The Perfect groom - Sumeetha Manikandan

Often I cross thresholds of laziness, though I keep devising methods not to be... well, more than devising methods I need to be acting on them... as simple as that. Like my dearest friend, remarked often, "you know everything... what you don't know... is to practice what you know". Well, so yet again, the below write-up has been lying as a draft since December. I had started blogging in Dec 2013, and the last published was in Oct 2014, so this was saved to be released just before 2015.

I am extremely sorry, Naheed Hassan and Sarah, for being so lousy.

Just finished the Indireads novella, The Perfect groom by Sumeetha Manikandan. It is my first book as part of the Indireads Reviewer program.Need to mention the beautifully illustrated cover, by Shehna Khan. Beautiful bride with a masked groom... quite intriguing.

The story is a first person narrative by Nithya, a girl from Mylapore, Chennai, and starts with her troubled marriage to Ashok, an NRI. She recollects her past, the circumstances under which her marriage took place. Sumeetha has beautifully accounted these moments, just sufficient to keep it crisp. The narrative is to the point, nothing can be seen has a drag. It is a sad state of affairs to think that despite being a literate, and a working woman, she has to embrace the life thrust on her. The way she keeps things from others, brings out the beauty in her character. Though hurt to the core, worried about hurting others.

Some of the many issues faced by women are highlighted, and handled deftly. Sumeetha excels in the characterization of the novel. All the characters are portrayed, in varying tones of grey, rather than, just black or white. On the whole... Liked it.

Maya - Sujatha

This is a collection of short stories written in tamil by Sujatha borrowed from an online library.

Maya, the title of the first story as well as that of the book, was a wonderful story, revolving around a godman. A story straight out of the Ganesh - Vasanth series by the author, no words to describe his story telling abilities, and his neat presentation. Something like every word written had a purpose to serve, no words wasted, no moving away from the core of the story, and the climax, where the title just stabs you like that was why it was christened so. You don't need to stop twice at any page to read between his lines, it is all very apparent, everything there, right before you.

A very quick read for me, though the style stands out.

To keep the length of words in check, the central plot not deviated from, and keep the reader interested, is too difficult a task. Even a general write up like blogging becomes something like a drag. At times keeping these criteria in mind, leads to a very short blog, and sometimes, the original intention or idea behind the writing vanishes completely, while I pursue some side story to the central idea. Writing short stories is really challenging, some times too much of details, and too much stress on emotions, can cause a wandering story line.

The Book Thief - Marcus Zusak

As I close this book, my head swirls with the words, saumensch and saukerl… running the streets of Molching, hiding in the basement of 33, Himmel Street… very tiresome.

This book kept coming to me. I first saw it as a Goodreads suggestion, since I had a few books by Ken Follett in my read and to read shelves, so related to World wars. But then a friend’s review put my interest off. My cousin gave this book to me, in exchange for some of my books, and I was tempted, but still not sure. This was chosen for the July group read, and I happened to check the mail only towards the end of the month. I was finding some reason to avoid it, but then finally, I had to read it, the book got the better off me.

The story is set at the back drop of Germany during WW II and so Hitler, Nazis and the holocaust have a sound presence. Also the narrator is Death itself, personified. With all the preconceived notions, as I read the first few pages, it felt such a drag, so negative. At less than about 50 pages I decided to shelve the book. I tried reading Mein Kampf, so that I will not be biased. As I googled for the details of World war, my favorite subject during elementary school, the holocaust, the pogroms. I let go off my prejudices, thought I will try reading once before returning the book.

The initial days of Liesel at the Hubermanns, the child finding solace in the foster father… is such understanding possible even with real parents? The transition of my feelings for Rosa was so subtle, the woman keeps swearing but still made me fall in love with her character. The friendship between Liesel and Max is so beautifully woven, sure to melt hearts. Need to mention, the meetings with the Mayor's wife Ilsa, the thievery at her library, the note Liesel writes to her.

Love is trust, and it is so beautifully brought out where Hans instructs Liesel to keep Max’s presence a secret, while he doesn't even break the news to his own daughter, and still the secret is well kept between the four, all of them not related by blood. Little acts of kindness and care make huge differences to the lives we lead.

There can be many politically correct and (or) better books on the Nazis, holocaust and WWII. For me, this book focuses on the people side of it, and probably that is what makes it a best-seller. Death is inevitable, but dying every moment with the fear of death is despicable.

There is a bit of irony in the way the characters die. Hans dies with so much of guilt, before actually being bombed to death, while Max survives the camp, Rudy dies in spite of not being sent to the war, and Liesel lives to see her grand kids.