A Couple of Reviews

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

I'm totally lacking behind with posting in general and with my reviews in particular, so I'll try to combine a couple of reviews in this post. I have not been posting for a while, because I spent all too much time in front of the computer and did not take enough care of sitting in an ergonomically good posture plus I spent too much time reading in the metro, both of which are not good for my shoulders and neck, and I ended up getting a bit of a tension neck for a week or so. This is one of those "do I ever learn" things. I know how to avoid this and still... Well, my neck is better now and I'm back on posting. :)

Then on to the reviews:

1. Tariq Ali: Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree

Tariq Ali is a British-Pakistani writer adn filmmaker. See his website for more info about him and his work.

Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree is the first book by him I have ever read, but it will not be the last. Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree is set in Andalusia in 1500. The Christians have reconquered the southern parts of the Iberian peninsula and the Muslim population, the Moors, who for centuries have lived in peaceful coexistance with the local Christians, are unsure of their future. The story concentrates on one Muslim family, the leading family of a village and the people working for them. Ali does a great job in portraying  the cultured, liberal Moors and the intolerance of the Catholic Church of the time. But his portrayal is in no way one-dimentional. Not all Christians in the novel think like the archbishop who wants to make everyone convert to Christianity and who thinks there is no place for either Muslims or Jews in Spain. Also, the religious pragmatism of some of the Moors is well described. Many thought that by converting to Christianity they at least got to keep their land and property.

Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree is a well written and interesting historical novel about an interesting time period in European history. It is part one in Ali's Islam Quintet, five novels about the history of Islam. I'm most definitely going to read the other parts, too.

I read this book for the following challenges: What's in a Name 3, World Religion, and Reading the World

2. Rumer Godden: The River

This was my second book by Godden this year. It's a little book, mere 176 pages, and a very quick read. The book is set in Bengal, India and tells about some months in the life of an English family from the point of view of Harriet, the second oldest of four children. The structure of the book is very simple. The more complex use of flashbacks so prominent in In This House of Brede is absent here. The writing is simple, but enjoyable, crisp and flowing. What starts as a pleasurable story of ordinary life in an English family in India turns suddenly dramatic towards the end. This book was totally different from the only other Godden novel I had read before this, but is solidified my admiration of her writing.

I read this book for What's in a Name 3 and Reading the World challenges.

3. Rumer Godden: Greengage Summer

My third book by Rumer Godden, and another enjoyable read. There was, in fact, quite a lot in common with this book and The River. Greengage Summer is also told by a young English girl, this time second oldest of five children, and again what starts as rather a peaceful story ends up turning quite dramatic towards the end. The mother of the children wants to take them to France to visit some WW II sites, but when the mother is hospitalised due to, I think blood poisoning (the actual reason is not told in the book, only that there was in insect bite), in her leg, the children are left more or less on their own in a hotel, where some intresting persons live and/or work. In the hotel a somewhat mysterious Englishman called Eliot takes the children under his wing. This is a story of growing up, secrets, jealousy, and murder. Another highly recommended read!

I know it is not yet time for Mailbox Monday, but I cannot help mentioning a wonderful addition to my book collection I received today. Valentine's Day just happens to be also my birthday :), so I got a book present from my Dad. Usually he always asks beforehand, which book I would like, but this time he had taken the risk and bought me a special book without asking, if I already had it. Well, I did not, and I was delighted to find that he had bought me Pelaamisen lumo, the book by Finland's number one tennis player Jarkko Nieminen. And it is an autographed copy! Thank you very, very much, Dad! :)