Hangover 2 -2011

What the F*&%*!! in a bad way.

Bangkok is known for knock offs, as many a stingy Chennai fashionista knows. The perfect copy of that horrendously expensive Vuitton bag at a tenth of the price. The writers of Hangover (1 or 2 doesn't make a difference) have captured that quality perfectly. It's an exact duplicate of the first part, except for the fact that it is made in Bangkok. The same jokes, the same one liners, the same situations. Instead of pulling out a tooth, an extremely irritating Stu gets a tattoo (ha ha) and gets laid by a hooker (with a small expected twist) They loose Teddy( not a bear but a cute 16 yr old brother of the bride) and they find a monkey instead of a tiger and we get to see a lot of penises, including Chows shitake mushroom tasting one. (don't even ask) There were absolutely no laugh out loud moments, no surprises and no 'Alan' moments too. Even the cast didn't look like they were having any fun. Even you wouldn't find it too nice if you were shown only a shitty hotel, the roof of a building and a single beach in the whole of lovely Thailand.Oh - there is a cute monk too who is funny only at the expected final photo montage. Shame on you Hangover writers.

0/10

A discovery of witches - Deborah Harkness

The blurb was promising but as I went further and further into the book the promise went further away.

One of the most genetically endowed witches in the world (her parents were powerful witches) chooses to live like normal humans after her parents tragic death and is a history professor. A chance encounter with a mysterious spell bound book attracts every creature in the vicinity towards her and her 'normal' life. Creatures  - Witches, Vampires and Daemons ofcourse hate each other and as the story unfolds are forced to co operate. The 'hero' is a vampire genius who has a very low opinion about women. And as the pages unfold, the romance is driven froward and the plot goes downhill. So many possibilities could have been explored but although the writing is above par, the plot provokes curiosity and the romance is carefully portrayed, I came away with a sour feeling. The main cause  - the portrayal of women. The heroine witch soon turns into a 'Twilight' vampire pheromone afflicted character. The point of her being the strongest witch around gets lost with the plot soon surrounding the men when it comes to any form of action. I agree women like to be taken care of sometimes but after the word 'wife' is introduced, all our powerful witch does is worry and swoon while the men plan a war.

The book ends in a cliffhanger, which again puts me in a foul mood. So all in all, great plot, great characters doing 'twilghty' things and making you feel like throwing the book away.


4/10

Arrack in the Afternoon - Mathew Vincent Menacherry

The title hooked me. For a debut novel, it's really good, compared to the trash that 'young Indian novelist' seem to be putting out nowadays.

It starts with the Mallu mumbaikar Varghese. Jobless, handsome and about to commit suicide. The story takes off on two tangents, one that traces Varghese's father Kochapu's life and landing in Mumbai and the other follows Varghese and the fantastical journey that follows his attempted suicide. The characters are so well fleshed out, it's like you have met them somewhere. A few tend to become caricatures, but for a first time novelist, I am willing to forgive. The 'manager' Karan, the Irish Indian Patricia, Kochapu, Maria and above all Varghese are characters you will remember long after putting the book down.

It's black mallu humour at its best. Politics, Godmen, Chamchas, filmwallas and anglo indian lovers weave in and out while we read on smirking, sometimes smiling until the end, where like any true blooded malayali artiste, the worst outcome has to happen. (think any movie worth mentioning from kerala, or any major work of literature - Tragic outcomes are a must!)

7/10