And The Mountains Echoed

Let me begin by saying that I am a huge fan of Khaled Hosseini. His first novel, The Kite Runner, is unlike anything I've ever read before, and in its poignancy, still haunts me to this day. His second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, was also remarkable in itself, so one can imagine my excitement when I found out that his third novel was out.

In a nutshell, And the Mountains Echoed, Hosseini's third book, tells the story of Abdullah and Pari, siblings who are separated as children in mid-twentieth century Afghanistan.


Normally, in a story like this, you would expect to know what happens to the two after they are separated. But no, Hosseini proceeds to tell you stories about other people, some of them, yes, vitally connected to the main plot, but others I found to be insignificant.

It feels to me as if the book can be summarized into two thoughts--the siblings getting separated, and then reunited--and since that is so simple and makes all of two pages, he inserts anecdotes about other people in the middle instead. I found myself either asking, "What was the point of that," or getting submerged in a subplot only to be subsequently left hanging. 

Hosseini is a very talented storyteller, and it still shows in this book. It is just not as good as his previous two. I was less invested in the characters. I didn't really feel what they were going through. I barely even cried! And I think that even if I stopped comparing it to his previous work, I would still not be too impressed.

I wonder if I expect too much from this author. I did only rate the book two stars or it was ok on Goodreads.com. In all honesty, rating a Khaled Hosseini book with just two stars seems blasphemous. But that was it. It was all the impact this book made on me. It was just ok.

Read More

Like Books? Go Kindle!

Ever since the Amazon Kindle came out, I've always wanted it. This was before the time of smartphones and tablets. But since it's basically just an e-reader, I never really made an effort to get one. Until a few weeks ago, when a friend of mine offered to sell his fairly-new Kindle Touch to me.

I love the device! Before I got my hands on this Kindle Touch, I'd already downloaded the Kindle app for my Android phone and my iPod Touch. And it was all great! The Kindle Store offers a wide array of books, and even if you do not wish to purchase anything, you do not have to worry. A lot of books can be downloaded for free.

While Kindle is great as an app on tablets and smartphones, you have to consider the battery life. These devices do not last very long, and most of the time, you won't be able to finish a book before your battery runs out. This is where the real Kindle device really comes in handy. After reading for days on end, the battery life will not disappoint. And although you cannot read in the dark because it doesn't have a back light, the advantage is, it doesn't hurt your eyes so much. Kindle's e-ink technology assures you that reading from it will feel like reading from an actual book--only better, because you can increase the font size!

If you are an avid reader, a Kindle is the way to go in this day and age. I can no longer imagine having heaps of books collecting dust around me in my house. I have my Kindle, and all my books are easily accessible with just the tap of a finger.

Read More

The Opposite of Love

From debut author Julie Buxbaum comes a brave original heroine who will be instantly recognizable to anyone who has loved and lost. . . and loved again.

When twenty-nine-year-old attorney Emily Haskey ends her happy relationship just as her boyfriend is about to propose, she can't explain to even her closest friends why she did it. But beneath her independent exterior, Emily knows her decision has less to do with him and more to do with. . . her.

As the holidays loom and Emily contemplates whether she made a huge mistake, the rest of her world begins to unravel. She's assigned to a multimillion-dollar lawsuit where she must defend the very values she detests by a boss who can't keep his hands to himself, her beloved Grandpa Jack is losing it, while her distant father leaves her to cope alone; and memories of her deceased mother continually remind her that love doesn't love forever. Emily has faced tough opponents in the courtroom--but as she reaches her limit in the heartbreak department, can she face her deepest fears?

Some of us go through life knowing exactly where we are and what we want. Some others are not so fortunate. A lot of us have issues that keep us from moving forward, usually borne from experiences we had when we were growing up. (I'm not really sure where I fall on this issue scale, but that is beside the point.) The Opposite of Love gives testament to that struggle. It tells the story of Emily, who almost has everything, but who, because of her fears, is not ready to have it all.

This must be the trend now--all these novels about soul-searching. After all, it's only been a couple a weeks since I've read Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love, and the two books almost sing the same tune. Are people really that confused? Eat Pray Love and The Opposite of Love both tell stories about women who are trying to find themselves, and both books I really love, but that is where their similarities end. I have to say, that to me, the latter comes out superior even though it has not been getting much publicity. The Opposite of Love, despite being the fictional one,  comes out with so much more emotion and reality, it's hard to believe it's just a tale straight out of the author's imagination.

Like all good books, The Opposite of Love forces you to take a look at your own life and take lessons from it. It is true that experience is the best teacher, but it really wouldn't hurt to listen to this book and not have to learn a lot of life's lessons the hard way. It is definitely a must-read, and you won't be able to stop turning the pages. If you're like me, you will shed buckets of tears. Although I have some similarities with the heroine, we are not completely alike. At times all I wanted to do was knock some sense into her, but I understood her.

Perhaps the best description of this book comes from another author, Hope Edelman, who sums up the novel as "A brilliant examination of loss, romance, and the jagged, imperfect, utterly realistic way we fall and stay in love. A stunning debut." I couldn't agree more, and I can only add, "Move over Nicholas Sparks, I've found my new favorite author."

Read More

Eat Pray Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

In her early thirties, Elizabeth Gilbert had everything a modern American woman was supposed to want--husband, country home, successful career--but instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she felt consumed by panic and confusion. This wise and rapturous book is the story of how she left behind all these outward marks of success, and of what she found in their place. Following a divorce and a crushing depression, Gilbert set out to examine three different aspects of her nature, set against the backdrop of three different cultures: pleasure in Italy, devotion in India, and on the Indonesian island of Bali, a balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence.

Finally, I am done reading the book. Eat Pray Love is the first memoir I have ever read, and to sum it up in a word: empowering.

As mentioned in the synopsis, Eat Pray Love chronicles Elizabeth Gilbert's journey to three countries after a devastating divorce, trying to find herself and her happiness. This memoir is something that would appeal to a lot of women, especially those who are currently unhappy or confused. Early on in her book, I found out that I was able to relate to her almost completely. These lines feel like I could have written them myself:

...I disappear into the person I love. I am the permeable membrane. If I love you, you can have my everything. You can have my time, my devotion, my ass, my money, my family, my dog, my dog's money, my dog's time--everything. If I love you, I will carry for you all your pain, I will assume for you all your debts (in every definition of the word), I will protect you from your own insecurity, I will project upon you all sorts of good qualities that you have never actually cultivated in yourself and I will buy Christmas presents for your entire family. I will give you the sun and the rain, and if they are not available, I will give you a sun check and a rain check. I will give you all this and more, until I get so exhausted and depleted that the only way I can recover my energy is by becoming infatuated with someone else.

And no, that doesn't mean I like to cheat. I've just noticed that I could never get over a person until I found someone else. Rebound relationships? Not good.

Later on, there is another paragraph that I can almost consider mine.

I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and then I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism.

This very accurately describes all relationships I've had in the past.

For me, Eat Pray Love has been extremely timely and helpful. It's like a wake-up call, making me realize mistakes I've been doing with my life. It has also allowed me to be more spiritual and to be closer to my God, to always be thankful of whatever comes my way, and to do good to the world. But perhaps the most important thing this book has given me is cementing the belief that everything I need to be happy is not out there, but already inside me. I just need to look for it and find it.

Read More

The Kite Runner

After reading the wonderful reviews on its cover, I finally purchased a copy of Afghan-born writer Khaled Hosseini's first novel, The Kite Runner, and boy, I sure am glad I did that!

The book is mainly a story about the life of this one Afghan boy. But aside from that, it also tells the recent history of the Afghan nation and its people. It begins with a setting in Afghanistan about 3-4 decades ago, and ends in the United States. It's unlike any book I have ever read. Of course, that's probably because I've never read a book about Afghanistan before. Although I hear a lot about this country on the news, I've never really imagined how the situation there is like. This book gave me an insight into the Afghanistan of today and its previous glory before the Russian invasion in the 70's.

The story is amazing, and very well written. I could not stop reading it, even while I was at work! Although it's quite long, I was able to finish it in just a few hours. That's how much of a page-turner it is. But although it's a fast read, the book is full of emotion and is so very moving. Haunting even. It's been 4 days since I've read it, but I'm still thinking about it.

I have a lot of favorite authors: Gabriel Garcia-Marquez, J.R.R. Tolkien, Alexandre Dumas, Jane Austen, Nicholas Sparks, to mention a few. Khaled Hosseini has been added to my list. I'm telling you, he's just as good as the most popular names in literature. Coming from me, you might not believe that, but just read the reviews on this book--they're all true. And if you haven't read The Kite Runner, you are missing a lot! So you should definitely read it. As for me, I'm just saving up so I can get myself a copy of Hosseini's new book, A Thousand Splendid Suns. I can't wait--it's supposed to be really good, too!

Read More

Yeah

I finally finished reading Villette by Charlotte Bronte. Yeah, yeah, yeah! Why did that book have to be easy to put down? Took me ages, and heaps of other books in between to read it. Teehee.

Ok, what else. Hmmm. One more week of classes to go! Need to make two papers, and take one exam. Not so bad, huh? And then, over three weeks to go till we go home. Yeah! I already want to go home, by the way. My sentiments have changed. I cannot stand the heat here!

Love Actually
Starring: Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley
Ok, what's all the fuss about this movie? I expected so much, and got disappointed. It's amazing how so many people love this movie. I feel as if there's something wrong with me because I don't really like it. I couldn't help but compare it to Notting Hill (Hugh Grant, very British, romantic comedy), but it totally didn't measure. Hmmm. If you like this movie, please comment and tell me why you do. Maybe you can help me like it. I definitely need input on this.

Hero
Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung
Beautiful effects, amazing fight scenes, and a mind-boggling story. Very good indeed.

Read More

The Wedding and Digital Fortress

I finished reading both books in the span of 24 hours.

What can I say? Well, I love The Wedding. It's so sweet. I was still crying all through-out the book, but this is Nicholas Sparks' first work where there's a delightful surprise at the end. I think that's the main reason why I love it. I was totally shocked about that!.

I think Digital Fortress is sort of pathetic. I say this mainly because at the end, the characters take ages to figure out something very easy. Duh. This book was released way before The Da Vinci Code, but I think nobody paid attention to it. So they re-released it, and now, it's just riding on The Code's fame.

Taken from someone's blog, please comment and answer:

.: If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, which movie would that be?
.: If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, which song would that be?
.: If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, which book would that be?
.: If you could only watch ONE episode from ONE tv show, which episode/tv show would that be?

Read More

Waaa

In my previous entry, I wrote about the weird thing that happened at one of the stations here. So, someone really did jump from the platform onto the tracks. Waaaaaaaa! >.<

Sale season has come! Since our allowance had just come too, we (, April, and I) decided to take advantage of it. Quite a lot of shopping was done. Yesterday, I got a denim skirt from GAP which was half it's original price (YEY!), and today I got a Hard Rock shirt (been wanting one for a long time now), earrings (which were 50% off), a pair of beach shorts, and since I got a 1000 yen (about US$10) book certificate from the Networld + Interop exhibition the other day, I went to a book store and got Nicholas Sparks' The Wedding and Dan Brown's Digital Fortress. I'd have to be careful, though. I just paid almost 30,000 yen (about US$300) for the final half payment for my ticket going home. It looks like by the end of the month, I won't have any money again. >.<

Frida
Starring: Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina
This movie is about the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. It's very interesting--artistic, sexy, and full of emotion. Kahlo's life was sad and painful, but she was so vibrant and full of life, you can't help but be amazed by her. This movie is moving and inspirational, I like it very much.

What A Girl Wants
Starring: Amanda Bynes, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston
I never knew what this movie was about before I watched it. I didn't see any trailers nor any posters. The only reason I wanted to see it was because I read this article in one of my classes last semester. The movie was a surprise, though. I expected the worst, but it was actually quite entertaining. True, it's another modern-day Cinderella story, but I love how Amanda Bynes' character refuses to let people put her down. I think her acting needs more polishing, but that's okay, because Colin Firth makes watching the movie worthwhile!

Read More

Lazy

Urg. Lazy Saturday morning. Whoever said weekends are nice? Weekends are only nice if you have something to do, somewhere to go. But since I'm still down with the colds, might as well just stay here at our ultra boring dorm and bum around.

I'm still in the middle of Villette by Charlotte Bronte. Oh my God, that book is soo freakin' hard to read! It's very intelligently written, but nothing ever happens to the main character! It's too long, and there's soo much French that you have to keep on going to the notes every single time (unless of course, you understand French) that now I don't even bother doing that anymore. If you want to brag about the books you've been reading, yeah, go ahead and read this. But, if you're just bored, no, don't read this book, 'cause you'll get even more bored. Hahahah.

I just finished reading Tokyo Stories by Christine Cunanan-Miki, and that is one hilarious book! If you're ever planning to come live in Japan, better read this book beforehand. It's also very good for those people who think they know so much about Japan, but actually don't. :)


Movie Review: Schindler's List
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley
I wasn't able to see this movie before so when I learned it was on tv last night, I just had to watch it. Oh my God, it's sooo good! It's so sad! Those poor Jews! And then that movie made me say to : "Look at those poor Jews. All throughout the history of mankind, they've been abused and persecuted. But they don't go and become terrorists (or something like that--you know what I mean)!" People should be more like Jews, I think.

Read More

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys

I just finished reading the novel Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. This is the one where the main character is the mad woman who is the wife of Mr. Rochester in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. In an earlier entry, I have mentioned that I was scared that this book might not agree with Jane Eyre. In turns out that it does agree with the Bronte classic.

Jean Rhys is a great writer. We're also reading her unfinished biography in class now and she has this way with words that are unique to her. It's a bit sad that she's not very popular.

If you have read and like Jane Eyre, I recommend Wide Sargasso Sea. It will give you an insight of life in the West Indies (as Rhys was from there herself and put so much of her life story into the book) and will make you understand why someone like Mr. Rochester would marry someone like Bertha. Of course, it also gives you Bertha's side of the story, and that's great because "there is always the other side, always".

Read More

Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

One of the classes I'm taking this semester is entitled Home and Abroad in English Literature, and for that class, we're discussing the unfinished autobiography of a classic English author, Jean Rhys. Rhys' most popular work is the novel Wide Sargasso Sea, which is the life story of Mr. Rochester's lunatic wife in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre.

Next semester, they will be reading Wide Sargasso Sea in this class, and since I won't be here anymore, our professor kindly lent me a copy of the book so that I could read it ahead. Undoubtedly, among the two books, Jane Eyre is more popular, and since it is the inspiration (or at least one of its characters is)--the "original", so to speak--I decided to read it before reading Rhys' novel.

And so, I just finished Jane Eyre and it's amazing. It is so beautifully written, and by god, it made me cry (more like sob actually) so many times. There were parts in the book where Jane totally exasperated me, as she is very stubborn, but in the end, I was thankful for her personality. All in all, I love this novel. It is truly a literary gem and would recommend it to anyone. Now however, I'm kinda apprehensive about starting Wide Sargasso Sea. In Jane Eyre, the lunatic is kinda like the antagonist. And then I move on to this book, where she tells the story--she's the main character. I think it's going to be interesting. I know that there are always two sides to a story, but I just hope these two books don't contradict each other very much and that I won't be disappointed.

[ADD-ON]
On another note, I entered the Philippine Blog Awards contest. Heee. I know my journal's not very good, but what do I lose by entering? Nothing. I'll probably fix up this page soon to make it look more, erm... sophisticated. ^^; Hehehehe. If you wanna see the list of all the entries, just go to their website. My link's on there, too. XD~

Read More

The Da Vinci Code rocks!

I just finished reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown and I must say, it is one helluva book.

Normally, I don't read thrillers/suspense books, but I love history, and The Da Vinci Code was the #1 book on Amazon for a really long time, so I was really happy when I found a copy of it. Despite its popularity, I didn't really know what the plot was about beforehand, but when I found out what it was, I became totally engrossed. It's about that story that everyone has heard about but I'm sure just slipped your mind: the quest for the Holy Grail.

I won't go into much detail about it for those who haven't read it yet, but I just have one thing to say: if you haven't read this book, go read it! The plot is just absolutely amazing! All I could think of while reading it was "How did he come up with that?" I won't say that it's the best book though [The Count of Monte Cristo still holds that title for me], but it's really interesting and is a must-read! People might just ignore the story about the Holy Grail, but this book makes you think about it. Just go get a copy now! =)

To all the people who've read the book, please comment!

Read More