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Mira Levenson #2
Jasmine Skies
Mira Levenson is bursting with excitement as she flies to India to stay with her aunt and cousin for the first time. As soon as she lands Mira is hurled into the sweltering heat and a place full of new sights, sounds, and deeply buried secrets ...From the moment Mira meets Janu she feels an instant connection. He becomes her guide, showing her both the beauty and the chaos of Kolkata. Nothing is as she imagined it - and suddenly home feels a long way away. Before Mira leaves India she is determined to uncover the truth about her family, whatever it takes, and she must also make a decision that will break someone's heart . .
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
29 people are currently reading
633 people want to read
About the author
Sita Brahmachari
32 books97 followersSita was born in Derby in 1966, to an Indian doctor from Kolkata and an English nurse from the Lake District. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Arts Education. Her many projects and writing commissions have been produced in theatres, universities, schools and community groups throughout Britain and America. ARTICHOKE HEARTS is her first novel for young people. Sita lives and works in North London with her husband, three children and a temperamental cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
April 10, 2012
4.5 stars. But so close to 5 you could almost taste it. :-D
The number of British YA books I read last year was shocking and this made me sad because when I grow up [I’ll get there…eventually] I want to be an author.
And I’m, well, I’m British.
So why wasn’t I making more of an effort to read and review books by British authors? I should be proudly waving the Union Jack and thrusting British books at unsuspecting people while I making them cups of tea and whinging about the weather.
While in a queue… in a Kate mask… munching on Yorkshire Pudding.
….
So I made it one of my New YA Resolutions.
Sometime last year there was a sale on e-books on Amazon and my favourite thing about their sales are that the majority of the books that feature are British authors and I find so many books that I would never even think about reading!
Like Sita Brahmachari’s Artichoke Hearts.
I read the synopsis and thought “Aw, that really sounds cute. A bit different and HEY Ms Brahmachari is British. Hurrah! Hurrah!”
So I bought it. I don’t mind admitting that I didn’t really expect much from it. It wasn’t that it looked bad but it just didn’t look like the kind of book that would grip me.
Ha ha haaa.
Oh how wrong I was because I looooooved it so much. Mira, our twelve year old narrator, had such a fresh and realistic outlook on life and I couldn’t help but fall in love with her. Add in a handful of fantastic characters and a wonderfully British setting, Artichoke Hearts was one of my favourite reads of 2011.
Jasmine Skies was even better.
The story picks up two years after the events of Artichoke Hearts and sees Mira travelling to Kolkata to visit her cousin Priya after the death of her Grandad Bimal.
I’m going to try and stay away from talking about the plot of this story because I don’t want to spoil either of these books and it would be impossible to talk go into it without doing so. Apologies if this reviews ends up being a bit vague as I know you're used to the most in-depth and intellectual reviews on my bit of t'internet.
I just love how Ms Brahmachari writes. I’m trying to think of a way to articulate the way I feel about it but I’m failing miserably. If I could describe it using only one word, I would use ‘vibrant’.
Seriously, I underlined so many passages on my Kindle it became silly.
The setting of this book is immaculately imagined. I’ve never been to India but I could really relate to the experience of being overwhelmed that Mira feels when she first steps off the plane. The descriptions of the market places are absolutely magnificent. You’ve got the colours of the materials, the feel of the sweltering heat and… yes, fine, you can almost smell the… *scowls*…jasmine.
It’s obvious that Ms B has a story to tell and a message to convey but it never felt clunky or heavy-handed. Mira’s journey, both physical and emotional, is told with brilliant subtlety and restraint and it was so glorious to read. Anyone who says that YA books can’t be deep are going to get a hardcover of this book slammed across the back of their head by moi.
Luckily, Mira hasn’t changed one jot since Artichoke Hearts. She’s still compassionate, funny and as inquisitive as ever. One of my favourite things about AH was how Mira struggled with her identity as a mixed-race girl growing up in Britain, so I was ecstatic when I got about two chapters into Jasmine Skies and realised that there was going to be more of that.
This is why contemporary is my favourite genre and why I get so giddy when I discover one that I haven’t read yet. I’m not a mixed race girl living in Britain but I found Mira so easy to relate to because her problems were real. There wasn’t a werewolf trying to get into her pants or anything, but Ms B’s writing shows that if you can work your way around a teenage girl’s emotions and thoughts then you don’t need all that stuff to write a compelling and beautiful book.
I just adore Mira; she’s such a fantastic character with such a pure heart. I just want to be her best friend or, like, her cool* older sister or something. I’d probably even let her personalise all of my shoes.
Possibly, I'm not entirely sure I'm convinced by bedazzled footwear.
Mira's search for her identity and where she fit in actually really reminded me of Josie from Looking for Alibrandi. I know, I know. I just invoked the power of Double M, but I’m sticking with it. There is just something so wonderful to me about books where characters delve into their heritage and their culture, asking questions and digging up secrets that people thought were buried for good. Maybe it’s because I love sitting with my grandparents and listening to their stories… I don’t know why, but I just love it.
Stunning, no?
Right.
OK.
I have to get something off my chest.
OK.
Now then.
*sigh*
Now I don’t want to go into it too much into this next bit because of spoilery badtimes but, gosh, way to throw a spanner into the works, Ms B! That bit… with the jasmine… and homespun …and the pony tail. Yeah, you know which bit I mean.
My poor, poor heart. I understand but it doesn’t mean I’m happy about it.
*scowls*
“Deer…apple…green…sea…”
WHYYYY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!?!?
I know where my loyalty lies, Mira. That's all I'm saying.
Guh.
This will make no sense to anyone who hasn’t read this book and even less sense to people who haven’t read Artichoke Hearts, but some things just need to be said.
I have a lot of emotions regarding that bit that I will keep bottled up until you’ve all read both of these books (which you will be doing, right?!) and then I will unleash the feelings.
And that ending?!?! Are you kidding me? Looking at the glorious cover and reading the wonderful synopsis you wouldn’t expect it to have a cliff-hanger, would you?
Well you would be wrong.
WHEN IS THE NEXT BOOK OUT?!
I am emotionally invested in these characters now and I will fight tooth and nail to get the next book. Tooth and nail, guys, TOOTH AND NAIL.
I know in our YA circles, it’s pretty much a given that the Aussies are at the forefront of the contemporary race, but I believe that with both Artichoke Hearts and now Jasmine Skies, Ms Brahmachari has shown that us Brits shouldn’t be disregarded just yet.
Additional Fun Things.
So in Jasmine Skies, Mira’s cousin Priya is the coolest kid in Kolkata and she’s an underground DJ who wears skinny jeans and is the best dancer in the whole of India. Cool, yes?
Anyway, in this interview Sita Brahmachari talks to Nihal Arthanayake [Listeners of Radio 1 or BBC Asian Network may know who he is!] as part of her research into what kind of music Priya would be listening to. It’s really fascinating.
*May or may not be cool.
You can read this review and lots of other exciting things on my blog, Wear the Old Coat.
The number of British YA books I read last year was shocking and this made me sad because when I grow up [I’ll get there…eventually] I want to be an author.
And I’m, well, I’m British.
So why wasn’t I making more of an effort to read and review books by British authors? I should be proudly waving the Union Jack and thrusting British books at unsuspecting people while I making them cups of tea and whinging about the weather.
While in a queue… in a Kate mask… munching on Yorkshire Pudding.
….
So I made it one of my New YA Resolutions.
Sometime last year there was a sale on e-books on Amazon and my favourite thing about their sales are that the majority of the books that feature are British authors and I find so many books that I would never even think about reading!
Like Sita Brahmachari’s Artichoke Hearts.
I read the synopsis and thought “Aw, that really sounds cute. A bit different and HEY Ms Brahmachari is British. Hurrah! Hurrah!”
So I bought it. I don’t mind admitting that I didn’t really expect much from it. It wasn’t that it looked bad but it just didn’t look like the kind of book that would grip me.
Ha ha haaa.
Oh how wrong I was because I looooooved it so much. Mira, our twelve year old narrator, had such a fresh and realistic outlook on life and I couldn’t help but fall in love with her. Add in a handful of fantastic characters and a wonderfully British setting, Artichoke Hearts was one of my favourite reads of 2011.
Jasmine Skies was even better.
The story picks up two years after the events of Artichoke Hearts and sees Mira travelling to Kolkata to visit her cousin Priya after the death of her Grandad Bimal.
I’m going to try and stay away from talking about the plot of this story because I don’t want to spoil either of these books and it would be impossible to talk go into it without doing so. Apologies if this reviews ends up being a bit vague as I know you're used to the most in-depth and intellectual reviews on my bit of t'internet.
I just love how Ms Brahmachari writes. I’m trying to think of a way to articulate the way I feel about it but I’m failing miserably. If I could describe it using only one word, I would use ‘vibrant’.
Seriously, I underlined so many passages on my Kindle it became silly.
The setting of this book is immaculately imagined. I’ve never been to India but I could really relate to the experience of being overwhelmed that Mira feels when she first steps off the plane. The descriptions of the market places are absolutely magnificent. You’ve got the colours of the materials, the feel of the sweltering heat and… yes, fine, you can almost smell the… *scowls*…jasmine.
It’s obvious that Ms B has a story to tell and a message to convey but it never felt clunky or heavy-handed. Mira’s journey, both physical and emotional, is told with brilliant subtlety and restraint and it was so glorious to read. Anyone who says that YA books can’t be deep are going to get a hardcover of this book slammed across the back of their head by moi.
Luckily, Mira hasn’t changed one jot since Artichoke Hearts. She’s still compassionate, funny and as inquisitive as ever. One of my favourite things about AH was how Mira struggled with her identity as a mixed-race girl growing up in Britain, so I was ecstatic when I got about two chapters into Jasmine Skies and realised that there was going to be more of that.
“Not being able to speak Bengali makes me feel like I’m trying to cross a bridge but can only get so far, because to reach the other side it’s not just the words you need to understand, but also the tones and colours; the way of thinking and seeing the world that are all locked inside the languages.”
This is why contemporary is my favourite genre and why I get so giddy when I discover one that I haven’t read yet. I’m not a mixed race girl living in Britain but I found Mira so easy to relate to because her problems were real. There wasn’t a werewolf trying to get into her pants or anything, but Ms B’s writing shows that if you can work your way around a teenage girl’s emotions and thoughts then you don’t need all that stuff to write a compelling and beautiful book.
I just adore Mira; she’s such a fantastic character with such a pure heart. I just want to be her best friend or, like, her cool* older sister or something. I’d probably even let her personalise all of my shoes.
Possibly, I'm not entirely sure I'm convinced by bedazzled footwear.
Mira's search for her identity and where she fit in actually really reminded me of Josie from Looking for Alibrandi. I know, I know. I just invoked the power of Double M, but I’m sticking with it. There is just something so wonderful to me about books where characters delve into their heritage and their culture, asking questions and digging up secrets that people thought were buried for good. Maybe it’s because I love sitting with my grandparents and listening to their stories… I don’t know why, but I just love it.
“I think these stories about where you come from and the history of your own family help you to see where you stand in the world.”
~~~
“I nod at him and look down, down, down to the crater below, swirling with dust.
‘What is that?’ I ask him.
‘History…takes time to settle.”
Stunning, no?
Right.
OK.
I have to get something off my chest.
OK.
Now then.
*sigh*
Now I don’t want to go into it too much into this next bit because of spoilery badtimes but, gosh, way to throw a spanner into the works, Ms B! That bit… with the jasmine… and homespun …and the pony tail. Yeah, you know which bit I mean.
My poor, poor heart. I understand but it doesn’t mean I’m happy about it.
*scowls*
“Deer…apple…green…sea…”
WHYYYY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!?!?
I know where my loyalty lies, Mira. That's all I'm saying.
Guh.
This will make no sense to anyone who hasn’t read this book and even less sense to people who haven’t read Artichoke Hearts, but some things just need to be said.
I have a lot of emotions regarding that bit that I will keep bottled up until you’ve all read both of these books (which you will be doing, right?!) and then I will unleash the feelings.
And that ending?!?! Are you kidding me? Looking at the glorious cover and reading the wonderful synopsis you wouldn’t expect it to have a cliff-hanger, would you?
Well you would be wrong.
WHEN IS THE NEXT BOOK OUT?!
I am emotionally invested in these characters now and I will fight tooth and nail to get the next book. Tooth and nail, guys, TOOTH AND NAIL.
I know in our YA circles, it’s pretty much a given that the Aussies are at the forefront of the contemporary race, but I believe that with both Artichoke Hearts and now Jasmine Skies, Ms Brahmachari has shown that us Brits shouldn’t be disregarded just yet.
Additional Fun Things.
So in Jasmine Skies, Mira’s cousin Priya is the coolest kid in Kolkata and she’s an underground DJ who wears skinny jeans and is the best dancer in the whole of India. Cool, yes?
Anyway, in this interview Sita Brahmachari talks to Nihal Arthanayake [Listeners of Radio 1 or BBC Asian Network may know who he is!] as part of her research into what kind of music Priya would be listening to. It’s really fascinating.
*May or may not be cool.
You can read this review and lots of other exciting things on my blog, Wear the Old Coat.
May 2, 2012
RATED: 4.5
(just to let you guys know. This is the sequel to Artichoke hearts)
It didn't take many pages for me to see that I was settling into this book wonderfully. I found myself swiftly turning page after page and got that easing feeling that one tends to get when they know that it's pretty much smooth sailing from here.
This book really got under my skin. And, you know, I never expected that for a second. But JASMINE SKIES turned out to be a little darker and a whole lot deeper than I expected. I'd say that the element of surprise definitely did this book a favour.
Apart from the fact that Mira spends her holiday in India balancing new feelings for a very sweet and lovely boy called Janu (who just completely swept me off my feet), she is at the same time trying to figure out why her mother and Aunt Anjali stopped talking. On top of it all, she finds herself really connecting with her cousin Priya. A person who she sees as the very opposite to her. She is very LOUD, energetic, fierce and outspoken. And I think Mira hugely admires and respects her for it.
The first thing that Mira struggles to get a little used to is the poverty. And I think her journey and her experience was so great and memorable to me because it very much matched mine when I visited Pakistan a few months ago. The Poverty is hard -hitting and heart -breaking. The expectations that you are presented with a little frustrating and following the 'rules' very off putting if you don't know what to expect. She spends the first week, really, just adjusting to the new lifestyle there, the culture and people. It doesn't take her long at all (like it surprisingly did for me) until she finds her niche and fits in. But it's when she is introduced to the refuge, that is run by Anjali and the very dedicated Janu, that she finds a new purpose to being there. Although there is the poverty and expectations to dress and behave a certain way (in the villages mostly, not so much the cities) there is also a whole lot of positive things to experience. And I love how the author balances the two. Because the two are bustling with vivid colours, culture, and beauty that is at times breathtaking. My fondest memories of visiting Pakistan are the long fields I would visit with my cousins, the sheer stretch of the acres and acres upon land where we would laugh, explore and dance. The food stalls and clothes shops filled with bright colours and streets filled with families running to whatever destination. Sitting on the Khoti ( a upper floor on the roof) and sitting on sacks (doesn't sound glamorous, I know, but it was heaven for me) and watching the sunset pretty much religiously (much to my cousins confusion) every day. I would read and write in my diary from up there. I just loved sitting there, so high up, being able to see so much around me and have that 'me' time. These are one of the many things that I look back at with great fondness. So I think the author does something very important here.
She manages to perfectly blend the good with the not so good.
Like I mentioned in one of my updates. One of the best ways to describe this book is charming. It is just full of complete charm and and all kinds of inspiration and growth. In the midst of all this, there is also another thing that plays a huge part in the novel. And that is the BIG mystery. Mira will spend much of the novel trying to unravel her mother and Aunty's past. And find that not only does it link to the two of them, but a whole lot of other people too. And so, through these not so great moments, her fabulous dancer cousin, Priya, is by her side. Together they make the perfect duo. Priya is all about ambition. She wants to travel the world, most importantly, London. She listens to cool music, cuts off her hair and dyes it red and sticks to her jeans and t shirts rather than her traditional clothes. She is, in other words, the ultimate rebel. And she is hugely lovable.
I just devoured this book. Practically ate it up! I would have liked to have finished it sooner, but the past few days have been frustratingly hectic, and so, although I had over half left, I was determined to finish it all. I stayed awake all night doing so.
There are some really emotional moments in this book. Thoughts come to her great grandmother, the girl on the train with hopeful eyes, the two year old child. There is just so much pain in this book. But it makes me look at all those sad children and mothers I saw when I was at Pakistan and makes me try to dig a little deeper.
Awww man. Janu. I love this boy <3 At first his name made me roll my eyes a little. I mean Janu? 'come on!' I thought. I felt like you couldn't get more cheesier than name a love interest 'sweetheart/darling' but it clicked with me when they started to get close. Because then when she would call his name, wow did it feel intimate. And guys, am I the only one who got hardcore butterflies when these two had those awkward silences/lingering eye contact. I KNOW I SWOONED! And I loved their moments together. He is such a wonderful person that I can instantly see why she is drawn to him. BUT. There is that big but that readers will have to consider.
Which leads me to this.
And THIS is a big spoiler. So do not read it if you have not read the book.
(just to let you guys know. This is the sequel to Artichoke hearts)
It didn't take many pages for me to see that I was settling into this book wonderfully. I found myself swiftly turning page after page and got that easing feeling that one tends to get when they know that it's pretty much smooth sailing from here.
This book really got under my skin. And, you know, I never expected that for a second. But JASMINE SKIES turned out to be a little darker and a whole lot deeper than I expected. I'd say that the element of surprise definitely did this book a favour.
Apart from the fact that Mira spends her holiday in India balancing new feelings for a very sweet and lovely boy called Janu (who just completely swept me off my feet), she is at the same time trying to figure out why her mother and Aunt Anjali stopped talking. On top of it all, she finds herself really connecting with her cousin Priya. A person who she sees as the very opposite to her. She is very LOUD, energetic, fierce and outspoken. And I think Mira hugely admires and respects her for it.
The first thing that Mira struggles to get a little used to is the poverty. And I think her journey and her experience was so great and memorable to me because it very much matched mine when I visited Pakistan a few months ago. The Poverty is hard -hitting and heart -breaking. The expectations that you are presented with a little frustrating and following the 'rules' very off putting if you don't know what to expect. She spends the first week, really, just adjusting to the new lifestyle there, the culture and people. It doesn't take her long at all (like it surprisingly did for me) until she finds her niche and fits in. But it's when she is introduced to the refuge, that is run by Anjali and the very dedicated Janu, that she finds a new purpose to being there. Although there is the poverty and expectations to dress and behave a certain way (in the villages mostly, not so much the cities) there is also a whole lot of positive things to experience. And I love how the author balances the two. Because the two are bustling with vivid colours, culture, and beauty that is at times breathtaking. My fondest memories of visiting Pakistan are the long fields I would visit with my cousins, the sheer stretch of the acres and acres upon land where we would laugh, explore and dance. The food stalls and clothes shops filled with bright colours and streets filled with families running to whatever destination. Sitting on the Khoti ( a upper floor on the roof) and sitting on sacks (doesn't sound glamorous, I know, but it was heaven for me) and watching the sunset pretty much religiously (much to my cousins confusion) every day. I would read and write in my diary from up there. I just loved sitting there, so high up, being able to see so much around me and have that 'me' time. These are one of the many things that I look back at with great fondness. So I think the author does something very important here.
She manages to perfectly blend the good with the not so good.
Like I mentioned in one of my updates. One of the best ways to describe this book is charming. It is just full of complete charm and and all kinds of inspiration and growth. In the midst of all this, there is also another thing that plays a huge part in the novel. And that is the BIG mystery. Mira will spend much of the novel trying to unravel her mother and Aunty's past. And find that not only does it link to the two of them, but a whole lot of other people too. And so, through these not so great moments, her fabulous dancer cousin, Priya, is by her side. Together they make the perfect duo. Priya is all about ambition. She wants to travel the world, most importantly, London. She listens to cool music, cuts off her hair and dyes it red and sticks to her jeans and t shirts rather than her traditional clothes. She is, in other words, the ultimate rebel. And she is hugely lovable.
I just devoured this book. Practically ate it up! I would have liked to have finished it sooner, but the past few days have been frustratingly hectic, and so, although I had over half left, I was determined to finish it all. I stayed awake all night doing so.
There are some really emotional moments in this book. Thoughts come to her great grandmother, the girl on the train with hopeful eyes, the two year old child. There is just so much pain in this book. But it makes me look at all those sad children and mothers I saw when I was at Pakistan and makes me try to dig a little deeper.
Awww man. Janu. I love this boy <3 At first his name made me roll my eyes a little. I mean Janu? 'come on!' I thought. I felt like you couldn't get more cheesier than name a love interest 'sweetheart/darling' but it clicked with me when they started to get close. Because then when she would call his name, wow did it feel intimate. And guys, am I the only one who got hardcore butterflies when these two had those awkward silences/lingering eye contact. I KNOW I SWOONED! And I loved their moments together. He is such a wonderful person that I can instantly see why she is drawn to him. BUT. There is that big but that readers will have to consider.
Which leads me to this.
And THIS is a big spoiler. So do not read it if you have not read the book.
March 20, 2018
"Everything I was before, all the forever-things, are slipping away from me here under Jasmine Skies."
This is actually much better and more understanding than the first one. I had a hard time keeping up with what's happening in Artichoke Hearts due to the fact that that book and I aren't compatible with each other since I have read the first half of it.
In here, it starts off to the point where Mira Levenson is on her own to travel to Kolkata, India to spend at least two weeks with her aunt and second cousin. But then, she's not only there to explore Kolkata but to learn and discover the buried secrets that has been kept so long from both her mom and her aunt.
January 4, 2021
Eep!!
I loved it!!!
I loved it!!!
I loved it!!!
I loved it so much!!!!!!
It was an awesome sequel to the first book this book is a must read, describing India beautifully from a foreigner's prospect, Sita Brahmachari has left an impression on me, I hope there is a 3rd book in this series too.
I loved it!!!
I loved it!!!
I loved it!!!
I loved it so much!!!!!!
It was an awesome sequel to the first book this book is a must read, describing India beautifully from a foreigner's prospect, Sita Brahmachari has left an impression on me, I hope there is a 3rd book in this series too.
July 10, 2016
I was slightly nervous, at first, about the idea of a sequel to ARTICHOKE HEARTS (a.k.a. MIRA IN THE PRESENT TENSE). That book was so powerful, about such a life-changing combination of events in Mira's life…I worried that a sequel might just feel slight in comparison.
I was wrong. I really, really loved JASMINE SKIES. Mira travels to India to stay with relatives she's only ever met on Skype before, finds out secrets from her family's past, and has all of her perceptions shifted, sometimes with earth-shaking internal results. It's a wonderful book, with fabulous, very real-feeling characters and a real warmth that flows all through it. It was such a joy to read, and it was totally absorbing. The descriptions are so vivid, my mouth watered as I read the (many and amazing) descriptions of the food Mira ate, and I really felt like I was seeing Kolkata through her eyes, full of color and complexity.
I love Mira so much, I would read any number of books about her as she grows up…which leads to my dilemma as I was trying to figure out a star rating for this novel. I loved every bit of it…until the ending. There's a big, emotional confrontation that Mira's been dreading since partway through the novel, and in the last chapter, as she gets ready for that confrontation to finally take place, her tension ratchets up higher and higher…and then the book stops! It ends there, before she's had that confrontation, which left me blinking, taken aback and, honestly, a bit disappointed, at the final page. I've been thinking about that ever since, as a reader and as a writer who tries to learn from the books I read.
I think I wouldn't have felt that I needed to see that confrontation if Mira herself had been feeling calm resolve as she anticipated it - if she'd thought, I can handle this, even though it will be hard. That would have felt like resolution to me. But Mira was panicking about it in the last chapter, completely uncertain of how it would go and how her life might change because of it - and although I've wondered (in multiple re-reads of the final pages) whether the last line was intended to give a hint about the final result…well, if that's the case, then it was SO subtle that I missed it completely in my first two reads and am still very, very uncertain about it.
On the other hand, if I knew there would be a third book about Mira, I would happily give this book a 5-star rating because I'd accept that I just had to wait until Book 3 to find out how the confrontation went. As far as I know, there isn't going to be a Book 3, though, so…
I'm giving it 4 stars, but honestly, until those last couple of pages it was 5 stars all the way - and the ending certainly didn't take away any of my pleasure in having read the book. I'll just have to imagine for myself what really happened. And I can't wait to read another Sita Brahmachari book!
I was wrong. I really, really loved JASMINE SKIES. Mira travels to India to stay with relatives she's only ever met on Skype before, finds out secrets from her family's past, and has all of her perceptions shifted, sometimes with earth-shaking internal results. It's a wonderful book, with fabulous, very real-feeling characters and a real warmth that flows all through it. It was such a joy to read, and it was totally absorbing. The descriptions are so vivid, my mouth watered as I read the (many and amazing) descriptions of the food Mira ate, and I really felt like I was seeing Kolkata through her eyes, full of color and complexity.
I love Mira so much, I would read any number of books about her as she grows up…which leads to my dilemma as I was trying to figure out a star rating for this novel. I loved every bit of it…until the ending. There's a big, emotional confrontation that Mira's been dreading since partway through the novel, and in the last chapter, as she gets ready for that confrontation to finally take place, her tension ratchets up higher and higher…and then the book stops! It ends there, before she's had that confrontation, which left me blinking, taken aback and, honestly, a bit disappointed, at the final page. I've been thinking about that ever since, as a reader and as a writer who tries to learn from the books I read.
I think I wouldn't have felt that I needed to see that confrontation if Mira herself had been feeling calm resolve as she anticipated it - if she'd thought, I can handle this, even though it will be hard. That would have felt like resolution to me. But Mira was panicking about it in the last chapter, completely uncertain of how it would go and how her life might change because of it - and although I've wondered (in multiple re-reads of the final pages) whether the last line was intended to give a hint about the final result…well, if that's the case, then it was SO subtle that I missed it completely in my first two reads and am still very, very uncertain about it.
On the other hand, if I knew there would be a third book about Mira, I would happily give this book a 5-star rating because I'd accept that I just had to wait until Book 3 to find out how the confrontation went. As far as I know, there isn't going to be a Book 3, though, so…
I'm giving it 4 stars, but honestly, until those last couple of pages it was 5 stars all the way - and the ending certainly didn't take away any of my pleasure in having read the book. I'll just have to imagine for myself what really happened. And I can't wait to read another Sita Brahmachari book!
June 4, 2017
The book had a good start and good plan. It was basically based on a huge family secret the main character was trying to unravel.
In my opinion the secret was in a huge text at the end and I lost interest very quickly and the secret wasn't even good.
But I loved the main character and how she portrayed herself and the artistic side of her , by aside from the characters it just wasn't intriguing enough.
In my opinion the secret was in a huge text at the end and I lost interest very quickly and the secret wasn't even good.
But I loved the main character and how she portrayed herself and the artistic side of her , by aside from the characters it just wasn't intriguing enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2016
Kdyby nebylo čtecí krize, užila bych si knihu víc, ale pro ty, které zatím s autorkou neměli potěšená- napravte to! Pod na první pohled lehký stylem se skrývá silný a krásný příběh- pravda, u druhého dílu to nebylo až tak MOC jako u jedničky, ale i přesto je tato kniha skvělá :)
HODNOCENÍ: 80%
HODNOCENÍ: 80%
June 22, 2015
it was alright...
August 15, 2017
milý, dojemný, tajuplný příběh plný chudoby, blahobytu a rozdílů mezi tím. moc se mi to líbilo :)
June 7, 2015
I didn't love this book nor did I hate it. I read it because I read Artichoke Hearts and so i thought I'd read the second book. - Also I got it signed and it was just sitting on my bookshelf. i read it last year and to be honest with you it was a slow read, it did't really have anything exciting happen, tbh.
the good thing is that if you haven't read artichoke hearts it doesn't matter as you catch up pretty quickly. this is due to the fact that it only has the characters and don't really include things that happen in the first one. well not really anyway.
i never actually finished it and I don't feel bad about that either.
the good thing is that if you haven't read artichoke hearts it doesn't matter as you catch up pretty quickly. this is due to the fact that it only has the characters and don't really include things that happen in the first one. well not really anyway.
i never actually finished it and I don't feel bad about that either.
March 25, 2018
Too slow, no storyline, very boring. Pls. don't pick up this book.
June 10, 2023
Read as a part of volunteering for a library. Found it not very interesting.
July 31, 2025
A young adult novel that was just okay for me. Somehow I never felt very engaged in the story, and felt it was mostly a device to take young readers on a tour of Kolkata, India and hit all the highlights of life there.
This isn’t totally a bad thing. It is interesting to be the fish out of water in a strange new place along with Mira, a London born 14 year old who is visiting family there for the first time. There’s an ongoing mystery as to why Mira’s mother and her young cousin Priya’s mother are no longer on friendly terms. The reveal at the end is poignant rather than anything shocking.
The book touches on the juxtaposition associated with life in India, the beauty and extravagance beside devastating poverty, colorful saris, dancing and delicious foods, starvation in the streets, and the chaos of fast moving traffic and crowds of people. Mira’s personal experiences are the focus of a story touched by a little bit of magic realism in a series of coincidences.
Somehow that all sounds better than it actually read for me, but a nice book for middle grades looking to learn more about a place they may have never been.
This isn’t totally a bad thing. It is interesting to be the fish out of water in a strange new place along with Mira, a London born 14 year old who is visiting family there for the first time. There’s an ongoing mystery as to why Mira’s mother and her young cousin Priya’s mother are no longer on friendly terms. The reveal at the end is poignant rather than anything shocking.
The book touches on the juxtaposition associated with life in India, the beauty and extravagance beside devastating poverty, colorful saris, dancing and delicious foods, starvation in the streets, and the chaos of fast moving traffic and crowds of people. Mira’s personal experiences are the focus of a story touched by a little bit of magic realism in a series of coincidences.
Somehow that all sounds better than it actually read for me, but a nice book for middle grades looking to learn more about a place they may have never been.
June 23, 2025
Jasmine Skies is my comfort book, I've probably read it well over 5 times and still can't get enough! Sita Brahmachari beautifully crafts the setting of India, immediately immersing you into the busy and vibrant atmosphere and because of her imagery, I truly lose myself in this book every single time without fail. The main characters Mira and Janu are so loveable and their interactions are so so sweet from start to finish. I genuinely don't the have words to describe how MUCH I love them and their scenes. The whole book feels like a comforting chick flick movie, all set in the colourful city of Kolkata.
I also absolutely loved the interactions between Mira and her cousin, Priya - reading about them feels comforting and like you're practically in the room with them. Jasmine Skies will always be my favourite book and genuinely holds such a special space in my heart 💗
I also absolutely loved the interactions between Mira and her cousin, Priya - reading about them feels comforting and like you're practically in the room with them. Jasmine Skies will always be my favourite book and genuinely holds such a special space in my heart 💗
July 17, 2017
Read for the Albert Whitman Teen Summer Challenge.
I hadn't read the earlier book in the series, but enough is explained that it works well as a standalone. The characters are engaging (I'd love to see Priya get her own book!), and the descriptions of Kolkata life are very evocative. There's a little bit of run-on clunkiness in the opening airport scene, and there's some lack of clarity in the scene where Janu is introduced. (For most of the book I thought he was much older than Mira, which would have been creepy and a much different story.) I plan to go back to the earlier book, and see where future volumes go.
March 3, 2022
Gripped from start to finish. I know it’s a typical thing to say about a good book but from someone who can easily lose interest in a story or struggle to read chapter after chapter, this really was something beautiful. It has that wholesome and satisfying ending where you question if there was something quite magical going on within the family, the tree, the visions Mira had in the hospital etc. such beautiful imagery, nothing cliché or anything that made me cringe at all. A Perfectly balanced, soft and meaningful story. Anyone who reads will have a bigger love and appreciation for Indian culture and also for their own family 🦜<3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2019
Wonderful!
The perfect, feel good, YA book - beautifully set and written.
I didn't read the first book but it didn't matter as this was a wonderful Calcutta adventure. Anyone who has travelled in a hot crazy city will relate to this book but it also had a well structured story and characters that leapt off the page.
More books set outside the West with Non-Western characters need to get into my hands as long as they are as well written as this one.
Great teen book - although I didn't believe she was only 14 - she seemed a lot older to me.
The perfect, feel good, YA book - beautifully set and written.
I didn't read the first book but it didn't matter as this was a wonderful Calcutta adventure. Anyone who has travelled in a hot crazy city will relate to this book but it also had a well structured story and characters that leapt off the page.
More books set outside the West with Non-Western characters need to get into my hands as long as they are as well written as this one.
Great teen book - although I didn't believe she was only 14 - she seemed a lot older to me.
February 17, 2022
As someone curious about my Indian heritage this book certainly didn't disappoint. Reading from the perspective of Mira who is probably no older than I am this book was incredibly relatable. As a reader the imagery was beautiful, colourful and bold. I very much enjoyed the whole going from England to India and her experiencing new stuff along with us as readers. This book certainly doesn't sugar coat India either it raises very important issues and doesn't stray away from an Indian citizens mindset. Loved it!
February 13, 2019
A great read, shows off India in al it’s true colours. Likeable and interesting characters and shows the real contrast between the rich and those who live in poverty.
Only thing that let it down was the ending. I thought they had real potential to create a super intriguing conclusion but it didn’t live up to what they made it to be. Other then the disappointing ending it was a great quick read.
Only thing that let it down was the ending. I thought they had real potential to create a super intriguing conclusion but it didn’t live up to what they made it to be. Other then the disappointing ending it was a great quick read.
August 12, 2021
Easy relaxing read about one of my favourite places - India. A book meant I think for young adults, but makes great reading for older romantics too. A lovely story of a young girl travelling to her Indian relatives and discovering family secrets and about life in India with a touch of young love thrown in for good measure.
Full of the feel good factor which I and many others definitely need right now.
Full of the feel good factor which I and many others definitely need right now.
February 23, 2025
I've literally read this book more than 10 times because I love it so much. Especially as a young British Asian, this book really speaks to me and is one that I will never forget. Sita's writing truly makes you feel like you're there with the characters and transports you to Mira's colourful world ✨️
September 6, 2017
took me ages to finish it but somehow i managed to find the mood to read again and finally able to read it.
quite nice story of to trace the roots of family and relatives, the trouble and fun in it.
i do wonder if there is sequel to this book cause i hate hanging ending. Lol.
quite nice story of to trace the roots of family and relatives, the trouble and fun in it.
i do wonder if there is sequel to this book cause i hate hanging ending. Lol.
March 9, 2022
This book is an amazing book for young people and I love the adventures the main character Mira went through!! Janu stole my heart, he seems so sweet and I loved the description of the house in Doctors Lane!! Overall I would definitely recommend this book as it is lighthearted and emotional.💛😇
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2022
Sweet teen suitable tale of a multicultural family across three generations. Touching on bereavement and family disputes as well as divisions in society and cultural changes, the author creates a visual tale with a positive message. Highly recommended
February 22, 2018
Such a heart warming book and loved the descriptions of India through a young girl's eyes. Definitely worth the read. Thumbs up!
Looking forward to read Artichoke Hearts :)
Looking forward to read Artichoke Hearts :)
June 15, 2018
plain simple fun but the ending left me hanging.
June 7, 2019
The best sequel Artichoke hearts could get. The quirkiness continues...
March 6, 2020
This book is fabulous! I enjoyed reading it and now I want to know what happens next!
January 6, 2021
I wish this book never came to an end. I wish I could read and read forever because reading this book (and Artichoke hearts) is like coming home.
did-not-finish
April 19, 2021this reading month hasnt been amazing so far
another dnf :(
another dnf :(
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