Karma

Karma
By Cathy Ostlere

I have read three novels which have taken place in India, and this is the most entertaining of the three.  Although there is a lot of religious references that I needed to look up, I found this novel very intriguing.  The story is of a 15 year old girl named Maya and her Indian parents.  They all live in Canada. One parent is Hindu while the other is Sikh, creating tension between them and confusion for Maya as to her true identity.  When her mother kills herself, Maya and her father return to India.  Maya is separated from her father during the deadly Delhi riots, and her survival is left into the hands of strangers, especially a charming young man named Sandeep.  Maya spends the novel questing faith, humanity, and her fate to overcome the horrors she sees in India.

I highly recommend this book to high school juniors and up.  It is written in free verse, making it emotionally packed and entertaining.  I chose this age group because of the context.  To reach the maximum understanding of the novel, it requires quite a bit of knowledge about Indian culture, which would require some research.  Karma was a page turner, and I enjoyed every minute.

Water For Elephants

Water For Elephants
By Sara Gruen

This historical novel is one of my favorites.  Obviously, it is an excellent book because it has been made into a movie, but the novel has amazing depth of characters that Reese and Robert could not portray in the film.  Jacob Jankowski is an elderly man watching the circus arrive into town from the window of his nursing home.    He remembers fondly his days working as a vet for the Benzini Brothers Circus.  There he falls in love with the wife of the head trainer, makes new friends, and even enemies.  His true love is Rosie the elephant, a stubborn and abused star attraction to the ring master, Uncle Al.

I highly recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.  The style reminds me of The Notebook which makes you love both the young and old Jacob and his memories.  Because of some sexual content and the reading level, I would recommend this novel to anyone in high school and older.