Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier

Title: Rebecca
Author: Daphne du Maurier
Published: 1938 Pages: 386
Genre: Literary Fiction/Classic
Rating: 4.5/5

Can you believe that a year ago I'd never heard of Rebecca OR Daphne du Maurier? The book began to creep up on the blogosphere and to be honest I thought it was a cheesy romance novel. It wasn't until my friend Laura read the book that I became really interested, and I quickly added it to my shelf collections. I was so thrilled when Amanda from The Zen Leaf asked me if I'd be interested in doing a buddy review with her this month.

Summary:
Rebeccabegins when the young narrator (we'll call her Narry) meets a wealthy widow, Maxim de Winter, and an unlikely friendship and courtship ensues. After a few weeks of spending much time together, Narry accepts Maxim's proposal of marriage and they have a quiet ceremony before moving to Manderley. At Manderley, Narry soon realizes that Maxim's first wife, Rebecca, who has drowned in a tragic boating accident, continues to haunt the house and the lives of those left behind. Rebecca doesn't haunt in the traditional sense of the word (no ghosts or anything like that), but the magnificence of her character continually overshadows the meek and innocent Narry. Throughout the novel, Narry is in constant battle with Rebecca's legacy and must fight in order to maintain her rightful place as mistress of the great Manderley.

Buddy Review:
Amanda and I conversed back and forth about our thoughts on Rebecca. We split our conversation in half, so you can read the first half over at The Zen Leaf (I recommend going now and coming back as our conversation will make more sense that way). We tried to avoid spoilers wherever possible--you can tell below where I start to get a little cryptic and squeamish in trying not to give anything away! I'll start with the last sentence of my part of the conversation just for transition's sake.

Trish: What did you think about the characters in the book? Any that you'll be remembering for a time to come?

Amanda: I agree that Mrs. Danvers is probably one of the most creepy characters I've ever read! Two scenes with her in specific really made me shudder in horror. I think you're right, all the characters were fantastically drawn, but I think Mrs. Danvers and even Rebecca, despite being dead, were the best. It begs to be compared to modern horror books, which don't seem to realize that creepy can be achieved without a lot of blood and guts. du Maurier left so much to the imagination, and used so many psychological tricks on her characters to make them nightmarish, though realistically so. It was just perfect.

Okay - so I have to ask, because I've harped on this in recent reviews - what did you think about the crime aspect of the novel? I don't want to reveal spoilers, so all I'm going to say is that a crime takes place at one point, and the characters are trying to escape justice, and they feel the crime was justified. Do you believe it was justified, and that they were justified trying to escape punishment? I have to admit, even though normally I would automatically answer NO, I really empathized with these characters and wanted them to go free.

Trish: Well, let me put it this way--when I read your paragraph I immediately thought "crime? what crime?!" Does that basically answer your question. Yes, of course a crime was committed and it was a horrible crime. Can it really be justified? I think you start stepping into some pretty soggy ethical ground when you begin debating whether or not the crime should be committed. Look at us dodging these spoilers--if I hadn't already read the book I'd want to now!

You've asked a really great question, Amanda, and I don't think I have the answer. The moral side of me wants to think that there could have been other actions taken before the crime was committed to have prevented the whole mess that occurs in the second half of the book. In the end, though, I just don't think it would have been quite the same if the characters had all been carted off in handcuffs at the end of the book. Throughout the book Maxim exclaims that Rebecca has won--as if the two were in constant battle during their lives together. In the end, do you think Rebecca did in fact win or have the others gained the upperhand?

Amanda: I think in the end, neither really gains the upperhand. In one way, sure, they got away with the crime - but do they ever really go free? They've lost so much, they have such heavy hearts, and with that abrupt end (Agh!!!), you never really know if they recover. The little hints at the beginning of the book say almost nothing. I suppose, in conclusion, I really thought this book was masterfully pieced together. It's ethically grey, it's romantic and tragic both, and there is no clear conclusion. Not to mention the incredible atmosphere we talked about above. I can't wait to read more by du Maurier! How about you? Any final thoughts?

Trish: I think you sum the book and your feelings up really well. I was a little concerned going into the book that there would be a lot of heavy imagery and that the story would be a little dull (those first two chapters were a beating!), but in a word this book was exciting. At any given point du Maurier only allows you to have just one little piece of the puzzle so that things slowly begin to come together, but she withholds a lot from the narrative in order for readers to make up their own minds with what happens. And like you said, this book really is a psychological thriller. I love that there are still questions left at the end--Rebecca really is a haunting book. I'll definitely be reading more du Maurier in the future and am glad to have discovered her.

Don't forget to check out the "beginning" of our conversation over at Amanda's. And if you've never been over there--shame on you. You'll love both her and her blog. :)

Have you read Rebecca? What did you find creepiest about this book? Do you think psychological thrillers are more frightening than the blood and gore type of thrillers or do those scare the wits out of you, too?

Under the Tuscan Sun - Frances Mayes

Title: Under the Tuscan Sun
Author: Frances Mayes
Published: 1996 Pages: 280
Genre: Memoir/Travel
Rating: 3.5/5

Lately I've come into a lot of timing issues with books--as in "I probably didn't like X book as much because of bad timing." For this book, though, the timing was absolutely perfect. Otherwise, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it. Let me see if I can explain. Lately my reading has been sporadic at best. I've found that it's hard for me to enjoy a book as much if I have to continually put it down after reading only a few pages. For this book, though, because of the richness in the writing, sporadic reading actually worked toward my reading pleasure. When I had ample time to read the last 100 pages in one sitting, I noticed my enjoyment went down. Basically, this is the type of book to enjoy in small snippets.

Under the Tuscan Sun is an intimate memoir of Frances Mayes' experience of buying and restoring a villa in Cortona, Italy with her partner Ed. Both university professors from San Francisco, they begin spending their summer and winter holidays pouring their hearts and souls into their house, Bramasole, and in the history drenched area of Tuscany. But Mayes does more than just share the struggles of buying a home in a foreign country and working with unfamiliar systems to renovate the centuries old villa; Mayes asks her readers to slow down, take in their surroundings, and really enjoy what life is all about.

This is not a book to devour quickly but rather to savor quite slowly. Instead of writing a simple chronological order of events (although that is there in a way), Mayes takes each chapter and explains a separate part of Tuscan life--the history, the food, the community, the customs, the surrounding towns, family, and so on. Because each chapter is mostly self-contained, with the exception of the continuing construction work, Under the Tuscan Sun lends itself well to picking up and putting down. And because of the richness of the language, I would recommend doing just that so as not to burn out on Mayes highly descriptive language:

"On my way out, I see a man in a sweater, despite the heat. The trunk of his minuscule Fiat is piled with black grapes that have warmed all morning in the sun. I'm stopped by the winy, musty, violet scents. He offers me one. The hot sweetness breaks open in my mouth. I have never tasted anything so essential in my life as this grape on this morning. They even smell purple. The flavor, older than the Etruscans and deeply fresh and pleasing, just leaves me stunned. Such richness, the big globes, he heap of dusty grapes cascading out of two baskets. I ask for un grappolo, a bunch, wanting the taste to stay with me all morning" (112).

The whole book is filled with descriptions such as the one above and I constantly felt I was transported to another time and another place. Under the Tuscan Sun made me yearn for a life where I could just stop and look around. My life is so go go go that I don't always sit back and enjoy the moment. And as I was reading this book I was racing around Europe trying to see as many things possible in a very limited amount of time--something that she scorns in the book. Is it better to see everything or to take one place and truly immerse yourself within the culture and community? I have a tendency to go for the first, but it's good to slow down every once in a while.

Under the Tuscan Sun is all about experience and Mayes' diary-like writing was perfect for me at the time. Under normal circumstances, I probably would have found myself frustrated or even bored by this book. Yes, the writing is sensuous and scrumptious, but I had to keep myself from asking "what is the point?" There doesn't always have to be a point. If you like travelogues, I'd certainly recommend this book. I definitely enjoyed it more than A Year in Provence, which tackles many of the same subjects but in France rather than Italy. Unlike with A Year in Provence, Mayes breathes life into this book. Oh, and watch for her mouthwatering recipes she includes!

A note on the movie adaptation. I LOVE this movie. Love it. Could watch it over and over (and have). The movie took a very huge departure from the book--while many of the little details from the book were put into the movie (like the quote above), the plotline itself is completely different. Kind of a disappointment to me while reading this book, but it also allowed me to experience the story with fresh eyes.

Do you have a favorite travelogue/travel memoir? A book that truly transported you to the places described?



For a balance of opinions:
Melissa at Book Nut
Mary at BookFan
(Let me know if I've missed yours)

Also shared on Cym's Book Review Party Wednesday--check it out!

Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer

Title: Eclipse
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Published: 2007 Pages: 629
Genre: YA Fiction
Rating: 4.25/5

"And I pray one prayer-I repeat it till my tongue stiffens-Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living! You said I killed you-haunt me, then! The murdered do hunt their murderers. I believe-I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always-take any form-drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul" (Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights).

Oh the passion! As with my Twilight and New Moon reviews, this review will take form in a mostly self-interview. Many thanks to Jodie and Trisha for providing me with a few questions. I cannot write about this book without spoilers, so consider yourself warned. :)

Hey Trish! :P You were feeling pretty lukewarm towards this series after reading New Moon. How'd you like this one?+

Ugh. New Moon sucked in comparison to this book. I think I even liked this one more than Twilight! I was really in the mood for this one, so I just let myself get wrapped up in the story. Writing wise I'm not sure that this book is any better than the others, but when the mood is right...and boy was my mood right.

Even though you were apprehensive about the whole vampire/werewolf/human love triangle?

Ok, good point. The first third of this book was kind of a groaner, and I hated the whole love triangle. Unfortunately it's a big part of the book, and I wanted to scream at Bella for stringing poor Jacob along. Her whinyness didn't bug me as much as her reluctance to let Jacob go.

So does that mean that you felt Edward is better suited for Bella?+

Who knows. From our past interviews, you know that I have a "thing" for Edward, and that "thing" certainly didn't go away with this book. I was a little irked with his constant forgiveness of Bella's childish behavior, and I don't know how he could stand to have Jacob keep Bella warm in the tent (URG!), but I guess a century of life taught the guy a little patience. Jacob definitely seemed much more immature in comparison.

And you think Bella is mature?? What about her incredible disgust for marrying Edward despite her undying love?+

I can completely sympathize with Bella not wanting to marry Edward so young, but if he's going to change her and she's committing to spending the rest of her life with him, I'm not sure what the big hang-up is. Virtue played such a big part of this book, especially as Bella was continually trying to become more intimate with Edward, and I can't help but think about the underlying message. Even the whole "changing" aspect seemed to be symbolic of Bella losing her virginity. A self-interview seems like a strange place to discuss symbolism, though.

Alright, we'll get on to more superficial questions, then. Your crush for Edward still seems to stand firm, true? Any other characters that you really liked?^+

Oh Edward. Holy cow. Too bad I've got that icky visual of Robert Pattinson stuck in my head! Honestly, I couldn't even begin to tell you why Edward is such an appealing character to me and in many instances he was too patient, too understanding, too perfect. Ick. All in all, though, I really enjoyed getting to know Edward better in this book. I don't feel we really got to know him in Twilight and he was absent in most of New Moon. It was interesting to watch his and Bella's relationship mature and grow. Other characters that I liked? I loved Alice. Even though she's a little too bubbly for my taste, she is so much fun. I love her enthusiasm.

"Icky visual of R. Pattinson" huh? Does that mean that you finally saw the movie?^

Haha! I've seen it twice. I told you that Scott would probably break down and get the movie and I was right. When I was out of town one weekend I returned to find he picked up a used copy. We watched it once and then I watched it with my sister. Cheese city, but I don't know why I would have expected any different. Hopefully New Moon will have a bigger budget and someone will give that poor boy some chapstick--those lips are too ickily red.

Only one more book left! Do you know what to expect?^

It's interesting because I just learned today that it isn't common knowledge that Jacob is a werewolf. I accidentally ruined that for a friend who is about to start New Moon. Knowing that, though, didn't really affect my reading of the book. When Breaking Dawn came out last summer I accidentally read in a review that Edward and Bella get married, but that's all I know. I'm guessing that things will wrap up very nicely. Not really looking forward to hearing Jacob's point of view, though. I've put some space in between all of the books, but I'm going to try and read BD a little sooner--maybe by October.

And vampires? Still hot?

Oh definitely.


+Questions inspired by Trisha
^Questions inspired by Jodie
(Thank you ladies for helping me along)



Resistant towards the series? Why? Which of the Twilight books is your favorite?

Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain

Title: Tom Sawyer
Author: Mark Twain
Published: 1876 Pages: 184
Genre: Classic Literature
Rating: 4/5

I don’t think I’ve read this book since I was in the seventh grade. There are parts of it that seemed really familiar, like the whitewashing and the incident with the cave, but I’m wondering if those memories are more from watching the Disney movie. Either way, reading this was a really pleasant trip down memory lane and just what I was in the mood for. That Tom Sawyer is one funny fellow—and Huck is even better!

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is the classic tale of a very rambunctious boy of the same name. I don’t think there is any simpler way to put it other than Mark Twain seems to be trying to figure out all the different ways a boy Tom’s age can get in trouble! I had forgotten all of the shenanigans and mischief—the playing pirates and looking for gold and pretending to be bank robbers—just good old fashioned fun. Deep down Tom and Huck are good kids with a little streak of rebellion, and as Twain puts it--most of the trouble they get into is because of the "shouldn'ts" and "can'ts." Once those restrictions are taken away, any type of desire to be "bad" disappears.

Much of the fun of Tom Sawyer is getting to see what the boys will do next, so I won't go any further into what the books is about. It did take me a few chapters to get into the rhythm of Twain's writing, but his writing has a wonderful lyrical style and he is quite humorous. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the witticisms and little philosophical side notes Twain interjected into the book. My favorite part of Tom Sawyer, though, is the dialogue. I had a tougher time with the dialect in Huck Finn, but Tom Sawyer is fairly readable. I'll leave you with two passages--the first is one of my favorite parts of the book when Tom feeds Aunt Polly's cat Painkiller. The second is an example of the dialogue in an exchange between Tom and Huck when they think they've happened upon a treasure of money.

"Peter [the cat] was agreeable. So Tom pried his mouth open and poured down the Painkiller. Peter sprang a couple of yards in the air, and then delivered a war whoop and set off round and round the room, banging against furniture, upsetting flowerpots, and making general havoc. Next he rose on his hind feet and pranced around, in a frenzy of enjoyment, with his head over his shoulder and his voice proclaiming his unappeasable happiness. Then he went tearing around the house again spreading chaos and destruction in his path. Aunt Polly entered in time to see him throw the open window, carrying the rest of the flowerpots with him. The old lady stood petrified with astonishment, peering over her glasses; Tom lay on the floor expiring with laughter" (68).

***********************************************************

"I'm going to buy a new drum, and sure-'nough sword, and a red necktie and a bull pup, and get married."
"Married!"
"That's it."
"Tom, you-why, you ain't in your right mind."
"Wait-you'll see."
"Well, that's the foolishest thing you could do. Look at pap and my mother.
Fight! Why, they used to fight all the time. I remember, mighty well."
"That ain't anything. The girl I'm going to marry won't fight."
"Tom, I reckon they're all alike..." (128).

I can just hear the two boys bickering back and forth in my head--usually I don't need a lot of dialogue in books and aren't bothered if the book is text-heavy, but in this case I looked forward to every little exchange. I hope you'll read this book. It is full of fun and southern charm, and although there are probably lessons to be learned from Tom and Huck and their scrapes, I just relaxed with this one and let the adventure sweep me away.

What was the last book you read that was just plain fun?

Also read by Lezlie of Books N Border Collies

**I didn't see many reviews of this one in my very quick search (saw it on a lot of lists!), so if I missed yours, let me know and I'll include the link.

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister - Gregory Maguire

Title: Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister

Author: Gregory Maguire

Published: 1999 Pages: 368

Genre: Fiction

Rating: 3.5/5

Last year I read and really enjoyed Wicked by Maguire, so I was excited when I found a used copy of Confessions for cheap. And of course then it sat on my shelf for about a year. Hate when that happens! Carl's Once Upon a Time Challenge was the perfect chance for me to read this one. And I'm glad I did--but I didn't love it as much as Wicked.

Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister is a retelling of the Cinderella tale, but while many parts of the book were familiar, this definitely isn't the Disney version. Set in the seventeenth century, Margarethe flees England with her two small daughters, Ruth and Iris, to start a new life in Holland. Their circumstances are mysterious, but is evident that a tragedy involving Ruth and Iris's father has occurred--a tragedy that is quickly swept under the rug. Desperate to make sure her daughters are fed and sheltered, Margarethe does everything she can to claw her way into situations that will help them all rise above the dirt and squalor of reality. Along the way, they become involved in the Van der Meer household where they meet Clara--a small and curious child, a changeling of sorts.

Once Margarethe and her daughters intertwine themselves in the life of the Van der Meers, the story becomes more familiar--Margarethe eventually becomes the evil stepmother we all know and Ruth and Iris become the stepsisters. But they aren't evil like we have learned in the original fairytale. This story is twisted into a perspective that recreates the story of Cinderella.

"In the lives of children, pumpkins can turn into coaches, mice and rats into human beings. When we grow up, we learn that it's far more common for human beings to turn into rats" (x).

I enjoyed many elements of the story--of course seeing the wellknown fairytale in a different light. I've come to really enjoy different tellings and one of my favorite aspects of literature is perspective. There is always more than one side of the story, but we usually see the side of the successor. In this case the reader sees what might have really occured--what Clara or Cinderella was truly like, the interaction between the stepsisters and Clara, and of course the stepsisters' part in the tale.

I also really liked the characterization and side stories in this book. Iris seems to be the main character, and she is a strong and willful young woman. Her sister Ruth is mute and often plays second fiddle (or even third after Clara), but she is still an important member of the cast. Margarethe is wretched--everything you would expect an evil stepmother to be. Surrounding the story is the tulip craze and a painter, Luykas Schoonmaker, who tries to capture beauty but often paints the horrific truth instead. And then Caspar who in many respects is the fairy godmother of the story. True beauty is a major theme within the novel, and all of these characters in some way represent some type of beauty--whether pure beauty or tainted and false.

There is a richness to Maguire's storytelling that I really love, but the execution of the storytelling is sometimes jarring or disconnected. There were many storylines that were dragged on for too long in the book and some that I didn't think were fully satisfied, such as the story of what happened in England before they left for Holland. I suppose this is to be left a mystery, but it felt a little too unsettled to me.

This review is much longer than I intended--when beginning I half thought I didn't really have much to say about the book. It was an enjoyable read, but I didn't find it terribly memorable. If you're looking to read Maguire, certainly go with Wicked which seemed much more complex to me. I'm interested in reading more of his Oz series but don't know if I'll try any of his other retellings just yet. What is your favorite fairytale retelling? Have you read any Maguire?



Also reviewed by:
Bonnie from Redlady's Reading Room
Jeane from Dog Ear Diary
Raych from books i done read
*let me know if I missed yours

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This concludes my reading for the Once Upon a Time Challenge III. I had hoped to read The Book of Lost Things and Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell, but there just isn't enough time. What I did finish:

Tales of Beedle the Bard - JK Rowling
The Light Fantastic - Terry Pratchett
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister - Gregory Maguire

Date Finished: June 13, 2009 #29

Boy's Life - Robert McCammon

Title: Boy's Life
Author: Robert McCammon
Published: 1991 Pages: 578
Genre: Fiction (possibly mystery?)
Rating: 5/5

I don't have a Sunday Salon post for today and if you've wondered where I've been this past week, I've been hiding away in the small town of Zephyr Alabama in 1964--quickly turning the pages of Boy's Life every spare minute I had. I LOVED this book, so prepare yourself for a gush-fest.

When my coworker was trying to decide on a book for June's meeting, she mentioned Boy's Life and I immediately thought of CJ's review from over a year ago and told her--Yes! Pick that book! Within the first few chapters of the book, I knew that I was going to love this book and I couldn't be more thrilled that my prediction was right (what's worse than thinking you're going to love a book and then it falling flat?).

Boy's Life is a coming of age story, and the story begins when eleven-year-old Cory Mackenson and his father witness a truck plow right into Saxon's Lake. The truck contains a naked man beaten, strangled, and handcuffed to the steering wheel. Cory's father dives into the lake to help free the man, but it is no use and man and his secret sink to the bottom of Saxon's Lake. The things that Cory witness that morning with his father and events that occur thereafter help shape him into a young man, but although the mystery of the murder is a prevalent thread throughout the book, there is so much more to Boy's Life:

"We had a dark queen who was one hundred and six years old. We had a gunfighter who saved the life of Wyatt Earp at the O.K. Corral. We had a monster in the river, and a secret in the lake. We had a ghost that haunted the road behind the wheel of a black dragster with flames on the hood. We had a Gabriel and a Lucifer, and a rebel that rose from the dead. We had an alien invader, a boy with a perfect arm, and we had a dinosaur loose on Merchants Street" (4).

In short, Boy's Life has it all--mystery and magic, things that will make you laugh and things that will make you cry, remembrance of a time when life was so much simpler but in many ways more complicated. Being set in Alabama during the 1960s, racism and civil rights are constant themes in the book and there are many moments where I had chills sent up my spine. Also consistent with southern fiction is the level of storytelling. Through Cory's eyes, McCammon has painted such a vivid image of what it was like growing up in the town of Zephyr that I felt I was right there with Cory and his friends. I was reminded of a cross between The Sandlot and Stand By Me (the movies)--a group of boys getting themselves into trouble, the things they encounter that could only be tall tales, a nostalgia for a time long passed.

If I let myself this would be a rather long review of just positive features, and I don't want to give away too much of the plot because the mystery is so much of the fun in reading this book. There really isn't anything that I wish was different about this book. The writing is descriptive and clear, the dialogue is believable and entertaining, the plot is magical and tender and touching. Through the narrative I was transported decades into the past and loved every minute I spent in this small southern town. It is the perfect book for summer vacation or a perfect book to curl up with in the cold winter months.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It is the best book I've read this year and one that I will continue think back on fondly. I can't remember the last time I read a book where I was so absolutely absorbed that I felt compelled to read "just one more chapter" having to know what happens next. I couldn't wait to talk about the happenings in the book with my coworkers the next morning. I laughed out loud and I cried when the book was over. I will definitely be keeping this one on the shelf and revisiting time and again.

Finished: June 7, 2009 #28

New Moon - Stephenie Meyer

Title: New Moon
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Published: 2006 Pages: 563
Rating: 3/5

Since this one has been around so many times, I'm skipping the usual review format for the self-interview format I used for Twilight. I can't/won't talk about this book without spoilers--so be warned. :)

What kind of place was this? Could a world really exist where ancient legends went wandering around the borders of tiny, insignificant towns, facing down mythical monsters? Did this mean every impossible fairy tale was grounded somewhere in absolute truth? Was there anything sane or normal at all, or was everything just magic and ghost stories? (293-4).

Trish, you read Twilight back in January and had to admit that you actually liked it--why did you wait so long to pick up New Moon?
Since I refuse to purchase copies of these books, I had to wait until I could borrow a copy from a friend. I may have squealed a little with glee when I finally got my hands on this one.

So...what did you think? Was it as enthralling as Twilight?
No! I read the first hundred pages with relative ease, but then Edward left and there was this whole side story with Jacob. I like Jacob well enough, but let's face it--he's no Edward. I actually put the book down for a few days to read my bookclub book (The Glass Castle), and didn't even really think about it at all. It wasn't until Edward came back in the last third of the book that I found that itch to keep turning the pages.

You would consider yourself "Team Edward" then rather than "Team Jacob"?
Yes--my crush on Edward has not subsided at all. I admit that Jacob's body warmth does sound incredibly appealing compared to Edward's coldness, but other than that I was bored with the storyline. It felt like Meyer was trying to stretch out the story--forcing the parallel between this book and Romeo and Juliet. Mostly, though, the werewolf storyline seemed heavy handed and contrived. I was glad when she switched the focus back to the vampires, but then all that work she did creating the werewolf plot just disappeared. I'm guessing it will be more prevalent in the next book.

And Bella? You mentioned not being really annoyed with her in the first--did you see a change with this edition?
Bella still didn't get on my nerves like I suspected she might or like others suggested she would. Yes she is whiny. And the whole "hole in my chest" bit was obnoxious. I think it is dangerous to present this kind of obsession with a boy to teenaged readers, but that's a whole other enchilada. I didn't like that Bella was putting herself into danger all of the time just to hear Edward's "voice," and I hated how consumed she was with becoming a vampire. It irked me that Alice, who I really like, gave in so easily to Bella's pleas. Hmm--from that answer it does sound like I was annoyed, huh?

Will you continue with the series, or have you had enough?
I have the next two books sitting in my car, so I don't really have to wait. But, I'm in no big hurry to continue with the next chapter. I'm guessing I'll give it a few more months and then pick up Eclipse. It is a little promising now that Edward is back in the picture, but I'm not eager to start in with a icky werewolf/vampire/human love triangle.

Have you rented the movie yet?
No--but it's only a matter of time before it finds its way into my house. I think Scott is itching to rent it, although he would never admit it. I'm still boycotting Robert Pattinson as Edward. Big Fat Ick!! :)

Any final words?
Vampires--HOT. Not people/subjects I normally read about, but oooh man! Even if I do have to endure reading the description "marble" twenty million times.

Date Finished: April 12, 2009 #18

A Year in Provence - Peter Mayle (and Lentil Soup Recipe)

Title: A Year in Provence
Author: Peter Mayle
Date Finished: March 16, 2009 #13
Published: 1989 Pages: 207
Rating: 3/5

The way that my f2f book club works is that each member is responsible for their own month--picking the book and setting up the meeting. This has worked great so far and we've had a really diverse selection of reads. After the initial horrible book club pick for March, the "hostess" quickly chose another book for us to read. I think this book was on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, or in other words bland.

Peter Mayle and his wife (whose name isn't mentioned that I can remember!) pick up one day from deary England and move to Provence. A Year in Provence is just that--their first year in Provence. This travelogue, though, isn't as much about their experiences as expatriates, but rather a look at the Provincial culture. Lots and lots and lots about food. Lots about the work ethic of those who help renovate their house, work that takes the entire year. Lots about different events and festivals that occur in Provence. Lots about the tourists that travel to Provence and create headache for the natives.

I think I would have liked this book better if it contained more of a personal account. Very little is said about Peter and his wife such as why they moved to Provence, what they did in England before the move, how they adjusted to the new lifestyle. The book did make me very hungry, though! It is very light reading, but not very exciting either. Like I said before, bland. We did have lots of yummy bread and brie at the meeting, though! That definitely left me much more satisfied than the book did.

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Lentil Soup (from Betty Crocker)
This book made me crave food so badly, that I decided to make homemade soup for the first time in years (with fresh bread of course).

3 slices bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large carrot, sliced (about ¾ cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 cups water
12 ounces dried lentils (about 2 cups)
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 Tbsp. snipped parsley
1 Tbsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
¼ to ½ tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes
1 cup water

Fry bacon in dutch oven until crisp; drain on paper towel. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic to bacon fat; cook and stir over medium heat until celery is tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in bacon, 4 cups water, the lentils, bouillon cube, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Heat to boiling; reduce heat.

Cover and simmer until soup thickens, about 1 hour. Stir in tomatoes (with liquid) and 1 cup water (may need more water if too thick). Simmer uncovered 15 minutes.

Serves 6 (1 ½ cup servings).

Watchmen - Alan Moore and a Baby Quilt!

Title: Watchmen
Author: Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Date Finished: Feb 27, 2009 #9
Published: 1985 Pages: 416
Rating: 4.5/5

Wow. What to say, what to say. I went into this reading with a little bit of excitement and a whole lot of fear. The only graphic novel that I've read is Persepolis, and this, to me, seems far more intense. Just flipping through the pages left me greatly overwhelmed. But what can you do--just take it one page at a time.

I became curious about this book when I first saw the movie preview. I have to admit that I hadn't heard of it before then. But now that graphic novels are all abuzz I started to see it listed more and more. Someone actually suggested it for the "future" classics list last year--I still hadn't heard of it then.

What is Watchmen? Watchmen begins with a murder and then an exile. It appears that someone is targeting heroes (most of whom retired when the US banned vigilantes) and killing them one by one. A few of the old Watchmen group get together at first to save themselves, but it may not just be themselves who are in danger. You know I hate summarizing...and really, the less you know, the better. :)

Several things surprised me about this book. First, I am astounded at the complexity that the author and artist achieved. The book contains twelve volumes, and at the end of each volume is a little snippet of secondary information. Sometimes journal entries, sometimes bits from a retired hero's book, sometimes interviews. But even though those few pages at the end of each volume added needed background information, the actual picture text part is where the depth comes from. The book is multilayered, switches points of view, is at the same time poetic and frightening. Really--compelling.

The most difficult thing I had to overcome while reading the book was my impatience. I couldn't decide if I should read the text first and then look at the pictures or visa versa--it was very difficult for me to take in both at the same time. This sometimes created a choppiness that I didn't really like (because I was impatient for more!), but on the other hand, it was hard not to get caught up in everything single little thing that was going on. One of the things that I loved about the illustrations was how a picture would focus on something small, then the next frame would zoom out, and finally it would zoom enough to get the entire shot. Words are failing me while writing this review...but there is just so much!

The other thing that really surprised me was how interested I was in the content. I don't read action books. I don't like conspiracy. I don't like end of the world type stuff. I don't like unrealistic, science fictiony, hero swoops in to save the day, etc etc. Really--if that dang movie preview hadn't been so fantastic, and if I hadn't seen this book around the blogosphere, I probably would never have given it a second glance. But once I started reading, I was hooked. This was not fast reading for me. Each volume took me about an hour to read (28 pages plus 5 of non-picture text). But, I loved everything about this book except for the story within the story, which I found most of the time distracting and way over my head. :)

Is it for you? I don't know. It is absolutely, completely, utterly different from anything I have ever experienced before. I don't know that it has universal appeal, and there is a little bit of s*x and a lot of gruesome violence. But none of that "Pow!" "Bam!" "Holy Jeepers, Batman!" stuff one might expect from a comic book. Am I even allowed to call it that? Pick it up and read the first volume. You'll get a pretty good idea if you'll like it or not. I know that I'll read it again one day and gain an entirely different perspective.

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In other news...

Last night we welcomed to the world my niece, Emma Cathryn. She's absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. Both she and my sister are doing great. Below is the quilt that I made for Baby Emma. It took me about a month, but I'm thrilled at how it turned out. I hope Emma will love it one day as well. I machine sewed and hand tied the quilt. It is about 3.5x3.5 feet. The checked pattern is actually little butterflies (I think you can click on picture to enlarge).


And now...off to Hawaii (Oahu) for a week! Aloha Aloha. :)

Miles from Nowhere - Nami Mun

Title: Miles from Nowhere
Author: Nami Mun
Published: 2009 Pages: 286
Rating: DNF (180/282 pages finished)

This may be the first time that I've abandoned a book with absolutely no intention of ever picking it up again. This was is our book club pick for March, and I suspect that the person who chose the book didn't quite know what exactly she was getting into--but she knew the book was going to be "gritty."

Miles from Nowhere is the story of a young Korean immigrant who runs away from home. She falls into the seedier side of the world--prostitution, drug abuse, thievery, and I won't even go into what make me finally put the book down for good. I read about 160 pages before I started feeling sick to my stomach, read the last chapter quickly, and passed the book back to its owner.

I was telling Laura, who is also in the [work] book club with me, that I think the story might have better had it been more character related rather than completely plot driven (yes, you know I love that characterization). I didn't get any sense of what Joon, the main character, was feeling--even despite the book being told from her narration. I only got a sense of how horrid her life was--maybe after the next chapter it would have been better, but I didn't want to give it any more time (it only took about 3 hours to get as far as I did).

Moving on! The quilt is coming along nicely. I have all the pinwheels sewn, as you can see below, and after the picture was taken I got half of the rows sewn together. So...just need to sew the rest of the top and then figure out how to quilt it. I'm not sure if I'll finish it before little Emma (my niece) arrives, but I'll be working on it most of the weekend to try!



I also hope to tackle my Google Reader this weekend. I still haven't spent much time on there this week due to quilting, etc., but I'm feeling less stressed. :)

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

Title: Twilight
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Date Finished: Jan 25, 2009 #4
Published: 2005 Pages: 497
Rating: 4/5

Well, I certainly didn’t think that this day would come so soon. If I’m honest with myself, it was always inevitable that I was going to read Twilight, but my friend Theresa gave me the violent gentle push I needed. I’ve been torn on how to review this book since so many others have already done so. If you don’t know who Bella and Edward are, you truly have been living under a rock (although when I confided in my sister that I devoured the book over the weekend, she said, “what’s that?”). A rock…a very dark one. Teenaged girl falls in love with vampire and they have all the expected human/vampire problems. There--let's move on.

How to review, how to review? I thought about asking for questions that you’d like me to answer. But then I was afraid that no one would ask any questions. So, I’ve come up with my own questions. I can’t pretend to be as witty as Bookfool when she interviews herself, but here’s what I imagine you would ask if I asked you to ask me. :)

Trish, what’s the deal? Why so resistant towards Twilight and the rest of the series?
It’s funny because once upon a time I was pretty interested in the series. I had seen the books at the store and was pretty curious, especially after a friend raved about them in the same way that I rave about Harry Potter. But I waited to read them, and the longer I waited, the bigger these books got. So big that I was finally a little turned off. I tend to stay away from hysteria, but I knew it was only a matter of time before I eventually got to them. My best friend, Theresa, made me promise over Christmas break that I would at least try Twilight by the end of January. So, here we are. I couldn’t resist my very dear friend.

So now that you’ve read it, will you admit that you liked it. Even just a little bit?
Fine. I admit it. :) I read the first 40 pages or so before work and felt pretty apprehensive about it. I felt the plot was heavily contrived and soooooooo high school. But by the end of my lunch break, I had finished a fifth of the book and couldn’t wait to read more. It’s been a long time since I’ve read for hours at a time because I didn’t want to put the book down.

You’ve read a lot of negative things about the characters, especially Bella being a whining little brat. D’you agree?
Everyone thinks that Bella is incredibly obnoxious, but I didn’t mind her. Maybe because I have a 16 year old step-sister and a 12 year old brother and am used to teenaged whining? Bella is unsure of herself, a little self-conscious, she has a gorgeous and intimidating boy sweep her off her feet. Of course she’s going to be a little whiny. All the teenaged love thing kind of got on my nerves because I know what it is to be a teenager “in love,” but I tried to just read past it all.

I see you blushing a little bit…what's on your mind?
Nothing. Really--nothing!

Are you sure, Trish? Nothing at all?
Uh uh.

C’mon…
FINE. I have a huge gigantic crush on Edward. Yes, it was certainly annoying to read about his marble body and his modelish good looks and his t-shirt clinging to his muscular chest, etc etc. But what can I say? He’s totally the guy I would have gone for in high school. You know you feel the same way…! Enough about my crush…back to the book!

I know, I know, you’re not a book critic. But what did you think about the writing?
Yup, you’re right. Not a book critic. I read this book for pleasure—I didn’t think the writing was fantastic, but I wasn’t really bothered by it either. I was expecting to see the description alabaster a million times, but I think it might have come up twice. Really, my biggest complaint would be with the action sequences. I had a really difficult time visualizing what was happening, but most of the time Bella (the narrator) was passed out anyway, so I guess that’s why the descriptions are so foggy!

Now that you’ve finished the book, will you see the movie?
Nope. Not unless hubby picks it up from Blockbuster—he won’t admit it, but he loves teenage dramas (or comedies). But Robert Pattinson? Really? Have you seen those sideburns? No thanks.

Are you dying to get your hands on New Moon?
Ahhhh…the moment of truth. Yes, I’ll be reading New Moon. But not today. Maybe tomorrow. Haha! Just kidding. I think I’ll try to squeeze it in next month. If I can, great! If not, the book isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

So what confessions do you have to make about the Twilight series? Love it? Hate it? Crush on Edward???

Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami

Title: Kafka on the Shore
Author: Haruki Murakami
Date Finished: Jan 22, 2009 #3
Published: 2005 Pages: 467
Rating: 4.5/5

When I first decided to read Kafka on the Shore for Bellezza's Japanese Literature Challenge, I didn't know anything about Murakami or the book itself. All I knew was that I had seen it around a lot and that I was intimidated by it. Funny how those prejudices form for no apparent reason. Even though I had a few fears or concerns about how the reading was going to go for the book, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy this book is to read. Understanding it might be a different thing all together, but I was swept away by the writing.

In Kafka on the Shore, Murakami weaves together the story of Kafka and Nakata. Kafka is a young boy of fifteen who suddenly runs away from home and finds refuge and new friends at a library. He is fighting to prevent his father's prophesy from coming true--a Oedipal prophesy that Kafka will kill his father and sleep with his mother and sister who abandoned him when he was four. Nataka, an elderly gentleman who lost many of his intellectual capacity during a WWII incident, has the ability to speak with cats and works to find lost cats. One lost cat in particular leads him on a whirlwind scavenger hunt for something, but even Nakata doesn't know what that something is. Each chapter alternates between Kafka's and Nakata's story, and it isn't clear until well into the story how the two are connected with one another. But unbeknownst to each other, they are both searching for the answers and meaning to the same secret--a secret that will free them both.

What a book! There is so much packed into these 467 pages that I'm sitting here in front of the computer screen drawing a blank one what to write about. Where to start? It is safe to say that all my expectations of this book were fully met and every intimidation I was feeling was a waste of time. True, it took me about two weeks to complete this one (stopping for a shorter read in the middle), but Kafka is at once a poetically written book but it is also incredibly accessible:

"Not just beautiful, though--the stars are like the trees in the forest, alive and breathing. And they're watching me. What I've done up till now, what I'm going to do--they know it all. Nothing gets past their watchful eyes. As I sit there under the shining night sky, again a violent fear takes hold of me. My heart's pounding a mile a minute, and I can barely breathe. All these millions of stars looking down on me, and I've never given them more than a passing thought before. Not just stars--how many other things haven't I noticed in the world, things I know nothing about? I suddenly feel helpless, completely powerless. And I know I'll never outrun that awful feeling" (Kafka narrating, 135).

Murakami gives us so much to think about in this book, and after finishing I still felt like there were so many pieces of the puzzle that needed to be fit together. But despite the philosophy and theory and deep thinking, this book is also a thriller. I found myself holding my breath at some passages, not knowing what was going to happen, having to keep turning the pages to discover the outcome of the latest conflict. Another element I wasn't expecting in the least, was the magical element. I just found out that this book won the World Fantasy Award a few years back, and I had no idea that I would be encountering magical rocks, strange "concepts" that disguise themselves as pop culture icons, a man who can talk to cats and cats that talk back, fish that rain from the sky--and really that's just the beginning.

So again, Wow, what a book! I would recommend this book, especially if you are looking for something a little out of the ordinary and something that will make you think [a lot]. There is some sexual content in the book--and Kafka is fifteen so his hormones are raging, but I didn't find it overwhelming or tastelessly done. All in all, this is a book that will stick with me a for a while as I continue to mull everything over to try and fit those pieces together. And I'll definitely be pursuing more Murakami in the future. Maybe Wind-Up Bird Chronicles?

Others who've also read it (let me know if I missed yours!):
Tanabata; Gautami; C.B. James; Charley; Bellezza; Nymeth; Terri B.

The book concludes my 1% Well-Read Challenge and Japanese Literature Challenge. I hope to eventually do a 2008 Challenge wrap-up posts and cheat to include these. It's just one book, right?? :)

Bringing Down the House - Ben Mezrich

Title: Bringing Down the House
Author: Ben Mezrich
Date Finished: Dec 26, 2008 #72
Published: 2002 Pages: 257
Rating: 3.5/5

After attempting to watch the movie 21 and falling asleep (not because of the movie...unfortunately I have a tough time staying awake while watching any movie at home), my dad told me he read the book and enjoyed it more than the film. So, instead of renting 21 again, I decided to make this my quick holiday vacation read. And quick it was!

Bringing Down the House tells the true story of Kevin Lewis and a group of other students from MIT who use their math skills to beat the Las Vegas casinos at blackjack thus winning several million dollars. The book was very entertaining and oftentimes a page turner as Mezrich discusses the strategies used in order to win thousands of dollars in a matter of hours and the close calls the group faced as casino managers began to catch onto their scheme (although card counting is not illegal you can be thrown out of a casino).

The characters are colorful and well-developed, although according to wikipedia, many of the events and even characters are exaggerated or even fictionalized. Kind of burst my bubble, especially as I was really excited about this book and kept relaying the events to hubby. It's still a really fun and interesting read--not very deep or thought provoking, but definitely great for a short break from heavier reading.

Woohoo! Year's shortest review. :P I'm still really swamped, but here's to hoping that next week will bring back the slower pace in life. Hope everyone is well!

Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller

Title: Death of a Salesman
Author: Arthur Miller
Date Finished: October 5, 2008 #57
Pages: 139
Published: 1949
Rating: 3/5

Is it bad that I'm currently hating my F2F book club read? Yes, hate (Ride the Wind). So in an effort to procrastinate I thought I would sneak in this short play and cross a book of my classics list! That's much more fun than reading about stuff that, well, I don't want to read about. :)

I have heard so much about this play but really knew nothing about it before I picked up my copy. Death of a Salesman is the story of Willy Loman, an aging traveling salesman who is trying to keep up with the battles that face him once he has arrived home from his latest business trip. He is behind in his finances, his wife fears for his sanity, and his children have lost respect for him through the years--and to top it all off he just been in another car "accident." Willy, though, is trying to live the dream that anyone can control his own fate. Has the dream, though, gotten out of hand and consumed him?

I feel pretty ambivalent toward this play. I didn't love it or hate it and it was a really quick read (2 Acts and 1 short finale). I think there are a lot of things in the play that many of us could relate to--especially at times when it seems we are working our tails off for...what? At one point in the play, Willy's son Biff tells his brother:

"Well, I spent six or seven years after high school trying to work myself up. Shipping clerk, salesman, business of one kind or another. And it's a measly manner of existence. To get on that subway on the hot mornings in summer. To devote your whole life to keeping stock, or making phone calls, or selling or buying. To suffer fifty weeks of the year for the sake of a two-week vacation, when all you really desire is to be outdoors, with your shirt off. And always to have to get ahead of the next fella. And still--that's how you build a future" (22).

And over fifty years later this still rings true.

The play isn't very flashy or fancy. There aren't necessarily different scenes in the two acts, but there are a number of flashbacks of different conversations Willy has had over the years regarding prospecting with his brother Ben in Alaska, different people Willy has come into contact along the way--especially in relationship his children. I would love to see the play acted to see how all of these different parts are transitioned--especially as at times the flashbacks seemed more like delusions that Willy was having while still in the present.

Bottom line: Like I said before, I'm pretty ambivalent about this book but I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking to fit something short in between books or really wants to experience this classic American play first hand. I don't think you'll be sorry you did.

The Road - Cormac McCarthy (and other stuff)

Title: The Road
Author: Cormac McCarthy
Date Finished: August 20, 2008 #48
Pages: 287
Rating: 4.25/5

Every once in a while a book comes around that will stick with you--I've been lucky to find a few of those recently and this one is no exception. This is my fourth McCarthy book and while I've liked/loved the others maybe just as well, this is the one that I will continue to remember and think about.

I'm not sure what I can add to what others have said about the plot--and really it is quite simple so I'll keep it short. The Road is about a father and son who are travelling south through the post-apocalyptic ruins of what used to be America. Knowing they will die in the brutal winter of where they are, they must seek out a warmer climate near the ocean. During their journey they encounter every horror of what has become of the remnants of humanity and nature. The two travel with the clothes on their back, what they can fit into a shopping cart, and a pistol with two bullets--meant for suicide.

With every other McCarthy book I've read, hopelessness is seemingly ubiquitous. While I think that there is plenty of hope in this book for those who search hard enough, terror and fear abound. There is a movie being released maybe this winter and I don't think I can possibly see it after reading the book. McCarthy takes a hard look at how mankind would react if almost everything was wiped from the face of the earth. If every day was a battle to survive. The dead are everywhere--and if you aren't dead you have to watch your back to make sure it stays that way. It is the stuff of nightmares--and I have enough of an imagination to visualize the happenings of this book without having to witness it on the big screen. Sheesh!!

What I love about McCarthy is his style. If Hemingway is terse, I think that would make McCarthy uberterse. What amazes me about McCarthy is that he says so little but draws me in just the same. Of the four I've read, this is by far the starkest both in terms of writing and content, but the style fits the book. While he does go into detail about certain events that happen, there is also so much not said. For instance, we have no idea what caused the apocalypse or how long it has been going on for. We know there are good guys and bad guys but not what their ultimate purpose is. Once upon a time things were normal, but we don't know how long ago that was. For me, what was left out was just as impactful as what was said--and it certainly adds to the horror.

And then there is the relationship of the son and the father. Their conversations are all so simple and so incredibly heartbreaking. The father loves his son so much but how can he pretend that he is not just as scared as the son is. And the son, who wants to believe every word that his father says but ultimately knows that his father is sometimes lying to him in order to protect him. These are the parts that will continue to stick with me. As they would both say, "Okay."

I have several friends who have started this book, struggled through the first 50 pages or so, and never finished. I think that one has to get into the rhythm of McCarthy's style--and once there the book is difficult to put down. This book is haunting--it tugged at my heartstrings and punched me in the gut--but it is also a beautiful portrait of pure love.

So, what do you think of the book? How do you think it will translate into film? See what they think about the book:
CJ; Nicola; Wendy; Joy; Dewey; Raidergirl3; Gautami; Tricia ; Laura; Serena

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OTHER STUFF
I'm leaving on a jet plane tomorrow for Toronto!! Its been four years since I've been up to visit and Scott has never been so we are really excited (its actually a family trip). The weather is supposed to be gorgeous and I can't wait! My Google Reader has been pretty quiet all week--are people on vacation? Anyway, just wanted to let you know why I won't be around for a few days and I'll make my rounds when I get back next week.

GIVEAWAYS
Don't forget about my Farworld: Water Keep giveaway!! Click HERE to enter. I'll draw a winner on Wednesday August 27th when I get to my computer.

Also Jeane is celebrating her blogiversary with a giveaway HERE.

And Dar is giving away a copy of One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell HERE.

Wicked - Gregory Maguire

Title: Wicked
Author: Gregory Maguire
Date Finished: May 12, 2008
Yearly Count: 25
Pages: 406
Rating: 4/5

"One never learns how the witch became wicked, or whether that was the right choice for her--is it ever the right choice? Does the devil ever struggle to be good again, or if so is he not a devil? Is it at the very least a question about definitions" (231).

I must have seen the movie The Wizard of Oz a million times when I was little and I've read the book once or twice, but how do you ever really know a story unless you hear both sides? This story tells the tale of the Wicked Witch of the West, most commonly known in the book as Elphaba, and how she began the legend that she is.

Born a bright green girl she led a curious childhood and even more curious adolescence as a smart, witty, and deeply understood girl. Elphaba is passionate about Animals and determining what makes someone human, but more important to this story, what makes someone evil or good. Is evilness inherent or is it something that develops? Can someone who is evil become good, or visa versa? These things she seeks to learn as she grows up in the Land of Oz where the country is ruled by a tyrant Wizard.

Wicked is a type of bildungsroman, following Elphaba through her school years at Shiz, her time as a covert spy in Emerald City, and her years in recluse at the castle in Kiamo Ko. The story is very different from what I expected--I think I expected this to be a type of children's book, but it isn't. There is a little bit of language and sexual content, but mostly it contains deep adult themes such as politics, ethics, love, forgiveness, and what it means to have a soul.

Maguire weaves a beautiful story, and I grew to love Elphaba even as she matured into a tortured woman. He does a great job of developing her character, but the final encounter with Dorothy was still a little awkward for me--most of the story was believable, but somehow the ending seemed forced. My only other qualm with the book is there is so much left out and left up for the reader to interpret--such as Elphaba's mysterious childhood in Quadling before going to school in Shiz, her time in Emerald City when she is on a secret mission, and of course I wanted more of the love affair between her and Fiyero. I guess if all of that was included the story could be a thousand pages long. But overall, I heartily enjoyed this story and my next step is to purchase the Wicked soundtrack since the play won't be coming back to Texas until next year (and even then it will be a five hour drive to see it in San Antonio).

*I was hoping to use my Google Reader to find other's reviews, but it didn't work as nicely as it did for The Innocent Man. If you've reviewed it, leave me a little note with your link and I'll include it. I did, however, manage to find Nymeth's review.

Jeane also reviewed this book here.

Happy reading!

All The Pretty Horses - Cormac McCarthy

Title: All the Pretty Horses
Author: Cormac McCarthy
Date Finished: March 5, 2008
Yearly Count: 11
Pages: 302
Rating: 4.25/5

Cormac McCarthy is fast becoming one of my favorite authors (see my thoughts on No Country for Old Men here). All the Pretty Horses is my third McCarthy book and as with finishing the other two, I was left with his prose haunting me. This book is the first in the Border Triology; I've already read the second book, The Crossing, so now I'll be looking forward to Cities of the Plain where the "heroes" of each book come together.

All the Pretty Horses is the story of John Grady Cole, the last in a long family line of Texas ranchers. Set in West Texas (San Angelo--see the picture below of the town I just moved from which is about 30 miles or so from San Angelo--yes, there is a brush fire in the background) and Mexico, the landscape plays a large role in the novel. At the beginning of the story, John Grady’s grandfather dies leaving his ranch which is too expensive to keep. His mother has no interest in the ranch, so she sells it and John Grady decides to leave with his friend Lacey Rawlins to find work as vaqueros in Mexico.

As with The Crossing, All the Pretty Horses is the story of a young man learning life’s injustices and coming to terms with his manhood. During John Grady’s journey, he encounters a troublesome youth who nearly costs John Grady his freedom and life, enters into a forbidden love affair with a Mexican Don’s daughter which can only end in heartache, and struggles to make his way back to a home and way of life that no longer exist.

What I love about McCarthy is his honesty in the way that he writes about life, but I also love his style. I can’t explain what it is about his prose that I love so much, but for some reason it provides me with a feeling of nostalgia. Again, of what, I’m not sure—nostalgia for Texas—particularly the wide open country of Texas. His style is a little reminiscent of Faulkner in that he writes long sentences that go on and on, but McCarthy has a rhythm to his writing that is so packed with emotion:

"...she rode all seeming unaware down through the low hills while the first spits of rain blew on the wind and onto the upper pasturelands and past the pale and reedy lakes riding erect and stately until the rain caught her up and shrouded her figure away in that wild summer landscape: real horse, real rider, real land and sky and yet a dream withal" (132).

I’ve noticed that my posts are starting to get longer and longer (which is kind of annoying to me since I prefer to read shorter posts because of my time constraints), but this is a book that I can’t write about in a paragraph or two. I don’t recommend it to everyone—I think a lot of people find McCarthy’s prose long-winded and boring, but to me it is so fitting for the land that he writes of—strangely beautiful.

Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt

Title: Angela's Ashes
Author: Frank McCourt
Date Finished: Feb 10, 2008
Yearly Count: 7
Pages 460
Rating: 3/5

I picked this book up probably almost 10 years ago (when the movie was being released) and have tried to read it two or three times in that span. According to my dog-eared page, my last attempt took me to page 60. I don’t remember exactly why I gave up on the book, but probably because I thought it was incredibly boring. :) I was determined to get this book off my TBR shelf once and for all—and I did!!

Angela’s Ashes is Frank McCourt’s memoir of his coming of age. His memoir begins when he is a small child growing up in New York; his family keeps growing in number despite their extreme poverty, and eventually his aunt’s pay for their way back to Ireland to live. The McCourt’s situation continues on a desperate path in Ireland as his father, Malachy, finds it difficult to keep a job and when he does have a job, he drinks his paycheck before his family can see a dime (or shilling?? I am a little fuzzy on my foreign currency in the early 1930s-40s). Frank must endure daily ridicule from his classmates, members of the Catholic church, and others in general as he tries to make sense of his life and make the most of the little he has been given.

The book outlines Frank’s desire to become a man and be able to do the things that adults do—such as drink the pint, earn a living and his way to America, and do other things that I don’t need to mention. Angela’s Ashes is written from Frank’s point of view at the various stages of his life—so the narrative becomes much more detailed the older Frank is. While this type of narration was difficult at the beginning of the book when Frank is a small child (and also a great part of why I dislike James Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist…), Frank’s perspective became one of the things that I enjoyed most about the book. Sometimes it was funny to see Frank trying to make sense out of his life and some of the “rules” that he had to endure, but at other times it is heartbreaking as Frank doesn’t really quite understand what is happening to his family as they continue to struggle to survive.

So what’s up with the rating? There were times when I was really interested in the narrative, and to be fair, I never truly struggled with the prose (except the first chapter, maybe). As I got further into the book I found myself reading more and more, which could have been because of my 6+ hours in the car this weekend or because I was more interested. But, it came to a point where I could only hear about so much more heartache. I often forgot that I was reading someone’s memoirs rather than a fictional account—but for most of the book, it was just more of the same. Dad is a big fat loser. And I don’t want to diminish what Frank went through as a child, but the parts of the book that I enjoyed the most were the ones where he got away from the narrative of his dad spending all of the money in the bar and coming home drunk. I felt there was more meat to his stories about church and classroom and dancing lessons and looking for a job and becoming a man.

Do I recommend Angela’s Ashes? With caution—although I think I’ve seen more positive than negative reviews. Will I read his follow-up memoir, ‘Tis? If I can get my hands on a copy for cheap cheap cheap—but I’m not running out to store anytime soon for it.

Atonement - Ian McEwan

Title: Atonement
Author: Ian McEwan
Date Finished: January 12, 2008
Pages: 351
Rating: 4.5/5

I had heard so many great things about this book in the blogosphere and then in looking forward to the movie, I was really wanting to read this book. I had a vague idea of what the premise was, but only little pieces. As I read through the first section of the book, I was pulled through each page with anticipation of what was going to happen. I was hooked to McEwan's beautiful and smooth prose and his subtle use of suspense.

Atonement is the story of a young girl, Briony, who is on the brink of young-adulthood, but still has so much to learn about life. She witnesses a number of events that revolve around her sister and Robbie during a summer afternoon and makes several assumptions that lead to Robbie's implication of a crime. That's all I knew going into the book, so I'll leave it at that.

The book is divided into three very different sections (at least in terms of style). The first section--the one that describes Briony's transgression, moves from perspective to perspective giving a glimpse into each of the characters feelings and motivations. Because of the way that McEwan gives just a little bit of information at a time, the buildup was very great for me. I was drawn into the narrative--needing to receive answers. Once I found out what Briony had done, the second section--Robbie's narrative of World War II seemed slow. By the time the narrative moved back to Briony in section three, I grew a little restless with the story. The ending came together beautifully--and McEwan masterfully shows the reader how powerful atonement can be. It is an ending that stuck with me for a few hours after closing the book (I was on a plane), and it will be an ending that I will continue to remember, which is what I hope for in a book.

I would recommend this book and I will certainly be seeking out McEwan's other works.

No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy: A Review

Title: No Country for Old Men
Author: Cormac McCarthy
Date Finished: June 28, 2007
Pages: 309
Rating: 4.25/5

I'm speechless when it comes to this one. Is it possible I will write a short review (compared to my other blogs)? Don't hold your breath...we'll just have to see.

Llewellyn Moss, a pretty straight shooter (huh, guess in more ways than one...), finds a slew of dead drug dealers out in the Texas country. Not only does he find the bloody aftermath of the bad drug deal, but he also finds 2.4 million dollars, which he takes. In comes Chigurh, a human hunter who is trying to recover the drug money from Moss at no cost. Finally there is Ed Tom Bell, a sheriff, who is trying save the rest of the characters from an inevitable blood bath.

Yes, there is a tremendous amount of blood shed in this book. I am not familiar with much of the artillery used in the book, so I kept asking my husband. Finally, after I wanted to know what a "cattlegun" was, he said to me, "What the hell are you reading? A horror book?" Well, no, not really, but then again, yes, this is a horror book. Bleak, stark, horrific, McCarthy really gets down to the raw human emotions and desires in this book.

Recommendation: Hmmm, maybe we should start with who shouldn't read this book. People who like a happy ending; people who don't like blood, killing, brain matter splattering about; people who like basic grammatical conventions. As with many of his other books, McCarthy's writing is as stark as the events. No quotation marks, rare usage of commas, bare bones prose. Which I like, but it does take time to get used to after coming off of a "normal" novel. This is my second McCarthy book (and won't be my last), but truthfully, I liked The Crossing better (even though that book didn't end "happily ever after" either). *Sigh*

*picture from www.rbhs208.org