It - Stephen King

OK so to set the context of the blog, this is about the Book I read last week. Its Stephen King's 'It'. Now being a Book worm its weird that how I didn't stumble on Stephen King sooner. Sure I have heard about him and sure sometimes I had thought of starting to read him but the push never came, until last week. My friend told me I have to read Stephen King and he suggested 'The Shining' and later once I promptly finished it reading, he suggested I read 'It'

I was not very thrilled with the name of the book.so I stalled a bit. But when I saw the cover of the book something stirred into the Memory and I ran to Wiki to confirm my suspicions and voila, this book rights were taken by United Studios Ltd and they made a series in Hindi called 'Woh' which used to run on Zee TV when I was in school

Book Cover of It (Courtesy Google)

TV Series Woh (Courtesy Google)

Now I loved that series and I couldn't help but to start the book and eat it like worm. The novel didn't disappoint me (at least not till the end) and hats off to King for building the story slowly, painstakingly. Layer by Layer making sure you don't get bored and you get spooked well enough.

I don't remember much of the series i.e. how it ends (they Indianised in the end and it became a typical Horror show somehow).But I do remember that me and my friend used to get freaked out after every episode and whenever the Clown used to come we couldn't help but cover our eyes

This got me thinking..as in why that Clown was so scary than many of the so called 'Horror Shows' that were going on at that time or even today.After thinking and reading the book and encountering 'Pennywise the Dancing Clown' I know why I used to be scared of him or still am

The other Horror shows do have lots of sound effects, gruesome makeup using lots of ketchup, potato peels and may be Multani Mitti ;) but deep down we know that this is not real. These kind of creatures we haven't seen personally and hence say may be don't exist. But the Clown, so normal, so real and so much part of your childhood, grips your heart that much tightly. And this commonness that gives the clown so much deadly power. As a kid clowns are our friends and clowns are considered harmless and even say dumb may be. And hence Seeing/reading about this Clown who terrorises the kids definitely evoke more fear in me.

Back to the book. I believe King has such good insight into Child psychology. He has portrayed the 7 kids with so much details and clarity. He has described their background, their passions, fears and insecurities so powerfully that u cant help but go yourself into the story and be part of their life. He has also bridged the gap between the two time periods when the kids come back again to Derry as grownups to finish It. The book is huge and even if I read whenever I got time like in auto, during calls, office hours, at home while eating breakfast, even while exercising i finished it in 5 days.

I was let down by the end. Not because its bad but because its not as good as the complete build up of the story

Overall I think 'It' now has become one of my most Fev books.

A warning don't read King's books if you are Home alone. The shining also is similar and some day I will write about that book as well.

A book that touched my Soul

Being a book worm, it becomes very hard for me to decide which book I like the best or which character I liked the best. It keeps changing continuously and it would not be fair to even try doing this. How can you compare Howard Roark to Harry Potter or Mr. Darcy to Jason Bourne. It wouldnt be fair to ask Micky Haller to babysit Lyra. The point is each and every book I have read till now is special for me. I am not saying all books have been high class or are artistic etc. I have read some of the most boring books too. But Reading them have been an experience in themselves as they taught me the virtue of patience and tolerance if nothing else.

But the way I have written about Frisco, I would like to make an exception and write about another such character which have touched my Soul. The book I am talking about is Hopelessly Romantic. I never considered myself inclined to Romantic books. I was never able to stand the mushy romance when I earlier have read some books so my forte has always been crime/Thriller. So its very rare that I genuinely like a Romantic books and rarer still that I would feel the need to write about it. So without creating too much of suspense I will let u know which book i am talking about. Its 'The Host' by Stephanie Meyers. Yes the Author of Famous 'Twilight' Series.

This book borders on being a Sci-Fi too. the quick plot line goes like this. Earth has been Invaded by Aliens called Souls. They are not the green space suit and antenna on head Hollywood aliens but something like a worm with many legs. They attach themselves to the nervous system and occupy the whole Brain of Humans. Melanie Stryder is one of the surviving Human rebels. The souls Catch her and put a soul called "Wandarer" in her. In most cases the human presence is completely wiped out but in this case Melanie gives a fight and eventually leads Wanderer to the hidden Humans and how Wanderer herself accepts these humans as her family.

Now its a very ordinary story. Why it is special for me is because of the character Wanda. IF Frisco is the guy I have fallen in love with and want my man to be like him, then Wanda is someone I can relate most too. In Most of the places like Wanda, I feel as outsider. She clings on to her principles of not hurting people even if they are hurting her and almost on the verge of killing her. She even falls in love with the humans who have constantly hurt her. She goes out of her way to help them survive even if not many of them can appreciate her or even acknowledge her presence.

In every action of her I can see myself. Of course she is too Noble (may be coz she is heroine) I am not that Noble. But still dunno why every time I read this book. I feel for her. I feel her anguish,her pain, her Love for Jared, Jammie and Ian. Her love for Melanie, Her feelings sandwiched between Jared and Ian and ultimately her feelings of betraying her true family.

I cannot summarise my thoughts on the book in one sentence or even in this blog. I cannot say why I feel this way. Is it because of the situations I have been through or is it the writer's knack of telling story.I think we both have this complex of not fitting in so we have gone to great extents to make others happy. In the book it works more or less but in real life never has worked for me. Wanda had been to 9 different planets before she comes to earth and then realise that this is where she belongs or this planet she can call as her home. When will I find something/someone/somewhere that I can say I belong too???

Francisco d'Anconia - Greatest Tragic Hero ever?

The most important question that has been asked throughout 'Atlas Shrugged' is "who is John Galt?" Yes correct we know John is the mysterious man, the brain behind strike, in many peoples' eyes the true hero of the book.

But I would like to ask "Who is Francisco d'Anconia?" Do we really know him when we read the first two volumes of the book? He is the mystery man hiding in plain sight. Every time he appears in a scene you feel the excitement of whats he is going to throw at us. How he is going to break all our preconceived motions about him? Is he really is the international playboy, an incompetent rich boy who likes to spend his fortune? Dagny's past and childhood memories tell us its not right. But his present image force you to face the contradiction.

For me, the main hero of the book is Francisco..The Childhood friend of Eddie and Dagny. Frisco. The child who knew how to be truly happy. The teen who wants to take d'Anconia fortunes to even bigger heights than it ever reached. The man who sticks to his principles of not working for the looters. The Man who precisely and deliberately plotted the destruction of the most important thing in his life 'd'Anconia Copper' and in the process lost the most important person, his one and only love Dagny.

The night when Dagny met him last, where she gets the glimpse of the toughest choice that lies in front of him is what defines Frisco. He knows what he has to do. And he knows that this battle might make Dagny hate him forever still he knows his friend Galt is right.But the pain he knows that choice will be giving to Dagny is what he hated most about it. Man you need guts to do that.

His was the greatest influence on Dagny's upbringing. He was her first love. He breaks her trust the most. At least it seems to be that way till the end. He always seem to be carefree and mocking. But when the people who matter to him like Dagny and Hank Rearden don't understand the facade and he cannot explain to them his true reasons, then his vulnerability is truly displayed.

It breaks my heart to get him beaten and ridiculed by people. The moment he knows that he has lost Dagny is the most brutal to feel. You actually feel the pain seeping through the book into you. The aim of his battle was ultimately to get Dagny. Though he wins his fight against looters but he loses much more in the process. Even Galt acknowledges this. He says to Frisco once "Of all of us who are fighting this, you are the one who has to suffer the most". How true!!!!

He will always remain Dagny's past. Through Frisco and Dagny we get to know that though the past is influential and driving force in our life we cant recapture or relive it. How much ever we try hard to keep holding on to it.

For me Frisco is the most tragic hero you can ever have. And how i would love to change the end of the book to correct this. But if it was so then Atlas shrugged wouldn't be the book that i have come to love.
Francisco I will always love you :)

Does Age give you wisdom?

They say as you grow old you get wiser. Funny thought. I mean I don't say I disagree with it but still it doesnt necessarily be the case. I think you will become wiser provided you learn from your experiences, you keep an open mind for criticism and life's curve balls. Then you will definitely become wiser.

What is experience. I read it somewhere what it is and it has stick with me ever since. 'They say experience is what you get when you don't get what you want'. True isn't it? So as I am in contemplating mood since my birthday here are few things I have learned over the period of time.

• Love Yourself - If you yourself don't love you why should anyone else do. You are the only one who can keep you happy. people will try to push you down, humiliate you, make you feel ugly but they cant harm you if you are happy inside. Be your own Admirer. Because you will never desert yourself no matter what.
• Don't run behind people - If they are meant to be in your life they will also take efforts to be there. You shouldn't be convincing anyone what they are missing or why they should stick by you. Those who stick with you don't need any reason and most importantly those who don't, never will how much you try to convince them otherwise. 
• Don't Judge people - Nobody has given you the authority.You are not suppose to judge people. I know its hard not too. I even cant help it but I try to refrain. Everyone is fighting their own battles so we will never know what they have gone through or faced to become what they are. 
• People will hurt you -  Every one will at some point or other.You are made up of flesh and blood and are not bulletproof. But you will have to think of whether these people matter? if they don't you should learn to let go.
• Ignore - There are N number of things people do or are happening around you which annoy you, irritate you. You should learn to ignore them for your own mental peace. Coz 9 out of 10 times you are the only one suffering because of it and its not worth it.
• Be Selfish - This is something which will create conflicts with what you have been taught up till now. But everyone is selfish. Everyone have their hidden motives. Try to make people happy to a limit but learn this you cannot make everyone happy and be happy at the same time. So after a limit you will have to look after yourself. There will hardly be anyone else when you actually need one. I read one saying to this effect ' I was looking for help and then I found ME'
• Always give second chances and benefits of doubts - Sometimes all people need is second chance. Don't burn bridges behind you if someone doesn't do what you think is right or what you like. They might have some good reason for it or they might be jerks at that time. Try to be in their shoes to see their point of view or just forgive them. Hating someone will not affect the other person as much as it affects you.
• Remember life is not fairy tale. It wont necessarily have happy endings.

I am not saying I follow all these things but at least I am trying and I am sure there will come one day when I will learn all these and on that day I would have made peace with me.