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OK…the only Chuck Palahniuk book the bookshops here seem to carry is Diary. I did find a dog-eared copy of Invisible Monsters…but for that price, I want a pristine book that I can dog-ear myself!

So in my quest to find a wrapped copy of Invisible Monsters, I went to both MPH and Kino and I eventually ended up with Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor and The Ideal Bride by Stephanie Laurens (buy 2 books and get 20% off the cheaper one!), and The Crimson Petal And The White by Michel Faber.

Forever Amber is a whopping 972 pages thick…it took me two long days to get through the whole book! The ‘official’ review:

When Forever Amber was originally published in 1944 it created a sensation and catapulted its author to instant fame. The novel sold over 100,000 copies in its first week, and Kathleen Winsor became a household name. In Amber St. Clare, she created a passionate, willful and unforgettable heroine to rival Scarlett O’Hara and Rebecca de Winter. Considered bawdy and immoral, the book was banned in Boston and burned in the streets, yet it went on to sell over 3 million copies worldwide, was a bestseller in 16 countries and outsold almost every other book of the decade.

Abandoned pregnant and penniless on the teeming streets of London, sixteen-year-old Amber St. Clare uses her wits, beauty and courage to climb to the highest position a woman could achieve in Restoration England, that of favourite mistress of the Merry Monarch himself, Charles II.

From whores to highwaymen to courtiers and noblemen, from the Great Plague and the Fire of London to the intimate passions of ordinary, and extraordinary, men and women, Amber experiences it all. But throughout her trials and escapades, she remains, in her heart, true to the one man she really loves, the one man she can never have.

As Amber’s adventures unfold, the world of the Restoration and the Court of Charles II are brought vividly to life. From her humble beginnings in rural England, Amber, beautiful, determined, sexy and ruthless, refuses to let anyone or anything stand in her way. Her ascent to the upper echelons of London society is as spectacular in its audacity as it is dramatic in its consequences. From peasants to princes, Kathleen Winsor’s dissection of the manners and mores of Restoration England and the pomp and ceremony of Court recreates the sense of time and place, capturing in the rich atmosphere the bawdy excesses and immorality of the period. Forever Amber remains a sensual and classic love story, with a heroine at its heart who is as mischievous as she is romantic. This much-loved tale, read and adored by two generations, will engage and enchant contemporary readers.

As for my personal review: It’s indeed an engaging read, but it really can’t be compared to the epic Gone With The Wind. Amber does have alot of traits in common with Scarlett, and Bruce (the man she loves) is a cross between Ashley Wilkes and Rhett Butler. But Amber’s character just doesn’t have that same complexity as Scarlett O’ Hara. However, the writing is vivid and the section when they live through the Great Plague is particularly interesting (at least it had me typing ‘Great Plague’ in Google to find out more info!). The ending may come as a shock to some…it did to me! Without trying to spoil the book for those who haven’t and plan to read it…all I’ll say is that the ending had me flipping through the book just in case the last few pages were mixed up somewhere in the middle of the book! Yes…quite an abrupt ending! A movie was also made on this book in 1947, garnering mixed reviews at amazon.com…=)

I usually feel that if you read the book before watching the movie, you’ll probably end up being disappointed with the movie as there’s only so much you can cram into 2 hours. For me, an interesting story can get me so immersed that I literally have a ‘movie’ playing in my head as I flip the pages. And at the end of a really good book, I’ll usually end up looking abit dazed (more than usual *grin*) that I’ve been propelled out of my make-believe world back into the 21st century. This happened when I read Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire and The Order Of The Phoenix in one sitting (not both books in one sitting…that’s too much, even for me!), The Other Boleyn Girl and some of my favourite books. And there’s a smug satisfaction of finishing a good book, at the same time, a slight feeling of sadness that it’s all ended…

Anyways, I’ve just started on An Ideal Bride…but after reading 10+ books by Stephanie Laurens, I’m really starting to get bored with her stories. The reason I bought this book was cause I wanted the 20% discount and I couldn’t find Terry Pratchett’s A Hat Full Of Sky (which I later saw displayed at the entrance…damn!)…

I’m saving The Crimson Petal And The White for this weekend’s trip back to Ipoh…hope it’ll be good!

And more on books….back in January, I kinda reviewed Mitch Albom’s The Five People You Meet In Heaven. Well, I finally got my hands on Tuesdays With Morrie…and it’s a lovely lovely book. I read it during one of my lunch hours at the office and I nearly started crying. It’s well-written, heartfelt and absolutely touching. Personally, I liked it alot more than The Five People You Meet In Heaven…I mean, both are good books, but this just touches the heart.

OK…enough of books. Time for bed cause I’m collecting my car later today!!!