Two D's in a Podd

In this never ending lockdown, You are looking for a rundown,Of an armchair trip,Brimming with adventure andRefreshing takesFrom the roads across the country,Of a man, and his backpack,And the wheels of royale,The majestic almighty beings,Which keep the country running-Carrying their load on its wheels. It starts off as a fleeting idea,But the trip falls into … Continue reading Truck de India!: A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Hindustan by Rajat Ubhaykar

This novel presents a “best case scenario”Masked by a dystopia.A scenario best lived,In the rustling pages,But it often doesn’t seem unreal,As the groundwork’s already laidFor life in virtual cages. Set in Delhi,10 years from now,After the entire rigmarole,Of the current protests, of discriminatory laws,Of a virus, plaguing the inside and out,Was packed and kept distant, … Continue reading Chosen Spirits by Samit Basu

A book which would overwhelmTo the core.Not an ordinary book,But a portal,To a new world,Refreshing, andThoroughly entertaining. It has a way,Of getting under you,Of making you jump,With its play of words. There’s a house,With endless possibilities,Where there are floods,And clouds, and rains,Inside its walls.Where the halls don’t end,You’d wonder,Is it real?Or is it all pretend? … Continue reading Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

A saga of memories,Passed down generations,To preserve a senseOf order, of belonging,When there’s little,Memory’s a lot to hold onto.Does it go against the orderWhere things start afresh in nature?Does it harm your sense of self?To download moments fromAnother being?To take a piece of your ancestors,And make your own?Is it all justifiedIf you are in a … Continue reading A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan, #1) by Arkady Martine

After two failed attemptsTo scale Mount EverestAnd on his way to third,People curiously asked George Mallory,Why do you dare? His response,Because it’s there. When Philippe Petit,Performed his “le coupe”Crossing the Twin Towers on a tight rope,A swarm of journalists waited to ask,Why?His answer,If I see three oranges, I have to juggle. And if I see … Continue reading The Wall (Sumer, #1) by Gautam Bhatia

There’s a burning in the heart, Anguish, it screams, Yet justice you see. A burning which shows, A glimpse of Modern India, Crumbling, Under the tap of a thumb. A burning heart, Of the lives of three ordinaries In the city of Calcutta, Jivan, Lovely and PT Sir- First two shown from within, The third … Continue reading A Burning by Megha Majumdar

The Empire rules with an iron fist, Hidden behind their masks Impunity, Through a veil of impartiality. They claim to be superior, In matters of the mind, Even in matters of the body, Their gene and hygiene Stand above that of the native. Sounds familiar? It must, For it’s a common thread, Which the colonizers … Continue reading The Traitor Baru Cormorant (Masquerade #1) by Seth Dickinson

This book reminds me of a dish, With excellent ingredients, But taken a bit too early off the heat. It tastes good, But something doesn’t blend, Dampening slightly, The flavour it portends. In this post truth age, Where the Overton window presents a narrow gauge, Our lives are threatened, When facts are beckoned and given … Continue reading The Networked Public by Amber Sinha

Big and bold, As the title suggests, The claims in the book, Provides a good hook, That Predictions based on a combination Of large swathes, Sometimes fuels, sometimes skewers, Even an idyllic viewer. The intentions, Ill or otherwise, Often blinds, You might say- Isn’t it better? For you put the lady back in the blinds? … Continue reading Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’ Neil