Tweeting Away

Recommends: The Beach - Alex Garland

I read this last summer, quite fittingly while I was in Puerto Galera on vacation with friends. I had seen the movie first and was immediately intrigued by the idea of a secret beach. The book turned out to be much better than the movie - as I read it I was taken by the simplicity of its narration and the casual, rather conversational manner of Garland's storytelling (apparently he's rather partial to Hemingway's style of writing, so that must have something to do with his own). I find that there's also much to be pondered on about a seeming paradise turning out to be a manic inferno. Finally, this book I feel mainly presents two important aspects of a human being: one that is in constant longing for redemption, and another that reveals his sinister and rather disturbing disposition. My favorite chapter of the book is titled "All These Things", Garland's take on the concept of a parallel universe, a portion of which I had written about in one of my blog entries.

People who would like this book: Aldous ("profundity in simplicity"), Yralyn, and Marvin (Malabanan)

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