#48: The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Christie, Agatha: The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Project Gutenberg, 2008. Ebook.

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SETTING: Styles Manor in Essex County, England, north-east of London, during WWI.

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SUMMARY: Arthur Hastings, the narrator of this story, is invited to spend some time at Styles Manor by his good friend John Cavendish.  Within a day of his arrival, John's stepmother, who inherited the manor upon John's father's (her husband's) death, is found dead in her locked bedroom.  Enter the famous Belgian detective, Mr. Hercule Poirot, who brilliantly solves the mystery.

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "Poirot was an extraordinary looking little man.  He was hardly more than five feet, four inches, but carried himself with great dignity.  His head was exactly the shape of an egg, and he always perched it a little on one side.  His mustache was very stiff and military.  The neatness of his attire was almost incredible.  I believe a speck of dust would have caused him more pain than a bullet wound." - Chapter 2.

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There's a huge possibility that I read this book once before.  The story felt new, but the title was familiar, and this is also the first Hercule Poirot book written by Christie.  It's quite possible that I read it so long ago that I forgot the story.  My forgetfulness regarding which books I have and haven't read was the main inspiration for starting this blog, so I guess from this point forward, I won't forget.  I picked that quote as my favorite because it is such a perfect description of Poirot, and a description that Christie fabulously maintains in all of her Poirot novels.  

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Things I liked about this book:

1. Poirot!  My favorite detective!  I love his style, both personal and professional.  Working with a person like that would be productive and constantly entertaining.
2. The culprits.  Just like the last Christie book I wrote about, I was again wrong about who did the deed.  
3. The romantic relationships in this novel.  They became one of the main themes, and it was a nice fit in a crime/mystery novel.  I usually find romance in a crime novel annoying, but not this time around.
4.  Incorporation of real life activities in the novel.  The story was written during WWI and, as Christie usually does, she incorporates that as the backdrop of this novel.

Thing I didn't like about this book:

1. The amount of time spent detailing different poisons that can be used to murder someone.  Seemed extraneous and unnecessary.

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I really enjoyed this book, as I usually do.  Agatha Christie has a formula that I enjoy, and she has yet to disappoint me.  Even when I branched out from the Poirot books, I was still satisfied. 

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Recommend?  Yes!

#47: The Secret Adversary

Christie, Agatha: The Secret Adversary. Project Gutenberg, 2008. Ebook.

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SETTING: London, England in the year 1919.

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SUMMARY: Tommy Beresford and Tuppence Cowley are both bored, out of work, and dying for an adventure, especially after having experienced life as a soldier and a war hospital volunteer, respectively.  As fate would have it, they find themselves in the midst of a big mystery after Tuppence receives a strange job offer from an even stranger man.  Their curiosity in finding out who this man is eventually leads them into the service of the British intelligence, as they are on a hunt for this same man!

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'What fun it will be,' responded Tuppence. 'Marriage is called all sorts of things, a haven, and a refuge, and a crowning glory, and a state of bondage, and lots more.  But do you know what I think it is?' 

'What?' 

'A sport!' 

'And a damned good sport too,' said Tommy." - Chapter 28.

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I finished reading this book at least a month ago, if not longer, but I haven't had time to write about it until now!  I realized today that I'd already forgotten quite a bit about this book, and if I didn't type down my thoughts now, I'd forget everything!  This entry is very sparse, but I did my best.  One of my hopes for 2015 is to read more, and hopefully with that, write about the books I read in a more timely fashion. 

On a different note, I downloaded this book onto my iPad via iBooks, and all I could find regarding publication information is what I have above.  I'm not even sure if this is the right way to cite this book, but oh well...

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Things I liked about this book:

1. Tommy and Tuppence!  I loved them in the last Agatha Christie book I read, and loved them again in this one.  This book provided me with their backstory, and I really appreciated that.  If I had to pick a favorite though out of the two, it would definitely be Tuppence.  She's such a strong and creative character!  But they are a fabulous team, and I'm sad that there are only four Tommy and Tuppence books.
2. Julius Hersheimmer and Jane Finn. I thought I wouldn't like them, each for their own reasons, but they surprised me in the end. 
3. Annette.  All I can say is... what?? A twist I didn't anticipate at all.  In retrospect, though, I probably should have...
4. The culprit.  I thought I had an idea of who it was, but I was completely wrong!  I've become better at identifying the culprit, especially in Agatha Christie's books, but I guess I'm not quite the expert I thought I was!
5. Where the treaty was hidden at the end.  The best hiding place oftentimes is right in front of your nose.

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As you can see, I don't have a dislikes section for this book.  As far as content is concerned, I didn't have any dislikes.  This is an easy, comfortable read, and if you're looking for anything grand or mind-blowing, you've reached for the wrong book.  

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Recommend?  Yes!

#46: N or M?

Christie, Agatha: N or M?. Glasgow: William Collins Sons & Co, Ltd., 1990. Print. 217 pages.
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SETTING: The hotel Sans Souci in the small seaside resort of Leahampton, England during World War II.
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SUMMARY: Tommy and Tuppence Beresford were once a star team for the British Intelligence, accidentally discovered after the First World War.  With the coming of World War II, the pair find themselves without any work, dying of boredom, until a chance mission gives them the opportunity to hunt down two German spies, only known by the code names "N" and "M."
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'...The man who said explanations were a mistake was quite right.'" - Chapter 13, pages 188-189.
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If you've been following my blog, you know that I LOVE Agatha Christie novels.  I would only read Hercule Poirot's stories for the longest time, but once I exhausted all of them (or at least I think I have), I started on the rest of her novels.  Luckily, there are a lot, and I've learned to like her other detectives (of course not as much as Poirot :P).  This book is very short, but my free time has also been short, and it took me nearly a month and a half to finally finish it!
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Things I liked about this book:

1. Tommy and Tuppence Beresford.  They're great together!  I do favor Tuppence a little more; she's hilarious and really matter-of-fact about everything. 
2. The ease of keeping track of each character.  There are a lot of characters in this novel, as there should be in any good mystery novel, in my opinion, in order to successfully keep the reader guessing the culprit.  The characters in this book are described fully and in a satisfying manner, and if I ever lost track of one of them, it was my own fault.
3. Who "N" and "M" are.  It actually wasn't much of a surprise, and the reader figures out who N is about 3/4 of the way through the book.  But the way that these two characters disguise themselves as harmless Brits on vacation is very creative!
4. That the book was written during WWII.  It was published in 1941.  This point is one that I like about all of Christie's novels.  If the plot is during some major historical event, then it's very likely she wrote it as that event was happening.  It's pretty cool to think that what she wrote in this novel could very well have been happening in reality at the exact same time she was writing it.
5. Morse code via snoring.  Won't say more on that, but very clever!
6. Betty's fate.  It makes for a nice ending :)

Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The revelation of "N" and "M."  Going back to #3 above, it really wasn't a surprise who those two characters were.  I like mystery novels where there's a little more of a *gasp* factor. 

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Hercule Poirot books are still my absolute favorite, but I did enjoy this novel, and I have put the first Tommy and Tuppence novel written by Christie, The Secret Adversary, on my list!  Hopefully with the Christmas holiday rolling around soon, I'll be able to read it in a more timely fashion... 
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Recommend?  My answer for all of Agatha Christie's novels: YES!

#45: The Hound of the Baskervilles

Doyle, Arthur Conan: The Hound of the Baskervilles. London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1986. Print. 236 pages.

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SETTING: London, England and Dartmoor in south Devon, England.

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SUMMARY: The most recent baronet of Baskerville Hall is found dead, presumably having died of a heart attack.  A close family friend, however, believes his death is due to a centuries old family curse resurfacing.  Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are implored to investigate the mystery and ensure the safety of the next Baskerville in line to adopt the position of baronet.

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'...You interest me very much, Mr. Holmes.  I had hardly expected so dolichocephalic a skull or such well-marked supraorbital development.  Would you have any objection to my running my finger along your parietal fissure?  A cast of your skull, sir, until the original is available, would be an ornament to any anthropological museum.  It is not my intention to be fulsome, but I confess that I covet your skull.'" - Chapter 1, pages 8-9.

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I finally made time to visit my favorite used bookstore in DC!  And I came away with not only this treasure, but an Agatha Christie novel as well (which will be my next read)!  I was looking for a comfortable, relaxing read, preferably a mystery by an author I already liked.  It's probably terrible to say this, but I wasn't in the mood to try something new and take a chance at being disappointed.  Sherlock Holmes novels definitely fit into the "books I'm guaranteed to enjoy" category :)

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Things I liked about this book:

1. The ease with which the story is delivered.  I've always been satisfied with the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories because they are narrated in such a smooth and easy-going manner.  It's a relaxing read, and that's exactly what I was looking for.
2. Dr. Watson as the narrator.  It's a great choice for a narrator, as compared to using a third person narrator or Sherlock Holmes himself. 
3. Sherlock Holmes' activities during the entirety of the novel.  He is a sneaky man who isn't afraid of denting another character's pride in the name of solving the mystery. 
4. The Stapleton family.  I won't say more...
5. The ending.  As is seen in all of the Holmes stories, Doyle provides a nice synopsis of the entire story from Holmes' point of view.  It ties everything together very nicely, and supplies the reader with any details they may have missed.  It's like the pretty, pink bow on the package.

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Things I didn't like about this book:

1. NOTHING.  I got exactly what I was looking for :)

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This review is pretty sparse, but there isn't much else I feel like I need to share about this novel.  These types of story lines are simple and easy to follow, and, for lack of a better word, they are comfortable.  When life gets too busy, I like that comfort of having the perfect book at hand for my leisure-reading.  This novel met all of my criteria for such a book, and I couldn't be more satisfied.  I'm excited that I already have another such novel at hand!  The rest of this year will be very busy, and I will definitely look to these types of novels to provide me with a much needed distraction from everyday life.

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Recommend?  Yes!

#44: Inferno

Brown, Dan: Inferno. New York: Anchor Books, 2013. Print. 611 pages.
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SETTING: Florence, Italy.
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SUMMARY: Robert Langdon, the famed Harvard University professor of symbology, once again is at the center of a mysterious adventure.  After waking up at a Florence hospital with no recollection of how he arrived there and a head wound of unknown origin, he, along with Dr. Sienna Brooks, a physician who was caring for him at the hospital, find themselves rushing around Florence trying to solve a mystery that is somehow connected to Dante's Inferno.   
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "When it came to the circumstances of the world, denial had become a global pandemic." - Epilogue, page 610.
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I am very sorry to inform you, dear readers, that I actually read this book two months ago, and thus have forgotten many of the points that I wanted to share with you.  I started off the school year much busier than anticipated, and am only finding time now to create the blog entry for this novel.  I will do my best to recollect as much as I can! 
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Things I liked about this book:

1. The integration of real life organizations and resources into the story line.  This aspect is what I admire the most about all of Dan Brown's novels.  He takes real life entities and places them in a fictional setting, with the end result of creating a story that seems like it could actually play out in reality.
2. The transhumanist movement as a main topic of the novel.  I didn't know about transhumanism at all before reading this book, and I was inspired to research the topic after finishing the novel.  To what extent I agree with their goals and theories is something I will not expand on here because it'll probably amount to an essay's worth of writing.
3. The infectious disease aspect.  I won't say anymore because I don't want to ruin the story!
4. Going off of the last point, having the head of the WHO as a main character.
5. Sienna Brooks' character.  She is incredibly badass.  Misguided, without a doubt, but totally awesome.

Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The way Robert Langdon solves the series of clues in the novel.  A constant joke among my classmates is the way that Dr. House figures out his patients' ailments.  Something very incosequential is usually occurring, for example he'll be tossing a baseball up and down.  The baseball will then proceed to drop and roll along an empty hallway, and once it stops, he'll find a sudden spark of inspiration that leads him to the right diagnosis.  Langdon's process of unraveling clues is equally ridiculous at times.
2. This novel wasn't as exciting as Dan Brown's previous novels in the Langdon series.  This could be because his formula for writing these books is becoming old and predictable.  His outlines for all four novels are very similar, and considering I have read Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code more than once, I think I'm becoming adept at predicting what the next step in the story will be.  I will admit, however, that I did not have enough skill to predict the climax or the ending of this novel.  So there is still some intrigue left in the way he creates his stories. 

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For as long as I'll live, I can confidently say that I will read every single fictional novel that Dan Brown will publish until his death.  The same can be said of novels published by JK Rowling and Gregory Maguire.  There are some authors who, even if they have a formula for their books, write novels that I find myself eager to finish.  I have a feeling of contentment while reading them, and sadness upon finishing them.  It's like coming home to a familiar place, with something new added to it that's fascinating and exciting, and once you have to leave, you can't help but feel a little sad.  
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Recommend?  Yes.  Even if it's the 10th novel in the Langdon series and absolutely predictable, I'll still recommend that you read it because Dan Brown's writing style is one that I enjoy.

#43: The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader"

Lewis, C.S.. The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader." New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1952. Print. 210 pages.

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SETTING: Narnia!  New and unexplored parts of this fantastic land are introduced in this third book.

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SUMMARY: The two youngest Pevensie children, Edmund and Lucy, find themselves back in Narnia, this time accompanied by their incredibly annoying and rude younger cousin, Eustace.

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "And just as there are moments when simply to lie in bed and see the daylight pouring through your window and to hear the cheerful voice of an early postman or milkman down below and to realise that it was only a dream: it wasn't real, is so heavenly that it was very nearly worth having the nightmare in order to have the joy of waking, so they all felt when they came out of the dark." - Chapter 12, page 157.

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Previous posts:

• Book 1: http://artemisiaeupraxia.blogspot.com/2014/06/39-lion-witch-and-wardrobe.html
• Book 2: http://artemisiaeupraxia.blogspot.com/2014/06/40-prince-caspian.html

I had this SUPER strange urge to read a Charles Dickens novel while I was studying for my board exam, and so I picked up A Tale of Two Cities at the library.  I started reading it and, about seven pages in, I was sooooooo bored.  There was about a ten month period when I was in grad school where all I was reading was classics, and I really enjoyed them.  I think when I was studying for the board exam, I didn't actually want to read a Dickens novel, but was moreso nostalgic for the calmness that I was enveloped in during that time period in grad school.  Anyhow, I realized super quickly that reading a Dickens novel was going to be a slow, tedious, and not in the least bit enjoyable process at the moment, so I put it down and grabbed the rest of the Narnia books.  Like the post for the second book in the series, I'm going to just list some points I'd like to share about this book.

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1. I didn't find it as interesting as the first two books in the series.  I think the main reason is because the wonder that was there of exploring this new fictional world was not as strong in this book.  Another reason is that I missed having all four of the Pevensie kids in the book.  
2. I realized that this entire time I was reading "Pevensie" as "Pensevie."  Similarly, until the first Harry Potter movie came out and I actually heard Dumbledore's name, I read "Dumbledore" as "Dublemore."  So sad.
3. Eustace is the most annoying child in the beginning of the book.  If I have a child like that, I will have failed as a parent.
4. The author paints such fabulously vivid pictures of the various lands and islands the group of travelers visits.  Each area is very diverse and, considering this book is pretty short, the author does a great job of including a lot of detail while managing to be brief.
5. The chapters "The Magician's Book" and "The Dark Island" were my two favorites.  They were, in my opinion, the most imaginative and fun to read.
6. I'm really sad that this is it for Edmund and Lucy.  It's sad to see characters suddenly leave.

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I've already started on the fourth book, but I have to admit that I'm becoming bored of the series... And there are a total of seven books!  Hopefully I persevere, and more importantly, am able to read them efficiently enough to finish the series before the semester starts.

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Recommend?  Yes, since it's part of a series.

#42: The Casual Vacancy

Rowling, J.K.. The Casual Vacancy. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2012. Print. 503 pages.

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SETTING: The town of Pagford in South West England.

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SUMMARY: The Parish Council of Pagford has been long divided over the issue of whether or not to separate themselves from the bordering, lower socioeconomic community, known locally as "The Fields."  After Pagford Parish Councillor Barry Fairbrother's death, the small town is sent into a frenzy, with each side of the Fields issue rallying to get one of their own to fill Fairbrother's Council seat.  

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "Gavin saw a grave purely as a marker for the place where a corpse was decomposing; a nasty thought, yet people took it into their heads to visit and bring flowers, as though it might yet recover." - Part 5, Chapter 10, page 453.

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I had a vague memory that J.K. Rowling recently published her first novel since completing the Harry Potter series, and I was able to find a copy at the library.  I had absolutely no idea what to expect, and was actually quite worried I'd be disappointed because, let's face it, how can you top Harry Potter?  Seemed like a worthwhile venture nonetheless, so I took the chance.  

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Things I liked about this book:

1. The detail!  The main storyline is actually quite simple and nothing to fawn over.  But Rowling's ability to draw the reader in with wonderfully detailed script and dialogue, just as she did in the Harry Potter books, was again made evident in this novel.  I immediately became absorbed into this book, staying up late at night to read just one more chapter, because she manages to make you fall in love with certain characters from the start.  You're rooting for some, and vehemently want others to fail as retribution for their horrible nature and acts.  This book had nothing to do with magic, but her writing ability creates magic from everyday occurrences.
2. The characters.  This novel has real characters.  Going off of the first point again, Rowling's inclusion of such detail, from describing personalities and emotions to the physical surroundings, gives the reader a very realistic feel for the characters.  She creates people you would very likely encounter in everyday life.
3. The discussion of social issues.  Rowling incorporates a number of very important social issues, including drug abuse, child neglect, rape,  and self-harm, to name a few, into the story in a very fluid and beautiful manner.  
4. The build up to the ending.  This novel is a masterpiece, written with such beautiful structure, and the ending is pure finesse.
5. The Sikh family in the story.  Pagford is a very small, mostly white town with one prominent Sikh family.  The family faces deep rooted racism from certain community members because they see the family as different and a threat to the Pagfordian ways.  Rowling does an exemplary job describing the life of this family, and does so in a knowledgeable way.
6. The writing.  It's beautiful.  I've never appreciated a book as much as this one.  

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There isn't a single thing I didn't like about this novel's writing, content, etc..  Instead, here is a list of characters I didn't like in this book:

1. Shirley Mollison: her self-centered behavior is ridiculous.  She's oblivious to everything but herself.  I wanted to smack some sense into her.
2. Howard Mollison: her equally ridiculous husband.
3. Simon Price.  Abusive SOB.  I would have been very happy if he had been carted off to prison at some point.  But to Rowling's major credit, she portrayed this character in a very realistic way and the manner in which his part of the story concludes is unfortunately what probably happens to most abusive partners and parents.

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Rowling is a genius.  Her talents create pure magic.  This book is, to put it simply, beautiful.  I think I've used that word to describe the book at least ten times in this post.  I can continue gushing about how much I LOVED this book for hours.  I am so impressed by Rowling's writing ability, and I wouldn't be surprised if this novel is adapted into a movie.  If she writes another novel, I will be sure to read it ASAP.

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Recommend?  YES!!!!!  One of my top ten favorite novels ever, without a doubt.

#41: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

Maguire, Gregory: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1999. Print. 368 pages.

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SETTING: The city of Haarlem in the Netherlands.
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SUMMARY: A retelling of the classic story of Cinderella, this time from the stand point of the "ugly stepsisters."
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "In the lives of children, pumpkins can turn into coaches, mice and rats into human beings.  When we grow up, we learn that it's far more common for human beings to turn into rats." - page xiv.
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I've absolutely loved all of Gregory Maguire's books that I've read so far, which haven't been that many (Wicked, Son of a Witch, and A Lion Among Men).  I remembered he has an extensive list of authored books, and I was lucky enough to find one at the library!  
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Things I liked about this book:

1. The entire storyline!  From start to finish, I loved this book!  I haven't read a book with so much enthusiasm in a very long time.  I read the actual story of Cinderella once long ago, but I don't really remember it.  Apart from that, the only exposure I have had to the story is through the Disney movie.  It's made for kids so, obviously, the storyline is pretty bare-bones.  In comparison, this story is so rich and full of fantastically satisfying details!
2. Iris and Ruth, the two stepsisters.  Maguire portrays their characters fabulously.  They each have very complex backgrounds, with Iris' character delved into more fully than Ruth's.  Iris is, undoubtedly, the main character of this story.
3. The reason behind Clara's belief that she is a changeling.  If you plan to read the book (which you should!) don't read the rest of this point...   Ok...  Ready?  It's revealed close to the end of the novel that Clara is kidnapped around three or four years of age by one of her father's businessmen, and she remembers that event as spirits changing her from a disobedient to an obedient child.  I couldn't help but wonder if it was just the trauma of the kidnapping that caused her to have such a memory of it, or if she was perhaps abused in some way by her kidnapper.  It is later revealed in the book that since her kidnapping, her kidnapper has harbored a deep desire to marry her.  He is decades older than her, and even when she is penniless, he still wants to marry her, so the reader can surmise that it isn't for her prior wealth that he is after her.  
4. That Margarethe goes crazy!  I'm glad she does because she was a nasty woman.
5. The ending.  To be a little broader, the last 100 pages or so that serve as the climax of the novel.  It's wonderfully written and parallels the most well-known version of the story of Cinderella very well, making references, in a fabulous literary manner, to the magic pumpkins, fairy godmother, etc. found in the traditional version of the story.

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Things (or characters) I didn't like about this book:

1. Margarethe.  Evil, evil woman!  She claims that all of her actions are for the well being of her daughters, but it soon becomes very clear to the reader that she is quite selfish at the core.  She does love her daughters, in her own strange way, but it is a love that they could probably do without.  
2. The lack of exploration of Ruth's character.  Her main role in the story is revealed at the end of the novel, and once I had finished the book, it became obvious to me that she sees and understands more than is let on during the majority of the story.  This lack of character exploration definitely has a purpose, but from the reader's point of view, it would be interesting to learn more about her character.  Perhaps another book, titled Confessions of the Other Ugly Stepsister, is in order :P (I'm kidding... that would be a pretty boring sequel).

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Once again, Gregory Maguire has provided me with a fabulously written novel.  I have loved every single one of his works that I've read, and for three reasons: (1) he is an incredibly creative writer, (2) he uses well-known childhood favorites as the core of his stories, and (3) he reworks these favorite stories into beautifully rich masterpieces, filled with wonderful details and in-depth explorations into the how and why behind each character's personality.  I most definitely will be reading the rest of his novels in the future. 
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Recommend?  YES!  You'll love it too! 

#40: Prince Caspian

Lewis, C.S.. Prince Caspian. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1951. Print. 184 pages.
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SETTING: The magical land of Narnia!
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SUMMARY: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy find themselves unsuspectingly transported back to Narnia, this time to find the magical world drastically changed from how they had left it one year prior.
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'That's the worst of girls,' said Edmund to Peter and the Dwarf.  'They never can carry a map in their heads.'

'That's because our heads have something inside them,' said Lucy." - Chapter 9, page 99.
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As mentioned in the previous post (http://artemisiaeupraxia.blogspot.com/2014/06/39-lion-witch-and-wardrobe.html), this is my chosen series for the summer.  This is going to be a fairly short post because much of what I wrote for the first book is applicable to the second book.  Instead of the usual list of likes and dislikes, I'm just going to create a brief list of points I'd like to share.
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1. Edmund becomes a much more likable character.  I actually respected him this time around.
2. There seemed to be more references to Greek and Roman mythology versus Christian stories in this second book.  However, this could be a biased observation.  It's very possible that this time around I paid more attention to the mythology references because I missed so many of them in the first book.  The Christian allegories were pretty straightforward, as they were in the first book.
3. One allegory that I thought was cleverly portrayed was the whole concept of having faith in something you cannot see, specifically referring to the four siblings' faith in Aslan and his presence even when he was not in front of them.  The author is paralleling this to the Christian tenant of always believing in Jesus, even when Christians do not feel (or "see") his presence.  Even though I'm not Christian, I fully appreciate the author's writing skills and his ability to portray this concept so smoothly.
4. Doctor Cornelius' character.  He was integral in shaping Caspian's character and maturation into adulthood.
5. The adorable names some of these characters have!  Reepicheep, Trufflehunter, and Trumpkin, to name a few.  Such cute names, and yet they're pretty deadly characters...

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I'm going to take a break before starting the third book in the series, (1) because I don't have it on me and (2) I have three other books lined up to read.  I will pick up the third book very soon, no worries!  Also, I think my summer reading is going to go much slower than planned... Why?  World Cup!  Between two and six hours (depending on who is playing) are dedicated to soccer every day!
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Recommend?  Yes.

#39: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

Lewis, C.S.. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1950. Print. 154 pages.

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SETTING: 95% Narnia, 5% in their guardian's home.

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SUMMARY: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, four siblings sent to live in the countryside for their own safety during World War II, find themselves in a magical world that they can only access via an ordinary looking wardrobe in their caretaker's home.

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "'Wherever is this?' said Peter's voice, sounding tired and pale in the darkness.  (I hope you know what I mean by a voice sounding pale.)" - Chapter 10, page 84.

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I finally made my way to the library!  And picked up a nice variety of books, this time based on authors I like.  This book was a somewhat last minute decision.  I've been wanting to read a children's/young adult series from beginning to end for a while now.  I was looking to read Michael Scott's series, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, but they didn't have the first book :(  Randomly, I remembered that I'd never finished The Chronicles of Narnia.  I remember reading the first book in the series a long time ago, and I might have read The Magician's Nephew too at some point.  Anyhow, there were plenty of copies of all the books in this series, so this has become the chosen series of the summer.  It should be a quick finish considering the novels are fairly short and simple, since they were written for kids.

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Things I liked about this book:

1. Fantasy!  I love fantasy fiction!
2. The numerous allegories.  As a kid, I had no idea what was going on.  One of the main motivators to read this entire series was to see what I would pick up now, as an adult.  The Christian allegories were a straight shot; I was able to identify and understand those very easily, mostly because I'm familiar with the main Christian stories.  The references to Greek and Roman mythology, on the other hand, were a little lost on me, sadly because I don't have much memory for the mythology I learned in school.  I understood them after I did some research and read about those connections.  
3. The ending.  It's brings the story full circle in a way that I thoroughly appreciated.
4. The professor!  He's the man charged with caring for the children, and he's such a fabulous, open-minded character.  He doesn't have much of a role in the book, but the few appearances he makes are noteworthy.
5. It's written so well, and is definitely a story-teller's story.  As you're reading the book, it feels like you're actually sitting in front of someone who is telling you the story, someone who was there to experience the entire journey, down to every last detail.  It's like in books and movies, where a scene is described in which children are sitting around the town elder, listening to his adventures from his youth.  The fabulous way in which this book is written is probably one of the reasons it is still so popular today. 

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Things I didn't like/found funny about this book:

1. That the four main characters' speech changes at the end of the novel: "Then said King Peter (for they talked in quite a different style now, having been Kings and Queens for so long)..." (p.150).  I thought it was a weird, funny, and somewhat unnecessary detail to incorporate into the story.  Perhaps it was to emphasize just how much time had passed between the main battle and the ending of the novel?  But that point could have been made very clear without the strange speech change.
2. Edmund.  His character had a purpose, of course, but he was so bratty and annoying.  

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Funny thing I learned while choosing this book at the library: there's a dispute as to which order you should read the books.  There are those who argue you should read them in the order they were published, while others say chronological order is the way to go.  I sat down on the library floor and researched the pros and cons of both orders (yay smart phones!), and liked the argument for reading them in publication order better.  Via chronological order, the reader gets to experience the story in an orderly timeline from beginning to end.  But when read in publication order, the reader gets a step-wise introduction to this magical world, in the way it came to the author's head.  Publication order seemed more genuine, and so that is what I stuck with.  

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Recommend?  Yes!

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PS - I really enjoyed the author's introduction to this book, so I'm going to share it below:

My dear Lucy,

I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books.  As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still.  But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.  You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it.  I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand a word you say, but I shall still be

your affectionate Godfather,
C.S. Lewis

#38: Girl, Interrupted

Kaysen, Susanna: Girl, Interrupted. New York: Turtle Bay Books, 1993. Print. 168 pages.
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SETTING: McClean Hospital (psychiatric hospital in Belmont, MA) between April 1967 and September 1968.

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SUMMARY: Susanna Kaysen provides readers with a memoir of her time at McClean Hospital, compiling a series of stories describing her experience.

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FAVORITE QUOTE: "Every window on Alcatraz has a view of San Francisco." - page 6.

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After a whopping FIVE MONTHS, I finally read a book cover-to-cover!  Don't worry, there was plenty of school-related reading taking place during that time as I prepared for a huuuuuuuuuge board exam that I took yesterday!  Yay!  But my poor brain was desperately yearning for non-school related stimulation, and I was finally able to satisfy it's craving!  Unfortunately the local library here at home is closed on Sundays and Mondays, so I was forced to peruse through our home collection of books, the majority of which I've already read (or at least attempted to read).  I read this book once a few years ago, and I remembered the general premise behind the story.  However, now that I've had a formal, albeit short, introduction to psychology and psychiatry via my classes, I thought revisiting this piece with my new knowledge would prove to be a fun adventure.  

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Things I liked about this book:

1. The inspiration behind the title.  Towards the end of the book, the author describes a deep connection to the Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer's painting, Girl Interrupted at her Music.  I won't elaborate on this connection (you'll have to read it yourself to find out!), but the author's description of the emotion she feels when seeing this piece is very moving.  
2. The author's openness in describing her experience.  Granted this novel wouldn't have been such a success if she didn't write in detail about her time at McClean...
3. The author's exploration of mental health and psychiatry.  The author questions the validity of certain mental health practices, especially diagnoses, and it makes for an interesting read.  Mental health is a sticky topic because you can't see everything that's contributing to a person's state of being, and here I'm talking about the person's biology and genetics, and their life experiences.  Not to mention that one person's definition of sanity can be another's definition of insanity.
4. Lisa Rowe.  Her character is by far my favorite, mostly because of the complexity behind her actions.  She's the perfect example of what I wrote in the above point: from the outside, all of her actions while at McClean seem connected to her being a diagnosed sociopath.  In reality, as described by the author, much of what Lisa does has an ulterior, selfless motive.
5. That the patients staying at McClean feel the need to protect certain groups of people.  It's an interesting topic that the author describes in a satisfying amount of detail.
6. The author's ultimate diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.  She fabulously explores the definition of this diagnosis versus what the diagnosis means to her as a living, breathing person.

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Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The sporadic nature of the stories.  That the memoir is written as a string of stories provides the book with a certain "feel" that keeps the reader interested; however, I would have preferred to have the chapters presented with a little more direction.  This speaks to the organized, linear part of my nature.  I like certain things to be in order. 

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Psychiatry and psychology have always interested me, as I think it interests most of the population.  It's "fun" to be able to explore the motivation and origins behind behaviors, whether it's one's own behaviors or of those around you.  Although certain mental health practices have changed (i.e. lobotomies are virtually extinct as a treatment method for psychiatric illnesses), the concept of so commonly treating psychiatric problems with medications is still as big a topic of contention as ever, perhaps even more so with the plethora of medications out there now.  I've heard over and over again that psychiatrists have unwillingly been reduced to being an extension of pharmaceutical companies.  I'm sure I'll have a solid opinion on that once I experience a psych rotation during my third year of medical school.  Until then, I'm going to choose to stay neutral on that topic. 

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Recommend?  Yes!  Quick and short read.

#37: The Twentieth Wife

Sundaresan, Indu: The Twentieth Wife. New York: Washington Square Press, 2002. Print. 380 pages.
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SETTING: Various parts of the Mughal Empire between the years 1577 and 1611 AD.
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SUMMARY: A detailed account of the tumultuous love between Mehrunnisa, the daughter of a Persian aristocrat who was forced to relocate his family from Persia to Hindustan, and Prince Salim, son of the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
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FAVORITE QUOTE: "She pulled away, anger flooding out at his words. 'So this is why you offer me this exalted position of concubine, your Majesty?  To protect me?  You forget that I have looked after myself for four years now, with no help from either you or my Bapa [father].  I will doubtless be a fallen woman, but I will not - absolutely will not - come to your zenana [harem] as a concubine.'" - Chapter 19, pages 356-357.
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This is the only novel I finished reading over the holiday!  Shocking, I know!  This winter break was considerably shorter than past breaks, and it was absolutely packed from the start.  And, most unfortunately, the little free time I had was spent studying.  A few days ago I realized I hadn't read a single book cover to cover during the break, but I wasn't in the mood to continue the fourth novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series.  I wanted a quick read and found this book on top of the dryer at my parent's house.  Seeing that it was about South Asia and the Mughal Empire, I decided to give it a go. 
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Things I liked about this book:

1. Mughal Empire!  My heritage!  As far as I know, there isn't much variation regarding the origins of my ancestors (although there is a story that one of my ancestors immigrated to South Asia from the Middle East, but not sure how much proof there is of that).  And how much do I know about the Mughal Empire?  Only the scant amount of information I remember from grade school history, which amounts to a whole lot of not very much.  Quite a tragedy.  After finishing this book, I put learning about the history of the Mughal Empire on my to-do list.  
2. Mehrunnisa.  She is such a strong female protagonist.  There wasn't a whole lot women could do back then, but she definitely knows how to hold her own and speak her mind.  That's why the above quote is my favorite.  There is a period of approximately four years where she fends for herself and her daughter, and she does so very successfully.  She knows how to play her cards very well.
3. Prince Salim changes his name to Jahangir, meaning "world conqueror."  For those who aren't Bengali or did not grow up with me, my father's nickname is Jahangir.  I knew his grandmother gave him the nickname after a Mughal emperor, so it was really great reading a novel about that emperor.
4. The author's incorporation of words common to the Indic languages.  As a Bengali speaker, I was able to understand most of these words, but I didn't realize I was reading transliterated words and not English words until well into the book.  It was fun.
5. Salim's love for Mehrunnisa.  He wants her as is, and nothing else.  It's pure and beautiful.

Things I didn't like (in general, not about the book):

1. Prince Salim/Emperor Jahangir is an incredibly horrible son!  His greed and deep desire for the throne causes him to attempt to dethrone his father, Emperor Akbar, numerous times.  As is seen later in the book, karma really is a bitch and Salim gets his due at the hands of his own son.  He does, however, try to make up for it during his reign as emperor, and history books will tell you he was successful- he is remembered as a very just and generous ruler. 
2. Mehrunnisa's first husband.  Total ass.

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I finished this book in approximately three days, and when I started it I didn't think I'd like it all that much.  Turns out I was totally wrong!  I loved this book!  There isn't a single thing I didn't like about the book itself.  It kept my attention and was continuously interesting.  If I had had the time, I'm sure I could have finished it in a day.  It's a smooth and easy read, and the supporting characters, although numerous, aren't difficult to keep track of.  There's a sequel to this novel that continues Mehrunnisa's story, and I will definitely keep my eye out for it.  Realistically, though, that won't happen until the summer.

That being said, the next five months of my life (until early June) will be busy, but I'm hoping I'll be able to read at least two books within that time.  I've adopted the habit of grabbing a book and sitting my bum down at the bar at the Busboys and Poets cafe located a half mile away whenever I get really stressed out.  I'm sure I'll be super stressed the next five months, so perhaps there will be more visits than usual to this haven that allows me to slowly sip away at a cappuccino as I lose myself for a few hours in a fictional world :)  
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Recommend?  Yes!