Remembering Babylon - David Malouf (Book)

Book: 5/52.

Remembering Babylon - David Malouf.

My Rating: 1/5.

I have started a new practice of accepting only books from friends and relatives who travel from abroad, provided they are by authors from that part of the world only :). So far, I have received a few Malaysians, Americans, Brits, Russians and Aussies (like this one), and a few from Finland are in the pipeline as they are bought, but the travel is taking time. Now, this one came from Aussyland last month, and it happens to be a Booker nominee, I guess that is the reason my close friend picked this one up to impress me, as he NEVER reads. I was excited to lay my hands on it, especially when I read the note on the last page (date and city/country of buying), but what a disaster it was. It almost became my reading career’s second book, which I would have put in the DNF category after the much hated “The Secret” I threw out of my 15th-floor living room window (long back). Initially, it starts on an intriguing note when a kid washes ashore after he falls off a ship and lands in this small village. The way people take him, and he becomes an acceptable part of their society. Still, it becomes cumbersome to read every chapter from the point of view of a new character, which has no introduction to the reader, and the prose keeps on going in no set direction. It goes so off track that the author simply forgets to tell us what happened next to the lost and found guy, not until the last chapter, which leads to a very dissatisfying ending. Fortunately, this was only 180 pages, yet it took its own sweet time to come to an end as I didn’t want to leave it unfinished, breaking my own record. This was definitely Booker material as it made no sense to me, now I know how it qualified but never won it in the finale. I really need a light-hearted book to wash off this one’s memory.

Do let me know if you have read this one or any other David Malouf book, especially if it worked for you. I have another from Australia, hoping that one works for me big time. 

 

The Running Grave - Robert Galbraith (Book)

Book: 4/52.

The Running Grave - Robert Galbraith.

My Rating: 5/5.

My second Robert Galbraith (read JK Rowling) book of the year, and I am smitten in love with Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott, just like I was when it all started with the first of the series. Also, this is the seventh instalment of the CB Strike series, which I must say is the best book so far, I have never read anything better from JKR, including the much-loved and admired Harry Potter series. It was an 1150+ pages long story, yet the reader in me kept on asking for more, so much that I never wanted it to finish. Incredible adventure takes us through as Robin goes undercover to one Universal Humanitarian Church after one of their esteemed clients gives them the task of getting his son out of the institution as they believe he was being brainwashed and they had doubts about UHC’s unethical practices. As always, there is so much going on in their own lives, on top of that, this one assignment with a few smaller projects that they both go through during the story was thrilling to read. But this time, Robin takes the limelight away from Strike so much that at times, I was praying for her well-being and mentally asking her to “get the hell out of the situation”, realising Strike was also doing the same, but she won’t get out till she has got the work done and how. As I mentioned earlier, this one undoubtedly will show up in my top 10 suspense thrillers right around Madam Christie’s novels; it is indeed that fantastic. And let me give you a hint, if only you have read other Strike novels, that their love story (in their world and way) does take a few new steps. To know more, you have to read this one as my words do no justice to terrific writing. 

I will be eagerly waiting for the TV series to come out so I can put faces to some of those amazing characters Robert Galbraith introduces us in this one. Do let me know if you have read this one or if you have a personal CB Strike favourite book, I have read them all and loved them too. 

 

Moby Dick - Herman Melville (Book)

Book 3/52

Moby Dick - Herman Melville

My Rating: 2.5/5

Every year, I challenge myself with some real hard books (meaning tough nut classics) to check if I am still up for some of them who make it to an all-time 100 books that one must read before dying. This was a part of that adventure that took its toll on me for almost 15 days I fought hard with myself not to abandon it and somehow finally finished. 550+ pages and a straightforward revenge drama of a seafarer who loses a limb on one occasion and vows to find the culprit white whale named Moby Dick. How He Does It Taking Three Years, Adventure is the book with so much commentary thrown for good measure by Mr Melville with no respite for the reader but to plough along as the action takes place only in the last 50 pages, you get the hint. If you are attempting this and about to abandon after the first 100 pages, as a lot of people do - jump right ahead to the last 50 pages, and you can thank me later. It has its Indian connection, too, as the captain himself is an (American) Indian who talks a lot about Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and his favourite Shiva with his theory of Shastra’s found underwater that are protected by whales. I must say it was a very tough read as I simply couldn’t digest his prose and later found out that I wasn’t the only one feeling the same. Now that I am done with it, taking a break with my favourite fiction writer before preparing myself again for the next challenge (War & Peace). 

Do let me know if you have read Moby Dick, did it work for you? Also, let me know which one was the toughest book that you read that you were about to abandon but still went on to finish it (or didn’t). I would love to add them for next year’s challenge, this year I am covered with those two for sure.