“Spinning Silver” by Naomi Novik

🍁 “But I had not known that I was strong enough to do any of those things until they were over and I had done them. I had to do the work first, not knowing”
– Naomi Novik, Spinning Silver
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🌻 Set in a Russian Village, this fantasy story takes you through the lives of two female protagonists, Miryem, the daughter of moneylenders and Irina, the daughter of the tsar.
Both of them have lost a bit of their inner selves, became hard and tough against their own wills, for the better good of their families and even though they have resorted to their fates, luck brings them together to embark on a quest which will yet again test their will power and the ability to think through in the moment of crises.
Will they succeed in saving their homes from the clutches of dark magic.
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✨ Although I don’t cherish fantasies so much for the complex plot, this book was a happy surprise for its easy-to-understand plot and clarity of characters, and before long I was mesmerized by the magical realism so much so that I was reminded of the fairy tales I read as a child.
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🌼 The three female protagonists also make for a good story direction, by means of their own perspectives, so similar yet different in their own ways. The story is absolutely enchanting with various layers of character developed which isn’t too clunky, the subtle details to the imagery and the thought-provoking situations that are planted to keep the reader’s interest always piqued, this sure makes for a warm and satisfying read, which is sure to hit close to your heart for the resemblance of your favorite childhood fairy tales.
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Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Genre: fantasy, fiction, fairytale, young-adult .

“The Aunt Who Wouldn’t Die” by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay

“The aunt who wouldn’t die” by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, as the name suggests is about an aunt, or pishima in Bengali, who everyone thinks is dead, but for one member of the household, the new daughter-in-law, Somlata, to whom the aunt comes to every now and then as a ghost, and tries to scare her.
But what does she actually wants?
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This book is like a light, fluffy conundrum of a lot of things all at once, the difficulties of living in a joint family, the struggles of widows and the bahus of the house, the romance of a newly married couple and the ghost of an old aunt reluctant to part away with her belongings, a perfect mix that catches the essence of an Indian household in its true sense.
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Reading the book reminded me of the books that I used to read as a kid, small pocketbook versions, with big fonts and folklore that leaves you with a mushy feeling of having read something wholesome. Although the story is simple and the narration devoid of any hullabaloo of fancy prose, the tale itself brings a warmth to the reader’s heart, like soaking in the sun on a winter afternoon.
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A light yet poignant tale of women from three different generations of a family, trying to maintain the household and uplift it, amidst societal ‘laws’, in their own capacities.
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Thank you @bee.books for this beautiful book, in exchange for an honest opinion.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Genre: translated, indian-literature, bengali-literature, culture, mystery

“The Black Dwarves of the Good Little Bay” by Varun Mathew

🍂”The Black Dwarves of the good little bay” by Varun Mathew is an epic dystopia, set in modern-world Mumbai now known as Bombadrome, for there is no land to live on, no resources to replete, and the only way to live is to live in suspended dorms hovered in the air.
When the ecological system collapsed, and the rains stopped all together ‘visiting’ this city, the newly formed government, with the promise to set things in order, proposed an artificially equated society, where everyone is equal and everyone’s lives are technologically driven to happiness, there is one but no man who remembers what it was like to live in Bom Bahia.
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🍂While the city is changed and there seems to be a state of utopia on the surface, the story of how the city came to be what it is now, is harrowing and highly relevant to times today as well.
Layered with elements of ecological deterioration, the protagonist’s childhood, his part to play in the new world order, political agendas and propagandas, the tale is a strong statement on the various facets of Indian society; its mob, its corruption, its casteism, its classism and more importantly, turning a blind eye to injustices if it serves one’s personal purpose.
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🍂Gripping narration, an engrossing storyline, and a scathing recital, peppered with subplots from the last and the present, this dystopian account keeps you on your ends all the time, wondering what will happen next.
Highly recommended.
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🍂 Thank you hachette_india for this gifted copy, in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Genre: dystopia, indian-literature, contemporary, science-fiction

“To kill a Mocking Bird” by Harper Lee

🍂”Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit’me, but remember its a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
– Harper Lee, To kill a mocking bird
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🌼If you have been a reader for some time, you would have definitely come across a mention of this classic, and most of you would have already read it.
But if you have not yet come around to reading this coveted novel, here are all the reasons why you should!
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🌻 A classic set in 1930s Alabama is told by the point of view of a little girl, Jean, fondly known as Scout, who is witnessing her father, who is a lawyer, struggle to stand for a black man accused of raping a young white woman, in a town surrounded by people of racial prejudice.
As the events unfold leading up to the trial, will Atticus Flinch, the father, uphold his morale even when everyone is against him?
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🌺 Easily one of the easiest to understand classics, the story flows lyrically, the words almost poetic, the intricacy of the characters so memorable, the words don’t leave you long after you are finished reading them. Compassionate, striking and deeply impactful, the book talks of important themes of racism and inequality, by means basic subtleties of life, of human behavior, its innocence, its kindness, its cruelty, its love, its hatred all at the same time.
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🍁 A masterpiece that takes a story of two kids growing up in a world where all things are not fair, and the conflicts of a father trying to be an example for his kids and do the right thing, the characterization makes for a great story that constantly keeps you hooked and brings out the messages in a poignant manner.
Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
Genre: classic, fiction, historical-fiction