Heat Wave - Kate Riordan

Suspenseful and a scorching read for a cold evening 

Thrillers are my favourite simply because of the possibilities of the genre. A simple story about mothers and daughters can have an edge if you add the thriller element to it. I really enjoyed how Riordan has managed to shape such a suspense story on a premise that could have been a domestic, contemporary story.

Gist:

Slyvie is back at their family home in France with her daughter Emma. However there is a deep sense of unease. It is hot in the French countryside but that is not all, there are some bad memories, something has driven them away from the place and now they are back revisiting the past with some devastating consequences.

What works:

•  Superb sense of foreboding that kicks off from page 1.

• A mother-daughter story that everyone can relate to yet you can sense straight away that something is off. It is believable and yet the reader would be aware that there is something seriously dysfunctional here. 

• Riordan builds the story so well and then turns deftly around on its head, such that the reader never sees it coming.

• Couldn't help feeling it had a Rebeccasque quality to it. The brooding presence of an absent character in the house and the protagnist's memories of her is so powerful and is so beautifully done. 

• Superbly atmospheric, I felt like I was in the hot climes of France, could feel the heat and the thunderstorms against the palpating tension in the house. 

 

How We Met: A Memoir of Love and Other Misadventures

As the title suggests, this memoir is about Qureshi met her husband. But it is also about so much more.

As she states earlier on, it is not a tale of drama and oppression but more of a coming-of-age story.  She reflects on an upbringing where the houses were always full of guests, tables full of food and the mindset that girls who do not have a vocational career must marry young.

One may cringe at the way she puts herself through the matchmaking process. But we have all been in situations which in retrospect we would have handled differently. It takes courage to relive them again with transparency and that is where Qureshi wins hearts. 

Although marriage plays a pivotal part, the memoir also reflects on the personal trauma of losing a loved one – her father - around the time she was starting a new job at a newspaper office. Her experiences resonate as she battles grief and workplace bias at the same time, such that the reader feels triumphant when Qureshi finally begins to feel at peace with herself.  

The latter half of the memoir reflects on how she meets her now-husband and their efforts to convince the family. However, there is reference but no in-depth analysis about the cultural conflict. Perhaps that is where the appeal is. It is an upfront account of a woman relating her experiences and, in doing so, highlights societal stereotypes and pre-conceived notions. 

It is a feel-good story after all, and we know how it ends. The facts are neatly lined up like a well-planned fictional story, but the authenticity and the voice remind one that it is a memoir, and an engaging one at that.

Ten things about Writing - Joanne Harris

 When Joanne Harris’ name appears on a book about the craft, it is bound to attract attention. So, how is it better or any different than the ones already out there? 

Ten Things About Writing is clearly designed for the tech-savvy contemporary learner attracted to the luxury of a well-laid-out website. The book is moulded in a similar fashion, offering writing advice in a very palatable format with its crisp short sentences. 

It is divided into ten sections, each section containing ten short chapters. Each chapter is further laid out in ten bullet points. It is so easy to dip in and out that you whizz easily through the pages and marvel at how much has been packed into those short chapters. 

Right from getting into the zone to constructing a nuanced narrative, the book covers a wide range of topics. It offers tips on basic skills of “show not tell” and foreshadowing with equal ease, making it a comprehensive writing toolkit for the novice as well as the advanced practitioner. 

Harris’s experience as a contemporary author shines through when she discusses commercial issues like readings and requests. There is a section that addresses all sort of random queries from publishing trends to handling frustration. The questions are random and yet relevant for the writer navigating their way round the writing world.

The book ends with section, “Welcome to the dark side” and this is the best part where the stern, but warm voice inspires the reader and urges them to take pride in leading the life of a writer.

For someone keen to understand the concepts, this is a great book; for someone looking to sustain the joy of writing, this is invaluable.