misspalah's reviews
1061 reviews

The Siege by David Bellos, Ismail Kadare

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

"Memory is not just a record of the past, it is also the guide to the future."

• The Siege by Ismael Kadare

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"The Siege" is a book written by Ismail Kadare, a famous writer from Albania narrating a story about a battle long ago, where the Ottoman army tried to take over a city that was rebelling. The author got some details from a real battle in 1450. Kadare often writes stories based on Albanian history and stories. This book is over 320 pages long and talks about how the Ottomans fought battles in those decades. The story is about a siege of a Christian fortress in Albania, but some similarities might be insinuated as purely coincidence. It's told in short chapters from the view of the Christian defenders and longer parts about the Turkish army. The book really gets into the struggles of the attackers and shows how they fought and felt during that time. It starts slow but gets more exciting halfway through. Although it's a made-up story about what many battles might have been like between the Turks and Albanians and depicted what the siege would have been like in those days, the author highlighting power and greed as the major motives of the story. There are lots of different people in the army attacking the fortress, like officers, soldiers, and even magicians and chroniclers. Some want more power, while others just have to do what has been instructed upon them. Kadare writes well and makes you feel the fear of a siege and the politics in an army. But it's not a story everyone might enjoy. And because it was translated from Albanian to French and then to English, some of the original feeling might be lost. This is the book that will be hit or miss depending on the person who’s read it. 

Warna sari sastera Melayu moden by Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia

dark emotional reflective relaxing tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Dia duduk di situ, di tepi cucuran atap gerai tempat - dia selalu menjual pecalnya. Dia menyandarkan belakang-nya yang letih ke dinding gerai yang tertutup. Suasana sunyi menenangkan hatinya. Seekor lalat hijau mende-ngung, lalu hinggap di hidungnya. Seperti kilat tangannya menepis binatang itu. Berdengung lagi lalat itu melarikan diri. Tiba-tiba dia mencium semacam bau. Dia berasa amat hiba. Hatinya terlalu sayu. Dia percaya tidak lama lagi dia akan mati. Bau maut seperti lekat di hidungnya yang dihinggapi lalat celaka itu. Dia berserah kepada Tuhan. Hatinya telah bersih. Jika mati akan tiba dia sudah bersedia. Semua anak, cucu dan cicitnya berkumpul di rumah sekarang; berkumpul kerana satu sebab sahaja. Tidak sangsi dia dalam hatinya bahawa ketiadaannya akan menyatukan kembali anak cucunya.

• Nenek by Keris Mas

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The writing is so eloquent, yet it did not distract readers from what each author’s supposed messages. Despite many of prominent Malay authors contributed their piece in the collection, I did not find the book overwhelming with the ‘classics / flowery’ language usage or the subtle context that could be easily misunderstood by the readers. There are elements of politics / law, religion/cultural/ social issues and some highlighted issues which is relevant with Malay Muslim culture tht has been integrated in majority of the short stories in the book. The setting of the Malay community in the setting of the time in this novel (maybe the 70s-80s) is not far from the state of the Malays in 2020s. I will not summarize each story or poetry, but I have listed the content (list of titles and authors) for those who are interested to read this this book. Overall, an enjoyable read! The stories featured might felt simple or brief for some people, but it filled with good messages and values.

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SHORT STORIES:  

1. "Cetera Hiburan Raya Aidilfitri"
   ABDUL RAHIM KAJAI
2.   "Nenek" by KERIS MAS
3.   "Mayat dan Keluarga" by SHAHNON AHMAD
4.   "Dosa Pejuang" by A. SAMAD SAID
5.   "Socius Documentum" by ARENA WATI
6.   "Pertemuan di Kota Kinabalu" by ABDULLAH HUSSAIN
7.   "Pensel Sebatang" by ALI MAJOD
8.   "Aku Menemui Wajahku" by S. OTHMAN KELANTAN
9. "Anak-anak dari Kampung Pasir Pekan" by FATIMAH BUSU
10.     "Dalam Kabus" by ANWAR RIDHWAN
11.     "Kasih Sayang" by ANIS

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DRAMA:

1.   "Sirih Bertepuk Pinang Menari" by NOORDIN HASSAN
2.   "Tamu di Bukit Kenny" by USMAN AWANG

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POETRY :

1. "Assalamah" by A. GHAFAR IBRAHIM

2. "Tanah Ini Akan Mencintai Aku" by A. LATIFF MOHIDIN

3. "Obor Hemah" by A. SAMAD SAID

1. "Tak Dapat Kulupakan" by ANIS SABIRIN

5. "Buka Pintumu" by A. WAHAB ALI

1. “ Sajak Warga Kota" by BAHA ZAIN
2.   "Angin Waktu" by DHARMAWIJAYA
3.   "Fatamorgana" by FIRDAUS ABDULLAH
4.   "Pulang" by JIHATY ABADI
5.     "Waktu Berdepan Denganmu, Kinabalu" by KEMALA
6. "Di Pinggir Selat Tebrau Suatu Pagi" by LIM SWEE TIN
7.     "Antara Siput, Ketam, Ikan dan Seorang Nelayan" by MOECHTAR AWANG
8.     "Ceretera yang Ketiga Puluh" by MUHAMMAD HJ. SALLEH
9.     "Nasihat Wang" by PUNGGOK (MUHD. YASSIN MAAMUR)
10.     "Laut" by RAHMAN SHAARI.
11.     "Gamelan" by SHAFIE ABU BAKAR
12.     "Tasik Perdana" by SHAMSUDDIN JAAFAR
13.     "Ibunda" by SITI ZAINON ISMAIL
14.     "Satu Bangsa" by SUHAIMI HAJI MUHAMMAD
15.     "Hidup dan Mati" by T. ALIAS TAIB
16.     "Guru O Guru" by USMAN AWANG
17.     "Tanjung Dawai" by ZURINAH HASSAN

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The New Arab Wars: Uprisings and Anarchy in the Middle East by Marc Lynch

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense slow-paced

2.0

American policy will always matter in a region deeply shaped by the legacy of its imperium, of course, but there is no reason to believe that a more assertive American posture would have made a positive difference in the unfolding politics of the Arab uprisings. It is easier to blame Barack Obama's weakness for Syria's catastrophe than to examine the contributions of a diverse range of actors to the radicalization and fragmentation of an externally-fueled, ill-conceived insurgency. It is easier to accuse Obama of failing to lead on Egypt than to assess the domestic and regional drivers of Cairo's hotly contested politics. But that doesn't make the critique correct. The failure of the 2003 occupation of Iraq, which so deeply informed Obama's approach to the use of military force in the region, should have fully revealed the limitations of American power. One of the most commonly repeated mantras in Washington has been that "everything which opponents of intervention in Syria warned would happen has happened anyway." These pundits refuse to notice that thousands of American troops are not dying while vainly patrolling the streets of Damascus. America's long policy of aligning with unsavory but cooperative regimes would become a crippling liability after the Arab uprising. A key vulnerability of the American imperium in the Middle East was the absence of any major ally which shared its fundamental values or goals. The assembly of kings, generals, and presidents-for-life which ruled American-allied regimes did not even make the pretense of valuing democracy, human rights, or liberal values. Their survival depended on heavy-handed repression, patronage disbursed through state and non-state channels, and, in some cases, electoral institutions designed to distribute resources among elites. Most depended heavily on the demonization of external and internal enemies to legitimate their rule Israel, Iran, Islamists, and Amer-ica. This challenge has only become more acute as America's putative allies spiral in ever more violent and repressive directions.

• The New Arab Wars : Uprisings and Anarchy in the middle east by Marc Lynch

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"The New Arab Wars: Uprisings and Anarchy in the Middle East" by Marc Lynch offers a detailed examination of the Arab Spring uprisings that unfolded across the Middle East from 2010 onwards. The book consists of nine chapters, each addressing different aspects of the region's upheaval. I don’t think I will elaborate much on this book because I am expecting something new, but it was nowhere to be found. Majority of the arguments are pretty exhaustive and can be found in other books. For those who are well-versed in Arab Spring Uprisings and wanted to read more analysis or takes from the history experts, I believe you may skip this one. This book, in my opinion, is not engaging at all which is why i took more than one week to finish it. And Obama Administration is not really the innocent one – sure the predecessors of Obama has been instigating war in Middle Eastern much worse than he is but he is also is not a saint in this prolonged conflicts in these regions. While the book offers nothing new (at least to me), it did enlighten how and why majority of Arab countries seeks to normalise the relationships with Israhell and demonising Houthis in ensuring Peace in Yemen. Yet, here we are in 2024, Houthis are among those trying to stop the genocide in Gaza and while Saudi Arabia and others being a complicit, sit idly seeing muslim country being slaughtered by the Zionists. The summary for each chapter has been provided below :  ‘The introduction’ provides an overview of the Arab Spring and outlines their significance in the Middle East. It sets the stage for the subsequent chapters by highlighting the key themes and arguments of the book. ‘The Roots of the Uprisings’ chapter explores the underlying causes, including political, economic, and social factors that led to the Arab Spring uprisings. It examines popular discontent and the desire for change of the countries that experienced the uprisings. ‘The Trajectories of the Uprisings’ chapter aim to investigate the varied paths and outcomes of the uprisings in different countries. It also delves the factors that shaped the trajectories of the uprisings, including state responses, external interventions, and regional dynamics.

‘The International Response’ chapter managed to examine how the international community, including the US, EU, and regional powers, responded to the uprisings. ‘Tunisia’ chapter focuses on Tunisia, where the Arab Spring began, and explores the country's transition to democracy. It highlights the challenges and achievements of Tunisia's democratic experiment and its implications for the wider region. ‘Egypt’ chapter examines the trajectory of the Egyptian uprising and its subsequent transformation into a counterrevolution. It delves the role of the military, political elites, and external actors in shaping Egypt's post-uprising political landscape.  ‘Syria: From Uprising to Civil War’ chapter explores the evolution of the Syrian uprising into a full-blown civil war. It examines the complex dynamics of the conflict, including the role of the Assad regime, opposition groups, and external actors. ‘Iraq, Libya, and Yemen’ chapter focuses on the cases of Iraq, Libya, and Yemen, where the uprisings led to state collapse and fragmentation. It explores the factors that contributed to the breakdown of state institutions and the emergence of multiple armed factions. ‘Conclusion’ chapter summarizes the main arguments and findings of the book. It reflects on the broader implications of the Arab Spring uprisings for the Middle East and the international community. Overall, the book offers valuable insights into the complexities of the Arab Spring and its aftermath, making it essential reading for policymakers, scholars, and those interested in the Middle East's contemporary challenges.

Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices by Mosab Hassan Yousef

medium-paced

1.0

MY FATHER WAS ISLAM TO ME. If I were to put him on the scale of Allah, he would weigh more than any other Muslim I had ever met. He never missed a prayer time. Even when he came home late and tired, I often heard him praying and crying out to the god of the Qur'an in the middle of the night. He was humble, loving, and forgiving—to my mother, to his children, even to people he didn't know. More than an apologist for Islam, my father lived his life as an example of what a Muslim should be. He reflected the beautiful side of Islam, not the cruel side that required its followers to conquer and enslave the earth. However, over the ten-year period that followed my imprison-ment, I would watch him struggle with an inner, irrational conflict. On the one hand, he didn't see those Muslims who killed settlers and soldiers and innocent women and children as wrong. He believed that Allah gave them the authority to do that. On the other hand, he personally could not do what they did. Something in his soul rejected it. What he could not justify as right for himself he rationalized as right for others.

• Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef

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The author can be a convert from Islam to Christianity for all i care. Whatever religion he changed into,  even atheism itself, will not be able to excuse what he wrote in the book. All of the lies and deceit to accommodate his distorted views about Zionists and Palestinians. I cannot stand  how disillusioned he was with Israel and even accusing that Palestinians has been mingling with terrorism for as long as he can remember. The fact that he painted Israel as a good guy and how Israelis genuinely wanted peace made me want to gag.  Despite the series of occupations and countless nakbas, he decided to use one situation he encountered in the prison to put Hamas and every Palestinians in the same category. I personally would have tried to at least highlight some grace in the book but i got none from the book except in the beginning of the book when he narrated the history and his father’s background. The rest, i would say straight to the trash. You got caught because your own carelessness, and then you mingled with the devil - betraying your own family and your own nation and now, out of nowhere you are saying that you did it for Jesus and last but not least, you are now settling down in USA after you said you are done playing double agent for both IDF and Hamas. If its not money, citizenship or simply a way to leave Palestine, what was the true motive here? And i wonder whether the author can see that many of Palestinian Christians is being persecuted and churches is being bombed after the October 7th? Or does the author decided to adopt the selective outrage by western standards and decided to ignore the plight of Palestinian Christians and let Zionist obliterated the birthplace of Jesus to the rubbles that it is now. 

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

challenging emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

"Recite us something, won't you?" "Where the head is held high, Where knowledge is free, Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls. ... Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let me and my country awake." Every schoolchild in India knew at least this. The judge began to laugh in a cheerless and horrible manner. How he hated this dingy season. It angered him for reasons beyond Mutt's unhappiness; it made a mockery of him, his ideals. When he looked about he saw he was not in charge: mold in his toothbrush, snakes slithering unafraid right over the patio, furniture gaining weight, and Cho Oyu also soaking up water, crumbling like a mealy loaf. With each storm's bashing, less of it was habitable. The judge felt old, very old, and as the house crumbled about him, his mind, too, seemed to be giving way, doors he had kept firmly closed between one thought and the next, dissolving. It was now forty years since he had been a student of poetry.

• The Inheritance of loss by Kiran Desai

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I'm struggling to determine whether this book was commendable or not. It's often lauded as one of the finest examples of postcolonial literature, and I can certainly recognize its significance in that regard. It vividly depicts the repercussions of English colonialism in India and explores the pursuit of the American dream amidst societal divides. However, I also believe that a deep understanding of Indian culture and values is necessary to truly appreciate its depth. The narrative encompasses a multitude of themes, from the struggles of illegal immigrants to identity crises and the Gorkhaland movement, spanning across settings in America, India, and Nepal. Through the intertwined stories of Sai, the orphaned granddaughter of a retired judge, and Biju, the son of the judge's longtime cook, Desai crafts a poignant tale of reflection, aspiration, and longing. While I found the exploration of divisions—be they geographical, national, or religious—fascinating, and admired Desai's skillful prose and insightful observations, I felt that the plot lacked momentum. Despite this, I was captivated by the beauty of Desai's writing and the intricate portrayal of her characters' hopes and regrets.

The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

At this juncture in her story, Estella removed her mittens, pried the lid off her eggnog, confirmed that none was left, and sighed. I repeated Leonard's words, incredulous: "What happened to the woman I fell in love with?' What the hell did he mean by that?" Estella smashed the empty cup between her palms and rivulets of cream trickled down her wrists. She flung the remains into the back seat and licked her hands clean, the left one first, then the right, like a cat. "Same thing as

'I thought our life together would be different,' I suppose." Only years later would we find out what he actually meant. We had driven up to see the monarchs, supposedly, but I'll admit that they didn't make much of an impression on me. I was too fixated on Estella, and my memories are primarily of the effect they had on her— how happy she was, how entranced; the gasp that escaped her when she spotted the first sleepy cluster, dozens of wings folded at rest on a drooping eucalyptus branch; the brightness in her eyes as she watched the livelier ones flit about in the cold sunshine. The sight of my sister's pleasure only heightened the excitement I'd been feeling since the start of our journey. Watching her was like watching a hungry child devouring a sundae, face aglow and smeared with chocolate sauce, chin dripping melted ice cream. We only stayed two nights in the end, returning to LA as giddy and giggly as schoolgirls who'd just come back from playing truant.

• The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao

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I was immediately captivated by the story. The family's secrets, the characters, and their extravagant lifestyle fascinated and repulsed me. The plot begins with Gwendolyn waking up in a hospital bed, the only survivor of a poisoning that killed her entire family that orchestrated by her sister, Estella. As Gwendolyn, who is now disabled and unable to speak, tries to understand her sister's motives and Povs by recalling back their complex relationship - those hidden memories and dark secrets. Their close relationship never recovered especially when Leonard came in between them and on top of that, he did become abusive towards Estella at some point in the marriage. Eventually, they mended the bond between them right before the whole massacre. Gwendolyn feels guilty for not being there for Estella after her husband's death and struggles to accept her own role in the tragedy. I have to say despite Gwendolyn being the reliable narrator is the story, you really can’t help but empathising with both of them, Gwendolyn and Estella. The toll of keeping family secrets, ingrained in their prestigious Sulinado lineage within the Chinese-Indonesian community, becomes evident as their sanity unravels. The story initially introduces numerous characters, reflecting the vast Sulinado clan, but gradually brought the focus on Gwendolyn and Estella. Tiffany Tsao did well in pulling the readers to join Gwendolyn's quest in understanding her sister's actions and it drives the narrative forward. The novel intricately weaves together the complexities of elite Chinese-Indonesian society with historical events like the 1998 riots, providing context to the characters' struggles amidst societal upheaval. It unflinchingly exposes the excesses and corruption of the privileged class, contrasting with the challenges faced by the marginalized Chinese-Indonesian population. I know many said it’s a mixture of gone girl and crazy rich asian but i would say those comparison is just a crime in itself. Comparing "The Majesties" to "Crazy Rich Asians" oversimplifies the former, disregarding its depth and complexity. While both novels feature affluent ethnic Chinese families in Southeast Asia, they differ thematically and narratively. "The Majesties" did surpass my expectations, with its richly layered narrative culminating in a hauntingly poignant conclusion. Skillfully written and deeply evocative, it showcases the author's storytelling prowess—a vivid, immersive tale that lingers in the mind long after the final page.

Written Lives by Javier Marías

funny lighthearted slow-paced

2.0

Madame du Deffand's bad reputation pursued her for some time, but could not outrun her talent. Once past the first flush of youth, the kind of prestige she wanted was intelligence, and with the birth of her salon was born her legend: when she was very old, foreigners and young Frenchmen with a future would go to extraordinary lengths to get invited to one of her suppers, in order to be able to tell their descendants that they had met the friend of Voltaire, Montesquieu, D'Alembert, Burke, Hume and Gibbon and even of the lately deceased Fontenelle. One of those young men was Talleyrand, who, at eighteen, had a rather ingenuous view of the Marquise: "Blindness," he said, "confers on the gentle placidity of her face an expression bordering on beatitude."

Her eyes did, it seems, preserve to the last their permanent beauty, but to see in that lady "unequalled kindness", "great beauty" or "beatitude" was perhaps another form of blindness, since age never changed Madame du Deffand's character, for she had always been indifferent and, on occasion, cruel.

• Madame du deffand and the idiots : Written lives by Javier Marias

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It was enjoyable at first but it became such a chore to finish it. Instead of the usual detailed biographies, it's filled with short stories that reveal the human side of these writers, showing their quirks and imperfections. Unfortunately in my case, i really thought it is about an important and detailed information on regards of these famous authors' lives. The book mostly talks about male authors and somehow it is clearly demonstrated who did the author likes and dislikes. I don’t want to make my own assumptions but from what i have read i can say that he did not really like female authors simply based on those not-so-great descriptions of women in this book. Joseph Conrad, James Joyce and Henry James are some of the authors that has been highlighted in this biographies with the author’s witty and quirky storytelling. Even though there's not much new to learn about these famous writers,  it was fun while it lasted.  At the end of the day,  It just shows they're human like everyone else. This book is perfect for you if you are into some wild and unverified gossip and rumour about these prominent authors than their factual details. 

Savage Tongues by Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I sat in bed and let out a long repressed cry. I cried quietly, silently. I held the blanket against my mouth. I was afraid of belting out my pain, afraid that woven into the fabric of my grief was the violence and cruelty of my relationship with Omar, what had happened between us, and all of the people— family, strangers, animals— who had cleared the path for us to meet. The last thing I wanted to do was unleash that cruelty back out into the world. I'd taught myself to regard my pain as my greatest asset, productive, instructive, generative; but only if I could figure out how to hold it kindly, gently. There was something transcendent in that pain. And for that reason, I'd wanted to avoid unleashing its unfiltered storms and dark shadows on another. I'd thought that if I held on to my suffering long enough I'd be able to metabolize it; it would dissolve and never again be recycled back into the currents of the world. But no. I'd been eclipsed by Omar. The injustices he'd assailed against me— against that wild boar and the birds he kept in cages, and who knows what other beings — could not be contained in a single temporal dimension. That's violence's greatest asset, I thought; the ability to make time itself servile to the deviousness of its will. We are left to manage the discrepancy between the scale of the event, its limited temporal duration, and its boundless posthumous influence over our hearts and minds.

• Savage Tongues by Azareen Van Der Vliet Oloomi

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I know we are in March and its too early for me to say it but this is one of the visceral read i’ve had this year. The tremendous guilt (especially when our main character, Arezu described the SA and the R*pe that happened to her), the non-stop frowning (on why Arezu try to justify or equally blamed herself for putting herself in that situation and chasing the danger afterwards), the countless sighs (of trying to really understand the complexity of feelings that Arezu had towards the perpetrator) and occassionally ‘whyyyyyy?’ (because i try not to judge The MC stupid decision but sometimes its hard not to) while reading this book is just too real. The prose is gorgeously written - its heartfelt and evocative and it is a testament to why the author won the Pen/Faulkner Award. However, i have to warn that this is not for everybody. As the story did not get anywhere and it was not written in linear manner. What we’ve got is the regurgitation of emotions / feelings / sinful confessions / hidden & dark desires that has been kept inside of our main character, Arezu for so long after the incident. It’s not necessarily a bad thing for me - afterall, i love literary fiction but i can understand the frustration of others who rated this book lower than 3. The book also highlighted one of the most beautiful female friendship that happened between Arezu, Ellie and Sahar. While Sahar is already out pictures (not because she’s being abandoned - she’s literally difficult to be contacted as she lives in Palestine) but Arezu and Ellie continued to become best friends which is why Ellie agreed to accompany Arezu to Spain to confront and recount the whole memory of what has been described as painfully haunting during her journey to the adulthood. Another surprising aspect to this book is how the main characters is Pro-Palestine including Ellie, being an Israeli herself. She recognised the occupation, the injustice and oppression inflicted by Israel towards Palestine. Arezu, being an Iranian recognised the struggle of living under the governing of the oppressive regime. If you choose to read this, be prepared to feel uncomfortable as the elements of grooming, Stockholm syndrome and unresolved daddy issues is apparent that despite reading it in the perspective of victim herself, you will see that she kept on defending Omar’s action, her rapist & perpetrator and to why it happened in that manner and why he acted that way. Overall, this is truly heartbreaking read. I think the intention would be in showing that so many girls out there fell for the false security provided by the older guys they knew in their life only to be preyed on later. They mistaken the lust with affection and in turn, they thought they will be cherished forever. Once these girls grew into womanhood, they finally realised that they were the victims and what they thought was love was just a way to ravage their body and soul. 

Unfortunately, It Was Paradise: Selected Poems by Mahmoud Darwish

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

“I am what I have spoken to the words: Be the place where my body joins the eternity of the desert.

Be, so that I may become my words.

No land on earth bears me. 

Only my words bear me, a bird born from me who builds a nest in my ruins before me, and in the rubble of the enchanting world around me.

I stood on a wind, and my long night was without end.

This is my language, a necklace of stars around the necks of my loved ones. They emigrated.

They carried the place and emigrated, they carried time and emigrated.

They lifted their fragrances from their bowls.

They took their bleak pastures and emigrated.

They took the words. The ravaged heart left with them.”

• A Rhyme for the Odes (Mu‘allaqat) : Unfortunately, It Was Paradise by Mahmoud Darwish

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I usually dislike introductory or foreword part in the poetry book simply because sometimes it takes away my own interpretation of the poems since i have been spoon-fed of what’s the poem is all about. BUT for this book, i actually glad i read it before deep dived into his poems. Not only it was helpful in understanding the theme of his poems but it establish the link of his whereabouts and the events that happened during that time. Darwish demonstrate what its like to be an internal refugee - leaving the country to be safe and returning to it with the strange feeling. That exile status permanently embedded in his works and it shows in many of his poems. I regretted that i didn’t really study hard to excel Arabic in high school and now i just have to accept the fact that i couldn’t read his works in the original language. I am sure the english translation did well given that Darwish has been consulted on it but nothing beats reading it in the original language. Ultimately, while his 4 to 5 pages poems is excellent and the prose was penned perfectly, my favourite one usually the one that was written in one page. It may be short but it is evocative and tugged my heartstrings the most. I will list down my favourite poems in the post below this. Overall, every chapter in this book served its purpose to portray Palestinian’s struggle against the illegal occupation. From the lost of his own land, Birwe in Palestine, nostalgia of being free to suddenly being imposed of movement restriction, displacement of the land and the erasure of identity and sense of belonging, Darwish’s works was full of grace and heartfelt words. A highly recommended read!

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My Fav poems from this book : 

1. I will slog over this road
2. The Kindhearted Villagers
3. Who Am I, without exile?
4. Wind shift against us
5. We Went To Aden
6. The Owl’s night
7. A soldier dreams of white tulips
8. The Death of The phoenix 
9. Like The letter ‘N’ in the Quran
10. The Raven’s Ink

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p/s: From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. Ceasefire Now! 

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal

emotional funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

For the first time in their lives they could openly share their most private thoughts and know that they weren’t alone. I helped them to discover that, and I became willing to learn from them as well. Those women were used to turning the other cheek when injustices were committed because it’s inappropriate to get involved, or to go to the police and betray your own. But they didn’t hesitate to help me and put themselves at risk when I was in danger. They know that they’re capable of fighting.

• Balli Kaur Jaswal, Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows

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This was such a rollercoaster ride for supposedly what people consider a lighthearted book. At least, that’s what i am assuming from the title. Then, we ventured into ‘South Asian’ community in Southall London that has been living there for at least 20 years but still maintaining their traditions (both good and bad depending on how people perceived it). And this tradition thriving while living in a so called modern western society was being normalised despite the large gap that existed between the young and older generations. Our Main Character, Nikki is the epitome of it. She was part of the community but she was fully westernised. She resented the internalised patriarchy that her mother and sister has but at the same time, she knew it would take years to dismantle it. She quit her study , worked at pub and moved out of the house which is a nightmare for any South Asian Mother. Then, she stumbled upon creative writing job in the temple community board which led her to the circle of a women twice her age , some are widows, some are divorcees and some just want to spend their time freely by signing up to this class. Sure, who would’ve thought that a bunch of widows, divorcees and bored housewives could’ve written a good erotic stories that practically saved some of the dry marriage across the community in London specifically for those that managed to get their own copy. BUT something sinister is lurking underneath this comedic plot : The sudden death of 2 girls around the area (although not at the same time), the suspicious suicide notes, the question of honour or shame, the spying and intimidation of certain people who branded themselves as ‘brothers’ which point to none other than ‘Honor Killing’. Nikki found herself in the middle of the community that dont want to talk about it despite knowing the truth and with people who would’ve go to a certain length to protect the honour of the community. Overall, this was such a wholesome read! I was afraid the erotic part will be uncomfortable read for me considering i am pretty much a prude but luckily nothing too extreme. I have to commend the book particularly the way the author struck balance of the humorous & colorful characters, literotica and at the same time demonstrating important issues in South Asian society in the book . 

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