The Guardian - Nicholas Sparks (Book)

The Guardian - Nicholas Sparks.

Just when I thought after reading half a dozen books from Nicholas Sparks back to back that all that mush isn't working anymore for me, he blows my mind off with a solid Bang in this one. A very sweet love story with a twist and a cute Dog thrown in pretty good measure as "The Guardian" :) and he is back with a bang in my favorite romance writers list. What a change this one books is from his usual writing and indeed super  thrilling it was, I just couldn't believe once it picked up the pace that it actually is a Nicholas Sparks novel and not from a writer who specializes in thrillers. Even the detective work thrown in with a Trainee Cop (super intelligent Romanel o) was too good and totally kept me hooked to it. The book reminded me so much of the movie "PS: I love you" but the similarity ends when Julie gets two gifts from her young husband after his death, a puppy who she names singer as he whines a lot and a promise that he will always watch her over. The ugly dog as she puts it across in the story turns out to be a great Dane :) its more of a Donkey if you ask me than a Dog but a terrific one at that. One of my friend had one and I usually stayed a mile away from his home always just because of his mammoth size. Here, he is the savior for beautiful Julie.

What amazed me about this story is the real life like characters, where Julie is a simple hair dresser in the sleepy town of Swansboro (North Carolina), she moves there because of her husband Jim and never moves out even after his death. Her support system is Jim's best friend Mike, a happy go lucky local mechanic. He is not only Jim's best friend but a great friend of Julie too and that made me think (just like Julie) that why is it so complicated when you simply fall in love with your own best friend but you are afraid of crossing the line and taking it to the next level? I too had a (girl) friend long ago and this book made me think hard that what if I had proposed her then and who knows we might have got married and lived happily ever after, but what if she had turned me down like the way Julie thinks. What if Mike says No? that ways she is going to lose a great friend too. Now coming back to my story, we still are great friends and are still in touch and now we do laugh and wonder at times why we never approached each other then :). Although both of us are happily married and love our spouses very much (vice-versa too). I so much wished that Julie, should tell the guy that she loved him and he was perfect for her but she had to fall for another guy who happens to be an Intelligent (white collared), good looking Engineer who is totally opposite of Mike. But the way this guy wins her over is terrific, the weekend she spends with him is a dream come true (as long as it lasts) and there comes a  twist. Everything isn't as rosy in real life as it looks from outside and the way story takes a turn and the Guardian comes in the picture is too good. I so much now want a dog for myself after this one that I just cant tell you but not a great Dane for sure.

The small town life, the regular people, Mike's hilarious conversations with his brother Henry who is always bullying him for not approaching Julie even after loving her big time for so long, repairing her Jeep (CJ7) always free of cost and how he tries it after his coaxing, makes up for a hilarious read. All the characters are so well written that they leave a big mark on reader like Henry's wife Emma, who is in close contact with Julie and what all they gossip about. Amanda the Salon owner for whom Julie works and her colleague who always keeps falling for the wrong guys. I wish they made a movie on this :). The book as almost all the Nich Sparks books usually are, is a breeze to read and I was able to read it in a couple of days, the suspense kept me glued and Julie's confusion of who to go along with kept me in dilemma too. How it all ends, is totally unbelievable as from Sparks standards it was shocking for me yet very well done. I will recommend it big time to romance lovers specially if you like it with a twist :) do read it and if you already have, do tell me if you like it?

Centre Court - Sriram Subramaniam (Book)

Centre Court - Sriram Subramaniam.

Sriram Subramaniam, an IIT and IIM Alumnus as mentioned on the back cover of the book has put in his best foot forward with this book (his second) and it is pretty much evident that he hasn’t left a single stone unturned in this work of fiction. Terrific is the final outcome and I must say the kind of research, analysis and background that he has done for this book is simply amazing. His passion towards the game of Tennis, music, books and movies as well as road trips, everything is pretty much visible for the reader. I myself believe in one thing, that a book or a movie is a grand success (for me personally) if it is able to make me go breathless, choke me up, make me smile, jump in air with my fist going up making a yessss! And make me go teary eyed as if a dream has come true. This one fortunately did it all in one clean sweep and bowled me over by the way it does it. Now tell, how many of you have the memory of India's victory of 1983 Cricket World cup? I was 7 years old and I can still remember the way my mom was dancing throughout the day and her 32 tooth smile, she could have killed anyone that day if Kapil Dev (the then Indian captain) would have asked her to. People born in the 70's will understand this in a better way with their own memory of not so long ago Indian victory of the same cup in the year 2011, when we lifted the trophy yet again after 27 years. I have no memory how many strangers I hugged that night and we kept chanting "Indiaaaaaa, Indiaaaaaaa...." throughout the night and that were the scene all over India. Also, how many of you actually stood up when they played the Indian national anthem in Olympics when we won a Gold medal after ages as the Indian national flag went up in the stadium. I have been an avid Formula 1 fan for last couple of decades now and I can still not forget the way I would look up to that man in number 24 (last) in the circuit couple of years back called Narain Karthikeyan, although I very well knew that he will never have a pole position or a podium finish yet he made us proud by just being there and he indeed still is the fastest Indian. This book refreshed all those memories, at lease in fiction it made me live that dream of seeing one of us at the Centre Court in Wimbledon living a billion peoples dream, win or lose it just doesn’t matter. (How? read on).

Terrific story of Shankar Mahadevan from rags to riches in the game of tennis from our part of the world where even an individual game is marred by the internal politics of state and country. The way his dad Anant Mahadevan struggles to fulfill his own dream through his son, by making him a world champion, how they do it or do they? is the story all about. Author is supremely qualified to give us a true story through his work of fiction as his own son is a National level player and I guess that’s the reason the book feels so real, not for one moment makes you feel that it is indeed fiction. The father son relationship and the way story keeps going forward and in flashback from Son as well as Dad's angle is too good. Although it took me time to get used to it but it all became very interesting to see the same episode through two different versions. How Anant grooms his son from a young kid to a mature tennis player with the help of so many coaches, mentors and experiences is terrific. How the story keeps going back in time is done so flawlessly that not for one moment it gives the reader any respite to put the book down and give it a break. It was almost like reading a perfect thriller so much that my mom actually asked me if I am having a day off as refused to sleep as I just couldn’t help it. As Shankar qualifies for the big event and goes off to play at Wimbledon the Mecca of Tennis If I may call it that. The memory of Centre Court flashed in my mind, Wimbledon for me means a chair umpire saying on PA system "Silence please..... Thank You!!" whilst the greatest of great from Tennis world played each other in thrilling games. I stopped watching Tennis after Andre Agassi retired and now I regret that I unfortunately read this book after the Wimbledon just got over, had I read it a couple of weeks ago, I would have relived the whole memory watching Federer win yet again this time. How far Shankar Mahadevan will go in Wimbledon and what all goes through in his personal life as well as in background makes up for a thrilling ride for the reader.

Brilliant is the way he has explained the whole game of Tennis for someone who hasn't played or seen the game yet. No spoon feeding but very smartly explained. I had no idea that Wimbledon Centre Court had a glass roof :) got to know that from this book. Another thing that I loved about this book is the character names. Shankar Mahadevan the kid, his dad Anant Mahadevan, chair umpire Eva Mendes :) had me in smiles all through. Plus the music, book and movie references all tell us about the Author's passion towards them. I was never a Bob Dylan fan but I guess now I've got to check his songs out after reading this book, need to know what I have missed. Also, if this book gets proper attention and gets into the hands of right people like our Sports Ministry and people are passionate about sports with some authority, it could do wonders. The way Author has picked up the little nuances of not only the game but the other things too that one needs to keep in mind while making sports legends from our part of the world. It’s so doable yet we have failed to make our mark in International arena even after a billion in population we still have no say in almost any sports barring of-course Cricket which hardly a handful of countries play. This book can be a Bible of not only Tennis but any sport if taken in the right manner. You've got to read it and read it some more as Anant Mahadevan not only fulfills his dream but what he does further is applaud worthy and the way he does it, I am sure with right funding and heart in all the right places we can certainly achieve the dream of seeing an Indian in the Centre Court lifting a Wimbledon trophy in very near future. I wish it happens in my life time though.

Have you read the book? Do let me know if you liked it, any other sports fiction from our part of the world that you know of? I do not.

And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie (Book)

And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie.

I haven't read an Agatha Christie novel for like a decade now because once you start with any of her book, it is just not possible to read one and move on to other writers. As always is the case with any Agatha Christie book that its totally hooking, engrossing read and by the time your done with it, the reader in you starts asking for more and you very well know that this appetite cannot be satisfied by any other writer as no one comes close to her standards. The guessing game as it happens with all her works is damn tough and think as hard and try as harder I could, I just couldn't guess who was killing all of them in this one too as the title suggests. I would have never picked this up as I am in no position to buy anymore books (financially :() but a very darling friend came from Bangalore and got me this and one each from Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Haruki Murakami. See I have those kindda friends and no doubt they know that I love them from the bottom of my heart, really Veekey :) I love you big time - keep them coming :) Bangalore has some real kool people I tell you.

Also, I am no poetry guy and have hardly ever read any poems or remember any barring those kindergarten poems like BaBa Blacksheep, Johny Johny, Yes Papa and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star but this one got me totally hooked and I just cant not mention it here as the book and story kept making me go back to the poem so many times (read ten for minimum) and by the time I finished the book I was not only smiling ear to ear but I had the poem by heart by then :).

Ten little Soldier boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little Soldier boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little Soldier boys traveling in Devon; One said he’d stay there and then there were seven. Seven little Soldier boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were six. Six little Soldier boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little Soldier boys going in for law; One got into Chancery and then there were four. Four little Soldier boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little Soldier boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little Soldier boys playing in the sun; One got frizzeled up and then there was One. One little Soldier boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none.

Terrific Story and what amazing suspense till the very end, if someone actually tears up the last two pages of any Agatha Christie book, I guess the reader will go mad not knowing the ending. This precisely applies to this book too even after knowing right at the very start that the Ten little soldiers (characters) are all going to die, what you want to know is who is killing them as its never a why in this story but who and how too :). Ten strangers are invited to a secluded Island which is cut off from the world, each one has a background for which he or she is supposed to pay a price although they have no idea of the same till they reach there and the killings start but by that time its too late, Island is totally cut off from the rest of the world as bad weather, distance and no boats coming back with supplies next day confirms it to all the remaining alive very next day that they are doomed. What they do next to safe guard themselves and how they keep guessing the killer among-st them as there is no eleventh person on the Island makes up for a terrific read. This is definitely one of her best works if not the totally best and I loved it. Looking forward to her other works now as I guess she in total wrote 76 novels :D.

Do let me know if you read this one, were you able to guess the killer? and if you haven't read it so far, guess its high time you read this and tell me how many times you went back to that lovely poem while reading the book :).

The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy (Book)

The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy.

When I started thinking about this book "The God of Small Things" as when did I read it last? I had no memory, all I had was some flashes here and there of Ammu the protagonist and her two kids Estha and Rahel (Twins). Also, when I read it last I had no idea what Booker Prize meant either and what it would take a writer to get one or what kind of a book / story. But now as I finished it today and sitting totally blown away by the story, I have no words as how to put two and two together for this one. Initially as I started reading the book it almost felt like another done to death topic of some part of India (read South India - Kerala to be specific) shown in bad light, people below poverty line, untouchability, illiteracy, hunger, unemployment, religion, politics and what not. But as the story progressed and I got hooked to the minutest nuances that Ms Ray has captured is truly unbelievable. Right like the way it is titled, she has left no stone upturned in her efforts to show the bleak reality on your face as it is, so much so that I could actually not only feel the heat, the smell, the colorful description of the things, I actually started reading the prose as she wanted me to read and fluently too as Ammu's kids read it backwards if you know what I mean. Like they will read a word "Rose" as "esor" so on so forth. The way they sing a song word to word typical South Indian way with exact pronunciation. That's some commendable thing.

Terrific story of Ammu, her struggle, her two egg unidentical twins (a boy and a girl), her love and loss, dreams, hopes, a little happiness here and a lot of sadness there. What I loved about the book is the flow, the way it keeps coming back to the present and going back (mostly) to the flashback as how it all happened and twins get separated (and why?) makes up for a mind-blowing read. The best part of the story is the detailing and I was totally mesmerized by the way she had not only written the characters and their nuances but even the background of where it all was happening was so damn amazing, colorful and real that almost throughout I could see it all happening right in front of my eyes. If you have read any of "Gabriel Garcia Marquez" book and have gone on a surreal journey that he takes us, Ms Ray has done almost the same magic with her book. Alas! to our shock, surprise and amazement she was a one book wonder (as of recently).

It's already 48 hrs since I am done with the book but its memory is still haunting me so much (in a good way) that even after picking up an Agatha Christie as my next, I have just put the bookmark on first page and not able to start it. Memory of Ammu (for some reason I keep seeing Smita Patil's face) and her two inseparable fatherless kids (not so beautiful with no special features) who are in awe (read love) with an untouchable guy called Velutha (imagine Makarand Deshpande with specs, topless, wearing a mundu folded well above his knees knotted at waist) with a body shining with sweat and sticking saw dust overall, always smiling to look after the kids teaching them a trick or two here and there. As I said Ms. Ray's detailing is so in-depth that she has created real life characters who refuse to go off my mind, I could actually see their expressions, feel their pain(s), see the amount of sweat making their cloths go darker like the way a red shirt goes maroon with sweat all over it. The way they talk, walk, their eyes shine with little happiness although they very well know that there is no future and all they have is a hope of a tomorrow, beyond that they just do not think. If you have ever loved a love story, I guess this will supersede it manifolds, I haven't read a more beautiful love story than this one. If you don't believe me, I will recommend you pick up the book and just read the last ten pages, it doesn't work like a spoiler even if you jump straight, what beauty. And this has the best ever love making scene in the history of my book reading, NEVER I have read anything which comes any closer to this one's sensuality, simplicity and never feels out of place, its simply mind-blowingly beautiful, which not even made me smile, or made a big lump in my throat, it made me highly emotional as I knew what was coming next but still it was terrific. Take a bow Ms. Roy, you made me a fan of yours. I am definitely reading this book again and I guess will make it a yearly practice now :) the ending is so inspiring.

If you have read it, I am sure a lot of you must have, do tell me if how you like it and if you haven't, I will say its a must must read for all. It is another piece of literature from our part of the world which is timeless as of now as nothing much has changed in the last two decades of it being written, I am sure you will agree with me on that. I totally loved it. With that I believe now I will go to her next book which came out recently with certainly very high hopes and wish that it works for me exactly like the way this one did. 

Sita: Warrior of Mithila - Amish Tripathi (Book)

Sita: Warrior of Mithila - Amish Tripathi.

Amish Tripathi and Ashwin Sanghi are the two guys because of whom I started reading mythological fictions big time and have actually discovered some really fantastic books (Palace of Illusions and Karna's wife). Shiva Trilogy (from Amish) was a fantastic read, no doubt, first being the best and second still was able to hold my interest unfortunately the third one didn't work (wonders) but when I heard him writing another couple of books on Ramayan, I was excited. The prequel to this one (Sita) was "Scion of ikshvaku" was a good read I will say but the way he finished it and kept the readers hanging asking for more (a closure) which again unfortunately doesn't come in the shape of Sita as this book exactly ends at the same point where the first one ended, how sad it is. Why? because he wants to make it a trilogy or may be a fourology or something. Sita for first is a drag just because he has to write the whole book on her character - he tries his level best to make it interesting which it isn't. He has actually tempered so much with the Epic that it doesn't even works like a fiction even for someone as easy to please as me who loves fictions. This was a complete disaster, although he has tried all the tricks in the trade to shatter the image of Sita I had in my mind but no ways I am going to remember this book six months down the line nor I will recommend it to anyone. Yes, he is definitely going the Chetan Bhagat way by writing a book which can be made into a superb action movie starring Angelina Jolie (Tomb Raider minus leather plus cotton and replace guns with knives) as Sita as no one can do what his Sita does in the book, totally ROFL stuff this is.

How much liberty is too much in the name of fiction? that is one question that kept coming to my mind as I kept going forward as I am one of those people who would not leave a book half read, however tuff the book could be or whatever sort of disaster it may turn out to be. But this has some serious crap that I really need to name here like using the words like "Lady Sita" as if I am reading some western epic and then the characters will be mouthing the lines like "You got to do what you got to do". Sita being five years elder then Ram was a revelation if thats true. He has actually made her a superb Warrior in his book and story, not only she is a perfect warrior but she doubles up as an Architect too. If thats not enough he actually lets her do a sort of Chariot race (Gladiator style). Vyomkesh the detective and his stories existed in the then era again was an eye opener of sorts for me (me poor unread soul). Hanuman happens to be Sita's moohn bola brother of sorts and they knew each other prior to Ram developing a connection with the great Hanuman and it doesnt end here can you believe that? Do you remember why Ram, Lakshman and Sita go for 14 years exile? Amish has a different theory for it altogether. If Draupadi can be in love with Karn in a work of fiction why cant Raavan be in love and awe with Sita? He definitely can and so does Amish's Raavan, he has feelings for Sita The Warrior. Shit just keeps getting deeper I tell you. And then they all keep calling the country "India" that was like a WHOA!! Did I read it correctly? Time was already invented as they calculate everything in hours like I will see you in half hour or may be an hour and a half later - my foot. Area names like Kerala, Mizoram, Colaba etc keep popping here there and everywhere. At one point of time imagine they actually go to a place called Mumbadevi the seven island city :) I was so looking forward that he will call it Mumbai but he doesn't.

But the best was when Sita meets Ram before marriage mind it and says somethings like "you have got to be joking" I felt like this was some NRI Sita he was talking about and she even says "I love you" to Ram before even she gets married to him. Bravo Amish Tripathi, this is the height of Fiction I should call it. There is this epic line I need to mention before I forget (the entire book) there comes a moment when someone says "Manthra is not interested in game of thrones". Can you beat that? And you know what? Pushpak Viman was actually a 737 Aircraft which can bloody take 100 Lankans for a ride at a time with Raavan and his brother Kumbhakaran on board too. Amish had actually run out of the ideas I guess while writing this one as his detailing had such an uncanny resemblance to the scenic beauty of "Lord of the rings" that I just couldn't believe it. I am sure I will not be the only person pointing this out, the caves, waterfalls, mountains and palaces etc. The similarity was so much that for once I though Mr. Frodo may pop out and ask where he should go to destroy the ring :). This is I guess one of the worst botched up version of an Epic that we all have loved at one point of time. He has made it a joke but yes a thrilling ride but pointless and I am not even looking forward to the final book of the series now which will be based on Raavan. That's going to be another joke I guess as he is going to leave no stone upturned in making him a sort of a Hero. So if you have read this one already, do let me know how you liked it and if you haven't, I guess you should stay away.

PS: I was furiously angry while composing the review and I unfortunately do not read again before posting, so please excuse if I have gone overboard.

Nights in Rodanthe - Nicholas Sparks (Book)

Nights in Rodanthe - Nicholas Sparks.

I don't know why but it is always tough for me to read one book from an Author, love it and not read the next :), I am sure it happens with all of you. As I had to take a little break and travel too, couldn't travel with much load, decided to pick up my Kindle and read one of those light reads in which I can take couple of breaks in between (breaks). So, it had to be a Nicholas Sparks book as I recently finished of his earlier works and liked it too. Now, this one is a totally different (not actually) from what he writes, again a superb love story although both the leads are in their middle age, heck who cares when it comes to love. Yet, it appealed to me so much that just couldn't take my mind of the story, happenings, characters and what not. Also, it helped me loads to know that it had been adapted long back into a movie starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane :) need I say more that it became another unputdownable and again as the fate will have it, I will be watching the movie yet again and go emotional some more. What's a love story if it doesn't have a couple of twists (subtle ones may be) but they need to be here and after my experience of "Message in a Bottle" I am sort of ready to take up anything from him now and nothing shocks me, Yes! it does makes me sad to not to have my kind of ending. But then everything predictable and straight forward will make it boring too like my friend told me sometime back :) and I had to agree.

Read this, if you believe in love at first sight :), read this, if you believe that love can happen anytime, with anyone. Read this, if the meaning of love for you can be, not being together or you may not always get what you so much wish and desire, deserve is another word altogether so lets not even go there. Read this, if you have ever loved someone and lived to tell the tale. And I can give you 100 more reasons to read this as the memory of the book, characters and their story still lingers on even when it has been 48 hrs that I have finished it. Regretting so much to have read a digital version, it looks weird to keep the Kindle on my chest (right above my heart) and I refuse to get up to start a day :). Paul Flanner is a surgeon (in his mid 50's), recently divorced, having differences with his son, with a patient dead leaving a black mark on his profession, while his life goes nowhere, he is kindda slowing down - meets Adrienne (almost same age), a single mother of three, whose husband has left her for a much younger female, coping with her own daughter's depressing life. This is a story that she narrates to her daughter in flashback and how the reader is taken on the beautiful journey their short love story is, makes up for a terrific engrossing read. What happens in the course of a weekend in Rodanthe, as Paul is visiting his dead patients husband (not sure if he should) and Adrienne is filling up for her friend taking care of the Inn her friend owns while Paul stops by for a weekend while a storm passes by. Its just a "Wow" book. I so much want to see the movie now but not sure if it will leave the same taste as the book does, may be I will give it a go couple of weeks down the line. But I am not ready yet to watch the story onscreen with two of my all time favorite Actors playing the characters I loved.

Do let me know if you have read this and liked it (or hated may be). I totally loved it. And again I will recommend a Nicholas Sparks book to everyone as I move on to another set of heavy reads keeping his others works safely tucked in somewhere far from me till I take another break and grab one (or couple) of them :).