Had I heard of the book and/or Robert Galbraith before the latter was unmasked as J.K.Rowling? No. Did I read “The Cuckoo’s Calling” because of the above ? Yes. Is it a good read, regardless of who wrote it? Yes, yes and yes. As a non Harry Potter fan (I …
Perhaps I am taking this whole “lie” thing in the title too seriously, but I was a little torn as to whether or not to tell the truth in this review. Should I fib or not ? No, you’re right. No fibbing. Tell the truth, embarrassing as it is, which …
It takes a certain kind of book to make you sit on a train, crying as you read. Rachel Joyce’s “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” is such a book. This is a novel that is everything a fabulous read shoud be. It is moving, inspiring, funny, inspirational, lyrical – …
I have been an unconditional fan of Alexander McCall Smith ever since I bought a copy of “The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” in Gaborone airport, back in April 2001. We were stuck in Gabs for hours, verging on a day, on our way to the bush…but that’s another story. Ever …
Can there be many things better than reading 2 Alexander McCall Smith novels back to back? One day “The Forgotten Affairs of Youth”. The next day, “The Importance of being seven”. The joys of being on holiday. Both of these novels are set in Edinburgh, but in different parts of …
Reading an Alexander McCall Smith novel, from any of his many series, is both a delicious pleasure as well as a masterclass in elegant prose. His stories unfold slowly, at a natural pace, with ample time for his characters (and readers) to allow their thoughts to wander, to think about …
The first review of a shiny new year, and it has to begin with a confession. “The Stranger’s Child” was the first book by Alan Hollinghurst that I have read, which must therefore make me rather a literary lightweight, I imagine. But what a first meeting with someone who will …
One shouldn’t especially like a book because it is based in one’s home town, should one? Or is that lovely insider feeling of “Yes, of course, I remember that building,” or “Yes, yes, that is exactly the way it used to feel” reason enough to love a book ? Oh, …
Confession time first.To my shame, I had never read any Julian Barnes until my Delhi book club selected his (now Booker prize winning) novella The Sense of an Ending. It was short listed when we decided to read it, and had won by the time we met. Second confession. I …
