mbahnaf's reviews
280 reviews

“I was not a hypocrite, with one real face and several false ones. I had several faces because I was young and didn't know who I was or wanted to be.”

Milan Kundera's first novel is a satirical account of the Communist regime and its totalitarianism, eventually leading to his blacklisting and his works being banned in Czechoslovakia. The central theme of the plot being jokes, and how each of the central characters find their lives transformed by life's elaborate prank. There are four central characters, each of whose first-person perspectives unfold systematically as the plot unfolds. Some of the underlying themes are blacklisting, cultural conservatism, religion and life in imprisonment.

I have mixed emotions about this particular book. The stories are colourful and spectacular in nature. The characters are full of vitality. The adventures are well documented. But is it just me or is the writing awfully bland and tiresome to read? I had a very hard time finishing this. In the end, I'm glad I finished it, but I wouldn't want to go through the whole ordeal a second time anytime soon.

The Silkworm is about Cormoran Strike's investigation into the disappearance of a seemingly eccentric writer.

Cormoran Strike got a lot more darker on this one. Unfortunately, the book seemed formulaic-ally Rowling, as in recycling the first book with a different theme. The characters were decently built, but the charm of the story waned with time as it became somewhat repetitive. However, it was still a good enough book to read for a modern mystery novel.

Strike and Robin's lives are thrown into disarray when a severed leg is sent to his office. The subsequent gruesome investigation and the ups and downs of Strike's troubled past make up the overall plot of the book.

This book started with a bang that really blew me away and ended with a feeling akin to annoyance. It is good that Rowling tries to introduce new themes and environments in her novels, but she doesn't always master them. The writing got bland after some time and I finished it just for the sake of finishing a book. I sincerely hope the next book makes up for the boredom.

I read this book during the early days, even before [b:The Silkworm|18214414|The Silkworm (Cormoran Strike, #2)|Robert Galbraith|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1392577290s/18214414.jpg|25639104] was released. I like the way J.K. Rowling has made a smooth transition into a writer of old school detective stories. The story revolves around the high profile murder case of a supermodel in London.

Oh Kundera! You're such a wonderful storyteller! Yet, even you have your underwhelming moments. This book is quite possibly my least favorite novel of yours, but even then I so admire the wordplay, the narrative and scenes that I couldn't help saying I like it.

Like most Kundera novels, this book is another one of his puppet-shows where he gives his rag-dolls a little more depth with each scene (just enough to make the reader think and relate, but never too much). The book explores the theme of personal identity as the characters each have their own perceptions in conflict over seduction, infidelity and passion.

The only good thing about this book was that it was a relatively easy read. Otherwise, the entire plot and the characters are like the yawn-inducing, bland portraits found in some struggling artist's repertoire. Overused, hipster enigma of fabled tales doesn't work here as well as it did in [b:The Alchemist|865|The Alchemist|Paulo Coelho|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1483412266s/865.jpg|4835472]. The result is boring, colourless and instantly forgettable.