First- I watched the BBC miniseries for Gaskell’s North and South long before I read the novel and I have to say... I’m so glad I did! What an awesome...moreFirst- I watched the BBC miniseries for Gaskell’s North and South long before I read the novel and I have to say... I’m so glad I did! What an awesome thing to have the perfect cast that was BBC North and South running around in my head as I read this! Second- Richard Armitage portrayed Thornton perfectly- not a perfect match to the book- but perfectly how I would relate best to him. It was fun though, getting in his head a bit more- I actually believe all the feelings seen in the book were inside RA’s portrayal- he just expressed it through his eyes and silence. I’m serious- he spoke volumes when he said nothing at all- and Holy COW did it make the story all the richer.
But we’re talking about the book- so here goes.
Written in the 1850’s as a social novel on industrial class vs common worker- let’s face it, Gaskell is no D H Lawerance. And THANK GOD- (man I hated Lady Chatterly’s Lover). Unlike his work, I found North and South engaging AND it made a point- albeit better formed in the tv series. Sure it's no high brow novel, but I sometimes get tired of those stories that think itself rather important. So important it doesnt mind leaving behind the reader to make it's overblown point.
Set in Milton, a fictional town in the North of England, North and South opens with our heroine, Margaret Hale, living in the peaceful south of England, but soon forced to leave her home for the dirty, smoky Milton. It’s harsh in the industiral North and utterly foreign to the life she once lived- even down to how a northerner welcomes a lady vs a southern way. Because she’s no shinking violet, despite her upbringing, she quickly finds herself in the middle of a clash between employers and workers- with her having “friends” on both sides. On the one hand, her first real friends are the lower class Higgons’ whom welcome her despite their differences. On the other hand- the Thorntons, led by Mr. Thornton, not titled, but a captain of the Cotton trade. He helps Margaret’s father settle in even as Mr. Hale, an educated man who left the vicarage on some vague matter of conscious, tutors Mr. Thornton, whom obviously values education. Despite this, immediately Mr. Thornton and Margaret clash, for he’s instantly attracted to her and she’s startled by his forceful opinions and attitudes toward the workers who have now become her friends.
Misunderstandings ensue between them ala Darcy and Lizzie Bennet, even down to a rejected proposal, but, in the end, they soften each other and find a balance- both between their feelings for each other and differences between workers and employers around the time of the first organized strikes.
Seriously, I enjoyed this book. I think the author did a fantastic job of making the reader feel sympathetic to the working poor by couching a romance in the midst of the turmoil.
If you’re a romance lover but not into reading the classics, do yourself a favor and rent the dvd. You’ll thank me for it. (less)
SO- if you’re any kind of Sci Fi nerd, as I am, you know this story. I mean, know this story. Not only have you read the book, you’ve seen the old mov...more SO- if you’re any kind of Sci Fi nerd, as I am, you know this story. I mean, know this story. Not only have you read the book, you’ve seen the old movie starring Rod Taylor and you’ve also seen that glowy, gadgety, steam punky, levered, whirling time machine guest star on a recent TV show which shall remain nameless, because it’s become a fixture in nerd culture worldwide.
But here’s a recap in case you aren’t as aware of it: Around the turn of the century, a guy makes a time machine. He travels to the distant future and makes it back with a story to tell. Apparently in the future the human race has evolved into two sub-species: The shiny, happy Eloi who live above the ground with nothing to do but eat, play and indolently make love. Below ground it is a different story. Hairy, with subterranean eyes accustomed to the dark, the Morlocks are an brutish, threatening lot which the traveler surmises descended from the lower class of people who’s jobs it were to “get their hands dirty”, i.e. the laborers of our culture. (Not as much a point for Socialism as I guess Wells intended as coming off slightly snotty and academically elitist.)
Because he’s sure the Morlocks are treating the Eloi as cattle on which to feed, and partly I’d say because he had taken the lovely Eloi, Weena, to bed, the traveler decides to take it on himself to smoke the Morlocks out of their subterranean homes. Plus… they had his Time Machine. His plan works beyond his imaginations and when waking the next day, he finds his Time Machine- all set up like bait in a trap. But he knows something the Morlocks do not- he can escape the trap with ease. And escape he does- but not without a tense confrontation with the white haired, red-eyed creatures.
Farther into the future he goes, watching the sun grow red and huge and then wane, till only darkness and stars permanently fill the skies. And then he comes home- to the exact moment he left- a little distance away, because, after all, the Morlocks had moved his machine, and though time had changed, distance had not.
The end of the tale leaves those listening, not believing a word of the travelers supposed flight of fancy- but one friend comes back days later because he’s just not sure. He of course sees the traveler disappear in his machine. He’s still waiting for the his return.
The story doesn’t really get good till about the time the scary Morlocks show up… but, quite honestly, the tiny smooth-skinned Eloi creep me out more. With scientific touches- classic to his stories- H. G. Wells plays a game of “what if?” with the future that still feels unique even as it spawned an entire genre and thousands of similar stories. I wish Wells had a time machine to take him to today so he could see how beloved his stories were and still remain. I wonder if he would have changed his future world to be a little more happier, a little less dystopian? Then again, maybe not- he seemed to have been an excellent judge of human nature, if misguided by what would fix it. (less)
Philosophical? Definitely. Novel Entertainment? oh yes. What the author meant by this writing? Well, like any true art- that depends on the audience....morePhilosophical? Definitely. Novel Entertainment? oh yes. What the author meant by this writing? Well, like any true art- that depends on the audience. I can go into all the philosophical existential yakkity yak that a lot of other people might get from Narcissus and Goldmund, but instead I'm gonna give you the nuts and bolts (ie pared down yakkity yak) of what I saw in it.
Goldmund is a born artist with a innate bent toward the agony and bliss of wanting to eat life- not just watch it parade on by through a view from a window. Narcissus is his opposite. He is the thinker, the one who excises feelings and exalts logic and the mind above all else.
But this book isn't about two people, it's about one. You, the reader. Narcissus and Goldmund are an allegory of the dichotomy of man, the struggle of balancing and preferring one aspect of who you are to another, because- Dear God, are we complex.
One part longs to experience life and run at it full tilt, but the logical part says a life like that is reckless and cannot be sustained.
Narcissus always loved Goldmund, more than that- admired his young friend's natural beauty and talents, despite the fact he was his polar opposite- and that kept him on stable ground. It took a lifetime of wandering for Goldmund to come to the same conclusion about Narcissus- unfortunately he only found stability at the very end.
Some might think the ending for Goldmund one of disappointment- but really, only one could survive in this tale of a search for inner peace. Truly it could only be elder, settled wisdom who would survive.
Just like Narcissus, for one to find that kind of peace, you must reconcile every part of yourselves and integrate them into the whole- accepted, just as they are. Too many never get that.
As one who often struggled in the past with this exact same duality- I thoroughly enjoyed this novel- not only did it startle my Narcissus with its alarming insight it appeased the passionate Goldmund in me with it's bawdiness at times. :P
It's books like these that make me glad I'm a reader.
::sigh:: Yet another shining example of how out of touch I am with the literary elite. I tried to read it. I really did. I started it and even made it...more::sigh:: Yet another shining example of how out of touch I am with the literary elite. I tried to read it. I really did. I started it and even made it a quarter of the way through before putting it down and never picking it up again.
I consider myself an avid reader- and I don’t read just one genre or stick to best sellers, I honestly try to go across the board but I just dont get what makes this book hit all the "Top" lists. Frankly, I found the narrative simply too confusing.
One cannot deny Morrison is great writer and deserves her accolades- since she gets so many of them. Perhaps her skill got in the way of the story as some others have suggested.
Perhaps I just need to finish the book. Maybe some day I'll give it a go once again. But I doubt it. Too many other stories to be tackled.(less)
I vacillate between really liking this one and not liking it much- because there are some very unlikable bits to it and that makes it likeable because...moreI vacillate between really liking this one and not liking it much- because there are some very unlikable bits to it and that makes it likeable because after all war is unlikeable and Heller so aptly shows us this, (proving himself to be an excellent writer.) But if I like it for being unlikeable am I actually liking it?
Catch-22.
The actor who read this audio edition did a fantastic job so it was easy to keep track of all the characters- and there are a ton of them- because he gave them perfect voices. really like
The circular logic and story telling fit perfect with the catch-22 theme- a phrase coined by the author, btw. really like
The portrayal of the abysmal lack of care for the individuals who were actually putting their lives at risk for- well, nothing really- made you just as frustrated as Yossarian. Flawlessly written. really like
Everything was a bureaucratic catch-22 for the lead character Yossarian and it was hilarious in its ridiculous logic. really like
Especially because, more than anything, he wanted to stop seeing death all around him and that's all he ever saw. really like- but not because I liked what character was going thru. (Insert Top Catch-22 here.)
The ending- had you cheering for the poor sap because finally, finally he was gonna find his freedom from the nightmare he was living, however odious it would be to a modern US military man. not sure what I think about that one-
But in the end- gonna go with really liked. But unless you have been in the military as an enlisted man, or worked in a cubicle, you wont get this book. It's long, but for Clevenger's Trial alone, worth the read. :)(less)
Visceral, frightening that this kind of world exists for women- still, and unbelievably sad, I had a hard time getting through this book- especially w...moreVisceral, frightening that this kind of world exists for women- still, and unbelievably sad, I had a hard time getting through this book- especially when I figured out a major plot twist early on. However sharply this novel focuses on the life of a poor woman in Bombay India, which it did well, it lacked a certain sense of hope that I need by the end of a tale to make me fall for a story.
Sure Bhima, the main character, let go of her pain in the end, and I suppose sometimes the sense of utter hopelessness and inevitability makes for gripping story telling as it engages quite a few emotions. But every man in this book treated women as offal to be wiped from the bottom of their shoes and more damning for me, the women betrayed each other at just about every turn. Because of this, the simple metaphoric ending just wasn't... enough. (Especially considering all they went through.) If this were non-fiction I wouldn't have the same desire because I know full well how very real these situations are. But when its told in fiction, I like to see a redemptive resolution.
Perhaps if we had some sorta epilogue letting us know the women are okay? I don't know, their stories just begged for reparation, even if it only meant them living free from bitterness for once, however fantastical it seems. As mentioned earlier, something of the sort is alluded to at the end, but we don't get to see it and that frustrated me.
I cant believe I'm saying this but I almost wish Bhima had committed suicide at the end- like I *thought* we were headed- although I would have hated that too. At least it wouldn’t have felt so artificial. (Umrigar was so real with everything else- Why end it with a cheap metaphor??)
Here's something about me and books- even if I don’t like the way a plot or ending goes, if it’s true to the characters I can at least respect it. This felt too contrived.
So yeah. Not for me. Not a bad writer- she made Bhima's pain filled world feel very real- but in the end disappointing.(less)
Storm Front is first in the poplar Harry Dresden series and an introduction to Harry and his assortment of co-horts, magical and non. Harry’s a wizard...moreStorm Front is first in the poplar Harry Dresden series and an introduction to Harry and his assortment of co-horts, magical and non. Harry’s a wizard by trade and from the looks of it- one powerful wizard. He’s also a private detective of sorts- he puts his shingle out for anyone who needs a hired hand in the magical realm and though his business is an unpredictable way of making a living, it works for him.
At almost the exact same time his next client walks in the door, he’s called to assist the local police in solving a murder. (A hired consultant, he helps them from time to time when his particular talents seem warranted.) On this case, a couple is gruesomely murdered- and from the looks of it, by some pretty powerful black magic. It doesn’t take Harry long to encounter a mysterious figure called the Shadowman who is serious about stopping Harry from investigating further. Solving this one is gonna take him into the territory of evil magic, mobsters and demons- but solve it he must, because he’s shot to the top of the likely suspects list and that will mean certain death because aside from non-magical laws, he’s on probation from using that sort of magic from his kind as well!
I’ve heard such good things about this series, I was anxious to start it- however I found myself less then enthused as the story drug on. Don’t get me wrong, I get the appeal of self-depreciating Harry- Wizard and Hard Boiled Detective- but I felt like I was just following him around as a silent ghost. :/ I'm thinking, the first person narrative didnt help much in this one, because there was too much inner dialogue and not enough with the other characters. But then he is sorta of a lonely sort.
Perhaps its because there was much backstory that happened off page, well before this story. I didn’t get to walk with him as he was put under the Doom of Damocles (the magical probation referred to before) or establish his friendships and that sorta left me feeling less than engaged. Me? I like to feel what the characters feel, taste them. Never happened much here… until the very end when he battled his own nature against the lure of power.
I also liked the mystery and how the plot- well, it just fit, like a good puzzle. Nothing wrong with that. But again- I need more character development to keep my interest, so much of the middle of the book was just “meh” .
In the end, I liked Storm Front, it simply suffered from freshmanitis too much to be really good.
A friend mentioned that the series doesn’t really pick up till later- so I’m skippin on to the fourth book for my next venture into Harry’s world I think. ::shrug:: or not. We’ll see. (less)
Remarkable in so many ways. The plight of the two main lead heroines all the more moving for the ring of truth- for one, the ending even more so.
Stil...moreRemarkable in so many ways. The plight of the two main lead heroines all the more moving for the ring of truth- for one, the ending even more so.
Still, bless the author for giving us a-as much as can be expected- HEA for the other.
As a woman, you need to read it. Some of us who work in male dominated arenas think we have it bad at times … try being a woman in Afghanistan! What’s sad is the sexism/ glass ceiling we experience spring from the same rotted root. Hatred of women. They just are in at its barbaric, full out extent. Western men trim it back to make it look more civilized and call it good.
The entire root needs pulled out and I for one believe it can be done.
Educate girls. And that is what this book is all about.(less)
Society has evolved to a place where a home can babysit and raise your kids for you, with a nursery that will bring to life anything your child imagin...moreSociety has evolved to a place where a home can babysit and raise your kids for you, with a nursery that will bring to life anything your child imagines. George and Lydia Hadley were happy to purchase their Happylife Home so affordably, where lights turn on as you walk in a room and the house clothed and fed and rocked their kids to sleep. But something is awry in the nursery. The room is stuck on an African Veldt land with lions feeding and vultures looming- and this imaginary world feels all too real.
When George asks the kids about their African playground, the kids deny that’s where they’ve been and when Wendy, his daughter, quickly runs ahead of George and changes the scenery, he knows they are hiding something.
Realizing that giving the kids everything they’ve ever wanted probably wasn’t such a good idea, he begins to shut things down- including the nursery. But too little- too late, and at the end of the tale, George and Lydia finally realize why the screams coming from the nursery every night sounded so familiar.
Bradbury never fails to strike me with his descriptive wording- even in a short short story such as this.
“The hot straw smell of liongrass, the cool green smell of the hidden water hole, the great rusty smell of animals, the smell of dust like a red paprika in the hot air.”
“Like a red paprika...” Hunh. Love that.
I’m also sensing, Bradbury really didn’t like modern entertainment and the direction it’s heading. He must have felt that eventually it would atrophy the brain and spoil the kiddos.
I did enjoy this book. I'm a sucker for allegory and this children's tale is full of it, altho heavy handedly. Written in the late 50's early 60's, ac...moreI did enjoy this book. I'm a sucker for allegory and this children's tale is full of it, altho heavy handedly. Written in the late 50's early 60's, according to the author, she had a difficult time getting it published because the powers that be felt it was too difficult for children to grasp. While writing the book, she would read what she had written that day to her own young kids and they anxiously anticipated each reading so she knew it would fly. Finally she was able to get it published and the rest is history.
I loved the protag Meg, covered under glasses and braces this 13 yr old has an enormous amount of emotions and cleverness- just not so that everyone can see. When her equally odd genius-but in a different way- little brother leads she and a new friend to three even odder old ladies, they had no idea that they were about to embark on an adventure through space, time, and dimensions of other worlds into the heart of darkness that shadows the soul of earth.
Typical Christian themes run throughout the rest of the story- themes of faith overcoming fear, acquiring the ability to see what is not seen, and most importantly... love and sacrifice will always conquer evil. CS Lewis did it better of course with The Chronicles of Narnia, but this one did make me tear up a bit in the end.
As a side note: Oddly this book is on the Frequently Challenged/ Banned books list, because idiots who obviously have no ability to understand below the surface of a thing, (and believe me when I tell you this one aint that deep!), look at some of the characters and think "on no they are witches, they must be of the devil" rather than the angels they really are! (ugh) Apparently also a bit disturbing to them was the fact that Jesus is mentioned in a category of importance along WITH other religious figures and important people throughout history ala Buddha and Shakespeare. Small minded idiots, because this book was the most pro-Christian book I've read in a long time! (People need to actually READ a book before they start challenging stuff. UGH)
I listened to A Wrinkle in Time on audio, read by the author herself, which I always like because you get the idea of the characters real voices... unfortunately she has a lisp and its rather hard to ignore it at times to pay attention to the story! BUT I'm so glad I finally can cross this one off my list- and sadly do wish I had read it as a kid because I think I would have been spellbound!(less)
Weirdly rife with homoeroticism, even though the most explicit was edited out apparently, A Picture of Dorian Gray is mostly about Oscar Wilde’s musin...moreWeirdly rife with homoeroticism, even though the most explicit was edited out apparently, A Picture of Dorian Gray is mostly about Oscar Wilde’s musings on beauty, art and letting go of morals. I hated that most of the women in the story were vapid- even the outwardly ugly ones. (C'mon, surely they could've been thrown a bone?? I mean really, not a single woman of worth to be had??? Someone didnt like their Mama very much.)
I didn’t like Harry much, seemed a predator to me, and tho I initially liked Dorian Gray- his lack of good judgment, backbone and eventual cruelty changed all that... however, when we saw the first alteration of the portrait, the story started clicking for me.
It begins with a beautiful young Dorian Gray sitting for an artist. After seeing the painting, and listening to another older man extol the virtues of youth and hedonism, he unconsciously makes a sort of deal with the devil to stay young forever by acknowledging the older man’s advice to, and I paraphrase, “don’t resist and just go with it” when opportunities to debauch arise. Dorian’s face will never show the ravages of living by cruel means, and never grow old- because all of it will be thrust onto the image in the painting.
But, as always, the easy way out is only a trap that leads to death. And it indeed ensnared Dorian.
For me, with The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde does an excellent job of displaying the fact that freedom from, rather than of, moral stricture leads to destruction and true ugliness- which one can assume by the author’s lifestyle, is quite the opposite of what he was attempting to say. In the end the story became a cautionary tale on such a lifestyle and ultimately a prophetic symbol of Oscar Wilde’s own life, imo. Tragic.
Lately, as I read the headlines, I just want to scream from my rooftops- Suck it up people, opposite of what the hedonistic lifestyle of the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s tried to tell us, and as much as nihilists would like it otherwise, we need law and a modicum of restraint or you will never experience the true joys in life. Sacrificing your wants, instead of sacrificing your children’s needs (and lives) on the altar of inconvenience, preferring someone else above yourself, and selfless kindness is the purest expression of beauty and one that this “civilized” society needs to revisit- pronto. You take that away and you have young men murdering each other on the streets, as well as defenseless mothers and daughters being slaughtered in their own homes without impunity. You have mothers abandoning their babies in dumpsters- or even worse hacking them up or drowning them! You have people eating other people’s faces off- literally-and sicko old men preying on children, with no justice for the victims. My soul is burdened by such things right now.
Take it from Dorian Gray, when temptation comes to choose outward beauty over the milk of human kindness, its always best to choose the latter.(less)
When my friends and I recently came to the realization that Americans have come to believe that the pursuit of happiness has become an inalienable rig...moreWhen my friends and I recently came to the realization that Americans have come to believe that the pursuit of happiness has become an inalienable right and that such pursuit means “I shouldn’t have to feel pain”, well, we thought we were being profoundly original. Apparently Huxley in this dystopian piece on what the society he lived in might look like at it’s full out extents realized this way before we did. (Darn you Aldous!) Written in the 30’s it’s almost eery how close the world he created in Brave New World is to our own. (Eery and frightening because his work was meant to be satirical!)
Eugenics, Media/Technology controlling society, State Propaganda, Consumerism, Industry made Gods, Corporate Corruption, even cheap throw away clothes ala Walmart- its all in there and it scares the bejesus out of me because this scary world is us!
The story is told mainly around Lenina, Bernard Marx (names look familiar? They should), & John Savage. Lenina is a child of the state- altho slightly odd in that she prefers monogamy instead of "everyone for everyone". But not as odd as Bernard who is as smart as an Alpha (the top caste) but looks like an Epsilon (lower caste). He sees how programmed everyone is to believe what they believe and doesnt like it. He also doesn’t like Soma Holidays (euphemism for dropping a pill and escaping reality for awhile.) This puts him at odds with The Director who administrates the “hatchery” (ie test tube baby factory) and conditioning center (place where all children are conditioned to live in a peaceful society- mostly through subliminal hypnosis.) The director sets about to have Bernard sent off to Iceland for his abnormal thinking only to be foiled by his own hypocrisy.
You see fathering or birthing a baby by means other than test tube is considered vulgar, embarrassing and pornographic. But guess what skeleton The Director has in his closet? A son fathered unbeknownst to him. When Bernard stumbles across the Director’s son on a Savage Reservation- places deemed unfit or too expensive to “civilize” – Bernard finds his means of averting his Icelandic exile. In the process he becomes a media star- through bringing John Savage, the director’s forgotten child, to civilization.
At first John is excited to meet this brave new world, however he quickly becomes disillusioned by fame and the weirdness all around him. Even Lenina, the pull to bring him into civilization is not enough as, despite her own small peculiarity of desiring monogamy, cannot fully comprehend John’s need for individuality in her World State of mind. In the end he gives into societal demands- and unable to live with himself, takes his own life.
There’s so much in this book, I’ve really only brushed the surface, but you get the idea:
"We can make a new one (sic* person) with the greatest ease-as many as we like. Unorthodoxy threatens more than the life of a mere individual; it strikes at Society itself.- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 10"
I think I’m drawn to books such as these because, for some reason, I’ve always felt like I didn’t quite fit in- not in build and not in thinking. When someone’s different, they’ll always feel alone because society will always gravitate to what’s familiar and ostracize what is not. On occasion I like the idea of being reminded that it’s ok and even desired to be an individual. Brave New World was one such reminder.(less)
Incarceron- an infinite prison created to hold the criminals, the unwanted and the refuse. It was supposed to be a place to rehabilitate those impriso...moreIncarceron- an infinite prison created to hold the criminals, the unwanted and the refuse. It was supposed to be a place to rehabilitate those imprisoned there, a paradise… but something went wrong. Now those trapped inside live in hell and the prison has become something altogether new- a horrible living organism.
Claudia is the daughter of the warden of Incarceron. She senses that something is not quite right about her world. A prisoner in her own right, she is being groomed to be the next queen- married off to the current Queen’s selfish son- for her society had stopped progressing long ago, when something called The Protocol was enacted, trapped in a time when courtiers and facades of civility hide terrible secrets. Longing to escape the tyranny of a hopeless future, she stumbles upon a strange key while secretly investigating her father’s study. A mystery quickly unfolds because, with the key, she has found the way to unlock her world- along with the door to Incarceron.
Brilliantly imagined the mystery of Incarceron and Claudia’s world kept me reading on… even when the mostly 2-dimensional characters less than thrilled me. But I must confess, the admittedly fascinating world building failed to hold me over through much of this book- especially when it took so long for the prisoners of Incarceron to make their way out.
This story wants to be a dystopian YA on the scope of The Hunger Games and the plethora of other similar books hitting the best sellers right now, unfortunately it lacks engaging characters. (I think the author even tried to set up a love triangle however she pretty much failed, imo. You have to get the reader to care about whom ends up with whom and with an otherwise selfish heroine, a passive hero and side characters that granted, were a bit more intriguing then the H/h- it just didn’t work for me.)
The story throws in some predictable twists that are easy to guess- especially if you’ve been reading (or watching) Sci Fi, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, for as long as I have- (view spoiler)[ pssst! "It's bigger on the inside" (hide spoiler)]- but they did manage to give me a moment of pause to mull them over. There is that.
I sound hard on this book, and in a way I am, because I love dystopian fiction so much and set it to a higher standard, but I did in fact like it more than some other YA out there- ::cough cough twilight cough cough:: I at least wanted to read the entire book and might even consider reading on if the author can resolve the lack of character depth. (With Twilight I gave up halfway through the first book!)
So- with some qualms- I do recommend this book if you like the genre, because let’s face it, disappointing fantasy/ sci fi is better than a lot of other genre fiction out there! Just sayin. (less)
Hard to grade this one- where as most of it was totally amazing, there is the beginning and the end that pulls it down for me because really, the best...moreHard to grade this one- where as most of it was totally amazing, there is the beginning and the end that pulls it down for me because really, the best part of the story is when the protags were chasing down a killer- which only happens in the middle of the story, oddly enough. (The beginning and ending is almost another story all together!)
Bestselling The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo begins with investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist being hung out to dry for a piece he wrote that went horribly wrong. Through much of the beginning and to a lesser extent, the ending when Blomkvist gets his revenge for the happenings in the beginning, my eyes began to cross at the seemingly pointless blahdy blah blah of Larrson explaining how Blomkvist got into his current predicament.
But really it was Blomkvist's desire to hide away from his circumstances that made him accept a job offer from eccentric former captain of industry, Henrik Vanger- a frail old man haunted by the disappearance of a long gone relative- that brings us to the exciting part. So I guess I can make the bridge as to why it began the way it did.
Meanwhile we get to meet Lisbeth Salander, a brilliant but socially awkward researcher for a private investigator, who just happens to be assigned the task of investigating Blomkvist for the Vanger family. She’s secretive, sullen, punked out, and- of course- tatooed , but she does a helluva job. However, she finds herself distracted from her assignment when her guardianship is changed and taken over by a loathsome individual. (An individual on whom she exacts some spectacular revenge! At this point in the novel, I literally sat up, bug-eyed then dug in and didn’t look up till my eyelids refused to stay open late into the night!)
Indeed it was this insight into her character the ignites the novel and doesn’t let up until the ending, especially when she eventually joins Blomkvist covertly re-investigating the mystery surrounding Vanger's beloved niece's death under the guise of writing his familys’ checkered history.
Murder, intrigue, sex and violence- what more can you ask for in a mystery-thriller? It’s no surprise this little beauty been hitting the must read/bestseller lists for forever now. (Btw, this part of the story totally reminded me of a Criminal Minds episode, one of my favorite shows!)
Through his body of work, Larsson brutally exposes obvious purveying attitudes of violence toward women and antisemitism... attitudes being swept under the carpet of Swedish society. I love how he boldly empowers Lisabeth in a way few women would have the intelligence and courage to pull off, yet wraps her in a vulnerability that many woman can relate to. The second protag, Blomkvist, is a man-ho to be sure, but something about his innate nobility makes him extremely likeable too.
If it wasn’t for the slooooooow beginning I would have totally given this a 5 star. But I more than really liked it- so lets split the difference with 4.5 out of 5! :) (less)
Slow paced and tedious I wanted to give up on Lady Chatterly's Lover so many times. But I'm stubborn so I couldn't let myself give up on it.
Whereas I'...moreSlow paced and tedious I wanted to give up on Lady Chatterly's Lover so many times. But I'm stubborn so I couldn't let myself give up on it.
Whereas I'm sure this book was a shocker in the late 20's when it was published, to my modern eyes, it was no biggie. Yes it was graphic, but in no way could one consider this pornographic!
The first section bored me to tears, full of mind-numbing conversations that had no significance other than for the author to show how intellectual he was. I could barely read a page without my eyes drooping closed. Yes, I got that their conversations had a point- "The dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialization." Yeah, I got it. But to stretch it out for the length of the entire book? Ugh.
When Lady Chatterley met Mellors, her soon to be lover- things got more interesting- for about 10 pages. Then back to the tedium.
I truly liked her lover Mellors. A vetern of the war and of the lower class, he seemed the most intelligent of the characters. Which was, of course, the most shocking part of the story back in the day- the fact that a member of the upper class, Lady Chatterley, cheated on her upper crust husband with a servant.
Connie (Lady Chatterley) I found wishy-washy, whiney, and downright annoying. NOT a heroine to love. BUT she knew how to find her pleasure and wasn't ashamed of it. (Plus for her!)
Clifford, her husband- Lord Chatterley to her Lady- I actually felt pity for, though the author did his best to make him seem unworthy of Connie.
Here's a short look at Lord and Lady Chatterley:
Cliff, wounded and crippled during the war, was unable to perform his husbandly duties. Connie grew to loathe him and headed out for greener pastures. Now, I'll give that Cliff was a snob and a control freak, but pitiful to be sure, and in the end didn't deserve Connie's selfishness.
In the end I found this book to be overrated and overly praised... however, I am glad I read LCL. If only to say I have done so(less)
Read this back before the movie was made but as soon as I got into The Da Vinci Code, I thought, "What a bunch of hooey, but dang, this is gonna make...moreRead this back before the movie was made but as soon as I got into The Da Vinci Code, I thought, "What a bunch of hooey, but dang, this is gonna make a good movie." So I wasnt surprised they went on to make it into a movie.
But I was surprised everyone found the twist "new". I just couldnt figure out why everyone got so hepped up about the "conspiracy". That particular heresy has been around since soon after Christ arose. Yep, I'd say the belief that the holy grail ...
Well I'm not gonna spoil that one for ya, you'll have to see the movie or do something really crazy like READ THE BOOK...
Anyway the conspiracy theory this books revolves around is in fact almost 2000 yrs old, yet people slap there hand over there mouth in surprise. "Well shut my mouth. How dare the Vatican hide this from us for so long?" They couldn't. And they didn't.
But its all right fiction reading. Perhaps not up to all the hype but entertaining enough.(less)
Considered Hemmingway’s worst- To Have and Have Not is almost shocking to read with modern eyes. Either he was a racist pig- likely; or he was documen...moreConsidered Hemmingway’s worst- To Have and Have Not is almost shocking to read with modern eyes. Either he was a racist pig- likely; or he was documenting the sad state of racial affairs in the 1930’s when this was written- unlikely- but true, however inadvertedly. Even if I give him the benefit of the doubt, he probably was showing his ass as well.
The first section of this decidedly short novel is told from Harry Morgan’s POV. I found the first section to be the most engaging, although this is where the majority of derogatory racial epithets show up. For some reason the rest of the novel seems to fall apart without Harry’s narration- which says something about the character. Harry is a gruff, typical don't show your emotions 30’s man, just trying to get by. When a man stiffs Harry after chartering his boat, Harry decides to take on the riskier, but more profitable, business of ferrying people and contraband, from Cuba to Florida and back again. Yeah, that’s trouble. And Harry’s life turns to crapola from that day forward.
The book is nothing at all like the iconic Bogie and Bacall version of it. (“Ya know how to whistle donchya? You just put your lips together and blow.”)
Rumor has it, the producer of the movie was on a boat one day with Hemingway and informed the author he needs to make more money to support the lifestyle he had become accustomed too, attempting to persuade Hemmingway to make one of his novels into a movie. “When Hemingway indicated no interest in Hawks's proposal, the filmmaker reportedly responded by boasting that he could make a film out of Hemingway's worst book, which Hawks felt was To Have and Have Not.” The end result is the movie being very little like the book- and probably overshadowing it.
Despite it’s flaws, I liked reading TH&HN. Not for the story, which is tragic to say the least, but for Hemingway’s style.
Okay, confession time. I never finished a Hemingway before. When I was a teenager I picked up The Sun Also Rises, but never got into it. Never picked him up again-until now. After reading TH&HN, and discovering I think I may like his style- I think I’m gonna give the racist pig another shot. Say what you will about him as a person, he had what I call “the juice”. That certain something that makes a person sparkle when they do what they do. Makes him worth investigating some more in my eyes. I think I'm going to try A Moveable Feast. I've been dying to read it ever since Nick Cage extolled Hemingway's virtues in City of Angels.
I can’t say I reccomend TH&HN. But it may be fun to read the first 25 pages or so. Everyone needs to be reminded the MLK really did make a difference.(less)
I loved Shors's debut novel Beneath a Marble Sky and though I can't say I fell for his second endeavor, Beside a Burning Sea, quite as hard, I did enj...moreI loved Shors's debut novel Beneath a Marble Sky and though I can't say I fell for his second endeavor, Beside a Burning Sea, quite as hard, I did enjoy it.
A historical, set during the most strategic time of WW2 in the pacific theater, BABS is a gripping story of a group of mostly strangers stranded on an obscure island in the pacific after the hospital ship Benevolence is attacked and sunk to the bottom of the ocean.
In the heat of battle, two sisters stationed as nurses on the Benevolence are led to safety by a Japanese soldier who had been under their care during the time of the attack. Stalwart Isabelle is sure her husband, the captain of the Benevolence, is lost with all the hundreds of others who didn't make it off the ship in time, but she has her sister to think of and it's that which drives her through the cruel sea.
Annie never had the strength of her sister and almost doesn't survive the arduous swim to safety, but the mysterious man who some would call their enemy aids her even though weak and wounded himself.
When they reach the island, they are relieved to find they are not the only survivors of the wreckage and Isabelle's husband is among them. The captain knows he must keep the survivors safe even though he's sure they've landed on a key island to both the Japanese and American fronts, but his guilt over the fate of his ship gnaws at his soul. Suddenly, in the midst of all the turmoil, bittersweet hope arises when Isabelle reveals she's pregnant and Annie and the noble Akira, the man who saved her, fall in love against all odds.
But unbeknowst to all, there is a betrayer among them and his treacherous ways takes on a psychotic edge as he menaces the rag tag group throughout their time on the island. Will they survive the harrowing days til rescuers arrive or will the evil of one man overtake them all?
The theme of this story is as old as The Tempest by William Shakespeare, which it bears a resemblance too, and feels a bit done before. But Shors does a fine job of adding perilous tension and poignant moments of humanity to keep the pages turning.
Although I don't consider it a stellar second outing by John Shors, it is a good enough read to get a 3.5 out of 5 from me. (less)
This book gets rave reviews internationally. Unfortunately, I feel more lukewarm about it.
Don't get me wrong, it has a lot going for it.
It's a murder...moreThis book gets rave reviews internationally. Unfortunately, I feel more lukewarm about it.
Don't get me wrong, it has a lot going for it.
It's a murder mystery, with insight on the beginnings of philosophy and also on religion during the Middle Ages. As stated in other reviews, Eco gives detailed historic accounts of catholicism specifically centering on different monastic orders, among many other things and, bizarrely, on whether or not Christ laughed. I was scratching my head on that one ... until I got to the end.
Clever, Eco, very clever.
The problem? Wading through the details, to GET to the end.
The story is narrated by a now old Adso of Elk. He recounts his time as a novice monk while accompaning William of Baskerville to an Abby where strange things are a going on!
William, the elder Monk, uses logic to solve a murder mystery, as well as reveal the secrets of the huge library at the Abby where the murders took place. And he does so in a manner that smacks of Baskerville alum, Sherlock Holmes. From the beginning, William displays great powers of deductive reasoning, especially thru syllogisms. He becomes the sane voice in a world ruled by insane greed and old ideas. (The other monks aren't nice on the subject of women. And thus William becomes a hero in my eyes with his defense of the fairer sex- from the BIBLE no less!)
The library and it's books are central to the Abby, and thereby are central to the story. Believe me, there are many secrets to be revealed. Sex- homosexual and straight- all over the supposedly celebate Abby, hidden passageways, strange deaths- which all point to the oddly laid out library and those who control it.
Yes, there is a compelling mystery in it, but, as I said, the book takes too long to solve it. Too much information dumping, however interesting it is at times, slows the story down. Also the untranslated latin phrases, somtimes entire paragraphs, becomes frustrating as well. (Although it made me appreciate Harry Potter and all the little latin terms Rowling uses to cast her characters' spells!)
The eventual resolution- the revealing of the actual murderer, rocks, I'll give it that, even if the motive was strained, at best. Too bad we have to wade through so much obsecure information to get there.
::shrug::
OH, the big discussion between factions of monks on whether or not "Christ was poor" fascinated me. Not the overlong blathering of the monks, but the one line that summed it all up by the wise William:
The debate about Christ (and thereby the Church) being poor is not about the having of property,
"but about keeping or renouncing the right to legislate on earthly matters."
In other words- it's all about POWER.
Ah the more things change, the more things stay the same. (less)
The story begins with little Sara Crewe traveling from the life she’s always known living in India with her beloved Father, Captain Crewe, to be schoo...moreThe story begins with little Sara Crewe traveling from the life she’s always known living in India with her beloved Father, Captain Crewe, to be schooled like all proper British girls in London. Her father is loathe to let her go but knows he must for her own good. Almost immediately upon arrival, Sara sees quite clearly with her wise beyond her years insight that Miss Minchin, the proprietor of the school, is not a fair lady, although she hides it well enough. Just as immediately, Sara gets the reputation of being a little princess as her father lavishly buys cloths, dolls and comfortable living quarters. But Sara is not the spoiled child you might think her to be, no- quite the opposite. She could have cared less for all the finery if only to stay with her Papa, but of course society says otherwise and far too quickly she is left behind.
Miss Minchin doesn’t make it easy for Sara, of course, but because she values Sara’s money, she plays along with Captain Crewe’s desires of spoiling the child- even when Sara unintentionally repeatedly reveals with her calm spirit that she is far more clever than the mean-spirited proprietress of the boarding school. Then, on the very day of Sara’s 11th birthday, news arrive that her father has passed away, and not only that- all of his money is lost as well.
Miss Minchin, feeling as if tricked into covering Sara’s expenses- expenses assured to be covered by the wealthy Captain Crewe- Miss Minchin takes out her wrath on the grieving child and makes her the drudge of the school, a step only slighter higher than the scullery maid Becky, whom Sara has befriended.
For years Sara suffers under the control of Minchin, doing all the tasks the servants don’t want to do, going to bed starving and cold each night.
But, try as she might, Miss Minchin couldn’t bring the clever girl down to the lowered station she thought she deserved to be in. For Sara Crewe was an expert at bolstering herself with imaginations.
When Minchin was at her worst, Sara’s proud spirit pretended she was soldier on a long and weary march. When given nothing but crumbs she shared it with her friend Mechezzidek, the rat who lived in the wall whom Sara pretended had a large family to take care of. No matter how hungry- she gave. She gave stories to a forlorn student whom the other students looked down upon for being fat and stupid and gave unheard of friendship to Becky, a mere scullery maid, who stayed in the room in the attic right next to her. She even gave away a boon she fell upon quite by accident one day while running errands- all because she believed a true Princess, like the one she imagined herself to be, is not one to complain or take things for herself when aid is needed for the populace.
One day the school becomes abuzz with the news that a wealthy man is moving next door and Sara in her clever mind quickly assigns a story to him to entertain herself in the hours after her drudgery is over, to keep her mind off her hunger. Her curiosity is even more aroused when she meets the wealthy man’s native Indian man servant and his pet monkey one evening when the monkey escapes into her attic window.
Ram Dass, the man servant, is struck by the bright child, and from that moment on, watches with silent eyes and ears every kind thing Sara does and eventually brings it to the wealthy man’s attention. Sensing they can help her, The wealthy neighbor and Ram Dass determine to bless the girl who gives so much yet is treated so poorly- Ram Dass because he knows exactly what’s going on, the wealthy man because the child reminds him of another young girl he lost and is desperate to find.
One evening Sara, possibly at her coldest and hungriest, welcomes her friend Ermengarde into her room. Ermengarde finally realizing how the kindest person in her world is being treated, promptly decides to share a basket sent to her from home, stuffed with treats and food. Delighted Sara arranges the room as a secret surprise for Ermengarde and Becky, while Ermengarde leaves to retrieve the food. When the girls gather together, Sara transports the little group as if by magic to a grand ballroom prepared for a feast, all the while staying in their drab little room. It’s a wondrous time for all the girls, trying with all the might to imagine the beautiful room right along with Sara.
Of course the evil Miss Minchin ruins it.
But perhaps she wouldn’t have been so adamant in putting the little princess in her place if she knew that her actions would become the catalyst for Sara to be blessed beyond her own very vivid imagination.
I would have loved this story as a kid, but I love it even more now. I’ve always loved a heroine I can root for and a villain I can despise- and this story delivers them! Sara is exactly the kind of girl I admired growing up and one I longed to be. Clever, pretty, just a bit odd but oh so noble. Yeah I never quite attained such nobility nor cleverness and prettiness, but I wanted to and that’s saying something I guess. :)
I was totally engaged while listening to this story and I cant wait to share it with my nieces! I highly recommend it as an entertaining read but also as a good reminder for every child- if we imagine ourselves as noble princesses- even even though the world sees us as beggars- one day we may become one… in spirit if not in truth! (less)
Even though a product of rape, Mary-Margaret Fischer always felt the presence of God. Being raised with the Sisters of Abbeyville MD- just off the Che...moreEven though a product of rape, Mary-Margaret Fischer always felt the presence of God. Being raised with the Sisters of Abbeyville MD- just off the Chesapeake Bay- she determined at a young age to devote her life to God. Lamentable Jude Keller tempted her sorely though. The handsome Jude is a tortured soul and Mary-Margaret has no idea the source of his pain, but when he leaves the island for the red-light district of Baltimore she moves on too, helping to start a school for the orphaned children of Virginia.
But God has other plans for her and when she hears Him asking her to do something so extraordinary, most would deem it crazy, she non-the-less answers the call. To save a life, she must turn her back on her own dreams, but when the last page is turned, Mary-Margaret realizes that Destiny never left her side- and that there is indeed joy to be found in a tragic journey ... especially when Love calls.
I very much enjoyed this book. Told as a diary narrative after her death, Mary-Margaret is a beautiful person- inside and out- who not only knows the face of Jesus, but does his works. I understood her faith and loved reading about her life from page one.
Jude is a tragic character but your heart breaks for him, just as God's did, and the eventual peace he makes with his life is nothing short of miraculous.
Now I know why many recent horror/sci fi story tellers count HP Lovecraft as an inspiration. This simple tale, told in bland documentary style, is the...moreNow I know why many recent horror/sci fi story tellers count HP Lovecraft as an inspiration. This simple tale, told in bland documentary style, is the bare essence of every alien movie ever made.
Salinger's literary style was for me the most intriguing part of the book ... that and the ending.
The oft banned and oft assigned to the high school s...moreSalinger's literary style was for me the most intriguing part of the book ... that and the ending.
The oft banned and oft assigned to the high school student Catcher in the Rye is a coming-of-age novel centered around Holden Caulfield, a seventeen year old prep school adolescent who shares his lonely, life-changing twenty-four hour stay in New York City. He experiences and exposits upon the "phoniness" of the adult world around him while attempting to deal with the death of his younger brother, a seeming need to lie, and troubling sexual experiences- almost to the point of tediousness.
The book was certainly ahead of it's time. Published in the early 50's, The Catcher in the Rye's language could not have been seen often in much of what was being published for public consumption at the time. Yet, I believe it will stand as a record of the language of the youth of America, and perhaps even how they thought, in the 50's and 60's.
In more recent times another sort of controversy attached itself to the book...
From a review of Salinger's novel by Brian Banks:
John Lennon's assassin, Mark Chapman, asked the former Beatle to sign a copy of the book earlier in the morning of the day that he murdered Lennon. Police found the book in his possession upon apprehending the psychologically disturbed Chapman. However, the book itself contains nothing that could be attributed with leading Chapman to act as he did - it could have been any book that he was reading the day he decided to kill John Lennon - and as a result of the fact that it was The Catcher in the Rye, a book describing a nervous breakdown, media speculated widely about the possible connection. This gave the book even more notoriety.
A conspiracy theorist wet dream- the aforementioned theory has yet to die.
Many reviewers say that Salinger's style and themes were intentional. I wonder. Did he sit down and write with expressed purpose or did he just fly by the seat of his pants and write what was in him to write?
Either way, it deserves it's status as a part of the greats in American lit- if for a record of a cultural shift alone.(less)
Told from the perspective of four friends who call themselves The Saving Graces, we get a story of friendship that endures through the ups and downs o...moreTold from the perspective of four friends who call themselves The Saving Graces, we get a story of friendship that endures through the ups and downs of life. That seems so trite as I write it but, as we all know, the ups and downs are far from trivial and what they experience touches on some of the hardest things women have to go through. Each chapter is told by one of the graces points of view, so we get a close up look at all of them, but it's what they say when the other one is speaking that tells the most.
The Saving Graces is about friendships all women want. Like Rudy, Lee, Isobel and Emma we have this deep need for friends who understand us, like us just as we are, forgives us when are not likable, wont judge us, be happy when we succeed, and will stand up for us and encourage us when we dont, and in the end, be the ones standing with us when everyone else has left. In other words, know us on a soul level. (Not that we don't long for a very real soul connection with our men- as evidenced by the continued popularity of the too often unrealistic romance novels- we do, but what we long for with women is something different.)
This book was given to me by a friend during a time when as much upheaval was happening in my life, as what was going on in the lives of the characters. She knew I could empathize and knew that it would ultimately be my friendships that saw me through it. Now, as I think on it, I realize what she read in the pages is something she longs for as well- and really, don't we all?
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