Synopsis (From Goodreads):
It's 1947, and India,
newly independent of British rule, has been separated into two
countries: Pakistan and India. The divide has created much tension
between Hindus and Muslims, and hundreds of thousands are killed
crossing borders.
Half-Muslim, half-Hindu twelve-year-old Nisha
doesn't know where she belongs, or what her country is anymore. When
Papa decides it's too dangerous to stay in what is now Pakistan, Nisha
and her family become refugees and embark first by train but later on
foot to reach her new home. The journey is long, difficult, and
dangerous, and after losing her mother as a baby, Nisha can't imagine
losing her homeland, too. But even if her country has been ripped apart,
Nisha still believes in the possibility of putting herself back
together.
Review:
As the descendant of immigrants, I am always drawn to stories of immigration. This novel, The Night Diary, by Veera Hiranandani, chronicles the largest migration in human history when India (immediately after British rule ended in 1947) was partitioned into Muslim Pakistan, and Hindu India.
This led to massive upheaval as people were forced to pick up their lives and move to a part of the country they were not familiar with. Long simmering anger between the two groups led to violence and made the migration a dangerous journey.
All of this is witnessed by the main character of the book, twelve-year-old Nisha. This was a very moving book about the refugee experience. The setting, characters, and story all contribute to a strong feeling of empathy towards people forced to leave their homes due to political policies they have no influence over.
What I Liked:
Setting:
The time is 1947, and India is about to gain it's independence from Great Britain. But this new freedom comes with some difficult compromises. Although Gandhi, the famous man of peace, wants a united India, age-old tensions between Hindus and Muslims force India to split into two separate countries: India and Pakistan. I thought the book did a good job of explaining the political realities of the time, and how these manifested on the local level. As the family progresses on their journey, the level of danger escalates to a point where if anyone recognizes that they are Hindu, they will be killed.
Food:
Amid this very grave subject matter, the author uses cooking to give a sense of place to delicious effect. Nisha, a quiet child, connects with others through the common language of spices, recipes, and the routine of meal-preparation. Wherever they live, Nisha will always have this remembrance of home. The vivid descriptions of aromatic spices such as coriander, mustard seeds, cardamon, and turmeric made me feel I was in the kitchen with the characters.
Main Character:
Nisha is a very shy twelve-year-old girl. Their mother died giving birth to her and her twin brother, Amil. This has her wondering if her father blames her for the death of her mother, and makes her very quiet around him. With no one to really talk with, she pours her heart out in a diary (which she only writes in at night), and in cooking for others.
Nisha sees so much injustice and is confused by it. Suddenly some of her friends are not allowed to play with her. The household's Muslim cook, and honorary member of the family, cannot come with her to her new home.
Having Nisha as a witness to history brings into focus the very personal nature of such a conflict. I think many middle-grade readers will empathize with Nisha.
Story:
The story follows the family as they walk from their home in the newly founded country of Pakistan, to Jodhpur India, a distance of over two-hundred miles! There is danger and hardships as the characters must find food and water along the way. They also must be careful around Muslims as there was a great deal of violence between different religious groups.
The family goes from living a comfortable life where their father has a good job as a doctor, servants, and plenty to eat, to near starvation in a matter of weeks. The fragility of life is on full display.
Rating:
Release Date: March 6th, 2018
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Author: Veera Hiranandani
Page Length: 272 Pages
Genre: Middle-grade Historical Novel
Source: Public Library
Format: Hardcover Book
Recommendation: An engaging book that captures the hope and despair of what it means to be a refugee. Good for both middle-grade and older readers.
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Please Note: I received an advance copy of this book from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions of my review in any way. I am also in the Amazon Affiliate program. If you buy the book from the links on this page, I will get a small fee.
Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Clock mechanic Danny
Hart knows he's being watched. But by whom, or what, remains a mystery.
To make matters worse, clock towers have begun falling in India, though
time hasn't Stopped yet. He'd hoped after reuniting with his father and
exploring his relationship with Colton, he'd have some time to settle
into his new life. Instead, he's asked to investigate the attacks.
After
inspecting some of the fallen Indian towers, he realizes the British
occupation may be sparking more than just attacks. And as Danny and
Colton unravel more secrets about their past, they find themselves on a
dark and dangerous path--one from which they may never return.
Review:
It's taken me a while to write this review. While I loved Timekeeper, the first book in this series by author Tara Sim, I was less enthralled by Chainbreaker. I've been going back and forth on why this is so. Even though I really liked reading the backstory of Colton, and the history of how clock spirits came to be, some of the elements that made the first book so special were missing.
What I Liked:
Colton's Backstory:
Colton's backstory is told through his dreams. At first, we don't really know what these dreams mean. Are they just dreams or memories? When did this take place? As the novel progresses, we learn a great deal about Colton and how he became a clock spirit. This is both beautiful and heartbreaking.
Characters:
Colton:
We also learn that Colton was gay even as a mortal. I wondered about this when I read the first book. Do all clock spirits try to connect with their mechanics in a sexual way? Did clock Spirits have a gender, or did clock spirits appear to mechanics as male or female based on who the mechanic is attracted to? Learning that Colton was gay as a human, answered so many questions.
Daphne:
This character, introduced in the first book, was of mixed British / Indian heritage. She was also one of the few women working in a male-dominated profession. She epitomized much of the societal conflict of the times. Because she had lighter skinned, British people often showed their racist tendencies towards Indians, forgetting that she was part Indian. She can also see that not all British people are racist. So she is very conflicted in the book.
Setting:
I loved how most of the story is set in India, especially at a time when there was so much tension in the region. India was a British colony and at the time the novel is set, there was a serious rebellion. I liked that the author didn't shy away from the terrible racism and injustices that occurred in that time period.
What I Didn't Like:
Romance:
One of the joys of the first book was the romance between Danny, the clock mechanic, and clock spirit, Colton. They were such a fun couple. I loved how they were getting to know each other, their chemistry, and their looming issues in the first book. But in this story they are kept apart through much of the novel. While I understood that this created the needed tension in the story, it also robbed the reader of the magical swoon-worthy romance. Daphne's interest in Akash doesn't go very far, and did not make up for the lack of romance in this book.
Ending:
Like the first book, the ending in Chainbreaker was very abrupt. There is no resolution to the story. This is frustrating to me as a reader. I don't need a happy ending, but I do was at least some of the conflicts in a book to be resolved. I really don't want to wait a year or more to find out what happened. I felt like this was a tease. If the author needed to, I would have happily read a longer book, rather than be strung along and frustrated.
via GIPHY
Rating:
Release Date: January 2nd, 2018
Genre: YA Steampunk / LGBTQ romance
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Page Length: Page 488
Source: NetGalley
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: While I like the characters and setting, this was a frustrating book, at times. If you are already invested in the characters of Danny and Colton, then you will enjoy this book. This would make a good library selection.
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Please Note: I received an advance reader's copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions of my review in any way. Also, I have linked the book cover to Amazon. If you buy the book through this link, I will get a small fee.
Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Torre DeRoche is
grieving the loss of the two most important men in her life--the partner
of nine years who she's just broken up with, and her father, who's just
passed away--when she crosses paths with Masha, a woman who has put her
marriage on hold to pursue a dream of walking the world in order to try
and make sense of it. When Masha invites Torre to join her on a
pilgrimage in India, Torre embarks on a journey both physical and
spiritual.
It's an uncertain route full of danger--pollution,
wild dogs, snakes, and men--but if they can survive uninjured the duo
hope they'll absorb wisdom by osmosis and end the journey as two women
who are fit, fearless, and ready to save the world. But nothing these
two unlikely adventurers encounter is quite as terrifying as being
30-something women who have no clue about anything anymore.
Review:
When I first read the description for The Worriers Guide to The End of The World, by Torre DeRoche, I worried that it would be a copycat of Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert. As much as I did like that book, it seemed to say that all one had to do was take some "Me" time in an exotic land, and all your troubles would vanish.
Thankfully, Torre DeRoche's book shows a much more realistic outcome from such a arduous walk: painful blisters, hot grimy bodies, exhaustion, confusion, and bickering. But also some measure of letting go, appreciation, and acceptance.
I found this book to be a grounded reflection on how we confront the essential questions of our lives.
What I Liked:
Friendship:
Torre and Masha have a friendship that travels at warp speed from acquaintances to inseparable twins. The first half of the book is about how simpatico they are. Both have similar outlooks on life, and are looking for something as they walk. They support each other, particularly when a male friend of Masha's joins in on their walk for a few week. They can both clearly see how he is commandeering the trip. I loved how they stood up for each other.
Italy:
The descriptions of Italy are divine! It does seem idyllic to be meandering through Italy, taking moments to enjoy local wines, cheeses, and olives. I really liked how Torre could see all the kindness in the people she encountered on the way. Masha also had an attitude of feeling that God would provided when there was a need. This gave her confidence even in the most stressful of situations.
India:
While Italy was all gourmet food and pleasant meandering, India was vastly different. Maybe both Torre and Masha were in a different place, mentally, when they embarked on their walk in India. But their trip became a traveler's nightmare. Aside from the difficulties of facing real poverty head-on, the two friends have a falling out. And that is the true agony of their trip. Nothing is more disheartening than being on a long journey and fighting with your companion.
The contrast between these two types of trips is what elevates this book. I loved how gritty the trip was for these two people, and that they ultimately found a way to let go of their petty grievances with each other and the world. This was life-affirming, yet not sappy.
Rating:
Release Date: September 5th, 2017
Genre: Non-Fiction Memoir
Publisher: Seal Press
Page Length: 288 Pages
Source: NetGalley
Format: ARC E-Book
Recommendation: A dispassionate look at the trend of taking long walks in distant lands. This will solidify your will to do it (or not).
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