The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

Amir is the son of an important and wealthy man in Kabul. Hassan is the son of a servant. Despite these differences in status the two were raised together and Hassan worships Amir. Unfortunately Amir's jealousies and desperateness for his fathers approval gets in the way of that friendship and tears them apart. Years later Amir has made a life for himself in America. He is a famous author and he finally got his father's respect and love. The guilt over what he did to Hassan is still there and when he given a chance to redeem himself he takes it. Even though that chance puts him in danger.

When this book was made such a fuss of a few years back I didn't understand it. Not once did it appeal to me. I actually didn't know much about it other than it was supposed to be a moving story of a boy from Afghanistan. To be honest at that time I was devouring light reads and YA novels in particular. Even now when my BF said I should read this I just nodded and moved on to talk about other things. A year or so of nagging and I finally agreed to borrow the book. It still took a few months to pick it up. Especially after she raved about A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry and I honestly can't see her obsession over that book.

The reason I mention this is that I had no actual idea of what the story was really about and when I picked it up I was expecting to dislike it. A few pages in and I was addicted. In fact I think I would have read it in a day had I the opportunity to. I was immediately drawn to the friendship between Amir and Hassan. Particularly because of Hassan's unending loyalty to Amir who quite frankly didn't deserve it. From very early on you are aware that Amir does something to finally betray that friendship. I dreaded that moment. I wanted Hassan's innocence and brotherly love for Amir to remain untarnished. I basically wanted nothing bad to happen to this good natured character. Of course it wouldn't have been much of a book if I had my way.

That's not to say that Amir was an unlikeable character. He himself knew his own faults and narrated his regrets which centred around Hassan. It was difficult not to sympathise with his situation. In the end all he really wanted was for his father who didn't understand him to respect and love him. It took Amir giving up on that dream and losing everything for it to happen. Which is sad in itself.

I have read some mixed reviews on this book. It seems to range from one star to five star ratings with very few in the middle. Those who hate it criticise it for it's portrayal of Afghanistan and it's one sided view of some of the people. Maybe they have a point but that wasn't what the book was about. It was about friendship. It was about a man redeeming himself by standing up to that bully he was to scared to face as a child. The rest is just setting. At least it was for me anyway. Plus I am sure, since the author did spend some of his childhood there, that the customs were accurate and those alone were interesting.

I'm glad my friend persevered in nagging me to read it. I would have missed out on a fantastic book if she hadn't. I can't wait to hand the book over and tell her how much I loved it. I expect surprise as she has assumed that since I didn't like A Fine Balance that I probably wouldn't like this one. It surprised me too. I love it when that happens.

Hospital Babylon - Imogen Edwards-Jones

This book follows the footsteps of one doctors last shift in A&E before the dreaded black Wednesday when he himself will move on to another hospital and student doctors will flood through the doors. He's been there six months so nothing much throws him. He knows the routine, knows the team and knows what to expect. Still you can never really predict what's going to happen during a shift in A&E.

This book is part of a series. The first one was the popular Hotel Babylon which went on to become a television show. I've not read any of those. I did have a friend who loved them and recommended Air Babylon when it was released. As I am not a good flyer at the best of times I avoided it and any conversation where she brought it up. I imagine this one is quite similar though and it's supposed to shock people into the goings on of the NHS. The author is actually more like an editor whilst the doctor, colleagues and patients are kept anonymous.

If you have kept up with my blog posts in the last month or so you will know that I am going into nursing and picked up a whole bunch of books like this to give me a taste. It actually didn't shock me too much. It read more like "Blood, Sweat + Tea" by Tom Reynolds (which I highly recommend). Lots of stories about funny situations. Occasionally there will be one that will make you feel sad. A missing father turning up after two years only to have his son try to dump him on A&E is one example. You could sense the frustration the doctor has when it comes to some aspects of the NHS (much like Reynolds).

Only one part truly shocked me although I had heard stories of it so shouldn't really be that surprised. A man comes in having had a heart attack after taking too much Coke. After they have helped the man one of the other doctors takes the Coke and uses it. The doctor narrating actually considers joining him and the only thing that stops him is the idea of going back home to continue his fight with his girlfriend whilst on the stuff. One consultant is very rarely at work for a similar habit and yet is still paid by the NHS. It's disgusting and yet I've heard vague stories about things like this before. I am sure this is not completely atypical.

Over all I did enjoy the book. I'm not sure I learned anything from it as I did from The Nurse Nurse book. I didn't really expect to since it was from the point of view of a doctor. The good thing about it is that it in no way glamorises working in A&E. I am pretty sure that whilst I would maybe like to spend some time working there it's not where I would want to spend my entire career. I'm not sure I would read any of the others in the series either. None of them interest me quite as much.

The Railway Children - E. Nesbit

Roberta, Peter and Phyllis are happy in their home with everything they need and loving parents. They don't realise just how lucky they are when thing change. Two men visit their father and he disappears. Then they have to leave their lovely home to a small house in the country. They make the best of things however and are soon friends with all the locals. They have many adventures which include becoming heroes. The only thing that's missing is their father.

I hold my hand up and admit that I love the BBC film version and have done since I was little. I watched it every Christmas and I don't mind admitting that the end brings a wee tear to my eye even now. A few years back a friend of mine (the devourer of all children's books) was horrified to discover that I hadn't read it. As we were book shopping for our holiday at the time she forced me (almost broke my arm) to buy it there and then. It has since collected dust on my pile. As it's been a while since I have read a children's book and I needed something light after Anna Karenina I decided to pick it up. This was the perfect book for my mood.

If you are looking for an uplifting read then this is it. Despite the upset of the children's father leaving it's an cheery read. Every chapter reveals a good ending to a great adventure or a good dead. Mr Perks, the station porter, is a firm favourite of the children as he is their first friend in the country. He quickly became a favourite of mine too (helped along by the image of Bernard Cribbons who played the character in the film). Even the crotchety neighbours couldn't help but fall in love with these children with hearts of gold. That's not to say that they were irritatingly good. They squabbled and had their faults.

There are points in it that are a little annoying such as the Doctors view of the differences between men and women (women are weaker and softer so they don't hurt their babies). But since it was published in 1905 I took those minor faults with a pinch of salt. In the end it's a genuinely sweet story. I confess that I had to give up reading it in public today and finish it at home. I felt myself welling up as I got to the end and knew what was about to happen. My only regret is that I didn't read this as a child. I know if I had it would have been up there with The Secret Garden and Little Women as a favourite.

Anna Karenina

Anna Karenina is beautiful, wealthy, a mother to a son she adores, well loved and married to a man high in society and moving higher. She believes herself happy with these things. That is until she visits her brother in order to reconcile him and his wife. There she meets Count Vronsky and as much as she tries to prevent it she falls in love. From then on caution is thrown to the wind and she becomes the talk of society. She willingly loses everything just for him.

Not really what I was expecting at all. I was expecting a big torrid love affair. Okay, so there was some of that but the book isn't just about Karenina and the scandal she causes. Sure it's a big part of it but there are other characters in there who had just as large of a story to tell. I liked the story of Anna and Vronsky. Although I have to say I felt very little sympathy for them. He came across as selfish and spoiled wanting a new toy only to discard it when he grew bored. Eventually though he grows up and actually becomes a more likeable character for it. Anna begins as likeable and slowly throws that away. She becomes jealous and irrational and despite how much she loves her son she still leaves him behind.

The two character I really loved were part of the secondary storyline. I loved Kitty and Levin. I have always said that I don't have a romantic bone in my body but I couldn't help but want the best for these characters. I wanted their romance to spark and for them to be happy. Sure, Levin was a little irritating, moody and self involved at times but that didn't stop me from liking him. I also loved Anna's sister in law, Dolly, who is a suffering wife but clearly dotes on her children.

If none of these things appeal to you then there is the political aspect. It portrayed the Russian elite as spoiled, frivolous and at times work shy. Through Levin and a few other characters it gave a sounding board to some of the political changes that were beginning to take place in Russia then. That alone was interesting. I always seemed to concentrate on Russian history whilst at University which is why I found it so fascinating.

So many different facets to this wonderful book it would need more than one post to cover it all. I think that most people would get something from it. It's not just a tragic love story. Needless to say that this is now one of my favourite classics. I definitely recommend it. I will say though that if you aren't used to Russian literature (which I'm not) the names can be confusing. Stick with it though as you do get used to it.

If you are wondering about this lovely cover it's part of the Penguin red classics series. Not only do you get a pretty book but 50% of the profits from this book goes to the Global Fund to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. I don't work for penguin, honest.

Top Ten Tuesday - Rebels in Literature

TTT is a book meme over at The Broke and the Bookish. This weeks list is of characters or authors who have stood up for what they believe in no matter what.

I was originally going to do a post featuring authors or books that have been banned. However, going through lists of these I have read surprisingly few. So instead I have decided to go to one of my favourite types of book which are filled with rebels. In any dystopian book there is usually one character who rebels against the regime and so this post is for them.

1. Offred - The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. She remembers a time when she was free and had her own family. She rebels against the regime in order to get information about her daughter and to be allowed to read. Despite knowing what could happen to her if she is discovered. This book was listed as being banned because of some of its sexual content.

2. Winston Smith - 1984 by George Orwell. Winston is responsible for Big Brother's propaganda and yet he rebels against it. Another banned book. It was banned in Russia as Stalin believed that it was a book about his regime.

3. Bernard - Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Bernard always new he was different from the other Alpha's and so became vocal about the things he spotted in this so called perfect society. I believe that this book was banned for promoting promiscuity (it doesn't promote it but that was the belief when it was banned).

4 I330 - We by Yevgeny Zamyatin. She is a member of a rebellious movement who want to up-rise against the one state. She revels in the old ways.

5. Guy Montag - Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradburry. Guy is a fireman who is responsible for burning books. Eventually he becomes uncomfortable with this and even reads a book himself.

6. David - The Chrysalids by John Wyndham. David is a telepath who lives in a society where anyone deemed abnormal are destroyed. He has to hide who he is but also try to discover more about himself and others like him. This is one of my favourite Wyndham novels.

7. Seph and Callum - Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman. Seph and Callum have been friends from a young age and fall in love. The problem is she is black and the daughter of a renound politician. He is white and therefore a member of the serving class. I loved this series.

8. Eddie Russett - Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde. Society has taught Eddie that he should live according to his perception of colour. He falls in love with a grey though and decides to fight against his society.

9.Tally - Uglies Scott Westerfeld. Tally has always wanted to be pretty. It never occurred to her to become anything else. However, when she is faced with a choice of betraying her new friends or getting her dreams she goes with her friends and breaks away from her society.

10. Evey Hammond - V for Vendetta by Alan Moore. Evey is rescued by V and through him she learns that her world is far from perfect. Instead of accepting that she learns that it's better to fight against it.

Lullaby Town - Robert Crais

Private Investigator Elvis Cole has been hired by the famous director, Peter Alan Nelson, to find his ex wife and son. Peter hasn't seen his ex wife in over ten years after leaving them and now wants to be part of his sons life. Elvis believes it to be a simple case of finding her and passing on that information. However, Karen Shipley has now changed her name and built a life for herself. A life she is reluctant to give up. The problem is she has a secret and Elvis finds himself stuck in the middle of it.

This is the first of this months books for the books I should have read by now challenge. It was one of those books I picked up cheap when I decided to be more open minded about crime books. Although had I realised it was the third book in a series I probably wouldn't have done so at the time. That being said not once did I feel that I needed to have read the others to follow the story. It's one of those books that where the main characters is the same the story itself is different. There might have been a few hints to previous books but I just put it down as background information on Cole and moved on with the book.

I did like it. I decided to read it as a break from Anna Karenina and Shantaram. I am loving both of those books but they are both very series and I needed something light. This was perfect. Other than John Connolly I haven't read many crime books where the main character is a PI so I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it. Cole though is a likeable character. He is tough but has a soft side which you see when he decides to help out Karen. You don't actually learn too much about him at all. I wonder if that happens in the first book. If so it's refreshing that later books in the series don't regurgitate it all as some serial books are prone to do.

My favourite character though is his enigmatic partner, Pike. He actually reminds me a lot of Ranger from the Stephanie Plum series back in the early days. I'm talking the first few books when he doesn't say much and really doesn't need to. Pike has that quality about him with just a twitch of the mouth to show his humour.

The story itself was good. I wasn't expecting the ex wife to have the problems she had which turned into the main story line (I won't say for fear of spoiling it). In the first few pages I thought the first character narrative was going to be irritating. It seemed like the author felt the need to use it to tell every single movement of the main character (which can be a downside to first person). I did think that it was going to put me off so much that I wouldn't continue but it settled down. I also was not impressed by the Hollywood aspect. I've never really been enticed by stories like that but that turned out to be a minor part of the book.

As I said I did like it and I would probably read more. I think if I was going on holiday I would happily pack a couple of these into my bag. Having said that I don't think I would feel the need to read every single book in the series. It's not one I would feel loyal to.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading!

It's Monday is a book meme by Sheila over at Book Journey. We share what we have read and what we plan to read next.

Last week I read;

When God Was A Rabbit - Sarah Winman. Bit of a slow week as this was the only book I finished. I loved it though. Another favourite for this year.

I am now reading;
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. I just finished reading the chapters for week 6. Still enjoying it but there are a couple of things that are beginning to annoy me. Not enough to take away the enjoyment of the book. First few chapters for this week were quite horrific.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I started this early last week and I thought I would have finished by now. Not that I am complaining as I am very much enjoying it. Not entirely what I expected but that's a good thing.

Next I plan to read;
Lullaby Town by Robert Crais. This is a book I picked up a few years ago and so I am reading it for my books I should have read by now challenge. Looking forward to it. Think it will be a nice change from all the other books I've been reading lately.

What have you been reading?