Review: The Valley of Amazement

It's a bad idea to visit a bookshop at promotion period, you'll get more than what you want.

I've read quite some Amy Tan's books in the past and it seems like she has stopped writing for a while, and I've completely forgotten about her. Until I saw her new release in Kinokuniya.

First and foremost, this is an R-rated book, only for adults, really.

Violet grew up in a courtesan house, which was owned by her mother. She grew up living with the most popular courtesans in Shanghai, observing them playing the courting games with suitors. Violet grew up with knowledge that she's an American but not knowing her father was a Chinese. By learning the truth, Violet started her adventure to learn about her past. To learn the history of her family and to understand how she had developed the angers in her.

It's cleverly written in such a way, both mother and daughter, Violet and Lulu found their way to discover their past. And how they finally understood each other and forgive. The fates of two different generations inter-wined, and it's not surprising towards the end, how much the daughter was a mirror of the mother.

There are some touching moments that gets you teary. It's not enough for me to cry like a river, like when I read Jodi Picoult. When it comes to emotions, Jodi still captured them more precisely. Subtle words, but powerful expressions.

Having said that, the story is still catching enough to get me going throughout the 500++ pages. It's not as good as whatever Jodi's titles I've read, but it's not something I will put down without knowing the end.

Review: The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared

First of all, let me admit that I have habit of impulse buying when it comes to interesting book titles.

I read a guide on how to write descriptions on five senses before I read this adventurous book. It makes me more critical than ever. And as a noob, I can tell you straight this book doesn't hit "show but not tell" rule. The author tell you right in your face like I do.

But this sounds like someone familiar, ah, 卫斯理! I've read 卫斯理 since primary under my sister's influence. But before I started, I remember her commenting about his series of sci-fi, he's not good in his writing style, never even try to copy that, but imagination can go wild! That is what keeps readers coming back for more.

So that's what happened to Jonas Jonasson too, not very good in writing style, but way better than 卫斯理, even comparing two different genres. I do not know how does the original looks like, maybe it wasn't that bad. I can't discredit everything from Jonas Jonasson, it may just be the fault of the translator. I will never find this out until I learn Swedish. (I wonder if I would)

The title has said it all, this 100 year old man climbed out from his window from a Home on his 100th birthday and wind up with a series of unexpected adventures with idiotic gangsters, professional thief & con man, hotdog stand owner, angry red headed woman, lonely inspector and an elephant. The author had put intervals of the current and the past of the old man to explain the old man's exotic characters.

The humour was brilliant when the author carefully placed the old man in all the important events in the history in the past 100 years and how he made the important decision that changed our world to where we are today.

This is a book to pick up purely for entertainment, to pass time. If you were to learn English writing, please pick up the books beside this on the book shelf, chances are they're better.

However, I think this could make very interesting comedy on screen. And I can picture Tom Hanks to be the best person for it :)

(When I was googling it as I wrote, I found out it has already been made into a movie! Maybe I should look for it!)