The Christmas Pig

 Author : J.K.Rowling

#bookreview

An unforgettable adventure which sweeps you away into a land of magic, miracles and love for lost things, The Christmas Pig is a story about a boy, Jack, who loses his favorite toy, a Dur Pig, which he has treasured throughout his life. Christmas season looks miserable and bleak without him.

But, surprise, On Christmas eve, the day of miracles and joys, when kids look forward to their presents, the toys come to life. His new replacement toy, The Christmas Pig has a plan.

Jack and the Christmas Pig, embark on a daring adventure into the Land of the Lost, to seek something what he has lost, and reclaim this Dur Pig back.

This is a beautiful heartwarming book, which takes us into a different world, and reiterates the good old values of bravery, courage and true friendship. The toy characters are so endearing, and the Land of the Lost has a lot more to offer than lost toys. Do read the book to know what it’s all about and enjoy the roller coaster ride.

It’s been a while since I read a good children’s book, and who better than J.K.Rowling to lure her readers back into the world of adventure and re-instate the hope that not all magic is lost. A little late for Christmas season, but celebrate the joy and love with this book.

Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍

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STAR WARS - Prequel Review

 

Check out the STAR WARS Prequel review at

https://theworldofmovies.com/star-wars-the-prequel-trilogy-review/

The Midnight Library

Author : Matt Haig 

A brilliant novel which makes us ponder over the choices we made in our lives , The Midnight Library urges it’s readers to introspect and rethink on certain decisions we made in our past .

Have you always made the right choices in your past? Are there few things you regret ? Have you ever wondered about the road not taken ? What if you get another chance to open up those long forgotten chapters ? Would you have made a different choice ? Perhaps a different career option, relocation to another city , studied abroad , try to mend a relationship? If you are transported to the setting of this book , you get a chance to work on your life again.

Between heaven and Earth there is a library , called The Midnight library , filled with stacks of books. Each book contains the story of your life, based on the choice you made at that given point of time . Based on your book of regrets, you can choose to pick a regret , mend your choice and open up a new chapter of your life and see where that path leads you . Sounds very fancy isn’t it ?

In the book , the protagonist Nora Seed ends up in the library because of a decision she makes . She comes face to face with her past , makes amends to her choices and this novel is her journey as she catches a glimpse of different variations of her life across parallel universes.

The book is undoubtedly a beautiful piece of literature , but it does come with a certain baggage.There are some books which start slow and light but get intense towards the end . But this book , on the contrary , is similar to a dystopian book . It is very gloomy and intense in the beginning , but as it progresses , we can feel the weight lifting off our head . It is as if the heaviness is taken away and we can feel ourselves flying in the air , like a butterfly which emerges from the cocoon.

This book would serve as a healing potion for those who suffer with mental health issues and depression. The author Matt Haig himself struggled with severe depression issues and his first hand experience in dealing with this matter is very prominent in certain chapters.

To summarize, this book is a beautiful ride but brace yourself for some depressing chapters in the beginning.

My Rating - 👍👍👍👍

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Before I go to sleep

 Author : S.J.Watson

Plot Review:

This was my third short book during the Thanksgiving Holidays. A fast paced, short, intense, psychological thriller, this book keeps you at the edge of your seat. This is an ideal pick up for a short flight travel or one late night sitting. You get so glued to the book that it is difficult to let go of it without knowing how it will end. The novel is centered around a woman, Christine, who suffers from a rare type of amnesia where she wakes up every day morning not knowing who she is . Even if someone told her all about her past today, she would wake up tomorrow morning again without any memory of the knowledge she gained the previous day. The novel follows her life as she tries to reconstruct her past with some help . But Will she be able to join the broken pieces of the puzzle eventually? What will happen the next day she wakes up?  

Psychological thrillers are not one of my favorite genre, I find them a little too dark and scary. But that does not take away any credit from this wonderful book, which kept me hooked on to it till the very last page. The movie, which boasts of a stellar cast with Nicole Kidman and Collin Firth in  the lead roles, is supposed to be equally good, though I have not watched it yet. I liked the book and would definitely recommend it.

A   brilliant thriller, do not miss it !

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Rating:👍👍👍👍

The Alchemist

Author : Paulo Coelho

 I began my audible journey with Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist”.

A story of a young shepherd who begins his travel seeking world treasure , instead treads on the path of self discovery and spiritual enlightenment, Paulo Coelho‘s masterpiece can be read and reread multiple times , a tale of pursuing one’s dreams and carving one’s own unique destiny. Simple and profound, this little book is full of wisdom. Jeremy Irons has narrated the book so well, his deep voice nicely complements the book which is rich and thoughtful in it's content. “When you want something, the whole universe conspires in order for you to achieve it” . Enough inspiration to last for a lifetime, don't you think !

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Rating: 👍👍👍👍👍

How I TAUGHT my GRANDMOTHER to READ and other stories

 Author : Sudha Murthy

There is no greater thrill than exploring a friend’s bookshelf and finding a gem of a book to read.

Sudha Murthy’s How I TAUGHT My GRANDMOTHER to READ and other stories is a collection of short and sweet stories, based on real life incidents and interactions in the author’s life. She talks about sojourners she meets on the train, teachers she interacted with in the rural areas, and car mechanics who are aspiring students. She weaves the stories with words of wisdom and addresses poverty, feminism and lack of education in the rural areas in a very gentle manner. There are few whose lives are blessed with abundance. Sudha Murthy is blessed with prosperity and she firmly believes that when life gives you so much, one must share it with others. This is the first book of hers which I read and I really enjoyed it. This is one of the three short books (including an audible) last week which I read during the Thanksgiving holidays. Do read it when you get a chance.

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Rating: 👍👍👍👍

All the Light we cannot see

 Author : Anthony Doerr

Much has been said about this book, laurels showered in abundance, praises heaped upon. My review could just be a repetition of what has already been stated by scores of readers before me. But yet, there is a certain delight in penning down a review in your own words, though it is the resonance of the same vibe, yet again.

Set in the time of the French resistance during WW II, All the lights we cannot see is centered around two unique teenagers, a blind French girl and a German Orphan, who stand up to the challenges posed to them during the war times.

The book is a parallel narrative for the most part, switching back and forth between the lives of the two protagonists and it overlaps towards the end when they cross paths with each other.

The author leaves no stone unturned in pointing out the atrocities which happened during the war. Prisoners are captured, punished, executed. Innocent people die like flies, succumbing to a fate they do not deserve.  Heart breaking, brutal, heart-wrenching, hard hitting, devastating are the words which should ideally come to the reader’s mind when reading such a serious book. But instead, I find myself using words like delicate, beautiful, fragile and poetic to describe this book. Simply put, it is a piece of art. The narration is rich with details, the language is smooth.  I find myself in a trance, with my heart on my sleeve, calling out to the two protagonists to retrace back their steps and come back to the picturesque town of Saint-Malo, and spend time with the readers, a little longer.

The story of a blind girl trying to live her everyday life with sheer grit despite loosing everything dear to her is truly inspiring. The story of a young boy who dreams of becoming a famous engineer or a scientist but gets caught up in a muddy war which he doesn’t want to fight, is saddening. The book clearly stands out for the brilliant portrayal of two beautiful souls who refuse to give up hope, despite the darkness surrounding them.

Coming to the plot itself, there were many loopholes and flaws, but the beautiful narration neutralizes the short comings. I am eagerly waiting for the Netflix limited series which has just begun production. This book is meant to be adapted on television. It will be a visual treat to watch.

My Rating: Anything less than 5 is a sacrilege. This book is a beauty.

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Trevor Noah : Born a Crime

 Author : Trevor Noah

A biographical Memoir of a world-famous personality, the current host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, Born A Crime is a very insightful and inspiring read. Noah deftly covers both the political background of the post-Apartheid South Africa and his own personal experiences in this book. He delves into diverse issues like the Apartheid, Colonialism, Religion, education and gender, which were prevalent in his childhood days in South Africa. The book is a collection of short anecdotes, a narration of his painful experiences which happened in his childhood and adolescence with a comical twist. Few stories make you laugh out loud and few make you cringe in pain. In between the stories, he gives us a detailed account of the history and also the social, political and economic background of South Africa post- Apartheid.

Trevor’s unique identity and his troubled childhood could vastly be attributed to the bold choices made by both his mother and him, two very strong minded, independent individuals who refused to succumb to the dampening circumstances around them.  Despite being ostracized and subject to domestic violence and abuse, Trevor’s mother laid a solid foundation to Trevor’s future. Vowing to write his own destiny, Trevor embraced all the challenges thrown at him and launched himself to reach the stars.

Trevor’s mom tells him “Learn from your past and be better

because of your past, but don’t cry about your past. Life is full

of pain. Let the pain sharpen you, but don’t hold on to it”.

And he lives by those words. Trevor Noah’s story has to be told to the world, and it is told exactly the way it has to be told. My respect went up ten-fold to this man, who came out sane and balanced after going through so much trauma in his childhood. I love stories of such people, who go through so much suffering but come out unscathed with a mission to light up the world. They are the torch bearers of humanity, an emblem of hope and compassion, which the world needs badly.

Take a bow, Trevor Noah. Lead the Way. May the Force be with you.

My rating: 5/5.

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Ramayana Rendition - 2021

 This year the theme is the dialogue between Shri Hanuman and Ravana before the war.

लंका नगरी मेँ गंभीर समस्या , विचलित हो ऊठे राक्षस गण, सभा में व्यस्त है उनके राजा विध्वंस हो रहा अशोक वन ! एक वानर बैठा ऊँचा वृक्ष पर, मुख पर तेज है सूर्य समान, विशाल काया चंचल चक्षु , वायु से तीव्र है उसका उड़ान ! कोलाहल से रावण चिंतित, बंधी बनाने को दिए आदेश, वानर नहीं यह कोई मायावी सरल नहीं है लंका प्रवेश ! कौनसे वृक्ष पर छुपा है वानर, अति विशाल है अशोक वन, वानर जब किया खुद को समर्पित, आश्चर्य चकित हुए राक्षस जन ! बेड़ी लगाके बंधी बनाया, खींच ले चले भवन की ओर, कौन यह वानर कहा से आया, भरी सभा में मच गयी शोर ! "किसको चुनौती दे रहे वानर, लंका नगरी है मेरी शान, दशानन रावण नाम है मेरा, मर्कट तुम हो बड़े अज्ञान !" " क्षमा करो हे लंकापति रावण, सह नहीं पाया भूख और प्यास, बंधी बनाकर मांगे परिचय, विनम्रता की थी मुझको आस !" राजा बाली से आपका ठक्कर, आप का यश का है मुझको ज्ञान, अब परिचय मेरा सुनलो राजन, मेँ हूँ रामदूत पवनसुत हनुमान !" फिर मारुती ने दुम को हिलाया , बड़ता गया लम्बा वह पूँछ, देखे राक्षस हनुमत लीला , खड़ा हो गया आसान उंच "बात मेरी अब सुनो दशानन , देवी सीता नहीं है साधारण, प्रभु श्री राम है जग के रक्षक, पृथ्वी पधारे है लक्ष्मी नारायण !" "देवी सीता को लौटा दो राजन , श्री राम हृदय के बड़े निर्मल, उनके शरण मेँ ही आपका हित है, दिए वचन पर राम अटल !" "बस करो मर्कट मूर्ख प्रलाप, एक वानर करे मानव का जाप, तीनों लोक का मेँ अधिकारी, व्यर्थ है हमारा यह वार्तालाप !" "दो सन्यासी वन वन भटके , मिले न भिक्षा और न पानी, सुखी रहेगी राज भवन मेँ, बनेगी सीता लंका की रानी !" "मति भ्रष्ट हो गयी क्या रावण, श्री राम का तुम न करो अपमान, मानव दानव तो सामान्य प्राणी है, देव गण भी करे उन्हें सम्मान !" "अपने मृत्यु को न पुकारो दशानन, विभीषण बोले जोड़के हाथ, लंका की रक्षा असुर सुरक्षा, विनती मेरी तनिक सुनलो भ्रात !" " व्यर्थ हो रहा मेरा समय, मेरा कीर्ति और बल है अपार, इस वानर का अब प्राण चीन लो, युद्ध मेँ होगी राम की हार !" दूत का प्राण हरना पाप है, आपके नीति पर पड़ेगी दाग, भ्राता की विनती सुनके रावण , मारुती के पूँछ को लगा दी आग ! भस्म हो गयी लंका नगरी , भारी पड़ गयी रावण की भूल, बजरंग बली ने जब लगाई छलांग, स्वर्ण भवन की जगह रह गयी धूल ! मारुती रावण संवाद विफल, वानर दानव का हुआ संग्राम, दशानन रावण की हो गयी मृत्यु , विजयी हुए रघुनन्दन राम ! श्री हनुमान राम का स्नेह अपार, भक्त के हृदय मेँ स्वामी का धाम, देश मेँ हो परदेस मेँ बैठे, हम तो जपते जय श्री राम !

The Courier- 2021 Film

 

I picked this movie because of it's interesting storyline and stars Benedict Cumberwatch as the lead . Based on the life of "The spy who saved the world", the plot revolves around two main characters, a top Soviet official who went against his own government to diffuse a nuclear war and a British Salesman, "The Courier", who was instrumental in transporting this vital information to the west on time.

It is the year 1960 . Both America and the Soviet Union have equipped themselves with heavy nuclear arsenal. The leader of Soviet Union, Khrushchev has an ambitious plan to deploy nukes in Cuba to put US under the radar. Khrushchev's reckless attitude was disliked by many of his own countrymen. One top ranked official, Oleg Penkovsky decides to take matter in his own hands. In a daring attempt, he reaches out to CIA and MI6 saying he wants to establish peace in this world. When the CIA receives the message, they team up with MI6 and set up a channel of communication with Penkovsky through "The Courier".

"The Courier", is a British Salesman,  Greville Wynne, recruited by the MI6 to make contact with Penkovsky. Wynne is entrusted  to transport the classified information from Penkovsky to MI6 and CIA. With the"Big Brother" KGB watching them all the time, Penkovsky and Wynne are forced to come up with new tactics to choose their rendezvous point to exchange information. Over a period of time, the duo develop a steadfast friendship with each other and getaway with many escapades. 

But eventually, they get caught by KGB and are imprisoned in the deep pits of Tartarus. Before succumbing to the depths of despair, will the duo successfully avert the Cuban danger  forms the crux of  this brilliant thriller.

Benedict Cumberwatch and Merab Ninidze excel in their roles as Wynne and Penkovsky respectively. They sink deep into the skin of their characters. The screenplay is tight and the cinemetography is brilliant. Moscow is a treat to watch and the film subtly gives the audience a taste of the pleasures of the Russian elite.

The only glaring flaw in the movie is the portrayal of KGB. It is difficult to imagine KGB being lacklustre and incapable to catch the mole in their own system for such a long time. The real story upon research  states that KGB was aware about the dealings of Penkovsky but could not expose him earlier as they did not want to compromise their own mole on the other side. They were patiently waiting for an opportunity to catch Penkovsky unawares and catch him in action. Had the movie portrayed the  KGB chase in more detail, it would have been a much better thriller to watch.

Having said that ,it is true that Penkovsky did manage to keep KGB at bay for two whole years and was able to successfully transport a lot of classified information to the west. Thanks to his efforts, the Cuba threat was subdued. 

A traitor in his own land, a Hero who saved the world. His accomplice, The Courier,  lived on to narrate the story to the rest of the world. Aptly brought to the silver screen, such stories are meant to be told. The world has to be made aware of such unsung heroes. I am glad I watched a sensible film after a long long time.

My rating : 3.5/5 stars.