Book Review: Remarkable Creatures

Title     : Remarkable creatures
Author : Tracy Chevalier
Genre  :  Historical fiction

First sentence reads: Lightening has struck me all my life.



Rating: 5/5

I just finished reading three books by Tracy Chevalier and decided to write the review of Remarkable Creatures first. Why? Because it was so very different and unique. The first sentence was so tantalizing and hooked me to know why Mary felt the way that she did. The thought of a girl to have discovered something significant that changed the way scientific community thought of evolution and extinction was inspirational.

Set in early nineteenth century, this story tells the extraordinary tale of a simple girl born in the seaside town of Lyme Regis in England and that of the intelligent spinster Elizabeth Philpot. Mary Anning was struck by lightening when she was a baby. She is not only unusual in the sense of being struck by lightening and surviving it but also because she has the eye for finding fossils which her coastal town is famed for.

Lyme's beach were brimming with fossils but only a serious fossil hunter with an eye for hidden treasures could extract them out from the clay soil. Mary and her brother Joe collect fossils found on the beach and cliff side of beach between Lyme and Charmouth to be sold in their curie stall to supplement the family income. The people of Lyme Regis were not fond of those fossil hunters or people who collect curies. Thus Mary was a loner and found her solace in fishing ammonites and gryphaea out of muddy beach sand.

Elizabeth Philpot, a spinster who has resigned to the fate of never finding the one, relishes in intelligent pursuits. She and her two other sisters relocated to Lyme Regis after their brother gets married and takes up their family home for his new life. Elizabeth who initially resisted leaving London is enchanted by the quiet Lyme Regis town and the prospect of starting a new hobby in the curious fossils she found in the beach.

Despite their age difference, Mary and Elizabeth become fast friends in their passion for finding fossils. The quiet life of Mary and Elizabeth  takes a sharp turn when Mary uncovers a huge fossil in the cliff by her home. That was the beginning of many more discovery which not only elevated Mary's reputation as a fossil hunter but it also created a buzz in the scientific community on the origin of earth and possibility of extinction of god's creatures. Together Mary and Elizabeth ride the turbulent waves evoked by Mary's fossil of unknown creature, riding into the cusps of new hope, of times where woman were not accepted into scientific community and of forbidden love.

I enjoyed every bits of this story. The story was narrated by both Mary and Eliabeth and I appreciated the author for allowing us to get into both their minds. The narrators were lovable enough, though there were flawed in their own ways yet they redeem themselves in putting their friendship and passion for fossils above all. The setting of the story, Lyme Regis was interesting to read about. The story was beautifully written, with a delicious mixture of various tones, at time serious, at times quickening the pulse and definitely with a little humor. I felt like coming back from a long beach holiday after closing the book and each time I look at a seashell I would remember Mary Anning and the ever loyal Elizabeth. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a historical fiction with a interesting scientific discovery.

Favourite quotations

I have long noted that people tend to lead with one particular feature, a part of the face or body. My brother john for instance leads with his eyebrows. It is not just that they form prminent tufts above his eyes, but they are the part of his face that moves the most. - Elizabeth Philpot

To me looking for curies is like looking for four-leaf clover; its not how hard you look, but how something will appear different. My eyes will brush over a patch of clover, and I'll see 3,3,3,3,4,3,3. The four leaves just pop out at me. Same with curies. - Mary Anning

We say very little, for we do not need to. We are silent together, each in her own world, knowing the other is just at her back.

Book Review: The Red Queen

Title: The Red Queen
Author: Philippa Gregory
Genre: Historical fiction

First sentence reads: the light of the open sky is brilliant after the darkness of the inner rooms.



Rating: 4.5/5

Now I know the reason behind Phillipa Gregory's bestsellers, history comes alive in her writing. It was an engrossing read and it took me two days to finish the book.

Margaret Beaufort is a pious child born into the House of Lancaster. The house that was ruling England at that time under Kind Henry IV. A child who thinks she is born to fulfill a certain destiny, a calling and that is to be the queen of England and to sign her name as Margaret Regina.

She is sent off by her mother to be married to the Tudor house, with Edmund of Wales. She gives birth to a son, whom she names Henry after the King. Good times were fast changing for the Lancaster house when the King falls into a long spell of madness and the queen Margaret of Anjou is threatened by the presence of  the house of York. Margaret falls further into troubled times when her husband and guardian Edmund dies in battle, leaving her with her son and protective brother-in-law jasper. 

Praying hard to know that there's more to her life than just re-marrying, she determines to put her son on the throne. Guided by the believe that her house is the sole true ruler of England and her religiousness Margaret plans the plot to guide her son to the throne regardless of any obstacles. 

I found Margaret determinations and ambition fascinating. She is a courageous woman, a woman who knows she is on the  path of righteousness and glory for herself and her house. Her numerous failures were humorous at times and just proves that this is one woman who waits for the right time to shine. It was a brilliant story and though Margaret may not be right all the time, the readers would tend to stick with her cause and see how far she would go to make her dream come true. The other characters in the novel were equally fascinating to read about, the cowardly second husband, Margaret's 3rd husband, nicknamed the fox, who's loyalty is nonexistent and pledges his support to the winning side always and also Jasper the battle hardened brother-in-law.

Favourite quotes

~ I am not yet ten years old; but I have saints' knees. This has got to count for something, whatever my old lady governess may say to my mother about excessive and theatrical devotion. I have saints' knees. ~

~ She raises her eyebrows at my ringing emphasis. 'They wont like it', she says, and she goes out of the room to tell my brother-in-law Jasper that the girl is being stuborn and will not name her son for her dead husband, but has chosen her own name for him and will not be dissuaded. 

I lie back against the pillows again and close my eyes. my boy will be Henry Tudor, whatever anyone says.

~ 'King Richard may appear to be my master, but don't forget your son and his ambitions, and he is only one step from the throne this morning, and my beloved stepson as always.'

'But which side are you on?' I demand in frustration, as his men mount their horses and raise his banner.

'The winning side,' he says with a short laugh, and thumps his chest in a salute to me, like a soldier and is gone. ~

Book Review: The Postmistress

Title: The Postmistress
Author: Sarah Blake
Genre: Literary fiction

First sentence reads: There were years after it happened, after i'd returned from the town and came back here to the busy blank of the city, when some comment would be tossed off about the Second world war and how it had gone-some idiotic remark about clarity and purpose-and I'd resist the urge to stub out my cigarette and bring the dinner party to a staisfying halt.

Rating: 3/5

The Postmistress is a story set in the times of Second World War seen through the eyes of three different women, each affected beyond their comprehension. The postmistress of Franklin, Massachusetts, Iris James, Franklin's new resident Emma Trask and war correspondent Frankie Bard arethe narrators in this elegant story.

Iris believes in the integrity of the postal system and believes that she has to keep order and let the system move without a hitch. But one day she does the unthinkable, she reads a letter and keeps it from its rightful owner. Emma on the other hand is a girl with emotional baggage, who comes with heavy hopes of finding an anchor in the life of the man she is to marry, Will Fitch, the doctor in the town of Franklin. Whereas, Frankie Brad is the war correspondent who braves the bombs raining down on London skies every night to bring news of the war front to the people abroad in United States.  The story moves languorously and without urgency and explores the livelihood of the three women. It is told in alternating narration by the three women and that was refreshing to read. It tells the tale of two world existing in the same dimension, one facing the horrors of the war and the other blissfully ignorant of war. Emma and Iris know the war only though the voice of Frankie Bard and Frankie is living right in the middle of it.

Though the title of the book is The Postmistress, the story itself doesn't actually focus on Iris alone but more on Frankie. Its hard for me to say which one of the three women that I liked. I found it hard to warm up to them. Furthermore, certain parts of the book lacked the power to convince me and I wished the author had focused some attention on Will Fitch as his character was not as well developed as the rest and thus It was hard to feel the pain that Emma felt.

I found the first half of the book more compelling and interesting but had to force myself to read the second half just to know how it ends and unfortunately there were no surprises and I lost the eagerness to read it.

I noticed that this book had some rave reviews and also some average reviews. My opinion is that, I did not enjoy this book as much but I loved the beautiful writing and prose by the author. If you are looking to read stories revolving around second world war, I would suggest Daniel Steel's Echoes and Tatiana De Rosnay's Sarah's key. 

Favourite quotes

~They walked along, and under the silent morning sky, she imagines she could pull Time like taffy, stretching it longer and longer between her hands until the finest point had been reached, the point just before breaking, and she could live there.~

~Petal after white petal opened slowly from her heart and started reaching up and out. Some stories dont get told. Some stories you hold on to. To stand and watch and hold it in your arms was not cowardice. To look straight at the beast and feel its breath on your flanks and not turn-one could carry the world that way.~

Book review: Cat's eye

Title: Cat's eye

Author: Margaret Atwood

Genre: Literary fiction

First sentence reads: Time is not a line but a dimension, like the dimension of space.



Rating: 4/5

I've been wanting to read a book by Atwood and I finally did it. This is my first Margaret Atwood's book. The story somewhat seems like a biography. Elaine is an established painter who is about to open her retrospective exhibition in her hometown, Toronto. At this particular time in Toronto which was her home while growing up, she reminiscence her childhood, her constant travel from place to place with her entomologist dad and her friends Grace, Cordelia and Carol. Her relationship with her three girlfriends was tumultuous, full of secrets with plenty of childhood dilemma. Atwood alternates between Elaines past and present. Her relationship with her brother was delightful to read.

Its hard to sum up the book as it sorts of flows and is actually a story of Elaine's travel through her memory. It doesn't move too fast and at the same time does not drag on. The author has a wonderful way with words, and its gives so much pleasure to the reader. She does use a lot of adjectives and my I loved it. Though she has the tendency to end sentences abruptly or put lots of short phrases and repeated sentences I did not really mind as each character, each scene came to life with her vivid description. It also brought to life a time long gone, a generation of people and their simple way of life long diminished from the  current world. 

The only problem I had with this book is Elaines preoccupation with her friend Cordelia. I did not really understand why she lingered most on the memories of cordelia. why she misses her much. I did not warm up to Cordelia's character.

I read this book continuously and when I was not reading, I was thinking about the characters and the story. Overall I really enjoyed it and would recommend it for those who love biography like fiction with beautiful prose.

Favourite quotes

~The sun sets in long, chilly, lingering sunset, flamingo pink, then salmon, then the improbable vibrant red of Mercurochrome.~

~We are silent, considering shortfalls. There's not much time left, for us to become what we once intended. Jon had potential, but its not a word that can used comfortable any longer. Potential has shelf life.~

~He has a look of amazing brilliance, as if at any minute his head will light up and become transparent, disclosing a huge brightly coloured brain inside.~

Book review: The shadow of the wind

Title: The shadow of the wind

Author: Carloz Ruiz Zafon

Genre: Historical fiction, Literary fiction

First sentence reads: I still remember the day my father took me to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books for the first time.

Rating: 5/5

Ok, I've got five words to describe this book;

Masterpiece, spellbinding, thrilling, soulful, beautiful. 

Now when I think further, I can add more adjective but it doesn't matter. My rating and the 5 words would have told you whats necessary.

The year is 1945, Barcelona. A 10 year old boy, Daniel was brought by his father, Sempere to a secret book haven , the Cemetery of Forgotten books. There he chose a book which he was told to adopt and keep it a secret. The book that Daniel chose was The Shadow of the Wind by an unknown author called Julian Carax. Spellbound by the story Daniel starts to question the origin and whereabouts of the author. which lead to a mystery behind the elusive  Julian Carax. As Daniel grows up, the pull of the mystery gets stronger and he resolves to delve fully into it. He realizes that as he followed the trail of the book's origin, a few people start to follow his trail like ants to breadcrumbs. The origin and mystery behind Julian Carax is the crux of the story and it ends as it begins with a heady mix of anticipation and elevated heartbeat.

This is the only book that left me sleepless and anxious to get to the end or to the crux of the story. It was utterly bewitching and unputdownable. Every sentence was a song, a poetry in motion, a dark mystery waiting to unfold. The characters were immensely delightful and heartwarming, Daniel, his dad Sempere, the family friend, Gustavo Barcelo, the ever humorous and witty Fermin Romero de Torres, Julian Carax, Nuria Monfort, Bea (Daniel's sweetheart) and the loyal friend Miqual Moliner. I was glad for the length of the book, and the masterful translation by Lucia Graves. It was a hugely satisfying read and I would highly recommend this book to any book lover and anybody who loves a great mystery told in a beautiful and soulful manner. 

Favourites quotes: 

I couldn't help thinking that if i, by pure chance, had found a whole universe in a single unknown book, buried in that endless necropolis, tens of thousands more would remain unexplored, forgotten forever.

'Well, this is a story about book.'

'About books?'

'About accursed books, about a man who wrote them, about a character who broke out of pages of a novel so that he could burn it, about betrayal and a lost friendship. its a story of love, of hatred, and of dreams that live in the shadow of the wind.'

'Don't insult me Daniel. Let me remind you that you are talking to a professional in the art of seduction, and this business of kissing is for amateurs and little old men in slippers. Real women are won over bit by bit. Its all a question of psychology, like a good faena in a bullring.'

Book review: Letter From A Stranger

Title : Letter from a stranger

Author: Barbara Taylor Bradford

Genre: general fiction

First line reads: The following morning the letter was read once more, corrected and locked away for the second time.

Rating: 1/5

I was extremely intrigued with the synopsis and the first sentence left me even more curious to read the entire story. Its somehow reminded me of the the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Thus, with great anticipation of getting into the bottom of some hidden family secrets and betrayals I started reading the story.

Justine Nolan returns to her childhood home in Connecticut after completing a documentary on a elusive artist. The tranquility of her country home the Indian Ridge was marred when she discovered a letter from Istanbul for her mother. Feeling utterly piques she opens and read it and was left speechless with the contents. The letter uncovers the cruel lie her mother told her and her twin Richard 10 years ago involving the disappearance of their beloved grandmother Gabriele. 

That left Justine with the urgency of finding out the source of the letter and the mysterious circumstances surrounding her grandmother. She leaves for Istanbul almost immediately and works with a tour guide to unravel the whereabouts of the writer of the letter which she hoped would lead to her grandmother. 

The prologue of the book was written is such a beautiful manner whereby it tantalizes us on following the destruction that the letter was going to create on its wake. The intrigue stops there for me. The following chapters were written haphazardly and drags on with the same lines being churned out by different people. I did not find the mystery behind the letter compelling enough and the romance between Justine and her new found love in Turkey distracting. The story had the potential of a good plot however it lacked the clear direction and execution and the correct wordplay to make it a good read. This book failed miserably in making me read it. I found myself skipping lines, and then pages and then lose focus altogether. 

Book review: The Stormchasers

Title: The stormchasers
Author: Jenna Blum
Genre: Contemporary fiction

First sentence reads: Karena Jorge's birthday starts as a quiet affair, but she doesnt mind.

Rating: 4/5

This book was a random pick at a book sale. The title, front cover and the synopsis drew me to this book. It has been a fabulous read.

The story goes at a steady pace and manages to sustain the suspense till the end. Karena Jorge has been separated from her twin brother for 20 years. He has been unpredictable  from young and suffered from bipolar disorder. The only consistency about Charles is his storm chasing tendency. So, on her 38th birthday Karena decides to look for him and signs up for a stormchasing whirlwind tour.

As the story unfolds of the tour group leaders, members and the various tidbits on storms and clouds, Karena gives us glimpse into the past, into her childhood. It was frustrating whenever Karena had near misses of finding her brother. However it all just built momentum on the climax of sister meeting her long lost brother. 

The ending was perfect and it fit well with the suspense of why Charles went missing years ago and all the sad episode that was the tipping point in both their young life. The stormchasing episodes in the tour, together with Karena's blossoming romance with tour guide Kevin were beautifully written. It's a book I highly recommend to anyone in search of a adventure, albeit from your own living room.

Favourite quotes:

"Nice Cu," Fern says.

"Sure is," says Karena absently. Then, "Wait, what's Cu?"

Fern laughs. "I keep forgetting you're a virgin," she says. She points with her cigarette to the white puffy clouds cruising over the truck stop.

Karena can't stop looking at this, the storm on one side, moon on the other. She never would have believed such a thing was possible, chaos and calm sharing the same sky.

Book review: Remember me?

Title: Remember me?
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Genre: Chick lit


First sentence reads: Of all the crap, crap, crappy nights I've ever had in the whole of my life.


Rating: 4/5

This was one of the most fun book that I have read recently. It immediately perked me up and was such an entertainment.  Do you know how important is your memory?  You must read this book and it would leave you in stictches and at the same time would be a wake up call for taking things for granted.  Lexi wakes up in a private hospital thinking it was still year 2004 while it was already year 2007. All she could recall was having a good time with her friends in a pub and after that waiting for her then boyfriend, Loser Dave. Fed up with waiting for him, she tried to hail a taxi and in her rush had a nasty fall. Then she lost consciousness. She wakes up to a brand new her, perfect teeth, lovely straight hair and fuller lips and to Eric, her husband, which is news to her. She is tremendously upset that she missed her dad's funeral which was supposed to be the day after she went clubbing and also that she cant remember her wedding. Lexi is stumped that her life has taken a 360 degree turn as her best friends are not around anymore and a new guy is holding the keys to her previous life which she has no memories of. I absolutely adored Lexi and would say this is one book which doesn't disappoint in any way.  I am definitely going to read  other books by Sophie Kinsella. I am planning to read The Confession of a Shopaholic. I watched the movie and I loved it and now I'm eager to read it.

Favourite quotes:

I'm twenty-eight, I have perfect white teeth, a Louis Vuitton bag, a card saying director and a husband. how the hell did all that happen?

What if I never remember? I look around the room.What if all those memories are lost for good and I can never get them back?Ever?

Book review: The chocolate run

Title : The Chocolate Run
Author: Dorothy Koomson
Genre: Chick lit

First sentence reads: You're floating on a sea of chocolate.

What's in name challenge : A book with travel or movement in the title

Rating: 3/5

This story was an enjoyable read, though it took me some time to get through it. It also took me some time to warm up to the main characters, Amber and Greg. Once I got the hang of  not taking it so serious I was fine. The storyline is simple and  meant to entertain. Chocolate run is the story of Amber, a chocolate addict who is commitment-phobic. She has complicated relationship issues with her parents and her present boyfriend Greg. The story delves into her past and current relationships with her best friends Jen, Matt (Jen's boyfriend) and Greg (Matt's gorgeous best buddy). The story begins with Amber having  an accidental fling with Greg a playboy, whom she had previously saved from many tricky situations. She is horrified by her lack of judgement. However things move on from one thing to another and they end up being in a relationship. The plot then flits between numerous things that she encounters in relationship and her job as a deputy festival director.

What I enjoyed most about the book was Amber's description about people by comparing them with differnt types of chocolate. It was so utterly funny and imaginative. It was also truthful in certain parts where true friendship falls apart due to jealousy and things never get back to normal again as in the case of Amber and Jen. It shows how cruel people can be and how it spoils a whole lot of things. Amber and Jen go through such moments when Amber couples up with Greg. The story is all about  relationship, how fragile it is and how we deal with hurtful loved ones. The ending was perfect though, somehow complimenting how layered and complicated we human being are, not perfect, just a tad complicated. 

Favourite quotes:

You could tell so much about a person by your initial encounter, your initial taste of them. Talk to me for 3 minutes and I'll be able to tell you what chocolate you'd be. 

 I knew instantly that she was fruit and nut chocolate. Something reliable, an old favourite you liked having around. She was unpretentious like the chocolate and sweet, like the raisins, in a fruit and nut. But Martha had an excess of nuts, the hard bits you weren't expecting  to encounter when you were chillin.

 'Sorry,' I said to the teabag, then doused it in water. We were both going the same way but the tea bag was going to a higher purpose; it was about to offer refreshment. When my relationship met its demise, there'd be nowt purposeful about it. 

Book review: The weight of heaven

Title: The weight of heaven

Author: Thrity Umrigar

Genre: Multicultural fiction, contemporary fiction

First sentence reads: A few days after Benny's death, Ellie and Frank Benton broke into separate people.

South Asian Challenge : 1/5 (South Asian Explorer)

Rating: 5/5

This is my second time reading Thrity Umrigar's work and my first book for South Asian Challenge. I must say I'm impressed, not just by the plot but by the breathless way the story moves. It takes a real master of emotion and human understanding to write a story like how Thrity Umrigar does. 

The title of the book might sound heavy and deep but the storyline just blows the mind away. Powerful is the word. Umrigar bares human soul in her writing and each fault and weakness is portrayed as humanly as possible without callous judgement. 

Im raving about this author I know. Back to the review.  Frank and Ellie Benton lost their 7 year old child, Benny to sudden illness. That devastates them and the happy cocoon their life had been is torn to shreds. Frank blames Ellie for the unfortunate incident and this drives them apart. To mend the rift in their life after Benny's death, they relocate from Ann Harbour to Girbough, India by taking up a job offer at Herbal solution company. India which was suppose to heal them casts more heartbreak their way. Frank develops affection for his housekeepers (Prakash and Edna) son Ramesh. This simple innocent gesture evokes a cascade of event beyond Frank and Ellie's imagination. 

Its a heartbreaking story but in a gentle way. It's never too dark or heavy but weaves us through with a whole lot of emotion and thought. The relationship issues that Frank and Ellie face after the death of their son would show the aptitude of the author in bringing  raw emotion and stark truth that each and every one of us face at certain time of our life. It catches us off-guard with  the moral issue it brings along. I loved the characters Ellie, the housekeepers Prakash and his wife Edna and their son Ramesh. I loved the fact that all of them were flawed but are part of tapestry of life. However, Frank was a tough one to like. Overall, this book was great and I loved Thrity Umrigar's writing. She did an amazing job.

Favourite Quotes:

~Ellie wished suddenly that someone would invent an album for filling moments, just as you could photographs~

~It's just the way our culture is-even grief comes with an expiration date, you know? You are suppose to nod and smile because raw emotion embarrasses other people~

Book review: House rules

Title: House Rules
Author: Jodi Picoult
Genre: Contemporary fiction

First sentence reads: Everywhere I look, there are signs of struggle.



Rating: 3/5

This is my first attempt at reading Jodi Picoult's book. I have heard a lot about it, mostly of her My sister's keeper. So the next time I was in a bookstore I made a beeline for her books. This story is about a teenager who has Aspergers Syndrome which is in the Autistic spectrum. Jacob Hunt is brilliant and loves forensic sciences which nearly always puts him in trouble with the cops as he frequents crime scenes. Jacob is perturbed easily with any small changes in routine. So, Emma his mom, and Theo, his brother do not have normal household like other people. The plot focuses on each character as it flits from one to another as they narrate their story from their point of view. Jacob is a difficult character to live with as he is exceedingly brilliant but emotionally distant as he can't understand feelings. Theo on the other hand longs for normal household but has to contend with rigid routines to accommodate his brothers mood swings. The Hunt family has rules, and Jacob and his younger brother Theo are forced to follow these rule.

Rule 1: Clean up your own messes.

Rule 2: Tell the truth.

Rule 3: Brush your teeth twice a day.

Rule 4: Don't be late for school.

Rule 5: Take care of your brother; he's the only one you've got.

Things in the Hunt household gets heated up when Jacob's social skills tutor is found dead and this puts the Hunt household into chaos. Jacob is suspected and faces charges. Emma is torn between trusting her son's innocence and doubting him. I enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book which thereafter just dribbled slowly by with much repetition. I enjoyed this book just because of Jacob. While reading the book, I couldn't help but compare it with Grisham's writing style. Jodi Picoult does go into certain discussion of law but its not as powerfully written like Grisham. However, this book would not stop me from reading other Jodi Picoult's books as  she writes heart warming, genuine, thought provoking stories.

Book review: Midori by Moonlight

Title: Midori by moonlight
Author: Wendy Nelson Tokunaga
Genre: Multicultural fiction

First sentence reads: Midori Saito received the following warning from her mother right before she left Japan: " Running off with a foreigner will bring you nothing but trouble," she said.

Rating: 5/5

I just finished reading this book today and this is my second time reading Wendy Nelson Tokunaga's work. It's absolutely delightful. The author has a wicked sense of humor, delightful word play and smooth story telling. Just the right combination to create a delightful story.

Midori Saito doesn't fit in with the typical Japanese norm. She rebels and wants things which are frowned upon and considered not mainstream. Midori is passionate about 3 things; learning English, marrying a gaijin (foreigner) and pastries. She meets Kevin, an American guy who proposes to her and off she goes to America under her fiancée' s visa.   There she is jilted by him  and is stranded without much money and no job but she refused to be deported. Her poor English is of no help either. Lucky for her, she meets her ex-fiancées friend Shinji who is also a Japanese who like her did not fit in in Japan. Shinji proves to be of great help he has a  room for rent but its up to Midori to find a job. Without a green card the going gets tough but the tough Midori proves she is up to the challenge and takes a 'under the table' job at a Japanese lounge as a bar waitress. She survives and indulges in her passion of baking, making desserts and improving her  English ingeniously through television drama. Her determination to get a green card is intense and utterly funny. In this light and fun story we see Midori's progress as she gains friendship and falls in love with non-other than her moon gazing housemate Shinji. Delightful read.

favourite quote: 

She closes her eyes. She is truly a chicken with its head cut off. No, that isn't it. No, she is pure chicken feed. No, not that either. Wait. She has chickened out. Yes that's it.

Book review: Mirage

Title       : Mirage
Author   : Soheir khashoggi
Genre    : Multicultural fiction

First sentence reads: The studio in which Barry Manning taped his radio show-a show that Jenna Sorrel disliked on principle but on which she was to be the guest in an hour-was in a renovated warehouse on commercial street overlooking the Boston harbor.

Rating: 4/5

Don't let the very long first sentence from stopping you reading this book. I'm pretty averse to long, twister sentences which don't hold my attention. I picked up this book as I've been wanting to read more on middle eastern fiction and have seen this book on several occasion. Recently, when I saw this book again I decided to just buy it and I'm not disappointed with it. Its a moderately fast paced story set in exotic Al-Remal, Egypt. Amira, the protagonist is utterly lovable, brave and loves her brother dearly and she carries out a dangerous mission on behalf of her brother, Malik. It's heartbreaking to read the way women are treated, punished and denied education. Amira is lucky as she managed to convince her traditional dad to hire a tutor for her. As a eager student she learns and learns and gains a diploma. Her life takes a sharp turnround when she is betrothed to the crown prince. Amira will never be the same again. However, the brave girl befriends french physician Philippe, which is the best decision she has ever made and saves her life later on. Her husband, the crown prince is not what he seems to be and Amira will be forced to flee to america where she starts a brand new life, with a brand new identity. Family ties are broken, history is erased and future is taken one day at a time. I felt the story dragged on with some unnecessary details towards the end and I would have liked the book to have much shorter ending. All in all its a good book. the author's writing style is pleasant and the character development is very good. i would catch other books by this author again.

Book review: Cleopatra's daughter

Title    : Cleopatra's daughter
Author: Michelle Moran
Genre : Historical fiction

First sentence reads: While we waited for the news to arrive, we played dice.

Rating: 5/5

This is my first time reading Michelle Moran's work, i'm impressed and I've found my new favourite author! This novel goes back to the era of egypt's great queen Cleopatra and the roman conquest of her Kingdom. I must admit the front cover did wonders to attract me to this book. When I first started reading i was quite intimidated by the sheer number of names and the relationship between them. But the story went flawlessly and beautifully. I absolutely loved the main character, Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Queen Cleopatra. When the roman consul, Octavian arrives in Alexandria, Egypt , Queen Cleopatra and her partner Marc Anthony commit suicide. This leaves their 3 children, Alexander Helios, Cleopatra Selene and Ptolemy to be brought back to Rome for the Roman Triumph. This story expands with how these children cope in their new surrounding and the cunningness of Octavian to maintain peace in Rome. I loved each and every character in this book. They were well developed and provided enough emotion for the reader to love them or hate them. Its marvelous to be able to imagine and bring to life what hapened way way back in the time of pyramids and roman empire.

A must read!!!

Book review: Dead head

Title    : Dead Head
Author: Allen Wyler

First sentence reads: The Motorola cell phone/walkie talkie rang a   second before a voice came from the tiny speaker.

Rating: 4/5





Russell Lawton, a neurosurgeon is kidnapped  by terrorists who demand the most extraordinary thing from him. As i dont go for thriller these days, I started reading this book as i wanted to find out what was the demand all about. In a well planned kidnapping strategy, the terorists also kidnapped and hid Russell's daughter Angela as a motive for getting Russell's expertise for their own benefit. The stunned Russell will be asked to conduct a near impossible task of removing the head of  a severely injured Muhammad the colleague of  group leader, Ahmad and keep it alive to complete their mission. The explosive beginning seems to fizzle in the middle of story as FBI gets involved as Russell's ex-wife files kidnapping charges against Russell as their daughter goes missing. I was eagerly waiting for the gory details of severing head from body without leaving the brain dead and connecting it to computer to produce an interface that can interpret speech pattern and the author doesn't disappoint us and  really creates an intense medical/ research environment for readers to savor with explanation on connecting neuron signals to computer. It is also rather chilling to read the surgical procedures. Overall, it was something different from most other thrillers and I quite enjoyed it.

Im back

Its been a while since I posted anything but it doesn't mean i haven't read any books either. I've read a couple of books. Among them, would be, A case of exploding mangoes by Mohammed Hanif, Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie, The Kite Runner and A thousand splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini.

A case of exploding mangoes (Mohammed Hanif)

Its a satirical story of how an army plane carrying Pakistan's general goes down back in the 80's. The author gives various speculations on the reasons for the plane to crash and as the title goes, even exploding mangoes might have a part to play in that historical event. Its a debut novel by the author, and I'm glad that i bought the book as the writing style is pleasant, funny and enjoyable. Those who love fiction and have a sense of humor, you must get this book. Not to be missed.

Midnight's children (Salman Rushdie)

I was eager to read this Booker Prize winner as its about children born at the stroke of midnight , when India gained its freedom. However, i did not like the book so much, contrary to many reviews on the net, which lavishly praised the book. The story revolves around 500 children born on midnight of India's independence and they were bestowed with special gifts like travelling back in time, ability to eat metal, performing magic, change one's sex and so on. However only two children were born at the stroke of midnight and they are, Saleem and Shiva and by bad luck both will be switched to different parents. Saleem who was born to a street performer would be given to a businessman and shiva the rightful son of the businessman will be given to the wife of the street performer. Saleem has the power to connect telepathically to all the midnight's children and shiva has the destructive power of knee (yup knee) since he has very large knees. Saleem will be narrating the story starting from his grandfather Adam Aziz journey from Kashmir to Delhi. The family will go through various troubling times and i gave up towards the end as the calamities seems to go on and on. I realized its not a book to be read in a single setting, like chutney one should devour it little by little to not be consumed by dark despair of the story. Its not a happy, fun read but i persevered with the thought that a Booker prize winner deserves the effort we put to read it. Its a massive volume, about 600pages and i hope to finish it soon.

The kite runner (Khaled Hosseini)

This is an amazing story by a wonderful storyteller. Its not too heavy and poetic but the language is beautiful, to the point and touches the heart. I would highly recommend this book to both, book lovers and non-book lovers. One should read a multicultural fiction to really understand a culture, country and its people. The book might not give the whole point of view but you get a bird's eye view of the culture and its people without dragging the reader down with excessive information. This story is about 2 boys who live in pre-war Afghanistan before the country was invaded by various people. Amir and Hassan are best of friends and are master and servant in social standing, Amir being the son of famous businessman in Kabul and Hassan their servant Hazara boy. I absolutely loved the story, loving Hassan's part the most as he seemed to be such a charming boy, wise beyond his age. Amir meanwhile is not so perfect and he carried the guilt of not protecting Hassan when the time required it. Thus he always seems to be weighed down by the thought of his failure and he could not tolerate the thought that his father would treat a servant boy as equal. Time would give Amir another chance to redeem himself and make him worthy of Hassan's unwavering friendship and loyalty. The books brings you from pre-war Afghanistan, to Russian invasion, The USA, Afghanistan under the rule of Taliban and finally ending in The USA again.

Book review: Freedom at midnight

For the past 2 weeks i was engrossed in reading freedom at midnight. Before going to lab, during lunchtime, after work i would be lost, immersed in reading it. If you love to read historical masterpiece you ought to get your hands on this book. The story written marvolously by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre is a heart tugging story about the fight for freedom by indian nationalist. It is written from several viewpoints, from the Indian viceroy L. Mountbatten who is obliged to let india go, the unforgetable Mahatma Gandhi, congress leaders, Nehru and Patel, and finally the plotters of gandhi's assasination. The book is unputdownable and captivates and holds your attention from the start till the end. It starts with the meeting of British prime minister, Atlee with L. Mountbatten. Mountbatten reluctanly comes to India to start independence talks. With hurdles in every way he turns, from the stuborn Mahatma who refuses to partition India , to the tough negotiator Jinna and equally tough congress leaders,he single handedly manages to achieve common ground for independence talks. The colourful and tragic story unfailingly captures the turmoil of the people of all level of society and interestingly the maharaj and princes of India. The book touches on every aspect on Indian life, the geography, lifestyle, the caste system, the varied religion and the tension beneath the surface. The most touching part of the story is the painful struggle that gandhi goes through to make his people live in unity irrespective of religion and caste.  The frail 77 year old gandhi walks everywhere, cleans up after himself and practically lives a very simple live with minimal wastage of material. He quotes every now and then ' bread taken without labour is stolen bread'. The plot thickens when assasination plans get underway and with heart thudding i turned each page dreading for the tragic climax of the story. When i finally finished it, i had a sensation of stepping back into present time. The book is closed for the moment but i would definitly re-read it as it is absolutely fulfilling in every sense.

paradise lost

One of my all time favourite romance book was mills &boon's Inland paradise. But i lost the book and I cant remember who took it. It was not your typical romance story where the guy is extremely handsum and the girl is pretty with the most amazing blue eyes. However, the girl here is pretty normal looking and a tomboy, Georgina Brown. Down to her last scrap of savings she will apply for a job by declaring herself a male, in a remote ranch deep in some Australian desert. There she will work under a tough rancher, larry roger if im not mistaken. If you like humour, you'll love this romance. At the end of the story, the love between the hero and the unlikely heroin will blossom. Its a gem of a story, at least for me. I miss the book. It was a very old story book with hard cover binding and i found it in my school library. I was just not satisfied reading it, i had to have a copy for myself and so i photocopied it. Too bad i dont have it anymore. If i ever come across it i would be so glad. It would be like a long lost friend found at last. So for now, paradise is indeed lost.