Bell, Book and Kindle

The Worst Hard Time - Review

2013-05-21T19:55:00.000-04:00

The topic matter - the Dust Bowl - is fascinating. The author's style of writing, however, is not optimal.

The more I read, the more frustrated I became with what I found to be structurally deficient sentences. I also read the book like a soap opera. In other words, one aspect of the plot was stretched into thirty pages when it could've been expressed in three.

Unfortunately, this made for an unenjoyable read. I confess that I skimmed the end of the book because I couldn't bring myself to read another wall of words. That being said, I did enjoy the personal anecdotes interspersed amongst the dense facts.

I dog-eared a particular quote, which I think sums up the tragedy of the Dust Bowl:

"Of all the countries in the world, we Americans have been the greatest destroyers of land of any race of people barbaric or civilized," Bennett (Hugh) said in a speech at the start of the dust storms. What was happening, he said, was "sinister," a symptom of "our stupendous ignorance." (Egan, 2006, p. 125)

The Monster of Florence - Review

2013-05-09T21:05:00.001-04:00

What a riveting read! All I've got to say is, don't ever get in trouble in Italy because innocent or guilty, there might not be any justice for you.

I'm not usually into crime dramas but I stumbled upon this and I'm glad I did. It's a fascinating look into a string of killings that took place mostly in the 1980s in the Tuscan countryside. It's a real case that remains unsolved to this day.

As interesting as the actual investigative work of the two writers is, I found that I was even more intrigued by their critiques of the Italian judicial system. Scarier than the killings and the intimate mutilations of the victims was delving into the incompetence of the police, prosecutors, judges, etc. I literally rolled my eyes dozens of times. It's incredulous that a system of justice can function on hearsay, mythology, and pure imagination. The corruption, the egos, the complete disregard for the truth is absurd and disturbing.

The Casual Vacancy - Review

2013-05-02T22:12:00.000-04:00

I've heard so many mixed reviews of this book that I was anxious to read it and make my own determination.

I loved it. LOVED it. It's not the kind of book that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. In fact, it focuses on the darker parts of humanity and society. That being said, it's masterfully written and the characters are expertly developed. J.K. Rowling has a real gift.

I never read the Harry Potter books. I had many friends who were obsessed with the series but I just couldn't get into it. I tend to think that people who are true-blue fans of HP are the ones who are most critical of The Casual Vacancy. It's akin to people rejecting a widely admired child star who later pursues edgy and adult roles.

The Casual Vacancy has rape, incest, drug-use, abuse, profanity and any other mildly or not so mildly offensive things you can conjure. But I feel like it has a very important message. And the message is this: as a member of a community, you have a responsibility to it and its other members. As a collective, you must take care of one another regardless of your individual differences.

The Casual Vacancy is a case study of one very small English town but it's a representation of every town in the world. It's where people live alongside one another and look the other way when they see someone in desperate need. It's where people stick their noses in the air and turn away because it's not their problem. It's where people want to cut off those less fortunate because their problems might contaminate the seemingly problem-free.

No one in the The Casual Vacancy was particularly attractive. J.K. Rowling seemed to focus more on her characters' flaws than virtues. But everyone was unabashedly and unapologetically human and that made for a juicy read.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Review

2013-04-10T17:56:00.000-04:00

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is a lovely, heart-warming/wrenching read.

Harold Fry embarks on a trek to save a former colleague. Queenie Hennessy has terminal cancer but that doesn't stop Harold from walking 600+ miles to bolster her. It's also very much about Harold and his wife, Maureen, bridging their divide, even as he moves farther away with every step he takes.

This book is powerful in so many ways. It's really a commentary about life, the people we meet, regret, etc. I dog-eared a specific passage that really touched me and I think, sums up the human condition:

"He had learned that it was the smallness of people that filled him with wonder and tenderness, and the loneliness of that too. The world was made up of people putting one foot in front of the other; and a life might appear ordinary simply because the person living it had been doing so for a long time. Harold could no longer pass a stranger without acknowledging the truth that everyone was the same, and also unique; and that this was the dilemma of being human." (Joyce, 2012, p. 158)

Where'd You Go, Bernadette - Review

2013-03-14T15:19:00.002-04:00

I can't remember the last time I read something SO delightful, entertaining, and fun! I loved this book!

Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a book partially written and compiled by Bee, Bernadette's precocious daughter. Most of the story is told through a series of letters, faxes, e-mails, articles, and other documents pertinent to everyday life. What a creative way for the author to convey a story and add layers to her characters.

Bernadette is a creative genius who is burdened by the crushing weight of an incident that occurred 15-20 years earlier. She's turned into a sarcastic and bitter woman who manages to go through the motions of life but only if she can verbally cut down those worthy of her ridicule - everyone. She constantly bemoans life in Seattle, the way people drive, the way people dress, the over-involved and obnoxious moms at her daughter's private school, etc. She sounds insufferable but she's hilarious and frankly, I couldn't help but relate to everything she said and did!

It's true that not everyone she "victimizes" is deserving of their punishment but most of them are. How are the parents at her daughter's school any better than Bernadette if they feel justified in guilt-tripping and bullying her into volunteering, fundraising, and chaperoning because that's the "normal" thing to do? Being normal is overrated.

Despite these "flaws" Bernadette is a highly engaged and loving mother to Bee. In her words, Bee is her greatest creation. While 100% committed to her role as a mother, Bernadette has neglected her marriage. Her husband, Elgie, equally to blame, continues to spend more and more time devoted to his endeavors at Microsoft to avoid Bernadette's rants about anyone and anything.

Bernadette is a little lost but I get her and I'm glad she finds her way back while still maintaining that biting sense of humor.

Incendiary - Review

2013-03-09T21:23:00.001-05:00

While I was waiting for the library to get its act together (I had two books on hold that were "in transit" for a week) I perused my book shelf for something I hadn't yet read. I stumbled upon Incendiary, a book I purchased from Borders. It was a store-closing sale, in fact. Anyway, what did I think of it?

There's a lot to think actually. It was a very easy and quick read and the protagonist, an unnamed female, was extremely likeable and relatable despite her obvious flaws - infidelity and crippling anxiety. I felt sympathy for this woman even though she was committing adultery while her husband and son were being blown to pieces by a terrorist attack at a football (soccer for us Americans) game.

The entire story is told through a letter intended for Osama bin Laden. The woman is telling Osama about her life in the aftermath of this horrific tragedy while also appealing to him as a human. She claims to understand him and his actions but also beseeches him to choose love instead of hate.

In some ways, it's a hard book to read because the woman becomes increasingly unstable and mentally unhinged. She also suffers from bad judgement and can't seem to extricate herself from toxic associates who only magnify her misery. She's a survivor and she tries very hard to carry on and even move on but she's weighed down by this event which also simultaneously weighs down London society.

I have a feeling that the author was making a commentary about Western civilization's response to terrorist attacks. Security is ramped up, freedoms are stifled, paranoia rules and the actual root of the problem is ignored and swept under the rug. No one asks or tries to answer why.

All in all, very interesting but also kind of heart-breaking.

The Middlesteins - Review

2013-02-13T17:27:00.000-05:00

I didn't find The Middlesteins to be a particularly enjoyable read. I found the majority of the characters to be unlikeable but not entirely unrelatable. In fact, that's probably what has me on the fence.

Part of what I enjoy about reading is escaping into another world. Unfortunately, much of The Middlesteins was very life-like for me. Reading it paralleled my experience of watching The Guilt Trip. My husband thought the duo of overbearing mother and perpetually guilty son was hilarious but for me, having grown up in a partly Jewish family (the significant half), it was anxiety-inducing. Believe me, that shit isn't entertaining when you're living it. So in that sense, much of the book was uncomfortably familiar.

On another level, it was uncomfortable to read because the matriarch of the Middlestein family, Edie, is obese and her obsession with food and her family's obsession with her obsession with food is tragic and I feel, culturally-linked. As I mentioned, growing up in a partially Jewish family, I've always had an unhealthy relationship with food. It's been a comfort and it's been a punishment. There's always an overabundance of food at family gatherings and it's repeatedly offered, as in, even after you've declined it two or three times. You eventually succumb because it's more annoying to be told to eat than to actually eat. And then, as a follow-up to all this encouragement to stuff your face, you start to enjoy stuffing your face, and then you gain weight and then the put-downs start. I can't tell you how many times in my young and impressionable years my grandmother put me on a diet and then later offered me dessert. That is some fucked up shit, my friends. FUCKED UP.

To reiterate, this was a somewhat painful read for me but I'm sure it would entertain and delight those on the outside looking in.

The Fault in Our Stars - Review

2013-02-07T17:30:00.002-05:00

Seriously, read this book with a tissue box close at hand. I had avoided reading The Fault in Our Stars for this very reason, despite reading some very promising reviews. But eventually I caved and I'm glad I did.

Like the tragic and star-crossed love of cancer-afflicted teens Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace Lancaster, this book is worth the pain because of the joy that walks beside it. Gus and Hazel Grace are two of the most beautifully crafted and full characters I've had the privilege of "knowing". Read this book for them.

Gone Girl - Review

2013-01-15T18:00:00.000-05:00

There's not a whole lot I can say here without giving away key plot elements but now I know why so much fuss was made over this book.

I can't say that I found either of the protagonists - Amy and Nick - likeable. But my dislike of Amy increased exponentially with every page-turn.

To say Gone Girl is a glimpse into a sick, twisted, tit-for-tat kind of relationship is an understatement of mass proportions. I really hope that people like Amy and Nick only exist in the literary world and nowhere else. They give marriage a bad name.

Again, I feel like I can't say too much more without spoiling a lot of the mystery that makes the book so riveting but I was left feeling frustrated. I believe in consequences and I think the guiltier party got away with murder...and a lot more.

Gone Girl is beautifully and intelligently written, quick, exciting, suspenseful, and thought-provoking. It's a must-read for anyone that likes to be challenged and taken on a wild ride.

The Age of Miracles - Review

2012-12-20T13:01:00.000-05:00

The Age of Miracles was just "OK" for me. The concept was really interesting but the characters were not.

I think this story would've been better crafted from a science fiction perspective vs. a coming-of-age-during-the-collapse-of-the-world-as-we-know-it angle. I found the concepts of societal deconstruction really interesting and I would've liked the author to delve more into them. Instead, her focus seemed to be on the totally mundane (that's my nice way of saying boring) pre-teen Julia, her family, neighbors, and peers.

In this post-"slowing" world (the days gain minutes and then hours on a consistent basis) society is divided into clock-timers and real-timers. Clock-timers are those that adhere to the "old" way of living. That means that no matter how long the days or nights become, their days are ruled by the 24-hour clock. Real-timers are those that prefer to live by the new normal and stay awake when it's light and go to sleep with it's dark. You're also made aware of the dying off of birds, whales, vegetation, etc. All of this stuff was hugely interesting but it was relegated to side-bar status while Julia's generally uneventful and unexciting life took center stage.

I expected a lot more. I was disappointed.

Prague Winter - Review

2012-12-11T18:19:00.002-05:00

The full title of this book is Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948. The reason I feel the need to mention this is that, it's misleading. Granted, I didn't do a whole lot of research about the book before reading it. My only expectation was that Madeleine Albright would be delving into her family's Jewish ancestry, a fact that she was unaware of up until recently. Expanding upon that, my expectation was that this book would be a personal narrative supplemented by historical fact. Instead, I got a history textbook supplemented by the occasional personal anecdote.

In all honesty, I was disappointed. I wanted so much to know more about her family and their history but instead, I felt like I was being educated about the collective Czech experience of World War II. That being said, it's a unique perspective. I've never really thought about Czechoslovakia's role during the war or the specific adversities they faced as one of the Nazi regime's earliest victims. I was also disgusted to discover how marginalized and demeaned the Czech government was by the "greater" powers; forced to sit out while their fate was decided for them.

I don't want to be misleading in my review, either. There were peeks into the fates of Albright's extended family members who were unlucky or unwise enough to remain in Czechoslovakia when her nuclear family fled to London. There were also references to her father's written works, which gave insight into his perspective of his country's tumult and his feelings about the demise of his family members. Albright even lightened the mood by including memories of her school-age antics. I was particularly touched, however, by her cousin Dasa's tragic story of survival and later, hardship. I won't go into details here but it's the most poignant of Albright's familial revelations. Still, these glimpses into her personal history were all too brief and infrequent. I wanted more!

Reading Stats for 2012/Goals for 2013

2012-12-08T08:52:00.000-05:00

So, unbeknownst to me, until I re-checked the information, I've already met my reading goal of 25 books for 2012! *throws confetti*

That being said, I've still got a few books to read before the year is out. Thus far, I've read 23 contemporary fiction books and 2 contemporary non-fiction books. I'm currently in the middle of my third non-fiction book for the year but will probably go back to fiction after that.

I'd like to spread my wings, so to speak, for 2013 and read some more classics/challenging material. I've got my sights set on Les Miserables, War and Peace, and Shogun, in no particular order. I'm not even sure that I can read all three in one year. I don't want to underestimate myself but three 1000+ page books is a little daunting! We'll see what happens.

The End of Your Life Book Club - Review

2012-12-03T14:19:00.003-05:00

The End of Your Life Book Club is a non-fiction account of the relationship between a dying mother and her son and their mutual love of books.

The author, Will Schwalbe, follows the trajectory of his mother's illness from her diagnosis to demise. Over the course of almost two years (a remarkable amount of time considering she had stage 4 pancreatic cancer) you're privy to dialogue about their favorite books and their perseverance of hope despite her premature death sentence.

The End of Your Life Book Club is well-written, engaging, and easy-to-read. It's not only a love letter to books, reading, and writing but to Will's mother who was/is an inspiration to many. Mary Anne Schwalbe dedicated most of her adult life to working with refugees across the globe in third world and also, dangerous, countries.

I truly believe that everyone has an amazing story and a lasting legacy to leave behind. This is just one of millions that had the fortune of being told. I think a book like this is not only for those that love reading and believe me, I jotted down quite a list of books based on their recommendations, but also for those looking for strength in the face of an debilitating diagnosis. This story of a woman's relationship with her children and grandchildren, co-workers and friends is for those faced with a similarly bleak diagnosis and for their family members struggling to figure out how to carry on.

Mary Anne looked death in the face without any fear. She lived her life as fully as she could until the very last moment and was grateful for what she had accomplished and for the time she had on this earth. Her son, Will, also demonstrates amazing resilience and grace despite the impending loss of this very present and influential woman.

A Good American - Review

2012-11-21T21:25:00.001-05:00

A Good American is a really easy, quick read. It's also like Forrest Gump in the sense that a lot of important historical events and movements serve as the backdrop to one family's American experience.

I found the saga of the Meisenheimer family compelling, if a little too tragic for my taste. The sporadic insertions of violence and abrupt death occasionally seemed convenient and/or gratuitous.

Also, while I liked the Meisenheimer family starting with the immigrant patriarchs - Frederick and Jette - and ending with their grandchildren, I never felt like I got to know any of them that well. I felt like I got glimpses into their personalities but I finished the book only knowing them on a superficial level.

Lastly, I found the villain's ending to be karmically unjust. I don't understand how you can be a thief, murderer, and deadbeat dad and wind up achieving the ultimate American dream - Mitt Romney wealth. Additionally, the union, albeit brief, between the villain and one of the book's female protagonists, makes no sense. At all. And we assume it happened because whenever this tryst took place, it was off-page. It certainly made for an exciting and surprising conclusion but an implausible one, too.

All that being said, the title did give me pause and made me wonder, what IS a good American? I don't know the answer but I've been thinking about it. Frederick thought it meant fighting for your country. Jette thought it meant exercising your rights. What do you think? (This is rhetorical because of course, I don't have an audience.)

The Book Thief - Review (some spoilers)

2012-11-15T20:51:00.000-05:00

Wow. That really broke my heart.

I remember hearing about The Book Thief years ago when it first came out as a New York Times Bestseller. I'm not sure why I didn't read it then but I did add it to my to-read list.

Even when I try to take breaks from Holocaust/WWII-themed books, it seems I can't! What I really appreciated about this story is that it's told from the perspective of a German girl caught up in the national fervor of her country. I don't think she understands anti-Semitism or even sympathizes with it. She's just going with the flow because what else would you expect a child to do?

The Book Thief, Liesel, is amazing and resilient. The story begins with her mother dropping her off at a foster home with a man and woman who later become her permanent parents - Hans and Rosa Huberman. She starts off so scarred and wounded. Her younger brother dies on the train ride over and she doesn't know it at the time but she'll never see her biological mother again.

Her papa's accordion playing, cigarette smoking, and kind, patient eyes heal her as does her mama's fast mouth, always ready to let a curse fly. She builds a life with them and their home becomes her home. She also strikes up an unbreakable friendship with Rudy Steiner, who wants to run like Jesse Owens and waits expectantly for a kiss from Liesel that he'll never get in life.

When she arrived in Molching, the suburb of Munich her foster parents live in, she couldn't read. Her papa, not a very skilled reader himself does his best to aid her. That's when her love of words begins. Her love is strengthened and stretched by her introduction to Ilsa Hermann's library, which she's granted unlimited access to and her unlikely friendship with a Jewish fist-fighter, Max Vandenburg.

Max comes to hide in the Hubermans' basement because of a favor that Hans owed Max's father. While there he and Liesel bond over words. He writes her a series of short stories, the last of which teaches Liesel the power of words. Max knows it's the Fuhrer's words that have him hiding in the basement fearing for his life. It's those same words that have almost an entire nation wishing for his death. But he also shows her the power that her words can have. That words can heal, fill people with hope, and overcome. Liesel learns to not only love but to also hate and fear words because she recognizes their influence.

Liesel's story is more or less told in her words but narrated by Death. Death doesn't like to get involved. Death tries not to look too closely or listen too intently as he's carrying souls away to their final destination. Death has a job to do. But for whatever reason, Death is carried away by Liesel's story. Death becomes a character that you eventually feel sorry for. As much as he tries to stay impartial he can't help but be both moved and disgusted by humanity.

I can't imagine how this story could have been written and told any more beautifully. If it wasn't for my husband in the kitchen I would've been a slobbering mess as I finished the last pages. I can't believe it took me so long to read this but it was definitely worth the wait.

The Wednesday Wars - Review

2012-10-16T21:20:00.000-04:00

The Wednesday Wars is sort of a prequel to Okay for Now, which I read earlier this year.

Like Okay for Now, The Wednesday Wars really emphasizes how important a guiding and nurturing adult can be in a child's life. The protagonist, Holling Hoodhood (what kind of name is that?), is taught valuable life lessons through Shakespeare as recommended to him by his teacher, Mrs. Baker.

Holling's family life is abysmal. There's no abuse in the home but there's an abundance of neglect and apathy. His parents only care about the image they present to the world - a well-manicured lawn, a freshly painted house, brand new car, etc. The Hoodhoods are completely disassociated from their children and take zero interest in their lives except when their activities might adversely impact Mr. Hoodhood's career as the town's leading architect. Lucky for Holling that he has a supportive network of friends and Mrs. Baker to help him realize his best self.

I did like The Wednesday Wars but I didn't find it quite as moving as Okay for Now. For me, Okay for Now had that extra oomph that The Wednesday Wars didn't.

Father of the Rain - Review

2012-09-26T17:52:00.004-04:00

Well, that was depressing.

Since I started Father of the Rain I've been completely engrossed in the story and characters. It's about the unwavering love of an adoring child revealed in three segments of her life - during the divorce of her parents, after college, and as a wife and mother.

Daley's father is an alcoholic and a very inappropriate and badly behaved one. He can be a fun drunk but he can also be a mean drunk. Daley endures his mercurial personality and violent outbursts. She never stops loving her father or giving up on him but she does eventually realize that she can't save him, she can only save herself.

I completely understand the awkwardness of Daley's position. She wants so much to like her father the way that people on the outside who are insulated from his demons, like him. Sometimes it's easier to love someone than to like them.

While I found the book as a whole to be bittersweet, I'm really glad I read it. Real relationships aren't easy so I'm not sure what I was expecting. A Disney-like happily ever after? I'll admit, I hoped for it. There was a point there where I thought it was possible but like Daley, I learned that sometimes you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

I think the "lesson" (not sure if the author was looking to give one) is that you can't change people, you can only change the way you react/respond to them.

I'd previously read another book by Lily King called The Pleasing Hour. I liked that book but I liked this book WAY more. King has definitely grown as a writer. Father of the Rain was engaging, interesting, and intimate. I finished the book feeling like I knew the characters well. And like Daley, I carried a torch for her father in spite of everything.

Cleopatra: A Life - Review

2012-09-13T20:23:00.000-04:00

God. I feel like that took forever to finish. Maybe because it did? At 324 pages, it took me just as long to read as 11/22/63 and that was almost 900 pages.

Large chunks were dry but then, it is non-fiction. Fortunately, there was enough interesting stuff to keep me going.

What I really liked/appreciated about Stacy Schiff's biography of Cleopatra is that it doesn't claim to have all the facts straight. She makes it plain that there isn't a lot of primary source material to draw from. A lot of her assertions aren't so much assertions as they are conjectures about what probably happened. We can't be sure of what actually happened because the written history of that time is tainted by personal opinions and allegiances. Long before Hollywood started its myth-making the historians of Cleopatra's time spun stories about her life and demise.

For instance, we can assume that despite how it's been handed down through time, Cleopatra wasn't offed by an asp. She likely consumed a poison that killed her almost instantaneously and with little discomfort. And if you want to call her a seductress that title would more accurately apply to her powers of persuasion than her outward appearance. If you look at coins made of her likeness during her reign she doesn't appear to be attractive. At all. She was well-educated and shrewd and I think that's what got her through trying times. I also think its unfair that she's been classified as a bit of whore. It's true that she slept her way into the good graces of the Roman Empire but she did what she had to do to preserve her kingdom.

Unfortunately, her affairs with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony only took her so far. A lot of factors combined to make it impossible for her to maintain sovereignty over Egypt with Octavian (later Augustus) hot on her heels. Her affair with Antony temporarily saved and then later, caused irreparable damage to her standing as Queen of Egypt. I don't think it was so much their "love" that distracted them. I think in some ways they felt naively invincible while underestimating the offense of their pairing to the Roman populace. Their joint rule was unsustainable and I think they failed to grasp that.

If you're a history buff especially attached to the Roman Empire, you'll probably get a lot out of this book. Also, if you've traveled extensively through the Mediterranean, you might be interested to read about some of the locations Antony and Cleopatra visited. I know I felt jolts of excitement when I read place names like Ephesus, Pergamum, Athens, Rome, etc. It makes you feel like you touched an important piece of history by just being there.

11/22/63 - Review

2012-08-15T18:21:00.002-04:00

I never thought I'd read a Stephen King book. Ever. But after hearing him speak at last year's Fall for the Book Festival, I was won over by his charisma and sense of humor. I was also intrigued by 11/22/63's plot, which is quite different from his usual fare.

I don't do horror but I can dig time-travel and romance.

It took me a while to get through the book, which bares no reflection on the book at all. It's 850+ pages and I only read during my work commute. I'm glad I took my time because 11/22/63 is one of those books that you miss once it's over. I got to spend a month with Jake Epping/George Amberson and now that I won't be "seeing" him anymore, I'm sad.

Jake is the book's narrator and main character. He's the hero and the anti-hero all at once. I call him a hero because he's a good guy with good intentions. But he's also the anti-hero because you know what they say, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions." Jake doesn't realize that by going back in time to undo JFK's assassination that he's unwittingly changing the course of what's meant to be.

Jake's journey to the past is mostly fun. For those of us that weren't alive to experience the innocence of the late 50s and early 60s, it's a peek into an era that's appealing when compared with the ugliness of today. It's also bittersweet to follow Jake as he falls in love with Sadie Dunhill, his soulmate from a different reality.

It's interesting to wonder how the world's future would have been different if JFK hadn't been assassinated. But I think what this book teaches the reader is that, everything happens for a reason. It was a shocking, horrific event for those alive at the time but our world is what it is because of it. Is our world better because of it? Worse? Who knows? You can't change the past and even if you could there would be consequences, possibly more grievous.

I'd absolutely recommend this book. It's well-written, thought-provoking, insightful, and it covers so much ground that almost anyone could find something to like about it.

The Night Circus - Review (some spoilers)

2012-07-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

I really enjoyed The Night Circus. That being said, it took me three weeks to finish it and it's under 400 pages. I mostly read it during my commute to/from work so I read it in small doses - about 50-60 pages every few days. I don't know how to explain why I was committed enough to finish it but I wasn't hooked enough to devour it in days.

It's incredibly imaginative and beautifully descriptive. I think if anything the "problem" was the lack of character development. Every character walks in a cloud of mystery and by the conclusion of the story that cloud of mystery remains intact. The story centers around a magical circus that is the venue for a life and death test of endurance. Now that I think about it, I guess the circus is the protagonist and that's why you never learn too much about Marco and Celia, the illusionists that keep it afloat, and the cast of circus acts. Maybe you're supposed to leave the story knowing more about the circus itself than the characters within.

Still, despite not feeling like I ever really got to know anyone in the story very well, I was moved by the romantic force of Marco and Celia. I also really liked the intertwining narratives of the magically enhanced circus crew and the very mundane all-American boy, Bailey who wanted nothing more than to be a part of something truly unique and special.

I did feel like there were a couple of loose ends like, what happened to Hector Bowen, Celia's father? What did he think of Celia's loophole? Was he proud of her? Impressed? Or was he just as cruel as ever and thought her a fool for not seizing victory when she easily could have? Did Ethan Barris and Lainie Burgess continue their "immortal" existence since they remained involved with the circus? Did Bailey and Poppet have their own love story? (I think this is inferred but I would've liked a little more clarity.)

I'd definitely recommend it for those that like fantasy-inspired fiction but be prepared for unanswered questions.

Wanted: Dead or Undead - Review

2012-06-25T19:50:00.000-04:00

I liked it. I wasn't sure I would, but I did. It was an easy read and I was hooked right away.

Sometimes I think I'm overly critical of books. Wanted: Dead or Undead falls into the Young Adult genre, which means you're getting a certain kind of book. There isn't a lot of challenging content - vocabulary or otherwise. But is that a bad thing? Not if you just want to be entertained. I also think I'm overly critical because a) I'm new to today's YA selection and b) the YA books I've read are The Hunger Games Trilogy and the first two books in The Divergent Trilogy. Those are dystopian books and naturally, more complex/thought-provoking. Wanted: Dead or Undead is about cowboys and zombies. It's supposed to be fun! And it is.

I could say that the plot/characters lacked depth but is that fair to say when I'm one book into a three book series? Maybe not. And frankly, the book was good enough and the characters interesting enough, that I'd like to see where Angela Scott takes them in the second and third books. I'd like a chance to judge the series as a whole because it could potentially (I'm hoping) delve deeper into issues like, how did the contagion start? How will the stresses of survival bring together or tear apart the band of characters a la The Walking Dead?

One of the reasons I love The Walking Dead is that it's more about the survivors than it is about the diseased. The group dynamics and the choices that people make are what keep the show interesting. They're constantly evolving and adapting to their surroundings. I want to see more of this in The Zombie West Series. I also want to see more character development. I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of Red/Elisabeth (the female protagonist) but I don't know nearly enough about Cowboy/Trace, Wen, and Caroline.

This isn't so much a review as it is a, I'd-like-to-reserve-judgement-for-later. I'm intrigued and I want to know more but I can't give it my full seal of approval...yet.

Please Look After Mom - Review

2012-06-18T15:02:00.000-04:00

Please Look After Mom was, in a word, sad. It left me in a pretty morose state. That being said, it was beautifully written and there was no better way to tell the story than through a prism of regret.

The story of mom's disappearance and her family's desperate search for her is told by her eldest son, her eldest daughter, her husband, and ultimately, herself. Each narrator reveals ways in which mom sacrificed, fought, and triumphed for her family and how they paid her back with their indifference, detachment, and resentment. In other words, they took her for granted.

One of the more poignant aspects of the story is how each of them try to figure out if mom was happy, if she was fulfilled in her life. Mom was uneducated and illiterate, something she never wished for her children. She succeeded in giving each of them the opportunities she didn't have. I'm not sure you'd call her marriage a love match but she cared for her husband as dutifully as any wife ever could, always putting his needs ahead of her own. She didn't have a lot but she did the best with what she had.

I'd like to think that she did have a happy, fulfilling life. Despite her sometimes ungrateful children and neglectful husband, she knew that they needed her. She was the glue that kept everyone together and the nurturing force that pushed them to be more. Mom was special, even if no one told her that or if her life made her feel like anything but ordinary.

Okay for Now - Review (some spoilers)

2012-06-10T21:01:00.001-04:00

Wow. I loved, loved, loved this book. I haven't read something this soul-touching in a while. It genuinely made me want to laugh and cry.

Despite the adversity of having an abusive and neglectful father and being the new kid at school, the book's protagonist, Doug Swieteck, almost always uses the power of positive thinking. Sure, he has his moments of lashing out and being skeptical of the kindness of strangers, but once he gets beyond that his eyes open to a world of endless possibilities. Doug is incredible as are the people like the librarian, Mr. Powell and the science teacher, Mr. Ferris who see his potential and nurture him in a way his family hasn't. It just goes to show how powerfully transformative an observant and caring adult can be to a troubled kid.

The arts play a really big role in Doug's awakening. Mr. Powell teaches him how to re-create Audubon's prints and in doing so, instills in him a keen eye and appreciation for the reliability of the lines. Doug learns so much more than how to draw. He learns how to be strong and persistent, much like his subjects. Mr. Ferris gets him excited about the imminent lunar landing and discovers that Doug is illiterate, something that no one ever took the time to notice or rectify. Once Doug's English teacher gets involved he reaches that next zenith. He's constantly moving toward something better. His journey is inspiring and contagious.

He helps his older brothers overcome their adversities. His middle brother, Chris, is plagued by a reputation that he's earned as a result of living under a roof with a jerk father. He's a bit of a delinquent but I believe that his observations of Doug help him to come out from under that cloud and change his course. His oldest brother, Lucas, returns home from the Vietnam War with permanent reminders of his efforts. He's understandably bitter about missing his legs but again, it's Doug that snaps him out of his oppressive state of self-pity and inspires him to start anew. Life won't be the same, but it can still be good and productive and fulfilling.

My one or two beefs with the story have to do with Doug's parents. Doug's mom is such a doormat, it drives me crazy! The story takes place in the late 60s. Wasn't that around the time of women's liberation? I can't fathom why she stands by her man while he berates, hits, and simultaneously ignores their children. If you can't be strong for yourself then at least be strong for your children.

Doug's dad is the worst excuse for a husband and father EVER. When he's not being an alcoholic loaf or hanging around with his bad news bears appendage, Ernie Eco, he's yelling at his wife or hitting his kids. He holds onto so much anger and resentment and I'm never really sure where it comes from. He's constantly complaining about what a chump his boss is and how he treats his employees terribly. Well, when we're finally introduced to his boss we realize that Doug's dad is full of it. Not only is he a great guy but he's yet another person who takes Doug under his wing and shines a light into his life.

I think what really bothers me is how suddenly Doug's dad turns around at the end of the story. If you've been a jerk for years how realistic is it that you'd wake up one day and do the right thing? I'm not sure if Doug's dad has this change of heart because he's slowly but surely affected by Doug's metamorphosis or if he's overwhelmed by the shame of allowing his "buddy" to poison his family life. Either way, I found it a little too convenient. I think a happier ending would've included Doug's mom kicking him out of the house and apologizing to her sons for allowing their father to treat them like garbage.

Putting those beefs aside, I truly enjoyed Okay for Now. It was an easy, fast read and I'd like to read the precursor - The Wednesday Wars. I fell in love with Doug and his ability to roll with the punches and get right up and dust himself off. His journey is an admirable and instructional one.

Unfinished Business

2012-06-05T08:28:00.003-04:00

I've stopped and started three different books in the past month - The Tiger's Wife, The Yiddish Policemen's Union, and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. I read up to page 95 of The Tiger's Wife but then it hit me - this shouldn't be so hard! So, I moved on. I got fortysome pages into The Yiddish Policemen's Union and I faced the same realization. I also couldn't keep the characters straight and the Yiddish was overwhelming. I got a little farther into The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay but decided to quit yesterday. I REALLY wanted to like it because it won a Pulitzer Prize and all sorts of accolades but at the rate I was going it'd take me the whole summer to finish it. Sometimes, you've just got to accept defeat.

Also, I was going for this whole no-contractions-thing when I started this blog. FAIL. Moving on. Get over it. Contractions will be used from now on.

So, there you have it, if you're even reading this blog and wondering where the hell I've been for the past month. I've been here and I've been TRYING to read but failing miserably. I've just started Okay for Now and much like the title...for now, it's okay.

The Lover's Dictionary - Review

2012-05-07T17:10:00.004-04:00

Using dictionary terms, David Levithan, tells the story of an anonymous couple's journey through love. Their names, ages, appearances are not important because in a lot of ways their love story is everyone's love story. Certain aspects of their relationship may not be applicable to you but many are sure to be relatable. By the end you are unsure whether or not the relationship endures but it does not really matter. The focus is of the exciting beginning and sometimes boring middle stages of a relationship. It makes you think about yourself, your partner, your coupledom. It makes you remember the indescribable nascent feelings of love and how fun it is to get to know someone more intimately than you have ever known anyone. It also makes you think of those times when you grate on each other's nerves to the point of snapping. Intimacy - it is both a gift and a curse.

I really enjoyed The Lover's Dictionary. It certainly made an otherwise mundane commute fly by. Incidentally, it is an incredibly fast read. I read the whole thing in under 90 minutes.