75 Books...More or Less! discussion
Archive (2014 Completed)
>
Jan's 2014 Challenge
Elyse, I confess I knew nothing about the Mary Celeste before reading this book. But be forewarned, there's no resolution in this book, nor could there be. However, I loved how she wove in the story of the Spiritualist movement, another subject I knew little about.
27. The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes2 stars
I loved the author's book, Me Before You, so was looking forward to this one but it didn't live up to my expectations.
This book employs dual protagonists set during two different time periods. There's Sophie, who lives in a small French village occupied by the Germans during WWI, and the current day story of Liv, who is struggling after the unexpected death of her husband. The two women are connected by a painting of Sophie done by her artist husband before he went off to war. The painting was bought for Liv by her husband on their honeymoon.
Sophie's story started off compelling but ended up being a rather superficial story with no depth or nuance to the characters. Unfortunately, Liv's story was less interesting and focused mostly on a legal battle to keep the painting instead of returning it to the family (making her look even more shallow).
The book had a chick-lit feel to it rather than historical fiction, a number of key points depended on unlikely and unrealistic coincidences, and it failed to keep my interest.
Sophie's story had the most potential and for a much better book that dealt with the tough choices citizens often make to survive during wartime I recommend Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum.
And can I just say that I'm sick to death of dual story lines? It can be done well, but unfortunately it's overdone to the point of being a gimmick. Nearly always, one storyline ends up being more interesting than the other and I get annoyed at being pulled out of the story I enjoy.
28. The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber5 stars
This must be my year for big chunkster books. Along with the Goldfinch, this is my second one so far and I gave both 5 stars.
At nearly 900 pages, the beautiful prose, compelling story and unforgettable characters make the book seem far shorter. Michael Faber takes us to 1870's London where Sugar, a 19 year old prostitute, intelligent and unusually well-read for a young woman of her station, yearns for a better life. Without giving away the plot, Sugar's story takes us from the lowest to the highest strata of Victorian society. Along the way we meet William, a hapless, rather vile little man, heir to a perfume company, and totally smitten with Sugar. There's William's child-like, empty-headed, naive wife, Agnes, who is madder than a hatter (we are eventually given a reason for her mental state), their hidden-away daughter Sophie, unacknowledged by her mother lest she have to admit to sex and childbirth, subjects she knows little to nothing about.
There are plenty of sub-plots, including William's pious brother, Henry, who is tormented by his lustful feelings for the widow, Emmeline Fox, who tirelessly works for the Rescue Society on behalf of the city's prostitutes. We also meet haughty socialites, bawdy prostitutes, dishonest servants, and most notably for comic relief, we have William's two drunken friends, Ashwell and Bodley.
This is Victorian life as never before seen and Faber minces no words in his explicit descriptions of the seamier sides of life. It can at times be a bit off-putting but it's never gratuitous and it further highlights the differences between the genteel Victorian "ideal" and the more tawdry side of the era. Along the way the cast of colorful characters undergo a lot of changes. There have been some who didn't like the ending but I found it to be perfect.
whoops...forgot to add this one here earlier this month:29. Queenpin by Megan Abbott
4 stars
This was a thoroughly enjoyable noir novel with a female lead. I strongly disliked her book, The End of Everything, but I'll definitely be reading her other noir novels. (Thanks Alecia for encouraging g me to give this one a try!)
30. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James BrownI’ve never rowed in my life (other than a kayak down a lazy stream, lol) nor was I particularly interested in rowing as a sport but I’m a sucker for an underdog story. The eight-man rowing team from the University of Washington who competed at the 1936 Berlin Olympics were definitely the underdogs. Rowing was a sport dominated almost exclusively by the Eastern elite and no one took the Washington team seriously. These were boys of the Great Depression and the sons of working-class families. Most of the story centers on Joe Rantz, who lost his mother at a tender age, was abandoned by his family and left to fend for himself, yet managed to make his way to the University of Washington and onto the rowing team.
It's the personal stories of these boys, their coach, and the eccentric boat builder that make this book shine. The unity of the team, along with their stoicism and perseverance are inspiring and demonstrates what true grit and determination can accomplish. The tension of the races and the strength of character these boys displayed amidst the background of the Great Depression and the rise of the Nazi regime make it a riveting read. I was literally on the edge of my seat during the telling of the Olympic race despite knowing how it would end. And it was deeply gratifying to hear how the race was won right in front of Hitler himself.
You don’t have to be a rower to enjoy this book. It’s outstanding storytelling that reads like fiction. Thanks to Daniel James Brown for bringing this story to light. Highly recommended!!
JanB wrote: "30. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown."Jan, this one sounds like it would be right up my alley. Thanks for the recommendation.
Karol, If you ever get around to it I hope you like it as much as I did.
31. Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened by Allie Broshoverall 3.5, rounding up to 4 (although some of the entries are worthy of 5-stars)
This is best read in small doses, as the stories are not connected in any way. I found some of the entries to be literally laugh-out-loud funny while others were so-so. The chapters on the author's dogs had me literally crying tears of laughter (specifically, the one where she tries to help Simple Dog cheat on an IQ test), while the entries on her struggles with depression were poignant and insightful. To be fair, the dog entries will probably only appeal to dog owners, who will be able to relate. Her deceptively simple drawings are amusing in their own right.
It’s a great book to have on your shelf to pull out when you need a laugh or you need to know you’re not alone in your quirks and eccentricities. And for those who want more of Allie Brosh, there's her blog, Hyperbole and a Half. Personally, after being subjected too many times to the typical pain scale, I think her version should be in every doctor's office and ER:
http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com...
Jan, Thanks for the blog link. Very clever and amusing.
I just noticed the link here didn't go to the pain scale post but I fixed it :-)
Mod
Haha that pain scale is excellent!
OK, just saw the pain scale...too funny!! I saw the original Dr's pain scale several times in the ER...this one is much improved.
lol. "I see Jesus coming for me and I'm scared"
lol, if her pain scale didn't have the f-bomb I would definitely print it out and give it to my rheumatologist and my pain doc!
I love Hyperbole and a Half, and I discovered the blog right around the time she stopped blogging, which was sad. But oh, yes, her posts on depression are so good, and I was glad they were included in the book.But my introduction to Allie, and still one of my favorites, is the "alot": http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com...
Mod
That was hilarious!! And I too feel her pain about correct grammar. And now I can enjoy it a little more! Alot is a cute creature!! A mixture of a yak, bear, and pug. Haha!
Charleen, too funny! Too bad she didn't put that one in the book. I need to work my way through her blog. Thanks Alot for posting the link! Haha
I just love him. He makes everything all better (or should I say alot better).
32. The Elephant Whisperer: My Life with the Herd in the African Wild 5 stars
This just won an Audie Award for best audio book in the bio/memoir category and in my opinion it was well-deserved. It will definitely be among my all-time favorites. I have a soft spot in my heart for elephants and this book reinforced those feelings. I ran the gamut of emotions as I read this book: I laughed, I cried, I was amazed, sometimes shocked, and ultimately, I fell in love with the elephants and their human rescuer.
Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of ‘rogue’ elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in South Africa because he was known as being amazingly good with animals. The elephants would be killed if he wouldn't take them in, so he agreed. When the elephants arrived they were angry, scared, and distrustful of humans. What follows is a fascinating tale of how he not only saved the herd, but also developed an unusual bond with them. The story is interspersed with tales of Anthony's French wife, Francoise, their dogs, the staff, and the Zulu culture.
Sadly, Mr. Anthony passed away suddenly of a heart attack in 2012. By then, the herd had been released back into the wild and had not visited Mr. Anthony’s home in a year and a half. But on his death, the herd inexplicably trudged for miles in a solemn funereal procession to pay their respects at his house. They stayed for 2 days before moving back into the bush. What a beautiful story that teaches us so much about the capability of animals to show deep love and concern, and the bonds they can form with humans.
33. The Wife by Meg Wolitzer2.5 stars
Joan is an unhappy wife, who, we learn in the opening sentences, has decided to leave Joe, her husband of 40+ years. They are winging their way to Finland where Joe will accept the Helsinki Prize, a (fictional) prestigious prize for literature. What follows is a post-mortem of their failed marriage.
In the 1950’s Joe was working as a university professor and writing, somewhat unsuccessfully, on the side, and Joan was one of his students. He and Joan began an affair and when caught by his wife, he left her and their infant daughter (hmm, Joan, maybe a tip-off that he's not good husband material?). He lost his job, Joan dropped out of school and she and Joe embarked on their life together. All of their energies were focused on Joe’s career as a budding author, while her aspirations were put on the back burner. He became ever more successful while she was at home raising the kids and taking care of everyone but herself. Joan is portrayed as the long-suffering martyr and Joe is a lying, cheating, pompous cad, a horrible husband and father.
Wolitzer writes beautifully, and can turn a phrase while offering witty insights. But the twist, when it came, was no surprise. And, unfortunately, Joan comes off as a self-pitying whiner and her attraction to Joe is a mystery. We know times were tough for women but the point was repeated over and over again. We’re told everything from Joan’s POV of events from the past, and there was too much telling and not enough showing. I became bored even though the book is only 219 pages long. I don't think there was enough material here for a book. Having said that, I enjoyed the writing immensely and would like to read more of Wolitzer's books.
34. Mimi Malloy, At Last! by Julia MacDonnell3.5 stars
The cover of the book is whimsical and looks like a light fluffy summer read, but don’t judge a book by its cover. There’s humor, but there’s also a sadness and heartache in this story of a rather quirky 68 year old divorcée. Mimi lives alone after being dumped by her husband for a younger woman, and has recently been forced into retirement. Her daughters are worried about Mimi’s memory and when an MRI shows signs of TIAs, there is a campaign to convince her to move to an assisted living facility. Mimi flatly refuses. She loves her independence and her needs are simple: Frank Sinatra music playing in the background, a clean home, a Manhattan, and a cigarette. With Mimi, what you see is what you get. I loved her attitude.
Mimi is from a large Irish Catholic family, and has 6 daughters of her own. As so often happens in families, there’s miscommunication and strained relationships, but Mimi declares she’s not one to dwell on the past. Everything changes when a grandnephew needs her help on a genealogy project, and Mimi finds a pendant that belonged to her mother who died in childbirth when Mimi was very young. These two events brings back long repressed memories of her disturbing and painful childhood, including the mystery of her sister Fagan’s fate after she was sent away to Ireland but never heard from again.
I enjoyed reading about the get-togethers with her sisters (the Yik-Yak Club), and how siblings growing up in the same family can have different memories and versions of events. The relationships she has with her daughters, and how coming to terms with one’s past can bring healing to present day relationships felt very real to me. The side story of her budding romantic relationship added to the charm of the novel.
I didn't much care for the inclusion of Irish fairy folklore near the end of the book, and at times I felt Mimi was portrayed as someone 20 years older than she was (although I suppose there are women like this) but it wasn't enough to ruin the book for me. Pay attention to the chapter titles, as as they are lines from Sinatra songs. A nice touch.
35. An Untamed State by Roxanne Gay1 star
Technically I read 1/2 the book, then sped read/skimmed to the end and read the last 2 chapters. It was painful and involved a lot of eye-rolling.
The reviews and cover blurbs led me to expect a serious literary tale of kidnapping and the class divisions between the wealthy and poor in Haiti. But what I got instead was a Lifetime movie of the week. (There's certainly nothing wrong with Lifetime movies if you know that's what to expect).
Chapters alternated between the present day kidnapping and flashbacks to the past, mostly telling the tale of when Mireille and her husband met and married. The scenes with the kidnappers were brutal and graphic, and totally incongruent with the chapters that dealt with the romance backstory. The dialogue and actions between Mireille and her boyfriend/husband were extremely cringe-worthy and juvenile in tone, not what one expects from two adult professionals.
This was a case of the verbiage that was used in reviews leading to the wrong reader (me) to pick up this book. Frankly, I'm not even sure who would be the right reader of this drivel. It was that bad.
I'm not counting Love Nina, A Nanny Writes Home by Nina Stibbe because it was a DNF.Very mildly amusing but there's not enough here for a book and despite the blurbs on the back cover, I didn't find it either "hilarious" or "laugh-out-loud" funny. I typically enjoy epistolary books but this was all one-sided. They are ALL signed Love, Nina. We never know what her sister thought or answered back. There were a lot of verbatim conversations but they were DULL and boring to me.
Once again, another book where I'm rather mystified by the glowing reviews.
36. The Hurricane Sisters by Dorothea Benton Frank2.5 stars
The story is just OK. It's a light read with a serious undertone of abuse, but it felt out of place and wasn't given the depth it deserved. I enjoyed Grandma Maisie but I can't say much about the other characters. Ashley especially seemed unusually silly and naive.
I really enjoyed last year's The Last Original Wife, but this one isn't a favorite.
37. Burglars Can't Be Choosers by Lawrence Block3 stars
This is the debut for the Bernie Rhodenbarr series. Bernie is a witty, likable guy and I enjoyed the satire and humor in the story. This is a perfect read in between heavier books and I look forward to reading more of Bernie's exploits.
38. The Martian by Andy Weir4.5
What a fun listen! I'm not usually a sci-fi fan but I listened to this on a long car trip and it made the time fly. Some reviewers found the dialogue corny and juvenile (and seeing some of it in print I understand why) but on audio it comes across as witty and sarcastic. Maybe this is a book better listened to than read. The narrator was fabulous and the nomination for an Audie award was well deserved.
I have The Martian on my TBR. Seems like everyone's been enjoying it... I hope I can ignore the hype when I finally do get around to reading it.
Mod
Charleen, I know what you mean about high expectations. Sometimes it ruins a book for me. Elyse, I just listened to the science-y jargon and tried to not think too hard. I did wonder if it was accurate science, because I sure wouldn't know :)
39. I Am Pilgrim: A Thriller4.5 stars
4.5 stars, rounding up to 5 in my review for the pure enjoyment it gave me. (when will GR allow for half stars?)
This was one of the most fun books I've read in a very long time! Pilgrim is the code name for a celebrated retired spy (think Jason Bourne-type) who is called back into duty to hunt down Saracen, a terrorist who is plotting an attack on the U.S. What follows is an action-packed, globe-trotting tale that is well-written and tightly plotted.
With excellent character development, we get to know both of the major players and the motivations that drives each of them. The fast pace, along with the twists and turns and sub-plots added even more interest to the story.
This isn’t my usual genre but it was an excellent read, one that kept me flipping all of its 612 pages quickly. I had a hard time deciding between 4 and 5 stars. The foreshadowing was a tad bit overdone (way too many "I should have paid attention to....", and "this will prove to be important later on...."), and I have a few quibbles with the ending. But neither ruined my enjoyment of the book and I was thoroughly engaged and interested throughout. It was a pleasure to read and I highly recommend it. I'm looking forward Mr. Hayes next book!
Mod
4.5 stars
4.5 stars, rounding up to 5 in my review for the pure enjoyment it gave me. (when will GR allow for half stars?)
This was one of the most fun books I've rea..."
Definitely looks interesting! I'll have to check it out soon.
Elyse wrote: "JanB wrote: "39. I Am Pilgrim: A Thriller4.5 stars
4.5 stars, rounding up to 5 in my review for the pure enjoyment it gave me. (when will GR allow for half stars?)
This was one of the most fun b..."
Elyse, oh do, I think you'll like it! I read it on Alecia's recommendation and I'm so glad I did. It made me remember how much I love mystery/thrillers!
Karol, it's a long one but worth it! I hope you like it as much as I did.
Summer House With Swimming Pool by Herman KochI'm not counting this toward my total because I couldn't make it past 50 pages. I loved The Dinner and this one also had vile characters but without the slow build-up and dark humor of The Dinner. Not for me!
JanB wrote: "Summer House With Swimming Pool by Herman KochI'm not counting this toward my total because I couldn't make it past 50 pages."
Sometimes cutting one's losses is the best strategy. I've never been sorry for setting aside a book that was not holding my interest - too darn many others to read!
I used to never be able to quit a book, had to see it through to the end no matter what. I'm so glad I learned to let some of them go. It's not you, book, it's me...
Karol & Charleen, I'm a slow learner. It's taken me years to cut a book loose. I used to be afraid I'd miss out on the treasures the book surely had in store for me if only I persevered. But it's been very liberating to let some books go. The older I get the more discriminating I need to be....so many books, so little time :)
Mod
Elyse wrote: "I find it hard to quit a book. But I have. I can count how many books I've stopped reading on one hand. I have the optimism that it will get better! Which is not always the case. Lol"For me, it seemed the majority of books didn't get better, so finally I said, enough! Even if it does, and I miss out... oh well, I'm never going to read all the books in the world anyway, this is just one more. It's really hard but really liberating... and I've found that if I immediately move on to a new book (that I'm hopefully much more invested in) then I usually don't give the DNF a second thought... and if I do, then I can always come back to it and give it another shot.
JanB wrote: "Karol & Charleen, I'm a slow learner. It's taken me years to cut a book loose. I used to be afraid I'd miss out on the treasures the book surely had in store for me if only I persevered. "
Jan, I was always the same way. I found your comment that you couldn't get past 50 pages interesting . . . because I have an unofficial 50 page rule. If I'm not enjoying a book that far into it, I set it aside. Every now and then, I'll revisit a book I tried. Usually, I end up in the same spot. (Witness every Jane Austen novel I've picked up - I guess her writing is just not my cup of tea). Rarely, I'll be glad I took a second look and I'll enjoy reading it at the later time (I experienced that with the Count of Monte Cristo).
Karol, I think I came up (in the back of my mind) with the 50 page rule after reading Nancy Pearl's book, "So Many Books, So Little Time". It just took me a few years to implement it :) There have been a few books I've revisited and enjoyed. Timing is everything! Re Austen, I find I enjoy her books as an audio vs reading. Librivox has an excellent recording of P&P. The sly humor comes across perfectly when spoken by an excellent narrator vs the voice in my head that is annoyed w the formal English.
There have been a few times when I have pushed through a slow beginning of a book to find pure enjoyment. Atonement was one of those books, and I only persisted because people encouraged me to do so, as they loved it so much. In the absence of that encouragement, I think 50 pages is enough to see whether the style of writing engages me. As Jan says, so many books, so little time!
Alecia, that's a good point. When people whose opinion I value encourage me to read a book I'll push through past those 50 pages. I would have given up on The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and lost out on the enjoyment of the trilogy.
Jan, I will give audio versions of Jane Austen a try. Thanks for the idea.
40. the Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith(audio) (read for book club
41. Shut Your Eyes Tight (Dave Gurney #2) by John VerdonIn this second installment of the Dave Gurney series, the plot follows the same “locked room” formula as the first. A seemingly impossible crime occurs when a bride is found murdered on her wedding day. What was first thought to be a simple murder investigation turns out to be something far more sinister and multi-layered. Although the book was well-written, I found the resolution less than satisfying, and some of Gurney’s actions implausible.
The secondary plot involves Dave’s relationship with his wife. She wants him to find the joy she enjoys in living a quiet simple life in the country, but the life of a retiree is not for him. He’s happy only when working a case, preferably an “impossible” one that has local police stumped. Not much has changed between them in these first 2 books but I’m hoping their relationship grows and changes in subsequent books or it could get tiresome. The same can be said of his relationship with his grown son. Lastly, I think the book would have been improved if shorter and some of the bloat removed. Very few books can justify 500+ pages, especially one in this genre.
I liked the first book, Think of a Number, more than this one, but I enjoyed it enough to give #3 a try.
I enjoyed #2 and #3, but Think of a Number is still my favorite in the series. #4 just came out this week and is on my TBR.
4 stars
In 1872, the Mary Celeste was found adrift in the ocean, with no trace of the crew and passengers. Despite the title, this book isn’t so..."
This book sounds very interesting! Such an intriguing mystery the Mary Celeste is.