A Good Suggestion

One of my favourite ways to decide on what book I should read next is to ask other people what their favourite books are.

So many times when I am really wanting to read, but can't find anything I like, I ask around to see what other people are reading. Nine times out of ten, I fall in love with whatever book is suggested.

Case in point, I was talking with Lesley the other day who mentioned she really liked A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Towes. Turns out I own the book, but honestly cannot remember what happened in it. So now I have a book to read, and it didn't cost me any money :).

Here is a list of some of my favourites.

1. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger (description)
2. Fall on Your Knees - Anne Marie MacDonald (description)
3. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold (description)
4. Eleven Minutes - Paula Coehlo (description)

Fall On Your Knees

This book is one of my classic go to's when I want to read but can't afford a book.

It has everything: love, mystery, family dynamics, racial issues and so on.

It also fits my criteria of not being a beach novel, over 200 pages, somewhat disturbing (I have a bad habit of reading books that include less than pleasant topics), and intriguing.

The book follows a man who is trying to do the best by his wife and daughters but who always wants more than is possible. He gives up certain pleasures to fulfil his fantasy of proving himself to his wife's parents, but in turn ends up falling out of love with his wife. The book focuses mainly on his three daughters, one of whom is his perfect angel, the other is more like a devil child and the middle daughter is trying to keep the family together.

This is another one of those books that is hard to describe without giving too much away. What I can tell you is that different parts of the book are told from different perspectives, which I love, because it allows you to get into the head of all the girls and helps you slowly discover the family secrets.

My favourite character has to be Frances (the "devil" child). You can't help but feel bad for her, especially when you know she always has the best of intentions. And the end is heartbreaking (again another thing I can't quite reveal ugh!!). But something draws me to her character, and I can't quite put my finger on what.

Anyways, I highly highly suggest this (Canadian) book. It will definitely keep you wondering and guessing until almost the very end.

Atonement

Atonement was one of the first books I had to read during my English undergrad and I think that may be partly why I am so attached to it. This was one of the first books I actually enjoyed to read while simltaneously analyzing every detail.

My copy of this book is absolutely covered in highligher and pen, each showcasing different ideas I had about what a certain character's actions meant, or how it was influencing the plot. This book also finally showed me how a talented author can "trick" the reader and manipulate their thoughts so that the ending ends up being a terrific suprise.

Atonement also showed me how movies can never quite suffice in their attempt to capture the essence of a novel. Although I did like the movie, I feel like there is no possible way to ever completely translate the magic of a book onto the big screen. There are so many little tricks your mind plays with you while you read a book and so many ways one can interpret each word and the descriptions given by the author. Whereas, on screen you are only able to see what the director wants you to see, which makes it hard to come up with one's own ideas as to how the movie should look or feel.

Whenever I read a book I create my own mental picture of what the character and settings look like and I get so attached to these images that nothing else can compare. I've also found that everytime I re-read a book I see the same mental images as I did the first time. It may sound crazy, but its true.

On that note, what book has been the biggest book-to-movie dissapointment for you?

Conflicted

Having just finished the fourth and "final" installment of the Twilight series, I have found myself disappointed. Not at the ending of the book, but slightly with the author.

My curious nature demanded that I Google to see if there will be a fifth book, and what I found was a little suprising...Apparently a fifth book - Midnight Sun was planned. At some point in time one of the manuscripts was stolen and posted online - obviously the author was very upset.

As such, she decided that the integrity of the book was compromised and she therefore had no desire to continue writing it. A somewhat inspiring writer myself, I can understand how violating it must have been. So reading the website, it seemed as if there would be no Midnight Sun. Meter did however post the stolen manuscript online if anyone wanted to get a taste at what might have been.

However, I looked further into the website and it seems all the above has changed. Based on the extreme amount of fans e-mailing their opinions and dissapointment surrounding the end of the series, Meyer has decided to finish the novel.

I have very mixed feelings about this. Obviously this book will make a lot of money, there is no questioning that. And I am personally happy that I will get to read this book. However, what happened to Meyer's apparent outrage and disgust and inability to continue writing this book after it had been leaked? If she was really so concerned about the integrity of her work, would she really want to continue writing it?

I really don't know what to think about this one. I know I'll read what there is of the leaked manuscript on her website, but that's because I am insatiably curious. I'm still very interested to see if this book actually does get published and what else Meyer will have to say about it.

Red Dog, Red Dog

One thing that frustrates me more than anything is when I don't "get" a book.

This happened to me over the weekend when I was reading a book called Red Dog, Red Dog. I had borrowed it to keep my busy on my train ride to Montreal, and I was more frustrated than anything once I had finished it.

The saddest part is that I had really been looking forward to reading it. The back over was intriguing, the description seemed interesting and I thought all systems were go.

Its not that the book was bad...I just didn't really get the point of it. Basically it was a story about a dysfunctional family living in the prairies. But outside of that I didn't really understand it. Parts of the book were narrated by the dead sister of the two brothers, but she floated in and out and it was hard to tell when it was an omnicient narrartor versus when she was doing the narrating.

There was also no real climax. It was almost as if the climax was building and building throughout the whole novel, but it never really went anywhere. I'm still trying to work out the story in my mind, but sadly I haven't gotten far.

Are there any books you've read that have really frustrated you? Have you ever felt like you aren't really understanding the book and the message behind it?

An Ode to Paulo

Paulo Coelho is (in my humble opinion) a literary genius. Every one of his books is somehow about the human condition and how vital our connections to others can be. Its not so much about the stories in his novels, but in the life and moral lessons that drive the story along.

I was first introduced to Paulo when I had to choose a book for my grade 12 ISU. As morbid as I know it will sound, the title of his book is what really drew me in - Veronika Decides to Die. I had never heard of Paulo, or this book, before but figured I would give it a try.

I was not disappointed. This book delves deeply into the question of a life's worth, and the innate desire we all have to continue living.

One of the things I love the most about Paulo is that each book he writes covers a different topic/issue that no one living is immune to experiencing. His books take place all over the world, in different times and languages, but they are written so that each person can easily put themselves into each story and learn from it.

What I'm finding really difficult is accurately describing the effect his books have. They suck you in and when you come out at the end, you feel tranquil, thoughtful and always, always questioning your own world. He makes the hardest things in life so easy to look at and disect, but without voiding the experience of emotion and empathy.

If any of what I have said has convinced you to pick up one of his books (and there are many), here's a short list. The ones underlined are ones I have read:

• The Alchemist
• The Zahir
• Veronika Decides to Die
• Eleven Minutes
• Brida
• The Witch of Portabello
• The Devil and Miss Prym
• Like the Flowing River
• Pilgrimage
• The Valkyries

You can also check out his website, including his own personal blog.

"You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one. Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It's just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.” - Paulo Coehlo

And I've Been Judged

Last night during a two-hour phone call with my friend who moved to Taiwan, I revealed to her that I had just finished the third book in the Twilight series: Eclipse.

Immediately she judged me, and questioned why I was reading a: "teenager book about a girl with no substance so that any girl can put themselves in her place", "a more or less copy of the Buffy the Vampire story line" and many other such (in my opinion) inaccurate descriptions.

I got Eclipse on Friday night, and I finished it Sunday night. Those 629 pages just flew by, and really didn't take me all that long to read. My friend would claim that it is simply written, and that's why it was such an easy read. I however, have a slightly different opinion.

I do agree with her thought that the main character Bella is an easy one on which to project oneself. What girl would not want to be treated the way Bella is by Edward? Besides being a vampire, he is more or less perfect.

There are so many universal themes in the story: endless love, unrequited love, the desire to be true to oneself, growing up, adolescence and so on. Mix all of those common elements with a fantasy world where vampires and werewolves fall in love with an "average" girl and of course this book is going to appeal to almost all (of the female sex that is).

I would love to hear reactions from guys who have read this book - just to get a different and possibly opposite perspective.

One of my favourite things about reading a book is talking about it after, especially with others who have read the book. I love to pick their brains and see what they got out of the book that I didn't.

So I'm sitting here and realizing that I have yet to ask you all the most obvious question: What is your favourite book?