Animal Farm

Fight for the Freedom. Agreement to establish a democratic system. Commandments for the secular state. And in the end, few of the fighters become “More Privileged” and rest of them “toil hard for the needs of the privileged ones… Does it resembles the state of our Country? Actually its synopsis of the “Animal Farm”  by George Orwell.

The catch here is the book was published way back in 1945, before India got its freedom. And yet, it coincidentally mirrors the Journey of India or rather many democratic states.

The fight of the freedom by animals, their abhorrence for humans, and the ultimate behavior of some animals matching with humans, is satire on our political systems.

Though according to the writer Orwell, the book is based on, events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and then on into the Stalin era in the Soviet Union, its content and satirical message is much more relevant in today’s scenarios also.

It’s one of those reads, that will never fade with time, and will send you in deep thought on what our political scenario has became

The best thing about ‘Animal Farm’:-

 The Content- though written way back in 1945, I could connect with the story today also..

 Crisp writing- The writer if wanted could have converted this novella and dragged it to become full-fledged book. But he deliberately avoided that, giving thought provoking plot in small novella.

The Characters – The characters are actually inspired by certain world famous leaders. But actually you can always identify them with leaders that came into force even after book was published. This is the most important facet of “Animal Farm” that makes it relevant even today.

The Commandments – Yes, “Animal Farm”, gives you seven commandments of animal world that are modified as per changing times. It’s satire on how we change our values for our benefit.

Animal Farm was a surprise read, recommended by some Friend. And I truly recommend everyone to atleast once read this humorous – political – satire that will send you deep thoughts but with a smile on your face.

Overall  5/5 read

The famous quotes are its seven commandments and modifications thereof:

The original commandments are:

1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
3. No animal shall wear clothes.
4. No animal shall sleep in a bed.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal.
7. All animals are equal.

Later, the changed commandments are as follows:-

4. No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.
5. No animal shall drink alcohol to excess.
6. No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.

Eclipse

‘Eclipse’ by Stephenie Meyer, is the third book of her famous ‘Twilight’ series, continuing the story of Bella and Edward from the first and second book.

Bella has got her Edward back and their Love life is back on the tracks. Vampire Victoria is on loose trying to kill Bella to avenge the death of his mate James.  Jacob black is open about his feelings about Bella and fighting hard so that she chooses him over Edward.

Bella is set to become vampire after her graduation. She wants Edward to change her, Edward wants to marry Bella. Jacob wishes Edward hadn’t came back and he would have eventually had Bella. And Bella wants to have one ‘special human experience’ before she becomes a vampire.

There is a love triangle and villain on the loose, and werewolves and Cullens are together to fight with them.

So whom does Bella choose, Werewolf  or Vampire? Whether they win over Victoria or not. What will Bella do to have her one ‘special human experience’ before she becomes a vampire. or Whether Edward will make her Vampire at all… ‘Eclipse’ gives all answers..

The best thing about ‘Eclipse’:-

-          The saga of teenage love. The confusion of loving two persons in a different way. Eclipse appeals all the teenagers/ young adult who have gone through these feelings of ‘whether I am in love or not’, he is my love, but I love that one a little too’. For those who read it in their mature age, it would be a pleasant de-ja-vu of our school-college days.

-          When you go through the pages, you cannot help but admire how ordinarily the writer has portrayed the central characters. The protagonists though extra ordinary in a way, behave like what very normal persons do. I can almost feel Bella’s emotions over two guys, her anxiety over the unknown life of a vampire, chosen by her, Jacob’s fury over loving the girl who loves somebody else, or has chosen life most hated him, Edward’s guilt that he is taking life away from his Bella.

-           The plot- the plots and subplots mingle in each other without superimposing on each other. Here’s a love triangle, and a preparation of fight against Victoria, both the events happens throughout the book, and circumstances follow naturally...

-          The characters – Bella’s confused, she loves Edward but cannot hurt Jacob also. Edward is determined to fight for Bella to save her life and have her in his life. Jacob is impatient to have Bella and save her from Vampire life. The characters have so well progressed from previous series, like people growing gradually…

-          The quotes, the way Edward and Jacob express their love for Bella made me cry… I wanted to be Bella myself, I think it’s the most winning part of the book.

Eclipse always had expectation to be better than its prequels, and progress in the love life of Edward- Bella, but feelings of Bella for Jacob was  indeed a happy surprise. Like any other book of the series, it made me carve for more and pick the next.

Overall  5/5 read and best in the series…

The famous quotes:

“If we could bottle your luck, we’d have a weapon of mass destruction on our hands.”

“The way you move — you orient yourself around him without even thinking about it. When he moves, even a little bit, you adjust your position at the same time. Like magnets… or gravity. You’re like a… satellite, or something.”

“I wanted to make both of them get out of their cars and shake hands and be friends — be Edward and Jacob rather than vampire and werewolf. It was as if I had those two stubborn magnets in my hands again, and I was holding them together, trying to force nature to reverse herself…”

“But if you ever bring her back damaged again — and I don’t care whose fault it is; I don’t care if she merely trips, or if a meteor falls out of the sky and hits her in the head — if you return her to me in less than the perfect condition that I left her in, you will be running with three legs. Do you understand that, mongrel?”

“I had no right to want you — but I reached out and took you anyway. And now look what’s become of you! Trying to seduce a vampire.”

“Isabella Swan? I promise to love you forever — every single day of forever. Will you marry me?”

“When I left you, Bella, I left you bleeding. Jacob was the one to stitch you back up again. That was bound to leave its mark — on both of you. I’m not sure those kinds of stitches dissolve on their own. I can’t blame either of you for something I made necessary. I may gain forgiveness, but that doesn’t let me escape the consequences.”

“I used to think of you that way, you know.

Like the sun. My personal sun. You balanced out the clouds nicely for me.”

He sighed. “The clouds I can handle. But I can’t fight with an eclipse.”

“It had not been Edward and Jacob that I’d been trying to force together, it was the two parts of myself, Edward’s Bella and Jacob’s Bella. But they could not exist together, and I never should have tried”

Pride and Prejudice Book Review

If anybody asks me which book I am never tired of re-reading,  it would always be Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

The plot, the characters, and Jane’s writing style - all are very engaging. The book was written in 1813, but lovers in todays era would also connect with the story. 

The story is about Miss Elizabeth Bennet a.k.a Lizzy, the second daughter of the Bennets and Mr. Filtzwilliam Darcy, a.k.a Mr. Darcy, the owner of the Pemberly state. Throughout the book we will find that how the protagonists proud nature and their prejudice towards each other stops them from expressing their mutual love and affection for each other.  Misunderstandings create a further rift and Lizzy starts hating Mr. Darcy.

Finally the love wins over all the prejudices and arrogance, and Mr. Darcy expresses his feelings for the lady love. And Lizzy also realizing that she was wrong on judging Mr. Darcy’s character, accepts his love.

What I loved the most in the story:

- Though story is about Miss Elizabeth & Mr. Darcy, the other characters, Mr & Mrs Bennet, Elizabeth’s Sisters, Mr. Bingley etc get their due share in the book.

-  The inception of the story on the dream of the mother to get married here five daughters to wealthy suitor’s appeals to many, the authors writing style and characterization looks real.

-  The inability of the leads to accept their love for each other due to misunderstandings, arrogance, prejudices against their way of upbringings connects with many readers.

-  The subtle romance, it’s the best in this story.

To sum up ‘Pride & Prejudice’ is a very cherished love story, with drama, plot, characters...all ingredients that make it an all time favorite read.    

In the end, sharing my favorite quote from the book, that’s how Mr. Darcy divulges to Elizabeth how he began loving her;

‘I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I HAD begun.’