999 Challenge - September 2009

The Good Parents by Joan London (Australian Authors)
This is a story of loss and disappearences. Maya is a girl from Western Australia who moves to Melbourne to start a new exciting life after a failed relationship with a member of the Brethern. She finds work with a shady businessman Maynard whose wife is dying of cancer. Maynard initates an affair with Maya and after his wife dies lures her off to Queensland with him. Maya's parents are coming to Melbourne for a visit and Maya fails to let them know she will not be there. Toni and Jacob, Maya's parents arrive with baggage of their own from the past. Toni when in her teens becomes involved with a Perth racketeer and engages Jacob to help her disappear. Long before this Jacob's own father disappears and his mother arranges her own disappearence from Sydney to Perth. Jacob's sister Kitty returns to Perth after a long absence overseas and Toni friend and neighbour Chris vanishes overseas after meeting a man on the internet.
I was in two minds with this book as it didn't hold my interest all of the time it seemed to ramble on, never quite getting there.
The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas ( General Reading)
This book was on of the best reads I have experienced in a while, although the language and the sex were a little full on at times.
It starts at a BBQ with family and friends when Harry slaps three year old Hugo (who needs to learn boundaries) is treatening his older son. It is not so much about the slap but its far reaching effects on the people who witnessed it. The characters are mulicutural, young, old, gay and straight and are like onions they all have many layers. This book gets you thinking what would you do given the same circumstance could you choose between partner, family and friends.
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (Biography)
When Elizabeth turned thirty she goes through a mid life crisis. She no longer wants to be married or have a successful career or a beautiful home. She goes through a depressing divorce and a failed love affair. She is consumed with panic and grief. To recover and to give herself time and space she takes the radical step and quits her job, gets rid of all her material belongings and undertakes a year long journey. Firstly she goes to Italy then to India and finally to Bali spending four months in each place. This is a story of self discovery and what happens when you take responsibilty for your own contentment in life and when love is found in the least likely place. It was a very pleasurable read a travelogue of soul searching and self discovery.
Shark Net by Robert Drewe (Biogaphy)
This book is the biography of writer Robert Drewe. The story is intertwined with a series of murders that were committed by Eric Cooke a seial killer during the 1960's. Eric Cooke was the last man to be hanged in Western Australia.
It is also the story of growing up in the 1950's and 1960's in the isolated and unpretentious city of Perth. Uprooted from his home in Melbourne when his father is promoted to assistant manager in the Dunlop firm in Western Australia.
Robert Drewe starts his career as a young reporter on West Australian under the supervision of gruff police roundsman Ralph Wheatley. Drewe is sent to cover the committal hearing of Eric Cooke. It is revealed that Drewe knew Cooke as he was employed by Dunlops and did occassional work around the Drewe home. One of the people murdered was also a friend of Drewe's.
It was a good read, a wonderful portrayal of growing up in the 50's and 60's. A few years ago I had read Broken lives: serial killer Eric Cooke's secret crimes and it was good to read a diffrent perspective on the crime part of the story. The DVD of the same title is a must watch.

999 Challenge - August

I have finally started on my classic reading list, classics that I have never gotten around to reading.
Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera (General Reading)
When reading this book I found it hard to believe that arranged marriages are still going on in the world today. Jasvinder is one of eight children, seven girls and one boy. It is her mother's quest to get all the daughters married off by arranged marriages by the time they are fifteen. Jasvinder and her family live in Derby, England where a large community of Indian people live. At fifteen Javinder is shown a picture of her future husband and told that she will shortly be sent to India to marry him. Meanwhile at school her school friend introduces Jasvinder to her brother Jassey and they become friends although they are of a lower class by her mother's standards. When the time draws closer for her to go to India Jasviner runs away with Jassey. This brings great shame on Jasvinder's family in the community. Her parent disown her. After a few months away she phones her family but the tell her she is dead in their eyes. Her younger sister Lucy gets in touch with her and eventally moves in with her when Lucy's marriage breaks down. Robina one of her other sisters asks for help from her parent as her husband is very abusive but they tell her that she must put up with it and make her husband happy as it will bring shame on the family if she leaves him. It is all too much for Robina and she doses herself in parifin and sets herself alight. Meanwhile the brother was allowd to marry a half caste Indian woman. Jasvinder has two children and several relationships and eventually helps look after her aging parents although she is never fully forgiven. Jasvinder returns to school and eventally to university and sets up a Centre in Derby so she can help these women.
This book certainally opened my eyes to traditions that are forced upon young girls in this day and age. There are many young women from this culture that are forced to kill themselves for the suffering that they endure. Some of these girls are highly intelligent but have never had the opportunity to a proper education. If they want to leave these abusive relationships, they have no money, no where to go or know no other life away from there community.
Finger Lickin Fifteen by Janet Evanovich (Crime)
This is number fifteen in the Stephanie Plumb series. Janet Evanovich seems to win the reader over with every new adventure. To tell the truth I thought I would be bored with these books by now but fortunatly they still hold my interest especially the Ranger/Morelli situation. Stephanie is on the case of murdered TV chef Stanley Chipolte with her partner in crime Lula of the plus size and personality. Short of money as always Stephanie takes a second job at Rangeman (bounty hunting being her first) working with her on again off again lover Ranger. They are investigating a series of break ins in places that the Rangeman security systems are installed. Meanwhile in the background in Joe Morelli (Stephanie's ex boyfriend at this point of time) hovering in the background waiting to whisk Stephanie away from Ranger if things get too heated. A funny read with all the usual characters.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (Classic)
This is the story of Heathcliff who was a foundling on the streets of Liverpool and is bought to Wuthering Heights by the then owner Mr Earnshaw who raises him as his own. Catherine, Earnshaw's daughter and Heathcliff become inseparable. Hindley, Catherine's brother resents Heathcliff and when Earnshaw dies he brutally treats Heathcliff as farm labourer. Catherine becomes friendly with the neighbours the Lintons. Heathcliff overhears Catherine declare that she could never marry Heathcliff as it would be too 'degrading' and he storms out failing to her the rest of the declaration that 'she is Heathcliff' and her love for him is unmovable. Catherine ends up marring Edgar Linton. Heathcliff is now intent on destroying Catherine. Heathcliff elopes with Edgar's sister Isabella which places him in the position of inheriting Edgar's property if he was to die. Heathcliff and Catherine reconcile for a while. Catherine dies giving birth to a daughter named Cathy. Heathcliff's wife flees her abusive marriage and not long after gives birth to a son named Linton. Around the same time Catherine's brother Hindley dies and Heathcliff inherits Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff is now left to raise his son after his wife dies along with Hindley's son who he treats as Hindley treated him. Heathcliff hates his son as he reminds him of Edgar. Linton and Cathy meet on the moors when they are out riding and form a friendship. Linton falls ill and Cathy goes to see if she can help. Heathcliff puts her under house arrest and forces Linton and Cathy to marry. Linton dies and Heathcliff inherits Thurshcross Grange. He now has control over both properties. When he eventally dies he is found lying on the bed with his hand outstretched to the open window where he often heard her voice, as if reaching for her hand. He was buried next to Catherine with Edgar on the other side. The rumour in the village is their ghosts can be seem wandering the moors.
I didn't really like any of the characters in the book ecept for Mrs Dean the narrator/housekeeper who was sensible, loyal and never lost hope. I expected Heathcliff to be dark, brooding and romantic instead he was possessive,controlling, manipulative and totally crazy in the end. This was Emily Bronte's only book and it did keep my interest to the end.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (Classic)
Maxium's second wife who is the narrator is not actually named, reflects on a dream she has about Manderley and so the story unfolds. The narrator is a companion to a rich American, Mrs Van Hopper when she meets Maxium. Maxium asks her to marry him but Mrs Van Hopper thinks he is only marrying her to get over the death of his first wife Rebecca. Maxium brings his new wife home to Manderley. Maxium's housekeeper Mrs Danvers does not approve of the second wife as she was very devoted to Rebecca. With Maxium attending to his business affairs the new wife is left to fill in her time in an intimidating house left behind by Rebecca. Rebecca was drowned in what appeared to be a boating accident and her body indentifed by Maxium after it was found futher up the coast. The morning after the annual ball a boat has hit the rocks in the bay and a diver is sent down to invesigate the damage. The diver finds a sailing boat on the bottom of the seabed and when the boat surfaces and the body of Rebecca is discovered. Maxium tells the narrator that he never loved Rebecca and that he actually shot her due to her infidelities. Jack Favell who was having an affair with Rebecca accuses Maxium of murdering his wife. It appears she was pregnant and it is found in the court that she comitted suicide. Maxium and his second wife can finally get on with there life together and set off home to Manderley. As they approach they see the light spreading over the sky and relise it is not the sunrise but Manderley burning. I loved this book as I have loved the film. Maxuim is another brooding character. Not naming the second wife made her less confidant and vunerable. I felt the tention building throghout the story wondering what really happened. This book is must read for mystery lovers.