READ AWAY THOSE PANDEMIC BLUES

  

I am reading sporadically since our province declared a state of emergency last March 18 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Under normal conditions, I would portion any book I will read into (at least) five, and then I make sure to finish a portion each day. Rule. But since the lockdown, to pick a book up again was difficult. Oftimes it takes days to nudge me back.

The night used to be my best buddy because it is quiet, the ideal time to read. I already lost count the many times I told myself “just one more chapter” right after finishing the last one. But lately, the idleness of the day leaks into the night, and I would lie awake in bed, not reading at all, wishing the Sandman will be kind.

The last two months of winter were the most challenging as I cannot walk around the park or sit on a bench and read. The best I could do was taking the pup for a quick walk out on the sidewalk.

Boohoo, right? My husband said that it was from the stress of worrying, which is true. So, I thought of ways to bust these pandemic blues away and get my reading mojo back on track.

MORE AUDIOBOOKS

I’ve been reading with audiobooks before. Although I usually set them aside for walking and long bus rides, I now cling to them more often. I bought the audiobook copies of my most anticipated list from Google Play. I read along while listening as much as I could, but often, I switch to just listening. And those I could not go thru even in audio, I drop. I figured it is not the time to dawdle on things I cannot finish on the first go.

WHILE EATING

I work mostly from home, even before the lockdown. And so, weekdays leave me eating lunch alone. The house rule is no reading, or internet browsing, or phones while we are having meals together. Technically speaking then, reading while eating on my own isn’t breaking any rules.

WHILE SHOVELING

I’ve learned the art of heaping snow more efficiently during the lockdown. I’ve emptied all my worries and frustrations into it. Oh yes, that double-truck driveway and sidewalk were no match for me while I was listening to Brittany Pressley and January LaVoy.

WHILE OTHERS

I know people who also mastered the "reading while on treadmill" trick. Believe that you can do it too. I listen to audiobooks whenever or however I can squeeze them into whatever I am doing as well. I play them on speakers while cooking, folding the laundry, and (lately) gardening.

TWITTER STORIES

While some people make sure to stay away from social media to reduce stress, I go to Twitter and Facebook in search of people who share a story or two. Lucky days turn my searches into gold. Other days, my find could be an animal rescue story too. Then my faith in humanity is restored, and I am happy to pick up my book again.

TFG TO THE RESCUE

I joined the latest two online book discussions with my beloved book club. And it turned out my dear bookish friends was all I need to vanish this blues away finally. They made me realize again why I love to read. Nothing thumps the spark of lively chatter. I’ve missed them so much.

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Now that the warmer months are here, and the province is phasing its way to reopening public places and the economy, I get to walk in the park longer, seat and read, and drink my coffee in tranquility again. 

My worries, of course, is not more valid than what others may have, and we battle them differently as well. I merely hope my undertakings during these difficult times will motivate you likewise to read your pandemic blues away too.

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Book Review | THE REMAINS OF THE DAY by Kazuo Ishiguro

THE REMAINS OF THE DAY

BY KAZUO ISHIGURO | PUBLICATION: JANUARY 1, 2010
VINTAGE | GENRE: LITERARY FICTION
RATING: ★★★★

"A story of dignity, regret,
and the quiet ache of a life half-lived."

____________________________________________________________________

In the summer of 1956, Stevens, a long-serving butler at Darlington Hall, decides to take a motoring trip through the West Country. The six-day excursion becomes a journey into the past of Stevens and England, a past that takes in fascism, two world wars, and an unrealised love between the butler and his housekeeper.

____________________________________________________________________

"The Things Left Unsaid: Writing to Mr. Stevens"


Dearest James,

I know an introduction is customary — polite, even — but in this case, I suggest we dispense with it. It is you who matters, and no one else.

First, how did the end of your motoring trip fare? Was the return pleasant? I hope none of the inconveniences that plagued your departure followed you home. Mr. Farraday was right to suggest the journey; you had been cooped up in that great hall far too long. A change of scenery did you good. In the span of a single week, you seemed to grow — not outwardly, perhaps, but inwardly, where it counts.

I read your travelogue and musings with great interest. It is difficult not to be taken by them. Still, I noticed how often you answer your own questions. I suspect these are not signs of confusion but of hesitation — a reluctance to acknowledge truths long waiting at the edges of your mind. Hesitation and advancing age make uneasy companions, don’t they?

Your thoughts return again and again to greatness and dignity. It is clear you seek justification. And yes, James, you are a great and dignified butler. But does that absolve the mistakes you’ve made? Of course not, old chap. Your dignity lies in your unwavering professionalism, even in trying times — always the embodiment of restraint, calm, and placid composure. Yet in pursuing greatness, in holding fast to duty at the expense of feeling, you have forfeited something vital: relationships. Greatness and dignity fade, as your father’s did. Great butlers come and go. But a good friend, a loving husband, a present father — these are cherished for all time.

Oh, James. If only you had taken the leap…

But regret is a poor dwelling place. It has occupied your thoughts for far too many years already. Bless Miss Kenton for choosing a different path — even if partly to spite you — but fate has spoken. She is happily married now. She said all is well, did she not? Then move on, for her sake as much as your own. As for Lord Darlington, his folly is his alone. It is not yours to suffer. Loyalty is not measured by how much you endure, but by how well you serve. You know this now. Let the matter rest. Correcting the past is miserable business.

The man at the pier was right: nothing fruitful comes from dwelling too long on what cannot be changed. The day is not yet over. There is still much to be gained. Work on your bantering, as you resolved. Let humor lighten your steps. Women do enjoy a man with a bit of wit — but more importantly, humor may help you feel younger.

Farewell, James. Bless you on this new endeavor. Do send word of your progress, if you can.


Yours,
Louize

*Originally posted here.

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About the Author:

KAZUO ISHIGURO was born in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1954 and moved to Britain at the age of five. His works of fiction have earned him many honours around the world, including the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Booker Prize. His books have been translated into over fifty languages and The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go were both made into acclaimed films. He received a knighthood in 2018 for Services to Literature. He also holds the decorations of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from France and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star from Japan. His most recent novel, Klara and the Sun was a number one Sunday Times bestseller in both hardback and paperback. Ishiguro also works occasionally as a screenwriter. His screenplay for the 2022 film Living received Academy Award (Oscar) and BAFTA nominations. Cinema adaptations of Klara and the Sun and A Pale View of Hills are due for release in 2025. Photo by Andrew Testa

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CALL ME BY YOUR NAME by André Aciman

Every place I am acquainted with is buzzing with excitement because of Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of the book. It was initially released last January 22 of this year. I have not seen the movie, though. I don’t usually watch book adaptations (with only two exceptions: the Harry Potter series and Game of Thrones series). Although, Guadagnino’s peculiarity on shooting the entire movie with a 35 mm lens alone, and his reason for doing so, are really intriguing. So, you may rest assured that this is not a movie promotional review.

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME was our TFG book for March of 2016, and it was on my best book list, too. Exploring the internet, you’ll see both accolades and rebukes for the author, the same goes with the book. The aptest description I’ve read so far was “maddening”. This book has the capacity to hurl my emotions into a turbulent sea. My need to resurface for air, every now and then, was acutely palpable.

Adflictus sum et humiliatus sum nimis rugiebam a gemitu cordis mei! -Psalm 37:9 DRA

Reading Elio prompted me to look around me, asking myself if I made the right choices. Mindfully, he allowed me to view choices akin to a tub of boiling water, jumping in will not spare me from scars, but it will be absolutely liberating. I will wear those scars proudly because they are intrinsically part of me. Elio made choices by predicting how these choices will affect his feelings, his being, in the future. He, in every sense, provides his future adult self an emotional revelation he befittingly deserves. It astounded me (it still does, I believe) how Elio marries his present and his envisioned self without any sense of insincerity or regret.

Most of us can't help but live as though we've got two lives to live, one is the mockup, the other the finished version, and then there are all those versions in between. -Sam Perlman

As much as people categorized this book as an LGBT novel or romance, it will remain as a coming of age book for me. The greatest magic of this book is that it shows people, and I mean everyone, will transform. This space we occupy now, though necessary, is evanescent. We will, in essence, continue laboring for our envisioned future selves. In his purity, Elio created a portrait of a love fated to last lifetimes, even when that love is no longer with him. Since every human is driven by desire, we choose to love someone that will aid us to project the kind of person we want to be, into a full-bodied being the world will see. Every desire, present or absent, will help ferry us into that envisioned being.

Instead, I squirreled away small things so that in the lean days ahead glimmers from the past might bring back the warmth. I began, reluctantly, to steal from the present to pay off debts I knew I’d incur in the future. -Elio

SPOILER ALERT. The best part of this book for me was the father and son's reserved scene. It bespoke of a father’s unparalleled love for his son. It squeezed my heart, because, truly, in our pursuit of that envisioned self, we will need all the people who love us.

If there is pain, nurse it, and if there is a flame, don't snuff it out, don't be brutal with it. Withdrawal can be a terrible thing when it keeps us awake at night, and watching others forget us sooner than we'd want to be forgotten is no better. We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster than we should that we go bankrupt by the age of thirty and have less to offer each time we start with someone new. But to feel nothing so as not to feel anything - what a waste! -Sam Perlman

Title:  Call Me By Your Name

Author:  André Aciman

Publication:  January 22nd, 2008; Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Genre:  Fiction / Coming of Age

Rating: ★★★★★

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2015 Reading Challenge | December

So, here we are. December finally caught up with us. Days are already filled with listing, planning, shopping, and gift wrapping. I'm still hoping to include reading on that list.

Here's what I read last November:

• Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen - 5/5 stars - I love the tone of the narration, and I simply breezed through this.
• The Undoing by Averil Dean - 3.5/5 stars - Surprised by how good this book was. I just wished for a better intro. Book release on the 29th this month.
• Alternative Alamat  edited by Paolo Chikiamco - 3/5 stars - TFG's book for November, which we happened to discuss last FilReaderCon. This is an average rating. I should probably write a comprehensive review on which stories I liked best and which I don't. 
• The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury - 4/5 stars - I was granted to take a sneak preview, and I am looking forward to its release on February 2016.

And that concludes my Reading Challenge for 2015 of 70 books. Although, I was not able to read Winter People like I planned last month; and I've put both The Invention of Wings (64%) and The Golem and the Jinni (68%) on hold. I'm still thinking of finding ways to finish them within the year.

Before I go, allow me to be the first to greet you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ahead!

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2015 Reading Challenge | November

A friend, The Book Hooligan, posted his essential reading list for November late last week. It was only then that I realized that I haven't had the chance to post mine. So, here I am, in the middle of the night, typing away, whilst my dog sleeps beside me through my clicking keyboard.

Last October, I was able to finish the following books:

• Monstress by Lysley Tenorio - 4/5 stars -  TFG 's book for the October.
• Nirvana by JR Stewart - 3.5 stars - The story has a great premise based on the extinction of bees and how it affected our future. I had the chance to read both the 1st draft and the final revision, which calls for a new review. 
• The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson - 4/5 stars - The book tackled the issue of PTSD from a young adult's point of view. 
• The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman - 4/5 stars - I really enjoyed the adventure. Looking forward to reading the next book soon.

For November I've lined up the following:

• Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
• Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen
• The Undoing by Averil Dean
• Alternative Alamat  Edited by Paolo Chikiamco

I've put The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd on hold, indefinitely, because the plot is turning tedious for my present state of being. Busy people cannot afford to be dragged down altogether by the plot, speaking from experience. 

Meanwhile, review requests are still suspended until January 2016. And although some requests try to find me in different avenues, the said schedule and the policy still applies. 

Live long and prosper!

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2015 Reading Challenge | October

Aaannnddd we are down to the last quarter! Three more months to go and my reading challenge is down to eleven books. Yes, folks. Eleven more books to conquer my reading challenge for the year. But before I start counting chicks, let me list down what I read last September.

• Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier - 3/5 stars - The premise and prose were undoubtedly good, but for some reason, it can't hold my interest together. It was just probably me, right?
• Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee - 5/5 stars - TFG's book for September, which we discussed with FFP. 
• Family Life by Akhil Sharma - 4/5 stars - A bittersweet story that will stay with me for a while.
• All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven - 5/5 stars - A really sad book with a good, good purpose.
• Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill - 3.5/5 stars - An examination of the life and (mostly) of its attachments, leaping from observation to observation.
• Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio - 4/5 stars - A delightful read for all ages. 

And while we're at it, here are the books I chose for the Banned Books Week this year...

• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson - 5/5 stars 
• Drama by Raina Telgemeier - 4/5 stars 
• It's Perfectly Normal by Robbie H. Harris - 5/5 stars

For October,

• Monstress by Lysley Tenorio -  TFG 's book for the month.
• The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd - A carryover from September, 47% thru the book. 
• Nirvana by JR Stewart - A carryover from September, 57% thru the book.
• The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson - From my 2014 to-read-books.
• The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman - From my  2015 to-read-books.

I hope to cross these off from my lists before the month is out, so keep your fingers and toes crossed for me. Thanks!

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2015 Reading Challenge | September

Hello! Isn't it exciting, the BER months are here? If time indeed flies, it zoomed. I went back to what I've read so far and realized that no matter how fast I read, there'd be more books that I need and want to read. The pile just kept on adding up. Same old story, 'no?

Here are the books I've read last August.

• Everlasting by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss - 3/5 stars - The author's last book and this my closure.
• To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - 5/5 stars - A reread. I still love it after so many years.
• A Bottle of Storm Clouds by Eliza Victoria - 3/5 stars - A short story collection from one of our local speculative fiction writers. I breezed thru this.
• The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence - 5/5 stars - A heartfelt tale of an extraordinary friendship. In spite of the expected ending, I was still caught off guard and cried. I can't entirely blame it on hormones.
• Slade House by David Mitchell - 5/5 stars - ARC. Releasing this October 27. The whole reading community should be very excited.

To cut off some books from my TBR, I've decided to read a book off my 2014 list and a book off my 2015 list simultaneously, starting this month. Although, I may add more along the way as time permits. This way, I can closely monitor how I'm doing. 

• Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill 
• All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

I'm currently reading Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, a book club dare-to-read challenge. I'm terribly slow at it so I may take a while finishing. Meanwhile, TFG is reading and discussing Go Set A Watchman this September with FFP. Listened to it a week ago and Reese Witherspoon did a wonderful narration. 

Unexpected circumstances happened some time ago, and my commitments took a drastic change. It was because of these circumstances that I missed some book club F2F discussions.  Same reason why I have not been replying to most emails and review request lately. Forgive me for cutting down on requests.

Until next time! Meanwhile, have a wonderful September.

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Book Review | ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE

Aristotle and Dante, #1
BY BENJAMIN ALIRE SÁENZ | PUBLICATION: FEBRUARY 2012
SIMON & SCHUSTER | GENRE: YA FICTION
RATING: ★★★★★

“There is something miraculous about the ordinary
— about friendship as liberation, about the bravery of discovering who you are,
about the tenderness of being seen.”

____________________________________________________________________

Dante can swim. Ari can't. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari's features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life, would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built around himself.

But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet, they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be. But there are big hurdles in their way, and only by believing in each other—and the power of their friendship—can Ari and Dante emerge stronger on the other side.

____________________________________________________________________

This was my first book by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and I’m instantly a fan.

I’d like to begin by calling Aristotle (Ari) a lonely boy, but that wouldn’t be entirely fair. At the start of the story, he seems almost comfortable in his aloneness — steeped in bitterness, confusion, and a quiet resignation. He rarely speaks to his family, though his mother tries. His only brother is in prison, a subject the family avoids; his sisters are much older and already married; and his father keeps a distance built not of space but of silence. Ari has his own walls, too. He’s afraid of emotional attachment, of the responsibility that comes with being known. Yet beneath all that, he carries a storm of emotions — beautiful, sad, and aching to be released.

I had learned to hide what I felt. No, that's not true.
There was no learning involved.
I had been born knowing how to hide what I felt.
Dante, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air. His worldview is relentlessly bright. He adores his parents and values their opinions with a kind of wholeheartedness that feels rare. He’s emotional, artistic, curious — a boy who reads deeply and feels deeply. When he meets Ari at the local swimming pool and offers to teach him to swim, their friendship forms almost instantly. Throughout the story, Dante keeps gently, persistently pressing against Ari’s walls of fear and uncertainty.

And it seemed to me that Dante's face was a map of the world.
A world without any darkness.
Wow, a world without darkness. How beautiful was that?
This is a slow but steady, character‑driven narrative, and the investment in these boys is its greatest reward. I loved watching the stark differences between them — and between their families — and how each boy influences the other toward honesty, healing, and self‑reckoning. The breaking down of walls comes with moments of self‑discovery, painful clarity, and quiet triumph.

"All this time I had been trying to figure out the secrets of the universe…
All of the answers had always been so close
and yet I'd always fought them."
Sáenz writes with a lyrical softness that’s easy to follow and even easier to feel. Not everything is humorous; Ari carries more heartbreak than he knows what to do with. But the novel still manages to make you believe in people again. There is something miraculous about the ordinary — about friendship as liberation, about the bravery of discovering who you are, about the tenderness of being seen. ARISTOTLE AND DANTE is a charming, reflective journey of two boys stumbling toward themselves. In the end, they learn that the secrets of the universe were never as far away as they feared.

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About the Author:

Benjamin Alire Sáenz is an author of poetry and prose for adults and teens. He was the first Hispanic winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and a recipient of the American Book Award for his books for adults. He is the author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, which was a Printz Honor Book, the Stonewall Award winner, the Pura Belpré Award winner, the Lambda Literary Award winner, and a finalist for the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award, and its sequel, Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World. His first novel for teens, Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, was an ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His second book for teens, He Forgot to Say Goodbye, won the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, the Southwest Book Award, and was named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. He lives in El Paso, Texas. Photograph by Vantage Point Studios

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HIGH FIDELITY by Nick Hornby

   Rob Fleming started his narration by counting off his five (5) ex-girlfriends from the past. He was literally leaking off bitterness as he describes the breakups. The reader doesn’t have to go through the entire whole chapter to realize that Rob is a very sad loser.  His record store is barely making it, his parents (especially his mom) pities him, he takes comfort bantering with his (common loser) store clerks, and his recent girlfriend (Laura) recently moved-in with another guy. These got Rob thinking, that maybe he had it figured all wrong. Maybe playing it safe isn’t the safest place to be after all.

I've committed to nothing...and that's just suicide...by tiny, tiny increments.

Rob’s fixation with lists is sooooo mental! No wonder his life is in chaos. But I have to hand it to this guy. How many guys do you know, who is willing to take a step back, look at his life from a distance and ask himself, “what makes me an arsehole”, “what is wrong with me”? Then he took the matter a little bit further by humiliating himself, seeking out his old girlfriends to get some answers. And I adored him for desperately wanting Laura back, for realizing his need and love for her. Not that Laura is one neat package herself, but just the same, she’s willing to help Rob move along –forward, hopefully.

Over the last couple of years, the photos of me when I was a kid... well, they've started to give me a little pang or something - not unhappiness, exactly, but some kind of quiet, deep regret... I keep wanting to apologize to the little guy: "I'm sorry, I've let you down. I was the person who was supposed to look after you, but I blew it: I made wrong decisions at bad times, and I turned you into me.

Hornby did a great job of showing a man’s emotion, that there is no straightforward male psyche. They cannot be categorized, itemized or defined neatly. And those just sound like any woman too, right? Besides, who declared that a person should be established by thirty, anyway? Who decided that a loser always stays a loser? This isn’t exactly a gospel for how men think or feel, but it did give great insight. This novel is certainly clever, unpretentious, and a good test of patience. 

Book details:

Title:  High Fidelity (Kindle Edition)

Author:  Nick Hornby

Publication:  August 1, 1996

Genre:  Fiction

Rating:  ★★★★

...

F2F 40, TFG Anniversary,

held at Baang Coffee, Tomas Morato.

Moderated by Aaron.

Photo courtesy of Alexa.

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READY PLAYER ONE by Ernest Cline

  

      The book took me two days to finish. I hardly had time to post that I started reading this on Goodreads. It's not because the book was hard to get through, but because there’s plenty to soak in. I mean, there are literally worlds of information to soak in. I cannot simply zip through it without enjoying it, right? There are worlds within worlds, as much as there are games within games. Arcade games are played in 3D; there are virtual schools and libraries; players get to have armors, swords, and magical powers; spaceships too; and 80’s music and movies. And that Og guy is ridiculously a-ma-zing. His estate was modeled after Rivendell. He is one of my favorite guys right now because he plays Duran Duran and Billy Idol…  
...Am I making any sense here?

Okay, let me back up a little…

The setting is 2044, the Earth is a mess. There’s an energy crisis, food crisis, and the rest of the crisis we can think of to add on the list. Possibly, the only good thing about that age ahead is the existence of OASIS, a free online simulation of a virtual utopia, wherein anyone can log in and escape their ugly reality.

OASIS was created by James Halliday, who died without an heir to his vast empire and fortunes. After his death, his last will was released to the world. Within the OASIS, Halliday hid an Easter Egg, whoever finds it will inherit everything that he owned, including OASIS itself. Naturally, people want to get their hands on the egg. These egg hunters are called gunters, and among them are Parzival, Art3mis, Aech, Shoto, and Daito. The book is narrated from Parzival’s POV, so it mostly chronicles his adventures. His adventures can be rated from amusing, to excitingly dangerous.

For a bunch of hairless apes, we've actually managed to invent some pretty incredible things.

This book also has everything from 80s pop culture references, to a futuristic dystopian world with virtual and real-life danger, plus plenty of mysteries and quests. The main characters are likable with distinct personalities and typical young-adult angst. This is simply one of those fun books -it’s not particularly deep or thought-provoking. It’s just a plain enjoyable ride.

READY PLAYER ONE is one incredibly detailed and well-thought-out virtual world, constructed with astounding creativity and imagination. For an 80’s kid like me, it feels like coming home. 

Book details: 

Title:  Ready Player One

Author:  Ernest Cline

Publication:  August 16th, 2011, Random House NY 

Genre:  Science Fiction, YA

Rating:  ★★★★

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2015 Reading Challenge: May

Back in my Intermediate years in grade school, the English department would post six (6) books for the Summer Reading Challenge. There'd be extra points for the finishers on the next term. If Ms. Andres and Ms. Mercader were still alive today, they'd probably be pretty happy to know that I've read more than six (6) books last month alone,  just probably. 

• High Fidelity by Nick Hornby - 4/5 stars - TFG book for April.
• Breath by Jackie Morse Kessler - 5/5 stars - It was interesting to know what might happen if Death had a breakdown. Last book from the Riders of the Apocalypse.
• When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro - 4/5 stars - Buddy read this with some TFG mommies.
• Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke -3/5 stars - 4th book from the Hannah Swensen Mystery.
• Twerp by Mark Goldblatt - 4/5 stars - A story about a boy who stood up against bullying.
• In the Woods by Tana French - 3.5/5 stars - 1st book from the Dublin Murder Squad.
• The Likeness by Tana French - 4/5 stars - 2nd book from the Dublin Murder Squad.

Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up with my book reviews as well.

...

Regardless of the current weather today, in which the city is suffering from 36°C, I am still confident in lining up the following books for May:

• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz - This is TFG's book for May. Although, technically, I already finished reading this late last week.
• The Shadow of the Crescent Moon by Fatima Bhutto – A debut novel set in Mir Ali, Pakistan. As it happens, I’m halfway through this already.
• 12^th of Never, Unlucky 13, and 14^th Deadly Sin by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro – I missed so much from this series, I have to catch up. 

 Hey, stay cool and read!

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TWERP by Mark Goldblatt

A Quintessence of Dust.

   

TWERP is a coming-of-age story set in 1969, Queens, New York. Julian is a good kid, mixed up with the wrong company. Most of the time, peer pressure and wanting to belong got the worst of Julian and lands him into trouble. The biggest trouble wasn't revealed until the end of the story. But throughout the book, there are hints for Julian’s week-long suspension. His English teacher assigned him to write a journal involving all of his activities for the semester to get out of reading Julius Caesar, so he thinks this is a pretty good deal. His entries were fun and revealing, but he tried very hard skipping that incident with Danley.

That’s what it means to be a man. You do what you think is right, regardless of who it hurts, and whether it works out, because in the end you have to live with yourself.

It took him quite a while, writing things down, he made some huge realization. Some, he made peace with himself; mostly, he started making changes. Belonging and finding one’s place is important, but Julian also realized that deciding to stand up for what is right is important too. He decided that anything he does in 1969 is but a speck of dust in the future, but doing what is right will always make a difference.

But here’s the weird part. Knowing the truth frees you up. Or at least it frees you up if you accept it. Knowing that, in a thousand years, nothing you’re doing or not doing will matter frees you up to do what your heart tells you to do.

Twerp is all about bullying. Not just about bullying the weakest kid by some neighborhood or school kids, but being bullied by your own friends into doing something wrong. Standing up and saying no to a dare is a choice kids at any age should always keep in mind. But don’t think for one second that this is a heavy book. Between Julian’s misadventures with his ragtag group of boys, sports ambition, and initiation with a girl, there are plenty of things to enjoy in this story.

Book details:

Title:  Twerp

Author:  Mark Goldblatt

Publication:  May 28th, 2013, Random House Books for Young Readers 

Genre:  Fiction, YA (9-12)

Rating:  ★★★★

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THE GOD OF SMALL THINGS by Arundhati Roy

   

Photo courtesy of Tina.

THE GOD OF SMALL THINGS takes us into Ayemenem, a village in the Kottayam District of Kerala, India, during the 1960s, when the Twist was a hit and bell-bottom pants were the fad. We meet the twins Rahel Mol and Esthappen Yako, whose view of life was distorted by their complicated family and childhood tragedy.

There is more to this book than the story that changes from when “Everything is Forever” to when “Things can change in a day”. It is set upon social discrimination, domestic atrocity, and the caste system, fused with basic human desires. The imposition of the social segregation and blind bureaucracy allows the inevitability of violence, both physical and psychological.

The core theme deals with the consequences of forbidden love – those who tamper with "the laws that lay down who should be loved and how…and how much." Crossing such a divide is a place where "anything can happen to anyone" and "it is best to be prepared". And so, every detail is rich, showing varying degrees of disparity, wickedness, and prejudice.

Arundhati Roy used layers of themes to support the core. One of which is her emphasis on the small moments, creatures, objects, and changes –like whispers, the play of light, and the activities of small insects. 
Small things that lead to the bigger picture. 
Small things that adults fail to acknowledge. 
Small things that are magnified, rather, through the eyes of small children.

The story has a non-linear narrative, it unfolds like a memory. It delves on its themes, rather on the chronological order of events, which demands the reader’s close attention. Initially, it can be really trying to get through, given its sudden narrative shifts from past to present ever so often. However, this novel has a way of transforming into an amazing read. The most reader may be put off by the repetitions, which was a charm for me, along with the singsong sense of wordplay that Roy employed. I believe that it gave focus on the innocent way a child sees the world, and on their vulnerability from fear that can seed in, propagate, and shatter their world. Compared to the ignorance employed by the adults around them, until the very end.

The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably. They don’t deceive you with thrills and trick endings. They don’t surprise you with the unforeseen. They are as familiar as the house you live in. Or the smell of your lover’s skin. You know how they end, yet you listen as though you don’t. In the way that although you know that one day you will die, you live as though you won’t. In the Great Stories you know who lives, who dies, who finds love, who doesn't. And yet you want to know again.

This book is anchored on misery and told with unusual prose that assaults the senses in unspeakable fervor.

Book details:

Title: The God of Small Things

Author: Arundhati Roy

Publication: Harper Perennial; May 1, 1998

Genre: Literary Fiction

Rating: ★★★★

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F2F39, held at Om Lifestyle + Cafe, Greenhills, San Juan City, 

last March 21, moderated by sweet Monique.

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2015 Reading Challenge: March

Whenever the last week of February rolls in, I'm in panic mode. It means March will be marching in and there's plenty of marching to prepare for. (*Pun intended.) But books are my only savior during long hours of waiting and to calm my nerves. So this time, in spite of all the schedules, I am still going to list some books I really need to read this month. 

• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy - TFG book of the month.
• The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black - This is an ARC which I failed to read last year, but I have to make up for that failure since this book was entrusted to me in good faith.
• The Paris Enigma by Pablo De Santis - This one is fermenting on the shelf for years now.

Before I go, these were the books I finished recently :

• Love Walked In by Marisa de Los Santos - 3/5 stars - TFG book for February.
• Kinder Than Solitude by Yiyun Li - 3/5 stars - Good prose but unsettling.
• Perdido Street Station by China Miéville - 5/5 stars - A buddy read with some book club friends. A terribly reeling book.
• The Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martínez - 4/5 stars - It's about murders. What's not to like?

Au revoir, mes chéris!

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