Well, I used to use random objects as my 'bookmark', you know things like a marker, a pencil/pen or maybe sticky note, sometimes even a piece of cloth! XD
but, I've recently started using an actual bookmark and it's a pretty cool one you see ;)
let me see what y'all use as your bookmarks!
I wrote my 12th boards this year, and I was actually excited to see my results because I knew my exams went well and I had prepared day and night for each exam. On the 13th, as I logged in to see my results, all my excitement went in vain and I became disappointed as hell. I got only 74% (PCMB + I.T.) seriously? I was meant to get 95+ in 3 subjects! but I only got in one. My percentage was supposed to be within a range of 82-86% but this is what I get? My marks in physics should've been above 63, but I got only 54...what bullshit!
Even though I was shattered and broken, my parents said that they were already proud of me for getting 1st division with science stream, my dad kept saying that life is much more than these exams and he's happy enough with these marks, he kept checking on me if i was sad or even overthinking about it, and reassured me saying that everything will be alright, my mom said she knows I worked hard and it's not my fault, my aunts, grandparents, everyone congratulated me and said I did well. I truly am blessed with such a family...I really thought that this time I'll make them prouder, and would make myself happy atleast...but no matter how hard I try, it never works out, sometimes i think, they should've had my friends as their children, because they score so well and I, no matter how much work i put in, end up getting the same results.
I too am a victim of the OSM, and seeing all these posts of other students failing or getting way lower marks than they had expected is truly heartbreaking because I understand that feeling... I've also come across posts where students are sharing how their parents are beating the shit outta them. I know it's not easy out there, but I just wanna say that, Please stand by yourself and for yourself because no one else will be doing it for you. We need to get our fair share and CBSE WILL HAVE TO TAKE THAT DAMN RESPONSIBILITY!
Before saying anything, I just want to make it clear that these are my own points of view and might not resonate with everyone, in that case, please try to understand where I'm coming from and do share your thoughts as well.
So! you see, I've finished reading it, the writing was absolutely beautiful. Every character and scene feels so immensely detailed and I appreciate it, not everyone can make you experience such beauty.
Anyways, here's the thing.
The MMC Toru, almost in every chapter he's talking about 'sex'. Now, let's even consider the fact that he's a young adult and is going through the tragedies of life, he is learning things, okay understandable. But, even when he's talking about Naoko, the woman he loves, he only seems to be talking about her body, the way her 'sexual appearance' pleases him. Even after her death, he talks about how he misses the time when he was sexually involved with her, seriously? There were rarely any moments where I remember Toru reminiscing the moments when they had gone for a walk or had held hands.
He has almost slept with every woman he has met, c'mon! The most ridiculous parts were the last pages of this book, where he & Reiko were trying to perform a homage for Naoko, the moment was beautiful when Reiko was singing all the songs that Naoko liked to hear, and after the 51st song, if I recall it correctly, Reiko asks Toru "how about we do it?", and mind you, Reiko is a significantly older woman and Toru is 19 years younger than her! and obviously, Toru to this replies "strange, I was thinking the same", BRO WHAT 😭??? AND THEN THEY SLEEP TOGETHER(4 rounds!!!) IN HONOUR OF NAOKO! oh good heavens!
I'm surprised by the fact that so many people consider this book their 'favourite', I've even seen some people recommending it to young readers saying that this book is a 'life changer'. Definitely, I understand that the author wanted to represent the characters as raw and imperfect, which is totally fine and a beautiful thought indeed but this book is literally porn on paper just with a sad background. This book, in my opinion would've been a LOT better if the Murakami focused more on emotional depth(which he did in some portions) than the sexual one.
⭐⭐⭐ from me.
Again, this is just what I feel, if your opinions differ from mine, that's absolutely fine to me as well.
I read this book maybe a year or two back and I was completely in love with this, probably because it was one of my first sci-fi thrillers. I really liked the plot and the suspense kept me on the hook each time, definitely a recommendation for people looking for books as such(sci-fi). A few months after I was done reading this book, Apple TV even made it into a series, though I haven't watched the series yet.
Haven't met many people who've read this book, anyone here who has? I'd love to hear you guys' opinions!