I'd Rather Stay Poor - James Hadley Chase

A book may be amusing with numerous errors, or it may be very dull without a single absurdity-- Oliver Goldsmith

While I was rushing through the faces of the newspaper, An Advertise caught my attention. ’’Oh! A Book Fair ’’, said I with a glimmer in my eyes. Sooner than one could anticipate, I was there and while my eyeballs were trying to catch up with the thousands of books arranged on the table, I knew greed arrested my conscience for I wanted to have ’em all. But with just 50 bucks in my wallet, It seemed a distant thought.

I knew I didn’t have time to read a 500-page book and hence I short-listed my greed to compromise with a 150 odd page book. It was named ’’ I’d Rather Stay Poor’’ and Author was James Hadley Chase. This was my first encounter with this author. I hoped for the best and made my way back home.

Well, I’d like to share some whirlpool of thoughts that harbored my mind while writing an opinion about this book, with all of you. These excerpts were taken while my mind continued scrimmage with my hand. Any resemblance with circumstances narrated here with anyone of you would be very obvious so I hope no one sues me for I know not how to be more creative while expressing an opinion on this site. As it is, the center of creativity has now shifted its location to someone nesting more idiosyncrasies & manners found anywhere in MS. (Pun intended & Forgiveness Appealed)

Location: My computer table.

’’Oh! I have finished reading this book. Now what? Should I write a review on this one? Well. Yes why shouldn’t I? But, hey wait a sec. Would you want this book review to be as plain like many other book reviews written on MS? Definitely no. Well son, think hard. How can you be creative yet meaningful while writing this one? Should I start by telling that the author Is the one who has written many crime/fiction books? But then before writing this, Should I check if someone has already written a review on this author before? Well, Well. Why do you worry? You just need to be more creative in your work and hope for the best. Don’t worry if the review resembles with someone.

Ok! I should write about the author and his works. But should I follow the same format of writing a review like I do in writing movie reviews? I mean should I create a heading Story Outline and narrate to the readers that the story in the book is a criminal/thriller one but it doesn’t match with the works of Agatha Christie orJohn Grisham. Should I include some snippets out of the book to give a general ambiance of the book? Should I also create another heading Cast and include the names of main characters like:

Ken Travers- Deputy Sheriff.

Mrs. Loring- Landlady.

But now that I have the names of the main characters, how would I describe them for I am not writing a book. It’s just a review. So yes, I don’t need to describe any one of them. But then….If I am writing a book review, How’d I depict the mixed emotions I went through when I finished the book? Should I personify my abstract emotions (Happiness & Sorrow full dissatisfaction) with some strange incidents, let’s say the incident of some celebrity running over the paupers sleeping on the footpath. Should I personify the happiness I felt (owing to the ambiance of the book) with the Happiness the celebrity felt while speeding the car & should I personify the Sorrow I felt (because of the poor climax) with the sorrow the Celeb felt while running over innocent people?

Hey wait. What are you trying to do? Please don’t imitate the creativity of writers by giving an excuse of inspiration. No! Sumit. This is not done. Someone already copyrighted this concept of creativity. Oh! God! Then how should I explain to the readers that although James Chase tried to set up a thriller in his book, he was more than just being unsuccessful? How’d I describe that though the characters were very well picked up and the ambiance set up was perfect, the story was nothing but a brainchild of a most average writer?

But sumit. Even if you don’t want the readers to gather even a bit bout the story, you definitely have to tell something about the book so that they might grab a copy of this. But I don’t want them to grab a copy. For Pete’s Sake, Ok!Ok! This story revolves around a robbery of a pay roll but fate had destined things to occur the right way and so they did. This is all what I can possibly depict about the book in my review.

And what about the language used in the book? How’d you tell the readers that language was very lucid and simple for an average person to read? This is your first book review Sumit. You have to give a smashing review. But alas! How can I? Had this book been very interesting, I’d have praised it until I reach the comments section. But the book can’t be praised either. Oh God! Sumit. You are in a fix. Your creative senses have become outdated now. Just by using jargon adjectives, You don’t become a great reviewer.

Who wants to? Why do you have to become a great reviewer? All you have to do is write your thoughts out about a book that was very average yet interesting at times but definitely not worth a buy. But surely you could have added some famous quotations about each feeling that you went while reading this book. No! All my resources have dried up. This theme of using quotations was also the trademark of someone. Why should I use it to say that the feelings I went through while reading the book were like:

Excitement--->Added Excitement--->Wow--->Oh no!--->What the hell?--->Where’s my cupboard--->Ok! Where’s the dustbin? ’’

So this was what I went through while planning a review on this one.Unfortunately couldn’t convert it into actions.I’m still in a fix. Someone out of you have to help me as soon as possible. Do provide your valuable comments as to how should I write a review on this one ! Overall the book was ordinary and any wise man, after reading the above, would not consider buying this book. Ok! I’m signing off! Have to set my creative eye thinking for my next review……….

------------------------------------------------------------

Comments....Yes I need them very much!

------------------------------------------------------------