The Night Circus

The circus arrives without warning.

No announcements precede it, no paper notices on downtown posts and billboards, no mentions or advertisements in local newspapers. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not.

                                                                 Opens at Nightfall
                                                                 Closes at Dawn

Le Cirque des Reves

A night circus whirls out of nowhere…travelling across cities and continents without a moment’s notice. A circus so magical, enchanting that it closes around you, tugging at your wildest dreams and imaginations while tempting you to try out the daring and unimaginable exhibits on display… Illusionists pulling off tricks that you could only watch open-mouthed with wonder, contortionists performing the most inexplicable feats, mazes with an unexpected doorways and bridges and bottles that capture the very essence of memories…they are all there for you to visit and visit again. Wanna visit it again? Ask the Reveurs, for they may be the only ones to know where it may appear next.

Such is Le Cirque des Reves, a mystery and an enigma to both the participants and the Reveurs. It is but a secret venue for a duel between 2 illusionists- Marco and Celia, apprentices to the greatest magicians unknown to mankind. As each tries to surpass the other in their feats of illusion, little do they know that it is a duel unto death.

This lovely piece of historical fiction is set in between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The story which begins on an ominous note flies swiftly and silently between the past and the present sprinkling abundant notes of enchantments, history with an overall aura of melacholy to the readers. If you don’t pay attention to the dates and years, you will find yourself lost trying to remember the year that you are in. The characters exist somewhere between the conscious and subconscious figments of your imagination…they are present one minute and disappear the next. The only constant is the circus and its monochromatic beauty and the colorful secrets hidden within its massive tents. Every page is a delight to read as the story swings back and forth like a pendulum and your heart simply races to figure out Marco and Celia’s fates…are they doomed or do they find their happy ending?

Erin Morgenstern doesn’t waste time giving an elaborate backdrop to her characters…they just exist. I got the sense that the story was about a circus with the duel and the illusionists laid in as an afterthought…the tiny threads that hold the web together tightly. Despite this flaw, I enjoyed reading the book right from the cover page and that my dear readers is the power of a good story. So if you are looking for some fantastic and magical story that is grounded to reality just a bit then be sure to pick this book!

And if you’d like to take a more interactive approach to your reading then check out this website – http://www.nightcircus.co.uk/signup

The Rose Garden

I’m quite not sure how I picked on Susanna Kearsley’s books but in any case was instantly drawn to her stories. Part history, part mystery, part sci-fi involving time travel, The Rose Garden does away with the boundaries of traditional story-telling.

It is a cold November when Eva loses her sister Katrina, the last living member of her family. When the time comes to scatter Katrina’s ashes, Eva chooses to travel to Trelowarth, Cornwall to return her sister to the place she belongs.The first chapter begins on this sad note with a lyrical description of Eva’s memories of her and Katrina’s childhood. By 2nd chapter, readers are well acquainted with Eva’s history. Eva is warmly welcomed by the Hallets into their draughty crumbling manor, the Trelowarth House.

As Eva starts to settle in and reacquaint herself with her old friends, she stumbles upon an ancient portal which transports her into the 18th century England and into the arms of Daniel Butler, a sea captain and supporter of the Jacobite revolution. Eva’s confusion and her belief that she is hallucinating is soon dissipated and she is left with a sense of impatience at her inability to control her timing of travel and an eagerness to be with Sea Captain. Eva begins to question her connection with the past and the present, and when the time comes to decide whether to return to the past or stay in the present, what does Eva choose?

Woven into this beautiful romance is an account of the Jacobites rising, as told by the Butler brothers – Daniel and Jack. The encounters with the Butler brothers serves to fuel Eva’s research into Trelowarth’s past as she uncovers forgotten records that also provide her with an insight into the outcome. I couldn’t warm up to the principal character much as I tried as I couldn’t agree with her line of thought, the choices that she made…for constantly thinking of a dismal past. Although Ms. Kearsley introduces a dashing hero in the later chapters, I strongly believed that this book was about Eva and of her choices.

My favorite characters though are really the supporting cast – Fergal and Claire. Both exhibit a sense of independence, a fierce loyalty to those they’ve come to love and a sense of comradeship to Eva serving as her guides in the past and the present. They don’t question a lot but when in need of an advice, you’d know they’d be there for Eva. The story setting was enchanting, the plot with its sense of surrealism drew me to Susanna Kearsley‘s writing style so much so that I immediately requested for “The Winter Sea” from NPL. And that had an altogether different tale to tell. So if you happen to stumble upon this book at a store or in your local library, be sure to pick up a copy and do drop me a note on your reading experience! You can also find details and photographs of actual locations that inspired this story on the author’s website.

Like Water for Chocolate

Source - Wikipedia

“Now where have I seen this story before?” was my first thought on reaching page 3 of the book. And then I recalled that this story was aired as a TV series on Zee Network a long time ago and was one of my favorites!

Like Water for Chocolate could be a story of 3 sisters but it is not. This unique story revolves around a Mexican girl Josefita or Tita De La Garza and of her struggle to reclaim her love and independence from her over-bearing mother Elena. The youngest of Elena’s 3 daughters, Tita is literally shown the cold shoulder by her mother since childhood and ever since she can remember, her only companion has been Nacha. Tita is made aware of her terrible fate when Elena forces Pedro to marry Rosaura instead of Tita and watches smugly as Tita suffers through the humiliation. This is but the beginning of Tita’s struggle to survive her mother, her quest to reclaim her love and happiness. However, Tita doesn’t suffer alone as her emotions affect her family and friends through her cooking..for Tita is lauded as the best cook in her community.

Written as a “Novel in Monthly Installments with Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies”, each chapter begins with a lovely traditional Mexican recipe which gradually transitions into the actual story continued from the previous installment. These installments also include a recipe for every ailment that ails the human heart and mind.

The story is anything but happy from the beginning. As you follow Tita’s tale, you can’t but help sympathize with Tita yet get annoyed at her for not rebelling hard to win her rights. Tita is described as being born in a flood of tears, resultant of Elena chopping onions. You can easily note the way Elena seems to shower more affection on Rosaura and Gertrudis while distancing herself from Tita, more so because Tita’s father died after her birth leaving Elena to cope with the family and the ranch. Also, Elena’s background and her inability to control her life is seen through her domination over her daughters perhaps with the exception of Gertrudis who seems to have created a soft spot for herself inside her mother’s heart. Gertrudis is one of the minor characters of the plot but her role brings hope to Tita…the hope and courage to break away from Elena’s shackles as does Dr. John and his brief role in Tita’s life.

Another unique theme, something I haven’t come across in other books is the family tradition wherein the youngest daughter has to care for her parents until their death and must remain unmarried to do so. I’ve heard of this tradition being followed by some families in Goa but not elsewhere. Elena revokes this tradition and when Tita tries to question the authenticity of this tradition, she is punished severely for her impudence. Rosaura’s attempts to invoke this tradition in the case of her only daughter though is thwarted. As for title, I’ll leave it to you to figure out as did the author Laura Esquirel.

On the whole though, this book is worth a read owing to its unique story, the setting and the characters…not to mention the wonderful recipes to try out!

Camille or The Lady of the Camellias

Camille was first published in 1848 and later converted to plays which have gained popularity over the novel. The novel’s well-written introduction proves to be a valuable guide and sets context on the contents and timeline of this novel. The author Alexander Dumas fils makes references to the tale of Manon Lescaut and Chevalier Des Greiux highlighting the contrasts between the characters and lifestyles of the 2 courtesans as well as their lovers.

Narrated by an unknown person, the novel begins with the death of Marguerite and the auctioning of her personal possessions by her creditors.  It is followed by the arrival of Armand Duval in Paris, and the narrator goes on to describe Duval’s efforts to exhume and re-bury Marguerite all of which adds a macabre twist to the story. Afterwards the chapters are narrated by Armand as he divulges his past to the unknown narrator and the story goes thus -

Marguerite is a well known courtesan in Paris and is, both admired and feared by men and women alike. Dumas attributes this to Marguerite’s strong yet sensitive spirit which akin to the delicacy of the Camellias creates an alluring persona. And Armand like many others before him falls hopelessly in love with Marguerite.

Dumas depicts Marguarite in a favorable light comparing her persona and presence to the light and delicate nature of the camellias yet she is shown to possess a strong spirit that is pure…untainted by her profession. And just as the camellias wither in a day, so is Marguerite’s death depicted…a result of her enduring suffering from tuberculosis. And in a bid to pacify the astonished audience and to leave no doubt of his disapproval of a Courtesan’s life, Dumas smartly attributes Marguerite’s suffering to God’s will…the final judgement perhaps.  The novel when taken without this allegory is a beauty in itself but takes on a heavy note once you start to ponder. The only exception to Armand’s character is that unlike the others before him, he proves his unwavering love by admitting his shortcomings freely and tracing Marguarite’s last moments until the very end.

Camille is also notable for its brilliantly detailed depiction of the parisian life and the world of courtesans during the 19th century in France. The book by itself is quite descriptive but it may also help to read it with the aid of a guide. Camille is definitely well worth the read and an addition to the personal collection!

Peony

Peony is a very nice name for a flower or a person.  The Imperial reign in China fostered the buying of bond-maids/men, often children sold by their parents or kidnapped from remote villages. These children end up in a confused state often loving their masters/mistresses who inturn may or may not care for them.

Thus begins Peony’s life… as a bondmaid in the House of Ezra ben Israel, a wealthy merchant of Chinese-Jewish origin. Peony is treated better than a servant as a member of household but less than a daughter. Loving her master David is forbidden by tradition and marriage to him is next to impossible. When the mistress of the house brings a Jewish girl Leah into the household to win David’s heart, Peony gambles with fate and tries to foster an alliance between David and Kueilan, the daughter of Kung Chen, Ezra’s trade partner. The course of events that follow change Peony’s destiny all-together.

I’ve been recommeded Pearl S. Buck’s ”The Good Earth” book by several people but when I visited NPL, this forlorn hard copy begged for attention. And it was worth reading every page of this book.  The book depicts a very vivid and beautiful picture of the Imperial China, on the verge of shifting from the old to the new age.

Coming to character analysis – Unlike the character of old Wang Ma who was a bondmaid before her, Peony is very perceptive of her surroundings including her masters and mistresses’ thoughts. She absorbs the essence of human emotions filtering them to read the often unspoken words. Thus, she efficiently averts a disaster and manages to remain a confidante for David and Kueilan who often take her for granted.

David with his complex Chinese and Jewish ancestry is often torn between his duty towards his Jewish mother and her ideologies vs. his idea of leading a peaceful and prosperous life in China. This theme recurs in different sections of the story in the form of his attraction and wariness towards Leah, his confused feelings for Peony and well his parents in general as they represent both nationalities. These sentiments often echo through the thoughts of Ezra and the rest of the household. Kueilan plays the ditzy rich heiress who thinks of nothing but her own comforts but does do things to please her husband. And to explore more there are many more characters in the book who each have a story to tell.

I personally feel that this is one of the best books written by Pearl S. Buck and may be better than “The Good Earth” although I haven’t read it yet.