"BIRTHDAY GIRL"
At 29, the concept of New Year's resolutions can seem as mythical as Santa Claus himself. Nevertheless, there's one promise I consistently make to myself every January: to immerse myself more in the world of writing and reading. This year, I didn't pick up my first book until the first week of March (January and February were officially the trial months for 2024). It was an impulsive buy on Blinkit, yes, the platform where you buy your chakna. I stumbled upon a Murakami book "BIRTHDAY GIRL" for just 99 rupees (what a steal!), so I decided to order it. For those unfamiliar, Haruki Murakami is a renowned Japanese author known for his unique style and genre. I expected the book to be a hefty read, similar to the Kafka one I had previously bought but regrettably lost during my first solo trip to Bangalore in 2016. I never read a page of it (reading while traveling is a myth for me— is it the same for you?). However, to my surprise, after 15 minutes, all I received wa