Rosh's Reviews

AUTHOR & NARRATOR: John Fugelsang GENRE: Religious Nonfiction PUBLICATION DATE: Jun 04 2026 RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A nonfiction that does exactly what the title declares: separates the church from the despicable version sold to us by fascists and fundamentalists. Insightful, incisive, accurate, brilliant. Hard truths delivered with a good dash of humour. The book (as well as this review) might create allergic reactions in certain *Christians*, but to the fellow sane believers out there, this is a must-read. Much recommended! When I see religion-based nonfiction books ( any religion, not just Christian ones ) with titles that call out strongly to me, the first thing I do is check the credentials of the author. Any person who behaves like an extremist on their social media ( most conservative evangelicals in case of Christianity ), who spreads hate against other religions or minorities, who uses demeaning words to refer to people of other faiths, and who misinterprets scri...

AUTHOR: Núria Figueras ILLUSTRATOR: Anna Font TRANSLATOR: Lawrence Schimel GENRE: Children's Picture Book PUBLICATION DATE: April 14, 2026 RATING: 2.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A picture book about a very special visit. I am so torn about my feelings for this! I loved certain things but I hated certain other things. 😬 The illustrations are cute but the story can go either way. I do love the allegory, though it might be a bit too complex for kids to understand. Better with adult discussion. Plot Preview: Just before Mother Fox leaves her den, she warns Little Fox not to open the door to anyone. Just as Little Fox prepares herself to spend some hours alone, she hears a knock at the door. After some deliberation and questioning, Little Fox is curious and opens the door to the big and strange being who calls itself “Silence”. The initial interaction is hesitant, but Little Fox soon realises that Silence can be her friend. This book was originally published in Catalan as ‘La visita’ in 2...

AUTHOR: Ben Argon GENRE: Graphic Comic, Philosophy PUBLICATION DATE: April 14, 2020 RATING: Can't decide! A look at Jean-Paul Sartre's existentialist philosophy through comics. Interesting use of a rat narrator to explain the rat race rushing behind 'cheese'. Covers several abstract concepts such as life and death, freedom, choice, and the meaning of life. All are elaborated upon in an accessible way, with some good metaphors and a few thought-provoking lines. ( "The world is different if we are different." - 💯) However, the explanation gets repetitive after a while. I am not sure if this is attributable to the original philosophy or the rat metaphor that is, quite literally, stuck in a maze. This wasn’t exactly my cup of tea because I am severely allergic to philosophy. The humour and the easy-going writing made it somewhat palatable, but the topic itself and the repetitiveness of the theory also led to a heaviness in the head while reading. This might be a...

AUTHOR: Robert Harris GENRE: Religious Thriller PUBLICATION DATE: September 22, 2016 RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A contemporary religious "thriller" set around a papal election. Interesting and diverse characters, fascinating insight into the conclave and a steady pace. Gripping enough, even when the proceedings became guessable. Many good twists, but went two twists overboard towards the end. Recommended.  (The movie adaptation is so weak compared to the book!) Plot Preview: The Pope has passed away. Cardinal Lomeli, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, has the responsibility of presiding over the next conclave, wherein eligible cardinals from across the globe will gather at the Sistine Chapel and cast their votes in the world's most secretive election: the voting for the next pope of the Catholic church. It's a time where personal faith and politics are judged, ambitions and uncertainties are magnified, and past and present activities are scrutinized without me...

AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR: Agnes Lee GENRE: Graphic Novel PUBLICATION DATE: March 5, 2024 RATING: 2 stars. A graphic novel taking an idea from Buddhist tradition of a soul (in this case, that of a young Korean American girl) travelling for 49 days after they die before fully crossing over. This explanation is provided only in the blurb and in a note at the END of the book, so if you don’t already know it, you simply won't understand what’s happening. I had to stop the book midway and read the blurb to make sense of the girl’s seemingly limbo state. Somewhat minimalistic illustrations that work for the story. Good use of dual tone in the illustrations, blue-toned to show the soul’s progress and brown-toned to show the grief-stricken family left behind. Barely any text for the first half or so. Quite fast-paced as most of the pages contain only illustrations.  A decent option for those who want to explore stories of grief and post-death beliefs in other cultures. But to me, it would h...

AUTHOR: Manu Delpech ILLUSTRATOR: Trần Hà Trang GENRE: Children's Picture Book. PUBLICATION DATE: August 14, 2025 RATING: 2.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A fantastical picture book about a little boy and his magical drum. This turned out to be more metaphysical than I prefer in this genre. The story has great potential, but a little finetuning might have served it better. The artwork is stunning. Not exactly my cup of tea ( whether now or in my childhood ), but I hope kids can appreciate its magic more. This is the kind of book not to be read with the head but to be appreciated from the heart. Plot Preview: Max finds his dream gift awaiting him outside his bedroom door – a big drum. When he receives a pair of sticks as well, Max drums his heart out with joy. His music draws an unexpected visitor from far away: a majestic lion who seeks his help. The stunning cover art first drew me towards this picture book. The illustrations inside are just as much a treat to the eyes. The story, sadly,...

AUTHOR: Matt Mikalatos ILLUSTRATOR: David Shephard GENRE: Graphic Novel PUBLICATION DATE: April 1, 2025 RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A graphic novel that narrates stories from the Bible, using Cleopas’s encounter with Jesus on the way to Emmaus as the foundation. Innovative in concept and execution. Excellent (and racially-authentic) illustrations. Might be a bit tricky for the target audience of middle-graders as the narrative isn't linear. But adult supervision will help. Recommended. Children are always attracted to books with illustrations. So using a graphic novel to teach them stories from the Bible is a wonderful idea. But this book doesn’t just stop at this basic intent. Rather, its presentation sets it apart from other similar works. The story uses Cleopas’s trip from Jerusalem to Emmaus as the setting. As the Gospel of Luke mentions only Cleopas by name in its references to this journey that takes place on the day of Jesus’s resurrection, this book adds some fiction...

AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR: Rashin Kheiriyeh GENRE: Children's Picture Book, Biography RATING: 3.5 stars In a Nutshell: A narrative nonfiction picture book highlighting the life of Sufi poet Rumi. Simple in style, good in content, stunning in illustrations. Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi (1207-1273) was an Islamic scholar, poet and Sufi mystic. Many readers today might know him for his soulful verses, full of love for the divine. Some misconstrue his declarations to be seeped in romantic love, but his thoughts actually speak of finding God in love. If you read his quotes, you will not be surprised at why this poet is so popular even 750 years after his death. This picture book presents, in simple prose, the life of Rumi from childhood until his later years. It shows how Rumi was inspired by nature right from young age. In the prime of his life, he also learnt from other wise men around him, including Shams of Tabriz. ( I had first encountered Rumi and Shams in Elif Shafak’s The Forty ...

AUTHOR: Leo Tolstoy GENRE: Christmas Short Story RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A beautiful little Christmas story for kids (and adults.) Based on a biblical verse, but the message works for all. Be kind, do good! Story Synopsis: Old Papa Panov, the village shoemaker, is lonely on Christmas Eve. As he settles in his armchair at night with his Bible after a long working day, he dozes off. Jesus comes in his dreams and promises to visit him on Christmas Day. Needless to say, Papa Panov is very excited the next day. He puts on a special pot of coffee and keeps an eye out of the window. But will Jesus really come, or was it just a dream? This little story is based on a verse from the Bible, Matthew 25:35: "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me." The original story was written in French by Reuben Saillens. Leo Tolstoy translated it from French to Russian. But as he made the story popular, it is attribu...

AUTHOR: Henry Van Dyke GENRE: Classixc, Novella RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A classic novella about a fourth Magi, who discerns the heavenly signs correctly but gets delayed on his journey. A lovely read for classic fiction lovers. Will work even better if you know any of the gospels. Story Synopsis: Artaban is a young wise man, and one of the priests of the Magi. Using his knowledge of astrology, he discerns that the ancient prophecy about the birth of the redeemer is due to take place soon. He rushes to join his three fellow Magi, departing from another location, to look for the guiding star that will lead them to the newborn king. However, Artaban’s pilgrimage is beset with hurdles. Will he be able to fulfil his quest and find the saviour? The story is written in the limited third person perspective of Artaban. I had read a simplified adaptation of this story in one of my Christmas collections when I was a middle grader. Then I forgot all about the existence of this tale...

AUTHOR: Kid Toussaint ILLUSTRATOR: Aurélie Guarino TRANSLATOR: Anna Howell GENRE: Fantasy RATING: 4 stars. In a Nutshell: A whimsical story that begins with a simple exploration of what happens to a soul after death, but develops into an intricate explanation. Imaginative in plot. Tricky to understand at times, but overall, a good read. Story Synopsis: In some dystopian future, happy-go-lucky Charlie works at Eternal Recycling, a company that specialises in recycling the physical remains of loved ones after their passing. As the customer care associate, Charlie has to answer calls and help customers with their recycling plans. But everything changes when he receives a call from a little boy one day, wanting to know what happened to his mother’s soul after her death. Charlie has never thought about souls, so the boy’s query leaves him befuddled. He soon begins his own investigation into the matter, with unforeseen consequences. This graphic novel was originally published in French as ...

AUTHOR:  Paul R. Stanton GENRE: Contemporary Magical Realism, Christmas. RATING:  3 stars. In a Nutshell: An interesting story combining magical realism with philosophical undertones. Enjoy the Christmas spirit from an unusual perspective. The editing should have been much better though. Story Synopsis: On the evening of Christmas Eve, the Devil suddenly pops up outside Charing Cross station in London. Dressed dapperly, he is a man (oops, a devil) on a mission. But what is the mission? Whom is he looking for? Has he come to mess up Christmas?  The story comes to us in a third person omniscient narration. As the cover indicates, this isn’t your typical jolly Christmas story. The book focusses on the side of Christmas that’s usually hidden by the festivities and glamour, but that is relevant nonetheless. As the official blurb is kept to the bare minimum, I too can’t go much into story details, though there is a lot to analyse in the main content. So I will keep my review va...

AUTHORS: Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman GENRE: Comic Dark Fantasy, Satire. RATING: 4.5 stars. In a Nutshell: Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett – such a writing pair-up ought to deliver, right? Brilliant, humorous, original, thought-provoking, and memorable.  Story Synopsis: As per a prophecy written by Agnes Nutter, a 17th century witch, the world is due to end next Saturday. Two people, or rather, two beings – one ethereal and one occult – aren’t happy about this. Aziraphale the angel and Crowley the demon have lived in Earth since ages, and have grown fond of it and its quirky denizens, despite their flaws. They are ready to go against their superiors and stop the upcoming Armageddon. However, with the Antichrist, the Them and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse already stirring things up, and the planet’s last two witch-finders getting ready for a fight, the going is quite complicated. Add to this some weird planetary shifts and zoological incidents, and you will begin to wo...

AUTHOR: Kathie Giorgio GENRE: Religious/Philosophical Fiction, Literary Fiction. RATING: 4.25 stars. In a Nutshell: Not my usual genre, but a lovely book nonetheless. Introspective and therapeutic. Fantastical yet grounded. Christian fiction with a strong but liberal biblical premise. Won’t work for everyone but to the select few who read this kind of fiction, it ought to click excellently. Story Synopsis: Forty-three-year-old Hope has been sad since childhood and nothing she does can alleviate that feeling. One morning, she decides that she has had enough of life, and kills herself with an overdose, leaving behind her husband and two teenaged children. When she opens her eyes, she finds herself in ‘Heaven’, which is not exactly like what people on earth imagined, and yet a dream place in every way. As Hope died by suicide, she is in a special gated section of Heaven with others who also chose to end their lives. While “life” in heaven is indeed amazing, it comes with a mandatory weekl...

AUTHOR: Matt Haig GENRE: Philosophical Fiction, Fantasy PUBLICATION DATE: August 13, 2020 RATING: 3.75 stars. Remember “Dark Matter” by Blake Crouch? Every decision taken spawns into a multiverse and thereby results an endless chain of multiverses springing from decisions. What if, in your dominant life, you are always worried about the decision not taken, always burdened with the regret of what-ifs? Would you like a second chance at those decisions? Will you find the other life satisfactory, suitable, even perfect? That is essentially the theme of “The Midnight Library”. But written in a much, much better manner than “Dark Matter”. The lead character of Matt Haig’s latest book, Nora Seed, is a depressed woman in her mid-thirties. One fine evening, she realises that there is no one left in her life who needs her. As she is already struggling with her sense of self-identity and self-acceptance, this final rejection makes her take the desperate step of committing suicide. Only, instead o...

AUTHOR: Lisa Ray GENRE: Memoir PUBLICATION DATE: August 1, 2014. RATING: 3.5 stars. Lisa Ray recounts her life starting from her Indo-Polish background in Canada, her modelling and acting career, her various romances, her tryst with religion and her struggle with cancer. I had picked this up because it had received fabulous reviews in another readers' group. And it does deliver to a certain extent.  Rather than a bimbo talking about her name and fame, Lisa Ray comes across as a girl who stumbled into her reputation and didn't quite understand how to handle it. She seems quite honest about everything, including her lifelong struggle with bulimia, her domestic abuse at the hands of an ex, her use of relationships as a crutch to escape troubles...  What I didn't like was the excessive philosophy in certain chapters. This might be an outcome of her disease but the latter chapters especially go on and on about religious beliefs and the soul, which would be quite ok for some rea...