November Reading Wrap Up

Sadly, this November I've had a very slow reading month. I feel like I was stuck in a slum, nothing really excited me to read although I have hundreds on my reading list. However, this is what I got round to reading.

The Virgin Suicides

After putting this book down, I immediately thought "how the hell am I going to write a review for this?" It is very hard hitting, personally, as a female. In a sentence, the book is about struggling girls and the pressures they are put under from society and their parents.
Jeffery Eugenides's The Virgin Suicides is a very unconventional story. I think Eugenides made the book unique by giving it a different POV than the typical. The setting is an American suburb in the 70's. The story is told by high school boys who are obsessed with their a group of sisters that attend their school. We never really find out much about the boys as we read, they really only talk to the readers about the girls. The Lisbon sisters, Therese, Mary, Bonnie, Lux and Cecilia, have very strict parents who calculate their every move and don't really allow them to do much on their own; they do everything as a group.
The story starts with the youngest, Cecilia, found in the bathtub with slit wrists in a wedding dress. One of the boys admits to finding her as he snuck in the house. Cecilia survives but remains the talk of the town for a while. Some people decide that the girls are under so much pressure from their mother and father, others think she just wants attention. However, Cecilia's psychiatrist decides that it is a cry for help and tells the parents the girls need to socialise with boys their own age. This is how our boys telling the tale are invited to a party in the Lisbon basement and meet the girl they are constantly talking about and spying on. They have even accumulated some of their items they stole from them somehow. During the party, Cecilia asks to be excused and then successfully commits suicide. The rest of the story is more or less waiting for the boys to get to the part when all girls kill themselves.
After the girls go to a school dance, a couple of months after Cecilia's death. Lux disappears into the night with her charming date who supposedly had girls dropping at his feet but wanted Lux. She is seen by the neighbour returning home just around 1 am or so. After this, the girls are in lock down; they were not going to school or even leaving the house. The only time the boys see them is when Lux sneaks boys and has sex with them on the roof or when one of them going into the garden to catch a breath of air late at night. The girls are desperate, they try to communicate with the boys. They succeed by playing records on the phone by both ends.
The girls give in to the pressure, the only way they have to rebel from the societal system is through suicide; refusing to live and play by the rules that suffocate them so.

13 Reasons Why

UGH. How is this book popular? I am genuinely so confused.
The story is of a girl names Hannah Baker who has committed suicide but before doing so, she has recorded 13 tapes giving reasons, and blaming others, of why she is was going to kill herself. Our protagonist is the scapegoat Clay, who we learn throughout the book that Hannah had a crush on him. Hannah gives instructions that every name mentioned in the tapes is bound to listen to them as well as pass them down to these said names. Otherwise, as Hannah threatens, the tapes would published for all to hear. She has also included a map for those who would like to visit areas mentioned in the tapes.
This book is a joke. Hear me out though. I read this because a friend of mine liked it so I thought I'd give it a go.
The thing with these types of books is that they romanticise suicide. They make it sound "cool". To be honest, they was no valid reason for Hannah to kill herself. And the fact that she went through the trouble of creating tapes and blaming others is just desperately crying for attention. I know that the previous book is about five girls killing themselves but that book had a very feminist, psychological message to come across. This book just made suicide seem like it's a trendy thing to do.
This book is just garbage. NO ONE READ IT!

New Music This Month

The Healing Component - Mick Jenkins 

Third album dropped by rapper Mick Jenkins, The Healing Component is probably the most soul-heavy, cinematic, lyrical rap I have heard, at least this year. I feel like Jenkins really poured himself in this album. The songs came off as something personal. America is going through some shit, especially when Jenkins was composing and writing this album; Black Lives Matter, Trump and whatnot. Jenkins is showing his reaction to everything in his music, in the beauty of the way he writes. In accordance, Jenkins brings the element of god and Jesus in his songs. They're not centred around god but he does incorporate him here and there. He is trying to show us, his listeners, the only way to advance and move forward is through the healing component, love. The love of god, loving ourselves, loving others, loving where you come from... etc.

"Spread love/ fuck a dollar" , Prosperity (feat. Themind) - Mick Jenkins.

He stresses in some of his songs how money and politics are blinding us from seeing what is good in the world, from seeing how love could heal the evil nature of a man who is obsessed with money. He even incorporates the differences of social classes and how the lower classes eat the shit most of the time.
Mick Jenkins' aesthetic is kind of soft and gentle rap contrasting with the heavy-hearted wording of his songs. He doesn't choose to make his works with a loud, cheesy beat but rather easy on the ears. I feel like that's what makes him unique. He did it with The Water[s], he did it again with The Healing Component.
The cover of the album is so beautiful and I'm sure you'd agree it goes with the whole theme. The choice of colours, the intricacy all goes without saying, reflects the work in his songs. I find it very eye-catching, personally, since I am interested in music that is philosophical and gets you thinking. Sure, I enjoy a good beat every now and then, but usually, I would rather listen. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way, which is why I think this album will appeal to you.
Even if you don't enjoy rap, you might like this album, very much recommended.


A Seat at the Table - Solange Knowles 

This. Woman. 
Wow, wow, wow...

I did not know what to expect from her new album. I confess I haven't listened to her previous album True, so I went into this completely blind. Nevertheless, I was so taken aback with this piece of art.
Solange is a blast from the past and a glimpse of the future, she is way ahead of today's music, at the same time, this is what soul and R&B was. You can take it as neo-soul or neo-R&B, if there's such a thing. The style is quite slow for my liking, but there's just something about it. It's so fresh, so artistic, so heartfelt, her music just has so much depth and meaning to it. Damn, Solange.
People keep comparing the Knowles sisters, but you have to understand they are on two different lanes, musically.
The album focuses on the topic of strong black voices. She stresses how both black men and woman have always struggled and are still struggling in this white man's world. This album is just so personal. There are tales being told in her lyrics, in her poetry.
I had to research this because it just moved me, but the track "Where Do We Go", is the story about how her father and coworker got trapped in the mine they were working in as it collapsed and the company refused to offer any form of help. Luckily, most of her father's family worked at the mine so they all went out together and dug them out. Now the comapny of course was furious at the disobeying of the rules and fired them all, not long before they gave some of them they're jobs back. This, however, created a tear in the family of those who refused and those who accepted. After knowing this story, I listen to the track differently; it feels just so much deeper and necessary.
This album is just purely remarkable.
After telling the tragic tales of indurance and patience, Solange moves on to telling us listeners that she will continue on her journey and move forward, but she is allowing us to embark and join her. She also warns against letting others determine your self-worth.
I had to include this quote of Solange's talking about the album:
“The album ends with Master P saying that we are the chosen ones. That shouldn’t make anyone feel uncomfortable because, for us, as a people to literally go through the journey that we have, endured what we have, and to be where we are right now, we have had to be chosen in a sense. I think that there’s a thread of regality that I wanted to constantly project through the horns, through the sonics of the record, or through the visuals because we are typically not projected as such. But we have always been just that. And a huge part of the record is just honoring and giving a tribute to my parents.”
Listen to this masterpiece.

24K Magic - Bruno Mars

Okay. Here it is, a new Bruno Mars piece.
The album contains 9 tracks, all embezzled with a funky, classic feel to them.
Bruno can do no wrong. I freaking love him. I always have, ever since Hooligans. His voice is just so unique and sexy, and the album contains techniques of a modernised 70's disco. Even so, he still instills 80's and 90's music styles into this album. Just a great, utter throwback.
Bruno's music is fun to listen to, fun to dance to with a great beat to them. He does also include slower songs that are more sentimental.
The thing is, and I know this might come off as ridiculous, it sounds more like a summery kind of album. I don't even know if that makes sense. I enjoyed listening to the songs but they'd be more appreciated if it was dropped in the warmer weather. Silly? It does sound so, I don't know.
I have heard people comparing "24K Magic" to "Uptown Funk", lots saying they are quite similar. Seriously, as brilliant as the song "Uptown Funk" is, when are people going to realise it's not really Bruno Mars' song? I don't really see it's similarity.
The second half of the album is really slow, and I actually got a bit bored since that is not what I typically enjoy. I feel like the song "Straight Up & Down" was just thrown in there for the sake of it, it just feels like it's awkwardly filling a gap.
All in all, the album is enjoyable but I feel like it could be forgettable for me.

Day Breaks - Norah Jones

Norah Jones returns with a sixth album. Jones has one of the silkiest, softest voices out there. Her tunes are flourished in jazzy, folk and blues tones. It's such a midnight kind of album.
At the beginning, the tracks start strong. Lyrically and musically, the first half are brilliant; they have strong, poignant messages. She talks about injustice and peace, and in "Flipside", there's a clear message about rioting, gun violence and racism. It has a very clear socio-political undertone.
Moving on to the rest of the album, it gets slower and sappier. I enjoyed it but I felt my eyes dropping, in a good way. She just has such a calming voice, so smooth and unique. She could have the very trendy, very "in", ASMR kind of calming vocals. Yet, her voice is still quite powerful.
I'm not one for music videos but the one for "Carry On" is just so sweet.
What I really love about Jones is that she is a needle in the haystack of the music industry. She doesn't feel the need to fit in and create music like every other shit track that is popular right now. She sticks to her guns, I find that quite brave.
If you are into jazzy rhythms and tones, this could be the perfect album for you! Give it a listen!

There have been loads of new music dropping these past couple of months but this is what I got round to listening to, let me know what you have been enjoying and what you'd recommend! xx

October Movies Review

The English Patient

This was my first time watching the English Patient. What a masterpiece. I absolutely loved it! As soon as I was done, the movie immediately went to my top ten list.
The story is based on the novel The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje. A classic love affair during the war time. A badly burnt pilot is found and cared for in the Sahara desert amidst a plane crash, and transferred to move with an Italian troop. As they are travelling, his nurse, Hana, finds an abandoned monastery where she decides to care for him. Hana believes everyone around her will always get hurt, and she knows for a fact her patient is a dying man. Through flashbacks, the story of the patient is revealed. His name is Count Laszlo de Almasy, roaving the desert in attempt to map the African landscape. His expedition group is joined by an English couple of explorers who spend most of their time in the Egyptian heat, exploring the tombs and artefacts. Almasy starts to develop an interest for the wife, Katherine Clifton, and usually asks about her. After her husband has to return to England for a short time, Almasy and Katherine have an affair. Katherine later ends the affair but not long enough, Geoffrey, her husband, finds out. Almasy was near one of the caves they discover packing up, when Geoffrey attempts a murder-suicide, killing himself and injuring Katherine. Almasy carries her to the cave, leaves her with provisions and leaves to seek help.
During this time, Hana learns to heal her own pain while fending for a dying man.
I know this is an older movie but I'll stop there in case someone has not watched it. If you haven't, watch it tonight! It is very well written and performed. Absolutely brilliant.


Shutter

October is Halloween month and I very well did watch a fair share of horror and thriller movies. Quite a lot actually, but I'm only going to mention those that were new to me.
This movie opens with our protagonists' wedding, Ben and Jane. Ben is a photographer and turns their honeymoon into a working opportunity in Japan. As they are driving up a mountain at night, Jane hits a woman who appears out of thin air. They stop the car to check on her, but just as she appeared, she disappears. Ben convinces Jane it was nothing and they continue driving. Jane still feels uneasy the coming days as she feels she can see the woman everywhere, as it she were haunting her. Ben then starts seeing her ghostly silhouette in the photos he snaps as he's developing them.
The ghost of the girl becomes stronger the longer they are staying in Japan. She starts attacking in the late night hours or in the bright daylight. The movie has a fair few jumpscares that catch you off guard, but it isn't that terribly scary.
It does take a very unexpected twist in the last twenty minutes or so. It is kind of a plot twist, not particularly mind blowing. Still an enjoyable movie though!




Train to Busan

OH.MY.GOD. This movie.... This has to be one the best movies I've seen this year! It is so so so good! I was seeing this movie being talked about EVERYWHERE. It is only my second Korean movie, but instant love!
A zombie outbreak suddenly occurs in South Korea. A little girl, Soo-an, lives with her father and grandmother after her parents divorce. Her dad, Seok-woo, is constantly working and is barely at home, that he forgets her birthday and buys her a gift she already has. All Soo-an wants is her family back together again. She begs him to go see her mother with her. Seok-woo agrees to take the train to see her mother. They're packed up and ready to go. We are shown the different passages on the train, from the elderly to a group of teenagers, to businessmen and families on the train. As they are leaving, a homeless man suddenly jumps into the train with so much fear in his face, as well as a girl who seems to have injured her knee. Nope, she was bitten. Soo-an also gets a glimpse of someone thrown on the floor and attacked by a zombie outside her window as the train moves.
The bitten women is on the floor as one of the stewards tries to attend to her and is bitten as a result. It becomes a chain reaction thing. The passengers on the train try to survive as the cities around them are falling apart and are inflicted, as well as the train. The train engineer receives news that Busan is still open to the train and they are trying to keep things under control. That's where they head, with a lot more struggle along the way.
It is just so so incredibly amazing! The actors, the storyline, the cinematography is out of this world. A must must watch to anyone who is reading this right now. Even if zombies aren't really your thing, I'm not really that crazy about them myself, but just watch it. This is a true personification of how a parent would sacrifice anything for their child.


Me Before You

There is a brief summary of the Me Before you book in my previous post so I won't repeat myself. I really wanted to watch the movie, because umm hello? Emilia Clarke? Yes. She is so good in the film.
I wanted to watch this after I read the book as per usual. It was quite good! They did stick to the book mostly, but they did leave out a big portion (I won't spoil which bit though). It didn't ruin the movie or the storyline, I actually thought it was mentioned like in the spur of the moment in the book, like it was a random thought Moyes had. The producers said they didn't want the movie to become about Lou and how she moves on from the incident (that's all I'll say) but rather, they wanted the movie to center around ceasing life and taking advantage of every opportunity you get since it is typically short, and the fact that you can't predict what life will throw at you, good or bad.
Quite cliche, yes, but very well performed and filmed. As I mentioned in my reading wrap up, it is unconventional, so it's like rephrasing the cliche in a somewhat original way.
All in all, loved it, cried a bit, would recommend!



An American Crime

On another note, An American Crime is one of the cringiest film I've seen in a while. It's no new by any means but I hadn't seen it before.
The film is a true story which revolves around two sisters, Sylvia and Jennie, who's parents travel around the country working with the carnival. The parents usually leave them with relatives so they can go to school for the year. This time the father leaves them with a devoreced mother, Gertrude, who he just met, and already is juggling six children of her own.
Gertrude is struggling financially and is under a lot of stress, we learn early on that she prostitutes herself and her youngest is a result of it.
At the beginning, the sisters got along with the daughters they moved in with. Sylvia bonds with the eldest, Paula, and they became quite close. Paula goes behind her mother's back to see a married man who she calls her boyfriend; however, he has no interest in her. Paula gets herself into trouble but Gertrude lets out her frustration on Sylvia, forcing her to do horrible things to herself. The girls try to contact their parents, but they were betrayed by the kids who told the mother.
Eventually, Gertrude locks her in the basement and performs all kinds of torture to her. She even lets the neighbourhood kids join in, kids that Sylvia went to school with. In the end, she dies from starvation and infections from her wounds.
The movie can be quite gory to some who might be sensitive or squeamish. I still cannot believe this was something that actually happened. The fact the kids willingly joined in is just baffling to me. The way they laughed, they way she begged... just disgusting.
Lastly, I think Ellen Page playing Sylvia did a really good job, as she always does.


Bad Moms

This was such a fun movie! Finally a comedy that actually made me laugh. I loved this so much!
Amy is a mother of two who married young to a great husband. She is always rushing around, either working or doing things for others. She feels so exhausted from everything til one day she is fed up. She befriends two other moms who encourage her to live for herself a little bit more, especially after she caught her husband wanking off with another girl online. They dress her up and push her to go out. On the other scale of things, the moms at school are having a PTA election. Gwendolyn, the perfect image of a mom and has a clique of perfect moms of her own, typically wins every year. Amy decides to go up against her. She throws a huge party inviting all the moms who let loose and go wild. This editing of this part of the movie was so epic.

Lights Out

Last but not least, the last movie I will be speaking of is Lights Out. I saw the trailer months back and could not wait for the release, I was sold.
Late-night worker is closing up to leave for home when he notices a silhouette in the dark. He immediately notices the creature goes no where near the light, so he attempts to run for sanctuary in his well lit office. Not for two long. We learn of his family; he has a step daughter, Rebecca, a son, Martin, and the wife who suffers from depression and is on medication. Martin starts to notice the heaviness of darkness in his own home. He even thinks he sees a shadow lurking about. He moves in with his sister but the shadow still follows him there. Rebecca also notes the shadow in her flat and tries to come closer to her. As they are haunted by this girl figure, Rebecca learns more about her mother and her illness. She also learns about a girl her mother was best friends with at the institute she lived at when she was a young girl. Turns out the girl haunting them is one of the patients named Diana. Diana is jealous she doesn't have the mother all to herself. She was not about to have that and would do anything to get her back.
Great movie. I absolutely enjoyed it. It has a fair number of jump scares and I was proper scared for days. I slept with the lights on for a few nights!

October Reading Wrap-Up

ME BEFORE YOU

Yes, I finally read this book. Everyone and their mother has already read Me Before You--actually my mum read it too, before I did even! I had this book on my shelves for ages and finally got round to it.
Jojo Moyes's Me Before You, follows the story of quirky Louisa Clark, who lives at home with her mum, dad, sister Trina (or Katrina) and her son Thomas, and her grandad who is in a wheelchair and sits quietly in front of the TV most of his time. Her relationship with beau of seven years, Patrick, is turning dry and unexciting. With the family struggling financially, Lou's salary was keeping them afloat; however, her boss decides to close the café. This is why she felt forced to take a job as a caretaker for a quadriplegic, Will Traynor, whose mother promised Lou a steady fat paycheck for six months, even though she had no idea what she was doing.
This was a fresh kind of read; it is a very unconventional love story with an unexpected ending. I have to admit though, I did sort of expect the ending. It isn't cheesy but it is predictable. Enjoyable, nonetheless.
I gave this 3 out of 5 stars!

MURDER AT THE VICARAGE

After reading Agatha Christie's A Pocket Full of Rye a few months back, I decided I wanted to read the whole Miss Marple series. I just fell in love. I seriously read the whole thing in one day! I was never so gripped from a book as I have with that one. And so, I read Murder at the Vicarage. This novel follows the story of a vicar in the small village of St Mary Mead. One of the residents of the village, called Colonel Lucius Protheroe, is probably the most hated amongst all. Even the vicar is heard muttering someone could get away with killing him. Ooh. Then what happens? He IS murdered! In the vicar's study no less! Dun dun DUN! The clues throughout the story vary to include almost all the characters as guilty; once you think you've figured out who it is, the next chapter rolls around and throws at you even more clues where another might be guilty. A couple of characters actually do confess to committing the crime and one is jailed for a short term. Clement the vicar is called upon his neighbour, Miss Marple, who tells him she might have the idea that there are seven suspects, including the vicar himself. The vicar explores the clues left behind and tries to decipher, alongside the detective, who is guilty of the crime.
I really enjoyed reading Murder at the Vicarage and I'm aiming to read one book of the series a month. I find Agatha Christie's novels quite fantastic.

HOUSE OF LEAVES

Mark Danielewski's House of Leaves is probably one the most unique books I've read to date. I've never read such a book that intimidates you as you read it. It is told by three different perspectives, where two are actually footnotes who have read the previous person's notes. So it's like B read A's notes, and then C read A's and B's.
I read House of Leaves as a part of Sophie's read along on her channel.
It begins with the character Johnny Truant being awoken in the early hours of the morning by his friend, Lude, to explore a dead man's unusual flat. Johnny is looking for a new place to live and Lude thought his newly deceased neighbour's place could be up for grabs. While exploring the place, Johnny finds a scattered book of collected notes. He learns later that the old man, Zampano, who was blind was working on a project of academically analysing a documentary called "The Navidson Record". Johnny reads the book and says he never really found any record of the film, deeming it
nonexistent. Although Johnny does come across as a non reliable narrator at times.
The documentary is about a family that moves from the busy city of New York into a quiet suburban house in Virginia. Navidson is a self-acclaimed photographer who shot a photo that put his name out there, of a starving African girl who was dying on her way to the food camp and a vulture was patiently behind her awaiting her death. Much like the infamous photo of Kevin Carter's.

As the family settles in, a strange door suddenly appears in the middle of the living room where at first it was just cupboard-sized. Navidson asks a good friend of his, Reston, who is an architect to help him measure the outside and inside of the house. Of course, the measurements don't add up.
The cupboard hollows up more and more till it is a labyrinth cave. Navidson is hit with the exploring bug. He calls up some folks who explore for a hobby and a job, Holloway, Wax and Jed. The Maze consumes the three explores and Navidson has to go in and find them.
Throughout the novel, each character is affected by the hollowness and blackness of the labyrinth in a different way. They become either more aggressive or angsty or confused... . Johnny, on the other hand, is losing his mind slowly but surely.
The format of the this book is quite unconventional. With some pages full and packed with text and others blank. Some had single sentences going lower with every turn of the page, others had sentences upside down, or paragraphs to the side... . It was a fun way to read the book as it fit sometimes the characters' placement at the time.
However, what I didn't really enjoy about House of Leaves was that it's like reading a text book for a class. It is filled with references to studies and interviews that don't exist. I felt like I was reading a uni article for a class. That wasn't fun. I even found myself skipping some of them and focusing more on what Johnny had to say. I also found the book a tad bit slow which lead to it getting a bit boring, in my opinion. When I finished, I was just like PHEW, it is finally over! I finished it just to finish it that's all.
I gave it a 3 out of 5 stars.

                                      DISGRACE

Coatzee's Disgrace won him the Man Booker prize sometime in the early 2000's. Honestly, I do not know how, it was so boring.
The story follows a bored university professor, David Lurie, who spends his Thursdays with Suraya, a prostitute who he becomes obsessed with and stalks after she ends things with him. He feels like he needs to fill his Thursdays with a replacement. Scanning the campus, his eyes come across Melanie, a theatre major in the romantics course he teaches. He invites her to his place, the next day they end up sleeping with each other. Things start to fall apart from then on. He loses his job as Melanie's parents file a sexual harassment complaint to the university, who then in turn try to keep quiet about it and not include legislation. He moves in with his daughter, Lucy, in the countryside. Things yet again fall apart as after a while of staying with her and working at her farm and volunteering in the clinic. Trauma strikes and Lurie is sat helpless watching it all happen.
The idea behind this book is exquisite; however, I personally felt the execution of it is poor. The language and style are very dry.
I gave this a 1 star.

HABIBI DAESHI

I wanted to get into reading Arabian novels and my friend recommended this one among others. I had this sitting on my desktop for months before I finally came around to reading it. Yes, it is only published as an e-book. The way my friend spoke about it really sold it to me. After reading it, this has to be the most ridiculous book I have ever read.
It's from the point of view of an Egyptian woman, Laila, newly wed to the love of her life. Everything seems to go fine till one day he decides to divorce her, out of the blue. So she ends up in a rut for the next few years, when her father decides enough is enough and wants to marry her to her cousin without her consent. Apparently all the men around her are dropping at her feet and she's refusing because she's got her ex in mind! Her best friend, Suha, stopped talking to her because her husband admitted to her that he loves Laila. Then her boss expresses his feelings to her. A colleague of hers, Samira, heard about her misfortune with men and suggests to her to join Isis as a translator in Syria. She meets up with her and is handed a phone number for when she decides to agree. Of course she does, she can't handle being married to a guy she knows near nothing about. The scheduling is done, she leaves for Syria, and is sent to live with a husband and wife and their bodyguard on Isis ground. Of course she notes how the guard, Omar, is so muscular and caring. Yes, they do eventually fall in love. Yes, he does try and make her leave because he knows the grand scheme of taking her hostage because her father is a millionaire and will pay the price. They manage to escape to Yemen thanks to Omar's connections, and marry in secrecy. But later are found hiding there. So he sends her to Mecca where she stays at a hotel and tells her to wait at the gates of the hotel everyday at sunset to meet him at his arrival. Somehow her ex husband finds her there! He knew the Sheikh of the mosque in Mecca whom she was having dinner with the day of.
Omar does finally meet up with her after being held captive and tortured for two years. Good news! Laila's pregnant! After not seeing her husband for TWO YEARS! WTF!!!
This book was just ridiculous. The style of writing was that of a child's, it was so utterly stupid! Literally, every line I read i was just like "oh my goood" for how dumb it is. I actually skipped a lot of pages to reach the end. Just, no.
ZERO STARS

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN

Finally, the last book I read this month was Ransom Riggs' Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

Our protagonist is a teenager named Jacob whose grandfather has always told him tales of children that were peculiar. Whilst of a young age Jacob's Grandfather tells him stories of a mystical place on a Welsh Island where fantastical and magical things happen. He describes the people and the amazing things they can do, even backing his stories with pictures. Obviously being at a young age Jacob believes all of these stories and even the more horrifying tales of the 'monsters' that hunted these children - beastly ghouls with sharp talons and eels protruding from their mouths. This was enough to keep Jacob awake at night. Ransom Riggs' interest in photography and writing had him collect photographs from many different sources and used them to base his novel around.
 As he got older, Jacob deemed these tales as only that, fairytales. He forgets about the mysterious island. One day, his grandfather calls him panicking at work, asking for the key to his gun cupboard. Jacob and his father just think the old man is losing his mind. Still, Jacob is worried and runs home to finds him in the woods behind his home dying from his wounds. Wounds that look like some beastly animal attacked him. That is when Jacob sees the creature--the monster his grandfather was always warning him about, with it's three tentacles looming out of its face. Before his death, his grandfather leaves him some cryptic last words which leads Jacob on a sometimes frightening but mostly action filled and heroic adventure. 
Jacob is traumatised after his discovery and has to see a psychiatrist. He becomes obsessively interested in his grandfather's past so he travels with his father to the mysterious island. He discovers a whole new world of peculiar happenings. 
I enjoyed reading this novels as it is fast-paced and equally suspenseful. The photographs added an interesting layer to the story. I am very intrigued to read the next books! 
I gave this 3 out of 5!

The Autumn Reading Tag

I've been seeing this tag go around booktube lately and I've been really enjoying it. Even though, most are well into autumn, yesterday was our first official rainy day! It's still quite warm during the day, but it gets chilly after sundown. Technically, autumn is from somewhere like 20 something of September till the first couple of weeks of December, so I think I'm still good!
I haven't been tagged by anyone but I thought I still should do it because it's fun as well as autumn being my favourite time of the year :)

1) Are there any books you plan on reading over the Autumn season?

Typically, I'm more of a mood reader. I set up TBRs every now and then but I hardly ever stuck to them. However, I've decided to pile on the horror/thriller books as it's coming up to Halloween. So far, I've stuck to my list and read Murder at the Vicarage, House of Leaves, Habibi Daeshi, Me Before You (Reviews to come). I really want to get theses titles done ASAP, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Cinder, American Psycho and The Virgin Suicides.

2) September brings back to school memories: what book did you most enjoy studying? And what were your favourite and least favourite school subjects? 

School just seems like it was yesterday but it's been a good six to seven years since I graduated high school. Whenever I think back to what we read at school, Shakespeare and Jane Austen come to mind. Hamlet was my favourite. I also remember really enjoying when we read and discussed Little Women.
My favourite subject was, of course, English. I did enjoy French but hated the hard work that had to be done. My least favourite were, easily, maths and physics. I didn't really enjoy Arabic grammar very much as it was way too hard. Funnily enough, now I understand most of it that I don't really need to be studying it!

3) October means Halloween: do you enjoy scary books and films? If so what are some of your favourites?

I consider myself a movie junkie so I watch every genre there is. Some of my favourite scary movies include Halloween (with Jamie Lee Curtis), Scream, Saw, Psycho, 28 Days Later, The Conjuring, Lights Out. I've recently watched Funny Games (the original one) and Train to Busan and really enjoyed them!

4) With November it's time for bonfire night & firework displays. What's the most exciting book you've read that really kept you gripped?

This one's easy. Agatha Christie writes the most gripping books in my opinion. I recently read Murder at the Vicarage and I could not put it down. I'm going to read her Miss Marple series since A Pocket Full of Rye gripped me so hard I read it in a span of 6 hours, never putting it down!

5) What book is your favorite cosy comfort read?

This goes without saying; Harry Potter. I have always looooved this series and reread the books way too many times. Whenever I'm in a reading slump or need something as a comfort read, I pick up any Harry Potter book and just randomly read. From any part of the book, really.
I will definitely be reading the series again soon, maybe during Christmas I'll pick the first one up!

6) Curled up with a good book, what is your hot drink of choice?

TEA! I love a lot of different teas. Love the basic cuppa with sugar and milk. I also love the Arabian style of black tea with a fresh stem of mint mmmm. I've been really loving raspberry tea and chamomile as well!
I do drink coffee as well, just not as much. I love a mean cup of cappuccino, or an iced latte.
I usually drink hot chocolate in the freezing months when it's subzero and snowing outside!

7) Any plans you're looking forward to over the next few months?

Mmm. I don't have any plans. I just really want to try and read as many as physically possible before the end of the year; especially since I've been quite slow lately. I really really hope I stick to my workout routine and my very healthy diet. It makes me feel good but there are way too many temptations!

Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed it! As I mentioned before, I haven't been tagged and if you want to do it, consider yourself tagged!

TV Shows Returning this September

So there are a lot of Tv series and shows coming back the second half of September. The ones I'm going to mention are ones that I watch. Unfortunately, I can't watch every Tv show so if there are some returning in September that I haven't mentioned, I'm sorry. I do watch waaaay too many for the average person though, teehee.

Most of the ones returning now are either eerie or sappy, hence the autumnal vibe. Throughout September and November, all the scary, horror Tv shows make a come back for Halloween--or most-- and the intensely sad romantic ones as well. At least, that's the way I see it. Autumn seems the perfect season for those themes. 

                                                                                                  Project Runway

Returns: 15 Sep.

So the premiere was last Thursday on the 15 where we met the new amateur designers. We saw their auditioning and home audition tapes. I'm uber excited for this season, as I am every year since forever, I'm shamelessly an avid fan of this reality show and I'm always waiting for it every year! Project Runway is usually aired throughout August, however, in time for the 3 runner ups to show in the W/F fashion week. The winner is already announced but we don't know it yet! Heidi had to film for America's Got Talent which is why the show was delayed a month. Nevertheless, I have always loved the show and I'm really looking forward to this season!

The Big Bang Theory

Returns: 19 Sep.

I CANNOT WAIT TO WATCH THIS SEASON!

The Big Bang Theory is one of my FAVOURITE sitcoms of all time, first being Friends. I genuinely enjoyed last season, as I did every season. I am extremely excited for Bernadette and Howard's (SPOILER IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN LAST SEASON) baby! I'm not sure about the new relationship sparking between Mary and Alfred, Sheldon's mother and Leonard's father, as in whether they'd be one or not. Also, very curious as to what the government wants of Howard. I have a feeling it's not going to be as bad as he thinks it will. 

Very much looking forward for this season!

                                                                               Scream Queens

Returns: 20 Sep.

I didn't really have much hope for this show. I thought I'd watch it just for the sake of something to watch, but it had it's moments! It isn't the best show in the entire world, nor is it the worst but it is entertaining. As in, you're not missing out if you're not watching it. But I used to save the episodes for Saturday with mum's vegetarian aubergine lasagna, a day off uni and homework (I never like to do anything on Saturdays). So it was cosy for me. The show had some clever lines, and it's full of plot twists. It gets interesting. Ad who doesn't want to see Chanel being chased all the time for being a bitch! You secretly love her too! 

I don't really watch trailers so I have no idea what the plot line for this season is. I hope it's good though!

Grey's Anatomy

Returns: 22 Sep.

OH MY GOD! I absolutely love Grey's Anatomy. I've been watching it for almost a decade and I'm still so hooked! Loved last season, as always. I'm very curious to see whether Meredith  finds a new love interest after McDreamy, even though it wouldn't feel right because it was always them for almost 10 seasons, but I'd like to see her happy again. I just have to accept it :'( 

There have been rumours there is a character coming back ... OMG they have to bring back Christina, they just have to, I'd lose my shit if they do. But it has to be either her or Izzy. I can't remember any other character that went off the show...well unless they bring anyone back from the dead, you know how drama shows can be. I hope it's not turning into a soap. 

Again, I haven't seen the trailer, so I have no idea what to expect. Very much looking forward to this season! 

P.S. I used to love having either noodles or soup with Grey's Anatomy, can't wait to snuggle up with it again!

American Horror Story
Returns: 14 Sep.
Frankly, I'm not entirely excited for AHS, I mean, did the last 3 season scare you at all? They were creepy, yes, but they weren't horrifying. I don't think they can beat their first season.
I believe they've kept this season a secret because they're trying to get people excited about it again. I hope it's good, I love the cast. I heard Taissa officially left the show though. Someone told me Jessica Lange also left, at this point they should just cancel the show! No, I don't mean it, but they are like the essence of AHS. I do love the remainig cast, I think they're brilliant.
Anyways, all I know is that this season is a house in the middle of a haunted forest. Now, that's scary. I just hope they don't turn it into a dramatic series like they did the last few seasons!

**ALL PHOTOS ARE TAKEN FROM GOOGLE IMAGES

Room by Emma Donoghue

I read this a couple of months back and I quite enjoyed it. It is very well-loved in the book community so I was curious about it. I was not disappointed! 

This book is about a boy of five, Jack, whose world is in one room. He was born in Room, he grew up in Room. It's where he eats, sleeps, play, watches TV... 

Jack has a very limited view of the world. To him, trees and dogs and the sky, the wind and anything that is outside Room is unreachable. He calls them planets. The planet where trees are and so on. There is Skylight though, where Jack and Mama practice their screaming (trying to get people to hear them, but the room is so thick with sound proof walls, there's no way anyone can hear).

The book starts when it is his fifth birthday and his mama baked him a cake. We learn afterwards that there is a door in Room that opens only from the outside and you can hear someone punching in a code. Old Nick. The man who has them trapped in Room. He is not allowed to see Jack, so every night, Jack is put to sleep in Wardrobe, ever since he born. Old Nick returns most nights of the week but never stays till the morning. Sometimes when Jack hears him leave after he's been in bed with Mama, he crawls in under the sheets with her. Moreover, Mama is now fed up, she is ready to bust out of this place. She has made plans where Jack is to pretend he has a bad fever and dies the next day, so that Old Nick is forced to carry him out of Room and bury him. Mama told him to run once he's put into the back of the truck. She tells him to find the first policeman and tell them everything. 

Donoghue is able to picture the world from a five year old who has no conception of the world. A world of entrapment and acceptance. She tells us that sometimes as ignorant as we are, we are comfortable in that ignorance, happy almost, but we never know just who we might be hurting with our stubbornness and our unwilling to unlearn all that we have learnt. Mama tries to tell Jack that everything on TV is real, all the animals, other people even. He refuses to believe this. Only himself, Mama and Old Nick are real. Mama sometimes is gone, as Jack puts it. She falls into static state where she doesn't get out of bed the whole day. She obviously has fallen into depression after being kidnapped at nineteen and living in this box for seven years. The only thing holding her back from taking her life is her son, Jack. She has an unbreakable bond with him. At five, she still breastfed him, as if in fear this bond will be terminated. 

All in all, Room was very interesting to read and quite gripping. I am looking forward to reading Donoghue's other works!

TV Reviews: Stranger Things

Right. Stranger Things. Literally everyone is talking about this show. I had so many high hopes for it and thought this must be a bloody revolutionary show. I'm not saying I hate it, I just didn't find it quite as entertaining and "good" as people deemed it to be.
The show revolves around a small town named Hawkins where the local lab was able to interact with another world where a new creature, or creatures, where able to enter our universe and began hunting people and children for food. One of which is a child named Will Byers who was cycling home after he hung out with his peers. His mother hysterically searches for him even after his burial when his body was "found". Will's friends, Mike, Lucas and the ever adorable Dustin, come across a girl named Eleven, nicknamed El, who has escaped the labs and it is revealed she has some supernatural capabilities of telekinesis and telepathy. And she is the only one who can communicate with the parallel universe found.
The acting and choice of cast is beyond brilliant, that is what really makes the show. I think the kids especially are absolutely outstanding, I predict a very bright and successful future in the entertainment business. What I didn't enjoy was that the show was a tad bit slow for me. I don't really enjoy alien-related storylines so that also threw me off but EVERYONE was talking about this show, so I had to. I have to say though, it is quite predictable as well. What I want to know though is (SPOILER) what is so special about Will? Why didn't the faceless thing eat him?
I did also enjoy the throwback eighties feel, very much so. It was refreshing actually. I think the over hyped excitedness of it didn't live up to what I imagined. I don't know if I will actually watch the next season. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Crying of Lot 49

This is such a challenging book, and only one of Pynchon's easiest compared to his other massive works like Infinite Jest. Or so I've heard, I haven't read anything else, yet.
I read this for a final in one of my courses once upon a time, so my reading was dense and I had to look up a lot--which if you read this book, you'd know how time consuming and simply hard that would be. It's naturally condensed and packed with information, it gave me a headache for the whole day. I think the postmodern literature is the hardest for me. The nature of this era of literature is very messy and all over the place. Precisely because it came after the world wars which left the world in a havoc. Art reflects life so it is to be expected for artists, authors and whatnot to mirror the reality of a lost system and the birth of chaos. During this time, sex and open relationships were not taboo anymore and Pynchon was not shy to portray this.
Anyways, let's discuss the book.
So the book is about a woman named Oedipa Maas who is married to Wendell Mass--or Mucho-- but is bored of being a typical 50's or 60's housewife having chats about Tupperware. She receives news that her ex-boyfriend has died and named her the co-executor of his estate. In her drive to the estate she gets involved in the rivalry of two post mail services, one which seems to be a myth and remains hidden but seems like they were active during the second world war.
There's waaay more to the story, it is so so dense. I found the play Oedipa watches the most challenging to keep my head around, although it is the perfect allegory to the whole book.
I am not so encouraged to read Pynchon's other works, I just don't feel very clever when I did!
xx

Nervous Conditions and Season of Migration to the North

Hello reader!
I am going to talk about both novels, Nervous Conditions and Season of Migration to the North, together because of their general common theme of postcolonial living and its effect on the colonised or previously colonised. Both novels were such an experience to read, as you get involved with the characters you fall to pieces with the outcome of the endings, due to colonialism. To further explain this, the basic idea you get when reading this, is the utter psychological and traumatising metamorphoses the characters go through as they learn what demeaning life they lead within a community that underwent colonialism.
To begin with, Nervous Conditions will tear you apart. It is a brilliant read and absolutely wonderful. The way Tsitsi Dangarembga embodies the horror of colonial living in her characters is purely artistic. The story begins with our protagonist, sixteen-then-thirteen year old Tambu, expressing her complete callousness of her brother's death, a very feminist statement. The book is a very feminist discourse as well, which is actually due to exposure to the western world but don't let me get ahead of myself. The story revolves around two girls, Tambu and Nyasha, two cousins from two different worlds. Tambu has lived in a rural village in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, while Nyasha has lived in London most of her life. Moreover, all Tambu wanted was to go to school, to which her father responds "are you going to cook books for your husband?" and so refuses to pay for her tuition. She decides to plant her own corn, sell it and pay for herself. Meanwhile, her elder brother is going to school and is adopted by their uncle, Babamukuru, who pays for his education for about three years till his death. Babamukuru has studied at missionary schools and works at them and has just returned from completing his masters and business trip from London. He took his wife and two kids, Nyasha and Chido. So Nyasha and her brother have had a "western" upbringing and grew up with European standards. They dress, walk, talk and act like them.
At the beginning of the story, Tambu appears to be quite the headstrong, willing character, up until she gets the chance to be adopted by her uncle and receives the education she wanted. She moves in with them and starts to see just how much compromise there has to be done to be accepted in western eyes. She becomes very submissive to her uncle who starts to appear like a godsend and completely acts like that too.
Nyasha seems to be a very out of her place, and she definitely knows it. Since the first day they got back to Rhodesia she feels very uncomfortable, which is mistaken for arrogance. Tambu finds her to be quite the character; answering back her parents, doing whatever pleases her, dressing however she likes and staying out with boys. Very unlike the girls then in the sixties of Rhodesia. Her own mother even says her kids have been "Anglicized". Tambu notices though, as she shared a bedroom with her, just how much Nyasha is weak, or weakened I should say. With every page turned, another layer of Nyasha is revealed till she finally collapses. All the pain of being secluded in a European culture and then the seclusion in her family's culture played mind tricks on her. She feels she does not belong anywhere. The horror of this tears her apart and Tambu realises that this is resulted from the English education, this sharp wittiness makes her a lot more self aware and not establish herself to a western culture.

On the other hand, Tayib Saleh's Season of Migration to the North, takes this psychological trauma to the next level. This is mainly set in the thirties in Sudan when an unnamed narrative returns home from completing his masters in London. He meets a new addition to the village, Mustafa Sa'eed, who he later learns has also studied abroad in London. After the narrator sits down to learn about his history, we learn that  Mustafa Sa'eed actually takes action to do something about how the western world takes advantage of the colonised. After being sent to a school in London and completing his higher education all the way up to a PhD, he commences his battle. He feels obliged to take matter into his hands and seek revenge for his people. He looks at it this way, the English raped his land, so he shall rape England or the English. He paints this picture of himself as the black god to all those girls with a fetish. He lures them into his exotic cave and puts them under his spell.
Once the girls realise that they've let a black man control them and not the other way round, considering the white man liked to be the one in charge, they commit suicide. Until Sa'eed meets a girl he later marries named Jean Morris who forces him to see that he can never take her or be above her. She continuously tries to remind him that even though he is an intellectual who dresses very classy in suits and all and has a very eloquent grasp of the English language, he will forever be the primitive savage from Sudan. In the theory of postcolonialism, the west always wants to be obeyed and not the other way round, it can never be the other way round.
Season of Migration to the North is actually translated from Arabic and has been banned for a very long while. It does a very excellent job in revealing the mentally tormenting consequences of having your identity snatched away from you or reduced to a particular mould. Even the cover of the book tells you a million things; the shattered vase can never look the way it was prior, it will always have the scarring remarks of torment.
Both this works of art were absolutely brilliant! They kept me on the edge the whole time and I think I now favour the postcolonial subgenre in novels. I never did but now I do!
Thank you so much for reading this far and happy reading :)

PALESTINE by Joe Sacco: Thoughts and Review

PALESTINE was my first graphic novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I think I will not be skeptical about this subgenre any longer.
This was such a powerful book. It explores the Palestinian-Israeli conflict during the second intifada in the early nineties. The author clearly doesn't take sides and tries to show both sides in his book. He has mentioned in an interview that he tries to be transparent in his works and as honest as he can be, so don't think he is being mean with any side. Nevertheless, even as a person who lives in Palestine and is a first hand witness to the conflict, I didn't know how intricate and discreet the nature of the intifada was. I was born in 1993, a short while after it ended and I have witnessed the third one in 2004, which was an experience of its own. However, PALESTINE is written for the whole world to understand and try to comprehend the conflict a little more and gives the reader an insight to the second intifada and how it started.
Moreover, Joe Sacco does say that he didn't go to Palestine and snap photos out of his own will, his company sent him there and expected him to come back with a good selling story, especially since back then in the early nineties Palestine was swarming in the news. So, in the first chapter he does sound very negative and acts like he is doing Palestinians a favour with his comic. It may seem like he changes throughout the book till the last chapter but the way I see it, he does not change. I don't know if he ever came back but he gives the impression that he really hated it. That's how I see it.
In this comic, Sacco was very detailed with his drawings, there was a lot to look at, as well as his exhaustive, detailing of people's expressions. Most of the comic consists of interviewing families who came in collision with Israeli army or the government in one way or the other. Sacco also interviews nurses, doctors and teachers that were victimised.
I feel like this graphic novel gives enough discernment for a person to get more interested in the Palestinian conflict. He does mention the absurdity of some decisions taken by Israel as well as giving some background information when needed.
All in all, while reading I noticed that I could not put it down. I would get really caught up with the reading and was so captivated with the stories. It is such a page turner.
I feel like this a book everyone should read, Palestinian or not. This would teach the reader to always know both sides of a story before deciding and judging what is right or wrong.
There are lots of narratives in the book, lots to look at and see. I hope more people read this graphic novel.
Anyways, this was a great introduction to the graphic novel subgenre and I will be reading more in the future. Thank you for reading, let me know in the comments if you have read this book what you think about or leave me some recommendations of more amazing graphic novels.
Happy reading :)

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle, is described as eerie, bizarre, creepy and exciting. However, I didn't really find it that way. I do think it was quite enjoyable and a good read, however I read it expecting to have chills run down my spine. The language is engaging but I found it quite plotless. I was a little disappointed but I did give it 4/5 stars for the beauty of the structure.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a short story, described as horror, about two sisters, Merricat and Constance, who live alone with their uncle Julian in their family estate. The village they live in keeps away from them because of the rumour that Constance poisoned the whole family but failed to kill her sister and uncle. She was acquitted of the accusation and is protected by her sister Merricat. They live comfortably in their isolation until their cousin, Charles, shows up. Merricat can clearly see the danger and the true intention of Charles's arrival.

Something that I found creepy though is that the townsfolk have a fucked up song they sing whenever Merricat does her shopping:

Merricat, said Connie, would you like a cup of tea?
Oh, no, said Merricat, you'll poison me!
Merricat, said Connie, would you like to go to sleep?
Down in the boneyard ten feet deep!

Things Fall Apart

I had to read this novel for my postcolonial course this semester. What a read! This book moved me so much, it is so sad! This story tells the tale of one of the Igbo tribes of Nigeria.
Each tribe has a specific métier. The one our protagonist, Okonkwo, belongs to is the warrior tribe. All nine tribes with their different occupation make up one of the villages of Nigeria. Okonkwo is so obsessed with his rank and stance in the tribe after his father always fell under debt and was very weak. If you don't imply the tribe's criteria, you're out-casted. Okonkwo's father was artistic and not at all a warrior, he created music and so, he was cast out of the tribe. Okonkwo had to build up his own life by borrowing some seeds and planting them. There was a good harvest season so he paid back his debts and bought more seeds of his own. He created his own image in his own hands and gained respect from the tribe. The story is of Oknonkwo falling apart, the tribe falling apart and eventually Nigeria. All due to colonialism.
In the Igbo tribes, they believe in good and bad spirits, in personal gods and bad omens. They also have some men who dress up and represent the good spirits of the gods called Egwugwu. This cannot be gained but rather one is born into this position. They also believe that twins are born as one is a good spirit while the other is evil, they don't know which is which so they cast them both out into the evil forest just on the outskirts of the tribe. Additionally, they have an Agbla, which is an oracle or prophet represented by Chielo.
Okonkwo has respect for the religious affiliation of his tribe and aspires to become part of the Egwugwu, even though he was not born into it. Throughout the story, we learn the ways and daily life of the tribe. As a reader, you get attached to the characters as you learn about them.
Okonkwo is so insisted on being unlike his father, he disobeys his Chi, or his personal god. He refuses his god's wishes of not going to harvest this season, since it won't be successful, and instead takes it as a challenge, and sure enough collects his harvest. Moreover, in this patriarchal society, Oknokwo is very fond of his daughter, Ezinma, and wishes she was a boy. As is he would lose some of his manliness for loving her. Ezinma has suffered illness her whole life and so Oknokwo knows she won't marry. Chielo wants her to become the next oracle, but Okonkwo disagrees as he thinks she would turn into an instrument.
There is so much more that happens but I will move along to the second part of the novel when the white man commences his intruding. The white man asks for a piece of land to build his church and the tribe gives them part of the evil forest, thinking the bad omen will drive them out. After a while they realise nothing changes and the white man takes in a lot of people who think the church might be the true religion, since the omens didn't knock it down. They also took in all of the out-casted. Okonkwo is surprised no one is fighting or saying anything and eventually understands that the tribe is giving up and thus, falls apart. This, in turn, causes Okonkwo to fall apart.
A story of the utter destructive and disruptive effect of colonialism. Such a sad, tragic read :( Achebe wrote this novel in response to critics who said that Conrad's Heart of Darkness is not racist at all.
I will definitely be reading this again and I cannot recommend it enough!
Happy reading :)

Madame Bovary

Madame Bovary, the story of the downfall of a woman so young, so indulged in the glamorous life... She met her husband as he attended for her father's broken leg and on a whim, without knowing much about him, they get married. However, Emma Rouault is his second wife after his mother made him marry a wretched middle aged woman.
Shortly after marrying Charles Bovary, they were invited to a party held by a Marquis and Emma gets a sweet taste of the opulent, luxurious and easy life of the upper class. She realises she has met her downfall and loses life in her young 14 year old mind, so Charles moves her from the countryside to a larger town thinking it may do her good. She meets so many people, among them a young man named Leon Depuis, and the local pharmacist, monsieur Homais.
Leon and Emma both feel a wave of some sentiments pass between them but they never truly address them. After Emma has her daughter, Berthe, they become even closer and learn they are in love, but again they are too coy and timid to say anything. He moves along with his life and to Paris. and she returns to her depressed self.
However, Emma meets yet another handsome Bachelor by the name of Rodolphe. He has a way with women and it doesn't take a lot of convincing for Emma to become his net mistress. They have an ongoing relationship for a long while. She falls for him so bad, she starts making eloping plans with him. Rodolphe eventually got bored with her and when he heard of her plans he knew it was time he let her go, the morning of the elopement and through a letter he didn't even deliver himself, what an arse!
All this happens while she was making purchases from a local merchant, buying the best coats and luggage. She doesn't pay the costs fully and, in accordance, the Bovarys falls into debt.
She falls back again into depression and monsieur Homais suggests for them to go to the theatre in Rouen. They do and it lifts her spirits up again to think she might have one night of living like the opulent. But what are the chances of running into Leon again! And so they do. As the Bovarys talk to him, they learn that he is done with his studies and has moved to Rouen. He is no linger timid and isn't afraid of letting Emma knows how he felt, or feels, about her. And so they throw themselves into a passionate, ardent relationship. She works her way round going back to that city over and over. However, the debts they owe become too large and too troublesome for them to handle. She tries to hide it from Charles by asking for loans, to no avail. She tried her neighbours, Leon and even Rodolphe. But everyone refuses. She outs herself under so much stress, she takes matter into her own hands and tricks monsieur Homais's son to give her arsenic. And so is the story of the young and restless, Madame Bovary, leading to her utter downfall. Things get even worse for Charles and Berthe after her death with finances. Charles is so in love with his dead wife, he refuses to sell any of her possessions. Berthe is sent to live with a poor aunt on a farm and ends up being a labourer.
What a tragic tale!
The story of economic dependence and the commodification of women, one cannot deny how horrid it must be to be Madame Bovary. She was essentially bought by Dr Charles Bovary, thinking she was moving to a social rank higher than hers only to learn she is strictly ordinary after the Marquis's party. Then to learn that her lovers did not entirely care for her and Rodolphe was ready to pay her loans if she would sleep with him one more time. Her suicide redeems much more understandable when you think of it this way.
Even though it was translated from French, one cannot deny the lyrical beauty of the writing of Flaubert. He created his own style and rhythm. It was so clear he tried to avoid clichés and opted for creative, indulgent and captivating writing. It was such an enjoyable read and definitely deserving of a re-read in the future.
There is a novel titles Madame Bovary's Daughter, as you might guess, about Berthe's life on the farm as she is older. She learns she came from a wealthy family who went bankrupt and that's all I know! I will definitely be checking it out, although it wasn't written by Flaubert but rather it was published in 2011.

First Graphic Novel

Hello reader!
I'm in the middle of reading a few books, soon to be reviewed and discussed. Today, I started a new read and it's Palestine by Joe Sacco. I am currently at University so this is a required read by one of the courses I'm taking. Actually, I'm kind of stuck with uni reads because there's so much to be done in oh-so-little time. I'm struggling! But I am trying to squeeze some extra reading on the side like during the weekends or on the bus on the way home, yet I am still unable to or just end up reading what is required for class in my "free" time. It's okay though; in a few weeks I'll be DONE with uni and graduating in a month!
Anyways, back to the book. I wasn't sure about this book because I've never really read a graphic novel before. But Palestine is such a good read! I think it's a really good one to start with, for anyone who wants to get into this genre. It's such a page turner, I had to force myself to put it down!
I'll be writing another post on Palestine once I'm done.
In the meantime, happy reading :)

Back for Good!

Hello!
I had to put this blog on hold for a while as I got really busy these past few months. I'm still under immense pressure as it is my last month of uni and then I'll have lots of free time!
I do have some books I'd like to review, plus, there's a book club idea I would like to start.
See you soon!