BOOK REVIEWS: WONDER WOMAN - WARBRINGER

TITLE: WONDER WOMAN - WARBRINGER

AUTHOR: LEIGH BARDUGO

I was thrilled when I found out that DC Icons Series was being cooked. But my excitement sky-rocketed knowing that the first book was about the crowning jewel of the DC Universe - Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman is one of my favorite characters among the DC icons. She is in my opinion a true embodiment of what a woman is in general - strong, powerful, courageous, sensitive and a total bad-ass all in one. I know, I am self-confessed feminist - growing up in a household filled with strong willed women in my family made me one. I truly believe that women can rule the world if they wanted to and wonder woman's world of Amazonian warriors from Themyscira could vouched for that.

“You do not enter a race to lose”

The story begins with a quote from Queen Hippolyta to her daughter, young Diana before she joins the amazon race.

I like the way Leigh Bardugo plotted the story. Before there was the infamous Wonder Woman that we know, she was once a young Amazonian princess name Diana. Growing up in a mysterious island filled with strong women who are battle ready wasn't easy for the pampered princess. She was trained by one of the bests in combat but still she was yet to prove to them that she was more than just the daughter of the queen. She hungered for glory and to stand side by side among the fiercest warriors in the island, eager to prove herself so her comrades will see her as their equal. She wanted to be out there, taking challenges, quests and proving her strength and worth to all of Themyscira.

The story will take you to a girl's journey of becoming the mightiest Amazonian princess that she would become someday. A heroes journey must start somewhere and this action filled novel will give you a different take of how a legend was made.

This is a good YA novel for me. I totally enjoyed every page. I felt her dilemma as she made the hardest decision, seeing the reality of the world, discovering the value of humanity and friendship and love.

Bravo to the author!

 

BOOK REVIEWS: THE PRINCE'S PSALM

TITLE : THE PRINCE'S PSALM

AUTHOR: ERIC SHAW QUINN

I have always loved fictionalized versions of historical events, let alone biblical ones. This book is an epic tale of love, tragedy, and faith, much like many of the stories in the Bible. Yet, despite how complex and often contradictory the tales in the Bible can be, it takes a master storyteller to weave them together and create a beautiful narrative, as seen in the story of David and Jonathan. I have nothing but praise for the author for pulling all the strings together. Eric's talent for storytelling is compelling, and it’s clear he treated the story and the characters with the utmost respect. The way he brought the characters of David and Jonathan to life feels so real and relatable. He was incredibly brave to tackle this topic in the Bible. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that it’s no longer about homosexuality; it’s about love, loyalty, duty, and the willingness to rise above human emotion in order to answer the call of faith. The book is beautifully written.

Yes! You're right. This is the story of the famous David, who killed the giant Philistine warrior Goliath by hurling a stone with a slingshot. In the Bible, God favored David, the prophet anointed him, and the people of Israel elevated him as one of the nation’s heroes. In the end, he became king.

But there is more to the story than what we commonly know, and that’s where a fiction writer works their magic to recreate the tale. Writers often captivate us with their ability to take historical or biblical events and imagine what might have happened beyond the written word. They read between the lines, connect the dots, and create compelling dialogue and scenes through extensive research. They then masterfully and eloquently turn those ideas into words, crafting a beautiful masterpiece like The Prince’s Psalm.

I enjoyed this book so much that I didn’t want it to end. As a reader, I was rooting for David and Jonathan’s love for each other, hoping that their bond and commitment would be enough to save everyone. But we all know the biblical tale and how the tragedy of their relationship led to David becoming king. Still, because the characters were created with such love and realism, it was easy for me to see them not just as biblical figures—a hero and a king—but as men whose love for each other transcended the grave.

I highly recommend this book to open-minded readers who just want to be entertained. This is definitely one of my top reads for the year, and I’m hoping the master, Eric Shaw Quinn, will write more books like this one.

Xoxo

    

Reading the Classic and To Kill A Mocking Bird

I got into reading classic novel a few months back. At first I was skeptical that I won’t be able to grasp the gravity of its context since I was more accustomed with contemporary books.

 I always thought that classic novels held the most profound conversation dealing with literary diversity. It’s eloquence with words was vivid and transcending. Of course I was right with this assumption.

The dialogues that the author used to narrate the story were precised and smoothly written. The way the words were woven fluidly to convey every character’s emotion was more of a melody to a song. It was beautiful.  

Being a person with trifling vocabulary, I realized that reading classic novel was a challenge and a learning ground to push myself out of my comfort zone. I was introduced to a different kind of experience in reading. With my heroic attempt to penetrate the world of the Sherlockian, the Dickens, the Stoker, the Lumas and many more, I brought to me the experiences not only those immortal phrases that I've been mumbling for awhile to know how it sound if I was the one uttering those lines but also those deeper meaning that the heroes such as The Count Of Monte Cristo induced within me. How many times I was left breathless and enthralled, I didn't know. Every classic novel is divine.     

To keep an open mind is a must!

As I flipped the first page of Harper Lee’s classic To Kill a Mocking Bird, I was incensed with astonishment as to how the author described the fictional town of Maycomb. The culture of the town and the era as to when the novel took place were very enthralling. The characters were brilliantly created; their emotional struggles and sentiments were intense and moving. I could almost hear the distinctive southern accent through their dialogues.

In a nutshell, the novel took place in the time when the racial discrimination in America was at its peak. Negro was the word as a description for bigotry for the black community.  It was painfully executed on the pages that I could almost feel the odd intensity of racism that made me cringed or fume with anger. I've never been into a situation where I am racially discriminated and the anger rising inside me puzzled me even more. I was that affected and I didn't know why.

It was just a relief to think that the world changed all through out the years. Though racial discrimination still existed even today, still it wasn't the same as before. I couldn't imagine living in a world where people still breathed with prejudices in their hearts.  

I think racial discrimination; in any form is a disease that could ruin people’s lives.  It couldn't be eliminated easily but it could be prevented in ways of constant education to the young ones about variances, ethnicity and diversity of human beings in all walks of life.  Someone cannot perceive the world the way he/she wants it to be.

I guess I am blessed that I was born in this age. I was blessed that in my time the world’s mind is ready to accept the nature of the twisted, the deviant and the unique.

To Kill a Mocking Bird is one of my favorite novels. My worn out paperback copy is tucked neatly on my shelf along with the great novels I got in there. One day I will pick the book again and read it. But for now, I want to hear about David Copperfield first.