Us against you is a sequel to ‘Beartown’ where Backman continues his story of an entire town in free-fall. It is my 4th book from Backman and what's consistent across all is his beautiful writing. It is so fascinating because I have smiled and cried within the span of a single sentence. That is Fredrik Backman for me in one line. ...
A Gentleman in Moscow written by Amor Towles is a story that may be highly relatable in today’s scenario of COVID-19 lockdown. Just like so many of us all over the world, Count Alexander Rostov was confined to a single location. The difference is that the location was The Metropol Hotel in Moscow. However, there was another catch. He was confined i.e. put on house arrest for the remainder of his life (he was ~33 at the time). Not just that, there was also the threat of death if he stepped out of the hotel ever again. Set in 1922, the story of Count Rostov moves along as he lives the rest of his days in the Hotel. While in the background, the story of a nation also moves along. It never takes centre stage but rather intersects with the Count's life in a very natural manner. ...
It has been 35 years since The Handmaid’s Tale was published, and fans have been waiting that long to know what happened to Gilead. In 2019, Margaret Atwood published The Testaments as a follow up to The Handmaid’s Tale. Much to the demands of the readers, The Testaments does offer closure of sorts, even if it is wrapped in Atwood’s quintessential style with a climax that is nail-biting, yet somehow leaving you asking for more. ...
For the last month or two, I have been trying to read and experience different styles in the fiction genre. While they are not strictly something I enjoy as much as fantasy fiction, I am happy that I have begun to widen my range. It started off with Forty Rules of Love, then came Handmaid’s Tale and the last one was Normal People. Tinted Tales is another book that is far from my usual taste. Written by debutant author Akanksha Shukla, Tinted Tales is a collection of 10 short stories that take you back to your childhood and make you reminisce that wonderful time, full of hope and dreams. Each story has its own particular setting but as you go on, you start to see the author’s stamp in all of them. ...
The story of Connell and Marianne, Normal People is a yo-yo of emotions as they continue to come close, and then, part aways. It is a fine example of how two people can know each other so well, and yet, completely miss the most obvious signs. A series of such misses ensures that Connell and Marianne never have it steady. ...
