BOOK REVIEW: BEFORE EVER AFTER

Next to Watson's, my favorite place to visit in SM City is National Bookstore. I am at the look out for the next book purchase. In one of my trips to the bookstore with my boyfie, I saw a book that intrigued me. Before Ever After. The synopsis was very interesting. I told my boyfie, I'll save up to buy that. After a few days, Daphne Osena-Paez featured it in her blog and followed by several twits from various people about the book, I started craving for the book. I am so excited to read it.

So in my next visit to National Bookstore, I was disappointed that the book was out of stock. I waited another few weeks for it to be available, I still haven't found it in the rack. I purchased Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood instead. When I was about to go out of the store, there it was, Before Ever After on top of the Bestsellers book.... Waaa! So I guess, Haruki Murakami won't be going home alone, hehe.

It was untimely that I bought the book the night before a 24hour hospital duty. I needed to sleep early but I am too giddy to read a few pages. So I did.


Is it a good sign that I shed a few tears by page 10? I guess, it is, hehe....


Here is my book review:

Before Ever After takes you into an ambivalent journey of rushing to turn the pages to know what next and also not wanting the journey to end. It is a love story - a love story that is more my style - a love story with a mixture of mystery, adventure & action and strategically laced with humor, wit and romance that doesn't make me gag. It was a saga, a romantic comedy, a fairytale, a mystery series, all roll in to one. It is amazing how versatile this book is.  It was such a beautiful trip that takes you into a roller-coaster ride of adventure to discovering the extent of a person's love and awakening who you truly are, along with the main characters Shelley and Max. You get the feel of urban London, a bit of Madrid, beautiful Paris and other old Europe up to the white sands of Boracay.  

When I  started gushing about this book to my sister (which I always do when I discover something wonderful), she asked me what the book is like. Since we are both  a book & movie enthusiast. I said, "Ït is like "A.S. Byatt's Possessions-meets-Tim Burton's Big Fish-meets-Audrey Niffennigger's Time Traveler's Wife"

About the character's of the book:

I love that Shelley is like what most leading ladies should be, attractive without being too obvious, vulnerable, strong without her knowing it, with a tad of adorable neurosis. And Max was a perfect leading man for her. He was strong, devilishly-charming, witty and smoking-hot. When me and my sis reads a novel, we would think up of actors & actresses for the part. For Shelley, though I am not much of a fan, but I think she will be perfect for the role. I thought of Amy Adams. And for Max, again I am not a fan, I think Daniel Craig would fit the bill.

I adore the characters of Jonathan and Rose. They are my favorite. I think the character of Brad is funny. I find the character of Dex interesting. I think John Hawkes from Perfect Storm is perfect for the role of Dex.


Given the versatility of this book, this can even be a self-help book. I usually ink my books by underlining favorite sentences and writing my thoughts on the side of the book. Here are some words of wisdom from this book that I  would hopefully share with my future kids:


    "We change at least one person's life just by being born"


    "Fretting over how life ends, or anything else for that matter is a complete waste of time."


    "You might be surprised at how much happiness you can find in the pages of the shortest of love stories. Unlike penises, their length truly does not count."


    "Today is  a new day, and I, for one, have decided to live it. I strongly urged you to do the same."


    "---life is a strong drink served up in an extremely short- and fragile- shot glass. Jonathan didn't waste a single drop. Neither should we."


    "It's a choice, Shelley," Max said. "As is everything."


   "But isn't it that the point? Isn't it what everyone hopes for? To find a passion so great that it scares the hell out of you? Why are you so desperate to runaway from it, Shelley?"


 I think this book is genius by these lines:


   - The sight of his empty pillow meant one glorious thing : Paris was bubbling in the oven.


   - Nothing was lonelier than the limping beat of half a heart


   - A kiss can be dreadfully terrifying for the males of our species, I'm afraid. Sex is easy. All they need is a few good thrusts. But when they kiss, they open themselves up and let you in. And by that , my dear, makes some men's ball shrink to a size of raisins."


  - Yesterday flows into tomorrow, tomorrow tips over to yesterday.


  - I can't even say his name without dying a little.




Here are questions for the author & insights about the story:


1. Why did the author came to a decision to make the main character Caucasian?


2. How long did the author take to finish this novel?


3. Is the author from a Colegio delas Hijas school? There was a Ad Majoriem Dei Gloriam in the end. For the Glory of God. From St. Ignatius Loyala. I learned that in high school in Colegio delas Hijas. All our test papers end with a Ad Majoriem  Dei Gloriam on the bottom of the paper.


3. What obstacles did the author encounter during writing this book?


4. Is publishing an international novel, a dream or goal of the author  eversince or just a serendipitous affair that lead to a published book?


I'm sorry if I get too inquisitive. I couldn't stop myself when I get to start.


(Warning! Spoiler Alert!) Of all the centuries Max has lived, he chose Shelly. She must have be extraordinary. I believe she is.... 
   
Did I mention that this bestseller is written by a Filipina? After reading, it made me so proud that we, Filipinos, can weave tales that would enthrall the world. The author of this book is Samantha Sotto. The  book is  a product of spare time of a mommy waiting for her son after school. Those times at the coffeeshop with a zillion push of the buttons of her laptop resulted to a published book by Random House. She is the 2nd Filipino published by Random House. (The 1st was Nick Joaquin).

I once tweeted, that I have been craving for the book, Before Ever After. Samantha Sotto tweeted back, "Book cravings are great-no calories". Isn't she a genius? hehe... After reading the book, all I can say is, "Burp!". Full and happy....