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Saturday 25 July 2015

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

My Review: 3/5

Seriously, am I the only one who didn't understand a meaning of this book? or I would say meaning in Number 42? Obviously it's fictional but it was just one of those times when you feel really really uncomfortable after finishing a book.

As much as I enjoyed reading this book, I couldn't make myself to give 5/5 because I somehow had a great expectation from it. Everyone was like 'have you read that book? It explains that answer to everything in the universe and meaning of life is 42', 'It says everything is related to number 42', 'Yes, 42', 'The answer is 42'. The way everyone was talking about it, I thought there will be some philosophical thing that will eventually lead to number 42. Well, if I have to review according to those comments, I would give may be 1 but I have to give credit to this book for being extremely humorous and enjoyable.

“The Answer to the Great Question... Of Life, the Universe and Everything... Is... Forty-two,' said Deep Thought supercomputer, who took 7 and half millions years to calculate the number.

The mystery of number 42 is cleared by an author himself-
"The answer to this is very simple. It was a joke. It had to be a number, an ordinary, smallish number, and I chose that one. Binary representations, base 13, Tibetan monks are all complete nonsense. I sat on my desk, stared in to the garden and thought 42 will do. I typed it out. End of story."- Douglas Adam.

Again, Yes! its a science fiction that is really easy to understand and yes, great sense of humor in the dialogues to make you stick to the book throughout but seriously guys, what is so hype about number 42?  

Tuesday 21 July 2015

Fear of Falling by S.L. Jennings

My Review: 4/5

Let's remember this quote:  'You can make children believe whatever you want, and the children of today are the soldiers and mothers of tomorrow'. For any child, parents are the first teachers and their home is the first school. The way they are treated at home and the things they learn will affect their whole life. 

Kami had a horrible childhood. She grew up being tortured by her father and seeing her mother being tortured too. As she grew up, she lives her life literally running away from everything. Her confidence and happiness was killed by a very man who was supposed to protect her forever. She is scared all the time. She has lost her hope forever until she meets Blaine. 

Blaine is a kind of guy every girl dreams of dating. To make it easier to understand, he is a prince from the fairytale stories. If I have to explain him in three words, it would be- a dream boy.

'''I believed him. Within my fractured, tattered soul, I knew it was ok to fall for Blaine. He would catch me, he always had. So I looked into those deep, chocolate eyes and surrendered the fear I carried around with me like a coat of armor, protecting the secrets that had been festering inside. I was afraid to love Blaine--dreadfully so. But I knew, undoubtedly, that he was the only one worth the risk.'''

Here, this book made me wonder again, where do guys like him exist? where? which part of the world? which country? which city? which street? where, where, where? :O. Yes, I am talking about a guy who a girl can blindly trust and no matter what, she feels that her man is on her side, always to catch her whenever she falls.

Anyway, forget about it. As much as I wonder about those questions, I don't want to know. Now, let's talk about how I found the book. The beginning was quite slow and repetitive but as the pages are turned, it starts getting interesting. The ending is what I wanted it to be. So, certainly makes up for all the criticisms it could have. Definitely, 254 stars for this heart touching story (and what is 254 stars??? You will know it if you read the book :)). 

Sunday 12 July 2015

Phool ko Aankhama by Ani Choying Drolma

       My Review: 4/5

A true heart touching story of a young girl on how she decided to become Ani. A singer/social worker Ani Choying Drolma grew up with physical violence by her father. Her childhood was spent doing household work and helping her mother. Not only was she the victim of this abuse, her mother was constantly beaten up too. After seeing this, Drolma completely lost her trust on men and marriage, and she figured out that the only way to get out of marriage is to become Ani.    

Before I read this book, I didn't have much knowledge about Ani(s). I didn't know that the only differences between the normal girls and them are, Ani(s) cannot marry or have physical relationship, and have to wear kashaya robe. The story of Drolma is quite inspiring though. Even though she had a bad childhood, what she has done with her life is amazing. Despite the fact that her father never treated her well, she took great care of her parents. It's because she ended up getting a decent education from her Guru, who pointed out that her father's behaviour is itself a disease. He is a victim of his anger and he has no power to stand up to it. 

Some great lessons for everyone! You don't have to be a Buddhist to get inspired from this book.  

Monday 6 July 2015

Saya by Subin Bhattarai


My Review: 3/5

प्रसंशा गर्नु पर्ने ठाउँ पनि छन् र आलोचना गर्ने पनि। ब्राह्मण युवा र नेवार युवती बिचको यो प्रेम कहानी कलाही लाग्दो छ, धेरै मन छुने पनि छ। कथाबस्तु सामान्य भए पनि भावनात्मक शब्दहरु सारै मिठा लागे। अतीत र सायाको यो कहानी धेरैलाई आफ्नो जस्तो लाग्न सक्छ किनभने यस्तो कहानी हाम्रो देशका थुप्रै युवायुवतीहरुले भोग्नु परेको छ। अहिलेका युवा बर्गहरुको बिचमा धेरै लोकप्रिय नेपाली भाषामा अंग्रेजी मिसाओत को कुराकानीहरु रमनिये लागे। त्यस माथि जति समय बित्दै गए पनि नमासिने अन्तरजातीय बिहेको संघर्ष, साचिनै आफ्नै जीवनमा भएको जस्तो महसुस भयो। 

मेरो मन छोएका केही पंग्तिहरु यहा उतार्ने कोसिश गरेको छु।  

आफ्नो परिवार र अतीत बीच एकजनालाई रोज्न परेपछि सायाले आफ्नो परिवारलाई रोज्न बाध्य हुन्छे। यस बिषयमा सायाले मन दुखाएको कुराहरु:
'''सम्बन्धहरु किन यति कम्जोर ? किन यस्तो स्वार्थी ? कसैलाई रोज्दैमा ऊ आफ्नो हुने, कसैलाई त्याग्दैमा ऊ पराइ ! कसको चित्त बुझाउनु ? अतीतको ? बाबाको ? या आफ्नो ? एउटालाई छान्नै पर्थ्यो। अतीतलाई छानेर बाबालाई त्याग्दा पनि म नालायक नै ठहर्थे। मेरो परिवार र समाजका नजरमा त म त्यस बेला पनि त खराब नै हुनथे। '''

सायाको निर्णय सुनेपछि अतीतको मनबाद , जुन प्रसंगहरु मलाई साह्रै राम्रा लागे:
'''कसरी पत्याउ बुढोको कुरा ? छोरीले आफु अनुकुलको बिहा गरिन भन्दैमा बुढालाई बिरामी भएको नाटक गर्नुपर्ने ? के अपराध गरेकी हो उसले ? हामी उनीहरुको समाजमा गएर कुनै हालतमा हस्तछेप गर्ने थिएनौ।  इज्जत , मान- प्रतिस्था बूढा आफैसंग राखून न।  किन तोड्न खोज्छन बारम्बार हाम्रो सम्बन्ध ? कस्तो धराप बुढोको मान प्रतिष्ठा।  जाबो एउटा सम्बन्धले तोडिने?
उनीहरूकी छोरी खुसी र सुखी जीवन बिताइरहेकी थीई।  के यो कुराले उनीहरुलाई कसै गरे पनि खुसी दिदैन ? कति हदसम्म स्वार्थी हुन सकेको बुढो ?''' 

अतीत र सायाको बिछोड हुनु भन्दा पहिले सायाले अतीतलाई दिएको कसम :
'''मेरो अवस्थालाई नियाल्दै ऊ बोल्दै थिई, 'तर अतीत, एसको माने यो होइन - हामी बिछोड हुनेछौ। वाचा गरौ हामी हाम्रो स्थितीलाई लिएर कहिलै रुनेछैनौ। म तिमीलाई हरेक दिन फोन गर्छु। जहाँ गए पनि , जुनसुकै अवस्थामा भए पनि तिमी पनि मलाई निरन्तर फोन गर्नु। कहिले अलग - अलग त कहिले साथसाथै तद्पियौ हामी हाम्रो प्रेममा। आऊ आजबाट प्रण गरौ , जीवनभरका लागि एकअर्काको हुन नसके पनि यो दुख भन्ने चिजलाई झुक्किएर पनि हाम्रो जीवनमा प्रवेश हुन दिनेछैनौ। वाचा गरौ, कुनै पनि दिन हाम्रो नबितोस जुन दिन हामी फोनमा नबोलेको होऊ। सधै एकापसकै समीपमा छौ भनेर अनुभूति गर्नेछौ हामी। म तिमीलाई मेरो जीवनको हरेक घटना अप्देत गराईरहनेछु। तिमी पनि तेस्तै गर्नु। एउतै सहरमा रहेऔ भने , लुकीचोरी भेतिरहनेछौ। अझ म त भन्छु , मिलेसम्म जहाँ भए पनि एकअर्कालाई भेट्ने अवस्था सिर्जना गरिरहौ ? वाचा गरौ , हामी सेतै फ़ुलुञ्जेल्सम्म, चाउरी परुन्जेलसंम सम्पर्कमा रहिरहौ। कहिलै बिर्सिने प्रयास नगरौ। समाजले जायज सम्बन्ध रुचाउदैन भने , नाजायज सम्बन्ध नै सही !'''

अन्तमा सायाको बिछोडमा पागल भएको अतीतको आत्मकथा:
'''यो के भइरहेको थियो मलाई ? किन प्रक्रितिबिरोधि भइरहेको थिए म ? बतासलाई थप्पड हान्न मन लागिरहेको थियो। पानीमा ठुकिदिनुजस्तो भएको थियो। गुलाबका पत्ताहरु एक-एक गर्दै च्यात्दै लात्ताले कुल्चिदिनुझै लागिरहन्थ्यो। आफ्नै कपाल लुछु भइरहेको थियो। चिच्चाउदै छातीमा आफ्नै मुड्कीले मुटु फुतुन्जेल हिर्काउन मन थियो। मिल्ने भए अझ त्योभन्दा अघि खसाईदिन्थे आकाश , जुन र ताराहरु खसाईदिन्थे सुर्य, पगालिदिंठे जम्मै धर्ति। न रहन्थ्यो बास, न बज्थ्यो बासुरी। न रहन्थ्यो छाती , न रहन्थ्यो चोट। न रहन्थ्यो घाउ, न रहन्थ्यो दुखाई। ''' 

साच्चिनै, कोही जतिसुकै सम्पन्न होस् , सफल होस्, आकर्षक होस्, आफुलाई मन परेको मानिषको ठाउँ कसैले लिन सक्दैन।