More Books

One Day by David Nicholls
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dex and Em love each other, or do they? This novel uses the unusual format of using one day (July 15) over a course of 20 years to offer snapshots of their lives. I felt myself drawn to these weird but believable characters. And it's not as rom-commy as "When Harry Met Sally". Spoiler ahead - there isn't a happy. I wish there was one though. The Hollywood adaptation stars Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.

The Hippopotamus by Stephen Fry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This has to be one of the funniest novels I've ever read. Fry's work is best described as a kind of raunchy P.G. Wodehouse. And in "The Hippopotamus", there's the mystery of miracle healings to boot. Fry's second novel is incredibly witty - and filthy. Be warned. There's a horse involved. Highly recommended for fans of British humour. And a movie adaptation is being filmed.

A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Continued with Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy, having watched the corresponding episodes of the TV adaptation after every few chapters of Book Two. There are some chronological continuity issues, but I still think reading the books helps you enjoy the TV series better. I'll go slow, and hopefully Martin will publish the sixth instalment by the time I catch up.

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I found this much-hyped novel about a successful lawyer who suffers from an unnamed affliction -- well, he is a compulsive walker and often finds himself waking up on the ground miles away from home -- too dreary for my tastes.

Ferris writes beautifully, but the premise would have worked better as a short story. I couldn't connect with the characters and they seemed one-dimensional. For an amazing novel about how illness affects the family, read Jerry Pinto's "Em and the Big Hoom" instead.

Those Pricey Thakur Girls by Anuja Chauhan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

To those who say this book is a desi version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, let me just say that such comparisons are utterly unfounded. Yes, it is a breezy read and it's nice to have a rom-com set in New Delhi in the 1980s. Still, Chauhan's The Zoya Factor was far more enjoyable, perhaps because of its autobiographical elements. But I should tell you "Those Pricey Thakur Girls" does trump the soppy TV adaptation. No, I don't watch it. I just happened to catch a few minutes of one pathetic episode.

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