Dhoom 3 (2013)

What is it that makes a movie work? That extra invisible ingredient that can make or break? Dhoom 3 has everything going for it - the prestigious Yash Raj banner, the successful Dhoom franchise, most expensive Hindi movie ever, the first Bollywood film to be released in Imax, a stellar cast headlined by Mr. Perfectionist, Aamir Khan, and the incandescent Katrina Kaif - all the makings of the biggest blockbuster ever! And yet...

The story starts in Chicago, 1990. A struggling circus owner, Iqbal Haroon Khan (Jackie Shroff) makes a last-ditch attempt to convince the Western Bank of Chicago to give him an extension on his loan. Ignoring the desperate pleas of Mr. Khan's son, Sahir, the bank decides to foreclose. Unable to cope with the loss, Mr. Khan commits suicide, leaving Sahir heartbroken. Cut to present day - a grown-up Sahir (Aamir Khan) has but 1 mission in life - to completely destroy the heartless bank that destroyed his father's dream. He embarks on a series of robberies - targeting only branches of the Western Bank of Chicago, always leaving behind a clown's mask and a message in Hindi. Cue ACP Jai Dixit (Abhishek Bachhan) and his sidekick, Ali (Uday Chopra) who are called in from Mumbai to help with this baffling case. The stage is set for a thrilling game of cops and robbers...

The USP of the earlier Dhoom films was very clear - no holds barred, unapologetic action flicks, mindless paisa-vasool entertainers. Dhoom 3 tries to give its 'bad guy' Sahir a background, a motive - and while this should have added layers to the film, infusing the action with emotion, Sahir's back story is so poorly conceptualized that it ultimately proves to be the undoing of Dhoom 3. Seriously, a evil banker and foreclosure? That's the motive for a lifetime of revenge? What irked me most was the cavalier suicide of Mr. Khan - what kind of parent leaves their kids to fend for themselves? Films like 'Pursuit of Happyness' and 'Life is Beautiful' have shown us the extraordinary lengths fathers can go to for their kids, and here is a mainstream Bollywood film, trying to pass off a father's irresponsible suicide as being somehow noble! What were the scriptwriters thinking??

So much for the emotional angle! The action and the songs should have more than enough to salvage the movie, right? Surprisingly, all the bike chases have a jaded, where-have-I-seen-this-before feel to them. A movie about a thief, and there is not single heist shown - only Sahir fleeing away from the scene of crime. Really, what purpose does it serve to have Aamir Khan walk down the side of the building - wouldn't it have been better to explain how he got into the building, and then robbed the bank? And how unintentionally hilarious was the bike that morphs into a submarine and then back into a bike? I was half expecting it to sprout a pair of wings next and take to the air - now that would have been something! And Abhishek hanging from the helicopter - didn't we see this already in Dhoom 2?

The look!

Even with all this, there is still some hope - after all, this is a Aamir Khan vehicle! Yes, it is Aamir Khan's show all the way, and I only have one question - what's with the look??? Aamir's Sahir goes through the entire film with his jaws clenched, eyebrows drawn down into a scowl - seriously, this expression never leaves his face! I honestly thought this was Aamir's worst performance ever! Speaking of scowls - is Abhishek so surly because he's doomed to play second fiddle in what essentially is his franchise? Lighten up, dude! Uday Chopra is actually better than Abhishek - he has found the one note that he can play passably well, and he sticks to it!

The climax is strangely appropriate - if the entire film hasn't made sense, it is entirely befitting that the climax should be astoundingly jaw-droppingly unbelievable! If anyone can explain how the entire cast got from Chicago to the Hoover Dam in the space of a night, I would be very grateful! Where is your celebrated script sense, Aamir? What a disappointment! And yet, this debacle has smashed all box-office records - so what do I know? Go watch it, and judge for yourself - or take my word, and watch Dhoom 2 instead!

The Phantom Tollbooth

Image courtesy: Goodreads

Milo is a perfectly normal boy - with too much time on his hands, and not enough ways to use it up. Nothing he does or learns seems to have a point, nowhere he goes seems interesting enough. Alone with his unhappy thoughts, the big, bustling world often feels small and empty to him. Then one day, Milo returns home to find a large package addressed to him - "ONE GENUINE TURNPIKE TOLLBOOTH - IF NOT PERFECTLY SATISFIED, YOUR WASTED TIME WILL BE REFUNDED" - and since he has nothing better to do, he drives his electric car through the Tollbooth, and finds himself in the Kingdom of Wisdom, where many adventures await!

I always try to read all the books my daughter brings home - mainly to make sure she's not reading anything inappropriate - more honestly, because children's books are so much fun! It's also unexpectedly rewarding when, once in a while, comes along a book that far transcends the genre of 'Children's books', a book which is quite simply - more than a story! 'The Phantom Tollbooth' by Norton Juster falls firmly in this category, and I have to admit that I'm absolutely bowled over! Quirky, funny, witty, highly entertaining, wonderfully brought to life by Jules Feiffer's whimsical illustrations - this is one children's book that should find its way to all bookshelves!

The story is simple enough - as Milo makes his way through the Kingdom of Wisdom, he finds himself on a quest to rescue the Princesses of Rhyme and Reason from the Castle of Air. He starts at Expectations - "Expectations is the place you must always go before you get to where you're going" -  and soon finds himself stuck in the Doldrums - where "nothing ever happens, nothing ever changes" - only to be rescued by Tock, the watchdog. Onwards to Dictionopolis, where words are grown on trees, and then through the Forest of Sight and Valley of Sound, to the twin cities of Reality and Illusion - then finally after an unanticipated detour to the island of Conclusions, Milo arrives in Digitopolis, where numbers are mined!

The people he meets along the way are as strange and confusing as the land Milo finds himself in. The kings of Dictionopolis and Digitopolis, respectively Azaz the Unabridged and the Mathemagician, are brothers who agree to disagree. The Lethargians - who inhabit the Doldrums, the Faintly Macabre Which and the Soundkeeper - keepers of words and sound, Chroma the Great - conductor of the orchestra of color, the Spelling Bee and his nemesis, the Humbug, the Dodecahedron whose impassioned expostulation about the beauty of numbers is one of the high points in the book - what a wonderful array of characters! I would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite if I had to!

Milo sets off on his quest with the loyal Tock and the brash Humbug - but rescuing the princesses is not an easy task. Through the Mountains of Ignorance Milo battles on, facing demons as varied as the characters he has met before - the Terrible Trivium, the Senses Taker, the Triple Demons of Compromise, the Gorgons of Hate and Malice, and the seemingly harmless but equally dangerous, Threadbare Excuse and Gross Exaggeration! Goes without saying that Milo triumphs over all these terrifying demons, and rescues the princesses - and when he returns in triumph, he finds that he has just done something that was actually impossible to do! In the words of the kings - "so many things are possible just as long as you don't know they are impossible"!

What I love most about is this book, is that all ages can enjoy it on different levels. Read it to your younger children - they will love the simply told adventures of Milo and his companions. Older children, who often wonder why they have to learn to spell or multiply, will see how important numbers and words really are - "in the cloak of knowledge, one is warp and the other weft"! As for adults, this book is an allegory - the simple words and interesting story are but a facade to the story of all our lives. How many of us have been stuck in the Doldrums, and not known how to move on? Or jumped to Conclusions, never knowing that the only escape is through the Sea of Knowledge? And as we struggle daily to find Rhyme and Reason, how many of us have fallen prey to the Demons of Ignorance?

So although results are never guaranteed - go ahead, pick up a copy of The Phantom Tollbooth - if not perfectly satisfied, your wasted time will be refunded! Happy Reading!

Empire of the Moghul - Raiders from the North

April 1526 - the first battle of Panipat, in which Babur defeated Sultan Ibrahim Lodi of Delhi, and went on to establish the Mughal dynasty in India. All students of Indian history know this part of the story. But who was Babur? Where did he come from, and why did he decide to attack Hindustan? Find these answers and more in the 'Raiders from the North' - the first book in the epic series 'Emipre of the Moghul' by Alex Rutherford.

The book begins with the accidental death of Babur's father, and twelve-year-old Babur's ascension to the throne of Ferghana - a small mountain kingdom, a fragment of the mighty empire established by Babur's illustrious ancestor, Timur. With the support of some loyal followers, Babur manages to quell his dissidents, and hold off the threat of the Uzbeks lead by Shaibani Khan. Within a year, Babur conquers Samarkand - the jewel of Timur's empire, and it seems like he is well on his way to fulfilling his destiny as Timur's heir. But the wheel of fortune turns once again - Babur is betrayed by his cousins, and loses not just the throne of Samarkand, but also his birthright, the crown of Ferghana.

This minor setback cannot hold back the true heir of Timur, though. He wins back Samarkand - not once, but twice - each time having to relinquish the throne under heartbreaking circumstances. Finally, accepting that Samarkand is not his destiny, Babur crosses the Hindu Kush mountains to Kabul. As the king of Kabul, Babul achieves stability for the first time - but he is not satisfied. He yearns to follow in the footsteps of Timur, to carve out an empire, to make his ancestors proud. To the west of Kabul, the Shah of Persia and the Uzbeks in Samarkand leave him no room for expansion - Babur turns eastwards, once again following in Timur's footsteps - crossing the mighty Indus to the land of 'dust and diamonds', to Hindustan.

Babur's army is outnumbered by the vast strength of Ibrahim Lodi - but Turkish guns and cannons lead Babur to a victory which would echo down the annals of Indian history. In one stroke, Babur is the master of the Delhi Sultanate, and has laid the foundation of his Mughal dynasty which would go on to rule India for the next four centuries. Nevertheless, his success is tainted with his deep dislike of this new land he has conquered, and he spends his last days yearning for the cool mountain breezes of his homeland - indeed it is dying wish that he be buried in Kabul...

What a brilliant start to the series! I have to admit I'm hooked - can't wait to get my hands on the next book! The author has done a wonderful job of layering the bare bones of factual history with a rich, dazzling tapestry of characters and events. The main characters are all historical, and so are the milestone events - fact and fiction blend seamlessly! I did feel that the Battle of Panipat, and also later, the defeat of Rana Sanga - both, momentous events, which changed the history of India - could have been more detailed. Compared to the bloody descriptions of the Samarkand wars, these are almost tame! But this is a minor quibble - the book surpasses all expectations!

A young dashing hero, a glorious destiny, a lifetime of peril, blood thirsty enemies, intrigues and deception, unwavering loyalty and fealty - 'Raiders from the North' is historical fiction at its best - history that reads like a high-adrenalin fiction thriller! Definitely a must-read!

Duniyadaari (2013)

Duniyadaari - 2013's biggest Marathi hit! A blockbuster, with critical acclaim! A plot inspired by the novel written by Mr. Shirwalkar, a giant in the field of Marathi literature! Directed by Satish Jadhav, with a stellar cast comprising of the who's who of today's Marathi film industry! Needless to say, my expectations were sky high before watching this movie!!

Shreyas (Swapnil Joshi) and Digya (Ankush Chaudhari) become friends after an initial misunderstanding. Shreyas is drawn into Digya's group of 'Katta' friends - a motley group with many quirks. Shirin (Sai Tamhankar) and her brother Pritam (Sushant Shelar) soon join the group, and Shreyas finds himself falling in love with Shirin. Meanwhile, Minu (Urmila Kanetkar), another newcomer to the gang is drawn towards Shreyas. Will Shreyas find his true love? Will the creepy Sai (Jitendra Joshi) stand in the way of the Katta gang's happily-ever-after? Will this friendship stand the true test of time?

I really wanted to like this movie - on paper, all the ingredients are perfect - but the end result is dry and insipid! The college setting is an ideal way to tug at heartstrings - who doesn't remember their own 'Katta' days, that brief golden period full of possibilities? That first love - and heartbreak, the endless cups of tea, the camaraderie and the pranks - how wonderful would it be to relive all of that on the big screen? And this is where the film hits its first snag - none of the actors look a day younger than 30, if that! They just don't appear right as college going students! Swapnil Joshi with his weird hairdo (is that a wig? - sure looks like one!), Ankush Chaudhari, who appears to have ransacked Bachchan's wardrobe from Sholay, Jitendra Joshi channeling Manoj Bajpai from Aks - and don't even get me started on the girls! Granted, the setting is in the 70's when bell bottom pants, beehive hair and polka dots were all the rage - but I cannot believe for an instant that students of SP college, one of the most conservative campuses in Pune even today, would be dressed like this! Not plausible at all!

The plot loopholes, too, are quite jarring! I never understood why Digya and Sai were such deadly foes, or even why Shreyas and Digya would become such close friends - so much so that Digya would antagonize one of his childhood friends in favor of Shreyas. I'm sure sharing your first cigarette with a friend is special (rolling eyes here), but shouldn't there be something more concrete too? I get that Shreyas and Shirin are attracted to each other, so why bother with the whole Minu track - especially when a love triangle has already been established with Sai? It would have made more sense if Shreyas had been torn between the contrasting personalities of the 2 girls - but there's no conflict, no tension - Minu adds zilch to the story! Also distracting was all the parents' back stories - how did it help to know that Shreyas' mom had loved and lost? Or that Shirin's parents were estranged or that Minu's dad was a widower who had raised her by himself?

The whole medical thing, too - seems like such an afterthought! Is an early death really necessary to establish a protagonist as a good person? Besides, Shreyas' illness is handled so cavalierly - right from the first frame, with the first nosebleed to the soundtrack of a beating heart - Shreyas' destiny is crystal clear. So where's the drama, the anxiety, the gut wrenching sorrow when his friends find out? When Shreyas speaks of his imminent death, he sounds like he's moving to the USA for a couple of years - his only concern is that his friends remember him on his birthday. And we see them do exactly that - remember Shreyas some 25 odd years after his death. What I would have liked to see was how these people have fared in all these years - did Shreyas' death bring them all closer, did they all rally around Shirin, most importantly, did they even stay friends? Without this depth, the final scenes of the movie are as artificial and contrived as the greying hair and glasses of the gang!

'Duniyadaari' loosely translates as 'worldliness' into English - 'yaari before duniyadaari', friendship before anything else, is a very pretty catchphrase - but I wish this movie had shown what friendship really means in the real world, in the world after college. True friends who stand by you through thick and thin, not just for the laughs - but also through the tears. I wish this movie had shown that although love is a very important part of life, it is not life itself - and again, in life, it is true friends who not only comfort you after heartbreak, but also help you get back on your feet. Oh well, it is only a movie after all - don't expect it to be insightful and heartfelt like I did, and you might just enjoy it!

Chennai Express (2013)

I am an unabashed SRK fan - have been one since his 'Fauji' days - so after sitting through the like of Ra.One and JTHJ, it was gratifying to see him in all-out entertainer like Chennai Express! Get on the train, baby!

The plot is simple enough - Rahul is an orphan raised lovingly by his grandparents. When his granddad passes away - a day shy of 100 - it is his last wish that his ashes be immersed in Rameshwaram. Rahul, on the other hand, is in a hurry to make up for his lost years - he plans to bring in his 40th birthday in Goa, and he's sure that Dadaji would understand. He cooks up an elaborate scheme to hoodwink his trusting grandmother - getting on the Chennai Express, fully intending to get off at the next station to meet his friends and drive to Goa - but fate intervenes in the form of Meenamma...

What follows is unarguably the funniest sequence in the movie - Rahul in the train, leaning out to give a hand to a beautiful damsel in distress, his cheeky 'Maine pehle bhi kiya hai' (I've done this before), the DDLJ signature tune playing in the background! And then, the same sequence with a burly goon - and again, and again - until Rahul has helped 4 more people onto the train, and is now too late to get off himself! I loved the nostalgic self-referencing, and the spoof had me in splits! And the gags keep coming - Rahul and Meena communicating by singing Hindi songs, the Tamil-Hindi lost in translation misunderstandings, Rahul's false bravado in the train - any other actor would have had me rolling my eyes, but only Shahrukh can turn the most absurd, ludicrous slapstick into highly entertaining scenes!

Needless to say, Chennai Express is a complete SRK fest! The surprise is Deepika - she more than holds her own with her spot-on Tamil accent! Her wardrobe deserves a special mention, too - gorgeous, gorgeous sarees, and what's more, she stays in her sarees even in the de rigueur dream sequence! After so many pretentiously over-styled movies of late, this film is like a fresh breath of air! Director Rohit Shetty showcases southern India beautifully, and while the picturesque villages are obviously sets, some of the locales are absolutely stunning - most notable, the bridge over the waterfall where the Chennai Express stops to let off Meena's gang - nothing short of breathtaking!

Akin to most Bollywood films, the songs add absolutely nothing to the narrative! They are beautifully picturized though, especially the 'Kashmir mein, tu Kanyakumari' number - very vibrant, very colorful! As expected, '1 2 3 4' and 'Lungi Dance' are instant chartbusters - very smart to have a musical tribute to Rajnikanth in a movie with such a Tamil feel - I kept waiting for the Thalaiva himself to make a special appearance! 'Titli' and 'Tera Raasta', the 2 romantic numbers are what you would expect - slow music with soulful lyrics! Again, the flavor of all the songs is very Indian, and so is the choreography - doesn't get any more desi than this!

It's not all smooth sailing though - actually, in one of the worst moments in the movie, SRK does end up in a sailboat! The humor is quite crass at times - and I absolutely did not get the point of the scene with the dwarf and the clicking! No Rohit Shetty movie is complete without car chases, cars blowing up in slo-mo, and the most gory fights - Chennai Express is no exception! Also, the narrative would have us believe that the devoted grandson, Rahul, would casually blow off his grandparent's wishes to go party with his friends - and then have an improbable change of heart towards the end, giving an impassioned speech about women's rights, the North-South divide, India's numerous problems and that too, in flawless Tamil! Rahul can be identified with as long he is embodying the common man - when he fights off an entire village, takes a beating severe enough to kill a person over a dozen times, and still stands up to defend himself - yawn, not impressed! Couldn't the script writers come up with a better plan to have Rahul make his point?

Flaws aside, Chennai Express is a completely feel-good movie. Bright, cheerful (for the most part), family friendly - what more can you ask for? Oh yes, SRK of course! So, go ahead and watch the movie! You'll definitely walk out withe a smile on your face! Chal-lo!!

Cutting for Stone

Image courtesy: Goodreads

 'Born in Africa, living in exile in America, then returning at last to Africa' - that, in a nutshell, is the story of Marion Stone - the central character in this sweeping novel written by Abraham Verghese. Spanning 3 continents and almost the entire 20th century, 'Cutting for Stone' is an engrossing, enthralling read - highly recommended!

Marion and Shiva Stone are conjoined twins - born to Sister Mary Joseph Praise, an Indian Carmelite nun and Dr. Thomas Stone, a British surgeon, an unlikely pair if ever there was one! Their birth at the Mission 'Missing' Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia brings tragedy - Sister Mary's death, and the subsequent disappearance of the grief-struck Dr. Stone, leaves the twins orphaned. They are subsequently raised by Dr. Hema and Dr. Ghosh, and indeed the entire staff of Missing Hospital!

Though separated surgically at birth, the twins share a deep bond, communicating almost telepathically, their identities closely intertwined. They have a shared passion for medicine, nurtured by their foster parents, learning hands-on at Missing - but as they grow older, their paths start to diverge. Things come to a head in their teens - their childhood playmate, Genet, becomes a bone of contention. Marion, who is in love with Genet and wants to marry her, feels betrayed when Shiva casually sleeps with her. The rift that is caused lasts for most of their adult lives. Marion enrolls in medical school, while Shiva chooses to train with Hema, forgoing formal medical training - developing into the world's leading expert in the field of birth-related fistulas.

It is Genet, once again, who causes the next upheaval in Marion's life. She joins the Eritrean Liberation Movement, and when Marion's name comes up as one of her closest friends, he has to flee overnight to avoid arrest, not knowing if he will see his family or his Ethiopia ever again! He heads to New York, where he joins the Our Lady of Perpetual Succour hospital as a resident surgeon. The book heads to a stunning conclusion through a set of unexpected reunions and painful reconciliations - Marion and Dr. Stone, Dr. Stone and Hema, Marion and Genet, and of course, Marion and Shiva! For a final reunion, Marion heads back to Missing and Ethiopia, and life comes full circle!

Abraham Verghese is a physician, and his love of medicine and surgery shines forcefully through the novel. There is plenty of operating room drama - Grey's Anatomy, anyone? Practicing medicine in a country like Ethiopia is hard - the anguish and frustration of the doctors of Missing when they are unable to save a patient is very palpable. Using antiquated equipment, outdated diagnostic tools and sheer common sense, these doctors are fighting against superstition, malnutrition and plain ignorance! Although, the medical jargon does end up being a bit much - there were times when I was thinking - OK, too much information, I really did not need to know that! Especially the whole thing about fistulas - I could not get through that fast enough! For anyone not in the medical profession the very visceral images of the surgeons performing their different procedures would be just a little disturbing!

What I really loved was the Ethiopian backdrop - before I read this book I guess I thought that Ethiopia was one of those poor impoverished African countries -  and I was really surprised to learn about its rich history! Yes, we all know that Africa is the 'Cradle of Civilization' - but I did not know that Ethiopia is actually where it all started! Ethiopia has also been one of the longest monarchies in history, and except for a short 6 years when Mussolini invaded, has never been colonized or occupied by a foreign power! I also did not know that Ethiopia is one of the founding members of the United Nations, and its last emperor Haile Selassie was named Time magazine's 'Man of the Year' in 1935! True, the last few decades have not been kind - droughts, famines, civil wars and revolutions - but the picture of Ethiopia painted in this book, though far from idyllic, has certainly piqued my interest!

Very faint but distinctly unique is the the thread of India that runs through the book - binding the characters together! Hema and Ghosh are both from Chennai, and so is Sister Mary Joseph - Dr. Thomas Stone, too, has been raised in Chennai! References to the Mylapore Temple and San Thome Cathedral literally transported me back in time - almost like unexpectedly running into an old friend! Also very familiar are the Indian student doctors in New York - Marion's colleagues and friends. The angst of students living on a shoe-string budget, the struggle of surviving in a foreign country, the bitter realization that no matter what 'once a foreigner, always a foreigner', and finally, the joy of finding a little piece of heaven in the most unlikely places - it did cut a little close to the bone!

When Marion first travels to New York, it was like I was once again on my first flight to Chicago! Stepping off the plane into the huge airport, an immense number of cars waiting outside, and yet not even a single honk! Our noisy tropical cities are no match to the deafening silence of America - seriously, the silence and the long trail of red taillights on the freeway, these were my first impressions of America - much like Marion's. His delight when he finds authentic Ethiopian food in the heart of New York and meets other fellow Ethiopians who, like him, are longing for a taste of home! Certainly brought back bitter sweet memories of the those first few years away from home!

I don't remember why I decided to read this novel - but I am so very glad that I did! It truly touched my heart, stirring up a deep nostalgia! There's a great deal of general knowledge - mainly about Ethiopia and medicine - don't you love a novel that actually educates you?! And if you have ever been an expat, this book is a must-read - countries may differ, but the experiences are always the same! Happy Reading!

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Kim Edwards' debut novel begins on a wintry March night in 1964 in Lexington, Kentucky. A snowstorm has the city in its grip, and when Norah Henry goes into labor three weeks early, her husband Dr. David Henry is forced to attend to her delivery. Their firstborn, a boy, is perfectly healthy - but his twin sister born moments later is unmistakably a Down's syndrome baby. Convinced that he is protecting his family from a terrible grief, Dr. Henry instructs his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby girl to an institution - and tells Norah that the second child was stillborn. Little does he know that this one impulsive action would have far-reaching consequences for all of them...

Norah is unable to get over the death of her baby daughter. Brimming over with love for her son, Paul, she is nevertheless grieving for her other baby, dreaming of lost things, searching, always searching. David, on the other hand, cannot understand what he thinks is an obsession with the child - he wants her to live in the now, to be there for him and Paul - but he too, is weighed down with his secret. To make matters worse, he finds out that Caroline has the baby, Phoebe, living with her - she could not bring herself to drop Phoebe off at the dank, depressing institution. Instead Caroline moves to Pittsburgh with the baby, determined to start a new life for the both of them.

A whirlwind romance, a deep, enduring love, a solid marriage - on the surface, the Henrys have it all. But the loss of their daughter has changed them forever. David's secret lies like an invisible wall between them. As Paul grows, the couple grows further apart - until they are total strangers to each other. Norah struggles with a drinking problem, and has a number of affairs; David immerses himself in a new hobby - photography. He becomes the 'memory keeper' - but the one memory he would like to obliterate continues to haunt him.

This is a really poignant, heart-wrenching book about the choices we make, the paths we choose. Norah's bewilderment, her frustration and her sense of loss are sharply etched - and while I wanted to give her a good shake and tell her to get a grip, I could also understand why she acts the way she does. It would be easy to dismiss David as a callous, hard-hearted individual - but as in life, nothing is completely black and white in the book. David's past - his younger sister born with a heart defect, her subsequent death, the constant worry and anguish of his parents, his own conflicted feelings for his sister - all this baggage plays a big role in the decision he takes on that fateful night. He genuinely believes that he is sparing his wife and son a lifetime of pain. It is ironical that he is powerless to stop Norah and Paul from drifting away, the very family he tried so hard to protect crumbling away to nothing.

Caroline's choices are a little hard to understand at first. She has been in love with David, and is taking the baby merely her way to stay linked to him, to hold on to him in some way? She does bring up Phoebe as her own, which is no easy feat. The problems of raising a mentally challenged child are very complex, especially when, as Caroline finds out, the child grows into an adult, struggling to find a place in the world. Caroline's struggle to give Phoebe her independence while trying to keep her safe is beautifully portrayed.

What I loved the most about the book is that there is no all loose ends tied up, walk off into the sunset happy ending. Instead the book opens up possibilities of new beginnings. Yes, Norah meets her daughter, and Paul meets his sister - but they are both surprised to find that Phoebe is very happy in her little world, and finding a new mother and brother does not mean that she will abandon the family she already has! They all have to find a way past all the lost years, and the first step for both Norah and Paul would be forgiving David. Their lives could have been different, but what happened, happened - and now, they have to move on!

Incredibly hard to put down, The Memory Keeper's Daughter is a spellbinding novel. I would highly recommend it - just make sure you grab that box of tissues before you start! Happy Reading!