15 Best Reads of 2024
Reflections on the best reads of the year so far
Hi everyone!
I like to keep track of what I’ve read, analyse the patterns of my reading habits, and note down similarities, and contrasts in the storylines of books I end up reading. Reading keeps me going. If I’m having a bad day, reading even one short story can lighten it up for me. If I’m having a hectic week, and I manage to read even one paragraph while waiting for something to cook on the gas, that will make it a better week.
As a writer, I think reading is one of the most important and pleasurable things to do if you want to keep writing and getting better at it. Though reading for ‘fun’ can mean different things to different people. For me, it’s the nerdy version. I read to enjoy the craft, and analyse each aspect of the story closely.
Last year, I struggled to focus and read books outside of work. This year I sought out books that made the activity of reading easier and more realistically achievable for me. Here’s what I ended up reading-
-Paperbacks- In comparison to ebooks and hardcovers, paperbacks are easier on the eyes and you can easily carry it on commutes (local trains) or while reading it at home (in bed or on a couch).
-Short books- Short books seems like a realistic target to tackle. Most of the books I read this year happened to be within 100-200 pages.
-Short story collections- Short story collections have less commitment as you can dip in and out and read them in between novels, and you don’t need to remember what you read last or keep track of the narrative.
-Fiction- Though I do read poetry & non-fiction, I’ve found myself drawn to fiction more, maybe because I’m actively writing in the space this year.
I’ve combined book into categories based on the takeaways I’ve had after reading the books.
(i)Asian horror & speculative fiction
Some Asian horror draws on Asian folklore and culture which is why I enjoy it more than Western stories.
1. The Eyes Are The Best Part by Monika Kim- Novel
I won’t lie, the cover is one of the best I’ve ever seen. It made me want to know what the book is about. The blurb was intriguing enough to make me request the galley. This turned out to be quite a page-turner! This debut novel effectively tackles body horror (eyes), being a woman in a male-dominated world, and the Asian immigrant experience through an unhinged unreliable narrator, Ji-won.
There are many stories of the immigrant experience out there, and Monika Kim has managed to make this story anything but cliché. She has managed to cover parent–child, sibling, friendship, and many more relationships through an emotional and gripping story. I’m in awe of her skill.
Looking forward to reading more horror from her.
Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC!
2. Your Utopia by Bora Chung- Short story collection
I read Cursed Bunny and interviewed Chung last year. I knew I had to read Your Utopia as it is translated by Anton Hur again. He really gets Chung! This has a mix of sci fi, fantasy and horror. My favourite story from the collection so far is An Ordinary Marriage because it involves a marriage, an alien and horrible bosses. Must read.
Thank you Hachette India for the review copy.
3. Biopeculiar by Gigi Ganguly- Short story collection
I’m not too keen on speculative fiction which includes a lot of worldbuilding and complex concepts that require you to be an ardent follower of that particular genre, or requires multiple re-reads which is why this book was perfect for me. Most of the stories in this collection are short, and convey just enough for you to understand the world and also root for the characters. My favourite story involves silkworm cocoons and humans. When you read it you’ll know why.
You can listen to my conversation with the author here.
Thank you Westland for the review copy.
4. Instruments of Torture by Aparna Sanyal Upadhyay- Short Story Collection
Aparna’s stories give you the chills for how she focuses on society’s rituals/ expectations and how horrific they can be. If you liked Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery, you will like the stories in this collection. Arranged marriages, mental health, ill children, and more. Set in an Indian context, she takes medieval torture devices to show how screwed up the modern world can be.
Thank you Harper India for the review copy.
(ii) Unconventional families
A big fan of family drama- be it nuclear, joint, conventional or unconventional families. These books explore conventional families with different parenting styles, taboo upbringings, found families and more.
5. The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin- Novel
It was interesting to see an alternate version of what we know as the Biblical version of Mary and Jesus’ relationship. In this version, Mary feels lost, and she’s under surveillance after Jesus’s crucifixion. We get to see Jesus through her eyes. And it isn’t what you expect after having read the Bible.
I kept imagining different ways in which the book could have shown what Mary really felt, especially when she is informed of what role she plays being God’s son’s mother and all, but I guess that’s the potential of retelling the scriptures or mythology. There are endless possibilities.
6. Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent- Novel
I really enjoyed this Irish thriller set in Ireland and New Zealand. It is written from the points of views of the offspring of a kidnapper and his victim. Thrillers usually cover the story of the kidnapper or the victim. This pushed the envelope and went deeper into the psyches of a brother and sister’s view of life who share a horrific past. It not only shows you a view of biological parenting, but also adopting and found families.
You can listen to my conversation with the author here.
Thank you Penguin India for the review copy.
7. Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau- Novel
This was a fun read told from the point of view of a young babysitter who comes from a very strict family and her worldview is changed when she gets to babysit a modern, erratic and unconventional family in the neighbourhood that introduces her to concepts like drugs and sex which are treated as taboo in her own house. Mary Jane is not just her name but it’s also code for Marijuana, yes.
(iii) Indian immigrant experience
If you have been following my work, you know I write about migration, and actively seek out works written from an ‘immigrant’ point of view because I was born and raised outside India. It is tough to come across unique stories in this genre these days because like any genre or trope, it can get repetitive.
8. Friend of my youth by Amit Chaudhuri- Novel
This is the kind of novel a writer would enjoy. Especially if you have left your hometown or the place you grew up in, and you’re returning to it. I’m always on the lookout for books based on Bombay, as that’s where my family stays, and where I moved after having lived in Bahrain.
9. The Best Possible Experience by Nishanth Injam- Short Story Collection
Injam’s characters clearly struggle as migrants in another country. Some are grieving, some are broke, some experience culture shock, some are clueless about what to do with their lives, some want a partner, some want a residency. Each story carries the pain of characters who have moved to another country for a better life and what they experience instead is something one can’t put into words but Injam manages to do just that.
Thank you Harper India for the review copy.
(iv) Disability
There are very few stories on disability in India, be it fiction or -non-fiction. I’m glad publishing is opening up and embracing more stories on disability, especially written by authors who live with disability.
10. Grammar of my body by Abhishek Anicca-Memoir
It’s rare to come across narratives on disability in India, and Anicca’s memoir pushes the envelope on not just speaking about living with disability but it’s also a very raw and honest account of desire and queerness.
Thank you Penguin India for the review copy.
11. And they lived… Ever after by Rising Flame- Anthology
An anthology which subverts fairytales and retells them from the point of view of characters who are brown and live with disability. I grew up watching a lot of Disney fairytales. Disability was often villianised in fairytales. I often couldn’t relate because I never saw a brown character on screen. The only non-white character I remember watching on screen was Pocahontas so this book was refreshing for how ‘Indian’ and diverse it is.
Thank you Harper India for the review copy.
(v) Religion & Cult like Influence
12. The Circle by Dave Eggers- Novel
I’m often drawn to female led stories that revolve around their work life. I loved this book for the character’s journey in a company which seeks to make the world more transparent than it is. What starts out as something simple and harmless slowly balloons into something sinister, almost cult like. We get to see how her relationship with her colleagues, her friends, her parents, and her partners starts to change as she climbs up the ladder in this company.
13. The Incendiaries by R. O. Kwon- Novel
Told from three points of view, Phoebe, Will and John, this novel will make you ponder about faith, power dynamics in relationships, student life and much more. Will’s point of view reminded me of Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld because of how his financial status sets him apart from the others.
14. The Secret Lives of Church ladies by Deesha Philyaw- Short Story Collection
As a Catholic, I was curious about exploring these short stories inhabited by women and faith, and I wasn’t disappointed. Read this book for the craft, each story is innovative and fresh, and does justice to the world of that particular short story. One of my favourites from the collection explores the relationship between half- sisters through an epistolary form- a letter. A letter can easily become boring and ‘telling’, but the way Deesha uses dialogues and scenes, you forget it’s a letter.
(vi) No Category
15. A Kind of Madness by Uche Okonkwo- Short Story Collection
Okonkwo is one of the most talented short story writers I’ve come across. She is true to her characters and setting. She explores life in Nigeria, dark themes, family dynamics, envy, and friendship with finesse. If you like stories by Chimamanda Adichie, you will like this.
So these were my top 15 reads. Let me know what you read!