Review of Secrets and Sins, by Jaishree Misra, Harper Collins

This was published in the New Indian Express (19 September 2010, Sunday) in the Readright Section.

Fractured marriage crossed with a star

Shubashree Desikan
First Published : 19 Sep 2010 09:20:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 17 Sep 2010 07:04:58 PM IST

Secrets and Sins by Jaishree Misra:
It is no mean feat to whip out a story of about a hundred thousand words that hangs together and holds the interest of the reader, but Jaishree Misra manages it. I picked up this book intrigued by the blurb which said that the book was the story of a prize-winning novelist, but there were other captivating elements too, apart from the main storyline.
Riva Walia, born of Indian parents but brought up a Britisher, is a successful novelist living in London. Riva and Ben are about to enter their 15th year of marriage, but all is not well at their home — Ben’s lack of success as an
author coupled with Riva’s fame are acting to ruin the carefully constructed relationship between them. Into this situation walks in the most dramatic character in the story — Bollywood actor Aman, a passionate old flame of Riva’s, whose suit Riva rejected to marry, as she had perceived then, the more reliable and worthy Ben. Riva is invited to be on the panel of judges for the BAFTA awards, which leads to a week in Cannes in the most romantic of settings with Aman, also on the jury. Aman is married, too, but it turns out that he has never really forgotten Riva either… how are they going to find their way out of this romantic maze?
Some aspects of the novel are very interesting. One is the way the main characters in the story are treated. Riva, from start to finish comes across consistently as the polite, well-behaved, always fair and intelligent, intellectual woman with a streak of fierce loyalty; Susan, her childhood friend and Aman are portrayed as more light-hearted; Kaaya, Riva’s sister, with whom she has a very complicated relationship, is also convincingly portrayed — in Riva’s eyes a spoilt, selfish brat, used to taking what she wants with never a care for others — and is perhaps the most interesting character in the story.
The other part of the novel that is well-crafted is Kaaya and Riva’s relationship. The rivalry between the sisters, verging on malice, is dominant, until the later portions where each of them gets to understand themselves and the other better and is a very strong thread in the novel, perhaps more touching than the main storyline. The third interesting aspect is that the story is about Riva and her sister who, despite their Indian origins, have totally merged into their London homes.
There are some gaps: the writer could have paid more attention to the dialogues. One feels this especially in the scenes involving Ben and his father. Though Ben is an important character, the author does not reveal much about him. She could have paid more attention to this. But perhaps it was intentional, as the main conflict in the novel is the tackling of extramarital relationships and not the situation that may have led to them.
It would also have been better to add something to give the novel more substance, since it is an emotional drama that the writer has attempted. For example, more real references to London life, Bollywood and much more detail about Riva’s work in literature (as she is supposed to have won the Orange prize) could have worked magic.

Review of "Sprint of the Blackbuck"

This review was published in The New Indian Express; Readright section; 8 August 2010.

BirdsofNIlgiris]

Though I am unable to state definitely, let me try to guess what these birds are by consulting the birdman. Those of you - readers - who may know are welcome to add your comments -

This bird was about 20 cm - Is this a female BLUE ROCK THRUSH?



This bird you see below was on the bough of a tree just above my head. We had parked within a plantation to study the birds that were flying about and I caught sight of this one on the nearby tree. This photo has been turned upside down in fact to make it clearer, the bird was actually clinging on to the tree and moving from the bottom of my field of view to the top. The bird was very close to me and looked about 15 cm long.

It looks slate grey here but as I was seeing it against the light and against the bough of a tree, from below that too,I can stretch the colour to greyish blue or indigo - So - is this a Nilgiri Verditer Flycatcher or a Male Blacknaped Blue Flycatcher?


Below is a photograph of two Rufousbacked Shrikes, about 25 cm with notably rufous rumps...I presume Male and Female.






Is the bird you see below a redwinged crested cuckoo or a whitebellied tree pie or a female Paradise Flycatcher? From the photo the bird appears small about 20 cm- but it was really far from where I stood - nearly 30 metres away, and on a tree - so it could easily have been twice that size. Say, it was anywhere between 20 cm and 40 cm long, esp with its tail hidden... My guess is it must have been about 20 cm and a female paradise flycatcher bending its head to peck itself on the chest...













Yellow vented bulbul



Baybacked Shrike - this was close - about 7-8 metres away - and definitely smaller than the pair displayed above - about 15 - 18 cm like a bulbul...

Visit to Nilgiris - The Birds

Clouds were floating about noiselessly seeming menacing in the distance and misty when close. Our visit was full of beauty and a dynamic silence. Strangely, I felt as if I breathed in quanta of unclassified knowledge along with gulps of the cold, misty, pure, clean air. There was a curious self-transforming magic there, I realised later.

But alongside drinking in this intoxicating presence, I kept registering subconsciously the birds that flew in and out of the white, blotted-out vista and storing their pictures in my mind.

Here is a list of birds that I spotted. Though I have no pictures, I thought I'd mention them here just to share the information with like-minded readers.

(1) Crested Serpent Eagle
(2) Grey Partridge
(3)Grey Jungle Fowl
(4) Spotted Dove
(5) Nilgiri Wood Pigeon
(6) Blue-winged Parakeet
(7) Alpine Swift
(8) Hoopoe
(9) Indian Goldenbacked Three-toed Woodpecker (well! not sure about the number of toes, that looked like the most-probable option after consulting Salim Ali's book, but definitely goldenbacked.)
(10) Rufousbacked Shrike
(11) Scarlet Minivet (One Red Male and One Yellow Female/young one)
(12) Redwhiskered Bulbul
(13) Yellowbrowed bulbul
(14) Nilgiri Laughing Thrush
(15) Pied Bush Chat