The year has been tumultuous in terms of reading and writing. The first half of the year still presented itself wrapped in books as gifts, impulsive buys and planned purchases with the purpose of imminent reading. Then, a major movement happened, tectonic plates of our tiny family shifted and we moved up northwest to Belgium. Reading habits changed from cradling a book on bed to juggling the heavy e-reader with the blanket. And before I could acclimatise in a propah way, we’re left with two bloody cold days in the year! I’d agree that the weather is more conducive to cuddling a book but there’s more mundane chores cocooned in the warmth of the house that seems to gnaw at my reading. I could only complete half of my Goodreads reading challenge this year which is a total shame compared to what I’ve read in the last few years. And yet, e-reading is coming handy on the phone at the bus stops, metro rides and long queues in supermarkets with a bit of thanks to the locals here who seem so engrossed in reading even while walking on streets! It is both liberating and motivating. I will read more for sure in 2018 without any resolution to follow it up with. And here are what I loved this year, a mixed bag.
1. River of Smoke By Amitav Ghosh
This one’s my favourite in 2017. I’ve had a love-hate relationship with Ghosh’s books (loved The Glass Palace, hated Calcutta Chromosome) and picked up the middle one of the Ibis trilogy after I’d read the first book two years ago. Took me a while to resume the story from where it had been paused in the earlier book and then I fell in love with this one. The plot, the history, the backdrop, the ship named Anahita, the characters, the relationships – everything was resplendent. No wonder it took him a decade to write this trilogy, it is as vast as it seems to be. One can just sum it up as the story of Indian immigrant slaves in the opium trade to South East Asia, and yet, it expands to nooks of islands we haven’t even heard of. I think parts of Ghosh’s research would make a book in itself on ‘how to write novels with historical backdrop.’ An absolute favourite, I would recommend this entire trilogy to everyone who loves reading epics.
2. The Conspiracy at Meru By Shatrujeet Nath
Featured twice here in three years, let me clarify that Shatrujeet hasn’t paid me a dime (yet). It is his writing and content that has inched its way here over the year. The Conspirary at Meru is the second of the Vikramaditya Veergatha trilogy and I have already reviewed it.
I didn’t get boggled by the fact that I’m dealing with King Vikramaditya and the devas, asuras and super powers. Instead, I tried to ingest the story as a racy over the edge action-packed thriller. And it is safe to infer that the book met all the expectations.
There you go. If, like me, you too are not-so-interested in Indian mythology, give this one a try. It is a great thriller in itself with a good blend of mythology and loads of anecdotes. The third book is due to release soon.
3. The Cuckoo’s Calling By Robert Galbraith
First of a trilogy, for a change. I felt a bit FOMO not having read a single JKR book including Harry Potter. But this murder trilogy with an interesting and offbeat detective Cormoran Strike seemed more than worth a try. And the trilogy was more than rewarding in its own way. I loved JKR’s way of dealing social issues so pertinently and with ample wry humour. Honestly, I hadn’t known what to expect from her pen having written the magnanimous Harry Potter books. I’d safely say now that she’s one of my favourite contemporary crime writers and I’m truly hoping she would write 10 Cormoran Strike novels as she has promised recently.
4. Origin By Dan Brown
Ah, the most popular and controversial star of world literature! Dan Brown is like the Shahrukh Khan of thrillers – snubbed by critics, loved by thrill-junkies, and liked by millions of people (including me) who have read each book of his without being too judgmental. I don’t read him for the literary value of his books (as there is none claimed by International critics). I read him for the nuggets of knowledge on art and his backdrops of beautiful Europe. In Origin, it’s Spain with rich art and the usual chase sequences that are getting more suave with private helicopters and inside a cathedral designed by artists like Gaudi. Origin has a blend of science and art with religion the primary clash factor. I loved the plot with scientific experiments and those few chapters can be the main reason you should read the book. Dan Brown has raised a question that is lurking just around the horizon of our lives now – Where are we going?
5. Home Fire By Kamila Shamsie
This has been my last read of the year, perhaps for its nomination in the Man Booker longlist. I love the writers from my neighbouring country and this is the first book by Kamila Shamsie that I chanced upon. I didn’t have an idea that it is an adaptation of a Greek tragedy Antigone until I read it. The fact that Home Fire stands out on its own is where it matters. I’d say the first half deals aptly with ‘Home’ and the second is truly ‘Fire’. Since Shamsie was raised in Pakistan, studied in the US and now lives in England, she has picked up bits of culture, society and life from each continent and created a bowl of steaming story related to her roots. Her writing made me smile, laugh (with the acquired British sarcasm), stiffen and finally shudder at the climax. I’m so glad I read this book at a point when I want to write about immigration and everything in its spectrum. What a way to end the year!
Have you read any of these in 2017? Let me know your thoughts and we’ll share our views. Have a great 2018!
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