Water For Elephants

Why did I pick it up- Because every site that I visit for book lists recommended it very strongly. And because the blurb has words like atmospheric, gritty, Rosie the elephant and twisted animal trainer. And the last- not the hero, the bad guy.


And- I didn’t want to read it. I almost didn’t. Especially when the book opened with a ninety-year-old man’s voice. But Jacob; the old man- who else, was cantankerous and opinionated and as a young man vulnerable with an interesting story and I couldn’t stay away. Language here is purely functional and very effective. The characters are interesting and there is a plot, especially the murder is interesting. And you can smell the sawdust in the big top.

But- honestly? Not my cup of tea. In spite of the engrossing story and well –etched characters, nothing reached out and grabbed me by the throat. And the book left my mind soon after I closed it.

Read- For an engrossing tale about circus life, or for an original murder-romance.

©Maya

The Girl In THe Landing- Paul Torday

Why did I pick it up: because Torday’s Salmon Fishing was good, though not great and the blurb said psychological thriller. I am a sucker for those.




And: Firstly the language- Don’t expect those metaphors or turn of phrase that you bump into when you turn a corner that leave you breathless. Language here does exactly what it is supposed to do, tell you a story, show you a character and keep you glued to the book. But Torday leaves you breathless in the way he peels of the character, shows them in different lights, does a literary magic with mirror tricks till you don’t know what is really happening and whom to believe and he does it right up to the last page.



But: Only that some of the plot twists you know is coming, but perhaps Torday wanted just that. More of the mirror trick, maybe?



Read: If you love a well written literary thriller that haunts even after you turn the last page. There are very few of those anyway.



© Maya