Read 175 of 2021: The Anger of Saintly Men by Anubha Yadav

Title: The Anger of Saintly Men
Author: Anubha Yadav 
Publisher: Bee Books 
ISBN: 9788194511311
Genre: Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 192
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5 

There is so much to talk about and unpack about The Anger of Saintly Men by Anubha Yadav. A book that spans over thirteen years (maybe more), a story of a family ridden with male toxicity, patriarchy, misogyny, and above all the men we raise in Indian families.

Anubha Yadav’s book is perhaps about every Indian man, and not. It is about the men we encounter on a daily basis and their lives – sometimes small, sometimes larger than life itself, their dreams, aspirations, their interaction with other men, with women most importantly as the book progresses, and above all how they constantly view themselves.

Sonu, Anu, and Vicky are three brothers growing up in the 90s. A brand new decade with everything around them rapidly changing. They have moved into their new and last house (no more moving houses) which they name Chuhedani (mousetrap, that they all want to escape but all cannot). This is where they will become men. This is the place patriarchy will sink its teeth in their tender flesh and make them one of its products. The book is about them, their families, their friends, and how all of it is interconnected to how we raise men in sexist societies and what are the consequences. 

Yadav’s book is unapologetic, extremely candid, and an unsentimental look at a typical middle-class North Indian family and what happens to each brother though he is raised more or less the same way. In the course of it, we meet other men – friends, cousins, uncles, grandfathers – and women who are subdued, hidden, and yet always asserting themselves.

Yadav’s writing is clear, focused, and unabashed. There were times it did not seem like a debut at all. All in all, I most enjoyed this short novel, that made me think a lot about our society structures and the spaces we inhabit. The Anger of Saintly Men should be read by all, in my opinion. More so by men.

Read 174 of 2021: The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen

Title: The Magic Fish
Author: Trung Le Nguyen
Publisher: Random House Graphic
ISBN: 978-0593125298
Genre: Graphic Novels, LGBTQIA, Coming of Age, 
Pages: 256 
Source: Publisher 
Rating: 5/5 

I wish someone had written this book for me when I was growing up. When I was dealing with my sexuality and didn’t know any better. I wish I knew how to tell my parents and family I was gay using words that would break their hard exterior and touch their heart and soul, which of course didn’t happen. I just came out and that was that. The Magic Fish however is a book that seems to know what to say and how and is more beautiful for it.

Tiến loves his family and friends. His parents hail from Vietnam and he is keeping a secret from them – about himself, about who he is, about how he cannot tell them that he is gay because there is no equivalent for it in Vietnamese. It is also about his love for a friend, and him struggling with his identity.

At the same time, Nguyen takes us on a whirlwind of providing comfort to yourself through fairy tales. Tiến and his mother read fairy tales to each other, every night, and in those tales, each of them is trying to find and know more about their lives – the past, present, and perhaps the future.

I love how Nguyen takes the concept of a fairy tale and throws it on its head and gives his readers something so refreshing to introspect about. The Magic Fish is a book that refreshingly looks at fairy tales keeping modern lives in mind. It doesn’t shy away from breaking norms and stereotypes, which is the need of the hour and the times we live in. Trung’s art is stunning and you need to spend some time on every page to soak it all in. In short, The Magic Fish is a read meant for all, to make people understand that people lead different lives and it is all about perspective and empathy.