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Cover Art by Of Stacks and Cups via Pagemodo

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Soudha's Travel Log 2: Reading in the Garden

Today we're going to take a little stroll in the Southern Hemisphere's oldest garden, the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden. Pamplemousses, which is French for grapefruits, is also the name of the district where the garden is located. The garden was created in 1770, while the island was still occupied by French settlers. Years later, remnants of the long gone French days still linger in the silent paths that weave through the garden, leading to the old chateau hidden away within.

Let's Take A Stroll In The Garden...

It's by a warm Sunday day that I make the trip to Pamplemousses, eager to revisit the old garden that has come to be one of my favorite places on the island. As I arrive there, I am greeted by an alleyway of trees, and it is under their gently wavering shadows that I walk inside the garden.

Although it is Sunday, the timid winter sun hasn't drawn a lot of visitors in and the garden is almost empty as I walk under the soft but delightful sunshine of Pamplemousses. We are in the North, where the days are always a bit warmer than where I live, farther away in the colder regions of the island.

Every now and then, you can hear the occasional singing of birds and the rustling of the leaves overhead as the wind slips through the knotted canopy of the branches from nearby trees.

After a few minutes, I arrive at the statue of Bernardin de St. Pierre, a French writer and botanist who notably wrote Paul & Virginie, a tragic love story set in Mauritius. Although the book has today been widely forgotten, in the 18th century it was actually quite famous. Today, Paul and Virginie are recognized as Mauritius's own Romeo and Juliet and can be found in works of art all over the island.

Leaving behind the whispers of tragic love and forgotten centuries, I reach the garden's most famous attraction, its long pond of giant water lilies. Scattered among the large circular leaves, the occasional water lily amazes the approaching visitor with its dress of pure white petals.

I am carefully walking around the water-licked edges of the pond, trying to figure out the best angle to capture this beautiful painting of glittering waters and floating leaves when I notice someone sitting in front of the pond, an actual paintbrush in her hand. I walk a bit closer to the young woman, an Asian tourist, and can't help but stare when I see the beautiful painting she's making, having captured the exact same image I'd been trying to capture through my camera. Awed and definitely a bit shy, I ask her if I can take her picture and she nods with a smile.

I simply love coming across artists and getting to meet them. My encounter with this young woman was definitely the highlight of my visit to the garden that day. It's always nice to meet people who share a love for art, isn't it?

Leaving behind the pond of water lilies, I'm now approaching the deepest part of the garden, where centuries of unspoken history awaits within the walls of an old French chateau. The Château de Mon Plaisir has been the home to various French officials back in the old days, including Pierre Poivre, the man who developed the garden. While today the colonial house is home to dust and phantoms of past lives, a visit to the garden wouldn't be complete without stopping at least once before its ancient walls. If walls could talk, huh?

What I'm Currently Reading

I'm currently reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and I'm absolutely loving it. I'm already familiar with the story, having seen the movie countless times with my sister before. I actually bought the book months ago as part of my birthday book haul in February but hadn't really dared pick it up. Having already watched the movie, I guess I was scared of not loving the book because I already knew the story. Turns out I had been worrying for nothing after all. As a matter of fact, I'm glad I'm already familiar with the characters and story because that way, it feels a bit like reuniting with old friends. I'll keep my full thoughts for my wrap-up but I can already tell that I'm going to give this book a very good rating.

The Souvenir(s)

I bought this postcard at a little stall near the exit of the garden. It shows a few touristic spots of the island, including the famous water lilies of the garden in the top left corner.

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Cover Art by Of Stacks and Cups via Pagemodo

Monday, September 21, 2015

Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee - My Review Of A Book That Should Have Probably Not Been Published

OK, I'll be honest here. What actually made me buy this book was the gorgeous orange cover. Do I regret buying it though? No. But that's only because had I not bought it, I would have never bought and read To Kill A Mockingbird and that book was one of my favorite books this year. And of all time. Go Set A Watchman is what basically made me read To Kill A Mockingbird, and that's about its main redeeming quality.

Do I think Watchman was largely a cleverly executed marketing trap? Definitely! But I don't actually mind that since it did make a lot of people (myself included) finally pick up and read To Kill A Mockingbird.

This review started as an angry rant in my head and while I did eventually tone it down a little bit, it's style is definitely going to be different from my other reviews. My original feelings while and just after reading the book were basically pissed and getting even more pissed. Looking back on the book though, I must admit that it wasn't all trash. So instead of posting an angry rant, I thought I would instead tell you the positive and negative things about the book.

The Negative Aspects

The manuscript that didn't make it

The first thing you need to know is that this is not a sequel of To Kill A Mockingbird. Myself included, a lot of people bought this thinking it was a sequel. The fact that all the characters are older and that the setting is the same certainly has something to do with the misunderstanding. But no, this is in fact an early manuscript of To Kill A Mockingbird. Yep. Watchman is basically the first draft that was originally rejected and reworked to produce Harper Lee's beloved masterpiece.

So, reading this book, I couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable thinking that maybe this was something that was never meant to be published. It honestly made me feel like I was reading someone's secret diary or something. I just couldn't shake the feeling that I was reading something Harper Lee had never meant for the public to read. The debate as to Harper Lee consented to the publication is still open, but as far as I'm concerned, the simple fact that the debate exists at all makes me really uncomfortable.

Plot elements from To Kill A Mockingbird have been shamelessly changed with no regards to what actually happened in the first book

Yes, we know it's a draft rather than a sequel of book one, but that's just another reason why we didn't actually need this book. Since it's only an early draft, it was perfectly fine for the publishers to validate changes made to the plot of the first book. To fans of To Kill A Mockingbird though, these plot changes just ruin the story and characters they love. It's like reading Harry Potter 8 and finding out that Harry had dumped Ginny for Hermione. I don't care if Watchman is supposed to count as canon or meta or whatever. As far as I'm concerned, it just created a really sucky situation for fans of To Kill A Mockingbird.

Here's one of those plot changes. You might want to skip it if you haven't read To Kill A Mockingbird yet and don't want to be spoiled.

Some characters now have completely different physical descriptions

In To Kill A Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell, the girl who accused Tom Robinson of raping her, is described as being around 19. In Watchman though, when the events of the trial are being recounted, she's described as being 14 at the time. Why? Just, why?

Some characters have suffered full personality changes

There was one such personality change that was rather heartbreaking and had me seriously considering putting the book down. To change a character's age or hair color without explanation is one thing but to completely alter a character's personality is downright wrong. Especially when it's a character you really loved. Highlight the space between *Start of spoiler* and *End of spoiler* to read the spoiler below:
*Start of spoiler*Atticus Finch, whom we've all admired for bravely fighting for a black man's justice in an era of ruthless racism is suddenly... a racist?! *End of spoiler*

They laid off a crucial main character without so much as a decent paragraph to break it to us.

All we got was a single sentence to explain this character's off-screen death and that's it. Yup, he/she is dead. Sorry but not sorry to break it to you like that. Moving on now... Don't check this spoiler unless you've read both To Kill A Mockingbird and Go Set A Watchman!
*Start of spoiler* Jem is dead. Jem is fucking dead. And we're supposed to be okay with the fact that we're told this in one, single, heartless sentence.*End of spoiler*

As much as I want to keep hating this book though, I have to admit that it wasn't all that bad. I will never love this book and still think it should have never been published, but there were some aspects of it that weren't so bad.

The Positive Aspects

Scout's character

The main positive thing about Watchman was that Scout, or Jean Louise as she's called now, was still the same character we all loved from the first book, albeit all grown up now. Her character stayed true to her portrayal as a child in To Kill A Mockingbird and was what made this book relatively okay. She might be an adult and go by Jean Louise now but she's still the adorably rebellious Scout we all love. She's an open-minded woman who lives in a time and place where racism is still rampant. Her ideologies and beliefs are very avant-garde for her time but she fully embraces them and remains true to herself no matter how hard it is in a small, traditional place as her Southern hometown.

It's a quick read

The book might not seem like it when you first pick it up, but it's actually quite short, with large font and spacing and a fast-paced writing style. You can easily finish this in one day. It did take me two days though, but that's only because I got so upset I had to temporarily put it down. If you actually enjoy the story, you might finish it in one sitting.

The content of the flashbacks

There were flashbacks. Lots of them. Sometimes it even felt like the book was trying too hard to make us nostalgic. However, if you overlook that little detail, you'd probably really enjoy reading about Scout and her brother Jem's childhood days. These parts reminded me a lot of To Kill A Mockingbird, which was probably the goal.

Final Word

I eventually gave this book 3 out of 5 stars, which was probably a bit generous considering the fact that I didn't even enjoy it that much. I don't regret reading this book though. Go Set A Watchman is possibly the year's most controversial book. 2015's Satanic Verses, so to speak. And the only way to educate yourself about the whole controversy and literary phenomenon is to read the book. Because of that, I will not tell people not to read Go Set A Watchman. By all means, do read it. You can only know where you stand on the debate if you've read the book. Maybe you'll hate it with a passion. Or, maybe you'll actually really enjoy it. You can only know if you read it. And if you've read or want to read it, feel free to share your thoughts with me in the comments.

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Saturday, September 12, 2015

Magic and Wonder Giveaway 2 (Open Internationally)

Hey guys! I'm back today with this month's second Magic and Wonder giveaway. Today I have another Etsy guest to introduce to you. Her name is Melody and she's from the Etsy store The Craft by Melody. Melody makes adorable crochet amigurumi dolls, often inspired by literary and pop culture characters such as these adorable Hobbits from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord Of The Ring.

Throughout this post you'll find pictures of her other dolls, all the which have links to where you can find them down in the captions. Below you'll find the giveaway, followed by my interview with the very talented Melody.

The Giveaway

Today, Melody is giving away one of her dolls as part of my September's Magic and Wonder Giveaways and the one she chose for the lucky winner is this cute mermaid doll she called Betta.

Find this mermaid doll here.

This giveaway is open internationally and will end on the 30th of September. The winner will be announced in the first week of October.

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Also, I'd like to remind you that I'm currently hosting two Magic & Wonder giveaways. If you haven't already entered the other one, you can click here to participate.

Interview with Melody

Here's an interview I had with Melody, in which she tells us more about the magic behind her beautiful crochet dolls.

How did you start? Were you taught or inspired by someone?

I learned to do the basic crochet chain for friendship bracelets by my mother. I got back into crocheting 3-4 years ago to continue the tradition from my father’s side. My paternal grandmother, aunts, and the past generations of women in my family are/were crocheters. I am completely self taught via visual aids from YouTube and books.

How cute is this Jane Austen doll?! Find it here.

What was the first thing you ever crafted? How was the experience like?

The first doll I ever crafted was via a free pattern I found online. The experience was overwhelming; I was hooked on amigurumi from that day on. I look back, having created my own pattern now, and I see her (mom’s kept her) – and seeing this small voodoo like doll; it’s very humbling and inspiring.

What is your next art/craft project?

My next step is creating a whole new different doll pattern; she’ll look more humanoid and will be bigger, 12”. The first doll to be made with this pattern will be a mermaid of a different look, not the beloved Hans Christian Andersen image we all know.

Enid Blyton's Noddy. Find this doll here.

Do you have other interests/passions/hobbies apart from crafting?

I love reading, from classics like Pride & Prejudice and Mysterious Island to more modern books such as Dune, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Jurassic Park.

I like history, from the dawn of time to about the 1940s. Everything else is modern.

I LOVE SPACE! Total nerd right here haha. The universe is so inspiring and awe striking to me. I also love and am SUPER geeky about sci-fi shows – off the top of my head, Doctor Who and Star Trek are my 2 biggest fandoms. Needless to say if it’s sci-fi I probably saw it and liked it haha.

I’m also a bit of an adrenaline junkie; skydiving, hang gliding, white water raft, rock climbing, scuba diving, and roller coasters are just the few feathers in the cap.

Who are your favorite artists?
A few artists I like are James R. Eads, FinFolks, Jenevieve Broomall, Ciruelo, Ruth Thompson, Tommy Eliassen, John W. Waterhouse, Rembrandt, Filippo Brunelleschi, Norman Rockwell and Edmund Blair Leighton.

Find this Egyptian Goddess doll here.

What would you say to an aspiring artist or crafter who wishes to commercialize his or her creations?

Go for it, jump right in. The best part of crocheting, knitting, or any fiber art is that it's forgiving.

Start small with basic materials you would get from a local craft store (support small businesses). Create a small inventory, 15-25 items, and sell to friends and family. I would say go online and see what others are selling - how it is similar, how it is different. With that, you can judge pricing, materials, networking via keywords, hashtags and social media branches.

You can find free websites to create your online space where you can display and hone in on your craft. Blogs and social media like Facebook and Instagram are great things to get into. Create an Etsy account as a cyber-shop.

Don't lose faith in yourself and in your art. Be realistic when you need to modify and revamp. If you're happy with the way your art looks, don't compromise pricing.

Never tell others, especially buyers, your doubts, the flaws in your work, or if you feel down and out - always be happy and pepping because people want to see a confident handworking artist - even if you don't feel like it at times.

Discover more about Melody and her crafted dolls at on her website by clicking here.

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Cover Art by Of Stacks and Cups via Pagemodo

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

A Tale For The Time Being by Ruth Ozeki - Book Review

Today I have an in-depth but spoiler-free review of A Tale For The Time Being for you. If you've read this book, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments about the things I've discussed here.

The Plot

One day, as she's walking along the beach, Ruth stumbles upon a strange package that has washed ashore. Inside, she finds the diary of a 16-years old Japanese girl. And thus, as she starts to read the diary, we discover through Ruth's eyes the story of this young girl called Nao.

** Despite the author and the character of Ruth sharing the same name and profession, this is not actually an autobiography.**

Illustration of Nao's Hello Kitty lunchbox swept away by the sea by Adam Fisher and found here.

My Review

The Story

This book is very character-driven, relying more on character development than actual plot to move the story along. But despite the sparse elements of action, the narrative thread unfolded in a really nice pacing.

Though the book has a few dark passages, the general narrative voice is often very witty and light. While you may not laugh aloud at every page, you will find yourself chuckling every now and then. Though it has a lot of dramatic elements, it's not a depressing book at all.

The Characters

Nao, the young girl writing in the diary, is by far my favorite character in the book. She narrates her story in a straightforward voice, occasionally laced with teen sarcasm and fantasy. Her playful way of going about her otherwise rather dramatic story often makes you wonder whether or not she's being entirely honest with you. Yet, while Nao isn't the most reliable of narrators, she certainly has one of the most interesting narrative voices in the book.

While I devoured the chapters narrated by Nao, I found those from Ruth's POV a bit slow. Her chapters were interesting enough but I just couldn't really connect with her character.

I loved reading about Nao's family and while her parents were hardly a happy duo, it was very interesting to read about them. However, when it comes to Ruth's side of the story, the cast of secondary characters were just okay. I could see why their presence in Ruth's story was relevant but I just didn't find them particularly interesting. Pesto the grumpy cat was probably the most interesting side character from Ruth's storyline.

Ruth and Nao. Original illustration found here.

Another of my favorite characters though is Nao's great-grandmother, an old Japanese nun named Jiko. She is a fascinating character and the coolest nun I've ever read about, not that I read lots of books about nuns or anything. Despite being supposedly "104 years old", she really gets Nao in a way the girl's own parents can't. The parts where she dispersed cryptic but soothing words of advice to Nao were among my favorites.

My second favorite narrator in this book was Haruki #1, Nao's great-uncle and Jiko's son, who died during WWII. Though we don't get to read about his thoughts and confessions until later in the book, these passages were really well-written and were among my favorites.

The Prose

The book has a light but well-written prose. Ozeki's writing flows pleasantly while being to the point, sparing the reader from overly lavish descriptions and unnecessarily complex sentences. She manages to make you both gasp and chuckle without going over the top with her prose. And yet, her writing is such that after a little while, you'll find it harder and harder to put down the book.

The Ending

While Nao's diary doesn't quite give us a definitive conclusion to her story, we do get a few hints from other sources as to what happened to her following what we've discovered in the pages she wrote. So, while the ending does retain some level of mild ambiguity, it remains overall quite satisfying.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

The only things I didn't quite like in the book were Ruth's weird dream sequences. They just felt too weird and out of place. It was like quietly reading about mysterious diaries and Japanese nuns and have Haruki Murakami suddenly sneak up on you with lots of weirdness. Dream sequences are actually among my reading pet peeves because often, they don't quite add to the story. Except for that though, this book was really good and I'd fully recommend it.

Giveaway reminder

I hope you guys enjoyed this review. Let me know your thoughts down in the comments! Also, I'd like to quickly remind you of the giveaway I'm currently hosting. If you haven't entered the giveaway yet, you can do so by clicking here. Good luck!

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