Daisy chain | Yttria A.

Posted by Yttria on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 // 03:55 // 0 comments (+)

Visited a local charity shop nearby last year and saw the book in the corner. I didn’t notice till I found the cover a bit catchy (yes; I judge a book by its cover) and then read the synopsis on the back. The story seemed to be funny and interesting, moreover it mentioned about the profession 'architect'. Without thinking twice, I gave it a shot.

Bernadette Fox was an extraordinary lady architect - who feels like a failure after her architecture masterpiece got destroyed by a rich neighbour with bulldozers. She decides to move with her husband to live a new life in Seattle. But it doesn't end there: she stops doing architecture, she has miscarriages, and when she finally has a child - now is a 15 years-old daughter Bee - the child is prone to serious health problem, the city and its people doesn't seem to fit her, and later her husband Elgie Branch cheats on her. Because of her certain super silly circumstances (her careless frequent correspondence with a virtual assistant who is actually a Russian mafia, her accidental mud flood on her neighbour house, and other silly things); people - including her husband - think that she is mentally ill and she needs treatment.

Therefore, she escapes. She runs away, nobody knows where she is. Bee and Elgie try to find her everywhere, and finally find her in Antarctica; where she contemplates about her life. At the end of the story; she finds her balance and becomes uplifted as she suddenly been assigned to design a new station in the South Pole; a project that intrigues her and makes her feel very challenged on doing; which made her move forward and think positively about her life in this absurd world once again.

It basically tells the reader on how to be a parent; especially a mother. There would truly be ups and downs in life; the joy that people will experience once they become parents. Things in life won't always go perfectly, and it is nice to have people who understand. Other people would never understand us as deeply as a family would do. There might be a time when we think that our life is a failure, but if we got family with us (in this case a child or parents; the ones who will stand by our side and believe in us, and of course will try to find us when we're gone!); it is enough. Though, sometimes there is also this ironic case where even our closest person in the family doesn't understand much nor put trust in us. It wouldn't hurt to give them a chance and to have a little faith in them, right?

Everyone needs a break: and everyone goes with it in their very own way. In their own time. It is only natural to do, especially when people experience something really annoying, disappointing, and think that they may have had enough; as long as the break is not something harmful or bad to them and to their loved ones. Fox was in an emotional pain for so long that she became bored of her life, which made her disappeared for a while. But still; I find it very bizarre (and... May I say: inspiring?) that her method is to runaway to Antarctica.

There are many Beatles references in the story. One of them is the Here Comes The Sun; a song that is from Bee and her mom’s fave album. I could definitely relate to this; as I also very much think that the song really is a hopeful song. I remember one night when I was still in junior-high school years ago and seem to hate everything and not satisfied with life (on the account of puberty age!); I put the records on and listened to the song. It was so soothing that I found myself contemplating on being more grateful towards life. I still experience the same effect now that I'm much older. Well done, my favorite Beatle. This song is still, and will always be one of my favorite tracks from Abbey Road.

"My heart started racing, not the bad kind of heart racing, like I'm going to die. But the good kind of heart racing, like, Hello, can I help you with something? If not, please step aside because I'm about to kick the shit out of life."

- Fox, on unexpected opportunity of doing her passion again

The main character in the story - Fox - has a quite unique personality; she is witty, quirky, and a little unsociable lady. At the same time, she is also very ideal and passionate about architecture; not only about the subject itself, but also about the process behind the subject. She is enthusiastic about the creation of architecture; which makes her enjoy the 'crafting' part of it and gives her inspiration to produce novelty design ideas. The Twenty Mile House - her design that gets demolished - is one the first architectures with zero waste; designed using only materials from no farther than twenty miles. But inspite of her genius; she is rather silly, and has peculiar thoughts on things around her; which makes the character lovelier and heart-warming.

To be honest, I think the novel tells a sad big-blow life story of Bernadette Fox; and I found it rather weird to laugh when I read novels... But actually I laughed a lot while reading this. The author Semple told the miserable story of Fox in a heart-warming-ly funny perspective, in epistolary style (just like this story). It really is packed with real funny stuffs. I just recently found out that the novel will be adapted into a movie which will be released by the end of this year.

The last but not least... What I really learned from the story is: how important it is to have a passion in life. Why? Because it keeps you going. It motivates you to do more, to live life - eventhough life is disappointing (I still think there is no ultimate escape than to seek refuge to the Creator, but still, passion will make you even a better person). Passion could push you to the edge to expand your horizon. It gives your life a meaning, adds value to life. Fox should have hated architecture: her masterpiece gets torn down, her whole career is ruined, and she feels like a failure. But she doesn't hate it, in fact she misses it and takes another opportunity of doing it: that is because it is her passion from the very beginning. Which helps her to stand on her own two feet again. You can fail, then you could possibly fall, but you will get back up if you have passion in life.

And if you want to take a break for a while from your current life; Antarctica could be an option.

Image was taken from Google Images.

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Hello! My name is Yttria. Here's where I share some of my photoworks, sketches, stories and quick thoughts. Some are just doodles and mumbles. Hope you enjoy it.

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