It’s hard to describe the kind of novel The Tiger’s Wife is. Though relatively short, it’s a multi-layered novel that spans at least 3 generations. The main story is about the relationship between Natalia (the narrator) and her beloved grandfather, who has been her mentor and inspiration throughout life. As a young doctor trying to … Continue reading »
A Perfect Spy, published in 1986, has been lauded by fans and critics alike as John Le Carre‘s magnum opus. The plot centers around the life of the main character, Magnus Pym, a British intelligence agent. The novel covers much of his life, from early childhood, and a little before that; to his adolescent days … Continue reading »
There’s nothing like a good spy novel to take you out of your reading slump, and nobody does spy novels quite like John Le Carre. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold was the very first spy novel I’ve ever read, as well as my first John Le Carre novel. It’s a short novel … Continue reading »
When I hear the name Michael Ondaatje, the first thing that comes to mind is The English Patient, which won the Booker Prize back in 1992. In 1996 it was made into a film which won several Academy Awards, including Best Picture. I really liked the film version of The English Patient. Strangely, I did … Continue reading »
Revenge, by Yoko Ogawa, is a collection of 11 disturbing short stories about seemingly ordinary people with ordinary lives. Though each story seems mundane, there lies beneath the surface the deeper, darker side of the human mind filled with strange desires and unspeakable emotions. The 11 short stories, though each one distinct and independent, are … Continue reading »
I finished reading Kafka on the Shore 3 days ago, but even now, I still can’t find the right words to describe it, let alone “review” it. If’ you are familiar with Haruki Murakami’s other novels, Kafka on the Shore will not be too much of a surprise – having chosen it because it’s by Murakami, … Continue reading »
Mo Yan was the Nobel Laureate for Literature in 2012, beating a host of literary giants including Milan Kundera, Salman Rushdie, Haruki Murakami, Thomas Pynchon, Philip Roth, just to name a few. Mo Yan, which means “don’t speak,” is the pen name of Chinese writer, Guan Moye, born in the ‘mid 50′s in Gaomi Province, … Continue reading »
What better way to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice than by posting my review of P.D. James’ 2011 novel, Death Comes to Pemberley. People can’t resist reading, not to mention, writing, about Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy and what their life together might have been like after the events in Jane Austen’s Pride … Continue reading »
Gone Girl is…how can I describe it? To say that it’s a 2012 suspense/mystery/thriller by Gillian Flynn about a married couple would make it sound a bit boring and might turn people off from reading it. But to say any more might spoil it for them…. The story in a nutshell: Amy and Nick Dunne … Continue reading »
If there’s one thing book bloggers have in common, it’s that they love making book lists – ‘bought books’ lists, ‘to-read’ lists, ‘books read’ list, ‘top-books’ list – and of course, it being the end of the year, it’s time to make some sense of all those lists complied throughout the year. Of course, I’m … Continue reading »
