Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, Illustrated by John Tenniel

Alice in Wonderland is a book that is often quoted, made idiom of and has multiple retellings to its credit. It is one of the most loved books amongst those who enjoy reading. It was during my childhood years when ‘A mad tea party’ was a compulsory read in our English course.

After years when I again come across the chapter, the memory goes back to the time when I finished the chapter and it felt like a task accomplished. Now after two decades I glided through the book. And was reminded of how time flies. A task which felt like a major accomplishment and a story that stuck with me still resonates with me.

Only now I understand it with another perspective, not of a child.

This is the first book I have ever re-read.

This book was picked up as a group read for April for a booktube reading group I have recently come across.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

After I read Murakami for the first time last year, I gained a renewed interest in magical realism. The hint of magic, the strong emphasis on an unseen power and more such  ideas had me enthralled. I went on to hoard some more books by Murakami, and I also went on to buy some books by Gabriel Garcia as he is considered a master in this genre.

After much contemplation, I picked up Chronicle of death foretold by him as it is the shortest and somehow I was already overwhelmed by his aura – hence, I decided to pick something short to start with.

Movie Adaptation: Cinderella (2015)

Cinderella has been the most known and beloved fairy tale of all times. It is the magic of the godmother and the kind heart of the Cinderella that fills the book with fantasy. The evil step mother is also a part of the tale. An important part. When there is no evil, goodness is not exposed. The movie version of Cinderella is for the first time letting the evil side explain their side of story.

The book 

Cinderella is a beautiful girl who lives with her stepmother and three step sisters. She is as beautiful as she is kind. Forbidden by her stepmother, Cinderella is upset to not go to the ball held in the honor of the prince. That's when the fairy godmother enters and lives are changed with magic. It is simple and sweet story of a girl finding love and her happily ever after. 

The movie 

Disney's Cinderella is a lot different from the book. The Cinderella story has been given a lot of depth. Here Cinderella is a girl who loves her mother but loses her to a terminal disease. She is asked by her mother to always have courage and be kind. Those were the last words. 

When few years later Cinderella finds out that her father is in love, she promises him to be kind to the new family too. 

The story picks up the pace from here. The step mother is not evil in the beginning, just a little insecure. More so because of the relationship that Cinderella and her father share. It can be noticed at the nigh she throws a party and overhears Cinderella and her father talking about her. 

Cate Blanchett is ever so graceful in the evil stepmother's character. The step sisters here are child like but they too have got dimensions. The magical elements in the story is what carries you to the dreamland. The carriage and beautiful clothes are elaborate, better than the imagination. The beautiful transition of 

I loved the entire movie but of all the depth of Cinderella as the character is inspiring. The Cinderella here does not intend to go to the ball to charm the prince. She wants to go there to meet her friend. And till the end she remains kind. Like she promised her mother. 

This is a movie definitely worth watching. It is one of the best Fairy tales converted into a very charming movie. 

Overall 

The fairy tale is the classic and the movie is a unforgettable work of art. Both are worth reading and watching time and again.

Bitter Sweet Love by Michael Faudet

Thanks to the internet, the world is a much smaller place, and gives us many opportunities to connect with netizens from across the world. It is a wonderful medium to come across amazing talent, which would either never reach us, or would –very late. Having seen the Poet’s writing on his social media, I always wanted to read more by him. So, when I got the review copy of Bitter Sweet Love, I was simply elated to be reading it.

Cover

The cover is an illustration of portrait of a girl, it is a sketch and a picture morphed together. It is a clever interpretation of the content of the book - which is a mix of magic and reality, it also seems like an evolution of the cover of the previous, and his first book- Dirty Pretty Things which is a really interesting concept and I am quite eager to see how the next cover turns out. Coming to the title – it is self explanatory and talks of love in all its glory ( and the not so glorious side!).

Characters

The poems don't revolve around one person,  but touches upon relationships between various people. It is about life and lovers, love and heartbreak. The emotions captured in the book are the real protagonists of this one.

Content

Talking about love and all sides of it, Bitter Sweet Love is a beautiful compilation of poems long and short, that touch upon the various emotions co-existing with love. The poems are laden with love, heartbreak, lust and are infused with a hint of magic that makes these sensuous musings all the more interesting.

Good Points

The  poems come in varied sizes. Some, a mere two lines, some spanning a few pages- this mix of sizes doesn't make it a monotony of long poems, nor are there just lines that touch and go.

Each poem tells a story in just a few lines in the most concise and appealing manner. The emotions captured really tug at your heart and the writing style does full justice to what the Poet intends to convey.

The poems are sensuous without being vulgar and they are written in very simple language that is very easy to relate to and understand. Lastly, the touch of magic takes these poems to another level.

Bad Points

Though I enjoyed most of the writing, some of them were lengthy and almost prose like, standing out awkwardly in pages of words that flow very poetically.

Overall

A book full of bitter sweet shades of love, this one captures emotions so beautifully without complicating it. Thoroughly enjoyed the magical elements that are sprinkled generously with a heady mix of sensuous writing!

Who do I recommend this to ?

Poems aren't everyone’s cup of tea mostly because the writing is complicated and multi-layered.

So if you have been contemplating on reading some poetry, grab this new release now!

Quotable Quotes

To speak of unconditional love is like building a palace on quicksand..

Each falling leaf, a fallen tear.. the autumn came with winter near. Now all that's left of love is death, a story told with frozen breath...

When we plant weeds in a beautiful garden, it is often tears of regret that water them..

No fond farewell in silence made, just falling tears  in falling rain.

All sunshine gone, no warmth remains, in empty cups, our autumn came.

I think somewhere in a parallel world, we made love in a garden of wilted flowers. Our trembling hands reaching out, trying to grasp the last watery rays of a dying sun . Where our hearts collided and shattered into a   million tiny stars.

Movie Adaptation: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Ransom Riggs has acquired a special place in the world of young adult and fantasy writing. Marginally different from Harry Potter and Hobbit, his series, Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children is a series that every fantasy reader loves. This book is a journey of a boy who came to realize that his life is more extraordinary than he ever thought it would be. The series has everything from time travel to magic, only here it's known as peculiarity.

I entered the movie room crossing my fingers 'let the movie not spoil the series for me', but I was pleasantly surprised by how different it was from the book still so magnificent.

The book 

The book is everything a fantasy reader wants. Young adult protagonist going strong through the pages, self realization, and time travel. The book is 352 pages of trill and magic. If nothing else, the photographs make the story all the more lively. It's definitely one of the best books I have read off-late.

The movie

The movie is quite different from the book. Those who look for the story from the book in the movie are going to be disappointed. So better let go and enjoy the movie. The Cairholm island is as beautiful as it was described in the book. That's a relief for those who were disappointed to find out that it's a fictional place. The movie brings the place to life. The scenes in the ship are completely breath-taking. The characterization is stunning, but Miss Peregrines (Eva Green) takes the cake away. I loved the scene before the capture, where she still commands like a Queen knowing her authority, almost making the hollow stutter and stammer. It was funny. Also, it clears the image of Miss Peregrines being a powerless bird. She may be getting captured but she is not weak. 

Jacob (Asa Butterfield) has been continuously running from the reality but it catches up to him. Different from the book, it felt quite natural. You are not going to be calm and composed when you realize you can see monsters and start slaying them immediately, would you? 

Just having read the first book in the series maybe the ending killed the sequel (just maybe). But I will keep you posted while I read on. 

Overall 

I enjoyed every minute of the movie as much as I enjoyed every page of the book. The book is beautiful and movie -stunning. So go ahead and let your guards down & watch the movie. It is not going to disappoint you.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #1) by Ransom Riggs

'We cling to our fairy tales until the price for believing them is too high..' Jacob had grown up with his own fairy tales. A little peculiar but full of fantasy. These stories consisted of peculiar children and some more peculiar beings. 

Ransom Riggs has woven a magnificent story about a young boy who comes to a realization that he is no ordinary boy. He can stir oceans and fight demons. Literally. This book has been on the list of all avid reads, for all good reasons. 

Cover page

The cover is a tiny glimpse of the story inside, a little girl who is levitating above the ground. The chalky font declares the genre. The book looks like a vintage art which goes with the stories and the photographs inside. 

The book by itself is a well-designed product. The photographs take you to another world. Tiny embellishments gracefully adorn the pages inside. It is a good paperback for the book collectors for their shelves. 

Characters

Jacob Portman always considered himself to be an ordinary child. Quite unpopular at his school, he was the punching bag of others. He has just one friend who was uncomfortable with Jacob's lifestyle. Jacob decided that his life was going to remain ordinary when some extraordinary things started happening to him. Jacob is a strong protagonist in the book who always wanted to become an explorer and finally had a chance at it. 

Grandpa Portman is an important character in the book which gives birth to the entire story inside. He was an extraordinary man. His stories always fascinated Jacob. He brought a spark of excitement in Jacob's otherwise boring life.  

There were other equally fascinating characters which are described with pictures in the book. They are all very interesting to read about. A little creepy, but interesting even so. 

Content 

The book contains one of the most beautiful first lines in literature. 

I had just come to accept that my life would be ordinary when extraordinary things began to happen. The first of these came as a terrible shock and, like anything that changes you forever, split my life into halves: Before and After. Like many of the extraordinary things to come, it involved my grandfather, Abraham Portman.

 

Jacob is not a popular kid at school. His lifestyle is quite boring. The only thing that filled his days with some adventure were the stories from grandpa Portman. The stories of peculiar children. Now, when the history of the Portman boy was to be ever written, people would say it began the day when grandpa Portman died. 

After the death of his grandfather, Jacob started following the breadcrumbs to his death only to discover the stories that he was told about were not just stories. They were all real. All of them. The last clue given to him by the old man leads him to the island of peculiar. What follows is a time loop, a girl who can produce fire and old lost love. 

The book begins from being curious to outrageously fascinating. The slow transition of the normal world to that of fantasy is quite convincing, like what else would you expect other than a couple of extraordinary kids and a grave which transports you to another time. The story is full of surprises, each clue opens a new mystery, small fragments linking each other in the story. It is a great read throughout. There are some great descriptions of the setting which will immediately make you google it and visit the place, a beautiful bookshelf that you will want to own and reference to a fairy tale. 

Language 

The language is simple and narration is engrossing. One would find himself completely drowned in the world of Ransom Riggs. There are some great lines in the book which is going to be quoted often. Ransom Riggs also paints a vivid picture of the places inside the book. It makes you want to visit them, but sadly, they are just fragments of imagination. 

Good points 

The cover page is beautiful. It demands a space on the bookshelf for the book. The content inside is even better. The photos and the text complement each other. They help the imagination of the reader, convincing the reader further about the story inside, should there be any doubt. The characters are one of their own kind. They are all curious to read about. The author breathes life into them with his amazing narration. 

Bad points 

There is a slight hiccup towards the end of the story when Jacob decides to let his dad know that he is not coming back with him. The approach seems to be little exaggerated. It sadly doesn't convince the reader. But as they say, writer's will. 

Overall

Overall it is a wonderful story of a boy who was looking for something extraordinary in his life, but realized that it was him that was extraordinary. It is a great read. 

Who do I recommend this to 

This book is for young adult fans. All those who enjoy a bit of fantasy and time travel are going to love this one. It also makes a great Halloween read. 

Quotable quotes 

The peculiarity for which they'd been hunted was simply their Jewishness. They were orphans of war, washed up on that little island in a tide of blood. 

All I could think was that grandfathers were supposed to die in beds, in hushed places humming with machines, not in heaps on the sodden reeking ground with ants marching over them, a brass letter opener clutched in one trembling hand.

Then again, it's easy to say you don't care about money when you have plenty of it. 

I underwent a brief interrogation about how I'd gotten to the house and who had taken me there, and because the easiest kind of lying is when you leave things out of a story rather than make them up, I passed with flying colors. 

That we would be easy kill was the only reason we weren't dead already; like a gourmand about to enjoy a fine meal, there was no reason to rush things. 

I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. 

The day was warm, but cool breeze came off the water, and I could've happily towed for hours. I wondered how such calm could belong to a world at war.

In Their Shoes by Various, Illustrated by Lucy Arnoux

My recent obsession with fairy tales has led me to different versions and origins of the same tales. These tales are much older than the Disney version dated as far back as 1st century BC. These stories evolve from folklore carrying the roots and traditions of the place. The book 'In Their Shoes' is a collection of these fairy tales, some in their much earlier versions. All involving shoes! 

Cover page 

The cover page reflects the content of the page. The shoes inside the pages come alive on the cover page with the help of beautiful illustrations. It is a simple and enchanting cover page. Definitely meant to be bought in hardback copies. 

Characters 

The book is a collection of fairy tales, each featuring the respective characters. These characters interestingly are completely different from the mainstream characters. Cinderella here is a child who lives in a cave and her best friend is a big fish. Hansel and Gretel's epic tale is traced back to a tiny child who saves himself and his siblings from a child eating ogre. Such are the fascinating characters in the book. 

Content 

The book begins with a quote from 'To Kill A Mockingbird' by Harper Lee. 

'You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.' 

The stories inside are literally, featuring shoes. In all forms. Cinderella's dancing shoes, puss in its boots, the twelve dancing princesses and their shoes and some more of them. It may seem to be a little odd but the author has creatively picked up the stories containing the magic of shoes and traced back their origins and presented a great collectible. 

Some stories are quite different from the Disney versions or even Grimm versions bordering to folklore. 

The book makes an interesting read when these stories come together. 

Language 

The language in the book is quite simple as it happens mostly in fairy tales and folklore. These contain great narratives which is what makes it magical. 

Good points 

The cover page is beautiful. The collection showcasing different stories involving shoes makes a wonderful read for those who are obsessed with shoes and fairy tales alike. The language is very simple. The length is not tiresome. It is a short read. 

Bad points 

The collection may be a little confusing at time since it comprises of the most recent and original folklore versions, both. The explanation towards the end hardly does any justice. 

Overall

It is great collection, fascinating to read. 

Whom do I recommend this to 

This book is for all the fairy tales enthusiasts. Those who love shoes are going to love the magic that empowers shoes in this book. Who doesn't want to fly wearing winged sandals right?

Quotable quotes 

Young men, when all is said and done, will find sharp wits and common sense worth more than an inheritance. 

He was small; when he was born he was hardly bigger than a man's thumb, for which reason Hop o' my thumb was what he was called.

I was sent a ARC by the publisher. The views expressed here are my own, uninfluenced.  

Incursion (Catalyst Moon #1) by Lauren L. Garcia

Freedom is worth everything. Everything. 

It is a world of fantasy where some rule over the significant others. Some live freely while others in cuffs, all for their inherent characters. Lauren Garcia tells a beautiful tale of the worth of freedom. Her beautiful story is made even more interesting with the presence of mages and sentinels. And of, course other beastly creatures. 

Cover page 

The cover page reflects the genre. Black dominates the cover with lead characters from the story and a crow. Which has a part to play in the story. The cover page is good to look at. I wish the spine and the back cover was paid similar attention. The spine looks dull and the back cover looks incomplete. 

The designers have followed the rules and delivered a good product. The pages and font inside are easy to read. I am glad I was sent a physical copy for my collection! 

Characters 

Mage halcyon is a magician living in the world of ordinary people and hence assumed dangerous. She is kept in watch bound by cuffs which is locked by hematite. But kali is hardly evil. She is a woman with kind heart who wishes good for the ordinary and others too. 

Stonewall is a sworn sentinel appointed among many others to maintain a balance in the world. He has no one he can call his own and that has toughened him up. Stonewall is an epitome of masculinity in the book. He is strong, courageous and respects women. 

There are other characters too in the book. Canderis for example are 'built like Oakes and strong as oxen. These blue eyed warriors are paced about like wild creatures.' 

All the characters are distinct which makes them interesting to read. 

Content 

The book contains parallel scenarios happening in the same realm. These connect with each other in fragments. 

The world is full of magic and ordinary people. Those who possess magic are considered to be dangerous since they have powers yet to be known to normal being. Therefore to maintain a balance in the world they are kept bound in handcuffs which is very closed to being jailed. 

The situation is unacceptable to some of the mages and hence they plan an upheaval. 

Mage halcyon, completely unaware of the upheaval is happy to be sent off to whitewater where she hopes for a cure to her knee.

The story is of the journey of Kali and stonewall. The story is thrilling. The detailing such as the sound of battle etc paints a vivid picture. The slowly developing intimacy in the book is definitely a major highlight of the story. It resurrects your faith in the emotion. The writing keeps you on your toes. The unexpected occurrences wow you. It is 312 pages of shear magic and thrill. 

Language

The language is very simple. The narration is fast paced. The story is a mix of fantasy and regency. 

Good points 

The cover page is beautiful. The characters are powerful. Each one possesses different endearing qualities. The content keeps you on your toes. The narration invites you into another world and makes you stay. 

Bad points 

312 pages seem too less. You are left with wanting to know what happens next. But that is what sequels are for, right? 

Overall 

Overall this is a fast over fantasy novel which will keep you on your toes throughout. 

Who do I recommend this to 

This book is for all those who are new to the genre. This is also for those who like quick thrillers.

Quotable quotes 

Nox bring your spirits safely over the river. Tor guide your steps into the next life. The one keep you in all your days. 

How bleak it must be, to live without such a faith that made his own life vibrant. 

"Freedom," he repeated. "It's worth all the danger, Eris. It's worth everything."

The Girl in the Mirror by Cecelia Ahren

Talking sparrows, whispering woods and endless drama has been the essence of our stories and fables. The charming prince and a conversing mirror still hold a safe place in our hearts. This is the sole reason we crawl back once in a while to the world of fantasy where everything is possible. 

For those who love to once in a while forget the boundaries of possibilities and immerse themselves in stories from dreamland, Cecelia Ahren has compiled two short stories in a book. One of the lesser known works of the author, 'The Girl In The Mirror' is  by no means disappointing. The author has brought together the world of fantasy and realism together and woven two great stories. 

Cover 

Based on the first story by the author, the cover page is a composition of a beautiful mirror and butterflies. The garden themed cover page only looks much more appealing on the hard cover edition that I hold. Though the book is smaller than other books on the shelf, it sits pretty there. 

Characters 

The book is a collection of two short stories. Grellie and Lila are the two main characters of the first story. They share a loving bond. Grellie has a strange phobia. She likes to keep all the mirrors in the house covered with a black sheet. She loves to bake at strange hours and has never left her house after losing her eyes. Lila, like her friends, finds it strange too but she loves her grandma too much to confront her. The two characters are very peculiar. They are unique in their own way. The author is not very descriptive about them since it is a short story. This lightens the burden and makes the characters more interesting. 

The second story is about an old man who has a machine which can make memories. He has melancholy in his mannerisms. He is smart to distinguish between the fakers and the true souls but he is trying to mend his own memory. Another beautiful character invented by the author. 

Content 

The book is a collection of two short stories.

The first story is about a grandma and her daughter. The blind grandma lives atop a hill in a spooky house. She is visited by her granddaughter often. Lila is vary of the strange behaviour too,especially by the covered mirrors in her house. These mirrors cease to bother her till the day she is about to marry the love of her life. The turn of events change her life upside down. This story with not a great ending is going to be embedded in the reader's memory.

The second story is about the old man who possess the memory machine. With this machine he can add memories to a sequence of events. He cannot change them, just add something more to it. He is desperately trying to hold on to a memory from his past and trying to change a tiny bit which means a lot to him. Another story brilliantly written, the author surprises the readers here too. 

Language 

The stories are written in short and simple sentences. The candid relationships between the characters in the two stories is worth appreciating. The fantasy element of the stories is kept intact even though these are happening in recent times. 

Good Points 

The cover page is beautiful. The stories are the ones you would want to tell your children about. The concept is very interesting. The fantasy in the stories breathes life into the books. Floating in the air in a distant land not very different from ours, is how the narration makes one feel. 

Bad Points 

Otherwise a brilliant composition, the book is smaller than other books one may come across. It may have been better to retain the regular size than making it this small. 

Overall

Even though it is a lot different from 'Flawed' which is the first book I read from the author, this one does not disappoint either. 

Who do I recommend this to 

This book is for those who like a little bit of magic in their day to day life.

Quotable Quotes

He is neither a doctor nor a scientist. Some consider him a psychologist, but he is not that either. He is merely a man who has loved, and for that he has acquired a wealth of experience, not just for what he does now and is known around the world for, but for his life.

And he doesn't believe that fate brought him to where he is now either. Now does he believe in fate. Accidents happen. That's just what they are. Accidents.

Because I know how a moment can pass - how you've really wanted to say something to someone or do something, but something happens and you don't, and you almost want to explode afterwards because you didn't do it.

The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen ; translated by Misha Hoekstra

A fair lady in distress, a prince charming and a 'happy ever after' is what most of the fairytales consist of. The debate of whether fairytales are good for kids or not is going on since centuries. There is no right way to tackle this but one issue is settled. Fairytales have been a part of all our childhood. We have come across it in different forms. 

Grandmother sat in the blessed bright sunshine and read aloud from the Bible: "Unless you become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven." 

Young girls are taught that they are to be respected and treated well, where boys are taught to be brave and chivalrous. There is no denying that a certain type of fairytale has been made more popular than the other. Which is where 'The Snow Queen' breaks the stereotype. 

Cover page 

'The Snow Queen' has a beautiful illustrated cover. The copy I am reading is blue in color with decorations around it. It keeps up the glorifies the fantasy inside and complells to buy the physical copy of the book, which is exactly what I am going to do. Another book for my shelf! 

Characters 

The book is about Gerda and Kai. These two kids are friends, more like siblings. Gerda is a smart girl who likes the company of Kai in their garden. Kai likes Gerda as much. Kai is nice to all the people around till a sad thing happens and he is left cold as snow. 

The story revolves around Gerda and her journey to rescue Kai from the snow Queen. The Characterization is quite different from other children's books. Gerda is not the damsel in distress. She on the other hand has taken the entire responsibility of finding Kai and bringing him back with herself. It is quite refreshing to see characters so different from other fairytales. 

Content 

The book is an enjoyable treat for sure and that is the reason it is so famous too. The book has been adapted into a couple of movies but hardly a few seem to know the actual story inside. 

The book is quite different from the other fairytales that most of us have grown up reading about. In this tale there are no perfect extremities. There is nothing black and white, not even the main characters. Gerda is a noble lead character in the book who has set out to find her friend but somehow forgets about him while living with a lady, until reminded by the roses in the garden. While many will argue that she is just a child who was distracted, many will still make a mindful note of it. The book also mentions a bandit girl who tortures animals but still is sweet to the girl she captures. 

Tickling a reindeer with a knife to scare it not funny.

After encountering a set of characters who have mixed shades within themselves, this may not be a perfect book to hand over to children. But of course this is open to debate since there is a huge leeway given to cinderella story where the toes of the step sister was chopped off so she could fit into the glass shoes. 

Language 

The book, besides it's content retains its bit of fantasy. Talking flowers and animals are made real with a help of good writing. The book takes you to the world of Children with its narration. 

Good points 

The illustrations are beautiful. The cover page demands it's place on the shelf. The narration is amusing. Lead characters in the book are quite fascinating. Gerda is probably a fictional character who will be remembered when it comes to fairy tale. 

Bad point

The book is a work of art but it someone dampens the praise when it comes to content inside. The book begins with a promise but it keeps one confused throughout. The joy of enjoying a good story without putting much mind into the duality of characters is lost. 

Overall 

The book's claim to be fit for children needs some rephrasing. It may not be fit for children but it still makes a good story. For those who want to understand the inspiration behind the movie 'Frozen' this book is always waiting. 

I received this book for reviewing. It has not influenced the review at all.