The Homecoming-Preeti Shenoy

Book: The Homecoming
Author: Preeti Shenoy
Publisher: HarperCollins India

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when the past unravels and threatens to spill over onto your present?

When the past unravels, is love enough to hold the future together? To the world, Alka’s life is picture-perfect—she lives a charmed existence in a beautiful heritage bungalow on her husband Subbu’s coffee estate with their two lovely daughters. But when disaster strikes after Subbu’s near-fatal accident, buried secrets begin to surface, ripping apart the veneer of perfection. Even as Alka struggles to care for her husband and revive the fortunes of the failing estate, she is faced with an agonizing choice: fight for her strained marriage or give in to the long dormant love she feels for her brother-in-law, Krish. Can Alka’s marriage survive the weight of deception? Or will a forbidden love damage hearts and destroy lives? A moving continuation of the story that began in Preeti Shenoy’s bestselling novel A Place Called Home, The Homecoming draws readers into a deep exploration of love, betrayal, and the dangerous secrets we keep from ourselves and the world.

While The Homecoming is a sequel to A Place Called Home, Preeti explores different yet important aspect of relationships in this book as compared to the first book. Through this book, Preeti brings to light the importance of love in our lives, and a pertinent question about marriage, social norms and the very definition of a life partner in the truest sense of the word. What I really liked about the book that the writing is simple, but at times makes you ponder upon our definitions of love and relationships. Throughout the book, we see various situations that question the traditional idea of partners and it is through these moments that the core idea of the book shines through. I loved the fact that there is no judgement in the book and it is the story of primarily four people who are stuck in this conventional mould that society expects them to conform to, but somehow, they break out of it. The secrets unfold slowly and as each layer opens, as a reader, even you are forced to think of what would you have done if you would have been either in the place of Alka or Subbu or Chanda. The way each page brings a completely different perspective to the events is something I have always admired in Preeti’s writing, and same thing happens here as well. The idea that a person central to the lives of these 3 people is struggling between life and death, and yet each of them must manage their own lives and its entanglement with each other was complicated, but adds to the charm of the storyline.

The conversations between the characters are wonderfully crafted and the dialogues sometimes raise pertinent questions, but then also highlight that there are somethings that cannot be looked at from a practical sense. Alka’s transformation across the book was a sight to behold and I was amazed at the depth of character development, so much so that even the minutest of details have not been spared. The conversations between Alka and Muthu especially were the highlight for me, specifically when Muthu’s perspective is shown. Krish as a character did impress me again and the way he succumbs to love towards the end was heartwarming. What was the highlight for me in this book, however, was Chanda and entire conversation that happens between her and Alka. The way in which her character is created is something I truly loved and the dynamics between her and Alka took the story for me in the second half.

I have always appreciated Preeti’s attention to detail in the stories she writes, and there is this scene when Muthu meets Subbu, and while saying anything more would reveal a lot, I was touched by the way it plays out. When you are engrossed in the book, that scene has the power to bring back memories of something you love from the deepest recesses of your heart, and it was then I realised that the title of the book made sense in more ways than one. For Alka, Subbu, Krish and Chanda, each of them found a way back to their home, and as always, home might not always be a place, but with the people who matters the most to us.

So, while there are themes of love, betrayal, forbidden love and deception in the book, there is an honesty to the love that exists between people, and it is to explore that raw emotion that I highly recommend this book. The Homecoming comes home with a perfect 5 for me.

Get a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore!

Read my review of the prequel: A Place Called Home

Liberal Hearts-Nayantara Violet Alva

Book: Liberal Hearts
Author: Nayantara Violet Alva
Publisher: Penguin India

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What do you do when love crosses borders and societal expectations?

When Namya arrives at Maurya College of Liberal Arts―an elite bubble in the middle of rural Haryana―she finds the brightest and the most privileged living a life of complete self-indulgence. Alongside academic excellence, promiscuity and incessant partying are also the norm. Meanwhile, the village’s golden boy, Vir Kumar Yadav, has turned his back on a brilliant future and resorted to selling overpriced booze to Mauryan undergraduates to support his family. As their paths cross, Namya begins to question her entitlement, while Vir finds himself struggling with the black-and-white notions he’s always held true. And when a Westernized pub, Tej Ka Theka, opens next door, the walls of the glass palace begin to crumble, setting the stage for an irrevocable culture clash. Fresh and witty, Nayantara Violet Alva’s vivid and cinematic debut, Liberal Hearts, is as much a college romance as it is a coming-of-age story.

Nayantara’s writing is interestingly fresh and right from the very first page, you are transported to the world of Maurya and its inhabitants. The storytelling is quite visual and you can almost find yourself sitting through the classes or walking through the streets of Renadh. What I enjoyed was that the social divide that forms one of the pillars is clearly shown throughout the story through various incidents. Another aspect of the story that stood out for me was the chemistry between Namya and Vir. The on-off moments were amazing to read and the parts where we see both were my favorites. The first scene on Vir’s roof was a funny one to read specially how the call back to the climax that is. The relationship between the prologue and the climax is quite good, but honestly, I would have loved to see a bit more of entaglement between Namya’s father and Vir. The entire sub-plot around Tej-Ka-Theka was something that drove the plot and the skirmishes between Tej and Vir really brought out the local flavour. The climax was quite good and I liked how the author took her time to close the story in the manner that she does, and while I was rooting for an immediate happily-ever after, the way the epilogue pans out really warms your heart.

Coming to the characters, Namya’s character arc is wonderfully explored and you explore these little tidbits about her that help you picture her and read the story in her own voice. When we met her initially, she is fresh out of school, confused about career choices to the point where she finds her voice and makes the hard choices. The way the arch pans out is so soothing to read and wonderful to explore. Vir’s character is another one that impressed me. From the very first time we meet him in the prologue, to the changed man-of-the-house, Vir’s transformation was a bit painful to read but I could connect to him deeply and understand his dilemma and the motivation for his actions. Another character that deserves a mention here is that of Professor Lahiri, and we all have had that one Professor in our lives who has had such a profound impact in our lives and shaped our own futures.

Overall, Liberal Hearts is a heartwarming story of love, loss and finding yourself among all the chaos of the world. The book scores a 4.56/5 for me. 

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or a bookstore near you.

Listen to songs in the book on spotify here:

Affairs of Deception-Rakesh Kumar Singh

Book: Affairs of Deception
Author: Rakesh Kumar Singh
Publisher: Rupa Publications

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

When money is at play, would you trust anyone?

In the high-stakes world of politics and power, conspiracies and betrayals take centre stage when greed and lust become the driving forces of life. A devoted wife. A philandering husband. Three women. One man. Two high-profile murders. A senior bureaucrat as the prime suspect. The investigating officer also not beyond suspicion. In this treacherous web of deceit, ruthless ambition and dangerous liaisons, can anyone be truly relied upon?

The book is a story that weaves in political ambitions, relationships, and interpersonal relationships to deliver a gripping plot. Set in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, the author uses the political environment around the country to set the tone of the story. The storytelling is engaging and as a reader, you are intrigued to find out what is happening in the lives of the characters. The plot moves quite fast and the twists and turns in the story are unexpected and create an air of mystery. The author manages to blend politics, crime and relationships. What did not work for me was that in the pursuit of creating a complicated whodunnit, the author complicates the story quite a lot. The intermingling of the characters creates an air of mystery; however, the threads do not simplify at the climax as well. Secondly, the high-profile murders, mentioned in the blurb take place quite late and by then the charm of the story is lost and you are not much interested in them. Coming to the climax, the part in the parking came out of no where and somehow felt like an outlier.

The characters in the book are quite interesting. The author has used the background of administrative officers to set the tone of the story. The marital relationship between the protagonists and their definition of right and wrong is what drives the story forward. Another character that I loved was that of Nilay and how he comes a driving force for the story as well. The interface of the characters was good to read and I liked how the author raises some pertinent questions about right and wrong.

The book was an interesting read that scores a 4.44/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore today!

The Door-To-Door Bookstore-Carsten Henn (Tr. Melody Shaw)

Book: The Door-To-Door Bookstore
Author: Carsten Henn
Translator: Melody Shaw
Publisher: HarperCollins India

When was the last time you walked into a bookstore to purchase a book?

There's a book written for every one of us. Carl may be 72 years old, but he's young at heart. Every night he goes door-to-door delivering books by hand to his loyal customers. He knows their every desire and preference, carefully selecting the perfect story for each person. One evening as he makes his rounds, nine-year-old Schascha appears. Loud and precocious, she insists on accompanying him - and even tries to teach him a thing or two about books. When Carl's job at the bookstore is threatened, will the old man and the girl in the yellow raincoat be able to restore Carl's way of life, and return the joy of reading to his little European town? THE DOOR-TO-DOOR BOOKSTORE is a heart-warming tale of the value of friendship, the magic of reading, and the power of books to unite us all.

There are very few books that reach into your psyche and connects with you on a deeper level. The Door-To-Door Bookstore is a story that explores the importance of bookstores, booksellers and the ability to read and connect with people. What I loved in the book was that the story has been simply told and the author has focused on the message rather than the setting up of the plot. The author has also taken time to introduce you to the protagonist, his quirks and what makes him important in the lives of the other characters in the book. Another thing that I loved in the book was the two primary characters are on opposite ends of the spectrum and thus a wonderful contrast of understanding of people is seen, and that becomes quite important in the second half of the book. The storytelling is very visual and I loved how the author paints a picture of the bookstore, the route that Carl takes on his rounds as well as the homes of his customers that stay with you as a reader. The changes in the bookstore are also visually indicated and the change is mood is as much shown to you as it is written. The climax of the book is quite touching and will incite a few tears, specially if you were engrossed in the story.

Coming to the characters, I loved how the author created and developed Carl’s character. Right from the very first page, you find him endearing and relatable. If you have been a regular at any bookstore and if you are lucky enough, you’ll have your own Carl who will know just the right book that you need to read. His connection with his customers was quite fun to read. His dedication and passion for books is very well ingrained into his character which makes him a fun person to know. Schascha’s character was equally endearing to read and her contrasting viewpoint to Carl’s was a fresh whiff in the plot. The other characters are equally wonderful and in this story of human connections and relationships, the interconnectedness of lives is wonderfully represented and the way everyone intermingles and comes together was a nice end to the story.

This is a wonderful book that I think every reader should read once for it shows the magic of human connections and books. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book from a bookstore near you or on Amazon India.