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During college, I consciously read more LGBT stories to understand and learn to accept love in all forms. And there have been some really great narratives that have changed the way I have looked at love and what I’ve, for far too long, considered as the only accepted version of romantic love. Now, I don’t actively seek out queer stories but I love it when I inevitably stumble upon one. They reaffirm my belief that love is love and that one should be allowed to love anyone.

‘Red, White & Royal Blue’, Casey McQuiston’s debut novel, follows a rivalry-turned-romance trope between the Prince of Wales and the First Son of the United States. Alex Claremont-Diaz, whose mother is running for a second term for president, is passionate and eager to kick-start his own political career. Prince Henry, whose full name is Henry George Edward James Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, is much more measured and guarded—a stringent follower of decorum and protocols.

The novel begins with the two hating each other but things change when Henry kisses Alex on New Year’s Eve in the Kennedy Garden. Henry is gay. But Alex always thought he was straight. Now, after the kiss, he’s not so sure. And he can’t get Henry off his mind. His feelings for Henry make him realize he is bisexual. What ensues is a whirlwind romance with plenty of political drama. McQuiston indulges in many political fantasies, including Alex’s mom winning the presidency in 2016 (meaning Donald Trump was never the president).

The writing is honest and optimistic. There’s a lot of humor and some really wonderful moments as well. Alex and Henry are endearing and so are the other side characters who don’t feel like side characters at all. There is a lot of discussion about the characters’ aspirations, their concerns for their countries as well as all that they want to do to help the LGBTIQA+ community. It all feels like a pep talk at times.

Red, White & Royal Blue is essentially a love story but it’s also a celebration of identity. If you haven’t read a queer love story, this could be a good place to start as nothing feels forced or fake. The make-believe world couldn’t feel more real. It starts slow but when it picks up, you won’t want to put it down.

“Nepal: From Monarchy to Republic” by Professor Lok Raj Baral offers an insightful journey through Nepal’s political landscape, examining its transformation from a monarchy to a republic. The book comprises a comprehensive introduction, eight detailed chapters, and a thought-provoking epilogue.  Baral delves into various aspects of governance, constitutional development, political culture, and the challenges facing Nepal’s democracy.

The first chapter, “Institutional Crisis of Governance,” thoroughly explores the multifaceted governance issues that have plagued Nepal. Professor Baral provides a meticulous analysis of the country’s constitution, tracing its inception and the introduction of critical components such as federalism and secularism. 

He also examines the persistent trust deficit among Nepal’s political actors. Furthermore, the author critically assesses the parliamentary hearing system, deeming it formal, ritualistic, dysfunctional, and derogatory, particularly in the context of appointing judges to the Supreme Court. He also sheds light on the malpractices within the bureaucracy, the stagnation of administrative progress, and the dearth of innovative approaches to governance.

Professor Baral emphasizes the central role of the parliamentary system in Nepal and underscores its importance in other democratic nations. He notes that despite the autocratic tendencies of elected democratic leaders, the parliamentary system offers resilience and adaptability. Drawing a comparison with India, he highlights the parliamentary system’s effectiveness in addressing the diversity present in both countries. Recent Poland polls showed that autocracy is not inevitable. Democracy has the power to change, reform, and refine itself, and survive better.

The book delves into the intricate relationship between education and governance, with Professor Baral expressing concern about the deterioration of Tribhuvan University due to excessive politicization and partisan influences. He laments that many universities in Nepal have become hollow shells, lacking substance and content.

The connection between elections and democracy is dissected cogently, emphasizing that democracy encompasses more than just elections and government formation. It necessitates effective leadership, institutional efficiency, and other crucial elements. The author also addresses the issue of external interference in Nepal’s affairs, labeling it as "invited intervention." He highlights instances where leaders demonstrated resilience against external pressures, such as the decision to announce the Nepali Constitution despite external suggestions to delay it until a satisfactory solution was reached amongst all the political forces, including Madhesi parties.

He does not shy away from criticizing Nepali leaders for their history of unfulfilled promises and subservient attitudes. He recalls incidents where even leaders like BP Koirala sought to win favor with the monarch by displaying unwavering devotion to palace customs. This parent-seeking mentality, as described by Dor Bahadur Bista in his popular book ‘Fatalism and Development’, is reflected in the activities of our leaders then and now.

Intra-party conflicts and their consequences on democratization and political health are explored in detail. The rivalry between Nepali Congress leaders Girija Prasad Koirala and Krishna Prasad Bhattarai is examined, illustrating how democratic leaders sometimes compromise their principles to achieve personal gains. The book highlights how internal conflicts within political parties, including CPN- UML, have adversely affected democracy. Shankar Tiwari's book, "Kasle Sudharchha Congress," offers a comprehensive autopsy of contemporary political happenings and their implications in this context.

While Author  finds Pushpa Lal Shrestha to have believed in multiparty democracy with a republican form long ago and Madan Bhandari’s formulations not so new but ‘a jugglery of jargons and cliches’ used by the Communists of all lines, he is of the opinion that it was pragmatic enough understanding Nepal’s incompatibility with a one-party dictatorial regime. The writer does not find political parties to have taken a permanent shape and are seemingly in the throes of mutation and permutation. He also addresses the opportunistic nature of some political parties, which hinders the country’s democratic progress, both domestically and in its interactions with external powers. 

He argues that some left parties and “rashtravadi” club together and call the Nepal-India Peace and Friendship Treaty 1950 “unequal” and yet, they did not come out with any alternatives when they were in power. Why they didn’t opt for Article 10 of the treaty is beyond answerable. Professor Baral suggests that there is a lack of courage to abrogate the treaty, as it becomes a tool for scoring political points through nationalistic rhetoric.

He  touches upon Nepal’s foreign policy and its limitations in fully adhering to non-alignment and strategic autonomy, even when condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and rejecting the agreed State Partnership Program (SPP) with the USA. The author discusses the impact of Nepal’s recent diplomatic disputes, such as the ‘Chuchhe Naksha’ border issue, and suggests that it may have reached a point of no return, with limited room for compromise.

The chapter titled ‘Electocracy vs Democracy’ provides a thought-provoking analysis of elections in Nepal. Professor Baral notes that while elections may not always mirror political reality, they serve as a powerful vehicle for mobilization and democratic dynamism. Throughout the book,  he references concepts and insights from ‘How Democracies Die’, shedding light on the challenges and vulnerabilities faced by democracies. He examines grassroots democracy through local elections and scrutinizes the ability of voters to select their representatives effectively. He cites the 2022 local elections as evidence of the shortcomings of political parties. The book also delves into the deconstruction of ideologies and the dearth of effective leadership, highlighting these as challenges in Nepal's democratization process.

Economics of Governance chapter delves into Nepal's economic challenges, including a depleting economy and increasing debt. He provides a comprehensive analysis of various sectors, including tourism, agriculture, trade, and hydropower. The role of King Mahendra in land reform and its implications for agriculture are discussed briefly. The book draws from "Why Nations Fail" by Professors Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson to categorize Nepal as an "extractive economic institution," which serves a select few individuals and business entities closely aligned with government elites.

"The Native Construction of a Nation State," chapter explores the concepts of nation, national unity, and "Nepalization." He cites Frederick H. Gaige's assertion that "cultural homogeneity" is not a prerequisite for national unity, advocating for a diverse composition of the Nepali nation. He also credits Gajendra Narayan Singh with sowing the seeds of federalism in Nepal, which materialized in 2007 AD.

The author also highlights the significance of a sound foreign policy, smart diplomacy, and an inclusive approach to Nepal's military, particularly with regards to incorporating Madhesis. He asserts that achieving an egalitarian society requires equitable treatment of the poorest of the poor, Dalits, and other marginalized sections of society based on the principles of equity and social justice.

My Dashain read was ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ by Richard Osman. The book had been sitting on my shelf for over two years now. I wanted something light and fun to read during the festive season to get my mind off things and I had heard great things about it, with many people calling it a ‘cozy murder mystery’. Osman’s debut book, the film rights of which was snapped by Steven Spielberg, reminded me of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five and made me very happy.

Coopers Chase is a luxury retirement village with 300 residents in the Kent countryside in England. Every week, four senior citizens meet to investigate unsolved murder cases. The cases come from the files of a former police officer, Penny Gray, who is also the club’s founding member. But she is now lying comatose at a nursing home. So, it’s Elizabeth, probably a former spy for the MI5, Ibrahim Arif, a psychiatrist, Ron Ritchie, a former trade union hero, and former nurse Joyce Meadowcroft who meet to discuss and solve cold cases.

In The Thursday Murder Club, Ian Ventham, the owner of Coopers Chase, plans to expand the village. But that means having to dig up and relocate the bodies of nuns buried in the cemetery. The residents, especially the religious ones, aren’t happy about this. Then Ventham’s right-hand man Tony Curran is found bludgeoned to death and that soon opens a box of secrets that somebody would like to bury at any cost. Enter the police—DCI Chris Hudson and PC Donna De Freitas—who, along with the murder club members, try to figure out just what is going on.

The book isn’t your regular, pacy thriller. In fact, it’s slow and the scenes don’t flow. There are a lot of personal stories of the characters interspersed within the main narrative. But humor, and prickly British humor at that, is everywhere. The dialogue and scenes are funny. They will make you laugh out loud, even when they deal with serious situations. Osman has created relatable characters who feel like people you know. They make the story come to life. The characters are the driving force of what could otherwise have been a run-of-the-mill story.

The Thursday Murder Club is, at its core, a mystery. But it’s also a novel about friendship, love, loss, and coming to terms with who we are and what we value. Osman also challenges the notion of old age. The four unlikely but immensely lovable amateur detectives or ‘harmless pensioners’ are testimony to the fact that age doesn’t and shouldn’t stop you from doing what you love.

Fiction

The Thursday Murder Club

Richard Osman

Published:

Publisher:

Pages: Paperback

I have read a couple of Lisa Jewell’s books and heard discussions about others on YouTube. Though I have never been particularly fond of any of her works, I don’t know why I keep picking up her books whenever I come across one. It doesn’t make my heart jump with joy but when I see a new book by the author, I always grab it. I had ‘The Family Upstairs’ on Kindle but I still got a paperback copy recently. The cover was gorgeous. Still, I should have saved the money.

Not that the book was bad. But I didn’t really need a physical copy on my shelves. It’s not a book I’ll be recommending people to read. But I know people might enjoy it because it’s a light, pacy read.

A surprise inheritance sends a young woman named Libby Jones down the harrowing spiral of her own shocking history in this domestic suspense that sometimes feels taut and drags on a little in many other places. When Libby inherits a mansion in a posh neighborhood in London, her life, she thinks, is finally changing for the better. But little does she know that by claiming the inheritance she is also taking responsibility for a darker history, that she has a connection to an unsolved crime and a cult-like society. And things are waiting to unravel as soon as Libby makes herself known.

The plot has all the makings of a super gripping read. It is dark and broody. The setting—of cold, bleak London—adds to the claustrophobic feeling. Jewell had a clear concept while writing the book and she has executed that well. The characters are also well-crafted too. But the narrative switches between the past and the present and that’s where you get confused. I can’t really pinpoint why but it’s difficult to keep track of the two narratives and be able to connect them. 

The good thing about the book is that though it’s a thick volume the font is quite big and the chapters aren’t long either. So, you will find yourself getting through it pretty quickly. The plot, even when it drags on, does manage to grab your interest. It feels a little too cliché in some places—like you’ve read the section before (in some other thriller books) or seen a similar scene play out in a movie. But I guess that is a problem all thriller readers can identify with. When you have read a lot of horror/thriller books, everything feels somewhat familiar.

Fiction

The Family Upstairs

Lisa Jewell

Published: 2019

Publisher: Penguin Random House UK

Pages: 451, Paperback