How do you write a modern novel with a child detective? Famous Five and Secret Seven aren't really believable anymore because now, everyone thinks of the tape that cordons areas off, and the fact that clues simply aren't that easy to find.Smart by Kim Slater shows you how it's still possible to write a mystery story, despite all these practical considerations. And she gives you a story that is not just about a murder being solved, but also about slow learning, race, drugs, domestic violence, and love.When I finished about half the book, I did a mental recap. I thought about the idea of writing stories that address important issues, issues that need representation. I also thought about how easy it is to make a book seem agenda-driven if it deals with even one of these issues. And Smart dealt with so many! Granted, in many places, it did feel a little agenda-driven; yet, … [Read more...]
An Eagle in the Snow
Every book by Michael Morpurgo that I've read so far has been gripping from the very first chapter. When I saw An Eagle in the Snow at the library yesterday, I snatched it up, thinking of a lovely weekend with a wonderful book for company. And then I had nothing to read while I waited for a bus, so I decided to start reading it ... and I just finished reading it.Historical fiction is lovely when it brings a time and place alive to the reader. The joy of historical fiction, to my mind, is that I start reading it with next to no knowledge about the period and finish with the satisfaction of having been there and seen that. Set in the second world war, it's not possible to know next to nothing when it comes to An Eagle in the Snow; yet, the story strikes the reader as fresh and poignant.Inspired by the story of Henry Tandey, a highly decorated Private, An Eagle in the … [Read more...]
Little Bits of Sky
The cover of the edition of Little Bits of Sky that I read is absolutely gorgeous. I felt like a child when I looked at it. I stared and stared. And then I played with the dust jacket a little bit. And then, just like a child, I was afraid I would damage it or something, so I quietly put it back in place and got on with the book.In many ways, Little Bits of Sky is an old-fashioned book. I don't say this just because it's set in the 80s and 90s; the feeling the book gives you is of something that belongs to another time. It's not an action-packed book with things happening in each chapter. A lot happens during the book, yes, but the story is strongly character-driven, and I love how this means that the setting comes alive to us too.Ira (short for Miracle) and Zac (Zachery) are care kids who live at a children's home called Skilly. Ira, perpetually worried, … [Read more...]
Dreaming the Bear
Dreaming the Bear reminded me, in some ways, of White Dolphin. I loved it and I hated it. Because the story took the turn it had to take, and what 'should' happen did. Read the story to figure out what I mean.An intriguing story, Dreaming the Bear took me into minds that are distant from me. The narrative voice shifted and floated - there's no other word I can find for it. It was this floating that I enjoyed, where Darcy, who has just recovered from pneumonia feels as if she is floating out of her body, looking at things from a distance.Books about animals, when written well, wring my heart.(As a child, that is what made me think that I would like to be a vet - and then I discovered that I would have to study biology to do that. Loving animal stories would not be enough!)Dreaming the Bear is a uniquely told story, which did just that. It made my heart ache more than once. It … [Read more...]
The Fastest Boy in the World
Four years ago, I read Elizabeth Laird's Oranges in No Man's Land, and was deeply moved. Then, two years ago, I read The Witching Hour, and loved it.And now, her The Fastest Boy in the World did not let me down.Eleven-year-old Solomon lives in a small village in Ethiopia. When his grandfather announces that he will take the boy to visit Addis Ababa, he is thrilled. To make things even more exciting, Solomon's heroes, who have won medals for Ethiopia in the Olympics, are landing in the capital the very same day ... Things prove to be even more exciting, and Solomon's visit to the capital of Ethiopia is the beginning of a new life for him.What I love about Laird's writing style is its simplicity. The way she builds suspense is wonderful, but more than that, I love how she makes a world come alive to us - Scotland in The Witching Hour, Lebanon … [Read more...]
Mayil Will Not Be Quiet!
I woke up in the middle of the night, frowning. I had a bit of a story in my head, and I could not remember who had written it. It was one of the Mary's girls, I thought ... A young writer, I was sure. Maybe one of the sixth standard girls?And then I realised, it was Mayil Ganeshan.That's what I admired most about Mayil Will Not Be Quiet! The voice was so authentic that the book never once felt like it was written by two adults trying to write like a child. Each entry in this diary-like book rings true. Some entries are short; some are long, just the way mine used to be when I wrote regularly at Mayil's age (about 12). One big difference between her entries and mine is that I could not (and cannot) draw, so I don't have such a pretty diary!Quirky and beautifully honest, Mayil Will Not Be Quiet! gripped me on the first page - and I really mean the first page. … [Read more...]
Queen of Ice
Didda knew that a grand destiny awaited her. She sometimes wondered whether her mother had bribed the astrologer to predict greatness and fortune so that Didda, who was not just a girl, but also lame, would not be killed at birth. But the prediction was made, and Didda was determined to fulfil her destiny.Queen of Ice took me through beautiful, turbulent tenth century Kashmir, bringing alive a time and place about which I knew nothing. I usually do enjoy historical fiction, and this was no exception. Court intrigue and the sheer power of the characters made me turn page after page until, before I knew it, the book was over.The wonderfully drawn relationships amongst the characters, the balance of murkiness and clarity in the machinations of Didda's court, and the effortless storytelling made Queen of Ice the powerful book it is.Title Queen of … [Read more...]
Talking of Muskaan
Talking of Muskaan has been on my to-read list for a long time, and I finally bought it, read it and loved it. It was everything it promised to be - moving, relatable and real.Muskaan knows herself better than a lot of others her age. That does not make life easier for her; in fact, it makes things much more difficult. It is impossible for her to pretend to be something she is not. More importantly, why should she need to? But it's the people around her - her "friends" - that make all the difference. She doesn't come out about her sexuality to everyone, yet rumours spread and whispers grow louder ...I love the range of characters in the book, touching almost every kind of person I know. Aaliya - determined to be heterosexual because she believes she can convince herself. Subhojoy - empathetic without being an activist. Rashika - the peacemaker who wishes things could just be … [Read more...]
The Emily Series
If I wanted to make friends with Anne Shirley, I was Emily. I deliberately use the italics Emily loves; Mr Carpenter isn't here to censure! With a pang that borders on envy, I wonder, how could L.M. Montgomery create so many wonderful characters? Emily of New Moon tells the story of a sensitive young girl who cannot choose not to write. As I read it, I was convinced that I alone could understand Emily's "flash"! No one around her understands what she means; of course not! "The flash" is so unpredictable, so incomprehensible, so wonderful! With the first mention of "the flash" I was a fan of the Emily series forever.L.M. Montgomery's talent for creating characters and situations is incredible. I found myself blossoming as I read the Emily series. I loved Perry and Ilse; I loved everything about the story. What warmed my heart from the beginning was the fact that Emily was … [Read more...]
The Anne of Green Gables Series
Pictureskew. Kindred spirits. The Lake of Shining Waters. Carrots! Rilla-my-Rilla. Puffed sleeves.The first time I read Anne of Green Gables, I felt the queer ache that Anne describes when she comes across something beautiful. Beauty that is intangible, almost unknowable. If I'd known the word 'sublime', I would have used it. Of course there were parts that were dull. Of course there were parts were the sentences ran on and on. Of course there were paragraphs on end that I skipped. But I loved Anne. I loved Anne so much that I was jealous of Diana Barry. Diana, mundane and unimaginative, did not deserve Anne!When I finished Anne of Green Gables, I read the next and the next and the next until I could breathe again. That's when I discovered that there was a movie called Anne of Green Gables. I could not believe that Anne could be made into a movie. … [Read more...]