Writing this review the day after finishing "Life After Life", Ursula's lives are continuing to bounce around in my brain as I try to have that - eure...moreWriting this review the day after finishing "Life After Life", Ursula's lives are continuing to bounce around in my brain as I try to have that - eureka - ah, I get it now - light-bulb moment. This novel, for me, is clever but I love being challenged by an author so that doesn't take away from how good it is. It's premise is intriguing. The writing style is smart and sophisticated. The narrative goes back and forth through the first half of the 20th century, through Ursula's multiple lives and deaths. The early parts, growing up at Fox Corner and the relationships among the Todd siblings are lovely to read and full of humour. The London Blitz section of the novel was so descriptively well-written with imagery that will stay with me. The section set in Germany was a bit of a slog. All in all, this is an adventurous labyrinth of a novel that is a rewarding read. (less)
I love these characters and so didn't want their story to end....but love isn`t always happily ever after and life does go on. A well-written, lovely...moreI love these characters and so didn't want their story to end....but love isn`t always happily ever after and life does go on. A well-written, lovely novel of first love with 80`s music playing a supporting character. I found myself you-tube-ing The Smiths, Joy Division and Elvis Costello - the author`s website even has a playlist. Young adults are loving this novel, but those of us who lived our teen years in the mid-80`s will love it too. (less)
I must admit that I was a bit skeptical whether Maggie Stiefvater could write another novel as brilliant as The Scorpio Races. Some authors have only...moreI must admit that I was a bit skeptical whether Maggie Stiefvater could write another novel as brilliant as The Scorpio Races. Some authors have only one great novel in their lifetime. Once I saw the beautiful cover and read the book description, I got my hopes up that maybe this too could be something special. The Raven Boys was a bit slow to start; Maggie took her time setting up the back story - the history, the mythologies - and introducing her characters. Her characters are believable, interesting and the strength of her writing is how she makes her readers love them. You wish they could walk out of the novel and right into your living room. Once the plot started, there was no stopping: for meals, for phone calls, for bedtime. I won't go into detail about the plot as lots of other reviewers have done a good job of that. I will say that Maggie Stiefater has indeed created magic again. She is among the very best writing YA fiction today. READ THIS BOOK. And if you haven't already, go read The Scorpio Races . It will be time well spent, I promise you!(less)
Yes, I was also a teen of the '80's and had fun reading Gian's 'year in the life' memoir, "1982". With lots of music references, from Bowie to Rush, t...moreYes, I was also a teen of the '80's and had fun reading Gian's 'year in the life' memoir, "1982". With lots of music references, from Bowie to Rush, to Culture Club and Joan Jett, it had me checking all those great old videos on YouTube. Adidas tote bags, mixed cassette tapes and rockaberry coolers all brought back memories. It is written in a casual style, as if he's talking in your ear, like he does so well on CBC Radio. I hope he'll follow up with '1992', '2002', '2012' etc! (less)
I've never read anything quite like this before! Budo is 3rd grader Max's imaginary friend and is the narrator of this unique novel. Author, Matthew G...moreI've never read anything quite like this before! Budo is 3rd grader Max's imaginary friend and is the narrator of this unique novel. Author, Matthew Green is an elementary school teacher and captures the perspective and language of children in such a believable way it brings the characters to life and has you pulling for Max and Budo like a soccer mom on the sidelines. There are plenty of adults in this book too....good ones and not so good ones. As an imaginary friend, Budo can inhabit the world of adults like a 'fly on the wall' and listen in on adult conversations but is powerless to affect change. ...or is he? I won't give away the plot....better to discover that for yourself. Suffice it to say it is a page- turning thriller, as well as a novel about friendship, loyalty, bravery and loss of innocence. Adult fiction but a great read for ages 12+. (less)
Lovely. Charming. Beautiful. The perfect book to read slowly, to savour. Imagery that will take you to the boulangeries, bookshops and galleries of Par...moreLovely. Charming. Beautiful. The perfect book to read slowly, to savour. Imagery that will take you to the boulangeries, bookshops and galleries of Paris (swoon!). A backwards sort of love story in which a serendipitous series of incidents and coincidences bring Isabeau and Octavio together at last, at the end.
“For weeks Octavio returned to the shelter of the trees. The woman would appear as the sun reached midday. She would walk to the edge of the trees, find her chair and drag it to the boat pond. Every Sunday the same chair, the same spot. Every Sunday a book. He needed only one word to imagine a hundred stories: she - was a dancer; cooling her feet after a morning of twists and leaps. was the daughter of a sea captain, remembering her childhood as the toy boats crossed the pond. was an empress hiding among her subjects, shielding her face with a scarf made from the silk of ten thousand worms. Five thousand green, five thousand blue. was a teacher, a lover of learning, patient and gentle with her students. She - was a reader. He had a library.” (less)
I had to check the copyright date of this novel. It has the feeling of a good, old-fashioned sort of story. Set in the years following WWI in southern...moreI had to check the copyright date of this novel. It has the feeling of a good, old-fashioned sort of story. Set in the years following WWI in southern Australia and filled with characters making choices with far-reaching and often devastating consequences. This would be a great one for a book club with its what-would-you-do moral dilemmas to debate.(less)
After some good but heavy reads lately, this novel was so refreshing. Filled with colour, music, humour and philosophy, it reminded me a bit of Debora...moreAfter some good but heavy reads lately, this novel was so refreshing. Filled with colour, music, humour and philosophy, it reminded me a bit of Deborah Moggach's Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (which was a novel before it was a movie).
I would so love to go to Hamara Nagar, the Indian hill station and hang out with Jana Bibi, Mr Ganguly, Mary and all the locals....and maybe even get my fortune told!(less)
I've read another couple books since The Red House but I find myself still thinking about this novel. Set during a week long family vacation in the En...moreI've read another couple books since The Red House but I find myself still thinking about this novel. Set during a week long family vacation in the English countryside, estranged brother and sister, Richard and Angela, along with their spouses and assorted children attempt to re-connect and enjoy each others company while simultaneously concealing their inner struggles and pain. With little dialogue, the novel unfolds mostly though each of the eight characters innermost thoughts. I can't get over how the author, Chris Cleave, was able to write this novel in the each of the character's distinct voices, sometimes changing from paragraph to paragraph, and not making it impossible for readers to follow. What a craftsman he is! (less)
Cut to the chase....that's what the Tools do. Rather than searching endlessly for the why's of why we do what we do, behavior modification techniques...moreCut to the chase....that's what the Tools do. Rather than searching endlessly for the why's of why we do what we do, behavior modification techniques (the tools) are taught to change problem habits. Visualization and exercises to break out of your comfort zone, letting go in order to move forward, overcoming shyness and insecurity and developing an attitude of gratefulness. They're general issues that most everyone can relate to. I find myself visualizing the simple stick drawing illustrations throughout the book almost daily, so that in itself, made it a worthwhile, though not life-changing, read for me. (less)
Really between 3 - 4 stars, but I bumped it up to four because I think I'll remember what I liked about it and any criticisms will fade away. A dark,...moreReally between 3 - 4 stars, but I bumped it up to four because I think I'll remember what I liked about it and any criticisms will fade away. A dark, psychological thriller with dark and unlikeable yet fascinating characters. Plenty of twists and turns, but there were a few times I said aloud, THAT wouldn't happen! Overall though, a good read.
Quote - I was told love should be unconditional. That's the rule. But if love has no boundaries, no limits, no conditions, why should anyone try to do the right thing ever? If I know I am loved no matter what, where is the challenge? I think love should have many conditions. Love should require both partners to be their very best at all times. Unconditional love is undisciplined love, and as we have seen, undisciplined love is disastrous.
Life affirming. Poignant. Beautiful. Harold's journey had me walking with him in spirit, willing him on through his blisters and setbacks, through his...moreLife affirming. Poignant. Beautiful. Harold's journey had me walking with him in spirit, willing him on through his blisters and setbacks, through his indecisiveness and self-doubt. Removed from his daily routines as he walks, he has time to think back though his life's best and worst days. His chance encounters with a diverse cross-section of humanity affect him in profound ways. This book left me affected profoundly....and wondering....how far could I walk in a day? (less)
18yr old Emily Koll has done something very bad and she's in a London prison for serious juvenile offenders, awaiting trial. Through her sessions with...more18yr old Emily Koll has done something very bad and she's in a London prison for serious juvenile offenders, awaiting trial. Through her sessions with her counsellor and flash-backs of events, the nature of her crime is slowly revealed. A dark, tense thriller.(less)
In North Korea, punishment for disloyalty against the government is a life sentence in one of the country's prison camps for the individual as well as...moreIn North Korea, punishment for disloyalty against the government is a life sentence in one of the country's prison camps for the individual as well as the three immediate generations of their family. This is how Shin Dong-hyuk came to be born in Camp 14. He (through journalist Blaine Harden) describes the harrowing details of his life matter-of-factly and without emotion. Shin is raised to spy on fellow inmates and learned to see everyone as competition for the meager food - a diet of porridge and cabbage - as well as to witness unspeakable acts of violence without protest. As a young man, he dares to talk secretly with a fellow prisoner who has lived outside North Korea and Shin begins, for the first time in his life, to become aware of and imagine a different life for himself. As the only known prisoner to escape, Shin's arduous assimilation into the outside world reminded me of Jack in Emma Donoghue's Room. The world is like an alien planet to him. Gradually as he travels from China to South Korea, to the US, and back to South Korea, he finds his voice and has become a Human Rights Activist. He says, "I think I am still evolving -- from an animal to a human." This is such a difficult book to assign stars to....I can't say I loved it...it's not that kind of book. Will I remember it? Most definitely. (less)
Started out great with Lionel Shriver's usual acerbic style, smart dialogue and fascinating but flawed characters. I had high, perhaps too high, expec...moreStarted out great with Lionel Shriver's usual acerbic style, smart dialogue and fascinating but flawed characters. I had high, perhaps too high, expectations after reading "We Need to Talk About Kevin" a few months ago. The themes of the novel are interesting; the perks and pitfalls of admiring others vs. being admired....and the role of the media machine in war. After a couple hundred pages though, I found myself weary and skimming a bit, wanting to get to the end (several other new books on my bedside table beckoning to be read). The conversation between a couple of the key characters at the end though made me glad I'd stuck with it. (less)
Reading this novel of a mere 253 pages, I felt as though I'd completed a 600 page Jonathan Franzen tome. I can only attribute that reaction to author...moreReading this novel of a mere 253 pages, I felt as though I'd completed a 600 page Jonathan Franzen tome. I can only attribute that reaction to author Carol Anshaw's sublime writing.
Driving away from Carmen's wedding reception in the wee hours of the morning, Carmen's brother Nick and sister Alice and 3 other guests are all drunk or high. Their lives are irreversibly changed when the car they're in hits and kills a young girl. Alternating chapters follow the damaged, flawed, characters through 25 years of life's milestones.
The three siblings push each others buttons and lean on each other for support. Carmen is a political activist who puts herself in harms way. She is a wife and mother, then single mother. Alice is the talented, insecure artist who paints the dead girl into her landscapes and has a series of affairs with women who can control her. Nick is the brilliant astrophysicist who uses drugs to assuage his guilt and falls down the rabbit hole of addiction. Olivia, the driver, atones by doing time in jail but re-enters society with a new moral-code and ambition. Forever connected by 'the girl', some self-destruct, some stumble their way into their 40's.
A lot to convey in less than 300 pages, but the author manages it, making it look easy. Taking place between 1983 and 2008, I am roughly the same age as the characters. Cultural/historical references throughout had me recollecting - where was I when....? This novel is one that will stay with me for some time and has me looking forward to what Carol Anshaw has in store for us next.
At just over 200 pages, this is the perfect novel to devour in one day. It is also the perfect novel to start reading without having read any reviews...moreAt just over 200 pages, this is the perfect novel to devour in one day. It is also the perfect novel to start reading without having read any reviews or spoilers. All I will say is that it is set in the world of publishing in modern-day London. So set aside an afternoon, a comfy spot on the beach, or a mountain of blankets in bed....and read it! Then share it with a friend, because it is one you want to talk about.(less)
This is something different. Oversized and full of mixed media images.....like something between Frank Warren's PostSecret books and Go Ask Alice. Exp...moreThis is something different. Oversized and full of mixed media images.....like something between Frank Warren's PostSecret books and Go Ask Alice. Expected something a little more in terms of story though.(less)
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