Shantaram

Shantaram seems to be a book of many discussions lately. I have friends who love it, and I have friends who really hate it. Different opinions about a book is not weird, but the arguments in different discussion just made me very curious about the book. It's brick size, but it doesn't scare me. I like bricks! When they're well written, that is.

Shantaram is written by Gregory David Roberts. He's an ex-prisoner who escaped from prison in Australia, the same as the main character in the novel. Roberts claims the facts of the book is mostly fictional. I think he puts a lot of his experiences in the novel, without having anything to back up that belief. But the way he describes the Indian environment, its people and the unwritten rules among people of different background in India, I think he has to have first hand knowledge. I liked the way the book was written, the language in the book force the story forward and the rich language gives real good feel for the busy street life in Mombai. I've never been there, but by reading about it in Shantaram I can almost smell the different spices, hear all the noices and feel the people yelling, talking, running around.

I love the way Lin, the main character, follows his gut even though the normal way to act is completely different. And I love the way his reactions gives him a completely different experiences than a normal tourist would have gotten. The way Lin just falls in love with the town, the people and the feel of India, falls in love with Karla and how he kind of tries to make up for his past failures which put him in jail. The novel is just catching and it doesn't feel like it was a brick when you're reading it. The story just captures the reader, at least me, and I just couldn't stop reading it. The story isn't easily forgotten, and I have to say the thing that I loved the most, was the friendship between Lin and Prabakan!

I have to say that I recommend this book. So far the best book I've read this year! And I've read some really good novels so far!

Innsirkling

Etter at mange anbefalte meg Innsirkling av Carl Frode Tiller, ga jeg etter for nysgjerrigheten og lånte boka på biblioteket. Boka er skrevet i form av brev og fra tre forskjellige personers synsvinkel. Alle tre personene skal prøve å gi informasjon til hovedpersonen som har mistet hukommelsen. Det interessante er at vi aldri møter hovedpersonen direkte, men kun gjennom de tre andre personenes øyne. Ved at disse tre personene forteller om sine inntrykk om hovedpersonen, får vi også innblikk i disse tre personene. Jeg synes denne måten å skrive en bok på er veldig interessant. Det er morsomt å lese om samme hendelser fra tre forskjellige synsvinkler. Jeg er veldig spent på hvordan bok nummer 2 er, og har allerede satt meg opp på venteliste på biblioteket. Jeg merker at jeg blir nysgjerrig på hovedpersonens syn på diverse hendelser, men etter hva jeg har lest, tror jeg ikke bok 2 gir meg det.

Jeg synes det er spennende hvor mye jeg som leser kan lese inn i personene som skriver og beskriver hovedpersonen. Det er noe med synsvinkler man ikke kan stole helt på.

Lucifers evangelium

Nok en Tom Egeland bok. Må innrømme at jeg fikk veldig sansen for hans måte å skrive krim på. Joda, det ligner litt på måten Dan Brown skriver. Jeg synes bare at Tom Egeland er mindre forutsigbar enn Dan Brown. Lucifers evangelium er spennende, godt skrevet og gir mersmak. Innrømmer at jeg likte Ulvenatt bedre, men jeg kommer nå absolutt til å lese flere bøker av Tom Egeland. Har allerede en liggende på vent!

Lucifers evangelium og måten handlingen bindes sammen i fortid og nåtid, minner meg litt om Kate Mosse, men Egeland gjør det i mindre grad enn Kate Mosse. Jeg har en forkjærlighet til historier som avdekkes parallelt og tvinnes inn i hverandre, og at historien er spennende er ikke negativt.

The Book Thief

I've finally came around to read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It's been in my book collection for about a year, but I started reading it during summer and it's not exactly a light holidayread. I'm glad I gave the book another chance. The idea of having a book with the view of Death is kind of disturbing, but fascinating. The way it's written reminds a bit of the storyteller voice in plays, and I like that. The book jumps back and forth in time to get the story to different people who comes Liezl's way in Himmelstrasse! The book doesn't take to the centre of action during World War II, but to this little street, Himmelstrasse. We get to know German's people struggle to survive during winter, lack of food, clothes and no money! The way Liezl is described and her foster parents, who we don't get much sympathy for at once, but when the story unfolds, they certainly got my sympathy. People in real life are often very complex and not just good or bad. I think Markus Zusak really managed to describe the diversity in people. He gives his characters depth, and that's one thing that drives this book forward, the interesting characters. This is absolutely a book I recommend you to read.

Buying Books

Very soon it's the big annual book sale here in Norway, so it's not the best idea to buy books now, but it's never a bad time to buy books, is there? I got a gift sertificate for Christmas, and instead of waiting for the book sale, I decided to use it now! None of the books I bought are up for sale anyway, and since I've already stated there's no bad time to buy books, I might end up buying books on the sale as well. I guess I need books since my goal for this year is to read 104 books, not that I don't have any books at home or I don't have at least 104 books I haven't read at home. But a home is not a home without books, isn't that right? I guess my home is a real home considering the number of books in my home!