After two of her books, I have a very complicated relationship with Sonali Dev. It would be very, very easy if I could just say “I don’t like her books,” and move on. Instead, I’m in the potentially masochistic position of still wanting to read her work, but I just desperately want it to be better. I want to respect the hero. I want him to respect the heroine. I don’t want to read how he lies and hides things from her, or how he […]
Stumbling towards completion
I’ve never read a romance novel. I’ve never even come close to reading one. But, oddly enough, the book that has had the most lasting impact on me was Crime and Punishment, and not for it’s explorations of nihilistic degeneration and the Westernization of Russia, but for the deeply compassionate love between it’s protagonist, Raskolnikov, and Sonya. More than anything, the redemption he receives through their love is what touched my soul, and its gift to me was a feeling that I have long sought […]
Maybe it’s me?
I’m not having a great week when it comes to book club picks. Come tomorrow, I’ll be sitting with my coworkers as they gush about the Nyquil-on-a-page memoir Comma Queen (at least that’s my bet. They love all the books I hate). And next week, I’ll be with you excellent Cannonballers, talking about another book that I tried so hard to like, Bollywood Bride. Ria is a Bollywood star, known for playing the ingénue who usually gets married by the end of the movie. She’s known […]
Crime and Punishment, Via India
It’s hard to get satire when you aren’t familiar the culture being lampooned. There were times in this book where I got it, I knew the hyperbolic statements weren’t the real truth of India. But then there were other times I wasn’t so sure; I know India isn’t Bollywood and yoga and religious ceremonies Westerners can steal to make themed 5ks. But I also don’t know enough to determine if rich people running over poor people and then getting their servants to confess to it […]