pen.books.and.scalpel

BOOK NAME: THE INSTRUMENTALIST AUTHOR NAME: HARRIET CONSTABLE GENRE: HISTORICAL FICTION PUBLISHER: BLOOMSBURY PUBLISHING BOOK BUY LINK:   https://amzn.in/d/9110WxJ BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW Anna Maria della Pieta, remember the name. I have hardly heard of this person before reading this book. Strangely, many women of worth get buried in history, among several other names, until someone decides to talk for them. I am glad I read this book. Now I know about Anna Maria and her incredible talent that history has forgotten. Anna Maria, an orphan born in Venice to a sex worker, was abandoned at the ‘Pieta’, an orphanage with girls who shared a similar fate. She became interested in music early in life and soon became a part of the famous ‘figlie di coro’. She was inspired and tutored by Antonio Vivaldi, an extraordinary violinist and composer of his time. He took a special interest in Anna Maria, who swept him over with her musical prowess.  While following her teacher’s foots...

BOOK NAME: THE BOOK OF EXODUS AUTHOR NAME: V.J. JAMES (TRANSLATED FROM THE MALAYALAM BY MINISTHY. S) GENRE: MAGICAL REALISM PUBLISHER: PENGUIN INDIA BOOK BUY LINK:   https://amzn.in/d/gm8r1iQ BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW I am literally obsessed with books based in Kerala or translated from Malayalam because of the simple fact that they come with such picturesque settings and a spectrum of unforgettable characters. I am very thankful that this book, written almost 25 years ago, was translated recently so that I could get the opportunity to read it. Set in Potta Thuruthu, a village in the backwaters of Kochi, the book starts with Kunjooty’s desire to reach the mountains beyond his town to join his ancestors. He gets inspired by the tales of the firebird narrated by his Valli Ammachi and makes it his mission to write the book of Exodus based on his village and its people. But Potta Thuruthu is a land of curse - just like Macondo in Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude.  Ku...

BOOK NAME: BATSHIT AUTHOR NAME: KRITIKA KAPOOR GENRE: FANTASY THRILLER / FEMINIST FICTION PUBLISHER: PANMACMILLAN INDIA BOOK BUY LINK:   https://amzn.in/d/fiNpAeY BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW Pia Bhandari is in her thirties, facing a midlife crisis because her mother is forcing body standards on her, and her boyfriend is cheating on her with an Instagram influencer. She has had a troubled childhood because of multiple issues like her abusive mother, a friend who was perfect in all ways and a sister who had an ideal life. Now, it’s her chance to get what she wants, but only if she listens to the demon inside her. It grants her one wish per sacrifice she is willing to make, but how far can she go till the demon ceases to exist? This is the author’s debut book and my second one by her. I have noticed one thing in common in these books: they both have strong substance, but the execution somehow isn’t balanced. The second half of the book was great and intense, but the first half wa...

BOOK NAME: THE HANDMAID’S TALE: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL AUTHOR NAME: MARGARET ATWOOD (ADAPTED AND ILLUSTRATED BY RENEE NAULT) GENRE: DYSTOPIAN, ILLUSTRATED PUBLISHER: JONATHAN CAPE BOOK BUY LINK:   https://amzn.in/d/bGJ5T60 BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW I have wanted to read The Handmaid’s Tale since it started doing the round in bookstagram. But the dystopian setting and the heavy themes prevented me from doing so. When I learned from a fellow book club reader that there is a graphic-adapted version of the book, I immediately grabbed it without giving it a second thought. And I am very thankful this exists because otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have read it, and I even doubt if I would have liked it.  In Margaret’s dystopian world, women are mere commodities who have no purpose other than to procreate. They are barred from the outside world and cannot even communicate among themselves. They have no freedom of speech and can’t have their wishes. They can’t eat as they want, live ...

Honestly, I don’t believe in New Year's resolutions because they never seem to work for me. But for many, it’s essential because it gives new hopes and positive affirmations about the new year. So, why not give it a try?  For the new year, three creative goals I am setting are: 1. I want to get my manuscript edited and published for the world to read. This story was written last year, and while a round of basic editing has already been done, it requires more work before it can go to the final stage. 2. Not many of you know that I am also an aspiring translator. I have been working on translating a few Tamil short stories this year. I am a beginner and need more resources and learning before I can fine-tune the art. So, I am going to concentrate more and hope to unleash my translation skills in 2025. 3. I want to continue writing short stories because I have figured that they work well for me. One of my short stories, Before the Candle March, was short-listed for the prestigious Deo...

I  have spoken enough about my favourite books this year over and over again. And for a change, let me talk about my favourite shows and movies of the year. I agree I am not a cinephile. I resort to movies rarely and like only a handful, especially this year. Below are some of the movies or series that managed to keep my attention and become my favourite. 1.  THE WILD ROBOT - ENGLISH (ANIMATED MOVIE)  Change is inevitable as the world is slowly moving towards AI. Our movies and series also now feature more robots and dystopian worlds than before. I thought The Wild Robot would be just another film on why robots would be helpful or harmful for our future. But boy, was I so wrong? I loved being wrong here, by the way. Though change is always bound to happen, specific emotions, particularly motherhood, are irreplaceable. Highlighting the importance of peace and companionship, this movie focuses not just on AI but also climate change, the concept of a planet for all, love and...

2024 is almost over, and the ritual of retrospection is here. This year was really a mixed year for me. I learned a lot, I changed a lot, overcame a few challenges and lost a few. But ultimately, I gained and changed as a person for the better. Though I have a lot to say, I would like to keep it short. Here are the six words that define my 2024 better. 1. QUITTING IS GOOD I am not a quitter, to start with. I am actually not proud to admit it, now that I know quitting isn’t bad. I have never left things undone when I started them—but this year taught me that quitting is good when it’s costing you things that are dear to you. Sometimes, quitting can be the most beautiful start to something better. And 2024 taught me this in the nicest way possible.  2. PEACE OVER EVERYTHING I never imagined I would finally come to peace with this statement because I am a chaotic person living in a chaotic world. But maybe if it’s the ageing or the experiences, I am not sure. But I have learned to put...