Last week we asked you what you were reading and promised to get back with some kindred recommendations. Well, our recommendations are finally in! From those reading the topical A Gentleman in Moscow to those flipping through some truly riveting Indian graphic novels like The Pig Flip, we have answered a range of indirect ‘what should I read next’ queries that’d help you decide your next pick! Read on:)
Reading: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles?
Check Out: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Min Jin Lee’s sweeping novel follows the epic journey of the Sunja family across four generations. Beginning in early 1900s Korea, where Sunja, a young woman, is forced to leave her homeland due to forbidden love, it narrates the story of an uprooted woman rebuilding a life in prejudiced Japan. Much like A Gentleman in Moscow, this novel explores themes of resilience, changing times and protagonists that strive for meaning in the face of historically spurred displacement. While Towles’ novel focuses on individual reinvention within a confined space, Pachinko paints a broader canvas, depicting the struggles and perseverance of a family across generations and cultures, making it a worthy next read!
Reading: Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica?
Check Out: Lapvona by Ottessa Moshfegh
Lovers of Argentinian author Bazterrica’s dystopian Tender is the Flesh unite! Because we have an immaculate recommendation for you. Meet Lapvona, a mediaeval nightmarish novel by Ottessa Moshfegh, in a corrupt rural fiefdom prone to the grotesque. Going beyond the physical horror that marks Bazterrica’s novella, Moshfegh offers an unflinching exploration of human nature, pulling no punches. Expect brutality, depravity, and a bleak atmosphere. Told in her characteristic blunt prose, keeping the narrative fresh despite the historical backdrop, this is the disturbing yet thought-provoking read that you’re looking for.
Reading: Antima by Manav Kaul?
Check Out: Under the Night Jasmine by Manav Kaul
For lovers of the lovely Manav Kaul’s first novel, comes a recommended latest from the same. Under the Night Jasmine is the novel Kaul hoped to write when he was well in his post-retirement nothing-to-do 60s, but finding a similar ambience within COVID, was able to accomplish the task earlier than expected. (P.S. get your hands on our quickly repleting stock of signed copies!!) Exploring memory and introspection within the space of isolation, Kaul’s new release contains the melancholy and humour characteristic to the author’s poetic voice. A screenwriter stuck in a rut and forced indoors by a global pandemic, Rohit grapples with writer’s block. As a way to cope, Rohit delves into his past relationships, revisiting his teenage infatuation with a teacher, Mrs. Verma, and reflecting on lost love and the complexities of his family dynamics. The novel’s title evokes a sense of nostalgia and beauty, perhaps reflecting the bittersweet nature of Rohit’s journey of self-discovery.
Reading: The Pig Flip by Joshy Benedict?
Check Out: All Quiet in Vikaspuri by Sarnath Banerjee
For fans of the Indian Graphic Novel, a deeply underrated category with some brilliant gems, and specifically for the wonderful person reading The Pig Flip, we’d recommend Sarnath Banerjee as a worthy next read! All Quiet in Vikaspuri takes us to a dystopian Delhi ravaged by water scarcity and consequent water wars. Described as a sweeping and epic “Homeric tale,” the story unfolds through the perspectives of a costume-wearing financial advisor and a plumber on a mythical quest to find the fabled Saraswati. Blending social commentary on unchecked development and environmental degradation with fantastical elements, Banerjee creates a dark satire of urban life, much like Benedict’s The Pig Flip, even as both work with varying aesthetics and narrative scales.
Reading: Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini?
Check Out: Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie
Much like Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, Sijie’s Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress takes us to two lovable boys at the heart of national socio-political upheaval, specifically China’s Cultural Revolution. Amidst hardship, they find solace in forbidden Western literature and a blossoming romance with the tailor’s daughter, the Little Seamstress. The story celebrates the power of literature to transport and defy harsh realities. While both novels explore themes of exile and cultural upheaval, Sijie’s is a lighter alternative to Hosseini’s much darker tragic tale, finding beauty in stolen moments and the transformative power of stories.
Pick up any of these 5 Book Recommendations Based On Your Current Read from any Kunzum store or WhatsApp +91.8800200280 to order. Buy the book(s) and the coffee’s on us.