The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani
This novel follows the fate of a young woman (she's 14, but considering that she's considered old enough to marry, I think woman is more fitting than girl) in 17th century Iran (the author specifically says 1620s). The narrator is unnamed, though everyone else in the novel is not. In the beginning of the novel, the woman's father dies, and she and her mother discover the fate of women when the man of the house dies and there are no close living relatives. While they weren't poor to begin with, they were definitely working class, and with the father's death, it is hard for them to support themselves. Without a dowry, the narrator's marriage options are slim to none, and as a woman in this time period, there weren't many other choices. Fortunately, a rich but distant relative in the city takes them in, which allows the narrator to expand on her natural skills at carpet making. There is of course family drama, things get better only to get worse, the narrator learns about friendship, betrayal and sex, and the descriptions of carpets and carpet making are actually interesting. The author also intersperses older folk tales and fairy tales into her novel which illuminate certain themes of the story and draw parallels to the characters' lives. I've actually had this novel sitting in my apartment for a while but just never got around to reading it. The main reason for that was the format of the book itself - I'd picked it up in the PX in Iraq so instead of being a larger sized paperback, it's one of the small ones, like a James Patterson novel, for example. I prefer the feel of the taller, slimmer books to the short ones. I know, I'm weird, it's the words and the story that actually matter. Once I got started, it was easy to become immersed in this novel regardless of the formatting.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Book 9: The White Tiger
The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
I had underestimated how much I would read while in Berlin, so when it came time to take a train back home, I needed a new book. This was one of the few English-language books they had, and I'd actually almost ordered it from Amazon previously but had decided to wait a little bit.
Balram Halwai, the narrator, reveals the ending of his story early on. Written as a letter to the Premier of China, Halwai identifies himself as an entrepreneur who has left behind the poverty and uncertainty of his childhood and early adulthood, and has a secure place in the world. He also quickly refers to the fact that he was wanted by the police, had stolen a significant amount of money, and murdered his former boss. There is little surprise when it comes to the fate of the characters. However, the story of how Halwai got from where he started to where he was is interesting, and certainly holds one's attention.
There are definitely times when Halwai seems unlikable and somewhat selfish, but it is also hard to feel much pity for many of those around him. His family is demanding; his fellow servants are equally self-interested; his bosses are corrupt, and completely unaware of the misery around them. As the novel progresses, Halwai realizes that in ways the rich are all alike, and equally cheap, even the ones that think they are better or of the people. It's a really compelling read and commentary on class struggles.
I had underestimated how much I would read while in Berlin, so when it came time to take a train back home, I needed a new book. This was one of the few English-language books they had, and I'd actually almost ordered it from Amazon previously but had decided to wait a little bit.
Balram Halwai, the narrator, reveals the ending of his story early on. Written as a letter to the Premier of China, Halwai identifies himself as an entrepreneur who has left behind the poverty and uncertainty of his childhood and early adulthood, and has a secure place in the world. He also quickly refers to the fact that he was wanted by the police, had stolen a significant amount of money, and murdered his former boss. There is little surprise when it comes to the fate of the characters. However, the story of how Halwai got from where he started to where he was is interesting, and certainly holds one's attention.
There are definitely times when Halwai seems unlikable and somewhat selfish, but it is also hard to feel much pity for many of those around him. His family is demanding; his fellow servants are equally self-interested; his bosses are corrupt, and completely unaware of the misery around them. As the novel progresses, Halwai realizes that in ways the rich are all alike, and equally cheap, even the ones that think they are better or of the people. It's a really compelling read and commentary on class struggles.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Book 8: A Thread of Grace
A Thread of Grace by Maria Doria Russell
Another incredible read. I've been really lucky so far this year with my selections. The novel includes in an interview in the back, and Russell says she was inspired by a nonfiction book to write this story. Unfortunately, I've misplaced all three of the novels I finished while in Berlin and can't figure out where I put them when I took them out of the bag which is driving me crazy because two of them were great novels, and the other was okay, but part of a series. And I also think I might want to read the book she refers to but it's kind of hard to get the title without the novel. Okay, calm breath.
The novel has a large cast of characters, and spans from September 1943 to the end of World War II. It deals with the fate and treatment of the Jews in Italy. Unlike many of the other countries under Nazi occupation, the Italians were a lot more willing to help and protect their fellow countrymen, and even hid Jews from other parts of Europe that had emigrated there. Many of the priests also played an integral part in this despite the church's official position. Some of the characters include native Italian Jews and refugees as well as various Italian Catholics that either helped discretely or became actual partisans in the fight. While overall, the story is very hopeful and uplifting, Russell is unafraid to kill off many of her most interesting and colorful characters. While fewer Jews may have died in Italy than other countries, the losses are still heartbreaking. Also, the way some of the heroes are dealt with in the end in the confusion of the aftermath was incredibly sad.
The novel also explores ideas of guilt and responsibility, and has two characters specifically that have problems dealing with their conscience. Overall, it was a great look at how the war affected people, and how it was possible for people to band together under the Nazis and attempt to resist them.
Another incredible read. I've been really lucky so far this year with my selections. The novel includes in an interview in the back, and Russell says she was inspired by a nonfiction book to write this story. Unfortunately, I've misplaced all three of the novels I finished while in Berlin and can't figure out where I put them when I took them out of the bag which is driving me crazy because two of them were great novels, and the other was okay, but part of a series. And I also think I might want to read the book she refers to but it's kind of hard to get the title without the novel. Okay, calm breath.
The novel has a large cast of characters, and spans from September 1943 to the end of World War II. It deals with the fate and treatment of the Jews in Italy. Unlike many of the other countries under Nazi occupation, the Italians were a lot more willing to help and protect their fellow countrymen, and even hid Jews from other parts of Europe that had emigrated there. Many of the priests also played an integral part in this despite the church's official position. Some of the characters include native Italian Jews and refugees as well as various Italian Catholics that either helped discretely or became actual partisans in the fight. While overall, the story is very hopeful and uplifting, Russell is unafraid to kill off many of her most interesting and colorful characters. While fewer Jews may have died in Italy than other countries, the losses are still heartbreaking. Also, the way some of the heroes are dealt with in the end in the confusion of the aftermath was incredibly sad.
The novel also explores ideas of guilt and responsibility, and has two characters specifically that have problems dealing with their conscience. Overall, it was a great look at how the war affected people, and how it was possible for people to band together under the Nazis and attempt to resist them.
Sunday Music Video
Anberlin - A Day Late
I guess last weekend it wasn't the computer - most of the videos I tried looking up had embedding disabled on them. I actually prefer the acoustic version of this song, but that's not so much a music video as just a picture with the song playing in the background.
Anberlin - A Day Late (Acoustic)
Book 7: Living Dead in Dallas
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
This is the second in the Southern Vampire Mysteries series. Harris had two mysteries or subplots going on in this one, and while the one was kind of interesting, the other seemed rather weak. And actually, neither one of them seemed that mysterious, really.
The novel begins when Sookie's coworker Lafayette, a gay black man, is found dead - so much for using this character to explore sexuality and race issues. Shortly thereafter, Sookie is called away by the vampires in charge in the area to help out another group in Dallas. The part in Dallas was the interesting part, even though once Sookie read a few minds, there wasn't exactly any mystery as to what was going on. Instead, Harris used this opportunity to introduce a cult of sorts that is very anti-vampire. Basically, it's a mix of a cult, the KuKluxKlan and any other radical ultra-conservative group one can think of.
While working on that case, Sookie and Bill once again confront a few issues in their relationships, and their separation allows Sookie access to get some more clues about Lafayette's death upon their return home. This part is wrapped up, well, neatly isn't the right word . . . quickly. In addition, Harris threw in a few more supernatural characters, including a maenad, whose only reason for really being in the book seems to be the wrap up. Overall, an alright read, but I feel like Harris may have tried to throw too much in there for one book, and could have focused more deeply on some of the plotlines if she hadn't tried to have so many extra characters and events in it. Maybe I'm just too used to reading slow moving novels, and can't handle quickly paced plot lines . . .
Since I was reading this while in Berlin (I was on the subway a lot), I was rather surprised and delighted to discover that the Pergamon Museum, which has all the old Greek and Roman statues as well as Iranian art in it, was doing a special exhibit on Dionysius. Here is a picture of a maenad:
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Book 6: Snowflower and the Secret Fan
Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
I've seen this book several times over the past few years, but never bothered to pick it up. For some reason, the title made me think it was some kind of mystery that just happened to be set in Japan or China simply to capitalize on interest in those countries through superficial means. I was completely wrong. Next time, before I judge a book on its cover, I might want to actually at least read the backflap. Of course, another reason I was hesitant to pick it up was because I've heard critiques about Amy Tan, and how she writes Chinese characters and culture in a way that exoticizes them and appeals to whites. I didn't want to discover another author who was doing the exact same thing.
There is no mystery, instead, this novel is an incredible and amazing story about two women's friendship with each other. The fan is simply a gift they share that they use to record significant events in their lives on, and the reason it is ''secret'' is because of the language they use to communicate. As I discovered through this novel, in one part of China, women had their own secret written language that they used to communicate with each other since they were discouraged from learning the regular, "male" writing.
At a time when the life expectancy for women was around 40 years old, Lily, the narrator, lives to over 80, and decides to write this story to reflect on her life. Born to a poor, and not so well-to-do family, Lily's family discovers that Lily might be their key to moving up in the world: when it is time to have her feet bound, the local diviner calls in outside help because her feet could be extraordinarily small and perfect if done correctly. Having perfect "Golden Lilies" would open many doors for Lily in the marriage market later in life. Additionally, this also allows her to have a special relationship with another girl from another village, Snow Flower, who is of a higher class than her. All of this will be Lily's family's way out of poverty.
While Lily discusses her marriage briefly, her main focus throughout the novel is her relationship with Snow Flower as well as other women. While there are several, heartbreaking family tragedies along the way, everything goes according to plan for Lily. Over the years, her friendship with Snow Flower remains constant, even through secrets and changing circumstances. However, there are also plenty of misunderstandings, and Lily's confronting her past to deal with her guilt and her regrets.
I was very impressed by this novel. The portrayal of women's lives in China was incredibly interesting, though of course for the most part, these families are all of a slightly higher class simply due to the fact that they engage in footbinding. The servants, for example, have normal sized feet. While women's lives and fortunes depended very much on the men they were attached to (which can be seen in Lily's rise, but even more in Snow Flower's life), this novel is still about women's relationships and the ways they occasionally use and betray each other but also how much they can care and nurture each other. I'm generally pretty unemotional, but there was a scene in the book where even I almost felt some tears welling up. Definitely recommend this one.
I've seen this book several times over the past few years, but never bothered to pick it up. For some reason, the title made me think it was some kind of mystery that just happened to be set in Japan or China simply to capitalize on interest in those countries through superficial means. I was completely wrong. Next time, before I judge a book on its cover, I might want to actually at least read the backflap. Of course, another reason I was hesitant to pick it up was because I've heard critiques about Amy Tan, and how she writes Chinese characters and culture in a way that exoticizes them and appeals to whites. I didn't want to discover another author who was doing the exact same thing.
There is no mystery, instead, this novel is an incredible and amazing story about two women's friendship with each other. The fan is simply a gift they share that they use to record significant events in their lives on, and the reason it is ''secret'' is because of the language they use to communicate. As I discovered through this novel, in one part of China, women had their own secret written language that they used to communicate with each other since they were discouraged from learning the regular, "male" writing.
At a time when the life expectancy for women was around 40 years old, Lily, the narrator, lives to over 80, and decides to write this story to reflect on her life. Born to a poor, and not so well-to-do family, Lily's family discovers that Lily might be their key to moving up in the world: when it is time to have her feet bound, the local diviner calls in outside help because her feet could be extraordinarily small and perfect if done correctly. Having perfect "Golden Lilies" would open many doors for Lily in the marriage market later in life. Additionally, this also allows her to have a special relationship with another girl from another village, Snow Flower, who is of a higher class than her. All of this will be Lily's family's way out of poverty.
While Lily discusses her marriage briefly, her main focus throughout the novel is her relationship with Snow Flower as well as other women. While there are several, heartbreaking family tragedies along the way, everything goes according to plan for Lily. Over the years, her friendship with Snow Flower remains constant, even through secrets and changing circumstances. However, there are also plenty of misunderstandings, and Lily's confronting her past to deal with her guilt and her regrets.
I was very impressed by this novel. The portrayal of women's lives in China was incredibly interesting, though of course for the most part, these families are all of a slightly higher class simply due to the fact that they engage in footbinding. The servants, for example, have normal sized feet. While women's lives and fortunes depended very much on the men they were attached to (which can be seen in Lily's rise, but even more in Snow Flower's life), this novel is still about women's relationships and the ways they occasionally use and betray each other but also how much they can care and nurture each other. I'm generally pretty unemotional, but there was a scene in the book where even I almost felt some tears welling up. Definitely recommend this one.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
No Music Today
I'm in Berlin for the weekend, and I forgot to make a post for Sunday before I left. I found an internet cafe, but youTube won't let me embed anything through this connection . . .
As soon as I am home, I'll find something; also I read a really great book on the train ride up here, so I'll post on that soon, too. I started working on it here, but I can't handle the German keyboard for anything too extensive (there are only minor differences, but just enough to drive me crazy - who knew that I used the y-key and the '-key so often?)
As soon as I am home, I'll find something; also I read a really great book on the train ride up here, so I'll post on that soon, too. I started working on it here, but I can't handle the German keyboard for anything too extensive (there are only minor differences, but just enough to drive me crazy - who knew that I used the y-key and the '-key so often?)
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