Book to Movie Challenge Wrap-Up

I finished this challenge much faster than I thought it would. Probably because it was so much fun! Thanks to Callista at SMS Book Reviews for hosting! And I look forward to participating in the Jewish Literature challenge!

My finished challenge books are:

• The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
• The Hours by Michael Cunningham
  
• Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie

and one extra

• Le Divorce by Diane Johnson

Unfortunately, the only movie I got around to watching was The Hours. The rest are on my Netflix queue, and I am patiently waiting for the DVD release of The Namesake on November 27. So I can't really say how most of the movies compare to the books.

The best book: I liked all of these books, but I think the Namesake just squeaks out on top.
What book could I have done without: I liked them all.
Any new authors? They are all new to me!
What did you learn -- about anything -- through this challenge? I seem to read a lot of books that have been made into movies--more than I realize. If there's a next time, I might delve into a non-fiction book that has been turned into a documentary or movie.

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress - Dai Sijie

Title: Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
Author: Dai Sijie, translated from the French by Ina Rilke
Country: France/China
Year: 2000
Rating: B
Pages: 184 pgs.

First sentence: The village headman, a man of about fifty, sat cross-legged in the centre of the room, close to the coals burning in a hearth that was hollowed out of the floor; he was inspecting my violin.

Short Summary: Two city boys, both sons of intellectuals who have been identified as class enemies during the Cultural Revolution, are sent for re-education in a remote mountain village. There they meet the daughter of a local tailor, and discover a hidden stash of Western classic novels.

Is this a Challenge book? I read this for both the Books to Movies challenge, and my own personal Reading Across Borders challenge. Which leads me to a debate I have been having with myself (aren't those the best kinds of debate?), about how to classify this book. I originally have it listed under my China selection. It is written by a man born in China. But, the novel itself was written in French, 16 years after he left China. So, technically, it could also be considered a French novel, right? Yet, it is a story about China. There are so many books out there written by refugees and other immigrants, this thought keeps coming up in my mind. Hmmm. I've decided to keep Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress as my China selection, but may read another book down the line that is translated from the Chinese.

What did I think? On starting this novel, I realized I have read very few books about re-education during the Cultural Revolution, and they have all been non-fiction. Since this is the first time I have come across this topic as the centerpiece of a novel, I was quite excited to dive into the story.

For the most part, it did not disappoint. It is a charming story filled with beautiful imagery and subtle humor. The non-linear storytelling may be a turn-off to some, but I personally enjoy this style. If done well, it keeps the reader on their toes. As the story progresses, however, I started to get the impression that the author began the story almost as an autobiography, introducing a few bits of fiction. But, as the story continues, the fictional aspects grow greater, yet at the same time unrealistic. The resulting effect is a story that feels a bit disjointed and out of tune with itself. However, I still believe the overall power of the story makes it a worthwhile read.

For those who have read it, I am curious what you thought about the ending. That I did not like!

The Namesake - Jhumpa Lahiri

Title: The Namesake
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri
Country: America
Year: 2003
Rating: A-
Pages: 291 pgs.

First sentence: On a sticky August evening two weeks before her due date, Ashima Ganguli stands in the kitchen of a Central Square apartment, combining Rice Krispies and Planters peanuts and chopped red onion in a bowl.

The novel begins in 1968 with the birth of a boy named Gogol Ganguli. His mother, having recently emigrated to America after an arranged marriage to Ashoke, "is terrified to raise a child in a country where she is related to no one, where she knows so little, where life seems so tentative and spare." (p.6) Yet Gogol is born, and comes by his name through a series of random occurences. Despite the randomness of his naming, it is a name that holds personal meaning for his father Ashoke.

The family, soon to include a daughter Sonia, slowly find their way, balancing the old and the new. The Namesake is not only a coming-of-age story; it is a family portrait of a Bengali couple raising their children in a new culture. Lahiri adeptly captures the disparities between parents who view their country of origin as home, but raise American children who abandon their ethnic identity and squirm in discomfort on each visit 'home' to Calcutta. Although the story centers around Gogol and his search to become reconciled with his identity, we follow each family member as they search out their own path. I would definitely recommend this story of individual growth amidst family (and cultural) relationships.

The Hours - Michael Cunningham

Title: The Hours
Author: Michael Cunningham
Country: America
Year: 1998
Rating: B-
Pages: 230 pgs.

UPDATE: This is turning out to be one of the novels that, for me, is enhanced by time. I watched the movie while on vacation, and believe the two complement each other wonderfully. After absorbing and thinking about Michael Cunningham's style, I've changed my mind, and now have a higher opinion of this book.

First sentence: She hurries from the house, wearing a coat too heavy for the weather.

Passionate, profound, and deeply moving. That is the description found on the back cover of my copy of The Hours. That statement places a large expectation in the mind of the reader. Does the novel live up to it? In some ways, yes. In others, no.

Michael Cunningham pays homage to Virginia Woolf in this novel about three women (including Virginia Woolf herself) from three different generations who are tied together by Woolf's novel Mrs Dalloway. Writing in a style reminiscent, but not quite as good, as Woolf herself, Cunningham takes you on a day's journey in the lives of these three women, as we see how their stories intertwine.

I felt the largest weakness of the novel was the one-dimensional aspect of the women, particularly Laura Brown and Clarissa. I was particularly disappointed with the imitative style of Clarissa's storyline. I was expecting something more out of a Pulitzer winning book.

Would I recommend The Hours to others? Maybe. I don't feel as if I wasted my time reading it. The quality of writing is superb, and for that alone, I feel it was worth the read. And I really enjoyed the symbolism he incorporates, particularly with roses. But it might not stick around on my bookshelf that much longer (keep an eye on my PBS account if you would like the book--it will probably end up there soon).