I really enjoyed this book. Its set in the Chinese city of Nanjing, it tells of three sisters who come to the city to earn money and escape the life tI really enjoyed this book. Its set in the Chinese city of Nanjing, it tells of three sisters who come to the city to earn money and escape the life that has been set for them as girls in rural China.
The basis of the story is the saying that a daughter is like a chopstick and a son is like roof beams as only the son can support the house. It shows of how the three girls strive to gain face for teir family in their own ways and with their different capabilities.
It's interesting to see the naitivity the girls and their family have from being in an isolated village with a villagers knowledge and experience against those who are more "worldly" in the city.
I was plesently surprised by this book. I know little about this time of French history and now want to figure out which was fact and which was fictioI was plesently surprised by this book. I know little about this time of French history and now want to figure out which was fact and which was fiction (as often is the case with historical fiction!).
It's told in a diary form by Marie from when she is a child in Austria to when she is beheaded as Queen of France.
I don't know if the aim was to give Marie Antinette a more human/sympathetic character or if this is how she actually was, becuase the book did this very well.
A side note is though it gives you a look at the rich by inheritance vs. the poor, which although was the reason for many of these revolutions, it is still prevelant today....more
This book was up and down for me. I struggle with the thought that it is on par with The Great Gatsby (which I loved).
It splits into three sections anThis book was up and down for me. I struggle with the thought that it is on par with The Great Gatsby (which I loved).
It splits into three sections and I was quite wrapped for most of the first section, Frank then drove me mad and it was ok for part two. Part three I really liked it again, except for Frank.
I haven't seen the movie, and maybe that was part of the difficulty, I couldn't understand how it could be a movie......more
Just average chick-lit. The main message of the story is typical, don't look back only look forward. It was depressing at points but yet you never felJust average chick-lit. The main message of the story is typical, don't look back only look forward. It was depressing at points but yet you never felt sorry for the women....more
Loved this as an audio � not sure I would have liked it so much as a book. Why did I like the audio? The Scottish accent � it gets me every time!
The rLoved this as an audio � not sure I would have liked it so much as a book. Why did I like the audio? The Scottish accent � it gets me every time!
The reason this got a 3 instead of the 4 I was so sure I would be giving it was the ending, it just stopped, you had some of your questions answered but the ending just left it so open, too many but what’s...
Its a coming of age type story of growing up as part of an outcast story in an old mining town in Scotland, where the mine is “dry� and therefore there isn’t much work. It follows a boy (in the majority of the book) and his mother when she was young (for the first part) living in this closed community.
Each time you were hit with a piece of information that you hadn’t seen coming, a new twist would emerge and all your preconceptions and ideas about the characters were changed. It’s not till you get close to the end when it brings it all together and a level of the true story comes out.
The book got me thinking on how we make judgements and assumptions of people, their lives and their circumstances while we never really ever know what the truth is or why they act in a certain way. Even those whom themselves have been subjected to rumours and isolation still judge others at face value and put themselves as a higher rank above.
I do recommend this, in particular as an audio book but just don’t have too high expectations of how it ends � for me that part didn’t meet the quality of the rest of the book. ...more
Just a strange book...I don't really have many more works to describe it, just strange.Just a strange book...I don't really have many more works to describe it, just strange....more
Ok read, nothing outstanding but still ok British chick-lit. It's the story of a group of British women, their book club and their lives. Each month'sOk read, nothing outstanding but still ok British chick-lit. It's the story of a group of British women, their book club and their lives. Each month's book was briefly discussed and this flowed into what was occuring in the group members lives.
It struck me how we can be in our 30s and 40s and the same issues we had as teenagers still plague us as adults (in some cases just with deeper concequences)....more
In a nut shell? Howard was a brat. Lou was the evil stepmother. Howards father would do anything for his wife Lou, even though that included having a In a nut shell? Howard was a brat. Lou was the evil stepmother. Howards father would do anything for his wife Lou, even though that included having a labotomy on his son.
The most interesting part was going through the old medical record notes. But it read like a child had written it (perhaps a side effect of a labotomy, but something they sort of skim over). It would have been more interesting if there was some interaction with what the effects of a labotomy actually are....more
Loved this book, but it took a while to get in to. The first 20 pages made me think that I was missing something after all the rave reviews i have heaLoved this book, but it took a while to get in to. The first 20 pages made me think that I was missing something after all the rave reviews i have heard, it just wasn't drawing me in, but then something changed and I was hooked.
It's a beautiful story which covers all the basics, set in a part of history where the worst of human nature and the best of human nature were displayed. The last 100 pages need a "not suitable to read in public" warning on it as there some really heart renching moments.
The short stops during the chapters never really became something I liked, I found it distracting at times, however on other occasions it did give me a second to reflect on that component in a deeper way.
The use of death as the narrator, while yes has been done before, I found in this context refreshing, as humans we tend to fear death so much but the thought that this is the "thing" that moves us from life to death was a fact that made me smile....more
Although this was set in some exotic locations, in a more "exotic" time. I found it repetitive, boring and sexist (as was pointed out to me - I can't Although this was set in some exotic locations, in a more "exotic" time. I found it repetitive, boring and sexist (as was pointed out to me - I can't believe I missed it).
Follow your dreams, blah, blah, blah. Listen to your heart, blah, blah, blah. Follow your destiny, blah, blah, blah. And the sexist part? Women of the desert are use to waiting and will wait for you to follow your dreams, becuase they are only women and their destiny is to wait for you to meet your's. Reading than maybe I should have given it a 1.....but that's right it did have some exotic settings....more
This book looks at the attacks from the point of view of those inside the two towers and their fight for survival. It also covers the technical aspectThis book looks at the attacks from the point of view of those inside the two towers and their fight for survival. It also covers the technical aspects of the building structure, the codes that that they were built to and some of the communication issues that hindered the rescue process. It made me think, what would I have done in the same situation? Do I really know the evacuation process and routes in the buildings I work in? What would I need to be able to do to help a co-worker with a disability?
For those who say there is too much finger pointing � if we don’t learn from the areas which failed or the inadequacies in the building code how can we ever move forward and limit the impact if something like this ever happens again. Those who died deserve better from us.
The most emotional part is the last chapter - obviously becuase we know the ending and we can put two and two together on what happened to those who hadn't made it down by a certain point. But I honestly don't think this book was as emotionally charged as others I have read. Horrible things happen to innocent people all around the world, this wasn't an isolate occurance. For me the book kept it's emotional disatance because I don't think it ever points out that someone was dead or about to die - you weren't given such an intimate look, which suited the style and purpose of the book.
There are some extraordinary stories of what others did to help people they didn’t even know escape inside the building (in some cases losing their own lives in the process), would I be that willing? Or would I be so blinded by fear that I couldn’t move? (A reasonable response if you ask me).
Yes, the deaths would have never occurred if the terrorists had never run into the buildings, but how many lives could have been saved by better communication with emergency personal, improved safety procedures and accurate structural codes? The real question is however how many of these lessons have been implemented to protect other high rise buildings built to the same code? How many of us have thought about what information we should be finding out and becoming familiar with so we could cope better in an emergency? What have we learnt as individuals from this without ourselves being impacted in such a horrible way as the survivors, rescue teams and families of those in the world trade centres?
A good read if you weren’t personally affected by the terrorist attacks and if you want to become more aware of what can happen inside a building when emergencies occur. ...more
This book had been on my TBR list since it was first published and I saw it in Borders, but the main drive to read it came after Slumdog Millionaire wThis book had been on my TBR list since it was first published and I saw it in Borders, but the main drive to read it came after Slumdog Millionaire was released and everyone raved about (I try to read the book first - the movies tend to be dissapointing in comparrison).
I loved this book. The idea for the story, the blending of fact with fiction, the whole chapter with the Australian family, the characters that were involved at each chapter.
The thing I didn't like was how it hoped around so much, yes I know that's how it was structured and it probably did add to the story telling componenet, but I found myself getting lost at points in terms of "ok, so what had happened before? was this after...?".
I highly recommend it. Now I can watch the movie....more
I really enjoyed this book. I have read a few books set in China and always seem to enjoy them and the culture that is permiated through these books. I really enjoyed this book. I have read a few books set in China and always seem to enjoy them and the culture that is permiated through these books. I am not sure why it therefore took me a while to getting around to reading something of Lisa See's. The feet binding component of this book made my stomach churn, it's one of the things that the communist outlawed when they took rule in China (becuase it was a society thing, not becuase it was a horrible practice) and it would be interesting to know if footbinding still occurs within Chinese society. The story of the sworn sister or laotongs gave an interesting outlook to the lives and relationships of two women Lilly and Snow Flower. The end component based around Snow Flower is what put me off from giving this a 5, even from the hardships she endured to me she still came across as a whiny, spoilt brat and I am almost sure the author did not have that in mind. I much prefered the character of Lilly....more
While this wasn't really what I expected (helps if you read the back of the book instead of just going off the title!), it was an ok read. It was niceWhile this wasn't really what I expected (helps if you read the back of the book instead of just going off the title!), it was an ok read. It was nice to see/listen to the perspective of a 59 year old going on 60 and her journal type entries of what's going on in her life and those around her....more
Not as gripping as First they killed my father, but obviusly not as horrifying subject mater.
The story tells of Loungs struggles as a Cambodian growinNot as gripping as First they killed my father, but obviusly not as horrifying subject mater.
The story tells of Loungs struggles as a Cambodian growing up in American, where the language and culture is different, but the nightmares of her past do not go away. Loung alos interweaves the story with that of her sister Chou, who stayed behind in Cambodia.
It starts off a bit slow but comes to quite a powerful finish when Loung is able to put her demons to rest.
You could read this without having read Loung's first book, but I recommend First they killed my father, a part of history we generally know so little about, but that we should all have some knowledge of....more
After reading the prelude and the introduction (neither by the author) I was ready to put the book down and never pick it up again. The reason? They wAfter reading the prelude and the introduction (neither by the author) I was ready to put the book down and never pick it up again. The reason? They were extremely biased, full of propaganda and based purly on the writers (of that component of the book - not the actual author of the book)feelings on what was going on at the time in Sarajevo. I guess from my perspective I should have kept in mind that Sarajevo was still under seige and the conflict/s in Bosnia hadn't ended when the book was published and first printed.
It did improve when the actual authors writing started. As you moved through the days and his "journal" which was published at the time in a Croatian paper (and later in other world papers), you could almost see him moving through the stages of grief, at the end he was almost at total acceptance of that was how things were going to be (Sarajevo under continuous seige). The best point the author made after the prelude and introduction was state that in Sarajevo, those defending the city from within were made up of all those races and religions that called Sarajevo home (including Serbs of Orthodox faith which the introduction places under the "all serbs are bad" mentality). I think that the multiculturalism within the city is one of the reasons it remains so today (it is a beautiful place if you ever get the chance to go) and the reson so many people stayed behind.
Overall it did not do much to improve my knowledge of the conflict and how it was like to live in Sarajevo during the conflict and for that reason would not recommend it. If you are looking at a historical "non-biased" book to read try The Death of Yugoslavia instead and go and experience the city for yourself if you can. ...more
Finished this very quickly. I gave it a 4 purely for that reason, that you just couldn't put it down, Jay Asher definately has a way with words! But tFinished this very quickly. I gave it a 4 purely for that reason, that you just couldn't put it down, Jay Asher definately has a way with words! But the context behind the story bothered me a bit. Yes, I like the point that everything thing you say, do, feel, think etc. has an impact on someone else and their life, but Hannah just wanted someone to blame, and life is not much different as an adult (life experience hopefully makes it easier to deal with the gossip, the dissappointments, the assults). I am not sure that for me personally reading this book as a teenager would have been a good thing, maybe there would be a better way to tell a story of every action has a reaction/concequence, just some are much more serious than others....more
For me, reading this book was painful. I don't know if it's because so many others in my business had said it was a great book, or becuase I just didnFor me, reading this book was painful. I don't know if it's because so many others in my business had said it was a great book, or becuase I just didn't like it. There was one female character that you might say was in a position of power and the boss in this book allocated her the task of organising the fashion show for the new work uniforms and organising the end of order party, while the men problem solved, made decisions and used their brains to better the business. For a book written in 2003 I had big problems with this part of the story.
It learnt very little that could be used in the business world, although I did learn little snippets here and there about tribes in history or business in history which were the small seconds of light in this book.
I'm still trying to figure out why so many people I work with "love" this book....more
Not what I was expecting and definately didn't match any of the comments on the back. It's am era where affairs are the norm in high society, but onlyNot what I was expecting and definately didn't match any of the comments on the back. It's am era where affairs are the norm in high society, but only married women can be labelled adulterers, where divorce happened for a select few but the outcomes were varried.
Loading...
