Friday, December 27, 2019

#BookReview: Imaginary Friend - Stephen Chbosky

Rating:


3.5/5 Book Emojis


Format Used: 

Paperback

Publisher - Hachette India 

Pages - 706

Link to Amazon

*Note: I received a review copy of this book from the publisher Hachette India, for an honest review. The views below are unbiased and solely my own.

Review:

Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky is a coming of age novel about a boy named Christopher who experiences paranormal "hallucinations" after he moves out of Michigan with his mother Kate. Along with the people in his area, friends and enemies, he finds out some things about an unfortunate reality of the town. 


The characters in this story are very well out there but the way that the story itself is executed is quite disheartening. The opening chapters of the book are very flowy and smooth but as soon as you finish 40%, you start to understand that the author is having a great difficulty in connecting the dots to reach an ending. It is very apparent for me as a writer to see that Chbosky himself may not know what the ending would be because the occurrences in the story are amateur-ly loose ended and random in an underwhelming attempt to keep the reader hooked. 



I really felt the familiar warmth of Stranger Things through the story but in just the core plot strategy. The writing style in the first 10 chapters gave me an inspiration to write as well. I personally don't mind book lengths. The thicker the better, trust me. But the disorganised uncertainty in plot weaving left me disappointed in the potential of the author of my favourite book.

Conclusion: I personally found this book to be a great time killer for my exam season metro rides but wouldn't recommend to someone who is in a dire need of good young adult horror reads.

#BookReview: Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert

Rating:


5/5 Book Emojis


Format Used: 

Paperback

Publisher - Penguin 

Pages - 334

Link to Amazon

Review:

"...that you should never give yourself a chance to fall apart because, when you do, it becomes a tendency and it happens over and over again. You must practice staying strong, instead."




I read this book on my sabbatical after ending up with two copies gifted by two different publishers in this decade. To be very honest, I can say that reading this while backpacking across the streets of NorthEast India changed my life. I was in between Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet, on the foothills of Mount Everest, meditating with monks in ancient monasteries. All during which, this book I held in my hands, giving me a sense of purpose and a greater meaning to all of my doubts.
There were such amazing quotable portions that I ended up asking the cabin crew to get me a new pen to underline. I was reading these life lessons to the amazing travellers I met along the way. 

Definitely wouldn't recommend this book to someone who just wants to sit at home and read it because that defies the purpose of this gem. It had such a grounding, yet uplifting effect just because I was travelling solo to rediscover my lost self due to so much loss of love and loved ones this year. I'm grateful for everything since I came back home and I hope to be in this state of mind till I'm alive. Sheer bliss. :)

Sunday, September 1, 2019

#BookReview: De Profundis and Other Prison Writings - Oscar Wilde

~mini review~

Rating:


4/5 Book Emojis


Format Used: 

Paperback

Publisher - Penguin Classics 

Pages - 266

Link to Amazon

Review:

"...but Nature, whose sweet rains fall on unjust and just alike, will have clefts in the rocks where I may hide, and secret valleys in whose silence I may weep undisturbed. She will hang the night with stars so that I may walk abroad in the darkness without stumbling, and send the wind over my footprints so that none may track me to my hurt: she will cleanse me in great waters, and with bitter herbs make me whole."

It was a delight as well as an honour to read one of the most iconic breakup letters of all time. Wilde loses his charm and a portion of his literary brilliance with the passage of brutal time in prison. However, the essence of his philosophically artistic mind remains intact and can be felt by a reader who is willing to see it.

There are times when he uses wit, elaborates on his pain and uses accusations to project the pain he’s facing because of Lord Alfred Douglas. Wilde doesn’t hesitate in constantly reminding him (and sometimes even exaggerating with supreme elegance and metaphors) of the maladies he has and will have outside of prison.

At times, he uses Greek words, Latinian dictate, precise punctuation, Italian references and French phrases to “show-off” his knowledge and to belittle Bosie. He also says that he’s not religious anymore but goes on to glorify Christ’s role in being a role model for romanticism and passion.Stephen King Audience GIF by Mr. Mercedes

Conclusion: Definitely recommend it to every fan of Wilde.