Luica’s Blog

Douglas Coupland’s latest novel - JPod - is supposed to be an ‘upgraded’ version of Microserfs, which wasn’t my favourite book of Coupland’s, but let’s hope I’ll like version 2.0.

Reminding me of Douglas Coupland’s “All Families are Psychotic” - Nick Hornby’s latest book is surreal and full of coincidences.

The plot of the story wasn’t exactly convincing but the characters were highly believable. Half-way through the story, I started feeling sorry for Maureen (a 51-year-old single mum with a teenage son in a coma) and wanting to punch Jess (a rebellious, foul-mouthed daughter of the Ministor for Education) in the face to shut her up; Martin (a former morning show presenter who went to jail for sleeping with a minor) knew he was a snobbish arsehole but failed to be a better person; the only character I didn’t care about was JJ (an American rock-and-roll ‘musician’ who was dumped by his band and his English girlfriend).

I liked the way it was written through four prespectives. It was like watching Jackie Brown - same scene from different angles.

Although Hornby’s characters kept criticising happy endings, it didn’t stop him from creating another Hollywood-friendly conclusion.

A Long Way Down was written by Nick Hornby.

An engaging and addictive story based on the life of one of the most controversial women in Chinese history - Empress Orchid.

I liked the fact that the author (Anchee Min) tried to keep the events as true as she could, according to the extensive research she’d done. It brought back memories of my Chinese history school lessons.

It allowed a fictional peek at the lives and politics within the Forbidden City and revealed a different perspective of the most powerful female in the royal court. It also showed the sensitive side of Orchid, who in many circumstances, would be described as a woman with enomous ambition to take her life as well as her country into her own hands.

It certainly inspired me to read more about Orchid’s real life.

Empress Orchid was written by Anchee Min.