This is my first attempt to review books. I had done analysis of Ayn Rand Books in past and also compared GA and PL school of thoughts and have shared my enjoyment of P G Wodehouse stories. I have appreciate language of Raja Shiv Chatrapati and memories of Mryutunjay, Swami. Though they might not be classic in literature, II have been highly impressed by the Intrigue of Dan Brown In Da Vinci Code, logic of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Thrills by Foresyth, Ludlum , legal drama of Grisham, medical crimes by Robin Cook, Scifi of Asimov. On classic I read Charles Dickens, R L Stevenson, Shakespeare (language was tough),
On my review style I will first explain plot and then render my opinion. I have chosen Indian Authors in International stage as that's what we need Indian Author to write globally. But They should not try to sell Poverty in India or Use Underworld/Bollywood combo. These books though end up in same line.
A Distant Heart : By Sonali Dev
Plot:
Her name means “miracle” in Sanskrit, and to her parents, that’s exactly what Kimaya is. The first baby to survive after several miscarriages, Kimi grows up in a mansion at the top of Mumbai’s Pali Hill, surrounded by love and privilege. But at eleven years old, she develops a rare illness that requires her to be confined to a germ-free ivory tower in her home, with only the Arabian Sea churning outside her window for company. . . . Until one person dares venture into her world.
Tasked at fourteen-years-old with supporting his family, Rahul Savant shows up to wash Kimi’s windows, and an unlikely friendship develops across the plastic curtain of her isolation room. As years pass, Rahul becomes Kimi’s eyes to the outside world—and she becomes his inspiration to better himself by enrolling in the police force. But when a life-saving heart transplant offers the chance of a real future, both must face all that ties them together and keeps them apart.
As Kimi anticipates a new life, Rahul struggles with loving someone he may yet lose. And when his investigation into a black market organ ring run by a sociopathic gang lord exposes dangerous secrets that cut too close to home, only Rahul's deep, abiding connection with Kimi can keep her safe—and reveal the true meaning of courage, loss, and second chances.
Infused with the rhythms of life in modern-day India, acclaimed author Sonali Dev’s candid, rewarding novel beautifully evokes all the complexities of the human heart.
Tasked at fourteen-years-old with supporting his family, Rahul Savant shows up to wash Kimi’s windows, and an unlikely friendship develops across the plastic curtain of her isolation room. As years pass, Rahul becomes Kimi’s eyes to the outside world—and she becomes his inspiration to better himself by enrolling in the police force. But when a life-saving heart transplant offers the chance of a real future, both must face all that ties them together and keeps them apart.
As Kimi anticipates a new life, Rahul struggles with loving someone he may yet lose. And when his investigation into a black market organ ring run by a sociopathic gang lord exposes dangerous secrets that cut too close to home, only Rahul's deep, abiding connection with Kimi can keep her safe—and reveal the true meaning of courage, loss, and second chances.
Infused with the rhythms of life in modern-day India, acclaimed author Sonali Dev’s candid, rewarding novel beautifully evokes all the complexities of the human heart.
Nayakgiri: Author captures the reader’s interest in back and forth foray into time in flash back mode. She successfully builds characters like politician, his religious wife detached from family, the orphan Cop and his family. The underworld part is portrayed in balanced unlike many contemporary authors. The heart transplant issues and details have been depicted in correct manner. Only downside is she eats up many pages with some silly romantic thought process of the girl which at least I cannot correlate with as I found the issues raised by girl as non issues and unnecessarily vague. And the pages and pages of this dilutes the punch of the main plot.
State of Freedom: By Neel Mukherjee
Plot
Can we transform the possibilities we are born into? A State of Freedom wrests open the central, defining events of our century: displacement and migration. Five characters in very different circumstances—from a domestic cook in Mumbai to a vagrant and his dancing bear—find the meanings of dislocation and the desire to get more out of life.
Set in contemporary India and moving between the reality of this world and the shadow of another, this novel of multiple narratives—formally daring, fierce but full of pity—asks the fundamental question: how does one imagine the ways one can live in the world, or even outside it?
Set in contemporary India and moving between the reality of this world and the shadow of another, this novel of multiple narratives—formally daring, fierce but full of pity—asks the fundamental question: how does one imagine the ways one can live in the world, or even outside it?
Nayakgiri
This is a sad novel with no apparent content apart from glorifying Bengali cuisine, and making in-coherent observation about poverty in India. It does not add any informative value or emotional recognition with at least majority Indian readers. The characters are developed in very arbitrary manner. The story with the bear tries to have some twist at the end but its kind of letdown after nothing happening in at least hundred pages into the story. The maid servent stories do lack interest. Taj story is random with unnecessary description of Mughal stories. Only positive aspect about this book is down to earth motif and real life characters.
The Golden House: By Salman Rushdie
The story of the powerful Golden family is told from the point of view of their Manhattanite neighbour and confidant, René, an aspiring filmmaker who finds in the Goldens the perfect subject. René chronicles the undoing of the house of Golden: the high life of money, of art and fashion, a sibling quarrel, an unexpected metamorphosis, the arrival of a beautiful woman, betrayal and murder, and far away, in their abandoned homeland, some decent intelligence work.
Invoking literature, pop culture, and the cinema, Rushdie spins the story of the American zeitgeist over the last eight years, hitting every beat: the rise of the birther movement, the Tea Party, Gamergate and identity politics; the backlash against political correctness; the ascendency of the superhero movie, and, of course, the insurgence of a ruthlessly ambitious, narcissistic, media-savvy villain wearing make-up and with coloured hair.
In a new world order of alternative truths, Salman Rushdie has written the ultimate novel about identity, truth, terror and lies. A brilliant, heartbreaking realist novel that is not only uncannily prescient but shows one of the world’s greatest storytellers working at the height of his powers.
Invoking literature, pop culture, and the cinema, Rushdie spins the story of the American zeitgeist over the last eight years, hitting every beat: the rise of the birther movement, the Tea Party, Gamergate and identity politics; the backlash against political correctness; the ascendency of the superhero movie, and, of course, the insurgence of a ruthlessly ambitious, narcissistic, media-savvy villain wearing make-up and with coloured hair.
In a new world order of alternative truths, Salman Rushdie has written the ultimate novel about identity, truth, terror and lies. A brilliant, heartbreaking realist novel that is not only uncannily prescient but shows one of the world’s greatest storytellers working at the height of his powers.
Nayakgiri:
I was impressed heavily by Salim Sinai in Midnight’s Children. The analogy and chronology of events in his life and their interwining with events in India was amazingly delivered in Midnight’s Children. The class, genre, language were so great. Rushdie tried to recreate the magic in The Golden House with sequences in USA though for a very limited time span of Obama’ s swearing in, 2008 financial crisis and ends with Death of main character on same day as Joker wins his battle with Super woman. The language is flowing. The characters are under cooked and their nomenclature is mysterious. Introduction of narrator and his influence in story is confusing. What he wanted to say in those characters and represent is not yet understood at least by me with my limited sense and exposure. The oldest kid is having alternate life as mobile games creator, the middle kid though claimed as a Casanova and an artist on both fronts there is big darkness. The youngest one has sexually confused identity . The fact that he being step brother of other two has not been elaborated as it should have. The father and his underworld role is cliche across many film, books and movies. The movie making concept during election and portrayal of battle between Super women and Joker has been done wonderfully which has parallel in reality. One more issue which should be the main subject of discussion is the use of analogies, comparisons and references to almost all of the classics in literature, arts , movies during the narration of the story by narrator. I wonder if any classic has been left out. Question is if the use of these reference covering many pages of the plot is correct. Does it cater to author’s superiority complex and ego or if its really require to build narrator’s character which itself is confusing. With many flaws its an interesting read.
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