And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

This is a somewhat splintered collection of inter-related short stories set out in 9 chapters. Spanning from the 1950s to present day, each chapter is told from the point of view of a different, seemingly unrelated, character whose connection to the main thread of the story is then slowly unveiled. On reflection, I don’t believe it matters whether you read the chapters in sequence, though the starting point must be the parable in the first chapter, the tone of which is reflected throughout the entire novel. The point is, it is disjointed & jumbling up the chapters would not make it any more so.

The clear pervasive theme is of complicated familial relationships and the way past choices haunt the present, demonstrating the far-reaching ripple effect of these choices. What may seem like a good idea at the time is, in hindsight, very far from it. I particularly like an observation made by one of the characters about the perilously thin line between a visionary & a fool. But then again, it isn’t a new insight.

I confess I did not finish ‘The Kite Runner’ some years back, having set it aside halfway through after I could not stomach what I perceived to be bad writing about a string of contrived coincidences. And though this time I did finish ‘And the Mountains Echoed’, I cannot say that my opinion of this author has changed. I would sum up this book as time wasted. For me, that is, as a reader. But no doubt legions would disagree with me.

The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak

A heartbreaking tale of life for ordinary Germans in Nazi Germany during WWII. Ordinary Germans who were not card-carrying members of the Nazi party (although some were, as a mechanism for survival), nor did they feel love for the Führer or hate for the Jew. Just ordinary Germans trying to cope through tremendous hardships in their lives.

Extraordinarily though, it is narrated by the Grim Reaper. And with a difference, in that he's depicted as someone just doing a job. He's very matter of fact about it, death being part of the cycle of life & all that, but he can't help but feel concern about about some of his charges. Like those who he feels he's had to visit too early or the grief of those left behind after his visit. "It kills me sometimes, how people die." he laments.

He feels for humans - "Even death has a heart." he tells us. And perceiving  the human capacity to struggle onwards, he observes, "I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race - that rarely do I ever simply estimate it."

The protagonist is a young girl, given up to foster parents, who genuinely love her. She is a tenacious & spirited young girl, who will not be put down & fights all her own battles. Initially illiterate, her foster father teaches her to read & in books (and words), she finds solace & provides it to others. There are numerous sub-plots, which I won't go into, as that would be giving the story away.

And the narrator? In his own words, "I do not carry a sickle or scythe. I only wear a hooded black robe when it's cold. And I don't have those skull-like facial features you seem to enjoy pinning on me from a distance. You want to know what I truly look like? I'll help you out. Find yourself a mirror while I continue." And that, "I'm haunted by humans."

I did the audiobook version of this book & was in tears as it was ending. A really moving tale, although it's aimed at the Young Adult reader. Sadly, I hear from the reviews of the film adaptation that the movie has not measured up to the book. But then again, when has it ever?

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

771 pages. The length doesn’t bother me, so long as I’m engaged, a book can go on forever as far as I’m concerned. But when it’s 771 pages of meandering prose touching on everything in tremendous detail, it can get excruciating & sometimes desultory. TMI, as some would say.

Donna Tartt’s writing is beautiful and evocative and she seems knowledgeable in a myriad of subjects. If you love New York (as I do), her descriptions of Manhattan will take you right there. You’ll learn about Rembrandt & his students – most notably the artist who painted The Goldfinch (who, interestingly, existed) & whose fate is shared tragic comedy style with his painting. You’ll also learn about drugs (both illegal & prescription), alcohol & their dependencies, antique furniture & the painstaking steps in their restoration… you get the drift.

About 80% through, the ball falls for me. Everything was hollow & there's only so much that good writing can save. The protagonist seemed the most self-absorbed character I had come across in a long time. Although his childhood friend was previously an engaging & favourite character, his antics become increasingly implausible. Leaving me cold.

Even so, I kept willing for a rebound. There must be a reason for all the rave reviews it has received. I get it, it’s a Bildungsroman. But like the bird in The Goldfinch, he is forever chained to a single point in time. Life is hard, we all know that. But we get through & experience joy from outside ourselves. This seems impossible for the protagonist & in the final pages, he finally addresses us, the reader. A little too late though.

80% in was also the turning point at which I just wished for the end to come quickly. And now that I’ve come to the end, I can only say, it should have come sooner.

And this is The Goldfinch painted by Carel Fabritius, the painting that features prominently in the start & end of the book, just very cursorily in between.

The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

The reviews had me intrigued, likening it to a mass confabulation that evaporates in front of us, like the waning of the moon.

The author's 'Note to the Reader' on the astrology of the book had me confused & apprehensive, wondering whether I was about to bite off more than I could chew.

But they were all smokescreens, albeit true, for a mysterious & enigmatic 'who-done-what' that ultimately dissolves into a sliver of a love story. And boy, was it thrilling!

Deserving of the Booker Prize, 832 pages flew by in a flurry of hat tips to the masters of the Victorian novel ... recognisably Dickens, George Eliot, Jane Austen, S.T. Coleridge & perhaps others. All the while delivering a gripping plot that comes full circle (or should I say orbit?) to a satisfying conclusion.

And who are the Luminaries? They are the sun & the moon, which when juxtaposed, create an eclipse. Even the cover of this book is clever!

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

It's quite impossible to review this book without giving away the plot & premise of this brilliant psychological thriller. It's said that marriage is a killer & this view is forwarded through the alternating view points of the husband & the wife. It's a 'who done what' so smartly thought out & paced that I was on edge till the very last page. And when I got there, I fell off my chair in total surprise. That's all I can say, I'm afraid. Anymore & I would be spoiling it for those who want to delve into this totally wicked book. And for those who aren't tempted, I'm willing to bet that there'll soon be a movie.

Suffice to say that I liked it enough that I'm now reading Gillian Flynn's first book, 'Sharp Objects'. And already I'm loving it too.

Breakfast At Tiffany's by Truman Capote

Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's is a famous work, both in itself and for the movie it inspired. Although I haven't seen the movie, the image of Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly is hard to shake off.

Yet for all the hoopla, for me this novella is dated. Perhaps in 1958, when it was written, Holly was an intriguing & singular character, displaying an independence of spirit that men (like the unnamed narrator) found hard to fathom. Perhaps it was part of the momentum for the movement for women’s rights, I don’t know.

To me the novella was light & slight about a flighty woman, whom today would be termed an escort or an SPG. I found myself unsympathetic to both Holly and the narrator, who came across as a fawning fool, allowing himself to be toyed by Holly. In short, the story is a male viewpoint of the adventures of a ‘kampung’ girl in a big city. Her end is a mystery to the narrator & necessarily (though frustratingly) to us too.

That said, Truman Capote’s writing cannot be faulted. The writing is rich & lyrical with a dream-like quality almost akin to F. Scott Fitzgerald. Although I wish Holly’s character had been fleshed-out a bit more, this was probably intentional on Truman Capote’s part. 3 stars.

Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year by Sue Townsend

I do most of my reading on a Kindle. But whenever I come across a book that isn't on available on the Kindle, I'm almost gleeful. As much as I love the Kindle, I do miss the feel of a real book. So when Kyle started on Adrian Mole, I thought I'd accompany him with Sue Townsend's latest. None of her books are available on the Kindle.

And whilst Kyle really enjoyed 'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4", I can't say I did the same with "The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year". The premise was interesting & had potential ... fed up with her life, a woman withdraws from it & takes to her bed to think. She doesn't leave it at all & constructs a 'white path' of sheets to get to the bathroom even. Society of course doesn't understand this bizarre behavior & soon bestows on her a saint-like aura. Loonies, crazies & those seeking assistance & blessings are drawn to her, providing the backdrop to highlight all that is wrong in this modern world.

But whilst the premise had potential, the book just did not deliver ... for me at least. It didn't draw me in & I only got to the end through sheer perseverance. There is a profound realization at the end, but this could be missed by readers turned off by the tedium preceding it. A shame really, because Sue Townsend's previous books have been very witty observations of life, often bringing hilarity to the mundane.

It is well written & an easy read. But with not much else to commend it, you won't miss anything if you decide not to read it. I give it 2 stars (which is probably on the generous side).

Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James

If anyone is contemplating picking up this book to find out what the hype is all about, please, please, please do yourself a favour & don't bother. You will not forgive yourself the time wasted. It is pure unadulterated trash, & very badly written trash at that! And I'm not going to bother with a review as I've already wasted too much time on this idiocy masquerading as a book as it is.

It's part of a trilogy, you say, & perhaps redeems itself in its later installments? Well, that's just too bad. I've had enough!

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

This book won the 2011 Man Booker Prize & deservedly too. At only 163 pages, it’s an elegantly composed understated tale of imperfect recollections clouded by the passage of time & selective memory. There are no sympathetic characters & all are humanly flawed. Whilst not action packed, it’s genuinely suspenseful & not till the final page do we find out the truth, or at least what we believe may possibly be the truth. However, the most probable truth is that no one knows the truth since clearly, memories are unreliable.

The question recurring throughout the book is whether history is the lies of the victors, the self-delusions of the defeated or simply, the memories of the survivors, most of whom are neither victorious nor defeated. Another nice quote is ‘History is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation.’

A truly compelling masterpiece, this book is full of symbolism. It merits & probably benefits from a 2nd reading. I'm still wondering whether there's some significance to the soundtrack that runs throughout the book - ‘Time Is On My Side’ by the Rolling Stones.

Unreservedly, 5 stars.

The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler

Just finished this thoughtful & moving look at loss, grief & recovery after the death of a spouse. The tale becomes all the more poignant when it is acknowledged that theirs wasn't particularly a happy marriage. Yet as always, Anne Tyler manages to create a flawed quirky & prickly character, yet instill such simpatico that we're willing him to recovery & perhaps a chance at happiness. 4 stars.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Finished! And what a fitting & totally satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. And I must say that for a young adult book, I was surprised that it turned out to be a social commentary on war, its effects & how people react to the horrors of war. A very realistic treatment. I give this book 5 stars!

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Finished Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins & gave it 4 stars. Very good follow-up to the The Hunger Games! Mockingjay next.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Finished The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins last night. Preferred it to the movie, which is a feat since the movie was really good as well. Gave it 4 stars. Now on to Catching Fire.

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

Finished The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino and gave it 5 stars.