7/10/09

A Thousand Splendid Suns

By Khaled Hosseini

Borrowed this book from my college library. This book has been the cause behind my negligence in studies for the week! Utterly engaging, especially the 2nd half of the book...

Synopsis:
Mariam is the illegitimate child of a rich cinema owner, Jalil (who already has 3 wives and 10 kids!) She lives with her mother, Nana, at the outskirts of a village, away from the prejudiced eyes of the people. Seeking for some sort of repentance, Jalil visits them weekly, much to the delight of Mariam. But Nana could never forgive Jalil. Nana as told to Mariam:

Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds a woman. Always. You remember that, Mariam.
By a twist of fate, Mariam's quaint life, secluded from the rest of the world, was disturbed and at the age of 15, she was wedded off to Rasheed, a shoe shop owner in the city. Her carefree life takes a dramatic turn. It is only sixteen years later when a teenager, Laila emerges in her life, that she finds true meaning of love.

Afterthought:
Truly heart-wrenching! I cried twice T.T A terrible, stark naked revelation of Afghan women beneath the burqa, the endless silent suffering that women with nasty husbands have to endure.

The novel also portrays 30 turbulent years of Afghanistan life. Bombs dropped upon them like rain, due to power struggles, revolts, even intervention from the US government after 9/11 attack.

Should I read it?
Extremely well written! Liked it as much as the Kite Runner ^^

I would give it a: 4.9/5.0

7/4/09

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Cover of "The Guernsey Literary and Potat...Cover via Amazon

By Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

What a light hearted read! An optimistic book with extremely witty lines :)

The story:
It is the year 1947, when Europe is recovering from World War II. Juliet, a writer from London, receives a letter from a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (origins of the lengthy & quirky name mentioned in the book). As more letters are exchanged and Juliet gets more acquainted with the society's members and the island of Guernsey through their eyes, she decides to pay her newfound friends a visit.

She plans to interview them and use their experiences as material for her next book. As she settles down in Guernsey, she slowly falls for the charm and simplistic beauty of the place and its people...

Afterthought:
The entire novel is written in the form of letters, but surprisingly I wasn't bored out AT ALL! The letters are always written with sheer delight and enthusiasm, you can't help but feel that you're the one receiving the letter.

It also shows another side of the impact of WWII, and the importance of perspective in the face of a predicament.

Should I read it?
Extremely readable! In fact I finished it in less than a week! (which is a groundbreaking feat, for me). Oh ya it's a great book for long journeys, I finished most parts of it on the train ^^

I'd give it a: 4.7/5.0

Read more reviews here.

You might also like: My Family and Other Animals

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VHS cover of the 1989 version of My Family and...Image via Wikipedia

7/2/09

The Kite Runner

Cover of "The Kite Runner"Cover of The Kite Runner

By Khaled Hosseini

Price Unknown (bought by mom from US)

One of the most touching book of all times! Couldn't hold back my tears at the end; the emotions of the characters are depicted in such a raw & honest way that you can't help feeling the same for them :)

The Story:
Amir and Hassan have been friends since childhood; they are practically inseparable, but the fact that Hassan is Amir's servant's son deprives him of the respect that every human deserves. Finally when a time of hardship came, Amir & Hassan are thrown in a difficult situation, where Amir makes a choice that changes their lives forever.

Afterthought:
Read it read it read it! This book brings topics like love, honesty, guilt & redemption to the readers. It was damn touching! My favourite quote was "For you, a thousand times over."

I'd give it a: 4.9/5.0

If you liked this book, try: Memoirs of a Geisha

Memoirs of a Geisha (film)Image via Wikipedia

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7/1/09

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle

By Haruki Murakami (translated from Japanese by Jay Rubin)

RM 32.90 @ Popular Bookstore (bought as a limited edition set together with Alice in Wonderland)

I've always lacked the courage to pick up this 600+ page book (it's almost as thick as your usual Harry Potter!) and after a 2 year long procrastination, decided to finish reading it, once and for all.

But instead of ploughing through the thick tome, it turned out to be quite a page turner. Reason? its tale, or rather, a web of intertwined tales, are logically inexplicable. Bizarre. Out of this world. Basically insane things that people do to stay sane.

The Wind-Up Bird ChronicleImage by Père Ubu via Flickr


Synopsis:
Toru Okada has just quit his job in a law firm and spends the day completing household chores, while his wife, Kumiko works at a publishing company. They have a cat named after Toru's bro-in-law, Noburu Wataya.

Seems like a quaint, happy family, ain't it?

After some queer happenings, like the disappearance of their household cat, and some explicit phonecall from a woman to Okada, events start to take a dramatic turn. Subtle rifts start to take shape between Kumiko & Okada, more characters and their stories are drawn into a series of events, distant yet undoubtedly connected to one another; but each told with its own charm and allure.

Afterthought:
This novel has such philosophical depth that sometimes I can't help wondering if I truly understand everything I see, or if life is simply half-dream, half-reality.

Should I read it?
YESYESYES! Truly mesmerising and thought provoking. Definitely worth every single page of it :)

I'd give it a: 4.7/5.0

Read more here and here.

If you liked this book, you might also like: Sophie's World

Book coverImage via Wikipedia


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