Book Review : Uday Mane's Fables from India

I'm sparing all comments on the design
 or it'll be another post 

I'm firmly of the opinion that if you have nothing nice to say it is better not to say anything at all ( especially to strangers; friends, well, they knew what was coming when they signed up) . In fact when I got this book to review I was torn between the guilt of not writing as I had promised to and painful process of finding some glimmer of good in it. But finally, being compelled to write, I put forth my opinion as honestly as possible.

Pros :
It has only one. It has fully restored my faith in myself to be a published writer because clearly anyone can be.

Cons:
Where do I start. The title? The completely misleading title? Though it says Fables from India, the author has generously "borrowed" from all cultures and I even suspect least a couple of them are from his own imaginations( not that it's a bad thing, but why pretend it's anything other than your own short stories is beyond me). Some of them are so blatantly"borrowed" from classics without even the faintest attempt at placing it in the Indian context that you wonder if we are to ignore that content or just blindly accept that it is Indian because Mane says so.

Of the 22 stories ( I giving the poetry a free pass) that Mane covers in the book, there were in total 3 that was free of any mistakes. The rest was riddled with weird clunky sentences( Can a king be a demagogue?! Mane thinks so), spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes, misused similes and metaphors ( simpleton's food instead of simple food). And this after the first read. I did not have the courage to go through it again for the fear of what I will find and corresponding mounting irritation of seeing this language mangled. Honestly, I don't hold Mane accountable for these mistakes but his editor and the publisher who were clearly in such a hurry to publish that they could not manage the most basic proofreading. Or least I hope that is the case because the alternative would be that they are horribly incompetent and I hope their English teachers never have the shame of seeing their work.

This is apart from the occasionally disturbing morals that I hope no child will imbibe like the one in the Jungle Laws story which does not clarify what the jungle law is and could be easily misinterpreted as case for racism.

To be fair there were 2 stories which was bitter sweet and touching (The Joker and Nadir's Little Lamb) in this mess, but it is simply not worth it to drudge through this swamp of words to get to them. This is just one of the prime example why Indian authors/publishers are seen so poorly by the literati and I would sincerely hope no one buys this for their child with the hope of improving the said child's English.

Book of the Month : June 2015

After May, June was a mixed bag. I guess every month can't be a winner. But I was able to see some foreign locales and get interesting cultural insights this month, so it was not a total loss.

Without further ado, Phil presents to you...

Sugar and Other Stories by A.S. Byatt - 2 / 5

I've been wanting to try Byatt but had always been rather intimidated. So I thought I'll start with her short stories. Seemed simple enough. I still don't know if that was a good idea or not, because I simply did not understand her. The language was convoluted and so were the plots.  A couple of stories were nice, like 'The Day E. M. Forster Died' and 'The July Ghost', but most of it went over my head. I felt like a 5 yr old trying to read Shakespeare. Not a collection I enjoyed on the whole.

The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories by Angela Carter - 2 / 5

The idea behind the book sounded super interesting. Brothers Grimm and Hans Anderson more so, had changed the folk stories to make it more palatable for children. In doing so, he took out the morbid and morally confusing aspects. So Carter set out to rehash the familiar fairy tales, from their popular PG rated version back to the the original tales full of sex and violence. Sounded exciting and I was all set. Except, like Byatt, this woman too writes highly convoluted sentences which felt like a cipher than a statement. The basic stories were interesting, especially comparing how the original actually unfolds vs. the popular versions. But I felt it was much too complicated a writing just to say a few fairy tales.

Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie - 3.2 / 5

She seems to be my go-to gal whenever I want some light reading. This was a collection of 4 stories and the title story I thought was brilliant. So was Triangle at Rhodes but the other two (Dead Man's Mirror, The Incredible Theft) were just ok.  I 'm starting to feel comparatively, that novels are more of her strong point than short stories. But still worth picking up coz after all she's the 'queen of crime'!

The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo - 3.5 / 5

It's not easy to deal with death and all the more when you are a child. I love how deftly DiCamillo has dealt with the subject.  I feel her writings remind you what it means to be a kid - the intensity of emotion, of both joy and sorrow, the ease of forgiveness borne out of the need to grow, feeling trapped between adult needs and your dependency on people less than perfect. It reminds you childhood can be both a wonderful and a terrifying place. While this was not as brilliant as 'The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane', there is no doubt that DiCamillo is a powerhouse in children's literature.

Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski - 3.7 / 5

If you are looking to read a book on Thailand and get a feel of the people and place, I'm not sure if this is something I recommend. You do get a vague snap shot of the history of Northern Thailand but since the book mostly tends to deal with American missionaries and anthropologists, you don't get a feel of it's native people. But that doesn't change the fact that it is an engrossing read and you do get a good insight into the lives of people who leave behind a way of life to embrace a whole new culture, like missionaries and anthropologists. Berlinski successfully blurs the lines between fact and fiction creating an extremely believable story. If not for the disclaimer by Berlinski, you would walk away feeling that you were reading about a true incident.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman - 4  / 5

Both the book and the movie had been on my list of must-read/watch-cult-fiction and I'm happy to report the book is everything it promised to be. It panders to your most childish notions of good and bad; and does it with panache. The base story is the most cliched bunch of Bollywood story bits mashed together ( drama, laughs, emotion, romance, action) but the narrator makes all the difference. Goldman makes you laugh so hard and in spite of knowing where the story is heading, builds suspense and drama like no other. Pick it up for a good old fashioned adventure!

Sightseeing by Rattawut Lapcharoensap - 4.1 / 5

I had never been to Thailand when I took up the book, but it din't matter because Lapcharoensap is just brilliant at capturing the place though his short stories. The stories have at their heart universal themes but it's drawn in distinctly Thai flavors. The language has a wonderful clarity that brings everyone he writes about alive.Most of the stories have a mix of sadness and hope, and seen mainly from a young person's perspective. It feels like the struggle of leaving behind childhood and it's innocence and straddling between adulthood is part of Thailand trying to define itself.  You get the sense that people are tired of being exploited by the foreigners but are too polite and too dependent to push back. It's hard to pinpoint why it feels so Thai, but it does. It's warm and alive, the stories and you get to bring back some lovely memories of the place and the people with this book.

And now to the Book of the Month. She's one of my favorite writers and her prose is so fine tuned that reading her words is like the feeling of being covered in satin.

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman - 4.5 / 5

Anne Fadiman's At Large and At Small, a collection of familiar essays, is one of my most read (and loved) books. So, it stood to reason that I should try her book - 'The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures'. The title threw me off. It sounded like a Ph.D thesis report of an anthropologist - dry.  To say I was wrong doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of how wonderful it was. She took a medical case file of a child with epilepsy and turned into a narrative of humanity and it's follies. Most of us like to think of ourselves as broadminded, especially the more educated. But no matter how broad minded we are, we have our blind spots and Fadiman highlights how we ignore them. She explores the two cultures, Hmong and the western medicine dispassionately. Sherwin Nuland said of the account, "There are no villains in Fadiman's tale, just as there are no heroes. People are presented as she saw them, in their humility and their frailty--and their nobility."

It took me almost a year to finish. Not because it's anything less than spectacular, but because it's so wonderfully empathetic to all the pain and human emotions that I found it hard to read it without feeling the pain myself. It can leave you feeling like a raw wound but out of that pain comes compassion and understanding of your prejudices. It opens you up to accepting those with whom you have nothing in common other than humanity. Fadiman proves again and again that she's one of the most underrated and brilliant writers I've ever come across.

Well, that's it for June. Wish you all happy rains and happy reading!
Take care,
Phil!

Book of the month : Apr 2015

Don't blame me, blame the sultry summer for making me lazy and hazy with the heat! And for that same reason April was the month of lazy reading. What's lazy reading? Let me give you a context. There are books you read because they are in your bucket list ( a.k.a most classics); ones you read because they sound interesting ( differs from person to person.. for me it's mostly science, non-fiction and philosophy) and last, the books you read because you are too lazy to exert your brain. The last section, which mainly consists of your 'guilty pleasures' reading ie books which you really really enjoy ( spelled as chick lits, and children's section for me) but would not really admit to reading coz you don't want to dent your persona as a (fraud) intellectual! That's lazy reading! But lazy reading has it's perks too. For one, if you are trying to read 100 books in a year, they definitely help to increase your book count. Two, they might just surprise with unexpected depth.

Lazy reading or not, April was definitely a fulfilling month, reading wise. It was full of magic, wonder, excitement and learning.  In short, it was like an adventure. So without further delay, let's start on the...

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #3) by Rick Riordan - 2.7 / 5

This one is strictly for Percy Jackson fans and everyone else should just stay away. No questions asked. Greek mythology has always been a soft corner and Percy Jackson even more so for me. Other than to my 10 year old nephew ( to up my street cred with him) this is one of my guilty pleasures I don't otherwise openly admit.. until now that is. So yes, I really enjoyed it. But that doesn't stop the book or the story from being a little on the flimsy side. But if you are willing to overlook a certain dicey-ness in character growth and just go with the flow, this one would be ok.

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #4) by Rick Riordan - 2.8 / 5

Comes with the same warning as the previous one. Actually with a slightly less severe warning perhaps. If you like loads of action in your books, this one is good to go. Super fast paced. Riordan tries to experiment with some deeper themes like 'save earth' but it seemed forced at times. But over all, if you been with Percy, Annabeth and Grover this far, you will enjoy this one too.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan - 2.8 / 5

If I had to describe this book in one word, that would be 'underwhelming'. I picked up the book with a lot of expectation, Ms. Egan having won the Pulitzer with this one. And for weird reason I expected it to be like the Goonies. Even though I have not seen the movie and have no idea what it's about other that it being a cult classic.Yeah, dont ask.

But that's not the reason it's disappointing. It's because it's rather unmemorable though it's well written. Of the dozen characters who speak in this book, only a couple of  teenagers stay with you. The rest of the narcissistic, selfish and cynical bunch, all them sort of merge into each other. It's not just their lives which intertwine and connect in odd ways, but their individual motivations and desires also seem to overlap in odd ways. If Egan's purpose was to show us how similar we are even when we think ourselves as snowflakes, I don't think she's been successful in that either. Instead the feeling I came away with was that the characters all seem similar because of their immaturity. Maybe that's why I thought the teenagers seemed the most honest and true. Immaturity is not out of place with a teen. But on the rest of the adults it seemed incongruous. Would recommend you skip this Pulitzer!

PS: It does have a cool chapter written in power point. I'd say skip the rest and just read that!

Natural Acts: A Sidelong View of Science and Nature by David Quammen - 3.5 / 5

Is there every a collections of essay where you read and say all of them were equally brilliant? I'm yet to find one of those. Quammen is at times interesting and at times oddly didactic which is rather at odds with how he presents himself, which is as a layman with a curiosity for science. The description is one I could easily borrow for myself which is why I picked up this one. The initial essays were fun with their counter intuitive logic. He definitely made me look at the crows in new light. Or even wonder whether mosquitoes were actually protecting our rain forests. Then some where in between he lost that quirky sense of humor and it because rather drab. But his style further evolves, into a more serious and thoughtful point of view. And here you again come across some really thought provoking articles with depth. Here the book really challenges you to think how you relate to the world at large. Overall, it's an interesting read and something you can dip into while waiting for a particularly philosophical mood to pass.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman - 3.7 / 5

The book is built with the kind of insidious horror which sort of fully dawns on you just before you close the book. I can't count the number of times as a kid I wanted nicer parents who will give all that I wanted or run away and be adopted by a different set of parents who will appreciate the kind of person I am. But if that was to be true, that it could come with crippling consequences is not something I had thought though as a child. The built up is slow, almost at a sleepy pace though there a vague unease which gnaws at the back of your mind. You almost don't even realise that the unease has grown into panic till Coraline escapes and you exhale a huge sigh of relief. But this is not exactly a horror story in the style of Stephen King ( so no veins frozen with fright ). But if I had read this as a kid, this would rank right along with Chucky (Child's Play) as nightmare material simply because being trapped and unable to reach your loving parents is terrifying. And plus the ending is kind of lovely so would definitely recommend picking it up!

Lady Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde - 4.2 / 5

Reading this play made me really wonder if Wilde was really gay like he said he was. I mean it seems ridiculous that a man, that too a gay man, can cut thought straight into a woman's heart with the kind of precision which would make a surgeon envious. His humor and wit aside, it's his grasp of human nature which makes his writing not just fascinating but relevant as long as humanity will exist. If that is not a sign of genius I don't know what is!

The Wondla Series by Tony DiTerlizzi - 4.5 / 5

Picked it up as part of my lazy reading but these surprised me so much. I guess the books would get slotted into Children's books but only because children would enjoy them as well. But I think it's a rather unfair categorization because so often we over look children's book, especially contemporary ones as not being mature enough.

There are 3 books in the series and each one gets better than the last. The gorgeous illustrations by DiTerlizzi alone would make these books a find. The pictures have the kind of clarity and warmth which makes it feel like it's lit from within. But the funny thing is the illustrations, as gorgeous as they are, are only a side to the real beauty in the book.

The characters, both human and alien shine with truth and wisdom. I was genuinely surprised to find myself getting so attached to Eva Nine, the heroine and even minor characters stick to you like burrs. I mean that is the sort of affection I usually reserve for someone like Huckleberry Finn. Someone I have read and loved over and over, every single time I read. Maybe children's books are not your usual pick. Or you have never really like science fiction. But because the magic of a wonderfully written book always stays alive, Wondla is a must read for adults and kids alike!


And finally the Book of the Month goes toooooo....

Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer  - 4.5 / 5 

While reading this book, I developed such a huge crush on Foer it makes me blush. It reads like a nerdy yet racy novel. The blurb gives vague hints about the contents but it definitely does not prepare you for the fun ride that is this book. It basically follows Foer while he prepares for the U.S. Memory Champion. And while doing so he explore the the concept of memory and the bunch of neurons which helps us remember. So I expected a generous smattering of science but what I did not see coming was the quirky adrenaline pumping narrative of the weirdly hyper competitive world of Memory Championships and how engaging Foer can make it be. It was like a mix of Dan Brown and Big Bang Theory - Funny, entertaining and informative all nicely packaged in a yummy bite of book!

So Until next month, Keep reading!
Take care,
Phil!

Book of the month : Mar 2015

O-M-G.. It's month three and I'm still reading books! o_0

Ok, that's not really surprising. But I've been reading a lot of listicles lately on '# ways to get your audience's attention in like 2 second!'. Clearly I'm not very good at retaining vague numbered pieces of wisdom, but thought I'll give it try anyways.

I still have your attention? Wow.. You are patient. Anyways, my inability to retain and execute listicles ( does it remind anyone else of popsicles every time you hear/read the word?) thankfully is independent of my ability to review books. March had been an unusually busy month of reading with 10 book ( and a short story) most likely because I could spend time with a few of my favorite writers and characters. Discovering a new writer or a book is like meeting someone new. If you like the person, you exchange numbers and promise to meet again. You feel thrilled and excited about the new relationship. But they have yet to be a part of your life in a meaningful way - Someone you turn to when you have bad day.

That can happen only with people you have known and loved a long time. Even if you have not met them in a long time, you know you can always turn to them and they'll envelop you in their arms no matter how awful you been. And re-reading you favorite books and authors have same warmth.

Anyways, I'll save my musing on re-reading for another day. Now to the task at hand.

Funnily I started the month with Christoper Moore and ended it with Moore as well, though in the time gap he really dint improve by much which is why he's starting off my list, at the bottom.

Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore - 2/5

The usual trajectory of a mediocre book is from expectation to disappointment. This one completely misdirects you by disappointing you first and then building up the expectation. All I wanted was a few laughs and something which will not strain my imagination or intellect. Which is why I picked Moore. He's not someone I would classify as great but I felt he's always met the minimum requirement for a decent read. But badly developed characters are a huge pain in my... errrm...neck ( keeping it as PG friendly as possible!) and so are dragged out story lines. Half way through the book I found myself mumbling on character consistency and that Moore should not write about women if he doesn't understand them. In 'Lamb' (which I rather enjoyed), there are very few women and we see only glimpses of their personality. I think that might have been the secret of it's success. But in 'Fiends', he made the mistake of making the central character a woman. And the story line meanders all over the place without much purpose to it's inevitable conclusion. But here, in the last two chapters the story really picks up and in spite of the rather predictable ending, Moore get you hooked. But honestly it felt like 'too little,too late'.

Fluke: Or, I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings by Christopher Moore - 2.5/5

My personality leans on the side of nerdy, and you show me any thing remotely scientific on bugs, bats or whales, you are more or less assured of my attention. And Fluke started out brilliantly. The lead character, a marine behavioral biologist Nate Quinn, had my sympathies from the word go. I was drooling over the goofy surfer dude Kona as expected. The scene with the whale penises ( yes, plural!)  had me in splits and I found myself giggling later thinking of the same. Everything according to script. Even when the story line took a dive from the scientific and probably into the zany, I was still on board. But again, as soon as we started focusing on feminine characters, the book started to sink for me. His women react like men. The fact is, women don't have the same motivations and drives as guys and imagining guys with tits is just not good enough. Which was kinda sad, because this book had so much potential, especially how he could have explored the idea of an alternate gene driven god-ish organism. The ending was so bollywood-ish with it's half baked love story it made me cringe. The only character worth salvaging from the whole wreck was Kona and apparently Moore did use him again else where  ( which I have not read yet). But you know what, it's worth a read coz the whale penises scene .... Priceless!

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley - 2.8/5

7th book in the Flavia de Luce series, this was awaited with bated breathe by me. I absolutely adored the 10 year old sleuthing chemist in her previous adventures ( if you haven't read her yet, do pick it up). But moving the Brit girl from her comfortable backyard to a new country was too much of a challenge for the author because I felt he lost a little bit of essence of what makes this extraordinary brat so very addictive. Part of her charm was in being the underdog, with regard to her elder sisters. And moving that out of the equation removed a very human part of Flavia. For me, the murder mysteries were just the icing on top but the real meat lay in watching this hyper intelligent, stoic yet surprisingly fragile little girl deal with her uncommon life. So that ways, the mystery itself was satisfactory, but it was the rest of the background and cast which disappointed me. But I have hope, i.e. I'll see more of her in her old haunts and that should set the balance right.

And of course, being a Flavia fan, I had to read story story 'The Curious Case of the Copper Corpse'. My only complaint was that it was much too short.

The Upside of Irrationality by Dan Ariely - 3/5

I love Dan's TED talk which was funny, engaging and insightful. It figures in my list of TTTT, i.e. Top Ten TED Talks. So, I was looking forward to his book. And it din't disappoint in the sense, it was funny and engaging. But more than once, I found myself questioning his insights. True, almost all of them are counter intuitive so they are not easy conclusions to accept. But I felt it all the more because there was a lack of clarity in how he came to some of his conclusions. Maybe it is not possible to share all the data and perhaps his research papers covers them in detail are you so interested to find out more. And some conclusions, even with data, is a tough pill to swallow. So by the end of the book I felt I was in a dilemma. Either I had to accept all of it, seeming inconsistency and all, or reject all. But the scales seemed to be rather evenly tipped to both sides. Oh well, life can be indecisive as well as irrational I guess!

I plunged into Paul Gallico's Mrs.'Arris Series and covered them one after the other. So I'm going to break away a little from the usual system of lowest to highest rating so as to preserve the order of the series.

Mrs Harris Goes to Paris  by Paul Gallico - 4 / 5

If you have not read Paul Gallico, you should. Especially Mrs.'Arris. I remember reading about her Parisian journey in my early teens and being thoroughly delighted. I mean if getting yourself a Dior dress is not a teenage dream come true, then I don't know what is. When I took it up again I wondered if it will be as awesome as I remembered. And it was. If ever there's a modern fairy tale with equal parts magic and equal parts mundane, then this is it! But the part which floored me as a teen, which were all about the wonderful sensation of being around gorgeous creations of satin and lace, was not the ones which plucked at my heartstrings this time. Instead I saw myself being drawn to the more sober part of the tale. Maybe it's a testimony to my growing maturity ( ahem!!) The odd thing is what ought to have been a miserable ending is turned around into a thing of beauty. A tale which will stay with you a very long time, I promise!

Mrs Harris Goes to New York by Paul Gallico - 3 / 5

I would not even know there was a series of  Mrs. 'Arris if not the double feature book I took up! Not as endearing as the first book but you can't help but love Mrs.'Arris, that eternal optimist while she tackles the near impossible!

Mrs. Harris Goes To Moscow  by Paul Gallico - 3 / 5

Fourth in the series, ( I skipped 3rd) the spirit of Mrs.'Arris shines though but the story seemed a little unrealistic. Too many coincidences and lucky breaks to bring about the happy ending according to me. By now, our faith in Ada Harris is such that we can easily predict the ending and the predictability is what reduces the story to just another story.

Every Living Thing by James Herriot - 4.5 / 5

I don't remember when I first picked up Herriot, but he was as much a part of growing up as sip-ups ( that brightly colored, sweet flavored irresistible roadside vendor ices ) because he was a family favorite. Three generations of Thottans have read him and loved him. So every time I pick up his books, it's is not so much as reading as spending time with your favorite uncle. The one who is always ready with delightful stories infused with the unexpected and not afraid to take pot shot at himself. His books are often quoted as must reads for animal lovers because so many of his stories revolve around them. But I say they are a must read for everyone. His humor and warmth will make you laugh, occasionally cry and most of all, reminds you what it means to be human.

The Firm by John Grisham - 4.5 / 5

It's rather ironic but growing up, I managed to skip the popular authors. So never read any Sidney Sheldons or Danielle Steeles. I did read one Harold Robbins as a teen which scared and scarred me for life! Which, I believe, is the reason why I kept away from the popular authors. The reason I'm telling you all this is give you a background why it was only in March 2015 I got hold of my first John Grisham. And boy oh boy, I loved it! I loved everything about it! The book literally had me on the edge of my seat, impatient to know what comes next. Truth be told I was expecting something Dan Brown-ish. Interesting facts/ aspects on law in a weak story line. And there are a lot of people who argue the same. But as far as I'm concerned the title of  the king of 'legal thrillers' can be without doubt conferred on Grisham. I know I might seem a bit hasty in conferring him the title with just one book under my arm, but that's how much I loved it! :P

Through I'm willing to crown Grisham, he is still only the runner up. Annnnd so ( drum roll please) the  BOOK OF THE MONTH goes to..

Blue is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh - 4.5 / 5

Blue is also my favorite color. But that's not why it's the book of the month. And I don't know if you have noticed, but the last two books have the same rating as this one. So what makes it stand out? For me, it's because Maroh shares a story that feels raw and brutally honest. Because she has shared a story which makes you explore sexuality with sensitivity and sensuality. That is a hard line to toe. She pushes boundaries without pushing the reader away. You would think stepping into shoes of a lesbian, it would never fit, yet it surprises you how incredibly familiar it feels. You also learn how much it can pinch trying to force yourself into a mold which is not meant for you. It's at once every teenager's story, with its share of angst, impossible crushes, rebellion, trying to fit in and stand out; yet it as unique as her fingerprint.

The art work too feels raw at times but you can't help but feel moved by it. A certain sense of life seems to gently throb within in. Her sparing use of color does wonders to heighten your senses. You start feeling the same rush and expectation as Clementine, the narrator, each time you glimpse the color blue. It reads less like a book and more like an experience. Like looking back on your first heart break. Painful yet strangely lovely because it made you wiser, more compassionate. So don't think twice and pick up the book!

Until next time, keep reading! :)
Phil!

PS : Damn, this post was late! Will try not to repeat that! Take care all!

Book of the month : Feb 2015

So it's time to look back at the month and crown the winner! Initially I thought I'll read all love stories, February being all about Valentine's and all.  But guess I have a bit of A.D.D sticking to the topic 'coz I ended up reading pretty much anything I can hold of.. as usual! Oh well!

Anyways, let get back to the point. Starting at the bottom of the list is...

See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson - 1.5 / 5

This book reminded me why I keep off chick lit as a general rule. If well written ones are like your favorite candy, this one was the equivalent of stale popcorn. The book was painfully predictable and characters were so terribly cliched it almost seemed like Gibson was making fun of the genre. The only plus point was the marginally steamy encounters between the main characters. The sex scenes seem to be the only place where Gibson seemed to have bothered to expend a little of her imagination. And that's all there was to the book, so pretty much a waste of time!

Second Thoughts by Niklas Asker - 2 / 5

This month has a lot of graphic novels. And this was the first of the lot. And sadly, the worst of the lot too. The story line is intriguing but the artwork left me kinda cold. Not that Asker's work isn't good but it seemed to be missing a subliminal quality which tends to bring the images to life. They remained strictly two dimensional. I also felt it was missing attention to details within the images. It was missing a master's touch. But then again I don't know if I'm judging it too harshly given that this is Niklas Asker's debut work. I came off with the feeling this could have been so much more because the story line was definitely something offbeat. I can't decide if I should recommend this one or not, but I would be intrigued to see what next he comes up with after a little maturing because the potential is definitely there. 

Good-Bye, Chunky Rice by Craig Thompson 

- ? / 5

I had started Habibi by Craig Thompson (looooong back) and I had loved the artwork. And I have been hearing rave reviews about Blankets ( in fact there's a scene in Asker's Second thoughts which shows the cover of Blankets; and that is how I ended up with this book simply because I could not get hold of Blankets). But this one is an enigma for me. I don't know how I feel about it and honestly for me, that's quite a new sensation. There were parts of it which were touching and parts which I thought was complete drivel. End of the book, I came off feeling like I either completely missed the point or that there was no point what so ever. It is such a funny mixture of poetic and grotesque. Somehow I have a sneaky feeling that this is one of those books which need a couple of re-readings to unravel it's beauty. So why don't you try and let me know how you feel about it :)

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott - 3.5 /5

I had marked it the moment I read this book was one of the inspirations behind Interstellar movie. Both, the director Christopher Nolan and Kip Thorne, the theoretical physicist who was the principle scientific consultant for the movie, referred to the book and as someone who finds such concepts utterly fascinating it sounded like a book I could not miss. And had I read it a decade ago, it would have been a book which would have blown my mind. Not because the book is anything less than absolutely brilliant but because the basic concept would have been so spectacularly new. The basic premise of the story was shared by my mathematics teacher while explaining quadratic equations ( and their co-relation to geometry, and from there to real life.. not explaining how 'coz that would be a spoiler!). Now I can't help but wonder if he had read the book. So while reading the book, the concept itself was not new but that doesn't change the fact that it is wonderful read. 

Apart from the concept of the higher dimensions, what fascinated me was the clarity with which he renders the flatland society. The parallels (pun unintended..mostly ) between flatland society and the 3-D human world is rather uncanny. In this day of 'outward-political-correctness-and-inward-regressive-thinking', to read something which blatantly puts forward the hypocrisy without any apologies is refreshing because it forces you to rethink where you really stand. 

March: Book One (March #1) by John Robert Lewis, Andrew Aydin , Nate Powell (Artist) - 4 / 5

This graphic novel is the first of the trilogy which illustrates the life of John Robert Lewis, an American politician and civil rights leader. Most of the narratives that we hear about the black civil right moment is mainly focused on Martin Luther King Jr. This novel gives a perspective from the lesser known yet equally inspiring personality of John Lewis. It starts out rather slow with John's childhood but builds up momentum as he matures into an adult with strong convictions. This is more of a build up for the second of the series but it's still an interesting read on it's own. Nate Powell's artwork is just so gorgeously emotive, the perfect compliment for Lewis's inspiring story. 

A House of Pomegranates by Oscar Wilde - 4 / 5

Has this man written anything which is not polished to perfection? As usual, Wilde shows his genius and you have four fables of extraordinary simplicity and grace. The birthday of Infanta is one of the most lovely and tragic reads I have read in a long time. As a rule, I'm not fascinated by tragedy. But this one made me cry. Not the blubbering sort. But the one where I ached so badly 'coz I badly wanted to hug the little guy and tell him, it's all lies. And the last short story which moved me as much was when I read O.Henry's Last Leaf in school. The other stories have the innocence of fairy tales and yet something adult and dark underneath. I was rather surprised by the strong Christian theme in them. Somehow seemed at odds with all I know of Wilde's personality. But it doesn't disrupt the storytelling in anyway. Should definitely pick it up for Infanta's birthday.

The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things by Paula Byrne - 4.2 / 5

I have not read the official version of Jane Austen's biography, but I did love Byrne's approach to her life, ie to take her letters and her writings in perspective of the day to day environment Ms.Austen found her self in. Bryne also explores the books that she read, plays she appreciated and the people who influenced her to create a deeper understanding of the English novelist. It was much longer than expected (I started this book in Jan but finished it only in Feb) but that dint diminish the enthusiasm you feel through out the book. With the new information in hand I think I should re-read some of her lesser appreciated novels (by me) like Emma and Mansfield Park. I'm sure the context that is provided by Byrne would help in clarifying the kind of characters that Austen created who seemed rather unnatural to me before. Overall, if you are an Austen fan, then this is one book you'll immensely enjoy!

As we go towards the end of the list, my dilemma starts.. which is the book that truly stood out for me? A perfectly rendered classic or a wonderfully etched out story of a modern day hero? I'm almost tempted to declare a draw yet I feel that would be unfair for some reason. So, after digging a little deeper and splitting a lot of hair, here's the runner up:

Can You Forgive Her? by Anthony Trollope - 4.4 / 5

I have been wanting to read Trollope for a while now. I kept finding a lot of references in other works yet I had not the least bit of familiarity with his work. Plus it helped that I had just started Downton Abbey and this looked like the perfect read to compliment the series ( and it is! ). As soppy as the name sounds, the book is anything but. Trollope narrates a love story, but not one made of grand passions and extravagant gestures. Instead he presents to us a practical and very down to earth love story with all it's confusions and messiness. But he does it with a sense of humor and a certain amount of compassion for the human follies and fickleness. And his style of narration is so very engaging; like you are listening to some good gossip, one that is not mean spirited yet has a hint of secrecy which makes it so much fun to know (even the title hints of it, doesn't it? ). 

And there is so much of depth for each of the characters that he has created, especially the women. And I like the fact that he has not given his women any of the stereotypical extremes of virtue or vileness. They are neither all good nor all bad, though they might have their preferences to which side they lean. As a feminist there are times I feel I should probably be offended about his portrayal of the female characters, instead I feel that he has done a fantastic job of capturing the female thought process. Occasionally I feel a bit put off by the side narrations which deviate from the main story line because I'm impatient to know what's happening with the main story line. It makes the book rather lengthy and the deviations themselves are a small book by themselves. But it does provide a nice contrast of characters to which you can judge the protagonists with. 

I can't exactly pin point why I enjoyed the book so much, but I did and I can't wait for my next Trollope!

And finally, the BOOK OF THE MONTH...

March: Book Two by John Robert Lewis, Andrew Aydin , Nate Powell (Artist)

This is second of the trilogy illustrating the life of John Lewis. 

The beauty of this book lies in it's powerful storytelling and evocative images. While the story never glosses over the violence that the movement had to face, Nate Powell translates them into incredibly powerful imagery with minimal symbols that stays long after you close the book. Each person in this book brought alive with so much honesty and passion. It's amazing how much depth creations of ink and paper can have. 

The book moves between the present ( i.e January 2009) and 1960s. This simultaneously reminds us the huge struggle and sacrifice that it took for a black man to be the president of United States and the distance that is yet to be covered for that equality to be truly equal. Another beautiful thing I found in the book, was that at no point was 'white' people shown as the enemy. The story clearly points out it is hatred without understanding and blind prejudice is the villain. Given the intolerance that we find growing insidiously everyday, this book is still ever so relevant. The story, the personalities, and the art all comes together wonderfully making this a must read!

So that's all for now. Till next time.. Happy reading y'all! :)

Phil!

Book review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I found my way to the book thief purely by chance. Well if I'm being perfectly honest it's actually due to a faulty memory. I was browsing for some light reading preferably something on the lines of fantasy. I did my share of Terry Pratchett and Gaiman and was looking for a change of flavor. Racking my brain for a name I have not yet tried, the book thief fell out. Its only after I started did I realise that I was looking for 'The thief lord'. 

And its a mistake I'm rather grateful for. Had I actually remembered the Funke series correctly who knows how long it would have taken me to find my way to the book thief.

And being completely unprepared, the book managed to take away even more of my breathe than if I chose it knowingly. On so many levels. Just thinking back on the book makes my heart ache again. And after I finished the book I could not bring my self to believe this is a work of fiction. Though set in the dreary and grey background of the 2nd world war, the characters shine through with the kind of light that is reminiscent of Anne Frank; imperfect yet captivating to say the least.

Because there are so many aspects to explore the book from, I don't know where to start. To start with, the book felt intensely personal. Maybe because it mixed children and books and quiet rebels, my favorite kind of mix in a novel ( of course it comes as no surprise that my favorite book should be 'To kill the mockingbird', with roughly the same mix). But honestly, it transcended for me the space of a book telling an extraordinary tale and rather felt more like I was reading like a lost diary of mine, of life I had perhaps lost. That is not to imply that I write half as wonderfully as Mr. Zusak but that I could identify with the emotions like it was my own. This even when you know the narrator is Death himself. 

For such a morbid sounding narrator the book is full of color and light. How easily we paint death with shades of black. Maybe because the finality of death seems so harsh and unyielding to us, the living. Like a rock. So we imagine Death to have the same unyielding, hard character. But this book reminds us how we can be so wrong. That death can be tender, comforting and beautiful. And that Death can be understanding. I love the way Zusak gently guides us to different perspectives which breaks away from the hard and unconscious  prejudices we have formed. 

Its one of the hardest things to write from a child's point of view because they can be such contractions. At once unconditional and unforgiving in love. And for all their innocence and nativity they can be intuitive in a way no adult can be. They are fierce in their wants and yet pliable their demands. And we always tend to believe children to be so easily swayed by adult idiosyncrasies, that they grow up pumped up with ideas of their environs, like rudderless boats in a swift stream, helpless about the direction of their lives. Markus Zusak politely and firmly points us our follies by creating characters which sparkle with all that is human like Liesel and Rudy in an atmosphere which was tense with inexplicable hate, a demonstration of considerable skill since he also keeps them true with the kind of pettiness and pride only children can have. 

And the magic of a book. Of it's ability to warp or transform if you only let it. Of all the aspects of the story that is told, it's that unabashed and wild love of books which spoke to me. Every time Liesel stole a book from the mayor's wife, taking one at a time, I was, weirdly enough, proud of her. 

I was lucky enough to have been born into a household with loads of books and of love of reading. If I have to choose to reduce myself to one word, the word I would pick would be 'reader'. And maybe this is why I feel like this could have been a lost life of mine. Like Liesel, with life and odds disproportionately in favor of not reading anything leave alone anything worthwhile, I might have still found a way to books simply because it's encoded in my DNA. Or so I like to believe. Who is say who and how I would have turned out to be without books in my life. 

Every time I speak of Liesel I realise I end up talking more of myself than of her. But that is how the experience of reading her was. Usually when writing a review I try to separate the emotional experience of reading the book and try being more objective( I don't believe anyone can truly divorce the two). But this time I don't want to because it is a rare and wonderful experience to be immersed so completely within the character and the story. I don't even want to try to dilute it by looking at it rationally least I lose the feeling. 

And I'm also well aware that this feeling might be skewing this review by speaking only of Liesel and having thus far made no mention of Hans and Rosa Hubermann and of Max.

 As much as I love Liesel, she's not by far the favorite character in the book. The whole book lights up because of all the delicately etched characters. When we realise how stubborn the gentle Hans is (FYI, he's my favorite, the unsung hero ) and how soft the iron fisted Rosa is. And I can't start on Rudy without tearing up. Hell, Death himself gets all cut up about this specimen of boyhood so you can hardly blame me.

If you ask me, this whole book is a testimony to humanity. Both the best and worst of it. The dark history is the large background against which Zusak's people shine. That within grime and grit, it is still possible to love and find beauty. So do yourself a favor and pick up the book. You won't regret it! :)

Review : 'Younguncle comes to town' by Vandana Singh

Unless you have written a multi-million franchise like Rowling or written classics ( means you are both dead and have a  multi-million franchise) like say Dahl, and you write a brilliant children's book, chances are you are probably not getting your due credit. In the avalanche of Indian writers that's happening in the publishing today, some genuinely talented writers might be getting lost. And I fear something similar might be the fate of Vandana Singh.

 I picked up Younguncle (and yes, it's spelled as one word and is not the lack of spell-check) because I could not sleep thanks to pesky mosquitoes and it seemed small enough and frivolous enough a book to keep me occupied or even guilty of perhaps hoping it'd bore me till my exhausted body gives up and caves in to sleep. What I did not expect was an incredibly engaging, quirky character written with..hmm.. what's the word I'm looking for! Ok, there does seem to be a word in my vocabulary for her particular style. It's disarmingly simple enough for a child to enjoy, yet it's got a certain sneaky sarcasm which makes it the kind of story an adult would love to read as well. It's most definitely not preachy, but it has no qualms about poking fun of our middle class mentality, our everyday what I like to call 'Indianisms' ( which includes our need to know everything about our neighbours and making up English like words by attaching '-isms' at the end).

The stories are exaggerated, as is right in a children's book,with the monkeys and tigers but the human characters are real and relate-able. The people in the book are in parts nosy, generous, worried about what 'society' thinks, greedy and selfish, some more so than others ,which is what makes reading it so much fun. Except Younguncle himself. Though he has blatant disregard for the system , it is not born out of an angry need to rebel ( unlike our bollywood heroes), which makes him the perfect and unbelievably funny foil to our 'Indian'-ness. Especially the part where Younguncle's greatest fear seems to be "settling down" with a "suitable girl" and everyone's need for him to do so was something I could so relate to.

Honestly, I think I'm doing her a grave injustice trying to explain her writing. It reminds me in a vague way, particularly the subtle things communicated in the stories, of C.S Lewis's Screwtape Letters. That was another book which without being preachy and by being incredibly funny gets you thinking.

And I do have a bone to pick with Ms.Singh - on the absolute injustice the blurb is to the book inside. Why, it makes it sound like just another children's book which is so so soooo wrong! Perhaps, she should even consider moving it out of the children's section given how much adults are likely to enjoy it!! And she should get a better illustrator too, someone who captures the spirit of Younguncle and his escapades better ( your round glasses and skinny frame makes me wonder if you yourself might have been the inspiration for the illustrator!! :) )

Anyways, it's been ages since I've enjoyed a children's book so much and for that I have to thank some incredibly quick and aggravatingly annoying mosquitoes!! So looks like everything in life does have a purpose even if you are not able to discern it immediately :-P In the meantime, I can't wait to pick up more of Ms.Singh's books and this time it won't be because I'm looking for a reason to fall asleep!! :-)

Review : Kafka on the Shore by Murakami

This was something I had written quite some time back. And I had forgotten all about it till a friend of mine asked if I'd write one on the book. I had been completely blown away by the book and as with things which completely blow me away I have to exorcise it by staining a pristine sheet of white with my black ramblings :) But this time I used some self restrain and din't go into my gushing school-girl-after-boy-band-concert mode which is how I felt.. that I had just encountered a Rock Star of a book! I'd even say I managed to even sound rather objective about the book ( doesn't matter if I am or not.. all that matter is how I sound.. it's all perception after all!)

So here goes...


Just finished 'Kafka..' by Murakami.

Loved it.


Apart from the fact that he's a compelling story teller it hit spots I din't think possible by a person other than me. Places in my heart and brain which only I'm privy to. Emotions from a dark place which are so difficult for another person to comprehend that no one ever bothers to explain. The reasons for the emotion can not be put in your conventional ideas of good and bad. Or rather in light and dark. Explaining it would make it seem like a grey area to others, but is an exceptionally Dark place. And it was so comforting to know that I might not be alone in that Dark place.


True, at a lot of points the story seem to go off into tangents that seem puzzling to say the least and true, he doesn't bother tying up every little thing he's brought into the story. But it matters little because from the very beginning he's asking us to take a leap of faith, and it's the irredeemably quality of faith that some questions will always remain unanswered. 


Not entirely a story that would seem palatable to every one, but the language is flawless. Somehow, though read in English, there was this intangible Japanese flavor all through the story telling but done without alienating the foreign reader. And that's the sign of a master story teller, to draw you in with themes and tones both alien and universal at the same time.


A book which paced itself so wonderfully. Though the characters themselves seem stuck, lost or moving at an alarmingly slow pace the story line never slows down. It's a book I wanted to finish in one sitting and would have done so in a couple of hours had time permitted. Pulls you into it's world and things move simultaneously fast and slow. A bit like being on the roller coaster while high! :-) Contradictions abound in the spirit of the book, yet like contractions in a personality which co-exist with little difficultly and sometimes define the personality, it fits well and we don't feel jarred by it. 


All in all, to sum up...Loved it!


Want to write more about the book, but I don't believe in giving away the story; besides being massively difficult in verbalising the emotions, it is also one of those things which if we start to we get lost in trying to find and end up writing a hell lot.
Cant wait to get my hand on the rest of his books!

Phil!


Ps: LOVED, I mean Loved, the fact that a part of the book was set in Kochi and it was so green! YAY!

So there.. what do you think? Not a bad job, huh?! :)

Review: Anita Nair's Mistress

Anita Nair's 'Good Night and God Bless' is one of my favorites when it comes to nighttime reads, just before sleep, or one of those books you just dip into when you just have a few minutes to wait. Rather like the chocolate mint on your pillow in the nicer hotels, a nice refreshing taste before a good night's rest. But her 'The Better man' left me very disappointed. The main character put me to sleep and the rest of the cast was not very well etched. The main feeling I remember when I finished the book was relief! So I was a little sceptical about picking up something on the novel side again, but the fact that she did write 'Good Night and..' seemed good enough reason to give her another chance.

To begin with, Mistress has come a long way from The Better Man. She's paced herself well in Mistress, Anita Nair. I loved her take of the 3 different perspectives for the situations.. kinda like a emotional kaleidoscope.Same mirrors and the same bangle bits, but one turn and you have another unique pattern entirely different from the one before. And she's added just enough kathakali techniques to remind you very vaguely of Marquez's 100 years. I think she's added that right amount of magic surrealism which is what actually raises the book above the otherwise cliched storyline ( boy-girl-bad marriage-she cheats) without seeming over ambitious. 

Also loved the exploration of the 9 emotions of dance. I think those short introductions for the navarasas were her chance to indulge in her lyrical best. And for someone from Kerala,it surprises and delights you the familiar landscape being imbibed with a new emotions. Like the quiet fury of the woodpecker or the derision of the December winds.

The only thing I would complain about, though it's not a critic, is the fact that I could not place what the author wanted from the characters. Are we supposed to empathise with Radha, who in my perspective turns from estranged and misunderstood wife to an intellectual snob and pardon my french, selfish bitch; or are we supposed to resent Shyam,the cuckold husband, with his typical overbearing malayali chauvinistic trappings which turn out to be a sheild to protect the surprisingly more sensitive and fragile emotional ecosystem he had grown up and lives in? Or as in some cases,has the author given us the freedom to choose the perspective which suits us the best?! Nor are we clear about the 'Sahiv' Chris's motivations and intentions for starting the affair. And after all the build up, the relationship between the Uncle ( who btw provides the 3rd perspective of the book) and his father remain unexplored. But then again I'm not sure if that's another kathakali technique which I might have not understood.

But in Nair's defence, the lack of clarity is not because of her language or writing( which is crisp yet 

Anita Nair : A lovely voice from God's own Country!

retains a certain flow and grace) but is because the characters themselves are for the most parts confused souls and is never really sure of their feelings and to end their confusion picks up the most dominant emotions and decide, 'this is it, this is what I feel', which I feel is how predominantly how the world works unconsciously, whether it admits it or not! That confusion and corresponding joy or panic of the decision is what made the otherwise bland characters seem so alive to me.

All in all, it was a book I enjoyed a lot. To take something that is so familiar (and we all know what feeling that usually breeds)and imbibe new emotions and colors and life is a unique talent. She also reminds you that there might be no such things as true feelings only differing perspectives. I think it's well worth a read to enjoy that realisation.

Review :Em and The Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto

Some books, characters speak to you immediately. For me it happened the moment [semi-spoiler alert] Em explained the idea of calling someone 'Angel Ears' because their ears look liked crispy bacon ie page 2. Equating food, love, feel, texture.. the idea left me a little breathless when I read it because it was so close to how I feel things sometimes.
The fact is when I think of Em, I find it hard to think of her as a character instead of a person, even after I closed the book. That speaks volumes of the talent that is Jerry Pinto.

It's sensitive take on a raw personality and a controversial subject; but the controversial subject for me [spoiler alert]was not the madness, but the mother-child relationship. Reading this book was like seeing it under a microscope; a magnification of the faults and longings that form this unique bond. Which means while it looks out of proportion with reality in some aspects, the larger than life perspective also makes it clearer and easier to understand.. and to some extend,to accept. The voice of the narrator is brutally honest and yet, it's the brutal part which highlights the ironical humor that life has.

Wonderfully etched characters, like those made with sharp ,bold and minimal strokes without making them caricatures in spite of the larger than life feel of the central character, Em. With a character like Em it's easy to overpower the other characters into nothingness or into a side role but Pinto's made sure that each person has his or her place. The only person who might have been side lined was Susan, Em's daughter. I was left craving for a little more information on her, on her relationship with the narrator, a bit more on the sibling bond. But then again it might just be me coz like the narrator I thrive on details.

Jerry Pinto

For all the drama and seriousness it speaks of, it's a surprisingly fast read. Maybe because Pinto doesn't try to overpower you with sentimentality( which would have made it tedious and cliched) or over explain or justify character faults. He knows they are flawed, but he loves them anyways and you realise you do too.

A surprisingly fresh voice in the new genre of Indian Authors in English and I can't wait to read more of his work :)

Madhav Mathur's The Diary of an Unreasonable Man Review

Well, that's two down and two more to go.. From the IOU note!

Moving on!

Sometimes you relate so much to a book or character that you lose your objectivity. You can't help but think it's a fantastic book. I mean, after all, the main character is so much like you and you are fabulous, right?! What's not to love?! The problem is that I've never been able to figure out if this loss of objectivity is a comment on the quality of the literature ( after all, great works of art are the ones in which you lose yourself, least for a while, right?) or just an emotional blind-spot born out of some ego massaging.

Either ways, I really liked 'The Diary of an Unreasonable Man'. After all it begins with my favorite quote of all time :

And it goes on to echo the sort of quarter life crisis we, ie pretty

Maybe not this bad :-/
Courtesy: cowbirdsinlove.com

much everyone in and around 25, at one point or the other have faced. For those lucky brats who escaped unscathed or not yet there, your standard quarter life crisis mostly consists of asking yourself :

1. What the hell am I doing with my life?
2. Is the pursuit of money really the pursuit of happiness?
3. Will I forever be a worker drone, an almost invisible and almost dispensable cog in the vast machinery of corporate-whatever-field-I'm-working-in?
4. Is there nothing/anything I can do to change the corruption/pollution/commercialization/pick-your-favorite-socio-political-peeve around me?
5. Will I ever break out of my comfort zone long enough to make any real difference to the world at large?
6. Some variant of all/any of the above questions which will make you lose sleep for an hour or two  of soul searching which then you'll give up on for the lack of definite answers and sleep. Least till the next bout of conscience attack.

So that's your basic dissection of your standard quarter life crisis. Anyways, where were we? Ah yes, the unreasonable man. We all have our moments. Like the time we sit and argue with the auto driver for that 4/3/2 or even one rupee change not because we can't afford to lose it but merely because we just got sick and tired of the bloody unfairness of the whole thing; Just because we don't want to cave in and be reasonable. But at the end of the day we continue being the almost invisible cog because the whole thing seems too daunting to take on our own. So Pranav, the protagonist, is so us with his slow and steady ad exec job and his frustration at the larger picture. 

One reason I liked the book was because it surprised me with the finesse with which Mathur handled the language. Call me a snob if you want, but most Indian writers who get published these days are very very shoddy with their English. But Mathur's got a knack of spouting cliches without sounding cliched; most likely because of the wry tone Pranav uses to acknowledge them. And his handling of English was far from amateur. Overall B+ in this area. ( Note : I'm a very harsh grader in general )

Another thing I liked was the tempo of the book. Just when you wonder how long is this existential crisis of our hero going to last ( I mean, we don't need to read this book to remind us how it goes, right?!) it picks up and gets going. And just when we start to wonder how long can anyone play the vigilante without getting into trouble, the story takes a twist. Another thing I appreciated was the consistency of the character, least the main character. Which is a pretty tricky thing to do given the rather fickle nature of the character. This is pretty much a one man show, Pranav's, with the other characters having little influence. But then again, the book is mostly from his viewpoint so I find it quite reasonable, the overwhelming 'I' perspective. 

Now the part that makes me lose objectivity. You know the dream where overnight you become a sensation because finally, and I mean finally, people recognise your genius and you go about setting the world right? To say this sums up the plot of the book would be doing it some injustice, but this is pretty much the allure of the book. But in Mathur's defense, he's done a pretty neat job of it. Unlike our daydream, his hero plans his execution meticulously and get himself into a pretty nifty mess in the process because changing the world also means creating a few enemies who liked it the way it was. And usually these are the big cogs in the machine! (Whether he gets out of the mess or not is for you to read and find out!)

But end of the day, it's biggest strength or weakness, according to me, would lie in the fact how often you have dreamt about being the hero. In a lot of ways, it reminded me of the feel-good factor I get after a chick flick when the girl finally says yes to the right guy ( As much as I deny it, there are times even I need my dose of sentimentality :-P ). Does that make it a bad book?! Well, I still say no, just the way some chick flicks can be good cinema( No, we are not going to argue on which ones they might be! I'm sure all of us have our guilty romantic movies we are addicted to). More over, the fact that it made me sit up and look at all the bill boards and life around me in general with a little more focus I think makes it worth a read.

Well, that's my take on it. Let me know if you think I was being unreasonable about it! :-P