Juhi
Filled with imagination and creativity. Perfect for 8-13 age group.
Genre: Children's Fantasy
Rating: 3/5
Coming from a budding 13 year old author, this book is perfect for preteens. However, as an adult, this is a slow read and it might not be for you. This definitely wasn't for me.
The book follows the adventures of 3 siblings, Murphy, Skipper, and Zara in the Land of Imagination. On a boring afternoon, the kids find a button that teleports them to this land of Arphs (creatures of the Land of Imagination), but they end up getting trapped in the land. The only way to return is to play the games created by the imagination of children on earth, and find their way to the exit gate.
I found the book to be highly creative and filled with author's young imagination. There were proper twists and turns, and the author tried to put a few messages in between. I particularly liked the climax which teaches the lesson of forgiveness. I was surprised to see such a young mind grasping the evils of death penalty and advocating against it.
Unfortunately, the book does not do justice to the “mystery” in it's title. I feel there was a lack of suspense in the book. That is also why it was such a slow read for me. I think a few elements of mystery and suspense would've kept the reader engaged. The book also seemed to be quite stretchy and I found the writing to be a bit verbose.
But overall it isn't a bad read. And I am positive it will appeal to preteens and children.
Finished this book a month ago, and liked it so much, I still remember most of the details.
The author maintains the style of Canon Doyle so effortlessly that it doesn't seem like the book is written by a different author; unless you consider the modern touch to it, that just adds to the overall appeal of the writing. The book highlights the plight of LGBT people in the Victorian era, with reference to the so called “He/She Ladies” - men who dress up like women and walk the streets of London. When two such people are found murdered in the same way, with their genitilias cut, it starts a series of brutal murders and it is up to Holmes and his companions to stop it. Apart from this, an appealing feature of the story is its strong female characters. It also briefly touches upon the issue of female enfranchisement during the Victorian era.
I loved how the author portrayed the close friendship between Watson and Holmes, with deep conversations between them about personal things that I've hardly read in the original Sherlock stories. Also, Lestrade who seems just as close with the other two completes the “Three Musketeers” gang solving the most baffling case. Dr. Watson's sarcastic remarks every now and then is a refresher from all the drama happening in the book. Another aspect I loved about the book is the insights it provided into Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock Holmes's brother, who works for the Government, or rather let me rephrase “is the government”. The bond between the Holmeses, the way they are so different, and yet understand each other is beautifully depicted throughout the story.
To all the Sherlock Holmes fans, if you're not convinced even now, let me tell you, you are going to like this one. So go ahead & give it a read!
Animal Farm is a fairy story capturing the themes of oppression & rebellion.It is an anti communist allegory of a downtrodden society of overworked, mistreated animals.The animals dream of create a paradise of progress, justice & equality.However, even after achieving this dream, an elite class arises among them. In the rise & fall of the animals, we can recognize the seeds of totalitarianism in the most ideal organizations.
The animals of Manor Farm rise in rebellion against Mr. Jones, the farmer.The animals succeed in the endeavor.They print the Seven Commandments of Animalism on the barn wall. Initially, the rebellion is a success, however a power hungry leader - Napolean starts stealing the cow's milk & apples for himself. This is the beginning of elitism among the animals.As the story progresses, the rise of Napolean's dictatorship becomes evident.His lust for power grows to the extent that he starts forcing out confessions from innocent animals & gets them killed infront of everyone, thus imbibing his fear in all.Slowly, the pigs starts breaking the seven commandments & changing the language.For example,”No animal shall drink” is changed to “No animal shall drink in excess”.Finally, the seven commandments are reduced to one single law -“ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS”.At the end, the pigs start walking on two legs and sit drinking with humans.As the other animals look inside through the window, they cannot distinguish the pigs from humans.”THE CREATURES OUTSIDE LOOKED FROM PIG TO MAN, AND FROM MAN TO PIG, AND FROM PIG TO MAN AGAIN; BUT ALREADY IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHICH WAS WHICH”.
Some people think that the book symbolises Russia & Soviet Union under the communist rule & animals in the book depict important political figures.This was also the reason the book was banned initially, as Britain was then ally of Stalin.However, I think this book not only depicts the Russian revolution, but all the revolutions that happened throughout history.
For me the book highlights the demons within - greed, jealousy, hunger for power, cruelty.The book is moving, bitter & a warning.It is a book that can be read by anyone & everyone.
Train to Pakistan tells the story of partition through the eyes of Mano Majra, a small remote village on the border of India and Pakistan. The summer of 1947 did not mean much to the Sikhs & Muslims of Mano Majra who were even ignorant of the fact that the British had left and the country was being divided into India and Pakistan. But then a local moneylender is murdered. The suspicion falls on the main character of the book – Juggut Singh, the village gangster who is in love with a Muslim girl. He is arrested along with an educated foreign returned social worker Iqbal, who arrives in the village just the day after the murder. He does not reveal his surname, thus leading people to guess whether he is Iqbal Singh or Mohammed Iqbal – a Sikh or a Muslim?
While communal riots were in full swing throughout the country due to partition, a “ghost train” arrives from Pakistan in Mano Majra, full of dead bodies of Sikh people including women and children. This transforms the village into a battlefield and disturbs the harmony of this village which was once an epitome of unity among the Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. As the divide between the people of Mano Majra grows, it is up to Juggut Singh to reclaim peace and redeem himself.
“THE FACT IS, BOTH SIDE KILLED. BOTH SHOT AND STABBED AND SPEARED AND CLUBBED. BOTH TORTURED. BOTH RAPED.”
The most appealing thing about the book is the simple plot and beautiful description of the village life. The book is also visually appealing as you can practically feel the events of the story and the horrors of partition unfold before your eyes. It is not just the story of partition but the story of a Sikh boy and Muslim girl whose love transcends the ravages of war. The climax is beautiful, touching & melancholy. You can feel goosebumps throughout the book and the end is sure to leave you in tears. It is truly shocking that some things the book highlights, like police brutality and blindly following religion still holds true in India today. The only thing I found lacking was the characterisation of important characters like Jugga and Iqbal.
Overall the book is an emotional ride showcasing the heart wrenching truth of partition and how it left so many families ruined. I would highly recommend everyone to give it a read!
“Is today a good day to die?” This is what Theodore Finch, a boy fascinated by death, asks himself each day. He always thinks of ways to kill himself, but something stops him each time.
When he meets Violet Markey - a girl going through the grief of her sister's death, on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it's unclear who saves whom. They pair up for a project to discover the natural wonders of their state. This is when they discover that life is after all worth living. Only around Violet, Finch can be himself -a weird, funny, lively guy who is not the freak people call him at school. And it's only with Finch that Violet starts to live instead of counting her days till graduation.
This is a story of a girl who learns to live from a boy who wants to die.
The book captures the theme of mental illness, suicide, & friendship (with a touch of romance). It beautifully describes the feelings of a person suffering with a mental disorder, while not revealing the disorder until later. It is captivating & high on emotions. In fact, there comes a point where you no longer want to read ahead because it just hurts so much. The chemistry between Theodore & Violet, the way they are completely themselves with each other tells you the depth of their bond.
The writing was good to the extent of extracting emotions out of the reader, however I feel it lacked character development. You do not connect with the characters on a personal level, and are left only feeling bad for them superficially. It seems like they are just used as a means to extract your emotions.
The book is usually compared to TFIOS with people calling it the second TFIOS. I'm not sure if I agree with this. The story is similar, to an extent, with all the death & emotional stuff. However, it isn't on par with TFIOS when it comes to character development & plot.
