![Book review: Very Large Expanse of Sea, A]()
Romance |
I just realized it has been a while since I reviewed a romance book and I am here today to rectify that situation. I picked up A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi with a similar motive.
That and the fact that about three billion of fellow book bloggers and bookstagrammers decided to fall in love with this book. So let us see how this works out right?
About the book
Book Name: A Very Large Expanse of Sea
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Fiction – Romance, YA
Characters: Shirin, Navid, Ocean James
Setting: The United States of America
The plot
Set in the year immediately following the 9/11, Shirin is a sixteen year old who got caught among the fear, prejudice and consequent Islamophobia prevalent in the general society in the USA.
She is used to her father’s frequent job transfers and having to switch schools, meet new people often but she is also used to the cold stares, racists comments and some times even physical violence. She accepts that as a part of her life, a consequence of her religion and her hijab that she choose to wear.
Shirin didn’t expect anything different at her new school. When her brother Navid decides to start a break dancing troop her life suddenly wasn’t that bad anymore.
Then she met Ocean James, the school’s golden boy, who wants to befriend her even when she tries to push him away. What was worse is she seems to like him as well. Can these two get a normal high school life when the whole world is spewing hatred at her? Read A Very Large Expanse of Sea to know more.
My initial thoughts
Once I picked this book, I stayed up to 3 AM to finish it because I didn’t wanna set it down. The cute romance was so adorable that I wanted them to have a positive ending. I hated those who hated them and wanted to harm them. They were so good together, you know?
I loved Navid, his friends and Shirin’s parents. Seeing an Iranian Muslim family that had to navigate in the post 9/11 USA was heartbreaking and this being an #ownvoice story, made me wonder how many more were still under pressure because of their beliefs and religion.
But at the end of the day it is a Young Adult romance, diverse representation is only a part of it. So do not pick the book with the hopes of getting more than that.
Things that worked for me
- I loved the Romance and the leads were adorable.
- The representation was on point and the characters were fully developed
- I heard this is not Tahereh Mafi’s usual style of writing, but I liked it anyway.
Things that didn’t work for me
I loved their parents but they were around for just a few scenes, I wish there were more.
Bottom-line
I loved reading A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi. I will continue reading Tahereh Mafi’s other series. If you are looking for a Young Adult romance with a Muslim representation then A Very Large Expanse of Sea should be your pick.
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Classics |
Today let us talk about a book that I have been raving about to everyone I know and their mother in the past few days. And it is a re-read too, which makes it a rarer thing, because most of my reread attempts end up badly for me. I would avoid rereading a loved book if I can help it for the same reason. And we are talking about The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.
About The Bell Jar
Book Name: The Bell Jar
Author: Sylvia Plath
Genre: Fiction – Classics, Literary, autobiography
Characters: Esther Greenwood, Mrs. Greenwood (her mother), Doreen, Jay Cee, Betsy, Constantin, Buddy Willard, Doctor Nolan, Mrs. Willard, Lenny Shepherd
Setting: Boston, Massachusetts, New York City, The United States of America
Plot summary of The Bell Jar
The Bell Jar is a semi autobiographical account of the author and her struggle with depression and suicide. Set in New York City’s 1950s before the big sexual revolution and the birth control pills, Esther works at a glamorous newspaper that takes her to the happening parties and galas. But she is lost between her worlds while her mind is on the execution of the Rosenbergs and ‘being burned alive’.
When she learns that she failed to receive the scholarship that she had been planning for all along, she falls into a bout of depression. The Bell Jar talks about her perspective as a college educated woman in a sexist world and later her struggle with her existential despair.
Between her stays in different mental asylums and the consequent electro-shock therapies, she spends her time writing a novel and planning her suicide. Can this poignant and bleak tale have a not-so-sad ending? You might be surprised if you read The Bell Jar!
Book review of The Bell Jar
I should start with saying ‘yes this book is depressing’ and you have to be prepared for that before you pick the book. In spite of having read it earlier, I was not ready for it when it hit me. It is not a long book but sure needed a bit of more of time than normally something of this size would have.
Esther’s disinterested narration felt so close to home that I had to stop more than once. She does not talk about her feelings at all but convincingly transfers her emotions to the reader.
The Bell Jar is much more than the foreshadowing of the author’s ill fate, it is a social commentary. At some point, her insanity made more sense to me than the current socio-political scenario.
Despite that fifty plus years that have passed since the book first came out, we still are chastising women for talking about their sexuality, and stigmatized about mental health issues. The conundrum of having to choose between career and having a family is somehow still a huge issue for woman of all ages. May be we have not moved ahead at all.
Things that worked for me
- I loved the poetical narration that changed pace so often, yet kept me hooked to it.
- Though the author does not introduce any character or even describe them, by the end of the book I felt like I knew each of them personally and I was trying to match them up with my real life counterparts.
- If you have been afflicted by suicidal thoughts or depression, or just the patriarchal world, you will totally relate to The Bell Jar.
- The book is full of quotes that I loved and kept highlighting until the end.
Things that may not work for you
- Being a semi-autobiography, it unsurprisingly is not plot oriented. So if you are looking for a fast paced story you might be disappointed.
- The Bell Jar deals with suicidal attempts, self harm, sexual abuse, depression and ill treatment of mental health patients. If these are your triggers, you SHOULD avoid this one.
Bottom-line
I loved this book in spite of the melancholic emptiness it left me after I finished reading it. Though I liked The bell jar when I read it the first time, I ended loving it more, understanding it better, and relating to the author deeper during my second visit.
Well, if that is not the mark of a great book I don’t know what is. Just read it.
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Thriller |
The Woman in the Window is a book that everyone I know has read and reviewed already. So when my book club chose this one as our March BOTM I knew I had to read it. And having been focusing on the classics until now this year, I loved the chance of reading a contemporary thriller. So let us check how that turned out shall we?
About the book
Book Name: The Woman in the Window
Author: Finn A J
Genre: Fiction – Thriller
Characters: Dr. Anna, Ed and Olivia Fox, Alistair, Jane and Ethan Russell, Dr Fielding
Setting: New York, The USA
The plot
Dr. Anna Fox, a child psychologist suffering from agoraphobia, has not left her house for almost a year now. Her daily routine includes drinking a lot of wine while being highly medicated, watching retro movies and peeking into her neighbours’ house through their respective windows. Her life is fairly “usual” until the Russells move into her neighbourhood.
Soon they become her new obsession, especially their young son, Ethan. But when she sees something untoward happening at her nieghbours’ she has no grounds to report about it. How she proves that she did not hallucinate and finds out the culprit form the rest of the story in The Woman in the Window.
My initial thoughts
Though a little long winded in the first half of the book, The Woman in the Window kept me fully entertained. The author takes a lot of time to get us into her world but once you get past the draggy first 100 pages, the pace fastens and the book turns unputdownable.
If you have read as many thrillers as I have done or more, you will find the twists coming a mile away. Anna is not a protagonist that I liked or related to, but I think that is what the author was going for – an unreliable narrator with ‘the whole should I believe or not’ vibe. And maybe that is why there are a lot of comparison with the Girl on the Train, and rightly so.
Things that worked for me
- Despite the predictability, The Woman in the Window kept me hooked with its short chapters and fast pace (the second part).
- Like me if you had a special interest in the unreliable narrator category, you are in for a treat.
- There are quite a number of twists to keep the readers on their toes sprinkled all through the book.
Things that didn’t work for me
- As I already mentioned, The Woman in the Window is totally predictable and it takes quite a while for something to actually happen.
- I didn’t relate to any of the characters in the story, and the narrator was borderline annoying.
Bottom-line
The Woman in the Window might be old wine in a new bottle but will keep you occupied in a pinch, and might even turn to be unputdownable. With the movie version coming before the end of the year, you might wanna read it already.
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Non Fiction |
I have a thing for funny biographies. Either I love them or hate them completely there is no in between. So when a couple of my friends went gaga over David Sedaris, I simply had to pick Me Talk Pretty One Day up. I know it has been a while since I read this one but is never too late right?
About Me Talk Pretty One Day
Book Name: Me Talk Pretty One Day
Author: David Sedaris
Genre: Fiction – Non Fiction, Humor
Characters: David Sedaris
Setting: Paris, France, Raleigh, North Carolina, and New York, The USA
Plot summary of Me Talk Pretty One Day
Me Talk Pretty One Day consists of two part. The first part deals with David’s life before he moved to France that talks about his childhood, the speech therapy for his lisp, his odd jobs and his girlfriend.
The second part about his life after moving to Normandy with his partner Hugh where he struggles with the language.
Book review of Me Talk Pretty One Day
As I told you earlier, I chose this book only due to the hype around and I should confess that I wasn’t impressed. I smiled at a few places but most of the time I was bored. I felt Sedaris was ranting about his uninteresting life on and on.
I guess talking about drugs, poop and making fun about one’s family is not my kinda comedy. I felt like I was reading someone else’s diary filled with private jokes.
Things that worked for me
- The essays are short and of the perfect length that will hold your attention.
- If you are a fan of slapstick comedy then this book will work well for you.
- I heard that the audiobook is much better.
Things that didn’t work for me
- I couldn’t relate with Sedaris or his lifestyle at all.
- Me Talk Pretty One Day talks about the author’s addiction to narcotics in detail, and I didn’t personally find them funny.
Bottom-line
I couldn’t stop thinking a dull, wry version of Michael Scott while I was reading the book. If you like comedy that are based on self deprecation and narcotic drugs then this book is for you.
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Drama |
I rarely read the blurb of the book and just jump into a book when I get them, Well, it has been both good and bad for me. I did the same with Eliza and Her Monsters, after reading so many positive spoiler free reviews about it.
I needed to read something easy and light hearted after reading a serious classic like The Picture of Dorian Gray. How did that turn out for me? You will have to read ahead to know.
About the book
Book Name: Eliza and Her Monsters
Author: Francesca Zappia
Genre: Fiction – Drama, Young adult
Characters: Eliza Mirk, Wallace Warland
Setting: Indiana, The USA
The plot
Eliza is the creator of the popular online comic, Monstrous Sea which has a tremendous fan following. She goes by the LadyConstellation and is frankly a virtual super star. In real life, she is quiet, shy, and avoids people as much as possible. Her family doesn’t understand her or her online business but let her be to an extent.
She suffers from anxiety attacks and has no friends in school, where she usually spends her time drawing for her comic. She has two online friends who help her navigate through life and family issues. She feels safer online and prefers to keep the real and virtual life separate.
When Wallace, a famous fan fiction writer of her Monstrous Sea, joins her school her worlds collide. Eliza being Eliza, misses all her chances to come out clean to him about who she is.
But is it now too late now to tell him? What would it take for him forgive her when he finally realizes the truth? Did she overcome her personal fears and monsters at the end? Read the Eliza and Her Monsters to know more.
My initial thoughts
Well, it was definitely not what I expected at all. But don’t worry you freaks, I meant in a good way. I suppose. Well I will try and explain better.
I thought the book Eliza and her monsters was about her own inner monsters, like her mental illness. I was not happy to find it was not about her anxiety but about her comic.
And then I realized it was indeed about her mental illness. So I guess it was a roller coaster ride. Just what I wanted. So I am happy again I guess.
Another thing that stood out for me was the portrayal of online friends. Like any of you, I have and love all my online friends and I probably will share my dark deep secrets with them before I would with my family and friends. You all get that right? Finally there is a book that puts across that it was okay to do that and not all virtual friends were creeps and tricksters.
Things that worked for me
- YES to showing how online friendships that can be real and time zones can be pain in the butt.
- I loved how well the pressure and her desperation to finish the story were depicted.
- The Eliza-Wallace friendship turned to relationship was realistic and the growth arc was spot on.
- If you hate the ‘Love conquers all’ trope, you will love the ending.
Things that didn’t work for me
While the stories within story worked for so many of my friends, it failed to impress me. It maybe due to the fact that I don’t read fantasy books.
Bottom-line
If you are looking for a book that deals with mental illness or about online community with a bit of romance, Eliza and Her Monsters might be your pick. If you love books like Fangirl and Radio Silence, do not even think twice, you will completely adore Eliza and Her Monsters.
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Have you read this one? Do you read fan fiction and what are your favorites? I am definitely in the mood to read a few after reading this book. Let us chat.
