Review: Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hooter: The Apocalypse is on its way whether you like it or not - a satirical and witty take on all things conventional as the world prepares for D-day.

Pratchett and Gaiman collaborated together long before they become The Pratchett and The Gaiman and whip up a witty dry British humour tossed up for an apocalypse.

"Don't think of it as dying, simply think of it as leaving early to beat the rush."

The Devil and Angel Syndicate are rearing the chosen one - the Anti Christ only to realise 11 years later, they have the wrong kid. In a comedy of errors as they try to wrong the rights or right the wrongs - depending on which side of the fence you are on. Crowley in his Bentley listening to Queen is my favourite character.

The challenge with having two highly witty and intelligent British writers is, some of the humor just goes over your head and you end up sauntering around hoping to catch the drift soon. Those moments felt like a drag. This isn't a laugh riot as it is made to be but polite British chuckle as you sift through the pages.

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Review: The Night Circus

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hooter: The ethereal and mysterious ongoings around the circus that comes and goes without announcement.

If the Illusionist / Prestige was added a few pinches of fantasy and childlike curiosity in an ethereal dream, you'd get the gist of the book. Cloaked in layers of mystery on the origins and the backgrounds, the book is extremely intense especially between the two protagonists who are paired up by factors not in their control. As each understands their challenge better, they also unveal the world of the night circus - a spectacular never seen before show - reminded me of P T Barnum.

The main storyline - the battle between two brilliant magicians was a let down as it paces forward but the world created around it is worth a visit letting your visual imagination wild exploring the world Erin has created through words.

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Review: A Fine Balance

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hooter: Lives of four protagonists who meet by happenstance in pre Emergency India and the hopes and the DESPAIRS they go through.

I had heard of Rohinton but never got to any of his books till a strong reco from a friend to start off with this. It's the truth that is depicted under the guise of fiction as page after page, every glimmer of hope is crushed by despair. Yet you flip the pages that maybe now things will improve. Well structured, beautiful flow and lovely etched characters. You connect with each individual main or secondary as they take on each day with new hope. I'd term it as poetic injustice but as they say ," jeena isi ka naam hai". You simply go with the flow hoping the tides would change. If Gandhijis talisman was a book, this would be it. He captures a lot of social issues making it real for each of the characters.

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Review: Raj

Raj by Gita Mehta
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hooter: The chronicles of British Raj and Royal India through the perspectives of a princess from behind the purdah through almost three quarters of a century.

As a chronicle from 1897 to post Independence on a princess who wants status quo in the kingdom of Sirpur in an otherwise fast moving world around her with WWI, WWII, Civil Disobedience and right upto Independence of India, it builds up as a good premise of retelling of these historic moments from an individual's perspective who was a bystander to these global events. I can't say common because Jaya is part of the royal family and obviously enjoys a lot of liberties on one hand but a lot of traditional customs expected of the royal family on the other. The want to be more British to protect their kingdoms comes across through a lot of protagonists as they swing between England and the English society. If you remove the period from this and place it stand alone as a story arc of a girl who wants to make a difference in a patriarchical society, she doesn't do much and the story could be wrapped in half the space it takes but the mix of historical fiction and facts add a unique perspective to this story. 

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