Reconstructing Amelia

- By Kimberly McCreight

Amelia, a bright student is caught cheating on an English paper and is suspended from school. Kate, her mother, a lawyer by profession, gets a call to pick her up from school in the middle of her work day, without any explanation. While she gets to the school an hour later than the appointed time, she is in for a nasty shock, that Amelia committed suicide. Kate is devastated with the police investigation closing the case as suicide, despite having her doubts. And when she tries to swallow the pain and re-enter her work, she gets a text on her cellphone, that Amelia did not commit suicide. Though she initially thinks it to be a sick joke, she begins to reconstruct Amelia and the many facets of a teenage daughter she thought she knew.

The central plot of the story begins with the question of why is Amelia dead?! While the mystery is traced through the texts, mails, phone calls, Facebook updates, school blog, many subplots are thrown in the gauntlet. New characters are introduced into the story, unfolding the last few days of Amelia’s life. The novel progresses with alternating point of views, primarily, from Amelia, a POV of past and Kate, a POV in the present tracing back Amelia. The characters are not overly developed. It seemed like they entered and exited with voice of their own, stating their case. For me, personally, that left me feeling a little alienated in the novel, as though I am a by stander watching a play that is too fast to fully get into it. The story gives a peep window into the lives of high school students, the teenage choices and their repercussions, the friendships and the lies interwoven into the daily fabric of life, the insensitivity of the bullies, the desperate need to belong, the constant struggle between right and wrong, the need to follow the crowd for the fear of rejection – the typical teenage drama comes through effectively in the novel. The bullying goes into a new level, but the reasoning behind it sells the story short of its charm. And despite the suspense, the ending was not a punch in the gut, but more like a logical conclusion, with a lot of sadness for all concerned.

The author, Kimberly McCreight, with her debut novel, puts a compelling case to the conclusion, with enough twists in the plot, to make it a page turner. The novel uncovers bit by bit, the life of a teenager that ended tragically.

Who was Amelia’s father? Why did she suddenly become obsessed with picking through her mother’s story about a one night stand in a bar? Why is Amelia part of a secret club? Was she bullied into it? What was her inner turmoil with all these secrets in her life and no one to talk to? Why could she not open up to her mother? Why could she not confide in her best friend, Silvia? Did her best friend not really know about the club? Were her secrets not really secrets at all?

In parallel, Kate’s life, which is central to the story is also unraveled, as the questions surrounding Amelia’s death haunt Kate too. Did Amelia know about her father? Did she somehow get to know the secret Kate thought was safe? Is that somehow related to Amelia’s death? What was Kate’s dark secret? Who texted Kate about Amelia? Why did her daughter suddenly keep secrets from her? Why was her daughter bullied? Did Amelia really cheat on her English paper? Why was the school blog that despicable? How did that fit into the story?

Those are the questions that trace back part of mother-daughter life and reveal a small window into the lives of other characters involved in their lives.

I personally liked it because it was a simple page turner, told succinctly. Our life is not just influenced by our decisions, but by the decisions of people around us too. As the story progresses to its conclusion, it left me feeling sad and a little upset, that despite a front row seat to the unfolding drama, some chose to let the tide ride out.

While I recommend the book, I would advise you to not pick it up just before you go to sleep, as I did. It will cost you a night’s sleep. And if you do, don’t come back that I did not warn you!!! Have a good read fellow readers!!!

The Google Story

- By David Vise

Google is a miracle to me. It became an integral part of almost every walk of life, that it is difficult to imagine a day without it. “The Google Story” is about, Google. (No surprises there!). It is about the meteoric rise of two young students who dared to dream and cared enough to achieve that dream. Just as every dream begins with no foundation apart from self belief, their dream of providing easy access to the web became a reality through their belief in it. Luck favours the brave and it is proven again, by the inspiring story of this software miracle.

Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the two founders of Google established this company in a hope to provide a quality service to the internet users and their quest to build a superior quality search engine and their page ranking system did what seemed to be trivial for other software giants to care about, to provide what the internet users want accurately and at a right pace. Right from the start, Google had its goal clear, to provide a quality service to its users and true to its goal, it continues to do so. I am a faithful Google user, with or without their lock in, I use Google every single day. With their bold and aggressive steps, the two pioneers took the search phenomenon to new heights and shook the monopoly of Microsoft and challenged Yahoo to make Google a world wide business.

What began as a statement, “I want to download the entire web”, went on to become a reality as the idea took shape and the search engine took birth. The book is written as a detective story, engrossing the reader into understanding the Google and its culture. David Vise had done a fantastic job in bringing the Google to the readers and it forms an interesting journey. It is an inspiration to every one who cares to dream, however unrealistic and far fetched it may be, as long as one believes in them.

Creating a college atmosphere and giving perks that are unchallenged by any industry out there, Google made quite a few loyal employees. However aggressive the targets are, if the loyalty of employees is guaranteed, the targets will be met. By providing an atmosphere that is closer to college, with unique design to the place and a touch of youth to the interiors and encouraging gadgets that the employees like, providing them the chance to explore their personal interest every day and evoking a creative thought process, the company earned a loyal set of followers and it is no surprise that almost every software engineer who value their thought want to work for Google. Right from the computers the employees use to the food that they are provided in their cafeteria to the other free benefits that they get, the place is practically a second home to most of the Google employees. Falling in love with a company is something that no one should do, but I dare say, Google employees might differ to it.

The book details the journey of Google, from a mere search engine to a world wide business and how it challenged every software company on its way, before making itself public and how the two pioneers personally sought out to expand the Google and continue to do so and are millionaires by thirty. The quest and the challenges that were thrown in the way were met with arrogance, sheer brilliance and unequalled audacity. The mistakes were few, yet the lessons learnt were valuable and the public offering not only made the employees rich, but also increased the funds that can be channelled for the future projects that come out of the Googleplex, the creative giant of the industry. Be it the chef who provided multi cuisine to the employees or the different style of Google founders in rewarding the employees for their hard work, the company set on a journey that is unique and different and engrossing not only to the people involved in it, but also to the people who aspire high.

The book provides an insight into the company and leaves an impression of voyaging through a journey that is inspiring.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

 - By Khaled Hosseini

Mariam Jo – this is about her.

Separated from her father (Jalil) and living with her mother in a place devoid of people, her only link to the world is the visit of her father every week. The anguish she has to endure, while waiting for that day in the week, under the wistful eyes of her mom who never fell short of words of discriminating her father and the torment she had to endure after he left and for the wait of another week, dreading he might not come and visit her… “She always held her breath as she watched him go. She held her breath and in her head counted seconds. She pretended that for every second she didn’t breathe, God would grant her another day with Jalil.” Things change with one broken promise and all the truth of her life is in front of her. Suddenly the accusations of her late mother and the false pretensions of her father fall down upon her. Living life in her father’s house as a burden to them, her life throws another whirlwind at her: an alliance (suitor) who was 20-25 years elder to her.

In twenty four hours after she heard about her proposal, she is in a new house, new place, far away from the comforts of her own house and from the familiar people in her father’s house, separated by mountains. She begins her journey as a wife to a person she knows nothing of, and her first step was a lie that she was unafraid of him, when she was petrified. Walking through the house, she looked at the things round her, trying to get a grip on the havoc that struck her. Slowly she begins her duties as wife and slowly she finds some kinship with her husband, Rasheed. Like a ray of hope, she becomes a pregnant and the couple dream of a family, she of mother hood and he, that of a prodigy. The agony she has to endure when that hope crashes, the brooding for a child she has never ever seen, and the pain that she has to bear for a consequence she has no say in, though the writer does not get into the gory details of her agonies, the narrative is heart touching.

Laila, a girl born to a different back ground. Her father was a teacher, who believed in equal justice between men and women and encouraged her to pursue education. Her child good friend, Tariq was an ex-service man, who lost his leg during the war. She grows up dreaming about some good she can do for the country. And nurturing her love towards her childhood sweetheart Tariq. Her two brothers fought against the Soviet in Afghanistan and were dead. When the war ended, and a civil war broke in the streets of Afghanistan, she was forced to discontinue her education. Tariq decides to leave Afghanistan and begs her hand in marriage and asks her to leave with him. She refuses on account of her parents, saying that she cannot leave, lest her parents should feel lonely. After a few days, her family too decides to leave Afghanistan and leave to a safer territory, when a stray rocket kills her family.

While recovering from her bruises, she notices herself in the company of Rasheed and Mariam. And just as fate has it, she hears that Tariq is dead in a hospital, by someone on the doorstep and she is queasy about the situation, knowing that she cannot hide the pregnancy from the world. Rasheed, meanwhile, makes advances towards her and she does not refuse, owing to the fact that she was pregnant. Though mariam does not approve of the situation and the advances Rasheed makes, she has little say in it. When Rasheed gets married to Laila, he starts treating her like a princess and with her pregnancy news, he clings on to the hope of having a baby boy. When Laila delivers a girl, he banishes all the pretence of love and treats her like a slave.

In the days that follow, Laila befriends Mariam and together, they try and escape to Pakistan. Unfortunately, they are caught and are sent back home, where Rasheed severely beats the two women and threatens to kill them if they ever repeat that again. A few years later, she becomes pregnant again and though she abhors the idea of bearing Rasheed’s child, she cannot bring herself for an abortion. This time she gives birth to a boy child and Rasheed takes complete control of the child, not giving a chance for Laila to bestow her motherly love onto the child. As a boon, Laila gets to know that Tariq is very much alive, by his presence in her house one morning and detests Rasheed even more for having lied to her. As days progress, visits of Tariq become frequent and the insecurities of Rasheed increase to the extent where he beats her and Mariam to death and the only option left for Mariam in order to save Laila was the most severe one and she, with all her might swings the shovel onto Rasheed and kills him. She begs Laila to leave, along with her children. After begging Mariam to accompany her and her denial, Laila leaves the house, to Tariq and they move to Kabul.
Mariam is jailed for her act and is publicly beheaded.

The story is written compassionately and just when the story is turning too melodramatic, the writer comes up with a compulsive narration, that takes one through a roller coaster of emotions. Though the writer does not go into the gruesome details of physical abuse, lives of Afghan woman or the politics of the time, he manages to convey a strong emotion that rips you apart.
A must read for all book lovers.

Bridges of Madison County

- By Robert James Waller

“So here I am walking around with another person inside of me. Though I think I put it better the day we parted when I said there is a third person we have created from the two of us. And I am stalked now by that other entity.”

I read “Bridges of Madison county” last night. It is a small novel and it is just simply fabulous. There were a few words that were just not words but pricks in your soul. A pure ecstasy - that is what the book left me feeling. I saw the movie first – Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood, both portrayed their characters beautifully. But, words have a way for me, they convey beyond their meaning and they possess me in a way nothing else can and hence I fell in love with the novel more than the movie. Though the style of writing or the concept of love has not been as authoritatively conveyed as Ayn Rand, the feeling of being in love and the feeling of longing and the feeling of romance has been beautifully portrayed. (It is not a comparison of styles of the authors, since both conveyed a completely different concept all together.)

Attempting to define love is like trying to imitate Shakespeare, close to impossible, but one cannot refrain themselves. I already tried and I know I failed and attempting again might be commendably catastrophic. That being very candid of me, I am humbled by these authors who can perceive the thought and can portray it in a way that echo my feelings. (Laurels to the author and claps to me too :D, well, let me take a piece of their pie, hmpf!)

Living in an age where insecurity is the word that creeps in every minute, seeing love has become a myth that folklore sing, forget about feeling it. Sometimes I wonder, if there is love in this world, other than rotten selfishness. But then, again, I come across these writings and think, there exists love somewhere, if I open my eyes to see it and stretch my arms to embrace it. Lucky are those who feel it.

This is a story of compassion and longing between a Nat Geo photographer and a farmer’s wife. Like any other romances, this novel encompasses passion in its true sense and dives you into a world of hope and despair, just as every love story does. Nat Geo photographer, Robert Kincaid, travels all the way to Madison County, Iowa to do a story on covered bridges. Those bridges that mean nothing to people who live there, but in the hands of a photographer who MAKES the photos, they are something else all together, affirming the phrase, “Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder”. Having temporarily lost his way, he drives into the driveway of Francesca Johnson, a farmer’s wife, whose family is in Illinois state fair for the week. Taking a moment to catch his breath and to admire the beauty of the simple figure clad in jeans and a cotton shirt, he steps out of his car to ask for the direction to the covered bridge. While walking down the drive way barefoot and unhurried, Francesca takes a moment to study the person and to brace the flutter in her belly. Answering the question that it is not far away, she surprises herself by saying that she would be glad to show the bridge herself, if he wants it. Flabbergasted, yet recovering fast, Robert acknowledged the offer and appreciated it, much to her delight. Thus, began a journey into the land of passion and lust and love.

“Modest intimacy descended upon the kitchen. It came, somehow, from the cooking. Fixing supper for a stranger, with him chopping turnips and, therefore, distance, beside you, removed some of the strangeness. And with the loss of strangeness, there was space for intimacy.” Amazing how a simple invitation can turn out into something more than a casual conversation. Before the animal instinct takes over, the human nicety of conversation… he spoke of his trips, art and poetry and she spoke of her life in Italy and her life as a farmer’s wife, confessing finally the truth she buried deep within her, for her family. Bidding a farewell, he left and she already looks forward for another day.

"Jesus," he said softly. All of the feelings, all of the searching and reflecting, a lifetime of feeling and searching and reflecting, came together at that moment. And he fell in love with Francesca Johnson, farmer's wife, of Madison County, Iowa, long ago from Naples.

The simple things hold meaning, the unnoticed things were noticed, suddenly the perception of human mind changes, from mere courtesy to lust. Dressing for dinner, which turns into a whirlwind - entwining two souls in ecstasy and changing their lives forever, forgetting the world and living for that moment in pure and exquisite passion. Whispers of love, warm caresses filling them up in the heat of the moment, telling their fondest dreams and creating a world of their own, Francesca and Robert Kincaid begin a journey that day, in the aftermath of their passion.

"What are we going to do?" he said.
She was silent, torn‐apart silent. Then, "I don't know," softly.
Torn between her responsibilities and her love, she chooses an alternative that is never easy. To nurture her love to the one man she loved, day after day until she could be his, in ashes.

"As much as I want you and want to be with you and part of you, I can't tearmyself away from the realness of my responsibilities. If you force me, physically or mentally, to go with you, as I said earlier, I cannot fight that. I don't have the strength, given my feelings for you. In spite of what I said about not taking the road away from you, I'd go because of my own selfish wanting of you. But please don't make me. Don't make me give this up, my responsibilities. I cannot do that and live with the thought of it. If I did leave now, those thoughts would turn me into something other than the woman you have come to love."

With the decision taken, they part with heavy hearts, each knowing that they would be haunted forever. Though there were many women before Francesca, Robert Kincaid never lay eyes on another woman again, not as some vow of celibacy, but because he simply was uninterested. And despite executing her responsibilities as a wife of a farmer and mother of two children, Francesca, thought about him. Love can exist in the heart and can find no means of expression, yet can fulfil us in a way nothing else can.

After her husband’s death, Francesca tried reaching Kincaid once, though unsuccessfully. She receives a parcel from his attorney’s after his death, the memories of their love and a strange request that his ashes be scattered at the Roseman Bridge – the uncovered bridge that brought him all the way from Washington to Iowa, where he met her. On her birthday, every year, it is a part of her annual ritual, to re-visit those memories in her mind’s eyes, every single moment – from the car in the drive way to the painful parting…

Finally, her kids could understand her strange request of her ashes to be scattered from the Roseman bridge. She wanted to give herself to him – in eternity. “I gave my family my life; I gave Robert Kincaid what was left of me.”

“In a universe of ambiguity, this kind of certainty comes only once, and never again, no matter how many lifetimes you live."

Love happens once and sometimes it does not survive the test of times or the responsibilities, but, love is within you forever. Walking into another relation or living with another person – all these are material comforts, but love that touches the soul, lasts through times immortal and that is the true meaning of commitment which cannot be defined by a thread or a ring.

A book that left me overwhelmed.

The Last Lecture

 - By Randy Pausch

The Last Lecture– a truly inspiring book written for three kids by their father, who wants to impart his wisdom for he would not be there to see the growth of his kids nor would he be around in times of their need. Written by a man who lived life to the fullest every single day and aptly titled – “Achieving your childhood dreams” – and how he went about achieving them with simple anecdotes and timeless metaphors, his speech stands out as an inspiration to the hundreds of students present there, in the university auditorium and to the millions of readers world wide …

Randy Pausch, a Carniege Mellon university professor, diagnosed by Pancreatic Cancer and was given a short span of three to six months, goes about the last few days LIVING a life as he normally did. There is a sense of fulfilment in achieving childhood dreams. To dream and to hold on to that dream and to work for fulfilling that dream is not an easy task. Many a time, we tend to be influenced by circumstances, situations, people. Most of the decisions either due to emotional or relations bonds, are either shunned or modified. But, out there are few who live a life, every single day and go about achieving their desires with a passion that is rare and unflinching to the time. Not that there will not be difficulties, as Randy pointed out, “brick walls are there to show us how badly we want something”, but to work with those difficulties and to achieve – that is a true achievement.

The simple anecdotes of his life imparting wisdom and how he goes about fulfilling his child hood dream of being a Disney Imagineer and then, how he goes about fulfilling his students dreams, daring them to go beyond their strengths and urging them to hold onto their dreams and polishing them to become better at what they were already good at – It simply forms an amazing read.

A short book, which can be completed in three hours time – but will last with you for a life time. This book is not just a legacy left by a dying man, but also a book that inspires one to hold the right priority for the right things in life. Though Randy Pausch was a man of family values, which becomes clear from the book, he is also a man to whom work is of paramount importance. The diligence with which he goes about his job and the commitment with which he drives his children is truly brilliant. In the times where pay by the work hour has become common, to stretch oneself beyond that and to spread the passion with his fellow students is a rewarding experience, as many students of his go about achieving their dreams, giving him a reason to be proud of.

There were quite a few invaluable lessons learnt from this book, but most importantly is to dream and to hold on to those dreams. Despite not knowing the paths to those dreams, clinging onto them and step by step moving forward, will one day or the other land you in that dream. If not, nothing is lost, I have travelled with hope and on a path that meant something to me, that alone should be fulfilling and enriching. Mentors are hard to find and if one finds a mentor who can make us believe in the beauty of our dreams and helps us in fulfilling them, well, one has found the gift of their life, a gift that is worth living for.

To take a pick of his metaphors is a tough choice to make, but this will stand out:
“Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less than you think.” Though I have heard this in varied forms, may be, this last lecture by a professor whose days are numbered and having read the effective utilization of time, well, it stuck and it hit a chord…

Keep off the Grass

 - By Karan Bajaj

Keep Off the Grass by Karan bajaj forms an interesting choice for any book worm. It is certainly not a classic, a long way from a romance or a thriller, and a very long way from a family saga or detective story line. It is a choice for a light and quick read, to take the mind off something, but will also raise a few thoughts in mind through the characters in the story.

It is a journey through the life of Samrat Ratan, the Yale graduate and Wall Street Investment Banker, who comes to India in search for his roots. Joining in IIM-B school, he meets an IIT student and an ex-army guy, who become his buddies through the B-School journey. The topper, conscious of marks and grades, begins to lose his way, where his self-confidence, self-belief all take a roll, as he becomes addicted to drugs and alcohol. The journey which began as a soul searching hunt for his confused mind becomes an experience of drugs, a stint in the police cell, meeting Aghoree in the ghats of Benares and finally in the end, meeting Ruskin Bond who stirred his soul.

The book focuses on rolling the story right from the word ‘GO’. Samrat embarks on a route to self discovery having been caught in a web of confusion about being an Indian or an American, as with many America born Indians. The cross culture of being brought up by an Indian family whose roots are deeply buried in the culture of India and studying in a different culture, having friends from a different culture, he struggled to find a balance always feeling belonged as well as alien in the same place. In his quest to break this confusion, he enrolls himself in the IIM-B school and begins his taste of cut throat Indian competition and to pacify himself from the self pity, he takes to drugs and drinks.

The camaraderie with Sarkar and Vinod is the highlight of the novel, as their journey together progresses with weird twists and subtle sense of humor in the dialogues exchanged by the group. The style of the author is funny, witty and easy going. The spiritual discussions between the three and the punch liners form an interesting read.

On the other hand, it leaves a lot of food for thought and the story is not something that will captivate the reader as much as the style does. And the few words of exchange between fellow B-School graduates shows that success will leave the people a bit sour and the journey to success need not necessarily be a plunge into the field forgetting human values, but it is rather a journey along with those human values. To struggle or not to struggle is a choice. And sometimes competition can leave out a lot of people, for there can only be one winner and as the journey begins uphill, he finds himself alone. Now, to take that journey uphill is the choice of that individual and the consequences are to be faced by that individual. Success is always a double edged sword.

There are quite a few thought stirring lines in the story which will make one to ponder on the quint essentials of living a life.

Last Man Standing

 - By David Baldacci

“I defy you to begin this book and leave it unfinished” – Sunday Express…

Well, I got to say, that suits the book perfectly. I just could not keep the book down and believe me when I say that I have read enough action thrillers to not be surprised by the tone or the story or the action sequence. But this is my first Baldacci’s novel, an impulse buy and I was glued from the word GO. Amazingly written, giving enough rope to the details and practically painting the picture for the reader, both about the surroundings and from the perspective of the characters in that environment and to do it with such finesse is brilliant. And Baldacci has done an outstanding job with this one.

The story is about the FBI super-elite Hostage Rescue Team member, Web London. When he lost his entire team on what was supposed to be a bust operation of a drug dealer’s nest, in an alley, in what turns out to be an ambush, he just about lost everything he cared for and if there was something that he needed at that moment, was perhaps the retribution for his team, but he finds his reputation tainted and suspicions thrown at him from his own colleagues. And despite the deep loss he felt and apparently no time to regroup his thoughts, he needed to find answers. Answers to why he was the “last man standing” among his team and why he was not dead as he was supposed to be. And so begins his journey, in the due process sifting through the complex fabric of his life as a child and into a lethal world of his career and into finding the only other survivor, a ten year old boy named Kevin, who has gone missing.

The story inevitably grips the reader all the way to the last word. And more importantly, it evokes strong emotions towards all the people who do thankless jobs and never have a prayer said in their name (perhaps!) or have their memory confined to a wooden frame. And the author’s writing just about makes you wish that there would probably be a bit more to the story so that you could flip through the pages and get into the life of Web London, the protagonist of the novel and perhaps know him better, though what all was to be known about him was succinctly pointed out. He is just that sort of a character, with a little mystery associated with him and slips like a sand through fingers, never letting you get a grip! I, for one, could have used more about him!! On the other hand, there are other characters, each as strong as Web London, but well, the hype had to build around the main protagonist to cultivate the empathy!!! And I have no complaints!

Not the sort of a book you might want to pick when you are about to go to a party or on a date ;), but yeah, certainly something you want to pick, if you seem to be in a mood for some thrill and have time! Baldacci does not cut down on details and I got an impression that he likes to paint a vivid picture to the reader and build up the adrenaline, pretty much how the characters see it. You are as involved as the character and that is a significant achievement for any author. So, I got to say, hands down to David Baldacci, he has my attention and just about spiked my ante for another one of his writing.

Grotesque

 - By Natsuo Kirino

The book has a very curious introduction about a girl who wonders what her child would look like if she made out with the guy in front of her and this is what she wonders with every passing man. When I read this sentence, I had a small smile wondering what I think when I pass a guy and I realized I never gave much thought to it! I think I will make a conscious effort to make note of my first impressions from now on, though I can guarantee now, that my thought would never involve thinking of a guy romantically!!! He he, I am too faint hearted for such an adventure in my life! Surprisingly, this girl does not have a name through out the novel.

The girl speaks to me as she progresses further in rendering her story and gives a brief glimpse of her life, her family – that included her mother, father and a sister. And the bits and pieces jumble in and out of her life and the characters in her life. She gives a brief introduction about the family which would be evaluated further, but she gave me enough coop to interest me. As the love between her father and mother recedes to a darker corner, eventually becoming contempt between the two, she gives me an insight into the childhood she had. She gives a very sarcastic, intriguing prelude about her sister whom she refers as a ‘monster’, in that Yuriko was diabolically beautiful, yet a monster – saying that for people who believe that being beautiful is important over being ugly, she would ask them to have a glimpse at Yuriko. And then she introduces her classmate and friend, Kazue, intelligent, not-so good looking, yet competent personality, who eventually pushes her away and gets much closer to her sister, which kind of gave me a thought if this story was about resentment. Both Yuriko and Kazue, with two completely contrasting personalities come together, end up as prostitutes and are eventually killed and abandoned by the same man, a year apart, and why they were killed and what their lives mean and why the girl bothers sharing the story that is better left unsaid and to the closed wood of the coffin is something that glued me to this book. But the first impressions soon turned into a little horror and true to the name, the story was grotesque, repulsive, incomplete with no apparent reasons to why two seemingly varied personas choose what they chose and why they were murdered. Why did I bother reading it to the end? Because I am a sucker for character study!!!

As the novel progressed, the narrator seems to bring out a rendition of the facts, yet strangely, I seem to be less than sympathetic to her. She is filled with resentment, contempt with everyone and everything that surrounds her and that includes her family, her friends and the relationships in general. She feels that her mother is a born loser, her father, a miserly person and she resents her sister from a very early age because of her angelic and uncharacteristic beauty and the resentment transforms to hatred with her ethereal experience when she watches her sister bathe naked in a pond near their summer cabin. The facts that were so blatantly written causing me much intrigue and promising so much more, turned out to show a twist in the narrator that I deeply detested with every turning page. The novel introduced me to a world that I can hardly believe exists, but the bold faced narration kept me going. Though the loathing for the narrator increased with the twist of the page, I wonder what sort of a rationale prompted her, to even conceive a thought of hating her sister! Yuriko had nothing but a charm in her face that would satisfy men and she revelled in that control over men, particularly elder men and though I do not have much opinion myself about the path chosen, she did what she did openly and showed some integrity rather than play convoluted and twisted mind games with people round her! The narrator could not stand her and she resented that Kazue ended up being a friend to Yuriko. The narrator goes on to speak about the budding love between Kazue and Takashi Kazima, and how she manipulated that love for her own whim, which only made me more aghast at the person she is! On one hand, she speaks of monsters and on the other, she behaves like one, ripping through people’s emotions as though they mean nothing!

In the world of Japan, prostitution is a means to power and the seemingly successful career women, in the hunger for more power, stoop to the immoral and dangerous profession where the words, professor, uncle, brother, friend have little meaning and where life hangs in thin air, delicately balancing lust and desire! But it also threw me into a pit of distress as the true colors and the helplessness of each person come to the surface. Yuriko, held captive by her own beauty and angelic features, is a dimwit with little intelligence who plays to the infidelity of men and uses seduction as a process to counter her own detest of the world, who looks at her as nothing more than a shiny object to play with, her beauty being a curse in itself where she has to fight to survive using the only defence in her, to overcome her insecurity being born as a child to a Japanese mother and Swiss father. Kazue, born to an aspiring father who determines the pecking order in the family based on the grades earned and marks scored, is hell bent on succeeding in life and earning a name for herself, only to realize that to gain power, the very profession (her day job) she chose has limited opportunity and makes a repulsive choice of selling herself to gain the power she very much craved for. As the narrator speaks impassively of these characters, she also introduces numerous other characters who seem to be involved in this bizarre story, yet the most astounding twist comes in the end, where she meets Yuriko’s son, Yurio, who is born blind and has no passion for anything other than music, for which he needs a computer with a specific software. He willingly accepts to stay with his aunt provided she bought him this computer. At forty, the narrator is so captured by the boy’s innocence and wants to live with this little kid. When he pesters her for the computer, she counters that she has little money and he counters, saying,
“why don’t you go and work in the night, like my mom?”.
She slaps him in the face! Then the twist where she walks on the road, shouting that she is forty and a virgin and is available concludes the narration! Now, there is an original reason for getting into what she called immorality! To find a noble cause in the grotesque thing she pursues and willing on to say that people who hate men and women get into this lifestyle…. “its hatred for others, for the rest of the world.”

Though the novel speaks about the reason why the two have been killed, I read the novel not for the suspense of the narration or for the story, but for the characters that seem to be caught in a web cast around them and their reasons for justifying their actions, whether moral or immoral. This is unlike any of the novels I read and will read (I hope), and though this is far from my liking, I should appreciate the boldness of the fiction which would put the contemporary murder fiction and fantasy romance to shame, with its sheer audacity! But, the story that started with a lot of promise ended up with a lot to desire.

Atonement

 - By Ian McEwan

Atonement – true to its meaning, is about the atonement of the protagonist Briony Tallis. It splendidly portrays the perceptions of a thirteen year old child and the subsequent consequences of her preconceived notions and the aftermath that changes her life and the life of her sister Cecilia’s and the life of her sister's beloved, Robbie Turner’s.

The novel starts of with Briony’s attempt to write a play, Trials of Arabella, for her brother Leon, whom she adores. The characters in the play would be played by her cousins – Lola, and her twin brothers - Jackson and Pierrot. So absorbed was she in her play, that she failed the basic courtesy of enquiring if any of her cousins were tired of the long journey they had to make. But as the rehearsals take shape, she has a sinking feeling about the play, as her cousins enact the characters lifelessly. To let lose her frustration, she chooses to stay alone in her room.

Cecilia, just completed her college in Cambridge and is trying to think about her future. She walks out into the garden holding a vase filled with flowers, to fill it with water, where she notices her childhood friend, Robbie Turner, gardening. She loiters a little longer, wondering how to proceed further towards the fountain. For some unfathomable reason, she was often awkward in his presence. Though they studied in the same college, they hardly had any communication and whatever little communication they had, it was filled with discomfited moments. Robbie, too, could not quite understand why he was tongue tied in front of her. In an attempt to make a conversation, Cecilia speaks first. In the follow up that leads to a strange intensity of tension between them, Robbie offers to fill in the vase with water, for which she refuses. When Robbie, true to his male ego, tries to take the vase from her hand, Cecilia, holds to it in an attempt to ward him off and in the pointless struggle that follows, the vase is broken, part of which falls into the fountain. Cecilia, saying that he was an idiot, strips in front of him to retrieve the broken vase. Robbie, stunned by her actions, gapes at her. After she retrieves the vase and puts on her clothes, the ridiculousness of the situation hits her, and she runs back to the house, embarrassed. Robbie looks at the water, touching it, trying to steady his heart beat and looking to check if there are any more pieces of the vase left in the fountain. Unknown to them both, Briony, who watches this incident is stunned to see her sister stand half naked. The situation from her bedroom window, looks like Robbie was threatening Cecilia, and as the scene unfolds, it makes little sense to her.

On his way back to his home, Robbie meets Leon and his friend Paul Marshall. Leon, invites him home for dinner. When Cecilia knows about this, she is irritated, but for reasons she could not quite comprehend. Robbie, on the other hand, though worried about the irritation of Cecilia, could not quite say a “no” to the invitation. In the comfort of his home, as he was thinking about the incident that unfolded near the fountain, he started to compose a letter to her, to apologize for his behavior.

While going for the dinner, with his letter in hand, he notices Briony in the field and calls out to her. He asks if she minds delivering a letter to Cecilia personally. Briony takes the letter and runs back home, and locking the door behind her, opens it and is aghast at the words! Robbie on the other hand, realizes that the letter he composed to Cecilia, the formal note of apology, was still on his desk and that the improper words, those that should never have left his fantasy, were in the letter he handed to Briony. He unsuccessfully calls out for her and realizes that it was too late!

Briony, though gives the letter to Cecilia, is shocked and in tears and in desperate need of counsel and she speaks her mind to Lola, who happens to say that Robbie is a maniac. The thirteen year old kid in Briony takes that word too seriously and is determined to save her sister. Cecilia, after reading the letter, though, clearly understands her feelings towards Robbie.

When the door bell rings, she answers and finds Robbie, who is embarrassed and who apologizes for the inappropriateness of the letter.

"The anticipation and dread he felt at seeing her was also a kind of sensual pleasure, and surrounding it, like an embrace, was a general elation - it might hurt, it was horribly inconvenient, no good might come of it, but he had found out for himself what it was to be in love, and it thrilled him."

Cecilia draws him into the library, where she confronts her feelings for him and they make out in the library, against the book racks. The transformation she feels in her and in him, somehow, changes the dynamics between them and she realizes, then, that something beautiful has happened and it changed the way they perceived each other!

"Nothing as singular or as important had happened since the day of his birth. She returned his gaze, struck by the sense of her own transformation, and overwhelmed by the beauty in a face which a lifetime's habit had taught her to ignore. She whispered his name with the deliberation of a child trying out the distinct sounds. When he replied with her name, it sounded like a new word - the syllables remained the same, the meaning was different. Finally he spoke the three simple words that no amount of bad art or bad faith can ever quite cheapen. She repeated them, with exactly the same emphasis on the second word, as if she had been the one to say them first. He had no religious belief, but it was impossible not to think of an invisible presence or witness in the room, and that these words spoken aloud were like signatures on an unseen contract."

Briony, walks into the library, hearing the noise and afraid for her sister thinking that Robbie is physically abusing her and is shocked to notice them in that state.

In the dinner that follows, with the obvious tension between him and Cecilia, and Briony’s clear hatred (mutual hatred, I dare say :D) for him, he sits uncomfortably, thinking about eloping with his sweetheart after dinner. During dinner, the twins, unhappy about their stay and confinement, run away from the house. While the entire family starts searching for them, Leon and Cecilia as a pair, Robbie and Briony set out on their paths, alone, to find the twins. Briony, suddenly notices her cousin Lola, strangled by a man and is shocked to notice them. Lola, was in no position to say who it was, Briony on the other hand, convinces herself that the person was Robbie. In the events that lead to the investigation, she gives her witness that she saw Robbie holding Lola down and as a further proof of Robbie’s perverseness, hands the letter he wrote to Cecilia to the investigators.

Not knowing the drama that unfolded, Robbie returns with the twins and is immediately arrested for abusing Lola. Cecilia is the only one, who trusts him and says that she would wait for him and what happened between them was their little secret.

Thus, the perception of Briony changes the life of her sister. And in the events that follow, one is left wondering, if only, Briony could have understood the love or, if only, the events unfolded as they should have, but, alas, they did happen in a certain sequence and the melodrama that follows, touches the reader. And as Briony, completely grasps the meaning of what she had done, on that fateful day, that changed the lives of three people, she asks for atonement from her sister, a good eight years later.

The novel has beautiful passages, splendidly written, which reach out to the reader and perhaps, the following statement from an adult Briony, serves for an apt conclusion to this post:
"Every secret of the body was rendered up -- bone risen through flesh, sacrilegious glimpses of an intestine or an optic nerve. From this new and intimate perspective, she learned a simple, obvious thing she had always known, and everyone knew: that a person is, among all else, a material thing, easily torn, not easily mended."

… certain things can never be mended and however sincere an apology is, there can never be a complete retribution and above all, time that is lost can never come back, nor can the dreams of the young man, who aspired to do medicine and who is confined to the army, not with dignity and honour attributed to a soldier, but with a choice between jail and army.

Ian McEwan does a fantastic job with his characters and the prose just brings to life, even the dullest of routines. The novel is rich in its prose and the command of the author is not lost on the reader. It paints a world and draws the characters to perfection and the reader, is there, in the novel, witnessing the events as they unfold. The beauty of a novel is in portraying the magnitude of the place and environment to the reader’s eyes and though it is largely left to the reader to imagine the surrounding, Ian McEwan simplifies the process of imagination by bringing in vivid details that cling to the reader and portrays a picture as he perceives it to be! Not an easy task!!!

Lovely book, easy to read and very touchy!! Not easy to put down, once one starts it and absolutely irresistible.

The Vampire Academy

- By Richelle Mead

I absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed this series, from the word GO! It is that fabulous, that I look less than three days to complete the entire series and achingly wanted more of the characters and the story.

The story is, quite obviously, about Vampires. The intrigue comes from the part that, there are good vampires, Moroi and bad vampires, Strigoi and then the almost humans who are stronger than humans, the Dhampirs, who guard and protect the good vampires from the bad vampires. This series does not have the star crossed lovers enigma of Twilight series or The Vampire Diaries, but still manages to hold the readers interest with its quick wit, easy flow and tremendous amount of emotions, sensual and dark.

The Dhampirs are called the Guardians and they are like these Ninja assassins, only much more faster, skillful and ruthless. They are the offspring of Moroi and Dhampirs and are not vampires, do not drink blood and are faster and stronger than the Moroi. The Moroi are living vampires, who drink blood, not to the extent that kills their feeders and they can work magic with the elements like air, fire, water, earth and spirit. The Strigoi are the rouge undead vampires, who are either Moroi who killed and become undead by choice or are humans, Dhampirs or Moroi, who are bitten by Strigoi and turned against their will. They are wicked, strong, fast with a longing for Moroi blood.

The Moroi study their magic and Dhampirs study their offensive and defensive battle tactics in a Vampire academy called the St Vladimirs Academy. The Moroi and the Dhampirs have the law declared by the ruling royal family that they need to abide to. And the Strigoi, aiming to create an imbalance try to pick off the royal families that form the law. And one such royal family is the Dragomir family and the last known blood of the Dragomir family, Vasilisa (Lissa) Dragomir studies in the academy, along with her best friend and guardian, Rosemarie Hathaway, known as Rose.

The entire series is told from Rose point of view, as she journeys from a student Dhampir to a Guardian and faces life threatening obstacles along the way. Headstrong, fiercely independent, she exhibits remarkable ability of understanding her duty towards Moroi, "they come first" being the mantra and she hardly ever fazes from that notion. This becomes more of a challenge when she falls in love with her instructor Dimitri Belikov, a respected Guardian, lethal and dangerous. Dimitri is Lissa's assigned guardian and in his own words, "I cannot fall in love with you, Roza. Because we are both Lissa's guardians and if there ever is a threat from anyone to her, I will have to put my life in front of hers and if I fall in love with you, I am afraid, I will put my life in front of yours,not hers." And so, the frowned romance tinlges its way, promising love and heartbreak.

As Rose journeys to protect her best friend Moroi, Lissa Dragomir from Strigoi and Moroi themselves, the bond that she has with Lissa proves monumental. Lissa being a spirit user and a healer, has the ability to heal people. Having brought Rose back from death using her unknown magical prowess, she bonds Rose with a curse. Rose can read and feel Lissa's mind, whereever she was. Apart from having a shadow-kissed guardian, which sometimes does not give her enough privacy in those moments of shared passion with her lover, Christian Ozera, another Moroi, Lissa has to battle her own inner demons that threaten to push her towards insanity with every usage of her spirit magic.

Rose, under the tutelage of Dimitri Belikov, progresses from a student to a lethal guardian who surpasses him in every way. She faces an uncompromising threat, as he becomes a Strigoi and promises to make her one or kill her. And her love and loyalty, are put to test. And there after are the series grittier sequences and plots.

The series portrays the relations between the characters remarkably. The love, the romance, the thrill, the gritty fights, the tests of friendships and loyalties, all are interwoven intrinsically and make this quite an intriguing read. A fiction lover can hardly put this down!

The Other Boleyn Girl

 - By Philippa Gregory

Even as the days pass by, the beauty of the history is that it never tires one… This novel is a brilliant effort to bring in a piece of history without any lullabies in between. I can only imagine the effort it must have taken, to put in a novel of this magnitude, in one piece, considering the astounding amount of information that is available, with fewer facts. But, leaving aside the history, the novel takes us back to the 16th century English court, to the times when men ruled (not that they do NOT have a say now!) both in the house and outside (:D), where marriage is about family connections and way to move forward, where mistresses are common, especially if the person is wealthy and the love between siblings is certainly a little more closer for comfort… and more importantly, it is about the “Boleyn Girl” (Anne) who is ambitious in that she wants to be the “Queen of England” and how the family supports her ambition and revels in her success and leaves her alone when everything shatters round her, told from another Boleyn girl’s (Mary) perspective. The novel, though a rendition of history, has everything to make it a story that is captivating. It has – passion, rivalry, love, ambition, greed, scandal, incest, murder, lies and a little more. I am not sure if all the incidents did happen, or if this novel is a historical fiction, but I would say this much – the novel is a page turner, either you are reading it or thinking about it, it is as simple as that!

The author has done a splendid job in bringing out the contrasts in the characters and the vivid details of the societal imbalances. And the prose is beautiful, to keep one going till the end.

Mary Boleyn, was fourteen when she first came to the kings court as a lady in waiting, in an attempt to draw king’s attention away from Catherine, the queen of England, who fails give the king, a male heir. In a more complex scheme, devised by her uncle and supported by the Boleyn family, Mary is merely a pawn and they will stop at nothing, to reach the heights of fame, fortune and glory. Anne is brought into the court along with Mary, to entrance the king and keep his eyes on Mary. George, their brother, will stop at nothing, to ensure that his sisters are in the eyes of the king at all times. When the king and Mary elope and Mary is carrying his child, he showers her with gifts and a rare passion, but, Anne has a mind of her own and draws the king to her, through her flirtations and charms and teases him and pleases him at the same time, manipulating him by the click of her fingers, yet deliberately making him yearn for her. The wicked mind games of Anne eventually force Mary out of king’s way. Though Mary does love the king, she understands that she merely is a pawn in the bigger scheme of the things and that, her role in the court as a king’s mistress ended as the king is now interested only in Anne. Mary gives birth to a boy, yet, fails to please the king any longer, hence failing in the main plan. And, Anne, has everything to play for, now that the king is dancing to her tune and that is exactly what she does. She plays a hard game that eats her away from the inside, yet, she never stops, that is the power of ambition, that she moves forward and upward, but in the nights, in the confines of her room, seeks the comfort of the solitude or her sister or brother, to hold the king to her.

The story progresses to show how Anne raises and how, despite her success, she is unhappy. On the other side, it shows the contentment in Mary, when she finds a husband in William Stafford, who is willing to stand for her and father her children, along with her. Though she has no riches of the court, she is happy to be a farmer’s wife, though, not for once, forgetting that she is a Boleyn and that the family priorities will always come first. And when it did come to stand up for her family, her husband stands by her and supports her.

When Anne is carrying the king's child in her womb, Mary is called to the court to be the lady in waiting for Anne. When Anne gives birth to a girl named Elizabeth, the king is displeased. And the other children that Anne carries are still born. And there comes the full circle, with king losing interest in Anne and moving out with another mistress, Lady Seymour. With her dream threatening to be shattered, Anne is carrying again and is on the verge of losing everything. But when she gives birth to a monster – still born, she loses everything, including her family. In the scandal that follows, she is tried and charged for incest and sorcery and murder and is found guilty on all charges and is beheaded. George, who helps her in every step of her way, is charged with adultery and for assisting Anne in sorcery against the king and is found guilty.

Thus, the fall of Anne Boleyn. But she did leave an heir, not a male heir, but a beautiful girl, Elizabeth, who went on to rule England and start the Elizabethan era!!!

(Hmpf! Even men wiser than me, fail to realize that the hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world :D)

Leaving the facts or the fiction of the tale, I loved the way the novel progressed. With over 500 pages, it should have had a few boring passages, but there were none. It is an easy read, captivating and irresistible. The grace with which the novel progressed is in every word as rich as its theme. Giving a taste of the earlier generation and the emotions of people and families, the whiplash does last long and does move a person! Despite all the soup that is not easily digested, it is worth picking up and sure is worth the time too!!!

A fraction of the whole

 - By Steve Toltz

Hilarious, insightful, philosophical, perspective, the novel left me with a mixture of feelings. I could not keep the book down, but more importantly, I could not stop thinking. The background process ticked off the moment the lives of the Dean family unfolded and did not stop till I read the last word. This is a sort of book, one can pick and read any page and stop to think – and perhaps continue that line of thought for eternity. The characters of the dean family are vividly portrayed for their differences, but, what stood out mostly is the narration of the tale from different view points, giving more or less the shared animosity towards the collective living of the society. To think that this is the first novel by the author, it is unbelievable!!! It had about 700 pages and it is filled with wit, humor and a challenge to everyone who opens it – the challenge to put this down unfinished!

The initial narration starts with Jasper Dean, the son, who speaks about his father Martin Dean and about the others involved in shaping Martin to be the person he is. The story takes place in Australia for majority of the part, but, if one thinks we could get a taste of what is Australia like, hell no. The book is solely about the perceptions of Martin Dean and how his thoughts or ideas shaped his future and there by his notions and there by influencing his son’s future. The father who tried to teach his son about the values in life, giving contradictory advices most of the time, fails in his life and becomes the father his son loves to hate. Never once forming the bond, with his eccentricities (I have to call them eccentricity, if only because of my limited vocabulary), Martin Dean drives his son from mingling in the society to a person who is abrasive and filled with condescension against the very society.

The story begins with Jasper writing this from a jail, albeit for not having anything better to do. That is a strange, but, then, as the novel progresses, it does not seem to be a surprise any more. I laid my hands on this one – wondering what is this intriguing title – “A fraction of the whole” and wondered, what exactly is in it? I opened it and this is how it starts:
“You never hear of a sportsman losing his sense of smell in a tragic accident and for good reason; in order for the universe to teach excruciating lessons that are unable to apply in later life, the sportsman must lose his legs, the philosopher his mind, the painter his eyes, the musician his ears, the chef his tongue.” And that did it. I picked it up. Most of the time, though, I was laughing out loud because of the way it is written, but then, there is nothing to laugh about, when you feel sympathetic most of the time to the characters. The sublime style captivated me, and it took me sometime to get out of the characters mind.

The novel drifts to the life of Martin Dean, Jasper’s father, from Martin’s perspective and that too in vivid detail. It left me feeling sorry for Martin most of the time, as he was driven mostly from one hopeless branch to another. From the condescending eyes of his father, to awaiting death due to childhood sickness, to being in coma, to being ridiculed, to being idolized by his little brother, to being the cause of shattering the dreams of his little brother because of the unforeseen turn of events, to being poisoned by a crazed mother, to finding a semblance of love in his father’s eyes when everything is lost and finally, seeing his entire family dead, again – due to his lack of foresight, to an undying love with Caroline Potts and finally to his journey to Paris where he eventually becomes the father of Jasper Dean. It might sound too simple, but it is not. It is much more complex, because Martin questions every notion along the way. His thoughts sounded so far fetched, it left me rolling most of the time. C’mon, he actually suggests that, the little criminal gang that his brother is part of, requires a mentor who could train them and guide them in the right direction and that is how they need to learn the tricks of the trade they chose to live in – from the person IN the trade. And that just left me flummoxed for a few minutes, before I took a deep breath and pursued him more! And more it was, when he actually runs around the Sydney to get the handbook for criminals (titled: Handbook for Crime) published!!! And the titles in that book are something like this: Manslaughter:Oops!, (loved this), Crimes Of passion: hot headed murder.

Terry, his little brother, was like a kid possessed, with his passion about sports and more importantly, he was a kid for whom nothing was impossible. He was loved by the Australia, until the coerced fight left him in no shape to play further, which led him into the world of crime, though as a pay off to the bullies of the school, for leaving his brother alone. It takes us into the mind of Terry as well, though it is said from Martin’s perspective. On an impulse, Martin gets too creative for his own good when he decides to put up a suggestion box in the town. Little did he foresee the repercussions that would be unleashed, to self and towards his family!

Then the novel comes back to the perspective of Jasper, who was taught by his father, about life, in general. These are quite interesting to me, particularly because, the little anecdotes felt like they were written exclusively for this book!!! From the confusing advices to little gestures of warmth to almost ridiculous idea of paying a visit to an empty box in a cemetery, just because the kid has a right to mourn his mother in an appropriate setting, (LOL) this book is a joy ride with a subtle sympathy aligned to ALL the characters. Despising his father becomes very easy in the end, but, what can one say, blood is thicker than water and hence the bonds of the family last stronger through the tough times and hence Jasper could not desert his father for long, when his “make every one in Australia a millionaire” scheme turns out to be a fraud, making the almost overnight most-loving man in Australia to “the hated” man in Australia? And that too, because the outrageous almost successful scheme was backstabbed by his most-trusted friend Eddie, who turns out to be a farce that would be revealed later?

Each character in the novel turns out to be so different from what they initially came out as! Amouk, another significant character in the novel, who perceives the ideas of Martin Dean quite seriously, if only to save him from his depressed haste to meet his end! Man, that was one superb set of events, the persuasion of the richest man in Australia to heed his ear to Martin to help realize one of his crazed ideas! I thought that the author was fond of love triangles, if there is a semblance of love portrayed in the novel, if not for just hormones and opportunities, to put it palpably!

It is hilariously philosophic, outlandishly assertive – having everything – crime, love, hate, passion, friendship, kinship, affection, plots, twists, ironic tales. This is a sort of novel that one cannot put down, but that which does not leave the conscience for sometime to come!

The Glass of Time

- By Michael Cox

The Glass of Time by Michael Cox is a time capsule. Going back to the 1870’s, the story is intricately fabricated, taking the reader through the peaceful setting and the Victorian times and on a ride for adventure.

At the age of nineteen, sent for a ‘Great Task’ by her guardian Madame de L’Orme, to get the job of a lady’s maid at the home of the widow Baroness Tansor in Evenwood, little did Esperanza Gorst know of her future nor could she have predicted it. As the ‘Great Task’ unveils she is caught in an adventure that would take her and the reader into a twist of thrill that forms a fascinating read.

As she gains the confidence of the Lady Tansor, she also knows the little secrets her Lady wants to be kept secret and the nightmares her Lady often suffers from. The fact that her Lady still mourns her dead fiancé Phoebus Daunt, surprises her. The two sons, Perseus and Randolph court her, while she is working on knowing the secrets of her Lady. As the twist unfolds, revealing the real reason she was sent there, she is caught in a web of guilt, for she genuinely cared for her Lady, but then, the over powering reason that justice had to be served drove her as she diligently went about understanding her life and her Lady’s. It is clear from the beginning that she was not a lady’s maid for she has all the qualities of a Lady and she quickly raises to the position of being a companion to her lady and then a friend.

The story might be a little less gripping to one who has already read the Meaning Of the night, its prequel, but, for anyone reading this as their first book will find it captivating and interesting. And readers will thoroughly enjoy this historical write.

A Bend in the Road

 - By Nicholas Sparks

Nicholas Sparks touches your heart and plays with your emotions. Bend in the road is not any different. It has love, affection, forgiveness, confession, guilt – all the factors that seem to make an emotional bomb and is let loose from the word go, to boom at the end.

Miles Ryan, a deputy Sheriff of North Carolina town of New Bern, and his wife Missy, were a happy couple until the destiny intervenes to change their lives irrevocably. Missy will be a fatality in a hit and run car accident and the case is closed unsolved. But Miles was unwilling to let it go and mounts his own futile investigation. On the doomed day of Missy’s death, his life seems to be void of spark and he seems to mourn his own life and if not for their son Jonah, his life would have held little meaning for him after the death of his high school sweet heart.

Jonah, after the untimely death of his mother had difficult time in his education and the other teachers, understanding his emotional state, just let him be, until Sarah came along as his second-grade teacher. Sarah Andrews moves to the quiet town of North Carolina to overcome the grief of a difficult divorce and finds solace and comfort as a second-grade teacher in that quiet town. She reaches out to Jonah, perhaps at the hurt in his eyes and probably to nurse her own emotional wounds, she eventually courts Miles Ryan, until fate intervenes, yet again, with a wicked bend in the road.

The rest of the journey is a battle of love, faith, forgiveness and as the master conjurer whips his magic of words, the readers are inevitably bound to the spell that would last until the gripping moment of the truth that links them casts its light at the most inopportune moment, to swirl their lives.

A good read for any readers who love romantic genre.

The devotion of suspect X

- By Keigo Higashino

What caught me to this book was the title – “Suspect X”. Suspect X, was it referring to a specific suspect or a random suspect from a bunch of suspects? Then I thought about the word ‘devotion’ in the title and decided it should perhaps be talking about a single specific suspect, from a random bunch of suspects. Devotion could mean only one thing, in such a title. Honestly, despite the obviousness of the title, the narration unraveled a plot that unfolded at a decent pace and kept me turning the pages at full speed. Before I opened the book, after reading the back drop of it, I let my imagination unfold and I can honestly say that I was not very far off with my guesses. However, what kept me hooked to it was the beauty of the tale and the logical flow of the story.

Ishigami is a Math teacher. He lives and breathes Math. Considered one of the most brilliant Mathematician, there are few who can unravel his genius at problem solving. He walks to this daily deli were his neighbor Yasuko works, to pick his every day lunch. Despite being neighbors, they hardly exchange a word. Yasuko and Misato stay in a small apartment, next door to Ishigami, when one day, Yasuko’s abusive ex-husband Togashi visits. The conversation between Yasuko, Misato and Togashi escalates to a fight, with Togahshi ending up dead. While Yasuko and Misato try to fall over each other, over who has to surrender to the cops, Ishigami knocks on Yasuko’s door, asking about the commotion. His rare genius of a mind understands the situation in one quick glance and offers them his help.

When the cops identify a corpse to be Togashi, they come calling onto Yasuko’s door step. And coached by the brilliant Ishigami, they follow a script to tell a tale that Kusanagi, the detective cop, cannot find a fault with. Despite all that, Kusanagi has a nagging feeling that something was off. He talks to his consultant physicist and college mate, the brilliant Yukawa, who incidentally went to college with Ishigami. Though there are no obvious loopholes in the tales of the suspects Yasuko and Misato, when Yukawa talks to his friend Ishigami, he suspects something else.

From there on, starts the dance in the shadows of two genius minds who out challenge each other. While the what and who is obvious in the story, the comeuppance for the crime goes till the wire and the conclusion, trust me, will either make you scream, “Bloody Hell” or “WTH?”

But, if you enjoy the brilliant detection, this book is definitely worth the time.