So I bought both of Bantwal's books from Amazon and quickly delved into this one. Again, Bantwal tackles an Indian dark 'secret'. This one is the cultural preference for boy babies to be born and the sad reality of gender based abortions.
The story is a little more complicated in this book. The main character, Isha faces early widow-hood after her husband is mysteriously murdered. The circumstances behind his death remain unsolved. Isha is the mother of one daughter and is pregnant with her second. It is for this reason that she leaves her husband's family home after he is killed. Her in-laws make it very clear that they would have wanted her unborn child aborted and believe her baby to be cursed. Isha faces her struggles head on. I found less jumps and bumps in this book. I do think that as Bantwal gains more experience in novel writing, the reads will get better. She has some definate strong ideas that she wants to get out there. She has a good voice for setting, once she works out some kinks in character I believe more people will be enjoying her books. I look forward to what she has to offer in the future.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Dowry Bride by Shobhan Bantwal
I actually (gasp) bought this book. I saw it at Indigo last summer and couldn't get it out of my head. I also couldn't find it at my library. Jonathan was ordering a book on Amazon and wanted to get the shipping deal so we bought me a couple.
This is Shobhan Bantwal's first novel and a very interesting topic. It looks at the notion of bride burnings in India...one of the dark 'secrets'. In a male oriented society, a woman's place can be to bring in a handsome dowry and start producing babies (male preferrably).
The premise is this, Megha (trapped in a miserable young marriage with an overbearing mother-in-law) overhears her MIL and her husband plotting her death one night. She flees into the safety of her husband's cousin Kiran, who offers her shelter and security.
This book is rich in detail of life in India, which I loved. I have a heart for the people of India and would love to travel there one day. I did find that there were some jumps and bumps in the writing from time to time, but could overlook those to enjoy the story.
This is Shobhan Bantwal's first novel and a very interesting topic. It looks at the notion of bride burnings in India...one of the dark 'secrets'. In a male oriented society, a woman's place can be to bring in a handsome dowry and start producing babies (male preferrably).
The premise is this, Megha (trapped in a miserable young marriage with an overbearing mother-in-law) overhears her MIL and her husband plotting her death one night. She flees into the safety of her husband's cousin Kiran, who offers her shelter and security.
This book is rich in detail of life in India, which I loved. I have a heart for the people of India and would love to travel there one day. I did find that there were some jumps and bumps in the writing from time to time, but could overlook those to enjoy the story.
Naked Beneath My Clothes by Rita Rudner
This is a re-do. I first bought and read this book years ago after watching many a Rita Rudner comedy special. I think she's very funny. This book is a series of essays that she wrote with random thoughts on life and things that happen to her. It's one of those books that you can pick up and put down here and there and carried me through my uncomfortable moments of 'I don't have a book to read' the last few months. (similar position Stuart McClean holds in my life). After finishing this book (again) I wondered what happed to Rita Rudner. So I googled her (as you do) and found out that she is a headliner in Vegas with a steady show at Harrahs. You can find out more about Rita at her website www.ritafunny.com
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith
This is the second of the Ladies' No. 1 Detective Agency series. I happened into these books out of good intention and boredom. My Mom had sent me the first of these books after reading it herself and enjoying it. But it sat on my shelf for a little while until it got found again one day while looking for a new read.
The second I had to find for myself.
This book is a sheer delight. Really. They are timeless books that seem to take complicated matters and make them simple in a very fine writing style. The series follows Precious Remotswe. A lady in Botswana who decides to open her own detective agency. She is not highly trained, but is highly intellegent and knows people well. And it is from these traits that she earns her success.
I really just love how these books are written. Nothing fancy. Nothing over the top. Just very insightful.
Here's a quote from p. 6 of Tears of the Giraffe that stuck with me:
"She now knew why Mr J.L.B. Matekoni had never invited her to the house before. His office at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors was bad enough, with all that grease and those calendars that the parts suppliers sent him. They were ridiculous calendars, in her view, with all those far-too-thin ladies sitting on tyres and leaning against cars. Those ladies were useless for everything. They would not be good for having children, and not one of them looked as if she had her school certificate, or even her standard six. They were useless, good-time girls, who only made men all hot and bothered, and that was no good to anybody, If only men knew what fools of them these bad girls made; but they did not know it and it was hopeless trying to point it out to them."
When I read that I wanted to share it with somebody and read it out loud. But there was no one around at the time and since I'm currently sick and cough I wouldn't do it justice anyway. As you can tell from that one little paragraph, this a book that is just as charming and insightful as its main character. But please do start with the first book first and then this one. I'm going to start tracking down the third.
The second I had to find for myself.
This book is a sheer delight. Really. They are timeless books that seem to take complicated matters and make them simple in a very fine writing style. The series follows Precious Remotswe. A lady in Botswana who decides to open her own detective agency. She is not highly trained, but is highly intellegent and knows people well. And it is from these traits that she earns her success.
I really just love how these books are written. Nothing fancy. Nothing over the top. Just very insightful.
Here's a quote from p. 6 of Tears of the Giraffe that stuck with me:
"She now knew why Mr J.L.B. Matekoni had never invited her to the house before. His office at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors was bad enough, with all that grease and those calendars that the parts suppliers sent him. They were ridiculous calendars, in her view, with all those far-too-thin ladies sitting on tyres and leaning against cars. Those ladies were useless for everything. They would not be good for having children, and not one of them looked as if she had her school certificate, or even her standard six. They were useless, good-time girls, who only made men all hot and bothered, and that was no good to anybody, If only men knew what fools of them these bad girls made; but they did not know it and it was hopeless trying to point it out to them."
When I read that I wanted to share it with somebody and read it out loud. But there was no one around at the time and since I'm currently sick and cough I wouldn't do it justice anyway. As you can tell from that one little paragraph, this a book that is just as charming and insightful as its main character. But please do start with the first book first and then this one. I'm going to start tracking down the third.
19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult
I was very interested to read this book. Yes, once again Jodi Picoult features a topic that will end up in a courtroom at some point (I sense a pattern as I read here). This time the topic is very real, very sad and very scary. The topic is a school shooting. It is the story of the boy who is the shooter, his mother (a nurse), her once best friend (a judge), and her daughter (a student at the school).
I read a non-fiction book last year that covered this topic brilliantly. It was The Bully, The Bullied and The Bystander by Barbara Coloroso. She is a parenting expert who has a heart for these kids. The ones who are bullied to death, or bullied enough to commit murder. She raised the painful question, just how innocent are the rest of us when these atrocities occur?
I think Jodi Picoult's fictional offering is extremely honest, to a point that may be difficult for some as they raise their own sons and daughters. I know I certainly thought of my own small boys as I read this and wondered am I teaching them all they need to know to treat people well and to not get stepped on in the process?
And yes, she got me again, once I was into this book, I was into it constantly. I think I would have read while driving the car if I could have (don't worry, I will never do that). If you really want to have a look at why we have kids killing kids out there read this book.
I read a non-fiction book last year that covered this topic brilliantly. It was The Bully, The Bullied and The Bystander by Barbara Coloroso. She is a parenting expert who has a heart for these kids. The ones who are bullied to death, or bullied enough to commit murder. She raised the painful question, just how innocent are the rest of us when these atrocities occur?
I think Jodi Picoult's fictional offering is extremely honest, to a point that may be difficult for some as they raise their own sons and daughters. I know I certainly thought of my own small boys as I read this and wondered am I teaching them all they need to know to treat people well and to not get stepped on in the process?
And yes, she got me again, once I was into this book, I was into it constantly. I think I would have read while driving the car if I could have (don't worry, I will never do that). If you really want to have a look at why we have kids killing kids out there read this book.
Last Chance Saloon by Marian Keyes
I read a lot of Marian Keyes this summer. Having heard that she was the 'new Maeve Binchy' and the 'queen of chick lit' I had to try her out. Much as I have been enjoying her writing, I take execption to the two titles that led me to her in the first place. The first: Sure, she and Maeve Binchy are both female Irish writers, that's about where the similarity ends. Binchy's work often flows from and older Ireland into the new. A lot like having a cup of tea and a good chinwag with an old friend, a delightful way to spend the afternoon. Marian Keyes' work delves into a more modern Ireland, or Irish who are now living elsewhere, such as London or New York. Her subject matter is a lot darker too. She does not flinch at drug addiction, death, or marital infedelity which leads me to the second: her work is not fluffy chick lit at all. The covers and marketing of her books may look that way, but there is no rambling heroine who stumbles through life. Any of these at some point must face their own harsh realities.
Last Chance Saloon follows a small friend group. The main 3 grew up together in Ireland moved to London as young adults. Tara currently lives with her terrible boyfriend (and he really is terrible). Katherine spends much of her life being perfect, alone. Fintan has found true love and lives the dream life. But as life often does, something happens that will change all of them and leave them questioning their own happiness and way of living. The serious subject in this book is cancer and Keyes does a nice job of not sugar coating the reality of this disease. She gives a very honest portrayal of how the disease affects both the carrier and those who who love him.
Last Chance Saloon follows a small friend group. The main 3 grew up together in Ireland moved to London as young adults. Tara currently lives with her terrible boyfriend (and he really is terrible). Katherine spends much of her life being perfect, alone. Fintan has found true love and lives the dream life. But as life often does, something happens that will change all of them and leave them questioning their own happiness and way of living. The serious subject in this book is cancer and Keyes does a nice job of not sugar coating the reality of this disease. She gives a very honest portrayal of how the disease affects both the carrier and those who who love him.
Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult
Is life what you know it to be? Are there reasons in the past that affect your current behaviours? Who do you trust most? Why? What would it take for that trust to be taken away? Della lives in New Hampshire with her father and her young daughter. She works in special rescues with her bloodhound. She has a longtime best friend and is engaged to her daughter's father. Everything should be great for Della. Execpt that one day it isn't. One day the police come knocking on her door and everything is not what she thought it was. Once again, Jodi Picoult seemlessly writes this tale from a variety of perspectives. It has so many twists and turns tha you think you would get lost along the way, but you don't. Very well written.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)