Year: 2018

Words by guest contributor Poon Jin Feng

Who: In contrast to the sunny image of her birthplace of South Florida, amid a colourful life characterised by reading, baking, and dragging a ‘lazy’ dog out on walks, Laura Sebastian’s literary debut is rather grim. Ash Princess is the first of a YA fantasy trilogy, but by no means is it Sebastian’s first attempt at storytelling. That dates back to the second grade, when she put together a Cinderella retelling about angels. Since then, she’s completed a BA from Savannah College of Art and Design, moved to New York City, and produced this page-turning gem, with two books to follow.

What: Theodosia, heir to the kingdom of Artemisia, is just a child when she witnesses the murder of her mother and is taken prisoner by the right-hand man of the Kaiser, head of the invading Kalovaxians. Kept a hostage as a symbol of the Kaiser’s power, she is forced to wear crowns of ashes, a mockery of her former royal status, and the merest rumour of dissent by the conquered Artemisians earns her a brutal whipping.

Respite from the cruelties bestowed upon her come in the form of Crescentia, daughter of the very man who killed her mother and her closest — indeed, only — friend in the castle. So close is this unlikely friendship that Theo — the Kaiser denies her the right to her original name and orders she to refer to herself as Thora or Theo among select company — looks at her almost as a sister.

Word of growing underground rebellion reaches the court and a bedraggled man one day is dragged before the Kaiser, leader of the rebellion and a figure Theo recognises from her childhood. She is commanded to prove her loyalty to the Kaiser in a despicable manner, an order that will change the course of her life as she discovers an inner fire she never knew. Aided and abetted by an old friend and his gang of young rebels, she begins fighting back, a move that tests loyalties between friends old and new.

Why: Let’s be honest, there is little that is wholly original about Ash Princess if you’ve spent a decent amount of time in the YA world. There is even a painfully trite love triangle, though mercifully little time is dedicated to this trope. That said, after an info-heavy first chapter that dispensed all necessary information, the remaining chapters went by relatively fast.

Violence does feature rather frequently in the early parts of the book, and it is easy to sympathise with Theo — the hand she’s dealt with is a rather sorry one, and she does the necessary to survive. In other words, the book opens with her drawn as a pliant, timid prisoner, eternally grateful for the small mercies thrown her way by Cress.

Their relationship is core to the strength and theme of this story, examining the complex bonds that bind the self-declared sisters. Cress’ position of privilege is a stark contrast to the manner Theo is kept in, and while she appears to love the fallen princess, it seems to be a relationship built on conditions. When Theo begins to push back against the Kaiser, and when Cress’ love interest appears to be smitten by Theo, Cress’ true feelings towards her friend surface. Theo in the meantime finds herself questioning their relationship and battling with the contradictory answers. What really is loyalty? Is it born out of gratitude or a shared cause, as is the growing alliance between Theo and the Artemisian rebels? Or is it something else altogether, the glue of friendship kindled from unconditional help and comradeship?

The storytelling can be a tad clunky at times and character development of the secondary characters is somewhat lacking, but the latter might have been done at the expense of growing Theo as a believable central figure. There is a sprinkling of elemental magic, thanks to the gemstones mined by the Artemisians but which the Kalovaxians have no power to use and so wear them as ornaments instead, a further insult to the proud Artemisians. I would hope to see greater use of magic in the second and third book, as it is woefully underutilised and seems to be almost incidental here. All in all though, I would give this debut a thumb’s up.

Verdict: Between the violence and humiliation, a dash of fantasy, the bonds of friendship and a strong female protagonist, this is a rather compelling read and a great introduction into the YA world for newcomers of not-too-delicate sensibilities. (7.5/10)

Availability: Paperback, RM46.90. (Eligible to purchase as part of the Get 3 YA novels for RM99 deal.)

Special thanks to Pansing Distribution for an ARC of the book. 

Who: Natasha Farrant has worked in children’s publishing for almost 20 years, running her own literary scouting agency for the past 10. She is the author of the Carnegie-longlisted and Branford Boase-shortlisted YA historical novel, The Things We Did For Love, as well as two successful adult novels. Farrant was shortlisted for the Queen of Teen Award 2014, and the second Bluebell Gadbsy book, Flora in Love, is longlisted for the Guardian Children’s Prize. The Children of Castle Rock is her latest novel for young readers.

What: Following her mother’s untimely death, 11-year-old Alice Mistlethwaite is sent off to Stormy Loch Academy, a boarding school in Scotland. Understandably, Alice dreads the move but soon finds that the school is nothing like she had imagined. Run by the mysterious Major, there are no punishments — only Consequences — and students are more likely to be taught about body painting or extreme survival than maths or English. Alice soon finds her place in Stormy Loch and friends in Fergus and Jesse.

One day, her father sends her a mysterious package with instructions to keep it secret. He then follows this up with a note to meet him at the castle on the Isle of Nish with the package. Alice enlists her friends’ help in making the long journey there, and so begins an epic quest across wild Scottish highlands and islands where friendships are tested, lies untangled, and danger and excitement abound at every turn.

Why: Natasha Farrant has written a riveting adventure story with all the elements that is sure to make this an enduring favourite among young readers. Told with sparkling prose, the story boasts a cast of interesting and endearing characters, thrilling developments at various turns, and a good mystery to boot. It’s all rollicking good fun.

But that is not all — the story also has emotional depth. It starts off on a melancholic note, where we find Alice having to say goodbye to the only home she ever knew, and one in which is full of warm memories of time spent with her late mother. Farrant tackles the subject of dealing with the death of a parent with sensitivity and authenticity, without getting maudlin about it. Alice’s story is essentially an empowering one — we see her gradually find her own sense of self and independence, but most of all, she learns that life does go on despite tragedy and disappointments and that it can be beautiful once again.

Best/Worst Line: “Stories end, darling, and that’s sad, but they have to so new ones can begin.”

Verdict: I was hooked from the first page — need I say more? (9/10)

Reading Level: Aged 10 and up

Availability: Paperback, RM40.90

Special thanks to Times Distribution for an ARC of the book.

What’s the next best thing to eating good food?

Why, to read great writing on food, of course! Here at Lit Books, we have a growing selection of delectable food books. Evocative and vivid, these six delicious reads will give you much to chew on.

 

Super Sushi Ramen Express: One Family’s Journey Through the Belly of Japan by Michael Booth
From the author of The Almost Nearly Perfect People comes a fascinating and funny culinary journey through Japan

Japan is arguably the preeminent food nation on earth; it’s a mecca for the world’s greatest chefs and has more Michelin stars than any other country. The Japanese go to extraordinary lengths and expense to eat food that is marked both by its exquisite preparation and exotic content. Their creativity, dedication, and courage in the face of dishes such as cod sperm and octopus ice cream are only now beginning to be fully appreciated in the sushi and ramen-saturated West, as are the remarkable health benefits of the traditional Japanese diet.

Food and travel writer Michael Booth takes the culinary pulse of contemporary Japan, learning fascinating tips and recipes that few westerners have been privy to before. Accompanied by two fussy eaters under the age of six, he and his wife travel the length of the country, from bear-infested, beer-loving Hokkaido to snake-infested, seaweed-loving Okinawa. Along the way, they dine with — and score a surprising victory over — sumo wrestlers, pamper the world’s most expensive cows with massage and beer, share a seaside lunch with free-diving female abalone hunters, and meet the greatest chefs working in Japan today. Less happily, they witness a mass fugu slaughter, are traumatised by an encounter with giant crabs, and attempt a calamitous cooking demonstration for the lunching ladies of Kyoto. (RM79.90)

 

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
An irresistible feast of humour and heart, this is the bestselling, much-loved classic account of an English couple enjoying the fruits of French rural living.

Peter Mayle and his wife did what most of us only imagine doing when they made their long-cherished dream of a life abroad a reality: Throwing caution to the wind, they bought a glorious 200-year-old farmhouse in the Lubéron Valley in Provence, France and began a new life.

In a year that begins with a marathon lunch and continues with a host of gastronomic delights, they also survive the unexpected and often hilarious curiosities of rural life. From mastering the local accent and enduring invasion by bumbling builders, to discovering the finer points of boules and goat-racing, all the earthy pleasures of Provençal life are conjured up in this enchanting portrait. (RM54.90)

 

The Table Comes First by Adam Gopnik
From the author of Paris to the Moon comes a beguiling tour of the morals and manners of our present food mania, in search of eating’s deeper truths.

Never before have we cared so much about food. It preoccupies our popular culture, our fantasies, and even our moralising. With our top chefs as deities and finest restaurants as places of pilgrimage, we have made food the stuff of secular seeking and transcendence, finding heaven in a mouthful. But have we come any closer to discovering the true meaning of food in our lives? With inimitable charm and learning, Adam Gopnik takes us on a beguiling journey in search of that meaning as he charts America’s recent and rapid evolution from commendably aware eaters to manic, compulsive gastronomes. (RM63.90)

 

The Whole Fromage: Adventures in the Delectable World of French Cheese by Kathe Lison
The French, sans doute, love their fromages. And there’s much to love: hundreds of gloriously pungent varieties — crumbly, creamy, buttery, even shot through with bottle-green mould. So many varieties, in fact, that the aspiring gourmand may wonder: How does one make sense of it all?

In The Whole Fromage, Kathe Lison sets out to learn what makes French cheese so remarkable — why France is the “Cheese Mother Ship”, in the words of one American expert. Her journey takes her to cheese caves tucked within the craggy volcanic rock of Auvergne, to a centuries-old monastery in the French Alps, and to the farmlands that keep cheesemaking traditions alive. She meets the dairy scientists, shepherds, and affineurs who make up the world of modern French cheese, and whose lifestyles and philosophies are as varied and flavourful as the delicacies they produce. Most delicious of all, she meets the cheeses themselves — from spruce-wrapped Mont d’Or, so gooey it’s best eaten with a spoon; to luminous Beaufort, redolent of Alpine grasses and wildflowers, a single round of which can weigh as much as a Saint Bernard; to Camembert, invented in Normandy but beloved and imitated across the world.

With writing as piquant and rich as a well-aged Roquefort, as charming as a tender springtime chèvre, and yet as unsentimental as a stinky Maroilles, The Whole Fromage is a tasty exploration of one of the great culinary treasures of France. (RM52.90)

 

Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky
Homer called it a divine substance. Plato described it as especially dear to the gods. As Mark Kurlansky so brilliantly relates here, salt has shaped civilisation from the beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of mankind. Wars have been fought over salt and, while salt taxes secured empires across Europe and Asia, they have also inspired revolution — Gandhi’s salt march in 1930 began the overthrow of British rule in India. (RM57.90)

 

Butter: A Rich History by Elaine Khosrova
It’s a culinary catalyst, an agent of change, a gastronomic rock star. Ubiquitous in the world’s most fabulous cuisines, butter is boss. Here, it finally gets its due.

After traveling across three continents to stalk the modern story of butter, award-winning food writer and former pastry chef Elaine Khosrova serves up a story as rich, textured, and culturally relevant as butter itself. From its humble agrarian origins to its present-day artisanal glory, butter has a fascinating story to tell. With tales about the ancient butter bogs of Ireland, the pleasure dairies of France, and the sacred butter sculptures of Tibet, Khosrova details butter’s role in history, politics, economics, nutrition, and even spirituality and art. Readers will also find the essential collection of core butter recipes, including beurre manié, croissants, pâte brisée, and the only buttercream frosting anyone will ever need, as well as practical how-tos for making various types of butter at home — or shopping for the best. (RM79.90)

Who: Ahmed Saadawi is an Iraqi novelist, poet, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. Frankenstein in Baghdad is his third novel. It won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2014 and is shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize 2018.

What: Frankenstein in Baghdad is set in war-ravaged Baghdad. Stitched together from the body parts of bombing victims, the Frankenstein is animated by the spirit of vengeance and wreaks havoc in a city that does not discriminate between the guilty and the innocent. Meanwhile, city authorities struggle to maintain some semblance of order in an increasingly anarchic state while rapacious opportunists take advantage of the chaos to increase their personal wealth and forward their own political ambitions.

Why: It is always refreshing to encounter a novel that does what it claims to do, namely, be novel. War novels are particularly guilty of failing to introduce new ideas resorting to tried and true set pieces: love in a time of war, redemption, the brotherhood and fraternity of soldiering, innocence in a time of war — it’s all pretty much been done. This is not to say that they aren’t excellent reads, but simply that there hasn’t been anything novel of late. Not really.

Enter Frankenstein in Baghdad: set in US-occupied Central Baghdad, the story is told through the lens of several protagonists. Further uniting this cast of characters is the mysterious Frankenstein of Baghdad — a creation of Hadi the junk dealer who creates the golem from the body parts of bombing victims, ostensibly to ensure that the bombing victims receive a proper burial as a whole corpse rather than discarded as bits of detritus.

The creation, named Whatsisname by his father, is animated by the spirit of vengeance and seeks to bring justice to those responsible for killing the former owners of his body parts. In doing so, the Whatsisname builds a cult status of his own, gathering a troop of disenfranchised and downtrodden to do his bidding, including locating spare replacement body parts.

Meanwhile, the ambitious but naive journalist Mahmoud has found in the monster the makings of a story that will propel him towards fame and, hopefully, the bed linens of one Nawal al-Wazir. Nawal, unfortunately, is the girl Friday of his boss, Ali Baher al-Saidi, whose appetite for power is matched only by that of Brigadier Sorour Mohamed Majid, the head of the enigmatic Tracking and Pursuit Department. Both men intend to make the most of opportunities presented by the war to increase their influence over a reeling city that will nevertheless return to some semblance of order at some point.

All the while the widow Elishva, also known as Umm Daniel or Daniel’s mother, maintains her vigil for her lost son who disappeared during the Iran-Iraq conflict some two decades earlier. A fervent Christian, she cajoles and negotiates with the portrait of St George on her wall to fulfil his promise and return to her her beloved son. And it is a case of prayers answered when she comes across the assembled corpse at Hadi’s house next to hers.

Frankenstein in Baghdad is at once an absurdist comedy, an experiment in magical realism and a moralistic fable about the inanity of war. Surreal without the dizzying imagery that accompanies like-novels and darkly satirical without becoming punch-drunk, the story benefits from Jonathan Wright’s direct and lean translation and Saadawi’s wry sense of humour. But there should be no mistake — Saadawi makes a strong editorial comment about the war in the book: That it is senseless, vicious and ultimately absurd.

Indeed, the inclusion of Mary Shelley’s creation only serves to make taut the tension between the real and unreal in the reader’s mind. Was there truly a golem going about Baghdad? Or is it the fevered imaginings of a teller of tall tales, the made up enemy of a militant state seeking to establish an enemy — no matter how fantastic — to marshal popular support for itself?

What is plenty real, however, is that war is hell. War is protean, paradoxical and meaningless, and Whatsisname embodies these paradoxes: His goal is to obtain justice, but justice can only be obtained by performing an injustice, which in turn requires justice, and so on. Inevitably, the conviction that justice was being served becomes increasingly cloudy: “I held firm to the idea that I had only hastened the old man’s death. I was not a murderer: I had merely plucked the fruit of death before it fell to the ground.”

It is that sort of reckoning against one’s sense of self that forms the meat of the book not just for the monster but for all the residents caught within the conflict’s vortex.

Verdict: Despite there being a Frankenstein monster, the lack of a central focal point, which may very well be the point of the whole story, is a bit distracting. (7/10)

Availability: Paperback, RM69.90

Written by Poon Jin Feng, Lit Review contributor

Who: Leonard Mlodinow is a theoretical physicist and author of several New York Times best-sellers, including The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives, Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behaviour, The Grand Design co-authored with Stephen Hawking, and War of the Worldviews, co-authored with Deepak Chopra. But lest you think the man is a humourless science bot with nothing but quantum research and multiple award-winning books to his name, he was also a writer on TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation and McGyver – whatever that might be worth. Elastic: Flexible Thinking in a Time of Change is his latest book.

What: Elastic captures in a single-world title Mlodinow’s belief that success in a time of overwhelming output lies in a flexible cognitive style. The sheer volume of information and speed at which things change today is exponentially higher than in decades past and the dizzying pace at which all this takes place necessitates cognitive mechanisms that are not just effective, but efficient.

There are compelling examples to illustrate this point. Between 2004 and 2014, over 5,000 new scientific journals were created to accommodate an estimated three million journal articles a year. The number of websites in existence doubles every two to three years. Social behaviours are constantly being challenged and reshaped with the global reach of the Internet pushing communities both online and offline to consider new ideas and adjust accordingly.

Elastic thinking, hence, refers to the ability to face and produce ideas intelligently, epitomising the phrase “work smarter, not harder”. It propagates imaginative, original and non-linear thinking as well as play with new paradigms. In short, it’s the source of invention and innovation, allowing for a break-away from convention to dabble with possibilities, however far-fetched.

Why: Faced with a tsunami of information to sift through daily and with disruption a key theme in new ideas and platforms – requiring constant adaption and “unlearning” – mental agility becomes a necessity. The good news is that Mlodinow believes such nimbleness can be trained, if not an inherent trait; we can become smarter consumers and creative generators. Elastic thinking increases the “capacity to let go of comfortable ideas and become accustomed to ambiguity and contradiction”.

Mlodinow’s ideas in themselves are not original. He doesn’t dismiss analytical thinking – seen as the antithesis to elastic thinking with its formulaic or logical processes – but encourages greater attention to the latter with applications incorporating the former. What he does do well is pair the latest findings in neuroscience and psychology to explain the whys and hows of elastic thinking, all presented in a conversational, comprehensible manner. The book is approachable, tackling what could be an intimidating or foreign (for the first-timer) subject with informal ease. Four sections cover confronting change, how we think, where new ideas come from, and liberating your brain. Within these sections, each chapter opens with an anecdote and relates the scenario to a bigger behaviour or practice at play. Anyone with sufficient attention span could get through Elastic easily enough and grasp the concepts. At its worst, this serves as an up-to-date compilation of theories, findings and applications. At its best, it’s a relatively quick manual on how to reframe the way we think to not just survive, but thrive.

Verdict: Does a solid job of providing a glimpse into the fascinating subject that is the flexibility of the human mind and how it has helped man flourish across centuries and around the world. (7.5/10)

Availability: Trade paperback, RM86.90

Special thanks to Times Distribution for an ARC of the book.