Review: The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

Title: The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike # 1)
Author: Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
Published: April, 2013 by Sphere (Hachette)
Pages: 449
Find it at: Amazon
My Rating: 5/5!

*Declaration* I read this book mostly because it is written by J.K. Rowling. In fact, before it wasn't revealed that she is the true author of this book, I hadn't come across it, or knew of its existence. As a JKR fan, it was impossible to read the book without stopping in between and thinking, 'ohmygod. JK is brilliant!' So yeah, probably the review is biased, so if you think that's not the way you'd want to read, don't.

Blurb from Goodreads

A brilliant debut mystery in a classic vein: Detective Cormoran Strike investigates a supermodel's suicide.

After losing his leg to a land mine in Afghanistan, Cormoran Strike is barely scraping by as a private investigator. Strike is down to one client, and creditors are calling. He has also just broken up with his longtime girlfriend and is living in his office.

Then John Bristow walks through his door with an amazing story: His sister, the legendary supermodel Lula Landry, known to her friends as the Cuckoo, famously fell to her death a few months earlier. The police ruled it a suicide, but John refuses to believe that. The case plunges Strike into the world of multimillionaire beauties, rock-star boyfriends, and desperate designers, and it introduces him to every variety of pleasure, enticement, seduction, and delusion known to man.

You may think you know detectives, but you've never met one quite like Strike. You may think you know about the wealthy and famous, but you've never seen them under an investigation like this.

Introducing Cormoran Strike, this is the acclaimed first crime novel by J.K. Rowling, writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.

Pic credit: Google

My Thoughts!

The Cuckoo's Calling introduces us to a new detective in the fictional world of crime and mystery. When I started reading the book, I'd expected Cormoran Strike to be like Jack Reacher maybe, being ex-military, but I was delighted to see that Strike's characterization was totally unexpected and I loved every bit of it! Strike's a private detective now, recently breaking up with his girlfriend, barely able to make a living. However, this information about a hero-protagonist doesn't make you feel bad. It's rather the opposite! You'd find yourself cheering for him whenever he gets a small success, and although I'm not entirely in love with this character, I do accept him as one of those whose stories have a magnetic quality to them. You just want to know what he's going to be doing. His own past and story is just as intriguing and every revelation makes you connect better with him. 

The mystery surrounding the supermodel's death is investigated by Strike with the help of his temporary assistant, Robin. It's never a pretty picture, but it most certainly wasn't as gruesome as I thought it'd be, going by the blurb. Perhaps it's because all the stinky details have been spread out evenly throughout the book. True, we see less of the kind of swinging action we're used to; I felt it's more Sherlock-style. Unraveling the mystery by going into psychological depths of people associated with Lula Landry, the model who fell to her death from her second floor flat. Strike digs into Lula's past and comes across a whole array of people making their living with the world of glamour. 

As I mentioned above, I found it more on the psychological side, where we receive bits and pieces of information, sometimes painfully slowly, but we're hooked on to the book nevertheless. Every suspect seems equally plausible, yet we have no idea how anyone could have managed to pull off the crime. The book did seem to get stretched in between, but it picks up pace in the second half. I know a couple of people who read mystery books backwards: they start reading from the beginning, and when they know what the crime was, they read the back pages to know who the criminal is, and then read the book, figuring out how the criminal managed the crime. I'm on the opposite side, though. Even if I'm clueless as to who it might be and how the crime was committed, I'd never want to know the solution in advance! I'd like to work through the mystery along with the detective, marveling at the manner in which he makes sense of the unrelated pieces of information. It was the same with Strike. At every revelation and deduction and sense of understanding of human behaviour, all I felt was awe at this brainy character! 

The other characters in the book lead parallel lives, though the focus is majorly on Strike. It was fun reading about those as well, and also intriguing, for it added up to making one feel like anything could be an important piece of information! Since there were quite a few suspects in my mind, with all of them having possible motives and we were steadily receiving information about each of them, I felt the ending could have been more elaborate. Although I very well know it wouldn't have been much use; the actual crime - the who and the how - had been explained quite clearly, but I still was left wondering about the other suspects and their suspicious activities. Apart from the well-knit plot, believable and realistic characters, the writing style was mature. I don't know if 'mature' is the right word. I suppose it could have been easier, but then, that's the style the author had adopted and apart from the fact that one would need regular use of the dictionary (if you really can stop to go through their meanings and not do with the implied ones), it suited the book just as well.

Quite a few to-be-remembered lines from the book:

“Humans often assumed symmetry and equality where none existed.”

“When you are young, and beautiful, you can be very cruel.” 

“How easy it was to capitalize on a person’s own bent for self-destruction; how simple to nudge them into non-being, then to stand back and shrug and agree that it had been the inevitable result of a chaotic, catastrophic life.” 

Recommended for: Mystery lovers, adult readers, JKR fans!  
PS- Super excited to read the next Cormoran Strike novel, The Silkworm! 

Review: The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman

Book Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Author: Neil Gaiman
Published: June 2013, Headline Review
Pages: 248
Find it at: Amazon
My Rating: 4/5!

I was introduced to Neil Gaiman only recently, and it made me feel somewhat stupid, not knowing him already, considering he's been writing since forever. It's alright, though. Better late than never! The first book by him I got to read was The Ocean at the End of the Lane, a fantastical account of a middle-aged man as he remembers a time as a seven year old boy in his old home in Sussex, England. Filled with magic and nightmares as we all would have related to as children, this book is one of the most unique I've ever come across. Reading up on Gaiman revealed that that's his style. I'm now quite looking forward to read his other books!

Goodreads Blurb!

Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.

Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.

A groundbreaking work from a master, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. It is a stirring, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterfly's wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark.


My Thoughts!

As the unnamed middle-aged man visits his childhood home and sits in front of a pond, his memories of a time when he was seven come rushing back. He remembers the house at the end of his lane as one belonging to the Hempstocks, and his eleven year old friend Lettie Hempstock, who used to call the pond her 'ocean'. I'm still not completely sure what the underlying meaning of the whole book was. Is it simply a fantasy tale in essence (considering the ending) or an attempt at celebrating and remembering our childhood? The memories of the man as a seven year old revolve around the suicide of a tenant they had, at the end of the lane. This suicide opens up a series of events that seem to come straight out of the nightmares of a child. Is all that real?

The parents of the boy bring in Ursula Monkton, the new nanny for the children, and the boy takes an immediate dislike to her. He fears she is the result of his mistake at the magical farm when he was with Lettie. She had asked him not to let go of her hand, but he had, and what ensues in the form of the "flea" that Ursula Monkton is, is all his fault. Or so he seems to believe. He tries escaping the monster in his home, one who is manipulating his father and making his home a living hell. He seeks Lettie Hempstock's help. She's eleven, but she is very much capable of making the horrors go away.

The story is captivating, although at some parts I felt it went on and on about the same thing. Even then, it's unpredictable and you wouldn't know where its heading, what with the absolute uncertainty as to what is real and what isn't. For me, it was something befuddling. And something that seemed like a combination of many imaginative nights I had as a child. There's no telling for children as to how they see the world around them, how one incident can trigger off a series of nightmares, not necessarily related, making one feel like they're living in a monster-infested world. There have been some moments, some things one does or feels sometimes, that have been included in the book. This seven year old feels like what we all might have felt sometime in our lives.

There was one paragraph that I was surprised to read. I'm not the only one who gets into these kind of moments! *yess!* Here it goes:
'I wondered, as I wondered so often when I was that age, who I was, and what exactly was looking at the face in the mirror. If the face I was looking at wasn't me, and I knew it wasn't, because I would still be me whatever happened to my face, then what was me? And what was watching?'

The author's writing style is also simple, and the book is a quick read. The main character is the boy (the middle-aged man who starts the story), with other characters of prominence being Lettie Hempstock and her mother and grandmother, Ursula Monkton - the flea - and the narrator's father. Even though most characters did not have a brief sketch about them, they're very easy to sketch out using their actions and behavior. The ending was satisfying, if not somewhat delightful for a person who loves the idea of a fantasy world running parallel to the one we live in. For all its genuineness, I'd recommend the book to lovers of fantasy, imagination, young adult fiction. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is considered a fairy tale for adults, probably because of a few mature scenes or more so because of the content of the book, which adults will very well relate to, reminiscing their childhood.

Some marked quotes from the book:

'Adults follow paths. Children explore. Adults are content to walk the same way, hundreds of times, or thousands; perhaps it never occurs to adults to step off the paths, to creep beneath rhododendrons, to find the spaces between fences.'

'Growing up, I took so many cues from books. They taught me most of what I knew about what people did, about how to behave. They were my teachers and my advisers.'       

'Lettie shrugged. "Nobody looks like what they really are on the inside. You don't. I don't. People are much more complicated than that. It's true of everybody."'

'I do not miss childhood, but I miss the way I took pleasure in small things, even as greater things crumbled.'

'I said, "Will she be the same?" The old woman guffawed, as if I had said the funniest thing in the universe. "Nothing's ever the same," she said. "Be it a second later or a hundred years. It's always churning and roiling. And people change as much as oceans."'

Review: The Fire Chronicle by John Stephens

John Stephens

Book Title: The Fire Chronicle (The Books of Beginning # 2)

Author: John Stephens

Published: 2012 by Doubleday (Random House)

Pages: 437

Find it at: Amazon

My Rating: 4/5! 

The second book in The Books of Beginning series, The Fire Chronicle deals with the story of three siblings, Kate, Michael and Emma, who are prophesied to find the three books that form the basis of life on Earth. Since I hadn't read the first book, The Emerald Atlas, I figured I wouldn't really understand in depth, but that was definitely not the case. This book is pure magic, adventure, and a lot meaningful. 

Blurb from Goodreads...

After the tumultuous events of last winter, Kate, Michael, and Emma long to continue the hunt for their missing parents. But they themselves are now in great danger, and so the wizard Stanislaus Pym hides the children at the Edgar Allan Poe Home for Hopeless and Incorrigible Orphans. There, he says, they will be safe. How wrong he is. 

The children are soon discovered by their enemies, and a frantic chase sends Kate a hundred years into the past, to a perilous, enchanted New York City. Searching for a way back to her brother and sister, she meets a mysterious boy whose fate is intricately—and dangerously—tied to her own.

Meanwhile, Michael and Emma have set off to find the second of the Books of Beginning. A series of clues leads them into a hidden world where they must brave harsh polar storms, track down an ancient order of warriors, and confront terrible monsters. Will Michael and Emma find the legendary book of fire—and master its powers—before Kate is lost to them forever? 

Exciting, suspenseful, and brimming with humor and heart, the next installment of the bestselling Books of Beginning trilogy will lead Kate, Michael, and Emma closer to their family—and to the magic that could save, or destroy, them all.

My Thoughts...

The story of the Wibberly children is fascinating. Left to live in orphanages ever since they were little, abandoned by their parents, Kate, Michael and Emma believe that they'll soon be taken back. Their loving parents had sent them off for their own safety, and as they grow up, they form a close relationship with each other, their love for each other always in place. They'd had an adventure a few months ago, when they were transported back in time to Cambridge Falls. Kate had retrieved the Atlas and Dr. Pym, the wizard, had sent them back to their world. Kate knew it was a matter of time when they'd be on the run again, for the Dire Magnus knew about the children, and was hunting them down. A powerful force with evil aspirations, it was imperative that the Books be kept away from the Dire Magnus. 

This is a story of what happens when the foul creatures of the Dire Magnus, the Screechers, come looking for the children in their newest orphanage and Kate is sent back to the time nearing The Separation, when the magical world officially closed off its contact with the human world and went into hiding. Michael and Emma are by themselves now, although rescued by Dr. Pym. Michael's destined to be the Keeper for the Chronicle and the story goes about finding the Book, meeting despicable creatures and breathtaking adventures on the way. 

It's an interesting book and I particularly loved it for the 'magical' feel to it. It had been ages since I read something like this. The writing style is definitely something I'd applaud the author for. Apart from the story being gripping, the sequence set in a balanced way, I loved the writing style. Despite the seriousness of the situation, the author has beautifully included wit and humor at the appropriate places, making reading the book real fun. Such language not just adds to the reading experience but also helps character development implicitly. My favorite example for this would be the conversation between Michael and the dragon who is guarding the Chronicle. I mean, that's such a serious situation, and the next moment you learn so much more about the dragon and Michael! That's a brilliant and well-timed use of wit. 

The characters were all properly developed, with hardly anyone missing something crucial about them. Even if it is the midst of a trilogy, you'd be able to assess the characters as appropriate information is provided, or implied, about them. Although at some points I did feel like there's been too much influence of Harry Potter: Dr. Pym seemingly like Dumbledore, for example, but it's been quite subtle and the story manages to stand for itself as a distinctive entity and not a reflection of its inspiration. I also love the whole idea of the book. It's pretty much interesting and as you read, it brings in different elements that make you keep thinking about the story and people even when you're not reading it. I quite liked Kate's part of the story as well, especially the mystery surrounding Rafe, the boy she meets when back in time. 

The theme of a missing, separated family also surfaces in the book and has been included pretty well. The Fire Chronicle is a good read, recommended to children, teen, young adult readers and whoever else is interested in adventure and a 'complete' story. 

Some quotes from the book I loved: :')           

“The point of life isn't to avoid pain. The point of life is to be alive! To feel things. That means the good and the bad. There'll be pain. But also joy, and friendship and love. And it's worth it, believe me.”

Even though Wilamena was an elf, I loved loved loved her! -->

“He remembered the darkness and despair she'd suffered during her long years as a prisoner, but he also recalled the deep, unquenchable joy she took from the world around her; and he knew that given the choice, Wilamena would suffer all she had and more rather than sacrifice one day of being alive.

It was just as his father had said. She chose life, all of it.” 

Thank you Random House Publishers for this book! :)

Epic Book Nerd Problems!

A fantastic website, Epic Reads is a fun haven for book lovers! They recently came up with a series of fun videos with book nerd problems, explained through witty visuals. I love the exaggeration shown in the videos, since those awesome nerds are actually acting out what they feel! It's sure to make one laugh, and to spread this awesomeness, I'm sharing two of such videos that made me go, "Oh Boy! HAHA!" :D

# 1: Misunderstood literary references: This one is my favorite of the lot. When people don't get your lit references!

# 2: Lending books to friends: When lending your book becomes a problem and how you deal with it.

Waiting for more such videos! *_*

Classic Talk # 5: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

R.L. Stevenson

Title: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Author: Robert Louis Stevenson

Pages: 144

Find it at: Amazon

My Rating: 4/5

R.L. Stevenson's short book about a lawyer named Utterson feeling intrigued about his friend, Dr. Jekyll has been something I've always had a fascinating feeling for. Back to the days when I was a Children's Digest reader, I read this book's abridged version in one of the magazines. I was hooked on to the story. It was dark, intriguing, scary, mysterious and completely engrossing! Even years later when I came across the name, I had fond memories of the association I had, and wondered about the characters, before deciding to read the complete book.

I guess I've been quite lucky. Had I come across this title now, I might not have been too keen to read it excitedly, despite the blurb. I knew the story, having read it in a simpler language. The classic way of writing is obviously, 'classic', so it's mature and needs patience, which I have more in quantity now than before. Even though I'm not sure if I loved it as much as I did reading it back then, I still am in awe of the idea of the story. I initially believed it's purely science fiction, but there are a lot of other elements in the book. 

Utterson has reason to believe that his dear friend Dr. Jekyll might be in trouble or being blackmailed by a certain Mr. Hyde, someone who reeks of evil in his soul. Mr. Hyde is a sight of despair: short in stature, stout, with a face that dispels despair and negativity. He tries to investigate the probable reasons, taking help from their common friend Lanyon, before he himself is pulled into the mystery, a short while after Lanyon's death due to a sudden illness. 

I love the story for its essence: the appeal of separating good and evil, the imagery of man as a being with a combination of characteristics and what perils playing with nature might affect those who try it. There's also a psychological aspect to it, as far as personalities are concerned. The book can also be seen as a parallel to understanding about split personality disorder (source: wikipedia), although personally I associate it with the former theme (probably because I happen to be a more philosophical person than psychological). More than anything, I love the kind of suspense it manages to create. The elaborate explanations are capable of leaving a reader breathless, although I guess the suspense vanishes in the first read and the subsequent ones might not be as exciting.

All in all, worth a read at least once in your life as a reader! :)

Check out these quotes from the book!

“Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm."

"If I am the chief of sinners, I am the chief of sufferers also."

"With every day, and from both sides of my intelligence, the moral and the intellectual, I thus drew steadily nearer to the truth, by whose partial discovery I have been doomed to such a dreadful shipwreck: that man is not truly one, but truly two.”