Tag: Fiction

Review: Dancing to the Flute by Manisha Jolie Amin

~ Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader ~ 23 Comments
Dancing to the Flute by Manisha Jolie Amin

Dancing to the Flute by Manisha Jolie Amin
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: February 2013
Source: Atria Books via Edelweiss

Description:

Masterfully evoking the breathtaking beauty of India, Manisha Jolie Amin’s lyrical debut novel follows a young boy whose life takes an unexpected turn when he is sent to live with a reclusive but renowned musician.

Abandoned as a young child, Kalu, a cheeky street-kid, has against all odds carved out a life for himself in rural India. In the quiet village of Hastinapore, Kalu has also found friends: Bal, the solitary boy who tends to the local buffalos, and Malti, a gentle servant girl, who, with her mistress, Ganga Ba, has watched out for Kalu from the first day he wandered into the small town.

One day, perched high in the branches of a banyan tree, Kalu chooses a leaf, rolls it tightly and, as he’s done for as long as he can remember, blows through it. His pure, simple notes dance through the air and attract a traveling healer whose interest will change Kalu’s life forever, setting him on a path he would never have dreamt possible, testing his belief in himself and his sense of identity.

Richly textured and atmospheric, Dancing to the Flute is a magical, heart-warming story of a community’s joys and sorrows, the transformative powers of music, the many faces of friendship, and a boy’s journey, against all odds, to become a man.

My Thoughts:

About the Author, Manisha Jolie Amin

This is a beautiful tale with a fantastic setting. I’m drawn to stories told in India. Perhaps because it’s like nothing I’ve ever known and I’m quite fascinated by other cultures. I connected with the characters and rooted for each of them throughout the whole book. I wanted all of them to escape their hardships, I wanted all of them to overcome the many obstacles in their way. And the music, oh the music! The way the author describes the lovely flute music made it come alive for me, I could almost hear it. I wholeheartedly recommend Dancing to the Flute and I’m looking forward to hearing more from Miss Jolie Amin.

Banned Books Week ~ Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret.

~ Jennifer @ The Relentless Reader ~ 48 Comments

I’m joining Sheila at Book Journey by jumping on the Banned Wagon! Many other bloggers are joining in and there are events planned for every day this week, make sure to check them out.

The banned book I decided to read was Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret by Judy Blume.

Margaret Simon, almost twelve, has just moved from New York City to the suburbs, and she’s anxious to fit in with her new friends. When she’s asked to join a secret club she jumps at the chance. But when the girls start talking about boys, bras, and getting their first periods, Margaret starts to wonder if she’s normal. There are some things about growing up that are hard for her to talk about, even with her friends. Lucky for Margaret, she’s got someone else to confide in… someone who always listens.

The first time I read this I was probably 11 or so. I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for this book since then,  but I had no idea just how much it meant to me until I re-read it this week. I was nearly brought to tears from  all of the nostalgia I felt while reading it this time around.

One of the first things that I remembered was that I read this while at my grandparent’s house one summer. It may have been a book that I checked out from the bookmobile? Maybe I borrowed it from a friend. I’m not sure where it came from. I’m just glad that it found it’s way into my hands.

Did this book change my life? I’m a girl who loves to exaggerate and I really have to work on not making grand, sweeping statements like that. But! After reading this as an adult and being flooded with memories of the questions this book made me ask myself when I was a young girl? Yes, yes. It did change my life. I grew up in a small town with a non-religious family. This book opened my mind to so many things that I would never have been exposed to otherwise.

I know remember that Are You There God? was the first exposure I had to Jewish people. They were on a page, but still. I know now where a lot of my questions about puberty were answered. The questions I was too terrified to ask the adults in my life were answered right there, in this book. I remember now that it was Are You There God? that made me want to tag along with my cousin to church and Sunday school so I could learn more about religion.

This book informed my life and fired my curiosity for so many things. I can’t believe that this is something that people wanted to take away from me. How dare they? 

And who could forget the battle cry of a generation? We must! We must! We must increase our bust! That is just classic. Thank you Miss Blume. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Go forth my readers! Go forth and read all the banned books you can get your hands on!