4- World without End- Ken Follett

This book was a lot like the earlier book Pillars of the Earth. Again it was very engrossing but at the same time I agree with a comment that some one made earlier about this author having stock characters. Different names and even different genders but same characters, same motives. The building theme may have been overplayed by now. An interesting read nevertheless.

5- Love In the time of Cholera- Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Another book I bought because it was made into a movie. The characters were very vividly described. I thought the story was kind of unrealistic however. Well not exactly the story because I suppose that there are men who have so many affairs over the course of their lives. But the part about the undying love for Fermina Diaz whilst carrying on with so many women- sorry but I just don't into buy into that. The plot was just stretched too far for my liking but maybe that's a cynical point of view.

6- Atonement

Ok after reading the book I don't want to see the movie. It didn't exactly suck but I felt that I could have done with the long description of the characters' thoughts. Too much thinking at first and not enough action. I do sympathise with all the guilt and pain felt though. I wish it all ended better. It really does show how simple mistakes can haunt you to the grave.

7- The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Another book about guilt and the consequences of our actions. I liked this book because I thought it showed how sometimes 'good' people do succumb to weaknesses at times. not everything is black and white. As you wade through the novel you find yourself understanding why the doctor did what he did although it is still reprehensible. I don't particularly care for his wife and I don't think it was worth it in the end - what he did trying to protect her. By the way the movie for this is pretty good.

This book haunted me while I was reading it and it stuck in my memory. I felt like I had to tell my friends the story. It starts off slowly but boy does it pick up. My main concern was whether it was a true story  or not because if it were true then the author must have gone crazy from guilt. I was relieved at the end though. Throughout the story I vacillated between feeling hatred and compassion for the narrator who tells the story in the first person. As a Muslim I was also enraged by the actions of the Taliban which are vividly portrayed in the novel. I must issue a warning here- this novel preyed on my mind for a long time.