Sana Suhail

Mysterious deaths........ through drowning in a river that flows all over the town "Beckford' ; a small town in England........... followed by the introduction of a very unsettling and bizzare characters that always keeps you Wondering about their actions. Tragic historic tell tales.......that has clutched the whole "Beckford" town for thousands of years in agony......... Having no idea what an irresistive force lies in the heart of this drowning river that keeps feeding on the minds of the one's being obsessed by it........... due to which they get sucked by it. The end turns out to be very surprising and unpredictable. How all these tell tales, suicides, murders gets entangled into one horrific venture is truly a work of an art by the author. Such an exhilarating ride, that will get you "into the water". You won't regret reading it. It's worth your time.

"The forty rules of love" is the most influential and life changing novel. It is a story within a story. This book gives us an insight to the life of a perfect family of a woman named "Ellla". She has three kids, a beautiful home, and a fine husband but still something seems to be missing from her life, there's this emptiness, this void that keeps gnawing at her content life. What comes next, changes her life forever and turns her world upside down. This happens when she starts reading an anonymous novel for an agency by the name, "Sweet Blasphemy", having no idea who the writer of the books is..... She starts reading the novel "Sweet Blasphemy", which tells a long journey of a dervish named "Shams of Tabrez". Shams is a spiritual and mystic person. He's in search for a companion to share his wisdom with and so embarks on a life threatening journey. During this whole journey he keeps telling us about the laws of nature and the ways which can led us to living a kind and spiritual life. These he calls "The forty rules of love". It is by reading this book Ella realizes, that the emptiness she felt was nothing but a mere absence of "Love". Later the book unfolds how it ends for Ella and Shams.

Around the world in 80 days is a classic adventure novel by French writer Jules Verne. Phileas Fogg, the protagonist of the story is a very eccentric person. He's punctual and lives a regular and standardized life. He's very wealthy yet no one knows where does his riches come from. One day while playing whist with his fellow members of the Reform Club, he bets half of his fortune that he could travel around the world in 80 days. So he along with his newly employed servant Passepartout begins his journey around the world. This sudden plan of travel rises suspicion in detective Fix's mind who is on the lookout for a robber who has robbed a bank lately and so when he came to know that Fogg is leaving England in such a hurry with a large sum of money, he suspects him to be a robber fleeing England. As a result detective Fix becomes a part of this epic journey. Phileas Fogg faces many hurdles throughout his long journey without losing his cool and calmness. He was a man with a plan and was very optimistic and certain about his journey around the world to be completed in 80 days. As stated in the novel, "Phileas Fogg bore his misfortune with his habitual tranquillity. Ruined! And by the blundering of the detective! After having steadily made that long journey, during which he had employed many means of conveyance_ steamers, railways, carriages, yachts, trading vessels, sledges, and elephants. He had overcome hundreds of obstacles, braved many dangers, and still found time to do good on his way by helping a beautiful young Indian woman named "Aouda" from being burned alive with her dead Maharaja husband without her consent. Throughout this journey, he has spent a lot of money, and there only remained of his fortune the 20 pounds deposited at Baring's and this amount he owed to his friends of the Reform Club. So great had been the expense of his tour that, even if he had won, no doubt it would not have enriched him, and it is probable that he had not sought to enrich himself, being a man who rather laid wagers for honor's sake than for the stake proposed. Yet this wager ruined him". The novel ends with this note, "The question is what had he brought back from this long and weary journey? Nothing? Perhaps so, nothing but a charming woman, who strange as it appear, made him the happiest of men. Truly, would you not for less than that go around the world???"

Jeffrey Archer's novel "Kane and Abel" is a novel one can't put down. The plot of this novel is chronological while every event of the story is methodically arranged that keeps the attention and interest of the readers till the end. There's is no possible digression present in this novel. This novel is a kind of historical fiction in which world-historical events have been brought into it. The story of this novel is about two men named Kane and Abel. The title of the story appears to be inspired by the biblical book of Genesis in which Cain and Abel were the two sons of Adam and Eve. These two main characters of the story belong to two different parts of the world while born on the same day. Abel is polish and is a son of a Baron while Kane is a son of a wealthy banker. They both are living different lives. Abel becomes a victim of world war 1 when Poland is captured by Russians while Kane is living a luxurious life in America. Both are brought together by fate and then how they later unexpectedly turn against each other is an interesting event in itself. Both of them are successful in achieving their goals. Abel becomes a successful hotelier and opens up his hotels all around the world by the name Barons. He's given the title "The Chicago's Baron" while Kane becomes the Chairman of Kane and Lester's bank by merging both the banks. The story is filled with twists and turns of events and how both the men try to take revenge on each other. The historical events are well placed in the story. As Kane loses his father in the ship Titanic. Later world war 2 is also introduced into the plot of the story and so both of the men enlist themselves for taking part in the war. Another big event of history " The Great Depression" is also made a part of this story which was the downfall of the stock market that affected the whole world in the 1930s. This story contains details of the stock market, banking, hotel business portrayed in such a way that even if you don't have any knowledge about them still you'll understand the process and will not get bored with it. This is an amazing read and worth reading. Of all the Classics I've read, this one is very unique and perfect in all respects.

"Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse" is a Novella. A story of a boy named "Siddhartha" who embarks on a journey to discover himself. The journey of "Siddhartha" gives the lesson that we are all sacred, blessed within. We don't need to be under some influence to discover and see the right way. We are blessed with life experiences that helps us to know the reality of existence, of our existence. It's a good book and a must read.

THE title of this novella "of mice and men" doesn't agree with the story. Although it is a kind of complex that conveys the weakness of one of the main character who is very kind and innocent but couldn't help it when he holds on to something or someone, his strength is his biggest enemy that marks his end. The thing is that you can get the essence of this title only by reading the novella yourself. This novella was written in the 1930s, during the age of the Great Depression which was a worldwide economical downfall that started in the US and it affected the whole world. It also portrays the racial society of that time. The story of this novella circles around the two friends who are ranch workers and who dream of owning a land someday, a common American dream during the time of the Great Depression. What misfortune falls on them and how they get separated cruelly, one can't imagine. How destiny plays with them and how the innocence of one of them leads to the destruction of everything they've ever dreamt for!!! It's a must read and is worth your time.