Arzu by Riva Razdan

Few things are as pleasurable to a light-fiction lover as a feisty heroine who is equipped with the nuances of feminist emotions. Arzu, the refreshing lead character in Riva Razdan’s eponymous new novel based in 1991, takes us on a heady journey across Bombay and New York, showing a side of privilege that is worth a fine Sunday afternoon. There is rampant patriarchy and societal pressure in Arzu Agarwal’s life, daughter to the self-made owner of India Inks, the only fair and popular newspaper in India. Against the backdrop of Congress coming into power with radical ideas of direct foreign investments opening up the Indian economy at a crucial juncture, the daughter of a media conglomerate traverses the path of ‘find-suitable-and-rich-boy-and-marry-at-21’. Her fiercely feminist late mother’s blood courses through her veins even though society expects her to succumb to the well-wishes of her caring and marriage-obsessed Parul Bua –– everyone in the society except her strong, supportive father Ajit Agarwal. The fiercely just man isn’t scared to show his support for political parties that work towards the betterment of his country, even if it sanctions picking up arms against the richest of the rich in the country –– the very men whose sons are considered suitable suitors to his daughter.

A failed relationship takes Arzu to the streets of New York for a break where she discovers a world hitherto unknown to the many women who came before us and stayed confined within the four walls of a home, accepting it as normal. Arzu’s journey is particularly refreshing because of her struggle to fight her own beliefs and come to terms with her own, self-imposed limitations as she grapples with the fangs of patriarchy. Aiding her fight is senior Agarwal, an educated and fiercely protective father who defines feminism in its truest term. The letters exchanged between the father-daughter duo from New York and India are often heart-warming. The narrative is gripping and Razdan introduces characters and events with utmost ease in this novel that has all the trappings of being made into an excellent film! Razdan’s debut is colourful and vivid and the 23-year-old graduate of New York University is meant for a career in screenwriting, as she is currently involved in Anil Kapoor Films.

Hachette India; Rs 399

Principles of Prediction by Anushka Jasraj

There is an oscillating journey between the real and the absurd for readers of Anushka Jasraj’s debut collection of short stories Principles of Prediction. The two-time winner of the Asia Commonwealth Short Story prize, this collection of 13 short stories enthral and disturb in equal parts. A unique style of writing marked by its brevity, the lack of desire to set a precedent, prologue, time stamp or chronology to any of the stories, only add to their absurdity. However, each story comes equipped with nuances of emotions that can be comprehended quite universally.

In Circus, there is a woman who wants to run away with the circus and be in love with Rajan the lion tamer, who is both male and female. In Numerology, Samba waits to open a letter from her late mother on her birthday, with instructions to life. In Drawing Lessons, a fledgling friendship between a lonely wife and her older art teacher blossoms in a sunny direction of warmth and curiosity. In Smile, Please, a girl unravels a secret behind her mother’s untimely death, which connects her to her dangerous lover. The concise stories leave much to imagination with the gift of a fresh interpretation for every reader.
Such is the power of the stories, some tied to the other with a stray common thread or character, one needs to pause after each to fully grasp and process what occurred. For the really imaginative lot, the pathos would play out like a film in front of their eyes. Characters in Jasraj’s world allow us a peek into the barest moment of their soul to reveal dark and unwittingly common emotions and fantasies, making for stories that demand to be read more than once. Also contained in this book is her award-winning story Radio Story.

Westland; Rs 499

Upcoming releases we look forward to

Believe: What Life and Cricket Taught Me by Suresh Raina with Bharat Sundaresan
Penguin Random House India
The middle-order batsman and occasional off-spin bowler of the Indian cricket team, Suresh Raina has penned his memoir speaking of his learnings from the greats of cricket –– Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid. It was Sachin’s words that he chose to get tattooed on his arm that later made the title of his book –– Believe!

Tiananmen Square: The Making of a Protest by Vijay Gokhale
HarperCollins India
The former foreign secretary of India recounts his time, being at the heart of the Tianenmen Square protests in 1989. What unfolded helps define China’s subsequent political stance with the rest of the world, with a special focus on an Indian perspective.

All Drama, No Queen by Andaleeb Wajeed
Penguin India
Romance fiction lovers, take note for the queen of romantic bestsellers is back with yet another tale, all set to release this month. Farida is an orphan who finds solace in the company of her best friend Priya, who manages to locate her long-lost cousin who also happened to be Farida’s childhood crush –– all the trappings of a great romance novel we say!

The Braided River: A journey Along The Brahmaputra by Samrat Choudhury
HarperCollins India

A travelogue meticulously penned along the journey around one of the largest riverbeds in the world, the book spans across the point in Tibet where the river enters India to where it meets Ganga in Bangladesh. Humourous and informational, the book has caught the attention and won appreciation from the likes of Shashi Tharoor and Stephen Alter.

The Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Good News by Meghna Pant
Penguin Random House India
Questioning the idea of being a woman in today’s society and its correlation to maternity, singlehood and beyond is Ladoo, a 34-year-old woman who is racing against time to find a suitable man for her ‘drying eggs’.

Of Smokeless Fire by A.A. Jafri
Penguin India
A debut fiction novel coming straight from Karachi, Pakistan, Of Smokeless Fire is the tale of three friends –– little Mansoor considered a djinn, Mehrun who is a chudail and Joseph, a sweeper. The three form a friendship that is set against the political unrest of Pakistan.