F E A T U R E – B O O K S T A G R A M
Tasnia Shahrin
Tarin Fatema’s blog is another gem in the BookstagramBD’s community — in the name of @shewalksinfiction, where Tarin expresses herself through the lens of a camera. Hence, she definitely is a visual storyteller who explores the world of books through capturing pictures and moments of life. Her photographic art is often retro-esque, French-inspired, and minimal. Much of her thought process revolves around her love for books, and the new worlds they introduce her to and that is how “she walks in fiction”.
Here is a list of genre-based books recommended by Tarin.
Classic
Sultana’s Dream by Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain
Sultana’s Dream was originally published in The Indian Ladies’ Magazine, (Madras, 1905) in English. Considering the time and place it was written, this story is a powerful satire on traditional stereotypes related to women in conservative and male-dominated places.
Given the fact that Tarin creates bold-visual art that promotes and supports women and literature in a very mindful way, this book surely seems a way to understand her ideas about life better, and hence, it’s highly recommended!
Mystery
The Goldfinch by Donna Tart
Winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, The Goldfinch is a doorstopper, weighing in at over 700 pages. Yet, you will find yourself tearing through it as if you couldn’t read it fast enough. It is a story of a boy who is drawn to a small piece of art after the death of his mother. It is a story of loss and survival. It also portrays a picture of self-invention amidst the ruthless machinations of fate.
Historical Fiction
The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff
The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff is an emotional historical fiction that puts together a tale about a traveling circus in Europe during World War II and of the friendship and sorrow of two women aerialist performers from the circus. The Author’s Note also tells us that this story was inspired by real people that she met during her research for this novel and that the circus was a way to hide some Jewish people to help keep them safe during the Holocaust.
Dystopia/Sci-fi
The Monsters of Verity by V. E. Schwab
The Monsters of Verity is a duology by Victoria Schwab, following Kate Harker and August Flynn, two heirs to the divided city of Verity, where monsters are born from acts of violence. The two books, This Savage Song and Our Dark Duet are much celebrated by readers all around the world and Tarin highly recommends them as well!
South-Asian Literature
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
The Namesake is the first novel by American author Jhumpa Lahiri. Moving between events in Calcutta, Boston, and New York City, the novel examines the nuances of being caught between two conflicting cultures with highly distinct religious, social, and ideological differences.
Urban Fantasy
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
If you want to read a mysterious, crazily intriguing book, this is it. In this book, readers will follow the point of view of Alice Crewe (aka Alice Proserpine) as she and her mom move away yet again from the bad luck that is chasing them everywhere they go. Growing up, Alice and her mom Ella moved often from state to state and live temporary at family and friends’ house until bad luck catches up to them and they would have to move again. This bad luck involves Alice’s grandmother, Althea Proserpine and the series of fairy tales of Hinterland that she authored. Overall, the plot of this book is deliciously creepy and it will definitely hook you in!
Non-fiction
The Day That Went Missing by Richard Beard
“On a hot summer’s day in 1978, 11-year-old Richard Beard is on holiday with his family, playing on a Cornish beach with his three brothers. As his mother begins to pack up the picnic, he and his nine-year-old brother Nicholas ask for one last swim. They run into the sea, but minutes later, as they splash about, Richard feels a strong current rip the sand from under his feet. Fighting for his life, he swims to shore with one last look at his brother, whose face is frightened and strained as he succumbs to the ocean. Richard reaches the safety of the beach and runs to tell an adult, but it is too late and his brother Nicky has drowned.”
– Goodreads synopsis
This memoir is Richard Beard’s therapeutic attempt after all of the intervening years to find out exactly what happened on that sunny day and try to come to terms with it.
Magic Realism
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
At once both sharply current and dreamily magical, this book is social commentary, fantasy, and an emotion-laden look at how we crave connection even in the bleakest, most chaotic of times.
The writer is part of the TDA Editorial Team.