A month of Harry Potter

So, if you have been following me on Instagram, you would have known from my updates, my obsession with Harry Potter the past one month. Yes, I was on a reading marathon on a staple diet of Harry and friends. Harry has been such an important part of my childhood and it was only recently that I decided I should go back and do a re-read of all the books once again. 

Now, the thing about re-reading this series after so many years is that it almost feels like visiting Hogwarts for the first time. And go ahead, judge me. But I don't think one is ever too old for Harry Potter. JK Rowling literally saved me from a lot of tumultuous teenage years and she did it again for me now. In reading Harry, I found myself healing once again. 

There were two things I hated when I read Harry for the first time. One is that I couldn't read it in the chronological order. I still remember the first book that I got my hands on from my school library was Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which is the third part. That was how my love affair started and I went back and forth reading the books that I managed to get. It was quite difficult as there were only few copies in the library and everyone wanted to read it! So if you waited to read it in the order, you might as well have been waiting forever. 

The next thing I hated back then was the long wait before the next book came out. I was so impatient and of course, the stunning cliffhangers Rowling left at the end of each book has left me frustrated many a time. It has been on my mind for some time now that I wanted to do a reading marathon of Harry Potter. Go back and read all the books in the order. But of course, I didn't have all the books and had started off with the Goblet of Fire for this time. Imagine my delight when I was gifted all seven books in this gorgeous edition! I was in seventh heaven. 

I spent many days and nights immersed in these books, leaving me little time to do anything else. Not that I'm complaining. If you are a Potterhead, you know the magic the books will always have over you, no matter how old you get. This time, however, I went one step ahead and downloaded all the movies as well, watching it side by side as I completed each book. Best of both worlds, I tell you. 

Last night, as I turned the last page of Deathly Hallows, I felt something akin to an intense grief, a loss. I cried for Snape, the unsung hero, the half blood prince. And to think I spent so many years hating him. I wish I didn't have to leave Harry, Ron and Hermione there on platform nine and three quarters. I wish I could continue my journey to Hogwarts. But as we all know, all good things must come to an end. I have read somewhere that if you really want something, if you wish for it with all your heart, the universe has a way of bringing it to you. Yes, a new Harry Potter book is coming out on 31st July, on Harry's and Rowling's birthday! I'm so excited and can't wait to read what Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has in store for us. July 31st, come already! 

Book Review - Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Image: My own

From the book cover: As teenagers in a Lagos secondary school, Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love. Their Nigeria is under military dictatorship, and people are leaving the country if they can. Ifemelu departs for America to study. She suffers defeats and achieves triumphs, all the while feeling the weight of something she never thought of back home: race. Obinze had hoped to join her, but post-9/11 America will not let him in, and he plunges into undocumented life in Britain. 

Years later, Obinze is wealthy in a newly democratic Nigeria, while Ifemelu has achieved success as a writer of an eye-opening blog about race in America. When Ifemelu decides to return home, she and Obinze will face the hardest decision of their lives. 

My thoughts: I had read, reviewed and loved Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun last year. Seeing all the raving reviews that Americanah was getting certainly piqued my curiosity and I finally bought the book couple of months ago. Just like last year, I wanted the first book for the year to be something special and I couldn't think of a better book to kick start 2016 with. 

I took quite a long time to read this one. At 470 odd pages, it is not a light read. I wanted to savor and relish it as much as possible and took over a week to finish it, but it was so worth it. You know you are reading an excellent book when you don't want the book to be over, yet at the same time can't wait to see as to how the story would unfold. 

This certainly proves true here and Ifemelu is a character that I fell head over heels in love with. She is pretty, definitely not conventional, makes her own mistakes - in love and in life, is a blogger (and this alone scores her all the points in my book) and at the same time, is connected to Nigeria and her roots despite living in America for many years. 

The plight of Ifemelu, right from when she is a teenager who is struggling with her emotions to the young and confident woman that she transitions into, is portrayed deeply. Dwelling on her fears and insecurities in a foreign country where she faces immense poverty and desperation; battling with depression, all changed my outlook of how I had viewed America till date. 

Adichie shows the raw side of not just people, but also the cultural differences and among the countries as a whole. There are not many books that I have read about race, but this one tackles the issue with an unflinching honesty and really opens your eyes to the prejudices existing in our nation even today. What I also loved was the nuances that the author has brought in, be it in the conversations between the hair dressers and customers in a small salon in America, or the relationship between two old friends meeting after years and the changes in them, each scene is well constructed.

Though the book deals with race and has passages from the blog that Ifemelu writes, at its heart is also a love story. Obinze is another interesting character in the book and though he is married to a beautiful woman and has a child with her, his heart still belongs to Ifemelu. Will the lovers unite when Ifemelu decides to come back? And if so, at what cost? These are the questions that keeps you guessing right till the end. 

There are a lot of other interesting characters like Ifemelu's Aunt Uju, her cousin Dike, Curt- the white guy she dates, Blaine- the American black professor at Yale and boyfriend with whom she shares a special bond, to name a few. The book has been set at the time of elections in America when Barack Obama was elected as the president. Needless to say, this affects Ifemelu in ways more than one.

I also loved the pop culture references throughout the book. Whether it is in the fashion, the books or the music, the effort made by the author is commendable. The language flows beautifully, each sentence is crafted so well and is a pleasure to read. In short, there was nothing I did not love about Americanah. This one comes highly recommended!

Book Review - Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamamda Ngozi Adichie

From the book cover: In 1960s Nigeria, a country blighted by civil war, three lives intersect. Ugwu, a boy from a poor village, works as a houseboy for a university lecturer. Olanna, a young woman, has abandoned her life of privilege in Lagos to live with her charismatic new lover, the professor. The third is Richard, a shy Englishman in thrall to Olanna's enigmatic twin sister. When the shocking horror of the war engulfs them, their loyalties are severely tested as they are pulled apart and thrown together in ways that none of them imagined...

My take: Let me start by telling you that I now have a new favorite author- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Yes, I absolutely loved this book. Though this is the second novel by this Nigerian author, this is the first book of hers that I happened to read. The writing is beautiful with well etched characters who are driven by their impulses, the novel is a feast. 

Though I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, as I keep repeating, there are priceless works such as this that changes my perspective. I'm ashamed and embarrassed to admit that I had very little knowledge about Nigerian history and literature before starting this book. Set against the Nigeria-Biafra war of 1967-70, the book not only tackles the political issues that were prevalent then, but also portrays characters and emotions as they are. 

Narrated in the third person, the book alternates among Ugwu, Olanna and Richard for their individual stories. Three very different characters, yet each incident is seen very differently in their eyes. But the character that fascinated me the most was Kainene, Olanna's twin sister. While Olanna can be described as the conventional beauty, Kainene is the opposite. She prefers to remain an enigma right till the end of the book. 

The relationship between the two sisters and how it changes later on is also one of the key factors that drives the story forward. Olanna's lover, Odenigbo is another interesting character who loves his academic company of scholars and books. The book can be divided into two parts- the early sixties and the late sixties. Adichie effortlessly weaves in the past into the present, keeping us engrossed right till the end.

Though the fist half of the book is spent in introducing the characters and their thoughts and emotions, the second half mostly deals with the war and its stark realities. Violence, poverty, desperation seeps in through the pages and grips you. But it is also a book of beauty. That shows that love can be found everywhere. 

The novel is sprinkled with Igbo words and phrases throughout, but this did not put me off. The latter half of the novel describes the plight of Olanna, Odenigbo and their Baby to flee from Nsukka, where they live to take shelter in the refugee town of Umuahia. Food shortages and the sheer terrror that haunts the people inflicted by the war are portrayed brilliantly. It is heart breaking to learn that a lot of the war background described is fact rather than fiction. 

I loved the book and highly recommend this one to everyone. If you are a fan of historical fiction, then you will adore this book. But this is also a story that speaks about human bonds and the beautiful emotion called love that pushes us to sacrifice and sometimes, question our beliefs in doing so. 

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Book Review - How to Fall in Love by Cecelia Ahern

From the book cover: She has just two weeks. Two weeks to teach him how to fall in love – with his own life.

Adam Basil and Christine Rose are thrown together late one night, when Christine is crossing the Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin. Adam is there, poised, threatening to jump.

Adam is desperate – but Christine makes a crazy deal with him. His 35th birthday is looming and she bets him that before then she can show him life is worth living.

Against the ticking of the clock, the two of them embark on wild escapades, grand romantic gestures and some unlikely late-night outings. Slowly, Christine thinks Adam is starting to fall back in love with his life. But is that all that's starting to happen?

My take: I'm a huge fan of Cecilia Ahern. But somehow, I found a bit annoyed with this one. Yes, the story line is much darker than the ones she usually writes- it deals with suicide and the human psyche. As with all of her previous books, the cover made me fall in love with this book even before I started it. 

The story is narrated in the first person by the protagonist- Christine whose job ideally is to help people with their jobs. She has a recruitment agency where she goes out of her way to help her clients. 

Her life starts spiraling out of control when she comes face to face with a man- Simon, who shoots himself in an abandoned building. This incident acts a trigger for a set of following events and she leaves her husband that very night. However, misfortune awaits her again when she is confronted with Adam in the same month under similar circumstances.

Fed up with his life, he is ready to jump the Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin when she sees him for the first time. Unable to bear the guilt of Simon's attempted suicide and due to her natural instinct to help people, she makes a deal with him. To make him fall in love back with his life before his 35th birthday, which is in two weeks.

The rest of the book shows the unlikely friendship and relationship between the two. And the reasons as to why Adam chose to do what he wanted to. Being a successful guy who was in his thirties, I found it difficult to believe that he would be ready to end his life with something as petty as a heart break. True, that was not the sole reason, but this was a little hard to digest. 

The first half of the book seemed dragging and Adam came across as needy most of the time. This may not have been the intention of the author, but this was the feel that I got from the book. Christine, on the other hand, seemed to be a bit clingy for someone who made it her mission to help people. She is going through a hard time herself and has her own inner demons to battle. 

Abandonment issues, family problems, cyber bullying are all subjects that are dealt with in a subtle way. Unlike her previous works, where she adds a touch of magic to her stories, this one had none of that. The book picks up towards the end making me feel that the story could have been made crispier. 

There are lot of other characters including that of Christine's friend- Amelia, Detective Maguire who investigates the suicide incidents, her own bizarre family and Barry- her husband. The book is sprinkled with humor in a lot of places and this made the story a little less bleak  and a bit more livelier. 

Needless to say, I was a tad disappointed with How to fall in love. I find it difficult to believe that this was the same writer who gave us P.S. I love you, If you could see me now, A place called Here, Love Rosie and so many more. If you read this book without any said level of expectation, it is likely that you may enjoy this one. Or if you are like me, a fan nonetheless, you will end up reading it anyway.

I was in a dilemma regarding the rating as it was an okay read for me. The story line was promising but I do wish the protagonists were more believable and easier to like. I guess, I shall give this one a two point five. The beautiful cover of this book definitely scores some marks there. I would say read it and then decide for yourself whether you like it or not. In case you do pick it up, let me know your thoughts.

 

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Book Review - Idris: Keeper of the Light by Anita Nair

From the book cover: The year is 1659. Idris, a Somali trader, is in Malabar to attend the Zamorin’s Mamangam festivities. Everywhere he goes, his jewelled eye evokes a sense of wonder and incredulity. Then, by a strange twist of fate, Idris meets his nine-year-old son, Kandavar, born of a mysterious midnight tryst in this very land. Anxious to remain close to him for as long as possible, he joins the Nair household headed by Kandavar’s uncle, and is charged with a crucial task: of distracting the boy from his dream of becoming a Chaver, a warrior whose sole ambition is to assassinate the Zamorin, in a tradition whose beginnings have been lost in time.

In an attempt to stave off the inevitable, Idris embarks with his son on a voyage that takes them from Malabar to Ceylon, and from Thoothukudi to the diamond mines of Golkonda, where he meets the queenly Thilothamma, as solitary a being as he is. Will the mines reward him? Will he find the strength to leave his new-found love and journey back to his son’s land – and to an uncertain future?

Packed with adventure and passion, and full of fascinating insights into life in the seventeenth century, Idris: Keeper of the Light will keep you riveted and hungry for more.

My take: I bought this book seeing all the raving reviews that it has been getting. Besides it was by one of my favorite authors. So I might have bought it anyway. The book I bought was the hard bound version (I don't think they have a paperback version as yet). Of late, I have been having a thing for hard bound books. And I'm glad I got it because this one is definitely for keeps. 

Historical fiction is a genre that I'm not a huge fan of. Mainly because it reminds me of my school days where mugging up dates for my history exam gave me nightmares. For this very reason, I was skeptical when I picked it up. But I couldn't have been more wrong. A few pages into the book and I was hooked. Nair is an author who does her homework and the amount of research that has gone into into it is vast and it shows. 

Idris breaks the stereotype of the typical hero. He is black as the night and tall like a palm tree. With his one gold eye and his passion for adventure and star gazing, Idris grows on you. In his own words, he was Idris Maymoon Samataar Guleed. Previously of Dikhil. Now an eternal traveller seeking the measure of earth and man. 

The language that Nair has used is poetic. This has made reading Idris an absolute joy. The sprinkling of various words in Malayalam, Arabic or Telugu in any other context might have been putting off for the readers, but here, it somehow makes the novel more endearing. They are necessary for the story much like its protagonist who is a jack of all trades.

At 380 odd pages and the subject dealt with, the book is not an easy read, but I found myself racing through the book along with Idris and Kandavar. I finished the book in three days straight and I'm still stuck somewhere between the pages. There are a lot more that I would like to find out about Idris but unfortunately, looks like I will have to wait till the remaining two books of the trilogy comes out. Yes, you heard that right. It's a trilogy. Considering the nature of the subject, I think it's only fair. Besides, if this is the type of writing then I'm looking forward to some bulkier reads. 

Like all of Nair's previous works, the women characters in the novel are well etched out. Be it Kuttimalu- Kandavar's mother or Margarida, the child prostitute or Thilothamma, a strong and independent woman who finds solace in the company of her dogs, all of whom changes Idris's life in one way or the other. I only wish they had been given more space as these were characters who were anything but cliched. But then, I guess the story would have deviated from the title, which wouldn't have been fair to Idris. 

The other characters that Idris meets across the span of his journey all contribute to the story in their own ways. Idris is not just a novel about him but it surrounds the people that influence his life in one way or the other. Be it the faithful Sala Pokkar who joins him and Kandavar on their journey or Chandu Nair, Kandavar's uncle or Golla, an attendant who is introduced towards the latter part of the story. 

The other thing that I loved about the book was that Nair has weaved in many intricate stories into the main one. Like the story of Venkata Reddy, Thilothamma's great-grandfather with a secret that he took to his grave. The flashes of memory which takes back to Idris's past are as enchanting as well. 

On the whole, Idris is a well written, well researched novel which offers insights into the seventeenth century. But more importantly, it is the story of a man who loves to travel and not belong. Who refuses to be tied down. It is the story of a star gazer who is on the path of discovering himself; of a journey that takes us across the seas and then some more. 

It is the sort of book that upon completion you need to pause and really reflect on what just happened. I finished this book last night and needed some time to just think about it before penning this review. This one deserves a five star rating and no less! 

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Female Writers who have changed Me

Image courtesy: Google

Being a voracious reader, I thought it wouldn't be fair till I dedicated an entire post to the list of Authors who have influenced my life ways more than one. These are writers I look up to. There are books written by them that I worship. Since I have a lot of favorite Authors belonging to both the sexes, today's post shall be on those female writers who have been a guiding light in the various stages of my life, starting right from childhood. Maybe later, I shall do a post on the male writers. 

So, here goes:

# Enid Blyton - Simply because my childhood would have been incomplete without her books. Malory Towers, St. Claires, the Famous Five, Secret seven, Five find-outers... I devoured her book by the dozen from my school library. 

# Judy Blume - For her book 'Are you there God? It's me, Margaret' alone that taught me like a million things during adolescence. If you have read the book, then you know what I'm talking about. I don't think I've read a better book when I was in school that explained the 'growing up' thing better than this one did. 

# J.K. Rowling - Do I need say more? I have literally grown up with Harry Potter. I read the series as and when a new installment came out. Which means Harry and friends were my companions through out my teenage years. I read it at the exact right time I was meant to and my teen self is thankful for that (It helped get me through some tough years).

# Cecilia Ahern - Though she is most popular for 'P.S. I love you' (which had me bawling my eyes out like a baby), there are a lot of great books by this author. Reading her is like reading a fairy tale. She weaves magic into some of her stories that makes you believe in them once more. Another personal favorite of mine is 'Love, Rosie' which is a story about two friends and how sometimes destiny plays a big role in your life. 

# Jane Green - Here is another writer who writes chick-lit that are feel good and fun to read. She writes about characters that you can connect with and like all books of this genre, you end up eating ice cream and reading it simultaneously. After reading 'Bookends', I'm determined to start a cosy book shop cum cafe somewhere down the lane. 

# Jackie Collins - It may not be great works of literary fiction, but the way she writes and the head strong heroines in her books will have you burning the midnight oil. Throw in Hollywood, sex, secrets and betrayals, you know that it would be hard to resist turning the pages. An instant bestseller, if there ever was one. The Santangelo series are simply addictive. 

# Sophie Kinsella - This is where I go to when I need a good laugh or some light reading. Her shopaholic series are addictive and Becky Bloomwood is a riot. For those of you who are not familiar with her work, she writes chick-lit that is doused with a great deal of humor that will have you chuckling in your seats. This is the book that you want to take for your honeymoon (I did!). 

# Nora Roberts - For the die hard romantic in me, provided I'm feeling all lovey-dovey. The number of books that she has written alone has me wondering about how her mind works. 

# Jhumpa Lahiri - Words fail me to describe this author's works. She makes even the most deary situations into beautiful stories. A true inspiration, if there ever was one. Lahiri may not have written books by the dozen, but the few ones that she has written are worth their weight in gold. Be it short stories or novels, the ease at which she writes about loneliness, marriage, death are simply enviable. I highly recommend 'Interpreter of Maladies' and 'Unaccustomed Earth', both collection of short stories if you haven't already read it, that is. She is someone who keeps inspiring me to push the boundaries and be a better writer. 

# Anita Nair - When it comes to writing about the various genres, none does it more successfully than Nair. From contemporary fiction to thrillers to historical fiction, she has written it all. Her book 'Ladies Coupe' alone, is like a bible to me. Each time I read it, I learn something new. 'The Better Man' is a brilliant debut and I want to re-read it again, simply because it is totally worth it. 

# Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni - The myriad of human emotions are so complex. Yet each one intriguing. And she explores and dwells into it with such an intensity that leaves you shaken at times. 'Sister of my heart', 'Palace of illusions' are some of my favorites by this author. For those of you who are not familiar with 'Palace of illusions', Divakaruni tells Draupadi's story from her point of view of the Mahabarata. 

# Jaishree Misra- She writes with an ease and characters that are so familiar that it's almost like reading what goes on next door. With strong characters and story lines that are believable, I chanced upon her books some years back and have been a fan ever since. And when I realized I got signed copies after ordering few of her books online, I was over the moon. My personal favorites are 'Ancient Promises' and 'Afterwards'. 

# Kamala Das - I had written a whole post about her during UBC. But this list would have been incomplete had I not included her name. I have picked up couple of her books in Malayalam that I plan on reading by next year. What can I say? I'm smitten. For someone who avoided reading her mother tongue like the plague (nothing to be proud of, I know), now that's saying something. And why I don't like to read Malayalam? Long story! But I'm determined to give it a try for Kamala Das. That's how much I love her! And her poetry? Simply amazing. 

# Elizabeth Gilbert - I have read only one book by her (many years back) - 'Eat Pray Love'. Though I liked reading it then, if I were to read it now, I would probably love it. I have been following her Facebook page for quite some time now and each day the positive messages that she shares are inspiring. Do follow her for your daily dose of inspiration. 

Those are some of my favorite female authors. Have I left out anyone? I hope not. I have a lot more books on my 'to-read list' and this list shall be expanding and updated later on as I finish with them. So, tell me, who are your favorite female writers? You know, the kind that changed you or the ground-shifted-beneath-your feet kind of writing? I would love to hear them. Do recommend your personal favorites if you feel that I'm missing out on something big in life. 

An enigma called Kamala

(Images courtesy: Google)

This afternoon, I started reading 'A Childhood in Malabar- A Memoir' by Kamala Das and it struck me that today's post should be on her. Reading her words in my room in a scorching summer, her words transported me back home. I could feel the rain on my face. I could her the tinkle of her bangles when she was a child. In her words, I could see the mysterious Korathi with her sick parrot who came to read her hand. I could see the aged Nalapat house, its vadakkini and thekkini.

I have been in awe of all her works which I have discovered only during the past year or so and have been devouring her books ever since. There are certain books which makes sense to you during a particular period of time. Had I read her books earlier, perhaps, I would not have fallen as much in love with them as I do now. She came into my life at the right time and I have been in love with her words ever since.

What a woman! She wrote from her heart, not caring what anyone would think of it. And perhaps, that is why you can relate to her writings with so much honesty. Kamala Das has quickly turned into one of my favorite authors. Hailing from Kerala, most of her stories and poems are set in the backdrop which I was born and brought up in. She easily strikes a chord in the heart of her readers.

Kamala Das was a woman who lived life on her own terms, be it the literary one or her controversial, personal one. Hailing from a small village in Kerala, she was popularly known as Madhavikutty, for her works in Malayalam. She attracted the scorn and hatred of many for her bold and sensuous writing about love and lust. The way she openly wrote about desire and the needs of a woman sent sparks flying.

Married off at a tender young age of fifteen, she found her passion for writing early in life. Her father was an editor of a popular Malayalam daily called Mathrubhumi and her mother was a famous Malayali poetess. Her childhood was spent largely in Calcutta and Kerala, the influence of both which are to be seen in her writings. 

Ever since I discovered her books, I have been trying to get my hands on as many as possible. My Story is an autobiographical work which raised many eyebrows for its controversial content. But my personal favorite of the ones I have read so far is Wages of Love is a compilation of many of her articles, short stories, poems and plays. Neypayasam is a gem of a short story which talks about the plight of a father who comes home to his three young sons after his wife's death. This story will make sure you shed a tear or two. It is a story which moved me so much that it still remains close to my heart.

Having born to the Nalapat family and of a Nair origin, her conversion to Islam at the age of sixty five and adopting the name Kamala Surayya again put her into scrutiny in the eyes of public. Her death in 2009 at the age of seventy five was a huge loss to the literary world.

Kamala Das was an enigma, a mystery perhaps even to herself. Her words would stay with you beyond the pages. A writer whom I always go back to, for inspiration. And today, as I write this, I wonder if there would ever be another writer like her. One who would write with an honesty and passion as only she could. Somewhere deep inside, I know that the space she left behind can never be replaced. And I wish...

This post is written for Day 2 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge for July 2014 and NaBloPoMo.