Joanne Harris has been my favourite author and I have written reviews of her books in my own inadequate words in my earlier posts. I read another of her book today called Coastliners. This is also a good read. Its about a small island (so small that it doesnt even appear on the map) and its inhabitants who are deep-rooted in superstition and have lost all hope. They believe that only the patron saint of their island can now improve their fortunes and all efforts to do it themselves will be futile. Along comes a girl who had emigrated from the island with her mother when she was a kid. How they manage to change the local attitude and prevent disaster forms the rest of the story. As usual in JH stories, human relations, local community, mystery, intrigue and romance flavour this book. Every person in the community is given a distinct character. Even the villain of the story has a human side to him and u end up sympathising with him.
Some stories have the capability to create an atmosphere around the reader if u know what I mean. When u read the book, u can picturise the island, the people and sometimes its like Alice's trip to wonderland. U forget about the everyday lab trips and think u actually live on the island :-D I get that feeling with a very few books like Lord of the rings, all JH books and few more that i cant recall now.
Ill keep an eye out for her other writings.
A very hilarious movie I saw yesterday was "Tajmahal" the Akbar Khan version :-D It was hilarious in many parts but gross in many too. The brutal scenes could have been avoided. I couldnt recognise Arbaaz Khan in Aurangzeb's role :-D The lead pair were plastic. Zulfi syed was so covered in zulf (hair) that his acting talents got shadowed if they were any. he tried. I'm still fida over him cos he had killer eyes and an awesome height :-D This movie made me want to see Tajmahal, the makbara. I have seen it when I was 9. Hardly capable of appreciating the beauty. I want to see that again.
Another feeling I got from this movie was that if Aurangzeb had not been so rigid in his Islamic beliefs and had not tried to impose it on the local public, India would have been a strong country when the English arrived. I feel a ruler should not impose his thinking on his nation. His strong measures alienated so many princely states. All the good that Mughal rulers had done before him got ruined by his approach. Many people now dont remember the good work done before him and remember only his atrocities. Evryone should be let to practise their own religion. Thats what Islam also says. Being fanatic about it never serves anybody's purpose.
Some stories have the capability to create an atmosphere around the reader if u know what I mean. When u read the book, u can picturise the island, the people and sometimes its like Alice's trip to wonderland. U forget about the everyday lab trips and think u actually live on the island :-D I get that feeling with a very few books like Lord of the rings, all JH books and few more that i cant recall now.
Ill keep an eye out for her other writings.
A very hilarious movie I saw yesterday was "Tajmahal" the Akbar Khan version :-D It was hilarious in many parts but gross in many too. The brutal scenes could have been avoided. I couldnt recognise Arbaaz Khan in Aurangzeb's role :-D The lead pair were plastic. Zulfi syed was so covered in zulf (hair) that his acting talents got shadowed if they were any. he tried. I'm still fida over him cos he had killer eyes and an awesome height :-D This movie made me want to see Tajmahal, the makbara. I have seen it when I was 9. Hardly capable of appreciating the beauty. I want to see that again.
Another feeling I got from this movie was that if Aurangzeb had not been so rigid in his Islamic beliefs and had not tried to impose it on the local public, India would have been a strong country when the English arrived. I feel a ruler should not impose his thinking on his nation. His strong measures alienated so many princely states. All the good that Mughal rulers had done before him got ruined by his approach. Many people now dont remember the good work done before him and remember only his atrocities. Evryone should be let to practise their own religion. Thats what Islam also says. Being fanatic about it never serves anybody's purpose.
3 comments:
it takes too much self control for me not to reply to your post.
"i would rather live like a tiger for a day than a sheep for a hundred years" - tipu sultan.
ideals are more important than goals. if karl marx knew that ussr would turn into it's current state, do u think he would not supported his cause?
Taliban, LeT, RSS, VHP are organisations based on ideals. Do u think that their actions are justified?
hey t... i hv not seen the movie... but i totally agree with you bout zulfi's eyes!! :-) i think he's damn cute!!
you write really well... especially your book reviews... they are too good. n ya... me loves ruskin bond too!! his 'night train to deoli' is my all time favourite. :-)
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