The Book of Everlasting Things by Ananchal Malhotra takes place during the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan. While the author's presentation of both sides of the Hindu and Muslim story is commendable, it might be helpful to add some more information or context to help readers understand the historical background and the reasons for the partition of India and Pakistan. This could make the story more compelling and engaging for readers who may not be familiar with the history of the region.

I enjoyed reading this historical fiction book that portrayed the daily lives of Lahore's residents from diverse religious groups who lived and worked harmoniously. After many years of peaceful coexistence, everything came to a tragic end in 1947 due to widespread destruction, fires, violence, looting, and loss of life, displacing both Muslims and Hindu people. I really enjoyed the author's storytelling in which two people, separated by political division, connect again in an unexpected way. The author masterfully weaved perfumery and calligraphy into the story, showcasing how lives can be intertwined even when we do not realize it. It is a beautiful journey of love that I thoroughly appreciate. The book and audiobook of The Book of Everlasting Things, narrated by Deepti Gupta, is a beautiful read and highly recommended.

Thank you, NetGalley and MacMillian Audio, for providing me with a complementary electronic copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I haven't rage quit a book in a long time, and this book became the unfortunate one to fill that slot.
Don't tell me a book is "lush, sensuous, and deeply romantic" when there is almost zero of that. Zero. Especially when seen (if you want to call it that) from Firdaus's perspective- if we ever see that. This book is not about her. It's about Samir.) Don't also sell me a novel, when this is really more of a nonfiction book (I've learned a lot about the Indian Partition, which is great, but I'll get a nonfiction book instead, thank you).
The audiobook on this is a whopping 17 hours long. I took it to a high speed and still kept listening and listening and listening and the book wouldn't end. This author needed an editor very badly- too long, too much description, repetitive (I wholeheartedly agree with other reviewers and the use of "pistachio colored eyes" OK WE GET IT).
Does this author do a great job of setting? Absolutely. Do I know more now about the Indian Partition than I ever did? Absolutely.
I unfortunately selected this for book club at work, as well as my December bookmarked box so I'll be curious what folks have to say.

“It is difficult to forget, but it is even harder to keep remembering.”

Read if you like:
📜 Historical Fiction
💔 Forbidden love
🌹Perfume
🇵🇰/🇮🇳 Would like to learn more about the Partition of India

Lahore 1938. Samir, a Hindu perfumer’s apprentice, meets Firdaus, a Muslim calligrapher’s apprentice. Both are talented and over the years fall in love. Their families, once friends, are torn apart during the struggle for Indian Independence and Lahore is divided. Firdaus’s family becomes Pakistani and Samir Indian, now forbidden to be together. Their paths now diverge and we follow them as they make decisions that will change their lives and the generations that follow.

This story is beautiful and heartbreaking. I liked learning more about Indian Partition and about the making of perfume. The first part of the book was wonderful, but after the split the author writes mostly follows Samir and for me I had a hard time connecting with him because I thought some of his decisions and actions were poor. I wanted more from Firdaus. I did enjoy all of the detail of Samir’s family’s past and how they became perfumers. I also liked all the detail about making perfume but it might not be for everyone.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and the author for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book so much! The writing was absolutely amazing with vivid imagery and overall poignant prose. I fell in love with the characters and their stories; my heart hurt for them when they were separated and I felt like crying at the end of the book. This book touched my heart deeply and also illuminated parts of history that I previously wasn’t familiar with. 5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me free access to the digital advanced copy of this book.

Thank you for the advanced readers copy Netgalley, but this one ultimately was not a book worth finishing for me.

This epic tale of romance, war, and heartbreak, laced with the scent of tuberose and written with a quill of many languages was gorgeous and infuriating, stunning and bleak. The calligraphy and perfumes were described in a way that they seemed to rise off the page and I really would have loved to have seen some of the calligraphy on the page. And, oh my, if only we had smell-o-vision!

Unfortunately, the book felt at least a hundred pages too long, and while it was multi-generational in that we met many generations of people over the 70ish years of the timeline, after part 2, it was really just about one sad guy, stuck in the past. The story was good, and the ending just, but it did feel like uncle Vivek's story could have been told slightly quicker and with less neglect of our MC's family. That was pretty crappy.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC of the book.

I thought this was beautiful and well done! I'll be rereading this one in the future! The descriptions were lush, vibrant, and alive in all of the best ways. I thought about this book long after I closed the (e-)pages.

I wasn't able to finish this novel. I struggled with some of the non-English language, which I view as my failing rather than the failing of the author--usually languages other than English don't bother me, but for some reason I couldn't get through this novel's references to things I am wholy unfamiliar with.. Alas, I hope to return to it at a later date when I can focus more fully and give it the attention it deserves.

I want to start off by saying that I apologize for a very late review. But I still wanted to put my review up. This book is very beautiful. And so honored to be able read such a book. I have never read a book like this before. I will definitely be adding more of this author books to be my tbr.
I have to say that this will be a book that I remember for along time. Will be purchasing my own copy of this book. I learned a lot from this book and the story and world and characters that this author has created just very beautiful.
I wasn’t disappointed while reading. Yeah there were language that I didn’t understand. But nothing google couldn’t help me.
Being in love with perfume and writing this was my type of love story closing my eyes at times to almost see what these characters see or smell.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for allowing to read and be part of these characters and their world of love and heartaches. So many generations changed during 1940’s during the war and how it changed things for these two characters.
My reviews will be up on instagram and Amazon and goodreads and bookbub.

Four and a half stars, rounded up!

The Book of Everlasting Things was captivating. It felt like there were several big plots running concurrently throughout the book, in the most wonderful way. As I was reading the book, I knew I really liked it. As I finished the book, I knew that I loved it. But now, having taken some time to really think about and dwell on the book after having finished it a week ago, I am so impressed and maybe even stunned at how seamlessly and expertly the author managed to weave together so many deep plots. There is the story of Partition, the stories of two different families (of which multiple generations are explored), stories of individual characters, love stories, stories of different cultures, and stories of the artistry of creating perfume and calligraphy. Upon rereading that sentence, I can see how that sounds like A LOT, but I'm telling you, the author managed to bring all these things together beautifully. Every plot was given it's own spotlight while also seamlessly blending into the others.

I really enjoyed learning more about the craft of creating perfume. While I have always worn and can appreciate perfume, I never gave too much thought to what goes into making it. I love that this book explores not only the craft of creating perfumes, but also acknowledges how much of a role scent can play in our lives.

The love stories in this book were both beautiful and heart-wrenching. All of the relationships between the characters were so varied and deep, and I love how real those relationships felt. Not every writer can capture that feeling, but Aanchal Malhotra certainly did.

I also love that this book taught me a lot. Somehow I knew nothing about the Partition of India in the 1940's. I don't know if I was just never taught about it in school, or if I just didn't retain that information (it's safe to say that I did not have a great love or appreciation for history as a teenager). I really appreciated that I could walk away from this book knowing that I learned a lot. I then shared with other people what I was learning and was able to teach them about the Partition as well.

The writing and prose were also really lyrical and beautiful. Between the prose, the history, and the level of detail, I will say that this is a slow read. If you are looking for a light, breezy read that you can get through quickly, I'd suggest you select a different book. This book is so full of detail that you'll want to take your time with it and enjoy the journeys it takes you on.

While reading the book, I did feel that it was a bit long-winded. As much as it was well-written and managed to cover so much ground, it did feel a little longer than it needed to be and there were certain points where it dragged a bit (kind of like this review...haha). That said, I can also admit that although I felt that way as I was reading it, I can now look back on it and realize why it was so long. The author accomplished a lot with this book and to remove one of the subplots or reduce the stories of some of the characters could have changed the book entirely (and not in a good way). So just be prepared that when you pick up this book, it's going to contain a lot. Let yourself get drawn into the story and enjoy the journey it takes you on. I know I sure did.

One last thing to note - I gained such an appreciation for perfume while reading this that it made me want to look into some new perfumes for myself. I had been wanting two different perfumes for several months and this book caused me to finally get them ordered. They arrived today and smell amazing - but I know I have an even greater appreciation for them than I would have if I had not read this book. And I was even more excited to see a little label on the box that said they were made in Grasse, France (this will be meaningful to you once you've read the book). Two weeks ago, that detail would have been meaningless and lost on me, but thanks to this book, I took a minute to absorb that detail and it brought a smile to my face.

I'm going to end this review with one of my favorite lines in the book: "That day, two hearts broke, like the fragments of a newly divided land.".

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for an e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Book of Everlasting Things is about Samir, a Hindu, and Firduras, a Muslim, during the partition of India. Samir comes from a family of perfumers and Firduras's family are calligraphers. The two meet and slowly fall in love, but are separated during partition. The book spans the entirety of their lives and their differences in circumstance. I thought this book sounded interesting and I was excited to learn more about perfumery and calligraphy in Lahore.

I really liked the setting and setup of this book. I hadn't read about the time period in India before and it was interesting to see how the events shaped the character's experiences. I liked learning more about perfume making and calligraphy. Outside of that, I thought this book was just okay. I thought the characters made their lives harder for themselves later in life for no reason. Samir becomes the worst and I felt badly for his wife and child. I was very frustrated by Firduras's inaction later in life. This book is also pretty long and it just draaaaagggggs. I ended up scanning a lot to try to get to the next life phase when something might change. I found the ending unsatisfying for all of the heartache that the two characters went through over the years. It was a VERY slow burn that never really seemed to reach a strong conclusion.

If you're a huge fan of long stories of people's lives and are interested in the setting or time period, I'd give this a try. 3.5 stars from me rounded down to 3. Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This was a stunning novel, historical fiction is a genre I have been trying to diversify my shelf with. I can see why this book was suggested to readers who enjoyed 'All The Light We Cannot See.' It was a heart-breaking, yet moving story that spanned the generations and touch on trauma and war, overcoming differences, finding your way and finding family. It was a beautifully written story, however at times it was a little wordy and descriptive.

4⭐️

<b><i>Tumhari yaad ki kashti iss dil ki darya mein doob gayi hai.

The paper boat of your memory has drowned in the river of this heart. </b></i>

I don’t typically pick up historical fiction, but this was a pleasant surprise. This book is full of love and heartbreak and grief and life. It follows Samir and his family, who are Hindu, as well as his love, Firdaus, and her family who are Muslim at a time where their country is about to be divided. Samir is a perfumer, and Firdaus is a calligrapher. This book is very heavy and full of accounts of war, both internationally and locally. The star-crossed lovers are forbidden from being together, and when Samir loses everything, he must pick up and move on, but the two still carry each other in their hearts for a lifetime. This is a beautiful book rich in culture and romance.

<b>” This truth is endless. When you read this, look to the sky. That is where I shall be. Now we will only meet at the place where the winds touch the edges of paradise. That is where I will wait for you. Keep me in your heart, keep me there until we meet again.”</b>

A fascinating historical fiction that gives new insight into partition, the British Raj, and the intensity behind perfume making. There were some historically heavy parts that may be distracting to some readers, but I enjoyed them. A lot of time was spent on the romantic story at the beginning and then the characters developed into realistic and memorable individuals. This was an intriguing read and I look forward to seeing its success.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really enjoyed this one! It gave me a similar feeling to The Stationery Shop so if you liked that one please check it out! The Book of Everlasting Things is at its heart a love story beginning in Hindustan right before partition. Two young teenagers in a blossoming romance find themselves torn apart when riots begin and Hindus are forcibly driven from the city of Lahore. Samir, the nephew of a Hindu perfumer must leave the city and his beloved Firdaus, the Muslim daughter of a calligrapher. They both forge on with their own lives but always a piece of them is hidden away for the other. I won't give away the ending, but this is such a sweet, heartbreaking and heartwarming story and I loved the descriptions of scent and perfumes throughout (as that is the passion of Samir).

This book attempts to humanize a piece of world history that I feel far removed from and very unfamiliar with and it has stoked my curiosity. I will be thinking about these sweet characters for a time.

One of the most brutal, prolonged and widespread civil wars in recent history was one fought in the Indian subcontinent when India and Pakistan (along with then-East Pakistan) were granted freedom from British colonial rule. A lot has been written about the Partition, as it is called since it led to partitioning of pre-Independence India into two separate sovereign nations. Yet, not nearly enough. Most Indians alive today are probably two or at most three generations separated from an ancestor who was alive when the Partition took place, and yet many today haven't heard the stories, nor show interest in that most shocking and rather shameful episode in the collective history of India and Pakistan.

This book picks up that painful and delicate subject, along with another heavy-weight one - an Indian soldiers contingent in the First WW, as seen from an Indian soldier's PoV.

The book is ostensibly a love story, but it takes its own sweet time establishing social and historical roots, while drawing deep character sketches of a wide range of characters. The author has done a very impressive job - considering this is her debut novel - coming up with this cast of characters. There are times when the writing and the dialog seemed trite and slightly caticaturish to me, but those are easily overlooked by the mellifluous narrative, that flows slowly and gradually, yet assuredly - sort of like a wild stream.

Covering decades, the story begins early in the 20th century and allows ample time for readers alien to colonial life in British-India to familiarize and endear themselves with the characters, some of whom go on to play pivotal roles as the story progresses not just over time but across continents and spanning generations.

The depictions of war are harrowing, and the author painstakingly establishes the brutality and cruelty of war as the Western audience knows it so well, but is also able to add more than a touch of futility to the whole exercise. This is not their War, it is not in their backyard, nor does it affect them directly or indirectly (this is before the world grew hyper-connected!) so it is a fresh perspective to hear from an outsider who, by all logical reasoning, should have nothing to do with the war, yet is in the battlefield finding refuge across no-man's land, and barely escaping bombardment after bombardment. What does he owe them, if anything, and why?

Through some skillful storytelling, the soldier, Vivek, is depicted comparable to his nephew, Samir, who decades later is near those same battlefields, though in peacetime. However, by then memories of the Second WW are fresh in minds of locals, and that adds another layer of complexity to the emotional turmoil he must figure out a way through.

All in all, a very well-written story, that needs to be told and demands to be read.

I'd definitely watch out for more from the author, Ms. Malhotra.

Thanks to Ms. Malhotra, Flatiron Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for this honest and original review.

An absolutely stunning success of a novel - everything from the plot to the characters is utterly gripping, and it's genuinely stayed with me days after reading it. I highly recommend that everyone check it out!

I had hoped to have finished reading and posting my review for Aanchal Malhotra’s recent novel, The Book of Everlasting Things before Christmas (and before its release), but the holidays and general end of the year busyness got in the way. Instead, finishing this novel turned out to be a satisfying note on which to end 2022 and is going to kick off my 2023 reviews. Telling the tale of several generations of two families whose trajectories are forever altered by the traumas of war, the mixture of pain and joy that comes with remembering, and the need to connect to our roots, The Book of Everlasting Things is full of emotion as it explores the essential role that beauty, art and tradition play in life’s darkest moments.

Born in Hindustan in the 1920s, Samir Raj has the vital talent he’ll need to succeed in his family’s perfumery. When he’s ten, his family befriends the family of a Muslim calligrapher and Samir first meets Firdaus, the man’s daughter and the girl Samir will love for the rest of his life. But in the wake of World War II, tensions rise as calls for a separate state for Muslims rise alongside those pushing for independence from British colonial rule. The city of Lahore where Samir and Firdaus have grown and loved together is torn by the conflict and the future they’ve always wanted with one another becomes one of many casualties of Partition as one land and people becomes two independent clashing nations. In the wake of his loss, Samir learns the truth behind how the family’s business came out of his uncle’s experiences serving during the first world war and in tracing that journey, finds a way of his own back to the home and the love that he lost.

I was a little surprised it took me so long to get through this novel but the pacing actually matches the extremely broad scope of the novel. It can’t be read or digested quickly, nor should it. Malhotra’s exploration of so much trauma and the different paths to living with it is done so effectively because it unfolds so gradually. While the tragic romance at the heart of the novel provides much of the structural shape the story takes, the trauma and loss extend so much further than that, delving deep into what we fail to realize we lose in the name of progress. The legacy of colonialism and the ripples of damage it caused is always so much more complicated than I anticipate, no matter how many times the knowledge is reinforced. The history of Partition is not one that I’ve ever had much exposure to but, as is pointed out in the novel, even in the history books that cover it, things get flattened and the true human impact gets lost. The Book of Everlasting Things does a great job of portraying the cost of Partition in a visceral and unforgettable way.

Though I appreciate the structure of the novel and Samir’s role as the central pillar supporting so much of it, I do wish there had been more narrative time spent with Firdaus, especially in the second half of the novel. I would have liked to see more of the immediate impacts of Partition upon those who stayed (especially through the eyes of those like Firdaus or her father who were less enamored by Partition in the first place). But at the same time, more of Firdaus’ side would have likely meant a much longer novel and part of me knows it was already starting to pushing it in terms of being too long. Still, I might check out some of Malhotra’s non-fiction work on Partition and I’ll be keeping an eye out for any future works of fiction she may publish.

I was provided a free advanced copy of this from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This is a pretty epic story about family, grief, what we choose to keep secret, perfume, love, and memories. Samir Vij and Firdaus Khan first meet in 1938 at the Vij family perfumery in Lahore. Through the years their connection grows and blossoms into more despite their differences in religion. However, they quickly find themselves on different sides of the Indian independence and the Partition. With a few quick decisions their lives diverge and spiral away from each other. With each step they must decide what to hold on to, and what to let go of.
This was a really interesting story. I knew nothing of the time of the Partition separating India and Pakistan, nor much of any of the contribution of Indians in the first and second World Wars. My only complaint was that it didn't come with vials of perfumes so I could smell what was being described! 😂
I was behind on my reading, so lucky for you this one was published this past Tuesday, so you can go ahead and grab a copy!