Scholar-Journalist of the Week: ‘A good girl’s guide to murder’– A BOOK REVIEW

A class 9 student at Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg in Jalandhar, Avrita Dang, is passionate about reading and writing. Sometimes, she also paints as one of her many hobbies. The talented teenager shares, “I have been habitual to reading since I was 5. Often, I visit my grandmother in Jammu to borrow books from her vast collection. Our family has a tradition of possessing books.” In the following interview, she talks about her interests and personal writing. Read on, edited excerpts.

Given the huge collection of books at home, what genres are there?

My grandmother mostly read books related to history and culture. And then, my mother has been interested in slow-moving books and classics. One of her favourites is Malory Towers, a series of six novels by author Enid Blyton. And, I am more into fantasy, adventure-based books.

Your favourite author?

The American author, Rick Riordan is my biggest inspiration. I began writing because of him. After reading for many years, I finally penned down my own work at 13. And now, often, I try to stay up-to-date by following some tips and tricks available online on how to improve writing skills.

Wow! Tell us more about your write-up: ‘A good girl’s guide to murder’ – BOOK REVIEW?

So, I can’t reveal the whole plot. But what stood out for me while reading it is how the author keeps one engaged. Once I picked up this book, I could not keep it down and I finished it in one sitting. Once done, I had the urge to buy the other two series on my Kindle as well. For those who are just about beginning to read can start from something lighter and then move to these books.

Your ambition?

Both my parents as well as grandparents are doctors. So, I too hope to follow the tradition and become a doctor someday. Also, I would like to become an orthopaedic surgeon because there are very few women in the said domain. As per statistics online, only 382 female orthopaedic experts are there in our country. It may surprise some minds, but this is also a fact that countries like the United States which are known for brilliant medical services in the world do also have only 6% women orthopaedic surgeons.  

Your writing tips for fellow classmates?

I write every day. Even if I feel that I am going through a writer’s block, I try. To refresh my mind and seek inspiration, I take a walk, ponder on my thoughts and self-reflect.