Brianna the Breeze

The Gone series by Michael Grant has a huge array of characters, all of whom are unique and interesting in their own way.
Some have superpowers, some are normal, some side with evil, some are heroes and some only want to maintain a semblance of normalcy in their otherwise freakish lives in the FAYZ.
But Brianna is in her own class. Known as the ‘Breeze’ by one and all, she is crazy and yet dependable. Brianna always sees the light side of things and makes everyone laugh. Even at the times of stark danger, she never chickens out. Brave forever, fun to hang out with and still innocent in her ways - that’s our Brianna.
And of course, her power, super-speed, lends her the nickname ‘Breeze’. Brianna can do a gallop as easily as walking, and at her extreme, she is almost as fast as a bullet.
Brianna has proved herself totally brave and dependable, a person who never backs down from any fight and who is extremely loyal to her friends over and over again. Fighting the gaiaphage’s bugs, rescuing Caine (though he surely didn’t deserve it then), fighting Drake Merwin relentlessly until she chopped him up (more on that later) and at the end, fighting Gaia herself. The first time, of course, Brianna almost defeated her, but the second time the Breeze went down a hero.
She will live forever in the hearts of her fans, though, and also in the first-to-kill list of Drake Merwin if he ever comes back from Hell! Oh man, I wish I could have looked at Drake’s face when he was ambushed, chopped up by her and his various pieces scattered all throughout the FAYZ!! I’m sure that was one of the best moments Brianna ever had (and I must confess, I ever had, too!)

The City of Ember

This futuristic novel by Jeanne DuPrau is centred around an effort to save the human race from extinction due to war and calamity.
Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow are new graduates from the School of Ember in the City of Ember. This city is totally underground, founded by the mysterious 'Builders'. The city has a mayor, who is chosen when the previous resigns or dies. The entire place is lit up by electric lights at each street junction. The houses have light bulbs. Electricity is produced by a generator blocking the flow of an underground river.
The inhabitants of the city have never seen daylight and know nothing of it. Their knowledge of the world is very limited. They do not even know how electricity is produced, only that they must keep the generator running if their city is to be lit. Despite this, Lina and Doon show a curiosity to learn more and to somehow find an 'exit' from their now-crumbling city and save the city folk.
When Lina discovers the remnants of an old letter, semingly from the Builders, that talks of an 'egress' or exit, she is thrilled. Along with Doon, she finds the exit to the real world above them in the Pipeworks of the city. Other plots like a mysterious room in the Pipeworks, the mayor's strange behaviour and Lina's intent to find her imaginary sparkling city where she can keep her sister, Poppy, safe are interconnected with the main story line.
All in all, it is a very entertaining book, unique in its storyline and imaginative in its descriptions. Definitely worth a read if you're bored!

How Remus became a Werewolf

Harry Potter's teacher and trusted friend, Remus Lupin, plays a major role in the fight against The Dark Lord throughout the series. He is a known werewolf and a member of the Order of Phoenix.

Remus John Lupin was the son of Lyall Lupin and Hope Howell.
Lyall was a renowned wizard and an expert on the subject of Non-Human Spirituous Apparitions.
On a trip to a remote Welsh forest, Lyall met Hope Howell, his future wife. Hope was a Muggle and worked for an insurance company in Cardiff. She was encountered by a fierce boggart in the woods and was frightened by the forms it took. Lupin walked upon this scene and eliminated the boggart immediately. Hope thanked him profusely, thinking he had saved her from a dangerous man. Lyall noticed that she was very pretty and acknowledged her gratitude. They soon fell in love and got married.
Before the first wizarding war against Lord Voldemort, many dark creatures were freed and started attacking not only wizards, but Muggles too. To help contain this threat, many experts were called upon among which was Lyall Lupin, now the father of a baby, Remus. Lyall Lupin joined the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures in the Ministry of Magic. Lyall performed many great feats during his time at the Ministry. Once he trapped the Screaming Bogey of Strathtully, a huge boggart that had fed on the fears of the local villagers to become an 'elephantine black shadow with glowing, white eyes' in just a matchbox!
In the early 1965, a particularly savage werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, was brought back to the Ministry for questioning. At the time, though, none knew about his being a servant of Lord Voldemort. In fact, no one even knew he was a werewolf. He claimed to be a Muggle tramp, caught up in the commotion as some werewolves had attacked and killed two children. The Ministry committee accepted this story, all except Lyall Lupin. He had noticed some revealing traits in Fenrir, and declared that the werewolf was lying. But his colleagues made fun of Lyall, saying that he had better stick to his own area of expertise and that this was no werewolf. Lyall Lupin suggested that they keep Greyback in custody until the next full moon and then the truth would be revealed. The questioning committee laughed Lupin off. Lupin, in his frustration, made some choice comments about werewolves - They are soulless, evil and deserve nothing but death. Greyback was silently fuming and vowing revenge at this.
The Ministry decided to set the 'harmless Muggle tramp' free, after erasing his memories about the incident, but Greyback had some accomplices waiting and escaped immediately.
Greyback had his revenge on Lyall Lupin before the baby Remus' fifth birthday. He entered through the boy's bedroom window and attacked him with ferocity. Lyall awoke and arrived at the spot just in time to save Remus Lupin's life, but the young boy was turned into a werewolf and had to live his entire life being shunned by society.

This insight into Professor Lupin's life was recently published on Pottermore, a Harry Potter website started by J.K. Rowling for exactly this purpose. Many fans really want to know more about their favourite characters in the story, and while these bits of information weren't put into the stories, each make quite an interesting read. So here's a hooray for Pottermore and J.K. Rowling for coming up with this wonderful idea!!

Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff

Well, this one is for all the Harry Potter fans who totally love the houses of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry - Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff, simply because being in one of those houses declares a side of your character, which you might not have known before, and at the same time dares you to be as unique and different as possible within your own house. (Whew, that was one long sentence).
For those who don't know (if you don't, I can't figure out why you're reading this, but keep on reading anyway) :
These four are the houses of Hogwarts, where witches and wizards go for their education and training. In their very first year, in fact, as soon as they arrive at the school, they are sorted into houses by one very clever and shrewd hat, which can sift right through your thoughts and decide which house you belong in.
Gryffindor is the house of the brave. Those who belong here are open, fiercely loyal and determined.
"Their daring, nerve and chivalry sets Gryffindors apart".

Ravenclaw is the house of the wise. Those who belong here are intelligent, curious and often eccentric.
"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure".

Slytherin is the house of the baddies (just kidding, it is the house of the ambitious). Those who belong here are shrewd, resourceful and cunning (and not, may I remind you, vermin, though that is often used as an alternate definition).
"Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness".

Hufflepuff is the house of the hardworking. Those who belong here are honest, industrious and trustworthy.
"Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil".

Each Hogwarts house has its own qualities and its own ideals. Gryffindor is based loosely on the element fire, Ravenclaw on the element air, Slytherin on the element water and Hufflepuff on the element earth. And just like the elements of nature, they are very different from each other, but when put together, they are invincible.
Many misconceptions exist about the houses. One, that Gryffindor has produced no dark wizards. Two, all Ravenclaws are smart and care about nothing but their knowledge. Three, all Slytherins are evil and don't know love. Four, all Hufflepuffs are as dumb as they are modest.
One cannot be clearly defined through their house. It gives an edge to their personality, but does not decide their whole personality. Everyone is different, every individual can only be defined as himself.
And when the resourcefulness and power of every individual is combined, when all the four houses work together, then they will be indomitable. After all, only when you are united from within, you can face external threats.

Legolas and Gimli

Every Lord Of The Rings fan knows about the undying friendship between these two. Their differences span a wide range. Legolas is an elf, lithe and graceful, handsome and wise, supple and strong. He has lived in the forest all his life, and as they say, no one knows the woods better than a woodland elf.
Gimli is a dwarf, sturdy and steady, strong and determined. He is one of Durin's folk. His life has been spent in the caves and the underground. And as they say, none of the small folk have larger hearts than the dwarfs.
Legolas and Gimli... elf and dwarf... break the lifelong enmity between the elvenfolk and the dwarfs. Despite differences of opinion - Legolas can't stand the underground and Gimli can't stand the forests, they are the best of friends and support each other throughout the book.
They are friendly competitors during the battle (yes, they do compete to see who can kill more orcs in a battle), and every other time, they are steadfast mates. They bring a sense of togetherness to the company, the Fellowship of the Ring, and with their friendly yet polite bantering, add wry bits of humour to their terrifying journey.
It was strange, in a way, how their hostile arguments turned into light bickering as they made their way through the realms of Middle-Earth and past the norms frozen through centuries in their culture. And yet, once it happened, it seemed that it had always been inevitable, just as good triumphs over evil and ignorance is crushed by knowledge.
This just goes to prove how supposed 'enemies' can go out of their way to break the barriers of tradition for friendship. And that friendship in this world, or any other, is unexpected. It comes upon you suddenly and leaves you no time to do anything but plunge deep into it.

Gone

People you've known for a long time, or forever, sometimes just disappear from your life.

This is metaphorically speaking. But what if, say, all the people of your family, all the adults in your life, just vanish? Poof! 

That is what the novel series Gone is all about. Life in Perdido Beach, dubbed Fallout Alley due to a recent nuclear radiation leak from the nearby power plant, is totally normal. Sam Temple, the protagonist, is totally normal, too. In fact, he blends into the crowd as perfectly as a chameleon. And then suddenly, poof! Everyone above the age of 15 is gone. No explosion, no flashing light, no searing sound, nothing. Just gone. Now you see them, now you don't.

Havoc breaks loose, what with children running home from school to search for their parents at home, a fire breaking out right at the centre of the town and the official town bully, "Captain" Orc deciding to take charge ( umm.. actually, his sidekick, Howard, makes the decision. Orc is not really very smart, you see.)

Sam Temple, just an average kiddo, finds himself caught up in way too many troubles to explain right now. Let's just shorten it. Perdido Beach is surrounded by a barrier, an opaque sphere that gives you an electric jolt when you touch it. It can't be crossed or broken down or drilled into or anything like that. So all the kids are just stuck inside the FAYZ(Fallout Alley Youth Zone) with no adult to tell them what to do, no parent to tell them everything was gonna be okay and no idea how to manage the resources of the town.

Through the series, Sam Temple develops great powers, protects the children from one disaster after another, gets into a lot of life-threatening situations, but escapes alive. 

And every second reading the book, I knew one thing for sure - This ain't any hero's tale, with everyone getting out alive, the main characters being always right, and everyone somehow knowing just what to do. All of them out there are kids, and no one knows what's going to happen next, no one cares about anything except staying alive and no one wants to take the responsibility for anything unless it gets them something (not excepting even Sam).

I don't know how else to describe this book but as spine-chilling, thrillin' and killing!

Allegiant

The third book of the Divergent series, Allegiant, was released on October 22 this year. It being the final book in the Divergent series, people flocked to the stores to buy it and pre-ordered it online. In fact, my best friend pre-ordered it for me as a birthday present.
Divergent and Insurgent readers will know that Allegiant focuses mainly on the world outside the fence - outside Tris Prior's world. Tris, Tobias, and a couple of others join a rebel group known as the Allegiant, with which they attempt to go outside the fence to find out more about the world outside.
All of us fans were dying to know what lay outside the fence and what was in store for Tris. We all wanted to know what being Divergent really meant. True, all of that is revealed in Allegiant, however, the book has several loopholes and is not the exciting thriller we all imagined.

Okay, to explain this without spoilers is hard, but I will try my best here.

Sure, the book addresses all the main points about Divergence, but what about the rest of it? Tris and Tobias's relationship goes on and off, since they begin to have differences concerning Divergence. Caleb, Tris's backstabbing brother, is rescued. Caleb and Tris begin to get closer, though Tris has doubts about his motive for being nice to her, especially after delivering her to her execution in Insurgent. Christina and Tris do not hang out with one another as much as they used to, and *SPOILER ALERT* Uriah enters a coma, stays that way for most of the book and then dies.
Personally, I felt that the best part in the whole book was when Tris begins to find out more about her mother, Natalie Prior - who sacrificed herself for Tris in Divergent. Her mother was not the person Tris thought she was and through her mother's journal, she begins to feel closer to her mother, as if she is getting parts of her back through her words.
*HUGE SPOILER ALERT* Tris dies near the end of the book, sacrificing herself for her brother Caleb, who was to enter the Weapons Lab. Caleb had no chance of surviving, while Tris, being Divergent, had a slim chance, but she died. Tobias is left mourning her. Tris dying was the worst part of the book. Though the death itself was not very shocking, Tobias's reaction to it is heart-wrenching. True, Veronica Roth has shown her writing skills by making the readers cry. However, Tris's death was just too much to bear, and you will hear the Divergent fans say now, "I didn't ask for them to live happily ever after! I just asked for them to live!" No one ever imagined that the protagonist would be killed off, and this was what ruined the series.
Frankly speaking, Allegiant was a lukewarm ending to the Divergent series, and though Veronica Roth feels she did justice to her characters, many loyal fans feel the other way. There could have been a much better ending, and while reading the book, it came across as a not-very-well-thought-out plot. Like I said earlier, there were many loopholes, and there are many questions remaining unanswered at the end of the book.
I would say that, though the first book was the best in the trilogy, Allegiant is still a good dystopian novel. What makes it worth reading is that it is the final book in the Divergent trilogy, and that we finally come to know what Divergence really is. It's a book worth reading - even if it pains us. After all, a good series is one that makes you happy and excited, at the same time makes you terrified, cry and hurt. And the Divergent trilogy does that.

One video clipping...

Tris Prior's world is built on factions, divisions and being Divergent. And then, it all crumbles into a million little pieces. At the end of Insurgent, the sequel to Divergent, one small video clipping plunges everything into chaos.
The boundaries of the only home Tris has known falls away and so does the only fear she has known, being hunted for her Divergence.
Insurgent leaves off at a cliff-hanger, and a huge one at that. Looking forward to the third and final instalment of the series, I formed the idea for this review. But somehow, I didn't find myself publishing it until today. Allegiant, the last book of the series is out now, but before I review that, let's learn a little more about Divergence.
Until here, in the series, Divergence was a forbidden topic and it didn't just pop up into a conversation randomly. In fact, if you're Divergent and you talk about it, you're as good as already dead.
Jeanine Matthews, the Erudite head, made it her job to hunt down the Divergent and kill them, and the reason becomes somewhat clear at the end of Insurgent. The video clipping features Edith Prior, who calls to the Divergent. She tells everyone about the state of the world outside the fence, and requests the authorities to send out a Divergent army to purge the world of its illness. Jeanine Matthews sees this as a threat, and does not want to be usurped of her unofficial position as head of the city by the Divergent, who are made out to be all-powerful in the video.
Yet, it is unknown what actually Divergence is, whether it a trait, or the entire personality, whether it is a part of a person or their whole.
All these questions are answered in Allegiant, and I'm not going to start on it now or I probably won't stop before I post all the spoilers here.

Mrs. Packletide's Tiger

Well, I think I've begun feeling the monotony of writing about the same things that I have discussed a million times before with my friends. Let's get a breather now. I'm going to write about 'Mrs. Packletide's Tiger', a short story that I read sometime back (okay, it was in my English textbook last year).
The story is about one Mrs. Packletide who wants to kill a tiger, just to outshine her arch-rival Loona Bimberton, who has flown eleven miles in a plane with an Algerian aviator. Loona earned the awe and attention of the entire elite society for this feat. Mrs. Packletide hopes to turn the tide, literally speaking, and hopes that by shooting a tiger, she can gain more popularity in her society.
You could say Mrs. Packletide was a master strategist, as she had planned the whole journey to fame in complete detail. She would kill the tiger, host a party supposedly in Loona's honour, and then let a tiger-skin rug take up most of the foreground. Within days, she would be the talk of the town, and then she would present Loona a tiger-claw brooch on her birthday just to rub it in.
With such heroic plans, our hunter sets off to a village with a paid companion, Miss Mebbin. The villagers had been offered the meagre amount of one thousand rupees, which for them was a fortune. In return, the villagers took wonderful care of the 'venerable herd-robber', so that he might not stray from the grounds or die before the great event.
At last, Mrs. Packletide arrived to shoot the tiger. She was given a comfortable platform to crouch on while she waited for the old tiger to wander in. A goat with a loud bleat had been placed at a suitable position to attract the tiger.The creature finally ambled into view, and crept toward the goat softly, but steadily.
As soon as it was in the desired position, Miss Mebbin urged Mrs. Packletide to shoot, and the latter promptly obeyed.
There was a loud sound and the tiger jumped and fell over. Loud rejoicing erupted from the villagers and they started celebrating. After all, they had gained a thousand rupees!
It was Louisa Mebbin who brought to notice the fact that the goat was in death throes from a fatal bullet wound, while the tiger lay still, but had no sign of a bullet in it.
Apparently, the goat had been shot, and the tiger had collapsed of heart attack upon hearing the sudden report of the rifle. But the best part is yet to come.
The truth of the incident remains a secret, and as long as they received their reward, the villagers did not care about the fact that the wrong animal had been shot. The reporters interviewed Mrs. Packletide, who achieved her desire of outshining Loona Bimberton. But that success came at a huge price. Miss Mebbin, who was very shrewd, blackmailed Mrs. Packletide into buying her a weekend cottage that she liked. It was at the cost of revealing the truth which would make our hunter look like a grand old fool, which she could not afford. Thus, Mrs. Packletide was forced to accede to Louisa Mebbin's demands.
Miss Mebbin had the last laugh: 'Louisa Mebbin's pretty week-end cottage, christened by her "Les Fauves," and gay in summer-time with its garden borders of tiger-lilies, is the wonder and admiration of her friends.'

The Peverell Story

'Death takes all when their time comes' - A truth universally acknowledged.
Then what of the Peverell brothers? These three men - Cadmus, Antioch and Ignotus, played a very important role in shaping up the plot of the Harry Potter series.
Let me start with the Tale of the Three Brothers.
There were once three brothers, walking upon a deserted road at twilight (or midnight; it's debated, so take your pick). They approached a gloomy and forbidding forest, but collecting their nerves, they walked inside. The harsh echoes and deep silence of the woods were enough to make any passerby flee, but our three brothers walked on in bravery. Then they met a river in their path - it was eerie and too treacherous to pass. But the brothers, who were proficient in the magical arts, waved their wands and created a bridge, over which they could walk to safety. Death, who had set up the river as a trap and end for anyone who passed by, was angered that they had found a means of escape. So he confronted them and pretending to be pleased, offered them a reward each.
The first brother's nursed ambition was to be the strongest wizard in the world. He demanded such a tool of Death, that would make him invincible. Death fashioned an elder wand from a nearby tree, and handed it to the eldest brother. This wand was unconquerable when in duel and it acquired many other names such as the Deathstick and the Wand of Destiny.
The second brother begged Death to give him something to bring back his dead lover. Death gave him a pebble that could animate a dead person, and effectively, bring them back from the barrier of death.
The third and youngest brother, though, saw right through the hooded mask Death was wearing. Being shrewd, he realized that Death was manipulating them to their death. So, he chose to be left alone by Death until he was ready to die. Death, being outwitted, had no choice but to give the brother his cloak, which would render the wearer completely invisible.
Thus, the three deathly hallows were formed - The Elder Wand, The Resurrection Stone, and The Cloak of Invisibility. The story goes on to explain how the three brothers met their end - the first two, immediately after procuring their gifts, and the last one, after long years of happiness.
This story, though, is only an animated and interesting form of relating what happened. The brothers were probably strong magicians (according to Dumbledore) who created these hallows themselves, and were unable to understand their danger. Lust for obtaining the three hallows - especially the Elder Wand - brought many people face to face with their Death (pun intended!).

Dumbledore vs. Grindelwald

I've always thought that the final battle between Dumbledore and Grindelwald raised some questions.
The bearer of the Elder wand  is supposed to be unconquerable. The wand lets you win all battles, and as long as you're fighting with it, your opponent does not stand a chance. I think this is what we all interpreted the definition of the Elder wand as.
Then how is it that in the epic battle between two of the world's greatest magicians, both of whom were almost equally matched, the bearer of the Elder wand lost the battle?
Agreed that Dumbledore was a 'shade more skillful' than Gellert Grindelwald. But the latter had been engaging in dark magic for a long time before Dumbledore's conquest of him. And of course, he had the Wand of Destiny by his side. Given all of these, is seems highly miraculous that Dumbledore emerged the winner. Was this because the wand did not, in the full sense, belong to Grindelwald? Or did Dumbledore somehow manage to disarm him?
These questions are unanswered and will probably remain so, but one can always let one's imagination decide it.
So can you answer this question? What, in your opinion, led to Dumbledore defeating the owner of the Deathstick? Was it mere chance, or a maneuvered scheme that paid off?

The Dragon War - Du Fyrn Skulblaka

Bloodshed all around... drops of red drain pouring from the sky in torrents... savage fighting enveloping all that is good and pure... and at the centre, a young boy, kneeling on the floor with a precious gem-like egg cradled in his arms...

The Inheritance Cycle, by Christopher Paolini, is not very widely known or appreciated. But it remains my firm favourite till date. Only Harry Potter, I should think, can precede it on my list of best novels to read.
Though the series has borrowed a lot from various others, it retains much originality and the style of writing is just superb. What really caught my attention, though, was the vividly described history of the land of Alagaesia.
Beginning from the times when only dwarves dwelt in the land, at one with earth and stone, until the Great Dragon War almost destroyed the kingdom, every bit of its history is as fascinating as the present proceedings.
The elves arrived at Alagaesia much later than the dragons, but with their pride, burning spirits and carefree youth soon put the dragons in danger of subordination. They treated the dragons as mere animals and when one young elf made the mistake of hunting a dragon down as game, the others were enraged. Conflicts ensued, and this soon turned into an out-and-out war. The elves attempted to explain themselves, but the dragons' ferocity in their onslaught made them retaliate in kind. There was soon no stopping of this war. Both races would fight to extinction. During these dark times, many evil weapons and strategies were forged. The 'dauthdaert', the dragon-killing spear, was forged then and it is said that the blood of the dragons poured down from the skies like rain!
Destiny plays many games, and so it was that a young elf named Eragon came upon an abandoned dragon egg one day. He hatched the youngling and named him Bid' Daum. Soon a friendship as strong as the bond of brotherhood was forged between the two, and then Eragon and his dragon travelled the kingdom, pleading for peace between the two sides at war. Resulting from their effort, treaties were signed that stopped further hostility or violence.
These treaties formed the very essence of the story, they forged a bond between dragons and elves which resulted in the formation of the Dragon Riders.
The working of this bond, I leave you find out, by reading the story yourself, and do believe me when I say, it will definitely be worth your time...

Character sketch!

What's a story without good characters?

Every story is equipped with a vast array of characters. The hero, the villain, and all of their cohorts form the main character base for most stories. Here's a list of the usual set of characters you find in a novel:-

THE HERO

The hero, male or female, usually has a history. Something inexplicable in his life. Either he has a troubled story or a completely normal life with just a few things totally out of place. The hero is always on the good side, and will stick to his principles forever. No amount of bribery will make him join the evil side. The hero's usually brave and determined. And the hero always does what he has to, because two out of three times, he/she has lost a loved one because of the villain.

THE SIDEKICK

There's always a sidekick, or in many cases, multiple. But the common thing about these sidekicks is that they're absolutely loyal to the hero. They will stick by his side no matter what. Some other times, the sidekick might initially be portrayed as a rival, and later grows on to form a deep bond and friendship with the hero. The thing about them is, most people love them better than the hero, not any less because they usually provide the comic relief in the otherwise serious story.

THE THIRD WHEEL(s)

The other good characters, who usually stick to the background, but come to the fore in some situations, just to let you know they're there! They're predominantly good, and they usually tend to die easily, just because they're easy to kill without disappointing fans.

THE TRAITOR

More often than not, there's a character who is portrayed originally as good, but goes over to the enemy side later, shocking everyone completely. He thinks that the grass is greener on the other side, and assists the villain in his.... uh.... villainous actions. Usually, though, the traitor has a change of heart nearing the end, and comes back on the good side, playing a very crucial role in the defeating the villain.

THE VILLAIN

The villain is mostly self-confident, slightly or totally nuts and wants to bring the  whole world under his subordination. You can't help liking him/her a little (after all, who else in the book is so freaking evil?)

But when the end approaches, you must side with the hero. Evil is awesome, until it starts killing your favourite characters randomly.

VILLAIN'S ARMY

Every villain has an army. One completely dedicated towards mindless slaughter, and willing to do anything to show its support to its master. These usually make interesting sideline topics, and have some history behind them.

WISE TEACHER

I've always wondered how is it that almost all novels have a wise-old-man character. But that's the way it is. Be it old Dumbledore, or even older Gandalf, there is always a teacher to guide the hero along on his journey... and he always has a beard!

Friendship - The Meaning

One of the most fascinating bits of Harry Potter was the friendship between Ron, Hermione, and Harry. When I started reading Harry Potter, I was a little kid of nine years, and my idea of a tragedy was getting too much homework and not being able to go down to play, and a villain was a teacher who yelled at me, or a friend who didn't let me sit by the window in the bus. In spite of barely understanding the series on a deep level, what captivated me the most and made me read on was the friendship of our three heroes. From the very beginning, after they fought the troll, till the very last chapter, when they fought alongside each other in the Battle of Hogwarts, though everything - and everyone - changed, their friendship remained.

We've all had friends since the beginning of our lives. Some come and go, and some remain as a constant in our lives - sometimes, the only constant in our lives. In Harry's world, everything was constantly changing. Harry lost his parents at a young age, suddenly Hagrid appeared out of nowhere and took him off to Hogwarts, Harry found out about Lord Voldemort, Dumbledore and Sirius dying...these were some of the big changes. But there were small changes, too. Like when, suddenly, all his Gryffindor mates didn't trust him anymore, and Cho had a boyfriend and didn't seem to like him, then Ron and Hermione getting together...small changes, but very, very important and significant changes in his life. Even the villain wasn't constant. In the fifth book, all of us hated Umbridge more than we hated Voldemort, admit it. Umbridge was the one we wanted dead in that book, not Lord Voldemort.

Yet, throughout the series, their friendship remained. Sure, they had arguments, but then, the essence and meaning of true friendship is that no matter what, you stick together. And they did that. In spite of all the problems in the world, they stuck together, by each others' side, and we see that even 19 years later, when they have their own families, they still retain that friendship.

This is what - in my mind - is the meaning of Harry Potter: to show that no matter what happens in life, there are some friends who will be there for you, forever. You just might not have met that friend yet. Harry Potter, along with an amazing plot and vivid characters, explores the true meaning of friendship and tells us that you do have that one true friend out there.

So whenever I'm feeling down or depressed because life is hard, I remember what Harry Potter teaches us: that don't give up, don't despair, don't worry that no one cares for you. Because there is always that one friend who will give up his life for you.

Parabatai

"And it came to pass... that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul... Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul."

This line that every Shadowhunter learns, forms the very basis of the bond that connects Parabatai. Before I forget, let me tell you that I'm talking about the Shadowhunter Chronicles, which contains quite a few series of books, the most famous one being the Mortal Instruments. The world is based on a race of people called the Shadowhunters, who are born to kill demons and thus protect the mundanes ( you, me and every other normal person; 'muggles' would be a kind of synonym ).
The Shadowhunters can choose to be bound to another of their kind, completely and irrevocably. Before the age of 18, they can choose their partner, male or female, and they have to swear many oaths before the Clave to complete the ceremony.
Being someone's Parabatai means that you fight alongside them, you lay down your life for them if need be, and stay with them forever. Only death parts two Shadowhunters, unless one of them becomes a Downworlder. A Shadowhunter's obligation to his Parabatai is that he provide them with constant companionship, and refrain from going where his Parabatai cannot follow. This bond signifies giving everything you have for another person, and accepting the same from them.
And the angel's law states that a person cannot fall in love with their Parabatai. Though this happens time to time, despite the restriction ( after all, who can guide your heart? ), it is strictly taboo. Most Shadowhunters do not know the reason for this restriction, but it is rumoured to be the Clave's deepest secret.
Parabatai can feel when the other is in grave danger, or when something is wrong with their partner.
These link two people beyond any other bond. Parabatai are said to be closer than siblings, more a part of each other's souls.
Reality is often quite different from the idea built up in these beautiful words, yet there is a semblance to the bond shared by Parabatai  in the bond we call friendship. Plain, simple friendship... but it has something deeper in its meaning. True friendship is like the Parabatai bond. It will never fray "until aught but death part thee and me".

Divergent - Veronica Roth

I've been wanting from quite some time to write something about the Divergent trilogy.
But then I know that most people haven't even heard about Divergent. It is a trilogy by Veronica Roth, an American author.
Beatrice 'Tris' Prior is the protagonist of the story, which talks about human faults like greed, selfishness, ignorance, cowardice and falsehood. Tris lives in the future of the world, somewhat like The Hunger Games. The society (or what is left over after a huge war that wiped out nations) is divided into factions - groups that have different ideologies. The factions are called Abnegation - the faction of the selfless, Candor - the faction of the truthful, Dauntless - the faction of the brave, Amity - the faction of the peaceful, and Erudite - the faction of the intelligent. Each of these factions has their own headquarters, and residence.
Tris belongs to Abnegation, but somehow, she's never felt like she belongs. When the choosing ceremony comes, Tris is torn between Abnegation, where her parents live, and Dauntless, where her heart lives. Her choice will affect her entire life. And what's more, Tris is one of the Divergent, the people who have been singled out and killed since forever, and no one knows why. Tris' adventure in Divergent and its sequel, Insurgent, follows the path she takes to discover what it means to be Divergent and what the great secret is that all the leaders of Abnegation are hiding.
I definitely recommend this book for people who liked the Hunger Games series, but were disppointed with the last book. So far, the series has held my attention totally, and I hope that the third and final installment, Allegiant, will be up to the expectancy of all its readers.

Wormtail - A Gryffindor?

"Seriously? Peter Pettigrew was in Gryffindor? He should have been a Slytherin, he was seriously a coward. And he was never loyal to his friends! He got his best friend killed and threw the blame on another of his best friends! I just hate him and I think he should have been a squib!"
I know many people of this opinion, and I admit, I myself never saw why Peter Pettigrew was a Gryffindor, when he was clearly a coward, and was anything but loyal to his friends.
But the Sorting Hat is never wrong. So there must have been reasons for him being put in the scarlet house.
Of course, he was afraid that Sirius would find him and kill him, after Voldemort was gone. But then, any wizard who knew how single-minded and talented Sirius Black was, would have been afraid.
And whatever may be the reasons, it did take courage to seek out Voldemort, and bring him back to life. Pettigrew must have known that there was a possibility of Voldemort killing him on the spot, as he often did when he was in a murderous rage. Also, Wormtail was loyal to Voldemort throughout. Even when he saw that his Dark Lord was a tiny baby, capable of almost no harm, he did not desert him, but helped him regain his previous glory. And he did have a slight sense of honor, for he did not kill Harry and Ron when he could have. Instead, he hesitated, remembering the time when Harry had spared his life and this act finally cost him his life.
So maybe the Hat was not mistaken after all. Wormtail was a Gryffindor. Only, he was one who chose the the wrong side.

Anduin the Great

The description of River Anduin with mere words would never satisfy me. But it is all I have, so I shall proceed with it.
Anduin, the longest river of Middle-Earth, its beauty beyond the wildest imagination, its streams bubbling through green meadows, its waters flowing through swampy marshes, and finally coming to rest in the ocean beyond the city of Minas Tirith, is as important to the story of Lord Of The Rings as anything else.
'Anduin' is the Sindarin name for the Great River of Wilderland, as the river was once known. It flowed from its source in the Grey and Misty Mountains to the Mouths of Anduin, commonly known as Ethir Anduin.
Where the Misty Mountains joined hands with the Great Mountains, there flowed two streams that would soon become Anduin the Great. Langwell and Greylin emerged from the mountains, and flowed down in great speed, until their confluence awoke Anduin.
Thence, the Great River flowed parallel to the Misty Mountains in a broad vale and onward to Lothlorien.
Lorien is described as the land of dreams. All that passes outside is of no consequence in the city of Lothlorien, where flows Celebrant, tributary to Anduin the Great.
Past the forest city of elves, the river bids farewell to the company of the mountains and makes its way towards Emyn Muil and Argonath. The river is now wide and its pace is rising steadily. Both the banks are green and beautiful. The images of Lothlorien still linger in one's mind. But approaching on one side is Sauron's ruined kingdom, Mordor, the evil and dark land, where none but the Orcs dare set foot upon.
The Sarn Gebir, a series of ferocious rapids, leads the river into the lake of Nen Hithoel. The river then takes a plunge at the Falls of Rauros, flows path the mouth of the Entwash river.
Ahead lie the White Mountains and the Mountains of Shadow, where good meets evil, and the only thing keeping Minas Tirith - the capital of Gondor, where the men are good and brave - and Minas Morgul, the tower of the evil - apart, is the river Anduin. Past the fighting towers it flows, through the port of Pelargir, and finally it joins the sea at they Bay of Belfalas.
The course of The Great River can indeed teach us a lot. Emerging from our birth, we are fast and flow rapidly through the first part of our life. We see only beautiful meadows and flowers dancing in the breeze. Then we are past the youth of our life. We want to linger in our early days, but we know that we must go on, no matter what. Onward, there comes a point where the two banks on either side of us are warring - good versus evil. Turn the eyes to one side, and you see brave, relentless people fighting for their principles. The other side presents havoc and devastation. And still onward you flow, until the battle is past, and you are only looking forward to come to rest. The memories of the past and the thoughts of the present weigh you down and you move ahead slowly, but steadily.
And then, the sea comes, the end of all rivers, like and unlike you. And there, as all the waters swirl and rise together, everything is at one, and the past does not really matter.

Thestrals

I begin, as most other teens would, with Harry Potter.
The young boy wizard, with his close companions, have ruled my bookish fantasies ever since I graduated out of Enid Blyton. More on her works later, though.
Thestrals... beautiful word, and a beautiful topic to contemplate upon. I know I should probably start at the beginning, from Philosopher's Stone, and work my way towards the end, but the moment I thought of this blog, I knew I wanted this to be my first post.
Thestrals are winged horses with skeletal bodies, reptilian faces, and wide wings that resemble a bat's. They are first introduced in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, when Harry notices them for the first time, pulling the students' carriages to the lake. The others, however, seem unable to see the thestrals, and Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw girl, explains to Harry that only those who have seen death can see the thestrals. They are gentle creatures (usually), and the Hogwarts herds are especially mild, reacting to soft words and caresses.  What really held them in my memory was the fact that though they were associated with death, they are portrayed to be quite gentle animals, and loyal.
I initially wondered why Harry could not see the thestrals on the way back from Hogwarts in the Goblet of Fire, or even before, since he had witnessed his mother's death when he was only a year old. But then I found that a person can see the thestrals only when he has come to terms with the death they have witnessed. On the return trip from Hogwarts, Harry was still numb about Cedric's death. He could just not relate to it.
But later, he understood that when a war was going on, people would die, and he had to face it and keep going anyway. I'm sure many people, including yours truly, did not let Cedric's death affect them much. Sure, it startled everyone to reality, made it certain that Voldemort was back. But we were just glad that Harry had gotten out of there alive, and was fine, for then.
But from Harry's point of view, or even any other Hogwarts student's, it must have been jolting. Until then, Voldemort had been something of a distant concept, appearing only in people's memories and dreams. Then suddenly he turns up at some graveyard or the other, and murders a student in cold blood just because he was unlucky enough to turn up there with Harry.
If not for Cedric's death, the incident would have sounded ridiculous to anyone not knowing the full story. And as it was, we saw how Harry's own friends turned against him the next year. Even Dean and Seamus, fellow Gryffindors, refused to believe him.
So it was no wonder that Cedric's death brought back a rush of memories to Harry... that graveyard... almost dying at the hands of Voldemort... seeing his parents during the Priori Incantatem.
And so, Harry could not bring himself to even think about Cedric, much less accept that his death was not Harry's fault, for a whole summer.

Whims In An Icebox

I stumbled upon this name in one of the more wandering parts of my mind, and it just sounded right to me. Most of my thoughts are random, but each one is sure to lead to another, and thus form a long chain.

I have always preferred expressing my thoughts in the written form, not so I can erase and rewrite - in fact, I just write things down as they come into my head - but because it helps open my mind up.
This blog is meant to array my thoughts together, compress them into an icebox, you can say, and thus the title of the blog. And I mean not just any thoughts, but my reflections on the books I have read and inferred lasting impressions from.
In a way, my constant childhood companions have been books. Not that I don't have any friends, in fact, I think I have more than my fair share of them. But whenever I wanted a distraction, books were ready at hand. I have always been able to lose myself in a different world easily. For a short while, all my problems would seem distant, as though echoes from a distant past. I would be transported into a new world, where everything was different, and novel.

I have, from a very young age, found the urge in me to write like all the great authors in the world, to hold the entire world captive in my imaginations, and to decide what happens to each character of my story. But every writer makes a start somewhere small. This is my attempt to begin writing earnestly, and on the same time, put down in words my many thoughts on the many books of this planet.