was looking forward to Nezha and Kitay. Huh, there my premonitions prevailed.

        The first book in the series might be the one nominated for several awards, but I prefer the sequels. And I am sure many share this view as can be seen from the reduced ratings of the other two books. So if you are slightly disappointed, then my advice is not to give up. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Meet the author:

Rebecca F. Kuang is a Marshall Scholar, Chinese-English translator, and the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Award nominated author of the Poppy War trilogy and the forthcoming Babel. Her work has won the Crawford Award and the Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel. She has an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford; she is now pursuing a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale, where she studies diaspora, contemporary Chinese literature, and Asian American literature.

Elizabeth of York: The Last White Rose - Alison Weir (Blog Tour & Review)

Date of Reading: 21/05/2022

Author: Alison Weir

Publisher: Headline Review

Publication Date: May 12, 2022

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 5/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours)

About the book:

AN ENGLISH PRINCESS, BORN INTO A WAR BETWEEN TWO FAMILIES.

The eldest daughter of the royal House of York, Elizabeth dreams of a crown to call her own. But when her beloved father, King Edward, dies suddenly, her destiny is rewritten.

Her family's enemies close in. Two young princes are murdered in the Tower. Then her uncle seizes power - and vows to make Elizabeth his queen.

But another claimant seeks the throne, the upstart son of the rival royal House of Lancaster. Marriage to this Henry Tudor would unite the white rose of York and the red of Lancaster - and change everything.

A great new age awaits. Now Elizabeth must choose her allies - and husband - wisely, and fight for her right to rule.

Review

        Before reading this book, I had never given much thought to this Yorkist Queen who united the houses of York and Lancaster. Considering her husband's temperament and her meek nature, I can see why historians didn't spare much time with her. The drama unfolded by her dear son is enough to fill the pages on Tudors, so a pious and charitable queen who always sees the good in others has been put backstage. 

        If the white rose of York represents purity, then Elizabeth embodies it. Not one to question the authority or the established traditions, she was taught to accept her destiny from childhood itself. Not much of a heroine figure, if you ask me. Her subservient nature and abhorrence of confrontations cost her the opportunity to share the power with her husband, Henry VII. On the other hand, her taking a step back in everything resulted in a peaceful marriage. 

        As you can see she is not a model woman for the present age. When you think back to the influential role her contemporary Queen Isabella played in Spain, she surely is a pitiable character. She never had much voice, not even when it comes to the lives of her own mother and sisters. Weir has captured quite vividly how the shifting power balance affects the lives of women. They are mere pawns in political transactions, denied even the freedom of a common woman to marry for love or continue in a marriage that they have come to love.

        Elizabeth's life may not be legendary, but she survived one of the most turbulent times England had undergone. What this novel offers is a captivating and unique picture of the Tudor era that is laying its foundations.

Meet the author:

Alison Weir is the bestselling female historian in the United Kingdom and has sold over 3 million books worldwide She has published twenty history books. Alison is also the author of twelve historical novels, including the highly acclaimed Six Tudor Queens series all of which were Sunday Times bestsellers. The complete short story collection, In the Shadow of Queens, accompanies this series. Alison is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an honorary life patron of Historic Royal Palaces.

Zara Hossain is Here - Sabina Khan (Blog Tour & Review)

Date of Reading: 19/4/2021

Author: Sabina Khan

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publication Date: April 6, 2021

Rating: 4/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Hear Our Voices Book Tours)

About the book:

Zara's family has waited years for their visa process to be finalized so that they can officially become US citizens. But it only takes one moment for that dream to come crashing down around them.

Seventeen-year-old Pakistani immigrant, Zara Hossain, has been leading a fairly typical life in Corpus Christi, Texas since her family moved there for her father to work as a paediatrician. While dealing with the Islamophobia that she faces at school, Zara has to lay low, trying not to stir up any trouble and jeopardize their family's dependent visa status while they await their green card approval, which has been in process for almost nine years.

But one day her tormentor, star football player Tyler Benson, takes things too far, leaving a threatening note in her locker, and gets suspended. As an act of revenge against her for speaking out, Tyler and his friends vandalize Zara's house with racist graffiti, leading to a violent crime that puts Zara's entire future at risk. Now she must pay the ultimate price and choose between fighting to stay in the only place she's ever called home or losing the life she loves and everyone in it.

From the author of the "heart-wrenching yet hopeful" (Samira Ahmed) novel, The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali comes a timely, intimate look at what it means to be an immigrant in America today, and the endurance of hope and faith in the face of hate.

Review:

        I am no stranger to the works of Sabina Khan, having read 'The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali'. This one, I must say, far surpasses the former with its deft and clear portrayal of everyday reality that a Muslim immigrant faces in America. Each and every page of this novel is a testimony of the fact that how the fear that is rampant in the country destroys the sense of security of a group of people who have come to see this country as their own.

        The prank of a teenager goes out of hand (I believe, in his mind, all that racist remarks that came out of jealousy was just a prank) and destroys the lives that Zara's Pakistani family has built up in America for years. With the right connections, the victim is turned into the criminal revealing another face of a country that often assumes the position of the international police force.

        Racist theme aside, Sabina Khan also voices the prejudice and discrimination the LGBT+ community faces in their Catholic school. When they demand to assert their liberty to form their own club, the school reacts by shutting down all social clubs. And the treatment meted out to Chloe, Zara's girlfriend, adds another reminder that acceptance of your identity still remains a dream for many.

        Powerful and poignant, Sabinal Khan has created a masterpiece that exposes the harsh truths we often try to disregard. Highly recommended!

Favourite Quotes:

"... the very least that white people can do after colonizing our subcontinent for hundreds of years is appreciate our flavorful cuisine"

"I swear they think that I'm some sort of mastermind who single-handedly controls the entire Muslim ummah. It's always the same. I'm exhausted from the burden of representing almost two billion people"

"It's so easy to paint all the people you don't want to accept with the same brush. That way you can tell yourself you're just protecting your way of life and that they're the ones encroaching upon your space"

"I deserve the dignity to exist as I am. In a perfect world I would be able to do just that. But I'm not so naive that I think the world is perfect"

"How do I deal with someone who's convinced that his right to exist in this world trumps mine?"

Meet the author:

Sabina Khan is the author of  ZARA HOSSAIN IS HERE (Scholastic/ April 6, 2021) and THE LOVE & LIES OF RUKHSANA ALI (Scholastic, 2019). She is an educational consultant and a karaoke enthusiast. After living in Germany, Bangladesh, Macao, Illinois and Texas, she has finally settled down in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, with her husband, two daughters and the best puppy in the world.

The Gilded Ones - Namina Forna

Date of Reading: 5/2/2021

Author: Namina Forna

Publisher: Delacorte

Publication Date: February 9, 2021

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 4/5

About the book:

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs.

But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity--and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.

Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki--near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire's greatest threat.

Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she's ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one is quite what they seem to be--not even Deka herself.

Review:

        There are not many books that have trigger warnings on the front. Well, this is my first and I would be lying if I say this story has not shaken me to the core. Deka might be a fictional character but the world Namina Forna draws is entirely our own and her protagonist is representative of all the women who are chained and who love their chains considering them to be dignified ornaments.

        Deka is a girl from Irfut, a deeply patriarchal village where women wear masks from the age of sixteen once they complete the ritual of purity. Her mother was a southerner and she has inherited her dark complexion. All these years she has been dreaming of being accepted by the villagers when her blood flows red. Then she can wear masks and marry someone from the village. That is all she ever wanted.

        Her world turns upside down when she shows the ability to command the death shrieks, the fearsome demons attacking their country and as expected her blood is gold. Her only way of atonement is to serve the emperor as a soldier, once her allotted time is over, she will be absolved of her impurity. There begins her unexpected journey which brings her closer to the truth of what she is.

        It was hard for me to warm up to Deka in the beginning, a girl so adamant in believing the terrible customs doled out by religious authorities. Will she ever change and find strength in her difference? But each day in training awakens her to new capabilities that she was forced to shut down previously. We proceed with her, sharing her agonies and self-doubts because after all, this is also our story.

        A truly evocative novel which will undoubtedly be one of the best books 2021 offers. And the book, though a part of the series, wraps up nicely too without any cliffhangers.

Meet the author:

"I always wanted to write a book that showed girls that they could be heroes, that they could fight for what's right."

Namina Forna is a young adult novelist based in Los Angeles and the author of the epic fantasy YA novel The Gilded Ones. Originally from Sierra Leone, West Africa, she moved to the US when she was nine and has been travelling back and forth ever since. Namina loves building fantastical worlds and telling stories with fierce female leads.

The Smallest Man - Frances Quinn (Blog Tour & Review)

Date of Reading: 2/12/2020

Author: Frances Quinn

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: January 7, 2020

Rating: 4/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours)

About the book:

‘I want you to remember something, Nat. You’re small on the outside. But inside you’re as big as everyone else. You show people that and you won’t go far wrong in life.’

A compelling story perfect for fans of The Doll Factory, The Illumination of Ursula Flight and The Familiars.

My name is Nat Davy. Perhaps you’ve heard of me? There was a time when people up and down the land knew my name, though they only ever knew half the story.

The year of 1625, it was, when a single shilling changed my life. That shilling got me taken off to London, where they hid me in a pie, of all things, so I could be given as a gift to the new queen of England.

They called me the queen’s dwarf, but I was more than that. I was her friend when she had no one else, and later on, when the people of England turned against their king, it was me who saved her life. When they turned the world upside down, I was there, right at the heart of it, and this is my story.

Inspired by a true story, and spanning two decades that changed England forever, The Smallest Man is a heartwarming tale about being different, but not letting it hold you back. About being brave enough to take a chance, even if the odds aren’t good. And about how, when everything else is falling apart, true friendship holds people together.

Review:

    If you search for the stories of Tudor queens, you may find an entire library. Sadly, the popularity of the Stuarts is nowhere near and needless to say this book took me by surprise. Poor old Charles is often ignored, so who cares about his French queen who has come to love England as her own home? Well, I don't think anyone can forget the name Henrietta Maria after this or Nat Davy for that matter.

    A bird's eye view of the Caroline age through the eyes of the Queen's dwarf, that is what this story offers. Based on the life of Jeffrey Hudson, Frances Quinn creates a memorable tale filled with political intrigues, suspense and a touch of romance. She does take a fair bit of creative licence when it comes to Nat's story and I completely loved it. At least in this fictional world, Nat deserves a happy ending.

    Sold by his father for eleven shillings, Nat finds a new home with the young queen who shares a similar fate in her political marriage with King Charles. Since his size limits his access to complex political scenarios, we don't get to know the king that much. Instead, Quinn focuses on Nat's life in the palace, the way he manoeuvres the insults directed against him, turning his disadvantage as a means to create a celebrated story.

    From the very beginning we are pulled into this fast paced story growing with Nat, feeling his pain. My only complaint is regarding the abrupt ending which doesn't give us much details on the restoration. Still I am happy to know about Nat Davy. He must be the smallest man, but his courage and wisdom put many a tall man to shame.

    Thank you Anne for the blog tour invite, I feel honoured to have the opportunity to read this amazing novel.

Meet the author:

Frances Quinn read English at Cambridge, and is a journalist and copy-editor. She completed the Curtis Brown Creative Course in 2015. The Smallest Man is her debut novel.

The Mountains Sing - Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai (Blog Tour)

Date of Reading: 19/08/2020

Author:  Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai 

Publisher: Oneworld 

Publication Date: August 20, 2020

Rating: 4.5/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Random Things Tours)

About the book:

With the epic sweep of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko or Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing and the lyrical beauty of Vaddey Ratner’s In the Shadow of the Banyan, The Mountains Sing tells an enveloping, multigenerational tale of the Tran family, set against the backdrop of the Viet Nam War. Tran Dieu Lan, who was born in 1920, was forced to flee her family farm with her six children during the Land Reform as the Communist government rose in the North. Years later in Hà Noi, her young granddaughter, Hương, comes of age as her parents and uncles head off down the Ho Chí Minh Trail to fight in a conflict that will tear not just her beloved country but her family apart.

Vivid, gripping, and steeped in the language and traditions of Viet Nam, The Mountains Sing brings to life the human costs of this conflict from the point of view of the Vietnamese people themselves, while showing us the true power of kindness and hope. This is celebrated Vietnamese poet Nguyen Phan Que Mai’s first novel in English. 

Review:

        Covering four generations of the Tran family, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai's epic family saga represents Vietnam at its best and also at its worst. Told through the words of Huong and her grandmother Dieu Lan, what we find is a mother's fortitude and desire for peace undiminished even at the darkest hours. Fast-paced it maybe, but that doesn't make it an easy read; the heartbreaking narrative leaves you often in turmoil, exposed to a part of history that we prefer to forget.

        I loved Dieu Lan from the beginning; it is hard not to admire and bow down before her resilient heart that lived through the Japanese atrocities, the Communist party's brutal Land Reforms, the partition and the Vietnam war. Her loved ones being killed in front of her eyes, she is left with the task of protecting her six children and keeping them together as a family. Most perilous is the battle with her inner demons, especially when the once chubby-cheeked darlings turn out to be the victims of government's propagandist messages.

        Huong represents the author's own voice, a generation that managed to live through the war but not unscathed; the hope of a nation that is slowly being rebuilt from the ashes. They are forced to accept, forgive and move on. And that is what this novel exhorts, not to seek retribution but to move forward with forgiveness in your hearts.

        Interspersed with Vietnamese proverbs and descriptions of the land that regrows each time, this beautiful story is all about a nation's will to survive, refusing to fall back. Thank you, Anne Carter, for this blog tour invite, I feel honoured to have the opportunity to read and review this gem of a book.

Meet the author:

Born into the Việt Nam War in 1973, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai grew up witnessing the war’s devastation and its aftermath. She worked as a street seller and rice farmer before winning a scholarship to attend university in Australia. She is the author of eight books of poetry, fiction and non-fiction published in Vietnamese, and her writing has been translated and published in more than 10 countries, most recently in Norton’s Inheriting the War anthology. She has been honoured with many awards, including the Poetry of the Year 2010 Award from the Hà Nội Writers Association, as well as many grants and fellowships. Quế Mai has a PhD in Creative Writing from Lancaster University, United Kingdom. She currently divides her time between Indonesia and Việt Nam.

The Poison Bed - E. C. Fremantle

Date of Reading: 07/11/2019

Author: E. C. Fremantle

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Published Year: 2018

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 4/5

About the book:

A king, his lover and his lover's wife. One is a killer.

In the autumn of 1615 scandal rocks the Jacobean court when a celebrated couple are imprisoned on suspicion of murder. She is young, captivating and from a notorious family. He is one of the richest and most powerful men in the kingdom.

Some believe she is innocent; others think her wicked or insane. He claims no knowledge of the murder. The king suspects them both, though it is his secret at stake.

Who is telling the truth? Who has the most to lose? And who is willing to commit murder?

Review:

      What will you do if your best friend is besotted with an evil person? If you are someone who will resort to any means to save your friend, then you need to hear this story. The death of Thomas Overbury is a lesson that history teaches us; in the tug of war between friendship and love, the winner will always be the latter. 

      Reading 'The Poison Bed' helped me brush up some of my history lessons. The fact that I was not familiar with this poisoning case which shook the Jacobean court at least played in my favour. But those who are familiar with the story will surely know the real culprit. All the same, this is going to give you a different perspective and will surely satisfy the history buff in you.

     Fremantle's beautiful and strong writing shook me and I closed the book with a feeling of distaste to all this political warfare. No one is invincible here and a mere lack of judgement will result in the downfall of even the mightiest. Isn't that one of the amusing things about historical fiction? It gives the reader a sense of power which comes from the knowledge of the futures of the characters involved. The story of Robert Carr and Frances Howard is no different. A love story, a murder, a tragedy -- you can call it what you may. It is all these.

Meet the author:

As a child I was the one in the corner with my nose in a book who wanted to be a writer, but with the onset of a turbulent adolescence I left school, under a cloud, aged fifteen with nothing more than a fistful of O Levels and a hapless sense that things would somehow work themselves out. Eventually, after working in various dodgy dives – I've served grey scrambled eggs to squaddies at 5.30am; I've served vintage champagne to raucous hoorays; I've pulled pints for all and sundry – I managed to find myself, much in the way Forrest Gump always landed on his feet, working as a dogsbody on a fashion magazine. Over a decade, I worked for titles such as Vogue, Elle and The Sunday Times and contributed to many others. Marriage took me to Paris, a stint at French Vogue and the birth of my two children but divorce saw me back home in London where I have remained. Fuelled by frustration with a fashion world that does no favours to women, I decided to complete my truncated education as a mature student which led, in a long and roundabout way with many frustrating impasses, to my fulfilling that childhood dream to become a novelist. 

Bharathipura - U. R. Ananthamurthy

Date of Reading: 18/03/2017

Author: U. R. Ananthamurthy

Translated by: Susheela Punitha

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Place: New Delhi

Year: 2010

Price: Rs. 375

          I did once hear that "Moby Dick" was originally intended as a scientific study on whales which was later wrapped up in an adventurous story to make it more palatable. I went through a similar sensation while reading this particular novel which could rather be called a philosophy treatise. Arguments and debates abound throughout, with the story patching it together to form an interesting read.

            'Oppressed class', 'untouchability', 'Dalit' -- all these words have become a part of common vocabulary nowadays, providing a platform for many a fancy seminar and conference. How many really empathise with them . . . is another matter to consider. Siding with the marginalised has become the new fashion lately just like the charities offered by the multi-millionaires to enhance their social profile.

       The novel presents its protagonist Jagannatha in the same mould. Being a western educated young man, he comes back from England carrying a new version of "white man's burden". His efforts to educate the Holeyaru, or the untouchables in Bharathipura, appear ridiculous as many instances reveal that his actions revolve around impressing his white girlfriend. He plays the hero by assuming the position of the light bearer to the untouchables whose names he keeps forgetting. His intended actions were noble but the hollowness behind it makes him less likeable.

          But that doesn't dim its charm as the story gives one of the beautiful and realistic portrayals of village life in Karnataka. It discusses the role of religion in the continuance of age-old and sometimes illegal customs and also mocks the lofty politicians who take advantage of this ignorance. All in all, it is slow but still, an enjoyable read penned by one of the popular Jnanpith awardees. 

         The story is set in the town of Bharathipura which is noted for its famous temple with its deity Manjunatha and his henchman Bhootharaya, the God of the untouchables. It is one of the major pilgrimage sites in the country. Yet even after independence, the place has retained its attitudes toward untouchability.

         Jagannatha, the son of town's wealthy landowner comes back from England after six years, determined to alter these situations. He wants to transform the town by leading the Holeyaru (the untouchables in the place) to the temple. The people there believed that if Holeyaru dares to enter the temple, he will spit blood and die.

         But these rebellious decisions of Jagannatha are not purely selfless. He also wants to impress his girlfriend Margaret that he can also be the tool of change. He writes long letters to her detailing his life in Bharathipura and the course of action he is planning to take. Margaret doesn't show the same enthusiasm as she later leaves him for his friend Chandrashekar towards the end of the story.

         The upper caste people are not happy either. They isolate him when he starts training a group of Holeyaru youth for temple entry. Even his mentor and lifelong family friend Sripathi Rao thinks that this attempt won't make much difference in the general attitude of the society. Jagan is also shocked by the way the educated and employed Dalits behave toward their own caste people. They insert maximum effort to alienate themselves from their caste and to become a part of the upperclassmen.

As the day for the temple entry draws near, others too join the mission. Neelakantaswami and Ranga Rao, members of the Mysore Socialist Party organise it as a movement. Ananthakrishna, a former freedom fighter also joins hands with them. A few days before the planned entry the Holeyaru huts catch fire though the source of this arson is never found. One boy dies in the fire. But Jagannatha was determined to continue his mission. He was even accused in an anonymous letter that he is an illegitimate son to his mother. Jagan suspects that this could be true, but looks ahead with all the strength he can muster.

        Meanwhile the chief priest's house witnesses another set of incidents. His son, Ganesha Bhatta supports Jagannatha inwardly as he is tired of the customs Manjunatha's presence impose. His father treats him as a mere boy and he craves for some freedom. The day before the temple entry he decides to put an end to all this. He goes to the inner sanctum and somehow dislodges the deity and throws it into the river. Then he attacks his father and shuts himself in the temple waiting for Jagannatha.

         The next day the Holeyaru hesitate before the temple gate. Neelakantaswami pulled the first man, Pilla, inside while Jagan stood there motionless. Others followed Pilla inside the temple. But they found that the deity is removed by Ganesha who opens the door only when he hears Jagan's voice.

U. R. Ananthamurthy

        Rumour soon spread through the town that the deity is not polluted since the priest's son removed it through some divine inspiration. They refuse to accept that Ganesha had a nervous breakdown. The glory of Manjunatha heightens as the preparations to reinstate the deity progress.

The Help - Kathryn Stockett

Date of Reading: 27/08/2013

Author: Kathryn Stockett

Publisher: Amy Einlarn Books

Place: New York

Year: 2009

          
        Once I had this nagging fear: what if all the classics run out, and I don't like these post-modern books? Well, 'The Help' has helped to put a rest to that fear and I am glad that the movie experience didn't ruin even the teeniest bit of its charm. Mammy's side of the 'Gone with the Wind', that is what Skeeter describes her work, which is true to the entire novel too. The entire female dominated perspective puts forth the nostalgic feeling of a 21st century Jane Austen novel (oh, not in the case of romance) with its unraveling of  some complex minds.

           Friendship, mother-daughter love, career and boyfriend troubles and most of all racism -- Stockett has put forth a string of themes. And when it comes to the leading role, I am still confused. Skeeter or Aibileen? It could be the movie's influence, I was waiting for all the Skeeter chapters (and Minny of course).

           

"There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends", says Dumbledore in Harry Potter series. Its that courage that puts Skeeter along with Aibileen and Minnie. The sudden realization that your friends are no longer following the right path, the moment when the blindness is lifted of the eyes, is hard for a 22 year old. The fact that you don't have any friends left may not always be your fault. When you stand up for what you think is just and right, you may not get much company behind. Its always easy to lead life according to other's wishes (you just have to put your self respect behind), not so if you want to live it in your way.
           The novel is moored around the stories of three women: Miss Skeeter, the 22-year old Ole Miss graduate, Aibileen the wise black maid who has lost her own son and is now bringing up her 17the white child and, Minny the sass mouthing black maid who by the way is also the best cook in the entire Mississippi. Year is 1962; protests are going on under the leadership of Martin Luther King.

         Skeeter has just come back from college and finds that her childhood friends Hilly (who rules the entire Jackson) and Elizabeth married and settled with children. Her own long stature shoos the boys away and her mother is constantly worried of her ringless fingers. With the intention of being a writer, she takes a job in Jackson Journal. She is to maintain the housekeeping column for which he seeks the help of Aibileen, Elizabeth's help.
         Hilly's insistence on separate toilets for the coloured help kindles an old spark, and with the encouragement of Elaine Stein, the editor of Harper & Row, she decides to make a book of interviews of black help in Jackson. Aibileen agrees reluctantly but they need a dozen more.
         Minny is Aibi's best friend and her sass mouthing and I-don't-care nature puts her into conflict with Hilly and nobody is ready to take her to a household. Finally she is taken by Celia Foote, the pretty new wife of rich Johnny who is not accepted into the lady's circle due to her low birth. Her new changed circumstances where she is considered as an equal in every way, makes her too enter into the book project. But the others still lack courage.
         When Hilly's maid Yule May is arrested for stealing a ring to pay her sons' tuition fees, other maids are aroused to narrate her love and hate stories in White households -- how it is to raise a white child when your own child is looked after by others. Skeeter is alienated from her Hilly due to her stance against the separate toilets and the entire Jackson puts their back on her. On hearing about the secret book project her boyfriend backs away from the intended proposal but she continues the lonely path.

           Harper & Row publishes the book as The Help with limited copies and without revealing the writer's identity. And names of the maids and also that of the town is also changed. Suspicions grow around but Minny's episode with Hilly saves the impending disaster. As a revenge on the toilet issue and spreading lies on her Minny has mixed her shit with chocolate pie which Hilly eats with relish. Hilly, ever afraid of this secret to be in the open, declares that the book is not on Jackson.
         

Kathryn Stockett

The Help gets a reprint and Skeeter is off to New York for her new job with Harper. Minny leaves her drunken, beating husband at last; Aibileen loses her job because of the book but she feels free and decides to be a writer.

--- The 2011 film adaptation of Tate Taylor got four Academy Award Nominations and Spencer won the Best Supporting Actress award for playing the role of Minny.
           

            

Shoes of the Dead - Kota Neelima

Date of Reading: 10/06/2013

Author: Kota Neelima

Publisher: Rainlight

Place: New Delhi

Year: 2013

Rating: 4.5/5

             Each book in my shelf has an outside story; a tale through which they came to my life and this one is going to be special. Thanks to BlogAdda's Book Review program, this third book of Kota Neelima was my constant companion throughout my train journey which extended to three states -- Andrapradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. 
             As one of the members of new generation who is acquainted with agriculture through the plays of Farmville, a political novel on farmer suicides is an eye opener. Rains may not come, and crops might wither but there won't be any free gifts or mystery babies to wait for. The green fields with lotus ponds and the waving children covered in mud whom I can watch through the train window presented a contrasting picture to the one I was reading. Nonetheless, the story is about them, a time they might have passed and wish to forget -- the time of rice water survivals. By the time the story reached the meager survival of Gangri, the severe food poisoning episode has taught me hunger and my experience of the book was complete.

            Neelima's career as a journalist has quite evidently helped in the writing task. Nazar Prabhakar, the sharp journalist works as the writer's unconscious and his occasional repartee is the most cherished moments in the story. There are three story's running simultaneously -- Nazar and Videhi's, Gangri's and Kayur's -- but author hasn't let the reader stray from the central theme, debt related farmer suicides. 
             Author has avoided the usual cliches of blaming the democratic system and the political representatives, instead a middle path is taken to know the ways that make them forcefully corrupt to adapt to the political tides. The writer expects some fruitful action, not another discussion with fancy words in the news room. A fast paced serious work which will leave its trace on you and is much recommended in this turbulent times.
             

The district of Mityala is witnessing an increased number of farmer suicides due to successive crop failures and the burden of debt. When Sudhakar Bhadra succumbs to this same fate, the powerful district suicide committee of Mityala which governs the interests of moneylenders and traders dismisses it as aptra and refuses compensation to his widow.
            Sudhakar's brother, Gangri, who was working as a teacher in the city resigns his job and vouches his life for the justice of other farmer suicides. He becomes a member of the committee and influences others to vote rightfully.

             This increase in the suicidal rates engenders the political future of Keyur Kashinath, the first time MP of Democratic Party from Mityala. As the son of Vaishnav Kashinath, party's general secretary, he is heir to his father's power in Delhi politics. His intention to oust Gangri from the committee through foul means catches the eye of the young journalist Nazar Prabhakar and the news creates ripples in Delhi politics.
            Keyur is forced to investigate the issue personally and his contact with Gangri turns him against moneylenders. Farmer suicides of the past years are reconsidered and the deserved ones are given compensation.

             

Kota Neelima

Meanwhile Gangri's nephew dies of malnutrition and fever and a heartbroker Gangri commits suicide. Keyur resigns his MP position and comes to Mityala to implement Gangri's plans. 

Something to ponder:  
"The increasing toll is bound to trouble the people in power because farmers like us are not supposed to be visible to the government. . . But now our lives are drawing attention because of our deaths." - 93

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