The Midnight Library - Matt Haig

What if we get a chance to revisit the regrets of our life? To go down the path that we discarded ages go and see where it lead to?

Matt Haig's latest novel is a heartwarming read about second chances and opportunities in a well packaged narrative.

Gist:

Nora is unhappy, she sees her life as a big dump of poor choices and one day she chooses to end it all. Interestingly that is when her life actually begins. She finds herself in a library where she picks up the book of Regrets and gets the chance to revisit her choices and to do things differently. The result is a startling revelation about the concept of a perfect life.

My review:

• I absolutely loved the book. Nora Seed's character is endearing, her misery and unhappiness is relatable. Matt tells her story by counting down the hours to the point when she decides to end her life, a great way of revealing her present and the circumstances that lead to it. I was hooked from the beginning.

• This could have easily been a preachy, self help kind of a narrative but the concept of examining regrets and exploring outcomes is very beautifully packaged in a story. The framework of a library, the idea of sifting through options is done very well. I couldn't wait to see how Nora fared in each of those lives and what she would choose. 

• It was a pleasant surprise to see how the story steered to the resolution, did not see that coming at all. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil it but the real reason why I liked it is that I often think back to what ifs and this spoke to me in many ways.

One of the best life affirming reads I have read in a while.

Aarti and the Blue Gods - Jasbinder Bilan

This is the third book that I have picked up by this author and I have grown to love her style now. Bilan's books are a beautiful mix of magic realism interspersed with cultural references. This one is no different.

Gist:

Aarti has always lived with her temperamental aunt on this island for as long as she can remember. They live off the land alone and Aarti has never known anything different. However, she keeps getting these flashback images about a living a different life lived elsewhere. One day when she gets into a locked room, and stumbles on certain things that make her question her present and delve into her past.

My review:

• Bilan's forte is magic realism and this story brims with it. 

• The amalgamation of cultures into her story - in this case Indian and the Druid cultures - makes for an interesting reading experience.

• Her stories now are beginning to have a set pattern and it is easier to predict how the story is going to flow. Although the familiarity feels great, perhaps a bit more exploration in terms of style and themes will sustain that "wow" factor that drew the reader to the first two books. 

• Bilan is good at handling senstive subjects like grief, acceptance in her stories for the young reader. It is for this reason alone, that I am confident about gifting a Bilan book to a young reader, knowing well that she will be in good hands. 

If you have read her other books this one may not be up to the mark, but if you haven't read her before, this standalone book is a good introduction to her writing.

  

Djinn Patrol On the Purple Line - Deepa Anappara

 A Heartwrenching Story 

This title was our book club choice and though I wasn't too happy to pick it up, but when I finished it, it left me in awe of the writer and her ability to create such an authentic world. In an interview, Anappara said she had to stick to facts as a journalist but this debut novel offered her opportunity to give voice to those people in her newsreports . 

Gist:

Ten year old Jai lives in an unnamed basti in the outskirts of a metro in India. When, a school friend goes missing, Jai sees a perfect opportunity to play the cop from his favourite show and investigate the disappearance with the help of his friends. Matters turn ugly when more abductions are reported and Jai and friends realise that it is getting more sinister as danger moves closer to home.

My review:

• I enjoyed reading about Jai and his friends. The character of Jai with his street smartness and humourous one liners made me smile. 

• I also enjoyed the world building. Jai does not live in the best of circumstances and yet his family is not stereotypical, there is happiness in his life that I found refreshing.

• The setting really works. Whether it is the government school where the main attraction is the midday meal, or the basti life it feels authentic and is done with sensitivity that really appeals to the reader.

• The story turns a bit grim as a feeling of dread builds as the story picks up pace. The emotions are real and relatable especially it is based on newsreports that are full of similar news of children going missing.  

• The fact that the story evokes emotions in the reader is a major plus, a nod to the writer's skills. 

Overall, it is a heart ripping, well told story. Evocative and eye-opening.

The Girl Before - J P Delaney

I picked it up after the BBC adaptation was announced and I wanted to get to the book before I got to the TV version. I am glad I did. Its been a while since I raced through a book and I finished this in two settings.

About the story:

Emma finds a property of a lifetime when she stumbles on this modern house in London. Jane also feels lucky to have got this place to rent despite a weird set of dos and dont's. There is a shocking parallel as both women fall in love with the landlord and soon it feels like there is something more to Edward Monkford other than just an eccentric architect.

My review:

• The story starts off with a bang in a voice that reels you in. Loved how the author has captured two distinct voices. Even though it is easy to detect the pattern, you can tell which character is narrating the story. Very smoothly done.

• The two women are mirrored quite well and yet their circumstances are so different. It was interesting to see how the two narratives would blend. The pacing is great as reader races through the story to get to the end.  

• The story is not only fast paced but also has a heart. It operates as a racy story on one level but then it has themes and motives that are carefully embedded into the story, taking the reader by surprise. A cracking read. 

TV adaptation:

Since I had just finished the novel before watching the series, it was easy to see how the screenplay had been adapted for the 4 hour series. Some minor tweaks worked well. However, the TV adaptation portrays Emma's character completely different towards the end. It is hard to say anything without divulging the plotline but suffice to say I like the Emma in the book better. Plus the character of the Jane has an arc in the book which is missing in the screen Jane. However, credit where it is due, they have retained the ending which explains the title, which was something that truly elevates the book in my opinion.

 

Totally enjoyed this book. I am off to check out his backlist now.
 

It could never happen here - Eithne Shortall

Who would have thought that PTA groups at school can be so lethal? Eithne Shortall takes this standard fixture of any school and it packs with humour and astute observations to deliver a cleverly plotted and hugely entertaining novel.

Story:

The Glass lake primary school's reputation is under threat when a scandal breaks out. PTFA's Beverley Franklin, cannot afford especially when it coincides with a school musical that is about to go national. She goes into damage control mode but when the undercurrents force the fast to surface, things quickly spiral out of control.

My review: 

• I loved the intial chapters as the characters and situations unravelled slowly. They were well etched and it was amazing to see how seemingly minor incidents had a bearing on the overall plot. 

• The viciousness with which parents fought over roles in the school musicial is humourous and yet realistic. Shortall's razor sharp observation creates for a lot of funny moments in the book, which is balanced well when events take a serious turn. 

• The school setting is vividly drawn and anyone with kids will know what it is like for parents. Shortall brings out the absurdity and the drama in this primary school setting quite well and I also enjoyed the small town, close knit community feel that really adds to the setting.

• The story moves at an interesting pace. There are different strands but it is amazing how they all come together, moving together to build up to the revelation. Great storytelling.

• Overall, a great read. The story kept me hooked and I felt totally invested in the characters. I loved the character of Beverley and her mother Frances who is a foil to her. Also the character of Nuala Patterson with her own distinctive persona and secrets is a great one.

• This could have easily been a sinister, hardhitting read but Shortall handles it with delicate humour and commendable skill. 

Totally recommend this one! 

The Liar in the Library by Simon Brett

What drew me to this was the setting - a small town public library. As an eternal lover of libraries, I couldn't resist this warm and cozy whodunnit full of interesting characters. One of the writer's admirable qualities is always coming with alliteration for his titles and this one is yet another example of a good one.

The Story:

Burton St Clair is a well known author who has come to the library for an event about his latest book. A pompous womanizer, he makes a lot of enemies even before the evening ends. The nextday however, the quiet village of Feathering wakes up to the fact that the author's body is found in the library car park.

Jude was at the author event the evening before and had known Burton from before, ends up a suspect. She must find the killer soon if she wanted to get out of it.

My Review:  

• There is a constant resonance to the Golden age of crime well in keeping with the library setting of the story. There is a bunch of characters who have their ties to the victim and the connections are very nicely explored.

• What really appealed to me, is how the writer explains the dwindling fortunes of libraries, many of which are shutting down across the country. A library is a special place for me and it was great to see the writer use the place as a setting and as a platform to reitarate their value. 

• A short racy read. I was too caught in the how the writer had structured the story with its interesting cast of characters that never guess the killer, the revelation came as a surprise. 

• A brilliant example of how a good story doesn't need a lot of pages to tell a good story. It can be delivered within a few pages if you know how to tell one. 

 

A Will to Kill - R V Raman

Classic crime detection packaged in an atmospheric, contemporary setting 

Blurb:

When Manu Fernandez approaches well known detective Harith Athreya, with two wills written by his living father, Bhaskar Fernandez, Athreya is intrigued. Upon request, he decides to travel to Nilgiris – a beautiful hill station in South India. Athreya arrives as a guest at Greybrooke Manor just in time as events unfold.

My review:

• What really works for the story is the atmosphere. The mountain railway train, the mist and the reference to the colonial past instantly transports the reader to the Nilgiris. This is not a setting usually seen in crime novels, which is a major plus. The setting also acts as a foil to the gruesome events about to occur at the Manor.

• There is a definite echo of the Doyle classic, Hound of the Baskervilles. The folkore that envelopes the Manor is as thick as the fog outside, casting a dark shadow over the fate of its inhabitants.

• Detective Athreya's sharp mind and observations skills are a joy to read. A bit more backstory about Athreya would have helped in connecting him more with the reader. But then with so many characters who are also potential suspects and it is easy to see why Raman has focussed more on the plot.

•  The various subplots support the main narrative well and the story builds up intrigue as suspicion shifts from one character to another with each development.

• The writing style slows the pace a bit but once connections between random events emerge, the reader is racing through the pages.

Ultimately, ticks all boxes for a good read.  The plot unfolds well and like mentioned before, the reader would have loved to know Athreya better.  But then, that is why this reader would be on the lookout for his next case.

Disclaimer: I received copy from Pushkin books in return for an honest review.