So All is Peace - Vandhana Singh-Lal

Fiction

Read it!

This would be the first book I have read from Vandana Singh-Lal. Contrary to popular form, I didn't pick this up on recommendation or because of the cover, although I do like the cover. I went to Writer's Cafe (Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore) with my kids just to explore. They also sell books, so I thought I will support small business. Their books, though used, are definitely not cheap. But all for a good cause, right?

Anyhow, the novel opens with twins going to Paris with their father. There are the usual twin tropes, though very mild at this stage in the book. As we move into the next chapter, we find the twins in isolation in their house, having literally almost starved themselves to death. They are discovered by a little boy who has inadvertently set some trash on fire with Diwali fireworks and goes to the door to warn them. What follows is a mix of police, press, and backstory into how our protagonistas reached this point, though only one of them is the narrator.

The book is a very beautifully spun narrative. I did not find myself bored, though the plot lagged at places. There was just enough forshadowing used that it wasn't ridiculous nor absent and the reader discovers (I felt) just what the author intended at exactly the moment she intended. This is not an easy task and it's done very well. The authoress touches on many social issues and comparisons in society. The twins have lost their family and while dramatically different from each other, are very closely connected and only have each other for most of the novel. The author also goes into how sensationalist the media can be and how people change once something goes public. In this case, it's the apartment society's attitude towards the twins. It's disgusting sentiment, but anyone reading the book who is Indian or has any idea about India can relate. I won't give away the twist at the end of the book, but it's brilliant. I definitely did not see it coming. 

The book does overdo the twin angle in the end. I also was left at the end of the book wondering what exactly the whole point of the starvation was. The author does briefly explain it, but I wasn't satisfied. Perhaps that was the point, there was no point to the starvation - it was just a thought exercise that went way out of control. As I mentioned, some of the book is a little slow, but if you slow down yourself to contemplate the issue the author is commenting on, it makes sense to think through a little slower. I would have also liked to have seen a little more character development of both the twins. The reporter is obsessed with at least one of them, but I can't figure out why. A big ado is made about how they are alike and different, but aside from vague references to who is smarter and who is born first, not much is done here. Again, perhaps intentional. 

Overall, an excellent read and one that kept me engaged.

Read it!

~Becky~

The Loneliness of Hira Barua - Aruna Patangia Kalita

Fiction

Read it!

I have a weakness for short stories. This was a compilation of such short stories that was recommended to me from a few different places. Also a Sahitya Akademi Award winner. Ahem. 

I believe that books from different places come with inherent unique tones based on the exprience of the broad population. The smaller and more niche the population, the more these characteristics will stand out. I've discussed a book I read from Manipur (excellent read by the way!) and without planning it, I've ended up with a book of Assamese stories. Well. That certainly was a shocker in a delightful way. 

It was quite difficult for me to fully understand and appreciate the background that went into developing these stories. I have never lived anywhere with political insurgents, nor any of the other atrocities that went into developing the mindset in some of these stories. They are honest, if nothing else. The truth of the situation is laid bare. Not always explicitly, but subtly and well explained. 

This isn't a light Sunday afternoon read. It's one that must be thought through and appreciated. The final story is about a person - Hira Barua - who is the book's namesake. It's a longer story and makes you truly think about people who have no one else who are left behind in life. 

It's not your average everyday book of happy ending stories. But well worth the read!

~Becky~

Quit Like a Woman - Holly Whitaker

Non-Fiction

Read it!

I had read recommendations about this book from a few places (hello pinterest!) but picked this one up as the subject matter is very personal for me. 

This is an autobiographical type book from Holly Whitaker. She takes us slowly (and sometimes multiple times) through her journey and struggle with Alcohol dependence.  She takes on the patriarchal use of alcohol, how media affects our judgment on seeing alcohol as normal, and the good and bad bits about AA. I found many of the authoress's ideas to be phenominally simple, yet very important. Kind of like obvious things that you should ideally be able to see easily, but don't until someone points them out.

I never thought of Alcohol as a tool of the patriarchy - or a tool of the capitalist market too. Holly makes a point that after a certain point, it made sense to market heavily to women because that's where the market growth was possible. I couldn't agree more. As women, we've also been sold the fallacy that in order to suceed, we need to play like the boys. Cuss, drink whiskey, and not have feelings. Now....there's nothing wrong with any of those things (except maybe the feelings thing - psychopath!) but not only do they not need to be attributed to men, women don't need them to be sucessful, nor do they need to be men in order to get places. 

Holly Whitaker also takes people through the fallacy that AA is the only way to stop drinking. I didn't have much exposure to AA before now - although I was taught this is the holy grail of detox as well - and it's refreshing to hear that there are other options. As an atheist, bringing god into the mix as necessary to get rid of a drinking problem horrified me. She also went into depth about the feelings that people have when they're not sure they drink too much and how they use different metrics to either decide they are fine or lable themselves as alcoholics.

The uses of such lables also was an interesting thought exercise for me. I'm not a big fan of lables, especially those that are closely tied with people's identity.

As I mentioned early, Holly tends to repeat points. It's a common thing as I understand when an author is discussing something close to their heart. It does get a bit tedious though.  With all the hullabaloo about AA not being the answer and Holly hinting that quitting was simple....she provided very little insight into this.  To be honest this was expected from my end, but you can't take away the main point of hope for people then not offer an alternative.

I've had a long and complicated history with alcohol as well. Perhaps not so rough as Holly's, but long and complicated none the less. I still have to make a decision every once in a while not to drink. Of all the complicated relationships I've ever been in, this one is by far the most difficult to deal with and I appreciated the thought and encouragment that the author put into this book. I hope many more people read it, especially the ones who need to read it most.  I'd encourage you to read it, even if you don't have (or suspect you have) a drinking problem. It will help you re-evaluate your relationship with alcohol and the motivations and factors that can go into drinking.

~Becky~

A Plate of White Marble - Bani Basu

Fiction

Read it

This is the first book that I've ready by Bani Basi. In a change of pace, this was a book I ordered because it was recommended, rather than just picking it up because it had a pretty cover. Progress. 

The story covers the life of Bandana. She is a newly made widow with a young son. The first half of the story or so covers Bandana's life after her husband dies. She is still in her inlaws house and slowly backed into a very restrictive corner of shoulds and should nots. However weak, Bandana is a bit of an odd rebel. So much so that I very much felt like cheering her on. 

The second half of the book is Bandana's life after her uncle takes her out of her inlaws house. He urges her to be independent, get a job, let go of old superstitions, etc. Bandana does try her best and makes small leaps, In the end, she crumbles to pressure from her son and inlaws. It's ridiculousy disapointing, but also ridiculously realistic. You can't hate Bandana for her weakness because she truly tries, but there's a limit to what one can do.

The treatment of widows in a conservative society in India is not a new subject. It's rather horrifying on the whole. The beauty of A Plate of White Marble is that Bani Basu does a brilliant job of highlighting a situation that isn't horrific on the surface, but is still resulting in the slow death of someone the family is proported to love. Her heroine also is relateable. She's not perfect and doesn't magically throw off the chains of tradition and superstition all of a sudden one day - she takes small steps where she can. The authoress also brilliantly highlights how sometimes behaviors are so conditioned that women don't have to be held back - they do it themselves because they have been taught that's right. 

I guess I should mention that this isn't a feminism book, even though I felt the small steps that Bandana takes are important ones - and would be even more so if she continued taking those steps and taught her children the same. What was valuable to her generation isn't even recognized in her son's generation and finding a balance is difficult for her.

The novel does drag in places, and like many Bengali works, has a tendancy to be rather morose. I kept waiting for a few shoes to drop and things to turn really tragic. But the beauty of Bengali writing of this type is that tragedy happens quietly. A few small incidents at a time.

It's worth reading. Take it slow and absorb the ethos.

~Becky~