Sudha Subramanian's Blog, page 2

What not to tell a person who is grieving.

This is not a sad post. If anything, I want to make this as positive and simple as possible. I am not an expert to dole out advice but I have been in trying and difficult positions to know what I didn’t like and probably what may not work for most people. So here isContinue reading "What not to tell a person who is grieving."

Flashback Friday – Car or Marriage

My first column in GulfNews appeared sometime in 2006. It was a travelogue. I had had previous experience of writing stories about the places I had visited for websites. Transitioning to newspaper was natural and easy. But, deep down, I longed to write slice of life columns like I had read in various newspapers whileContinue reading "Flashback Friday – Car or Marriage"

Book review

No Presents Please: Mumbai Stories by Jayant Kaikini My rating: 3 of 5 stars A book of short stories with Mumbai as the backdrop. While it was almost boring to read about Mumbai (because there is so much already written about this city), it was also interesting to see some of the places you don’tContinue reading "Book review"

Book Review

The Illicit Happiness Of Other People by Manu Joseph My rating: 4 of 5 stars I have thought long and hard about this book before I ticked the number of stars. The entire book is about – why did Unni do what he did? Manu is undoubtedly a fantastic writer with wry humour, a slightContinue reading "Book Review"

Book Review – Psychological Thriller

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell My rating: 3 of 5 stars Three and a half stars.This was an interesting read for many reasons. For one, the title is a huge giveaway but the narrative doesn’t reveal too much. You read with anticipation, feel the same churn in your pit and turn theContinue reading "Book Review – Psychological Thriller"

Book Review of Normal People by Sally Rooney

Normal People by Sally Rooney My rating: 3 of 5 stars I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, I want to love this book for its literary brilliance but on the other hand, I am not a great fan of slow-moving ideas, growth or what have you. As I read through theContinue reading "Book Review of Normal People by Sally Rooney"

Review of The Braid

The Braid by Laetitia Colombani My rating: 3 of 5 stars Two and a half stars. There is something eerie about a book with absolutely no dialogue and thrives on the craft alone. This is not my kind of book. The storytelling fell short and the only thing that stood out was the way threeContinue reading "Review of The Braid"

Book Review

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan My rating: 3 of 5 stars The title of the book had me and the premise was too good to be true. It had all of it – the old world charm of books, bookshelves, ladders, dust, book spines – everything and then there was the new worldContinue reading "Book Review"

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton My rating: 4 of 5 stars This 400-odd-page-long page-turner was a delight. Almost poetic in approach, Jessie Burton takes us on a journey to 17th century Amsterdam and shows us a story of a wealthy trader. This story about love, marriage, sex, homosexuality, trade and family also explores mystery. WeContinue reading "The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton"

Book Review : Sakina’s Kiss by Vivek Shanbhag

Sakina’s Kiss by Vivek Shanbhag My rating: 3 of 5 stars 3.5 stars. A very short book and easy read. I finished it in three days with a lot of breaks. The book draws you in with its title. I had many ideas when I picked the book but I was in for a surprise.Continue reading "Book Review : Sakina’s Kiss by Vivek Shanbhag"