Review #710: Lean Days by Manish Gaekwad

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


“She was free in her wildness. She was a wanderess, a drop of free water. She belonged to no man and to no city”

----Roman Payne

Manish Gaekwad, an Indian journalist turned writer, has penned a heart touching travel-fiction book called, Lean Days which is a very personal journey of an artist/writer across the country through multiple cities and myriad of souls, food, culture, customs and religions to find love, all the while reminiscing about his past, along with that city's significance in his life. A journey that will not only touch millions of souls but will also inspire the souls to express their individuality and sexuality without any fear and also to wander to find oneself.

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A Website that Let's You See the World from an Author's Eyes!

Anna Quindlen, an American journalist and opinion columnist whose New York Times column, Public and Private, won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992, has quoted about "reading books" as:

“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home.”

Well this post is about promoting one of my favorite "bookish" website. No, no it's not Goodreads or BookLikes. It's called- TripFiction. Sounds cool, isn't it?

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Review #34: Alarm Girl by Hannah Vincent

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


‘Being in Africa is like being on a different planet, not just a different country,’
---Indigo, Alarm Girl

Hannah Vincent, an English writer's debut book, Alarm Girl is not only an emotional roller coaster ride but also a poignant tale which instantly grips you with the pain and sorrow seen through the young eyes of Indigo.

Synopsis:
For 11-year old Indigo and her older brother, Robin being in South Africa is more like being on whole new different planet. After their mother's sudden death, Indigo and Robin are more like orphaned even though they are survived by their father who happens to live in South Africa for his tourism business. Living with their maternal grandparents in England was quite suitable for Indigo and Robin, but living with their father over the Christmas break in a different country sounds difficult for both of them. Moreover, their father looks quite posh and has kept his mouth shut with the mystery behind his wife's sudden death, which Indigo finds it hard and suspicious of his father's intentions. Not recognizing her own father is fine for Indigo, but not getting the proper answers behind her mother's mysterious death bothers her the most. Indigo finds solace in her father's pet, Tonyhog- which is a domesticated bush pig. And together with Zami, who used to work in their garden, Indigo tends the pig with care and love and eventually a sweet, innocent friendship blossomed between them.

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