The Gift

The Gift by Cecilia Ahern (2009)

When I picked up this book, I was actually hoping for a light chicklit read. I think it does look like it thanks to the book cover, and the author’s previous books I’ve read (P.S. I Love You, Where Rainbows End, Thanks for the Memories) kind of falls into that genre.

I like Cecilia Ahern’s previous books and I wish I could say I was pleasantly surprised to what I found reading it. I couldn’t.  The good part is the story was easy to follow and it does flow nicely. The problem is I couldn’t get pass the cliché in the story and most of the characters. To me, it felt too much like I was in a classroom, being taught a lesson of what I should and should not do in life by a teacher who likes to point fingers.

I do like inspirational books and I read quite a few of them. This one just doesn’t deliver it. It’s simply not inspiring to me. I found myself finished the book and thinking… what’s the point? Even if a lesson of finding out what is important in life is what you’re looking for, there are better ones out there. Ones that truly inspires you and touched your soul.

No, I couldn’t get myself to recommend this book. But if you want to read it, by all means read it. And if you like it, please let me know, maybe there was something I missed.

Tags: book review

A Certain Slant of Light

A Certain Slant of Light, by Laura Whitcomb.

I love the story idea of this book. It was told by Helen, a Light, a soul who can’t pass to the next world. Helen had been cleaving hosts, the Quick, for over a hundred year. The story started when she met a Quick teenager who could see her. Never in her Light years any Quick could see her. Later on she found out that the Quick turned out to be a former Light, James, who possessed a human body whose soul had left it. The conflict arises when they fall in love but they can’t exactly touch each other, being in a different state.

I like how she come up with a new definition of Light, which didn’t put it into something that was scary or weird… In another tale, the Light would be ghost or spirit, but ghost and spirit have an emotion attached to them, and Light is neutral.

Also, the book started with one of the best opening sentence I’ve ever read:

Someone was looking at me, a disturbing sensation if you’re dead.

I can feel the story unravels just from the first sentence. I wish I could write something like that . I find the storytelling goes on smoothly throughout the pages, making it a book I couldn’t put down. However, I was a bit disappointed near the end, because I felt it was somewhat rushed, as if it was sprinting when it saw the finish line. But maybe it could be also me, disappointed that the book was almost finished.

I think it’s a good book, the story is intriguing and different from what I usually come across. I would recommend it for people who like romance stories with a twist, or stories with more spiritual depth.

Tags: book review, review

15 Books I’ll Always Remember

It’s originally a facebook note. Was tagged there by Ambu Dian. I decided to post it here too.

Make a list of the 15 books that you’ll always remember. Don’t think too hard. Choose the first 15 books that you’ll be able to remember in 15 minutes.

1. St. Clare series by Enid Blyton. It made me want to live in a girls’ boarding school when I was a kid. But yeah, I changed my mind when I was older.
2. The Secret Garden by by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The idea of having a secluded spot in my garden where nobody can find me fascinates me for years!
3. Matilda by Roald Dahl. I want to lift chalks with my mind power too!
4. Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. Nuff said.
5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Perhaps it’s because I’m writing a book with a similar setting, but I think this one is brilliant.
6. The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. There’s a piece of me in there somewhere… I won’t tell where
7. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Like it or not, I will always remember the sparkling vampires!
8. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. It changed my perspective on money.
9. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. When you want something, the whole Universe conspires to help you realize your desire.
10. Pippi Långstrump series by Astrid Lindgren. I read this one in three languages .
11. Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Never stop being a child at heart.
12. On Writing by Stephen King. Best writer’s memoir.
13. Being Happy! by Andrew Matthews. This one changed my view on life. Be happy, now. Don’t wait until tomorrow.
14. Gede Prama’s book. [note for non Indonesian reader: he's an Indonesian philosophical, spiritual writer]
15. A Chance of Sunshine by Jimmy Liao. A lovely illustrated book about love at first sight.

Feel free to do your own, in the comments or a link back on your blog.  I’d love to know which books you remembered most!

Tags: books, meme

Perempuan Punya Cerita vs A Thousand Splendid Suns

Hari ini gw terbaca sinopsis film “Perempuan Punya Cerita” di kompas online. Sayangnya kompas nggak bisa di-link, tapi sinopsis film dan trailernya juga bisa dilihat di  http://www.kalyanashira.com/perempuanpunyacerita/.

4 cerita pendek. 4 sutradara perempuan bercerita tentang 4 perempuan biasa yang punya pengalaman luar biasa. Tapi kenapa dari 4 cerita ini, kok semuanya cerita penderitaan perempuan ya?

Please don’t let it be another depressing movie…

Read more…

Tags: book, movie, review

Ayat-Ayat Cinta (Love Verses)

Author                   : Habiburrahman El Shirazy

Published              : December 2004, 406 pages

Genre                     : Fiction, Islamic, Indonesian

Lina recommended this book; she said it gave her mixed beautiful feelings. I peeked inside and I remember reading parts of this in a continuous story part in Republika newspaper about three years ago. Sadly, I did not know the ending because that was the time I went to Germany. I remember that it was beautifully written, especially for people who adores Islam or who wanted to learn and adore it and I was curious about the ending, so I bought the book.

The main character is an Indonesian student in Egypt. He was an exceptional student, with an exceptional akhlak (mentality?), a very kind person who always do the right thing according to the guidance of Islam, Al-Qur’an, and the Prophet Muhammad. He must be good looking as well (at least presentable enough), considering all the girls that was mentioned in this story fell in love with him (there are four of them, from different nationality and background).

It is a love story, but it was a love story written in a perspective of an Islamic scholar. True love between a man and a woman only comes after marriage. It is a guidance of how to love (and how to be loved) in ways that did not collide with the teachings of the Prophet. It is a book about Islam teaching, because it has explanations of Qur’an and Hadits. It is an idealistic portrayal of how a guy should react (and how a good moslem girl should act).

I kind of find it hard to swallow that the author made it that all the girls love the main character. But then again, it is a romance novel where everything is allowed to be over the top. The main character is totally flawless guy, a perfect person. A dream guy for a moslem woman.

In the end, I believe this book is only for those who love Islam or try to love it. For those who don’t it is probably too idealistic and unreal. The Qur’an and Hadits was a little bit too much and sometimes a bit forced upon. For me it is a bit boring to read all the quotes (*devil wink*)

Final rating:

9/10, if you’re a good moslem or would like to know/be one.

5/10, if you’re easily bored with preaching or you don’t believe in Islam that much.

(Bought: Gramedia Paris Van Java, Bandung on 1 February 2007, Read: 1-2 February 2007 (around 8 hours))