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Touching Earth
THE BALINESE TWINS -- Beautiful and exotic, they exchange an island paradise for the shabby squalor of London, and innocence for corruption.
THE SICILIAN -- Ricky Delgado strikes a devil's bargain with a blood goddess: 'Build my temple and bring me the souls of damaged people, and you will see what rewards I give.
THE COURTESAN -- Elizabeth makes her living from men's desire. With a flick of the switch in her head, she feels nothing: no pain, no hate, no sorrow, no joy.
THE ARTIST -- Anis takes to painting as an outlet for his rage. His artist's eye knows his subjects before they know themselves, and he paints them all, a gallery of broken people.
Can they escape the deadly web of decadence and sin?
THE SICILIAN -- Ricky Delgado strikes a devil's bargain with a blood goddess: 'Build my temple and bring me the souls of damaged people, and you will see what rewards I give.
THE COURTESAN -- Elizabeth makes her living from men's desire. With a flick of the switch in her head, she feels nothing: no pain, no hate, no sorrow, no joy.
THE ARTIST -- Anis takes to painting as an outlet for his rage. His artist's eye knows his subjects before they know themselves, and he paints them all, a gallery of broken people.
Can they escape the deadly web of decadence and sin?
432 pages, Paperback
First published September 13, 2004
21 people are currently reading
412 people want to read
About the author
Rani Manicka
4books210followersRani Manicka, an economics graduate, was born and educated in Malaysia and divides her time between Malaysia and England. Her first novel 'The Rice Mother'Infused with her own Sri Lankan family history is a vivid imaginative story about the frailties of human nature and the consequences of war. It won a Commonwealth Writers Prize in 2003.
She has published a further two novels,'Touching Earth'in 2005,a dark and compelling tale of love,betrayal and addiction, her current novel 'The Japanese Lover' was released in 2009, a story set in Malaya during the Japanese occupation, an absorbing story of unconventional love between captor and captured.
Rani Manicka's latest novel, BLACK JACK is out NOW.
She has published a further two novels,'Touching Earth'in 2005,a dark and compelling tale of love,betrayal and addiction, her current novel 'The Japanese Lover' was released in 2009, a story set in Malaya during the Japanese occupation, an absorbing story of unconventional love between captor and captured.
Rani Manicka's latest novel, BLACK JACK is out NOW.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
April 10, 2025
Titulo: Hermanas de la tierra
Autor: Rani Manicka
Motivo de lectura: #MarzoAsiatico2025
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Físico / ٰóԾ: ٰóԾ
Mi edición: �
ʳܲԳٳܲó: 2.5/5
De esos libros donde hay una buena intención, pero la ejecución posee una dudosa calidad.
Leer este libro me dio la sensación de estar leyendo algo que está desmembrado, me refiero específicamente a la manera en que la autora presenta a los personajes.
Mientras que la historia entre las hermanas si es interesante, es cuando aparecen los personajes secundarios que todo se siente trabado, la lectura deja de fluir como un todo, a dar la sensación que cada personaje va en una cajita, y que cuando interactúan entre ellos, la dinámica grupal se siente empastada, distante, desabrido.
Hay una gran exploración de distintas culturas intentando conjugarse, pero como mencione, la dinámica de interacción entre personajes no logro captar mi interés como lectora.
Agotador el continuo cambio de punto de vista, lo cual hace muy caótico todo por el exceso de personajes en la trama.
La calificación es por la prosa, que es muy buena, pero escribir bien a veces no alcanza.
Esta es mi primer experiencia con la autora, y definitivamente en el futuro le daré otra oportunidad.
Marzo asiático (5/7): Malasia
Autor: Rani Manicka
Motivo de lectura: #MarzoAsiatico2025
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Físico / ٰóԾ: ٰóԾ
Mi edición: �
ʳܲԳٳܲó: 2.5/5
De esos libros donde hay una buena intención, pero la ejecución posee una dudosa calidad.
Leer este libro me dio la sensación de estar leyendo algo que está desmembrado, me refiero específicamente a la manera en que la autora presenta a los personajes.
Mientras que la historia entre las hermanas si es interesante, es cuando aparecen los personajes secundarios que todo se siente trabado, la lectura deja de fluir como un todo, a dar la sensación que cada personaje va en una cajita, y que cuando interactúan entre ellos, la dinámica grupal se siente empastada, distante, desabrido.
Hay una gran exploración de distintas culturas intentando conjugarse, pero como mencione, la dinámica de interacción entre personajes no logro captar mi interés como lectora.
Agotador el continuo cambio de punto de vista, lo cual hace muy caótico todo por el exceso de personajes en la trama.
La calificación es por la prosa, que es muy buena, pero escribir bien a veces no alcanza.
Esta es mi primer experiencia con la autora, y definitivamente en el futuro le daré otra oportunidad.
Marzo asiático (5/7): Malasia
April 14, 2015
I loved 'Rice Mother' and was really looking forward to reading 'Touching Earth,' especially after spending 2 weeks in Bali last year. The images of Bali are authentic and intoxicating. They transport the reader elsewhere. I remember watching the Balinese make offering to their spirits all through the day, well into the night, mysteriously following an invisible path and rituals unbeknownst to me...Nenek does the same. Reportedly a witch, she's tied to the earth, feeding herbal combinations to the ill, possessed and her granddaughters, identical twins.
The twins, their perspectives and desires are fascinating. they each see their home, their family and their culture through different eyes, but each reveals layers rather than something separate.
Their downfall is a trip to London, a gift from their father. The transformation of innocent, sheltered village girls by the evil underbelly of the city is horrifying. You won't want to turn the page, but have to because you have to know what happens to them and their friends as they enter the temple of the spider goddess. A gripping, roller coaster of a novel
The twins, their perspectives and desires are fascinating. they each see their home, their family and their culture through different eyes, but each reveals layers rather than something separate.
Their downfall is a trip to London, a gift from their father. The transformation of innocent, sheltered village girls by the evil underbelly of the city is horrifying. You won't want to turn the page, but have to because you have to know what happens to them and their friends as they enter the temple of the spider goddess. A gripping, roller coaster of a novel
February 6, 2020
Manicka's look at the cost of living in the modern world sees characters leaving their what they know, their home, friends and family in Bali and going to live in London. The scene is very well set with the book starting in Bali to give everything else context.
.
I enjoyed this book and the thought inducing issues it explores. Sadly as I write this review in 2020, the details are not what I can remember, but what I do have is my original rating of 7 out of 12.
.
I enjoyed this book and the thought inducing issues it explores. Sadly as I write this review in 2020, the details are not what I can remember, but what I do have is my original rating of 7 out of 12.
February 7, 2017
“The rats ate an island, but we’ll eat a whole planet. Think about it. We really are like rats. We give nothing to any other creature on this earth. We don’t make honey, our milk is only for our own, our flesh, which is supposed to be sweet, we consider too precious to be eaten by another. We don’t know how to make nests out of our saliva. Even after we are dead we won’t allow out skin to be used for leather. We just know how to shit and fuck.�
This book was nothing that I expected it to be. The characters, the description were phenomenal.
I am tired of “pure love� in books. Those young adult books, with perfect people, with perfect characteristics, so not real, that it makes you vomit.
This book on the other hand showed the truth. People who are unconventional, with their unconventional stories and love. Love, that is the real thing. When someone sees your ugly side and still wants you.
Rani Manicka captured the world, where cocaine is dominated. It reminded me of “The Wolf of Wall Street�, first you are successful and you think you will stay the same way. You can quit at any moment, just not now, not today, maybe tomorrow and the tomorrow never comes. The ugly side of this world, filth, prostitution, sex, jealousy, death.
Nutan, Zeenat, Anis, Maggie, Elizabeth, Bruce, Ricky and Francesca--their stories were captivating and I was rooting for them. But this isn’t a book with happy endings.
“The mirror is a dangerous thing. It is sincere in the company of the insincere.�
This book was nothing that I expected it to be. The characters, the description were phenomenal.
I am tired of “pure love� in books. Those young adult books, with perfect people, with perfect characteristics, so not real, that it makes you vomit.
This book on the other hand showed the truth. People who are unconventional, with their unconventional stories and love. Love, that is the real thing. When someone sees your ugly side and still wants you.
Rani Manicka captured the world, where cocaine is dominated. It reminded me of “The Wolf of Wall Street�, first you are successful and you think you will stay the same way. You can quit at any moment, just not now, not today, maybe tomorrow and the tomorrow never comes. The ugly side of this world, filth, prostitution, sex, jealousy, death.
Nutan, Zeenat, Anis, Maggie, Elizabeth, Bruce, Ricky and Francesca--their stories were captivating and I was rooting for them. But this isn’t a book with happy endings.
“The mirror is a dangerous thing. It is sincere in the company of the insincere.�
September 2, 2014
A capa deste livro é linda, idílica. Mas pela sinopse compreendemos que não vai ser uma história cor de rosa. Muito pelo contrário, levamos do paraíso ao inferno, é uma história pesada, dramática mas que gostei de ler. Por isso se o lerem não se deixem enganar pelas lindas cores da capa e leiam com atenção a ação que se inicia a acaba em Bali, sendo a restante em Londres. Ah e o livro chama-se "As flores do TEMPLO" e não do "Tempo". Alguém que tenha permissões para tal que faça essa correcção no titulo
July 12, 2012
I'd heard a lot of good reviews about the book 'Rice Mother' by Rani Manicka, but never actually got around to reading it. So when I accidentally came across her second book 'Touching Earth' at a re-sale old books shop, I was pleasantly happy and picked it up almost instantly. Can you imagine how much I got if for? Just for INR 25, which less than 1USD !!!!
Here are the book details:
Title: Touching Earth
Author: Rani Manicka
Publishers: Sceptre
No. of Pages: 432
Before I go for the review, a brief look at the story:
Touching Earth is essentially the story of two Balinese twin sisters - Nutan and Zeenat, who are forced by circumstances to shift base from their beautiful paradise island to the disturbing and sordid streets of London. Living a life of dreams, magic, spells and innocence, the sisters suddenly find themselves in a world that is trapped in the web of lust, sex, prostitution, and something that kicks it on - heroin addiction.
The sisters are brought to London by their father, and both girls have big dreams in their eyes, dreams that begin to vanish soon after their father returns back home, leaving the girls to fight their way alone in a new big city, one that is getting ready to spin its web around them.
The other key characters are:
Ricky Delgado: A young charming Sicilan, who loves to trap people in his deadly life web of sin and addiction. He also has an affair with one of the twins.
Anis: The young artist who knows his subjects better than they know themselves.
Elisabeth: Mistress to an Arab billionaire, the cold ice-queen, who guards a terrible secret, one that does not allow her to fall in love.
Bruce: Who ends up falling in love with Elisabeth, who must not love.
I can't really give out too much of the story here, as it will spoil the magic that Rani Manicka creates. The novel is filled with her lyrical style, a sing-song that instantly transforms the readers between the island paradise and the real, modern-day, sordid streets of London. What you read is so powerful that you can't help but turn the pages. As the author takes you through the fate of these young characters whose lives go topsy-turvy with heroin-addiction, she spares you none of the visual and depressing details of an addiction that takes over your life and wrings out every last breath from it.
The book is detailed to the point that it feels the author has done a lot of 'real' research on the subject and spent time with heroin-addicts. The story is dark and at times, depressing, but this does not mean you won't enjoy it. Don't let the reviews of the book being dark and sordid put you off, instead, read the book for exactly the same reason, as this is a book that despite talking about a subject that is essentially not a happy one, will make you flip through the pages and want to know what happens in the end.
Never in the book does the pace get slow or boring. The characters are extremely well-drawn and you feel as if you've begun to know them personally, though the related events are not something that most of us encounter in a regular day. There are many real-life circumstances and events, relationship angles that we may have personally experienced or seen others close to us go through. And of course there are those parts of the narrative which only a creative writer can come up with, which comes with creative license. Though there are parts in the story that you know are purely created out of imagination, you still end up believing the same, such is the power of the storyteller.
I've read a few reviews by other book lovers who mentioned that they were disappointed in the book after having read The Rice Mother, which they thought was brilliant. Well, I don't have any such comparisons to make, and I can definitely say this book is worth a read, especially if you haven't read her first book, and even if you have read her earlier work.
I give FIVE HEARTS to this one: AWESOME
Here are the book details:
Title: Touching Earth
Author: Rani Manicka
Publishers: Sceptre
No. of Pages: 432
Before I go for the review, a brief look at the story:
Touching Earth is essentially the story of two Balinese twin sisters - Nutan and Zeenat, who are forced by circumstances to shift base from their beautiful paradise island to the disturbing and sordid streets of London. Living a life of dreams, magic, spells and innocence, the sisters suddenly find themselves in a world that is trapped in the web of lust, sex, prostitution, and something that kicks it on - heroin addiction.
The sisters are brought to London by their father, and both girls have big dreams in their eyes, dreams that begin to vanish soon after their father returns back home, leaving the girls to fight their way alone in a new big city, one that is getting ready to spin its web around them.
The other key characters are:
Ricky Delgado: A young charming Sicilan, who loves to trap people in his deadly life web of sin and addiction. He also has an affair with one of the twins.
Anis: The young artist who knows his subjects better than they know themselves.
Elisabeth: Mistress to an Arab billionaire, the cold ice-queen, who guards a terrible secret, one that does not allow her to fall in love.
Bruce: Who ends up falling in love with Elisabeth, who must not love.
I can't really give out too much of the story here, as it will spoil the magic that Rani Manicka creates. The novel is filled with her lyrical style, a sing-song that instantly transforms the readers between the island paradise and the real, modern-day, sordid streets of London. What you read is so powerful that you can't help but turn the pages. As the author takes you through the fate of these young characters whose lives go topsy-turvy with heroin-addiction, she spares you none of the visual and depressing details of an addiction that takes over your life and wrings out every last breath from it.
The book is detailed to the point that it feels the author has done a lot of 'real' research on the subject and spent time with heroin-addicts. The story is dark and at times, depressing, but this does not mean you won't enjoy it. Don't let the reviews of the book being dark and sordid put you off, instead, read the book for exactly the same reason, as this is a book that despite talking about a subject that is essentially not a happy one, will make you flip through the pages and want to know what happens in the end.
Never in the book does the pace get slow or boring. The characters are extremely well-drawn and you feel as if you've begun to know them personally, though the related events are not something that most of us encounter in a regular day. There are many real-life circumstances and events, relationship angles that we may have personally experienced or seen others close to us go through. And of course there are those parts of the narrative which only a creative writer can come up with, which comes with creative license. Though there are parts in the story that you know are purely created out of imagination, you still end up believing the same, such is the power of the storyteller.
I've read a few reviews by other book lovers who mentioned that they were disappointed in the book after having read The Rice Mother, which they thought was brilliant. Well, I don't have any such comparisons to make, and I can definitely say this book is worth a read, especially if you haven't read her first book, and even if you have read her earlier work.
I give FIVE HEARTS to this one: AWESOME
April 13, 2010
I'm not sure how I actually feel about this book. The whole drugs scene has passed me by and I find that I don't really empathise with the need for a high.. having said that, I was completely intrigued by each character portrayal and how they deal with what comes in their lives. I like the beginning where the scene is set with the twins in Bali and find that when they make their way to England, I am not surprised about their eventual situation.
It wasn't just the twins though, each character had something in them that spoke to me, and overall I quite enjoyed the book.
One thing though, I can't understand why the author needed to incorporate herself into the story.
It wasn't just the twins though, each character had something in them that spoke to me, and overall I quite enjoyed the book.
One thing though, I can't understand why the author needed to incorporate herself into the story.
October 3, 2023
Роман, който едновременно извисява и принизява, започващ с магичната атмосфера и традиции на Бали и пренасящ читателя до най-грозните и отблъскващи кътчета на Лондон. Възход и падение - вечната тема.
March 13, 2024
I went through mixed feelings all the way through this book, intrigued by the start of it with the lives of the Balinese twins, their fascinating family, customs and culture, to being quite annoyed at times in the middle with some of the darker, shallower characters and dialogue-dominant prose, to enjoying it much more at the end with both happy and sad closures. Once I finished, I reread the beginning again, which gave me a better understanding of the whole novel, a practice one should probably do with every book.
This is a dark journey into the sordid underworld of drugs, addiction, exploitation, and prostitution, and is not an easy read for that reason, yet you can’t help but be invested in (some) of the characters, frustrated also, cheering them on, feeling disappointment in their failures. But then isn’t this exactly what a book is supposed to do, provoke these feelings in you, whether positive or negative? Any book that teaches you something and makes you feel something is worth a read, and even though this novel was uncomfortable at times, beauty still shone through.
This is a dark journey into the sordid underworld of drugs, addiction, exploitation, and prostitution, and is not an easy read for that reason, yet you can’t help but be invested in (some) of the characters, frustrated also, cheering them on, feeling disappointment in their failures. But then isn’t this exactly what a book is supposed to do, provoke these feelings in you, whether positive or negative? Any book that teaches you something and makes you feel something is worth a read, and even though this novel was uncomfortable at times, beauty still shone through.
April 4, 2012
Fabulous book.
Accurate account of a journey into drugs and the sordid underworld it reveals.
I think teenagers should read this book as a warning of how easily a glamourous world can just be the outer layer of a grotesque world within. I think the analogy of the spider weaving it's sticky web is a good visual.
The only criticsm I have is that although throughout most of the book her prose is wonderful at times towards the end the writing and plot becomes clumsy and a bit too romantic.
Accurate account of a journey into drugs and the sordid underworld it reveals.
I think teenagers should read this book as a warning of how easily a glamourous world can just be the outer layer of a grotesque world within. I think the analogy of the spider weaving it's sticky web is a good visual.
The only criticsm I have is that although throughout most of the book her prose is wonderful at times towards the end the writing and plot becomes clumsy and a bit too romantic.
February 15, 2022
This book was okay. The paced of plot was slow my likeing and the writing was fine. Both the worldbuilding and the ending was okay. The cover of book was stunning and the characters were okay but they were bland.
July 30, 2024
Touching Earth presents a stark contrast to the sprawling familial saga of The Rice Mother. This novel delves into the darker corners of human experience, exploring themes of innocence, corruption, and the destructive power of desire. The narrative is structured around two distinct settings: the idyllic paradise of Bali and the gritty underworld of London. This juxtaposition serves as a powerful tool to highlight the stark differences between purity and depravity.
Bali: Represents a world of innocence, beauty, and spiritual connection. The twin sisters, Nutan and Nila, embody this purity, their lives intertwined with the rhythms of nature.
London: Symbolizes a corrupt, materialistic world where dreams are shattered and morality is compromised. The character of Ricky Delgado, a charismatic but manipulative figure, becomes the embodiment of this darkness.
Manicka masterfully portrays the tragic transformation of the Balinese twins as they are lured into the dangerous world of London. The novel explores the devastating consequences of their exposure to exploitation and abuse. Their story serves as a potent indictment of the predatory nature of certain elements of society.
Touching Earth is a novel about power dynamics and the abuse of power. Ricky Delgado, a character who initially appears charming and alluring, is revealed to be a manipulative and controlling figure. The novel exposes the insidious ways in which power can be wielded to exploit and destroy.
Similar to The Rice Mother, Touching Earth employs a polyphonic narrative structure, allowing multiple voices to be heard. This approach provides a rich and complex tapestry of perspectives, allowing readers to gain a deeper understanding of the characters and their motivations.
While Touching Earth has been praised for its unflinching portrayal of darkness and its evocative exploration of themes, it has also been criticized for its graphic content and its somewhat pessimistic outlook. Some readers find the novel to be disturbing and difficult to read, while others appreciate its unflinching honesty.
Overall, Touching Earth is a challenging but powerful novel that forces readers to confront the darker aspects of human nature. Manicka’s skillful storytelling and unflinching portrayal of corruption make this a thought-provoking and unforgettable read.
Bali: Represents a world of innocence, beauty, and spiritual connection. The twin sisters, Nutan and Nila, embody this purity, their lives intertwined with the rhythms of nature.
London: Symbolizes a corrupt, materialistic world where dreams are shattered and morality is compromised. The character of Ricky Delgado, a charismatic but manipulative figure, becomes the embodiment of this darkness.
Manicka masterfully portrays the tragic transformation of the Balinese twins as they are lured into the dangerous world of London. The novel explores the devastating consequences of their exposure to exploitation and abuse. Their story serves as a potent indictment of the predatory nature of certain elements of society.
Touching Earth is a novel about power dynamics and the abuse of power. Ricky Delgado, a character who initially appears charming and alluring, is revealed to be a manipulative and controlling figure. The novel exposes the insidious ways in which power can be wielded to exploit and destroy.
Similar to The Rice Mother, Touching Earth employs a polyphonic narrative structure, allowing multiple voices to be heard. This approach provides a rich and complex tapestry of perspectives, allowing readers to gain a deeper understanding of the characters and their motivations.
While Touching Earth has been praised for its unflinching portrayal of darkness and its evocative exploration of themes, it has also been criticized for its graphic content and its somewhat pessimistic outlook. Some readers find the novel to be disturbing and difficult to read, while others appreciate its unflinching honesty.
Overall, Touching Earth is a challenging but powerful novel that forces readers to confront the darker aspects of human nature. Manicka’s skillful storytelling and unflinching portrayal of corruption make this a thought-provoking and unforgettable read.
April 17, 2020
Este libro es uno que tengo en físico desde hace mucho tiempo y lo compre solo porque la portada me pareció linda, pero nunca en mi vida pensé encontrar lo que encontré.
Sinceramente, en mi opinión, se lleva dos estrellas por el hecho de que la primera parte cuenta la historia de los personajes que están en este libro, y esa parte me pareció muy entretenida, cada personaje tiene una vida que, ademas de ser interesante, se conecta con la vida de los demás. Y en la segunda parte, que fue la que no me gusto para nada, la historia me pareció entretenida, pero lo que sucedía y las decisiones que tomaban las personas no me gusto para nada.
El libro trata de dos gemelas que van desde Balí hasta Londres, solo para destrozar sus vidas y físico con las drogas. Cada decisión que tomaban las llevaba a las drogas, y eso me causaba una impotencia y rabia que no tiene nombre.
Cada personaje aquí es una personificación de lo que no me gusta: (contiene spoilers)
En conclusión, recomiendo este libro? NO. Para nada. Pero su historia puede servir para darnos cuenta que las drogas son malas y que no solo la adicción puede destruirnos.
Sinceramente, en mi opinión, se lleva dos estrellas por el hecho de que la primera parte cuenta la historia de los personajes que están en este libro, y esa parte me pareció muy entretenida, cada personaje tiene una vida que, ademas de ser interesante, se conecta con la vida de los demás. Y en la segunda parte, que fue la que no me gusto para nada, la historia me pareció entretenida, pero lo que sucedía y las decisiones que tomaban las personas no me gusto para nada.
El libro trata de dos gemelas que van desde Balí hasta Londres, solo para destrozar sus vidas y físico con las drogas. Cada decisión que tomaban las llevaba a las drogas, y eso me causaba una impotencia y rabia que no tiene nombre.
Cada personaje aquí es una personificación de lo que no me gusta: (contiene spoilers)
En conclusión, recomiendo este libro? NO. Para nada. Pero su historia puede servir para darnos cuenta que las drogas son malas y que no solo la adicción puede destruirnos.
December 1, 2023
🖋 ,,Slikao je nas. Galeriju slomljenih ljudi."
🥀 Koliko mi je knjiga na početku smorila, toliko mi se na kraju dopala. Verujem da je tome doprinelo to što sam je slušala u audio formatu jer je onda cela priča ,,išla brže".
🥀 Priču pratimo iz ugla nekoliko likova. Bliznakinje sa Balija koje menjaju Raj za London, Riki koji sa Sicilije odlazi u London da bi pronašao svoju dečiju ljubav, Frančesku koja je i sama oduvek maštala o Rikiju, Anis koji nosi teret svog oca kako njegova majka ne bi bila povređena, Elizabet koja je završila kao prostitutka bogatog Arapina iz čijih kandži ne može da se otrgne i Brus koji se polako zaljubljuje u Elizabet.
Kada likove ovako nabrojim priča deluje vrlo romantično, ali nije. Kako je autorka sama rekla, ova priča je prljava. Veoma, veoma prljava. Svaki lik nosi neki porok i vlastitu nesreću pa su na neki način postali slomljeni ljudi. Ako mene pitate, ova knjiga baš tako treba da se zove ,,Slomljeni ljudi."
🥀 Ne postoji mnogo toga što mogu reči o ovoj knjizi a da vam ne otkrijem radnju, ali ono što mogu da kažem jeste da je fascinantno kako jedan lik može biti kriv za nesreću brojnih drugih ljudi a da toga, čini se, nije ni svestan. Malo, po malo Riki odvlači svoje žrtve u ,,Paukov hram" gde se one upliću u mrežu droge, prostitucije, prevare a negde i smrti. Ne mogu da kažem da je baš on kriv za sve što je naopako prošlo u knjizi, ali je sigurno jedan od pokretača. Od bliznakinja sa Balija do kuvara u restoranu, sve ih je unesrećio na neki način.
🥀 Ono što mi se nije dopalo je to što u životima vodećih likova nema svetlih tačaka. Od početka pa skoro do kraja zastupljeni su poroci, patnja, blud, nemoral i prevara. Prva polovina knjige može biti malo naporna jer opisuje život svakog lika ponaosob i na taj način nas spisateljica upoznaje sa njima gde nam tu i tamo da do znanja da se njihovi životi međusobno prepliću što dodatno golica maštu.
🥀 Ocena: 4�
🥀 Koliko mi je knjiga na početku smorila, toliko mi se na kraju dopala. Verujem da je tome doprinelo to što sam je slušala u audio formatu jer je onda cela priča ,,išla brže".
🥀 Priču pratimo iz ugla nekoliko likova. Bliznakinje sa Balija koje menjaju Raj za London, Riki koji sa Sicilije odlazi u London da bi pronašao svoju dečiju ljubav, Frančesku koja je i sama oduvek maštala o Rikiju, Anis koji nosi teret svog oca kako njegova majka ne bi bila povređena, Elizabet koja je završila kao prostitutka bogatog Arapina iz čijih kandži ne može da se otrgne i Brus koji se polako zaljubljuje u Elizabet.
Kada likove ovako nabrojim priča deluje vrlo romantično, ali nije. Kako je autorka sama rekla, ova priča je prljava. Veoma, veoma prljava. Svaki lik nosi neki porok i vlastitu nesreću pa su na neki način postali slomljeni ljudi. Ako mene pitate, ova knjiga baš tako treba da se zove ,,Slomljeni ljudi."
🥀 Ne postoji mnogo toga što mogu reči o ovoj knjizi a da vam ne otkrijem radnju, ali ono što mogu da kažem jeste da je fascinantno kako jedan lik može biti kriv za nesreću brojnih drugih ljudi a da toga, čini se, nije ni svestan. Malo, po malo Riki odvlači svoje žrtve u ,,Paukov hram" gde se one upliću u mrežu droge, prostitucije, prevare a negde i smrti. Ne mogu da kažem da je baš on kriv za sve što je naopako prošlo u knjizi, ali je sigurno jedan od pokretača. Od bliznakinja sa Balija do kuvara u restoranu, sve ih je unesrećio na neki način.
🥀 Ono što mi se nije dopalo je to što u životima vodećih likova nema svetlih tačaka. Od početka pa skoro do kraja zastupljeni su poroci, patnja, blud, nemoral i prevara. Prva polovina knjige može biti malo naporna jer opisuje život svakog lika ponaosob i na taj način nas spisateljica upoznaje sa njima gde nam tu i tamo da do znanja da se njihovi životi međusobno prepliću što dodatno golica maštu.
🥀 Ocena: 4�
April 18, 2020
O que dizer deste livrinho? Bem, tive uma relação de amor/desamor com ele... Iniciamos esta aventura num paraíso de inocência, em Bali. As personagens principais são gémeas diria inseparáveis.O destino leva-as para Londres onde o paraiso de inocência se desintegra... De que maneiras? Bem, terão que ler para descobrir. Lá o número de personagens principais aumentam e cada uma dá o seu ponto de vista da acção, em certas partes a acção cruza-se com os outros testemunhos, mas não se torna maçador (pois só cruzam levemente na narrativa, apesar de todos se conhecerem). Ao início achei meio diferente e estranho estes pontos de vista variados.. Mas no final tudo se iluminou e fez sentido, bastante sentido.
Para mim, houve tópicos abordados meio dolorosos de ler, realidades complexas de ver acontecer. Houve acções que me repugnavam, houve pensamentos que eu não aceitei bem, comentários que a mim me magoavam como ser humano e saber que na realidade há pessoas que ainda têm esta mentalidade, dá-me uma sensação grande de tristeza pela sociedade.
Achei este livro importante, achei que a forma como terminou foi excelente e transmitiu directamente a mensagem que desde o início estava implícita.
Para mim, houve tópicos abordados meio dolorosos de ler, realidades complexas de ver acontecer. Houve acções que me repugnavam, houve pensamentos que eu não aceitei bem, comentários que a mim me magoavam como ser humano e saber que na realidade há pessoas que ainda têm esta mentalidade, dá-me uma sensação grande de tristeza pela sociedade.
Achei este livro importante, achei que a forma como terminou foi excelente e transmitiu directamente a mensagem que desde o início estava implícita.
February 9, 2017
Um retrato fiel e quase sempre duro sobre a iniciação no mundo da droga. Sobre a destruição gradual dos próprios e de quem os rodeia. Este livro é o exemplo de como um titulo pode estar tão longe da verdadeira mensagem do livro. Esta autora tem um livro anterior, o seu primeiro, que teve um enorme reconhecimento internacional, que se chama " A guardiã dos Sonhos". Ainda não o li mas, estranho como este, pelo que tenho lido, não teve tanto. Trata-se de um livro muito bom mesmo.
April 7, 2019
This is not quite what I was expecting. The Touching Earth looks at the sordid underbelly of the world of drugs and prostitution. There is nothing glossed over or glamourised.
It follows two beautiful, innocent Balinese twins and their journey to London and the effect drugs has on their lives. All the characters they meet are well written even though they may not be particularly likeable.
This is not an easy read .
It follows two beautiful, innocent Balinese twins and their journey to London and the effect drugs has on their lives. All the characters they meet are well written even though they may not be particularly likeable.
This is not an easy read .
December 8, 2023
... Изключително разочарована съм от тази книга.В началото всичко започва много добре,но в последствие, единственото за което се говори е разврат, наркотици, изневяра, предателство и в един момент става толкова наситено, само за това се говори, без никакъв съществен сюжет, толкова досадно и отегчително,че едвам дочетох книгата. Единствено я дочетох,защото никога не оставям нещата недовършени.Кръгла нула, не остави следа в мен по никакъв начин.Съжалявам за избора си,това не са моят тип книги.
August 24, 2019
Ostala sam bez teksta. Iskreno! Ne znam ni odakle da krenem. Jako su mi se svideli opisi svih likova na pocetku knjige, jako lep uvod u pricu. Njihovo preplitanje je toliko zestoko i surovo! Ovo je jako tuzna prica o ljudskim subinama i uzasima koje droga donosi. Verovatno jedna od najboljih kmjiga koje sam procitala u poslednje vreme!
February 13, 2021
Non è all'altezza di Madre del riso, ma mi è comunque piaciuto. Al di là dell'aspetto più sordido della vicenda, tra sesso, droga e perversioni varie, la vicenda è coinvolgente e a tratti commovente. Non tutti i personaggi si salvano, anzi, è vero il contrario, ma la vita è così, non tutti hanno la forza di dire basta...
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November 1, 2023To nie jest Matka Ryżu! Moim zdaniem okładka również wprowadza w błąd... Co niestety powoduje rozczarowanie.
Ta powieść wydaje się terapią autorki. Zrozumiałą dla niej i może jeszcze kilku osób (nie jestem jedną z nich). Rani Manicka maluje nam obraz smutku, rozpaczy, brudu, narkotycznej beznadziei. Nie byłam gotowa na to spotkanie.
Ta powieść wydaje się terapią autorki. Zrozumiałą dla niej i może jeszcze kilku osób (nie jestem jedną z nich). Rani Manicka maluje nam obraz smutku, rozpaczy, brudu, narkotycznej beznadziei. Nie byłam gotowa na to spotkanie.
January 17, 2024
I shouldn`t have done so, but I did! I chose this book by the cover which is quite attractive. However I did not fully read the blurb on the back. Had I seen that this book was about heroin addiction and prostitution I certainly would not have set out to read it, it was certainly not uplifting, rather more depressing.
September 23, 2024
Splendido veramente.
Per quel che mi riguarda ci ho visto una forte critica alla società moderna, nonché una celebrazione di quella vita innocente che tutti quanti avevamo prima che il mondo la corrompesse.
Consigliatissimo per chi ama i romanzi introspettivi, o profondamente psicologici.
Da parte mia è un 9 assicurato.
Per quel che mi riguarda ci ho visto una forte critica alla società moderna, nonché una celebrazione di quella vita innocente che tutti quanti avevamo prima che il mondo la corrompesse.
Consigliatissimo per chi ama i romanzi introspettivi, o profondamente psicologici.
Da parte mia è un 9 assicurato.
July 6, 2019
Nije me oduševila, početak je bio dobar, i očekivala sam puno, ali na kraju dobila neku grubu verziju priče "Mi djeca s kolodvora Zoo".
Baš mi je žao jer me je njezina knjiga "Mati pirinča" oduševila.
Baš mi je žao jer me je njezina knjiga "Mati pirinča" oduševila.
June 2, 2021
Ovo je vec treca knjiga koju sam procitala od Rani Manicke i zaista, ne ispustam njene knjige iz ruke, ukljicujuci i "Dodir tla".
Ako ste procitali "Majka pirinca", ova knjiga je jednako dobra, na drugi nacin.
Ako ste procitali "Majka pirinca", ova knjiga je jednako dobra, na drugi nacin.
May 24, 2020
Something different...but interesting...nothing like the rest of her books
October 9, 2020
сурово, на моменте врло мучно и потресно за читање. После њене прве књиге, мислила сам да нема шта ново да да, али је ово невероватно...
August 25, 2022
A very dark book.
November 26, 2023
Captivating story about downfall and addiction.
January 9, 2024
I am on holiday. The story was dark, I didn't finish reading the book
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