I have read a string of books based on contemporary India. Enough to make me stay away from them for a while, actually. However, I decided to request this book for review, first off, because it is from Bloomsbury. I have come around to trust their publication. Secondly, the first book by the author has received some good response from the reviewers I trust blindly. So, here I am, happy and content. This particular one... continue reading→
I still remember the time when I read this poem called “The Queen’s Rival” in school. I don’t remember a lot of other poems as starkly as I remember this. It is probably this poem, this strange poem by Sarojini Naidu that had me tumbling into this beautiful genre. “QUEEN GULNAAR sat on her ivory bed, Around her countless treasures were spread; Her chamber walls were richly inlaid With agate, porphory, onyx and jade; The... continue reading→
I like mystery. From my Champak-and-Tinkle-reading days to trying to steal books from our clubhouse library (because they wouldn’t issue books to kids), I’ve dug mystery a lot. When I received the gift coupon for the book for review, I was sure I’d read it myself and not give it to anyone in the crew. Cover page I wish I didn’t have to start here. Incomplete. Unprofessional. Disappointing. The cover shows a blanket of snow,... continue reading→
I seem to be in a frenzy of watching historical drama. Hopping from one series to another I stumbled upon reign. I picked up right after finishing Tudors. Reign is primarily about Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary was crowned the Queen of Scots at the age of six after which she was in the care of ‘Catherine de Medici’. She was later promised to French prince Francis II. The series begins with Mary retuning from the... continue reading→
Queen Victoria was the longest reigning monarch in the history of Great Britain. Some would say she was dictatorial, some call her stupid and emotional and some, simply insane. However, what she was, was a lonely old woman who found solace in the company of few. Victoria and her Indian servant were inseparable until everything ended and the Edwardian era began. Abdul came Home richer than ever but Victoria’s absence took a toll on him... continue reading→
It is the turbulent times of the 800s, when the Vikings raided Wessex and Mercia. A Viking woman is enslaved by an Anglo-Saxon lording. After a series of unfortunate and misbegotten turn of events, the ‘slave girl’ falls in love with her “lord’s” hate-filled eyes. Can this be more of a drag? Yes, it took me six days to get through one page of this romance novel. Of course, it was a blatant falsehood that... continue reading→