1Q84: Book Two by Haruki Murakami

Title: 1Q84: Book Two
Author: Haruki Murakami
Translators: Jay Rubin and Philip Gabriel
Publisher: VintageISBN: 978-4103534235
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: (Book two): 284



Nightflier Speaks:

I finished all 3 volumes last weekend. I am still living in the world created in 1Q84. Such is the effect of Murakami's writing. And well, I still visit the world of the wind up bird chronicle, the only other Murakami book I have read. So the books make you climb in their world and make you want to live there. What. An. Achievement. For any writer this is a feat. And for any book lover its a treat.

So without getting into any more Murakami praise, I will stick to task at hand i.e. trying to review the book.
Book 2 is essentially a love story, of Aomame (uh-oh-mah-me) and Tengo. They are trying to find each other after the intial premise setup in book one. Do they really meet and how entangled their reality is best left to the reading experience. In the process, Murakami takes the concepts/ideas in book one, 'little people' 'air chrysalis' 'other world' to the metaphysical level. Even if interpretations are best left to the imagination, I am really looking forward to discuss these ideas with someone, who has read the book and will not call me insane.

Parallel universe is a reality in this book. True to Murakami writing, it has all pop cultural references that even a non-japanese reader can easily relate to. There is a recurring reference to 'The Thomas Crown Affair' and I felt strangely nostalgic. Not just that the peculiar music that keeps on playing in Aomame and Tengo's lives, their music taste, the attention to detail in these descriptions is just mind blowing. If there is one thing that constantly impresses me about Murakami's writing (hey! I am already a fan!) is his this very ability. He compels you to look at day to day objects/things/occurrences with minute and open eyes. Since last weekend I am looking at the moon every night. The moon which has a special significance in Aomame and Tengo's story.

In this book, a lot is told about Tengo's personal life, his relationship with his estranged father, his thoughts about his mother. As Tengo is exploring his own life, we journey with him, finding out one detail at a time. Light is thrown on the bestseller book that Fuka-Eri wrote and Tengo ghost-wrote. The sense of mystic around Fuka-Eri and her background continues. The reader gets to journey through Japan as well. I think for all these reasons Murakami is the best Japanese ambassador out there.

I will agree with Vivek by questioning the difficulty of reviewing a Murakami book and try to end this futile attempt. With my limited life experiences, I can only say, Murakami's books should be savored by every fiction lover. One should enter his worlds and then look at her surroundings. And then ask in which year they really live.

Rating: 5/5

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

Publisher: Virago

ISBN: 1844086682
Pages: 288
Published: 2012

Genre: historical fiction, memoir


Synopsis: A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley.


Nightflier Speaks:

For over a month I have been trying to get down to write this review. Of course work creeps in and I hold back my thoughts. So today I take the guilty pleasure to write it down, at work, in between tasks. 

'The Paris wife' by Paula McLain is a timeless and devastating tale of people in love. Their rise and fall in love. It's the story of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley Richardson, who after a whirlwind romance got married and started a life together in Paris. The book derives a lot of original facts from interviews with Hadley. 

The book starts in Chicago, sails off to Paris, then back to Canada and back again to Paris, where things eventually come to a conclusion. But can love between two beings so deeply involved, come to a conclusion ? Probably not. But life moves on. And Paula's portrayal is so human, that at times one forgets that its 'Ernest Hemingway' and 'his wife'. Their domestic life, their friendships with other illuminati of the literature world, their fights, their love, their togetherness is depicted in such a wonderful way, that one gets drawn in the story. Despite knowing the end. There was a point where I got so involved that I wanted things to work out for the Hemingways. Alas!

Not just the story, but McLain's character portraits are spot on. The somewhat mercurial, deeply passionate, equally vulnerable Ernest, the slightly naive, slightly jealous, always troubled Hadley are the heros of the story. Equally well etched are the Fitzgeralds, Pauline Pfeiffer, Sherwood anderson, Gertrude Stein (and the lost generation). The lost ness of the characters, their utter inefficiency to lead normal lives are shown in a beautiful way. One feels captured by the charming Paris of those times, which is the 'third' person in the marriage. The premise where everything rises so beautifully and then succumbs to betrayal too.

As Hemingway's career and personal life soared in Paris in early 1920s, I felt elated and absorbed in the journey. But what must rise, must fall as well. The shattering realizations of a marriage going astray and love getting stolen, are equally heartbreaking. And the book made me feel all that and more. A very compelling read if one likes historical fiction.

Price: 339 INR (flipkart)
Rating: 5/5

And then there were none by Agatha Christie

Publisher: Collins Crime Club
ISBN: 9780007136834
Genre: crime, fiction, mystery
Pages: 315
Bestsellers: so many :)
Published: 1939


Nightflier Speaks:
This book review is on the request of our reader Smita.


On a lazy saturday evening, with no one at home, I started reading Agatha Christie's 'And then there were none' with a bowl of maggi (instant) noodles and entered the mysterious world of Soldier Island. I have to stress at this point that this setting spooked me and in turn made me enjoy the book. 


The book tells the story of 10 perfect strangers, brought together on an island shrouded by mystery, to spend a week together. Each character's story is told in crisp 1-2 page monologues and that forms the premise. And then on the first day of stay itself the deaths start. Not only are the deaths preposterous, but they follow a pattern. A pattern illustrated by a poem (10 little soldiers). The deathly events continue and the survivors try to unravel the killer. What happens is an intriguing story of psycho-mania, justice and cold-blood.


The story is fast paced. It took me hardly 3 hours to finish. There are no major plot holes. Agatha Christie is a master at that, I think. Few characters had an element of intrigue, which made me as a reader think about situations in their life and take a decision. But as an observer I kept wondering about the real/detailed stories of the 10 protagonists. May be more details would have made the story richer. 
(On another note the story also reminded me of an old hindi movie Gumnaam. Its title track still gives me the scares!)


But as a thriller the book worked perfectly well for me, because I slept with lights on that night. Also I read an Agatha Christie after 8 years!! So this experience also made me nostalgic. So thank you smita for the request and in turn making me re-live school days.


I hope if you read the book, you enjoy it as much as I did.


Price: 157 INR (crossword)
Rating: 4/5

Everything is illuminated By Jonathan Safran Foer

Publisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 0141037326
Genre: Novel, fiction
Pages: 276
Bestsellers: Everything is illuminated, Extremely loud and incredibly close
Published: 2002


Synopsis: [from flipkart] It tells the story of a young man who goes to the Ukraine in search of the woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis. He is aided in his quest by a blind old man, a randy guide dog and a very, very bad translator. It is funny, moving and gripping.


Nightflier Speaks:
Lately my reading list has been brimming with 'big, huge, bulky' books. So when a friend was redeeming a gift coupon and asked for suggestions, I very selfishly told her to include this rather small one. She did and I got my hands on this much talked about debut novel by Jonathan Safran Foer. From the title it felt like a very self indulgent tale. Midway I realized how the title is a clever play on words, from a non-english-speaking person's point of view. Also, I love stories set in Nazi germany. There is a distinct human-ness in them.


This story is about an American, on a journey to meet a woman who saved his grandfather in the Nazi days, with the help of a young translator Sasha, his seemingly blind grandfather Alex as the driver and the grandfather's deranged dog (bitch) Sammy Davis Jr. Jr. A simple tale of search and finding something. It is made hilarious by the meager english speaking skills of Sasha. American, is aptly called 'the hero' in third person. The myriad getting on the nerves conversations these 3 have, with the quirks of Sammy Davis Jr. Jr. set the pace for the journey. It has the peculiarity of a foreigner caught in a poignant search amid very curious locals.


The author uses many narrative techniques. There is a non-english speaking Ukrainian telling the tale with the most hilarious use of the thesaurus. Few gems - manufacture tears, feeling premium, etc.
There is an objective voice talking about the history of the place and people. There is magical realism. There is this use of colloquial Jewish vocabulary and Jewish humor every now and then. Though I was a bit lost in the first 50 pages, I egged on. All techniques fit nicely in the scope of the book and add a distinct flavor to the story. Though I am wondering if, for a first book this is too much experimentation!


Writing always gives you second chances. It gives you an option to write 'the truth' or hide it in layers. But 'the truth' makes stories more human. And every character in the book is so much more than they seem. Brod, Lista, Sasha, Alex, Yankel, and numerous other beautiful people. All have a sense of melancholy to them. The book carries it very seamlessly from one character's perspective to the other. It is a great debut novel. To be read in one seating, and journey to pre-war, post-war Ukraine.


P.S. there is a movie based the book. Trailer here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSUOYY4oukc


Rating: 4/5
Price: Rs. 223 [flipkart]

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

American Gods


Publisher: William Morrow
ISBN: 0380789035
Genre: fantasy fiction
Pages: 656
Bestsellers: Stardust, American gods


Nightflier Speaks: 
When I moved to America, I took my gods with me.* A ganesh idol, a sai baba photo, an om shaped incense stand. Strange how we travel/move into new places with our beliefs. How we plant our beliefs in the lands we live or locate to. Out of the holy places that I visited during my stay there, I remember visiting a few cathedrals. But America is populated by people of mixed races belonging to different cultures and lands. What is the true myth of America? What is the unified deity that the people who have 'settled' there believe in? Pray to ? Hope from? I have never thought about it personally.


Neil Gaiman's American Gods, though a story about our 'melancholy' hero Shadow and his weird life on the surface, deep down tackles the same question. It is in search of America's soul, its roots. Through the beliefs of the people who live in that land. At no level it raises questions about the reader's belief in god or the 'myth'. It is so unassuming. Its point is to tell the mythological history of America in its own quirky way.


The book opens in a jail, travels all across America, with Shadow and Wednesday (the king of gods), tells you of an impending storm, of a war, introduces you to the most weird folk gods, most of whom reside there through African tribes and the Indians. All this is interspersed with folk lore and tales from the past, manifestations of beliefs and devotion. And the current state of affairs in the land of opportunities. The technology revolution, the worship of credit cards and liquid money and material gratifications. Of course all this is very subtle with allusions so fresh, that Gaiman's imagination does get to you.


Somewhere along the way I also thought about why isn't Shadow reacting to any of the weird things happening to him. Why aren't all these gods and their existence bothering him. But as the book progressed and characters developed, I realized it's all in the belief. If you believe you will react. If you did not it won't matter to you. May be. And since Gaiman manages to play with your psyche as well, for not letting you wander about the mere authenticity of the plot, I think its a writing triumph. There are many subplots and subtexts to the allegories. And its all open to interpretation depending on your belief.


A very not so ordinary read. One of Neil Gaiman's finest. Apparently a lot of research has gone into this book. To not read it will mean missing out on that research at least!


* Of course what I truly believe in is something not suitable for the book review. But I do carry my beliefs (gods) wherever I roam.


Added as a postscript: the ebook I read also had excerpts from the online journal of Neil Gaiman. For anyone who is into serious fiction writing should go through it for the author's creative process. Quite a fun read! (added this after I read it)

Rating: 5/5
Price: 215 Rs. {flipkart}

A brief history of time by Stephen Hawking

A brief history of time

ISBN: 0553176986 
Number of pages: 210
First published: 1988


Synopsis:
From the time of the ancient Greeks through the present time, this historical overview of cosmology is told by one of the most famous and fascinating scientists today. - from goodreads


nightflier speaks:
Who isn't fascinated by other worlds, other beings, the universe and what lies beyond it ? I think that is why humans often venture into the realms of fantasy and construct entire worlds (westeros, hogwarts) from scratch. Of course depending on our imagination we bring what we got to the party. But what if a physicist joined you to this party ? With all his life's work clubbed in 200 pages ? You will get a brief history of time. And what a fascinating history it is!


Stephen Hawking's book from page one holds your hand and takes you to a journey, to unknown stars, very widely known galaxies, to the sun and black holes. It is one journey which you wish would never end. And your background doesn't matter. Everyone who is remotely interested in existence on this planet is invited. On the way he also meditates about god, philosophy, life. You feel awestruck, most of the time.  (well it may be my ignorance, but then awe is awe).


To the core a true theoretical physicist, despite his illness and disabilities, Mr. Hawking along with his work, brings you names and works of the people who contributed in our understanding of the universe as we know it. He discusses the big bang, origins of our planet, the expansion and contraction of the universe, possible futures of the universe, event horizons, black holes, singularities, time travel (and its possibilities) and many more astounding phenomena which normally skip the textbooks and are only heard/seen in science fiction movies. 


Despite the terms and the physics involved, Mr. Hawking has kept the language pretty simple.  The only requirement while reading this book is curiosity. And yes a remote interest in the cosmos. 


It is the most fascinating and awesome non-fiction and fantasy book I have read till date.


Rating: 5/5
Price: Rs. 245 [flipkart]

The unbearable lightness of being by Milan Kundera

The unbearable lightness of being

ISBN: 05711353390

Number of pages: 304

Bestsellers: The unbearable lightness of being, the book of laughter and forgetting

First Published: 1984

Nightflier speaks:

There is hardly anyone, (except if you are Sheldon Cooper type), who does not ponder upon the idea of love growing up, growing old. Like everyone I have done it and still do it. Precisely 4 years ago, my notion of this seemingly bolly/holly-woodish concept was simple. Through some personal and then some vicarious (acquired from friends in their suffering and happiness) experiences, I stopped being influenced by 'the movies'. Not because I have become thoroughly cynical, but may be because love is personal and universal. It becomes personal because of the souls involved and is universal because of the physicality of it. Of course, I am digressing hugely from the topic at hand. But I will get there. Like the book.

Milan Kundera gives us 4 principle characters (and few side-kicks to complete the circle) and puts forward his philosophical discussion about love, life, being, lightness, weight, soul, body, misunderstandings. More than what happens to the characters we get drawn in this unending chaos of whys and hows. A lot that happens is fortuitous, circumstantial perhaps.

There is Tomas. He is the emblem of lightness. He moves from woman to woman without any attachment, until he finds Tereza, who needs someone to protect her. And although its against his lightness, he comforts her. Tereza is drowned by weight. Of unhappiness. Tomas's mistress, Sabina, the one who really understands him, the one he understands is torn. She cant live without betrayals. Sabina's lover Franz, is a good person, loyal and highly educated. He leaves everything for Sabina, only to find himself left stranded and liberated. Through the spirit of Sabina. Why do these people do what they do? What must drive them? In turn is that what drives us too? Do we believe in fortuities because we are utterly incapable of reality? Weighed down by some burden? Why. Why. Why. 

Kundera is gifted with words (needless to say). The original book in french must be a delight (but with my poor reading skills I stuck to english). It isnt his ability to delve deeper, but rather his ability to draw us into this philosophical journey, which I found remarkable. Without being a drag i.e. 

Also, his take on the soviet regime and communism in Czechoslovakia is asinine. The way he takes digs at both, the way he portrays emigre's life, give you a deep insight on his love (?) for a country which was once his home.

May be my comparisons are hasty and somewhat not fully realized, but I could not help myself from thinking about the movie Closer. I thought about Anna, Alice, Dan and Garry while reading the book. A lot.

Rating: 5/5

Price: 263 Rs. (flipkart)

Bodily Harm by Margaret Atwood

Bodily Harm


ISBN: 0099740818

Number of Pages : 301
Genre: fiction, contemporary classic
Published: 1996
Bestsellers: the blind assassin, up in the tree


Synopsis: [From flipkart]
Rennie Wilford, a young jounalist running from her life, takes an assignment to a Caribbean island and tumbles into a world where no one is what they seem. When the burnt-out Yankee Paul (does he smuggle dope or hustle for the CIA?) offers her a no-hooks, no strings affair, she is caught up in a lethal web of corruption.


Nightflier speaks:
I have been wanting to read an Atwood novel for months, and finally through some chance unavailability of other books in my reading list, 'bodily harm' came my way.


It had been ages since I read a sensitive thriller, with the flavors of the carribean. The plot is pretty straightforward, Rennie, a lifestyle journalist who is going through a life crisis unlike anyone (cancer) decides to get away from her defined world and takes a vacation of sorts on an island near Barbados. She gets entangled in a massive local event and her life changes forever.


Throughout the book, there is a surrealism, as if walking through Rennie's dreams. Rennie after having struggled for her body from the cancer, goes a metamorphosis which liberates her. Opens her to a reality from an altogether different plane. I got so engrossed in Rennie that I could literally feel the pangs she felt, of not knowing herself anymore, of her condition, of her relationships, of her growing up. 
This is my first Atwood, but I can say that she deals with emotions like a charm. She digs so deep that you feel what the character must be feeling. Also there is a haunting sense to all the characters. We see them through Rennie's eyes (who is undergoing a massive identity crisis because of the disease). Hence the characters remain a fling of sorts, we often meet at foreign places and later forget about.


There is also a touch of feminism in the book. All the females are starkly independent, can fend for themselves despite being vulnerable. She portrays this so beautifully and sensitively, that the book doesnt feel like badgering you with women issues. That I feel is a welcome kind of writing.
Also another sensitive issue of politics and government is handled in the book. It is not detailed, but considering it is through the eyes of a traveler, the treatment is justified. 


All in all, a different and welcome read. Took me time to pick up pace, but it did grow on me later.


Rating : 4/5
Price : 350 (flipkart)

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Anansi Boys


First Published: 2005
ISBN: 0-06-051518-X
Pages: 451
Bestsellers : Stardust, American gods


Synopsis:
The god Anansi is dead. Now its upto 'Fat Charlie' his only son, to fill the gap of 22 years of no contact and mourn. But 'Fat Charli' is not alone in the mourning. He has a brother, who enters his life to turn it upside down.


Nightflier Speaks:
Anothe Neil Gaiman book. Another 'bizarre meets a normal guy's life' plot. How uncanny the book could be right ? With these thoughts in my head, I picked up the book.
To my surprise and delight, despite a cliched, contrived plot, Neil Gaiman gives you a riot and a fun fest. The book is so quirky and fast paced, that it never bores you. It keeps on surprising you with its genius subplots.
So before I overdo it with my praises, let me explain the plot to you.


'Fat Charlie Nancy' has grown apart from his father Anansi (Nancy from Anansi!) because of his embarrassing ways (who was a god in his life). Upon hearing of his death, Fat Charlie's fiancee (an eternal do-gooder) forces him to make his peace. On his trip to Florida, for the last rites ceremony, he learns that his dad was a god and he has a brother, called Spider. Of course like a normal human being Fat Charlie does not believe in such absurd revelations. Through some turn of events, Spider comes to meet Fat Charlie. Not only does he bring along chaos, he totally disrupts the order of life for poor Charlie. Charlie then sets out to straighten his life. As expected he does something so wrong that now everyone must face the consequences. The 2 brothers despite the differences set out to make it all right and pay an homage to their father.


This book, strengthened my belief in the story-telling being more important than the story itself. Mr. Gaiman brings us Anansi, the spider god, who is full of mirth, mischief, but never any bad intentions. The book creates that vibe. You do not feel morose even in some particularly bad situations the characters are in. In fact you look forward to everything coming along brightly. I think that is a story telling #win. Not just that I loved how a really quirky carribbean folk god has been brought to life and also how the story follows the monomyth.


Also, literature wise, I love how words just flow for Neil Gaiman. Not sure if this is great literature or not, but the book is so inventive, it does not disappoint.


It doesn't fail in any department - characters and character development, plots, subplots, tying the loose ends, and most importantly FUN.
I am feeling unusually cheerful and full of life (despite being overloaded at work). That is what Anansi (or any god?) does to your mood, I think ?


All in all a total mad-gab-riot-fun book! 


- #NeilGaimanFangirl


Excerpt:

It begins, as most things begin, with a song.

In the beginning, after all, were the words, and they came with a tune. That was how the world was made, how the void was divided, how the lands and the stars and the dreams and the little gods and the animals, how all of them came into the world.

They were sung.

The great beasts were sung into existence, after the Singer had done with the planets and the hills and the trees and the oceans and the lesser beasts. The cliffs that bound existence were sung, and the hunting grounds, and the dark.

Songs remain. They last. The right song can turn an emperor into a laughing stock, can bring down dynasties. A song can last long after the events and the people in it are dust and dreams and gone. That's the power of songs.

There are other things you can do with songs. They do not only make worlds or recreate existence. Fat Charlie Nancy's father, for example, was simply using them to have what he hoped and expected would be a marvelous night out.

Rating: 5/5

Price: 285 [flipkart]

Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto Che Guevara

Motorcycle diaries


ISBN: 

0007272901

Number of Pages: 165
Genre: Travelogue, non-fiction


Synopsis: 2 boys on a warm sunny afternoon, sipping on mate, spontaneously decide to travel to North America. They decide on a route which takes them through Argentina, Chile, Peru, Columbia. This is a story of travel adventures and awakening which travel brings to you.


Nightflier Speaks: 
I have always seen Ernesto 'Che' Guevara on t-sirts and caps in my brother's closet. 'He was a revolutionary' that was how my brother introduced me to him. We were teenagers then. After that it was around last week that I came across this book, and since it evoked some nostalgia, I instantly picked it up.


The fun thing about any book with travel tales is, it is full of adventures. Yes even the mundane, asking a stranger to let a broke you (che) and your friend (Alberto Grenado) spend a night at his place, is more than adventure. The sheer excitement of the unknown keeps you seek new places and people. And I think that's the most wonderful thing about travelling. It satisfies the wanderlust. The book is awesome on that front. If you have seen the map of South America, then the audacity of the travel plan will hit you first. Then imagining that the two boys did all that in the 1950s on a La Poderosa (the bike - the mighty one literally) makes you feel awed even more! They keep on going through rough terrains, bad weather, wind, rain, snow, but the aim of the doctors to visit the leper colony in San Pablo, where they are profoundly affected by the conditions of the disease and the treatment meted out to the sufferers. The book also gives one a scoop of the fascinating Inca civilization through the eyes of these outsiders.


It is said that Che was deeply affected by the poverty, suffering, he encountered during his travails. And that was a huge part of the person, the revolutionary, he became later on. Personally, I think travel does change one as a person. Everyone undergoes their own metamorphosis, be it in the form of new experiences, stretching horizons, or the universality of the human condition.


The book is a delight for all the wanderers. It made me want to pack my bags and sail away to lands unexplored.


Rating: 5/5
Price: Rs. 224 (flipkart)


Excerpt:

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

ISBN: 

0141039280

Pages: 451
Genre: Novel
First Published: 2009
*This is the author's first book*


Synopsis:
Its Mississippi of the 1960's and the society in America is transforming. In the heart of Jackson, live 3 strong women, who must contribute to this change, in their own way. Through Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny, Kathryn Stockett creates three wonderfully poised characters who tell you a moving story about unsaid things and uncrossed lines.


Nightflier Speaks:
Disclaimer : I have watched the movie and the characters portrayed by the actors have left an impression on me. I may see the characters through my movie eyes. Despite the fact that they are equally strong and wonderful in words. Also, these days I am quite fascinated by the transformation of a book into a movie. That is somehow influencing the books I pick.


If you have read 'To kill a mockingbird' and adore it, then you will immediately come to love this book. Its hard to resist that southern language and accent. Plus, when a book talks about fundamental rights and our ability to judge or not judge someone as human, it has to strike a chord with you.


The Help, as the title says, revolves around 'maids' who helped raise the kids in white families across Jackson, Mississippi. When entire America was buzzing with the color revolution, it was difficult for people in Jackson to not get affected. The story told through the eyes of Skeeter (the educated white woman), Aibilleen (the awesomely strong 'help') and Minny (the sassiest of them all 'help') evolves into something bigger, when it portrays various relationships through the helps' eyes. It also gives a very amusing perspective of how the 'helps' view the home/lady they are serving. 


The book has a lot of 'woman' characters, mean, kind, racist, confused, sweet, naive. But the men in Stockett's book act just like fillers. It can be justified by the fact that this is a pretty domestic premise the book is handling, but one cannot help and wonder about the what if's or unnecessary characters. That was my only problem with the book.


Otherwise it is a pretty delightful read. Narrated in the hearty southern American language (yes I know I am saying this again, only because I love it so much!) telling a tale which is pretty universal and timeless.


Rating: 4/5
Price: Rs. 553 (flipkart)

Percy Jackson and the lightening thief by Rick Riordon

Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief


ISBN: 

0141329998

Pages: 400
Genre: Young adult, fantasy fiction
1st Published: 2010
Bestsellers: Percy Jackson series


Synopsis: 
From goodreads - After getting expelled from yet another school for yet another clash with mythological monsters only he can see, twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is taken to Camp Half-Blood, where he finally learns the truth about his unique abilities: He is a demigod, half human, half immortal. Even more stunning: His father is the Greek god Poseidon, ruler of the sea, making Percy one of the most powerful demigods alive. There's little time to process this news. All too soon, a cryptic prophecy from the Oracle sends Percy on his first quest, a mission to the Underworld to prevent a war among the gods of Olympus.


Nightflier speaks:
I picked this book, because GRR Martin's series was getting really complex and I needed something to cool my nerves. The Percy Jackson series, came across as a perfect read to indulge in some juvenile fantasy fiction.


Don't get me wrong, but when it comes to a young boy being made center of a lot of action, JRR Tolkein and recently JKR have paved a pretty steep way for what anyone can call real success. 
Percy's story is based in New York, where he is already battling ADHD, dyslexia, and other normal teenage stuff, when he comes to know that he is half god. Yes he is a direct descendant of a greek god and is prophesied to be a deciding factor in the war against the titans, which will be based in the modern day America.


This is just a first installment of the epic war which takes place in the last book of the series. To be fair and unbiased and leaving all previous comparisons aside, he does a pretty good job at establishing a parallel fantasy world filled with monsters, gods, nymphs, satyrs, magical beings and making them sound relevant. He also manages to keep the book preach-free. There are hidden messages, meanings in stuff, but its presented in a manner suitable for young adults. There are no tirades on good conduct or friendships or moral values. And to me that is a win while writing a young adult series. 


But as a book, it fails to impress beyond a point. It is filled with sarcasm and wit, but its not really fresh.
And if you are a serious literature lover, then you will find problems with various anecdotes.


My personal takeaway from the book was its rich information about greek mythology. Always helps to get your facts right.


Rating: 3/5
Price: Rs. 209 (flipkart)

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Bossypants


ISBN: 978-0316056861
Pages: 277
Genre: Autobiography, humor
1st Published: 2011


Synopsis:
Liz Lemon bares it all. Apart from the fact that Tina Fey is a funny woman, in this book she talks about her upbringing, Chicago theater days, SNL and 30 rock experience. Full of anecdotes from the show business, takes you gently into the world of stand up comedy and then cracks your ribs!


Excerpt:

“The Mother’s Prayer for Its Daughter,” from Bossypants:

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her

When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age. ..."

Nightflier Speaks:

I love 30 rock and I like Tina Fey. I like her nonchalance in being herself and using that same image to deliver comedy. So I was really pepped up to read her autobiography when a friend gifted this book, despite the fact that I don't gel well with biographies. Also its great to read something which lightens you up after a heavy read (Kiran Nagarkar's cuckold).

This book is more of a memoir. Fey sticks to timeline and starts from the start. She describes growing up in a family with a very strong father figure, hanging out with the most weird bunch of friends from an early age, summer theaters, teenage heartbreaks, bad jobs, stint with the chicago theater group, touring across America, getting married, the big break with SNL (saturday night live), having a baby and finally as a producer and boss for 30 Rock. This pretty much provides the insights into the person she is now. It is a fun story. She also tries to throw light on her 'boss' techniques which are very frankly non existent. She talks about sharing work space with a lot of talented and powerful people at the same time, which does tell you one thing. 'Dont ever come in the way of talent', let it be.

Tina Fey has had (is having) a glorious TV career, and it shows in her writing, and her anecdotes and her funny streak. And that is what makes the book a light, breezy read. But if you are expecting to take back a lot and get inspired then this is not the biography for you. It is one girl's journey from a nerdy teenager to a boss, full of energy, enthusiasm, hard work and focus.

Nonchalant, nonfussy. Signature Tina Fey-ish stuff.

Rating: 3.5/5


Price: INR 624 (Flipkart)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - John le Carré

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

ISBN: 1444728172

Pages: 432

Genre: Thriller, espionage

Bestsellers: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy , Smiley's People, The Constant Gardener

Synopsis: 

George Smiley has been called off from his forced retirement, to hunt down a mole well settled in the high ranks of the British intelligence. He must take upon the trail left behind by his former and now dead boss Control and doubt everyone around him, including himself. A chilling tale of the post cold war European politics and cat and mouse race between Karla and Smiley and the twisted British circus (MI6).

Nightflier Speaks:

I was pretty darn excited about the movie of the same name which released 2 weeks back. And promptly picked up the book from my brother's book shelf before the movie watching experience. I still curse myself for picking up a classic so late. But I have started with John Le Carre nonetheless. It doesn't feel that bad now.

The first thing that hits you about the book is how deeply the characters are developed. And how non glamorous they are! Seriously from Ian Fleming Bond to Carre's Smiley, you can clearly see the two ends of the spy spectrum. Smiley is extremely subdued, constantly cheated upon by his beautiful wife, is not an action figure, is middle aged with sagging cheeks, is not unusually charming. So very unlike his other British contemporary. And same goes for all the other characters and plot. There are no bombs exploding or random gunfires taking place. This is 'serious' spy fiction and these are some very boring intelligence officers without the frills of fanfare and fame. They work underground most of the times and hardly get any credit for saving the government's behind. Still they go on. Because it's a way of life. For them.

And with such meticulous details, John Le Carre' builds up a classic thriller tale. Of espionage and deceit. Despite all the spy-ness of the officers, these are real people with real secrets. And Carre portrays them so well, that you are hooked. 

Agreed that the British English sometimes gets to your head and the internal spy lingo (code words) makes you google stuff more than you would like to. It is a worth read, despite all the challenges.

The book is like a well laid out chess game with a set of seasoned players, with the reader going over it in his head and watching every move, still not getting what might be happening. And there is a strange delight in that!

[Since it is a thriller I have not given away any plot details, except for in the synopsis.]

Rating: 4.5/5

Price: 299 (Flipkart)

Dork by Sidin Vadukut

Dork

ISBN: 978-0143067115

Pages: 242

Genre: humor, fiction

Synopsis:

Robin Einstein Varghese, a typical engineering student, enters a top MBA institute and is about to start his professional life as a 'management consultant'. The book takes you through his goof ups and miraculous make ups. 

Excerpt:

Okay, now let me describe everything that happened after I updated you last week and told you I’d been shortlisted for interviews by Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Co., JP Morgan and Dufresne Partners. I know I haven’t written entries since then, but you know how it is with placements and the pressure to get a job on Day Zero.

Oh! My fingertips tingle with earnestness.

At the time, I may have told everyone that I was all set to join Goldman Sachs, the greatest bank in the world. I may also have suggested that Dufresne Partners was my ‘safety application’ and I had no intention of joining a ‘second-grade consulting firm of questionable pedigree’.

Diary, I was deeply mistaken. Little did I know that Dufresne Partners, despite the lower revenues, lower profile, and near global bankruptcy in 2001, stood shoulders and head above the others when you considered the job in a holistic fashion. Especially with that exciting and sensible ‘performance and global marketplace dependent variable bonus payout scheme’ that was introduced earlier this year.

Nightflier Speaks:

It is always a pleasure to read an author whom you have followed through their blogging days to twitter glory! And Sidin is a seriously funny guy. So having seen him grow, rather his sense of humor grow, I picked up the book for a light read. Also I wanted to end the year on a laughing note. So.

Needless to say, the book is not a literary genius or something which will make you stop dead in your path and ponder over your life. But it surely is a funny book. Evokes some genuine laughs and is full of naive idealism, young graduates from college have.

So our protagonist, the over optimistic and self aggrandizing, Robin Varghese, joins a reputed management consulting firm with stars in his eyes. From pre-joining mess to post joining silly mistakes, Robin's life is full of adventures. Some moronic enough and some ethical enough with a dark side to them. But our hero prevails. And the story is about his triumph. Sidin who was a management consultant himself, seems to have picked up a lot of his personal experiences and weaved them quite nicely to mirror the 'consultant' way of life. Moreover his language is fresh and palatable.

The book provides a really good insight into 'what consulting is', in case any of you are looking to move over to the darker side. So the MBA types can really relate with it.

Nonetheless a breezy read. Finished it in 3 hours. Always a feel good!

Rating: 3/5

Price: 199 INR (Penguin India)