A guilty, delicious, quick read. I had a hard time placing this in time. I thought it was the Victorian age, but then they started talking about the ...moreA guilty, delicious, quick read. I had a hard time placing this in time. I thought it was the Victorian age, but then they started talking about the Regency-era fashion and I got confused. The mystical elements are a nice change of pace although a little convoluted at the end. I wish the author focussed more on our heroine's awesome powers though.(less)
Beautiful! Capote captures wistful emotion masterfully. I noticed several similarities between Holiday Golightly and Nabokov's Lolita. I guess the 1...moreBeautiful! Capote captures wistful emotion masterfully. I noticed several similarities between Holiday Golightly and Nabokov's Lolita. I guess the 1950s was an ideal time to write about nubile young ladies and the men who admire them.(less)
I saw this on a friend's book shelf right after buying a house and thought it would be a good reference guide to home repairs. Don't let the Rosie Riv...moreI saw this on a friend's book shelf right after buying a house and thought it would be a good reference guide to home repairs. Don't let the Rosie Riveter on the cover fool you, this isn't just for girls.
The book contains lots of handy diagrams and clear instructions on how to repair or change stuff around the house. I found it especially useful when I had a leaky faucet that needed its rubber washer replaced. I also used it to take apart my bathroom doorknob so that guests could stop locking themselves in!(less)
My grandmother's house was a two story shack pushed against other similar shacks in an alley called Chopstick Road. My dad said it was called Chopsti...moreMy grandmother's house was a two story shack pushed against other similar shacks in an alley called Chopstick Road. My dad said it was called Chopstick Road because it was so long and narrow. The alley opened up onto a busy street full of bicycles, loud buses, and honking cars. On one corner where the alley met the street was a small to-go restaurant where people could buy pre-made dishes to supplement their dinner. On the other corner was a general goods store where we could buy things like toothbrushes, soap, extra face towels, and notebooks. Because the shack was so small and always so packed full of adults, I spent most of my days at my grandmother's house outside playing with my cousin and the other neighborhood kids. Those days gave me very vivid memories of my childhood in Shanghai.
That's why when I saw the cover of this book, I was immediately drawn to it. Even though it's probably a different alley in Shanghai, the alley on the cover of the book reminded me of my grandmother's alley.
The short stories contained in Years of Red Dust span from the years before the Cultural Revolution to the years during modern China's economic reform. They're loosely tied together by being about residents on a street called Red Dust that's reminiscent of Chopstick Road. Each story is heart-wrenching and bittersweet. Like all good stories, there's no clear good guy, bad guy, or any clear cut way of how things could have gone better. They feel like a series of vignettes about the people affected by Chairman Mao's policies. Some had humor, others had wit, but almost all of them have a certain sadness to them.
Although I enjoyed the book immensely, it was by no means perfect. There is a lot mentioning of old proverbs and Confucian sayings, which could have been introduced in a more natural way than, "There is an Old Chinese proverb that says ..." Those got repetitive and distracted from the scenes. After I learned to just let those go, I found myself enjoying the book a lot more.(less)
This didn't scare the bejessus out of me, so in that aspect, the book was a disappointment. Everything was very predictable and over-use of foreshado...moreThis didn't scare the bejessus out of me, so in that aspect, the book was a disappointment. Everything was very predictable and over-use of foreshadowing was annoying and insulting. The novel was well written, but it just wasn't that interesting. No, scratch that, the only interesting thing was Spider the dog.(less)
An exciting locked-room who-dunnit set aboard a space ship. There was one very annoying character that I thought served no purpose...more3.5 Stars
An exciting locked-room who-dunnit set aboard a space ship. There was one very annoying character that I thought served no purpose and never got his come-uppance, but other than that, a very enjoyable read.
If your'e a fan of Firefly, chances are you'll be fan of The Icarus Hunt. Like Firefly, it features a band of misfits who come together for a common goal. I kept picturing Mal as the captain.(less)
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