The Secret Keeper of Jaipur by Alka Joshi

Storyline

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur picks up twelve years after The Henna Artist. Lakshmi, the former henna artist is now married to Dr Jay Kumar, the physician at Lady Bradley Hospital in Shimla. She is now the director of Lady Bradley Healing Garden. Malik, her former assistant is now a 20-year-old educated man, who on Lakshmi's request has joined the Facilities Department of the royal palace in Jaipur under the mentorship of Manu Agarwal. The drama unfolds when the balcony of the most ambitious and newly constructed Royal Jewel Theatre crashes. The blame falls on the shoulders of Manu Agarwal. When Malik finds some discrepancies in the construction material billing, he begins to question the scrupulousness of Ravi Singh, the architect of the theatre. The rest of the story is in flashback about all the events leading to the day of the crash. The story also revolves around Malik and Nimmi's love. Nimmi is a young widow from the hills. She blames Lakshmi for sending away Malik to Jaipur. After her initial mistrust of Lakshmi, she slowly warms up to her when she witnesses Lakshmi's kindness. When the tragedy strikes, Lakshmi rushes to Jaipur to support Malik and her friends. 

My Thoughts

The Secret Keeper of Jaipur continues the narrative beautifully after The Henna Artist and does not slacken the pace even once. It builds on the strong foundation set in the first book. Even though Laksmi remains the guiding force, Malik's character emerged strongly and is well-nuanced. Despite the private education he received at the behest of Samir Singh, he remained grounded. He may have had his shortcomings but, loyalty remained his most noteworthy trait. To begin with, the young widow, Nimmi's character appeared to be unappreciative. But then that was probably her insecurities manifesting themselves in her demeanour towards Lakshmi. Alka Joshi has managed to put in words the rich and diverse Indian culture vividly. She has also done justice to the period the book is set in, by bringing to fore the widespread corruption in the society, the adamancy of the privileged to maintain the social hierarchy and the evident gap between rich and poor. I wanted to learn more about Radha, Lakshmi's sister but found that missing here. Maybe the third book would provide greater insight into her life and her equation with Lakshmi. The book has left me wanting more. So looking forward to the third book in the series. 

Star Rating - 4/5

Recommend - Do Read!

Beyond the Olive Grove by Kate Hewitt

 

Setting

In 1941, Greece was invaded by the Nazis. It was divided and occupied by Germany, Italy and Bulgaria. In 1942, the resistance movement began and grew stronger over the years. Battle of Gorgopotamos or Operation Harling was a World War II mission in which the Gorgopotamos viaduct was blown up with the help of Greek Resistance groups. This was done to sabotage the flow of supplies to germans through Greece. 

Storyline

After losing her daughter in a stillbirth, Ava was consumed by grief. In such times, her husband - Simon was unable to give her the much needed emotional support. Soon her marriage began to fall apart. She decided to move to a house in a tiny village called Iousidous in Greece. The house had been uninhabited since Second World War, belonged to her grandmother and bequeathed to her. Ava had gone there to find answers for herself. Instead, she got sucked in the mysterious past of her stern grandmother. In 1942, during the German occupation of Greece, Sophia Paranoussis, a hardworking young girl in Greece believed that keeping her head down would keep her family safe. She never viewed herself as brave and heroic. But one encounter with a stranger turns her life around and she became part of the resistance movement, albeit a reluctant one. 

My Thoughts

Beyond the Olive Grove is my second book by Kate Hewitt. But this one did not match up to the high standards set by The Edelweiss Sisters. As is the case, with most of the split timeline books, one tends to get more invested in one time period than the other. For me, it is usually the past that holds the charm. But here, the present timeline drew me in. I was curious to know, how Ava was going to dig into her grandmother's history when no one was willing to talk about that period. I enjoyed the character arc of Ava from a grieving mother to a woman handling her pain in a dignified way once things got back into perspective. People may have different ways of dealing with pain. That does not make our sorrows greater than theirs. Neither does it make them insensitive. I was unaware of the resistance movement in Greece during World War II. Learning about the blowing up of the Gorgopotamos viaduct was interesting. 

Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee

 

Setting 

Luck of the Titanic is set on the Titanic, the largest ship afloat at the time. The Floating Palace carried some of the wealthiest people of the world along with hundreds of emigrants. It housed every luxury possible- restaurants, swimming pools, gymnasiums etc. In April 1912, it began its maiden and ill-fated voyage. On 10th April, it started from Southhampton on its route to New York City. Four days later, disaster struck when it collided with an iceberg near Newfoundland. Titanic carried an insufficient number of lifeboats which made it impossible to save everyone. Furthermore, the crew untrained in the evacuation process launched half-full lifeboats that left most passengers to fend for themselves. Also, third-class passengers struggled to find space in lifeboats as preference was given to first-class passengers. More than 1500 passengers and crew perished when the Titanic sank. 

The Chinese Exclusion Act, effective from 1882, was a United States federal law that prohibited the immigration of Chinese labourers. It was repealed in 1943. 

Storyline

After being turned away from boarding the Titanic, Valora, a British-Chinese decides to sneak in and stay as a stowaway. That too in a first-class cabin! She had two objectives. One to reach America in search of a brighter future and the other to look for her twin and acrobatics partner, Jamie. She had a plan in place. All she needed was to convince Jamie to perform with her and to impress the fellow passenger and part-owner of Ringling Brothers Circus with their acrobatic tricks. Along with this are the side stories of April Hart-the next big thing in the designing world, Bo and Val's sweet love story and of Jamie's Chinese friends.

My Thoughts

The main reason why I picked this book up was because of its premise. I was always fascinated by the Titanic, so a book set on it was something I was longing for. Stacey Lee's evocative and authentic description of the Titanic brought it alive in front of me. I could feel the plush Persian rugs of the first-class cabins and the crowd and smells of the third-class. She has done justice to both the story and the premise. 

It is not only a story about Titanic. But it is also a tale of sibling love, prevailing prejudices, finding one's identity and striving to realise one's dreams. 

"Don't spend too long looking behind you, or you'll miss out on what's ahead."

All the characters are very relatable and realistic. The sibling dynamics between Val and Jamie is beautiful and the banter between them is enjoyable. Valora dared to dream a better future for herself and her brother in America. Despite her madcap ideas, what is appreciable was her resolve to achieve her dreams. I couldn't stop myself from rooting for her and Jamie when they performed the tricks in front of the owner of Ringling Brothers Circus. Val is the most positive character I have come across lately. Her verve and energy are infectious. She refuses to bow down to anything and absolutely nothing deters her. 

"Life is a balancing act, and the better you get at juggling, the better you get at living."

Though I was aware of the ship's fate from the very beginning, I was still hoping against hope for a happy ending for Val and Jamie. The last few chapters are an exquisite piece of writing. The terrifying atmosphere of sinking cruise liner is well-captured. 

Star Rating - 5/5

Recommend - Oh Yes!

Milk Teeth by Amrita Mahale

I seldom read the same genre back to back. I always prefer to read a light book after a heavy one. Milk Teeth seemed to fit that bill perfectly after my last historical fiction.

Setting

Milk Teeth is set in the 1990s in a housing society in a suburb of Mumbai. It was when Mumbai was still Bombay. When life was much simpler and uncomplicated.

Storyline

Ira Kamat and Kartik Kini are childhood friends who are neighbours in Asha Niwas in Matunga. Their mothers are more like sisters than friends. Ira idolises Kartik and also has a secret crush on him. Several years later Ira is a conscientious journalist trying to highlight the incompetencies of the municipal corporation. She is forthright and believes in honesty in her work as well as her relationships. Kartik who has returned home after several years has a complicated disposition. It has multiple layers to it. He is dealing with his issues which leads to lies and deception. Their families decide for their alliance which they agree to. Alongside, is the story of Asha Niwas which is about to go for redevelopment with no consensus among the residents over it.

Viewpoint

Milk Teeth pertains to changing urban and social fabric of Bombay. It's the story of the perpetual struggle of the middle class for living space in Bombay. It's the transition from Bombay to Mumbai. Along with it, the shift in the nature of relationships from childhood to adulthood. Milk Teeth is a book worth reading. At places, nostalgia would hit you. It would remind you of all the childhood games. All in all, a well-narrated book that has its heart and soul in right place.

Star Rating - 4/5

Recommend -Yes

The Woman at the Gates by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger

Setting

The Women at the Gates is based in Ukraine during World War II. Prior to the Second World War Ukraine was under Soviet occupation. The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists was a political organization fighting to achieve Ukrainian independence. During the 1940s, it split up into two factions - a moderate one led by Andriy Melnyk and a more radical one under the leadership of Stepan Bandera. In 1941, when Germany with its allies invaded Ukraine, some Ukrainians viewed the Nazis as their liberators and believed that with their assistance they will be able to establish an independent Ukrainian state. 

Storyline

In 1941, Antonia a university professor in Lviv in Western Ukraine was also a part of the clandestine Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, fighting to preserve her country's culture and traditions. She along with other members published a newspaper called Our Nation's Voice in defiance of the Soviet regime. When Germany invaded Ukraine, they collaborated with the Nazis against the Soviets. But instead, they fell right into the hands of an enemy from another's. After hiding and running from the Nazis and Soviets for a long time Antonia and her sister's family were eventually apprehended by Nazis and thrown into the labour camp.

My Thoughts

The Woman at the Gates would resonate with the reader as Chrystyna has borrowed from her own family history and experiences to weave a story of struggle, hardships and loss. Real-life events add authenticity to her narrative. Antonia's character is of a strong-minded woman who wants to have an independent identity for her country away from the ever-changing political landscape of Ukraine. She endured everything thrown at her but stood strong in her beliefs and came out as resilient as ever and a survivor. This book gave me an insight into Ukraine's struggle for independence and a new perspective about World War II. My concern with the book was that it was extremely slow and there are a plethora of characters whom you can easily lose track of. It took a lot of time to build up the story and I did struggle with it. All in all an informative read.

Rating - 3/5

Recommend - Maybe! (If you are interested in Ukraine's history)

 

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

Storyline

In 1791 London, Nella an apothecary carries forward her mother's legacy by continuing to run her apothecary shop for women's maladies situated on 3 Back Alley. After suffering betrayal by the man she loved, she changes her path and starts dispensing poisons along with the medicines. She began to help women in a similar predicament to hers by providing them with means to get rid of their problems. From a barren wife to a jilted woman, she helped them all. She meticulously made note of every tincture she had ever dispensed. The second timeline is in the present time when Caroline after being cheated on by her husband embarks on a trip to London alone. The trip was to be a tenth anniversary celebratory trip for them. But it turned into a trip of self-realization and discovering her own identity. On a whim, she goes mudlarking and discovers an old apothecary bottle in the Thames. Thus began her journey to uncover the origins of the bottle and along the way finding her true passion.

My Thoughts

Usually, in a dual timeline book at least one of the storylines is captivating enough and holds your interest. But somehow here, none of the stories grabbed my attention. Nella's story of a female apothecary living in late eighteenth-century London had immense potential but the story didn't pan out as it should have. It dragged so much that after a point I was struggling to finish the book. In the other timeline, Caroline's discovery of the bottle and later her subsequent discovery of the apothecary itself was nothing short of a miracle. What astounded me was how just one google search led her to the article related to a 200-year-old bottle. Talk about the accuracy of the Google search! Furthermore, she could locate the apothecary store itself that was standing intact in the middle of London nearly 200 years later, hidden from everyone. I was unable to draw any parallel between the two stories. I would not recommend the book.

Rating - 2/5

Recommend - Skip it!

 

Island in the East by Jenny Ashcroft

 

Setting

The book is based in the island country of Singapore and spans from 1897 till after the Second World War. Singapore was an important British colony and a major allied base in south-east Asia. During World War II, it became Japan's prime target in its bid to capture south-east Asia. After the invasion of the Malay peninsula in December 1941, Japan proceeded to attack Singapore. Ultimately, on 8th February 1942, Japanese troops landed in Singapore. The battle continued for the next seven days and eventually led to the fall of Singapore and the largest British surrender in history. All the British and Australian soldiers and citizens were sent to Changi prison 

Storyline

The story unfolds in dual timelines of 1897 and 1941 in Singapore. In 1897, identical twins Mae and Harriet travel to Singapore from India with a scandalous past for new beginnings. Their benefactor wants one of them to marry David Kelley. While Harriet takes an instant dislike to David, Mae tolerates him bearing in mind their future. Both the sisters fall for the same man, Alex Blake and the sisterly rivalry comes to the fore. Mae turns bitter as despite being identical, Harriet hogged all the male attention. This soured their relationship too. When Harriet rejected David's proposal for marriage, he turned vengeful. It prompted a chain of events that led to heartbreak and betrayal. In 1941, Ivy-Mae's granddaughter suffered from nightmares after she nearly died, buried under the rubble after a bombing. She got posted to wartime Singapore much against the wishes of her grandmother. Mae had lived for a year in Singapore, a fact she had hidden from her granddaughter. With the Japanese invasion of the island country imminent, Ivy falls in love with Kit, an Australian officer. As she builds new relationships in Singapore, secrets from the past unravel. 

My Thoughts

After reading umpteen number of World War II fiction based in Europe, I wanted to read a book about World War in South-East Asia. Island in the East is essentially a love story with the backdrop of the Second World War. Jenny Ashcroft has managed to seamlessly bridge the two timelines. Both the periods hold your attention equally. She has crafted complex characters with passionate love stories. Harriet/Mae's story has intense love, betrayal, heartbreak and sacrifice. Ivy's love story begins during the war when so much uncertainty prevailed. I got emotionally invested in both the stories. She has evocatively described the endless summer, intense heat and humidity of the island nation. The vivid description of the Fall of Singapore and the appalling living conditions of the inmates of Changi prison are well done by the author. A moving tale of love that I highly recommend. 

Rating - 5/5

Recommend - Go for it !