Wintergirls: Laurie Halse Anderson

Wintergirls. What do you think when you read these words and see the cover? Maybe you think the story is  about a clique of fashionable teenage girls or it's most probably a kind of a book you wont ever pickup because it sounds like average high school drama. Yeah, I completely get you because that is exactly why I read this book months later despite having it for so long.

Eventually, I googled Wintergirls up and began to read a few pages, I figured it was a totally different world; it spoke a whole book about Anorexia and Bulimia. Both the topics which I knew about but didn’t consider it important. At all.

To begin with all those who don’t know about Anorexia and Bulimia:

Anorexia:  Anorexia is an eating disorder which happens most likely to a girl or women. It’s a condition in which the patient begins to loose weight and begins to all most starve. It can be a threat to life and becomes a psychological disorder in higher levels, it is also known as anorexia nervosa.

Bulimia: Like Anorexia Bulimia is also an eating disorder, but in this the patient eats excessively and then vomits or exercises excessively just to become thin. It is also known as bulimia nervosa.

                                                                  

                                                                              Wintergirls:

18 year old Lia and Cassie have been best friends ever since they were in 4^th grade. In the summer before their senior year Cassie decides she no longer needs the company of Lia. The night in which Cassie is found dead in a motel room she sends sends 33 messages to Lia, apologizing for her behaviour but Lia didn’t reply to them at all, she took no action. If she had she could have saved her best friends life. After all, they had both taken up an oath to become the Skinniest girls in the school.

My Opinion:

Laurie Halse Anderson writes brilliantly and I am NOT being sarcastic. She is one of those few YA novelist who write about things that effect teenage lives, like this one, anorexia. Her words are so strong they make you vividly see what is wrong and what is right. While reading I figured it wasn’t the characters that intrigue me, in fact I didn’t care about them at all. The main character had no personality, and she didnt need one either she was a ghost of her own, but the other sideline characters seemed a little off track because the book was firmly centered around Lia and nothing else. I wanted was the storyline to continue because that in itself was brilliantly planned out, captivating and most of the times really sickening.

I wanted to throw this book at times (but I couldn’t since it was in my computer I couldn’t afford doing that). It was a really gross and totally disgusting way of thinking about food but in a way it made me think of something I really wouldn’t have ever in my life. I mean, who measures their food? 

“ Because I can’t let myself want them because I don’t

need a muffin (410), I don’t want an orange (75) or toast

(87), and waffles (180) make me gag.”

Its sick and unhealthy in an ironic way. Wintergirls made me look at how many calories I ate per day which was the exactly opposite message of the book. Its not only the physical problems she’s having but its also the daily trauma she is facing because of the death of her best friends which breaks her mental level from bad to even worse. I would say to read this book at your own risk I dont think I need to explain why. If you think you can handle it, the book is 13 + and I would recommend it to any girl whether thin or fat.

Oh yeah, to all the parents, think of all the times you say get thin to your children because if by any chance they do take you seriously, you’ll be in for great trouble. 

4 Stars for an awesome, moving and powerful YA novel, which speaks the truth about a topic not taken seriously.   

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Catherine Called Birdy

I got this book as a surprise gift for my Birthday from Cambodge Bist (My brother) and I am ever so thankful for him to give me this book!

Catherine Called Birdy:

Catherin Called Birdy was given to me by
my brother, Cambodge Bist for my
birthday! 

Catherine nicknamed Birdy lives in the year 1290, she is fourteen years old and has been suggested by her elder brother a monk called Edward to keep a dairy to help her grow ‘less childish and more learned’. She will tolerate writing her dairy only if it keeps her from doing stitching and weaving and other womanly works. The first two sentences of her dairy entry begin like this:

12^th day of September

"I am commanded to write an account of my days: I am bit by fleas and plagued by family. That is all there is to say."

The beginning of her dairy entry starts off with rebellious entries in which she writes two or three sentences summing up her day up her day. Soon afterwards, she begins to tell the account of  her days describing holidays, her fathers schemes of forcing her to marry to unpleasant men and the daily torturous chores she has to put up with. 

"Now my father, the toad, conspires to sell me like a cheese to some lack-wit seeking a wife."

She loves her mother entirely but hates the fact all she does is teach her to lady things which will help her after marriage. Marriage a word she greatly despises, ever since she has become of age she throws suitors off dismissing them in cruel ways. But not after long her father whom she also secretly calls the Toad,  finds an old ugly suitor for her, from which she cannot find a way out. She has to marry him, without pulling out any pranks, because there is no time left.  

My Opinion:

I had no idea that I would ever get a birthday present from my brother who ordered this book (again from flipkart) for me from Karnataka all the way to Delhi. It’s not his usual style, you see he rarely gives anything. I got Catherine called Birdy three weeks after my birthday, during exams but it didn’t stop me from reading it. It one of those novels you cant put down until it over so I finished it in the same day in a few hours. It ended so abruptly I didn’t know what to think of it, I was laughing a lot neat the end but there was also a tinge of pity. It was The End. There was no sequel. I wanted one.

Besides my sadness for the unexpected ending, I completely Adored it and as I have mentioned before, the books that I love are the books that I cant describe at all. The best way to describe it is by:

For the brilliant writing, awesome protagonist and cunning humor!

  

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Bookish life’s Paradise: Daryaganj

I don’t like Delhi as a whole, and I have good reasons for it. There is an endless list of the bad sides of Delhi; believe me the topic can never even end for a life time. Here is a fact, “Every bad guy has a good guy inside”. Delhi necessarily isn’t the bad guy but its got bad habits, however there is some good in it too. For me one of its good sides is Daryaganj. Daryaganj isn’t neat, not the best place in the world, again there are bad sides in it too. It’s filthy- yes, it’s unhygienic-yup, it smells-A LOT, is it the best book lovers paradise? Duh!

The Daryaganj Book Bazaar is 4 Km long which all most
looks endless because of the crowd. You'll have to be a
serious book lover to get through it. 

If you are in Delhi and you read, what are you doing?! Go to Daryaganj! It’s a huge second hand market which almost looks never ending. Besides selling books it’s also famous for its special Non vegetarian food and there are numerous publishing companies who have there offices established there like Oxford University Press, S. Chand & Co. and how can I forget to mention Rupa Publications!  The second hand book market is opened only on Sundays from 7 am. You can buy any book; I mean literally any book from new editions to your grandpas old generation of love stories. The best thing about it is that there are no price ranges in this market, if you’re really good at bargaining. 

Last Sunday, I went to Daryaganj by the Metro, as usual it’s so crowded at times you can’t even see the book you want to buy. Believe me; you have to be a sincere book lover to pass through the masses of crowd. The pavements are filled with 200 book sellers with no space to even walk rather then choose the book you want. Random pickpockets are always lurking beside you looking for every chance of steeling. I was so protective about my books; I carried my backpack in front of me, this way there was no probability of my beloved books being stolen.  Anyway, I stayed there for at least two hours and I bought ten books for Rs.800. All of you who don’t really read much might think that was a pretty hefty price. Only it wasn’t. If you go to Connaught Place the heart of Delhi, I swear I would have gotten those books for minimum of Rs.2821. So practically, I am showing off that I saved up Rs. 2021.

Books Name	Author’s Name	I brought it for (in rupees)	Original Price (in rupees)
Godfather	Mario Puzo	100	221
Emma	Jane Austen	100	125
Message in a Bottle	Nicholas Sparks	100	220
The Memoirs of Geisha	Arthur Golden	115	476
Anne of Green Gables	LM Montgomery	20	135
Catch 22	Joseph Heller	120	250
Gone With the Wind	Margaret Mitchell	100	281
Melody	VC Andrews	20	447
The Lost Hero	Rick Riordan	125	666
Total=10		800	2821

I mostly bought classics from here, since they are the cheapest, if you look carefully above; I even brought two books for Rs.20 which are in a good condition and I am so sure that one of them has never been even read. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan was released in September 2010 and it’s only seven months with a small tear at the back and its selling for Rs 125! Shocking, isn’t it? If I had looked closer enough I am sure I would have even gotten my self a book at least two months old in the same price.  

There aren’t only novels I could see really fat Engineering books lying in the pavement, old NCERT books, a book about how to become a successful Psychologist, all sorts of magazines from Femina to ELLE, Harry Potter books for Rs.100 and many Hindi novels selling for Rs.5.  Books weren’t only in English and Hindi, I’ve seen Urdu, French and amazingly even Italian. In Daryaganj you need patience, good bargaining skills and enough body resistance to not to hurt you neck while stooping down looking for books because trust me my neck still hurts.

In the end, you can go to Kahn Market to show off how much you love books by their prices, hardbound covers and lovely delicate pages. But a book lover like me who doesn’t earn at all but wraps its penniless soul to the dirty second hand books lying in the pavement just for the sake of enjoying a book; ignoring its deformities, its dirt filled cover and its torn old rusty pages. 

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The Indian Memsahib is BACK

Suchita Malik the author of The

 Indian Memsahib: The untold Story 
of a Bureaucrat's Wife

After the Rupa Incident, I expected this book to be at least mediocre. I had gone through so much distress and panicking and happiness to attain this book and what do I get? Nothing. Besides my mothers happiness for the correct print.

The Indian Memsahib: 

The Indian Memsahib is about an independent, ambitious women called Sunaina who falls in love and marries and IAS officer called Raghu who is extremely naïve and honest. In the process she sacrifices her job for the cause and travels along with her husband. She accounts all their travels, mixed with challenges and the ups and downs of life.  

My Opinion:

The Indian Memsahib: The untold story of a bureaucrat’s wife. Oh, really? Indian Memsahib my foot! Suchita Malik should have written The Indian Sahib: The Q & A story of an IPS Officer. Period. Nothing more and nothing less, this title best describes the book.

My example:

“What do you do in you job?” asks the wife.

“Oh, me? I  do this and I do that, but you don’t really wish to know the detail but,” he hesitates,

“oh! Please do tell! If you don’t, how will I continue with my life? You telling me about your job is a dream come true!” says the wife.

 “ anyway if you want to know then I…” The husband speaks dragging on and on and on.

“How do you do it?” inquires the wife again looking so hyper oozing with excitement.

 “I know everything. I am just so honest and determined to do my work.” Says the husband naively.

I hope that clears the explanation of my title. Three-Fourth of the book consists of Sunaina's questions and the answers of her husband Raghu. Another problem I faced while reading the book was the fact Suchita Malik tried to uses as many synonyms as possible.

For Example:  

Sunaina is sitting comfortably at ease and relaxed in the couch. Raghu comes back home he is in tension , worry is grasping him and he is extremely anxious.

I hope you understand what I want to convey. If you want to ignore my words and keep reading it please look out for wrong grammar, bad sentence formation and spelling errors, that at least might keep you entertained. Seriously, what do Indian editors do while reading…can they even read?

For being the topping among the worst books I have EVER read

Additional Information:

While surfing google I just found that there is a second book to The Indain Memsahib which just released this February. The new book is called the The Memsahib Chronicles: A story of Grit and Glamour. Its twenty years ahead from which the Indian memsahib ended continuing the story of Sunaina who now describes the privileges of her world, but doesn’t agree with them in a positive point of view.  I am ever so sorry Mrs. Suchita Malik but I sincerely don’t wish to read this, I am extremely sorry I cant give you another chance especially after reading The Indian Memsahib. 

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Graced with Graceling

Last week, I got Graceling by Kristin Cashore from Flipkart-I had ordered it. As a matter of fact, it was supposed to come in 11^th April but I got it sixteen days earlier! I was so excited that I took pictures of it to capture the moment forever:

I got my book from Flipkart, packed up neatly and safely at around 6:00 PM.


 

I opened it up: The book is so slippery and SHINY! It smells so good :D

Its twinkling in the light! My Graceling..sigh!!

Finally the cover: "Spellbinding"!

Graceling:

Katsa’s been able to kill a man with a her bare hands ever since she was eight years old. It’s not that she likes killing, she hasn’t planned it either, she was born with it or you can call it Graced. Gracelings, in the land of the Seven Kingdoms are identified by their unmatching eyes, as soon as they settle the King takes them into his service so he can use whatever unusual talent they contain. Katsa, the niece of King Randa of Middluns has the grace of killing. King Randa, having control over her forces her to serve as his assassin making her hate herself for what she is and what she does. To hide her ruthless demeanor she has started up a movement to save people, which is when she acquaints with Prince Po, a Graceling from another land called Lienid who is graced in fighting. He has come to Katsa's city, in Middluns to find his Grandfather and he is sure Katsa has something to do with it.

My Opinion:

I don’t have any favorite author but one that borders around it is: Kristin Cashore. Her debut novel itself started from Graceling and I have to admit most first time novelists tend to screw up with their fresh ideas. The case with Ms.Cashore was quite the contrary she builds a imaginary world of the Seven Kingdoms containing all types of kings and maintains the imperfect harmony withstanding between them. Her words seem to flow so naturally, when we cant even imagine them being used in our daily lives.

Kristin Cashore one of the best
debut authors in YA Literature 

Her characters are so flawed making as many as tiny mistakes like we human beings do, unlike some characters in other novels whose settings tend to have flaws but not the characters themselves. Katsa an unusual girl warrior is one of my favorite characters. In her journey of self discovery Katsa doesn’t even know who she is until the end, you can see her blossom into someone independent and capable of making her own decisions and truly, not someone else’s puppet.

Other characters such as Po, the Prince of Leinid, has a mysterious aroma surrounding him, he withholds a terrible secret that might spread through the Kingdoms like fire and betraying the loyal trust of all his beloveds, his father-the king, his seven brothers and even Katsa of Middluns. Princess Bitterblue the cousin of Prince Po and also the daughter of  the King of Monsea, Leck, intrigues the reader very much (it will intrigue you more if you know the third book is based on her). Her role develops quite rapidly, a frightened child to being responsibly equipped to dealing with situations she would have never dreamed of earlier.  

All in all, it’s a must read for every Young Adult Fantasy Lovers! If you liked Graceling, I would really recommend you to pick up “Fire” a prequel to Graceling by Kristin Cashore which is set thirty-five years before the story of Katsa and also “Bitterblue” which will be released near September 2011, set in a time six years ahead of Graceling. 

For an amazing plot, the most amazing debut novel and for Graceling being my favorite novel and Kristin Cashore being my favorite author.  

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