Friday 24 August 2012

Rainwater


In this post I am experimenting with my writing and reviewing style do let me know whether its a YAY or NAY.

OKAY so this is the very first Sandra Brown book that I have read and from what I've heard Rainwater is quite a different one from her usual writing style. I can't really comment on that, but honestly I was a bit disappointed, as from what I have heard Sandra Brown is an amazing author whose stories captivates you and stays with you for long. Ironically I did not experience all that..ALAS! How sad :(

The start was well set-up. The suspense, the motivation, the time reference ,all laid the necessary build-up to the main story to follow. It starts with an old man recalling a story set in 1934, when the country faced a Great Depression accompanied by drought. The Federal Government came up with a Drought Relief Service, by which they bought cattle from farmers who found it expensive to keep the cattle and those animals unfit for consumption were killed.

Ella ran a boarding house, where she also stayed with her autistic son, Solly. Solly's autism has always been a cause of concern for Ella, but autism didn't have a name then nor was there much research on the topic.  The story is very slow paced. Ella's relationship her boarders and her son were well captured and very well described.


David Rainwater arrives in the story as a mystery. He has an illness, he helps Solly while almost everyone else scoffs him. All of what we see of David Rainwater is through Ella's eyes, so he is as much a gray figure to me initially as he is to Ella.
There is not very much story as in any momentous event that happens. This books is about Ella as she tries to grapple with her feelings as a woman aching to be loved. This book is about Solly as he observes things once and remembers them. This book is about Rainwater as he helps Ella, Solly and even the farmers who are being terrorized by Conrad Ellis, who even has the Sheriff in his pocket.

Although the racial troubles are essential themes of the book, they are more felt along the edges of the story, rather than as a centerpiece. Other than occasionally turning up at certain phases of the story, the racial segregation between the whites and blacks did not feature a prominent presence.

 The book itself is very very slow paced but the ending was very rushed. Even till page 248, I was waiting for something to happen that will give closure to the story. When it does happen, it's all over in a few pages.  There were so many characters whose disposition and bearings should have been summed up. Moreover, although the story started with a pocket watch, there is no mention of it in the story that the old man says.
Overall, this is a very short read, only 256 pages. pretty well researched I must say. If you enjoy character-oriented and relationship-focused themes, this book should be for you. On the other hand, do not expect anything huge to happen, as nothing of monstrous proportions happens till well into the last third of the book. This book is more about the little things that build up to the climax, setting the stage to certain important events.


MY RATING: 2.5/5


















Friday 17 August 2012

The kite runner







When I bought the book I didn’t expect much from it and thought it might turn out to be a typical eastern plot consisting of violence, vicious murders, ruthless cold blooded killers, women being tortured and killed etc and to some extent I was right but I couldn’t have imagined that it would completely blow me away as well. What made it different from others was the fact that it reflected the weaker side of an eastern man, which has been an untold reality or somewhat a taboo in our society, like all the other men in the world even eastern men can have their moments of cowardice. An Afghani man is perceived as a strong, hot-blooded being who would kill or die in the name of honor, who would indulge in all sorts manly activities and would never find solace in books and writing but the book proved that he can. It also portrayed the extremely frictional relation between Pashtuns and Hazaras and the tale of destruction of a country and exploitation of a religion for personal agendas.
The illustration was so vivid so detailed and so engrossing. It’s extremely emotional, heart- touching, heart-breaking, horrifying and intoxicating. A tale of an unmatchable loyalty, generosity and most importantly it is painfully honest. In the beginning I was genuinely shocked when Amir (main character) would witness such a vice and couldn’t get the courage to help his friend, in fact I really wanted to talk sense into the guy and kept telling him in my mind that it is not too late turn back ….be a man… help your friend but as if that would change anything. Later in life he faces many tragic events but nothing helps in curbing the guilt or in controlling the damage that has been already done. Somewhere I wish that it would have been a little less tragic.
Overall it was completely marvelous, a timeless eastern tale and a true page turner for me.


My Rating 4/5

Basic Plot:

It’s based on the conditions of 1970’s Afghanistan and revolves around the strange friendship of Amir and Hassan they both have been brought up together somewhat as brothers. When Amir was 12 years old there was a local kite-fighting tournament, which he was desperate to win as to him that was the only hope to win his father’s love and like always Hassan promised to help. But neither one of them could have known what will happen to Hassan that afternoon, an event that is to shatter their lives as they know it. After Russians invade Afghanistan the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return to find the thing that his new world cannot grant him: REDEMPTION.






Saturday 16 June 2012

Are you afraid of the dark?




Sidney Sheldon is called the 'Master of the Unexpected' as he never failed in keeping up with his fan's expectations infact he always out did himself in his each book. Sadly for me 'Are you afraid of the dark'  was quite predictable and apparent. It was something you could call a typical Sheldon plot. The fact that I predicted each upcoming twist didn't put me off immediately. I forced myself to read the whole thing and kept reassuring myself that may be something new and thrilling pops up but that never happened and the book ended just like I thought so.
One thing that I found interesting is the realization of the fact that US and Russia do have technology to control the weather of the world which earlier in my knowledge was just a myth.
Well I didn't completely dislike the book as reading Sidney's books is all about transcending to another world with his vivid illustration of each moment and he didn't fail me in that part.



My rating: 2.5/5  

Basic Plot:
Two widows of two scientists Mark Harris and Richard Stevens, who worked for the same company KIG but in different localities, find themselves under brutal attacks and it was adamant that somebody wanted to kill them. They are thrown together in fear and seems like they cannot trust anyone except for each other. Apart from these two there are many other mysterious deaths of other scientists.
Meanwhile chief executive of KIG an international think tank, is on cusp of an amazing discovery which could alter the future of the world but the mysterious deaths are being connected to this  volatile secret and he will do anything in the world to protect it.




Sunday 3 June 2012

The Lost Symbol

My very first review


It was definitely a book I really liked. Mystic, intriguing, interesting and most importantly perceptive. A plot that keeps you guessing and leaves you thinking and wondering. So many twists one cannot predict, one thing it highlights is the importance of observing small details that hide in plain sight and it stimulates a thought process, makes you wonder about simple routine rituals .A few of its logics might be conflicting to some peoples beliefs but if one tries to understand and look at it the in light of their own belief there is still much to understand and learn.

Basic Plot

In The Lost Symbol, Robert Langdon must race to save a friend of his, 33rd Degree Freemason Peter Solomon, who has been abducted. The abductor, who goes by the name of Mal'akh, warns Langdon that he must locate the Mason's Pyramid and The Lost Word before a specific deadline, or Solomon will be executed.


Favourite Quote:

The Secret Teachings of All Ages

"To live in the world without becoming aware of the meaning of the world is like wandering about in a great library without touching the books."