Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 266

Am I There Yet? – Quick Book Review

Book number 34 for this year – “Am I There Yet?” by Mari Andrew. This book was somewhere between “self-help” and “personal diary”. It took me three days to finish, because it was challenging to keep my interest alive over its content.

Most of the book is like a guide about how to survive your twenties. The author talks about her personal trials and thoughts on dating, travelling, doodling and how she found her calling. So there are a lot of anecdotes, sprinkled with doodles and charts in between. For me, the pages were neither relatable nor interesting. There were a few times that I just wanted to stop reading, but soldiered on. Although skipping some boring paragraphs was inevitable.

All that said, one can understand why this book is a ‘New York Tines bestseller’, because it’s perhaps very “American”. A lot of young U.S women/men might find it funny, relatable or even comforting. However, for a lot of other readers, the content could come across as generic self-help stuff that they’ve already heard too often. Too tedious.

Another problem with the book was the fact that I had expected more doodles and was disappointed with how text heavy it was, considering it is categorized under “comics & graphic novels”. It’s a little misleading for readers. Not just that, the doodles were too plain, repetitive and not fun to look at.

Well, “Am I There Yet” is just not for my shelf (the paperback I read was borrowed) and wouldn’t recommend it. But if it sounds like something you would be interested in, go ahead, order a copy.

Please check our podcast by the same name on YouTube out – AbstractAF.

If you want some good graphic novel recommendations, listen to episode 15. And do subscribe!

‘Nezha Reborn’ Review – Remixed AF!

Confession time – I enjoyed the 2021 Netflix animated film ‘Nezha Reborn’ more than anybody should have, while two of my housemates looked at me in judgment, bored out of their brains, exacerbated by the fact that I wouldn’t stop streaming the film on Netflix.

Directed by Ji Zhao, ‘Nezha Reborn’ is a remix/rehashed collage of so many films that it can stir up a lot of amused nostalgia for movie-goers. Here are a list of things certain scenes can remind you of –

The 2004 Bollywood film Dhoom The 2010 Hollywood film ‘Despicable Me’Mortal Combat the game Shaolin Temple (1982 Chinese Film)The Karate Kid Ramayan (The Hindu Epic)The Mask (The cartoon that used to come on Cartoon Network)Iron Man Spider-man (more specifically, a villain reminded me of Dr Octopus)A lot of Bollywood and Chinese films that I saw as a kid

Let’s talk about the plot – it’s about a young man called Li Yunxiang, who has a dubious job and likes to race bikes in his free time, and unknown to him, he is also the reincarnation of a fiery arrogant God called Nezha. As the story progresses, Li Yunxiang finds himself at loggerheads with Nezha’s old foes – the dragon king and his clan. Can Li channel his inner Nezha to defeat enemies and win over his family? That forms the rest of the plot.

The animated characters are pretty to look at, but some of them are drawn so similarly, that as a viewer you could get confused over who is who. There is a Monkey-like character, who is exuberant and seems to have been inspired from the Hindu deity ‘Hanuman’. That character was the most fun to watch – impish, witty, wise; he helps Li in understanding Nezha’s history and powers. Upon further reading, it turned out that the Chinese have a ‘monkey king’ in their mythology too and he is called “Sun Wukong”. According to a site called “Mythopedia”, Sun Wukong was a shape-shifting trickster God with superhuman strength. Sounds exactly like the monkey from the film.

(Picture of the Monkey King Sun. Source: Brooklyn Museum/Public Domain.)

“Nezha Reborn” is peppered with mythology, Nezha himself is a Chinese deity, who is believed to be based on the Hindu deity Krishna, more specifically baby Krishna. In the film, Nezha is said to be powerful, mischievous and destructive child God. But not too much is explained about his origins. And that’s one of the biggest problems with film – the makers try to stuff in a little bit of everything, so nothing gets enough attention. Also, the setting was a bizarre mix of an ancient dynasty and a post-modern world. So while on one hand you had houses and hospitals that looked like they belonged to the 16th century, on the other hand you had 21st century super-bikes zooming past them. While as a viewer one understands it’s a fictional fantasy world, the confusing landscape made the story look silly.

The movie is a little too long, melodramatic and of-course – predictable. Although, kids who like action films might enjoy it. For adults who have already seen a lot of stories in the action genre, it doesn’t work.

It’s a 5/10 from me. Although, if I chose to be biased, I would probably give it a generous 7/10.

Do check out our podcast on Youtube by the same name – AbstractAF

Listen to episode 23, show support and subscribe to the channel.

The Place Promised in Our Early Days – Review

After watching three animated films by Japanese director Makoto Shinkai, two of which ( & Garden of Words) I absolutely loved, I decided to watch all of his creations. So I started with his feature film debut, the 2004 flick ‘The Place Promised in Our Early Days’.

The story is set in Japan, but with an alternate history, according to which Japan has been divided into two feuding parts, one under the union’s control, while the other is backed by America. Two school students Takuya and Haruki are enamored by a high-rising tower on the other side of the border and start building an aircraft in the hopes of travelling to the other side and uncovering the secrets of the mysterious building. The boys make a promise to their friend Sayuri that the three of them would go there together some day. But they abandon their plan after Sayuri transfers to another school and disappears from their life.

While at the core of it, ‘The Place Promised in Our Early Days’ is a tale about friendship, love and promises; Makoto Shinkai throws in some sci-fi stuff which includes ‘alternate universes’ and the possible dangers of two worlds colliding. Both sides of Japan are shown to be working towards cracking the mystery of parallel dimensions and somehow – Sayuri is connected to it. So amid a technology race between two sides, will the three friends who are children no longer, be able to still fulfill their promise of flying to the other side? That’s really what the story is about.

The film felt a bizarre mix of a simple love story with sci-fi, and it just doesn’t blend well. The animation is not great and the story-telling is slow, overtly emotional and not very convincing. As a viewer, one might feel compelled to press the ‘fast-forward’ button multiple time or even lose interest completely. There is really not much to say about the film, except that it might turn out to be a disappointing experience if you have watched ‘Your Name’ by Shinkai.

It’s a 5/10 from me. You can find the film on Netflix.

Please check out podcast on YouTube by the same name – Abstract AF.

Listen to episode 23 about an underrated horror film & do subscribe to the channel.

10 Reasons To Give ‘Tumbbad’ A Thumbs Up

It’s been a while since the 2018 Bollywood Film ‘Tumbbad’ hit the theaters, but we still think the movie doesn’t get enough credit. So listen to the latest podcast episode of ‘Abstract AF’ for 10 spoiler-free reasons why it’s a pretty great pick for the weekend.

‘Irul’ Movie Review – Disappointingly Unpredictable

The most common complaint among movie watchers and book readers about disappointing works is how they are ‘predictable’. Do you know what can be worse? A boring unpredictable ending… an ending so conventional, that you imagine something wittier, but turns out it was staring at you in the face the whole time. You think ‘nah, that’s too obvious’, but the maker mocks you in the end, as if saying – ‘you didn’t think that did you? Gotcha!’. That’s the case with the 2021 Netflix film ‘Irul’, a crime-thriller directed by Naseef Yusuf Izuddin.

The story follows writer Alex (Soubin Shahir) who persuades his lawyer girlfriend Archana (Darshana Rajendran) to go an a weekend trip with him without their cellphones, claiming he has a surprise in store for her. Their car breaks down during a downpour in the middle of nowhere and they seek refuge in a house where they meet its owner Unni (Fahaad Faasil). As their conversation progresses through the night, it appears that there might be a killer among them.

The biggest problem with ‘Irul’ is the inconsistent writing. There are several little things that take place in the first half that are just do not sync with the twist that follows. The director deliberately misleads the viewers to give us what seems like an intelligent closure, however it’s preceded by too many plot-holes that do not fall into place. We are left to fill in the gaps in the narration by ourselves.

The ambiance of the movie felt a little too cosmetic, straight out of a horror film set, complete with unnecessary jump scares. Most of the plot unfolds in a sprawling bungalow that looks like those fancy home-stays we see on social media and cannot afford. The interiors are even fancier, crowded with antique pieces, old paintings, and shimmery wallpapers that went out of trend 100 years ago. Unni says he has a host of servants to help run the place, but we don’t get to see any.

The cast tries to hold it together and act out their parts to the best of their ability but the script-writing is pretentious and the slow pace brings the mood of the thriller down. It’s like the director couldn’t decide if he wanted to give us a art-house thriller or old-school horror, so he awkwardly mixes the two.

‘Irul’ means ‘dark’ in Malayalam, but unfortunately, this film is nowhere near dark. It feels like a parody play, the good kind, which builds in high expectations in the viewer’s mind, only to shatter them in the end. This Netflix film was disappointingly unpredictable. It’s a 5/10 from me.

Check out our podcast by the same name on YouTube – Abstract AF

Listen in and show your support by subscribing to the channel.

Poetry Month and A ‘Misunderstood’ Poem

April is celebrated as ‘Poetry Month’ in America every year as a way to appreciate the art form. So on the latest podcast episode of ‘Abstract AF’, we look at the form and talk about a very famous poem that some critics think is the most ‘misread’ poem in the world.

Listen in to the episode and please subscribe to the channel.

Hey, Kiddo – Graphic Novel Review

Have you ever hugged a book after you finished reading it? I did. Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s Graphic Novel memoir is so moving that I instinctively held it close to me, thinking ‘this book is so precious, every youngster who loves reading should have it’.

The tagline of the book said ‘How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction’. The author has dedicated the book to his grandparents, mother and to ‘every reader who recognizes this experience’. Jarret then takes the reader down the memory lane, first introducing us to his grandparents Joe and Shirl, who brought him up while his mother spiraled down the path of drugs and crime.

It’s incredible how kids can remember so much. Jarrett’s life turns out to quite an emotional ride, starting with his birth and ending with his high-school graduation. The story is interspersed with touching letters between him and his mother. Real photographs of the letters are included in the copy, which make the reading experience even more intimate.

“Hey Kiddo” is an important tale reminding us how a little love and a push in the right direction make things all right, even in the most difficult of times. Jarrett has his own art-style, with a childlike charm which is quite incomparable to other books in the genre. He uses sepia like tones that add a nostalgic effect to the panels, making his memories and story more vivid. If you haven’t read it, you must!

Please check out our podcast on YouTube by the same name – Abstract AF!

Listen to episode 15 – about controversial graphic novels. Do subscribe.

Giovanni’s Room – A Review

Book no. 32 this year – ‘Giovanni’s Room’ by James Baldwin. Been wanting to read this one for a while, but strangely, it had been hard to find a reasonably priced copy online. And quite often than not, it would be out of stock. But finally stumbled upon a Penguin classic edition at a bookstore, when I wasn’t even looking for it (was out to buy graphic novels).

Let’s talk about the plot – it focuses on a Parisian love affair between the American Daniel and the fatally attractive Italian Giovanni. They meet at a bar and cannot keep their eyes off each other and soon find themselves sharing Giovanni’s cramped room… and bed. But nothing good can last too long. Daniel’s denial of his sexuality leads to tragic consequences when his girlfriend Hella comes back to Paris. He is quick to forsake the Italian beau. The title is of relevance, because like Giovanni’s claustrophobic messy room, Daniel feels that their relationship was choking him. The room symbolizes their shared love, lust and limits.

I had high expectations with this book, since I haven’t read much queer literature, but was slightly disappointed with how cosmetic it seemed at points. Despite being set in the 20th century, it felt older, and if not for the queer theme, it reads like several stories we’ve already read before. There’s a dramatic bond between the two leads, as if they are tragic leads from a Shakespearean play. They make intense declarations of love, but do little to make it believable. Some parts of the book felt like they had been ‘made-up’ in a way that would perhaps not upset conservative audience.

There’s no doubt that ‘Giovanni’s Room’ is a historic & exceptionally brave book by Baldwin, considering it came out in 1956. In fact, the author was warned by a publisher to not go ahead with it, claiming it would “ruin his career” & “alienate his reader”. For Baldwin to defy such warnings and still publish what would’ve have been scandalous story for the time, is applause-worthy.

What didn’t work for me in the story was just how hedonistic & extremely self-centered Daniel is; he has no job and leeches off others. It makes his ‘love’ ring hollow & their ‘losses’ not worth getting worked up over. Perhaps the author deliberately made the protagonist not very likable, to mitigate the shock of Daniel’s homosexuality – orthodox readers can maybe rationalize that only despicable personalities can feel that way. Intentional or not, the book could’ve been a little more meditative about same-sex relations. For most parts, Daniel is swimming in his own shame for having such feelings for a man, and never does redeem himself.

Baldwin’s story-telling is absolutely alluring in the first half, reminiscent of classical masters of the past, but loses its charm as the plot progresses. All that said, ‘Giovanni’s Room’ is still an important piece of literature that must be read keeping in mind the context of the time it was published in. In an era where there was a lot more hate, misinformation and misunderstanding of the LGBTQ community, this book makes the reader realize that love between two individuals of the same gender is no different than heterosexual relationships – it might start off passionately, but needs work and can end in a lot of hurt.

It’s a 3/5 from me.

Do check out our podcast by the same name on YouTube – Abstract AF.

Listen and please subscribe to the channel – costs nothing!

Rising – Poetry Book Review

April is observed as ‘National Poetry Month’ in America since the 1990s as a way to appreciate poetry and build more awareness for the medium in the U.S. But that doesn’t mean the rest of the world cannot celebrate it too. And it also happened to be “Indie April”, so I decided to start the month with a poetry book by an Independent author. Two birds in one shot.

So book number 31 for the year 2021 and number 1 for April is – ‘Rising’ by Yong Takahashi. It’s a collection of 42 poems that explore themes of heartbreak, identity, family and self-worth. While the first two poems read more like short-stories, due to the free-verse style, things get more poetic from the one titled “Denial”. Some of the poems dealing with heartbreak are quite visceral, each line echoing pain; relatable to anyone who has suffered in love.

The majority of poems in the collection are almost Quatern-long (16 lines), while there are much shorter ones peppered in between, the kinds we call “insta-poetry”. So there is an interesting balance of both long and short pieces.

If you are looking to read new poetry, give “Rising” a shot.

Listen to Episode 17 of Abstract AF the podcast on YouTube.

Four poets recite their poems in this one (embedded below)

Bad Town Kids – Chapter 1 – The Witch

Listen in to Abstract AF’s podcast episode 21 to hear a free narration of the first chapter from ‘Bad Town Kids’, a contemporary fiction novel and Amazon bestseller.

Book’s blurb – The obscure little town of Dakhinpur is home to Anita, a sprightly young girl who doesn’t have much to look forward to except long conversations with her close friends – a reserved cousin, a steadfast best friend, and a neighbour who is somewhat of a rebel.

The four friends have a shared dream – to be inseparable, and to live on their own terms. But age, distance, and having to deal with regressive mindsets could tear that dream apart. And some of them carry secrets so startling, it might just challenge everything they’ve known about each other.

‘Bad Town Kids’ will take you back in time to a simpler era, where social media didn’t complicate lives, but growing up was still as hard.

The podcast episode is embedded below, do visit on YouTube & subscribe to the channel.