Maud Martha (1953) by Gwendolyn Brooks #NovNov24

🔸️The titular Maud Martha is an African-American girl lives in Chicago in the 1920s And through this novella we follow her life, her views from little girl to adulthood. It feels like reading a personal memoir, with vignettes of seemingly unimportant everyday life. It is from the character, personal struggles, and the glimpse of the outer world, that we are able to form an idea of what was really happening.

🔸️ Maud Martha was born from a respectable parents, and was brought up with her sister Helen and her brother Harry From childhood she felt insignificant and always came after the others. Her father, for example, loved her sister Helen more than her. She realized also that the color of one's skin determine one's quality of life. Helen is always more liked than her because of her lighter skin. The same with her husband, who was much lighter than Maud Martha. He even enjoyed a semi-normal social circle when he attended these events alone. The darker your skin color is, the more marginalized you are.

🔸️ During her childhood, Maud Martha and her family almost lost their house, and it left a deep impression in her. After she's married, Maud Martha dreamed of having a proper house, but what they ended up was a kitchenette (only a little above a studio apartment?) These seemingly unimportant vignettes brought us to understand the extend of what African-Americans at that time must endure.

🔸️ As a story, it lacks a plot and cohesion. The charm lays in the writing. Gwendolyn Brooks is a Pulitzer winning author, and it is her poetic prose that lent this otherwise monotonous novella its sharp tone and impeccable beauty. One more thing: it is one of the books which, I think, is best enjoyed in audio version.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/5

Read for:

Novellas in November 2024

hosted by Cathy @ 746 Books & Rebecca @ Bookish Beck

Agatha Christie Short Stories 2024: NOVEMBER #AgathaChristieSS24

The last month but one of this year, and I have been pondering whether to continue this Agatha Christie Short Stories challenge for 2025 or not. I decided to do it again next year! Right now I am curating the twenty four titles we'll be reading, and will probably make the formal announcement around next month or early December. In the meantime, here are the two stories we will read in November:

THE DEAD HARLEQUIN

Mr Satterthwaite stumbles across a painting depicting a Harlequin, with his friend Mr Quin, standing in the scene where a man shot himself fourteen years earlier. Mr Quin observes the events from both the picture and the present. Is this event a coincident? We know the answer....

The story was first published in book form in the collection of The Mysterious Mr Quin, published by Collins in 1930.

THE GIRL IN THE TRAIN

A young man, who just fired from the family firm, jumps on a train. As with many an Agatha Christie story, a train is never merely about the destination, the real interest lies in the passengers. The young man meets a girl who is being chased by a mysterious bearded man.

The story appeared in the UK collection The Listerdale Mystery in 1934, and was later published in the US in The Golden Ball and Other Stories (1971).


I'm really excited to read the second one, what about you? Actually, I've had enough with Mr. Quin and Mr. Satterthwaite, that I decided to not included their stories for next year!

Warrior of the Light: A Manual (1997) by Paulo Coelho: A Special Read #NovNov24

Book Beginnings on Fridays (hosted by Rose City Reader):

Just off the beach to the west of the village lies an island, and on it is a vast temple with many bells," said the woman.

⚔ I rarely talk about politics in this blog, as I'm not a political person. But just for once I'll make exception, because we have just got a new President! Mr. Prabowo Subianto has been sworn in as Indonesia's eighth president on October the 20th. Not only that he is an avid reader like me (his library is an enviable room for every bookworm!), his favorite authors include Alexandre Dumas (one of mine too), Sir Walter Scott, and Paulo Coelho.

⚔ Coelho is a well known Brazilian novelist who has penned more than a dozen international best-sellers, the most well known is The Alchemist. He might not be ranked as my personal favorite, but he has a special place in my life, because he happened to be one of two authors (the other is J.K. Rowling) that tied a special literary bond between me and my late father. Like me, Papa adored The Alchemist, and we both had read and discussed few more books together; By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, and The Devil and Miss Prym were our favorites.

⚔ You can imagine, therefore, how delightful I was when learning from one of our president's interviews, that his personal favorite book, which has also become his main inspiration, is one from Coelho: Warrior of the Light. Now, though the book was published in 1997, Papa and I have never read it. When I read the interview, I instantly thought of Papa; of how thrilled we would have been that we shared a favorite author with our president. At that moment, I knew instantly that I must read that book, Warrior of the Light. Partly because I wanted to know what had inspired our president, and partly, to connect with the memory of my beloved father. And today I proudly report that I had achieved both.

⚔ A mysterious veiled woman told a boy that there is a vast temple with many bells on an island "just off the beach", can he hear the bells? The boy listened but heard nothing. Local fishermen said there used to be a temple, which was longtime ago swallowed up by the sea on an earthquake. But sometimes they heard the bells. The boy became obsessed. He's no longer a boy now, but he keeps coming to the beach though never hears any bells. And just when he becomes used to the beach, the sound of waves breaking on the shore, and the seagull's cry, one day he hears the bells!

⚔ The mysterious woman returns just at that moment, and begins to teach him about the Warrior of the Light. It's not something endowed by others, but something that we work ourselves. Everyone could become a Warrior of the Light. Some key "ingredients" which makes a Warrior of the Light are adept, humble, free, persevering, honorable, courageous, reflective. A Warrior is not without flaws, he did foolish things in the past, made bad decisions, humiliated and defeated. But instead of regretting it, he lets it strengthening him in his fights to achieve his dreams.

Friday 56 Quote (hosted by Head Full of Books):

A Warrior of the Light always keeps his heart free of any feelings of hatred. When he goes into battle he remembers what Christ said: "Love your enemies." And he obeys.
But he knows that the act of forgiveness does not mean that he must accept everything; a Warrior cannot bow his head, for if he did he would lose sight of the horizon of his dreams.

⚔ In short, this is a manual book that instructs us to be happy, to be a better person, to overcome our fears, to prepare us for a good fight, and encourages us to achieve our dreams. It also works as a companion book to The Alchemist. It's such an inspiring little book that is quite doable and not at all preachy. Almost every instruction is useful or inspiring, that I could have highlighted them all along the way! I'm grateful of having read this, and feel honored to have shared this inspiration with our president. Now I am confident that he will do good for our country, as I recognized from his speeches or gestures, that traces of Warrior of the Light are in him. I pray to God I'm not wrong.

More quotes:

"The Warrior respects the suffering of others and does not try to compare it with his own. The cup of suffering is not the same size for everyone."

"Even though he fights against oppression, at no point does he attempt to judge the oppressor. Each person will answer for his actions before God and so, once the Warrior has completed his task, he makes no further comment."

"A Warrior of the Light is on in the world in order to help his fellow man, not to condemn his neighbor."

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read the book for:

Novellas on November 2024 #NovNov24

hosted by Cathy @ 746 Books & Rebecca @ Bookish Beck

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1962) by Joan Aiken #WitchWeek2024

🐺 Willoughby Chase is home to Sir Willoughby, Lady Green, and their only daughter Bonnie. Due to Lady Green's illness, Sir Willoughby is taking her to the Mediterranean by ship. They arranged for a distant cousin to take over Bonnie and the estate into her care - Miss Slighcarp's care. Bonnie won't be lonely because her orphan cousin, Sylvia is arriving from London, where she's been living with her poor but proud aunt Jane.

🐺 Sylvia's train journey through snowy countryside to Willoughby Chase is far from uneventful. She was terrified by a pack of wolves that are menacing the train, one even tried to attack Sylvia's compartment when the train's stopped middle way. Fortunately Sylvia's fellow passenger, a man called Mr. Grimshaw, courageously averted the danger. Sylvia had no idea that a more terrifying pack of "wolves" is awaiting her at Willoughby Chase; more terrifying because these are wolves in sheeps' clothing.

🐺 Bonnie and Sylvia, despite of differences in personality and upbringing, soon find themselves best friend to each other. But Miss Slighcarp has her wicked intention. With Mr. Grimshaw's help she planned to take over Willoughby Chase. She dismissed the loyal servants, tampered Sir Willoughby's will, and things like that. When Bonnie and Sylvia hampered her, she sent them to a horrid orphanage owned by equally wicked woman if Miss Slighcarp's friend.

🐺 When things get most nasty for the girls, they plan to run away. Luckily for them, few of the loyal servants don't desert them. The goose boy Simon also proved to be a valuable friend to them. However, what can they do to thwart the enemies plans, if Bonnie's parents were really dead inside the drowned ship?

🐺 I happened to read two books about horrid orphanages almost in a row. However, the one in Thursday's Child felt almost like adventure compared to this one, where Bonnie and Sylvia were most unfortunately put into. I was glad that Bonnie and Sylvia had each other's company to bear their misery. And if there's one blessing in disguise from this hardship, it's the resilient and experiences the two girls now possess as the result. That short experience strengthened them to be wonderful women in future.

🐺 This is my first Joan Aiken, and I'm grateful to have found this wonderful author. It certainly won't be my last read of her.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Read this book for:

Witch Week 2024 #WitchWeek2024

hosted by Chris @ Calmgrove and Lizzie @ Lizzie Ross

Possible Reads for Novellas in November & Nonfiction November 2024 #NovNov24 #NonficNov24

We are just two months and several days away from the end of 2024; how could time fly that fast!? Reading wise, I'm so grateful that many bookbloggers or booktweeters keep hosting my favorite reading events. Two of them are coming next month, and I've been compiling my lists (and even started reading few of them!) of some possible reads, with emphasize on "possible". I might read more or less, or substitute the titles. Anyway, here they are:

Novellas in November 2024 #NovNov24

hosted by Cathy @ 746 Books and Rebecca @ Bookish Beck

Warrior of the Light: A Manual (1997) by Paulo Coelho - a special read for special occasion, which I will explain in the review.
Wigs on the Green (1935) by Nancy Mitford 
Maud Martha (1953) by Gwendolyn Brooks
The Old Maid (1922) by Edith Wharton
A Single Rose (2020) by Muriel Barbery

Nonfiction November 2024 #NonficNov24

hosted by Liz, Frances, Heather, Rebekah, and Deb

Under the Tuscan Sun: At Home in Italy (1996) by Frances Mayes
The Golden Mole: And Other Living Treasure (2022) by Katherine Rundell
Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident (2013) by Donnie Eichar


Would you join one or all of them? What books you plan to read next month?

The Thief of Always (1992) by Clive Barker #RIPXIX

Book Beginnings on Fridays (hosted by Rose City Reader)

The great grey beast February had eaten Harvey Swick alive. Here he was, buried in the belly of that smothering month, wondering if he would ever find his way out through the cold coils that lay between here and Easter.

🏠 February isn't a beast, the evil monster of this children horror fantasy. It's the dreary cold month when Christmas is behind but Easter is still quite far, and Harvey Swick hated it. So much so, that when a smiley man called Rictus invited him to the Holiday House where one can always have fun, he couldn't resist. He'll just peep in for a while, and would come home immediately, no big deal.

🏠 But it is a big deal - it's a huge one! The Holiday House is a magical place, owned and created by a Mr. Hood. He lured innocent children who are thinking they are only playing truant. True, once they enter the house, they could get everything they ever want - food, toys, and all. But what a price they must pay! Though they only realize this after, when there's no way back. Not only that, the House also steals time. One spend each day in four seasons, spring in the morning, summer at noon, autumn every afternoon, and the day ends in winter. It's not just the weather, each day the children spend one day at the house, they lose one whole year of their times at home, so that, after spending a month there, thirty years have elapsed at home. That's what Mr. Hood is - the thief of always!

🏠 Harvey learned about this powerful magic after he managed to escape the House with his friend Wendel. Only to find that thirty years has elapsed since he left his parents, who has been bitterly thinking he's dead. Harvey realizes that he must return to the House and somehow fight Mr. Hood and his four servants to be free of the magic, to return to their happy lives, and to rescue many children who had came before him. He wouldn't live peacefully thinking he has left them trapped there forever, would he? But how could he do that-a mere boy against those powerful and cunning evil monsters?

🏠 I have never read Clive Barker before, but this is such a perfect horror fantasy a child could have wanted to read. It tackles common problem of children, that of wanting to avoid uncomfortable situation; it also overflowing with pleasant things every children want: gifts, toys, sweets, food, games. Imagine having Halloween and Christmas everyday without having any effort to arrange it, just enjoying!

Quoted for Friday 56 (hosted by Head Full of Books):

There was A Bonfire Night supper waiting for them when they got back into the House.

But it's not just about that, this book also reminded children, that there are a lot of things more valuable than those fun: love and family. It was indeed a wholesome read for this season, which reminds us to be always grateful for each day and season.

"Hopes like birds on a spring branch; happiness like a warm summer sun; magic like the rising mists of autumn. And best of all, love; love enough for a thousand Christmasses."

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Read for:

R.I.P XIX

A Christmas Murder (2024) by Mary Grand

🎄 I don't usually read something Christmassy in October, but this seemed like a decent cozy mystery, and I ran out of good audiobook, so I dug in. And I'm not disappointed, it is a wonderful murder mystery, which can actually happen anytime during any season. It's not really Christmassy, I think, just a midnight mass, Christmas meals, and some gifts.

🎄 Susan was asked for helping as a host at the Bishopstone Manor hotel by the owner, an Indian woman called Meera. Their upcoming family guests are prominent figures, and this gig is very important for the newly re-opened establishment. Duncan Fern, a newspaper mogul, is now bringing his extended family for annual Christmas holiday. His second wife Kirsten, his famous crime writer son Bryson, his sensitive daughter Hailey are there. Also coming are Bryson's food critics Victoria, Hayley's fitness enthusiast boyfriend Lewis, and the last one is Duncan's second man Antoine.

🎄 Between making sure that their bedrooms are cozy enough at night, and in charge of the music during dinner, Susan has first hand opportunity to get to know (rather too intimately) the family members. How Duncan is mean to his family, using threats against them, for example. He is the victim, by the way, which I knew right from the first. He died of poisoning from his own medication. Susan woke at night witnessing one of them sneaking outside the manor, and into Duncan's room. Her job enables her to snooping around their belongings, leading to finding clues after clues of the murder. Contrary to police's opinion, it was, indeed, murder, because Susan was twice attacked by one of them. It only shows that she is onto the right track. But who is the killer? Everyone had the motive, and seemingly opportunity to commit the murder.

🎄 This is actually quite a proper murder mystery, instead of a sloppy cozy mystery I thought it would be; a psychological soft thriller if you like. Everybody had secret and dark past, and not until near the end did I guess the murderer. Susan cleverly deduced how the crime was done, but not the why or the real motive (cause everyone had prospect), and certainly not the who.

🎄 Like in usual cozy mystery, there is the love prospect for the heroine, and a bit of struggle in her personal life (her ex husband). But I loved that these aspects were just a small background of the main stage, which was the crime mystery. I loved this one, and would like to read more from Mary Grand.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐