I'm sort of a sucker for accounts of near-death experiences. I find them fascinating, even if they are sort of all the same and can be explained as ha...moreI'm sort of a sucker for accounts of near-death experiences. I find them fascinating, even if they are sort of all the same and can be explained as hallucinations or the brain's response to sensory deprivation/sensory overload. I am no less skeptical as to what this little boy really experienced, but I found the story he told engaging.
I was a bit put off by the constant need the author (the father, an ordained minister) felt to point out how certain details matched scriptures, while ignoring scriptures that did not match the details the boy gave (such as the fact that Jesus/Messiah is described in the Bible as not being especially attractive physically, whereas the Jesus that the boy described was supernaturally attractive).
At the same time, I appreciated that the author forebore from explicitly preaching or calling on the reader to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Although that is the conclusion he obviously wishes the reader to draw, I never felt that the author was judgmental towards people who do not share his beliefs.
Another negative point was that I found the writing style to be simplistic and rather immature, despite the fact that the book was apparently ghost written by a professional writer. And there was too much filler or padding, material that seemed non-pertinent to the core story, such as the episode with the spider, or describing the father's softball injury.
Still, the book doesn't take long to read, and the little boy's character is so honest and sassy that it made the book worthwhile for me.(less)
I didn't know when I read this that it was the first Poirot mystery. I just found it as a free e-book on Project Gutenberg and read it based on the st...moreI didn't know when I read this that it was the first Poirot mystery. I just found it as a free e-book on Project Gutenberg and read it based on the strength of Agatha Christie's reputation.
I found this a clever little story, although it bothered me that the reader was not given enough evidence to solve the mystery along with Poirot, but had to wait to have everything explained at the end. I haven't read a lot of Agatha Christie, but maybe that is her standard modus operandi.
I found some of the characters rather flat, uninspired, and undifferentiated, but others were lively and memorable. Really, the story is all about Poirot; the murder mystery is just there to give Poirot a chance to jump through his hoops for us. There was no sympathy or sense of horror at the murder; just an amusing way for the gentry to spend the afternoon pointing fingers and whispering to each other about who did it, really. But despite my moral indignation at the premise, it was fun watching the blame shift from one to another, and trying to guess (merely based on who was the least likely suspect) who done it.(less)
The original title of this book was 'The Lace Reader', but I picked it up from someone's throwaway pile in German.
The basic story concerns ...moreThe original title of this book was 'The Lace Reader', but I picked it up from someone's throwaway pile in German.
The basic story concerns a young woman, Towner, who returns to her childhood home, and ends up confronting both her past and her future. Towner is an unreliable narrator (it is explained early on that she underwent electroshock therapy, which damaged her memory). This means that as one reads, one never knows whether she is relating an actual event, something she was told by someone else that happened, or her imagined version of events. However, I didn't find it confusing, and it was interesting to conjecture whether things were really as she said, or whether there was another truth.
I found the setting in Salem, Massachusetts, fascinating. The author does not shove her historical research down the reader's throat, but uses just enough to ground the story and paint a background of sufficient depth. I also liked the way that the ostensibly supernatural, such as mind-reading, divination, and witchcraft, were integrated as normal, everyday phenomena. I don't mean that this is a fantasy book at all, with wizards shooting lightning at each other. It's very down-to-earth and realistic. It's just how the main character casually mentions that she knows what another character is thinking, or how she has 'visions' of the past and future.
One thing I didn't like so much was the fact that the author switched narrative point of view from first person to a different first person to third person and back again.
I had a theory from the very beginning of what the truth was (or one of the truths) behind Towner's story, but as I read, it seemed less and less possible; however, the Big Reveal showed that I was right all along. Given the fact that I had pretty much discounted my theory as being too contradictive of the evidence, either that means that Towner was an even more unreliable narrator than I thought, or the author went too far in supporting Towner's fantasies with outside evidence. It was just slightly dissatisfying.
Overall, though, I thought this was a good story. The characters were quirky and easily identifiable, and the plot was tight and never lost my interest. (less)
Title: Stiller (English title: I'm Not Stiller) Author: Max Frisch First published: Suhrkamp-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 1954 Edition I rea...moreTitle: Stiller (English title: I'm Not Stiller) Author: Max Frisch First published: Suhrkamp-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 1954 Edition I read: Suhrkamp-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 1963 Page count: 518 pages
Summary (from Google books): The unabridged version of a haunting story of a man in prison. His wife, brother, and mistress recognize him and call him by his name, Anatol Ludwig Stiller. But he rejects them, repeatedly insisting that he's not Stiller. Could he possibly be right--or is he deliberately trying to shake off his old identity and assume a new one?
As the summary above says, the main conflict in this book is the question over the identity of the main character. The set-up reminded me a lot of the Jodie Foster-Richard Gere film 'Summersby', in which a man returns to his old life after a mysterious absence of several years, but there are things which don't add up, putting his identity into question. Is it really him, or is it someone who is just pretending to be him? Also as in Summersby, if Stiller is really Stiller, he apparently will have to answer for a crime.
The difference here, though, is that everyone around the protagonist insists that he must be Stiller. He is the only one who continues to deny it despite mounting evidence, giving instead the name of James Larkin White (a real historical figure, the discoverer of the Carlsbad Caverns, which story 'Stiller' also claims as his own). It is clear, though, that he is not so much trying to be White as he is trying to avoid being Stiller.
Various possible solutions present themselves as the book progresses, ranging from a doppelganger to a conspiracy to insanity to a scam to avoid prison. I won't give away the answer (which may or may not be one of the things I just listed) so that you can see for yourself whether you figure out the answer before it's revealed. I don't think it would spoil the book to know, though, and in fact it might be interesting to go back and re-read it knowing what his true identity is.
The main reason this book is so popular, though, is not the plot, but the Big Ideas that are explored. Well, that and the brilliant prose style of the author, but more on that in a minute. The main themes include, obviously, identity: how it is determined, whether it is something that defines a person, or whether a person can define themselves or change their identity.
Another major theme is marriage and relationships, particularly between men and women. There isn't any sex (at least not directly, although it is implied), so it's more of an intellectual exploration of what constitutes a marriage – and suffice it to say, the author doesn't seem to believe it has anything to do with what's on a piece of paper.
Further themes include patriotism (perhaps more interesting in post-War Europe than it is today), freedom, love, responsibility, theater and art.
I don't want it to sound like this is just one big philosophical 'Schmusefest', though. There are many anecdotes, parables, and tales throughout the book to keep things interesting, involving murder, a beautiful 'mulatto' named Florence, the Spanish Civil War, a cat who just won't die, a Mexican volcano, the aforementioned discovery of the Carlsbad Caverns, a bolt of cloth that no one wants, and even Rip Van Winkle.
Most of the book is written in the first person, in the form of a journal or personal transcript that Stiller keeps during his imprisonment (or more accurately, period of remand; he cannot be charged with anything until his identity is determined). It is an author's artifice that you shouldn't think too hard about: extensive conversations are repeated verbatim, impossible if from memory, and details are given that the average observer would not have noticed. Still, the voice is beautiful and mesmerizing, with train-of-thought prose roaming across entire pages without a period, yet without becoming confusing or pretentious. (I read this in the original German, so I'm not sure how the language comes out in translation.) The last section of the book is also in the first person, but from the point of view of the man who becomes Stiller's best – and perhaps only – friend. It serves to allow us to see Stiller from the outside, and consider the subjectivity of his report.
Symbolism. I have to mention the symbolism. The characters' names all have meanings. Stiller, for example, means 'the quiet one', while White suggests 'carte blanche' or 'a blank slate'. Stiller's wife's tuberculosis, Easter morning, smashing plaster and bronze busts, going up into the mountains, it all Means Something. There are also copious subtle nods to various authors and philosphers including Kierkegaard, the Bible, Goethe, Thomas Mann, C. G. Jung, Ludwig Klages, Albin Zollinger, Ernst Jünger, Theodor Fontane, Leo Tolstoi and Bertolt Brecht. (That list is from Wikipedia; I'm not that well read.) There would be enough material for English Lit papers ad nauseum. You don't have to read it that closely to enjoy the book, but it's certainly an added dimension if you're into that kind of thing.
It was a real stroke of luck that I got assigned this book, because I live near Zurich, Switzerland, and have been to many of the places where the main action of the book takes place. I think I was also able to appreciate some of the little jokes and ironies about Swiss bureaucracy and 'Ordnung muss sein' mentality better because of having lived here for so long. There were times when I was also reminded of Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis', and in fact many reviews also compare this book to works by Kafka and Camus. I have never read Camus, but I definitely found this book more entertaining than 'The Metamorphosis'.
In certain respects, this book is very much bound to the time and place of its creation, but I think it can also be called a true classic. The themes handled are timeless, and the story is entertaining and varied with just the right amount of suspense, adventure and humor mixed with introspection, melancholy, and tragedy. I don't know if you must read this before you die, but it's a great piece of German literature.(less)
Cliched, shallow, cringingly embarrassing, and trite, with cardboard characters, unbelievable coincidences, and a questionable moral message.
...moreCliched, shallow, cringingly embarrassing, and trite, with cardboard characters, unbelievable coincidences, and a questionable moral message.
In its defense, it was meant to be cliched, with the entire premise being that the protagonist was trying to live out various moments from romantic comedies. I found that a clever enough gimmick. One flaw in this plan, though, was that the author relied on too few films: Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle, Pride & Prejudice (not exactly a romantic comedy, but at least a chick flick), Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Bridget Jones' Diary provided the bulk of the plot, all of them being drawn on multiple times. With dozens of other well-known films that could have been used, I felt that the joke wore thin by the tenth mention of how a certain situation was just like in Pretty Woman.
I think this could have been pulled off much better if the characters had been better developed, for one thing. I actually thought the female lead was all right, as well as her male counterpart. But the rest of the characters were pretty much place-holders (the gay, fashion-conscious sidekick; the stiff, boring fiance; the well-meaning but emotionally distant father), and none of them had a distinct voice or interest.
The main thing that really disappointed me though was the ending. The central character worries throughout the book about hurting others through her actions, and in the end she makes the selfish choice (hardly a spoiler, you knew that's how it would turn out) and winds up hurting someone she supposedly cared a lot about, likely repeating exactly the same mistake her mother made. The problem is, there's no better conclusion. The way the plot is set up, she has to go for the fantasy fulfillment ending. I would have loved it if the author had been clever enough to come up with an ending that left everyone happy or at least went beyond the movies the book was based on. (less)
I really enjoyed this book. It was well-written, funny, interesting, taught me some things about the Italian language and Indonesian culture, and it s...moreI really enjoyed this book. It was well-written, funny, interesting, taught me some things about the Italian language and Indonesian culture, and it spurred my imagination.
I've seen lots of negative reviews that complain about the main 'character' -- the author -- her shallowness, egocentricity, neediness, and privileged first-world white girl problems. Well, yes. But you don't have to like the author to enjoy reading the book. This is a skilled writer with a wonderful sense of imagery and metaphor. She does wallow and self-justify, but it is done in a way that still comes off as humorous. The pace is fast enough, the chapters short enough, to keep up interest even when she waxes a bit too enthusiastically philosophical.
I think one reason the book did end up being so popular is that it speaks to the feeling of malaise or dissatisfaction that many Westerners (or perhaps only Americans) feel with their emotional lives. The entire premise -- being able to travel anywhere in the world for a year, with a seemingly limitless budget -- is also fantasy fulfillment pure. I found myself imagining what I would do, where I would go, if I had the same resources. Of course, I would never be able to write such an entertaining account afterwards. (less)
I didn't want to like this book, but I did, mostly. I don't want to be the kind of person who sucks up chick lit and gets all weepy and runs out to th...moreI didn't want to like this book, but I did, mostly. I don't want to be the kind of person who sucks up chick lit and gets all weepy and runs out to their girl friends insisting they have to read it because it contains all the secrets to life. And that's not what happened when I read this, so no worries. It did have many of the elements that I look down on, which I'm not going to be able to articulate properly, but it's just things like trying to be all spiritual and connected to the moon and how women are in touch with the universe; proposing that friendships and relationships between women are the most important thing in the world, even more important than between parents and children; and that alcohol and sex are the best way to either mourn or celebrate.
I realize the whole point of this book was to be about women, but it bothered me that the men were completely marginalized, even though a large part of the problems the women struggled through were regarding the men in their lives, whether they were absent and/or abusive, strong and reliable, loving or withholding of love. The author's answer to everything seemed to be that as long as a woman had other women to cry with, bail her out, and love her unconditionally, she'd be fine.
The concept, though, of a woman finding out about her mother's life through a scrapbook, was very appealing. The photographs, articles, and letters were well chosen both in terms of personal history and real historical events. I particularly enjoyed the description of the girls going to the premiere of Gone With the Wind. The author did cheat a bit, though, in expanding several of the scrapbook items into longer narratives which only the reader saw; the character perusing the scrapbook never got the whole story behind those items.
Regarding the writing style, I loved many of the descriptions and the colorful language. I could feel the difference between the scenes set in the South and in the North. The atmosphere and emotions were very well conveyed.
However, I cringed a little every time the point of view switched from one character to another, not just jumping back and forth between Vivi and her daughter Sidda, but mainly the switches between first and third person. I just found it inconsistent and it didn't sit right with me.
I also had a hard time making out any differences in the personalities of the four 'Ya-Yas'. Yes, it's true they all had distinctive physical characteristics and mannerisms, but in the event, whenever any of them spoke, I didn't feel that any of them had a unique voice. If I hadn't been told who was talking, it could have been any of them. In other words, I felt like the entire book was written in the author's voice, and not through the characters'. This perhaps didn't detract from the story as a whole, but it left the book feeling a bit impoverished. It's a bit strange, as many of the more minor characters such as Genevieve, Buggy, and Willetta, definitely had their own voices. Perhaps the problem was, the Ya-Yas' histories were all the same; they were four individuals leading the same life.
I think this was a very well-done book, overall, and it's just my personal prejudices that perhaps led me to give it only three stars. I think it probably deserves its spot on the best-seller list.(less)
It seemed to me that this book couldn't quite make up its mind what it wanted to be: A documentary of a real-life murder, or a history of the detectiv...moreIt seemed to me that this book couldn't quite make up its mind what it wanted to be: A documentary of a real-life murder, or a history of the detective in England.
The main plot of the murder investigation kept being interrupted to give background information about the police who worked on the case, even things that couldn't possibly have any bearing on the case, such as the fact that Whicher apparently had a wife and child at some point early in his life, but later on he is single. Or, if it was meant to have any bearing, such as him wanting to avenge his wife and child's death by bringing the murderer in the current case to justice, it was never even hinted at. (And I felt the suggestion was more that the wife and child had died from disease, or simply left.) So, from a murder mystery point of view, there was too much extraneous information that made me want to skip over it after a while, to get back to the main story.
On the other hand, the book does not really cut it as a history of police work in England, since it doesn't go into enough depth. I was left with a basic overview and a few impressions, rather than a full understanding of how the system worked.
Many 'characters' (all real people) are also only mentioned once, and it is hard to know which people you need to keep track of in order to follow the story (there are a lot of people who it turns out are important that you might not realize at first).
I did get the feeling that this was incredibly well researched, but that may also be a drawback. It seems like the author did a huge amount of digging in archives and records, and wanted to get everything in. But many things, while perhaps interesting as anecdotes or curiosities, were not pertinent to the case, so they came across to me as distractions.
So, it was an interesting story, especially knowing it was true, but I felt like the book itself could have been put together better.(less)
I gave this one star because I personally did not like it, although I do not think it is a bad book, and the author is clearly talented. I just didn't...moreI gave this one star because I personally did not like it, although I do not think it is a bad book, and the author is clearly talented. I just didn't like reading about a woman who killed her mother just on the spur of the moment, and having to read about how she cleaned feces off her, and all of her reflections on their terribly dysfunctional relationship. It was simply not my cup of tea, and honestly, I didn't read the whole thing. I just skimmed it all the way to the end after the first 50 pages, and decided it wasn't something I wanted to spend more time on. But I think that people who like reading about dysfunctional mother-daughter relationships and matricide will like this. It seems to be well written.(less)
This was one I couldn't put down. I had to find out what had happened, what the terrible mystery was that made the protagonist lose her memory, and wh...moreThis was one I couldn't put down. I had to find out what had happened, what the terrible mystery was that made the protagonist lose her memory, and what it was that she had forgotten in the first place.
The pace was perfect, with information revealed at just the right times. The characters were three-dimensional, each with flaws and quirks but still realistic and sympathetic in their own ways, even the 'unlikable' ones.
The main drawback for me was that the explanation of the memory loss at the end was not really an explanation. It also bugged me that there was no real reason given for why her memories started coming back in the first place. The hypnotist's show didn't seem to cover it.
Still, those are minor points. The twists and turns were surprising and satisfying, and everything fit together in the end. A really neat book.(less)
Horatio Clare writes beautifully: "...the first hot yawns of full summer..." "The cooling land sent up the first twinges of breeze to n...moreHoratio Clare writes beautifully: "...the first hot yawns of full summer..." "The cooling land sent up the first twinges of breeze to nudge the treetops..." "The scalping plunge through the surface seemed to peel my head from crown to neck; it drove icy fingers through my ears into my brain; silver claws hooked into my nostrils and my chest heaved with the shock of it."
I read this book fast, eager to see what new ways he would find to put words together. There is not much of a story, other than the narrative of a life, structured by the linear progression of time. Still, there is enough variety, humour, and drama in the several episodes that are recounted to keep interest up throughout the book. The 'characters' (real people) are sensitively yet honestly portrayed. I wonder if any of the names (such as Huw and Idris) were changed to avoid embarrassment. (less)
- The characters. They were easily identifiable and unique, albeit sometimes stereotypical or tending to carica...moreWhat I liked about this book:
- The characters. They were easily identifiable and unique, albeit sometimes stereotypical or tending to caricature (the wild and crazy best friend, the sleazy manager, the snobbish in-laws). Still, I enjoyed each one's appearance, and any one of them could have carried a scene by themselves.
- The dialogue. It read realistically, and each character had a distinct voice. There was an appropriate balance between humor, politeness, and the kinds of off-handed comments that aren't necessarily meant to insult, but end up poisoning relationships.
What I liked less:
- Not coming from the world of the super-rich and famous myself, I was never sure if the author was trying to portray a realistic view of rock stars and their entourages, poke fun at them, or perpetuate popular myths and tabloid fairy tales.
- Throughout the book, I identified strongly with the protagonist, and as such felt unhappy, insecure, and embarrassed throughout most of the book. Not exactly the kinds of feelings I want to have when reading a piece of chick lit for fun. I actually flipped to the end at one point, just to find out if there was going to be some sort of happy ending after all. Well, I did finish the book, is all I'll say. ;-)
- There wasn't much of a plot. It was very linear, although there were a couple of interesting side stories mentioned (the best friend's romance with the internet millionaire; the student patient with body-image issues). But they were never developed and ended up being nothing more than filler. The main story was never really gripping, or made me want to find out what would happen next (aside from whether the rock star and his dietician wife would stay together or not).
Overall, I don't feel like I completely wasted my time reading it, and I don't think that Weisberger is necessarily just a best-selling author (The Devil Wears Prada) who got their next book published sight unseen. I think this will appeal to Bridget Jones fans who identify with Plain Jane, slightly luckless working girls who end up with the man of their dreams after several humiliating yet character-building events.(less)
This was a highly entertaining peek into the lives of several more-or-less neurotic New Yorkers looking for love. I very much enjoyed the dialogue and...moreThis was a highly entertaining peek into the lives of several more-or-less neurotic New Yorkers looking for love. I very much enjoyed the dialogue and the characters. It read a lot like a rom-com movie.
The only drawback for me was that although one character, Holly, seems to be the lead character, about half of the chapters were from the point of view of other characters, some of whom had little or nothing to do with Holly. I kept waiting for the story lines to pull together, but they never did. I guess the point was to show different mistakes people made in their search for happiness, and their equally different outcomes and solutions. However, from the perspective of narrative cohesion, it was a bit confusing.
Still, all in all I did enjoy this book and I would definitely read something else by the same author.(less)
Important note: This rating is for my memory of how much I liked it when I read it as a teenager. I have now re-read it, and as an adult I have given ...moreImportant note: This rating is for my memory of how much I liked it when I read it as a teenager. I have now re-read it, and as an adult I have given it only 2 stars. I have also provided a more extensive review if you search through my book list a bit.(less)
This is the second book I read for the books1001 LiveJournal book club community. It was not one I would have picked up to read on my own, and probabl...moreThis is the second book I read for the books1001 LiveJournal book club community. It was not one I would have picked up to read on my own, and probably wouldn't otherwise have finished even if I did start reading it. The reason is that I found the language difficult to follow, being full of slang and dialect that I am unfamiliar with. Also, after the first hundred pages or so, I realized that nothing was really going to happen. This book is more a portrait of a lifestyle, or of a generation, than a plotty story. Yes, there are some story arcs and character development, but they do not really generate a sense of tension or movement in the book.
Having said that, I was deeply impressed by the author's style of writing, by his use of vocabulary and image-building. I felt that I was there, in London of the 1950s, and was completely infected by the malaise, helplessness, yet hopefulness of the main character and his acquaintances.
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And here is the more extensive review I posted on books1001:
Title: Absolute Beginners
Author: Colin MacInnes
Publication date: First published 1959, this edition re-issued 1986 by Penguin Books
# of pages: 226
Source: Bought used through Amazon.de (3 Euros + 3 Euros shipping)
Summary/Back of the book: It was the fag-end of a London summer in the fifties and change simmered below the surface... The young and the restless -- the Absolute Beginners -- were busy creating a new world of cool music, coffee bars and freer love, as different from Mrs Dale and traditional England's green and pleasant land as they dared to make it. Sharp, pungent, filled with the dreams and danger of city life, Absolute Beginners is now a brilliant film.
My review: The Great Gatsby, meet After Hours (1985 Scorsese film). Briefly: This is a book I wouldn't have picked up on my own, but I feel enriched after having read it.
There's not much plot: An 18-year-old Londoner who makes a living taking pornographic photographs wanders around the city, meeting up with various movers, shakers, pimps, prostitutes, and representatives of pretty much every disadvantaged and advantaged minority of his acquaintance. There are Jews, blacks, and Sikhs, lesbians and gays, white supremacists, gang bangers, television personalities, newspapermen and -women, socialites, songwriters, a diplomat, half-siblings, dysfunctional family members, an advertising executive, and lots and lots of jazz aficionados. And of course the requisite love interest, who is unhappily married to a gay man old enough to be her father.
The book consists mainly of the protagonist (who is never named) bouncing from one encounter to the next, partly driven by his need to hustle up some business and partly through sheer chance and the fact that he seems to know everyone who's anyone, and most of the people who aren't as well. The only loose plot threads that I could pick out were our boy's puppy-love pursuit of Suzette, and the slowly building racial conflict that explodes in the last section. I don't want to make it seem like the book is about race or class conflict, though; at least it didn't come across that way to me. It was more (again, to me at least) about the disconnection and rootlessness of the post-war generation.
There is so much that could be analyzed in this book, but I'll just touch on one point which I think illustrates this underlying theme. That is the lack of names for the characters. Not only the narrator, but many of his acquaintances are only referred to by various nicknames such as The Wizard, Call-me-Cobber, the ex-Deb, and Mr Cool. It is as if the narrator has rejected the names (and thus the roles) assigned to them by their parents, as representatives of the previous generation, and they are re-inventing themselves, or seeking their own identities and by doing so, re-defining the world itself.
Moving on to the other main point I wanted to discuss, I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the style in which this book was written. This is the love part:
"Up out in Pimlico, the old, old city raised her bashed grey head again, like she was ashamed of her modern daughter down by the river, and I went up the streets of dark purple and vomit green, all set at angles like ham sandwiches..."
The imagery is pure poetry, and never degrades into cliche. I was mesmerized by the descriptions, and surprised time and again by the new and imaginative ways in which the author put words together to create an emotional impression.
But this is the hate part:
'And why, Ed,' I said, 'have you moved darn ear?'
'Cos me Ma as,' he said. 'She's bin re-owsed.'
I find reading dialect tiresome, and especially as an American, it's difficult to figure out.
or:
And straining up the Portobello road, I passed a crocodile of infants, and among them a number of little Spadelets, and I noticed, not for the first time, how, in the underground movement of the juveniles, they hadn't been educated up yet to the colour thing.
This is an example of the pervasiveness of slang expressions; it took me a long time to eventually realize that 'Spades' are blacks. I still don't know what is meant here by 'a crocodile of infants'. This lack of understanding the vocabulary really interfered with the flow of the narrative for me.
(Side note: This book was made into a movie in 1986, which was a commercial flop. I would have liked to order the DVD as well, but I wasn't sure if it would play on my DVD player. Also, according to the Wiki entry, the story was changed quite a bit for the movie. You may have heard the David Bowie song of the same title, written as the theme song for this movie. It hit #2 on the U.K. charts.)
If you're looking for action-packed adventure or a heartfelt love story that will make you weep, this isn't the place to find it. But if you're looking for top-notch writing, deep thoughts packaged in entertaining and engaging characters, and a portrait of a generation that is both timeless and inextricably bound up in its setting, you should get a copy of this book and set aside an afternoon (it's a fairly quick read) to read it.(less)
This is to me what a classic book should be: It is easy to read, the language sufficient for the material but not dumbed-down or showy. It presents Im...moreThis is to me what a classic book should be: It is easy to read, the language sufficient for the material but not dumbed-down or showy. It presents Important Ideas, things that makes you think, but isn't preachy. And -- something I've been missing of late in 'great books' -- a page-turning story. I read this practically in a single sitting, and in the moments when I couldn't read, my thoughts were never far from the book and trying to guess what was going to happen, or what the explanation was behind the dystopia portrayed in the book.
I don't want to give away what happens because the suspense was one of the big attractions for me, but I will just say that the one drawback for me was the ending. It wasn't entirely clear what happened, or what it revealed about the protagonist's community. And I was left with a ton of unanswered questions, like how certain technologies worked, what the rest of the world was like, and what happened with the Giver. In terms of the book's message and story, these are not necessary to have answered, but I was so drawn into the world that I felt a bit cheated at being left with an incomplete picture of it.
Still, this is the best book I've read in a long time, and even though it's catalogued as a Young Adult book, it's by no means only for children. In fact, there are certain themes that I feel are too adult for pre-teens (not with sex, other things), and I wouldn't recommend this to my 10-year-old daughter because there are things that would make her cry and probably give her nightmares. But then she is very sensitive.(less)
Mainly, this book went too far into hard sci fi for my taste. It was pretty technical in some parts, especially with the computer viruses. I was able ...moreMainly, this book went too far into hard sci fi for my taste. It was pretty technical in some parts, especially with the computer viruses. I was able to muddle my way through and basically understand what was going on, but it did take away the pleasure of reading when I got to one of the computer chapters and I just knew I was going to only understand about a third of it.
The other thing I didn't like was that there were too many characters that were not developed enough for me to tell them apart. Unlike in the first book of this series, I think the author was more into the development of his theory and the science, rather than the characters, and that is a detriment for me.
This book was assigned to me as part of the Books1001 group on LiveJournal. I wouldn't have chosen to read it myself, or if I did, I probably would ha...moreThis book was assigned to me as part of the Books1001 group on LiveJournal. I wouldn't have chosen to read it myself, or if I did, I probably would have given up after a few pages because it's stiff reading. Nevertheless, I did complete it for the group and here is my review:
I'm going to start by giving some historical background, because I think it's important for understanding not only the book itself, but also the general influence it had on literature (and some other specific books on our reading list).
One of the first true fictional novels in English, Pamela was a bestseller in its time. It insinuated itself into the public consciousness to such a degree that it was cited in sermons and spawned a line of products including paintings, waxworks, and playing cards. It was even the source of what may be some of the first fan fiction, with several 'unofficial' sequels and satires published (some of which we should be seeing reviews of later this year). It was translated into French and Italian and developed into a stage production (the Neoclassical equivalent of a screenplay treatment) in 1743. I almost want to call it the Twilight of its era, but it has much more substance than that.
Written as a series of letters from the protagonist to her parents, it was a groundbreaking work. Wikipedia claims that it was Richardson's Pamela that popularized the form of the epistolary novel. It was also not entirely uncontroversial, questioning the social order and, frankly, being just a little titillating. (Not all that much, though; I'd rate it PG-13.) As an additional bonus, it was rumored to be based on a true story.
But what's it all about?
'Squire B-----' is the unnamed, 26-year-old, wealthy landowner who is supposed to take care of 15-year-old 'lady's maid' Pamela after his mother, her mistress, dies. Pamela senses that he may not have the most noble intentions toward her, but is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until he gets her into a compromising situation and attempts to take advantage of her.
And now let's get it out of our system, shall we? The good squire repeatedly sexually harasses her, and when she does not cave in to his demands, he kidnaps her, keeps her prisoner for months (albeit in comfort at one of his other estates), continues to make inappropriate advances, lies to her, steals her correspondence, spies on her undressing, hides in her bedroom and attempts to rape her (she only escapes when she faints and he believes she has died), has a clergyman whom he believes she is enamored of robbed and beaten, ruins the lives of several people who try to help her, tricks her out of all of her money, insults her, calls her a slut, a hussy, a witch, and many other things besides, and attempts to buy her off; but the moment he finally realizes that he can never have her on his terms and offers to marry her, the girl practically wets herself in her rapture and dedicates the remainder of her life (or at least of the book) to being a perfectly subservient and model wife to her former tormentor.
Further, not a page goes by without our modern-day religious tolerance being tested by Pamela's constant prayers and praising God; she falls to her knees in beatific fervor at every opportunity, stretching even my patience as a practicing, believing Christian.
And those on Mary-Sue alert will have a field day with this paragon of virtue, whom everyone loves and praises on sight as being the most beautiful, most gracious creature any of them have ever beheld.
Having said all that, I still thought this was a good book, and I was able to enjoy it by keeping in mind the historical background and purpose for which the book was written. Recalling that this book was the product of a certain time, place, and social milieu, I was able to relativize and better understand the impact of the behaviors and motivations of the various characters. I think it's also important that Richardson wrote the book specifically as a 'conduct book', which was meant to teach the reader about social norms and acceptable or desired behaviors. It was originally conceived as a series of letters between the various characters, mainly Pamela, her parents, and Mr. B-----, and as such was also meant to additionally instruct on the proper form of letter-writing.
However, as the book goes on, that format breaks down, and becomes a first-person narration from Pamela's point of view, although still couched in the form of a 'journal' meant for her parents to read at some later date (since Mr. B----- no longer allows her to send letters out). This is an awkward device and doesn't really work: entire conversations and scenes are related in such detail that it is not believable that Pamela remembered them later with such accuracy. Also, some of the subject matter, such as the more intimate and inappropriate advances made by the squire, are simply not the kind of thing that a 15-year-old girl in that era would so openly share with her parents, especially her father (the main addressee of her correspondence).
Behind all of these surface irritations, however, I found the story itself to be solid and the 'moral lessons' true. As a genre study, I was also easily able to see the basis for later Regency romances. I know I've made Pamela sound like something of a doormat, but the kernel of Elizabeth Bennet's witty sarcasm is there in exchanges like this:
At last he walked out with me, still bragging of his honour and his love. Yes, yes, sir, said I, your honour is to destroy mine: and your love is to ruin me; I see it too plainly.
and, discussing the clergyman:
Do you find, sir, said I, that I encouraged his proposal, or do you not? Why, said he, you discourage his address in appearance; but no otherwise than all your cunning sex do to ours, to make us more eager in pursuing you. Well, sir, said I, that is your comment; but it does not appear so in the text. Smartly said! says he: Where a d---l gottest thou, at these years, all this knowledge? And then thou hast a memory, as I see by your papers, that nothing escapes. Alas! sir, said I, what poor abilities I have, serve only to make me more miserable!--I have no pleasure in my memory, which impresses things upon me, that I could be glad never were, or everlastingly to forget.
There are also shades of the cruelty of Bronte's Heathcliff, in the escapades of the aforementioned Mr. B-----.
(Side note: You will also notice from the excerpts above that there is no dialogue punctuation or paragraph division between speakers. This made it a bit difficult to figure out who was talking sometimes, or even if a given sentence was spoken out loud or was part of Pamela's narration. Maybe there are other editions that follow modern dialogue conventions. If so, I would recommend reading one of them instead.)
I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Regency romances, or who is interested in learning something about the lifestyle and society of the landed gentry in England in the first half of the 18th century. If you can't stand flowery talk, or get a rash merely at the thought of a meeting of evangelists, then you might want to skip it. I'm looking forward to hearing how the satires play out. (less)
As with the first book in the series, the originality was a bit lacking. Although there were a few things that made me sit up and take notice, mostly ...moreAs with the first book in the series, the originality was a bit lacking. Although there were a few things that made me sit up and take notice, mostly it was just more fighting and magic-use and trying to recruit an army before the bad guy can destroy them. Speaking of which, I find it a bit too convenient that the main bad guy, Galbatorix, who apparently is god-like in his power, doesn't just come out and wipe out the opposition. Instead, he sends out a half-trained representative, hopped up on the equivalent of steroids, who conveniently isn't entirely loyal to him and thus manages not to kill the hero by invoking a loophole.
There were also entire chapters that we skipped (I read it with my 13-year-old son) because they were boring. The whole side story with Eragon's cousin, Roran, and the villagers from Carvahall, was unnecessary to the main plot and I didn't really like any of those characters that much. Roran's wife, Katrina, especially bugged me. The author does well with many other female characters, such as Nasuada, Angela, and Elva, so it's not that he doesn't know how to make a female interesting and realistic.
Another thing I could have done without is the sometimes overwhelming amount of detail in some parts, such as describing the forging of Eragon's sword.
There were also intriguing things that were never really followed up on, like the appearance of the god (?) Guntera, the lights/spirits that touched Eragon's consciousness, or Angela the herbalist and the were-cat popping up at random moments.
Giving the author the benefit of the doubt, it might be that some of these seemingly unnecessary details will turn out to be important in the fourth and final book, and that some of the apparently abandoned storylines will likewise be more fully developed and explained.
But taking the book as it is, it ended up feeling bloated and sometimes a bit scattered. I still recognize the author's skill. The writing is clear and sophisticated without getting heavy and overblown. The various parts of the plot do hang together and are internally consistent (at least as far as I can see). And the characters are for the most part engaging and individual and rarely fall into caricature. On balance, though, the book didn't wow me, and again I wouldn't continue with the series if it weren't my son's choice for our reading book.(less)
I read this because it is available online for free in a format compatible with my iPod, and I used to be into science fiction and thought I might giv...moreI read this because it is available online for free in a format compatible with my iPod, and I used to be into science fiction and thought I might give it a go again.
It was worth it, both as a re-introduction to sci fi, and as a good quality free e-book. It took a little bit to figure out what was going on, but things became clear before all too long, and I like it when an author writes as if the reader is a contemporary of the characters, not explaining what a 'scaphe' or 'eyephones' are, but letting the context speak for itself. There was future technology, but not so tech-y that I didn't understand it. It read believably while still feeling foreign.
As with all good sci fi, the technology and 'future-ness' wasn't the main focus, though. It was the story, and in particular the psychology of the characters. It took a bit to figure out who the main character was, with points of view switching around, but all of the characters were interesting and had a dark or mysterious side, sometimes one of which not even they were aware.
I guess the reason I didn't give this more stars is that, along with switching points of view, I also felt the story was kind of disjointed, and some things like the regression of the one character, while interesting, didn't seem to fit in to the main story so much. It also took quite a while before the actual threat became apparent, so that much of the story was more like a series of psychological profiles rather than a forward moving plot. (less)
So I skipped the first 10 chapters, the part with her in the orphanage. I didn't want to read a bunch of stuff about cruelty and neglect and abuse. (A...moreSo I skipped the first 10 chapters, the part with her in the orphanage. I didn't want to read a bunch of stuff about cruelty and neglect and abuse. (Actually, I'm not sure if that's contained in the first 10 chapters, but it seemed like it would be from the synopses I read.) And honestly, you don't need to read that part. I started right in when she arrived as the new governess at Thornfield, and there was nothing that wasn't clear.
I read this right after Pride and Prejudice, so I couldn't help comparing the two in my mind. I found Jane Eyre a bit harder to read than Pride and Prejudice, less playful and more preachy (and I admit I skipped over most of the sermony parts).
I also found all of the coincidences in the second half a bit too contrived: the lawyer arriving at the chapel just in time to break up the wedding; Jane happening to end up on her cousins' doorstep; the vilified 'crazy' wife committing suicide.
I was disturbed by the treatment of said wife, although admittedly seen through modern eyes; probably in the time the novel was written, it would have been considered very humane to keep her locked up in a private house with a personal nurse/caretaker. It just seemed to me that she was probably crazy because of how she was being kept, and not vice versa.
Despite those reservations (being reasons why I didn't give the book 5 stars), I loved the characters and the story. Jane's progress and behavior throughout the novel were both realistic and understandable, and her internal struggles between her desires and her sense of self-worth brought out vividly and sympathetically. I especially liked that it wasn't society's mores that she was concerned with, but her own opinion of herself. (less)
I decided it was finally time for me to read this properly. The first time I gave it a shot was in high school, and I found the writing so dense I cou...moreI decided it was finally time for me to read this properly. The first time I gave it a shot was in high school, and I found the writing so dense I could hardly make heads or tails out of it, and abandoned it.
Now, I still find the writing dense and had to read fairly slowly to be able to parse all those convoluted sentences, but I enjoyed it immensely, although I do basically see it as a Harlequin romance written for highbrows.
It's clear that Jane Austen is a very witty and sophisticated writer. I couldn't help visualizing Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen delivering the lines of the main characters, but maybe that helped bring the story to life for me in the end.(less)
I hope I interpreted correctly that this book was aimed at the 9-13 age category. If it was meant for adults, it was a fail. But as a kids' book it wa...moreI hope I interpreted correctly that this book was aimed at the 9-13 age category. If it was meant for adults, it was a fail. But as a kids' book it was entertaining enough.
It's an Indiana Jones-style adventure story, with long-lost civilizations, giant insects (and I do mean gargantuan, like the size of a house), professional adventurers, voodoo magic, an ancient prophecy, plenty of hand-to-hand combat, and feisty women, all lended a steampunk edge by the Victorian setting combined with technology invented ahead of its time.
The story line was simplistic, yet driven by just enough mystery and life-or-death urgency to keep my interest up. The characters were basically flat and typological, with the blow-hard inventor, the canny street kid, the refined and aloof yet practical and tough female love interest, and the obsessive, vindictive, red-haired "woman scorned" who also happens to be a master swordswoman.
There were some nice details, like the pet kiwi bird and the linguaphone. The explanations of the technology were superficial but made enough sense that they were believable.
I guess what I missed was some flair in the writing (I read it in German, which I believe is the original), some real vested interest in the characters and their fates. The book sets up a sequel at the end, and there is only one character -- the inventor/explorer -- who is really necessary to appear in the next story. The rest I could do without.(less)
When I started reading this, I thought, Wow! This is the book I wanted The Map That Changed the World by Simon Winchester to be: a fictionalized accou...moreWhen I started reading this, I thought, Wow! This is the book I wanted The Map That Changed the World by Simon Winchester to be: a fictionalized account of how people's lives were changed by the revolution in geology (and the accompanying religious backlash) that took place around the turn of the nineteenth century (1800). Either that, or something along the lines of a Dan Brown novel, with a mysterious ancient document coming into the possession of an innocent young woman, that might change the world or at least bring her life into serious danger.
None of that happened. As the story dragged on, and the remaining pages got fewer and fewer, I realized that not only was none of the above going to happen; in fact, nothing at all was going to happen.
The big mysteries driving the book are:
a) Why was Joshua Hart a fugitive?
b) What is so important about the centuries-old paper supposedly from Leonardo Da Vinci?
The answer to the first question is, in the end, rather boring, and the answer to the second question is, nothing at all (and no one even cares about it).
The only interesting part turned out to be how the protagonist gets out of being forced into an arranged marriage with a blowhard doctor she could never love. So it's kind of a Regency romance, only without much of a romance at all.
Yes, the period was painted accurately (or at least accurately enough that I didn't find fault with it, but then I'm no expert). The motivations of the characters were clear and plausible. The main character was sympathetic. The dialogue was rather stilted, but I put that down to the author trying to create the feeling of 'old-fashioned', formal speech. I read this book in its original German, which was a bit odd, as it is set in England. I don't know if it's available in English.
So, it wasn't a terrible book, it just didn't deliver what I felt it had set out to, and the story itself was rather plodding and mundane. In the end, I rushed to finish it so that I could move on to, hopefully, something better.(less)
First of all, why are all of James Patterson's books co-written by someone else? Is he ghost-writing other people's stories? Or is he the one with the...moreFirst of all, why are all of James Patterson's books co-written by someone else? Is he ghost-writing other people's stories? Or is he the one with the great plot ideas but can't string three words together? Has the well run dry, so to speak, after so many years, and he's mining other, little-known authors who are willing to sell their soul for the chance to have their name on a cover with James Patterson? Wikipedia says: "Patterson is also well known for sharing the spotlight with different co-authors ... and has often said that collaborating with others brings new and interesting ideas to his stories." I don't know if it's important, it just bugs me.
I haven't read any of Patterson's 65 other novels, but I can see why he's so popular, whether he's the one who's actually writing or just in charge of the brand. The story is fast-paced and easy to follow and the characters are identifiable and even sympathetic, if superficial. It's not grand literature, but it never gets slow or dumb. He's not trying to be clever or intellectual, which is one of the things that annoys me about Dan Brown. Although the huge amount of police jargon really put me off.
The twists at the end were surprising yet satisfying, and the story ended promptly thereafter. There is obviously quite a bit of backstory to the main characters that has been covered in the previous 7 books of this series, but I was still able to jump in and follow along without having read them. (less)
The kid is found and he's fine. That's not a spoiler; you can read it on the jacket. However, I had to skip to the second half to see for myself, and ...moreThe kid is found and he's fine. That's not a spoiler; you can read it on the jacket. However, I had to skip to the second half to see for myself, and I read in other reviews that other people did, too. I really didn't want to be reading a book about a child being kidnapped and killed or abused. And that's not what it was at all, so rest assured.
The first half of the book is about what happens with a family when their middle child, a three-year-old, is kidnapped. The second half is about what happens with them when he comes back, nine years later. They're a dysfunctional family either way, and the most interesting question for me that this story raises is whether they would have been like that even if the boy hadn't been kidnapped (and whether the boy wasn't in fact better off having been raised by his kidnappers). It really made me stop and think about my own performance as a mother, whether I'm giving my kids enough attention or am going through life in a self-centered haze.
The (slightly) negative points for me were, first, the sometimes too long introspective passages from the mother's point of view. I skipped over some of those. We already know her mindset and her self-reproach and self-absorbedness fairly early on, and I felt that it was repeated too often. The other thing that bothered me a bit was the too tidy coincidence of so many key characters from the past either being dead or having memory loss due to Alzheimer's or catatonia. It was only nine years, not fifty. It's obvious that the author simply didn't want to have to get deeply into the kidnapper's motivation, or was advised by her editor to cut out 100 pages somewhere, and this was a quick way to avoid those issues. I really would have been interested to have at least one scene where the kidnapper spoke, if only in an internal monologue.
I almost gave this one star, but then I thought, it wasn't an unintelligent book, even if I didn't really like it. The main downsides for me were the ...moreI almost gave this one star, but then I thought, it wasn't an unintelligent book, even if I didn't really like it. The main downsides for me were the jumping back and forth between time lines, the unnecessary and obviously gratuitous details about life in the 16th century (they didn't know what a fork was! Lettuce was an exotic delicacy!) meant to impress us with how much research the author had done, the seeming meandering tangents that shoot off, with no clear inkling as to how they tie into each other until the very end (and even then I was kind of confused), and the frankly murky character motivations. Oh, and the fact that at the end, the big reveal of who the bad guy was is done in a way that completely leaves the reader out of the loop, even until that time we had been privy to all the thoughts and considerations which the main character had. I think it could have been done without resorting to fake trickery like that.
On the semi-positive side, the dialogue was snappy and real-sounding, the characters brightly drawn without becoming caricatures, the venues described authentically, and the entire setting and premise had enough tension and momentum to keep me going, despite my not entirely understanding what was going on at times.
So, while I think this had a good idea at the base of it, it wasn't executed in the best possible manner. If you like the sort of spy novel where there is a historical puzzle to solve, you could do worse.(less)
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