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Drama |
I rarely read the blurb of the book and just jump into a book when I get them, Well, it has been both good and bad for me. I did the same with Eliza and Her Monsters, after reading so many positive spoiler free reviews about it.
I needed to read something easy and light hearted after reading a serious classic like The Picture of Dorian Gray. How did that turn out for me? You will have to read ahead to know.
About the book
Book Name: Eliza and Her Monsters
Author: Francesca Zappia
Genre: Fiction – Drama, Young adult
Characters: Eliza Mirk, Wallace Warland
Setting: Indiana, The USA
The plot
Eliza is the creator of the popular online comic, Monstrous Sea which has a tremendous fan following. She goes by the LadyConstellation and is frankly a virtual super star. In real life, she is quiet, shy, and avoids people as much as possible. Her family doesn’t understand her or her online business but let her be to an extent.
She suffers from anxiety attacks and has no friends in school, where she usually spends her time drawing for her comic. She has two online friends who help her navigate through life and family issues. She feels safer online and prefers to keep the real and virtual life separate.
When Wallace, a famous fan fiction writer of her Monstrous Sea, joins her school her worlds collide. Eliza being Eliza, misses all her chances to come out clean to him about who she is.
But is it now too late now to tell him? What would it take for him forgive her when he finally realizes the truth? Did she overcome her personal fears and monsters at the end? Read the Eliza and Her Monsters to know more.
My initial thoughts
Well, it was definitely not what I expected at all. But don’t worry you freaks, I meant in a good way. I suppose. Well I will try and explain better.
I thought the book Eliza and her monsters was about her own inner monsters, like her mental illness. I was not happy to find it was not about her anxiety but about her comic.
And then I realized it was indeed about her mental illness. So I guess it was a roller coaster ride. Just what I wanted. So I am happy again I guess.
Another thing that stood out for me was the portrayal of online friends. Like any of you, I have and love all my online friends and I probably will share my dark deep secrets with them before I would with my family and friends. You all get that right? Finally there is a book that puts across that it was okay to do that and not all virtual friends were creeps and tricksters.
Things that worked for me
- YES to showing how online friendships that can be real and time zones can be pain in the butt.
- I loved how well the pressure and her desperation to finish the story were depicted.
- The Eliza-Wallace friendship turned to relationship was realistic and the growth arc was spot on.
- If you hate the ‘Love conquers all’ trope, you will love the ending.
Things that didn’t work for me
While the stories within story worked for so many of my friends, it failed to impress me. It maybe due to the fact that I don’t read fantasy books.
Bottom-line
If you are looking for a book that deals with mental illness or about online community with a bit of romance, Eliza and Her Monsters might be your pick. If you love books like Fangirl and Radio Silence, do not even think twice, you will completely adore Eliza and Her Monsters.
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Have you read this one? Do you read fan fiction and what are your favorites? I am definitely in the mood to read a few after reading this book. Let us chat.
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Drama |
It has been a while since I reviewed a translated work I think. And if you are doing the Year of Asian challenge, read this review of One Part Woman and then the book right away.
About One Part Woman
Book Name: One Part Woman
Author: Perumal Murugan
Genre: Fiction – Drama, Literary, Translated work
Characters: Kali, Ponna, Muthu,
Setting: Tamilnadu, India
Plot summary of One Part Woman
Set in the southern part of India, the story revolves around Kali and Ponna who have been married for twelve years. They are ridiculed and ostracized for not conceiving a child by their family, friends and the entire village. They have been called names and shamed about their fertility at every instance. Despite having doubts about having a baby, they try to save their face in front of the society.
They have met with many astrologers, made offerings to the Gods and done every ritual sacrifices to their deities but to no avail. As a last resort, their families ask Ponna to take part in a specific festival celebrating the half-man-half-woman deity, when any man and woman can consensual sexual relationship with one another.
Will the couple take up the offer? What effect would this offer have on their relationship. You should read One Part Woman to know more.
Book review of One Part Woman
Though initially written in my mother tongue Tamil, I read One Part Woman in English and I am glad I did that. While I have heard high praises about the original, I am not sure if I could have digested the rawness in the story.
One Part Woman portrays emphatically the society’s stand towards a couple who are childless, or God forbid choose not to have one, especially in the rural areas.
There are a lot of racial and sexual slurs (not more than other novels of the genre though), but nothing that called for the riots and calls for banning the book. I think the political and casteists should leave the literary world alone.
Things that worked for me:
- I loved the layered and flowery writing style of the author.
- All the characters are well thought and fully developed. I loved Ponna’s strong and fierce character.
- The book ends in a kinda cliffhanger and continues in the next part, the end worked for me.
- The rural life in the south India is perfectly etched.
Things that didn’t work for me:
- The rawness in writing goes in hand with a lot obscene sexual and racial slurs. That is one reason I am glad I didn’t read it in my mother tongue.
- I didn’t get many of the slurs and slang, despite it being my mother tongue.
- There are times the flowery writing might seem overdone and drags the pace.
Bottom-line:
If you want to read a translated work that portrays rural south India then One Part Woman should be your choice. I am definitely reading the part two soon.
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Drama |
Do you ever feel so disappointed in yourself when you don’t fall in love with a book? I did as I read The Forty rules of love. When I was in a reading slump a while ago, a friend of mine nudged (read as: pushed) me towards this one as this was one of her favorite books.
I had had few others recommending this book earlier, and the time had finally come for me to pick The Forty rules of love. So let us see how that turned out for me right?
About The Forty rules of love
Book Name: The Forty rules of love
Author: Elif Shafak
Genre: Fiction – Drama, Magical Realism, Historical
Characters: Ella, Rumi, Shams-i Tabrizi
Setting: The USA, Turkey
Plot Summary of The Forty rules of love
The Forty rules of love is a story within a story. Ella, a married woman is going through a mid life crisis with a loveless marriage, a husband who is cheating on her and kids who don’t need her anymore.
When her young daughter announces that she is getting married to her boyfriend, Ella finds it hard to believe that people (i.e. her daughter) wanted to marry for love.
Ella is a beta reader who receives a manuscript from an author with whom she begins email conversation. She realizes that Aziz was so different from her and his beliefs and faith shock her as much as they enthuse her.
She continues to read his manuscript about two friends, Rumi and Sham and learns about their Dervish ways of life, which a part of Islam. Does the relationship between Ella and Aziz go any further? Does Ella’s perception of life change at all? Read The Forty rules of love to know further.
Book review of The Forty rules of love
As I was telling earlier, I tried so hard to like The Forty rules of love but I was left disappointed. And for once it was not because of my high expectations or the hype. I just failed to understand the whole point of the rules of love and completely disliked the preachy tone and wonder if it had anything to do with the translation or it was just the writing itself.
I wish it had a little bit lightheartedness in it to make it more fun to read. There were too many small characters to remember but I can understand why they were needed, to educate every rule. I still wish the characters had more depth, while they were all card board cut – the non religious were all evil and the religious ones were all love and simple.
Things that worked for me
- I loved the way the author had mixed in Turkish culture and history to the story.
- The ideology behind the rules for the love to God and one another was novel and interesting (to a point).
- Reading this story has increased my interest in reading the poems of Rumi which are well known.
Things that didn’t work for me
- I wish the characters were more complex and deeper.
- I didn’t like the moral, preachy tones that made it difficult to like the characters.
- To be fair I have never had a thing for magical realism. Maybe I don’t get it well enough to appreciate it.
Bottom-line
I am happy for all those for whom this book worked. But it didn’t for me, I understand why didn’t work for me. I might give the author another try, in a few years and maybe it will work then. Keeping my fingers crossed.
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Drama, review |
Are you looking for a feel good and easy read? For the first time ever, I am not gonna spoil you with choices, confuse the heck out of you or load your arms with books that would last for a year. Pick A man called Ove right now and get reading.
About the book
Book Name: A man called Ove
Author: Fredrik Backman
Genre: Fiction – Drama
Setting: Sweden
Characters: Ove, Jimmy, Adrian, Parvaneh, Sonja, Rune, Nasanin, Mirsad
Plot Summary
Ove is a mean, grumpy and opinionated old man, who looks forward to the day he would join his late wife, Sonja. He even attempts to take his life to end his misery. He does not take well to the modern life and hates people. His life turns around when his new neighbor backs his trailer straight into his garden. Despite his apparent displeasure and cantankerous behavior, he seems to be forever helping his pesky neighbors and a cat that would not get out of his way.
The story alternates between his current life which doesn’t seem to be in short of amusing incidents and a life that had lived before he lost everything he loved. What happens to this grumpy old man when he unwillingly meets his messy neighbors, forms the rest of the story.
Book review
A man called Ove is one of the heartwarming books that would bring a smile to your cold heart. I could not help grinning at the instances when his neighbors took it upon themselves to become his friends when he took elaborate measures to avoid them.
Ove reminded me of those ‘get off my lawn’ characters, who hate everything around them, yet have a sense of civic duty and moral obligation to be right.
One can understand his becoming a misanthrope when life kept kicking him down relentlessly but again, he has been ‘an old man’ for ages. I loved that Ove and Sonja seemed made for each other, – she outgoing and cheerful and him wary and bitter.
Things that worked for me
- I loved the main characters and the characters in the sub plot, who were all well developed.
- I loved the warmth and sunshine all through the story.
- It is an easy read, perfect if you are a new reader.
Things that didn’t work for me
I can’t think of anything. It was perfect!
Bottom-line
I know the book has been receiving raving reviews for a while now, and I am probably too late to join the party, but here I am. Don’t we all love a bittersweet tale that makes you feel mushy every time you read it? If yes, read A man called Ove, right away.
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