Belated Birthday Wishes - Arpita

So as it is, we forgot to wish our dearest Arpi on her birthday which went by yesterday 
I know I forgot too....Sorry, hon 
But as they say, better late than never

Happy Happy Wala 22nd , Love!!


WISHING YOU THE VERY BEST FOR THE COMING YEAR

Tonnes of books 
Plenty of cakes and treats   
Endless Booze (or if you prefer, mojitos and mocktails)  
Great Grades in exams   
and loads and loads of love from all  

Shutter Island- Dennis Lehane

“She was afraid of all that and so much more, but what terrified her most was inside of her, an insect of unnatural intelligence who’d been living in her brain her entire life, playing with it, clicking across it, wrenching loose its cables on a whim.” 

'The year is 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient. Multiple murderess Rachel Solando is loose somewhere on this remote and barren island, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance. As a killer hurricane bears relentlessly down on them, a strange case takes on even darker, more sinister shades- with hints of radical experimentation, horrifying surgeries, and lethal counter-moves made in the cause of a covert shadow war. No one is going to escape Shutter Island unscathed, because nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is what it seems. But then neither is Teddy Daniels.' 

Shutter Island was 1st published in 2003.

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Number of Pages: 369

ISBN: 978-0-380-73186-2

Price: Rs. 275/- (Flipkart)

I was sent this book by the ALOP team, via Homeshop 18.

About the author: A native of Dorchester, Massachusetts, Dennis Lehane lives in the Boston area. His book 'A Drink Before the War' won the Shamus Award for Best First Novel. 


                                                 

              
He is the author of New York Times bestseller Mystic River, which was made into a film in 2003, directed by Clint Eastwood; it starred Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon. The novel itself was a finalist for the PEN/Winship Award and won the Anthony Award and the Barry Award for Best Novel, the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction, and France's Prix Mystère de la Critique. 

Quotes from Shutter Island:

“This world can only give me reminders of what I don't have, can never have, didn't have for long enough.” 

 “I loved this woman the way you love ... well, nothing," he said, a note of surprise in his voice. "You can’t compare that kind of love to anything, can you? It’s its own unique gift.” 

“The brain controls pain. It controls fear. Sleep. Empathy. Hunger. Everything we associate with the heart or the soul or the nervous system is actually controlled by the brain. Everything. What if you could control it?” 

Arpita Speaks:

The thin line between dreams and reality becomes negligible, when you can barely tell them apart. They say depression is so easy to fall into. Madness is even more alluring.

How can you be sure that what you are seeing is real? Everyone has their own version of the truth, depending upon what they choose to believe in. And the mind can play funny games.  

If you let it happen, this book can make you question your own notion of truth and reality. This is one of those stories that are so awe-inspiring that no matter how well you try to express yourself, you’ll always fall short of words.

The novel is set in a span of four days, each more sinister and haunting than the last. The dreams, the action, the setting- each will leave your gut clenching with dread. The chilling images can get stuck to your eyelids like a nightmare that would not go away.

I finished this book in a very short period of time and it’s been on my mind for days. I knew the truth about the protagonist before I read the book- but the labyrinthine plot and mind-boggling twists left me thoroughly perplexed towards the end, and completely unsure about what to believe. If you ask me, that’s what sets an author apart: his ability to rope you in so well that you’ll enjoy reading the book even if you know the story.

If it’s supernatural, you can still convince yourself it’s not real and probably won’t ever happen. But science can scare you in a way nothing else can. I suggest you read this book only if you can handle it. 

Rating: 5/5 

Matilda- Roald Dahl

1st PUBLISHED: 1988

GENRE: Fiction, Kids' Stuff

ISBN: 978-0-141-32266-7

SYNOPSIS:

Matilda Wormwood's father is a mean crooked crook. And her mother's just plain stupid. They think Matilda is a nuisance who should watch more TV and read fewer books! But her lovely teacher Miss Honey thinks Matilda is a genius. Matilda has few extraordinary tricks up her sleeve so her horrible parents and even more horrible headmistress had better watch out. 

EXCERPT:

"Daddy," she said, "do you think you could buy me a book?"

   "A book?" he said. "What d'you want a flaming book for?"

"To read, Daddy."

   "What's wrong with the telly for heaven's sake? We've got a lovely telly with a twelve inch screen and now you come asking for a book! You're getting spoiled my girl!"

ANINDITA SPEAKS:

I got this amazing book as a gift from one of my dearest cousins, right before I left for my visit to China. I usually take very long to finish a big book, but I read this one late into the night and finished it in less than a week! 

Matilda is a kind, polite, selfless and intelligent girl. She is a genius, but she sadly has no true friends. Just like David Copperfield's father warns his headmaster, Matilda's dad tells Miss Trunchbull to be careful as she is very "wild". Matilda is always bullied by The Trunchbull although the other kids in Crunchem Hall Primary School seem to like her.   

This novel by Roald Dahl encouraged me to read more and more. Little Matilda read books like, Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, Animal Farm by George Orwell, and Kim by Rudyard Kipling among many others at the age of four!

I loved this book and could not find anything that I disliked except a few characters like Miss Trunchbull the headmistress, and Matilda's parents. Miss Honey is my favorite character apart from the heroine. I loved the way Roald Dahl ended this story. Read the book to find out about Matilda's adventures as a brilliant kid who saves the day!

NUMBER OF PAGES: 232

PRICE: Rs. 197/- (Flipkart)

RATING: 5/5

Note from Arpita- Anindita is my ten year old sister. She goes to Modern School and is in the fifth grade. And yes, she wrote the review without my help. I'm entering the Diwali Giveaway on her behalf since she does not have a blogger ID. Here's wishing a very happy Children's Day to everyone on ALOP!

Note from Anindita- Thank you, ALOP, for letting me do my first review here! I'm so excited! 

Frivolous Fridays: The House of Night

The House of Night Novels

By P.C. & Kristen Cast

1st Published: 2007 

How I’ve missed the nerd herd!

You know that moment when one of your favourite movies or books is about to be released or out in stores? It just brings along a sense of excitement that is incomparable and incredible. With the end of the Harry Potter era (although in many ways it is evergreen), The House of Night is one book series that made me profusely thank God that I still have something good to look forward to.

This is just one of those things that I am completely mad about- so obviously, I don’t know where to start, and how to stop. This is one chance for me to say everything I want to, about the HoN books- I could go on and on and on. But keeping in mind the fact that I cannot possibly spoil all the fun for those of you who haven’t read the series yet, I will restrict myself to introducing the important characters and telling you what I love about them, without giving too much away.

[ If by the end of my post, you’re not shaking your head and frowning, you can have a look at the reviews of the books in the series that have been published so far, for further details. All HoN fans from ALOP, and those reading this post, are welcome to add their views here, or in their comments- the people who haven't read the HoN novels are just as welcome. :) ]

The House of Night, the vampire finishing school, is home to Zoey Redbird and her friends, who make up the 'nerd herd'- very cool people who take pride in being called ‘dorks’ (read: fans of Stars Wars, Harry Potter and the like). Zoey's dorm room now feels like my own, and Aphrodite's seems like the kind of room I hope I'll have when I win a million dollars at the lottery.

While I would not say I’d go for just about any book related to vampires, I know I was tempted to read this one because it was a supernatural story. And believe it or not, I was very skeptical about it when I first laid hands on it. But was I surprised! HoN is a fascinating blend of teenage fiction and mythology! It’s very tough to explain just how well PC and Kristen Cast have made use of their knowledge of mythology as well as Cherokee folklore to give this teenage vampire drama a whole new twist. But you'll know exactly how amazing it is, when you read it.

What I expected was to read another Twilight with a lot more slang and swear words. And then people started dying.

The first book in the series, Marked, was a typical Chick Lit about cute guys, prettier and mean rivals, and about finding a place where you can finally belong, with friends who love you just the way you are; all that got me to read the next one was the curiosity that was building up with the suspense in the first book. (If there's one thing I cannot stand, it's an unsolved mystery.) I thought it would be the usual story with a villain who wants power, and your protagonist tries to beat them with her friends by her side. What I never expected was to find one of the most innocent characters dying, in the second book itself, at a point where you could not have even thought something sinister would happen, at a point when you do not even know where the story is heading. And you know what makes you hurt more than anything else when a character you like dies? Realizing that it was the one you could relate to most. It is the freakiest thing ever. 

I could say I relate to all the characters in one way or the other, however. Damien and I share a love for reading and enjoy being the studious kid who tells people to behave; Stevie Rae and I are extremely loyal and yet have a different side to our personalities that most people aren't aware of; just like Erin and Shaunee, I can crack stupid jokes in a serious situation just to make everything seem a little easier to handle (and I also swear at my closest friends, out of 'love'...); Aphrodite (!) and I are alike because we can be very cynical and sarcastic, and we take time to like people but once we do, we love them like no other; and Zoey- well, Zoey and I seem to think it's our job to save the world, we screw things up half the time in trying to do so, and can never stop stressing. Oh yes, there's one more thing- love for the Goddess. 

"...Even in the midst of craziness and exhaustion and life changing chaos, I was filled with peace and the sweet knowledge that I was walking the path my Goddess wanted me on. Not that the path was smooth and pothole free. But still, it was my path, and like me, it was bound to be unique."

Bravely Fought The Queen- Mahesh Dattani

And Arpita!

SYNOPSIS: 

First staged in Mumbai in 1991, Bravely Fought the Queen juggles between two spaces centre stage where an empirical drama removes the mask of hypocrisy from a seemingly normal urban household; and a small, rear backdrop from where emerges the raison d être of each protagonist.

The family in focus is that of two brothers, Jiten and Nitin, who run an advertising agency and are married to sisters: Dolly and Alka. Their mother, Baa, moves between the two households, attached more to her memories of the past than to any present reality. Marital friction, sibling rivalry, the traditional tension between mother-in-law and daughters-in-law, the darker moments of business and personal dealings, the play takes us through the entire gamut of emotional experience as it winds to a climactic finish.

With its relentless pace, crisp idiom and unflinching insight into the urban milieu, this is a play that confirms Mahesh Dattani s reputation as India s most influential playwright.

EXCERPT:  

"Lalitha: You stunt their growth. You keep trimming the roots and bind their branches...you've got to make sure,the roots don't have enough space to spread..."

SWARNALI SPEAKS:  

Mahesh Dattani questions and challenges many universal questions regarding traditional and stereotyped gender roles in his plays. Through his plays Dattani explores the multiple facets of human relationships and their validity in today's world. Many of the subjects that he chooses cannot be comfortablyor directly discussed in an orthodox social milieu as in India. 

Issues like incest,lechery,female subjugation amongst others are strongly condemned in India in public and Dattani very tactfully raises his voice on these social taboos in an oblique manner through a plethora of symbols.

In this particular play,Dattani takes the title from the famous lines of a Hindi poem by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan, that all Indians are sure to have heard in childhood-

"Khub ladi mardani woh toh Jhansi wali Rani thi" 

(Translation-"Bravely fought the manly queen of Jhansi.")

The very first time I saw the book,it was the title which caught my attention. I couldn't help but be reminded of the same poem. Intrigued how a contemporary playwright could have used the same lines to tell a tale in the modern world,I picked it up and I can happily say I don't regret my decision!! I was so addicted after reading this one that i couldn't help myself from reading all his other plays and they are equally good. 

This book is an amazing read especially if you are an Indian and if you are appalled by the hypocrisy in everyday things in the society. A very fast moving plot makes you feel like you are actually watching the play being performed in front of your eyes and you are yourself a character in it. 

The title or book cover may suggest a feminist idea being propagated but I assure you that is not the only thing or issue being addressed in the book. This is not a light book as it may keep haunting you for several days as it did to me. The light hearted family talks in the first two acts take a sudden turn in the final act and the reader or viewer is left open mouthed as slowly everything is revealed. Dattani does a brilliant job in cleverly hiding the final surprises/shocks. A must read for all.

ARPITA SPEAKS:

When you sit and think about what makes you like a book more than the others, one thing that definitely comes to mind is the way it makes you feel like a part of the story. But it's even more interesting when you don't feel like you're one of the characters, but that you are actually witnessing something real. 

In the entire course of reading the play, I somehow felt like I was watching it live, rather than reading it- and it was an inexplicably exciting experience. It was even better than imagining myself as an invisible god who got to watch the proceedings without being involved. I didn't feel like I was a friend, of a character in the play, caught in an awkward situation where one has to witness a family drama. I felt like I was sitting in a dark auditorium and watching this fascinating play with bated breath. 

There are eleven characters in all- two brothers (Jiten and Nitin) who marry two sisters (Dolly and Alka), the boys' mother 'Baa', Sridhar, the guy who works under them in the advertising agency, his wife Lalitha, and four other characters who never actually show up and are only referred to- Daksha, the old woman, and Kanhaiya, who is possibly the most intriguing character, if you ask me, apart from Praful (the girls' brother),who is a surprise package.  

It might come across as a heavy read, when you think about the various angles to the plot. It definitely is a dark concept; it involves the 'dirty' secrets that people have to keep in order to keep up appearances. And it would surely stay on your mind for a long time after you've turned the last page. 

Nevertheless, it's absolutely entertaining- and for those who do not like to get too much into the skin of the character, will find it a 'fun' read if they studiously ignore the ghastly revelations that can be disturbing in several ways, because they actually do reflect society the way it is. I guess it could give you a sadistic pleasure- catharsis, if you like, because you're not going through what the characters are.

There are certain situations where the playwright might or might not have been trying a hand at humor, but I certainly found the incidents amusing, all the more because they were just so true to life.

Dolly is seated on the sofa, wearing a dressing gown....she has a mud mask on....After a while, the doorbell rings. She gets up and opens the door to Lalitha....

Dolly: Well, I'm not going to be home very long....As you can see, I was getting ready. My mask is almost dry.

Lalitha: I lie down under the ceiling fan.

Dolly: Huh?

Lalitha: When I have my mask on. It dries faster.

Dolly: Oh, I see.

Lalitha: Then I can do my afternoon meditation in shavasana at the same time. Once the neighbour's boy peeped in through our window and saw me lying flat on my back in the middle of the room. He thought I was dead or dying or something. He called the watchman. When I opened the door for them, they both thought I was a ghost, what with all the mud on my face and egg on my hair. (Laughs)

No response from Dolly.

Dolly: I'm sorry. I wanted to laugh but I was afraid.

Lalitha: Afraid?

Dolly: Afraid I would crack my mask.

The symbols, imagery and innuendos which foreshadow the consequences of the actions of the protagonists might be very accurate, but the play still has the kind of conclusion that will make your jaw drop. If you don't read this, you'll be missing something truly remarkable- you must go for it.

OUR RATING: 5/5

GENRE: Drama

ISBN: 0143062077

ISBN-13: 9780143062073, 978-0143062073

NO. OF PAGES: 100

THIS EDITION PUBLISHED IN 2006 BY PENGUIN BOOKS INDIA

PRICE: Rs.99/- 

On Flipkart: Rs.84/- (After discount.) 

PS- This book happens to be one of Swarnali's most prized possessions, and she gifted it to me the first time we met. I have to say, it was the perfect present. 

Frankenstein- Mary Shelley

1st PUBLISHED: 1818

ISBN: 81-86423-64-8

GENRE: Gothic Horror Fiction

SYNOPSIS:

In the summer of 1816, a young, well-educated woman from England traveled with her lover to the Swiss Alps. Unseasonable rain kept them trapped inside their lodgings, where they entertained themselves by reading ghost stories. At the urging of renowned poet Lord Byron, a friend and neighbor, they set their own pens to paper, competing to see who could write the best ghost story. The young woman, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (yes, she shared her name with her mother- the celebrated feminist), took the prize, having composed a story creepy enough not only to take its place alongside the old German tales that she and her Alpine companions had been reading, but also to become a bestseller in her time and a Gothic classic that still resonates with readers almost two centuries later.

Mary Shelley made an anonymous but powerful debut into the world of literature when Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus was published in March, 1818. She was only nineteen when she began writing her story. She and her future husband, poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, were visiting poet Lord Byron at Lake Geneva in Switzerland when Byron challenged each of his guests to write a ghost story. Settled around Byron's fireplace in June 1816, the intimate group of intellectuals had their imaginations and the stormy weather as the stimulus and inspiration for ghoulish visions.

A few nights later Mary Shelley imagined the "hideous phantasm of man" who became the confused yet deeply sensitive creature in Frankenstein. She once said, "My dreams were at once more fantastic and agreeable than my writings." While many stage, television, and film adaptations of Frankenstein have simplified the complexity of the intellectual and emotional responses of Victor Frankenstein and his creature to their world, the novel still endures. Its lasting power can be seen in the range of reactions explored by various literary critics and over ninety dramatizations.

EXCERPT:

“Hateful day when I received life!' I exclaimed in agony. 'Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemlance. Satan had his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and abhorred.” - The Monster

ARPITA SPEAKS:

Imagine loving the 'villain' more than the hero. Here's one book that's bound to make you do that. Reading Frankenstein was an interesting experience; an epistolary novel which has a story within a story within the larger picture, it keeps your attention hooked on it. 

Victor Frankenstein is an ambitious man with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Here we see a Faust- like desire to transgress human limitations by discovering the secret of Creation- he decides to 'create' another being. Interestingly, the scientist refuses to reveal the secret of his 'success'. The reader is never told exactly what goes into giving life to the Creature, except that it is made up of dead body parts. 

[Why someone would think something beautiful would emerge from dead body parts, I fail to understand. I apologize if I sound resentful, but I never really forgave Frankenstein for being horrified by the Creature's looks- I mean, didn't it scare him before it opened it's eyes?]

So the Creator gets terrified by his Creation [which explains why you should never think you're God unless you can show people the same level of compassion]. There is a widely accepted notion that Victor was apparently punished for trying to create a new being without a woman's involvement. Whether or not it's true, one cannot deny that Frankenstein was definitely lacking in the 'nurturing' department. 

In spite of my complaints against Victor- who should at least have been the one person who accepts the monster since he was the moron who created him- I cannot possibly ignore the pity I felt for him when he was tormented by his own guilt and fears. 

It is true that we, as readers, get a peek into the minds of the characters so we understand them better than they understand each other. Therefore, on one hand we realize that all the Monster wants is love and acceptance- that he would keep to himself if he is given a companion who would not reject him because of his hideous features (yes, that's what it all comes down to- accepting people for who they are and not what they look like)-  and on another level, we also relate to Victor's fear that the female monster might not turn out to be as kind as the Creature used to be before society spurned him for no fault of his. 

Surprisingly, while it's a tale of revenge and pain, betrayal and guilt, the picturesque beauty of the surroundings that are described, the depth of romantic and filial love that has been explored and the sheer innocence and pure compassion within the 'monster', all have a staggering impact on the reader.

It is a dark tale, no doubt. And the sad ending is definitely heart wrenching. However, the little moments of optimism and happiness make this a wholesome story, that has everything from drama to suspense to adventure.  

RATING: 4 on 5

PRICE: Rs.180/-

Love, Destiny... and those two days- Murlidhar Srivastava

SYNOPSIS-

He loves her intensely.

She loves him deeply. Does she…? ? ?

One evening she walks away, walks away without answering a word to him. Twenty-two years later, they meet accidentally in a mall, when both have some grey hairs and few wrinkles on their faces.

What could happen in just two days? The question kept on haunting Mayur despite best efforts to forget. And Shobha…. did she manage the twists & turns of destiny correctly… ???

Was Chandani, wedded after a perfect match of horoscopes to a well settled boy from a premium institution, able to pull off her marriage?

Did Verma aunty, who always lived in tears when her only son settled permanently in US get the care and attention in the winter of her life?

Astro predictions, horoscope, belief – how far one should go in believing on these? Does over belief weaken one's ability to rationally look at a thing or a problem? 

A Mystifying Saga of Love, Betrayal & Belief.

(Review Requested by the Author)

EXCERPT-

She looked at her watch and said, “I’m getting late. My husband had phoned me to pick me up from here. I will go now, Mayur.”

Mayur heard his name in the conversation for the first time. He said, “Okay, and thanks.”

“Thanks for what?”

“Talking to me,” he said and continued, “Generally every Monday I come to this mall in the afternoon.” He himself could not understand why he said this. She did not give a reply.

ARPITA SPEAKS- (Finally. *Clears throat*)

You know how every other story seems to be about two people who met in college, fell in love, broke up and blah, blah, blah? I was really tired of those novels even though I still wouldn’t mind reading short stories based on a similar theme; which is why I was tempted to read something different this time round, and this book certainly is ‘different’.

“Love, Destiny... and those two days.”  The title instantly caught my attention. And yes, that was mainly because I was eager to know what happened on ‘those two days’.  But more importantly, I liked the idea of reading about two people who were in love, accidentally meeting years later; and all the drama that comes with it- the surprise, the tension, the embarrassment, the confusion and of course, The Consequences.  

On the whole, this is a story about love and separation.  But there are several other themes that come into play as well. The most unusual concept that the plot revolves around is the role of destiny in our lives. It’s not just about accepting Fate, though. Here we have a heroine who is a staunch believer of the idea that the positions of the planets affect our lives.  Shobha has cent per cent faith in the authenticity of horoscopes. She even checks the predictions in the morning paper and plans her week accordingly. I know many of us do the same, even if it’s just for fun. I for one really enjoy looking up the characteristic traits of different sun signs; it’s thoroughly entertaining, I tell you.  But coming to the point, this girl is absolutely obsessed with star charts and such, to the point of being a little deluded.

Typically, the guy has no interest or belief in these things. While most readers would be tempted to think along the same lines as Mayur, and be glad to know that he is mostly right, it seems a little odd that there are very few things that happen according to the horoscopes that Shobha keeps a track of. The best part of the story is the influence of her obsession with them, which marks the finale, making the conclusion impressive and surprising. Thank GOD the novel does not have a stereotypical ending and the real reason behind the break up is not actually what it seems to be all along.

The curiosity about what causes the break up keeps you reading until the very end when Shobha finally reveals the truth. The author has done a fine job of portraying the maddening torment associated with not having closure. One cannot help but sympathize with the protagonist’s helplessness and frustration at not knowing the reason behind the break up. The worst possible thing anyone can do is walk away from someone’s life without telling them why. Mayur does manage to move on with life and tries to give his best to his career and family. But it’s obvious that life could have been much better had he not been baffled by the mystery behind Shobha’s sudden, inexplicable change of heart during ‘those two days’.

The most endearing character in the novel, funnily enough, is Lata- Mayur’s wife. One does not initially give her much thought; at first, she comes across as the ideal wife, ideal daughter-in-law, and ideal mother who keeps lurking in the background with nothing much to say. However, as the story continues, she turns out to be a fun loving woman who is actually a perfectionist- she might not go to out to work, but she takes her job as a homemaker seriously. She is someone with passion for life. Lata is romantic and intelligent, she is impish and smart. In fact, it’s much easier relating to her than to Shobha, who might be the beautiful and loving heroine but whom you do not really feel like you know personally.

The sub-plot focuses on Chandani, Mayur’s younger cousin whom he dotes on, and the Verma family which includes the old couple and their son Sandip who has moved to the US with his wife and daughter and hesitates to return. Here, the author brings into perspective the different issues associated with arranged and love marriages, respectively. Although I wish more details would have been provided about Chandani’s conversation with her prospective groom and what kind of expectations she herself had from the marriage, it was nice to see that her character becomes more appealing towards the end, when she begins to speak up for herself and takes a stand.

The novel has a ‘feel good ending’ but the climax is totally startling, because of an unexpected turn of events that gave it a filmy touch without even being melodramatic.  All in all, it’s a pleasant read.

RATING- 3/5

PRICE- Rs. 125/-

NUMBER OF PAGES- 206

ISBN- 97-88-18-352-021-8

GENRE- Fiction

Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II

1st PUBLISHED: 1998

WITH STORIES BY:

Jennifer Love Hewwit (of I Know What You Did Last Summer fame), Wil Horneff (Born to be Wild), Andrew Keegan (Ten Things I Hate About You) and many more. 101 MORE Stories of life, love and learning.

ISBN: 1-55874-616-1

GENRE: Teen Fiction

SYNOPSIS:

Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Kimberly Kerberger's latest batch focuses on love, friendship and tough stuff, along with some great teen-told tales of learning lessons, making a difference and growing up. You'll find no adults preaching to you about what you should or shouldn't do. Instead, this book is full of teens who share their experiences on learning to accept life, becoming the best person you can be, being happy with who you are, and loving yourself- no matter what. These stories will show you that no matter how difficult your situation may seem, you can make it through the tough times; and that no matter how lonely you may feel, you are never alone.

EXCERPT:

Things are just things- they have no power to hurt or heal. Only people can do that. And we can all choose to be hurt or healed by the people who love us.

ARPITA SPEAKS:

This edition of Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul has 101 fictional as well as real-life stories and poems written by teenagers and young adults, categorized into 8 sections- on relationships, friendship, love and kindness, tough stuff, family, learning lessons, making a difference, and growing up.

I know that we all inevitably tend to be very skeptical about so called 'self-help' books; and people do have conflicting views regarding the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. However, these books actually do make a very good read. They're definitely not preachy, and it depends from person to person, whether they actually find these books helpful or not. But, rest assured, they're all moving, and usually fun to read.

The anecdotes and poems in the section on friendship are particularly good in this collection, as are the ones on making a difference. While certain stories are not exactly exceptional, others are a real treat. Some, like The Hero of the 'Hood (about the childhood of Mike Powell) and Donna & Claudia speak of courage, and undying friendship that stands the test of time. Jennifer Love Hewwit writes about the experience of meeting a fan, a young girl suffering from cancer, whose dying wish was to spend a day with her.

These are the various perspectives of different people dealing with similar experiences, good and bad. While some talk about what they've suffered through, others share their happier moments. If you happen to chance upon one of these books, do give them a try. It will be time well spent.

RATING: 3.5/5

NUMBER OF PAGES: 324

PRICE: Rs.295/- (Flipkart)

To Kill A Mockingbird- Harper Lee

1ST PUBLISHED: 1960. This book was instantly successful, winning the Pulitzer Prize, and has become a classic of modern American literature. The plot and characters are loosely based on the author's observations of her family and neighbors, as well as on an event that occurred near her hometown in 1936, when she was 10 years old.

ISBN: 0-09-941978-5

GENRE: Literary Fiction/ Modern Classic

SYNOPSIS:

"Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em. But remember, it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of this enchanting classic- a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with exuberant humor the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the thirties. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy is picked by the stamina of one man's struggle of justice. But the weight of history will only tolerate so much...

EXCERPTS:

#Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.

# "It's not necessary to tell all you know. It's not lady-like; in the second place, folks don't like to have somebody around knowing more than they do. It aggravates 'em. You're not gonna change any of them by talkin' right, they've got to want to learn themselves, and when they don't want to learn there's nothin' you can do but keep your mouth shut or talk their language."

ARPITA SPEAKS:

To Kill A Mockingbird is one of those books that leave a lifelong impression. Set in the fictional town of Maycomb, this novel has two plots that go together. Little Scout and Jem, her elder brother, live with their widowed father Atticus, a well respected and able lawyer.

However, when Atticus decides to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, accused of raping a white woman (the daughter of a social outcast, Bob Ewell) the children have to face a lot of abuse and accusations from their prejudiced friends and neighbors, something they'd so far been unaccustomed to. A heart-stopping courtroom drama follows that has just as awful an impact on the reader as the young protagonist.

While this aspect of the story is undoubtedly disturbing, the episodes revolving around Boo Radley are fascinating, and ultimately heart warming. Arthur Radley, nicknamed 'Boo', is a man who has lived in the spooky house down the lane for as long as anyone can remember- and hasn't stepped out in years. Naturally, a number of rumors erupt, adding fuel to the children's imagination.

One summer, when their friend Dill, who is new in town, persuades Jem and Scout to try and make Boo come out of the house so that they can see him for real, they find themselves drawn into an unimaginable adventure that changes their lives forever. This is a remarkable story about seeking humanity in human beings...despite the violence and prejudice that is so deep rooted in society.

RATING: 5/5

PRICE: Rs.378/- (Flipkart)

NUMBER OF PAGES: 309

The Year I Turned 16- Deeptha Khanna

1st PUBLISHED: 2006

ISBN-13: 978-0-14333-017-2

ISBN-10: 0-14333-017-9

GENRE: Teen Fiction

SYNOPSIS:

Vinita Sharma is a feisty teenager with a talent for writing, an out-sized crush on Shah Rukh Khan and the low ambition of marrying a rich guy (if Shah Rukh is taken, that is). Her brother Vinay is grappling with overactive hormones, IIT entrance exams and cricket practice, while Vinita is busy with her motley crew of friends- the angelic Naina, Jaggu the house clown, Ashley the inscrutable, and the bold and seductive Gargi.

In a matter of weeks, Vinita's world changes radically. Her home-bound mother decides to set up a business, Naina and Vinay start to make goggle-eyes at each other, Jaggu examines his own shameful attitudes and Gargi reveals a dreadful secret that could destroy her whole life. Into this simmering emotional cauldron falls an American dude- the dashing Marcus- the boyfriend Vinita always dreamed of. As she swings wildly between her traditional way of thinking and what she really wants, Vinita takes crucial decisions that will surprise them all- most of all, herself.

Can Vinita stay upright in a topsy-turvy world fraught with far reaching changes? Find out in this breezy candid diary.

EXCERPT:

It really is curious that they call it M.P.B.C., as if that's all we learn. We do have another subject- it's called 'English'. But no one mentions it. As if it's unimportant. It's not! It's the most fun of all classes.

ARPITA SPEAKS:

It may not be one of it's kind, but The Year I Turned 16 is definitely a book that will stay on your mind because it remains loyal to the teenage drama that an average Indian girl generally goes through. Interestingly, instead of the hype regarding social networking sites and the latest modern gadgets, over here we find the protagonist and her friends going gaga over the miracle of color television, MTV and The Oprah Winfrey show.

Vinita is a character that one can easily come to adore- her bubbly, outgoing nature will win you over; the loving and helpful Naina is the best friend anyone would love to have; Jaggu adds to the comic element but also helps bring certain things into perspective. Marcus- do I have to say the words?- is Mr.Perfect with his drop dead gorgeous looks and gentlemanly manners. Ashley is someone who takes some time to grow on you; I did end up admiring him for being who he is, but it's still kind of hard to digest the fact that Ashley is the name of a guy.

The story basically revolves around Vinita's crush on Marcus and her cute- and sometimes enormously embarrassing- attempts to impress him. Then there are the day-to-day activities of the characters which will bring back memories of school. (In fact, some of Vinita's short essays written in class are also included.) However, a number of issues are also focused upon: peer pressure, eve-teasing, the problems associated with balancing the time devoted to a woman's career with the time given to her family. Gargi's secret is possibly the most worrisome.

All of it is taken into account in such a manner that it influences you without really depressing you. In fact, it seems you touch you more closely because at a certain point, this will cease to be just a story and will seem to be like a friend's diary, or even your own.

Vinita's relationship with her brother is particularly endearing, and the unexpected ending is quite pleasing. A better version of the Princess Diaries, if I may say so, this novella about an Indian girl eagerly approaching her sixteenth birthday will make a light and amusing read.

RATING: 3.5/5

PRICE: Rs.175/- (A Puffin Original)

NUMBER OF PAGES: 156

Zombies Don't Date- R.W. Zander

1st PUBLISHED: 2003

ISBN: 0-439-39869-x

GENRE: Teen Fiction

SYNOPSIS:

If there's one thing Amber McGee can't stand, it's a drama queen. So when her best friend Zack asks her to look after Chastity, the spoiled-rotten zombie princess, Amber's less than thrilled. Chastity needs a full-time baby-sitter, and Amber's got no patience for her constant complaints and uppity 'tude.

Things go from bad to worse when Chastity follows Amber to school and bumps into local bully Parker Tolan. The zombies are supposed to be kept under wraps, and now Amber's biggest enemy is in on the secret. And- weirder than weird- he's actually developed a crush on the zombie! Can Amber find a way to keep these two crazy lovebirds apart- and get Chastity back to where she belongs?

EXCERPT:

Maybe someday, I won't have a million things going wrong all at once. But today is not that day.

That's the thought that was running through my head as I got dressed that morning. I was already late, and my mom was yelling up the stairs at me: "Amber, we're supposed to be at the mall in ten minutes. Are you almost ready?"

I wanted to make the woman happy. I really did. I did promise to make a trip to the mall just so she wouldn't feel so bad about having a soccer-playing tomboy for a daughter. But when I looked out the window, I saw a zombie chasing my friend Zack Margolis around. And I had to do something to help him.

ARPITA SPEAKS:

Here's a totally different, totally hilarious take on zombies. Amber, Zack and Kyle get stuck with a bunch of zombies who are hell bent on driving them insane. Mostly by trying to pretend that they can still lead a normal life...in other words, forgetting that they are 'undead'. There's Lassiter who wants to take over the world, there's Penelope who has a mad love for cooking despite being a total fire hazard; and then there's Chastity who considers herself a 'lady' and tries hard to get Amber to become one, too.

Amber and her friends try their best to get the zombies to move on... to, say, 'never-never land'. Like the charming (and much more cooperative) zombie Jeremiah. But things begin to go downhill when the local bully and his sidekick come across Chastity- and develop a crush on her, thinking that she's an actress preparing for her next role as a zombie! The whole episode is rib-tickling; especially finding Parker blush at Chastity's compliments.

Then there's the mystery behind Chastity's death that needs to be solved in order to help her move on; the story of her childhood makes a really interesting read. Also, Amber's relationship with her mom and each of their attempts to understand one another better is at times really funny, and at others quite touching. The end of this book in the Zombie Squad series is somewhat filmy, but not exactly predictable. This is just the right book to lay your hands on if you're looking for full on entertainment.

RATING: 4/5

PRICE: Rs.100/- (Scholastic)

NUMBER OF PAGES: 158

Crossroads- Jenny Markas

1st PUBLISHED: 2001

ISBN: 0-439-39744-8

GENRE: Chick Lit/ Teen Fiction (Adapted from the screenplay by Shonda Rhimes; based on the movie starring Britney Spears.)

SYNOPSIS:

Lucy, Kit, and Mimi were best friends. Until they hit high school, that is. Then Kit became queen of the popular crew; Lucy became queen of the nerds (yes, that's Britney. Imagine.) and Mimi became queen of the rebels. But they're all determined to follow their dreams- no matter where they might lead.

And on the day after graduation, those dreams bring Lucy, Kit, and Mimi together again- and lead them on a road trip across the country. Along the way,they'll bicker, banter, laugh, cry, and sing their hearts out. They'll find love, friendship, and loyalty. And they'll discover that where you end up is not as important as the people you bring along with you on the journey.

EXCERPT:

I can't stand it anymore. I meet Mimi's eyes and see that she can't stand it, either. I slide forward, reach over the seat, start to touch the radio dial.

"What are you doing?" Ben demands.

"What is with this music?" I demand back.

"I like it," he says.

"Can we listen to something else for ten minutes?" I need a break. Desperately.

"No." His eyes are on the road. His face is stony.

"Come on, Ben," says Lucy, barely looking up from her journal.

"Okay, okay," he says, "Five minutes."

Yes! I twist the dial until a pop station comes on. Soon, Mimi and Lucy and I are singing along, bouncing around in our seats. Ben's gritting his teeth. He can't take it. Finally, he reaches out and grabs the dial. Metal comes thundering out.

"You said five minutes!" Lucy yells over the music.

He just shakes his head. "I can't listen to that. Forget it."


ARPITA SPEAKS:

Crossroads is one of those stories that sound entertaining- and are- but also happen to be the kind that belong to the less impressive category of teen fiction. It's amateurish, juvenile and stereotypical; yet, mercifully, a little better than the disastrous movie. The pictures included are pretty, though. And the first person narration by each of the characters gives it a personal touch. The rare portions with Ben speaking up are definitely amusing.

Having known each other since they were eight years old, Lucy, Mimi and Kit had made a pact to remain lifelong friends. However, when they enter high school, their differences draw them apart. They make new friends, face new challenges, and try to forget about the past. But on the day of the graduation party, they decide to keep their promise of meeting in the school grounds to dig up an old shoe box they'd decorated and buried when they were kids. Opening it, they are all overcome by nostalgia as they go through all those things they'd once held dear.

Mimi, the pregnant girl from the trailer park who misses her friends the most, tells Lucy and Kit about her plans to audition for a record company in L.A. When they express their shock, she tries to persuade them to join her and this guy she's getting a ride with. Tempted by her desire to meet her boyfriend, Kit ponders over the idea...as does Lucy, who is desperate to find the mother who abandoned her when she was a little child.

What follows is a bumpy ride that leads to self realization and a lot more. As the girls try to keep aside their differences, learn to accept the changes in each other and try to live life the way they'd always wanted to, they learn that dreams may change, but friends remain forever.

RATING: 2.5 on 5

PRICE: Rs.125/- (Scholastic)

NUMBER OF PAGES: 142

The Hunger Games- Suzanne Collins

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?




1st PUBLISHED: 2008

ISBN: 13-978-81-8477-169-5

BEST SELLERS: Suzanne Collins is the author of the bestselling Underland Chronicles, which started with George the Overlander. In the Hunger Games, she continues to explore the effects of war and violence on those coming of age. Other books in this series are Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

GENRE: Science Fiction/ Adventure

SYNOPSIS:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before- and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender.

But if she is to win, she will have to weigh survival against humanity, and life against love. Suzanne Collins delivers equal parts suspense and philosophy, adventure and romance, in this searing novel set in the future with unsettling parallels to our present.

EXCERPT:

They do surgery in the Capitol to make them appear younger and thinner. In District 12, looking old is something of an achievement since so many people die early. You see an elderly person you want to congratulate them on their longevity, ask the secret of survival. A plump person is envied because they aren't scrapping by like the majority of us.

ARPITA SPEAKS:

This is a book you'll find your nose buried in until you finish it. I just could not put it down; I was practically walking around reading it and consequently banging into things. The plot is, of course, outstanding. The book might not bring you to tears, but it will shake you to the core.

That I actually enjoyed reading the book kind of disturbs me somewhat, to be quite honest; considering the fact that the whole time I'd been cursing people for being so sadistically entertained by gory reality shows. Because, that's what this book subtly draws you attention to- the awful truth about the public, and the government. To punish the downtrodden for rebelling against the Capitol, and to remind them never to challenge their superiority, they introduced the disgracefully popular Hunger Games, which have 24 young boys and girls fighting each other, trapped in an outdoor arena that could be anything from a frozen wasteland to a burning desert. The catch? Only one would survive.

Katniss is a heroine you'll find hard to forget. Courage and caliber are what she's all about. A girl with prodigious hunting skills, she becomes the head of the family after the death of the father she loved. Immensely protective of her little sister, she volunteers for the Hunger Games. Knowing how little chance she has of winning- or in other words, surviving- Katniss leaves behind her family, and the boy who was in intricate part of her life, to step into unknown territory accompanied by another boy who she feels she owes her life to...

While the training sessions and makeovers are amusing, the gruesome deaths are all the more haunting because these are children we are talking about. Here's science fiction blended with philosophy; just the right touch of romance and a dash of humor. There are such a lot of unexpected surprises, right until the end of the story- it's fulfilling and there's still something to look forward to; like having a sumptuous meal and waiting for desert.

Eager to read the next book in the series.

RATING: 5/5

PRICE: Rs.295/- (This was my reward for becoming the Member of the Month in February; I couldn't thank the admins enough for sending me this particular book. I'll always treasure it.)

NUMBER OF PAGES: 374

PS- And with this review, people, I've officially become a PURPLE card holder!! Are the admins listening?! :D