Chicago by Alaa Al Aswany

Same as his, The Yacoubian Building, this book have a variety of characters from all walks of life. Story is set in the campus of the University of Illinois Medical Center some time after 11th Sept.

Among them :-

-Graham, a professor who is having a relationship with an African-American woman

-Carol, Graham's girlfriend who is faced with racial prejudice

-Shaymaa an educated Egyptian whose chances of getting married in her homeland is low hence she came to America to get her PhD but found love instead

-Tariq is a good catch for all prospective brides except for a slightly deficit in him.

-Ra'fat, an Egyptian emigrate who is faced with tough problem in communicating with his Americanize daughter

-Danana- a despicable Egyptian state Security informant  who uses religious doctrines to get his way in life.

Marwa- Danana's suffering wife.

Nagi- an Egyptian student who came here to study in order to finance his literary aspiration but he seems to be in a fight with everyone that he met

I bought this book a few months ago but could not get through the first chapter coz the paragraph seems to be so long winded. However, I decided to give this book another chance after reading The Yacoubian Building which I liked. Am so glad that I did coz in my opinion, this book is even better than The Yacoubian Building.

Once I got through the first chapter, the rest of the book went well.

The plot is brilliant. The author would tell the story of one character and stopped at the right moment to keep the suspense high before going on to the story of another character. This kept me reading. Started reading this at 11.30pm last night and finished this book at 5am this morning.

Should you decide to read this book, do keep an open mind. It touches on religion. Some people maybe offended by the way some characters being portray.

It made me feel angry at the treatment received by of some women here. Being manipulated by the men. However, I won't fault the author as the ability of the author to evoke a range of feeling in his/hers readers for me is the mark of a good author.

I had a great time reading this book. Hope to get my hand on more of his books.

Following The Wrong God Home By Catherine Lim

Yin Ling is beautiful and has the soul of a poet. She is also engaged to a wealthy man and politically ambitious man, Vincent Chee.

She came from a poor family and Vincent had helped her family a lot especially paying for her mother's cancer treatment. He even tried to tolerant her eccentric old servant, Ah Heng Cheh who is obsessed with the mysterious status of a God which she brought to Singapore from China.. In fact, Yin Ling loves Vincent most when he help out her loved ones.

However, Vincent measured out his love in portion. There is always "I love you but......".

He takes her love for poetry lightly.

Then Yin Ling met Ben Gallagher, an outspoken American Professor. Her poetry brings them together and also because of Ah Heng Cheh.

Vincent came to know about the love blossoming between Yin Ling and Ben. He forgive her. Yin Ling felt obligated to let go of her love to Ben because she felt indebted to Vincent.

They got married and had a baby. Yin Ling loves her son the most. But she can't let go of her love to Ben. When she got to know that Ben have been writing to her and that her mother had intercepted the letters, her hope revived. At one part, she was delighted that Ben still love her but at another part she was reluctant to keep contact with Ben. She loves her son very much

Some things happened and Vincent found out about Ben.They had a confrontation. Vincent is again willing to forgive Yin Ling but.......he can't forgive Ben.

What should I say about this book? At one point, I pitied Yin Ling for marrying someone which she said she love and giving up her true love. A really tormented soul. It's all because of her sense of duty. But at another part, I disliked her for destroying so many life.

The Catherine Lim Collection

Found this in the storeroom when sorting out the books the other other day.  I bought this book from the BIG BAD WOLF SALE last year. Have read this almost immediately. Very really good book.

There are 4 books in this collection.

1) The Serpent Tooth

It's something like Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club. Each family have skeletons in the closets and this sometime best left untouched.

There is a lot of flash back from past and present.

Best to be read slowly to enjoy the flavour

2) They Do Return...But Gently Lead Them Back

This consist of 15 short stories mainly about ghosts and  superstitions

I have heard some of the superstition before like the one about knocking noise from a coffin means someone will be dying soon; the one about boy being dress like a girl to deceive bad spirit/God; and about dead spirit lingering on earth.

3) O Singapore! : Stories in Celebration

8 tales about Singaporean and their "kiasuness".

Look out for the story titled "Write, Right, Rite" ; or "how Catherine Lim Tries To Offer Only The Best On The Alter Of Good Singapore Writing". Very entertaining

4) The Woman's Book of Superlatives

Stories about the sufferings of women in the hands of men. Sad.

Overall, am glad that I managed to lay my hands on this book. RM8. Not bad ya.

I wonder why Catherine Lim's books have a certain kind of "sadness" in them

The Lovely Bones By Alice Sebold

Just finished this book. Am feeling extremely sad and depressed. Guess I will have to stop reading this sort of book. But can't help myself as this book is very good.

Story start with Suzie Salmon narrating about her life in heaven and how she observed her family and friends on earth getting on about the news of her murder. And later on how they deal with that

Suzie was murdered. But her body was never found with exception of an elbow.

She even have the opportunity to observe her murderer.

What got me so sad and depressed was the hopelessness of the situation. From Suzie's description. She can have everything in Heaven. Even the air was tuned to her personal preference. Everything seems to be perfect but how come I feel so empty reading that? She should have been happy but instead she felt "comforted". What if life in heaven is THAT mundane?

I also felt sad for her dad. He "knew " who was the murderer but nobody believed him till it's too late. On engrossing himself to hunting for the murderer, he had also pulled himself away from his beloved wife. His wife had felt lonely and restless for so long.

Am not satisfied with the ending of the story for I love good ending. But then, nothing in this world is perfect, right? Perfect ending don't happen for every case in this world.

Really a very touching story.  I wonder how Alice Sebold managed to come up with such a sad story.

 bought this book from BookXcess last week. It's in their new shipment. Go and grab this book if you want a good cry. Worth cry for.

Unhurried Thoughts At My Funeral by Catherine Lim

Thank you very much, Chen Chzan for this book. Just finished reading this two days ago but haven't have time to post about it.

This is a fiction about the 3 days that Catherine Lim had pass away where she lay in the coffin before being cremated. Her thoughts and her doubts.

There are parts where people come to pray to her for help, part where Natas(Satan) came to seduce her, part where her love ones show their true colours and part where she "bargain" with God.

The part where Satan made her question the existence of God and doubtful whether God is a forgiving God or not was interesting

In Asian society, I guess it's rather a taboo to be speaking of death and let alone writing about oneself being dead. This lady really have guts.

Very fascinating story. Cleff, this story is definitely not for you. Could be depressing also.