A Mountain-top

I love some accidents. They take me to some of the most amazing things I could experience. Recently in such an accident during some late-night channel-surfing I came to watch a beautiful movie called "Brokeback Mountain".

I love watching action movies, suspense-thrillers, (rarely horrors), fi and sci-fi, rom-coms (or romedy), drama (without melodrama); in-short all sorta movies and yet as per my observation I almost always pref watching action-fictions. (Marvel superheroes are favourites!). Despite all this, after a somewhat hectic day, and bit of surfing, I chose a ten-year old (2005 release) "Brokeback Mountain" over "the walk among tombstones" (mwah.. Liam Neeson!) by just checking the critic reviews and ratings. Actually, in my honest opinion, critic reviews usually reflect how boring a non-action movie could be - higher the ratings and reviews better the 'critically' important things but more (could be) the boredome (I'm just a viewer, people! No critic!)

Well, but despite of critic ratings, what more made me choose the Mountain, was one of my beloved actors "Heath Ledger". Just as he appeared on the screen, he won it over Liam Neeson almost immediately; and "Brokeback Mountain" is totally worth it.

I noticed "Based on" in the end credits and off course, I read the book the very next day. Anna Proulx's 1999 published short-story by the same name, was easy to find online and beauteous to read; and reminded me the entire time, of shots and dialogues from the movie. Movie poster is deliberately adapted from "Titanic" and it's totally symbolic just as many aspects of the story - though, easily comprehensible. Watching the movie is pleasant both on eyes and mind. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal (and others) stand absolutely true to the expectations (by the story and by me.. haha) or better. But above all (being a hardcore book-lover), never before have I seen a book adaptation to motion picture so line-to-line or so splendid. (Well, I just read that it received the Oscar for this - Best Book Adaptation!)

   

Two ranch hands - Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist - meet for sheep herding on the Brokeback Mountain in summer of 1963. They develop a sexual and romantic friendship there and set on their separate ways after spending that summer together. They make contact again only after four years during which each of them has got married and has kids. But with the contact initiated, they realize how much they've missed each other and what they mean to each other.

When they meet first none of them's gay, and yet, when they meet again they know they'll do anything to preserve their relationship. That they've found long-yearned love only with each other. It's a story to make us aware that, gay or not, what matters (or did - back in 60s and 70s) to people is love, a special understanding which makes them want to stick together. While giving brief account of their personas - Jack, bit inclined towards careless and passionate whereas Ennis, introverted, deep within longing for Jack's warm love and understanding; story is a smooth ride along the emotions of characters, getting us involved, captivating, making us want to know what happened next - over the span of twenty years (and all that without an action-sequence!).

However, Brokeback Mountain also sheds light on the situation of gay people back in 1960s, 70s and 80s. Now, in the 21st century, it's much easy to accept someone's love for another person of the same sex but back then, Ennis is scared for their lives and shaken when his fears come true.

It doesn't have the adrenaline rush and action and sense of leaving-u-blownoff, but rather like a soft touch creating slightest ripples in your mind. Movie's something you'll miss big time, if not watched and a mere 30 pages short-story helped me understand the expressions better, at a point or two. It said in a movie review (which I read much later), "A film in which love feels as if it were being invented. It's also a rare crowd-pleaser with the potential to change hearts and minds." I thought it couldn't be put a better way.

It's said that a visit to mountains cleanses and calms your mind. 'Brokeback Mountain' has become my new mountaintop.

From Idris, With Love #03

# And with attachments from LA, Alicante and around the World

After roaming around Idris and the rest of the Shadowhunter universe for so long, it was rather obvious to get my hands on ‘the Lady Midnight’ (the Dark Artifices Series #01), ‘the Bane Chronicles’ and ‘the Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy’.

Sadly, after the IDs culminating like that, I found everything else a shade or two to the dull side.

‘Lady Midnight’ is good one-time-read even for fantasy’s sake and to know what happened next to our got-so-beloved Shadowhunter universe after MIs; whereas ‘Bane Chronicles’ stand to tell the historic background (almost up-to MI) for Shadow-world (making a reason of all-time hottie Magnus).

I almost fell in love with Magnus’s Charm after the Chronicles (but, though a hottie, he’s rather too old for me!). Chronicles soothe the itchy intrigues about the practically spell-binding warlock, though they’re not meant to satisfy at any point; keeping the character still equally charming.

The Tales too, open up and point at so many shadowy-secrets’ existence, keeping it engaging otherwise, except some parts like the ‘parabatai chapter’ seem to be a fantasy-overdose. Shadow-History and Simon go parallel and in a gripping way. Somehow, I felt the Tales to be more or less like a magazine (or newsletters) that brings the news of (my newly-beloved characters of) Shadow-world post-MIs.

Importantly, somehow these books (referring all of eleven ‘Chronicles’ as a single book and all the ‘Tales’ as the other) don’t accurately keep up with shadow-timeline. The Lady Midnight also gets timeline-sloppy at occasions. Now, I understand, reader is supposed to keep the brain on flight-mode while reading fantasy; but such easily avoidable errors might spoil it for you a bit by getting you confused. (P.S. thus, you won’t be able to top in Shadow-World-History Class).

But in all, I loved Cassandra Clare’s style and her imagination. I’d say it for sure that she has her own way of storytelling. She has created a nice, intermingled universe, with shadow-world exclusive places like Idris (the Nephilim Country), Silent City, Adamant Citadel, Spiral Labyrinth, Brocelind  Plains and Forest (sounds like Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts, right?), which is rather amusing though not fascinating. 

However unfair it seems but I could not help comparing Harry Potter with the Shadowhunter Series (as I call them all-in-one) which includes:

The Mortal Instrument Series (6 novels)

The Infernal Devices Series(3 novels)

The Bane Chronicles (Short-story collection)

The Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy (Short-story collection)

The Dark Artfices Series (still to get completed)

And I am yet to read ‘the Shadowhunter Codex’ which apparently the textbook for being a Nephilim (- if I choose to be one - which means, now u know why I haven’t read it yet).

Even without the creation of vast and meticulous parallel universe; with engrossing and continuous storytelling Cassandra Clare could possibly be the next J. K. Rowling. But unlike HP, where magic-world mostly prefers isolation from muggle-world, Shadowhunter Universe mingles with the mundane world rather amiably.

From Idris, With Love #02

# And with Infernal Devices

After finishing Mortal Instruments Series I was practically bookless for a day with my leisure time thoughts occupied by Shadowhunter universe and their motto ‘all the stories are true’. In that whim, I googled for Cassandra Clare books and found out her publications, in sequence. ‘Infernal Devices’ is her next complete series.

The Clockwork Angel

The Clockwork Prince

The Clockwork Princess

I read the three-book series again in continuity, and found it really better than the Mortal Instruments.

Infernal Devices are much more riveting than Mortal Instruments with characters introduced and taken away with every book (and not just in one), lead characters behaving in what we call as makes-sense ways and above all, drama packed and maintained without melodrama (which I had actually anticipated at higher scale because of the Victorian timeline chosen for the story). Funnily enough, I was expecting use of mobile phones (and having my expectations failed every time - haha) at the beginning and it took me a bit of time getting used to the story timeline and location. But once gotten it correctly, I was absolutely held by the Devices.

Capturing from the very first step, Infernal Devices start with a murder discovered in an alley and end with a happy twist, not losing the grip throughout. Story of Tessa Gray, James Carstairs and William Herondale is a prequel to the ‘Mortal Instruments’ Series revealing so many secret corners of the latter. The series revolves warmly around these three while holding tight hands with Jessamine, Nate, Charlotte, Henry, Sophie, Gideon, Gabrielle, Cecily and Magnus.

This series explained to me the Nephilim Concept of ‘Parabatai’ as I later thought it should’ve been in MIs itself. Inevitable part of emotional tangle is bit more yet much gracefully handled in this series as compared to MI (not-taking-into-account Will’s sometimes-overpowering martyr-fever).

But regarding that, I must mention, YAs of the IDs behave at a rather different maturity level than the MIs YAs. I assumed it’s because of the generation gap between the two. The restrictions that mundane and Nephilim society put back then were subtly pointed out in almost everywhere starting from everyday wear for ladies to the weapons they can carry. Progress of Nephilim community, which again highlights the different era, is carefully indicated by Shadowhunter gears, things such as under-development Portal-Tech and their refusal to get along with downworlders at ease – even after the accords.

Well, what’s more to say? After completing the two series, I recommended IDs first, to my fantasy-lover friends, and not just for the sake of chronology. (wink!)

From Idris, With Love #01

#And with Mortal Instruments

I didn’t use to like YA (the Young-Adult literature) much, some time back. (In-fact, depending on the storyline I was on the hate-it Que). Then one not-so-differently-fine day, I came across a movie ‘the mortal instruments - city of bones’. The movie said to be adapted from the book with same title by author Cassandra Clare; and the movie sucked as much as any book adaptation could possibly suck; but it got me intrigued about the book.

The title itself suggested fantasy, and story revealed presence of loads of mythical creatures. With some internet research I came to know that ‘The Mortal Instruments’ is a series of six books as:

City of Bones

City of ashes

City of Glass

City of Fallen Angel

City of Lost Souls

City of Heavenly Fire

I downloaded all six books greedily and read first four in a row over a week.

A young girl Clary Fray living in New York with her Mom with only her best Friend Simon and a family friend Luke as the other important people in her life. One day coming across a strange set of events – and people – she realizes that she is one the extraordinary of extraordinary people called the “Shadowhunters”. The book series is her journey of early times and adaptation to the life as Nephilim or Shadowhunter.

Storyline revolves around Clary, her mundane bestie Simon, her Shadowhunter family - Jocelyn and Valentine, indirect family – Luke/Lucian, the Shadowhunters she has her first encounters as the actual Guardian Nephilims – (‘it’s complicated’-)Jace, (watching six for all-)Alec, (warrior princess the sexy-)Isabelle, etc. and the hottie warlock – Magnus Bane.

It was good and pretty entertaining to read overall. But ‘hero’ Jace is much too complicated (and over-emotional at times) that he becomes irritating even for a reader sometimes (heaven knows how Clary puts up with him!). Magnus Bane, Alec, Isabelle appear to be far more bearable and (maybe that’s why) far more ‘engaging’ characters than Jace. Clary and Jace’s story goes such weird angles that initially it becomes difficult to gulp those twists (at least till the time when you develop that understanding that ‘it’s possible’).

And yet, I’d say it’s a good-to-read series. Because apart from the ‘emotional-atyachaar’ (that’s melodrama in Hindi) story is rather good, imagination is impressive and overall fab no-worries-fantasy to read, who doesn’t want that?

The Mortal Instrument series was mine too, first encounter with the Shadowhunter Universe. After reading four books in a single go, the fourth one ended for me with a shock and above that a little “now what?!” feeling, which resulted in, me forsaking the series, for a while. But I missed them. I completed the series after taking a break of few months before last two books. I liked the way intensity of climax and the way of storytelling keeps climbing up with each of the MI books.

I must say the last book of the series ‘City of Heavenly Fire’ appeared to me rather different than the other books. I mean, the rest of the books of the series go all in one flow, one color; revolving around Clary and a fixed set of characters. Whereas, ‘Heavenly Fire’ has so many new colors mixed. ‘Lost Souls’ too has introduced some new characters but ‘Heavenly Fire’ has tried and gone further to explain those new characters, partially; probably because of connection with so many of her other Shadowhunter series which were released or were upcoming by then.