The Colour of Dawn by Janaki Murali

      This is a story of the idiocy of the human emotion. This is a story of love, of an obsession, of harboring a grudge when instead a person should be working on making happy memories. A grudge, that can destroy a person and his loved ones. In the end, this is a story of families who will stand by each other, especially through hard times.

     The book traces the life of Sita. The narration runs back and forth through time, between Sita’s childhood and the present days, to an older and married Sita. Raised by a widowed father, Sita has a pleasant childhood. Her aunt, Saras Athai showers her with motherly tenderness. But Saras Athai’s older son Kunjan has other motives. He is obsessed in loving her. And when Sita turns him down, Kunjan is deeply affected. Will he ever stop loving Sita or will his obsession harm her and also hurt him in its wake……

    The book is a debut work of Janaki Murali, a special correspondent with the Business Line, the financial daily from the Hindu group. Her experience as a writer, albeit of a different kind, shows in her style of narration which is bang on. The transition between the two time periods is smooth. The book also offers a glimpse into the South Indian culture and Indian history post-independence.  Definitely a good read. 

A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif

This is the book that inspired me to blog. I have read book reviews before and always loved talking about what I read, but never blogged.  I found this book to be so so hilarious that ranting about it to my small circle of friends just wouldn’t do. I had to shout it out load..

A good book with lots of hilarious moments. The plot speculates one of the many mysterious behind the fatal plane crash of General Zia, Former President of Pakistan. Through the eyes of Ali Shigri, a Junior officer of the Pakistani Air force, various theories ranging from revenge to tape worm,  to a curse and even a nerve gas in a case of mangoes,that led to the President's death,  are explored. The book also takes a dig at the bureaucracy and the idiocracies of a person in power. 

A great debut novel to a now established author Mohammed Hanif.

Girl From Fatehpur by Sarita Varma

  

  This is my first indirom novella. I hope to read more from the house of indireads, and review them as I travel with other such novellas. Indireads is a young publishing house that focuses primarily on the popular fiction genre from South Asia.

 

   And now my views on this book.

     The first crush is always special, a beautiful memory for life. Rajan was Sana’s first crush or is it first love. That was ten years ago. Now there is the charismatic Krish Chauhan. But does Krish kindle Sana’s feeling the way Rajan did.

   Unable to decide, or rather not wanting to commit to Krish’s proposal, Sanjana escapes to her family home and especially to Devika her cousin, her confidante citing her cousin’s wedding as an excuse. But fate has other plans. She first bumps in Rajan, as irresistible as before and then to complicate matters Krish lands in Fatehpur.  

   A simple plot, the author delves into the story right away at the beginning. I liked the narrative, crisp and precise, paying attention to only necessary details.  Over all a light hearted romance with easily relatable characters. Pick it up with a cup of hot masala chai – if you can’t get one in a kullar.