Title: The Kite Runner
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Genre: Historical fiction/drama
Publication Year: 2003
This is my second novel by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseni. The first one was "A Thousand Splendid Suns and that was truly splendid. The Kite Runner is Hosseni's first novel.
Blurb: Afghanistan, 1975, Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to win the local kite-fighting tournament and his loyal friend, Haasan promises to help him. But neither of the boys can foresee what will happen to Haasan that afternoon, an event that is to shatter their lives. After the Russian invade, the family is forced to flee to America. Amir realizes that one day he must return to Afghanistan under Taliban to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him, redemption.
WeReflect: It is excruciatingly heartbreaking story set in the background of Afghanistan. Hosseni paints a picture of Afghan with mulberry and pomegranate trees, park, green grass, snowing, aromas of spices, kebab. It is different than what I saw or read or imagined of Afghan. It was not always blood thirsty Taliban. The story flows from 1970 to 2001. We get glimpse of liberal King Zahir Khan, internal coupe to Russian invasion, followed by Taliban ravage. Taliban's cruelty and war-torn Afghan is portrayed well here. Story ends with a positive note or that is what I would like to believe.
There is not a single emotional scene where my eyes weren't moist. Protagonist's journey through redemption in enthralling. Writer tries to make protagonist likable and he succeeds. Hosseni's writing is simple yet beautiful. Farsi is used pretty much abundantly, so knowing Hindi and and little bit of Urdu absolutely helps.
Amir is the most unsympathetic protagonist I have ever come across so far. He is selfish, jealous, attention seeker, mean, and very much real. Haasan's character is most cliched. He is loyal, forgiving, loving, and little goody two-shoes.
It is a story that needs to be read. It makes you a better person if you let be. It changed my perception of Afghanistan, once the fascinating country. Who knows 'milesandtrails' can one day be there.
The kite strings are made with powdered glass and tar. I could easily relate because during our road trip to Gujarat in January where kite festival just ended; and we saw remnants of strings and bikes with protective gear to shield away from sharp edges of strings.
Will leave you with few favourite quotes;
"For you, a thousand times over"
"There is a way to be good again"
"It always hurts more to have and lose than to not have in the first place"
"There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood"
Play: At Home, At The Zoo
Troupe: Jagrithi
Writer: Edward Albee
Director: Arundathi Raja
Actors: Roy Sinai, Vandhana Prabhu, Swetanshu Bora
"Sometimes a person has to go a very long distance out of his way to come back to a short distance correctly"
This unfinished piece was lying in the draft begging for attention. It has been quite sometime since we watched this play, so the details might be little blur. This play is presented by Jagrithi group, penned down by Edward Albee and directed by Arundathi Raja.
Synopsis: Peter has a comfortable job as an Editor in a publishing house. He and his wife Ann have a comfortable marriage. They live in a comfortable apartment in New York's Upper East Side with their two daughters and their pets. Life is, well, comfortable. Until Ann walks in and says "We should talk".
Following their talk, their comfort somewhat destroyed, Peter decides to go the park-perhaps to regain some comfort. But then along comes Jerry from the diametrically opposite Upper West Side of town. He's full of stories. He's looking to talk too. "I have been to the zoo", he says and Peter's life is turned upside down.
WeReflect: We've learnt that "The Zoo Story" was written first and the prequel "Homelife" after a few years. Adaptation of book into for a movie is tricky, but into drama more trickier. The whole story must be conveyed through acting and dialogue.
In first act, Peter and Anna have a conversation about their sex life. Pornographic details are described, yet in such an aesthetic way that there was not a tiny bit of embarrassment or unpleasantness. They lead a happy life, but for lack of sparks in the marriage, more like midlife crisis. Roy Sinai who played the role of Peter is intense. He made us to believe he really is the swanky, upper east sider. Ann played by Vandhana Prabhu is also good.
In second act, Peter goes to park to continue his reading. Here Jerry enters with an opening line 'I've been to Zoo". He talks incessantly about his life, his neighbors, parents, non-existent relationships. He starts telling the story of his landlady's dog and his inability to get connected to the dog. His tone and body language alarms Peter, still he tries to maintain a brave facade. Shortly an argument starts between them for park bench followed by Jerry pulling a knife. An ordinary day turns out to be rather dreadful for Peter. Will he be able to awaken the beast in himself? We.re not giving away the climax here. Swetanshu Bora played the role of Jerry. He has too many lines to mug. Though his performance is good, his accent gives away his Indianness and it is tough to perceive him to be a Yankee.
The duration of play is 90 minutes. We enjoyed it quite okay. There were too many dialogues and lot for imagination, just a concised extension of a book.
Film: The Blind Side
Year: 2009
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Quinton Aaron, Tim McGraw, Lily Collins, Kathy Bates
Genre: Biographical Sports Drama
Direction: John Lee Hancock
I knew Sandra Bullock won academy award for best actress for this movie and the movie is vaguely related to football. We're not sports fans. Pallavi can be completely blind and deaf to the game on any screens without much effort. Why I'm saying this because if a film is based on some sport, she is reluctant to go ahead with it. Last week after Sunday brunch we started watching it on a whim. Just 10 minutes into it and we are hooked. That same evening we had to attend a family friend's Mohiniyattam performance and we had leave the house in an hour to make it in time. We neither wanted to abandon the film in between nor cancel the performance. We toss a coin in a situation like these to make a decision and it was in favor of the program. So, with a heavy heart we decided to continue it once we return from the show and continue we did.
Plot: Michale Oher had been in-and-out of foster care as his mother is a drug addict. One day one of his friend's father enrolls him into Wingate Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee with the help of coach who is taken in by Mike's enormous built and sturdiness. He had to convince school principal and other teachers because Mike's academic records are very poor.
Leigh Ann Touhy (Bullock) discovers Mike walking on the road in a cold night without proper clothing. She is an interior designer by profession and two of her children study in the same school. Her husband is a rich businessman. When she realizes Mike doesn't have a place to stay she asks him to sleep on the couch for that night. From then onwards she decides to take him under her wing and her whole family is nothing but supportive. They nurture Mike's athletic gift and set him on the path of football.
WeReflect: A feel-good drama, which is a sure shot tearjerker. This biographical sports drama is based on the book of same name "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. Almost all characters in the movie are too good to be true. For a cynic like me it is difficult to digest. Having said that I'm always up to appreciate goodness in people, even a fraction of it. Ms. Touhy treating Mike just like her own kids made me fall in love with the story. In this cut-throat competitive world such a quality is rare and unique. Bullock is without a doubt heart and soul of the movie. She carries the high society woman's role with such an aplomb. She is self-assured, confidant, energetic, with a heart of gold. And Pallavi tells her wardrobe is to die for and I agree. Quinton Aaron as Big Mike's performance is praiseworthy as well as all the rest of characters.
The best scene for me is when Leigh Ann comes down to check on Mike the next morning only to find neatly folded blankets on the couch that makes her smile. And that was the precise moment she decides on adopting him. How many of us can be like Ms. Touhy. Okay, it is a given she has a truckload of money. Even so, I don't think anybody will go the extent of opening their heart and home to a grown-up African-American boy without a second thought. The social economic status and racial bias is what make the story more distinct and believable. If you're not too judgmental this one is for you all.
Title: Something in the Water
Author: Catherine Steadman
Genre: Thriller/Mystery
Publication: 2018
"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional".
Blurb: Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. Could the life of your dreams be the stuff of nightmares? Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events.
The title of the book was intriguing. It implied a mystery, a thriller or both. I stopped picking the book as per recommendations or reviews of others because many a times they failed me. Its my understanding to read book without any expectations. That makes it much more joyful process and I would be the sole judge without any influence.
WeReflect: Erin is an upcoming film maker who is engaged to Mark, a handsome and successful investment banker. She is filming a documentary about three prisoners from different walks of life who are to be affiliated back into society. Just few days before the D day Mark loses job. They decide to cut down on the wedding expenses and two weeks honeymoon in Bora Bora instead of planned three weeks. They were having a perfect honeymoon; sunbathing, hiking, scuba diving; eating exotic food; and generous dose of love making until they find something in the deep blue sea and their life is never the same.
Book opens where Erin is digging a grave to bury the body and she leaves it to the readers to decide whether she is a good person or not. That promised a good start. And in the end I could not fathom whether she is a good person or not. She made incredibly stupid choices for sure. She is greedy and completely untrustworthy. So, is Mark. The story is gripping from start to finish, though the climax is predictable with a little twist.
I started wondering is it so easy to smuggle things to England if you are traveling in first class as the writer suggests? What would I've done in Erin's position? I even prodded Tarun to answer what would be his choice if he was Mark after the storytelling. Throughout the book I was telling Erin not to walk that road and have her priorities right. In this way the book does justice to being a psychological thriller.
This is author's first novel. Once I finished the book I decided to do a little research about the writer. Voila, I knew her. Not personally of course. She is an actress, and I recognized her roles from Downton Abbey and The Tudors. She weaved a relatively simple tale in an equally simple words. And I would like to read more from this one.
