Persuasion , a review

The last complete novel that Jane Austen wrote before her death tells the story of Anne Elliot, a sensible, good girl from a good and snobish family that in the age of 19 broke off her engagement with Frederick Wentworth a young man of no fortune or good name and "nothing to recommend him, but himself". She follow the advice of her good friend who acted in the place of her mother and now 9 years later she meets him again. He has made his fortune in the war and now he is quite a catch. She has to persuade him to give her another chance.

One of my most favorite novels written by Jane Austen writen with great talent and sensitivity. The characters are extremelly well written. As in all her novels Jane Austen shows how well she knows her time and she manages to bring to life an area long gone. Yet, you will regognize part of yourself in the novel, your experiences and some of your thought (that goes for the ladies) identify with Anne Elliot. It is what makes Austen a really great writer the fact that she so well knows her times and the amazing talent in bringing to life a world that we never knew and in the same time her stories have something that any person who recognise as part of his/hers very own world.

This is a novel about second chances and how sometimes life gives you another opportunity. It is a novel mainly dedicated to those unfotunate who never where given the chance to correct their mistekes and "have a second bloom" as dear Anne Elliot.

Kandukondain kandukondain (Bollywood Sense n Sensibility)

I am a huge period drama fan and it is not without concern that I watch an adaptation of a period drama so well known, so loved as is 'Sense & Sensibility'.However, I was not dissapointed far from it I should say.

'Kandukondain kandukondain' (English title : 'I have found it') is a real gem of Indian cinematography.The director has taken the classic novel of Jane Austen, set it to our times in India and made a masterpiece.The main plot of the story was kept of course.Two sisters, as different as day and night, one full of emotions and the other one full of sense are robbed of their writeful inheritage and the trouble starts.In this adaptation when they are driven out of the safety of their house they do not find refuge among good people but they are thrown into the city and they only have themselves to count on.

Sowmnya (Elinor) played by Tabu is a girl of sense that keeps her feelings to herself and she is though of being unlucky.In this version there is no Lucy Steele trying to Keep the lovers away.Our Bollywood Edward is a wanna be director who will marry only after his first film.Here the two lovers are separated (temporarily of course) by a misunderstanding based on horoscopes!Tabu gives a very nice performance, maybe a little more emotional than the Elinors we are used to.

Aishwarya Rai plays Meenakshi (Marianne) and I am glad to announce that I have finally find my perfect Marianne.She is emotional (of course), romantic, she was a wonderful singing voice (no piano forte in this version) and she is loving and caring with her sister.There is not a segment of histeria in her performance.Aish is simply excellent in this one.She captures the romantic, impulsive nature of Marianne without making me dislike her and without stop showing that she cares about her sister (not like Kate Winlet's Marianne at all)

Colonel Brandon here is named Captain Bala.He is older than Meenakshi and he has a war injury.What I particularly liked in their story is what I came to call the revenge of the Colonel.Meenakshi in this version (in the end of course) not only admits that she has come to love him, but rejects a handsome suitor of hers and runs after the Captain who refuses to believe that such happiness is possible for him!!!Those eyes of Aish in that scene are simply amazing!No need for words at all...

I absolutely recommend this one!Beautiful cinematography, amazing combination of colours, excellent songs, nice performances.The director has a fresh eye and gives new breath to Austen's classic.Bare in mind that this is Bollywood so there will be songs, colours thigs you could never imagine in an Austen novel but it is definately worth a chance.

The Book Thief

One of the best books I have ever read!Well written, sensitive, realistic and above all things optimistic.It is a controversial book.I mean Death is the narrator of this extraordinary story yet it not depressing.Some times reality strikes hard the little heroine of the book, there is also humor, friendship and a tiny, little touch of romance, or rather the begging of it.

This book talks about a girl who at the begining couldn't read and ended up to be a book thief.She stole words because as a revenge to the world who took her family away and her friend and her new family.She stole words as a weapon and a talisman against fasist.She stole words for hope.She stole words as a ticket to a safe, resonable, happy place that she could call home.It's a story about an accordionist, a Jew fist fighter and some really bad Germans.

I guarantee you that you will not be able to put it down.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin

This book tells the story of Pelagia (a greek girl) and Captain Correlli (an Italian soldier) who met each other during War World II and despite being enemies they love each other.

It is a book highly recommended at least from me!I so much love it.It is easily read and highly enjoyed.Although it looks so huge I read in only four days.I literally couldn't put it down.We get to hear the story fomr various accounts not only from Pelagia and this is so refreshing it just gives you a more completed view.
The characters are well described and the writer seems to know only too well the nature of the Greeks.This is not an easy thing, I assure, being Greek and all.One character of particular interest is Pelagia's father, old, educated, open minded, full of winsdom and understanding.There is Drosoula , Mandra's mother that comes to love Pelagia as a real mother would love her own daughter a true survivor of life, knows only too well of war, people's unexplained malice but has a loving heart.
Pelagia is beautifull, educated, tempestuos, a real greek fighter.Antonio is a musician, an artist.Too kind hearted, too sweet, too much in love with Pelagia what a real artist ought to be.

It is so much than a simple love story.It describes the love-lust love between Pelagia and Mandras, the love between father and daughter, the love of history even the love between men.Carlos is a gay italian soldier and through his own mouth we learn that he is homosexual and in love with Corelli.
The writer condemns every sort of abusing power by fasists or communists.I love his historical view and his way of interpreting history with a fresh eye and a clear heart.

Some might find the ending somewhat sad, but I especially liked it because it was more close to reality than fairy tal endings we encounter in a lot of books but it was not without a note of happiness.

Now, the movie.I have seen that too of course and although as a movie freak I realise that it was not something special I did enjoy the movie.The fact that i have read the book after the movie didn't heart neither the fact that I have a thing for the beauty and the talent of Penelope (if you feel like screaming please shut up and watch Volver and then we can talk about my talented Pe) and Nicolas Cage (I am so in love with the way he moves his fingers and he is such a brilliant actor he was heartbreaking at Leaving Las Vegas).A big part of the book is either altered or totally missing and so is the ending, but I think it is impossible to make this book a movie and not miss or alter anything, maybe a mini series but not a movie.
What I mean to say is that although I liked the movie and adored the book I do understand why people are not so fond of it.So if by any chance you have seen the movie, hate it and didn't give the book achance you are so utterly robbed of something so beautiful as this amazing book.An excellent choice and a must read for everyone who loves good literature.

Some photos from the movie.Sorry I couldn't resist.

The end of the affair

I have watched the 1999 movie first of course and fell in love with it.I became curious and watched the original starring Deborrah Kerr, I liked it but not quite as the Julianne Moore version and I finally find the book, bought it and read it.
The book was interesting.The 1955 adaptation is more faithfull to the book and now that I have read it made me appreciate the black and white version more but I still will prefer the 1999 version.
The characters are very well developed andthe book is very well written.In the book it is more clear that the affair of the title is not between a man and a woman, but a man and God.It tells the story of a complete atheist who his affair with a married and unfaithful woman he realised that God does exist and he decided to "break up" with him. (If you can use this term concerning a relationship between a man and a God.)
Although it's written almost half a century ago it will not show its age.I particularly like the relationship between the lover and the husband and how the fact that after Sarah's death they grew fond of each other.Their common lost and pain united them.Do not expect to read a book about a passionate love affair full of lust, sex and secret meetings.No doubt their affair was strong enough to make an atheist aknowledge God's existance but there are no descriptions of stolen moments full of passion and lust.No doubt those existed between them but is more like a backround noise not the main theme.

The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel

Interesting story especially because it is true.The character of Eastern Jewel Is well written with no effort to represent her as a victim of the situations.She was just cold heart bitch with a more than healthy appetite for sex.
However, I was not caught up by her neather by the book.Interesting but not something special.I think it would make a better movie especialy if it emphasizes the sex scenes which are not well written in the book.There are some references to sex no describes at all which is something silly if you think that after all it talks of a Chinese spy working for Japan, who was obsessed with sex from a very early aged and used it in order to achieve everything.She even worked as a prostitute for a period in her life and she was so happy as she tells.
I did like the ending of the book though and the way it leaves it up to you to decide if Eastern Jewel had a heart after all.If you ask me not a chance in hel, but then again I always liked a person with a steady character.

It has the potential of becoming a nice movie much nicer than the book if someone gives it a shot.