Monday, October 23, 2017

The Shadow On The Stairs




Many years back, we had a courtyard in our house, and our bathroom was situated in the far corner of the courtyard (Some people in India still prefer to keep bathrooms away for hygiene purpose or whatever). We needed to come out of our rooms and walk through the courtyard to reach the bathroom.  
I was in school. While studying until wee hours at night, whenever I came out of my room and walked toward the bathroom, my grandmother, sleeping in the room next to mine, would call me asking questions like “Where are you going?” or “You are still awake?”.
 One day I asked her “Why do you ask me questions every single time I am out?”
 She said, “So that you don’t feel scared.”
I didn't feel scared , but it made me thinking. True that! Darkness, silence and solitude enhance the impact of fear. Why is it so? I wonder. When you hear someone's voice (er..human voice), you don't feel scared even in the complete darkness or solitude.
 It was 3:30 am. I woke up before the alarm. I had to take an important test, so I wanted to freshen up. I opened the door of my flat and came out in the open courtyard. There were four more flats that shared the same courtyard. It was moonlit night. No one was awake. Crickets were chirping, breaking the stunned silence of the night.

I approached the tap and started brushing. Suddenly, my eyes landed on the stairs of another flat nearby. A woman, wearing white, flowing dress, sat on the stair. My heart skipped a beat. 

This fear is a monster, always ready to overpower you. We need to handle it bravely. 

In this condition there could have been two options.

One: I would have panicked out of fear and raced towards my room, closing the door with a bang.

Two: I could have given my conscience some time to think and analyze.

I chose the second option. With throbbing heart I had an intent look at the woman. Who could that be at this hour? After a few seconds of analysis, I realized that the woman was actually my illusion. Moonlight, filtering through the pillars, landed on the stairs in a peculiar way that it created an impression of a sitting woman.

Had I chosen the first option, I would have believed for the rest of my life that I had actually seen a ghost!

In maximum cases, ghosts are illusion. It’s just a state of mind, sudden fear and panic that tend to overpower our conscience and we fail to comprehend things logically. 

What do you think? Share your moments of illusions. Or have you actually seen a ghost?

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Friday, October 20, 2017

Book Review: Breathing Two Worlds by Ruchira Khanna



Finished reading this thoughtful novel Breathing Two Worlds by Ruchira Khanna. The story of Breathing Two Worlds is about Neena Arya who goes abroad to fulfill her dreams and aspiration. She tries to mix well in the new world by adopting the new lifestyle and accent while having a live-in relationship with her boyfriend, Adan.

Sudden medical emergency strikes, and Neena heads home - to India - and her thoughtful boyfriend accompanies. And, here starts a challenging phase in Neena's life when she needs to balance the differences in the culture and mindset. How she manages breathing two worlds, balancing the differences? How does this medical emergency change the course of her life? You will have to read the book to know the answers.

First of all, I loved the title of the book. It's intriguing. The theme/plot is unique, thoughtful and realistic. People settled abroad have to face this tricky situation, I believe.

But, there are certain things that make this interesting plot a little plain. Considering the plot, I wish the story and situations were more imaginative. There is a scope for some witty/tricky situations as Adan belongs to a totally different country and culture, and he is visiting India/Neena's family for the first time. Sometimes, the situations seem hurried.

Talking about Adan - his character deserved more attention. The story revolves around Neena, and Neena only, however, I liked her character. She is caring, sometimes, practical and stern. I liked the way the author has portrayed an independent woman.

Also, I thought the dialogues could have been more interesting.

Overall, it was a thoughtful read. If you're looking for a light read, if you like family drama, if the theme of cultural difference interests you, you can pick this book.


I received this book from the author for an unbiased review.


Monday, October 9, 2017

What Ruins A Story? What Authors/Readers Have To Say




The world of story is a wonderland. If told well, you can live them. But, not all stories are wonderful. Why? What ruins a story?

In this post, I'll be sharing some expert views on this topic.  Before I start, I'd like to clarify that when it comes to my opinion, I'm talking as a reader.

So, let's get straight to the points.

Boring Writing Style:

Writing style is not just about lyrical prose, it's also about execution and the voice that connects the writer to the readers, and this connection is crucial. Once I was reading a Literary fiction by an acclaimed author. While the writing was flawless, I did not enjoy reading the book as it was too descriptive, without any what next factor.

Beautiful storytelling is about interesting writing style and smart execution. No matter how interesting the plot is, a story does not interest me if I don't like the writing style or if the story isn't executed well.

Lack of Research:

Madhuri Banerjee, one of the most popular Indian authors (of 8 books), says, 'Lack of research kills the charm of the story.'

When we think about research, we tend to believe that it is needed only for heavy or some specific genres. The truth is - research (however, different kinds of) is important and essential for even a common story. It makes the story authentic.

Recently, I read 'Empire by Devi Yesodharan', a historical fiction. Even though I was not fond of this genre, I liked this book for it's a very well researched book.

Too Many OR Minimal Dialogues:

Dialogues are important but too many, unnecessary dialogues are boring and immature. Characters don't have to say something about every single thing. Dialogues should be interesting and witty; must indicate or reveal something about the characters and situations, plus they should move the story forward.

When it comes to witty, interesting dialogues, I'd like to mention dialogues of Will Traynor from Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and Jugnu by Ruchi Singh (that I read recently, and loved! If you enjoy reading romances, read this book).

Poorly Fleshed Characters:

When you read a story, the characters are your companion. So, it's very important the you feel that special connection with the characters. 

Kavita Devgan, author of Don't Diet and an avid reader says, 'As a reader, if you don't feel for them or even against them are a kill joy. You should feel invested in the protagonist and even the sidekicks. Like in The Spy by Paulo Coelho, one lives the life of Mata Hari along with her. That's good story telling.'

Overdose of Information:

A Writer is telling the story, right. (Most of) The readers are not writers, right. But, readers are intelligent enough to grasp what the writer is saying. Trust your readers. Also, sometimes overdose of information acts as spoilers.

'When authors giveaway too much information for a reader to process and then proceed with the story; it takes away the joy of reading' says Namrata, author of Metro Diaries, editor and popular book reviewer.

Slow Pace:

Slow reads are not my cup of tea.There are many unfinished books on my bookshelf, mainly because most of them were painfully slow, and I couldn't manage.

'In my very personal opinion, lack of pace or slow actions, and lack of intrigue ruin a story,' says Saiswaroopa Iyer, author of mythological/historical fiction Abhaya and recently released Avishi.

Predictability:

When asked on Twitter, Swati Rai, popular book blogger said, 'Predictable endings ruins the joy of reading.'

Unpredictability is one of the most important ingredients of a story. However if told well, I can enjoy certain genres like love stories, even though predictable but unpredictability, of course, enhances the pleasure of reading.

When it comes to unpredictability, I'd like to mention Sriramana author of Frankly Spooking for the 'what next' factor in his stories.

Lack of Coherence:

Clarity of voice is important. And, even though it's fiction, it has to be plausible. 'With coherent narration, everything just snuggles in place,' says Deepa Govind, a reader and blogger.

That's all for now. What's your take? Share your views.






Monday, October 2, 2017

Book Review: One Enduring Lesson by Jamal Merchant



When it comes to choosing a book, two things attract me - Book cover and blurb. One Enduring Lesson by Jamal Merchant (Rupa Publications) has a captivating cover that offers a glimpse of lovely love story. However, this book can not be categorized as a love story.

One Enduring Lesson tells a thoughtful story of Rahul Saxena, son of an Indian father and British mother, who aspires to be a successful film producer. Out of job and rejected in love, Rahul decides to move ahead and leaves London to live in Mumbai to study film making. But, his life and Mumbai have different - some shocking, some enlightening - plans for him. He meets different women and eventually falls in love with one.

This book talks about the culture, people, lifestyle and challenges of  the city of dreams, Mumbai as Rahul (turned Radium) meets various people and bizarre situations.

How and why an aspiring film producer turns into 'Radium'? How he tackles the difficulties? Would he be able to complete his studies and become a successful film-maker? What about his love story? You will have to read One Enduring Lesson to find the answers.

Style/format-wise, One Enduring Lesson is a different book. It's somewhat a collection of inter-connected stories in the form of Rahul's different experiences in Mumbai. These stories or experiences cover almost every problem/issue of different parts of India. It reflects the social structure of our country.

Overall, it's a nice and thoughtful read, but the problem with this book is its writing style. The writing style overly follows the (reverse) rule, 'Tell, Don't Show'. The writing fails to build up the intrigue, which is sad because there are some intriguing elements in the story. Also, Rahul, the main protagonist seems to have instant and foolproof solutions to everybody's problems except his own problems. It was a tad annoying and impractical.

One Enduring Lesson is a tale of the undying human spirit of survival against all odds (Quoted from the blurb). If you are looking for a light yet thoughtful read, go for it.

About the author: Jamal Merchant came to England from Tanzania, East Africa, in 1972, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1976. He then settled in London where he is now self-employed as a property finance broker. Jamal has travelled widely including to India, China, Egypt, USA, Canada and the Middle East. His interests include reading, current affairs, movies and cricket. One Enduring Lesson, a love story based in India, is his debut novel.


I received the book from the publisher for an honest review.