Meera Nair's Blog, page 17
October 1, 2020
Bird Box, a disturbing dystopian fiction that explores the human survival instinct
Image Courtesy – Goodreads
In a dystopian world, people are forced to navigate their surroundings blindfolded. A glimpse of an unknown creature is driving individuals to kill themselves or those around them.
Years after this catastrophic invasion began, Malorie has had enough of living in fear. She and her two children must make a journey downriver, blindfolded, to gain sanctuary. But out in the open, the terrors that loom around them are one too many.
I generally enjoy reading dystopian fi...
June 23, 2020
Passenger by Alexandra Bracken
Copyright © 2020 Meera NairEtta Spencer’s only concern at the moment is that her violin debut has to go smoothly. But when one of her performances gets disrupted by a screeching sound inaudible to others in the auditorium, it marks the moment when her life begins to shatter. Thrust into an unknown world with unknown people, Etta quickly realizes that her family’s secrets might cost her dearly.
I had so much fun reading this book. Passenger is that one time-travel fiction you need to have on y...
June 9, 2020
Stories Of Us by Bobby Sachdeva
Capturing myriad experiences of the Indian populace, Bobby Sachdeva weaves story after story that speaks volumes about our moral compass, ambition, vulnerabilities and thirst for social connection.
This volume contains 41 short stories, each no more than 2-7 pages long, featuring people from all cultural backgrounds, economic groups, and religious communities. You begin to read this book and with each passing story, you’d think that the next one couldn’t be any more apt, but it is!
From materia...
Stories of Us
Capturing myriad experiences of the Indian populace, Bobby Sachdeva weaves story after story that speaks volumes about our moral compass, ambition, vulnerabilities and thirst for social connection.
This volume contains 41 short stories, each no more than 2-7 pages long, featuring people from all cultural backgrounds, economic groups, and religious communities. You begin to read this book and with each passing story, you’d think that the next one couldn’t be any more apt, but it is!
From materia...
February 7, 2020
Murder at Moonlight Cafe and Other Stories
Murder at Moonlight Cafe and Other Stories is a collection of 11 fictional tales that are unique and offer us a variety of perspectives. Each of them narrate the story of characters who have almost nothing in common except for the very human emotions that are elicited from their experiences. There are stories about mythological figures, contemporary characters, fantastical beings etc.
To try and pick a few titles that were my favorite from the collection seems like a herculean task because...
February 2, 2020
Once Upon A Curfew
As an Indian historical fiction, Once Upon A Curfew takes us 
back to the age of classic Bollywood films, references to which are made frequently in almost every chapter. Fans of Rajesh Khanna and Bollywood songs from the 70s would definitely be engaged while reading this novel.
It is the story of two sisters, Indu and Amita whose lives are embroiled in the patriarchal ways of society. When they inherit their grandmother’s house, Indu finally gets the opportunity to pave a path of liberty and...
October 28, 2019
A Flutter in the Colony
Sandeep Ray’s historical fiction narrates the story of a young couple 
who make their way from newly-independent India to a town in Malaya. In a manner befitting the cadence of his writing, the author introduces us to the highly turbulent environments of Bengal and Malaya, as the respective regions grapple with communal tensions and the aftermath of being colonized by Britain.
The writing style is so fluid that with every chapter it sweeps you further and further into the embrace of the narrative. Al...
August 22, 2019
Ayesha At Last
Uzma Jalaluddin’s YA fiction, Ayesha 
At Last, borrows from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice only to reconstruct the whole narrative around a conservative Muslim society. Ayesha and Khalid’s story mirrors the quintessential struggles of a modern generation trying to grapple with the norms set by their families. While he is wont to do everything his mother asks of him, Ayesha’s immediate family is much more supportive of and respectful towards her They make each other’s acquaintance much in...
August 11, 2019
The Unhoneymooners
Christina Lauren’s The Unhoneymooners reads like a warm blanket on a rainy day. It is packed with laugh-out-loud humor, relatable characters and a ship you can’t help rooting for.
Olive and Ethan can barely stand to be in the same room as the other. But when their siblings’ wedding goes awry and the two are faced with the chance to go on an all-paid honeymoon, they decide to bear with each other’s presence for the sake of a much-needed vacation.
This novel filled me with such absolute joy! R...
The Good Thieves
In my opinion, Katherine Rundell has now clearly established her brand as a children’s adventure novelist. Three of her novels that I’ve read till date share a similar thread of kids embarking on a quest of some sort, often beyond the knowledge of the parents. The Good Thieves is her newest release and doesn’t fail to grab our attention. This time, through the voice of a young girl named Vita, we read about family bonds, determination, fight for justice and what it means to be brave.
When Vit...
