bookchica

• Rated 5 stars

“Ghosh can spin as good a yarn as the best out there! His 2nd novel in The Ibis Trilogy is set in 19th century Canton just before the break out of the Opium Wars. The detectable tastes and smells of Canton jump out at the reader as the novel unfolds the lives of colorful Indian, British and Chinese characters in it's Fanqui-town. Well-researched and thoroughly enjoyable!”

bookchica wrote this review Sunday, September 11, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“Adiga delivers again! Mumbai laid bare. Raw at the edges, thrilling at it's core. Can one honest man resist and defeat the corrupt system that is omnipresent in the glamorously dark metropolis? A scintillating novel about greed and human weakness in the face of windfall and loss. Addictively readable!”

bookchica wrote this review Sunday, September 11, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“A mesmerizing historical account of the Big Apple that spans four centuries from it's first occupation by the Dutch until the dawn of the new millennium. Rutherfurd's clever use of fictitious and engaging characters mixed in with historical names lends a very interesting dimension to this epic of a novel. A must read if you are interested in NYC or a historical fiction junkie. Looking forward to reading more of this author in the future......
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bookchica wrote this review Tuesday, August 23, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 2 stars

“I fail to understand what the point of this book actually is other than the gloat fest of an arrogant and borderline racist American-Chinese woman who, unable to achieve personal greatness (as measured by her own "high" standards), tries to raise overachieving daughters (and family pets too, if you can believe that!) by using seriously questionable methods such as verbal and mental abuse. She is not avert to referring to her American Jewish husband several times in the book as "disadvantageous to her Chinese mother tactics because of his slack American upbringing".

Those of us with Asian parents can identify with most of what she calls her "Chinese parenting regime" and can only shudder that someone is actually advocating this, instead of looking for an in-between solution to nurture independent and happy children. Well, if the author herself proudly confesses that "Enjoying life is not one of my strengths", I guess one need say no more.

Discounting the sensation it made in the media for it's controversial subject, this book unfortunately does not even deserve a mention or a read! I recommend skipping it and spending your precious time on the score of worthwhile reading material that is out there instead. Or if you are extremely curious like I was on what the hype is about, lend it at your local library and astonish yourself on the lengths people sometimes go to elevate themselves!”

bookchica wrote this review Monday, March 28, 2011. ( reply | view 1 replies | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“Interlaced with historical events leading to Indian Independence, Davidar's family epic spans 3 generations of a land-owning family in Southern Tamilnadu. Enriched with several interesting characters and painting a realistic vignette of the turmoils of caste strife and western influence in British India, the novel is mostly successful (in the first half) before the narration starts to meander into several sub-plots and digressions. Nevertheless, worth exercising your patience and giving this a read. ”

bookchica wrote this review Monday, March 28, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Rated as one of the funniest books ever written in the English language (and deservedly so), Amis' novel is an uproariously funny, Wodehousey sort of treatment of academia and society in post-war England. ”

bookchica wrote this review Monday, March 14, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“An exquisite and poignant tale of familial strife and sibling relations set in Old Delhi. Desai's poetic prose and the chock-full of interesting characters makes this Booker prize finalist novel a very enjoyable read.”

bookchica wrote this review Saturday, February 26, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“Definitely worth a read for the author's insightful attempt at dissecting India and her plunge into modernity. For Indians who are born and have lived through what he tries to decipher by immersing himself into the Indian "hangama", this might not be such a revealing portrait but more an entertaining find to see so much of it published on print for maybe the first time. ”

bookchica wrote this review Friday, February 4, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Clavell does an excellent job in keeping the reader entertained and on edge in his epic novel about 17th century feudal Japan and the scheming “barbarians” from the west who try to establish a base on the island for trade and religion. Based on true historical facts, Clavell’s best seller filled with fearless samurai and death defying ninjas is one of the most thrilling books I’ve read in a long while! ”

bookchica wrote this review Wednesday, December 22, 2010. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“This classic about four sisters of the once-aristocratic Makioka family is set in early 20th century Japan during the last few years leading up to World War II. Detailing all the everyday mundane details in the domestic lives of each of the four sisters, this novel lacks in action but more than makes up for it by enrapturing the reader in all the intricate details about Japanese family life and traditions. A luxurious read for anyone interested in Japan and Japanese culture.
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bookchica wrote this review Wednesday, December 22, 2010. ( reply | permalink )