C'est la vie!!

                     'The Secret' is a book that I picked up from the Best Sellers rack in the book store. Having heard many reviews of this book including an exclusive show in Oprah Winfrey show dedicated to it, I was curious to read this much acclaimed book.
                      The book is based on a simple law termed 'The Law of Attraction' , the law that determines our destiny and draws things towards us. The primary concept of this book is that each individual is the author of his destiny and thinking positive powerful thoughts enables him to achieve his goal. At various points there are quotes from famous doctors, scientists , social workers ,etc discussing how they happened to transform their lives following 'The Secret'.
                      A lot of content of the book is based on the 'Ask , Believe, Receive' mantra. When you ask for something and whole heartedly believe that it will happen , you will reap the rewards. The first thought that came to my mind when I finished this book was that , a book published in the 20th century carries the same message present in the Indian vedas written eons ago . So great and priceless is our Indian Vedas and upanishads that 'The Secret' by merely picking gists of it has become a best seller.
                        Overall a good read and narrated in a very positive tone. Also the glossy pages with comforting text will make your reading interesting .  A nice read for anyone looking for some optimism and hope in life :)

                      The much acclaimed book - 'The God of Small Things' won the booker prize in 1997 and ever since Indian women authors have shared a special respect in the literary circles. I wonder why I had postponed this book so long since books by Indian women  always captivate me - be it Chitra Banerji or Jhumpa Lahiri or the most recent Indu Sundaresan .
                        The story is based around the life of dizygotic twins Estha and Rahel and the town of Ayemenen in Kerala forms the backdrop for the tale. The book entirely has a Kerala touch to it right from the pleasantaries used to the communist activists rampant there to the way grandparents are addressed as Mamachi and Pappachi. The story is told from the view point of the 7 year old twins and what is gripping is that it is filld with flash backs and forwards that sometimes you will have to context switch your mind to tune it from past to present to future.
                         The book left me with mixed feelings. Arundhati's writing style is indeed mind blowing . Her knack of drawing humour even in the saddest of situations makes it a good read. However the book was a tad too sad for me. It kind of left me thinking that there are people whose life is filled with hopelessness . There is no situation in the book where the family (the twins and their mom) see any form of happiness. Abandoned by a drunk dad ,admonished by their aunt (Baby Kochamma),being blamed for the death of their cousin ,Sophie all left me thinking that there is no light at the end of the tunnel for these characters.
                     A good read as it gives you a lot of insights into the Kerala culture . Also worth reading for the innocence dripping in the book since the  incidents are narrated from a 7 year old's perspective. Overall a mixed bag of emotions with sadness ruling it .

                The book begins with one of literature's most popular opening lines 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again' and this immediately transports us to the microcosm that Manderley turns out to be.
                 Rebecca is one of the most reknowned  British novels and a BBC poll even awarded it the 'Britain's Best Read' title. This novel is a tale of love , murder suspense interwoven with a fairy tale-ish touch and the captivating Manderley estate serving as a background as the story unfurls.
               The nameless narrator is faced with an impromptu proposal from Maxim de Winter who is the master of Manderley. Being young and literally homeless the young , naive girl agrees to be his bride. Little does she realise what she has in store when she reaches Manderley. Rebecca , Max's ex wife died in a sailing accident about a year back. Soon the narrator realises that the entire household is haunted by the late Rebecca 's memory.  She finds it impossible to put herself in rebecca's shoes and take charge of the household. The rest of the story is about how  a mystery unfurls regarding Rebecca's death and how to de Winters tackle it.
                An important character in the novel is Mrs Danvers, the efficient house keeper. She was Rebecca's maid from her child hood and she loathed the new bride as she could not imagine anyone taking her beloved Rebecca's place. She is cold to the new bride and even urges her to commit suicide saying she is out of Max's league.
               Overall the book turned out to be an entertaining read. Gripping at some points and very vividly descriptive at other instances.The book has also been made into an Alfred Hitchcock movie which won two academy awards. This book will be my entry for OT 2010 (country - England since Daphne was an English born writer)
    
          

                      I was looking to read something different from my usual monotonous reading routine and what could be more interesting than a Sherlock Holmes novel!!! So I picked up 'A Study in Scarlet' which surprisingly is the first book written featuring Sherlock Holmes.
                      The book gives a background about Dr Watson's life and how he got acquainted with the famous Holmes. They move in together to the unforgettable 221B Baker Street (which now of course has become a house hold name) and Holmes never ceases to ammuse Watson with his observation skills.
                     The plot of the book then moves on to a murder mystery where the murderer does not kill for money but for revenge. Holmes deduces the traits of the suspect by sheer observation and analytical ability much to the surprise of Watson (the famous 'Elementary my dear Watson' dialogue however is missing in this book :)) . Holmes earns Watson's adulation in the very beginning and soon even Watson begins to involve himself in the sleuthing bit.
                       Any other details about the story would be a give away as it is a typical Sherlock book. A refreshing read and it brought back a lot of memories of school days where summer vacations were spent reading Sherlock Holmes' adventures.
P.S. This is also my entry for the OT 2010 ( Sir Arthur is Scottish hence I will post this under Scotland reviews)

          
                  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society(TGLPPPS) is as distinct and entertaining as its name suggests. I was initially wary of picking it up  since the plot is set against World War II and I felt that it could have an unsettling effect on me if gory incidents were mentioned. However this book proved me all wrong ...the novelty of this book lies in the fact that World War incidents are interwoven with tales of camaraderie,love and books :)
                 TGLPPPS is an impromptu society that gets formed when a bunch of Guernsey residents are spotted on the road past curfew time by the Germans. The addition of potato peel pie to the name has an interesting background to it - in the absence of flour and other ingredients needed for the pie during war time,potato peel was used as a substitute. This was served during the literary meetings and hence appended to the society's name.
                 This book is written in an epistolary manner and through each letter you will see the characters come  to life. The beauty of this book lies in the fact that the content of a letter would help you paint vivid images of the person writing it. Juliet Ashton the protagonist of this book is a character whom you will completely fall in love with as you read on. She is 30 something, single, a confused writer wondering about the plot of her next story. A few letters from Guernsey sets her mind ticking and soon she lands there to meet friends whom she was only met through letters.
                 Throughout the book there are references to works of Charles Lamb , Bronte sisters , Jane Austen , Oscar Wilde and what not. It is a treat for any literary loving person as they discuss Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice.
                 Juliet Ashton would often mention that though she had not met the people in Guernsey she felt she was a part of them. I got the same feeling about all of them . I could imagine living in Guernsey with Isola and Dawnsey and Kit and Eben. (the characters in the book)As I was reading the book , I felt closer to some of the characters , fell in love with some , adored a few ...felt like I was living next door with them. This is one of the very few books in recent times that has made me feel this way. A truly heart warming read.
               TGLPPPS is a must read for any one who loves a dash of literature thrown in with World War details. It is a book that is a complete page turner as you would want to get closer to the characters.It is a book that would make you feel like a part of you was in it. An awesome read and one of the best books I ve read in a while.
P.S. This is my first entry for Orbis Terrarum 2010

I am winding up the Orbis Terrarum challenge of 2009 with this final book by an author from Guyana. Though technically is is already 2010 and past my deadline to post the review , I say 'Better late than never'
This book is an autobiography of Braithwaite where he narrates the various testing times he had to go through to find a place in the hearts of his students. Edward is a coloured person who takes up a job as a teacher in a school in London. He is faced with copious amounts of racial discrimination and is subject to ill treatment.
The crux of the story is about how he brings about a change in a batch of unruly students who are disrespectful, crude and unkempt. He rectifies their behaviour , enforces them to address each other with courtesy and even makes them dress up more tidily. The story is about how students behave when you treat them like young adults and explain things to them without being dogmatic and dominating .
The book is a very simple read and the story is very heart warming. It kind of makes you look back on school life and reminisce on a few teacher(s) who made a difference to your life. Pick it up if you are looking for a light book with a touch of sensitivity .

2 states is a book that does not even need a review since anything that Chetan Bhagat writes sells. In all the book stores ,this book is already on the best-sellers shelf and while waiting in the billing queue , I probably saw every person having this book in hand.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is my next entry for the Orbis terrarum challenge - I have landed in Sweden this time. The book is primarily set in Sweden and the author, the late Stieg Larsson is also Swedish.
This book is the first of the millennium trilogy and it proved to be a complete page turner. Murder mysteries have always aroused my enthusiasm and this book was no different. The story had everything - suspense , climax, mystery, murder,libel all rolled into one enthralling read. This book was termed as one of the best sellers of the year but I was a bit apprehensive about picking it up because it is a mere translation of the original Swede book. I was wondering if it would bring out the content and depth of the original. However it turned out to be one of the best detective/murder mysteries I have read in the recent times.
The gist of the story is as follows : Nearly 40 years ago Harriet Vanger disappears from Hedeby island. This island is primarily occupied by a powerful business family , the Vangers. On the day of her disappearance there were many social events that took place on the otherwise isolated island. Hence the number of suspects is enormous. Also neither was her corpse found nor was there any witness which makes the mystery even more thrilling.Henrik Vanger who is her guardian does not wasnt to give up the search and so he hires Mikael. Mikael Blomkovist is a journalist convicted of libel and his magazine is on the verge of sinking. In his effort to save his skin and reputation , he agrees to solve the mystery.
Actually this story has two mysteries that are interwoven with each other - one is Harriet Vanger's disappearance and the other is about Lisabeth Salander's life. Lisabeth Salander is Mikael's accomplice in solving the mystery. However she is not a typical 'goody two shoes ' detective a la Nancy Drew and Miss Marple. She is a complete dare devil ,a professional hacker, a master of disguises and would go to any extreme to get her facts straight. Infact her past life and her actions seem to be like a mystery of its own.
There are parts of the book that are kind of gross and a bit too gory to bear. However that apart its a completely gripping read. I would recommend it to anyone who is waiting to read a fast paced book. This book has made me want to complete the trilogy series. So keep waiting for reviews on the next book- 'The Girl who played with fire'

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a novel which provides an unique insight into the Russian Revolution of 1917. Orwell in a very creative manner analogizes human traits and raw animal characteristics. He conveys that how greed , ignorance and all the negative factors can prevent us from creating an Utopian World.
The book starts off with how all the animals in 'Manor Farm' decide to drive out their master because they felt they were being treated cruelly. The animals got together and framed 7 commandments that they would follow once they ruled the farm themselves. After successfully de -throning the master , the pig named Napoleon takes full charge of the farm. Napolean the pig actually depicts the traits of Joseph Stalin.
Napoleon becomes a total tyrant and he becomes a self proclaimed leader. He disillusions the other animals into thinking that their lives were much more relaxed , while in reality they were actually stressed . In a very tricky manner he amends the 7 commandments and fools the gullible animals. The highlight is when he amends the commandment 'All animals are equal' to 'All animals are equal but some animals are more in equal' . He uses this commandment to his complete advantage and all the pigs start misusing their power and start behaving like humans.
The book amazes me because of the fact that in 150 pages, Orwell communicates such a heavy topic in a light herated manner using animals that talk . It is indeed ingenious. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes classics. This book would be my second entry for the Classics challenge hosted by Trish .

For the orbisterrarum challenge I leaped all the way from the woods of Canada to contemporary Britain. After reading a classic like Anne of Green gables I moved to a completely different genre book - Bridget Jones's diary
The book as the name suggests comprises of the diary notes that a 30 something spinster (oft quoted as 'Singleton' in the book )makes every single day . The book is an ensemble of all the incidents and happenings in the life of Bridget Jones .
Since most of us would have seen the movie , the book is no different . It revolves around the life of Bridget who is single and who just loathes the one question - "When are you getting married ?" . In an attempted humorous way , the book talks about her relationship first with her cold , infidel boss Daniel and later with a more sensible Mark Darcy. Apart from that there are rambles about how she makes resolutions to lose weight and cut down on alcohol etc.
The one annoying character in the book was Bridget's mom. She proved to be extremely nagging and over flirtatious. Also she was extremely critical of everything that Bridget wore and said. In fact the preface of the book says " Thanks to my mom for not being like Bridget's " :)
Apart from that the book was a mediocre read. A very mundane account of the happenings in Bridget's life. I would definitely not call it a "must read". However anyone who has not seen the movie and would like to read the book might find it interesting.

My next stop for the orbis terrarum challenge would be in the land of the maple leaf - Canada! I read the book "Anne of Green Gables" based on the rave reviews that I have been reading about it. I was quite surprised that in my school years I had not come across this series.
Anne of Green Gables is the first book of this series and Maud's style of writing is indeed laudable
The book revolves around the life of Anne Shirley who is an orphaned child and comes to live with the brother sister duo ,Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. Within the first few pages of the book, I fell in love with the extremely affable and gregarious Anne. Anne is so full of life, our typical day dreamer and a person you could not resist liking. Anne was adopted by the Cuthberts by accident since they were looking for a helper boy and not a chatty , dreamy girl. However Anne being her usual amicable self , found a place in the Cuthbert's home. The rest of the book is about how well Anne fits in the Green gables household.
There are parts of the book that made me want to go back to the secure comfort of being a 11 year old child. A phase where you could dream about anything and everything without wondering if they would ever come true. Maud brings to life the desires, whims and fancies of a child. She amuses you with Anne's antics and quirks.Apparently , Mark Twain wrote to Montgometry that in Anne Shirley she had created " the dearest and most lovable child in fiction since the immortal Alice"
This book is definitely very 'Enid Blytonish' and for all those who grew up reading her books, am sure you'll like this book too. I regret to have not read this book at a younger age where would have related to it more. However better late than never ...this book definitely wins my 2 cents :)

For the orbisterrarum challenge my next stop would be the USA . I happened to read the book Marley and Me a few days back and boy did I love it!!It is a truly heart warming narration of the joys and emotions that a dog brings to you .
Marley and Me by John Grogan will have you smiling at some points , amused at other times and will make you weep like a baby towards the end. This was one book that I just could not put down once I started reading it. Though I haven't owned a dog , I could relate to the book so well that I felt that the labrador in the book was mine.
This book is about a labrador retriever, Marley that is always getting into trouble. The owners John and Jane find it difficult to control his antics and decide to send him to obedience school. But Marley being the true brat , was promptly thrown out. Apart from this the master finds out that Marley is terrified of rains,storms and creates a wreck when he has to encounter them. Inspite of all this shortcomings Marley served as a pillar of support to the family. He was the comforting factor in Jane's life when she had a miscarriage. He connected well with the Grogon kids and kept an eye on them . He was very much a part of the Grogon family that they could not imagine life without him.
The book in many places describes the emotions and unconditional love that a dog gives you. The author feels that all a dog expects from you is a liitle bit of love and in return he gives you his complete love, gratitude and loyalty. ..something that is difficult to find amongst the humans.
A dog makes you realise the true meaning of love and compassion . Until the dog is gone you fail to realise the void it creates in your life.
I have had many friends who refused to own a second dog because parting with the first was immensely painful. You feel as if your family is incomplete once they die. The sad part is a dog's life never exceeds 14 years and there is a sure possibility that you would have to live through their death. This concept is described very well in this book .
This is one book that I thororoughly enjoyed reading ...it totally overwhelmed me . A book that is sure to touch any dog lover's heart . A book that would make you yearn to own a dog :)

The much acclaimed book 'The white tiger' was one of the books I was itching to read.The reasons being the fact that not only was the author a booker prize winner but also a Chennai born.
The narration of the story was refreshing as it was based on letters written to a Chinese premier, in a style very different from other contemporary books.
The content is our every day rags to riches story of a commoner named Balram Halwai. However it is the narration and the wit of the book that keeps you going.
The story is centred around the life and plights of the servant class in India. The picture he paints of the trauma that the servile class undergo is partly true (though not completely). The author uses subtle wit and humour to mock at the various characters and their doings.
I have conflicting views on the book. At one hand I could relate to the fact that 'In India you do not have drivers, gardeners,etc. You only have servants'. He says that irrespective of what you have been appointed for you should be able to fit into another servant's shoes with ease. Thus a driver would also need to sweep the floor, make dinner and cater to the master's whims. However the portrayal of the master's cruelty and insensitivity is slightly overboard.
There are parts of the book which make me think 'Why does he have to portray India as a poor ,destitute country living in "Darkness"?'However certain parts of it make me smile as I find some of the incidents so real
In short it is definitely worth a read. Once you start reading it you wont realise that you have reached the end of the book - it is that interesting.

I read the Purple Hibiscus as a part of the Orbis Terrarum challenge . The author is from Nigeria and this book truly was quite a different read
Its about the life of a 15 year old girl, Kambili whose life is bound by rigid schedules set by her father. Her life just revolves around church , studies, reciting the rosary and 'set-aside' family time. Suddenly her life changes when she visits her liberated, hip, broad minded aunt whose house seems to be filled with incessant laughter , joy and contentment. Kambili sees that though she lived with great comfort in her parental home, she lacked the sense of joy and independence which she enjoyed in her aunt's house.
This story is set in the background of the Nigerian unrest. The author describes so many conflicting thoughts in the young girl's mind. Her father's tyranny had prevented her from enjoying even the small things in life . Towards the end of the book ,she says " I have nightmares of the silence when Papa was alive.In my nightmares it mixes with shame and grief and so many other things that I cannot name ....." which shows that the mere fact of living with her father was filled with dread and discomfort. However the end of the story was a little vague but I wont comment on it since it will become a 'spoiler' for the readers who havent read the book yet.
To sum it all up , the book was a good read. This is the first book on a Nigerian theme so I learnt a lot of things like their life style , food habits , dressing style, etc. A nice weekend read for anyone who wants to read something different