Book Review: Hide me among the Graves by Tim Powers

Title: Hide me among the Graves
Author: Tim Powers
Publisher: William Morrow, Harper Collins
ISBN: 978-0061231544
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction
Pages: 528
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5

This is the first Tim Powers novel I have read and can confidently say that may be I will read another one. I liked this one. I did not love it but I sure did like it a lot. The blend of fantasy fiction and historical fiction intrigued and that’s what prompted me to read this book. I am glad I did. It was a different sort of experience for me.

Hide me among the Graves is a very distant sequel to his book, The Stress of her Regard (you don’t have to read this one first). The book is about pre-Raphaelite painter Gabriel Dante Rossetti and poetess Christina Rossetti as they fight the Nephilic vampires banished by the Romantic poets Byron and Shelley. Interesting, isn’t it? There is more to it than this. Someone re-woke the Nephilim and Christina invited one of the vampires to her house, in the form of her uncle John Polidori, and now everyone is in danger – of not dying but of turning to a vampire. The Rossetti family is accompanied by an ex-prostitute, Adelaide, her lover and a missing daughter.

This is the plot and thus begins the Victorian journey of Goth and Darkness. Hide me among the Graves is a very fast read. One doesn’t have to think so much while reading it and once a while you need a book like this, amongst the literary reads. The characters are unlikely and you will not know what hit you as you read along. Imagine Christina Rossetti fighting a vampire – I love this kind of flights of fancy in books, the unexpected always lurking to take you by surprise.

Tim Powers’ writing is sharp and meant for readers who are into vampires but not of the pop kind. The book has famed poets and artists peeping from the pages and the reader can sense Powers’ love for the Classical. The secondary characters are also well-rounded and not ignored in the book, which is another plus for me when I read a book.

The setting of the book is brilliant – Victorian London – dark and cold, perfect for a book of this nature. Hide me among the Graves is a delightful read – it has the “secret fantasy” element that unravels itself as you go along and at the same time it mingles with the classical without getting too pedantic (though sometimes predictable). I enjoyed the book.

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Book Review: Mr. Bliss by J.R.R. Tolkien

Title: Mr. Bliss
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Publisher: Harper Collins UK
ISBN: 978-0-00-743619-4
Genre: Children, Fantasy
Pages: 83
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5/5

J.R.R. Tolkien could have written a twenty-page story and we will still love that, no matter what. He could have scribbled anything after LOTR and we would have lapped it up, against our better sensibilities. Because, but after all, he is J.R.R. Tolkien.

While we have all read and loved LOTR, do try reading his eighty-three page story, “Mr. Bliss”. It is simply written and beautifully illustrated by the man himself. It is a very simple story of a man named Mr. Bliss and his unseemingly weird adventures as he heads out one fine sunny morning to buy a car. He is the owner of an exotic pet named Girabbit (of course the combination of a Rabbit and a Giraffe which is quite funny when seen illustrated) and is well-known for his collection of tall hats. He lives in a house built specifically to accommodate his hats. The book is about his first drive to visit his friends, The Dorkinses and how disastrous it gets. How he meets three bears on the way, is car breaks down, and how he has to also give lifts to Mr. Day and Mrs. Knight. The ending is quite sweet and all Tolkien fans will for sure relish this book.

The book also includes the originally written story in Tolkien’s handwriting, which is a treat. The illustrations are also included – the ones he began with for the book. Mr. Bliss came about as a story that Tolkien told his kids and for the longest time wasn’t in print. I am only too happy that it is now and people can read this short and fantastical story.

What I loved about the book is its simplicity. It is one of the understated, subtle and sweet books which are a rarity in today’s time. I would highly recommend this one to most Tolkien fans and also the ones who haven’t heard of him before (which is rather rare). Mr. Bliss will charm and warm your heart. A must read for both kids and adults.

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Book Review: Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire

Title: Out of Oz: The Final Volume in the Wicked Years
Author: Gregory Maguire
Publisher: William Morrow, Harper Collins
ISBN: 978-0-06-054894-0
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 568
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5/5

When Gregory Maguire started writing the Oz series, I am sure he must have known how big this would be and it turned out to be just that – one big success, rippling through with excitement and sardonic humour and tragedy in almost every volume. The last volume in the series, “Out of Oz” is as addictive as the rest. Gregory Maguire writes in a lyrical manner and that is what I love the most about his writing, besides his ability to infuse evil in Oz and the ability to scare you as well. The plot in this one is well-paced and very exciting. The war between Oz and Munchkinland is at its height and that is the core of the book.

In this book, we get to know Rain who is Liir’s daughter (this is not a spoiler). She is odd and wistful and I loved her character and how it shaped throughout the book. The other usual characters are present in the book – Glinda, Liir, Cowardly Lion and of course Dorothy, who is not making a cameo this time. Dorothy’s character has been extended and it is beyond belief what shape it takes towards the end and throughout. Some brilliant thinking from Mr. Maguire here.

Over the past three books, there has been a lot of build up to the characters and the setting and that’s why one can see and relate to this book and its track. With “Out of Oz” he brings all the characters (though briefly) to tie the story to its end. Dorothy is back after having killed Elphaba (Wicked) and as I mentioned her role is not limited in this book. The questions of home and loyalty are also well-tackled in this one.

The book is enjoyable even before the adventure begins and that’s the power of Gregory Maguire’s writing. It will but obviously make no sense to you till you read the other Wicked books. Not everyone gets a happy ending and not all are supposed to also. Loose ends are tied as expected (thank god for that) and also ones that the reader can infer on his/her own. For me I loved the conclusion. Gregory Maguire’s writing charmed me with this one even more so and I would recommend that you also read his stand alone works on his own take on fairy tales. A brilliant conclusion to a fantastic series.

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Book Review: The Monk, the Moor and Moses Ben Jalloun by Saeed Akhtar Mirza

Title: The Monk, the Moor and Moses Ben Jalloun
Author: Saeed Akhtar Mirza
Publisher: Fourth Estate, Harper Collins India
ISBN: 978-93-5029-206-8
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 247
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5/5

Sometimes you need to get rid of the pre-conceived notions and look at things differently. We need that so much as we tend to just think and believe what we have been taught or raised on. The ideas we grow on or read and take them to be true without questioning. That maybe is the biggest disease of our time and age.

I had not known of Saeed Akhtar Mirza before reading Ammi: Letter to a Democratic Mother. His first book is something else. A chronicle of religion, love, the simple life gone by and about his mother. Then I realized that he is also a film-maker, but that is a different story altogether.

“The Monk, the Moor and Moses Ben Jalloun” is his second novel and a book which I would recommend everyone to read. The book is about a history deliberately forgotten and tracks of it covered so no one can uncover the truth. There are two parallels to the story. One takes place in an American University in 2008, where four students from varied backgrounds and cultures set out to discover the truth, to understand how the past affects the present and the future sometimes. This essentially is about uncovering so called Western Epics (Literary, Philosophical, Medical and Scientific) whose roots are essentially found or taken from Islam manuscripts. The search starts because of a statement made by a Senator at the beginning of the book during a political rally, about how Obama is a not an Arab, but a decent American Citizen and that is viewed by Omar and his three friends on television.

The second track of the novel is the tale of Rehana – an Iranian from the eleventh century and her quest to learn from her husband, who is an older man of philosophy, sciences, and art. The need for her to question everything in sight and finding answers from her husband and people around her.

The book makes you realize that sometimes we are so ignorant of events taking place or that already have around us. It isn’t a religious treatise. It is just uncovering aspects of the past which we are unaware about (it could be true or not), or it could be a possibility of truth, which the author is trying to convey through this book. Saeed Akhtar Mirza dismantles the past and brings to us in its pure form – the way Europeans think how the modern world was built and what actually the truth could have been or is. For instance, how Algebra as a word was coined or who was of the opinion that light was made of particles, years before Newton could discover that. These facts were hidden or not sought after is because during those times and in that age, everything Islam was looked upon with suspicion and that is at the core of this book. The premise begins with the assumption that Dante Aligeri’s Divine Comedy, one of the cornerstones of classical European poetry might have stolen its idea and form from a book written by Prophet Muhammad himself.

The writing as was in the first book is brilliant and lucid. The future cannot exclusively belong to one religion or sect or community – it is a collective effort and sometimes more so individual efforts. Sadly, we still think and feel that way sometimes and that needs to change, which is brought about beautifully through this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it also got me thinking of how the world could have been created and where did ideas come from. Read it. You will not regret it.

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Book Review: The Extras by Kiran Nagarkar

Title: The Extras
Author: Kiran Nagarkar
Publisher: 4th Estate, Harper Collins
ISBN: 978-93-5029-204-4
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 467
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5/5

Kiran Nagarkar according to me has somehow always been under the microscopic view of readers and reviewers. May be it has to do with the way he writes and concocts themes and ideas, but one thing is for sure, there is never a dull moment in his books. I got hooked on to his books, like any other teenager (then) with Ravan and Eddie. Ravan and Eddie (though according to me was loosely based on, “A Prayer for Owen Meany” by John Irving) was a delight to read. The intricate moments of post-independent India was not hidden. The slums, the chawls, the abuses and the interwoven plots were all there – almost like a nice stew, boiling slowly, served to perfection. Ravan and Eddie was published in 1994 and now after eighteen years, there comes a sequel to it, titled, “The Extras”.

The Extras spans the lives of Ravan and Eddie as adults, in the big bad city of Bombay. I love how the title on the cover reads, “The Extras – Starring Ravan and Eddie”, with a very 70’s film poster like visual. The story of course takes on eighteen years from where it ended in the earlier book. Ravan and Eddie are adults, striving to make something out of them in the big, bad world and aspire to be actors. Bollywood is the seductress and they are easily seduced. Ravan is a taxi driver and Eddie is a bouncer-cum-bartender. They want it all – fame, money, easy rise from their chawl existence to the skyscrapers. At the heart of this, are their complicated love stories. Ravan who is in love with Eddie’s sister (yes that’s the one twist in the tale). Eddie on the other hand has to battle with both families to obtain the love of his life in the Anglo-Indian Belle.

That’s the gist of the story. The writing of course cannot be compared to anything else. Kiran Nagarkar has always been a master of his game. From Seven-Sixes are Forty Three to God’s Little Soldier; post-independence blues has always been at the center of his books (except Cuckold which was a Historical Fiction centered book). He knows the pulse of the city and can describe it beautifully. Nothing has changed much, except for the name of the city and a mall or two springing up in the past couple of years, and Mr. Nagarkar knows how to depict the sadness and claustrophobia in his book.

There are so many funny parts as well in the book – sardonic and dark at most times, and in-your-face funny too. Ravan and Eddie as characters evolve a lot more in this book and their motives are clearer. Nagarkar adds more stories to this one, though their families still remain a part and are always in the background. For me, The Extras was like a roller-coaster ride, full of unknown turns and bends. A definite read for all those who want to know Bombay in its early days.

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Book Review: The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler

Title: The Hypnotist
Author: Lars Kepler
Publisher: Harper Collins, Blue Door
ISBN: 978-0007444342
Genre: Crime Fiction
Pages: 512
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5/5

Written in the tradition of Stieg Larsson’s books, “The Hypnotist” by the husband-wife co-authors (pen name being Lars Kepler) is a decent read. It manages to bring out the elements of crime fiction and yet the plot is threadbare which was a problem at times while I was reading the book.

The Hypnotist is about a family living in Tumba, Sweden (no second guesses Sherlock), who are a victim of a homicide. The only witness to the crime is the sole surviving member – the son. The boy is in a state of shock with more than hundred knife wounds inflicted on his body. He cannot seem to recall or speak a word of anything that happened that fateful night. Enter, Inspector Detective Joona Linna, who in a heroic manner wants to get to the bottom of this crime. This can only be done by putting the kid through a hypnosis session in the presence of Dr. Erik Maria Bark and get to his subconscious level.

For me the plot was for sure different. The elements of suspense and thrill were there throughout the book and might I add that it was cleverly done as well. I like Swedish thrillers, but there is only this much one can take of them, considering the onslaught of them in the world of crime fiction. The book is written well in most parts and some parts just remind you of Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbo’s styles of writing. The past and present portions of the book are well translated and add to the atmosphere of the book, which anyway they are supposed to. The clues like in any other crime book are laid out well and yet hidden from the reader. The mysteries are interwoven brilliantly and the book is fast-paced for sure. I would recommend it for a one-time read (Not that you can read a mystery again).

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Book Review: The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar

Title: The World We Found
Author: Thrity Umrigar
Publisher: Harper
ISBN: 9780061938344
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 320
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5/5

I love reading novels centered primarily on women. I need no more than that to engage me while I am reading. So I was surprised when I received a galley from Harper a couple of months ago, titled, “The World We Found” by Thrity Umrigar and I was sucked in to the story from the word, Go. Let me also add here that the book is solely about four friends who are women and about their lives.

Laleh, Kavita, Armaiti and Nishta were four close friends in their Bombay college days 30 years ago. They were also revolutionaries fighting for causes and rights. However, as years have passed by, their lives are diverged; they have lost touch and have little in common but the one strong fact, of being friends. Tragedy strikes when Armaiti reaches out from America with news of Cancer and this is their last chance to be together as what they were.

The book works on various levels – friendship, love (friends and their lives with their spouses or not), the years they spent together and apart, the Bombay riots of 1992, and amidst all of this, the friends’ individualities – Laleh, the equal in her relationship, a rebel of sorts, Kavita – the successful architect, a lesbian, hiding the most important aspect of her life from her friends, Armaiti – who went away to America and Nishta – who married her college sweetheart and is now a different person due to him.

The husbands play their roles in the book, however mostly in the background, though without them the story wouldn’t have propelled ahead. Thrity Umrigar’s writing is weaved into layers and they unfold little by little, leaving the reader surprised and shocked, depending on the situation. The story is told through the perspectives of the four women and despite using this technique; the story has the fluidity it needs.

The characters are strong, introspective women. They do not shy away from what they have to say and how they must act. Umrigar’s women are bold, intelligent, loving and at the same time individualistic. The story is not something which is unusual or brilliant, it is however the writing and the pace that makes it what it is – a wondrous read, which will make the reader understand friendships better and how long lasting they are despite death looming over one of the friends. I would recommend this book to one and all. A must read according to me.

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The World We Found: A Novel

Book Review: First Love by Joyce Carol Oates

Title: First Love: A Gothic Tale
Author: Joyce Carol Oates
Publisher: Ecco Books, Harper Collins
ISBN: 9780880014571
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 86
Source: Library
Rating: 5/5

Life is cruel and loneliness is its master. Josie learns this soon enough. This is the story of a bewildered eleven-year old who only wants to be loved by the people around her and fails getting it. Oates wrote this novella in 1996 and though I only read it now, it still seems fresh, even after fifteen years.

The background of the novella is that Josie’s mother left her husband and has now moved to another state to live with her mother’s cousin. Josie’s mother drifts away in a new town – new men to date and new jobs to explore, leaving Josie all alone to explore the lay of the land. Her 25-year old cousin Jared is studying to be a minister. She meets him and a sordid love story (or not) takes place. He has his own demons to conquer (or he is unable to) and he enjoys the dominance he displays using her as the bait. Her naïve eleven-year old mind mistakes this for love.

There are sub-texts and layers of sexual references and the reader senses sexual abuse and yet Josie is not the one without a conscience. After being asked to commit a horrendous crime and refusing it, Jared blocks Josie out of his life. The family crumbles. Delia S (Josie’s mother) takes off in her own direction and path, paying very little attention to her daughter. The great-aunt is bed-ridden and Jared goes on back to the seminary to complete his studies. This is when Josie finds her freedom and her will to live.

On the surface, it seems a pretty simple novella to understand and garner, however it is not the case. As I said earlier, there are sub-texts to the novella – mostly loneliness, alienation, of sexual awakening, incest, and of knowing what love is not.

Joyce Carol Oates is the mistress of her craft. What most authors cannot manage in 500 pages, she does in 86 pages and quite convincingly though. At no point did I want to know more or did I feel there was more to be said once I finished this novella. The adage to the title of “A Gothic Tale” could not be any truer. It is a gothic tale – both in its atmosphere and its storyline. The book is raw and not apologetic about it. I would not recommend it to people with faint hearts, however I highly recommend it nonetheless.

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Book Review: The Krishna Coriolis Series: Flute Of Vrindavan (Book – 3) by Ashok K. Banker

Title: Flute of Vrindavan – Book 3 – The Krishna Coriolis Series
Author: Ashok K. Banker
Publisher: Harper Collins India
ISBN: 978-9350291924
Genre: Mythology
Pages: 272
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3/5

I did not read Ashok Banker’s Ramayana. I do not know, however I did not. Moreover, I prefer The Mahabharata over Ramayana, so maybe that is why. Having said that, when Harper Collins India sent me an installment of The Krishna Coriolis Series, I was only too glad to read and review it.

The third installment in this series is called, “Flute of Vrindavan” focuses on the infant Krishna and his half-brother Balarama and the childhood of the naughty god-child. The book centers on Kamsa working and building on his powers to superhuman proportions to slay the infant and not succeeding. Meanwhile it dawns on Yashoda that the baby she is trying to protect is in fact the protector of the world. Kamsa also tries to kill the infant in this book by using Jarasandha and yet is unable to. Nanda then leads his people into exile in Vrindavan, which again is not safe from its own share of problems. This is where Krishna and his perils begin – where he has to play God and be the infant that he is.

I have not read the first two installments in the series, so I cannot say much with reference to those; however as a standalone book as well, I could understand this one. Krishna is one of the most prayed to gods in our country and yet his charm is also what makes him so endearing.

As a God or God-like figure, I have always found Krishna to be more accessible. The book was average. I liked the sub-plots and Krishna’s adventures. The language was fine and the writing was good, the characters are close to the myth and readers who know their mythology will be able to relate to the book. Over all, I would recommend that you read the first two parts of the book and then read this one. It would make more sense to do that.

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Book Review: Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos

Title: Falling Together
Author: Marisa de los Santos
Publisher: William Morrow, Harper Collins
ISBN: 9780061670879
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 368
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5

Falling Together is a story about three college friends – two young women and a man and refreshingly enough, it is not a love triangle. It is about Pen who feels that love triumphs in every situation, Will, in search of the third member of the trio and Cat who has left her husband and disappeared – their lives, quirks, their beliefs, their errors of judgment and the lives they led. Thrown into this is a college reunion which only adds to the further complexities of the plot.

The plot may seem thin and simple – however there is more to the story. Moreover Marisa de los Santos knows how to beautifully craft a sentence and keep the words sometimes to bare minimum. The friends have faced different issues and different skeletons also come out from the closet during the reunion and this is what keeps the story propelling. Marisa de los Santos as in her previous two novels manages to surface her characters’ thoughts and emotions to the hilt.

The book in itself is nothing new, in the sense the plot, what is new though is the style of writing as I have mentioned earlier. Each character had a lot of dimensions to it and that is what brings out the characterization in a better manner. The descriptions are detailed and the atmosphere only adds to the book.

Friendships in college mean a lot. They form you as a person and make the bonds stronger. Falling Together emphasizes on such relationships. Falling Together is a story that everyone can relate to as it is about friends and the lives that are common to all. I would not recommend the book because of the story; I would however recommend it for the way it is written.

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