The Moon and Sixpence - A Review

Photo taken from www.goodreads.com

“...some men are born out of their due place. Accident has cast them amid certain surroundings, but they have always a nostalgia for a home they know not.”
― W. Somerset Maugham


So the story was written on the point of view of a writer , trying to know about the life of the genius Charles Strickland.

Strikland's life was shrouded in mystery. He was a quiet man and no friends would stick around him. He also had a very low regard for women which can was manifested in the middle pages of the book when he talked about the wife he left to pursue his painting career. The painting career he chose on top of everything was what made the story interesting. Leaving his wife, the life he built was a necessary step for him to move on an never look back. It gave him focus.He was regarded by those who were given a glimpse of his early worls as talentless on the field he's pursuing and they all think that it was not just for him. When he showed his paintings to his friends they weren't able to see his genius. They were horrified by the simplicity of the work Strickland would claim as the product of his genius. But Strickland was as firm as a stone in believing that he was destined to paint. He didn't want fame not glory nor wealth. He simply wanted to express what his soul was screaming for even if it means so much hardship for him.  He endured a lot yet he seemed to tread lightly , to not mind the hardship and still be focused on his goal. With all the mockery he heard, he knew that he need not the affirmation of people to do what he wanted.

The next vital part of the story was when a woman try to imprison him yet it was the woman who surrendered. I think it was because of the intensity of his soul which brought up the extreme feels from her. She was captivated by Strickland's unrelenting belief on painting. She tried to gain his favor but to no avail.Strickland was married to his goal and was never sidetracked.She later commited suicide unable to live with the fact that Strickland could never be hers. There was no remorse on Strickland's side.He had already paid the price when he cut the remaining humane strings and this stage for him did not even come close to what he sacrificed.

On the latter part of the story, Strickland journeyed .He was able to find home and  devotion from a wife he met on an island. She let him do whatever he wanted to do without questions . Being left alone to pursue his mind's musings, he was finally able to create his masterpiece,an art which was for his sake alone . His work was never meant to be shared to the world. It was meant to set him free from his body's continuous inability to express what his mind had wanted.

The book highlighted how far a man's yearnings can take him and that if the pursue of what we think was meant for us is all worth it in the end. Strickland found what was for him. . He rise above all the influential minds which tried to enclosed and suffocate him. He also took all the readers to a worthwhile and satsifying journey of pursuit for expression of one's passion.

Why Reading Brida the Third Time is Still Worth It

“No one can possess a sunset like the one we saw that evening,” he went on. “Just as no one can possess an afternoon of rain beating against the window, or the serenity of a sleeping child, or the magical moment when the waves break on the rocks. No one can possess the beautiful things of this Earth, but we can know them and love them. It is through such moments that God reveals himself to mankind." -Magus (Brida)

Brida is a novel by Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian novelist known for his bestselling books most especially his book "The Alchemist"which captured the hearts of millions of readers. Brida had garnered a lot of adoration from the masses.It is and will always be a valuable read .

The third time I read the book, the punch is still there. It's a 227-page book, enough to delight you profoundly.I've read it a couple of times in my college days and that was way back 4 or 5 years ago. Times have changed yet you'll know the ethereal appeal within the pages judging by how it still brings the same effect no matter how many times you read it or no matter how your mindset had changed.

The book mainly talks about Soulmates. How you're connected to that one person with whom you have shared a common soul in the past. It highlights the importance of love in the aspect of our growth as a person. It'll make you realize that all the emotions you feel are all part of the greater whole of the person you are, that you should not be ashamed of them but learn to master each as all are part of your life.

Moreover, it brings about the understanding of how we should celebrate and respect our individual differences. According to the book each of us has our own Personal Legend (know more about Personal Legends on another Coelho's book The Alchemist) which was given for us to plant in God's garden which is the Earth. One example cited in the book was how a mechanic differs from a witch yet both practices lead to the understanding of life at large. Each has his/her own way of doing things that will lead to self-understanding. To know about which path to choose is simply to observe what activity brings out the best in you.

The book also teaches us faith and the beauty of letting go. It'll make you think of the unnoticed corners of the world, as in the book one can view the universe in a grain of sand which is just one among the millions of manifestations of His signature.

This book through the years will always be worth the time spent on its pages.One should not pass a reading opportunity on this one. Just a grab a copy and see for yourself.

Back to Back Stephen King Reads : Full Dark, No Stars and Sleeping Beauties

One of my Kingsies, Stephen King's latest book to date

     I purchased the book last November 2017. I had intended it to be a ceremonial read by 2018. It will be this special novel that I'll read first for a new year and that's what I did. Before reading this one, I did some in between reads, Brida by Paulo Coelho (3rd-time read) and Full Dark, No Stars, a collection of four stories by Stephen King. I badly wanted to delay the reading but just one day, on February 11, 2018, I just had to put an end to the chapters. Finished the book, I did.It came into my thinking that the book might be one of the last books Stephen King, a 70-year old famous writer of horror and thriller, has written. Though I received a news about an upcoming book from him entitled "The Outsider".

     Going back to the Sleeping Beauties book, it's a collaboration between father and son -Owen King and Stephen King. It was Owen King who thought about the concept of the book. Owen one day asked his father about the possibility of all women not waking up. Stephen saw an idea worth writing about. The story was a hit. The book won the title of best horror book on Goodreads. The thrill of knowing the chaos without women is a concept which was never explored in other books. The originality made the book stand out among the rest of those on the shelves.

Let me give you a brief overview of events. One day a woman just popped out of nowhere from the forest of Dooling (setting of the story) and passed by a trailer which was a home to a drug addict. The addict abuses his girlfriend.The addict was killed by the woman from the forest who was later on called as Eve Black (Evie).The appearance of Evie was also when the news of a sleeping sickness called "Aurora" appeared affecting women all over the world, infants including. Those affected were covered with cocoon-like material. The sickness would start as soon as women fall asleep. Those who tried to remove the cocoon-like material from a woman affected by the sickness would release a beast-like creature with a killing intent. Evie claimed to be the key to everything, that as long as she lives for several days she'll help in solving the mysteries surrounding the Aurora sickness.She was protected by Clint Norcross, the sheriff's husband.  On the other side of the plate, Frank Geary from animal control was informed by Evie that the only way to cure the women was to kill her. So is Evie on the good side or the bad side? That's the question as she's acting like both.What happened to all the men who were left behind? Some acted as prince charmings while others, took advantage of the situation to release the evil within them.

     On the book, a variety of stories about women and their struggles filled the pages, mostly about those convicted of crimes and were in a correctional facility.Women who fell asleep were transported to a place without a man.They started creating a community while waiting for the possibility of a cure for the sleeping sickness.In the end, it's up to them to decide if they'd like to come back or not. Will they?

     The ending was a Stephen King ending, good and bad parts, people moving on with their lives after sacrifices. For some they'll find it a happy ending for all, some would say it's a sad one. For me, the ending had a hammer to the characters who sacrificed the most. It was unfair yet that added to the spice which reached out to my core with a grip.

To add, the challenge imposed by Stephen was for the readers to identify which parts were written by Owen. I had a hard time with this one. Though, the darker the lines I believe the more they belong to Stephen. Lines without mercy or inhibitions in showing how the human mind can get sicker than it's supposed to be, they always belong to the writer I'll always love, Stephen King.

     Let's go to the second book Full Dark, No Stars. It's a book containing 4 stories. As the title suggests, every story is pitch black and not for those with faint hearts.

     The first story was 1922, this has a movie on Netflix which you might want to check out. A bittersweet, horrific ending is what I can say. The plot is, husband and son collaborated to have the wife killed.The wife was supposed to sell the land which was against the husband's love for the farm.  The story focuses on what happens after a crime beyond forgiveness is committed and how revenge, at some points, circles back without mercy.

     The second story, Big Driver, proved that sometimes a greater darkness is needed to overcome some darkness. The protagonist here was tricked and driven to the point of revenge where she had given the due evil needed to defeat the monsters.

    The third story is Fair Extension. Don't be fooled by the title as it's entirely the opposite of what's inside. It's about a man and how far his selfishness can go. This is a story which will tear you apart in making a decision as to which side you're on. And as I always say, your reactions will show the effectiveness of the story. The stronger your emotions, the more powerful the book is. And I'll say, this is just a powerful story.

     A Good Marriage was the fourth and last story in the book. This one was about discovering a huge buried secret on her marriage yard and decided to take justice into her own hands. The protagonist was clever in her own way of owning what she was not able to prevent for years. But again, not without consequences, always the consequences.

     So this is it. Long live Stephen King!

Everyone has to know Lisey's Story

     Lisey's Story, another novel by Stephen King, revolves around a love rooted in places deeper and farther than one can imagine.  My favorite line in the story was on the page where it was mentioned that even monsters know how to love. Monsters, yes, of different kinds, brought by choice or by an ugly fate. The book was full of monsters. One kind will be that which scares you in the dark, be it an uninvited grip from a cold hand or that imaginary bloodshot eyes peering from nowhere. The other kind is among us, blending gracefully in the crowd and waiting their sweet time to pounce on their victims.  Monsters encircled Lisey and Scott Landon's marriage.

     Scott Landon, a famous writer, died earlier than he should have, leaving Lisey with a past she was afraid to face. Lisey embarked on a journey of rediscovering the forgotten closets of her marriage in order to face a monster which threatens her present.

     When I read the pages, the gnawing anticipation of what's to come filled my senses. I was mostly scared of what I'll discover. Knowing Stephen , the hazy life stories of the character from the beginning was a form of torture to readers like me. You just can't put down the book for a moment knowing that the monsters in the book have not been killed yet. You just sort of know that you have to read the part where the heroine triumphs over the monsters to give your mind a rest. 

     The most tear-jerking moment was reading about Scott's family history. It's just the truest form of what a sad story really is.  There was love, yet darkness broke them apart. Many sacrifices were made, leaving Scott the lone survivor of a great tragedy.There's still this melancholic pang in me mixed with fright and pity. 

     And Lisa the heroine, Scott deserved to be with her. Her unconditional love became his home for so long. She also stood as a pillar of strength and courage for her sisters.

     Lisey's story was a read with a fair share of terror, hope, sadness, and love amidst the darkness, a valuable story worth for anyone to know about.

Cujo: A Story of How You Can be in the Most Dreadful Place at the Worst Time

Everyone has their share of stories about how a day seemed like to have a never-ending chain of unlucky events. There's justice to some of the unfortunate events if those involved just got their dose of karma but the world knows no special treatment and anyone can get entangled with pieces of death ropes randomly scattered. Reading Cujo, that awaiting horror started with just a car needing a repair ending with a twisted fate. The main characters did not deserve to encounter the fright of their lives but they happened to be just in the most dreadful place at that time.

There are two sides to the story, always. Cujo the dog which turned out to be the story's monster started without any trace of aggression towards anyone. The dog was also a victim just as all the other victims of the story. As it turned into a monster, it was somehow disheartening how no one was not able to see its suffering. Cujo did not understand was what happening as its head was clouded with murderous instinct. There was no turning back, it cannot be saved no matter what unlike humans who have chances to turn their life around. Knowing how it was before and how it turned out for Cujo was just a nasty tragedy.

The other side of the story was that of mother and son. Donna and Tadd's catastrophic encounter with Cujo was the climax of the story. It was mind-boggling to think of how they're going to survive since no one's around to help them. This was the part where you get to taste Stephen King's dish of desperation and hopelessness then the triumph and the price.

Cujo is a worthwhile read for those who like the thrill of the macabre. In the end, it left me feeling like screaming in disappointment at how events turned out. I wasn't surprised as I am expecting King to deliver that reading hang-over. The disappointment was because of the question which we always ask when we read or encounter something unpleasant which did not turn out to have the ending we wanted: Why did it turn out to be that way? Why them? These unanswered questions would often hang around the atmosphere for some time until forgotten. I just like it when a book makes me think more after reading and Cujo just did that (even if it caused some ill feelings lol).

This is my 52nd read out of 69 Stephen King's books.