I started off really enjoying the book but as it progressed it lost the plot completely. The premise is about living a meaningful life and finding meaning through art, relationships and faith, and defining meaning for life through death (as the title suggests) but the author gets distracted by the frivolous and places emphasis on characters who are inherently meaningless or unlikeable that the message never truly lands.

A cultural critic‘s essay collection that is titled “Against Everything” is an immediate buy for me. A truly thought provoking and boundary pushing read, with some great insights and perspectives by the Stanford professor, author and cultural critic Mark Greif. Read my full review on anushareflects.wordpress.com. Essays dwell on themes of exercise, experience, reality TV, war, and much more.

A tremendously reflective, thought provoking, gentle read about homes and childhoods and what it means to belong, to be grateful, to be loved. Very touching and heart wrenching.

A unique story bringing up questions of Artificial Intelligence and its role and path in our world today juxtaposed with themes of femininity and girlhood, and what it means to be a woman with a body and in a body. Gatwood asks readers to reflect on hard hitting questions on these themes but overall didn‘t punch as hard as I‘d have liked it to. The characters aren‘t very memorable. Would have loved for her to lean completely into the AI angle.

A strange little novel about resisting dominant social structures through a female protagonist who decides to stop eating meat and gradually
"devolves" further until she eventually wastes away, wishing to return to the earth as a tree. Graphic, violent descriptions, visually evocative. But overall didn‘t land as powerfully for me, perhaps something to do with the translation or because it leans toward fantastical which I typically don‘t enjoy.

A love affair that goes sour against the backdrop of the tumult of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The landscape of their relationship is mirrored in the political landscape of the time - tense, contentious, fragile, and fractured. Definitely a unique read and was wholly engaging. The writing style is engrossing.

A uniquely set up thriller with a few unpredictable turns and twists. Characters are really well written, with several of them never sitting quite right and leaving you questioning their motives and intentions. Ending is pretty open ended but I wish they‘d wrapped it up a little tighter. Narration on Audible is good with a full cast.

A book of short stories set in Mumbai, India, where the city is as much a character in each tale as any human being. An homage of sorts to the “maximum city” that is filled with poverty, crime, loss, but most of all hope and community. Written in the Kannada language, English doesn‘t seem to do justice to all the stories, but a few stories such as Interval, Gateway, Water really stand out in this collection.

A heartwarming coming of age novel of a protagonist who is faced with the damnedest odds throughout his life: poverty, grief, strife, drugs, but through it all integrity, grit, and love. First half is excellent and gets a little slow in the second half. Narration on Audible is really good. Well worth a read.

A riveting tale of dark academia, and murder, with an inquiry into the idea of ethics. Dark and mysterious, it follows the lives of 6 university students studying Greek literature, pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable in search of a loftier goal, until it all descends into evil. The writing is thoroughly engrossing, filled with references to literatures and texts from around the world. Utterly memorable.

A work of historical fiction written from the perspective of a communist spy working with the South at the time of the fall of Saigon. Traverses Vietnam, America and Philippines. The protagonist‘s confession and enlightenment under torture thereafter form the crux of the novel. The writing is superb but the story isn‘t as engaging as one would have liked.

A powerful (fictional) tale on domestic abuse written from first person POV . Very poetic and intellectual considering the everyday violence of being trapped in an abusive marriage in India where it is the norm for parents to support the abuser than the victim. Devoured in 2 sittings.

A beautifully written book on the history of mountains and mountaineering. MacFarlane has invested a great amount of research and emotion in writing this book and it is a must-have in every mountain-lover‘s library. The book delves into how mountains were perceived 200-300 years ago and traces the evolution of mountaineering in the West‘s imagination to the present day. A must read with exquisite prose.

A breezy read about book shops, books, and family dramas with the 25 y/o protagonist who finds herself in and amidst books at her uncle‘s second hand book shop, and through it creates an unbreakable bond with her uncle and aunt. There‘s no real story per se and the story that the author tries to create in the latter half deviates from the essence of the book. First half is quite nice. Narration on Audible is good.

An intimate story about two brothers with strained bonds working through grief in different ways after the passing of their father, while also in complicated and unconventional romantic relationships. A depiction of the different shades of masculinity. Rooney as usual relies on rich intertextuality and research to enhance the intellectuality of the novel. Repetitive in parts but a beautifully written work. Narration on Audible is excellent.

Life is nothing but a game of luck and chance. A moving generational saga weaving Korean and Japanese cultures, touching upon themes of love, loss, colonialism, colonial hangovers, change, identity, war, and so much else. Beautifully written with memorable characters. Leaves much to think about at the end. Great narration on Audible.

A non fiction book that chronicles profiles of some of India‘s prolific female athletes primarily in track & field. The book explores how they came to be “runners”, their motivations, struggles, and chronicles their personal journeys. I had a lot of expectations but it fell short of them as it doesn‘t add more value than a well written Wikipedia entry, and the book is also filled with typos. But a good read to learn about these remarkable women.

Rohinton Mistry‘s first book, a interwoven set of short stories that explore the everyday lives of people in one apartment complex called Firozsha Baag has Mistry‘s signature style of delving into the mundane lives of normal people and making something beautiful and poignant out of it. A tremendously talented writer, manages to evoke intricacies of human characteristics and relationships beautifully. I love his novels more but this was great too.

A complicated book following 12yo Yusuf sold by his parents for the repayment of their debt & follows his journeys emotional, metaphorical and geographical across the African continent as he grows up. A commentary on the social and power dynamics of Africa. Gives a view into the lives of those rarely discussed. But I found the narrative a tad cluttered so it didn‘t leave me with the impact I wished it did. But Gurnah remains an excellent writer.

Daphne Du Maurier‘s “Rebecca” is a spiralling story of angst, jealousy, love, hate, and is shrouded in mystery till the very end. The protagonist‘s ever-spiralling anxiety and insecurity with the plot twist that comes in 3/4th of the way makes for a suffocating, thrilling and all-consuming read. Exceptionally atmospheric with gothic undertones.

A compelling book on the emotional and mental lives of animals. Braitman uses lots of research and case studies to examine erratic and anxious behaviours of animals such as gorillas, dogs, bonobos, whales, dolphins, elephants, mice, and many other species. The point she tries to make is that the emotional afflictions affecting non-human animals is not that far apart from what we humans experience ourselves. Utterly readable and very insightful

A retelling of the Ted Bundy murders from the POV of (two) victims and their friends. This was an interesting book for sure, offering a unique perspective of using the victims‘ narrative without ever taking Bundy by name throughout the book. Part historical fiction part imagination. But I felt the author spread herself too thin with too many details and side plots that the punchiness of the novel dwindled as the book progressed.

A fantastic collection of Japanese short stories from across the past few decades across genders and themes. The book is divided into 7 themes under which stories are categorised. There are about 34 stories in total and not a single one is dull or similar to any other. Japanese writers are filled with wit and ingenuity and this book clearly depicts the range of talent to emerge from the country. Loved this book so much.

A domestic thriller filled with abuse, revenge, and murder. An engaging story filled with a few twists - although I found a number of plot holes. Great for folks new to this genre and has a little something for veterans too. Overall, it‘s a good fast-paced read. Audible narration is clear but relatively unexciting.

If power were never anything but repressive, if it never did anything but to say no, do you really think one would be brought to obey it? What makes power hold good, what makes it accepted, is simply the fact that it doesn‘t only weigh on us as a force that says no; it also traverses and produces things, it induces pleasure, forms knowledge, produces discourses.

Also, can we just dwell on how much FUN this book is to both look at & read? Thoroughly enjoying immersing myself in Japanese culture through the lens of no less than 30 different iconic Japanese authors! #japaneseliterature #japanwriting #readtheworld

New books Friday ♥️
Two very different reads but both that I‘m looking forward to whenever their turn comes! #readerlife #longlongtbr

A unique first person POV on what it is like to work at a crematory with (often graphic) details of dead bodies including details on embalming, cremation, etc. the book focuses on death rituals broadly but follows the author‘s own journey as someone who has worked in a mortuary for several years. Definitely interesting. The author‘s writing is engaging but she tries too hard to make jokes or be poetic. But definitely worth reading.

A fantastic day is one spent shopping for books at your local bookstore ♥️

A fantastic book that looks at the relationship between art and power in the age of social media and digital times. Covers themes such as gender, race, censorship, vandalism, social media activism, etc and tackles ideas of art and artistic works in relation to them and asks broader questions of power and how the landscape of art has changed over time in relation to power. Excellently researched, engagingly written, thoroughly interesting.

A fantastic biography of the luxury fashion brand Gucci from the time of inception to its many public battles, it‘s creative processes, and ofcourse the brutal murder of Maurizio Gucci by his ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani.
P.s the back cover sounds like the entire book is on the murder but it‘s not! It‘s primarily a book on the fashion business. If you like books on fashion, business and strategy this makes for a gripping read. Loved it.

A story that follows an abusive marriage with twists and turns throughout the narrative, with themes of adultery, cunning, and domestic abuse. The story is entertaining for sure, but after a while the twists become a bit repetitive. The characters are pretty boring. It‘s not fresh or new in any way. A good one-time read. On Audible, Julia Whelan narrates clearly but again, pretty monotonously.

Very intriguing writing using a theatre production of Hamlet to convey underlying meanings of the conflict in Israel-Palestine. But there are a lot of unnecessary details about the protagonist who btw is unbearably dull. The audiobook narrator is simply horrendous and I think I lost so much of the charm of this book because the narrator straight up botched the reading. Overall, interesting plot but please don‘t get the audio version on audible.

A bold story to have been written in the mid 1950s. It‘s a tale of homosexual love that, pressed by the times in which it plays out and ideas of masculinity that are held at the core, lead to the destruction of two lives with significant consequences. I wanted to love it more but sadly I didn‘t, but I think it‘s a courageous work that deserves to be widely read. So far though, I prefer Baldwin‘s non fiction work more.

A fast and gripping murder mystery investigated by the first female solicitor of Bombay in 1920s India (based on the first two female lawyer/solicitor(s) of India). Rich in highlighting Parsi and Muslim cultures, and the history of Bombay, the story is fast-paced, with careful attention to detail. Although I wasn‘t particularly astonished by the ending, I definitely enjoyed reading all 400 odd pages of the book.

A quirky tale of a woman whose life‘s mission and purpose is to be a convenience store worker. An indictment of Japanese (and Asian) cultures which value marriage and motherhood over career for women; and only ever particular types of careers over others. A strange and phenomenal tale of being yourself against all odds and against society‘s harsh judgments. Performance on audible is truly fantastic. A memorable read!

A comprehensive guide to understanding the Israel-Palestine conflict. Includes in-depth research and a complete history of the land, how the conflict began, its ensuing developments, the political involvement by United States and the West, and also includes references to the October 07, 2023 war. It is required reading for anyone interested in having an unfiltered, unbiased understanding of the crisis in Palestine, and of the 2023 war.

Set in socialist Poland in the height of uncertainty and political strife, this is a gay romance which is very tender & beautifully written. It explores themes of youth, love, choices, social climbing, and living an authentic life under totalitarian regimes. The language is stunning and visually evocative. A gem.

My first introduction to Shirley Jackson who I‘ve heard so much about! A set of 3 short stories where she offers no easy explanations or conclusions to the reader. An underlying sense of eerie-ness that persists even if we don‘t completely get what‘s going on. Great mindbenders. Definitely interested in reading more of her soon!

A profoundly difficult read because it holds up a mirror to what we all will inevitably face - old age, disease, death. It is an extremely powerful work filled with information and language that we need to learn in order to contemplate the decisions that come with our mortality and those of our loved ones. It can be terribly depressing in many parts and the futility of our lives overwhelmed me at times, but it is necessary reading for everyone.

A lovely book that‘s part memoir of a man who spent 10 years as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to cope with the grief of losing his older brother to cancer. Meditative, funny, charming. Perfect for art lovers, lots of inside references, artwork mentions, and overall a lovely read.

A layered, beautiful story of a lifelong friendship. An appropriate conclusion to a lifelong friendship that we follow through 4 books. In this we follow them into old age, between 1970s to the early 2000s. Filled with love, loss and strife. Ferrante has a compelling ability to infuse innumerable emotions into her writing, to bring out the beautiful but more importantly, the devastating and ugly parts of being alive. A brilliant series.

#currentlyreading two serious books on varied subjects, each a dire theme of the world today. Being Mortal gives me goosebumps and keeps me up at night, while History of Israel and Palestine is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the genesis and development of the current Israel-Hamas war.

A fictional story about a Syrian refugee couple making the perilous journey from Aleppo to UK. I liked the comparison with bees and beekeeping, and the bond between the protagonist and his cousin. But overall the story didn‘t sit well with me. First, because the female protagonist has no voice and her helplessness was frustrating. Second, the author writing this story in first person feels inauthentic given her own background. Overall, so-so.

Jhumpa Lahiri‘s writing flows like water. In this debut collection of short stories she explores the confusion and conflicts of adopting a home in a foreign land, of the internal complexities of love and marriage, of loneliness and comfort. Beautiful and subtle. She‘s a joy to read each time.

This is the third of the Neapolitan series where we follow Elena and Lila in their late 20s and early 30s. It is a book filled with chaos and disorder, narrating the violent politics of the 1970s and the characters‘ own inner violence. We read about loveless marriages and unusual relationships. We delve deeper and deeper into the lives of the two women and those whose lives are touched by theirs. The Neapolitan novels are a compelling journey

Inspired by the life of the painter Paul Gauguin, Maugham charts a fictional tale based in London, Paris, and Tahiti as we learn about the strange and provocative Charles Strickland.
I liked the first half but then the story started to drag and become repetitive. It is a book of its times and hence unnecessarily sexist and racist. Overall I was underwhelmed by this book.

For days when we feel blue or in need of a pick-me-up, this book is such a solace ❤️. one of my most favourite lines of poetry from Wendell Berry‘s writing, “I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.” Words to live by & a book that heals the soul.

I returned to my third reading of Joan Didion with The White Album. So far of the other two i had read I loved Year of Magical Thinking & so-so‘d Slouching Toward Bethlehem. I guess my third read also ended up so-so. I really enjoyed a few essays but for the majority this collection underwhelmed me. I was shocked at her essay deriding the women‘s movement & she certainly fell from grace in my eyes. Overall some essays were great but mostly not

Surpassing the first book of the Neapolitan novels, the second book introduces us to the two protagonists who are now coming of age: one trapped in a loveless abusive marriage as she tries to find small comforts and the other in pursuit of academic success and social approval. Incredibly layered and nuanced, we experience the ups and downs of their friendship with them. Can‘t wait to pick up the next in the series!