New Blog

This blog will be live for the foreseeable future, but I will only be posting on this new blog:
https://sravaniwrites.wordpress.com/

Review: Born Confused

Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tanuja Desai Hidier crafted a brilliant coming of age tale that is still relevant fifteen years later even after the landscape of the Indian American diaspora has changed so much. Dimple Lala's self discovery is interwoven with the rediscovery of her heritage through enchanting metaphors like photography, music, and dance. Dimple's relationships with each character are intricate and grounded in reality. Though it's categorized as a young adult romance, it is so much more than that. I first picked up Born Confused when I saw a bindi on a book cover in Barnes & Nobel but as a 13 year old, I was too young to recognize it as a masterpiece. I'm so glad that I gave this novel another chance and would highly recommend it.

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Review: Nectar in a Sieve

Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A brutally honest portrayal of rural Indian society, the effects of colonialism, and the lives of village folk who endure endless tragedies. It examines the life of a woman in a patriarchal society and her relationships with her husband, children, and various other women and men in her life. Rukmini, the narrator, reflects on her life filled with tragedy, loss, poverty, and love through immersive and palpable language.

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Review: Leviathan Wakes

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Exciting space opera about the future of the human civilization. The characters were interesting and realistic, so the alternating narration between Holden and Miller worked well. The beginning was a little confusing as some of the characters kept moving from ship to ship to ship and I had a hard time keeping them straight, but once the pieces were where they need to be, the mystery unravels at an exciting pace.

My favorite part was how well the authors extrapolated the development of various cultures, nationalities, and even physical traits centuries into the future. I love how the planets and moons and corporations are part of a complex political system and almost become characters of their own. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

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Review: Q & A

Q & A by Vikas Swarup
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An interesting blend of fatalism and determinism, that explores the intricate stitchwork of patterns and colors that make up the tapestry of modern India through compelling characters and captivating narration. The book is quite different from the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" but each works very well in its own medium.

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Review: Wave

Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was difficult to review, because at first, it is full of unbridled raw emotions following a tragedy. I nearly abandoned it several times because at times it was such a painful read, but I’m glad that I trudged on. Sonia Deraniyagala details the bitter experience of losing her entire family in one day and seeing their memories everywhere for years to come. Even though she appears callous and hateful toward others, we have to understand that she was describing true events and emotions that transpired as a result of unimaginable loss. Everyone processes grief in their own way and in their own time and Wave is an honest depiction of the loss that she felt for years afterward. Not only does she express the pain of the loss but also the pain she feels at the lost possibility of her sons’ lives and what might have become of them had they survived.

Unfortunately, the readers who abandoned it after the first few chapters missed her transition from a angry, guilt-ridden, grieving mother and wife who could not come to terms with her identity without her family to someone who was able to revitalize herself after years of depression and suicidal thoughts.

This memoir is heartbreaking and difficult to read, but also a brutally honest representation of loss that we are often denied. Sonia Deraniyagala does not gloss over her trauma or grief or mask them under a metaphor, but presents her experience with clarity and honesty. Perhaps since, as readers, we want to assign metaphors to the subject matter to help us process it better, we can look at her journey as a tsumani that causes total destruction and cannot be understood through any logic to a tranquil and meditative ocean. In doing so, we must not forget the full truth of tragedy and recovery. We cannot look at the narrator as a fictitious protagonist with whom we can empathize, but a real mother, wife, and daughter who suffers an unimaginable tragedy and dares to open up with unfiltered and shocking sincerity about the human emotions that consumed her on her path to recovery.


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Review: Zahrah the Windseeker

Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Zahrah the Windseeker is thrilling adventure story of a young woman coming of age and growing into her own unique traits and abilities. It blends African mythology with the motifs of our modern lives and gives us a fresh perspective on the hero's quest. It captures the themes like friendship, courage, family, and acceptance with an exciting plot and compelling characters. Nnedi Okorafor's novel is one of the best young adult novels in several years and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good read.

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