Sayan Biswas

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I had heard many rave reviews on Hosseini's first novel The Kite Runner and came across his second, A Thousand Splendid Suns, with one goal in my mind: I wanted to have a real cry. One of those books that truly move you, pulling on your heartstrings until you bawl like a child. The main plot seemed to fill my criteria. Set in Afghanistan from the 1960s to the 1990s, spanning from Soviet occupation to the Taliban control, following the lives of two women in their marriages and in their war-torn country. Expecting domestic abuse, graphic war descriptions and a main theme of oppression in Afghan women, I was satisfied- yes, I will weep. And so shall you but not for the reasons you would expect. A Thousand Splendid Suns covers much more than the aforementioned. The novel is split in a dual narrative, the first being Mariam when she is nine, living on the outskirts of Herat with her bitter mother, anxiously in wait for the once-a-week visits from her wealthy father. Branded a harami, an illegitimate child, Mariam faces many prejudices and blame not only from the family of her father, but also from her own mother. Hosseini introduces a naïve child whom you immediately pity, and also feel a foreboding clutch the pages. Not soon into the story, Mariam discovers the emptiness in her father's love and after her mother's suicide, is forced to marry a man more than 20 years her senior, her being only 15. You blink several times. You squirm. You cry out in outrage. But Hosseini isn't finished. Rasheed is a kind man, albeit rather archaic in his manner and grumpy, but all things considered Mariam's life does not seem so terrible anymore. Until the miscarriage. And then the continual miscarriages. Domestic abuse? Yup, I knew there must be some somewhere. However, Hosseini does something new. You pity the husband, for his past is one with sorrow much like Mariam's- it does not justify his actions- but you feel sympathy for his situation. Then comes the second narrative- Laila. An innocent young child with a best friend who is a boy, a family torn by the war that steals her brothers away from her and in turn her mother's affection. Orphaned, torn from her love, Laila agrees to marry Rasheed. The stories of these two wives will make you gaze in awe at the sheer strength of love in desperate times. All the way through the novel Hosseini weaves in information about Afghanistan's situation nevertheless it is only here that it takes a role in the story. Yet he makes sure that it is never a driving force in the novel- that is for the voices of these two women. Both trying to make do, muddling through life trying to find joy through the gloom, one innocent yet hiding a terrible secret and another bitter with age and resenting her life. Both still with a glimmer of hope in their eyes as they embark on a great journey. Hosseini's writing is simple, and that is all it needs to be, a welcoming contrast to Mariam and Laila's complex situations. By the end you are not only left with a tear, but with a fire lit within. It is above all a story of hope and of life, the heroism that comes with love and the inevitable strife that comes with living. Inspirational, outstanding, everyone must read this tale.

A gripping and emotional story of betrayal and redemption, The Kite Runner had me thrilled and moved, both at the same time. It tells the story of Amir and Hassan, the closest of friends, as good as brothers, and also experts in the art of kite flying. The two young boys live in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and this year they are going to try harder than ever to win the local kite-fighting tournament—a popular Afghan pastime, and this is Amir's one hope of winning his father's love. But just like the kites battling in the sky, war comes to Afghanistan, and the country becomes an extremely dangerous place. In war, people are often forced to make great sacrifices, and the young Amir himself commits an act of betrayal, towards his best friend Hassan no less, which will haunt him for the rest of his life. Amir and his father are forced to flee Afghanistan for America, and The Kite Runner becomes the story of Amir's quest for redemption – righting the wrongs he committed all those years ago as a boy in Kabul. The story is fast-paced and hardly ever dull, and introduced me to a world – the world of Afghan life – which is strange, fascinating and yet oddly familiar all at the same time. Hosseini's writing finds a great balance between being clear and yet powerful, and not only is the story itself brilliantly constructed, but the book also explores the very art of storytelling. Amir himself becomes a writer, and he reflects on his experiences in the story as though his life itself were a piece of fiction (which of course it is!). But I think the best bit about the kite runner is its sense of fate and justice, of good overcoming evil in the end, despite all odds. Without giving away the ending, Amir ends up back in Afghanistan and makes a very different set of sacrifices in order to set things straight. The final chapter of the book is perhaps my favourite, and one that I have found moving even when rereading it. The message behind the very ending could be interpreted differently by different readers, but personally I feel that it offers a small sense of hope for both the future of its characters, and perhaps for war-torn Afghanistan as well.

Counted as one of the most controversial books of all times for the ideas it purports, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown directly challenges the authority of the Vatican, garbing real facts in clever fiction and telling a narrative that’s interesting, full of intrigue and thought provoking, not to mention an unforgettable cast of characters and events. Even a decade after causing all its controversy, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown still captivates readers with its detailed plot full of wonderful intricacies and highly entertaining suppositions thorough research on such topics as the Templars, Leonardo Da Vinci, codes and ciphers, as well as the history of the Church bring the narrative to life; and fill the plot with so many twists that the reader must hold on to better understand what is going on. On a trip to Paris, Robert Langdon is called to the Louvres, where its curator has been murdered. A cryptic code left in his own blood leads French authorities to presume that Langdon is actually the killer. Paired with a cryptographer whose interest in the case is more than superficial, Langdon begins to decipher the code left in the blood, only to be chased down by the authorities as the prime suspect in the murder. Clues point to more complex codes and ciphers, as well as a deeply contentious revelation the Vatican wishes left unearthed. Langdon is not the only one trying to get to the bottom of this mystery, the Holy Grail itself, as an ultra-conservative Catholic sect, Opus Dei, sends one of its own to hunt the secrets down and destroy Langdon in the process. As the story moves along, the reader cannot help but learn all about the secret society in which Da Vinci was a member and how he used his art to communicate key points of Christianity the early Church tried to bury. While the search is sure to be mind-altering, Langdon must survive long enough to feel the euphoria. Dan Brown uses an easy narrative to push the story forward and, as in the first book of the series Angels and Demons, he chooses to focus his attack/critique on the Greater Church, this time for burying the truth of Jesus’ personal side and his fallible nature. I am utterly stupefied by this masterpiece and Dan Brown’s ability to blur the lines between the real and the fictional, as he did in the first book in the Robert Langdon series. No reader who takes the time to read and attempt to understand Brown’s story and the nuances of that which is factual (as well as the fiction) will leave the experience with nothing gained. That said, an open mind can lead down many pathways and leave the reader to wonder how they did not piece it all together before. A must-read for those who like their fiction served piping hot with just enough critique of the sacred to have the Vatican debunking it for fear the real truth will soon be unveiled.

SHUTTER ISLAND: MOVIE REVIEW "Which would be worse, To live as a monster? Or to die as a good man?" It has been 11 years since the release of Shutter Island, directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo Dicaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kinsley, and others, and there is no doubt that this film is regarded as one of the greatest psychological thrillers ever made in world cinema. Many films, from many regions was inspired from this particular style of filmmaking. So lets analyse the film. In 1954, two U.S. Marshals (DiCaprio and Ruffalo) investigate the disappearance of a murderer who escaped from a hospital in Shutter Island, where mentally unstable people, accused of various crimes are kept in supervision. That murderer was also a patient. So as the story approaches, both the Marshals, especially Teddy (DiCaprio) finds out the dark secrets of this mental asylum, and feels somehow everything is connected to his past. This story seems pretty good, but there is more to go! More secrets, more darkness, more and more terrifying moments till the end. Regarding the acting, this was Leonardo Dicaprio's best work till date. Starting from the facial expressions, to the body language, everything he did was top notch and intriguing. He literally added more life to the script. Now we will discuss about the technical and the philosophical aspects : TECHNICAL ASPECTS : 1. Cinematography : One of the key elements of this film is its precious camerawork and art direction, some great cinematography which holds the suspense of the film. 2. Colour Grading : Dominant shades of grey, dark-dull tones and surprise colours of red, yellow enhances the mood of the film for the audience. 3. Screenplay : Its a 2 hour 15 minute long film but fortunately there isn't any scene where the audience gets bored. Although it totally depends on perspective. 4. Hitchcockian elements : These are used by various filmmakers, with the styles and themes similar to those of Alfred Hitchcock. In this film, out of 14, 11 Hitchcockian elements are used. Nothing to worry, they aren’t any rocket science. They are: Climactic plot twist. The cool platinum blonde. Restricting the action to a single setting to increase tension. Characters who switch sides and/or who cannot be trusted. Tension building through suspense to the point where the audience enjoys seeing the character in a life-threatening situation. Bumbling or incompetent authority figures, particularly police officers. Use of darkness to symbolize impending doom (dark clothing, shadows, smoke, etc.) Strong visual use of famous landmarks Mistaken identity The use of a staircase as a motif for impending danger or suspense. Referring to crime for mystery rather than presenting it explicitly. PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS : The philosophical discussion of reason and the boundary between sanity and madness has been a contentious topic for a long time. This problematic boundary is discussed in this film. The image of good might be the image of the bad. In physics, there is a term called 'Frame of reference.' Everything depends on the perspective. Although the main climax of the film is not mentioned in this film, still its important to address this sensitive thought process for everyone, because everyone once goes through this phase of unable to identify between the good and bad, the vulnerable and the strong. Final remarks: Overall, a must watch for every film lover. Its a great roller coaster ride for everyone who watches it. From technical to philosophical parts, this film touched everything in a subtle, yet strong manner.