Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

 Slaughterhouse 5 is satirical version of authors experience in World War II, centered primarily on the Dresden firebombing which wiped out the entire city centre. Narrated through the life of a disoriented and ill trained assistant to chaplain named Billy Pilgrim, since his unfortunate incarceration by Germans to the bombing day and its aftermath, author uses nonlinear narration to steer the story forwards, using satire dark humor to explain the devastation and absurdity of war, and uses his early Sci-Fi writing skills to explain the fatalistic nature of it.

It is something beyond the spell of ordinary writers to see the potency of using two dissimilar categories of writing, to tell a story of war. I might think it’s a catalyst for disaster, but in hands of Kurt its creation of history.  

War is fought by babies, a children’s crusade, but Billy who traversed the entire book referred as child ill trained, innocent war-not-ready-or-likely –to be kind of guy, who emerges as the enlightened one, who quite early learns the trade of avoiding the frenetic nature of war with his ability to time travel, and sulk in unknown world, there by remaining blind eyed to the surrounding madness. It’s a profound way to describe a war, with absence of all the hormones thumping actions and devastation, trying to glorifying the war, the machines and the trigger happy action junkies with uniforms and guns.

Just like Billy, author has surrendered to the insanity of war, and he is powerless to do anything about it.

   

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference.”

It’s also remarkable where in author, refuses to judge anyone involved in war, no blames are passed, no questions are asked, no one held responsible. Is just how the war is, we will continue to do what we do to each other. There were deaths, there are deaths, there will be deaths and so it will go on.

I highly recommend this book, irrespective of what genre you like.

I will also recommend the Israeli animated movie, “Waltzwith Bashir” which shares a striking similarity to this book. About a soldier in search of his lost memories of his experience in Lebanon war. Often times it’s even referred as Israeli Slaughterhouse.  Yeah it doesn’t have that bling of World War, but hey war is war, there are deaths, desolation and birds which will have its say. Poo-tee-weet?

The Drop by Dennis Lehane

The Drop by  Dennis Lehane

I know Dennis Lehane can weave stories like no other writers that he has proved time and time again. But I consider  the author  in high regard for his ability to bring out the raw emotion out of the characters involved, predominately pulled towards the dismal side of life, depiction of loss, despair, hopelessness of hope, question about haves vs the have-nots, class system, loneliness in case of this book. For a crime writer, I consider it as a major asset, where in you dive deep into troubled minds of the character and find the clear-eyed rational reason for their actions, however violent the action may be.  Not many writers can do that.  

Another notable feature in his books is that not a single character goes wasted and every one of them however minor the roles may be add to the success of the book. For instance there is a scene involving old lady named Mille ( who does nothing more than getting drunk in the bar) wherein she takes out a blank photo frame where once resided a photo of her family, while she ruffles in her bag in search of money to pay for her earlier due of drinks. The wretchedness of life explained in photo frame, very subtle. I mean you will be showered with such instances while reading his books including this one and that makes this short book a reason to rejoice and yet another accomplishment on writers part.

Cousin Marv’s bar is widely known for many things other than the service it offers.  Primarily for its ownership which is in the hands of Chechen mob, who use the joint for money drop that is accumulated form illicit business done during the day.  Bob is our lonely bartender, who works at the bar, like clockwork, drowned with the weight of loneliness, often searches for a reason to resurface with a guileless purpose. He finds it when he comes across a puppy beaten and left to die in a trashcan. With compassion swelled form likeness of both their current plight, Bob rescues the dog, and in turn that helps him in meeting a girl named Nadia, and Bob remotely just remotely senses that the life he always wanted is finally within his grab. But things takes turn when the bar is robbed one night, and Bob becomes a fluttering red-light on the radars of police, Chechen gang and a jailbird who alleges to be the owner of the dog and wants it back.

It’s a shame when book readers of my country frown their eyebrows in ignorance when mentioned about Dennis Lehane, to me he should be the most celebrated writer in here. Well I did my part.  Will check out the movie version sometime in future. 

The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri

For someone residing in India, you can totally relate to Inspector Montalbano and his police unit. In here you may find a police playing snake in his cracked phone, while a corpse is rotting to his side. You may find them arguing over a brand of whiskey they would have after shift or you may find two PC’s enacting Star Wars on the crime scene with their batons. Ok the latter one is gone too far, but the point is no one gives a hoot about the crime until a high brass asks them to do so. Most of the characters in this book, especially in the police unit have some kinda indolent attitude and everyone works in very lethargic manner yet they deliver what asked of them when they are railroaded.

So when city’s big-shot politician is found dead in his car, in a place called ‘Pasture’, with his pants down it doesn’t come as a surprise to Monatalbano, when everyone of his unit concurs with the idea that the old man died of stroke whilst stroking a prostitute, going by the sordid reputation of the place where he is found.  It’s a comically ironic to find a man of such repute to die in way he did.

But for Montalbano who although is dying to go along with the herd and wrap the case to avoid the great deal of effort to act otherwise, seems to differ in his mind that everything is not as innocent and straightforward as it seems it is. Why then the most reputed and powerful person of the city, negligent to his social image, strolls in a place like Pasture in search of prostitute. Surely he is not short of better place to carry out the task than inside a car however pimped the car maybe. Surely he can get a class-A sex worker at his doorstep in just a call. No- Someone is pouring water to crafted jar, to take the shape one desires. Surprisingly these thoughts tickle the brain of the Montalbano alone although he himself is not surprised by it and probes on the case a bit more, when everyone else has returned to their merry world.

It’s my first Andrea Cammilari book, and it ticked all the boxes of my checklist that I thought before buying it. It’s got raw sardonic humor, convincing characters, good dialogues and a great story.

Author in his forward at start of the book tells us how he defied everyone who told him that Sicily is not a perfect backdrop to set a detective story in and how it went on to be a major hit. Glad he was so adamant, because you have here a very good detective book, which treads its own path, in an already populated genre.  Although I do think that some of its authenticity is lost in translation, nevertheless its job well done. Eagerly looking forward to read other books in the series. 

Night Film by  Marisha Pessl

Ok to start with, the basic plot is something to be savored in this book. You got a movie director; know to the world only through his underground apocryphal films, termed as Night Films. Then you got his dead daughter, who treks the entire book in an uncanny shadow.  Then you got a shamed journalist, who in his search for redemption wants to unearth the mysterious truth behind the world of the cult director and his daughter.

Ashley Cordova, daughter of the celebrated movie director Stanlis Cordova has apparently committed suicide and Scott Mc Grath our disgraced journalist, has reason to believe that he was one of the person she came across before she jumped to her death. The bizarreness of it and an attempt his to find his lost glory, Scott dugs deeper into the life of Ashley and in his quest he befriends homeless teenager and petty drug dealer who both happen to stumble on Ashley at some point of time before her death. Together they go in search of the answers for her mysterious death, and conspiracies behind everything that unfolds, weaved carefully by the master of the trade Stanlis Cordova.  

Like the characters in the book, as we read on, the author at every step wants us to doubt if this is real or surreal world we are diving deeper into. Hence the usage of detective thriller style structure.  And she pretty much succeeds in it.  Probably it’s may be the strongest point of the book, as most of events that take place, is not entirely outside the realm of reality. But according to me author should have leaned a tad more on reality (Considering the hasty attempt at the end).

But this walk in the pitch black tunnel kinda situation although pretty enthralling and scary at first, you also want to get out of it soon enough before you come to the point of not giving damn anymore. And I almost did, but patiently continued, in wait of daylight telling myself ‘longer the wait, better the result.’ But although I liked the ending it somehow let me unfilled.

Having said that 'Night Film' is good experimental book, with lot of interactive pictures, web pages, and photographs which I guess carried it task as expected, to add to the spookiness. Writing is really good, better than some of the lady writers I read in past. Definitely recommended 3.5 stars.