by Shyam Selvadurai
The author is Sri Lankan, and this story is about a Sri Lankan boy who eventually immigrates to Canada and his life and Canada and Sri Lanka.
The book does a great job of developing the characters and the complexity of their lives and ambitions. The story is about the boy, his mother and sister and his cantankerous grandmother. The grandmother, a widow, has numerous properties and she is very aggressive and even spiteful in her business dealings, doing everything she can to outsmart, even abuse people during the trouble time of the Tamil conflict in Sri Lanka.
The boy's father dies when he is young and the boy's mother moves in with her mother because she is poor and sees not option. Her mother treats her horribly, either criticizing her or ignoring her. The grandmother adores the young boy and is mentoring him to take over her business investments. He is witness to the eviction of some very poor tennants from a slum dwelling his grandmother owns by some thugs his mother is friends with. The boy is so upset by his grandmother's behaviour to his mother and her terrible business practices that he convices his mother that they should emigrate to Canada. The mother is reluctant at first but eventually agrees. The grandmother is furious about their decision.
Life in Canada is safe but very difficult for the entire family. The mother struggles in low level jobs and the boy has trouble making any friends. His problems are compounded by the fact that he is gay. He does have some temporary relationships. Then the Grandmother has a stroke and the boy goes back to Sri Lanka for a short visit to help her out. She convinces him to stay longer and he agrees because he is so unhappy in Canada. However he insists that he will run things his way, be less mean, fix up some of the poor buildings and get better tennants more likey to be able to pay their rent. He also starts a loving relationship with a former school friend. When his grandmother finds out that he is gay she gets her thugs to kidnap the young man's lover. While they were only supposed to scare him off, he is killed, we do not learn exactly howl
In Sri Lanka homosexuality is not permitted and there are severe penalties for those who are caught.
The boy is devastated by the death of his friend and furious at his grandmother. He decides to leave and return to Canada. His grandmother decides to build a temple, to achieve good Karma, and to leave all her wealth to the church, rather than her grandson.
He is having difficulty with his mother so he decides to leave Toronto for Vancouver. He starts a new life and finds a new lover, but he is still haunted by the death of his former lover. When he tells his current partner about his past life and that he still dreams of his dead friend, the partner is angry that he never told him the truth and their relationship falls apart.
As the book ends the boy is leaving for Sri Lanka to bring his Grandmother to Canada as she has had several more strokes, but as he is leaving he realizes she will never come to Canada and that his only option is to return to Sri Lanka and look after her til her death.... to appease the bad Karma his grandmother has created in her life and also to achieve some forgiveness for his role in the death of his friend.. He thinks that is the only way for the family to achieve peace.
This was a fascinating story, the disfunctional family dynamics were portrayed very well and very convincingly, the challenges the many characters face trying to live the lives they want in conflict with society roles and expectations against the backdrop of Sri Lanka in civil war, are very poignantly depicted. He also does an excellent job of portraying the struggles and frustrations of new immigrants.
This is a book that makes you think about personal responsibility, conflict and consequences of pursuing ones passions with not sufficient thought of the consequences.
Monday, 8 July 2013
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
Gaudy Night
by Dorothy L. Sayers
This mystery takes place in 1930's in Oxford. A previous scholar, now a mystery book writer, comes back to Oxford to attend a Gaudy celebration. Strange, threatening things start to happen after the event. The author finds a threatening note, composed of cut out letters glued to a page, tucked into her gown sleeve. Other women also receive threatening messages and someone is defacing the buildings, burning gowns, etc.
The college wants to keep the news about these events out of the press. They ask the author to try to find out who is perpetrating the threats. She tries to figure out who the guilty party is but is not successful and the threats continue when classes resume in the summer.
The author has a tragic past, her former lover was murdered and she was almost hung for the crime. The lawyer who saved her from the gallows is now a close friend and suitor. He keeps asking her to marry him but she keeps declining.
A good part of the book involves the story of the women's college, the challenge of women getting an education at that time, debates about marriage versus a career and the value for women of getting an education. It is of course largely the story of the wealthy and privileded but some poorer women are featured including the woman who is found to be the criminal. Her husband is dead, she is working at the college and has to farm her kids out to another family to raise. She blames one of the scholars for her husband's academic demise and evenutal death.
The main character struggles with the marriage proposals because she wants to be independent and not feel beholding to any man, especially her saviour, but in the end she calls him in for help with the crimes and it is he who identifies the guilty part. In addition to the main story there are side stories about some young men scholars also, this added to the complexity of the novel and as far as I can see wasn't essential to the story.
I found the book very long winded with all the academic discussion, class and society discussions, etc. I was particularly disappointed that a book that seemed to be somewhat feminist with its subject matter ends up by having a man solve the crime and in the end she decides that she really does love him and will marry him.
So for all the talk about women's independence the book ended very traditionally.
This mystery takes place in 1930's in Oxford. A previous scholar, now a mystery book writer, comes back to Oxford to attend a Gaudy celebration. Strange, threatening things start to happen after the event. The author finds a threatening note, composed of cut out letters glued to a page, tucked into her gown sleeve. Other women also receive threatening messages and someone is defacing the buildings, burning gowns, etc.
The college wants to keep the news about these events out of the press. They ask the author to try to find out who is perpetrating the threats. She tries to figure out who the guilty party is but is not successful and the threats continue when classes resume in the summer.
The author has a tragic past, her former lover was murdered and she was almost hung for the crime. The lawyer who saved her from the gallows is now a close friend and suitor. He keeps asking her to marry him but she keeps declining.
A good part of the book involves the story of the women's college, the challenge of women getting an education at that time, debates about marriage versus a career and the value for women of getting an education. It is of course largely the story of the wealthy and privileded but some poorer women are featured including the woman who is found to be the criminal. Her husband is dead, she is working at the college and has to farm her kids out to another family to raise. She blames one of the scholars for her husband's academic demise and evenutal death.
The main character struggles with the marriage proposals because she wants to be independent and not feel beholding to any man, especially her saviour, but in the end she calls him in for help with the crimes and it is he who identifies the guilty part. In addition to the main story there are side stories about some young men scholars also, this added to the complexity of the novel and as far as I can see wasn't essential to the story.
I found the book very long winded with all the academic discussion, class and society discussions, etc. I was particularly disappointed that a book that seemed to be somewhat feminist with its subject matter ends up by having a man solve the crime and in the end she decides that she really does love him and will marry him.
So for all the talk about women's independence the book ended very traditionally.
Friday, 28 June 2013
A Murderous Procession
byAriana Franklin
This is the fourth book in the Mistress of the Art of Death series.
In this story, set in 1176, the King of England is sending his 11 year old sister to Palermo as a bride for the King of Sicily. Travelling with the entourage is Adriana, a trained doctor from Sicily and her Arab companion Mansur. Because English society does not accept female doctor's she has to pretend she is the assistant to the Arab.
The King of England has encouraged her support by keeping her daughter in England. Her daughter is the result of a liaison between Adriana and and English Bishop.
As they travel along mysterious deaths occur and some of the party plot against Adriana, in addition, an old enemy -- she killed his liver-- is travelliing with them and doing what he can to bring dissent against her and get her murdered. She and some of the group are captured and accused of being Cathars. They are imprisoned and on the verge of being burned at the stake, but are rescued by one of the king's officers.
The princess becomes ill with appendicitis, the English doctor is not able to save her. The Catholic Church forbids bloodletting and surgery. Adriana is forced to operate and saves the girls life.
As the book ends they all arrive in Palermo but Adriana's enemy is still after her but he is killed during an attack on her.
The historical setting for the story was interesting and included a lot of detail about life at that time. The plot kept you interested. I think I would like to read the first book in the series sometiime.
This is the fourth book in the Mistress of the Art of Death series.
In this story, set in 1176, the King of England is sending his 11 year old sister to Palermo as a bride for the King of Sicily. Travelling with the entourage is Adriana, a trained doctor from Sicily and her Arab companion Mansur. Because English society does not accept female doctor's she has to pretend she is the assistant to the Arab.
The King of England has encouraged her support by keeping her daughter in England. Her daughter is the result of a liaison between Adriana and and English Bishop.
As they travel along mysterious deaths occur and some of the party plot against Adriana, in addition, an old enemy -- she killed his liver-- is travelliing with them and doing what he can to bring dissent against her and get her murdered. She and some of the group are captured and accused of being Cathars. They are imprisoned and on the verge of being burned at the stake, but are rescued by one of the king's officers.
The princess becomes ill with appendicitis, the English doctor is not able to save her. The Catholic Church forbids bloodletting and surgery. Adriana is forced to operate and saves the girls life.
As the book ends they all arrive in Palermo but Adriana's enemy is still after her but he is killed during an attack on her.
The historical setting for the story was interesting and included a lot of detail about life at that time. The plot kept you interested. I think I would like to read the first book in the series sometiime.
Sunday, 16 June 2013
Until the Night
by Giles Blunt,
This is the first book I have read by this author. The story involves a police detective John Cardinal and his colleague Lise Delorme. The story has two tales being told alternately, one is about a team of scientists floatiing on an ice island in the arctic. One of the scientists goes beserk and starts to kill his colleagues, then the ice island splits into pieces and others of the team perish because of this. Only two people survive, one scientist and the man who is having an affair with his wife (she perishes in the ordeal).
The other story line is about women being found frozen, some of them shackled, wearing some clothes that are not their own.
The lead police officer on the female deaths is a prima donna and seems to be off track, Cardinal and his partner each go off on their own investigations, she especially is violating police practices.
In the end it is Cardinal's and Delorme's efforts that solve the case.
I kept wondering how the two stories were connected. It turns out that one of the survivors of the arctic incident, wrongfully convicted of murder by the testimony of the jealous husband, is wreaking revenge on people who spotted him and his lover but chose not to rescue them.
It was a very engaging story, I liked the characters but I can't believe the female officer would end up not getting reprimanded after her behaviour even though it did help to solve a crime.
I will read more books in this series.
This is the first book I have read by this author. The story involves a police detective John Cardinal and his colleague Lise Delorme. The story has two tales being told alternately, one is about a team of scientists floatiing on an ice island in the arctic. One of the scientists goes beserk and starts to kill his colleagues, then the ice island splits into pieces and others of the team perish because of this. Only two people survive, one scientist and the man who is having an affair with his wife (she perishes in the ordeal).
The other story line is about women being found frozen, some of them shackled, wearing some clothes that are not their own.
The lead police officer on the female deaths is a prima donna and seems to be off track, Cardinal and his partner each go off on their own investigations, she especially is violating police practices.
In the end it is Cardinal's and Delorme's efforts that solve the case.
I kept wondering how the two stories were connected. It turns out that one of the survivors of the arctic incident, wrongfully convicted of murder by the testimony of the jealous husband, is wreaking revenge on people who spotted him and his lover but chose not to rescue them.
It was a very engaging story, I liked the characters but I can't believe the female officer would end up not getting reprimanded after her behaviour even though it did help to solve a crime.
I will read more books in this series.
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Life After Life
Kate Atkinson,
This is a very unusual, inventive book. It is the story of a girl Ursula Todd, who seems to relive her life, with a variety of outcomes. Her family realize that she is troubled and take her to a psychiatrist. She is an unusual child, experiencing "deja vu", and at times taking steps to change outcomes, for example she trips her family's maid, to prevent her from going to VE celebrations in London and bringing back influenza which will kill her, Ursula's brother, and almost kill Ursula.
Most of the life stories take place in England prior to or during the first and second world wars. However, two of the segments take place in Germany, in one of them Ursula is married to a German and unable to escape with her child at the start of WWII so she choses to kill them both. In another story she meets the Furer in a bar and shoots him.
The book does not have a finite outcome. This is annoying to some readers. It can be confusing as it jumps back and forth through time with different details and outcomes, however, it was a fascinating read to experience the variety of stories the author develops. It of course makes you think about how things might have turned out differently in our own lives if we had acted differently at certain key points in our life.
This is the second book I have read by this author, she writes very quirky stories. This is a book I will look forward to re-reading.
This is a very unusual, inventive book. It is the story of a girl Ursula Todd, who seems to relive her life, with a variety of outcomes. Her family realize that she is troubled and take her to a psychiatrist. She is an unusual child, experiencing "deja vu", and at times taking steps to change outcomes, for example she trips her family's maid, to prevent her from going to VE celebrations in London and bringing back influenza which will kill her, Ursula's brother, and almost kill Ursula.
Most of the life stories take place in England prior to or during the first and second world wars. However, two of the segments take place in Germany, in one of them Ursula is married to a German and unable to escape with her child at the start of WWII so she choses to kill them both. In another story she meets the Furer in a bar and shoots him.
The book does not have a finite outcome. This is annoying to some readers. It can be confusing as it jumps back and forth through time with different details and outcomes, however, it was a fascinating read to experience the variety of stories the author develops. It of course makes you think about how things might have turned out differently in our own lives if we had acted differently at certain key points in our life.
This is the second book I have read by this author, she writes very quirky stories. This is a book I will look forward to re-reading.
Sunday, 26 May 2013
Murder Below Montparnasse
An Aimee Leduc Investigation
by Cara Black.
This is the thirteenth book in this series, but the first one I have read. It takes place in Paris and is the story of a young private investigator. She has inherited her grandfather's business, her father was a disgraced police officer, whom she managed to clear of charges after his death.
In this story she is contacted by an old man who wants her help to protect a valuable painting. As she is on her way to assist him she and a colleague are involved in an accident, they have hit and killed a man, or was he dead before he hit their vehicle.
Aimee discovers that the painting has been stolen, she is upset that her partner, a computer genius, has left for a profitable job in the U.S. The old man calls her to tell her he doesn't need her help, then later calls to ask her to help him again and hints that he knows where her mother (whom she hasn' seen since a child) is.
She rushes to him but finds him brutally murdered. Then an art dealer is pushed onto the metro tracks.
It seems there are many people after the painting, but who has it.
Aimee finds herself and her other partner threatened by Serb ex-cons and tries to find out the truth behind a Rusian tycoon.
She eventually manages to recover the painting, stolen by an unsuspected person, the story ends with her shocked at the news that she is pregnant. The likely father of the baby is preoccupied by his daughter who is in a coma after a school bus accident....
The story was pretty good as a mystery, much better than some others I have read. The story was engaging with lots of action, but I'm not sure why the subplot about her partner going, and then returning quickly from the U.S. I wouldn't mind reading more in the series.
by Cara Black.
This is the thirteenth book in this series, but the first one I have read. It takes place in Paris and is the story of a young private investigator. She has inherited her grandfather's business, her father was a disgraced police officer, whom she managed to clear of charges after his death.
In this story she is contacted by an old man who wants her help to protect a valuable painting. As she is on her way to assist him she and a colleague are involved in an accident, they have hit and killed a man, or was he dead before he hit their vehicle.
Aimee discovers that the painting has been stolen, she is upset that her partner, a computer genius, has left for a profitable job in the U.S. The old man calls her to tell her he doesn't need her help, then later calls to ask her to help him again and hints that he knows where her mother (whom she hasn' seen since a child) is.
She rushes to him but finds him brutally murdered. Then an art dealer is pushed onto the metro tracks.
It seems there are many people after the painting, but who has it.
Aimee finds herself and her other partner threatened by Serb ex-cons and tries to find out the truth behind a Rusian tycoon.
She eventually manages to recover the painting, stolen by an unsuspected person, the story ends with her shocked at the news that she is pregnant. The likely father of the baby is preoccupied by his daughter who is in a coma after a school bus accident....
The story was pretty good as a mystery, much better than some others I have read. The story was engaging with lots of action, but I'm not sure why the subplot about her partner going, and then returning quickly from the U.S. I wouldn't mind reading more in the series.
Sunday, 5 May 2013
The 100-Year-Old Man who Climbed Out the Wndow and Disappeared
by Jonas Jonasson
This story is about a 100 year old Swede who walks away from his senior's complex on the verge of his 100th birthday party. He stumbles upon a suitcase with milliions of dollars in it and meets up with people who try to help him get away, while the thieves who owned the money try to find him. The police are also trying to find him, to save him from kidnappers, or is it to arrest him for murders??
As the story moves forward we also hear about the man's past. He has apparently been part of major world events and met/helped many famous world leaders, including General Franco, Stalin, Mao, de Gaulle, several U.S. Presidents, etc. He has helped the Americans and also worked against the Americans. He is a spy for the U.S. for the time.
The story is very much like a Forest Gump story with the man bumbling through various events, getting into trouble and then getting out. In the end the man and his friends, and the police detective who was seeking him, all end up happily in Indonesia.
This was an entertaining read, but not intellectually challenging. The author did a great job of tying various world events around this one character. It was an okay summer read.
This story is about a 100 year old Swede who walks away from his senior's complex on the verge of his 100th birthday party. He stumbles upon a suitcase with milliions of dollars in it and meets up with people who try to help him get away, while the thieves who owned the money try to find him. The police are also trying to find him, to save him from kidnappers, or is it to arrest him for murders??
As the story moves forward we also hear about the man's past. He has apparently been part of major world events and met/helped many famous world leaders, including General Franco, Stalin, Mao, de Gaulle, several U.S. Presidents, etc. He has helped the Americans and also worked against the Americans. He is a spy for the U.S. for the time.
The story is very much like a Forest Gump story with the man bumbling through various events, getting into trouble and then getting out. In the end the man and his friends, and the police detective who was seeking him, all end up happily in Indonesia.
This was an entertaining read, but not intellectually challenging. The author did a great job of tying various world events around this one character. It was an okay summer read.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)