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Skeins
“There are instances when the truth suddenly pitches at us with an undeniable impact. Our buried feelings come to the fore due to a trigger in our environment.”
What happens when the skeins of life of 16 diverse Indian women, aged 25 to 67, get entwined when they travel to Spain and Portugal in an all-women’s tour? With a galaxy of identifiable characters from modern urban India depicted with light-hearted mirth in a travel environment, the novel explores serious issues, such as the quest for an independent identity and economic independence, the violence within and without our homes, the loneliness of old age and the need for constructive channelization of youthful energy. Spanning events across a little more than a year, it depicts how self-expression and a supportive environment trigger a cataclysmic effect and stimulate the women to realize their dreams.
What happens when the skeins of life of 16 diverse Indian women, aged 25 to 67, get entwined when they travel to Spain and Portugal in an all-women’s tour? With a galaxy of identifiable characters from modern urban India depicted with light-hearted mirth in a travel environment, the novel explores serious issues, such as the quest for an independent identity and economic independence, the violence within and without our homes, the loneliness of old age and the need for constructive channelization of youthful energy. Spanning events across a little more than a year, it depicts how self-expression and a supportive environment trigger a cataclysmic effect and stimulate the women to realize their dreams.
312 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2018
18 people want to read
About the author
Richa Gupta
4 books13 followersLibrarian Note: Also writes under the pen name Arti Chugpai.
After an academic and professional career, Richa Gupta has devoted herself to creative writing since 2017 and has published three novels.
She has been a senior teacher of English in reputed schools for 19 years and an Instructional Designer for training and e-learning in the corporate sector for nine years. Through the years, she has also executed a large volume of technical editing and curriculum development assignments and conducted training workshops in technical writing.
In September, 2017, Richa Gupta published her first novel titled ‘Phoenix’, inspired by the plight of women in India who face discrimination after a failed marriage. In September, 2018, she published her second novel titled ‘Skeins,’ a light-hearted novel in a travel environment that explores serious issues. Recently, in June 2020, she published her third book, 'Sliced of Life' that is a compendium of fascinating short stories of various genres..
Richa Gupta also writes as Arti Chugpai.
After an academic and professional career, Richa Gupta has devoted herself to creative writing since 2017 and has published three novels.
She has been a senior teacher of English in reputed schools for 19 years and an Instructional Designer for training and e-learning in the corporate sector for nine years. Through the years, she has also executed a large volume of technical editing and curriculum development assignments and conducted training workshops in technical writing.
In September, 2017, Richa Gupta published her first novel titled ‘Phoenix’, inspired by the plight of women in India who face discrimination after a failed marriage. In September, 2018, she published her second novel titled ‘Skeins,’ a light-hearted novel in a travel environment that explores serious issues. Recently, in June 2020, she published her third book, 'Sliced of Life' that is a compendium of fascinating short stories of various genres..
Richa Gupta also writes as Arti Chugpai.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
July 31, 2020
is a wonderful book that will make you add travelling with all women's group on your bucket list just like I did.
.
It's a story of 16 women who travel to Spain and Portugal together. This trip changes the life of each one of them. Each woman has a story to tell, a pain to share and a smile to celebrate. I liked how the author developed the characters that one could connect to.
Different backgrounds, different personalities, and different generations come together for 13 days. How their life takes a 360-degree turn after the trip? Will they stay in touch? There are many many questions.
The storyline of the book is intriguing filled with humour and twists. The varied plot of the story with an engaging narration makes this book more special.
I liked how the author sequenced each event making the reader curious. I loved Leela's and Kritika's story the most. What I liked most about the book is the way the author described every emotion.
It's a book that has love, regret, loss, adventure, fear, happiness and strength, all together. The language used by the author is easy to understand. It's a smooth paced book with an appealing and lucid writing style.
With family drama, dialogues and like a filmy Bollywood movie, it's a light and refreshing read that one must pick up.
.
It's a story of 16 women who travel to Spain and Portugal together. This trip changes the life of each one of them. Each woman has a story to tell, a pain to share and a smile to celebrate. I liked how the author developed the characters that one could connect to.
Different backgrounds, different personalities, and different generations come together for 13 days. How their life takes a 360-degree turn after the trip? Will they stay in touch? There are many many questions.
The storyline of the book is intriguing filled with humour and twists. The varied plot of the story with an engaging narration makes this book more special.
I liked how the author sequenced each event making the reader curious. I loved Leela's and Kritika's story the most. What I liked most about the book is the way the author described every emotion.
It's a book that has love, regret, loss, adventure, fear, happiness and strength, all together. The language used by the author is easy to understand. It's a smooth paced book with an appealing and lucid writing style.
With family drama, dialogues and like a filmy Bollywood movie, it's a light and refreshing read that one must pick up.
July 20, 2020
is a wonderful book that will make you add travelling with all women's group on your bucket list just like I did.
.
It's a story of 16 women who travel to Spain and Portugal together. This trip changes the life of each one of them. Each woman has a story to tell, a pain to share and a smile to celebrate. I liked how the author developed the characters that one could connect to.
.
Different backgrounds, different personalities, and different generations come together for 13 days. How their life takes a 360-degree turn after the trip? Will they stay in touch? There are many many questions.
.
The storyline of the book is intriguing filled with humour and twists. The varied plot of the story with an engaging narration makes this book more special.
.
I liked how the author sequenced each event making the reader curious. I loved Leela's and Kritika's story the most. What I liked most about the book is the way the author described every emotion.
.
It's a book that has love, regret, loss, adventure, fear, happiness and strength, all together. The language used by the author is easy to understand. It's a smooth paced book with an appealing and lucid writing style.
.
With family drama, dialogues and like a filmy Bollywood movie, it's a light and refreshing read that one must pick up.
.
It's a story of 16 women who travel to Spain and Portugal together. This trip changes the life of each one of them. Each woman has a story to tell, a pain to share and a smile to celebrate. I liked how the author developed the characters that one could connect to.
.
Different backgrounds, different personalities, and different generations come together for 13 days. How their life takes a 360-degree turn after the trip? Will they stay in touch? There are many many questions.
.
The storyline of the book is intriguing filled with humour and twists. The varied plot of the story with an engaging narration makes this book more special.
.
I liked how the author sequenced each event making the reader curious. I loved Leela's and Kritika's story the most. What I liked most about the book is the way the author described every emotion.
.
It's a book that has love, regret, loss, adventure, fear, happiness and strength, all together. The language used by the author is easy to understand. It's a smooth paced book with an appealing and lucid writing style.
.
With family drama, dialogues and like a filmy Bollywood movie, it's a light and refreshing read that one must pick up.
July 15, 2020
When I first read the title of the book, I did not expected it to be a book about travel. What does Skeins really mean? It means a flock of wild geese or swans in flight. It also even means a length of thread or yearn, loosely coiled and knotted. This book is about 16 women who take a trip to Spain and portugal. The moment this spain trip came into my mind, I remembered the movie "Zindagi na milegi Dobara" and I was also very nostalgic because in this lockdown our wanderlust has been minimized. These 16 women who some are married, some is a widower, some is accomplished and someone else is fighting with the struggles take their time off to join this lovely woman's trip. This trip with varied cultured women teaches them alot of things which they take it back with them home.
I absolutely loved the writing style of the Author, it is very affluent and smooth. I even loved the plot, however it was a bit expected one but it was fun to read it through.
I loved how Author has specifically described about every woman on board, their characteristics, their fashion sense, their status, their families everything.
This book is about love, family and friendships.
I absolutely loved the writing style of the Author, it is very affluent and smooth. I even loved the plot, however it was a bit expected one but it was fun to read it through.
I loved how Author has specifically described about every woman on board, their characteristics, their fashion sense, their status, their families everything.
This book is about love, family and friendships.
July 15, 2020
Living in a society where majority of people still think women shouldn't go out side after the sunset, even other women too, Skeins by Richa is an example of a Change.
In 2017, a group of 13 women aged from 25 to almost 67 started traveling abroad from India. They're strangers to each other . But there was one thing common among them. They have stepped out of their comfort zone.
Skein gives us hope. When we push ourselves from our own comfort zone, at first it feels impossible but gradually we build faith within ourselves. And with times we grow stronger and achieve our goals. This book inspires everyone to fulfil his or her desire.
The book is written in a lucid language and perfect for beginners too. In someplace narration felt a bit dragged but it can be ignored as the main theme here is interesting enough. And look at the cover! I liked it!
July 14, 2020
Skeins is a very apt title to the novel. It features stories of 16 women who meet during a trip to Spain and Portugal for 13 days.
These women vary in age and experience. Their stories about love, career, aspirations, and marriage may differ but they have a common thread called ‘exploring life’. They are the master of their own fate. They build and care for themselves as well as for others. Some stories are intense, while a few may influence millions of people across the world.
16 women and their stories – all balanced nicely and the novel looks absolutely clutter free. As a reader, I had no difficulty getting familiar with all characters. I took time to enjoy it and it certainly changed my perceptions about feminism and the women around my life. Great stories with mind-blowing narration! A must read for all!
These women vary in age and experience. Their stories about love, career, aspirations, and marriage may differ but they have a common thread called ‘exploring life’. They are the master of their own fate. They build and care for themselves as well as for others. Some stories are intense, while a few may influence millions of people across the world.
16 women and their stories – all balanced nicely and the novel looks absolutely clutter free. As a reader, I had no difficulty getting familiar with all characters. I took time to enjoy it and it certainly changed my perceptions about feminism and the women around my life. Great stories with mind-blowing narration! A must read for all!
June 12, 2020
Before starting my review, I would like to mention a personal story. I had a close friend named Richa Gupta who is no more. And reading the author's name brings back a flood of memories. I feel a personal connection with the author's name.
The book has indeed a different title that caught my attention. The story starts with a number of women taking a tour of Spain and Portugal. I am learning Spanish and wish to visit there someday. So, that immediately caught my interest.
In 2017, around 16 women who are not familiar with each other decide on an all-women’s trip ‘Splendours of Spain and Portugal’ organized by Beinz Travels Limited. The book starts with their plan.
The women vary in age from 25 to 67 years of age. The book begins with their introduction and background. It took me a while to remember the names of the characters. I liked how beautifully author described their diversity. I loved the chapter “On to Toledo” because there is a little anxiety present in all of us while pursuing something different and that's described well. Another chapter I loved is “Falling Out of Love”. They say travelling to different places and meeting different people widens your thinking and broadens your perspective towards life. So, I absolutely loved all the content cover to cover.
The book has written in lucid language, so it’s easy to interpret. I liked the narrative style of the author. It’s smooth and catchy and immediately grabs attention of the reader. I loved how small details and examples that is helpful or we experience in day-to-day life have been woven in. And there are trips like this in my bucket list.
So, I indeed liked this book. Overall, a good one.
January 6, 2019
I was already in love with the book “Skeins” once I read its blurb. It is about a group of Indian women with diverse credentials, and, with their baggage, quite literally! They travel to a new, foreign land where they explore different sites as well as themselves. I was really fascinated with the journey that lay ahead and the book didn’t disappoint me in any way.
So, the storyline follows 16 women, mostly unknown to their fellow passengers at the start of the trip, all of whom decides to take a group tour for their own personal reasons whether it be exploring new places or discovering local cuisines, to indulge in shopping or just take a break from their daily hectic or monotonous life. Each women had a story to tell and I could relate to these strong characters to a large extend.
Thus, “Skeins” is an interesting story that unfolds on the eve of the tangling of the skeins of life of sixteen Indian women from varied backgrounds, with unique histories. It reflects on the experiences of a woman, her values, morals, responsibilities and obligations. The story shows how a woman advocating for the rights of others, may let her better half refute her freedom from agony and solitude. How death of an individual doesn’t mean an end to his impact on his living partner. It also discusses relationships between a mother and daughter whose relations are detached and strained as well as between two who comfort and protect each other at all times. The author brilliantly explores certain contemporary issue whether it be about independent individual identity or economic independence or even, isolation at old age and abuse and domestic violence against women. While enlightening on these issues, the author stress on the importance of self – expression and the concept of Self – Respect.
The author describes how a supportive environment can help an individual dig out her buried wish, realize her potential to an optimum level. This tour provided the exact situation that triggers a cataclysmic effect on similar lines. It was amazing to witness the grit of these women as they tried to solve their problems while also, helping others. Over Bacalhau and Bolo Rei they shared a special time and a feeling of camaraderie as each impacted the other’s lives through various interesting and even, humorous events.
The cover art, though simple, accurately captures the storyline where the intertwined lives of these characters create a beautiful story that I enjoyed thoroughly.
The blurb of this book intrigued me and the splendid narration didn’t let my hopes with the book down. From the boarding of the airplane itself, I enjoyed the journey along with the vibrant characters of the book who meet in their journey through Spain and Portugal in an all – women’s tour and by the end of the trip had helped each other extensively. With a fresh premise, “Skeins” is scrupulously and absolutely about womanhood. And, it is further decorated by the various sceneries and monuments. So, I think, for a reader like me, it is a complete package as I can indulge in the heat of the foreign land while embracing this book in the comfort of my armchair!
So, the storyline follows 16 women, mostly unknown to their fellow passengers at the start of the trip, all of whom decides to take a group tour for their own personal reasons whether it be exploring new places or discovering local cuisines, to indulge in shopping or just take a break from their daily hectic or monotonous life. Each women had a story to tell and I could relate to these strong characters to a large extend.
Thus, “Skeins” is an interesting story that unfolds on the eve of the tangling of the skeins of life of sixteen Indian women from varied backgrounds, with unique histories. It reflects on the experiences of a woman, her values, morals, responsibilities and obligations. The story shows how a woman advocating for the rights of others, may let her better half refute her freedom from agony and solitude. How death of an individual doesn’t mean an end to his impact on his living partner. It also discusses relationships between a mother and daughter whose relations are detached and strained as well as between two who comfort and protect each other at all times. The author brilliantly explores certain contemporary issue whether it be about independent individual identity or economic independence or even, isolation at old age and abuse and domestic violence against women. While enlightening on these issues, the author stress on the importance of self – expression and the concept of Self – Respect.
The author describes how a supportive environment can help an individual dig out her buried wish, realize her potential to an optimum level. This tour provided the exact situation that triggers a cataclysmic effect on similar lines. It was amazing to witness the grit of these women as they tried to solve their problems while also, helping others. Over Bacalhau and Bolo Rei they shared a special time and a feeling of camaraderie as each impacted the other’s lives through various interesting and even, humorous events.
The cover art, though simple, accurately captures the storyline where the intertwined lives of these characters create a beautiful story that I enjoyed thoroughly.
The blurb of this book intrigued me and the splendid narration didn’t let my hopes with the book down. From the boarding of the airplane itself, I enjoyed the journey along with the vibrant characters of the book who meet in their journey through Spain and Portugal in an all – women’s tour and by the end of the trip had helped each other extensively. With a fresh premise, “Skeins” is scrupulously and absolutely about womanhood. And, it is further decorated by the various sceneries and monuments. So, I think, for a reader like me, it is a complete package as I can indulge in the heat of the foreign land while embracing this book in the comfort of my armchair!
July 17, 2020
Skeins by Madam Richa Gupta is a story about women. A story that provides us as a reader light of hope, faith, strength. It instills in us the strength to believe in ourselves and a need to become more empathetic towards each other to grow as a whole in our society.

This is a fiction that revolves around sixteen women of different age groups who came from different parts of India and also Dubai for a woman only travel trip to few countries of Europe.
The solo type trip with other female travelers to the beautiful lands of Spain and Portugal not only provided them an opportunity to relax and breathe and enjoy the intricate medieval architecture but it helped them to heal their past scars.

After these travelers introduce themselves to each other, coming from vivid social and economic backgrounds these journeys bring them close to each other. Few belong to their twenties and some are in their right sides of their sixties. With different life experiences they start to develop a bond when they care to share their unsolved events of life.

From a tormenting husband with an extra marital affair to the grieve of evidencing a loved one fading away in an incurable disease, they come with contrasting set of life stories. Even if their ages were different, when they met one thing was common, they inspired each other and when they returned they remembered the bonding which remained ageless and used their learnings about the value of believing in oneself and remembering one's strengths over their weaknesses.

The plot felt thoughtful. It has a steady flow. The conversations where the provisions in our Indian Government to protect women citizens were mentioned proved it an information rich part.

The trip description with its scenic beauty felt nice and fresh. The characters played important roles. They had purpose in the plot portraying the basic messages.
Skein is a length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled and knotted. Human relationships and life are like a long or a bunch of yarns, coiled, twisted and has different knots at different places. Is not it ?

This is a fiction that revolves around sixteen women of different age groups who came from different parts of India and also Dubai for a woman only travel trip to few countries of Europe.
The solo type trip with other female travelers to the beautiful lands of Spain and Portugal not only provided them an opportunity to relax and breathe and enjoy the intricate medieval architecture but it helped them to heal their past scars.

After these travelers introduce themselves to each other, coming from vivid social and economic backgrounds these journeys bring them close to each other. Few belong to their twenties and some are in their right sides of their sixties. With different life experiences they start to develop a bond when they care to share their unsolved events of life.

From a tormenting husband with an extra marital affair to the grieve of evidencing a loved one fading away in an incurable disease, they come with contrasting set of life stories. Even if their ages were different, when they met one thing was common, they inspired each other and when they returned they remembered the bonding which remained ageless and used their learnings about the value of believing in oneself and remembering one's strengths over their weaknesses.

The plot felt thoughtful. It has a steady flow. The conversations where the provisions in our Indian Government to protect women citizens were mentioned proved it an information rich part.

The trip description with its scenic beauty felt nice and fresh. The characters played important roles. They had purpose in the plot portraying the basic messages.
Skein is a length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled and knotted. Human relationships and life are like a long or a bunch of yarns, coiled, twisted and has different knots at different places. Is not it ?
August 26, 2020
Skein denotes a length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled & knotted. This novel is a travelogue which prevails over the lives of 16 Indian women from diverse backgrounds as they meet while travelling to Spain & hitherto some other prominent places in the world.
This book ponders on the lives of women from the Indian subcontinent; filled with despair of leading an ordinary life in a typical household where everyone take them for granted. The fact that they're termed as being ordinary or simplistic & not 'someone special' is extremely shocking, while also being incredibly relatable to our day-to-day lives. The life story of many young women born in this predominant society raises questions about endemic misogyny & institutional oppression that are relevant to us all. It describes experiences that will be recognisable everywhere. The book also demonstrates the unfairness of the female experience and the sheer difficulty of improving it. The most important thing being a woman these days is being independent while establishing a unique identity for oneself. The independence maybe financial/economic or shackles from household binding them down.
Writing style is good. Narration is okay. Language is simple yet beautiful. Synchronisation is deep with a good command over poignancy. The novel manages to leave a deep impact on our hearts & a smile which lingers longer. A good one-time read. Recommended for all the women out there especially who love reading travelogues!
This book ponders on the lives of women from the Indian subcontinent; filled with despair of leading an ordinary life in a typical household where everyone take them for granted. The fact that they're termed as being ordinary or simplistic & not 'someone special' is extremely shocking, while also being incredibly relatable to our day-to-day lives. The life story of many young women born in this predominant society raises questions about endemic misogyny & institutional oppression that are relevant to us all. It describes experiences that will be recognisable everywhere. The book also demonstrates the unfairness of the female experience and the sheer difficulty of improving it. The most important thing being a woman these days is being independent while establishing a unique identity for oneself. The independence maybe financial/economic or shackles from household binding them down.
Writing style is good. Narration is okay. Language is simple yet beautiful. Synchronisation is deep with a good command over poignancy. The novel manages to leave a deep impact on our hearts & a smile which lingers longer. A good one-time read. Recommended for all the women out there especially who love reading travelogues!
July 14, 2020
3.5/5
The title of the book is what urged me to pick this one up. Skeins means a length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled and knotted and this story is perfect for the title since all the individual stories are merged together in the end.
The story follows the lives of 16 women aged between 25-67 belonging to different strata of life. All of them came together to visit Spain for 13 days. Women with individual stories of their daily life struggles, for once left behind all their worries in order to travel and gain a whole new experience. The journey enlightened each one of them and by the end of their trip, all their worries got sorted.
What were their stories? How did they find solutions to their problems?
I loved reading this book. This was quite refreshing to read after all the serious books I've been reading. The characters were well developed and I loved knowing about each and every one of the ladies. They all felt so relatable and their struggles were what most of the women experience in real life. I loved how the author discussed the issues of the society through different characters. Though I was disappointed with unnecessary dragging of stories at a few places but overall it was an engaging read. The book is well paced and the narration is good too. The language is easy and understandable.
If you are looking for a refreshing read, then this is the one.
The title of the book is what urged me to pick this one up. Skeins means a length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled and knotted and this story is perfect for the title since all the individual stories are merged together in the end.
The story follows the lives of 16 women aged between 25-67 belonging to different strata of life. All of them came together to visit Spain for 13 days. Women with individual stories of their daily life struggles, for once left behind all their worries in order to travel and gain a whole new experience. The journey enlightened each one of them and by the end of their trip, all their worries got sorted.
What were their stories? How did they find solutions to their problems?
I loved reading this book. This was quite refreshing to read after all the serious books I've been reading. The characters were well developed and I loved knowing about each and every one of the ladies. They all felt so relatable and their struggles were what most of the women experience in real life. I loved how the author discussed the issues of the society through different characters. Though I was disappointed with unnecessary dragging of stories at a few places but overall it was an engaging read. The book is well paced and the narration is good too. The language is easy and understandable.
If you are looking for a refreshing read, then this is the one.
July 14, 2020
•A beautiful collection of stories about women who are as strong as they look, though perhaps not quite as tough as they think they are. Sixteen Indian women aged 25-67 travel to Spain & Portugal in order of discover life and its hidden treasure. It is a journey to the Iberian peninsula, a quest for spiritual enlightenment and a story for anyone who has faced life's small struggles.
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•I simply adore the author's attempt to write such a sweet story of wonderful characters. Now the next time when I'll travel anywhere, looking outside the window I'll be remembering Leena, Deepti, Varsha, Naina Gupta and their beautiful moments of togetherness.
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•The fluent narrative of the author is a plus point. There are so many instances in the book which make your heart ache. Her free flowing prose, idealism and inspiring thoughts make the book unputdownable.
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• If you're looking for a cheerful book that will make you smile, I urge you to pick up this book. You'll surely have a delightful experience.
⠀
•I simply adore the author's attempt to write such a sweet story of wonderful characters. Now the next time when I'll travel anywhere, looking outside the window I'll be remembering Leena, Deepti, Varsha, Naina Gupta and their beautiful moments of togetherness.
⠀
•The fluent narrative of the author is a plus point. There are so many instances in the book which make your heart ache. Her free flowing prose, idealism and inspiring thoughts make the book unputdownable.
⠀
• If you're looking for a cheerful book that will make you smile, I urge you to pick up this book. You'll surely have a delightful experience.
July 18, 2020
Skeins is an eloquent story of how one group of rather mixed up women used the journey. They're able to dig deep into their past and their fears. The struggles along the trail gave them the strength and clarity to face who they really are and what they're capable of.
The book is about Sixteen women of different age and lifestyle who join together for a two-week trip to Spain and Portugal. This trip helps them in searching for the inspiration they needed to decide what it is they truly want with their lives. The book is divided in two parts. First one The Excursion deals with their lives before the trip; and the second part The Aftermath shows their lives after trip and how the decisions they made during the trip changes their lives.
Not only do we get to know 16 women of different age and background as they take us along their 13 days long journey, but we also get to learn about all of these new and exciting places they get to visit. It's as if we are right alongside them on this journey of self-discovery - we get to hear about all the problems they're facing in their life, from work to personal life. As the trip progresses, we begin to notice the changes slowly taking place within these women and the fact that they are starting to realize what they really want. Of course, along the way there are arguments, hugs, lots of laughter and an overall appreciation for one another.
This book really does provide a genuine feel of what these women mean to each other and what this small vacation means to them. Skeins, however, gives a realistic and painfully honest account of women who decide to go on only-women trip after facing career hardships, relationship issues, and a general feeling of unease surrounding their lives. Instead of glamorizing their travels, they speak frankly about the difficulties of spending every second of every day of their lives.
Skeins is extremely well-written. It's full of memorable characters, drawn so vividly. Author Richa Gupta captures the emotions of women who has lost their anchor in life very well. Beyond the emotional pull of the novel, it is an adventure story that takes us through all the highs and lows of lives of 16 women. Interspersed with little anecdotes from their lives before the trip, it shows everything (from cheating husband, dying loved one, heart break, career and much more) that these women face in struggle to sort their life out.
Skeins by Richa Gupta is a book about friendship, travel, inspiration, and discovering who you are. Talk about a fun, interesting and inspiring read and I'll recommend you Skeins by Richa Gupta.
The book is about Sixteen women of different age and lifestyle who join together for a two-week trip to Spain and Portugal. This trip helps them in searching for the inspiration they needed to decide what it is they truly want with their lives. The book is divided in two parts. First one The Excursion deals with their lives before the trip; and the second part The Aftermath shows their lives after trip and how the decisions they made during the trip changes their lives.
Not only do we get to know 16 women of different age and background as they take us along their 13 days long journey, but we also get to learn about all of these new and exciting places they get to visit. It's as if we are right alongside them on this journey of self-discovery - we get to hear about all the problems they're facing in their life, from work to personal life. As the trip progresses, we begin to notice the changes slowly taking place within these women and the fact that they are starting to realize what they really want. Of course, along the way there are arguments, hugs, lots of laughter and an overall appreciation for one another.
This book really does provide a genuine feel of what these women mean to each other and what this small vacation means to them. Skeins, however, gives a realistic and painfully honest account of women who decide to go on only-women trip after facing career hardships, relationship issues, and a general feeling of unease surrounding their lives. Instead of glamorizing their travels, they speak frankly about the difficulties of spending every second of every day of their lives.
Skeins is extremely well-written. It's full of memorable characters, drawn so vividly. Author Richa Gupta captures the emotions of women who has lost their anchor in life very well. Beyond the emotional pull of the novel, it is an adventure story that takes us through all the highs and lows of lives of 16 women. Interspersed with little anecdotes from their lives before the trip, it shows everything (from cheating husband, dying loved one, heart break, career and much more) that these women face in struggle to sort their life out.
Skeins by Richa Gupta is a book about friendship, travel, inspiration, and discovering who you are. Talk about a fun, interesting and inspiring read and I'll recommend you Skeins by Richa Gupta.
July 31, 2020
Traveling to new places & exploring the unknown has always been my favorite thing to do. One big wish I have on my list is to travel solo. Of course, I'd love the company of new people! And, in extraordinary times like these, the mind craves to travel, miss those days when it was so easy to travel..and reading this book reminded me of so many days when I explored new places.
Skeins by Richa Gupta is a travelogue. It is about the journey of 16 Indian women who start a memorable journey to Spain! All these women come from different walks of life, they are from different age groups & have lived different lives. But one journey brought them together. The book speaks of their experiences, the memories they made & the learnings that came along.
Talking of beautiful covers of book that catch the readers attention first, the cover of this book is bright and colourful. The title will initially make you think if it's relatable to the blurb or not. But as the story unfolds, you'll find it relatable & apt. Read the book to know more..
What I personally loved about the book is the way in which experiences are described. Most of us don't know how to find our calling & trips like these help in finding our true self & what we want from life. Through the journey of the women in the story, we get a feel of what self-discovery feels like. The beautiful places they visit along the journey is something I imagined while reading & wish to be a part of their group. This speaks a lot about the narration style of the author.
Divided into two parts, 'the excursion' & 'the aftermath', this book is like a journey of life. The relationship struggles, hardships in careers and the feelings women go through are well described through the story. I think it is important to talk about these issues more often.
Filled with inspiration, bond of new friendships, travel & self-discovery, this book is a nice & engaging read. Some parts felt unnecessary for me as a reader & could have been given a fine edit. Overall, I like the feel of the book. I will remember the characters from the book when I do a solo travel for sure!
Do give it a read. It's a decent read & I'd rate it a 3.5/5*.
Skeins by Richa Gupta is a travelogue. It is about the journey of 16 Indian women who start a memorable journey to Spain! All these women come from different walks of life, they are from different age groups & have lived different lives. But one journey brought them together. The book speaks of their experiences, the memories they made & the learnings that came along.
Talking of beautiful covers of book that catch the readers attention first, the cover of this book is bright and colourful. The title will initially make you think if it's relatable to the blurb or not. But as the story unfolds, you'll find it relatable & apt. Read the book to know more..
What I personally loved about the book is the way in which experiences are described. Most of us don't know how to find our calling & trips like these help in finding our true self & what we want from life. Through the journey of the women in the story, we get a feel of what self-discovery feels like. The beautiful places they visit along the journey is something I imagined while reading & wish to be a part of their group. This speaks a lot about the narration style of the author.
Divided into two parts, 'the excursion' & 'the aftermath', this book is like a journey of life. The relationship struggles, hardships in careers and the feelings women go through are well described through the story. I think it is important to talk about these issues more often.
Filled with inspiration, bond of new friendships, travel & self-discovery, this book is a nice & engaging read. Some parts felt unnecessary for me as a reader & could have been given a fine edit. Overall, I like the feel of the book. I will remember the characters from the book when I do a solo travel for sure!
Do give it a read. It's a decent read & I'd rate it a 3.5/5*.
February 15, 2019
Skeins by Richa Gupta is more of a emotional oriented travelogue than a simple novel. The story follows a group of women of varying personalities as they go to travel abroad.
The author explores back stories and struggles of all the characters, giving much needed insight into their lives which helped me appreciate and relate to them. Everyone had their own struggles, one dealing with her husband’s infidelity to another being a head strong woman living her life to the fullest even after the death of her loving husband. The idea was good, it felt like a collection of stories all bound together in a collective net, inter connected with the sole thread of their group excursion.
Some of the themes explored ranged from struggles of old age, domestic violence to near existential and identity crisis.
One thing I liked and strongly related to was the part in the book’s intro, where the author wrote ‘even though they’re an English language teacher, they still found words escaping them when they sat down to write.’ Because that’s so true! Yet the author’s writing style, it was so simplistic and without the unnecessary verbose adjective and floral language some authors deck their works with, really pleasant to read without having to cringe. 5 stars for your writing.
The one thing that kind of threw me off was, some parts felt a bit draggy. Like I would’ve preferred if they were more sharp jabs than slow and mellow because it made it kinda boring in some instances but that’s my personal opinion. Some people do like the slow and mellow vibe; tinged with some dark angst so I guess if that’s your thing DEFINITELY recommend you to read this.
This book is ideal for those who want something to read on their own travels. It helped me feel empathetic of others’, introduced me to some issues I didn’t even knew existed but now explains why some people I know might’ve behaved or acted the way they did.
The author explores back stories and struggles of all the characters, giving much needed insight into their lives which helped me appreciate and relate to them. Everyone had their own struggles, one dealing with her husband’s infidelity to another being a head strong woman living her life to the fullest even after the death of her loving husband. The idea was good, it felt like a collection of stories all bound together in a collective net, inter connected with the sole thread of their group excursion.
Some of the themes explored ranged from struggles of old age, domestic violence to near existential and identity crisis.
One thing I liked and strongly related to was the part in the book’s intro, where the author wrote ‘even though they’re an English language teacher, they still found words escaping them when they sat down to write.’ Because that’s so true! Yet the author’s writing style, it was so simplistic and without the unnecessary verbose adjective and floral language some authors deck their works with, really pleasant to read without having to cringe. 5 stars for your writing.
The one thing that kind of threw me off was, some parts felt a bit draggy. Like I would’ve preferred if they were more sharp jabs than slow and mellow because it made it kinda boring in some instances but that’s my personal opinion. Some people do like the slow and mellow vibe; tinged with some dark angst so I guess if that’s your thing DEFINITELY recommend you to read this.
This book is ideal for those who want something to read on their own travels. It helped me feel empathetic of others’, introduced me to some issues I didn’t even knew existed but now explains why some people I know might’ve behaved or acted the way they did.
July 11, 2020
Author- Richa Gupta
Publication- Notion Press
Ratings: 4⭐/5⭐
Blurb:
Women only face struggles in their life right? They are not allowed to go outside their house right? They face violence from our society. This is the only picture of a woman in our mind if we think about our society and its totally right too. But what will happen if these women step out of their comfort zone and live their life independent.
What will happen if they do solo travel and explore places like Spain and Portugal in an all women's tour.
Skein, is about a travel journey of 16 diverse Indian women aged 25-67 to explore Spain and Portugal in an all women's tour. Coming out of all the violence they have faced in their society and their family, coming up to finally breathe out of their comfort zone into the real freedom, exploring many different things that were unseen till now in their lifestyle.
Skeins depicts old age loneliness to new teenage excitement, it will build a positive environment around every women to trigger her dreams and all her wants to be fulfilled
Coming to the cover and the title of the book, cover was not attracting me at first but as i read the book it started making sense, the title is good and unique too.
Narration:
The narration of the book is in a lucid language preferrable for non-readers as well.
Whole story is fast paced but the middle part was a bit lengthy to be read.
Some stuffs were too lengthy to be narrated in the book,
Plot:
The story plot was indeed beautiful I really loved the book the moto behind it how the author has come up with this idea such unique one, to make understand every women her worth and her dreams.
Indeed a wonderful book to be read!
Characterization:
Author has done justice with all the her characters in the book,
Both the sections of the book have a meaning behind them and it is wonderfully narrated by the author.
A worthy read!
Publication- Notion Press
Ratings: 4⭐/5⭐
Blurb:
Women only face struggles in their life right? They are not allowed to go outside their house right? They face violence from our society. This is the only picture of a woman in our mind if we think about our society and its totally right too. But what will happen if these women step out of their comfort zone and live their life independent.
What will happen if they do solo travel and explore places like Spain and Portugal in an all women's tour.
Skein, is about a travel journey of 16 diverse Indian women aged 25-67 to explore Spain and Portugal in an all women's tour. Coming out of all the violence they have faced in their society and their family, coming up to finally breathe out of their comfort zone into the real freedom, exploring many different things that were unseen till now in their lifestyle.
Skeins depicts old age loneliness to new teenage excitement, it will build a positive environment around every women to trigger her dreams and all her wants to be fulfilled
Coming to the cover and the title of the book, cover was not attracting me at first but as i read the book it started making sense, the title is good and unique too.
Narration:
The narration of the book is in a lucid language preferrable for non-readers as well.
Whole story is fast paced but the middle part was a bit lengthy to be read.
Some stuffs were too lengthy to be narrated in the book,
Plot:
The story plot was indeed beautiful I really loved the book the moto behind it how the author has come up with this idea such unique one, to make understand every women her worth and her dreams.
Indeed a wonderful book to be read!
Characterization:
Author has done justice with all the her characters in the book,
Both the sections of the book have a meaning behind them and it is wonderfully narrated by the author.
A worthy read!
July 14, 2020
"Skeins" is a fictional novel written by author Richa Gupta that explores some serious issues regarding women such as the importance of financial independence, old age forsaken, broken marriage, broken family and so on. This book talks about women and their grappling life journeys
Story starts with 15 Indian women of age 25 to 67 traveling for the trip to Spain and Portugal organized by a travel company 'Beinz'. Kakoli being the group coordinator is the incharge of all the arrangements.
All women belong to different class and culture having unique individual journey and struggles, excited for their next 12 days trip, totally unaware of the fact that how this expedition and companionship of fellow travel mates is going to affect their lives .
Author truly did justice to the title of the book SKEINS that mean "length of threads loosely coiled and knotted" as the description and story of all the 16 women including the trip coordinator were delicately entwined with each other.
This is a story of womenhood, their long standing struggle in our indian society, their sacrifices, reservations, guilt, fear, loss, self realisation, success and fame. It talks about how these independent characters supported each and every one in their unique journey to fly higher with brighter colours.
I was skeptical in the beginning that it can be related to pseudo feminism or those typical kitty party talks, but to my surprise this book astoundingly talked about different perspectives of a women's life, their failure and success.
Since all the characters were different in their attributes and age, every reader can connect to at least one of them. The author very smoothly built all the characters to avoid any confusion for the readers and the narration was fast paced with all the twist and turns intact to impel readers to keep on turning pages.
I will recommend this book to everyone women out there as well as men if they want to understand women more.
Story starts with 15 Indian women of age 25 to 67 traveling for the trip to Spain and Portugal organized by a travel company 'Beinz'. Kakoli being the group coordinator is the incharge of all the arrangements.
All women belong to different class and culture having unique individual journey and struggles, excited for their next 12 days trip, totally unaware of the fact that how this expedition and companionship of fellow travel mates is going to affect their lives .
Author truly did justice to the title of the book SKEINS that mean "length of threads loosely coiled and knotted" as the description and story of all the 16 women including the trip coordinator were delicately entwined with each other.
This is a story of womenhood, their long standing struggle in our indian society, their sacrifices, reservations, guilt, fear, loss, self realisation, success and fame. It talks about how these independent characters supported each and every one in their unique journey to fly higher with brighter colours.
I was skeptical in the beginning that it can be related to pseudo feminism or those typical kitty party talks, but to my surprise this book astoundingly talked about different perspectives of a women's life, their failure and success.
Since all the characters were different in their attributes and age, every reader can connect to at least one of them. The author very smoothly built all the characters to avoid any confusion for the readers and the narration was fast paced with all the twist and turns intact to impel readers to keep on turning pages.
I will recommend this book to everyone women out there as well as men if they want to understand women more.
July 19, 2020
Travellers are dreamers who make their desire for adventures a reality. #qotd📝 What is something that most people's learn only after it's too late?
There is a famous quote by Saint Augustine ( The word is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. )
😊
But, after reading this book it is not only to know the life experiences of the author during pages but also to travel along with the author to so many places in India and abroad. The book tells about travel-related stories but depicts the journey of the author and her way of keeping the spirit alive in the walk of life.
This book is divided into two parts names are ( The Excursion ) and ( The Aftermath) both part has its own importance and all chapters co_related with each other.
The chapters are very well-drafted and would keep you engrossed till the last page. Undoubtedly, it’s a commendable work done by the author to compile a book that would help lakhs of professionals travellers.
Story of the book begins on 13th July 2017when all women whose age ( between 25 to 67 ) has planning to organize the trip to Spain and Portugal, women's group starts their journey from Indira Gandhi international airport. This book aims to show that around to the author quotes, it's not a book for reading however it is for doing expertise in travelling. Since the book also aims to interest folks with its surroundings, there also are stuff you will do while you travel. Well, know more about the book, just grab your copy now. The writing style of this book is superb and one can finish this book in a couple of hours.
😊
The narration is also so interesting that one actually visualizes while reading, and the cover looks good but I think it's different from its title, well-designed cover. The plot of the story is wonderful and very much according to the story. The language of the book is so simple and easy to understand. I definitely recommend this book to all types of readers.
😊
Overall a wonderful experience. My rating is 3.8 ✳ ️ Thank you all :)
There is a famous quote by Saint Augustine ( The word is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. )
😊
But, after reading this book it is not only to know the life experiences of the author during pages but also to travel along with the author to so many places in India and abroad. The book tells about travel-related stories but depicts the journey of the author and her way of keeping the spirit alive in the walk of life.
This book is divided into two parts names are ( The Excursion ) and ( The Aftermath) both part has its own importance and all chapters co_related with each other.
The chapters are very well-drafted and would keep you engrossed till the last page. Undoubtedly, it’s a commendable work done by the author to compile a book that would help lakhs of professionals travellers.
Story of the book begins on 13th July 2017when all women whose age ( between 25 to 67 ) has planning to organize the trip to Spain and Portugal, women's group starts their journey from Indira Gandhi international airport. This book aims to show that around to the author quotes, it's not a book for reading however it is for doing expertise in travelling. Since the book also aims to interest folks with its surroundings, there also are stuff you will do while you travel. Well, know more about the book, just grab your copy now. The writing style of this book is superb and one can finish this book in a couple of hours.
😊
The narration is also so interesting that one actually visualizes while reading, and the cover looks good but I think it's different from its title, well-designed cover. The plot of the story is wonderful and very much according to the story. The language of the book is so simple and easy to understand. I definitely recommend this book to all types of readers.
😊
Overall a wonderful experience. My rating is 3.8 ✳ ️ Thank you all :)
April 22, 2019
Title: The title of this book is so meaningful. It means a quantity of yarn, thread, or the like, put up together, after it is taken from the reel. Though some readers may feel complexity finding the meaning of the title and how it relates to the story. What i think the title should be too simple to understand. It helps all kind of readers to understand the matter and readers are attracted to its. That's what i feel regarding the title.
Cover: The cover is not attractive one. It has been made by matching with the title, i appreciate it. But i don't feel any attractiveness in the cover that can attract readers to its.
Blurb: The blurb portion is short but well enough to describe the story briefly that is kept inside the book. It is edited and written well. After reading the blurb one can get a little idea what is going to happen inside the book.
Storyline: The story is written and edited well. All characters have been characterized well. The author has used lucid language to describe the story though this story is not for fresher readers. For understanding the meaning of the story you have to have enough knowledge of English literature. Sometimes, i felt bored while reading this story. Stories should be written everyone can read and understand the meaning of the stories. If the meaning of the story is easily understood by readers one as an author can say he or she has reached the depth of the reader's mind and only then he or she as an author can achieve success. I would not recommend this book to all but would recommend to those who have enough education and knowledge of English literature.
Cover: The cover is not attractive one. It has been made by matching with the title, i appreciate it. But i don't feel any attractiveness in the cover that can attract readers to its.
Blurb: The blurb portion is short but well enough to describe the story briefly that is kept inside the book. It is edited and written well. After reading the blurb one can get a little idea what is going to happen inside the book.
Storyline: The story is written and edited well. All characters have been characterized well. The author has used lucid language to describe the story though this story is not for fresher readers. For understanding the meaning of the story you have to have enough knowledge of English literature. Sometimes, i felt bored while reading this story. Stories should be written everyone can read and understand the meaning of the stories. If the meaning of the story is easily understood by readers one as an author can say he or she has reached the depth of the reader's mind and only then he or she as an author can achieve success. I would not recommend this book to all but would recommend to those who have enough education and knowledge of English literature.
July 9, 2020
SKEINS by Richa Gupta
Skeins is a story of 16 women from diverse backgrounds and varied age group between 25 to 67, who decide to take a trip to Spain and Portugal. The trip is organized by Beinz travel group and the women are accompanied by a group coordinator-Kakoli Desai.
The women are strangers to one another prior to the trip. The story follows with the author introducing us to their personal struggles and issues. At first, I found it to be a bit overwhelming with multiple characters and their stories, but gradually caught up to it!
The women familiarise themselves with one another during the trip and soon form a special yet strong bond with each other. For the rest of the book, we get to witness their support and love for each other.
The author explores and enlightens important issues such as domestic violence, abuse, financial dependency, and others, that these women had to go through.
They come from all walks of life, playing varying roles of mother, daughter, wife, etc,. This trip was a means of escape for them but also turned out to be life-changing as they found one another and a chance to a new family!!
The author beautifully describes how these women stand for one another, helping each other to truly find a place for themselves in this world.
The book is well-paced and narration is strong and fluid.
Lastly - the title and the cover! They are really unique and their relevance to the story is revealed later in the book!! 😉
I would definitely recommend this book to all of you out there. It celebrates womanhood!! Go ahead and give it a try. I am glad I got a chance to read it!!
__________
Skeins is a story of 16 women from diverse backgrounds and varied age group between 25 to 67, who decide to take a trip to Spain and Portugal. The trip is organized by Beinz travel group and the women are accompanied by a group coordinator-Kakoli Desai.
The women are strangers to one another prior to the trip. The story follows with the author introducing us to their personal struggles and issues. At first, I found it to be a bit overwhelming with multiple characters and their stories, but gradually caught up to it!
The women familiarise themselves with one another during the trip and soon form a special yet strong bond with each other. For the rest of the book, we get to witness their support and love for each other.
The author explores and enlightens important issues such as domestic violence, abuse, financial dependency, and others, that these women had to go through.
They come from all walks of life, playing varying roles of mother, daughter, wife, etc,. This trip was a means of escape for them but also turned out to be life-changing as they found one another and a chance to a new family!!
The author beautifully describes how these women stand for one another, helping each other to truly find a place for themselves in this world.
The book is well-paced and narration is strong and fluid.
Lastly - the title and the cover! They are really unique and their relevance to the story is revealed later in the book!! 😉
I would definitely recommend this book to all of you out there. It celebrates womanhood!! Go ahead and give it a try. I am glad I got a chance to read it!!
__________
July 30, 2020
SKEINS by Richa Gupta is a book of travel or journey of 16 diverse kind of Indian women. All of them comes from different background with different life stories. Some of them are married where as some are widowed, with a age range of 25 to 67.
If we come to the meaning of "Skeins", it means a length of thread loosely coined and knotted, or in simple form it means 'tangle'. In bengali 'skein' means 'জট'. So from that it can be summarised that the life of these 16 women are very much tangled or complicated, which is described beautifully in this book.
All of these women wanted to explore life through their travelling experience to Spain and Portugal. They all are connected by a single thread called 'emotion'. The author successfully portrayed the struggle of women in our society, with which every women can relate their life. It is not only the emotional struggle but it also shows the picture of how self-expression and a positive environment can stimulate dreams of the women.
The author did justice to all the characters and well defined their stories. The book is divided into some chapters and each chapter name is justified with its description. It is written in simple language,so everyone can understand it easily and elucidate it. With the pluralistic plot, the book effortlessly grabs attention of its readers.
Overall, undoubtedly it can be said that, this book is a 'must read' book during this lockdown period to create a 'supportive environment' for your mind.
If we come to the meaning of "Skeins", it means a length of thread loosely coined and knotted, or in simple form it means 'tangle'. In bengali 'skein' means 'জট'. So from that it can be summarised that the life of these 16 women are very much tangled or complicated, which is described beautifully in this book.
All of these women wanted to explore life through their travelling experience to Spain and Portugal. They all are connected by a single thread called 'emotion'. The author successfully portrayed the struggle of women in our society, with which every women can relate their life. It is not only the emotional struggle but it also shows the picture of how self-expression and a positive environment can stimulate dreams of the women.
The author did justice to all the characters and well defined their stories. The book is divided into some chapters and each chapter name is justified with its description. It is written in simple language,so everyone can understand it easily and elucidate it. With the pluralistic plot, the book effortlessly grabs attention of its readers.
Overall, undoubtedly it can be said that, this book is a 'must read' book during this lockdown period to create a 'supportive environment' for your mind.
July 9, 2020
Originally published on my blog: https://yoursafictionately.wordpress....
* I received the book by the author in exchange of an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are unbiased. *
Initially, I picked up Skeins after being charmed by it's unique and intriguing synopsis. However, I wasn't expecting it to leave a great impact on me whatsoever. But, Skeins has now became one of my most memorable reads of 2020!! As the synopsis suggests, the story revolves around 16 diverse Indian women of a varied age gap. The book brings in light their journey to Spain and Portugal. This journey, however, turns out way far from a normal one. This journey soon turns into a journey to explore self identity and independence.
The plot of the book was really gripping! it was paced very well. It was quite charming on it’s own and did not have to depend on characters or any other elements to shine. I really was not expecting it to be one of those plot which would always keep me on my toes. But, I was proved wrong! The plot was extraordinary!
The characters were quite interesting as well. I liked the character developments throughout. The characters were really unique and diverse and I felt quite attached to each and everyone of them.
The writing style really amazed me! For some reason, the author's words through her writing style seemed really powerful. I feel really lucky to come across such a gem of a writer!
* I received the book by the author in exchange of an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are unbiased. *
Initially, I picked up Skeins after being charmed by it's unique and intriguing synopsis. However, I wasn't expecting it to leave a great impact on me whatsoever. But, Skeins has now became one of my most memorable reads of 2020!! As the synopsis suggests, the story revolves around 16 diverse Indian women of a varied age gap. The book brings in light their journey to Spain and Portugal. This journey, however, turns out way far from a normal one. This journey soon turns into a journey to explore self identity and independence.
The plot of the book was really gripping! it was paced very well. It was quite charming on it’s own and did not have to depend on characters or any other elements to shine. I really was not expecting it to be one of those plot which would always keep me on my toes. But, I was proved wrong! The plot was extraordinary!
The characters were quite interesting as well. I liked the character developments throughout. The characters were really unique and diverse and I felt quite attached to each and everyone of them.
The writing style really amazed me! For some reason, the author's words through her writing style seemed really powerful. I feel really lucky to come across such a gem of a writer!
July 26, 2020
Firstly please appreciate the fact that the cover is absolutely stunning. Now coming onto the book it is a travelogue where 16 different Indian women from diverse backgrounds come together and decide to explore Spain and Portugal. This is my second women's travelogue that I read this year and I absolutely loved it.
There are two parts of the book part 1 is the excursion and part 2 is the aftermath.
I loved how rich the language was and the narration was very captivating.
Some characters were very relatable for example the character of Naina Gupta reminded me of one of my aunts who also has a similar situation and she Travels a lot as well so when I was reading the book I was coming across characters who are relatable and it was like looking into a mirror. It is not short book. The book is over 300 pages so there were times when it wasn't as interesting as the premise was but overall it was a solid 3 star read. I loved how the author attempted to give each character background for example the character of Rupa who is a Bengali from a Zamindar family and we come to know in the book that about her elder son and his wife and her ancestry so when I was reading about these characters especially since I am a Bengali too; I was getting an insight in each of their backgrounds and their minds and how the psychology was working on that trip does making the reading experience of very enriching.
There are two parts of the book part 1 is the excursion and part 2 is the aftermath.
I loved how rich the language was and the narration was very captivating.
Some characters were very relatable for example the character of Naina Gupta reminded me of one of my aunts who also has a similar situation and she Travels a lot as well so when I was reading the book I was coming across characters who are relatable and it was like looking into a mirror. It is not short book. The book is over 300 pages so there were times when it wasn't as interesting as the premise was but overall it was a solid 3 star read. I loved how the author attempted to give each character background for example the character of Rupa who is a Bengali from a Zamindar family and we come to know in the book that about her elder son and his wife and her ancestry so when I was reading about these characters especially since I am a Bengali too; I was getting an insight in each of their backgrounds and their minds and how the psychology was working on that trip does making the reading experience of very enriching.
July 29, 2020
A journey to finding your own self
Someone once said "if you want to find yourself then travel".This is the case for 16 different women under the age of 25 to 67 from india. In the book SKIENS, author Richa Gupta takes you to the journey of these women to Spain and Portugal.
SKIENS as the name suggests is a thread collected together in a shape of ring; similarly the story revolves around the lives of these 16 women who has taken step out of their home alone to travel the world with strangers.
Richa has beautifully designed the experiences of these women as they explore a different world while carrying thier own baggage of commitment, grievances, values, morales, love and responsibilities. The author kept the reader hooked throughout the book by taking them to fight for the women's justice, thier fight for freedom and their fight to knowing themselves. The reader is unknowingly becomes the part of the story comparing themself to the character of the story, maybe thankful for the blessings of God for the sense of freedom in their lives. The author also explores and brings out the best in you. How can a situation can trigger you to use your best potential or increases the reflax time in any case.
This is one of the most ideal book to read by the people who love traveling. It can be regarded as the blessings in disguise to those women's who are lost and trying to find themselves again.
Someone once said "if you want to find yourself then travel".This is the case for 16 different women under the age of 25 to 67 from india. In the book SKIENS, author Richa Gupta takes you to the journey of these women to Spain and Portugal.
SKIENS as the name suggests is a thread collected together in a shape of ring; similarly the story revolves around the lives of these 16 women who has taken step out of their home alone to travel the world with strangers.
Richa has beautifully designed the experiences of these women as they explore a different world while carrying thier own baggage of commitment, grievances, values, morales, love and responsibilities. The author kept the reader hooked throughout the book by taking them to fight for the women's justice, thier fight for freedom and their fight to knowing themselves. The reader is unknowingly becomes the part of the story comparing themself to the character of the story, maybe thankful for the blessings of God for the sense of freedom in their lives. The author also explores and brings out the best in you. How can a situation can trigger you to use your best potential or increases the reflax time in any case.
This is one of the most ideal book to read by the people who love traveling. It can be regarded as the blessings in disguise to those women's who are lost and trying to find themselves again.
August 26, 2020
Skein denotes a length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled & knotted. This novel is a travelogue which prevails over the lives of 16 Indian women from diverse backgrounds as they meet while travelling to Spain & hitherto some other prominent places in the world.
This book ponders on the lives of women from the Indian subcontinent; filled with despair of leading an ordinary life in a typical household where everyone take them for granted. The fact that they're termed as being ordinary or simplistic & not 'someone special' is extremely shocking, while also being incredibly relatable to our day-to-day lives. The life story of many young women born in this predominant society raises questions about endemic misogyny & institutional oppression that are relevant to us all. It describes experiences that will be recognisable everywhere. The book also demonstrates the unfairness of the female experience and the sheer difficulty of improving it. The most important thing being a woman these days is being independent while establishing a unique identity for oneself. The independence maybe financial/economic or shackles from household binding them down.
Writing style is good. Narration is okay. Language is simple yet beautiful. Synchronisation is deep with a good command over poignancy. The novel manages to leave a deep impact on our hearts & a smile which lingers longer. A good one-time read. Recommended for all the women out there especially who love reading travelogues!
This book ponders on the lives of women from the Indian subcontinent; filled with despair of leading an ordinary life in a typical household where everyone take them for granted. The fact that they're termed as being ordinary or simplistic & not 'someone special' is extremely shocking, while also being incredibly relatable to our day-to-day lives. The life story of many young women born in this predominant society raises questions about endemic misogyny & institutional oppression that are relevant to us all. It describes experiences that will be recognisable everywhere. The book also demonstrates the unfairness of the female experience and the sheer difficulty of improving it. The most important thing being a woman these days is being independent while establishing a unique identity for oneself. The independence maybe financial/economic or shackles from household binding them down.
Writing style is good. Narration is okay. Language is simple yet beautiful. Synchronisation is deep with a good command over poignancy. The novel manages to leave a deep impact on our hearts & a smile which lingers longer. A good one-time read. Recommended for all the women out there especially who love reading travelogues!
February 12, 2019
Skeins
Skeins by richa gupta is more like a travelouge where 10 indian women decided to explore spain and some other part of world. At first I had question what is the relation of cover and story. As the story proceed I understood the relation.
This story is divided in two parts namely "the excursion" and "the aftermath" both the part it's own deep meaning. First part contains the struggle for getting ready for the trip. There are so many chapters yet they are short and light read.
On 13th july 2017 all women started travelling from indira gandhi international airport to 13 days trip with group coordinate kakoli.there are women aged from 24 to 65 almost. Naina gupta aged 67. Deepti, leena das. Varsha Mehta (40) with her mother.
Some of my favorite chapter
A mystery
Mother and daughter
Youthful diary
The awaking
Homecoming.
As we reach to end. We get idea how everyone's life get sorted by the time. Every character has it's own desire how they make it live. To know more read this book
The plot is well developed throughout the book. Somewhere i felt it's little bit dragging or additional description that can be deleted. The characters are well developed and described. The supporting character are good part of it.
Overall its good read.
Skeins by richa gupta is more like a travelouge where 10 indian women decided to explore spain and some other part of world. At first I had question what is the relation of cover and story. As the story proceed I understood the relation.
This story is divided in two parts namely "the excursion" and "the aftermath" both the part it's own deep meaning. First part contains the struggle for getting ready for the trip. There are so many chapters yet they are short and light read.
On 13th july 2017 all women started travelling from indira gandhi international airport to 13 days trip with group coordinate kakoli.there are women aged from 24 to 65 almost. Naina gupta aged 67. Deepti, leena das. Varsha Mehta (40) with her mother.
Some of my favorite chapter
A mystery
Mother and daughter
Youthful diary
The awaking
Homecoming.
As we reach to end. We get idea how everyone's life get sorted by the time. Every character has it's own desire how they make it live. To know more read this book
The plot is well developed throughout the book. Somewhere i felt it's little bit dragging or additional description that can be deleted. The characters are well developed and described. The supporting character are good part of it.
Overall its good read.
June 11, 2020
The Reason of picking this one to read was it's title.
Skein - The Meaning Of This Word Is "𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝".
Skeins by Richa Gupta is story of a journey. How a 13 days of Journey to abroad brought back joy of living to the group of women is the concept the book is about.
Story starts with in 2017, 13 women aged between 27 to 65 and strangers for each other decides to gather along and made a plan of flying to abroad. How the journey made them aware about their limits and taught them to explore beyond it all. How they all had their different stories but they were skeined together through the thin knot.
This whole story seems like a travelog but the emotions and charecterization made it best at every aspect. The little things author have done the narration crisp and on point. There are so many different charecters and author has done a marvelous job at maintaining the differences and scripting down the dialogues.
The story is parted in chapters. Each chapter is short and convincing.
In beginning, it seemed little tough to grasp the first two chapters (Just my perspective) but once the story proceeded it was a definite delight.
Will be looking forward to read more from author.
Recommended!
Skein - The Meaning Of This Word Is "𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝".
Skeins by Richa Gupta is story of a journey. How a 13 days of Journey to abroad brought back joy of living to the group of women is the concept the book is about.
Story starts with in 2017, 13 women aged between 27 to 65 and strangers for each other decides to gather along and made a plan of flying to abroad. How the journey made them aware about their limits and taught them to explore beyond it all. How they all had their different stories but they were skeined together through the thin knot.
This whole story seems like a travelog but the emotions and charecterization made it best at every aspect. The little things author have done the narration crisp and on point. There are so many different charecters and author has done a marvelous job at maintaining the differences and scripting down the dialogues.
The story is parted in chapters. Each chapter is short and convincing.
In beginning, it seemed little tough to grasp the first two chapters (Just my perspective) but once the story proceeded it was a definite delight.
Will be looking forward to read more from author.
Recommended!
July 9, 2020
The concept of traveling, leaving behind all anxieties, problems, loneliness, daily issues is something new, unique, and beautiful. In this story, a foremost travel agency - Beinz, organizes an all-women trip to Spain and Portugal for 13 days for which 16 stranger women of ages from 25 to 67 get connected with each other.
From a messy life full of struggle, violence to a life full of sorted things, the book ends inspiringly. The author has wonderfully worked on the description of each character. The struggle and their stories have been described very well. The book shows almost every emotion of these ladies and their inspiring journey.
The language is lucid to understand. But the author's vocabulary is quite strong and impressive. The plot is crispy and unique. Also, the narration is good and smooth. Overall, it was a worthy read. The author's writing style makes you hooked to the book till the last page.
The book cover is so colorful and gives positive vibes to a reader. Also, the title is appropriate for the book.
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This book was a good read for me. I would like to read more from this author.
.
I congratulate the author for this book and wish good luck for future projects.
From a messy life full of struggle, violence to a life full of sorted things, the book ends inspiringly. The author has wonderfully worked on the description of each character. The struggle and their stories have been described very well. The book shows almost every emotion of these ladies and their inspiring journey.
The language is lucid to understand. But the author's vocabulary is quite strong and impressive. The plot is crispy and unique. Also, the narration is good and smooth. Overall, it was a worthy read. The author's writing style makes you hooked to the book till the last page.
The book cover is so colorful and gives positive vibes to a reader. Also, the title is appropriate for the book.
.
This book was a good read for me. I would like to read more from this author.
.
I congratulate the author for this book and wish good luck for future projects.
August 9, 2020
'Skeins' by Richa Gupta is a unique novel which will change the perspective of readers towards feminism. The book is like a travelogue.
In 2017, 16 Indian women aged 25-67 from different walks of life journey to Spain and Portugal for 13 days. The journey turns out to be a journey of self-identity.
The book focuses on the issues women face in daily life: their anxiety, loneliness, inequality, violence, ignorance, struggle for independence and much more.
The story is divided into two parts, The Excursion and The Aftermath, both of which are equally important. The first part of the story talks about their lives before and during the trip, and the second part talks about their lives after the trip.
The book describes how a vacation can change the mind and perspective of a woman if they have a positive environment and encourage them to follow their dreams.
The title of the story, which means 'strands' is suitable. The author has chosen a unique subject, the struggles of women in daily life which mostly goes unnoticed, and discussed these issues through different women characters.
Each character is portrayed well. The language used is lucid and the cover is colourful and attractive. I personally loved the book.
Happy reading💯
In 2017, 16 Indian women aged 25-67 from different walks of life journey to Spain and Portugal for 13 days. The journey turns out to be a journey of self-identity.
The book focuses on the issues women face in daily life: their anxiety, loneliness, inequality, violence, ignorance, struggle for independence and much more.
The story is divided into two parts, The Excursion and The Aftermath, both of which are equally important. The first part of the story talks about their lives before and during the trip, and the second part talks about their lives after the trip.
The book describes how a vacation can change the mind and perspective of a woman if they have a positive environment and encourage them to follow their dreams.
The title of the story, which means 'strands' is suitable. The author has chosen a unique subject, the struggles of women in daily life which mostly goes unnoticed, and discussed these issues through different women characters.
Each character is portrayed well. The language used is lucid and the cover is colourful and attractive. I personally loved the book.
Happy reading💯
June 14, 2020
Wow what a great book. I am glad I read it.
Skeins by richa gupta is basically travelogue but it is not that simple.
This is the story of 16 women. Each of them have their own life problems just like any other normal person. What makes this story unique is that they had simple problems which were complicated because of their own attitude towards it.
The story comprises of two phases. One phase is about how they met, their decision of this journey, their own problems and their relationship with each other. The second phase is like the story after intermission. We already have the idea about their personal lives and through their story we are also traveling Spain.
The best part is their problems start sorting out by the end of the book. Now if we look at it metaphorically, the journey of each woman could be compared to our own lives. We all have our own problems. We meet a lot of people in our lives. Yet somehow, some people stay with us along our journey, some leave in between, som bring problems and some help us catch up. All that matters is the attitude we carry. We should alway complete the journey.
Skeins by richa gupta is basically travelogue but it is not that simple.
This is the story of 16 women. Each of them have their own life problems just like any other normal person. What makes this story unique is that they had simple problems which were complicated because of their own attitude towards it.
The story comprises of two phases. One phase is about how they met, their decision of this journey, their own problems and their relationship with each other. The second phase is like the story after intermission. We already have the idea about their personal lives and through their story we are also traveling Spain.
The best part is their problems start sorting out by the end of the book. Now if we look at it metaphorically, the journey of each woman could be compared to our own lives. We all have our own problems. We meet a lot of people in our lives. Yet somehow, some people stay with us along our journey, some leave in between, som bring problems and some help us catch up. All that matters is the attitude we carry. We should alway complete the journey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2020
Skeins is one such book that totally changed our perception towards Indian Women and I totally loved the concept which talks about all women's tour, their independence, their interests and most importantly about their self confidence .
Story is about 16 diverse Indian modern-day women, aged 25 to 67, get entwined when they travel to Spain and Portugal in an all-women’s tour , they all came from different backgrounds and different parts of the country but one thing is common in all of them, to explore their life alone .
They all have several problems in life but their zeal and passion keep them going.
The novel explores serious issues, such as the quest for an independent identity and economic independence, the violence within and without our homes, the loneliness of old age and the need for constructive channelization of youthful energy.
Story is very engaging which keeps me hooked and characters are the USP of this book which makes you laugh and cry at the same time and these all women leave an everlasting impact on me too.
Narrative is also very fine and how author narrated the story about each women is very intresting and makes this book a perfect engrossing read.
Story is about 16 diverse Indian modern-day women, aged 25 to 67, get entwined when they travel to Spain and Portugal in an all-women’s tour , they all came from different backgrounds and different parts of the country but one thing is common in all of them, to explore their life alone .
They all have several problems in life but their zeal and passion keep them going.
The novel explores serious issues, such as the quest for an independent identity and economic independence, the violence within and without our homes, the loneliness of old age and the need for constructive channelization of youthful energy.
Story is very engaging which keeps me hooked and characters are the USP of this book which makes you laugh and cry at the same time and these all women leave an everlasting impact on me too.
Narrative is also very fine and how author narrated the story about each women is very intresting and makes this book a perfect engrossing read.
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