Jodi Picoult's House Rule

Bismillah.

Today I've finished reading Jodi Picoult's House Rules. Well, actually I started reading it the night before, and finished reading it this morning,but I didn't skip my 'beauty' sleep.

From Google

Why I read that book? Because on its front cover, it claims that its author is an *International Bestseller* (well, that's what it says on my copy of the book). Yeah, this thing intrigues me to know more on her writing style. And yeah, I got to know Dan Brown from that tagline too.

What is it about? It's about a family of three, a single mother with two boys, the older one has Asperger's syndrome. It's a syndrome where a person couldn't understand someone else's display of emotion, and the patient himself couldn't understand or express emotions well. That's what I understand. And if you have watched the movie My Name is Khan starring Shah Rukh Khan, you might know a bit about the syndrome. To know more, search for it (do I have to even tell you that?).

My opinion about it? Well...average. Maybe it disappoints me a bit. I expect something from it, and it isn't met. Please note that I'm not a professional and am very far from claiming to be one, but hey, this is my blog (deal with it).

The language level is not as challenging as Dan Brown's (maybe I shouldn't compare my newly bought novel to my all time favorite). Some words are being used repetitively (which *doesn't* help with my vocabulary building), and I find it a bit boring (from the lack of challenges of having to open a dictionary to look up for the words, and thus learn something new!)

Even though I do like how she writes from the perspectives of different people, some of them have less importance and somehow I wish the story is told from someone else's view.

Some facts mentioned in the beginning are being repeated somewhere in the middle or at the end of the story. I kind of, don't like that because it feels like it's telling that I'm not competent enough to remember those facts (hey, just mention some keywords on what you wanna refer back to and I can just easily flip back through a few pages).

That, and also to mention, some sentences that are written in the middle of the story doesn't match with what was being told before. I mean, the story is about Asperger kid with crime scene, some lawsuit and all, but one time I notice the witness is talking contradictory to the time he arrives at the crime scene. Well, maybe you would say that the lawyer in the story supposed to (really) suck, but as for me, (who likes to read investigations with no stones left unturned, and also who has finished playing Ace Attorney series on NDS), these kind of contradicting details that goes unnoticed make this novel falls one star behind Dan Brown (despite the claim that it's internationally bestselling). In the story, the crime scene is not properly described, (or investigated), and no one ever mentioned about *murder weapons*! How can you charge someone with murder if you don't know what kills the corpse? (and oh the prosecutor is so convinced that she's gonna win the case!). How can the most basic thing like this be forgotten by the cops, and the lawyers (and the judge)?Well, maybe you'd tell me that this novel isn't supposed to be a crime investigation novel, but, I've said what I wanna say.

Other than that, I don't like reading about sex (even a hint of it, well, maybe a peck on the cheek would be passable). Luckily, this novel is not as bad as some other novels that I've stumbled upon.

Last but not least, I don't like it when the novel ends when it reaches its climax. I wanna see how the complicated turns of events untangle themselves free from all my doubts. Yes, you've told me all the truth that have been kept inside, but then you end the story abruptly, leaving me to imagine: Even though the truth has been told, would they win the trial? What will happen to Jacob and Theo? Emma will end up with Oliver, or does Henry want her back? What about Detective Matson who likes Auntie Em a lot, would he develop a relationship with Emma?

(Yes, I know none of these characters are alive for me to know and care so much about them. But I just don't leave things as they are without being solved thoroughly).

Fuh. I think I've finished ranting. Oh no wait. Maybe I haven't. Maybe I'm just sleepy and couldn't think anymore (it's 1.18am now). Anyway, still, congratulation on being and international bestseller, and I wouldn't be afraid to look up for your other books to read from, Mrs. (or Ms) Jodi Picoult. I've said it, and I'll say it again. I'm not a professional novel analyst, so you can take in or ignore what I've said in this blog. Thank you.

p.s: Waiting for Dan Brown's Inferno to be published in May.

Karya Hilal Asyraf: Sinergi

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Semalam aku baru habis baca buku Sinergi by Hilal Asyraf. Berdekah-dekah aku ketawa. Tak percaya tanya la Zah rumate kesayangan aku.

Aik, kenapa gelak? Bukan buku tu penuh pengisian ke? Bukannye cerita komedi ke hape?

Haha memang la. Tapi aku ni memang jenis macamtu. Sesebuah buku, kalau jalan ceritanya bagus, memang aku akan ketawa, tak kiralah buku tu buku serius ke, thriller ke, history ke, tazkirah ke…sebab aku excited baca jalan ceritanya yang penuh dramatik dan kejutan! 

Lagipun aku juga memberikan tumpuan kepada perkataan-perkataan yang penulis gunakan dalam dialog, penyampaian atau cara dia mendeskripsi sesuatu. Aku akan berasa kagum dengan cara penyampaiannya kalau dia tulis menggunakan perkataan-perkataan yang aku tak terfikir pun boleh digunakan untuk mendeskripsikan sesuatu benda tu. So, kalau tengah duduk sebelah aku yang sedang membaca buku cerita, be prepared la untuk dengar bermacam-macam bunyi yang akan keluar dari mulut aku. 

Haha. I tell you, bestnye baca buku cerita ni, macam bestnya tengok movie kat panggung! Bahkan lagi best daripada tu. Sebab kalau baca buku cerita, bayangan tempat, ke’hensem’an hero atau ke’cantik’an heroin, semuanya imaginasi kita sendiri. Dan sudah semestinya, imaginasi kita mesti lebih best berbanding apa yang producer movie mampu buat…tak ada siapa boleh challenge kehebatan otak yang dicipta Allah ni! 

Dulu aku pernah baca buku Terasing by penulis yang sama. Buku Terasing tu bagi aku jalan ceritanya biasa-biasa je. Sebab kita dah selalu dengar/baca/tonton cerita aksi macamtu kot. Tapi cara penulisannya dan isi-isi yang diketengahkan dalam buku tu boleh dikatakan agak baru bagi aku. Yelah sebab sebelum ni aku asyik dok baca thriller je kan. Mana nak berkembang. Haha. But, not bad. Lama-lama aku baca best jugak. And lepas aku baca buku tu, aku mula membukak website Hilal Asyraf bertajuk Langit Ilahi, and aku start membaca cerpen-cerpen dia dalam tu. Banyak sangat, tak larat nak habiskan semua. Tapi not bad jugak la, bagus-bagus semuanya.

Buku Sinergi Hilal Asyraf tu best la jugak, somehow buku tu sedikit sebanyak dah ‘berjaya mempengaruhi’ aku, terutamanya watak Irfan tuh. Ahha. Mula-mula baca aku dok tergelak jugak la membaca betapa ‘rapat’nye hubungan Irfan dengan Asid tu. Huih. Tapi lama-lama bila pikir balik bukan apa sangat pun. Biasalah tu sesama kawan sendiri.

Tapi memang, bagi aku, bab-bab cerita, cerpen, novel, segala jenis macam ni, satu yang aku agak tak pueh ati sikit la. Jalan ceritanya akan mengikut imaginasi penulis. Dah penulis tu nak si Irfan kahwin dengan Sara, kita si pembacanya mengikut je la. Memang dah tak boleh nak ubah dah hakikat tu.

And lagi satu. Boleh pulak di akhir-akhir cerita, si Syafiq tu rupanya adalah Secret. I was like, “What the…”. Mati-mati aku teka si Erman tu adalah Secret. Bila penulis revealkan bahawa Syafiq adalah Secret, aku tergelak besar kot! Dah aku berdosa su’uzhon pada si Erman. (haha padahal bukan watak real pun). Kejutannya tak berhenti takat tu je. Penulis pergi reveal pulak yang si Irfan bukan kahwin dengan Sara Nasuha, tapi Sara Afifa, si kembar Sara Nasuha. Poyo je. Tapi aku tak kesah pun. Lantak kau la nak kahwin dengan cinta hati Asid ke, cinta hati Erman ke, yang penting bukan aku. Haha.

Tapi bila aku pikir-pikir balik, memang la. Dalam buku Sinergi tu, penulis asyik-asyik menceritakan tentang sifat sarkastik dan pessimis si Erman je. Mana tak pembaca syak Erman tu orang jahat. Yang si Syafiq dia ceritakan bab-bab baik je. Tak boleh la pembaca nak syak pada Syafiq. Kat sini memang penulis dah terang-terang ‘menipu’ kita. Heh. Itulah seni penceritaan. Cerita dia, lantak dia la nak buat ending macam mana.

Pastu yang aku tak puas hatinya, time Sara Nasuha terlepas daripada tali batu tu, nak terjatuh, boleh pulak si Asid berlari pergi sambut dia. Hah, bab tu memang tak puas hati. Perlukah penulis masukkan scene si Asid sambut budak perempuan tu? Takyah pun takpe kot. (haha ke ko jeles Teha?) Hoih mana ada. Kalau ikutkan hati aku, aku biarkan aje perempuan tu jatuh tersembam makan pasir. Bukan sakit mana pun, jatuh atas lantai bumbung je, bukan jatuh dari tingkat 20. (jahat gila aku). Pastu boleh pulak tepat-tepat si Asid tu dapat tangkap si Sara buah hati dia tu. Macam disengajakan pulak babak tu.

Pastu bila si Syafiq nak terjun bangunan, boleh pulak si Erman tetiba datang sambut tangan dia. Aik dari mana pulak muncul ko ni Erman? Ahha. Tak kesah la. Cerita kau, lantak kau la kan. Yang penting aku gelak sakan baca cerita kau. Terima kasihla sudi menggembirakan hati aku ni. Ahahaha.

But overall, bagi aku watak-watak dalam cerita Sinergi ni terlalu perfect kot. Nak compare dengan aku, macam langit dengan bumi! (well, bumi pun bumi Ilahi jugak kan, sedara Hilal?). Betul ke wujud orang-orang macam tu kat dunia ni? 

Dulu, time aku dok menghabiskan cerpen-cerpen dalam Langit Ilahi,  aku dok marah-marah pada sedara Hilal ni, aku kata dia penipu. Sebab aku tak percaya orang-orang macam dalam cerita-cerita dia tu wujud. Baik giler dowh! Macam malaikat! Siap aku tulis satu post lagi cakap aku tak percaya pada dia (tapi aku tak publish la post tu). Tapi lepas baca Sinergi ni, hmmm…tak mustahil jugak ada orang-orang macamtu kat dunia ni. Ye lah mana tak nya, biah kat Jordan, Yarmouk, PERMAI and seangkatan dengannya dilihat mampu menghasilkan orang-orang baik seperti mereka. Bukan takat menghasilkan, malah mampu mengekalkan peribadi-peribadi mulia. Mantop…mantop pimpinan diorang.

Aku? Entahlah. Bila aku nak jadi macam diorang ek? Huhu. Takde kekuatan lagi kot. Entah. Aku takut. Takut tak boleh nak jaga kawan yang aku ada sebaik Irfan menjaga Asid. Huahua. (Asid kena jaga, takut tumpah kat tangan, corrosive!). Aku juga takut aku sendiri tak mampu nak handle kawan yang ramai. Manusia, bukan senang nak jaga. Bab-bab hati terasa tu lah yang paling susah bagi aku.

Heh. Aku tau. Sebab aku tak clear tentang satu benda. E.

What the heck is E by the way? Apa-apa je lah. Korang tak perlu tau. Tapi aku percaya, kalau aku ada E, mungkin senang sikit aku nak jadi kawan yang lebih baik.

Hai la E. Kalau la kau se’definite’ Mathematics, kan best.

Versus Hlovate, from my perspective

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Sorry McWa, aku tak suka Hlovate macam kau. Haha.

Aduh. Setelah diberi cdgn oleh seorg kawan utk mmbaca karya Hlovate, tergerak jugak hati nak baca. Lebih2 lagi aku mmg pembaca buku cerita, Hlovate pula seorang pengkarya yg agak feymes setelah buku dia disebut2 oleh member2 keliling aku.

Aish, aku tak paham.

Ok aku tau, selera buku kita berbeza. Mungkin korang lebih suka buku2 chicklit. Bukan macam aku. Haha.

Aku dah try cari buku Versus karya Hlovate kat merata2 tmpat kat kedai buku Kuantan ni, satu pun takde. Takde rezeki kot. Aku tanya kawan2 aku yg ada buku Hlovate. Sorang kata dah bawak balik umah. Sorang lagi dah pindah, sebelum aku sempat pinjam buku dia. Haish, memang takde rezeki.

Akhirnya semalam aku gi fotostat kat bilik kawan, kebetulan dia peminat Hlovate jugak. Heh. I wont let go of this chance that easily. Ape lagi, aku pinjam dua buku dia. Versus and Rooftop Rant.

Well, bawak balik buku tu ke bilik, mula2 aku berasa agak kurang yakin la. Ye la, aku kan jenis peminat Dan Brown, ada ke nak baca buku Hate+Love=Hlovate mcm ni?

Start baca lebih kurang 11 mlm. Then berhenti baca kol 12.30mlm, nak tido. And serius, aku tido malam tu dgn perasaan yg agak sakit hati. Dengan permulaan buku Versus, dgn watak MinnEdina dlm tu.

Ape ke murah sgt dia nak gi kluar dgn lelaki berdua macam tu je??

Ops sorry aku bab2 mahal murah harga diri ni cam angin sket.

Last2 aku pujuk diri aku balik. Ok2 relax beb, buku ni mnceritakan tntang perubahan, so nnti tgah2 novel tu nnti msti dia berubah punyalah. Then mesti laki tu berubah punyalah. Wlupun mula2 lelaki tu berubah demi pompuan tu, and pompuan tu berubah sbb wasiat nenek dia (what a lame excuse!) but aku yakin in the end diorg akan berubah kerana Allah. Then diorg kawen. Then happy ever after. Owh and dont forget,mungkinla akan ada konflik sket sblm kawen tu.

Oh my God. Itu baru aku baca smpai part si AO tu ugut nak terjun atap. Aku tak baca smpai habis lagi tau! Aku tak tau jalan cerita sebenar dia mcm mana.

And guess what, aku sambung baca harini, huh. Please la AO and Minn, kawen je la. Buat penat je aku layan konflik korang tak sudah! Aku dah tau la, in the end korang akan kawen jugak! Aku smbung baca buku tu pon sebab aku mengharapkan ade la twist sket dlm jln cerita dia. Mngkin la si Minn tu tetibe Kena rogol ke ape. Something more drastik. Tengok2...sama je maca tekaan aku.

Oh well. I admit, mngkin je tekaan aku bg ending cerita ni salah. Ok fine. Klu diorg tak kawen pon, mungkin salah sorang mati. takpon si Minn tu kawen ngn Sun. Tak pon takde sape2 kawen. Dah. End of story. Ape susah sgt nak teka?? Adoila.

Sorry2, no offence. Aku tau, taste kita berbeza, bahan bacaan kita berbeza. Dan apa yg kita nak dari sesebuah buku pon berbeza. Aku kalau baca novel, (English preferably) aku baca sebab aku nak fakta dlm buku tu. History, science or maybe debates about religion. Debates put in an interesting way. That's why I'm trying not to miss any of Dan Brown's books.(walaupon dia buat buku like 4-5 years per book). Lama, sebab dia bnyak buat kajian. Dan tajuk2 yg diceritakan juga berbentuk fakta yg tak ramai org tau.

Meanwhile, buku Versus ni pulak masuk bab2 nak berubah, with a little bit of romance. (Oh bagi aku bab cerita cinta diorg tu lagi pnjang kot.). Jalan cerita yg dah biasa didengar, cuma mungkin Hlovate dedahkan dari satu sudut yg tak ramai org sedar. Dari kacamata budak2 skate, basket, breakdance shuffle etc. And aku akui, bnyak jugak la tajuk2 buku agama Hlovate senaraikan dlm buku ni.

The good thing is, dlm buku ni bnyk tazkirah. And Hlovate dedahkan pd pembaca tntang budaya dak2 skate, bahasa diorg. (Woo bagi aku bahasa skate yg digunakan dlm ni kasar la sket dr bahasa yg aku slalu guna.)

Anyway, aku tak abes baca pon buku tu. Aku baca smpai bab Minn ngn AO kawen je. And buku Rooftop Rant tu pon aku tak baca. Aku teros pulang 2 buku tu pada member aku.

Peminat2 Hlovate, jgn marah ea? ;) Ini just pandangan aku je. Buku tu still memberi pngajaran pada org ramai...

*UPDATE*

Aku tak habes ulas lgi sbnrnye. Haritu nak cepat, nak blik umah. Meh kat sini aku smbung.

Slepas baca Hlovate, somehow ada kata2 yg digunakan oleh Minn Edina macam sama dengan kata2 yg aku pernah cakap kat diri sndri. Haha. Bolehla nak kata me and her do have a little similarities,tapi aku mmg BUKAN Minn Ed. Sebab Minn Ed peluk teddy bear yg diberi oleh seorg lelaki yg BUKAN suami dia. Aku rase mcm nak bakar je teddy bear tuh. Huh.

Marah benor nmpak. Takdelah. Lantak kau lah Minn Ed. Kau bukan wujud di alam nyata pon. Why should I care about you?

Haha. But somehow I was jealous with her. She's Ed'Sassin, adik kepada the Faymes Ked Flop, gf pada Sun the Wrath. Argh, how feymes she was, sampai AO pon admire dia. Haha. (ok2 dia feymes dri segi tak elok)

But anyway, I do have gained one good thing to keep for myself.

Selepas aku selesai baca buku Versus tu, aku rasa bersyukur sebabTuhan jaga aku. Sebab Tuhan letak aku masuk sekolah agama, dari Form smpai masuk U, title sekolah aku semuanya ber'agama'. Haha. Buat aku sedar yg biah solehah tu penting utk dijaga. And I thank God sebab Dia jaga biah solehah aku berbanding Minn Ed.

Dah2 la tu pasal Minn Ed. Cuba cerita pasal Effe Nelle plak. Haha.

Busy, with Face Reading

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Wow, bosan gile post kali ni. Pasal 'busy'. (-_-)'

Ha'ah, hari2 yg mendatang ni mmg bakalan busy utk dak2 UIA. Exam beb. Sbelum exam ada kuiz plak. Tapi aku sempat lagi mn'spend' time baca buku ni. -->

Haha. Bila aku bace buku ni kat mana2, member2 aku berhenti tgok, pastu tanya aku.

"Weyh, tengok muka aku, try tafsirkan."

Haha. aku ni budak baru blaja la, macamla bnyak sangat aku bleh tafsir muka korg hanya dgn mmbaca satu buku ni aje.

Tapi selepas mmbaca buku ni, aku bnyak perhati muka org. Bukan apa, aku nak mmpraktikkan ilmu yg baru dibaca.

Hehe. Sampai Farahin pon takut aku dok tenung muka dia lama2.

Takdenye. Takde nye aku tenung muka korg sampai tembus. Aku cuma tenung utk kenal pasti various shapes of the face, that's all. Bila dah dapat kenal pasti muka org ni lain, muka org ni lain, baru bleh tafsir dgn berkesan.

Some of the things that I get from the book are:

Hidung kecik: Suka live life to the fullest
Hidung besar: Ada ambition

Kening tebal: Ada anger yg agak kuat, tapi tahu cara nak kawal
Kening nipis: Ada anger jugak, tapi sikit je, dan dia tak selesa dgn keadaan marah

Kening panjang dan tebal: Suka berkawan dan ramai kawan
Kening nipis dan pendek: Suka independent, takbleh ade ramai sangat kawan, dia takbleh tahan

Dahi panjang: Suka berfikir
Dahi pendek: Suka rapat ngan mak

And so on, and so on...

Banyak lagi la yg dlm buku tu cerita. klu korang nak tau, korg bace sndri ea. Tapi jangan la takut ngn aku plak pasni, aku baca muka org bukan utk ape2 pon. Buka utk jatuhkan org ke ape. Cuma utk better understanding of people around me, and supaya aku bleh blend dgn org dgn senangnye...that's all...moga aku mendapat benefits selepas mmbaca buku ni...okep korg, jgn lupa baca buku ye! Study, study! Nnti nak exam!!! (Aku jugak tak study =_=)' Hahahahahahaha...

Men Are From Mars,Women Are From Venus vs. The Da Vinci Code

Hmmm....
As usual I dunno what to talk about....huhu...
So I chose this topic....

Twice I've gone to MPH at Midvalley...
and both times I bought books...
The first book is The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown...

The second book is Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus....

Huhuhu...both books cost me about RM 50 ....
Wow...all of a sudden i become interested in buying books....why?
Because...before I entered CFSIIUm....
I've never got a chance to buy my own story book...(basically english novel)
So...I wanna take revenge!!!(Huahuahua...)

The first book is The Da Vinci Code....
Hmmm...quite interesting!(Actually,REALLY interesting!!!)
I LOVE any books written by Dan Brown....
He teaches while telling stories....Very interesting....
He love to tell shocking facts about many things...
in this book he tells us about Christianity,The Mona Lisa and Leonardo Da Vinci(obviously)
But I love his book 'Angels And Demons' more....
That story is more BOMBASTIC....hehehe...
After I read his book suddenly I feel that I like history...hauhauahua..
But really,this book is worth reading it....
It's not just a story book,it's a hiSTORY book...
very good....

Hmmm....the second book...
Hohoho...it's actually a book about relationship!
I didn't notice about it until I tore out its wrapper....
Hohoho...I'm not ready for a relationship yet!
but anyway...I read that book...
at first I was quite shocked to learn facts about men in the book...
Hmmm...quite interesting....HAHAHAHA.....=)
but after I read some more....
It OBVIOUSLY tell us about "How to improve your Relationship"
Huhuhu...maybe the book will be useful to me.....
when I get married!(I don't know when is that!)
Oh well...
the book costs me more that The Da Vinci Code!
It's okay...
I already bought the book....

P/S:I'm off to KL again this weekend (for outing)....
I wonder should I use my money to buy more books or not???
But I can't stop to indulge myself in books again...
huhuhu...maybe next time....
I'll just borrow books from the library...