If you haven’t already figured it out, Cecelia Ahern is a favourite author of mine. I love how she captures a sense of magic in her book. Don’t get me wrong, her books aren’t all fantasies in any way, but they are so beautiful it feels magical! One Hundred Names is like that too, with its own little magic.
This is a coming of age story of a young female journalist. Kitty Logan has just had her career fall apart because of a careless mistake that she committed. She accuses a high-school teacher of abusing his students, which ultimately proves to be false. Ostracized from her work circle, trolled by the general public and dumped by her current boyfriend, Kitty is understandably shaken. Another blow comes when her long-term mentor and friend Constance dies of cancer.
Kitty visits Constance before her death and randomly asks her — “What is the one story you always wanted to write?” Constance directs Kitty to a folder in her home, containing the answer to that question, and that becomes Constance’s dying wish to Kitty — to complete the story she herself couldn’t write. However, Kitty is perplexed when she only finds a piece of paper, listing out one hundred random people, no explanations and no notes whatsoever.
With the magazine she works for threatening to let her go, Kitty has one chance to redeem herself by penning Constance’s story herself, and she has just over two weeks to do it. She sets out to find out more about the hundred people in the list, but the work is hard and time is not on her side. Desperate for a break, she happens upon a clue which leads her to a few of the people. Meeting them and the story that unfolds thereafter is what makes for a great read.
On the surface, no one seems to be connected to each other. One woman is a recluse butterfly conservator, while the other, Birdie, is an old lady of 85. Mary Rose spends her life taking care of her ailing mother, while Archie is seeking redemption and claims to hear people’s prayers. Jadrek is desperate for a Guinness Record which he hopes will help his family financially, while Eva is a personal shopper who seems to understand peoples wishes better than themselves. No one has ever met or even seen the other people in the list so Kitty is at a loss as to what connects them.
With her job on the line, Kitty makes a decision to pursue this story to its end, whatever it may be. During the course of multiple meetings, Kitty begins to genuinely like these people that randomly came into her life. She gets invested in their stories, past and future. Inspired to help the totally adorable Birdie to achieve her dream, Kitty takes a road trip with her new-found group and it is then that Kitty finally gets what Constance was trying to say. What is it, you wonder? Well, that is why you need to read the book! 😉
We meet so many people every day of our lives, but have we ever stopped to wonder what their story is? Because one thing is certain, it is the most ordinary of people that lead the most extraordinary lives. One Hundred Names is a look into such beautiful stories, hidden within whispers, jokes, wishes and prayers of some ordinary people, just like you or me. You may find the book a little disconnected at first. You may think Kitty to be self absorbed, but stick around for a while. She makes mistakes, but she also tries to make them right.
It is human nature to create stories. Sometimes, we forget that the most exciting story is the one we’re living. This moment, right now, is something beautiful. It is magical and Ahern reminds me of that. I hope she reminds you as well!
The House of Silk is Anthony Horowitz’s first book in the Sherlock series. He is reinventing the intriguing life of the famous ‘consulting detective’ of 221B, Baker Street, our very own Sherlock Holmes.
Horowitz admits that he was heavily influenced by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s writing and it comes through in this latest Sherlock mystery. Like Doyle, Horowitz too narrates the story from Dr.Watson’s perspective. For all intents and purposes this feels like the latest adventure Sherlock and Watson goes through. And what an adventure it proves to be…
The story starts when Watson comes to stay with Holmes since his wife is away for a few days. They get a client , one Mr. Edmund Carstairs, who is a fine arts dealer. He fears that his life is in danger, going on to narrate a complex tale involving the Flat Cap Gang of New York. He apparently, was cause for the death of one of their leaders and now his twin has avowed vengeance on Mr. Carstairs.
Mr. Carstairs fears for his life and begs Sherlock and Watson to come visit his home to solve the case. While on the hunt for the criminal, Sherlock unwittingly puts a street kid named Ross in harm’s way. Ross was scared to death by something but before Sherlock could find out what, Ross is brutally murdered with only a white silk ribbon left tied to his wrist as a warning. Meanwhile the stalker Carstairs was afraid of turns up dead too, indicating that that case at least, is closed.
Watson is stymied by the events unfolding, especially when Sherlock insists that there’s a connection between the two deaths. Now things begin to get interesting, with plot twists upon plot twists, Sherlock getting arrested, Watson’s brave attempt at rescue and more. The big reveal at the end was absolutely unexpected and honestly, it was just how Doyle would have written it.
I have always been an ardent fan of thriller -mysteries, and Sherlock is a personal favourite. From reading Doyle’s works to watching Benedict Cumberbatch on screen, I too have been invested in the exciting life of the world’s best consulting detective. This story just adds to the intrigue and I love the topic the author chose to address. Horowitz very cleverly manages to tie two absolutely different cases together and it is so interesting to read!
Street kids and orphans are a group that often goes unnoticed. From the streets of London in the Victorian era where the events of Sherlock’s life takes place to the current time, we still have not learned to care for children. While we take care of our own kids spectacularly, there are kids who’ve never known the happiness of a warm meal or a soft bed. They become victim to unspeakable cruelties in the streets, most often than not. The consequence is that the same kids grow up to be bad people, only looking to hurt others. This cycle only breaks with people being willing enough to take of such kids. Shoutout to the author for addressing such an important issue of child harassment.
For anyone who has gone through the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and is looking for a new chapter in the series, this is it. Highly recommended!
I have not read many books that delve into the sordid and frankly, very disturbing world of human trafficking. Belle is one such book and it is one that I have mixed feelings about.
The book set in the 1900s London tells the story of Belle, a fifteen year old girl who is sold and forced into prostitution at her very young age. In the course of the book, we move from the filthy brothels of London to the glamour of Paris to New Orleans with Belle. The author Lesley Pearse does a great job in making us a part of the entire experience — especially the grim, dark and horrifying life young Belle goes through. I was in fact far too disturbed to go on reading, but I think that is the reaction the author was going for.
Belle is the daughter of a brothel owner in the streets of Seven Dials, London, but while she was brought up in such a place, she is blissfully unaware of what goes around in her home. She is raised by Mog, the housekeeper and more a mother to her than her birth mother, Annie. Fifteen and naive, Belle’s innocence is portrayed as endearing and lovable. She dreams of becoming a milliner when she grows up. But all that changes when she inadvertently becomes witness to the murder of a girl working in the brothel at the hands of a very dangerous criminal. Her mother, though misguided in her love, tries to protect her by hiding all evidence of Belle being present at the scene of the crime. All the effort is in vain when the criminal, only known as “the Falcon” snatches her off the streets and smuggles her out to Paris.
Her friend Jimmy and Mog and even Annie is scared of what will happen to Belle but seems helpless when faced with the prospect of rescuing her from the clutches of the Falcon. Mog is relentless though, and manages to convince Noah, a budding journalist who was enamoured with the dead girl to help investigate into the incident. By this time Belle has been transported to Paris where she is sold to one Madame Sondheim’s brothel. Belle is confused by the turn of events and is terrified as she gets raped repeatedly. Remember when I said I was so disturbed that I couldn’t read — this was one such instance. She gets sick because of the abuse and is transferred to the care of nurse. However her fate is in dire straits when she is bought by another brothel owner, this time in New Orleans.
As she is transported to New Orleans by her captor Etienne, she develops a friendship with him. While he is helpless to rescue her from the future that awaits her, he does advice her to be the best at what she does so that one day, she can escape and return home. She vows to do so and that is how Belle transforms from a naive girl to the most wanted courtesan in all of New Orleans.
The story is interesting and it is especially heartrending at places when Belle endures such horrible circumstances. While we have all heard of topics like human trafficking or prostitution, it is daunting to read such an in-depth depiction into the sordid mess that it is. As a girl myself, I fear for anyone who falls into that world. Pearse doesn’t pull any punches while writing about the grim reality. By the middle of the book, I was sick of reading about how young girls are tortured and how at the end of it they just lose the will to escape, eventually enduring everything that happens believing that they deserve it.
What I don’t agree with is how the author portrays Belle. As a character, she is just not believable as the story progresses. I can imagine how innocent a fifteen year old girl would be. I can even imagine her will to fight the odds and go back home. What I cannot imagine is Belle still being naive enough to fall into bad situations repeatedly. No one who has endured so much would be fool enough to willingly walk into unknown destinations with strange men, right? In fact, I have heard several psychologists remarking how closed up girls who suffer childhood abuse can become. Belle, meanwhile, is blindly trusting of any and everyone she meets!
And that is what infuriates me — Belle is at one time completely under the spell of comfortable living that being a courtesan gets her and eventually the fight drains out of her. Belle becomes a mistress to a much older man and begins to value herself by the attention he gives her, which isn’t all that much. The one thing she does right is working towards her dream of becoming a milliner even after all this while. Belle is alternatively shown to be determined and naive and I cannot believe that character at all. Meanwhile, her family back home is struggling to find leads and bring her back. They eventually connect with Etienne, who vows to help in nay way he can as he is overcome by remorse. Things begin to look up for Belle as everyone works to find her as soon as they can.
But will they succeed in their quest to find Belle? Will Belle herself find her way home? Or is she too enmeshed in that world to ever lead a normal life again? Will she reciprocate the love Jimmy has had all this while for her? Or does she fall in love with Etienne after all?
While Belle is a very compelling read, it is my belief that the topic could have been broached in a much better way. I don’t know how historically accurate some of the parts are, but even so, putting something like the forced prostitution in anything close to a positive light is something I find I cannot agree with.
But I will conclude by saying that we should read books like this. We need to talk about such issues more. Unknown to us, there are girls still going through this in parts of India. Statistics say that children make up 40% of prostitutes in India, and that there are almost 1.2 billion children involved in the trade. Often, they are just snatched right out of their homes and most are never found again. These are terrifying prospects indeed. My respect to the author for tackling such a topic.
Here is hoping that no child ever has to endure something like that in their life…
I am not exaggerating when I say that I loved the first two books. And the way the second book ended, I could not wait to get started on this third one. As expected, it did not disappoint at all. V. E. Schwab manages to make every page of the book interesting. Without giving anything away (I hope!) let me talk you through this amazing book!
In A Gathering of Shadows, the stage was being set for a final confrontation between good vs evil, and A Conjuring Of Light delivers it — and how! The book starts off with a revelation that I think most of the readers would have been waiting for, and I had already guessed it would be so from the million hints the author had dropped. It is about Lila Bard, our badass heroine, but I won’t tell you what it is!
Lila rescues Kell from near death (I have forgotten how many times she’s done it now) after which she is an accepted, if not completely welcome, part of Red London. Speaking of which, Red London is in peril! While the city has been under attack before on various fronts, it has been a while and everyone is shocked speechless at this new enemy.
The shadows have gathered and it is up to Kell and Lila to banish them. The new and quite powerful enemy, Osaron calls himself a god though he is actually just an entity full of dark magic. He has reached Red London by manipulating Holland, after which the King of Red London imprisons Holland. Osaron, meanwhile, has rampaged throughout the city — his brand of magic overpowering the will of innocents and even staining the river Isle black. The only protection seems to be Antari blood and unfortunately Antaris are not available everywhere!
Kell and Holland seem to blame themselves for what has occurred but the great thing is how a rapport of sorts develops between these two characters — one who we’re forced to see as evil, and one the conventional hero. Kell believed in Holland and ask him for help. Lila is of course all ready to run headfirst into danger, but within her heart she does have some feelings for Kell. The book thoroughly explores the romance between these two and I for one, have gleefully read of the explosive chemistry of these two (Yep, I love those two together).
While Kell, Lila and Holland volunteer to go on a search to find out a way to defeat Osaron, Alucard Emery, who we were introduced to in the second book, gets ready to go with them. I had already been partial to Emery’s character from the last book, but this one just cemented it. While Rhy and Alucard doesn’t have an easy relationship, it is great to see them both try to work things out.
Also, huge shoutout to the author for creating a very natural homosexual relationship as part of the story. I have seen many of the books trying to forcefully write LGBTQ characters and it never does them justice. Schwab very easily manages to convince us of the love between Rhy and Alucard and I was rooting for them to be together all the way! But do they stay together, is the question. Another great thing is that the author manages to make all of the characters so full of life that we forget they aren’t real. From Holland’s recollections of his dark past, to the way Rhy grows from a reckless prince to responsible heir, to the King and Queen themselves fighting with all they have against an enemy much more powerful than either of them — everyone is real enough that we sympathize, cry and laugh with them on their circumstances.
With Osaron dedicated to destroying everything on his sights and with the neighbouring countries plotting against Red London in this difficult time, Kell, Lila and Rhy have a tough road in front of them. While Kell is determined to fulfil his duty to the Royal family, Lila is motivated by her love for Kell and adventures. Meanwhile Rhy has to pave his own way forward, without magic to help him, so that he can help his subjects any way he can.
Schwab designs the stunning conclusion to the trilogy so that we travel from London, to the Arnesian sea, to Grey London and more. We battle pirates and unknown foe and it all comes down to one great sacrifice. One thing is for sure — one of our beloved characters are going to die. But who? That remains to be seen. I hope the author decided to come back to this world, because I haven’t had enough of these characters. I especially love how she chose to end the story with “Anoshe”.
“Anoshe” in their language is the way they greet one another. Instead of goodbye, it signifies the start of something beautiful. It says ‘until another day’ because that shows hope and solace. It helps to get over the sadness of leaving something behind. It is not goodbye, but the certainty that nothing in future is certain. And in that uncertainty, there is hope for a better tomorrow! As I put down this book, that is what I choose to say to myself — anoshe. I hope I meet Kell and Lila again someday!
In my review of the prequel to this one, I mentioned the story-line, certain spoilers although I did try not to give away the important bits and most importantly, I wrote about how the book made me feel.
Well, I’ll make one thing clear at the beginning itself. I loved the series. I loved the story arc, I loved the characters, I loved the twists and heart breaking moments (yep, there were a few)… I just loved.
Having said that, I really can’t talk about the book without touching upon the story a bit but if I did that, I’d be essentially giving away the cliffhanger that was at the end of book 2, which I don’t want to do. So bear with me as I try to not-so-subtly navigate the story without spoiling it for you. (I hope I don’t mess this up!) . This review will be mostly my thoughts on the story so read on!
Alright, so at the end of book 2 we are left with, as I mentioned before, a cliffhanger. And a good one at that mind you, which naturally made me all the more eager to read this book. So the story starts maybe a month or so after the cliffhanger-that-shall-not-be-mentioned takes place and everything is different!
Just a note: I fully approve of the way the story unfolds in Part 1 of the book. So exciting to see Feyre just scheming to get revenge. (Wondering what this mention is about? Read the book to know. *wink, wink*)
War is not just a distant possibility, it is just around the corner and Prythian unfortunately has no hope of winning. Divided by long years of mistrust, the seven courts* are not sure if they can depend upon their neighbors to be their allies — and Feyre and Rhys desperately needs some allies if they are to have even a feeble hope of surviving this war.
Hybern* is prepared, cunning and nefarious plans are afoot. But is Night Court giving up? Or are they cooking up some plans of their own? Can Feyre trust Tamlin again after what he did to her before? Are the neighboring courts really on Rhys’s side are are they spying for Hybern? Who is friend and who is foe? In this melee of confusion and death and suffering, who can you trust implicitly? After all that Feyre and Rhys does to save their land, are they to be defeated? Find out all this and more in this book, as we navigate through deceptions, plot twists, mystical beings, some really tough fights, and the clash between two armies hell bent on destruction.
Now, coming to why I adore the book — SJM very easily manages to make the readers experience her world of Fae and humans, all the while never ever dragging the story or having created unnecessary characters. Each and every one of her characters are so important to story that at times we’ll be like… Oh damn, that’s why that moment happened and we sit stunned!
Also, kudos to her for not brushing aside the effects of violence and war, because SJM is thoughtful enough to show that the characters are suffering from PTSD or remorse of previous wrongs, and it feels completely genuine. We laugh and we cry with these heroes and heroines and really, what more do you need from a good book,right?
Another thing I love love love about it is that the characters are so human with their imperfections and the book showcases some very admirable ways in which the female lead, Feyre overcomes her insecurities and becomes literally a power, all the while being true to her emotions. *cheers to girl power!* To sum it up, ACOWAR is about war and its aftermath, it’s about choosing not to be noble but to do the right thing, and most of all, it’s about being courageous enough to realize that some sacrifices are worth it.
I will leave you with this: SJM has taught me the value of choice through this series. In the first book, it was about choosing to be brave enough to fight for love, whereas in the second one, it was about choosing to love myself enough to stand up for me. Here in the third book, SJM finally taught me the most important choice of all — choosing to stand with what is just and right no matter what the cost.
Credits: Google Images
Footnote: This line is so empowering to me, really. As a person who has a lot of anxiety and me being an introvert, this helped me so much to break the barriers that I’d created for myself and just be myself. This book has actually made me stronger mentally!
*Note:
Seven Courts of Prythian are the Seasonal Courts, namely Summer, Winter, Spring, Autumn Court and the Solar Courts consisting of Day, Dawn and Night Court. Each court is ruled by a High Lord, often at odds with each other.
Hybern: The invading country ruled by an evil king, who is capable of powerful magical feats.
After reading A Court of Thorns and Roses and I got to know that there is a sequel to it, I was surprised to say the least. You see, I wondered what the sequel would bring to the reader. I mean, I got the happy ending, the hero and heroine were together and if at times I felt like I would have loved to know more about certain characters, that’ s just part of the charm of the story right?
But then I read A Court of Mist and Fury and oh god was I hooked! A Court of Mist and Fury is not about the fairy tale. We got that in the previous book. This is about what comes after — the dose of reality. It is so easy to fall in love but what happens after that? Have we ever wondered what happened to the heroine after she got her hero? Well, this books answers that query.
A small synopsis of what happened.
When Feyre was forced to rescue her lover Tamlin from the clutches of Amarantha, she had never anticipated what the cost would be for her actions. Faced with her death and subsequent rebirth with the help of the seven High Lords, in return for her freeing everyone from Amarantha, we see Feyre being happy and grateful to be alive though still reeling from certain actions she had to do to save everyone — the classic case of survivor’s guilt. However, when she was reborn, she did so not as a human but as High Fae — equal to those who had tortured her before. Also making her nervous is the bargain she struck with none other than Rhysand — High Lord of Night Court, known to all as “Amarantha’s whore” in a moment of weakness. The bargain was this — to spend a week with him every month after she gets out. In order to bind the debt, Feyre gets magically tattooed in her left hand which creates a bond with Rhysand.
Three months later — Feyre is back at Spring Court, Tamlin has proposed to her and they are to be wed soon. All seems well at first look but Rhysand has not called in his debt and Feyre is not entirely happy with her life. Tamlin, who was forced to watch helplessly while Amarantha killed his love, is plagued by a sense of protectiveness that after a point seems more like obsession. Feyre is broken and often woken up by nightmares. She believes she’s not worthy of the title of “saviour” that she’s been given. So she allows herself to be coddled, not deigning to face life itself.
Tamlin’s childhood friend Ianthe — one of the twelve High Priestesses of the land — has come to bless their wedding, and Feyre usually relies on her and Tamlin to navigate the court life. Faced with this life that is almost one of a prisoner, Feyre begins to feel suffocated and asks Tamlin to take her across the wall to a nearby village where restorations are going on after Amarantha’s rule. But Tamlin not only refuses her, he appoints guards to monitor her. The day of the weeding, she is apprehensive of starting a future with Tamlin without even a mating bond* and panics at the middle of the aisle.
Shockingly, Rhysand arrives and calls in his bargain — to spend a week with him and whisks her away to Night Court. Apparently, Rhys had heard Feyre saying “no” in her mind repeatedly and had come to rescue her, wreathed in shadows and endless light — in typical night court fashion. Feyre however is enraged at having been kidnapped. On her first day at Night Court, Rhysand asks her to learn to read as well as to protect her mind, since daemati (people like Rhys who can read minds) could easily manipulate her mind. She decides to follow his advice but mostly spends time alone. She also meets Morrigan, a lovely woman and cousin to Rhysand at Night Court. Morrigan seems warm and friendly but Feyre is not yet of mind to talk to anyone.
When Feyre is taken to Night Court she learns that because she was Made by all the seven High Lords, she may possess magical powers tied to all of them, making her a unique power in the coming war. She begs Tamlin to let her have some freedom and Tamlin agrees reluctantly (after losing his temper so spectacularly that Feyre was forced to shield herself, might I add) but when she’s taken again next month and returned after a week Tamlin has yet again become cruel and controlling. (Great work alienating your lover, Tamlin *sarcastic slow claps*)
When Feyre decides to go after Tamlin when he and Lucien goes out to inspect the lands, Tamlin does the unthinkable. He locks her in his mansion and Feyre who is already faced with PTSD after being imprisoned at Under The Mountain, breaks down completely becoming mad with fear. Morrigan (also called Mor) rescues her as Rhysand cannot according to the terms of the bargain. When she reaches Night Court this time, she decides to stay and work with them.
The story then follows that the King of Hybern has been searching for The Cauldron — a magical object that is said to have begun all life on their lands — to invade Prythian and conquer the lands. Because The Cauldron brought everything to life, destroying it would mean the end of life too. But putting such a powerful object in one person’s hands is also risky so it was hidden long ago, along with the Book of Breathings which can nullify the Cauldron’s power. Rhys is searching for a way to stop Hybern and Feyre agrees to help him find the book as it seems only she can.
The Inner Circle
Along the way she finds out more about the Inner Circle of Night Court* — Amren, Mor, Cassian and Azriel — Rhysand’s closest friends. The idea of cold and calculating Rhysand having friends first seems absurd to Feyre but slowly she realizes that what Rhysand behaved like Under The Mountain was just a mask he wore to protect his loved ones and his home Velaris — the City of Starlight. Feyre is finally recovering from her nightmares and beginning to enjoy life, also while training with Cassian and Azriel who are Illyrian warriors*. As Feyre gets closer to these people she also begins to fall for Rhysand.
As readers, even we get to actually know Rhysand and what exactly he was forced to become to be called as a “whore” by everyone but still he persisted in doing what he thought was right. (The moment when Rhys actually began to reveal his actual self, I fell for him and I will love this character forever and ever. He’s right up there with Mr. Darcy!) The one thing that makes this person just so real is his ability to be so human in everything — right from giving Feyre choice is every little thing she does, to treating his subjects as real people instead of lording over them, to sacrificing himself for his family, Rhysand is someone who we should all strive to be.
Burned by love once, she is reluctant to give in to her feelings again, until Rhysand confesses that Feyre is his mate. Shocked by his revelation about how difficult it was for him to let her go once, Feyre accepts the bond nonetheless, recognizing his love.
Feyre and Rhysand (they are so made for each other ❤)
But the story is not yet over. Will they find the Book of Breathings and manage to stop Hybern from invading? Is Tamlin truly over Feyre leaving him or is he cooking up a jealous plan to take her back? What happens to Feyre’s human family — her father and sisters Nesta and Elain? This makes for such an exciting story that the book literally becomes un-put-down-able. Don’t even get me started on the cliff-hanger at the end. If I was wondering what the story would be after ACOTAR, after reading ACOMAF, I could not wait to continue the story in the third book in the series, A Court of Wings and Ruin.
ACOMAF is about what comes after the supposed happy ending. SJM is a realist enough to say that sometimes first love is not forever. Sometimes love can become poisonous. Often, it is easy to do heroic things but difficult to face the aftermath. It is human to feel guilty about surviving a tragedy. Always, it is better to love someone who is willing to say “it is your choice” rather than being someone’s plaything. Always, it is better to be a survivor than to be protected. And gentlemen, every time you feel a little obsessed and entitled to “protect” us women, maybe you could remember that we’re people too, with the ability to decide for ourselves.
Footnote: I will leave you saying this one thing: It is always better to love a Rhysand than a Tamlin. Turns out, Rhysand was always the hero!!! (I so love it when I get to read about a layered character like Rhysand).
P.S: Interested enough in the story yet? Read the book to know all the spoilers that I haven’t revealed here! Also, wait for my review of the third book in the series, A Court of Wings and Ruin!
Here’s to all the dreamers in the world!
*Note:
A mating bond : A magical bond between two soul mates, often said to create a mental link between the two.
Illyrian warriors: A kind of Fae group who have wings and train to be warriors in the armies of Night Court. They are led by Cassian.
The Inner Circle of Night Court: Consists of Rhysand — the Hight Lord, Amren — his Second and advisor, Morrigan — his Third who runs the Court affairs, Cassian — his army commander and Azriel —Shadowsinger and his Spymaster.
Most of us would already be familiar with the fairy tale The Beauty and The Beast. It has been made into countless films, plays and been retold so many times in so many different versions that the story-line is almost imprinted on our minds. And if you’re one of those people who aren’t familiar with the story, it goes like this:
Pretty girl gets kidnapped/trapped in a castle owned by a beast — beast falls in love with the girl — girl falls in love with the beast — turns out the beast was actually cursed which would only be lifted if a girl truly loves him — beast becomes prince charming –and they lived happily ever after.
When I heard that there’s this book adapted on this fairy tale, I was pretty intrigued as to how the author would manage to make it authentic as well as original. Honestly I wanted to know what the twists would be, and from the first page of the book itself, I was hooked.
SJM, you are a masterful storyteller and you should never stop writing, ever.
That being said, let’s talk about the characters and the world that the author Sarah J Maas (who has quickly become a favourite with yours truly) has managed to create with so much attention to detail, it’s on par with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movies.
The protagonist is Feyre Archeron, a poor girl in a poor village in a land called Prythian, with a family consisting of her father and two elder sisters. Right off the bat, we see BAMF Feyre just shooting down a giant wolf in the forest, because it’s the middle of winter and they are going to starve unless she does something.
Now we wonder what her father and elder sisters are doing, because she is way too young to be risking her life in the winter filled forest. But turns out, the father is a merchant who has lost all his wealth, got beaten up by some creditors and is now too melancholy to take care of his daughters (yeah, I was pissed at him for his negligence too). The eldest sister Nesta believes herself too high and mighty to do “common chores” and the second eldest one Elain is too meek and shy to take charge of the family. So naturally, poor Feyre is forced to fend for her entire family.
Also we find out that the world is not as we know it. Humans are actually the lowest in the food chain, whereas the world is terrorized by faeries (creatures with magical powers) who are ruled by those called the High Fae (even more powerful magical creatures). After a great big war years past, the humans were allocated too small territories and the Fae retreated to their boundaries, separated by a magical wall of sorts. So we think all’s well right? Nooo, because it seems that there are cracks in the wall through which all kinds of beasts come out to hurt humans. To give everyone some context, there are seven Fae Courts in Prythian — Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Day, Dawn and Night — each ruled by a High Lord, who kind of keep these beasts in line.
A map of Prythian (check out how little territory the poor mortals have)
Remember, I mentioned Feyre shooting down a wolf? Turns out that the wolf was actually a Faerie and according to the laws, humans who kill a Faerie have to forfeit their life to a High Fae. Now we have a clueless Feyre showing off the money she got from selling the wolf pelt at home when suddenly a fearsome beast just breaks down the front door proclaiming he’s come to take away the wolf’s murderer. Feyre’s family being the really crappy people they are, allow Feyre to be dragged away. Yeah, great going, Feyre’s dad! *cue the sarcasm*.
Obviously Feyre falls in love with the beast, who we learn is called Tamlin – actually not a beast at all but a High Lord. Our hero Tamlin is the High Lord of Spring Court. Feyre, although apprehensive at first of being kidnapped by strangers, slowly begins to trust Tamlin and his best friend Lucien and life’s good. The only thing bothering Feyre is how she cannot see Tamlin’s face as it is covered with a mask — as mask that is actually worn by everyone at Spring Court. Feyre is hell bent on finding out why it can’t be removed, which is when Tamlin reveals that there’s a blight plaguing the land — a curse of sorts. There’s no life in the forest, it is dark and gloomy and Tamlin’s life is in danger.
The thing is, the blight isn’t actually some disease or curse as we’re made to believe. It is actually the rule of this big bad wicked w(b)itch queen, named Amarantha, who caused this. She wanted Tamlin for herself, he rejected her and she cursed him in return, giving him seven years to find someone who truly loves him to break the curse. We also meet a bad boy High Lord, Rhysand, also known as the pet/toy of Amarantha who appears at Spring Court accidentally and finds Feyre there. Tamlin, out of fear for Feyre’s life, sends her back to her family because he knows danger is near.
Feyre, though back with her family, is filled with guilt at leaving Tamlin alone and vows to go back. She somehow reaches Under The Mountain, the place from where Amarantha rules. Amarantha (who I fondly call the bitch queen, I hate her so much), upon hearing her declaration of love for Tamlin mocks her and says the seven years she gave him are over. However she offers to free Tamlin and everyone else she has enslaved if Feyre can complete three challenges.
At this point, I am on my bed just going, you go girl, show that queen what you’re made of. Seriously, it’s so refreshing to see a strong independent female character saving the world! I live for such stories. During the course of completing the three challenges set to Feyre, she is forced to take the help of none other than Rhysand. But is he really helping her out of the goodness of his heart or is some sinister plan afoot? You’ve got to read to know!
Rhysand (Why are bad boys so gorgeous to look at all. the.time.)
The tale that follows is filled with so many twists and turns, you gotta read to actually feel it. I am not giving spoilers here. Does the story have a happy ending? Yes, kind of. But it’s what leads up to the ending that’s exciting. Oh and let me tell you this beforehand, whatever you think you know at the end of this book, wait for the sequel to get your mind blown!
ACOTAR is a contemporary take on a tale as old as time, but SJM has owns it so much that you never even think to compare the story to the fairytale. It’s different and unique, the characters are layered and multi-faceted and the world building in this series is so amazing you almost feel like you’re in the story, living it. In my opinion, those are the best kind of books. Whatever open ends you feel the book has, all of those are explained in the sequels and the end keeps you wanting more. Honestly, I wasn’t prepared for the book to end.
As soon as I finished reading it, in typical nerd fashion I talked to all my friends about the book. Sorry guys, if I talked way too much on the topic! *sheepish look on my face* BUT YOU HAVE GOT TO READ IT GUYS, IT’S AMAZIIIIIING!
Footnote: They say a movie based on ACOTAR is coming out sometime in the next few years. While I am as excited as everyone else in the fandom, I am also dreading it because what if the movie doesn’t live up to the expectations of the book. Also, once it comes out, everyone’s is going to be in love with Tamlin again. *cue the sigh and eye rolling*. So, fingers crossed.
P.S: If you liked the review, do check out the book. Also, watch out for my review of the sequel to ACOTAR, A Court of Mist and Fury.
I have only recently stumbled across this series called “Shades of Magic” but it has quickly become one of the most exciting YA series that I’ve read. I must say the first book itself had me hooked onto the characters and the world within. This second book in the series has just built up the story so that the anticipation is at its peak when the book ends.
The story in this book starts off some four months later from where the first book left us. Kell and Lila had somehow managed to save the day but the repercussions from all that had happened is huge.
Right off the bat, we see Lila who has finally fulfilled her ambition of sailing away on a ship. I loved how the author started off the story with Lila smack dab in the middle of the ocean with her hands tied on a sinking boat. As usual, Lila has managed to find trouble! My god, it was exciting to see her in action. What does she do — you ask? Oh nothing much, except rob a pirate ship by poisoning/killing all of the ship’s inmates. Did I mention that she did it all by herself? Oh and that she did it to win a bet? Yeah, she’s amazing. I want to be her when I grow up!
She sails on the Night Spire, captained by Alucard Emery who’s a privateer for the Arnesian empire. So while she hasn’t yet fulfilled her dream of becoming a pirate, she’s having fun making everyone else aboard the ship afraid of her. No kidding, the inmates actually nicknamed her The Sarows, after a legendary myth. But not everything is going smooth. She still hasn’t forgotten what transpired four months ago in Red London. And she definitely hasn’t forgotten Kell. On the bright side, she has learnt magic!
Kell, who had previously only been made to felt like he was the Crown’s possession, now feels almost like a prisoner. While it was him who unknowingly started the unfortunate events that Red London suffered, he also managed to make things right — even saving the Crown Prince Rhy Maresh. Yet for all his efforts, he’s being guarded round the clock and even the small feeling of belonging to the royal family has been cut off for him.
Rhy is also struggling under the weight of all that’s happened. He still loves Kell like his own brother but their bond has become a lot more complicated. (No, I won’t explain why; it would give away the first book’s ending). What Kell had to do to save Rhy has changed both of them. They’re restless and the only way Rhy knows to help Kell is to sneak him in as a participant in the Elemental Games.
The Elemental Games is a legendary international competition between the three nations namely Arnes, Vesk and Faro. Twelve magicians each from these countries fight each other, with only one being crowned as the victor. Only elemental magicians are allowed to participate — not Antari as they are way more powerful. Yet Kell is intrigued by the idea of disguising himself and participating in the games.
Emery and Lila dock at red London just in time for the games for even Emery is a participant. Lila never to be dissuaded from finding trouble also manages to enter disguised. But while secrets and magic is rife in red London something darker is gathering at the edges of the world.
Holland, the white London’s Antari is now its king. He’s being supported by a new Antari, Ojka. A little girl who Holland has managed to turn into his loyal knight. The white London has also changed drastically. While before it was slowly being destroyed by the use of magic, under Holland’s rule it has become prosperous!
But what price did Holland have to pay for his kingship? Has Holland done the unthinkable and fallen prey to dark magic? And how will it affect the other Londons? For one thing is sure, a new and darker enemy has come and it will not be so easy to defeat as the black London stone.
Entangled in between all the darkness are the even more complicated relationships between Rhy, Alucard, Lila and Kell. What happened 3 years ago between Alucard and Rhy? Why does Kell and Alucard hate each other so much? Are Lila and Kell in love? What kind of magician is Lila really? Because she’s way too powerful to just be an elemental! When love takes on different shades, will they be able to save not just themselves but their world too? So many questions, the answers to which are only slowly revealed, making us readers sit biting our nails and turning to the next page as fast as possible!
The book ends on a massive cliffhanger (just a heads up) and honestly, I’ve never reached for the next book in a series so fast in my life. It has been an exciting wild ride so far with Shades of Magic and I cannot wait to find out what happens next! Watch out for my review of the next book, A Conjuring of Light to know more!
While I am reading the final book, I’ll leave you with this quote.
A story spanning 3 generations, this book takes us on a journey filled with love, ambition, betrayal, retribution and more.
The story revolves around Aryan, son of a business tycoon and grandson of a renowned politician. He belongs to the powerful Rout family — rich, intelligent and the elite. The bond between Aryan and his grandfather Aryaman is one to be written about. As a kid neglected by an absentee father and an uninterested mother, Aryan’s father figure is his grandfather and his closest friend — his older sister Zara. Both grew up in a dysfunctional family yet because of the guidance of the fair-natured Aryaman, both of them turned out to be intelligent people. Aryan, just back from his education abroad and brimming with ideas for his future, is crestfallen when he receives the news of his grandfather’s death. What follows is his adventurous journey to find out the truth behind not just an incident that broke his heart but the truth of his life as well.
The story starts on a train journey with an inebriated Aryan who is on the verge of giving up, possibly being kidnapped by drug dealers and about to accidentally venture into Pakistan when he is rescued by a stranger. While we get to know that his father had arranged the stranger to protect Aryan and bring him back to their farmhouse, we also get a peek into the unusually angry relationship between the father-son duo.
Apparently, Aryan’s father Yash and Aryaman never saw eye to eye. While Aryaman adamantly stuck to his libertarian views on politics and was a true nationalist, Yash only wanted to become more rich and fill his personal coffers. Yash’s business decisions and the way he bullied his younger brother Karthik slowly becomes the reason for his estrangement from family. Aryan believes Yash to be the cause of his grandfather’s death and is hell bent on proving his point.
The book is divided into four parts — the first showing the present situation where Aryan has almost given up on his quest. The second part dives into a flashback of sorts introducing different characters and outlining their relationships. The third focuses on Aryan’s suspicions and his subsequent struggle to find the truth and the final part is aptly named “The Showdown”. That is exactly what it is — laying the tone for the big reveal.
While I personally felt that the writing and editing of the book could have been a little better, author Manu Dhawan’s first novel is a good and interesting read. I don’t normally read a lot of Indian books so this was a pleasant change for me and I enjoyed the book.
It’s interesting to see how the author develops each character so that when the reader reaches the end, there’s already a preconceived notion of who the culprit is — which is exactly what Dhawan wants so that he can turn it around at the last moment. I would have enjoyed it had the book forayed more into the chase of finding the truth and the mystery of it all. Basically, I wanted the plot to be a little more elaborate. That being said, Dhawan does manage to round out the story to reach a satisfying end for all. The plot is good and so are the characters. Small peaks into what would be the climax keeps things interesting.
The book might look simple but it teaches an important lesson. To follow the truth, to stand for what you believe is right and — as Aryaman says, “keep the eye on the bullseye”. In a world where profit has more priority than love, this lesson is important, I believe. I especially loved how Dhawan portrayed the pure love of a grandfather for his grandson. It definitely made me speak to my elders a little more respectfully!
All in all, this book proved to be a pleasant read and I greatly look forward to reading more of the author’s work. I do believe he can be counted among the contemporary Indian authors like Novoneel Chakraborty and Chetan Bhagat once he’s got his writing more refined.
The book might look simple but it teaches an important lesson. To follow the truth, to stand for what you believe is right and — as Aryaman says, “keep the eye on the bullseye”. In a world where profit has more priority than love, this lesson is important, I believe. I especially loved how Dhawan portrayed the pure love of a grandfather for his grandson. It definitely made me speak to my elders a little more respectfully!
All in all, this book proved to be a pleasant read and I greatly look forward to reading more of the author’s work. I do believe he can be counted among the contemporary Indian authors like Novoneel Chakraborty and Chetan Bhagat once he’s got his writing more refined.
This one took me on a ride, quite literally! The series by V. E. Schwab just completely redefines our sense of magic and the world, in my opinion. I had randomly put up a story on IG about which book I should read next and almost everyone voted for this one! So obviously I knew that something exciting was in store but Oh. My. God was I shook! From the world to the plot to the characters — I loved every freaking bit of this book. So let me tell you a bit about it!
This book is based on a world where magic plays a prominent role. But wait, it’s not the kind of magic that we’re used to reading about. The magic is as alive as you and me. The people who possess it has to actively communicate with that entity in order for it to work. But what’s most interesting is that here, the story revolves around 4 Londons.
The Black London — which has imploded because the darkness of magic proved too strong. Long ago, magic overpowered the will of the people and consumed everything.
The White London — where magic is used as a weapon. The strongest magicians rule the kingdom and royalty changes when one rules usurps another. Here the people believe magic is something to be subdued and controlled. Magic has thus coated this world in white — it is bleak and monotone.
The Red London — where magic and humans have a tenuous balance. This is the London of our main character Kell. Kell and the people of Arnes, as Red London is commonly known, worship magic.
Then lastly, there’s the Grey London — where magic has been forgotten and only very few even care about it. The home of Delilah Bard — badass thief and wannabe pirate.
Kell, hailing from Red London is an Antari — one of the so called blood magicians who can travel between worlds and command elements. They’re a dying breed and now only two remain — Kell and Holland who comes from White London. Blood magic and elemental magic is different. Almost everyone can have a bit of command over some or all of the elements but the Antari, besides being masters of wielding elemental magic can also use their blood to perform more intricate magic. The blood magic is the most powerful and difficult to perform. Which is why both Kell and Holland are so valued in their respective worlds. They’re literally the possessions of whoever rules their world because no one can afford to have the Antari free of control. While Kell at least has the illusion of being family to the Royals of his world, Holland doesn’t even have that.
They’re totally opposite characters. One portrayed as good while the other as bad. But even then the author takes care to create them in shades of gray. Kell, the so called good Antari still works as a smuggler. He smuggles innocuous pieces like music boxes to and from the different Londons which is illegal by the way. Holland, while shown to be dark and dangerous is actually helpless and way too vulnerable than visible at first. How, you ask? Well, read the book to find out! While these two are aware of magic, Lila is the one who’s thrust into this world suddenly, finding herself in the middle of danger, adventure and quite literally in a different world.
Kell unknowingly smuggles a dangerous stone from White London to Red London and is now being hunted. The stone itself belonged to Black London — filled with its evil magic that slowly begins to corrupt the people of Red London too. Kell escapes to Grey London to hide from the people who would kill him to possess the stone,which is where he meets Lila. Kell realises his mistake and prepares to send the stone back to where it came from and Lila offers to go with him. Though they start off on the wrong foot, it’s interesting to see how their relationship evolves throughout the story
Holland is the one who’s hunting Kell — on the orders of the White London’s rulers — the unscrupulous(and total jerks, in my opinion) brother-sister duo — Athos and Astrid. It was them who made Kell a pawn in their dark games to bring about the end of Red London. They chase each other through Grey, Red and White London — because even an Antari has to travel through them to get to Black London. Along the way there are a lot of events that happen, all of which makes it even more tricky for Kell and Lila to complete their mission.
With Athos and Astrid hell bent on destroying Kell’s Red London, and Holland creating problems for them at every turn, can Kell manage to restore the balance between the worlds? Or is the fate of Black London now going to befall the other worlds too? Why is Lila so interested in magic? Is it because she’s an Antari herself? What kind of a man is Kell’s adopted brother Rhy, the crown prince of Red London? Is he just a spoilt Prince or more? There are a lot of questions — some of which are answered in this book, some of which that keep us wondering what next?
I’ve read a lot of YA fantasy books. I fell in love with magic when I met Harry Potter and his friends. The love has only grown with every book I’ve read. This one though, puts a whole new twist on a magical world. That’s where the author wins. She keeps us on the edge of our seats, biting nails and anticipating what problems will next befall our protagonists. For someone looking for a breath of fresh air in the world of fantasy literature, A Darker Shade of Magic is a great bet. I, for one, can’t wait to pick up the sequel — A Gathering of Shadows and find out what happens next. Wait for my next review to know!
Cecelia Ahern’s books have always managed to pull at my heartstrings.I started reading Ahern’s books when I was in school. I cried my heart out while reading P.S. I Love You, even though I was too young to understand such loss. I fell in love, as childhood friends do, with Where Rainbows End. I discovered magic with A Place Called Here.
Now, after a long time, she managed to captivate me once again through The Book of Tomorrow. This book is for every teenager out there. Because we’ve all been Tamara, the protagonist of this story, at least once in our lives.
Tamara Goodwin is the rich daughter of a businessman. She’s entitled, bratty and not a very nice person, as per her own accounts. She’s always at odds with her parents, talks back to her father, spends their money without care and only cares about the next ‘good time’ as compared to doing something good. She’s been trying to change though. Because something big happened in her life. She found her father, dead in his office. He had committed suicide, because they were going bankrupt and he couldn’t face the troubles. Tamara and her mother are thrown out of their palatial house and are now at the mercy of her mother’s brother Arthur and his wife Rosaleen.
Isn’t it true though? How reluctant we are to accept a genuine help these days!
At this point, Tamara begins to realize how fake her life had become. Her friends are turning out to be petty and she’s chagrined to find out she is also like that. Vowing to be better from now on, she joins her mother as they go to live with Arthur and Rosaleen in the middle of nowhere.
The middle of nowhere is actually a picturesque village, very close to the Kilasaney castle which had housed royalty a long time ago. It’s a decrepit, burnt down place and Arthur works as the groundskeeper. Ahern deftly weaves a mystery surrounding the woods and run down castle and we’re left wondering what the deal is with the castle and Tamara!
Meanwhile, something is very wrong with Tamara’s mom, Jennifer. She’s grieving, everyone consoles Tamara. But even a 16 year old understands the difference between grief and mental breakdown. Out of mind with worry over her mother and wanting to escape the monotony of life in a village, she climbs aboard a travelling library when it comes around.The cute librarian guy is just a bonus incentive for Tamara to be reckless. The guy, Marcus turns out to ve very friendly though, and even lets her take home a mysterious book that she finds in the library shelves.
The book turns out to be locked and it doesn’t have a name or an author. Intrigued now, Tamara asks her new friend, Sister Ignatius who stays nearby to open it. Turns out, the book is completely blank! The nun advises her to turn it into her personal diary. Tamara agrees reluctantly but the moment she opens up the book to write something, she finds out it’s already been written! In her handwriting, when she has no memory of ever writing it. And the date of entry is tomorrow!
And that’s how Ahern takes us on a journey. What is this book of tomorrow that manages to predict what’s going to happen on the next day? Why is Rosaleen so controlling and secretive with Tamara? Who’s writing in the diary, if not Tamara? Is it really something magical? Would her new friend Weseley even believe her suspicions about the book? A lot of questions that need to be answered!
And the most important question of all — since you know the future, does it mean you can change it, or is it inevitable ?
Along the way, Tamara makes some pretty big mistakes, messes stuff up but manages to unravel the mystery surrounding the castle — and her life as well. Since I would hate to give away the ending, you’ll have to read the book to know what the mystery is all about! It is a story worth knowing — filled with love, friendships, jealousy and betrayal — but how does Tamara get involved? That is the big reveal!
But let me end by saying that we all mess up. Knowing the future doesn’t really mean that we just go with the flow or go exactly against it. Life is a roller coaster and the best thing you can do is hold on for the ride.
So what if we make mistakes? We always have the hope of a tomorrow to make things better!
This book review is long overdue. I still remember the first time I picked up this book from the library. I think it was the summer vacation of ninth or tenth grade, I was looking for a way to pass the time and my gaze fell upon the well-worn copy of this book, just sitting there on a shelf. The only reason I picked it up — I liked the title! I never knew it would make such a huge impact on me when I read it, but it most definitely did. Over time, I’ve went back and read this book many more times, and every time, it has managed to capture my heart.
Just Listen is basically a teenage romance on the first look but honestly, it’s so much more. The protagonist is a girl named Annabel Greene, who is struggling with an inner demon, but the reader is not privy to it at first. She’s just had her summer vacation and for some reason she’s terrified of going back to school.
Annabel looks like a girl who has it all — she’s a model, is popular in school, has a wonderful family consisting of her mom, dad and two older sisters and lives in this really rich house made of glass. But then as we begin reading, we get to know that not everything is as it appears. She hates modelling, something happened during the vacation that results in a fight between her and her best friend Sophie, and she has isolated herself from everyone.
And of course, the perfect glass house conceals so much of her family’s secrets — like the fact that she’s hiding what happened during the vacation and lying to her family, or that her sister is fighting an eating disorder, or that her older sisters are estranged and not speaking… and all the time, this whisper that Annabel hears — “Shh Annabel, it’s just me.”
So much is hidden, and we get caught up in finding out what those secrets are. Along comes Owen Armstrong, certified bad boy of the school — the embodiment of tall, dark and handsome. Annabel knows she should probably stay away, but with everyone looking at her with judgemental eyes, Owen is the only one she has to talk to. And that is the start of a strange friendship. Annabel finds that Owen is not who he appears to be — rumors say he’s been in fights, has ended up in jail and so forth — but Owen is refreshingly honest. He says he never lies, which Annabel scoffs at, but then she realizes that yes, he is — always! That makes it harder for her to lie to him and pretend everything is okay. Owen and Annabel bond over music, and a mutual need for having someone you can be truthful with.
Slowly she starts remembering what happened during the summer. What happened to make her a bitch in front of her best friend and everyone at school — when actually she’s just a victim. Everyone thinks she tried to sleep with Sophie’s boyfriend when really it was him that tried to force himself on her. Scared, lonely and no one to believe her, she takes the blame for it. She is still scared of the dark, hears his voice whispering to her at night and still cannot make up the courage to talk to anyone about what happened — not even her supportive mom.
The only thing that keeps her going is Owen, and his music. She finds solace is having one person who she can be honest with, even when she’s hiding from herself. That’s when she finds out that the same thing happened to her friend Emily. But Emily is stronger than her and fights back — has him arrested. She faces up to what happened to her, figures out a way to talk to her family and Owen, and finally goes to court.
Entwined in her story is the story of her two sisters, poles apart but still finding it in themselves to care for each other and her family — which while imperfect- is perfect in every which way that counts. The author focuses on issues like rape, victim blaming but at the same time, gives us a peek onto other relevant issues too — like having anorexia, or feeling like you’re not beautiful enough, anger issues and even depression. We might feel like this book would be depressing, but surprisingly, Dessen manages to pull us into the story and just twines all these story threads so perfectly that when we come out of the book at the end, we feel refreshed and empowered.
Many times, we’ve heard stories of women speaking up about sexual harassment, but there’s not a lot that points to the struggle beneath — of feeling like it’s the victim’s fault, or the feeling of being scared even in daylight, of not having enough courage to speak up. This book looks into the dilemma that every victim must surely go through, but at the same time, it also imparts courage to us. Like the author says in the book — the best way out is always through. This book gives us the confidence to fight any situation, to face up to anything and never ever doubt in the ability of truth to come to light.
It’s not a book about a teenage girl finding love. It is about a girl who has been battered and bruised, confused about why something heinous like rape happened to her, scared if someone would actually believe her words. It’s about a girl who finds courage is the most terrifying situation and who fights back. In the end, it’s about a girl who finds herself.
So, this one is for all of you who have read a particular book and just felt like it shook the very foundations of your life, and for every one of you who wants to read a good book. I suggest you start with this one.
This Reader Says 