First Impression || The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon

Blurb:

Chrisptopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the colour yellow.

Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, fifteen-year-old Christopher is autistic and everyday interactions have little meaning for him. He lives on patterns, rules, and a diagram kept in his pocket. Then one day, a neighbour's dog, Wellington is killed and his carefully constructed universe is threatened. Christopher sets out to solve the murder in the style of his favourite (logical) detective, Sherlock Holmes. What follows makes for a novel that is deeply funny, poignant, and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing are a mind that perceives the world entirely literally.

It was 7 minutes after midnight. -1st line

The Cover:

The cover is very simple, orange in colour and has the shape of an upside down dog in the centre. A curious cover for a curious book. Clever!

The Story:

This book actually belongs to Lydia  who has been kind enough to lend me this book as part of her book swap project. This book won a Whitbread Award. As usual she picked it out for me, so far I am enjoying it. Perhaps not a book I would have picked out on my own, am thankful that swapping books have made me more open to different genres.

Advanced rating: 4/5

First impression was initially thought of by CJ on his blog Coffee N Crackers.

First Impression || The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson

 Blurb: 

The Trial

Lisbeth Salander- outsider and apparent enemy of society- is charged with attempted murder. The state has also ruled that she is mentally unstable, and should be locked away in an institution once again. But she is closely guarded in a hospital, having taken a bullet to her head, so how will she prove her innocence?

The Enemy

Pulling the strings of the prosecution is the powerful inner circle of Sapo, the state security police. Determined to protect the secrets and corruption at Sweden's rotten core, Sapo is not an adversary to take on alone.

The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Only with the help of Mikael Blomkovist and the journalists at Millennium magazine can Salander avoid the fate that has been decided for her. Together they form a compelling and dynamic alliance. This final volume of the Millenium Trilogy is the culmination of one of the most mesmerising fictional achievements of our time.

It is estimated that some six hundred women served during the American Civil War. - 1st line

The cover: The cover that I have is very much like the 2nd book (The Girl who Played with Fire), though it is darker and more brooding. The young woman is pictured as a strong-willed and determined person, surrounded by darkness and evil. The dragon that partially covers her face is now green, depicting power and vengeance. 

The story: This is the last book of the Millennium series and was gifted to me by my friend Dr Yati who noted that I only had the first book (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) in my possession. The 2nd book ended abruptly and Lisbeth Salander's fate was in question, I am looking forward to getting some closure with this final installment. I hope that Larsson manages to put as much action and pace into courtroom drama as he did in his previous books.

Advanced rating: 4/5

This First impression is part of a segment held by my friend CJ at his blog Coffee N Crackers.

First Impression || Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones

Blurb: On a copper-rich tropical island shattered by war, where the teachers have fled with almost everyone else, only one white man chooses to stay behind: the eccentric Mr Watts, object of much curiosity and scorn, who sweeps out the ruined schoolhouse and begins to read to the children each day from Charles Dicken's classic Great Expectations.

So begins this rare, original story about the abiding strength that imagination, once ignited, can provide. As artillery echoes in the mountains, thirteen-year-old Matilda and her peers are riveted by the adventures of a youngorphan named Pip in a city called London, a city whose contours soon become more real than their own blighted landscape. But in a ravaged place where even children are forced to live by their wits and daily survival is the only objective, imagination can be a dangerous thing.

Everyone called him Popeye. -1st line.

The cover: The cover reminds me of the books they used to make us read in High School back in Edinburgh. Very simple, mostly beige with a small painting of a Carribean girl reading a book barefoot on a beach. Simple and interesting in it's own way. While browsing the web, I saw some other, more colourful versions of this book cover.

The story: This book actually belongs to Lydia  who has been kind enough to lend me this book as part of her book swap project. Siti has also posted a book swap list on her blog. I am delighted that there are book lovers out there who, like me, want to share our passion for reading with others. I asked her to pick any book she enjoyed and she sent me this one. Two chapters into this book, I already feel like this is a special book. This will be one of those books that will inspire (more than any "pure" self-help or motivational books can). I love the premise of this book, that even in adversity, a book can feed the imagination and change a life. 

This First Impression is part of my friend CJ's little project on his blog Coffee N Crackers.

First Impression || The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

Blurb: 

The Expose

Mikael Blomkovist has made a reputation exposing corrupt establishment figures. So when a young journalist approaches him with an investigation into sex trafficking, Blomkovist cannot resist waging a war on the powerful figures within this lucrative industry.

The Murder

When a young couple are found dead in their Stockholm apartment, it's a straightforward job for Inspector Bublanski and his team. The killer left the weapon at the scene- and the fingerprints on the gun point only in one direction.

The Girl who Played with Fire

Lisbeth Sander is wanted for murder. Her history of vengeful behaviour makes her an official danger to society- but no-one can find her. The only way Salander can be reached is by computer. BUt she can break into almost any network she chooses...

She lay on her back fastened by leather straps to a narrow bed with a steel frame. - 1st line

The cover: My book has the same cover as the movie poster. It's a really powerful image of a strong young woman (played by Noomi Rapace in the movie). I love the flames that cover one side of her face, so befitting the title of the book. Also a very smart touch that the flame is in the shape of a dragon. 

The story: This book is Book 2 of the Millenium trilogy, written by Stieg Larson and became an international bestseller posthumously. I had previously lent the 1st book (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) to Dr Yati (a close friend and avid book reader), and she enjoyed that book immensely. She was disappointed that I lacked the forethought to buy all three books (actually, at the time, I lacked the funds..hehe), so she promptly went out and bought Books 2&3. Imagine my delight when she told me that she was not going to lend me the books to read but to GIFT them both to this little book club so everyone (me included!) can enjoy it. After reading the prologue, I am sure that this will be a great read. Thanks!

Advanced star rating: 4/5

This First Impression is part of my friend CJ's First Impression meme on his blog Coffee N Crackers.

First impression || Lazy River by A Samad Said

Blurb: Lazy River exposes the complexities and turbulence of life in Japanese-occupied Singapore. The characters experience problems alien to the life we know of today. The drama is set in a village by the side of a river where the inhabitants live in constant fear of death, torture, misery, starvation and other kinds of atrocities of the war. War's end heralds peace and another phase in the struggle. There are no winners, only survivors..

The early morning rain fell lightly onto the black water of the river, forming endless small circles. - 1st line

The cover: The cover is very simple and earthy. The colour is very suited to the contents of the book as described in the blurb. Those were dark, grey times and the cover reflects that. Very tasteful.

The story: This book was a gift from Encik Helmy Samad (son of the author). He generously donated some books for our youth centre and also gifted me some books for my own personal collection. Since I might be the only Malay adult never to have read any of SN A Samad Said's work, I was quite excited to rectify this. Knowing that I do not read Malay literature for pleasure like I do English, he made sure that some of the books were translations (done by ITNM- national translation agency).This book was translated from Sungai Mengalir Lesu.

After reading the first chapter, I find the attention to detail and descriptions wonderful. The kampung life of Japanese occupied Singapore almost comes alive. 

Advanced rating: 4/5

This First Impression is hosted by CJ on his blog Coffee N Crackers.

First impression: Swapping Lives by Jane Green

Blurb: What if a successful, single Londoner and a comfortable, Conneticut mother of two were to walk in each other's shoes for a month? Vicky Townsend is the director of Poise! magazine and lives a glamorous London life. She has everything she wants- except marriage, children and a house in the country. Amber Winslow has a stone mansion in Conneticut, two kids, and a nanny, but she hasn't found the fulfillment she had expected from being a wife and a mother. When she spots an intriguing contest in Poise!, Amber never expects to be chosen. 

This is not a straightforward story of romance. - 1st line.

The cover: The cover is very simple and endearing. It reminds me of a young girl's secret journal or a sweet bookmark pattern. Pretty.

The Story: I actually found this book on my desk last January. My roomie Dr Mali had bought it for me from BookExcess as a birthday present. So sweet. I'm not a huge chick lit fan (in fact I mostly stay away from the genre) but after reading the first chapter, I am hopeful that this will turn out to be a decent read. It actually reminds me of that movie, The Holiday starring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz. 

Advanced star rating: 3/5

This is a part of First Impression hosted by CJ on his blog Coffe N Crackers.

First impression: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

This book actually belongs to Siti who has been kind enough to lend me this book as part of her book swap project. Lydia has also posted a book swap list on her blog. I am delighted that there are book lovers out there who, like me, want to share our passion for reading with others.This First Impression is a little segment my friend CJ hosts at his blog Coffee N Crackers.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Blurb: Twelve-year old Amir is desperate to won the approval of his father and resolves to win the local kite-fighting tournament, to prove that he has the makings of a man. His loyal friend Hassan promises to help him-for he always helps Amir- but this is 1970s Afghanistan and Hassan is merely a low-caste servant who is jeered at in the street, although amir feels jealous of his natural courage and the place he holds in his father's heart. BUt neither of the boys could forsee what would happen to Hassan on the afternoon of the tournament, which was to shatter their lives. After the Russions invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realizes that one day he must return, to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him: redemption.

I became what I am today at the age of twelve on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. -1st line

The Cover: I adore the cover. The simple brown grained photo of a young boy peering fro behind the wall into a dark alley, promises of mystery and yet exudes innocence. 

The Story: When I glanced through the Siti's book swap list, I knew there were several books that I had to read and this was one of them. I had picked up this book many a time at major book stores and yet always put it down again in favour of an author that I was more familiar with. Even with the first few chapters, I was instantly hooked. I can barely put it down to go about my work.

Advanced star rating: 4.5/5

First impression: Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffeneger

This is my first First Impression entry, thanks to my book friend CJ (Coffee N Crackers). What a great idea!

Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger

The blurb says: 

Julia and Valentina Poole are normal American teenagers - normal at least, for identical 'mirror twins' who have no interest in colege or jobs or possibly anything outside their cosy suburban home. But everything changes when they recieve notice that an aunt whom they didn't know existed has died and left them her flat in an apartment block overlooking Highgate Cemetery in London.....

1st line: 

Elspeth died while Robert was standing in front of a vending machine watching tea shoot into a small plastic cup.

The cover: 

The cover is awesome. With a haunting feel and the 2 twins as if caught in the act of hiding some dark secret.

The story

So far everything is a bit hazy (I've only read 3 chapters), but someone is dead and someone has been left behind. The characters seem to be very well thought out. I am still trying to get a feel of the book.

Advanced star rating: 

I am guessing that this will be a 3-4 star book.

Thanks CJ, this was fun!