Anne of Green Gables

Isn’t it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive—it’s such an interesting world. It wouldn’t be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There’d be no scope for imagination then, would there?

L M Montgomery wrote the first story of Anne in 1908, which became a success and rose her to international fame. I listened to the Audible version of the book, performed by Rachel McAdams. The narration was mesmerising and it kept me hooked to the world of Green Gables.

Anne Shirley, the protagonist of the story, is a cheerful young girl who lives in her dreamland when she is all alone. She is mischievous at times, lovely and caring at other times. She is also funny, witty and thoughtful. I loved the character from the moment she’s introduced in the book.

Anne arrives in Green Gables purely by accident. Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert wanted a boy, and they are surprised to find this red-haired girl instead. Although she badly wanted to stay at Green Gables, the decision rests upon them. The story takes us through Anne’s life from a young girl to a teenager; through the troubles in her life and her happy moments.

“Oh, Marilla, looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them,” exclaimed Anne. “You mayn’t get the things themselves; but nothing can prevent you from having the fun of looking forward to them. Mrs. Lynde says, ‘Blessed are they who expect nothing for they shall not be disappointed.’ But I think it would be worse to expect nothing than to be disappointed.”

I really enjoyed the story. I’ve already decided to read and review other books in the series. I would recommend it to anyone who likes simple and beautiful stories full of optimism and positivity. Anne is the part we lose as we grow older, yet something that would make our life amazing if it stays.

Malice

Everyone has secrets. And everyone has the right to keep them. Even if they’re dead.

Keigo Higashino never fails to amuse me with perfect crimes and gripping mystery behind it. As usual, by the end of first chapter, the murder was committed, the how part was almost clear and we had a prime suspect. The rest of the story is a quest to find the motive behind the murder. Just when I thought it was over, the book had over 40% remaining and it was full of twists and turns.

Kunihiko Hidaka, a famous Japanese author, is found murdered in his house days before he was supposed to move to Canada. The body was discovered by his wife and his best friend. While investigating, Detective Kyoichiro Kaga comes across information that questions the authenticity of the author and the relationship with his friend.

The story resembles Devotion of Suspect X in many ways. There are old colleagues who know each other well. The conversation between them leads to a turning point in the investigation. But while trying to uncover the plot, the detective has to dig up far more than the suspect’s past known to him.

Unlike other stories, Malice is written from the point of view of the detective and the victim’s friend. This helps in setting the plot at the beginning. It also helped to break some conventional assumptions I had about the story.

Apparently, it won’t do just to tell the reader what a particular character is like. The author needs to show their habits or their words and let the reader form an image on their own.

I place Malice at the third position of my list of favourite Higashino novels. It comes after Devotion of Suspect X and Salvation of a Saint, pushing Journey Under the Midnight Sun and Midsummer’s Equation one step backward. But I recommend this to anyone who loves crime thrillers.

When Breath Becomes Air

The physician’s duty is not to stave off death or return patients to their old lives, but to take into our arms a patient and family whose lives have disintegrated and work until they can stand back up and face, and make sense of, their own existence.

When Breath Becomes Air is a memoir by Paul Kalanithi, who was a neurosurgeon, husband and father. Paul was diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 36. He was just completing his residency and was planning a life ahead with his wife Lucy. He came up with the idea of writing a book after the diagnosis, and he died before publishing it.

As a doctor, Paul had witnessed many births and deaths. He’d seen the life of a patient from the other side. He narrates how his life, perspectives and priorities changed during his transition from a doctor to a patient, with the realisation that his time is limited. This is not a story of bravery. He was afraid to die like any other dying patients, and was forced to embrace it without a choice.

Life of Paul Kalanithi is both heartbreaking and beautiful. It made me think about the choices we make during the critical moments of our lives. The book may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved it.