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Book Review: How to Date a Fanatic

2026-09-29T13:37:53.325+05:00

Here we are. Nine months of 2026 already gone by, amid politically-charged atmosphere. Along come a book, which opens in Spring 2016, but covers a canvas from Winter 2014 and then subsequent seasons in 2015, 2016 to conclude in 2017. How to Date a Fanatic by Aruni Kashyap perfects the outsider -looking-inwards gaze.

Published almost a decade later (chronologically), when most of the events mentioned in the book actually took place, it gives the readers a chance to assess, ascertain if something has changed at all. Or more appropriately it intends to bring us face to face with a period, where it all began. The uncertainty, the fear, of belonging, being named and identified.

Kashyap, an academician, has chosen to set How to Date a Fanatic, amongst the university campuses in Delhi. Not just because they were actual sites of the political developments, but they are the spaces which discuss, debate on affirmative action, development, economic benefits, marginalisation, activism and finding one's community. The novel has queer characters taking centrestage, with some of them having experienced violence in the past, which raises up the anxiety and suspense elements a few notches higher.

Rohit, Minti and Dhruv are academicians who navigate their lives as queer people living in Delhi. Then, there's Rohit's friend, Sarfaraz who returns to his studies after a stint in modelling and films. The four fall in love, experience heartbreak, find love again and ultimately their cause. The many equations amongst them and their set of friends might feel overwhelming at times, but Kashyap has a point to make. Amidst exploring their bodies and mind, Rohit, Minti, Dhruv and Sarfaraz find their purpose and strength. With Rohit as the principal narrator, How to Date a Fanatic succeeds in amplifying the outsider gaze three times or more. As a queer academician with tribal roots, who hails from Assam, Rohit rises from inequality to some sort of successful, privileged life. It is through Rohit's gaze that we learn to empathise with the choices that his friends make and the incompleteness of their lives.

Divided into four sections - pakad, sthayi, antara and tihai (four stages that build a Hindustani classical raga's identity) - How to Date a Fanatic, tries to search for hope in a dirge composition.

Name: How to Date a Fanatic

Author: Aruni Kashyap

Pages: 350

Publisher: HarperCollins

Price: Rs 599

Book Review: I Do So I Do: Stories

2026-09-29T11:49:42.771+05:00

Where Every Creature Has a Story

What do you think the world of animals looks like? Not merely the one we glimpse through binoculars in forests, but the one they inhabit with their families and friends. In Padmini Mongia's imagination, young dolphins may squirm when their mothers fuss over them, while mice guard their homes as fiercely as children treasure their own rooms.

In I Do So I Do: Stories, she creates a world where the lives of animals, birds, insects and even pests intersect with human lives - a world where Fluffy the cat is a diva and Gugu the giraffe is looked out for by four ‘ias - Kia, Mia, Sia and Tia. Full of wonder and whimsy, I Do So I Do: Stories, is a collection of seven tales, some of which are narrated as bedtime stories to the author's niece.

The tales, which often read like modern fables, take readers from coral reefs in Capri and Cambodia to a desert town in India and a garden where two teeny-weeny cacti are jealous of each other. Not every story centres on animals. One story features an eight-year-old girl who is sure that she does not want to wear a delicate gold chain for her elder sister's wedding. She is not sure what she does want until she makes up her mind with the help of a wishing stone—a necklace made of motiya (jasmine) flowers. Mongia delves into relationships and the bonds that are created not just because people are family, but also because of those they choose to share their lives with. From a homeowner who politely knocks before entering so as not to startle a mouse, to serpents befriending children, Mongia imagines a world where humans and animals live not in fear of one another, but with kindness, curiosity and respect.

Name: I Do So I Do: Stories

Author: Padmini Mongia

Pages: 126

Publisher: Red River

Price: Rs 349

(The book review has been written for Amritabharati)

Book Review: Twice in Nalanda

2026-05-27T18:25:26.598+05:00

A second chance…

Two bus hijacks with more or less the same bunch of passengers involved. How will they react? Have the passengers, who are also neighbours, learnt anything from the burden on their conscience from the first episode? Or they care more about their person, to hell with the consequences? Twice in Nalanda may sound like a classic thriller. But it digs deeper, to find out about people’s equation with death. The choices they make when a pistol is pointed at their temple by the hijacker or the thoughts they harbour about bumping off their neighbour.

Twice in Nalanda talks about the journey that residents of Nalanda housing society undertake every day, in a cream and red minibus, to their workplace in Nariman Point, Mumbai. The journey is omniscient narrator here. It not only details the daily drudge of the commute, but about the transformative passage that the residents of Nalanda undergo within the timespan of the two incidents - November 1998 and November 2024.

Written by two surgeons – Ishrat Syed and Kalpana Swaminathan – as Kalpish Ratna, Twice in Nalanda is brimming with characters of all shades, political hues and views. Their journey may get overwhelming at time, someone may flounder, some may get lost, while for some it may come as a new lease of life. At its heart, Twice in Nalanda, with its unwieldy plot and several subplots, is an ode to the city of Mumbai. Perhaps more surgical precision was required on part of authors to cut out the flab. However, the novel doesn’t fall short of surprises, when it comes to delving into human psyche and what makes us choose one thing over other.

Name: Twice in Nalanda

Author: Kalpish Ratna

Publisher: Red River

Pages: 218

Price: Rs 399

Book Review: The Great Indian Safari

2025-10-29T17:50:00.004+05:00

Caw...caw! All set for your holiday in forests?

In her books on the wildlife that have their home in the jungles and to those who live in our backyard, Arefa Tehsin's writing brings alive the natural ecosystem in all its varied colours. Her latest book for young readers, The Great Indian Safari is an exciting drive through the forests of India, with the Jungle Crow as its narrator.

If you have booked a wildlife safari, we suggest taking this book (there's a lot in here for adults as well!) as your guide. The jungle crow, known as Charred the Bird, will rap some songs, steer you in the right direction (you know, tourists do behave little wildly in the forests....) and is full of sane advice and nuggets of information that you can ponder on.

With eye catching illustrations, songs and introduction to animals from tigers, to cobra and gharial and hares, The Great Indian Safari gently prods us to look at the life teeming in the jungle with a sense of wonder, curiosity and empathy. Some of the lessons we learn (without any harping) is to observe and listen keenly; to be awake to each of our senses; to respect the jungles.

The book is loaded with several facts that you can brush upon to impress your buddies or teachers back in school. For instance, how do you identify a jungle crow from a city crow? The jungle crows are bigger than city crows... and secondly, they are all black while the crows in the city have a grey neck! The peacock's (spot them in Bharatpur sanctuary or if you are in Pune visit Vetal Tekdi) tail feathers is about 6 feet long! Psst...do you know from where the birds have evolved from? The dinosaur! Or that Himalayan brown bears are super sniffers! When they are hungry, their nose leads the way! Interesting, right? All the more reason for you to pick up The Great Indian Safari and learn about the ways of the jungle and its inhabitants

Name: The Great Indian Safari

Author: Arefa Tehsin

Publisher: Puffin

Pages: 96 (e-book)

Price: Rs 327

Book Review: The Other -- Stories of Difference

2025-10-29T16:31:00.003+05:00

Learning to live again

Not every teenager has fond, rainbow tinted growing up experiences. They have been ignored deliberately, their peers unwilling to come to their aid, or speak up for them.

These teens for various reasons – their physical attributes, medical condition, economic background or gender identity – become ‘the other’. Simply because the larger, ‘normal’ society doesn’t know how to deal with them.

Paro Anand’s short story collection, The Other, nudges us to not to sweep away the unpalatable truths under the carpet. But to take note and bridge the divide. The nine stories delves into the not so happy emotions and feelings that the teenagers confront with and at the end offers a workable solution.

Sanjana picking the boy with the pee-bag as her first choice to act in a fairy tale does wonders for his confidence; parents suggesting their daughter to call a helpline number in case of violence against females is a corrective action. And what do the ugly sisters from a spin-off of Cinderella story learn? They learn to embrace their dwarf bodies, live a fulfilling life, even if they do not meet their Prince Notsocharming!

Name: The Other – Stories of Difference

Author: Paro Anand

Publisher: Speaking Tree

Pages: 164

Excerpt

"It’s actually good to be finally doing something normal for a change. My counsellor has been telling me that this is what I need. She is right. There were many, many moments when I thought I could never claim this moment back again. Yet here I am."

ZardoZi-- Stitching a new tale

2025-01-10T18:35:00.002+05:00

In a world that loves labelling and slotting people into categories, the freedom to choose and to speak our minds is not easy. In the graphic novel, ZardoZi- Stitched with Love, 10- year-old Zi thinks he has lost his voice and his parents and friends will never be able to hear his truth.

But someone recognises Zi’s innate talent and patience to learn and practise the art of embroidery. It’s Zi’s grandmother -- Rani the Naani – who is unlike the other elders in Zi’s family. Rani the Naani believes in living in the moment and knows that ‘nothing is too girlish or boyish’. Arts is for everyone!

She hands over her book of embroidery designs to Zi and the boy feels encouraged to present a zari-work for his school’s annual day. He begins with liquid zari work and boy! He transform a sober black coat into something stunning!

In this gently embroidered tale of Zi coming into his own, the author and illustrator Debasmita Dasgupta, addresses the oft quoted, but poorly understood, terms of diversity and inclusivity. Who decides that boys can’t wear floral print? Or embroidery is for girls to practise?

With each illustration and complimentary text, Dasgupta transforms Zi’s lonely world into a bright space where his parents finally acknowledge his interests and support him. All in all, ZardoZi-Stitched with Love salutes the skills of artisans in keeping alive our collective cultural heritage.

Excerpt:

Uh…I don’t like skateboarding.

I know that. But it’s alright. You’ll start liking it with time.

No! Because I don’t want to. I want to do embroidery work. I LOVE doing it.

Name: ZardoZi – Stitched with Love

Text & Pictures: Debasmita Dasgupta

Edited by: Rajat Mittal

Published by: HarperCollins Children’s Books

Pages: 62

Price: Rs 399

(This review was first written for Amritabharati)

"These Tongues That Grow Roots" shows what empathy can do

2025-01-10T13:36:00.004+05:00

One Lives on Hope...

History is omnipresent, even if we make it a habit of "moving on with life." It seems easier to keep your head low, buried in sand, and avoid acknowledging conflicts and crisis situations. But history, the socio-political times that we live in, shape us knowingly or unknowingly. It has ways of creeping in, tip-toeing in the form of biases, prejudices that positions us in the social hierarchy and pushes us to take a stand.

How many of us are able to stand up for others, how many of us can change the course of river to what it rightfully was and how many of us can come to the aid of those who meant us no harm, and yet ended up paying a heavy price? Is it easier to rise above trauma and heal? It is; if we have empathy.

Sucharita Dutta-Asane's collection of short stories, These Tongues that Grow Roots, turns around the subjects of bleak headlines -- of war, naxalism, pandemic, lonely senior citizens, dying lakes, eve-teasing and feeling of being hunted -- with empathy. The 15 stories bring us face to face with all that's not perfect in our world. And, while we might flounder in accepting our role in the scheme of things, the author manages to show how we could set it right. These Tongues that Grow Roots knows its people well and that there could be hope, if we all hold on to a bit of warmth, love, compassion and courage.

Name: These Tongues that Grow Roots

Author: Sucharita Dutta-Asane

Publisher: Dhauli Books

Pages: 168

Price: Rs 395

Chatting up Andaleeb Wajid: Scare Walk

2024-10-04T18:43:00.032+05:00

Fighting Fear

Upamanyu Bhattacharyya

Andaleeb Wajid

The pitter patter of the rain spells 'a mug of steaming coffee in one hand and a book in the other' kind-of-weather. The rain, the hills covered in mist, have typically served as a setting for horror stories. But what if you are in your city, signing up for a scare walk that seems fun? What if the scares are not designed but real? Fear is never a solitary emotion. It multiplies with uneasiness, distrust exposing us to our dark side.

Ask Veera, Angelina, Ishaan and Dhruv. The four teenagers want to chill a bit before their dreaded board exams begin. A visit to a bungalow on the outskirts of Bangalore for an advertised scare walk seems like a fun idea. And, why not? It means Ishaan can spend some more time with Angie and Veera could hold hands with Dhruv...with some scares thrown in for laughs!

But what awaits the teenagers is something sinister and ugly. Picture huge waves, a shape shifting dog and treacherous mountain cliffs in Bangalore? Nothing is what it seems, especially the friendship the four teenagers thought they shared with each other. Andaleeb Wajid, who authored Scare Walk, a brilliantly designed immersive graphic novella, says, “I think horror genre is exciting because it lets you experience the worst moments of the protagonist’s life and then you step away from it when you shut the book and resume your normal life. I wanted to convey the same sense of confidence that the kids feel when they enter the house. But as they progress, they are uneasy with the situation. The moment of true horror is when they realise everything is real. The way each of them experiences the horror is partly shaped by their personalities.”

The Bangalore-based author originally wrote Scare Walk as a novella. But upon reading it, editor Tina Narang (HarperCollins) felt that it would work as a graphic novella.

Next came in Upamanyu Bhattacharyya, a Kolkata-based animation director, who illustrated the text. “My intention was to draw something that was close to what Andaleeb had envisioned. We shared a round of designs for the characters, followed by test pages and a rough sketch pass of the story to ensure that the text was translating well to images and flowing the way she wanted it to,” explains Upamanyu.

Upamanyu adds that the story had chapters dedicated to each of the characters' points of view, allowing the reader to clue into their objectivity or subjectivity. “I used Veera’s glasses as a recurring motif to suggest the thin boundary between the worlds shown in the story,” he says.

Now, where is that mug of coffee as you leaf through Scare Walk?

(This article was first written for Amritabharati)

Book Review: Revolutionaries -- Fight to Freedom

2024-10-04T18:13:00.020+05:00

Remembering the Revolutionaries

The Indian freedom struggle against the British empire, underlined the rights of its people to speak up, to protest and to be heard. This was achieved in multiple ways -- by participating in legislative policies, taking out non-violent movements and launching armed resistance.

Sanjeev Sanyal in his book, Revolutionaries -- Fight for Freedom -- highlights the armed resistance undertaken by young men and women. Back when there was no social media to create a buzz about political or social cause, the revolutionaries met in akhadas, formed secret groups, went abroad under the guise of studying -- to acquire arms, learn technique of making bombs and spreading awareness about why India needs to be freed by writing books and in newspapers.

Sanyal, in this abridged version for young readers, argues that events like Alipore bombing, Kakori conspiracy, Chittagong conspiracy, were not isolated acts of heroism, but were all a part of the greater network of the Ghadar movement. This movement lasted for about half a century and had prominent names like Aurobindo Ghosh, Barin Ghosh, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Madam Bhikaji Cama, Durga Devi, Sachindranath Sanyal, Bhagat Singh, Ashfaqulla Khan, Chandrashekar Azad, Rashbehari Bose and Netaji Subhashchandra Bose, associated with it.

Sanyal peppers the book with stories of camaraderie of the revolutionaries, their spiritual and intellectual roots and their tragic end. The book succeeds in bringing alive these men and women from the pages of history.

Excerpt

Since ancient times, India had a tradition of local gymnasiums, known as akhadas, which functioned as a system of imparting both military and spiritual training. As a more aggressive nationalism began to take root, some Indians began to wonder if akhadas could be used to build a network of secret societies that would work towards armed insurrection against the British.

Name: Revolutionaries -- Fight to Freedom

Author: Sanjeev Sanyal

Pages: 215

Publisher: HarperCollin's Children's Book

Price: Rs 299

(This article was first written for Amritabharati)

Book Review: Iora and the Realm of Legends

2024-03-21T17:32:00.005+05:00

Lured by stories

What if you come upon a world of stories, hundreds and thousands of them? Some of them have endured for millennia and some are almost forgotten; the characters who inhabit this world are rare and special. It’s a world that’s unknown yet exciting. But is it welcoming? Definitely not.

Iora, Owlus and Chinar find this out the hard way. In the Book 2 of Iora adventures, the three friends are now boarders at a Gurukul in rainforest. Soon enough, the trio learn of strange going-ons in their Gurkul, a prophesy that might come to the aid of dark forces.

The three dive straight into the adventure – Iora and the Realm of Legends -- without really being prepared. They hitch on to The Laughing Boy Who Never Dies, a visitor to their world. The Laughing Boy, a character from one of the stories, rather reluctantly takes along the trio, all the while telling them they are on their own, once he reaches his story.

But the fun of any story lies in the twist that none of us see coming. That’s exactly what happens to the trio and their guide. How they deal with an assortment of fearsome creatures, traps and deception makes Iora and the Realm of Legends a thrilling page turner.

Box

“I’ll tell you what—we will give you the ke
y. But you have to take us with you so we can find a way to catch the Ghost,” Iora said with resolve. “According to the prophesy, he can be caught near the Inner Realm.

Name: Iora and the Realm of Legends

Author: Arefa Tehsin

Publisher: Crimson Dragon Publishing, USA

Pages: 225

Genre: Fantasy

Price: Rs 1,226 (Paperback)

Rs 101 (E-book)

(This book review was written for Amritabharati)

Book Review: Drop of the Last Cloud

2023-10-04T15:46:00.005+06:00

Once upon a time...there were decision-makers

It's certainly common enough to hear, speak and discuss about 'agency', 'consent', 'control over our bodies', 'privilege', 'patriarchy' and so on. But how many of us are able to apply these concepts in this day and age?

With every generation some challenges stay constant, despite the overall atmosphere build up that 'change is here'. Is the change good though? And, what change are we talking about? Does it signal progress or a backslide? The dialogue continues.

Now, imagine this scenario being discussed amongst the Nair women of Kakasherry Tharvadu (ancestral house) in Manjoor village, nearly 100 years ago. In her debut novel, Drop of the Last Cloud, Sangeetha G focuses on the lives and times of the Kakasherry women, who were at the cusp of social and political transformation, that took place in pre-independent India.

The novel opens to 1924, when floods ravaged Kerala and the birth of Gomathi, the protagonist of Drop of the Last Cloud. Gomathi's birth is considered inauspicious; the astrologers have come to the conclusion that 'she will break up the family'. Soon after Narayani, her mother, keeps her distance from Gomathi, and later, in an exception to the then prevalent practise, Gomathi is sent off to her father's house. In modern parlance we ought to add that Gomathi was sent to her biological father's place. Nair women had the right to take on partners, enter into sambandham (informal marriage system). They stayed on in their maternal homes, and did not set up homes with their partner in his house.

Gomathi's being sent away from Kakasherry Tharvadu was the first seed of conflict sown in her life. She had to battle many a questions; Why did her mother not like her? Should she be a 'good, demure' girl like the patriarchy demanded or assert her rights?; Should she choose her partner or go by her paternal grandmother's wishes? Should she choose her love and be happy or take society's diktat's in consideration? The decisions she took sent her life on another trajectory, leaving her disappointed and bitter. This bitterness spilled into the life of the people she comes in touch with -- her husband, Govindan, her love Madhavan and her children, especially her oldest girl, Madhavi.

Gomathi's character is someone who is not sure how to take charge of her life in the transformative years that she finds herself in; her aunt, Parvathy chittha, is symbol of those people who are open to new ideas, treating everyone humanely, not allowing deep-seated caste prejudices to colour her interactions; and then there is Madhavi, who could have been a replica of her mother, Gomathi. Instead she becomes independent, gets a job and decides to marry someone of her choice. Education and economically independent in modern times, just like her grandaunt Parvathy was in the bygone era.

Do men have a role in Drop of the Last Cloud? They do. And one can't help but be sympathetic to the plight of Govindan, who grew up with his own set of complexes, but tries to do the right by everybody, even his estranged wife Gomathi.

Sangeetha, a journalist, while weaving together the stories of Gomathi, Govindan, Madhavan, provides us with the wide arching background -- of the British policies, Independence movement, Second World War, rise of Communism, labour rights and the reform movements taking place. The ever evolving socio-political factors strive to pull the main characters in different directions. The characters struggle, try to fight their fate, find their place in a new world order and in the bargain lay the foundation of the Kerala state that we know today.

Name: Drop of the Last Cloud

Author: Sangeetha G

Publisher: Ukiyoto Publishing

Pages: 237

Price: Rs 320

Book Review: Goldiboy and the Three Apes

2023-08-26T18:27:00.000+06:00

Ready for an Isspeshal story?

Goldiboy and the Three Apes..--- An Isspeshal Fairy Tale -- yes, you guessed it right! It’s a spin-off on the popular fairy tale, Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The spin here is that Goldiboy is a teenage boy, with a dazzling, golden smile. Goldiboy likes things ‘Just Right’. The smell of a Thai curry is off-putting for him, nor does he like the gooey pasta. But a gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich, yes, Goldiboy loves it!

Maybe you will think that this Goldiboy is fussy? We would say that he is ‘neurodivergent’. You and I perhaps fall in the ‘neurotypical’ category. But does that make a ‘neurodivergent’ teenager any less than us? No, ‘we are same same but different’.

A gorgeously illustrated Goldiboy and the Three Apes is a peek into the life of kids on autism spectrum disorder. The picture book has been conceived and penned by Ashiish V Patil, an autism dad, for his son Rishaan, who was diagnosed with the disorder at the age of two and half years. This picture book is Patil’s way of getting ‘neurodivergent’ and ‘neurotypical’ kids and their families to get to know each other, to shake hands and embrace their sameness and uniqueness.

The picture book, which has testimonials from celebrities and parents to autistic kids, seeks to simplify what autism could mean. It’s a spectrum disorder and thus one autistic kid will not necessarily be similar to another. Goldiboy likes to listen to music, say ‘excuse me’ or say ‘sorry’ when he burps, but another teenager his age is unable to speak. It may seem strange, but hey, a better way to navigate is ‘smile’ and be non-judgmental of each other.

Box

Google Autism Spectrum Disorder and it’s an ocean. Tons have been written about it. The simplest explanation is that it’s a difference in how your brain is wired, a neurological variation. You see and process things differently from people who are the norm – who people in the community call neurotypicals.

Name: Goldiboy and the Three Apes – An Isspeshal Fairy Tale

Author: Ashiish V Patil

Illustrated by: Nikita Modi Biswas

Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren’s Books

Pages: 120

Price: Rs 599

(This book review was written for Amritabharati)

Interview with Arefa Tehsin

2023-08-08T19:08:00.006+06:00

'There was nothing wrong in it,' Dada Bhai said, his head bent towards the cold, unyielding floor.

'Sir?' asked Tapan, who had followed him out, just as he had ushered him in personally.

'A boy and girl loved each other. There was nothing wrong in what Sanaz did. Love. That is what is halal for me.'

Valmiki would not be contained, she knew, whenever the news reached him. He would rage within. Waste away in the cavity of his chest. She needed to bundle up all her nerve and pack it inside her. Convey to him soundlessly that he was fortunate to be loved for two years. Two years! An eternity for someone who had not got two whole hours of it in her life.

'A whiff of rosewater is enough...'

On Makar Sankranti when the kites soar high, Sanaz' wings are brutally clipped. She is found dead in her room and what follows is a trail of questions hiding violence in their midst; of corrosive human behaviour. The ugliness and degenerate behaviour of the many a characters described in The Witch in the Peepul Tree is difficult to side step and compels the reader to ponder, if there is any redemption. There is, but in small measure.

It comes in the form of Dada Bhai, Sanaz's father. Dada Bhai is a visionary, a gentleman-hunter, who is about to lose his livelihood in the newly minted independent country. The story is set in 1950s Udaipur, Rajasthan. The hometown of the author, Arefa Tehsin, who borrows from her family history, to create the character of Dada Bhai.

The novel, The Witch in the Peepul Tree, unfolds over one day. But the background takes us into early years of Independence, when feudal, royals, nouveau rich, depressed, oppressed classes jostle with each other, to find their space under the sun. When we ask Arefa, how was it to go back in to time? She replies, "I was captivated. A period novel requires a lot of research. Fortunately, I had my family – my uncles, aunts, my father and a few family friends to provide that information.

I, especially, picked the brains of my uncle Riaz Tehsin who was a visionary, educationist, humanitarian, veteran of folk arts and culture and an institution in himself. He was a repository of knowledge of that era. Those conversations with everyone were quite rewarding and have left me richer."

The discussion, the seed of the story was germinated during the first Covid lockdown. When the outside chatter had died down, Arefa was ' ridiculously happy'. She and her husband, Aditya, live in rustic cottage in a small island colony (in Colombo) in the much loved company of snakes, monitor lizards, porcupines, mongooses, ducks, an occasional crocodile or fishing cat and other denizens of the lake island.

"Writing totally suits my solitary nature. And the lockdown suited it even more. While Aditya would peacefully work in the garden or read, I would be transported to the 1950 Udaipur. I have chronic insomnia. Following a peaceful routine gave me back my sleep. Being marooned in the cottage was the ideal time for me to write my first novel for grown-ups.," she says. Arefa has written several novels for kids and teens, drawing them into the nature, to explore their surroundings. The Witch in the Peepul Tree is her first book for adults.

Arefa's works are often populated with several characters, each with a mind and purpose of his/her own. Do the characters ever go astray, we ask her.

"The characters in my books have a mind of their own and always follow their own path. I end up following them every time."

Nature has always been her muse and gives her hope. Arefa quotes Anne Frank ...'Where there’s hope, there’s life.' I am always full of hope and do not believe that we are living in a dark tunnel. There are difficulties and challenges in every era. The human history is filled with examples of overcoming the greatest of trials.

Much like Dada Bhai, Parijat and Rao Sahib. A whiff of rose water is enough to be someone's panacea.

Name: The Witch in the Peepul Tree

Author: Arefa Tehsin

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 323

Price: Rs 399

Book Review: Eleanor & Park

2023-06-26T18:33:00.000+06:00

Who said falling in love was easy?

Eleanor & Park ticks all the boxes of a YA novel -- a new girl in school and town; mean school kids who make her life difficult and an unlikely friend she meets on the school bus. There is music, there are comics, there is an abusive father and then there is another set of loving but strict parents.

Eleanor, the awkward 'big' girl with red hair, wearing a man's clothes with scarves, rings and ribbons just can't seem to fit in her school, in her new house or in Park Sheridan's normal household; Park the American-Asian kid, in his all black avataar seeks to stay under radar. When the two misfits meet, they can't stay away from each other.

Rainbow Rowell makes this tale of all-American teenagers universal with her exquisite writing and exploration of feelings. That one friend we all longed for in our seemingly difficult teenage years?Rainbow Rowell could fill in for that friend -- putting in words, naming those feelings and creating a world that is at once magical, special and then hurtful.

The story written by both Eleanor and Park, in turns, is a device that succeeds, allowing us to know what's churning on in their minds; you know what the boy thinks, what the girl thinks routine? Here it's more beautiful, heart-breaking than prosaic. Set in 1986 and published in 2012 and read in 2022 and again in 2023, the story breaks down barriers of insecurity, inferiority, fear and loneliness that we all carry in some measure. The generation gap dissolves. Swap mix tapes for YT recommendations, books for books/kindle edition, walkman for itunes, ipod or downloads and phone calls and letters for chats on any of the social media apps. Love and distance doesn't matter here.

Name: Eleanor & Park

Author: Rainbow Rowell

Publisher: Orion Fiction

Pages: 329

Book Review: Rishi Kapoor Khullam Khulla (Uncensored)

2023-06-12T19:04:00.009+06:00

What makes him a star...

Is there anything that stays 'undisclosed' in a celebrity's life? Something that can still shock and awe his fans or individuals who admire his body of work and the actor himself? It turns out that yes, some facts can stay carefully undisclosed, especially if you are an actor belonging to an earlier generation; or from a film family that's revered and members of the clan continue to work in one of the biggest film industry.

Rishi Kapoor's memories penned in Khullam Khulla (co-authored by Meena Iyer, senior journalist) at times reveal and at times reinforce 'beliefs and opinions' about the Kapoor family.

His father's fondness for Nargis (actor) was known to everyone and Rishi's possessiveness for Dimple Kapadia (his co-star in Bobby) was also discussed in public domain. His recording of those aspects makes the account authentic.

With the unbaring of intrigues, rivalries, friendships (some gone sour) and family quirks, the memoirs could have attained a hagiography status. But that doesn't happen and for that we need to thank both Kapoor and Iyer. The writing is matter-of-fact, neither embellishing the actor's struggle with depression or the spats that he got into.

Somewhere in the book, Kapoor says this about the film industry and its people -- 'We do not all lead false and empty lives. Under all the tinsel and sparkle, there is heart and soul.' One tends to believe him.

And, now here's some trivia from Khullam Khulla...

Did you know Raj Kapoor was named Shrishti Nath Kapoor at birth? Later it was changed to Ranbir Raj Kapoor, which then became Raj Kapoor?
The blue eyes of the Kapoor family came from Raj Kapoor's mother Ramsarni Malhotra's side of family.
Rishi Kapoor was born and brought up in Matunga before he moved to Bandra and then Pali Hill.
Love blossomed between Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh when they were shooting for Kabhi Kabhi in 1975. Incidentally, Kapoor had earlier rejected the film, it was his uncle, Shashi Kapoor who convinced him to take up the role.

Name: Rishi Kapoor Khullam Khulla (Uncensored)

Authors: Rishi Kapoor and Meena Iyer

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 256

Price: Rs 399

Book Review: Murder at the Mushaira

2023-06-05T18:18:00.005+06:00

Ghalib goes detecting

When presented with 'What if?', the 'scenario' conjures up numerous possibilities making it an interesting proposition to delve in. What if Mirza Ghalib was a detective? Isn't this enough to hook a reader? We bet so.

Thus it is with great interest that we began reading Murder at the Mushaira, and we were not disappointed. Raza Mir, the author, toyed with the possibility of envisioning Ghalib as a detective for nearly 15 years. What we get in Murder at the Mushaira is not a racy whodunit, but more than a peek into the life and times of Ghalib, the Mughal court, the nobility and the sepoys who tried to overthrow the East India Company.

The novel is set against the backdrop of First War of Independence and it begins at a point when the 'night is too silent' and ends with a gunshot with the horse rider thrown away from his mount. Who is the horse rider and what is his mission? At that time, Shahjahanabad is a city brewing with tension, intrigue, an activated network of spies and informants and the common people resenting the overreach of the Company officials.

Amidst all this, a facade has to be maintained, those in power have to be courted, the good wine has to be drunk, lavish spread to be partaken of and couplets of love and longing have to be recited. It is at one such mushaira or a poetry soiree, hosted by Nawab Ifthikar Hasan that Sukhan Khairabadi, a poet, is found murdered. Almost immediately, hell breaks loose.

Khairabadi, a bully and a lesser poet, unpopular with the servants of Nawab Ifthikar, is important to the British. The 'why' is revealed slowly, presenting to us a society that has gone to seed and how the nobles kowtow before the next batch of rulers.

The characters that take the story forward are both familiar and unfamiliar. Ghalib, of course, is a familiar name recast in a new avatar and so is Ramchandra Mathur, a science teacher. The Poet Laureate of the Land turns to Mathur, so as to ascertain what befell Khairabadi. In time, Mathur becomes Ghalib's confabulate on the murder and the 'mission' that they eventually team up for. Mathur lived in that period, but as Mir said, not much is known about the association between him and Ghalib. Mohan Lal Zutshi, another historical figure, is imagined in the novel as one of the key ally of the sepoys.

Mir in recreating the bygone era, succeeds in keeping the tone of the novel relevant. At a time when various social media handles churn out Ghalib's poetry, post photos of Purani Dilli, heritage tours promise a walk in the past, the mention of Tomb of Sarmad, Ballimaran, Safdarjung in Murder at the Mushaira, makes the setting so much more personal and riveting. After all, no one can deny that history is personal.

Name: Murder at the Mushaira

Author: Raza Mir

Publisher: Aleph Book Company

Pages: 344

Price: Rs 999

Call of the Jungle

2023-05-09T18:13:00.001+06:00

Every morning we wake up to doom and gloom -- the unseasonal rainfall, the floods, the drought, disappearing mangroves, urban forests being mowed down, the dip and the sudden rise in temperature and the illnesses that come with it. What is the world coming to? Can we put a stop to it? Perhaps; for the answer lies within us.

In contrast, Iora’s world seems radiant – the trees are tall, the woods are deep, and so colourful with greens and blues, talking birds and animals. Why not? She lives in Twitterland, a hidden rainforest, with hardly any communication with the outside world.

But you see the jungle is also doomed, as Iora discovers. The evil forces are dominant and her father’s life is in danger. She has to quickly track down the Five Angels and elusive Spirit of Jungle and get them to meet at Scar-faced lake, on a moonless night.

For the first time in her 11 years, Iora steps out of Twitterland, but she is not alone. A dwarf Beetle and her friend-rival, Owlus keep her company. A wise ape, Baba tries to protect them from the dark forces; and then comes along Chinar, a young human boy lost in Twitterland.

In this utterly riveting and captivating journey, the travelers ducking from dangers, deception and thrilling escapades, imbibe important lessons – trust, sacrifice, patience, unity -- along the way. Some answers are always found within, as Iora learns.

Excerpt

“Whatever his motivation, Iora, we must thank Owlus for saving our lives. And since we are stuck together, it’s better to carry on as friends.” Without waiting for a response, Beetle went on, “We don’t have a lot of time before next moonless night and our task is yet to be completed.”

Name: Iora and the Quest of Five

Author: Arefa Tehsin

Publisher: Crimson Dragon Publishing, USA

Pages: 212

Price: Rs 139 (Paperback)

Genre: YA Supernatural

(This book review was first published by Amritabharati)

Mumbai Meri Jaan…

2023-05-09T17:59:00.001+06:00

Here’s a quiz for you:

a) • In which hotel did American author, Mark Twain stay when he arrived in Bombay?

b) • Which Mumbai school has a natural history museum section?

c) • Do you know who was the architect of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus?

d) • What is the old name of Horniman circle?

If you are curious to find out the answers, pick up Fiona Fernandez’s H For Heritage Mumbai. It brings to life the people, roads and landmarks of Mumbai that have shaped the Maximum City, as we know it today.

There have been several books that have tried to capture the essence of the capital city of Maharashtra; what makes it tick; what makes its people so resilient. Fernandez tries to go beyond the clichés and describes vividly the pockets comprising different worlds that co-exist in one bustling metropolis -- from Mahim to Bandra and from Colaba and Khotachiwadi to Mahalaxmi and Borivali and Worli in between.

H for Heritage Mumbai is packed with cool facts and eye-catching illustrations and Fernandez, a journalist, digs deep to unravel a world which tells us that all the communities who made the city their home, contributed to it in ways, big and small.

They built ponds, planted trees, identified birds, set up schools, colleges, markets, monuments and places of worship. Fernandez love for Mumbai is infectious and pleasurable and readers of all ages are bound to feel that emotion.

Excerpt

S for Sion: Entry point to Bombay

On a conical hill in Sion on Salsette Island is a seventeenth-century fort built by the British forces since the area stood at an important connecting point between Salsette and Bombay. The fort acted as a vantage point in case enemies decided to attack the Bombay islands.

Name: H for Heritage Mumbai

Author: Fiona Fernandez

Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks

Pages: 103

Price: Rs 499

(This book review was first published by Amritabharati)

In search of his identity

2023-04-29T19:32:00.002+06:00

A Man From Motihari.

You will not be far off the mark, if this title reminds you of George Orwell. Eric Arthur Blair, the noted English novelist better known as George Orwell, was born in Motihari. And so was Aslam Sher Khan, the protagonist of A Man From Motihari. The connection doesn't end here...Aslam was delivered in the same bungalow where Orwell was born; Aslam's delivery was aided by a midwife, who was Orwell's nanny. This 'Lady in White' has constant presence in Aslam's life, something like a talisman.

But no, this is not a novel redolent of ghosts stories. Or shall we say it, A Man From Motihari is not the conventional ghost story. Instead its author Abdullah Khan touches upon the 'ghosts' of Babri Masjid, Godhra riots, bomb blasts in Varanasi, the agitation against Citizenship Amendment Act, all seen through the eyes of Aslam Sher Khan, a banker and an aspiring writer from small town India.

Khan has deftly woven the past and present of our socio-political fabric and forces us to think on our choices, friendship, patriotism and eventually our identity as a nation. There is no suspense, no smoke screen, but plain speaking which pinches us, when we step into the protagonist's shoes for a moment.

Interestingly, the author measures Aslam through the eyes of his women characters - Aslam's wife Heba, his daughter Kainat, his Bhabhi and his friendship turning into love for Jessica. We see Aslam rise, falter and then rise again, allowing the readers to explore his world, free from blinkers. A rare gift that has to be treasured.

Name: A Man From Motihari

Author: Abdullah Khan

Pages: 332

Publisher: Penguin Random House India

----------

Abdullah Khan tells us more about A Man From Motihari

Do you think A Man from Motihari mirrors your struggle when you wrote your first book, Patna Blues?

Not exactly. But, to a great extent Asalm’s struggles to get published is similar to mine. However, I have given dramatic twists to certain incidents.

In A Man from Motihari you went a little deep, interpreting the various sects of Islam for the layman. Tell us more about it.

No story exists in a vacuum and the characters are expected to be impacted by the socio-cultural and political changes taking place around them. Hence, I decided to include the details about the existing faultlines within Muslim society, in addition to depicting the contemporary political situation in the country.

You have been away from the small town life for a while now. How do you ensure that when you are looking back – through the setting of your novels – that you are being objective and not nostalgic?

I spent the first 25 years of my life in small towns and villages, and later for almost a decade, as an officer of a public sector bank, I kept traveling from one small town to another small town across the country. I am currently based in Mumbai, but I visit my hometown at least once a year. Thus, I am still connected with my roots.

How was it to see/write your character through the eyes of women – the midwife, Aslam’s mother, Heba and Jessica?

Initially, I was scared and didn’t know how to handle it. But, then, one well known Kenyan writer gave valuable tips and assured me that I need not worry too much. According to her, the writing process for a male character and a female character are not different. After all, both are human beings. Plus, my wife, Tarannum, is always there to share her feedback on the manuscript and especially on female characters. Wherever Tarannum felt I was going wrong, I made changes.

Which of George Orwell’s works resonates with you the most? And, what would he think about your book?

I loved all his novels and non-fiction works. But, my most favourites are Burmese Days and Animal Farm in the fiction category. Among non-fiction, I liked Homage is Catalonia, Orwell’s account of the Spanish civil war, the most. I believe that Orwell would have liked my attempt to address the issue of identities and marginalisation through my novels.

Finally, did Covid have a role to play in the writing of this novel? How did you deal with it?

During the pandemic, I was too disturbed to write anything significant. A couple of tragedies in my family kept me preoccupied mentally and I could not write much. This novel was written in 2021 and I took less than eight months to finish it.

Summer’s song

2023-01-11T18:19:00.004+06:00

(This book review was first written for Amritabharati)

Summer’s Song

Title: Bena’s Summer

Author: Shibal Bhartiya

Pages: 247

Publisher: HarperCollinsChildren’s Books

From its first page, Bena’s Summer draws you into a world that is fast fading away -- of innocence, believing in and doing the good, trust and happiness. The story is a visual treat of a summer that promises fun with cousins, climbing trees, eating raw mangoes and reveling in the pleasure of having outsmarted elders.

Set somewhere in the 80s, Bena’s Summer travels to Gaya in Bihar, where her paternal relatives stay in Altamash Manzil and later to Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where her maternal grandparents and aunt live.

A largely autbobiographical story of Shibal Bhartiya, her protagonist Bena or Benzair Altamash is a precocious eight-year-old. Bena is generous to a fault and believes in the goodness of all; sometimes she does stumble and makes an unkind remark, but apologises straight from the heart when she realises her mistake.

The idyll charm of Bena’s vacation is disrupted by unsavoury episodes which are a test of everyone’s faith. Yet everyone rises to the occasion, notwithstanding a heart break and broken limb or two.

Bena’s Summer is a modern tale of family quibbles, holding on to traditions, social niceties, friends and neighbours turning overnight into foes, frayed socio-political fabric and how it could be set correct. All you need is faith and a ramrod spine to side with the right. Benazir Altamash has it in plenty.

Excerpt

What’s wrong, Bibbi Khala, a scared Bena asked. Meer huddled into his mother’s lap.

Your Baba’s train hasn’t reached Patna yet, and Mama is worried.

Mama, Baba said he won’t reach till 4 pm, said Bena, it’s only noon! Yes, said Mama. He should be almost out of the zone now, Mama said.

Yes, of course Baji, said Bibbi Khala. Let’s all pray, Mama suggested.

Bena was shocked. She had never seen her mom pray. Like ever.

Right there…behind you

2023-01-11T18:13:00.003+06:00

(This book review was first written for Amritabharati)

Title: Saira Zariwala is Afraid

Author: Shabnam Minwalla

Pages: 352

Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Book

Right there…behind you

An ordinary school girl’s life gets enmeshed with wannabe stars, the rich and happening set of Mumbai and the result is an edge-of-the-seat whodunit murder mystery. Saira Zariwala gets a silver iphone for her 15^th birthday, but her excitement is elbowed out when she realises that her mobile number previously belonged to one Akaash and all the messages that pour in are for him.

‘Who is Akaash and where is he?’ Saira wonders as the evil forces quickly zero in on the teenager, who at first, is clueless about her role in the scheme of things. Saira’s history of panic attacks, protective parents, her outwardly cool but watchful elder brother, and a set of school friends and frenenemies keep the plot churning in Saira Zariwala is Afraid.

The book teems with characters, but not one is ‘unnecessary’ in terms of plotline. They all add to the atmospherics of the story and succeed in creating the scary, spooky adventure. Saira Zariwala is Afraid, which won the Atta Galata, Bangalore Lit Fest’s Best Young Adult Book 2021, gives us a peek into the pressures and insecurities that the youngsters these days deal with and how they try to stay afloat. It also has its sweet and laugh out loud moments with the author, Shabnam Minwalla, capturing the banter of school kids through her writing. All in all, Saira Zariwala is Afraid is an unputdownable book.

Excerpt

I don’t know what came first – the fear or the footsteps. But suddenly, I realised two things. That somebody was watching me intently. And that someone was walking towards me from behind. I glanced nervously over my shoulder and saw two figures looming in my direction.

'Not be able to write the books you had longed to...'

2022-03-29T18:39:00.007+06:00

Three years to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown has taught us all many a lesson, that (hopefully) will not be forgotten in a hurry. Amidst all the changes that we have lived through -- WFH to WFA, hybrid work models, 'new normal', and connecting with almost the entire world online -- here are some stories of how those in the creative field plodded on.

Here's a series with authors and artists on how the virus affected their productivity. We start off with Deepa Agarwal, a prolific writer, poet, who has written for children and adults. Read on...

Many publishing houses hosted interactive online sessions to connect readers with their authors. How was your experience?

There were several requests from publishers for sessions with schools and on social media like Facebook and Insta Live interviews. There were also requests for pre recorded videos. Not only publishers but other writers, book stores, reading groups and various organisations and individuals contacted me. Schools too, requested workshops and author interactions on their own.

Personally, I prefer a face-to-face session with kids since you can connect better. However, it was the only possibility at this time and as an author I was conscious of the necessity to stay engaged with my audience. It was a mixed experience.

Some sessions were excellent, in others the teachers were not able to control the kids, which is understandable or there were technical issues. In the social media sessions, the audience varied. Often there was a combination of children and adults, so the comments varied too. The one advantage I found was that it was possible to reach out to a much larger audience and since some of the videos were put up on You Tube it was possible for interested people to find them later at leisure.

But I must mention that there were issues concerning the honorarium writers usually receive. Some schools did not want to pay even a token amount or made promises to prescribe books for supplementary readers which they did not fulfil.

Could you manage to stick to your writing routine during the lockdowns and unlocking period?

It was extremely hard. When the lockdown began, I was faced with the deadline for my book Kashmir! Kashmir! and had to force myself to get on with it. After the manuscript was submitted, I could not think of starting another book but making videos turned out to be a stress buster in an odd way.

Then I decided to compile my collection of poetry for adults which had been getting postponed and that brought some sense of accomplishment because the book Forgotten Kaleidoscopes was eventually published last year. As a writer who is constantly working on something or the other, it was demoralising for me to experience this kind of block, particularly because at my age you are conscious of the passage of time and the fact that you might leave incomplete manuscripts behind and not be able to write the books you had longed to.

After I got Covid it was worse because it took a long time to recover the energy to sit at my desk and my output remained very low. I still haven’t been able to return to my old routine but have learnt to be grateful that I am still writing, though slowly.

Would covid and the dystopian reality we lived through find their way in some of your work at some point?

It definitely will. I do have one short story on the lockdown in Kashmir! Kashmir! and have made some outlines for others. Some writers managed to produce excellent work during the epidemic, but it has been difficult for me. I need to distance myself to get the right perspective.

Did you write for yourself during these three years to seek hope or introspect?

Well, most of my writing is actually for myself, even if I put it out in the world. When I was able to write, it was a way of coping with the all-pervasive anxiety. My poetry helped me to introspect and writing at least one story with a happy ending enabled me to hang on to hope for an end to this nightmare.

Were your views of the health or human crisis in conflict as a writer and as a common person?

These two parts of me are inseparable. However, when writing for children you do tend to tone down some of your stronger views or harsher judgements. At the same time, these will find their way into my writing for adults.

Kashmir! Kashmir!: Tales that will make you empathise

2021-03-11T18:22:00.001+06:00

Ambika Shaligram

Is there a kid in your class who has a natural aptitude for running? Well, Zainab would be happy to meet them, to pick a tip or two. You see, Zainab has done her school proud by winning a race.

And, then there is Bashir, who is pro at football, looking forward to his next match. Bet, you have another friend who is equally good at the sport. Oh yes, you should meet Rehman too, who might not be good at cricket like his friends. But he is at home on a sled, racing far ahead of his friends on the snow laden hilly tracks.

Maryam is inquisitive, always ready to talk and ask questions. Anam is a little shy, but has a way with words, the written, of course. Sajid wants to be something else, not a salesman, like his father. For the life of him, Sajid can't press upon the visitors to Dal Lake to buy pretty stuff. It is necessary, how else will they earn their livelihood, his father tries to impress upon Sajid.

These kids, alongwith a few others, feature in a clutch of nine stories written by Deepa Agarwal in her latest book, Kashmir! Kashmir! Published by Scholastic India, the book paints Kashmir in colours of saffron spice, weaves of kani shawl, rogan josh, and apples, presenting to the readers a culture that is not widely known. We know Kashmir through the news -- of militancy, stone pelters, low internet connectivity, abrogation of Article 370, closure of schools. All of this is all covered in Kashmir! Kashmir! But the twist lies in the tales, each one achingly poignant, the characters who we hope to meet someday in flesh and blood when we travel next to the region are a testimony to Agarwal's empathetic writing.

The elements of spirits, of thrill, fear, shame, love and longing have been superbly crafted into the stories by Agarwal and they linger on long after we have finished reading the stories, because we all have touched base with these emotions at some point in our lives and come out stronger.

Agarwal, who has written over 50 books for both adults and children, has written this one for children and teenagers. But like all good books, Kashmir! Kashmir! transcends categories and labels and is bound to touch a chord with the adults too.

Name: Kashmir! Kashmir!

Author: Deepa Agarwal

Publisher: Scholastic India

Pages: 136

Girls and the City: Dishing out unpalatable truth

2021-03-03T13:47:00.035+06:00

Ambika Shaligram

Food and all the closest adjectives that make up the culinary world grab you in Manreet Sodhi Someshwar's Girls and the City. It tosses you around, lets you simmer a bit, and sets you out on a plate to chew and ruminate.

There's Reshma Talwar, who loves her Butter Chicken, but in her heart she's afraid of being called the gori moti bhains, a scar from her teenage years. JJ or Juhi Jha, on the other hand, easily tucks into large quantities of food, stays back late in office because the company picks up food tab if you stay back beyond the prescribed hours for work reasons. She knows hunger and intimately so, scrounging off pots for the last grain of rice or trying to hide a roti in her salwar, away from the males in the family who dig in their meals for second and third helping.

And, then there is Leela Lakshmi, who has lot on her plate. An abusive father, an abusive relationship, from which she has tenaciously build a happy life for her daughter, Nani or Nayanika and herself. They are well-fed, but Leela never knows when she has to fall back on her Plan Z, if she is unable to retain her freelance assignment with Royal Foods via DreamCom. She is handling the communications brief for DreamCom whose biggest and oldest client is Royal Foods. All the three protagonists live and work in Bengaluru.

The three are work colleagues, with Reshma being the marketing lead for McMaster's Consultants, which is advising Royal Foods on where they are going wrong. Juhi is the trainee at DreamCom and is working closely with Leela. Kieren Warrior, a desi from America and Reshma's boss, who has gone vegetarian in India, completes the table.

However, food is only one of the ingredient that goes into making of Girls and the City. The title definitely has a recall value (we are not saying which one) and may pass off as a generic at first. It's only later when the background stories of the characters interfere with their present, that you realise that all the little, big secrets that the girls are harbouring, could be your or mine stories. We all have come from different towns and tier-two cities to a metro city, to prove a mark, to climb a social or corporate ladder, to escape guilt...to find peace.

What if the girls from Unnao had lived? Would they have become Juhi, who is mocked as gori ganwar in her office? In the book, Juhi hails from Unnao. Reshma's father has been murdered and Leela is braving all stigmas that a single woman/parent faces. Their stories stem from the headlines of our newspapers...of gangrape, abuse, bullying, sexually molested, preyed upon in office. That's what makes Reshma, Juhi and Leela are real. And, their experiences in Bengaluru, in fact it could be any city, become unpalatable for the readers at times.

Title: Girls and the City

Author: Manreet Sodhi Someshwar

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 351

Price: Rs 399

There is something more to Ruby Rauf

2021-01-14T11:22:00.004+06:00

By Ambika Shaligram

Name: The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R

Author: Moni Mohsin

Publisher: Penguin Random House India

Pages: 276

It’s very easy to assume that Moni Mohsin’s latest work, The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby R has no surprises. On the surface, Ruby Rauf comes across as a familiar character, a person we know. One who has aimed high, but inevitably has her fall from grace. An industrious student studying in London, Ruby is working hard towards her Master’s degree so that she can grab a job back home in Pakistan and lead a comfortable life which was snatched from her and her mother, when her father passed away.

In London, she happens to attend a speech by Saif Haq, a has-been actor, who is testing waters in Pakistan's politics. He still has charisma, good looks and convinces Ruby into quitting her degree and returning home to work as the social media manager for his political party, Integrity. Of course there are other compelling reasons for Ruby taking up the offer, which everyone in the subcontinent can relate to, especially those who have no access to power, to correct the wrongs done to them.

That’s how Ruby starts out, earnestly believing that Saif can and would be a harbinger of change. Slowly but surely Ruby changes hues, coming to believe that the end justifies the means. She acquires predatory wings, swooping down on those who try to mock/question Saif on social media. This is where The Impeccable Integrity…scores. The conflicts, the chasm and the hope harboured by the masses described by Mohsin in the book are not unfamiliar. It’s easier to draw comparisons to what is happening in our country; the devouts vs the questioners/non-believers, patriots vs betrayers that one encounters while navigating the moral and political minefield on Twitter and elsewhere on social media. Unless we are a troll ourselves, we can only haphazard how the troll and abuse machinery works.

Written with a light yet witty approach by Mohsin, known for her popular Butterfly series, The Impeccable Integrity of Ruby Rauf makes sense of the world that is manipulated by political machinery. It is cleverly written and there is something more to the straightforward story of Ruby.