A few years ago, my sister introduced me to an author named Sandhya Menon. The first book I read of hers was called From Twinkle, with Love, and I was instantly hooked. I ended up binge-reading the rest of her books which were all equally great, but the one book that I truly related to the most was From Twinkle, with Love.
Twinkle Mehra dreams of becoming a film director but considers herself a wallflower. She feels alone because her best friend Maddie now hangs out with the popular kids. And so, it has become Twinkle’s mission to stop being a groundling and be one of the “silk feathered hats”. She has had a major crush on Neil Roy who is the golden boy of her school. But when she finally feels like everything is falling into place, Neil’s identical twin brother Sahil asks to help produce a film she was doing for the school’s Midsummer Night event. The more they work together, the more Twinkle begins to fall for Sahil making her very confused and unsure if she should continue her mission or be with the guy who makes her feel happy.
From Twinkle, with Love is written in Twinkle’s journal, where she is writing to different female directors. Since the story is from Twinkle’s point of view, we can see all of the frustrations and struggles that she faces throughout the book. However, we do get to see some of Sahil’s perspectives through group texts with his friends, and posts from his blog. To be honest, it was a bit hard to understand some of the things Twinkle does or says when she is being irrational. But this is what makes her flawed and imperfect and I appreciate how Menon explores those flaws as Twinkle’s character develops. Twinkle’s flaws and imperfections help make her character seem real and is how any sixteen-year-old would act in those situations.
It was interesting to see the amount of passion Twinkle has for filmmaking and how she is determined to follow her dreams. Growing up it was kinda hard trying to relate to coming-of-age movies or books when there weren’t that many women of color as the main character. Reading this book made me feel so happy seeing an Indian female character, and I was finally able to relate to Twinkle’s character and all the different references she would make. Especially when at one point in the book she said, “Mummy and Papa, both of whom were miraculously off work, were sitting at the kitchen table, reading and drinking chai, while Dadi fed Oso bits of Parle-G biscuits under the table.” This little bit reminded me so much of my parents sipping chai after a long day of work and my grandma chilling with some Indian sweets. Twinkle Mehra reminded me so much of myself because I have the same passions as she does and the way she would talk about her love for films and telling stories was inspiring to read. It honestly made me feel less afraid as a brown girl to pursue my passions and just embrace my true self.
Sandhya Menon truly knows how to develop complex characters like Twinkle. She is also really good at making swoon-worthy male characters who have wonderful personalities. Sahil and Twinkle’s relationship throughout the book was extremely well written because you can see how much they care for each other and are always helping build each other up, as well as being their true selves without any fear. Throughout all the obstacles Twinkle faces in the story, Sandhya’s writing and her way with words allow us, readers, to see Twinkle overcome her insecurities and flaws. As she begins to mature and realizes she is not a wallflower, she becomes more comfortable with herself and grows into a beautiful empowered young woman.
If you need new recommendations and are into the young adult genre, then I would recommend this book as it was very entertaining and relatable. Also, Sandhya Menon’s other books are a must-read as they have just as unique stories that I guarantee will keep you entertained when you are curled up in a cozy blanket with some soothing tea as you unwind after a long week of classes and work.