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10/12/2005
Sari & Sins: Nisha Minhas (Book Review)
Title: Sari & Sins
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN No: 0-7434-3046-8
Ratings: 3.8 stars
One crazy woman and two very obvious couples. That’s what Sari & Sins by Nisha Minhas is all about.
The highlight of Sari & Sins
The cross culture reference is undeniable. Since we have Indians here in Malaysia, I am not unfamiliar with the Indian culture. And since my work often requires me to mingle with and communicate with people from the West, I am not unfamiliar with their culture either. So, here I am, sitting here, reading about these two cultures and how chaotic it would be if they were meshed together.
Although my aunts are both married to ‘gwai-lows’ (white people), I am not privy to their constant miscommunications and besides, my aunts lived in the UK for some time and have been exposed to the lifestyle of being English. Therefore, I suspect they didn’t have the kind of problems that the people/characters in the book, Sari & Sins, had.
But then again…we’re Chinese…and Chinese have long stopped picking spouses for their own kids a long time ago.
The wicked witch
As I said, there’s one single witch (and her aid), Chloe, who is totally out of this world. She’s deranged and psychotic. She is written out to be so villainous that I often imaged her befitting of a role in ‘Dallas’ or ‘Dynasty’. Sorry, that’s a series from my era but this is the best I can do. I have not been watching many shows or series except for TVB ones for such a long time. TV is a waste of time for me.
But anyway, Chloe, is raised by a strict Catholic mother who makes her swear holding the bible. Chloe’s mother thinks she’s a virgin and wants her to remain so until she gets married. Her virginity is sacred to her and she spent a large part of her life ensuring that her daughter is brought up right. She did the right thing – the wrong way. Not only is Chloe not a virgin, she’s slept with almost all men in her side of the world.
Hence, Chloe turned out to be a psychotic woman whose only wish and dream is to control men. And she has this thing about having a house that I cannot fathom.
Couple 1: Samir (Sammy) and Kareena
Samir’s parents picked a wife for him and this resulted in him marrying Kareena. He’s handsome and she’s beautiful. He’s rich and she’s kind and loving. No suspence and no faults whatsoever. This is an obvious couple that upon reading the first few introductory lines about them, you know they’re going to be together in the end.
Samir’s only fault is that he thinks he loves Chloe. Or a better way to say this is that Chloe managed to wrap Samir around her itty bitty finger making him think that he’s actually in love with her. All this while, all Chloe wanted the house that Samir could provide, his dedication and his commitment. So, began their cross-culture relationship. A son of a strict Singh family and a daughter of a strict Catholic family.
Couple 2: Jordan & Zara
Jordan is supposed to be the BAD BOY in the book with a criminal record. Sometimes, Nisha Minhas writes him out to be the kind of man who would not pause before he swings an axe in your direction. And then it’s like she’s not sure how Jordan is supposed to be like and he becomes all mushy. Zara is merely a supporting role in Sari & Sins. She’s a shopaholic who is HONESTLY and GENUINELY in love with Jordan.
The triangle
Somehow, Chloe manages to bounce between Jordan and Samir making both of them think that she’s crazy in love with them when she was hooked on Jordan’s commitment to her and Samir’s house (and security). Jordan hung on to his past (he was her boyfriend for some time in their youth and went to jail for her) and Samir hung on to the sex and excitement.
Chloe just wanted both men to be in love with her. And when they both found their own loves and decided that Chloe was not the one, she went bananas. SHE would do the dumping. It’s NOT possible for Jordan to stop loving her. The house that Samir is living in with his wife now is HER house.
Nisha Minhas writes well…but the storyline needs ironing
I must admit that Nisha Minhas writes well – articulate and smart, her writing projects that. but this doesn’t mean that the story is good.
For instance, the parents are all people who raise their kids badly. Jordan doesn’t have a family, Samir’s parents are crazy about the Singh culture and refuses to let go of their religion – not even for their sons. Chloe’s mom, Aileen, is even worse. What she did to her own daughter, she should suffer for it. There were lots of familiar Indian terms and words that were sprinkled all around the book that makes the book all the more interesting for me. I can only imagine people in the US running around asking their friends what ‘Chappatti’ means.
The reason why Chloe has this unexplainable obsession with the house is not comprehensible. Why a house? Security? It was never explained. And Mickey, the loser guy from Samir’s firm, his character is so loosely explained.
The title of the book and the synopsis at the back of the book screams CAT FIGHT. But it became very obvious a little bit later on that Kareena is no match for Chloe. How do you pitch a sane and peaceful girl against a lunatic?
06:40 Posted in Books | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
08/12/2005
Michelle Yip Suen: Lady with GUTS
Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I am a big fan of TVB shows. And I no longer spend time ogling men instead of appreciating the value and quality of the show. I spend a lot of time admiring the actors and actresses too. Being creative in nature, I like anything that’s beautiful…and to me, Michelle Yip is beautiful.
It’s got more to do with her style, her behavior and character…rather than just her looks alone. Michelle Yip Suen is her full name. She was born on Valentine’s Day (something I’ve stopped celebrating since college days…strange, isn’t it?). Michelle Yip was born in China (don’t know where) in 1980. That makes her about 7 years younger than me. Michelle Yip Suen cart wheeled into the HK entertainment circle when she won the coveted Miss Chinese International title. There were other more conventionally more beautiful women contesting at that time and her win was a surprise for almost everyone. She had a smile that won hearts and eyes that electrified. She won because she was smart and outwitted others. Her smile is genuine and her speech clear and concise. Her personality is fun-loving, cute and kind.
And THAT won her the title.
After entering the HK entertainment business, she’s improved a whole lot. I remember first seeing her act in her first TVB series….to say the least, I was disgusted. I thought to myself, “Heck, isn’t the singing industry already bad enough? Now, they have terribly actresses who look half good on camera who can’t act even if you had a knife to their throats” But through the years, Michelle Yip challenged opinions like mine and have developed and thrived as a budding actress.
Today, she is quite formidable in her portrayals as different characters in series and movies. Currently (2005) she released her new series with Patrick Tse and also a new movie with Leon Lai.
This 5’5” actress, Michelle Yip is from a broken marriage. I guess you could say that her independence changed my view of her. Her parents divorced when she was very young. She neither lived her mom or her dad. She was raised by a relative in China and she was independent most of the time. This is not a sad story she cooked up to win hearts over. As I can see from her personality and character (I don’t know her personally, but I read a lot, remember that and I am extremely resourceful on the Internet with videos and published articles), because of her childhood, she’s learnt how to survive the entertainment industry. Even when others called her ‘power house’ (cause she was thought to be constantly on a prowl for men), she didn’t respond and persisted with her career. Even when people say she can’t act, she did her best to change their minds. Through many difficulties (even today), she forges on with her career.
Michelle Yip is not afraid to make changes in her life. When she thought that TVB wasn’t giving her much credit for her work and that they did not appreciate her talents, Michelle made a very controversial decision – she left TVB, leaving behind her good friends (three of them being Rain Lau, Raymond Lam and Myolie Wu) and decided to create another career for herself.
While many others satback and wait for the axe to fall or wait for TVB to change their minds, Michelle Yip took it in her stride and changed direction. She’s not one to wait for things to happen – she MADE things happen.
So, today, she’s got a contract with ATV and also have started entering the BIG screen instead of the small screen.
To me, Michelle Yip is a go-getter. A very different kind of actress who is proactive and very energetic. I have seen videos of her sick with eye problems, fever, sorethroat and even an ankle injury…and yet she persisted with her work.
Discipline and dedication is the very core of Michelle Yip. And I have to say that I admire her…but not because she’s beautiful (she is…but) but because she’s gutsy!
Note: this is just a personal opinion, nobody has to agree with me and everyone have their own favorites.
marsha
www.marshamaung.com
12:30 Posted in Leisure , TVB | Permalink | Comments (10) | Email this
07/12/2005
Oh, you’re good for nothing
I don’t believe in good for nothing.
I was walking down the aisle of a large supermarket when I heard a mother hissing to her crying child, “Good for nothing! Nothing! You better stop this now or I will leave you with the police man”. Not that I am angel when it comes to being a parent to my kids. Sometimes, I falter too and I will yell and shout and throw a massive, scary temper and my kids would cower in fright thinking that their mom was going crazy. Hey, I am human, amn’t I?
But I would never call my kids stupid or good for nothing.
For one thing, I sincerely believe that education is important – but it’s not everything. We, as parents, have to carry this grave responsibility of providing our children with education. Not only do we have to fund it, we have to ensure that they learn whatever they can learn from the education system so that they can benefit from it later on in life.
Knowledge is a funnel.
A funnel whereby information can flow into and train a mind to think and react in a certain knowledgeable way. It’s important.
But frankly, I don’t think it’s everything.
Listening to their cues
What’s more important to us, parents, is the listening skill, not directing or bossing skill. We need to learn how to take cues from our kids, open up gates and doors and let them explore and watch them. Watch how they are taking in the vast opportunities that are being presented to them. Do they like it? Are they interested? Is this their calling? Is this their gift? This is what goes through my mind whenever I introduce something new to my kids. We, parents, should not try to force something…ANYTHING…on to our kids.
As much as I hate being forced to do something (I quit the banking world for a reason, didn’t I?), I won’t force my kids to do something that they don’t like. Of course, there are things that they HAVE to do (like homework, cleaning up, showering, good manners…etc), I also have to bear the responsibility of ensuring that they are well disciplined and yet free to explore the world. But in other respects non-related to their safety and general well-being, force is not my style.
Even the worst kid in school can do well
I believe we all know of geniuses who have made it far beyond our human comprehension. People who we, today, claim as geniuses were called ‘buffoons’ in their early days. Let’s take Albert Einstein as an example. His teacher thought he was a complete loser and yet today, the world think and knows FOR A FACT that he is and was a genius. Even in death, he made a difference not only in his own life…but to the rest of the world too.
While we should not expect our child to be Einstein or paint like Da Vinci, we should always be on a lookout for their gift.
The gift…everyone has one
Everyone has a gift, God is fair. One person may fare well in math while the other did terribly. But if you look close enough, you’ll see that the second child who can’t count for nuts can paint like no one else! No one is born without a gift, which is what I believe. Some people have multiple gifts and are multi-talented in nature but no one in this world is without one.
Parents should set out to find out the gift of their child. It could be anything! ANYTHING! Like Don who loves cleaning out closets and is meticulous in arranging stuff – he’s a good accountant today. Like Gina who loves to play in the playground instead of doing her homework – she’s one of the most popular kids’ football team coaches in her country today. And Simon who was so weak in math that his mother almost told him to leave the house and never come back – he’s a professor in Philosophy today.
Think about it
No one is good for nothing. Even trees or worms are good for something. Trees give us oxygen and some serve as food. Worms digs holes in the ground and helps trees grow. Even bacteria are good at something. Bacteria can actually benefit our health. What about mud? Think mud pack? Everything is good for something….why not your child? Your job, as a parent, is to find that ‘good’, find that talent.
And perhaps, maybe it’s got nothing to do with education.
20:05 Posted in Being human , Family , Ramblings | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
06/12/2005
The Testament - John Grisham
The Testament
John Grisham
Publisher: Arrow Books
Year: 1999
Overall ratings: 3 stars.
General Overview of the Book: The Testament by John GrishamGrisham’s produced much better work before, let’s admit this and get it out of the way. His earlier works had me spellbound from page to page and relentlessly had me hooked till the very end. Being a law graduate, I naturally found it enticing and sometimes wished that I was in the world of legal chaos too.
Troy Phelan is a self-made billionaire who is tired of life, tired of chasing money and chasing skirts. He’s had three ex wives with children and half of America’s female population is his playground. He’s played them and paid them. But even a rich man can be too rich for his own good. Before he kicks his own bucket, he writes a controversial will, a testament that leaves everything to one person. And that person is not one of his known children nor wives. One Rachel Lane inherits eleven BILLION dollars from a drained-out billionaire who decides that enough is finally enough.
One man whose life is in shambles.
A lawyer with his life rotting away like a gaping wound, Nate knew that his career as a high-flying litigator is over. His constant battle with substance abuse, divorce and neglect of his family is his downfall. He tried to kill himself a couple of times because of depression and his lawyer-boss, Josh Stratton, is finally throwing out the ropes for one final time.
With the new case in hand, the Troy Phelan testament, who better to go look for a woman in the jungle of Amazon. No booze. No women. No cigarettes. Just lots of tress. PERFECT. Being a good friend and not having too many other choices, Josh Stratton sent Nate O’Reily packing and hiking into the Jungle to find Rachel Lane, the rich heiress.
Don’t take me away from my contentment, my calling
If you think it’s not possible for anyone to say “I don’t want eleven billion dollars’, you’re wrong. Try saying it aloud…I don’t want eleven billion dollars. There, see? Feel that feeling of utter stupidity? Now, here’s one single woman who has inherited the treasure trove that the rest of the Phelan clan is eyeing and vulturing over and she tells Nate….”I don’t want the money”.
But considering the kind of life that Rachel has led, it’s not impossible. She’s raised by her foster parents after her father (whom she never knew was Troy Phelan until when she was older) left her mom, and her mom died, she dedicated her life to God. Her life’s mission is to spread the message of God to the people who have no access to information and who live in the remote jungles of the Amazon jungle. People who still cover their genitals will pouches and leave their breasts hanging out around without a care.
Rachel Lane has found her calling, it’s something most of us go buried without ever finding. And imagine this – if you’ve found your calling, it’s not hard to imagine saying “I don’t want your money. Take it and leave me alone”.
Who’d have the heart to remove a woman from her calling and her contentment?
The vultures
The vultures, naturally, are Troy Phelan’s children, a whole gangbang of misfits, and ex-wives. Their fleets and fleets of lawyers and psychiatrists are horribly pathetic if not funny. One attack after another falls apart. They pitch against each other and the decide to get together. They’d rather be spat on than to be found sitting with each other in an amicable talk.
Despite the sorry state of their affairs, they deserve sympathy at some point. John Grisham realizes that they can’t be all that bad and if they’re bad, someone’s to blame. And you blame the dead cause they can’t talk and they don’t care. The sorry state was Troy Phelan’s own doing. His wives did what they did because he couldn’t care less about them and was busy building his empire and dressing down women, in particular, his secretaries. His children became such bums because they didn’t have his love. They craved for his attention and never got it because Troy Phelan, the BILLIONAIRE, was too busy making more billions.
So, yes, I guess you can say that Troy Phelan DID indeed screw up his own life.
Good but not that good
I’ve read better from John Grisham and being familiar with his books and his style, I believe this comes close to a half-hearted effort from John Grisham. This book was probably a result of his trips into the Pantanal regions within the Amazon jungle. Grisham proclaims his love for this part of the world and therefore, this book, this baby is the result.
Some parts of the book were a mere panoramic overview of the place. The slow and steady velocity of the river, the storms, the spears in hands of people in less cloth than a baby in napkin, the kind of food they eat there…etc. if this was a movie, I would have expected this to be a National Geographic-like thing….you know, a movie inspired by nature and….tourism!
The speed and pace of the book pretty much depended on the focus of the book. Whenever the focus was on the children, it was heady and chaotic. Whenever the book was Josh Stratton, it’s high-strung. Whenever it’s Nate, it’s slow and steady. You’d have to adjust your speed-readometer quite a couple of times throughout this book.
It’s an interesting book, yes, it is. It’s not horrible. But like I said, I’ve read much better work from Grisham.
06:15 Posted in Books | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this