Category: Book Review

All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr

~ Nuraine Sadaf ~ 3 Comments

War|History|Fiction|Heartfelt

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Book Review

All the Light We Cannot See is a book about the tragedies of war written by Anthony Doerr. The tone of the book is melancholic yet hopeful. It is centered around two protagonists, a six-year old French girl, Marie Laurie, and an eight-year old German boy, Werner Pfennig.

It is a deeply moving story where the author wonderfully captures the difficult circumstances of war and its effects on the people involved. This book is not about what happened during World War II, nor is it about Hitler or the Jews. This book is about how war affects the lives of ordinary people by uprooting them from their homes. It is about people who do not wish to participate in the war and have no choice but to bare the consequences of it. At the same time, it highlights the strength of humanity where we can live through unimaginable situations. In the end, we can always find a reason to live and survive.

All the Light We Cannot See is a fictional war novel about many things. It is about the strength of a blind girl that survives through war. A confused yet an intelligent orphan boy who loves to learn but is captured in a terrible period of war. A father, trying to do his best for his daughter. A sister who is worried that her brother will get influenced by Nazi ideologies. A soldier from World War I who loses his brother and is haunted by the ghosts of war. A friend who loses his life because he is considered too weak to serve the country. This book highlights how individual choices and freedom do not belong to you, but to your country. Only by serving the country, can you survive. Moments of weakness, betrayal, shock, horror, and hope are what makes this book so special and real.

“Wherever her great-uncle is, could he have survived this?
Could anyone?
Has she?”

“Walk the path of logic. Every outcome has its cause, and every predicament has its solution. Every key its lock.  You can go back to Paris or you can stay here or you can go on.”

*Spoiler Alert* Below is a detailed summary of the book which reveals some of the plot points.

Marie Laurie is a blind girl who loses her eyesight due to cataract at a very young age. She lives in Paris with her father, who loves her dearly and works at the Museum of National History. Her father builds a miniature version of the neighborhood for his daughter so she can navigate through the area independently when the need arises. Marie regularly accompanies her father to the museum and this is where she learns about a valuable blue diamond, the Sea of Flames, and its legendary curse. When the German army invades France, Marie Laurie and her father flee from Paris and arrive at Saint-Malo to live with her great uncle Etienne.

Meanwhile, Werner Pfennig lives in an orphanage with his sister Jutta in a town called Zollverein in Germany. He is a brilliant kid with an exceptional skill in fixing radios. His talents and expertise with electronics capture attention. Soon, Werner is presented with an opportunity to study in a specialized training school in Berlin. Werner with a hope for a better future and thirst for knowledge decides to attend the school by leaving behind his sister. Only upon his arrival, he realizes that the fears of his sister were right all along – the boarding school is a place that teaches Nazi values. All the while at the boarding school, Werner does everything that he is expected to do but deep inside he is guilty and knows that he has made a wrong decision.

While the city is being bombed and attacked, Marie Laurie holds onto hope and ends up saving Werner’s life with her radio broadcasts. In turn, Werner saves Marie who is trapped in her house with a German officer. This story is about their journey, experiences and how their lives intersect during war.

“He says, “You are very brave.” She lowers the bucket. “What is your name?” He tells her. She says, “When I lost my sight, Werner, people said I was brave. When my father left, people said I was brave. But it is not bravery; I have no choice. I wake up and live my life. Don’t you do the same?” He says, “Not in years. But today. Today maybe I did.”

Miracle Creek by Angie Kim

~ Nuraine Sadaf ~ 3 Comments

Mystery|Murder|Drama|Hope

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Book Review

Miracle Creek is a story about a family that moves from South Korea to a town called Miracle Creek in Virginia for a better way of life. Pak Yoo and Young along with their daughter Mary set up a therapeutic medical device called a HBOT chamber. HBOT, is a hyperbaric oxygen chamber with pressurized oxygen. This therapy involves breathing in pure oxygen to heal patients with special medical needs. Soon, an unfortunate event occurs – a mysterious fire explosion of the Miracle Submarine, resulting in the death of two patients. Was this incident an accident or a murder? Miracle Creek is centered around this murder mystery that deals with a fast-paced and thrilling courtroom drama.

It is written by debut author Angie Kim who includes many of her life instances in this story. Angie Kim, similar to Mary’s character also moved from South Korea to Baltimore with her family at a very young age. The author tackles difficult themes such as immigration, identity crisis, and challenges of parenting based on her personal experiences. Angie Kim is a practiced trail lawyer who draws on her experiences for a realistic courtroom setting.

The story starts with a slight tension in the air followed by the fire explosion of the Miracle Submarine. From here on begins the courtroom trail, where the mother of one of the patients is charged with murder. As you proceed, the story goes into the background of the main characters involved in the accident. These include, Pak Yoo – father, Young – mother, Mary – daughter, Matt – patient of HBOT, and Elizabeth – mother of her deceased child, Henry, who finds herself accused of committing the crime.

The murder mystery keeps you gripped right from the beginning till the end. You will find yourself guessing and reaching a conclusion on who might have possibly committed the crime. Can it be the South Korean family for the insurance money? A frustrated mother? The protestors who are against unsafe medical treatments for autistic children? Or an angry wife? I personally had three suspects. I cannot say that I was surprised and neither was I certain but it was a clear ending with no loose ends.

The story is not just about solving a murder mystery but it also deals with many powerful themes and problems which we face regularly in our lives. There are many excerpts in the story which are brutally honest and true. I found myself agreeing and relating to many of them. This book deals with elements such as autism and parental challenges, immigration and its language barriers, neglected childhood resulting in teenage rebellion, infertility and self-doubt, making it a heavy and full-filling read.

“There’s something, though, about the sounds that other people make. Not talking, necessarily. Just their sounds of living – creaking upstairs, humming a tune, watching TV, clanging dishes – that blot away your loneliness. You miss them when they’re gone. Their absence – the total silence – becomes palpable.”

Coming in at just under 400 pages, Miracle Creek is an easy recommendation if you are looking for something entertaining. It is a varied and heavy read with glimpses into the lives of several different characters.

“We all have thoughts that shame us…but if that were to actually happen, that’d be unbearable”

Little Women – Louisa May Alcott

~ Nuraine Sadaf ~ 1 Comment

My dear girls, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy.

I have been a silent observer of your marvelous life story. How much I adore each one of you, I feel I know you all oh-so immensely. For this, I thank Louisa May Alcott for bestowing upon the world this wonderful, sweet story.

Many moral lessons have been wrapped around each one of my little sisters. How splendidly you’ve all grown to become women of high praise and beauty.

Meg, a girl with many dreams settles with a man who loves her true and deep. You make a wise decision of choosing love over rich fantasies. Regardless, Meg, your two beautiful souls, Daisy and Demi, are worth more than all the riches of the world.

Jo, my love. You are a diamond in the rough. Your strong will, challenging nature, talent, wit, and kindness inspire all the women, one of them being me, to be better than they can ever be. How could you be lonely, when you are surrounded by us who love you so dearly, just the way you are. 

Beth, a delicate beauty with a compassionate soul. How the hearts cried to see you in pain and misery. Yet sweet Beth calmed the crumbled hearts like a gentle autumn rain, like a little bird with its many soothing melodies.

Amy, a mischievous little girl grows up to be a charming beauty. How the worldly travels and experiences have turned you into a fine artistic lady. A keeper of Laurie’s heart, you have gotten the best of all, a lifetime of love, happiness, and memories.

Laurie, my sweet lad. You chose Jo for which I will always love you so. It hurt to see your heart break. Guess, it was all for the best. For eventually, you chose happiness and gave me hope that you would not end up being miserable and lonely. You and Amy were meant to be. 

No matter the hardships, life has taught the March family, dearest Laurie, and the readers to find happiness in little things and to face difficulties with a smile. This book creates a wonderful imagery by taking you back into the good old world where life was simple and beautiful. The Little Women is about family, love, friendship, and togetherness. This book will always hold a special place in my heart.

Yours Lovingly!

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My Sister, the Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite

~ Nuraine Sadaf ~ 1 Comment

Crime|Dramedy|Unsettling|Family

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My Sister, the Serial Killer, is a story of two sisters, Korede and Ayoola. Ayoola kills and Korede protects. This pretty much sums up the entire story.

What makes it interesting to read is the unique narration by Oyinkan Braithwaite, where a dark theme is narrated with a comic element. Though a short novel, you cannot help but get involved with the characters.

Korede, the elder sister is a nurse by profession. She is reliable, hard-working, and fiercely protective of her younger sister. At the same time she is also resentful of her sister’s flawless beauty.

Ayoola is a carefree, happy-go-lucky soul who always gets what she wants and she is used to men falling in love with her beauty almost instantly. She is extremely close to her sister and shares all her secrets with Korede, including the murders of her boyfriends.

Every time, Ayoola kills a man, she summons her sister by saying, “Korede, I killed him.” As always, Korede goes running to save Ayoola and tries her best to clean up her mess. But, what happens when Korede’s long love interest, Tade, falls for Ayoola’s beauty too? Will she save her sister or Tade?

My Sister, the Serial Killer, is Oyinkan Braithwaite’s debut novel. It is a dark comic fictional story which is easy to read and the story flows really well. At first, you feel the storyline does not progress beyond Ayoola’s beauty, how she is the favorite child, and Korede though being smart always feels worthless. But soon, the story picks up pace, a lot more characters come into the picture and the story evolves.

When Korede finds out that, “More than three murders makes you a serial killer”, she is clearly frightened and worried for her sister. Ayoola’s merry disposition after committing the crimes makes it all the more weird. Introducing another character in the story, Muhtar – a coma patient, who is Korede’s only source of comfort and companion with whom she shares all her secrets and thoughts.

My Sister, the Serial Killer, deals with crime, loyalty, love, an abusive father, and gender roles. This tale also has undertones of self-worth, dependency and frustration with Korede always feeling that she is a step behind Ayoola. It is about family-ties, where both the sisters feed off each other and are equally guilty of their crimes. Ayoola for committing them and Korede for hiding them. Like the author herself says, “They are two sides of the same coin.” This book is a quick, fun, and interesting read.

Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens

~ Nuraine Sadaf ~ 1 Comment

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Heart-felt|Drama|Mystery|Feel Good

One morning, Kya wakes up and watches her mother walk out of the door and she knows life will never be the same again. Where the Crawdads Sing is a story of a young girl left alone in an isolated marshland and an intriguing murder mystery of Chase Andrews.

Catherine Danielle Clark, commonly known as Kya, is the main protagonist. This six-year old girl learns to survive alone in the marshland when her dysfunctional family abandons her at an early age. The murder investigation is of handsome Chase Andrews, who is a popular kid in the neighborhood and his association with Kya, ends up making her a prime suspect. It is typical for readers to feel pity for Kya, however, author Delia Owens’ beautiful narration conveys how every weakness contains within itself a strength.

This fictional novel is written by debut author Delia Owens whose extensive knowledge in nature, wildlife, birds, and of course marshlands creates a beautiful imagery. It makes the book all the more interesting to read as it takes you closer to nature and you can truly experience Kya’s adventures and her intense connection with the natural world.

The growth of Kya’s character and the murder investigation gives this book a powerful and engrossing storyline. Your heart goes out to Kya when she waits in vain for her family to return. During times of loneliness and trouble Kya always relies on nature, her seagulls, and birds for companionship and solace. Then, Tate comes in the form of hope, who remains by Kya’s side as a friend, a great support, a mentor and a companion. When Kya gets a little confident, she meets Chase Andrews and tries to explore the other side of the world, until the unthinkable happens. This book takes you on a journey of emotions, there is sadness, fear, joy, pride, passion, love, hope, and peace. It is a wonderful tale of a “Marsh Girl”, a murder and nature’s secrets.

Where the Crawdads Sing is a fantastic piece of work and it is difficult to put down the book once you get into its world. I wanted to remain in it and did not want the story to end. All the hype about this novel is true, it is a must-read!

Snow, Glass, Apples – Neil Gaiman

~ Nuraine Sadaf ~ 1 Comment

#BookReview

Who would have imagined that the fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs could be rewritten with a spine-chilling twist?!

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Snow, Glass, Apples is nothing that I expected it to be. It is dark, bizarre and it is a story that shows the flip side of fairy tales. Fabulously narrated by Neil Gaiman, this classic story is familiar yet so unfamiliar.

This dark-themed fantasy fairy tale is a story of a queen who tries to save her kingdom from her blood-thirsty vampiric stepdaughter. The story is grim, terrifying and gripping, making it impossible for the readers to put down the book once they get into its enchanting world.

The graphic images in the book are a work of art. They are intricate, intriguing and impressive which add more depth to the narration and captivate the reader’s imagination by bringing the words of the story to life.

This book is decorative and a stylish piece of art which is a must-read for all graphic novel fans and bookworms as it will take their world of imagination to a whole new level.

Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday

~ Nuraine Sadaf ~ 2 Comments

#BookReview

The book Asymmetry by the new author Lisa Halliday evoked many mixed emotions. I couldn’t say I really liked the book neither can I say that it was terrible.

The book started off really well with Mary-Alice, a young editor, sitting at a park bench beside a supposedly popular writer. His identity is hidden for the first ten pages. However, when the “famous writer” Ezra Blazer’s name is thrown randomly in the middle of the story, it makes you wonder why was his identity hidden if he was going to be introduced so lamely.

The absurd relation between the aged writer, Ezra and Mary-Alice can sometimes be uncomfortable to read when the author writes so crassly about their intimate moments like when Alice asks Ezra over a phone call if he wants to meet for a “Fucky Fuck?”. Some parts in the book just lack refinement, there is a paragraph on farts, a random woman retching in the subway, and many such weird inclusions that are absolutely unnecessary.

Asymmetry includes three parts: Folly, Madness, and Ezra Blazer’s Desert Island Discs.

Folly is mostly about the confused relation between Ezra and Alice. Madness gives an insight about the Iraq war and the daily struggles of Iraqis. The last part in the book is an elaborate interview of Ezra Blazer who discusses his personal life, his experiences and interests.

There are certain extracts in the book which are interesting to read and well-written. However, the book is extremely abstract, it lacks character development and makes it hard for the readers to connect with the story. Also, the exhaustive details about the unimportant characters in the book makes it very tedious to read.

The concept of including the difficult circumstances of Iraq, the war, and the determined efforts and hopes of Iraqis to achieve peace was interesting to read but somewhere the story again loses it’s impact when the author switches back and forth from the past to the present to the memories of the characters, and to the detailed unnecessary descriptions. I was hoping till the end that there would be some kind of an obvious link between the three parts of the book and that the characters, Mary-Alice, Ezra, and Mr. Jafaari would somehow get connected but the story just ended and left me disappointed. The author’s attempt of writing about justice, power, and geography turned out to be more of a mess and confusion.

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*If you have read the book, Asymmetry and liked it and can give me an insight about something that I could have possibly missed in appreciating the book, then please comment below and share your thoughts. I would love to know what you think about the book. 

The Stormlight Archive – Fangirl Alert!

~ Nuraine Sadaf ~ Leave a comment

#BookReview

I held the third book of The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson and my hands trembled.

It has been a storming journey these past few months with The Way of Kings and The Words of Radiance. A significant part of me now belongs in the realm of the Shattered Plains with Kaladin, Shallan, Dalinar, Szeth, and Jasnah Kholin. There hasn’t been an idle moment in my regular life because even when I am not reading the books, I am thinking about Shardblades, Highstorms, Chasms, Sprens, Parshendi, and of course Kaladin! Sometimes absent-mindedly when I feel low on energy I take in a deep breath hoping I could suck in some stormlight to come alive.

What can we say about Sanderson’s mastery on Worldbuilding, this imaginary world is tremendous and fantastic. It seems more real to me than my everyday life! Yeah, like summoning a Shardblade in ten seconds, feeling overjoyed when Kaladin learns the Lashings and runs with the winds, or learning how highstorms can infuse dun spheres with stormlight, did not sound surprising to me they are totally believable, and of course the concepts blew my mind.

The personalities of the protagonists are so charismatic and powerful that no amount of praise or superlatives can do them justice. At times when I am sad or in pain, I remember the struggles of Kaladin and I instantly feel better. I seek him for strength and hope. I am a beginner at sketching but every time I sit down to sketch, I feel like Shallan. I would like to believe we have similar personalities, you see! When I come across dishonorable, immoral and sinful humans, I feel hopeful thinking honor might be dead but we still have Dalinar around. I might sound crazy, but this is the kind of influence the characters have upon me. I absolutely love them and adore them. They are mine – Kaladin, Shallan, Szeth, Dalinar, and Jasnah Kholin! ALL MINE, extra love for Kaladin tho.

Now, that I am proceeding on to the next book of the series, I experience an unexplainable fear and hesitation to start. I know that I will not be disappointed by the author but as a reader I hope I continue to be at my imaginary best to thoroughly be consumed by the third book of The Stormlight Archive – The Oathbringer!

I must be truly Stormblessed to have found this epic work of art, a real masterpiece! Thank you Brandon Sanderson! *_*

“Life before Death

Strength before Weakness

Journey before Destination”

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Gently Falls the Bakula – Sudha Murthy

~ Nuraine Sadaf ~ Leave a comment

#BookReview

If you are looking for a simple and a sweet short story to read, then Gently Falls the Bakula is a great pick for a slow Sunday afternoon. Like a breeze, this story will take you into the beautiful small town of South Karnataka called Hubli, where the childhood love of the two protagonists, Shrimati and Shrikant, blossoms under the evergreen Bakula tree.

Shrimati and Shrikant are competitive, intellectual classmates and neighbors who soon turn into friends, they eventually fall in love with each other and then get married. However, this book is not just a sweet love story. It’s also about how Shrikant being an over-ambitious husband gets caught up in climbing the ladder of success in the corporate world and ends up ignoring the aspirations and dreams of his wife. Shrimati being an equally smart and intelligent woman, gives up her career and her love for history only to support her husband, Shrikant. She silently and submissively lives her life fulfilling the demands of her husband, while pushing aside her own desires and needs. After years of dominance and neglect, Shrimati finally decides to give importance to her own life and pursues her dreams.

This book deals with the old stereotypes of male dominance, submissiveness of women, women empowerment, gender equality, and small town mentality. Gently Falls the Bakula is beautifully written by the famous Indian author, Sudha Murthy.  The book highlights how one needs to give equal importance to work and family. While pursuing ambitions and fulfilling individualist dreams, one must not go so far ahead that they end up leaving behind their family and loved ones. This book is an interesting read and I recommend that you give yourself the time to indulge in this easy to read and extremely well-written, sweet short story.

Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor E. Frankl

~ Nuraine Sadaf ~ Leave a comment

#BookReview

There are many self-help books and then there is this little gem of a book. Isn’t the title absolutely captivating? We all go through the phase of existential crisis at least once in our lifetime. We all wonder what is the purpose of our lives? While some of us, have it all figured out, there are some of us who still wonder what’s the true meaning of life? And, if we do not have a hand to guide us in the right direction, then the search never seems to end. I am thankful that I found this life-changing book at just the right time when I had no clue as to where I was heading in my life. I randomly picked this book during a bus journey while I was stuck in traffic and I am certain I couldn’t have picked a better book.

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

“It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life—daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.”

In this book, Viktor E. Frankl also talks about the concept of Logotherapy which is based on existential analysis. He explains how one can always find a purpose in life even when the circumstances are miserable.

“For in every case man retains the freedom and the possibility of deciding for or against the influence of his surroundings.”

Man’s Search for Meaning, is one incredible book and is a must-read. This book can help us feel good about ourselves and appreciate life better. It teaches us how we need to be thankful of what we have and make the most of our freedom. In the end, what truly matters is for us to never give up on love and hope.