A reflective journey from childhood encounters with the sea to Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea and Melville’s Moby-Dick. Through memory, imagination, luck, survival and literary craft, the writer explores how reading has evolved from experiencing stories as a reader to observing how writers shape imagination, anticipation and experience.
Tag: fiction
The Day My Frozen Shoulder Got Mobilised
A frozen shoulder, a fearless doctor, a suspicious bottle, a Dolby-enabled bone, and one terrified patient collide in this absurd account of an unforgettable procedure. Add sleeplessness, sambar, prayer, chai, a wooden-stick anaesthesia joke, tears, an Uber rider named Satyanarayanan, and Goosey (AI), and you have one very eventful day!
Series Review: Musafir Café | Season 1 | Netflix Series
Musafir Café offers a refreshing break from lengthy soap operas, presenting a relatable eight-episode series that explores modern relationships. The reviewer appreciates its emotional depth and characters while reflecting on personal views about love and societal expectations. The series prompts introspection rather than changing beliefs, highlighting the complexity of emotional truth.
Love Has Fireworks: A Review | My Take
"Love Has Fireworks" offers a reflective examination of modern Tamil cinema, emphasizing its artistic merit through nuanced performances rather than formulaic hero worship. The drama showcases intelligent romance, powerful restraint, and skillful acting that evokes genuine emotions, reminding viewers of the potential for depth in storytelling. It renews hope for meaningful narratives in cinema.
A Journey into the World of Asian Graphic Novels
Asian graphic novels transcend the typical superhero narrative, exploring diverse themes like love, trauma, and everyday life. Originating from rich traditions predating Western graphic novels, they encompass various styles, from shōnen to webtoons. Notable works like Dong-Hwa Kim's The Color Trilogy illustrate this depth, inviting readers into a unique literary world.
The Magic of Mango Season: A Child-Adult’s Fantasy
Summer apps sell golden-hued and lush mangoes which are CGI improved. They are not like Mangoes from my childhood. I remember. Kailash's divine fruit. Srivatsam's sticky wars. A kotai sucked clean, believing it to be the crowning glory of summer. Teacher Periamma spoons. Banganepalli with decorum. Now, just memory — sweet, aching, ripe. This is not a recipe. It's a return.
Chinese Drama Review | Pursuit of Jade | My Take
"Pursuit of Jade" is a 40-episode Chinese drama adapted from a web novel, focusing on the relationship between Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng amidst societal and personal challenges. The story highlights themes of innocence, aspiration, and the complexity of love, juxtaposed with the harsh realities of power and tradition, while offering nuanced female character portrayals.
Drama Review | Love, Labour, and Quiet Hope: Revisiting Love Story in the 1970s
Love Story in the 1970s is a period drama focusing on the aspirations of a young couple, Fei Ni and Fang Muyang, framed within the socio-economic constraints of 1970s China. Their relationship evolves from a practical arrangement into a profound partnership, highlighting themes of support, commitment, and the quiet resilience required to pursue dreams amidst adversity.
Learning to See Light: What “Shine on Me” Understands About Healing
The blog post explores the Chinese drama "Shine on Me," emphasising its focus on the subtleties of healing rather than transformation. It highlights the understated storytelling of Gu Man, which allows characters to experience emotional uncertainty. The narrative reveals how relationships are shaped by one's ability to receive affection and the nuanced presence of manipulation, promoting patience and self-awareness in personal growth.
Worlds That Cannot Be Translated
The analysis of contemporary Asian dramas "Can This Love Be Translated?" and "Our Interpreter" explores the complexities of translation as both a profession and an internal experience. It highlights the tension between linguistic precision and emotional nuance, emphasising that true understanding often eludes translation, reflecting the depth of human experience and connection.
Itinerant Storyteller 