Anindita Sengupta

Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go is deceptively simple to read. It is not till the end that the full import of this book – and all its larger questions – sinks in.The story starts with Kathy H., an alumna of a seemingly idyllic boarding school called Hailsham. Reflecting on her childhood at Hailsham and her friends, Ruth and Tommy, Kathy unravels the layers of this devastating story.

As Kathy’s narrative unfolds, the sunny reminiscences of Hailsham hold a darker undercurrent, a sense that something is very wrong. This feeling of discomfort steadily increases till the denouement where everything – all the little details – fall chillingly into place. » Read the rest of this entry «

The Sea, John Banville’s Booker prize-winning novel, is one of the best books I’ve read in a while. A writer who knows exactly how to use the language without resorting to gimmickry is extremely refreshing. And while The Sea may not be heavy on plot, Banville builds enough tension through the 300 pages or so to make this an easy read.

The narrative voice is that of Max Morden, an aging art historian trying to come to grips with a recent loss. He finds himself inexplicably drawn to the site of childhood events. » Read the rest of this entry «