The Great Gatsby

It was recently that I had come across the term 'Lost Generation writers'. I must admit it was a little intimidating to brace myself to read Fitzgerald, for I had expected 'the Great Gatsby' to be a bulky classic requiring months of laboring to complete. And like a pleasant surprise (I run the risk of sounding crude saying this) - the book is small and better still an easy read as well.

The narrative is first person and told my Nick Carraway who incidentally was in the first world war, probably like the author himself. The story in itself may not be out of the ordinary, but it is the narration that sticks to 'first-person' that makes it interesting; that is, Carraway only narrates things he knows of, any speculation about someone or something is purely his point of view. The story-teller is not omnipresent, but someone like you and me.

That said, the narration is in most parts satirical. The story is set in the Jazz age and a period when 'prohibition' was in effect in America; but this does not stop the protagonists to access to  abundant liquor. The general motif seems to be to emphasize the unfairness in the world. He brings it on paper through the references to high-end parties, west-egg and east-egg lifestyles and the classes. It is easy to imagine the cruel undertone of NY which to date remains very familiar. I did indulge in some wikipedia reads to get an understanding about America during this era of 1920s, so that I could figure some of the references in the novel.

Like an immovable force is Gatsby in the book, the rags to riches lad, the stupid lover, the doormat; all of this is known from Carraway's point of view, while Gatsby's real background remains a mystery almost throughout the writing, till the end. The initial tone of sarcasm slowly gives way to disdain and gets darker as the novel progresses. One is left to distrust Carraway also at times, for he is not a reliable narrator as well, with biases, frustrations and everything human.

The end is cruel, but it leaves a piquant after-taste, something you neither pity nor find heart-breaking. And simply like the vile world he projects, close the book and get on with your life. The world that has got no time to care...

The god of small things

It is my Nth read of the book and every time I get to 'naaley.. tomorrow' the last line, it leaves a cold hurting feeling inside much like Pappachi's moth. I read the book for the first time when I was seventeen and I must admit, it took me two reads to follow her pattern of writing. Back then I was more inspired by the Kerala touch to the novel, since I am from there. However over the many reads, I have come to love the book for much beyond that!

Since I unquestionably love the book, I will split my review to be as unbiased as possible :

Why the book may be loved by many -

1. Roy's writing is a new language in itself. She creates a revolution with the innovative style of using words that paint a clear picture rather than flood it with jarring vocabulary. Some of the writing that comes to mind - house with a river-sense, Christianity came in a boat and seeped in like tea from a tea-bag, fisherman with sea secrets in his eyes, the creeper hung like half-sneeze-coming

2. The story is told through the eyes of the twins and the language is suited to depict the mind of children. Almost all the writing comes directly from the way a child's mind thinks. This adds the element of wit in book and some quips and sarcasm are laugh-out-loud hilarious. This makes it easier and at the same time difficult for the reader to grasp how the little minds can be scarred with a moment's doing or words ( like the orange-drink-man incident )

3. The story in itself is not unique; if not for Roy's shrewd looming of the motif in flashbacks and falsh-forwards, I am sure the novel is but ordinary. This style of writing in itself can make it difficult for a reader who doesn't enjoy complexity. It is more suited for someone who finds clarity in chaos.

4. The story woven like a web, with details and nuances, often strewn with questions in a child's mind (Why dont birds drop dead from the sky?) only makes it more lovable with more reads; for it is like prose, you realize you learn something new every time you read it. Even though the story stays as clear as blue sky in ones mind, a second read doesn't thwart the joy of reading.

Why the book may be loathed by some -

1. The writing is rocking continuously backwards-forwards and this can easily put certain readers off if they hate to keep track of the novel and expect the novel to keep track of them!

2. The story is like any other booker-prize material, ends in tragedy, and how a single event leads to a complete collapse. For someone looking for a unique storyline you have picked up the wrong book.

3. Roy generously uses malayalam in parts, the language spoken in the southern most state of Kerala in India, where the story is set. Although it is no different from many references of hindi words in Indian author books; for a novice reader who has no clue about this southern part of India, this reference can be irksome without a guide.

4. The end of the novel is morbid, it defies all the love-laws, as Roy puts it. And this in itself can make a reader hate the book. 

5. Her ability to create a new language in the writing mostly in jointed-words, may not be appealing to the literary-strict! She tries to bring understanding into the  otherwise illogical language..

If you havent read the book, I cannot recommend it more highly; for her writing is brilliant and you will be treating yourself to 300 odd pages of prose-wonder, innocence of children and may be even  enjoy the language of joint-words.

Have you read this book? Did you love it or hate it?

Classics Challenge 2010

I totally enjoyed doing this challenge last year. So taking part for this year and kick start my reading drive.

I will joining at the Classics Snacks level. And here is my list -
1. Kim - Rudyard Kipling
2. The Great Gatsby - Fitzgerald
3. Gone with the wind - Margaret Mitchell
4. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

To participate click on the picture above!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The next time I visit Europe, I wouldn’t want to miss Channel Islands or Guernsey ever! That’s how lovely this book is! This epistolary novel had me hooked from the very first letter and before I knew I wanted to dole out letters to the many intriguing and affable characters of this book.

Juliet Ashton is the gregarious protagonist, who is an upcoming writer in the post world war II era in London. She, by some bizarre work of fate, gets in touch with the members of an oddly formed book club in Guernsey. Almost like pieces of a puzzle, her quest for a topic for her book and the lives of the book club members falls into place. The friendship thus born, through correspondence of letters leads to an unbreakable bond; And it is these letters that hold the heart of this novel.

Set in a sad time when Europe was strewn in post war trauma, this book is comfortingly sunny! The Nazi occupation of the island and the multitude of stories that encompass those years are told through the writings of various dwellers, as letters to Juliet. The formation of the book club itself was one such episode, invented on spot by the silent heroine of the novel, Elizabeth.

The letters and the impact of books on people of that era is the most wonderful thing to take away from this book. While you can imagine any character simply by their way of writing letters in itself is a warming feeling. Classics and writers like Oscar wilde, Jane austen or Charles Lamb were considered precious. Books weren’t available a plenty back then and owning books and reading them was considered a genial privilege!

The book encompasses a handful of cordial countryside folk. You would love them all the way you might have adored ‘Anne of green Gables’ and you will fall in love with Juliet, almost like one of Austen’s heroines. The appeal of the novel is the genuineness of the letters, the innocence of the lovely people and the sanguinary displayed as hope in grime times!

So go ahead, grab a warm cup of chocolate milk, light a fire, cuddle on the couch with this sweet little book and I can vouch that you will not stop smiling for a long time after you are done!

Reading is sexy!

So, when I read about this wonderful reading project at Veens and the corresponding link to Shona's laborious effort at creating this book list.. I couldnt help but join.. And what is even better.. Its a perpetual project, suits my overflowing stack for the coming year!

So go ahead join!

Happy reading all!

The diary of Anne Frank

When Hitler had come alive in our textbooks of tenth grade, I had developed an uncanny interest in the holocaust, beyond what education demanded. This powerful and heart-breaking diary had been my first venture towards that at the age of fifteen. And I had been pleasantly surprised at how much Anne seemed like a familiar teenager to me back then. I had even stolen her idea to address her diary entries and created an imaginary friend Maya for my intermittent diary-keeping.

I re-read this diary recently and it had evoked the same emotions I had felt almost ten years ago. Anne is in no way the perfect person. She had inhibitions, immaturity, resentments and everything that marks the coming of age of any teenager. But, someone with this normal life had to be succumbed to fear and mortal hiding makes it enduring.

Anne writes to Kitty, as she christens her diary, about her life since her thirteenth birthday. The entries begin when her family is at their home in Netherlands though they are already facing restrictions, like, unable to travel by car for being jews. She writes about her whims as a school girl, of friends, of boys who have a crush on her; it almost seems like nothing can go wrong. Almost a few pages hence, the dramatic change of events occurs and her family goes into hiding; then on her writing takes a new direction. It is almost difficult to imagine how such close confinements can render members of the same family to display their worst and best sides.

Anne writes about the differences, jealousies and other frustrations that can only arise with close kin. She expresses envy towards Margot, for being the perfect apple of the eye to her mother and in later entries her relationship with her mother only deteriorates further. She considers her relationship to her father closer. As she matures, she finds the kinship with Margot and even remarks “She's not nearly so catty these days and is becoming a real friend.”

Adding to the troubles of hiding, Anne’s family is also accompanied by Pels family. Though she detests Peter in the beginning, they finally enter into a romantic hold, with whom, Anne even shares her first kiss. However, she is ambivalent towards the senior Pels and often blames them for sarcasm and selfishness.

Beyond all the difficulties faced, Anne often hopes to return to school after the war, has ambitions to be a journalist, and wishes a life like it had always been. To show such maturity and sanguineness in the time of dark and death may in itself be strength of character displayed by Anne. She is open to her feelings, evident from her narrative and willingness to edit the previous entries to be made readable to all.

Take in Anne’s two years, to understand the many ways living in hell had been during the worst world war. Read her entries to take in life of the innocents, who were only as human as we all are, looking forward to sunny days after the doused ones. Anne, who had never stopped dreaming or living, is definitely the most alive exemplary of a fateful end...

Anne of Green Gables

The only regret I had, as I devoured this wonderful classic, was I had not known about the book when I was a kid. It made me feel that I had missed an important part of childhood, not knowing Anne; but then this book doesn’t fail to amaze anybody at any age, it is truly timeless.

Maud’s writing is mesmerizing and almost throughout the book, you may be smiling, imagining and day dreaming, like our lovable protagonist Anne. Anne is the classic talkative, day-dreamer, who wouldn’t ever let go of her childhood dreams. She is that innocent optimist, we all were at eleven, who believes in the beauty of nature and dotes on imaginations as life. And with such a colorful character for company, there is never a dull moment in the book.

Anne is brought up by Marilla and Matthew, who are contrasting characters and equally interesting. Maud cleverly factors the unpleasant details of Anne, as the orphan, before she comes to green Gables and skips matters of poverty, illness and crime which are quiet prevalent in the farming communities of Canada, during the era she refers to in the book.

The sensible, plain yet full of inexpressible love, is Marilla, who is quick to counter Anne’s unprecedented imaginations with “FiddleSticks!” On the other hand is Matthew, who going by the taciturn disposition, has very few lines in the book; but has enough presence by the descriptions and body language. It is not difficult to understand that a gregarious person like Anne, was the sweetheart of the school had many friends ('Bosom' one being Diana) and even arch enemies!

Towards the last few chapters, one would miss the Anne we had known to get into mischief, blunder due to her 'hopeless-romanticism', and exclaim about everything that gave a ‘thrill’! The diligent, ambitious and matured Anne still had the child in her, though her transition is well rendered, you miss the child like a parent!

Anne may be one of the most honest and sanguine characters ever created. She can always put a smile on your face, leave you in giggles and embrace childhood like never before!

Mansfield Park

By Jane Austen

When I read Austen, I give in my full; I devour each sentence slow and steady, to not miss the hidden ironies and meanings. It was the same with Mansfield Park; though, this book depicted societal anxieties and graceful feminism more than the usual ironic humor her other novels are full of. To say that Mansfield Park may be Austen’s most solemn work may be right in every way.

The central character of this story is Fanny, the girl who comes to live with her rich cousins, as a symbol of goodwill shown by a wealthy sister to a poor one - with an enormous family. Though shy and timid in the beginning, Fanny transcends to make Mansfield her home, learns to love and find happiness, even though she is constantly reminded of her position and liberties in comparison to her cousins who share the same roof. And as the story progresses, Fanny returns to her own family many years after, only to realize that her heart resides at Mansfield, even though it has its painful moments.

There is a clear merit of countenance and attitude that is depicted in each character of the story. While Austen comments on the impact of a change in morals based on “London ideals” which interferes with the traditions of a country side, she is also adept in mentioning that mismanagement and undue austerity can result in rendering a house-hold in tumult. Such is the foundation of the novel; where she portrays Fanny to define scrupulousness in a society that is tending to be fluid.

Though quiet and demure by nature, Fanny is what one would define a mature feminist, as the story evolves. She is all calmness and propriety, yet never deters from her principles for anything or anybody. Sometimes the distinction is so blatant, one is to wonder if Austen deliberately, wanted to compare good and evil; love and compromise.

Then again, nothing is evil forever; even the most immoral character, shows remorse and has moments of reform. There are also philosophical endeavors and moments to welcome change, which is natural. And all of this is done in shades of black of white; while Edmund’s compassion and attachment is handled with patient disposition, Maria’s is all edginess and amoral; while Miss Crawford is blunt and impolite in her wants, Fanny is modest and all-enduring.

All in all, though I did not enjoy this novel the way I loved the other Austen books, it was indeed a pleasure to read. Take up this classic to draw in a complex, severe and compassionate world, so well rendered to burn the reading lamp.