George Woodbury, a well-liked teacher, beloved husband and father, is arrested for sexual impropriety at a prestigious prep school on the birthday of his seventeen-year-old daughter. The arrest leads to a series of events for his wife, Joan, his daughter Sadie who is a student at the school, and his son Andrew, a lawyer in New York. The book follows the family’s journey of coming to terms with the allegations.
Review:
This book engaged with what happens to the family of a sexual assault offender/predator, how they gripple with the scrutiny, the deceit, and their lives changing forever. The author did a good job of engaging with the plot and issues addressed sensitively. However, I did not like the element of fatalism – several characters not speaking up for themselves, several characters easily getting away with questionable character and the lack of critical dialogue required in a book that engages with sexual violence.
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mythology, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 471 pages; 13 hours (audiobook)
Level of difficulty: 3/5 Dictionaries
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Brief Introduction:
Two couples. Hazel, a classical pianist from London and James, a British would-be architect-turned soldier. Colette, a Belgian orphan with serious emotional scars that fail to hide behind her beautiful voice, and Aubrey, a Harlem-born ragtime genius in the U.S Army. Their love story is told in first-person perspective and by goddess Aphrodite as she faces judgement on Mount Olympus for her interference with mortal love.
Review:
Romance, History and Mythology – a wonderful intersection! This is one of the best historical fiction I have ‘read’; it was funny, honest, hopeful and historically accurate. A beautiful tale that reveals that though War is a formidable force, it’s no match for the transcendent power of true love. I highly recommend listening to it as an audiobook. It is quite an immersive experience with different voices for different characters and the music the characters play in the background.
Lowen Ashleigh is a writer who gets a big break when the husband of a severely injured author, Verity Crawford, seeks her to help continue the author’s beloved thriller book series. Lowen, struggling financially, accepts the opportunity and goes to their house with their husband, Jeremy, to read over Verity’s manuscripts. However, she ends up stumbling upon an unfinished autobiography that paints Verity in a terrible light. As Lowen realises that Verity is evil and grows suspicious of the author’s current medical condition, all while developing feelings for Jeremy, she battles with what to do.
Favourite Quote:
N/A
Review:
Unfortunately, this thriller had so much potential but failed to deliver.
At the very beginning of the novel, Lowen and Jeremy meet in a traumatic manner, but the weight of that incident is brushed upon, which seems very unrealistic (despite the impression that since they both have had the worst traumatic experiences, they could look past the one that had happened in the beginning scene). This situation is very concerning since it’s a romance that grows on the foundation of (unresolved) trauma.
Furthermore, the romance that brewed between Lowen and Jeremy seemed very instant-love. There wasn’t any significant reason why Lowen liked Jeremy so much, apart from the fact that he was nice to her (which I would argue is a low standard). Considering Jeremy’s situation and the other issues in his family, I was surprised that Lowen was not even a bit concerned about a healthy relationship with Jeremy (until towards the end of the novel) and thus began questioning her feelings just lust or infatuation.
Regarding the thriller aspect of the novel, Hoover tried hard to add every stereotypical element for a thriller novel without genuinely exploring them. Many deaths, toxic relationships, and mental health issues could have been better analysed. Sadly, the medical condition that Verity was in and Lowen’s suspicion of it was severely tackled.
In addition, Jeremy’s lack of first-person narration made him quite an unrealistic character. There were many questions left unanswered about him, especially how he was dealing with all the tragic events happening to him and his family.
Hoover added a chapter that turned the whole novel/storyline on its head. While there is nothing wrong with such an element in a novel, it left a bad taste in my mouth with the nature of the story and its issues. In addition, it felt solely for shock value and thus very unnecessary.
Nevertheless, Colleen Hoover is a beloved romance writer, and while I might not pick up another thriller by her, I would definitely give one of her romance novels a chance.
Emira is a twenty-five-year-old who isn’t sure of what she wants to do in life, nor is she fond that she is depending on babysitting to pay her bills. Nevertheless, she loves spending time with Briar, the four-year white girl she babysits. Unfortunately, an emergency babysitting session one night in a nearby grocery store leads to questioning by a security guard and a kidnapping accusation. This incident leads to a chain of events that has Emira questioning what used to be.
Favourite Quote:
N/A
Review:
Such a Fun Age is a beautiful work that accurately portrays how racism creeps into the everyday lives of Black women in the United States in direct, indirect and unknowing manners. It also touches on themes such as purpose and belonging. It is a short yet gripping read. I highly recommend it!
Li Lan, the daughter of a once reputable but now bankrupt family, gets a marriage proposal from the Lim family, a highly respectable and wealthy family. However, it is a marriage proposal for their recently deceased son, Lim Tian Ching. Despite Li Lan’s refusal to be a ghost bride, she finds herself haunted by Lim Tian Ching and losing her health at the same time.
Favourite Quote:
N/A
Review:
It was a fascinating idea and had so much potential, but the execution was sadly disappointing, in my opinion. I think the first problem was that the intended audience was not clear. Was it for Malaysian or other Asian readers? A non-Chinese audience? Teenagers or adults? As someone very familiar with Malaya and Singapore history and Malay and Chinese culture, there was too much explaining of certain concepts, names, food and places in the novel. While I understand that the explanation might have been primarily for non-Malaysian readers to follow the storyline better, the way the explanations were woven into the story felt forced instead of a ‘show not tell’ manner. In addition, I don’t think there is a huge problem with readers doing their ‘Googles’ and actively learning more about a culture if they happen to be reading a book based on an unfamiliar culture to them.
My second problem was that the plot twists in the books were very predictable, and many aspects of the novel felt too convenient. For example, the story’s main character’s love interest was not believable. As a reader, I could understand the infatuation with the first love interest; however, they barely had any interactions to portray the implied deep love between them. In addition, there were even fewer interactions with the second love interest to understand why the main character would so easily choose them over the first love interest. In addition, the motivations for certain characters’ betrayal, help, and the reasoning behind certain characters’ talents were weak. ( I am trying to be vague to avoid spoilers).
The third problem was the execution of Chinese culture and its beliefs in the afterlife as the basis of the fantasy/paranormal elements in the book. I was disappointed because that was a huge motivation for picking up the book. I was a little nonplussed when one character in the novel became a mystical creature. I thought to myself, why them and why all of a sudden and why this creature? Since there was little justification/explanation for the world-building and certain fantasy elements (despite being based on cultural beliefs and not just make-believe), they fell flat and, as a reader, a bit unbelievable, especially when there were some inconsistencies.
Nevertheless, I still think it was a worthwhile read as I was intrigued to find out how the story would play out and end (though quite conveniently), and I greatly appreciated the representation showcased in the novel.
Other
The book was recently turned into a Netflix show; however, the trailer for the show hints that the series is a little bit different from the book. Here it is:
Sunja, the daughter of a loving family, falls for a stranger often seen near the market in her hometown in Korea as a teenager. Their interaction leads to her pregnancy, but unfortunately, she soon realises that she cannot marry him. She instead accepts a marriage proposal from a gentle, sickly minister and moves with him to Japan. This decision further unfolds breathtakingly through the generations.
Trigger warnings: Assault, Addiction and Suicide
Favourite Quote:
“Sunja had heard this sentiment from other women, that they must suffer—suffer as a girl, suffer as a wife, suffer as a mother—die suffering. Gosaeng—the word made her sick.”
Pg. 373
Review:
Pachinko follows the lives of several individuals in a family tree from before the Japanese occupation of Korea to way after the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We are told the story from a bird’s eye view, where we see each character and learn about them from a third person’s perspective. However, the story was not difficult to follow at all. It was not only well written but highly moving too. I actually cried less than 50 pages into the novel.
Overall, the story is about life, more specifically the lives of Korean immigrants in Japan during the Japanese occupation of Korea and long after the Cold War, and thus encompasses many themes. The author did an excellent job of highlighting how racism and discrimination limit people’s options and drastically change their lives. Something that is sadly still prominent in today’s time. She was also brutally honest yet compassionate while portraying women’s lives throughout the history in which the story plays out.
However, something I was disappointed about was the lack of explanation for certain characters’ death. Then again, it might have been intentional to represent life and how we rarely get answers to many painful experiences.
Despite the story’s slow pace, it was a page-turner!
Genre: Non-Fiction (Love, Modern Society, Psychology & Philosophy)
Pages: 237
Level of difficulty: 3/5 Dictionaries
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Brief Introduction:
In today’s age, love is portrayed as this fluffy feminine thing that is unproductive and that we could do without. bell hooks challenges that narrative going as far as to argue that love is irreplaceable (something we inherently crave for and need, especially to create a more inclusive world), a skill to be learned, and a value to be defined. The author proves so by using personal experience and psychological and philosophical work by others on similar topics.
Favourite Quote:
“The wounded heart learns self-love by first overcoming low self-esteem.”
Pg. 55
Reasons To Read It:
1. It’s packed with moral lessons.
The novel is only 237 pages. However, in each chapter, there is a lesson, if not lessons. There were many times I had to put the book down after reading a chapter to process and ponder on what I had just read. To think critically about what was read and ask questions. Nevertheless, the book was not placed down for too long as its beautiful writing and full-packed insights were enchanting.
2. It is a timeless novel.
Despite the book’s publication being in 2001, it is still relevant 20 years later. This book needs to be read at different stages of one’s life and at different ages, too, not only because of its prominent reminder of the power of love but also because there shall be a takeaway each time it is read.
Title: Wonder Author: Raquel J. Palacio Genre: Children Recommended Reading Age: Everyone Pages: 315 Level of difficulty: 2/5 Dictionaries
Brief Introduction
Auggie wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does everyday things – eating ice cream and playing on his Xbox. He feels ordinary – inside. But ordinary kids don’t make other regular kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren’t stared at wherever they go.
Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, he’s being sent to a real school for the first time – and he’s dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted – but can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, underneath it all?
Favourite Quote
“Doctors have come from distant cities
Just to see me
Stand over my bed
Disbelieving what they’re seeing
They say I must be one of the wonders of god’s own creation
And as far as they can see they can offer no explanation”
~ Natalie Merchant, “Wonder”
Reasons for Recommendation
With the recent craze of social media, youngsters are highly focused on their facial features and have become more materialistic. The book gives insight into what is truly essential in this fast-developing World – to be grateful and accept ourselves as who we are. Hence, the book is an excellent lesson for all.
The book teaches us that we should never judge a book by its cover or a person by their face. There is always more to meet the eye. The book shall make you more appreciative of the things you have and resilient when hard times come. Wonder is one of the many books that has left a great impression on me while changing my attitude towards society. I strongly recommend you read it!
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