The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

Image taken from Imp Awards.

I read this book a long time ago when I was a teenager, and had the opportunity of reading it again this year. As beautiful as the Disney film is, it cannot be compared to the book that inspired it.

Originally titled "Notre Dame de Paris", (Our Lady of Paris), the story was originally meant to be focused on the cathedral itself, and not entirely on Quasimodo; the change of focus is something that contemporary interpretations of the narrative have to thank for. And if you read the book carefully, you can see how everything that happens in the story is directly or indirectly connected with the cathedral, it in itself being the central character of the whole book.

Hugo uses his descriptions of the scenery of Paris in the 1480's and his descriptions of Notre Dame to share symbolically what the narrative is trying to teach us. It is a deeply thought-provoking book that comments on many political issues that are prevalent both in Hugo's day in in the times of Medieval Paris. Unfortunately, trying to briefly cover them all in this short review would not do the book any justice, so I recommend that the reader of this article seeks for himself/herself a copy of it to read for themselves.

The copy I read was the Wordsworth Classics edition, and is the one that I would strongly recommend, if it is available to you. It contains an introduction by Keith Wren, who delves into the political issues the book discusses in greater detail, and helps readers understand what Hugo was trying to say within those political debates. If this edition is not available, I am certain there are plenty of detailed online essays that also discuss the political issues of the book in greater detail.

A classic and a must-read for all Victor Hugo fans out there.

Genius Sqaud by Catherine Jinks

Image taken from www.allenandunwin.com

I managed to get myself a copy of the sequel to Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks, and I am just as impressed with the sequel as I was with the original!

The book begins with Cadel living in a foster home. He is still in contact with Sonja, and makes sure to visit her regularly. On one of these visits, both he and Sonja are approached by a guy named Trader who offers them the opportunity to join the Genius Squad, a team which has been hired to spy out all of the secret operations Cadel's "father" was involved in and expose them. This doesn't seem like a bad idea at first, until certain truths about the squad make it harder and harder for Cadel to place his faith in its members. And when Cadel finds out that Thaddeus Roth a.k.a. Prosper English has escaped from jail, his whole world is turned upside down even more....

Admittedly, the book has a bit of a slow to get into at first; the action does not come as immediately as the first book does. But if the reader is patient, he/she will see how Catherine Jinks sets the scenario up nicely. Once that is done, you're in for another bumpy ride!

It isn't every day one finds a novel as good as this, so I highly recommend this book, as well as the first book, to anybody who is interested in a good action-packed novel.

(P.S. Stay tuned for when I eventually read the third and final installment of the Genius Trilogy!!!)

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Image taken from bluemoviereviews.wordpress.com

I've been meaning to read this classic for a LONG time, and when I saw a copy of it at a very affordable discounted price, I couldn't resist buying it. The version I have bought is the New Puffin Classics version, which not only has the full story, but has an introduction by by editor Holly Black, and some additional information on the vampire myth at the back of the book. I would definitely recommend this version, if one wishes to study deeper into the historical and mythical context of the book.

The classic tale is of Jonathan Harker who, upon visiting Count Dracula in his Transylvanian home, discovers some horrible secrets about the Count. As the Count decides to make Harker's life a literal living hell by threatening the very people he holds dear, it's up to him and his new-found colleagues to stop the vampire before more unsuspecting victims fall prey to his menace.

What really bugs me is that of all the movie adaptations of the novel, why NOBODY has ever made a movie that depicts EXACTLY what happens in the book? The only adaptation that comes close is the one whose movie poster I used above, starring Anthony Hopkins and Wynona Ryder. The book is just as spine-chilling without having poetic license destroy it. Those who rely solely on the movie adaptations are truly missing out on something good here.

Bram Stoker tells the narrative in the form of relating letter/telegram correspondence between the main characters. I found this approach quite interesting and unique, and I couldn't help but drawing mental comparisons between the communication devices used in Stoker's day with the communication age of today. The hour by hour details in each of the letters reminded me of something we would see today as a blog entry or a FB/Twitter update... Could you imagine someone doing a contemporary adaptation of this film? Jonathan Harker's new status update: OMG! That creepy dude is scaling down the wall!..... But I digress..... It was an interesting comparison though....

Anyway, by all accounts, this is indeed a must-read for all classic horror fans out there.

(P.S. Watch this space for when I eventually read the official sequel just come out!!!)

Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks

Image taken from margeretconnolly.com


This is a great read I picked up at Dymmocks bookstore in the city. It is the story of Cadel Piggott, a boy who is extremely intelligent. He knows how to "hack into computer networks, orchestrate traffic jams and sabotage construction sites" without leaving a trace that can lead back to him (see back cover). His equally intelligent criminal father, who is locked up in a U.S. jail for trying to take over the world, wants Cadel to use his powers to succeed in what he himself couldn't achieve. His right hand man, Thaddeus Roth (Cadel's psychiatrist) is employed to keep a close eye on Cadel's progress. But as Cadel attends the classes of the Axis Institute (the university his father has set up to help aid him to become a master criminal), and encounters the various people who attend the institute, he wrestles with his own conscience, and finds it hard to live up to what his father expects him to be.

This book was very well written, with some very funny scenes throughout the work. I have found out that it is part 1 of a trilogy, so I must find the other two books and read them, because the ending of this first installation left me in suspense. I can't wait to find the other two books and see what else happens in Cadel Piggott's life...

Inner Light: The Dragon Within by Metha Metharom

Inner Light: The Dragon Within is the story of Michael, a boy who is looking for excitement in his life, until excitement ends up finding him. Welcome to the world of dragons, dark wizards, amulets of power, danger, and non-stop action, as Michael discovers who he is and what role he plays in saving the future of mankind. Fast-paced and often humourous in most parts, Metha Metharom takes you to a world where you want to get lost in.

Metha Metharom is a new emerging author with an incredible talent. His other works include the "Alexander Kai" series, "Love Stone" and "Tales from the Shore", to name only a few. Having read a couple of his stories already ("Inner Light" being one of them), I have come to notice how no two stories are the same, and he uses different writing methods to engage with his audience. For example, the sporadic, fast-paced writing style for this particular novel really demonstrates the action and excitement taking place in the narrative, allowing the reader "feel" the adrenalin rush that the characters in the novel would be experiencing, rather than just reading about it. Also, the loose descriptions of the characters themselves allow the reader to create his/her own interpretation of the characters' physical characteristics and personalities in his/her mind. In short, it would be accurate to say that no two readers would get the same interpretation from this novel, as there are a lot of "hidden" meanings that people can get from it.

Another interesting element in this novel is that it contained an interesting blend of fantasy and Japanese anime (without the graphics, of course). Such were the images that were going on in my mind when I was reading it.

Unfortunately, I would NOT recommend this book for children (there is a fair amount of course language contained in it), but it is definitely a worth-while read for teenagers and adults.

To order your own copy of "Inner Light", or to view some of Metha Metharom's other works, please click here.