Slapped by a Book, a Thick One

My li'l brother is weird. I'm glad he is tho, since being normal is too mainstream nowadays. I think he is the 2nd smartest human being I've ever met in person (just talk to him, and you'll agree), this little guy reads these books I would never buy - since they mostly look too philosophical (which is not good, for those who innately think too much) and uhm, excuse me, aesthetically don't meet standard. You know what those design gurus say, always judge a book by its cover.

I took out one of his books one day when I was feeling bored in Jakarta. Bored? In Jakarta? No way. One just can't be bored in Jakarta, that's againts the rules. I actually only needed something to do on bed  - as I submerged into the warm vibe of my own room my own bed my own pillow zZzz...zZZz... Just kidding. I left Mei Hwa in Singapore and you know me, I'm not very gifted when it comes to sleeping.

Anyway this, apparently award-winning book really left me flabbergasted. John Green, I didn't know this guy before, well I wouldn't know anyone less celebrated than Murakami anyway. This book is, how do I say this, VERY GOOD. Meaning: the story fascinates you, the lines inspire you, you know the characters very well, you can't stop reading, you forget about time, you don't fall asleep, and more importantly, it's able to make you cry (inelegantly). The book basically tells a story about a 16 year-old girl with cancer, a very hot 17 year-old guy with cancer, they find each other interesting, they have a brief but very charming love story. The story then ends rather tragically.

You know what I thought of when reading this book? I thought, damn, even this girl has a love story. And I'm always alone. Demmmmm.

Then He asked me, if I were to exchange my life with hers, would I want that life? SLAPPED. Huks. Sorry Dad. That girl probably would do anything to be somebody else, there are so many out there in the world who would want to be, me, whose problems are never beyond what they call you know, first world. I was reminded again of what I used to call myself: the luckiest girl in the world.

"Life is not a wish-granting factory," that's what the book teaches its readers. But we all know when you are the apple of The Creator's eye, life's good.