Wednesday, April 08, 2009

55 WBR - The Orbis Terrarum Challenge

I decided to do the Orbis Terrarum Challenge this year. I know, I can hear you complain that for a person who hates writing reviews, I seem to sign up for too many challenges. And no, the Implet isn't any well-behaved either but a girl needs to make life interesting, however miniscule the change maybe :)  Please to read the rules if you want to take part.

The English Patient - Michael Ondaatje (Canada)
Totally deserves the Booker prize. A tad slow to start but keeps you engrossed once you’re in. A captivating story told in the non-linear style and filled with vivid imagery. The desert never looked as beautiful as through the English Patient’s eyes. Every character’s quirks and the way they relate to each other wonderfully captured.

Climbing the stairs - Padma Venkatraman (India)
A brilliantly written YA novel. Set in British India during the freedom struggle of the 1940s. Every habit/tradition of the Indian Brahmin household is explained in a matter-of-fact manner with no propaganda whatsoever. Loved it for bringing Chennai to my living room. Life through Vidya’s eyes is truly beautiful, even if painful at times. Awesome!

Genghis Khan - Birth of an Empire - Conn Iggulden (England)
The historical fiction that takes you on a horseback ride to Mongolia, makes you shiver in the bitter cold and long for airag, however atrocious it may taste. No little detail of the tribal lifestyle is missed. The book gives a whole new perspective to Genghis Khan and what it takes to be an emperor.

Challenges covered: Orbis Terrarum, New Author, War Through Generations (Climbing the stairs)

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5 Comments:

Blogger Meera said...

Honestly PonC feel like saying "U too Brutus" but the more u write reviews the easier it makes for me to pick the books in the library :)

10:32 AM  
Blogger Vee said...

hahaha I was going to say something along the lines of Meera. I clicked on to the challenge website to see if I could be 'challenged'. It ended up seeming like a task, so I decided to forego and instead will look to you and Ramya for reviews. :)

4:36 PM  
Blogger Jira said...

I just got the English Patient fro the library...I am looking fwd to reading it!

11:10 AM  
Blogger RS said...

Interesting! I put climbing the stairs on hold at my library after reading your post :)

10:07 AM  
Blogger claire said...

Happy reading The English Patient. It's truly a wonderful book.

12:01 PM  

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