A(NU) Thought

Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang is a satirical novel, about June Hayward (Juniper Song) who steals her frenemy Athena Liu’s manuscript after her death and releases it as her own. She edits the script, sends it to publishers as her own and goes on to become a bestseller. As she tries to protect her secret, she goes farther than she ever thought she would. I found the story engaging enough, but the conclusion didn't quite work for me. We are used to dramatic ending but here it was pretty much how life is – regular, plain vanilla. Never mind! Kuang is an award-winning author. This was my first book by Kuang and it was so well marketed, I had to pick up and read what it was about. I realized the book itself mirrored the very things I mentioned in the previous sentence, as it was about publishing industry, marketing, how readers were buying more books because of certain controversy.

Yes, whether good or bad, people remember the emotions they experienced in their interactions with you. And this applies as much to workplaces as it does to personal and social relationships. Try this for a moment . Sit quietly for 30 seconds. Relaxed. Close your eyes (if possible), and think about your boss/ manager from your first job. What memory comes to your mind first? Is it any particular scene? How did it make you feel then? How does it make you feel right now?

Everyone is the protagonist in their own story One thing I have realized over time is this: Every person is the protagonist in his or her own life. No matter who they are. The partner who controls every decision and calls it care. The friend who disappears when needed most, yet believes they are loyal. The boss who constantly demoralizes employees. The parent who is so strict that fear replaces comfort. The teacher who pressures students into taking private tuition. The colleague who takes credit for teamwork and calls it visibility. The influencer who spreads misinformation and calls it freedom of expression. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, ethically or unethically, most people believe they are justified in what they do.

Every year, organizations hire bright interns and freshers from top institutes. They come in with promise, potential, and the right intent. But somewhere between onboarding and execution, something quietly breaks. Not because they lack capability. But because they’re not really trained, properly. In many workplaces, especially in fast-paced functions like communications, freshers are given tasks, targets, and timelines, but not the depth required to execute them well. Take something as simple as media outreach.

The Daughters of Shantiniketan is authored by Debalina Haldar and published by Readomania .  Charu, the ideal daughter from an aristocratic family, grows up believing that everything around her is perfect, never questioning the way her cousins are raised or the silent rules binding the women of the household. Her world begins to shift when she falls in love with a free-spirited, bohemian singer.  Charu slowly realizes that others might have been right all along, that the men in her family have been deeply condescending, and that the life she accepted as “normal” was built on patriarchal control. The story follows the daughters and daughters-in-law of this prominent Kolkata family, tracing how their aspirations, talents, and passions are gradually clipped until they become quiet victims of tradition.

Harlen Coben is a master of crafting long, twisty stories packed with suspense. I had read Fool Me Once (also adapted into a TV series) quite some time ago, and I remember being blown away by how effortlessly he creates chaos out of simple threads. The Innocent is no different. The story begins with Matt Hunter, an ordinary teenager whose one tragic mistake, an accidental murder, haunts him for life. After serving his sentence, Matt tries to rebuild his world, but just as things seem to settle, he’s thrown into a web of shocking secrets and mysteries involving his pregnant wife, Olivia. Add to it the emotional turmoil he goes through. From there, the plot spirals deeper as more characters enter, old crimes resurface, and new twists unfold.