Idea > Recent Status Updates

The only story so far that references food and even has a recipe is the only one I couldn’t get through.

‘Yesterday’ is such a lovely piece. Too long to be a vignette, not linear enough to be a story, just right for the title of the book.

This book is vaguely depressing even with its humour so I only read it in the mornings when there’s still some hope in the day.

‘Stone Cold’ is my favorite story so far. And it’s written by a friend, Kiran Manral whose writing has come such a long way since her debut novel, I wouldn’t have known it was her if I hadn’t seen her name at the top of the story.

‘Dagadu Parab’s wedding horse’ is yet another delightful piece. The best stories are not at the start of this book.

The chapter I liked so much yesterday is starting to drag a bit. I have to remind myself that it is a translation and Indian storytelling is not as linear, sharp or focussed as western narratives often are.

Picking up this book again. I had to put it away because I was going through ‘The Vegetarian’ and too many madwomen tropes were going to me. But this book is delightful. Chandipatti may turn me into a dog person after all.

I needed a book like this after the high intensity books I’ve been reading. But oh boy has McCall-Smith shit the bed with this one! Comparing gender identification with witch-burning. Writing a female character to be hapless, stupid and entitled all in one. Is he reverting to ‘old white man’ type or is this ghostwritten?

‘Inside the inner room’ is a really amusing tale.

‘Tridevi Turbulence’ was a lot of fun!

I was only slightly disappointed to realise that the characters were Indian Americans, not Indians in India. But then again, Indians in India wouldn’t be this honest.

The pacing is a bit off and the characters aren’t quite as memorable from each other but their stories kind of are. It’s a good book, even if not a well-written one. A lot of heart.

Just finished a chapter that pays lip service to the limitations of white feminism and how men are also affected by patriarchy. Looks like the writer suddenly went online and got scared of getting cancelled for ignoring these things. Did not add to the story in the least.

This book is infuriating in the same way that S1 of Mad Men was (same time period). And it’s just as good.