tracywong

a very sad and moving story, which unfortunately really took place. noone would have ever wanted to be in that woman's shoes. I found it intolerable, unimaginable how men in those lands could be that ruthless and without pity for their women, treating them worse than cattle.

it's the second time i've read "the last battle" as it was the first of the series that i was offered. :P and eventually i didn't understand some parts of the story and found it rather boring. but now that ive read each novel in order, i have a new perception of that book. the last narnia novel is the most simplistic one. i got to read it in one go, but at last im done with the series, fiouf. it was quite an enjoyable one, especially if one goes for light reading, i'd definitely recommend the chronicles of Narnia. the descriptions are quite detailed and delves the reader into this imaginary utopian world. anyways, it's a nice tale worth of being read to children, and even adults who want to dream a bit.^^

it's the best horror book i've ever read. Dracula helped me revive the true legend that revolves around this enigmatic creature which is the Vampire. Today with the publication of the twilight series it seems that youngsters are forgetting about the charismatic Dracula, the myths that were built around this character, namely the famous stake, garlic, and wafer. all this made me reminisce my old conception of the vampire. today, people only know about the shining and veggie Edward Cullen. Dracula is and remains a classic. Now i understand why. i really had goosebumps, especially at the castle part when the wanton vampires attacked Jonathan and when the latter saw the Count treading on the walls like a lizard. what's more, there is a lot of suspense all throughout the book. i also liked the episode where Mina was being attacked by the Count. this bit was actually my favourite as it was told in a very sensual and mind-blowing manner that would send shudders through your spine: "..."And you, their best beloved one, are now to me, flesh of my flesh; blood of my blood;kin of my kin; my bountiful wine-press for a while; and shall be later on my companion and my helper. you shall be avenged in turn; for not one of them but shall minister to your needs. but as yet you are to be punished for what you have done.you have aided in thwarting me; now you shall come to my call. when my brain says 'Come!' to you, you shall cross land or sea to do my bidding; and to that end this!" With that he pulled open his shirt, and with his long sharp nails opened a vein in his breast. when blood began to spurt out, he took my hands in one of his, holding them tight, and with the other seized my neck and pressed my mouth to the wound, so that i must either suffocate or swallow some of the-Oh my God!..." it's true that Bram Stoker could have made the death of Dracula a bit more out of the ordinary but i think that what's made it a unique book of its kind, a simple but original story with no extravaganzas, like we usually read in many modern horror books where vampires appear more than bloodthirsty. so much so, i really liked this book which kept me awake for NYE. ^^ i look forward to read more of Stoker's works

J'ai adoré la lecture de ce roman de Maupassant. c'est un style et un thème nouveaux qu'il aborde dans Bel-Ami en contraste d'avec Boule de Suif et autres contes de guerres. Bel-Ami est une sorte de caricature de l'homme pret à tout pour atteindre les sommets. Georges Duroy est sans doute l'alter ego de Maupassant, qui a lui-meme eu recours à ces méthodes pour devenir l'écrivain célèbre qu'on connait. Selon moi, Bel-Ami est un homme abjecte, immoral et dénué d'amour propre. Il n'a aucun respect pour les femmes quoique sa passion à leur égard est innée. Débauché et arriviste absolu, il prend des maitresses, cinq précisemment, afin d'atteindre son but et de palier ses envies. D'abord une péripathéticienne, Chlotilde de Marelle, Madeleine Forestier, Mme Virginie Walter et finalment la FILLE de cette dernière, Suzanne Walter, dont le destin avec Bel-Ami demeure inconnu. il jongle avec ces femmes avec une insolence extraordinaire, utilisant son métier et de ces nombreuses connaissances mondaines d'alibis. et il faut l'avouer, Bel-Ami s'en sort toujours, meme dans des situations que l'on penserait inextricables, comme l'enlèvement de Suzanne Walter afin d'atteindre le summum de sa carrière et probablement faire main basse sur la fortune de son beau-père. une situation comique qui m'a sans doute marqué c'est lorsque Mme de Marelle découvre la liaison de Bel-Ami avec une vieille.en fait, Mme Walter, venue quelques instants auparavant, avait, par un moment d'égarement et d'intense passion, noué des mèches de cheveux a la veste de Georges afin que lorsque celui-ci se leverait, il les lui arracherait et emporterait une partie d'elle (tres maso). plus tard, Mme de Marelle arriva et en enlevant la veste de George, y trouva les cheveux. pensant qu'ils appartenaient a Madeleine mais ils etait brun et blancs, ce qui fit deviner a CLothilde que Georges avait une autre maitresse.LOL finalement, le personnage qui m'a le plus marqué nonobstant son role presque inexistant dans le roman, c'est le poète, Norbert de Varennes. Pessimiste, il m'a profondément impressionné avec son sermon sur la vie et la mort.

it was a real pleasure to read this book. childhood innocence and naivety emanates from " to kill a mockingbird". it reminds me of the time i myself imagined loads of things about people or unknown surroundings. I also admire the courage of Atticus in the face of life as a single parent, in the face of the racist county to defend a black man at a time when prejudices and segregation were rife.

"I wanted to believe that I had some important destiny. I wanted to have a make-believe world because I couldn't bear to live in the real one"(Sebastian Faulks) Very moving novel in the way that it drives home the unimaginable hardships experienced by soldiers on the front, though it was a bit hard for me to follow the routine activities of Stephen Wraysford and Jack Firebrace at times. the book sometimes led to boredom, especially in part 2.(made me grow impatient to get over with that book) even so, 'Birdsong' is well written and the descriptions made are very realistic, especially when Elizabeth was delivering her baby John (which left me in complete awe) and when Stephen and Jack were trapped in the tunnels after and explosion underground. that part was so well described (the anguish of the 2 men, their despair in the face of death, and the will of Stephen to survive though he was pessimistic at times) that it captivated me all the way through unlike the rest of the story. what was also saddening in this novel was the forbidden love between Isabelle Azaire and Stephen. it's not that i approve of what was happening in the red chamber, but i feel that Isabelle symbolises cowardice in that story. she first left her husband behind for a younger chap, then leaves stephen without informing him of her pregnancy and finally ends up with a German guy. in any case, 'Birdsong' is worth reading if you want to know a bit about how people lived during World War I. I indeed found some aspects shocking for sure, but what i found particularly appealing was the realistic style of Sebastian Faulks.

"The girl with the dragon tattoo" has a quite interesting plot, though the storyline was bulky and slow. some episodes were not necessary and could have been avoided. but overall it was an original story. I kind of have an admiration for Lisbeth Salander. actually she is the embodiment of the strong woman who doesn't allow herself to be fooled twice, who faces life despite all the men, mainly Nils Bjurman, who made her miserable. indeed, she has other idiosyncrasies, which make her a rather unique and outstanding character but on the inside she incarnates a more complex individual. she has got an incredible intelligence and memory for instance. i understand that Stieg Larsson created Lisbeth based on traumatising events he himself has experienced and he wanted to condemn the ill-treatment of women through Lisbeth, which i believe is a laudable attempt. on the other hand you've got Mikael Blomkvist who i despise above all. he is the womanizer type and thus disgust me a lot. what was more aberrant was his relationship with Erika Berger. but anyways he was a very intuitive "detective" in the "Harriet Vanger" affair. concerning the latter, it was so predictable that poor Harriet was still alive. how naive of Henrik Vanger to jump to the conclusion that his niece was murdered when no evidence about her death was ever found. she disappeared so what? you lose hope of finding her alive? but i found it very daring from Harriet to just disappear to Australia for so many years without being discovered. when you've got a brother and a father like hers, her actions were understandable. besides, i think that the story should have come to a stop after the "Harriet Vanger" case because the book got quite boring afterward when all the focus was diverted to trapping Hans-Erik Wennerström. the storyline got dull to an extent i wanted to stop reading the book. but i finished it though and the ending was quite a "sad" one. poor Lisbeth!

Roman tres emouvant et revoltant a la fois. Au debut nous etions temoins de l'ennui conjugal auquel était assujetie Therese. nous en etions meme attristés par son sort, par sa routine. sa vie etait telle qu'on aurait presque approuvé de sa relation avec Laurent. par la suite, l'intrigue tourne au drame apres le meurtre de Camille. Déja, tuer le pauvre maladif n'a pas rendu la vie simple aux deux amants. au contraire ils se sont davantage distancés, voire détestés au point de vouloir s'entretuer. en somme, le meurtre aura était en vain