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: '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