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maahi's Reviews (241)
This review may contain SPOILERS.
2.5 stars
(Please note that this review is ONLY for the book and the characters contained within the book, NOT for actual historical figures)
My only reaction is, what the hell did I just read? Having loved The Palace of Illusions, I’m shocked at how badly this is written.
First off, literally none of the main characters are likeable. I couldn’t connect with any of them. The King, for whom our narrator hopelessly falls for, is just impossible to like. He is so shocked that a woman can be smart that he just can’t believe it. He is obsessed with surrounding himself with beautiful women. He treats his many, many, many wives and concubines as literal trash. Thank God our narrator is beautiful, otherwise he obviously couldn’t marry her! Even the love story seems forced.
Our narrator, The Last Queen, who is thoroughly praised for her ‘rare blend’ of beauty with brains, proves to be an irrational ruler. Many of the decisions she takes are horrible, which she realises, but takes them anyway. When these terrible decisions backfire, she cries that she’s suffering simply because she is a woman. Now, I’m not denying that she had to be answerable for a lot of things that a male in her place wouldn’t be answerable for, but to put it all on gender and deny her complicity isn’t right.
Jawahar, who is shown as an adorable big brother, transforms into a character you simply can’t stand. Lal, a character who finally seemed likeable, turned out to be a coward and a traitor. Then he changed his mind! Pick a side, please!
Dalip, who is God’s perfect child, grows up to be a British puppet. Towards the end he somewhat changed his mind, but there isn’t enough character development to fully justify it. His character is left as a big grey blob. All the characters you do like play minor parts or are cut off abruptly, as in the case of Mangla.
The last 40 percent of the book is just British bashing. Although what is written is true, it doesn’t do anything for the novel.
The book is supposed to be about Rani Jindan’s life, yet the last chapters focus so much on Dalip that she becomes a secondary character. Her death feels less about her and more about her son. Even then, the book doesn’t offer a complete ending to either character. There is so much conflict unresolved that the book feels incomplete.
Despite not liking this book, I know that Chitra Banerjee is a fantastic writer and The Palace of Illusions continues to be one of my favourite novels ever. Waiting for her next novel eagerly.
2.5 stars
(Please note that this review is ONLY for the book and the characters contained within the book, NOT for actual historical figures)
My only reaction is, what the hell did I just read? Having loved The Palace of Illusions, I’m shocked at how badly this is written.
First off, literally none of the main characters are likeable. I couldn’t connect with any of them. The King, for whom our narrator hopelessly falls for, is just impossible to like. He is so shocked that a woman can be smart that he just can’t believe it. He is obsessed with surrounding himself with beautiful women. He treats his many, many, many wives and concubines as literal trash. Thank God our narrator is beautiful, otherwise he obviously couldn’t marry her! Even the love story seems forced.
Our narrator, The Last Queen, who is thoroughly praised for her ‘rare blend’ of beauty with brains, proves to be an irrational ruler. Many of the decisions she takes are horrible, which she realises, but takes them anyway. When these terrible decisions backfire, she cries that she’s suffering simply because she is a woman. Now, I’m not denying that she had to be answerable for a lot of things that a male in her place wouldn’t be answerable for, but to put it all on gender and deny her complicity isn’t right.
Jawahar, who is shown as an adorable big brother, transforms into a character you simply can’t stand. Lal, a character who finally seemed likeable, turned out to be a coward and a traitor. Then he changed his mind! Pick a side, please!
Dalip, who is God’s perfect child, grows up to be a British puppet. Towards the end he somewhat changed his mind, but there isn’t enough character development to fully justify it. His character is left as a big grey blob. All the characters you do like play minor parts or are cut off abruptly, as in the case of Mangla.
The last 40 percent of the book is just British bashing. Although what is written is true, it doesn’t do anything for the novel.
The book is supposed to be about Rani Jindan’s life, yet the last chapters focus so much on Dalip that she becomes a secondary character. Her death feels less about her and more about her son. Even then, the book doesn’t offer a complete ending to either character. There is so much conflict unresolved that the book feels incomplete.
Despite not liking this book, I know that Chitra Banerjee is a fantastic writer and The Palace of Illusions continues to be one of my favourite novels ever. Waiting for her next novel eagerly.
This anthology is a charming collection of poems centred around loss, death, grief, sadness and fear. Each poem is accompanied by a detailed analysis and the context in which it was written.
Edward Hirsch does a wonderful job in explaining the poems, but the analysis often overpowers the poem. It is often too unnecessarily detailed. The book goes from being a light read to an educational one, which is fine if that’s what you want although I would have preferred shorter insights.
The selection of poems is quite good though.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Edward Hirsch does a wonderful job in explaining the poems, but the analysis often overpowers the poem. It is often too unnecessarily detailed. The book goes from being a light read to an educational one, which is fine if that’s what you want although I would have preferred shorter insights.
The selection of poems is quite good though.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
“Do you think I am an automaton? — a machine without feelings? and can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! — I have as much soul as you — and full as much heart! And if God had gifted me with some beauty and much wealth, I should have made it as hard for you to leave me, as it is now for me to leave you. I am not talking to you now through the medium of custom, conventionalities, nor even of mortal flesh: it is my spirit that addresses your spirit; just as if both had passed through the grave, and we stood at God's feet, equal — as we are!”
The quote cited above is perhaps one of the best things I have ever read! I loved that Bronte shows Eyre as an independent and strong woman. Her character development is fantastic. I also loved that she doesn't magically transform into some goddess! But I think that the book falls flat towards the ending. She deserved better. Wayyy better!
Absolutely love the plot (for the most part) but the book is tedious to read at times.
Certain chapters are super super super boring.
The quote cited above is perhaps one of the best things I have ever read! I loved that Bronte shows Eyre as an independent and strong woman. Her character development is fantastic. I also loved that she doesn't magically transform into some goddess! But I think that the book falls flat towards the ending. She deserved better. Wayyy better!
Absolutely love the plot (for the most part) but the book is tedious to read at times.
Certain chapters are super super super boring.
I instinctively knew I was going to like the book when I saw the title and the cover. It just felt like something I needed to read, and I’m glad that I was a hundred percent right about it!
Litost is a collection of short or ‘sliced’ stories, as the author puts it. The thing with short stories that have deliberate indefinite endings is it can easily frustrate the reader. To satisfy yet leave the reader wanting more is a tricky balance and most writers will probably manage to get it in some stories but Samir Satam has beautifully managed to get it right in all the 12 stories in this collection.
It’s a short and crisp book with each story as different and fresh as the previous one, all held together by ‘litost’, which according to Milan Kundera, is “a state of torment created by the sudden sight of one's own misery.” ( The title is taken from Kundera’s book, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting. )
Absolutely loved this book! It's a book I wish I could write! I can’t wait to re-read it soon. What Did We Lose, A Trespasser and Until We Meet Again are my top three stories from the book!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Litost is a collection of short or ‘sliced’ stories, as the author puts it. The thing with short stories that have deliberate indefinite endings is it can easily frustrate the reader. To satisfy yet leave the reader wanting more is a tricky balance and most writers will probably manage to get it in some stories but Samir Satam has beautifully managed to get it right in all the 12 stories in this collection.
It’s a short and crisp book with each story as different and fresh as the previous one, all held together by ‘litost’, which according to Milan Kundera, is “a state of torment created by the sudden sight of one's own misery.” ( The title is taken from Kundera’s book, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting. )
Absolutely loved this book! It's a book I wish I could write! I can’t wait to re-read it soon. What Did We Lose, A Trespasser and Until We Meet Again are my top three stories from the book!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
I’ve already watched the full show (5 seasons) and I absolutely loved it! Decided to give the novels a shot and I really enjoyed the first novel. I did find the initial Miller chapters a little boring, probably because I knew the story. Nonetheless, the book is thoroughly gripping and wonderfully written.
The book follows Holden and his crew along with Miller, as they find themselves in the middle of a deadly war - a war that could potentially end humanity. The book is written from Holden and Miller’s perspectives, who are about as different as two people can be. I love that the book did not make these characters too one-dimensional in order to make them appear different - Holden is self-righteous but bearable, and Miller is an asshole who can be redeemed. I love the character development of Miller, it was beautiful and epic while still being believable!
This book is described as a ‘space opera’, mixing science-fiction with a noir murder mystery. It’s a refreshing take (at least to me) on sci-fi and I’m here for it!
The book follows Holden and his crew along with Miller, as they find themselves in the middle of a deadly war - a war that could potentially end humanity. The book is written from Holden and Miller’s perspectives, who are about as different as two people can be. I love that the book did not make these characters too one-dimensional in order to make them appear different - Holden is self-righteous but bearable, and Miller is an asshole who can be redeemed. I love the character development of Miller, it was beautiful and epic while still being believable!
This book is described as a ‘space opera’, mixing science-fiction with a noir murder mystery. It’s a refreshing take (at least to me) on sci-fi and I’m here for it!
“Why on earth
Is clarity such a tragedy
RIOT in my head
RIOT in my head”
- Mythological Crumbs by Ajay Patil
Mythological Crumbs is the debut poetry book by Ajay Patil. At 164 pages, it is a light and quick read. The book also features some of the writer’s original artwork.
The writer attempts to ‘manifest an experience’ which is quite an enormous task to undertake and I think it’s great that he undertook it.
Though the language is easy to understand, I felt that the book lacked refinement.
As it was a debut book, I can cut some slack to the writer but I felt that it needed a substantial amount of editing - both grammar and material wise. Overall, the book was lacklustre and tedious for me.
That being said, I do think that the author has promise and potential. Perhaps I can resonate with his next book much more than I did with this.
Is clarity such a tragedy
RIOT in my head
RIOT in my head”
- Mythological Crumbs by Ajay Patil
Mythological Crumbs is the debut poetry book by Ajay Patil. At 164 pages, it is a light and quick read. The book also features some of the writer’s original artwork.
The writer attempts to ‘manifest an experience’ which is quite an enormous task to undertake and I think it’s great that he undertook it.
Though the language is easy to understand, I felt that the book lacked refinement.
As it was a debut book, I can cut some slack to the writer but I felt that it needed a substantial amount of editing - both grammar and material wise. Overall, the book was lacklustre and tedious for me.
That being said, I do think that the author has promise and potential. Perhaps I can resonate with his next book much more than I did with this.
A fantastic, heartbreaking collection of poems.
Unlike anything I've ever read before.
A must read.
Unlike anything I've ever read before.
A must read.
One of the most weird, overhyped and senseless book I have recently come across. A desperate and pathetic attempt to sound intellectual.
Like this description for example:
"She is, I suppose, sexy in the way a triangle can be sexy, the clean pivot from point A to B to C, her body and face breaking no rules, following each other in a way that is logical and curt. Of course, in motion, when she turns and stoops to open the oven, the geometry is weirder."
What does this even mean?! Couldn't stop rolling my eyes. DNF at about 30%.
Like this description for example:
"She is, I suppose, sexy in the way a triangle can be sexy, the clean pivot from point A to B to C, her body and face breaking no rules, following each other in a way that is logical and curt. Of course, in motion, when she turns and stoops to open the oven, the geometry is weirder."
What does this even mean?! Couldn't stop rolling my eyes. DNF at about 30%.
3.75 stars
“You've got that eternal idiotic idea that if anarchy came it would come from the poor. Why should it? The poor have been rebels, but they have never been anarchists: they have more interest than anyone else in there being some decent government. The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all. Aristocrats were always anarchists, as you can see from the barons' wars.”
- The Man Who Was Thursday : A Nightmare by G. K. Chesterton
Hailed by many as one of the greatest novels ever written, this book is a metaphysical thriller that centres on seven anarchists in turn-of-the-century London who call themselves by the names of the days of the week. It is a novel of deception, philosophy, subterfuge, double-crossing and secret identities.
This book was a huge rollercoaster ride! The first couple of chapters were a complete delight. I found myself thoroughly engrossed, frantically highlighting some incredibly fascinating stuff, marvelling at the twists and on occasion, laughing out loud. Then it got predictable and tedious. I powered through the chapters and just when I had begun to enjoy the book again, it fell apart. Some of the twists felt so obvious to me that I’m shocked how people think of them as groundbreaking.
The ending was brilliant until it wasn’t. It went from being a fantastic thriller to being a confused bundle of biblical references. I don’t mind the anti-climatic ending, just wish it hadn’t been this ‘irritating’ (can’t think of any other word to describe it). I love the idea and the thought, but I think Chesterton went a little overboard with the allusions to Christianity.
Overall, I think it’s a pretty great book if you’re down for a mind-bending read. Some truly fascinating ideas. The ‘prince of paradox’ is insightful, hilarious and captivating…. until he upends into religion.
“You've got that eternal idiotic idea that if anarchy came it would come from the poor. Why should it? The poor have been rebels, but they have never been anarchists: they have more interest than anyone else in there being some decent government. The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all. Aristocrats were always anarchists, as you can see from the barons' wars.”
- The Man Who Was Thursday : A Nightmare by G. K. Chesterton
Hailed by many as one of the greatest novels ever written, this book is a metaphysical thriller that centres on seven anarchists in turn-of-the-century London who call themselves by the names of the days of the week. It is a novel of deception, philosophy, subterfuge, double-crossing and secret identities.
This book was a huge rollercoaster ride! The first couple of chapters were a complete delight. I found myself thoroughly engrossed, frantically highlighting some incredibly fascinating stuff, marvelling at the twists and on occasion, laughing out loud. Then it got predictable and tedious. I powered through the chapters and just when I had begun to enjoy the book again, it fell apart. Some of the twists felt so obvious to me that I’m shocked how people think of them as groundbreaking.
The ending was brilliant until it wasn’t. It went from being a fantastic thriller to being a confused bundle of biblical references. I don’t mind the anti-climatic ending, just wish it hadn’t been this ‘irritating’ (can’t think of any other word to describe it). I love the idea and the thought, but I think Chesterton went a little overboard with the allusions to Christianity.
Overall, I think it’s a pretty great book if you’re down for a mind-bending read. Some truly fascinating ideas. The ‘prince of paradox’ is insightful, hilarious and captivating…. until he upends into religion.
"Sometimes we don't know how much we love someone until we hurt them. We hurt the people closest to us. Then, looking at the depths of the wounds we inflicted ourselves, we realize how much we were loved."
- Is Love A Madness? by Bedrettin Simsek
Is Love A Madness is a well-crafted combination of poetry and prose. It offers interesting insights into love and jealously. It tells the tale of love poems that led to a death - was it a murder or an accident?
I loved the originality of the concept and the poems were charming. It’s an easy and short read, sure to keep you hooked.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
- Is Love A Madness? by Bedrettin Simsek
Is Love A Madness is a well-crafted combination of poetry and prose. It offers interesting insights into love and jealously. It tells the tale of love poems that led to a death - was it a murder or an accident?
I loved the originality of the concept and the poems were charming. It’s an easy and short read, sure to keep you hooked.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.