BOOK REVIEW: DAUGHTERS OF CHARCHINAR

Blurb: Daughters of Char Chinar is about two identical twins Nafisa and Meher, who are incredibly beautiful. They are raised in the corners of a kitchen because they live in a land where beauty is a curse when your family is not a powerful one. Since the sisters were Poor and Unguarded they started to build a secret world of their own, educating themselves and even finding like-minded suitors in a land where love is forbidden. But life turns upside down, when their father who abandoned them comes back to use their beauty to save his life, offering one of his daughter to the jigra court in which rape is a punishment. What happened to her? Did she overcome the incident? Read to find out more Review: The Author has shown us the painful portrayal of women and their helplessness in the land of toxic masculinity. The Writing style is so beautiful and descriptive without ruining the flow of the book. The descriptions of people, places, and things are quite vivid, and a wonderful picture is painted while reading. The characters were realistically portrayed with their strengths and struggles. My personal favorites are Tuktuk and Jinn along with the lead characters Nafisa and Meher. The way it transitioned to women empowerment realistically is appreciable. The take on very sensitive issues like the assault on women, primitive judicial systems like jirga courts has woven the story very beautifully. I felt it would've been a perfect read if it was around 100 pages less, especially the last 50 pages. It felt kind of unnecessary and for me, it ruined certain things I loved from the books. Overall, a good read with good writing styles, themes, and characters. .

BOOK REVIEW: YOURS TRULY

This book is a collection of 10 Letters, written as poems to the readers, whom the author addresses as acquaintances. It starts off with how beautiful our random thoughts are and shifts towards how we perceive the world, the love in subtle things, which we tend to overlook. Then to random friendships and love from her perspective and heartbreak. It goes beyond that and touches upon various topics. All these 10 poems were written in a simple language. That makes it accessible to everyone, even for beginners. Reading this book is like listening to a friend. A conversation that would make us feel like getting a warm hug and make us feel better. This is a really short book (around 30 pages), which you can read whenever you are feeling low or wanting to talk to a friend. But the only thing that I kind of didn’t like about this is that not everyone will view as same as the author and enjoy how love or friendship is, as written in this book.

BOOK REVIEW: ONCE THERE WAS ME

Bobby Sachdeva, known for his heart wrenching short story collection, Stories of us, which proclaimed the sad realities of the country we are living in, is back with his second book Once there was me, written with a spellbinding writing style making it impossible for the readers to stop this book. As mentioned in his book, He does hold up a mirror to society. It is an autobiography that is part-fictional, presenting his journey of being a kid who would die for his religion to an atheist. Each chapter comprises tragic events that led to this conversion. A beautiful book wich gives us insights about this society. “Human beings just could not live together as equals” This is as accurate as it can be. Keeping in mind, the violence that takes place around the world, because of how humans refuse to accept fellow humans as their equals. The man-made barriers such as caste, color, class, religion, language, sexuality, and what not was created just so few people will be superior to others. Why can’t humans accept every other human living on this planet is the same as them? Maybe it was because of an ingrained fallacy that possessed us ages and ages ago. It is time we should get rid of that fantasy and accept fellow humans. “People who knew the true meaning of God and religion are not bound by the rules laid down by preachers” Religion is the most addressed aspect of this book. It should give peace and solace and not spread hate. How some people blindly follow it, not even knowing what the actual teachings of their religion. This can be because of the lack of internalization of values and virtues their religion taught or they understand their religion through the eyes of the society or their community, the dos and don’ts. Religion can be a part of someone but making it one’s identity, right from their birth to death, and blitzing others who follow other religions is not what any scriptures are preaching, they emphasize Oneness and humanity and not divisiveness. But all we are seeing is the divisions, not just amid religions but within religions. “Language is just a medium to communicate with others” We had reduced this medium to a scale to judge others, measure their intelligence by making some languages superior to others. “Real happiness comes from this kind of selfless dedication to the good of other” Be kind, considerate, and empathetic. That is what matters to be a human, no matter where you belong. This book opens up the reader's mind, revealing the ugly side of the society which we may not have experienced shielded by our privilege. But the author shows us what does it feel like to be hiding fearing for your life even though they didn't do anything wrong, to lose everything built over years in a second, Losing loved ones, just because of some greedy humans who want to make money out of anything, killing someone because they think differently. A must read for everyone.

BOOK REVIEW: THE CURSED CHILD

Albus Severus Potter's worst fear comes true when he was sorted into Slytherin. A Potter in Slytherin becomes the talk of the school and his inability to fulfill the expectations mounted on him takes a toll on his relationship with his family, especially his Father. Albus has only one real friend, Scorpius Malfoy, who was avoided by everyone because of some rumors. They decided to help Harry but that ends in trouble, changing everyone's life. What did they do and How that affected their lives is the story. I started reading this book right after rereading the entire Harry Potter series but I had my expectations low because of what I heard from my friends. So, I was not much disappointed. Still, it tested my patience, especially in the beginning. Maybe I was expecting the Harry Potter series vibe but It doesn't have it. There were the times I wanted to stop reading this, but I continued reading this. Then I forgot about Hp midway through the book and it became more bearable. So, nearing the end I liked the book. One of the things I didn't like about the book is the characters, except for Scorpius. He became my favorite. I found some of them were unnecessarily mean and not very lively. Albus's character could've written well. The things I missed the most are some magic and the enchanted lands of the Harry Potter series. Also, the originality of the characters from the previous books, most importantly Ron. Overall, I liked this book, but not a sequel to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows(at least for me)

A devastatingly beautiful tale, which pictures the result of what happened centuries and centuries ago, "when the love laws were made. The laws that lay down who should be loved, and how. And how much. Through the lives of 'two-egg (fraternal) twins' Estha, Rahel, and their mother Ammu, Arundhati Roy takes the readers to a heartbreaking journey of love, life, sacrifice, the prejudices that don't want all humans to live as equals. With her beautiful storytelling, this book can take the readers back in time, place, and relive the lives of people of Ayemenem. Highly recommended!

BOOK REVIEW: YOU BENEATH YOUR SKIN

Disfigured slum women corpses were found in the dumpsters of Delhi. Police commissioner Jatin and his team started to investigate this case privately with the help of Anjali, a single mother with an autistic son. During this time, a terrible thing happened to Anjali. Why and who did it? How that Questioned their entire reality they are living in? Do people really act like what they seem? What is the importance of good parenting? Read this book to know the answers. Honestly, this book is more than what I expected. It is a really good crime-thriller with a realistic plot, characters, details, and everything. It's real and raw, showing us exactly the society we are living in. Especially, the ending. It is not a perfect ending but definitely a realistic one. Every character in this book is developed really well. The author had accurately captured the minds of people, whom we may come across daily. The trauma of the victims and also the psychotic profile of the perpetrators with an accurate depiction of the precipitating and perpetuating factors were portrayed realistically. Sometimes, it seemed quite predictable. But, that doesn't affect the flow and strength of the plot. A highly recommend read!!

A Letter to my Favorite Character...

Dear Mariam,

I know, right from the moment you were called Harami by your own mother at the age of five, your life is hell, no one wants to live. You never received the love you deserved. Even if you did, it was after a terrible blow of sadness that you understood the love and that made your life even miserable. You thought Jalil loved you. I don’t blame you, Mariam. Even I thought the same. Even I thought Jalil’s love for you is pure, Even I thought he took you to the pistachio tree, where poet Jami was buried. Even I thought your mother was lying about Jalil. Even I thought Jalil loved you more than your Nana. So, I don’t blame you for leaving Nana and going to Jalil.

It's okay to hate your father. Because it broke my heart too when I read Jalil was inside his house and let you sleep on the streets. I hated him too. Still, you forgave him, accepted him, and expected him to do nothing but to have him on your side. But he left you aghast when he should’ve stopped your Nikkah and let you go to school, just like his other daughters. He didn’t. His honor was bigger to him Mariam than the little girl, he called “little flower”. We should’ve guessed it, you were just a little flower in his big garden. We thought you are special to him, unfortunately, we were wrong.

I know you were scared of Rasheed at first, it was really great to know he was not a bad guy. I was more than happy when you were pregnant. Because I knew you would be one of the best parents and you’d shower your kids with the love and care you never received. But unfortunately, Life is so unfair Mariam, especially to you. Still, you lived with that monster. How much he made you suffer? The day he made you chew pebbles and broke your molars, it broke my heart. How much my Mariam should endure in her life? When will this end?

Then Laila came into your life. I was happy that now you have someone who’ll make you happy. But the journey was not an easy one. I could hear the sounds of your broken heart when Rasheed said he wants to marry Laila, whose birth made you smile after a long time, whom you watched growing up in front of your eyes. But soon, your life with Laila is the best thing that ever happened to you. Aziza’s laugh made your heart smile.

Your love for Laila is so pure. I never in my life imagined innocent Mariam to kill a six feet man. But you did, Mariam, You did it. You did it for Laila, the daughter you never gave birth too. You know what, your loved saved Laila and her kids. They are now living in Kabul, helping Kabul to become a beautiful city, it used to be before the war. Laila also visited your Kolba. I know your love still lives with them. Whenever Laila, Tariq, and their kids smile, it's because of you Mariam. You are the only reason, they are smiling today. But what breaks my heart is that you never get to read the letter your father wrote to you. But I’m glad, you forgave him. That’s what he asked you in that letter.

Mariam, you taught me how to love, when no one else loves us. You taught me love is selfless, love is not always seeing us the happiest, but making our loved ones the happiest. You taught me love can change a person. You taught me so many things. Your life will always be in my heart, like the thousand splendid suns that are behind the walls.

Mariam jo, I love you. I’ll try my best to love you and my loved ones as much as you loved your Laila.