Wordless Wednesdays - Waiting for the Arien

His Dark Materials - The Golden Compass

Had seen portions of the movie when it was telecast on TV but never the entire movie. As part of my "Back to Reading" plan, I selected this book to read because for some reason, I was never able to watch more than a few scenes from the movie. However, because I have watched the first few scenes of the movie many times, I was able to vividly recall the scenes as I was introduced to Lyra, Lord Asriel, and Lady Coulter.

Lyra, an orphan, lives in the Jordan college, with her daemon, Pantalaimon. Her stay at the college and her studies are being paid for by Lord Asriel, her uncle. Lyra spends most of her time playing with Roger, her friend, going into forbidden rooms, and trying her best not to learn what the professors want her to. One day, while sneaking into one of the forbidden rooms, Lyra manages to foil a plan to poison Lord Asriel. Suddenly, things change.

The book is quite interesting and keeps you engrossed and so I was surprised when I found that this book and the others in the trilogy were part of the young adult section. Was I embarrassed? I mean this could be like being caught with a Nancy Drew but it was not and I was not. Though predictable in some places, the book still managed to pique my interest. I only wish I had read it years ago. Waiting to read the rest of the books.

Chocolat -- A review

I read this book sometime in January and lowed it. Its a very small book - almost the size of one of the Secret Seven adventures but the story is - simply delicious. No, I am not kidding - there is so much talk of chocolate, types of chocolate, hot chocolate drinks that you will probably drool over the book - if you are not careful :) So, when I saw the movie on Saturday, I was very pleasantly surprised that the movie actually managed to be as good as the book. Now, the Arien refused to watch this movie with me until I informed him that Johnny Depp was acting in it. He started wondering if it was a thriller and I decided to not tell him that it was definitely not a thriller.

I hinted that the movie wud be like Narnia and by then the movie had begun. I was soon glued to it and surprisingly so was the Arien. Now, for the story -- A young lady, Vianne, and her little gal, Anoshka, walk into a small french town on a windy day. The mother sets up a chocolate shop and soon the entire town undergoes various radical changes. The mayor is very shocked to hear that Vianne is unmarried and does not wish to attend mass on sundays. He considers her as a bad influence and tries to stop the townsfolk from visiting her shop and socialising with her.

The movie is great for two reasons: The first, of course, is the cast. The folks picked to play the role were so well-chosen that you are left feeling very comforted. I realized half-way that the old, blunt, cantankerous lady was M (Golden Eye). Seeing Trinity (Matrix) as the obsessive mother who fusses over her son- was fabulous. I did not make the connection until I saw the trailer for Matrix later in the evening :( Alfred Molina, as the mayor who lives by a strict code of moral conduct, is very good. The second is the story itself. At one level, the story deals with magic, chocolate as a solution for most problems that ail the townsfolk and is a fun story. At a deeper level, it deals with conformance. It deals with a young mother who is different. It deals with a person's inability to deal with something or someone who is not like them.

It is actually a movie to be watched on a lazy saturday evening or read when the house is silent and you are free to go back to your world in the magical kingdom... yummy is how I rate this book :)

Wordless Wednesdays -- Whats in a Name?

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

This is the last book in the Stieg Larsson trilogy though I did hear rumours of an incomplete fourth book. This book ties up the loose ends regarding Lisbeth. * Spoilers ahead*

The second book ended with Lisbeth being shot in the head and taken to a hospital. This book starts at the hospital where Lisbeth and Zalachenko are admitted for recuperation. Their rooms are two doors apart at the ICU and both of them figure this out within a few days.

The book traces the entry of Zala into Sapo. The Special section of Sapo, known only as the Section, takes on the Russian defector. After they offer support, they realize that Zala is a drunkard who abuses women and they have to clean up after him or his identity will be revealed. Zala foolishly gives his real name to Lisbeth's mother, Agneta Solander and then makes it a habit to beat her senseless, whenever he visits. During one of those visits, Lisbeth throws the molotov cocktail at him and watches him burn. The Section works with Teleborian to keep Lisbeth locked up as otherwise all their efforts would come to naught. When the Section is again dragged into the latest goof-up, Evert Gullberg, ex-head of the Section, decides that he has had enough, and kills Zala. The rest of the story is interesting and well-written. Paulo is not a part of this book. Mimi is brought in belatedly, as an afterthought. Erika leaves Millenium and then re-joins. Blomkevist has yet another affair and another woman falls madly in lowe with him. Too many things are happening but I cannot say that the book is uninteresting at any point of time. Maybe a bit slow towards the end but uninteresting - not really.

Wordless Wednesdays -- Whats on my mind Lately ??