WHEN WE WERE ORPHANS by Kazuo Ishiguro

     

Christopher Banks recounted his life from a young boy in Shanghai to the abduction of his parents, to his stunning rise as a detective in England, and finally having the means in solving and finding his parents back in Shanghai.


The story depends heavily on how much Christopher remembers and how much he trusts his own memories. If there’s such a thing as perfect recall, then Christopher failed miserably on that account. But it doesn’t mean Christopher was insincere with his narration. On the contrary, his sincerity and deep desire to adhere to his task are his best qualities. So, the book is not an inspection of human honesty.  This is an intuitive examination of the fraudulent nature of memory, the prejudice of perception, and the reader’s inclination to become lost in the inaccuracy of the narrator’s tale.

Important. Very important. Nostalgic. When we nostalgic, we remember.  A world better than this world we discover when we grow. We remember and wish good world come back again. So very important.

Slowly, WHEN WE WERE ORPHANS turns into a pounding thriller. The revelation was both gripping and profound. It was difficult to hold emotions after the full horror of what happened to Christopher’s mother was revealed. The unfairness of one woman’s struggle to uphold her son in a crazy world filled with deceit and ruthlessness.

Between the lines of this whole story, wherein Christopher and his parents were viciously caught in, are the evil manipulations of the British trading companies who wanted to suppress an entire nation by making them opium addicts, and their connivance with the Chinese warlords. Perhaps, this is indeed one of the shameful parts of British history.

After all, when we were children, when things went wrong, there wasn’t much we could do to help put it right. But now we’re adults, now we can. That’s the thing, you see? Look at us, Akira. After all this time, we can finally put things right.

I wanted to go back and read my own recounting of how I initially viewed this story from our buddy-reading thread. Like Christopher, I am relying mostly on how much I remembered. But of course, I do remember liking it, absolutely enjoyed the narrative voice.  And Ishiguro’s distinct prose had a great influence on that.

Book details:

Title: When We Were Orphans

Author: Kazuo Ishiguro

Publication:  March 5t,h 2001, Faber & Faber

Genre:  Contemporary/Literary Fiction

Rating: ★★★★

Review from buddies:
Monique
Lynai

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2015 Reading Challenge: May

Back in my Intermediate years in grade school, the English department would post six (6) books for the Summer Reading Challenge. There'd be extra points for the finishers on the next term. If Ms. Andres and Ms. Mercader were still alive today, they'd probably be pretty happy to know that I've read more than six (6) books last month alone,  just probably. 

• High Fidelity by Nick Hornby - 4/5 stars - TFG book for April.
• Breath by Jackie Morse Kessler - 5/5 stars - It was interesting to know what might happen if Death had a breakdown. Last book from the Riders of the Apocalypse.
• When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro - 4/5 stars - Buddy read this with some TFG mommies.
• Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke -3/5 stars - 4th book from the Hannah Swensen Mystery.
• Twerp by Mark Goldblatt - 4/5 stars - A story about a boy who stood up against bullying.
• In the Woods by Tana French - 3.5/5 stars - 1st book from the Dublin Murder Squad.
• The Likeness by Tana French - 4/5 stars - 2nd book from the Dublin Murder Squad.

Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up with my book reviews as well.

...

Regardless of the current weather today, in which the city is suffering from 36°C, I am still confident in lining up the following books for May:

• Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz - This is TFG's book for May. Although, technically, I already finished reading this late last week.
• The Shadow of the Crescent Moon by Fatima Bhutto – A debut novel set in Mir Ali, Pakistan. As it happens, I’m halfway through this already.
• 12^th of Never, Unlucky 13, and 14^th Deadly Sin by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro – I missed so much from this series, I have to catch up. 

 Hey, stay cool and read!

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PERDIDO STREET STATION by China Miéville

   The other two books of China Miéville I read before were Un Lun Dun and The City and the City. I guess two was enough to make me a fan and agree to buddy-read this mammoth-sized book last February.

PERDIDO STREET STATION is another testament to Miéville’s genius. His ability to create a different world is cerebral. The squalid city of New Crobuzon has a classical steampunk theme that extends to advanced technology. The invention level and variety of sentient beings are most notable; some are even beyond my imagination.  The atmosphere of violence and corruption is unrelenting, making this a perfect avenue for Miéville’s political and social beliefs.

The plot starts with Isaac Dan der Grimnebulin, an impoverished scientist waiting for his next discovery and invention to be recognized. He was furtively approached by a garuda named Yagharek, who was punished for a shameful crime that led to the amputation of his wings by his own kind. He asked Isaac to restore to him the power of flight in any means possible in exchange for gold. Isaac agreed and dropped everything to start his research on how avian creatures fly.

From here on, the plot gradually became more complicated with the tangent events taking over and the original plot drifting into the background. This is without question a very busy and circuitous plot that sometimes got into tight corners that may seem irrelevant unless you keep going and realize it was significant after all.

Every intention, interaction, motivation, every colour, every body, every action and reaction, every piece of physical reality and the thoughts that it engendered, every connection made, every nuanced moment of history and potentiality, every toothache and flagstone, every emotion and birth and banknote, every possible thing ever is woven into that limitless, sprawling web. 

It is without beginning or end. It is complex to a degree that humbles the mind. It is a work of such beauty that my soul wept.

China Miéville’s books can stay with the reader for quite some time. They present situations and questions that needed further pondering. From the very beginning and through its winding path, I was excited to see Yagharek fly again… but that excitement was not granted. Miéville dared to present his readers a great moral dilemma regarding Yagharek’s past crime. I can no longer recall how many f*** yous Isaac got from me after his decision. I was not pleased with that, and it took me a while to make peace with the ending.

See, we may not always agree with the author, but that doesn't reduce them from greatness.

PERDIDO STREET STATION is a very complex novel, often shocking and gruesome, but definitely fascinating. Its uniqueness was handled exceptionally well.

Book details:

Title:  Perdido Street Station

Author:  China Mieville

Series:  Bas-Lag, #1

Publication:  July 29, 2003; Del Rey

Genre:  Science Fiction

Rating: ★★★★

Reviews from buddies:
Tin
Monique

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2015 Reading Challenge: April

March is a very long month for me. A lot of things happened and I am very glad that they were done and over. After a quick Rn’R (with sand, water, and palm trees), I guess I can now properly go back to book blogging.

Here are the books I read last month:

• The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holy Black – 4/5 stars – A brand new fairy tale, without a damsel in distress. Well, there’s obviously a damsel, and in distress, but those two words don’t exactly go together. You know what I mean.
• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy – 4/5 stars – TFG’s book for March. The plot is intricately layered with themes upon themes.
• The Paris Enigma by Pablo de Santis – 3,5/5 stars – A book about detectives and their unsung assistants.
• Who Buries the Dead (Sebastian St. Cyr #10) by C.S. Harris– 5/5 stars – As always, I love how this series is eloquently and substantially written, historically speaking. If you are a Jane Austen fan, then you’ll love this installment all the more.
• The Conversations by César Aira – 4/5 stars – The story begins with an extraneous Rolex watch, but the conversation is extensive and winding, which led to a thorough philosophical dissection by an insomniac on his bed.
• Loss (Horsemen of the Apocalypse #3) by Jackie Morse Kessler – 5/5 stars – The depth of this series is life-saving, really: How to survive to bully and come out as the winner.
• The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead – 4/5 stars – An alternative history paying particular attention to elevators: its invention, inspection, and evolution.
• The Geneva Strategy (Covert-One #11) by Jamie Freveletti – 4/5 stars. Espionage, Bio-weapon, Global Chaos. There’s a reason why I love this series.

For weeks now, I have this huge craving to read mysteries, and I don’t think I am sated enough. So, I’ll list only two (2) books for April, and then I intend to feed my cravings to the brim.

• High Fidelity by Nick Hornby – TFG’s book for April. A lot is happening in the discussion thread, come and join us. We will meet, discuss, and celebrate our group anniversary at Baang Coffee, in Tomas Morato, on the 18^th.
• When We WereOrphans by Kazuo Ishiguro – You probably already heard from others that 4 mommies from TFG agreed to read this together this month. If you have a copy and wish to join, you can still give us a holler here.

Happy April, everyone! It’s scorching hot, but do enjoy the summer. ♥

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2015 Reading Challenge: February

The love month is finally here. And let me guess, your reading list for this month follows the tale-as-old-a-time theme. No reason for anyone not to celebrate it, but, as for me, I choose to follow the new weird and the macabre, instead.

But before that, a recap of the January books is in order.

• Rest Area by Clay McLeod Chapman - 4/5 stars
• The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce - 5/5 stars
• The Walls Around Us by Nova Ren Suma - 3/5 stars
• Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - 5/5 stars
• Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder - 5/5 stars
• Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool - 5/5 stars

This year started with some very good books. I do hope that the following months will be interesting and fruitful.

For February:

• Love Walked In by Marisa de Los Santos - TFG's book of the month.
• Perdido Street Station by China Miéville - A buddy read with some book club friends.
• Oxford Murders by Guillermo Martínez - I am really looking forward to reading this. It was translated by Sonia Soto, the same person who translated The Athenian Murders and The Club Dumas.

Happy Love Month, everyone!

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My Year 2014 in Reading

Year-ends, as per usual, is always a frenzy. Besides the fact that we have to make a list of gifts and check it twice, we also have to do the same thing with the Media Noche list and book list. And these lists have one thing in common. They symbolize hope for the coming year.

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White Teeth by Zadie Smith

White Teeth Were Often Bleached

I've been pondering how to concise my thoughts on this book. Notably, WHITE TEETH is a well-decorated debut novel. Deserving, indeed. Zadie Smith took on several subject matters -identity, family, legacy, religion, and culture- and wittingly managed these hefty subjects with such ease and sagacity.

The plot is mainly based in London, wherein both of our main protagonists frolic and bewail. The ever indecisive Archie Jones and the contrary Samad Iqbal, both served in World War II for her majesty's British Army.  The story followed their propagation and cultural bifurcation. The English Archie took Clara Bowden, a Jehovah’s Witness and a Jamaican by descent, as his second wife and had a daughter named Irie. Samad married a fellow Bengali, Alsana Begum, and had twins, Millat and Magid. Needless to say, multiculturalism is at its peak here.

Archie and Samad were not a bit heroic, none of the characters is, considering. Their views and beliefs were ridiculous and misguided, but all a bit real and funny as well. Reading them was tangible and enlightening, there’s always a ring of truth to every scene and conversation.

Archie and Clara’s marriage mainly revolves around on Archie earnestly providing and securing his family, and Clara comforting herself that Archie is a good man. Their complacency left their daughter, Irie, struggling with her racial identity.

Meanwhile, Samad struggled and went to great lengths in raising his sons to be traditional Bengali Muslims. He constantly bemoans how England is turning his boys away from their culture; and he worries for the legacy he wants to leave behind, which didn't amount to anything if weighed accurately. His delusions of heroism were more than frustrating at times.

Obviously, teeth are the main theme. It represents identity and actions taken by individuals in experiencing life in general. Scientifically, teeth remain long after a man dies; metaphorically, it represents that it connects generations throughout time.

"You can't fight against it. I wish I had. I wish I'd given up early and hedged my bets, as it were. Because they're your father's teeth, you see, wisdom teeth are passed down by the father, I'm certain of it. So you must be big enough for them. God knows, I wasn't big enough for mine."

Ensuing, Smith used the term root canal to examine the past, which gave the story more understanding from where these characters are coming from and why they are struggling so much. Further, it helped me understand that although this procedure saves the root, it doesn't necessarily follow that it saved the teeth as a whole.

“In the end, your past is not my past and your truth is not my truth and your solution - is not my solution.” 

Of course, Zadie Smith wishes to impress her readers with such themes, language, and wit. And I am indeed impressed. For those who recommended it to me, I thank you all. White Teeth is one interesting read, made even more fun because I buddy-read it with Monique, Lester, NYKen, and Angus. 

Book details:

Title: White Teeth

Author: Zadie Smith

Publisher: Penguin

Publication: May 19, 1999

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Rating: ★★★★

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Required Reading: May 2014

I openly envy those who thrive in the summer heat; and in spite of all the activities, still managed to read their monthly reading requirement. I barely read last April. Partly, because my medications are keeping me drowsy; then, the other part was because Italo Calvino made me woozy.

• If On A Winter's Night A Traveler by Italo Calvino - 2/5 stars - This book really bogged me down. 
• Run of the Mill by Dave Patten - 3/5 stars - a debut novel.
• White Teeth by Zadie Smith - a buddy-read with Monique, Lester, and NYKen. I am still a couple of chapters away from finishing this, but I have to say right now that I really am enjoying it. 

For May, I have The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, because it is about time that I read this; and TFG's book of the month, To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. Hopefully, this month will be a lot better, and then, maybe, I can add a book or two to make a minuscule dent on Mt. TBR.

Happy reading everyone!

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Required Reading: April 2014

Have you been out lately? I'm not sure SPF 30 is enough to screen us. But if there's one thing that needs heat, it's my reading list. March had been slow for me, really slow, what with all the commencement exercises that exercised my patience these past weeks. I'll need some serious R&R with books to drag along.

Here are my March books btw:

• The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu -4/5 stars -A realistic story with a great voice, I recommend.
• The Emissary by Marc Pietrzykowski -4/5 stars -A new experience.
• A Dance With Dragons by George RR Martin -5/5 stars - As with every book in this series, this installment feeds the senses in every way possible -breathtaking and gut-wrenching at the same time. I'm still waiting for those senses to settle down before I pen something sensible about my reading experience.
• The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd -3/5 stars -I want so much to be fair with this book. It was engaging, but I can't look away from what I believe is wrong. More thoughts later.

For April, I want to read more, but I have to be careful not to bite more than I can chew. Usually, I would throw caution to the wind, but I've agreed to a buddy-reading this month, and that requires commitment. So, allow me to enlist these two, and add later as April rolls on.

• White Teeth by Zadie Smith -a buddy read with Monique.
• If On A Winter's Night A Traveller by Italo Calvino -TFG's book of the month.

Hey, you should enjoy this April too. Do find ways to make this coming Lenten season meaningful. ♥

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Required Reading: March 2014

I hope everyone had a great February, both reading-wise and dating-wise. My current predicament limits me into dating my own books though. LOL.

Here’s what I've read this February:

• The Mist Trilogy by Carlos Ruiz Zafón – 4, 4, 5 stars – Highly recommendable YA read. If you are inclined into reading adventures, the paranormal, and the coming-of-age types, best put this on your reading list.
• The Illusions of Eventide by Sarah Cradit – 4 stars – A well-written fantasy mixed with a new strand of mythology and interesting characters.
• Man in the Dark by Paul Auster – 5 stars – An inspiring tale of a man who finally found comfort in the hope of simple things, after struggling for a long while in the darkness.
• The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin – 4 stars – A surprisingly delightful tale of a bookseller, who took delight in leading a new life and reading in a new light.
• Marina by Carlos Ruiz Zafón – 4 stars – Another well-written tale of gothic mystery. I will write a more comprehensive thought later about this book.

For March, I’ve prepared 2 books.

• Emissary by Marc Pietrzykowski – an ARC. From my initial perusing, the book gives us a vantage point on what is happening inside a nursing home.
• White Teeth by Zadie Smith – A buddy read with Monique.

This wench is still 50% into A Dance with Dragon. The buddy reading grows very interesting from each buddy entry. There are plenty of questions, but we found answers too for our previous book questions. At the moment, I have issues with Daenerys and hoping that she'll redeem herself in the next few chapters.

March marks the end of the 1^st quarter of the year. Time to know how to fly, wish we do too. But Monday is something we could always stake claim to. "Mon" being "mine" in French, we should start claiming this day "My day". And this is just the start of some awesome Mondays ahead.

Last February, I’ve launched some new features on the blog. Like I promised, changes came in stages, and I have saved the best for last. Needless to say, I am so excited over this one the most. Please do visit again and join me in launching this surprise. 

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Required Reading: February 2014

I can't imagine February being this scorchingly hot. It's like the start of summer already. Can't complain much though. We rather had heat than storms, right? Besides, January was great while it lasted. My Neal Shusterman month was fun and interesting.

• Skinjacker Trilogy by Neal Shusterman - 4 stars - A wonderful take on life after death.
•  What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver - 4 stars - TFG book of the month. A very interesting and profound way to talk about love.
• The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman - 4 stars - I fell for Antsy Bonano quick enough.
•  Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman - 4 stars - this book is all heart, truly. 

For February, I've chosen a writer close to my heart... 

• The Prince of Mist by  Carlos Ruiz Zafón
• The Midnight Palace by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
• The Watcher in the Shadows (Las Luces de Septiembre) by  Carlos Ruiz Zafón

And the wenches and I, back at the TFG thread, have started with the A Dance With Dragons by GRRM.

How about your February reading list? Do share.

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Louize has completed the 2013 Reading Challenge

Welcome, 2014!

Wow, what a year 2013 had been for me!  There is so much to tell, but, of course, I don’t want to bore you with the details. Let us take a look back at what I've read for the last 12 months instead, shall we?

At the beginning of 2013, I've challenged myself to read 75 books.  I am very happy to share with you that I've read 81 books.  It was a mix collection; I've read from children's books, novellas, to some chunks novels.  In total, I've read 21,960 pages, compared to last year’s 20,062. I've joined 6 buddy reads, and they were the most interesting by far.   Also, I've read all the TFG F2F voted books for 2013.  

There is a case-full of unread books that I need to tackle, and it would be very regrettable not to read them before we fully migrate to the other side of the world.  So for 2014, I believe I'll challenge myself into reading 70 full-length novels only, meaning no novellas or children's picture books. I am considering to read a collection (or author) per month.  This will be a trial and error process, so let’s see which will work best.  But definitely, I intend to finish all those printed copies I have in that bookcase.

Another year of reading challenges, I am excited to read your plans too.  Cheers!

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Required Reading: December 2013

Hello! Better start with the greetings as early as today. hehehe  Aren't we excited? I know I am.  So before we proceed with the decorating, checking lists, shopping, and wrapping, let me review the books I've read last November.

1. Claus: Legend of the Fat Man by Tony Bertauski - a very different take on Santa Claus's origin. 4/5 stars
2. His First, Her Last - I'd rather not talk about this.  0/5 stars
3. Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi - ruthless and fast-paced; I'll keep an eye on the sequel.  4/5 stars
4. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie - I highly recommend this book. 5/5 stars 
5. The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - my favorite YA mystery/ thriller/ crime story of the year. 
6. The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall - one heck of a crazy ride, but worth it. 4/5 stars

For December, I've reserved 2 books, both series I have followed for a long long while now:

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling - our TFG F2F book of the month.
2. Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson - I miss Alex Cross and this one is long overdue. 

Besides these two, I still have Hunted by Elizabeth Heiter and A Feast Of Crows over-spilling from November.  Here's hoping to finish all these even with the events and holiday celebrations looming near. How about you guys, what books have you chosen for the most wonderful month of the year?

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Required Reading: October 2013

October is finally here.  We are in the last quarter of this year.  But that is 90 days still to go before 2013 graduates.  We have time to go through once more with our reading plans for this year.

September, as I predicted, was a busy month.  Life goes on in the real world, unfortunately, while we desperately escape into the book world.  Well, maybe it was not all that unfortunate since reading is concerned, because I was able to finish 5 books.

1. The Golden City by John 12 Hawks - 4/5 stars
2. The Falling Away by T.L. Hines – 3/5 stars
3. Noah’sRainy Day by Sandra Brannan – 4/5 stars
4. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov – 5/5 stars
5. Bellman and Black by Diane Setterfield – 4/5 stars

For October, I believe that it is pointless to be brave and ambitious both at the same time.  So, I will just settle on being brave.

1. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin: we are still amid our buddy-reading.  And considering that the book is a behemoth, we will most likely read it until late October.
2. Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay: Our F2F book for the month.  As you can see, this is another high fantasy and thick, too.   
3. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks: this is another spillover from last month.  I’m more than half-way through and hoping to finish this before I start on Tigana.

I am crossing my fingers.  This is the first time I am going to read high fantasy simultaneously.  I typically take a long break after one, because it’s not my usual genre, and my interest tends to wane most often.  So, I am hoping to keep it together to finish all the reading challenge for October.

Happy reading, fellow book lovers. Ciao!

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Required Reading: September 2013

Hello BER months!

There are four of them and it starts with...  SeptemBER.  This month is going to be a busy month for all Filipino book lovers.  There will be an AKLATAN on the 7th at Alphaland Southgate; and the 34th MIBF at SMX MOA, from the  11th to 15th. Needless to say that we are going to burn holes in our pockets soon.

But first, let us review what I've read last August (yes, "last", even though it was just three days ago).

• The Bookstore  by Deborah Meyler - 3/5 stars
• A Clash of Kings by George RR Martin - 4/5 stars
• Tall Story by Candy Gourlay - 4/5 stars
• Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick - 4/5 stars
• Love Your Frenemies by Mina V. Esguerra - 4/5 stars
• That Kind of Guy by Mina V. Esguerra - 3/5 stars
• All's Fair in Blog and War by Chrissie Peria - 4/5 stars
• Rage by Jackie Kessler - 4/5 stars
• The Lost Soul by Gabriella Pierce - 4/5 stars
• In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton - 4/5 stars
• The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith - 4/5 stars
• The Dark River by John Twelve Hawks - 4/5 stars

Don't be deceived by the number of books.  Both 1 and 2 were spillovers from July, while most of those books that followed are less than 300 pages.  Considering, still, it was a good reading month for me,

For September, I listed three books.

1. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov - TFG's book for the month.  Am loving the narration so far.

2. A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin -  the chant to conquer GRRM is so strong for the buddy readers.

2. The Falling Away by TL Hines - I'm a TLH completist, and this one is another supernatural suspense.

For the last bit.  September is my birthday month (no, don't ask me when), so, I want to make an extra effort.  For the next four weeks, I'll be giving away books anonymously. Picking four of my favorite books, I will randomly choose places and leave a book with a note enclosed.  I'll post each drop I make every week here on my blog (with pictures, of course).  Hopefully, through this effort, I can turn someone into a book lover too.

Now, you can color me excited! ♥

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