Pattunool Puzhu – A Journey Through Threads of Life

Malayalam, as a language, holds one of the richest treasures of literature in India. Its stories, deeply rooted in people, places, and emotions, have a way of immersing you completely into their world. Listening to the audiobook Pattunool Puzhu was my way of reconnecting with this richness—an experience both powerful and lingering.

The title Pattunool Puzhu translates to silkworm. Just as the silkworm spins delicate yet strong threads, the story too weaves together fragile emotions, relationships, and unspoken desires into a fabric that feels intensely real. Each character is a thread, sometimes shining with hope, sometimes fraying with pain, yet essential to the whole.

The novel by S. Hareesh stands out not just for its theme but for his remarkable style of storytelling. The way he introduces each character—Annie, her son Samson, Vijayan, and others—felt almost cinematic. Their lives, struggles, and connections unfolded gradually, as though I were watching them move around me. The narration of the audiobook added even more depth, making me visualize every place and person as if I were a part of their world.

What stayed with me the most was the emotional weight of the story. Annie and her son Samson’s lives, and even the delicate relationship between Annie and Vijayan, brought moments of quiet sadness. It is not a tale that offers easy answers or a neatly tied happy ending, but one that reflects life in all its complexity.

Days after finishing the audiobook, I found myself thinking about each of the characters—their choices, their silences, their vulnerabilities. That is the power of Hareesh’s writing: he lingers in your thoughts, making you revisit the story again and again in your mind.

It took me a while to sit down and write this review because the story was still living with me, refusing to let go. Pattunool Puzhu is not just a book—it is an experience that wraps around you, like the threads of the silkworm, fragile yet enduring.

Once again Reena thank you for suggesting this book.

~ Dawn

Book Review: Hangwoman – A Journey Through Calcutta’s Streets and Shadows

There are books that entertain you, some that educate you, and then there are those rare ones that unsettle you—profoundly, poetically. Hangwoman (originally written in Malayalam as Aarachaar) by K.R. Meera is one such hauntingly powerful novel. Reena suggested this book to me, and I’m so glad she did—it’s a literary experience I won’t forget. I actually experienced the story through the gripping audiobook narration by Benaifer Mirza.

Set primarily in Kolkata (Calcutta), the story follows Chetna Grddha Mullick, the first woman executioner in India, born into a lineage of hangmen. But Hangwoman is not just about death—it’s about life, patriarchy, journalism, love, politics, and identity. Meera’s writing, masterfully translated from Malayalam to English by J. Devika, is lyrical, intense, and immersive. It speaks volumes of the original's power that its essence and layered complexity could travel across languages and still hit hard.

What struck me the most was the vivid narration. Meera has a way of weaving words that transport you. As I read, I could walk through the crowded streets of Kolkata. I could smell the river at the ghats, hear the bells and chaos, taste the sweet graininess of sondesh. The city wasn’t just a backdrop—it was a living, breathing character in the story. I could see it, feel it, and be a part of it. That is the beauty of Meera’s storytelling.

Chetna’s voice—raw, conflicted, and sharp—is unforgettable. The novel explores generational trauma, the complexity of womanhood, and the moral contradictions of justice and media sensationalism. The father-daughter dynamic is particularly gripping, sometimes suffocating, yet heartbreakingly real.

K.R. Meera, a celebrated journalist and author from Kerala, is known for her powerful portrayals of women and for challenging societal norms. Aarachaar, when published in Malayalam, was met with critical acclaim and went on to win multiple awards including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award. The English translation has made this monumental work accessible to a global audience—and I can see why it stirred so many conversations.

This isn’t an easy read. It demands time and attention—but rewards you with emotional depth, literary brilliance, and a strange, dark beauty that lingers.

Thank you, Reena, for introducing me to a book that not only told me a story but took me on a journey—through a city, through a woman’s mind, and through a nation's conscience.

~ Dawn