Two books that I thoroughly enjoyed from the Library this time were - Coraline by Neil Gaiman and Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn.
Coraline is a children's book - a horror story for the kids - a delight to read. The book is about a eleven year old girl Coraline who opens a door to a closed wall in her house and discovers a parallel world where there is another set of parents, identical to hers, who want to keep her with them forever, by whatever possible means.
To be able to tell a horror story that doesn't completely psych out a child is not at all easy. This book succeeds in doing so. Apparently, Neil Gaiman began this story for his older child and ended up completing for his younger one. This was my first Gaiman book and I am greatly looking forward to reading more books from him. The story manages to create that creepy feeling without sounding childish. He has achieved that impossible balance.
A must read for all adults as well and writers and budding writers, and well, just about everyone.
Sharp Objects is a dark, disturbing book. Some parts are so disturbing that it feels completely unreal and makes it easy on the reader to go ahead with the book. A reporter who reluctantly returns to her home town to cover the death of two children, is forced to confront her past and her current family members and the secrets that are connected to them. The protagonist is a sad, moody woman, yet, one starts empathizing with her as the story moves ahead. The ending is too obviously clever, but the story is told so well, that it doesn't really matter how it all ends.
It is a good book - but one needs to have a strong stomach to digest certain violence depicted in the book.
Coraline is a children's book - a horror story for the kids - a delight to read. The book is about a eleven year old girl Coraline who opens a door to a closed wall in her house and discovers a parallel world where there is another set of parents, identical to hers, who want to keep her with them forever, by whatever possible means.
To be able to tell a horror story that doesn't completely psych out a child is not at all easy. This book succeeds in doing so. Apparently, Neil Gaiman began this story for his older child and ended up completing for his younger one. This was my first Gaiman book and I am greatly looking forward to reading more books from him. The story manages to create that creepy feeling without sounding childish. He has achieved that impossible balance.
A must read for all adults as well and writers and budding writers, and well, just about everyone.
Sharp Objects is a dark, disturbing book. Some parts are so disturbing that it feels completely unreal and makes it easy on the reader to go ahead with the book. A reporter who reluctantly returns to her home town to cover the death of two children, is forced to confront her past and her current family members and the secrets that are connected to them. The protagonist is a sad, moody woman, yet, one starts empathizing with her as the story moves ahead. The ending is too obviously clever, but the story is told so well, that it doesn't really matter how it all ends.
It is a good book - but one needs to have a strong stomach to digest certain violence depicted in the book.
