Princess by Jean P Sasson

I picked up this book from Blossom Book House on Church Street in Bangalore during Diwali holidays this year. I visited Blossoms' after a long time. They have shifted their premises to another location on Church Street and there is also another book store close to it, mainly used books store called Book Worm. I did go in but could not find anything interesting.

I started reading this book in high school but could not finish it due to my packed schedule back then and the library due date beyond the renewals. When I found this book at Blossom's, I could not resist.  I actually finished the book, cover-to-cover, in a matter of few hours as it was extremely engaging and unputdownable.

The story describes the sad plight and sufferings of women in Saudi Arabia and is a true account.
The book is a story of one of the royal family members, a princess of the large royal family (about 21000 people), who described her life story to Jean Sasson so that it could be carried to the world. Almost all the names have been changed in the book to conceal the true identity of the different members of the royal family and other characters in the book. The princess who describes the story is named Sultana. She is one of several children of the patriarchal royal family and country. The book focusses mainly on the growing up years of  Sultana which I think is through 70s to 90s.

The book is a heart rending account of the despondent lives of women in Saudi Arabia during the above mentioned time period. It describes the crimes against women and the bias of the society towards a man's word as opposed to a woman's, due to which many women never received the justice they deserved. Any kind of revolt against men or disobedience of their "orders" was met with severe punishment for women. However, Sultana, was one of the rebellious few who dared to oppose some of the unfairness in her own way. She has got her way several times by knowing how to manipulate- situation or family members. I specially like the strong actions she took to save her marriage. Though it might seem like an obvious thing to do for most of us not living such circumstances, I can perfectly understand the kind of courage that is needed to take those steps for someone living in a country where polygamy and strict restrictions on women is common. By taking certain simple actions which many not be a big deal in most of the countries, Sultana almost seems to be a hero, championing the cause of women in the country.

There is a great display of wealth in the book. Of course, they are the royals but several times in the story, especially after the Gulf war, Sultana describes her wealth as unlimited. They fly in and out of different countries just for shopping or other forms of entertainment.

I am writing this review in 2017 and so much has changed in terms of women's rights in that country. Women can now vote, drive and even come to the stadiums to watch matches, though there are some rules around those as well. More than 50% of Saudi women are now enrolled in universities. All these may seem to be a contrast to the life described about 25-30 years back. I am glad that Sultana told her story. The country is said to be on its path to progress in matters of women' rights and some day, one from her future generations will learn of the struggles of the past and have an appreciation for the progressive life that they will possibly lead.

Only after I finished reading the book did I realise that it is a part of a trilogy, this book being the first. I will definitely look up for the others. It is an excellent read, written in simple language and gives very descriptive picture of the lives in Saudi Arabia that I felt I was in that country. I would rate the book 5/5 where 5 is excellent.

P.S: Sorry if this post seems a little incoherent. There was so much to say. I have trimmed down a lot as it seemed excessive. I strongly recommend that the book is read.

The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie

I got this book from Sapna Bookstore in Bangalore. I  got back to reading one of Agatha Christie's book after a really long time. I was really craving to read a mystery and thought this book would be the best to feed the craving. This book is one of the author's most popular characters- Hercule Poirot, the Belgian.

The book is written as a narrative by Poirot's friend, Captain Hastings. There are some parts though, which are pieces of information that tie the story together and are not a part of Captain Hastings' narrative. Christie has clarified the same through the chapter titles.

The story  revolves around a series of murders in an alphabetical order in terms of the location of the murder and the victims' surnames. Of course, Poirot's task at hand is to uncover the murderer. The murderer wrote letters to Poirot prior to committing them, giving him details of the location (only town, not the complete address) of the murder, challenging him to prevent the murders. The story gives an impression initially that the murderer held Poirot responsible for having him/her punished for a crime and that the murderer was now avenging the same. The book shows Poirot's mettle in uncovering the true murderer by scrutinising the seemingly simple and insignificant details as clues. There are also other characters in the book comprising of the relatives of the victims, the cops from Scotland Yard and few others (cannot reveal- will be a spoiler).

The book is written in a simple language with phrases of French scattered throughout the book mostly in Poirot's dialogues. The book also has amazing descriptions of food which, to be honest, either got me hungry or salivating sometimes. Those who know me well, know how much I love well-described food in books. I also loved how Poirot is able to relate to different human minds and the possible actions people would take based on their mental state. His study of human nature and getting inside the mind of the criminal was something that kept me really interested. I must admit though, that a few parts (very few!!) of the book seemed like a drag. I really cannot say that something was wrong with them, just that they bored me.

On a scale of 5 where 5 is excellent, I would rate this book 4/5.

The Magic of the Lost Temple by Sudha Murthy

As you already know that I got this book from Sapna bookstore in my recent book haul (read about the haul here). I wanted to read something light and nothing better than a children's book for it. Now, if you remember my previous review about Sudha Murthy's book (click here to read the review), I had mentioned that I hope that the next book of hers that I read would be different. Thankfully, this book was. The book's target readership is children and hence, written in a very simple language and has some interesting illustrations as as well.

The story revolves around Nooni, a 12 year old who goes to her village in Somanahalli to spend her summer holidays with her grandparents. The book paints a vivid picture of the slow paced village life, constantly comparing it against Bangalore. Nooni's grandma and grandpa narrate to her two different versions of a story of a stepwell related to an ancient ruler Somanayaka. The stories are both intriguing. Nooni makes a bunch of friends in Somanahalli and enjoys the village life a lot by going swimming in the river, picnicking and hiking to nearby places. On one such hikes, she stumbles upon something that feels like the stepwell described in the stories of Somanayaka and that sets the ball rolling for all the forthcoming activities in the village.

The book has amazing descriptions of food and had my mouth watering several times. In addition, the village life is very tempting and made me want to pack my bags and visit Somanahalli. I would have loved to go with Nooni and friends on the picnic by the river. However, I really did not enjoy the comparisons between Bangalore and the village. The village life has been glorified a lot and the city life has been shown as a negative.  Both have their own positives and negatives and I would have really preferred if the writer focussed mainly on the village life.

Some of the writing which describes Nooni's thoughts actually sound like those of an old person and not that of a child. For example, Nooni does not understand what a native fruit is, but, in another place she says that people in Bangalore are more interested in eating at weddings. Somehow, the former comes across as a child's thought but the latter of that of an old person, in my opinion. These are some other such examples which are a little awkward and does not seem to originate from the same person's brain. The book does get a little preachy in parts- I guess it is intended to be, considering, the target readers to be children. Otherwise, the book is a great read for kids and adults alike. It was a page turner and unputdownable. I hope to read similar stories from Sudha Murthy going forward.  I enjoyed reading this book thoroughly and highly recommend it for a children's movie too. The book has also touched up on some social issues such as lack of toilets etc.

Overall, a good read and I would rate it 4/5.

The Empty House

I bought the book at Sapna Bookstore during my Christmas vacation last year (again!). I wanted a light book to read as I was travelling to Hubli to attend a wedding. I love reading books on train and thought this would be a great read on the train.

Now, I really picked this book up without reading much on the back cover. The front cover indicated Ruskin Bond- The Empty House and Ruskin Bond was good enough for me to pick book up. However, once I started reading, I realised that this book is a compilation of stories by Ruskin Bond. Except one, all stories have been written by various writers.

The theme of the stories is 'Spooky' and comprises of supernatural thrillers. The Empty House happens to be one of the stories in the book. Probably Ruskin Bond or the publisher thought that this is the best story in the book and decided to put the name on the cover. Though the story was good, it was not the best according to me. My favourite in the book was that of Ruskin Bond's called Gone Fishing about a loyal servant waiting for his master's return who had Gone Fishing years back and the master does return and How!!! Read to enjoy. It was a simple story yet had a superb twist in the tale- Loved it. There were other good stories too of which I liked- The White Wolf of Hartz Mountain and Mrs. Raeburn's Waxworks. Though the compilation is good, none of them could equal Gone Fishing for me.

If I have to rate the book, it will be 4/5 as some stories did not thrill me enough for a supernatural thriller compilation. However, I strongly recommend that you read the book as a big part of it is still quite good.

Book Haul from Sapna Book Store

I went to meet a friend visiting from Hyderabad on Gandhi Jayanti, for lunch. Following lunch, we had a milkshake at the Drunken Monkey and just went to Sapna Bookstore for just a glimpse...thought we would peep in and out without any plans/intentions of buying books. However, we both ended up buying books and I also bought some stationery to make myself feel good.

It is now time to unveil my book purchases.

I observed an Instagramer consistently post pictures of Agatha Christie's books. When I saw the ABC murder, I recalled that the Instagramer had posted a picture of the book with the same front cover. The cover was so inviting, I couldn't help myself and decided to get it. I sometimes, do judge books by their cover. I have read many of Agatha Christie's books in high school. I somehow do not recall if I have read the ABC murders so that gave me one more reason to buy the book. I do not mind re-reading such books.

I wanted to read a fictional story from Sudha Murthy and not a compilation of anecdotes from her life. Though the book- The Magic of the Lost Temple is intended to be a children's book, I do not mind reading it. I love reading children's books to date and read them from time to time.

I have been hearing a lot about Twinkle Khanna as a writer and how witty and hilarious she is, especially in The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad, that I had decided to buy the book long back but it was never in sight or on top of my mind whenever I shopped. At Sapna, it was staring at me and did not allow me to forget buying it.

This is it- a small little update from my recent purchase.

Vikram Rana Investigates: Tales of Murder and Deception in Hyderabad by Sharmishtha Shenoy

I picked up this book at the Sapna Bookstore in Bangalore last year during Christmas vacation and read the book in a couple of days. I could not find many interesting books when I went book shopping that day. This book caught my eye, as, mystery novels woven in Hyderabad are not common, and since I live in Hyderabad, I was drawn to it instantly.

The book consists of 2 different stories- The Sonia Sinha case and the Mysterious Affair of the Lohia Mansion. The common factor is a former cop Vikram Rana, who leaves the force and starts his private investigation agency. The Lohia mansion case is the first case he investigates. The other common factor is inspector Reddy who is 'formally' investigating the case in both the stories. There is a brief description about Vikram's wife as well, who plays a bit of a role in Vikram's character building in the eyes of the readers.

Vikram Rana bags his first case when his friend hires him to investigate the murder of his sister-in- law, a socialite in Hyderabad who dies under mysterious circumstances in the Lohia mansion. The story obviously revolves around how Vikram resolves the mystery.

The second case that is brought to Vikram is by Mrs. Raju who wants to prove her son (a suspect), innocent in the murder of her husband. He is awarded this case based on his famed resolution of the Lohia mansion case. This story is about how Vikram reveals the true murderer in the case. Of course, he takes support from Inspector Reddy.

The writing style is quite casual. The book is fast paced and easy to read. There are a few spelling mistakes which seems to have not been at the time of editing. There are some irrelevant descriptions in the book. Example- about autodriver woes in Hyderabad- does not help readers make a connection, is completely irrelevant and does not contribute to anything in the story; and an irrelevant quote by Groucho Marx when Vikram meets Gaurav, a character in the Lohia mansion story. Certain things are stated quite directly and plainly, where making it more experiential would have been nicer. Also, some sentences seem as passing narrations without any proper basis. As an example- Full lips are a symbol of fertility, seems a little far-fetched. The chronology of events in terms of dates in the Sonia Sinha case are quite messed up and a complete put off.

I liked the descriptions of food in the book and references of different localities in Hyderabad. It makes it very relatable to the Hyderabadis. The non-Hyderabadis or those in RR district of Hyderabad may find it a little difficult to relate to all the places mentioned. However, I appreciate the author's effort in painting a picture of Hyderabad in the minds of such readers.

Since this is the writer's first book, I sincerely appreciate her effort, as, in the current generation of writers, we do not have too many Indians venturing into this genre of writing- crime, thriller and mystery. This is a difficult genre to write and requires a lot more research, perspective and understanding on means, method, psychology, deduction than writing a drama or a love story. However, I would rate it 2 on a scale of 5. The main reason being the predictability of the culprits of the the crimes committed. It just happens too early in the story and I did not have the 'What!!" or "Aaaahhh!!" moments in both the stories when the culprits are revealed which generally happens with good mystery novels. The writer made it too obvious, especially in the Sonia Sinha case and one could easily figure out the murderer very early in the story and the only reason I read it was to understand the motive behind the murder, which I lost interest in once it was obvious who the murderer was. I like mystery novels where we are kept guessing on the murderer until the very end.

I hear the writer's second book is out already and I will definitely pick it up- I actually looked for it but could not find it in bookstores. I would like to encourage more Indians to write in this genre and I surely hope and have gut feeling that the second book would be way better than the first. Wishing her all the best and look forward to reading the next book.

How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and Other Stories by Sudha Murthy

I am writing today after almost a month. The book I am writing about today was purchased from Sapna Book Store in Bangalore during my Christmas vacation last year and I finished reading it in a day.

The book, How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and Other Stories (HITMGTR and OS), is a series of real life anecdotes and stories compiled by Sudha Murthy. Now, this is the second book of Sudha Murthy's that I read, the first one being- Wise and Otherwise. To be very honest, and I know a lot of you will disagree with me or will come out in defence of Sudha Murthy and her writing, but I just hated Wise and Otherwise, as it comes across as a book that treats/talks about the current generation of people as flawed and a bunch of good-for-nothings and Sudha Murthy epitomises  herself as an embodiment of perfection and actually comes across as arrogant. It is tolerable in the beginning but when it becomes the theme of all her stories and one has to keep reading it story after story, the book comes across as a bitter box of complaints. I know people will hate me for saying this but this is exactly what I felt about the book. Having said what I have, I have a great respect for the lady and her contribution to the society.

This particular book (HITMGTR and OS) too has a few stories with a similar theme. However, it is relatively refreshing compared to the first one as some (only some) of the stories are quite captivating and have a positive vibe in them. My most favourite ones are the title story and saving for the Rainy Day. The title story is easily the best and I could really imagine all the events in my head and the grandma's earnest to read and be independent. All other stories can be ignored as they are similar to Wise and Otherwise, where she is boasting about herself, her achievements and her family (all of whom are supposed to be perfect) and makes her look arrogant. There is just one story in the entire book which is quite hilarious, but easy to forget (I've forgotten already).

The writing is quite simple (as it was in Wise and Otherwise) and probably meant for Children's reading. It can qualify for one in teaching them morals and about life. However, I would not recommend it even for children as I would not want to pass on other things to them such as excessive pride in one's education, achievements and family. On a scale of 5 (5 being synonymous with Excellent), I would rate it at 3 and the rating is solely for the title story. I am planning to pick up another book of Sudha Murthy's soon and I really really hope that it would extremely different from the ones I have read so far, as I feel she has so much more to her than what she has shown in the 2 books mentioned here- do let me know if you have a good recommendation.