And Here Be Dragons! (Highfire by Eoin Colfer - Book Review)

Title: Highfire

Author: Eoin Colfer

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Date of Publication: January 28th 2020

Number of Pages: 377

See it on Goodreads: Highfire

Summary

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series comes a hilarious and high-octane adult novel about a vodka-drinking, Flashdance-loving dragon who lives an isolated life in the bayous of Louisiana—and the raucous adventures that ensue when he crosses paths with a fifteen-year-old troublemaker on the run from a crooked sheriff.

In the days of yore, he flew the skies and scorched angry mobs—now he hides from swamp tour boats and rises only with the greatest reluctance from his Laz-Z-Boy recliner. Laying low in the bayou, this once-magnificent fire breather has been reduced to lighting Marlboros with nose sparks, swilling Absolut in a Flashdance T-shirt, and binging Netflix in a fishing shack. For centuries, he struck fear in hearts far and wide as Wyvern, Lord Highfire of the Highfire Eyrie—now he goes by Vern. However...he has survived, unlike the rest. He is the last of his kind, the last dragon. Still, no amount of vodka can drown the loneliness in his molten core. Vern’s glory days are long gone. Or are they?

A canny Cajun swamp rat, young Everett “Squib” Moreau does what he can to survive, trying not to break the heart of his saintly single mother. He’s finally decided to work for a shady smuggler—but on his first night, he witnesses his boss murdered by a crooked constable.

Regence Hooke is not just a dirty cop, he’s a despicable human being—who happens to want Squib’s momma in the worst way. When Hooke goes after his hidden witness with a grenade launcher, Squib finds himself airlifted from certain death by…a dragon?

The swamp can make strange bedfellows, and rather than be fried alive so the dragon can keep his secret, Squib strikes a deal with the scaly apex predator. He can act as his go-between (aka familiar)—fetch his vodka, keep him company, etc.—in exchange for protection from Hooke. Soon the three of them are careening headlong toward a combustible confrontation. There’s about to be a fiery reckoning, in which either dragons finally go extinct—or Vern’s glory days are back.

Review - And Here Be Dragons!

Growing up, I was a big fan of Artemis Fowl. Even now, I still consider that this series one of the best fantasy series for kids, with great characters and humour. So, when I learnt about Highfire, I was eager to read it. I couldn't imagine how Eoin Colfer's writing style would fit into an adult novel about a vodka-drinking dragon. One of the things I was most curious about was the fact that there was a vodka-drinking dragon. I am used to having dragons in fantasy novels, but they never are the protagonists of the book, or at least treated in this way.

The summary of the book is quite extensive, so I don't need to get into details about the plot. Vern is the last dragon on Earth (or at least he thinks so) and he likes to spend his days watching cable and drinking vodka. His life in the swamp gets disrupted when Everett "Squib" Moreau learns of his existence. Vern decides to kill the teenager but he ends up employing him. The two of them get closer until their peaceful life in the swamp is threatened by Regence Hooke, a constable who has other plans.

Highfire is a book that contains a little bit of everything – action, fantasy, violence, folklore, history, gangsters, heart-warming moments, and even some romance. I somewhat enjoyed this mixture because there is always something happening. Of course, the fact that the main protagonist is a dragon plays a big role in enjoyment. The fight scenes are extravagant and worthy of a mythical creature. I mean, how can a scene about a dragon storming into a gangster hotel and burning everyone ever be boring? But somewhere along the story, the spark has gone.

Other than that, the main trope of the book is pretty over-used (see enemies to lovers, frenemies, etc.). I expected some kind of twist that would bring something new, but oh well... Vern and Squib are in similar but also vastly different situations. At first, they begin on the wrong foot. However, as they get to know each other, the prejudices disappear and they become close. By the end of the book, they no longer are a dragon and his familiar but a family.  

Friedrich Justin Bertuch, Bilderbuch für Kinder, 1790-1830 (Eigenbesitz), Fabelwesen.

Vern is by far the best character of Highfire. The chapters where we are reading Vern’s POV are the easiest to read and if I had a choice, I would want more of them. Vern believes that he is the last dragon, even though he is not sure about it. He prefers self-preservation, rather than risking getting spotted in his attempt to find the rest of his kin. In ancient times, he wasn’t the bulkiest or bravest of a dragon. Even so, this turned out to be an advantage of him as he manages to avoid the mob and survive for centuries. 

Throughout the book, we read about his hate for humans and what they did to his species. So, instead of having to deal with them, he prefers to stay in his cabin deep in the swamp, watch cable, and drink as much as he can. There is only one guy he trusts, Waxman, and he is not even entirely human (more on him later). Vern has a complexity that I really enjoyed even though I would like to get more backstory. At this point, we only learn about Vern’s past from what he reveals to Squib. A thing that struck me as odd is that the friendship between Vern and Squib came relatively easily. I mean, humans have killed every dragon, apart from Vern. Yes, he argues that this was long ago and he thinks about it from time to time, but I feel like it could play a bigger role. 

However, I would like to comment on a specific scene with Vern. When Waxman isn’t around anymore, Vern feels depressed. He is at a point where he feels that his life has no meaning. He is alone and once he is gone, his species will die with him. So, he decides to kill himself by taking a pill that Waxman has. Squib finds him and manages to save him and from this point on, they start bonding. I think that this is the best scene in the whole book. Vern shows a complexity that no other character possesses. At this moment, you can feel the loneliness of having to leave alone for so long, without being able to reveal himself. He not just a lazy dragon who enjoys his alcohol a little too much - something happened to him and he has fallen into this half-alive state.

Squib is a somewhat interesting character. I like that he is a Kajun and I find it interesting that his talking reminds me of New Orleans. Squib is a teenager who has grown up without a dad and has suffered from a horrible step-dad. He has a really soft spot for his mother and tries to stay out of trouble for her sake. However, he has the bad luck to witness something he shouldn’t, thus finding himself in a dangerous position. No, I’m not talking about Vern. The fateful night, he witnesses Regence Hooke murder someone in cold blood and gets spotted by a dragon. Well, he manages to get in good terms with the dragon but I can’t say the same about Hooke. 

I honestly don't have much more to say about Squib, as I found his character pretty standard. He is a good boy, even though he has to do some illegal things now and then. His friendship with Vern brings him a whole new world and the economic comfort to study and make his life easier. I feel like I should find him more compelling. Even so, I can't say nothing else rather than he's ok. 🤷‍♀️

Hooke is the villain of Highfire and he is the character that I couldn’t stand. He is so over the top that I can only characterize him as a cartoon villain. He is one of those ruthless guys with no conscience that will stop at nothing. Moreover, like all the super-villains, he won’t die even though a dragon is throwing fire on him. The only intriguing part about him is that he is the son of a clergyman. His father apparently was delusional and Hooke at some point killed him. A common theme is Hooke’s thinking is that maybe heaven rewards bad guys after all. But was this enough to make up for his unnatural evilness? Not really. 

Let’s return to the summary of the book to talk about my main issue with Highfire. As you can see, it is too wordy and the book is no different! I have to admit that it took me about two weeks to reach chapter 4 (which is just the 17% of the book) and once I got through this part I finished the book in 4-5 days. The reason why I struggled? We have too much backstory about Regence Hooke! In fact, I find that the whole book dedicates an almost illogical amount of pages on Hooke and his past. Almost half of the book is about the story's villain. If I’m going to read about someone’s past, let it be Vern’s. Hooke’s pattern of thought is very specific and I consistently found it very tiring to get through. Even towards the climax, I was almost inclined to skip the pages in Hooke’s POV. 

Another thing that disappointed me in this novel is that it has so many missed opportunities. Waxman is an excellent example. This character is supposed to be a mogwai, dragon and human. How cool would it be to have some dragon AND mogwai action? Waxman in this story is the one that brings Vern what he needs and we are told that they share a true friendship for about half a century. However, somewhere in the first one-third of the book, Waxman informs Vern that he has to be buried to replenish his energy. This is also the incident that pushes Vern to employ Squib. Until this point, everything is great. The next time we see Waxman again is when Hooke unearths him. At first, Waxman seems formidable but Hooke somehow bullies him and then kills him (???). That's a total waste of a character that was setup to become so much more. Anyway. 🤷‍♀️ 

The next missed opportunity is also related to Waxman. I’ve already mentioned the pill that can kill Vern. Waxman is supposed to have a bag with various trinkets that can deal with anything. Anything. If a writer mentions this bag multiple times, it’s only natural that I would expect it to be used, right? Turns out, I was wrong! In the final battle, Vern is injured and cannot produce fire. For this reason, I thought that he would use Waxman’s bag on Hooke. This would work perfectly as it would also serve as some kind of revenge for Waxman’s death. But no, Vern has a better idea – call the alligators to eat Hooke. The alligators that we had earlier seen try to provoke Vern about the territory. It's as if you have Chekov's gun in the story, but you never use it. 

As you may have guessed, I am disappointed in this book. It could be so much more, but it fails time and time again. In my opinion, this novel needs serious re-working with an editor. They need to find a good balance on the POV distribution and the enrichment of the character. I really enjoy it when the characters turn to have more facets, just like Vern. As it turns out, Vern is only the exception. Now that it has been a few days since I’ve finished it, I can only recall how overwhelming Hooke’s presence is.

I wouldn’t call Highfire a masterpiece. There are a few good and fun parts. Apart from these though, there are bad parts that at some point had me wanting to quit reading.

Review: The Memory Police, by Yoko Ogawa

Title: The Memory Police

Author: Yoko Ogawa

Publisher: Pantheon Books

Date of Publication: August 13th, 2019 (first pub. 1994)

Number of Pages: 274

See it on Goodreads: The Memory Police

Summary

A haunting Orwellian novel about the terrors of state surveillance, from the acclaimed author of The Housekeeper and the Professor.

On an unnamed island off an unnamed coast, objects are disappearing: first hats, then ribbons, birds, roses—until things become much more serious. Most of the island's inhabitants are oblivious to these changes, while those few imbued with the power to recall the lost objects live in fear of the draconian Memory Police, who are committed to ensuring that what has disappeared remains forgotten.

When a young woman who is struggling to maintain her career as a novelist discovers that her editor is in danger from the Memory Police, she concocts a plan to hide him beneath her floorboards. As fear and loss close in around them, they cling to her writing as the last way of preserving the past.

Review - Without memories we cease to exist 

Yoko Ogawa is one of the authors that I will read any book, without even reading its premise. I have loved every single one of her books that I've read so far, and for this, I picked The Memory Police with high expectations. Although I have to admit that I read the premise, before picking it up. For a person that loves the work of Yoko Ogawa, I was late to learn of this book's existence. I discovered it when I read that it was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2020. But with so much hype, would it live up to it?

And with this introduction, I can start writing my review.

Let's begin with the premise. We are on an island somewhere. Life there seems to go on like everywhere else in the world. The only difference is that things are disappearing. But disappearing doesn't mean that they cease to exist. Simply, one morning the citizens wake up and have forgotten everything about them. So, they find every single one of the disappeared items in their possession and destroy them. For example, when the roses disappear, people destroy their gardens and throw their flowers in the river. On top of that, there is the Memory Police, which is a force that takes care of all the items left behind, and people who don't seem to forget. Their way is brutal, as they arrest people in the middle of the night, enter any house without an excuse, check people's papers at random times.

Reading this premise, I half expected that The Memory Police will have some sort of political element. In fact, it is about an oppressive force that controls every aspect of people's lives. Thus, I was reading with the expectation that I would learn who the Memory Police actually are and what is their objective. I also expected some sort of resistance against them by the protagonist. You can clearly see in your mind what kind of story I mean. However, I'm glad that I was wrong.

The protagonist is a novelist. This alone seems like an odd fact. How can you write stories, when you have lost so many things from your memory? And it's not just those things. Even other memories that might contain these things get faded and are lost forever. The protagonist writes a story about a typewriter who has lost her voice. We get to read her story in some chapters and it echoes what the protagonist is experiencing, yet in a more dramatic way.

The protagonist is one of the people the forget things. When she finds out that her editor is one of those who can't forget, she decides to create a hiding place for him in her house. So, the protagonist, the editor, and the old man who helps the protagonist form a small group. The three of them try to live their lives as best as they can, given the circumstance. Their resistance to the memory loss comes from these small, every day things. They celebrate the old man's birthday, even though there are no longer calendars, they taste lemon candies, even though they have already disappeared. The editor is trying to make them remember all the things they have lost. The protagonist and the old man humor him, even though it is hopeless.

The protagonist is a very likable person. She tries to live her life as quietly as possible. She cares deeply for the old man and she cares deeply about the editor. She knows that her heart is filled with holes due to disappearances and she envies the editor that can still remember everything. "But as things got thinner, more full of holes, our hearts got thinner, too, diluted somehow", as she tells. She has the clarity to realize where things are heading. In fact, while going through the book to find some quotes, I spotted one early on the book, where she more or less expresses what will happen in the end. Even so, she doesn't offer any resistance. Yes, it would be futile but when the time comes, she just accepts it.

You may have noticed that I haven't used a name for any of the characters, not even the protagonist. The thing is that the author hasn't named anyone. Of course, we have some side characters like the Inuis, but all the important characters for the story are nameless. Odd as it may seem, this didn't stop me from empathizing with the characters.

Memories are precious things that make us who we are. Losing them is like losing yourself. People on this island deal with this every day. They know that one morning they might not have a job because it would have disappeared. Eventually, novels are disappearing and our protagonist is forced to find another job. When this incident happens, everyone goes out in the streets and burns books. It is a sad scene and one that made me cry. For the protagonist, writing novels was her identity and it was ripped out of her.

This book takes a truly unique perspective, that of the oppressed people who try to live their lives with what they have left. It is not a big rebellion story and it doesn't end in anything grande. It's about people, living half-lives, and knowing that sooner or later things will end. The uncertainty numbs every emotion.

Yoko Ogawa's writing complements this type of story. The language is simple, natural, and subtle. If I tried to find ways to describe it, I would say that it's like a little stream slowly running into a river that eventually reaches the sea. The writing is full of emotions, even though the characters almost never express them.

All in all, The Memory Police is a great read. If you are familiar with Yoko Ogawa's style, then you already know what to expect. However, I can understand that this novel will not be everyone's cup of tea. It lacks a climax and everything is quiet and subtle. Therefore, if you aren't in the mood for something like that, you will not enjoy it. For my part, I can only say the I was mesmerized by the prose, I felt for the characters, and I was terrified by the implications of losing one's memories. I will leave you with another quote from the book:

   “Would you really like to remember all the things you’ve lost?” R asked.
   I told him the truth. “I don’t know. Because I don’t even know what it is I should be remembering. What’s gone is gone completely. I have no seeds inside me, waiting to sprout again. I have to make do with a hollow heart full of holes. That’s why I’m jealous of your heart, one that offers some resistance, that is tantalizingly transparent and yet not, that seems to change as the light shines on it at different angles.”

Read more of my reviews here.

Graphic Novel Review: Dr. Herbert West Astounding Tales of Medical Malpractice, by Bruce Brown

Title: Dr. Herbert West Astounding Tales of Medical Malpractice

Author: Bruce Brown

Illustrator: Thomas Boatwright

Publisher: Arcana Studio

Date of Publication: September 13, 2019

Number of Pages: 78

See it on Goodreads: Dr. Herbert West Astounding Tales of Medical Malpractice

*I received a copy of the graphic novel from the author in exchange for an honest review

Summary

Dr. Herbert West: Re-Animator, legend, genius…and childhood menace? In this spine-tingling tale, young Herbert creates a botched serum which cause the dead to walk the streets in search of Johnny Cakes. Together with his sister Elizabeth and the Dean of Arkham University they must stop the zombie army before they run out of cakes and start eating townsfolk!

Review - a Fun Retelling of Lovecraft's Short Story

Even though it might not become immediately obvious by the summary, Dr. Herbert West Astounding Tales of Medical Malpractice is a retelling of Lovecraft's short story, Herbert West - Reanimator. First of all, I have to admit that I haven't read the original story. However, I read a plot synopsis to find out what the connection with the story of this graphic novel is. 

As it turns out, Dr. Herbert West Astounding Tales of Medical Malpractice adopts the main protagonist of the short story and his objective. Both in the short story and the graphic novel, Herber West wants to create a serum that will reanimate the dead. The serum he develops works but the reanimated dead are violent and things get out of hand. This is where the similarities between those two end. I would say that this is for the better as the graphic novel goes for a different tone - one that I enjoyed a lot.

From the very first page of the graphic novel, we get references to Frankenstein, which I have to admit that I found a bit weird. You see, apart from the fact that corpses come back to life, I couldn't find any connection between Frankenstein and this story. If I have to pinpoint something from pop culture that influences this comic that would be the zombies. However, while researching about Lovecraft's short story, I found out that he had written it as a parody of Frankenstein (it was an aha moment!)

The graphic novel is written in the POV of Herbert West's sister. She tries to be the voice of reason for the young boy, although she fails time and time again. Herbert, on the other hand, is written as the mad scientist type, mixed with Sherlock elements - he even uses "Elementary" at some point. I wasn't a big fan of this as I didn't think it offered anything more to the character.

Nevertheless, Dr. Herbert West Astounding Tales of Medical Malpractice is a really fun read. The story takes horror elements but creates something light and fun. The zombies don't chase people to kill, rather they want to eat the local treats called "Johnny Cakes". The sugar rush creates an even bigger frenzy that the young scientist and his sister try to stop. The solution to the problem is easy, yet effective and things return to normal.

At this point, I have to refer to the art style. The illustration of the story is unique and fits the story perfectly. It uses cool colors that at the same time manage to take some of the darkness out of the story. Even though it plays with horror elements, it doesn't include graphic violence or any real violence, to be honest. For this reason, I think that this graphic novel would also be ideal for kids. 

All in all, I enjoyed Dr. Herbert West Astounding Tales of Medical Malpractice very much. It was a quick and fun read, the thing I needed after a long day working. What more could I ask? 

Read more of my reviews here.

Review: Howards End, by E.M. Forster

Title: Howards End

Author: E.M. Forster

Publisher: Penguin Classics

Date of Publication: June 2012 (first pub. 1910)

Number of Pages: 382

See it on Goodreads: Howards End

Summary

Howards End is a novel by E. M. Forster about social conventions, codes of conduct and relationships in turn-of-the-century England. A strong-willed and intelligent woman refuses to allow the pretensions of her husband's smug English family to ruin her life. Howards End is considered by some to be Forster's masterpiece.

Review - Not just a House

Howards End has been sitting on my shelf for many years. I happened to watch the 1992 film adaptation a long time ago and I always meant to read the book. I had already read (and loved) E.M. Forster's A Room with a View, and I knew that I would enjoy the writing style. I think that the main reason that stopped me from reading it for years, was that I always thought that it would be a grim read. Now that I'm through with it, I can't help but wonder What took me so long?

Howards End is about a house of the same name and three different families that get tied up together. The three families represent the different classes of England, and so it is very interesting to see how they interact with each other. Our main protagonists are the two sisters, Margaret and Helen Schlegel, and they represent the intellectuals. Being half of the German descent, they can view the English society from an outsider's perspective. This enables them to voice their doubts and criticisms, without facing any consequences.

The second family is the Wilcoxes. They are rich and they are those who make the country go forward. Henry's and Charles' views are somewhat traditional and old-fashioned. In fact, they get intimidated (even though they never voice it) by the Schlegel sisters, who are more open-minded. Even Ruth Wilcox, who appears to be gentler than the rest, is particularly old-fashioned. Her only care in the world is Howards End, the house of her family. 

The third family is the Basts and they represent the lower-middle class. Even though their role in the story is significant, we don't get to see much of them. Jacky is a woman of questionable morals, who only married Leonard out of need. On the other side, Leonard aspires to enter the higher class. The way he has found to do this is by getting acquainted with the culture. Thus, one of his favourite past-times is to read. However, when he interacts with the Schlegels, he can only catch their attention when he is his true and honest self.

Those three families are destined to meet and it all begins and ultimately comes down to Howards End. In this novel, this is not just a house. When reading the book, you realize the Howards End is a distinctive character. When you think about it, it's as if it has cast a spell over Ruth Wilcox and later on Margaret Schlegel. In reality, the house is a symbol. The true conflict of the book is which class is going to inherit England. Keep in mind that this book was written and published at the end of the 20th century. Things were quickly changing. When you read the thoughts of the Schlegels, you get a more modern view than you'd expect. On the opposite side, you could not even imagine Henry Wilcox to admit that women can have an active role in society. However, I need to be fair and mention that by the end you are able to notice the slightest difference in him.

If I had to pinpoint the main directions that Howards End is moving, I would say that there are two main things. First of all, this is a book about the clash of classes. As I've already told you, the three families come from three different backgrounds. They interact and have an effect on each other. Some relationships are harmful, like that of Henry and Leonard, and some other are beneficial, like that of Henry and Margaret or Leonard and Helen. The struggle of the lower class is real and you feel deeply about Leonard. Moreover, you witness the cruelty of the old-fashioned ideas of the Wilcoxes. But, according to E.M. Forster, the future belongs to none of these three classes. Instead, in the end he implies that something new will emerge, that will be outside of this system. It is not a random thing that Helen's son will eventually inherit Howards End (England).

The second thing that heavily influences the book is the transformation of London. The old houses are being torn down and give way to apartments and flats. As Margaret often thinks, you can no longer get a view of the sky. Towards the end of the book, she even feels like she cannot live in London anymore. It has become a city for the young people, those who don't have time to stop and enjoy the scenery. Cars are also a new addition, making the roads more dangerous than they used to be. Rich people, like the Wilcoxes, already own their own cars and you can witness their obsession with them. 

My favourite character in the book is definitely Margaret. She is gentle, understanding, and can always read the situation before her. She knows how to handle Henry, especially after the point they got married. Ruth Wilcox left Howards End to Margaret before she dies, but the Wilcoxes didn't honour her wish. However, things played out in a way that the house ended up in Margaret's hands. Even though she wasn't of the family (initially), she was the only one who felt the magic of the place. Her actions throughout the book, not only managed to keep everyone from falling apart but also brought life back to Howards End.

My least favourite character is definitely Helen, which I find somewhat amusing as a fact. She represents the same things as Margaret (the progressive and intellectual people) but I can't stand her. She is extreme and cannot act according to the rules. However, the thing that irritates me the most is that she always acts like a spoilt child, and no-one ever accuses her of doing so. Yes, she is right when she defends Leonard, but her actions bring more damage than anything else. She refuses to accept  that Margaret loves Henry, just because she can't get over the fact that she kissed his son some years ago. Even her actions towards Leonard are unfair. They share a night together and she disappears. Leonard for months and months keeps feeling tormented by his guilt. After the incident, Helen flees England and refuses to even talk to Margaret. However, her sister is able to bottle things up, and through her way, she finds a way to make Helen open up to her. In a way, I am reminded of Elinor and Marianne from Sense and Sensibility.

Now that I've gone through the characters, it's time to talk about the writing style. Even though I had read A Room with a View, I didn't recall how easy to read is E.M. Forster's prose. Howards End is definitely one of the easiest to read classics. The writing flows naturally and the tone is just right. Despite the heavy things that happen during the story, it never gets too heavy, thus avoiding the melodrama. My only remark would be that in some chapters there is way too much description. However, this didn't stop me from enjoying the story, as I always felt that it was progressing (which was my main criticism of Dracula). I think that Chapter 5, in particular, is probably one of the best pieces of prose I have ever read.

Howards End is one of those classics that many people want to read but never get to actually do it. If you are one of those people, I would recommend that you do it as soon as you can. However, keep in mind that this never plays out as a romance, even though there are many instances that it could. Despite this fact, this classic never gets boring. You will find characters to love and characters to hate, you will feel things, and it will get you thinking. It offers a worthwhile experience.

Read more of my reviews here.

Review: The Key, by Jun'ichiro Tanizaki

Title: The Key

Author: Jun'ichiro Tanizaki

Publisher: Univers

Date of Publication: 5 August, 2004 (first pub. 1956)

Number of Pages: 160

See it on Goodreads: The Key

Summary

'This year I intend to begin writing freely about a topic which, in the past, I have hesitated to mention even here. I have always avoided commenting on my sexual relations with Ikuko, for fear that she might surreptitiously read my diary and be offended-' So begins The Key - a forthright and moving tale of a middle-aged man deeply in love with his younger wife. In spite of that love, they have grown physically apart, each unsure of the other's thoughts and desires - until the day Ikuko discovers the key to her husband's diary with its desperate hints of jealousy and voyeurism. The key, she realises, to his very soul.

Review

I've said so in the past and I'll say it once again: I LOVE Japanese literature. I like the subtlety and the abstraction of the language. I like how things are shown and not told. I like how Japanese authors take a story without an intense plot and create something unique that pierces human emotions. With that being said, The Key is an example of all these traits. You might even go as far as to tell that they are too present that you might actually miss them. Before getting into that though, let's take a look at some general information on The Key.

The Key might not be the most important or popular work of Jun'ichiro Tanizaki as this author is known for his novels The Makioka Sisters and Quicksand. However, it was my first time reading this important Japanese author and I have to admit that it won't be the last. The themes of this book are sexual desire, obsession, and jealousy. It is not the first time that I'm reading a Japanese novel that has a triggering story. In fact, Hotel Iris by Yoko Ogawa was a much more explicit example, and since this theme didn't bother me there, it wasn't a problem for The Key as well.

In The Key, we read the story through the two diaries of a middle-aged couple. Both of them are writing with the intention that the other one is reading it. Nevertheless, they both deny that they do. The two perspectives of these diaries are completely different. 

The man decides that for the first time he will be explicit about his sexual desires towards his wife. He realizes that his drive is failing him and he feels that he is unable to satisfy his wife. This drives him on finding some weird methods that provoke him and enable him to perform every night. His solution is to get his wife drunk until she loses her consciousness and then to examine her naked body. When this method is starting to fail he adds another element, that of jealousy. He provokes his daughter's friend, Kimura, into liking his wife. The farther their affair seems to go the more sexual drive he seems to have. The diary seems to be an extension of this. Even in his deathbed, he wants to read his wife's diary.

On the other hand, we have the woman's diary. Up until a point, the woman is very modest and pretends that she doesn't know what is going on. However, she admits that her desire for Kimura is real and her daughter helps her get closer to him. Despite this fact, she is adamant that she hasn't cheated on her husband and she pleases him every night.

The story begins to get even more perplexing when the man's body shows signs that his health is declining, leading to his ultimate death. This is the point where the truth is uncovered. They have both been reading the diaries of each other. While the man was being honest all along, his wife drove him deeper into his obsession, by writing what he wanted to read. 

The two diaries become a part of an intricate sexual play. The man leaves the key to the drawer, where he locks his diary, in a visible place so that his wife finds it. The woman tries to write the diary in secret, even though she gives her husband indications that she has one. She even tries to seal it with some duct tape, but she never confronts her husband when she notices that the diary has been opened.

The sad truth is that she is in an unhappy marriage, where she never desired her husband. When she decides to give in to Kimura, she discovered what passion is. You can understand this transition from her choice of clothing. At the beginning of the book, she wears only traditional Japanese clothing as she states numerous times that she has an old-fashioned Kyoto upbringing. When she starts her affair with Kimura, she slowly transitions into western clothing and accessories. 

In The Key, there is no clear protagonist and antagonist. The line that distinguishes a character from being unlikeable is very thin. In the beginning, we focus on the husband and all of his questionable actions and pity the wife for being trapped in this marriage. Later, we witness his wife's infidelity and our feelings turn into sympathy. In the end, we realize the deception of the wife - the way she fooled her husband and how she pushed him far beyond his limits. However, I can't help but think that she herself is a victim. 

A very mysterious character in this novel is Toshiko, the daughter of the couple. It is explicitly mentioned that her parents invited Kimura at their place with their marriage in mind. It is even implied that she might have feelings for him. When Toshiko discovers her father's actions she rents a place on her own. During the story of The Key, it is she who helps her mother and Kimura get closer. It is also she who confronts her father about Kimura and her mother and it is also she who secretly gives her mother's diary to her father just before he dies. Ultimately, it is she who sacrifices herself to enable her mother and Kimura to live as a couple. However, this doesn't sound right to me. I can't help but feel that there is a deep understanding between Kimura and Toshiko as if they want to humiliate her. 

The Key is a novel that will challenge and trigger you. When you have finally formed an opinion on a character, it can destroy it at any moment. Nevertheless, it was a very enjoyable read and one that I am still thinking about. Erotic obsession is one of the themes that Tanizaki is using on his work a lot, so I think that I'll bump into it again. 

Review: Love & Misadventure, by Lang Leav

Title: Love and Misadventure

Author: Lang Leav

Illustrator: Lang Leav

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing

Date of Publication: 26 April, 2013

Number of Pages: 176

See it on Goodreads: Love and Misadventure

Summary

Lang Leav is a poet and internationally exhibiting artist. Awarded a coveted Churchill Fellowship, her work expresses the intricacies of love and loss.

Beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully conceived, Love and Misadventure will take you on a rollercoaster ride through an ill-fated love affair- from the initial butterflies to the soaring heights- through to the devastating plunge. Lang Leav has an unnerving ability to see inside the hearts and minds of her readers. Her talent for translating complex emotions with astonishing simplicity has won her a cult following of devoted fans from all over the world.

Review

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
                                                      i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

***

There is a time when your heart just needs some love poetry to soothe itself and let the feelings flow. Poems that can put to word what you are feeling and express your inner struggle better that you could ever do with your own words. A very nice example is the above poem - [i carry your heart with me] by E. E. Cummings. However, this is not a review of Cumming's work.

In this review, we are going to talk about the development and failure of a love affair, as is told through the poems of Love & Misadventure, by Lang Leav. This book kept popping up to me and I decided to read it (since I was in that set of mind). Unfortunately for me, I was quickly disappointed. But before digging into that, I have to let you know that I waited for a while before writing this review. You see, the previous book I read was A Lover's Discourse, which I found to be an excellent exploration of the nuances of love. So, I tried to figure out if my disappointment in this collection of poetry originated from the fact that I had read this book before. Upon re-reading some of the poetry though, I realised that my impression remained the same.

Love & Misadventure is divided into three parts - 1. Misadventure, 2. The Circus of Sorrows, and 3. Love. At the beginning of each part, we also have an illustration created by the author. The illustrations had a nice art style, even though they didn't add anything to the book as a whole. However, it got me thinking how can you add illustrations to a collection of poetry to create an impact on the reader? I think that I would prefer to have smaller ones that accompany certain poems, and ones where the girl depicted showed more emotion. Right now, the illustrations are pretty, but the expression is completely blank.

When it comes to the poems (the main problem of the book) I am at a complete loss. I don't want to sound harsh, but I had to stop reading and ask myself "Why am I reading this?" several times. There is no way that these poems could stand on their own. I mean that as a whole, I could force myself to extract a narrative, a story that they tried to convey. Nevertheless, this doesn't improve their quality. The vast majority of the poems reminded me of the poems we used to write as elementary school children, and this is not an exaggeration. A perfect example is the poem Xs and Os:

Love is a game
of tic-tac-toe,
constantly waiting,
for the next x or o.

And that's it. I was reading page after page in hopes that they would improve somehow, but it never happened. I wondered if this was somehow my fault that I was failing to connect with the poems, but I couldn't find a reason to like them. Yes, I understood the basic feeling that each poem tried to express, but it just remained on the surface. I could just write

Hey, do you remember
how it is to have a crush
on someone
and keep getting ignored?

and it could sum up perfectly the spirit of this collection.

Having said that, I have to be fair and admit that the prose poetry included was slightly better and I even enjoyed those pieces. Some had some whimsical elements and I wish there was more of that. I think that it would make the collection much much better.

All in all, Love & Misadventure was a big miss for me. I really enjoy reading love poems and I can't describe my disappointment enough. I'm not even sure if I want to try reading the following poetry collections of Lang Leav. Instead, do yourself a favour and read the above E. E. Cummings once more.

Read more reviews here.

Review: A Lover's Discourse, by Roland Barthes

Title: A Lover's Discourse

Author: Roland Barthes

Publisher: Vintage

Date of Publication: 1977

Number of Pages: 234

See it on Goodreads: A Lover's Discourse

Summary

The language we use when we are in love is not a language we speak, for it is addressed to ourselves and to our imaginary beloved. It is a language of solitude, of mythology, of what Barthes calls an 'image repertoire'.

This book revives - beyond the psychological or clinical enterprises which have characterised such researches in our culture - the notion of the amorous subject. It will be enjoyed and understood by two groups of readers: those who have been in love (or think they have, which is the same thing), and those who have never been in love (or think they have not, which is the same thing). This book might be considered, in its restless search for authorities and examples, which range from Nietzsche to Zen, from Ruysbroek to Debussy, an encyclopaedia of that affirmative discourse which is the lover's.

Review

A Lover's Discourse is a book that I recently read and I have to say that it was a stimulating read. Before I go into details though, I will tell you of how I became aware of its existence. As I was browsing my social media (I know, I know) I came upon this wonderful quote that described the way that I was feeling at the moment. The quote went like this:

"Am I in love? -- yes, since I am waiting. The other one never waits. Sometimes I want to play the part of the one who doesn't wait; I try to busy myself elsewhere, to arrive late; but I always lose at this game. Whatever I do, I find myself there, with nothing to do, punctual, even ahead of time. The lover's fatal identity is precisely this: I am the one who waits."

However, this quote didn't have a source or anything (surprise!). So, I did the most logical next move - I Googled it. The result was A Lover's Discourse and I instantly decided to pick it up. Now, I had another reason that I wanted to read about love, and a Bathes' essay more specifically. 

I might have mentioned in the past that I was writing a novel. I have recently completed it and now I'm in the stage of editing it. Because my style is close to that of Japanese literature, my main character often shows things rather than saying them. For this reason, I needed some stimulants to fill my head with ideas that might produce something that might help me in this endeavour. Now, I can safely say that this book was the ideal stimulant for my case.

A Lover's Discourse (not to be confused with the YA novel The Lover's Dictionary) is a non-fiction book dedicated to the language of a lover. To be more precise, it is an essay on the expressions that a lover uses in his "outbursts of language" to explain his feelings. There are 80 small chapters in this book, each one dedicated to a different expression in the different phases of love. As Barthes underlines in his epilogue, he didn't place the chapters in an order that could potentially be interpreted into a story. However, if you really wanted to place them into a "correct" order to play out a story, you could easily do it.

One thing that surprised me is that I have never thought that a person could put into writing all those different feelings. If you have been in love or had a crush on someone, you know that there is a great variety when it comes to the thoughts and feelings that take over you. Those feelings are not all exactly love or despair, as there are many stages in between. However impossible this might sound, Roland Barthes manages to do it. There were cases, where I had to stop reading because I was thinking of a moment that I felt exactly the same way the author described in that particular chapter.

Having said that, it's time to talk about the language of A Lover's Discourse. This is not an easy read. There were times when I had to reread a certain part to understand its meaning. Furthermore, Roland Barthes uses a lot of references from various sources. However, I was not familiar with all of them. This didn't stop me from enjoying the book, even though I have a feeling that I might understand some parts better if I had an idea of what Barthes was actually talking about. Luckily for me, I had already read The Sorrows of Young Werther, which was heavily referenced in the book. Now, I simply feel that I want to reread Werther under the new light that A Lover's Discourse has given me.

Another trap that I found in this book is that it is very quotable. How is this a trap? I could easily fill my review with quotes from it, without any other context, and you would LOVE it. Yes, it is great. Yes, it might be the book I have underlined the most (perhaps along with De Profundis). Nevertheless, I fear that because it is too quotable I might have stayed on the surface of the subject - at least in some parts.

All in all, A Lover's Discourse was a challenging yet eye-opening book for me. I found it very relevant even though it was published in the '70s, especially now, with all the digital lovers and online dating. Just remember how many times you have been overanalyzing a text you received from your crush. A Lover's Discourse has given me a deeper understanding of this mystery that is love and all of its nuances. And with that, I'm leaving you with one more quote from the book:

"I love the other, not according to his (accountable) qualities, but according to his existence; by a movement one might well call mystical, I love, not what he is, but that he is."

Read more reviews here

Review: Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

Title: Watchmen

Author: Alan Moore

Illustrator: Dave Gibbons

Colouring: John Higgins

Publisher: DC Comics

Date of Publication: September, 1986 (1st issue)

Number of Pages: 416

Summary

This Hugo Award-winning graphic novel chronicles the fall from grace of a group of super-heroes plagued by all-too-human failings. Along the way, the concept of the super-hero is dissected as the heroes are stalked by an unknown assassin.

One of the most influential graphic novels of all time and a perennial best-seller, Watchmen has been studied on college campuses across the nation and is considered a gateway title, leading readers to other graphic novels such as V for Vendetta, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, The Sandman.

Review

Does the world really need another review of Watchmen? It's probably the most celebrated and studied super-hero comic. So, instead of writing a typical review, here I'll just write a "love letter" to this great comic book. But before anything else, if you haven't read it yet, just go! I'll wait for you! Seriously, this is a must-read!

The fact that I seriously ADORED this graphic novel is no surprise. You've probably heard it before, but here it is one more time: Watchmen is indeed the greatest graphic novel ever written. Ok, this might actually be an overstatement, but there are many arguments to support it, and for me, at least, it is. I was expecting greatness from the very beginning, but the story managed to surprise and move me in a way that I couldn't describe. So, here I am, some years since I've read it (I know it took me too long to pick it up), still thinking about it, and deciding to write my thoughts about it.

So, what makes Watchmen the comic it is? Is it the characters, the story, or the feelings? Is it a combination of those things? For me, it's the things that it stands for: being true to yourself. There is no distinction whether oneself is chaotic, has super-powers, is a somewhat ordinary guy trying to hunt some injustice, is a bloodthirsty creepy guy, or is just anyone.

All the characters have flaws, some even carry unforgivable sins, but they are heroes and they strive for a better world. Those flaws are present even from the Minutemen days. However, I will not dwell on the characters, as this is a topic discussed so often. I could talk about the form of this comic book, the deconstruction of the superhero genre, and its influence on comics. In this review though, I want to take a step back and examine two things in Watchmen - chance and chaos, and especially this iconic ending (in case you haven't noticed, some spoilers are ahead).

First of all, Watchmen doesn't have a clear protagonist or a villain. Yes, Ozymandias appears to be the anti-hero of the story, but what makes him the more villainous character rather than the Comedian, or Rorschach? We can say that the method he used was morally questionable, even though his ulterior motive wasn't. No, he didn't want world domination, the destruction of Earth, etc. Instead, he wanted a future for humanity. Was his plan of action the correct thing to do? I doubt it... so did the rest of the Watchmen. When we, and them, learn the truth, it comes as a shock. However, it would become a greater evil, if the world were to know. So they take the even more questionable decision - hide it from the public so that the world stays united.

This is where the part of Rorschach becomes interesting. To me, this character stands for the unpredictable. I would never say that he is a perfect character. In fact, he is one of the most perverted characters in Watchmen, and this comic book has an abundance of them. However, he does something interesting - he decides to write everything down. Before going for their final confrontation with Ozymandias, he sends his diary to a newspaper.

In his final entry, Rorschach writes: "...If reading this now, whether I am alive or dead, you will know truth: whatever precise nature of this conspiracy, Adrian Veidt responsible. Have done best to make this legible. Believe it paints disturbing picture..." and he later continues "...For my own part, regret nothing. Have lived life, free from compromise...and step into the shadow now without complaint."

This statement carries a significant weight. He, who has nothing to lose, can push humanity beyond its limits. Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias, the big philanthropist, the billionaire, the image of the perfect citizen, will be uncovered as the mastermind behind this horrendous attack. He, who has nothing lose, will knowingly go to find his end in Antarctica.

Rorschach knows that his morality can only lead to darkness, as there is no middle ground. He is capable of labeling an action condemnable or not. However, near the end of the story, it is the first time that he realizes that, and I believe that this is the reason why he challenges Dr. Manhattan to kill him. But his death, doesn't mean anything as the damage has already been done.

When everything is said and done, people will forget the attack and go on with their lives. However, peace is fragile and actions should not be left unanswered. Was this what Rorschach wanted? Create chaos and destruction in the word, even though he is not a part of it anymore? The decision now comes to the hands of a newspaper employee. And this leads us to the greatest comic book panel of all time...

All in all, even though Watchmen is filled with interesting characters and each one of them would be a could basis for an analysis (which there are plenty online), to me, it is Rorschach's actions that made this story unbelievably real. I have read this comic book some years ago, but I can't help thinking about it. Watchmen is still as relevant as it has ever been...