The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid

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A captivating story that packs a punch.

Post 9/11 made Asians most particularly Muslims a very unpopular face in the West. The Twin Tower attacks were shown time and again and reinforced a growing antipathy for the Muslim community as a perpetrator also rose. It doesn't help that with each terrorist attack, it is becoming more deepseated. This where the book comes into relevance. This was one of the first books that I read projecting the perpetrator as a victim.

I read this book sometime back but saw its film adaptation recently. I liked the book better. The book is clear and focussed whereas the movie in an attempt to make it more palatable for the viewing public. It digresses and misses the point.

Gist:

It is a monologue where Changez Khan does all the talking. The opening scene is that he is met by a journalist who wants to know if Khan is a fundamentalist and Khan then tells him his story.

What works:

• I have always thought monologue to be a difficult medium to use but Hamid employs it to his advantage here.

• It sheds light on Changez Khan and on the events as they unfold.

• The narrative. It shows off a well spoken considerate man, a victim of circumstances but who takes responsibility for his actions.

• The structure. The pacing is good and keeps the reader on her toes till the end.

• The length. Just the right length to finish in one sittting, but cuts no corner in doing so.

What doesn't:

• Nothing really. A well packaged read.

Man booker nominated books can be a bit heavy and boring. This one is not. It is fast paced, offers great insight and is relevant in this terrorist ridden times.

Apparently the book made another appearance as a film tie-in version. The screenplay was done by Hamid too. However, I wouldn't bother with it. The original version is the best.

A Spy By Nature - Charles Cumming

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The Making of a Spy

Although I am not much into spy stories, John Le Carre and now Charles Cumming are getting me into it. I loved watching TV and film adaptations of Night Manager and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Somehow watching them seemed more interesting than reading them. I remember reading a Colder War before and loved Cumming's writing style.

Gist:

Alec Milius is stuck in an unhappy job when out of the blue, a family friend suggests at a dinner party if he would be interested in joining the foreign office. Alec agrees to go for it. He is looking forward to a new direction, a new chapter in life. He is intrigued by the idea of becoming a spy. However, it doesn't go the way he planned.

What works:

• The writing style is in keeping with the genre. Simple, straightforward dialogue that pushes the plot forward.

• The protagnist. Alec is a convincing character. His confusions, his mindset are in sync with the way he acts.

What doesn't:

• The pace is racy in the first half but towards the second half, it slackens a bit.

Overall, an ok read.

Gold - Chris Cleave

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A story about athletes and what it takes to be a winner.

I remember watching the London Olympics and thinking what must be going through these cyclists' minds - how do they prepare themselves to be such high class performers. Surely there must be interesting stories behind it. This book satisfied my curiosity.

I first heard of Cleave when I received his latest book for review. It was a wartime novel but his writing style was really striking. I was keen to find out what else he had written and I saw this book. The story had the same compelling narrative and banter that characterised his other novel.

But I liked this more, maybe because it was in the now and the events were something I had heard about and read in the media.

Gist:

Zoe Castle and Kate Argyll are two world class cyclists keen to make their mark on the cycling track. Best of friends, rivals, their relationship has its set of ups and downs until they reach the crucial point in their careers - London Olympics. Will they surmount their personal obstacles to achieve their dream? The story tells us all about it and much more.

What works:

• Cleave gets into the psyche of a world class athlete so well. How they prepare themselves physically, psychologically - it truly gives the reader an insight. 

• The narrative. Cleave has a very unusual way of narrating a story. It moves back and forth in time, how the athletes first came to the programme as amateurs and then 10 years later when they are at the peak of their careers, looking for that photo finish that the world will remember them for. 

• The central characters of Zoe and Kate are beautifully presented. The conventional Kate and the radical Zoe are beautifully etched out. Also the subplot of Sophie is so heart rendering.

What doesn't:

• I found Cleave's writing style striking yet not when I first started reading him. I recall being put off with his dry way of narrating events.  But the style grows on you. As the story picked up pace, racing to the pivotal scene, the style is actually why the story sounds so good.

A great read about athletes' lives and the sacrifices they make to stand on the podium. But what I also liked was the holistic experience of it. After the story ended, my copy had an author's note that explained his research into the athletes' lives and into children afflicted by life threatening diseases. There is also a diary about his cycling tryst on a cold morning that allows him the feel of what it is to cycle down the lane.

For me the note and the diary, were valuable add ons, providing a well rounded feel of how the story took root. Cleave does that with his latest novel, Everyone Brave is Forgiven. That is the kind of thing that really clicks for me - when the author shares his vision with the reader. Priceless.

The Angel Tree - Lucinda Riley

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A multi generational story about family secrets and its consequences.

I picked it up after Shriver's Mandibles and this was such an undemanding one! I love Riley's writing. It is easy going and yet compelling. Plot driven stories with some character development, it is essentially an escapist read.

Riley has been writing for decades but for some reason her old books are now being packaged decades after they they were published under a different name. For me, she is new and therefore it is was interesting to read the footnote to see how she redeveloped the story and added new dimension. However, those who may have read her old ones may want to be sure they know which one they are reading.

Apparently, this book which was published in the 1990s called Not Quite an Angel under the name Lucinda Edmonds. I have to admit though that the cover and the title are eye catching. 

Gist:

Greta, a stage performer finds herself pregnant during wartime and stuck with raising her child alone. She seeks stability and security and finds that in a marriage to an older man at the Marchmont house.

Francesca, or Cheska Hammond is popular child star. Right from a young age, Greta steers her into the glamour world. Away from Marchmont House and loving the arclights, Cheska is now ready to make the transition into an actress. Greta is her greatest ally but when teenage rebellion rears its head, Cheska pays a heavy price for it.

Ava Marchmont, is the complete opposite of her mum, Cheska. Raised away from her mother, she is happy, stable and content. Her world turns upside down when her mother makes a comeback into her life.

What works:

• The plot really works. It is multigenerational and has a bunch of interesting characters.

• Riley captures the movie world so well. It is atmospheric and paints a great picture of wartime and the Welsh landscape.

• The narrative is so smooth. It is also compelling because the events keep happening. Very action oriented.

What doesn't:

• Nothing really.

It is a well told story and Riley has a way of creating authentic characters. Cheska and the menacing way in which she moves around disrupting the people's lives around her makes for a very compellng narrative.

A great read.

The Mandibles - Lionel Shriver

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An unnerving futuristic story. 

Unnerving because, although the premise of the story sounds bizarre it seems so plausible. The title gives the impression of a saga - well it traces the lives of the family members over a 18 year period - but it is interspersed with elements of science fiction and "economic fiction" (if the genre exists!).

Lionel Shriver's books are known to many; for me she was a new author. A quick search told me her books have been great successes, winning reviews containing the word "thought provoking" to say the least. 

I agree with them. I received this book from the mumsnet book club. I am glad I did and stuck through with it. It was not an easy read.

Gist:

As the title suggests, the Mandibles are a family of three generations living in the US and are going through a period where the dollar as a currency has crashed and its implications on their lives.

What works:

• Loved the wordplay especially with the names of Willing Darkly and Elona. Very cleverly done.

• Loved the futuristic world. A Mexican president and the immigrants taking over. A wall keeping America out. oh and the program. Wow! what imagination.

• My favourtie bits from the story were the dialogues where a character says "No one reads books. Everyone is writing them." Also in another part, where Lowell laments that work of the mind is not considered a skill anymore when compared to physical labour. 

• The story has been structured and loved the chapter headings too. Cynical and at times mindboggling. But it makes sense once you delve into the chapter. 

• It is a demanding book; definitely not an escapist read. But it kept on playing on my mind long after. Worth the trudge then.

What doesn't:

• There are times when it reads like an economics textbook.

Overall, a very interesting, thought provoking story. Especially in this Brexit and Trump era, such books hold more relevance than they would - normally.

The Sleepwalker's Guide to Dancing - Mira Jacob

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An unusual title for a story about loss.

It was the title that hooked me in. I do not remember a more offbeat title that I have read in recent times. Sometime back, I was travelling to the US and got the chance to read it while visiting the country. Two reasons why I have been wanting to read this for a while - firstly because of the title and secondly because of its author.

The book promised to be a diasporic read (one of my favourite genres) and the timing felt right. It is a tome of a book and despite friendly warning by a fellow reader "not to keep my expectations high" and that it was "still a good read".

Gist:

A malayalee family settled in the US visits family in Kerala for holidays in the 70s. There is a matriach mother who wants to bring her prodigal son back home. A son who resents the trappings of a tight knit family and a child who sees everything through her own childlike vision.

Years later, when the son, now a famous surgeon is seen as behaving erratically, the daughter Amina Eapen is called back home. She has to piece together events in the past and present as she delves into family secrets and tries to find direction in her own life in the process.

What works:

• The prose. It is beautifully written though a bit of sharp editing would have helped a bit.

• The characters. It was reminicent of God of small things, mainly because of the Syrian family connection. However the story is completely different and very diasporic in nature.

• The story moves well back and forth in time. I loved the incident in India and the growing up years of Amina and her brother more than the present timeline. For me, that held a better connection than Amina's current situation.

What doesn't:

• There are times when the plot loses the reader especially pertaining to Amina's life. The author takes for granted that the reader will be familiar with Amina's line of work or setting. That is not the case.

• The writing sounds a bit alien at times, failing to build the connection with the reader.

• The story with its weighty paragraphs can be very heavy, affecting the reader's interest levels.

It is a good one off read but then like the fellow reader also suggested, go in expecting much else and you may be disappointed.