#26// cursed sisters, sad endings

glory, guns, sad ending

Dear Reader,
How are you? I have been having an okay-ish week munching on an unhealthy amount on Dorritos. I plan to read lesser this year, and by lesser, I mean less of books to recommend. My stack of Malayalam books has been growing steadily, untouched, and I keep thinking every year that I need to channel some time towards that and read without feeling the need to recommend. I haven’t picked any yet (a shame!). I have been re-reading books this month, and it somehow gives me more joy and comfort than I imagined. So I am wondering if re-reading will be a yearlong thing or a one-time thing. Which also makes me think, what do I write about if I am finding lesser time to read. But fear not, today I come with some excellent recommendations for your weekend indulgence.
 

Read

I had the most wonderful time reading the middle grade trilogy by Michelle Harrison that follows the three witchy Widdershins sisters. I began reading the first book, A Pinch of Magic, in December and greatly enjoyed it. We are introduced to the vain, flirtatious Fliss, adventurous Betty, and forever-hungry six year old Charlie—the three Widdershins sisters who stay with their grandmother. They live at the prison island Crowstone and are cursed — the Widdershins cannot leave Crowstone; if they do, they die before sunset. Naturally, this is a big shock to Betty because her dream is to travel far and wide. Then comes the bigger surprise — family heirlooms with magic that are passed on to the three sisters. So there’s a mirror that can help you communicate with others, a scruffy carpet bag that can help you travel, nesting dolls that make you invisible, each given to each sister.
 
It would not be a middle grade adventure novel if the sisters listen to the rules and stay out of trouble, would it? So these girls are determined to break the curse, and in the process get acquainted with mean, dangerous convicts kept in Crowstone tower (Not very pleasant to use magic and appear in a cell!). There’s a kidnapping, there’s a big chance that all the sisters are going to die and there are new friendships forged. It is pacy, thrilling and keeps you turning the pages. If you love adventure novels, this one’s for you.
 

In A Sprinkle of Sorcery, the sisters are on another adventure. The curse is broken (that’s no spoiler right?), but surprises await. Charlie is kidnapped, and there’s a mysterious girl with hagstones and a will o’wisp that joins the search party. Their destination? An island that doesn’t exist on the map. The second book is pacy-er and more unexpected. You have no idea how the story is going ahead. Betty’s sense of adventure is infectious. The folklore elements added to the plot make the plot meatier to chew into. And there are pirates! And secret treasures! And adventures.
 
A Tangle of Spells, the third book, was released this year and it is my favourite. I read an e-ARC from the publisher. It is darker, more pacy than the previous books (these twists knock you left and right), and thrilling. The Widdershins move to the village of Pendlewick, but something seems off. Their new cottage seems to have charms to keep the evil away. Talking about magic is forbidden in the village. Fliss falls in love. The sisters find secret rooms and magical forests and news of young girls disappearing in the past. And also a house spilling with magic where two old ladies live. With their lives at risk —yet again — the Widdershins sisters need to save themselves, and their grandmother. In the last series, Betty takes a more prominent role, though she is the heroine in all three. There’s a lot more happening, plot wise. Harrison has nailed the fact that the sisters have aged by Book 3, so they question more, even trust the other less at times, but still love each other very much. There are disappearances, and sometimes, people seem as if they are under a spell, and not their usual selves. This one has adventure and mystery rolled into one.
 

A Tangle of Spells was the strongest book of the three. It is more imaginative, slightly darker, and would not let you stop reading. Loved it! And highly recommend gifting this trilogy to your middle grade lovers. Not often that you see a series that keeps getting better, book by book.
 
I have a soft spot for middle grade books that excel in language and writing. Harrison’s style, on the other hand, is more straightforward. But what kept me glued is her best talent — her ability to craft an excellent setting, create awe-filled character arcs, and her fine grasp on how to keep the plot moving, twist filled, and addictive. I found it difficult to put these books down as I was reading because every chapter ends on a tease for the next chapter. A Tangle of Spells, that I read this year, was a five star read, the kind that makes you happy after you finish the book. I thoroughly enjoyed being thrown into a spooky village with too many frightening, witchy things lurking in the shadows.
 

Watch

Mr. Sunshine. How to describe this show? The underlying thread/slogan is ‘glory, guns and sad ending.’ This historical drama is set in the time before the Japanese occupation of Korea. It is about yakuzas, noblewomen who have secret lives, American soldiers stationed at Joseon, a Japanese widow who runs the Glory Hotel, bakeries that sell candies and cakes, English lessons, slave catchers in an entrepreneurial business, love letters exchanged at the apothecary, the brutal class system and slavery, and so much more.

Mr. Sunshine follows an American soldier (who had run away from his motherland as a slave after his parents were killed by the upper classes) who comes to Joseon and crosses path with a gun wielding, rooftop jumping, confident noblewoman. The cast and acting in the show is excellent. The production quality, unparalleled. Ths story unfolds very slowly, with spectacular cinematography — each frame could be a painting — and ample slow motion scenes. The women in the drama are never mere love interests — they poison husbands, are fencing experts, smuggle country secrets, fight for the country, and read the future. When the show begins, you know there are bound to be a lot of deaths. And even with this prior knowledge, the show breaks you. Each character is crafted with perfection, be it the gruff gunman or the arrow shooting wherryman (wherrywoman?), gambling sister, loyal translator, renowned potter or corrupt officials; all flawed. The three men — the American, the fiancé, and the sword slaying gangster, have their eyes and heart on the beautiful noble lady. But their scenes together evoke a warm camaraderie; bromance in new terminology if you please. There’s not a single kiss in this drama, yet the romance conveyed on screen is beautiful. Also, Mr. Sunshine is witty in parts. By the end of the show, I felt somebody has squeezed my heart like an old rag. This is also a drama where I cried from start to finish in the last episode, the whole one hour. A first for me. I can’t think of a drama to compare this ambitious historical drama with. But for the Malayalam film watchers, you’ll love this if you enjoyed Iyyobinte Pustakam.
 

What’s new?

In the month of love, I have a conversation spread with romance writer Sandhya Menon in this month’s issue of Vogue India. Catch it if you have a subscription or at your dentists's waiting room or on Scribd. She talks about writing adult romances with a glass of wine, girls breaking glass ceilings — it is a fun chat. Her new book Make up, Break up, about two rival entrepreneurs falling in love, is out now. Their job — one founded an app Make up ‘the Google translate of relationships’ and the other founded the Break up app ‘an Uber for relationships’.
 
In my last week’s letter, the link to the Best Books of 2020 list was broken. Here it is again, in case you missed it.

Amazing links

- Will we ever evolve out of social media? (Sadhbh o’ Sullivan, Refinery 29)
"The platforms themselves will shift with us – given that what they sell is our attention, they will work to find new ways to corner it. But by holding it at a distance, perhaps we can rediscover the joy we once found by posting or commenting with less of the existential baggage."
  - The Real House Rentals of Instagram County (Dayna Evans, Vice)
The phenomenon of Zillow-stalking, and star rentals on Instagram that have grown to a celebrity status

 - After hygge and fika, the New Cozy trend has arrived (Michelle Santiago Cortés, Refinery 29)

- Your guide to dark academia (Amy Gentry, Crimereads)

For books — new, classics, translations, indie press titles — and movies,
Sign up for TWO months of FREE Scribd using my Invite Link. 

What are you reading?

Until next time,
Resh x


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