Review: The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had wanted to read this book for a long time ever since I read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" but never gotten around it. Finally I got hold of this and completed it. This is one book which is written straight from the heart. I believe this is one of the most beautiful book ever written and should be up there in the list of greatest books ever written.

This is about a tale of friendship between the rich kid Amir and his servant's son Hassan. They spend most of their time together in Kabul which was beautiful and untouched by war once upon a time. But this friendship is betrayed by one which creates a rift between the two and eventually they have to get separated from one another. Amir and his father has to flee Afghanistan after the Russians capture Afghanistan. This is an extremely emotional heart-rending story of how both lives turn out to be during those tumultuous ensuing years.

People looking for a description of Afghani culture or a history of Taliban or Afghanistan would be disappointed. The author has not delved much into how the Afghanistan has turned into one of the most dangerous spots on the world map. The state of the country in 1990s is described so well that it almost brings tears to the eyes and you wonder how mankind could be so cruel to one another. This is a story of friendship, betrayal, guilt, remorse and redemption narrated beautifully in a prose which almost feels like poetry.

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Review: The Girl in the Ice

The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was one good book with all the right all elements of suspense and thrills. DCI Erika Foster is called upon to investigate a murder of a young rich girl from a politically connected family. What turns out to be a murder suddenly unravels into a sensational series of unsolved crimes and how she has to fight the system and bureaucracy to overcome obstacles in pursuit of the killer.

I liked the character of Erika Foster who comes with her own emotional baggage and troubled past. Her colleagues Moss and Peterson are equally likeable who supports her all the way through.

Good book for thriller lovers who want a fast paced and edgy narrative with a fine ending.



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Review: This Was a Man

This Was a Man by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finally I have completed the last installment of the Clifton Chronicles. This was much better than the previous book in terms of drama and emotions. The piece about how Lady Virginia Fenwick finally pays for her crookedness was lame and the end to her chapter should have been more wicked. Jessica's and Giles' story ended somewhat predictably. However the climax was highly emotional and moving and Archer's hand shone in the speech Giles gave at Harry's memorial service. Truly exceptional. In the entire series, the characters of Harry and Emma shone throughout. The author also subtly promotes his next project "Heads You Win" in this book. The only thing I have wondered was that if the protagonists were millionaires why were they moving around in cabs and trains in London instead of owning a fleet of cars. At places, I felt the characters or the story became a bit childish but overall, Archer's mastery takes precedence.

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Review: Cometh the Hour

Cometh the Hour by Jeffrey Archer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the sixth and the penultimate instalment of Clifton Chronicles. As usual there are twists and turns although i found this book a bit tepid compared to the other books. What i like about Archer is his writing style. It just flows so naturally that the reader is never bored.

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Review: Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan

Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan by Jake Adelstein
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is the author's description of his experiences as a crime reporter in a Japanese daily Yomiuri Shinbun. There is no plot as such. The book is divided into different chapters of the author's various assignments covering the crime beat in Tokyo. the narrative is not too captivating and one may either like it or hate it. The most interesting tidbits were about the workings of the Japanese sex industry and the sleazy nightlife description. Although there was a lot about the yakuza but nothing descriptive. One gets a bit overwhelmed when you read about the human trafficking aspect and the forced induction of women into the sex trade. Otherwise this is a strictly ok read.

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Review: The Cold Moon

The Cold Moon by Jeffery Deaver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My first Jeffery Deaver and I am not disappointed. The book has a wonderful plot with more twists and turns than a roller coaster. When you feel that the climax is near, you realise that only you have read only a third of the book and one-fourth is yet to be read. You find more twists in the plot. To reveal anything more is to give away the plot.

I loved the character of Kathryn Dance the kinesics expert and her interrogation method which delves deep into the psyche of the criminal. Apart from her, only Amelia Sachs' character is well formed. Even Lincoln Rhyme does not seem to contribute much compared to these two ladies.

The feeling you get after reading this is you either love this book or hate it.

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