BoxWalla is a subscription box company dedicated to sharing uncommon food, books, films, and green beauty items, and they curate bi-monthly boxes for each of those categories. Subscribe to one or more, and add or switch interests at any time.
BoxWalla is run by a couple of self-declared "aesthetes" with a keen eye for meaningful details. Even the package is a sustainable, handmade box made from paper!
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
This review is of the Boxwalla Book subscription, which is $29.95 every other month.
About the Boxwalla Book Subscription Box
The Subscription Box: BoxWalla Book
The Cost: $29.95 every other month + free US shipping
The Products: Thoughtfully curated literature by prospective Nobel laureates from around the world.
Good to Know: Seeing a lower cost than you're used to? That's not an error! Here's the scoop, according to the company's Facebook page:
Starting with August, the book box will contain two books : one from a potential Nobel Laureate, a living writer, and the second written by a great writer from the past. Straddling the past, present and future of Literature, this box will be priced at $29.95 and will be continue to be delivered every two months.
Ships to: US (for free) and international locations
Boxwalla Book Subscription Box December 2017 Review
I feel like this is the subscription box for the reader who's read everything. There's always something totally unexpected in this box:
This box always comes with a thoughtfully written note about the featured books and authors. I always appreciate the extra context—to me, it deepens the experience of reading the books.
Seven Sixes Are Forty-Three by Kiran Nagarkar - Retail Value $20.99 (Found here for $17.48)
Boxwalla's main focus with their book subscription is to introduce readers to writers from all over the world. The first book in the box was written in the '40s by an author in Mumbai, India. The story is a little frenetic, cynical, and wrenching at times—it explores the good and hard parts of existence, pulling away the romanticism.
Book Summary on Amazon:
Kiran Nagarkar has the touch of genius. In my opinion, he is amongst the best Indian writers of English fiction of our times... ~Khushwant Singh Between the I and you of this story lies a haunting tale of love, loss and yearning, of personal and human suffering, told with Nagarkar s trademark sensuality, wit and irony. This is a work of genius that confirms Nagarkar s as the most significant voice in Indian fiction. ~Nayantara Sahgal It s good to see an old friend in a new avatar; this novel by Kiran Nagarkar is everything a first novel should be: ambitious, experimental and powerful. Just don t trust the mathematics. ~Jerry Pinto The first slap on your bottom as you come into the world tells you that your days of mollycoddling are over. The sooner you understand that, the better you are prepared for the pain and the unhappiness. Young and nihilistic, Kushank Purandare is a writer living off the generosity of friends and lovers. There is the ex-flame Aaroti, who is now another man s wife and whom he refuses to pity; Mrs Reghla alias Kaku who has gouged her eyes out; old Kathavte who lives upstairs and beats his daughters; Raghu whom he accompanies to a famine-struck village where gangsters rule the roost. Disillusioned with the lack of certainty and empathy in a world that is largely incoherent and unsalvageable, Kushank drifts about wallowing in his past and doing odd jobs. Written in Marathi, Kiran Nagarkar s first book, Saat Sakkam Trechalis is considered a landmark in post-Independence Indian literature. Its wry stream of consciousness and volatile prose made many a critic and reader uneasy when it was first published in 1974. Republished with absorbing pieces that place the novel in the literature of its time, this new edition will introduce the brilliance of Kiran Nagarkar to a new generation of readers.
Half a Lifelong Romance by Eileen Chang - Retail Value $16.00 (Found here for $10.87)
I was engrossed in this novel so quickly. Romance novels traditionally make me think of overzealous writing and schmaltz. But Chang's prose is delicate and patient—it's very less-is-more, yet the resulting characters and story are rich and compelling. The story reminded me a lot of the Notebook, with all of its star-crossed moments.
Book Summary on Amazon:
Shanghai, 1930s. Shen Shijun, a young engineer, has fallen in love with his colleague, the beautiful Gu Manzhen. He is determined to resist his family’s efforts to match him with his wealthy cousin so that he can marry her. But dark circumstances—a lustful brother-in-law, a treacherous sister, a family secret—force the two young lovers apart.
As Manzhen and Shijun go on their separate paths, they lose track of one another, and their lives become filled with feints and schemes, missed connections and tragic misunderstandings. At every turn, societal expectations seem to thwart their prospects for happiness. Still, Manzhen and Shijun dare to hold out hope—however slim—that they might one day meet again. A glamorous, wrenching tale set against the glittering backdrop of an extraordinary city, Half a Lifelong Romance is a beloved classic from one of the essential writers of twentieth-century China.
Poem Greeting Card from Obvious State - Retail Value $4.50
I've never seen a greeting card that was quite as artful as this one! Instead of a cheesy sentiment, this card contains a full poem by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I feel like this would be awesome for writers, poets, professors, or friends who appreciate more mindful, sincere greetings. I'm just as tempted to give this as a gift as I am to frame it and hang it up as wintry decor.
The Verdict: I thought this box was really cool. The second book was so easy to lose an hour or so with at a time, but hey, I love a good romance! The card was a neat extra, too—it feels so unique, especially after seeing so many redundant or bland cards on the shelves this holiday season. I just really appreciate how this subscription keeps my little personal library stocked with unique, unsung authors and opens my mind to voices from all different eras and backgrounds. It's always an enriching experience.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. Check here to see when the next box launches!
Value Breakdown: This box cost me $29.95, and I received products worth a total retail value of $41.49. That means that the proportional cost I paid for each item would be approximately:
- Seven Sixes Are Forty-Three - $15.15
- Half a Lifelong Romance - $11.55
- Card - $3.25
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