Sabella Tsiopani's "The Perfect Peahen"

I recently came across some illustrations done by Sabella Tsiopani for her self-published children's book "The Perfect Peahen" on her blog. They are stunning! Vibrantly beautiful, poetic and just a visual treat. I love the bright colors, the geometric shapes and the textured quality of the illustrations. I hope to order the book soon even though it is a children's book.

I also love the fact that it is about a peahen, rather than a peacock. Besides the fact that I am a little bit biased towards the female sex, I also feel that peacocks always steal the glory!

These are three of my favorite images ( from her blog):

  

I really wanted to enlarge them so they filled my entire computer screen and just look at them!

The Luxury of Book Stores

Browsing though book stores is something I have always taken for granted.

I can spend hours browsing, though it is always hard not to end up buying a few books. In California on weekend mornings (on the rare occasions I was not not teaching class) I would always go to the Barnes & Noble which was attached to a Starbucks. Then I'd walk with my coffee and look at the books that were on sale. Right across the street was Borders.

Recently all the Borders have shut down and I was horrified to discover that the Barnes shut down too. Yes you can order from Amazon but I really, terribly miss the experience of just walking though aisles of new books, the smell of fresh paper and the sound of rustling pages. Not to mention that if a new book comes out you can't go buy it that second!

So I am in Delhi right now and almost every market has a book store. Every time I go shopping, I slip into a book store. My favorites are Bahrisons in Khan Market and Full Circle in G.K. I also like going to Midlands in Aurobindo Market, while my mom runs errands. But basically every single market seems to have a book store. In fact, I went to watch a movie yesterday and I saw a small outlet of Spell &Bound, the new store in SDA market, INSIDE the movie theater! Isn't that awesome?

Basically I can't get enough of all the book stores in Delhi! It is just such a luxury! I am making the most of them while I am here, before I go back and forget what it feels like, once I am back in the Bay.

Book Review: Conn Iggulden's "Wolf of the Plains"

My friend Shreya recommended Conn Iggulden's The Emperor Series to read on the excruciatingly long flight from California to New Delhi, but owing to the fact that all the book stores near my home have closed down, I couldn't get my hand on the books. Anyways, I landed in Delhi and came home to find the first book from Conn Iggulden's The Conqueror Series, sitting on the shelf.

I read the book in a few days and it has been one of the best reads this year. As I started reading, I knew I was being plunged into an epic. The story of Genghis Khan, spans three books and Wolf of the Plains begins with his birth. Abandoned on the plains by his tribe after his father's death, with his brothers and mother, the book shows the determination of Genghis as a boy and his dream of becoming a Khan. It is a fascinating journey of his survival, his immense will and the forming of the vision of uniting all the tribes as a nation.

What makes this book really interesting is the character of Genghis. One sees him in his moments of complete despair and humiliation, and how they make him what he is. His bond to his father and how even as a child he has been taught to mask his fear by putting on a "cold face." His mother Hoelum is also a strong character. It is interesting how the women who are chosen to be wives are chosen on the basis of their strength and ability to bear children, rather than physical beauty.

Besides Genghis himself, one can actually visualize the other characters, the setting and the battles. The book transports you to the bitter cold of the plains where the tribes struggle for their mere survival and how they are ultimately and reluctantly forged into a nation. Conn Iggulden makes the characters and the action leap from the pages and capture one's imagination. It is historical fiction at it's best.

I can't wait to read the rest of the series and the continuation of Genghis Khan's journey as he goes on to become a legend!

Book Review: Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla

I have to say I really liked this book and finished it in a single sitting. I am fascinated by vampires and this book actually pre-dates Bram Stoker's Dracula. What was interesting was the fact that the main character was a female vampire who preyed on other women. I always thought that Dracula was the first book to explore this theme and the image of Count Dracula has captured the imagination of people for so long.

So it was really interesting to read about Carmilla, a countess preserved as a little girl who preys on other girls and women. There are overt references to lesbianism in Carmilla's love for the narrator. I just thought that it was kind of amazing that someone wrote this in the 1800's. In fact, the writer is a man, so his choice to make both the victims and the vampire women is really interesting.

I enjoy Gothic fiction, especially the old school variety. Most contemporary Gothic tales just don't excite me as much. The old Gothic novel's like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre and Bram Stoker's Dracula are just Classics that I can read and re-read.

Even though I won't put Carmilla in the same category as those Classics, I would still recommend it to anyone who enjoys Gothic fiction.

Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami

Even though I love Murakami's style, how the metaphysical intrudes into everyday reality, how the ordinary becomes extraordinary, I have mixed feelings about this book.

My mother bought it for me because of the title, since I am a dancer. (not that the book is really about dancing!) When I started reading it, it sucked me in. But somehow by the end of it it did not resonate for me like some of his other books.

What I did enjoy was the satire of the novel and the air of mystery. The other side of reality part and the element of the bizarre which almost almost permeates Murakami's writings somehow just didn't work for me here.

I did for some reason really like the character of the teenage girl, who befriends the narrator after her famous mother "forgets" her in the Dolphin Hotel. The Dolphin Hotel which dominates the landscape of the novel really comes alive. It almost becomes a character in itself.

If you have not read any of Murakami's works, I would not suggest this novel to start with but if you have read his other works then, like me, you will find it captivating, an interesting mix of mystery, satire with generous sprinklings of the bizarre.

Book Review: Sword of the Truth series by Terry Goodkind

I am writing after a while since I wanted to finish the entire series before I wrote about it, which is 11 books. And then I just completely got lost in my dance world and have re-emerged after many months of being reading deprived!  Anyways these books were recommended by my friend Amit Patel and I really really loved the series. I was somewhat apprehensive when I began reading but the books are an engaging read. I love fantasy as a genre; nothing else allows such complete creative freedom. So wizards and confessors, mord-siths and all the characters and creatures are unique to this series, along  with the very landscape in which they are set.

The traditional good versus evil plot exists, but questions of what is right and wrong are raised. The books go beyond being fantasy stories, and it is the philosophy that emerges that unifies these books. Ideas of the value of individual effort are reminiscent of Ayn Rand's philosophy and her strong defense of capitalism. Thoughts of individuals taking responsibility and being active agents are hinted in the first few books and developed in the latter part of the series. The first book is called Wizards First Rule and each book reveals one of the rules of the wizards. Interestingly, these rules are not based on magic but are more practical and common sense, such as people will believe anything they want to, because they are afraid that it's true, and how sometimes the best intentions can create problems.

The characters are well-developed, my favorite being Richard Rahl and the mord-sith Cara. Emperor Jagang brings to mind Contemporary religious troubles. He genuinely believes he is doing the Creator's work, while his misguided actions create death and disharmony. His character echoes religious fanatics, who are single-minded in their cause and passionate about imposing their beliefs on others.

There were some books which were a bit tedious, my least favorite being "The Pillars of Creation" which dragged on forever and then just ended abruptly. I was also slightly bored by "Soul of the Fire." My favorites were "Faith of the Fallen" and the last three books of the series, just because they were exciting and action-packed!

So if you are a fantasy lover, this is one of the best series that I have read so far. I read these books a few months ago and was seriously considering re-reading them. But I figured I should read something new and maybe come back to these next year, though I must admit I am currently re-reading the Harry Potter series!

Review: Percy Jackson & the Lighting Thief by Rick Riordan

I am a sucker for fantasy novels! And I love Greek mythology. I was quite apprehensive about this book and had been debating for a while whether I should get my hands on a copy.

The problem was that I had seen the movie. The movie was not bad, fairly entertaining. But I never seem to enjoy a book after I have watched the movie. Honestly, I don't even always enjoy movies based on books because most of them don't do justice to the written word. Still reading before watching is my preference.

Anyways I was at a friend's place eating dinner, when I happened to see this book. Her 9 yr old son was reading it which only made me more nervous that it would be too childish of a read.

But still something possessed me and I decided to read it. I don't know if I am just old school but I love myths and legends cloaked in the mist of the past. I somehow can't relate to concept of an Ares as a biker dude, Medusa in a burger joint or Mount Olympus existing on top of the Empire State Building. 

Anyhow, I didn't enjoy the book. Part of it definitely was that it was a bit childish for me. What I did like were the little mythological tidbits, woven throughout the fabric of the writing, such as the war between the Gods and the Titans and Persephone's story. But I do feel that the movie ruined it for me to a large extent.

I am actually going to attempt to read the second book. Maybe that will change my opinion. Maybe not!