Merry Christmas everyone!
I got two new books to read: "Wicked" by Gregory McGuire and "Odd and the Frost Giants" by Neil Gaiman. Hope you have a fresh stack of "to-be-read" books too!
- Find out what I'm doing, Follow Me :)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows screen caps
Two images from the upcoming "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" has been released over at Yahoo! UK.
My guess is that both scenes are from the part where the trio escapes the Death Eaters during Bill and Fleur's wedding, then flee to Grimmuald Place.
I'm obviously a big fan of the series. I can't wait for this!
My guess is that both scenes are from the part where the trio escapes the Death Eaters during Bill and Fleur's wedding, then flee to Grimmuald Place.
Updated book list
Hi folks. I have a stack of books that I had finished reading the past few weeks. I haven't had time to write about them yet, mostly because writing about a book I've read aside from the "It was good" or "It was bad" is something that I rarely do.
Anyway, here's a list of the books I've finished. Hopefully I could post at least once a week about these.
By Diana Wynne Jones
The Merlin Conspiracy
Conrad's Fate
The House of Many Ways
By Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters
Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse
Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth
Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian
By Dan Brown
The Lost Symbol
Anyway, here's a list of the books I've finished. Hopefully I could post at least once a week about these.
By Diana Wynne Jones
The Merlin Conspiracy
Conrad's Fate
The House of Many Ways
By Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters
Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse
Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth
Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian
By Dan Brown
The Lost Symbol
My thoughts: After Dark by Haruki Murakami
Though a popular writer, this is the first time I have read Murakami's work. When it comes to Japanese literature, my education is limited to manga adaptations. I am often of the impression that many such writing is lost in translation, especially given the nuances of each language.
Reading "After Dark" was, for me, similar to reading a manga that's a bit dark and melodramatic (a story from George Asakura's "A Perfect Day for Love Letters" comes to mind), or watching an anime like "Perfect Blue."
The story occurs at times between night and dawn, from sometime before midnight to just before 5 am. In between those times, so many things happen, intertwining the lives of the various characters of the story. Due to the "real time" treatment of the story (think of something like 24), where the events happen in a specific time, the reader becomes a part of the story, even if just as an observer.
Though I am far from impressed, I am intrigued. "After Dark" may not be a favorite of mine, but it's enough for me to want to pick up Murakami's other works.
Manga: A Perfect Day for Love Letters 1 & 2
I rarely buy manga. During the years when I first wanted to buy them, a graphic novel can cost up to Php1000, and a single issue costs Php120 to 150. The English translated manga market was cornered mainly by Viz Comics and Dark Horse Publishing, with Mixx Entertainment coming in during the late 90s. Publishers nowadays, like DelRay, are releasing them the same way its released in Japan, tankōbon, or pocket sized compilation manga printed in newsprint paper, which costs less.
I came upon A Perfect Day for Love Letters by accident. It was the only manga in the bookstore that didn't seem to run for volumes. In the end, I got both of them (and at Php10 less per volume, it wasn't so bad).
Each volume is composed of five to six short stories revolving around a relationship that is often sparked by a letter, while in some cases it is sustained by that. With the exception of one story (which seems to be more about a boy getting to understand his late brother by spending time with the latter's lover), everything is about a guy and a girl and their relationship.
Many of the stories evoke a feeling of nostalgia, as they are about first love. But the relationships go deeper than that. Quite a few of the stories have the characters communicate solely through letters, and interacting only at the end of it. Yet some of the stories involve just one letter, while two stories have the characters exchange letters digitally.
It is also endearing to read about young men who can pour their feelings though old fashioned letters. With all the guy friends I've had over the years, only a handful willingly write me letters. But whenever I receive any, it is a wonderful feeling.
DelRay includes some notes and explanations at the end of each volume, which is rather handy for first time manga readers. As American culture is remarkably different from Japanese culture, some comments, instances, words and customs need to clarified to avoid confusion. Even the honorifics used by the Japanese (although absent from the translation) were explained.
Mind you, this a work of fiction, but the feelings these stories invoke are all too real for anyone who has gone through the joy (and pains, of course) of liking someone. The kilig factor definitely there, and for a hopeless romantic like me, this is a light but fun read.
Originally published in my Multiply account.
I came upon A Perfect Day for Love Letters by accident. It was the only manga in the bookstore that didn't seem to run for volumes. In the end, I got both of them (and at Php10 less per volume, it wasn't so bad).
Each volume is composed of five to six short stories revolving around a relationship that is often sparked by a letter, while in some cases it is sustained by that. With the exception of one story (which seems to be more about a boy getting to understand his late brother by spending time with the latter's lover), everything is about a guy and a girl and their relationship.
Many of the stories evoke a feeling of nostalgia, as they are about first love. But the relationships go deeper than that. Quite a few of the stories have the characters communicate solely through letters, and interacting only at the end of it. Yet some of the stories involve just one letter, while two stories have the characters exchange letters digitally.
It is also endearing to read about young men who can pour their feelings though old fashioned letters. With all the guy friends I've had over the years, only a handful willingly write me letters. But whenever I receive any, it is a wonderful feeling.
DelRay includes some notes and explanations at the end of each volume, which is rather handy for first time manga readers. As American culture is remarkably different from Japanese culture, some comments, instances, words and customs need to clarified to avoid confusion. Even the honorifics used by the Japanese (although absent from the translation) were explained.
Mind you, this a work of fiction, but the feelings these stories invoke are all too real for anyone who has gone through the joy (and pains, of course) of liking someone. The kilig factor definitely there, and for a hopeless romantic like me, this is a light but fun read.
Originally published in my Multiply account.
