Books

Book Reviews

  • X: X-factor in Books

    There are good books. There are great books. And then there are those books which stay with us in our minds, the ones we return to without quite knowing why, the ones that feel less like stories and more like experiences. What separates them? It’s tempting to say strong plot, beautiful writing, or memorable characters. But if…

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  • R: Romance of Re-reading

    There is a certain kind of magic that belongs only to second chances. The kind we rarely get in life, but find, quietly waiting, in books. Re-reading to me, has always felt like stepping into a familiar room where the light falls just as you remember, yet somehow softer, kinder, more illuminating. The first time…

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  • Sometimes, when you are reading a book a sentence just takes you by surprise. It may not change your life instantly but it stays with you and shapes your thinking each day. A few quotes that I like: “It is our choices… that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Harry…

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  • N: Narrators and Trust

    When we start reading a story, we read it from the perspective of the narrator. Whether it’s a third person or first person narrator, the story is bound by them. It is they who introduce the characters, tell us about everything that’s going on and keep our interest to the maximum. There are of course…

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  • There is a specific kind of magic that doesn’t require a wand or a secret platform at a train station. It’s the kind of magic that exists in the steam rising from a perfect cup of tea, the way a certain song can make the air feel heavy with memory, the way certain pages transport you…

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  • Why I Like Japanese Fiction

    The first Japanese book I read, translated to English, was The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino. I had heard and lot about this book and so gave it a go and was I in for a ride. The story is about a mother and daughter, Yasuko and Misato who accidentally kill Yauko’s ex-husband…

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  • To: The Writer’s Block RE: Termination of Service – Get Out Well, it has been an interesting run, hasn’t it? Full of staring contests with a blank page or a blank screen and the persistent, low hum of doubt. But honestly, this relationship is not working for me. I have realized you are not some…

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  • Book Review: Pachinko

    Wars are declared by those in power who are looking to conquer more, fought by soldiers and the price is paid by the common folk whose lives are destroyed by these wars. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is story of one such family affected by war and it’s aftermath. Spanning a period of 80 years,…

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  • Elizabeth Zott is a chemist, single mother, unwed, a rower, and out of job. It is the United States of 1960s and women in STEM is a largely uncommon phenomenon. She’s different, quirky, odd, straightforward, honest, a feminist, intelligent, fighter, survivor, and a brilliant scientist who is brave enough to fight for her rights and…

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  • Settling down with a book is more than just decoding words on a page, isn’t it? It can be a truly immersive experience, almost a meditative state. Doesn’t it take you into a Zen-like state. Think about it: when you truly lose yourself in a book, the outside world fades away. The dishes waiting in…

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