pen.books.and.scalpel

BOOK NAME: THE LAST KNOT AUTHOR NAME: SHABIR AHMAD MIR GENRE: HISTORICAL FICTION / FOLKLORE / CONTEMPORARY FICTION PUBLISHER: PANMACMILLAN INDIA BOOK BUY LINK:   https://amzn.in/d/c21Ekmm BOOK RATING: 5/5 BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW I have never been so dumbstruck by a book in a long while. I am really at a loss for words. I can’t believe I almost passed this book off as a regular contemporary fiction unless recommended by the Blogchatter book list 2025.  The Last Knot is the story of a carpet-maker who dreams of weaving a flying carpet someday to escape his fate and life of oppression. During his attempt to do so, he crosses paths with Heemal, a dye maker’s daughter who is paying the heavy price of being born a daughter to a man who needs a son to carry on their family business. Though Heemal could cure his madness and mayhem, he can’t have her for himself—not right now, not ever. Because all his life he must run—run, weave, knot and wander—to escape slavery. But what w...

“My husband cooked today,” is a common phrase that usually raises a lot of heads and rolls a lot of eyes whenever I say it at a family gathering or a meet-up. I know exactly what they expect me to say to fit me into that ideal wifey box. Or sometimes, they just don't so that they can boast about being one while I am not. Yes! I work 9 to 5, cover emergency shifts, wake early in the morning to cook breakfast and lunch and steal time in between to come back home defeated only to cook dinner again would have made me look perfect in their eyes. But sadly, I ain't that and my bare minimum husband understands our responsibilities as a couple.    Yes, women are doing it, and kudos to them for their energy and commitment. But my schedule doesn't allow me the same. When I and my husband got married 4 years ago, my schedule was even more chaotic, and he stepped up. He made sure we did not starve in between our hectic work and personal lives. What facilitated his taking up cooking ...

BOOK NAME: CRYING IN H MART AUTHOR NAME: MICHELLE ZAUNER GENRE: MEMOIR PUBLISHER: PANMACMILLAN BOOK BUY LINK:  https://amzn.in/d/5sDEb6N BOOK RATING: 3.5/5   BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW Crying in H Mart is a memoir written poignantly like fiction where the author speaks about her lost Korean identity that she tries desperately to revive after her mother’s passing. She is initially overcome by the grief of her mother’s cancer diagnosis and then by her loss. All the while she tries to survive with food as a coping mechanism which she feels keeps her mother and her identity alive.   The best part of the book is how the author tries to string together tales of food with her mother’s memories—the late-night meals they used to have, the one food that she loved, the food that she had on her death bed—with her Korean-American identity and later used it as a coping mechanism and to reconnect with her past.    I chose this book after having it on my T...

Well, many of you know that biryani which is made with dedication and love on the day of Eid, eaten together as a family, and shared with the loved and needy is the star dish of the special day. But the real hero, the underrated gem of the occasion is the Eid breakfast prepared as early as dawn before rushing to prayers only to have it after our obligations are done.   In a Tamil Muslim household, idly with chicken curry or gravy is always the norm as far as I have known. I know that it has been the talk of the town recently but trust me when I say we have been having this combo in every Tamil household ever since. It has been passed down generations and is one of the best, criminally undervalued combinations ever to exist. To have a chunk of soft, cushiony idly dipped in the aromatic, spicy chicken curry with a soft, succulent piece of meat as the first meal of the day is a blessing. Rarely do maida or wheat parottas appear as add-ons if Ma has time and a helping hand.  ...

I recently discovered the mood board by chance and haven’t stopped using this GenZ-found trend ever since. I cannot describe in words how therapeutic it is, especially when I am down and exhausted and don’t want any major writing or reading done. So, for a lot or all of this writing challenge, you are going to see me posting mood boards one after the other.   I am someone who tries to keep emotions and memories related to a person or place alive through food, among many other things. And here is a mood board, or more like a food board, including all the food that reminds me of my year-long stay in Odisha last year. We did have bad and worst food days as well, but I am going to brush them off because I did find some of the best food memories there.    The Cuttack Biriyani - One of the major struggles I faced in Odisha apart from learning their nuanced language and their indifference to Hindi was finding a food that would match my South Indian palate. But it did not ta...

As we brace ourselves for the arrival of who knows who, my parents and Bhai are holding a brief internal discussion. They still do not trust that I might be innocent. I cannot blame them, though. For one thing, I hit my now-friend, then frenemy and got suspended. They do not give away too much, but their forehead creases deepen, and their voices grow crisp, meaning it might be more significant than I imagine.   Through the crowded, fussy hall, our neighbourhood chai master, whom I vaguely remember from a long ago, enters. Almost like the star of the moment. He looks at me, his lips turning into a grin, and I immediately realise why he is here.    “We knew you don’t hold so much trust in your own child as much on a third person. So, we brought him here with us,” Ms. Srija says, clear enough for everyone to hear it. “Why? He is the tea master from near your school. What is he here for?” Bhai retorts. “How did you get him here?” I ask Christy, who is still standing clum...