Roxanne Barbour's Blog, page 23
December 30, 2012
Book Review: The Casual Vacancy
The Casual Vacancy
by J.K. Rowling
Roxanne Barbour‘s review
Nov 02, 12 · edit
Read in October, 2012
Blurb:
When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.
Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty facade is a town at war.
Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.
And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity, and unexpected revelations?
I was curious to see J.K. Rowling’s attempt at a non-Harry Potter novel. For the most part, I was not disappointed.
The plot is generally well-paced, although I thought it stagnated at “Olden Days”. I understand the need for background but there was too much at this point in the novel.
The characters were well-thought-out, however, unlikable. Surely, someone must be happy in the town of Pagford?
The novel is well-edited, but I would expect no less.
J.K. Rowling has adopted the habit, for this novel, of using brackets to introduce material. This is most disconcerting from a reader (albiet author/editor) point of view. Finding the first (opening) bracket on one page, and the ending bracket on a subsequent page, gave the editor in me a nervous breakdown. I spent far too much time looking for the ending bracket–it distracted from my reading pleasure.
The one word I would use to describe this novel is “Tawdry”; that is, the characters and situations.
I look forward to J.K. Rowling’s next novel. Hopefully, it will have a much more upbeat feel.
Book Review: Zoo
Zoo
by James Patterson (Goodreads Author)
Roxanne Barbour‘s review
Dec 30, 12 · edit
Read in October, 2012
Blurb:
All over the world, brutal attacks by animals are crippling entire cities. Jackson Oz, a young biologist, watches the escalating events with an increasing sense of dread. When he witnesses a coordinated lion ambush in Africa, the enormity of the violence ahead becomes terrifyingly clear.
The premise for this novel lacks scientific validity, and common sense.
For example, blaming the degeneration of the animal kingdom on cell phone use and petroleum products over a number of years is almost unbelievable (why hasn’t it affected humans?), but to try and make us believe that it could be reversed in three days by banning the use of cell phones and electricity, etc., is ludicrous!
And then to have the animals revert again after a few days again is insulting! (to everyone’s intelligence).
I have enjoyed James Patterson’s coauthor Michael Ledwidge’s writing before, but he just lost me with this novel.
The James Patterson novels have deteriorated over the last couple of years, and I am almost to the point where I will never buy a James Patterson novel again.
Most disappointed.
Book Review: The Breath of Dawn
The Breath of Dawn
by Kristen Heitzmann
Roxanne Barbour‘s review
Dec 30, 12 · edit
bookshelves: first-reads
Read in December, 2012
Blurb:Quinn Reilly has been avoiding her past for four years. Standing up for the truth has forced her into a life of fear and isolation. After a chance first meeting thrusts her into the lives of widower Morgan Spencer and his young daughter, Quinn finally begins to believe she might find freedom in their friendship.
But when the man she helped put behind bars is released and comes after his revenge, Quinn fears her past will endanger all three of them. Morgan’s unorthodox solution to their problems will send them on a path neither of them expected–with repercussions they never could have imaged.
This book was received for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Finally I have received a novel from Goodreads that I couldn’t put down.
This is a wonderfully written romantic suspense novel. The characters are captivating and believable (even the children).
The plot is perfectly paced.
Before starting this novel, I hadn’t realized this was Christian fiction. However, this aspect was nicely balanced.
“The Breath of Dawn” is a wonderful read, and I very seldom give any novel 5 stars.
Well done!
December 27, 2012
December 26, 2012
Quotation – December 26, 2012
One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives.
Mark Twain
December 21, 2012
Quotation – December 21, 2012
Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.
Oscar Wilde
December 20, 2012
Quotation – December 20, 2012
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Mark Twain
December 19, 2012
Quotation – December 19, 2012
I came in with Halley’s Comet in 1835 … and I expect to go out with it.
Mark Twain
(and he did, in 1910)
December 17, 2012
Quotation – December 17, 2012
I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.
Mark Twain
November 28, 2012
Quotation – November 28, 2012
Talking of Patriotism, what humbug it is; it is a word which always commemorates a robbery. There isn’t a foot of land in the world which doesn’t represent the ousting and re-ousting of a long line of successive owners.
Mark Twain
