In recent years, some of the most beautiful books were those recommended by Joyee, my 15-year-old. Thanks Sweetie 😊
I started reading Wonder because
I like the trailer and we could not see the movie as the DVD wasn’t good
quality and that’s when she said – Read the Book, it’s awesome.
I read it in snatches over a
period of a month and as I read more and more it’s not so much about Auggie –
it is, but it is also about the effect Auggie had on VIA, her friends, family,
his friends in school etc. My family was going through a similar crisis - more about it later.
The book is created in a fashion
that it takes the reader through an incident obviously from Auggie’s
perspective and then the books pans into every individual involved in the
incident (which in this case is Auggie joining the 5th grade after being
home schooled) and explains in a nice way what’s going on in their mind – why
did they behave the way they did. I loved the format.
I liked Mr. Brown’s Precepts & Quotes
which were posted in the start of every part which was typically about a person
– like for Justin it said ‘Sometimes I
think my head is so big because it’s so full of dreams” – John Merrick in
Bernard Pomerance’s The Elephant Man.
As I read this I was also beside baba taking him to hospitals for his chemo; staying with him when he got
admitted for 5 days at Manipal; while Nikita and her mother were filling forms
for her college admissions, travelling to Pune n Ahmedabad for the interviews
etc. I was telling Joyee – I loved VIA and the thoughts which was going through
her mind – the compromises (read acceptance) she was making, while complete
attention was given to Augie. It sort of resonated & helped me understand
what probably Nikita was going through.
I am sure every reader interprets
a book in their own way, I am glad I read the book. It helped me to see the
other side.
Here’s my favourite precept –
When given the choice between being right or
being kind, choose kind – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer.
