I have been complaining for the past few years that I hadn’t been reading enough every year. That is, not to my satisfaction when compared to the marathon readers I see around on social media. While it should not be a competition as such, it seems to be more of a show off – where your love for books is directly proportional to the number of books you read in a year. I am not a part of this game but I have always wondered if it is the way to read more and/or read better. Last year (2023), I did decide to concentrate on two reading challenges and read in a structured format. One was based on monthly motifs and allowed me to match quite a few motifs with the books on my TBR. The other was the #ReadChristie challenge that helped me catch up with a sizeable number of unread Poirot mysteries from my list. Ideally, I should have read 24 books last year based on these two challenges, but then, life happened. And I managed to finish reading 21, including a few outside the reading challenges.
I would say it was fun and totally worth the effort, as I had two books ready to read each month aside the impromptu picks or Bangla books that I read anyway. This year would be different, though. The non-structured personality in me might take over and participate in just one reading challenge (the monthly motif one). The rest would be on impulse, as it is often the best way to read, in my humble opinion of being a reader for an odd thirty five years or so.
May you read well and/or more this year. Here are the best ones I read in 2023 –
The Dark Between the Trees – Fiona Barnett
Dark. Darker. Darkest. Fiona Barnett takes us through the woods, rather, two woods, shifting between each other, like they have been playing hopscotch since centuries.
From the Davies company of soldiers in 1643 to the all-women team of researchers in the 21st century – many have traversed through these woods but to no success.
Will Dr. Alice Christopher be able to figure out all the mysteries of the Moresby forest and particularly what happened to the Davies company? Did Captain Davies and his men survive the woods and return home centuries ago?
The best part of this book is the description of the woods and the happenings in them. Outstanding writing by Barnett, I could actually visualise parts of the wood and the ambience around me while reading. The historical and contemporary events are well narrated, in fact, this is an amazing historical account of the life of soldiers in the Northern part of England.
The only thing that I would have liked to know a bit more is the background of the women’s’ team and about their characters.
Absolutely recommended read if you don’t care much about genres.
*Received an ARC from Netgalley UK
The Running Grave – Robert Galbraith
Hands down my favourite book of the year! I do love the Strike novels and this one (#7 in the series) is kind of back in the groove after the previous debacle-ish one. I like the way JK treats Strike and Robin. Is there a romance or there isn’t one? It would probably take two more books for a conclusion. Meanwhile, they solve mysteries, literally save lives, tear down shady cults that are way dangerous, and grow old together.
The mystery in this book is sprawling, as usual, with its roots spreading back over decades and interestingly, linked to Strike’s childhood as well. The cult is like a one-way tunnel, people once entering do not usually go back to their normal life. Robin infiltrates them undercover and peels off their ghastly masks layer by layer.
I love Robin, as a detective and a woman. If I gauge correctly, JK has been trying subtly to make her the better one. Then again, Strike and Robin complement each other as detectives too, not just partners. the plot in this book has a mind of its own and has been quite interesting to traverse along with the detective duo.
More Things in Heaven and Earth – Kiran Manral
This is my first thriller (and a supernatural one as well) by Kiran Manral. I think it can also be described as the marvellous fable of Kamla Malik, for it unfolds and progresses none less than a saga. I would not ruin your reading by scooping into the details of the story; it is better to start the book without a pretext, in this case. I did the same, not knowing what to expect from the writer or her characters/plot and it was a liberating experience.
Kiran’s heroine Kamla goes through a lot, literally a lot since childhood till her weirdly scary adult life. Her kitty of experiences include witnessing death, the supernatural, ghoulish thoughts and dysfunctional relationships. I particularly loved all the chapters from Kamla’s childhood – living in a house on the hills, her family, tugs of emotional war with her sister Roop and her mother, the feisty grandmother and the way she acquires a new brother. At some point, Kiran decides to focus more on the adult part of Kamla’s life next, her move to Goa with her aunt dying aunt Kamini and discovering disturbing stuff there. Honestly, I would love an entire novel on Kamla and Roop’s childhood for what it is worth!
The Hollow – Agatha Christie
Written in 1946, ‘The Hollow’ features a houseful of guests, where one of them is murdered and his wife is found beside him with a revolver in her hand. Did she murder him, or did his current girlfriend, or an ex girlfriend who reappears after fifteen years? Love, lust, relationships, trust, jealousy – everything is embroiled among these three women concerning the man they loved the most. Hercule Poirot is introduced right at the scene of murder and the case is almost dropped on his lap. One of the three women (I wouldn’t tell you who, though) is the antagonist who tries to deceive Poirot and twist the facts of the case.
The book did not begin with the murder, rather a longish introduction of the victim John and his circumstances. The hosts of the party, the Angkatells are a strange lot as well. The guests – David, Edward, Midge, Henrietta, Veronica – have their own little subplots which are interesting when Poirot begins his investigation. As I said, I loved the character of the antagonist here and the speculation if she is the murderer – oh, yes, it’s a ‘she’, that is quite evident! The climax is a stunner and classic Christie (if you know what I mean).
Loved this one; it was an unputdownable read and highly recommended.
What did you read last year? Share your recommendations and have a great 2024!
One and a Half Minutes 