Colleen Houck - Tiger's Curse
And yes it is hard to grasp and highlight the essence of the story because it is not that it is all about in the first place. It's highly probable that I'm going to blabber about the enchanting relationship of the main characters rather than go into the details of the plot which is excessively action-packed and never-ever gets boring or dull which is quite cool. I wish it was to be interpreted in a movie. It's gonna be awesome. But at this very moment, I'm interested in their blooming romance and I leave action to be discussed later.
Entwined
I was forced. Literally. My four-hundred-page edition was scarry. I couldn't get down to it for a very long time.
My book love?
Definitely!
The tiger and his prey
Kelsey and Ren set off on a beautiful, emotional, and passionate path of eternal love that of every second has significance and influences the entire future of India. It is already outstanding and magical when Kelsey feels a tangible connection between her AND the tiger. It is like she attracted to him before she knew what he really was. A cursed royalty. Like she could look into the core of the tiger's heart. I love that part. Who wouldn't? God, she even reads poems to the tiger. I mean who does that? Romeo and Juliet is not exactly a piece of smoky meat.
And here comes the principals of dumb ever-repeating sentences: appearance is not everything, eyes are the mirror of the soul blablah...and now they prove to be true! Big surprise. Sometimes it feels good when something you judged so easily turns out to be the opposite. Sometimes.
Beginnings
Kelsey seems to be an ordinary girl from an ordinary family with ordinary outlook and simply everything is unEXTRAordinary (at least she said that, I'm not saying it because I'm jealous of her and the GreenMonster is hanging above my head. Not. At. All! ) So the point is beside her plainness somehow she got mingled up in an extraordinary adventure with Ren the tiger and (if you ask me the semi-god) they head for India from the ordinary Oregon (okay I won't say the word ordinary again I promise) to seek the golden fruit, possession of an Indian goddess Durga in the hope of gaining Ren's freedom.
Her parents died in a car accident and she mourns ever since. She is isolated and doesn't let form bonds with people. It's a big step forward since she shares personal stories with Ren and gives a sneak-peak how lonely she feels continually. Actually, animals don't talk back which helps a lot I guess.
Ren
"His eyes were what riveted me the most. They were my tiger’s eyes, the same deep cobalt blue.
Reaching out a hand, he spoke. “Hello, Kelsey. It’s me, Ren."
Not a girl in the whole big bright universe would ever feel lonely if she possessed the most precious pearl of the Indian crowd. How could on earth a smooth bronze-skinned angel with perfect cobalt blue eyes and glossy black hair landed on our planet of dust, muddle and lifelong suffering, and stepped in our mundane life? I have NO idea. Ren. Is. Gorgeous. Obviously.
I may not exaggerate if I say he is the kind of guy that every single absent and not absent-minded, young and not so young, with or without brace girl tends to fall for and who is able to "send the girls off into wistful daydreams". And they are absolutely RIGHT!
"He’s so . . . attractive, charming, magnetic, compelling . . . captivating. Women would follow him over a cliff."
Let's put the part of his super-masculine features aside (however that is no less worthy to look at and which you definitely cannot ignore). It is most likely that if I got the chance to stay with him in a tiny room with a large soft bed, I would swallow the key if you know what I mean...anyway, he not only fits Kelsey but he is made for her. Designed in the heaven by little blonde chubby-fingered cherubs if you will. Ren is the most unselfish human being of the most unselfish human beings (except Peeta, right?) because it's the safety of Kelsey which comes first. So lucky!
Beside the fact that he is Alagan Dhiren Rajaram, heir of the Mujulaain Empire struck by a curse doomed to suffer at least a three-hundred-year of captivity in the form of a tiger wandering from circus to circus until Kelsey wished him to be free and their adventure of liberating Ren started in a magical world, he knows really well what he wants from life. Money? you might ask. No, he has more than he needs. House? He owns one already overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. A fancy new car? Nope. He desires love after all of those years of solitude and loneliness. And guess who embodies all he wishes for?...3...2...1. Yep. Jackpot! You have just won three million dollars, a luxury house on the Bahamas, and a never-fading memory of an-80-days-around-the-world-journey. It is Kelsey.
"We have to stay together, remember? I won’t leave you, Kelsey. I’ll never leave you."
The story turns upside down and the time has come when the favored one of the mighty Indian goddess Durga is arriving to the prince's aid. Now that I think about it I would say this is the kissing-the-slimy-but-cute-frog-to-turn-into-a-handsome-prince case. Typical. I wish I had a greenish gross froggy and I would not miss to kiss it either you bet. If it was necessary...or rather forced...okay I would only kiss it if I were in the middle of the dessert starving and aching for a drop of water while foxes are heading toward me threatening to gobble me up. However, I must admit those girls always live happily ever after. Why? Why???
What makes me cry and crazy
Their flourishing romance is heating up gradually because Ren is able to change to human for a few minutes which makes their short conversations and staring-at-each other intensively even hotter and I keep on getting more and more excited. I am nearly scraping the wall while I am waiting for them to kiss each other finally. And what do I get after a few hundreds of pages (at least it feels like a thousand years)? Ren asks (and I repeat ASK) permission for a kiss. And that's it. Simple. Romantic. Chivalrous.
But she said NO! How dare you? Can't you see what's in front of your eyes? What the hell? I mean all I'm saying is that you'd better grab the sugar cube while you can little girl.
Her perpetual turning down Ren annoys me a lot, to say the least.
If only I were in her shoes!
What makes me feel high over hills
Their first kiss. Oh. My. God. It makes my heart skip. Good job.
More animal alert
To make things more complicated Kishan Ren's brother shows up on the scene. Ladies and ladies the dinner is ready! The golden-eyed prince god. Is it a bit unequal, isn't it? A way too much testosterone if you ask me. But who cares? If that was a girl's only joy in life I wouldn't mind ;) He turns down the offer to join the crusade (for God's sake) because he wants to remain a tiger. Man, you must be crazy. Although you're not in your right mind, I feel sorry for you. You betrayed your brother, sold him to an evil, vicious, shrewd wizard who craved world power, took his fiancée, and caused all of the tiger-trouble. Poor thing. No wonder you fight so gallantly for redemption.
Things get out of control
Ren and Kelsey set out boldly on their complex mission to Kishkinda where the tension rises. She feels safe next to her cobalt blue-eyed tiger who's become her best friend. But what about the flesh and blood masculinity who remains in his human form in the magical world twenty-four-seven? He makes her nervous, out of place, uncomfortable in her own skin. She could do that? She could open her heart and let it devoured by a millionaire prince? What if he leaves her like her parents? What if she's not good enough for him? What if he wakes up and realizes he needs a change? What then? If he could get any woman on the planet why would he bother? Maybe he's lonely or maybe she is the only girl handy. From that heartbreak, she'd never become whole again.
The list of worries and lack of confidence is extremely long. Kelsey has no faith consequently she pushes him further and further away until he is out of reach. Congratulations. You've just condemned yourself to a miserable unhappiness for the rest of your life.
It's a worldly wisdom that you're a speck of dust in the ever-changing universe. But it doesn't matter until you find that special someone with whom you're breaking through time and space reaching the stars passing the utmost boundaries of the earthly realm and in the explosion of all matters amidst the tiny molecules of your newly-created universe there will be him. And he's not going anywhere. He'll stand there till the end of days waiting for her to come. But she tends to lie even to herself and she's not ready yet. Kelsey is terrified of the power of the life-altering first love.
On the contrary, Ren uses every tool to gain his well-deserved trophy. He's waited so many years already and he's determined not to let his sparkling diamond out of his hands. He's willing to wait like a predator for his prey. He's even tempting her with Shakespeare and nicknames in his mother tongue.
Here's the list:
Rajkumari - princess
Sundari - most beautiful
Iadala - darling
Pria - my beloved
Priytama - my sweetheart
Not a sensible girl would be able to resist for sure.
When Kelsey's dying after a magical creature bit her Ren feels an unbearable fear. The words he tells Kelsey that he could not live without her would never be said out loud in real life by any guy. And it's extremely unfortunate.
That's why I'm still single.
Endings
Kelsey leaves Ren behind in pieces but returning to Oregon doesn't bring an end to her suffering either. Well done!
How I feel now
Desperate. I demand Ren come back right away!
To sum up
I can't wait for the next book!
Starring
Taylor Lautner just fits the character of the golden-eyed brother Kishan perfectly. He's definitely improving in acting and to add to that he looks on big screen hot. As for Ren, I don't even try to imagine his face. He's too pure to replace him with an actor. No one is that flawless in real life.
Songs recommended
Swedish House Mafia - Don't you worry child
When Ren tells Kelsey the story of his past.
https://youtu.be/1y6smkh6c-0
Demi Lovato - Heart attack
It reflects the complex feelings of Kelsey just perfectly when she decides she's leaving Ren.
https://youtu.be/AByfaYcOm4A
Coldplay - Magic
This song should be the background music when Ren changes into human for the first time.
https://youtu.be/1PvBc2TOpE4
Rating
6 of 5
Nincsenek megjegyzések: