I don’t know the original fairy tale that this is based on, but I definitely loved this retelling. It was everything I love in a good fairy tale – it’s cute and kind of sweet. But with a tragic backstory that made me kind of sad. I definitely plan on adding more of the writing of Chokshi to my TBR now.
This short story had such a sad ending, one that shows just how much miscommunications can hurt. My heart broke a little at the ending. Particularly since it brewed resentment and hurt. But, it had that bittersweet feeling of love and beauty.
I honestly thought that the man would betray the mountain. But, it was actually pride and greed from others that destroyed their happiness. A reminder that sometimes the gods shouldn’t come near humans. And that sometimes fairy tales don’t have a happily ever after.
Title: Across the Nightingale Floor Author: Lian Hearn Series: Tales of the Otori #1 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Asia, Fantasy, Historical fiction, Japan Dates read: 18th October 2020 Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Hachette Australia Year: 2002 5th sentence, 74th page: He was gone from the garden, and I was beginning to wonder if I’d seen another mirage, when I heard voices from the upstairs room.
In his fortress at Inuyama, the murderous warlord Iida Sadamu surveys his famous nightingale floor. Constructed with exquisite skill, it sings at the tread of each human foot. No assassin can cross it unheard.
Brought up in a remote village among the Hidden, a reclusive and spiritual people, Takeo has learned only the ways of peace. Why, then, does he possess the deadly skills that make him so valuable to the sinister Tribe? These supernatural powers will lead him to his violent destiny wihtin teh walls of Inuyama – and to an impossible longing for a girl who can never be his. His journey is one of revenge and treachery, beauty and magic, and the passion of first love.
This was a seriously beautiful and powerful novel. I’ve had it sitting on my shelf for a while, and just hadn’t gotten around to it… and wow. Was I missing out (this seems to be a pretty common theme with me though…). I loved the world building, the characters, the story… everything that Hearn constructed in this was just… intense. And wonderful. Definitely looking forward to reading Grass for His Pillow soon.
The setting and historical feel of this story was awesome. I remember going to Japan as a young child, and I’ve studied the language for years. Which just made this feel even more amazing as I journeyed throughout the pages. Not only was it a historical fiction based in an entirely new and unique location (compared to the other historical fictions on my shelves). But it was one that already draws me in and fascinates me. Which may be a pretty significant contributor to my love of this story…
As much as I loved this story. It wasn’t a happy one. Throughout the whole thing I felt like my heart was breaking a little. it didn’t really matter what point of the story I was at, there was a little bit of heart break. This was that bittersweet kind of story that is beautiful, but it’s beautiful because of all the greys, and there is no rainbow. Which, of course, just served to make it all that much more unforgettable.
This is definitely one of the best books that I’ve picked up in a while. I have been steering clear of books with a lot of backstory lately (I have no idea why) and I think that this has cured me of that. There is so much political intrigue, drama and tangled webs. Which just leaves you thinking “what will happen next” after you turn that final page.
Title: Human Acts Author: Han Kang Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!) My Bookshelves:Asia, Historical fiction, War Dates read: 22nd – 23rd July 2020 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Portobello Year: 2014 5th sentence, 74th page: How can that be possible?
Gwangju, South Korea, 1980. In the wake of a viciously suppressed student uprising, a boy searches for his friend’s corpse, a consciousness searches for its abandoned body, and a brutalised country searches for a voice. In a sequence of interconnected chapters the victims and the bereaved encounter censorship, denial, forgiveness and the echoing agony of the original trauma.
Human Acts is a universal book, utterly modern and profoundly timeless. Already a controversial bestseller and award-winning book in Korea, it confirms Han Kang as a writer of immense importance.
This was nothing like what I expected. Although, to be fair. I really didn’t know what to expect – after all, this is my first piece of Korean Literature. And my first novel that has been translated from this language. It was a great story. And I loved the ways in which some of the idiosyncrasies of another language worked their way into this story.
Effectively, this story works as six separate tales. That are all interrelated. They tell the stories of people whose lives were interconnected when their world came crashing down in war. I loved the set up – it showed so many different perspectives to the same events. And at different points. Some were in the present day, some in the past.
At the end of this novel. My heart just. Hurt. Seriously. Hurt. It was such a tragic tale. And. Just. Wow. So much heart pain. I sat there, staring at all of the happy books on my shelves that had far happier stories in it…
Some of the war stories that I’ve read have a bit of a positive light and spin. This is not one of those stories. There is such a feeling of tragedy. This is just all about the atrocities of humanity. And the horrible things that we do to one another. It is completely obvious why this is an award-winning novel. Definitely one that I would like to return to in the future…
Title: Rich People Problems Author: Kevin Kwan Series: Crazy Rich Asians #3 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Asia, Chic lit, Contemporary Dates read: 29th May 2020 Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Anchor Books Year: 2017 5th sentence, 74th page: Mummy must never look unkempt.
Nicholas Young’s grandmother Su Yi is on her deathbed. While he rushes to be by her side, he’s not the only one. The entire Shang-Young clan has convened from all corners to the globe to stake claim on their matriarch’s massive fortune. With all parties vying to inherit a trophy estate in the heart of Singapore, Nicholas’s childhood home turns into a hotbed of sabotage and scandal. Taking us from elegantly appointed mansions in Manila to secluded private islands in the Sulu Sea, Kevin Kwan’s final installment in this irresistible trilogy reveals the long-buried secrets of Asia’s most privileged families and their rich people problems.
I’ve been meaning and meaning to get to this novel for a while. After all, it finishes out a great series that I have absolutely adored and I also hated that the very final book in a trilogy has just been sitting, unread on my shelves. Now that I’ve read it… wow… I definitely should have sunk my teeth into this WAY WAY earlier.
The scheming and insanity that is Nick’s family definitely comes to a head in this story. He’s the prodigal son who has deserted his post, and yet, at the end of the day, all he wants is to be able to say goodbye to his grandmother. Yet, there are so, so many family members who are too busy plotting and scheming for more money to make this reunion simple. To make it anything but awkward really. It’s kind of difficult to stomach in moments – I just can’t imagine that need for money and prestige to be so all-consuming.
Although the main storyline was about Ah Ma being on her death bed and all of the insane relatives rushing to her side, there were another two great side stories that had that same sense of suspended disbelief and horror. Firstly, there was the story about Kitty. She’s moved up and up in the world throughout the series, but she now has to contend with a whole new set of problems in her drive to be the “queen” of society. Then there’s the story of Astrid. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a character to have their happily ever after more. Yet, her journey to finally get her own version of happily ever after is seriously tragic and difficult. I actually wanted to throw the book across the room in some moments – there were just so many horrible things going on.
This is a great novel. Like the first two novels, Rich People Problems is funny and witty. It completely makes fun at a set of the cohort that most of us will never come across. Yet, it also makes you fall in love with some of these characters. I may have absolutely loved this novel and blitzed through it in about a day, but I’m actually really, seriously disappointed that this series is over… I wonder if there are any more Kevin Kwan novels that I can add to my wishlist…
Title: China Rich Girlfriend Author: Kevin Kwan Series: Crazy Rich Asians #2 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Asia, Book to Film, Chic lit, Contemporary Dates read: 31st October – 14th November 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Anchor Books Year: 2015 5th sentence, 74th page: NICK: WTF!
It’s the eve of Rachel Chu’s wedding, and she should be over the moon. She has a flawless oval-cut diamond, a wedding dress she loves, and a fiance willing to thwart his meddling relatives and give up one of the biggest fortunes in Asia in order to marry her. Still, Rachel mourns the fact that her birth father, a man she never knew, wont’ be there to walk her down the aisle.
Then a chance accident reveals his identity. Suddenly, Rachel is drawn into a dizzying world of Shanghai splendor, a world where people attend church in a penthouse, where exotic cars race down the boulevard, and where people aren’t just crazy rich… they’re China rich.
This is yet another fabulous hit. At least with me. And when
I say fabulous, I mean flamboyantly fabulous because seriously… talk about lives
of the rich and famous!!!
I spent most of my time reading this book giggling, laughing my head off, and sending random snapchats to my friends in particularly glorious moments. There is just something that is deliciously witty and disparaging about Kwan’swriting that I haven’t found in the longest of times. It has been the perfect fit for my mood lately, and a great summer read with the gloriously warm weather coming in. Easy, fun and so completely unbelievable that you actually believe that these people exist…
China Rich Girlfriend reveals yet another facet to the lives of the rich and famous among Asian and Chinese societies. And, again, Rachel is thrust in the middle of peoples’ issues and hang ups. Almost having her life destroyed in the process. It’s incredibly drama filled, but at least this time, Rachel doesn’t so much act as a naïve lamb going to the slaughter. She’s actually able to stand up for herself and approach the whole situation with her eyes open, no happy little, dream come true delusions this time. Thank goodness. I loved this more cynical version.
This story mostly follows Rachel and her discovery of her new family. As such, Nick tends to take a bit of a step back as a main story character. He’s always there, but not in the limelight as in Crazy Rich Asians. The other two relationships that are followed, and incredibly intriguing are that of Kitty and Bernard. I never thought I’d want to know what happened to them so badly, but it turns out that I had to have their story in my life too!
The third couple that was followed was Astrid and Michael. He
was a douche nugget in the movie, he’s a douche nugget in the first book. And
by the time you get to the end of the second book, you will seriously be hoping
that he is not going to be around in the third… serious douche nugget. But, it
makes for great reading, and gives you hope that Astrid may be able to find her
own happily ever after, just with a few more bumps in the road…
Title: Crazy Rich Asians Author: Kevin Kwan Series: Crazy Rich Asians #1 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Asia, Book to Film, Chic lit, Contemporary Dates read: 28th – 30th October 2019 Pace: Fast Format: Novel Publisher: Anchor Books Year: 2013 5th sentence, 74th page: Her parents supported the idea of Astrid having a “cooling-off period” away, but try as she might to maintain a low profile, Astrid effortlessly enchanted le tout Paris with her smouldering beauty.
When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country’s most eligible bachelor.
On Nick’s arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers.
I CANNOT believe how amazing this book was!!! Totally
floored. Totally in love and completely gobsmacked by the awesomeness of this.
I am totally obsessed with the movie, so I was kind of expecting to like that
better (it rarely happens, but sometimes if I love the movie, the book falls
flat). But that was not the case. This book neither ruined the movies for me,
or made me never want to read the books again. I now have a double obsession,
both for different reasons.
Like the movie, this book is funny, pithy and quite
brilliant. Yet, there is a lot more darkness amongst the pages than in the
movie. Far more manipulation and horrible activities performed by the elite
that are suddenly thrust into Rachel’s life. And a more insidious approach to
her relationship than the movie has. This isn’t so rainbows and puppies at the
end of the story. But, in being so, it is also way more realistic and, in many
ways, relatable (because who hasn’t had issues with in-laws?)
It’s incredibly obvious that Kwan has come from this society. There is a sense of intimate knowledge and understanding of how this community lives that would only be available to an insider. One that was a great piece of cultural information. Even if the anthropologist in me will never have access to such a cultural group, and, after reading this, really doesn’t want to. One of my favourite aspects of this is the fact that there are footnotes explaining all of the language, preferences and activities of the Singapore elite. It gives an extra layer of information and cultural understanding that I previously wasn’t expecting. They’re also funny and a little bit disparaging. Kind of like having the movie version Oliver’s voice as a running commentary throughout.
This book is intense, unique and completely impossible to put down. It’s not one that I will forget any time soon. It is also one that will make you want to pick up China Rich Girlfriend immediately afterwards. At least, that’s what I did. Because seriously man, I wanted to see what happened next!!!
Earth and Skye 