Wednesday, July 25, 2007

The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra

My Rating: 8/10

Kabul, under the Taliban, a devastated city ruled by executioners and crows, where laughing in pu
blic brings down the wrath of the religious police. This is the world in which Yasmina Khadra- the pseudonym of a former officer in the Algerian Army- sets this cauterizing novel of fanaticism and tenderness.

With an implacable eye, Khadra follows two couples: Mohsen and Zunaira are dispirited survivors of Afghanistan’s educated middle class; Atiq is a brutish jailor bound by a debt of gratitude to his dying wife, Mussarat. One day the horrified Mohsen finds himself taking part in the stoning of a condemned prostitute, an action that will be impel all four characters towards new destinies.

I found this book a work of haunting power. It is written in a very simple yet powerful language. The details of stoning women to death are so dolorous and hard-to-believe…the emotions described through words are so expressive that you can feel them. The author uses present tense to talk about the events happening in Taliban. All in all, a wonderful book to read.

To buy the book, click here.

Excerpt from the book:

...Mohsen Ramat hesitates for a long time before he decides to join the crowd gathering in the square. The authorities have announced the public execution of a prostitute: She is to be stoned to death. A few hours earlier, workers came to the execution site to unload wheelbarrows filled with rocks and dig a small hole about two feet deep..."

Monday, July 23, 2007

Cause of Death by Patricia Cornwell


My Rating: 6/10

It’s another one of mystery books by Patricia Cornwell with the protagonist: Dr. Kay Scarpetta. The best thing about the author is: she really researches the topic she is writing about and gives so much details about it that it becomes real for the readers. For example: in this book, she has written about scuba-diving. To just write about it, Patricia actually became a certified Scuba diver. Isn’t that cool? She actually tried out a scene where Dr. Kay dived into the frigid river of Virginia. And when she writes about guns, she researched them first! So, while I read it, it all felt real to me.

As is true of all her fiction, the scientific, medical, technical and investigative procedures and details are factual. Despite my love of details, I still have rated it 6 because the details are sometimes too overwhelming and it kind of, break the flow of the story.

Here’s what the story is about:

It is New Year’s Eve, the last day of Virginia’s bloodiest year since the civil war. Dr. Kay Scarpetta plunges into the murky depths of a ship graveyard to recover the very human remains of Ted Eddings, an investigative reporter. What kind of story was Edding’s chasing below the icy water surface of the Elizabeth River? And why did Scarpetta receive a phone call from someone reporting the death before the police were notified? She soon discovers that Edding’s murder is merely the first layer of something deeper- a labyrinthine conspiracy that will put all of her criminal and forensic knowledge to the test.

To buy the book, click here. To know more about the author, click here.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Mary Mary by James Patterson


My Rating: 5/10

Another run-of-the-mill mystery novel I read. Why am I obsessed with Mystery books? May be because of my love for adventure, I don’t know. Anyway, here’s what it is about:

Somebody is murdering Hollywood’s A-list. Her calling card: “you have got mail”. On a family vacation, FBI agent Alex Cross is asked to investigate the shooting of a top actress…and an email sent to Los Angeles Times with Shocking details about the murder, signed Mary Smith. To hunt this murderess, Cross must navigate a world where the stars sip San Pellegrino at the ivy as hopefuls hover around Studio gates with 8X10 glossies. And when the case catapults into block-buster proportions, Cross and the LAPD scramble to find a pattern-before Mary sends one more chilling update.

I liked it just because its mystery, other than that, there is not much new about it. It’s a typical psycho-killer story. Another reason I read it because James Patterson is a one of the world’s most popular authors. And he really knows how to grab your interest- I read it in one-go. Also, I have read other books where the protagonist is the same Alex Cross and I like his portrait by the author.

In a nutshell, an ok type novel…
To buy the book, click here

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Grandmaster by Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran


My Rating: 7/10

I don’t know why I liked this book, may be because of my love for mystery or magic…I really don’t know.
Let me first give you an excerpt of the story, and then you can decide yourself!

Here is the outline from book jacket cover…

Grandmaster is a tale of spymasters and assassins, murder and intrigue, played against a background of far eastern mysticism from Moscow to Washington to India!

Two men, Justin Gilead and Alexander Zharkov, driven by powerful forces that they can neither understand nor deny- driven to fight each other in a battle for power that only one can win.

Gilead, a magnificent athlete, an American, a genius and s spy. Zharkov, a master strategist, head of the feared secret service agency Nichevo, a determined, ambitious man. They first meet as ten-year old chess prodigies- both lonely, both meaning to win. Both wearing the symbol of the gold coiled serpent. They know the uses of pleasure, the secrets of pain, the impact of evil turned upon itself. They understand the deadly forces that grip the world in swift violence, sudden death. But only one man may be the grandmaster.

What it does not mention in the jacket cover is that these two are the symbols of good and evil in this world. Justin is the ‘Patanjali’ or reincarnation of Brahma!!! He is also called ‘the wearer of the blue hat’ and has a coiled snake as holy symbol! Does it ring a bell? There‘s more to come…Some saints fetch him from America and take him to Rashimpur, where there is a ‘tree of Thousand Wisdoms’ and he receives his god-training there: He learns to walk on fire or water, to be inside water without breathing, yoga etc etc..

And on the other side, there is a ‘wearer of black hat’, Zharkov. Off course, he is evil. He also receives his training but from another goddess: Varja who is evil incarnate. By now I think you must have understood the concoction: the author has taken Hindu Mythology, the story of Gods (‘dev’) and ‘danav’ , added the creation of the earth by Brahma, the snake being symbol of Shiva and further mixed it with the modern world. And voila! You got a wonderful, magical story!!

It is really fun to read the story, because it is like reading our mythological stories mixed with modernity. Surprisingly, the book has won the ‘Edgar award’ and has sold more than fifty million copies around the world. So this proves that there are readers like me who like this strange concoction!!

You can buy the book here. Click here to know more about the author.

Friday, July 20, 2007

The Knitting Circle by Ann Hood


My Rating:8/10
It is one of the most beautiful novels I have read. In this powerful uplifting novel, a mother turns to knitting to help deal with the loss of her child and discovers, beyond simple recovery, a whole new realm of friendship and understanding.

Since the sudden loss of only child, Mary Baxter has been unable to read or write. unable to pursue the activities that used to be the primary source of comfort. At her mother’s suggestion, she takes up knitting in a way to fill the empty hours and lonely days. And she reluctantly joins a knitting circle- not knowing that this will change her life.

Alice, Scarlet, Lulu, Beth, Harriet and Ellen welcome Mary into their circle despite her hesitance to open her heart to them. Each woman teaches Mary a new knitting technique, and as they do, they reveal to her their own secret of loss, love and hope. Eventually, Mary is able to tell her own story of grief and in doing so, finds the spark of life again.

What I liked the most about the novel is that each chapter starts with a line on knitting and its progression as you learn. For example:

“Really, all you need to become a good knitter are wool, needles, hands and slightly below-average intelligence, such as yours and mine, is an advantage”

- Elizabeth Zimmerman, Knitter’s Almanac

The author Ann Hood has tried to explain an underlying connection between one’s progressions in knitting with grief-coping. As you become an expert in knitting, you also reduce your pain from grief. Another thing I liked is the author’s interesting style of writing: she starts each chapter with the name of the woman whose secret story would be revealed in that chapter. So, in a way, she arouses interest subtly to move ahead with the book…And when I read so much about knitting, the various techniques of knitting scarves, sweaters, colors of wool, the quality… I could picture my mom and her love of knitting…So next time when I go to India, I would surely ask her to teach me some! I am sure she is gonna faint with shock!! :-)

So, all in all, a very touching and beautiful novel!
You can buy the book here. Click here to know more about the author.

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb




My Rating: 7/10
Currently reading this book : Sweetness in the Belly by Camilla Gibb. It is the story of a British born Muslim woman and her journey between unforgettable two worlds: London and Ethiopia….

It has been shortlisted for Giller Prize, Canada’s most prestigious literary award.I would write more about it as I finish…

Secret Story by Ramsey Campbell


My Rating: 6/10
Currently, I am reading Secret Story by Ramsey Campbell..Since I am a mystery story fan, I try to cover all famous mystery writers. It is a story of a crime story writer and what makes him tick…how does he find stories to write...Nice plot but the story kind of drags after the second part…But if you are a mystery fan, you would survive that phase too…Overall, I found it an interesting read!
If you want to know more about the author, click here.