Bournville - Jonathan Coe

 

I loved reading about this place which is not far away from where I live. I often wondered about Bournville, the place where Cadbury chocolate comes from and have been fascinated by what its story might be.

Bournville chronicles a family's journey through time and in a way West Midlands as well through the political discourse that underlines the plot. Right from the time the village was carved into the existence to the sweeping changes of the war and its aftermath, to the coronation, EU inclusion and later Covid, it takes a reader on a fascinating rollercoaster through time.

Love his writing and realised he is a prize winning author for his previous one. Must catch up on that one next!

The Blue Monsoon - Damyanti Biswas

A gritty rewarding read just like its prequel 

Tara and Arnav are happy to be together but they are still reeling from the events of the previous book. Life is finally coming back to normalcy and they have a reason to be optimistic for the future. But it takes on a threatening hue when Arnav finds himself dealing with a mutilated body in a temple. It carries overtones of casteism, hitting it closer to home for Arnav.

A bit of a slow burn, this sequel demands some patience before the story takes off. Biswas takes her time to lay out the plot but once it picks up pace, it turns into a page turning frenzy to race towards the conclusion. 

Once again Biswas turns the city into a character. The spirit of Mumbai permeates through the story this time in the form of its characteristic raging monsoon. Add it to an action packed plot and well drawn characters and the reader is in for a nail biting ride of guessing the who and the why.

The Blue Monsoon is not an easy read. It deals with some dark themes, laced with characters facing the challenges of living in a poverty stricken environment and oppressors who inhabit that setting. The Kinnar community finds representation here and it is a testimony to Biswas' skill that it is woven with sensitivity. The characters are all drawn well with a distinct eye even peripheral ones like Kamble.

Like mentioned before, it is a tough read but if like me, you enjoy a thriller with substance, then this is it.   

Thanks to netgalley for an advance copy. All views are my own.

Becoming Liz Taylor - Elizabeth Delo

Love Loss, and Optimism dominates this immensely readable debut   

Elizabeth Delo's Becoming Liz Taylor is a touching tale of love, loss and fractured family relationships. I was lucky enough to win a proof copy and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Val as she travelled around the country both literally and metaphorically.  

Blurb:

Val looked around. The baby appeared to be all on its own. There was no sight of a mother. No sign of anyone. 

Val didn't think aout it. She didn't even break her stride. She kicked the brake off the pram and pushed it as if she did it everyday.

My review: 

  

The intrigue in the premise is followed by a routine yet unusual scene in the opening chapter that pulls the reader in, straight away. The reader learns more about Hal and her journey, her reasons for the impulsive act and how she ends up where she does. The reader feels invested as she follows the travels of the unlikely pair all over the country.  

Delo delivers a convincing character in Val, and although she introduces Val to the reader in an unusual situation, she immediately garners sympathy.  Val's actions are impulsive and yet she acts with a conviction that is justified, driving the story forward and opening up a range of possibilities. 

The story moves back and forth in time and Delo's skill comes to fore as she maintains a good balance of nostalgia and emotions in the face of real life situations. This well judged balance makes for an immersive reading experience.

There is also Rafe, an interesting character with a story of his own. Once at the top of his game, Rafe now exists on benefits, living on the fringe of poverty. Just as the reader is wondering how the two different stories will come together, Delo skills comes to fore as she turns the story in a way catching the reader offguard. As both their individual stories merges into one narrative, Delo delivers a compelling story that explores ordinary lives and injecting it with an optimism that is desperately needed in today's world.    

It is a heart warming story that reflects life in its varied colours and hues. Delo brings out dynamics of a family, the imposed loneliness as a result of a fractured past yet laced with underlying optimism. 

That for me, really worked in this compelling debut novel and why the story stuck with me much after turning the last page. 

A feel good read that would make an immensely watchable TV series!   

 

 

Elizabeth Delo's debut novel Becoming Liz Taylor is published by Allen and Unwin and is out on August 3, 2023 

I am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes

What a read! I don't know where to begin from. I picked up this recommendation from twitter and was surprised that is was not a recent publication but way back in 2014. I loved the premise, where some seemingly disparate incidents in Syria, Manhattan, Saudi Arabia had some kind of connection and it was upto this man who called him "The Pilgrim" to make this journey and find out the truth.

It is a hefty book at 700+ pages but once I got in, what a ride it was. It is not so much about how brilliant the story is, but more a case of how brilliant the storytelling is. The voice and the way we are taking through a childhood tragedy in Saudi Arabia or a random police investigation in Turkey for me it was the places that did it. 

One minute I was walking down the streets to the World Trade Centre memorial, the next minute I was in Lebanon, travelling through the Hindu Kush mountains, I had never been to these places in fiction. That was what kept it going for me.

Secondly it was the voice as well. There was something dispassionate about the voice that fills the reader in about Pilgrim and Saracen, two personas who are similar and yet different. I loved the way these characters, their backstories which is so comprehensive that I felt like I lived in their heads. Hayes' knowledge of the Muslim world, his explanation for their actions come across as so genuine that it feels like a great privilege to be reading this novel from a storyteller like him.

By the time I finished this one, I was happy to discover that it carried chapters from Hayes' next one too. The Year of the Locust. Cannot wait to read that one!

This is How You Fall in Love - Anika Hussain

I enjoyed this rom-com where the protagonist is a South Asian, since such characters not often seen in this genre. The characters are well drawn and I loved getting to know Zara and Adnan and enjoyed reading about their camaraderie and the confusion that gets the plot going.

Hussain has a good grasp of the young adult mind and their dilemmas. She skilfully balances the idiosyncrasy of the families and the peer pressures, in How to Fall in Love. I found it to be a good balance of a well told story with some great characters and themes.

Zara and Adnan have known each practically all their life and it is a given for their friends and families that they will get together. However, Zara and Adnan don't feel that way. And then when Zara steps in to help Adnan out of a small fix, they don't realise that things may quickly spin out of control which can create complications not only for them but also for those they love!

The narrative style especially the use of text messages is employed well and I enjoyed racing through the story to find out "will they, won't they".

An enjoyable read. My teenage daughter and I read it together and had a great time talking about the book. I am already making plans to buy more copies for some YA readers I know!

The Murders at Fleat House - Lucinda Riley

I remember reading Riley years ago, the Olive Tree and enjoyed it immensely. She is a great storyteller and I was curious to see how she handled this crime thriller genre since I saw her as a contemporary fiction writer. Plus when I learnt that this was a posthumous publication it added to the novelty factor as well as the interesting premise of a murder mystery set in a Norfolk.

Gist:

Fleat House is a boarding school for the privileged. Big names send their children here and with any other boarding school, it smacks of wealth, bullies and nasty secrets. But when a pupil is found dead under unusual circumstances, the school wants to hush it up as an accidental death. However when one of the teaching staff is found dead, the school is forced to allow the police into the school to find out what is happening.

Investigating office Jasmine Hunter is stepping away from her police career for private reasons. However she decides to take up this case as a favour to her boss. With her trusted right hand Alistair Miles, they plunge into this dark world of priviledge, grudges and unsavoury truths.

My review:

I liked the atmospheric boarding school setting. A slew of characters are introduced at first, as Riley takes us into their lives. In her true engaging style, the reader is invested in the characters and settles well into the story straightaway.

There are a lot of disparate threads and Riley navigates through them skilfully. These threads have their own subplots and it is a while before they all come together and fuse into a singular narrative, but it is hugely entertaining and a delightful read.

I couldn't put it down and found myself snatching a few minutes just to find out what happens next. There were times when the story took a different path, throwing the reader offguard. The twists and turns were so nicely done, throwing the seasoned armchair detective off, with its red herrings and then the reveal which loops the story very well bringing it into a whole circle.

Thoroughly loved this read and it is a shame that the readers won't get to read more of Riley. Her talent will be truly missed. 

My review:

Wrong Place Wrong Time - Gillian McAllister

 I had heard lots of great things about this book and was intrigued. I had never read Gillian Mcallister before and was keen to discover this writer who was local to me. So happy when I finally managed to pick up a copy and what a treat it was.

Gist:

One Halloween night a mother looks out of the window, waiting for her teenage son. She sees him come up the drive but then right in front of her eyes, she sees a murder happen. She knows what she has seen, and wakes up the next day which is the day before, only this time she knews what is going to happen. 

How do you stop a murder once it has happened? 

My Review: 

This one really blew my mind. The premise did sound a bit ambitious and I was not sure what to expect, but the way Mcallister unfolds the story and takes us back and forth, I enjoyed every bit of the ride. Twitter which is my primary source of book recommendations was raving about this one, and I was a bit cautious. Especially in crime thriller genre, the premise is very unusual and shocking and then once you get past the shock factor, the story fails to live up to the build of  the premise. 

This is not the case here at all. As a reader I was cautiously waiting to see how the story panned out, it is a tough one to pull off and I marvelled at the way the reader is taking through the story in a reverse narrative, each scene revealing the past at the same time taking the story forward.

The story is so smoothly told that the reader feels well placed with as layers are revealed with some well defined characters in the story.

A great read. I picked this one up from the library and just saw the paperback is out. I am going to get a copy for myself now!

The Catch - T M Logan

Its is amazing how T M Logan picks the most routine of events in a person's life and turns them into fascinating stories. Curfew, Trust me and The Catch are all based on situations that starts with a simple what if which spirals into a such an engrossing tale.

The Blurb:

Ed meets his daughter's boyfriend, Ryan for the first time. Smart, successful, handsome, he seems perfect.

The only problem is Ed feels Ryan is lying to them.

He gets the feeling his daughter is in danger but no one else can see it. The wedding date is approaching fast and Ed sets out to uncover Ryan's secrets before it is too late...

My review:

• This book was on my TBR for a long time and I picked it up after seeing that the TV adaptation was out soon. I loved how the story moves and how it makes the reader change sides.

• In classic Logan style, the conflict is introduced on the first page and slowly as Ed's doubt takes centrestage, the multiple POVs help in keeping the suspense going, as the reader gets that nail biting edge of the seat feeling.   

• The characters are sharply drawn which makes it easier to connect to their actions. Logan doesn't give a lot of details but enough to explain their past and their present. Fast paced and racy, this is the sort of comfort read that I resort to when I just want to be entertained with a good plot.

The TV series is out and although it clearly states that it has been adapted meaning the setting has been changed to allow those who have read the book to experience the story in a different light. However, I felt the series took it for granted that the viewers knew the characters already. Which is why it was easier for me who had read the book but not my husband who felt some of the scenes did not justify the plot. 

My thoughts? The TV series is really good, but the book is better.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo- Taylor Jenkins Reid

 A story about the world of Hollywood of a bygone era but with a story so universal about fame, ambition and happiness.

When an ageing Hollywood diva Evelyn Hugo asks for a newbie reporter Monique to interview here, the reporter cannot believe her luck. It is only when Monique gets there that she realises that Evelyn wants her to write her biography. Monique is thrilled at the prospect but once she gets down to it, she finds parallels in her own life and realises that there is more to this assignment than what it seems like. 

Apart from a well structured narrative Reid's ability lies in the fact that she is able to conjure up a world and inject emotions that are so universal. The work culture of hollywood, the way female ambition has to make tough choices in order to survive and thrive. 

Reid writes with great maturity when she describes life experiences and how it changes a person. The level of insight that she brings to her characters is amazing and I was hooked to the story from the start to finish.

The writing is very compulsive and the way glides over decades is mesmerising. It is amazing how she uses stylistic devices to further the plot. The back and forth storytelling, the news paper cuttings and the narrative voice are so beautifully used to deliver a top story. 

I came across rave reviews about it and can confirm that it truly lives up to the hype. 

Highly recommended. 

The Couple at No.9 - Claire Douglas

A twisty thriller told from different perspectives, it had been hovering on my radar for a long time and when finally I got down to it, finished in a couple of sittings.

Gist:

Tom and Saffy have just moved into their grandmother's cottage. They are in the process of building an extension when bodies are discovered in their garden. Questions arise and soon fingers start pointing towards their grandmother, who has Alzehimer's. It set events in motion that makes Saffy worry for her family and for her unborn child...

My review:

• The story kicks off with a solid hook and within pages the reader is flung into the lives of the characters. The story is told from different perspectives - one of my favourite ways of telling a story and Douglas uses it well as disparate threads slowly come together in a well constructive narrative.

• The characters of Lorna and Saffy were well presented, their motivations and feelings for Rose had the depth, imperative to tell such a complex story. Overall, the story seems simple with its premise of family secrets and domestic relationships, but as the story traverses to the conclusion, the intricate working of the character mindset is well revealed as it sheds light on the relationship between Saffy and her grandmother Rose and her mother Lorna and Rose. 

• I had an idea of how the story would progress but for me the highlight was how Douglas portrays the relationship dynamics between the characters. 

• The setting of the story, a small sleepy town hidden away from the world is beautifully portrayed. I could imagine this place with its tight-knit community, the country lanes and the proximity to nature. The setting is a foil to the story that unfolds, which adds to the reading experience. 

Overall, a great read, well plotted and carefully drawn characters.    

    

The Blue Bar - Damyanti Biswas

I enjoyed reading this book and yet I struggled to come up with this review. Found it to be such an great read and was acutely conscious of articulating my reading experience well. It took me a while to get into the story but once I was firmly ensconced in that world of gritty, understaffed world of the justice system, I was caught in by how the story moved and turned as events unfolded and lead to an action packed climax.

Gist:

Tara, a bar dancer in Bombay is waiting at the Borivalli station in exchange for a hefty payout. Little does she realise that this outing will change her life forever.

Thirteen years on, her boyfriend, InspectorArnav Singh Rajput is still struggling with her disappearance. But then there is something else that demands his attention. Bodies of women are surfacing in different parts of the city and soon Arnav gets caught up in it. A serial killer seems to be on prowl and Arnav must act fast if he wants to save loved ones from falling victim to his antics.

My review:

I enjoyed this book and here's why:

• The initial chapters took me straight to Bombay and I found myself hearing and breathing the city as I turned the pages.

• Tara and Arnav are relatable characters , Biswas makes them very accessible and the reader feels a kind of kinship for these people caught in complicated situations.

• The story is a bit of a slow burn. It  takes time to get into the world, to immerse oneself into the lives of the characters. But then, it is a complicated world where passion coexists with bureaucracy, evil and distorted mindsets. The story is well layered, narrating a tale of crime, passion in contemporary Indian society, within a framework that is entertaining and offers insight at the same time.

• I see it as a novel that engages and educates the reader about a certain section of the society, not often seen in fiction. Corruption of power is a conventional theme, but in Biswas' hands it is delivered it in a manner that tugs at heart strings. 

• And this element of realism continues till the very end, which I think is commendable. Biswas could have easily turned it around into a palatable, neat conclusion but the fact that she doesn't, makes it all the more compelling.

• It is a slowburn read but once the story takes off, the reader is on a rollercoaster ride following Tara and Arnav, trying to work out the mystery in the story. The twist was unexpected, and I got that feeling of being hoodwinked, which bears testimony to Biswas' control over the craft. 

Overall, recommended for crime thriller lovers who dare to pick up something different. 

The Marlow Murder Club

 

What happens when a set of women, unlikely combinations come together and decide to solve a murder mystery in their town. Marlow Murder Club is a cosy crime mystery where some interesting civilians decide to solve a murder in their town of Marlow. 

Gist:

One evening 77 year old Judith Potts in swimming out on Thames river when she sees a brutal murder. When the local police don't believe it Judith decides to to figure it out for herself after some help from her friend. But then another body turns up and they realise that things were not as straightforward as they thought...

My review:

• I haven't read Thursday Murder Club so not sure if it is in anyway similar but I loved this one. It has a nice cosy feel to it. Midsommer Murders comes to mind.

• Seventy seven year old Judith is the leader of the pack. I loved how Thorogood uses the accessories of an senior citizen; crosswords, jigsaw and focus on keeping fit and uses it to create a formidable persona who is bold, sharp and quickwitted like Judith. 

• The story moves so well, meandering at first, introducing the knots and suspects in the story and then racing towards a conclusion, reminiscent of a Death in Paradise episode. Since this is the writer who has written the famous series as well, there is a particular delight in knowing what to expect. However, I like the book more than the series, purely because of the space to delve into the minds of the characters and their backstories which is not possible in an hour long episode. 

• This is not only a cosy crime mystery. The personas of the women characters are well developed, each distinct with their own set of traits and characteristics. There is some sharp observation and insight into these women's minds and their circumstances . The way these women come together to pool in their talents to solve mysteries is quite ingenious and enjoyable. I also liked the character of the inspector, a woman grappling with her own work-life balance as she joins forces with the murder club.

A well plotted mystery although the reveal reminded of me of a crime story with a similar murder. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable treat! Just heard that the Marlow Murder club is ready with their next case and I cannot wait to read it!

Highly recommended for fans of Midsommer Murders or Marple stories.