Persepolis
Marjane Satrapi
Vintage
A graphic memoir published originally in French, Persepolis is a timeline of Satrapi's life. Outspoken, strong headed and savvy, Satrapi describes the revolution, Iran/Iraq war and her period of exile in Vienna with finesse, humour and great intelligence. This is an unflinching memoir retold through often witty illustrations and with great honesty. Satrapi does not pull any punches, criticizing both the Shah's and Islamic Republic regimes for its abuse of human rights and its hypocrisy.
I really enjoyed reading Persepolis. I saw my own thoughts and experiences growing up as a young girl in Iran reflected back at me through this moving memoir. It was amazing how parralel our lives were: both born in the same year, grew up in North Tehran and attended bilingual schools. Our parents marched in the same demonstrations and were bitterly dissapointed when their dreams of democracy turned into dust. Maybe that's why this book struck a cord with me.
Persepolis remains a timely book and a must read for anyone interested in Iran and her troubled history
About Me
- Banafsheh Serov
- 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
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
American Rust - Philipp Meyer
American Rust
Philipp Meyer
A&U
American Rust is a story of unfulfilled dreams; a story of a town raised on the back of a steel factory and its slow death once the factory closes down. Set against the natural beauty of Pennsylvania, Meyer paints the aftermath of economic downturn on people once their livelihood is taken away.
Isaac and Poe are two young men bound to the town by their families, responsibilities and its natural beauty. They both dream of a future away from the shackles that keeps them from moving forward. A violent act however sets them on a course that threatens to trap them further into the very life they wish to escape.
What I liked best about this book is that the characters are real with everyday ambitions and frailties. There are no heroes overcoming super human situations. Just regular people with simple dreams of college, family, love and a happy home life.
Told with empathy and great insight, American Rust a hugely ambitious book for a first time writer. Meyer however has managed to execute his task to perfection. It is a timely book given the recent collapse of GM and the closing of factories in US and abroad.
Philipp Meyer
A&U
American Rust is a story of unfulfilled dreams; a story of a town raised on the back of a steel factory and its slow death once the factory closes down. Set against the natural beauty of Pennsylvania, Meyer paints the aftermath of economic downturn on people once their livelihood is taken away.
Isaac and Poe are two young men bound to the town by their families, responsibilities and its natural beauty. They both dream of a future away from the shackles that keeps them from moving forward. A violent act however sets them on a course that threatens to trap them further into the very life they wish to escape.
What I liked best about this book is that the characters are real with everyday ambitions and frailties. There are no heroes overcoming super human situations. Just regular people with simple dreams of college, family, love and a happy home life.
Told with empathy and great insight, American Rust a hugely ambitious book for a first time writer. Meyer however has managed to execute his task to perfection. It is a timely book given the recent collapse of GM and the closing of factories in US and abroad.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Goodnight Mister Tom - Michelle Magorian
Goodnight Mister Tom
Michelle Magorian
Puffin
It soon became apparent at our first bookclub meeting that I was the only one who had not read Goodnight Mister Tom, so it was quickly decided that it should be our first bookclub book. I bought it the very next day and immediately fell in love with timid Willie Beech and the reclusive Tom Oakley.
On the brink of declaring war on Hitler's Germany, and in anticipation of the bombings, the British children are evacuated from the major cities into the countryside. The sleepy village is soon crowded with an influx of children from London. Amongst them is Willie Beech, shy, undernourished and afraid. It does not take long for Tom to discover that Willie has left behind a horrific family life and Tom finds himself in the position of not only tending to Willie's physical needs but also his emotional ones. Under Mister Tom's guardianship, Willie grows and blossoms, discovering talents that had been dwarfed by his upbringing. His ability to love and trust swells and together they rediscover love and enter a relationship rich and rewarding.
It is impossible not to love this book. At times Willie's suffering was so sad it was difficult to continue reading. I feel however the novel would have had a stronger finish had it ended soon after Tom goes to London in search of Willie and discovers the shocking truth of Willie's home life. The last couple of chapters were a tad unnecessary and in my opinion detracted from the climax of the book.
Michelle Magorian
Puffin
It soon became apparent at our first bookclub meeting that I was the only one who had not read Goodnight Mister Tom, so it was quickly decided that it should be our first bookclub book. I bought it the very next day and immediately fell in love with timid Willie Beech and the reclusive Tom Oakley.
On the brink of declaring war on Hitler's Germany, and in anticipation of the bombings, the British children are evacuated from the major cities into the countryside. The sleepy village is soon crowded with an influx of children from London. Amongst them is Willie Beech, shy, undernourished and afraid. It does not take long for Tom to discover that Willie has left behind a horrific family life and Tom finds himself in the position of not only tending to Willie's physical needs but also his emotional ones. Under Mister Tom's guardianship, Willie grows and blossoms, discovering talents that had been dwarfed by his upbringing. His ability to love and trust swells and together they rediscover love and enter a relationship rich and rewarding.
It is impossible not to love this book. At times Willie's suffering was so sad it was difficult to continue reading. I feel however the novel would have had a stronger finish had it ended soon after Tom goes to London in search of Willie and discovers the shocking truth of Willie's home life. The last couple of chapters were a tad unnecessary and in my opinion detracted from the climax of the book.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Marcelo in the Real World - Francisco X Stork
Marcelo in the Real World
Francisco X Stork
Arthur A Levine Books
Marcelo Sandoval is different from other seventeen year old boys- he hears music in his head, has a perverse interest in religion, owns 100's of classical music CDs and sleeps in a tree house at his family home. When spoken to, Marcelo takes longer to process what is said before responding and when speaking about himself refers to himself in the third person. As a result he is often mistaken for being slow. In the private school he attends, Marcelo is classified as having a ''development disorder", an autism-like condition.
Marcelo's father never believed in his son's condition and feels Marcelo has been over protected. He wants him to join him in his law firm over the summer rather than look after the ponies at his school for kids with special needs as Marcelo had hoped. At his fathers law firm Marcelo meets Jasmine, beautiful and free spirited, as well as Wendell, the son of his father's partner.
At the law firm, Marcelo is thrust into an environment where desire, envy, cruelty and greed live along side kindness and compassion. He temporarily loses his inner music as he is forced to recognise and react to situations instantly rather than take his time to slowly analyse them. The complexities of daily human interactions confuse him but he eventually learns that not everything can be neatly separated into right or wrong - that there are grey areas where ones morals are challenged.
Marcelo in the real world is a moving, beautifully told coming of age story. As the story unfolds, I felt an urge to protect Marcelo from the "real" world he is forced to deal with. It was heart breaking to watch Marcelo recognise that the world is a difficult place, but at the same time, heart warming to see him discover that he can still find his sense of belonging and hence his inner music by staying true to himself.
Francisco X Stork
Arthur A Levine Books
Marcelo Sandoval is different from other seventeen year old boys- he hears music in his head, has a perverse interest in religion, owns 100's of classical music CDs and sleeps in a tree house at his family home. When spoken to, Marcelo takes longer to process what is said before responding and when speaking about himself refers to himself in the third person. As a result he is often mistaken for being slow. In the private school he attends, Marcelo is classified as having a ''development disorder", an autism-like condition.
Marcelo's father never believed in his son's condition and feels Marcelo has been over protected. He wants him to join him in his law firm over the summer rather than look after the ponies at his school for kids with special needs as Marcelo had hoped. At his fathers law firm Marcelo meets Jasmine, beautiful and free spirited, as well as Wendell, the son of his father's partner.
At the law firm, Marcelo is thrust into an environment where desire, envy, cruelty and greed live along side kindness and compassion. He temporarily loses his inner music as he is forced to recognise and react to situations instantly rather than take his time to slowly analyse them. The complexities of daily human interactions confuse him but he eventually learns that not everything can be neatly separated into right or wrong - that there are grey areas where ones morals are challenged.
Marcelo in the real world is a moving, beautifully told coming of age story. As the story unfolds, I felt an urge to protect Marcelo from the "real" world he is forced to deal with. It was heart breaking to watch Marcelo recognise that the world is a difficult place, but at the same time, heart warming to see him discover that he can still find his sense of belonging and hence his inner music by staying true to himself.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Butterfly - Sonya Hartnett
Butterfly
Sonya Hartnett
Penguin
I have always enjoyed coming of age stories; there is a purity of truth about them that I really find appealing. They conjure up old memories and forgotten insecurities that at the time I had felt were uniquely my own. Set in an Australian suburban neighborhood in the 70's Butterfly is one such story.
Plum Coyle is on the cusp of turning 14. She considers her approaching birthday as the start of a new beginning, a shedding of her old self. Until now her best friends have treated her as the least important member of their group. Plum feels tolerated rather than accepted by them. To protect herself she collects small objects - a fanta yoyo, an ABBA badge, a glass lamb, an old penny - and hides them in a small chest under her bed. She pulls them out when she needs them, holding them in her hand like a talisman, using their hidden powers to give her strength.
Plum lives with her parents and her two older brothers - Justin and Cyder - whom she adores. Across from her lives her sophisticated neighbour Maureen with her young son David and her often absent husband. Maureen is everything Plum wishes she could be and when Maureen befriends her, Plum thinks she has found the mentor who will propel her into a new life of popularity.
In Butterfly, Hartnett has not pulled any punches, tackling head on the sensitive subjects of deceit, turbulent teenage years - with its insecurities and uncertainties- and the regret of past choices with delicacy and razor sharp insight.
This is my second book of Sonya Hartnett, the first being The Silver Donkey. It took a little while for me to get into Butterfly but by the end, my patience was rewarded. Its great to come across authors such as Hartnett who are not afraid to tackle a diverse range of topics. It is even better when these talented story tellers are Australian!
Sonya Hartnett
Penguin
I have always enjoyed coming of age stories; there is a purity of truth about them that I really find appealing. They conjure up old memories and forgotten insecurities that at the time I had felt were uniquely my own. Set in an Australian suburban neighborhood in the 70's Butterfly is one such story.
Plum Coyle is on the cusp of turning 14. She considers her approaching birthday as the start of a new beginning, a shedding of her old self. Until now her best friends have treated her as the least important member of their group. Plum feels tolerated rather than accepted by them. To protect herself she collects small objects - a fanta yoyo, an ABBA badge, a glass lamb, an old penny - and hides them in a small chest under her bed. She pulls them out when she needs them, holding them in her hand like a talisman, using their hidden powers to give her strength.
Plum lives with her parents and her two older brothers - Justin and Cyder - whom she adores. Across from her lives her sophisticated neighbour Maureen with her young son David and her often absent husband. Maureen is everything Plum wishes she could be and when Maureen befriends her, Plum thinks she has found the mentor who will propel her into a new life of popularity.
In Butterfly, Hartnett has not pulled any punches, tackling head on the sensitive subjects of deceit, turbulent teenage years - with its insecurities and uncertainties- and the regret of past choices with delicacy and razor sharp insight.
This is my second book of Sonya Hartnett, the first being The Silver Donkey. It took a little while for me to get into Butterfly but by the end, my patience was rewarded. Its great to come across authors such as Hartnett who are not afraid to tackle a diverse range of topics. It is even better when these talented story tellers are Australian!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Cellist Of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway
The Cellist of Sarajevo
Steven Galloway
Text
One of my greatest disappointments in not being able to attend 2008's Brisbane Writer's Festival, was the chance to meet Steven Galloway and hear him talk about the events that inspired his lyrical novel, The Cellist of Sarajevo.
There are many dark stains throughout the history of man. One of our greatest shames was to witness the atrocities committed during the siege of Sarajevo and do nothing to help her people. Like the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 , the world looked on as the Serbian army turned against the city during a four year siege. Between April 1992 and February 1996, the soldiers burrowed into the hills surrounding the city, shelling the city while snipers took arbitrary shots at innocent people as they crossed the street.
The Cellist of Sarajevo was inspired by real life events. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, a cellist living above a bread shop witnessed 22 people killed by a mortar while waiting to buy bread. The next day, the cellist at precisely 4 pm and dressed in a tuxedo walked out of his building, sat where the mortar hit and played a rendition of Bach's Adagio in G minor. For the next 22 days at precisely 4pm, the cellist continued to play the same piece in the memory of each of the people killed there. As the news of the cellist spread, each day people gathered to hear him play, some leaving flowers. In a city gripped with fear and violence the cellist became a reminder of what was once good about the city and its people.
For three of the city's residents: Arrow (A sniper asked to protect the Cellist), Dragon (an elderly man wanting to cross a road targeted by snipers) and Kenon (a family man risking his life to get water for his family), the cellist awakened a part of themselves they had thought was permanently lost to the war. Through his selfless gift the cellist gave back to his city, unlocking in them the deep resilience that throughout history had been responsible for rebuilding cities and lives after years of war and devastation.
Poinant, lyrical and inspiring, The Cellist of Sarajevo is a story that will warm the heart and make us question how we wish to live our lives. Its about resiliance and the triumph of the human spirit; how it is fed, nourished and kept alive despite being surrounded by heartbreak.
If you're only going to read one book this year, make sure its The Cellist of Sarajevo.
Steven Galloway
Text
One of my greatest disappointments in not being able to attend 2008's Brisbane Writer's Festival, was the chance to meet Steven Galloway and hear him talk about the events that inspired his lyrical novel, The Cellist of Sarajevo.
There are many dark stains throughout the history of man. One of our greatest shames was to witness the atrocities committed during the siege of Sarajevo and do nothing to help her people. Like the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 , the world looked on as the Serbian army turned against the city during a four year siege. Between April 1992 and February 1996, the soldiers burrowed into the hills surrounding the city, shelling the city while snipers took arbitrary shots at innocent people as they crossed the street.
The Cellist of Sarajevo was inspired by real life events. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, a cellist living above a bread shop witnessed 22 people killed by a mortar while waiting to buy bread. The next day, the cellist at precisely 4 pm and dressed in a tuxedo walked out of his building, sat where the mortar hit and played a rendition of Bach's Adagio in G minor. For the next 22 days at precisely 4pm, the cellist continued to play the same piece in the memory of each of the people killed there. As the news of the cellist spread, each day people gathered to hear him play, some leaving flowers. In a city gripped with fear and violence the cellist became a reminder of what was once good about the city and its people.
For three of the city's residents: Arrow (A sniper asked to protect the Cellist), Dragon (an elderly man wanting to cross a road targeted by snipers) and Kenon (a family man risking his life to get water for his family), the cellist awakened a part of themselves they had thought was permanently lost to the war. Through his selfless gift the cellist gave back to his city, unlocking in them the deep resilience that throughout history had been responsible for rebuilding cities and lives after years of war and devastation.
Poinant, lyrical and inspiring, The Cellist of Sarajevo is a story that will warm the heart and make us question how we wish to live our lives. Its about resiliance and the triumph of the human spirit; how it is fed, nourished and kept alive despite being surrounded by heartbreak.
If you're only going to read one book this year, make sure its The Cellist of Sarajevo.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Boat - Nam Le
The Boat
Nam Le
Hamish Hamilton
Nam Le's book of short stories, hit our stores under a great umbrella of praise from the literary society. It was picked by book the 'The Tuesday Bookclub' and was the first book chosen for the 'Debra Camron' (702 ABC Radio) bookclub.
Graduate of the Iowa Writer's Workshop, Le has written a collection of unique stories, each with their own tempo and heartbeat. The writing is lyrical and descriptive, taking time to slowly allow the reader a portal view into the background of each character. Le shows great talent in weaving charactors as diverse as a Colombian hit man living life on the edge; an elderly artist in New York struggling to renew a connection with his daughter; and a teenage boy in a small Australian fishing town dealing with his mother's illness.
Like bookends his two stories about the Vietnamese experiences were by far the most poinant and heartbreaking of the anthologies. I once read that each person has a story in their past that if they told you, would break your heart. Its hard to imagine that Le's own family experiences reflects the experiences depicted in the two stories.
Le is clearly talented and his stories are well crafted. I really wanted to be awe inspired by his stories, but i'm afraid aside from the two Vietnamese ones, the rest left me cold. Most of them had an ambigous ending as if the story simply folded without reaching a resolution. Maybe that was the aim of Le: to confuse us into not forgetting his stories, or maybe I was just not clever enough to follow the ending the author intended me to conclude. Either way, not having a satisfactory resolution retracted from my overall enjoyment.
Nam Le
Hamish Hamilton
Nam Le's book of short stories, hit our stores under a great umbrella of praise from the literary society. It was picked by book the 'The Tuesday Bookclub' and was the first book chosen for the 'Debra Camron' (702 ABC Radio) bookclub.
Graduate of the Iowa Writer's Workshop, Le has written a collection of unique stories, each with their own tempo and heartbeat. The writing is lyrical and descriptive, taking time to slowly allow the reader a portal view into the background of each character. Le shows great talent in weaving charactors as diverse as a Colombian hit man living life on the edge; an elderly artist in New York struggling to renew a connection with his daughter; and a teenage boy in a small Australian fishing town dealing with his mother's illness.
Like bookends his two stories about the Vietnamese experiences were by far the most poinant and heartbreaking of the anthologies. I once read that each person has a story in their past that if they told you, would break your heart. Its hard to imagine that Le's own family experiences reflects the experiences depicted in the two stories.
Le is clearly talented and his stories are well crafted. I really wanted to be awe inspired by his stories, but i'm afraid aside from the two Vietnamese ones, the rest left me cold. Most of them had an ambigous ending as if the story simply folded without reaching a resolution. Maybe that was the aim of Le: to confuse us into not forgetting his stories, or maybe I was just not clever enough to follow the ending the author intended me to conclude. Either way, not having a satisfactory resolution retracted from my overall enjoyment.
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