The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Between life and death, there is a midnight library where there is a book with every possible life one could have lived.

Nora Seed frustrated with life, decides to end it and ends up in the Midnight Library. She gets to look at her regrets and live possible lives that deals with these regrets. Is she happy in any of them? Is there a perfect life? Is there any where she hadnt made those mistakes and where she can decide to stay back forever? If so, what does it mean to her current life. 

Interesting concept. But after a point, it seemed repetitive and pointless for Nora to go on visiting lives. With her encounter with the polar bear, we do know that she no longer wishes to die, she realises that she wants to live. But why does she need to go visiting lives even after that. Probably because while she wants to live, I think we need assurance that she wants to live her current life and not any of those other possible versions.

Do we all not imagine some of the possible lives for ourselves? 

The Age of Innocence by Edith Warthon

Another love traingle. Newland Archer caught between his love for innocent May and charming Countess Olenska. The eternal struggle between succumbing to society's norms and choosing hearts desire.

If Countess Olenska, went with the divorce that Newland adviced against, she would be free to pursue her desire. But she follows his advice. 

Is May really that innocent? Initially she wanted a long engagement but why was there a sudden change in heart. She did know how to keep him from pursuing after his love. 

I Capture the castle by Dodie Smith

 #27 of 54 BBC Big Read

This reminded me of Little women and bit like Pride and Prejudice. This family lives in a crumbling castle. No one is earning anything except for the servant boy who contributes to the household income. Father an experimental writer the forerunner to our James Joyce who has written just one book and refuses to write another spends his time reading detective novels. Step-mother who was a famous model but currently no source of income. Not sure if I missed out on what educational qualifications Rose has and what she intended to do if the landlords of the castle with two eligible bachelors do not come visiting. Our Narrator Cassandra, a teenager who loves writing. The story is written in a lighter vein. Some of it funny in lines of PG Wodehouse. 

They all knew the reality of the situation that they have no money. Why does no one goes and gets a paying job. Rose decides to take the easy route marry the rich man and escape poverty. And what Rose and Thomas do to make their father to start writing again is preposterous. Who in their right mind would do what they did? Anyway, alls well that ends well.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

I picked this up on a holiday last Christmas. I would say this is undoubtedly the most travelled book. I took it to every holiday I went this last year. But somehow only now actually read and finished it. It is funny and after a point was so confusing.

Whose body was it they discovered? There were so many different versions that so many people come up with I finally lost track. Retirees in a Retirement village start the Thursday murder club to discuss cold cases. While cold cases could do for Bosch or Bolitar. At the Thursday murder club we have hot cases, fresh off the oven. People getting killed. Will our Murder club discover the murderer and would they be brought to justice forms the gist of the story. 

The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

  #25 of 54 BBC Big Read

Third book in His Dark Materials Trilogy. Zeppelins, gyroptors, dragonflies, sceptres and ghosts all come together for a spectacular finale. Good vs evil, God vs human, who will twin the epic battle? 

“The intentions of a tool are what it does. A hammer intends to strike, a vise intends to hold fast, a lever intends to lift. They are what it is made for. But sometimes a tool may have other uses that you don't know. Sometimes in doing what you intend, you also do what the knife intends, without knowing.” The idea that a tool doesn’t have any intentions and it acts upon the intentions of those who use the tool is questionable. Every tool has some inherent qualities that makes it what it is. 

What is the answer to all world’s problems? How to end all wars? It is really a simple answer. Answer we all know. Answer that children teach us again. 

The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

 #24.66 of 54 BBC Big Read

The Shell Seekers is the story of a mother and her 3  grown children. Nancy is a snob, married with kids living beyond her means. Olivia is an independent single working woman and Noel, less said about him the better. Penelope is the mother of these children. She is also the daughter of a famous artist who is in vogue again and his art is worth thousands. We get the story of each of the characters. Olivia is Penelope’s favourite and she is painted in a warm colour by the author. 

In a romantic book, there are certain things you would expect. I was expecting certain things about certain characters. But it didn’t happen like that. Am I happy that things didn’t turn out as expected or was I disappointed? Not sure why I look for twists in the end in almost every tale. There were no twists.Nothing I was expecting. 

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

#23.66 of 54 BBC Big Read

Second book in the His dark Materials Trilogy picks up from where the first left off and we are in alternate worlds. How does one travel from one world to another. How many worlds exist? Is it good vs evil all over again and who will win this war. What is this Subtle knife? Will the good find it or the evil? I think there were more questions then answers here. Hopefully the last book delivers and ties up all the loose threads.