Bell, Book and Kindle

Mockingjay - Re-evaluated (Spoilers)

2012-03-04T19:40:00.001-05:00

I did not get into this stuff in my previous review but I feel the need to address it now.

I have been doing a lot of reading on some message boards and it seems that several people found Mockingjay to be disappointing.

Despite loving the series, I would agree that Mockingjay was the weakest of the three books. I did not find the book as polarizing as some, however. I think some saw it as an easy way out/quick way to tie up loose ends. I would agree that some parts of the end seemed rushed/glossed over. I would also agree that some of the plot developments were convenient like, how the plot fades out when Katniss is in genuine peril and then picks up again when the danger has passed.

To me, one of the weakest parts of the book is the at the very end when she "goes on trial" (I put this in quotes because the entire trial is to be inferred by the reader). The reader is with Katniss as she is exiled to a room for the duration of the trial and then quite magically, the protagonist is found innocent and freed. Obviously, it is the outcome the reader wants but it is a bit unrealistic. I mean, she killed someone in cold blood and it had nothing to do with the Hunger Games.

All that being said, I do not know another way that Collins could have or would have steered the story. I think you either love the series or you do not. All of these naysayers are not true blue fans. You have to judge the story as a collective and while Mockingjay was not the most exciting or character-driven of the series, it was an important final piece to the puzzle.

I also would have liked to have seen a more romantic/in-depth reunion between Peeta and Katniss but the way it was presented - hard-won - was realistic to the story and to their characters.

Hunger Games Paraphernalia

2012-02-28T13:17:00.003-05:00

I found these AWESOME Hunger Games goodies on etsy.com. You better believe I will be wearing at least one if not both of these when I see The Hunger Games in the theater:

From Jessica Jane K:

From Sophie's Beads:

Cutting for Stone - Review

2012-02-19T10:02:00.003-05:00

This book was highly recommended to me by a fellow reader and friend and I have to say, it did not live up to the hype.

I have to be frank and say that I was disappointed. It felt frustratingly formulaic/generic to me, like a lesser version of The Kite Runner or other ethnic/immigrant story. The protagonist, Marion, was also fundamentally thick when it came to love. I could not help but feel angry with him every time he let the "love of his life", Genet, stomp all over him, his dreams, his good intentions. I know that love can be blind but in his case, it was STUPID. She was not worth the sacrifices he made for her.

I did not care for the author's style of writing. His sentences did not flow easily and I found myself having to frequently re-read passages.

The conclusion almost made up for the drudgery of reading through the first 600 pages of the book but not quite. For me, it was too little too late. The story seemed to be building toward a massive crescendo but every "revelation" was more anticlimactic than the last.

I can appreciate the little twists of fate and celestial connections that bound the main characters but for the most part, I found the tale to be overly dramatic, gloomy, and slow. I kept waiting for the story to pick up and by the time it did the story was over.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Review

2012-02-07T17:19:00.004-05:00

What an exciting conclusion to a very complicated and multi-pronged story.

I definitely enjoyed reading the second and third installments of this series the best. I know that the plot from the first book was integral in explaining the connection between Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander but I found it most unpleasant. That being said, I understand that one of Stieg Larsson's overall motives for the series was to expose sexual violence and inappropriate behavior towards women and there were many examples of that, the most egregious being in the first book.

There were also many examples of strong women, which I appreciated. I wonder if Larsson was a feminist? It was encouraging and comforting to witness Erika Berger's fortitude in the face of sexual harassment; Salander's calm ruthlessness in avenging the wrongs done to her; Sonja Modig and Monica Figuerola's confidence in a workforce overrun by men, etc.

In Swedish the first book was called Men Who Hate Women. This is a predominant theme throughout the series. I think you could even make a stretch to fit Blomkvist in that category. Obviously, he adores the company of women. He sleeps with them left and right. But it is his cavalier attitude towards his bedmates that makes his behavior hurtful. He demands no-strings-attached relations and the freedom to sleep with multiple partners. This is disrespectful to the women that open their hearts to him and want more. That being said he is a vanguard for freedom and justice for all, women included.

As a whole, The Millenium Series (as Larsson called it), is an astonishing and intricate piece of work. I cannot even imagine the amount of research and time it must have taken Larsson to complete it. There were times when it was difficult to keep up with the names, places, and events. Not being a Swede, I was unfamiliar with a lot of the streets/neighborhoods referenced. I was also completely ignorant of a lot of the Swedish history/politics that Larsson incorporated to lend realism to the story.

I found the newsroom banter and operations fascinating. I know that Larsson was a journalist so obviously, he must have lent some of his first-hand experience/expertise to the story.

The level of governmental/police deception was astounding but disturbingly believable. I am sure things like that have happened and continue to happen behind closed doors. I assume that in addition to examining the plight of women, Larsson wanted The Millenium Series to put covert security operations that infringe upon the individual's rights under the microscope.

I liked the duality of things. For every good, there was a bad counterpart. For example, the media was represented as a force for good in the form of Blomkvist and his entourage who expose the corruption of the powerful and unchecked; and bad in the form of the less principled media who waged a smear campaign against Salander with unsubstantiated gossip.

Now that I have a complete picture, I no longer wonder why people say they loved the books. Consider me a fan!

ETA: I wanted to add that technology played such a big role in this series. Without Salander's hacking skills (I am not spoiling anything here because this is revealed early in the series) the main plot and its offshoot plots would not have had satisfactory conclusions. Being able to access hard-drives and personal/work e-mail was a powerful and effective weapon.

The Girl Who Played With Fire - Review

2012-01-31T19:08:00.000-05:00

I have to say, I enjoyed the second installment of the series much better than the first. It was equally as exciting but I found it more palatable. There was still plenty of violence but I found it less disturbing.

Lisbeth Salander emerges as a sympathetic character. She still lacks likability but you can at least understand how she came to be the way she is. You learn about her past and how the "system" has failed her. It is not hard to relate to her mistrust of authority and society at large.

I do not want to say too much more because I would be in danger of spoiling the story but after having read The Girl Who Played With Fire, I am anxious to read the final book of the series. Salander is such a damaged individual. I wonder if there is any possibility of a happy ending for her...?

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Review

2012-01-25T17:27:00.002-05:00

I decided to read this book and start this series for a number of reasons. My grandmother, aunt, friends, former co-workers, and acquaintances all recommended it. If that was not enough, the books were international and national bestsellers. I figured, how could this not live up to the hype?

Based on that introduction you might think I am going to say I hated it. Not true. It was extremely well-written, exciting, suspenseful, and interesting. That being said, the subject matter SUCKED.

I am not usually a mystery reader nor do I gravitate toward grizzly material. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo covered the gruesome gamut of incest, rape, torture, animal mutilation, and murder. Seriously? I was actually scared to go to sleep last night for fear of the nightmares I was sure to have.

I wanted to read the book before I saw the movie but now having read the book, I will most certainly not see the movie. My imagination conjured up enough horrific images.

I find it interesting, considering how safe and pristine Scandinavian society is, that the graphic violence of the story would take place in Sweden. It seems out of place. Then again, part of what makes the mystery so great is that the dastardly crimes are so well-hidden. On the surface everything seems fine, but underneath lies something more sinister than anyone could believe.

"The Girl," or Lisbeth Salander, is an intriguing although mostly unlikeable character. The other main character in the story, Mikael Blomkvist, is charismatic and likeable but also a total man whore. I find his ability to make women drop their pants a little unrealistic. I mean, who is he? The Swedish James Bond?

Would I read the rest of the series had I not bought the trilogy on my kindle? Probably not. That has nothing to do with the quality of the work, but in the future I would not willingly read something so disturbing. It kind of makes me wonder about the people who said they "loved it". Haha.

The Hunger Games Trilogy - The Morning After

2012-01-18T16:05:00.001-05:00

I cannot stop thinking about these books! I do not think I conveyed in my previous posts about The Hunger Games just how deeply the story and the characters have touched me. I mean, they feel so real to me. Hats off to Suzanne Collins. She is a master storyteller.

Ever since I finished the series last night I have not been able to release myself from its hold. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it and I was thinking about it during work today. I am genuinely sad that the experience of reading it is over. I do not want the story to be over! I mean, I am pleased with the conclusion of the series and I think Collins did a good job of not extending the story farther than it should go, but I miss it!

This has got to be some of the best/most enjoyable reading I have done in years. These books will definitely be added to my all-time favorite list. I will absolutely read them again. I was even thinking that they might become required reading in the public school system one day. When/if I have kids I will definitely push these books on them.

While I was consumed with thoughts of The Hunger Games last night, I realized that religion did not play a role at all. I wonder if this was done purposefully or if religion would have added complications that Collins was not interested in exploring. I was thinking that Collins could have excluded religion as a partial explanation of how society became so barbaric. In other words, a society without a moral compass or higher being to answer to might be more cruel and callous because the assumption is that there are no consequences. Then I proved my theory wrong because people have killed in the name of religion for thousands of years and some of those people think they will be rewarded for their murderous deeds. It just strikes me as interesting because religion in some form or another is present in every nation and culture in the world and yet, it was absent in Panem.

Mockingjay - Review

2012-01-17T21:38:00.001-05:00

I made the most of my day off and finished The Hunger Games trilogy!

Overall, I liked Books One and Two best. The action of the Hunger Games was really riveting material. Book Three is the most tragic of the bunch because characters you have followed from Book One or Book Two die. The war between the rebels and the Capitol also takes center stage, which can be tiresome. Also, I really missed the banter and lightness of Katniss and Peeta's relationship since he spent a majority of the book as the Capitol's prisoner.

Because the rebellion was the "star" of Mockingjay, I felt like the relationships were neglected/not given as much attention as I would have liked. Gale played a more prominent role than Peeta, which finally gave me a chance to "get to know him". Gale would be great in a pinch. He is really instinctive, strong, and can turn off his emotions (maybe a little too easily) to do what needs to be done. He and Katniss are too similar. I cannot help but think that as well as they work together, they would not make a happy couple. They would always be looking over their shoulders, hunting something.

I liked that Suzanne Collins did not shy away from what one assumes are the realities of war - death, brutality, hardship, deprivation despite the fact that these are young adult books. I also like that she constantly had you questioning who the good and bad guys were. What you end up taking from it is that some people lean more toward one side or the other but even the good are capable of bad and vice versa.

I recommend this series to anyone with an imagination and a sense of adventure. You will fall in love with the characters (I did) and not want the story to end. It is an emotional roller-coaster ride, if you allow yourself to get as invested as I did.

Love triangle spoiler ahead...

My horse won the race - this was the first thing I said to my husband when I finished the book, which is in reference to Peeta getting the girl. I was so relieved. Unfortunately, their reunion was pretty anti-climactic and squeezed in at the very end.

Catching Fire - Review

2012-01-15T14:39:00.003-05:00

Wow. I thought the story could not get more exciting but I was wrong!

When I first started Catching Fire I was a little put off by what seemed like a very contrived plot element - the love triangle. If anything, this is the part of the story that reminds me it is a young adult series. That being said, I can forgive the cheesiness as long as Katniss picks the "right" guy. Also, this is the only aspect of the story that I believe can be used to compare The Hunger Games and Twilight. That is where the similarities end.

I have been getting really annoyed at the comparisons in the media lately all because the movies are getting ready to come out and surely, they will be expected to compete with Twilight's success. Granted, I have never read the Twilight series (never would) but from what I have seen in the movies it is silly fluff. The Hunger Games is far more complex in its ideas, presentation, and realistic implications. But I digress. Back to Catching Fire...

There were a lot of shocks, which I did not expect. Just as in the first book of the series, I was kept on the edge of my seat. Once I got past the first few chapters, there was no putting it down. I liked Katniss a lot more in this book. I think she is a much more realistically vulnerable character than she was in the first book. Life's tragedies have really hardened her but I appreciate how she lets her emotions show more.

I still looove Peeta and cannot quite grasp the allure of Gale. He is a little more present in Catching Fire than he was in the first book but aside from the history that he and Katniss share (that we are not privy to), I do not see how he is a better match for her. Just my opinion!

Without giving too much away, I like the direction that the world is heading in toward the end of Catching Fire. There are important lives at stake but there is hope for a better tomorrow.

Reading FAIL/2012 Reading Resolution

2012-01-02T19:18:00.000-05:00

I have been extremely busy the past couple of months with traveling/moving apartments/holiday and family obligations. Consequently, I have REALLY neglected my reading.

2012 Reading Resolution:

1) Complete the final two books of The Hunger Games triology
2) Start and complete The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo triology
3) Read more classics
4) Finally attend one or more of my meetup book club's monthly gatherings

The Hunger Games - Review

2011-10-13T20:52:00.000-04:00

I cannot remember the last time I breezed through a book that quickly. Now I understand why people say it is "unputdownable". It practically was! I started and finished Book One at the start and end of a trip. I think if I had been home with my usual routine I might have finished it in two sittings. As it is, I finished it in three.

I have heard about this series more times than I can count or remember but I was always resistant because of the genre - young adult. I was worried it was going to be another Harry Potter. Practically all of my high school/college friends jumped on that bandwagon. I forced myself to read the first book but it just did not move me. I preferred watching the movies, if anything.

I am so glad that I finally bit the bullet and gave it a chance because I absolutely LOVED IT. I cannot wait to read the next two installments. And now I know I will have plenty of time to read them before the first movie comes out next spring.

I really like Katniss, the strong female protagonist, but my problem with her is the same problem I have with most strong female protagonists. She is a little too rough around the edges for me. I get that she is a survivor and sometimes that means being invulnerable but my heart breaks for Peeta, who is helplessly in love with her. I can already see that the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale (Katniss's hunter friend) is going to be a prominent theme.

You do not get much of a sense of who Gale is in Book One except that he is a survivor like Katniss. Peeta, on the other hand, is an open book. He is the perfect guy - selfless, protective, kind, gentle, funny, and he would do anything, including die, for Katniss. *swoon*

On a more substantive note, I really like the futuristic/science-fictionesque/fantasy elements of the story. Suzanne Collins paints a bleak picture for the future of the world - twelve districts ruled by an oppressive Capitol that pits its most innocent citizens against each other in a death arena meant to entertain and humiliate.

Stephen King

2011-09-23T21:38:00.000-04:00

This year's Mason Award went to Stephen King. We were fortunate enough to get tickets - they sold out quickly. I have never read a Stephen King book and I have only seen one or two of the movies based on his books. I am a total scaredy-cat, which is why I generally steer clear of his works/genre. The Shining pretty much scarred me for life. I never would have chosen to see it on my own. I can blame my husband for that! He insisted I would be fine. I was not.

All that being said, I was very impressed with Stephen King's presentation. He is funny, articulate, intelligent, and charismatic. He may have found a new fan in a crowd full of years-long devotees. He said his greatest inspiration/motivator is - what is the worst that could happen? Interesting!

I might give his new JFK-era novel a try. It sounds more science-fiction/historic than anything.

Amy Tan

2011-09-21T15:28:00.000-04:00

We saw Amy Tan speak at the Fall for the Book Festival last night. I was surprised that she did not get the crowds she deserved. I think it mostly had to do with the fact that her appearance was not as widely advertised as Stephen King's this Friday.

Still, because there was not a big crowd the presentation had a very intimate feel. One of George Mason University's professors and an NPR contributor, Alan Cheuse, interviewed her. I assume that the questions were prepared in advance because Amy Tan's responses seemed planned. I was disappointed that she only had an hour and that none of the questions related to Saving Fish from Drowning. I did learn some interesting things about her background that I did not know before.

We got a special treat because for the first time ever, she read a passage from her upcoming book. It sounds like it will be more in line with her previous works. The story will be split between Shanghai and San Francisco and is inspired by her grandmother. It kind of sounds like the Chinese version of Memoirs of a Geisha. I look forward to reading it.

Saving Fish from Drowning - Review

2011-09-17T18:35:00.003-04:00

I am a huge Amy Tan fan. I have read The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God's Wife, and The Bonesetter's Daughter, all of which I really enjoyed. For some reason, I could not get into The Hundred Secret Senses.

I decided to read Saving Fish from Drowning because it got Amy Tan selected as the Fairfax Prize winner for this year's Fall for the Book Festival.

It took me a while to get into this book and to be honest, I never really got into it. At some point, I started tolerating the story but I never felt connected to the characters.

It is very different from the other books of hers that I have read. This book is very much steeped in the present and if anything, seems to be a commentary on stupid/ignorant/well-meaning American tourists than anything else. I enjoyed the journeys to the past that her other books took and the emphasis on relationships and family.

I guess one of the upsides is that it highlights the plight of anti-regime and tribal people in Myanmar.

Second Helpings - Review

2011-08-30T10:05:00.002-04:00

It took me a while to get into the follow-up to Sloppy Firsts. I really had to push through it but once I got past the first 150 pages it was smooth sailing.

I enjoyed seeing Jessica Darling mature and get more comfortable in her skin but I still found her irritatingly stubborn and dense at times. I also found Second Helpings less clever and witty than Sloppy Firsts. In some ways, the novelty of the first book wore off in the second book.

And since I finally got my happy ending, I am not sure I will bother to polish off the rest of the quintet. I think I got as much out of Jessica Darling as I could and now I am ready to move on. While it has more depth than run-of-the-mill chick lit, I still find myself seeking more.

If you are the kind of person who is nostalgic for high school and all the drama that follows, you will probably enjoy the first two books of the series. I imagine the remaining three books cover Jessica Darling's college and young adult years.

...

I was bothered by the one-dimensionality of the adult characters. I get that their portrayals come from Jessica's journal and that she is only going to show the sides of them that make her look better, but her parents cannot be as clueless as she makes them out to be. How can they be decent people on the surface but lack empathy or the desire to relate to their daughter?

There was more corniness in the sequel, too. Every storyline got tied up with a nice little bow. Despite looking forward to a Marcus and Jessica union, I kind of despised Jessica's very romanticized deflowering. Why is it so hard for books and movies to portray reality? *rolls eyes*

The Help - Movie review

2011-08-12T21:03:00.005-04:00

They did a good job of covering all of the important parts of the original story but it was definitely a condensed version. You have to read the book to feel the full impact of the maids' stories.

One complaint I have about the movie is the introduction of Stuart, Skeeter's love interest. In the book, Stuart becomes a huge part of Skeeter's life. They even become engaged. In the movie, he makes a couple of very brief appearances before he breaks things off with her in one of the least dramatic scenes. You can see that she is upset but it is hard to feel her pain because Stuart was such a peripheral character. In the book, however, you can absolutely relate to her devastation. If the director planned to make him such an insignificant side character then they might as well have left him out altogether.

Viola Davis, who portrayed Aibileen, was brilliant. She had that magical warmth that all nannies should have. Octavia Spencer was equally convincing as the sass-mouthed Minny. Everyone else in the cast was great though, I thought Emma Stone was almost too pretty to play Skeeter. I mean, the book really makes her out to be unfortunate-looking. I did not buy that in the movie.

For me, one of the most touching stories in the book centers around Minny and Miss Celia Foote. It showed that loving and even familial relationships could form between the boss and the help. I like how they saved/healed each other.

I saw the movie with my mom and she reacted very emotionally to the story. She was raised by an Aibileen, Sarah, from birth. Sarah even bathed my brother and me when we were babies. Fortunately, my mom can go home and call Sarah tonight and tell her how much she loves her. I grew up for a time with two Aibileens, Bia and Suwan, when we lived in Thailand. It rips me apart that I have no way to get in contact with them and that I will likely never see them again. I think about them often.

I know the book is partially about the inequality of the races, but for me it was mostly about the relationships. I did not leave the theater or finish the book fixated on what a bitch Hilly Holbrook was; what stuck with me was the love Aibileen had for little Mae Mobley and how that love would make her a better person.

You can see the movie but definitely read the book!

Sloppy Firsts - Review

2011-07-30T23:46:00.006-04:00

I co-read this book with a co-worker during the summer of my freshman (or sophomore) year of college. We would plant ourselves on the big green sofa in the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore and take two hour lunch breaks. We got paid to do nothing most of the time so our boss did not care or probably did not notice our long absences. Ah, those were the days...

Recently, when I was watering our neighbor's plants while she was out of town, I noticed that she had the entire Jessica Darling series. She very kindly lent me the first two books and I am sure she would let me borrow the other three, if I decide that I am interested.

I had thought that Sloppy Firsts was very witty and clever years ago but for whatever reason, I did not feel as connected to it as my co-worker. I found myself thinking about it over the past few years and had considered checking it out from the library when I noticed that my neighbor had the series. It must have been fate!

Now, what did I think of the book the second time around? First of all, it was like I was reading it for the first time. There were few sections of the book that I remembered well enough to want to rush to the next scene. I still think it is clever and witty and relevant. And despite being much further away from high school, I feel more connected to the book and the protagonist's teen angst than I did years ago.

In a lot of ways, I see myself in the protagonist although, I think she puts even my hours of introspection and analytical thinking to shame. And there are times when I find her overactive brain a little tiresome. At some point in the book she makes fun of the Dawson Creek characters for being too smart or adult-like to represent high schoolers, which is weird because sometimes Jessica Darling's ramblings are just as unrealistic and too mature for her age. *shrugs*

I do not like her all the time - what does that say about how I feel about myself? But other times, I can totally relate to her self-isolationism and feelings of being little understood or only understood by a select few. While I question Jessica's authenticity in terms of her age, she is a three-dimensional character and one that you do grow to care about, even if she can be frustratingly anti-everything.

Sloppy Firsts sort of ends abruptly or at least, with the intention of being a cliffhanger for the sequel. Being the almost hopeless romantic I am, I was kind of hoping that she and Marcus Flutie, the ultimate intellectual and sexual challenge, would "end up together" but the course of true love never did run smooth.

As I recall, I think one of the reasons I was not interested in carrying on with the series years ago is that I disliked the "unhappy" ending. I was at a stage in my life where I only wanted happy endings. Unlike Jessica Darling, no one was pining after me. If I was not getting affirmation that love existed in real life I sure as hell wanted affirmation in my literature. After college and post-marriage I was totally cool with taking on tragic classics like Wuthering Heights and Anna Karenina.

This is definitely chick lit but it is thought-provoking not fluffy. I almost hesitated to call it chick lit because in my mind, that term has a negative connotation. But I do want to emphasize that it is geared toward women.

I look forward to reading the next installment - Second Helpings.

A Place of Yes - Review

2011-07-05T13:02:00.002-04:00

I really related to and liked Bethenny Frankel when I used to watch The Real Housewives of New York City. I liked her even more on her spin-off shows. I think she is a really admirable businesswoman and person so when I heard about A Place of Yes I thought it was something I should give a try.

In A Place of Yes, Bethenny shared things about her personal life that she never really goes into detail about on television. I think the book was an appropriate forum for her to be more forthcoming and transparent about her traumatic and fractured childhood. If she had shared that stuff on camera she might have come across as an attention whore or victim. In the book, she talks about her past as a learning tool. She shares how it shaped her as a person but did not define her.

There is some repetiveness and the book gets progressively cheesy although, not cheesy enough to be a deal-breaker. There is also a fair amount of self-promotion, which can be annoying but it is nowhere near as obnoxious as Oprah promoting OWN on her talk show.

She offers ten rules to live by. Some of the rules are a bit of a stretch or overlap with other rules but for the most part, I found a lot of inspiration in what she had to say. She talks about how we all have an inner voice that we allow to be stifled by noise - worry noise, money noise, family noise, etc. I could totally relate because I listen to outside noise all the time and I need to stop that.

At times, A Place of Yes does seem more geared toward the business-minded but it is meant for all women (sorry guys) from all walks of life with different goals whether they be entrepreneurial, romantic, familial, etc.

Unlike other motivational/inspirational fare I did read every word. I guess you could say it is half-biography so that makes it more palatable/interesting. If you are looking for a kick in the ass and need some words of wisdom from an interesting and relatable source, I would recommend A Place of Yes.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - Review

2011-05-10T14:28:00.002-04:00

I cannot believe it has been two months since I last read a book. Oopsy!

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was a really enjoyable and well-written book. I know it was a bestseller a looong time ago and subsequently, made into a movie. Despite that, I probably never would have read it if I was not taking a future trip to Savannah, GA. Someone in a travel forum said it was required reading. I took the hint!

The book gives the impression that everyone in Savannah knows one another. I have never lived in a town like that. On some level, it sounds like a good thing but at the same time it means everyone knows your secrets!

The anecdotes about the town's most interesting and prominent citizens are really compelling. There are definitely times when it is hard to remember that the core of the narrative is non-fiction.

The recurring narrative is about Jim Williams, a man tried four times for killing his much younger workhand/sometime companion. Despite finally being acquitted in his fourth trial, you never really know if Williams killed the victim in self-defense or if it was a crime of passion.

I liked reading it because it reminded me of The Devil in the White City, which is one of my favorite books. It is non-fiction written in a fiction format.

Jane Eyre - Movie review

2011-04-06T16:49:00.001-04:00

Simply stated, it was a CliffsNotes adaptation.

The actor (Michael Fassbender) who portrayed Mr. Rochester was entirely too hunky for the role. I know that Hollywood would not have it this way but Mr. Rochester is supposed to be "ugly". The actress (Mia whatshername) who played Jane was sufficiently plain as her character is intended to be.

Everyone did a good job acting-wise and I even recognized some of the dialogue as being pulled directly from Charlotte Bronte's book. That being said, two hours is not enough time to do justice to the book. All of the relationships and events progressed far too quickly for there to be any real suspense or depth. The book is slow and methodical, which helps to build tension.

Mr. Rochester was horribly mean to Jane for 60+ pages of the book and then there were probably 60 more pages when they had some flirty banter and then another 60 pages before they were openly in love. In the movie their romance progressed in what seemed like a couple of scenes. I knew they were supposed to be in love but it was hard to tell WHEN they fell in love.

There were a couple of other details left out or overlooked that I thought could have been included. And the unraveling of the biggest mystery of the story was very anti-climactic in the movie.

Still, I am probably being overly-critical because I love the book so much. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I had gone in without any intimate knowledge of the story. And while his physicality was not true to the character, I very much enjoyed watching Michael Fassbender...

Auschwitz: A New History - Review

2011-03-06T21:51:00.000-05:00

I read this alongside The Moonstone, switching back and forth. I usually do not read more than one book at a time but I needed to read something light and pleasant in between the harsh, cold reality of Auschwitz: A New History.

That being said, it was a fairly easy read. It was not dense or mind-numbing. The book's purpose was not to list fact after fact after fact. There were a lot of personalized anecdotes from victims, perpetrators, bystanders, etc., which really enhanced the author's presentation of Auschwitz's history and evolution.

I learned so many interesting things about Auschwitz that I had never known before. I even learned something about the Nazis' strategy and how a lot of what they did was not so much premeditated as it was situational/circumstantial. There was always an ideological foundation of hatred but they did not rush into a policy of systematic extermination until the problem of what to do with all of the deportees presented itself.

Another interesting but sad part of the book is that a lot of the perpetrators questioned felt no remorse whatsoever and stand by "the cause" that they fought for. It was fascinating to read their perspectives of the experience even if they were completely repugnant and irrational.

For a non-fiction book, it was a manageable 300 pages. I would definitely recommend it to history buffs or anyone interested in learning more about the Holocaust and labor/concentration/death camp system.

The Moonstone - Review

2011-03-05T10:28:00.003-05:00

The Moonstone might have a slight edge over The Woman in White in my estimation. I loved The Woman in White but I think I loved The Moonstone just a little bit more.

(Obviously, I am a huge fan of Wilkie Collins now so I will continue to read his books and naturally, make comparisons.)

The Moonstone was certainly lighter than The Woman in White. I could even see how someone might get bored with The Woman in White but maintain interest in The Moonstone. I would venture to say that The Moonstone is more palatable to the masses. It is a more traditional mystery story. There are still class clashes and romantic troubles but there is also a healthy dose of comedy.

There is Mrs. Clack who thinks herself a Christian martyr, constantly trying to "save" people by forcing literature on them even when they have made their disinterest clear. She refuses to take no for an answer and obnoxiously and covertly finagles her literature into people's homes.

Then there is Betterege, the loyal and superstitious servant who relies on Robinson Crusoe as a prophetic life guide. Whenever he is feeling troubled or seeking answers, he opens his book and lands on passages that seem to foretell the future.

Having read two books by Wilkie Collins I have noticed that he likes bold women protagonists. He balances them with silly or fragile women but the central female characters like Marian in The Woman in White and Rachel in The Moonstone are intelligent and strong-willed and in some ways, match or better their male counterparts. Maybe Wilkie Collins was ahead of his time...?

I even noticed that he seems to have a message about racial injustice in The Moonstone. There is a sad but important character in the story that is of mixed race and treated poorly by his peers. Mr. Franklin Blake, the male protagonist, however, treats him with equal respect and kindness. The gentleman, Ezra Jennings, plays a pivotal role in vindicating Mr. Franklin Blake. In a way, when Ezra Jennings' findings vindicate Mr. Franklin Blake, he vindicates himself and proves that he as worthy of respect and esteem as anyone else.

Needless to say, I would absolutely recommend The Moonstone!

The Woman in White - Review

2011-02-08T20:52:00.003-05:00

I had never heard of The Woman in White before reading The Thirteenth Tale, which made references to it, but I am SO glad that the name stuck with me.

It was beautifully, poetically, and artiscally written. I will admit that at times, passages got away from me because they were almost overwhelmingly lengthy, but they were worth re-reading.

The Woman in White is a classic classic. There is a class struggle or clash which parts two of the protagonists despite their obvious love for one another. There is a marriage of convenience and deeply buried secrets that have moral and financial implications. There is an over-arching battle between good and evil and an even fiercer battle of wits that culminates in justice for all.

I do not want to get into specifics because if you have the patience to read it, you will want to unravel the mysteries little by little as the writer intended.

LOVED IT.

I forgot to mention that the story is told by multiple narrators. What a clever way to familiarize the reader with the different characters and their thought processes! It also allows the reader to compare the biased story-telling and ascertain for themselves who is being truthful, who is being naive, and who is being manipulative.

Kindle 2 Cover

2011-02-04T20:48:00.009-05:00

The cover is shown with a kindle 3 but they'll be customizing one to fit my kindle 2. So excited!

If you're interested in purchasing your own, here's a link to the shop: dobeeubags

Kindle-related

2011-02-01T19:31:00.004-05:00

So, my kindle is fat, obsolete, or both.

I ordered a new cover last night and the description said it would fit a 2nd generation kindle, which is what I have. I get it in the mail today and immediately try it out. My kindle does not fit! I think the cover is designed for the kindle 3 or a 6" display. Well, when I went back to amazon to check again, I did not see anything available for MY kindle. All of the covers are geared toward 6" or 9.7" displays. WTF? Mine does not fall into either of those categories. Why is the kindle 2 getting the shaft?

Pissed.

...

OK. I was right AND wrong. My kindle 2 DOES have a 6" display, but the cover I ordered was for the latest generation, which has a smaller frame. The bummer is that the selection for kindle 2 covers is ABYSMAL.

Still pissed.

I might have to splurge and get a custom-made cover from etsy.com. In your face, amazon!