My Book Shelf

The White Pearl

2012-12-16T21:31:00.001-08:00

By Kate Furnivall

The crisp cover of The White Pearl attracted me from a distance—the synopsis was perfect enough to make me buy the book. The author Kate Furnivall is a British historical novelist; her first book, 'The Russian Concubine' is very famous.

The White Pearl tells the story of Connie Hadley and her dysfunctional relationships. Married to a rich, plantation owner, Nigel in Malaya, Connie despises everything about her marriage and life, save for her dear son Teddy. When the World War comes to Malaya, Connie finds her life changed forever.

Connie, guilt-ridden for accidentally killing a native Malay woman finds the woman's twins to help them. The son, Razak bonds with Teddy, the daughter Maya wants revenge for her mother's death. When the Japanese attack Malaya after the Pearl Harbor, the Hadleys are forced to leave Malaya for Singapore in their family yacht, The White Pearl. The twins and Nigel's close friends join the voyage.

The yacht is captained by the enigmatic yet pragmatic Fitzpayne, a friend of the Hadleys. The journey begins as a pleasant sail but soon becomes tragic with Nigel's death. With enemies closely following their trail, the yacht reaches Singapore in full sail only to see the city bombarded by the Japanese. The group hides in a fully equipped secret island, a brain-child of the mysterious Fitzpayne.

The secret island is not spared by the Japanese, soon the group faces the Japanese arms. What follows is a glimpse of fighting planes and war machines. Japanese General Takesahi brings deja vu to Connie—her deadly relationship with Sho and the motive of Fitzpayne seem implausible.

The story of Morgan Maroc was out of place and didn't fit well in the book. I expected more out of John Blake's character. The story was an average read--slow-paced at the beginning--soon became a page turner with the adventurous sail. The beauty of the South China sea and its islands was mesmerizing. I enjoyed reading it even if it felt too good to be true.

Read It Once

Empire of the Moghul - Ruler of the World

2012-02-03T04:54:00.000-08:00

By Alex Rutherford

So far, I've managed to find only one bookshop with a decent collection of English books (esp. Fiction) in Copenhagen. Surprisingly, I found quite a handful of books written by Indian authors. I was looking for a historical fiction this time. When I saw the word 'Moghul', I decided that was the book for me. The catchphrase India 1556, keep your enemies close and your sons closer was too good to ignore.

This is the third book of the Empire of the Moghul series—the other two being, Raiders from the North and Brothers at War. The books are written by a husband and wife duo under the pen name, Alex Rutherford. The authors were inspired by the beauty of the Taj Mahal to write about the Moghul empire.

The book narrates the lives and times of Akbar the Great. For the most part, the story was in Akbar's perspective and later in Salim's. It starts with the struggles and confusions of Akbar as a young Emperor. The court ways, war times and hunting expeditions are explained in great detail. The defeat of the Hindu King, Hemu, the expulsion of the general Bairam Khan and betrayal of his milk-brother Adham Khan and his milk-mother Maham Anga are the important aspects of Akbar's early life.

Then come the famous concubines and harems of the Moghul time. Akbar's marriage with the Hindu Princess, Hirabai is portrayed as a bumpy one with Hirabai persistently hating the foreign ways of the Moghul traditions. The royal palaces and lush gardens of the Moghul times are vividly expressed throughout the book.

The later part of Akbar's life revolves around his religious epiphany, opinion differences with Salim and Abul Fazl's association. At this point, we follow Salim's narration of how he struggles to gain positive attention from his father. There is no strong reason in the book for Akbar's disappointment with Salim—it can only be attributed to Abul Fazl's influence.

Salim is described as pragmatic—though he struggles with his opium addiction and womanizing notoriety, they are only short lived. His youngest son Khurram is taken by Akbar to be raised in his own palace as Khurram was born on an auspicious day similar to Timur's birthday. Khurram soon becomes his favourite—he openly tells his sons that he prefers his grandson to his three sons. Salim, disappointed with his father, tries to parent his other sons, Khusrau and Parvez differently.

Salim's involvement with Akbar's favorite concubine Anarkali gets him expelled from the court. He lives in Kabul for a while befriending Ghiyas Beg, the treasurer of Kabul. He falls in love with Mehrunissa, Ghiyas Beg's daughter. This further degrades Akbar's opinion on him as Mehrunissa was already engaged to a Bengal General. The rest of the novel tells the family's reconciliation, Khusrau's hopes for the throne and Salim's coronation.

The book had everything that I was looking for in The Third Prince. The simple style and the fast paced plot let me finish the book in a very short time. The book was informative as well as interesting. This book has impressed me and I might buy the two other books of the series as well.

If you like historical fiction, this is a must read.

The Bells

2012-01-22T11:48:00.000-08:00

By Richard Harvell

This is the first book I bought in Copenhagen and took quite a time to read it. I enjoyed the book very much irrespective of the slowness. The letters were small and I didn't particularly like that part—not a book for travel. The cover is just perfect showing a melancholic face of a boy.

The author, Richard Harvell, who lives in Switzerland was inspired by the sounds and abbeys of Switzerland to write a novel. This is his first book and is critically acclaimed.

The Bells tells the tragic story of Moses Froben and his life as an outcast, an orphan, a choirboy, a novice, a lover and a musico. Moses Froben lives with his mute and deaf mother in a belfry, high in the mountains of Uri Valley. The villagers believe Moses to be mute and deaf like his mother. When everyone finds the bells too noisy to bear, Moses' life is shaped by its sounds.

Neglected by his family and the villagers, life in the belfry was uneventful for Moses and his mother until Father Karl Victor cast his ugly spell. When he finds that Moses can speak, he goes as far as to kill both of them. A kind monk named Nicolai finds Moses in a lake struggling for his dear life. Nicolai ignores the warnings of his friend Remus and decides to take Moses to the Abbey of St. Gall.

Staudach, the abbot of St. Gall instantly despises Moses, but Ulrich, the choir master soon finds the hidden talent of Moses. Irrespective of the bullies from other members of the abbey, Moses soon stands out with his voice. Moses' life takes a turn for good when he is invited to sing for Herr Duft, a lady of a famous family in the area. He befriends Amalia, Herr Duft's daughter.

To preserve Moses' angelic voice, Ulrich wants to make him a musico. Nicolai in an attempt to kill Ulrich for his wrongness to Moses, gets expelled from the abbey. Nicolai and Remus leave Moses to be a novice in the abbey under Staudach's care.

As Moses grows to a man, he falls in love with Amalia. Their short secret meetings are soon interrupted as Amalia gets married to a rich man in Vienna. The rest of the story tells the fate of Moses, Amalia, Nicolai and Remus.

The narration is friendly and easy to follow. The beauty of the Alps and Vienna spread before our eyes as the book proceeds. The characters Nicolai and Remus are warm and practical—however, I find Father Karl Victor and Staudach to be too evil for their position. The beauty of the sound and its vibration were portrayed brilliantly that I was almost able to feel it. The book was a perfect read for me.

The Bells is a must read.

Icy Sparks

2011-10-20T01:35:00.000-07:00

By Gwyn Hyman Rubio

I found this book by chance at a second-hand book shop. The shop had an interesting collection and I was looking for cooking and gardening books, which are always expensive in the main bookstores. But I fell for this book's cover, depicting a lone child in a white dress on a deserted road. The image is in black and white and somehow I could feel the loneliness of the child. To top it up, there was the interesting synopsis.

It tells the story of young Icy Sparks in a beautiful village on the Kentucky Mountains. It is a perfect setting for the young Icy, taken care by her beloved grandparents Mattani and Pattani. When Icy is expected to be innocent and childish, ticks and bouts of cursing begin. She hides it as long as she could until the villainous Mrs. Stilton decides otherwise.

Icy's only solace is Ms. Emily, an obese and warm lady owning a store in the town. Alienated from the town's people because of her obesity, she shares the same feelings as Icy. Icy's grandparents decide to send her to a special hospital for her then unknown but later identified Tourette's syndrome.

Icy finds herself alone in the hospital, unable to blend in with the mentally ill children. Then, there are typical characters from a mental hospital to make matters worse--bizarre kids, an evil caretaker, a poignant caretaker and the quintessentially dignified doctor. After a short episode at the hospital, Icy is sent home, where she decisively isolates herself from the town. But she never misses her shares of adventures in her own world.

A similarly outcast friend for his 'Frog Eyes' falls in love with Icy. When her illness takes over during one of their love encounters, Icy is back to square one. The situation worsens when Pattani dies, leaving Mattani depressed. Mattani and Ms. Emily take her to a local church for a religious ceremony, where she gets some sort of enlightenment. She identifies her gifted voice and becomes a successful adult she wants to be.

The author has done a great job in revealing the beauty of rural Kentucky. The mountain flowers, their cabin, Mattani's cooking, Pattani's warmth are some of the things that linger in my mind when I think of the book. The characters are warm although sometimes impractical. The mental hospital episode was boring and it did not add any spice to the story. Icy transition to optimism could have been gradual, instead of one shot at the church.

Read it once

Solo

2011-08-26T08:26:00.001-07:00

By Rana Dasgupta

I got the hardcover edition of Solo with a beautiful cover and big, clear letters. It was fun to read on the bus and train without having to strain my eyes. This book is much acclaimed for the author, Rana Dasgupta received the prestigious Commonwealth Writers' Prize. This is his second novel after Tokyo Cancelled.

Solo tells the moving story of Ulrich, a Bulgarian, looking through his 100 years of life. The later part concentrates on his daydreams fueled by recurrent failures of his life. It starts with a story of exquisite parrots which can talk the native tongue of an extinct society. The parrots die traumatically in an attempt to transport them to linguists for recording the language. Ulrich, now 100 years old, recounts his life to find the wisdom that he could leave the world as his legacy.

Ulrich is a blind old man, living in a tiny apartment in Sophia and cared for by his kind-hearted neighbors. He starts an exhilarated journey through the past. A usual son denied of his budding interest in music, Ulrich travels to Germany to study Chemistry. Meeting Einstein serendipitously, he intends to make a mark as a chemist. When fate decides otherwise, Ulrich is forced to go back home due to the family's depleting wealth and his father's health.

Ulrich takes up a menial job to support his family in Sophia. He gets married and fathers a son in his short-lived marriage. His life gets traumatized by his divorce and by the execution of his socialist friend Boris. The world wars, the socialism, and the independent Bulgaria each contributes in worsening Ulrich's life. After losing his mother to a false accusation, Ulrich engrosses into his chemistry lab set up, where he accidentally spills acid and loses his sight.

The second part of the book happens in the hippy 21st century New York. There is the ambitious Khatuna, a gangster's mistress whose life topples as the gangster falls for the violence. Urich's imaginary self Boris, a gifted musician raised by his grandmother and found by a multinational musical company, struggles in the whirlwind of the corporate ways. Boris finds comfort in Irakli, Khatuna's brother, and an innocent poet.

Ulrich's story spreads through the failures and oddities of a simple man. It is through his euphoric daydreams that he learns life isn't perfect. This ordinary man's story is definitely worth reading. The strangeness of the characters adds a unique aura to it. It is touching, refreshing and everything a book could offer.

Solo is a must-read, albeit it might be demanding sometimes.

The Third Prince

2011-08-23T05:01:00.000-07:00

By Phiroz H. Madon

I have not read many historical novels in English, although I am an ardent fan of Tamil historical novels. Deciding to route my historic knowledge from Southern India to the North, I bought this book. The novel is penned by Phiroz H Madon, a technocrat living in the US, originally from India.

Parvati, a young concubine tries to make a mark in Agra as a dancer. Her notable belongings include an important piece of paper and a jewel. The author walks us through her everyday struggle as a concubine and a dancer. Orphaned at an early age and let down by her only aunt, Parvati craves for constant attention. She even proves her dancing abilities by dancing with a snake.

There is a critical situation in Akbar's court. The court has the magnanimous task of finding an heir to the famous Akbar. With Jahangir notorious for his alcoholism and womanizing abilities and his son Khusrau, too young to make decisions on his own, the ministers have their hearts on the third prince. The third prince was believed to be fathered by Akbar in a secret marriage. The vicious Jahangir decides to eliminate the trace of the third prince.

Parvati's life suddenly takes a turn, when she loses her jewel and finds people following her to kill. Being a smart woman, she thinks out of the box to face the danger at every step. A romance with the snake charmer, an affair with the head of the robbing group or a housemaid's role in her best friend's home come in handy for her escape. The rest of the story reveals the fate of Paru and the third prince.

The book was interesting and a decent page-turner, but it was not exactly what I expected. I was trying to find the beauty and richness of the bygone era, which remained elusive throughout. Agra was portrayed as a place filled with just the Wine and Women, there is no glimpse of the Agra's well-known royalty.

Akbar was not what I have always imagined him to be. He was sick, weak and withered. While this portrayal is fine in his deathbed, it was sadly the same in the battlefield with Jahangir. There are some interesting characterizations like Nur Jahan though her transition from the timid Mehrunissa to the vehement Nur Jahan is impractical. The novel might satisfy the ones with no idea of the Mughal empire and its culture, but for anyone with the tiniest knowledge of the Indian history, this will be a letdown.

Read it at your own risk.

The Chapel at the Edge of the World

2011-08-21T23:53:00.000-07:00

By Kirsten McKenzie

The book's look and synopsis were so romantic that I bought it the instant I laid my eyes on it. The book was not engrossing, but it was enjoyable in a slow and subtle way. This is a debut novel for the author Kirsten Mckenzie. The story is inspired by a chapel in LambHolm, Orkney, built by Italian prisoners of World War II. I felt that the plot had a deep melancholy and eeriness; that explains the longer time that took for me to finish the book.

The story happens in a flashback as narrated by Emilio, Bertoldo, and Rosa. Emilio and Rosa are childhood sweethearts who were engaged while Emilio leaves to the war front. They judiciously write letters throughout their separation which helped a little for the growing distance between each other. Emilio finds Bertoldo as his friend, but his weird behavior only increases Emilio's loneliness.

Rosa helps her mother Margherita, who runs an inn in a small Italian town. Rosa decides to work for a print shop in Milano to escape the monotony of her everyday life at the inn. Rosa's small adventures of political activism along with her special friend Pietro and her boss Antonio shapes her to a stronger and mature women.

Emilio is captured and after transferring between a couple of locations, the prisoners are finally moved to the Orkney Islands. The cold along with decreased rations, humidity, and Bertoldo's emotional outbreaks depress Emilio. A hope for survival flickers when they were offered a place for worship. The prisoners get along together for decorating the chapel. Emilio brings out his innate talent for painting, even Bertoldo with his far-fetched dream of America contributes for the same.

The characterizations were perfect: the confused Rosa; strong Margherita; matured Emilio; and emotional Bertoldo. Other interesting characters include Rosa's friend Rachel, Henrik, the German Officer and Anna Maria, Emilio's mother. Their stories and struggles are practical and realistic. Emilio's struggles as a prisoner and survival are heart warming.

The Chapel at the Edge of the World is a must-read for the lovely story and the characterizations. A word of caution - It might be depressing at times.

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter

2011-03-10T09:27:00.000-08:00

By Kim Edwards

This is a book (along with The Time Traveler’s Wife) I wanted to read for a long time but apparently kept forgetting during my every bookshop visit. Accidently I found this book on sale while billing for another book (Angels of Destruction). As one can imagine, I ignored the other book and started this book with a lot of expectation. Well, it didn’t quite live up to my expectation but it sure did justice.

The story opens with a heartwarming scene of a husband cajoling his pregnant wife, who end up rushing to a clinic on a stormy night for labor. The haphazard snow makes the husband David Henry to deliver the twins in his clinic with the help of nurse Caroline Gill. Paul, the perfect healthy kid could content his father only for a short while until his sister Phoebe drives her father to abandon her for Down’s Syndrome. Caroline, on David’s decision, takes Phoebe to a home meant for special kids. Caroline takes Phoebe with her seeing the appalling conditions of the home. She hopes that David might change his mind and come back for Phoebe one day.

Norah couldn’t cope up with the death of her daughter and soon finds refuge in drinking. David decided to give up Phoebe to spare Norah of the hurt that his mother went through while losing his sister June for the same illness. Distressed by Norah’s increasing remoteness and guilt for giving up Phoebe, David engrosses into Photography. Caroline now and then sends photos of Phoebe to David, who hides them in his Photo lab. Meanwhile, Paul grows into a stubborn child torn between his separating parents and Phoebe into a cheerful child. Caroline marries Al, a truck driver she met serendipitously and overcomes her secret love for David.

David and Norah get divorced while Caroline and Al spend a pleasant life together. The last days of David are spent with regret and guilt and the secret of Phoebe dies with him. The rest of the story goes on about the mishaps of the torn lives.

The story started well and went well until some point where it felt like being rushed and out of focus. Norah’s ‘out of the blue’ character is unbelievable and impractical. The story of June and David’s poor family was interesting but the later part where he finds Rosemary was uninspiring. The comfort that he is portrayed to achieve with rising Rosemary doesn’t quite compensate for his lost love for Phoebe and June.

Though David seems rigid, I liked his character masked by richness over his humble and poor self. His miseries seem just because of miscalculation and not because of his bad character. Caroline’s character deserves mentioning for the straight forwardness and no-nonsense behavior. The story could have elaborated much more about Paul and Phoebe. It would make more sense if there is much to explain us about Down’s Syndrome.

For the familial turmoil and the heartbreaking emotions, TMKD can be read once.

Muskoka Maharani

2010-12-31T10:07:00.000-08:00

By David McMahon

Muskoka Maharani's humble look captures my attention, as I stroll through the uninteresting bestsellers in the 'mini' book shop at my office. The synopsis is decent enough to make me buy the book. It was a pleasant read letting us a glimpse of the Anglo-Indian life in British India. This could've easily qualified as one of the memorable books for me if only the publisher had forgotten to print the last fifteen pages. For a book of such great potential, it's a pity that the climax is just run of the mill.

Harry Barnsley travels to Muskoka, a small township in Canada to get the 'biggest story of the decade'. He was a given a last chance to hold his job as a newspaper reporter in Australia. His Anglo-Indian friend recommends him to meet her aunt Serena in Muskoka to know about a German spy during the Second World War. So Harry learns not about the war or the spy but about the typical life in railway colonies of British India. Good for Harry and good for us as the biggest story turned out to be the biggest joke of the decade.

The life at Marsdengunj in Eastern India was normal for Serena Bracebridge-Rhode until the Beaudevilles came to offer Marsdengunj a place on the Indian Map by proposing to make it a major maintenance hub for the Indian Railways. Serena having a strained relationship with her father Charleston due to his severe alcoholism instantly falls in love with the charming young Beaudeville. The Beaudevilles isolated initially as posh city people slowly merge with the middle-class bunch of the Marsdengunj.

Serena breaks free to become a nurse in London where she is identified to help capture a German spy. The war part comes as an extra baggage and do not blend well with the flow. The story would have been perfect if the war and spy part was not included at all. Out of the 250 pages, 200 pages are dedicated to the Indian characters for whom Harry has no interest. The book makes perfect sense as a melange of short stories but fails as a single novel. Nonetheless, it was gripping and entertaining.

The most part of the story revolves around Marsdengunj and the Anglo-Indian life. The insignificant but interesting characters designed just to explain the culture became a little too much after the initial pages. A great deal of information would be given on a particular incidence and just as we look forward to the story, the characters vanish suddenly without a clue. The heartwarming story of Gertie and Charleston could be put for a better use than just letting it hang in the middle.

The glimpse of Muskoka didn't quite well stand out like Marsdengunj. Muskoka Maharani fails to make an impact, but Marsdengunj Maharani could have!

Don't miss the book for the beauty of the British India

Amazonia

2010-11-20T23:03:00.000-08:00

By James Rollins

After reading “The Lost Symbol”, I was craving for a good book. When I bought “Ice Hunt”, I got to know that “Amazonia” is one of the best books of James Rollins. All I would say about this book is “Wow!” It’s fast paced, exciting and undeniably qualifies for an entertaining read. The characterizations and the flow of events are quite similar to “Ice Hunt”, but the fact that there are no mind-numbing hide and seek games comes as a knight in shining armor. The characterizations are superb and there’s a brief background for almost every character, even for the non-humans!

Nathan Rand, a renowned pharmaceutical company’s employee lives in Amazon forest to collect rare plants, more so, for he feels close to his deceased parents. Carl Rand, his father was a part of an expedition group which was lost in the jungles. Just as Nathan comes in terms with his father’s death, he’s contacted by the CIA and a group of scientists to follow his dad’s expedition and find them, if they’re still alive. Nathan, reluctant at first finally agrees after learning that one scientist of his father’s group had arrived alive but had died due to cancerous tumors. The CIA’s interest is triggered by the fact that the dead scientist somehow managed to grow his arm back which he lost well before going to the expedition.

With all the protection, hope, and curiosity, Nathan starts his Amazonian adventure with his dear friend, Matt and his guru, Kuowe. Officially, Nathan is the hero of the book, but for some reason I liked Matt better than Nathan. The group is attracted by the odd symbol of the Ban-ali tribe found on the scientist’s body. Then we encounter the typical Rollins syndrome of chasing villains, mysterious animals, and unusual escapes. There is also a French villain following the team in their shadows to sneak their findings.

The forest and the lush green landscape open up before our eyes as Rollins narrates the story. The Amazon and its dangers become vivid with each and every line of the book. The group loses people as each day proceeds. A pair of black caimans or a faction of locusts or a group of crazy piranhas or a massive, blood-thirsty jaguar might be the reason. Strangely, though, the killer could also be a svelte female with a bizarre hobby.

Slowly and painfully, the group moves farther into the forest losing people with every step. With the infection from the dead soldier spreading rapidly in the country, the coercion to find the remedy tops everyone’s mind. The fortunate individuals encounter the Ban-ali to find the deadliest secret that can never even be imagined.

The book is a perfect read in my opinion. Never, at one point did I feel boring or ridiculous, except maybe during Nate’s cheery romance right under the nose of dangers. Be it the astute and calm Professor Kuowe or the scrutinizing and shrewd Private Carrera or the ebullient pet jaguar Tor-tor, the characters are a perfect mix of reality, love, fun, and life.

Must read if you are in the mood for a thriller.

The Lost Symbol

2010-11-20T22:54:00.000-08:00

By Dan Brown

I believe Dan Brown has written some good books save for his latest one, “The Lost Symbol”. Before I get into the actual review, let me give some brief details on how I got the book. I pre-booked the book well in advance, sometime toward the end of July. On 15th September night, around 9:30 PM, when they were about to close the shop, I managed to get the book. With a lot of expectations, I started reading. Like “The Da Vinci’s Code” or the “Angels and Daemons”, the starting was so captivating that I hardly felt like keeping the book down.

The story starts with Langdon flying down to Washington D.C for a lecture only to find that there’s no lecture scheduled and he had been tricked into coming. Confusion slowly mutates into fear when he finds the lifeless severed hand of his friend and guide Peter Solomon (also a Mason). The kidnapper bargains with Langdon to help him uncover a Masonic secret in return for Solomon’s life. Desperate to save his friend’s life, Langdon falls in the game, only to earn suspicion from the hawk-like CIA Office of Security Director, Sato.

The entire novel revolves around a small pyramid shaped object that was given to Langdon by Peter and believed to embalm a mystical secret. Along with Katherine Solomon, Peter’s sister, Langdon runs from Sato to save Peter. The monstrous, beastly tattooed villain Mal’akh manages to capture Katherine and Robert and tortures them for deciphering the secret. It's then we realize that Sato’s intentions are a matter of National Security as Mal’akh is threatening to reveal a video degrading Masons.

All ends well when Mal’akh fails in his endeavor and Sato accomplishes her goal. Peter now reveals the ancient secret to Langdon. Take my word—you’d definitely get disappointed with the secret. With all the commotion and tragedy it created, this is not the secret that you wanted to know. The secret was the sole force that drove me reading even after losing interest. While the secret in itself is something for us to understand and appreciate, there’s no reason for the masons to protect and hide it.

The story and the characters were very bland and uninspiring. The language is just mediocre. The characterization should have been better. The 33rd degree Mason Peter Solomon with all his knowledge and riches is portrayed as a withered soul who’s certainly inappropriate to hold the powers. The only character that’s quite clear and interesting is Mal’akh who has recently gone through a spiritual epiphany. The locations are not vividly explained and I could feel only abstract statues and frescos rather than the places as such.

I managed to nap when there were only 50 pages left to finish the book! The story was slipping out of the track to explain the Masonic theories and rituals--often too verbose. While this may interest a specialized group curious on the Masons, it terribly fails to captivate an average reader. It’s a decent page turner, but for some reason I find the charisma missing, unlike his other books. “The Deception Point” and “The Digital Fortress” can be considered reasonable compared to this book. This might be due to the ultimate failure of the author’s perception that every reader is familiar with Washington, Masons, and Masonic temples.

A thoroughly disappointing read, after all, for the hype it created, I expected something better. Read it at your own risk.

Ice Hunt

2009-11-07T06:36:00.000-08:00

By James Rollins

I found the Synopsis interesting so ended up buying this book. This book is kind of an “edge of the seat” thriller—very interesting and fast paced. As I started reading the book, I was in an ebullient mood, thinking that this is going to be a refreshing story, unlike my other slow-paced novels. Well, it satisfied me till the half way, and then I could easily guess what’s going to happen next. It can pass for an interesting thriller, only if you forget the “easy to guess” climax.

I felt everything happening a little too early in the book. Or maybe the climax is dragged too long that I found everything early. Matthew Pike, a Fish and Game officer, also an ex-Green Beret, finds a plane crashing in the Brooks Range of Alaska. He rescues the lone survivor Craig, a news reporter. Trouble starts when a chopper shows up and drops two villains to kill Craig. Then starts the roller coaster ride of pursuing villains, intelligent escapes and a series of exhilarating plane rides. Matt manages to escape from the villains with the help of his ex-wife Jen and her plane.

American research vessel Omega, captioned by Perry, accidently bumps into an abandoned Russian ice station Grendel. Curiosity drives the scientists, geologists and researchers to research on the ice station. Amanda Reynolds, the research head, along with Captain Perry and a couple of others discover a chilling secret hidden inside the fourth level of the ice station. Determined to let the world know the truth, Amanda summons Matt’s group (as they managed to land the plane near Omega) to the ice station.

The story went well till this point. Then it becomes kind of repetitive—chasing villains and mysterious animals become boring after some time. The escapes were too easy to predict. After a dozen of hide and seek games, Matt discovers the chilling truth—but he knows little that the worst is yet to come until he finds who’s behind all those.

The group escapes and Captain Perry intelligently hides his submarine and brings it on time to help the escaped group. The story ends happily when Matt and Jen reunite. I liked the way the characters are portrayed, they are rich and vivid. The ones which are caught in my mind are the no-nonsense Russian Captain Viktor Petkov, waiting for a revenge for his father’s death; the smart dog Bane; and the cute couple at the Fuel stop.

It can be a good book if you can bear with too much danger-and-escape games. Its very fast paced and you hardly feel like keeping the book.

Read it once.

Dear John

2009-11-07T06:25:00.000-08:00

By Nicholas Sparks

I liked few other novels by Nicholas Sparks and so I picked this one. Well, it’s not as enjoyable as his other works like “The Choice” or “The Rescue”. As with any of his other books, this book also deals with human emotions, love, and tragedy. The book was painfully slow and you get irritated with every character save a little pity for John’s father.

John Tyree, an Army officer on a vacation at his hometown Wilmington, NC, enjoys surfing in the beautiful local beach. Love flickers in his otherwise monotonous life when he deep dives into the Sea to retrieve the purse of Savannah Lynn Curtis, a student who builds houses for the underprivileged. He’s a big, tattooed, army guy and she’s a happy student and a teetotaler. He spends much of his vacation with Savannah and her group of friends at a beach house. John is particularly impressed with Tim, Savannah’s close friend.

John’s father strikes us as a peculiar yet an adorable character—a man of practice, regularity and patience (especially with John). He’s too obsessed with his huge coin collection to discuss anything except his “Okays”. All attempts of John in involving his dad in a friendly chat end up futile.

After a couple of friendly meetings between Savannah and John’s dad, Savannah reveals John that his dad’s suffering from Autism. John deciding that she’s curious on his dad as a matter of subject gets furious and flee the place. En route the beach house, he knocks a guy and breaks Tim’s nose. Unexpectedly, they make up for their fights too easily and spend rest of John’s vacation happily.

As the story proceeds, John goes back to his work and Savannah keeps writing as she promised. He comes on a vacation and they again spend a good time. Then the September 11 comes and John reenlists in the army as per his consciousness. Savannah assures that she’s very proud of him followed by a “Dear John” letter announcing that she’s found another love.

John, now depressed and lonely concentrates much on his dad. It's then he feels a pang of guilt for not spending enough time and not understanding his problems. Of whatever Savannah did, she helped him understand his dad better. Again, the tragedy strikes when his dad suffers a heart attack and is bed ridden. After a series of convincing, cajoling and begging he’s taken to a hospital where he dies after seven weeks.

Distressed and left with no one to love him, he decides to meet Savannah, only to find her married. Savannah is no better than John as her husband is suffering from Melanoma and her brother in law has autism. Finally, along with John, we also understand what true love means.

To sum up, the story is quite boring except for some chapters involving John’s dad and his disease. I liked the ending though it may seem impractical. I think for a goody-goody girl like Savannah, it’s too soon to fall in love and end everything so soon. And John seems to have as big a heart as his massive body. The only character portrayed interestingly is John’s dad but alas, he has autism! It’s a light read, not really romantic.

Read it if you are in a vacation or you have all the time in the world.

The Idea of Love

2009-08-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

By Louise Dean

First of all, don’t get carried away by the book cover which is very romantic. I fell for the charming cover and the beautiful synopsis that was given at the back of the cover. The story is definitely not as romantic as the cover. I managed to finish the book partly because I didn’t want to waste money and partly due to the curiosity that something at the end might prove worthy. I finished the book all right, other than that there’s nothing special in this book, at least I didn’t find it tempting.

The author, Louise Dean is British novelist and her other books are 'Becoming Strangers' and 'This Human Season'. She received the awards Society of Authors Betty Trask Prize in 2004 and Le Prince Maurice prize in 2006.

The story was depressing and gives a feel as if the entire book is soaked in alcohol. The story is about family, relationships, love and, of course, depression. Pharmaceutical salesman Richard and his French wife Valerie live in a small French town. Their loveless marriage is survived by their son Max. Richard often travels to Africa for marketing anti-depressant drugs. Their odd lifestyle mainly involves drinking sessions with their neighbors Jeff and Rachael whose life is no different from theirs.

As the story proceeds further, we are encountered with self-obsessed parents, love-less children, and philandering spouses. Richard enjoys every other female company except for his beautiful wife and Rachael enjoys helping orphans in Africa than her family. What is expected as a cute romantic story becomes a shockingly true tragedy?

The tragedy strikes when the promising young business man Richard’s life takes a bend, moving from riches to rags, worse when he starts using what he sells. The situation worsens when Max gets affected by all this and his erratic behavior becomes a concern. You’ll feel pity for the angelic Maud. What follows is a story of self discovery. Finally, the parents overcome their self obsession and understand what matters the most.

It's a pretty OK book. It’s not particularly an enjoyable read, but read it for the moral, which is much required in the current situation.

The Language Of Others

2009-07-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

By Clare Morall

I was scanning through a local bookshop when I found this book. It seemed like an interesting read, so I picked it up. Well, I don’t regret it. It was a pleasant read and I enjoyed it albeit it was depressing sometimes.

This is the author's third book after the famous 'Astonishing splashes of color' which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and 'Natural Flights of the Human Mind'.

The story paces back and forth between the present and past life of detached but musically gifted Jessica Fontaine. The book is moderately paced with strong emotional cobwebs. It's easy to sit engrossed with the book for hours together without ever knowing.

Her childhood years are portrayed in a beautiful country house called Audlands. She's a concern for her parents for not being social like her mom Connie or her amiable sister Harriet. Jessica has an exceptional flair for playing piano and she plays too much that it peeves her mom. She's always whittled away from others and spends most of her time on music. Jessica finds it hard to move around with people and she's constantly bullied by her cousins.

Jessica falls in love with Andrew, her college senior, an obstreperous person whose behavior is unpredictable. Innocent Jessica falls in love with his music and eventually marries him. As she's fighting to lead a normal life with Andrew and Joel, Andrew suddenly deserts her only return after few years pursuing her to reunite.

Jessica, who's 40 years at the present is quite content working as a librarian as well as doing concerts with her dear friend Mary. Mary has a beautiful life with an understanding husband and co-operative kids. Jessica often wonders why her life not so practical as Mary's or as beautiful as Harriet who's a designer and travels the world.

Jessica is frustrated with her son Joel, a successful Computer games programmer not being mature enough to find a home on his own and being still dependent on his mom and Andrew who's pursuing Marie on a reunion and has got a recent flair for climbing tall buildings and playing Violin.

One day, Joel suddenly brings her girlfriend Alice who seems to understand Joel better than Jessica. It's Alice who throws light on Joel and Jessica's paths to self-realization. Jessica always thought that the reason for her life being so dull is undoubtedly due to Andrew's preposterous behavior. Jessica falls in love again and the story ends when she realizes who's the reason for all the misery.

Slow paced but a must read.

To Kill A Mocking Bird

2009-04-28T10:34:00.000-07:00

By Harper Lee

This is my first post in the book shelf. I was thinking on which book to start first. Out of all the books that I read, I found this book to be of unique style yet very simple. One of the best books I’ve read and it tops my favorite list. It’s a Southern classic and considered one of the best in American Fiction. It’s not that difficult to guess as many of us would have read it more than once. For people whoever have guessed it; Yes! You’re right; I’m talking about the all time favorite “To Kill a Mocking Bird”.

There are ample reviews by professionals for this book. There’s nothing much for a person like me without any experience in writing, to review about. But I personally didn’t like to leave this book out of my bookshelf. So here goes my version...

First of all, let me warn people looking for a book that’ll make them sit at the edge of the seat as they frantically flip through the pages. Sorry, this is not that kind of a book. If you like a leisurely read to sit alone relaxed, then this is the story for you and I’m one among you!

This is the only novel by the author Harper Lee, published in 1960. This book is a Bildungsroman, describing the growing up process of Scout, the charming, precocious 6-year-old narrator and her poised elder brother Jem. The striking feature that makes the book special is the innocence and down to earth narration of Scout. The author has a natural sense of humor and it flows freely throughout the novel.

The other main characters include the ‘little but old’ friend Dill, the too good to be true father Atticus, the amiable housekeeper Calpurnia and the scary Boo Radley. The book mainly focuses on racism and injustice suffered by Blacks during the sixties, but there are also other important aspects which are neatly blended into the story. The innocence of the children, the responsibilities of the parents, equality and compassion are to name a few.

The story happens in a ‘sleepy, lazy’ town (as described by our little Scout) called ‘Maycomb’ in Alabama. It vastly describes Scout, Jem and Dill’s holidays and mischief’s they play trying to bring out their elusive neighbor Boo Radley who’s always locked up in his home. Their favorite pastime is to imagine situations where Boo Radley involves in various atrocities (like stamping his father Mr. Radley’s leg with a scissor!) and to enact the scenes.

Scout is a tomboyish 6-year-old girl who seems to have a premonition that ladies are not as exciting and understanding as Men. The author’s opinions are voiced through her and at times she seems overly composed for her age. She’s the character who portrays the childhood innocence and it’s easy to fall in love with her cuteness. She’s notorious for her profane language, but the author is smart enough to make the readers too bedazzled to bother about this. Most of the town's people (including Jem sometimes) are disappointed with Scout not behaving like a 'young lady'. It feels as if Scout's holding our hands and touring the entire Maycomb when she describes the big Oak tree, Radley’s house, Post Office, Mrs. Maudie’s azaleas and many other taciturn places of Maycomb.

Scout’s school days struggling with her ‘pretty little thing’ teacher Miss Caroline and her abominable methods of teaching are interesting additions. She has a tough time coping with the town’s ladies, Aunt Alexandra and Jem, who’s visibly peeved by her infantile behavior. Every minute day-to-day activity is portrayed finely without boring the reader.

Atticus, father of Scout and Jem, a lawyer by profession is a prominent and plausible person of the town. His character vividly captures the effect of parent’s behavior on the children. He sets an example to his children by actually living his words. He’s loving, humble, honest, understanding and everything an ideal person can be. His endurance to fight injustice and compassion towards the black people are finest of all.

The ‘all angels and bones’ Calpurnia is their housekeeper and she’s a lovely motherly lady who insists on Scout’s proper behavior. She’s a very well learnt and practical black women and Atticus seems to appreciate this and preached the same equality to his children. He fights for justice for a black man named Tom Robinson who’s accused on a false charge by Mr. Bob Ewell. No words or deeds from Mr. Bob Ewell can faze Atticus. Though this character by Harper Lee seems too good to be true, it’s well worth to be cherished and followed forever.

Scout’s brother Jem is a fine gentleman like his father. From a curious child to a responsible adolescent, his growth is enticing. He, as his father, grows into a humble, honest and compassionate person. His encounter with Mrs. Dubose proves his poise. His deep sympathy and helpless vehemence on the acrimonious verdict of Tom Robinson’ case explicitly cites ‘like father, like son’

Dill, Scout’s sweetheart is a charming young little man whose innate imagination is the source for their furtive plans to bring Boo Radley out. He is a sort of caught in between Scout’s childishness and Jem’s adolescence. He’s a unique adventurous character who longs for true love and as Jem he’s also helpless and sympathetic on the prejudice towards black people.

The other characters which are unimportant but add strength to the novel's backbone are Mrs. Maudie, Uncle John, innocuous Mr. Dolphus Raymond and Mr. Heck Tate. The vicious Ewells and their livid plans to libel Tom Robinson and Atticus are fit enough for a thriller.

It’s very tempting to write more, but I don’t want to end up writing the entire story. I think I’ve given enough idea about the story line. Do read the novel to know what happened to the evasive Boo Radley, pathetic Tom Robinson and obstreperous Bob Ewell.

Harper Lee profoundly succeeded in making this a fascinating classic of all time. The story and the characters linger soothingly in our minds long after the story is finished. There’s no doubt that the characters like Scout, Atticus, Jim, Cal and Dill remain embalmed in our lives for days to come.