Hi Page Turners,
I hope you are all doing well and reading lots of great books. We are already into the third month of the year and it amazes me how quick time goes by, but that is a reminder in itself that we can’t take time for granted. February was… a slow start for me (particularly because I wasn’t really enjoying the books I was reading and I was completing an assignment) but then it picked up and I feel like I am ending this month on a somewhat of a high. It was the half term holidays so my sisters and their children came down to stay and I always love when the house is full and you barley get a chance to pick up a book. And of course the week before that I was obsessing and devouring The Hunger Games trilogy and then binge watching the movies on Netflix. March is already tightly packed with so much to do’s, I want to keep my missed fast’s for last years Ramadan in this month (just before this years Ramadan) and preparing for another assignment, reading books (as always) and making a priority of checking in with friends and family. You will get all the lowdown during next month’s update but for now read on to find out what I have been watching and doing (I only talk about the stuff I have watched which I would recommend but not including every single thing I have watched that I wouldn’t recommend- if that makes sense).
What I watched-
Netflix- Your Place or Mine- a cutesy rom-com ft Reece Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher like chick-lit books I either love or hate them because they either work or they don’t. You expect the clichés and the predictable endings but it really depends on the writing/acting if it works or is a flop. I loved this it was a friends-to-lovers situation and I loved the relationship between the characters the plot and of course that happily ever after ending. It was so cute. It also had a really cute airport scene (I mean it isn’t romance if an airport isn’t included), it involved trying to make it big in the literary world, a single mom/weird but quirky neighbour, and friends trying not to acknowledge the chemistry and the fact that it is more than a friends type of situation going on. Oh also the small town girl/city town boy swap places and find out all about each other’s secrets, friends, backgrounds etc. Highly recommend.
The Hunger Games trilogy- Mockingjay part 1/part2- four movies when I wanted it to be forty. I have always loved the movies but now that I have read the books I can’t help but think the things they didn’t include could have made the movies that much better (because they missed out some of the best bits)- read my full post on the books/movie analysis (link below). My favourite has got to be Catching Fire first, Mockingjay Part 2, and the first movie The Hunger Games. It is a MUST WATCH (but please, please do not make the mistake I made and do read the books first).
You (Season 4- part 1). In this series we see Joe move to London to stop his obsessions and lead a normal life. He takes on the role of a Literature professor but his past comes back to haunt him because now someone is stalking him, he is the ‘you’ but two can play at that game and he plays it best. This series was really about Joe finding out the identity of ‘you’ and I didn’t hate it but it just kind of became a bit meh for me. I already knew who was behind the ‘you’ but had dismissed it because I thought that was too easy but seems like I was right. I definitely will be watching part two because I feel that’s where the more darker Joe is going to come out and a lot more killings and plot twists will be revealed.
BBC iPlayer- India-The Modi Question
The documentary which has been banned in India because of the controversy it has caused and what has been described by the government in India as ‘anti-India’, ‘propaganda’ and ‘biased’. It examines the extreme politics, hate crimes against the Muslim minority in a Hindu majority country and examines the rising tensions between the Indian prime minister and the Muslim minority. It also follows the rise of Narendra Modi who joined the RSS as a young child who developed his patriotism from a young age and then gained a following through his political career and finally became the prime minister of India. The doc follows Modi’s government the BJP and their pursuit of making India a Hindu nation. It highlights the hate crime, genocides and lynching and discrimination against Muslims. There are cases that highlight how Modi didn’t intervene to stop crimes instead he instigated it by direction the police to not intervene when Muslims are being attacked instead to watch. Even going so far to say the acts are justified as it is a response to the anger the Indians hold because of what happened in 2002.
In the doc one person states that the 2000 Muslims that died during the 2002 riots Modi was directly responsible for it. It is important to note that whenever Modi was accused he was quick to say he condemned the attacks, however in the doc there are covert journalists who reveal that the orders for the riots and lynching come from the top (Modi) and that their cause is for him. It was also interesting to learn how the UK don’t publicly condemn Modi’s actions and his instigations because of the leverage and power India holds over the UK (e.g. policies for major policies climate change etc.) The UK alongside the US did impose a travel ban for Modi however a travel ban can only do so much, likewise a covert documentary that doesn’t directly address Modi’s actions. The people who report on Modi’s actions and/or speak against him and condemn him either end up dead or mysteriously died. The more Modi got attacked he more he became stronger and politically got him re-elected. With no surprise his friendship with Trump was also brought up. Some articles have mentioned how the doc is anti-India and it is ‘overwhelming bias in the favour of Muslims’ and they are ‘projected as a victim community’ and how it is hateful propaganda. It is a documentary that is so important to watch it also examines the report that was undertaken by the British that highlights Modi’s rise to power also included that he was responsible for the violence and described the 2002 riots as the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing. It is a haunting and scary regime that means to disfranchise Muslims and make India a Hindu nation and the lynching the mobs the riots the hate crime both on social media and in real life is a sign of things to come. Ep 2 of the doc is just frightening because the divide between the two is highlighted by Modi’s reign in power as PM. The Indians take the spiel of senior ministers in Modi’s cabinet by filming acts of rape of Muslim women, lynching, and genocide of Muslims and be seen congratulated in garlands by the senior cabinet members. The fact that these atrocities that are carried out are praised, congratulated and shared over social media and the fact that the PM’s government, his cabinet members are not condemning or restricting these from happening. Instead they are encouraging them by praise and normalising these acts is atrocious. It is disgusting and horrifying and really scary for today’s society. I just hope and pray for all those who are oppressed by this regime and with awareness and discussions something can be done to stop it happening, (the UN or even if countries work together to boycott and condemn Modi and his government.)
A must watch documentary that is now on BBC iPlayer.
Substack- I am on Substack! I want to take my blog more seriously and I think Substack would be a great addition to allow this. I am planning to make fortnightly snippets, of things I read, quotes, things I watched, reflections and all sorts straight into your inbox. I also want more of a community feel, I feel my blog can be a polished version and Substack can kind of be a sub blog that is includes more interaction. I would really appreciate if you could subscribe and support this miniature extension of the blog and hopefully you will love it and interact further with me. Link- https://everypagesheturns.substack.com?sd=pf
Let me know how your month has been, what have you read and watched? Please don't forget to subscribe to my Substack if you wish.
Have a lovely week.
With Love and Dua's,
Fiz @Every Page She Turns
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