Zella Kate

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

2011-08-07T23:19:00.001-05:00

For the time being, life sucks for teenager Jacob Portman. Oh, sure, he comes from a wealthy Florida family and wants for nothing, but he's recently been depressed lately. And who wouldn't be? He found his eccentric grandfather viciously mauled to death by dogs. Problem is, Jacob knows his grandfather didn't die that way. His grandfather was actually killed by monsters, a reflection of the strange childhood the former used to tell Jacob about when he was younger, a childhood that involves a strange school on a secluded Welsh island that housed children who were invisible or capable of levitating. Of course, try telling the true story to anyone, and you get shipped off rather promptly to a shrink, which is exactly what happens to Jacob. Fortunately for his own peace of mind, he is able to connive a visit to the island his grandfather talked about to prove to himself whether or not the older man's stories had any basis in fact. There, he discovers that his grandfather's seemingly fictional tales are very real. . . .

I came across this unique young adult book while working at the library. One of my coworkers was reading about it on Amazon. We both were attracted to the creepy cover, so she ended up reading it. She told me the book wasn't spectacular but was undeniably weird. Naturally, I couldn't resist giving it a try. Ransom Riggs's Miss Peregrine's School For Peculiar Children is an uneven book with its share of flaws, but it is certainly unique and has enough good points that I recommend it.

After discussing this book with two other people who have read it, all three of us concurred that the best adjective for it is, ahem, "peculiar." It's not scary--Don't fear! This book will not give you nightmares--but it is certainly eerie. This haunting gothic atmopshere is exactly why I recommend it. The creepy gothic pictures that accompany the text play a substantial role in creating this atmosphere. In fact, even if this book isn't your cup of tea, I recommend checking it out just to look at the pictures, which range from levitating girls to creepy clown children. They are that good! Apparently, Riggs used actual old photos that he found in various collectors' stashes and then worked the images into the story. Overall, I thought he did a fairly good job of working random pictures into a a fairly cohesive plot. Occasionally, the plot did seem a little contrived--as if there were certain pictures that Riggs wanted to include just because they were so cool; thus, he added a related element in the story. Nevertheless, the effect more than makes up for this problem.

Personally, I had a bit of a hard time liking Jacob. Oh, he's not awful, not by any stretch of the imagination. He's just like every other somewhat sarcastic troubled YA hero I've met lately. I would have liked someone with a little more depth and individuality. The person he reminds me most of is Percy Jackson--more on that in a minute--but I found Percy a little more accessible. Jacob's first person narration is still pretty funny, though, and I don't necessarily have to like the protagonist to enjoy a book.

My only real complaint with the book is that about midway through, the story transitions from a good dark gothic horror/mystery story to a run-of-the-mill fantasy adventure, a la Percy Jackson. I like a good fantasy adventure, such as the aforementioned Percy Jackson series, but I was enjoying the gothic aspects of the story, so I felt a little cheated when the tone switched. To the book's credit, it's action-packed fantasy adventure with its own unique spin on the genre.

The ending leads me to believe that a sequel in the works, but I can't find anything to confirm that on the internet. I'm not sure the story is quite strong enough to generate a YA series, but I'll withhold judgment until I read any sequels. Riggs is certainly a creative writer with an eye for the eccentric, so I don't doubt that any follow-up would be equally as whimsical and strange . . . and feature just as many amazing photos! ^^

If you like gothic horror or are hankering for another fantasy adventure read now that Percy Jackson's series is at an end, I recommend Miss Peregrine's School For Peculiar Children. It's certainly not a book for everyone, but it has its charms, one being that it's a quirky fast-paced read, perfect for summer! At the very least, pick it up and skim the pictures. I kid you not--they are delightfully creepy.
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Next Time: I have no idea.
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This Week In Literary History: 5 August 1850: French writer Guy de Maupassant is born. Truth is, I've only read one of his stories--"The Necklace"--but it's such a good short story! You should definitely read it if you never have.

Unalive

2011-07-30T22:51:00.000-05:00

Remember a few months ago when I reviewed Cyrus Keith's Becoming NADIA and promised that a sequel was on the way? Well, here it is! :)

Six months have passed since Nadia realized that her world was nothing at all like what she had imagined. She is not a journalist, as she had supposed. In fact, she is nothing at all what she had supposed, and the reality of what she actually is is almost too much to fathom. The ensuing fallout causes her to take refuge in a remote cabin with Jon Daniels and his ragtag team of vigilantes, who are determined to keep Nadia safe from her pursuers, the menacing and mysterious Pinnacle. Unfortunately for them, the Pinnacle is not pleased with the stubborn defiance they've received from Nadia and her friends. And for that, the Pinnacle is determined to extract vengeance from everyone connected to Nadia. . . .

It is my great pleasure to review the second installment in Cyrus Keith's gripping The Nadia Project trilogy! (Also, a special thanks to Cyrus for being kind enough to send me an ARC! :)) I think one of the hardest books to successfully pull off is the second one in a trilogy. More often than not, the second book is little more than a bridge whose only function is to give the reader the background essential for the finale. I think boring second book syndrome is a form of book abuse, for such texts are unfairly deprived of their own plots or identities. Tis not fair! I have reluctantly slugged through many such a book for the sole purpose of being prepared for the third book. Keith has avoided falling into this trap and, in Unalive, delivered a sequel that is every bit as engaging and suspenseful as the original. And that's no mean feat, for Becoming NADIA is a superb sci fi thriller, in and of itself.

Unalive possesses many of the same attributes that made its predecessor a great read: a fast-paced plot, great complex characters, and deep themes about identity. One thing that I particularly noticed in this book was the skill with which Keith switched between several related but quite different subplots throughout the book. I love these kinds of stories, but I'll be the first to admit they are often confusing. I never found myself perplexed with Unalive because the transitions between the varying plot threads was seamless.

I also enjoyed the villains here. Not only did they become more fleshed-out as characters--especially the intriguing spitfire Jenna Paine--and their nefarious motives somewhat more clear, but they also became even more creepy in the process. I think the most disturbing thing about them is how they feel they're acting for "the greater good." One of my favorite C. S. Lewis quotes is "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive." I think that quote sums up the members of the Pinnacle rather nicely.

If you're a fan of spine-chilling thrillers or good science fiction or any combo of the two, I highly recommend Unalive. With its readable style and action-packed plot, you'll easily while away these last days of summer.

If you're interested in purchasing Unalive, you'll have to wait--but not too long! Only a few days. Go to MuseItUp Publishing's website for details about purchasing a copy. I will note that this book is a good story independent of its role in the trilogy; nevertheless, as with most sequels, you'll enjoy the book far more and follow the action much better if you've read the first book. Fortunately, that's easily done for the first book is immensely readable and easily acquired. I guarantee you that if you start Becoming NADIA within the next few days, you'll have it finished in time to read Unalive when it is released this Friday (August 5th).
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What's Next: Probably Ransom Riggs's Miss Peregrine's School For Peculiar Children. I have three words for you: creepy gothic pictures. ^^
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This Week In Literary History: 30 July 1818 On this day, Emily Bronte was born in England. Sadly, Bronte died at the age of thirty and authored only one book, which was roundly panned by then-contemporary critics as immoral. Happily for us, this maligned book is the gothic classic Wuthering Heights. I'm not a huge fan of happily ever after romances, so I suppose it's only natural--but twisted--that I enjoy this tale of Heathcliff and Cathy's tumultuous and dysfunctional relationship set amid the atmospheric Yorkshire moors. Personally, I have always envisioned Heathcliff as looking like Johnny Depp in Sweeney Todd. He'd be perfect for the role! Well, either him or Keith Richards, circa early 1970s. Think about it! Erm, on that note, I'm going to run away now. . . .

Looking For Alaska

2011-07-19T18:17:00.000-05:00

Miles Halter is prepared to depart from his home to attend the prestigious Culver Creek boarding school in Alabama. He is a peculiar teen with an obsession concerning the last words of famous people. However, his introverted world comes to a crashing halt once he arrives at Culver Creek and befriends a ragtag group of rebels, including his cocky roommate, the Colonel, and a quirky but troubled girl named Alaska. For the first time in his life, Miles has friends and truly lives life to the fullest. Alas, all of that soon comes to an end when a horrible tragedy strikes the boarding school. . . .

All right, I have something embarrassing to confess. I have had several people recommend John Green's Looking For Alaska to me, and--for whatever reason--I kept confusing this book with the movie Into The Wild, which I have never seen. Thus, I started it fully expecting the characters to eventually go trekking through the wilds of Alaska. I was about halfway through before I realized my mistake and felt like a complete goober. Regardless of my space cadetedness, I love a good coming-of-age story, and I enjoyed Looking For Alaska immensely. (What is about me and boarding school books?)

This story has the requisite number of quirky characters who engage in some crazy good adventures, always a bonus when dealing with a coming of age novel, but I think what sets this book apart from many is its protagonist and Green's witty narration. Miles is probably one of the most normal and non-dysfunctional main characters I've encountered in awhile, which is something I found refreshing. I like a good trainwreck character just as much as the next person, but I think some authors over-rely on tortured characters. Just because a character has issues doesn't mean the character is 3-dimensional. Green did a nice job of making Miles a complex but still believable and infinitely likable young man. The aforementioned narration was also a treat, one that frequently had me chuckling aloud. The random references to famous last words was also an, ahem, interesting touch. (I am now so obsessed with last words of famous people.)

As delightful as the book is, the basic premise is not really anything new. In fact, I sort of see this book as the plot of A Separate Peace narrated by a pre-Catcher in the Rye Holden Caulfield, before he gets bitter and hates phonies. Not necessarily is any of this bad, though. Green is a talented-enough writer that the book does not descend into triteness. Also, just a friendly FYI: I have read that several parents have complained to schools and libraries about this book because of the profanity and sexual content. Personally, I didn't find either one offensive--none of it was gratuitous, in my opinion--but I can see how some people may feel uncomfortable with it.

If you're looking for a fun read about the highs and lows of friendship or just want to meet some new fictional friends, I recommend Looking For Alaska. Just don't expect any of the characters to visit the state of Alaska. . . . *cough*
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Next Time: Erm, not sure yet.
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This Week In Literary History: This one is for my dear friend Penguins Quack. On 16 July 1951, J.D. Salinger's coming-of-age tale A Catcher in the Rye is published and becomes an instant classic. This book endlessly fascinates and frustrates me, though each time I read it, I like it more. I guarantee that you won't soon forget Holden.

The Historian

2011-07-10T23:17:00.000-05:00

History grad student Paul has a relatively mundane life, which is sort of a given when you're working on a doctoral thesis about Dutch merchants in the 17th century. Nevertheless, as often happens in novels, his life--and the danger quotient involved in it--changes drastically after he finds an unusual book that may be connected to the infamous Transvylanian ruler Vlad Tepes, better known to millions as Dracula. Paul's discovery triggers a desperate hunt throughout 1950s Eastern Europe for further information on the deadly, mysterious Tepes, with the former accompanied by a mysterious anthrolpology student named Helen and a ragtag team of scholars that he meets along the way.

I've been meanming to read Elizabeth Kostova's mammoth debut novel, The Historian, for quite some time. I've had several people recommend it to me. The description that usually accompanies it is "This is a real vampire novel, unlike Twilight." I'm not entirely sure I'd characterize this novel as the next best thing in vampire literature--I'm a diehard Bram Stoker fan--and I did find Kostova's book a bit uneven and flawed, but, nevertheless, I still enjoyed it.

Kostova uses letters and diary entires to relate much of her story, much as Stoker did in Dracula. I enjoy this approach to literature, and, overall, I think Kostova did a good job of pulling it off. The story flowed fairly well, though I did notice that her characters lacked tonal variety. All of their letters sounded as if the same person wrote them. They all also share the somewhat unnerving tendency of writing long, detailed letters to each other, even when the letterwriter is in mortal danger or just a bit of a hurry. One thing that Kostova excelled at, in my opinion, was her description of the many settings that the characters encounter in their travels. She has a knack for creating atmosphere, and, having just returned from Europe myself, I enjoyed the way she recreated locales from across the continent. The fact that the main characters were historians and spent a considerable amount of time in archives and libraries also did my nerdy heart good. I found Paul and Helen to be fairly likable protagonists--yay for nerds!--though I think my favorite character has to be a vampire librarian that pursue the pair. (He's the inspiration for my tweet a few weeks ago that read "I VANT TO SORT YOUR BOOKS!" Ahem, pray tell, why are you staring at me?)

As much as I enjoyed Paul and Helen, I had trouble liking Paul's daughter, whose story occurs is intersected with his adventure with Helen. She just struck me as completely devoid of any individuality or distinguishing characteristics. Fortunately, her story was subordinate to Paul's and Helen's, so that subplot, though it formed a sizeable portion of the book, wasn't too distracting for me. My biggest problem with the novel is some of the plotting. I think Kostova did a nice job of maintaining my interest through 640 pages--no small feat--but sometimes she took the easy way out and relied on contrivances and coincidences to advance the story. I'm sorry, but the characters acknowledging that their highly unlikely and fortuitous meeting that garned them lots of wonderful information about Dracula was a coincidence doesn't make the meeting any less of a coincidence that smacks of lazy plotting, especially when that formula is repeated throughout the story. There was also one particular aspect of the ending that bugged me as a bit too far-fetched. (I refuse to reveal it here to avoid spoilers. If you've read The Historian and want to argue or commiserate with me, PM me. I'll force you to hear me whine digitally. ^^)

I have seen discussions of the book where readers have complained that Dracula, in the book, is not scary. I agree with that description of him, but I don't necessarily see it as a flaw. He is creepy and a bit eerie, which is what Kostova intended according to interviews she's given, but he's also a bit more complex than how he's usually portrayed, something that I enjoyed.

I'm hesitate to unequivocally recommend this book, for the reasons I mentioned above, but I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy this read. If you can look past some of the flaws, you'll find a nerdy adventure with some creepy overtones and an inventive take on the Dracula story.
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Next Time: I have no idea. Consider it a delightful--or not so delightful--surprise.

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This Week In Literary History: 9 July 1918: William Faulkner, one of my absolute favorite authors, joins the RAF to fight in WWI, though he didn't finish training in time to see combat. The war shaped literature and society for the next couple of decades, as people tried to cope with the fallout of a modern war, especially the truly horrifying number of casualties. In fact, as evidence of the widespread impact of the war, just the day before Faulkner joined, his future rival Hemingway was wounded severely on the Italian front.

Maus

2011-07-02T22:58:00.000-05:00

All right, I am thoroughly ashamed of myself for not having posted for so long. My excuse--that I have been busy--is insufficient. Please forgive me! *pleads for mercy* I would like to try to post book reviews regularly until I go back to school. That's all I'll guarantee for now.

I usually review books with chapters on my book blog--a bit of a no-brainer there, right?--but today I am going to review a comic book instead. Why? Because Art Spiegelman's inventive, disturbing memoir/family history Maus is just that good. I have long wanted to read this Pulitzer Prize-winning comic book, ever since I heard about it in my freshman English Comp 2 class, but I never had a chance to until this past spring semester when my awesome roommate gave me a copy because she knows I like history.

As I have discussed at length on this blog before, World War II is one of my obsessions and, as someone who is part Jewish, the Holocaust is a subject that simultaneously fascinates and repulses me. I've read a lot of great Holocaust memoirs, but I have never read one quite like Maus, in which Spiegelman records his father Vladek's survival during the Holocaust, chronicling his often troubled relationship with his father some thirty years after the war as Art interviews Vladek about his experiences.

Rather than Art, who is a cartoonist, merely drawing his father and the other characters as realistically as possible, Spiegelman opts instead to draw the Jews as mice and the Nazis, as well as other Germans, as cats. The animal theme is carried over even further with the Poles as pigs, French as frogs, and Americans as dogs. The result is surreal and unnerving but also a bit more accessible than other Holocaust stories precisely because even though you know you're reading about something that actually happened, you're not faced with seeing human characters in those situations. The fantastical element does nothing to diminish the tragedy. In addition, the plot itself is gripping--I couldn't put the book down, even though I knew I had to be up at 5:30 the next morning for work.

I think what elevates Maus above other comic books, besides the somber subject matter, is the quality of the artwork and the depth of the characters. Even though the characters are all drawn as animals, their mannerisms are all too human and Spiegelman does a great job of portraying that. In addition, if you look closely, there's usually something happening in the background, whether it's funny, quirky, or sad. That attention to detail is exactly one of the reasons why I enjoyed this book so much. My inner English major likes to search for minute detail. . . .

Though Spiegelman makes his father and himself the subject of the Maus, he makes no effort to whitewash either of them. Sometimes his elderly father comes off as cantakerous and petty, though he also proves himself to be kind and clever. Art even draws himself as impatient with his father and unwilling to humor him. As you read Maus, you realize that the book is just as much a form of therapy for Art as it is a tale of his father's survival. It is my humble opinion that many artists and writers who embark on such a project often end up letting their emotions and close personal ties to the story overwhelm the piece and compromise its quality in the process. Not so with Maus. Art's central role in the story only adds to its complexity--and its complexity is exactly what puts this comic book leagues ahead of others like it.

If you're looking for a bit of variety in your reading list, add Maus. This book is one of the best, most inventive, and most haunting I've read in a long time. I think everyone should read Maus once.
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Next Time: Probably Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian. I make no promises, though.
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This Week In Literary History: 30 June 1936: Margaret Mitchell's Civil War epic Gone With The Wind is published. All right, confession time. I have actually never read this novel, but I have watched the 1939 Oscar-winning film adaptation, and I enjoyed it. That counts for something, right? RIGHT? Ahem. Anyway, this one is on my to-read list.

Becoming NADIA

2011-03-26T20:27:00.001-05:00

Dear readers, my apologies for being away from Blogger for so long. Apparently, if you take four literature classes in one semester, you will have plenty of reading material but no time to blog about said reading. *deep sigh* To make up for my utter neglect of my blog, I have a special treat for all of you this week--a review of a superb novel that will be released next month. Are we even? ^^

When Nadia Velasquez wakes up from a coma that lasted three years, she is in remarkably good shape, all things considered. Nevertheless, her past life remains a hazy mystery to her. She only knows what her doctors and friends tell her about herself--that she was a respected journalist who was severely injured when her interview with the Nigerian president was interrupted by a devastating bomb. She works to regain her life but can't shake the feeling that everyone is concealing something from her. A chance encounter with a man named Jon, a stranger who she just knows is no stranger, confirms her suspicions but also places them both in danger because her pursuers will stop at nothing to prevent anyone from finding out the truth about Nadia's past.

Becoming NADIA is author Cyrus Keith's debut novel and the first in his The NADIA Project trilogy. (A special thank you to Cyrus for sending me an ARC to review!) I am not as familiar with science fiction as I would like to be, so this fast-paced sci fi thriller was a great introduction to the genre. And when I say fast-paced, I do mean fast-paced. From the moment Nadia opens her eyes in her hospital room to the final page, the plot is rife with suspense, surprises, and twists and turns. I love a good chase scene, and much of the novel is a protracted chase between Nadia and her enemies. Even better, the chapters rotate between focusing on Nadia and Jon and focusing on those who are chasing her. As a result, the dramatic tension mounts even more as you wait for the inevitable moment when everyone comes together. I think this structure is far more effective than if the story had just been told through Nadia's POV and the audience kept in the dark concerning the other characters.

Nadia herself is a likable character, and this factor, in addition to the engaging plot, is why I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning reading Becoming NADIA. As a general rule, I am often more critical of female protagonists just because I feel that, more often than not, they are usually not given as complex of personalities as their male counterparts. I liked the fact that Nadia is far from perfect but still remains a character you want to root for. It also certainly doesn't hurt that she's facing off against some of the most sinister villains I've encountered for awhile in a book. The remaining cast of characters are all also well-crafted, with my personal favorite being snarky, nebbishy computer hacker Bunny Kalinsky. Ah, we nerds must stick together.

Though Becoming NADIA certainly is a great read just on the basis of the suspenseful plot and realistic characters, what sets this book apart from others is its philosophical depth. The book raises several intriguing questions about the nature of identity and memory that I found compelling. Nadia and her allies' struggles to reconcile these issues with the reality of their situation adds a further touch of meat to this book but without ever bogging the action down.

This book is an excellent thriller with impeccable pacing and believable characters. I highly recommend it. However, I must warn you, if you read Becoming NADIA, plan on reading the rest of the series when those books are released because you will be hooked! Becoming NADIA will be available as an e-book from Museitup Publishing next month. You can order a copy and read an excerpt here. You can learn more about author Cyrus Keith here.

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Next Time: *stares into magic eight ball* I am going to go out a limb here and predict that I'm not going to be able to do another review until this semester ends in May. I'm sorry! I wish it were not so! I do have a review of Art Spiegelman's Maus almost finished, and if I get a chance to finish it, I might try to post that between now and May. If not, I should be able to resume regular book blogging in May after this semester is over. Thanks to all of you for your patience!

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This Week in Literary History: 26 March 1920 F. Scott Fitzgerald publishes his first book, This Side of Paradise. Though the book turned Fitzgerald into an overnight success, he didn't truly make his mark on American literary history until he wrote his classic The Great Gatsby five years later. I love The Great Gatsby, primarily because I am obsessed with all things 1920s and adore Fitzgerald's eloquent style, but I'm also quite fond of some of Fitzgerald's short stories that he wrote later in life. After living through years of fame, decadence, and heartache, Fitzgerald descended further into alcoholism, but his writing style matured in the process. At the very least, humor me and read "Babylon Revisited."

A Streetcar Named Desire

2011-01-21T20:23:00.000-06:00

Blanche DuBois has problems, to put it mildly. She has lost her beloved Mississippi plantation Belle Reve and is now forced to live in squalor in New Orleans' French Quarter with her younger sister Stella and Stella's brutal, animalistic husband Stanley Kowalski. The fragile Blanche, who has a tenuous grasp on reality as is, is determined to make her surroundings as refined as possible, though she soon learns that doing so while sharing living quarters with the uncouth Stanley is nearly impossible. Things soon degenerate as Blanche and Stanley become locked in a battle of wills against each other, with Stella trapped in the middle. Then, Stanley learns perhaps why his flighty, neurotic sister-in-law lost Belle Reve and is prepared to stop at nothing to gain the upper hand over her. And when I say stop nothing, I do mean nothing . . .

A Streetcar Named Desire is one of my favorite plays. Some of you may recall that back in 2009, I debated for a long time over whether or not to review this play or playwright Tennessee Williams' other masterpiece The Glass Menagerie. I ultimately decided on The Glass Menagerie, but I reread Streetcar for my American Lit 2 class last semester and SweetTart-Girl asked me if I'd do a review, seeing as she'll be studying it this semester in one of her classes. *Zella waves magic wand and grants wish because she fancies herself as a book genie* :D

This play is a masterpiece of dramatic tension, as Blanche and Stanley face off constantly over every petty scenario known to man. I think the tension rings true just because it is so realistic. Even if your family does get along well, who hasn't had a family argument turn nuclear over something inanely stupid? Despite Williams' effective use of tension, this play is still primarily a character-centric work, not plot-driven. All of the characters, except for maybe Blanche's potential love interest Mitch, are grotesque and troubled. It's hard to find one character to unequivocally root for, which is why I think some readers dislike the play. Even though Blanche is the main character and is quite pathetic, she's far from a traditional heroine. I like complex characters, so for me, the fact that there is no clear-cut good guy (though Williams clearly intends for us to sympathize with Blanche, even if we don't understand or agree with her) is a plus.

I am a hug fan of reading plays, but plays were still written with the intention of being performed. Soooo . . . your Streetcar experience will not be complete unless you watch the 1951 film version with Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh. You must watch this one! Brando originated the part of Stanley on stage. It's what made him contender! I am making you an offer you can't refuse! Who me? An obsessive Brando fan? Erm . . . maybe. (Bonus points if you recognized the two Brando quotes in this paragraph.) But the original film version is easily the best, if not just because all of the actors are so good. I will warn you that even though the film version stays remarkably close to the play, the ending was changed to appease movie censors, who demanded that the bleak tragedy had to have some redeeming value.

If you're looking for complex characters and an intense story line, definitely read A Streetcar Named Desire. This play is one of the most famous written in the past sixty years . . . and for good reason, in my opinion. Not to mention that reading it is the perfect excuse to indulge in a Brando marathon afterwards. ^^

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Next Time: Art Spiegelman's Maus.

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This Week in Literary History: 27 January 1302 Political enemies exile Dante Alighiere from Florence. Though this may have seemed like a bad thing for Dante at the time, his banishment ended up being a good thing for literary history, for he wrote his masterpiece The Divine Comedy during this period.

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Announcements: I dole out some blogging awards on my second blog, so stop by. You may have an award waiting for you. :)

The Green Mile

2011-01-08T14:37:00.000-06:00

As the top prison guard on Louisiana's Cold Mountain Penitentiary's death row in the 1930s, Paul Edgecome saw some strange things . . . most of them disturbing, some of them amusing, and one thing that was amazing: John Coffey. Edgecombe initially has little sympathy for Coffey, a towering African American convicted of a horrible double murder. Truthfully, Edgecombe has little time to worry about Coffey. Between a painful medical condition and contending with a petulant well-connected colleague named Percy Whetmore, Edgecombe has enough to contend with. But then Edgecombe learns of Coffey's secret gift, a revelation that leads Edgecombe to suspect that the gentle giant is not at all guilty of the crime he was accused of committing. And that's when things get interesting. ^^

I am a bit ashamed to admit this, but I had never read any Stephen King before reading The Green Mile. I know, I know. See . . . I have really enjoyed a lot of Stephen King movies and some of his essays on writing and wanted to read his books, but I never got around to it. Shortly before I left home a few months ago, I saw a copy of this book for sale at the library. I loved the film version of this story, so I reasoned the book would be just as good . . . if not better. And, indeed, for the most part, it was.

King builds an intriguing plot that delves into the nature of friendship and the realm of the supernatural in a manner that is haunting but not necessarily scary. Though I had watched the movie and was aware of the plot, King's story was so engrossing I was anxious and tense while reading it despite knowing what happens. Even more importantly, it's heartwarming in a creepy sort of way. If the end doesn't have you a little misty-eyed, there's something wrong with you. *dabs eyes* The cast is colorful and memorable. Edgecombe himself is a likeable protagonist, though he does get a bit overshadowed by the larger-than-life Coffey. Kudos to King for creating an absolutely heinous antagonist in Percy. I wanted to beat him with a rubber hose . . . repeatedly and with much malice.

My only problem is that since this is a novel set in the Depression-era Deep South, I was expecting more atmopshere from that period and era. Edgecombe's narration is compelling and engaging, but I never could shake the fact that the voice sounded like a moden middle-aged guy *looks at King* and not an elderly man reminsicing about his past. And, no offense to native New Englander King, but the narration also lacked a certain Southern quality, as well. Some of the dialogue and narration sounded off to my Southern ear. (Yes, I am petty. I am the Queen of Petty. Nay, I am the Empress of NitPicky and the Duchess of Overbearing Attention to Detail. Bow before me. ^^) This didn't detract seriously from the story, but as a reader who relishes atmosphere--and is passionate about Southern fiction--I didn't find the atmopshere convincing. That being said, the plot and characters more than made up for this.

The Green Mile is a bittersweet exploration of faith, fate, and sacrifice. The powerfully evocative plot is the main draw, but the complex characters also add to this superb novel. If you like supernatural fare that is not ghoulish, give this book a read. I definitely am adding more King to my reading list. Misery being next. ^^

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Next week: Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire

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This Week in Literary History:

12 January 1876: American writer Jack London is born. Most people are familiar with London's gritty, naturalistic survival novels set in Alaska, specifically White Fang--which I am going to reread in one of my American lit classes this semester--and Call of the Wild, but I highly recommend his, ahem, chilling short story "To Build A Fire." I dare you to read it and not feel bone-numbingly cold afterward. :D

Dubliners

2010-12-31T01:53:00.000-06:00

I'm very ashamed of myself for taking this long to update. *peers around, desperately looking for a fitting distraction* Look! My first ever review of a short story collection! :D

In my Foundations of Literary Studies class, we were assigned to read James Joyce's novella "The Dead," which is featured in his collection Dubliners. I thoroughly enjoyed "The Dead," so I decided to read Dubliners over my Christmas break. I love short story collections, and Dubliners by far is one of the best I have ever read. I consider it the literary equivalent of a concept album, for each story is united by a common theme of social, psychological, and personal paralysis afflicting Dubliners of all ages. Joyce himself was terrified of the prospect of ending up like these characters--jaded and internally suffocating--and listed this fear as one of the reasons he fled Ireland. I think Joyce's strong feelings about the subject, justified or not, is exactly the reason why these stories are so powerful.

The fifteen short stories are divided up in four sections that span childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and public life. Most of the story lines are fairly commonplace--unrequited love, jealousy, and inferiority complexes. But, if you're even the slightest bit familiar with any of Joyce's work, you'll know that you don't read Joyce for plot. Joyce is a genius at creating complex characters and evocative atmosphere and absolutely gorgeous prose. And those three things are exactly what stand out so much about these short stories. Even if you've read a hundred stories about someone in a relationship with commitment issues, I dare say Joyce's "Eveline" will be the most exquisitely crafted one you'll ever read. That being said, as much as I liked the stories about children and teens, the aforementioned "Eveline" and "Araby" being my two favorites from those sections, I think the latter stories about adults and public life are the most memorable. My three favorites are "Little Cloud," a riveting tale of frustration and friendship; "A Painful Case," a heartbreaking story that relates the doomed relationship of lonely bank clerk and closet socialist Duffy and the wife of a sea captain; and "The Dead," the novella that chronicles painfully awkward intellectual Gabriel Conroy's night at his aunt's party, which leads to a startling revelation about Gabriel's own wife.

As you're reading this review,you may be thinking, "Ahem, Zella, it's all fine and good that you want to read dreary stories about sad people in Ireland, but I don't need to read a whole book full of it." I can understand that. The stories are certainly sad--a book devoted to the study of figurative paralysis isn't exactly a pick-me-up read. And because of the emphasis on character and atmosphere, the pacing is measured and the stories can seem a bit anti-climactic, if the endings aren't flat-out sorrowful or shocking. I know that type of fiction isn't for everyone. In that case, perhaps just read "The Dead," easily the most famous of the selections in Dubliners. The story is full of the superb characterization, atmosphere, and wordsmithing that is a hallmark of the other stories and is perhaps the most blatant in its portrayal of paralysis. The final paragraph is one of the most analyzed in all of literature. Regardless of whether you want to delve into the text that deeply--though it actually is fun! No, really! Don't glare at me and curse English majors under your breath--Joyce's beautiful prose, which there are not enough adjectives to adequately praise, is well on display here.

If you're looking for some meaty reading this holidays, give Dubliners a read. This selection is probably one of the more accessible of Joyce's works. If you want to sample Joyce but would prefer not to read through the whole book, at least give "The Dead" a chance.

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Announcements: I am so, so, so, so sorry for not having posted a book review in three months. Things have been crazy lately, but I would like to return to posting regularly, if not weekly, in 2011. Next semester, I am taking four literature classes *gulp* and I am going to have a slightly easier work-study job, so maybe I'll be able to keep up better than this semester.

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This Week in Literary History: 29 December 1916: This ties in so well with my review today, but on this date in history, James Joyce published his novel Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man. Though Dubliners was published in 1914, this novel is the one that brought him fame. Of course, Joyce being Joyce, he followed this success with his landmark stream-of-consciousness novels Ulysses, which was censored for years after publication, and Finnegans Wake, which is widely considered one of the most difficult novels in the English language.

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Next Week: Probably a review of Stephen King's The Green Mile.

I Am The Messenger

2010-09-15T22:42:00.001-05:00

I am sooooo sorry for being gone for so long! Forgive me!

Ed Kennedy's life is, well, rather bland. He works as a cabbie and hangs out with his fellow deadbeat friends. He's madly in love with his best friend, Audrey, and his mother despises him. Poor Ed. Then Ed thwarts a bank robbery and gains his fifteen minutes of fame. Shortly thereafter he begins receiving playing cards with times and addresses on them. Ed soon realizes that each time and address represent a task he must complete, sometimes of the good-hearted kindness to random stranger nature but also sometimes vigilante-type actions, and simply not cooperating is not an option, as Ed learns the hard way. Ed's missions, which he at first undertakes reluctantly, soon turn into an obsession and, ultimately, a life-changing experience.

After reading Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, I wanted to read more of his work and Penguins recommended I am the Messenger, originally published as The Messenger in Zusak's (and Penguins'!) native Australia. The Book Thief, which is one of my absolute favorite books ever, is a hard act to follow, but this novel, which was written before The Book Thief, was just as engaging and captivating. Thanks for another stellar recommendation, Penguins! Zusak has a knack for mining humor from situations that are not even remotely funny. The bank robbery that opens the book is hilarious, and gems of offbeat humor are scattered throughout the novel. Ed, the narrator, is a likable soul whose sarcastic narration adds much to the novel, but, even more importantly, he's believable. His reactions to being in his situation are logical and fit his personality. Most vigilante tales, which is sort of what I am the Messenger is though not exactly, feature an ordinary person who morphs into a larger than life superhero overnight. Not Ed. He's scared and confused and wants no part in what he's being asked to do. I have read quite a few books with the proverbial unwilling hero, but few are as realistic as Ed in their motivations and actions. Though the book is entertaining, it is also thought-provoking and much like The Book Thief, heartwarming without being sappy. This book didn't make me sob uncontrollably like The Book Thief--it's not quite as heartbreaking--though it does have its moments of brief sorrow.

I will admit the ending of the book did initially rattle me. It's not that I didn't buy it so much as I had to think about it before I eventually came to my own rationalization of it, which likely is not correct. Then again, the ending is not nearly what this book is about so much as the journey, so it's small issue.

I really like Markus Zusak's work. The two books I have read by him both feature complex sympathetic characters, offbeat stories, profound messages, humor, and a distinctive readable style. I am the Messenger is not as depressing as The Book Thief, but it possesses the same magical infusion of fantastical elements into reality. If you like inspirational reads that are free of sappy Hallmark crap, definitely read this book.

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P.S. I would be remiss to not add, though, that if you're turned off by profanity, you should be aware that this book is chock-full of it. The language didn't offend me because I thought it was essential to the story. I mean, these kids are slum kids, after all--they're not going to sound like saints. But I feel it is my duty to warn my younger readers, lest their parents tar and feather me for a book recommendation.

Next Week: Stephen King's The Green Mile

Also, I need to apologize for not keeping up with comments (on both of my blogs). I am terribly sorry if I do not post a prompt response to your comment, but I will respond as soon as I can. I love reading your comments and I do read (and enjoy) every single one. It's just sometimes it's a couple of days before I have time to sit down and type up a response. Don't let that stop you from commenting! I will not ignore you! :)

Just one more announcement before I get to my trivia section: I am now settled in at my new college and am really enjoying myself. I love being a history and English major. Most of my homework is my two favorite things: reading and writing. Yeehaw! However, this also means I do a lot of reading and writing. Reading and writing that sometimes deprive me of pleasure reading. *sniffle* So . . . if you get a glut of reviews of classic novels from me in the next couple of months, it's because I am reduced to blogging my assigned reading. (And I think you guys would prefer classic lit. reviews over reviews about the academic books I am reading on the Russian Revolution. Unless you are a fellow history geek, then I would be more than happy to recommend Russian history books. ^^) But I will try my best to mix it up with more contemporary and genre fiction. :)

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This Week in Literary History: 15 September 1890. British mystery writer Dame Agatha Christie is born in Devon, England. If you know me, you know I adore Agatha Christie! In fact, my very first blog post was a list of my favorite Agatha Christie novels. At the very least, read the first four on that list. They are all superb witty mysteries full of twists and turns and are not too scary. They're perfect brainteasers. :D

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

2010-08-08T23:53:00.003-05:00

Arthur Dent is having an exceptionally crappy day. First, his house is going to be bulldozed to make way for a new highway and his impromptu protest is having mixed results. Then, his quirky friend Ford pulls him away to the pub because the unemployed actor has something of great importance to tell Arthur. And, then, Ford tells him that the world is going to end in a matter of minutes--undercover aliens like Ford sort of get a hands up on these kinds of announcements. And then Arthur finds himself on a bizarre outer space adventure with Ford, a two-headed politician named Zaphod, a rather attractive scientist named Tracy who found Arthur quite boring at a party six months earlier, and a chronically glum robot named Marvin the Paranoid Android on a quest for a lost planet while aboard the Heart of Gold, a magnificent spacecraft gained by somewhat illegal means and powered by the Improbability Drive.

Several times on this blog--and in chats--I have lamented my lack of knowledge of the hard sci fi genre. I like sci fi, but most of my readings in the genre have been in dystopian sci fi. My familiarity with sci fi tales sporting aliens and space ships is sadly limited. To remedy this, my good friend Scott, an avid classic sci fi reader, has recommended several sci fi books to me, chief of which is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the premier sci fi comedy book. I mentioned blogging it last week and was pleased when Serena and Penguins commented on how much they love the book. As always has happened with book suggestions I get from my readers, I was not disappointed. I loved this book and can't believe I have lived 21 years without reading it. *beats head with book* Thanks to all of you!

First and foremost, this book is just flat-out, laugh out loud funny. Though I had moments that were my favorites--the Vogon poetry reading, the mouse experiments *wink wink*, and the police shootout--the whole book was full of delightfully weird characters, silly situations, and witty deadpan narration that reminded me very much of both Terry Pratchett and Jasper Fforde, two of my favorite writers. I also adored the absurdity of so much of the story. I was trying to remember where I had heard Adams' name before and was not too surprised when I flipped the book open and read his bio, which notes that he wrote for Monty Python. This book reminds me very much of Monty Python with the zany verbal exchanges and frequent use of irony.

One thing I particularly loved--and I'm not sure how much sense this is going to make, but here we go--is how Adams embraces the novel's insanity and runs with it. I've read several books where the author creates an interesting world but then tries to smooth over any reader disbelief by adding convoluted "logic" to back up the plot and any deviations from the real world. Adams, on the other hand, never relies on this, which more often than not backfires. Adams makes no attempts to logically explain away the craziness that's going on and that actually makes the novel even more enjoyable than if he had tried the alternative.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is the perfect end-of-summer read. Its wildly inventive world will appeal to sci fans and the hilarious plot and narration will delight humor fans, especially for those who are fond of absurdist British humor. Penguins has told me that after finishing this one, I'll have to read the whole series. Indeed! :D
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This Week in Literary History:
4 August 1792: Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley is born in Sussex, England. A talented poet--and born rebel--Shelley was kicked out of Oxford, famously ditched his wife for Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, and drowned in a boating accident at the age of 29. Along the way he wrote some outstanding poetry, of which "Ode to the West Wind" and "Stanzas Written in Dejection" are some of my personal favorites. I also highly recommend his fascinating prose treatise "A Defense of Poetry" in which Shelley reiterates the need for poetry and provides what may have been a defense of his own notoriously tumultuous personal life in the process. I must admit, for years I was more of a fan of Shelley's wife, Mary--I adore her classic Frankenstein--but as I have gotten older, I have learned to appreciate Shelley's work, as well.

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Somewhat Important Announcement: This pains me to write, but I'm going to have to take a break from Blogger for the next few weeks. I don't want to! *nerd tantrum* But I am leaving on Friday for my new college's one week long orientation. Judging by the schedule, my internet time will be extremely limited, as will my reading time. After that, I am going to be carrying a full class schedule at a new school, working a new job, and living in a new residence. I don't want to make promises that I can't keep or post substandard posts, so I think I'm just going to take a little break and resume blogging in early September around Labor Day after I get adjusted to my new life. I'll be around until about Thursday--and plan to post a final post on my other blog later this week--so I should be able to respond to comments until then. Likewise, if you don't see me here on Blogger or Sparknotes or Critique Circle or Facebook or Twitter until early September, don't freak! I am not ignoring you and I have not been abducted by mutant giraffes bent on world domination. I will try my best to keep up with PMs and my e-mail, but it may take me a few days to get to it. I am going to miss all of you so much! But I am not abandoning you. I already have some reviews in the works, namely Markus Zusak's I Am the Messenger--a suggestion from Penguins. :D

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A Somewhat Less Important But Less Solemn Announcement: My more observant readers--those of you who looked at the upper right hand corner today--may have noticed that I added two Goodreads widgets. (I stole the idea from Lucy and Bruce and needed help to do it from Windsong. :D) Now all of the books I have most recently read--along with how many stars I give each one--will be on the first widget, and the books on my immediate to be read list will be on the second one. In case you're wondering, yes, I most certainly joined a website just because I wanted awesome book widgets. (Hence, I was slightly disappointed when I uploaded all of the books I've read this year to the site only to find that only a third of them were displayed on my widget. Poor me.) Regardless, I like the site and I love the widgets! If you have a Goodreads profile, feel free to friend me on the site, though, as with my other internet playgrounds, I may not be active until September.

See all of you in a few weeks! *waves* :)

The Poisoner's Handbook

2010-08-01T23:26:00.001-05:00

This week I was filing a book away in my library's true crime section when the title A Poisoner's Handbook caught my eye. I am a bit ashamed to say that my first thought was "Oh my God! We have a book on poisoning people!" and, as a consequence, I couldn't resist picking it up. (In my defense, I am not plotting to poison anyone's tea. I am merely stumped on a short story I have been working on for quite some time, in which poisoning plays a vital role to the plot. And I'm a little morbid, but that's a different story . . . ) As I thumbed through the book--rather than filing the other books I should have been attending to--I quickly saw that, no, this book is not a literal handbook for would-be poisoners. Author Deborah Blum does one better. She relates the strangely engrossing saga of forensic science in the 1920s New York City, as NYC's first medical examiner, Charles Norris, and his brilliant toxicologist, Alexander Gettler, transformed forensics from a little understood discipline to a highly respected science crucial to crime investigation.

In the 1910s, NYC's coroner's office was a joke. In one disturbing anecdote, Blum relates that a corpse found holding a gun and sporting an obvious gunshot wound to the mouth was declared dead as a result of a "rupture of thoracic aneurysm." Um, right. But this isn't too surprising, seeing as one didn't even have to be a physician to be a coroner at the time. Coroners ranged from carpenters to milkmen, while many of those who did hold medical degrees were incompetent. But the aristocratic Norris, a Yale graduate, cleaned up the department when he took over in 1918 and turned the city's pathology department into one of the best in the country. Alexander Gettler, the son of poor Hungarian Jewish immigrants, pioneered toxicology research during his tenure as the department's chemist. Along the way, Norris and Gettler's work helped solve crimes, paved the way for industrial safety standards, and provided a blueprint for other pathology departments across the nation.

The Poisoner's Handbook is a fascinating blend of science, true crime, and history that brings Jazz Age New York City to life. I have always been fascinated by true crime, as far back as I can remember, and one of my favorite historical periods is the Roaring Twenties, so I naturally enjoyed the cases Blum presents and the evocative description of the era. And as someone who finds medicine and pathology interesting, despite possessing a severe science handicap, I enjoyed the explanations of how different poisons work. One thing I did not expect to enjoy--let alone understand--was the explanations of the chemical compositions of poisons. I mean, I am Zella "Chemistry hates me and beat me up and called me names and stole my lunch" Kate. Chemistry and I are not good friends. But Blum's descriptions of the chemical nature of poisons was straightforward and fairly easy to comprehend, so I didn't mind reading them.

However, for me, the true draw was the colorful characters. Though I was familiar with a few of these cases--including the bizarre story of Michael "The Durable" Malloy, a homeless alcoholic who survived over thirty murder attempts when a group of his acquaintances decided to kill him for his meager insurance money, and the pathetic case of Ruth Snyder and Judd Gray, who conspired to murder Ruth's husband so they could be together, and inspired two of James M. Cain's most famous novels as a result of their inept murder plot--most of these cases were ones I was unfamiliar with, and not all of them were tales of vindictive or greedy poisoners. In fact, quite a few of the tales involve accidental poisonings, which were alarmingly common in a time when everyday household products had ingredients like cyanide and arsenic, and alcohol-related poisonings that were caused by drinkers indulging in industrial products for their alcohol content to dodge Prohibition.

I enjoyed this highly original book very much, but I will say the book's structure takes some getting used to. Each chapter is devoted to a specific poison and a specific point in chronological time in the department's history. (Hence, chapter 5 deals with mercury and the years 1923-1925). For the most part, I thought the author did a great job of chronicling Norris and Gettler's work while balancing it with a specific poison's profile and related true crime cases, but sometimes a few of the stories seemed a bit random at first read, though they always did tie together in the end. I didn't find the structure distracting--in fact, I was impressed with Blum's skill in juggling so many story lines so thoroughly and so seamlessly--but I can see how some readers may find this approach frustrating. Also, I am not a science person by any stretch of the imagination, but I was reading on a forum that there are a few minor errors in the book, like with measurement conversions. But I am not sure how qualified the people posting those comments were, so I'd love to hear what my more scientifically-minded reader think.

If you're interested in history, crime, and science--or any combination of them--you'll probably enjoy this intriguing tale of poison in the Big Apple. After reading this one, I want to see a CSI: 1920s New York edition. :D

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Announcement: As some of you already know, I celebrated my one year blogiversary on my second blog earlier this week. Feel free to stop by and partake in e-cookies, which I swear are absolutely 100% poison-free. :D

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Next Week: Not sure. I'd like to blog Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which I promised Scott I'd read this summer, but I can't promise anything.

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This Week in Literary History:

25 July 1897: Jack London departs from his native California for Alaska, joining hundreds of others en route to Alaska's gold rush. While living in Alaska, London begin sending his short stories off to publishers, eventually leading to the publication of his classic novel The Call of the Wild, which was one of my absolute favorite books in middle school, though I remember very little of it now. (All the more reason to unearth my copy and reread it. ^^)

Jamaica Inn

2010-07-25T23:59:00.000-05:00

Mary Yellan arrives at Jamaica Inn thinking that she'll be cared for by her recently deceased mother's sister and her aunt's husband. Mary has not seen her aunt in years, but she remembers Aunt Patience as a jovial soul who sent letters fawning over her husband Joss's general wonderfulness. Instead, she finds her aunt a broken woman and her uncle Joss a maniacal tyrant who rules over the Jamaica Inn with an iron fist. He allows no travelers, which is just as well, seeing as none are willing to stop at the inn in the first place. But he does have the occasional visitors who arrive with mysterious wagon loads and disappear into the night. And Mary is determined to learn where her detestable uncle gets these wagons from and what they contain . . .

All right, I know I blogged a Daphne Du Maurier book a few weeks ago, but that was a horror novella and this one is a historical suspense novel. Very different tone here! Ahem. I warned you that I was prone to binge on authors and seeing as Du Maurier is one of my favorites it was only inevitable. Do not judge me.

As with all of the Du Maurier stories I've read, the best part of this novel is the atmosphere that she creates. Du Maurier had an amazing talent for creating suspense in her plots and she certainly does that in Jamaica Inn. There were several parts in this novel that had me on the edge of my seat as Mary attempts to find out her brutal uncle's secret. Du Maurier also does a wonderful job of vividly portraying the wild Cornish countryside where this story is set. (In fact, there is a real Jamaica Inn in Cornwall that you can still visit today.) The wild moors and rural countryside come alive in Du Maurier's narration.

The plot concerning Joss's mysterious past is intriguing and he is a great villain. He's a character you just love to hate. Mary herself is a plucky heroine, especially considering the restraints that early 19th century society place upon her. Though the plot details are unique and intriguing, the basic characters are all ones you've seen before--dastardly villain, innocent heroine, charming rogue, etc. And though I wasn't 100% sure, I had an inkling how the plot would turn out about fifty pages from the end, which is the first time that's happened to me in a Du Maurier novel. Daphne always keeps me in the dark to the very end. But this was one of her earlier novels, so I assume she was still refining her craft with this novel. That didn't lessen my enjoyment, though. I am a big fan of Gothic novels, which this novel basically is. Just because I recognized some of the characters didn't make the book any less enjoyable. In fact, it added to the fun, sort of like seeing old friends. (Not that I have old friends who are demented criminals . . . )

If you're looking for an engaging tale of suspense this summer and like eerie Gothics, try Jamaica Inn. It's a great introduction to Du Maurier's work, though I still like Rebecca better. But read it only if you dare uncover the secrets of Jamaica Inn yourself . .. ^^

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Next Week: I have no earthly idea. The marathon reading sessions continue . . .

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This Week in Literary History:

24 July 1901: Short story writer O Henry gets released from prison after building 3 years for embezzlement. Henry had issues, as the jail term may have tipped you off, but he crafted some fascinating short stories, the best known of which is "The Gift of the Magi." O. Henry had a knack for twist endings and irony. He's one of my favorites. Check him out if you've never read any of his work before.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

2010-07-18T14:31:00.001-05:00

Dorian Gray is gorgeous. No, really, he is. Just ask anyone, including Dorian. If 19th century England had People magazine, he'd snag Sexiest Man Alive every year. Sadly, though, as so many wise sages have pointed out, "Beauty fades." And Dorian is terrified of the idea that his youthful good looks will leave him. One day, after viewing a painting that his artist friend Basil has done of him, Dorian has a sudden fit of petulance, in which he wishes the portrait would age for him and that he would never have to have his stunning face marred by the effects of time. As luck would have it, his wish is mysteriously granted. He never ages, but the painting does. In fact, the painting doesn't just age; it also reflects all of the nasty sins and debauchery that Dorian engages in. Dorian initially finds this amusing and tries to see how much he can alter the picture through his own actions, but then things get complicated. As in involving murder complicated . . .

The Picture of Dorian Gray is Oscar Wilde's only novel. I am more familiar with Wilde's plays and his famous witty one-liners, of which I am a big fan. (Nobody comes close to Wilde when it comes to wielding sarcasm.) When I finally sat down to read this Victorian horror classic, I knew with Wilde as the author, it would be a true original. I was not in the least disappointed.

This is not one of those stories that's going to keep you up at night, expecting to be attacked by a boogie man. But it is creepy and very atmospheric. What I especially liked about it was the story's setting and tone. Most Victorian Gothics feature brooding country mansions and remote settings. I love these kinds of Gothics, but this tale is set in London and follows Dorian through the superficial urban upper class society that he is such an intrinsic part of. The resulting tone is amusing and at times more reminiscent of a comedy of manners that lampoons society's hypocrisy. This novel was denounced as hedonistic in its time, which amuses me because at one point in the book, Dorian's mentor, Lord Henry, explains that "The books that the world call immoral are books that show the world its shame." Speaking of Henry, he's easily my favorite character here. No, he is not the noblest character in this book. In point of fact, he's actually even more dissolute than Dorian. But Wilde gives Henry all of the best lines, including somewhat mystical sounding philosophical quips that never failed to put a smile on my face, even when they made absolutely no sense.

This book was written in the 1890s, so if you dislike the more flowery style of the 19th century, you may find this book a bit slow in spots. Nevertheless, The Picture of Dorian Gray is the fascinating tale of one man's moral collapse and the portrait that reflects his inmost secrets and haunts him relentlessly. Extra kudos for one of the best ending paragraphs I've read in a horror tale. If you're a fan of atmospheric literary horror or Victorian literature, you'll love this book.

Next Week: Hmm . . . I am not sure. I have a huge stack of books I am reading through as summer winds down, so I can't guarantee what will be reviewed next time.

This Week in Literary History:

16 July 1951: J.D. Salinger's classic coming of age novel The Catcher in the Rye is released. I must admit, when I first read this novel, I sorta hated it. Holden's rambling narration nearly drove me to the brink of insanity. But I talked to so many people who said the book changed their life and I felt like a bad English major for hating on it (and secretly I did love the episodic plot and the extremely realistic dialogue-like tone of the narration), so I kept reading this novel. It became a bit of an obsession to uncover what it was that was so magical about this book. Each time I read it, I liked it more. Finally, after the third read, something clicked and now I really like this novel and defend it to people who hate on it. The Catcher in the Rye features a complex protagonist with a memorable voice in an adventure that is alternately poignant and hilarious. I'd venture to say that you won't soon forget Holden Caulfield.

Fever 1793

2010-07-11T13:27:00.002-05:00

Mattie Cook dreams of the day she can escape toiling in her family's Colonial Philadelphia coffeehouse for European luxury shops. Her daydreams must take a backseat to reality, however, when the worse yellow fever epidemic in memory strikes the city, causing widespread suffering and chaos. When her mother falls ill, Mattie and her grandfather flee the city to escape the pestilence, but when a cruel twist of fate sends them back to Philly, young Mattie learns far more about life than any jaunt to Europe would ever have taught her.

Laurie Halse Anderson's Fever, 1793 is a pleasant read that I enjoyed and recommend for history buffs and those who like coming of age tales, though it had some minor flaws. Anderson writes Mattie's first person narration with a natural tone that does not come off as too contemporary or sophisticated. I have always found disease tales fascinating. (I am morbid--I will not deny that.) The plot has the right touch of suspense generated not by humans so much as by the dreaded fever, which seems inescapable. The character's seemingly never-ending wait for frost to come adds a nice touch of the proverbial ticking time bomb. The novel's greatest strength is the historical accuracy. Anderson--who lives in Philadelphia--meticulously researched the real life yellow fever epidemic of 1793 that claimed the lives of 10% of the population and caused thousands more to evacuate the City of Brotherly Love. The period details are perfect without bogging the narration down and the scenes that depict the the city's descent into virtual anarchy are compelling.

If the historical detail is the novel's biggest strength, the tale's biggest weakness is Mattie herself. Oh, don't get me wrong: She's a likable enough character. The problem is she's just too . . . predictable. Other than the fever, her problems are all fairly standard--young love, a loving but frustrating relationship with her mother. I have seen a thousand YA protagonists like Mattie--not really a bad kid but slightly disillusioned and annoyed with her mother, just in need of the right crisis to set her squarely on her path to adulthood. I love a good coming-of-age story and the best ones have complex characters that you may on occasion want to kill, but they are complex and unique and, as consequence, all too human. I'm thinking of Gene in A Separate Peace, Holden in The Catcher in the Rye, Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird, and Anne of Green Gables, just to name a few. Mattie's not a bad character--and she's not totally bland and she has her charm--but she's nothing that you haven't seen before in YA fiction. And that is what makes this book, which is a fine read, a good book but not a truly great book, in my opinion.

Though I found Mattie a bit too two-dimensional for my taste, she is not a distasteful main character and her tale of fever, courage, and survival is a gripping read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and coming-of-age tales. I have long wanted to read a Laurie Halse Anderson book. She's considered a premier voice in YA fiction, and I definitely want to read more of her work. She's a talented writer who is adept at spinning a fine tale and maintaining an impressive historical authenticity at the same time. I have read that her contemporary YA fiction is far more edgy and intense than this novel, so I look forward to sampling more of her work.

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Next Week: Um, we'll see.

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This Week in Literary History:

10 July 1931: Canadian short story writer Alice Munro is born. Famous for her masterfully crafted literary short stories, Munro is considered one of the best living writers. I read her delightful short story "Walker Brother Cowboy" in World Lit II last semester, and I can't wait to read more of her work.

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The Unblogged Chronicles: April to June

2010-07-04T16:39:00.004-05:00

I recently realized--much to my everlasting shame--that I have totally forgotten about my "Unblogged Chronicles" series for the past couple of months. Eeep! When I sat down to review the books I read but didn't review, I realized there were waaaaaaaay too many to properly cover without this post being a mile long. Fortunately, most of my reads were in different series, most of which I finished, so I'll just save those for another day, which should save quite a bit of space. I also deleted In Cold Blood from the list, because I have read and reviewed it before. Also, since this covers the months of April, May, and June, I was going to post this one at the end of June, but I got busy and instead decided to post this today. Without further ado, let's cover some books:

Endgame (Samuel Beckett): Okay, this is technically a play that I read for my lit class last semester, but it's an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett. Personally, I adored the sheer insanity of this work, which Beckett intended to be absolutely inscrutable. Try not to think too deeply about what's going on in this apocalyptic tale that features a crotchety old man verbally berating his crippled caretaker and his legless, elderly parents, who are conveniently stuffed in garbage cans. (I swear I am not making this up.) I'll admit this play is weird--and the hilarious screen adaptation of it, which I cannot find anywhere online, is even weirder--but I adored it. Beckett is a master of non-sequitor and absurdist banter. Your tolerance for this play will depend very much on your opinion of postmodernist and absurdist literature. If, like me, you enjoy those two literary traditions, you'll love this play. If not, stay away. Stay far away.

Stressed-Out Girls (Roni Sandler Cohen): This is a non-fiction psychology book geared toward parents and counselors. I am a bit of a psychology geek, so when I saw this book, which delves into the pressures that so many middle school and high school age girls face, at the library, I was intrigued and checked it out. Sandler is a psychologist who specializes in teenage girls and seems to have a good understanding of what makes teens tick. She is neither condescending nor patronizing as she explains the social and academic stressors that young women struggle with. Though this is geared more toward adults who work with or raise teens, I found the book quite helpful in identifying some self-destructive tendencies of my own. I always knew I was a pathetic perfectionist, but I didn't realize how bad I was until I realized that the 2 case studies for perfectionists in this book sounded just like me. The fact that I frequently use all of the catchphrases that are indicative of an obsessive perfectionism also was a bit of a wake up call . . . Well worth reading if you're working with/raising teen girls or are a teen girl who is feeling stressed out.

The Oath (Frank Peretti): When I was a teen, I was a big fan of Peretti's YA series The Veritas Project. (The Hangman's Curse made my arachnophobia so much worse and Nightmare Academy reminded me of Pink Floyd's "The Happiest Days of Our Lives/Another Brick in the Wall part 2" . . . ) Peretti writes Christian horror, which I know sounds like an oxymoron, but he crafts some genuinely scary tales. I had mixed feelings about his adult horror thriller The Oath. On one hand, the tale of a rural town haunted by a murderous . . . something is suspenseful and even though it was a 650 page book, I finished it in two days because I simply could not put it down. On the other hand, sometimes I felt the book's message was a bit too preachy, even when I technically agreed with what was being said. Other moments are a bit cliched in typical horror story fashion, though not too badly. As a lit geek, I did enjoy the elaborate allegory and symbolism that Peretti used to illustrate the effects of sin. If you like scary reads and can overlook the occasional blatant preachiness, this book isn't a bad way to while away a summer weekend.

The Painted Veil (W. Somerset Maugham): My professor was talking about this book the day before school ended, so I decided to check it out and read it for myself. This book, which relates the story of Kitty--a spoiled English socialite--who, as punishment for an extramarital affair, is dragged into a raging cholera epidemic in China by Walter, her infuriated physician husband, was a strange book, though I did enjoy it. I have never watched the film adaptation of this book, but I think the commercials for it did influence my initial perception of this book. Based on the movie previews, I assumed this novel would be a tale of a troubled marriage renewed during crisis. Erm, that's not quite what happened here. Without giving too much away, this book is not a romance by any stretch of the imagination. Instead it is the portrait of an incredibly flawed woman who is really not all that likable--I was on Walter's side the entire time. How dare she!--who gradually matures and realizes how pathetic she's been. If you want a beautifully crafted literary exploration of guilt--and can stomach a somewhat distasteful protagonist and a depressing ending--definitely check this one out. If you're looking for a cheery upper class English romance, look elsewhere.

Fight Club (Chuck Palahniuk): Hehe I will admit, I absolutely adored this novel. In fact, I sat down to read it and had it finished in less than three hours because I absolutely could not put it down. I know this book sounds like an odd choice for me--in fact, my good friend Genius93 said so on Twitter--but I do enjoy darkly funny reads and this quirky, twisted, apocalyptic, anarchist, subversive book is certainly that. Yes, this book is about a brutal weekly club for men to beat the living crap out of each other in some strange form of therapy that also doubles as a way to vent against modern society, but the focus of this book is more the underground movement that springs up from it; the friendship of the nameless insomniac narrator, who attends meetings for terminally ill patients as part of his social life, and Tyler, the charismatic militant who starts Fight Club; and the downward spiral these two face when their organization rapidly spins out of control. Bonus points for having one of the absolute best surprise endings I have ever read. I hesitate to recommend this one, because it is disturbing on many levels, yet that's what makes it so good. If you're reading this and thinking, "Meh, I don't think I like the sounds of that one", steer clear. But if this one has you intrigued, give it a try. It does have quite a bit of adult content and some scenes that will make you squeamish, but it'll also surprise you . . . literally. ^^

I'll try to have the reviews of the different series I read up in a couple of weeks.

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Next Week: Maybe Laurie Halsie Anderson's Fever 1793. Maybe an Edith Wharton book. I am not sure. :D

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This Week in Literary History: 4 July 1776: The Declaration of Independence is signed in Philadelphia. Okay, okay, I know this is more of a historical event, but the Declaration is a powerful document and is a superb example of rhetoric. I once wrote an essay on Jefferson's masterful use of literary technique in the Declaration, so you could say I am a big fan. It's a relatively short piece and well worth reading. Now if only we used such stirring legal language today . . .

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I also have a quick announcement to make to my teen readers. My friend lgkelso wants to start doing a weekly feature called "Teen Talk Tuesday" on her blog. She wants to hear teen opinions on, well, everything from peer issues to college to fashion trends to your opinions on Twilight. (I know you guys will have fun with that.) If you're interested, check her blog out for more information and leave a comment. :)

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Happy 4th of July! Adios! :D

I Capture the Castle

2010-06-27T15:11:00.003-05:00

English teenager Cassandra Mortmain lives in a crumbling castle with her delightfully dysfunctional family, which includes her father, a writer who once scored it big with a literary masterpiece but now spends all of his time doing crossword puzzles and reading detective novels because he has a decade long case of writer's block; her stepmother, a ditzy but wise flower child model who means well--no, really, she does; her older sister, Rose, whose idea of romance and marriage are outdated by a good century; her younger brother, Thomas, who is almost as sly as Cassandra herself; and Stephen, a young retainer who is obsessively devoted to Cassandra. Cassandra--a budding writer--decides to record her family's impoverished life in a journal, thinking that it will improve her writing. What she doesn't count on is recording the hijinks that occur when the Mortmains, who are living the best they can on virtually no income, meet their new American landlords. Perhaps all of those years of not paying rent are going to come back to haunt the Mortmains unless the quirky family can ingratiate themselves with their extremely wealthy neighbors, preferably through marriage. ^^

Miss Marm recommended this novel for all devoted Anglophiles and I am so glad she did. (Thank you, Miss Marm!)I loved this charming book! This is an odd book to describe. The best I can come up with is it is as if Anne of Green Gables kept a diary, a la Anne Frank, but was a character in a Jane Austen novel. Cassandra is a wonderful narrator: funny, perceptive, sympathetic, and always believable, even when she isn't on her best behavior. Her spunk leads to a series of comic adventures, some painful, others hilarious. Overall, the funny far outweigh the sad, with my favorite one being the scheme Cassandra and her brother concoct to cure their father of his writer's block. I don't want to give anything away, but I laughed out loud for a long time while reading it.

As much as I Capture the Castle is an amusing comedy of manners, a touching coming of age story, and a wry tale of a writer's development, it is also a romantic comedy about Cassandra and her sister's often inept attempts to ensnare their young and quite available landlords. I am not a huge fan of romances--Terminally Single Zella can be jaded in these matters--but the resulting comedy of errors is genuinely engaging and author Dodie Smith crafts a charming romance that is neither too sappy or too serious. (Bonus points for a perfectly fitting ending that is neither too sappy or too serious as well.) Though the male characters are not quite as charming as Austen's heroes--who is?--they are definitely likable.

I used to think that the sad thing about being a Jane Austen fan is there are only six novels and once you've read them all, well, there is nothing else to read with Jane's trademark wit and style. Ah, but I was wrong. If you're a fellow Jane fan seeking a new favorite read, look no further than I Capture the Castle. Even better, you don't have to like romances to like this book. If you also enjoy a good coming of age story, quirky crazy British families, and light domestic comedies, this book is the perfect summer read.

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Next: The Return of the Unblogged Chronicles. I forgot about them the past two months until Eric mentioned a book I hadn't blogged about. I shall try to post this before the end of June, but I may have to wait until next Sunday. We shall see. ^^

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This Week in Literary History: 24 June 1842. Ambrose "Bitter" Bierce is born in Ohio. Ooooh, I so love Bierce! I say we celebrate by being snarky to each other. Ahem. Allow me to explain: I adore Bierce's delightfully wicked Devil's Dictionary, a must read for all fans of acerbic cynical humor, which sports such definitions as "To be positive: To be mistaken at the top of one's voice" and "Politics: Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles". Bierce was also a talented fiction writer. You have not lived until you have read his haunting Civil War short story "The Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge." (Here, I am so nice, I'll give you a link to it.) In addition to being a superb writer, Bierce led an exciting, adventurous life, which culminated in him disappearing off the face of the earth in 1914 while tagging along with Pancho Villa in Mexico.

Harvest Moon

2010-06-20T15:01:00.002-05:00

Dancing Cat is despised by her tribe for circumstances that she had no control over. Stripped of her prized role as the tribe's messenger and condemned to a life of taunts and cruelty, she decides to peek into her tribe's sacred bundle to see what her future holds. But she doesn't get what she bargained for. Rather than seeing what is to become of her, for better or worse, she angers her powerful ancestor Small Tree. Dancing Cat is cursed by Small Tree and finds herself transported into the midst of enemy territory . . . transformed into a man. She is discovered by a kind man named Bearclaw, who nurses her back to health and treats her with a kindness she had forgotten humans were capable of, but she remains in a state of constant confusion and terror, for she knows she cannot evade her tribe or the truth about her true identity forever.

Author Krista D. Ball contacted me about doing an early review of her soon to be released novella Harvest Moon, and I am so glad she did! (Thanks, Krista! :D) I enjoyed this well-written novella very much. In fact, my only disappointment was that it ended after only thirty four pages. I have read a few gender switch tales before, and usually I dislike them just because the premise is used as more of a plot gimmick than anything. Not so in Harvest Moon. Dancing Cat's already miserable circumstances are further exacerbated by her punishment and the psychological trauma that she endures as consequence are not skimmed over, which makes for a suspenseful and psychologically fascinating read.

I also liked the unique atmosphere this novella offers. I have always been interested in Native Americans, so I enjoyed this tale about the First Natives of Canada. The tribe's culture is vividly portrayed throughout the story, yet the description never bogs the narrative down. Instead, the atmosphere greatly enhances the story and provides a nice change from the Northern European setting of much fantasy, though I enjoy those, too.

As much as I enjoyed all aspects of this novella, the best part for me was the protagonist Dancing Cat. I am often frustrated by female main characters. So often they are either completely unbelievable or utterly unlikeable. Dancing Cat is neither of these characterizations. She is sympathetic and likable but never glamorized or glorified. Even better, she shines as a complex, intriguing character, which is hard to create in so few of pages.

Harvest Moon is a fascinating, well-crafted novella that delves into the nature of identity, rejection, and friendship. Fantasy fans will enjoy this story, and fans of historical fiction will relish the vivid historical details. You guys will need to be a little patient before you can get your hands on a copy, though the wait will be more than worth it. Harvest Moon will be early released as an e-book by MuseItUp Publishing on October 1st, 2010, with the official release in December. You can read an excerpt from the first chapter on Krista's blog.

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Next Week: Maybe W. Somerset Maugham's The Painted Veil but more probably Dodie Smith's I Capture The Castle.

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This Week in Literary History: 14 June 1811: Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, is born in Litchfield, Connecticut. Stowe's classic abolitionist novel was an influential text in the pre Civil War anti-slavery debate and is still considered a classic. I wish I could add some personal anecdote about the book, but I have never actually read this novel. I plan to remedy that. :D

The Birds

2010-06-13T14:34:00.001-05:00

Part-time farm worker Nat Hocken is a quiet man who is not easily excited or rattled. But when he watches the local birds suddenly become vicious, Nat begins to suspect that something is very wrong, though nobody else chooses to believe him. Birds will birds, right? As others shrug off the threat of berserk birds as a bit daft, Nat is determined to protect those dearest to him from this bizarre menace, which leads him to a desperate fight for survival.

How many of you have seen Alfred Hitchcock's classic horror film The Birds? Hitchcock is one of my favorite directors--he shares that title with Joel Coen. Well, Joel has him slightly beat, but I still adore Hitchcock's work. (Everyone must see The Trouble with Harry, I demand it! Do it now!) But I have never watched The Birds. I am a bad Hitchcock fan. Whatever. After you watch The Trouble With Harry, watch Strangers on a Train, too. It's extra creepy in a weird way. I am getting distracted. Ahem. How many of you know that The Birds is based on a novella by famed British suspense writer Daphne Du Maurier? I did not know that until a couple of weeks ago, which embarrassed me greatly, because I love Du Maurier. She is the author of quite possibly my favorite novel--Rebecca (If you haven't read that, do it now! Mrs. Danvers is the creepiest housekeeper ever! And Rebecca is, well, something to behold ^^)--and I love her other work as well, so I promptly checked out a copy of The Birds and read it. Dame Daphne didn't let me down.

I think the reason this novella is so disturbing is the precise reason that it shouldn't be. I mean, come on, it's a bird invasion! Compared with a zombie or alien invasion that seems quite tame. But Du Maurier, with her genius for making the mundane malevolent, ensures that a mass attack by birds is just as, if not more, spooky than undead flesh eaters. (Let's face it, birds have sharp pointy beaks and talons, and they are somewhat more speedy than zombies.) ^^

Set in rural Cornwell, England--a favorite setting for Du Maurier--The Birds plays very much with the idea that even the most idyllic hamlets are not immune to horror. I am a sucker for books with English settings--especially West County settings--so I enjoyed the British atmosphere, but I also think the rural setting made this more ominous and sinister than an urban setting. Rather than giving us a large group of characters to focus on in an emergency, Du Maurier instead limits her focus to Nat, his wife, and two small children. The result is an intense, claustrophobic tale. This story isn't super scary, but it is quite ominous and there are several scenes that are especially chilling. I enjoy atmospheric type suspense and horror very much, so I appreciated that this book wasn't the text equivalent of a slasher movie.

I also liked that the protagonist Nat is not an annoying idiot. So many horror/suspense tales have a cast of pure knuckleheads who I despise and wish death upon. (Hehe I am usually not disappointed.) Nat is resourceful and astute, and his intelligence is a major reason why I was rooting for him and was sympathetic to him. His wife is a little bit clueless, and consequently is annoying in a harmless sort of way, but she is not the focus of the story, so I was fine with that.

The Birds is an atmospheric suspense tale that is perfect for fans of more psychological horror. With its isolated setting and likable protagonist, this book reminded me very much of M. Night Shyamalan's alien invasion movie Signs, which is another one of my favorites. And, at only 30 some pages, this chilling tale is the perfect way to while away a humid summer afternoon. (Apologies for the somewhat intentional pun.) ^^

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Next Week: I have a special treat for all of you! I am pleased to announce that I will be doing an early review of Krista D. Ball's paranormal fantasy novella Harvest Moon. This is a great story that I can't wait to share with all of you! :)

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Today in Literary History: June 12th, 1942: On her thirteenth birthday, Dutch Jewish teenager Anne Frank is given a diary. She took the diary with her one month later when her family went into hiding from the Nazis, and she wrote in it regularly during her two years in seclusion. This diary--which went on to become an international bestseller as The Diary of a Young Girl--is one of my favorite books. I highly recommend it.

Tamar

2010-06-06T13:50:00.003-05:00

Undercover agents Tamar and Dart are parachuted into their native Holland by the British during the brutal Hunger Winter of 1944, following the disaster of Operation Market Garden. They are instructed to organize the fragmented Dutch resistance in central Holland to coordinate acts of sabotage against the Nazis and, even more importantly, control the rogue bands of partisans who often provoked severe reprisals upon the civilian population with their anti-Nazi activities. This proves near impossible as deprivation, infighting, and jealousy lead to a shocking act of betrayal, which is only fully revealed fifty years later when an English teenager named Tamar uncovers her relatives' past following a family tragedy.

I came across Mal Peet's award-winning YA novel Tamar one day at work in the library. I was filing away other books when the cover of this one--specifically the parachute on the cover--caught my eye. (As some of you know, my dad and grandfather were both paratroopers, so that automatically made me curious.) Then the tagline that said "Espionage, Passion, Betrayal" caught my eye. Yeehaw! Espionage and Betrayal! Two subjects that have long fascinated me. (Some of you may think my priorities are screwed up . . . ) I once tried to write a spy novel when I was younger. It was quite awful, but I love a realistic spy story--you may gather James Bond doesn't work for me--and that's precisely why I loved this book so much.

Tamar offers one of the most realistic and, as a consequence, harrowing portrayals of espionage I have ever read. Peet does a superb job of bringing alive the boredom, paranoia, and terror that dominated the life of an undercover operative in Nazi-occupied Europe. I adore good historical fiction, so I enjoyed the distinctive historical atmosphere he re-creates in this novel. I also loved the pacing in this novel. Though Tamar is over 400 pages long, I couldn't put this book down! Ironically enough, the descriptions of the partisans' bouts with boredom do not make for boring reading, and there is plenty of action to keep a reader happy. The highlight for me was an ambush on a high-ranking S.S. officer that hardly goes according to plan. I don't want to give too much away, but it reminded me some of the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich by the Czech Resistance, and I assumed that was the inspiration. In fact, Peet relied on an actual incident that occurred in Nazi-occupied Holland. (I refuse to give details away, because if you had the name you would google it and that would ruin the suspense. Besides, if you google it and read about the Nazis' payback for this ambush, you're liable to be distraught for awhile . . . )

I also especially enjoyed the characters. The two protagonists--known only by their aliases of Tamar and Dart--are complex characters who are both likable but definitely flawed. I especially liked the way Peet handled the jealousy that eventually leads to the tragic finale. I have always found novels that delved into jealousy fascinating precisely because that is an emotion we all have experienced at one point. No matter how much we may disagree with what characters in works like Othello, A Separate Peace, and The Count of Monte Cristo do when provoked by jealousy, deep down it is something we can all relate to. (Right? Or is it just me? *banishes self to sit with Othello, Iago, Gene, Danglars, and Fernand* I must say, I am a bit nervous in this company. . . ) In much the same way, the envy that rips this resistance group apart is disturbing precisely because it is so easy to understand where both sides are coming from. I sort of guessed what would happen about a third of the way through, but I think that was intentional on Peet's part. It didn't lessen my enjoyment. In fact, it made me keep reading to see if my guess was correct.

I liked this novel very much; however, I did find the modern scenes, in which a girl named Tamar slowly pieces together what happened, less compelling. Not that they were bad, but compared to the WWII scenes, which are so haunting and unique, the common YA subplot of a troubled teen who puzzles out her family's tragic past with the help of a relative's parting gift was just a bit too cliche for me. Tamar the Dutch resistance fighter interested me, because he was a unique character; Tamar the confused teen girl did not interest me very much, only because I have seen a thousand characters like her. Again, it is not that the scenes set in modern times are badly written. It's just they struck me as less compelling, because they lacked the originality of the rest of the novel.

If you like excellent historical fiction or are just looking for an action-packed good read, try Tamar. The historical atmosphere is impeccable, and the story is superbly crafted. I'm glad I picked this one up. :D

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Next Time: Maybe some Daphne Du Maurier. Maybe some Dostoevsky.

This Week in Literary History:
31 May 1819: American poet Walt Whitman is born on Long Island, New York. My lit. professor once said that Whitman was not the first American poet, but he was the first distinctly American poet. Whitman's Leaves of Grass is a poetry classic, but I am quite fond of his heartbreaking "Into the Cradle Endlessly Rocking", an autobiographical poem in which Whitman describes the moment he realized he was born to be a poet.

I would also be remiss to not note, seeing as I am reviewing a novel about WWII, that today is the 66th anniversary of the D-Day invasions.

Atonement

2010-05-30T23:39:00.005-05:00

Thirteen year old Briony Tallis is an aspiring writer--she has big plans for the play she has written that will be staged in honor of her older brother's visit home. Her older sister Cecilia is also busy ensuring that the party for their brother goes as planned, but she is even more preoccupied with her conflicted feelings for the son of the family's long-term charwoman--Robbie Turner--whom she alternately adores and despises. However, nothing about that sultry summer day goes according to plan. When Briony witnesses an encounter between Robbie and Cecilia, her ever-inventive imagination--and perhaps some more nefarious motives--cause her to accuse Robbie of a horrible crime, an accusation that will have profound consequences for all involved, Briony included.

I have long wanted to read this novel, so when Rebel recommended it to me a couple of weeks ago on my villain post, I couldn't resist reading it as soon as possible. As with all of the recommendations I have received from my readers, I was not disappointed. I loved this novel! (Thanks so much, Rebel!) Rebel explained that it was a great historical fiction romance that was sad but not sappy, and I wholeheartedly concur.

Atonement is a fascinating novel on several levels. I love how complex Ian McEwan made all of his characters, especially the main three--Robbie, Cecilia, and Briony. Though sometimes these characters were hard to sympathize with, they were always real. I was particularly impressed with McEwan's skill in writing Briony, a character who could very easily be wholly despicable. I can't say I ever truly liked her, but she is far more interesting and three-dimensional than I had imagined and that made this novel far more unpredictable--and enjoyable--because of it. McEwan's eloquent and lyrical (but always effortless) style was also a huge plus for me. I liked the precise, lush historical details, as well. McEwan manages to capture the atmosphere of a troubled upper-middle class English home in 1935 and the horrors of WWII at Dunkirk and at British military hospitals. In fact, the war scenes make for some of the best military fiction I've read in awhile, though I know that's not the main focus of the story.

I also enjoyed the structure that McEwan employed in telling this story. I am a huge fan of experimental plots, especially of the multi POV and non-linear variety. The first part of the novel focuses on that fateful summer day in 1935 when Robbie, Cecilia, and Briony's world is forever changed. Each chapter tells the story in third person narration from a different character's point of view, jumping through time and often retelling scenes in which more (or conflicting) information is presented through that character's perspective. If you prefer linear plots, this technique may drive you crazy, but I enjoyed it immensely, both for the literary technique involved and for the realistic way in which McEwan shows how different people perceive the same event in very different ways. After the superb first half, I expected to be somewhat disappointed with the remainder of the novel, which follows the characters through 1940. Instead, the historical detail and the compelling plot still kept me riveted. I especially enjoyed the ending--set in 1999. In my mind, the entire time I was reading this novel, my inner cynic kept thinking that I didn't want the ending to be happy, because that would just almost be too much of a cop-out (and I hate happily ever after story endings. *glares into distance whilst emoting*) But, at the same time, my more dreamy, secretly optimistic inner self wanted things to somehow be all right in the end--but not happily ever after. I was pleased that McEwan found a clever way to do both in concluding this novel.

Atonement is a haunting tale that probes the power of fiction, imagination, guilt, and--yes--atonement. It is also a wonderfully-crafted literary historical novel and an enjoyable, non-melodramatic romance. (Yes, I am bragging on a romance novel that was not written in the 19th century. No, this is not a sign of the coming apocalypse. :P) Now I am determined to get my hands on the acclaimed film based on this novel.

P.S. I must note, there is some adult content in this novel. Not a lot--I have certainly seen much worse elsewhere-- but there is enough that I would rather post a warning for my younger readers. (I don't want your parents beating me over the head with a blunt instrument for not giving fair warning.)

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Next Week: I know you hear this a lot from me, but I am not sure. I have been reviewing a lot of literary fiction lately, so I want to try some genre fiction. I have a YA novel I have been meaning to read, plus some horror, a Western, and some other assorted books, so we'll see what I find. :P

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This Week In Literary History: *cue organ music*

26 May 1895: Bram Stoker's infamous vampire novel Dracula first goes on sale in London. Derided as trashy at the time, Dracula has gone on to become one of the all-time great horror novels (and one of my absolute favorites.) Dracula may not have been the first fictional vampire, but he was the first to capture the public's interest. I am a big fan of Dracula--he was #1 on my list of literary villains a couple of weeks ago. Forget about Eddie the glitter vamp! I'm Team Dracula, because real vampires don't sparkle. :D

Grendel

2010-05-22T23:38:00.001-05:00

I am so, so, so, so sorry for the lateness of this blog! *wallows in remorse* I have just been so busy, I didn't have time to read anything until now! I do have a new review and a new weekly treat in store for my dear readers, so I hope that somewhat compensates!

I have always enjoyed retellings of traditional stories through the villain's POV. One of my favorite books as a child was Jon Scieszka's hilarious The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, in which the Big, Bad Wolf explained why he was being unfairly accused. (If you did not read this as a child, you were seriously deprived.) As I have gotten older, I have also read (and enjoyed) Gregory Maguire's clever retellings of traditional fairy tales. So, when Feathery posted a comment describing John Gardner's Grendel--a retelling of the epic poem Beowulf, which I adore, through the eyes of Grendel, the antagonist--I was immediately intrigued and couldn't wait to read it. I am happy to say that I was not disappointed! Thanks so much, Feathery! :)

Grendel is a very much a character-driven novel--I think a good character-driven novel can be just as riveting as a novel that relies more on plot for suspense, as long as the protagonist is compelling and complex. Fortunately for this book, Grendel is about as compelling and complex of a character as I have ever encountered. Gardner does not attempt to transform Grendel into a particularly likable character--the monster is nihilistic, bitter, and murderous--but the author balances this out with a fascinating psychological exploration of why Grendel is the way he is. If, like me, you're a fan of psychological fiction, you will adore the multi-faceted persona of Grendel, who both loves and hates humans and, as a result, is trapped in an emotional maelstrom of self-pity, self-loathing, and extreme loneliness. Grendel emerges as a character that is both disturbing and pathetic. Though you may not agree with Grendel's jaded views on life, his first person narration is loaded with clever insight and acerbic wit that is a joy to read. At first, I thought the prose seemed anachronistically modern at times, but upon further reflection, I think that was actually a wise decision on Gardner's part. The narration, which is both eloquent and simple, ensures this is a highly readable book and that, in my opinion, makes it more accessible than if it had been written in a stilted, overly formal style.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I must warn you: Do not, I repeat DO NOT, read this book if you have never read Beowulf. The plot assumes a knowledge of the original tale, and much of the enjoyment of this novel comes with contrasting Gardner's portrayal of Grendel with the traditional story. All of the major characters from Beowulf, some with interesting back stories added by Gardner, appear in the novel, as do most of the major events from the original epic. If you have read Beowulf before, you'll have no problem understanding this book, but you need to have that foundation to properly appreciate Grendel.

If you like alternative versions of famous stories, are a Beowulf fan, or are just looking for a superbly written psychological novel, try Grendel. You will never look at Grendel, the dreaded foe of the hero Beowulf, the same way again.

Next Week: *whines* I have no idea! I am sorry, but I'll find something. I will also try to be a bit more prompt about posting. *cries*

Now, to introduce the new treat I promised. I decided to start a new weekly series (or blurb series really), in which I post some trivia about important events in literary history that occurred this week. For instance, in "This Week in Literary History"--like the name? How original, Zella!--I could post about the publication of a landmark novel, the birth of an author, or a famous event somehow connected to literature. As a die hard lit geek (and a die hard trivia nerd), I love reading little random trivia factoids, and I hope you enjoy this new series. I think I'll usually just post one trivia fact per week, but since this debut week is special, I will post two author's birth anniversaries:

21 May 1688: Famed Enlightenment poet Alexander Pope was born in London, England. I adore Pope's exquisite poetry, for which he is justly famous, but you may also be familiar with many of his popular quotations, such as "To err is human; to forgive, divine." My personal favorite Pope quote is "There never was any party, faction, sect, or cabal whatsoever, in which the most ignorant were not the most violent."

22 May 1859: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author who created Sherlock Holmes, my absolute favorite detective ever, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Trained as a physician, Doyle started writing the popular Holmes series because he was bored waiting for patients. (Thank God he didn't have many!) Doyle wrote four novellas and over fifty short stories starring Holmes. If you have never met the original Sherlock, I highly encourage you to read one of Doyle's stories (or more than one)! :)

Next week, in addition to a review, I will mark an important anniversary in classic horror. :D

Beatrice and Virgil

2010-05-12T21:41:00.008-05:00

I have a treat for you guys today! No, I am not handing out cookies. Well, I am. Here, have some e-cookies. But that is not the main treat. You see . . . I usually review books that are at least a few years (if not a few decades or centuries) old. Today marks the first time in the nearly ten months I have had this blog that I review a book that has only been out for a month--Yann Martel's Beatrice and Virgil. I am a huge fan of Martel's Life of Pi, so I was totally psyched for this book! As soon as it was released, I rushed to the library I work at and snatched the first copy. Muahahaha It was mine! All mine! *cough*

For those of who you also love Life of Pi and are curious about Martel's latest book, you're probably wondering: Is Beatrice and Virgil like Life of Pi? Well, that depends upon your definition of "like Life of Pi." This book shares the same effortless prose and quirky humor, but the similarities end there. Life of Pi is much more fantastical than this novel, yet Beatrice and Virgil is much weirder. Life of Pi is odd, but Beatrice and Virgil is a very postmodern, literary work that is rich in symbolism and whether or not you like this book will hinge heavily upon your tolerance for postmodern literature.

I am one of those geeks who adores postmodernism and literary fiction, so I really enjoyed this novel, which relates the tale of Henry--who, like the writer in Life of Pi, is a thinly veiled version of Martel himself--as he struggles to find success in the publishing world after writing a bestseller. Frustrated when his imaginative work on the Holocaust is rejected for being too bizarre and inaccessible, he goes into a self-imposed exile in an unidentified city, taking music lessons and acting in community theater yet militantly refusing to write. One day Henry gets some fan mail from a local man who has enclosed an excerpt from his own work--a play starring a donkey named Beatrice and a howler monkey named Virgil. (If you know these two are named after Dante's guides in The Divine Comedy, you are my new nerdy best friend.) Henry meets the writer--a gruff, elderly taxidermist who is also named Henry--and the two strike up a somewhat dysfunctional collaboration on the play. And then Henry--the writer Henry--starts to wonder just exactly what he's gotten himself into . . .

I found Henry, the writer protagonist, likeable as a main character and Beatrice and Virgil, the fictional animals in the taxidermist's play, become intriguing characters in their own right. The plot starts off as a somewhat meandering tale of writer's block--Oh, how I can relate!--that has lots of simplistic charm and an intriguing atmosphere but not a lot of certifiable action. That's fine with me, because I enjoy Martel's style and the world he crafts; however, if you're expecting an action-packed plot, you'll be sorely disappointed. Not to say the story is boring. The interactions between the personable Henry and the emotionally distant and occasionally bizarre taxidermist are entertaining and easy to relate to. (Think of all the times you have tried your best to work with someone you could never, ever understand. Now you know how Henry feels.) The excerpts from the play itself--a witty, absurdist play highly reminiscent of Samuel Beckett's work--are fascinating in and of themselves.

Though I enjoyed this novel very much, I must warn you: The last few pages of the novel take a disturbing and surprising turn that both rattled and delighted me. I love surprises and this one was a genuine shocker, seeing how the rest of the novel lulled me into a false sense of security and then slapped me upside the head with said false sense of security. I have seen other people ranting on the internet that the ending was gratuitously violent and unfair. I think that's being naive--I mean, Beatrice and Virgil is an allegorical novel about the Holocaust, so it's only natural that it is going to be somewhat disturbing. That being said, definitely do not read this book if you're turned off by violent content. The whole book itself is not violent, but the ending will upset you.

This novel is definitely not for everyone, but I enjoyed it very much. (I just finished it this afternoon and am still trying to process it, but I think I actually like this book even more than Life of Pi, which is saying something.) I can't guarantee that you will like this book if you liked Life of Pi, but I think this is a book that those who enjoy postmodernist and/or literary fiction will relish. On its own merits, Beatrice and Virgil is a deceptively simple, engaging, and thought-provoking meditation on the nature of evil, art, personal responsibility, and guilt. I would definitely love to hear what you guys think if you read this, even if you want to kill me for recommending it. (I will defend myself with a very thick collection of encyclopedias if you want to book duel me. :P)

Next Week: Not sure. Maybe Cormac McCarthy. Maybe John Garder's Grendel. Maybe something else. We shall see! :)

My Ten Favorite Literary Heroes (and Heroines)

2010-05-05T12:19:00.001-05:00

Last week, I gave you my favorite bad guys. This week, I balance the equation out by listing my favorite good guys (and gals.) This is slightly skewed by the fact that I have forbidden myself to use any of the heroes in books I listed last time. Hence, some of my favorites are missing here, but that's not what's important. What is important is I am listing some of my favorite protagonists at an ungodly hour of the night (but not posting them until a more suitable hour) for your reading/comparison pleasure.

1. Hamlet (William Shakespeare's Hamlet): Okay, I know Hamlet is one of the biggest basketcases in all of literature. And he's possibly insane. And he can be really mean. And he has "issues" galore. However, that's exactly why I love Hamlet. He is such a complex character, which is something that I always adore, and he is not easily understood. Yet he is also extremely sympathetic (no matter how far off the deep end he is acting), brainy, philosophical, and most witty.

2. Beowulf (author unknown Beowulf): Last week, Scott mentioned Grendel as a worthy villain. Indeed! I almost put Grendel on my villain list, but he was ejected for Roger (Sadistic rock throwing Roger. Not creepy Puritan physician Roger.) That was a tough decision, but Grendel gets mentioned here in this very sentence, so that sort of evens out. (Do not argue with me. It most certainly evens out.) Beowulf is one of my favorites because he embodies the chivalric code of honor. And he kicks monster butt! And he probably has really cool armor. And he is pretty good with passive-aggressive insults, too. A man of both the sword . . . and the sharp tongue.

3. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre): I just adore Jane so much! She may not be pretty, but lovely heroines are sooooooooo overrated, anyway. (And so very boring, in my opinion.) Jane more than compensates with her smarts, her convictions, and her spunk. I am a sucker for literary orphans and Jane has long been one of my favorites. You go, girl!

4. any Jane Austen heroine (with the exception of Emma. God, how I hate her, though I still adore the book): I like Jane Austen's female characters, especially clever Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice), long-suffering Fanny Price (Mansfield Park), and naive Catherine Morland (Northanger Abbey), because they are so three dimensional. Austen could portray her heroines as one dimensional period props, but, instead, she imbues her characters with a great amount of individuality, intelligence, and charm. Yay for Jane! I will add that her heroes, especially George Knightley (Emma), Frederick Wentworth (Persuasion) and that fellow named Darcy, are all nicely crafted and sympathetic in their own right.

5. Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby): I know that Gatsby is sort of a shifty character with a shady past and a penchant for dishonesty, but in spite of all of his, erm, well, flaws, I found Gatsby one of the most compelling characters I have ever encountered. In the end, Gatsby does have his own somewhat skewed nobility and I found his complete determination to succeed and his devotion for that utterly worthless Daisy (who I will not call vile names on this blog. I promise I won't. I can't promise I won't refrain mentally, but I'll behave here.) very touching.

6. Anne Shirley (Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables): Another one of literature's orphans whom I just cannot help adoring. I love Anne because she reminds me a lot of myself when I was her age (Same social awkwardness. Same nerdiness. Same temper. Same orneriness.) but without some of my more insidious traits. (She's more forgiving than I am and less cynical and more upbeat.) What I love most about Anne, though, is her spunk. No matter what comes her way, she's up for the challenge. Anne's intelligence and courage definitely qualify her for the hero/heroine list.

7. Atticus Finch (Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird): Finch is the perfect Southern gentleman: kind, wise, honest, and noble. Though I adore him for those reasons alone, that's not why I admire him so much. His courage in refusing to go along with popular opinion to do what is right makes him one of the few characters I can say I honestly admire. He also utters one of my absolute favorite quotes: "The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." Well said, Atticus.

8. Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle's short stories and novellas): I love mysteries and have many favorite detectives (I may do a list one day), but in my mind, my absolute favorite detective will always be Sherlock Holmes. Yes, Sherlock may snort cocaine and hate women, but he is still the epitome of Victorian gentleman and his ingenious detection methods are a delight to read. Sherlock is crafty, clever, courageous, and collected. Bonus points for his acerbic British sense of humor.

9. Moist Von Lipwig (Terry Pratchett's Discworld series): What do you mean I can't use a con artist on my hero list? It's my list! I can do what I want! *pouts and stomps feet* Moist may be many things that are not, ahem, reputable, but he's also witty and crafty and delightfully bad (in a good antihero type way.) Moist may be the cagiest con man on Discworld, but underneath his roguish exterior lies an essentially good heart. You just have to look long and hard for it.

10. Matilda (Roald Dahl's Matilda): What is there not to love about Matilda? She's smart and sweet and precocious. And she can control chalk with her mind and engage in a truly strategic round of psychological warfare when pressed into it. Gentle Matilda is not to be under-estimated, yet she always has my sympathy. And, oh yes, she loves to read. What further qualification does she need?

I noticed last week that most of my favorite villains were psychological menaces. Likewise, I have noticed that my favorite heroes are often intelligent, snarky, and deeply flawed but still essentially honorable. I find this psychologically interesting. :D

Who are your favorites?

Next Week: I'll be free from school! So maybe Yann Martel's new book Beatrice and Virgil. Or John Gardner's Grendel.

My Ten Favorite Literary Villains

2010-04-29T22:19:00.002-05:00

So . . . I forced a few tagged followers on my second blog--Grammatically Motivated--to list their favorite fictional villains. *nefarious snicker* I love a good bad guy, or should I say an effective bad guy, so that led me to start thinking about my own personal favorites, whether it's because they are just so cool or just so evil. Considering I haven't read anything this week (Curses upon whomever invented finals!) and am running horribly behind schedule (Sorry!), I decided to post my list of the top ten literary characters I love to hate, or, in some cases, hate to love. :D

1. Count Dracula (Bram Stoker's Dracula): *cue organ music* I have a certain standard when it comes to vampires: I like my vampires mean. None of this mamby pamby sparkly crap. I want an honest-to-goodness bloodsucking vampire who sports a shiny black cape and has no problem with sinking his fangs into helpless victims. The venerable villain Count Dracula meets all of my requirements and is the main reason I adore Bram Stoker's classic vampire novel, the aptly named Dracula. The Count also gets bonus points for the cool Romanian accent. (Please tell me I am not the only one who reads his lines with a Bela Lugosi voice.)

2. Iago (William Shakespeare's Othello): The Bard has given us many great bad guys, but Iago is, in my opinion, Shakespeare's best villain. True, he isn't one of those scary axe murderer type villains; Iago is actually much worse. Instead, he's an insidious, deceitful scoundrel who worms his way into friendship with Othello and wages a ruthless (but absolutely effective) war of mind games with the sole intent of bringing Othello down. Give me a choice between confronting a crazed ax murderer and an Iago, and I'll take the axe murderer. You may at least be able to outrun him. Good luck getting away from the seemingly charismatic and loyal Iago.*shudder* And, if Iago has no other redeeming personal qualities, he is at least good with hilarious Elizabethan insults and putdowns. :D

3. Mrs. Danvers (Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca): Who says maniacal rogue scientists have a monopoly on being evil? Creepy British housekeeper Mrs. Danvers, who is hellbent on tormenting the young second wife of her employer for having the audacity to replace her beloved mistress, is about as nightmarish of an opponent as you can get. The fact that Du Maurier keeps comparing her to a skeleton in a formal black dress doesn't help matters . . .

4. Bill Sikes (Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist): Fagin may be the main villain in Oliver Twist, but the unhinged Sikes makes Fagin look as docile as a tranquilized guinea pig. A burglar, thief, murderer, Sikes isn't literature's brainiest villain, but he is certainly one of the most remorseless vagabonds to appear in fiction. Whenever I read about Cockney crooks, Sikes always comes to my mind.

5. Heathcliff (Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights): Pop culture perceives Heathcliff as the brooding British heartthrob of Victorian literature. And, I must confess, I have always pitied Heathcilff, what with his troubled childhood and thwarted romance with Cathy. That being said, Heathcliff's personal sufferings do not in the least negate the malicious, sadistic revenge campaign he unleashes upon any and all who dare anger him. Heathcliff is a puzzling character with no rhyme or reason to much of his behavior, which is one reason he's so disturbing.

6. Vito Corleone (Mario Puzo's The Godfather): This is sort of a cheater's pick on my part. I like the film version of this story better than the book (The movie has my boy Brando!), but Vito is still one of my favorite bad guys. Vito Corleone is a loving father, husband, and friend. Vito is loyal, generous, and wise. Vito is also one of the most feared Mafiosi in New York. When he, ahem, makes you an offer you can't refuse, you better take it, if you get my drift. *wink wink*

7. Anton Chigurh (Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men): This is a pick where I adore the film version of the villain, but I also like the original literary portrayal, too. I am not really quite sure why I like Chigurh so much. He's a quirky, coldblooded hit man who is prone to philosophy. I think I like him so well, because he's so unusual...and has so many catchy lines. What's it to you, friendo? Whatever it is, it makes me forgive his questionable taste in hair styles.

8. Roger (William Golding's Lord of the Flies): Yes, Jack is the leading meanie in this classic tale of British school boys gone wild, but Roger is the major psycho. Roger is a creep not because he is the brains of the outfit, but because he enjoys whatever he's tasked with doing far more than is mentally healthy. If you don't believe me, check out the part where he starts rocking his classmates before Jack forms his tyrannical choir regime.

9. Nazguls (J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings): Sure, Sauron is the villain and the nazguls are the minions. But they're such cool minions! The scene where they enter the Shire hunting for Frodo always struck me as the scariest scene in the Rings trilogy. They get bonus points for the intimidating cloaked appearance. If I ever get minions, they are so wearing cloaks! ^^

10. Roger Chillingworth (Nathanial Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter): You guys have probably noticed I prefer villains who aren't stereotypical and the more psychological ones. Chillingworth definitely falls in both categories. Puritan physician isn't the most insidious occupation that comes to mind when casting villains, but there is no doubt from the moment Chillingworth appears that he is a most dastardly fellow. If holding grudges were a team sport, Chillingworth would be my first round draft pick. If he doesn't have you cringing, especially in that creepy scene when he tells Hester he knows exactly where she's going and that it isn't happening, I am not sure who will.

Who are your favorites?

By the way, due to finals, I won't have a book review up next week, either. How do you guys feel about a list of my favorite hereos to balance this list out?

The Eyre Affair

2010-04-21T09:34:00.001-05:00

Imagine the year 1985 in a world where the Crimean War still rages on, time travel is possible, book worms exist (Get it? Get it?), and the British public can't get enough of literature and art. Rabid Baconians stalk the street, proselytizing that Francis Bacon wrote the amazing plays attributed to Shakespeare; militant surrealists are murdered by rogue impressionists on the streets of London; and the novel Jane Eyre ends with Jane marrying that twit cousin of hers and leaving Mr. Rochester to a sad life all alone. (How dare she! Poor lonely Eddie...) In this chaotic world, a market exists for bootlegged manuscripts of classic novels, which is exactly what SpecOp agent Thursday Next battles on a day-to-day basis. The brainy but troubled Next is used to hunting down forged copies of Johnson and Austen. What she is not used to is maniacal criminals like Acheron Hades entering into books to kidnap and murder beloved literary characters. When Hades kidnaps Jane, it is up to Thursday, her partner, and Mr. Rochester himself to rescue Jane and make the world safe for classic literary characters everywhere.

My coworker Darcie recommended this delightful book--The Eyre Affair--to me; when I hinted at reviewing this book last week, Serena not only correctly guessed the title, she also recommended the book as well. When one reader with great taste in books suggests a book to me, I always get excited. When two readers with great taste in books suggest a book to me, I cannot resist. Thank you both so much! I loved this book and can't wait to read the rest of this series.

One reason I loved this book was the pithy British sense of humor that author Jasper Fforde brings. His witty style and outrageous plots remind me of some weird fusion of Terry Pratchett, Monty Python, and Lynne Truss. (It also reminds me of my beloved TV show Pushing Daisies. It has the same darkly funny mix of humor and escapist fantasy. Random Zella tangent: I will never, ever forgive ABC for cancelling Pushing Daisies. If ABC is reading this: I have not forgotten that retaliation riot I threatened. Consider yourself warned.) I am especially impressed with the skill that Fforde handles a plot that could very easily be dismissed as too silly. Instead, he crafts a gripping thriller and a sharply humorous alternative universe that is not so very different from our own, yet is worlds away, in a good way. The characters are likeable, quirky, and complex, especially Thursday, who is a truly wonderful heroine. She's neither a pathetic damsel in distress nor an over-the-top action heroine stereotype, both of which I despise in fiction. I also enjoyed the twisting plot that features elements of several genres. Sci fi, fantasy, mystery, alternative history, and humor fans will all find something to love here. Fforde puts clever twists on timeworn cliches from each genre, which helps add to the inventive tone.

However, the real draw will be for those who love classic literature. That's not really a prerequisite to reading and enjoying this book--it certainly stands alone--but this book will definitely be more appealing to those who have read and loved Jane Eyre and those who recognize all of the literary allusions that Fforde inserts within the text. (My favorite is Thursday's Uncle Mycroft. I named my laptop after Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's older brother, a couple of years ago. I had a moment of extreme nerdy happiness when I read Mycroft's name in this book..)

If you're looking for a light-hearted, clever, and highly original read, of either the spec fic or literary variety, try The Eyre Affair. Jasper Fforde is a talented writer with a highly original outlook on fiction. Beware, though: You may find yourself scrambling to find his other books, just like Darcie, Serena, and myself.

~

Next Week: Um, I have no idea. Maybe some Cormac McCarthy. Or a YA thriller set in World War II. Or Treasure Island. I have no earthly idea. Don't look at me! *hides in corner and cries*

As I Lay Dying

2010-04-14T09:37:00.002-05:00

Addie Bundren has one dying wish--she wants to be buried in her hometown, miles away from the dilapidated farmhouse she resides in with her volatile husband, Anse, and their dysfunctional brood of children. Her family agrees, thinking they will give the long-suffering woman some peace and comfort by fulfilling her request. Truth be told, Addie could care less about returning home. She just wants to punish the family she always despised by tasking them with a grueling quest, which the Bundren journey ends up being, what with raging streams, burning barns, crazy relatives, family secrets, and enough drama to fuel a soap opera.

I haven't been able to read for pleasure lately, so I had to go digging through my archives of reviews. After throwing Kafka at you last week, I hesitated about posting about Faulkner, but it was that or Samuel Beckett. As trippy as Faulkner may be, I assure you Beckett makes Kafka and Faulkner combined seem relatively normal, so I decided to post this review of my favorite Faulkner novel.

I adore Faulkner. One reason is I love his elaborate style, but his work with stream of consciousness and multi POV have greatly influenced me as a writer, and led to a few disastrous Faulknerian writing experiments as a teenager. (Let's not discuss it...) In this novel, Faulkner pieces together the voices of fifteen very different narrators to relate Addie's journey back home, including the dead woman herself. The result is a complex, fascinating work that reads like a puzzle. One is never quite sure what is going on until the very end, so it reads almost like a detective story, yet the solution is learning all about this family wrought with conflict and turmoil. The characters--especially the selfish Anse, stubborn Jewel, sensitive Darl, and enigmatic Dewey Dell--are vivid and memorable. Faulkner employs stream of consciousness technique superbly and crafts a hauntingly realistic portrait of one of literature's most dysfunctional families. I especially love the twist ending. I think it is one of the best ending lines ever written. ^^

Now, as much as I love Faulkner, I will admit: This kind of experimental fiction is certainly not to everyone's taste. As much as I enjoy it, I have to be in the right mood for it. I think it's a mistake to approach this with the same mindset you would a breezy beach read. If you're not willing to process all of the subtle clues Faulkner is giving you, you're going to be extremely confused. And that's the point. You cannot understand the book until you have completed it, so you must be willing to soldier through the whole work. If you look at it like a brainteaser or a puzzle, you'll be in a better frame of mind to appreciate what Faulkner is doing. That being said, I find this book more accessible than Faulkner's other stream of consciousness masterpiece The Sound and The Fury. Once you realize who all the characters are in As I Lay Dying, it's just a matter of following the action, as opposed to The Sound and The Fury. (I had no idea who anyone was until 3/4 of the way through that one.) It also helps to read the book a second time. Then you can concentrate on Faulkner's technique...rather than stumbling through wondering what the heck is going on.

Again, I know this sort of book isn't for everyone. But I highly recommend As I Lay Dying for anyone who likes experimental fiction. If you have never sampled any of Faulkner's stream of consciousness work, this book is not quite as intimidating as some of his other pieces. Give it a chance and tell me what you think. (I will still be friends with you if you throw the book at the wall and curse me for recommending it.)

Next Week: I am so sorry, but I just have no idea. I am trying to get something read for you guys! My coworker recommended a literary, alternative fantasy series about a book detective. I would like to try that, but I make no guarantees. I'll find something!

Also, Scott and Serena made eloquent pleas for mercy for "The Unblogged Chronicles". I still haven't made up my mind, but I am not entirely considering axing it now. I will make some changes, but for now, they will still be posted.

One more thing! Shmoop posted a book link in honor of Yom HaShoah--Holocaust Remembrance Day. Those of you who know me know I am very proud of my Jewish heritage. And, as a history major who plans to specialize in Nazi Germany, I am a firm believer in the old refrain: Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. I know the Holocaust is not a very pleasant event to remember, but it is something that can't go unmentioned. I would have posted a book review of an appropriate read but, alas, I didn't have time. But, still, read Elie Wiesel's Night or Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl or Markus Zusack's The Book Thief or Richard Glazar's Trap with a Green Fence this week. Maybe next year, I'll have an appropriate review, like Corrie Ten Boom's The Hiding Place or, if I can ever get a hold of an English translation, Lovely Green Eyes. Thanks...and shalom. :)

The Metamorphosis

2010-04-07T12:50:00.000-05:00

I am sure we've all had one of those mornings where nothing worked out right: Your alarm doesn't go off, your car won't start, and your breakfast ends up on your only clean outfit. (Please tell me it's not just me with the crazy mornings!) Well, as crappy as all of our days can be on occasion, we can at least take solace in the fact that we've never awakened to discover that we've turned into a gigantic beetle overnight (or at least I hope we can take solace in this), which is exactly what happens to Gregor Samsa, the protagonist of Franz Kafka's eerie classic The Metamorphosis.

I adore Kafka's work, especially his short stories, and this novella is one of my favorites. As a reader, his recurring theme of alienation has always struck a chord with me; as a writer, his superb craftsmanship has always been an inspiration to me. I also find his personal story one of literature's most quietly tragic (Poor lonely Franz...), but that's a story for another post. I love the way Kafka combines mundane reality with out-of-this world fantasy, which is certainly showcased in The Metamorphosis. One of the main reasons I love this story is that Kafka never explains why Gregor is turned into a bug. I think that would have ruined this story, because, really, the fact that he is a bug is one of the least of his problems, though it does complicate things. Kafka, instead, focuses his attention on the fall-out from Gregor's change, and the result is a tragic, absurd, disturbing allegory, though exactly what Kafka is allegorizing is fodder for endless debate.

Gregor is a somewhat pathetic character that I can't help pitying, but his dysfunctional family and their reactions to his state are also key components of this story--ones that are both amusing and heartbreaking. Their vain attempts to cope with Gregor's transformation forms a vital crux of this novel, particularly the ever-present alienation theme. The tragicomic interactions between Gregor and his relatives, and the world around him in general, are the highlight of this story, precisely because they ring true. I also love the surreal atmosphere that Kafka creates with his droll, meticulous style. This novella amuses me, saddens me, and creeps me out all at once. I never can read it without getting that creepy-crawly feeling I get when a bug crawls on me. (I have to read this several times this week for lit. to prepare for quizzes. This is making my homework sessions memorable...)

Though I love this story, I will admit: It's weird. It may be a bit too weird for everyone's personal taste. (I once read a comment on Sparklife that said certain things just should not be thought up. And Kafka's The Metamorphosis was one of them.) I disagree with the aforementioned sentiment--obviously. I love the originality of Kafka and think the uniqueness of his work is the point. But I can't deny that his work, and this story in particular, won't freak you out.

I highly recommend Kafka's The Metamorphosis, if only because the premise is so innovative and the execution of it is so masterful. Kafka is one of the premier voices in modernist literature...and for good reason. If you've never read Kafka before, this thirty page novella is the perfect introduction.

Next Week: Not sure. My schedule is going to get crazy. Maybe a review. Maybe a list. We'll see. If it is a list, it will probably be a list of the books I'd want with me if I were shipwrecked.

However, as busy as I will be, you can catch up with me at my second blog: Grammatically Motivated. I have been meaning to start a second blog, to post non-book related articles, but haven't had time. My faulty logic is that now that I am going to have limited time, it may be easier to write articles that don't require me to read ahead of time. Tis the theory, anyway...

Also, I am thinking about ending "The Unblogged Chronicles". I have been disappointed with this series. I think they're too long without being in-depth enough and lack a unifying theme. Therefore, I am considering halting that series. Any thoughts? Want me to kill the "Chronicles" or do you request mercy?

Don't forget: I can pester you on Twitter now. :D　

The Unblogged Chronicles (March 2010)

2010-03-31T18:06:00.001-05:00

This is another installment of "The Unblogged Chronicles"--mini reviews of all of the books I didn't blog about this month. Enjoy!

The Joy Luck Club (family drama/women's fiction): I have been meaning to read this book, which has become something of a modern day classic, for some time now. This Amy Tan novel tells the story of four immigrant Chinese women and their Americanized daughters through touching vignettes that range from tragic to comedic. As you all well know, I am a huge fan of works that feature multi POVs, and this novel alternates between first person narration from all of the daughters and three of the mothers. The result is a fascinating book with a plot that unravels like a puzzle as you follow each character's development and motivation. This novel isn't packed full of action, per se, but it is an enthralling story anyway. Tan writes an intriguing domestic drama that anyone with relatives can relate to. I look forward to reading more of her work.

Hedda Gabler (tragedy): This Henrik Ibsen drama was part of my assigned reading for World Literature II this semester and is considered one of the classics of modern drama...for good reason. I adored this play--it's a fun read. The protagonist, Hedda, is a fiery, complex female character with a dark side, and this tragedy, which traces her downfall in the course of two days, is superb. All of the characters are well-crafted (Ibsen took one year to plan out their personalities. As a details-obsessed neurotic, I appreciate an author who is obssesive with research.) The Victorian Scandinavian setting is vivid and realistically portrayed, as well. I really wanted to do a blog post on this one, but, alas, I was too busy studying it for a test to have time. Waaa! On the flip side, this play is a lot of fun to analyze in class. ^^

Peony in Love (romance): All right, I must be honest: I have mixed feelings about romances. On one hand, I adore certain classic romances, gothic romances, and historical romances. On the other hand, I am not a big fan of the Happily Ever After endings that are so common in this genre. Meh, I just think they are a bit too pat. Give me a choice between a Happily Ever After and a murder-filled finale where everyone dies, and I'll choose the bloodbath every time. I found this Lisa See novel--a supernatural romance set in 16th century China and loosely based on fact--interesting, though a few parts did drive me a little crazy. (Not crazy enough to make me dislike the book, but crazy enough to make me occasionally roll my eyes.) This novel is the tale of Peony, who pines away from lovesickness, under the influence of the deeply romantic and frequently banned The Peony Pavilion opera, and, after becoming a ghost, influences her husband's subsequent brides to do likewise. The first part, before Peony's death, is good, but it's all very familiar: Girl falls in love with dreamy boy. Girl is trapped in impending arranged marriage and will never see boy again. Girl becomes upset and starts acting crazy. (On a side note: If you decide to go on secret rendezvous with an attractive stranger, please, for the love of God, at some point tell each other your names. It will save everyone a lot of heartbreak, okay? Thank you. This has been a public service announcement by Zella Kate, courtesy of the Lonely Hearts' Club.) I thought that the book improved dramatically after Peony died and became a ghost, primarily because it was unique and provides a fascinating look at traditional Chinese beliefs about the afterlife. The historical detail is well done. Overall, I liked the book, though I thought the beginning was a bit clichéd.

Secrets of Eden (literary thriller): Alice Hayward was baptized on Sunday morning. She was murdered by her abusive husband in a murder-suicide on Sunday night. But was it really a murder-suicide? Evidence at the crime suggests it may have been a double homicide and the pastor that baptized Alice, Stephen Drew, is the prime suspect. This brand new Chris Bohjalian novel is told through the POVs of the accused Drew, the DA who believes he's harboring secrets, an author who interjects herself into the investigation because her parents also died in a murder-suicide, and Alice's now orphaned daughter. The only reason I didn't review this is it would have come too soon after Shutter Island. This is an extremely well-written novel. Bohjalian does a marvelous job of maintaining suspense without resorting to overdone plot tricks. I was particularly impressed with how individual each of the character's narration was, especially the sardonic DA, Catherine, and Alice's teenage daughter, Katie. I highly recommend this book.

Gone, Baby, Gone (hardboiled mystery): I am now a confirmed Lehane nut. Aly simultaneously recommended it to me as I was reading it. (You know what they say about great minds...) This is a gritty, heartrending tale of a kidnapping in the mean streets of Dorchester, Massachusetts and the resulting investigation by private detectives Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. As with Shutter Island, I loved the twisty plot and the great characters. I also love how Lehane doesn't cop out and go for the blatantly unrealistic happy ending. As with my other Lehane review, I must warn you that this also has loads of profanity and some very disturbing scenes. (If it makes a hardened PI like Patrick cry, it will make you bawl, too. Or at least it made me cry.) My only problem, and it isn't the author's fault, is it is a little hard to follow in parts because this is the fourth book in a series, but Lehane keeps it up to date without bogging you down in details. (I am now going insane trying to find the other books in the series.)

Prayers for Rain (hardboiled mystery): This is the fifth Lehane novel about Gennaro and Kenzie. (I am reduced to reading whichever one I can get my hands on. Pity me! Pity me!) I enjoyed this one--which details the detectives investigation of a sadistic stalker who pushes his victims to commit suicide--but I liked Gone, Baby, Gone just a little better. Reason is in this one the basic plot gets figured out before the denouement and it becomes more an issue of stopping the stalker, rather than a mystery right down to the end. It’s still a great atmospheric read with Lehane’s trademark sardonic wit. And the ending, where Kenzie and Gennaro turn the tables on the stalker, is delicious revenge. *insert standard disclaimer about profanity and adult situations*

Columbine (non-fiction/true crime): The Columbine High School shooting was the first major news story that I remember when it happened. (The fact that I was living in Colorado at the time probably didn't help.) As with true crime in general, it is an event that both horrified and fascinated me. Eleven years after the fact, journalist Dave Cullen re-examines the massacre in this meticulously researched, well-written book that explodes many of the myths about the tragedy. I saw a review that compared it to one of my favorite books--Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. That's high praise from anyone, but this book is reminsicent of Capote's masterpiece. Even the killers bear a disturbing resemblance to the murderers in Capote's book. (That's because murder-spree duos usually have similar psychological mindsets, but that's a story for another day.) Cullen is widely regarded as a foremost authority on the Columbine school shooting. This book proves it.

Greedy Apostrophe (children’s book): Those of you who know me well know that I love punctuation, even to the point of committing vandalism in the name of preserving proper punctuation. *cough* You also know that I adore that most special yet maligned punctuation mark: the apostrophe. *gently picks apostrophe up and holds her high for the world to behold* Is she not dainty and pretty? Is she not flawless? Is she not the epitome of what a punctuation mark should be? (Just agree with me. Please.) Well, as much as I adore the apostrophe, in the wrong hands, this gentle soul can wreak havoc. Greedy Apostrophe: A Cautionary Tale, by Jan Carr, warns of the confusion and horror that can result from abuse of the apostrophe. This is a children's book, so I wouldn't expect you guys to read it, but for those of you with younger relatives, please read this book to them! Alert them to the dangers inherent in using apostrophes to make something plural! Greedy Apostrophe must be stopped! We need your help! :P

P.S. As some of you have already discovered, I am now on Twitter. Stop by and read the ramblings of my diseased mind when you get a chance...if you dare. :)

~

Next Week: Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis. This is one of my absolute favorite stories from one of my favorite writers. We're reading it for World Lit this semester. I squealed with joy when I saw it on the syllabus.

Animal Farm

2010-03-28T17:36:00.001-05:00

Greetings, gentle readers! I wanted to post a review of something else I read this week to close out my Spring Break book binge week, but I sort of had, you know, homework and some other crazy things come up. I decided to post this review I've had saved up, instead.

The animals of Manor Farm have grown tired of Farmer Jones's oppression. I mean, seriously, they're the ones who do all of the work, while he profits off of their labor. Why shouldn't they just cut the ingrate out of the equation and work for themselves, so they get to enjoy the fruits of their labor? A most reasonable plan if there ever was, even if it was devised by pigs (literally). Soon, the crafty porcine militants have overthrown the farmer and seized control of the land, with the full support of their fellow barnyard creatures. The animals create a paradise of equality, named Animal Farm, built upon the concept that "four legs good; two legs bad." Then a nasty power struggle erupts between the two dominant pig politicians, Snowball and Napoleon, which causes the cozy utopia to implode. Will Animal Farm ever be the same?

Animal Farm is one of my absolute favorite books, and it is my favorite satire. Why? Well, for many reasons. I adore Orwell's other classic, 1984, for its stark style and nightmarish dystopia; I love Animal Farm even more because it's just so...funny. Though 1984 is also a critique of communism, Animal Farm takes on the subject with a much different style, one that is wry and outrageous. What's weird is the book isn't full of overtly humorous dialogue or scenes, yet it is still amusing, primarily because Orwell's anthropomorphic, allegorical retelling of the Russian Revolution is so masterfully crafted. Each stage of the Revolution is covered and all of the major personalities and events are here, from Stalin to Trotsky to bloody purges, and all of the inherent irony and absurdity is highlighted by Orwell's barnyard cast. As a history major who hopes to specialize in the Russian Revolution, the whole concept strikes me as hysterical and the fact that Orwell has every little detail accounted for makes my ubernerd heart happy.

Another reason I like this book is its simplicity. Animal Farm is a novella--my copy is only 120 pages long--and can easily be read in an afternoon. Orwell also relies on a style that is engaging and oddly reminiscent of the tone used in children's fables. The characters, though symbolic, are well-crafted, effective, and memorable, especially the sinister Napoleon, the loyal Boxer, and the cantankerous Benjamin.

I don't believe in reading analysis and background history before tackling most books. I find it distracting and have found that kind of material much more interesting after reading the book in question. Animal Farm is a slight exception. As with most satires, you have to understand what Orwell is lampooning to understand the book. If you have a basic knowledge of what happened during the Russian Revolution, you shouldn't have a problem. If not, do a little bit of reading before picking this one up. You don't need to read Riasanovsky's A History of Russia (unless you just want to. In that case, I highly recommend it), but reading a few encyclopedia articles will definitely give you a much better foundation to approach this book. Using a copy with footnotes that explain key passages wouldn't hurt, either.

Animal Farm is a delightfully acerbic examination of a key event in world history. Orwell's masterpiece reminds me of some weird blend of Russian history, Chicken Run, and Gulliver's Travels. If you love high-quality satire, this book is a must-read. (And after you've read it, please tell me if I am insane for free-associating this book with my all-time favorite album--Pink Floyd's Animals. My mind works in strange ways...)

Next Time: Alas, friends, I must return to my usual schedule of just posting on Wednesdays. My next post, which should fall on the last day of this month, will be this month's edition of "The Unblogged Chronicles." I'll have mini-reviews of a modern day classic, a supernatural romance, a tragedy, a couple of more Lehane novels, a brand-new true crime book, a recently published literary thriller, and a children's book that I think should be enshrined in gold...or made mandatory reading. See you Wednesday!

The Help

2010-03-25T22:09:00.001-05:00

Aibilene has spent most of her life working as a maid for well-to-do white families in Jackson, Mississippi. Her friend Minnie has done likewise, though with her sharp tongue job opportunities are few and far between. The two friends think that nothing will ever change in their world, which is ruled by cooking, cleaning, and ironing for others, though the civil rights movement has been at work for some time in the early 1960s. Then Aibilene is asked by her employer's friend, Skeeter Philan, a well-to-do recent college graduate who is desperate to become a writer but is expected to marry well instead, if she wants things to change. Aibilene is at first reluctant to discover what Skeeter has in mind, but once she finds out what Skeeter's plan is, she reluctantly agrees to help. The project they embark on could lead to both Aibilene and Minnie being fired or worse, and Skeeter being forever shunned, but they decide that the risk is worth it.

After reading Shutter Island, a grim noir set in 1950s Massachusetts, I needed an upbeat read. The Help was the exact opposite of Shutter Island--a bittersweet but ultimately triumphant tale set in 1960s Mississippi--and fit the bill perfectly. This book, which was a surprise bestseller last summer, was recommended to me by both my good friends Maddie and Claire. Thanks so much! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The Help was author Kathryn Stockett's debut novel and I am very impressed! This is a very well-crafted novel, on all fronts. The plot is an uplifting examination of friendship and courage that is easy to relate to. Stockett also manages to build and maintain a tremendous amount of dramatic tension in what could have been a dreary domestic setting. Rather than relying on false plot twists to sustain reader interest, Stockett uses her characters' interactions with each other to build suspense and the result is a page-turner that I couldn't put down. Stockett also does a superb job of creating authentic period detail. This is a novel that is very much grounded in realism and the author paints a portrait of the South that is biased in neither direction, which is quite refreshing. Rather than being heavy-handed and lecturing about the injustice of the era, she shows it in action, and that is ultimately far more effective and poignant.

The real draw of this novel, though, is the characters. Aibilene, Minnie, and Skeeter are all complex characters, each with their own set of flaws and virtues, who are immensely likeable and utterly unforgettable. I am always kvetching about 2-D female characters and Stockett certainly avoids this in her novel. One major strength of this book is the narration, which is written in first person narration that alternates between Aibilene, Minnie, and Skeeter (in addition to one third person chapter). Each character has her own distinctive voice, and the Southern accents in the narration and dialogue are perfect. Overdone accents is a major pet peeve of mine, but Stockett--who was born and raised in Mississippi, went to college in Alabama, and currently lives in Georgia--makes their voices authentic, and the result is a delight to read.

The Help is a wonderful debut novel that is a blast to read. This is a book that truly is heart-warming, a phrase that ol' cynical me rarely applies to a book. I hope Stockett plans on writing more books. If they are anything at all like her first novel, reading them will be a pleasure.

Next Time: Hmm...I am not sure. My spring break is winding down, so I kind of have to, you know, study some this week. I have a couple of books I am reading now, but I am not sure if I'll blog on them. If I do find something to blog about, I'll post a review this weekend and then the next installation of "The Unblogged Chronicles" next week. If I don't come up with something, I'll post "The Unblogged Chronicles" this weekend and have a review ready for next Wednesday. That's the plan, anyway. (Nobody is allowed to mention how much I often don't follow my plans. I don't want to hear it! *covers ears with hands and hums an annoying tune*)

Shutter Island

2010-03-22T18:48:00.002-05:00

Greetings, gentle readers! (Or not so gentle readers, if you prefer that address.) Since this week is my spring break, I am going to blog more than just my usual one post per week (In addition to this post, I plan on doing a midweek post and a post next weekend). Hurray! At least I hope that's a cause for joy... Anyway, I am kicking off this week of book splurges with an excellent book (written by a new favorite author) that was recently adapted for film by one of my favorite directors. Enjoy!

In 1954, US Marshals Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule are sent to Shutter Island, a maximum security insane asylum located in Boston Harbor where some of the country's most dangerous mentally ill prisoners are housed, to investigate the disappearance of delusional murderess Rachel Solando. Solando seemingly walked through a locked door, past several security checkpoints, and vanished. It doesn't take Daniels and Aule long to realize that something is very amiss with this case, especially when the asylum's staff prove unwilling to fully cooperate with the investigation. With one of the worst storms in recent memory blowing in, Daniels and Aule race to locate Solando. But they soon begin to realize that, in addition to the staff being unhelpul at best, someone on the island is trying to drive them insane...

All right, all right! I have a confession to make! *cough*I am a crime fiction fanatic. In fact, it's probably my favorite genre of genre fiction, with fantasy and horror in the running for a close second. My love for crime fiction is rooted in the fact that I harbor a secret, highly irrational desire to be either a district attorney or a criminal psychologist or an FBI agent specializing in organized crime (this, children, is what happens when you read too many Al Capone bios as a teen). I have gotten over this delusion and know that none of these career choices would fit me, but I still love to live vicariously through crime fiction books and movies. And one of my favorite source for crime movies is Martin Scorsese. (The Departed and Casino are two of my favorite movies EVER!) So when I saw that he and Leonardo DiCaprio had a new thriller out--Shutter Island--I was so psyched to watch it. Then when I read that it was based on a Dennis Lehane book, I wanted to read the book, partly due to my policy of reading books before seeing the movie but also because I have heard a lot of wonderful things about Lehane's work and have been meaning to read his novels for some time. This was my, erm, motive for reading Shutter Island this weekend, and I was not in the least disappointed. This novel is one of the best psychological thrillers I have read and now I am really psyched to see the movie. Yeehaw!

Any good thriller needs a page-turning plot, and Shutter Island certainly delivers in this respect. The investigation into Soldano's disappearance is a genuine page turner. I started this book in the morning and didn't put it down until I had read the last page. It was that involving! And that harrowing! The story involves a complex brainteaser that will challenge even the most adept suspense readers. I knew something was afoot, but I never saw the truly shocking ending, which is one of the most stunning I have ever read, coming. What sets this novel above typical thriller fare, though, is the overall quality of the novel. Yes, the plot is engaging, but the book is extremely well-written. I was particularly impressed with the characters. Sadly, most crime fiction characters are usually so stereotypical, they are not very interesting. Not so with this novel. Teddy is a sympathetic, intelligent protagonist and Chuck was equally as complex and believable. I also enjoyed the unique setting. I have had a long-standing fascination with mental illness, and this interest was especially piqued during a General Psych class I took my freshman year of college. For that class, I had to do a research project on treatment methods, specifically shock treatment, lobotomies, and psychiatric medication. While researching that paper, I was mortified at what passed as "medical treatment" in most 1950s era mental institutes and, therefore, I found this novel's setting at that exact time period to be quite chilling, in and of itself. Lehane does a great job of recreating that atmosphere.

I enjoyed this novel very much, but I must state a couple of things about it, to be fair. Though I loved the ending and thought it all tied together at the end, it is quite a stunner. When I first read it, I started mentally shouting "NOOOOOOO! That's not right! It cannot be!" Then Lehane laid it all out nicely and I saw I was wrong. Though I thought it was brilliant, I can't argue that the premise is not a bit, well, trippy, which some readers may find too outlandish. I think that would be missing the point of reading a psychological suspense thriller, though. Outlandish premises are the nature of thrillers. Going along for the ride and matching wits with the author is the primary purpose of this genre, and I think Lehane gives the reader plenty to enjoy in that department. This probably boils down to a matter of taste, more so than anything else. Also, in the name of public service announcements, I must warn you: This novel contains a lot of strong language and a few adult scenes. It's nothing gratuitous and certainly not the worst I've ever read, but it is there, in case that sort of thing turns you off.

Shutter Island is a fast-paced, well-crafted thriller that you won't be able to put down. This is a novel you'll want to read twice. I can't wait to read more Lehane novels! I already have reserved more. A new favorite author. Hurray!

Next Time: Hmmm..not sure. I did check another Lehane novel out of the library today, but I wouldn't blog about it, for y'all's sake. Maybe a Cormac McCarthy novel or some of the historical fiction cluttered on my nightstand. I should have the post about on Thursday or Friday. See you then!

Six Suspects

2010-03-17T09:47:00.003-05:00

Nobody liked Vicky Rai. The thuggish, spoiled millionaire made many enemies in his thirty two years on the planet. Of course, that tends to happen when you spend your free time running over the homeless, murdering innocent bartenders, and getting away with it all because your father is a high-ranking (and extremely corrupt) official in the Indian government. As much as everyone despised Rai, his own murder, at a party to celebrate his acquittal on a murder charge no less, shocks everyone and the justice that Rai's victims were deprived of is demanded for him. Six guests are found with firearms and are arrested as suspects. These guests, their stories, and their motives for murder are the focus of Vikas Swarup's inventive, outrageous murder mystery Six Suspects.

If you're anything like me, you are reading Swarup's name and thinking, "Hmmm...that name sounds familiar." Swarup, an Indian diplomat, is the author of the acclaimed novel, Q & A, which was adapted as the hit film Slumdog Millionaire. I have never read Q & A or watched Slumdog Millionaire, but the premise of Six Suspects intrigued me. I have always been fascinated with India, so I was curious to read a contemporary novel written by an Indian author that is set in that country. I also love experimental fiction, which Six Suspects, with its multi POV framework, definitely qualifies. I also love a good murder mystery. So I couldn't resist checking this novel out.

Rather than presenting a standard linear murder mystery plot that starts at the murder and then works through the investigation or starting at the beginning and tracing the murder's cause, Swarup does both. The novel starts with a newspaper article about Rai's murder, moves onto introductions to the suspects -- a corrupt Indian official who may be possessed by the spirit of Gandhi, a doltish Texas tourist, a sharp-tongued Bollywood actress, a charming thief from the slums of Delhi, a disoriented islander from the Andamans in search of a lost tribal heirloom, and Rai's own father -- all of which are conveyed through a variety of methods (first person narration, third person narration, diary entries, and tapped phone conversations) before moving into the stories behind each suspect's motive for killing Vicky and the circumstances behind each one's presence at the party. From there, the novel picks up with newspaper articles to detail the investigation into Rai's murder.

I thought that Swarup handled the complex plot well. The many-faceted plotline is never confusing, and the murder mystery aspect is handled well. Swarup plays fair with the reader, but I bet you won't guess the murderer's identity. The focus of this novel, though, is each individual suspect. The individual stories range from the commonplace (thwarted love) to the outrageous, but each one is compelling and handled with humor. Six Suspects is also an indictment of India's government, which Swarup portrays as corrupt, but the tale is both hilarious and outlandish enough to prevent this from descending into a heavy-handed lecture about politics.

There was a lot to like about this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, though it is over 450 pages, I got wrapped up in it and couldn't put it down. However, as you can imagine, some of the characters were more engaging than others and, hence, some of the stories were better than others. I adored most of the suspects and found many of them sympathetic, even if they really weren't. Shabnam, the Bollywood star, and Eketi, the mischievous islander, both go squarely in this category, as does my absolute favorite of the characters: Munna, the thief. (He reminded me so much of Moist von Lipwig from Discworld. I have a weakness for roguish, good-hearted charmsters...) Even the stories of two of the least-likeable characters, the two government officials, are entertaining. The story of Mohan, the possessed one, is weirdly funny and the story of Jaggarnat, Vicky's father, is an intriguing tale of corruption.

But, and this is a big but, I hated the story line involving Larry, the American tourist. (Pardon me while I stand on my soapbox and scream.) I thought this particular subplot of terrorist kidnapping and mail order brides and mistaken identity, though amusing at times, was horribly over done and melodramatic. I could have handled that, but Larry was intolerable and stereotypical. His first person narration was chock full of irritating yokel sayings, some of which were funny, but the sheer quantity of them was unnerving. It was distracting to read several corny similes like "I was as confused as a cow on Astroturf" on every page. (I'll admit some of them were pretty darn funny, but they're the ones that are unprintable here *sigh* or they are so outrageous that no person with anything remotely resembling brain cells would ever say them seriously.) It was as if Swarup just decided to cram every cheesy Texas saying known to man into Larry's story. It wasn't logical either, because most of Larry's narration was fairly well-spoken and grammatically correct, so it was a glaring inconsistency to me. What aggravated me the most, though, was how stereotypical Larry was. It disappointed me that all of the other characters were so well-crafted and complex, yet Larry was the proverbial idiotic hick who was incapable of realizing anything, whether he was being stood up or mugged. As a Southerner, I think the stereotype that we're all a bunch of toothless ignoramuses has gotten old fast. As a reader, I was vexed that Sawrup choose the easy way out with this character. I really wish that Swarup had developed Larry as well as he did his other characters. (My soapbox rant is officially over.)

Six Suspects is a superb book with a lot to offer -- complex structure, intriguing mystery, and scathing social satire. Overall, I recommend the book for anyone who loves postmodernist experimental fare, mysteries, or Indian culture. Though I was disappointed in Larry, I though the rest of the book, and Swarup's undeniable talent, more than made up for that. I wouldn't mind rereading this book, and I look forward to reading Q & A and the third novel that Swarup is reputedly working on.

Next Week: I can guarantee nothing. My spring break is next week, so I have a lot of books that I am planning on devouring. I do want to try to do at least two, if not three, reviews next week, in addition to this month's installation of "The Unblogged Chronicles." I am thinking it may be some historical fiction, maybe Wolf Hall, but again I am not sure. We shall see. (I have no idea why this is a different font size. Sorry!) *beats computer unmercifully*

A Separate Peace

2010-03-10T09:47:00.003-06:00

Sixteen year old prep student Gene spends most of his days in the summer of 1942 doing whatever his best friend Phineas, better known as Finny, dictates. If Finny thinks they should invent their own game of blitzball during PE, then they do. If Finny thinks they should form a Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session, then they do. If Finny thinks they should cut class and go to the beach in lieu of showing up for a trig test, then they do. Eventually, Gene starts to suspect that his charming, free-spirited friend's impulsive decisions are a deliberate attempt to sabotage his stellar academic record. Gene's suspicions prompt him to lash back at Finny, leading to tragic consequences that neither of the two friends could ever have anticipated.

Scott recently recommended John Knowles' classic coming of age tale, A Separate Peace, to me, and I read it over the weekend. I had heard a lot of great things about this book (and I love a good coming of age story to start with) but had never read it before. I wish now that I had -- it's a new favorite! I started this book Friday evening and finished it early Saturday morning. Yes, it's that good. I loved Knowles' writing style. His prose is elegant and lyrical yet highly readable. Knowles' description of WWII era New England boarding school life is also realistic and makes for a unique backdrop. The petty rivalries between the students and the outrageous diversions that they develop to stave off boredom especially rang true. A Separate Peace is also a compelling study of the joy of friendship and the insidious influence of envy. It's definitely one of the more moving books I have read recently. (You may want a hankie handy for the tear-jerker ending.) That being said, the book isn't a totally depressing read. There is a lot of wit and humor present as well.

As much as I loved the style, setting, and plot, the real draw for me were the characters, who were complex and exceptionally well-constructed. I sympathized with Gene, the novel's sensitive, intellectual protagonist, but I adored Finny. We all know a Finny, that upbeat, charismatic, and devil-may-care friend whose carefree personality is one that you both admire and detest. I read many novels that have strong main characters, but very few books have as strong of a supporting cast as A Separate Peace. Knowles created a vivid mix of equally interesting and realistic characters in Gene and Finny's classmates, which range from the misunderstood Leper to the enigmatic Brinker to the insufferable Quackenbush (Admit it: You laughed at the name. Don't lie! I saw you giggle as you were reading this blog post.)

I highly recommend this novel. A Separate Peace is a superb book on every level. Well-written and moving, this novel features some memorable characters that are well-worth getting to know.

By the way, I love getting book recommendations, so please always feel free to suggest books to me. I'll read them as soon as possible. :)

Next Week: Vikas Swarup's Six Suspects.

I also have two announcements. Hey, don't run! They'll be quick. I promise. First, you may have noticed the new pages I have been adding to my blog. (Just humor me and pretend that you did. *points covertly to top of page*) I have added "What's All This, Then", which is a history of my blog; "And You Are...", which includes more information about me then you would ever wish to know; and "What's Next?", which is where I will be posting the books on my TBR list that I plan on reading in the not-so-distant future. I plan on adding a few more pages over the next couple of weeks and will point them out when I do get them finished.

Now, for the other announcement. My good friend over at Ergo, Scott, tagged me to predict my future. I have to tag ten other bloggers and make predictions about where I will be in ten years. I would mention that Scott is an excellent friend (and blogger) with an outrageous sense of humor and impeccable taste in books, but he insisted that I am not allowed to tag him back, so I won't. Be that way, Scott. ;)

Hmmm...where will I be in ten years? In ten years I will be thirty -- the age of Hamlet. This intrigues me, because Hamlet is not only one of my favorite characters who I insist upon dragging into every conversation, but I once took a personality test that said Hamlet was the literary character that I am most like. The similarities between the Prince and myself were truly scary. (Of course, I also once scored as Lady Macbeth and Sweeney Todd on similar tests, so maybe I shouldn't take these too seriously...) Regardless, I wonder: When I am thirty will I also develop an alarming case of insanity that involves my being responsible for the murders of several people? (Gee, I hope not...) Will I wander around a spooky Danish castle reeling off witty non-sequitors and shrieking "Fie on it!"? (Gee, I hope so...) Will I be an indecisive emotional basketcase? (Gee, I already am...) I wonder about these things, but the thorny question that I really ponder: Will I still be in college, like Hamlet was? (Gee, I bet so...) That is the question! I mean, I plan on sticking around and earning master's degrees in English and history then getting a Ph.D. in history, so it's very likely I'll be one of those pathetic ABD grad students, slaving away on some dry dissertation that only the insane, drunk, or academic would plod their way through. That's all right, though. Maybe if I am busy writing a dissertation on the political beliefs of Russian Revolutionaries, I will be too distracted to sword fight anyone named Laertes...

Enough of my nonsense! Now for the ten bloggers I have tagged:

Jean (Discarded Darlings) -- for her always amusing observations on writing.

Aly (My Seriously Unserious Life) -- for always being so cheerful and upbeat.

Bec (Propose With Oreos) -- for her funny, informative "How to" articles

N.A. (Zac Serves it right) -- for her original, engaging series on Zac the cafateria worker.

Math is a Plentiful Harvest (Math is a Plentiful Harvest) -- for her superb poems and essays.

Ryan (The Dark Corner of the Mind) -- for his always excellent take on writing.

Jourdie (I Read This!) -- for his great book reviews and literary analysis articles.

Rose (Shadowland) -- for her haunting, beautiful poems.

Lucy (Amusing Seth) -- for her amazing blog posts and great links.

Glenda (Schemer's World) -- for her hilarious take on writing and life.

Congratulations!

Of Mice and Men

2010-03-03T09:52:00.007-06:00

Migrant agricultural workers George Milton and Lennie Small wander from farm to farm looking for work in Depression-era California. Finding work isn't so much a problem for these two friends as keeping jobs, for the good-hearted but simple-minded Lennie has such a propensity for trouble that even smooth-talking George can't convince employers to keep them for long. When the two arrive at a ranch in Salinas County, they are determined to stay until they make enough to buy a small farm where they can be their own boss, beholden to no one. But George and Lennie's plan goes tragically awry when their bullying boss, Curley, targets Lennie as his next victim.

I know I promised you historical fiction last week, but I just didn't have time to read any historical fiction this week. I also realized that this would be my fiftieth post on my blog *throws confetti*, so I wanted to pick something special to review. Also, I have been promising my good friend Maddie for quite some time that I would review a book by her favorite author, John Steinbeck. Finally, I wanted to return to a normal-sized post after frightening you guys with those behemoths from the past two weeks. With all of these thoughts swimming around in my poor diseased mind, I saw my Of Mice and Men copy -- one of my absolute favorite books ever -- on the shelf and knew that was what I had to blog about.

So exactly why is this slender little novella one of my favorites? Well, first and foremost, George and Lennie are two of my favorite literary characters...period. I sympathize with the put-upon George, who masks his sensitive side with biting sarcasm, and poor Lennie's child-like innocence and vulnerability just breaks my heart. Curley is also one of the most vile characters in literature. We have all met a Curley (read: idiotic bully), and the resulting collision between the sadistic, spoiled rancher and the workers he mistreats is one of the most compelling, heartbreaking confrontations I have ever read. When I first read this book, the shocking ending (which I refuse to divulge, in case you haven't read it) made me sob relentlessly and turned me into an emotional pile of goo for a day. The ending still makes me weep every time I read it. *dabs eyes with hankie* The emotional intensity of this novella is the primary reason I adore it so much, but I also love the realism Steinbeck employs in his portrayal of the setting. The rugged life of Depression-era migrant workers comes to life with Steinbeck's dialogue and narration.

I think this book is a masterpiece, but I would be remiss if I didn't discuss the controversy that surrounds Of Mice and Men. Though this book is widely regarded as a classic of 20th century literature (rightly so!), Of Mice and Men is one of the most censored books in US history. As late as the 1990s, this novella was the second most banned book in this country and it still remains a frequent target of censors. Why? Welllll, the book is chalk full of profanity, the plot is morbid, and some of the characters espouse racism and are insensitive toward the mentally handicapped Lennie. I think these critics who dismiss this book as offensive are missing the point of this novel. Yes, the language is heavy. There is profanity on virtually every page. However, the cursing is never gratuitous and is essential to understanding several of the characters. I have read books that had less language than Of Mice and Men that offended me far more, because the language was not necessary. I am also not going to deny the book is morbid, but I think attacks that this book is racist or discriminatory are utter nonsense. There is a huge difference between a book where the author advocates despicable platforms and a book that reveals how despicable those beliefs are by showing them in action. I think showing the consequences of these actions is a far more effective means of condemning these ideas than merely lecturing about them. I think the philosophical issues that this novella explore would have nowhere near the powerful effect if these elements of the book were not present.

Of Mice and Men is a powerful tale about friendship, dreams, and justice. If you have never read this superb story, I beg you to pick it up and give it a read. This is one of those books that stay with you long after you put it down.

~

Next Week: I just got several books from the library that I can't wait to read and blog about. I can't guarantee what next week will be, but it is likely the review will cover Vikas Swarup's Six Suspects (an experimental mystery set in modern-day India and written by the author of Q & A, which was turned into the acclaimed film Slumdog Millionaire), Lisa See's Peony in Love (a supernatural romance set in 17th century China), Hilary Mantel's Booker Prize winning Wolf Hall (a historical fiction piece about Elizabethan England suggested to me by James), or, if I get it in later this week as planned, John Knowles' classic coming of age tragedy A Separate Peace (suggested to me by Scott).

The Unblogged Chronicles (Jan. and Feb. 2010)

2010-02-24T22:19:00.001-06:00

My apologies for not having this up this weekend. My schedule has been crazy lately, and I just didn't have time. Sorry!

I have another gigantic post for this week, but next week I will get back to normal size articles. I promise! This week, I am inaugurating my brand-new series, "The Unblogged Chronicles", and passing out some awards to some very deserving bloggers. I feel like today is a special occasion as a result. Perhaps I should dress up. It wouldn't kill me to wear something a little more formal than the same old T-shirts, jeans, and Crocs. *peers in closet and sees nothing but T-shirts, jeans, and Crocs* Well, maybe I could christen my new series by breaking a champagne bottle over it, like they do for ships. *smashes champagne bottle over laptop* Um...How about I just shut up and get going, eh? We'll start off with the "Unblogged Chronicles" which is a mini-review of each of the books I have read this year and didn't blog about. (And, yes, I do realize that they're now technically not unblogged. I like the title, though. Sounds science fiction-ish.)

*Hogfather (Discworld fantasy): The Hogfather, Discworld's version of Santa has disappeared on Hogswatch Eve. Oh no! Who will bring the kiddies their gifts? Never fear! Erm, Death is here to take over! Hehe Hogfather was another novel in my Discworld journey. I loved this book, because, well, because it's a Discworld novel. What better reason do I need? Well, that and the premise amuses me. I especially loved the villain - creepy Mr. Teatime. It also has what is now my all-time favorite line from a book (which served as my Facebook status for some time): "Pigs are not notably aerodynamic, are they?" (As a side note, when I was googling this quote to ensure I had it right, one of the search suggestions was "pigs are not rodents." Um, duh!) Alas, I didn't blog about it, (the book, not the pigs), because it was past Christmas when I finished it, and I would have looked goofy.

*Animal Farm (satire): I have a review written for this one, so I don't want to give too much away. Suffice to say it was one of my favorites. You'll learn more when I review it.

*Trap with a Green Fence (memoir): Beautiful Holocaust memoir by one of my heroes, Richard Glazar. A Czech Jew, Glazar was sent to the nightmarish extermination camp Treblinka during WWII and was one of the key leaders in the revolt that took place in that camp in 1943. As you may have guessed, the subject matter is bit morbid, but the book is ultimately inspirational. Glazar employs a wry conversational tone that makes it seem as if he's telling you the story himself. The only reason I didn't blog on it is the narrative is hard to follow if you're not aware of the background. I first read about Glazar (and Treblinka) in the book Into That Darkness, so I was familiar with the Jews and Nazis he referenced. Unfortunately, in his book, Glazar doesn't introduce these people, so without that foreknowledge I would have been a bit lost. I still highly recommend this book. Just read Into That Darkness first.

*Phaedra (tragedy): I read this classic drama for World Lit. II this semester. I adore a good tragedy (I am emoting like Hamlet as I write this), so reading this Racine classic was a real treat for me. The translation I read (by Richard Wilbur) had excellent, unforced poetry, which made it lots of fun to read aloud. Phaedra herself is not a likable character, but this is a masterfully crafted play. I didn't blog about it, because I was too busy writing an essay about the play, but this is a must for fellow tragedy geeks.

*Sea of Monsters (YA fantasy): More Percy Jackson! I love this series, even though as a college sophomore I suppose I should've outgrown middle school reads sometime ago. (Nah. You're never too old to read. :D ) This one has been my favorite so far. I loved this redux of The Odyssey, which is one of my favorite stories, anyway. The humor and action of the first book is intact, but I was relieved that Percy finally stopped walking into obvious traps in this one. Yay, Percy!

*The Third Man (thriller): I so looked forward to reading this one. See...I am a classic film geek, and I have always wanted to see the movie The Third Man, what with the noir film techniques, Post WWII Vienna setting, Orson Welles, and awesome zither score. (Oh. My. God. I just officially confirmed my nerdiness with that statement.) But I heard it was based on a novella, and it is my policy to always read the book first. Alas, I was sorely disappointed. Don't get me wrong! The story is great and I still want to see the movie. It's just that the book was never written for publication. Graham Greene only wrote it because he felt that he needed a prose basis for his screenplay. As a result, the narration is jarring and often a bit unpolished. I was frequently confused by what was going on. The moral of this story: Never, ever read stories that were not meant for publication and were written solely to lay the foundation for a film. I am now revising my policy. From now on, I am experiencing the story through whichever medium it was intended, not just the first form it was in.

*Matchless (fairy tale) : Gregory Maguire's sweet retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Little Match Girl" is heartwarming and easily read in one setting; however, I was a teensy bit disappointed. This makes me sound cold-hearted. Allow me to explain: I liked the story (it made a little tear well up in my eye at the end), but I love Maguire for his gorgeous wordsmithing and his elaborate world building and the ironic way he turns fairy tales upside down. This story was written to be read-aloud for NPR, so the style is less complex than Maguire's other works and the story line is more streamlined and more traditional than his more experimental offerings. A good book - would be a great one to read as holiday tradition - but not what I was expecting. Read it for the story. If you read it expecting vintage Maguire, you'll be a bit surprised.

*The Titan's Curse (YA fantasy): Deja vu. It's Percy Jackson all over again! This is the third book in the YA series, and as with the previous two, I loved it. Same great blend of mythology, action, and humor. Only complaint: The ending was a little too pat for my taste. Still a fun, fast read. I anxiously await the last two Percy books!

*Witness (YA historical fiction): This is an unusual, fascinating novel, suggested to me by my dear friend Bev. Author Karen Hesse tells the story of the Ku Klux Klan's hate-filled rise and fall in a small Vermont town during the Roaring Twenties. The story is told in first person blank verse poetry, by several town members, who range from Klansmen to the two little girls the Klan targets (one is African American and the other is Jewish). The plot is compelling and the narration is fascinating. I highly recommend this one. I didn't blog about it only because I didn't have time.

Next Week: I am not sure. I am getting ready to read Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club. Maybe that. Or that historical fiction I've been promising for weeks...

~~~~~~~~

And now for the awards. I was so thrilled this week when Scott (Ergo) gave me an Over the Top Award and when Lucy (Amusing Seth) gave me two awards: the Sunshine award and the Humane award. Thanks so much, guys! Now, in order to pass on the Over the Top award, I must answer the following questions in one word and then nominate five other bloggers. To pass on the Sunshine and Humane awards, I had to pick some of my favorite blogs to nominate. I decided to give each of my nominees all three awards. But first you have to suffer through my answers to the questions. :D

Your cell phone: Murdered
Your hair: Long
Your mother: Complicated
Your father: Amazing
Your favorite food: Spaghetti
Your dream last night: Non-existent
Your favorite drink: Tea
Your dream goal: Ph.D
What room are you in: Living Room
Your hobby: Reading
Your fear: Frogs
Where do you see yourself in six years: School
Where were you last night: Online
Something you aren't: Practical
Muffins: Yum!
Wish list item: Weasels
Where did you grow up: Everywhere
Last thing you did: Homework
What are you wearing: Jeans
Your TV: Silent
Your pets: Chihuahuas!
Your friends: Nerds
Your life: Bizarre
Your mood: Whimsical
Missing someone: Um
Vehicle: Honda
Something you aren't wearing: Heels
Your favorite store: Books-a-Million
Your favorite color: Blue
When was the last time you laughed: Today
Last time you cried: Yesterday
Your best friend: Renee
One place you go to over and over: Sparklife
Facebook: Abandoned
Favorite place to eat: Home

The Blogs I have nominated (in alphabetical order):

James (Cornelius's Crambe) for his always entertaining observations.

Ryan (The Dark Corner of the Mind) for his helpful writing articles.

Jourdie (I Read This!) for his excellent book reviews.

Math is a Plentiful Harvest (Math is a Plentiful Harvest) for her superb, introspective poetry and her thought-provoking essays.

Penguins Quack (Tales Featuring the Penguins Demise) for her always hilarious posts (and for having the best online name EVER!).

*thunderous applause* Congratulations, guys! Go forth and nominate other worthy bloggers.

The Night of the Hunter

2010-02-17T09:43:00.003-06:00

John Harper lives with a dark secret that he dare not reveal to anyone. He swore to his father, on the day that the old man was arrested for bank robbery and murder, that he would never tell anyone about the location of the stolen money. Not the police, not his distraught mother, no one. Only nine-year old John and his five-year old sister Pearl know. But then a charming preacher named Harry Powell strolls into the John's Depression-era Ohio town and claims that he was his father's chaplain in prison. Everyone else in town is taken by the seemingly kind and moral Powell, including John's mother whom Powell eventually marries, but John is not fooled. He knows "The Preacher," as Powell is called, is up to no good. (John is the only one who figures out that there's just something remotely creepy about a dude with the words "Love" and "Hate" tattooed on his knuckles...) A sinister game of cat and mouse develops between the precocious youngster and his ruthless stepfather as The Preacher attempts to make John talk, a game of cat and mouse that ultimately sends John and his sister on a terrifying race for their lives to escape Powell.

I love a good thriller and have been meaning to read the suspense classic The Night of the Hunter for several years now. I came across it in a suspense novel collection at my local bookstore late last year and couldn't resist buying it...and several other books. My anticipation was well worth it - this book is excellent! For starters, this is a very well-written book. It's written in third person but with a period dialect. The accent is not overdone and it greatly adds to the storytelling feel. I felt like I was listening to my grandpa relay a story about his childhood while reading this. (Not that his childhood was similar, though he does have some pretty crazy stories to tell...) Author David Grubb also creates an authentic Depression-era setting without beating the reader over the head with tons of description. He conveys a lot in his sparsely eloquent narration.

More importantly, though, this book is a genuine page turner! It's a relatively short novel, so it's a quick read to start with, but the pacing is superb. Grubb builds up to the exciting climax with so many twists and turns, but it never feels like he's being gratuitous with cheap tricks. The denouement, after the climax, goes on a few pages too long, to me, but that's after all of the action is over, so it's not a big deal.

The highlight of this book to me was The Preacher. Oh. My. God. I haven't encountered a literary villain this despicable in a loooooooong time. Powell is genuinely scary, what with his mind games and the sterling facade he puts on for everyone else. (In fact, I couldn't sleep after reading this book and made a complete fool out of myself that night, because I mistook some balloons for Powell at 3am. I thought The Preacher had come to "get" me. In my defense, I can't see very well and have a vivid imagination...) Powell is actually based on a real murderer - Harry Powers, who was known as "The West Virginia Bluebeard". I was not aware of that until I read this book. I am more familiar with the movie version of this movie, in which the Preacher is played by Robert Mitchum, so I had Mitchum's face and voice in my head when I was reading this book. Perhaps that made it more scary, but it's pretty intense to begin with.

The Night of the Hunter is a superb thriller. This book takes a relatively simple tale (evil stepfather vs. innocent children) and makes it far more compelling than many more complex plots. If you're looking for a good psychological thriller, this book will do the trick.

~

Next Week: Um...something possibly historical. Like Jeff Shaara's Gods and Generals or Robert Graves' I, Claudius. I have no idea...

Announcements: I have a few announcements this week. *clears throat, stands on strategically-placed box for the height-deprived, and employs loudspeaker*

I have decided to start a new monthly series: "The Unblogged Chronicles". Basically, I am going to do a post each month (probably the last weekend of each month) in which I post mini reviews about all of the books I read that month and didn't blog about. Both Penguins and Scott have asked me recently if I blog on books I dislike. The answer: nope. For various reasons, I don't feel comfortable devoting a whole review to a book I don't recommend. However, I thought about it and decided that there are enough books I don't write about that are good and deserve to be mentioned and it couldn't hurt to mention when I don't recommend a book (and my nefarious reasons why), so I am looking forward to trying this new series, which will start this weekend. This month you guys will get a double dose, because it will cover both January and February. Yeehaw!

Also, you may be seeing more lists in general for the next couple of months. Have I abandoned reading? God forbid! Am I becoming lazy? I wish... You see I am going to be working as a student editor on my college's fiction magazine. *dies and goes to heaven* I am super excited about that, but it may cut into my blogging time. *undies and comes back to Earth* I will try my best to post something every week, but it may not be a review. I have several ideas for posts, so hopefully I won't bore you anymore than usual. (Likewise, if I drop off of the face off the Internet for a few days, don't fear. I will just be up to my eyeballs pouring over submissions, not abduced by intergalactic aliens. And if I am abducted by aliens, well, then, well, we won't go there...)

Finally, I have a fun announcement and challenge for you. *rubs hands together* My friend Penguins recently blogged about a challenge in which you are supposed to answer a series of questions using the titles of songs performed by your favorite band. I am a rabid, obnoxious, obsessed megafan of the most awesome, excellent, amazing acidtripping band in history. That would be Pink Floyd, in case you were wondering. I go around listening to, quoting, and reciting random trivia about them constantly (What? Why are you looking at me like that? No! Don't flee from me with a look of terror on your face! WHY ARE YOU RUNNING AWAY?! I am not going to attack you with my love of Pink Floyd. Why, I am as sane as Syd Barrett. :D) I did my list (though I had to be weaselly and answer a question falsely with the true answer implied. Don't judge me!) and decided to post it as a sidebar on my blog, entitled "My Life...According To Pink Floyd". It is at the bottom, right under the interview that I most certainly did not conduct with myself. *cough* Have fun laughing at my stupidity, try your own version with your own favorite band (can't be Pink Floyd), and check out Penguins' excellent blog while you're at it. Thanks, Penguins! :) *continues scattering psychedelic rock and penguin pixie dust across blog*

Sorry for the length of this. If you read it all, you deserve a cookie. And if you caught the two Pink Floyd references I slipped in there, then you can eat your pudding before you eat your meat. *hands chocolate chip cookies out*

Therese Raquin

2010-02-10T12:47:00.001-06:00

Therese Raquin lives a sheltered life in 19th century Paris, married to her spoiled, invalid cousin Camille and tending shop with her passive-aggressive mother-in-law. Her only joy comes on Thursday evenings when her husband's friend Laurent, a selfish, talentless slacker painter, comes by to visit. Swept off her feet by Laurent primarily because, well, primarily because he's not boring Camille, Therese slowly comes out of her self-imposed shell. When circumstances threaten to keep Therese and Laurent apart, the two become frantic and decide that there is only one way to stay together - murder. Camille is easily disposed of in an "accidental" drowning; the specter of his memory, however, is not so obliging to the murderers. Tormented by nightmares and driven to the brink of insanity with guilt, Therese and Laurent soon realize that Camille is far more a menace to their happiness as a corpse than he ever was while alive...

I first read about this book in an online interview with Kate Winslet. (I get book suggestions from the strangest places...) In the interview, Winslet was asked what her favorite novel was and why. She said Therese Raquin and the plot description piqued my interest. So me being a nosy sort, I just had to read this Emile Zola novel myself. Fortunately, Winslet did not let me down! (There's a reason she's one of my favorite actresses.) I loved Therese Raquin and couldn't wait to share it with you guys. Unfortunately, I had to put it on the backburner as a backup review, but this week when I am assaulted with tests and essays and lots of snow (Pity me! Pity me!) is the perfect chance to blog about this fascinating psychological revenge thriller.

This novel is a great read, because it is so intense! The plot is a little slow to begin with, specifically prior to Camille's murder, but once the dirty deed is done, the pacing and suspense are superb. Zola crafts a highly original "revenge" tale that is bone-chilling and addictive all the way up to the heart pounding finale. Therese and Laurent's guilt is realistic and their resulting comeuppance is both wickedly funny and somewhat heartbreaking. Zola intended this as a psychological character study; as a result, the book reflects a very keen understanding of the human mind. The plot is masterfully crafted, as well. The plot complications occur from the character's own actions, rather than artificial outside sources (ARGGH! A huge pet peeve of mine), and everything ties in perfectly.

I found this book quite readable, without the complex style that some find daunting in 19th century literature. I have read criticisms that complain that Zola's frequent repetition of certain words and phrases is monotonous; I think these critics are missing Zola's point. I believe Zola's word choice was a stylistic approach intentionally used to build a claustrophobic atmosphere that greatly adds to the suspense. The narration can be a bit vague at times, due to this, but Zola excels at creating an ominous atmosphere and rendering his characters' emotions authentically.

We've all read stories with similar plots to this - two lovers conspire to murder one's spouse. Rarely do these tales portray the emotions and aftereffects of these circumstances as well as this novel does. Therese Raquin is a powerful read that is diabolically plotted. This is a novel that will haunt you long after you are finished with it...not unlike Camille's corpse.

~

Next Week: Probably Davis Grubb's The Night of the Hunter. I guarantee nothing, though. I may hit you with some historical fiction, instead.

The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford

2010-02-03T12:54:00.001-06:00

If I ask you who Jesse James was, what would your answer be? (If you say that tattooed dude who married Sandra Bullock, I will personally reach through my computer and throat punch you. I kid you not. Well, maybe I do kid you...) Seriously, though, most people know who Jesse James is, right? Confederate raider. Bank robber. America's first celebrity criminal. Most historians are divided between whether James, who was eventually gunned down in his own home by an accomplice, was a murderous, cutthroat bandit or a wronged man out to avenge his losses. Well? Which was he? According to Ron Hansen's exquisite historical novel The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, Jesse was a little bit of both.

Rather than follow Jesse and his gang from his first robbery to his disastrous raid on the Northfield, Minnesota bank that effectively ended his career, as so many others choose to do, Ron Hansen starts his story after Northfield, with James and a ragtag band of yokels (including, Ford, his eventual assassin) robbing a train and records the tense disputes, dirty deals, and overbearing suspicion that caused the band to fall apart as members turned on each other. After Ford's killing of James, the novel traces Ford from then until his own murder ten years later in a Colorado saloon he owned. Bob Ford emerges as the real protagonist in this novel, a cocky, sly, awkward young man who idolized Jesse before he became equally obsessed with gunning his idol down for fame and fortune, rewards that he soon realizes are not at all what he expected.

I really love Hansen's characterizations. In this novel, the infamous outlaw is far more complex than the simplistic characterization he usually receives in the media. Jesse is genteel, hot-tempered, cold-blooded, generous, moody, jovial, suspicious, intuitive, clever, stubborn. What he is not is decipherable. Likewise for Hansen's portrayal of Ford, the twenty year old Jesse James wannabe who shot James for the hefty reward money. Hansen's rich characterizations show great psychological insight on the author's part and considerable historical authenticity. In addition to a unique plot and fantastic characters, the historical detail is meticulous. This novel is one of the best historical fiction books I have read regarding period atmosphere, in everything from describing social customs to portraying dialogue. Hansen relied heavily on newspapers from this period for his research, and their influence may have impacted his narrative style. Hansen writes with an eloquent, sophisticated style, somewhat reminiscent of the period. If you adore fine wordsmithing, you will love this novel. It makes word nerds, such as myself, swoon.

I enjoyed every minute of reading this book. (In fact, I reread it just to blog on it.) But it may not be for everyone. If you are expecting tons of action, you may be disappointed. Not that there isn't any. There's a train robbery at the beginning (Yeehaw!) and several gunfights, but because this book focuses on James's last months, the dramatic tension derives largely from the ominous suspense that builds up to Jesse James's inevitable assassination. The pacing is not slow. In fact, the book is quite engrossing, but it's not as action-packed as it may at first appear to be.

The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford is a well-crafted novel all-around. The characterizations are first class, the historical detail is superb, the writing is exceptional, and the story is a fascinating examination of the life and death of one of America's most famous citizens. Many people knock Westerns as a second rate genre. They evidentally haven't read Hansen's book.

Next Week: I must confess something dreadful, dear readers. I have several tests and an essay due next week. I am probably not going to read anything. (I weep as I type this.) However, I made plans for such a situation and have reviews stored for weeks like this. I plan to post a review of Emile Zola's psychological realist classic Therese Raquin. I love this book so much! I read it last autumn and didn't blog about it only because I had just done Double Indemnity. The subject matter is quite similar (man helps woman plot to kill husband with disastrous consequences) but the results are oh so different. Can't wait to share it! There is a remote chance I will get to read either Davis Grubb's The Night of The Hunter or Graham Greene's The Third Man, but don't count on it.

Fahrenheit 451

2010-01-27T12:36:00.002-06:00

Guy Montag lives in a vapid, futuristic America where there are no books, no ideas, and no independent thought. (Sound familiar?) He spends his days as a fireman, burning illegal "worthless" books, including Shakespeare, Faulkner, and poetry, and his nights tolerating his mindless, TV-addicted wife, Mildred. Literature, knowledge, and appreciation of any of the finer things in life are all shoved aside in favor of superficial pop culture and the fast life. And then Guy meets Clarisse, a teenaged neighbor who (insert astonished gasp) thinks and appreciates nature and takes the time to talk to people! Oh my God! How dare she? This is earth-shattering behavior to Guy, who has grown accustomed to the fast-paced, self-obsessed society in which he resides. Soon, he's stealing the books he should be burning and is beginning to question his life. Once he discovers that there is more to life than TV and the saccharine sweet world he lives in, he becomes determined to change society. But at what price?

Fahrenheit 451 is one of the world's premier sci fi books and is one of my favorites. Why? I love Bradbury's writing, for starters. He has a style that is both evocatively descriptive and lyrical, yet still readable. (Bradbury has been accused of overusing adjective and noun sentence constructions. I won't argue that, but I still find his style readable and enjoyable.) Guy Montag is not the most mentally swift of heroes, but he has a good heart and it's encouraging to watch his transformation from an unthinking drone to an intellectual rebel. I also love the gripping, compelling plot - this book is a genuine page turner. And since it's a cool 160 pages, I guarantee you'll read it all in one setting. I particularly love the scene where Guy lashes out at Mildred and her idiot friends by demanding that they have an intellectual conversation and illegal poetry reading with him which, as you may guess, ends disastrously. That scene leaves me howling every time. I also like the unique dystopia that Bradbury creates. Rather than fashioning a totalitarian communistic society, like so many other dystopian writers, Bradbury's futuristic world bears a disturbing resemblance to modern-day America, with its rejection of knowledge and culture in favor of superficial pursuits. This book is often championed as a criticism of book censorship and it is. But the real target of Bradbury's anger is obsession with televison and superficiality in general. The people of this society didn't have book censorship and thought control thrusted upon them by force. They accepted it willingly because they were brainwashed with the box, and this makes the book all the more disturbing because of it.

But the main reason I love this book is because this book scares me! The very notion of a society that burns books tears at my very existence. I would be nothing without my books. Reading has been my favorite hobby since I was a toddler. What would I do with my spare time? I wouldn't have a job, because I work in a library. I wouldn't have a blog, because I blog on books. I wouldn't have a future, because my plan is to teach literature and history and write books. I wouldn't get Hanukkah and birthday presents, because that's what I always get. My God! I am Jewish - We're the "People of the Book"! What would we Jews argue with each other about if we didn't have books? Just thinking about this upsets me. (Of course, I got upset when my books were banished to the basement. I can still hear them whimpering like little lost orphans at night. *sheds tear* My poor darlings, there, there, don't cry, Rebecca and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and Garfield 30 Years of Laughs & Lasagna: The Life & Times of a Fat, Furry Legend! *cough* I digress. I do this when I am upset...) And I assume that, since you're reading a blog devoted to books, you also love books. What would you do in a society like the one Bradbury describes?

Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is an amazing, thought provoking read. The narration is evocative, the plot is suspenseful, and the setting is eerily familiar. Read Fahrenheit 451. If it doesn't scare you, I don't know what will.

Next Week: I am going to try to read Ron Hansen's The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, an excellent historical fiction novel set in the American West. This is one of my favorite historical fiction books. I am rereading it just to blog on it. Yeah, it's that good.

Guards Guards

2010-01-21T10:21:00.003-06:00

We all know the drill, right? Every fantasy city, at some point, is oppressed by a vile dictator , and the people need to be rescued by a hero, preferably an impoverished man of noble but secret birth brandishing a fancy sword to slay a dragon to prove his mettle. (If only politics were that much fun now..) Well, the problem in Ankh-Morpork is everyone does know the drill. So much so that the sinister, mysterious, and most incompetent Unique and Supreme Lodge of the Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night decide to overthrow benevolent dictator Havelock Vetinari by conjuring up a dragon and staging its "slaying" by their own handpicked "heir" to the throne. Only problem is that these sorry excuses for conspirators didn't consult the dragon on its wishes. Soon, the scaly, gigantic beast declares itself king and spends its free time burning streets (and its former handlers) to ashes. The dragon must be stopped! Alas, there is no hero in sight. Unless you count the City Watch. Between pathetic drunken Captain Sam Vimes, gigantic dwarf Carrot, stolid Sergeant Colon, and crafty kleptomaniac Nobby, most wouldn't, but they're all Ankh Morpork has.

I fell in love with Terry Pratchett's Discworld series late last year when I read Going Postal. Since then, I have read eight of the series novels (with more to come) and have enjoyed every single one. That's saying something, because it's easy for me to get burnt out with a series. Not with Discworld. Pratchett's uproarious sense of humor and irreverent take on high fantasy is a treat to read. I can only describe it as Monty Python meets Tolkien...with lots and lots of zaniness, puns, satires, and allusions to classic literature and current events.

Guards! Guards! is no exception. This comic crime fantasy had me laughing out loud all the way through. I like Pratchett's work because it is funny in so many different ways. I especially enjoy his witty third person narration, which is frequently as hilarious as the characters and plot. His characters are also unique, realistic, and endearing. This is the first time I had read about Vimes and Carrot, though I had come to know and love Colon and Nobby (especially the scrappy, roguish Nobby) in previous books. I look forward to meeting all of these characters down the road in future Discworld novels. I also enjoyed seeing how Pratchett takes crime fiction cliches that have been beaten to death and makes them fresh by transferring them to a fantasy setting. I adore crime fiction, but his satire of the genre was excellent. There are some hilarious allusions to Casablanca, Dirty Harry, and Dragnet if you pay attention.

Even if you're not a Discworld fan, this novel is fun to read. The pacing is breakneck, with twists and turns throughout. The mystery is a pretty good one, too. Rather than keeping the villains in the dark until the end, Pratchett traces the Watch and the Brotherhood throughout (only keeping the latter's identity secret) until the climactic point when their interests collide and everything falls to pieces. Fortunately, Discworld novels are accessible, even if you're not a fan. The series is broken into smaller series focusing on individual characters; I have read those smaller series in order, but have not read the series in general in order. So far, I have found that Pratchett does a magnificent job of not overwhelming a newbie with old references or boring a veteran reader by rehashing old stories.

Guards! Guards! is a delightful mix of high fantasy, sharp satire, and crime fiction. If you're an old Discworld fan, I am preaching to the choir, but if you're unfamiliar with the series, this fun, fast paced book is a great start.

~

Official Apology: I had this blog ready on time, but tech trouble threw me off schedule! ARGGGGGH! I am so sorry. I was only late two times last semester. Two weeks into this semester I have been late every week. I pride myself on punctuality, so this angers me, especially when it's not due to my own laziness. I will try my best to have next week's up on time. *glares at computer*

Next Week: I will review either Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 or George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Depends on if I feel like book burnings or anthropomorphic dictators…

For Whom The Bell Tolls

2010-01-14T21:07:00.001-06:00

Robert Jordan's orders are simple enough. At least on the surface they are, though he has his share of misgivings about them. Jordan, an American demolition expert who is fighting with Spanish Republicans versus the Fascists in the vicious Spanish Civil War, is assigned to destroy a key bridge with the aid of a band of a partisan band. Sound simple enough? However, unprofessional allies, bad weather, worse infighting, a budding romance, the threat of betrayal, and a growing realization that his orders are impossible to fulfil all collide to greatly complicate Robert's task. Will Robert succeed in his mission? Or will his obstacles get the better of him?

Ernest Hemingway's For Whom The Bell Tolls, in addition to having a title that yours truly thinks is one of the coolest on the market, is one of the world's classic war novels and is widely considered Hemingway's best novel. I was particularly impressed with this novel's intense realism. Hemingway was a soldier in WWI and served as a war correspondent in the Spanish Civil War, so his portrayal of combat and partisan life behind enemy lines is authentic and gripping. (Warning: A few of the scenes describing brutal atrocities against civilians, though told through flashback, are a bit difficult to read. The chapter describing the liquidation of one town disturbed me profoundly. I thought my readings about Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia had made me hard to shock. I stand corrected.) The real treat for me, though, was the characters. Robert Jordan is not my favorite protagonist, but I do like how complex Hemingway makes him. He is practical and levelheaded, but a bit distant and isn't always sympathetic. Robert's personality quirks were refreshing, because they made him seem more real than the flawless hero of many books. The supporting cast is superb. Hemingway's Spanish guerrillas are so colorful that the come alive: the brutal, inscrutable guerrilla leader Pablo; his brash, willful wife Pilar; morally upright, noble guide Anselmo; foulmouthed, hotheaded Agustin. By the time I finished this book, I felt like I knew them all.

I enjoyed this book, but I thought the pacing was uneven. The first and last parts of the book focus on the complicated mission to destroy the bridge and were suspenseful and entertaining. The middle part, however, slows down to focus on Robert's romance with Maria, a traumatized young woman who the partisans rescued from the fascists. I thought the romance was overly simplistic and a bit too pat. I just couldn't buy the "I saw you and immediately decided to devote my life to you" aspect of their relationship. Part of my problem was that, despite the constant talk of how wonderful their relationship was, it seemed more like blatant lust than true love to me. Also, Maria struck me as being so bland, especially as compared to the other Spaniard characters, that I didn't find her that interesting. I didn't dislike her; on the contrary, I felt sorry for her, but she seemed one dimensional and didn't intrigue me. My only other problem (and this is an odd one) is the profanity. Hehe No, I don't mean that there is too much. In fact, there was too little of it, if that makes any sense. Hemingway, in order to make this novel more marketable, choose to use euphemisms in place of cursing, That didn't bother me, novels with really heavy cursing annoy me, but he also chose to use the word "obscenity" in place of cursing. This confused and distracted me, especially when it was used multiple times in one sentence! This caused me to stop and try to decipher what was being said, so it ended up just disrupting the reading experience. As long as language is not used gratuitously, I do not mind it and actually would have preferred it in this case, because it would have been easier to read.

Pacing and language aside, For Whom The Bell Tolls is a powerful war novel with an exciting story and compelling characters. I have always been fascinated by Spain, but I am not as familiar with the Spanish Civil War as I should be. (Most of my knowledge is about foreign involvement in the war, rather than the actual conflict itself.) Hemingway's realistic, well-crafted book intrigued me and made me want to learn more.

Announcement: I loved posting three times a week during my winter break, but, alas, I returned to school this week. I like school, but this means that I can only post once a week now. (Waaa!) I will continue to use Wednesdays as my day to post reviews, as I did last semester. (My apologies for being late! Life has been crazy lately.) Unlike last semester, my reviews will be posted in the afternoon or evening, rather than the morning. Thanks to all of you for reading! I will try to continue to give you at least one post a week while I am in school. The good thing is I am taking World Lit. II with my amazing professor, so I should get to blog on some of my assigned reading.

Next Week: I will try my best to review Terry Pratchett's Guards, Guards! I have fallen in love with Discworld and am looking forward to blogging about this combo of humorous fantasy and crime.

The Lightning Thief

2010-01-10T16:06:00.004-06:00

Oh, boy, the gods sure are mad. Zeus has just accused Hades of stealing his master lightning bolt (a big no-no) and Hades insist that he is innocent of these charges! Most folks would call a lawyer, but hehe Greek gods do not do that when they get ticked at each other. Instead, they start the equivalent of World War III. What you don't know about this? Hmmph. Not exactly up on current affairs are you? Well, neither is troubled twelve year old Percy Jackson. In fact, he doesn't even believe that the gods are real, but when he learns that his absent father is a god (making Percy a Half-Blood), lands at a summer camp for his demigods, and is tasked with retrieving Zeus' bolt, Percy quickly gets up to speed on things. With his new friends, Grover and Annabeth, Percy sets off on a cross country trek that is fraught with peril and battles with all sorts of cool mythological creatures en route to putting a stop to the gods' pending war.

I have had several people (including Scott and Penguins Quack) recommend the Percy Jackson series to me. Thanks, guys! I loved The Lightning Thief, the first book in that series, and have already reserved the second one. I love mythology, so I am proud of author Rick Riordan, a former teacher of Greek mythology, for introducing younger readers to all of the great characters and stories of Greek mythology with his engaging books. (Riordan's books prove that there is way more to mythology than just characters with crazy, unpronounceable names.) Riordan weaves his allusions to the original myths in well with the modern story; I had a lot of fun guessing which villain was which mythological monster in disguise.

This is a fun book to read in general, though. The plot is action-packed, with frequent confrontations between Percy and the likes of Ares, Medusa, and Chimera, and lots of heart stopping twists and turns. Percy's snarky first person narration is easy to read and is also quite funny. I also enjoyed Riordan's characters - I liked Percy and his pals, and Riordan's characterizations of the mythological characters stay true to form but are still original.

My only problem, and it's a minor one, is that, in true adventure story fashion, there were a couple of parts where I got annoyed at Percy for walking into a trap that I thought was obvious. It wasn't angry annoyance though, so much as sympathetic "Percy, what are you doing? No! Don't do that! What's the matter with you? No!" annoyance, and it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story.

The Percy Jackson series is targeted toward junior high kids, but I firmly believe that nobody can outgrow a good book. The Lightning Thief is an exciting, inventive fantasy adventure that you won't put down. (At least, I didn't.) If you love mythology, you'll love Riordan's take on the original tales and enjoy recognizing the characters. If you have never read mythology, this accessible book is the perfect introduction.

Next Time: I will review Hemingway's classic Spanish Civil War saga For Whom The Bell Tolls. I am about halfway through it and I start school tomorrow, but I will try to have my review up in the middle of the week, if at all possible.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

2010-01-07T16:08:00.002-06:00

The Sawtelle family has spent decades breeding and training their own unique breed of dogs on their rural northern Wisconsin farm. Gar and Trudy Sawtelle have raised their only child, mute teenager Edgar, to help with the family business; Edgar is happy and well-adjusted. Then his idyllic life is shattered when his father's estranged, enigmatic brother Claude returns from a long absence and moves in with the family. After a tension-filled stay, Claude leaves, but Edgar's father dies mysteriously shortly thereafter. Trudy and Edgar do their best to keep up the farm on their own, but Claude soon weasels his way into the family business...and into Trudy's affections. Edgar has a surreal encounter with an apparition claiming to be his father's ghost who accuses Claude of murder, and Edgar becomes determined to uncover the truth behind his father's death...

Sound familiar? If that synopsis had you going, "Now, wait a minute! I've heard that somewhere before," then I am proud of you. You either must have paid attention in your English classes or you remembered my teaser from my last post, because David Wroblewski's fascinating novel, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, is a retelling of Shakespeare's classic play Hamlet, with the setting transferred from the courts of medieval Danish royalty to rustic Wisconsin farm country. I love Shakespeare (especially his tragedies), and I also enjoy well-written retellings of his work. Wroblewski, for the most part, stays with the original story, yet his take is inventive and well-rendered. Rather than simply retelling the story with different characters and settings, he makes his version his own - his take on the ghost scene and the epic showdown at the end are original, believable adaptations of the original which stay true to the source but are fresh interpretations that fit Wroblewski's setting.

As fun as it is to read this novel as a comparison, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is fully capable of standing on its own merits. Wroblewski vividly recreates the rugged, northern Wisconsin setting (which is where he was raised), and his meticulous description of the Sawtelle's unique business is captivating. The characters are also well-crafted. I just loved Edgar - he is clever and sensitive, but he's not quite as brooding as Hamlet. Claude also ranks as one of the most despicable villains I've encountered in fiction in awhile. I was ready to volunteer to help Edgar kill him, but the stiff penalties for aiding and abetting literary vengeance made me back off and let Edgar handle it...

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is a long novel (over 550 pages!), and I did find it a bit slow at times. Not that it's boring - it isn't. The slow parts are rich in atmosphere and are pivotal to the story. I believe my problem was more a matter of expectations. I assumed the story would follow the structure of Shakespeare's play, starting shortly after the murder. This novel, instead, starts at the beginning - long before Gar's death - and works its way forward. After I started reading it, I realized that Wroblewski's decision to structure his novel this way made sense, because it gave the much needed background information and allows the story to build to its ominous, inevitable conclusion. After I realized that, I didn't have a problem with the length, so I believe it's a matter of not judging a book by its predecessor more than anything.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is Wroblewski's debut novel and I am thoroughly impressed with his talent. Few authors would attempt such an ambitious first novel - a retelling of one of the world's most famous stories. But Wroblewski infuses so much originality into this novel that it comes off as far more than just a simple imitation. If you are a fan of Hamlet, you will love this contemporary reworking of that classic. If you're a fan of good books, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle will satisfy your needs, too.

Next Time: I will try to review Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief, the first in the Percy Jackson series. Scott and Penguins Quack both recommended the series to me. So far, I have really enjoyed the book (Yay! A fun read!) and will try to have a review up this weekend.

Gentle readers, meet the new, improved zellakate!

2010-01-04T14:36:00.000-06:00

As my first post of the new year, I would like to unveil the new and improved zellakate! (No, not me! I am quite impervious to change. Hehe My family has learned this the hard way. I am referring to my blog, also known as zellakate.) I have tidied up my humble little online abode and added all sorts of nifty sites for your reading pleasure. And, in the name of politeness, I decided to dedicate a post to introducing you to my new sidebar additions. You can consider this the VIP tour. I'll stroll you around, point out the highlights, and even let you bring a soda. Just don't step on the grass. Well, you can stop on that grass, but not the other patch, okay? Without further adieu, let us start the tour.

The first new sidebar I have added are my favorite book sites, period.

1. Edward Hamilton: I cannot say enough about this website. Edward Hamilton is a discount book dealer based in Connecticut. Hamilton's mail order company sells thousands of titles at excellent discount prices. His selection includes publisher closeouts and overstocks, in addition to current titles at discount prices. I have been ordering books from here for several years and have always had good experiences with this company. I highly recommend the nonfiction selection. I have found high quality nonfiction titles that were originally priced at over $50 for less than $15. Just be quick if you see something you want. Hamilton's selection sells out fast!

2. Book Page: I pick up a print edition of this monthly book review magazine at the local library where I work and read it faithfully every month. This has been my source for many newer books that I review, including Sashenka. The website takes a while to get used to, but it offers countless reviews of contemporary books, breaking book news, and author interviews.

3. AuthorTracker: With this handy website, you can sign up to receive e-mail updates about your favorite author's latest books. I "track" several authors and am relieved to say that this website does not bombard you pointless spam. (Yay!) The catch is it only keeps you informed about Harper Collins authors, but many notable writers are signed with HC, so many bestselling writers can be tracked. (If your favorite writer isn't on here, google their name for a website to see if they have an online newsletter you can sign up for. That works, too!)

4. NoveList Plus: This is an excellent book site that is run by Ebsco. You will need to ask your librarian to set up an account for you (Your library may offer automatic accounts like mine does.) But it is worth asking for! NoveList Plus caters to readers of all ages with recommendation lists, book discussion guides (perfect for book clubs!), and articles. I really love their recommended read feature. When you click on it, you will be offered a choice of over 25 different genres (from nonfiction to genre to manga) that are further subdivided into more specific genre specifications. (For instance, historical fiction is divided between everything from The American Civil War to The Victorian Era.) Therefore, you can find look for something more specific.

5. BookSpot: This website is cool because it is essentially a whole website devoted to what I am doing right now - links to online book sites. You can find links to recommendation lists, bestseller lists, and award winning titles. Not all of the links work, but there are so many, you can lose yourself for hours trying out all of the links on this website. *cough*

My next new addition is a compendium of online recommendation lists, everything from genre fiction to classics to children's. Here they are in alphabetic order:

children's: This National Education Association list names great kids' books by age range, from infants up to preteens.

classics: This book list, from an online tutorial site, provides a list of solid classics. If you're looking for more of a challenge, try this website's AP reading list. (Both lists will be on the sidebar.)

fantasy: I had trouble finding a good fantasy list. I still have my share of qualms about some of the picks on here, but this one was the best I could find. It has a nice mix of classic fantasy and newer work, so I cannot complain too much.

horror: The Horror Writers' Organization released this list, and I was impressed with it. It has a list of solid horror titles, both new and old.

mysteries: I give you two lists in one with this. The British Crime Writers Association compiled a list of best crime novels, and, naturally, the American Mystery Writers Association followed suit with their own list. Both lists are superb.

sci fi: This list had a good mix of soft and hard sci fi (in addition to classics and newer titles).

thriller: If you love thrillers, you will love this list of classics.

YA: This comprehensive list (over 300 titles, with more being added regularly) is the best recommendation list I saw on the web. This one lists classics, traditional YA, and excellent contemporary fiction. Even if you don't consider yourself a fan of YA, this list is well worth checking out.

(P.S. I never could find a decent nonfiction list that didn't include a bunch of dry titles that even I wouldn't pick up. If any of you have suggestions, I would appreciate it.)

There is also my new genre-specific website bar, with links to websites devoted to the genre in question:

children: This website, Read Kiddo Read, was founded by author James Patterson. I viewed it with suspicion at first, but it's an excellent resource. There are reviews and recommendation lists that cater to kids of all ages.

fantasy: This British-based website (Fantasybookreviews.com) has reviews, author interviews, recommendation lists, and the latest news on fantasy releases.

horror: I couldn't find a horror website I was completely thrilled with. This one isn't devoted to horror books, but it does have reviews of new releases. I will keep my eye out for a website devoted to horror reads. (If you know of one, let me know.)

mystery: The Mystery Reader offers reviews and news about the latest in mysteries, crime novels, and thrillers.

sci fi: The Sci Fi Reader (no relation the The Mystery Reader, that I am aware of) is devoted to spec fic in general (including fantasy and horror) but sci fi gets prominent billing. You will find reviews, news, discussion forums, and interviews.

YA: This website (Teen Reads) is the same site where I got the superb YA recommendation list. In addition to that great list, you can also find reviews and news about the latest in YA.

I also have a new sidebar up devoted to the premier annual book awards:

Man Booker Prize: The Man Booker Prize is awarded to the best work of fiction by an author from Britain or the Commonwealth. Previous winners have included The Life of Pi, which I reviewed back in October.

National Book Award: The National Book Foundation acknowledges the best fiction, nonfiction, YA fiction, and poetry with this prestigious award.

PEN/Faulkner: The PEN Faulkner award is named for one of my all-time favorite authors (William Faulkner) and is used to recognize excellent American fiction each year.

Pulitzer Prize: This prestigious award is annually given to top-notch fiction, drama, poetry, history, nonfiction, and biographies.

Finally, I also have links up to the two major bestseller lists, if you're interested in what everyone else is reading right now.

NY Times: I wanted to have a live feed on my blog that linked to this, but I feared that my blog would never be able to handle it, so I offer you this link instead.

Publishers Weekly: For the sake of comparison, I also give you this link to the Publishers' Weekly's list of bestsellers.

*slumps into corner* There you go. That's the grand tour. Nothing to see here now. Please disperse and try the new links and tell me what you think. I hope you enjoy the links and I would love to hear if you guys have any suggestions for other online sites. (Please, please, please tell me if they do not work or do not load properly. I will fix it!)

Next Time: I will be reviewing David Wroblewski's amazing debut novel from a couple of years ago - The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. This novel is a retelling of Hamlet, set in rural 1970s Wisconsin. I cannot wait to review it!

Hatchet

2009-12-31T22:36:00.004-06:00

Before thirteen year old Brian Robeson embarks on a plane trip across the rugged wilds of North Canada to spend the summer with his father, his mother gives him a hatchet as a parting gift. Brian thinks little of it when he hastily clips the hatchet onto his belt, but a few hours later, after his pilot dies and the plane crashes hundreds of miles off course, the hatchet is the only possession that Brian has. Brian quickly learns that the only way he'll stay alive in the rugged wilderness is to learn to use his hatchet...and his wits.

My dear friend Bev loves Gary Paulsen novels and she recommended Hatchet to me. (Thanks again, Bev!) As I have mentioned on here before, I adore a good survival story, and the Newberry Prize-winning Hatchet is no exception. A good survival novel has to have an appropriate level of suspense and action, and Hatchet certainly delivers on that count. Between the terrifying plane crash, Brian's pitiful early attempts to stay alive, and his unnerving encounter with an angry moose, I couldn't put this book down. Author Paulsen is an avid outdoorsman (He's even competed several times in Alaska's grueling Iditarod dog race); consequently, he infuses much of his knowledge of the wilderness into this book, adding an authentic feel that many other survival novels lack. I also enjoyed Paulsen's prose. He writes with a blunt, pared-down style, and his prose has a naturalistic, conversational tone which, oddly enough, reminded me some of The Catcher in the Rye. (That's a weird comparison, but it kept coming back to me as I read.) Paulsen also effectively uses repetition in his narration, giving the text an almost lyrical narrative poetry sound.

The biggest strength of this novel, though, is Brian. He is so easy to sympathize with. Of course, it's hard not to be sympathetic to his plight, but he is also a genuinely likable character. He lacks the angsty, whiny attitude that so many teenaged protagonists have (and which I find to be a distasteful turnoff.) Brian is also a realistic teenaged character who is easy to relate to. He's levelheaded and intelligent, but he's also no superhuman: he's vulnerable; he makes mistakes. His ordinary qualities make him all the more appealing.

Hatchet is a young adult novel which will delight readers of all ages. This novel is well-written, engaging, and exciting - the perfect antidote to a dreary winter day. Erm, dare I say this without being too corny? You'll enjoy getting lost with Hatchet.

Next Time: For my first article of 2010, I will finally post my long-promised article on online book resources. I promised waaaaay back in September to add links to my blog. (You thought I forgot. Admit it.)) This article will serve as a tour guide, if you will, of my additions. I'll include some of my favorite internet sources for books and book recommendations (you guys have to promise you won't desert me for polished reviewers who do not ramble incessantly!), genre-specific websites, and online recommendations lists. If, and this if is highly contingent on my notoriously inept techno abilities, I can get them to load, I will also have links to prominent annual book awards and the New York Times' bestseller lists.

All Quiet on the Western Front

2009-12-29T23:28:00.004-06:00

Paul Bäumer and his classmates were impressionable teenagers when they signed up to serve in the German army during WWI. They enter the military as idealistic young soldiers, but years of brutal trench combat hardens Paul and his comrades into disillusioned cynics. As the war drags on, Paul begins to question the war's purpose, yet he finds himself incapable of imagining himself in a world without the war which he has come to despise.

All Quiet on the Western Front is a stunning novel. This is one of the most moving novels I've ever read. Author Erich Maria Remarque served in the German military during WWI, and the remarkable amount of detail he uses to describe battle scenes and military life in general adds an exceptional layer of realism to this novel. I have never read more gut wrenching descriptions of battle - several scenes left me teary-eyed and physically ill. I also adored the characters. The sensitive, perceptive Paul is an endearing narrator and his friends, including the resourceful Kat, vindictive Tjaden, and bullheaded Muller are memorable. I always have read that All Quiet on the Western Front is a biting condemnation of war, so I expected to find a lot of blatant pacifistic philosophizing. I don't mind this in a book, (I actually enjoy it), but I do not enjoy being beaten over the head with it. I was relieved that Remarque didn't resort to such heavy-handed tactics. A lesser author would have blatantly told the reader that war was terrible; Remarque, on the other hand, shows the reader the horror of war and his book is all the more compelling because of it.

I watched the classic 1930 film adaptation of this book before I read it. I loved the movie and that's why I became interested in this book. When it comes to films vs. movies, I am usually biased in favor of whichever I encountered first. Not this time. The movie is excellent, but the book is much, much better. The movie stays with the story, for the most part, but the book has so many touching vignettes, which range from amusing to heartbreaking, that add atmosphere, humor, and character development that a film just cannot achieve. I do like the film's striking, famous end scene over the novel's more anticlimatic ending, but it's two entirely different mediums, so a comparision is a bit unfair.

All Quiet on The Western Front is an intense, powerful tale about courage and camaraderie. I highly recommend this excellent novel. I wish I would've read it sooner.

Next Time: Welllll, it depends. I want to open up the new year with that list of book links and updates to my blog that I have been promising forever. I also want to review Gary Paulsen's Hatchet, which comes highly recommended to me by my dear friend Bev. If I can get Hatchet read before Friday, I will post the review and then do a post on the book links over the weekend. If I don't get it finished in time, my post on my new blog look will be the first one of the new year and then Hatchet will follow.

The Glass Menagerie

2009-12-27T22:27:00.000-06:00

The Wingfield family is in sad shape. Domineering mother Amanda clings to memories of her aristocratic Southern childhood, perhaps to block out her impoverished life in a St. Louis slum after being abandoned by her husband. Her son, Tom, feels trapped and has become bitter. He hates his boring warehouse job and seeks escape in late night movies and D.H Lawrence novels. His emotionally fragile, disabled sister Laura has withdrawn into her own private world, which centers on her collection of glass figurines (The menagerie of the title.) Amanda decides that the only way the painfully shy Laura will ever be able to amount to anything is to marry well, so the willful mother badgers Tom into inviting a friend over to help coax Laura out of her shell. If only Amanda knew what devastation this plan ultimately brings...

Tennessee Williams' classic drama The Glass Menagerie is a moving exploration of shattered dreams and shattered families. As you may recall from last week, I had a hard time choosing between this play and Williams' other classic, A Streetcar Named Desire. I still debated over which one to do to the last minute, but I ultimately decided on this play because, as much as I love A Streetcar Named Desire, I think this play offers a more satisfying reading experience. (On the other hand, reading A Streetcar Named Desire is great, but watching it is even better. Watch the 1951 version with Brando. I am not just biased because I think he's the greatest actor ever, well, maybe just a little. If you've never seen it, go watch it now!)

I thoroughly enjoyed The Glass Menagerie. This play, unlike many others, does not rely on convoluted plot devices or outrageous scenarios. Instead, it focuses on a very authentic situation and advances its plot based on dramatic tension. I know that's not every one's cup of tea, but this play is masterfully crafted and never once did it lose my interest. Furthermore, at less than 100 pages long, it's easily read in one setting. The characters are also so realistically drawn that's impossible to not relate to them. Growing up in the South, I have met my fair share of Amandas (some even in my own family) and their smothered offspring; consequently, I found Amanda the most interesting character, even though Tom's the narrator and Laura's the centerpiece. I especially liked the interactions between Amanda, Laura, and Tom. Their petty disputes and heated arguments are something anyone with family will relate to and, even more importantly, their relationships ring true. Williams based all of these characters on members of his own family, and I believe that adds to the realism. Finally, I was pleased with the dialogue - the Southern dialect is perfect. This is something I am nitpicky about, but Williams nailed it perfectly, everything from the sentence structure to the frequent insertions of "honey, " especially when employed after an insult...

My only problem with this play is some of the stage directions. Williams intended this as a "memory" play, in which the scenes are presented as distorted by the human memory, rather than as fact. The result is a dreamy atmosphere that, for the most part, I found effective. However, the stage directions also call for the use of a screen to flash images and text throughout the play. Although occasionally the instructions were amusing, for the most part, I found this distracting. Williams conveys so much through plot and dialogue, so I didn't see why this was needed at all. Most directors of the play seem to concur, since this element of the play is usually not seen when staged, even when the play was first released in the 1940s.

I am a firm believer that, though plays are fun to read, they are still best experienced in their intended state - as performed drama. Sadly, I have never seen The Glass Menagerie performed. It's a popular play, so you may be able to catch it at a local theater. If not, you could watch one of the several film/TV versions available. The best known is probably the 1987 version, directed by Paul Newman. I have never seen it, but I read that it is a faithful adaptation. Critics, however, squabble over the quality of the acting.

The Glass Menagerie is a compelling combination of family drama, tragedy, and Southern Gothic. Easy to read and achingly authentic, this play is a great way to while away a winter afternoon. The Glass Menagerie is one of the most renowned post-WWII American plays and is well worth your time.

Next Time: I will be reviewing Erich Maria Remarque's classic war novel All Quiet on the Western Front. I love the acclaimed movie that is inspired by this novel and bought myself a copy of the book with my Hanukkah money. (Yay!) I was trying to decide what to read next and Scott voted for this one. I am over halfway through the book, have enjoyed every bit of it, and should have a review up soon.

Hercule Poirot's Christmas

2009-12-23T23:05:00.003-06:00

You know how everyone this time of year always jokes about killing their relatives? (Everyone does this, right? If not, my friends need counseling.) Well, some people are not joking about this. Case in point: Cantankerous millionaire Simeon Lee relishes terrorizing his estranged family over the holidays - he browbeats his sons, insults his daughters-in-law, and plays mind games with his relatives. Little wonder he turns up with his throat cut on Christmas Eve. Nobody is really sad to see the old man go, but who exactly is to blame? It is up to the eccentric, legendary Belgian detective Hercule Poirot to solve this mystery.

I adore Agatha Christie mysteries! It's been some time since I read one of Dame Agatha's novels and I needed something suitably festive, so Hercule Poirot's Christmas nicely fit each category. If you're not familiar with Agatha Christie books, I offer this disclaimer: Do not read these books expecting a realistic depiction of police investigations. If you want a precise description of forensics, you will have to go elsewhere, my friend. But if you're looking for an amusing, witty brainteaser, then Agatha fits the bill nicely. With that being said, I will proceed with my review.

I think Hercule Poirot's Christmas is one of Christie's better books. The crime is one of her more savage ones (though in typical Christie style, the murder is not portrayed graphically) and the mystery is first-rate. The identity of the killer will have you guessing to the very end. Even the some of the more technical aspects of Christie's murder mysteries may not be as specific as more modern novels, Christie's books work because she possesses an acute understanding of the human mind. Her characters are believable and that adds a touch of realism that many mystery writers who focus on dry technical detail often lack. Furthermore, although Christie relies on characters types over complex characterizations (such as the crotchety old man, the mild mannered Englishman, the doting wife, the roguish adventurer), Christie writes these characters so well, that the lack of deeper characters is not an issue. If you've read enough Agatha Christie novels, you start to recognize these character types, and they seem like old friends. I believe that Christie is at her best when she's portraying domestic life gone awry, and that's true for Hercule Poirot's Christmas as well. The dysfunctional dynamics of the Lee family are both authentic and darkly funny.

My only problem with this novel is the opening chapter (in which the novel's premise is set out) seemed a bit artificial to me. I know that Agatha was trying to introduce the family and their contentious history, but some of the dialogue seemed too staged to me. I found it hard to believe that these relatives would need to explain the background of the family to each other so extensively after twenty years of feuding. It's a small issue though and didn't lessen my enjoyment of the novel.

Need a fun-filled diversion this holiday season? Try Hercule Poirot's Christmas. This novel offers a engaging characters, first rate suspense, and a tantalizing mystery that is to die for. Happy holidays and Merry Christmas!

Next Time: I have been reading a collection of Tennessee Williams' plays and am a bit stumped on what to review next time. It will either be The Glass Menagerie or A Streetcar Named Desire, but I am not sure which. I love both plays, so this is a hard choice. I am leaning more toward The Glass Menagerie, because I enjoy the more subtle aspects of that play, but I find A Streetcar Named Desire more compelling. (Also, the latter was the ticket to stardom for my all-time favorite actor, Marlon Brando. Where would the world of film be without my boy Marlon?) I haven't decided yet, but I should have a review of one of these classic dramas up some time this weekend.

The Book Thief

2009-12-20T23:16:00.008-06:00

I am not sure how to describe Markus Zusak's amazing novel The Book Thief. I could tell you that this superb, beautiful book is the coming-of-age story, as narrated by Death, of Liesel Meminger, a foster child in Nazi Germany who is obsessed with reading and whose family shelters a Jewish boxer from the authorities. And that would all be true. But I much prefer Death's own description from the prologue: "It's just a small story really, about, among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist fighter, and quite a lot of thievery..." This quote perfectly captures the quirky, wry nature of this book.

PIA recommended The Book Thief to me a couple of months ago, and Penguins Quack assured me that this was an excellent book a couple of weeks later when I mentioned on Sparklife that I was reading it. (A big thank you to both of you!) That delighted me because the subject matter already had me intrigued. (Remember in my review of Sashenka when I said one of the periods of history I planned to specialize in was The Russian Revolution? Well, Nazi Germany is the other. My mother's family is German Jewish and I've always been both mortified and fascinated with this historical period.) Fortunately, my excitement about reading this book was completely justified. The Book Thief did not let me down!

I adored this novel! This book reminds me of To Kill A Mocking bird and Life of Pi. As with these two novels, The Book Thief features a compelling coming of age tale, a strong protagonist, and an offbeat plot. I especially loved the narration, which is simultaneously hauntingly lyrical and sardonically conversational. Death has a distinctive, witty voice which greatly enhances the appeal of this novel. I also loved the pacing. This book is big (550+ pages), but I was never once bored. The Book Thief is alternately hilarious and sorrowful, but it's never slow. (You will not put it down. I was so taken in by the story that I snuck this book into a shoe store with me and read it.) The historical details of this novel also impressed me. Zusak portrays the little-seen world of ordinary working class Germans during WWII vividly.

My favorite part of this book, though, was the characters. Liesel is one of the most likable, realistic, and complex female protagonists that I've ever encountered and I loved her. (Her freakish obsession with books was another reason as well!) As great as Liesel is, the rich cast of colorful supporting characters are just as intriguing. You will not soon forget Hans, her kindhearted foster father; Rosa, her foulmouthed foster mother; Rudy, her mischievous best friend; Max, the determined Jew Liesel's family courageously shelters; and Death, the eccentric narrator who will surpass all of your preconceived notions about the Grim Reaper. I usually dislike fiction about this period because the characters are often so one-dimensional, especially if they're German. (It's as if authors believe that all Germans during WWII were devilish Nazi fiends or noble superhuman resistors. If you've ever read Gitta Sereny's powerful, disturbing nonfiction book Into that Darkness, you would know the situation was far more complex than that and is all the more troubling because of it.)

I have nothing but praise for this book, but I will warn you: You will cry at the end. I dare you not to. I sobbed for ten minutes and still have not fully recovered. Not that this book is unrelentingly melancholy. It isn't. In fact, The Book Thief is hilarious in many parts and has an essentially uplifting message. But after getting to know these characters, the heart-rending ending will bring you to tears.

Needless to say, I highly recommend this book. The Book Thief is a captivating novel about courage, family, and, yes, books which you will want to reread. This book has received high praise since its publication a few years ago and it has merited every bit of it.

Next Time: Well, the holidays are approaching and I decided to review a Christmas themed book: Hercule Poirot's Christmas. (Um, yes, it is a murder mystery. But I love Agatha Christie and I just bought this one. And it is set during Christmas, so it will do.) If I do not read this one, I am not sure what I will blog about.

The Dictionary of Disagreeable English

2009-12-17T23:45:00.003-06:00

If you know me, you know I adore snarky books about the English language. I am obsessed with Eats, Shoots and Leaves, addicted to The Joy of Lex, and infatuated with Anguished English. My family knows all about my love for English at its best…and worse. Therefore, for Hanukkah last week, I received a copy of Robert Hartwell Fiske's The Dictionary of Disagreeable English: A Curmudgeon's Compendium of Excruciatingly Correct Grammar. Ah, be still my beating nerd heart.

We all have dictionaries, right? (If you do not, just humor me and say you do. Please.) However, as Fiske illustrates in his book, dictionaries are not what they used to be. Prominent dictionaries, including the vaunted Merriam Webster, have increasingly resorted to including nonstandard English, i.e. improper English, in their texts, all in the name of recording English as it is used, rather than how it should be used. Fiske attacks this concept of "descriptivist" as inexcusable. Although I admit that English does evolve, I am firmly in Fiske's camp - dictionaries should champion proper English, not popular English. After reading this book, you may find yourself taking up arms in Fiske's war as well.

In The Dictionary of Disagreeable English, Fiske has compiled a rogue's gallery of painfully incorrect English. If you love acerbic sarcasm, you're in for a treat. Fiske's acidic commentary is frequently laugh out loud funny, as are the truly hideous examples of murdered grammar which Fiske has culled from journalists, celebrities, and politicians. As much fun as this book is to read, The Dictionary of Disagreeable English is also a handy, informative guide to avoiding the most common grammatical pitfalls. Fiske lists frequent misspellings, misuses (my favorite being "grisly" for "grizzly"), mispronunciations, and non existent words which are used with alarming frequency. Fiske also targets so-called "idiotic" words (many which were developed in business) which he argues have no place in the language, i.e. "consequate" and "office" as a verb. Many of the mistakes are absolutely inexcusable, but he also explains many grammar rules which are not common knowledge. (I was mortified to find several mistakes that I frequently make. I will never, ever use "plus" in a non-mathematical context as long as I live. Forgive me! I knew not what I did!)

If you are a fellow grammar geek/word nerd, you will adore this book. You will laugh at Fiske's biting wit and you will cry at some of the most foul atrocities that were committed against the English language in the examples provided. The Dictionary of Disagreeable English is the perfect way to both amuse and educate yourself. *cough* It would also make an excellent last minute gift suggestion this holiday season. *cough*

Next Time: I am reading Markus Zusak's The Book Thief and loving it. PIA suggested it to me and Penguins Quack raved about it on Sparklife a few weeks ago, so I cannot wait to finish and blog about it.

1984

2009-12-14T23:08:00.002-06:00

I have been watching you. I know that you did not like my review of The Inheritors. I saw that grimace on your face when I mentioned Golding's name. Don't deny it! I watched your reaction over the telescreen I have installed next to your computer. And do not claim the review never existed. I said it existed; therefore, it exists. You must repent of this thought crime against the Dark Lord Zella…or else.

Now, now, there, there, do not be alarmed. I have not morphed into an evil, totalitarian blogger. I am merely acting like one to illustrate what Winston Smith contends with in George Orwell's dystopian classic 1984. Of course, instead of contending against a delusional, blogging bookworm, Smith finds himself going head-to-head with the shadowy bureaucracy of his native Oceania, a futuristic society that is closely modeled on Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia.

I have a confession of my own to make. I have never read this book until now. I have always meant to, because I adore dystopian fiction, but I never got around to it. Then Rebecca posted about this novel, and I felt that I needed to read it ASAP. I am glad I did - I enjoyed 1984. For me, the best part of this novel was Orwell's dystopia, Oceania. Orwell brought this nightmarish society to life with his vivid detail. I particularly loved the scenes set at Winston's place of employment: The Ministry of Truth (more appropriately named the Ministry of Lies) where Winston forges documents in the name of aiding the state. I also liked Winston, although I can't say that I understood him. He's sympathetic in a somewhat pathetic sort of way. He reminded me of a bit of a more likable, more gullible version of Joseph K. from Kafka's The Trial. Orwell also integrates a fascinating exploration of the nature of truth and free thought into this novel, without being cumbersome.

Although I enjoyed this novel, I found the pacing a bit uneven. I was instantly intrigued with the first part, which introduces us to Winston and his world, and I found the ending engrossing and harrowing. (The ending gets kudos for having one of the creepiest tortures I've ever read about.) But the middle part was slow to me. The parts where Winston finds himself descending further into rebellion against the state were interesting, but the bulk of this part of the novel are scenes in which Winston engages in a romance with a coworker who is also disillusioned with the party. The romantic side story did not really interest me. Perhaps my biggest problem was I didn't like Julia, his love interest. The nicest word I can apply to Julia is "vapid." I can think of some other words for her too, but I won't go there.

Pacing aside, 1984 remains one of the preeminent dystopian sci fi novels for a reason. Although written at the start of The Cold War, this novel explores issues that are still relevant. Orwell crafts a nightmarish society with disturbing parallels to our modern world. If you've never read 1984, definitely give it a read.

Next Time: This post was a little later than I expected because I was busy celebrating Hanukkah this weekend. That is not a bad thing though. For Hanukkah, I received a book that I simply must share with my fellow grammar geeks and word nerds here on blogspot: Robert Hartwell Fiste's The Dictionary of Disagreeable English. I should have the review up in a couple of days.

My Favorite Poets

2009-12-10T23:21:00.005-06:00

I know I promised corpses and non-poisoned tea as my next post; however, that just did not materialize. My apologies, but I did not read any books this week. (Well, I did reread Beowulf, The Inferno, and Hamlet for my finals, but I've already blogged on them, so they hardly count.) Even though I thought I could still read something, my finals bore down on me like rabid, mutant weasels bent on vengeance. (Am I the only person who thinks that would make a great movie?) I had to run for my life! As penance for my laziness, I give you this list of my favorite poets. I have been meaning to do this for some time and felt that this should be an adequate peace offering. I should note that, as a complete and utter poetry geek, I found this list hard to compile. I decided to exclude Shakespeare since I bragged so much about him last week, but he is still near and dear to my heart. Without further adieu, here are my favorites, in chronological order. (Don't you dare make me choose one over the other!):

1. John Donne (1572-1631): I have three words for you: Batter my Heart. I find it hard to describe why I love Donne's poetry so much. (That's unusual for me, no?) His words are just so powerful and his work is so masterfully crafted. Donne is the premier English metaphysics poet and his work covers everything from spiritual poems to secular love poems. Donne is, in my opinion, a true genius.

2. William Blake (1757-1796): I love Blake because his work has a lot of philosophical weight to it, but his poems still remain a joy to read. He was a very forward-thinking, innovative poet, and I give him kudos for that too! I admire his originality. I highly recommend his collection Songs of Experience.

3. Robert Burns (1759-1796): I must confess, I have trouble following Burns' poetry at times, but he writes in amazing, awesome Scottish dialect and his work has such a lyrical quality to it, so who cares? It's fun to read his poems aloud with a mock Scottish brogue. Plus his work is immensely quotable.

4. William Wordsworth (1770-1850) I love English Romantic poetry, and Wordsworth is my favorite. Of course, his work is pretty and flowery and vivid and all that English Romantic jazz, but his poems are well-constructed, so they're more than just fluff.

5. Elizabeth Browning (1806-1861): I adore sonnets. And I firmly believe that Browning wrote the loveliest sonnets since Shakespeare. Read her Sonnets from the Portuguese. If they aren't breath-takingly romantic, then I don't know what is.

6. Henry Longfellow (1807-1882): Oh, I adore Longfellow - his couplet narratives are so much fun to read aloud. Of course, his poems are American folk classics (The Song of Hiawatha, The Courtship of Miles Standish, Evangeline) but my favorite is The Wreck of the Hesperus. Read it aloud on a dark, stormy night.

7. Edgar Alan Poe: Confession - If I had to choose a fave poet, it'd be Poe. He is the first poet whose work I loved and he still holds a special place in my heart. The Raven is a masterpiece and one of my all-time favorites. (When I am stressed out and tired from homework, this is what I read to myself), but his lesser known poems are even more haunting, especially Ulalume and Annabel Lee. Granted, Edgar had enough issues to keep a psychiatrist happy for life, but his work is simply amazing.

8. Emily Dickinson (1830-1886): I love Dickinson's whimsical morbidity. Plus her crazy punctuation, original meter, and slant rhymes are a blast to read. Because I couldn't stop for Death is justly famous, but I also adore I heard a fly buzz.

9. Robert Frost (1874-1963): You've probably read this list and thought, "Zella, do you like any poets who aren't demented, neurotic, and/or obsessed with death?" To which I say, "You mean such poets exist?" OK, I wouldn't say that. I would point to Frost. He is the quintessential American poet. I adore his naturalistic style (which is saying something because I usually prefer the more wordy poets). My all-time favorite winter poem is Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Eve. However, as soothing as Frost's work can be, he can pack an intense, philosophical punch when he wants to.

10. Sylvia Plath (1932-1963): To fully appreciate this confessional poet, you have to know her background. Plath led a sad life, marred by mental illness and cut short by suicide, but she is a genius. I first read Daddy - quite frankly one of the most haunting and well-crafted poems I have ever read - and have been addicted to Plath ever since. She writes with such distinctive style and wry cynicism. If you forced me to choose favorites, Plath would give Poe a run for his money. But do read a little of her background before you read her poems. Otherwise, she may freak you out.

So there you have it. My favorite poets. Well, not all of them. I put up the main ones. The big cahunas, so to speak. Well, what poets do you guys like? Any favorites I missed?

Exciting Announcement: I finished my school semester today! Hurray, Hurray, Hurray! What does this have to do with my blog? Welll, instead of only posting once a week, I can now resume posting two to three times a week, as I did in the summer. I have a Read-A-Thon planned for myself over my winter break, with all sorts of amazing classics, contemporary, genre, and YA fiction planned. Let the reading begin! (At least until mid January.) I also will add those book links I promised back in September. I didn't forget!

Next Time (hopefully this weekend!): I am not sure. Maybe William Golding's The Inheritors. I adore Golding's Lord of the Flies, but I read that this novel was actually his favorite. I've read the first few chapters today and it is an interesting book. But I may do George Orwell's 1984 instead. (Rebecca, I didn't forget!) If not, 1984 will be next after Golding.

Hamlet

2009-12-02T10:51:00.011-06:00

I assume you've all heard that old saying about misfortune: "When it rains, it pours." I would think Prince Hamlet would know all about that phrase. Just two months after his beloved father's death, his father's brother, Claudius, has wedded Hamlet's mother and is now the reigning king of Denmark. As if that's not enough of a downer, Hamlet encounters a ghost who claims to be his father. The Ghost reveals that he did not a die a natural death - Hamlet's dad succumbed to murder. And the murderer is none other than Claudius. The Ghost orders Hamlet to avenge him, but Hamlet, ever the thinker, is not sure. Is The Ghost telling the truth? Is Claudius guilty? Leave it to crafty Hamlet to uncover this mystery.

How now, gentle readers! As the final installment in Zella Kate Presents: The Medieval/Renaissance Classics I bring you my favorite Shakespearean play: Hamlet! *trumpet flourish* One reason I love this play is because Hamlet blends a moving mix of action, tragedy, suspense, and humor all into one package. I always groan when I hear people describe Shakespeare as boring. I think what these people assume is that since Shakespeare's name is now synonymous with brilliant literature, his work must be boring. I think calling Hamlet boring is operating with a strange definition of boring. Ghosts, intrigue, poisonings (Yes, plural!) , insanity, and the most dysfunctional family this side of Days of Our Lives is boring? Hmm. I think what they fail to realize is that Shakespeare didn't set out to write masterpieces. He was an entertainer. He wrote what would sell! Although our Elizabethan forebears may have had questionable hygiene practices and worn weird, uncomfy shoes, I refuse to believe that the masses of Elizabethan England would've flocked to Shakespeare's plays if they were not entertaining. To think these plays are no longer entertaining because the actor says "Prithee" is being a bit narrow-minded.We still love a train wreck as much as we did then…and oh! what a train wreck this family and country is!

Although Shakespeare may have been an entertainer, I think it speaks volumes of his talent that his work is brilliant literature, even though it wasn't written with that intent. (Come on, how many people 400 years from now are going to look at our summer blockbusters and call them masterpieces? Mmm hmm. That's what I thought.) Yes, the language in Hamlet is beautiful, and this play is full of some of Shakespeare's most famous lines ("Something is rotten in Denmark," "The play's the thing," Fickle thy name is woman," and my personal favorite: "Methinks it is like a weasel.") But the real draw for me is the character Hamlet. This philosophizing, avenging Dane is one of the most fascinating, contradictory, and complex figures in all of literature. (And he is one of my favorite characters, hands down.) Hamlet is undoubtedly noble and brilliant, as his melancholy, philosophical soliloquies and shrewd plotting illustrate, but he also possesses a razor sharp wit, an inexhaustible supply of puns, and a dark sense of sarcasm. (I laugh every time I read his "Polonius is at supper" exchange with Claudius.) But as likable as Hamlet is, he is also capable of being irrational, impulsive, and, at times, downright cruel. Is he perfect? Far from it, but it's his combination of strengths and weaknesses that make him so appealing. Hamlet is one of my favorite characters because he is so human. Furthermore, how can you not feel sorry for the poor guy? His dad's dead, his uncle stole the throne, his mom married the nasty uncle, and now they're both accused of killing dear old Dad…by dad himself. I firmly believe poor Hamlet needs a hug.

I recently read a poll that said the most common issue readers have with Shakespeare is the complex, ornate Elizabethan English. I am not going to argue that Shakespeare's plays are easy to read. You do have to make an effort to read and comprehend the text. However, I am firmly convinced that this is more of a matter of how you go about reading the texts, rather than an issue with the plays themselves. I have posted a companion blog that gives some ideas on how to do this. Feel free to adapt it to your own purposes.

Don't dismiss Shakespeare's Hamlet as a dry, boring, waste of your time! That couldn't be the further from the truth! Hamlet is a masterfully crafted, psychologically intense drama with an unforgettable cast of characters.

Next Week: I am not sure. My finals are next week, so I can not guarantee that I will get anything read. If that's the case, I'll post a blog about my favorite poets or a list of the books I'd take if I were stranded on a deserted island (one must always be prepared). If I do get something read, it will probably be a classic British murder mystery by Dorothy Sayers or Ellis Peters. I miss my mysteries and I want something more light hearted after all of the deep, dark things I've been blogging about. I believe a witty, genteel murder mystery with minimal amounts of blood and ample amounts of entertainment is exactly what we need. Hopefully, next week, I'll meet you here over a (figurative) corpse. And to make up for extorting pie off of you last week, I'll make us tea, erm, of the non-poisoned variety. Oh, fine, I'll taste it first, but I assure you I am not trying to kill any of you. *hides arsenic behind back and grins innocently*

Shakespeare Is Not Trying To Drive You Insane

2009-12-02T09:45:00.003-06:00

I still remember my first encounter with the Bard. I was a tender seventh grader staring down Othello. To be frank, I was expecting to be confused and bored out of my mind, but once I figured out what was going on, I fell in love with Shakespeare and became quite addicted to his dramatic plots, epic language, and remarkable characters.

However, I know that the biggest barrier with Shakespeare for many people is the language. And, as lovely as I think Shakespeare's work is, I'd be lying if I said reading Elizabethan English is easy. It isn't - on the first try. It's a mistake to try to bulldoze through Shakespeare's work. If you want to appreciate Shakespeare's work, you must understand it. And if you want to understand it, you're going to need to do more than just battle your way blindly through the play. I believe the best way to approach Hamlet (or any Shakespearean play) is the way Shakespeare's original audience did, a form of method reading, if you will.

Shakespeare's audiences were familiar with these stories before he ever wrote them (Yep. Shakespeare's ideas were all adaptations. He'd win Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars, not Best Original.) Therefore, before you try to dive into Shakespeare, you need to be familiar with the story behind Hamlet, or whichever play it is you're reading. I usually object to reading summaries before reading a book, but with Shakespeare it is essential. Read a good thorough summary of the plot and use a side-by-side modern translation (No Fear Shakespeare) as a supplement (but not as a substitute! Sorry, you really need to read both the original and the translation. Do not just read the modern version and skim the original text) to help you figure out what's going on.

In Shakespeare's time, people didn't ask if you wanted to see a play. They asked if you wanted to hear a play. And hearing Shakespeare's work performed is vital - you'll pick up nuances and intonations you can't pick up by reading. Once you know the story and characters, you need to either see or hear Shakespeare performed. If you're like me and live nowhere near a good theater (let alone Shakespeare repertory company), you're going to have to rely on films or audio recordings. I've heard the best Hamlet film is the Kenneth Branagh version. (Alas! I hath never lain mine eyes upon it, but I have watched the Laurence Olivier and Mel Gibson versions. Both are well-acted, but cut out essential subplots.) One thing though: if you watch a film adaptation, you're not going to do yourself much good if you watch one of the modern ones with modern dialogue. You want to hear the dialogue in its original; otherwise, you're defeating the purpose of watching the movie. (Don't get me wrong. I am not saying do not watch the modernized versions, just do not think that that will help you appreciate the dialogue. Besides, Hamlet is not Hamlet, to me, unless he's wearing tights and emoting, "Fie on 't," but that's just a personal opinion.)

A good alternative is listening to unabridged audio books of Hamlet and following along with the text. (I love the one performed by Frank Muller. He gives each character a distinct voice, especially the pompous windbag Polonius. I also couldn't believe how moving some of the scenes were and I wasn't even watching anything. I, ahem, got teary-eyed during Hamlet's first soliloquy) Whichever route you choose, the main thing is listening to Shakespearean dialogue performed by someone who knows what they're doing. You will not believe what a difference listening to a talented, well-trained actor delivering a properly intoned monologue is over listening to one of your classmates mumbling through (and utterly butchering) a monologue. In skilled hands, Shakespeare's dialogue (and that mysterious iambic pentameter) jumps off the page and comes to life, as Shakespeare intended.

Then after you know the story and have heard Shakespeare from capable hands, then (and only then) read the play. I think you'll find your experience much more enjoyable and much less frustrating. Good luck!

Anthem

2009-11-25T11:23:00.009-06:00

Ever heard that Twisted Sister song "We're Not Gonna Take It"? I can't say it's one of my favorites (I loathe Twisted Sister's lead singer to the depths of my classic rock soul), but that would be a great, er, anthem for Anthem's main character, Equality 7-2521. Equality 7-2521 resides in a nameless communist utopia (which bears a striking resemblance to Soviet Russia, not too surprising seeing as author Ayn Rand fled communist Russia as a young woman.) Rejected by the authorities at the group home he is raised in for being too independent, Equality 7-2521 is deprived of fulfilling his dream of becoming a scholar. As punishment for his "selfishness", he is chosen to be a lowly street sweeper. Down but far from out, Equality 7-2521 discovers a secret hideaway from the earlier capitalist "Unmentionable Times". The clever teen then makes a discovery that will threaten all he holds dear…

A couple of months ago I was kvetching to Math is a Plentiful Harvest about my lack of time to read Ayn Rand's colossal classics (The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged). Fortunately, Math is a Plentiful Harvest is an Ayn Rand devotee, and she suggested Rand's novella Anthem to me. (Thank you!) I get excited any time I get a book recommendation, but I got even more excited when Saya seconded Anthem as a book suggestion. Not one but two recommendations! I was also pleased because this book sort of tied in with Sashenka, my book from last week.

Anthem is a fascinating little book - it had me at the first sentence: "It is a sin to write this." If you know me, you know I am an exceptionally nosy person, and I had to find out what was up. Rand wrote Anthem as a protest against communism, and the result is a very compelling condemnation of Marxism. Rand's poignant, bleak story of one man's struggle for independence in the face of collectivism is quite powerful. However, I think the primary strength of this book lies in Equality 7-2521. He is such a sympathetic character. If you don't pity this poor kid (especially when he is still in the institution he is raised in and has his dream crushed), I question your level of compassion. His stark, almost lyrical first person narration is a big plus too. A unique twist Rand put on this book is that none of the characters, including Equality 7-2521 in his narration, refer to themselves as "I" or "me", instead they refer to themselves as "we". This took me a few pages to get used to, but it was an exceptionally effective way of rendering the dehumanization Rand saw as inherent in communism.

Now, I know some readers do not like reading novels with an underlying philosophy - they believe it distracts from their enjoyment of the plot and characters. Personally, as long as the book doesn't descend into a lecture, I am OK with a bit of philosophizing. This book stays with the story until the last chapter, which is Equality 7-2521's tirade against his socialist society. I didn't find it boring - I think that Ayn Rand had some fascinating beliefs, although I don't necessarily agree with her on everything. (Quick Refresher: Rand used her books to propound on her Objectivist philosophy. Namely, that the individual trumps the group. She didn't believe in unabashed selfishness, but she did believe that as long as one's actions were moral, self-interest should come first, not the needs of others.) I find her Objectivist beliefs, when applied to the person, harder to accept than when applied to government, but I can see how her experiences in Russia shaped her beliefs. I think if you read this with an open mind, you'll find a lot of thought-provoking material here, even if you may not entirely concede Rand's view.

Looking for a more meaty read than the usual? Try Anthem. This novel lays the groundwork for her better-known works and presents a powerful story, likable hero, and ultimately triumphant message in a compact 85 pages.

P.S. As I am sure all of you know, Thanksgiving is tomorrow. For starters, that means that I am posting this from the comfort of home on my own dainty little laptop and not fighting my savage classmates for a computer (I swear, our school library is like a scene from Lord of the Flies, just without the cool face paint.) *cough* Anyway, I would like to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving. I want all of you to eat until you EXPLODE! Wait! If you do that, you can't come back next week to talk about books with me. I don't want all of my readers to kill themselves with gluttony. So maybe just eat all you can hold. And pass me a piece of pumpkin pie while you're at it. Well, I was hoping for a bigger piece, but thank you. *sprints away with an abundance of pie*

Next Week: I should wrap up my Zella Kate Presents: The Medieval/Renaissance series with *drum roll* Hamlet! I am a huge Shakespeare fan, and Hamlet is probably my favorite Shakespearean play. I cannot wait to review it! Don't fear, if you're not fan of Billy, I will offer some tips that, even if they don't help you love Shakespeare, will help you understand and appreciate his work.

Sashenka

2009-11-18T11:48:00.003-06:00

Most teen girls prefer to spend their free time shopping. (Well, I don't - I hate shopping, but that‘s a story for another day). Not sixteen year old Sashenka Zeitlin. The daughter of a prominent and wealthy (but excruciatingly dysfunctional) Russian Jewish family, devout communist Sashenka spends her free time smuggling illegal weapons for the Bolsheviks and dreaming of the overthrow of Tsar Nicholas II. In the winter of 1916, Sashenka gets her chance to aid the Bolshevik cause in a dangerous game of double-dealing espionage that has consequences far more deadly than she'll ever realize. Fast forward almost twenty years later - Sashenka and her secret policeman husband Vanya are at the top of Soviet society, well-respected and well-to-do. Sashenka is about as far up as one can expect to get in Stalinist Russia. And then, against her better judgment, Sashenka becomes involved with an outspoken writer and, like so many of her fellow Bolsheviks who got on Stalin's bad side, she disappears into thin air. Fast forward about another fifty years when a young Russian historian is hired to piece together a genealogy and uncovers Sashenka’s fate in the process…

Let me put up a disclaimer before I launch into this review: I LOVE Russian History. In fact, it’s one of the periods I want to study as a history major. So when I saw a book advertised that mentioned the Russian Revolution and Stalinist purges, I get excited (not in an insane "I condone political radicalism" sort of way, but in an “OMG!I am a pathetic history buff” sort of way.) I first saw this book mentioned in a review a year ago and just now got my hands on it. Fortunately, after that wait, I was not disappointed! Sashenka is an amazing novel! The historical detail is just perfect. This book brings to life the chaos of the Revolution and the uncertainty of the Stalinist purges. (Author Simon Montefiore is a historian and his expertise is really what makes this book so enjoyable. The man certainly knows his Russian history.) As a result, If you also love Russian history, you will adore this book (and have a lot of fun playing “Recognize that Bolshevik!”) Don't panic if you're not a history buff. Unlike many historical novels, this book is historically accurate and still accessible, even if you can't tell Stalin from Trotsky (There is also a handy character list in the back if you get confused).

But what makes Sashenka enjoyable is that it is so well-written. I've read some historical novels that were very realistic but came off as badly-written 8th grade textbooks. Not Sashenka! Montefiore writes in an eloquent, sophisticated style that reminds me a lot of Gregory Maguire and Ron Rash. The characters are another plus. All of them seem so real. I was expecting it would be hard to sympathize with Sashenka, but I was wrong. I disagreed with her politics and her affair (I think I started yelling at her in my mind, “What are you doing?! Vanya loves you! How could you?!”) But I still found her likable, and I had to know what happened to her, even though I knew whatever it was would not be good. Montefiore handles the complex plot with skill. This book has epic proportions (500 pages!), so I was expecting it to drag in spots. Happily, I was wrong! I couldn't put this book down.

I did find a few plot twists in the third part that were a little too pat for my taste, but they weren't detrimental to the novel at all. I will warn you: this book does have some adult content and is a bit disturbing. The ending (where Sashenka's fate is finally revealed) will freak you out. I sat frozen in my chair with my mouth wide open. I believe I may also have started whimpering. You’ll also get an intro to Tsarist and Stalinist jails that you won’t soon forget. Great book, but don’t read it if you are squeamish. (This is my friendly public service announcement for the week.)

Sashenka is the perfect blend of historical accuracy, memorable characters, suspenseful plot, and exquisite style. If you love historical fiction, read this book! And even if you don't love historical fiction, give this book a read - it is masterfully crafted. I am now off to find Montefiore's non-fiction books...

Next Week: Probably Ayn Rand's Anthem. Or Le Carre's The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. Leaning more toward the Rand novel, but we shall see. (And no I don't mean we in the royal sense. Or do I?)

Dante's Inferno

2009-11-11T11:27:00.011-06:00

Quick set of questions for my gentle readers (I assume you’re all fairly mild-mannered, but maybe I am wrong. Any members of Genghis's Golden Horde reading this?) - If you were to describe hell how would you do it? How would you structure hell? Who would you put in in? How would you punish them? If you’re Dante Alighieri, you’d give hell a crazy, intricate structure from off the top of your head and people it with tons of historical/mythological/

literary figures (and your own political opponents, of course!) and make an epic poem for the ages out of it.

Ah, Dante’s Inferno. Who wouldn’t find this plot fascinating: Sinful poet descends to hell and is given a personal tour by Virgil. Sound morbid? Well, The Inferno is morbid in spots, but that’s not the whole story. This poem is philosophical, grotesque, poignant, and even humorous, but never boring. What really sets this piece apart from other medieval poems is the first person narration - Dante makes himself the main character. The result is an intimate journey through the nine circles of hell, and it feels like you’re along for the ride. I really loved the personal encounters Dante had (which range from political adversaries to mythological beasts)- they’re alternately horrifying, heartbreaking, and hilarious. Dante’s rich characterizations make this poem's characters' seem so human. The Inferno is also amusing in a morbid, ironic way. The punishments are so fitting (I sincerely hope I am not the only person who has laughed at the punishment for the misers and spendthrifts in the Fourth Circle. Hehe It made me giggle in class), plus it’s fun to see where Dante puts someone. Achilles from The Iliad gets banished to the Second Circle. Hmm…I would have put him in the fifth circle for being sullen, but it’s Dante’s hell and Dante's rules. Don’t let any of this fool you though - The Inferno is also a serious reflection on sin, punishment, and redemption. My fellow poetry geeks take note as well: The structure of this poem is superb. Dante broke this down mathematically: 33 cantos (plus prologue), with 33 tercets (3 line stanzas) per canto, with 33 syllables per tercet. As a wannabe poet, I am impressed with how complex this poem's structure is (and I am feeling a bit inferior)!

The Inferno is a great read, but it is really complex, so I suggest using the Allan Mandlebaum translation. Mandlebaum’s poetry is suitably lyrical but not at all daunting. Plus, use an annotated version. This poem is full of allusions to historical, mythological, Biblical, literary, and contemporary characters (at least Dante’s contemporaries). You may not understand what’s going on if you don’t understand who he’s talking to.

So pack your bags, my friends! Dante’s Inferno is an epic poetic journey that descends to the icy depths of hell (Yep, it's icy down there) and manages to be beautiful, entertaining, and philosophical as well. Maybe Virgil will give us the VIP tour. We just won’t stay past lunchtime..if you don't mind.

Next Week: I am going to blog on Simon Montefiore’s Sashenka. This is an amazing contemporary historical novel about the Russian Revolution. I have waited for a year, A YEAR, to get my hands on this book. I was finally able to read it this weekend and can’t wait to share it!

The Hunger Games

2009-11-04T11:33:00.004-06:00

The North America of the future is not a world you would recognize…or a world you would want to live in, for that matter. Panem, as the continent is now called, is ruled by the ruthless Capitol. As punishment for a rebellion decades earlier, the other twelve districts of Panem are required to send a teen boy and girl to the yearly Hunger Games in which the kids are then required to fight each other to the death in a reality show that sounds like Survivor meets The Coliseum. The kids are selected by lots, so sixteen year old Katniss, who is solely responsible for keeping her mother and sister alive, is relieved when she is not selected. Her momentary relief turns to terror when her beloved sister is chosen to go to The Hunger Games. Desperate to spare her sister, Katniss volunteers. The other contestants may think that Katniss is at a disadvantage, coming from the most squalid district in Panem, but they have another thing coming…

Laura suggested this book to me last month, and I only now got my hands on it. (*glares at library wait list*) I absolutely loved this book! (Thanks again, Laura!) The Hunger Games is an incredibly original book. I've never read anything quite like it, but it reminded me of so many different books and themes: Lord of the Flies, Frank Peretti’s Veritas Project series, dystopian sci fi, the Minotaur myth, reality TV at its worst (is there such a thing as it at its best?), Soviet era Russia. This book’s primary strength is Katniss. She is just so likable and easy to sympathize with. She is no mamby-pamby Bella "Rescue me! I have a paper cut!" Swan, but she’s also not one of those obnoxious tough guy, er, girl characters that makes you want to vomit. The story is told in Katniss’ distinctive, ironic, witty voice, and the narration is also in the present tense, which greatly adds to the suspense. And suspenseful this plot certainly is! I started this book one Friday night when I had finished all of my homework. I figured I would get a headstart on my reading for the week. I didn’t stop until I finished it in the wee hours of Saturday morning – this book is that addictive.

Now, I know what you may be thinking: “Zella, brag on that book all you want. It sounds like a slasher movie!” I know it sounds that way, but I promise you, it isn’t. Yes, The Hunger Games is built upon a gruesome, disturbing premise, but the book itself is not gruesome, although it is a bit disturbing. Collins does a masterful job of conveying what is happening with out being unduly graphic. (It is a YA book, after all.) Besides, I think there is a huge difference between something that wallows in the dark recesses of the human mind to celebrate it and something that delves into the dark recesses of the human mind to make a serious statement about that side of human nature. The Hunger Games is definitely the latter. This book is actually very philosophical, without being ponderous. I really loved how this book subtly attacks reality TV. I hope I don't hurt any feelings, but I hate reality TV. I think it is the most unreal, disgusting thing on TV. I despise the way Survivor, Big Brother, and I am a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! condone despicable behavior in the name of entertainment. Yeah, pal, that is not entertainment, at least not in my book. The Hunger Games very effectively portrays reality TV, with its emphasis on ruthlessness and appearance, for what it really is – shallow.

I have learned that modern YA fiction falls into two categories: really good and really bad. Put The Hunger Games in the first category. It is well-written and absolutely impossible to put down. But be warned: This book is part of a series. The cliffhanger ending will both intrigue and anger you (in an "Arggh! I have to know the rest of the story!" sort of way), especially at 2am. If you read The Hunger Games, you will end up hunting down the second novel in the series, Catching Fire!

P.S. Thanks for all of the excellent recommendations! I am happy to know that all of my readers have such great taste in books! I am also going to blog on Ayn Rand's Anthem (suggested by Math is a Plentiful Harvest) and Something Wicked This Way Comes and 1984 (both suggested by Rebecca on her excellent blog Readers Anonymous.) Please send me more recommendations!

~

Next Week: Part Two of Zella Kate Presents: The Medieval/Renaissance Epics - Dante's Inferno. (I was planning to blog on another book, but I am reading three or four right now and can't make up my mind. I am a book glutton. I pile too much on my proverbial plate and then must consume everything on said plate. Not unlike my behavior at Chinese restaurants!)

Beowulf

2009-10-28T10:26:00.002-05:00

Many centuries ago, the Danes led a pleasant life, full of typical Viking activities (raiding villages, exploring the Atlantic, and wearing awesome, pointy, horned helmets). And they partied in true Dark Ages fashion with copious amounts of mead and Scandinavian folk ballads. Tis the life! And then, the Danes would snuggle into their cozy beds for the night in their mead hall. Their peaceful slumber only disturbed when the vile demon Grendel storms into their hall and GOBBLES THEM UP ALIVE! This is not right! One minute you are asleep, the next minute you’re being eaten by a gnarly demon. This can not be! Grendel must be stopped! Somebody help! Fortunately for the Danes (and Western literature), a hero does emerge from the icy Scandinavian fjords to teach this grubby creep a thing or two. And that would be none other than the fearsome Geat hero Beowulf! *cue triumphant hero music*

As I announced last week, I am kicking off my Zella Kate Presents series with that most awesome of Anglo Saxon epic poems - Beowulf. Forget Schwarzenegger and Stallone (in case you already haven't), Beowulf is the best action hero ever! Even though Beowulf is a poem, and you would think there isn’t much excitement to be had, Beowulf is full of great fights, cool monsters, nasty blood feuds, and ample treasure. It’s absolutely action packed! I was especially impressed that, although Beowulf is missing a few passages, it didn't affect my enjoyment of the text. Some of the ancient texts I've read in class have been really good, but the plots seemed stilted and forced. In large part, this is because some of the text has been lost and parts have been added and taken away for centuries, which has a tendency to weaken a text. But this was not a problem with Beowulf at all. The plot stayed consistent and the missing pieces are not vital to understanding the text. And even though you don't get the character development that you would with a traditional prose narrative, Beowulf, as a character, is easy to like. He is brave, chivalrous, and pretty clever, as his verbal smackdown with Urfurt proved. ("Take that, you sniveling Shieldling!") Beowulf's likeability is a big plus, and it helps make the ending especially poignant. If you like mythology and fantasy, take note! Beowulf has many of the elements associated with high fantasy and was a major influence on J.R.R. Tolkien. (Side note: If you're a fantasy fan and have never read Norse or Celtic mythology, get thee to a library! You will love these myths because this is largely where fantasy, especially high fantasy, draws much inspiration from.)

Almost everyone I’ve talked to (or eavesdropped on) who has read Beowulf told me the same thing: Great story but the Old English is just so….hard. I love Old English - it is a fascinating language, but it is hard to read. In fact, Old English is essentially a foreign language because it is far closer to modern German than modern English. If Beowulf has frightened you in the past due to the Old English, I suggest the Seamus Heaney translation. He preserves the formal, elegant, somewhat archaic tone you’d expect but without the complex original Old English. Heaney is a Nobel prize winning poet, and his version preserves Beowulf’s best attributes and makes it more accessible. His passages are so elegant and beautiful. He preserves the traditional alliteration, so it's also fun to read aloud! Only problem: Heaney is an Irish poet and he uses quite a few Irish words. Wouldn't be a problem, but I am nit picky and didn’t think it was appropriate to use Gaelic words in an Anglo Saxon text about Scandinavian Vikings. It’s a small issue though. I also suggest getting an annotated version, in case any of the cultural or historical aspects of the text stump you.

I know that the two words "epic poem"strikes more fear in your average person than the words "Nazi torture," but give Beowulf a chance! Beowulf is an epic adventure, an amazing poem, and a fascinating slice of Viking/Anglo Saxon culture. Don’t let the haters fool you – Beowulf is a great read!

Next Week: I am so excited! By blogging on Beowulf, I not only read a great classic and had an excuse to surf the internet whilst in search of great images related to awesome pointy, horned helmets, I was also able to read my book for next week. Yay! A few weeks ago, Laura suggested Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games. Unfortunately, due to a wait list, I only got my hands on the book last weekend. (O Wait List, thou art the bane of my reading existence. Thou art evil. Thou shalt be obliterated the day I take over the world and print enough copies of each book for everyone. *cough*) The Hunger Games is an excellent book, and I can’t wait to share it! I just have to write my review.

Double Indemnity

2009-10-21T09:44:00.003-05:00

Walter Huff is one of the best insurance men in L.A. He can see a scam from a mile away - there’s no fooling Huff. But then Walter gets involved with Phyllis, a woman who is trying to kill her husband to collect his insurance money. Against his better judgment, Walter agrees to help and relies on all of his knowledge of investigating suspicious deaths to craft the perfect murder. He thinks of everything – the crime scene, the evidence, the getaway, the alibis. The only thing he doesn’t factor in his malevolent equation is Phyllis. Faster than you can say “wrongful death”, Walter is drawn into a deadly game of deceit as his perfect murder starts to unravel.

I love good hardboiled crime fiction. It's so atmospheric and has the most fantastic plots and dialogue. But, alas, like most genre fiction, hardboiled mysteries have a bad name brought on by hack writers who have no business writing anything, let alone this genre. In the hands of a capable writer, hardboiled fiction is a privilege to read. In the hand of a bad writer, hardboiled fiction is mind-numbingly awful. Bad noir will kill your brain cells quicker than Al Capone had Bugsy Moran’s boys whacked at the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. Fortunately, my favorite hardboiled writer, James M. Cain, is a master of the genre and his masterpiece (in my opinion) Double Indemnity is hardboiled fiction at its best.

Double Indemnity is fun to read, in large part due to the plot. This novel is very fast paced and has as many of twists and turns as a rickety roller coaster. (Double Indemnity was originally published as a serial; therefore, the story if full of cliffhangers!) And since Double Indemnity weighs in at a lean, mean 100 pages, it’s easy to get wrapped up in this book and read it in one sitting. If you don’t like mysteries because you think they’re clichéd, try Double Indemnity. There is no standard investigation in this book. The question isn’t who the murderer is, it’s will the murderer get away with it. The novel's considerable suspense is also generated through Walter’s impeccably realistic first person narration. Walter is a fascinating narrator. In a way, you want to despise Walter and you never really like him, but you must know what happens to him. It’s been a while since I’ve read hardboiled fiction, and when I started this one I kept thinking, “Why is this so different from what I have been reading?” I finally figured it out: Cain relies almost solely on action and dialogue to advance his plot. There is very little descriptive narration. This also helps move the plot along quickly, but don’t think for a minute that Cain doesn’t create a very realistic setting for his story. Cain is well known for creating very detailed descriptions of the occupations of his characters. His detailed descriptions through dialogue are, dare I say it, the Mark of Cain. This book is no exception. He goes into considerable detail about the insurance industry, in regard to accident policies and investigations (almost entirely through dialogue) and it’s never once boring. My only qualm with Double Indemnity: The ending is excellent, but the final chapter is a bit murky. It’s hard to figure out exactly what is going on. Otherwise, this book is flawless.

James M. Cain is one of the greats in hardboiled fiction…and for good reason. Suspenseful, authentic, and atmospheric, Double Indemnity is a hard book to put down. If you love hardboiled fiction, you must read Double Indemnity. And if you’re not a big mystery/crime fiction fan, this book is still a great read precisely because it is so original. If you're going to read just one James M. Cain novel, make it Double Indemnity!

Next Week: I am going to start a series! OK, it’s not a real series like Lord of the Rings or Anne of Green Gables, but it is my series. It is entitled (for lack of time to think of something better and less bureaucratic sounding) Zella Kate Presents: The Medieval/Renaissance Epics. (Say it with your most hushed, reverent Masterpiece Theater voice. There you go! That’s the spirit!) I am taking World Lit 1 this semester, and so far I’ve enjoyed all of the selections we’ve read. Wellll, after this week, we are starting medieval literature and will be covering Beowulf, Dante’s Inferno, and Hamlet. I decided to blog about each of those (not in consecutive weeks though. I think I’ll rotate between them and my pleasure reads every week or every other week.) So next week, barring unforeseen circumstances, I will meet you here with a review of Beowulf. Just bring your own swords. That Grendel may be a handful.