Title: Ice Land Author: Betsy Tobin ISBN: 9780452295698 Pages: 368 Release Date: August 25, 2009 Publisher: Plume Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy Source: Publisher Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
Ice Land is a novel that is half fantasy and half historical fiction which takes place in Iceland over 1000 years ago. Tobin uses Norse mythology as the basis for her book, re-imagining and reworking these legends as real events from history. Fulla is a young woman who has lived on her uncle's farm since her mother passed away. Her father was killed by a rival farming family, with whom Fulla and her uncle are still having a boundary dispute. Additionally, Fulla's extremely strict uncle wants to dictate whom she marries, without even giving the girl a say in the matter. Fulla wants to please her uncle, but is eager for a taste of freedom, especially after she meets a boy of whom her uncle definitely won't approve.
Freya is a middle-aged woman of renowned beauty, who also happens to be an Aesir. This means she is a god of sorts and has the ability to fly with the help of a cloak she was given when she was young. She has had a life of heartbreak, not being able to find true love and has resigned herself to being alone. She is sent on a quest to find the Brisingamen, a necklace that she is told can save her world from the dangers of a volcano, as well as from the coming of Christianity. She encounters a family of dwarves on her travels, and she will find herself irrevocably changed after their meeting.
Ice Land is a story of growth and change, of letting go and realizing what you should hold dear.
Review:
When I first heard about Ice Land, I wasn't sure what to think about it. I don't read a lot of historical fiction/fantasy combination novels, excluding those that concern the King Arthur legend. Still, because of its comparison to Mists of Avalon, a seminal work of historical fiction/fantasy, I decided to go ahead and give Ice Land a try. I'm so glad I did - I thoroughly enjoyed the magical world that Betsy Tobin created in this wonderful work of fiction.
I enjoyed the stories of Freya and Fulla equally, which is surprising. Often in dual narrator situations such as this, the reader finds that they prefer one storyline over the other. I thought they both were engaging women, but the reason I think it really worked was because they are so different. Fulla's story is one of historical fiction. She has problems that the reader can relate to, and she seems much more of this world. Freya, on the other hand, is very celestial. There is a lot of fantasy woven into her story. Her tale seems much more mythic than Fulla's, which makes it especially interesting when the two intersect.
I know next to nothing about the history of Iceland, so this book really appealed to me. I appreciated the depiction of the arrival of Christianity in this remote part of the world and thought the factual historical details were supremely interesting. I really loved the author's note at the back of the book, where Tobin details which parts of the book she made up, what she took from history, and what she got from Norse mythology. It makes the novel incredibly interesting.
I thoroughy enjoyed Ice Land. It's an epic novel in a lot of ways, and the goddess Freya and down-to-earth Fulla are both surprisingly relatable. It's an enjoyable novel to read, and its length makes it such that it isn't an intimidating one to pick up. This is a novel I definitely recommend.
Title: Her Fearful Symmetry Author: Audrey Niffenegger ISBN: 9781439165393 Pages: 416 Release Date: September 29, 2009 Publisher: Scribner Genre: Literary Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary Fiction Source: Publicist Rating: 5 out of 5
Summary:
Elspeth Noblin knows she is dying of cancer at the young age of thirty-eight, yet she has no one with whom to leave her legacy. Upon her death, she bequeaths her London flat and all her personal belongings to her estranged twin sister’s twenty-year-old twin daughters, Julia and Valentina. The only provisos are that Julia and Valentina must live together in the flat for one year and that Elspeth’s twin is not allowed to set foot in the flat during that time period.
Though Julia and Valentina never met Elspeth while she was alive, they are eager to move from the United States to London in order to star their new lives. They take up residence in Elspeth’s old flat next to the famous Highgate Cemetery and become acquainted with the various people living in the building, some of them quite eccentric. What they don’t realize is things are not quite as simple as they seem upon first glance. Why was Elspeth estranged from her sister? Why did Elspeth want the twins to stay in the flat for one year? And is Elspeth really dead and gone? As Her Fearful Symmetry unfolds, it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems when you look below the surface.
Review:
Her Fearful Symmetry is one of the most anticipated releases of 2009. There are some very high expectations for this novel, especially considering Audrey Niffenegger’s reputation as a writer. Though she has only written one previous novel, Niffenegger’s fans expect solid writing, three-dimensional characters, and a completely unique yet absolutely amazing plot. Happily, Her Fearful Symmetry doesn’t disappoint. Audrey Niffenegger uses beautiful prose in order to tell her story. Her gorgeous writing style is a comfort to tired eyes – it’s like a warm blanket on a very cold night. As a result, the pages of this incredible novel turn all too quickly because her writing is so enjoyable to read.
The mystery within Her Fearful Symmetry is well-crafted and very compelling. Niffenegger develops it very slowly, taking her time to ensure every detail is in place before revealing additional information. As a result, the plot seems to take on a life of its own. The reader’s expectations at what the book is moving towards changes with each chapter, morphing with each new morsel that Niffenegger provides. This may make it sound like the book is slow, which it definitely isn’t. Instead, it moves with leaps and bounds, taking the reader places they never thought they’d go at the beginning of the novel.
Niffenegger proves she is an expert at developing characters with Her Fearful Symmetry. Though the characters are eccentric, and in some ways larger than life, they seem completely real. It is only natural that the people living within a building next to a cemetery as renowned as Highgate would have some odd personalities – indeed, in many ways, Highgate Cemetery itself is a character within this novel. The best part about the characters is that they are so complex. They exhibit characteristics that aren’t immediately apparent on first sight, though upon reflection, the reader understands them perfectly. It is very subtle, and incredibly well done.
Her Fearful Symmetry had me from beginning to end. My expectations were extremely high, yet Niffenegger managed to surpass them. It’s a beautifully written and moving novel, yet it is also dark and completely delicious. This is a book I can’t recommend highly enough. I only hope we don’t have to wait another 5 years for Niffenegger’s next novel.
This is a challenge that I honestly wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get through! Still, I’m glad I completed it and will definitely participate in it again next year. Of the four books I read for this challenge, The Moonstone was my favorite, though I actually enjoyed all of them.
1. The English Patient – Michael Ondaatje [review] 2. Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh [review] 3. My Cousin Rachel – Daphne du Maurier [review] 4. The Moonstone – Wilkie Collins [review]
Title: A Map of Home Author: Randa Jarrar ISBN: 9780143116264 Pages: 304 Release Date: September 2, 2008 Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) Genre: Literary Fiction, Multicultural Fiction Source: Publisher Rating: 3.5 out of 5
From the publisher’s website:
In this fresh, funny, and fearless debut novel, Randa Jarrar chronicles the coming-of-age of Nidali, one of the most unique and irrepressible narrators in contemporary fiction. Born in 1970s Boston to an Egyptian-Greek mother and a Palestinian father, the rebellious Nidali—whose name is a feminization of the word “struggle”—soon moves to a very different life in Kuwait. There the family leads a mildly eccentric middle-class existence until the Iraqi invasion drives them first to Egypt and then to Texas. This critically acclaimed debut novel is set to capture the hearts of everyone who has ever wondered what their own map of home might look like.
Randa Jarrar's debut novel A Map of Home is a coming-of-age story in every sense of the word: the main character, Nidali, deals with a cultural, social, political and sexual awakening. Her constant traveling as a young girl contributes to the different ways she experienced this self-realization: as she became aware of a new culture and/or a new political situation in the Middle East, her story changed because of it.
Nidali herself is a very interesting character. Her name is very apt: for the entire novel, she is struggling against the forces that are trying to shape and mold her. She rebels against her strict father, trying to experience the social and sexual freedoms she believes any teenager deserves. She rails against the cultural norms in the Middle East, trying to discover how to live life on her own terms. Though I found her selfish at times, Nidali is generally an endearing character whose journey it is easy to get lost in.
Though A Map of Home is a rather short, small book, it moved slowly through many parts of the book. The beginning and ending were very engaging, but the middle was somewhat stagnant. Additionally, I was surprised at the sheer amount of sexuality (mostly masturbation, always a rather uncomfortable subject) and foul language in the novel. Without these elements, this book could have made a wonderful cultural awakening story for teens, but I’m not sure it’s entirely appropriate in its current state - not because of the sex, but simply because I was very uncomfortable reading it at times.
Despite this issues, A Map of Home is still a rewarding read about a girl's search for herself within an ocean of different cultures, societies, and social norms. It is definitely a good book for anyone interested in multicultural fiction, as well as in coming of age stories.
Title: Something, Maybe Author: Elizabeth Scott ISBN: 9781416978657 Pages: 224 Release Date: March 24, 2009 Publisher: Simon Pulse Genre: Teen/YA Source: Personal Copy Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
Hannah Jackson James is famous, and she hates every second of it. Her estranged father, Jackson, is a mogul who bears remarkable similarities to Hugh Hefner. Her mother, Jackson’s ex-girlfriend, now makes a living doing a webcam show wearing lingerie. All in all, it’s enough to make Hannah wish for a normal life on a daily basis.
Hannah tries to stay under the radar at school, but she is able to be herself at her job after school. And there she meets Josh, the dreamy guy she thinks she might be falling in love with. On top of that, Jackson begins to reach out to Hannah again, though she isn’t sure if she can trust him. As Hannah’s life becomes more and more complicated, she starts to realize what is important in her life.
Review:
Something, Maybe is a wonderful glimpse into the life of a not-so-normal teen. With the success of Hugh Hefner’s reality show, writing a fictional book about what his daughter might have to face is really genius – it makes the reader aware of her issues before they even open the book.
Hannah is a wonderful character that the reader can really identify with. Despite the fact that she is in a unique situation, she is still completely relatable. Though her father is famous, at the end of the day, her issues with him are those of a teen with an unreliable parent. Her crush on Josh really grounds her and makes her just like any other teenager. What really makes her special, though, is the details Scott includes about her character – the fact that she has beautiful blond hair that she doesn’t know what to do with. The fact that she has a voluptuous body that she hides under men’s shirts. The fact that she feels like she can’t trust herself with a boy because of who her father is.
Above all, Something, Maybe is a sweet book. Though a lot of it hints around sex, unsurprising considering who Hannah’s father is based on, I would venture to say that it’s not an inappropriate book. Considering Hannah’s preoccupation that being Jackson’s daughter might mean that she would go too far too fast with a boy, I’d say that it actually would make teens think about sex rather than rushing into things. Something, Maybe is a book that focuses on knowing and understanding yourself, which is a great message for today’s teens.
Something, Maybe was a wonderful, light read that is great for teens or adults. I can’t wait to pick up more of Elizabeth Scott’s novels.
Well, this weekend was just amazing. Yesterday, I was lucky enough to hang out with a lot of wonderful book bloggers at the DC National Book Festival! (And yes, seeing the authors was fun too.) I promise I will do a full, in-depth post (with pictures!) on that later in the week.
I’ve been finding myself with less time to read and blog lately because I have had a lot of stuff going on – in a good way! Hopefully this means that my BBAW goal of a better blog-life balance is coming to pass. I’m well on my way to my goal of reading 400 books this year, so I don’t feel that pressure to read that I used to.
Title: Love You Hate You Miss You Author: Elizabeth Scott ISBN: 9780061122835 Pages: 288 Release Date: May 26, 2009 Publisher: HarperTeen Genre: Teen/YA Source: Personal Copy Rating: 4.75 out of 5
Summary:
Amy’s life had never been perfect, but it was pretty good. Sure, her parents were too into one another to really pay attention to her and she felt tall and awkward all the time – but she had Julia. Julia was her best friend, closer than a sister, who made her life bearable. Along with the alcohol and sex with random boys, Julia helped Amy numb the pain of being who she was, of living in her own skin.
But then the unthinkable happened, and now Julia is dead and Amy is in rehab. Amy grapples with the consequences of the decisions she has made in her life and tries to understand Julia. She believes she bears responsibility for Julia’s death, and doesn’t know how to go on living with that on her conscience. As she returns to school and daily life, Amy finds comfort and understanding in the unlikeliest of places, and begins to let go of the anger and pain and confront those dark feelings that she’s held for so long.
Review:
Love You Hate You Miss You is simply an amazing read, both for teens and adults. While there is a lot of drinking and a decent amount of sex and drugs in this story, I believe the end message – that you can’t lose yourself in these things – still makes it an appropriate for older teens.
Amy was a wonderful character who was incredibly realistic. It was difficult to forget she wasn’t an actual teen living somewhere, rather than a creation within the pages of a book. For example, often in the book, Amy couldn’t figure out what she wanted. She thought she wanted attention from her parents, but when they gave it to her, she felt suffocated. This confusion wasn’t annoying; instead, it spoke to Amy’s state during Love You Hate You Miss You. She didn’t know what to do or how to live without Julia – Julia made her feel real.
I loved that Amy found solace in people she wouldn’t have given a second thought to when Julia was alive. It really showed how Julia, while definitely a good friend to Amy, was by no means perfect. She was just as complicated a person as Amy, though Amy didn’t see that until after Julia’s death. The character development in Love You Hate You Miss You is simply superb.
While Love You Hate You Miss You is a dark, troubled story, it really is full of beauty. It’s difficult to read at times, but in the end, the message is uplifting. Elizabeth Scott really shows how amazing of a writer she is in this novel – she creates wonderfully complex characters, crafts a heartbreaking storyline, and delivers the message that you can learn to live again.
Title: Never Cry Werewolf Author: Heather Davis ISBN: 9780061349232 Pages: 224 Release Date: September 1, 2009 Publisher: HarperTeen Genre: Teen, Fantasy Source: Publisher Rating: 3 out of 5
From the publisher’s website:
Okay, so maybe Shelby has made a few mistakes with boys lately (how was she supposed to know Wes had "borrowed" that Porsche?). But her stepmother totally overreacts when she catches Shelby in a post-curfew kiss with a hot senior: Suddenly Shelby's summer plans are on the shelf, and she's being packed off to brat camp. It's good-bye, prom dress; hello, hiking boots.
Things start looking up, though, when Shelby meets fellow camper (and son of a rock star) Austin Bridges III. But soon she realizes there's more to Austin than crush material—his family has a dark secret, and he wants Shelby's help guarding it. Shelby knows that she really shouldn't be getting tangled up with another bad boy . . . but who is she to turn her back on a guy in need, especially such a good-looking one? One thing's for sure: That pesky full moon is about to get her into trouble all over again.
I received Never Cry Werewolf as a surprise from the publisher and tossed it aside because I didn’t think I was going to get around to it soon. However, when I was rooting around for a light, easy read, this book immediately came to mind. I figured it would be a fun read, and I was definitely right – Never Cry Werewolf was the right book for my mood.
Never Cry Werewolf is the latest teen novel to add to the vampire/werewolf craze that has been taking over the past few years. This book was complete fluff, but not necessarily in a bad way. If you’re looking for deep relationships or self-reflection, this probably isn’t the book for you. But if, like me, you are in the mood for some brain candy, something that’s fun to read, you’ll probably like this.
Unfortunately, fun is all that Never Cry Werewolf really is. It’s not very realistic – and that’s not even taking into account the whole werewolf aspect. There are a lot of plot holes and a lot of unanswered questions. I had trouble sympathizing with the main character and couldn’t understand her motivations. A lot of times, I asked myself why the main character was doing what she was doing and could come up with no answer beyond “it makes the plot move forward.” If you’re looking for high quality, well-written and engaging teen fiction, I’d probably pass this one over.
However, if you’re looking for something that will keep you entertained and aren’t in the mood to analyze a plot (or you really like werewolves), you will probably enjoy Never Cry Werewolf. I am likely not the target audience for this book, so teens who are looking for gossipy novels with a little bit of danger will probably love it.
Title: Holly’s Inbox Author: Holly Denham ISBN: 9781402219030 Pages: 672 Release Date: June 1, 2009 Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca Genre: Chick Lit Source: Author Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
Holly Denham is starting a brand new job as a receptionist at a bank - but she has no idea what she's getting herself into! Follow four months in the course of Holly's life as she adjusts to her new job, gets to know her hilarious co-workers (especially her co-receptionist, Trish), deals with family squabbles, conducts a secret office romance, and tries valiantly to get a broken washing machine unit removed from her basement apartment - all via e-mail!
Review:
I've actually known about Holly's Inbox for a lot longer than the book has been out in the US. Back when the book was first being released in the UK, there was a marketing tool in which you could actually log into Holly's Inbox and watch the e-mails come and go in real-time! I used to absolutely love logging in and getting to know Holly more and more through her e-mails. (though Holly was obviously on UK time, so by the time I got to the site in the morning, most of the day's e-mails had already been sent). However, the inbox only revealed the first 1/4 or so of the book, so I was at a loss when it ended. I had gotten used to my daily fix of Holly - how would I cope, not knowing how her story turned out since the book hadn't been released in the US?
Well, Sourcebooks has solved my problem by releasing Holly's Inbox in the US! I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the character of Holly again through her e-mails and finally figuring out what happened to her! Though it doesn't seem like you'd get to know a person through their e-mails, that's not the case with this book. The author includes enough personal e-mails (and hilarious responses to spam) that the reader really gets a sense of Holly's quirky personality. It's like reading e-mails between friends!
The secondary characters in Holly's Inbox were also great. The reader gets to know Trisha best, even gets a peek at her inbox a few times in the novel, but I don't think she was my favorite. I think that honor would have to go to Jason, Holly's gay best friend who works at a hotel. Jason is sweet and really cares about Holly, but he's also got a wicked sense of humor, and his obsession with celebrity gossip is hilarious. I came away from this novel feeling as if I really knew Holly's friends!
Though the length of the book seems daunting, it's really not. The e-mail format is incredibly creative - it's surprising that no one has thought of it before! It makes the book seem a lot longer than it really is. Once you get to reading, the pages flip by incredibly quickly, much faster than a normal novel!
I thoroughly enjoyed every second I spent with Holly's Inbox, and I think any fan of chick lit (especially Brit chick lit!) will feel the same. I know that the author released a sequel to Holly's Inbox in the UK - dare we hope for the same in the US?
Title: Crossing Washington Square Author: Joanne Rendell ISBN: 9780451227843 Pages: 336 Release Date: September 1, 2009 Publisher: NAL Trade Genre: Women’s Fiction Source: Publisher Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
Rachel: Young and passionate about her career, she wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s left her job as an assistant professor of English in North Carolina for a dream job at Manhattan U. But are her ideas about the value of popular fiction – such as Bridget Jones’ Diary – going to be welcomed or will she be ostracized as someone who isn’t serious about literature?
Diana: A woman in what seems to be the man’s world of academia, Diana has worked very hard to achieve a position of respect as one of the top English professors at Manhattan U. She keeps her emotions in check, presenting a cool exterior to the world, but deep down she is aware of what she has lost in her life. She works hard to be taken seriously as an academic.
These two women, while opposites on the surface, are forced to work together at Manhattan U. Through crises and heartbreak, Diana and Rachel are forced to make some hard realizations about themselves and each other.
Review:
Joanne Rendell struck gold with her first novel The Professors’ Wives Club [review], and she returns to the familiar territory of fictional university Manhattan U (likely based on New York University) in her second novel Crossing Washington Square. In it, Rendell proves that her first novel was not just a fluke; Crossing Washington Squareis a charming novel that you won’t want to put down.
The most appealing part of Crossing Washington Square was the discussion of literature versus popular fiction within its pages. More and more these days, “serious” critics slam genres such as women’s fiction and chick lit, dismissing them as fluff and therefore having no value. Using Rachel as a conduit, Rendell shows that these lighter genres can still have valuable information for readers; they shouldn’t be looked over simply because of the images on their covers. She has very specific discussions in this novel which are great to read and really prove her point. Just because a book is light doesn’t mean it doesn’t have substance.
The academic setting within Crossing Washington Square works very well within this novel. It was interesting to see the departmental politics; Rendell describes the feelings of professors very well. She makes Rachel’s frustrations with her students palpable.
Both Rachel and Diana are extremely well-written characters. While readers won’t necessarily be able to identify with both because they are so different, they will sympathize with them. Rendell really makes both of these women come alive within the pages of Crossing Washington Square. Additionally, it is very satisfying to watch each of them influence each other and grow as people. It’s really nice to see Rachel finding strength within herself and Diana begin to open up to people as the book progresses.
Crossing Washington Square was a thoroughly enjoyable novel that was a delight to read. The discussion of popular fiction versus literature alone makes the book worth reading, but the fact that it’s a wonderful women’s fiction novel is icing on the cake. This is a book that’s not to be missed!
Welcome to the Thursday Tunes! Each week, I will showcase music, whether new or old. Hopefully you will find something that interests you here!
When I was flying back from the UK, I was lucky enough to be flying Virgin Atlantic, which meant I had a personal video screen and a wonderful choice of movies. One of the movies that I watched (and loved!) was The Young Victoria, starring Emily Blunt. The movie was about a young Queen Victoria, and was wonderfully done. One thing that really struck me about this movie, though, was its gorgeous film score. Of course, as soon as I got home, I tracked it down.
Composed by Ilan Eshkeri, The Young Victoriasoundtrack is at once regal and vulnerable. It goes perfectly with the movie, telling the story of a young girl struggling to find her place. My favorite track off this album is the piano of Victoria’s Theme, “Down the Stairs,” but I also love many other tracks on this album, including “Buckingham Palace” and Childhood.”
The Young Victoria soundtrack can be purchased from the Amazon MP3 Store for $9.49.
Title: The Myth of “Bloody Mary” Author: Linda Porter ISBN: 9780312564964 Pages: 464 Release Date: July 8, 2008 Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin Genre: Non-Fiction, Biography, History Source: Publisher Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
When the name Mary Tudor, daughter of Henry VIII and sister of Elizabeth I, is mentioned, what immediately comes to mind? A bloodthirsty monarch who burned heretics? A women who was so sure of her own faith that she murdered everyone that didn’t agree with her? According to Linda Porter’s insightful new biography of “Bloody Mary,” that isn’t necessarily the case. Porter draws on an amazing amount of research in order to present a new side of the much maligned Queen.
Review:
The Myth of Bloody Mary is an exceptional biography of Mary Tudor. It covers Mary’s entire life, rather than simply focusing on the most “exciting” years. As a result, the reader gets a full and comprehensive view of Mary; Porter makes it clear how events that occur early in Mary’s life influence her later choices.
Porter is a talented writer and manages to make history come alive in The Myth of Bloody Mary. This is difficult to do in the best of historical fiction novels, but in a non-fiction biography? It’s an incredibly impressive feat. Though the book is long, the pages fly by quickly. Porter manages to keep the reader hooked. She makes Mary’s history incredibly interesting; at times, I forgot I was reading non-fiction.
It is clear that Porter spent a long time researching The Myth of Bloody Mary. The sheer amount of effort that must have gone into writing this book is evident. Porter provides meticulous details in order to help the reader picture events in his or her mind. Additionally, according to the publisher, she drew on many unique sources to write this book, sources that other historians haven’t considered. As a result, this is an entirely new look at what really is a tragic life.
While I don’t want to discuss exactly how Porter portrays Mary in The Myth of Bloody Mary, as that would take away part of the incentive to read it, I will say she demonstrates that the Queen has been misunderstood throughout history. She builds her case slowly and methodically over the pages of the novel. It was very compelling and it’s easy to agree with her point of view.
The Myth of Bloody Mary was an amazingly written biography that I highly recommend. It’s a great book that combines a turbulent period in history with the captivating story of a girl who lived her life in sorrow. This is definitely a must read!
Title: The Moonstone Author: Wilkie Collins ISBN: 9780375757853 Pages: 528 Release Date: September 11, 2001 Publisher: Modern Library Genre: Classics, Mystery Source: Personal Copy Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
The Moonstone is the story of a large and beautiful diamond that was taken from India by one Herncastle and willed to his niece, Rachel Verinder. On the night it is given to Rachel, the Moonstone disappears, and no one is certain who is responsible for the theft. This is a book of coincidences, intrigue, and the fascinating mystery of what happened to the Moonstone.
Review:
I’ve been wanting to read The Moonstone ever since I read and loved Wilkie Collins’ The Woman In White. I’ve heard wonderful things about it, so my expectations were pretty high. I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed. Though I have to admit I actually liked The Woman In White a bit better, The Moonstone was an extremely satisfying mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
The mystery in The Moonstone was absolutely wonderful. It’s funny, Collins has the most convoluted way of writing at times. You’ll be reading and wonder how in the world the thing he’s describing relates to the overarching mystery. But somehow, he manages to connect it back, and in a flash of brilliance, the reader realizes where he is going with the whole thing. I couldn’t believe how intricate and well-crafted this mystery was. Collins was simply one of the best (if not the best) mystery writers out there.
Additionally, there was so much in The Moonstone I did not see coming. Collins had so many twists and turns, so many different angles from which to view the theft. I had many different theories about what had happened to the Moonstone at different points in the book, all of which were completely wrong. Collins has a way of introducing game-changing facts almost arbitrarily. This novel must have taken a lot of time and effort to plan out; it really makes me admire Collins’ brilliance!
I do have to say, the reason I enjoyed The Woman in White slightly more than The Moonstonewas because The Woman in White was a gothic mystery. I thought The Moonstone would be one as well. I still enjoyed it immensely even though it wasn’t, but since I absolutely adore gothic mysteries, those pesky expectations got in the way.
Title: The Divorce Party Author: Laura Dave ISBN: 9780143115601 Pages: 272 Release Date: May 15, 2008 Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Women’s Fiction Source: Publisher Rating: 4.5 out of 5
A multi-generational story about what it means to share a life with someone, The Divorce Party brings us two immensely appealing women: Gwyn who is stumbling upon the end of her marriage, and Maggie, her future-daughter-in-law, who is trying to navigate the beginning of hers. With emotional candor and surprising humor, these two women find themselves trying to answer the same questions: Can you ever really know someone? When should you fight for the person you love most, and when should you begin to let him go?
Laura Dave’s The Divorce Party really surprised me. When I picked it up, I was expecting a light, humorous, chick lit-type novel. The vibe I got from the cover and title was most definitely “beach read.” Once I opened the book, though, it was clear that The Divorce Party was much more than I’d originally thought it would be.
Though The Divorce Party deals with a lot of women’s issues, and is told from the point of view of two women, I would argue it falls just as much into the contemporary fiction category as it does into women’s fiction. The novel has unexpected depth, deals with serious issues, and is quietly contemplative. It’s one of those books that really makes you think. Additionally, the literary quality of Laura Dave’s writing makes this little novel much more than it originally seems.
Indeed, the writing is what made The Divorce Party such a joy to read. Dave’s writing is simply beautiful. She writes with such emotion behind each word, which works very well for this novel. Her writing style gives the book additional weight and makes it much more of a literary work of fiction. Here is one of my favorite passages from this novel:
“How do you avoid getting here? How do you pull your daughter back from such a sad place? If this sadness is something she has passed on, she wants to take it back, take all of it back and bear the burden herself. Make different choices, be braver, do just about anything so her daughter thinks she is worthy of getting everything she needs as opposed to trying to figure out how to be better at giving it away.”
Additionally, the two narrators of this novel, Maggie and Gwyn, are very well-written and easy to like. Through them, Dave explores such difficult subjects as lies, betrayal, love, and being true to oneself. It’s a lot of ground to cover in such a small book as this, and Dave does it very well.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Divorce Party and highly recommend it to both readers of women’s fiction and contemporary fiction. This is an engaging and beautiful novel that will stick with you for a long time after you put it down.
This is actually a challenge I’m hosting, which runs from 10/1/2009 – 11/30/2009. The goal is to read books that are not review copies, or review copies that are older than 6 months. These books should constitute a certain percentage of the total books you read over the 2 months.
This week was the wonderful BBAW, and I enjoyed every second of it! Unlike last year, I actually put aside extra time for blogging this week and was able to participate in all the activities – the spotlight on blogs that weren’t nominated, the book blogger interview, the meme, the book that was recommended to me specifically by bloggers, and my goals for my blog over the next year. A huge thank you to Amy for doing an amazing job with this!
I also won the BBAW award for Best Cultural Review blog, which was absolutely thrilling!
Early this morning, I announced the details and sign-ups for my Clear Off Your Shelves Challenge – check out the posts and sign up if you are so inclined! I think it’ll be a lot of fun, and it’s my first time hosting a challenge, so I’m looking forward to it!
This coming weekend is the National Book Festival in Washington, DC and there are a lot of bloggers coming into town and meeting up, so I should have a great post about it next week!
Books I’ve read this week:
Rumors – Anna Godbersen
Tell Me Something True – Leila Cobo
Holly’s Inbox – Holly Denham
Casting Off – Nicole Dickson
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much – Allison Hoover Bartlett
Title: The Lost Symbol Author: Dan Brown ISBN: 9780385504225 Pages: 528 Release Date: September 15, 2009 Publisher: Doubleday Books Genre: Historical Thriller Source: Personal Copy Rating: Not Rated
From the publisher’s website:
As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object —artfully encoded with five symbols—is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation . . . one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom.
When Langdon's beloved mentor, Peter Solomon—a prominent Mason and philanthropist —is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations—all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth.
I have to say, I don’t even know where to start with The Lost Symbol. I contemplated not even reviewing it, but there were a lot of people on Twitter who were curious as to what I thought of it (I’m looking at you, Jen!) So here goes. (And just so you know, this review is spoiler free).
First, you will notice that I didn’t rate this book. That’s because I really couldn’t decide on a rating – I didn’t want to rate it too low because I actually did enjoy it, but at the same time, I feel like rating it highly is a bit of an insult to the other books at that rating level because it’s not that great. Hence the decision to just not rate it. Cop out? Probably. Oh well.
First, the good:
I honestly did enjoy reading this book, much like I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons. I like the whole historical thriller genre – I’ve read a lot of them. Therefore, I can tell you when a book of this type is good and when it’s not. This one’s actually a lot of fun. Brown kept me hooked and kept me reading late into the night. In other words, it’s not a disappointment like many thought it would be. Dan Brown didn’t set himself up for failure – he’s written a solid and enjoyable historical thriller that his fans, and lovers of the genre, will likely eat up.
Additionally, I really loved that he set this book in Washington, DC, where I live. I’ve visited a lot of these places recently and it was great to be able to picture them. It was nice that Brown set this book in the United States – I think that will be an appeal to readers. It makes it much more relatable for Americans, even for those who don’t live in this area. I have to say, I’m glad I read this book before the Washington, DC Dan Brown tours start popping up everywhere – I have a feeling I’m going to get sick of The Lost Symbolreally fast.
Brown also created a new formula for himself with The Lost Symbol. If you’ve read most of Dan Brown’s books, you know what I’m talking about – he has a certain formula he’s used in every plot up until now. He actually stayed away from that this time, thankfully, so I was actually surprised by what happened.
Now, for the bad:
Oh holy foreshadowing, Batman!! I couldn’t believe the amount of foreshadowing Brown used. I mean, I know he laid it on pretty thick in The Da Vinci Code, but come on! I felt like every (relatively short) chapter ended with some sort of crazy discovery that Langdon made, though Brown never actually said what it was. I didn’t understand why he couldn’t just tell us what Langdon found instead of dropping heavy hints about how OMG SHOCKING it was, and then telling us on the very next page, at the beginning of the next chapter.
It also seems like Brown was trying to make some sort of philosophical statement with The Lost Symbol, which is laughable at best and stupid at worst. The book moves at a pretty brisk pace until the last 50 pages of the novel, when everything has pretty much been figured out. Then it. Just. Drags. On. And. On. Brown spends time trying to enlighten the reader and spread some sort of philosophical message, when all we really want out of him is a good story.
Additionally, I know this is really nitpicky, but in The Last Symbol, Brown has Langdon taking the metro (specifically the Blue Line) at about 11 PM. There’s nothing really notable about this, but as anyone who lives in this area knows, it takes about 20 minutes to get a train at that time of night. Therefore, how is it possible that Langdon had enough luck to catch a train about a minute after he entered the Metro station? NOT REALISTIC.
In the end, I’m very glad I read The Lost Symbol. All I was expecting was a fun story and a few hours of entertainment, and I definitely got that. It’s not high literature, but it’s not trying to be. It was a good story that actually wasn’t ruined by the hype (probably because my expectations weren’t that high!) If you’re a fan of the genre or enjoyed Brown’s previous works, I’d definitely pick this one up – but don’t be in too big of a hurry. You might enjoy it more when the hype has worn down!
Welcome! I’m Swapna Krishna, and this is where you’ll find my book reviews. Feel free to look through my review database. I also host the South Asian Review Database and run the South Asian Challenge, which promote the authors and literature of the region.
I do accept books for review, but please take a look at myreview policy before pitching me a book. If you have any questions, please contact me.
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