Super Short! Very good, with extremely lucid descriptions of things, and a bright, sharp accuracy in describing the rush of feelings the main character experiences. Kidd ties the two plots, the main character's affair, and the mystery of her mother's mutilation of her own hand together very well. The perspective shifts occasionally to a couple other characters besides the main character's, which I felt to be a bit clumsy on Kidd's part. If she was going to incorporate other perspectives, she should have done so more consistently, not intermittently. It seemed just that she couldn't get certain things across without resorting to letting them say it for themselves. psha.
Otherwise, a very tight, captivating book that despite its depressing subject matter manages to leave you feeling buoyant, and avoids making the ending a sugary-sweet piece of bullshit about forgiveness and redemption.
Friday, August 31, 2007
JK Rowling - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
There's something wrong if you can finish a 759-page book in under 12 hours. Especially when those 12 hours are not solely dedicated to reading. While the last Harry Potter was certainly an entertaining read, it left me with the same feeling that I've had with all of them: why did that take a billion and a half pages to get through? While I respect the imagination that it takes to create a world and plot as detailed as Harry Potter's, I still am not convinced that any of a dozen other authors I could name in the next ten sceonds couldn't have done the same thing, but not taken a bazillion pages.
Don't get me wrong. I liked the book, and the way she constructed the book, aside from the epilogue, because with such a huge fan base and such a fraught, multi-book plot, it would be very difficult to come up with something to end the series that was both satisfying as an author and as a reader. So I commend her for that, I just don't think that she needs to be worshipped as some goddess of writing like many people do.
Don't get me wrong. I liked the book, and the way she constructed the book, aside from the epilogue, because with such a huge fan base and such a fraught, multi-book plot, it would be very difficult to come up with something to end the series that was both satisfying as an author and as a reader. So I commend her for that, I just don't think that she needs to be worshipped as some goddess of writing like many people do.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Anita Diamant - The Red Tent
I am, admittedly, unfamiliar with Biblical stories, so when I saw the title of Anita Diamant's book I wondered where in the Bible there were red tents. I freely admit to having no experience with the name Dinah except for the song "Dinah blow your horn." In the wake of this book, though, I think that it was better to not know the climax, and to simply follow the story.
Diamant has created a powerful story that demonstrates the role and perspective of women within the known framework of Biblical lore. It feels a bit like historical fiction, because the bones of the story are familiar, but the emotions, and probably some of the characters themselves, are newly imagined.
It was a quick read, but one that left a lasting impression. Some parts did remind me of the Simpson's episode where Homer settles down to listen to the Bible on tape and falls asleep during "so-and-so begot so-and-so..." but it doesn't bog the story down too much.
All in all, a good book worth recommending to one's friends.
Diamant has created a powerful story that demonstrates the role and perspective of women within the known framework of Biblical lore. It feels a bit like historical fiction, because the bones of the story are familiar, but the emotions, and probably some of the characters themselves, are newly imagined.
It was a quick read, but one that left a lasting impression. Some parts did remind me of the Simpson's episode where Homer settles down to listen to the Bible on tape and falls asleep during "so-and-so begot so-and-so..." but it doesn't bog the story down too much.
All in all, a good book worth recommending to one's friends.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Welcome to Your Next Favorite Book!!
Welcome, interwebulars!
This blog is all about books. If you know me, you know I read obsessively, and fairly omnivorously. Far too few people follow suit, but I think that is partially because if you go to a bookstore and stand in the middle, how do you even begin to pick a book? You could start with bestsellers, books with lots of buzz, though sometimes they're total crap. At least you'd be reading. It's always better to try a book that you like the look of based on a summary or recommendation from a friend. But I find that when I'm at the bookstore I tend to be a sucker for pretty or interesting book covers, or that I try to base a judgement of a book's prospects on its title. Not the best measure of quality, I'm afraid.
So, with all that in mind, I'll be writing about the books I've read recently. A book report of sorts, I guess.
If you happen to read something good and you want to write about it, let me know and I'll add you to the contributors list, and then you can post whenever you want.
Happy reading, interwebs!
This blog is all about books. If you know me, you know I read obsessively, and fairly omnivorously. Far too few people follow suit, but I think that is partially because if you go to a bookstore and stand in the middle, how do you even begin to pick a book? You could start with bestsellers, books with lots of buzz, though sometimes they're total crap. At least you'd be reading. It's always better to try a book that you like the look of based on a summary or recommendation from a friend. But I find that when I'm at the bookstore I tend to be a sucker for pretty or interesting book covers, or that I try to base a judgement of a book's prospects on its title. Not the best measure of quality, I'm afraid.
So, with all that in mind, I'll be writing about the books I've read recently. A book report of sorts, I guess.
If you happen to read something good and you want to write about it, let me know and I'll add you to the contributors list, and then you can post whenever you want.
Happy reading, interwebs!
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