A Walk to Remember (Nicholas Sparks)

I think it was about 6-7 years ago when I first read this book. I picked it up from the school's library bookshelves and finished reading it within a few days time. It was quite an accomplishment back then as I had only started reading English books for not too long. I also remember claiming to have fallen in love with it. And soon, I watched the movie which was made based on it (but I thought it wasn't as nice as the book itself).

But if u ask me - what's so nice about this book? Truth to be told, I wouldn't have been able to answer u. And I can't recall if I have read any other novels by Nicholas Sparks. I think I DID, but I have no memory of the storyline, characters or whatsoever etc That says something, right? (Don't tell me that I am getting older!) Hence, that explains my intention to reread this book to find out what was so special about it and why I loved it so much back then.

Then I spent longer time than I probably did in the past to finish reading this book. And I think I understand why I loved it so much back then. U see.. 6-7 years ago I was still in my teens and I happened to be quite a sucker for sappy romance books. That alone could be the primary reason. Now u might want to ask me - do u enjoy it for the second time? The answer nahhh, is not so much.

I do love the setting though. Beaufort, North Caroline in the 50s.

It was the kind of place where the humidity rose so high in the summer that walking out to get the mail made a person feel as if he needed a shower, and kids walked around barefoot from April through October beneath oak trees draped in Spanish moss. People waved from their cars whenever they saw someone on the street whether they knew him or not, and the air smelled of pine, salt, and sea, a scent unique to the Carolinas.

And I find myself relate more to Landon carter instead of the selfless and religious girl, Jamie Sullivan. Truth to be told, if only I knew one of the main themes is Christian faith, I would have thought twice before reading it. Nevertheless, there are still some scenes of the story I found myself laugh, i.e Landon's dilemma to ask Jamie to the dance.

It was then that I realized something terrible, something absolutely frightening. Carey Dennison, I suddenly realized, was probably doing the exact same thing I was doing right now. He was probably looking through the yearbook, too! He was weird, but he wasn't the kind of guy who liked cleaning up puke, either, and if you'd seen his mother, you'd know that his choice was even worse than mine. What if he asked Jamie first? Jamie wouldn't say no to him, and realistically she was the only option he had. No one besides her would be caught dead with him. Jamie helped everyone-she was one of those equal opportunity saints. She'd probably listen to Carey's squeaky voice, see the goodness radiating from his heart, and accept right off the bat.

Overall, it could make a simple, good (and hopefully not too unmemorable) read but if u are looking for something more unpredictable, then u might be disappointed.

Escape Routes for Beginners (Kira Cochrane)

Despite the negative reviews u can find online, I think this book is brilliant. The main reason is perhaps because of the well-developed characters. And their self-destructive nature which makes it such a darkly comic read.

Maria Caesar came to America with her father to search for prosperity and opportunities. But the reality hit them hard despite the hard work and efforts to assimilate their new culture. To escape the daily cruelties they were facing and the path set up for a Mexican woman, Maria was fascinated with trip to Hollywood and the picture palaces. At the age of fifteen, she was lured to brothel because of the glamour and yearning to the screen.

Clara Jones who was determined to leave the Mexican part of herself - the part that was poor and hurt and vilified behind completely and enter a white-bred world. At one point, she did indeed escape it by marrying to Larry Jones, the malleable son of the rich from Beverly Hills. Her scheme to approach Larry, get him impregnate her then marry her happened as planned out. But years of efforts were wasted as Larry Jones was caught having sex with a convict in the prison he worked at. He had let her down completely and jeopardized their position on Las Focas, the island where they stayed. The hardest for Clara Jones was that the status and respectability she had been trying to claw out would be toiled away for good.

Then there’s Rita Mae, the daughter of Clara Jones who was thirteen whom dreamed to escape to Mainland with her Granmaria and pursue an acting career in Hollywood. She thought she could leave the island with the newfound freedom after the death of both her parents. But what she didn’t know - Maria Caesar who had been ill was finally submitted to some mental institutions because of nervous breakdown. She was left all alone.

Okay, so basically that was what happened to the three dysfunctional generations of women. Each of them suffered a tragic fate. Maria Caesar went crazy in her young age and with the help of her Aunt Consuela, she had raised Clara Jones. Clara Jones, on the other hands, became overbearing and the marriage between her and Larry had never been based on anything but manipulation. She committed suicide in the end for not being to handle the truth and perhaps to escape the consequences. Whereby, Rita Mae was sexually assaulted when she was little. One day, when finally she regained the lost memory, she sadly realized that her parents had not done anything about it. No one had been punished. Her father whom had been fond of her couldn’t even protect her which led her not to help Larry out. This caused him to be shot dead in an attempt attempting to flee the island with his criminal lover.

I honestly don’t know which character I should feel the most sympathetic towards. They equally deserved it, including Larry and Johnny, Rita Mae’s admirer. And I honestly can’t make up my mind as to which character I love the most as they are all equally flawed and sick. The storyline is great, twists after twists and everything was well-described. For example, Clara had decided to trade her daughter’s well-being with the hope to continue her underlying affair with James Wright, whose son had raped Rita Mae. Larry, upon discovering the affair of them after his wife’s death had blackmailed James Wright so that he could get away with his crime even though that meant sacrificing and using her daughter. Everyone was so selfish that it was painfully enjoyable to read it.

Back to the reality, I do know of a very closed friend who comes off so much like Clara Jones. But I think it’s very hypocritical of me to condemn her or anything because it would be like pot calling kettle black because like her, we both believe in certain values just that I have yet and I don’t think I will ever go as far as her.