Mr Oliver's Diary - Ruskin Bond

Mr Oliver the schoolteacher's daybook, inadvertently falls into the hands of one of his students, who passes it on to our friendly neighborhood author, who thinks it too precious to be consigned to oblivion, publishes it and thus 'Mr Oliver's Diary'. Funny and witty, it has stories and eccentric characters that have never appeared anywhere before. Mr Oliver is sure to become yet another vintage Bond characters.

A good read for children and schoolteachers as well.

My Days - R.K.Narayan

The autobiography is simple and straightforward like his short stories and novels. It portrays his personal life and literary ventures. Writing is a difficult task. Even if you are talented, getting public attention is another big huddle. RK got lucky in both. Any library can boast of having at least a dozen of RK's books since his profession was writing and he was good at it. Parts of Chapter Six- 'divine music days' were part of our university curriculum. He is the creator of Malgudi. He received Sahitya Academy Award for 'The Guide'. The serialized 'Malgudi Days' was the most rated popular serial during my school days. The movie-'The Guide' was a huge success.But somehow RK seems hugely dissatisfied with the picturization of his works. Money matters or twist in the tale? Wonder why there isn't any reference about the political turbulence of his times.....

This autobiography is truly inspirational for wannabe writers and motivates one to read RK's books.

coldddd

God, give the will n muscle powers to drag n force myself to take bath everyday. Don't make me count my winter blessings. I know winter is weak here compared to Iceland. But I'm so hating this cold. Brrrrrr

Cat O' Nine Tales - Jeffrey Archer

12 short stories with twisted tails , out of which 9 were written while incarcerated for 2 years in 5 different prisons ! One is even set in India !! The criminal doesn't always get away with his crime , justice doesn't always prevail. Archer claims the last story- 'In the eye of the beholder'- to be his favorite , but the pun at the end totally escaped through my thin-head.


Jails look such a tempting abode; I , for one is ready to go to any prison if the outcome is something like this...

A twist in the Tale - Jeffrey Archer

A collection of 12 short stories with a twist at the end- in the very last sentence.  Let's check the surprise quotient of Jeffrey Archer:

1. The perfect murder: First of all it was not a murder but an accident. He was the foreman of the jury!! Does that twist make any big difference? Surprisingly bland .
2. Clean sweep Ignatius: Neat,  clean sweep at the end.
3. A LA CARTE: An emotional tale about filial relationship. Cute and sweet without twists and turns.
4. Not the real thing: Totally sarcastic with a perfect end.
5. Just good friends: It's crystal clear from the second page onwards. meaw..meaw...
6. The steal: Funny story with a smart twist .
7. Colonel Bullfrog: A striking war time story with a touching end.
8. Checkmate: Short and tickling tail.
9. The wine taster: The joke just bounced off me. It's high time I dedicate sometime for wine too.
10. A chapter of accidents: Ha ha ha simply hilarious
11. The loophole: Missed out on the loophole here.
12. Christina Rosenthal: A sad and touching love story

Final verdict : Better admit it - you are a certified nincompoop. 

To kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee

Published in 1960,the novel bagged The Pulitzer Prize in 1961. It's a required high school  text in America and Canada. This classic novel is set in South America during the 1930's. The only one novel written by Harper Lee, it covers issues like rape , racism , courage , compassion , prejudice and hypocrisy. And she chooses to tell it through the eyes of a child with a rare kind of humor and irony. It's designed to make people think and act. Yes , it's important to walk around in someone else's shoes in order to truly understand them.


Definitely one of those books you should read before you die.

No One Writes To The Colonel - Garcia Marquez

Marquez is one of my favorite authors. I see magic in his works. I'm not an authority to babble about 'magic realism'. This story is short , sharp and totally realistic. It is about the expectations and hopes of a retired  colonel. He has been waiting for his much promised pension for fifteen years and his future lies with his prize rooster and the pension money. A simple and interesting story.

The Zahir - Paulo Coelho

Unusual, unconventional and incredible, The Zahir is about finding love and keeping it aflame within and outside any relationship. A must read for polyamorous couples who are in search of absolute love at any cost.  As usual the novel is sandwiched with loads of chewable quotes:

• Stability is inseparable from a deep sense of tedium.
• What is fidelity? The feeling that I possess a body and soul that aren't mine.
• Its not life that matters, but the journey.
• Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worst kind of suffering.
• Close the door, change the record, clean the house, get rid of the dust. Stop being who you were and become who you are.
• When someone leaves, it's because someone else is about to arrive - I'll find love again.

Frankenstein - Mary Shelly

During one cold and rainy winter night, Mary , her husband and their friend Lord Byron ,  make up ghost stories to pass their time. Soon it turns into a story-telling competition. That night Mary sees a monster in her dream. She tells the story to Percy and Byron the following day and Frankenstein is born. Her husband one of the major Romantic poets has many poems , essays and short stories to his credit. She writes only one book and it becomes a classic ! The novel is written in epistolary form and wisely points out what happens when man  in his vanity attempts to usurp the role of God.There has been many literary and movie adaptations and remakes based on this horror drama. Unlike the general perception, Frankenstein is not the monster but his creator , the scientist. The monster refers himself as the' fallen angel'. Indeed.

Old Man & His God - Sudha Murthy

Told simple and directly from the heart, this book is a collection of real-life experiences of Mrs Murthy as a social worker,teacher and writer. They analyse human nature and reflect the souls of the people of India. Most of the tales are quite touching and heart-wrenching.

The book is dedicated to Infosys Foundation. So, she is the chairperson of Infosys Foundation, not of Infosys Limited !! Does it matter much ? Sudha Murthy can be rightly baptized as the 'Mother Teresa of Karnataka', I presume.

The Magic Drum And Other Favourite Stories - Sudha Murthy

Sudha Murthy, the chairperson of Infosys ?? Well, it seems like she has loads of feathers to adorn her tiara, one among them being the R.K.Narayanan Award for Literature. This book is a collection of 34 delightful, timeless folktales. Except 3,all the rest are new to me. The language is simple and clear. The names of characters and places are typically South Indian,which may not be easy for foreigners.

Parents, if your story-jar is empty, take some from this collection and use them during bedtime. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Daily Inspiration - Robin Sharma

Thoughts for 365 days. Patience is not much in my book, so I read all the thoughts in 2 days. 2 of them are worth thinking.
January 1       : Be a great human being.
December 31  : Have great fun all along the way.

letting people go

I hate this, that and those people.  I have never really liked them. But I tried.  Tried really hard to like them, to please them.  Because I thought they were very important in many ways.  I wasted a lot of energy.  Enough.  Now I know.  They don't matter.  They are not 'the people'.  Finally I can smile at them just like that.  And ignore all of them.  It's ok to hate a few people. Phew !

as stupid as M.K.Gandhi

My baby daughter - a true gandhian at the age of 4 !!  She wrote her first test and showed her true colors. It was dictation test . She wrote the 1st one and simply refused to write the rest. Exasperated, the teacher asked her to copy from her partner (bench mate).  But she won't budge.  Gandhiji too had the same experience at school.  Stupidly truthful !!

Inshallah , let her remain stupid enough not to copy anything .....

The Saint The Surfer and The CEO - Robin Sharma

This self help book claims to help you in your deathbed to answer the 3 final questions :-

1. Did I live wisely?
2. Did I love well?
3. Did I serve greatly?

Answer now itself  and if you are not ready for the d-bed, follow Robin Sharma.

Manjaveyil Maranangal - Benny Daniel

A multilayered multipurpose novel of Benyamin. It is an engrossing thriller. It is also about the life n times of the lively n lovely Diego Garcia. The book underscores friendship, unity n humanity. There is even a beautiful love story to show off. The book reveals a few facts on terrorism too. It depicts the history of the Antraper family and does a brief stint on the history of Kerala Christianity with special ref to 'mariyam seva' !!                                                            

The incomplete end is quite apt for a thriller. And I liked the idea of Antraper family rebranding in Ethiopia. Fantabulous concept.

All said and done, the book is a refreshing change but fails to make any lasting impression.

Adujeevitham - Benny Daniel

Me n Boz believe in barter system. I mean, the exchange of gossip n news. I trade juicy n spicy gossip n info about movies n books for local, Kerala, Indian n International news. The other day Boz discusses about the discovery of a dead body in the desert and  the plight of maids n laborers and in turn I share Benyamin's Adujeevitham. I pride myself as an excellent storyteller. It's so important that the storyteller should be impartial n detached. But I fail numerous times esp when Hakkim breathes his last and when Najeeb comes to know that his master is not his sponsor. Oh, boy !

This kind of stories are not rare in this part of the world. The ayahs, maids, laborers n drivers have unbelievable n horrifying stories to tell. Then, what makes this story different? The narration, the beautiful writing style, the bitter sense of humor and the pathos ethos n logos of  communication.

Read n ruminate. You can't help but count your blessings....

Family Wisdom - Robin Sharma

Its very easy! Follow the following and I shall transform from 'mummy' to 'mom'.

• be the leader in your family-take initiative
• love your children endlessly till the end
• memories count-so create them
• be a good person
• leave a legacy

Simply great.

The monk who sold his Ferrari - Robin Sharma

Yes, everything is going to change. I have bought 'The Robin Sharma Pack'. 
No, this won't be like Shiv Khera's 'You Can Win'. Tiny steps this time.

Aha ! This book is like a chocolate chip cookie for my wretched soul. Phew! The whole sermon is well stirred , doled out and story wrapped. First , a few requirements for the fresh start:

• must become a multimillionaire 
• shall own a Ferrari / Lamborghini

Surely  life will become meaningless and then sell everything esp the Ferrari and go to the Himalayas. Rest assured enlightened you shall be.

2 States-The story of my marriage - Chetan Bhagat

Witty, sarcastic and entertaining , it's a rip-roaring tale of a love-cum-arranged  inter-state marriage. Simple, sweet and totally toothsome! It's his real life story and the book is dedicated to his in-laws ! That's interesting.

the 3 mistakes of my life - Chetan Bhagat

What a relief ! The novel is not entirely dedicated to cricket but to friendship, romance, religion and politics. Written by a  youngster, on and for youngsters, the novel is a light read with medium masala. This book too has a happy ending.


Read and relax or vice versa.

Innocent Erendira and Other Stories - Gabriel Garcias Marquez

I liked the utterly pathetic but beautifully winded up novella - Innocent Erendira. Among the rest of 11 short stories, I can relate to only Eva is inside her cat. 

Five point someone - what not to do at IIT ! - Chetan Bhagat

The breezy novel is about three friends' four year life in IIT. The plot is simple, the characters are plausible and melt like ice cream. Thanks to Chetan Bhagat, he does not preachify in his novels. The bollywood movie '3 Idiots' is based on this novel with lots of alterations. Then why the big fuss?

Devour and enjoy !!!!




                       

Leaf Storm and other stories - Grabriel Garcia Marquez

I can't pretend that I understood n enjoy all the stories in this collection. My favorites are A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings and The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World.

I'm loving Marquez's short stories too.

Chronicle of a death foretold - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

A beautifully crafted novella that chronicles the honor killing of Santiago Nasar by Vicario brothers in a small village in Latin America. Everyone in the village is aware of the murder plan, everyone tries to warn the to be victim but fails. The story unravels in the form of a journalistic documentary that investigates the murder of an innocent man. It accentuates the passivity of the society and ridicules honor killing n many meaningless rituals n customs. Brilliant !

The Mystery Of Edwin Drood - Charles Dickens

The last and the unfinished novel of Charles Dickens. It's intended to be a suspense drama. The killer can be John Jasper , but there can be new twists and turns . Who knows? Pity that he has to leave this world without finishing not only this book but many of his dreams.

The Bonesetter's Daughter- Amy Tan

Yet another story , churned out from the tightly packed first novel, deals with delicate filial relationships. The characters, incidents, even the dialogues repeat itself yet her stories are unique and powerful. The plot is fixed- China during second world war and America of '90s. The daughter discovers the extraordinary past of her demented mother and thus rediscovers herself. The novel is heavily autobiographical.

The diary of a young girl- Anne Frank

Ann Frank gets the diary as her 13th birthday gift. She uses it to pen down her most candid and private thoughts. Soon her life changes drastically and for the next two years she pours her heart out to 'kitty'.She records daily happenings, family life, her growing sexuality, conflicts, confusions , hopes, her dreams and aspirations.She passes away at the age of fifteen and the rest is history.

'Dear diary' days have long been replaced by blogs.Still, Anne's diary withstands the test of time, because of its political and literary merits.A must read for all especially teenagers.

The essence of Yoga - Osho

Osho !! Cool , concise and condensed. This is not a yoga guide but a guide to yoga or meditation. Osho here addresses a series of fundamental queries of the unhappy souls. This book has definitely changed some of my attitude towards Osho and on Life and so I can't help but write down some of his powerful words:

• Life is a mirror.
• A person is an infinite mystery.
• When love dies , duty enters.
• Judgment is ready made. Discrimination comes from awareness.
• All comfort is , deep down , womb-like.
• The more you seek your happiness , the more you will help others to be happy.
• Misery is destructive , happiness is creative.
• Anything private is going to be unreal.
• A master is a catalytic agent.
• Life is a gossip in the eternity of silence and existence.
• Myth is nothing but a beautiful gossip , it helps you to live.
• Man is like an iceberg.
• The tongue should not be the controller.
• That which disappears by watching is sin, and that which grows by watching is virtue.
• A stupid mind always acts out of the past.
• Mind is accumulated past, its memory and so is stupid.
• Intelligence is mastery of all the mechanisms within you.
• Introspection is thinking about yourself. Self-remembering is becoming aware of yourself.
• God loves those who make others laugh.
• Cry, weep and laugh - let these be your prayers.
• Nobody is here to fulfill anybody else's expectations.
• All rules exist for averages.
• All great teaching is indirect.
• Whenever you are in love , you are gaining energy to hate.
• Be in the middle.
• In deep love, people breathe together.
• Narrow is the way. Straight of course.
• All choice is of the extreme.
• Balance is totality.
• People who are self conscious have no self.
• When ego dies, you will grow.
• Love is possible only when you have known your depth.
• Senses by themselves are impotent - unless you cooperate.
• Man is a bridge between the animal and the divine.
• Life is a blissful cosmic play.
• To be is to suffer.
• The sin is to fight, not to accept.
• All problems are unreal.

The Kitchen God's Wife- Amy Tan

Amy Tan's second novel explores more into mother-daughter relationship and picks up the thread left by the first novel. Moreover it's the story of 2 Chinese women- their miserable childhood, unhappy married life, ordeal through second world war,escapade to America, new life, more secrets and their love-hate relationship throughout their life. Immigrants and expatriates force their children to follow their values an traditions, but the new generation always refuses causing much stress and strife. The central character is Amy Tan's own mother. It's their story.

 How do my daughters rate me? Totally disturbed.....

The Luminous Sparks - APJ Abdul Kalam

'A biography in verse and colors' is a collection of 8 poems. The book is a visual treat. It is printed as a Deluxe Edition on art paper. The cover design and illustrations are beautifully created by 7 prominent artists ! No wonder the book has won prizes for excellence in  book production and outfit. This volume can be read as his life in verse. And these poems too are written to ignite lazy minds. Be it fond memories or agonies, the underlying theme is to unite people of India , to work hard for peace and harmony and to transform our country from a developing nation into a developed nation.

The best part is the conversation between a toddler bud and its mother. Just imagine..! Such spontaneity, simplicity, transparency and innocence, coming from a scientist and an ex-president is quite phenomenal.

Salaam Kalam Saab...

Ignited minds - APJ Abdul Kalam

Ding-dong ! Here is a book dedicated to the Indian youths. The aim of this book is to turn India to a developed country by the year 2020. Dr. Kalam shares his personal and professional experiences, his visits to different places and states , his interaction with school children and college students and meetings with sadhus and eminent personalities. He often asserts the important role of parents and elementary school teachers as role models to ignite young minds. He not only advocates the Gandhian principle of  rural  development but also has got a foolproof strategy for the same. The chapter on role models, esp on ancient mathematicians and astronomers of India is quite educational and inspiring .


                APJ has added many questions and his answers for sound effects. One student has asked an important question, '' Why Indians, particularly educated Indians excel when they go to the USA and Europe. They become rich also''.Kalam's answer is teamwork and willingness to take risks. That's all? Ha ! In a foreign land, away from one's own people, an expatriate is  scared stiff but ironically works hard to the core to prove his worth. Anyhow, its high time and this book is a gentle but alarming wake up call for all Indians - patriots and expatriates.


               Chak de India !!

The great incomplete novel of Franz Kafka

I'm a big fan of Jainco Publisher's omnibus editions. Easy n economic access to the known n unknown works of great writers - all in one big ominous bus. Forget about the paper n printing quality. Also ignore the jumbled pages. But don't you think these great works deserve a proper introduction?

Great works of Franz Kafka?! The title should be 'The Great Incomplete Works of Franz Kafka'. This omnibus contains his 3 incomplete novels - America, The Castle and The trial.

America - Franz Kafka

Published posthumously, Amerika i s the first incomplete novel of Kafka. It annals the meaningless yet adventurous  American experiences of an immigrant European teenager, Karl Rosmann,  painfully vivid and utterly humorous. What's he? A cross breed of Oliver Twist n David Copperfield. That's it. Dickensian influence is extremely pronounced in this work. Though Karl is disoriented and helpless under the bureaucratic shackles n chains, they fail to destroy or change his innate innocence and stupefying faith in the future. Of course he is very young. And so he goes to Oklahoma with renewed hope...  Thus the incomplete novel ends in an optimistic knot.

Holy Moly for trying to anchor me in wastelands along with her

This post is dedicated to my best chum. You help me to grow. You show me almost everything in a new prospective. I'm learning.

This is also to my worst chum. Friendship won't thrive upon gossip, recipe exchange and  home remedies.  I've no hot news to deliver.  I'm a horrible cook and I believe in modern medicines.  Don't you preachify me about maintaining the ship.  Feel free to ditch me.  You are killing me with all the dead weights  you are throwing around. Goog bye !

boy vs girls

Mirchi's onion plant

girl power

Pepper going to Kalari !!

Pinky starts her schooling. She hasn't been to any play school . She gets up late in the morning. She is a fussy eater. She still needs diaper at night. She is a bit of a cleanliness maniac. She doesn't approve the school toilet. She doesn't like the school uniform. She is not at all excited !! She never showed any interest before also. I'm worried. I pray her class teacher be nice with her and me.

Ain't she lucky? She goes to school carrying her pink school bag, pink tiffin box , pink pencil box, along with her mother n siblings !

Blabbermouths for your lessons on dust storm

Thank you very much for your elaborate description of the sand storm you have experienced through the window of your flat. For your information, we were outside, saw the storm approaching, took shelter in a shop, waited n waited and finally headed home. No signals, no street lights. Thanks to our expert driver we managed to reach home stirred n shaken. It was a damn thrilling experience. 

Unaccustomed Earth - Jhumpa Lahiri

A collection of eight short stories woven in her usual terrain- family life and immigrant experience- portray the lives of people caught up in different cultures and generations. Most of them are about the dramas and tragedies and  mixed feelings of American raised Bengali children. Each plot is surprisingly unique and intricate.


Quite an engrossing read.

The Namesake- Jhumpa Lahiri

Both the novel and the movie are sentimental and touching. It's about the struggles of Bengali immigrants and the conflicts of their American -born children - the concurrent theme of Lahiri's literary works. Evidently autobiographical, the novel is deep and utterly intense.


What is there in a name yaar? Yet your name is supposed to the sweetest word in the world. If you get a chance to change it, would you change it? If so what will it be?

Roads to Mussoorie - Ruskin Bond

Ruskin Bond ! He looks like the English- version of my uncle Kunjukunju. Bond is a chronic  bachelor with an unbeatable witty tongue - so is my uncle. This is my first of Bond books. It describes the writer's surroundings and his many journeys to,from and around Mussoorie with a delectable sense of humor. He is our friendly  neighborhood writer with an uncanny eye and ear for the ordinary and most often unnoticed trifles of daily life. The best part is the introduction in which he urges the reader to read the book backwards. Yes, read this book from the last chapter for a change.

Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less - Jeffrey Archer

The first novel of Archer , also my first Archer novel.

This is a revenge tale without blood-shed , violence and murder. Published while I was a toddler , it's a fast moving,  entertaining mystery with smooth twists and turns , easy and hearty dialogues, sprinkled with razz and romance. The last page is the best, an unexpected delight.

The Life Tree - APJ Abdul Kalam

A collection of 26 poems,with a foreword by the then Prime Minister of India- Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, endorses APJ's musings over life, nature, nation, peace, mother, god, creation etc. These poems reflects his simple and humble origin, achievements and aspirations. You can't help but smile and wonder at the child-like innocence of the 'People's  President'.

Some poems are in the form of story in verses. APJ's version of genesis is totally interesting. God spends millions and millions of years to design and create man. But He creates Satan instantly from fire and asks him to serve the man but Satan refuses. God's first ever impasse ! So He merges both the creations and commands man to defeat Satanic temptations and come out pure and join Him. Of course He equalizes man with brain and other stuff and blesses him indeed ! This explains a lot. But, what about Eve/ woman? Where is she? What's her place in creation? 


'O Almighty, Light the Lamp of Knowledge', written after his visit to Central Institute of Mental Retardation,Trivandrum is very touching,though, it's hard to accept mentally handicapped children as gifts from heaven. Oh , they may be pure without Satanic part and so, no need of defense mechanisms. Some relief...


'Ancestor's Desire' updates his solo status.He is not barren ! Agni, the ballistic missile is his son !! No wonder he speaks at length and writes volumes about Agni. That explains the worries and anxieties regarding his scientific achievements. 'Tumult' bares his mutinous thoughts. The rocket man only 'wanted just a place in the hallowed portals for his homeland' but at times he fears  it's destructive power too. As usual nature brings him back to the brighter side.


'My National Prayer' is included in both his poetry books. We already have enough national stuff to recite and remember. You have left thousands of footprints in our soil to be remembered and cherished.And is still walking..... With due respect Sir , spare us from a national prayer. Grrr....

The Joy Luck Club- Amy Tan

The debut novel of Amy Tan tells the enchanting story of 4 Chinese immigrant mothers and their 4 American- born daughters. It takes the reader to 1916 China and back to 1990 California. The theme is mother-daughter relationship. Brilliant plot, simple language and vocabulary. The autobiographical element is quite shocking. It's her story-of her mother, aunts and relatives.

Its a long time since I read anything Chinese. Yummy !! This novel seems to be a sequel to Pearl S Buck's books. It's deeply disturbing too. From time to time I had to pause and ponder about me and my mother. Love you, Amma.

The Devil And Miss Prym- Paulo Coelho

The small yet gripping moralistic tale is set in an ordinary village. A stranger comes with an extraordinary purpose. His tormented soul screams for vengeance but first he intends to find out some answers about basic human nature. He tempts the entire villagers to commit murder to solve his quest. His past experiences prove that people are bad by nature. But again he wants to find out whether humans are basically evil.  Of course deep in his mind he wants to be proven wrong . The sub- plot tells the story of 2 women- a young maiden stuck in the village afraid to change her life and that of an old woman who lives in constant vigil. Both fulfills their destiny by listening to their hearts. 


Hmm. People are basically good for sure. Does that belief make your life any better? Listen to your heart? What about head?

Life of Pi- Yann Martel

Written in 2001, this third novel of Yann Martel, bagged the Man Booker Prize for fiction in the following year. The story spurns around the fascinating adventures of an Indian boy Pi. The first part deals with the blessed childhood and the spiritual ventures of Pi. The second part is about the fateful trip of Pi , with his family along with an entire zoo animals and the inevitable shipwreck and 227 days of enthralling journey in the Pacific with a Bengal tiger as  companion. In the third part Pi is weak in body but mighty strong mentally and spiritually.

Quite an engrossing read. Martel says that his novel has helped him to interpret life. oh ! I must be dumb then. The spiritual journey of the teenager seems quite far-fetched. How could you grasp the essence of 3 prominent religions at the age of 13? Pity that I know very little about my own... Martel has done lots of homework for this novel. His assertions on animal psychology and marine life better be true... 'cause after reading this novel , I think even I can beat Pi and live for years in any ocean in a  boat full of animals.

Black Beauty - Anna Sewell

Black Beauty is written by Miss Anna Sewell in 1877. It's her only one literary venture. It's the autobiography of the horse Black Beauty, in his own words. It tells how the horse is broken in and soon is owned by various people-some thoughtless and cruel, others kind and loving. Set in a time when horses and other pets were treated cruelly, it successfully draws attention to animal welfare concerns and also  portrays the life in England in 19th century. A very poignant and heart-wrenching tale. The happy ending is a huge relief.

 Why no love interests, Beauty?