Sundays At Tiffany's by James Patterson

Okay, this story has nothing to do with Breakfast At Tiffany's.

James Patterson is one of the author whose novels I have enjoyed more than once. That includes Along Came A Spider and Kiss The Girls, both books and also their film adaptations. Being so used to his thriller genres, I was somewhat amused to find this novel on the shelf because it seemed like a romance novel. However, I have no problem to indulge myself in a romantic story, even more with my current "love-dovey" heart. So, I finished reading the book in one night, a skill and a habit long forgotten since the golden days of Muna the voracious novel reader, haha. In a nutshell, it's a nice, sweet story, the kind that warms your heart. Mr. Patterson collaborated with another writer, Mdm Gabrielle Charbonnet in this novel.
The story is about Jane, who as an eight-year-old girl, had an imaginary friend, a thirty-something Michael. Michael had been her best friend, her only companion during her childhood, the only one who listened and care for what she thinks, as Jane was a lonely child, and didn't get the attention, love and affection from her broadway producer mother.

As any imaginary friend, Michael had to leave Jane on her 9th birthday. Like any other 'cases', Michael had prepared Jane that she would forget him as she grows up. That's how it is supposed to be.

Anyway, twenty-three years has passed. Fate finally brought Jane and Michael together. As a grown woman now, Jane is quite successful, although working under her mother's rather dictatorship wing. She is a playwright in her own way and working on a play she wrote about a little girl with her imaginary friend. So, Jane has never forgotten Michael, which is something unusual here. As Jane meets Michael, both of them are seeing each other in different perspectives and guess what, they fell in love. Now here was the confusing part for me, as I read through. Expecting this story to be a realistic one, I figured that the Michael whom Jane met later was actually a real person who has the same appearance and personality. But, it wasn't like that. Michael was real, but in a different way. Something of a little bit like "City of Angels" here, with almost a tragic ending....but again, "almost". Someone at the end of the story is facing death and I had guessed it wrongly. Ah, I should've known better.

Perhaps the fantasy-like concept of the story is the only thing that is a bit of a 'downer' for me, because I prefer a more realistic story in a novel. However, it is not hopeless too. The story made my mind did the 'time tunnel' thing back to my childhood years, wondering if I ever have an imaginary friend. Of course, I didn't remember having anything or anyone like that, although I was a bit of a loner and a dreamer too...(still a dreamer now ;) ). Like the rules said, we are not supposed to remember that after 9-years-old.

One of excerpt from the story that I like:
 "I don't know Vivienne had a kid," one of the other stick figures said. "Hello, Jane. You're as cute as a button."
 A flock of gazelles, they moved into the huge living room, leaving me to wonder if I'd ever seen a button that qualified as cute. (page 25)

And there is something from this part,
 I was a thirty-two-year-old woman who had everything and nothing going for her at the exact same time. I had a good job that was theoretically fascinating, but it consumed my hours and days and gave me almost no personal satisfaction. (page 113),
 which somehow I can relate to it.

And then I wondered who had written this part,
 I should figure out a way to be happy, not for a lifetime, but for an hour or two. Maybe there was somebody out there who wanted to sit around with me, and order in Japanese, and not hate watching a DVD of You've Got Mail or The Shawshank Redemption for the fourth or fifth time. (page 114),
 because those two movies are my favourite movies and I have been watching them more than three times each.

So, finally...this book is still a good read. It is simple, sweet and nice. The language is simple, the story line is not so complicated, and there's something to learn about love. Enjoy.

Movie : Misery

"I am your number one fan."

If you are a writer or a novelist, those words might be the best thing you want to hear. But maybe not for the famous author, Paul Sheldon (James Caan). Especially, after the horrendous experience he had encountered in Silver Creek.

This psychological thriller is based on Stephen King's brilliant novel of the same name. This 1990 classic is probably one of the best adaptation of King's books based on the critics comments. Honestly, I haven't read the novel, the same with King's other brilliant works. However, my sister has been a fan since her college days and thanks to her, I knew about him. I prefer to enjoy his work through movie adaptations, like Carrie, It and The Green Mile. I considered this movie a classic, because it is a great movie since 20 years ago and it can still be enjoyed now with the same enthusiasm as it was before.

Paul Sheldon, most famous for his series of "Misery" novel, is finishing his latest book in his favourite rural retreat in Silver Creek. Once finished, he headed down to NYC to send his work to his agent. Unbeknownst to him, a blizzard is coming. While on his way, he met with an accident. The accident might ended his life there and then. Fortunately, (or should I say, unfortunately..) he was rescued by a nurse, Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) who happens to be his number one fan. Since she rescued him, (a strong woman, she is) she had been caring and curing him like any admiring fan would do. She kept saying that the phone line is still unavailable or the road is still not opened since the blizzard every time Paul asked to contact his family and his agent. All seems well, until a significant amount of time had passed, Paul is getting restless and worried, and Annie has shown some of her "real colours".

By now, Annie has shown Paul, that she is fanatic of him, and having mood swings. Sometimes she could be very nice and gentle, and other times she could be harsh and temperamental. At this point, Paul knew that there is something wrong with her, just he didn't know how serious it is. Paul, incapacitated by the accident, was helpless and had to rely on Annie's care, although now he felt trapped and held captive in her house. The maniacal 'freak'ness of Annie has escalated as she read the novel manuscript which Paul had finished written. She loathe it and asked Paul to write another novel instead in her honour. She wanted him to continue writing another "Misery" novel. In all the time he was in her captivity, we could see how Paul tried desperately to find his way out with only one good arm and has tried to outsmart Annie just to keep her in good mood and save himself more time to live. I couldn't help feeling sorry for him every time his effort failed. And Annie could be so cruel to him. So Paul had no other choice than to write the story she wanted.

At this point, everybody is looking for Paul, including the local sheriff, Buster. I really like Buster's character, the old sheriff with a sharp mind, along with his deputy sheriff wife, Virginia. Their on-screen husband-and-wife chemistry is very entertaining to watch. My favourite line of Buster is this, "You see, it's just that kind of sarcasm (sic) has given our marriage a real spice.", when he replied to his wife's remark about his 'literature affair'. (You just have to see the movie.) And I couldn't help feeling sad when something bad happened to Buster near the end of the movie. It's the same with the relationship between Paul and Annie. Although this is a thriller movie, a 'psycho' one to describe it better, there were times I laughed to see Paul's expression when he was trying to comprehend Annie's unstable mood. Kathy Bates portrayed the fanatic Annie extremely well, no wonder she bagged the Academy Award for Best Actress in this movie.

And so, back to the story. Paul knew now that as the end of the novel is coming, so is his life. While he tried to escape, he had learned some scary facts of Annie's past history. He knew she is capable of killing him. He knew he had to do something before Annie kills both of them. And finally, you know the ending. Haha.

Ok, so I like this movie. I know it is an old movie and maybe those who love reading, especially Stephen King's or thriller lovers, you would have known everything already. But some of you may not know it and I recommend you to watch it and enjoy it. Till the next classics, au revoir.

Photo credits: Cover (bokunosekai.wordpress.com/2009/0.../misery/)
                      Scene (from the dvd)