Review: HOUSE RULES by Jodi Picoult ***

Jacob Hunt is a teenage boy with Asperger's syndrome. He's hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject -- in his case, forensic analysis. He's always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do...and he's usually right.
But then his town is rocked by a terrible murder and, for a change, the police come to Jacob with questions. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger's -- not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, flat affect -- can look a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel. Suddenly, Jacob and his family feel the spotlight shining directly on them.
For his mother, Emma, it's a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it's another indication of why nothing is normal because of Jacob. And over this small family the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?
Emotionally powerful from beginning to end, House Rules looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way -- and fails those who don't.

I've read most of Jodi Picoult's books and I like to say she's one of my favourite authors so naturally I was excited to read her latest offering too. I wasn't sure if I was in the mood for it, but after seeing reviews everywhere, I just couldn't resist it. I found the first half of the book absolutely gripping and I just couldn't put it down; I just wanted to read on and on as I really wanted to know what actually happened on that day. But then the obligatory Picoult courtroom scenes came and the book really slowed down. I kept reading as I was expecting some major twist in the end, but little did I know that the only thing this novel had in store for me was The Lamest Twist in the History of Plot Twists, which was quite an unpleasant surprise since Ms Picoult is famous for her shocking plot twists. And here, there wasn't even a twist, just the final explanation which just made me roll my eyes. I just kept thinking, "Is *that* even possible? Wouldn't a medical examiner have spotted that? Why didn't they just *ask* Jacob what actually happened?" So yeah, this book sadly went from a very promising opening to a rather disappointing conclusion.

While I did enjoy reading it, especially the first half or so, I thought the book was far too long and full of fillers. Ms Picoult has a trademark writing style, which is lovely and full of metaphors and I would recognize it immediately, even if I didn't know something was written by her. I can't fault it and Picoult definitely knows how to write, but now I feel that she always uses the same techniques, plus to me it feels like all her characters have a similar narrative voice so I find it difficult to tell them apart without being told who's narrating the story (there are always multiple narrators), which obviously affects the characterization as well. I wasn't particularly annoyed by any of the characters in this book, but sadly I didn't really connect to them either. They were basically just the standard Picoult characters: the child with an issue, the mother who will do anything for that child, the resentful sibling, the distant significant other, the lawyer, the detective, the prosecutor, the judge and yadda yadda, so basically nothing new really.

Picoult tackles a topical issue in each of her novels and this time she picked Asperger's Syndrome, "a highly-functional form of autism". At first I found the subject fascinating and it was interesting to see the world through the eyes of an Aspie, but after hearing the definition of Asperger's Syndrome and all the symptoms for like the twentieth time, I did feel slightly beaten over the head with the subject of autism and I think I could probably recite the definition in my sleep, which is slightly annoying.

As for the covers, I posted both the UK and US ones above. I can't say I'm a fan of either (too much green *shudder*), but in this case the UK one is definitely the winner - well, at least it's relevant to the story (the rainbow quilt plays an importan part), whereas the US one feels completely random. I've no idea what a small child is doing on the cover since Jacob, the main character, is supposed to be 18?

One last thing, and this is slightly off-topic, but I'm afraid I'm not a fan of Ms Picoult's use of sexist language. I've noticed it in several of her works actually and I'm quite surprised that she still uses the male pronoun to specify the indefinite pronoun, which is a pet peeve of mine; e.g. (p. 466 of my ARC):

"So someone with Asperger's might be smart?"
"Someone with Asperger's might even have a genius level IQ. However, when it comes to small talk, he'll be completely inept. He has to be taught social interactions [...]"
&
"A person with Asperger's desperately wants to fit in but simply can't understand social behaviour [...] He won't be able to read gestures or facial expressions [...] He won't be able to intrepret a non-verbal clue [...]"

Sadly, these are not lone examples; they appear all over the place and it really ticks me off so I'd like to take a moment and invite everyone to read this excellent article on Why Sexist Language Matters. Thank you and I hope I'm not the only one who feels so strongly about this issue? :)

All in all, I admit I was slightly disappointed with the latest Picoult offering, which is quite the opposite of how I felt about her previous novel, Handle with Care, which I gobbled up in one day. I'm afraid that despite a very promising and gripping opening I can't rate this one among my personal Picoult favourites (The Pact, Mercy, My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes etc.), but I expect her 2011 novel, Sing You Home, will turn out far better - I can't wait for it!

If you're not familiar with the Picoult phenomenom yet, then I wouldn't really suggest you start with this novel as I personally don't think it shows the best of what Picoult can do. But don't be discouraged by my review - despite all the compaints I had, I enjoyed reading this novel so definitely give it a try if you're a Picoult fan, it might tickle your fancy more than mine, who knows. :) Watch the official trailer below to learn more about the book!

overall rating:
plot: 3/5 | writing: 3/5 | characters: 3/5 | cover: 3/5

Review: THE BOOK OF TOMORROW by Cecelia Ahern *****

"Tamara Goodwin has always got everything she's ever wanted. Born into a family of wealth, she grew up in a mansion with its own private beach, a wardrobe full of designer clothes and all that a girl could ever wish for. She's always lived in the here and now, never giving a second thought to tomorrow. But then suddenly her dad is gone and life for Tamara and her mother changes forever. Left with a mountain of debt, they have no choice but to sell everything they own and move to the country. Nestled next to Kilsaney Castle, their gatehouse is a world away from Tamara's childhood. With her mother shut away with grief, and her aunt busy tending to her, Tamara is lonely and bored and longs to return to Dublin. When a travelling library passes through Kilsaney Demesne, Tamara is intrigued. Her eyes rest on a mysterious large leather bound tome locked with a gold clasp and padlock. What she discovers within the pages takes her breath away and shakes her world to its core."

This is actually the first book by Cecelia Ahern that I've read; I own three others, but they never really intrigued me enough to actually read them, I'm ashamed to say. This book however fascinated me as soon as I heard about it months ago. The story seemed great, but I somehow still expected the story to be cheesy - luckily, it was anything but that! In fact, in was absolutely fantastic (good win, very dead *wink wink*) and all I can say is W-O-W!!!

What I loved most about this book was definitely the narrative voice of Tamara Goodwin. I can't say she's the most likeable character ever as she even herself confesses she's a spoilt selfish mean brat among other things, but on the other hand I thought she was just a typical teenager, always arguing with her parents and moaning for no reason. For the first 16 years of her life, she led a very privileged life and took everything for granted, but after her father's death she is forced to learn a few hard life lessons. Despite all her flaws, I really really really enjoyed her narrative and her fantastic snarky remarks that had me in stitches several times (I still chuckle just thinking about some scenes, lol).

Luckily, Tamara's character wasn't the only one that was immensely well portrayed - I pretty much loved ALL the characters! My favourite was probably Marcus (even though that subplot wasn't quite resolved the way I hoped it would be) - the Bookman with his lovely Bookmobile, but how could you possibly not love the nuns who enjoy Mills & Boon books and drive around in a yellow Fiat Cinquicento (hey, I used to drive an orange Fiat Seicento so who am I to judge :p)?! Yep, Sister Ignatius was the best nun ever - talk about defying steretypes, hehe. Or the mysterious relatives, an uncle who rarely opens his mouth and a strange aunt? Honestly, you couldn't possibly wish for better characters, they were pretty much perfect!

The plot was also fantaaaaastic and I loved the whole mystery surrounding Tamara's new life, which is only increased by her new surrounding, a cottage in the middle of nowhere, next to the ruins of a mysterious deserted castle. There were all these questions that kept popping up: Why is Tamara's mother acting so strange, even for a grieving person? Why does uncle Arthur barely speak? Why is aunt Rosaleen so peculiar (you could tell there was more than meets the eye, but I was certainly not expecting the final twist!!)? What's in the garage? Who lives in the bungalow? What happened to the people in the castle when the fire broke out? What does Sister Ignatius know? Sooo many questions and I was pleased to say that everything was satisfactorily explained in the rather explosive conclusion which quite resembled an action film, hehe. Talk about a life-changing twist, whoooooa!

Ms Ahern is famous for her magical elements in her works and in this case it was this diary that contains the entries from the future, giving Tamara a chance to change it or act accordingly. (What would you do, huh? :)) It may sound a bit weird, but it worked out really well in the course of the book, I thought it was quite clever actually!
(By the way, do you think the last sentence in the book implies a sequel? Ooh, I'd love one!)

I'm not quite sure which genre the book belongs to though ... It's more YA than chicklit if anything, but I don't think it quite fits either so I've decided to label it as general as I think it would appeal to everyone!

Seriously, what's not to love about this book?! The narration/writing is fantastic, the characters are lovely, the plot is wonderfully mysterious (gripping stuff, honestly) and the cover is gorgeous! This EPIC WIN of a book blew my mind and jumped straight into my Top 5 reads of 2009! Surely Ms Ahern's previous can't be any better than this? But even if they're half as good, I'll definitely give them a try now! I'm so hyped up and can't stop raving about this book now so I think I better stop before I get slightly carried away - oh, wait, is it already too late for that? :)

overall rating: 5/5
plot: 5/5 | writing: 5/5 | characters: 5/5 | cover: 5/5

Additional reviews: Leah, Chloe, Dot - be sure to read those too! :)

Review: LUXURY by Jessica Ruston ****

"MAKE IT

Sexy, smart New Yorker Logan Barnes knew how to take what he wanted to get where he wanted to be. But you can’t win the girl, make the money and live the high life without picking up enemies along the way …

BREAK IT

There’s only one enemy who matters, and that’s the friend Logan betrayed years ago – Nicolo Flores. He got mad, but better still he got even, waiting in the wings to pull the plug on Logan and and see his fortunes come crashing down.

BUT SAVE THE BEST CARD FOR LAST

Now Logan’s back, in London with a perfect wife, perfect family, and the perfect jewel to crown his rebuilt hotel empire: a stunning island getaway for the truly über-rich. Niccolo’s crazy to find a way to crush him again – but with gambling, addiction, sex and scandal all knocking on the Barnes’ family door, maybe they’ll destroy themselves before he even has a chance to …
A DEVASTATINGLY GOOD LOOK AT LIFE LIVED IN THE LAP OF LUXURY"

I honestly had no idea what to expect from this novel. The blurb made it sound like it was about two men (?!) and the cover suggested something more chicklity (the cover is pretty but quite deceiving, by the way). I was confused but even more intrigued, especially after reading glowing reviews pretty much everywhere online. I wasn't entirely sure if this would be my cup of tea, but I decided to give it a try after being offered a review copy by Headline (Thank you!) and I certainly don't regret my decision - reading this book was one hell of a ride!

The story doesn't quite sound like something I typically go for, but I was surprised how quickly I was sucked into it and the pages just flew by ... I have no intention of posting the detailed summary as it would take forever - there's just too much going on! But to quickly recap: Once upon a time in the 1980s, there were 3 guys, Logan, Johnny and Nicolo. They were best friends with very big plans, but they fell apart after Logan stole Nicolo's girlfriend Maryanne. Nicolo vowed to get his revenge. His sabotaged his enemy a few times in the next couple of decades, but hasn't quite managed to ruin him despite his best attempts. However, when Logan embarks on his most ambitious project yet, the opening of the exclusive and private hotel on a picture perfect island called Luxury (hence the title), Nicolo recognizes this as the perfect opportunity to finally get even for the pain he suffered years ago, but he will need quite a bit of help to succeed ...

I could be said that this is mainly a story about revenge and rivalry between two incredibly successful and ruthless men. In this story of betrayal, manipulation, blackmail, dark secrets and sinister plans among other things, the stakes are high and absolutely nothing is off limits. The ultimate revenge plot severely affects many lifelong friendships and seemingly perfect families; by the end of the book, the lives of everyone involved are changed forever and only a few survive the consequences of the devastating actions ...
The main story may be about two middle-aged men (it's honestly far more interesting than it sounds!), but on the other hand, there are also numerous subplots regarding Logan's wife Maryanne and her addiction problems, their children Charlie and Lucia, Logan's friends Johnny and Mark, a mother and daughter who have their own reason for revenge, a woman's who's trying to escape her violent husband and many others.

This is certainly not a fairytale about the lives of the rich and the famous - if anything, it's more a tragedy and shows that the lives of these people are less enviable than they may seem ... Nonetheless, the novel does provide fascinating insight into the lives of the incredibly rich people and your jaw's bound to drop several times when you read about the "things" these people come up with, hehe. Being richer than rich may have plenty of advantages, but on the whole it may not be all it's cracked up to be seeing how the price these people have to pay to solve their problems is sometimes even more than they can afford.

All in all, I really enjoyed the book far more than I expected. The writing as such may be just above average, but the fascinating story with its twists & turns and the passionate characters make this bonkbuster unputdownable - escapism at its best!

overall rating: 4/5
plot: 4/5 | writing: 3/5 | characters: 4/5 | cover: 3/5

Review: THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO ... ****

"It’s January, 1946, and writer Juliet Ashton sits at her desk, vainly seeking a subject for her next book.
Out of the blue, she receives a letter from one Dawsey Adams of Guernsey — by chance, he’s acquired a secondhand book that once belonged to Juliet — and, spurred on by their mutual love of Charles Lamb, they begin a correspondence. When Dawsey reveals that he is a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Juliet’s curiosity is piqued, and it’s not long before she begins to hear from the other members. As the letters fly back and forth with stories of life in Guernsey under the German occupation, Juliet soon realises that the society is every bit as extraordinary as its name. There’s gawky Isola, who makes love potions to sell along with her vegetables; Eben, a fisherman with a passion for Shakespeare; Will, erstwhile ironmonger and the creator of the famous potato peel pie; and Dawsey himself, a farmer with a shy manner and a tender heart.
Most poignant of all are the memories of Elizabeth, the founding member of the society, who fell in love with a German officer, saved a starving prisoner, and was sent away to a concentration camp, leaving her child behind.
Sustained by books and one another, the islanders have battled the bitter hardships of World War Two. Juliet, entranced by their stories and their spirit, decides to visit Guernsey to meet her new friends properly.
A moving tale of the power of friendship, books and love, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will beguile the heart and mind."

The description above was taken from the publisher's site and I think it sums up the book quite well. However, just the summary doesn't do the book justice as this really is one of those books that you need to experience yourself to appreciate it properly. And how cute is the title?! Sadly the whole of it doesn't fit in my subject line, but isn't THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY just the kind of title that grabs your attention? Especially with the cover; I think it definitely stands out.

I've had a copy of this book for over a year and I don't know why it took me so long to start reading it (I could blame the massive TBR pile, heh). Anyway, as soon as I started reading the book, I fell in love with it, mostly with the wonderful writing and the delightful characters!

The novel consists of letters between several characters, e.g. the writer Juliet, her friend Sophie, her editor Sidney and several people from Guernsey. Thus, the whole story, which takes place in 1946, is revealed through the letters, which is a lovely concept in itself, but the problem I have with it is that the readers only get to see fragments of the actual events and consequently the characters are less developed too, which is a bit of a downpoint, even if the characters as such are incredibly lovely. The concept of the novel was interesting, but I think the plot itself slowly became a bit boring if I dare say so myself. There were things going on, but I personally wasn't entirely gripped by them so perhaps that was just me.

Other than that, I whoreheartedly enjoyed this wonderful gem of a novel! As I said, the writing is rich and fantastic, and I couldn't help but fall in love with all the lovely and quirky characters. I really enjoyed reading all the letters just to enjoy the brilliant writing, which really captivated me and kept me entertained! Thus I'd love to read more by Mary Ann Shaffer, but sadly this great author sadly passed away last year.

The novel was generally quite witty - it had me laughing out loud several times and I was grinning nearly all the time because I had such a lovely time reading it, but the novel features also some powerful and tragic descriptions of things that took place there during World War II; obviously, this couldn't be avoided since the novel takes place right after the War ended. I personally thought those description were fitting (can't vouch for accuracy) and added a more serious (but not depressing) note to the novel, which, on the whole, was delightfully funny and such an enjoyable treat to read.

overall rating: 4/5
plot: 3/5 | writing: 5/5 | characters: 4/5 | cover: 5/5


ps: Watch the video below to listen to some lovely extracts from the books!

Review: NORWEGIAN WOOD by Haruki Murakami ****

"Toru, a quiet and preternaturally serious young college student in Tokyo, is devoted to Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend years before. Toru begins to adapt to campus life and the loneliness and isolation he faces there, but Naoko finds the pressures and responsibilities of life unbearable. As she retreats further into her own world, Toru finds himself reaching out to others and drawn to a fiercely independent and sexually liberated young woman.
A poignant story of one college student's romantic coming-of-age, Norwegian Wood takes us to that distant place of a young man's first, hopeless, and heroic love."

(summary)

I've been hearing great things about this novel for years but I didn't really see myself reading it as I thought it just wasn't my cup of tea - I mean, I tend to read mostly US/UK female fiction with female characters, but this novel was written by a Japanese man; it takes place in the late sixties in Japan and features a male narrator = as far from my type of reading as you can get. But then I got my hands on a copy of this novel and I started reading it out of pure curiosity and all of a sudden I found myself turning the pages; somehow I was sucked in and couldn't stop reading! So I bought myself a copy of the book and finished it at home, where I again couldn't put it down. That doesn't mean that the story itself was incredibly gripping, it's just that it was so well written that the pages just flew by.

It's been a while since I've read a novel from a male point of view so reading Norwegian Wood was certainly different to what I'm used to. I found Toru, the central character, quite passive and his narrative was too emotionless to my liking, but it still captured the poignancy of the whole story quite well so I really couldn't dislike it too much. Looking back, maybe the narrative voice was quite fitting, hmm ...

Speaking of the narrator, I can't say I found him particularly dreamy or anything, he just lacked something, but I certainly thought he was a rather interesting character, even though I couldn't relate to him (not too surprising, but luckily I don't have to relate to things to appreciate them).
I liked how the two leading female characters were so different and I thought they really brought the story to life. Naoko was facinating because she was so damaged and mysterious and introvert; you couldn't help but feel sort of sorry for her and for how things turned out for her (I must admit I was hoping her final move wouldn't happen). I enjoyed reading about her relationship with Toru, they really had something special going on.
On the other hand, I really enjoyed scenes with Midori, who was probably my favourite character in the novel. Unlike Naoko, she was extrovert and outrageous and crazy (in a good way) and fun and independent; she always came up with the most wtf statements ever and I loved it! I thought she really added some spark to this otherwise quite melancholy novel.

The plot itself wasn't too exciting - just a man in his late thirties reminiscing about his student days, but goodness knows the story was worth telling as those were some memorable times, which obviously really affected the narrator's life. Furthermore, the story was exceptionally well told (some relatable quotes too) and even though the plot summary may seem kind of boring, reading the story certainly wasn't as there were several quite shocking moments.

On the whole, I liked this novel far more than I ever imagined I would. It was really refreshing since it's so different from what I usually read and I'm glad I've finally read it - better late than never, huh. ;) Oh and everyone and their monkey probably knows that the inspiration for the novel title was the song by The Beatles? Well, I've heard of it too, but never actually listened to the song (don't hate, I'm just not a fan) until it was mentioned in the novel and who woulda thunk it, it's actually a really great and cute acoustic song (have had it on replay for a day or two now)! Wahey, you learn something new every day! :)

overall rating: 4/5
plot: 3/5 | writing: 5/5 | characters: 5/5 | cover: 3/5

Review: HER FEARFUL SYMMETRY by Audrey Niffenegger ****

"At last - another brilliant, original and moving novel from the author of The Time Traveler's Wife.
Julia and Valentina Poole are normal American teenagers - normal, at least, for identical 'mirror' twins who have no interest in college or jobs or possibly anything outside their cozy suburban home. But everything changes when they receive notice that an aunt whom they didn't know existed has died and left them her flat in an apartment block overlooking Highgate Cemetery in London. They feel that at last their own lives can begin ...but have no idea that they've been summoned into a tangle of fraying lives, from the obsessive-compulsive crossword setter who lives above them to their aunt's mysterious and elusive lover who lives below them, and even to their aunt herself, who never got over her estrangement from the twins' mother - and who can't even seem to quite leave her flat...
With Highgate Cemetery itself a character and echoes of Henry James and Charles Dickens, "Her Fearful Symmetry" is a delicious and deadly twenty-first-century ghost story about Niffenegger's familiar themes of love, loss and identity."

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the Her Fearful Symmetry manuscript a couple of months ago - it was my second most anticipated book of the year (no. 1 being Twenties Girl, surprisngly they're both ghost stories, haha). I'd been dying to read it ever since it was announced that the manuscript was sold, but I was saving it for the summer when I had the time to read it without interruptions and that was this weekend, yay!

First of all, WHOA, what a book!!! Yes, everyone will tell you that it's completely different from The Time Traveler's Wife (one of my all-time favourite books!) and that's true, but what they have in common is that they're both incredibly original and well-written and they feature a supernatural element that perhaps sounds strange but totally works in the context of the book.

This extraordinary novel tells the story of mirror twins Valentina and Julia Poole, who live in Lake Forest, IL, USA. The story opens with the passing of Elspeth Noblin, who decides to leave her flat to her nieces, the above mentioned twins, who she has never actually met since she and her twin sister (the twins' mother) weren't on speaking terms. The twins move to London to live in their new flat (bordering on Highgate Cemetery, where their aunt is also buried) when they turn 21 and the will says they have to live there for a year before they can sell it.
They soon become friends with their two neighbours and start spending more and more time with them while growing distant from each other. Valentina enjoys the company of Robert, Elspeth's lover who is still mourning over her and he's also working on his book on the Highgate Cemetery, while Julia likes to spend time with Martin, a crossword maker whose wife had just left him because she could not cope with his OCD anymore (he has multiple compulsions and never leaves his flat).
The girls and Robert find a way to communicate with Elspeth, who is now a ghost and still lurking in the apartment. Valentina, the shy twin who has always been under her sister's command, decides that she wants to live her own life and not feel like half a person. Her plans for life are different from her sister's, but she knows Julia will never let her live her own life sooo she comes up with a plan how to escape from Julia. However, the plan is very dangerous and creepy and requires the help of Elspeth's newly acquired "abilities". Robert and Elspeth are both unsure about the plan, but Valentina manages to convince them and they go along with it. And then things take an unexpected turn! People get just what they've wanted, but, as one of the side characters points out, that can be the biggest punishment ...

The book mainly explors what it's like to be a twin. First, it's the story of the Noblin twins, Elspeth and Edwina, who used to be so close, but then everything changed and they parted ways for over 20 years and no one knows why, even though especially Julia and Valentina are never curious, but Elspeth refuses to tell them. The only one who finds out is Robert when he reads the letter his lover wrote to him to explain everything. Yes, it's quite a shocking twist, but I admit I expected something like that and was hoping it would be a bit better. Still, it was a huge twist.
The other set of twins, Julia and Valentina, are both still virgins and single because they're so attached to each other and always do everything together, they even dress aline. But eventually Valentina (aka Mouse) doesn't feel comfortable always being bossed around by her twin and she desperately wants to break free from her grip and sees only one way out - the most risky there is ...
I admit I've always interested in twins, but I don't think I could handle such a close relationship with a sister ... Nonetheless, I think the author presented all the ups and down of a twin relationship very well.

Another reason why I was also incredibly excited about this book is the setting - it takes place in London (my favourite city!) and more importantly at Highgate Cemetery!!! I've been fascinated with that particular graveyard ever since I've read Falling Angels, where most of the action also takes place at or around Highgate Cemetery. Sadly I've never visited it myself (definitely planning to the next time I'm in London!), but I was really excited to learn more about the cemetery as it is today as opposed to in the early 20th century (that's when the story in Falling Angles takes place). It's a fascinating place and I've particularly enjoyed the chapter titled "A Tour of the Highgate Cemetery" as it really gave me a nice tour of the cemetery without actually being there, hehe. To learn more about one of the most famous cemeteries, click here or here or watch a video here. After reading the book, I think I'll be a bit creeped out when I visit the cemetery, hehe.

The story is perhaps a bit slow paced at first, but still interesting enough to keep you turning pages - I just wanted to find out what happened to the Noblin twins! But the story really picks up once Valentina comes up with her devious plan and I was on tenterhooks whether it would actually work or not.

I thought the characters were brilliant and well developed too. The one I found most interesting was Martin with OCD problems, to which I could relate to on a very distant level. There weren't all that many side characters, but those that appeared were all interesting and contributed to the story. The end as such may not be the best outcome, but I found it satisfying. I like the cover too, it fits the story well (as opposed to the US one, which I'm too keen on).

On the whole, I really really enjoyed this book and I'm happy to report that it did live up to my expectations. Personally, I didn't think it was quite as amazing as The Time Traveler's Wife, but it was still a truly great book (even if a tad creepy, hehe)! I loved the twists and turns and the originality of it. This novel again proves what an outstanding storyteller Ms Niffenegger is and I can't wait for her next book, whenever that may be!

overall rating: 4/5
plot: 4/5 | writing: 4/5 | characters: 5/5 | cover: 4/5


ps: For more information on this book, visit the author's site. And wooohooo, you can also read the first chapter here!

pps: Lastly, click here to watch the author read an excerpt from the book (images of Highgate Cemetery are also shown) or watch the video below, in which Ms Niffenegger herself introduces the novel:

Review: CHANGE OF HEART by Jodi Picoult ***

"June's first husband was killed in a car crash. Against all the odds, her daughter was uninjured and, in another miracle, June found love again with the policeman who rescued them. Six years on they are a happy family, June pregnant with their own child. But now June's second daughter is dying without the new heart she so urgently needs. And her first daughter, along with her husband, is dead, killed by Shay Bourne, an itinerant workman they welcomed into their home. The crime was so heinous that Shay has been given the death penalty for the first time in 69 years in New Hampshire. Shay is going to die, and he is looking for redemption. He wants to give June's daughter his heart ..."

(summary)

It's no secret that I'm a huge Jodi Picoult fan, but that doesn't mean I think all her novels are masterpieces, and I'm afraid this is one of those rare few that I didn't enjoy as much as I would have hoped to.

I didn't even intend to read this book when it was released because I've read the reviews saying the novel was full of religious symbolism - I'm an atheist myself and religion irritates me more than it fascinates me. I figured this book was not my cup of tea, but I thought the main dilemma was very interesting so I thought I'd give it a try.

I can't say I didn't enjoy the novel as such as it was typically well written. However, what bothered me that there was too much pointless talk about religion (I still don't know what the point of the Gnostic Gospels was because I entirely skipped that bit) and too many random miracles (the last sentence actually made me roll my eyes). Personally, I thought that part was completely unnecessary, but I guess the main moral dilemma wasn't enough to fill the whole book. Furthermore, I thought that the book was slow-paced and that hardly anything was going on, apart from miracles, which didn't excite me at all. I'm afraid I wasn't too keen on any of the characters, which is quite rare for me (OK, except for the yummy *British* doctor). I also found the main twist (what really happened that day) to be underdeveloped - I thought the revelation about the husband was quite shocking, but it just flew out of the window really.

On the plus side, the novel raises some interesting points about death penalty, which is a controversial subject in itself and Picoult provides some fascinating facts about it. Oh and yeah, the readers get to experience it first hand - ooh, that was kinda brutal.

I think I disliked this novel more than I enjoyed it, but I can't hate it because it was written by Picoult and we all know she's fantastic, I'd never read all the other books if they weren't written by her. But I'm afraid this just wasn't my cup of tea and I kept reading only because I wanted to find out how it will all be resolved. Sadly, I can't say I was too impressed.

It's funny how this novel is a complete opposite to my review of Handle with Care, which I posted somewhere back in December 2008. I finished the proof and couldn't stop raving about it! Here's what I wrote:

I really enjoyed this beautifully written yet poignant novel about the O’Keefe family: mum Charlotte, dad Sean, the disabled child Willow and her older sister Amelia. Due to Willow’s disability, their daily lives are anything but normal, but despite all the struggles they all adore Willow. Charlotte wants to provide the best possible life for Willow but knows that won’t be possible without a lot of money, which she is determined to get, even if that means opposing everyone, hurting her family and suing her best friend Piper, the obstetrician who supposedly failed to diagnose Willow’s condition (the brittle bone disease) soon enough for the pregnancy to be terminated … Each character is given a voice to describe their point of view and as the story unfolds, things keep breaking – not just bones, but also hearts, families, friendships and other things. Unfortunately, some breaks can be fatal …
This really is an amazing and a thought provoking novel, which tackles several controversial topics (e.g. disabilities, abortion, adoption etc.) and raises many difficult questions ... As a huge Picoult fan, I had high hopes for this one and it actually exceeded my expectations. This novel is in several ways reminiscent of My Sister’s Keeper, Picoult’s most famous book, but it also has bits of her other novels mixed in, making it a typical Picoult bestseller. Highly recommended to the old Picoult fans as well as to to readers who are just getting to know this incredible author – this really is Picoult at her best!

Just to show I really am a Picoult fan, but Change of Heart just didn't work for me, same as Vanishing Acts, Salem Falls, The Tenth Circle.
On the other hand, I really truly adored My Sister's Keeper, The Pact, Mercy, Nineteen Minutes, Plain Truth, Picture Perfect!
I still want to read Perfect Match, Harvesting the Heart and Second Glance, but I don't think I'll bother with Keeping Faith, heh.

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS by John Boyne ****

"When Bruno returns home from school one day in 1942, he discovers that his belongings are being packed in crates. His father has received a promotion and the family must move from their Belin home to a new house far far away, where there is no one to play with and nothing to do. A tall fence running alongside stretches as far as the eye can see and cuts him off from the strange people he can see in the distance. But Bruno longs to be an explorer and decides that there must be more to this desolate new place than meets the eye. While exploring his new environment, he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different to his own, and their meeting results in a friendship that has devastating consequences."

(summary)

I didn't know what to expect but I sure got more than I bargained for. I suppose it's hard to write a "boring" story about the Holocaust since even the topic itself is haunting, but it's always nice to come across an original take on the subject, which this little book (supposedly a fable) certainly was ... Even though the narration is in third person, the events are described in a way that a nine-year-old boy would observe them - the narration itself is quite simple and repetetive at times. The omniscent narrator, similarly to the main character, appears very naive and through their narration we discover how ignorant Bruno is about what is actually going on around him - he doesn't know what war is, he doesn't know why Jews are different, he doesn't know what goes on at the concentration camp etc. I understand that this naivety of the main character is often criticised, but I personally quite enjoyed this form of narration since it really adds to the effect of the story and a lot is left to reader's imagination. Even though this story takes place in an extremely horrible environment, it is far from graphical, but the hints about the actual going-ons are everywhere so it is easy to imagine what actually went on. As a fable, this story is full of symbols which could be discussed for hours, but I'm not going to go into that now (even though I'd like to some day) ... In conclusion, this may be a short novel, but it's really a very powerful and rather original. And the ending is definitely one of those that I'll never forget ... I admit it left me stunned - I had a hard time reading the last two chapters and afterwards I needed some time to be able to function again.
I recommend this book to anyone and I think it would make a great school read as it really provides a lot of material for discussion about a subject that should not be forgotten so easily.

Obviously, the book has been turned into a film, which I haven't seen yet and I'm not really sure if I want to ... I do and yet I don't. We'll see. Here's the trailer in case anyone's interested.

This book sort of reminds me of the Book Thief by Markus Zusak, another original take on the Holocaust, told from the point of view of Death (you'd be surprised what an amusing narrator the Grim Reaper can be, heh). I read it last year and loved it! Another novel with the similar topic is apparently The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, which is also meant to be really good, but I haven't read it yet (it's already waiting on my bookshelf though) - will report when I do. Click the covers for more info.

Review: JOURNAL by Helene Berr ****

"From April 1942 to March 1944, Helene Berr, a recent graduate of the Sorbonne, kept a journal that is both an intensely moving, intimate, harrowing, appalling document and a text of astonishing literary maturity. With her colleagues, she plays the violin and she seeks refuge from the everyday in what she calls the "selfish magic" of English literature and poetry. But this is Paris under the occupation and her family is Jewish. Eventually, there comes the time when all Jews are required to wear a yellow star. She tries to remain calm and rational, keeping to what routine she can: studying, reading, enjoying the beauty of Paris. Yet always there is fear for the future, and eventually, in March 1944, Helene and her family are arrested, taken to Drancy Transit Camp and soon sent to Auschwitz. She went - as is later discovered - on the death march to Bergen-Belsen and there she died in 1945, only weeks before the liberation of the camp. The last words in the journal she had left behind in Paris were "Horror, Horror, Horror...", a hideous and poignant echo of her English studies from "The Heart of Darkness". Helene Berr's story is almost too painful to read, foreshadowing horror as it does amidst an enviable appetite for life, for beauty, for literature, for all that lasts."

When I was younger, I was a big "fan" of Anne Frank's diary - I've read it so many times and for some reason I was strangely fascinated by her life story. I haven't checked Anne's diary in years, but I was still very excited when I heard that another WWII diary had surfaced, this time by a young woman in her early twenties, which made it even more interesting.

Helene Berr was was born in 1921 and lived in Paris. She kept a diary from 1942 to 1944, which she used mainly to write down the incredible horrors of war as well as for describing her daily life. Unlike Anne's family, who were hiding in the secret annexe, Helene's family decided not to run away because they thought that would be cowardly of them. Helene says she expects they will regret their decision eventually, but they still stayed.

At first, Helene talks about her friends and her life as a student of English literature at Sorbonne, but her entries eventually turn into detailed descriptions of war. Obviously, the war has changed her life completely - not only did she have to wear the yellow star and was subjected to all sorts of prohibitions as a Jew, but her father was also taken away for a while along with many of her friends and acquaintances who were deported. When the burden of war because too much to bear, she feels she cann0t write silly things about her life anymore so she uses the diary to record the horrible consequences of war - she says she chose to do this so she wouldn't forget because these things must not be forgotten. Yes, we all know that millions of Jews were brutally murdered during World War II, but that's just empty statistics - Helene, however, makes it all very real as she gives these people a face, so to speak; she writes about people she knows that were deported, children who were left alone, women giving birth on the street, families who commitied suicide so they would avoid deportation, brutal and inhumane executions she heard about etc. These entires are so powerful that I personally found them quite hard to read and they moved me to tears several times. As I said, we all know WWII was possibly one of the biggest tragedies of humanity ever, but reading about someone who actually experienced it all makes it all SO real. How was something so horrible even possible?! Helene wonders that herself but comes to the conclusion that the Nazis simply turned into beasts and machines who don't think about what they're doing, but just do what they're told without an ounce of sympathy because they were completely brainwashed.

As depressing as Helene's journal is, she also devotes a lot of time talking about her friends, the boy she was in love with and had to leave due to war, literature, music etc. In a way, it could be a diary of a normal girls in 1940s if it hadn't been for the war.

Helene sensed what her destiny would be and unfortunately it came true - her whole family was deported to the concentration camp and she passed a few days before liberation, which makes the whole story even more tragic. She instructed their cook to keep her diary if she is taken away and give it to Jean, the boy she fell in love with and who was in the army - she says she was also writing the last party of the journal for him so he would know what she was thinking about and going though while he was away. He survived the war and allowed the publication of the diary, which was published for the first time in 2008 and was an immediate bestseller.

I personally believe that everyone should read this diary in order to avoid forgetting was really happened during WWII and how horrible it was as it is really something that must never be forgotten.