~ ‘Perfume’ the story of a murderer~

March 12, 2016Leave a comment

perfume

Jean Baptiste Grenouille is a name not easy to forget. His unique job is to obtain, categorize, replicate and produce his very own human scent beyond the realms of scientific discovery. To me, the concept in itself was captivating….

“Odours have a power of persuasion stronger than that of words, appearances, emotions, or will. The persuasive power of an odour cannot be fended off, it enters into us like breath into our lungs, it fills us up, imbues us totally. There is no remedy for it.”

Jean Baptiste is an orphan with no undefinable human smell which isolates him from society. His rare talent of pin pointing exact components, from brass doorknobs, wood, decaying fruit allows too him to pursue his passion. Under the guidance of the best perfumers in the world (through trickery, cunning or just brute honestly he manages to secure a place with them. It shows how unlucky Jean Baptiste is however- whoever he encounters meet their own sticky ends, which you could argue contributes to the author’s humour.) This cunning, yet seemingly straight forward character is able to combine and create his own ‘bottled’ scents with the single purpose of exciting disgust, or adoration from the general public.

Since the realm of scent is so understated (and I as one would admit to having just an average capability of smell, and eye-sight for that matter!) as we are able to create images from words, wonderful pieces of art, music- he can draw upon any scent in the world and strip it down to its bare elements not only to simply ‘recreate’ something he smelt only once, but create something new, unexpected. Quite inspiring really. But let’s not stop there.

As he grows older, his existence becomes almost animistic. “No longer distracted by anything external, he basked in his own existence and found it splendid.” He lives alone in a cave for many, long years, sustained by nothing but his ‘memory’ of lifelong scents, one day alone of which would drive any sane person mad, but not he. It becomes an obsession that overtakes even daily needs, an obsession which drives him to murder, again and again.

“Grenouille knew for certain that unless he possessed this scent, his life would have no meaning.”

In fact, the novel is abundant with disgusting imagery of blood and decay, and most significantly, the perverse. He is systematic and logical, feeling no remorse for his actions and yet you sway between horror and desire to see him reach his goal of obtaining the ‘optimum’ scent – which by the way he does by killing all the beautiful girls in the city and embalming their skin.

I found the writing style to be witty, and fresh. Overall, I read this book in a few days and was really interested to read more of Patrick Süskind’s works. Though I had seen the movie originally and remembered liking it, it had definitely changed and diminished in my eyes after reading the novel. Nothing can be expressed better than through the author’s own words and intended voice, humour, tone, and ‘Perfume’ is no exception.

{The novel was originally written in German entitled ‘Das Parfum‘ in 1985, later translated and made into a film in 2006}

Urgent! Illustrator needed!!

January 23, 2016Leave a comment

So, a while ago I posted a cover of my book ‘Caskets of Ice‘, and after much deliberation and much inspired from the wonderful designs I found in “The Sleeper & the Spindle” by Neil Gaiman (Illustrated by Chris Riddell) I have come to the conclusion…..

That I am officially looking for an illustrator for my work. It is action/adventure fantasy, with gothic dreamy aspects with plenty of queens and castles that will appeal to all lovers of fairy stories-though not 100% a fairytale. It blurs the boundaries between dreams and reality from a perspective of a girl who yearns to escape from her daily life, trapped in a world which is far scarier, creepier and sometimes, downright brutal than she ever imagines.

It celebrates the imagination, and when dreams come alive.

All ideas are welcome! Below is the existing cover, designed by the talented Bonnie:

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Here are examples of some of the illustrations you may see in “The Sleeper & the Spindle”, with their wonderful black and white drawings and gold leaf.

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Please drop me a message if you are interested in collaboration, or you want to know more information about the book. Let’s begin on this magical journey together…

Kate 🙂

‘Villette’ Review & New Books!!

January 1, 2016Leave a comment

Before I start reviews on these lovely editions, let me start by writing on something long overdue on my blog; ‘Villette’ by Charlotte Brontë.

Both as a human being and a teacher, there passed understanding between Lucy Snowe and I.

After a series of disasters that befall the protagonist Lucy at the start of the novel; she breaks free and starts anew to work on her own merit in a French school. There’s a complexity of feeling and contradictions, by the end you truly appreciate just how many layers the reader is drawn into …her self reliance in new surroundings, her command and discipline over unruly pupils-it involved perseverance (a chapter a night in my case) Lucy too persevered through the pages. By no means faultless, she is strong in her convictions, and a willpower that could probably cut through steel. Her high depreciation for herself means she isn’t able to understand why anyone would love her, and stays much in the shadows. It contrasts against the shining qualities of Ginevra Earnshaw and little ‘Paulina’. I can only compare that Lucy has the constancy of a rock, versus Paulina’s elegance and inner shine, and perhaps- superficial glow of Ginevra.

I wanted to meet the characters and judge for myself what they were really like. It seemed that by the end you are unable to get a clear picture of any individual, which is true because it would take a lifetime (and more!) to really study the complexities of another. Lucy too grew to fondness ~

“There are people from whom we secretly shrink, whom we would personally avoid though reason confesses they are good people, those with faults of tempers …besides whom we live content as if the air about them did us good.”

A lot of French, and I only understood the basics! Sometimes I wished there would be translations in the large segments of text, but you can somehow infer from the passage the meaning, so it wasn’t a big problem. ‘Villette‘ is mysterious, religious, touching almost on the fantastical- but all are resolved and brought back into the realms of reality- from the appearance of the ghostly nun Justine Marie and the walk through the fete at midnight, induced by a drugged opium state.

The ending too leaves it open to the reader to decide- for Lucy her life has been much of disappointment and observation, she never believed anything good would come to her and yet she has experienced more emotions, more heartache and reasons to be grateful than any of the other characters. Through loss, she has gained something else. A deeper understanding and acceptance, a depth of love quite inspirational.

“I used to think what a delight it would be for one who loved him better than he loved himself, to gather and store up those handfuls of gold dust, so recklessly thrown up to heaven’s reckless winds.”

There is something about the Brontë sisters.

In Emily’s ‘Wuthering Heights’, in Anne’s ‘The Tenant of Wildfell Hall’, of Charlotte’s own ‘Jane Eyre’. What do they have in common? Though this novel touches upon Lucy’s complicated relationships and luckless romances, perhaps you can argue that they understand what it is to feel loss, to show inner strength through determination of spirit and passion; you can feel this no doubt from their novels. They makes you uncomfortable, it is unsettling. Nobody can ever confuse ‘Wuthering Heights‘ with a light or easy read. There is no promise of a happy ending. It is about accepting this is what life is, never predictable, never carefree, and definitely not safe from loss on any accounts.

Unless you are an avid literature fan, this may not be the one that opens the avenue of your hidden passion for reading classics. But, I would say it’s worth it if, like me, your passion already is to read as many and as much of them as you can get your hands on.

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A dedication

October 3, 2015October 3, 2015Leave a comment

The cottage has opened its doors to me,

of dreams long foretold,

of poppies and tiger lilies, violets three,

and memories dear to hold

The path is worn through tender days,

the seeds blossomed; overgrown,

through woods and bluebells I long to stay,

o’er moss fair winds have blown

She halts my quiet sighs,

bent down with grains of sorrow,

and beckons me forth on green fields lie,

Where none but Death can follow

Storms rage on in faraway lands

but close stillness and quiet roam

It comforts the voices of my consumed heart;

and tenderly guides me Home.

View from a Castle

September 14, 2015October 3, 2015Leave a comment

Rose Gardens, ‘Hever Castle’ 07.15

The Sky is streaked like an aeroplane runway, double yellow lines at the roadside. Puffs of evaporated whiteness dissipate slowly, absorbed by the hungry mouth of unending blue.

The moat is a still mirror, stone and latticed brickwork sliding about on its surface like a skater on ice. Fingers of ivy snake in brilliant amber and ox-blood, splattering the castle in a web of tattoos.

She thrums her fingers on damp wood, wind battering her skin fiercely as she steps off the drawbridge; into the gloom beyond. ‘Surely,’ she thinks, ‘a queen needs a crown?’…

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

June 29, 2015June 29, 20159 Comments

“Treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends; they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies.”

At first glance, Wuthering Heights appears to be a Gothic romance set amidst the wilderness of the Yorkshire moors. It encompasses the ferocity of raw emotions- of treachery, obsession and revenge. W.H is dark and brooding and does not have the light-hearted or witty societal interactions present in Jane Austen’s works. In my opinion, it is less a story of love, and more of possession; something deeper, a rawness of spirit that propels them to inflict the pain and damage to one another. It is almost spiritual in that Heathcliff believes the ghost of Cathy haunts him still after her death, and there will be no peace for them in the afterlife.

The narrative encompasses a period of 50 years and passes through 3 generations of two households- the Lintons and Earnshaws. I can understand why some readers may find it confusing; I had to keep turning back over the pages to find out who was who (cousins marrying cousins and various surname changes). It is told by a housekeeper Nelly Dean and a visitor to the moors- Mr. Lockwood. Between them they manage to piece together the event for the reader (reliable voices or no, it is up to you to judge!) it is one aspect of storytelling. I feel a lot of gothic novels such as Dracula, Frankenstein, Jekyll and Hyde, are written as first person through journals and letters. This allows us to experience from a subjective point of view, but I wonder if this make us feel 100% committed to a character, or even to form our own unbiased opinion.

One thing you notice- no character is likeable. Though I felt no emotional connection with the individuals, (Heathcliff is violent, domineering and abusive, Cathy flighty and emotionally erratic), there was something about their plight that moved me. In my opinion a successful book is supposed to make you feel a range of emotions, frustration, anger maybe, or even hatred- these are all significant to your growth as a reader. To move you to feel these things- an essence that makes you feel a natural affinity to a novel. For me W. H though highly dramatized, is closer to reality for me than something like “Pride and Prejudice”. It encompasses the devastation of reality, of death and disappointment and unfulfilled yearnings. I don’t know why I drew this comparison, but I feel W.H has similar gritty, stark truths (murder and mental torture) comparable to certain scenes of the North in ‘Game of Thrones‘, albeit a censored, classical literature version!

Bronte’s depiction of the nature of Heathcliff and the wild Catherine are reflective of the setting- the harsh weather and isolation of the country. W H did leave a lasting impression on me, certain songs would remind me of scenes. I would imagine Cathy tapping on the glass, a ghost girl with a shrill cry and blood dripping on the windowsill, trying to break through the casement to reach inside. All images the Yorkshire Dales can inspire! Honestly, I think it’s important to have some sense of the isolation of the place, to imagine the structure of the buildings, the weather, landscape and daily pursuits of the young Heathcliff and Cathy to get a better idea of what Emily Bronte envisioned to be the backdrop of her novel.

And last but not least, I will leave you with Hayley Westenra’s version of “Wuthering Heights”(originally sung by Kate Bush)

Some questions I want to ask you guys:

– How is W H comparable to Romeo & Juliet as a love story?

-What do you think Emily Bronte’s main message was, that she hoped to carry through to the reader? Main themes?

-Do you think it’s important to know about the author, in order to understand a book better? Emily died 1 year after completing “Wuthering Heights” at the age of 30, her sister Anne following. They had such short lives (if we compare to the life expectancy now). The novel was published posthumously by her sister Charlotte.

song of solitude

June 11, 2015June 11, 2015Leave a comment

The whisper of mist, stealing over the land like dream’s breath,

o’er ruins, a fractured tooth on the rolling hillside,

discarded and forlorn as seasons pass.

Unto all stained in russet red, gold,

chasing an enduring reflection, for evermore.

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award

May 12, 2015May 12, 201510 Comments

Big thanks to Josh at ‘Been there, Read that’ for the second nomination! The title of the award is actually sisterhood/brotherhood of the world bloggers, (for guys and gals right?) The purpose of this award is to recognize the unique voices of woman & men in the blogging community 🙂

These are the five rules to follow:

Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their site.
Put the Award logo on your blog.
Answer the ten questions sent to you.
Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer.
Nominate ten blogs.

Well, I will begin by answering the questions. Here goes!

What is your favourite bedside – or just table-side – reading snack and beverage?

I usually have chocolate on my bedside table. Or sweets/ biscuits. Or a combination of all 3 just because I like to snack all the time. As for drinks I would say hot chocolate or coffee. But let’s face it, it’s usually something boring like water.

2. Is there an author whom, if they are to release a new book, you buy it automatically without even thinking about it?

At the moment no…because I still haven’t found my favourite author yet :L

3. Out of all of the books you have read, which one was the most difficult to get the hang of? (i.e. difficult language and such)

I would say Shakespeare- I still can’t pick apart or understand the meaning properly! At the start it also took some time to get into reading Dickens, but now I can get through one of his longer works quite quickly.

4. What is the most treasured book – or book like possession – that is most personal and important to you? One with a lot of sentimental value.

A vintage copy of “A Christmas Carol” from my grandmother…which is quite old and I’ve kept for sentimental reasons. I also have a signed copy of “Firesong” by William Nicholson and I regret not getting the rest in the series signed!

5. As I am a complete Tolkien nut, I must know: what is your favourite Tolkien story? – Tread carefully…

I’m going to say the Hobbit…though I haven’t read the LOTRs books I’ve seen the movies, and I preferred the Hobbit!

6.What book were you forced to read in school, that you actually ended up loving?

“The Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison. I did a book review on this some time ago…the book just somehow resonated with me, he had a strong narrative voice and a strong sense of injustice at society’s stereotypes…it is quite a heavier read just because of the content but definitely a good book which I highly recommend.

7. You’re stranded on a deserted island with nothing to do, but you have three books with you: what books are they?

Ha, I’m going to say something like Dickens or War and Peace, something epically long because I’ll probably be on the desert island a while! Though I would want to bring my favourites, it might get a bit monotonous to re-read them over and over. Plus with Dickens if I was really bored, I could construct a timeline for the events surrounding the characters, which would be quite time consuming! 😛

8. Do you have a favourite reading spot? If so, where is it? A field perhaps; or maybe your bedroom; a particular tree in a forest; the list goes ever on and on…

My favourite dream spot would be somewhere like a field or forest, somewhere out in nature. But in reality, it’s my bed, contorted in the strangest reading position.

9. Are there any parts of a book that you always skip? E.g. songs, poems, dates, e-mails, etc.

I skip dates or sometimes poems, because I generally don’t remember them anyway! Plus if I need to, I can always refer back. As for difficult names to pronounce (and you probably do it too!) I skip them and kind of make a weird sound in my mind whenever I come across them again…

10. Have you any writing accomplishments? – Big or small.

When I was at uni, I won a “On the Bus” poetry competition where two of my poems were printed on buses around the university area in UK. And aside from that some small children’s book series & I co wrote eng grammar textbooks for secondary school kids some years back. But apart from that I really want to publish my novel or a collection of poetry….such is my dream! …

OK, onto my questions!

1. Do you always buy/borrow a novel based on the blurb?

2. What’s the quickest time you have finished a book, and what was it?

3. Do you have a book you lent to someone and haven’t got back?

4. What is your usual reading genre?

5. Do you have a favourite poem, or one which has really inspired you?

6. Have you had a novel recommended to you, which you are really thankful for? What is it and whom was it recommended by?

7. Would you buy a book you already own, just because of the cover?

8. If you knew there was a movie coming out, that is also a book you wanted to read, would you see the movie first or..? Does it make a difference to you?

9. If you had to have a book character follow you around, be your best friend for a week who would it be and why?

and finally…

10. What is the oldest book that you own?

I feel like the questions I set for the Liebster award were better >.< oops, sorry! Maybe you can take a look and Mix & Match some- who is to judge!

My nominees:

Enjoy, lovely people! 🙂

Gone With the Wind~A tale of Strength & Survival

April 25, 2015April 25, 20152 Comments

What would Scarlet O’Hara do? It’s been months since I finished the book, but there hasn’t been a time when I haven’t aspired towards her strength, steadfastness and down to earth rationality of self-preservation. She can solve a situation with a tirelessness and a fierceness of spirit that shows Scarlet O’Hara as a survivor. But she was not always like this.

Though “Gone with the Wind” is an epic tale of societal breakdown, it is Scarlet’s epic tale of self-discovery and personal development. The people adapt to rise once again to rebuild what is lost – representing raw human spirit and perseverance. She adapts in order to survive. Her defiance is comparable to Melanie’s inner strength of mind, but weak constitution. Softly spoken and kind Melanie who finds no fault in others and loves Scarlet beyond reason. It is Melanie who is the saving grace in the novel, the sticky glue that binds them together. She may not be as physically strong and active as Scarlet, but her presence is almost spiritual, believing in a cause that is beyond reason and often brings her unhappiness. It is not until she is gone, does Scarlet learn to appreciate Melanie’s reliable presence in her life.

‘Tomorrow is a new day’ she reminds us; the famous lines in the novel. Tomorrow is a new day to think, to fight. And so it seems that Scarlet too believes that prolonging thought, blocking out is a strategy to cope with the problems she faces.

But it is okay. We all do it. And as Scarlet hides her emotions, she develops an exterior shell to protect herself so she does not have to think; to feel. In life, we often feel like falling apart. We feel like nothing makes sense, overwhelmed by situations beyond our control. But we pick ourselves back up again. We keep on persevering because as humans, that’s what we do to as a survival instinct.

“Gone with the wind” by Margaret Mitchell is said to be a classic, epic romance story. However I feel that any romance is secondary to the concept of home and a sense of belonging, via the backdrop of the American Civil War. The comfort, safety of her mother’s love and guidance push her onwards through the war torn south. So what does Scarlet actually have to face that contributes to her strength as a character? Through the trials of delivering a baby alone while a battle rages outside, 3 loveless marriages and three children whom she feels no love for, losing her home and supporting 13 + people on her farmland, witnessing the death of her family members and her livelihood, running out of food and fearing death- these are all mental and physical tortures that no person should have to go through; but do so as parts of the rites of life. She has no choice but to overcome them, if not for herself, for the others that rely on her support.

The experiences we have contribute to who we are. Scarlet transforms from a frivolous, superficial and spoilt daughter (not crimes to be sure), to a capable, hardened and strong yes- but also calculating, mercenary and most notably; a selfish woman. Scarlet transforms into a creature of chance and opportunity. Her quest for money and material things consumes her and wrecks any relationship she hopes to have. She is outwardly strong and capable but at what price?? She has no love for her children and has hardened her heart that is too late to be rekindled. It is not until she has lost all she holds dear does she note her priorities. But like any character we learn to care about, we accept her for her good qualities, but also her faults.

So what did I learn from the novel? The characters tireless endurance to get back up and face the next problem. To find excess strength you didn’t know you possessed. Scarlet is comparable to the idealistic and philosophical Ashley. She thrives in the new world, he does not. The only thing that weakens her is her unrequited love for him, he cannot adapt or even survive in the changing South. Though he questions the battle he is fighting, he continues to do so to ‘reclaim’ the old world and what is lost.

We cannot afford to be so self-centred in this materialistic world. It is detrimental- yet still we focus on ourselves. There are some lessons we can take away from it and act as a reminder and comparison to our own lives. There are also two sides of a story. For example I was shocked reading about the KKK. In the narrative, they are sons, husbands, main characters whose will is to defend their family. Scarlet’s own husband is a member. The man she loves is one also. So how can this be? It doesn’t make their actions alright. But once you start to realize two sides, what spurs people on to do what they do and why- it is nothing but a shade of grey between the black and white of clarity. Sure, life is not so clear cut.

But what about the modern world? How many of us are Ashley & Melanies- idealistic philosophers at heart who mourn the old world and ponder on the change happening around us? The dreamers. And who are the Scarlet & Rhetts- risk takers, practical opportunists who adapt to change and thrive? Or maybe we are a combination of both.

In fact, how many of us want to change? Even if we feel like giving up, do we? It is so easy to want to push away, somehow destroy the pain in our lives. Run away. But it is strength, to accept and overcome it, to deal with it head on and conquer the fear.