The Mortal Instruments – Cassandra Clare (2007 – 2014 Series)

Tags

Cassandra Clare, City of Bones, City of Lost Souls, Clary, Jace, Lilly Collins, Rick Riordan, Shadowhunters, The Mortal Instruments, Vampires, Werewolves

“Free will is what makes us heaven’s creatures.”

(I do believe that free will is one of the fundamental aspects of Liberty. With free will we not only get to choose our own path but also do good for the community as a whole, thus the allusion to Heaven.)

About 2 weeks ago while I was looking for a book to divert my attention from the agonizing wait of my college decision, I decided to read some fiction which I haven’t done in a while. I remembered seeing the movie commercial for the first installment of the mortal instruments series and decided to give the book a try and slowly ended up reading all the books.

The mortal instruments is a series of five chronological books that are displayed on the picture above with the 6th book coming out in March 2014. Most of the storyline is set in the city of New York but the characters are all fantastic: The 2 main characters are Shadowhunters whose sole purpose of existing is to kill demons that are slowly haunting the earth. There are also Vampires who surprisingly actually fit into the whole stereotype unlike the vampire figures we are increasingly seeing on TV and also immortal Warlocks who have magician powers, Faeries who are described as deceitful but also unable to lie and finally Werewolves. I believe that the most interesting part about the book is this mixture of characters who all lead different lives but soon realize that they are all disposed to fight for the same goal.

Like any other young adult fiction, there are multiple love triangles all throughout the book and it is mostly the complicated relationship between Clary and Jace, the two main characters that progresses the book forward. The plot is definitely not lacking of hitches and knots and creates a great effect of suspense although at times it seems a little predictable: so if you do start the first book, don’t expect to stop reading before you have finished them all. Nevertheless, I believe the book could be ameliorated in certain areas especially regarding the whole fantastic atmosphere. Although we have enough information on the Shadowhunter world, I believe more descriptive scenes and more evocative images when relating stories of the past could have plunged the reader more deeply; I sometimes forgot that the action wasn’t taking place in our world but in a whole other dimension I didn’t have enough information on.
Otherwise, these books were a pleasant read to just drift away but I can’t really promise that they will make your list of Top 10.
And just in case you were wondering, my next post is probably going to be about one of the philosophy books I’m reading right now unless I’m rejected at my 1st choice college and will have to spend a month writing essays instead of reviews, so let’s just hope not!

Recommendation:
– “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” – Series by Rick Riordan (I read this series a couple of years ago and I think it falls right behind Harry Potter on my favorite fiction books list.  It has both an interesting plot and a good set of information on Greek Mythology which is always a plus.)

Yours truly,

Multilingualreader

Five Lectures on Psychoanalysis – Sigmund Freud (1909)

Tags

Dream interpretation, Freud, Id ego and super-ego, Psychoanalysis, Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic, Psychology, Sigmund Freud

“Under the pressure of our inner repressions, we undertake inside a whole life of fantasy that, in achieving our desires, compensates the insufficiencies of our real existence.”

(Since I read the book in French, I had to translate this quote to English myself. I picked it out because it perfectly sums up the mechanism behind the the impulses of the Id, the ego that plays the role of the mediator between the unconscious and the conscious and finally the superego that is formed by our environment.)

Before being written in a book format, the content of this book was actually a conference that Freud had made and what I love about conferences is that they’re always somewhat more accessible to the average reader, concise and great summaries. So if you want an in depth read, this is not what you are looking for. Before reading this book, I was familiar with Freud’s psychoanalysis since we discussed it in my book club once and I have also been reading “The interpretation of dreams” that is so challenging that I’m only halfway through (And I started it nearly a year ago if not more.) I decided to pick this one up just before my last philosophy test to get some additional material I could use in my dissertation and I was very pleased with it.

It is divided in 5 sections that each offer a different lesson on psychoanalysis. First off, you will approach psychoanalysis from the point of view of another philosopher, Breuer, whose work influenced Freud. It is through the explanation of the hysteria of one of his patients that you will start to understand how analysts can access the core of the sickness simply by listening to the patients’ memories and feelings. It is through these evocative images that the book has a very friendly and anecdotal tone. Freud also explains for example how psychoanalysis can cure patients through other metaphorical images that ensure that you will never forget the mechanism. The second chapter explores rapidly the notion of resistance and repression while the third chapter focuses on dreams which he calls “The royal road to knowledge of the unconscious”. The 4th chapter focuses on erotism and how symptoms are related to sexuality while explaining his famous “Oedipe Complex” that every person should have an idea of. Finally, his 5th lesson explains the relationship between the analyst and the patient and the method used during therapy which is free association.

As you might see, this is the perfect book to read in order to be introduced to all aspects the theories of Freud but it is solely an introduction and will only be sufficient to have a  well rounded view of Freud’s ideas. Being already fairly well acquainted with psychoanalysis myself, I cannot say that I learned anything new but I really benefitted from the metaphors I mentioned earlier because they let you visualize certain phenomena and understand a somewhat theoretical theory more pragmatically.

Recommendation: (Books to read after this short lecture)

– “Introduction to Psychoanalysis”- Freud (Trust me, it has nothing to do with an intro!)
– “The interpretation of dreams”-  Freud (Challenging and needs a lot of analytical skills)
– “The writer’s responsibility” – Jean-Paul Sartre ( A short conference unrelated to psychoanalysis but a great read as an initiation to Sartre).

Yours truly,

Multilingualreader

Dreaming of Damascus (Merchants, Mullahs and Militants in the New Middle East) – Stephen Glain (2004)

Tags

Egypt, Iraq, Jews, Jordan, Middle East, Muslim Brotherhood, Syria, United States

“Since September 11, the United States has reduced the Middle East to a chessboard, its cultures and values defined by neat squares of black and white, thereby creating a new orthodoxy in the region.”

(I deeply admire the author for stating this reality in such an eloquent metaphor. The Middle- East is currently in a state of turmoil and despite people stating or wanting to believe the contrary, american policy has played an influential part in this desolate consequence.)

When I left Syria nearly a year ago, I had to leave my book collection behind except for a couple favorites of mine. But fortunately, an acquaintance was able to retrieve more books from my library. This one was among them, it belonged to my aunt so I decided to give it a try and it turned out to be a great read. It is written by Stephen Glain, an american journalist who accounts his experience as the Wall Street Journal’s Middle East correspondent. The Observer has described it as “insightful… a valuable guide” and indeed it is! For anyone interested in the current Middle – East crisis I would deeply recommend it.

This book lays out the causes and consequences of the degradation of this region from the world’s once esteemed cultural center under the Islamic Empire to one of the world’s most unstable and corrupted regions today. Many of the events taking place now have been in fact mentioned in this book including the domino effect a riot in one country will have on the others or the Muslim Brotherhood topping the polls in Egypt and later being severely reprimanded. The book may at first be difficult if you’ve got no prior knowledge of Middle Eastern Politics and require a deep concentration but the Introduction will serve as an enlightenment.

What makes the book accessible is its friendly writing and touch of humor as well as its partition by country. It is divided in 6 parts: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Irak and Egypt. You will learn fundamental lessons like the correlation of poverty, weak and unreliable economies and extremism. Also, it is based on interviews and encounters Glain had with many personalities from diverse backgrounds in these countries, therefore, different perspectives are being represented and certain prejudices falsified: Arabs do not hate americans, their hatred is towards the american government. They blame their own leaders for their poor standards of living, leaders who have in fact been indirectly appointed by the West. Moreover, arabs do not hate Jews, with whom they lived peacefully for centuries and are willing to restore their former relations as long as the Israelis put a stop to their expansionist doctrine.

If you want to fight off Western media, reading this book could be your first step though I will have to point out that having been written about 10 years ago, some data may be obsolete but understanding the past will provide a better analysis of the current set of events.

Yours truly,

MultilingualReader

Fifty Shades Darker- E L James ( Book 2 of the Fifty Shades Trilogy – 2011)

Tags

Books, Christian, Erotic literature, Fifty Shades of Grey, MultilingualReader

” We have to learn to walk before we can run. “

( I have to admit that I failed to pick out a quote from this book. This only happens to me rarely when there isn’t enough interesting material to catch my eye. However, I did manage to reread certain passages and pick out this saying that rather sounds like a simple but wise proverb that prones to take every action one step at a time.) 

Here I am two days later writing about the sequel of the most erotic novel I’ve come across. I cannot say exactly that the series have gotten me hooked but they serve as a good escapism for me especially from the guilt of procrastination ( you have all heard about the SAT’s). Surprisingly, this second book from the trilogy has much better literary appeal. In fact, the characters are no longer as superficial and more depth is gradually revealed in their relationship as it is slowly filled with a touch of romance added to the previous strictly physical relation. As both the characters are staggering to equality and Christian’s dominancy is slowly fading my thoughts can’t help but wander to the present feminist movement: Could that book in some aspect serve as a rebuke of women’s submission in front of male dominancy and urge women to dismiss any embarrassment regarding their sexual pleasure and exploration? Also, a slow revelation of Christian’s true character and persona comes to life to the reader’s delight and serves as a faint glimpse into psychology. Nevertheless, this book is still utterly useless to me. Having finished it, I don’t feel even one grain of satisfaction. On the other hand a feeling of unproductiveness is weighting heavily on my shoulders and I feel the need of picking out a more educational book to satisfy my avidity as a next read and lay this series to rest for a while: Maybe politics? Ever since the war blew out in my country, Syria, I feel a never-ending pressure to be well acquainted with Middle-Eastern politics despite my hatred for the subject and I’ll have to admit I’ve been feeling quite uncultivated for the past few weeks, time to put my brain cells to good work!

Additional: A movie adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey is set to be released on August 1st, 2014 though I can’t quite picture how it could not resemble a pornographic movie considering the quasi-vacuity of the storyline.

Yours truly,

MultilingualReader

Fifty Shades of Gray – E L James ( Book 1 of the Fifty Shades Trilogy – 2011)

Tags

Christian Grey, Fifty Shades of Grey, Student

“Language evolves and moves on. It is an organic thing.”

(It is not very surprising that the only quotation I’ve managed to choose appears moot though it could be considered as an unbiased statement.)

I apologize my fellow readers for the sudden disappearance. I did make a promise to myself and to you to read and write about at least one book per week and I have failed. To pressure myself into reading and rediscover my passion you have noticed that I have chosen a book that I would best describe as “useless”, it was in fact originally based on the Twilight series that actually has much greater novelistic characteristics. I admit that I wanted to know what all the fuss was about and how this book managed to top Harry Potter and become the fastest selling paperback of all time. All the erotism which is the major characteristic of the book might be appealing in the beginning but after a while, the lack of an actual plot and the repetitiveness of the novel leads you into boredom. It is about a graduate college student Anastasia Steel who meets a handsome and extremely wealthy man, Christian Grey, Seattle’s most eligible bachelor. Little does she know about his true obscure nature and she packs on a journey to discover her inner sexuality, a journey perhaps too frightening and endeavoring and that might actually bring her to her loss. Must she run away or surrender? This is basically the plot all throughout the book. It is not a book I would especially recommend to anyone unless you have time to spare. Reading it during your high school summer vacation – like I did – could be an option and will serve as a brief entertainment.

Recommendation: Fifty Shades of Grey – The Classical Album

It is an album with a compilation of classical pieces mentioned in the book including Delibes, Bach or Chopin and as a former piano player and as a ballet dancer I really did appreciate the music, it was probably the most appealing trait of the book.

Yours truly,

MultilingualReader

Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte (1847)

Tags

Book, Catherine Earnshaw, Earnshaw, Emily Brontë, Heathcliff, Wuthering Height

“If you had any real griefs you’d be ashamed to waste a tear on this little contrariety.”

(This quotation although being simple and straightforward will always remind me not to ever feel sorry for myself and remember the true tragedies that some people have to pass through everyday. Saying this I cannot help myself but feel pity for the starving people of Syria.) 

You’ve probably all heard about or read Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte’s only novel that led her to posterity. I read it in the middle of my exam period and it constituted a great escape from all the stressfulness. It relates the story of Heathcliff, a young boy who is brought in by the Earnshaw family. He finds himself a companion in Catherine Earnshaw with whom he progressively falls in love. She will be the reason for his torment and vindictive character all throughout his life. Now I know my critics might not be very worthwhile since I’m not that well acquainted with english literature but I thought that the book was most appealing not by it’s plot but rather its characters. Effectively, each and every character from the book has a very sharp, intricate and unique character that makes them come to life and offers us a glimpse into the concealed viciousness of our humanity. To be truthful, the sequence of events disappointed me but will always keep you questioning and wanting for more. Nevertheless, I cannot say I’ve learnt anything from this book apart from vocabulary words and a look into certain aspects of the absurdity of the 19th century, although it is an epoch were morals and principles were still respected . Notwithstanding, it is one of those books you cannot put away once you have started and will keep you mesmerized every step of the way, it’s called a classic for a reason!

Recommendation: Wuthering Heights – 1978 song by Kate Bush

Kate Bush chose this song as lead single in her debut album. It is being sung by Catherine who is calling out to Heathcliff to let her in his window. The music is very mystical and Kate Bush’s deeply resonant voice depicts perfectly Catherine’s agony.

Yours truly,

MultilingualReader