28 September,2026 02:12 PM IST | Mumbai | Nandini Varma
Representation pic
Women practising audacity has remained revolutionary since time immemorial. This book by Shilpa Phadke, Sameera Khan, and Shilpa Ranade takes on the audacious task of exploring what occupying space and safety means for women in Mumbai, and how it shapes where, when and how we exist in the public space. It left me reflecting on a radical utopia: women taking over parks, roads and beaches, simply to be - insisting that loitering, pleasure and presence can be political acts.
I am reading Eleanor Catton's novel, a 2013 Booker Prize-winning gem. I loved getting lost in the labyrinth of the world it built. Set against the goldfields of 19th century New Zealand, it is part mystery, part drama and part astrological puzzle. Catton's intricate plotting and shifting perspectives have kept me guessing, while the sheer scale of the story makes the reading experience feel wonderfully immersive and old-world.
Banu Mushtaq's collection of short stories is one of those rare finds where the language easily transports you to a land where a little bit of magical realism and the vagaries of the real world co-exist. Mushtaq's characters are drafted in a way that reminds you of all the people you keep crossing paths with. Then, she makes you realise how little you must have thought about them.
This novel is evidence of Gillian Flynn's craftsmanship over writing and storytelling. It's a psychological thriller which imprints the characters on you; and like a puppet, every sentence on the page feels like your own. As Flynn unravels the story, the characters end up surrounded by the sticky threads of complexities of human nature and relationships.
Meher Mirza's book is a fascinating and delicious exploration of the stories that food carries across cultures, histories, and generations. It moves beyond ingredients and recipes to explore food as memory, identity and inheritance. What I loved most was the way familiar flavours suddenly felt new. The book also offers a sharp commentary on caste, communities,and our very own Mumbai's vada pav, burning every dish into a doorway to another place, time,and way of life.
Min Jee Lee's novel is like a cool breeze on a hot summer evening - fleeting, unexpected, and so comforting that you find yourself waiting for it to return. Following Sunja and four generations of her family from Korea to Japan, the book moves through love, loss, survival, and discrimination. It captures the many struggles that make us human. This is a story that leaves you with a strange, beautiful ache.
