8th of March is celebrated as International Women’s Day. To be a part of the celebrations, and to honor women writers, some people in the ‘Bookstagram’ community decided to read books by female authors throughout March. I had a very ambitious TBR (see below) set up, but with review copies and a reading slum in between, I could not stick to it.
Here is my final wrap up for March which is very very different from what I had planned. I managed to read 6 books this month. Read further to know what I think about each.
- The Power by Naomi Alderman
- 3.5/5 stars
- This is written as a dystopian fiction where women rule the world. When one half assumes power, the other suffers. However, the roots of this book are steeped in realities of the present. It showcases the current plight of women through a mirror that switches genders. This a must read but is very gut-wrenching and uncomfortable.
- Find my review of The Power here.
- The Immortalist by Chloe Benjamin
- 3.5/5 stars
- This is the culprit that had sent me tumbling down the rabbit hole of a reading slump. But it is not a bad book. In fact, it evokes in the reader questions about life, death, and the time in between. Through the lives of four siblings, who share nothing in common except the bloodline, we learn how important it is to live life to the fullest.
- Find my review of The Immortalists here.
- The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
- 4.5/5 stars
- This sequel is everything I expected after reading The Bear and the Nightingale. It has everything I loved about the first book mixed with more action, court intrigue, and power struggle. I love the fierce energy of Vasya and respect her will to be independent. It solves for some mysteries we had after the first book.
- Find my review of Bear and The Nightingale here.
- A Murder on the Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey
- 4/5 stars
- This is not just a typical murder mystery as the title suggests. It is only 30% of the book. The rest revolves around the life of Perveen Mistry, a character inspired by the first Indian woman lawyer, Cornelia Sorabji. She is a kick-ass smartypants woman in 1920s Mumbai where women were not given a lot of freedom and the families were bound in antique traditions. I loved this book.
- Find my review of the book here.
- The Trees told me so by Purva Grover
- 4/5 stars
- This is a collection of 11 heartwarming and sometimes heart wrenching tales. The lives of the protagonists have, in one way or another, trees that define them, be it the place they work or stay or study. I enjoyed this short book immensely with its lyrical writing and ability to focus on the forgotten.
- Find my review of the book here.
- Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
- 3.5/5 stars
- To be honest, I have not finished reading it yet. It is a humongous book divided into three volumes. It is more like 3-4 books in one. I am in the middle of the third volume and I like the laid back writing style and I love the magic of the 1800s.
- Here is a link to the readathon introduction I had hosted for this book.
That’s all folks! Do let me know what all books you managed to read this past month and if you have read or will be reading any of the above books.
Looking forward to your comments.
Cheers!
Neha
The Reading Owl 