BECAUSE THE DEVIL TRULY IS IN THE DETAILS... MEET THE MINIATURIST

I am always slightly dubious about books that are touted everywhere as the best book of the year. I am not entirely sure where this doubt comes from either. I mean when it comes to films, I can sort of see why – the films that are touted the most are, more often than not, Hollywood productions. I love a good Hollywood production in its place, but the problem with them tends to be that once you have seen a couple you have seen them all. You can pretty much draw out the story ark with your eyes closed, fifteen to twenty minutes into the film. Not always, but pretty much. I am trying to read more this year (one of my many New Years resolutions) and I am quickly finding that maybe I should put that prejudice to one side when it comes to literature. I mean it’s the same thing with film reviews really, you just need to find the critic who thinks along the same lines as you do and follow their advice (if you are indeed of the advice following sort in these matters). I bought this book in a train station, in the face of limited choice and the prospect of a long time spent with potentially nothing to do if I didn’t buy something. It turned out to be a very happy choice.

The book was inspired by a museum piece. One I have actually seen but had completely forgotten the existence. The miniature house of Petronella Oortman, that can be seen in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam today. (Click HERE to access the web page for it!)  It is, for all intents and purposes a dolls house. This one, built in the late 17^th century, is thought to be an exact replica of her house with accurate furniture, if on an absolutely tiny scale. The cabinet itself is inlayed with silver and tortoiseshell and in its day, would have cost the equivalent of tens of thousands of pounds. For her debut novel, Jessie Burton has taken the cabinet, the name of its owner and her husband, and woven a story. By her own admission, the story is not biographical but a work of pure fiction.

The Petronella Oortman of Jesse Burtons fictional universe is a young girl of 18. She has been brought up in the country and comes from a good family. Well, a family with a good name but that, alas, has fallen on hard times. This is why, when a marriage is arranged for her with a wealthy merchant in Amsterdam, even though the merchant is rather older than her, Petronella jumps at this life-changing opportunity. But from the minute she enters her new household, she is very quick to realise that all is not what it seems in this family and it is going to take her all her ingenuity to get to the bottom of the many secrets in the closet. The miniature cabinet is a wedding present from her strangely distant husband and conversely, it is when Petronella begins to furnish this little house with the aid of a miniaturist that the most mysteries come floating to the surface… The more the little house is filled, the more questions concerning the great house appear… What is truly going on in the Brandt household. And how does the miniaturist come into all of this…

One little note in starting writing about my own views. The blurb on the back of the book hints at a supernatural element in the book. If that put you off ultimately picking up the book, rest assured, the role of the supernatural in the book is minimal. We are definitely and categorically NOT in the domain of dolls coming alive and speaking. And I mean, sorry if that WAS what you were looking for – but its better you know what is what before you actually buy the book, no. No, the mysteries that Burton examines are by and large linked to the human mind and soul. In a word, it made me think of how many secrets and unknowns can be kept in the confines of one house without the outside world so much as suspecting what is ACTUALLY going on. There may be multiple reasons for keeping the secrets ranging from a sense of privacy to a fear of prosecution and persecution by society (justly or not), but it reminds one, with a slight shudder in this case, that we never really know what is going on behind the closed door of a house, even though it may well be the house of our nearest and dearest. Or sometimes even our own.

And if the story is not strictly biographical to the cabinet and its owner, it is definitely a very well researched window into Dutch life in the 17^th century. Burton writes engagingly and with clarity, drawing us right into a world lost today, quite foreign to a lot of us and yet, on those pages completely alive. It is partly for this reason that the story is told completely from the perspective of petronella. The big theme of the book is discovery, we discover the city and its rules of social life. I mean, to pick up the surgeon’s scalpel for a minute, metaphorically speaking, if Nella was a city girl she would know these things and that would make the descriptions given for our benefit that much more cumbersome and out of place. But the fact that she has to know all of this makes the story and the descriptions flow. We know why they are there, and incidentally we profit from them too. In the same way, suspense is held all through what is, in essence a mystery story. And I love a good mystery.

It just goes to show what a truly wonderful thing artistic inspiration is. A museum exhibit, seen by hundreds every day, can inspire one extraordinary person to write a beautiful novel with its presence alone. When researching this article I came across an interview with Jesse Burton where she seems to be hinting at the continuing adventures of the characters in the book… It’s an interesting idea – but a dangerous one. The way the book finished was beautiful in itself, I am hoping that this idea was not born out of the greed to milk this book even further – it is quite beautiful as a whole in itself. Burton is clearly a talented writer who will regale us with many more original tales without falling into the trap of sequels… Oh well… Only time will tell.  

MORE THAN JUST THE PARIS WIFE

We are all familiar with the adage that behind every successful man there is a loving wife (or some such sexist nonsense). I believe I have made my opinion on it clear in the previous sentence. One thing, however, is true. When one half of a couple attains a mixed blessing such as world-wide recognition and fame, the other half of the couple almost always finds his/herself plunged into the darker pages of history. This was very much the case with Hadley Richardson who was the loving wife of Ernest Hemingway just around the time he became as the literary giant he truly was.

Hadley supports Ernest through those years of poverty and uncertainty, assuages his doubt, provides him with a happy home, travels all around the world with him and does her level best to get used to the Paris set, composed of great talents with even greater characters such as Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ezra pound and Gertrude Stein. Hadley truly loves Ernest and is sure that their relationship can weather any storm fame, fortune and literary scandal brings, but as Ernest spreads his wings and begins to soar, whether she can actually keep up becomes more and more dubious…

It’s always an interesting one, isn’t it, the story of a famous person told from behind the scenes, more specifically from the perspective of his long-suffering wife. But if you were hoping for an OK magazine type dish the dirt deal on Ernest Hemingway, well this isn’t quite what you are looking for. I mean, I would be the first to say that Hadley is ill-treated at times by Ernest but the book does not by any means make a martyr of her. I do hate that kind of womans story – painting the woman as an angel that was wronged at every turn by the man is one genre, but it is not realistic. And what art of every form needs is REALISTIC female characters, you know, ones that are actually true to life. And as in every relationship, one cannot lay the blame for all the problems at Ernests door, no, not by a long shot. In fact, as a woman and a writer, there were times in the book I would have liked to physically grab Hadley and try to shake some sense into her. I guess she can be forgiven on the count that it was an electric time, the changes in her day to day life were constant and difficult to follow on an emotional scale and Ernest Hemmingway – though undoubtedly truly in love with Hadley at the time – was not by nature the easiest of men to get on with (much less live with). In fact, Hemmingway’s rise to fame was fraught with scandals and arguments of many kinds. A lot of artists and folks of renown all together on one social scene means that many egos to please. And this is a scene difficult to adapt to for someone like Hadley who does not even see herself as an artist. The Paris wife is, if nothing else, a wonderful study of love pitching itself against a truly extraordinary and relatively modern phenomenon – worldwide fame.

Historically speaking, it is also an important study well-worth reading. From the 1920s onwards, paris was a truly extraordinary town to be in (did anyone watch the Woody Allen film Midnight in paris). All the artistic greats of a single generation were there, together, the atmosphere must have been electric when all these creative geniuses came together. It makes one think of a certain period in history when Vienna was the centre of creation for classical music with Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn and many more all gathered in the same city. I was wondering where this city might be today. L.A. London… No its actually more complicated than that. The creative city of the late 20^th and early 21^st century is, without shadow of a doubt, the internet. Competition is all the more fierce because it is all the more democratic, with artistic creation open to everyone but if you get into the thick of it, it is on the internet that the opportunities, the inspiration and the muses all reside. You needn’t, like Ernest and Hadley, have to physically go to a café downtown to see, be seen and meet people. All you need to do is open your browser. For the everyman, the tough bit comes about selection. Of course, the internet is what it is and the wealth of choice means – Im not being snobbish here people but you know what Im saying is definitely true in some cases – a drop in quality. What you need to do is not get side-tracked. What you need to do is do your research. And then, you have to have the strength of will to close that browser and get to the business of creating.  All you really need to do is to step away from the paths that are well-trodden and prescribed and find your own way… There are a lot of people who will say that the internet has ruined everything (whatever everything may mean) but I strongly disagree. I think it is an incredibly exciting time, where you never know when you may discover a budding artist or art form… Or indeed when a budding artist may discover themselves… 

THE TOUCH FROM THE PAST THAT COMES BACK TO HAUNT

I was a little dubious when I saw this looked like a  typical “women’s book” about an acupuncturist. I was a little worried it might turn out a little too “Jilly Cooper” – and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, it just isn’t really my cup of tea. But Lin Hong has an intriguing style and oh boy does she know how to set up a mystery… I love a good mystery… I dove right in.

This is the story of Lin Jung. She is an acupuncturist trying to make a new life for herself in a small clinic in rural England. She is a foreigner in this land and acupuncture is definitely a foreign concept in the little town. Dr Lin tries her best to settle in but caught between her traditional beliefs and her pushy boss, she is not sure she is going to settle in very well. Her clients aren’t really any better ; some are there just out of loneliness, some out of desperation, but some, like Lucy, seem to venerate her and her science like a new religion. Dr Lin doesn’t know what she makes of it all, especially Lucy. But there is something about Lucy that makes her different from the rest. Is it that they are close in age? Is it Lucy’s unwavering and slightly naïve belief in herbal remedies? Or is it something altogether different that reminds Lin of her past… A past that Lin would much, much rather forget…

I think this little book is a real bargain; it’s one of those books that actually present you with two stories for the price of one. The story of Lin’s present day life is intercut with reminiscences of her childhood in rural China and her impressions of a very important part of China’s history – the Cultural Revolution. Chairman Mao is now well and truly settled at the helm of the country and the effects of the Cultural Revolution have begun to seep out into the provinces, into the day to day lives of the regular people. Little Lin is sent to live with her grandfather, a renowned acupuncturist and herbalist of the region. Lin learns his arts and the traditional cures he uses, but is also able to observe, sometimes without understanding, the clash of this old way of life with the new. Lin captures the outlook of a child so perfectly in her writing it is very hard to believe it is not, at least in part, autobiographical. The little girl is faced with a lot of adult dilemmas, family secrets that she doesn’t quite understand and clashes between people she thinks should be natural allies. The books spells out very little for us in an “adult” way. We are left to puzzle out what is going on for ourselves for the most part of the book – and this, for me, is the true charm of the book. We feel as if we have stepped back in time and are walking though rural China, quietly observing the goings on.

I have become very partial to this kind of book recently. It reminds me of another bestseller I have recently read, Child 44 byRob Smıth . The book is a murder mystery loosely based on the antics of prolific Russian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo but the main conflict of the book is not between the hero (a policeman, obviously) and the serial killer but between the policeman and Stalinist Russia. The writer beautifully captures the oppressive atmosphere of Stalinist Russia, the eyes everywhere, the fact that you can trust no one… The atmosphere in China is similar – but different in some ways; here we feel there is less subterfuge, less of people sneaking behind bushes out to get us. No, the people aren’t behind bushes they are there, out in the open, with big sticks, ready to really hurt you at the least slip up. Little Lin describes the red flags everywhere, the big black crosses over the “shamed” houses and establishments. The public “self-criticism” sentences where people are forced to admit their “crimes” publicly and shame themselves. It must have felt like being hemmed in on every side, unable to breathe or move, even in one’s own private life. It must have been even more confusing in places like rural China, where things like traditional medicine, and various other traditional practices and beliefs had been alive and well for centuries. The villagers are abruptly told that the way they had been doing things for generations is now prohibited.  They have a completely new, “modern”, “scientific” way of doing things, that is “in keeping with the principles of Chairman Mao” that they must adopt. The pace at which modern life changes is a bit scary at the best of times, having it forced down one’s throat at gun point must be a hundred times worse.

Then there is Lin’s modern life, the trials and tribulations of settling in a new country and adapting to a new culture. All this may well make you think that The Touch is a rather sad book. It actually is not. It is a wonderful, tender, emotional book about family secrets, a painful past and coming to terms with it all. The book teaches one a lot, about acupuncture and also about the Cultural Revolution and does it beautifully and subtly, mixed up in a rather extraordinary mystery story, resulting in a rather extraordinary book. Definitely one not to be missed. 

MAYHEM, MAGIC AND JACK THE RIPPER

I am a strong believer in bargain basements, as you probably already know. I am the same with books; you will often find me scanning the bookshelves marked ``two for the price of one`` with an intent expression trying to work out if there is a bargain to be found in there somewhere. I often do this at airports. It passes the time, there are often special ``airport editions`` to books otherwise only available in hardcover and well… Everyone loves a bargain. This is how I came to pick up Mayhem by Sarah Pinborough and came to discover a new writer and series that will no doubt afford me hours of enjoyment. You see I love fantasy and magic in my books. I also love crime. But if I come across a successful combination of the two… Well that is by far the best… J

Dr Thomas Bond is a normal police surgeon living in abnormal times. It is London, the year is 1888 and that mysterious killer called Jack the Ripper is prowling the streets of Whitechapel. Dr Bond is known for his success and ability in such cases and thus starts working on the case when another series of murders starts taking place in Whitechapel. Bodies, brutally mutilated, missing limbs and internal organs, more brutal than the Ripper has ever been… But why are there suddenly so many predators prowling the streets of London? And more importantly are they the real problem or the symptoms of something, much, much worse to come…  

I really loved the way this story wove the strands of the story together. Of course, thanks to television and DVDs, we are no strangers to the concept of merging crime as a genre with fantasy. Neither are we unfamiliar with the concept of an everyman brought face to face with a gang of supernatural crime fighters and villains who turn out to be bona fide monsters. So in a sense, Pinborough has taken on a rather daunting task – not only must she write an example of a genre tried and tested multiple times, thus creating very fixed expectations in the fans, she must also somehow achieve the same effect without the aid of special effects and on screen ``magic`` that makes it that much easier to suspend disbelief and dive straight in.

This has largely been achieved by structuring the novel pretty much in the same way one might structure a TV series. Every chapter is narrated by a different character, you know, in the same way the camera follows first one character and then another in those series where we have multiple heroes and heroines. Of course, here (as in most such narratives), we have one main protagonist, but we have a quite a few secondary characters knocking about who get a good dose of ``page time`` too. The flip of perspective is most refreshing and gives, in my opinion, a much more all-rounded sense of where the story is going. The other thing is that of course the setting is 19^th century London. Opium dens are ``all the rage`` and suffice to say that said dens play quite large parts in our story. Not only does the way the story flits from character to character at some point begin to resemble those rambling dreams brought on by the drug and so aptly described in the book, it also adds a completely new dimension to the character of Dr Bond, who is the ``hero`` of the book and at the same time, a bona fide opium addict. This makes him a bit of an anti-hero in a way, as Pinborough makes a very, very good job of describing his mental process as the addiction takes a firmer and firmer hold – and that in itself is an interesting portrait. But on the other hand, it also adds a dreamlike quality to everything Bond experiences, adding another dimension to his disbelief. I mean, I need to add that a lot of the other, secondary characters are not exactly painted in black or white either. There are a lot of greys, a lot of unusual traits and questionable attributes… But then again, that`s a bit like real life I suppose. The ``good guys`` often have their own scars and crosses to bear, and may not seem as ``snow white`` as prime time TV would have us believe.  

Another thing I admired in the book was the mastery with which the true stories of the epoch were mixed with fiction. Jack the Ripper enthusiasts will find it interesting reading in parts, possibly not because they will discover a lot of new information, but because Jack prowls the pages of the book along with our own killer, as large as life, and if the information about him is not new (because in truth, unless some historical artefact is unearthed, I don`t see how there could be any new info on him at the moment,)it is very well redacted and very well melded with the fantasy world of Dr Bond and Mayhem.

In short Mayhem is a sensitively written book where reality and fantasy collide to form some truly breath-taking results. It`s the kind of book that would make you miss your stop on the tube. Just sayin`. J

ESSIE MUSES ON "FAMILY AND FRIENDS"

As some of you who know me offline might already know, my mother has been suffering from ill health until recently. This has meant that she used to find it rather difficult to read for any length of time, a torment for her as she was (and in fact still is) a true blue bookworm. Recently however, Moms health took a turn for the better, which has meant she can read again. We are a family who strongly believes in doing nothing by halves; therefore, when I arrived at our ancestral home for three weeks, I was greeted by a veritable mountain range of books on every conceivable surface. A little Mont Blanc had been born on my desk too ``for you to take back`` Mom explained with a grin. I was not ungrateful, if a little taken aback by the sheer quantities.  This ``geoliterary`` formation was largely due to some books leant by a family friend. This meant that there were a few in this number that I would not initially have chosen myself, and I have to admit, this book was one of them. However, what started out as me casually flipping through the book that just so happened to be at the top of the pile turned into me promptly getting glued to the book and finishing it practically in one fell swoop.

Family and Friends traces the fortunes of the Dorn family, starting in the years preceding the Second World War and the period shortly after it. There is Sofia (Sofka) Dorn, the widowed matriarch who rules and forms her young family with velvet glove and iron will. Frederick, the debonair darling of the family, a dashing flirt whose every fault seems to be somehow forgiven. Then there is Alfred, the younger brother, serious and bookish. Then there are ``the girls`` Mimi and Betty; Betty is the one with the ``artistic`` temperament while Mimi is a quiet girl who is happy pleasing her mother. If only they could stay quietly under Sofka`s wing always – however, life does not quite work like that. Soon they will need to make choices in life, or they will elect to not make any choices at all… It is indeed quite amazing what different paths the exact same beginning can lead to…

Here`s the strange thing about me and this book. I did not like the characters. In fact a few of them quite literally annoyed the heck out of me. If I met them in real life, I would probably end up slapping quite a few. But of course, it is the fact that the book is extremely well-written that elicits such a reaction from a reader. And Anita Brockner`s use of language is something else altogether. It takes a bit of getting used to at first though, as the book is written almost entirely in the passive tense. But this by no means subtracts from the vividness of the descriptions, the attention to detail and the beautifully woven story. Brockner is very apt at analyzing that subtle force, inter-family politics, and through her, we not only follow the various choices and decisions of the four Dorn siblings but get a clear view of how Sofka effects each of them in separate ways and how they are effected by each other, by the rest of the family, by ``society`` (and the all-important question ``what will people say``) to arrive at four very separate destinations. And of course this gives us ample opportunity to reflect on ourselves and our own families. It`s a funny one, family politics. I am pretty sure we would all like to believe we are completely immune to it, that we are (or at least we are perfectly capable of, should we so want) breaking completely free of an ancestral influence and marching boldly forward, forming our own fate. But more often than not, the strands of fate are woven with more strings from the family bow than we may care to accept. If we have not adopted some subtle way of thinking or acting based on those around us, we probably have taken to doing the mirror opposite of what our family did, as a reaction. It can affect anything from the way we speak, the way we dress, the food we eat, our political convictions… And of course more subtle things, like the way we interact with others, the way we view ourselves… At the very least, our family and our past are present in us with their absence, in the way we are trying desperately not to be like ``them``.

The other thing Family and Friends points out is that the family is no `monolith`. It may sometimes (especially at occasions such as Christmas dinners, at that point just after the traditional almighty row) feel as if it is unchanging and will stay like this for ever and ever, but people are constantly changing and the balances constantly shifting, sometimes subtly, sometimes in the shape of great tempests.

I can guarantee you will find something of yourself, something familiar in this book, no matter what your relationship with your family is. And by the way, don`t you think it is rather comforting to know that we all suffer the same qualms and quandaries when it comes to our families? 

A UNIVERSE CONTAINED BY FOUR WALLS... "ROOM"

I despair at myself sometimes. I really do. It is probably the main reason the stories of my purchasing cheap books or DVDs makes it to the blog so often. ``Buy one get one for 1 pound`` the sticker on Room proudly proclaims. I remember very clearly, this is the ``one for 1 pound`` I chose on one particular shopping spree. I was in two minds about buying it although the subject matter did intrigue me; I worried whether it would prove too ``heavy`` a read as the story is one of the darkest ones I have yet to come across. The other danger was, of course, that it would be made too sensational, almost flippant, and that would have made me angry too. But at the end of the day, as I told myself, ``it`s only a pound``. It turned out to be one of the best pounds I spent this year.

Room is five year old Jack`s world. It is the only world he has ever known. It is where he and his mother live, eat, bathe, sleep and play. His mother is called Ma. She has no other name. There is a television in the Room with many different things on it but they`re just TV they`re not real. So they cannot ask for things like puppies, ice cream or chocolate for Sunday treat. Other children and people they see on the television aren`t real either, the only other real person (except Jack and Ma) is Old Nick (as Jack calls him) who bring supplies and sometimes stays the night. But today is Jack`s fifth birthday, it means he is all grown up now, and it may well be time to learn that there is a little bit more to his little world than he initially thought…

You may have gotten a sinking feeling in your gut as you read my version of the blurb, that means you`re pretty much on the right track. Excuse the spoilers, but yes, this is the story of a young woman who was kidnapped and held in a ``room`` in a garden shed for years and who gave birth to a child as a result of rape. The plot twist is that we read the entire story not from her perspective, but from the perspective of Jack, her son. Through Jack`s stories and interpretations, we begin to understand how Ma has made this world up for Jack and has done everything in her limited power to keep the outside world at bay – for the sake of her own sanity and Jack`s. But more importantly, we admire their resilience as Ma has not quite given up hope of escape… And when, in the end, she and Jack break free, a whole new world is opened up to them.

I think I honestly found the second half of the book a lot more striking than the first. I mean don`t get me wrong, the first half has its merits by the boatload, I marveled at how the little alternative universe was formed within the four walls of the Room. Ma clearly trying to keep Jack stimulated without awakening his curiosity about what could lie beyond the walls and Jack, with the naiveté specific to young children, accepts this universe without question. For this reason, it is fascinating to analyze Jack`s thoughts and reaction when he is brought face to face with the real world. In her ``how and why`` section at the back of the book writer Emma Donoghue explains that her own son, four at the time the book was written, was a great inspiration along with the main source of Jack`s ``voice`` as Jack speaks with several (small but noticeable) grammatical errors and uses quite a few invented words. It is in part this dedication that has made the character of Jack so real. This and no doubt close observation of how children see and interpret the world as they discover it.

Donoghue also points out that Jack and Ma`s captivity can also be seen as an illumination of the human condition on many levels. One does not necessarily have to be physically trapped in a room to feel trapped by a situation or a relationship. And if we are trapped by a relationship or situation, it is quite common for the brain to form coping mechanisms of various kinds. We may not exactly believe that ice cream is not real but we form new, and sometimes erroneous beliefs about other people, relationships, the way the world works… And the more entrenched we become in our beliefs, the harder it is for us to shake free until one day, like Jack facing the real world, we are faced with something or someone who shakes up our belief system… Then begins the painful process of adaptation. But hopefully, we end up in a better place than where we began, and all the pain and struggle was worth it.

Room is about all of this, but above all, it is about the indomitable human spirit. That part of us that refuses to give up even under the darkest of circumstances. For this reason, I think Room isn`t nearly as dark as it may very well have been. You will laugh and you will cry as you read it… But you definitely won`t regret your purchase.    

A TOWN NOT QUITE LIKE THE REST... WELCOME TO "MIDNIGHT CROSSROAD"

I was a little dubious when I picked this book up and saw a red sticker, in a familiar script proclaiming it was from the author of the bestselling True Blood series. I used to be a fan of True Blood. Honestly, I am not much of a fan anymore, it is my humble opinion the plot line of the series dropped severely below par a few seasons in and never quite recovered – I haven`t read the book so I am unable to comment on the connection between the series and the books. It is my view though, that stickers loudly proclaiming the previous successes of the creator of one particular item be it a book, a film or anything else, is a possible signal for a mediocre work.  Still, the little book did a good job of selling itself. It promised a darker story than the Sookie Stackhouse novels and a dead body artfully placed in the corner of the front cover promised at a mixture of magic and murder mysteries – a particular favorite with me as you probably know by now. So I bit. I bought it (I could get it two for one with Mayhem – check here for the review – so that definitely helped with my decision). I got so sucked into the book that on my four hour flight over to Turkey, I did not even turn on the entertainment system. I started leafing through the book in the lounge because my flight was delayed by about half an hour and well, when the plane landed, I was still burrowed in the book. That should tell you something or other – I rarely miss an opportunity to watch a free film.

Sookie Stackhouse fans will find the setting painfully familiar. It is set in a small, southern town, Midnight, Texas. The town is dusty, small and almost completely abandoned - but strangely enough the handful of inhabitants who are left seem to prefer it that way. This way there are fewer people to avoid and more room for… Personal lives. This means there aren`t too many newcomers to this town, but Manfred Bernardo is a rarity (in more ways than one) who was looking for just this kind of town. However, as unobtrusive as a newcomer may be, a new presence will always create ripples and waves in the day to day life of a small town. And in a town like Midnight, you can never be quite sure what those waves might wash up…

Now, serious fantasy and horror fans beware – this is not quite your cup of tea. I mean yes, the ``slightly`` meaner fans of True Blood have pointed out that the TV series is little more than soft porn with fantastic creatures in some episodes and I can assure you the book is not so bad. This said, it is not the kind of book any serious horror fan will find particularly easy to get their teeth (or fangs) into. The book abounds with handsome, striking men with supernatural powers (and more often than not platinum hair for some reason) and beautiful women who could pluck their eyebrows with one hand and strangle you effortlessly with the other, should they so choose. Love triangles, all the intrigue that comes with them and ancient family secrets are also plentiful. In fact, although I do not like this kind of speculation, I am almost sure the book was written with the hope of it becoming some sort of TV series as so many of the characters seem to be either directly borrowed from and elaborated on stock characters from fantasy series all the world over, ranging from the friendly witch to the ancient and wise vampire who only feeds on bad guys. Oh and the handsome and mysterious stranger who rides into town guarding secrets of his own (but that character is much older than fantasy as a genre – High Plains Drifter anyone?).

I think it is the abundance of these characters and the `televisionish` feel to the story that slightly dwarfs the serious elements. Because there are some potentially good meaty storylines and serious plot twists in there, but I honestly felt that they could have been expanded on a bit more. More attention seems to be given to the love triangles and the mysterious pasts of some of the characters which, in the scheme of things, are little more than exposition around the real story. Was this left a bit ``hanging`` in the hope that it could be elaborated on camera? I have a suspicion it might be the case.

This said, like I mentioned earlier, I was so badly hooked on this book that I finished it in what ended up being a matter of hours. It`s a typical best seller and good little page turner, it just isn`t by any stretch of the imagination high literature. Nor is it trying to be.  I strongly recommend you get it for your daily commute – or to while away the hours on a long trip. Just don`t expect to be able to write a thesis on it. 

TRUE STORY WEEK : IN COLD BLOOD

What is it about modern life that stops us reading? This doesn't happen everywhere, evidently, or to everyone but I was at a party just last night and everyone says they read a lot less than when they were students. I guess it's because we have to concentrate actively on one thing or the other for work for so long every weekday, we don't have the energy in our spare time... Then of course we get out of the habit... Being in possession of slightly more spare time I'm trying to break myself back into the habit... For the purpose I decided to go for something good quality and gripping. Not too taxing - remember I, like a lot of wage slaves haven't read a complete book in a good while - but not too much of a soap bubble either. When one is also naturally picky about what one reads, the task of choosing a book becomes tougher than you might think... I was staring intently at my library for inspiration and I alighted on the Truman Capote novels I have previously written about (Summer Crossing and Breakfast At Tiffany's). Actually there was one more Capote lying around that I hadn't read. It was a true crime novel to boot - and I know this isn't very ladylike but I have always liked true crime novels... It is the book that gave birth to the blockbuster starring Philip Seymour-Hoffman; Capote. I am talking about "In Cold Blood". I had actually seen the film but of course the film was basically about how the book was written not an adaptation of the book itself so I thought why not... Good thing I did, too... No wonder Truman Capote was obsessed with the event...
Now the event that gave birth to this book is quite well known but let's go through them again just to make sure everyone's on the same page... One fateful November evening in 1959, four members of a prominent family in a small town in Kansas were brutally murdered. Herbert and Bonnie Clutter along with their two children Nancy and Kenyon were loved and respected, religious and hard working, in short an example held up and respected by all who knew and loved them...The murder, in its brutality and its seeming lack of motive stunned the entire country; the Clutters had literally no known enemies at all and nobody could think of any reason for this bloodshed. The discovery of the culprits took a good many years and would not have happened if a man in jail at the time had not heard the news, put two and two together and in the end given way to his conscience... The culprits were Richard Eugene Hickock and Perry Smith; they were caught (albeit a good few years after the murders) and accordingly dealt with in accordance with Kansas law (I guess I don't need to spell out how, yes?). In his novel Truman Capote gives us not only a memorial of an upstanding Kansas family and town but also of two men who could murder four people "in cold blood" and then get on with their lives as if nothing had happened. We see their thoughts, their hopes, the way they think... And while their acts and demeanors cannot be sympathized with, one thing is painstakingly clear. These men were not "monsters" but very, VERY human indeed...
I can see why you would not like true crime as a genre, generally speaking... These days a lot of it is gore, sensation; a superficial yarn, nothing more. You may wonder what else there is to it. But think about it. The act of killing is, to me, the single most horrific thing a man /woman can do to his/her fellow man/woman. (And just for disambiguation this for me includes capital punishment, as far as I go killing is killing and unless it's self defense there is nothing to justify it). I'm sure a lot of you would agree with me at least up to a point if not completely. But doesn't this make you curious as to what kind of being actually can do this with such ease and then go on living? Aren't you the least bit curious what went through their minds? Are they monsters? Were they born this way or did something happen to change them? If so, what? Compelling questions, no? Capote does not sympathize with the killers in the least. And there is nothing in this deadly duo's actions that makes it "forgivable". However the portrait painted of them is a clear and objective snapshot of both sides of this sad event thanks to long interviews with everyone from the Clutter family's friends and relations to the two assassins themselves. I assure you this book will compel you to think... Not necessarily happy thoughts, but deep ones and important ones...

"TENDER IS THE NIGHT" BUT ALAS SHE IS CRUEL AS WELL...

There is something about this one. No, really. It has taken me SO long to both read the book and write the review that I was actually beginning to believe (yes, I am superstitious) that it really was never meant to be. Not that there is anything wrong with the book. Quite the opposite in fact, I will go as far as saying that it is writers like Fitzgerald that remind me why literature and writing are art-forms. But it is true that I read less these days. I guess it’s the day job, one gets tired and distracted at work you know, you have very little energy left to actually “concentrate” on anything, much less a serious novel like Tender Is The Nıght… And I mean, you actually want to concentrate on those things not skim through them with your eyes half closed before you go to bed. Time management, that’s what it all comes down to; time management and the rigors of modern living. That, however, I will gripe about in another entry…
Tender is the Night is the story of the Divers. Dick and Nicole Diver are social butterflies, perfect couple, perfect host and hostess with the perfect children. They are universally loved, admired and envied by all who know them and lead an enjoyable and uneventful existence… That is until one summer on the French Riviera, Rosemary bursts into their lives. Rosemary is a young starlet, guided carefully by her mother through both life and Hollywood. However there is one thing mothers cannot guide and that is love. And Rosemary falls for Dick, on the spot. The trouble is, he falls for her as well… Now, a married man having an affair may not exactly be the end of the world in most cases. However, Dick and Nicole have a secret. And this may actually be the end of a world if not the world…
Now some of you may have guessed this is a semi-autobiographical story… Scott F. Fitzgerald’s wife Zelda suffered from the same sort of problem as Nicole (though I sincerely doubt they were for the same reasons). Neither do I know whether Mr. Fitzgerald ever had an affair. However, the way the Diver’s relationship is played out, the sentiments portrayed and the reactions are deeply realistic and easy to identify with. Perhaps it is because they are so close to the truth… Or have their roots in the truth…
The thing I love about Fitzgerald is his style. Now I didn’t feel this so much in The Great Gatsby, but in this novel, I was somehow so struck by the way Fitzgerald said something I quite forgot to concentrate on the content… It’s hard to explain and it hasn’t happened to me very often either, I guess it’s like being so struck by the colors or brushwork in a painting you don’t really notice the subject. Not that the subject is not well chosen, oh Lord no. Indeed, sometimes it was the twists in the story or even some consideration thrown in as an afterthought that made me put down my book and drift off into a reverie…
Tender is the night is like a beautiful, sad dream. No other way to describe it. Never have I seen so much substance packed into such a tiny book… It won’t go down in a gulp… But, hey, in these overly fast times we do a little too much gulping for my liking… Who knows, you might enjoy a good ponder, give it a go…

AN UNUSUAL BUT REWARDING LITTLE GEM : "NATURAL NOVEL"

Ok, it is time, yet again, to update the “literary” side of my blog. Now, I read this interesting little number a while back. Now, I love reading but since I have a 9 to 5 job to hold down it has become a bit of drag for me. Not because I enjoy it any less but because I am tired when I get back from the office and cannot for the life of me concentrate on reading anything. Natural Novel proved an exception to this rule however. Once I got into it, no matter what I did I could NOT put it down. Which was slightly bizarre, because I started it almost by accident and had no great illusions as to whether I would like it or not… Now, Natural Novel is a very VERY “modern”. It has a storyline sure, it has a beginning a middle and an ending too. Well… After a fashion.

Natural Novel is the story of a man whose life has just fallen apart. Our narrator tells of his failed marriage and his wife, who, he has just found out, is pregnant by another man. He then goes off on a tangent. Several tangents. The book is presented in chapters, the longest of them two or three pages long and they can be best described (in fact I saw the description in another review on the internet) as a series of vignettes. Each one may or may not be related to the initial topic or indeed the “vignette” that came before it. The story emerges, disappears, changes direction. Oh it develops and ends all right but in the true “modern” style the line is as far from linear as you can possibly imagine.

Now, you might think this would make a book almost impossible to read. I only started reading it because it was part of some volunteer work I was doing a while back – and had the exact same prediction. What I hadn’t factored in however, was Gospodinov’s talent. Each snippet, each vignette is a masterpiece in its own right, and besides, the style of the book dictates that one is perpetually left with the nagging curiosity as to “what comes next”. Plus, like I said the “main” story itself does actually advance you’re just never quite sure when it will start doing it. Plus, I have to say, it gives a VERY accurate picture of post communist life in Bulgaria. (I seem to have forgotten to mention this but the author of the book is Bulgarian) In fact, one of the main aims of the book seems to be the description of life. Personally, I liked the fact that we are almost in the mind of the distraught narrator – we rollercoaster along with him as his mind rambles and he jumps from one topic to another. I personally finished it in a matter of days and found it both fascinating and humorous. I also feel lucky in my discovery of Gospodinov. I strongly recommend you step into his world…

THE GREAT GATSBY

In my neighborhood, conveniently close to my house there is a bookstore. In that bookstore there is a section where they sell vey reasonably priced modern classics that I often haven’t read before. It’s a pretty small section, the bookstore is dedicated to the “newest thing” more often than not but I tend to check it regularly for bargains. On one such occasion I came back beaming armed with two such modern classics. One of them is the above mentioned Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I wolfed the book down in a matter of two days (to give it it’s due my edition is only a 172 pages long). By the time I had got through it I felt as if I had been hit by a bus…
Nick Carraway is a rather reserved young man living in Long Island. He is a realist with feet firmly planted on the ground, leading a very “normal” life and going down to work in the city every day. Next to his modest home is a stately mansion, filled with all the riches a man could desire. It is the setting of lavish parties everyone who is everyone goes to – regardless of whether they were invited or not. The owner of this house is Gatsby. Jay Gatsby. He is something of a man of legend, no one quite knows his origins or his business, all they know is that he is ridiculously rich, mysterious and never drinks at his own parties… He does however, have a secret. A secret Nick Carraway will become privy to, entangled in and changed by…
I was absolutely bowled over by this book… A lot of people, I have been surprised to find out, have a slight prejudice towards Fitzgerald. My grandfather who is a literature professor benignly said “Well, light fiction is also necessary of course”. My grandmother refused to read it point blank – deemed it a waste of time. However I think this is a grave misjudgment of the novel. You will have to get to the end to truly understand the deep and tragic message underlying the whole novel; basically it is dreams, it is real life, it is pursuing a dream at all costs and truly fighting for it… Nick Carraway seemed rather constipated to me all through the novel if you will. I got so aggravated with him I wanted to give him a good shake. I know see that he had to be that way – there is a Carraway and a Gatsby in all of us, the question is of course which one gets the upper hand…
I read a little (a very little mind you) about Fitzgerald’s own life after that… He died tragically young at 46 – and I am sure he had a lot more to offer us. And his beloved wife Zelda was prone to mental breakdowns that shook their marriage and them both individually… I can’t help thinking Fitzgerald’s battle between dreams and real life is in fact heavily influenced by this… I know I am being rather tiresomely underhand about the whole thing but I really want you to unravel Gatsby’s secrets for yourself. Let it suffice to say that even those of us with the teeniest hint of a dreamer hidden in our souls will find a little piece of ourselves in this novel… And be truly moved by it…

A “NAKED” BOOK REVIEW…

I was pottering about the kitchen this morning when I was struck by rather a bizarre thought. As you know, the aim of this website is to provide a non-expert review of films or books for other non-experts. It’s all very well and good to have expert opinions but they sometimes differ largely in perspective from the concerns of the “common people” i.e. us. In this website, I strive to be “useful”. Alerting you to the presence of a film you may not have heard of. Providing a review for a book you may have seen but not considered. Well, if I want to be truly useful – not to mention honest and open about sharing the good books I have come across, there is one book I CANNOT leave out. It is not, however, the kind of book you may have initially expected… I’m not quite sure how to put this… Ok …
It’s a cookery book.
Now, as I said, I strongly believe in non-expert, down to earth views of things. Pretty much everything. This is not to say that I believe experts useless, quite au contraire. It’s just that, unless you’re an expert – or at least quite knowledgeable – yourself on the matter, their advice can be rather hard to implement. Unless it’s a real down-to-earth expert who actually tailors his/her advice and opinions to be down to earth and practical. I’m talking about Jamie Oliver..
Now, one thing to know about me is that I am not a very good cook. I was blessed with a mother who is an excellent cook but a perfectionist and a very impatient teacher. Any attempts on my part to help /experiment in the kitchen were whisked out from under my nose with a cry of “Oh give it here I’ll do it” from Mom and howls of protest from me (Mom, I defy you to look me in the eye and tell me I’m lying).It wasn’t the idea of me cooking that “upset” Mom, but the learning process and all it entailed. Indeed, if someone could “upload” cooking into me Matrix style, Mom would be more than happy to leave all the cooking to me. Unfortunately, there were mistakes to be made, experiments to be undergone, kitchens to be wrecked, ingredients to be burnt and Mom would rather just do it herself than go through all that. So here I am. On the wrong side of 25 and unable to cook to save my socks.
Now, being an industrious soul, I decided some time ago to remedy this sorry state of affairs. Mom was still as Mom as ever so I needed was a book. A practical book. Down to earth. It needed to be well written though – and by someone who knew what they were doing. (I am as impatient as my Mother and the quicker I get round to the production edible of food items the better.) I picked Jamie Oliver as my “expert of choice” on a whim more than anything else. I had seen a few of his cookery programmes, The Naked Chef and all that. I liked his style. I mean, he is a proper A-list celebrity and yet doesn’t put on airs. And I like his whole philosophy of wholesome, healthy meals. So I trundled along to the cookery books section – and Mr. Oliver has written a REMARKABLE number of books let me tell you – I decided on “Jamie’s Ministry Of Food”. I rifled through it a little and figured out that it is basically a very well illustrated “cooking for idiots”. Just what I needed. I bought it on the spot.
And now, basically, I swear by it. The dishes suggested are practical things that you can cook quickly day to day. I admit that finding some (some as in a VERY small number indeed) of the ingredients may be difficult depending on the country you are in but nothing a little ingenuity can’t overcome… The instructions are basically idiot-proof. I mean, I can follow them and believe me, that’s saying a lot. And it isn’t just basic things for beginners, oh no. Mom who is quite an accomplished cook was quite impressed by a number o f novel ideas. Porridge for instance. Ever thought of grating cooking chocolate into your porridge, adding a spoonful of marmalade and warming it through to cook chocolate- orange flavored porridge? No? Neither had we. Mr. Oliver has. Basic salads, basic dressings, dips and salsas, pasta sauces, you name it. Broken down into bite-sized morsels for the beginner. And the range goes all the way to lasagna and beef wellington. No matter what “level” cook you are, you will find something to “sink your teeth into” (Ho Ho  ). And for those of you with families – Mr. Oliver being a father of two himself, he is very conscious about vitamin values, filling and healthy meals for the little ones… In short, something for the whole family…
The book proudly proclaims “Everyone can learn to cook in 24 hours”. I thought it was a marketing ploy. I am now beginning to suspect he was right. I strongly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in cooking – I have come a long way thanks to it… I mean, even Mom is impressed… ;)

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S – DAARLING!

OK, as I mentioned last week I’m feeling mighty guilty about being so “unliterary” for so long… And having both “discovered” Truman Capote and being in possession of another one of his works I have the opportunity to continue my review… And of course, if I recall, I had mentioned what it is to you folks as well: It is that classic of both literary and cinematic fiction; Breakfast At Tiffany’s. Now do not be confused, my review is of the original book, not the wonderful adaptation into film starring Audrey Hepburn. The film’s turn will come of course, but in our mediatic times, when I am faced with books adapted into films (or ofcourse vice- versa ) I always prefer checking out the original media first. As successful as it may be, the second is only an adaptation after all… And starlarınkine Capote was the writer of the original media so it kind of does deserve precedence in my book!... (No pun intended!)
Now, we are all familiar, I assume, with Holly Golightly – the heroine of Breakfast At Tiffany’s, if only through the film or through reputation. Incidentally I found the fact that the book I bought actually had a picture of Audrey Hepburn as Holly on the cover… I guess this is the point where the adaptation clearly surpasses the book in celebrity! And ofcourse I was also attracted by “the main act”. However, the edition I have has more people to introduce than an average “Breakfast” . In this edition in addition to the story that gave the book its name, we find three other short stories by Capote : House of Flowers ( the story of a Haitian “working girl”, her quest for true love and the price she is prepared to pay for it), A Diamond Guitar ( the story of a hardened convict whose life is changed in a way he never thought possible by the arrival of a new convict) and last of all A Christmas Memory (the story of a rather unlikely but very happy friendship).
Now, I was of course well aware that Capote was a good writer (see review of Summer Crossing last week for details) but I never expected to be blown away to this degree… To start with, we are faced with rather a different Capote then what we are taught “at first glance”. Indeed, in the afore-mentioned Summer Crossing, his friend and lawyer explains clearly how Capote’s wit turned poisonous later on in life and alienated almost all who knew him. These stories, I would dare say, were written before that happened. Beautiful encounters, life changing emotions, deep friendships and love… All are exquisitely and eloquently explored. And every single time this is done from a perspective you never quite expected it to be taken from – and this ofcourse is what made Capote great… I ventured, you may recall, a small analysis of what I thought Summer Crossing may symbolize. If I were to venture another opinion here – I might say that all these were written at a time when our author was secure in a relationship. All the emotions that make relationships – and not just relationships in the romantic sense but all relationships – beautiful and essential to our lives are described vividly… I will not go into what these are in detail – I assume you know what I mean already.
In fact, I will not rabbit on at all. Just by the book and get lost in it. You will NOT regret it.

SUMMER CROSSING

Well, hand on heart; it has been a SHAMEFULLY long time since I reviewed any literature… And truth be told that’s because it has been an equally shamefully long time since I actually read any good literature. But in my defense I was out to remedy that last weekend when I made another discovery: I have never read any Truman Capote! I’ve seen the film starring Philip Seymour-Hoffman, yes, but never actually read any of his work. And there on a shelf in a bookstore was Breakfast At Tiffanys (the book not the film) and assorted stories and his recently discovered début novel, Summer Crossing.
By recently discovered, I mean that his lawyer and friend Alan U. Shwartz discovered the four notebooks it was written on some time after Capote’s death. When dated it turns out to be his début novel – so it’s a little ironic in my view that it should be printed posthumously. Shwartz ponders whether he did well in publishing it in the short annex he provides to the book (in my edition) where he describes the book’s discovery. He ends up not regretting it – and I am glad. We would have been deprived of a true gem.
Now, this little 120-page jewel (Good news for those of you who get put off by books that are too long! – And don’t you deny it, I know you’re out there!) is the story of Grady. Grady is the 17 year-old daughter of a rich American family in New York, in the 50’s. And for the first time in her life she is completely alone all summer this year – her family are taking a boat to Europe. And why pray does Grady chose to waive such a chance at a European adventure? Well, that would be because she has a secret… And the secret’s name is Clyde Menzer. He is a Jewish car park attendant and they are madly in love. Left alone and completely free for the first time Grady clings to Clyde, intensifying their relationship and bringing it to a point Grady never imagined it would come to…
Now, I am not a particular fan of romances (nor am I particularly averse to them – I just am not “addicted” to them) but this is BRILLIANT. It is first love concentrated, boiled down and poured into a book. It is told exquisitely; it is gripping and is also full of all the mannerisms and quips of its age, giving a marvelous insight into life in the States at the time, right from the inside. But as I read Summer Crossing (not only crossing the Atlantic you understand – that comes into it as far as the parents are concerned but also Grady’s crossing into womanhood) I felt it contained more insights than first caught the eye. Take the rather bizarrely named Grady (named after her uncle apparently). One of her major characteristics is that she is DIFFERENT from her sister and parents. They are “nice” and “usual” she is “not like them” . Clyde is merely a more “obvious” demonstration of this. Now, this is a very common (and in this case very well described) state of mind for a 17 year-old but could it possibly be an insight into Capote’s own feelings towards society – or maybe even his family (this is a début novel right at the beginning of his career don’t forget) ? And then, Clyde, the Jewish car park attendant. A gloriously inappropriate lover for high-brow Grady. Maybe a consideration on Capote’s own homosexuality that was considered “very inappropriate” at the time ? Capote wasn’t “Capote” then you remember, so he didn’t have the liberty fame brings… I don’t know. And you really should read it and make your own judgments. But Mr Capote, allow me to say this: Do not regret the printing of this book even if you never meant for it to be seen. It was an amazing gala to your career that deserved to be shared with the world…

SOMETHING TO READ FOR A CHANGE : THE WINNER STANDS ALONE

Allthough this is mainly a blog on films I will occasionally share my thoughts on the books I have read aswell. This is one of these cases :)
Now, the risk one runs in reviewing such writers as Paulo Coelho is that one realizes that one simply has nothing left to say. It is as if somehow all has been said before. And when reviewing successful writers, one must always be careful as to how one says what one has to say otherwise I feel there is not much point… However, to my way of thinking, The Winner Stands Alone was such a great work that I could not possibly leave it unmentioned…
“This is not a thriller” says Coelho in his short introduction “but a stark portrait of where we are now.” This is undoubtedly true. The Winner Stands Alone lays bare the entire capitalist society and all its trappings and trickery set in possibly one of the shamest industries in a world based purely on “image” – the cinema. But the setting is any day in the film industry but the prestigious Cannes Film Festival no less. Now I’m sure you all realize that I adore the cinema and wouldn’t’ have started a blog about it if I did not… But I believe it was Rupert Graves (one of my favorite actors incidentally) in one of his interviews who described acting as “grown men and women playing make believe” – and who can fail to see the parallelism of the cinema with our world today where we have so many roles to juggle, appearances to keep up and where almost all of us dream of money, fame and glory “one day” “somehow”…
Besides asking whether it should really be this way and showing us the ugly backstage of glamour and what us mere mortals must do to realize our dreams of glory that may even not be our own, Coelho also delves into the human psyche. Such eternal subjects as love, jealousy, obsession and madness are explored with mind-numbing skill… It is not only a criticism of society as a whole but of what the individuals in this unnatural state have become…
The winner stands alone may not be a thriller but it is indeed thrilling from beginning to end. And you may say that well, after a tiring day at work you do not need to think about “where we are today”. I say read it anyway. The setting for all these messages is a griping tale of obsession and murder, a true page-turner in its own right, even without any of the underlying messages. I guarantee that you will go through it at break-neck speed from beginning to end. And in a world where advertisers play practically exclusively to our sub-consciousness, a few more underlying messages will do no harm 