![]() ![]() Despite an intrusive retrospective voice ("I didn't know then how sorely.love would be tested") and a sometimes heavy-handed feminism, Divakaruni's rich, action-filled narrative contrasts well with the complex psychological portrait of a mythic princess. Devastation ensues, but spiritual remarks from the divine Krishna put life and death in a cosmic context. Panchaali's joy is short-lived, however, when hubris, fate and the desire for vengeance in reclaiming the Pandavas' kingdom (all also prophesied) cause her and her husbands to make mistakes that have cascading political effects, shattering peace in the region. ![]() Soon enough, she bucks tradition by simultaneously wedding all five famous Pandava brothers, who have been denied their rightful kingdom, and finds herself the happy mistress of the much-envied palace of illusions. Download or stream The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Sneha Mathan for free on hoopla. ![]() Born from fire and marked with the prophecy that she will change the course of history, the strong-willed Panchaali declares early on that she won't spend her life merely supporting the men around her. Recasting the Indian epic Mahabharata from the perspective of Princess Panchaali, veteran novelist Divakaruni (Queen of Dream) offers a vivid and inventive companion to the renowned poem. ![]()
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![]() The 17 stories collected here all appeared (in a couple of cases, under different titles) in various magazines, mostly geared to SF or speculative fiction, from 1960 to 1974. Note, March 11, 2019: I've just edited this review to correct two minor typos. The Hainish Cycle reflects the anthropologist's experience of immersing themselves in new strange cultures since most of their main characters and narrators (Le Guin favoured the first-person narration) are envoys from a humanitarian organization, the Ekumen, sent to investigate or ally themselves with the people of a different world and learn their ways. Her interest in non-Western philosophies was reflected in works such as "Solitude" and The Telling but even more interesting are her imagined societies, often mixing traits extracted from her profound knowledge of anthropology acquired from growing up with her father, the famous anthropologist, Alfred Kroeber. She was known for her treatment of gender ( The Left Hand of Darkness, The Matter of Seggri), political systems ( The Telling, The Dispossessed) and difference/otherness in any other form. ![]() Her recent publications include the novel Lavinia, an essay collection, Cheek by Jowl, and The Wild Girls. Le Guin published twenty-two novels, eleven volumes of short stories, four collections of essays, twelve books for children, six volumes of poetry and four of translation, and has received many awards: Hugo, Nebula, National Book Award, PEN-Malamud, etc. ![]() ![]() ![]() A horde of evil Demons is beginning to escape and bring death upon the land. Thousands of years after the destruction of the age of man and science, new races and magic now rule the world, but an imminent danger threatens. ![]() NOW AN EPIC NEW SERIES ON 5STAR IN THE UK. ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR FANTASY TALES OF ALL TIME. Shea must embark upon the elemental quest to find the only weapon powerful enough to keep the creatures of darkness at bay: the fabled Sword of Shannara But in the Vale, the half-human, half-elfin Shea Ohmsford now lives in peace - until the mysterious, forbidding figure of the druid Allanon appears, to reveal that the supposedly long dead Warlock Lord lives again. THE SWORD OF SHANNARA is the first volume in one of the most popular fantasy series of all time, set in the same world as THE SHANNARA CHRONICLES - a major new TV series showing on 5Star in the UK and Syfy in Australia Long ago, the world of the Four Lands was torn apart by the wars of ancient Evil. The Shannara Chronicles Series Terry Brooks 3 Books Collection Set ![]() ![]() ![]() On his first day back at school, meets a new girl, Sawyer, hiding out in the boy’s bathroom. ![]() Haunted by the memories of his loved ones, the what-ifs, and the constant judgment by everyone in his school, Lucas struggles through the aftermath of a tragedy everyone is blaming on him. Three months after a fateful car crash (where he was driving in a freak storm) that claimed the lives of his beloved girlfriend, best friend and his girlfriend, Lucas is still unable to even consider moving on. ![]() Waiting for some part of me to bleed out, so I could close my eyes and join my girlfriend, wherever she’d gone.” I think I’d been shaking in that seat, praying for some internal injury to make itself known. "Looking back at that moment, I think I’d been waiting for death to take me too, not for someone to rescue me. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Each page contains the words he’s always wanted to say to Sam, and he begins secretly creating artwork using the lines that speakhis heart. Status quo seems inevitable until Noah stumbles on a stash of old loveletters. Noah soon finds himself navigating the worlds of jazz, batting cages, the strange advice of Walt’sDairy Queen-employed cousin, as well as Walt’s “Hug Life” mentality. Never mind that he and Noah failed to make the high school baseball team yet again, and Noah’s love interest since third grade,Sam, has him firmly in the friend zone. Walt is convinced junior year is their year, and he has a plan to help them woo the girls of their dreams and become amazingathletes. ![]() Best friends Walt and Noah decide to use their voices to grow more good in the world, but first they’ve got tofind cool. When America is not so beautiful, or right, or just, it canbe hard to know what to do. And the surprise ending shines a spotlight on the issues related to our current socialdivide, challenging perspectives and inspiring everyone to make their voice heard. Swing (Blink)BOOK DETAILSeries: Blink Hardcover: 448 pages Publisher: Blink (October 2, 2018) Language: English ISBN-10: 0310761913 ISBN-13: 978-0310761914Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 1.5 x 8.6 inches Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)Book DescriptionNew York Times bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess (Solo) tell this lyrical story about hope, courage, and love thatspeaks to anyone who’s struggled to find their voice. ![]() ![]() ![]() Written in 1952, East of Eden is considered one of John Steinbeck’s best works. It was a surprise, even to me, that I enjoyed it so much. I tried reading bit by bit over two months to lessen the pressure of finishing the novel. Perhaps it was some divine intervention for me to read it. I was surprised to see the copy of the book in the video because it was the same copy we had at home. I first stumbled upon East of Eden in Uncarley’s video about Emma Chamberlain’s new favorite book. East of Eden is one of John Steinbeck’s best works. Such is the case of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. ![]() ![]() However, it is important to read classic literature, be it local or foreign books, because they teach us more than what the world looked like in their time. I also find it hard to concentrate reading them which frustrates me. ![]() The length of the books would take me months to finish them. Every time, I needed to write a comparative analysis or a comprehensive report on whatever classic novel my teachers decided on, my love for reading would suddenly dissipate into smoke. In school, we all experienced having a requirement of reading for book reports. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() *No God But God fills that gap, addressing issues of belief: the difference between the Quran and the Bible, the meaning of the Hajj, the Muslim relationship with Jesus, the Muslim attitude towards Jews, equality between the sexes and more. *While there have been a number of successful books on the topic of Islamic history - from Karen Armstrong's Islam: A Brief History to Bernard Lewis's The Crises of Islam - there is surprisingly no book for a popular audience about Islam as a religion, let alone one by an author from an Islamic background. Click here to purchase from Rakuten Kobo *Ten years on from 9/11, much of the Muslim faith remains largely unknown and misunderstood in the West. ![]() ![]() ![]() It turns out that Léo’s death is the latest in a long list of tragedies that have befallen Sophie, including the death of her mother-in-law who fell down some stairs and the suicide of her husband Vincent after he was in a terrible car accident. She has no memory of committing the crime, but is the only person who has been at home with the child, so she seems to be the obvious culprit. When she awakens from her latest memory lapse, she discovers that Léo is dead, strangled with one of Sophie’s shoelaces. Sophie herself is convinced that she has gone mad, but she has no idea how bad things are about to get. Sophie is a troubled person, plagued with insomnia, nightmares and memory loss which appear to be linked to the suicide of her husband. Sophie is a woman in her thirties who works as a nanny, looking after a little boy called Léo. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Once on camera, Rory discovers his exhibitionist streak and the two of them are so hot together, the one-off becomes a regular gig.īut being neighbours with benefits isn’t without its challenges. Party boy Rory Jones has never given his geeky neighbour a second glance, but he’s not one to turn down the offer of a free blow job, even when Nathan tells him it’s going online. But when his highest tipping client demands it, Einstein has to overcome his social awkwardness to rope in some extra help. Still wounded by his last dysfunctional relationship, Nathan’s happy being single. But times are tough, and in order to make ends meet by night he becomes “Einstein”, wooing punters with his online solo sex show. During the day he’s a dedicated student, working hard for his maths degree. ![]() ![]() ![]() 'America's most chilling writer of crime fiction' The Times After working on one of the worst mass killings in US history, Chief Medical Examiner Kay Scarpetta returns home to recover, but an unsettling call drives her straight back to work. ![]() The twenty-first book in the Kay Scarpetta series, from No. ![]() |