Satyajit Ray was not only a film maker par excellence but also scriptwriter, author, essayist, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligrapher and music composer. So, it’s not surprising that so many creative minds try to adapt or inspire from his vast body of work. That includes his contemporaries as well as the new age creators who…
Tag: Mystery
Talking about mysteries
Turtles All The Way Down | John Green
The new novel by John Green has all the hallmarks of his previous successful books- a girl having some sort of psychological/ physical issues, a good natured boy caught up in difficult circumstances, their friends or family members providing enough encouragement to move the story forward which will lead to an unexpected ending. So this…
Less | Andrew Sean Greer
Arthur Less wants nothing but an adventure to get over life, love and loss of both- life & love. And how is he going to do that, well with the help of his ingenious plan to have a trip around the world- new sites, new people, new purposes to look forward to one’s days once…
From Words to Views |The Woman in the Window
The screen adaptation of The Woman In The Window, a film by Netflix begins with an agoraphobic woman called Anna Fox, living alone in a sprawling Manhattan home except for a token company of subterranean tenant- David. Besides her ongoing battle with agoraphobia, Anna is struggling with signs of depression, substance abuse including her prescription…
The Family Upstairs | Lisa Jewell
There are few mystery/ suspense novels I have read in past couple of years which have grabbed my attention from the word ‘Go’ and this is certainly one of them. The plot summary given on the jacket cover is quite intriguing to say the least and it acts like an instant pick-me-up magnetic pull. The…
From Words To Views |Lovecraft Country
Based on the 2016 novel written by Matt Ruff, Lovecraft Country is basically a fantasy horror series which pays homage to the dark horror world of H.P. Lovecraft and successfully tries to bring the racism in the American society to the forefront. So, it’s indeed an interesting screen adaptation and a pre-requisite to watch this…
The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between | Hisham Matar
How do you write about a loss? Specially, if the loss is so acute and bearing it is breaking your life. And, then how do you talk about grief? Which encompasses like an endless ocean, not letting you see the horizon beyond without the misty eyes or for that matter, not letting you sleep in…
From Words to Views |Murder on the Orient Express
Anyone and everyone who is fan of this cult classic masterfully crafted by Agatha Christie knows about her famous detective Hercule Poirot and his famous sagas. The aforementioned murder mystery which begins from Istanbul and takes us on a thrilling journey through the winter wonderlands of Europe is gripping from the word go. And it’s…
Just An Ordinary Day | Shirley Jackson
When you talk about Shirley Jackson then you immediately think about her stories detailing the supernatural world or other worldly characters. This anthology of her short stories – some published previously & some unpublished ones, cover both of these categories; but they are not limited to any particular genre here. There are total of 54…
From Words To Views|The Haunting of Bly Manor
The subsequent season of the Haunting of the Hill House has dropped and how! It has all the spooky elements to stand out among all the horror stories available right now. There is a rehearsal dinner in progress; we have the bride and groom, with few of their selected guests. Then comes she, mysterious and…
Troubled Blood | Robert Galbraith
Margot Bamborough; a doctor, practising GP has walked out for the day of her shared practice on 11 October 1974. Her evening plan was well-known to her colleagues as well to her husband; which was to meet her best friend. From there, straightforward heading to home to her infant daughter- Anna. But as she steps…
The Girl Who Saved The King of Sweden | Jonas Jonasson
When I first picked up this book and went through the blurb on the backside cover; my immediate reaction was the plot seems bit weird but might be wonderful. And yes, I can now summarise that my initial guess was correct – quite a charming but weird tale with multiple whacky characters. So, the story…
10 Minutes 38 Seconds In This Strange World | Elif Shafak
Tequila Laila has lost her life. Suddenly, tragically, suffering to the end for no fault of her own. It seems her death had the same gloom surrounding her just like her birth. But as that infant; so many years ago, born with a stubborn mind and resolute heart – she is not ready to leave…
The Illicit Happiness of Other People | Manu Joseph
Why Unni did what he did? This question is at the heart of Manu Joseph’s Chacko family tale titled The Illicit Happiness of Other People. It traces lives of Chacko family members- the downward spiralling father Ousep, disturbed Mother Mariamma and perplexed teenage brother Toma. True to his journalistic work and using the trick of…