tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19403274080324848902024-03-20T13:29:42.724+05:30BooklustGet your facts first, then you can distort them as you please - Mark TwainSugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-47097701151383083802015-04-23T18:06:00.000+05:302015-04-23T18:06:49.915+05:30Review:Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNEus8P4mcUpyrFY9U8lUOlj4ez4yszmlaIRBm4G3XiwbidY_pfyZoNEpSv5-NU1fwJQKStJE2UgtjeIwL5LCAuaXrfrXsVG3cDAeaumDC6euKlsCflhyphenhyphengNSeSrWYyMkw-vX_zvAB_GA/s1600/21480930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNEus8P4mcUpyrFY9U8lUOlj4ez4yszmlaIRBm4G3XiwbidY_pfyZoNEpSv5-NU1fwJQKStJE2UgtjeIwL5LCAuaXrfrXsVG3cDAeaumDC6euKlsCflhyphenhyphengNSeSrWYyMkw-vX_zvAB_GA/s1600/21480930.jpg" height="320" width="177" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">There are a plethora of books in the market today which have been made into movies.This seems to be the latest trend.As an avid book lover,I have always felt that one should always read the book before watching the movie.That way both the author and the film maker get their due credit.But in this case I did not even know that Gone Girl was based on a novel until I saw the credits on the screen.I was a wee bit disappointed as I wanted to read the story first.It does not really make much sense to read a thriller if you already know the climax but since I had heard such amazing stuffs about Gillian Flynn’s writing ,I could not resist reading her most famous work.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"> For all those who haven't watched the movie or read the novel,Gone Girl is a thriller story about a couple(Nick and Amy) who are stuck in a dysfunctional marriage .This book is an attempt to understand the darkest depths of human psyche.The story is sluggish but in a good way.It gives the readers ample time to get used to the philandering husband,the psychotic scheming of a manipulative wife and the overall messed up situation.In any thriller novel,white characters are boring,the black ones are necessary and the grey ones are the most interesting.This book does not have any of the three.All the characters seemed pretty inconsistent to me and I could not relate to any single one of them.In fact I felt that all of them suffered from bipolar disorder,swinging from one extreme to another as the story progressed.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"> Now let’s come to the most talked about feature of this book-it’s climax.I found the finale quite baffling while watching the movie so when I read the book I was expecting the ending to be a bit more well explained.It turned out to be little less absurd than the movie but still not to my liking.Also I hate how the author went complete 360 on Nick’s character-a noble soul who is ready to stay with a psycho killer just for the sake of his kid.His narcissism and misogynistic attitude was equally responsible for all the mess.So why does he get to be the good guy in the end?It did not seem fair.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"> </span> May be I would have liked the book better if I had not watched the movie first.Now I feel my imagination of the novel is limited to the scenes of the movie.The twists and turns of the story may not catch the reader off guard but the writing style is impeccable.Gillian Flynn has once again proved that she has supreme control over her vocabulary and phrases.The book has strong undercurrents of feminism,which is expected from Flynn.Overall a decent read but no way justifies the hype surrounding it.</div>
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Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-32701151118962703562015-03-27T15:36:00.000+05:302015-03-27T15:36:45.734+05:30Review : The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFat1DjKTxudfBUbvnDpcR9gH-bCf94IWbbFZdUp-LRy0coJnVi9bwBNhd5XTaOzBcx3AGTHEUtrL3B3j4_E9zCO7EmjT-sdxiMVQCrCvenpETHvK3hnZ2ixMhpMzumWuPYf0Q4EL4DrE/s1600/26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFat1DjKTxudfBUbvnDpcR9gH-bCf94IWbbFZdUp-LRy0coJnVi9bwBNhd5XTaOzBcx3AGTHEUtrL3B3j4_E9zCO7EmjT-sdxiMVQCrCvenpETHvK3hnZ2ixMhpMzumWuPYf0Q4EL4DrE/s1600/26.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a><span class="s1">If you are planning to visit or move to USA in the near future,then you are better off without reading this book.Bill Bryson does everything in his power to tarnish the so called “American dream” and he does it with impeccable style and suave.There are very few writers who can be sarcastic and hilarious at the same time.Bryson is one of them.</span><br />
The Lost Continent is the story of a road trip across USA covering almost 22500 kms(Yes.Kilometers,not miles.Metric system rules).The author visits his hometown after spending 10 years in England and as soon as he is back,the travel buff sets out on a quest to find the perfect town which he likes to call Amalgam.This is just not a travelogue-It is a book about childhood nostalgia and unfulfilled dreams.I do not feel this is the ideal travel guide to the American continent.Bryson does not even mention the famous attractions of the country.He just drives his Chevy through the most boring suburbs of the most monotonous towns across USA.Sometimes even those tedious towns surprises him with their fresh scenic beauty or an interesting historical monument and other times he just drives for days on the concrete metal road interspersed with similar looking gas stations,motels and fast food chains.</div>
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<span class="s1"> Bill Bryson is not a very likeable person.He is highly opinionated,snob and even a bit racist.As a person ,I hate him.As an author ,I absolutely adore him.The phrase “politically correct” does not even exist in Bryson’s dictionary.He is brutally honest-a characteristic that is rarely seen in modern day authors.He unapologetically goes on to bash everything that in his opinion is wrong with the American culture-blind consumerism,falling standards of education,obesity(The list is quite long).</span></div>
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<span class="s1"> Every book,even as awesome as this one,has its highs and lows.The first part of the book where the author covers the midwestern and east cost of USA, is superbly written-crisp and witty accounts of his visit to Philadelphia, New York and many other places.The second part,covering western America,becomes very dragging at times.Also,the author takes it for granted that the reader is familiar with American history.There are pages where I felt completely lost and had to look up few historical references,which was kind of annoying.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"> All in all,if you are a serious nationalistic,this book is definitely not for you.Whereas if you are one of those few people on the face of this earth who are able to laugh at themselves,then you are in for a treat.</span></div>
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Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-86677133664486723482015-03-20T20:54:00.000+05:302015-03-20T22:05:33.244+05:30Review : Theo and the Forbidden Language by Melanie Ansley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We all need a bit of magic to break the shackles of monotony in our lives.Sometimes we find that enchantment in nature and sometimes we find it in books.Theo and the forbidden language is definitely one of those stories which casts a spell on the readers and transports them to another dimension.</div>
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After reading the blurb , I was a bit skeptical because I could never imagine a rabbit as a hero who fights a war for his people.This was mainly because of two reasons.Firstly,we do not have many rabbit/hare protagonists in the literary world(except Watership Down).Secondly,I always thought rabbits were these furry creatures who eat carrots and love being cuddled,not fight battles with steel armours and razor sharp swords.So I started reading with some apprehensions but by the time I had finished the tenth chapter ,I was completely in love with Theo.The storyline was vibrant and action packed.The author has also been successful in creating some very memorable characters -Brune,the muscular bear;Noshi,the wise leader ;Indigo,the fierce rabbit warrior.The story of how Theo conquers his own demons is beautifully written.It makes the character of Theo much more relatable.This book sends out a poignant message that everyone has weaknesses but we can all become champions by believing in our strengths.</div>
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I felt the plot was predictable-shy protagonist embarks on a quest which leads him to his destiny(combo of harry potter,lord of the rings,star wars).But apart from that I think the magical world created by Melanie is very believable and easy to follow.It would be a perfect read for any fantasy lover,especially kids above the age of 10 .</div>
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Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-36247873847238690512015-03-04T19:08:00.000+05:302015-03-04T19:08:43.709+05:30Versatile Blogger Award Nomination<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Thanks a lot Nita for nominating me.I would request my readers to have a look at her book blog<a href="http://book-choose.blogspot.fr/" target="_blank"> <b><i>BOOK CHOOSE </i></b></a>.It is very fresh and genuine.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTkmx4ZTkznR0w8667mFjbM_mLC_ZJ0BZABLh1NbuBrnWY_30D96KClFJyeZUuCJujf_2OIj4ed9IrgQMq60WR7zREKIgZqKq2mYVO5QDAKRoHViSMZogTQl2vpUKPNnZwsQanmpRtDI/s1600/versatile-blogger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTkmx4ZTkznR0w8667mFjbM_mLC_ZJ0BZABLh1NbuBrnWY_30D96KClFJyeZUuCJujf_2OIj4ed9IrgQMq60WR7zREKIgZqKq2mYVO5QDAKRoHViSMZogTQl2vpUKPNnZwsQanmpRtDI/s1600/versatile-blogger.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: -apple-system-font; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">Let us just peruse the rules of this competition :</span><br />
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<li>Thank the person who nominated you for this award and post a link to their blog.</li>
<li>Select 15 blogs that you follow regularly</li>
<li>Nominate those 15 blogs for VBA</li>
<li>Let your readers know 7 unique facts about yourself.</li>
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Below is the list of blogs which I would like to nominate</div>
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<li><b>Ashley </b> <span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><a href="http://inmymargins.blogspot.fr/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Marginalia: A Reading Log</span></a></li>
<li><b>Shomeret </b> <span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span><a href="http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.fr/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Shomeret:The Masked Reviewer</span></a></li>
<li><b>Katerina </b> <span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span> <span style="color: #4c1130;"> </span><a href="http://therealmof-books.blogspot.fr/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Realm of Books</span></a><span style="color: #4c1130;"> </span></li>
<li><b>Natalia </b> <span style="color: #cc0000;"> <a href="http://bookcupid.blogspot.in/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Book Cupid</span></a></span></li>
<li><b>Jennifer Blake</b> <a href="http://heartlandreading.blogspot.in/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Heartland Reading</span></a></li>
<li><b>Jonel Bokyo </b> <a href="http://purejonel.blogspot.fr/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Pure Jonel</span></a></li>
<li><b>Simon Thomas</b> <a href="http://stuck-in-a-book.blogspot.in/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Stuck in a Book</span></a></li>
<li><b>AJ Strekel </b> <a href="http://ajsterkel.blogspot.fr/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Read all the things</span></a></li>
<li><b>Leanne </b> <span style="color: #cc0000;"> <a href="http://allwritethen.blogspot.fr/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">All write-y then </span></a></span></li>
<li><b>Sophie Cordeo</b> <a href="http://www.seamlessreader.blogspot.fr/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Seameless Reader</span></a></li>
<li><b>Harvey </b> <a href="http://bookmarkedbookreviews.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Bookmarked</span></a></li>
<li><b>Jullianne </b> <span style="color: #cc0000;"> <a href="http://outlandishlit.blogspot.fr/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Outlandish Lit </span></a></span></li>
<li><b>Shanny </b> <a href="http://shannyreads.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Shanny Reads</span></a></li>
<li><b>Allen Olu </b> <a href="http://oluallen.blogspot.fr/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Allen</span></a></li>
<li><b>Jerri Aubrey</b> <span style="color: #351c75;"> </span> <a href="http://www.jerriaubry.blogspot.fr/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">As the page turns</span></a></li>
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Now comes the fun part.I have always found it difficult to write about myself but I am going to give it a shot<br />
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<li>I recently took a break from my corporate job so that I could read as many books as I like and travel the world.</li>
<li>I am a fitness freak.</li>
<li>I love skateboarding.</li>
<li>Kill Bill is my comfort movie-I can watch it anytime,anywhere.</li>
<li>My favourite genre is Autobiographies and memoirs.</li>
<li>I can spend a whole week in my bed just watching FRIENDS marathon.</li>
<li>I try and keep away from romantic novels and movies.</li>
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Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-60670452228599512272015-02-26T22:05:00.000+05:302015-02-26T22:05:22.568+05:30The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4M5-wPK4UUN7Nh79MQ9WXZHAorVn0d7L_MlbUq2kPevXbNhp4fwqNeKcyh6_Mig66vhDXD3uuhybxgjD4bceD0THJEalVz4i1eVfTC_vDPhMsBZoK1Mshfp2aKhnaDOP8BSfFMmt7CUg/s1600/6282753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4M5-wPK4UUN7Nh79MQ9WXZHAorVn0d7L_MlbUq2kPevXbNhp4fwqNeKcyh6_Mig66vhDXD3uuhybxgjD4bceD0THJEalVz4i1eVfTC_vDPhMsBZoK1Mshfp2aKhnaDOP8BSfFMmt7CUg/s1600/6282753.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></div>
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Some love stories are like wine which have a pleasant after taste,some others are chilled beer which soothes your soul and some are like a cheap booze which just reeks of mediocrity.The Museum of Innocence falls in the third category.The plot was weak to begin with and it became worse as the story progressed.</div>
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The protagonist,Kemal Bey is a lazy spineless son of a wealthy father whose only obsession in life is to sleep with this girl,Fusun,who by the way is his cousin.His idea of an ideal life consists of 3 things-</div>
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1-Making love to Fusun</div>
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2-Having dinners with his finance,Sibel.(And also sleeping with her)</div>
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3-Drinking raki(anise flavoured alcoholic drink<i>)</i>.</div>
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Now let us come to the female lead ,Fusun who I honestly feel suffers from split personality disorder.Her thoughts and actions never seem to match.Then there are her parents who encourage their daughter’s ex lover to try and woo her in front of her husband.Understanding such dysfunctional characters is beyond my intellectual capacity.The first 250 pages are about Fusun’s body-her hair,her breasts,her neck.The next 250 pages are about the things which had some sort of skin contact with Fusun-her cigarette butts,her scale,her pen,etc.The last 250 pages are about Fusun’s seesawing life dreams-A movie star or a driver or a painter.(before she ultimately decides to be a trophy wife).One rarely comes across such a excruciatingly long and painful piece of narration.</div>
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The only thing worth reading in the book was the depiction of Turkey and its colourful culture.The author has been successful in giving each neighbourhood of Istanbul a character of its own.My personal favourites are Beyoglu and Cukurcuma and I wish i get to visit them someday.The lifestyle of the elite as well as the lower middle class is very well described.Just after the Valentine week ,I had promised myself that I will make a genuine effort to read more romantic novels this year but if the modern love stories are anything like this book then I guess I am better off without reading them.</div>
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Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-34964194177357848902015-02-15T13:37:00.000+05:302015-02-15T13:37:00.126+05:30Confessions of a Cynical Romantic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have always loved
book stores .I spend more time perusing books than browsing latest trendy outfits.
My local book shop is like a second home to me; well at least most of the book shop.
There is this one section which is completely alien to me-the romance section.
I cannot recall a single instance where I have spent more than 5 minutes in the
Romance alley of a book store. Like every other girl, I went through that “Mills
and Boons” phase during my teen years but since then I have read very less love
stories.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> So this Valentine's day, I was
searching for an inspiration that awakens the comatose romance- lover in me.
That is when I came across this <a href="http://www.popsugar.com/love/Love-Stories-Dont-Suck-33721894#photo-33721905">list</a> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">which is perfect for someone like me. My favorite
romance novel is Erich Segal’s Love Story which I felt should have been
included in this list. Do let me know which lov</span><span id="goog_1850639323" style="line-height: 115%;"></span><span id="goog_1850639324" style="line-height: 115%;"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/" style="line-height: 115%;"></a><span style="line-height: 115%;">e story you read this Valentine's day.</span></div>
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Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-75102137347346275592015-02-10T19:19:00.000+05:302015-02-10T19:19:40.217+05:30My Favorite Harry Potter Memes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I just finished reading the Harry Potter series for the nth time and every time I complete the last book, the tears just start flowing. These hilarious memes did cheer me up though.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivT4t7w8hBCigcA05-w3MMWiWaY9LTIrhNznbzHf5hAdnJMNQQJrH_AGbR6aT6vKEsArBOATH0cCuIFWcBW213fNaFllKghcY0GqWuY-ZbKEHxDKage_dp9DVQsEitXOFRvCLWItrWxh4/s1600/did-you-know-the-baby-in-harry-potter-1-is-albus-severus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivT4t7w8hBCigcA05-w3MMWiWaY9LTIrhNznbzHf5hAdnJMNQQJrH_AGbR6aT6vKEsArBOATH0cCuIFWcBW213fNaFllKghcY0GqWuY-ZbKEHxDKage_dp9DVQsEitXOFRvCLWItrWxh4/s1600/did-you-know-the-baby-in-harry-potter-1-is-albus-severus.jpg" height="320" width="206" /></a></div>
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<b>WOW!!!I did NOT know that.</b><br />
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<b>Harry was always
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<b>It gives me shivers
to think of the havoc this pair would have wrecked, if they had the
invisibility cloak.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="line-height: 115%;">Why so serious,
Sirius?</b></div>
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<b>Oh Leo!! First the
Oscars and now this <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Every nook and corner of the internet world is full of Harry Potter memes.Do let me know which ones are your favorite.</div>
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Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-71066210225105225542015-01-27T17:28:00.001+05:302015-01-27T17:28:53.308+05:30Review:A Town Called Dehra by Ruskin Bond<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I absolutely adore
Ruskin Bond and have been doing so since my childhood. He does not write about
world wars or bank heists or long forgotten heroes .Instead, he writes about
the most magical place on this earth-Dehradun and that’s what makes him my favorite.
I would like to believe that this book is Bond’s love letter to the Doon valley.
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A town called Dehra
is a collection of short stories revolving around the day to day events of the
author’s early life in the city. Few of the stories are excerpts taken from his
debut novel-The room on the roof. These tales are about the people in Bond’s
life who influenced him the most-his Tonga fearing grandmother, poor but proud
Bibiji,young and carefree Somi.My favorite story is the one where the author
talks about the heart and soul of Dehradun –The trees. Bond is totally correct
when he says that Doon is one of the few places in the world where trees are a
match for man.My family shifted to Dehradun in the late '90s and the moment I got
off the train, I was left awestruck by the huge Banyan tree in the middle of
the railway platform. Over the next few months I discovered that almost every
house in the city (including mine) had an orchard in the backyard. Papaya,
mango, guava and litchi trees were in abundance and still are. Even now,
whenever I visit the valley, the majestic sal and shisham trees are always
there to welcome me.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">For me, reading a Ruskin Bond book is
like swimming in a sea of nostalgia. I am transported to a time where life used
to be much simpler-the Parade ground was still green, the forests of Rajpur
road were not converted to shopping malls, the roads had lesser number of vehicles.
I sometimes feel sad that Dehradun is no longer the quaint, sleepy town that I grew
up in but the fact that Ruskin Bond has immortalized it cheers me up.</span></div>
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Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-31091914937908342672015-01-13T13:17:00.000+05:302015-01-13T13:24:18.971+05:30Review : Song of the Sea by Jade Varden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJS8h1TJMbtpPBaIz42y2hf6uSks-mKZP2T2AzIGCNALfi0iY77-FUd0zTjyOCPhZzNwXi2L4je_A8YuYfQmHmr7-8CVW-TVVQgRzFhtWzDbu_CWmsZnmov3nY-HwZi516yyW8YR8hgO8/s1600/SScov4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJS8h1TJMbtpPBaIz42y2hf6uSks-mKZP2T2AzIGCNALfi0iY77-FUd0zTjyOCPhZzNwXi2L4je_A8YuYfQmHmr7-8CVW-TVVQgRzFhtWzDbu_CWmsZnmov3nY-HwZi516yyW8YR8hgO8/s1600/SScov4.png" height="200" width="153" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><span style="line-height: 115%;">I am not a big fan
of the young adult fantasy genre because most of the YA fiction books that I
have read in the past year or so have had very immature content. Therefore,
when Jade asked me to review her latest work, I was a bit skeptical but the
blurb looked interesting enough and I was in mood for some light reading, so I
decided to give it a shot and I am so glad I did.</span><br />
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Reading this book was like reading a Disney movie screenplay but unlike
most of the Disney movies I watched during my childhood, this story had depth
to it. The story of Brenna‘s search for her mother is inspiring and relatable.The writing is fresh and crisp. As a reader, I just fell in love with the
female protagonist-she is smart, hardworking and has an undying passion for
sailing.She is also silly
when it comes to the matters of heart, but then which teenager isn't<span style="line-height: 115%;">. I believe
the target audience for this book is the school going younger generation and
Brenna is the ideal heroine for them. She is not some love struck teenager who
believes in dancing to the tunes of her prince charming. She is a mature,
determined girl who is ready to face the challenges of life. In an era where
media is dominated by shallow female portrayals, strong characters like Brenna
are needed. The author has also been successful in portraying the futility of war.
The youth of the world need to realize that we do not own land water and air
and therefore fighting over these resources will ultimately lead to the
destruction of mankind.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> The only thing missing from this book was
the lack of focus on the other characters. I would have loved to read more
about Nixie and Kyle. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised
by this book. The YA fantasy genre needs more books of this kind.</span></div>
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Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-49776658675781233842014-12-17T17:46:00.001+05:302014-12-17T17:49:34.595+05:30Review : Man's search for Meaning by V.E.Frankl<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAi1KMu1USHtjvzb4nNeG-3u16Wy6aWJVXfV5NtsjQ9Pskr3C2FUDAzgpyUpEX4F-PExWlFScBipITxqcIRKvagV5UwNTnzK9e3WqIOIQtXGMwcb-kfLMHXSC5uzAvNocVJ2f52yfqe2s/s1600/4069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAi1KMu1USHtjvzb4nNeG-3u16Wy6aWJVXfV5NtsjQ9Pskr3C2FUDAzgpyUpEX4F-PExWlFScBipITxqcIRKvagV5UwNTnzK9e3WqIOIQtXGMwcb-kfLMHXSC5uzAvNocVJ2f52yfqe2s/s1600/4069.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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There are
innumerable literary works based on holocaust and I have read quite a few of them,
the latest being Maus.In my opinion, reading multiple accounts of any tragedy
desensitizes the reader and the book loses its purpose.Therefore,I was quite
skeptical about reading this one but went ahead anyway as it had such raving
reviews.<span style="line-height: 115%;"> According to the author, a prison is the best place to study humanity
because inside a jail, one can closely observe the 3 shades of life-white,
black and grey. The first half of the book is Frankl’s account of his
experience in a concentration camp. It has all the common elements of a
holocaust story-the gas chambers, the Capos, shaved heads, bony skeletons and
all other cruelties that make you lose faith in humanity. The author narrates
the experiences of the prisoners who found hope amid all the hardships and
hence made it till the end. He also writes about the prisoners who failed to
find a dream that could give them a purpose in life and therefore lost the game of survival.
The second half of the book is about “logotherapy” which is a psychology theory
stating that suffering and survival go hand in hand and only through suffering
can one find the true meaning of life.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"> The great thing about the book
is that it provides a scientific perspective to the survival stories of holocaust.
The not-so-great thing about the book is that the whole chapter on “logotherapy”
is like a medical journal filled with technical jargon.It was good read
but I do not think that this is one of those books which will totally transform
one's outlook towards life.</span></div>
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Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-33239818148742068302014-11-12T11:12:00.000+05:302014-11-12T11:17:48.873+05:30Review : Underground by Haruki Murakami<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLNrdAhIilJKiWa7HNsbTWNpLZLa8TLFFFOQUZGvC2WBbD968lyQN4hOe7FYBZT7Tb4qtSQ1HuebLr7Dk1V6osWStCZoLDEav5ow2Q3yidTSWzXZIYuA0xnmtfXDF0D_2dfU_pof5gd4/s1600/17801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLNrdAhIilJKiWa7HNsbTWNpLZLa8TLFFFOQUZGvC2WBbD968lyQN4hOe7FYBZT7Tb4qtSQ1HuebLr7Dk1V6osWStCZoLDEav5ow2Q3yidTSWzXZIYuA0xnmtfXDF0D_2dfU_pof5gd4/s320/17801.jpg" width="203" /></a></div>
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I believe everyone
in the modern society wears a mask. These masks have been worn for such a long
time that they have become a part of our facial features. To understand the psyche
of a society, one needs to look underneath the masks and the only time the
masks come off is during a high pressure situation –a natural disaster or a
terrorist attack. Murakami attempts the same by interviewing the people who
were affected the most by the Tokyo gas attack in 1995.<br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"> In this book, Murakami
has proved that his interviewing skills are top notch. The interviews with the
victims are short, precise and very informative but there are around 30 victim
accounts which tend to get repetitive at times. After a certain point, I felt that I
was reading a textbook on the symptoms and after effects of sarin gas poisoning.
The chapters on the trial proceedings of the AUM cult members were also very dull
and monotonous. What surprised me the most about the victims was the robot like
attitude of the people during the tragedy. Everyone was in such a hurry to get
to work that they did not even bother to drag themselves to the clinic. Imagine
a large group of people with burning red eyes, vomiting on the sidewalk and still walking towards their offices one
step at a time(like a scene from a zombie movie).After reading the book, I have
a new found respect for the railway officials. Their commitment towards the
work really floored me .The train attendants were the one who came in direct contact with the chemical because without
caring for their safety ,they wiped off the liquid with bare hands just so that
the train schedule can be on time.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> The research work done for the book
is truly commendable. The book contains first-hand accounts of the medical
staffs who dealt with the victims, the train attendants, the media people who
covered the event and also few members of the AUM cult. Having said that, I also
feel that the book seemed more like a research paper –very bland and factual. Nevertheless,
it is always fun to read a non-fiction book from an author who is mostly famous
for his fictional works and I really appreciate the effort which has gone into
the making of this book.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-3695360152501550872014-10-29T16:47:00.001+05:302014-10-29T17:03:52.798+05:30Review : The Guns of August by B.W.Tuchman<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdQpwNGfbszZpF5pvOrTd0leW4PPXuZ-XIod7B9mKfqNwymrkpJtWVmiB1rvOzd-ZMjLy-zkP0aaPmd5mktYZTTraUPKRc0eJ6dCYo9HeNGWCMpiKi5bUvn8edqyFe43JSYmZHkpTcTw/s1600/11366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdQpwNGfbszZpF5pvOrTd0leW4PPXuZ-XIod7B9mKfqNwymrkpJtWVmiB1rvOzd-ZMjLy-zkP0aaPmd5mktYZTTraUPKRc0eJ6dCYo9HeNGWCMpiKi5bUvn8edqyFe43JSYmZHkpTcTw/s1600/11366.jpg" height="320" style="cursor: move;" width="194" /></a></div>
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Reading this book
was like witnessing a high octane drama. Tuchman has painted a magnificent
picture of a war torn Europe with her words. The book focuses on the first month
of the war and the chain of events which eventually led to the battle of Marne.
It provides all the military, political and geographical details about the war
that changed the face of Europe in the next four years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The book is full of epic tales of bravery, cowardice,
tragedy and treachery. The opening paragraph describing the scene of King
Edward VII’s funeral just swept me off my feet. I loved how Tuchman has characterized
all the European nations-Germany is the high school bully, France is the scrawny
nerd who stands up to the bully and gets beaten black n blue (obviously!) and England
is the guy who promises the whole class that he will take care of the problem
but disappears the moment the bully appears. The story never loses its momentum.
All the military accounts both on and off the field are described in detail.
The major portion of the book is about the generals of the French, Russian,
German and English army. Tuchman has discussed the personalities of these men
in great detail because ultimately it was the idiosyncrasies of these men which
led to the loss of millions of lives. The Schlieffen plan is very well
explained and the chapter on the battle of Tannenberg is unforgettable. My favorite
section was the one written on the German naval warship-Goeben.The chase
sequence between the German and English ships seemed like a scene of a modern
day action movie.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;"> The author does not believe in
providing back stories to certain events which can be very confusing sometimes.She
mentions the battle of Sedan in quite a few places but there is no overview of
that event anywhere in the book. Also, I found the maps to be very complicated
but that did not pose a problem as the text is very self- explanatory. This
book is a perfect combo of information and entertainment. The unbiased
narration makes it a must read for any history lover.
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-81140632947956744942014-10-22T14:03:00.000+05:302014-10-22T14:05:41.877+05:30Review : ASURA-tale of the vanquished by Anand Neelakantan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3VyhXFWhGDY1uQLtu_08E65NUWbR16_96PNteNnbczTcMFZvKFzvHgJus8GqcY_qn1y7-gIeGcycrbhzPH5CVe-VqiG4aBdacRDaG4nepq3sE3_yFUBqYtzd1Zwp7ze6j9oLAgUVq9x4/s1600/13563459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3VyhXFWhGDY1uQLtu_08E65NUWbR16_96PNteNnbczTcMFZvKFzvHgJus8GqcY_qn1y7-gIeGcycrbhzPH5CVe-VqiG4aBdacRDaG4nepq3sE3_yFUBqYtzd1Zwp7ze6j9oLAgUVq9x4/s1600/13563459.jpg" /></a></div>
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It just breaks my
heart when a fresh idea is implemented in such a crude manner. It has been a
while since I came across such a terrible piece of writing and it really
disappoints me because the story had so much potential. I guess it serves me
right for expecting so much from a book.<br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"> From the very first page, the book spews hatred against the Brahmins and
Aryans way of life. There came a point in the book where I felt I was reading
some Pro Dravidian propaganda, which is not what I had signed up for. I believe
the author wanted to showcase the evils of caste system but the whole point is
lost when the entire book is full of anti-Aryan/fair skinned overtones. I do
not know if it was intentional but the narration itself is very self-contradictory.
The protagonist, Ravana says that the Asura clan respect their women because unlike the
white skinned Devas, they don’t force
their widows to practise Sati; but earlier in the book the same protagonist is
shown raping a maid just because he was pissed off with his wife.(I mean what the hell!!!).When I
picked up this book, I thought I will be reading about Ravana’s intellectual conquests,
his unique friendship with Bali, his administrative and military skills.
Instead I got introduced to a schizophrenic Ravana who whines the entire time.
The only thing I liked about the book was the character of Bhadra.His character
represents the common man and his struggles. His account of the events that
ultimately led to the downfall of Ravana is very interesting.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"> In my opinion, Ravana was a great emperor and deserved a much better story-a
story that was at least proofread (I really don’t want to get started on the innumerable
grammatical and vocabulary usage errors). The traditional version of the epic does
more justice to this magnificent character.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-5587385757117598052014-10-14T15:28:00.002+05:302014-10-14T15:40:17.300+05:30Review:The palace of illusions by C.B.Divakaruni<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SzNscT_mBMjutg_zGj7qkaJPTQhW5kDMVxj0uKsZLCJtsb6XC99tn6eSHqbouKOBSEMLQMSHdJdEbV2a80_Tfr0-ecqkCXKAyICBVr1eVxY4YwrvFYJZbri8CWCACvhyBEj10oc5lrc/s1600/books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SzNscT_mBMjutg_zGj7qkaJPTQhW5kDMVxj0uKsZLCJtsb6XC99tn6eSHqbouKOBSEMLQMSHdJdEbV2a80_Tfr0-ecqkCXKAyICBVr1eVxY4YwrvFYJZbri8CWCACvhyBEj10oc5lrc/s1600/books.jpg" /></a></div>
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As soon as I started reading this book, I was overwhelmed
with a strong feeling of nostalgia. All the memories of my beloved grandmother
basking in the afternoon sun and telling me the fascinating tales of
Mahabharata came rushing back to me. I believe the Mahabharata stories constitute
an integral part of the childhood of millions of people across this nation.
Therefore, Divakaruni
deserves a lot of credit for being brave enough to write about a saga which has
been reconstructed innumerable times over centuries.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I remember
when I was a kid, I used to be in awe of Draupadi. She was the perfect daughter,
perfect wife and the perfect queen. This story takes away the entire enigma surrounding
Draupadi’s character and makes her very approachable. I enjoyed reading about
her childhood, her dreams and aspirations before her life became a series of tragedies.
The sibling bond is very well painted .It made me want to read more about her
brother,Drishtadhyumna(I had never really paid
any attention to this character before). Since the whole story is told from Draupadi’s perspective,
it obviously has a strong feminist undertone. The backdrop maybe of Mahabharata
but I genuinely believe the modern day woman can very easily relate to the
protagonist’s difficult choices and heartbreaking sacrifices. I loved the fact
that Draupadi was not portrayed as the victim in the book (unlike most of the
time in my grandmother’s stories).Instead it was her thirst for vengeance which
lead to the Great War. To be honest, I found the Panchaali-Karna angle equation
quite unimpressive. Sometimes I just fail to understand why all authors need to
provide an unrequited love angle in the life of almost every strong female
character of literature. It is like feminism cannot be portrayed without an
unfulfilled love affair.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span>The writing is not very sophisticated. In fact,
the prose gets repetitive at times. Overall, a quick and easy read. Any Indian
mythology lover will definitely enjoy it if willing to overlook few flaws.</div>
</div>
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</div>
Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-89227385913402090942014-10-08T17:38:00.002+05:302014-10-08T17:40:06.034+05:30Review:Rex Randall and the Jericho Street by Vince Carter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMOf8NrVCiDyXnA4V6sQNpYBebAf2z_eDFyhHZ_AP1dezhvFkdBvAJzzi77FcOBjqTuJp-DhhnpVZiz1-ujbOxbBFLaTOLcLt-2q9EpxhVetqpOFs9IayvsdigQzyyfd1d9UKyNRZjc8/s1600/Rex+Randall+cover+2a+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMOf8NrVCiDyXnA4V6sQNpYBebAf2z_eDFyhHZ_AP1dezhvFkdBvAJzzi77FcOBjqTuJp-DhhnpVZiz1-ujbOxbBFLaTOLcLt-2q9EpxhVetqpOFs9IayvsdigQzyyfd1d9UKyNRZjc8/s1600/Rex+Randall+cover+2a+(1).jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
After reading 3
back to back graphic novels, I wanted to break the routine and was very glad
when Vince asked me to review his action thriller-Rex Randall and the Jericho Street.
There are few ingredients which are absolutely necessary for writing a successful
crime fiction-an intense plot, intriguing characters and an action packed climax.
This book had all the ingredients but somehow the end product was not that great.
The story is good in patches. Some chapters are really well written but there
are few portions where the plot twists become very predictable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To be honest, when I read the blurb, I
was not very excited .I imagined like most of the modern day thrillers, the female
characters will be used as a sex symbol but as I started reading the book, I
was pleasantly surprised. The female personalities are very essential to the
storyline and their roles are very well described. In fact, the best thing
about this novel is the characterizations. All the characters are beautifully
defined and as the story progresses the reader gets to know about them in depth.
The story line is taut and the kidnapping sequences are well executed but the
book lacked nail biting suspense. Also the chapters where Rex writes his story
becomes very repetitive and redundant.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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In my opinion, the Rex Randall series has
a lot of potential because of its unique backdrop. With clever dialogues and
proper editing, this can turn into the perfect James Bond-Charlie’s angels
combo. <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-75755747742806686352014-09-24T17:54:00.000+05:302014-09-24T17:54:14.222+05:30Review : Watchmen by Alan Moore<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Fb2UPZeQEFwM-xh2VSaNh0pSIKJwbDMudDuA1QB4K0HuY6ePLU5pfaw2_4SWIdrNpd94IQG6mTXLCG_v2nsxMZkyyRP-kJ4WLbNMuBulCGO2o7KQaHVPEY2EZd_4J2Kdxl5Rv5hivtU/s1600/Watchmencharacters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Fb2UPZeQEFwM-xh2VSaNh0pSIKJwbDMudDuA1QB4K0HuY6ePLU5pfaw2_4SWIdrNpd94IQG6mTXLCG_v2nsxMZkyyRP-kJ4WLbNMuBulCGO2o7KQaHVPEY2EZd_4J2Kdxl5Rv5hivtU/s1600/Watchmencharacters.jpg" height="320" width="187" /></a></div>
I do not think my pathetic reviewing skills are going to do any justice to the Holy Grail of graphic novels but I am going to try anyway. To be honest, I was not very optimistic about this one. I never really got the “holier than thou” masked crusader concept; but Watchmen is so different. This book is not just about fancy costumes and superpowers; it’s about ethical dilemmas and complex morality. I loved how Alan Moore has explored the human psychology behind the desire to be a super hero. Unlike most of the stories of this genre, Watchmen focuses on the darker side of the heroes-their mistakes and murky pasts. Watchmen is not about a bunch of vigilantes fighting the evil and saving the world. It is about the heroes fighting their own inner monsters (and eventually saving the world).There were times, I felt sorry for them and there were times ,I felt like kicking their asses and finally I just gave up judging them. In my opinion, any book which brings out such a wide range of emotions in the reader is a great one.<br />
The alternate history approach was pretty amazing too. For a while, I actually believed that Americans had won the Vietnam War and the world leaders were really stupid enough to start a nuclear war. The “comic within a comic” idea was innovative but I have to admit that its significance was totally lost on me. (I am not very good at picking up metaphors and symbolism).The only disappointing aspect about the book is the way Alan Moore has handled the female characters. Laurie’s character did not have any depth to it and I felt she was used a sex symbol. Same goes for her mother. In a story which boasts of such amazing characters, the female personalities seemed very stereotypical.<br />
It’s one of those books which leave you with more questions than answers .It is not an effortless read like few other graphic novels(Maus,Persepolis) but in the end ,it’s worth the time and endeavor.
</div>
Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-24662935769060486232014-09-15T14:46:00.000+05:302014-09-15T14:46:20.504+05:30Review:The complete Maus by Art Spiegelman<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaxFX8dKWiTSIh0cRLid4FnBbtqz1cNMa8gMYn2YKwbg7F7eaYMZxyUIeoX0bGDvqw8Vom3SvOCT2HPKyVZlK-cjtai0HlHVpxigjwuqJ48MtY7ev9yU3eS1AVvGCLIUpQSDE5_jBKOc/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaxFX8dKWiTSIh0cRLid4FnBbtqz1cNMa8gMYn2YKwbg7F7eaYMZxyUIeoX0bGDvqw8Vom3SvOCT2HPKyVZlK-cjtai0HlHVpxigjwuqJ48MtY7ev9yU3eS1AVvGCLIUpQSDE5_jBKOc/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
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First Persepolis
and now Maus.I am on a graphic novel spree and I must say I am finding it hard to
quit. While reading these war memoirs, I have realized that when it comes to
depicting the tragedies of a war, pictures speak a lot more than just words.
The visual illustrations make the war seem a lot more personal and intimate. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
Maus is a survival tale of a Jewish couple (Vladek
Spiegelman and his wife) in Europe during world war 2.Unlike most of Holocaust narratives,
this tale has innumerable underlying layers. It is not just a story about holocaust,
it’s a tale of fear and courage, of strength and weakness, of love and hate, of
kindness and cruelty. I loved how Spiegelman has combined so many elements in a
single story-the horrors of the holocaust, complicated dynamics of a father son
relationship, the effect holocaust has had on the later generations of the survivors.
The story jumps between NYC (present)and Poland(past) which makes it multidimensional.
I think it is very difficult to induce humor in war stories without making
light of the subject but somehow Spiegelman has pulled it off in his book.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt;">
The
protagonist’s survival tale can be summed up in one sentence (which I feel is
the most powerful dialogue of the book)-“<b><i>To die, its easy. But you have to struggle
for life</i></b>”. This book can surprise you even if you have read a plethora of holocaust novels and if you
haven’t ,then there is no better place to start.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-53337743543798618872014-09-12T14:07:00.001+05:302014-09-12T14:07:04.213+05:30Review: The Dalai Lama's Cat by David Michie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I love books with deceptive and intriguing titles because if this book had even hinted that it was about the teachings of Buddhism, I would never have read it but now I am so glad that I did. Never before have I come across a book on spirituality that is so simple and yet is so successful in conveying a strong message to the readers in a very nonchalant manner.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BE-denfTWg-7kRFuDS_FRKlrC4Mi0LVLyLEQqZsQiOkBTu5EVYisXoizkSo0pEkND2oH00xsUlSgbvmsfvL4JwDpx-3b7fcTc8GwK_mHcvNoP0yczC4bISIcMY_sngWiwxwd69g8qh0/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2BE-denfTWg-7kRFuDS_FRKlrC4Mi0LVLyLEQqZsQiOkBTu5EVYisXoizkSo0pEkND2oH00xsUlSgbvmsfvL4JwDpx-3b7fcTc8GwK_mHcvNoP0yczC4bISIcMY_sngWiwxwd69g8qh0/s1600/download.jpg" /></a> The story is an autobiography of an Himalayan cat, Snowlion a.k.a HHC (His Holiness’s cat) who has spent most of her life in the Buddhist monastery of Mcleodganj in the city of Dharamshala. In her stories, HHC tells the readers about the various tenets of Buddhism that she has learnt by observing the Dalai Lama and his staff.HHC describes how the teachings of His Holiness has benefited her in overcoming the obstacles of her life on a daily basis. The book is filled with anecdotes about various celebrities who have visited the monastery to discuss their issues with Dalai Lama. The author also paints a beautiful picture of Dharamshala. The book will definitely make you fall in love with the place.<br />
The book has the right amount of humor, it is precise and has some amazing characters. Unlike what the title may suggest, The Dalai Lama’s cat has something for everyone-the cat lovers, the dog lovers, the spiritual readers, the non - spiritual readers. I found it to be a very interesting and effortless read and I am sure you will too.<br />
<br /></div>
Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1940327408032484890.post-76100740012145379482014-09-10T16:49:00.000+05:302014-09-12T14:09:42.705+05:30Review:The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">For a long time, I was under the impression that graphic novels and superhero comics were synonyms but after reading this phenomenal novel by Satrapi, I realized how wrong I was. I am so glad that I chose this book to introduce me to the world of graphic novels. The beauty about this form of storytelling is that the images stay with you forever.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy89amZL_vk1SRtYSnIkcDuxwR5tQGoKhv48avmugUanKArZb_A0rijTLqOY_8zVt0atNaZ61JpnTaWh7cBJQxsc3ShVobWe0MRcsS9yrDa8oSaINkZuXXwPsn-VuyJJDP4XgRzRukqso/s1600/download+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy89amZL_vk1SRtYSnIkcDuxwR5tQGoKhv48avmugUanKArZb_A0rijTLqOY_8zVt0atNaZ61JpnTaWh7cBJQxsc3ShVobWe0MRcsS9yrDa8oSaINkZuXXwPsn-VuyJJDP4XgRzRukqso/s1600/download+(1).jpg" /></a><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"> Persepolis is a story about a young girl (Marjane Satrapi)who lived in Iran during the Islamic revolution. The book lets the reader view the hypocrisies of war through the eyes of a 10 year old. As the story progresses, Marjane transitions from a precocious child to a benumbed adult and the reader realizes how difficult it is to grow up in a war torn fundamentalist country. During her childhood,Marji was always confused as to how the ruling regime would manipulate Iran’s history to suit their own propaganda. As she grew older, she started to detest the Islamic fundamentalism and tried to resist it in every possible way. Her parents sent her away to Vienna to escape the war but after four years of drugs and depression, she came back to her homeland, pursued a diploma in art, got her life in shape but ultimately left Iran and settled down in France.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"> This story is not about the Iran war.It is also not about religion. It is about how an unstable political situation of a country can impact its youth, can take away their freedom and snatch their individuality from them. We often associate the Middle East with terrorism and oil wars but this book throws light on the day to day oppression the citizens’ face in a fundamentalist Islamic regime. At a time when Iran was fighting a never ending war with Iraq, the citizens were fighting their own battles with the compulsory veil, the no make up rule, ban on western music and movies, the empty shelves in supermarkets and the frequent bomb raids.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"> Unlike most of the autobiographies, this story does not sugarcoat unpleasant events. The author is blunt and straight forward. The narration is sad,poignant,tragic and funny at the same time. The visual illustrations are black and white which suits the story. Like all graphic novels, at certain stages of the story, I found the images made a stronger point than the words. This is definitely a must read for all history and memoir lovers.</span></div>
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Sugandhahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05519871690874306537noreply@blogger.com2