Book Review on ‘The Bone Season’ by Samantha Shannon

The world of fantasy fiction got blessed with a new series in mid 2013. Bloomsbury, the erstwhile publishers of JKR’s Harry Potter series, recognized yet another author with a flair for fiction and published the first of the series of seven a few years back. The Bone Season was recommended to me by a dear friend and avid reader; book recommendations from her have never gone wrong.

From the moment I started reading this book, I was sucked right in. The theme is clairvoyance, the setting a postmodern world where the “voyants” live in hiding lest the “rulers” of their society imprison them and the year of the story setting off is 2059. Clairvoyance is clearly classified into seven orders at the very outset so the reader gets a fair enough understanding of the way clairvoyance works. The fantasy is well woven into the more realistic world. The author has put a good deal of thought into the scientific and political field of the period; both fields are addressed in bits and pieces throughout the story, keeping the reader engrossed.

The protagonist is Paige Mahoney, a young adult fashioned after the generic protags of most fantasy fictions these days. She is plain yet outstanding, she has a complicated love life and is quite possibly special (as in the chosen one) in the grand scheme of things that the readers/fans haven’t entirely figured out yet. Clairvoyance is considered a disease in the world of our protag. The voyants live under cover much like the mutants of Marvel. The non-voyants go through life more or less unaware of them. The protag’s father happens to be a biochemist who is pretty high up in the government that’s trying to find a “cure” for clairvoyance while keeping the public shielded from the truth. And all the while the father is completely in the dark about his daughter’s covert life.

The story takes a turn for the better when Paige is whisked away to a secret city hidden from the outside world and then is selected to be trained to fight some flesh eating spirit aliens. The entire socio-political structure undergoes a paradigm-shift as Paige enters the life in the hidden city.

Parallels can be drawn between several famous characters from several different series such as Snape from HP, Haymitch from The Hunger Games and quite unfortunately a certain cold blooded being that the world now detests with characters in the novel. The similarities are subtle yet evident to fans. The book, being the first in the series, is setting down the groundwork for what promises to be a very thrilling series. Readers are eager to devour the works as they make their way out of the press. The series has put Bloomsbury once again on the watch. As several popular fantasy tales are coming to a close (most importantly GoT), the readers of fantasy fiction will have something to look forward to, putting much pressure on the young author Shannon. The writing and the emotions of the characters are very in step with the world today, which will make readers feel a kinship towards the protag. A major revelation by one of the characters at the very end will rather please a certain colourful community (IYKWIM).

Musings on Ravens

28th January, 2016

There are different ways in which people prefer to deal with sadness. Some pour their hearts out to their best friends and have a good, long cry. Some lock themselves up in their bathrooms and smoke through the tears. Still others deal with it by focusing on a different kind of pain, more potent and most often brought on by their own hands.

Years of experience with myself has taught my old soul that I deal with sadness best by writing my thoughts down. It brings order to my mind. With every sentence I can feel the uneasiness dissipate and my chest stops quivering from the outpour.

They say music soothes people. It does. Provided you find the right kind of music. To soothe my frenzied thoughts I often play myself a little song. No, I take that back. It’s no little song. It’s a masterpiece of music. The Raven that Refused to Sing by Steven Wilson. The song had been recommended to me by a friend some three years ago. The album art is that of the moon with an expression of fear mingled with sadness depicted in the style of Edvard Munch’s The Scream. That and the eeriness of the song caught my fancy all that time ago.

About six months ago, Deep said to me that he felt that the song could be about me and Liz; me being the sad old man and Liz the sister he lost way too soon. I hadn’t thought about it that way until he had suggested it; I re-watched the video and cried my eyes out.

It’s one of those songs that rises and falls, with valleys and peaks of emotions. And best of all it has a story: the story of a man dealing with depression, fighting it with the memory of his dear departed sister. The Raven represents a ray of hope to the old man. He looks to the Raven for help, hoping it would call across to his sister when the darkness comes to claim him. But the Raven doesn’t co-operate.

Now, to my Potterhead eyes, the sight of the darkness creeping in on the old man like that seemed to oddly resemble the cold chill that Dementors bring. Those damp ole creatures that suck out the happiness from inside you. They make you feel as if the sun will never shine on you again, that all the positivity in the world is gone. Poof. In other words, Depression personified.

I watched the video over and over, listened to the song on loop, drowned myself in it for a time. Soon it became my go to song whenever I felt low. It became a solace to me.

Meanwhile a poem by Edgar Allan Poe had pushed its way out from the depths of my memory in time for Halloween 2015. The poem is one of Poe’s best works, in my opinion. It is called The Raven. I’ve read it with all the devotion of a true fan of the genre that Poe established and defines. The Raven comes rapping at his window one night, perches on his chamber door on being let in and keeps cawing “Nevermore” as it chills Poe’s heart with fear. The Raven tortures the poor scared soul.

In my dreams I often see a raven. It visits me while I’m walking along the memory of an old place or meeting people lost in the past. The raven makes me feel ill at ease. It brings dark forebodings to my sleeping mind; like there is some danger or sorrow awaiting me when I wake up. Whenever I wake up from one of these dreams, it is inevitably a bad day.

Speaking of dreams, Lord Shaper aka Morpheus aka Dream King aka Sandman comes to my mind. In one Sandman issue, towards the end, a lot of Ravens gather in the Dreaming. Matthew, the raven who serves Morpheus, finds himself pulled to the heart of the Dreaming where more of his kind had begun to manifest. He doesn’t want to be there but he has to because by his nature, he must go where his calling truly is. To understand what this means one must know that ravens are scavengers. Wherever there is death and decomposition, thence ravens arrive sooner or later. Matthew had to go to the heart of the Dreaming because it was dying, along with all of its occupants.

When I had read this issue in late November, further fear had gripped me. Why were there ravens in my subconscious? What was dying/dead? 

Review on The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie

The Literature section of the library of an engineering college tends to go unvisited by generations (read batches) of students. It is in one such ignored, dust laden shelf that I found a copy of Salman Rushdie’s The Enchantress of Florence. The last Rushdie work that I had read was Shalimar the Clown, back in 2011. So I was eager to delve into this book that promised enchantment.

The story revolves around an enigmatic ancestor of Emperor Akbar, how and why she got lost in the ages of history and the long awaited reclamation. Akbar’s court is described with all the grandeur that historians attribute to that most glorious period of Indian history. The musings of the emperor himself cast a regal penumbra about the character. There are several advantages of using a historical figure as a character in a story For one, the character is already well drawn out. Popularity of the character among readers builds on the familiarity to develop story that is warmly welcomed. Of course, there are disadvantages too. One must be careful not to temper with the attributes too much, lest the essence of the character is lost.

The characters were represented beautifully. Jodha Bai’s tale is second to none but The Enchantress herself. The parallels drawn between Florence and Fatehpur Sikri and their respective inhabitants, make the two cities twins in many respects. The traveller from Florence who claims to be a distant relative of the Emperor carries with himself the tale of the forgotten princess. The strange, mystical traveller is a multi-talented weaver of magic who quickly becomes one of the emperors favourites, one that even the Precious Nine begin to detest. One of the central themes of the book is magic, enchantments that work across the tides of time. The author reinforces the power of “words” in the following quote:

“.....witchcraft requires no potions, familiar spirits or magic wands. Language upon a silvered tongue affords enchantment enough.”

Towards the end of the book, the cold knife of reason slices away much of the magic from the climax. As an emperor, Akbar must decide the best, most reasonable way to explain away the claims of the traveller. Although in his heart of hearts he wanted to believe the traveller, he has a greater responsibility to uphold towards his kingdom, people and heritage.

The book gave me a little bit of magic to disappear into during the first, most difficult week of my move to Durgapur. It was a welcoming gesture from the library that now provides me with delights every time I visit its rich collection.

Book Review on The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee

The first question that the layman would ask before reading this book is: “Will I be able to understand what he’s talking about?” The answer to that question can only be found out once you decide to give it a read. The gene is a word that is heard frequently enough, yet there are so many levels of misconception surrounding its very concept. Most students of science fail to define it precisely. The time is ripe for the general population to be made aware of what the gene is and why it is important; because we are living in an age when the gene is revolutionizing every sector of life, from domestic to industrial. Never before has it been more important for us to understand the scope of the field that is based on the discovery, manipulation and regulation of the gene. The stage is set for biotechnology to take over, and unless the layman understands the science behind the technology, we will only be cultivating a fear of the unknown.

Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee is a cancer biologist whose debut novel The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer brought him to the attention of scientific literature readers. The genre is dominated by Isaac Asimov, Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins and other scientists of acclaim. One often wonders if a scientist has the flair to write literature that would be comprehensible to readers of non-scientific background. And Mukherjee achieves excellence in getting his point across. With meticulous dedication, he has compiled a history of the search and discovery of the gene, from the early Greek theologian beliefs to the modern day application and future implications of the same. He combines scientific information with literary grace, in a truly rare style. The cherry on the cake is his family’s back story which brings the intimacy that the reader needs to connect with this discussion on the gene. Readers realize that we have all encountered this enigma in our bloodlines one way or another, and that helps us develop a better understanding of the author’s work.

Perhaps my review of this book is somewhat biased, because I have a better understanding of the field than the average reader. But I have had many a difficult moments in getting my peers to understand what my area of interest is all about. To top it off, there is an apprehension among the masses when they hear the word genetically modified, like it is a taboo to consider buying genetically engineered food because it is “unnatural”. Without even realizing it, we have been reaping the benefits of biotechnology for centuries. Some of the most common examples that introductory biotechnology courses cite to beginners is about the fermentation of Baker’s yeast to make bread, alcohol fermentation and, of course, the use of the Lactose converting bacteria to make curd.

With beautiful storytelling skills, the author tells us the story of the discovery of the gene as the hereditary unit of life. Simultaneously, he tells us the story of his family being blighted by hereditary illnesses of the mind. Once he has brought us up to date on where the gene stands today in terms of social understanding, he takes us on a journey to the future where the scope of genetic engineering can lead us. Another important part of history that he artfully addresses is the experimentation by Nazi scientists on humans during the period of the Second World War, horrific events that led to the establishment of the Nuremberg code. The era of inhumane human experimentation had smeared the entire field of genetics for decades. And even now, experiments/ studies on humans and animals are considered dangerous and unethical. There are many social, ethical and legal conundrums surrounding the genetic manipulation of not only humans, but plants and animals also.

This is an essential book to read and one that I would suggest to my peers so that they have a better, a clearer understanding of what it means when they say, “It’s in my genes.” Heredity and its implications are very often misinterpreted by even the most literate individuals. It isn’t unusual to find well-read people considering hereditary illnesses in a child the explicit fault of either or both of the parents. In most cases, people blame the mother for not eating well enough (for example) for having given birth to a child with some form of rare genetic defect such as an extra chromosome. This is because people do not understand the complex mechanism that goes into the making of a living being. And it’s very easy to slander what one doesn’t understand. Another important reason to read about the gene is to begin understanding cancer, for cancer is a result of genes malfunctioning, one way or another; albeit the triggers may vary.

Readers will enjoy this book because of Mukherjee’s style of writing, his references to contemporary and classic cultural influences and his well timed sense of humour. One certainly hopes the author continues writing, because the genre of scientific literature could use authors such as Mukherjee to keep the flame burning and illuminate the masses.  

Book Review on Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

This was my first dalliance with the Young Adult novels of today. I had seen this book being flashed excitedly by bookstagrammers and had therefore decided on giving it a read to judge for myself what the fans seem to like.

I hadn’t read any of Sophie Kinsella’s previous works. In fact, I was completely unaware of her as a writer. I assumed that she was a young author and this was perhaps her first book. On opening this gloriously bright covered copy of the book, I found out that Kinsella had previously written a series of novels about the life of a shopaholic. Meaning, she was a writer of some standing among the pop readers of today.

Coming to the book, it was an easy read. And I don’t mean that as a complement. The story was not challenging in its concept, nor was it spectacularly written. The writing style was plain and painfully repetitive whenever the author could not express the complexities of teenage emotions. Some pop readers like this style of writing because it is easy to comprehend. It is the kind of book which you can easily multi-task with. I imagine one can even keep up a riveting conversation while having the audio-book version of this novel playing in the background. The protagonist, Audrey suffers from social anxiety and the story revolves around her family life while she is recovering from an episode at school. Her mother is described as paranoid and easily influenced by the print media. She fears that technology will make her children unhealthy and shorten their life spans. The father’s presence in the story is only of relevance when he is present with the mother. Otherwise, he is mostly non-existent. The family has three kids; the elder teen Audrey, her brother Frank and their much younger baby brother. In the most predictable manner of plots, Audrey’s life at home changes when a boy enters her life. The knight in shining armor here is Linus, Frank’s friend and gaming partner.

The best portrayed character, in my opinion, is Frank. His characteristics and appearance in the plot draws the interest of the reader and you wish he had a story of his own that you could delve into. At times, one desperately desires to reach across to Audrey and tell her that her fears, excitement and anxiousness around Linus are completely normal and felt by almost every teen; the butterfly feeling. Perhaps her condition prevented her from differentiating good excitement from actual danger. But could her therapist have been blind to these obvious feelings too? There was no clear message on the author’s take on social anxiety. We get to see how Audrey’s family, friends and neighbours treat her and that’s about it. The plot moves through Audrey’s transition with respect to her relationship with Linus. And one wonders if that is all it takes to feel normal and accepted in society: a boyfriend.

I would have loved reading about Audrey finding herself instead of Audrey finding a boyfriend. That would have been the kind of message that needs to be sent out to young teenagers who actually read and follow this genre. The fact that it didn’t only goes to show why our society and teen culture is as it is. Kinsella had started out by developing a character that had a lot of potential. But Audrey remained unfound at the hands of her own creator.

Book Review on Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

This is the story of Sierva María de Todos los Ángeles, a maiden of twelve who had the misfortune of getting bitten by a rabid dog. Garcia Marquez describes her as being inspired from a legend his grandmother had told him about. But he brings the character to life by peppering her with attributes characteristic of his writings. Spoilers ahead, tread with care. 

To understand the circumstances of the protagonist, we are given a generous peek into the lives of her parents. Her father Ygnacio, who was the Marquis of the small but rich town of Casalduero is described as a romantic. He fell in love with the enigmatic Dolce Olivia but was forbidden from marrying her because she was an inmate of the loony house next door to him. He was then forced into marrying the reputable Doña Olalla who brought music into his hitherto dull life. Just when life was looking up for him, Doña Olalla was struck down by a lightning bolt that not only killed her but also his faith. Bernarda Cabrera then stormed into his life, the reaping of their vicious lovemaking being the unfortunate Sierva María. Cast aside by parents who wanted nothing to do with her, she was brought up by the many black slave-women of the house. The formidable Dominga de Adviento took over her upbringing as well as the overseeing of the house, for Bernarda had busily engaged herself in the trade of slaves for flour and Ygnacio had submitted to reclusion.

Consequently, Sierva María grew up to be a mystical creature with habits that were deemed nothing short of strange to a person of her color and birth. The rabid dog’s biting her, however, brought her peculiarities to be diagnosed as demonic manifestations. She was then subjected to a horde of treatments which only resulted in inflaming the bite on her ankle. Her protestations were perceived as the work of the devil. Misunderstood even by her father, who feared she was indeed infected with something far worse than rabies, she was handed over to the Convent of Santa Clara. The nuns there, especially the abbess Josefa Miranda, exaggerated her actions, adding fuel to the fire of the rumours surrounding the girl.

Father Cayetano Delaura then entered the scene as the Bishop’s choice for the exorcism of the poor girl. The events took a turn however when Delaura ended up falling in love with the accursed girl. The lovers engaged in a feverish romance, despite the barriers in their path. Love, the worst of the demons known to man, tormented their souls in parting as well as in unison. The only character who seemed to have uderstood the lovers’ anguish was Abrenuncio, the incredible doctor. Over the love of knowledge and books, Delaura and Abrenuncio bonded. Unfortunately, neither of them could make those blinded by superstition see the cruelty accorded to Sierva María. She succumbed to the exorcisms and the lovers remained parted forevermore.

The most enchanting attribute of Sierva María was her long hair. The hair on her head had been sworn off to the gods by Dominga at the time of her premature birth with the umbilical cord suffocating her. Her hair had thus grown to trail behind her by the age of twelve. She was on the precipice of womanhood when Delaura had met her. And subsequently she had bloomed at his touch. In trying to keep their faiths undeterred, the lovers had refrained from indulging in the very act of sex until the day of their wedding. Contrary to all their aspirations, that day never arrived. But Delaura’s nightmares did turn to reality as Sierva María died in the very manner he had foreseen; a tragic end true to Garcia Marquez’s style.

 It is a passionate tale of love and hatred of a girl who remained an enigma throughout ages. The author has once again created an unforgettable character simply by adorning a folk legend with the brush strokes of his artful imagination. The readers enjoy the exquisite writing of Gabriel Garcia Marquez even as he fills their hearts with lugubrious tales of love. 

Book Review on The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman weaves nothing short of magic by his mighty pen. This is a known and widely accepted fact. His imagination puts many a folk fairy tales to shame. One can think of this book as a fairy tale though. There’s a little boy who gets into trouble with unknown forces, three ladies who pamper and protect him like godmothers and a queer sort of ending that leaves you both happy and sad.

Through the voice of a middle aged man reminiscing about his boyhood, Gaiman transports his readers to the magical days of youth. The narrator, while going through a mid-life crisis, finds himself retracing his path to the old neighbourhood where he had lived as a child. The lane has changed much since then, but the Hempstock farm at the end of the lane remains almost untouched by time. The epitome of grandmotherly-ness, Old Mrs. Hempstock lets him in and sit beside the pool in the backyard to contemplate his life. He remembers that Lettie Hempstock used to call that little pool her ocean. The narrator experiences a unique kind of peace pondering beside that water body. He finds himself drowning in memories, and then learning to swim through them to the sanity of the shore.

He remembers his lonely seventh birthday, the financial trouble that led his parents to take in tenants and the opal miner moving in, accidentally killing the narrator’s precious cat. The opal miner runs into debt and commits suicide in the narrator’s father’s car. The little boy sees the dead body at that tender age and is scarred thereafter. Lettie Hempstock and her family offer him a safe haven at their farm. The opal miner’s dying wish sets off events that result in a supernatural being its way into the narrator’s reality. And all of it is fixed, time and again, by the wise Hempstock ladies. Their household is described as a warm, comfortable place where food is always aplenty and danger always far outside the walls. There is old magic binding the story together. And it is described in a manner that makes one think that there’s no other way the world would rather be.

In reading the book, one remembers the games every child has made up to occupy time, the friends little children make that parents can never understand and the monsters whose real faces only the clarity of childhood can see through. The readers find themselves believing the children’s side of the story for once. The story features the evil incarnate Ursula Monkton, who takes over the narrator’s home as the perfect housekeeper. The author very clearly defines the differences between good, evil and the nature of beings. One of the best parts in the story is when the narrator takes a dip in Lettie’s ocean. He experiences a state of enlightenment that can best be described as moksha.

Possibly the best thing about the story is how everyone can relate to it in one way or the other. All of the enchanting experiences of childhood are captured here in the timeless abode of Gaiman’s penmanship. He ends the story on a bittersweet note where the readers are left hoping for the best to happen to the narrator and for Lettie to someday return.