Thread Of Dire Judgment

[Ashley]

Mayakda wrote: "Donna wrote: "I loved the Book Thief!!!!"

I tried to read that 3 frickin times and and kept bouncing off. Then the group I just joined picked it for the group read. Yargh!
If you want to read a w..."

How far did you make it? I didn't like the first few chapters but by the end I was in love. Don't knock it till you've read the whole thing!!!
*please* :)

[Becky]

I've read both The Book Thief and I Am The Messenger and loved both of them.

[Cait]

Becky wrote: "I've read both The Book Thief and I Am The Messenger and loved both of them."

Same here. Actually, The Book Thief and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time are both on my favorites shelf. :oO

[Liz]

Alex wrote: "Aw, Animal Farm is good. :( Now I am sad.

I guess maybe I should check out this Flannery O'Connor person."
I've just started reading Flannery O'Connor for a comprehensive exam for my English major that I have in a couple of weeks. I have the complete volume even though we only have to read the stories from A Good Man Is Hard to Find. I really like her style so far. I think the stories are great, but they're also quite depressing. I'll probably read all of them at some point.

[Liz]

El wrote: "Liz, yeah only 2-stars for Atonement. I never connected to any of the characters, and that's a big deal for me."
I can see where that might happen. I actually didn't care for the adaption directed by Joe Wright, but I may need to watch that again, since I recently watched his Pride and Prejudice in a class and now I really love that movie. (Tangent: I love the book as well, and while the movie deviates from it in many ways, I consider it as depicting the whole story, especially between Elizabeth and Darcy, in a different light. I also love the BBC miniseries.)

[El]

I have not seen the movie Atonement, mostly because I didn't care for the book that much. But I think it's probably in my Netflix queue somewhere, so eventually it'll show up on my doorstep.

[Kaion]

I... don't really like Pride and Prejudice. I enjoy the '95 miniseries (the 2005 movie is indeed dire as an adaptation), but I don't see the "romance" as it were.

But yeah. Some of y'all gave The Kite Runner 5 stars, which featured the most ridiculous action movie ending on top of really pedestrian writing.

Julie wrote: "I gave 4 stars to "To Kill a Mockingbird". But I haven't given ANYTHING 5 stars yet. "

With only 16 ratings, that's not bad or anything. (I read something like 35 new books last year and only one of them got 5 stars- but that was partly because I had a long run of bad choosing.)

[Sasha]

I kinda agree about Kite Runner, Kaion. Didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. Ending was bad for me.

Julie, fascinated by your rating system! Never five stars, huh? Here's my confession: I give five-star ratings pretty liberally. If I loved a book, it's five; if I liked it but there were issues, four; three means I found it pretty forgettable.

I think I'm pretty optimistic with my ratings, which I'm not really proud of; it causes problems because I end up rating Blindness (great!) the same as the Odyssey (best ever!).

[Tanya (aka ListObsessedReader)]

I'm a bit the same Alex, I also tend to rate highly. My problem seems to be that I am predisposed to like everything! Hence I can't out something I hated for you all to be shocked at or make fun of others highly rated books... ah well :)

I do also tend to go over things later and realise I've given the same rating to books that are poles apart. But oh well I guess it's not life and death!

[Becky]

I loved The Kite Runner, and A Thousand Splendid Suns both. :)

[Jayme]

I agree, Alex, sometimes I wish there were a 6 star rating for those best ever books.

[Sasha]

S'alright, Tanya, we can always disagree about The Historian. (Five stars?!)

I read a ton of old stuff, which leaves me in a weird place. I know Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde isn't in the same galaxy as The Song of Roland, but what can I do? They're both awesome.

This is why I end up giving Macbeth three stars. Of course it's better than Where the Red Fern Grows, but I can't think of a better option than rating Shakespeare by his own standard, and books about slaughtering adorable raccoons on theirs.

Stars are dumb. Maybe that's why no one's gotten offended by this thread yet.

[Tanya (aka ListObsessedReader)]

Haha I'm not even sure about my rating for that one! I think perhaps it was refreshing to have a vampire novel that portrays the vampire as evil again. Thats not to say I didn't enjoy Twilight, I did, but on an entirely different level. I read it for what it was - a teenage love story. I think peoples perceptions of books can vary greatly depending how you approach it and what you expect to get out of it.

[Clare]

Tanya, I so badly want to like the Historian, it wasn't bad but I didn't find it amazing either. I liked the return to traditional vampire lore but I think the book could have done with a better editing job to fix the pace, in some parts it just dragged.

[Kaion]

Oh stars are always all based on different standards. I try not to compare books with the same star numbers. I'm rating on what the book *could've* been (within it's own topic, theme, genre, etc.). (I'm with Roger Ebert on this one, though he has mostly given up on star ratings.)

Personally, for me, a five star book is not necessarily one that is perfect... but one where its whole adds up to more than its constituent pieces, if that makes any sense.

I'll give that The Kite Runner is very very readable. And there aren't many popular English books about Afghani life. But the characters were very flat for me, and the plot lacked subtlety/believability and flew off the rails (Evil German-Nazi-Taliban-childhood-bully-rapist, oh boy). And Amir didn't redeem himself in my eyes. Actually, I thought his portrayal of his life in America was inching towards genuine in parts (flea market).

[Tanya (aka ListObsessedReader)]

Clare - It was put together very differently. All the different points of view and letters etc can detract from the storyline. Another thing I found unusual was that the main protagonist remained unamed. I spent ages going back trying to find it when I thought I had forgotten it only to realise her name had never been revealed! I'm not quite sure what purpose that served. I've just read your review of the book and it amuses me that we have both used the word 'refreshing' in relation to the traditional vampire element!

We seem to have similar ratings for most of the books we have in common! So nothing to tease there! :)

[Clare]

Hey Tanya,
I'm sure you'll find something to tease. I didn't really like the young girl's part of the story, it seemed too thrown together and not as fleshed out as her father's and Professor Rossi's. I think the book would have been better without it. I'm gonna go check your review now :)

[Stacey]

I had a difficult time reading The Historian as well. I found that listening to it was MUCH better.

[VMom]

Ashley wrote: "How far did you make it? I didn't like the first few chapters but by the end I was in love. Don't knock it till you've read the whole thing!!!
*please* :) "

I think I made it as far as the girl going to school and sorta making friends with a boy? Something like that ....

[Becky]

Kaion, I understand what you mean about the bully, but I can overlook the exaggeratedness of that character. I loved the book (and ATSS as well) for the way I got to understand more of a different culture.

I did prefer ATSS to Kite Runner, but I loved them both.

[Irene]

Kaion wrote: "I... don't really like Pride and Prejudice. I enjoy the '95 miniseries (the 2005 movie is indeed dire as an adaptation), but I don't see the "romance" as it were.

But yeah. Some of y'all gave The ..."

I didn't see the movie, but there were parts of the book that were unbelievable given the culture. I don't want to add any spoilers for those who have not read the book, but one scene in the book was definitely "written for a for Hollywood movie."

[Becky]

Irene, sorry, which book are you talking about? Pride and Prejudice or The Kite Runner?

[Irene]

Becky wrote: "Irene, sorry, which book are you talking about? Pride and Prejudice or The Kite Runner?"

Sorry, I was referring to The Kite Runner.

[Lauren]

Since lurkers were called out I feel a bit obligated to post now-I've peered in to read comments 3 times now!

That said, how could you not like The Princess Bride? He embellishes the characters and their little quirks so that the movie is almost more entertaining!

And I definately don't know what all the fuss was about in the DiVinci Code. I would have liked it better if it had ended 100 pages sooner. The beginning was an entertaining read.

Re: reviews. I've been trying to review the books I post (after the initial deluge of books when I first joined) but I feel like a bit of a dunce when writing a review-I'm just not good at it.

So now I've opened myself up-do your best. I'm going to puruse some of your shelves!

[Sasha]

Another brave soul walks across the coals!

What did you like about Salt: A World History? I thought the subject was promising, but the book was deadly boring.

[Kaion]

There's a book about salt? I know the Gandhi thing and the trading across the African desert for gold thing. I don't know. The history of salt sounds interesting.

[Liz]

Kaion wrote: "I... don't really like Pride and Prejudice. I enjoy the '95 miniseries (the 2005 movie is indeed dire as an adaptation), but I don't see the "romance" as it were.

But yeah. Some of y'all gave The ..."
Wright definitely looks at Darcy and Elizabeth's romance as a way which is very obviously sexual to modern viewers. The miniseries and the book definitely also have really sexual moments, they're just done differently. I can see why you woudln't like it though.
I really loved The Kite Runner when I read it (like 5 yeras ago) but I still haven't seen the movie. It's in my Netflix queue, I just haven't gotten there yet.

[Irene]

Lauren wrote: "Since lurkers were called out I feel a bit obligated to post now-I've peered in to read comments 3 times now!

That said, how could you not like The Princess Bride? He embellishes the characters ..."

I agree with you about The Da Vinci Code. I gave it one star. Total disappointment.

[Kaion]

I want to like Pride and Prejudice. It really does seem like Jane Austen is challenging some of the societal rules... only to embrace them fully in the third act. (But maybe I'm just projecting, because I found their society frustrating in so many ways.)

As for the movie, I find a bit ludicrous, with Elizabeth randomly appearing at heretofore-unseen scenic locations at every dramatic moment. It's definitely a modern-reinterpretation as far as motives go. (Elizabeth, the rebel; Darcy, the misunderstood sensitive guy; the Bennets, actually kind of poor-ish for the middle class and not just whiny.)

[Sasha]

Yeah, that's the problem, Kaion. It sounds interesting.

[Jackie]

This thread is hilarious. You can look at my shelves. I've rated a bunch of cheesy romances higher than some highbrow books. The Road is one of them. Also, I absolutely hate The Lovely Bones, which was mentioned here a couple of times.

[Petra]

Alex wrote: "Another brave soul walks across the coals!

What did you like about Salt: A World History? I thought the subject was promising, but the book was deadly boring."


This book has been on my TBR book since I read
The Great Hedge of India: The Search for the Living Barrier that Divided a People. There's a fascinating section on the history of salt trading in this book.

[Petra]

What about the Hunger Games series? I was underwhelmed with The Hunger Games but, hating to not finish a series that isn't absolutely awful, I'm now listening to Catching Fire. Gracious! It's worse than The Hunger Games....at least so far. Here's hoping that things pick up.
I do like the idea of a Revolution and think the series should (and possibly is) about this but it's so far in the background as to be insignificant.
What is it about this slow-moving series that gets it such high reviews?

[Sasha]

Coincidentally, I just finished reading the sample first chapter of Hunger Games. Writing was a little clunky. But I do like the plot. (Although I liked it even better when it was called Battle Royale.)

[Rachel]

I have issues with the ends of both Hunger Games books, they're unbelievable which makes it hard to read the rest of the story. But I did enjoy them in their own way.

[JSou]

Liz wrote: "ok, i'm done lurking. you guys are funny. Hit me with your best shot. I just didnt get The Alchemist- in fact, most of the books i've read lately from the 1001 list of books to read b..."


Liz, ONE STAR for Cloud Atlas while Twilight gets FIVE?!?!? Oh. My. God. I hear the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse approaching.


;o)

[Sasha]

I'm sortof tempted to create a fake user and have him make the worst ratings imaginable just to see if I can get someone's head to explode. "The problem with Shakespeare is, not enough sparklevampires." But that would be an awful lot of work.

[Kaion]

Alex, don't feed your inner troll.

I'd settle for Shakespeare with action that occurs *onstage* rather than offstage.

To be fair, I think that plays should be performed, not read.

[Heather]

Alex wrote: "I'm sortof tempted to create a fake user and have him make the worst ratings imaginable just to see if I can get someone's head to explode. "The problem with Shakespeare is, not enough sparklevamp..."

haha hilarious, love it!

I will have to say I didn't really see why everyone loved The Lovely Bones...several people recommended it to me and it was just 'eh'.

[Liz]

I didn't even finish Cloud Atlas, so HA!

[Carol]

I was tired traipsing all over Europe In The Di Vinci Code. It's like all right already enough with the traveling and dramatics.

[Juniper]

Hey!

Okay, so I am prepared to get thrown under the bus but I have to put it out there - Gabriel García Márquez and his novel One Hundred Years of Solitude.

I read this book two years ago, finally, after hearing about it for many, many years and constantly seeing it on people's lists of "all time super-bestest books ever" and such.

I loathed it in its entirety and wonder if my expectations were too high going in and opinion forming was tainted or if I'm just thick (which I'm not, lol!!)

I'm ready for your worst-ish. :D

[Kari]

Jennifer, if you get thrown under the bus for that book, then I will gladly join you. I hated One Hundred Years of Solitude. I didn't have super high expectations going into it, but I don't think even negative expectations would have helped me get through it any better.

[Julie]

Well....goodreads defines 5 stars as "it was amazing" (that's what it says if you hover your mouse over it) and to me "It was amazing" means I was totally blown away by it, couldn't put it down AND wanted to tell people about it without them asking. That feeling has not really happened with a book in a long time. I think maybe I have read too many books for that....that feeling usually comes with things I have not really experienced before. I haven't belonged to goodreads very long though. Maybe some day I'll change my mind and give a 5. :-)

[Carol]

Okay, so I am prepared to get thrown under the bus but I have to put it out there - Gabriel García Márquez and his novel One Hundred Years of Solitude.

That was not a good read for me. BORING, BORING ,BORING..

[Juniper]

Thank for the support Kari!! I found the book went on and on and on...there seemed to be a lot of filler and I thought it was a mess of a book. I should probably read something else by Gabriel García Márquez although, I am only judging this one book and not his whole body of work. I can't stand the thought though.

[Tanya (aka ListObsessedReader)]

Clare wrote: "Hey Tanya,
I'm sure you'll find something to tease. I didn't really like the young girl's part of the story, it seemed too thrown together and not as fleshed out as her father's and Professor Ros..."

Clare - I haven't actually written a review for it, thats another of my failings! haha I told myself I was going to write a review for everything I read.... I think I kept it up for maybe 5 reviews before I petered out... ah well..one day. But I did mention it as 'refreshing' in my earlier post

Stacey wrote: "I had a difficult time reading The Historian as well. I found that listening to it was MUCH better."

Stacey - Did you have any difficulty keeping track of whose point of view the story was comming from when you listened to it? It changes so much! Did the narrator vary the voices at all?

[Stacey]

Tanya - Not really. Although I listened to it on a road trip (5 hrs one way, 6 hrs on the way back) and I was by myself with driving as the only distraction (a rare treat!). I do not remember having any difficulty keeping track. The voices were varied, which helped immensely.

[Tanya (aka ListObsessedReader)]

Stacey wrote: "Tanya - Not really. Although I listened to it on a road trip (5 hrs one way, 6 hrs on the way back) and I was by myself with driving as the only distraction (a rare treat!). I do not remember hav..."

Ooh thats good to know. My library is purchasing an audio copy of it and I was thinking of borrowing it for my mum to listen to. Thanks!

[Kaion]

Stacey have you not read the Harry Potter books? I only ask because I'm used to seeing them at the top of every "compare books" page.