Independence

 Author : Chitra Divakaruni

I read this book a couple of months ago . Set against the political backdrop of the partition of India in 1947, the storyline follows the life of three determined and strong willed sisters who refuse to give up on their dreams even in the most turbulent of times . Bold Choices have consequences which have to be dealt with . Needless to say, there is a price to be paid . The storyline beautifully captures their agony , hardships and the unbreakable bond between them . The narrative is rich in literature interluded with poems by Rabindranath Tagore . It is a very fast paced book , gripping till the very end . Partition of India witnessed horrific atrocities with thousands killed ,women and infants tortured . This book lends a very powerful narrative to the violence and tragedy faced by many people in those dark times.

The three sisters are exposed to this violence and it takes a lot of grit to stand up to such brutal circumstances and pursue their dreams . I did feel bad for some characters in the book though. Without giving away anything , the strong willed characters seem to get what they want and the kinder characters had to pay a hefty price . But that will remain the way of the world unless kindness becomes a force by itself .

This is a book which should be read in the book clubs , there is a huge scope of discussion and debate on each character. There are lessons to be learnt , tears to be shed . But towards the end , we find ourselves celebrating the life of the three sisters , who have endured it all , and emerged stronger . Thank you Anamika Dutta for recommending this book .

Rating: 👍👍👍

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West with Giraffes

 Author : Lynda Rutledge

This is a long pending review on a book I loved the most . I did not want to hurry and wanted to pen it with leisure , taking my own sweet time .

A very compelling tale set in United States during the depression era, this story is based on real life events when two giraffes were transported from Africa to San Diego Zoo in 1938. The giraffes arrived on a battered ship surviving a hurricane at the New York Harbor and then were transported in a rig across the country to the zoo.

In the book , the characters who are transporting the giraffes are an old man and a Texan farm boy Woody , who had survived the dustbowl and lost his family and friends . He They are followed by a lady reporter who wants to make a mark for herself in the world of journalism covering the sensational tale . Each one of them has been through a traumatic past and are fighting their own inner demons .

But the limelight of the book is stolen by the giraffes , boy and the girl , as they are named by woody , two colossal majestic beasts , who maintain their composure even under extreme circumstances when everyone around them is loosing their wits .

Off they go on a road trip , Woody driving , with the old man in the passenger seat , facing challenges in each state , crossing them one after another . They encounter different type of perils in each one , the dark tunnels of Tennessee , the steep winding narrow roads of Smokies , the dust bowl of Oklahoma, flash flood of Texas . Wherever they go , people are in awe of the dignified beasts and welcome them with open arms.

In the narrator’s words , in all our lives , there are few episodes which are life changing . These instances will remain with us for the rest of our lives , which are otherwise mundane . You cherish those memories , which enrich your soul and mind and shape you into the person you are .

This book has the power to enrich the soul of the reader as well . After reading the book, there is a certain change , an understanding that there is more to life than the narrow mindset in which many of us live in . Any book with animals is enriching to the soul , and in this book, the two giraffes steal your heart and carry it away with them . It’s lost , forever .

The book establishes a very deep connection between human characters and animals , how much can be achieved if we decide to coexist rather than take control . The narration is beautiful and thought provoking, there are many instances where what the author says hits straight to the heart and makes you reflect on yourself .

It’s a larger than life kind of a reading experience. If you are an animal lover , like to read more about the history of America and have a penchant for adventure and road-trips , go for this book.

Personally , me and my family have gone to more than one zoo the past couple of months, spent quite some time at the Giraffe enclosure and have stared longingly at giraffes and tried to initiate a conversation with them . Magnificent creatures, the Giraffes !

Lynda Rutledge , take a bow !!

Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍

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Porter and Midge : Paws for Safety

I picked this book because of a personal experience , when my son went to pet a German Shepherd and got bitten . 

This book resonates with my experience and first things first , I made my son also read this book. Animals are adorable and it is never their fault when they growl , especially the pets . 

There is a way to approach the dogs, first ask the permission of the owner , understand their temperament and then pet the dogs according to how the owner instructs you to do .

In this book , Laura and CJ have two adorable pets , Porter and Midge . This book teaches the kids how to safely engage with the dogs in a very  interactive way . I wish there are more such books for kids to engage with the pets .

Midnight at the BlackBird Cafe

Author : Heather Webber

A heartwarming story about forgiveness, self discovery and finding peace , this book is as delectable as a dessert with the right amount of sweetness . The book has a typical hallmark setting , small town , cozy cafe , nice people , pretty gardens and most important of all , blackberry pies .

Anna Kate arrives at the town of Wicklow to bury her grandmother , who owned the blackbird Cafe . According to her grandmother’s last wishes, she has to run the cafe for 60 days before settling the estate .

But she gradually starts falling in love with the simplicity and the southern charm and finds herself seeking answers from the past , mending broken relationships and finding peace in the town her mother ran away from .

It is a very soothing and an easy read . Especially after a hard day, it’s good to pick up books like this to ease off the stress . I read it along with my book buddies a month ago and we all had an enjoyable buddy reading experience .

My rating: 👍👍👍👍

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All the Lights we cannot see (Netflix Limited Edition)

 It is indeed contradictory to write a review on All the Lights we cannot see, especially during the season of festival of Lights , Diwali, but yet, here we go.

I managed to watch this highly watched and much criticized limited Netflix series last week . The story is based on one of the most acclaimed novel of the decade with the same name, written by Anthony Doerr. Set in the times of World War II, the plot revolves around a blind French girl caught up alone in the town of Nazi invaded Saint Malo, and broadcasts hidden messages to the Allies on an illegal radio show every night. A German Nazi soldier Werner, who is a genius in intercepting messages , is tasked to find the illegal radio operators and destroy their resources. Their paths cross around the D-Day, when France is eventually rescued by the Allied forces. We would anticipate the French and Germans to be enemies, but these two had one thing in common.

In their childhood, they both listened to the broadcasts of a professor, who would send messages of hope and light to the kids in the times of war. So when they finally meet each other, there is more of a connection of hope than the animosity of war between them.

The book is a prolific piece of literature, it is poetry in the war times. It is the sheer magic of words and a lyrical read despite the atrocious times it is set in.

To make an adaptation out of it, is by itself a big deal. When the story is presented on the screen , it is obviously gloomy, the image we built up in our minds about the magical Saint Malo is shattered. The makers have taken a lot of creative liberty with the plot, thus deviating from the book by a large extent. The book had such brilliant lines, I wonder why the dialogues where so shallow. This coupled with some bland acting does make this series a melancholy watch.

But I ought not have the heart to bash it completely yet. It was a sincere effort, a lot of research has gone in making this series, a blind actress with no prior acting experience has been roped in to play the lead role. Aria Mia Loberti does a fantastic job as Marie-Laure. Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie are commendable in their roles and add great depth to their characters. And the movie , like the book, conveys the same message. In the midst of the darkness and horror of war, the "Light" refers to hope.

Perhaps, this season of Diwali and Thanksgiving, we should take this opportunity to look beyond what is perceivable to the eye, and pay attention to All the Light we cannot see. Be thankful and grateful for what we have, as in another part of the world, this very moment, there is more than one war going on. People are clinging on to their dear lives looking for a glimmer of hope, just to survive.

My Rating: 👍👍👍👍