Sebastien Kuo
Easily became one of my favourite books. The beginning is a bit hard to get into due to the author's effort of using period-specific language and also due to the structure of the story, however after the first chapter, you will notice the pace begin to quicken. I found the plot to be thrilling and engaging. The author is skilled in the way he incorporates central themes into every chapter and by the end, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the philosophy came together.
I would highly recommend Cloud Atlas to those that enjoy science fiction/fantasy or who are looking for an adventurous book that has a strong but well-weaved intellectual thread in it.
There's a special sort of secret shame reserved for a twenty-something year-old who has never read Murakami. After years of hearing about how amazing his writing was, I decided to take the plunge with “South of the Border, West of the Sun”. I was not disappointed.
I was pleasantly surprised with the frankness of the language, the understated way he paints everyday life and the realism of the characters. The novel kept me engaged up until the very end and once there, left me feeling like something unknown was missing from my own life. I'm not sure if this feeling was pleasant or not, hence the four stars. Looking forward to checking out his other works.
This one comes from my long-held determination to read Great Books that are supposedly a big deal and that I somehow missed during my adolescence.
“Bartleby the Scrivener” lived up to the hype. I really appreciated the disjointed first person narrative, the almost cynical characterisations and the lack of a conclusive ending. Melville really knows how to confuse a reader but keep them interested, pursuing the plot until the unsatisfying end. I use “unsatisfying” without negative connotations (if possible) - it forces you to delve into what you just read searching for hints and explanations. Few books today have that kind of pull.
It's been a while since I've come across a book that truly impressed me. “Waiting for the Barbarians” was a refreshing respite from the long, long list of half-finished books I was in the habit of reading. I found the author's voice to be genuine and relatable while at the same really deft at weaving a plot that hits you only halfway through as being a particularly poignant allegory on what it means to be civilised. Highly recommend.
This was the third book into my still exhilarating exploration of travel writing. The author's matter-of-fact voice really allows you to experience virtually first hand the rare wonders of such a closed off country and the warm (or sometimes nefarious) personalities of the people he met. I'm inspired to take a similar trip after reading this one so I guess it did the trick !