The Cider House Rules

The Cider House Rules by John Irving

 Before I start this review I'd just like to make something clear. The unabashed acclaim that the majority of books in this blog receive is not in such quantity because I'll read anything and find it difficult to criticise a book, perhaps the most personal piece of work one can make. But it is merely due to the fact that in fact I am too picky. Within the first few chapters I can rigidly decide whether I'm going to like a book or not, and if I feel I won't then I ditch it with immediate effect. To give some sense of magnitude for every book I read there's probably two or three half read books lying around somewhere sombrely collecting dust. Okay, now that's sorted I shall begin.

I was recommended 'The Cider House Rules' by John Irving by a very friendly gentleman at Waterstones who termed it the book for those who love to read. Ever so willing to prove my genuineness as a reader I was quick to take the challenge (oh how sad it is that I care so much about outward show). Now coming from someone who had never heard of John Irving or indeed the Oscar-award-winning film adaption of the book itself, at first I was rather put off by how odd and random the theme and storyline were. The book centres itself around the orphan Homer Wells who has presided for the best part of 20 years at the St. Clouds orphanage in Maine, California. Homer's had his share of unsuccessful adoption attempts and eventually it was agreed by Dr Larch (the drug dependent head of the place) and his two devoted colleagues Nurses Angela and Edna, that Homer must stay and be of service. This orphanage is also a birth and abortion clinic (the latter act being illegal at the time of the story) and so Dr Larch decides to teach Homer the practices of midwifery and abortion with the hope that he'll become a doctor later in life. I'm becoming increasingly concerned that I'm giving away too much of the plot in these reviews so I'll leave it there except for saying that one day a beautiful young couple comes to the orphanage requesting an abortion and they take Homer away with them. The book itself is largely unpredictable as it covers the issues ranging
from abortion to an almost legitimate love affair to the Second World War and a horrific case of child
abuse within its 600 or so pages.

There are a couple of characters who so moved me that I feel inclined to comment about them. The first, the patriarchal Dr Larch, is a solitary figure who's devoted him life to the orphanage. Addicted to the drug ether (this addiction occurred when the drug was obligatory as a pain killer for a sexual infection Larch had in his younger years), it is under it's influence that we most get to see Larch. Larch is continuously composing a massive volume called 'The History of St. Clouds', where hewrites distorted histories about current and former orphans and even writes their futures before they've even lived them. He calls abortion the Lord's work as in both giving birth to and aborting a baby some sort of deliverance is performed. In birth a baby is delivered whilst in an abortion one delivers the mother. Dr Larch is an intriguing enigma with a hint of Weltschmerz about him  and Irving in his afterword speaks of how one of his colleagues criticised the original draft claiming Larch should be the main character not Homer. Another character who at times repulsed me and who at other times almost brought me to tears was the brash, loud and violent Melony. A fellow orphan to
Homer whose also been at the orphanage for almost 20 years, she forces Homer to make a pact with her saying he'll never leave her. Homer and Melony share a fascinating relationship at times it's
sexual, at times it's hatred and at times it's for mere moral support. If you've been reading this article you'll realise that Homer does break this pact and for the huge share of the book Melony searches for him to take her revenge. Melony is an easily dislikable character, even though one knows sympathy should be offered up to her. By the end of the book I felt as if I'd reached an epiphany of sorts with her, I saw underneath her tough armour and saw a very vulnerable person. The last character I feel inclined to mention is Mr Rose (in the hope that I'm selling this book enough for some of you to want to read the book, I'm going to leave him as a mysterious question mark). However what I will say is that he's a prime example of how one can't judge someone merely on face value.

As with most books I do have one minor criticism, this being how a period of15 years is skipped in the book during which many secondary characters die. This leaves many previous background storylines cut off in mid swing. I'm hesitant on whether I will watch the film adaption, yes it's been acclaimed, apparently Michael Caine as Dr Larch is incredible. However many personalities are distorted and Melony was cut from the script. I know, I was appalled.

The Cider House Rules evoked true twangs of pain in me as it's tale progressed. Although I did see the humour in it I'd classify it as miscellaneous. If you're looking for a slightly left wing, refreshing read and you love to read, I'll recommend it strongly.

Birdsong

BIRDSONG BY SEBASTIAN FAULKS

Rather fittingly for the centenary of WW1 I chose to read Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks, definitely one of the easiest reads I've had in a long time. The tale of war (obviously), love and destruction follows the life of Stephen Wraysford, a daring youth originally sent to Belgium to conduct research for his textile company. Wraysford stays with the much respected Azaire family and commences a passionate affair with Madame Azaire (Isabelle). After the explosive revealing of this affair and Isabelle's subsequent deserting of him, we rejoin Stephen as a commander of a battalion in WW1 and experience the trauma that came with the war, nowadays as Faulks highlights in his introduction, a war forgotten perhaps due to guilt or in it's presumed pointlessness compared to its far more devastating successor. There are few great books about WW1 as it's either remembered in a more statistical manner,which forgets emotional side of things,  or seen as the funny war. Birdsong was thus thoroughly successful in bringing out the horrifying conditions of trench warfare and  more importantly how operose the soldiers became, placed in a dream-like state becoming killing machines instead of people. We also follow the discovery, by Stephen's granddaughter Elizabeth, of his journals and she gradually discovers what the war was really like. Whilst this in its own would be too obvious in Faulks using a character merely to illustrate his opinion of how we've all seemed to have forgotten the war, the backstory of her affair helps make Elizabeth an actual person than a statement. Perhaps the most significant criticism I can find of the book is whether Stephen's affair with Isabelle (a key part to the plot), in all it's lustful glory, takes over from the actual warfare side of things. This is only a meagre criticism as the affair also adds a more human aspect to the book itself, making the war a less alien experience. With the vast assortment of characters, many who end of dying (which evoked genuine sadness in me), as well the rich description of the Belgian and French countryside I was able to understand all the acclaim Birdsong has received; but by far the greatest star of the book is Faulks vivid emotional description of all trauma war brings.

Tess of the D'Ubervilles/Babylon Revisited/Siblings

Tess of the D'Ubervilles/Babylon Revisited/Siblings

Still fed up with the overload of saccharine sweetness that one receives when reading several Dickens books at once, I decided to continue my current dark reading patterns by reading Tess of the D'Ubervilles by Hardy. A truly shocking book indeed, showcasing the tragic injustice of Victorian rural England against a young, naive dame whose naivety led to her rape by her 'cousin' and 'benefactor' Alec D'Uberville. What follows is an unrelenting turn of failure, unhappiness and ruin. From a family crippled by poverty, Tess is forced to find her own way in the world ending up at a far away dairy farm. Things seem to get gradually better, she meets the love of her life Mr Angel Clare, but her 'sin' in the rape is something that will continue to haunt her and eventually lead to her ruin. A candid tale that oversees the decay of a blossoming young lady who aspires to be a teacher to a desultory and lackadaisical wreck. All Tess wants is to have a family and settle down, living an inoffensive life, making the tale all the more heart-wrenching. The tale occurs over the space of many years and thus one can see Tess grow as a character learning from her hardships but also losing hope. Hardy's vivid description of the harsh English countryside and the biting cold throughout increases the sadness one gets from this read, though in reflection I found it a relatively easy read, mostly because there was always the faint glimmer of hope that events may end up well for Tess. Tess of the D'Ubervilles does indeed spur up many debates, at the time of release many readers were shocked as it challenged the sexual ethics of the time, many see it as a feminist tale whilst others argue the opposite. The argument that comes to mind most easily for me is whether Tess condemned herself to suffering. She decides that as she is the victim in the situation she'll play the victim and not at all try to sort out the situation, at times I did find this rather irritating and minutely 'Kingshaw-esque' (those who have read Susan Hill's I'm The King of the Castle will understand this). I do strongly recommend Tess with all the complex characters (from the insipid Alec D'Uberville to the loyal Marion, Retty and Izzie) and the unforeseeable tale yet be warned upon finishing you'll find your spirits rather down as a result.

Indeed having finished Hardy's epic, with an unquenchable thirst for something more cheerful to read I rushed over to 'Babylon Revisited' (a collection of short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald of the Great Gatsby Fame). How foolish I was... The main tale itself was fine, a sorrowful story, of a man who having sobered up from the glamorous and decadent 1920s, is now struggling to gain custody of his daughter. But the operose tale of The Cut Glass Bowl which glances over the loss of youth and family was a different thing altogether. It follows Evelyn Piper, a former young beauty approaching middle age who was once given a cut glass bowl by a former enemy, the passive piece of furniture is ode to her beauty yet also her hardness, her simple nature and lack of substance. The tale follows around 20 years of her life where the piece haunts her life and eventually her death. I would also recommend this eclectic selection of tales, a quick half an hour read, with major themes of the recovery from the pompous 1920 American lifestyle and the decay of material possessions.

Lastly, I end on what is possible the most easily unlikeable TV show I've ever seen, Siblings. It consists of two lazy and bratty 20 somethings, Hannah and Dan, who are brother and sister. Despite the first few episodes being incredibly predictable and annoying, I implore perseverance, the third episode of the series is ingenious.

Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow...and then a bit of a ramble

Salutations for another issue of my youthful blog and today I'm writing this yet again  trapped in an obsession, this time by the book Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter Høeg. (A MUST READ), a book bursting from the seams with intelligence, suspense and duplicity. Indeed Smilla Jaspersen is a character that we can all learn from, an obvious intellectual with a view of society that is such that you know she'll never become insane or caught up in an addiction (rather unlike me). As a keen glaciologist, Smilla teaches the reader a lot about her sole love of the world, ice. Her honest, witty, brutal and clever persona, perhaps occasionally mistaken for insolence (the line 'Greenlanders never say sorry' comes to mind), draws the reader in, the star of the book isn't in fact the narrative full of twists and turns but this beautiful piece of creation. Smilla doesn't just teach lessons, she teaches life lessons, one that I shall take heed to is how she never rushes from place to place, life is too short, you can't be so daring as to be convinced there won't be some horrific accident in your commute, thus Smilla says we should treat each journey with joy, walking slowly and drinking in our surroundings. The tale itself is a gripping murder mystery, it's been quipped 'the intellectual Miss Marple', set between mainland Denmark and Greenland. I have a mere two issues with the novel, the first being that the tale is so complex that the reader is prone to confusion and the second being the heavily unfulfilling ending. Clearly with such a clever, intellectual character one wouldn't expect the ending to be all roses and happiness, yet it felt as if I were listening to an amazing CD that abruptly cut off near the end. Usually I would also recommend the film with the book, yet sadly the rotten raspberry awards success that the film experienced perhaps indicates otherwise. Smilla Jaspersen is in many ways a Beyoncé like figure, everyone who reads the book would like to be like her, her analytical skills indisputable, which even those at the top of the psychological profession would envy . Or perhaps it's just me, for all her great attributes she's still a social outcast at 37 living alone in a place she loathes, and she's more appreciative of maths, science and numbers than she is of love and emotion. A cynic at heart, and despite her unapproachable masquerade, the reader can easily become attached to Miss Smilla.

Having read the book I've been inclined to look at myself and my perhaps excessive want to grow up quickly, since the age of six I've been looking forward to the working life. Take this for instance: my favourite song at the moment is 'Flower Child' by Nitty Scott and Kendrick Lamar (a surprisingly decent song actually once you get past the Disney princess-esque flow of Miss Scott), for the most part due to the accurate using of the term photosynthesis. I cringe at remembering my once ranting on about how I even loved the 'tube culture of London', one of sweat, despair and more sweat. My idea of a good day is one spent working 9 till 5.  I've even started looking forward to going back to school! Is this a disease with the modern technological age, children no longer want to be children in the traditional sense. Gone are the games of hopscotch or football, to be replaced with a thirst for professionalism and acute IT skills. The other day I overheard a girl who having barely crawled out of the cot was instructing her parent on how to use XCell in a frighteningly authoritarian manner. One of my young cousins was visibly shocked when I suggested turning onto CBBC instead of the news. Yes, children have become in somewhat more intelligent and gripped to current affairs, but isn't there something so precious about the innocence and unawareness of a child, without a care about the heinous real world of work? Are we losing our humanity?

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest

Hello to whoever's reading this, the fifth issue of 'the cultural mindset of moi'. I am here to relate how I have been hooked, gripped and taken aback by the extraordinarily amazing novel which is 'one flew over the cuckoo's nest' by Ken Kesey. A moving tale of one of the tough mental health institutions that were rife in the 1960s. If you were slightly quirky or out of the norm you were considered a danger to public life and so place in these vile prisons where electric shock treatment was practiced among other forms of torture, the book follows Chief Bromden, almost a piece of furniture at one of these places overseen by a poker-faced and monstrous mother nurse, as he witnesses the effect of a jovial and  loud new arrival to the ward. This arrival, McMurphy wishes to take on the dictatorship of the nurse that the patients are under in the hospital and much of the book entails the mental war between McMurphy and the nurse. As to Kesey's actual writing style and the forensics of what makes this book so great, I can say very little, I wouldn't usually say 'everything' but I believe this case is an anomaly. This book is extremely moving and really explores the question of what actually defines insanity. Even though the film is equally excellent, I strongly recommend reading the book first as is so in most cases. I hasten to apologise for this week's minuscule entry but really my cultural mindset has been controlled solely by this stunning piece of literature.

8 Alternative Summer Jams

8 Alternative Summer Jams

It's mid summer and you're already sick with the overplayed catalogue of hits that are so inveterate to this time of season, right? You swear you'll scream if you hear Cheryl Cole's voice again, don't get the hype about Sam Smith and would be glad to hear I-G-G-bye? Well, then (hopefully), this sub-section shall be just for you as I have searched far and wide for a collection of songs that are fitting replacements for the soundtrack to your summer.

1. Chance the Rapper & the Social Experiment - Wonderful Everyday: Arthur

Despite being admittedly at times a bit distorted and the actual content being rather minimal; this beautiful ode to arguably the best children's TV show ever, by the up and coming Chicago based rapper, has gallons of positivity, the jocose piece seems the perfect song to be listening to whilst strolling down the sunny streets of whatever town you happen to be in.

2. Chet Faker - Talk Is Cheap

A smooth, jazzy summer tune with a water tight production layered on top of Australian Faker's unique vocals. Due to it's mellow tone it's the perfect soundtrack to a cool, summer evening.

'The perfect soundtrack to a cool, summer evening'

Chet Faker

3. Royksopp & Robyn - Do It Again

A piece of intense summer EDM and a pinnacle of the genre at its best from the Scandinavian pair. With ease Robyn's breathy vocals take command of the superb production, for sure this song will be popular even to those who dislike EDM in most circumstances, a prime example that not all EDM is utter crap.

4. Tensnake, Nile Rodgers & Fiora - Love Sublime 

A piece of disco with a music video revolting enough to rival Oliver Heldens from the German DJ, 

Nile Rodgers is the icing on the cake, starting off where 2013s 'Get Lucky', ended off.

5. Kelela - Guns & Synths (Prod. Bok Bok)

The thing that sets soul star Kelela apart from the rest of the crowd in my opinion, isn't her Aaliyah-like vocals, nor her painful story, but the excellent production in all her songs. Guns & Synths doesn't fail to disappoint. Albeit slightly less punchy than some of her other songs, nevertheless this is still r&b at its best.

'R&b at its best', Kelela

6. Cave Painting - So Calm

A light and bouncy piece of alternative pop from the British band, that gives the listener a sense of freedom and joy at each listen. Definitely worth a try.

7. Natalie Storm - Rock The Runway 

The uncouth and loud personality of reggae queen Natalie Storm is perhaps most evident in her song 'Rock the Runway', aside from the littering of expletives, the confident vocals and pumping beat makes this an irresistible summer jam.

'Uncouth and loud', Natalie Storm

8. Wilfred Giroux - Stronger

This Corrine Bailey-Rae sampling piece of house is perhaps the most danceable track on the list, with superb and scrupulous production from the producer.

Too Much of a Fuss Over Ebola?

Too Much of a Fuss over Ebola?

Unless you've been hibernating for the past few weeks, I'm sure you'll find that the news of the sudden, devastating outbreak of the disease Ebola (one that has a mortality rate of between 55 to 90%) and at the time of writing no cure, has been literally everywhere of recent. This outbreak of the virus, having started in Western Africa (Liberia being the worst affected country), has caused the WHO to have a meeting over whether there should be a red alert on global health. Since the outbreak in February, over 900 people have died, and whilst I'm not saying this isn't a terrible thing and we should be trying to stop it, the hysteria that's occurred as a result is rather disproportionate, in my opinion, with the actual problem. Why so, hopefully these three reasons will help explain my opinion.

1. Although 900 deaths is still a lot, compared to the 600,000 deaths last year due to malaria, the 1.3 million in 2012 due to tuberculosis or even the common flu, it's very insubstantial.

2. All research as of yet suggests the disease is only spreadable by direct contact of bodily fluids such as blood or urine. Ebola is not an airborne disease and thus if victims are kept in strictly closed off quarters and family members and doctors wear sufficiently protective clothing, the outbreak will be easily culled.

3. In the summer, where the house of commons for the most part is in recess and most political matters are on the low, many journalist frantically search for a story to hype up. Indeed a recent headline on the Daily Mirror spoke of how a woman had collapsed and died of Ebola at Gatwick airport on arrival from Sierra Leone. It turns out she didn't even have the disease.

5th of August 2014

5th of August 2014

Welcome to the second edition of this, my attempt at a less generic and formulaic blog, which somehow hasn't failed yet. In this issue I'll be delving into predominantly my interests in the world of music whilst also recommending the best TV series since Game of Thrones (which quite frankly isn't saying much).

I start this issue all hyped up from the recent news that I can expect to hear Jessie Ware's second album, 'Tough Love' later this year, the lead single of the same name is extremely promising for what's to follow. A calm piece of alternative pop with Jessie's minimalist vocals swooping over the exquisite production like a mother cradling a baby, leaving the listener 'crying out for more'. Also blaring up on my radar of music most perceptibly is the early 90s referencing smooth R&B of long established crooner MNEK. His most recent song, and most likely to become a massive hit, 'Wrote A Song About You' though at times seeping into cheesiness, is an upbeat retro throwback of most stunning accord.

In terms of books, seemingly part of the initiation into becoming a lawyer is reading Dicken's 'Bleak House', a task that I took upon myself with much concern, the huge 880 page classic at first to many readers I'm sure seems like some unforgiving hill that they can't imagine climbing, indeed I would have given up had it not been for the ecstatic reviews of peers in the law world egging me on. The book that follows the seemingly inconclusive Jarndyce vs Jarndyce case indeed, shockingly became  a real page-turner, perhaps through the shear abundance and variety of fascinating characters, from the enduring politeness of the protagonist Esther Summerson, the chilly and secretive air of Lady Dedlock, the childish stupidity of Skimpole or the predatory unease that one gets around Mr Vholes. My perhaps only complaint is one that comes with all Dicken's novels, the almost pantomime like amount of shocking coincidences, that really become predictable and slightly annoying. You'll always find one character finding their long lost son/daughter who you wouldn't have even thought of relating to them...except now you will predict this relation due to the shear abundance of similar occurrences, rather depleting the intended magic of the realisation.

I end with my newfound obsession with the Channel 4 sitcom 'Friday Night Dinner'. Never before had I even taken a second glance at it but the at-the -best-times odd and perhaps even childish humour makes it one of the best sitcoms I've seen in ages.

Introduction

The Cultural Mindset of Moi:
(An insight to the views and interests of a naive teenager.)

As each arduous day of the unforgiving heat that is the summer holiday drags on I have decided to take the untimely brave choice to return to the blogging scene, a scene which has changed distinctly since my sad departure. Having before felt as an inveterate blogger, I am now a re-established newby. The heavily formulaic nature of my previous blog led to much boredom in its creation so I am determined to make this new creature as perceptibly laid back and irregular as possible.

Now, what to talk about, what's currently on my cultural mindset. It is true indeed that of recent I have rediscovered an obsession for the dark, brooding R&B of the lax star-in-the-making who is BANKS. She's recently offered up possibly her most commercial sounding track to date, 'beggin' for thread',  a track that intertwines the coldness of her voice with the asperity of the production, creating something that's rather marvellous.

In the book world my most recent read has been 'The Grapes of Wrath' by John Steinbeck. A heartbreaking tale that with the greatest celerity takes away all possible hope of a happy ending as it follows the trials and tribulations of an Oakland family as they move to California in search of a better life. Only, once they arrive, they realise their lives are now requisitely much worse. Steinbeck indeed is a great author, many chapters came across more like great pieces of poetry. The ending indeed, which I shall keep hushed for those who actually want to read this book, is perhaps one of the most poignant endings of a book I've ever seen, as the true desperation of the family is brought forth. Another impressive piece of work is the new 'Planet of the Apes' film, though most of it consists of monkey sign language and subtitles galore, it is extremely believable, one becomes attached to these violent (yet fair) creatures. The only problem I did have is how obvious the ending was in pointing to a third film, not that I have an issue in that itself.

On a rather different note all together, I strongly believe that this summer of sport has been going on for way too long. I mean to say, I can cope with the World Cup and Wimbledon but when you add onto this all the golf and cricket tournaments along with the Commonwealth games. These events lose their all their shine and polish and it eventually reaches a point when I just really don't care. Indeed at this moment my sanguine nature for summer has all but eroded and I already have high hopes for winter (clearly come winter my opinion will be starkly opposite).