Quickie review for a quickie story. This was an ok story but not anywhere near the level I expected from CRZ. This was like a rough draft of a story r...moreQuickie review for a quickie story. This was an ok story but not anywhere near the level I expected from CRZ. This was like a rough draft of a story rather than the story itself. I wanted more from this - more substance specifically. Not bad but not as good as I wanted it to be.(less)
I admit to being mostly unfamiliar with the Oedipus myth before I read this book. My knowledge was pretty much limited to "man kills father then marri...moreI admit to being mostly unfamiliar with the Oedipus myth before I read this book. My knowledge was pretty much limited to "man kills father then marries his mother". I didn't know any of the details or nuances to the story. So I can't really say whether this is an accurate retelling or portrayal of the myth. I can only really discuss this story on its own, and in that light, it was good.
I had three major issues with this book (and incest wasn't one of them).
First, I didn't much care about Jocasta as a teen in the beginning of the book. I didn't dislike her, I just didn't care about her at all, which is in my opinion worse than dislike. She lived in ancient Greece, in a time where arranged marriages were common and expected, and yet her attitudes seemed out of place and far too modern. She rebels against a switch in her marriage plans after the first one becomes impossible, on the grounds that she's never even met the man she's now supposed to marry. So? Throughout history, women and girls have been married off to men (usually much older men) that they'd never met.
In a society where almost everything is at the will of the gods, and prophecy holds sway over all, why should one girl feel like she's being mistreated by her father handing her off to a different man to become her husband? Why should she expect anything else? This just seems like a more modern mindset than I would expect from a girl who lived then, as if she was expecting a marriage for love and respect instead of one arranged for power, alliances, or "the will of the gods".
Also, there was insta-love. Not a fan the insta-love. Probably this was due to the prophecy, which stated that she would love her husband and bear him lots of little Thebans, but it just felt like modern teen behavior to fall in love with the first attractive, powerful man to show her some attention.
Finally, the terms "my lady", "my lady queen", "my lord", and "my lord king" used throughout the book felt out of place to me. In a conversation with Victoria Grossack where I brought this up, she said, "[Regarding] Lord/Lady – Bronze Age Greece definitely had both nobles and kings/queens. We decided on these terms as the most accessible, giving the correct flavor without having readers stumble over unfamiliar terms such as wanix and spartoi."
While I can understand this decision, for me, it didn't work. Every time I would see "my lady queen" or the like, I would feel as if I was in England rather than Ancient Greece. Rather than helping immerse me in the world, they kick me right out of it. I'd personally rather "wanix" and "spartoi" be used if those were appropriate. As long as I'm given an explanation for an unfamiliar word, either outright or by context, then I'll acclimate to their use.
But those complaints aside, I did eventually begin to gel with the writing, and once Jocasta was out of her teens, I definitely began to like her more. There was a lot of political maneuvering and religious practices that give us an idea of what living back then might have been like. I liked how things were hinted at, and left interpretable.
I liked also how the more fantastic elements of the story, the prophecies and the Sphinx, were brought into the realm of the real world, and it was shown how these things could have really happened.
Overall, this was a good book. I would have liked a little more information pertaining to what happened after, but I thought that the ending was appropriate.
Two things to remember: 1) Never ask the Tiresias to dinner. 2) Thebes is fickle. (less)
This was a very quick read, and as such, my review will be quick as well.
Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but there were some things that we...moreThis was a very quick read, and as such, my review will be quick as well.
Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but there were some things that were a little off-putting for me. Initially, the writing -- using lots of dashes -- and sentence fragments, was a little hard to adjust to, but adjust I did, and it stopped bothering me as much around the middle of the book. But my main issue here, is that the title case isn't actually even revealed to be a case until after the middle of the book. So the missing person in the beginning of the book is just background, apparently an overarching storyline to fill out the series. That's what I'm guessing.
Not to say that's bad, but it was a little strange to realize that the case I'd been following wasn't the real story at all.
Anyway, this was enjoyable, short and fun. I liked Enola quite a lot. I found her intelligent and independent, which I like, but I wish she'd maybe have smiled or laughed a bit. She seems so serious. (less)
I really had no idea what to expect as I started reading this book. This was one of those books that I read with a group, and wasn't sure if I'd like...moreI really had no idea what to expect as I started reading this book. This was one of those books that I read with a group, and wasn't sure if I'd like it or not. But after the first chapter or so, I found myself completely engrossed in this story and almost unable to put it down.
This was like a Sherlock Holmes story, only instead of Holmes solving the (usually single) crime based on the particular type of mud tracked in on the perpetrator's shoes that is only found in remote regions of Mongolia, and the minty-fresh odor of toothpaste which obviously points to the Dental Hygienist in the Den with the Fireplace Poker, this was based on newly emerging behavioral and psychological studies and theory. And it was great.
Someone is killing young male prostitutes in 1890s New York, and pretty much nobody cares; "such boys were their own men" and deserved what they get for doing what they do, after all. Dr. Laszlo Kreizler cares though, and sets out to find out who's behind the murders, and stop them. He enlists the help of a police beat journalist from the Times, a female secretary from police headquarters, and two brilliant forensics expert brothers, and with the furtive approval of Police Commissioner Teddy Roosevelt (yes, THAT Teddy Roosevelt), they set about investigating and trying to stop the murders.
And what an investigation it is. Gruesome, harrowing, and mind-boggling, but immensely fascinating. I was glad that this story was told from the perspective of the reporter because we're able to learn all the psychological and psychiatric theory along with him. Or at least as much as we need to know, really. And there were still things that were hard to follow, technical and physiological terms and processes that made absolutely no sense to me, but would be explained, or shown at some point, so that it all came together and made sense.
This book was almost perfect, except for three little gripes that I have.
First, I was disappointed that this was told as a kind of reminiscence. I understand why some authors will use this technique, but it bothers me, because it ruins the sense of urgency and fear that I have for the character, knowing that they made it through their ordeal. I couldn't really feel fear for these characters because of that. The fact that there are honest-to-goodness real historical people (whose histories I should know) depicted in the book notwithstanding, I would have been more engaged in the story had I been able to worry more about the characters. I feel like this method did the story a disservice, and I didn't really understand the point of using it. It was like framing a piece of art... It's not necessary for the art to be what it is - it's only adding a little something around the edges. And if the frame detracts from the art itself, it's doing something wrong.
Secondly, and this is a sort of extension of the first, I felt that the foreshadowing was a little heavy-handed. Because this was told in the way it was, as a man looking back on a part of his life, he was able to hint at things to come in the story, or add little tidbits of knowledge that he wouldn't have had at the time (like Teddy Roosevelt's presidency). While this did add a kind of realism to the story, which I enjoyed, it felt a little forced as far as the tension in the story went. It felt just the tiniest bit manipulative, and I hate that. This is a thriller, and a damn good one, so it didn't need the foreshadowing to help it along. It just felt unnecessary to me.
Finally, the ending felt a little rushed and just the littlest bit weak. There was so much build-up to the story that I wanted a big payoff... and then what we got was a lot of "Just as I suspected..." and that's pretty much it.
But still, overall, this was a great book, and one that I'm very glad I read. There were great characters, a very interesting and perplexing series of horrific murders, and reasonable theories used to solve them. Add in the awesome detailing of 1890s New York city and its inhabitants, and their mindsets, appalling as they may have been, and this was definitely well worth reading. (less)
This was... Hmm. This book was not anything I expected. Though, I'm not really sure just what I expected, to be honest. I alternated between...more3.5 Stars
This was... Hmm. This book was not anything I expected. Though, I'm not really sure just what I expected, to be honest. I alternated between thinking that this story was going to be dry and boring, or over the top "magicky", or all fluffadelic like what I expect The Night Circus would be like if I could bring myself to read it. I don't like circuses, or... well, parties or performances or celebrations or fairs or festivals or whatever authors write about to make their books "lively" or something. They just don't interest me, and I zone out and then when I next have a conscious thought, I have a string of drool inching its way down my face and realize I've misplaced 20 minutes of my life. Which is another thing that I thought would work against this one for me. But surprisingly it didn't.
I think that this one worked because of the realism. This wasn't "magic", this was "illusion". Illusion has rules, and relies on real life physics and ability, rather than just "Oh, I'm going to imagine something and then POOF! it will appear from thin air using only the power of my mind and magic." Yaaa-*conk-snore*
As I've recently been reading more fantasy that deals with magic lately, I've come to realize that clearly set rules and laws of magic are vital for me to enjoy a story containing it. Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series works for me for that very reason (among others) - he's created a system of magic that not only makes sense, but has limitations and boundaries and laws. Yes, creativity and imagination shape the outcome of such magic, but only in the desired effect. There are limitations to what can be done, and how, and there's a cost for it. If you want to use force, that force comes from somewhere that will suffer a lack until the balance is restored. Nothing just appears from nothing.
So, ramble aside, the fact that this was indeed NOT magic of the fantasy sense but rather magic of the stage illusionist sense allowed me to enjoy the story much more than I thought I would, despite the fact that many would probably feel that illusion is boring compared to magic.
I didn't think so, though. I thought it was interesting and well written, though, admittedly some sections were dry and overly detailed for the little that was actually conveyed. I enjoyed the feud between the two illusionists, and enjoyed seeing the events from both perspectives. When things started really getting interesting around the 2nd half, I was thrilled because things that had confused me in the 1st half were now starting to click and make sense. It was Celine Dion was crooning, "It's All Coming Back To Me Now"...
I really enjoyed the inclusion of Nikola Tesla, and was happy to see him given the credit he deserved as a mothereffing genius. Because he was. Tesla > Edison. (PS. The Oatmeal. Read it.)
Anywho, the apparatus was... fascinating. Possible? No idea. I get confused subtracting double digit numbers (Do I carry the one? Remainder? Multiply by pi? Should I have all these extra parts? Why are these instructions all in Korean??! It's hopeless, really.) so physics, and energy, and matter transference are light years times infinity beyond me.
I liked the mysteriousness of the story, but I would have liked a little more closure and definition at the end. But still, very good overall, and I quite enjoyed it, and Simon Vance's reading, which can sometimes be hit or miss for me. (less)
Let me preface this review by saying that I loved Pillars of the Earth. A lot. I thought it was almost perfect, in fact, except for one minor issue th...moreLet me preface this review by saying that I loved Pillars of the Earth. A lot. I thought it was almost perfect, in fact, except for one minor issue that I had with the dialogue sounding too modern for the time period (an issue I had with World Without End, too). After being engrossed in that book, loving, hating, caring about the characters in it, after feeling like I was living in Kingsbridge for 900 pages, I was excited for this follow up. I wanted more, I wanted to be back in that world, experiencing life right along with the people I was reading about, the people I cared about. So I picked this audiobook up and started it.
And all was good... for a while. It didn't take me long to start feeling that something was wrong. It didn't take me long to start feeling like Follett had ripped off his own book.
Maybe if I'd had 20 years to forget the details of Pillars before reading Book World Without End, maybe I wouldn't have felt the similarities as much, and I'd have liked it more. It isn't a BAD story, but I lost patience with it really quickly and then I stuck with it far longer than I should have hoping that it would come around. I made it 80%, and by the end, I couldn't tell you what happened, because I stopped listening. It was playing in the background while I worked, and I could hear it, but it wasn't holding my attention at all.
I wanted more of Follett's Kingsbridge world, yes, but I didn't expect Pillars of the Earth: Now With New Character Names! I wanted a different story. Instead, I got a rehash of Pillars, and so I kept comparing them in my head. "Oh, There's the devious, overbearing mother-plotter..." "Here's the Lord-Who-Thinks-He's-God..." "Another brilliantly talented at a really young age master craftsman... who woulda thunk it?" and so on and so on...
Did I like the characters? Yeah. Sure. I didn't care about them nearly as much as I cared about the Pillars characters though. Did I like the story? I guess.
I did love the performance though. John Lee read this audio, and he was great. But still... I just endured this one, rather than enjoyed it, and couldn't bring myself to keep going another twelve hours to finish.
I picked this book up on a whim at the thrift store today. I'd never read any of Pullman's 'other' stories, meaning the ones that are not part of the...moreI picked this book up on a whim at the thrift store today. I'd never read any of Pullman's 'other' stories, meaning the ones that are not part of the His Dark Materials trilogy, so I wanted to see what this would be like.
From the description, it sounded very different than what it actually was. It was OK, but I had expected better. HDM isn't a favorite of mine, but it would be a lie to say that it didn't affect me. The characters in that book, and their connections with each other, really left a lasting impression. This, not so much. It really felt written for children in a way that The Golden Compass et al was not written for children, and by that, I mean, kind of simplistically and felt kind of dumbed down. I hate using that phrase when talking about children's and young adult books, because I do not think that a book written for children is "dumbed down" when read by an adult. I love children's books and stories, and I continue to enjoy them to this day. But I know that Pullman can write much better than shown here. Much, much better, which is why I use the term.
There was just something that felt missing here. It felt like a story with no life in it, which is ironic given the subject of the story. It felt very "telly" and not at all "showy". I wanted more. I wanted a better resolution, I wanted... something.
If I was 7 or 8, maybe, this story would have been cool. A little twisted, but still with the same recognizable themes. But today, I just didn't feel it, and knowing what Pullman CAN do, I was not at all impressed with what he DID do in this one. (less)
When I started this book, honestly, I had no idea what to expect. I know that lots of people have loved Guernsey, and a friend of mine raved about it,...moreWhen I started this book, honestly, I had no idea what to expect. I know that lots of people have loved Guernsey, and a friend of mine raved about it, but I was dubious. I mean... the title just seemed silly to me. But now having read the book, the title makes perfect sense. Not only what it means, but also everything that it represents, and I can't really imagine the book having a different title now.
In addition to being dubious about the title, I've also been really impatient with books lately. They have to get to the good stuff quickly, or I find something shinier. Guernsey took a bit of getting used to - the format, being epistolary didn't help that much. The first letter, from someone named Juliet to someone named Sidney about someone named Susan Scott and something called English Foibles and the 'Society to Protest Against the Glorification of the English Bunny'.
Right then. I read a couple more letters, and thought, "Maybe later," and tried a couple other books. (Nook ownership encourages book polygamy, I swear it.) But I kept thinking about the letters, and who the people writing them were, and so I came back, and as soon as Dawsey wrote his first letter, I was hooked. I still think that the beginning is a little slow, but it did the job.
Overall, I thought that the epistolary style was great. It allows the characters to be themselves, for the reader to get to know them through their own thoughts, rather than an intermediary (a narrator) telling us about them. At times I thought that things were a little one sided, the letters providing responses to things that the reader wasn't privy to, so the reader would need to fill in the blanks, but I didn't mind this so much overall. It's better to pick a style and commit to it, in my opinion, than to try to be all things to all readers.
Another benefit of this style is that it's far more personal - written by a real person to be read by another real person. They aren't literature, they are bits of someone's life and thoughts and experiences. And that's exactly what they felt like.
I loved how they kind of skittered around the Occupation, while still showing exactly what it had been like. These people weren't whiners. They took the Occupation as another bump in the road and lived their lives around it. Their letters are full of the ways that their lives changed with the coming of the Nazis to Guernsey, but they were just telling someone who hadn't been there what it was like, not fishing for sympathy. That's a fine line, but I think this book walked it, and did it beautifully.
All that being said, I can't give this book 5 stars, although I wish I could. I didn't feel that the book was finished when it ended, and I feel a little bad for saying this, but that the book lost a bit of focus toward the end. Granted, the reader can fill in the blanks, but I was truly hoping for a more decisive non-romantic resolution. It's all well and good for the romance to have been wrapped up - but for me that was a side detail. That's not why I felt that we were in Guernsey. I wanted to see publication of the work-in-progress. I wanted to see the GL&PPPS read it, and commiserate over it, and begin to heal the griefs of their losses through it. Especially this last for Kit.
As it was, it was a beautiful book. Very quotable and moving and definitely worth reading. But I feel like the end could have come full circle and been much stronger. (less)
This was a good book, but unfortunately it didn't grab me quite as much as I had hoped it would. I thought that the first half was a bit draggy in pla...moreThis was a good book, but unfortunately it didn't grab me quite as much as I had hoped it would. I thought that the first half was a bit draggy in places, with lots of description and really long paragraphs. I don't have anything against long paragraphs, but for some reason these ones just seemed... looooong.
I liked how Uhtred made the best out of a hard situation, and learned to be both who he was and who he had to be to survive. But, I felt that the story suffered a bit from the narrative. Because this is told in 1st person memoir style (which I'm beginning to believe I just don't like), there was so much telling that I just really couldn't be in the moment with the book. I found that frustrating, because I wanted to be sucked in and really feel like I was living alongside these Danes... even though I'd likely have been stuck spinning yarn 24/7. Damn those women had it rough!
But then, every once in a while, there was a little bit of humor that would break it up a bit, like this passage:
"I saw King Edmund once," Brida put in. "Where was that, child?" Ravn asked. "He came to the monastery to pray," she said, "and he farted when he knelt down." "No doubt their god appreciated the tribute," Ravn said loftily, frowning because the twins were now making farting noises.
I really liked Ragnar, and in fact he was my favorite character. I found him interesting, and I admit that I would probably have stayed with someone like him, too. He's the type of badass, fair, and compelling man people want to follow, and I liked him for that. Plus he had a sense of humor, and that makes me like him even more.
Overall, it was good, but I had really wanted to love this one. I'll probably read another Cornwell at some point though. Maybe this one just wasn't it for me. ;)(less)
I love this book. I have reviewed the audio edition and everything from that review still stands. This is personal and lovely and heartbreaking. If yo...moreI love this book. I have reviewed the audio edition and everything from that review still stands. This is personal and lovely and heartbreaking. If you haven't read this one yet.... read it.(less)
This is my second book by Allende, and I can understand why people love her writing so much. She is a beautiful storyteller and her writing i...more3.5 Stars
This is my second book by Allende, and I can understand why people love her writing so much. She is a beautiful storyteller and her writing is so evocative and lovely and honest without being flowery or overdone. I love that quality in a writer - it's one of my favorite things about Colleen McCullough as well, especially in Tim. That book was my introduction to McCullough and it made a deep impression on me and instantly became one of my favorite books. Crap. Now I want to read it again!
Anyway, I was talking about Allende. The first book I read of hers was The House of the Spirits, and I really enjoyed it a lot more than I thought that I would. You see, I don't really care for magical realism and generally steered clear of it whenever I could. I'm gradually coming to the conclusion that, like anything else, there's good and bad magical realism, and I'd only read astoundingly bad examples of it... or read good examples of it and didn't recognize them as MR. But it took Allende and my friend Jackie recommending her books for me to see it.
Allende's books are beautifully written, and whatever mystical or magical or ethereal otherworldliness there might be is subtle and adds a little "Did you see that?" nudge in the ribs, but doesn't overtake the story, doesn't throw the narrative into confusion like some magical realism books I've read and hated with the fires of a thousand suns. I'm not going to name titles. You know who you are. >_>
Beloved.
So, this was another Jackie choice, and again I really enjoyed it, although I feel that this one lost something in the audio version. I wish that I had read this rather than listening to it. *sigh* Blair Brown did a passable Spanish accent, but quite often it was distracting. It just seemed to lack a fluidity and smoothness that native speakers have. Quite often, she'd hesitate for just a moment before pronouncing a word. It might actually only be a half second, but to me, it was a distraction. This is the kind of story that you need and want to just climb into and live for a while - and every one of those stutters pulled me out of it. I may not pronounce the Spanish correctly in my head, but reading for myself would have been smoother, since I probably wouldn't know it was wrong.
The second reason that I wish I'd have just read the book myself was that there were a whole lot of Spanish names in this one. People names, place names, historical names and Chilean native tribe names, and honestly, it was really hard to keep track of who was who when I had no visual link to the sound of the words being spoken. It didn't help much that, being told as a memoir type story, the narrative was less than linear. Wikipedia helped a lot here, and Google for being a good guesser at what I was misspelling. For instance, I'd type "Atawapa" and it would return "Did you mean Atahualpa?" Yes. Yes I did. THANK YOU GOOGLE! (And before any of you break out the ladder to get on your high horse, it's been a while since World History class, OK?) So anyway, Wikipedia helped a lot to keep the names and places and tribes and so on straight, so that I could enjoy the story and actually know who was being referred to.
I found this story fascinating. I don't really know much about Chilean history, but I feel like I know quite a bit more now. Because I was on Wikipedia and Google so much, I feel like I actually may have learned something.
This was a story about Spanish conquests and it was appropriately brutal. There were massacres and tortures and mutilations and subjugation of the indigenous people. All of that was to be expected. But there was also a softer quality to this story, a kind of empathy and understanding that Ines lent it. She claimed to not understand the 'indians' of Chile, but her description of them, and their customs and ceremonies and beliefs said otherwise. I thought several times while listening to this that she was confusing understanding with agreement. I think she understood them just fine. They wanted to live and be free and content in their lives just as she wanted to live and be free and content in her own. She could have said to the Mapuches "We're not so different, you and I." Too bad she wouldn't have gotten the Austin Powers reference. *sigh*
I really appreciated the religious aspect of the story, both from the Catholic standpoint and the Native standpoint. Allende represented both fairly, I think. Although, it seemed that there was a bit of the mystical on the side of the Christians, at least in Ines's eyes. I love that there was a little bit of that here, but also that it's interpretable. Was it a miracle that broke the rope and saved the man from hanging, or was it simply that the rope was frayed or weak? A comet, or a sign?
One thing I particularly loved regarding the religious aspect of the story was Ines, at 70, talking about how she sometimes forgets and calls God "Ngenechen", which is the Mapuche's name for their god or sometimes prays to the Earth Mother rather than the Virgin. It's such a throwaway reference, an old woman confused and mixing things up, but to me it signifies how similar beliefs can be, and how silly it is to try to force a "right" religion on someone else. What's in a name? Isn't what you believe and how you live and act more important? I think so, and I think that Ines did too. She worked for her people all her life, striving to make sure that they were as well looked after as it was in her power to do. She founded churches and hospitals and helped feed the poor and hungry, and defended the defenseless. She was definitely an awesome, if underappreciated, person.
I enjoyed this one, and might just have to read it for myself one day. I think it is a book that definitely deserves my full attention, and I couldn't give it that with the audio. But regardless, this was very good, and I'd definitely recommend it. (less)
3.5 stars. I really liked this book, but I found it much easier to listen to this book than to read it. I grew up in the south, but I still had a hard...more3.5 stars. I really liked this book, but I found it much easier to listen to this book than to read it. I grew up in the south, but I still had a hard time with the vernacular as it was written in this book. The 'should/would/could of' ones got me the most, more than 'terreckly' in place of 'directly', 'cain't' in place of 'can't' etc, because I kept thinking it sounds exactly the same if you write 'could've', etc, so why purposefully write it wrong? Listening to it was much less distracting.
I really loved the characters in this story, which is a good thing, because this is such a character driven story that lacking amazing characters, there would be no story to tell. The story is these characters' lives; their faith and their deaths and their scandals and their everyday.
My favorite character was Grandpa Blakeslee. I loved his take on life. I loved his take on faith and loyalty and life in general. He was just such a refreshing character to meet, one who had such a realistic and "homegrown" faith and relationship with his God. I loved his take on faith, that it is not a guarantee or reward, but rather a way of life.
I really liked Will Tweedy as a narrator. I liked that he was young and in the thick of things because he was at that middling age where one is almost adult but still considered a child when it comes to adult issues, so he was privy to a lot of things that he maybe shouldn't have been, but his interpretation of those things was nothing if not interesting. The foreshadowing was a little heavy handed, but it served its purpose, and in a novel as gossipy as this one, it worked pretty well.
I would have liked for a few of the social issues, like prejudice and racial segregation and women's rights to be addressed more fully... all were touched upon, but none really explored at all.
Overall, I really liked the book. I think that Grandpa Blakeslee will stick with me for a while after reading this one. He's just one of those characters that imprint a part of themselves on everyone who meets them. (less)
I probably would never have picked this book up had it not been chosen by a friend for a group read. Honestly, I don't go for Chinese lit very much, b...moreI probably would never have picked this book up had it not been chosen by a friend for a group read. Honestly, I don't go for Chinese lit very much, but I agreed to read this one, even though I was prepared to be bored at least. But I downloaded the audio version, read by Anthony Heald, and listened to the book while doing some much needed organizational stuff, and it was surprisingly good. I enjoyed the reading so much that I would sometimes stop doing stuff to just listen.
I think that had I read this on my own though, I don't think I'd have enjoyed it as much. There are times when a reader can add a whole lot to the story, and this was one of them. I actually do have an e-copy of the book, and I read along at some parts, and I think that listening to it was a fuller experience for me. Heald just seemed to GET these characters in a way I probably wouldn't have. He almost seemed to channel them so that his reading was borderline dramatization. It wasn't over the top - it was just perfect.
I don't know how much of this accurately represents Chinese culture. I don't know much about it myself, and so I took it all with a grain of salt. I don't particularly care for the attitudes towards women that are generally depicted in Chinese lit, so I don't read very much of it. But even if none of the cultural references are accurate, this was still an engaging and interesting story full of very human characters. At times, I didn't know whether to root for or against the main character, Wang Lung. I initially loved his character, and then as he progressed through life and different situational hardships and prosperity, I found myself mentally crossing my fingers while watching him with a wary eye. I wanted to like him, but sometimes the things he chose to do made that very, very hard. At one point, I was so disappointed in him, that I was shaking with anger at the sheer gall the man had, especially after everything, everything that had happened. That man had some cojones on him, I'll give him that.
I think that my favorite character in the story was O-lan. My heart broke for her. We never really get to know her fully, seeing things through Wang Lung's eyes, and he's not particularly perceptive when it comes to O-lan, or kind when he is, but I loved her. She never gave an inch of her dignity, no matter what her hardship, and she had so many. I was in awe of her, all while my heart hurt for the lack of gratitude she received for everything she gave. She deserved much better.
I found this to be an interesting story about a man's life and the things that he was able to achieve with that life, at the cost of so much, and the fleetingness of it all. I think that's what saddens me the most thinking about this book: we can't take any of it with us. I did enjoy this one, and I think the story will stay with me for a while, if nothing else. (less)
This was a lovely and fun story, read by the author himself. I enjoyed the whimsical feel of the story, as well as the adult themes, but honestly I ex...moreThis was a lovely and fun story, read by the author himself. I enjoyed the whimsical feel of the story, as well as the adult themes, but honestly I expected a bit more from it. I've read quite a few other stories by Gaiman, and I love the depth and dimension of his stories. And while this one didn't lack those things, exactly, it just didn't meet my expectations. Not that this is surprising. This is Gaiman's first prose novel, and he has grown and developed his talents quite a lot since this was written.
I would still definitely recommend it. I really enjoyed the story, and I liked how things kept coming around and around again. Clever and fun, and with a traditionalish feel as well, but still just not on par with my expectations.
I guess that's what I get for reading so many of his later works first! (less)
This is a beautiful, but heartbreaking story of a teenage girl who is dragged from her home in the middle of the night and deported to Siberia.
I read...moreThis is a beautiful, but heartbreaking story of a teenage girl who is dragged from her home in the middle of the night and deported to Siberia.
I read this in one afternoon. It was so well written and compelling that I needed to know what happened. I needed to know whether Lina and her brother and her mother made it through.
I could really identify with the characters in this story. They were all incredibly real and honest, and even when I disliked them, I felt that they could have easily stepped off the page and started walking around. I loved Lina's mother, Elena, most of all. I loved how she refused to give up hope, how she refused to let the situation change her or make her bitter or cruel. She was able to see the humanity in people who treated her as if she was less than garbage, and I admired her for that.
I would have really liked to find out more about what happened at the end, in the epilogue, since the ending was rather abrupt. But even for that, this story is amazing. I would definitely recommend it. Read with tissues handy. And be forewarned, the writing is beautiful, but the things that are shown are not. Just like in real life. (less)
This book was chosen as the very first "Featured Author" group read in the Historical Fiction group that I moderate here on Goodreads. The premise sou...moreThis book was chosen as the very first "Featured Author" group read in the Historical Fiction group that I moderate here on Goodreads. The premise sounded fascinating to me - the story of the man who created Robin Hood. The cover is gorgeous as well, of course.
This story follows Adam de la Halle, poet, singer and songwriter and performer over a period of a few years of his life, attempting to fill in some of the gaps and bring him to life. After Adam is exiled in the story for singing a derogatory political satire song, he meets the lovely young Catherine Durant, Tapestry Shop owner's daughter, and from that point on their lives and stories are intertwined.
This story was rich in detail and the descriptions definitely allowed for a feeling of "being there". I enjoyed this aspect of the book very much, and liked the real-life portrayal of life in the thirteenth century.
I also liked that Adam seemed like an intelligent and perceptive fellow, especially regarding politics and religion. I wish that this was a bigger part of the story, as well as the play Jeu de Robin et Marion, which is rumored to be the earliest French secular play (according to Wikipedia). He seemed like a fair and kind-hearted man, and I liked that he didn't throw his royal patron's weight around.
Catherine is young, and beautiful and betrothed to a lug of a man. Catherine is the type of ideal, loyal and faithful daughter that any 13th c. man would want to have. Intelligent and trustworthy and pious and determined to do her duty. She marries the lug, but is widowed after he dies in an incident, which Catherine feels partially to blame for, and so she makes an oath to God to redeem her soul. Religion and faith plays a very large role in Catherine's character, taking her to extremes. Of course this determination in her oath and promise to God causes quite a bit of inconvenience in her life, but determination is determination.
Adam and Catherine cross paths again and again, both secretly pining for the other, but neither speaking, and neither sure of the other's intentions, and each with their own fears and doubts and complications. This was one of the two main issues that I had with the story. I didn't feel that there was enough to really form a basis for the attraction between them. It was too "love at first sight" for me and it just didn't feel true. I felt that there was a large gap where their relationship foundation should be.
The other issue that I had can be summed up with by the word inconsistency. I thought that the details of the locations and life in 13th c. France were very good, as I mentioned, but the story seemed to hop around quite a bit. Not only due to the shifting between Adam's and Catherine's stories, but in time, and during exposition and action sections - specifically continuity between actions or scenes. A lot is left to the reader to fill in. Additionally, I felt that one character in particular, Isabel, was very inconsistent. She was described as being Catherine's closest friend and confidante, assisting with ways to get out of her undesirable betrothal, but then when Catherine goes to her for guidance the last time, she tells her to forget her schemes and wild dreams and just accept the pending marriage. It just seemed completely contrary to how she was described.
Overall, I think that this was OK. I would have liked to see more of the dissident in Adam since this is a fictionalized biography, and would have liked more of the story surrounding the play, and for the characters to be fleshed out more, but this was a quick read and an interesting story surrounding a lesser known figure in history. (less)
Twelve year old Kat chops off her hair, dresses up like a boy, and attempts to run away from home to London to try to save her eldest sister from a fa...moreTwelve year old Kat chops off her hair, dresses up like a boy, and attempts to run away from home to London to try to save her eldest sister from a fate worse than death: an unhappy marriage. She doesn't even make it to the garden gate.
This was such a cute and fun book! I loved Kat's character, and her resourcefulness and her pluck. There are a ton of twists and turns in this story, but on nearly every page I found myself giggling. The story itself was fantastic and a little over the top, but it was unpredictable and outrageous and fun. I loved the family and social dynamic, and the little bits of social commentary from Kat's point of view.
I cannot wait for the next book in the series. If they are all as fun as this one, this will be an awesome series. (less)
A good friend of mine raves about Andrew Taylor, and now I know why. I'd never read anything by him before, so when I saw The Anatomy of Ghosts availa...moreA good friend of mine raves about Andrew Taylor, and now I know why. I'd never read anything by him before, so when I saw The Anatomy of Ghosts available to advanced reviewers, I jumped on the chance to read it - and I very much enjoyed it. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of his books.
The story takes place mainly at Cambridge University, where a young student claims to have seen a ghost and is taken to a nearby sanitarium for treatment. His mother, Lady Anne, who is connected with the University and is concerned for her son, hires a down-on-his-luck man to investigate the matter and restore her son to his right mind.
This story is chock full of interesting characters, all of whom step right off the page and into living color. Jerusalem college (a college within the larger University), is almost a character in itself with secrets and habits and its own lifestyle. The young men who go there to learn come away with much, much more than the degree they studied for. It was quite intriguing, and put me in mind of rumors and whispers that one hears about old campuses like that.
I particularly loved the writing, though. The story takes place in the late 18th century, and the writing set the tone, character, and pace perfectly, without venturing off into wordy exposition, all the while keeping the suspense and the intrigue going. Quite a feat! Too often historical fiction forgets itself and strays into modernity in order to ramp up the tension and suspense, but Taylor did not lapse at all.
I also really enjoyed the slight social commentary running throughout the novel, with regards to rank and position and power. Of course this is a popular theme throughout history, as people have always been obsessed with rank and position and power, but I felt that here it was put on display, in a way. It's hard to say just what I mean, because I don't mean that the writing was Austen-esque in terms of satirical social commentary, but rather that it was so gritty and real feeling that a modern reader would see it as such. It was not glorified or glamorous, but rather what I think was an accurate representation of the lengths that some will go to to attain power and the lengths some will go to to keep it. Fascinating stuff.
I would have given this book 5 stars, except that I feel that one portion of the plot was not resolved at all in the end, and I was left a little disappointed. The ending itself was satisfying, and I could not guess any of the twists and turns that the story would take (and there were quite a few!), but this one little detail was irksome for not being resolved, and so I had to drop down the rating a bit. Otherwise, I was drawn in and engaged in the story, and felt as if I was watching from the sidelines rather than reading, and I love the feeling of falling through the pages of a book.
I definitely recommend this one to historical fiction, mystery and thriller fans. (less)
These books make me giggle so much. I have loved all of them so far.
I actually found that this one was a bit more... emotional... than normal. I real...moreThese books make me giggle so much. I have loved all of them so far.
I actually found that this one was a bit more... emotional... than normal. I really, really enjoyed that. And it opened up some plotline possibilities for future books, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what Timeless has in store.
Well... Finally finished with this one. Goodness, over a week to read one 350 page book. Bah!! This one just seemed very draggy in all of the places t...moreWell... Finally finished with this one. Goodness, over a week to read one 350 page book. Bah!! This one just seemed very draggy in all of the places that did not involve the Woolsey pack or the London hives or the drama and intrigue in and amongst the two.
I find the Templars, in real life, very interesting, so I was very disappointed by the way that they were depicted here. My gosh, their whole storyline was like a trip to Snoozeville. I didn't find them threatening at all, even though they were described as being well trained and soldierly and whatnot. I rooted for Alexia to escape Florence simply because they were boring and useless not because I really felt any concern at her plight - aside from the lack of luxurious accommodations, that is.
Professor Lyall continues to remain one of my favorite characters, and I really just want to give him a hug. He is very very put upon and long suffering, but remains loyal and steadfast and awesome nonetheless.
I thought that Maccon was let off FAR to easily for his actions, but I live with a boy, and I know full well how difficult it is to keep them on topic long enough to properly yell at them. Poor Alexia.
Anyway... Looking forward to the 4th book in the series this summer. Hopefully that one will be less filler (Templars!) and more substance. Still a fun book, and I did enjoy it, but just not nearly as much as the first two. (less)
This is going to be a quickie review. I loved Soulless, I loved Changeless. If anything, I think that Changeless might be better than Soulless.
I love...moreThis is going to be a quickie review. I loved Soulless, I loved Changeless. If anything, I think that Changeless might be better than Soulless.
I love Alexia (but gah, not her name) and I love Lord Maccon. They are kind of perfect for each other, both pushy, Type A personalities. When the supernatural community of London suddenly loses its superness, they both start questioning why... Events take them to unexpected places, and unexpected things happen, and the cause is much better than I guessed, which makes me happy because I hate guessing correctly in mysteries. And then there are more shockers, and a whopper of a cliff-hanger ending!
I'm really glad that I bought Blameless yesterday... I'd be raging if I had to wait to find out what happens! (less)
I really enjoy reading stories about the Holocaust and about the people who have lived through it. I suppose that...moreThis review also posted on my blog.
I really enjoy reading stories about the Holocaust and about the people who have lived through it. I suppose that in a way, it helps me to gain perspective in my own life, and reminds me that there is goodness to be found in everything. The suffering of the Jewish people during WWII was immense, yet they continue to hope and live. That means something to me.
Heidegger's Glasses takes a different path, a surreal and philosophical and almost mystical one, and is a very different, but no less moving or beautiful story, because of it. We are told in the beginning that the leaders of the Reich were believers in the occult, and felt that winning the war hinged on answering letters to the dead. To do that, the Compound was formed underground, and multi-lingual Jews were placed there as Scribes to answer the dead's letters. When a letter comes in from a well-known person close to the Reich to a close friend who is currently in Auschwitz, the order comes down to answer the letter, even though the recipient is still alive -- the Final Solution must be kept secret, so the letter must not come from Auschwitz.
This throws a huge wrench in the lives of the Scribes, and the people assigned to run the Compound. Elie Schacten is close to the Reich, and has the ability to move freely throughout Germany as few do, and uses this freedom to help people as she can. Gerhardt Lodenstein the Oberst, is a good-hearted man who finds safety for the Compound in flying under the radar. Stumpf, the former-Oberst of the Compound is a believer in the occult and takes the letter writing to the dead very seriously, but is a bit of a fool, and so tends to bungle everything he touches. The letter is written, delivered... and goes very badly wrong.
I think that what I enjoyed most about this book is that we get to see the war and the Reich from people inside it that hate it. They don't believe and they live in fear and uncertainty that they will be found out. The Compound is a mostly-safe haven for the Scribes under Lodenstein, and a temporary refuge for Jews in hiding, but after Heidegger's letter fiasco, you can cut the tension with a knife. They aren't sure if the Reich will come crashing down on their heads, or if they've forgotten, or if they don't care... there are a million ifs, but life must go on and there's very little that can be done either way. I felt like I was there, and was worried for this group of people who had lost nearly everything already.
I really enjoyed the writing in this book. It felt simple, almost surreal without quotation marks for the dialogue. The prose was straightforward, but contained some beautiful quotes that I wish I'd have marked. The sections were very short, for the most part, and separated by the letters that the Scribes were answering. These letters told the story of the "outside world" almost as well as any full book would have done, so that by the end, we can see the danger that the Scribes have managed to avoid, mostly, but they still have reason to fear. There were some funny sections in the book as well, which surprised me, since I didn't expect it at all in a novel about Nazi Germany. This helped the surreal feeling as well, but also provided the story with a kind of false-lightness above the seriousness and fear.
The ending was a little abrupt for me. The time shift and the unresolved whereabouts of one of the characters was a bit sudden and and disappointing. I'd hoped for this character to find what they were searching for and to find happiness, so the shift to an entirely new character jarred a little bit. But otherwise, I really enjoyed the story, and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a WWII story scene through a different lens. (less)
This is the last of the romance books that I agreed to read for a friend's blog activity, and, in my opinion the best of the five. I quite enjoyed thi...moreThis is the last of the romance books that I agreed to read for a friend's blog activity, and, in my opinion the best of the five. I quite enjoyed this one!
Right from the start, we're thrown into the middle of a scene of a crime, with a murdered woman and a mysterious man searching her house. An exciting beginning which only continued throughout the story...
I loved the characters in this story, and found them all to be believable and real. Adam Hardesty is the kind of man that women swoon over. Tall, dark and handsome, rich, but secretive and determined, we don't really know anything about him -- except that which he allows us to find out. But the more we learn about him, the more we likie.
Caroline Fordyce is a sensational serial novelist living with her aunt and her aunt's companion, independently supporting herself through her writing. When she is drawn into the investigation of the murder by having been with the victim, a noted psychic medium, the previous evening as part of a seance, things really begin to get serious. Caroline is a wonderful character. She's spirited and independent and resourceful and honest, and what's best about this character is that she embodies these traits, we're not just told of them, as with other romance novels I've read this month. She shows her initiative and her intelligence, so it is believable when others see these features.
I was pleasantly surprised by the mystery as well. I was a bit concerned that this would be a paranormal romance when I discovered that it was about mediums and psychic abilities, but it is a straightforward historical romance set in Victorian England. At times, it did feel a little bit modern in the speech, and on the other hand the term "psychical" was used quite a lot, but it's easy to overlook those small details and just enjoy the story and let the twists and turns and unpredictable shifts go where they will. I didn't guess the killer, and that is always a plus!
The romance here was much more understated than the other novels I've read this month. The sex scenes were believable and fun, but they were not the main focus of the story. And miracle of miracles, this book contains a realistic deflowering! Hallelujah! No "Broken Hymen, Hear Me Roar!" here, Caroline reacts with honest pain and confusion and tries to undo the decision to proceed, at least until the pain goes away... but then she makes him go slowly... Piston-like ramming forbidden.
I think Dangerous Tides almost ruined romance for me forever... but this book redeemed the genre. Hopefully the other Amanda Quick novel I have is as good. ;)(less)
I have to admit, I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than I thought that I would. I am not a romance reader by nature. I do enjoy romance in the stor...moreI have to admit, I enjoyed this book quite a bit more than I thought that I would. I am not a romance reader by nature. I do enjoy romance in the stories I read. I just don't go for books in which the romance is the central plot or point of the story. Give me soul-crushing tear-jerkers about human suffering, or horror, or a classic, or, really just about anything else first. But I agreed to read at least 5 romance books for a friend's blog activity for September, so here I am, reading and surprisingly enjoying romance.
The basic premise here is that a 12th century Scottish laird is ordered to take an English wife by his king, and an English Baron is ordered by HIS king to marry one of his daughters to him. Oh, the atrocity! Those Scottish are barbarians! The English are cowards and weak! Ack! Hiss! Boo!
So the marriage takes place, and all of a sudden Alec Kincaid, Laird of the Kincaid clan, is saddled with a feisty and not at all thrilled to be married Jamie (who has a man's name).
Hilarity ensues (at least to me) when their personalities clash. Oh my goodness, I found their disagreements and misunderstandings and attempts to rile each other extremely funny. In fact, I spent a good 3/4 of the book giggling to myself like a crazy woman. I think that it was this aspect, more than anything else that caused me to like the book. True, the lurvin' was pretty steamy, but it was admittedly a little repetitive too, as were certain conversationsdisagreements arguments between husband and wife.
On top of this, there was a secondary mystery plotline, which was meant, I'm sure, to ratchet up the suspense: Just when things are getting cozy, there's an attempt on Jamie's life! But the way that it was written felt awkward and out of place. There would just be a random paragraph from the Mystery Murderer at the end of random chapters, in italics, and in 1st person narrative.
So he thinks to take an English wife. Well, she's no match for me. I hope he loves her. It will make it all the sweeter when I watch her die and challenge him. MWAHAHAHAHAHA!
Yep, like that. Well, maybe without the maniacal laughter. That may have been an embellishment on my part. But I did hear it in my head every time I read one of these little sections!
There was very little that was historically accurate in the book. I mean, the big stuff, like the King and the clan feuds and that stuff, sure, but the devil is in the details, and it just felt a bit modern. The dialogue was definitely modern, but after a while I just got used to it. But I still wanted to mention it.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read and provided me with some laughs, so maybe I'll look into more of Garwood's books in the future. ;)(less)
I don't really get magical realism. I think my brain just doesn't function in the necessary way to really appreciate them, or I could be prejudiced ag...moreI don't really get magical realism. I think my brain just doesn't function in the necessary way to really appreciate them, or I could be prejudiced against them from the utter loathing and disgust that I felt while reading Beloved, which in my opinion is one of the worst books ever. Get all your hissing and booing out of your system now, I'll wait. :)
There. Feel better? Good.
I would probably have never picked up this book on my own, but a friend chose it as her book in a chain-swap, so I read it. And I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Like Beloved, this book deals with some very heavy subject matter, but unlike Beloved, this book actually made sense.
True, there was some surreal and mystical and odd moments, but those moments didn't get in the way of the main story of family and country. These moments enhanced it, creating interesting and unique and eccentric characters that I didn't always like, but certainly understood. The surreal and the mystical and the odd were portrayed as everyday, and interpretable as one chooses - to believe them as fact, or to believe them as figments of the imagination of the characters, or to not believe them at all. This is apparently how I like my magical realism. The "who am I? where am I? when am I? is this real? is this memory? is this dream? is this prediction? etc" style of Beloved? Not so much, although it is also interpretable, but in vastly different ways. Beloved forces you to interpret, while The House of the Spirits allows you to take the story at face value if you choose.
I read this story at the right time in my life to appreciate all of the political and socio-economic aspects of the story. If I had read it last year, I would not have appreciated it nearly as much. The political storyline is a huge and important part of the story, and frames the Trueba family like bookends. They rise to prominence during favorable economic and political times, and fracture to pieces when the political tone shifts, aided by a member of the family himself too blind to see the consequences of his actions, and too single-minded to give much thought to them.
Esteban isn't exactly an empathetic soul. Through most of the story, he is reprehensible and awful and cruel. He has brief moments of humanity, particularly at the end of his life, when I almost wanted to pity him for all that his ignorance and hatred and malice caused him to lose, but I couldn't. He made his choices, and had to live with them. I did feel pity for his family though, particularly Ferula. Poor Ferula got the short end of the stick all her life, being born of the wrong sex in a time when women had no rights, no means of supporting themselves, no role in society except as wife or mother or caregiver. Ferula never got to be a wife nor a mother, but was a caregiver to her own ill mother for years, wasting her youth and turning her into a bitter spinster whose only happiness came in the form of her friendship with Clara, Esteban's wife. A happiness that Esteban envied, and ruined.
This story follows four generations of women... Nivea del Valle, her daughter Clara del Valle Trueba, Clara's daughter Blanca Trueba, and finally Blanca's daughter Alba Trueba. These women are all strong in their own ways, finding methods of surviving in both a turbulent household and country. In a way, this story is as uplifting as it is sad, because it shows that cruelty and horror don't have to win, that love is a stronger force than indifference, even if it comes too late. (less)
This is the second of Donnelly's books that I've read, the first being A Northern Light (or if you're in the UK, "A Gathering Light") which I loved. I...moreThis is the second of Donnelly's books that I've read, the first being A Northern Light (or if you're in the UK, "A Gathering Light") which I loved. I loved the wordplay and the characters and the story... it was just beautiful to me, with a bit of innocence almost.
This story is nothing like that, but if anything, I like it more for it. There are some similarities between the two stories, though. Each features a girl who stumbles upon a link to the past that is surrounded by mystery. Each features a girl struggling to find herself and happiness against all odds. And each features a girl who shares an intense love of something with a boy who understands that love completely. In "A Northern Light" it was words and language and writing, and in "Revolution" it is music.
It seems to me that lately there have been a lot of new books, particularly YA books, which feature music in such a way that it is almost an extension of the character as well as a character itself. Music featured as not only something to enjoy, but as a necessary component to life, like water or air or food.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman is one of these books, as is Harmonic Feedback by Tara Kelly (although I've only discussed this book with a friend so far, I haven't read it myself), and Horns by Joe Hill, which is not YA, but features music in the way I'm talking about. These books show beautifully how important music is as a method of communication, as art, as life.
"Revolution" is no different in that aspect. The main character, Andi, is in pain due to the death of her brother, and nothing helps except for music. It's her lifeline, her one passion, her air. Without it she has nothing and no reason to go on from day to day. But it's more than just a life-preserver, it's who she is. I'm a reader. I can't pass a word without reading it. Andi is a musician. She finds music in everything, and feels and understands music in a way that most people probably never will.
When she's in danger of flunking out of school and of not graduating, her absentee father makes her go with him to Paris, thinking that the change of scenery would give her a new outlook and help her to focus. While there, she begins work on her thesis, which is about the composer Amade Malherbeau and how his work has influenced music to this day, and during the course of that research, she stumbles on a mystery that goes all the way back to Revolutionary France.
I don't want you to think that this book is only about music, because it is not. It's about so much more. It's about understanding who we are, and where we came from. It's about heeding our past to prevent it from recurring. It's about making mistakes and surviving them. It's about being willing to give everything for what you believe in, even if it we don't succeed. It's about learning to live again. It's about the parallels between the past and the present. It's about the value of someone who takes the time to care and be there for someone who needs it. It's about all of these things and more.
This is a beautiful, layered, and intricate story that I could not stop thinking about. When I wasn't reading it, I wanted to be. It seemed to suck me in almost from the very first page. I wanted to know more about Andi, and why she is hurting as badly as she is, what makes her so jaded and bitter and angry. I hoped for her to find that something in life that makes it worth holding on to.
There's a running theme in the story of being haunted by our pasts, both in the present day story line and the Revolutionary story line. It reminds me of a song by Paramore, off of their "Brand New Eyes" album. It's a beautiful song, and I think it fits the story as well, especially considering the music theme.
I am going away for a while But I'll be back, don't try and follow me 'Cause I'll return as soon as possible See I'm trying to find my place But it might not be here where I feel safe We all learn to make mistakes
And run From them, from them With no direction We'll run from them, from them With no conviction
'Cause I'm just one of those ghosts Traveling endlessly Don't need no roads In fact they follow me
And we just go in circles
Well now I'm told that this is life And pain is just a simple compromise So we can get what we want out of it Would someone care to classify, Of broken hearts and twisted minds So I can find someone to rely on
And run To them, to them Full speed ahead Oh you are not useless We are just
Misguided ghosts Traveling endlessly The ones we trusted the most Pushed us far away And there's no one road We should not be the same But I'm just a ghost And still they echo me
They echo me in circles
Overall, I loved the story. I loved the dual storylines, and the parallels and the small details that Donnelly included that made the story that much more tangible. I highly recommend this one. (less)
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