This was a great juicy read.
The book begins when a man who has arranged for a bride through the classifieds is waiting for her arrival at a train station. We learn that he is very particular and measured, and she is less simple than she lets on. As it turns out, neither of them has signed up for pure companionship - each has an ulterior motive and the story unfolds in a completely unexpected way.
There was so much to like about this book. The plot was exceptional. The characters were complex. Even the town the characters live in is well-crafted: an author's note at the end of the book indicates that it is based on a real town whose occupants suffered from sudden madness at the turn of the 20th century.
The other thing about the book I really enjoyed was that Goolrick created a Harlequin-Gothic-Trashy Novel-Spooky vibe but wrote an exceptional book. Definitely recommended and hope to see more fiction from Goolrick in the future.
Monday, June 28, 2010
The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer
This was a fun quick read in the spirit of Robert Ludlum or (as many of the critics have said, John LeCarre). A "tourist" is a top-secret CIA operative in a foreign country - you know, one of those people in one of the programs the government denies having. Milo, the title tourist, is actually trying to leave the business of spying when the book starts, but is drafted into one last operation that of course does not end tidily - that would make for a boring book. Naturally, he has a wife and stepdaughter who get thrown into the action as well.
What I liked about this book was that the plot was complex but the writing was very accessible. I didn't always expect all the twists in the plot, and I didn't always understand the characters' strategies right away, but I enjoyed reading it all the way through. I also thought that compared to other books of this genre, Steinhauer explored the Milo's personal anguish over some of his decisions more thoroughly and completely. Ultimately this is more a character study of the loneliness of being a spy than it is an action novel, although it masquerades as the latter. In that way it reminded me of parts of the Bourne trilogy - the books at least, more than the movies.
The Tourist was definitely a book that kept me up late reading several nights in a row. I hear that George Clooney's production company has bought the rights to make it a film. "LIKE."
What I liked about this book was that the plot was complex but the writing was very accessible. I didn't always expect all the twists in the plot, and I didn't always understand the characters' strategies right away, but I enjoyed reading it all the way through. I also thought that compared to other books of this genre, Steinhauer explored the Milo's personal anguish over some of his decisions more thoroughly and completely. Ultimately this is more a character study of the loneliness of being a spy than it is an action novel, although it masquerades as the latter. In that way it reminded me of parts of the Bourne trilogy - the books at least, more than the movies.
The Tourist was definitely a book that kept me up late reading several nights in a row. I hear that George Clooney's production company has bought the rights to make it a film. "LIKE."
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Just Like Us by Helen Thorpe
This is an ambitious book. Helen Thorpe is a journalist whose initial idea is to follow four high school girls who are Mexican-American, two of whom are in the country legally and two of whom are not. Halfway through her research for the book, Denver (where the girls live) becomes embroiled in a huge immigration conflict, when an illegal immigrant kills a police officer. Thorpe includes this incident into her book, with a particular vantage point: her husband is the mayor of Denver at the time.
So there is a lot going on in the book. I most enjoyed reading about the girls' experiences as they grew into young adults in college. They struggled with basic logistics of paying for school - doubly difficult for the illegal girls - a well as complex emotional issues around identity and belonging. The girls each had families that spanned Mexico and America, and several of them had significant family pressures on top of everything else they were dealing with. I was also interested to see what kind of private funding the illegal girls were able to find.
Slightly less interesting were the sections on the crime and trial of the man who killed the police officer. While I'm sure it was central to Thorpe's life at the time, it confused the narrative for me. I understood that it had a profound effect on the city and subsequently on the girls, but I am not sure she wove it together tightly enough.
It is a testament to Thorpe's journalistic background that I finished the book unsure of what her take on illegal immigration is. I did, however, finish the book left with the one thing I think she wanted her readers to ponder: what do we do with young adults who have been in the U.S. illegally their entire lives, once they become adults? I don't know the answer to that question and I'm not sure that Thorpe does either. But I did see that as a complexity in the immigration debate I had not thought about previously.
I liked that this book made me think, I just wish it had been more cohesive.
So there is a lot going on in the book. I most enjoyed reading about the girls' experiences as they grew into young adults in college. They struggled with basic logistics of paying for school - doubly difficult for the illegal girls - a well as complex emotional issues around identity and belonging. The girls each had families that spanned Mexico and America, and several of them had significant family pressures on top of everything else they were dealing with. I was also interested to see what kind of private funding the illegal girls were able to find.
Slightly less interesting were the sections on the crime and trial of the man who killed the police officer. While I'm sure it was central to Thorpe's life at the time, it confused the narrative for me. I understood that it had a profound effect on the city and subsequently on the girls, but I am not sure she wove it together tightly enough.
It is a testament to Thorpe's journalistic background that I finished the book unsure of what her take on illegal immigration is. I did, however, finish the book left with the one thing I think she wanted her readers to ponder: what do we do with young adults who have been in the U.S. illegally their entire lives, once they become adults? I don't know the answer to that question and I'm not sure that Thorpe does either. But I did see that as a complexity in the immigration debate I had not thought about previously.
I liked that this book made me think, I just wish it had been more cohesive.
Sunday, June 06, 2010
As They See 'Em by Bruce Weber
Every once in a while, there is a book that I hear about and decide to save until its season rolls around. This one waited patiently on my book list until summer time because it is about Major League Baseball umpires and after hearing it on Fresh Air last April I didn't get to it in time. I'm glad I waited because it was really fun to read this during baseball season. It was really fun to read this book, period. Unlike other non-fiction, this was interesting all the way through - sometimes I find the idea of a book fascinating, and the first half interesting, but then I lose a little steam. Not so with this one!
Bruce Weber is a reporter for the New York Times who began this book by traveling to Florida to attend one of the two accredited umpire schools. Umpiring is a very competitive business - there are fewer than 100 positions in MLB, and umpires don't often leave their jobs. The salaries are high - upwards of $250K for the ones with a lot of experience, but to get there, they go through years, sometimes even decades, of harsh travel, school, politics, and barely enough salary to live on. All that, and they are disliked by fans and players alike.
So at umpire school, the candidates (and Weber) learn about all sorts of rules - Weber relates several scenarios in the book with calls that I was very surprised to learn the answers to. The other big thing that umpire school covers is how a crew of two or three or four men (and yes, they are almost exclusively men) cover a field. There are clear rules at to who runs where during every particular type of play and umpire school has hours and hours of practicing that too. In fact, Weber suggests the next time the reader watches an MLB game that he or she watch the umpires instead of the players, and you may find that there is what seems like a completely different game going. I did and it does.
Interestingly, one topic not covered in umpire school is how to call balls and strikes. Weber covers it extensively, however: both what the actual rules are as well as how the umpires use it to communicate with pitchers. In his commentary on balls and strikes, Weber makes one of his most enlightening points about umpires - umpires are distinct from officials in other sports in that they are essential to the game play. In other sports, officials determine if any rules have been broken, but in baseball, umpires' calling balls and strikes is necessary for each play to continue.
The book continues on to detail how umpires are chosen and rated. A significant portion of the book is focused on labor relations between umpires and MLB, culminating in an ill-fated attempt by umpires to all resign at once in 1999. The book also details several umpires famous for their controversial calls. Weber also covers many ancillary topics like life on the road and instant replay. Finally, he details his own umpiring of a game - minor league, but legitimate MLB.
I really liked the book. Weber made it easy to learn about the world of umpiring with a lively-paced book and plenty of anecdotes. Interestingly, I was reading this book during the controversy around umpire Jim Joyce's incorrect call that cost Armando Galarraga his perfect game. To see what Weber had to say about it (and to get a taste of his writing style) check out this article in the New York Times.
Bruce Weber is a reporter for the New York Times who began this book by traveling to Florida to attend one of the two accredited umpire schools. Umpiring is a very competitive business - there are fewer than 100 positions in MLB, and umpires don't often leave their jobs. The salaries are high - upwards of $250K for the ones with a lot of experience, but to get there, they go through years, sometimes even decades, of harsh travel, school, politics, and barely enough salary to live on. All that, and they are disliked by fans and players alike.
So at umpire school, the candidates (and Weber) learn about all sorts of rules - Weber relates several scenarios in the book with calls that I was very surprised to learn the answers to. The other big thing that umpire school covers is how a crew of two or three or four men (and yes, they are almost exclusively men) cover a field. There are clear rules at to who runs where during every particular type of play and umpire school has hours and hours of practicing that too. In fact, Weber suggests the next time the reader watches an MLB game that he or she watch the umpires instead of the players, and you may find that there is what seems like a completely different game going. I did and it does.
Interestingly, one topic not covered in umpire school is how to call balls and strikes. Weber covers it extensively, however: both what the actual rules are as well as how the umpires use it to communicate with pitchers. In his commentary on balls and strikes, Weber makes one of his most enlightening points about umpires - umpires are distinct from officials in other sports in that they are essential to the game play. In other sports, officials determine if any rules have been broken, but in baseball, umpires' calling balls and strikes is necessary for each play to continue.
The book continues on to detail how umpires are chosen and rated. A significant portion of the book is focused on labor relations between umpires and MLB, culminating in an ill-fated attempt by umpires to all resign at once in 1999. The book also details several umpires famous for their controversial calls. Weber also covers many ancillary topics like life on the road and instant replay. Finally, he details his own umpiring of a game - minor league, but legitimate MLB.
I really liked the book. Weber made it easy to learn about the world of umpiring with a lively-paced book and plenty of anecdotes. Interestingly, I was reading this book during the controversy around umpire Jim Joyce's incorrect call that cost Armando Galarraga his perfect game. To see what Weber had to say about it (and to get a taste of his writing style) check out this article in the New York Times.
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Every Last One by Anna Quindlen
I have been a fan of Quindlen's for a long time - Object Lessons is one of my all-time favorite books, and I read and re-read Living out Loud several times.
This book is about a normal American family - Mary Beth and Glen are happily married with three teenage children - Ruby, Max, and Alex. The first half of the book is about their everyday lives, and I enjoyed this part of the book. I liked Quindlen's rendering of Mary Beth's distinct relationships each with her children. I also enjoyed reading about Mary Beth and Glen's marriage: imperfect but solid.
After the family is victimized by violence, their lives take a different turn. The family has to rebuild and figure out who they are after a vicious attack. The book ended with my having the feeling that family takes many different forms and that people can be very resilient.
I'm not sure I really enjoyed the second part of this book. While the writing was excellent (it always is...), the story did not hold my attention as much as the mundane descriptions of the family's life before the violent episode. I felt like I was watching the evening news - or a made-for-tv movie - that was very dramatic but somewhat hollow.
I'll always try the next book Quindlen writes - hopefully it will be engaging all the way through.
This book is about a normal American family - Mary Beth and Glen are happily married with three teenage children - Ruby, Max, and Alex. The first half of the book is about their everyday lives, and I enjoyed this part of the book. I liked Quindlen's rendering of Mary Beth's distinct relationships each with her children. I also enjoyed reading about Mary Beth and Glen's marriage: imperfect but solid.
After the family is victimized by violence, their lives take a different turn. The family has to rebuild and figure out who they are after a vicious attack. The book ended with my having the feeling that family takes many different forms and that people can be very resilient.
I'm not sure I really enjoyed the second part of this book. While the writing was excellent (it always is...), the story did not hold my attention as much as the mundane descriptions of the family's life before the violent episode. I felt like I was watching the evening news - or a made-for-tv movie - that was very dramatic but somewhat hollow.
I'll always try the next book Quindlen writes - hopefully it will be engaging all the way through.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Stieg Larsson article in NYT Magazine
Good article about the issues still surrounding Stieg Larsson's estate:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/magazine/23Larsson-t.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/magazine/23Larsson-t.html
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
I really enjoyed this book. Someone in my book club picked it but then left the book club before we got to it. Thanks anyway - sorry you decided not to come back!
The book is about a young girl who is sent to live with a foster family at the beginning of WWII in Germany because her mother is a Communist. Her new mother is harsh but cares for her well; her new father is very kind and helps her adjust to her new life by teaching her how to read. Soon after, she develops a lifelong love of books, but finds herself often stealing books she has no other way of acquiring.
Her life gets even more complicated when her best friend is an outcast in Hitler Youth and then her parents secretly hide a Jewish man in their basement for several months during the war.
While this book was told through the eyes of a young girl, it was not exclusively a children's book. Zusak managed to keep the writing simple and the story lively while still describing very adult situations and emotions. His style was reminiscent of Vonnegut - Death (yes, as in 'Death himself') narrated the story and often broke from the action to point out a strange word or frame a story or remind the reader of something. Several times, Zusak has Death reveal a major 'spoiler' from later in the story so as the reader I was forced to pay attention to things other than just the plot.
This might have been the best thing I've read so far this year.
The book is about a young girl who is sent to live with a foster family at the beginning of WWII in Germany because her mother is a Communist. Her new mother is harsh but cares for her well; her new father is very kind and helps her adjust to her new life by teaching her how to read. Soon after, she develops a lifelong love of books, but finds herself often stealing books she has no other way of acquiring.
Her life gets even more complicated when her best friend is an outcast in Hitler Youth and then her parents secretly hide a Jewish man in their basement for several months during the war.
While this book was told through the eyes of a young girl, it was not exclusively a children's book. Zusak managed to keep the writing simple and the story lively while still describing very adult situations and emotions. His style was reminiscent of Vonnegut - Death (yes, as in 'Death himself') narrated the story and often broke from the action to point out a strange word or frame a story or remind the reader of something. Several times, Zusak has Death reveal a major 'spoiler' from later in the story so as the reader I was forced to pay attention to things other than just the plot.
This might have been the best thing I've read so far this year.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
The Lake Shore Limited by Sue Miller
I always like Sue Miller's books and this was no exception. It is about a woman who loses her lover on 9/11 and has written a play about a man waiting to hear if he's lost his wife in a terrorist train incident. The book begins when the lover's sister is on her way to see the play. Throughout the book, the characters take turns telling their part of the story. Among the characters are the playwright, her lover's sister, one of the actors in her play, and a man the sister is trying to set her up with.
Miller did a great job of picking an interesting set of characters to act as the narrators. She had them tell slightly different versions of the story which built their personalities quickly and strongly. It reminded me of Irene Dos Santos in how the author used the different points of view to tell a particular story.
Another thing I liked about the book is that it takes place in my neighborhood - Boston's South End - and included scenes in several restaurants and theaters that I go to regularly.
The other book this brought to mind was Dubus' Garden of Last Days, because that was also about 9/11. Also a 9/11 book, that one was a more frantic, more direct, novel about the hijackers. This one, in contrast, commented on the Human Condition simply and expertly.
Miller did a great job of picking an interesting set of characters to act as the narrators. She had them tell slightly different versions of the story which built their personalities quickly and strongly. It reminded me of Irene Dos Santos in how the author used the different points of view to tell a particular story.
Another thing I liked about the book is that it takes place in my neighborhood - Boston's South End - and included scenes in several restaurants and theaters that I go to regularly.
The other book this brought to mind was Dubus' Garden of Last Days, because that was also about 9/11. Also a 9/11 book, that one was a more frantic, more direct, novel about the hijackers. This one, in contrast, commented on the Human Condition simply and expertly.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore
This is a tough review to write, because (like Liberated Bride) there were a lot of things about the book I liked but some fundamental flaws I am not sure I can get over.
The story is about a young woman named Tassie from a rural town who is attending a liberal college in the Midwest. Looking to make some money, Tassie is hired by a couple (Sarah and Edward) to be the nanny for their not-yet-adopted baby. Sarah and Edward (and Tassie) are white and the baby is mixed-race, mostly black. The first half of the book is mostly about her interactions with the family - who are not exactly who she thinks they are - and her bonding with the child. I really enjoyed this section of the book because it was well-balanced between plot, characters, and internal monologue. Sarah is quite a well-developed character and Tassie's inner monologue reminds me of myself in college - a weird combination of precocious, bright, cynical, and naive.
Then the book take a weird turn. Something happens with Sarah and Edward, then also with Tassie and her boyfriend, and so she goes home to her parents. Life at home, always stoic and bucolic, suddenly becomes uncertain and scary. The remainder of the book takes a completely different trajectory, with dense descriptions of her home and farm and what feels like a different narrator. I was so disappointed at this part of the book! I felt really invested in the story of Tassie's interactions with Sarah and Edward, and then let down by the lack of closure.
What I've left out of this description (other than plot spoliers) is that there are several post-9/11 themes within the book. I can only guess that Moore wanted to make some political statements through this book and that threw her off course. I would have really enjoyed reading a book about Tassie's interaction with Sarah and Edward and the baby. These other parts took a coherent story and engaging plot and made it a disjointed book.
The story is about a young woman named Tassie from a rural town who is attending a liberal college in the Midwest. Looking to make some money, Tassie is hired by a couple (Sarah and Edward) to be the nanny for their not-yet-adopted baby. Sarah and Edward (and Tassie) are white and the baby is mixed-race, mostly black. The first half of the book is mostly about her interactions with the family - who are not exactly who she thinks they are - and her bonding with the child. I really enjoyed this section of the book because it was well-balanced between plot, characters, and internal monologue. Sarah is quite a well-developed character and Tassie's inner monologue reminds me of myself in college - a weird combination of precocious, bright, cynical, and naive.
Then the book take a weird turn. Something happens with Sarah and Edward, then also with Tassie and her boyfriend, and so she goes home to her parents. Life at home, always stoic and bucolic, suddenly becomes uncertain and scary. The remainder of the book takes a completely different trajectory, with dense descriptions of her home and farm and what feels like a different narrator. I was so disappointed at this part of the book! I felt really invested in the story of Tassie's interactions with Sarah and Edward, and then let down by the lack of closure.
What I've left out of this description (other than plot spoliers) is that there are several post-9/11 themes within the book. I can only guess that Moore wanted to make some political statements through this book and that threw her off course. I would have really enjoyed reading a book about Tassie's interaction with Sarah and Edward and the baby. These other parts took a coherent story and engaging plot and made it a disjointed book.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
This book had been knocking around the house for a while. It's a memoir of Bill Bryson's attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail. He sets out with a set of expensive gear and an eccentric friend and begins hiking in Georgia with hopes of making it up to Maine. While he does not finish the Trail (at least not as a 'through hiker') the book is interesting and funny.
I had hiked a few miles of the Long Trail in Vermont which is part of the AP, but I had no idea before reading this how intense a process it is for people to hike the entire thing.
The funny part of the book relates to his adventures with his friend. His friend is an admittedly overweight recovering alcoholic. Together, they subsist on ramen noodles and Snickers, meeting unusual traveling companions along the way and both encouraging and annoying each other.
Interspersed with their adventures is a lot of other information about the Appalachain Trail: the genesis of it, its famous hikers, encounters with bears and murderers, its current status, and plenty of pleasant folklore. Bryson did have some scathing criticism of the National Forest Service, who maintain much of the Trail - he talks about logging and conservation in several places. I enjoyed reading these information sections as much as I did his individual adventures. Bryson did a good job of balancing the personal with the broader perspective.
I enjoyed this and think this would be a good read for anyone who likes the outdoors.
I had hiked a few miles of the Long Trail in Vermont which is part of the AP, but I had no idea before reading this how intense a process it is for people to hike the entire thing.
The funny part of the book relates to his adventures with his friend. His friend is an admittedly overweight recovering alcoholic. Together, they subsist on ramen noodles and Snickers, meeting unusual traveling companions along the way and both encouraging and annoying each other.
Interspersed with their adventures is a lot of other information about the Appalachain Trail: the genesis of it, its famous hikers, encounters with bears and murderers, its current status, and plenty of pleasant folklore. Bryson did have some scathing criticism of the National Forest Service, who maintain much of the Trail - he talks about logging and conservation in several places. I enjoyed reading these information sections as much as I did his individual adventures. Bryson did a good job of balancing the personal with the broader perspective.
I enjoyed this and think this would be a good read for anyone who likes the outdoors.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
The Liberated Bride by A. B. Yehoshua
I started this book at my parents' house because I had finished Next sooner than I expected. Though Mom hadn't liked this very much, I remember seeing poetry books by Yehoshua in Jenne's bookcase in college so I decided to give it a try.
There are a lot of layers to this book and I believe I missed some of Yehoshua's point of view. On the surface, the story is about a father who is obsessed with finding out what happened to his son's marriage after an abrupt divorce. There are also several storylines and characters representing different parts of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Finally, there is a significant portion of the book devoted to the relationship between the man and his wife.
I enjoyed reading this book most of the time. There are a few sections where Yehoshua incorporates folk tales and poetry into the story and I was a little bored by those. Perhaps if I had discussed this book with other people who had read it at the same time I would have been able to understand the symbolism - because I do believe that I did not "get" the book in its entirety, not that Yehoshua missed the mark.
I did enjoy reading the descriptions of modern-day Israel. Particularly, the characters visit parts of the Middle East near Israel that are Arab several times in the book and I was fascinated by the descriptions of those visits. I also enjoyed reading the sections about the main character and his wife because I thought they represented a realistic marriage although what do I know about what it feels like to be 30+ years in?? The main story about the son and his divorce was well-crafted.
Overall I think this was a good book but that I would have benefited from reading it with a group or at least with someone to talk to about it.
There are a lot of layers to this book and I believe I missed some of Yehoshua's point of view. On the surface, the story is about a father who is obsessed with finding out what happened to his son's marriage after an abrupt divorce. There are also several storylines and characters representing different parts of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Finally, there is a significant portion of the book devoted to the relationship between the man and his wife.
I enjoyed reading this book most of the time. There are a few sections where Yehoshua incorporates folk tales and poetry into the story and I was a little bored by those. Perhaps if I had discussed this book with other people who had read it at the same time I would have been able to understand the symbolism - because I do believe that I did not "get" the book in its entirety, not that Yehoshua missed the mark.
I did enjoy reading the descriptions of modern-day Israel. Particularly, the characters visit parts of the Middle East near Israel that are Arab several times in the book and I was fascinated by the descriptions of those visits. I also enjoyed reading the sections about the main character and his wife because I thought they represented a realistic marriage although what do I know about what it feels like to be 30+ years in?? The main story about the son and his divorce was well-crafted.
Overall I think this was a good book but that I would have benefited from reading it with a group or at least with someone to talk to about it.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Next by Michael Crichton
This book had been sitting on my bookshelf for a while; I think I bought it at Costco a few years back. The book is about several storylines all relating to genetics. On major plotline was about the legality of patenting genes, another was about hybrid humans and animals, and another was about using DNA testing to assess someone's propensity towards certain diseases.
Like most Michael Crichton books, this was a quick and easy read. Crichton moved among the storylines often (and there were a lot of them) which I did find a little hard to follow in some places. But overall I liked the stories and was invested in most of the characters.
This was obviously a political book for Crichton - after the story he spent about 10 pages suggesting a set of policies and laws that were necessary to ensure that genes and DNA weren't misused. Fine airport read.
Like most Michael Crichton books, this was a quick and easy read. Crichton moved among the storylines often (and there were a lot of them) which I did find a little hard to follow in some places. But overall I liked the stories and was invested in most of the characters.
This was obviously a political book for Crichton - after the story he spent about 10 pages suggesting a set of policies and laws that were necessary to ensure that genes and DNA weren't misused. Fine airport read.
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch
My book club chose this book as this month's read. I wasn't crazy about it and I guess the group wasn't either because only two of us showed up to discuss it.
The book takes place in the 1800's in London and follows a detective named Lenox who is asked to help solve the mystery of a woman's murder. He works with several assistants, including his brother, his neighbor Lady Jane, his butler, and some other associates. While they are trying to solve the case, a second murder occurs and Lenox then solves both related cases.
The most unique thing about this book was that while it was written in the past decade, it was written in the style of Victorian England. Lenox and Lady Jane have some very proper flirtation and everyone has tea every day. While this made the book drag in some places, it was delightful in others. Lenox was charming and even progressive for his time. There were, however, some references to the "new technology" of fingerprints that I found was too deliberate in setting the time and place.
Overall I thought the solution to the mystery was clever but not something I could have figured out myself by reading carefully. Despite how well the setting and style were done, I wouldn't be too interested to read another book from this series any time soon.
The book takes place in the 1800's in London and follows a detective named Lenox who is asked to help solve the mystery of a woman's murder. He works with several assistants, including his brother, his neighbor Lady Jane, his butler, and some other associates. While they are trying to solve the case, a second murder occurs and Lenox then solves both related cases.
The most unique thing about this book was that while it was written in the past decade, it was written in the style of Victorian England. Lenox and Lady Jane have some very proper flirtation and everyone has tea every day. While this made the book drag in some places, it was delightful in others. Lenox was charming and even progressive for his time. There were, however, some references to the "new technology" of fingerprints that I found was too deliberate in setting the time and place.
Overall I thought the solution to the mystery was clever but not something I could have figured out myself by reading carefully. Despite how well the setting and style were done, I wouldn't be too interested to read another book from this series any time soon.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon
This book came up in my library queue. It had been in a lot of end-of-year lists in December. The story follows three intertwined stories: one is about a high school senior who runs away with her teacher, one is about a man who didn't know his dad wasn't his biological father until college, and one is about a guy searching for his mentally ill twin brother.
The writing in this book is pretty good. I didn't really notice it which it think is a good thing - not too deliberate but not sloppy either. The characters were well-developed although the ways in which their stories intertwined left me with different opinions of them at the end than when I was reading the book. And the twists in the book - the way the stories come together -was definitely worth the read. While it wasn't one of my favorite books ever, it was well-done, unique, and certainly a modern take on identity.
Worth the read.
The writing in this book is pretty good. I didn't really notice it which it think is a good thing - not too deliberate but not sloppy either. The characters were well-developed although the ways in which their stories intertwined left me with different opinions of them at the end than when I was reading the book. And the twists in the book - the way the stories come together -was definitely worth the read. While it wasn't one of my favorite books ever, it was well-done, unique, and certainly a modern take on identity.
Worth the read.
Friday, March 19, 2010
A Country Called Home by Kim Barnes
This was a delightful book.
I first heard about it from the NextReads email list. It was described as being about a young couple who leave everything they know to move to a small town in Idaho in the 1960's and buy a farm.
The book certainly starts there and details their difficulty in adapting to the new surroundings and some of the people in the town whom they meet and employ. Through a series of flashbacks, the couple's meeting and courtship is described as well. The second half of the book is the story of their daughter who grows up on the farm too.
I enjoyed reading this book for several reasons. First, the writing was spectacular. It was descriptive but not boring; the characters were complex and dynamic; the plot was at times surprising but never far-fetched. Another reason I found this book so good was that there were several incidents and family secrets that held significance throughout the length of the book. I liked how the author illustrated how a few events and choices made when the characters were young haunted/impacted them throughout their lives. Finally, I appreciated the story itself - one of sadness and of redemption for different characters in different ways.
Definitely recommended.
I first heard about it from the NextReads email list. It was described as being about a young couple who leave everything they know to move to a small town in Idaho in the 1960's and buy a farm.
The book certainly starts there and details their difficulty in adapting to the new surroundings and some of the people in the town whom they meet and employ. Through a series of flashbacks, the couple's meeting and courtship is described as well. The second half of the book is the story of their daughter who grows up on the farm too.
I enjoyed reading this book for several reasons. First, the writing was spectacular. It was descriptive but not boring; the characters were complex and dynamic; the plot was at times surprising but never far-fetched. Another reason I found this book so good was that there were several incidents and family secrets that held significance throughout the length of the book. I liked how the author illustrated how a few events and choices made when the characters were young haunted/impacted them throughout their lives. Finally, I appreciated the story itself - one of sadness and of redemption for different characters in different ways.
Definitely recommended.
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