When his wife Amy disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick is at a loss; and when clues seem to point to him as the main suspect, he knows...moreWhen his wife Amy disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick is at a loss; and when clues seem to point to him as the main suspect, he knows he has to find the truth quickly if he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life in prison. But as we follow Nick’s attempts to clear his name, Amy reveals in her diary what seemed to be a less than perfect marriage. Between the two spouses, truth and lies are sometimes hard to tell; and if Nick didn’t do it, what happened to Amy?
Gone Girl has been everywhere in the recent weeks; making its place on the blogs, crawling to the top of lists on Goodreads, receiving glorious reviews in the media. Eh, even Reese Whitherspoon got a piece of it by deciding to produce the movie! So, it’s probably not the last we’re hearing of Gillian Flynn’s twisted novel.
I wasn’t sure what I was in for as I started reading Gone Girl; if you’ve been around my blog for a while, you’ll know that as much as I love a dual narrative, I am rarely satisfied with how it is handled. Luckily, Flynn successfully alternated the voices of Nick’s narration and Amy’s diary, giving us two point of views that came together well, all the while telling two very different stories. The author definitely knows how to keep a reader hooked to the page, both with an intriguing mystery and complex characters.
There is a comment I have heard from many readers of Gone Girl that I feel is important to take note of : if you find the first part boring, or not original enough, hang on for the second part. Seriously. Many reviews have said this, and I won’t be the one to tell you different. As soon as the second part begins, things take a different turn. I won’t say more as you are all better left unspoiled; but know that Gillian Flynn wrote a fascinating psychological page-turner that will keep you guessing as the story goes.
Chances are you won’t like the characters; I know I didn’t. Nick… well, for many reasons and one in particular that I can’t mention without revealing too much, wasn’t really likable. Amy was a bit different at the beginning, although she did sound a bit full of herself. But this novel really isn’t about “rooting” for one character or the other, so this wasn’t a problem for me. Also, they had strengths that still made them interesting to me, as flawed as they were.
And I can’t say more, really. I can’t tell you more about why I did or didn’t like the characters, if there were surprising twists and whether I predicted them or not, whether I liked the ending or not (and to be honest, I’m still not sure about this one). I can’t say anything, really, without risking revealing too much. If you plan to read the twisted story that is Gone Girl, then go in as blind as you can. It will be worth it.(less)
The Stand is an epic novel. Not only because of its length, but because of its multitude of epic characters, a powerful fight between light and dark a...moreThe Stand is an epic novel. Not only because of its length, but because of its multitude of epic characters, a powerful fight between light and dark and a story that spans on quite a while, with consequences that will forever impact the people left in this devastated world. It’s a journey, really, and a captivating one. I went into it planning on taking breaks, reading other books, but I didn’t : I had to know what would happen next.
There are too many characters to count in this story, so I’ll do this quick : I loved Nick, he was probably my favorite character. There are no polite words to describe what I would like to do to Harold, who I hated even more than Randall Flagg (I hate people who think they are owed a relationship just because they were standing there first, and then act on revenge!)
I really liked Franny at the beginning, but she got a little silly along the story, as she kept for herself important information and worries. This saddened me, mainly because The Stand is a world of men. There are too few female character who do anything else than sitting there and being protected. Mother Abigail has a strong presence, but she’s weak and old; Franny has personality at the start, but her pregnancy soon keeps her from any adventure. Nadine goes crazy. There are a few female characters who take important decisions or have important impact in the story, but they are often very secondary. I’m thinking of Dayna in particular; I would have loved to hear more about her journey, but it’s mostly left to the imagination.
This being said, King has a talent for writing flawed characters that feel very real. Love them or hate them, they are described with a complexity that makes them very realistic. They struggle with decisions, carry heavy pasts on their shoulders, and seeing them change as the story goes was one of my favorite aspect of the novel.
Was The Stand scary? Meh. Maybe a little, but it is not written as a horror story. There are difficult scenes to read, yes, but I have read worse in historical fiction or fantasy novels where heroes go to war against great evil. The most horrifying part for me was how realistic this felt. I kept wondering what I would do if such a thing happened, where I would go, what if no one I knew survived, etc. Scary thoughts!
Side note : when we get a dog, I really want to name him Kojak! Most fabulous dog in the world, he certainly was one of my favorite characters!
The Stand is a long metaphor for the battle between good and evil: it’s in the characters’ personal journey and in their every decisions, it’s at the heart of the story, it is even embodied by two captivating characters. Was it too long of a metaphor? Probably. I enjoyed it, and I wasn’t bored with it, but I felt the book could easily have left out some parts. (I was, after all, reading the uncut version, so it’s not surprising that I found the whole thing to be on the long side!)
I had watched The Stand TV series years ago, when I was a teen, and I remembered very little of it. Not a bad thing though; it allowed me to really discover the book as I read it, and after rewatching the series some weeks ago, I can say that the book is FAR superior to it.
Reading The Stand was a great experience and it made me want to read more books from Stephen King, who used to be a favorite when I was younger. Reading it with other readers and bloggers and tweeting about it made it an even more fun experience!(less)
I was going through my list of books read in 2012, slowly starting to prepare my “Best of 2012″ list (one of my favorite time of the year on the blog!...moreI was going through my list of books read in 2012, slowly starting to prepare my “Best of 2012″ list (one of my favorite time of the year on the blog!) when I realized I had yet to review some of my favorites this year. I’ve Got Your Number, read this past March, was one of those. I’m a long time fan of Sophie Kinsella. Even though I’ve grown a little tired of her Shopaholic series, her last two stand alone novels (this one and Twenties Girl) have been some of the most heartwarming books I got to read since I created the blog!
I’ll admit that I wasn’t expecting much when I started reading this one. The summary felt a little silly and predictable to me, but in the end, I should have trusted Kinsella to work her magic : the story was entertaining and fluffy and awww-worthy from the start.
Poppy and Sam had so much chemistry! It is quite obvious, even from the summary, to see where the story is going, but the author manages to make the book fun and charming all along. There’s no boring moment, and Sam and Poppy were so absolutely adorable together – whether they were arguing or having a nice sharing moment. The emails and text messages, which sometimes get intrusive in other novels, were nicely paced and added a touch of life to the story, making the characters even more relatable.
I also loved that there was more going on than a simple romance. We learn more about Sam’s business, while Poppy has to deal with finding her ring, dealing with the in-laws and getting everything ready for the wedding. This is not without a few surprises along the way, and the build up to the ending was simply exciting (oh, that scene in the woods!)
Even though I sometimes wanted to hit Poppy on the head with a huge, heavy cushion, it was impossible for me not to like her. As for Sam, he was really likable too, and I always appreciate how Kinsella writes charming yet realistic men. Sure, he has his secrets like everyone else, but he’s not the stereotypical “mysteriously broody man with a deep dark secret”. He’s quite regular, when you think of it, but his connection with Poppy is so perfect it makes them both extraordinary.
To say I absolutely adored this book would be an understatement! It’s one of these books where predictability is comfort, and it’s the way there that makes it all exciting. I absolutely loved it, and I can’t wait for the author’s next book! Fortunately I don’t have to wait much longer, and her next novel, The Wedding Night, should be available in May of 2013. (less)
I thought Unearthly was good, yes, far above the average young adult paranormal romance. Still I was unprepared for Hallowed, and how much...moreOh. My. God.
I thought Unearthly was good, yes, far above the average young adult paranormal romance. Still I was unprepared for Hallowed, and how much I liked it. What am I saying? I loved it. I’m talking about a 4.5 starts coming really close to a 5 here!
It was not only a captivating story, but also a very, very emotional one – something I hadn’t expected at all from a novel of the genre. After all, YA paranormal is what I turn to to be entertained. Here though, Cynthia Hand gets close and personal with death, grief and the sense of powerlessness that accompanies both. She delivers a story with depth where Clara goes through all kinds of emotions, and us with her.
Also, I can’t say enough of the author’s great writing of a fantastic romance. I have mentioned more than once before being tired of the love triangle, but this might be the exception. I felt that Hand didn’t hesitate to go where many authors won’t, tearing apart what was already established to start anew. Tucker is still a lovely boy, but as we get to know Christian better through time, it is impossible to resist his charm and good nature. Plus, his understanding of Clara was exactly what she needed, when she needed it. Without taking anything away from Tucker, Christian developed in his own character and we finally get to really know him.
There’s still an element of danger with the Black Wings more or less hanging around, making Hallowed a constant roller coaster of emotions and adventures. We learn just so, so much about angels in this book that it kept me constantly on my toes, trying to guess what was next. I was very happy to see many of my predictions come true! Because of Hand’s fantastic writing, I didn’t feel as if it had been predictable; there was always an element of surprise in the details, or with the moment chosen for new revelations and twists.
I’m so glad this turned out to be even better than I expected! Book three will only be coming out in 2013, and this seems a bit too far from now for my taste!(less)
Yup! That’s four and a half fat stars up there, for the pure entertainment that was Ready Player One and the joy it brought me!
I won’t dispute the fac...moreYup! That’s four and a half fat stars up there, for the pure entertainment that was Ready Player One and the joy it brought me!
I won’t dispute the fact that the book has faults, but I had so much fun reading it, I don’t even want to talk about its flaws (but you are very welcome to do so in your responses to my review!) So I’ll make this a short and very sweet review!
I’ve mentioned before how I love books with a dystopian/sci-fi/technological approach, so of course the setting of Ready Player One was right up my alley. I loved how Cline thought up this new virtual world and how the whole social medias came together with it. It’s definitely something I can imagine coming true, as most of it is already present to some degree in today’s world.
But The Oasis is definitely what made the whole book captivating. The Oasis is a virtual world with thousands of planets, with a money system and adventures hidden in any corner. And when the big adventure begins, the book is flooded with many references to 80′s video games, movies, role play, etc. This was as much as a trip down memory lane as a treasure hunt story for me, and I am sure many readers will feel similarly (but even if you aren’t familiar with these, I would still urge you to give the book a try! )
I also loved the characters – even the villains. I know some people felt they were very “expected”, uni-dimensional. It’s something that usually really annoys me, too, but in this specific case, I actually enjoyed it. If Ready Player One was a movie, I wouldn’t imagine it taking itself very seriously, and character development felt very secondary to everything else going on. In a book where video games and comics and such took so much place, a stereotypical villain didn’t feel out of place.
This is a book I’ll be reading again, for sure, and I might come up with a very different review when I do so (I expect it to be maybe a little less enthusiastic, and a little more critical). This being said, I loved it and it will be featured, without a doubt, on my 2012 favorites list!(less)
Quand Souffle le Vent du Nord est un roman duquel je n'espèrais à vrai dire que très peu - et à tort! J'en ai commencé la lecture un soir tard, pensan...moreQuand Souffle le Vent du Nord est un roman duquel je n'espèrais à vrai dire que très peu - et à tort! J'en ai commencé la lecture un soir tard, pensant ne lire que quelques pages avant le sommeil, et je fus rapidement envoûtée par cette série de courriels entre Léo et Emmi. Leurs échanges, généralement plutôt courts, commencent comme une joute verbale qui prend rapidement une forme plus intime, et c'est là l'enjeu principal du roman.
Certains ont dit que les échanges d'Emmi et Léo souffraient de pseudo-intellectualisme; je ne me poserai pas en désaccord avec ceux-ci, mais je dirai plutôt que c'est là ce qui m'a bien amusée dans leurs échanges. L'histoire d'une banale aventure en ligne devient ainsi quelque chose de plus intriguant, de plus captivant. Je fus parfois charmée, parfois amusée, parfois énervée par les deux personnages, mais ces réactions sont précisément ce qui me poussait à lire un courriel de plus, juste un, un seul petit dernier avant le coucher...
Si Emmi est celle qui m'a le plus particulièrement énervée lors de ces échanges, il faut dire que les deux personnages ne se présentent pas toujours sur leur meilleur jour. Ainsi, cette correspondance intime dévoile beaucoup des personnages sans ennuyer le lecteur dans l'anodin, ce qui fut une agréable surprise. Mon expérience avec les romans de type épistolaire est qu'il est souvent difficile de révéler les personnages et leur univers sans rappeler au lecteur qu'il lit un livre et non une correspondance privée. Ici, j'ai trouvé le résultat satisfaisant sur ce point.
J'ai adoré ce livre et c'est sans aucun doute un favori de 2012. Ceci dit, je ne suis pas certaine d'être aussi enthousiaste vis-à-vie de la suite. Bien qu'il est certain que je voudrai la lire, je dois dire que la conclusion de ce premier tome, qui comprend une certaine ouverture, m'avait beaucoup plue telle quelle. (less)
I feel there is very little I could say to explain how much I loved that book – the whole series, in fact. I am not sure I can translate all these fee...moreI feel there is very little I could say to explain how much I loved that book – the whole series, in fact. I am not sure I can translate all these feelings in words, but I am willing to at least give it a try.
I came from The Well of Ascension with a lot of expectations. It had been, if possible, even better than the first book, and had left me with many unanswered questions. I felt nervous for most of the characters, and almost completely unable to predict what would happen next. So far, Sanderson had excelled where so many authors fail : surprising me while being faithful to the worldbuilding and the characters. I would be a huge disappointment if The Hero of Ages was anything less than awesome.
I will admit that I felt the book had a slow start. It might be because of all these expectations, or it might be that the book did have a slow start; in any case, the feeling didn’t last. I was soon completely hooked to the story, as I had been in the previous novels. I’m still impressed with how life-like these characters felt to me, and how complex they were, even the secondary ones.
And the story. Oh! I can’t really talk about it without adding a “caution-spoilers” announcement, so :
(view spoiler)[That ending! Oh my! My jaw fell so far to the ground I had to get it back from my downstairs neighbors. I’m pretty sure there were tears, too. I had not seen that coming. Well, I knew there would probably be deaths, but that was as much as I could predict. I couldn’t say who, or how. Wow. I’m still in shock thinking about it. And I certainly couldn’t predict the role that Sazed would play. And Ten Soon.
This was both heartbreaking and beautiful. And magical. And I was impressed how Sanderson could make this ending such a godly experience, without stepping too strongly into the religious aspect of it.
I’m actually not sure I understood everything that happened there, and I am looking forward to rereading it in a few years; I know I’ll be surprised by details I hadn’t noticed before. (hide spoiler)]
Reading the Mistborn trilogy was certainly a once in a lifetime experience! Often I’ll read a book with a weak worldbuilding but wonderfully complex characters, or with shallow characters but a strong story; Sanderson achieved greatness in so many aspects that I would have a hard time finding flaws after only one reading. Complex characters, intricate plot, creative worldbuilding; I can only recommend that you read and experiment for yourself this wonderful series!(less)
Reading the second book in the Mistborn series was long overdue; I had read the first one over two years ago, and even though I absolutely loved it, I...moreReading the second book in the Mistborn series was long overdue; I had read the first one over two years ago, and even though I absolutely loved it, I kept pushing the moment I would read The Well of Ascension. I finally did, and oh my, it was purely AWESOME!
I used to read a lot of fantasy as a teenager/young adult, but I honestly can’t recall a series that succeeded on so many different aspects. The action scenes are right out of a movie. The characters, though numerous, are complex. And the story, oh, the story! A gripping, intricate plot that surprised me from one chapter to the next! You would think that a 796 pages long novel would feel at least a little long, but no : it went way too fast and as soon as I finished it, I wanted to read the next one. (I managed to wait a little, surprisingly enough!)
The worldbuilding is incredibly original and the magic system so well thought-out that it makes it difficult to guess what is coming next. But one thing Sanderson also excels at, in my opinion, is character development. That’s something I’ll probably mention again on my review of the final novel since it is even more obvious then, but I have to give him credit for building characters that are multidimensional, filled with strengths and flaws, and change as the story goes without acting out of character.
The following part of the review might be slightly spoilerish; you’ve been warned!
(view spoiler)[While Vin certainly has changed since the first book, her development wasn’t as obvious, for me, as Elend’s. Vin is still struggling with who she is and fighting old demons here, and while Elend is also having a hard time becoming the king he wants to be, I felt he was closer to knowing how to get there (well, he also had a little help!)
I loved OreSeur – or at least I loved him by the end of the book. His relationship with Vin certainly is a complicated one. It evolves in unexpected ways through the story and offers some of the best dialogues in the book, with nice touches of humor, too!
Zane was such an interesting character. He was just so messed up. I didn’t know what to expect from him; he was a “villain”, but at the same time he was a victim of circumstances. I don’t think he had a chance of coming back from his crazyness, and I both pitied him for how he had been treated by his father, and hated him for trying to bring Vin down with him.
There are more than a few twists in this novel. Some are completely unpredictable, being tied with elements of the worldbuilding we aren’t aware of. Others are more predictable, but still surprised me. Sadly though, I did had a very bad feeling of who the traitor would be, and it absolutely broke my heart. (hide spoiler)]
In the end, I think it is quite obvious that I absolutely LOVED this book. Yes, LOVED in all-caps! It is not only one of the best books I have read this year, but one of the best books I have ever read, period. Good thing we already have all of the Sanderson books on our shelves!(less)
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