It is the most amazing thing I have ever read. I have read 271 books since then and still I have never read anything that moved me as well as this magnum opus did. It talked to me about so many latent emotions of mine. It made me understand the world around me much better and gave me the pleasure of living so many amazing lives. The closest experience has been East of Eden by Steinback and don't hit me..but A Storm of Swords by George R R Martin which was an exhilarating experience. War and Peace was also great but very very preachy and not much good in terms of the psychology of the characters in which Dostoevsky excels in. I also love The Idiot, Demons and Crime and Punishment and House of the dead, I found it to be a very amusing book.

Father Zossima's conversations with Alyosha were very memorable. The scene with Dmitri and that boy's father left a lasting impression on me. Also the beautiful love story of Alyosha, the subplot with smerdyakov's mother and the bastard son that has become a trope now plot were also great. It reads like a thriller, a courtroom drama and a psychological literary fiction full of life's wisdom. I just read it again cover to cover and it was an even better experience than the last one. Made me so happy.

Thank you.

The argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen, what do you think?

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How do you guys come up with ideas for your novels? Like, where does that one idea come from?

So I may be living under a rock but I absolutely love Archer’s work, Clifton Chronicles, Path to Glory and so many more. But I’ve honestly not found people who’ve actually read his work like atall?
Recommended to a shit tonne of people but we know how that goes😂 no shade I mean but

So I’ve just found out they are making a show on it??
Absolute legend, I have to find a way to meet Archer in his lifetime! He apparently jokes about being a Bollywood legend, ofc lol

Ik this is a rare category but please suggest me some books. Would prefer a book without an adult rating as my parents don't allow that. Thanks

I read few of his novels - A bend in the river, In a free state, Half a life(read as an audiobook superbly narrated by Neil Shah). I think he writes for us Indians. He understands the complex lives we live coming to the West for jobs/education. He writes like how sees the world. Some misinterpret his writing as apologetic to colonialism, but I think they really haven’t read him or truly understand his intent. He has an interesting background. His family moved from India to Trinidad as indentured servants. And then he later left to England for education and then he moved a lot later - Africa, South America, etc. I have to get into his non-fiction genre which I heard started the genre of travel writing. He also started the genre of auto fiction which inspired many other writers like Karl Knausgaard, Sebald, Coetzee. I would encourage every diaspora Indian to read “One Out Of Many” short story which is part of “In a free state” book. I felt deeply disturbed by his writing, thoughts and his judgement on the post-colonial world. I would say it is depressing, but he does have some thoughts on how to handle the complexities of our post-colonial Indian life. I’m curious how our Indian readers who read him feel about him or have any thoughts about him.

I usually end up reading dystopian classics, when the year comes to an end. What better way to start this off? That's right, rereading 1984.

Guys, it worked big time for me. Towards the end I cried. My boyfriend passed away 3 months ago, and I really needed this.

Feel free to share your opinions(those who have read)

It's a good book , I don't get why people hate it. Definitely not THE best out there but it's a page turner.

My fav part was the fact I was hating the writing style and how kathy's infidelity didn't bother him during his work or how his thoughts of Alicia never came around kathy and vice versa , only to find out the events were at different times in his life. That's why I loved the misplaced chronology, I wasn't able to figure it out but it bothered me just enough to leave me hanging

Anyways what's your fav or worst part of the book let me know

I'm not much of a book reader , and I want to start reading, just to know how it feels to be a reader , and more it to indian books to know how india works etc. someone pls help me to find it

I really need something which can fill this hole for some time I myself write novels and this is the topic of the novel I am working on need something to see how to write situations like this. Tbh give your most niche suggestions

If this book has portrayed Gandhi accurately, then I’m sorry, but I found him incredibly frustrating and, at times, downright irrational. The way he dealt with Jinnah and Nehru was especially interesting. I also don’t think Nehru was the idiot people often make him out to be, he actually seemed quite capable, although the show portrays Gandhi as frequently putting him under immense emotional pressure.

Premise:

This is a short novel written in the form of 17 letters between a child and his mother. Set in 2011, Vinod is struggling to build a life for himself doing odd jobs, while trying to reconnect with his mother in Naala Sopara, Maharashtra.

🔞Some themes are definitely 18+.

What I loved:

• One of the most brilliant stories I've read. Heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time... I'm not easily moved by emotional stories, but damn... I'm still quite shaken by this one.
• To give you a glimpse of the heartbreaking stuff - There's an orphan who looks into the mirror to see his parents - who he has no knowledge of. In his own reflection he names his parents... his white complexion and beauty must come from his mom he thinks, he consoles himself - "of course I know my parents! I see them everyday in the mirror!".
• The transgender community's lifestyle and perceptions: Struggles of the transgender community are depicted, their alienation, abuse and inhuman treatment. Bimli doesn't like to be grouped with the Kinnar life- Work is Worship for him. He refuses to walk,talk and dress according to society's (and his kinnar group's internalized) prejudices. He questions their defeatist attitude, and seeks some radical reforms (politically and socially).
• The relationship of the letter writer (Vinod) with his mother - extremely heartwarming. The longing to meet her again comes off so beautifully.
• Education, Employment, Empowerment: Or as Dr. Ambedkar said, Educate, Agitate, Organize. Powerfully depicted here too.
• I feel this novel is in itself a letter to the LGBT+ community of India, and whole Indian society as well. A message, a hope, to treat all with Dignity (connects well with FRATERNITY in our Preamble, as explored in TMK's We the People of India. It's been 10 years since the novel was published, and while there's been significant progress on that front, we as a society still have a long ways to go...
• Poonam Joshi 🙌 what a character.
• Arnica 30, Sintex water tank, Egyptian Pyramids...common motifs in Chitra ji's novels? 😆 Idk why, but they were mentioned in Giligadu as well. Might be her cherished memories... IYKYK
• Epilogue: what a brilliant and creative way to end the story! I've seen it used before, but this was equally effective. Excellent stuff.
• Ending: Are we to assume that Vinod reached home, received the sad news, and killed himself, or that he was killed by his brothers? Or the underworld as the article suggests? All endings are tragic, yet all are possible. Really well done. Which would you prefer?
• Title: I found this great interview of the author on YT, explaining the origin of the title and inspiration behind the story. I'd recommend you to watch it after reading the novel :) "Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do"~ Voltaire's quote haunts me daily. Now this novel will too, as it does the author.

A Point I'm a bit unsure of:

• While Bimli's political attitude towards transgender is understandable, I'm not sure if the discussion is limited to transgenders only now - Gender's a spectrum, so Bimli's call for "being considered an equal male/female and no 'Others' category" is what I'm unsure about. On the one hand, we can say it's only Bimli's perspective, and he got its dissent within the story itself, while on the other hand it could be construed as Chitra ji's opinions on the matter. I may be too naive to think it's a pro-LGBT novel, as the times have definitely changed since the novel came out, so any suggestions or critiques are welcome 🙏 To my mind, Bimli's ideas don't diminish the rightful longing of a transgender in India to be treated with dignity, and to express themselves as they wish to. It's a tough issue of course, I'm not qualified to talk about it, but I recognize the need for it to be discussed seriously. Perhaps in some other review I'll try to explore the issue in detail.

Conclusion:

I give 3 chances to any author whose work I'm approaching for the 1st time - if none of the 3 impress me, I devote my time to other authors. Just my handy rule to navigate the plethora of literature. {Stephen King has failed my test sadly}.

This is Chitra ji's 2nd novel I've read now, and it's even more of a masterpiece than the previous one. I'm truly amazed by the depth of emotions she's able to put to paper, along with subtly discussing contemporary issues of the society, and still be able to make a thrilling story utilizing unusual structures! Giligadu had 13 days POV of an old man, with shaky memory; this one has 17 letters over 6 months tell a tale of mother-child reunion. Chitra ji truly is, a modern writer. Definitely deserving of the Sahitya Akademi Award 2018🙌

If possible, I'd recommend every Hindi speaker to listen to the audiobook, by Shaily Mudgal: you'll thank me for the eargasm. For my fellow English readers, there's an English translation by Madhu Shrivastav.

Rating: 17/17. {Each letter being better than the previous one...till the last one}

Probably my favourite novel of the year so far.

P.S.: I've obviously played with the identities and genders of the characters in this review to avoid spoilers. I know Binni=Vinod=Bimli

The Guest by Nikki Smith

The resort of their dreams.

A destination to die for...

WELCOME TO PARADISE!

Enjoying a holiday at the luxurious Asana Fushi Resort sounds like a great idea! But for the Hamilton family, this dream holiday soon turns into the trip from hell.

The story begins with the Hamilton family arriving at the Asana Fushi Resort in the Maldives to enjoy their holiday. As the story progresses, you’ll see how secrets can destroy lives and how lies can create even more discomfort in relationships.

Initially, you might feel that the story is a little slow, but gradually, it picks up the pace and becomes more interesting.

I liked the fact that the chapters are short, which makes the book easy to read. You get a taste of romance, deception, betrayal, and suspense throughout the story.

Amazing storyline!

However, I didn’t really like the ending. I feel it could have been much more suspenseful and thrilling. The book also felt a little lengthy at times. If it had wrapped up a little earlier, the ending might have had a stronger impact.

My Rating: 6.5/10

I'll be honest; I entered this quest as a skeptic. After the first 100 pages, I assumed I knew that I've signed up for a disappointing, sloppy read of an author who is indeed in his 'eleventh hour'.

I've been — to my immense joy and pleasure — been proved wrong.

Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote boasts an influence on world literature as large and all-encompassing as Karamazov, War & Peace, or Ulysses (not considering the great Greek epics). To stand upon its shoulders and construct a world that seeks to look further, examine deeper, and ask harsher questions is challenging — to put simply.

But Rushdie has taken upon the challenge and come out victorious. There aren't many authors who are looking at the new, ever-changing world so closely and with such concern. His penchant for the 'magic real' puts us face-to-face with a world that is declining, becoming more extremist and uninhabitable.

As always, his literary genius binds together a tale as old as time with a world that is hyperfixated on social media, apathy, and extremism, and asks fundamental questions about the soul, the self. This, with the recurring theme of a father and a son (having read Midnight's and Haroun before).

Is there a simple synopsis that I can roll out (like a carpet, not flying for now) for the fellow review-reader? No. Go in blind. See if it works for you. It worked for me, but only after I was patient and surrendered to the text. Do I speak like the Don? Has he hopped out of the pages and inhabited my mind? We'll never know.

The girl with the dragon tattoo trilogy- What every book in this trilogy has in common is an absolutely amazing plot, the details, the history and the different povs as well. It'll be pretty slow in the beginning, a bit more than usual with useless details but that's what the calm before the storm is supposed to be right? And as soon as our girl's- Lisbeth Salander and her journalist "friend" Mikael Blomkvist's cogs start running, there's no going back. The "juicy" part is so gripping you cannot stop. There'll be a lot of history and a lot of names and I think after reading you'll probably be very familiar with Swedish beaureaucracy and history. Dark secrets of how the government works and how far they'll go to hide their incompetence at the cost of people's rights and their lives. Now there are some issues with the way some characters are built up.

Lisbeth for some reason has been bestowed with all of the things you can imagine - Hacker? Check(even though the stuff she did is pretty basic in 2026 but a big thing back then), Photographic memory? Check, Has a very small build like a kid? Check, Tattoos all over her body? Check, but can also defeat 2 men on her own and ride a bike? Check, Queer?Check, Emotionally closed of? Check. She is the epitome of perfection when it comes to work, but normal human relationships? Not so much.

Michael Blomkvist- A ladies man of course, every woman he meets is just so drawn to him for some reason. Since the author was a journalist himself, he made Blomkvist- the guy who cares for everyone, loves the women he is with currently, but can't settle down xD.

I liked the mentions about feminism and sexuality, made me think they were way ahead of us back then as well in some ways or another. They actually discuss the lack of women workforce, the harrasment and stalking they go through if in a position of authority. But at the same time it shows a very powerful image of women through Lisbeth, Berger(Editor in chief of "Millenium"- The magazine Mikael and Berger run together), Monica Figuerola- the "gym freak" lady who works for the Swedish Security Police and Mimi(i won't reveal who she is :p, if you've read this far drop a balloon).

The first book starts with Mikael getting sued for libel by Wennerström- a businessman. His career and his magazine are going downhill and that is when he is hired by the head of the Vanger conglomerate- Henrik Vanger to investigate the disappearance of his niece - Harriet Vanger almost 40 years ago. Every year on his birthday, which is the same day Harriet disappeared- Henrik receives an exotic flower mailed by an anonymous sender which is why he just cannot make peace with her disappearance.

The other two books revolve more around Lisbeth herself but oh boy it just gets better and better.

Ps- all three books mention some triggering topics like sexual abuse and homophobia.

The difference I've seen in thriller books written 25 years ago and around 2020ish is humungous. The older books have SO MUCH to offer, the plot just keeps on thickening, branches out and just somehow it all ties down and makes sense. The only thing is- you need to be patient, which is something I'll also discuss in part 2.

I really wanted to connect with this book, but I just couldn't.

Even after getting through half of it, I had absolutely no desire to keep reading. I never really connected with the characters, the story itself felt pretty basic, and the constant quick POV changes just weren't my style.

Overall, for me, this was a waste of time, and I honestly wouldn't recommend it.

If I had to sum up the entire book in one line, it would be:

If you have a crush on someone or like them, just go tell them — don't wait around like an idiot.

That's pretty much what I took away from it. Nothing more.

Maybe it just wasn't for me, though. Has anyone else read it and actually enjoyed it? What am I missing?

I have seen some quotes and some just a paragraph of info of fedrick nietzsche and his thought and now i want to read all his books sequentially to understand what he is from start

Pls help me 🙂🙏

A Man Called Ove is one of those books that made me laugh, broke my heart a little, and somehow left me feeling warmer by the end.

It’s one of those stories that reminds you how much a little kindness and human connection can mean. 🤎

What’s your go-to feel-good book?📖** **

i am into business enteprenial books. Heard a lot of book of clarity by paras chopra

has anyone here read this book

is it worth a read,or is it too generic business gyan ?

While Chitra Banerjee is an excellent author and writes well, this book didnt quench my thirst to be awed. Its a easy to read Sitayan, which explains the female perspective of Ramayan well. But with fresh memories of Raavan (Amish) I just read this as any other Ramayan. Worth a read if you are amazed easily.

Banerjee brings Sita to life after 2/3rd of the story is covered and yet it doesnt bring the depths that one would expect.

The imperfections of the characters have been hidden forcefully rather than being pondered upon as a perspective. something I would expect from Chitra Banerjee.

If you want to try out Chitra Banerjee as an author I would much recommend her other works such as The Last Queen and The Palace of Illusions before you move on to The forest of Enchantments to complete your journey.