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The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas by John Boyne is a young adult novel set during WWII. While I am not a fan of this genre, I read it with high hopes because it was recommended by my book club. I have to say that I was very disappointed. It is the story of a boy whose father is a high-ranking Nazi Officer and is reassigned to Auschwitz. The family is forced to leave Berlin and live on the grounds of the camp. The boy has no one to play with, so he meets a boy that “lives on the other side of the fence.” They become friends and spend several afternoons talking. The end of the novel takes an unfortunate turn that leaves the reader questioning the point of the entire book.
One of the many things that bothered me was the changing of names/people to child-speak. This would have been all right if the novel was narrated by the boy, but it was a third person narrator through out, so the changing of names made little sense to me. Auschwitz was changed to “Out With” and the Fuhrer was changed to the “Fury.” I did not see the point in this and it distracted me throughout the entire book. Unfortunately for Boyne, the novel also drew comparisons to Night, which no book that I have read about WWII can win that comparison. There were other problems too, some of the language in the book also seemed out of place and not very authentic to the time period.
On a positive note, the book was well paced and read very quickly. I was able to read it in a single day, which is nice because it provides a sense of accomplishment.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
The Terror
The Terror by Dan Simmons is easily the most terrifying novel that I have read in years. I loved it. The story is rather simple, about a group of explorers searching for the Northwest Passage during the 1840s. It is based of the lost Franklin Expedition of 1845. The boats are trapped in the ice in the Artic for three years. The story documents the struggles of the various crewmembers during that time. Even more frightening that being trapped on a boat while the temperatures are usually near –100 degrees is the fact that most of their food stores are rotten and there is something on the ice hunting them. The story is not really clear until the very end about what is on the ice hunting them, but that is what makes id so horrifying. The book is told partially through journal entries and by various member of the expedition. It is a well-written historical horror story that left me wanting more even after 750 pages.
I began reading Stephen King novels in grammar school, so I am well versed in the horror genre. Salem’s Lot scared me so bad in 6th grade that I am not sure I was able to sleep for weeks, but The Terror was in many ways more horrifying, because of the weather, hardships of the crew, the mysterious esquimaux woman and the ‘thing’ out on the ice. At one point in the story, the Captain complains about the situation they are in and enviously tells them story of the whale ship Essex. This is the story that Moby Dick was based on, a whaleboat sunk by a whale and the crew forced to survive on the open ocean in rowboats with the only food being each other. Not only the book very well written, but also Simmons does an amazing job with the setting. I was actually cold while reading the book, and could easily “see” everything that was happening. The book was very long, coming in at over 750 pages, but it was well paced and very interesting so it never felt like a long read.
I loved this book and strongly recommend it to anyone that enjoyed the novels of Patrick O’Brian, or Stephen King, fans of horror stories, fans of historical fiction or any one that enjoyed Nathaniel Philbrick’s story of the Essex. I have to be honest and say it is along book, but it is worth the work to finish it. I think that this would be an amazing miniseries on the Sci-Fi network because it is a very visual and exciting novel.
I began reading Stephen King novels in grammar school, so I am well versed in the horror genre. Salem’s Lot scared me so bad in 6th grade that I am not sure I was able to sleep for weeks, but The Terror was in many ways more horrifying, because of the weather, hardships of the crew, the mysterious esquimaux woman and the ‘thing’ out on the ice. At one point in the story, the Captain complains about the situation they are in and enviously tells them story of the whale ship Essex. This is the story that Moby Dick was based on, a whaleboat sunk by a whale and the crew forced to survive on the open ocean in rowboats with the only food being each other. Not only the book very well written, but also Simmons does an amazing job with the setting. I was actually cold while reading the book, and could easily “see” everything that was happening. The book was very long, coming in at over 750 pages, but it was well paced and very interesting so it never felt like a long read.
I loved this book and strongly recommend it to anyone that enjoyed the novels of Patrick O’Brian, or Stephen King, fans of horror stories, fans of historical fiction or any one that enjoyed Nathaniel Philbrick’s story of the Essex. I have to be honest and say it is along book, but it is worth the work to finish it. I think that this would be an amazing miniseries on the Sci-Fi network because it is a very visual and exciting novel.
The Thirteenth Tale
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield is a great book for anyone that loves books and reading. It is a complex story in the sense that the narrator, Margaret Lea, is almost a subplot of her own story. The plot focuses on a story that she is being told by Vida Winter, one of the great authors of her time. The story is supposed to be the story of Vida Winter’s life, but in this book as in life, the truth is ambiguous. Margaret is told a very convincing story that seems to be factual, but the reader can never be sure. The story is great and full of unexpected twists and turns. Some of the book is a little graphic and there are some rather depraved sexual relationships, but over all those things are secondary to the story.
I have read this book twice now, the first time back in 2006 when it was first released and again last month for my book club. I enjoyed it both times, but a couple of the people in my book club did not enjoy it. The characters are not very likable, but I am not sure the reader needs to like them to enjoy the story. It is a book that reminds us that a great story has real power, perhaps even more power or importance than the truth. I think that this is the underlying message of the novel. The book will definitely make you question what is true and what the truth means. Several of the characters struggle with the idea that maybe a great story is better than the truth. Is it better not to know the truth? That is an idea that comes up over and over in the novel.
Personally, I really enjoyed this book both times. I found it similar to The Shadow of the Wind (one of my favorite books of all time), and it brought to mind Life of Pi because that is another book where the reader needs to figure out what is true. It aloes reminded me that sometimes in life a great story at the right time is all we need. There is a difference between a great book and a great story and this is a great story.
I have read this book twice now, the first time back in 2006 when it was first released and again last month for my book club. I enjoyed it both times, but a couple of the people in my book club did not enjoy it. The characters are not very likable, but I am not sure the reader needs to like them to enjoy the story. It is a book that reminds us that a great story has real power, perhaps even more power or importance than the truth. I think that this is the underlying message of the novel. The book will definitely make you question what is true and what the truth means. Several of the characters struggle with the idea that maybe a great story is better than the truth. Is it better not to know the truth? That is an idea that comes up over and over in the novel.
Personally, I really enjoyed this book both times. I found it similar to The Shadow of the Wind (one of my favorite books of all time), and it brought to mind Life of Pi because that is another book where the reader needs to figure out what is true. It aloes reminded me that sometimes in life a great story at the right time is all we need. There is a difference between a great book and a great story and this is a great story.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Historian
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova is a beautifully written gothic thriller that is a must read for anyone that enjoyed The Da Vinci Code. Kostova’s brilliant novel has drawn many comparisons to Dan Brown’s novel, though it would be better suited by comparisons to the work of Edgar Allen Poe and to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, with which it shares obvious themes and one central character. The sinister atmosphere is maintained throughout the story because Kostova understands one the most basic, but often overlooked, premises of the suspense/horror genre; that is if far scarier to see the results of the monster’s work than it is to see the monster itself. The anticipation of meeting Drakulya is one the best things about this novel, and it is done is such a way as to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up more than once.
The most remarkable thing about the story is that Kostova tells it through three separate narrators. Each separate story begins with a mysterious book, blank except for a center woodcut of a dragon, and several letters all beginning the same way, “to my dear and unfortunate successor.” The story is told to the reader through an unnamed girl asking her father about the book and letters that she finds while snooping through his personal files. Her father (Paul) proceeds to tell her the story of how the book found its way into his possession. While researching the book, Paul asks his mentor for help and is in turn told an amazing story of the hunt for the real Vlad Tepes, Count Drakulya, whom is apparently still among the living.
The story of Bartholomew Rossi is the real beginning of the story from a chronological perspective. The reader gets to follow his travels in his search for the secret resting place of Drakulya’s tomb. Kostova tells portions of the novel through letters and journals, which is a clever tribute to the original Dracula because that novel is told entirely in this method. Through the triple narration, we are able to follow the rise and fall of Tepes. Kostova does an excellent job of moving the story forward while giving the reader a tremendous amount of historical information. Rossi’s story seems to come to an abrupt end when he goes missing, and it is this event that begins Paul’s journey.
Paul’s story begins as a rescue mission to save his mentor and friend from the evil Drakulya, but evolves into something entirely different. As his daughter begins to do her own research, learn about Paul and his life. The girl unknowingly stumbles across the identity of her mother, Helen Rossi, and we see that the coincidences of the novel are not quite, what they seem. Through Paul’s journey he uncovers various conspiracies, some of them relating to the Christian faith, which is why many critics begin making comparisons to The Da Vinci Code. As the triple narrative continues, we follow the three heroes on their hunt for each other and the elusive Drakulya. As readers, we know the that the three narratives will have to come together before the end of the story, but it is still rather shocking, especially when Drakulya makes his appearance. The fantastic story that Drakulya tells is one the most interesting because it offers us a chance to see the world through a totally unique perspective, that of a monster.
Kostova’s novel is truly a unique reading experience; it offers intrigue, suspense, horror, history, romance, and fun. While the novel is 640 plus pages, it reads like a much shorter novel. It was one of those rare reading experiences that left this reader slightly disappointed that the journey had actually ended.
The most remarkable thing about the story is that Kostova tells it through three separate narrators. Each separate story begins with a mysterious book, blank except for a center woodcut of a dragon, and several letters all beginning the same way, “to my dear and unfortunate successor.” The story is told to the reader through an unnamed girl asking her father about the book and letters that she finds while snooping through his personal files. Her father (Paul) proceeds to tell her the story of how the book found its way into his possession. While researching the book, Paul asks his mentor for help and is in turn told an amazing story of the hunt for the real Vlad Tepes, Count Drakulya, whom is apparently still among the living.
The story of Bartholomew Rossi is the real beginning of the story from a chronological perspective. The reader gets to follow his travels in his search for the secret resting place of Drakulya’s tomb. Kostova tells portions of the novel through letters and journals, which is a clever tribute to the original Dracula because that novel is told entirely in this method. Through the triple narration, we are able to follow the rise and fall of Tepes. Kostova does an excellent job of moving the story forward while giving the reader a tremendous amount of historical information. Rossi’s story seems to come to an abrupt end when he goes missing, and it is this event that begins Paul’s journey.
Paul’s story begins as a rescue mission to save his mentor and friend from the evil Drakulya, but evolves into something entirely different. As his daughter begins to do her own research, learn about Paul and his life. The girl unknowingly stumbles across the identity of her mother, Helen Rossi, and we see that the coincidences of the novel are not quite, what they seem. Through Paul’s journey he uncovers various conspiracies, some of them relating to the Christian faith, which is why many critics begin making comparisons to The Da Vinci Code. As the triple narrative continues, we follow the three heroes on their hunt for each other and the elusive Drakulya. As readers, we know the that the three narratives will have to come together before the end of the story, but it is still rather shocking, especially when Drakulya makes his appearance. The fantastic story that Drakulya tells is one the most interesting because it offers us a chance to see the world through a totally unique perspective, that of a monster.
Kostova’s novel is truly a unique reading experience; it offers intrigue, suspense, horror, history, romance, and fun. While the novel is 640 plus pages, it reads like a much shorter novel. It was one of those rare reading experiences that left this reader slightly disappointed that the journey had actually ended.
Friday, February 27, 2009
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
There are many reasons to read or reread classic novels; the first is that many of us did not really read them the first time. Other reasons include: a significant amount of time has passed since we read them, we have forgotten what truly great books they are and sometimes we need to be reminded of the cultural importance of the novels and the themes expressed within. These books are classics for a reason; they contain many issues still relevant today even after many years have passed since their original publication. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a perfect example of this. Most adults, if they remember the book at all think of it as a simple story, a boy and a run away slave float down the Mississippi River together getting into various kinds of trouble. On one hand, this could not be further from the truth, yes, it is an adventure story as the title indicates, but it is also a scathing look at intolerance in our society.
The story follows Huck Finn, as his life seems to spiral out of control. Huck finds himself living with The Widow Douglas where he is being civilized against his will. Eventually Huck decides he has had enough and leaves. Unfortunately for him, he finds himself living with his drunk, abusive father. This is one the significant issues that Mark Twain was able to hit on well before his time. It is important to keep in mind that Huck is really a young adolescent, which adds to his credibility and wit. Huck devises a relatively brilliant plan to escape from his father, and finds himself living off the land on a deserted island. The true journey of the novel begins here when Huck meets up with Jim, a runaway slave. Developments in the town from which they are both hiding forces them on the run. This novel is probably solely responsible for the American road story, even though it is obviously influenced by The Odyssey.
As Jim and Huck flee down the river, Huck finds himself in a moral crisis. He knows that help Jim is against the law, yet he feels it is the right thing to do. Twain uses this to demonstrate to the reader that sometimes society is more flawed than the individual. As Americans, sometimes we need to step back and look that the ridiculous things that society tells us are right when we know deep down that they are in fact wrong. Twain stresses the importance of not only self-examination, but also collective examination. As the novel continues, Twain uses various other episodes to illustrate other significant points. The feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepardsons is a perfect example. Twain gives a clever tip of the hat here to William Shakespeare and shows the foolishness of war. The feud has been going on so long, that no one is sure who started it or why. If we take a close look at our own world, we can find places that have been fighting for hundreds of years without any resolution in sight.
Another episode that rings with contemporary issues is the large portion of the novel that deals with the two conmen the King and the Dauphin. This entire sequence demonstrates how those in power (or those we think are in power) are able to manipulate the people around them. We see these two men commit one horrendous scam after another while Huck and Jim essentially do nothing to stop them because the are afraid of challenging those in power. The King and the Dauphin finally are brought to justice, but it is really through their own greed.
The end of the novel poses a problem for many people, including Twain, who took a ten-year hiatus from writing the novel. Near the end of the novel, Tom Sawyer is reintroduced, the smart but naïve idol of Huck. Tom concocts an absurd plan that seems cruel simply because it is more fun and in all honesty in laugh out loud funny. Many readers tend to overlook the fact the Huck Finn would give anything to be Tom. Therefore, Huck will do whatever Tom says no matter how foolish. If we look closely, we still see this behavior in every school across America. Every teenager in the world wants to fit in somewhere and be like someone else.
This is a book that should be read by every American several times to remind us that while we live in a great country, it is still not perfect. Great novels stand the test of time because they contain issues that will always be relevant. The book is the perfect tool for the evaluation of our society and ourselves.
The story follows Huck Finn, as his life seems to spiral out of control. Huck finds himself living with The Widow Douglas where he is being civilized against his will. Eventually Huck decides he has had enough and leaves. Unfortunately for him, he finds himself living with his drunk, abusive father. This is one the significant issues that Mark Twain was able to hit on well before his time. It is important to keep in mind that Huck is really a young adolescent, which adds to his credibility and wit. Huck devises a relatively brilliant plan to escape from his father, and finds himself living off the land on a deserted island. The true journey of the novel begins here when Huck meets up with Jim, a runaway slave. Developments in the town from which they are both hiding forces them on the run. This novel is probably solely responsible for the American road story, even though it is obviously influenced by The Odyssey.
As Jim and Huck flee down the river, Huck finds himself in a moral crisis. He knows that help Jim is against the law, yet he feels it is the right thing to do. Twain uses this to demonstrate to the reader that sometimes society is more flawed than the individual. As Americans, sometimes we need to step back and look that the ridiculous things that society tells us are right when we know deep down that they are in fact wrong. Twain stresses the importance of not only self-examination, but also collective examination. As the novel continues, Twain uses various other episodes to illustrate other significant points. The feud between the Grangerfords and the Shepardsons is a perfect example. Twain gives a clever tip of the hat here to William Shakespeare and shows the foolishness of war. The feud has been going on so long, that no one is sure who started it or why. If we take a close look at our own world, we can find places that have been fighting for hundreds of years without any resolution in sight.
Another episode that rings with contemporary issues is the large portion of the novel that deals with the two conmen the King and the Dauphin. This entire sequence demonstrates how those in power (or those we think are in power) are able to manipulate the people around them. We see these two men commit one horrendous scam after another while Huck and Jim essentially do nothing to stop them because the are afraid of challenging those in power. The King and the Dauphin finally are brought to justice, but it is really through their own greed.
The end of the novel poses a problem for many people, including Twain, who took a ten-year hiatus from writing the novel. Near the end of the novel, Tom Sawyer is reintroduced, the smart but naïve idol of Huck. Tom concocts an absurd plan that seems cruel simply because it is more fun and in all honesty in laugh out loud funny. Many readers tend to overlook the fact the Huck Finn would give anything to be Tom. Therefore, Huck will do whatever Tom says no matter how foolish. If we look closely, we still see this behavior in every school across America. Every teenager in the world wants to fit in somewhere and be like someone else.
This is a book that should be read by every American several times to remind us that while we live in a great country, it is still not perfect. Great novels stand the test of time because they contain issues that will always be relevant. The book is the perfect tool for the evaluation of our society and ourselves.
Friday, February 20, 2009
The Soul Thief
The Soul Thief by Charles Baxter is a short, intellectual postmodern novel in the spirit of Donna Tartt’s Secret History. The novel came highly recommended to me, and as with most things that are highly praised, it did not live up to expectations. Part of that is my fault as I was unaware that the novel was a work of postmodern fiction and I always need to prepare for that ahead of time otherwise I fall victim to the disjointed narrative.
It is the story of a group of college students, but focuses on Nathaniel Mason (not his real name) and his nemesis Jerome Coolberg. The first part of the novel devotes itself to the life of these two men and the women that get caught in lives. There are a few brilliant scenes, the most memorable of which revolves around and attempted burglary that take s a very unusual turn. The narrative builds towards a seemingly disastrous climax, but then jumps several years without any real closure.
The second and third part of the novel deal with the protagonist and his rival as adults, that have not been in contact with each other for many years. Unfortunately, for me, the novel seems to fall apart here. The narrative becomes extremely disjointed and it is very distracting to the reader. The novel progresses in a way that is hard to follow unless you are paying very close attention. For me this was a nice change of pace from the other books I have recently read.
The Soul Thief is a very intellectual novel that makes full use of the author’s very impressive vocabulary, which can be distracting to the reader. I had to stop several times and pause as I tried to remember what certain words meant. I even considered reaching for a dictionary at one point. I would certainly recommend this novel to anyone that is a fan of postmodern fiction, especially those that prefer their stories a little dark and creepy. This is the story of an uber-stalker going to the extreme.
It is the story of a group of college students, but focuses on Nathaniel Mason (not his real name) and his nemesis Jerome Coolberg. The first part of the novel devotes itself to the life of these two men and the women that get caught in lives. There are a few brilliant scenes, the most memorable of which revolves around and attempted burglary that take s a very unusual turn. The narrative builds towards a seemingly disastrous climax, but then jumps several years without any real closure.
The second and third part of the novel deal with the protagonist and his rival as adults, that have not been in contact with each other for many years. Unfortunately, for me, the novel seems to fall apart here. The narrative becomes extremely disjointed and it is very distracting to the reader. The novel progresses in a way that is hard to follow unless you are paying very close attention. For me this was a nice change of pace from the other books I have recently read.
The Soul Thief is a very intellectual novel that makes full use of the author’s very impressive vocabulary, which can be distracting to the reader. I had to stop several times and pause as I tried to remember what certain words meant. I even considered reaching for a dictionary at one point. I would certainly recommend this novel to anyone that is a fan of postmodern fiction, especially those that prefer their stories a little dark and creepy. This is the story of an uber-stalker going to the extreme.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The Rossetti Letter
The Rossetti Letter by Christi Phillips is a fun and fast read. It reminded me of a collage of books that I have enjoyed in the past. The story of Claire Donovan takes place in modern day Venice and feels a great deal like The Da Vinci Code because both the leading characters in both books are immersed in their research. Unfortunately, the love story is very predictable. The story of Alessandra takes place in Venice but during the 1600s and is very reminiscent of the works of Alexandre Dumas. The story of Alessandra as a courtesan reminded me a great deal of Memoirs of a Geisha.
The central story in the novel revolves around the “Spanish Conspiracy” which I knew nothing about. The story of Alessandra was the most interesting of the two; she loses everything and then is presented with the opportunity to become one of Venice’s leading courtesans. Between her transformation and her involvement in the plot of overthrow Venice, the story read like a fast paced political thriller. I enjoyed this aspect of the story a great deal.
I also enjoyed the modern story of Claire, but upon reflection, it feels more and more like a plot device simply as a way to tell Alessandra’s story. Claire’s research and academic involvement was the most interesting to me. Other than that, her story felt flat and predictable.
I read the book in little over a week and did enjoy it, but it is not the best example of historical fiction. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fast and entertaining read.
The central story in the novel revolves around the “Spanish Conspiracy” which I knew nothing about. The story of Alessandra was the most interesting of the two; she loses everything and then is presented with the opportunity to become one of Venice’s leading courtesans. Between her transformation and her involvement in the plot of overthrow Venice, the story read like a fast paced political thriller. I enjoyed this aspect of the story a great deal.
I also enjoyed the modern story of Claire, but upon reflection, it feels more and more like a plot device simply as a way to tell Alessandra’s story. Claire’s research and academic involvement was the most interesting to me. Other than that, her story felt flat and predictable.
I read the book in little over a week and did enjoy it, but it is not the best example of historical fiction. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fast and entertaining read.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Books I Loved
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett -An epic story set in the 1100s, an amazing historical novel.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova -Think the Da Vinci Code, but with Dracula instead of Mary and Jesus. This is another great example of Historical fiction.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon -A great murder mystery set in post war Barcelona about the power of books.
The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster -This is an uplifting book about a man trying to improve the lives of people around him while he battles cancer.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen -One of the best love stories that I have read in years set in a traveling circus during the depression.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt -College can be dangerous, another murder mystery showcasing the dangers of Academia and elitism.
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy -Think Pulp Fiction meets The Unforgiven. This is brutally violent story about a man with no luck, not for the squeamish.
Little Children by Tom Perrotta -This book finally proves that the suburbs can be exciting and dangerous places to live.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova -Think the Da Vinci Code, but with Dracula instead of Mary and Jesus. This is another great example of Historical fiction.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon -A great murder mystery set in post war Barcelona about the power of books.
The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster -This is an uplifting book about a man trying to improve the lives of people around him while he battles cancer.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen -One of the best love stories that I have read in years set in a traveling circus during the depression.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt -College can be dangerous, another murder mystery showcasing the dangers of Academia and elitism.
No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy -Think Pulp Fiction meets The Unforgiven. This is brutally violent story about a man with no luck, not for the squeamish.
Little Children by Tom Perrotta -This book finally proves that the suburbs can be exciting and dangerous places to live.
A Confederacy of Dunces
I had the pleasure of re-reading A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole for my book group. Every time I read this novel, I laugh out loud, not something easy to do in a book. I am astounded that this novel has not been made into a movie. I kept picturing Ignatius as a version of George Constanza, not that Jason Alexander would have been perfect, but the characters are similar. I laugh every time I think of Will Ferrell as Officer Mancuso. This would be a great film and it would be freaking hilarious. The basic plot is about an out of place genius/crazy person struggling with the multiple flaws of society. He fights against society in his own way but discovers that fighting the machine is a losing battle. The novel really is very funny on various levels. It would appeal to all levels of humor for the very high to the very low, and I would know because I enjoy both.
Some of the women in my book group did not enjoy it until they of the book as a play or movie. Visualizing the humor definitely helps make the novel more fun.
If anyone else has read this, I would love to get more opinions on it and possible start a discussion.
Some of the women in my book group did not enjoy it until they of the book as a play or movie. Visualizing the humor definitely helps make the novel more fun.
If anyone else has read this, I would love to get more opinions on it and possible start a discussion.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Welcome to Hard Times
I recently finished Welcome to Hard Times by E.L. Doctorow after finding it recommended to people looking for a western with an epic feel. I was disappointed in the recommendation because this is a great book but it is absolutely not an epic. The novel is barely 200 pages and reads very quickly.
It is the story of Mayor in name only struggling to rebuild a town after it has basically been burned to the ground by “The Bad Man from Bodie,” which is a generic name given to the various evil men that roamed the west. Blue, the mayor decides that the town can be rebuilt and begins to recruit men and women to resettle the town. He and the only other two survivors struggle with their own demons while trying to figure out how to deal with all of the new comers and the possible of the return of “The Bad Man.”
I have to say that in all honesty, I did enjoy the book, but it was short and very tersely written. I was expecting more action from a western, but I have found that generally speaking the great westerns of our time are lacking is real action. Lonesome Dove is a perfect example. Many of the new westerns seem to be character driven as opposed to being driven by a plot. I think it is a welcome change. I had a difficult time not comparing the writing style to Hemingway. The sentences were short and the book was a very easy read. I have been a fan of Doctorow’s for many years and would definitely recommend this book to any one that enjoys westerns or liked The March. It is a very impressive first novel by a writer that has since proven himself to be one of the great American novelists of our time.
It is the story of Mayor in name only struggling to rebuild a town after it has basically been burned to the ground by “The Bad Man from Bodie,” which is a generic name given to the various evil men that roamed the west. Blue, the mayor decides that the town can be rebuilt and begins to recruit men and women to resettle the town. He and the only other two survivors struggle with their own demons while trying to figure out how to deal with all of the new comers and the possible of the return of “The Bad Man.”
I have to say that in all honesty, I did enjoy the book, but it was short and very tersely written. I was expecting more action from a western, but I have found that generally speaking the great westerns of our time are lacking is real action. Lonesome Dove is a perfect example. Many of the new westerns seem to be character driven as opposed to being driven by a plot. I think it is a welcome change. I had a difficult time not comparing the writing style to Hemingway. The sentences were short and the book was a very easy read. I have been a fan of Doctorow’s for many years and would definitely recommend this book to any one that enjoys westerns or liked The March. It is a very impressive first novel by a writer that has since proven himself to be one of the great American novelists of our time.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Red River by Lalita Tademy
I was very disappointed in Red River by Lalita Tademy. This is a story of a real historical event during the Reconstruction, The Colfax Riots, and the struggles of the African American families involved. I could not shake the easy comparison to the novels of Toni Morrison and Zora Neal Hurston. Unfortunately, this novel it not live up to the comparison.
The narrative was a mess, randomly switching between third person omniscient and fly on the wall. The early portion of the novel deals with the time leading up to the Riot in painfully detailed descriptions. Too much unnecessary information about things that proved unimportant. I felt bored and kept waiting for something to happen. The second portion of the novel deals with the aftermath of the Riot; unfortunately, it skipped over many of the aspects of the story that I wanted more of. For example, two of the brothers had serious trust issues that lead to the bankruptcy of one and the financial gain of the other. This was almost entirely skipped. The second half of the novel covers a huge amount of time but offers very little in the actual lives of the characters.
If you are looking for a novel about the struggles of an African American family in post-civil war America read There Eyes were Watching God or a Toni Morrison novel.
The narrative was a mess, randomly switching between third person omniscient and fly on the wall. The early portion of the novel deals with the time leading up to the Riot in painfully detailed descriptions. Too much unnecessary information about things that proved unimportant. I felt bored and kept waiting for something to happen. The second portion of the novel deals with the aftermath of the Riot; unfortunately, it skipped over many of the aspects of the story that I wanted more of. For example, two of the brothers had serious trust issues that lead to the bankruptcy of one and the financial gain of the other. This was almost entirely skipped. The second half of the novel covers a huge amount of time but offers very little in the actual lives of the characters.
If you are looking for a novel about the struggles of an African American family in post-civil war America read There Eyes were Watching God or a Toni Morrison novel.
Monday, February 2, 2009
World Without End
I should probably start with World Without End by Ken Follett since I loved the prequel so much. I think I would have loved this book as much if I had allowed more time between the two. They were freakishly similar. Both books had a builder as the central character and a strong female lead that tended to fight against the societal norms. In both novels, the builder must leave Kingsbridge to find his inspiration. One of the things that I was most disappointed in was the villain. The villain in Pillars of the Earth was great, he was so evil that you had to hate him. In the sequel, the villain is a pale copy of the original. I think that the two novels are great, but should be read at least a year apart.One really interesting feature of the sequel is that The Plague plays a large part in the story. It was fun watching the characters fighting for survival and seeing which characters made it and which ones died. I was frequently surprised by the twists that the story took. Overall, it was a fun read. I read all 1000 pages in just over 2 weeks.
Pillars of the Earth
I have started Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I am only 50 pages in, but it is amazing. The story is fast, and the characters are interested. As I said, I am only 50 pages into the 1000 page book, but so far it is the story of a builder in the Middle ages looking to build a cathedral (it is more excitng than it sounds). I am biased because historical fiction is a favorite genre of mine. Thanks to Pat for the recommendation.
I love this book. I am about 250 pages in and look for a chance to read more all day. The character development is great, the good guys are characters that I care about, and empathize with; while, the bad guys are really rotten. Some of the characters strugle with moral issues, and it is handled perfectly. About 75 pages in, there is a truely heart-wrenching moment. It nearly brought a tear to my eye (and for those of you that know me, I am not a crier). The story is full of fast paced chases and exciting confrontations. In short, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Again, thanks to Pat for telling me about it.
I am about 650 pages into the beast now. This is an amazing novel. The characters are all intriguing and the plot moves surprisingly fast for a work of historical fiction. I find myself reading during every free moment and am disappointed when I get interrupted (lousy, needy kids, always wanting something). There have been several moments in the story where I literally gasp in surprise or sorrow. The story is fantastic because it keeps me guessing the whole time. I cannot recommend this book enough. I have already bought the sequel and look forward to starting it ASAP.
I finished the book on Friday, and loved the story. I cannot get over how real the characters all seemed. I really became invested in their lives while reading about them. I have to be honestly, I was a little disappointed by the ending. The last section of the book tied up all the loose ends very neatly, which bothered me because the book felt so real though out, that a neat ending felt contrived. I can honestly say that I loved this book, it is now one of my new favorites and one the best books that I have read in the last couple of years. It is on my short list of recommended reads. I enjoyed it so much, that I am going to force my wife to read it on spring break.
I love this book. I am about 250 pages in and look for a chance to read more all day. The character development is great, the good guys are characters that I care about, and empathize with; while, the bad guys are really rotten. Some of the characters strugle with moral issues, and it is handled perfectly. About 75 pages in, there is a truely heart-wrenching moment. It nearly brought a tear to my eye (and for those of you that know me, I am not a crier). The story is full of fast paced chases and exciting confrontations. In short, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Again, thanks to Pat for telling me about it.
I am about 650 pages into the beast now. This is an amazing novel. The characters are all intriguing and the plot moves surprisingly fast for a work of historical fiction. I find myself reading during every free moment and am disappointed when I get interrupted (lousy, needy kids, always wanting something). There have been several moments in the story where I literally gasp in surprise or sorrow. The story is fantastic because it keeps me guessing the whole time. I cannot recommend this book enough. I have already bought the sequel and look forward to starting it ASAP.
I finished the book on Friday, and loved the story. I cannot get over how real the characters all seemed. I really became invested in their lives while reading about them. I have to be honestly, I was a little disappointed by the ending. The last section of the book tied up all the loose ends very neatly, which bothered me because the book felt so real though out, that a neat ending felt contrived. I can honestly say that I loved this book, it is now one of my new favorites and one the best books that I have read in the last couple of years. It is on my short list of recommended reads. I enjoyed it so much, that I am going to force my wife to read it on spring break.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Salem Falls
I recently read Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult for my book club. For those that don’t know I belong to a book club run by my local Library. She is an author that I was aware of prior to reading the book; my wife is a big fan. I was intrigued because it played itself off as a sequel of sorts to The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Her book references the play by Miller, but it seemed to pale by comparison. After speaking with several of the women in my book group that were fans of Picoult’s, I have to say I was disappointed. Many of the women said that this book followed the same formulas as her others. Even some the characters make repeat appearances in the same roles. The book smacked of being formulaic. Everything wrapped up nicely at the end.The story follows a teacher that is wrongly accused of sexual abuse with a student. He pleads guilty on the advice of his lawyer and does a short stint in prison. After his release and registration as a sex offender, he settles down in a little town. A girl from the local High School gets a crush and he is wrongly accused again. The book flashes from character to character in the telling of the story. One of the problems that I had was that all of the characters seemed to suffer some kind of sexual abuse. The book was full it, and seemed a little contrived.The entire thing felt like a made for TV movie. It was not bad, but it was not great either. I would have been a great beach read. I imagine that fans of Picoult’s will enjoy the book, but the rest of us need to keep in mind that this book was not written to be great it is simply entertainment.
Quick Reviews
The Book of Air and Shadow by Michael Gruber: A fun mystery that revolves around a lost work by Will Shakespeare. It is ideal for fans of the Bard. Ultimately, it is forgettable even though I enjoyed it.
The Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus III: A great writer responsible for the House of Sand and Fog that was made into a movie. This is the story of a terrorist that hijacks a plane on 9/11 and of the stripper that he meets days before his flight. It is a great story about how small events can have HUGE impacts on our lives. The story of the stripper is very touching as she is trying to raise a daughter on her own. The book is full of great moments.
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry: This is a fun story about Salem Mass. and the witches that live there. The story takes place during the current time, but it makes numerous references to The Crucible. MY favorite is that Giles Cory’s distant relative is an actual witch. This is fun because he was killed for being a witch even though he was not. This is a fun family mystery/suspense story set in a small town. It is extra fun for those that remember The Crucible.
The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason: At first, this story reminded me of Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now, because it is the story of a man traveling through the jungle to reach an out of touch Military Commander. His mission is to travel to a remote war zone and repair the Commander’s piano. It is a great read that moves along fairly well. The author does seem to focus on the wrong things from time to time, but overall a very entertaining novel.
Dead Man’s Walk by Larry McMurtry: The first book in the Lonesome Dove series is fun but feels forced. Very little happens in the book that you don’t learn from reading the back of the novel. It is fun to see the characters as young men, but it offers little insight to how they become the men from Lonesome Dove.
Sun Going Down by Jack Todd: This was an EPIC story that follows a real family from the Civil War through the Great Depression. The story is basically a western, but not a cowboys and Indians type book. The author does an amazing job portraying how hard life was on the western frontier. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone that loves an epic story.
The Man in the Dark by Paul Auster: He is hands down the greatest living writer in America today. This novel is the story of a man and his dreams. The real story takes space in the dream world where 9/11 never happened and the US is involved in a Civil War started by George W Bush. It is a short book, but it was a tremendous amount of fun to read. It was very postmodern, so those of you that like your stories straightforward may want to skip this one, but it raises some very interesting ideas about the country we live in.
The English Major by Jim Harrison: Harrison is the clear heir to Earnest Hemingway; he is from Northern Michigan and writes in a very simple style. I am a huge fan of his work; he is the author that gave us Legends of the Fall. This is the story of a man that loses everything after his wife of 38 years leaves him at his high school reunion. He then proceeds to travel the country in search of all the state flowers and birds in an effort to give them all more fitting names. During his travels, he meets a few fun characters including a student from his distant past when he was an English teacher. It is fun and easy read.
The Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus III: A great writer responsible for the House of Sand and Fog that was made into a movie. This is the story of a terrorist that hijacks a plane on 9/11 and of the stripper that he meets days before his flight. It is a great story about how small events can have HUGE impacts on our lives. The story of the stripper is very touching as she is trying to raise a daughter on her own. The book is full of great moments.
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry: This is a fun story about Salem Mass. and the witches that live there. The story takes place during the current time, but it makes numerous references to The Crucible. MY favorite is that Giles Cory’s distant relative is an actual witch. This is fun because he was killed for being a witch even though he was not. This is a fun family mystery/suspense story set in a small town. It is extra fun for those that remember The Crucible.
The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason: At first, this story reminded me of Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now, because it is the story of a man traveling through the jungle to reach an out of touch Military Commander. His mission is to travel to a remote war zone and repair the Commander’s piano. It is a great read that moves along fairly well. The author does seem to focus on the wrong things from time to time, but overall a very entertaining novel.
Dead Man’s Walk by Larry McMurtry: The first book in the Lonesome Dove series is fun but feels forced. Very little happens in the book that you don’t learn from reading the back of the novel. It is fun to see the characters as young men, but it offers little insight to how they become the men from Lonesome Dove.
Sun Going Down by Jack Todd: This was an EPIC story that follows a real family from the Civil War through the Great Depression. The story is basically a western, but not a cowboys and Indians type book. The author does an amazing job portraying how hard life was on the western frontier. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone that loves an epic story.
The Man in the Dark by Paul Auster: He is hands down the greatest living writer in America today. This novel is the story of a man and his dreams. The real story takes space in the dream world where 9/11 never happened and the US is involved in a Civil War started by George W Bush. It is a short book, but it was a tremendous amount of fun to read. It was very postmodern, so those of you that like your stories straightforward may want to skip this one, but it raises some very interesting ideas about the country we live in.
The English Major by Jim Harrison: Harrison is the clear heir to Earnest Hemingway; he is from Northern Michigan and writes in a very simple style. I am a huge fan of his work; he is the author that gave us Legends of the Fall. This is the story of a man that loses everything after his wife of 38 years leaves him at his high school reunion. He then proceeds to travel the country in search of all the state flowers and birds in an effort to give them all more fitting names. During his travels, he meets a few fun characters including a student from his distant past when he was an English teacher. It is fun and easy read.
Death of a Red Heroine
Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong was another selection by my reading group at the local library. It was originally given to us under the pretense that it was a murder mystery set in China that had the added bonus of being a cultural novel. I was very disappointed in the cultural aspect of this book. Aside from a few hundred vague references to “The Party,” the book could have been set in any Chinatown in the US. Change a few names and lose a couple of references and it is simply a murder mystery involving Chinese people. To me the novel read like a slightly smarter version of CSI. The loner detective sets out to solve a political murder case, while his superiors continue to make life hard for him so that he does not ruffle the feathers of the local political big shot. The story had better dialogue than CSI, but the actual murder mystery was less interesting.
It was not all bad, for the mystery lover, this would be an ideal beach book. It is a reasonably quick read and does not require a lot of effort on the part of the reader. I read most of it at the gym while working out and people watching.
It was not all bad, for the mystery lover, this would be an ideal beach book. It is a reasonably quick read and does not require a lot of effort on the part of the reader. I read most of it at the gym while working out and people watching.
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