Skip to main content

Review - So Now You Know by Vivek Tejuja

I was very excited to read this book because this was supposed to tell me the journey of a person trying to be himself and find his place in the world where being LGBTQI+ is a crime. Things might have improved for them in the modern world, but this wasn't the case previously. So, no matter how hard you try to understand, you will never know their suffering. You can only be empathetic.

While reading the book, I felt like my friend was trying to tell me his story. I have read reviews where people said it felt repetitive. But I felt like I could listen to his story over and over because, after all, isn't that what we do when someone is trying to share their grief or joy. They tend to repeat a few things and emphasize some moments more than others. The sole reason for me to read this book was to know my friend better and understand how difficult things were/are for him. It might not be the same, but I got a glimpse of everything.

This book was too personal, as the author has poured his heart out and didn't shy away from telling you his moments to give you a better perspective. Such books are the need of the hour, as even though people say they are okay being their friends, they behave otherwise. Sometimes, they don't even want to be friends with them. I feel every person has a different story and we should judge no one based on their gender. It is still love if a man loves a man. It is still love if a female loves a female. Just because you don't approve of something, it doesn't mean it is not. If you are okay with inter-caste or inter-religion relations, then why not this? Isn't it the same? What is so wrong with identifying oneself with someone other than a girl or a boy? They are still human.

All this comes from a kind heart because I know how my friend feels. What he goes through on a daily basis and still comes out stronger. Read this book to understand people around you better, to remove the barrier of treating them differently just because you found out they belong to the LGBTQl+ community; they haven't changed. They are still the same person you have known for years. It's just that they took time to come out in the open and fight their fears.

Rating - 4/5
Genre - LGBTQI+ , contemporary fiction

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Book Review - Poison Dream by Kitty Cook

It is the sequel to Sleeping Together. In the previous book, the story was more focused on Vanessa and Altan. Here you get to see more of Pete. Things take a different turn every now and then, and you always pray for your favourite character to win. The best part I found about this book is how every character is flawed, but there is more to them. You will judge them based on what they do but when you are having your weak moments. One can grant you some exceptions, as not everyone can be graceful. Yes, terrible mistakes can be made, but later how you look at it is most important. You don’t have to hate a person just because they did you wrong, at the same time you can’t like them either. You land somewhere between where you accept the fact and move on without being bitter about it. I liked and disliked many things about these characters, and they represent someone you know in real life. So, it isn’t hard to get to them. It’s a book about love and to what extent you can go for the peop...

Review - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

  I don’t know what to make of this book as it left me with so many things to think about regarding the scenarios/situations I read. Also, if it falls into the romance genre, I can only find revenge and desperation to prove the other person wrong. The book is tricky as it has a story within a story. But after some time, it becomes easy to identify one from another, and it doesn’t feel like a chore. I found it hard to understand what is going on at the beginning.  Also, the gothic parts were very few and were not scary at all. They added little to the story; I feel. I felt something would come out of it, but found nothing. There are two main characters, Heathcliff and Catherine, and both were just okay. I didn’t like Heathcliff at all. His traits were brutal and harsh. Despite that, I was always looking forward to what he is up to next. On the other hand, Catherine is too sweet and gullible (not the Catherine you are thinking about, though). The book has a theme of love, frie...

Review - A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

This is a larger-than-life kind of book. Where you trade between one character to another or one story to another seamlessly. You don't even feel the need to go back to the other end. You enjoy what is presented to you. Well! At times you despise it too. As per my understanding, the story revolves around three main themes - Relationships, Abuse/Trauma, and Depression. You can find some ideas or opinions interchangeably in these. Character names - Jude, Willem, JB, Malcom, Andy, Harold, Julia and Richard Depression If you have ever read anything Depression, then you just know the tip of the iceberg. This book takes you down on a deeper level and shows you what is underneath the iceberg. Now, you might not be ready for it but it has been shoved at your face. You have to have it despite its uneasiness. I took a break from time to time to grasp the story in a much better way. A person can excel in his career but the ghosts of the past won't let you live in peace. Some incidents are...