What a book! An amazing book told from the POV of five-year old who is born in captivity and has never seen the outside world. His mother has been kidnapped and detained by a savage. It starts dark and depressing but the POV of a five-year old makes it a little light. When they escape and make it to real world – it strikes the mother and the son very differently. Brilliant concept, brilliantly executed.
Don’t miss it.
Cara has died in a car accident and her partner, Pen, is mourning, reminiscing. Nothing much happens: there is no strong story line, but the book still manages to hold attention. And that is because it has been written really well. The intensity of Pen’s emotions and feelings her interactions with Cara’s family are captured beautifully. It’s an example of how really good writing can salvage a book. Nowhere close to being as good as “Room”, Hood still leaves a strong impression.
Read.
Rajat Narula 