Autumn is a time to study, to slow down, to reflect on something, to cough loudly, to embrace the sadness and the beauty of the season, to listen to the wail of the windy, mesmerizing patter of rain and… To read 🙂 By the way, I personally was spending last week just as descibed. I also wrapped myself in blanket, hugged my cat and lit the candles 😀 Also there was a great reading “revolution” in my life… But you will find the details at the end of this post.
I also decided to write a little bit on several books, because my first review written in this blog was somewhat looong and complicated. I like complicated things 😉 But no one except me does 😀
“Powrót z Gwiazd” – Stanisław Lem // Return from the Stars by Stanisław Lem
I truly enjoyed Return from the Stars. The reasons are simple enough: the fact that the author caught the tendencies and guessed the direction in which our society evolves. Do we even need any potion to suppress the aggressive tendencies in us? No, we are doing it successfully on our own, and being pacifist I highly appreciate it… Though there is a destructive aggression, there is also the inspiring power, courage and the will to act, to change, to risk, to feel… It is something that initiates progress. In the book this tendency was suppressed as well, which left us with the society full of over-cautious, lazy, feeble human beings. The romantic love had no value anymore, the same happened to poetry, nonetheless people had every type of entertainment. I think we are very close to this version of reality. There were a lot of sensible measures, for example mandatory education in case you’d like to have children, but still the author shows the flaws, the abnormality of this kind of reality for a person born in the 60s. Actually I felt it, despite my views, we lose so much by giving away our adrenaline rush. As follows the contrast between the behavior, worldview, ideals and even the looks of people from the future and the space crew from the past (from the space mission set about 127 years ago) was striking, and each member of this crew reacted and adapted to the world according to their own character. Were they successful in their new life? Read and you’ll know 🙂
Another thing which I found awesome as a passionate e-book reader is the fact that the author actually predicted the invention of e-books 🙂 Finally, there was mentioned one of my favorite motifs: the human who feels himself a stranger. Outcast who doesn’t belong to society, but tries to find his place somehow and somewhere.
I’ll give it 5 points out of 5.
Worth reading, especially if you enjoy dystopias, sci-fi, psychology, analyzing possibilities of how the future of humanity may look like and searching.
Counterclock World – Philip K. Dick
I’ve got mixed impressions when it comes to this one, not only because of a selfish protagonist, who was meant to represent Judas, at least as far as I can see it: the book’s plot has a definite allusion to this Biblical one. We can see his dilemma through the eyes of an ordinary person, and perhaps decide whether this kind of choice is easy or not. Honestly, you can find a great number of allusions to Christian mysticism, and that is interesting. People are rising from the dead in this reality and that is actually awesome, because some of them have a memory of life after death and about God. People are aware of the spiritual side of life, spiritual immortality. They don’t believe, they know. They have a second chance and with their experience and memories they can change the world for the better. What’s interesting about this resurrection topic reminded me of Doomsday, so we can observe another Biblical reference.
Nonetheless, there were some dubious points for me. For instance, if in this phase the time goes backwards, and the dead are resurrecting, what is happening with people who are killed? Taking under consideration that everything, including the libraries and the greeting phrases, goes backwards, why are people still planning and looking to their future? Why isn’t everything predestined? And that unbelievably curious process of entering the womb instead of dying… How do they make it? Shouldn’t the womb belong to their biological mother from the previous phase? So many questions…
And yes, the author made the protagonist and his wife not really likable (I wanted to use another word from the beginning), although as I understand the aim was to make them simply imperfect.
I’ll give this book… 4 points out of 5.
In conclusion, I’ll just repeat that the ideas used by the author are fascinating, although the realization could be better. Nonetheless, if you are into Christian mysticism, Bible, Biblical allegories, and the eternal search for the sense of life, you will definitely enjoy this book 🙂
Elvenblood (Halfblood Chronicles) Norton, Andre, Lackey, Mercedes and many more
When I was a teenager I was deeply impressed by A. Norton’s Witch World, it really impressed me and took place in a young reader’s heart. Lately I decided to read something from fantasy, and I’ve chosen Elvenblood. From the impression I have, it was written mostly for teenagers or very young adults, the protagonists are very young and very idealistic, and they are really reshaping their world while fighting for freedom… Actually, the first part of the book, its ideas and its plot were really captivating and interesting. For instance, how one strong civilization could almost prevent another one from the opportunity of development? What could the later one turn out to be? I also found a great number of cultural allusions. Which ones? Read and guess 😛
Another interesting detail was the archetypal fight between father and adult child (almost Star Wars). Very interesting idea and good realization, as well as wonderful wise dragons, and interestingly described Universe. But since the second part started: heavy, extra heavy ideological messages: repeat after me: this is right, this is wrong. The problem was not ideology itself, the problem was the way it was presented: very heavily and bluntly. I deeply hate such things in every possible form of art, I believe that books should speak gently and let the reader/observer guess its meaning themselves.
I’ll give it 3 points out of 5.
Anyway, if you are a young activist who likes fantasy, elves, dragons, socialism and empowered women then it is a book for you 🙂
The Shadow Sister – Lucinda Riley
I’m not a great fan of contemporary realistic prose, but the name of the book caught my attention when I tried to pick something to read in German: yes, I read this one in translation and at a very slow pace. As follows I’m still reading it and as for now I find it decent. It tells about a shy girl living with her sister, who tries to find her own identity and place in this world. Although it reminds me of Jane Austin (my least favorite author) a bit, it is much, much better written. If I’m to pick three words which describe the book, they will be: slow, mild, romantic. Of course, a psychological touch can be also traced in this book, mainly through the different characters and values of the protagonists and their relationships.
It is not all, because there is a place for a mystery in this novel, minding that the protagonist was adopted and was supposed to find information about her origins.
I won’t give any kind of rating as far now, it is just an introduction.
If you like romantic novels with an analysis of personage’s relationships, motivations and character you will definitely enjoy that book.
The bonus
I was constantly running off time lately so it was difficult to keep up to my normal reading pace and volume (30-60 pages from the five books in different languages), and I was very frustrated because of that. In the meanwhile I started looking for meditation music on Spotify and found several podcasts dedicated to meditation. At that moment being completely dazzled I realized: “Maybe I can find some audiobooks there? What if Spotify is not only about music?” And it wasn’t. And MarvellousNightmare rejoiced and discovered the whole new amazing world for her. So. I’ve listened to several novels and short stories, but among them all I was absolutely captivated by
“The Yellow Wallpaper” written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
I was completely immersed! Probably, because the story had a psychological twist and because of its uncanny ending. The topic of women’s life in the XIX century, with being completely restricted from everything except for a kitchen. The morbid rationality of the protagonist’s husband medical treatments and his pretentious selfish care about her, made my heart ache. No surprise that she was depressed and her condition got worse. As for the ending it may have several explanations. I adore such twists, so yeah, I think I will come back to this story and read it again. And I sincerely advise you to read it also 😉 five out of five, definitely!
I also probably should mention that I listen to this story and many others on the Classic Ghost Stories podcast read by Tony Walker, in case that someone will want to listen to it too 🙂
Summing up, I’ve tried this short version of five books review. I wanted to share my opinion and emotions briefly, and as an outcome I really enjoyed the process, so I’ll definitely create an October Reading review:)
See you 😉
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