Drawing a Blank by Aaron Ehrenhaft

It was time for another change up. Somehow, this book reminded me very much of the Man in the Ceiling by Jules Feiffer. It had similar themes of escapism and the whole nice ending thing working for it. Only, there was a lot more light-hearted moments in this one.

The story is about a boy and - as the subtitle says - how he tried to solve a mystery, end a feud, and land the girl of his dreams. Seems like a pretty 2-dimensional kind of story with one dimensional characters doesn't it? Well, let me tell you it is not. You learn about random things like Bentham's Panopticon and words like misogynist and misanthropy. Teenagers, especially the guys would enjoy this book.

This is a book that you want to pick up after a long day at work or at school and chill out and read just to relax and laugh. People who love utterly random and slapstick humor will enjoy this book. And if you have this thing for accents, well, let's just say, " Well, what are you waiting for? Pick that book up!"

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

This is by far the most psychologically and emotionally distressing book I may have ever read. Don't get me wrong though it was an excellent read and extremely immersive. However, it is definitely not something you read and expect to have a pleasant night sleeping. I've had really disturbing dreams for two nights in a row as is.

What's great about it is the concept of the book. In the world of the book, the people that were considered the 'slave-race' and discriminated were those with white skin and fair hair whereas the brown-skinned people were the ones in charge. I had a paradigm shift just reading it and I'm not even African American. What more if a white man picks this book up to read.

Basically the story is about two children - a Nought and a Cross - called Callum and Sephy growing up in a society where hatred and discrimination among both races run rampant. But how can they take control of their lives and be together if the society they live in is so immersed in their own feelings of hatred and helplessness?

Experiencing racism that you associate with the blacks through a white man's eyes gives one a lot of food for thought. It also makes it a very painful read because you're experiencing the character's pain. I think that's why I could not sleep because I felt so distraught and the impact the book made was so immense that it manifested itself in my dreams.

Usually, I try to keep a post about a book as objective as I can. However, as I have mentioned, it is written through the characters point of view and the scenarios and outcomes were so realistic and well-thought out I may as well have been reading an actual biography.

I Have Not Stopped Reading...

I just have yet to write. I'd just like to welcome Alicia to All Books Great and Small. I was very surprised to see we had yet another follower in our ranks! A small victory but a victory nonetheless. *wild cheering in background*

I have read a whole bunch of books while I was away in Australia. Even now as I am back in Malaysia. Just need to find the time to write in between all the normal routines that keeps food on your table. Will get to that soon.