What can one write about this timeless book, core to the bengali literature, and subsequently the cinemas. That it took me so many years on finding thWhat can one write about this timeless book, core to the bengali literature, and subsequently the cinemas. That it took me so many years on finding this and reading this is a shame. The book had a chokehold on me that I can't even explain. It's a classic and for a reason. 10/10 would recommend every one who can read bangla to read this. Onto Pather panchali now....more
I cried watching the movie, I cried reading the book, and I really loved it so much.
One of those books where I watched the movie first, and wen3.75/5
I cried watching the movie, I cried reading the book, and I really loved it so much.
One of those books where I watched the movie first, and went to read the book later. The picturization of the movie was stunning and helped me visualize the people and setting. These are the kinds of issues that you know that you have probably registered in the tertiary but haven't paid close attention to till you read something on it. I accept I have been (unfortunately) ignorant on this topic and this book was a good reminder. ...more
Shoko's Smile is a collection of 7 short stories, each playing with the themes of separation, broken friendships, broken relationships, deaths, 3.75/5
Shoko's Smile is a collection of 7 short stories, each playing with the themes of separation, broken friendships, broken relationships, deaths, abrupt ends, not getting any closure, and (maybe) moving on. We move on in our lives, often not resolving some conflicts, not calling up that friend, not apologizing, not reaching out. And this is how the book narrates too. All the stories are told from the view of these female characters, their relation with their families, friends, love.
With each passing story, the books gets sadder and touches lightly on the heavy subjects, not explicitly stating what happens, but leaving it up to the reader's imagination to guess what unfolded. I went in the book with not a lot of expectations, but came out feeling bittersweet and melancholy. You can obviously tell the author holds the book very dearly to her heart. It was a good read....more
I am forming my own thoughts about Rache Cusk and her writing, and this is after reading two of her books and with the intention to read a few more tiI am forming my own thoughts about Rache Cusk and her writing, and this is after reading two of her books and with the intention to read a few more till I come to any conclusion. What I have realised is, and personally for me that is, that Cusk offers wonderful insights, food for thoughts and ways of looking at life and emotions but they are often embedded in paragraphs and proses and sentences that sometimes don't make sense to me. So, while I come across many sentences that I underline and devour, there are also paragraphs and sentences where I am absolutely lost.
Second place did require me Googling a bit on what was happening and it was only after I came across Lorenzo in Taos that the book finally made some sense to me. And I was not sure if I really liked the main character but I guess that raw, unprocessed emotional part of M was the point of it.
Overall, while I was enchanted by Cusk's writing in In the Fold whose story made more sense to me than this one, Second place is a mess, although with the enchanting style of writing still reflects every now and then, especially regarding human relationships. I guess this review is almost as messy as the book albeit minus the literary genius. ...more
I absolutely loved this book. It is a slow, emotional, and beautiful read. Just like Kitchen, Moshi Moshi deals with bereavement, moving on, and healiI absolutely loved this book. It is a slow, emotional, and beautiful read. Just like Kitchen, Moshi Moshi deals with bereavement, moving on, and healing. The book is like a process. The closure is messy just like the events following the death of the protagonist's father. And yet it is a wonderful process to read. Barley salads, neighborhoods, shaved ice, cherry blossom trees, drinks and dishes, music, and people constitute this small and slow world. Yoshimoto-san drags us into her nostalgia for a slow world with small businesses and friendly people. Where time is moving slowly and you are aware of the small moments, the wind blowing, the cold air, the changing weather, the long walks. I absolutely loved this book with its flaws, mess, and journey. ...more
the book is on death, bereavement, love, and getting back on two feet, or even one, after falling into the deep darkness of loss and g3.5/5
[TW: death]
the book is on death, bereavement, love, and getting back on two feet, or even one, after falling into the deep darkness of loss and grief. Instead of the main story, though, I liked Moonlight Shadow more. So much more, it made me feel like crying. I absolutely love stories from Japanese literature and it is not even a secret anymore. I actually really liked this book too, and the emotions that were being described in words. But in a way, Kitchen was a little underwhelming and I wonder if it was lost in translation, the poignant beauty of it. Looking forward to reading more of Yoshimoto Sensei's work. ...more
This book is like a warm blanket, when it gets cold outside, just wrap yourself with it and rest for a bit.
It is beautiful in the Japanese kind of wayThis book is like a warm blanket, when it gets cold outside, just wrap yourself with it and rest for a bit.
It is beautiful in the Japanese kind of way, just as the translator of the book notes. The descriptions are beautiful and made me miss a place I have never visited and a time I can never live and experience. The small wisdom of life embedded here and there, just makes you feel good about life.
Essentially a book for the young adults, a conversation between an uncle and his beloved nephew, stories from the life of a teenage schoolboy, and a quick lesson in art, philosophy and history, this book has it all. Can't wait for the anime adaptation by Studio Ghibli. ...more
Once I got into the flow of the book, I actually liked it. Took me some time to understand what was happening though. The narration goes back and fortOnce I got into the flow of the book, I actually liked it. Took me some time to understand what was happening though. The narration goes back and forth, just like memories do at times so it was hard to keep up at times. But I liked the complicated humane emotions. And the way they were unfolding....more
I actually really loved this book. Throughout the reading, I was in the dilemma of finishing the book as soon as possible but at the same time n4.5/5
I actually really loved this book. Throughout the reading, I was in the dilemma of finishing the book as soon as possible but at the same time not wanting it to end this soon. I would recommend you to get in this book without much presumptions to enjoy it, but if you don't mind minor spoilers or heads up, read away the rest of the review. . . . . I am such a sucker for stories from Japan, on Japan, translated, based out of, about, anything. And while reading this book, I felt like I am traveling through parts of Tokyo, through the lives of these people, like I am the cat.
And I am such a sucker for short stories, but what makes this book so much better is how interconnected to each other all these stories are, all these characters are. It is one big story, with all the smaller parts making something big, a world in itself. All the characters have their own depths, their own complexities, their own battles, their own point of view, and it was such a journey in itself to twist and turn with them. Each affects the other as people do in life. I was sucked into it and wanted redemption, wanted vindication, and wanted closure for the characters.
And most importantly, I am so jealous of the author that they got to narrate this, with pictures and comics, with first-person narration, and with third-person narration, this book seems to be such a delight to write as well. ...more
So raw, so full of love.. this essay is an act of remembering, fondly, dearly, profoundly. This book is personal, echos so much of the fear sitting inSo raw, so full of love.. this essay is an act of remembering, fondly, dearly, profoundly. This book is personal, echos so much of the fear sitting in the head, and I loved this essay. This book is not philosophical, it won't guide you through things, yet the honesty of the emotions written down struck a chord. It is not for me to review this book, like I have said before, you cannot give reviews to people's lives. But if you ask me whether you should read this book, you should. And you should be in the zone to read about grief. ...more
What a melancholic book. A beautiful, subtle, emotional, and melancholic book. Sensei no Kaban, which is the actual title of the book makes more sense.What a melancholic book. A beautiful, subtle, emotional, and melancholic book. Sensei no Kaban, which is the actual title of the book makes more sense. But it is indeed a journey through weather, food, feelings, people, and experiences. And mainly through love. I went through the journey Tsukiko and Sensei take, the little experiences of marketplaces, art museums, mushroom picking made me miss all the life experiences that could have been there, had it not been a virus that forces us into our homes. The book is subtle, really. Relying heavily on descriptions to understand what is happening in the big picture, without directly telling you what is happening. And it was a beautiful book to read, that left me feeling bittersweet and empty. Oh, what is it with Japanese literature and culture? How is it that they make me feel so deeply and in a way that I never expect to feel?
The plot is straight. Simple, short, and descriptive. It gently guides you through some sceneries, some incidents and describes loneliness without describing it in a way that evokes pity. I can totally recommend it out to everyone who would want to indulge in some prose-like, beautiful emotions. ...more
This book is a simple, small book with exactly what you want to read if you read the blurb and decide to pick it up. One life, many possibilities3.5/5
This book is a simple, small book with exactly what you want to read if you read the blurb and decide to pick it up. One life, many possibilities but how many? Well, as long as you are alive, so many. A small decision that can change the course of your entire life. A chance to win till the game is not over, because you never know.
Nora Seed takes this exact journey in the midnight library. The book puts across its point quite nicely and upfront, with a dash of philosophy (and hence food for thought) every now and then. The book ends leaving you feeling happy and hopeful, may I say, also a warm feeling. Oh and the existence of a parallel me, exploring another possibility - a very comforting thought.
Brownie points for small chapters, I somehow love them so much....more
The Vanishing Half, I realized, is my fourth novel in the genre of generational historical fiction, and this one, just like the ones before, did not dThe Vanishing Half, I realized, is my fourth novel in the genre of generational historical fiction, and this one, just like the ones before, did not disappoint me at all.
The book is very well written from the start to the end. I personally suffered through a slow pace in the first halves of many books this year. But not with this one. The narration held my attention and interest right from the start. Oh to have the ability to write like this!
And as with all the generational novels, I didn't know which one was my favorite character. Maybe Early. Maybe Jude. Or maybe Reese. But all of their point of view brought together in these pages was a captivating read. There's a certain comfort in stories that cover a lot of years. You know they are going to make it through those years (and not get subjected to the cruelty of the author writing their misfortune). But my heart went out to Desiree the most. I didn't expect I would end up loving her character so much when I started. And I also feel bad for not knowing about Stella's threads in the end. That lies unfinished in my head, which irks me, to be honest.
Overall, it was a wonderful read that I thoroughly enjoyed....more
Ah, my first Murakami! I like reading books of short stories, they give me this feeling of accomplishment sooner, that I have read a story.3.5/5 stars
Ah, my first Murakami! I like reading books of short stories, they give me this feeling of accomplishment sooner, that I have read a story. The stories in this book all have a recurring theme of love, loss, infidelity, sex or death. And music! My assumption here is that the author has focused especially on cases of infidelity - otherwise this recurring thread in almost all stories was starting to make me feel a bit off. That being said, the book is full of metaphors and emotions that are (even though written from the perspective of the men) are gender-neutral, or at least they were not alien to me. This was a book that didn't touch me extraordinarily but did manage to leave an impact here and there.
PS. Again with all the books written in another language, I cannot help wonder how much of the essence is lost in the translation. Although the language of English in itself was a good read in this book, unlike some mechanical translations that I have read....more
Before the Coffee gets cold was a good book. And Tales from the Cafe is a better one! Based on the same premise of Cafe Funiculi Funicula's time travelBefore the Coffee gets cold was a good book. And Tales from the Cafe is a better one! Based on the same premise of Cafe Funiculi Funicula's time travel magic. Kazu still pours the coffee that can take you to the past and the future. And each story still has that bitter-sweet, emotional feeling lingering after you have finished each story. However, the book as it ended, engulfed me in a blanket of warmth and I realized, oh I really like this one!
The stories, as usual, are short, simple, simply translated, straightforward, and good to read. The stories are again interconnected, even to the first book and hence this cafe and this little imaginary corner in Japan is a world of its own. And it is a safe space. Enjoy with a cup of hot coffee, be careful that the coffee doesn't get cold :) ...more
Hey, a spoiler for a book name! But what they do till then and how they go is what the book is about. So, before they die at"They both die at the end"
Hey, a spoiler for a book name! But what they do till then and how they go is what the book is about. So, before they die at the end, they live. The book was heartbreakingly sweet, set in a fictional reality (view spoiler)[where the society is equipped with a service that alerts you about your death on the day it is supposed to happen. There's no escaping it once you get the alert. And then there are services that are supposed to help you live your last day in the .. well.. the best possible way (hide spoiler)].
Get ready to be emotional over it (hey the title alerts you already), and go through some living before they both die at the end.
The narrative is interesting, the ending is pretty poetic, and it is a well-written book capable of holding your attention. I really liked it as one of the last books I am reading this year, and rediscovering the quote "A Ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.", and this is what I would like to remember at the turn of a new year.
On a side note, Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all!...more
This book took me long to finish. But it came in its sweet time.. when the country is in lockdown. Like Morrie, we are all stuck in our houses. 4.5/5
This book took me long to finish. But it came in its sweet time.. when the country is in lockdown. Like Morrie, we are all stuck in our houses. But unlike him we can still move around. What a privilege!
But you don't feel sorry for Morrie. He has gotten what he wanted, to give to the community, to love or die, to spread love, to teach, to do something that doesn't exploit others. He does it all through this book and the only person you'll feel sorry for will be yourself because you and I can't and won't get to live long beyond our deaths. To be never forgotten, thanks to this like binding of pages that's love in form of a book. Yes it teaches you but love is the most important lesson in the end of it all. Despite knowing how it will end, I still ended up with tears in my eyes. And that's rare with me and books....more
3.5/5 September has been really good book-wise, for I could finish 3 in one month which is a rare treat for me. Before the Coffee Gets Cold was on my 3.5/5 September has been really good book-wise, for I could finish 3 in one month which is a rare treat for me. Before the Coffee Gets Cold was on my TBR for this year and I am not disappointed even though I won't go all out in praise. The translation might be where the depth of language is missed but the intricacy of the book was not lost. The interconnected stories, the varying emotions, it was a simple, pleasurable read.
The point of the book was also simple and put across nicely. Time travel is not a new concept in Japanese work (in my knowledge) but it always fascinates me to see the emotional play rather than the hardcore science of it.
The book was a good read, simple, nothing spectacular but that was the point of it....more
I don't think I have a lot of things to say about this book.
It has the story of Shams and Rumi, of Ella and Aziz, and the forty rules of "love" given I don't think I have a lot of things to say about this book.
It has the story of Shams and Rumi, of Ella and Aziz, and the forty rules of "love" given by Shams.
Dived into this book without expectations. The story of Shams and Rumi was engrossing, the gist of the book is beautiful. I am not the one to research this, so I am not sure about the historical accuracy of it all, however, approaching it as fiction, this was a good read, to be honest. But if I am being honest, the story of Ella and Aziz was underwhelming and somewhat lacking any originality which did leave me thinking if this was really something that was on the parallel level of Shams and Rumi, considering parallels were being drawn. But the rest of the book compensated for it. ...more
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