This is a story about stark contrasts. We meet two families whose every day lives could not be more different. One family is struggling to escape the overwhelming poverty in India, and the other is a married couple in America-- both doctors, one Caucasian, one Indian -- who are unable to conceive a child.
Gowda gives us a window into India -- a country and culture practically defined by contrasts. The fabulous luxury of the rich versus the crushing and endless poverty of the poor. The murder of female babies versus the three-day celebration of the birth of a baby boy. Add to this the contrast between the life of a woman in India who gave birth to an unwanted baby girl and the Stanford-educated couple who are unable to conceive and you may wonder how these families are at all similar.
Their life experiences intersect through the power of maternal love and the inevitable heartache and joy that comes with it. Add the pretty significant wrinkle of adoption and you get the stories of Kavita and Jasu in India and Somer and Krishnan in California.
I appreciated the insight into the Indian culture -- seeing American culture from the Indian perspective was eye-opening in itself -- but I also gained insight into the emotional toll of adoption and (surprising to me, anyway) the aftermath of adoption.
Given the above, I might have given it 4 stars except that the writing was just average.
Monday, July 18, 2016
Double Indemnity
Greed. Lust. Betrayal. Twists. Suspense. This thriller has it all.
I read this to fill a reading challenge category "Seen the Movie but Haven't Read the Book". I am so glad I chose this one. The 1944 classic film noir with Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck is one of my favorites. It's one of those I'll stop and watch whenever I come across it. So I was pleased and not at all surprised to find that this, the basis for that movie, is better, darker and "twistier" than even that great film. And that's saying something.
I recently read Farewell, My Lovely the basis for another film noir of 1944 by Raymond Chandler, featuring hard-boiled detective Philip Marlowe. Maybe a one-to-one comparison isn't quite fair, as James M. Cain's works are more about what drives people to do the dark deeds that they do rather than the detective experience, but I come down squarely in the Cain camp.
Mildred Pierce and The Postman Always Rings Twice -- here I come.
I read this to fill a reading challenge category "Seen the Movie but Haven't Read the Book". I am so glad I chose this one. The 1944 classic film noir with Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck is one of my favorites. It's one of those I'll stop and watch whenever I come across it. So I was pleased and not at all surprised to find that this, the basis for that movie, is better, darker and "twistier" than even that great film. And that's saying something.
I recently read Farewell, My Lovely the basis for another film noir of 1944 by Raymond Chandler, featuring hard-boiled detective Philip Marlowe. Maybe a one-to-one comparison isn't quite fair, as James M. Cain's works are more about what drives people to do the dark deeds that they do rather than the detective experience, but I come down squarely in the Cain camp.
Mildred Pierce and The Postman Always Rings Twice -- here I come.
A Traitor to Memory (Inspector Lynley)
Why oh why did I mentally promise to read all the books in this series? The series has such potential. Sir Thomas Lynley, Eighth Earl of Asherton juxtaposed with blue collar Barbara Havers provides tension and opportunity for demonstrating how each one's background affects how they view and interact with homicide suspects. The back story of these main characters also lends depth to each of these murder mysteries. I lost patience with the pouty Lady Helen, Lynley's true love, early on, but as she is relegated for the most part to scenes that have nothing to do with the plot I decided to tolerate her.
As to this particular installment, where do I begin? The story of miserable people in a variety of miserable situations is dragged out for more than 1000 pages. The ending was unlikely at best and illogical at worst. I did not like it.
But will I continue to read this series? Probably. Hopefully the next one will be better.
As to this particular installment, where do I begin? The story of miserable people in a variety of miserable situations is dragged out for more than 1000 pages. The ending was unlikely at best and illogical at worst. I did not like it.
But will I continue to read this series? Probably. Hopefully the next one will be better.
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto
As noted by the author himself in the acknowledgements, this is a hard book to explain. It is the story of Frankie Presto, guitar virtuoso, from his birth to his death as narrated by Music. Music, the entity itself, is the narrator. Music walks us through Frankie's life in a Forrest Gump-like saga in which he meets and interacts with famous musicians ranging from Duke Ellington to Elvis to Burt Bachrach to Paul Stanley (KISS, for those of you who don't recognize this name). This means that this book is particularly well-suited to an audio-read, as these various artists (or in some cases their bandmates) are heard relating their memories of Frankie.
We see how Music has the power to transform lives, bring great joy and (sometimes at the same time) bring tears to our eyes. But in this story there is a mystical, truly magical aspect to the strings of Frankie's guitar. If you believe in the spiritual power of music, you'll enjoy this book.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)