Bloomsbury Readathon : Award Winning Books
I have delayed this article for quite a long due to my reader's block but as a blogger it is my duty to review the books that I have been provided copies for. Last October, Bloomsbury had conducted a readathon for some of their award winning books to inspire more readers to read new books. I decided to pick up these books and here is my take on the same.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟)
The Graveyard Book is a book about a little boy named Nobody Owens. Bod, as his friends call him is an orphan who has the most interesting surrogate family. Having lost his entire family to a brutal murder, Bod wanders into a graveyard and here is where he finds the most amazing myth to be a reality that ghosts are real.
Neil Gaiman is a wonderful storyteller and the same is portrayed in The Graveyard book. Although, a book primarily written for children, this book is surely to captivate childrens and adults alike. The characters have been portrayed pretty detailed and there isn't a time where you will find the book to be lagging in terms of plot. Though there are instances where the book does become predictable, it is still worth a read for everyone who is or is not a fan of Gaiman. If you want to start with a book by him, you can always start with this one and I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (🌟🌟🌟🌟)
Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.
I had seen this book quite a lot in my friend's feeds but did not realise it was a sensation. Before I started with this book, I did make sure to find out as much as possible about Achilles. The central theme of the book highly focuses on the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles and is pretty much an interesting read. One could connect with the mythology of Achilles and how he was killed during the Trojan War, but this book brings out a whole new angle that shows the creativity of the author and how mythology can be presented in a different scenario as well.
Homefire by Kamila Shamsie (🌟🌟)
Isma is free. After years of watching out for her younger siblings in the wake of their mother’s death, she’s accepted an invitation from a mentor in America that allows her to resume a dream long deferred. But she can’t stop worrying about Aneeka, her beautiful, headstrong sister back in London, or their brother, Parvaiz, who’s disappeared in pursuit of his own dream, to prove himself to the dark legacy of the jihadist father he never knew. When he resurfaces half a globe away, Isma’s worst fears are confirmed.
This was my first from Kamila Shamsie and I was pretty much excited about picking up this one. Unfortunately, for me the book just did not live up to the hype and excitement that it had generated. I had put down the book almost thrice but still kept on going to finish it. The characters seemed pretty blank at times and seemed quite stereotypical with one sister being the mother of her siblings and the twins being the rebel. The book even ended on a pretty predictable climax and thus confused me on the praises that it kept receiving. The only reason that the book even worked for me was that it did try its best to show people on the how the perspective of families of Muslim origin has changed over time.
The Bombs that Brought us Together by Brian Conaghan (🌟🌟🌟🌟)
Fourteen-year-old Charlie Law has lived in Little Town, on the border with Old Country, all his life. He knows the rules: no going out after dark; no drinking; no litter; no fighting. You don't want to get on the wrong side of the people who run Little Town. When he meets Pavel Duda, a refugee from Old Country, the rules start to get broken. Then the bombs come, and the soldiers from Old Country, and Little Town changes for ever.
Another first read from an author I had never heard of before. The main reason I picked up this book was the blurb sounded pretty interesting and was quite promising. Though the reviews on Goodreads weren't as promising, my opinion is slightly different here. It is a children's book and the story has been explained as a first person perspective. One can relate to how Charlie might think throughout the book and the various situation he has been in. Though the first half of the book was pretty slow and takes time in establishing the settings revolving around the Little town, the second half moves pretty quick. Also, this book is pretty apt to aide children in explaining them about the refugee issues and how the people around the area gets affected. Do pick it up if you are looking for a light read.
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood (🌟🌟🌟🌟)
Laura Chase's older sister Iris, married at eighteen to a politically prominent industrialist but now poor and eighty-two, is living in Port Ticonderoga, a town dominated by their once-prosperous family before the First War. While coping with her unreliable body, Iris reflects on her far from exemplary life, in particular the events surrounding her sister's tragic death. Chief among these was the publication of The Blind Assassin, a novel which earned the dead Laura Chase not only notoriety but also a devoted cult following.
This was my first experience with Atwood's writing (I confess I haven't read The Handmaid's Tale yet) and I must say it was pretty overwhelming. The book does take time to get used to but after a while you realise you have become so invested in it, you cannot just put it down. The book might seem complex as you go on but trust me all the pieces do fall into place as you finish the book. A must read for Atwood's fans.
Neil Gaiman is a wonderful storyteller and the same is portrayed in The Graveyard book. Although, a book primarily written for children, this book is surely to captivate childrens and adults alike. The characters have been portrayed pretty detailed and there isn't a time where you will find the book to be lagging in terms of plot. Though there are instances where the book does become predictable, it is still worth a read for everyone who is or is not a fan of Gaiman. If you want to start with a book by him, you can always start with this one and I'm pretty sure you won't be disappointed.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (🌟🌟🌟🌟)
Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.
I had seen this book quite a lot in my friend's feeds but did not realise it was a sensation. Before I started with this book, I did make sure to find out as much as possible about Achilles. The central theme of the book highly focuses on the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles and is pretty much an interesting read. One could connect with the mythology of Achilles and how he was killed during the Trojan War, but this book brings out a whole new angle that shows the creativity of the author and how mythology can be presented in a different scenario as well.
Homefire by Kamila Shamsie (🌟🌟)
Isma is free. After years of watching out for her younger siblings in the wake of their mother’s death, she’s accepted an invitation from a mentor in America that allows her to resume a dream long deferred. But she can’t stop worrying about Aneeka, her beautiful, headstrong sister back in London, or their brother, Parvaiz, who’s disappeared in pursuit of his own dream, to prove himself to the dark legacy of the jihadist father he never knew. When he resurfaces half a globe away, Isma’s worst fears are confirmed.This was my first from Kamila Shamsie and I was pretty much excited about picking up this one. Unfortunately, for me the book just did not live up to the hype and excitement that it had generated. I had put down the book almost thrice but still kept on going to finish it. The characters seemed pretty blank at times and seemed quite stereotypical with one sister being the mother of her siblings and the twins being the rebel. The book even ended on a pretty predictable climax and thus confused me on the praises that it kept receiving. The only reason that the book even worked for me was that it did try its best to show people on the how the perspective of families of Muslim origin has changed over time.
The Bombs that Brought us Together by Brian Conaghan (🌟🌟🌟🌟)
Another first read from an author I had never heard of before. The main reason I picked up this book was the blurb sounded pretty interesting and was quite promising. Though the reviews on Goodreads weren't as promising, my opinion is slightly different here. It is a children's book and the story has been explained as a first person perspective. One can relate to how Charlie might think throughout the book and the various situation he has been in. Though the first half of the book was pretty slow and takes time in establishing the settings revolving around the Little town, the second half moves pretty quick. Also, this book is pretty apt to aide children in explaining them about the refugee issues and how the people around the area gets affected. Do pick it up if you are looking for a light read.
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood (🌟🌟🌟🌟)
Laura Chase's older sister Iris, married at eighteen to a politically prominent industrialist but now poor and eighty-two, is living in Port Ticonderoga, a town dominated by their once-prosperous family before the First War. While coping with her unreliable body, Iris reflects on her far from exemplary life, in particular the events surrounding her sister's tragic death. Chief among these was the publication of The Blind Assassin, a novel which earned the dead Laura Chase not only notoriety but also a devoted cult following.This was my first experience with Atwood's writing (I confess I haven't read The Handmaid's Tale yet) and I must say it was pretty overwhelming. The book does take time to get used to but after a while you realise you have become so invested in it, you cannot just put it down. The book might seem complex as you go on but trust me all the pieces do fall into place as you finish the book. A must read for Atwood's fans.
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