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Veer Savarkar : The Man Who Could Have Prevented Partition
Uday Mahurkar, Uday Mahurkar, Mohan Rao Bhagwat, Chirayu Pandit
4.5 Stars
One Liner: Informative and easy to read.
Veer Savarkar has been a controversial personality in India for many decades. While the left cabal hates him, the non-left looks up to his values, and there are enough people on the fence who don’t know what to believe.
The partition of India and Pakistan has for long been a gut-wrenching topic. The generational trauma of the survivors of the partition and the subsequent Kashmir genocide (along with the Moplah massacre, the Direct Action Day) are hard to forget, no matter how many intellectuals want to brush them under the carpet.
This book focuses on the events leading to the partition and how Savarkar came close to preventing it from happening. The book isn’t an emotional appeal or an intense read. It has an easy conversational writing style and presents facts with relevant proofs and footnotes.
The book debunks various lies spread about Savarkar and presents the aspects that were hidden from being common knowledge. Do you know that Savarkar was a crusader for equal rights for everyone? He conducted camps to empower the so-called untouchables, organized inter-caste dinners and supported those who wanted to marry people from other castes. The only condition was that the marriage had to be for love and not forced or in the name of revenge. While Ambedkar got into the limelight (not without reason), Savarkar was conveniently pushed into the dark.
Savarkar was emphatic about equal rights, which meant he was dead against the appeasement politics by Congress. Nothing much has changed over the years. In fact, things have gone from bad to worse.
The role of Congress in partition, oh, well! The party has always been a bunch of narrow-minded, visionless politicians (except for a few noteworthy leaders) who never really related to reality, even if it hit them in the face.
When you read the predictions Savarkar made, you realize just how right he was. The book shows his visionary side, and I couldn’t help but admire his grasp of human psychology and the inherent differences in the thought processes of different communities.
The partition has been a psychological game, a manipulation of masses at its very best, which continues even today. What’s crucial to recognize here is that the ones who are hardworking rarely call themselves a victim. It’s almost always the ones with privileges that think they are entitled to special treatment.
The sad truth is that we hardly know of the great Muslim leaders who truly worked for the nation rather than for religious dominance. Many of them fought lone battles, ousted by their own people. Those are the men (& women) we need to know about (the book mentions a few of them, and I couldn’t remember reading about any of them earlier).
Another (not-so) surprising aspect is that the two-nation theory was first proposed by Syed Ahmed Khan in the 1830s something and promoted by Jinnah. But the blame falls on Savarkar, who wanted to keep the country united. (And no, I didn’t get to know of this after reading the book. I found out about this around 4-5 years ago.)
I have to add a point that my heart stopped when I read that the great Mahatma thought there was no need to have an army for India after the partition. He didn’t want Indians to defend themselves from their ‘brothers’. Given the number of attacks we faced during the last 7.5 decades, this one statement was enough to show his inability to see the truth for what it is. Thank God, good sense prevailed in some of the then Congressmen who rejected his words.
I could write a lot more, but will instead leave you with a couple of quotes from the book.
I respect his ability to see patterns by stripping away the disguises with such ease. How clear and precise his opinions were! Sure, he was far from perfect; but who is flawless?
The book has some repetitions and quite a few references to the current government (which might actually dilute the purpose of the book). However, it presents the partition from a broader perspective with emphasis on the political and personal ambitions/ ideologies of a handful of men who successfully messed up millions of lives for their benefit.
I received a review copy from Indica Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
This review is posted as a part of the Thousand Reviewers Club.
*****
PS: I haven’t yet read any other books about Savarkar, and this is my first major reading about this complex national leader.
One Liner: Informative and easy to read.
Veer Savarkar has been a controversial personality in India for many decades. While the left cabal hates him, the non-left looks up to his values, and there are enough people on the fence who don’t know what to believe.
The partition of India and Pakistan has for long been a gut-wrenching topic. The generational trauma of the survivors of the partition and the subsequent Kashmir genocide (along with the Moplah massacre, the Direct Action Day) are hard to forget, no matter how many intellectuals want to brush them under the carpet.
This book focuses on the events leading to the partition and how Savarkar came close to preventing it from happening. The book isn’t an emotional appeal or an intense read. It has an easy conversational writing style and presents facts with relevant proofs and footnotes.
The book debunks various lies spread about Savarkar and presents the aspects that were hidden from being common knowledge. Do you know that Savarkar was a crusader for equal rights for everyone? He conducted camps to empower the so-called untouchables, organized inter-caste dinners and supported those who wanted to marry people from other castes. The only condition was that the marriage had to be for love and not forced or in the name of revenge. While Ambedkar got into the limelight (not without reason), Savarkar was conveniently pushed into the dark.
Savarkar was emphatic about equal rights, which meant he was dead against the appeasement politics by Congress. Nothing much has changed over the years. In fact, things have gone from bad to worse.
The role of Congress in partition, oh, well! The party has always been a bunch of narrow-minded, visionless politicians (except for a few noteworthy leaders) who never really related to reality, even if it hit them in the face.
When you read the predictions Savarkar made, you realize just how right he was. The book shows his visionary side, and I couldn’t help but admire his grasp of human psychology and the inherent differences in the thought processes of different communities.
The partition has been a psychological game, a manipulation of masses at its very best, which continues even today. What’s crucial to recognize here is that the ones who are hardworking rarely call themselves a victim. It’s almost always the ones with privileges that think they are entitled to special treatment.
The sad truth is that we hardly know of the great Muslim leaders who truly worked for the nation rather than for religious dominance. Many of them fought lone battles, ousted by their own people. Those are the men (& women) we need to know about (the book mentions a few of them, and I couldn’t remember reading about any of them earlier).
Another (not-so) surprising aspect is that the two-nation theory was first proposed by Syed Ahmed Khan in the 1830s something and promoted by Jinnah. But the blame falls on Savarkar, who wanted to keep the country united. (And no, I didn’t get to know of this after reading the book. I found out about this around 4-5 years ago.)
I have to add a point that my heart stopped when I read that the great Mahatma thought there was no need to have an army for India after the partition. He didn’t want Indians to defend themselves from their ‘brothers’. Given the number of attacks we faced during the last 7.5 decades, this one statement was enough to show his inability to see the truth for what it is. Thank God, good sense prevailed in some of the then Congressmen who rejected his words.
I could write a lot more, but will instead leave you with a couple of quotes from the book.
Dr. Mukund Ramrao Jayakar said, ‘The word communalism has acquired a most extraordinary significance these days [even before the partition]. If I venture to speak for Hindu rights, I am a communalist, but if a Muslim with nationalist tendencies fights for Muslim rights, he still remains a nationalist.’ [This was about Jinnah.]
If nationalism means that the Hindus should cease to be Hindus, even culturally, racially, or religiously, while all other non-Hindu Indians despise to adopt that attitude in their own cases, then such a nationalism is the most criminal and dastardly betrayal of our true national soul and ancestral heritage.
Any nation who helps India or is friendly towards her struggle for freedom is our friend and the nation which opposes us or presents a policy inimical to us is our foe.
I respect his ability to see patterns by stripping away the disguises with such ease. How clear and precise his opinions were! Sure, he was far from perfect; but who is flawless?
The book has some repetitions and quite a few references to the current government (which might actually dilute the purpose of the book). However, it presents the partition from a broader perspective with emphasis on the political and personal ambitions/ ideologies of a handful of men who successfully messed up millions of lives for their benefit.
I received a review copy from Indica Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
This review is posted as a part of the Thousand Reviewers Club.
*****
PS: I haven’t yet read any other books about Savarkar, and this is my first major reading about this complex national leader.
Once Upon a Winter: A Folk and Fairy Tale Anthology
Katherine Shaw, Joyce Reynolds-Ward, S. Markem, Jenna Smithwick, Ella T. Holmes, A.J. Van Belle, Caroline Logan, Laila Amado, Jake Curran-Pipe, Rebecca F. Kenney, M.J. Weatherall, Bharat Krishnan, H.L. Macfarlane, R.A. Gerritse, Josie Jaffrey, Kate Longstone, Adie Hart
3.8 Stars
One Liner: A satisfying read
Once Upon a Winter is a collection of seventeen stories, a combination of fairytale retellings and originals. The stories range from lighthearted to dark, middle grade to adult, and fantasy to romance. Readers who like multiple genres will enjoy this book more than others.
The highlight of the book is that each story was unique. No two stories felt similar, despite the common thread of fairytale and folklore themes running through them.
Listing my favorites below (in the order as printed in the book):
• The Biting Cold by Josie Jaffrey: This is fantastic. The narration pulls you right into the story and keeps you there until the end (even if you can guess what will happen).
• Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Bharat Krishnan: Read this more for acing the character’s tone rather than the storyline.
• A Pea Ever After by Adie Hart: This is probably the best retelling I’ve read in a long time. It’s just too good!
• The Snowdrop by H. L. Macfarlane: My heart went aww… reading this one. Such a sweet one, though the ending is predictable.
• The Best Girl this Side of Winter by Laila Amado: An adventurous MG fantasy. What's not to like.
• The Snow Trolls by S. Markem: Do not read this when eating or drinking. You’ll enjoy the narrative style and the execution.
• Lord of the Forest by Katherine Shaw: You can’t have a story with a mythical creature from a forest and expect me not to like it. Short yet powerful.
• Long Meg and the Sorcerer’s Stones by M. J. Weatherall: Almost made it to my best list. It should have been longer and more fleshed out.
To Sum up, Once Upon a Winter is a lovely collection of multiple genres, themes, and tales set in snowy white lands, castles, forests, and mysterious villages.
My thanks to Macfarlane Lantern Publishing and BookSirens for the digital review copy. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
*****
Full review to come.
One Liner: A satisfying read
Once Upon a Winter is a collection of seventeen stories, a combination of fairytale retellings and originals. The stories range from lighthearted to dark, middle grade to adult, and fantasy to romance. Readers who like multiple genres will enjoy this book more than others.
The highlight of the book is that each story was unique. No two stories felt similar, despite the common thread of fairytale and folklore themes running through them.
Listing my favorites below (in the order as printed in the book):
• The Biting Cold by Josie Jaffrey: This is fantastic. The narration pulls you right into the story and keeps you there until the end (even if you can guess what will happen).
• Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Bharat Krishnan: Read this more for acing the character’s tone rather than the storyline.
• A Pea Ever After by Adie Hart: This is probably the best retelling I’ve read in a long time. It’s just too good!
• The Snowdrop by H. L. Macfarlane: My heart went aww… reading this one. Such a sweet one, though the ending is predictable.
• The Best Girl this Side of Winter by Laila Amado: An adventurous MG fantasy. What's not to like.
• The Snow Trolls by S. Markem: Do not read this when eating or drinking. You’ll enjoy the narrative style and the execution.
• Lord of the Forest by Katherine Shaw: You can’t have a story with a mythical creature from a forest and expect me not to like it. Short yet powerful.
• Long Meg and the Sorcerer’s Stones by M. J. Weatherall: Almost made it to my best list. It should have been longer and more fleshed out.
To Sum up, Once Upon a Winter is a lovely collection of multiple genres, themes, and tales set in snowy white lands, castles, forests, and mysterious villages.
My thanks to Macfarlane Lantern Publishing and BookSirens for the digital review copy. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
*****
Full review to come.
3 Stars
Charlotte Holbrook has only grieved her dead husband for five months when she finds herself agreeing to a marriage of convenience with William Vancer. With no money and a young son to care for, she knows she’ll at least have a comfortable home.
William has been jilted too many times and is desperate to find a wife and claim his inheritance. The years of his hard work to establish his business will be in vain if he doesn’t get the money on time.
The couple gets married in December and decides they spend the last twelve days of the month getting to know each other. As the days pass, William cannot help but wish for a marriage more than convenience, while Charlotte is torn between staying loyal to her dead husband and accepting the kind-hearted William into her life.
I’m the kind who likes to read about winter snow and white Christmas when the summer sun is baking me like a brunt cake in an overheated oven. (That’s a lot of alliterations, but sigh!)
The novella is a part of a series and can be read as a standalone. While the story itself works very well, there isn’t enough time or detail to connect with the characters. It feels more like watching a series midway through and winging it by reading the synopsis online.
I did enjoy reading about the snow, Christmas tree, and cold winter. The storyline moves in 8x speed but was a good one-time read nevertheless. If only there was an epilogue!
I think I’ll check out the rest of the series someday. The writing is easy to read. The books should make good reads between heavy ones.
Charlotte Holbrook has only grieved her dead husband for five months when she finds herself agreeing to a marriage of convenience with William Vancer. With no money and a young son to care for, she knows she’ll at least have a comfortable home.
William has been jilted too many times and is desperate to find a wife and claim his inheritance. The years of his hard work to establish his business will be in vain if he doesn’t get the money on time.
The couple gets married in December and decides they spend the last twelve days of the month getting to know each other. As the days pass, William cannot help but wish for a marriage more than convenience, while Charlotte is torn between staying loyal to her dead husband and accepting the kind-hearted William into her life.
I’m the kind who likes to read about winter snow and white Christmas when the summer sun is baking me like a brunt cake in an overheated oven. (That’s a lot of alliterations, but sigh!)
The novella is a part of a series and can be read as a standalone. While the story itself works very well, there isn’t enough time or detail to connect with the characters. It feels more like watching a series midway through and winging it by reading the synopsis online.
I did enjoy reading about the snow, Christmas tree, and cold winter. The storyline moves in 8x speed but was a good one-time read nevertheless. If only there was an epilogue!
I think I’ll check out the rest of the series someday. The writing is easy to read. The books should make good reads between heavy ones.
It was Partners in Crime by Agatha Christie that led me to this author and a few more.
This is my first book of Freeman and the Thorndyke series. I would have given it a five star if the culprit was jailed, though it would be considered a separate case.
I'll try not to give spoilers, but I did guess who the main culprit was in the second or third chapter. The needle pointed at another for a few pages though I got back soon enough. So, basically, the case is not about who the culprit is, instead it is about how the innocent was framed.
The court scene lasted about 40 pages. Yet, it wasn't boring (not much) since some valuable information was given to the reader.
Jeevis reminded me a little of Watson and Hastings.
I'll be another Thorndyke book soon.
This is my first book of Freeman and the Thorndyke series. I would have given it a five star if the culprit was jailed, though it would be considered a separate case.
I'll try not to give spoilers, but I did guess who the main culprit was in the second or third chapter. The needle pointed at another for a few pages though I got back soon enough. So, basically, the case is not about who the culprit is, instead it is about how the innocent was framed.
The court scene lasted about 40 pages. Yet, it wasn't boring (not much) since some valuable information was given to the reader.
Jeevis reminded me a little of Watson and Hastings.
I'll be another Thorndyke book soon.
4.5 Stars
My Trip to the Fair is more of a tribute to the Indian artisans, especially those from Andhra and Telangana. The book is special to me because I belong to the same region. The fair mentioned, Shilparamam is still one of the must-visit places in Hyderabad.
The book is true to the country without getting stereotypical. The use of Telugu words adds to the authenticity. I love the touch of wonder and nostalgia blended into the narrative and illustrations. The watercolors have a slightly watery or smudgy effect, as if the author is looking at her childhood with a blurry, teary-eyed vision. A sure way to make a fellow Telugu person emotional. Sigh!
The information at the end of the book is the real treasure. It shows a teeny glimpse into the vast artistic heritage we have in our country. While the tagline is slightly misleading about the range, I understand why it was used. Using a location-specific tagline will not have the same reach in the Western market.
The illustration of the amma in her kalamkari dupatta and bindi is my favorite. Love it.
To sum up, My Trip to the Fair is a heartwarming and informative book to get an idea about handicrafts from Andhra (Telangana included).
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Serapis Bey Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#MyTriptotheFair #NetGalley
My Trip to the Fair is more of a tribute to the Indian artisans, especially those from Andhra and Telangana. The book is special to me because I belong to the same region. The fair mentioned, Shilparamam is still one of the must-visit places in Hyderabad.
The book is true to the country without getting stereotypical. The use of Telugu words adds to the authenticity. I love the touch of wonder and nostalgia blended into the narrative and illustrations. The watercolors have a slightly watery or smudgy effect, as if the author is looking at her childhood with a blurry, teary-eyed vision. A sure way to make a fellow Telugu person emotional. Sigh!
The information at the end of the book is the real treasure. It shows a teeny glimpse into the vast artistic heritage we have in our country. While the tagline is slightly misleading about the range, I understand why it was used. Using a location-specific tagline will not have the same reach in the Western market.
The illustration of the amma in her kalamkari dupatta and bindi is my favorite. Love it.
To sum up, My Trip to the Fair is a heartwarming and informative book to get an idea about handicrafts from Andhra (Telangana included).
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Serapis Bey Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#MyTriptotheFair #NetGalley
4.5 Stars
This is the second installment in the Maddie and Mabel series and is as delightful as the first book. Maddie and Mabel are sisters and friends. They share things, ideas, toys, and plans. They laugh, dance, sing, and fight but get back together.
The book has a few chapters, each dealing with a different way for the sisters to bond. The last chapter is where Maddie helps Mabel get ready for the first day of her school and plays the role of a big sister.
The illustrations are sweet, clean, and super cute. The background is full white with patches of color where the characters are. It’s pleasant and soothing to scroll through the book. Each page has only a few lines of text printed neatly. Kids will love the bond between the sisters.
To sum up, Maddie and Mabel Take the Lead is a lovely continuation of the first book. Hoping for more from this series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, Kind World Publishing, and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#MaddieandMabelTaketheLead #NetGalley
This is the second installment in the Maddie and Mabel series and is as delightful as the first book. Maddie and Mabel are sisters and friends. They share things, ideas, toys, and plans. They laugh, dance, sing, and fight but get back together.
The book has a few chapters, each dealing with a different way for the sisters to bond. The last chapter is where Maddie helps Mabel get ready for the first day of her school and plays the role of a big sister.
The illustrations are sweet, clean, and super cute. The background is full white with patches of color where the characters are. It’s pleasant and soothing to scroll through the book. Each page has only a few lines of text printed neatly. Kids will love the bond between the sisters.
To sum up, Maddie and Mabel Take the Lead is a lovely continuation of the first book. Hoping for more from this series.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, Kind World Publishing, and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#MaddieandMabelTaketheLead #NetGalley
Can it get any cuter? I don’t think so!
The book has one book- two stories format where we see two perspectives side by side. The context aligns throughout to give us a heartwarming and beautiful ending.
Joe is scared and sad about his first day at a new school in a new town. Mae is eager to find the new kid and become friends with him. How else will he enjoy school? What follows is their story, side by side, and they finally find each other to become friends.
Mae is an absolute sweetheart and sparkling little girl. Her cardboard space helmet and two flying pigtails are super cute. Joe is more subdued, worried, and insecure about finding his footing in a new environment.
The illustrations and little bits of text tell the story with ease. The colors are bold and attractive, just like Mae on her side, and the colors on Joe’s side are softer to show his vulnerability. When the two stories merge, the colors are a delightful combination of soft and bold.
I love the representation in this one. A school ground with kids of all skin tones and hair colors makes it such a lovely place to be.
To sum up, A New Friend is a delightful story about making new friends and having fun at school.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#ANewFriend #NetGalley
*****
And Rosh, thank you again for the recco. I was so sad about missing the first book in the series and might have missed this one too, if not for you.
The book has one book- two stories format where we see two perspectives side by side. The context aligns throughout to give us a heartwarming and beautiful ending.
Joe is scared and sad about his first day at a new school in a new town. Mae is eager to find the new kid and become friends with him. How else will he enjoy school? What follows is their story, side by side, and they finally find each other to become friends.
Mae is an absolute sweetheart and sparkling little girl. Her cardboard space helmet and two flying pigtails are super cute. Joe is more subdued, worried, and insecure about finding his footing in a new environment.
The illustrations and little bits of text tell the story with ease. The colors are bold and attractive, just like Mae on her side, and the colors on Joe’s side are softer to show his vulnerability. When the two stories merge, the colors are a delightful combination of soft and bold.
I love the representation in this one. A school ground with kids of all skin tones and hair colors makes it such a lovely place to be.
To sum up, A New Friend is a delightful story about making new friends and having fun at school.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#ANewFriend #NetGalley
*****
And Rosh, thank you again for the recco. I was so sad about missing the first book in the series and might have missed this one too, if not for you.
Publication Date: 22nd June 2022
3 Stars
One Liner: Lighthearted, but overdoing a joke a ruined it
Alice Donaldson wakes up to the news of her ex-husband Grant’s death. The police tell her that he was killed in an accident somewhere on the North York Moors.
Alice has no idea what she’s supposed to do. But curiosity leads her to the place of his death. Imagine her surprise to see a woman, Jenna, cry for Grant. She was his girlfriend and distraught about his death. Alice also meets the handsome Max, Jenna’s bother, and a book-writing research scholar.
When Jenna wants to play Sherlock about Grant’s death, and Max asks for help, Alice decides to help them come to terms with the developments. However, shocking news arrives at Alice’s doorstep, followed by another incident at the crime scene.
It doesn’t help that The Fortune House has been haunted for a long, long time. Who is this ghost? What happened in the past? How can Alice and Max uncover the mystery? And what about their growing attraction for each other? Will the story have a happy ending?
The story comes in the first person POV from Alice.
What I Like:
The book is lighthearted and easy to read. Alice rambles (obviously) but not so much that I lose track of the plot. Painful topics are dealt with with the right amount of seriousness.
Jenna is a person of contrasts, delightful yet annoying. I love that she rides motorbikes and bakes scones with the same ease. I just can’t see what she finds so alluring in Grant.
Max is actually a good guy. A bit prone to get into his lecturer mode, but I’d rather read about psychological aspects than laments about the body size (more on this next).
The paranormal part is pretty light. No scary stuff here, so readers wary of ghosts can read the book without worry.
The ending works well for the story. It’s not too sweet or a picture of happy-ever-after but has enough to tie up the loose ends.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
The pacing is slower than I like for women’s fiction/ cozy mystery. It also feels more like a historical mystery due to the setting.
I wanted to knock sense into Alice for half the most. Yeah, she is sensible when it comes to everything except her size. For God's sake, woman, it’s not a crime to be ‘plump’ or whatever she calls herself to be.
A couple of self-deprecating jokes about being curvy are fine. But to have one on every page (or more) is annoying. She is an easy person to be with and a likable character. Yet, she had to ruin it by obsessing about her weight throughout.
I was debating between 3 and 4 stars until this point, but the scene decided it for me.
Oh, it never occurs to Alice that she can lose the weight she gained. She laments about the extra stone (6.3kgs) she gained after she stopped taking care of herself. She can lose it once she begins to pay more attention to her health and diet. There’s no need to starve or get to size zero. She only needs to feel fit enough to stop obsessing about her weight every time.
You can see that my major problem with the book was only one issue. The rest is good (meaning romcom good and eye-rolls are mandatory). For those curious, Alice would size XXL (converted based on the size provided by another reviewer).
To sum up, The Forgotten House on the Moor could have been a delightfully funny and sweet read if not for the heroine’s obsession with weight.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheForgottenHouseontheMoor
3 Stars
One Liner: Lighthearted, but overdoing a joke a ruined it
Alice Donaldson wakes up to the news of her ex-husband Grant’s death. The police tell her that he was killed in an accident somewhere on the North York Moors.
Alice has no idea what she’s supposed to do. But curiosity leads her to the place of his death. Imagine her surprise to see a woman, Jenna, cry for Grant. She was his girlfriend and distraught about his death. Alice also meets the handsome Max, Jenna’s bother, and a book-writing research scholar.
When Jenna wants to play Sherlock about Grant’s death, and Max asks for help, Alice decides to help them come to terms with the developments. However, shocking news arrives at Alice’s doorstep, followed by another incident at the crime scene.
It doesn’t help that The Fortune House has been haunted for a long, long time. Who is this ghost? What happened in the past? How can Alice and Max uncover the mystery? And what about their growing attraction for each other? Will the story have a happy ending?
The story comes in the first person POV from Alice.
What I Like:
The book is lighthearted and easy to read. Alice rambles (obviously) but not so much that I lose track of the plot. Painful topics are dealt with with the right amount of seriousness.
Jenna is a person of contrasts, delightful yet annoying. I love that she rides motorbikes and bakes scones with the same ease. I just can’t see what she finds so alluring in Grant.
Max is actually a good guy. A bit prone to get into his lecturer mode, but I’d rather read about psychological aspects than laments about the body size (more on this next).
The paranormal part is pretty light. No scary stuff here, so readers wary of ghosts can read the book without worry.
The ending works well for the story. It’s not too sweet or a picture of happy-ever-after but has enough to tie up the loose ends.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
The pacing is slower than I like for women’s fiction/ cozy mystery. It also feels more like a historical mystery due to the setting.
I wanted to knock sense into Alice for half the most. Yeah, she is sensible when it comes to everything except her size. For God's sake, woman, it’s not a crime to be ‘plump’ or whatever she calls herself to be.
A couple of self-deprecating jokes about being curvy are fine. But to have one on every page (or more) is annoying. She is an easy person to be with and a likable character. Yet, she had to ruin it by obsessing about her weight throughout.
Spoiler
Max first shows her a room full of nude paintings of curvy women from past generations. The collection belongs to his family. Then in the second half of the story, he shows Alice his pictures with ex-girlfriends to prove that her weight or curves don’t bother him. Alice feels happy that she is his type. Like seriously, woman? A 34yo woman needs to confirm that she is his type by looking at photos of his exes? Would she have left him if his exes were slim? I mean, how on earth do people decide things like this? Is there any rule that a person cannot change or realize that they had the wrong type? The other women were exes for a reason.I was debating between 3 and 4 stars until this point, but the scene decided it for me.
Oh, it never occurs to Alice that she can lose the weight she gained. She laments about the extra stone (6.3kgs) she gained after she stopped taking care of herself. She can lose it once she begins to pay more attention to her health and diet. There’s no need to starve or get to size zero. She only needs to feel fit enough to stop obsessing about her weight every time.
You can see that my major problem with the book was only one issue. The rest is good (meaning romcom good and eye-rolls are mandatory). For those curious, Alice would size XXL (converted based on the size provided by another reviewer).
To sum up, The Forgotten House on the Moor could have been a delightfully funny and sweet read if not for the heroine’s obsession with weight.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheForgottenHouseontheMoor
Pub: 04th Aug 2022
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Great premise but needed a better execution
The Locked-Away Life is the story of two people, Esther and Bruno. Esther is an old woman, a recluse who shut herself away from the public eye after a mega scandal in the 70s. She needs to come to terms with and accept the latest technology to continue being independent and uncover the mystery from her past.
Bruno is an eighteen-year-old boy with too much burden on his shoulders and a secret hidden deep inside his heart. He needs money to get away from the small town and build a life.
When Bruno sees Esther’s ad about a paid position, he knows he needs to grab it. What starts as a tutoring session grows into something more as two unlikely people try to sort out the past, present, and future. Can Esther find peace from her past? Can Bruno figure out his future?
The story comes in limited third-person POVs from Esther and Bruno.
What I Like:
The book deals with concepts like mental health, guilt, sexuality, regret, remorse, self-doubt, family & relationships, friendships, etc. It is heavier than my expectations but has enough light-hearted moments.
Bruno’s desire to be ‘normal’ and his determination to attend Camp Change to change his sexuality is a heartbreaking premise. The camp scenes are well done without over-dramatization.
Bruno’s vulnerability and compassion come out really well. He is a typical teen in some ways, but he is a sweet boy.
The interactions between Esther and others are interesting. Her conversations with Bruno, Dominic, Filip, Jane, etc., show different sides of her (all coming together to present the picture of an old lady with strong opinions and an iron will).
It’s lovely to see characters like Esther become at ease with technology. As someone who taught my grandpa to understand the new features on his smartphone, I relate to the scenes.
There are two epilogues, one for Esther and one for Bruno. I like them both, though everything is tied up a little too neatly. Still, I get a happy/hopeful ending, so no complaints.
What didn’t Work for Me:
The pacing is slow. It doesn’t help that the first chapter is almost 20% long (when the story ends at 91% in my eARC). Imagine that! A couple of chapters are just a page and a half long, but to read a super big first chapter feels tedious.
The scandal from Esther’s past drags too much. I stopped caring by the time it is revealed. Even then, the details are hazy and underwhelming. Her character arc and the reason to isolate herself from the world don’t mesh.
Too many words are wasted on Esther’s past while Bruno’s school life is ‘told’. Given the importance of his character arc in the story, we need to know more about what made him so vulnerable and doubtful. Seems like a lost opportunity to talk about things that matter.
The idea behind the characters is more appealing than the characters. Not to say that they aren’t good. They just aren’t as effective as they should have been. I can’t pinpoint my issue, but it feels like the emotional connection between the characters and the readers is not complete (at least for me).
To sum up, The Locked-Away Life is a heartwarming story with a wonderful premise but somehow doesn’t reach its full potential. This could have been so much better!
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheLockedAwayLife
*****
P.S: I debated a lot between 3 and 4 stars. A part of me wants to rate it three for the missed opportunities. But this is a good book despite the few misses. Three stars seem too less, so I'm rounding it off to four.
3.7 Stars
One Liner: Great premise but needed a better execution
The Locked-Away Life is the story of two people, Esther and Bruno. Esther is an old woman, a recluse who shut herself away from the public eye after a mega scandal in the 70s. She needs to come to terms with and accept the latest technology to continue being independent and uncover the mystery from her past.
Bruno is an eighteen-year-old boy with too much burden on his shoulders and a secret hidden deep inside his heart. He needs money to get away from the small town and build a life.
When Bruno sees Esther’s ad about a paid position, he knows he needs to grab it. What starts as a tutoring session grows into something more as two unlikely people try to sort out the past, present, and future. Can Esther find peace from her past? Can Bruno figure out his future?
The story comes in limited third-person POVs from Esther and Bruno.
What I Like:
The book deals with concepts like mental health, guilt, sexuality, regret, remorse, self-doubt, family & relationships, friendships, etc. It is heavier than my expectations but has enough light-hearted moments.
Bruno’s desire to be ‘normal’ and his determination to attend Camp Change to change his sexuality is a heartbreaking premise. The camp scenes are well done without over-dramatization.
Bruno’s vulnerability and compassion come out really well. He is a typical teen in some ways, but he is a sweet boy.
The interactions between Esther and others are interesting. Her conversations with Bruno, Dominic, Filip, Jane, etc., show different sides of her (all coming together to present the picture of an old lady with strong opinions and an iron will).
It’s lovely to see characters like Esther become at ease with technology. As someone who taught my grandpa to understand the new features on his smartphone, I relate to the scenes.
There are two epilogues, one for Esther and one for Bruno. I like them both, though everything is tied up a little too neatly. Still, I get a happy/hopeful ending, so no complaints.
What didn’t Work for Me:
The pacing is slow. It doesn’t help that the first chapter is almost 20% long (when the story ends at 91% in my eARC). Imagine that! A couple of chapters are just a page and a half long, but to read a super big first chapter feels tedious.
The scandal from Esther’s past drags too much. I stopped caring by the time it is revealed. Even then, the details are hazy and underwhelming. Her character arc and the reason to isolate herself from the world don’t mesh.
Too many words are wasted on Esther’s past while Bruno’s school life is ‘told’. Given the importance of his character arc in the story, we need to know more about what made him so vulnerable and doubtful. Seems like a lost opportunity to talk about things that matter.
The idea behind the characters is more appealing than the characters. Not to say that they aren’t good. They just aren’t as effective as they should have been. I can’t pinpoint my issue, but it feels like the emotional connection between the characters and the readers is not complete (at least for me).
To sum up, The Locked-Away Life is a heartwarming story with a wonderful premise but somehow doesn’t reach its full potential. This could have been so much better!
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheLockedAwayLife
*****
P.S: I debated a lot between 3 and 4 stars. A part of me wants to rate it three for the missed opportunities. But this is a good book despite the few misses. Three stars seem too less, so I'm rounding it off to four.
3.5 Stars
One Liner: A decent collection of retellings and spooky tales
Moonsleep and Other Stories is a collection of seventeen short stories (some retellings, some originals) with a blend of genres. Horror, medieval dark fantasy, paranormal, social drama, etc., are a few recurring genres.
Similar to many anthologies, some stories hit the mark, a few remain average, and the rest end up underwhelming. The writing style is crisp and kept me interested.
I read the stories on and off whenever I had time and took notes. This review is a compilation of my notes.
Mirror in Her Hand: Snow White retelling in fantasy noir with some cool twists. Reminded me of those B&W gangster movies, lol.
Tully & the Ghost: A story of greedy queens, ghosts, and slaves. Interesting but not spooky enough.
The Mysterious Mr. Fox: A retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with a twist. Is Mr. Fox a fox or something else? One of the best in the book.
A Dead Mermaid on Eel Pie Island: A take on the political scenario (I guess). Falls into bizarro fiction and seems like a part of a supernatural investigative series.
Some People Smell Roses: Well-written story about a woman who can smell death.
Mason’s Revenge: A fractional retelling of Jane Eyre with zombies and stuff. Okayish.
Cinderfeller: A gender-bent Cinderella. Another super cool story in the collection.
Scared of Girls: This got weirder as it ended. Seems like I missed a crucial link.
The Perfect Ham Sandwich: Meh!
A Monster Met: Predictable storyline but engaging. Well written.
The Boom Show: A weird death game in a dystopian (?) setting. Reads more like a fragment of a larger story.
A Tall Tree Tale: Hmm… oh well! Reminded me of a folktale from my school syllabus.
The Young Woman in the Yellow Bikini: Who is the woman in the yellow bikini? Well-written.
Moonsleep: A combo of witches, apothecaries, potions, nuns, witches, shape-shifters, etc. It needed a larger canvas.
The Temptation of Charlotte Bronte: Will Charlotte Bronte make a deal with the Devil to become a famous author? Did she?
I can’t help but add that the author seems to share the ‘I-can’t-name-a-story’ trait with me. Some titles are bland and don’t do justice to the story.
To sum up, Moonsleep and Other Stories is a decent collection of short stories that aren’t either too scary or gory.
I received a complimentary copy of the book and am sharing a voluntary review. All views expressed are my own.
One Liner: A decent collection of retellings and spooky tales
Moonsleep and Other Stories is a collection of seventeen short stories (some retellings, some originals) with a blend of genres. Horror, medieval dark fantasy, paranormal, social drama, etc., are a few recurring genres.
Similar to many anthologies, some stories hit the mark, a few remain average, and the rest end up underwhelming. The writing style is crisp and kept me interested.
I read the stories on and off whenever I had time and took notes. This review is a compilation of my notes.
Mirror in Her Hand: Snow White retelling in fantasy noir with some cool twists. Reminded me of those B&W gangster movies, lol.
Tully & the Ghost: A story of greedy queens, ghosts, and slaves. Interesting but not spooky enough.
The Mysterious Mr. Fox: A retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with a twist. Is Mr. Fox a fox or something else? One of the best in the book.
A Dead Mermaid on Eel Pie Island: A take on the political scenario (I guess). Falls into bizarro fiction and seems like a part of a supernatural investigative series.
Some People Smell Roses: Well-written story about a woman who can smell death.
Mason’s Revenge: A fractional retelling of Jane Eyre with zombies and stuff. Okayish.
Cinderfeller: A gender-bent Cinderella. Another super cool story in the collection.
Scared of Girls: This got weirder as it ended. Seems like I missed a crucial link.
The Perfect Ham Sandwich: Meh!
A Monster Met: Predictable storyline but engaging. Well written.
The Boom Show: A weird death game in a dystopian (?) setting. Reads more like a fragment of a larger story.
A Tall Tree Tale: Hmm… oh well! Reminded me of a folktale from my school syllabus.
The Young Woman in the Yellow Bikini: Who is the woman in the yellow bikini? Well-written.
Moonsleep: A combo of witches, apothecaries, potions, nuns, witches, shape-shifters, etc. It needed a larger canvas.
The Temptation of Charlotte Bronte: Will Charlotte Bronte make a deal with the Devil to become a famous author? Did she?
I can’t help but add that the author seems to share the ‘I-can’t-name-a-story’ trait with me. Some titles are bland and don’t do justice to the story.
To sum up, Moonsleep and Other Stories is a decent collection of short stories that aren’t either too scary or gory.
I received a complimentary copy of the book and am sharing a voluntary review. All views expressed are my own.