2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
I've had this book for years. I remember getting it from a bookshop which is now closed down (*sob*). I also remember liking it very much and being surprised by how realistic some aspects of it are.
'Angel' (not such a generic title when I first came across it and its gorgeous cover) by Cliff McNish is the first YA angel novel I've read. And to this day the only one that is British. It is dark and well-written; having an ethereal atmosphere. It presents interesting interpretations on the angel mythos (e.g. invisible visitors on earth who are not sure if there is an afterlife, and an angel chorus = angels mourning the death of one of their own kind) while also including serious issues dealt with by young teenagers on their way to adulthood. These include prejudice, the challenges of faith and trust, the distance from parents, and friendship in its negative effects. Actions do have consequences here.
'Angel' could do with a sequel, as the major story arcs don't actually have a definite conclusion. For example, it is never revealed how or why the protagonist Freya is "half-angel". She just is.
Despite this, and the family-unfriendly Aesops, 'Angel' is an enjoyable YA angel book with an almost sweet Gothic beauty to it. It might not be for everyone, and maybe I do need to reread it now that I'm much more well-read. But I have good memories of it in my younger book-buying days.
Final Score: 4/5
Thursday, 26 September 2013
Book Review - 'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
A lovely, highly creative and personal little novella (double-on-words there, I know, but who's concerned with matters of circumstance here?) that is about childhood.
It reads from the viewpoint of a child in an adult universe. It makes you think that maybe exploring life - and ourselves - in the eyes of the young would open up more senses than in the eyes of the overly-complicated, restrictive and unimaginative adult would; regardless of experience and of what world he/she lives on.
The universe is a spectacular place, big or small. We just need to permit the time given to us to appreciate it.
'The Little Prince' contains rather heavy themes of the fear and confusion of responsibilities, finding uniqueness in all things, never giving up on your dreams, and never letting go of childhood wonders. But mostly it brings in two fundamental themes: forming universal bonds (friendship), and how you can both find beauty in everything and have a right to criticize them (love, trust and observation).
The drawings are darling. And, as a random observation, I can see where the 'Super Mario Galaxy' video games got their inspiration from. I can see why this novella is very popular in Japan, as well as everywhere else on our planet.
'The Little Prince' has something for everyone: tiny planets, asteroids, war, plane crashes, mathematics, poisonous snakes, foxes, flowers, boa constrictors and elephants. It misses one star out of five because I thought the author could have spent a little more time developing the relationship between the little prince - who never answers questions but asks them constantly - and the pilot narrator. And yes, it is a strange book.
Strange, and charming and important. It teaches us to stop and smell the roses once in a while, and to look at sunsets and the stars at night.
Imagine what could be happening up in the heavens. Do stars sing like bells? Do they laugh? Cry? Is there life up there, surviving any way it can, like you and me?
Individuals have a right to interpret what stars mean to them. If you still have enough of an inner child despite what grown-ups have been telling you not to do all your life, then take the time to read this 90 page delight.
And criticize it how you like.
Final Score: 4/5
It reads from the viewpoint of a child in an adult universe. It makes you think that maybe exploring life - and ourselves - in the eyes of the young would open up more senses than in the eyes of the overly-complicated, restrictive and unimaginative adult would; regardless of experience and of what world he/she lives on.
The universe is a spectacular place, big or small. We just need to permit the time given to us to appreciate it.
'The Little Prince' contains rather heavy themes of the fear and confusion of responsibilities, finding uniqueness in all things, never giving up on your dreams, and never letting go of childhood wonders. But mostly it brings in two fundamental themes: forming universal bonds (friendship), and how you can both find beauty in everything and have a right to criticize them (love, trust and observation).
The drawings are darling. And, as a random observation, I can see where the 'Super Mario Galaxy' video games got their inspiration from. I can see why this novella is very popular in Japan, as well as everywhere else on our planet.
'The Little Prince' has something for everyone: tiny planets, asteroids, war, plane crashes, mathematics, poisonous snakes, foxes, flowers, boa constrictors and elephants. It misses one star out of five because I thought the author could have spent a little more time developing the relationship between the little prince - who never answers questions but asks them constantly - and the pilot narrator. And yes, it is a strange book.
Strange, and charming and important. It teaches us to stop and smell the roses once in a while, and to look at sunsets and the stars at night.
Imagine what could be happening up in the heavens. Do stars sing like bells? Do they laugh? Cry? Is there life up there, surviving any way it can, like you and me?
Individuals have a right to interpret what stars mean to them. If you still have enough of an inner child despite what grown-ups have been telling you not to do all your life, then take the time to read this 90 page delight.
And criticize it how you like.
Final Score: 4/5
Book Review - 'A Clockwork Orange' by Anthony Burgess
2019 EDIT: Changing my rating because 'A Clockwork Orange' hasn't stuck with me as much as other novels have over the years. I think that its moral implications that young people are inherently bad and criminal and will eventually grow out of it is horrible and just plain untrue, especially when you look at the so many hardworking, good and decent people of the millennial generation now. And consider how older generations are currently fucking up and fucking over the planet. At best it's misguided.
'A Clockwork Orange' is good, but not likable, or satisfying when read nowadays.
Final Score: 3/5
Original review:
Before I start, I'll say that at the time of writing this review, I have not seen the Stanley Kubrick film. I know I should and I will soon, especially after devouring the equally-controversial source material.
"Oh my brothers", there is so much to think about after reading the novella 'A Clockwork Orange'.
I'll start by writing about the language.
It was near perfect for the postmodern and dystopian effect Anthony Burgess was going for. At first I did get confused over all the "nadsat" speak, but it grew on me and I was sucked into the strange yet addictive prose - spoken by a truly despicable yet seductive narrator. It is glorious writing, and at the same time you feel disturbed for thinking it's glorious because of its content.
Which brings me to the protagonist, Alex, who is the heart of 'A Clockwork Orange'. It's an achievement how Burgess creates his voice, and makes the reader want to know what happens to someone who is essentially a nasty piece of human scum, as people in and out of this story would call him. Alex is a teenager who loves classical music and opera. He also commits crimes because he feels like it, thinking he is smart enough to get away with anything. And he really likes what he does, and loves being in charge of his life. He is narcissistic, an overbearing smart-alec, and a manipulative bully with no empathy for others whatsoever. You follow the story through his eyes and thus you experience what he experiences, and so this book is not for the faint of heart.
Alex is responsible for the deaths of about three people altogether in the book, and he shows no signs of remorse or of changing his ways. Until the very end, when he is given his own choice to change. Because he feels like changing.
During the middle of the book, young criminal Alex goes through something called the Ludovico procedure, which is supposed to make him "changes his ways" via brainwashing. But it does not work. Because, as Alex himself tells us clearly, thoughts and images of violent acts only make him feel sick and like dying. So he has no choice but to be "good" in order to make the pain stop. It's still the same voice of Alex you read, only now he is suffering as much as he has made other, more innocent people suffer.
Once the procedure is deemed a success by government doctors and Alex gets his "freedom", he cannot defend himself, especially when others use him as a means to an end.
In a way he is made less human than he already was in the beginning. In the crapshack world Alex lives in, he can't feel passionate about anything, not even music, or trust anyone, not even his "droogs". And karma for what he did in the past is ripe after his release from prison.
So the story and the lead character are well-structured, complex and make you want to write essays deconstructing them.
Which brings me to the ethical themes brought up in 'A Clockwork Orange':
The executed ideas about free will and combating crime levels are well done, and I am always interested in reading books that explore the core of human nature and what makes us do the things we do. In the end it seems that Burgess suggests that the teenagers in this novella act outside the law and of human decency because they are young. That's all. Alex just loves violence, stealing and rape because why not? Now, there isn't really an idea presented here that suggests teens would commit terrible crimes because they are bored, which I'm quite happy about since that sounds like such an easy answer, with easy solutions. But the nature of youth being the cause? This is demonstrated in the ending, which I won't give away. It is both a positive and negative one which, in context, is perfect for a growing-up Alex and the set-up. But the idea itself just seems too simple. So some young people, at least in this dystopian world, are monsters because of the cycle of life? And they'll eventually grow out of it, even after committing rape and murder? So no one is responsible for their actions or left accounted for what they do in their lives before they turn to adulthood?
I'd argue, and maybe Burgess intended this in a more subtle subtext, about parenting and past generations. After all, throughout the book Alex's parents are written to be rather useless and pathetic, and the government is inept at controlling crime levels, with hypocritical violence and torture as their answer (which was probably their last resort after trying other means).
There is the question of adult criminals to think about as well...
But again this leads to complex and interesting discussions about Burgess' novella - such as it being intentionally satirical. And that goodness does or should come from within...
So, even though I disagree with what it may be concluding in its answers about human depravity, 'A Clockwork Orange' is still rightfully a classic. It flows with sharp language for its main character and setting, and you can read it over and over again to catch various symbols and foreshadowing that are carefully placed by the author. Brutal, mesmerizing, and real "horrorshow".
"What's it going to be then, eh?" As a new generation, we still seem not to know.
Oh and the repeated phrase "and all that cal" got on my nerves after a while.
Final Score: 4/5
'A Clockwork Orange' is good, but not likable, or satisfying when read nowadays.
Final Score: 3/5
Original review:
Before I start, I'll say that at the time of writing this review, I have not seen the Stanley Kubrick film. I know I should and I will soon, especially after devouring the equally-controversial source material.
"Oh my brothers", there is so much to think about after reading the novella 'A Clockwork Orange'.
I'll start by writing about the language.
It was near perfect for the postmodern and dystopian effect Anthony Burgess was going for. At first I did get confused over all the "nadsat" speak, but it grew on me and I was sucked into the strange yet addictive prose - spoken by a truly despicable yet seductive narrator. It is glorious writing, and at the same time you feel disturbed for thinking it's glorious because of its content.
Which brings me to the protagonist, Alex, who is the heart of 'A Clockwork Orange'. It's an achievement how Burgess creates his voice, and makes the reader want to know what happens to someone who is essentially a nasty piece of human scum, as people in and out of this story would call him. Alex is a teenager who loves classical music and opera. He also commits crimes because he feels like it, thinking he is smart enough to get away with anything. And he really likes what he does, and loves being in charge of his life. He is narcissistic, an overbearing smart-alec, and a manipulative bully with no empathy for others whatsoever. You follow the story through his eyes and thus you experience what he experiences, and so this book is not for the faint of heart.
Alex is responsible for the deaths of about three people altogether in the book, and he shows no signs of remorse or of changing his ways. Until the very end, when he is given his own choice to change. Because he feels like changing.
During the middle of the book, young criminal Alex goes through something called the Ludovico procedure, which is supposed to make him "changes his ways" via brainwashing. But it does not work. Because, as Alex himself tells us clearly, thoughts and images of violent acts only make him feel sick and like dying. So he has no choice but to be "good" in order to make the pain stop. It's still the same voice of Alex you read, only now he is suffering as much as he has made other, more innocent people suffer.
Once the procedure is deemed a success by government doctors and Alex gets his "freedom", he cannot defend himself, especially when others use him as a means to an end.
In a way he is made less human than he already was in the beginning. In the crapshack world Alex lives in, he can't feel passionate about anything, not even music, or trust anyone, not even his "droogs". And karma for what he did in the past is ripe after his release from prison.
So the story and the lead character are well-structured, complex and make you want to write essays deconstructing them.
Which brings me to the ethical themes brought up in 'A Clockwork Orange':
The executed ideas about free will and combating crime levels are well done, and I am always interested in reading books that explore the core of human nature and what makes us do the things we do. In the end it seems that Burgess suggests that the teenagers in this novella act outside the law and of human decency because they are young. That's all. Alex just loves violence, stealing and rape because why not? Now, there isn't really an idea presented here that suggests teens would commit terrible crimes because they are bored, which I'm quite happy about since that sounds like such an easy answer, with easy solutions. But the nature of youth being the cause? This is demonstrated in the ending, which I won't give away. It is both a positive and negative one which, in context, is perfect for a growing-up Alex and the set-up. But the idea itself just seems too simple. So some young people, at least in this dystopian world, are monsters because of the cycle of life? And they'll eventually grow out of it, even after committing rape and murder? So no one is responsible for their actions or left accounted for what they do in their lives before they turn to adulthood?
I'd argue, and maybe Burgess intended this in a more subtle subtext, about parenting and past generations. After all, throughout the book Alex's parents are written to be rather useless and pathetic, and the government is inept at controlling crime levels, with hypocritical violence and torture as their answer (which was probably their last resort after trying other means).
There is the question of adult criminals to think about as well...
But again this leads to complex and interesting discussions about Burgess' novella - such as it being intentionally satirical. And that goodness does or should come from within...
So, even though I disagree with what it may be concluding in its answers about human depravity, 'A Clockwork Orange' is still rightfully a classic. It flows with sharp language for its main character and setting, and you can read it over and over again to catch various symbols and foreshadowing that are carefully placed by the author. Brutal, mesmerizing, and real "horrorshow".
"What's it going to be then, eh?" As a new generation, we still seem not to know.
Oh and the repeated phrase "and all that cal" got on my nerves after a while.
Final Score: 4/5
Graphic Novel Review - 'Friends with Boys' by Faith Erin Hicks
2025 EDIT: I needed to reread this.
'Friends with Boys' - aaaahhhh, this takes me back. What a trip down memory lane.
It is a coming-of-age graphic novel that feels so real. The characters seem so real that it is almost a disservice to call them 'characters' - they're people. Very interesting, dynamic, flawed, and understandable people, and their interactions with one another are just *chef's kiss*. No one is forgotten about or neglected.
It is a very funny, touching, sweet, refreshing, and grounded story and character piece, ghost or no ghost.
It is very much a character piece, and arc and development. Mainly for the protagonist, Maggie McKay, but the others get their fair share of shining stage moments, as well.
The graphic novel doesn't seem pretentious, confusing, or annoying to me. I feel I understand it a lot better now that I am older. I love the characters too much to be put off by anything in it.
It's a shame that everybody is white and (as far as we know) straight. But at least there's no (overt) romance. That's unique for its time.
'Friends with Boys' is a classic, and one of the graphic novels that got me into graphic novels way back in the day, alongside 'Anya's Ghost' (graphic novelists love ghosts, don't they? They're great for metaphor and visual storytelling), 'The Adventures of Superhero Girl' (also by Faith Erin Hicks), 'Rapunzel's Revenge', 'Page by Paige', 'Nimona', 'Princess Princess Ever After', 'Princeless', and 'Rat Queens'. Of course I'm keeping it, I owe it that much.
By the bye, Daniel McKay remains one of the hottest fictional guys ever.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
I picked up 'Friends with Boys' on a whim, because I'd heard good things about it on Goodreads and it sounded a little like 'Anya's Ghost', another comic I enjoyed. Though while there is a ghost in this story, it's not a big focus. No, the major and most interesting focus is the characters and their interactions with one another.
Seriously, Maggie, Daniel, Lloyd, Zander, Lucy and Alistair are people you know in real life. Even outcasts such as Lucy, who I found to be cute. I've met people who are like Daniel, who ARE Daniel.
Maggie McKay is another great comic book heroine - a tomboy who isn't as strong as she wants to be; who has large insecurities involving her mother abandoning her family, and involving going to high school after a home-schooled life. She is a realistic and confused teenager, and she discovers more about herself as the story progresses. Maggie will wish to redeem for the things she blames herself for. But can she fix everything?
The main characters of 'Friends with Boys' are interesting young people in interesting high school situations doing interesting young people stuff, like going to the cinema to see 'Alien' (one of my favourite parts of the story). I say read 'Friends with Boys' for the characters alone.
That's not to say there isn't a good plot, as it touches on real issues that affect teenagers. These include: accepting change (Maggie is even afraid of her dad getting a new haircut, which is sad in its own way), seeking redemption in a place like high school where "you can lose your soul", learning that not everything is always going to turn out the way you want it to, loving and appreciating what you have, and being different is cool no matter what anyone says.
Though I admit that the story does weaken a little near the end, and there is no real conclusion (mostly concerning the ghost), which did annoy me. But the more I thought about it, the more I understood that it fits with the overall themes of the comic. And I have several theories about the ghost and its relationship with Maggie and her brothers, so perhaps 'Friends with Boys' isn't as simple as it appears.
Some things have no definite end - that's life. At least the friendship and family aspects were not lost along the way.
I'm not sure if Faith Erin Hicks is planning a sequel to 'Friends with Boys', and I'd be excited if she is, because I'd love to revisit the characters. What else will Maggie and the gang get up to?
A touching and funny graphic novel - with fun and expressive artwork.
Final Score: 4/5
'Friends with Boys' - aaaahhhh, this takes me back. What a trip down memory lane.
It is a coming-of-age graphic novel that feels so real. The characters seem so real that it is almost a disservice to call them 'characters' - they're people. Very interesting, dynamic, flawed, and understandable people, and their interactions with one another are just *chef's kiss*. No one is forgotten about or neglected.
It is a very funny, touching, sweet, refreshing, and grounded story and character piece, ghost or no ghost.
It is very much a character piece, and arc and development. Mainly for the protagonist, Maggie McKay, but the others get their fair share of shining stage moments, as well.
The graphic novel doesn't seem pretentious, confusing, or annoying to me. I feel I understand it a lot better now that I am older. I love the characters too much to be put off by anything in it.
It's a shame that everybody is white and (as far as we know) straight. But at least there's no (overt) romance. That's unique for its time.
'Friends with Boys' is a classic, and one of the graphic novels that got me into graphic novels way back in the day, alongside 'Anya's Ghost' (graphic novelists love ghosts, don't they? They're great for metaphor and visual storytelling), 'The Adventures of Superhero Girl' (also by Faith Erin Hicks), 'Rapunzel's Revenge', 'Page by Paige', 'Nimona', 'Princess Princess Ever After', 'Princeless', and 'Rat Queens'. Of course I'm keeping it, I owe it that much.
By the bye, Daniel McKay remains one of the hottest fictional guys ever.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
I picked up 'Friends with Boys' on a whim, because I'd heard good things about it on Goodreads and it sounded a little like 'Anya's Ghost', another comic I enjoyed. Though while there is a ghost in this story, it's not a big focus. No, the major and most interesting focus is the characters and their interactions with one another.
Seriously, Maggie, Daniel, Lloyd, Zander, Lucy and Alistair are people you know in real life. Even outcasts such as Lucy, who I found to be cute. I've met people who are like Daniel, who ARE Daniel.
Maggie McKay is another great comic book heroine - a tomboy who isn't as strong as she wants to be; who has large insecurities involving her mother abandoning her family, and involving going to high school after a home-schooled life. She is a realistic and confused teenager, and she discovers more about herself as the story progresses. Maggie will wish to redeem for the things she blames herself for. But can she fix everything?
The main characters of 'Friends with Boys' are interesting young people in interesting high school situations doing interesting young people stuff, like going to the cinema to see 'Alien' (one of my favourite parts of the story). I say read 'Friends with Boys' for the characters alone.
That's not to say there isn't a good plot, as it touches on real issues that affect teenagers. These include: accepting change (Maggie is even afraid of her dad getting a new haircut, which is sad in its own way), seeking redemption in a place like high school where "you can lose your soul", learning that not everything is always going to turn out the way you want it to, loving and appreciating what you have, and being different is cool no matter what anyone says.
Though I admit that the story does weaken a little near the end, and there is no real conclusion (mostly concerning the ghost), which did annoy me. But the more I thought about it, the more I understood that it fits with the overall themes of the comic. And I have several theories about the ghost and its relationship with Maggie and her brothers, so perhaps 'Friends with Boys' isn't as simple as it appears.
Some things have no definite end - that's life. At least the friendship and family aspects were not lost along the way.
I'm not sure if Faith Erin Hicks is planning a sequel to 'Friends with Boys', and I'd be excited if she is, because I'd love to revisit the characters. What else will Maggie and the gang get up to?
A touching and funny graphic novel - with fun and expressive artwork.
Final Score: 4/5
Book Review - 'Lolita' by Vladimir Nabokov
2021 EDIT: My new rating reflects the book's prose and literary accomplishments only. For there is no enjoyment here. I can no longer on any level of conscience and humanity and decency say that I "like" 'Lolita'. It is among the most misunderstood - and controversial, for good reason - novels of all time. What is more disturbing than its content is how many people don't seem to see it as disturbing and disgusting (IT IS NOT A ROMANCE!!! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!!!?). And I wish not to be in the head of a paedophile and world class narcissist while reading anything. To be made privy to the rambling thoughts, obsessions, delusions and victim blaming excuses of the worst of monsters - constantly, in great length - does not constitute a good, healthy and safe time.
This monster protagonist deserves no sympathy. He deserves nothing.
Good day.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
Another highly-acclaimed classic which, of course, I had to read.
There are a lot of themes and elements to explore in 'Lolita', despite its simple premise and pages and pages of witty and profound prose (mainly descriptions of settings and of Lolita herself). I will write about what affected me the most in experiencing one of the most controversial novels in literature.
'Lolita' is one of the most disturbing things I've ever read, with a disgusting protagonist. Yet I could not put it down - it has that power.
Set after World War II America, it stars Humbert Humbert, a paedophile. It is suggested that he lusts after underaged girls - who he calls "nymphets" - because of an unfinished sexual experience he had at a young age. His first love, Annabel, died unexpectedly of typhus.
Throughout his story - which he writes whilst in prison - the reader grasps just how despicable he can truly be in possessing whoever he wants. He will do anything for Dolores Haze (whom he internally calls "Lolita") - no, he will do anything TO Dolores, in order to possess her like a prized doll: a monument who'll stay forever young so long as he wills it on her.
Without spoiling much I'll just say that during the course of 'Lolita', Humbert - a supposedly charming, handsome college professor married twice to older women for various reasons - kidnaps the innocent twelve-year-old Lolita, drugs her so he can rape her (though manages to stop himself; the raping, I mean), tries to win her over with shallow gifts, and overall tries to control everything in her life. He even considers murdering her mother, so that Lo can be his. Due to unforeseen circumstances, she does become his. He ruins her life.
My favourite line in the book is when Dolores says to Humbert (or so he thinks), "HE broke my heart. YOU merely broke my life." (p. 318 of my copy).
Yes, 'Lolita' is not a romance, or even a tragic romance. It is just a tragedy.
Because you do not hurt or intend to control someone you love. Love is not about attempting to change a person so that they submit to your will. Humbert may love Lolita, or think he does, but despite his insistence that he is immortally true to her, he may only love her like a child loves his toy truck - a possession to be controlled, thrown about and then discarded when he gets bored with it. Love is about looking at a fellow human being with equality and understanding. Humbert's "true love" is a projected fantasy: it is abusive and sick, even for a rightfully-illegal relationship.
Thankfully, Vladimir Nabokov does not expect the reader to sympathize with Humbert. He is, in truth, a pathetic character. Really, his only redeeming quality is his poetic way of speaking and thinking. He has witty insights about life and people's attitudes to things. While I sometimes thought they were overused (indeed, the book would be a lot shorter without so much straying-from-the-action), they felt organic and real. Which made 'Lolita' an even more scary and uncomfortable experience. Also, Humbert is an unreliable narrator, so readers cannot trust everything he tells them (not even his name). For example, when he says that young Dolores deliberately seduced him with her body and minx personality. She wears a bikini in her back garden when the sun's out - the femme fatale! And that gives him reason to abuse her, without much restraint. Right.
I always thought Lolita herself was just a normal twelve-year-old girl, who acted and talked like a twelve-year-old girl would. She reads magazines, hangs out with girlfriends, likes sweets and fashion, and is spoiled. She may be sexually aware - which shocks Humbert - but she's at that age. I think a lot of adults, those from earlier times especially, underestimate how much preteens know about sex. Also, Lolita may or may not be as naïve as Humbert says she is - again, he is unreliable. And it is hypocritical and appalling that he would think her indecent (like he can talk!) for being in other relationships, because she should be only his pure-bodied object. And the reader might find that Lo's tragic failings are all Humbert's fault.
I've also noticed that any woman who is not a "nymphet" is described in unattractive ways by Humbert. They are either fat, pudgy, gangly, old, nosy, whiny, or all the above. It is possible that he cannot see or refuses to see older woman like he sees his young objects of desire. Even when he realises that Dolores can be annoying and whiny - as children often are - he does not give up on her. Lolita is his true love - no, his obsession: his projected image of perfect human beauty, young and innocent.
There are moments of insight, however, where Humbert acknowledges his faults, and that he is depraving Lo of her childhood. He is torn between his illegal, sick passions and his common sense as a poet and educated man. He tries to reason his evil actions caused by lust, but it makes him look all the more pathetic. His descent into madness becomes clearer as his lust consumes him. While not once did I feel sorry for him throughout the entire course of the novel, I can see why he would be considered a tragic figure.
What I find to be even more disturbing than 'Lolita''s content is what I've heard from some readers who do sympathise with Humbert; they blame Lolita, the victim, for his downfall. What is our society coming to? Victim blaming - especially if the victim is twelve-years-old - is never okay. And again, we cannot hang on Humbert's every word, him being an unreliable narrator. It is hinted that he might be (or growing to be) deranged in his unhealthy (putting it mildly here) lust for Lolita.
But maybe the novel is just that powerful and rich that it can possibly make you feel for a paedophile. That was not how it worked for me, however. I just read the POV of a monster with a lyrical mind, whom a ton of lucky and unlucky coincidences happen to (the novel is slow in progression, but it makes up for it with little thematic titbits, and writing that gives us time to absorb atmosphere).
So while 'Lolita' did not make me sympathise with a paedophile, it did its job in leaving me with a feeling of complete euphoria after finishing it, as Nabokov intended. It is a strangely enriching experience. It is something special to marvel at, despite its shocking content. Humbert Humbert is a character with many layers; a monster you can't help but read about.
You can interpret so many things about 'Lolita', and that is what makes it a classic, I believe.
Final Score: 4/5
This monster protagonist deserves no sympathy. He deserves nothing.
Good day.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
Another highly-acclaimed classic which, of course, I had to read.
There are a lot of themes and elements to explore in 'Lolita', despite its simple premise and pages and pages of witty and profound prose (mainly descriptions of settings and of Lolita herself). I will write about what affected me the most in experiencing one of the most controversial novels in literature.
'Lolita' is one of the most disturbing things I've ever read, with a disgusting protagonist. Yet I could not put it down - it has that power.
Set after World War II America, it stars Humbert Humbert, a paedophile. It is suggested that he lusts after underaged girls - who he calls "nymphets" - because of an unfinished sexual experience he had at a young age. His first love, Annabel, died unexpectedly of typhus.
Throughout his story - which he writes whilst in prison - the reader grasps just how despicable he can truly be in possessing whoever he wants. He will do anything for Dolores Haze (whom he internally calls "Lolita") - no, he will do anything TO Dolores, in order to possess her like a prized doll: a monument who'll stay forever young so long as he wills it on her.
Without spoiling much I'll just say that during the course of 'Lolita', Humbert - a supposedly charming, handsome college professor married twice to older women for various reasons - kidnaps the innocent twelve-year-old Lolita, drugs her so he can rape her (though manages to stop himself; the raping, I mean), tries to win her over with shallow gifts, and overall tries to control everything in her life. He even considers murdering her mother, so that Lo can be his. Due to unforeseen circumstances, she does become his. He ruins her life.
My favourite line in the book is when Dolores says to Humbert (or so he thinks), "HE broke my heart. YOU merely broke my life." (p. 318 of my copy).
Yes, 'Lolita' is not a romance, or even a tragic romance. It is just a tragedy.
Because you do not hurt or intend to control someone you love. Love is not about attempting to change a person so that they submit to your will. Humbert may love Lolita, or think he does, but despite his insistence that he is immortally true to her, he may only love her like a child loves his toy truck - a possession to be controlled, thrown about and then discarded when he gets bored with it. Love is about looking at a fellow human being with equality and understanding. Humbert's "true love" is a projected fantasy: it is abusive and sick, even for a rightfully-illegal relationship.
Thankfully, Vladimir Nabokov does not expect the reader to sympathize with Humbert. He is, in truth, a pathetic character. Really, his only redeeming quality is his poetic way of speaking and thinking. He has witty insights about life and people's attitudes to things. While I sometimes thought they were overused (indeed, the book would be a lot shorter without so much straying-from-the-action), they felt organic and real. Which made 'Lolita' an even more scary and uncomfortable experience. Also, Humbert is an unreliable narrator, so readers cannot trust everything he tells them (not even his name). For example, when he says that young Dolores deliberately seduced him with her body and minx personality. She wears a bikini in her back garden when the sun's out - the femme fatale! And that gives him reason to abuse her, without much restraint. Right.
I always thought Lolita herself was just a normal twelve-year-old girl, who acted and talked like a twelve-year-old girl would. She reads magazines, hangs out with girlfriends, likes sweets and fashion, and is spoiled. She may be sexually aware - which shocks Humbert - but she's at that age. I think a lot of adults, those from earlier times especially, underestimate how much preteens know about sex. Also, Lolita may or may not be as naïve as Humbert says she is - again, he is unreliable. And it is hypocritical and appalling that he would think her indecent (like he can talk!) for being in other relationships, because she should be only his pure-bodied object. And the reader might find that Lo's tragic failings are all Humbert's fault.
I've also noticed that any woman who is not a "nymphet" is described in unattractive ways by Humbert. They are either fat, pudgy, gangly, old, nosy, whiny, or all the above. It is possible that he cannot see or refuses to see older woman like he sees his young objects of desire. Even when he realises that Dolores can be annoying and whiny - as children often are - he does not give up on her. Lolita is his true love - no, his obsession: his projected image of perfect human beauty, young and innocent.
There are moments of insight, however, where Humbert acknowledges his faults, and that he is depraving Lo of her childhood. He is torn between his illegal, sick passions and his common sense as a poet and educated man. He tries to reason his evil actions caused by lust, but it makes him look all the more pathetic. His descent into madness becomes clearer as his lust consumes him. While not once did I feel sorry for him throughout the entire course of the novel, I can see why he would be considered a tragic figure.
What I find to be even more disturbing than 'Lolita''s content is what I've heard from some readers who do sympathise with Humbert; they blame Lolita, the victim, for his downfall. What is our society coming to? Victim blaming - especially if the victim is twelve-years-old - is never okay. And again, we cannot hang on Humbert's every word, him being an unreliable narrator. It is hinted that he might be (or growing to be) deranged in his unhealthy (putting it mildly here) lust for Lolita.
But maybe the novel is just that powerful and rich that it can possibly make you feel for a paedophile. That was not how it worked for me, however. I just read the POV of a monster with a lyrical mind, whom a ton of lucky and unlucky coincidences happen to (the novel is slow in progression, but it makes up for it with little thematic titbits, and writing that gives us time to absorb atmosphere).
So while 'Lolita' did not make me sympathise with a paedophile, it did its job in leaving me with a feeling of complete euphoria after finishing it, as Nabokov intended. It is a strangely enriching experience. It is something special to marvel at, despite its shocking content. Humbert Humbert is a character with many layers; a monster you can't help but read about.
You can interpret so many things about 'Lolita', and that is what makes it a classic, I believe.
Final Score: 4/5
Manga Review - 'Revolutionary Girl Utena, Vol 01: To Till' by Be-Papas, Chiho Saitō
2017 EDIT: This is one of my first reviews, and it's embarrassingly outdated. I'll only say that I have matured significantly since first writing it, and 'Revolutionary Girl Utena' is now one of my favourite anime. Goes to show how one's viewpoint in adulthood over childhood and adolescence changes for the better, doesn't it? For further thoughts on the 'RGU' manga series, here is my oh-so well-thought-out review of the deluxe box set. Enjoy!
Original Review:
Years ago, after reading very positive reviews of this manga on Amazon, I bought it from there.
While I had trouble getting into the anime version of 'Revolutionary Girl Utena', in my opinion the manga flows more naturally and further focuses on a straightforward and heartfelt story structure. Not really heavily reliant on symbolism, it takes its time developing other necessary aspects. For instance, I know more about the protagonist Utena in reading the first manga volume than I did in viewing 27 episodes of the TV series. I now know what her life was like before she went to the academy: such as who took care of her after her parents died, and who her friends were and how much of an impact they had on her character. I could connect to her insecurities and thoughts easily; she is a feisty, passionate but confused human being.
Accompanied by wonderful artwork and clever and logical plot twists, 'RGU Vol. 01' is a lovely and fun action manga that packs girl power to a punch. Utena Tenjou is an awesome heroine. The story is her own, even when she is involved with other characters; like the Rose Bride Anthy, her unintended "fiancee".
The other volumes I remember being okay, though I haven't read all of them since they are very expensive on all the shopping sites I look into.
Oh well, still a gripping first volume.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
Years ago, after reading very positive reviews of this manga on Amazon, I bought it from there.
While I had trouble getting into the anime version of 'Revolutionary Girl Utena', in my opinion the manga flows more naturally and further focuses on a straightforward and heartfelt story structure. Not really heavily reliant on symbolism, it takes its time developing other necessary aspects. For instance, I know more about the protagonist Utena in reading the first manga volume than I did in viewing 27 episodes of the TV series. I now know what her life was like before she went to the academy: such as who took care of her after her parents died, and who her friends were and how much of an impact they had on her character. I could connect to her insecurities and thoughts easily; she is a feisty, passionate but confused human being.
Accompanied by wonderful artwork and clever and logical plot twists, 'RGU Vol. 01' is a lovely and fun action manga that packs girl power to a punch. Utena Tenjou is an awesome heroine. The story is her own, even when she is involved with other characters; like the Rose Bride Anthy, her unintended "fiancee".
The other volumes I remember being okay, though I haven't read all of them since they are very expensive on all the shopping sites I look into.
Oh well, still a gripping first volume.
Final Score: 4/5
Monday, 23 September 2013
Book Review - 'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon' by Grace Lin
If you are the least bit interested in Chinese folktales and mythology, or if you want to introduce them to Western children (as a starting point), then you should definitely check this book out.
'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon' is such a breathtaking, sweet, enchanting, clever and cute read. It has simple yet practically perfect prose and choice of words, accompanied by gorgeous illustrations. I whizzed through it like a dragon in the sky.
It is a girl-in-supernatural-world-goes-on-journey story, similar to a Chinese 'Wizard of Oz' and 'Alice in Wonderland'. However there are noteworthy differences that make it stand out.
The setting is wonderful, with mountains, rivers, waterfalls, the City of Bright Moonlight, and the Village of Moon Rain. There are peach-loving monkeys, a buffalo boy, a poisonous green tiger, talking fish and lion statues, a talking rabbit, pearls, red threads of destiny, mysterious river dragons, and an Old Man of the Moon.
The protagonist, Minli, is hard not to love. She is kind, naive but determined, resourceful, and grows more unselfish on her journey to find the Old Man of the Moon so he'll change her poor family's fortune. She loves the stories her father tells her in between working on the Fruitless Mountain where they live. She knows stories exist to tell important morals and lift society's spirits (and so should her mother, and we, the readers), and even when life becomes almost unbearable, she always jumps back on her feet when she sees a new opportunity to change her humdrum life.
In Minli's travels she encounters new friends and retrieves magical relics, like in a video game. She's adorable.
And unlike other girl-in-magical-world stories, where the girl's parents are either dead or are just not involved in their child's life for the sake of convenience, Minli's parents are present and feature a lot in the book. They go out looking for their daughter after she leaves home, and then they go back and wait, trusting her to return to them someday (persuaded by a goldfish man no less). They grieve all the time she is gone, and even tell stories to put their minds at rest. It is absolutely relieving and heart-wrenching when the family is back together in the end; so touching and real.
Family importance and being grateful for what you have are the themes in the book, and it is executed from the heart.
'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon' contains colourful and imaginative imagery of the moon, the clothing and the mystical landscapes of fairy tale Asia. The characters are equally lovable and lush. The action is simple but urgent: no element in this book is boring or dragging. And the plotting and themes are so seamlessly interwoven - along with the stories-of-times-past sections - it is almost scary.
Make no mistake, Grace Lin has put much work into perfecting this tale, and that it can be read to children at bedtime makes it even more special. Really, I can't think of a single legit flaw in it.
I have not thought much about Chinese folklore before reading 'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon', but now consider my interest peaked. Funny, touching, graceful, hugely creative, simple yet complex, and truly whimsical with great morals, I thank Grace Lin for bringing this story (and its illustrations) into our cynical world. It is a quick read that can be finished in one day.
I think more people need to know about this book. And if you are still not convinced of its charm and beauty, here is this passage:
'"Don't cry," Minli said, patting the dragon, feeling more sorry for it than ever. "I'm going to Never-Ending Mountain to see the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how to change my family's fortune. You can come too and ask him how to fly."
"You know where the Never-Ending Mountain is?" the dragon asked. "I thought to see the Old Man of the Moon was impossible. You must be very wise to know how to find him."
"Not really," Minli said, "I got the directions from a goldfish."' (p-48-49)
Final Score: 5/5
'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon' is such a breathtaking, sweet, enchanting, clever and cute read. It has simple yet practically perfect prose and choice of words, accompanied by gorgeous illustrations. I whizzed through it like a dragon in the sky.
It is a girl-in-supernatural-world-goes-on-journey story, similar to a Chinese 'Wizard of Oz' and 'Alice in Wonderland'. However there are noteworthy differences that make it stand out.
The setting is wonderful, with mountains, rivers, waterfalls, the City of Bright Moonlight, and the Village of Moon Rain. There are peach-loving monkeys, a buffalo boy, a poisonous green tiger, talking fish and lion statues, a talking rabbit, pearls, red threads of destiny, mysterious river dragons, and an Old Man of the Moon.
The protagonist, Minli, is hard not to love. She is kind, naive but determined, resourceful, and grows more unselfish on her journey to find the Old Man of the Moon so he'll change her poor family's fortune. She loves the stories her father tells her in between working on the Fruitless Mountain where they live. She knows stories exist to tell important morals and lift society's spirits (and so should her mother, and we, the readers), and even when life becomes almost unbearable, she always jumps back on her feet when she sees a new opportunity to change her humdrum life.
In Minli's travels she encounters new friends and retrieves magical relics, like in a video game. She's adorable.
And unlike other girl-in-magical-world stories, where the girl's parents are either dead or are just not involved in their child's life for the sake of convenience, Minli's parents are present and feature a lot in the book. They go out looking for their daughter after she leaves home, and then they go back and wait, trusting her to return to them someday (persuaded by a goldfish man no less). They grieve all the time she is gone, and even tell stories to put their minds at rest. It is absolutely relieving and heart-wrenching when the family is back together in the end; so touching and real.
Family importance and being grateful for what you have are the themes in the book, and it is executed from the heart.
'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon' contains colourful and imaginative imagery of the moon, the clothing and the mystical landscapes of fairy tale Asia. The characters are equally lovable and lush. The action is simple but urgent: no element in this book is boring or dragging. And the plotting and themes are so seamlessly interwoven - along with the stories-of-times-past sections - it is almost scary.
Make no mistake, Grace Lin has put much work into perfecting this tale, and that it can be read to children at bedtime makes it even more special. Really, I can't think of a single legit flaw in it.
I have not thought much about Chinese folklore before reading 'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon', but now consider my interest peaked. Funny, touching, graceful, hugely creative, simple yet complex, and truly whimsical with great morals, I thank Grace Lin for bringing this story (and its illustrations) into our cynical world. It is a quick read that can be finished in one day.
I think more people need to know about this book. And if you are still not convinced of its charm and beauty, here is this passage:
'"Don't cry," Minli said, patting the dragon, feeling more sorry for it than ever. "I'm going to Never-Ending Mountain to see the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how to change my family's fortune. You can come too and ask him how to fly."
"You know where the Never-Ending Mountain is?" the dragon asked. "I thought to see the Old Man of the Moon was impossible. You must be very wise to know how to find him."
"Not really," Minli said, "I got the directions from a goldfish."' (p-48-49)
Final Score: 5/5
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