sneha

this just felt too long.

I started with “Ministry of Utmost Happiness” earlier this year and the first 50 pages I felt like I had gone through the whole storyline. I then encountered a lot of reviews talking about how God of Small things might be a better start than Ministry.

I have previously read non-fiction by Roy and it has been hot and cold. I like her style of writing, a lot. But when it came to God of Small Things, I loved the proses but not the story itself. I need a plot, I need a story. I need some motion. I am all cool with this Nolan like narration with the constant back and forth but what's at the heart of the tale? God of Small Things, much like Anna Karenina, was wonderful prose, then she dies more beautiful prose.
I just expected to love and enjoy this book so much more. I really enjoyed the writing style, heck I was awed by how captivating her description of a mundane act like shopping for vegetables was. I just went in with more expectations.

All said, it does a fantastic job at highlighting all the issues in Indian society (sometimes hitting too hard) and brings forth the hypocrisy through her characters really well. Her tales of a small town in Kerela would make for a wonderful animated film and I'd definitely watch it.

This is not a chill, laid back, happy book. This has all the hallmarks of a literary masterpiece and it deserves all the awards and recognition it got.

Now excuse me, while I go read some fluff to chill out after two intense books.

I was caught up between two intense books. One that talked about the real harsh truths of this world and the other philosophising the transcendental. Amidst this chaos, I took an hour off and finished this gorgeous little break book Inna corner at crosswords today.

Ah, the familiar quirkiness of a good Ronald Dahl, it just felt like the perfect break from all the adulting and just the escape from reality I needed. Some books are timeless and this one came in at the right time :)

Having said all that, the story is quite meh. Pick up some other exceptional Dahl books before you come for this. Won't say this often but the movie (by Wes Anderson) is better.

Medium: audiobook narrated by the author
WMD is like a long podcast. It is filled it case studies and instances of how badly created statistical devices build using terrible proxy indicators effect real communities and oppress them.
This book is a very easy read (listen). Cathy doesn't dwell more in the details of how these models are created, something that I wanted to learn more about. This is basically a curation of important stories and how mathematical models lacking societal context hurts the very people it was made to help. I wish she described these black box models more and discussed the math a bit. But overall, it was a very informative and interesting read.

HOLYY SH*T THAT WAS SOME TWIST.

but, uhm, that does not cover for the painfully annoying style of prose. also, a mild spoiler but she kept saying she is in love, a love so grand it must endure. but where's the love? make me see it? build it up?
there were a few tells about the final “plot twist psyche” moment but overall this would make for a nice beach read.

medium: audiobook
This book was a long journey, like that of Michelle. This book could be divided into two major sections: pre and post Barack.
I, for one, enjoyed her stories and tales of her life before Barack far more. Due to Barack's skill and ambition, the later half was heavily influenced by his political career and how it altered the very fabric of Michelle's life.
I thoroughly enjoyed the stories of her growing up on the south side and tales of her wonderful parents, sibling love, community bond - it was all very wholesome and also very inspiring. Michelle is a force of a woman, this book brought to light many reasons to support that statement. She is driven, ambitious, kind, caring, vulnerable and a total badass.
I respected her and look up to her in awe even more now.
Second favourite autobiography of the year, for sure!

“... becoming isn't about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim, I see it as a forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuosly to a better self. The journey doesn't end” - this line at the end sums up the message of her life quite well.
I hope to write a longer, I detail piece on this book. The way she covered several topics (including Trump) were done with such grace and dignity. Yupp, not getting over her for a while.

Also, slightly sad that she confirms not ever wanting to run for office :'/