Three Merchants of Bombay - Lakshmi Subramanian

NonFiction
Verdict: It depends

I picked this book up from my favorite bookstore long before we all came under house arrest for Covid.  These were supposed to be short stories, and I love short stories that  are about people. Set in the British Colonial times in India, the book follows three prominent money lenders and merchants during that time. 

I started reading. The intro was a very heavy, in depth account of the situation and situation at the time. Cool. I love extra information that helps me understand the context. Only it went on, and on.  I really had a hard time separating the intro from the actual start of the "stories."  When the author did get going, the focus of the book was more on the British than the actual merchants that the book was about! 

This is definitely an academic piece, and the scope that the author is trying to cover is quite large. Unfortunately, I couldn't ever identify with or understand the characters she is trying to explain. And eventually I got bored of the repetitive sentences about the British. 

I guess If I would have had a better idea about what the book was about then perhaps my expectations would have been different. So whether or not you read it depends on if this is something that interests you. It didn't hold mine and I didn't finish it. 

~Becky~

You Beneath Your Skin - Dayamanti Biswas

Fiction
Verdict: Read it.

This novel was my elder daughter's choice. I tend to read things she picks up so long as it's not teen fiction. I'm glad she passed this along, as it was a very interesting book.

The book is about a single mom struggling to raise an autistic son. The plot is loosely centered around her family, as well as a serial rapist/murder suspense plot that runs parallel. The author addresses many many social issues in this book that are usually ignored. Autism/mental health, acid attacks, entitlement, affairs, mixed race relationships and divorce are just some of the issues the author includes in this novel. Most of these issues could take a novel each, but the author does a decent job of weaving them together in a realistic enough manner and showcasing how one family can have many problems across levels.

Unfortunately, tackling so many heavy issues in one book leads to none of them being looked at in more than a general sense. It also leads to a semi-unrealistic situation; this is a lot of issues for one family alone to be dealing with.  The book does drag a little in a few places,

Overall a good time pass and it's good that these issues are addressed. Read it!

Rani - Jaishree Misra

Fiction
Verdict: Read it

When I added this book to my reading list, I don't think I realized it was about Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. As with many of the books I read, I can't quite remember how I picked this one. Anyhow, it was a fun surprise.

For those who aren't aware, Lakshmibai was the queen of a small state called Jhansi during the times of the British colonialization of India. She fought against British forces and was Martyred. 

I have a soft spot for historical epochs that bring characters to life and give us a peek into what they may have been like as people. This book does a nice job of that, even considering that it was fiction and much may have been the author's creative license. The story follows the Rani from her simple but privileged childhood, through her teenaged marriage to a king, to her ultimate demise at the hands of the British army. Even before reading this novel, I found her to be an inspiring figure. 

In the interest of honesty, the novel drags in some places, and it's a lengthy sized book. I also was very curious about the quasi romance that the Rani had with a British officer. I'm curious about how much that was embellished simply to have a romantic angle in the novel. 

Overall a good time pass and a pleasant way for someone like me to get a better understanding of a historical figure. Read it!

~Becky~