Tag: Writing

Books/Shows you’ll love if you loved “Normal People” by Sally Rooney

Jennice MishraLeave a comment

Normal People by Sally Rooney is, without a doubt, one of the best books I’ve ever read to discuss intense relationships with such deep character study. It captures the raw complexities of young love and the ways relationships shape us. The slow yet realistic approach of the book is what made it an instant fan-favourite and later had its own show as well. So if you’re a fan of works of Sally Rooney as such , then I believe you’ll also love these books/shows :

1. Lady Bird (2017) –
Directed by Greta Girwig, Lady Bird remains to be one of my all-time favourite movie. For someone who might have watched the movie, this could seem a bit sad—but truth be told, I’m a sucker for movies with that kind of sad, slow-burn plot.
Lady Bird is a coming-of-age drama directed by Greta Gerwig, following the journey of Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (played by Saoirse Ronan), a high school senior with a rebellious spirit and big dreams. Set in Sacramento in 2002, the film explores Lady Bird’s complex relationship with her strong-willed mother, as well as her desires to escape her hometown and attend college away from it. As she navigates friendships, first loves, and family tensions, she faces the struggles of self-identity, financial hardship, and adolescent insecurities.


I personally felt that Lady Bird and Marianne had similar ideologies about a lot of matters. Apart from the romantic aspect of their storyline, both of them had this intense desire for independence and escape and shared identical complex relationships with their families. Though we mostly get to see Lady Bird’s high school life with a very short glimpse of her in college, I can TOTALLY see Lady Bird and Marianne being best friends in some universe.

Honestly, would love to do a deep-dive on complex mother-daughter relationships on my blog someday.

2. Before Sunrise Trilogy (1995-2013) –
The Before Sunrise trilogy consists of three films — Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), and Before Midnight (2013) follows the evolving relationship between Jesse and Celine as they meet by chance on a train and develop a deep connection over the course of nearly two decades. Each film takes place in a single day, several years apart, capturing their raw and philosophical conversations as they navigate love, longing, and the passage of time. Known for its exploration of intimacy, the trilogy offers an honest look at the complexities of modern relationships at different life stages.

Literally love this trilogy because of its raw portrayal of emotions and the fact that it has been shot over a span of 18 years to retain the realistic feel. Jesse and Celine resemble Connell and Marianne who are bound by a connection that keeps drawing them back to one another even after decades. The candid conversations between Jesse and Celine captures the complexities of love over the passage of time and the dying feeling of missed opportunities as life changes its course. It’ll DEFINITELY make you cry if you’re a sucker for sad movies.

3. Perks Of Being A Wallflower –
Written by Stephen Chbosky , The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming-of-age novel that beautifully captures the complexities of adolescence and self-discovery. The novel was later adapted into a critically acclaimed film, starring the amazing Emma Watson and Logan Lerman, and remains to be one of the best book-adaptions till date.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is about Charlie, a shy high school freshman who struggles with the recent loss of his best friend as a result of which, feels like an outsider. As he writes letters to an anonymous friend, we see him navigate the ups and downs of teenage life. The movie portrays friendships, who help him come out of his shell and experience life more fully and how he confronts his past traumas and learns to embrace his true self. The story explores themes of identity, belonging, and the bittersweet nature of growing up.

I’d recommend this movie because of the similarities between Connell and Charlie . The book captures the essence of feeling lost in your teens and dealing with past traumas, so so well. Both storylines tackle themes of mental health like anxiety, depression and identity issues in very identical ways . Though I’d definitely say that Perks of being a wallflower, resonates to more of a comparatively fun theme – more of a lets-watch-it-on-a-sleepover vibe – than Normal People , so this might be a good pick for you if you’re a contemporary romcom lover.

4. Fleabag (2016) –
Fleabag is a dark comedy-drama which features a young woman in her 20s facing the complexities of life. As she processes the recent death of her best friend, the strained relationship with her family, and her chaotic love life, Fleabag’s journey is both hilarious and heart-wrenching. The series explores themes of loneliness, loss, and the search for connection, all while showcasing Fleabag’s struggle to cope with her emotions. Fleabag offers a raw and honest portrayal of modern womanhood, earning critical acclaim and a devoted fan base.

I CANNOT emphasize on the amount of Fleabag scenes/edits that have popped up in my feed over the past few years. To be very honest, I haven’t completed the show myself but I recommend this quite often because of the representation style and the slow yet humor filled approach of the series. Filled with intense emotions, emotional turmoil, yearning and dark-humour, Fleabag will definitely remind you of Normal People and it’s beautifully narrated adult relationships and personal chaos.

5. Cleopatra And Frankenstein –
Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors would be one of my no.1 book recommendations if you loved Normal People.
You can read my detail review of the book here. (it’s reall good I promise!! )

Amazingly narrated, I can guarantee that you will LOVE this book if you love Rooney’s works. It follows the same slow narration as Normal People and discusses many mental health topics like depression, eating disorder, self harm, etc. Cleo and Frank’s relationship in this book is something I can see Connell and Marianne growing up to have later in their life. Which I do agree is sad, but well that’s reality and isn’t that what we love about Normal People in the first place? The rawness of it all.

And that’s all for my recommendations. Honestly thought I had a few more movies and books I could write about here but yeah its definitely difficult to catch the vibe and essence of Normal People.
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVVEE all the recommendations I mentioned here. Not to pick favourites, but you HAVE TO watch Lady Bird and Before Sunrise Trilogy !!
Do let me know if you know any other books/shows that resonate with Normal People, in the comments. Or just let me know whatever you’ve been enjoying recently in general (I’ve been binge-watching Office. And yes I have been miserable for a while now and it keeps me sane)
Until next time, bubye! :))

Book Review : Cleopatra and Frankenstein

Jennice Mishra1 Comment

I recently completed Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors and here are my thoughts on it.
Before diving into my review, here is a short excerpt of the book :

Twenty-four-year-old British painter Cleo has escaped from England to New York and is still finding her place in the sleepless city when, a few months before her student visa ends, she meets Frank. Twenty years older and a self-made success, Frank’s life is full of all the excesses Cleo’s lacks. He offers her the chance to be happy, the freedom to paint, and the opportunity to apply for a Green Card. But their impulsive marriage irreversibly changes both their lives, and the lives of those close to them, in ways they never could’ve predicted.
Each compulsively readable chapter explores the lives of Cleo, Frank, and an unforgettable cast of their closest friends and family as they grow up and grow older. Whether it’s Cleo’s best friend struggling to embrace his gender queerness in the wake of Cleo’s marriage, or Frank’s financially dependent sister arranging sugar daddy dates to support herself after being cut off, or Cleo and Frank themselves as they discover the trials of marriage and mental illness, each character is as absorbing, and painfully relatable, as the last.

My thoughts :
Coco Mellors has done a fabulous job considering this was her debut book. Set in New York, it captures the essence of the city and furthermore deviates from the stereotype of the fast life of it. The book very beautifully navigates through the relationship of Cleo and Frankenstein and definitely stands out from any other romcom book. The slow life of Cleo and the ever-so-happening life of Frank creates a paradox , leading to the core plot of the book that shades light on the reality of adult-relationships in this career-driven world. Additionally, the novel features a few impressive side characters, each with strong personalities and intricately woven storylines, adding further depth to the narrative. These elements make the book a truly captivating read.



Personal Notes –
For someone who enjoys reading works of Sally Rooney , Ottessa Moshfegh and Meiko Kawakami, I heavily enjoyed the book and it had me hooked! I loved Cleo’s character and was genuinely amazed by the rawness of the storyline. Mellors has done an incredible job in explaining the multiple issues of adult-relationships and life in the city. Though I’d say there are a lot of trigger warnings in the book (which I’ll mention later), I’d say those topics being covered added that final touch in the book that elevated the novel from good to exceptional.
Additionally, I just loved the side characters a lot and would love to see more of them in her upcoming works.

Cleopatra and Frankenstein is not a book you read everyday. Its one of the few books which you read and it stays with you for a while.
Mellors’ recent book “Blue Sisters” is out now, and I’m sure it’s just as brilliant!

Trigger warnings for the book-
-Substance Abuse
-Self harm and suicide
-Infidelity
-Toxic relationships
-Body image issues

Book Review of “Breathtaking” by Courtney T. Bond.

Jennice Mishra1 Comment

Long time no see, huh? Well I’m back again after a long reading slump. I don’t know why, sometimes I just don’t feel like reading but I keep on buying books. Am I the only one? Do let me know in the comments section.

Okay. So now to business 😉 Let’s talk about the thing why you actually clicked on my blog post. So, I read “Breathtaking” By Courtney Turcotte Bond and here are my thoughts about it!

The Plot

Cara Ecrivain and Adam Aethhers are just neighbours. Well, let me rephrase it – They are soulmates and best friends since they were babies. They’ve always known each other. Always. And may be the window by their rooms was their connection point. Cara loves to write and since childhood has written stories and shared it to Adam in those tiny talks through their windows. But this set up is not as cute as it sounds. Cara’s father is alcoholic and her mother would rather clean their house and wear her best dresses for the people to look at her, rather than caring for her daughter. To the outer world, Ecrivain family is all – Fancy and Perfect. But inside it, are dark hidden secrets and Cara is stuck in those. Adam and her journalism class are the only escape for Cara. ….. But not every thing is the same forever. Things change, people do. Adam suddenly takes football in his high school and well Cara is left with herself. How far will she go as she starts losing her loved ones one by one and most importantly– HOW does she deal with these…. ?

Pic credit : Buzzfeed; Pic editing : Me

Stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My Thoughts

Okay. Oh my god. This book… It’s pure art. I just don’t know how I’ll express my feelings in this section but I’ll try my best to put my thoughts together and jot down those feelings in the best way!

What I liked about the book–

1. The characters

Courtney Turcotte Bond has done an amazing job with the characters. Truly speaking, these characters were so realistic that you can actually relate to them and the author just puts life to them!

2. The concept

Seriously, every YA books I read, the protagonists end up together. (Don’t worry it’s not a spoiler) But here I just loved the vibe Cara and Adam had with each other. Like authors please understand that – girls and boys can be friends without having to be couples godamn! (I’m sorry I had to get it off my chest.) And Ms. Bond has just understood the point and maintained that funky and cheerful vibe between the characters!

3. The Flow

The flow according to me is the most important part of a book. No matter how amazing the main idea behind it might be, but it’s the flow that intrigues the reader to actually complete the book. And Breathtaking had that flow we all love. It starts from Cara and Adam being kids and takes us through a journey from junior grade to high school and more. Their were substories that were so beautifully presented that makes you want to drop everything and crawl back to the book!

4. The Ending

Don’t worry. We don’t have spoilers here. I’ll just say that the ending was – realistic. Even if it broke my heart, I’ll say, the author did justice to the characters. I believe, that the books that can make me cry and laugh at the same time are pure gold! I was shattered. Yet, I loved the book.

I seriously don’t know how to put my thoughts together at this point. I just completed that book yesterday and had to sit for 1 hour straight trying to analyse everything I just went through in the past days with the book. And I also learnt a great amount of things, which I can’t share as that’ll ruin your reading experience.

I would recommend this book to anyone reading this. It’s beautiful. Also, I’m having an author interview with Ms. Courtney Bond shortly, so if you have any questions please feel free to drop those in the comments or just reach out to me through Twitter DMs (@MishraJennice). Make sure you’re following the amazing author, Ms. Bond at (@courtney_t_bond) and I’ll meet you guys soon in the next review. Until then, byee~ 🤗💜

Disclaimer- I was sent a free copy if the novel in exchange of an honest review on my blog. But this doesn’t affect any of my views and all my opinions hold true.

Disclaimer 2- Some pictures are directly taken from Pinterest and edited. The credits go to Charllete from writtenbycharlotte.com and Buzzfeed.

If I were a Rose….

Jennice Mishra29 Comments

If I were a rose  —-

You pluck me with your tender hands
And adore me with your lovely eyes.
You pull off all my beautiful strands
And caress me in your beautiful disguise

You fiddle with my petal and leaves
And say you’d never give me up
But at a certain point you just leave,
When my parts start withering off…

It’s just my fear and just a bad dream
For I’ve made myself stronger
I’ve grown out my thorns, fixed myself so firm
So that no one can pluck me like you traitor.

“Book Thief” book review

Jennice Mishra6 Comments

Great! So before you even THINK of reading this book… Make sure you get a box of tissues and loads of handkerchiefs for you gonna cry your eyes out!

Hello guys! It’s Jennice and I am back with yet another book review! Yay! (I will make it sound like a YouTube video intro coz I don’t have one) . So, a lot of you guys have requested it’s review and it’s finally heeeree! Thats it. Thats my intro. I won’t make you feel bored. So without any delays, leets get into the book review! 😁

Plot —-

The book is narrated by Death(just so you don’t get confused who the narrator is) So, the story revolves around a nine year old girl(as she is in the beginning of the book) and her experiences in a Foster Family during the Nazi Rule. Leisel, loses her brother on her last train journey before getting into her Foster Family and thats when Death met Leisel for the 1st time. She is devasted and neither does she want to live with foster parents. But she doesn’t know the series of happenings that’ll follow her from that moment when she attends her brother’s funeral. She notices that one of the graveyard diggers dropped his book manual. And that’s the first time when she steals a book. Of course, she couldn’t read it but it’s a matter of fact, that she always treasured it until her Foster father(Hans Huberman) decided to read it to her every night.

Things get better when she finally gets adjusted in her Foster Family and gets a friend – Rudy Steiner. Then death describes all the fun had over the years. But suddenly, Rudy Steiner is asked to get himself enrolled in one of the Hitler Youth. And thats not all. A jew, Max Vandenberg, is hiding in Leisel’s house while the Nazis check each and every house of the country to find the Jews….. Can Leisel survive these situations? Can she avoid the meetings she has with death? Will she learn something or just get shattered?

What I love about this Book —

1. It gives a character sketch of each character.

To explain this point, I will say you have to READ this book. Like, the book gives each character some speciality and each one of them contributes to the story in some or the other way. Everything makes Leisel realise ber faults, weaknesses, strengths etc. So, it reminds me of how each person in our life has some special significance when it comes to learning something from them.

2 . The way of writing

I completely loved the way the story was described. There are some books that I don’t like because some things are explained a bit too much…. But it wasn’t the same with this one. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every part of it and each sub-story left an everlasting impression on me.

3. The setting

Yeah, the setting is what I look forward to most of the time. I mean, you can’t imagine a story without knowing WHERE it is happening or what’s the vibe there… Here the author, Markus Zusak, has clearly explained every situation in a lovely way. He has explained the 19th century in a way we can’t imagine. Everything is just perfect!

In short, I’ll come conclude that I LOVE this book from my whole heart ❤(and body and mind and hands and legs and from ever part of my body!) It’s a must read (as I included in my 5must read books during lock down post!) . I wish I could read this over again with the same enthusiasm I had when I read it for the first time.

That’s it. I will keep this book review a bit short coz I am at loss of words to express my love for this classic! In case you wanna know more or have book recommendations, you can always comment them down and I’ll reach out to each one if you. Here are some of my handles if you would like to have a look at them —

Twitter –https://twitter.com/MishraJennice?s=09

Goodreads- https://t.co/6MF6u78BJM?amp=1

Amazon – https://t.co/accvGPzFUr

And if you are an author and want your book reviewed, feel free to contact me anytime! I hope you guys have a great weekend or weekday and are safe with your family! Have an awesome day! Thanks a loot l