Book Review: 'Life of Pi' - Yann Martel

Life of Pi is the story about an Indian boy who is trapped on a lifeboat with a hyena, an orangutan, a zebra and a tiger when the ship he is sailing on is destroyed by a storm. He survived 227 days at sea with only the tiger after the zebra and orangutan are eaten by the hyena (which is then in turn eaten by the tiger).

Book Review: 'The Time Traveler's Wife' - Audrey Niffenegger

The Timer Traveler’s Wife is a romantic science-fiction story about the strange relationship between a time traveler and his wife. The male protagonist, Henry DeTamble, has a genetic disorder that forces him to travel through time (both to the past and the future) involuntarily. He meets Clare Abshire when she is six and he, thirty-six. The novel explores certain themes regarding a relationship from the crux of what love is and could be, to the elusive idea of fate.

Book Review: 'Hamlet' - William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is renowned as one of the world’s most prolific and prominent playwrights. Hamlet is a tragedy among Shakespeare’s many works, telling the story of a young prince of Denmark as he embarks on an emotional journey to avenge his father and find himself. Hamlet expresses the theme of uncertainty and challenging one of life’s heaviest questions: “To be, or not to be?”

Movie Review: 'What Maisie Knew' - Scott McGehee and David Siegel

It was kind of an accident that I saw this movie today. Literally, I have just come back from the film and I have so much to say I had to start immediately. My friend asked me which movie I wanted to watch today and the choice was down to either Blue Jasmine or Salinger. Out of the blue, he showed me the trailer for this movie and I was sold. What Maisie Knew is a beautiful and heart-breaking look from a little girl's perspective at the process of her parents' ugly divorce. I was blown away at the excellent performances from all of the cast, but especially by Onata Aprile who starred as Maisie, the titular character. I left the film feeling an almost overwhelming sense of loss and hope.

Theatrical Release Poster

Book Review: 'Pride and Prejudice' - Jane Austen

Considered Austen’s most popular novel and one of the most beloved books ever written, Pride & Prejudice highlights life in 19^th-Century England, drawing attention to the society where a woman’s position is dictated by the husband she has as well as class. Most importantly, it discusses love, which is the greatest attraction for readers of all ages all over the world and why they love this book so much. It can even be argued that the basis of most storylines for love stories derives from this novel.

Book Review: 'The Great Gatsby' - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Of all the novels in the world, none can so accurately describe the American Jazz Age as The Great Gatsby. Not only does it illustrate the roaring twenties era through colourful imagery and prose, but also highlights common issues, such as women’s role in society and class distinction. The author, Fitzgerald, serves to use Nick Carraway as the narrator to reflect the reader’s own graduation throughout the story; from an unbiased beginning to slow maturation of opinion as they reach the end.

Book Review: 'Atonement' - Ian McEwan

Atonement (n.): amends or reparation made for an injury or wrong. The title of the book tells me that there is a huge crime to be committed but only possible redemption. I was fascinated before I even opened the cover because there are so many sins in the world and so few ways to atone for them: which sin would the author (Ian McEwan) choose and how would he make it original? The crime does not sound original: young Briony Tallis (through a series of misunderstandings) convicts Robbie Turner of rape he did not commit and sends an innocent man to jail. But the originality is very much present in the way the story is written, in the colourful descriptions, the small details and the wonderful contrast of different writing eras in the novel’s four parts.

Book Review: 'The Red Tent' - Anita Diamant

The Bible is the most well-known and often-read book in the world. Inside, it contains a variety of stories. Yet amongst the endless pickings, Anita Diamant - the author of The Red Tent - has chosen a mere footnote as her story’s plot. The Red Tent tells the story of Dinah, Jacob’s only daughter. Her story is not explored far in the Bible, consisting of only a sentence or two. In her 395 page novel, Anita Diamant strives to portray the entire life of this forgotten girl. I believe the reason for the misinterpretation of Dinah’s story is due to the fact that she had no daughters to listen to her story as she did her mothers. This novel is Dinah’s attempt to set the record straight and pass on the correct version of events.

Book Review: 'The Catcher in the Rye' - J.D. Salinger

I approached The Catcher in the Rye with all the trepidation and respect befitting any great American classic. But its respect is well-deserved. The author (J. D. Salinger) uses a first-person narration from the point-of-view of a teen not only to capture the timeless rebellious mood of teens (even until today) but to showcase the surroundings of New York City around that time.

First edition cover

Getting Started

Anybody who knows me well enough will also know how much I love literature. This year I really fell in love with Modern-Contemporary Poetry, but I definitely have favourites in Romantic Poetry. The world is filled with an infinite amount of novels that I don't ever have time to read.

I'm starting this blog only to post my reviews, thoughts, opinions and hopes for literature. I might cross it over with certain political or ethical debates covered by the literature. I call this "Literature Philosophy". Maybe you'll be inspired to read something that I love because I can't stop talking about it here. If you love literature like I do, then welcome! It's good to see you.

So, why 'Montblancs and Moleskines'? Montblanc fountain pens and Moleskine paper have a long tradition of being considered some of the most prestigious and sought-after tools for writing. They work splendidly, but more so is their cult status and the famous literary minds who used them. Hemingway famously used Moleskine paper to write. I have one beautiful and treasured Montblanc and hope to use it with a brand-new Moleskine soon to write my own poetry, so I'll try to transfer that same creative energy and writing tradition into my reviews.

Hopefully, I'll get started on my reviews soon, but we all know life sometimes gets in the way. I hope to make a start on in-depth reviews for novels that I would consider my absolute top. It's not a very long list, but it is quite a varied one.

 - Calista


"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." - Ernest Hemingway