The Education of Yuri: Jerry Pinto

Fiction

Verdict: Read it!

I had read Em and Giant Hoom by Jerry Pinto, so when I saw this at the Bookshop I knew I must read it. 

The Education of Yuri is a coming of age book. One of the things that Jerry Pinto is brilliant at is making his characters real and oh-so-relatable, often times in ways that we wish we did not have to. The novel follows Yuri through his adolescence - an experience fraught with insecurity, learning, growing, and general angst that most of us have had. 

Watching Yuri wander through friendships, romance, sexual awakening, and eventual separation and adulthood is borderline painful. Because it's so relatable. That being said, Yuri is a likeable guy, even when he feels like an alien or a failure - I was cheering for him. Just give it time, this sucks for everyone. I think that was the point Jerry Pinto was getting at but he did it well. It's not a long or hard read, but I find Pinto to be a talented writer worth your time.

Read it!

~Becky~

The Lost Man of Bombay - Vaseem Khan

 

Fiction

Read it!

This novel focuses on a strange chain of events that a forensic department unravels. A body is found with very small clues and is eventually tied to current events and people. I won't unravel the whole story for you as that would steal the joy of reading it, but it's worth the effort that a larger book and a longer story bring. 

I haven't read anyhting else by Vaseem Khan but I'd like to explore more of his work if there is anything. The novel embraces a old timey, gothic Bombay with some modern themes. The main love interest is white. Which surprised me a great deal. In a land still aching from British pillage, it's understandable why this wouldn't be embraced. 

The story telling and pacing are excellent. It's rare to not see the outcome before the end of the novel, but Vaseem Khan has achieved it. He leaves clues, but not tons and not obvious ones. He also ends on a practical note without resorting to extraordinary circumstances. Spoiler - it's never the butler in the pantry with an icepick. It's a good read but a large book.

Read it.

~Becky~

Mumbai Fables - Gyan Prakash

 Non-Fiction

Read it

It's been quite some time since I read a non-fiction book. I picked this up from the library thinking it would be stories of or from Mumbai. I was a bit wrong on that count, but was quite satisfied with the book.

Mumbai, or Bombay as I still call it, is a fascinating city. It's history and cast of famous characters are no less fascinating. Gyan Prakash has done a lovely job of drawing us into the magic of Bombay. Architecure, movies, papers, characters, legends. It's quite the read. The city that never should have been - a series of islands and land reclaimed. 

I won't go too far into all of the historical timeline, but I will say that a general knowledge of India and Mumbai is helpful.  I was hoping that Gyan Prakash would get into some of the more recent developments in Mumbai, but as many historical books do, it doesn't get into anything all that recent. 

Read it!

~Becky~

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~

Tales from Ferosha Bhaag - Rohinton Mistry

Fiction
Verdict: Read it

All the previously discussed good things about Rohinton Mistry writing, but with a community focus rather than a single family. This is a compilation of short stories within a community that obviously features some of the same characters.

The beautiful thing about this book was how seamlessly Mistry leads you from one family to the next, one home to the next.

Definitely worth the read.

Becky

Family Matters - Rohinton Mistry

Fiction
Verdict: Read it

Rohinton Mistry is one of my favorites and he didn't disappoint in this book.

Set in a Parsi family, the plot winds around an aging Grandfather who injures himself and requires intensive care. The family dynamics, property disputes, and ducking of responsibilities are something that everyone can relate to. I really ended up feeling bad for the old man as well as the family that actually loved him because long term care is hard on the body and the wallet. 

Another thing I love about Mistry's writing is how well he blends information about Parsis into his writing. I learned about rites and rituals, family culture, and even language to some degree through reading this story. 

While it's rather lengthy, and to be honest a bit slow at certain points, it's well worth the time and effort.

Read it!
Becky

The Lost Flamingos of Bombay - Siddarth Sangvhi

Fiction
Verdict: Read it.

It's rare enough that you find an Indian author that is open about infidelity. One that addresses face on a Mrs. Robinson situation is truly something unique. For those that aren't familiar with The Graduate movie, Mrs. Robinson reference refers to an older woman preying on a younger man, just out of school. 

True to many Indian authors, this book has a pathos that just hangs on you for the whole book. The ending, also true to form, isn't rosy nor what you would hope would happen. It leaves you wanting a bath to be perfectly honest. That being said, read it. 

I have a romantic attachment to Bombay for numerous reasons. This book is one of them. As I mentioned, it's an interesting look into Indian attitudes about forbidden romance of a very unique and specific variety. 

There are a lot of people that think Siddarth Sangvhi went overboard with his prose. There's some truth to this, but if you're able to look past it and some of the other stereotypes, it's well worth the read.

Becky

Beautiful Thing: Inside the Secret World of Bombay's Dance Bars - Sonia Faleiro

In this book, Sonia Faleiro goes in search of information on the underworld of Mumbai Dance Bars and the girls that dance in them. She comes across some very colorful, yet tragic personalities.

Far from respectable, yet not as disregarded as prostitutes, dance bar girls often walk a very fine "sugar daddy" line that is never stable nor secure and very easily slides into prostitution. Echoing some of the other less fortunate parts of different societies, getting a glimpse into the mentality of people who didn't come from money and find themselves with some of it is fascinating. There is no thought to saving, no thought to making smart decisions, should the girl have the ability to. Most girls got into the dance business from sexual abuse at home/in their village and strike out looking for a better life and more work. What she walks into is a seedy, crime infested, insecure life that she finds herself resigned to. It's tragic and fascinating at the same time.

Verdict: Read it if you have a soft spot for people forced to do their best in bad situations, especially if you have a tender for women doing the best they can while being utterly exploited.