About Me

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Australia
I am passionate about the written language. I love writing, reading, reviewing, selling and promoting books. I am an independent bookseller with over 20 years of experience in the book trade. Together with my partners, I actively aim to improve our bookstore's range and services to better reflect the needs of our community and clientele. In 2008, my memoir 'Under A Starless Sky' was published by Hachette, Australia. Since then, I had a short story 'Jasmine Petals' published in 'Stories of Belonging' (Finch) and in 2013, released my first full-length novel, The Russian Tapestry, also by Hachette. I am currently writing my second novel. I strive daily to improve my skills and stretch the limits of my craft. My love of books has naturally lead to reviewing. You can follow me on Twitter @B_Serov, Facebook www.facebook.com/BanafshehSerov and Goodreads www.goodreads.com/author/show/1429016.Banafsheh_Serov

Thursday, February 25, 2010

The Rabbit Proof Fence - Doris Pilkington

The Rabbit Proof Fence
Doris Pilkington

Set during one of the darkest periods of Aboriginal and white Australian history, "Rabbit Proof Fence" follows the lives of three Aboriginal 'half cast' girls who are taken from their families and placed in the Moore River Native Settlement north of Perth, some 1,600 kilometres away from their home. Most Aboriginal children placed in such institutions never saw their families again. However feeling displaced and imprisoned the girls escape their compound and follow the Rabbit proof fence back to their homes.


Rabbit Proof Fence although a very important account of 'The stolen Generation', falls short in evoking the emotions that such a story deserves. Pilkington may have been better off co-writing the book with a professional writer better skilled in tapping into the emotions that instill empathy with the subject matter. All the same, the stolen generation is a tragic and evocative chapter in the Australian history deserving of attention through stories such as The Rabbit Proof Fence. These persoanl accounts not only illustrate the effects of the white man's law on the Aboriginal communities but hopefully encourage us to avoid the same mistakes to be repeated.

Monday, February 15, 2010

The Reader - Bernhard Schlink

The Reader
Bernhard Schlink
Phoenix


The Reader is the story of 15-year old Michael Berg and his relationship with the much older Hanna Schmitz. Intense and short-lived, the relationship has a profound effect on Michael. By chance Michael meets Hanna again whilst studying Law at university and discovers a secret she has kept hidden throughout her life.

This deceptive tale of love and loss is a merely a thin veil masking over the more complex themes of betrayal, shame, and guilt. One can almost feel the heavy burden of guilt carried by the generation of Germans who lived through the Holocaust. They not only bear the guilt of witnessing the death of millions but must now face the accusations of the generation that came after them.

Schlink forces us to examine our own characteristics, that lie dark dormant and caged in the furthest corners of our minds, only to reveal themselves in extreme circumstances. The Reader questions who should be held responsible for the atrocities committed during the Holocaust; the perpetrators who made the rules, the commanders, officers and guards who blindly carried out the rules or the bystanders who turned a blind eye.

Acutely observant, The Reader is a modern classic that is well deserving of its hype.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

chocolat - Joanne harris

Chocolat
Joanne Harris
Black Swan


When the new stranger, Vianne Rocher opens a chocolate boutique in the small French village of Lansquenet, it threatens the suffocating statuesque of the church as enforced by its cure Father Reynaud. Vianne’s plan for an Easter Festival further divides the community and escalates resentments.

Chocolat is an exotic tale of love, belonging and earthly pleasures. Harris skillfully weaves a tantalizing tale spiced with delicious delicacy and prose. It is a novel to enjoy unashamedly in a smoky café over a strong cup of Chocolate espresso and a slice of cake.

Female Chauvinist Pigs - Ariel Levy

Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the rise of raunch culture.
Ariel Levy

There was a time not too long ago when women felt offended if viewed as mere sex objects. Having fought for equal rights, equal pay, we insisted equal respect for our intellect and opinion. It was the feminist movement and women all over the Western world felt empowered by it. Today however there is a rise of different women’s movement. Popularity of celebrities as Paris Hilton and Britney Spears has seen an increasing acceptance of women flaunting their bodies in an array of sexual poses. It is thought liberating, fun and sexy to show, press and flaunt as much female flesh as possible. This rise of raunchiness is not exclusive to our celebrities and pop stars. Striptease and pole-dance classes have gained incredible popularity over the past decade. Girls as young as 12 dress in micro shorts and revealing tops usually with the words ‘Princess’, ‘Diva’ or ‘porn Star’ across their chests.

In Female Chauvinist pigs, Levy investigates the rise of this new pop culture. Is it really women’s newfound liberation or a decline in the level of self-respect? Does attracting men or sleeping with countless partners make women more empowered or just cheap? Have we regressed to the dark ages before the feminist movement or is this a natural progression of our liberation and if so why have our men folk not gone through the same transformation?

Female Chauvinist Pigs is a fascinating study into today's culture; how it has given rise to this new phenomenon that frowned by our feminist mothers is embraced as the norm two generations later.

A very rude awakening - Peter Grose

A Very Rude Awakening
Peter Grose

In 1942, Sydney was a party town. Despite many Australians shipping off to war, for most Australians the fighting felt a long way away. The daily newspapers devoted more space to horseracing than to Hitler. Even after the Darwin bombing, and the speed by which the Japanese were advancing through South-East Asia, no one believed the Japanese could advance this far south. The party came to a shattering halt on May 31st when 3 Japanese midget submarines crept into the Sydney harbour. What followed was a night of mayhem that saw 27 sailors killed exposing the ill preparation and the lack of competency of Australian officers to protect against foreign attack. Expertly researched using archives and first person accounts A Very Rude Awakening is the account of the sheer luck by which Sydney and the Allied navy survived a major attack in her harbour. 4 stars

Brothers and Sisters - Charlotte Wood (editor)

Brothers & Sisters
Charlotte Wood (editor)

‘Your brother or sister, it might be said, is your other self – your grander, sadder, braver, shrewder, uglier, slenderer self.’

Despite (or maybe because of) sharing the same gene pool, our relationship with our siblings is often fraught with friction. At various times, we love and hate them in equal measure. We are fiercely protective of them one moment and ferociously fighting them the next.

In this collection, Wood has compiled twelve short stories by individual Australian authors. In each (with the exception of one about an only child) the characters speak of the deep bonds – whether beautiful or broken – between themselves and their siblings. Because of the familiarity of the subject, each story has elements that we recognize in our own personal lives or the lives of those around us.

Unlike the theme of love in its infinite scope to hold one’s attention, reading repeated stories on sibling relationship was a tad tiresome. However, the artful assembly of this collection and the close proximity of its theme to our own lives makes it a worthwhile read. 3 stars

The power of forgiveness - Janice Beaumont

The Power Of Forgiveness
Janise Beaumont
A&U


Beaumont, wishing to rid herself of destructive anger has set out in search of people who have harnessed the power of forgiveness to turn their lives around. The result is a self-help book based on detailed examples of her own and other peoples’ experiences.

Where other self-help books offer meditations or a step by step template the reader can follow, The Power of Forgivenes only gives reasons why one should rid themselves of anger. There are no guideline as to how these inspiring individuals have managed to turn their lives around.

Most chapters are far too short, often no more than a page and in most cases with the same repeated message: if we don’t learn to forgive, our anger will eat away at us and if not treated it will lead to bitter, pathetic personalities.

Initially I thought that this book although well intentioned fails to offer any real help to the reader. After all we have all seen examples of destructive behaviour, what we want to know is how to rid ourselves of it. A month after however, I still find myself thinking and practicing its message. I can’t say I have forgotten or wish to reconnect with people who are nasty but I have stopped holding on to the experiences. 3 stars