Silver Linings

My bookshelves :)

The past year has been a challenging one for me; both physically and mentally. But today, when I look back I realize that it has shaped me for the person that I am today. It is very difficult to search for a silver lining when all you can see are grey clouds looming over the horizon. But it's always there. You just have to look at the right place. Maybe it takes time. There may be days when you give up. Days when you feel the entire universe is conspiring against you, but it's there all the same. 

I was a person who hid my feelings in books. If I was faced with a situation that I didn't want to be confronted with, I tend to ignore it. I would lose myself in the world of reading. I would read, read and read till the distraction went away. I even hoped that a miracle would occur and it would disappear on its own. Yes, I guess I was an ostrich who buried her head in the sand. Somewhere along the journey, I guess I finally grew up and learned to face my fears. 

Ignoring a problem is not going to solve it. It stagnantes, slowly eroding away your being until it takes a turn for the worse. That was when I took to writing. Writing gave me a means of expressing myself. Giving a voice to all the thoughts that were there in my head, but scared to tell out loud. I was skeptical, initially. With time, I came to enjoy it, loving each and every moment that I spent in front of my laptop simply typing away. 

Writing made me who I am today. Even when I felt that there would be no one to listen, I wrote. I was surprised when people started writing in. A few could relate to what I wrote. I started gaining confidence, my writing voice had finally found a home. I penned stories that made me wonder of the what-ifs in life. Of lives that intrigued me. 

Yes, writing filled me with an optimism. I was 100% sure of what I was going to do for the rest of my life. When all else fails, this would be where I would always go back to. This was my home. My safe place. Of course, reading shall always be my first love. If not for the world of books, I would never even have thought of writing. It was my love for books that got me here. 

I'm a book hoarder. I have hundreds of books in my home. I treasure my collection. Dusting the shelves and flipping through the pages of books that I have read and are yet to read fills me with an immense joy. They are like a lot of my friends who have always had my back. Books may not always solve your problems. But they do help in making you look beyond it and to reflect on yourself. Books and bookshops definitely make my world a happier place; splashing around a lot of colours and making life more interesting, nurturing the person that I have become. 

The bibliophile in me shall continue to live for as long as I exist. The writer in me is taking baby steps to the world of writing. As for writing, it is a mystery that I'm trying to solve, a day at a time.

This post has been written for #lookup activity hosted by https://housing.com/lookup.

The Last Dance

Image courtesy: The Book Club

It was going to be their last night together. They had decided that it would be best to part ways now to avoid the heartbreak that was inevitable later on. Anaisha took out the exquisite red gown that she had bought for the occasion. The soft net flared around her ankles; reminding her of the many fairy tales she had devoured as a little girl. But things just don't happen like that in real life, do they? It never was that uncomplicated. In life, things were not always in black and white. Sometimes, you have to open yourself to the existence of grey shades as well. 

She pulled back her hair and secured it at the nape of her neck; accentuating her dark eyes and high cheekbones. She gave a final look in the mirror and satisfied by the result she saw, went to open the door as the bell rang, announcing her visitor. There he stood; the man she fell in love with. The only man she thought that her heart would be capable of loving. It was the first time she was seeing him in a tux. The two day stubble gave him a sophisticated, mature look. But the twinkle in his eyes remained unchanged. 

"You look beautiful. I wish we could just cancel dinner and spend time here." 

His words got her blushing. But no, it had to be a clean break. There had to be no unresolved issues by the time they parted ways. 

The ride to the hotel where he had made dinner reservations was both short and long. It was torturous and toe curling at the same time. How on earth was she going to get a grip on herself if he kept nuzzling her bare shoulder and kept whispering sweet nothings in her ear?

As they reached the venue, he held the door open for her. He had arranged for a private dinner where they would not be subject to public scrutiny. The selection of wine was her favorite. It was details like these that had drawn her to him in the first place. He listened when she spoke; he knew that she had a weakness for red wine and cheese, he knew her favorite movies, he knew that she felt flowers were overrated and for this reason he had never, not once resorted to those cliched gestures of romance. In her eyes this made him all the more appealing. He may not be perfect, but he was good enough for her. 

As she was sipping her last glass of wine, he took her hand and swept her across the dance floor. He did things like this; throwing her off, catching her at a vulnerable moment and making her love him a tiny bit more each time. Spontaneous acts that took her breath away. As he held her close and danced, a slow seductive dance that had always ended in her bed on previous occasions in the past, she sighed and leaned in close to him. 

It was only when his mobile buzzed was she brought back to the stark reality. She knew that it was time to leave. He had a family to get back to. And back home, Anaisha knew that her daughter would be waiting up for her. As they parted reluctantly, they held on to this last shard of memory knowing that this too would get tarnished over time. 

Back home, as she tucked her five year old daughter in bed and read to her, Anaisha told her a story about a princess who knew better than to run away with a prince. A princess who was content with what she had in life and no prince could take that away from her. With that, Anaisha kissed her daughter good night. 

This story is written for the above photo prompt for The Book Club. 

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Just A Writer's Life

Image courtesy: Google

I write like nobody's business
To give birth to the stories I have in my head
The creative process is never too easy
There's a story behind every sentence

Characters conceived in the writer's mind
Take their own sweet time 
To tell their stories
Playing a game of hide and seek
With their creator

But it's the journey that matters
It always is; that sweet torture
Of not knowing what you may stumble upon
There is a trail of sweat and blood
Trickling from the writer's fingertips
Invisible to the naked eye

There are days when a blank page
Makes my head pound in frustration
Then there are days when the words just flow
Seamlessly, in an abandon...
But what matters in the end is 
That feeling of obscure joy upon completion. 
And that is what makes it all worthwhile!

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

The Forgotten Daughter

Image courtesy: Google

Alisha was the first born, the result of many sacred prayers. Though her mother was blessed with two more children, it was Alisha who was the apple of her eye. 

She was pampered and loved; but the day she chose to live with the man of her choice, she was deemed an outcast by the family. 

Seven years later, as her mother wept on her death bed, a gentle breeze brushed against her cheeks. She believed it was a final kiss from the forgotten daughter who was banished from her house, but never her heart. 

This post is written for Five sentence fiction for Forgotten at Lillie McFerrin Writes.

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Things to do while you are sick and a Guest post

Images courtesy: Google

I have been under the weather and had spent the past week simply doing nothing. In case you noticed, I have been MIA because my nose was leaking incessantly and my voice was a little more than a croak. Even writing seemed like too much of a effort to me. But how I missed it and you all!

 Being sick can turn out to be a lonely thing unless you have someone to pamper you left, right and center. Even that can get tiring because you can easily get irritable with all the aches and pains and sniffing. So, here are a list of things that I did when I fell sick. Since almost everyone I know has been suffering due to the change of climate, feel free to give your suggestions too.

1. Reading - Yeah, I caught up on a lot of reading while I was sick. Snuggle up in bed with a good book and catch up on reading those books that you have been meaning to read forever. Also, what better way to lift your spirits than by revisiting your old favorites? I read a Roald Dahl, a Jodi Picoult, an RK Narayan and many more. Find me here on Goodreads. 

2. Sleeping - Agree, this is a given when you are sick. But make sure that you get uninterrupted sleep. Turn off all those devices. Yeah, your phone, tablets and laptops. Switch off all the lights and go to sleep! It always helps of you have dark curtains, that way you don't get disturbed by the bright sunlight. Drinking cough syrup made me so groggy that I found it impossible to keep my eyes open and concentrate on what I was reading. 

3. Drink lots of chukku kaapi aka dry ginger coffee - This is a bit different from the normal coffee that you drink. This has to served piping hot and it is a blend of a lot of spices like pepper, ginger, jaggery etc. The spicy kick of pepper and the sweetness of jaggery makes it a worthwhile medicine for all your nasal congestion and sore throat problems. This is a miracle medicine, I tell you. I drank like lots and lots of it. The instant chukku kaapi is available in most supermarkets.

4. Catch up on your favorite TV shows - Take the time out and catch up on your favorite TV series. I did some back to back watching of How I Met your Mother, How to get away with Murder and Castle. How to get away with murder - highly recommended. I'm simply in love with the character played by Viola Davis- Annalise Keating. That show is a MUST watch! The only downside is that the first season just got over. So it kinda tests your patience unlike old TV series where you can watch a lot of seasons in one go. 

5. Enjoy getting pampered - Yeah, lastly, enjoy all the attention and bask in it :D You should be up and running on your feet in no time. So enjoy it while it lasts! This is the time when everyone around you pampers you. And this also the time when you get to pamper yourself. Not that you have to feel guilty about doing it any time, but still. 

So, yup! That was how I spent the past couple of weeks. And I'm feeling much better now :) Also, the graceful Gayu who blogs at Outside the Kitchen Window was kind enough to invite me over to her space and I penned a short story after ages! Writing it made me realize how much I missed writing fiction. You can read it here. Thanks to Gayu once again!

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Book Review - A Hopeless Romantic by Harriet Evans

Image: My own

From the book cover: Laura Foster is a hopeless romantic. Her friends know it, her parents know it - even Laura acknowledges she lives either with her head in the clouds or buried in a romance novel. It's proved harmless enough, even if it hasn't delivered her a real-life dashing hero yet. But when her latest relationship ends in a disaster that costs her friendships, her job, and nearly her sanity, Laura swears off men and hopeless romantic fantasies for good. 

With her life in tatters around her, Laura agrees to go on vacation with her parents. After a few days of visiting craft shops and touring the stately homes of England, Laura is ready to tear her hair out. And then, while visiting grand Chartley Hall, she crosses paths with Nick, the sexy, rugged estate manager. She finds she shares more than a sense of humor with him - in fact, she starts to think she could fall for him. But is Nick all he seems? Or has Laura got it wrong again? Will she open her heart only to have it broken again?

My take: I love thick, fat books. Especially when the story is engrossing and keeps you guessing. But this one that I picked up partly due to the story line and partly because of the gorgeous cover, was a tad lagging. I liked the story, the characters but felt that the book could have been a good hundred pages shorter at the very least. 

The story can be called a modern twist to a fairy tale. Laura, the protagonist keeps getting into wrong relationships one after the other and meets the mysterious stranger, Nick, while on her vacation. 

The storyline as with all romance novels is predictable. I really liked the character of Mary, Laura's grandmother. The spunk and frank ways in which she addresses problems are hilarious. Another thing that I loved was the constant reference to Rebecca (or more precisely Mrs Danvers), one of my all time favorite novels. Go for this one if you are a hopeless romantic like me :) 

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Staying Connected

Image source: Indiblogger

We live in a time when everyone everywhere is busy. No matter be it your friends, family or colleagues, people hardly have the time to actually pick up the phone and talk to you for more than a couple of minutes. This is why chats are gaining popularity. 

In the age of smartphones, it is easy to stay connected with your loved one by a mere click of an icon. Almost all the phones nowadays have access to WiFi and internet. Quikr Nxt is an app that can be conveniently downloaded on your mobile phones and that helps you stay in touch while on the go. Let me give you three reasons why I prefer chat rather than a phone call:

Firstly, it allows me to swap photos and pictures instantly with a friend or family member. Reading a book that you love? Loving it so much that you can't wait to recommend it to your friend? The solution is simple. Click a picture of the book and send it across. It also saves a lot of time which otherwise would have been spent exchanging pleasantries over the phone. Exchanging photos are one of the best features of a chat as it helps to view photos of any function that you may not have been able to attend. This way you don't have to miss any of the fun! Sure, it doesn't help that you are far away from your friends at the time. But seeing the pictures first hand is definitely the next best thing. 

Secondly, a phone chat is much more cost saving than your average phone call rates. All you need is internet connectivity and you are good to go. No more fretting over the tiresome lengthy telephone bills that makes your heart flutter and results in your knees going weak. You can exchange all sorts of information, gossip and what not, with your chat apps. The privacy of private chats as well as group conversations are assured when you use your mobile apps. You can even exchange contact details of other people that you want rather than scurrying around searching for a pen and paper in case you need to jot it down. This way you don't have to worry about those scraps of paper getting lost magically from your pocket. Most information gets saved on your phone memory, depending upon your phone settings. 

Thirdly, these chats gets saved automatically and you can easily go back and refer to things that you may have missed during the conversation. Unless you hit the delete button, most phones have the option of the chats getting saved automatically. Forgot the date of a party or dinner? Fret not. Simply open your last conversation and make a note of the dates on your calender or to-do list. Making notes while on the go when you don't have a pen or paper helps you stay organized through the quirky apps we find these days. Visit Quikr today to know more about one such app called the Quikr Nxt. Explore and have fun. And more importantly, don't forget to stay connected!

This post is written for Indiblogger in association with Quikr. 

Also linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Book Review - Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamamda Ngozi Adichie

From the book cover: In 1960s Nigeria, a country blighted by civil war, three lives intersect. Ugwu, a boy from a poor village, works as a houseboy for a university lecturer. Olanna, a young woman, has abandoned her life of privilege in Lagos to live with her charismatic new lover, the professor. The third is Richard, a shy Englishman in thrall to Olanna's enigmatic twin sister. When the shocking horror of the war engulfs them, their loyalties are severely tested as they are pulled apart and thrown together in ways that none of them imagined...

My take: Let me start by telling you that I now have a new favorite author- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Yes, I absolutely loved this book. Though this is the second novel by this Nigerian author, this is the first book of hers that I happened to read. The writing is beautiful with well etched characters who are driven by their impulses, the novel is a feast. 

Though I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction, as I keep repeating, there are priceless works such as this that changes my perspective. I'm ashamed and embarrassed to admit that I had very little knowledge about Nigerian history and literature before starting this book. Set against the Nigeria-Biafra war of 1967-70, the book not only tackles the political issues that were prevalent then, but also portrays characters and emotions as they are. 

Narrated in the third person, the book alternates among Ugwu, Olanna and Richard for their individual stories. Three very different characters, yet each incident is seen very differently in their eyes. But the character that fascinated me the most was Kainene, Olanna's twin sister. While Olanna can be described as the conventional beauty, Kainene is the opposite. She prefers to remain an enigma right till the end of the book. 

The relationship between the two sisters and how it changes later on is also one of the key factors that drives the story forward. Olanna's lover, Odenigbo is another interesting character who loves his academic company of scholars and books. The book can be divided into two parts- the early sixties and the late sixties. Adichie effortlessly weaves in the past into the present, keeping us engrossed right till the end.

Though the fist half of the book is spent in introducing the characters and their thoughts and emotions, the second half mostly deals with the war and its stark realities. Violence, poverty, desperation seeps in through the pages and grips you. But it is also a book of beauty. That shows that love can be found everywhere. 

The novel is sprinkled with Igbo words and phrases throughout, but this did not put me off. The latter half of the novel describes the plight of Olanna, Odenigbo and their Baby to flee from Nsukka, where they live to take shelter in the refugee town of Umuahia. Food shortages and the sheer terrror that haunts the people inflicted by the war are portrayed brilliantly. It is heart breaking to learn that a lot of the war background described is fact rather than fiction. 

I loved the book and highly recommend this one to everyone. If you are a fan of historical fiction, then you will adore this book. But this is also a story that speaks about human bonds and the beautiful emotion called love that pushes us to sacrifice and sometimes, question our beliefs in doing so. 

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Playing Cupid

Image Source: Indiblogger

With Valentine's day just around the corner, we can see a surge in the sale of red roses, teddy bears and chocolates. Cliched much? These may work fine if you are a teenager, But when it comes to your twenties, your valentine probably expects something that is more symbolic. Why not go for a bigger gesture this time? 

Are you planning to confess your love to that special someone this Valentine's? Or maybe you are planning to pop the big question? The M word? No matter what it is that you have in mind, it always helps when there is a personal touch. Let me explain. 

If your crush is a person who is also a good friend of yours, then I'm sure that you would be knowing her favorites when it comes to food and drinks. It is not necessary that you have to take her to a posh five star hotel and pop the question in front of a hundred strangers. Why not go somewhere cosy and intimate. A place that perhaps you hang out together. 

If you are a writer, then why not write a poem expressing your love for her? Even if you are not that great a writer, it's always the thought that counts. It also shows the efforts that you have gone to. 

Bake her a cake. Yeah, I can see you rolling your eyes now. But seriously, baking a cake is not such a big deal nowadays. There are ready made cake mixes that are available in the market in case you are a beginner. 

In case you can manage to get her away for a getaway, all the more better. What's better than popping the question when you are having fun. Get her flowers, not necessarily red roses. But her favorite ones. Pop a bottle of champagne or red wine, according to his/ her taste. 

A hot air balloon ride sounds pretty romantic to me on Valentine's day. I'm not too much into love confessions in public places. But hey, go for whatever rocks your boat! If you are dating a bibliophile, then gift her some good hardbound of her favorite classics- Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre or even a trilogy that she's been wanting to get her hands on. 

Speaking of books, isn't the library one of the most romantic places on earth? Remember Carrie Bradshaw and how she planned her first wedding in the New York Public Library. Because as Carrie says, it is “the classic New York landmark that housed all the great love stories”. Well, that wedding never happened and we all know why. But my point is that, go for the library! Unless you are dating a jerk like Big, there's no reason why it shouldn't work. 

This post is written for Indiblogger in association with Closeup Cupid Games. 

Also linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Book Review - Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot

Image: My own

From the book cover: Meet Kate MacKenzie...idealistic office worker, reluctant deliverer of termination notices and queen of instant messaging. As sweet as sugar. 

Meet Mitch Hertzog...ever-smiling corporate lawyer, defender of the downtrodden and king of aborted dinner dates. Good enough to eat. 

Meet Ida Lopez...cake, cookie and pastry-maker extraordinaire, purveyor of the dessert trolley and goddess of all things mouth-wateringly yummy. As nice as pie. 

Together they must battle tyrants and despots to find truth, justice and the perfect double fudge pudding.

My take: I picked this book up between some heavy reading that I did and it was absolutely perfect to suit my mood then. As you can see from the cover, this is a chick-lit for which Meg Cabot is popular. She is a writer that I go back to from time to time whenever I need a quick fix. Yes, her books are fun and hilarious, often bringing a smile to my face.

This is not a conventional novel, it is written mostly in the form of e-mails, doodles, journals and telephone conversations. I loved it! It was a refreshing change and I do enjoy reading this format when it comes to some books that handles the genre so well. 

Kate is a character that most women can relate to, at least the ones who are stuck in a job that you don't particularly enjoy. Throw in the boss from hell in the form of Amy or T.O.D as she is more popularly known and you connect instantly. Kate's best friend, Jen, who works with her is another character who adds more charm to the story.

But the character that I loved the most was Ida, the slightly eccentric lady who has a soft corner for Kate and slips her cookies and cakes from time to time. The bonus of the entire book is that you can find recipes that are squeezed in between too! Yes, right from carrot cakes to gingersnap cookies, quite a few recipes are thrown in as well. I have half a mind to try on a few of them myself. 

However, when Amy fires Ida, since she refuses to serve an extra slice of pie to her boyfriend Staurt, Kate feels that it is her duty to defend Ida. In steps Mitch, Stuart's brother and the knight in shining armor for Kate. Did I also mention that Kate just broke up with her boyfriend of ten years and is camping on Jen's couch? The fact that Jen and her husband are trying to make a baby does not make living over there any easier.

The story moves along predictable. But what kept me hooked was the way the book was written. It is interesting to see the story move forward simply through e-mails and Kate's journal entries. Throw in more drama in the form of Mitch's family members, you can be sure that you shall remain entertained right till the very end. 

Pick this one if you are looking for some light reading. I read it when I was feeling a bit low and this one picked me right up. This is the perfect vacation read. 

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Shows that I'm currently hooked on

Castle- This is what I'm currently watching and I'm totally in love with Rick Castle. And yes, Kate Beckett is simply kick-ass! I love reading and watching characters who are writers. Just a fetish and this was one show that got my attention right from the pilot episode. What's not to love about a mystery and crime writer? Throw in action and real crime and the chemistry between Castle and Beckett- you have a winner. 

How I Met Your Mother- Started and ditched for Castle. I hope to go back and finish off this series though I have read all the spoilers and knows how it ends. I keep comparing it to FRIENDS in my head and ends up disappointed. Is it just me or is Ted Mosby actually quite annoying? The only characters I like so far are Lilly and Marshall. 

Grey's Anatomy- I was on a binge watching spree on Grey's Anatomy and was planted in front of my television for the latter part of 2014. That was how addictive it is. Meredith Grey- dark and twisty (I love and relate to that part, aren't we all a bit dark and twisty inside?), Christina Yang- passionate and committed and an amazing friend, Derek Shepherd- McDreamy (!), Miranda Bailey- the Nazi with a soft streak that surfaces rarely. I love them all!!! Never thought I would find medical drama as fascinating and GA kept me wanting more and more. I have finished all 10 seasons sadly. I do wish they had wound up the show while it was still good. Yang has left, so I don't think the next season is going to be all that great. But I shall end up watching it anyway. 

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Sweeping off those Litterbugs

I watched the above video twice before writing this post and each time it made me cringe more and more simply thinking about the state of affairs of our country. We belong to a beautiful country which gets deteriorated day by day. Yes, we may claim to be developed, we boast of living in metropolitan cities. Yet, when it comes to taking care of our environment, we are still way backward. 

Having lived in a place like Dubai for quite sometime, it never ceases to astonish me what the citizens here have done for their country. There are colorful flowers and greenery everywhere. It was hard for me to believe that a desert country could thrive so well. Of course, the clean state of this country that I live in is something that I'm proud of. You won't find people littering the grounds or dumping garbage on the side of roads. The reason is because there are heavy fines for all of this. Even chewing a gum while travelling on public transport like the metro attracts a hefty fine.

But the very same people who follows all the rules while in a foreign country, never hesitates or thinks twice once you are back home. People chewing paan and spitting the disgusting remnants on the roads and walls are a common sight. Not to mention the men folk who conveniently use the open air to relieve their calls of nature. Dude, a word of advice- if you simply can't hold it in till you reach a restroom, then probable you should take to wearing diapers. I hear they come in all sizes nowadays. And none of us are interested in seeing how far you can pee, thank you very much. 

The state of the restrooms in our country are a pathetic state where many of of us ladies, hesitate and use it only in cases of unbearable emergency. Yes, provided you have the will power to hold your breath and jump out as soon as you finish your business. Which is why I hate travelling long distances when I come for my vacations. I have many an entertaining tale on those journeys that I have gone. The memory of some of them which is still nauseating. 

Though there are arrangements in cities to dispose off both plastic and food waste, people still take the easier route and dump their waste as they feel like. Last month as I was in India, I saw a couple of guys dumping huge amounts of waste right into the waters from a bridge! It was in the early hours of morning and was still dark. The sight was disturbing and it's pathetic how some people shall always be. Like we have studied in school, not only is this degrading, but causes water population as well. 

There are lot of initiatives that are taken up by the younger generation that I saw on TV sometime back. This includes generating cooking gas from waste and is an effective ways of recycling it as well. Even if one doesn't resort to such extreme measures, the least you can do is to dump your empty bottle and cans in the waste bins that can be found in ample in all public places. Smokers, kindly refrain from throwing out your cigarette butts through your open windows. Not only is this littering, but harmful to the vehicles behind you. Small acts can go a long way in making our country a cleaner and sparklier one. Say NO to littering today.  

This post is written for Indiblogger in association with The Great Indian Litterbug campaign by Times of India. 

Also linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Book Review - Lord of the Flies by William Golding

From the book cover: William Golding's first novel, Lord of the Flies, was published in 1954. It is now internationally recognized as a twentieth-century classic, one of the most celebrated and widely read works of modern fiction. 

A plane crashes on a desert island and the only survivors, a group of schoolboys, assemble on the beach and wait to be rescued. By day they inhabit a land of bright fantastic birds and dark blue seas, but at night their dreams are haunted by the image of a terrifying beast. As the boys' delicate sense of order fades, so their childish fears are transformed into something more primitive, and their behavior starts to take on a murderous, savage significance. 

My take: I have a new habit. I have taken to checking out the Goodreads reviews on books before starting a book. Apparently, you either love LOVE it or you end up hating it. At least, according to those reviews that caught my attention. But upon finishing the book yesterday, my reaction was somewhere in the middle. 

Let me explain. The story, no doubt, is brilliant. I loved the story line. Yes, the entire story and the characters that are brought out in the form of Ralph, Piggy, Jack, Roger or the twins reflect people that we see around us. Ralph is the leader, who believes in law and order. Piggy is perhaps the most vulnerable among the boys, who keeps making fun of him as he is on the heavier side. 

Jack, is the hunter and clearly the leader who will go for what he wants at any cost. The boys are divided into littluns (kids who are around 6 years) and the biguns (who are the older boys). Though initially, they form rules and find a conch which is blown to call everyone together, it soon gives way to chaos and terror. 

Everything in the book can be taken as a metaphor, be it the conch, the pig's head that is called "Lord of the Flies" by Simon in his hallucinations, or the beast. The rumors about a beast soon turns the boys into savages. But Golding portrays it brilliantly when he says that the beast is inside each one of us. 

The story in itself was chilling. But the narration, didn't really work for me. Yes, it's a classic, so you can't really expect things to be fast paced. The entire book is the story of the boys as they are trapped on the island and their desperate measures to survive. Yes, towards the end, some of them portrays a blood lust that will send chills down your spine. 

I would rate this one a three on five. I loved the plot and the characterization. The writing not so much. I felt my attention waning as the book progressed. 

A Stephen King fan? You must definitely read this. This is what King had to say about this book "As exciting, relevant, and thought-provoking now as it was when Golding published it in 1954." Couldn't agree more with that. A must read for all lovers of classics and English literature. 

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

End of Time

Image courtesy: Google

Take me to the end of time
To see the sparkling rays of golden sun
Take me to the end of time
To see the blushing pout of roses red

Take me to the end of time
To feel the wind on my fingertips
Take me to the end of time
To feel an angel's kiss on my face

Take me to the end of time
To hear the melody of hopping birds
Take me to the end of time
To hear sweet murmur on your lips

Take me to the end of time
And hold me close
To your heart and soul...

Linking this post to Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge. 

Book Review - How to Fall in Love by Cecelia Ahern

From the book cover: She has just two weeks. Two weeks to teach him how to fall in love – with his own life.

Adam Basil and Christine Rose are thrown together late one night, when Christine is crossing the Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin. Adam is there, poised, threatening to jump.

Adam is desperate – but Christine makes a crazy deal with him. His 35th birthday is looming and she bets him that before then she can show him life is worth living.

Against the ticking of the clock, the two of them embark on wild escapades, grand romantic gestures and some unlikely late-night outings. Slowly, Christine thinks Adam is starting to fall back in love with his life. But is that all that's starting to happen?

My take: I'm a huge fan of Cecilia Ahern. But somehow, I found a bit annoyed with this one. Yes, the story line is much darker than the ones she usually writes- it deals with suicide and the human psyche. As with all of her previous books, the cover made me fall in love with this book even before I started it. 

The story is narrated in the first person by the protagonist- Christine whose job ideally is to help people with their jobs. She has a recruitment agency where she goes out of her way to help her clients. 

Her life starts spiraling out of control when she comes face to face with a man- Simon, who shoots himself in an abandoned building. This incident acts a trigger for a set of following events and she leaves her husband that very night. However, misfortune awaits her again when she is confronted with Adam in the same month under similar circumstances.

Fed up with his life, he is ready to jump the Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin when she sees him for the first time. Unable to bear the guilt of Simon's attempted suicide and due to her natural instinct to help people, she makes a deal with him. To make him fall in love back with his life before his 35th birthday, which is in two weeks.

The rest of the book shows the unlikely friendship and relationship between the two. And the reasons as to why Adam chose to do what he wanted to. Being a successful guy who was in his thirties, I found it difficult to believe that he would be ready to end his life with something as petty as a heart break. True, that was not the sole reason, but this was a little hard to digest. 

The first half of the book seemed dragging and Adam came across as needy most of the time. This may not have been the intention of the author, but this was the feel that I got from the book. Christine, on the other hand, seemed to be a bit clingy for someone who made it her mission to help people. She is going through a hard time herself and has her own inner demons to battle. 

Abandonment issues, family problems, cyber bullying are all subjects that are dealt with in a subtle way. Unlike her previous works, where she adds a touch of magic to her stories, this one had none of that. The book picks up towards the end making me feel that the story could have been made crispier. 

There are lot of other characters including that of Christine's friend- Amelia, Detective Maguire who investigates the suicide incidents, her own bizarre family and Barry- her husband. The book is sprinkled with humor in a lot of places and this made the story a little less bleak  and a bit more livelier. 

Needless to say, I was a tad disappointed with How to fall in love. I find it difficult to believe that this was the same writer who gave us P.S. I love you, If you could see me now, A place called Here, Love Rosie and so many more. If you read this book without any said level of expectation, it is likely that you may enjoy this one. Or if you are like me, a fan nonetheless, you will end up reading it anyway.

I was in a dilemma regarding the rating as it was an okay read for me. The story line was promising but I do wish the protagonists were more believable and easier to like. I guess, I shall give this one a two point five. The beautiful cover of this book definitely scores some marks there. I would say read it and then decide for yourself whether you like it or not. In case you do pick it up, let me know your thoughts.

 

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