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Three stars 

Fiction

Radio Silence

Alice Oseman

Published: 2016

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 401, Paperback

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25322449-radio-silence

Alice Oseman signed her first book deal when she was 17. Her debut novel ‘Solitaire’ was published in 2014 when she was 19. ‘Radio Silence’ is her second book and she has meanwhile published a few other works including a web comic series titled ‘Heartstopper’. She has received some awards too and her stories are often praised for their realistic portrayal of contemporary teenage life. I read Radio Silence because a booktuber I’m fond of (@paperbackdreams) raves about this book every chance she gets. Even when the book doesn’t fit any of the prompts for recommendations, she will find a way to talk about it, often plucking it from her shelf and going, “Hey guys, read Radio Silence”. So, you could say I read it for her. 

Radio Silence would have hit differently if I were in middle or high school. As an adult, it didn’t resonate much but the plot is quite enjoyable and uplifting. The story is about an academically-driven teen named Frances whose only goal is to get good grades and secure a seat at a good university. But that’s ‘school-Frances’, the person everyone sees. At home, she’s obsessed with a science-fiction podcast and makes fan art for it. Then she meets the creator of the podcast, Aled, and the two strike up a friendship that changes the course of things for both of them.

 The book has strong themes of friendship, identity, and parental neglect. I liked the fact that Radio Silence isn’t your typical boy-meets-girl-and-romance-ensues narrative. Oseman doesn’t focus on romantic relationships as much as she does on friendship. When every other YA novel revolves around a love story, this new direction feels refreshing and lends a different perspective to what coming-of-age can feel like. And many times, that has nothing to do with raging hormones. 

The book has powerful messages for teenagers and those who are stressed about life after high school. Oseman’s writing is simple. You can hear the characters talk and their thoughts too. At times it feels like you are one of them as you get caught up in what’s happening. I would have given the book four or five stars if I were younger. I still give it three stars because I think it’s a book you couldn’t go wrong with. There are interesting bits that put you in a contemplative mood. And there is an element of suspense. She tells a good story and I will definitely be reading her other books.

Two stars

Fiction

Scythe

Neal Schusterman

Published: 2016

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd

Pages: 440, Paperback

‘Scythe’ by Neal Schusterman is set in a utopian world where humans have conquered poverty, various social ills, and even death. There are no diseases, people don’t die of old age—they can reset their age when they feel like it, and if they get into accidents or such, they are taken to revival centers where they are brought back to life in a few days.

However, the only habitable planet is the earth. Missions to the moon and mars have failed. And so, the population needs to be curtailed, which is why there are these groups of people known as the scythes who have the power to ‘glean’ (meaning kill) people at their own discretion. Each scythe has a quota of people whose lives they have to end within a certain time. So scythes are equally revered and feared in this world where everything is seemingly perfect.

However, though scythes are supposed to glean without bias and killing people isn’t supposed to be enjoyable, there are some corrupt ones who treat it like a hunting sport, choosing to glean in mass and loving the bloodbath. Teenagers Citra and Rowan are taken in as scythe apprentices. Following their year-long training, they are told one of them will become a scythe and the other will go back to his/her old life. But halfway into their training, it’s decided that the winner will have to glean the other.

The two, who are mutually attracted, don’t know how to deal with this new development but each is determined to save the other. They also discover that some scythes are breaking the rules, terrorizing people and killing mercilessly. The two apprentices suddenly find themselves thrust into a world where nothing is as it seems and the future of humanity is at stake.

The writing is good. The story is okay. Scythe isn’t boring but it’s not as fascinating as it could have been. I didn’t want to give up on it as I wanted to know if and how Citra and Rowan would escape their doomed fate. Things do happen that make you gasp and shudder but these are few and far between, making it a slow read.

There are all these interesting ideas about how life would be if you had everything you ever wanted and there was no conflict whatsoever. It gets you thinking but it’s not enough to keep you hooked. All in all, Scythe is forgettable but good enough for a leisurely read.

Remember “Delhi Belly?” The 2011 Hindi action-comedy that paved the way for more quirky, low-budget but well-written and executed films in the Indian film industry? Released this weekend on Netflix, “Looop Lapeta”—also said to be a remake of the 1998 German thriller “Run Lola Run”—knowingly or unknowingly styles itself after Delhi Belly. Looop Lapeta tries to emulate Delhi Belly’s idiosyncrasies in writing, direction, acting, background music, and cinematography and improvises on Run Lola Run’s story.  

Savina Borkar aka Savi (Taapsee Pannu)—a track runner whose career has just ended after an on-field accident—is in a live-in relationship with Satyajeet aka Satya (Tahir Raj Bhasin), a gambling addict who wants to get rich quickly. As greedy and conniving as he is, Satya still manages to get in a mess with local goon Victor (Dibyendu Bhattacharya). Now Savi has to find Rs five million in 50 minutes to save Satya.  

In the other bit of the story, brothers Appu and Gappu (Manik Papneja and Raghav Raj Kakker) are plotting to rob their father’s jewelry store while a desperate cab driver Robert (Alistar Bennis) is planning to elope with his girlfriend Julia (Shreya Dhanwanthary) who is getting married at a local church.  

Although the stories in the film concern different sets of people, their fates are intertwined. With Satya-Savi’s story as the main peg, all the characters are interlinked in a time loop that Savi controls. Based on her choices and actions, everyone’s life takes a different course while she struggles to get a happy ending for herself and Satya. 

With all these stories to tell in an unconventional mode and with the artistic freedom given by OTT platforms, Looop Lapeta seems like a fast-paced action comedy with plenty of mind-boggling twists. But only the trailer and the first quarter of the film give you that experience. As the film progresses, things start getting repetitive (literally!) and boring.  

The problem with Looop Lapeta is, it just tries too hard. The time loops are rather long, maybe trying to justify the extra ‘o’ in the film’s misnomer of a title and even with its length exceeding two hours, storytelling seems lacking in places. Besides Savi, none of the characters get a proper back story and hers is not justified either. Director Aakash Bhatia seems to be lost somewhere between commercial and arthouse cinema in this film penned by four writers in total.  

The group of writers tries to be clever, inserting cryptic messages and allusions to other films, including a very-very famous Hollywood blockbuster from the early 90s. Some parts and conversations in the movie also allude to the story of Savitri who prevented her husband Satyavan’s death in Mahabharata. But all this wittiness is useless with the film’s imperfect storytelling and weak character development. 

Also, the two lead characters—Tahir Raj Bhasin and Taapsee Pannu—disappoint with their performances. Somehow, Taapsee doesn’t fit into the role of a recently retired athlete and throughout the film, her performance is akin to that of a high schooler who has not understood her assignment. Similarly, Tahir seems to have over-read his assignment is trying to over-perform for his teachers. The critical acclaim the actor earned from his recent series “Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein” is getting undone with his uncomfortable goofiness in Looop Lapeta. 

Delhi Belly, or any other film that tries to break the conventional shackles of Bollywood, mostly have one thing in common—their background scores get them an audience of their own. Unfortunately, Looop Lapeta fails here too. Although it tries various contemporary genres and a lot of modern jazz, there’s no “Bhaag D.K. Bose” in the film. Not even something remotely close to it.  

Who should watch it? 

It’s Valentine’s season and you may be thinking of watching movies based on love and all. Let me tell you, Looop Lapeta is not a love story. We don’t even know whether Savi is really in love with Satya or she’s put herself in the situation because she has nothing else to do. So, the movie is more for an audience looking for an action-comedy than a love story. But lovers can still enjoy it, separately, with the forward button handy. 

On Netflix 
Rating: 2 stars
Genre: Action comedy
Actors: Tahir Raj Bhasin, Taapsee Pannu
Director: Aakash Bhatia
Run time: 2hrs 11 mins

Four stars

Fiction

House of Hollow

Krystal Sutherland

Published: 2021

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Pages: 300, Paperback

Strange things have always happened around the Hollow sisters—Grey, Vivi, and Iris—ever since they disappeared as children and reappeared a month later with no memory of the past. It was like they were reborn on the day they came back. Their father, Gabe Hollow, thinks something is wrong with them. Not only were their eyes and hair different, they also felt like strangers. He drives himself mad trying to work out the reason and eventually kills himself.

The girls settle into their daily routine with their mother but Grey and Vivi drop out of school and move out of their home to pursue their ‘dreams’. Grey becomes a model and designer while Vivi plays in a band. Iris, on the other hand, lives with their mother and goes to school. She (or rather her mother) hopes she will become a doctor one day. Then, 10 years later, Grey goes missing. And someone seems to be after Vivi and Iris.

The key to finding and saving Grey (as well as making sure the figure lurking in the shadows isn’t able to get to them) lies in decoding what happened all those years ago. Grey has left them clues and while trying to piece things together, they discover sinister and shocking secrets.

‘House of Hollow’ by Krystal Sutherland has a very sinister feel to it. Grey feels a little off, like she isn’t who she claims to be or maybe she knows more than she’s telling. Does she remember what happened when they disappeared? Why does the clothes she designs smell like rot and death? And can she really manipulate people’s minds to do as she wishes them to? Where does this power come from?

There are so many questions that make you want to keep turning the pages, despite your palms being slick with fear while reading this haunting tale where flowers spurt from wounds and a bull-horned creature, possibly from the other world, is on the prowl.

Also read: ‘The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina’ book review: A class of its own

I don’t usually read horror novels. This was my first since ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelly many, many years ago so I had forgotten how traumatizing it can be. An eerie feeling dominates your days when you are reading a well-executed horror story, and House of Hollow, with its beautiful writing and carefully crafted characters, gets under your skin.

The family drama makes the story relatable and emotional. Mother-daughter relationship is a crucial aspect of the narrative. Sutherland has woven many other strong themes into the plot. House of Hollow isn’t just a horror story. It deals with grief, love, obsession, the price of fame and beauty, and the bond between siblings. It’s a slim volume with a lot going that will have you marveling at Sutherland’s ability to keep it concise in such a compelling story.