After the War is Over [REVIEW]

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS

I love booked that are set during the World Wars and I really enjoyed this one.

Charlotte was a great character. She was a strong, independent woman when it was ‘odd’ for a woman to be those things. I really liked Edward too and how it showed how he was effected after losing his leg and how the war changed him. Another character I really liked was Robbie (something about those Scots!)

I found, however, their relationship was a bit choppy. They were obviously in love since she was Lilly’s governess, but they never acted on it (understandably). Then they hadn’t seen each other during the war until Edward was released from the hospital and was found by Robbie (they were still in love, but didn’t know how the other felt). They don’t act on their feelings for a good chunk of the book (more or less pushing each other away). Then they get to spend a month alone in a cottage together (the romantic in me was squeeing hardcore in anticipation). They confess, get a bit hot and heavy… then agree that they can’t be together. Um, what? So they continue torturing themselves while thinking of each other, but end up together in the end. I dunno, it was just a bit strange to me. I’m happy they ended up together though, I was rooting for them the whole time.

One thing that stuck with me, however, was the shellshock. In my research for my own stories, I found that the term shellshock was first recorded in a medical journal in 1915; even five years after it was used, I doubt it would be a popular term with civilians. It wasn’t completely understood at the time and a lot of people saw it as cowardice – yet a lot of people in the book knew about it and were understanding of it.

4/5

A Bollywood Affair [REVIEW]

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW

 

I wanted to like A Bollywood Affair, I really did, but it was hard.

To be absolutely truthful, Mili annoyed the shit out of me. She was a complete damsel in distress and was constantly crying. Samir annoyed me too with his amazing ability to only think using ‘Little Sam’. But together they were almost the perfect Mary-Sue and Gary-Stu couple. Mili was smart, kind, caring, understand. Her only faults? She was sensitive and clumsy. Samir was rich, famous, handsome, cared immensely for his family. His faults? He was a bit of a manipulative bastard.

I was hoping to get a glimpse of Indian culture and would take place in India more, but it really didn’t.

I know Mili spent her whole life believing she was married to a man she never met, but this is where I get confused. She is studying Women’s Studies in America and wants to make the world easier or Indian women (and she loves how free and independent American women are). But yet she still believes in an illegal marriage to a man she hasn’t see since she married him as a child. And she’s trying to make herself into the perfect Indian wife.

Mili also never gets mad at anyone except Samir. She doesn’t get angry at her ‘husband’ for never coming to get her or at least getting in contact with her after all these years. Doesn’t get angry at her grandmother who sent false lawsuits under her name. No, only gets mad at Samir because he failed to tell her who he really was. She was also way too trusting with him (letting him practically live with her after him just taking her to the hospital) and she overreacted when they first met.

Another thing that I found weird were Samir’s moms. I understand that he would resent his birth mom for giving him up. What I don’t understand is how his adoptive mom could be so welcoming to her. Perhaps I’m just not an understanding and forgiving person, but I can’t imagine getting on without a hitch with a woman who my husband had an affair and child with.

One thing that really stuck out to me was that everyone in the book agreed that Samir’s adoptive mom was the kindest, warmest person ever, yet in the prologue (which I really enjoyed) when child-Mili is crying, she doesn’t know whether to slap her or hug her.

Like I said, I wanted to like this book, but it was really hard.

2/5