Book Review:Best kept secret by Amy Hatvany

Title: Best kept secret
Author:Amy Hatvay
Publisher: Washingnton square press
Pages:330
Genre: Woman's fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5
Source: online

Buy Best kept secret from flipkart.com



Summary
Cadence was not into more than a glass of wine till she got divorced from her cheating husband ..Just to relax and for a deep sleep it all started with one glass then she couldn't get sleep without  one full bottle and then it just went on...From a happily married life with a lovely son she had a perfect life until her divorce lead to reach out for alcohol to cope up with her sinking career and life all together..Predictably the bottle took control over her and she lost everything around even her son the only hope of her life..This novel is about a long struggle of Candence getting over her addiction and finding a new life..

Review
Reading the back cover I was convinced that this would be an emotional read for me, my only question was how far..Quite amazingly the book held me enchanted...Alcoholism was the only thing that made me skeptical about the book but as I read through all doubts just evaporated... Just divorced, now a single parent of a pre-school son, Candence resorted on two glass of wine for a deep sleep each night..Slowly and steadily this habit expands onto one bottle and by a year she turns out be a fully alcoholic, yea I know its nothing to be proud of or to be boasted but well that's what happened to Candence...She ended up there with all her senses loud and wide still I couldn't help from sympathizing with her..Predictably she takes grave steps that further risks her to the edge..She now has no friends she can identify with..Her son who was her life is taken away by her ex-husband..Her life is all messed up from there on her path to recovery begins., alcoholism to sobriety she makes it through her ebbing confidence that she somehow pushes high...Her strive to stay in touch with life after divorce, her inabilty to find a job after being a stay home mother,her sinking career graph as a freelance writer, are vividly portrayed by Hatvany....Hatvany makes Candence's character   likeable, in spite of her flaws..Yes, she isn't anything closer to perfection, she makes dumb mistakes. succumbs to alcoholism when she knew right away that would end up losing her beloved son, yet she did it all but that happens to many..Candence recovery is driven by one determined thought., that is her son, I really felt bad when her sister put Candence in hospital..She is all alone and no one to hold on or lean to., well life can in deed could go through rough water...All the perfect description of alcholism made me search more for Amy Hatvany's profile and interviews and there she was admitting to be on the path of recovery from alcoholism....One trouble with alcoholics is that.,  apart from their own life, they also disrupt the lives of people around who care and love them...During her initial stages of recovery, she feels at peace at home all alone., somehow she feels she feels good without her son to mess up things around....To deal with a infidel husband itself toils up a wife emotionally and then when you venture upon alcohol just to shake off the sinking mood which starts to control you is definitely not a great way to deal with things...One of my friends said that.,this book has helped her see alcohol addicts in a new light, now I can see why!!!!Its sad that like Candence., alcoholics are judged , but its also important to make way for them to recover with a helping hand and with some assuring words that they eagerly look out... The novel is not just fabulous but quiet thought provoking too...The honest take on alcoholism and recovery just took my heart away..This book makes me want to read her other works too...

Book Review: Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

Title:Wives and Daughters
Author:Elizabeth Gazkell
Publisher: Penguin books
Price: Rs 250
Pages: 816
ISBN: 9780141389462
Genre: Classic
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Source: Personal


Buy wives and daughters from flipkart.com
Buy wives and daughters from amazon.com

Summary
Seventeen-year-old Molly Gibson worships her widowed father. But when he decides to remarry, Molly's life is thrown off course by the arrival of her vain, shallow and selfish stepmother. There is some solace in the shape of her new stepsister Cynthia, who is beautiful, sophisticated and irresistible to every man she meets.

Review
I wanted to read something in classic and I chose this book for no good reason and to be frank I wasn't really looking forward to it...Like that of the tale of Cinderella with a differemce that our  widowed father Mr.Gibson has a teenage daughter Molly Gibson rather than a kido like Cinderella, and he decides to remarry and predicatably a bad choice...
Life of seventeen year year old Molly is that of super contend and quiet well that is how we can describe it until her fathers decision to remarry, though not entirely happy about her father's decision , she is only too happy to learn when Claire or Hyacinth Kirkpatrick , Mrs Gibson to be daughter Cynthia Kirkpatrick..Utterly beautiful who carries an air of charm around her somehow also carries an air of mystery and secret naive and plain Molly seem like an opposite pole to her step sister..Far from being happy Molly's life begins to tumble down with feelings of despair about Mrs Gibson's attitude and her own father's happiness she is also intrigued by the secret thread between Mr. Preston and Cynthia..Still the step sisters hit it well and their love, friendship, gossip and drama makes a good read...Though not completely vicious Mrs Gibson turns out to be ego-centric, and self-indulgent, evn when manages to speak sweetly to Molly something just doesn't seem right about it..
Set in 1830's English land of Hollingford, this book is a treat to a person who finds it fascinating like that me except for the matchmaking process..Molly world that changes with her father's marriage keeps up with the changing Victorian era beautifully intertwined...I was reminded of Austen's work time and again , I guess largerly because of the era both authors where romancing with...Right from the beginning what appealed to me was the contrast of ideology between the generation depicted and aptly presented through the characters while Countess of Cumnor Tower is a torch bearer of aristocratic conservative British society quite an opposite to  free thinking Molly Gibson .. We are also introduced to Roger second son Squire Hamley and his elder son who also moves through that track...Hamley household treats Molly one among them yet there is a secret that might shatter Dr.Gibson..
 Hamley's sons stay true to the modern young crowd who are ambitious, inspired by science, philosophy away from the old stigma and theories, they question the practice that are in practice for the sake of it..Attitude of people reflects through dialogues and thoughts, for instance Roger, who is well known for his work and travel, still Mrs Gibson takes notice of him when he is included into the inner circle of Hollingford..Even as Mr. Gibson preaches on science and developments thinking progressively, at the very same time he asks his governess to teach Molly the things that would make his daughter an obedient wife rather than an free soul...All along Molly is taught to curb her feeling never to open up her thoughts and in case she has her thoughts she has an options to spend in on solitude..While her step mother is all set to push her into a life of false pride and aristocratic immunity with no space for a person's character and personality but just the family name and hierarchy in society..I almost lost my cool when I read the ending of book man but well I don't want to spoil the suspense, but the truth is there is no ending because Gaskell didn't complete this book though you get an idea of how it might end....What I loved about Gaskell is her brilliant dramatics and portrayal of each and every character throughout the book...
For me Wives and Daughters is my cup of classic with drama, mystery, romance, love, friendship in an era that had the essence of transformation breaking free from tradition...I would definitely give a try on her other works...

Book review: Mistress by Anita Nair

Title:Mistress
Author: Anita Nair
Publisher: Penguin India Pvt Ltd
Pages:448
Price: Rs 399
ISBN:9780144000333
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Borrowed


Buy Mistress from flipkart.com
Buy Mistress from aamzon.com

Summary:
When travel writer Christopher Stewart arrives at a riverside resort in Kerala to meet Koman, Radha’s uncle and a famous kathakali dancer, he enters a world of masks and repressed emotions. From their first meeting, both Radha and her uncle are drawn to the enigmatic young man with his cello and his incessant questions about the past. The triangle quickly excludes Shyam, Radha’s husband, who can only watch helplessly as she embraces Chris with a passion that he has never been able to draw from her. Also playing the role of observer-participant is Koman; his life story, as it unfolds, captures all the nuances and contradictions of the relationships being made-and unmade-in front of his eyes.
 
Review:

image source

 Before getting into the book let me talk about Kathakali (story-play) classical Indian dance-drama known for its elaborate and exquisite make up...The art is a combination of Literature, Music, Painting, Acting and Dance..The performances are based on the stories from The Mahabharata and The Ramayana, ancient scriptures (Puranas ) of India..There are classical Kathakali stories that are chosen for the performances, starting by dusk it goes on all night..Artists by means of Mudra (hand gestures) and facial expressions that comprises the Navarasa convey the story  with rhythmic dialogue complemented by drumming.. Kathakali is believed to be originated during 16th century in southern Kerala, India.

image source

Now , about the book ,the story is set on the banks of river Nila that instils the beauty of art,  wonder of creativity and depth of love and passion and the pain of infidelity....Koman is a renowned Kathakali artist, Christopher Stewart , Chris a travel writer visit the Matt to interview him, but a deep attraction develops between Radha, Koman's niece and Chris , complication sets as Radha is married to Shyam.... There are more complicated relationships in this novel to be explored one that between Angela and aging Koman, Koman has a way for many such intimacy ...There is an intricate love story that is told by Koman between Sethu and Saadiya in a mythical Arabipatinam... The novel comprises nine chapters named that goes by navarasas and each chapter revolves around the title..The characters are memorable even Malini Koman's pet bird that calls aloud from its cage"Kallan, Kondhan" (thief) adds its own deeper meaning to it..

Before you end up thinking that the book is all about many complicated relationships let me tell you that it's not, the book explores and discovers the art of Kathakali in a new light through daring and bold characters especially the one like Radha, various aspects of the art itself is picturesque...Radha has no remorse nor has any hesitation of showing her bond  between Chris to her husband Shyam..I ended up pitying Shyam but at the same time wondering what stopped from acting against Radha's actions...Watching Radha and Chris together, Koman compares it against the kindle that of Duryodhana and Bhanumati in Uttara Swayamvaram....Kathakali is portrayed in an everyday human perspective, overwhelming the reader with its beauty...Nair knits relationships and the Kathakali bhava to complement the novel into a full circle...I had a problem with the characters when they looked down upon the people who didn't understand the art of Kathakali,I guess I took it personally because I belong to that category of mortal souls who don't understand much about it....The book is a real beauty of the reader who enjoy the art of Kathakali and and also to those who appreciate it but for others this would sound like a mere tale of interwoven and  complicated relations that loses its charm by the end of it....

Book 2 for book blogger recommendation challenge (BBRC2012)

 

The music room : a memoir by Namita Devidayal

Title: The music room
Author: Namita Devidayal
Publisher: Random house India
Pages:320
Price: Rs 295
ISBN: 8184000545
Genre:Fiction/memoir
Rating:4.5 out of 5
Source: Borrowed

Buy The music room from flipkart.com
Buy The music room from amazon.com

Summary
This is a tribute to a teacher by a student ., Dhondutai Kulkarni is the music of Namita Devidayal who not only teaches her music but through music., she teaches her about dedication, love and finding a balance in life., This she does it through not by mere preaching but through living as an example..Dhondutai  is a disciple of legendary Kesarbhai Kerkar..The book reveals rich tradition of hindustani music and its heritage...

Review
Before I go any further into the book I wanted to for few basics facts on Indian Classical music..Like the western music that goes with Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do., classical Indian goes with Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa..The Indian classical music has  two subgenres one being Hindustani music and the other Carnatic music., while the former is largely practiced in northern India the later is spread through Southern India...A distinct Raga (note) sung for a rhythmic tala  forms the base of the Indian Classical music...

I expected the book to be more to Namita Devidayal's account of music., though it is to an extend it is more about her teacher's dedication to music., though it turned out to be quite different...At ten Devidayal is dragged for music class much against her will by her mother....She is put off also due to the locality where Dhondutai lives surrounded by brothels, her walls outside home is all clattered by betel spit marks... The book explores on the relationship of Devidayal and Dhondutai and Dhondutai's relations with her teacher Kesarbhai Kerkar who happends to be a disciple of much accalaimed Alladiya Khan...Devidayal prefers for a swim upon music class but her mother drags her to Khondubhai Kulkarni..In those times in India it was customary for all girls to learn music to enrich marital skills (I still wonder why it was so)., though now children are taught music though not for the same reason anymore...Initially reluctant Devidayal slowly gets the hang of the classic music from her devoted teacher coming face to face with her dedication., Kulkarni stays single throughout her life for the sake of her love of music., she states one cannot have two masters as both demand too much....Devidayal also describes the true meaning of gharana and the difference between each gharana...Dhondutai was the only surviving child of  the family hence she was named Kondu to cast off the evil...Dhondutai not only teaches the art of singing but full aspect of music, its history, music as an art., its tradition and cultural heritage...Devidayal keeps her life apart from it and concentrates more on the guru-shishya (teacher student) relation., somewhere along the memoir she mentions about her job and about her relations..There are beautiful anecdotes describing musical legends ..In a world that go by worldly possession and recognition there are few like Dhondutai and Keserbhai who live for the love of art without any kind of expectation., and this is that sets them apart from the regular crowd gaining respect...Another important fact is emphasized on clearly that no music can be learnt from books..There has to be a teacher who can guide you through., Dhondutai teaches Devidayal two important part of music one is breath control and another to throw voice., both she mastered from Jaipur gharana... Through everyday converstaion between Dhondutai and Devidayal the reader gets to bite sweetness of the knowledge of music....While Kesarbhai Kelkar was a legendary Hindustani singer of 20th century, passed on to Dhondutai  and she stayed with her till her death in 1977...Though the book the depreciation of wealth for the singer as there are no more people around to appreciate the talent..Even Dhondutai is able to retain the success of Jaipur gharana that soared sky during the times of Alladiya Khan and Keserbhai Kelkar...Dhondutai's present house itself explains a lot about her finance ., yet she is content and happier than anyone Devidayal has come across..Her life is music and it stays that way until her death....Glimpses of Mumbai life is also scattered through like the travel is local trains, instant friendship among the passengers, the busy streets ., people rushing to get home and to work., slow modernising city....Devidayal writing is an absolute treat that keep you engrossed throughtout ..This book is a must read for all who wish to get a glimpse of Indian music and its heritage....

Book 19 for SAC

 

The help by Kathryn Stockett

Title:The Help
Author: Kathryn Stockett
Publisher: Penguin Books
Price: Rs 299
Pages:451
ISBN: 0141047704
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5
Source: Personal

Buy The help from flipkart.com
Buy The help from amazon.com



Summary:
Skeeter is turned down by a publishing house.,her ambition of becoming a writer seemed to be dawning as she unravels the stories of black maid in the white household..She becomes close to Ailbeen very giving and caring  and Minny outspoken with classic culinary skills both are black maid working..Skeeter has her won past with a lovely black maid Constantine whom she was quite close too...Skeeter, Minny and Ailbeen the threesome find themselves in a line when such things are still not allowed...Set in the 1960's in Jackson town the novel is about these three characters and their perspective of life...

Review:
This is another book about African American ., but seen through Eugenia Phelan or Skeeter (white)..This novel is not about the larger struggle of earning freedom, but their everyday lives to get on with life..Stockett has chosen an emotional angle, maids who take care of the children they work in...All excited Skeeter returns home from hostel after graduation ., one thing she wanted to get an explanation from her maid Constantine for not writing to her., but sooner to her astonishment finds out that she has left with no trail to find her...Her life starts to move ahead leaving behind her thoughts about Constantine., Her ambition is to become a writer., she soars to cloud nine after receiving a letter from Harper and Roe her happiness are shattered as she learns that she hasn't been hired but they are open to read her work..Gearing up she sends it only to be turned down...She has two girl friends Hilly Holbrook and Elizebeth Leefort., they grew up together living in the same neighbourhood, going to the same school and parties., they are in a similar wavelength...Hilly and Elizebeth are married with children ., now a black maid takes care of them...Though Skeeter was friendly with her black maid Constantine ., her friends Leefolt and Holbrook do not share a similar sentiment ...They prefer to stay outright racist than see truth..Skeeter feels awful after her friends suggests to build a separate bathroom outside their house for black maid..Skeeter gets a subject to write..She decides to talk to as many black maids as possible to learn about their experiences in the white homes..But being white herself., she has a problem getting close to them even the law restricts free mixing of white and black., if seen together blacks could be arrested ., hence she has nothing to go forward., Meanwhile  Elizebeth helps Skeeter by letting her to talk to Ailbeen Elizebeth's black maid .,Skeeter still looks around for other black maids., that is the time when an unfortunate event hit Jackson... A black familiy fall prey to the hands of white men., Coming face to face with such attrocities many maids come forward to share their tale hoping for a better future...We are also introduced to Minnie who comes in as a whizz of fresh air, with amusing moments and her soulful tale...By sheer hardwork and lot of research with many maids she writes the full book and through a contact she gets it published..Skeeter wants to hit of with a wave of celebration as the book turns out to be a bestseller.,except for her town Jackson of course...In spite of claiming about a fictitious town and maintaining anonymity of the maids.,somehow people figure out that it is after all their own town and their maids... Stockett builds an aura of 60's  amazingly., the accent the maid use are a typical of those period..In spite of a serious subject there are moments of fun and humor that will  flint a smile..I loved Stockett for building in strong, bold characters who make their point clear across to the reader and all the three of them be it Skeeter or Aibileen or Minny., they just fit in most ardently...Skeeter is independent with free thoughts and strong ethical value., she doesn't want to live by the flow even if it means to go against the current..Her parents want her to get married and live like a lady like her friends., but somehow Skeeter doesn't have the heart to do all of it just because that is what is expected of her...Ailbileen on the other hand is emotional , kind and a matured lady... Minnie is too loud and outspoken even then she lives with an abusive husband who beats her up every single day...Minnie's cooking skills are so well done that she is hired in a  household even to save marriages...Having three enduring characters and gives the book three different angle rendering the  reader with a perfect panorama....There are many practices that will leave you desperate like the maids are forced to eat their food separately and not anywhere closer to the white., these maids are insulted in front of family and friends., and the irony lies in the fact that these children call these maids mama when their own mothers are busy partying with no time to spend with their children...The extend of prejudice in those times are put in openly with many examples like these punched me ..The book is an enjoyable read., easy to read and difficult to put away...The book goes onto another level as the stories of the  maid unfolds....Through Skeeter we also get the psychology of white's behaviour to the coloured people...I loved the way the novel closes after Ailbileen is fired and she decides to become a writer, strong enough to voice her opinion...At the backdrop of this storyline rise of Martin Luther King Jr's as a strong leader, John F Kennedy's assassination makes news., making the  novel the more alive and real..Had you liked the movie., you would definitely end up loving the book...

Best kept secret by Amy Hatvany

Title: Best kept secret
Author:Amy Hatvay
Publisher: Washingnton square press
Pages:330
Genre: Woman's fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5
Source: online

Buy Best kept secret from flipkart.com


Summary
Cadence was not into more than a glass of wine till she got divorced from her cheating husband ..Just to relax and for a deep sleep it all started with one glass then she couldn't get sleep without  one full bottle and then it just went on...From a happily married life with a lovely son she had a perfect life until her divorce lead to reach out for alcohol to cope up with her sinking career and life all together..Predictably the bottle took control over her and she lost everything around even her son the only hope of her life..This novel is about a long struggle of Candence getting over her addiction and finding a new life..

Review
Reading the back cover I was convinced that this would be an emotional read for me, my only question was how far..Quite amazingly the book held me enchanted...Alcoholism was the only thing that made me skeptical about the book but as I read through all doubts just evaporated... Just divorced, now a single parent of a pre-school son, Candence resorted on two glass of wine for a deep sleep each night..Slowly and steadily this habit expands onto one bottle and by a year she turns out be a fully alcoholic, yea I know its nothing to be proud of or to be boasted but well that's what happened to Candence...She ended up there with all her senses loud and wide still I couldn't help from sympathizing with her..Predictably she takes grave steps that further risks her to the edge..She now has no friends she can identify with..Her son who was her life is taken away by her ex-husband..Her life is all messed up from there on her path to recovery begins., alcoholism to sobriety she makes it through her ebbing confidence that she somehow pushes high...Her strive to stay in touch with life after divorce, her inabilty to find a job after being a stay home mother,her sinking career graph as a freelance writer, are vividly portrayed by Hatvany....Hatvany makes Candence's character   likeable, in spite of her flaws..Yes, she isn't anything closer to perfection, she makes dumb mistakes. succumbs to alcoholism when she knew right away that would end up losing her beloved son, yet she did it all but that happens to many..Candence recovery is driven by one determined thought., that is her son, I really felt bad when her sister put Candence in hospital..She is all alone and no one to hold on or lean to., well life can in deed could go through rough water...All the perfect description of alcholism made me search more for Amy Hatvany's profile and interviews and there she was admitting to be on the path of recovery from alcoholism....One trouble with alcoholics is that.,  apart from their own life, they also disrupt the lives of people around who care and love them...During her initial stages of recovery, she feels at peace at home all alone., somehow she feels she feels good without her son to mess up things around....To deal with a infidel husband itself toils up a wife emotionally and then when you venture upon alcohol just to shake off the sinking mood which starts to control you is definitely not a great way to deal with things...One of my friends said that.,this book has helped her see alcohol addicts in a new light, now I can see why!!!!Its sad that like Candence., alcoholics are judged , but its also important to make way for them to recover with a helping hand and with some assuring words that they eagerly look out... The novel is not just fabulous but quiet thought provoking too...The honest take on alcoholism and recovery just took my heart away..This book makes me want to read her other works too...

This is my 12th book to New author reading challenge 2012

Saffron dreams by Shaillah Abdullah

Title: Saffron dreams
Author:Shaillah Abdullah
Pages: 248
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Source: Personal
Reading year: 2010

Summary:
From book cover
From the darkest hour of American history emerges a mesmerizing tale of tender love, a life interrupted, and faith recovered. Arissa Illahi, a Muslim artist and writer, discovers in a single moment that no matter how carefully you map your life, it is life itself that chooses your destiny. After her husband's death in the collapse of the World Trade Center, the discovery of his manuscript marks Arissa's reconnection to life. Her unborn son and the unfinished novel fuse in her mind into one life-defining project that becomes, at once, the struggle for her emotional survival and the redemption of her race. "Saffron Dreams" is a novel about our ever evolving identities and the events and places that shape them. It reminds us that in the midst of tragedy, our dreams can become a lasting legacy. 

Review:
My book shelf was craving for my attention , being a weekend I finally decided to give my shelf the time they deserved, I stumbled upon this book ..And here I am sharing my thoughts..Re reading a book also helps me see things that I had earlier ignored...This novel is about a woman whose blissfull married life with all happy days takes an unfortunate turn into a widow and to be single parent  with a special attention child, more to it the world around her seemed to have drifted away , now surrounded by prejudice eyes...All this comes due to 09/11 tragedy..Till then Arissa had a beautiful life a writer and an artist with a loving husband, leading a heavenly married life in America...With the twin tower disaster she loses her husband and now her purdah becomes repugnant..People around her no more understand Muslim faith and practice that makes the essence of her life.. She is pregnant with a baby boy who would be born with multiple disabilities..As she struggles to cope up with all the blows one after another, she stumbles upon her husband's manuscript of a book..That unfinished manuscript renders her strength to move ahead with her unborn as the focal point of her existence..Arissa's emotional journey is in deep contrast with her life in Pakistan, born in a well -to - do family,a loving father with high dreams...Abdullah has a done great job in bringing a beautiful Pakistan alive in my mind..This a refreshing read in comparison with whatever I have been reading off late...Arissa finds emotional support through her in-laws...Arissa's inabilty to brew with the crowd post 9/11 was something that stricked a chord in me, her purdah, her way of life all seemed out of place just because people around had inhibitions towards Muslims ...Abdullah's writing is beautiful and captivating..This novel is an amazing romantic tale...Arissa stress upon the point that love remains even when a person dies and this love extends the strength to face any trouble that might stand tall...This is yet another book that gives a vantage for finding courage at the face of disasters...

Book 15 for SAC (SouthaAsian reading challenge)