**spoiler alert** Overall, I thought this was very charming. It reads just like an old fashioned children's book, but it has the plot of a Doctor Who...more**spoiler alert** Overall, I thought this was very charming. It reads just like an old fashioned children's book, but it has the plot of a Doctor Who story, including a thinly veiled Doctor himself (note the petrichor). It's a story about children who grow up and children who don't; people who want everything that happens to be planned exactly and people who understand that chaos is what makes life worth living. Most of all, this book feels like exactly what Amy Pond would write once she and Rory retired.(less)
**spoiler alert** I love McEwan; I've read a lot of his books, but this was not my favorite. I thought the pacing was way too slow and I found myself...more**spoiler alert** I love McEwan; I've read a lot of his books, but this was not my favorite. I thought the pacing was way too slow and I found myself frequently bored. The protagonist, Serena, was completely lacking in personality. I had very little interest in what she thought about anything. But, more irksome still, was this ridiculous premise: Ian McEwan writes a novel, Sweet Tooth, which is (spoiler) supposedly being written by one of the characters in the novel, Haley, who has also supposedly written stories which are just rehashed versions of the short stories in McEwan's In Between the Sheets; the characters in these re-purposed stories, are also representative of Haley, and therefore McEwan. While the plot of Sweet Tooth isn't at all bad itself, this ridiculous, recursive presentation of it was completely distracting and a little infuriating and I don't need a ten page summary of a short story that I have already read in its original form. What redeemed the book (at least partially) is the very plausible interpretation of MI5 during the Cold War and the glimpses of everyday life during a strange time in history; the news of early seventies feels eerily similar to that of today with only minor variations.(less)
This is a story about the worst things in the world. It's about the facts of life that we all know to be true, but can't stand to think about. It's ab...moreThis is a story about the worst things in the world. It's about the facts of life that we all know to be true, but can't stand to think about. It's about grief and healing and the beauty that comes from tragedy. I find Sebold's interpretation of heaven to be a bit trite; and the first person narration, while tender, isn't entirely believable as coming from a kid. Despite its flaws, the Lovely Bones is touching in its exploration of the lives, not only of Suzie's family, but also the lives of people with whom she was only tangentially related. Sebold takes this one awful event, the kind of thing that we hear on the news constantly, and she painstakingly explores all of its repercussions. When Suzie Salmon is murdered, the whole world grieves.(less)
Margaret Atwood is a fantastic story teller. This really does feel like three novels and each one is complex and mysterious. She is also a master of d...moreMargaret Atwood is a fantastic story teller. This really does feel like three novels and each one is complex and mysterious. She is also a master of deception; so many of the things that the reader is led to believe for the first ~450 pages are completely turned on their head by the end.
I will say though that is a huge book. I ended up picking it up and putting it down again several times over about six months. I do not recommend doing that. You should really try to set aside time to get through it in a relatively short period of time so that you don't forget all of these little details and clues.(less)
Death Comes to Pemberley is a refreshing look at the world of Elizabeth and Darcy that we know so well. But the thing is, we don't know it well at all...moreDeath Comes to Pemberley is a refreshing look at the world of Elizabeth and Darcy that we know so well. But the thing is, we don't know it well at all. In so many ways regency England is completely foreign to us: if I had been asked a few weeks ago what war was being fought which required soldiers to be station in Meryton in Pride and Prejudice, I would have been unable to answer. There are a hundred other examples of topics arising in P. D. James' novel which never would have in Austen.
Of course, this is a completely different genre of writing: Austen gave us love stories and social commentary; James gives us a murder mystery which, at it's heart, is a criticism of Austen's novels. The central mystery, though it is the event which ties together the events of the rest of the book is somewhat perplexing, but it is not altogether that interesting. The real reason to read this is to get inside the character's minds in a new way. Everyone has grown up a little bit (the book takes place six years after the events of Pride and Prejudice), but Darcy and Elizabeth much of their time contemplating their courtship. I have no doubt that after reading this, during my next reading of Pride and Prejudice, I will view certain scenes in a different light which I think will allow me to see the characters that are so dear to me, from a slightly different perspective.(less)
This novel is very intense; it kept me up much later than I should have been. I didn't feel fulfilled until I had finished it entirely. In short: it i...moreThis novel is very intense; it kept me up much later than I should have been. I didn't feel fulfilled until I had finished it entirely. In short: it is a great follow up to the first novel amd I can't wait to finish the trilogy.(less)
This play changed the way I interacted with other women; it allows women to be both feminine and strong in everyday life. The characters are multidime...moreThis play changed the way I interacted with other women; it allows women to be both feminine and strong in everyday life. The characters are multidimensional, fierce women and watching them interact with one another without the pettiness and jealousy which is so prevalent in fictional portrayals of female friendships is refreshing.(less)
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