I’ve been planning to read this book for more than 8 months and am so glad that I could pick it up now. It is a lovely and delightful book tackling serious issues with apparent ease. The character development of Linus (the Case Worker with meticulous precision in note-making) and even Arthur (the master of the orphanage) are wonderful.
The setting is my all-time favorite, a home in a forest island near the sea. Though the entire book doesn’t take place here, the crux of the story unfolds in the cerulean sea. The inmates of this house are rather unique. In fact, they are different even from the different beings.
A lonely Linus blooms and gains confidence when he finds people who love him for who he is. The magical kids, too, grow and become confident and compassionate, thanks to Arthur and Zoe. Arthur has his own secrets that could come between him and Linus.
With the Extremely Upper Management of the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth putting more pressure on Linus to do what they want, we see how he tries to come to terms with what his heart says and what his mind says.
I love how the story unfolds, one step at a time. There’s a bit of rambling when Linus gets going, but since it provides us more insight into his character, I don’t mind.
The writing is easy to read (and I did my best to ignore the liberal sprinkling of adverbs) throughout the book.
The children are a treat to know. Each of them has a defined personality, and the author did justice to them all. However, Talia, the lady gnome, and Lucy, the Antichrist, continue to be my favorites. I should have loved Phee more for being a forest/ earth spirit, but somehow these two held my attention more. Lucy is a charming little brat, and I confess to falling in love with his antics from the very moment he is introduced.
Talia is a sweetheart and cute little thing doting on her precious garden. Nature is more or less an inherent part of the book, and that’s another plus. The author’s take on serious topics using these cute characters is commendable. There are a couple of instances where it felt a bit preachy. However, the immediate change in the scene ensured that the story continues to be in the limelight.
The book is full of lovely quotes (which I didn’t mark because it disturbs my reading flow). You are sure to find some gems when reading the dialogues.
I hesitated if I should stick to 4.5 stars, but the ending pushed it to full five stars. I love books that leave a smile on my face when I turn to the last page. Books like that feel complete and let me sleep in peace. This one made me smile so wide, I had to give it the extra points. I was even willing to overlook the bit of drag in the middle and the excessive adverbs (yeah, I know I mentioned them before).
Overall, this is a must-read if you love fantasy, magic, life, character development, and a good story rolled into one.

Girl in a Million is a book of childhood, friendships, bonds that break, bonds that stay, loss of innocence, loss of lives, and much more. It is a bittersweet story where the narration moves between the past and present to give readers a glimpse into the life of Sagarika and her gang of friends from school.
What connects them? What binds them despite the differences? What makes them lean on each other even after drifting apart for years? You’ll find the answers to these questions and more.
As the title highlights, the book primarily deals with the life of Sagarika and why she was christened girl in a million.
The narrative shifts and alters between different POVs, with Sagarika’s being the primary voice. We see things from her perspective, in bits and pieces, as we continue to piece together the past and present.
The narrative is mellow and takes time to establish itself. Once you get into the flow, the book becomes easier to read. The author’s vocab seems to be the highlight of the book, though readers like me don’t have to get annoyed by the extensive use of Tharoorish language. The author balances it well, making the narration appear seamless.
As you would have guessed from the blurb, there is darkness surrounding our leading lady. What is it, and will she be able to come out from it? You’ll have to read the book to know.

I have a love-hate relationship with this book, and rereading it again doesn't change anything. The characters are not my favorite, but the author is, for creating a hero and heroine people would love to hate and giving them such intense emotions.
The quotes (dialogues) are my favorites, though. Always.