Half of a yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Set in the 1960s Nigeria, rife with communal discord, Half of a yellow sun traces the lives of 5 people intricately intertwined through love, hate and indifference . Lives that were distanced through prosperity and brought together by the war.
Olanna, the beautiful daughter of a highly influential army contractor, who leaves behind a life of privilege for the man she loves, Odenigbo, a revolutionary professor at the Nsukka University. Kainene, Olanna's twin sister, who is as indifferent as bitter. Richard, A shy Englishman in love with Igbo-ukwu art and Kainene. Ugwu, Odenigbo's uneducated houseboy, for whom the war is a coming-of-age experience.
From the high society of Lagos to the quiet intellect of Nsukka, from the ghettos of Ummunachi to the refugee camps of Orlu, Half of a yellow sun takes you on a shocking journey through the birth of a nation, its fall into a civil war and ultimately peace, which comes at a price. The book explores the myriad human emotions, from love to loss, delight to denial and disbelief to detachment. It takes you through the streets of a war-torn country and its civilians, as they cast aside their personal dignity and belief in a struggle for the survival of their loved ones. It talks about how we draw upon our inner strengths when the eye fails to see what the mind does not fail to register.

The story has a couple of remarkably strong scenes, like the one where the sisters meet during the war and each marvels at how the other has grown, which speak volumes about Chimamanda's ability to take the reader on a journey, just like the rest of the characters.  

With a remarkable blend of strong metaphors, vividly expressive adjectives and Igbo influenced english that contributes to the rich narrative, Chimamanda weaves a stunning tale of love, life and war.

A must read! 

Resonance - by Ajay!

Over the last few years, I have come to read and admire Indian writers like Ravi Subramanian and Krishan Pratap Singh, who have ventured into the genre of new-age thrillers (tackling new age themes like cyber-crime, banking scams and even Indian politics) set against the backdrop of contemporary India. 

With this in mind, I picked up 'Resonance', a thriller by debut novelist Ajay. It was a deliberate pick! It has been on my list for a while, but has never come by. This time however, I picked up Resonance with the dual intention of reading a new author and trimming my ever growing reading list.

And I must say I was hooked from page one. Indo-pak terrorism and terrorism originating on Pakistani soil is nothing new, almost as stereotypical as it can get. However, what stands out is the rich plot, replete with twists and counter twists and an entirely new conspiracy theory. 

My observations about the book:

1. For a first-timer, his novel is bold. It attacks the theme with elan, never shying away from weaving twists and turns into the narrative. He even gets away with it.

2. The transition from one scene to another, from one place to another is smooth and seamless. The chapters maintain a flow which is one of the biggest challenges a debut novelist faces and one of the biggest frustrations the reader faces with a debut novel.

3. The research is thorough and manages to hold your attention. Recent historical events, like the assasination of Zia-ul-haq and the Mumbai terror attacks are stitched seamlessly in the narrative, often forming the focal point of the plot. 

5. In some places, the description is long-winded and even repeated (like the mode of destruction being explained to different people at different times). Even the trail of destruction is difficult to follow if you are not familiar with the terrain (anything more I say will be a spoiler). One of the things that I felt would have helped, specially with the elaborate description of the destruction that would be caused would have been an illustration in the form of a map, much like the one that highlights the journey of Heinrich Harrer in "Seven years in Tibet". It would have made it easier to understand. 

4. The climax (predictable as it is) is a nail-biting finish. Ajay gives us another lesson in Physics with a well researched anti-dote. 

Ajay has definitely done his research and what comes out is a well-baked thriller, that keeps you turning pages right up to the end.

Do read, if you love thrillers with an Indian twist!

Losing my religion - Vishwas Mudagal

It was one more of those impulsive picks, about the time when I was tired with intense accounts of Tibet, its trials and tribulations and a David Baldacci book that let me down.

The book traces the adventures of Rishi Rai, a dot com whiz kid, once celebrated but who also quickly fell out of favour when the computer games that he created failed to take off. We are introduced to Rishi at a time when he is at his lowest, his company is winding up, he is coming to terms with a failed relationship and all-in-all he is burnt-out. And then he meets Alex, a hippy, with a devil-may-care attitude, who believes in living for the moment. And what follows is a roller-coaster ride.

Alex and Rishi trek to the Himalayas in search of the Malana cream, the finest hashish, almost get killed, but live to tell the story. Following their impulses, they then set up base in a little beach town on the coast of Karnataka. As Rishi's business takes off, he falls head-over-heels in love with a mysterious gamer, loses her, visits the Kumbh Mela where he starts a million dollar business, finds love again and realizes that it comes at a price. 

The climax, on the sets of a reality show, through predictable, provides some nail biting moments. And of course, all's well that ends well :)

The book is fast-paced maintaining a smooth continuity, of thought as well narration. It keeps you hooked till the last page. There is a good mix of breadth and depth, keeping you interested right through the 200+ pages.
A must read if you enjoy fiction for what it is, and not for what it is not!

The Penguin book of Indian journeys, edited by Dom Moraes

The Penguin book of Indian journeys, edited by Dom Moraes is a collection of travel essays. It includes essays by some of the best known travelers, writers and journalists like Paul Theroux, Ruskin Bond, Mark Tully, Anita Nair and Bruce Chatwin.
As the name suggests, it is a book of journeys and not just travel. Every story is a unique experience that deals with a different emotion. It is only once you start reading that you realize it is a kaleidoscope, of the colors and contradictions that make India what she is, uneven, unequal and mystic.
The stories emphasize the diversity of India, from the hills of Darjeeling to the beaches of Pondicherry and from the urban noveau riche to the bare existence of indigenous tribes.
Some of those will leave an impression:

• "Death lives in Varanasi" talks about the many people whose search for strength to cope with personal losses and a quest for inner peace brings them to the Ganga.  
• "City of Widows" delves deep into the dark, desolate and hopeless lives of the widows in Vrindavan. 
• "Bandit king and the Movie star", covers the events around the kidnapping of Rajkumar, leaving you feeling a sense of deja-vu. 
• "Mela madness" captures the the sheer variety, madness and accompanying flavours of a village mela. 
• "Reports from Orissa" speaks out the grim present and depressing future faced by the cut-off area, a victim of ambitious electric plants and one of the most backward districts in India.    

Overall, the tone is always a little glum, which I have come to believe is typical of most stories and travel essays about India, shooting off dark humour, painting a picture of despair and making India appear a nation of people who are hoping against hope for a better tomorrow.

Did I enjoy this book? - Yes, for the style of writing, the insights, the perspectives and the variety.
Would I recommend this book? - Recommended if you genuinely love India for the way she is: uneven, unequal and mystic and can take all the consequences and contradictions of all this with a pinch of salt.

Most of these essays were written between 1970 and 2001. Are they still relevant in modern India? That is for you to find out :)