Miss Clueless

I’ve read a few of Stephen King's books – It, Pet Sematary, Salem’s Lot, and The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger. Out of these, It and Pet Sematary really grabbed my attention. I’m not a huge fan of horror, but there’s something about King's writing that pulls you in, even if you’re not into scary stuff. My friend and I recently decided to read Later, one of King’s shorter horror novels. I had no big expectations—I just wanted to see what the book was about. Later turned out to be a really easy and enjoyable read. The story is narrated by a young boy who can see and talk to dead people. For some reason, he keeps reminding the reader that it’s a horror story. As I read, I thought, "Okay, but I don’t feel the horror yet." It was only towards the end that I felt the horror kick in. I was expecting something, not sure what, but other than whatever was in the book, to happen. But I realized that what I was waiting for or thought was supposed to happen would happen later . I fel...

Fan of Leo Tolstoy's works here. I've read his epic novels, "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina." I've read some of his short stories, too. "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" may be my favourite. But this blog is about "The Death of Ivan Ilyich." "The Death of Ivan Ilyich" tells the story of Ivan Ilyich, a successful judge in 19th-century Russia. After falling seriously ill, Ivan starts to reflect on his life and realizes that his relentless chase for social status and material success has led to a shallow, unfulfilling existence. His life is filled with superficial relationships and a loveless marriage. Facing his mortality, Ivan undergoes a profound transformation, discovering the importance of compassion, forgiveness, and living authentically. In his final moments, he finds peace by embracing these newfound values and acknowledging the emptiness of his previous pursuits. When I was living alone, I often found myself thinking...

"A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles begins with a map of Moscow, 1922, showing the Metropol Hotel and an epigraph, the poem "Where Is It Now?" by Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov, 1913.  Published : 2016 Author : Amor Towles  Genres : Historical Fiction, Urban fiction, Political fiction Pages : 462 My rating : 3.5/5 The novel is divided into five parts and presents a unique premise: a gentleman under house arrest in a luxury hotel in Moscow. At first glance, this premise does not seem particularly compelling for a full-length novel (at least for me), but Towles manages to craft an engaging and elegant narrative. One of the novel's highlights is its prose, sophisticated and beautiful. Towles' admiration for Russian literature is evident throughout the book, and I couldn't relate more. I found the conversations between the protagonist, Count Rostov, and his friends—Mishka, Osip, Anna, and Nina—particularly enjoyable. It shows the author's talent for di...

"The night I watch Athena Liu die, we're celebrating her TV deal with Netflix."  The opening line of Yellowface by R. F. Kuang immediately sets a tone of intrigue and suspense.  Published : 2023 Author : R. F. Kuang  Genres : Satire, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction Pages : 336 My rating : 3/5 The book centers around June Hayward, an aspiring author who becomes embroiled in controversy after witnessing the death of her former classmate, Athena Liu, a literary sensation. When June decides to rewrite Athena's manuscript and pass it off as her own, chaos ensues, and she has to deal with accusations of cultural appropriation and plagiarism. Throughout the book, there are frequent references to movies, celebrities, and pop culture topics, many of which I am familiar with (it's funny how familiar I am with Western pop culture). I was thinking it'd be fun to be friends with Kuang and chat about all these topics. I even took a break to watch Christopher Nolan...

"History has failed us, but no matter."  The opening line. Published : 2017 Author : Min Jin Lee  Genres : Novel, Historical Fiction Pages : 490 My rating : 5/5 "Pachinko" follows the lives of a Korean family living in Japan from the 1910s to the 1980s. The story revolves around Sunja, a young woman who becomes pregnant by a wealthy married man, leading her to marry a young minister and move to Osaka. As the family grapples with discrimination, poverty, and the complexities of identity, they become entwined with the world of pachinko, a Japanese gambling game.  The novel explores themes of love, sacrifice, ambition, and the impact of historical and societal forces on the characters' lives. It provides an empathetic portrayal of the immigrant experience of the Koreans in Japan. Once in a while, a book leaves an indelible mark on the reader, and "Pachinko" is one such experience for me. The last time I felt something like this was for "One Hundred Y...

"Before Mazer invented himself as Mazer, he was Samson Mazer, and before he was Samson Mazer, he was Samson Masur –  a change of two letters that transformed him from a nice, ostensibly Jewish boy to a Professional Builder of Worlds –  and for most of his youth, he was Sam, S.A.M. on the hall of fame of his grandfather's Donkey Kong machine, but mainly Sam." reads   the opening line of  "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow." My two friends and I have had this little book club thing going on for about three years now. We don't have strict rules or meet regularly—it's more like whenever we feel like it. We chat about books and sometimes throw in movies or TV shows. Recently, we decided to pick the same book and share our thoughts within our group. I thought, why not blog about it too? It'll be cool to look back and remember what we felt or learned from each book. So, our first pick was "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow." When I first saw...

What image comes to mind when you think about sci-fi. Well, the above is AI-generated and I agree, it's quite close to what I imagined. I've been reading a lot of sci-fi lately, so I wondered: What elements make for a perfect sci-fi? Do the books I read have those elements? Of course, these will vary based on personal preferences and the specific subgenre of science fiction. However, I believe below are some common elements that many readers and critics appreciate in a compelling sci-fi novel: Original Concept or Idea: A unique and innovative concept that explores new ideas or pushes the boundaries of existing ones. It could involve advanced technology, alternate realities, or speculative future scenarios. Well-Developed World-Building: Detailed and immersive world-building that creates a believable and intriguing setting. This includes the fictional universe's social, political, economic, and technological aspects. Complex Characters: Well-rounded and relatable characters ...