Title: The Storyteller of Marrakesh Author: Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya ISBN: 9780393070583 Pages: 341 Release Date: January 31, 2011 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co. Genre: Literary Fiction, Multicultural Fiction Source: Publisher Rating: 3 out of 5
Summary:
Hassan, a storyteller working in Marrakesh’s famous Jemaa el Fna, tells his listeners about two foreigners who mysteriously disappeared from the Jemaa. But as he is telling his story, others jump in with contradicting information, and the entire group ends up working together in order to tell the story of these strange foreigners and tries to deduce what actually happened to them.
Review:
The Storyteller of Marrakesh uses the art of storytelling as a theme through the novel, as well as a mechanism to deliver the story. As different people tell their version of the story, the reader understands how personal prejudices and biases can alter perception. Additionally, it is difficult to tell if someone has an agenda when telling the story - is someone trying to cast blame onto a particular person, or off themselves? It’s an interesting dynamic, with so many people telling this story, and it’s fascinating in some ways to see the juxtaposition of the stories. Bhattacharya does a wonderful job with both his reliable and unreliable narrators.
However, this technique also has a downside: the story has quite a bit of meandering. When different people play the role of the storyteller, they don’t just tell their version and then give the floor back to Hassan. Instead they talk about dreams, portents, their histories, all kinds of randomness that doesn’t really apply to the story at hand. As a result, while the reader gets a great feel for the art of Middle Eastern storytelling, the novel itself drags and is very slow in parts.
The novel also has an interesting theme in the nature of truth. Each person tells their own truth, what they think they saw happen to the foreigners. However, these truths conflict wildly. How can they all be genuine? Roy-Bhattacharya delivers an eloquent tale about how truth is actually more difficult to find than it seems on the surface. As Hassan delves into these various narratives, he has to search for the actual truth, because it seems that truth is relative.
The Storyteller of Marrakesh was an interesting novel, but it left me wanting in terms of its execution. I really liked the concept and the themes of the book, but it wandered so much that I considered abandoning it more than once. If you’re interested in a literary novel about storytelling or have a fascination with unreliable narrators, then definitely pick up this book, but otherwise it may not capture your attention.
Happy Sunday everyone! Today finds me relaxing at the end of a very busy week. It was one of those where I was semi-productive, but kept running into stumbling blocks, so it was frustrating at the same time. I really hope next week is a little bit easier! I did manage to carve out a good chunk of time for reading, though, and I’m really happy with my week on that front. I finished some very interesting books this week - The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards, The Pioneer Woman by Ree Drummond, and A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness to name a few. I’ll be spending some time today writing reviews to make sure I’m all caught up for this week.
On Tuesday, I managed to get out to One More Page Books, our brand new independent bookstore that opened last week. I really enjoyed browsing the shelves (and of course purchasing - I bought The Art Detective by Philip Mould and Becoming Queen Victoria by Kate Williams) and talking to Eileen, the owner of the bookstore. It’s so nice to have an indie that is easy to get to for me!
This week, Jennifer at Literate Housewife and I teamed up to do a series of posts on copyright infringement. It’s something that has been becoming more of an issue for me, so I wanted my fellow bloggers to benefit from the research I’ve done on the subject. I’ll include links to the series below, but if you want to find the posts in the future, you’ll be able to find links to them in my review database and in the “labels” section of my sidebar under copyright infringement.
I also revived my Thursday Tunes feature (at least temporarily), which was a weekly feature in which I discussed music. This week I featured the singer/songwriter Angie Aparo.
Title: The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements Author: Sam Kean ISBN: 9780316051644 Pages: 400 Release Date: July 12, 2010 Publisher: Little, Brown and Co. Genre: Non-Fiction, Science, History Source: Publisher Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
In The Disappearing Spoon, author Sam Kean takes the reader on a journey through the Periodic Table of the elements. He discusses the evolution of the Periodic Table and how it came to be in its current form, as well as the discovery of elements. Kean discusses each element with the reader, delivering interesting information, anecdotes, and a human face and story to each of these elements.
Review:
I’ve really been enjoying my science reading lately, so when I saw The Disappearing Spoon, I was immediately intrigued. I enjoyed chemistry when I was younger, and though physics wasn’t my best subject, it really intrigues me as an adult, so this book sounded right up my alley. I was definitely right; The Disappearing Spoon is a fun read that will teach the reader a lot about the elements that make up our world.
Kean is an engaging writer, which matters a lot when it comes to science writing for the lay person. Even if the information within a book is excellent, it won’t matter if it’s delivered in an uninteresting or dry manner. It’s especially difficult with science, because it’s so easy to get too technical, or to talk down to the reader while explaining concepts. Kean never fails to be interesting and charming, and his enthusiasm for the subject matter is really infectious. Additionally, he explains concepts with clarity and ease, ensuring the reader understands while never assuming they have less intelligence than him. As a result, The Disappearing Spoon is a pleasure to read from beginning to end.
The elements might not sound like the most interesting subject, but Kean really delivers when it comes to entertainment. He has interesting stories about even the most seemingly boring of elements - amusing anecdotes, intriguing concepts. As a result, the reader learns a surprising amount of information, but also has a great time doing it.
Some of the most interesting parts of The Disappearing Spoon involve the discovery of new elements. After the Periodic Table took the form that it has today (a process which was much more interesting than it seems like it would have been, according to Kean), there was a race by scientists around the world to find the newest element. I also enjoyed the little random tidbits he delivered about each element - for example, the disappearing gallium spoon that gave the book its name. Little details such as this make this book so much fun to read.
The Disappearing Spoon did not disappoint, and I’m so glad I read it. Even if you’re not the biggest science buff, if you enjoy non-fiction and history, you should consider this book. Kean’s writing is perfect for this genre and he makes the material accessible while keeping the entire book engaging. I really hope Kean is working on his second book, as I can’t wait to read it.
Title: Darkfever, Bloodfever, Faefever & Dreamfever Author: Karen Marie Moning Publisher: Dell Genre: Fantasy Source: Personal Copy Rating: 4 out of 5
Summary:
The first book in the MacKayla Lane series, Darkfever, starts with the shocking news of the death of Mac’s sister in Ireland. After the police come up with nothing, Mac travels to Ireland herself in order to see if she can find out anything more about her sister’s murder. While there, Mac learns that she is a sidhe seer and can actually see the faery world that exists parallel to our own. Mac’s sister was also a sidhe seer and was looking for a legendary faery book, the Sinsar Dubh. Mac follows in her sister’s footsteps, trying to uncover the history of this book and what her sister got herself into.
Review:
It’s not often that I review four books in one fell swoop, but it seems to be the best strategy to deal with Karen Marie Moning’s MacKayla Lane series (though there will be no spoilers for any of the books in the following review). I read all four of them in such close succession in order to be caught up for the release of the fifth and final book in the series, Shadowfever, that they blend together in my mind. I will say right off the bat that this series has some major flaws, but to me, it didn’t matter. The storyline is so engrossing that readers will gladly overlook some of the more frustrating parts of the books, plunging ahead in order to discover what happens next.
Mac is an irritating character at the beginning of the series. I have to admit I didn’t warm to her easily. She had an interesting personality, but she had a tendency not to use common sense when it was staring her in the face, which predictably always led to trouble. But as the books progress, Mac really comes into her own, finding and drawing upon her inner strength. I appreciate how Moning painted Mac in shades of gray - she is willing to do what it takes to get things done. All I have to say is that if you find the story interesting, but Mac bothers you in the first book, stick with the series. You might be surprised at the turn of events.
Moning’s world-building is excellent in this series. She gives the reader enough information to sate curiosity, but there are always more questions. I found the mythology behind the books really interesting, and I appreciated the care that Moning took with Mac’s world.
Unfortunately, I can’t get more detailed in this review without giving away key plot points, so I will leave it at that. This is a riveting urban fantasy series that takes some great chances and the twists and turns will leave readers reeling. It’s pure fluff, but the most fun kind. Just as a warning, there is a lot of sex in the books, but it’s a creative part of the storyline (one that is easy to skim). I’ll be reviewing the final book in the series more fully, but in the meantime, I wanted to let you know about this great and fun series, if you haven’t heard of it already!
Title: Happy Ever After Author: Nora Roberts ISBN: 9780425236758 Pages: 368 Release Date: November 2, 2010 Publisher: Berkley Genre: Romance Source: Publisher Rating: 3 out of 5
Summary:
Parker Brown is the last single woman in her group of friends. Not only are they best friends, they also run a wedding company together called Vows. Parker is the brains behind the organization, the one who keeps everything running smoothly. But will she find time for herself, or will she continue to give everything to the people around her?
Review:
I’ve read the first three books in Nora Roberts’ Bride Quartet (Vision in White, Bed of Roses, and Savor the Moment) so I wasn’t going to skip the last of the series, Happy Ever After. It wasn’t necessarily at the top of my list because I knew exactly what was going to happen in this book and who Parker was going to pair off with (it’s pretty clear from previous books), but I knew it would be an enjoyable escape when I did settle down with it.
I was surprised, then, with how much I enjoyed the experience of reading this book. I thought that knowing the outcome would take the fun out of it, but it didn’t. The novel focused a lot on the wedding company, and especially planning the wedding of one of Parker’s best friends, Mac, so that aspect kept it interesting as well. Parker wasn’t my favorite character from these books, but Roberts made her endearing enough such that I was hoping for her to find happiness.
One thing that did jump out at me while reading this book - its unrealistic nature. Yes, the entire premise is a bit unrealistic, but I didn’t have a problem going with it. Four best friends living in the same place (but each with their own space), running a company together - it sounds like something I used to plan with my best friends when we were 10. It’s enough of a fairy tale, though, that readers can swallow their skepticism and follow it. But what I couldn’t get over was the men. I just could not believe that these men would devote every single weekend to running these weddings with their girlfriends and not complain! Especially since they weren’t getting paid!! No man would be that patient, and they shouldn’t be expected to be that patient because it’s a pretty unfair gig for them. I think it’s funny that is what bothered me, but it’s kind of the straw that shattered the entire premise for me.
I also was tired of everything being so perfect for these four women. After three books of reading how perfect the flower arrangements were, how Parker can visualize the perfect wedding for every bride, how these women somehow had ESP because everything was so perfect, I really wanted it all to fall apart for a book. I wanted there to be some sort of real disaster that they had to climb out of, maybe showing their true characters in the process. But no, this book was more of the same, and I think it suffered for it.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy Happy Ever After, because I did. While I was reading it, it transported me to this fairy-tale like place. But after I put it down, my mind started churning and I couldn’t get past the syrupy sweetness of the whole thing. If you’re looking for a quick fluffy escape, these books will definitely do it, but I probably won’t be picking up anything else in this vein for a long time.
Welcome to Part 3 of my series on copyright infringement, hosted in conjunction with Jennifer at Literate Housewife - please visit her blog to see what she has to say on this subject. Part 1 of this series was called “Copyright Infringement: What Is It?” and Part 2 called “Copyright Infringement: How Do I Find It?”. Please note that this is not legal advice - this is just the information I have found while searching the internet and consulting a lawyer.
So, what do you do when you’ve discovered someone using your content without your permission?
Notify the Blogger
This isn’t technically necessary, but I feel like it’s usually a good idea. If there is contact information available, contact them and let them know that you are aware they have stolen your content and would like it taken down within a certain time frame (I usually say 24 hours).
Another reason I feel like this is a good idea is because a lot of people, especially from other countries, don’t realize that copying content is infringement if they provide a link back to your website. In this case, people are usually apologetic and take content down immediately. I’ve also been in a situation where people claim they are “surprised at my response” because they were trying to promote my blog. Ha!
Issue a DMCA Takedown Notice
If you can’t find the blogger’s contact information or they haven’t responded within the specified time frame, then you have to take the next step - issuing a DMCA takedown notice. Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a blog’s host (Wordpress, Blogger, Typepad, or any independent hosting company) cannot be held accountable if a blog it hosts infringes on someone else’s copyright. However, according to US law, the only way they can maintain that status is if, when they are informed of copyright infringement by the person/organization holding the copyright, they must investigate and take action. Therefore, issuing a DMCA takedown notice to the host (not the blogger/site owner!) is a surefire way to get your content removed from someone else’s website.
The DMCA takedown notice has one huge, blindingly obvious caveat - it can only be used against hosts in the United States since it’s based in US law. If a host is located in another country, your best recourse is to notify them of the copyright infringement and politely ask that they remove the offending content - I’ve had to do this and was successful in getting the content removed. However, the host is under no legal obligation to do so under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Just to reiterate, this means it doesn’t matter what country the person stealing the content is from, just where their web host is based. I had a situation once where a spam blogger was based in Israel, but their web host was located in North Carolina. They responded immediately to my DMCA takedown notice.
But first, in order to issue a DMCA take down notice, you have to figure out who the host is, craft the letter, figure out where to send it - it’s a process that sounds complicated, but really isn’t once you get the hang of it. Here’s a step-by-step guide to sending one.
Step 1: Find out the website’s host
First, you need the WHOIS information of the website. This will sometimes provide you with the webhost, but in my experience, it rarely does. What it does do is, on occasion, give you the contact information (including email address) of the person who the website is registered to, in case you want to contact them. I’ve found GoDaddy’s WHOIS service to be the most comprehensive.
If you can’t find the person’s contact information or just don’t care, you need to find out who their webhost is. Sometimes this is really easy, especially when it’s Blogger, Wordpress, or some other major free blogging service. But if the website has its own domain name, it can be much more complicated.
That’s why I absolutely love the website I stumbled upon, WhoIsHostingThis.com. What it does is pretty self explanatory - you type in the name of the website, and it tells you who the host is. For example, for my blog, it says the host is Google, which it is because Google owns Blogger.
Once you find this information, they have a link that you can click on and pay $99 for them to file a DMCA takedown notice for you, but no need - you can easily do it yourself for free. But first, you need to figure out where to send the notice.
Step 2: Find an email address to send the DMCA Takedown Notice to
Google the host that WhoIsHostingThis provided and find their official website. The larger sites will likely have a dedicated abuse or copyright infringement email address readily available. If you can’t find one of those, though, just email whichever address you think is most applicable.
You should also see where the host is located and make sure they are in the United States. If not, go ahead and send an email to the host anyways, but they aren’t legally obligated to do anything about a DMCA takedown notice. It’s really frustrating, and if you’re determined, you can look into the host’s country’s laws and see if there is anything you can use to compel them to remove the content, but a polite email including both the copied links and your own originals is usually your best recourse.
Step 3: Craft the DMCA letter
Sadly enough, I have a sample DMCA takedown notice saved as a Word template with all my information already filled in - all I have to do is copy and paste the infringing links. That’s how often I’ve had to use it. I’d recommend doing the same - it doesn’t take any longer than crafting the letter, and it will save you time in the future.
For my DMCA take down letter, I used the site IP Watchdog. They have a lot of great information about what a letter needs to contain, as well as a sample letter you can copy and paste and use for yourself.
Once you’ve got your letter together, send it to the webhost! If they are US-based, you should see the infringing links removed relatively quickly.
Google Adsense
It’s actually against the Google Adsense Terms of Service for blogs that use it to steal intellectual property. If you come across a spam blog that is stealing your content that uses Google Adsense (which, in my experience, most do), you can report them to Google. At the bottom of an ad, there should be a small box that says “Ads by Google”. Click on it, and go to the bottom of the page, where it will allow you to report a policy violation.
This isn’t strictly necessary, but it’s a good way to protect others who haven’t found their stolen content yet. I definitely wouldn’t recommend doing this for just anyone, but I have no qualms about it when it comes to spam blogs.
Well, that’s about it! I hope this series was helpful. Copyright infringement is such an important issue, and unfortunately in today’s climate, it’s not a matter of if your content is copied but when it will be. If you’re vigilant and take action when you see your content stolen, you’re not only protecting yourself, but your fellow bloggers as well.
Title: The Convent Author: Panos Karnezis ISBN: 9780393056990 Pages: 212 Release Date: November 8, 2010 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co. Genre: Literary Fiction Source: Publisher Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
The convent of Our Lady of Mercy is in a remote part of Spain, difficult to access. This is the way the nuns prefer it, living their lives devoted to God. When an abandoned infant is found on the doorstep of the convent in a suitcase, the nuns are stunned. Against the wishes of some of the nuns, the Mother Superior, Sister Maria Ines, decides to keep the baby for her own and raise him in the convent.
Review:
The Convent is a very interesting piece of fiction that will thrill fans of literary fiction. Panos Karnezis has an amazing way with words that will leave readers stunned. From the very first line of this book - “Those whom God wishes to destroy he first makes mad” - the reader knows they are in for a literary feast with this novel. His words are haunting and evoke a longing in the reader, even if they aren’t quite sure what it is they are searching for. This beautiful, melodic prose, it’s enough to make the book stand proudly on its own two feet, yet there is so much more going on in this gorgeous novel.
The reader becomes invested in the character of Sister Maria Ines as the novel progresses. She has faced horrors in her past, and as a result, she sees the child as a miracle. The reader can’t help but sympathize with her as she demonstrates time and again how devoted she is to the infant. Even when she acts erratically, the reader’s heart is still with Sister Maria Ines. Karnezis does an exceptional job connecting his characters with the reader; the readers’ emotional investment in the book will keep them reading.
There is a sense of despair hanging over this entire novel. The reader knows that a storm is coming, and that it’s on a collision course with the convent. There is a sense of fatalism, knowing that something is coming, and that the characters might be able to change what is to come, but their actions have already been written and thus the bad will happen. That doesn’t mean it’s a depressing novel, just that there is a delicious gloominess hanging over the entire thing.
I was very impressed with Panos Karnezis’ The Convent and will be going back to read his earlier works. It’s a simple book, but it beautifully depicts the claustrophobic nature of convent life, as well as the dynamics of a group of women living together in close quarters. Fans of literary fiction and beautiful writing should not hesitate to pick this one up; it’s beautiful and surprisingly easy to read.
I’ve decided to bring back my music feature Thursday Tunes on a semi-regular basis. There’s just so much great new music out there, I can’t help but want to share it!
Funnily enough, though, the music I want to share today isn’t new, but old. The American by Angie Aparo was released in 2000, and it’s actually not even in print today. However, you can purchase it digitally from the Amazon MP3 Store ($9.99) and iTunes ($9.99) for download.
The American is one of my favorite albums of all time. I love Angie Aparo’s amazing voice and his beautiful songs. His song “Cry” was actually made popular by Faith Hill, but I love Angie’s version so much more. But even more than “Cry”, I love “Memphis City Rain” and “Hush”. Every song on this CD is so good - it’s one I can just leave in my car and listen to over and over again. If you like singer/songwriter type music, definitely check out Angie Aparo.
Title: Pray for Silence Author: Linda Castillo ISBN: 9780312374983 Pages: 320 Release Date: June 22, 2010 Publisher: Minotaur Books Genre: Mystery Source: Personal Copy Rating: 4 out of 5
Summary:
Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is still recovering from the events in Sworn to Silence when one of her officers makes a grisly and horrifying discovery - an entire Amish family, brutally murdered in their home. Kate is very disturbed by what she finds and vows to bring the family some justice as she sets out on the hunt for a murderer.
Review:
I absolutely loved the setting of Sworn to Silence, so I was thrilled to return to it in this sequel. Painter’s Mill, Ohio is the home to both Amish and “English”; while the Amish are peaceful and don’t cause a lot of trouble, they don’t trust their English neighbors. Kate straddles these two communities; she grew up Amish, but refused to commit to their way of life. She returned to her hometown as the Chief of Police and, though not welcomed by the Amish, she has their trust in a way that an English police officer wouldn’t.
The gruesomeness of the murder scene is really difficult for Kate and for the reader. It’s clear that the Amish are simple people. They work hard and love their families; they are peaceful. They don’t always treat Kate with the trust and compassion the reader might feel she deserves, but they are good people. Therefore, it is horrifying to read the descriptions of the murder scene. Who would be so evil as to hurt Amish people, and in such a horrific, brutal way? The mystery is solid, with good pacing. There are a lot of twists and turns, and though it is possible to guess the final outcome, I didn’t see it coming.
Kate and John both are great characters, but they stagnate a little in this book. They both are trapped by the same demons they were in the first, without a lot of character growth. However, they have grown in their relationship with one another - they do acknowledge that they care for one another, though they aren’t ready to see where that might lead.
As long as you know the premise, it’s possible to read Pray for Silence as a standalone book. However, if you’re planning on reading both, I wouldn’t recommend reading them out of order. Kate does a lot of reflecting on the events of Sworn to Silence, and as a result, it will ruin the book for you. I really recommend reading them in order, though, because they are both excellent, gripping books that you won’t be able to put down.
Welcome to Part 2 of my series of copyright infringement posts, which is being hosted in conjunction with Jennifer at Literate Housewife - please visit her blog to see what she has to say on this subject. Part 1 of this series was called “Copyright Infringement: What Is It?”. Please note that this is not legal advice - this is just the information I have found while searching the internet and consulting a lawyer.
So now you’re wondering whether your content has been infringed - how do you find out whether someone is stealing your reviews or posts? There are a few tools you can use to discover it very quickly.
First, though, you need to have a copyright notice on your blog. Make sure you have something that says all review and blog posts are copyrighted by you and cannot be reused without your permission. I also have this as a footer in my RSS feed for each post. (This isn’t technically necessary - whether you have this on your blog or not, if someone steals your post, it’s copyright infringement. This is just a good idea).
Once you have that on your blog, here are some ways to see if anyone is illegally using your content.
Google
This might sound deceptively simple, but a quick Google search can do wonders. Every once in awhile, pick a random review and paste some of its text into Google with quotation marks around it. For example, from my review of Fasting, Feasting by Anita Desai:
“It is only natural that she should sacrifice her prospects in order to care for her brother, because he is the beloved son and she is a burdensome daughter. The portrayal is nuanced and beautifully written, and it will make the reader’s heart bleed for Uma.”
If you find the text on someone else’s website and you haven’t given them permission to use it, it’s pretty clear someone is copying your content.
But let’s face it, who has time to copy and paste every review into Google? I certainly don’t. That’s why I use some automated tools to make the process a lot easier.
Google Alerts
Google Alerts are critical for finding copied content when it comes to (a) spam blogs and (b) people who have copied your content and provided a link back to your site, thinking they don’t need your permission to use your content. Google Alerts will conduct any search you specify and return results, either in a digest or in real-time, via email or RSS feed.
To set up copyright infringement Google Alerts, visit http://www.google.com/alerts. On this page, you are prompted to type in the search term you want to track, as well as type (I chose Everything), how often (I chose as-it-happens), volume (I chose Only the Best Results), and deliver too (I have it come to my feed reader).
You’ll want to create at least two alerts. First, one with your blog name in it. The second, should be the URL to your website. The one with your blog name in it will catch spam bloggers stealing your RSS feed, while the URL will catch those who have copied content and provided a link back to your site. Unfortunately, Google Alerts aren’t 100% reliable, so you’ll probably also get alerts when people have you in their blogrolls or join challenges/memes you host.
So this covers the people who steal your RSS feed or link back to your site. But what about those that don’t? This is where things get a little more complicated.
Fairshare
There are a few sites out there that will scan the entire internet and let you know when it finds posts that are plagiarized from your blog using the full text of your posts. This is really handy for those people who don’t steal your feed (so there is no link back to your blog) and are actually flat out stealing your content and not even linking back to you. I use Fairshare, mainly because it does a thorough job and it’s free. In the first step, you enter your blog’s RSS feed URL - note that’s NOT your regular blog URL. The second step is to tell Fairshare how your content can be used. In my case, I used the first option - that I don’t license my content, I just want to know where it’s going. Finally, you have to create an account. Once you do, you can either choose a weekly summary of what Fairshare finds or the regular feed that delivers the information as it happens.
So this covers text. But what about someone illegally using the pictures from your blog?
TinEye
I haven’t used TinEye very often, but my husband uses it a lot to protect his pictures. You have a choice of uploading an image to them or just using the image’s URL, and you can see who (if anyone) is using the image. It won’t show you if someone is using your stored book covers on their blog, leeching off your bandwith, but if you have unique photographs, this is a great way to see if anyone’s been using them.
Each of these methods has its limitations, but used in conjunction, they’re a pretty comprehensive way to protect your intellectual property.
That’s it for today’s post. Friday, I’ll cover what you can do once you’ve found your content copied onto someone else’s website.
Title: The Good Psychologist Author: Noam Shpancer ISBN: 9780805092592 Pages: 256 Release Date: August 3, 2010 Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. Genre: Literary Fiction Source: Amazon Vine Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
The Good Psychologist is the story of an unnamed psychologist and his thoughts and feelings as he goes about his daily life. He sees patients, connecting with a stripper who is unable to dance because of her anxiety levels. He teaches a class at a local college, helping his students understand what it means to be a good psychologist. During all this, he also faces the woman he loves and the prospect that she might leave for good.
Review:
The Good Psychologist is the psychological story of one man, whose name the reader never discovers. The reader sees the different compartments of his life, how they interact and affect one another. In therapy, he sits down and listens to his patients. He genuinely wants to help them, especially the exotic dancer, and he makes special accommodations in order to ensure that he is able to be her doctor. Her therapy hits home, though, and in the process of drawing her out, the psychologist is forced to face some of his own deeper and more difficult thoughts.
In class, the reader sees the authoritative expert on psychology. The psychologist goes through his lessons, trying to teach his students what makes a good psychologist. He is patient, welcoming alternate points of view, even when they are difficult. Through these experiences, the reader learns a lot about modern day psychology. The author, Noam Shpancer, is a psychologist and teacher, so it’s clear where the protagonist's expertise comes from.
Because this is a novel of thoughts, there isn’t a lot of description. We know nothing about appearance, race, ethnicity; all we know is what the psychologist is thinking. From his thoughts, the reader is able to understand that the psychologist is a good person who genuinely wants to help others. He can be selfish at times, but doesn’t let that sentiment overwhelm his personality. I appreciated how much he wanted to make the world better for his patients and students, and the way he became involved even though he should have practiced clinical detachment.
The Good Psychologist is an in-depth character study that really shouldn’t have worked, but somehow it did. The style, jumping from home to work to class, should have been choppy and unwelcoming, but somehow Shpancer managed to make it compulsively readable. The lack of punctuation for dialogue is a bit difficult, but it serves to underscore the fact that we are in someone’s head. It’s really a beautifully written and well-executed novel, impressive in its simplicity. If you are interested in psychology or enjoy deep character studies, don’t hesitate to pick this book up.
Title: The Janus Stone Author: Elly Griffiths ISBN: 9780547237442 Pages: 352 Release Date: January 21, 2011 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Genre: Mystery Source: Publisher Rating: 4 out of 5
Summary:
A few months after the events from The Crossing Places, Ruth Galloway seems to have recovered emotionally. She is back at the university, working as a forensic archaeologist, when she is called in to advise on a skeleton found underneath a house that is being torn down. Since Roman-era pottery has been found in the area, they all assume the skeleton is from the same time period, but to Ruth’s shock, she finds that it is relatively recent. Once again, Ruth finds herself embroiled in a police case as she and Detective Nelson try to discover whose body it is, and why the skull seems to be missing.
Review:
I really enjoyed The Crossing Places, so I was thrilled to receive the sequel for review. I was eager to revisit Ruth Galloway and her spooky home in the Saltmarsh of northern England and to see what skeletons might be found next as a result of her work as forensic archaeologist.
The mystery in The Janus Stone is well-written and interesting. The skeleton found is real mystery, and the fact that the skull is missing really sends shivers down the reader’s spine. The characters delve into the history of the house, and once they discover it was formerly a children’s home, the plot really thickens. Griffiths takes the reader on twists and turns as they struggle to uncover who the murderer is.
Ruth Galloway has a lot of personal development in this story, which is gratifying. Her situation really changes and she rises to the occasion, taking responsibility for herself. I appreciated how she didn’t put herself in the danger she did in the first book, yet I missed her in a lot of ways. Ruth’s main job in this book is to date the skeleton; after that, she embarks on some of her own investigations, but generally, the case is in the hands of the police. I missed the forensic archaeology that was present in the first novel.
The Janus Stone was an interesting mystery that I enjoyed. The third book in the series, The House at Sea’s End, is coming out in early 2011 in the UK, but there’s no word yet on a US release date. I hope it’s soon, as I can’t wait to read more of Ruth’s great adventures.
I’ve been having a lot of trouble with copyright infringement lately. In the past few weeks, I have noticed multiple blogs and sites copying my reviews and stealing my RSS feed. Many are spam blogs, but a disturbing few have been legitimate. As a result, I’ve done some research on copyright infringement and thought I’d share what I’d learned with all of you - hopefully it’s helpful!
I’m hosting this 3-part series along with Jennifer of Literate Housewife, so please hop on over there and see what she has to say. While we are writing on the same subjects, we each have our own take on the topics. Please note that this is not legal advice - this is just the information I have found while searching the internet and consulting a lawyer.
Copyright Infringement FAQ
What exactly is copyright infringement?
Copyright infringement is when someone steals your content without your permission. It can be a book review, a blog post, a picture you took or created, or your custom template (please note that this is a CUSTOM template only - if you paid for your template or designed/modified it yourself. If you got a free template from a website, then it is actually copyrighted by the designer.)
What about an idea I had for a meme, event, challenge? If someone has copied the idea, changed the name, but kept everything else?
Unfortunately, this is not covered by copyright infringement. Unless they copied and pasted the post in which you announced your idea (in which case, you can get the post removed), your best recourse in this case would be an open discussion with the person in question.
What is the most common form of copyright infringement?
Mostly copyright infringement comes through spam blogs. These are blogs that steal the RSS feeds of legitimate blogs and publish them on their own sites.
I found a spam blog that is stealing my RSS feed, but they are only pulling a partial feed. Is this still copyright infringement?
Maybe. It’s difficult to say because there’s no clear line between copyright infringement and fair use. However, if it bothers you, you still can make a legitimate case to get it taken down.
What’s fair use? What does it cover?
Fair use basically says that a limited amount of copyrighted work can be used without fear of punishment. For the specifics of fair use, and the standards that must be considered when determining when something is fair use versus copyright infringement, you can visit the U.S. Copyright Office’s webpage on the issue. Fair use is what protects book bloggers when we use quotations from books in our reviews.
If I want to quote another blogger’s post or review, is that covered by fair use?
Yes, it would be. I always maintain that it’s a good idea to check with someone before using their content, but you could use a short quote without fear of legal repercussions.
What about linking to someone’s post? Is that copyright infringement?
Definitely not - you can link to someone else’s content without any fear of reprisal, as long as you don’t copy it and paste it on your site.
I was looking for an image to make a button or to more aptly illustrate a post (for example, writing a review of a book about the Taj Mahal, and pulling an image to use to make the post look better), so I just looked on Google Images and used it. Is that copyright infringement?
Unfortunately, it probably was. Some images are available for use under the Creative Commons license, but you can’t tell whether that’s the case in Google Images. If you’re looking for a picture to use for a button, I suggest searching public domain databases (easily found through a Google search). For photographs, Flickr is a great resource. In their advanced search, you can search only creative commons licensed images. Once you perform the search (for example, Taj Mahal search results), there will likely be quite a few options to choose from. Once you find one you like (this one), look on the right hand side of the page. About 3/4 of the way down, there will be a “License” section, which, if you click on it, will tell you what you can do with the picture and how you can use it. In this case, the picture says “Some Rights Reserved”, and upon further inspection, it means I can use the picture on my blog as long as I attribute the original owner, and as long as it’s not a commercial use.
I realize this seems much more cumbersome than a quick Google Images search, but imagine how you’d feel if you saw your review on someone else’s website, used to make their post better. Using public domain and creative commons licensed images ensures that there is no content stealing, however inadvertently!
Someone copied my entire post without asking me, but claimed it wasn’t copyright infringement because they credited me and linked to my site. Are they right?
Absolutely not! This is something that has happened multiple times to me, and it is definitely copyright infringement. There are many people who labor under the illusion that it’s okay to use other people’s content as long as they give credit to the original author. This isn’t the case.
That’s it for Part 1. Wednesday, I’ll post Part 2, which will cover how to find infringing posts, and on Friday, Part 3, which will deal with what to do once you’ve found someone stealing your content.
Happy Sunday everyone! This Sunday finds me relaxing a bit. I had a very busy week, which culminated in a small party we threw last night. My husband and I love to drink great beer, so we invited some friends over and had a “beer snob” party! I went slightly crazy with food prep, but in the end, we all tried some wonderful beer and had a great time. I’m hoping the beer snob party will be a regular occurrence!
We had a big event in our corner of the world last week - the opening of an independent bookstore! One More Page Books opened its doors last week, and I’m so excited to have an easily reachable indie. Jenn from Jenn’s Bookshelves has already been by there, and I’m hoping to make it there next week.
I had a pretty good reading week this week. One thing I’ve noticed, I’ve been reading a lot of South Asian books this year so far. I’m currently reading The Storyteller of Marrakesh by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya, and I’ve finished Suits: A Woman on Wall Street by Nina Godiwalla, Where the Dog Star Never Glows by Tara Masih, Haunting Jasmine by Anjali Banerjee, Delhi: Adventures in a Megacity by Sam Miller, and Six Suspects by Vikas Swarup. I wanted to average one South Asian book per week this year, but so far I’ve been doing a lot better than that!
Next week, I’ll be running a short series on copyright infringement in conjunction with Jennifer at Literate Housewife. I’ve been having to deal with an inordinate amount of it lately, mostly from spam blogs, but from a couple of legitimate sources as well, so I thought it would be helpful if I shared the knowledge I’ve gathered. Look for the posts on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Title: Fasting, Feasting Author: Anita Desai ISBN: 9780618065820 Pages: 228 Release Date: January 3, 2000 Publisher: Mariner Books Genre: Literary Fiction, Multicultural Fiction Source: Personal Copy Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
Fasting, Feasting is the story of two Indian children: Uma, the eldest daughter, and Arun, the much-loved youngest, and also the only son. When Arun is born, an unplanned child, Uma is expected to give up her school in order to care for her infant brother. Her parents reason that she is failing out anyways, and she will be more useful at home. Devastated, Uma fights this decision, but in the end, she ends up following her parents’ wishes.
Review:
The title of this book really tells the reader all they need to know about it. Uma is the “fasting” portion - because her parents were unable to arrange a marriage for her (though not for lack of trying), Uma sits at home, dreaming of a life she never had. Her story is heartbreaking, as her parents basically use her as a servant without thinking twice about it. It is only natural that she should sacrifice her prospects in order to care for her brother, because he is the beloved son and she is a burdensome daughter. The portrayal is nuanced and beautifully written, and it will make the reader’s heart bleed for Uma.
Arun, on the other had, is described by the word “feasting” because he has never really known want. He has always had everything delivered to him on a silver platter (usually by his sister). This juxtaposition is done incredibly well, showing the disparity in treatment of two children from the same family, simply because an accident of birth made Uma female and Arun male. However, Arun also has his own, more personal burdens. He bears the weight of the family’s name and must succeed in the world because he will disappoint his father if he doesn’t.
Anita Desai writes this family with clear, crisp prose, never shying away from the difficult truths that the reader must face. Uma is endearing and quietly beautiful; she captures the reader’s heart from the very first pages. She is devoted to her family, but at the same time, she yearns to break free and have a life of her own. Arun, on the other hand, doesn’t appreciate what he is given until he is studying in the United States and no longer has these familiar things around him. I would loved to have seen more of his story, as Desai depicted the confusion of an Indian living in an American world incredibly well. I wouldn’t want to take anything away from Uma’s story, but Desai could easily have added 50-100 pages onto the end of this book without losing the reader’s attention.
Fasting, Feasting is a quiet, contemplative novel about the love and injustices in one Indian family. This family isn’t necessarily typical of those in India, but it’s still a brilliant depiction, one that Desai accomplishes masterfully. Her prose is beautiful and easy to read, and the book has a universal message of acceptance that will appeal to any reader. I highly recommend this book if you’re interested in cultural, character-driven stories.
Title: Whispers of the Dead Author: Simon Beckett ISBN: 9780385340069 Pages: 320 Release Date: May 19, 2009 Publisher: Delacorte Press Genre: Mystery Source: Library Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
Recovering from the events of Written in Bone, forensic anthropologist Dr. David Hunter travels to the United States to work with his old mentor, Tom, at the Body Farm in Tennessee. While Hunter is there, some grisly murders are discovered and Tom asks him to stick around and help out, though the other officials on the case aren’t quite as welcoming.
Review:
The third book in Simon Beckett’s Dr. David Hunter series (after The Chemistry of Death and Written in Bone), Whispers of the Dead is a worthy successor to those first two books. Beckett shakes things up with the setting, moving Hunter from his comfort zone in the UK to Tennessee. The Body Farm, a huge laboratory where forensic anthropologists can study what happens to the body after death, is an intriguing place and I do wish that more of the action had taken place on site. I would have loved to have learned more about it.
It is absolutely imperative to read Written in Bone before reading Whispers of the Dead. The events of that book were traumatic for Dr. Hunter, and he spends most of this book recovering emotionally. He has lost his confidence and must grapple with a situation where, for the first time, he is very unwelcome. He wants to prove himself to those around him, yet part of him just wants to give up. It’s really important to read the previous book in order to understand this crisis of confidence. Additionally, the main villain of that book is mentioned multiple times in this one, which would ruin it for any reader.
Once again, the mystery in Whispers of the Dead was very well done. I’m not sure it was quite as gripping as the first two, but it still sucked me in from beginning to end. This has quickly become one of my favorite series, and I’m so distressed there are no more for me to go out and find! I’ll just have to wait for the release of The Calling of the Grave in February.
Title: Across the Universe Author: Beth Revis ISBN: 9781595143976 Pages: 416 Release Date: January 11, 2011 Publisher: Razorbill Genre: Teen/YA, Science Fiction Source: Publisher Rating: 4.25 out of 5
Summary:
Amy is a teenager with a very big decision in front of her: does she follow her parents and enter cryogenic stasis, where she will remain for 300 years and help her parents colonize a new world, or does she stay behind on Earth,in a familiar, safe place?
Elder is living on board the ship Godspeed, second in line to the leadership, behind Eldest. But Elder is still a teenager and has much to learn about the secrets of the Godspeed and whether he agrees with the tyrannical rule of Eldest.
Review:
Across the Universe can easily classified as either a science fiction or dystopian novel (or both) about the Earth’s future, and specifically, about humans’ future on one little ship. While dystopian novels have been ubiquitous in YA lately, this book sets itself apart from the others. Revis does an incredible job with building this future world, with crafting the history of the Godspeed. From the beginning, the reader knows that something isn’t quite right. There are things going on that we don’t know about; Revis drops tantalizing hints as to what might be going on just underneath the surface. The more you think you know, the more questions come up. I absolutely loved the way the story unfolded. Enough questions are answered to satisfy the reader, but Revis leaves enough unsaid to make the reader long for the second book in this planned trilogy.
The character of Elder was very appealing. He was just a teenager, but in a lot of ways, he was so much older than his years. He is just coming into his own over the course of this book. He acknowledges that there are sacrifices that he has to make as the future leader of Godspeed, but he balances that against his moral compass. I appreciated that, unlike many characters in YA novels, he didn’t place romance at the center of his world.
Amy was a little more frustrating for me, though I can’t really specify why. In a lot of ways, she creates drama for herself, which is unnecessary because there is so much going on around her. She behaved much more like a typical YA heroine, though even she didn’t seem as interested in romance, which, again, I appreciated.
I’ve said Across the Universe is a unique book, but I want to reiterate that. I loved the setting of a spaceship and I was thrilled that the center of the novel was the mystery behind the world that Revis created, rather than the romance of two characters. While this might turn off some fans of YA novels, which I could understand, it makes it much more accessible to me.
Across the Universe is the first in a trilogy, and I already can’t wait to read the next book. Revis has hooked me, both on her characters and on her science fictional universe, and I can’t wait to see what twists and turns she takes the reader through next.
Title: The Weird Sisters Author: Eleanor Brown ISBN: 9780399157226 Pages: 336 Release Date: January 20, 2011 Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books Genre: Contemporary Fiction Source: Publisher Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
The Andreas girls are finally coming home. Rose (named after Rosalind) lives near her parents and sees them regularly, but Bean (short for Bianca) has been living the high life in New York City. When everything comes crashing down around her, Bean limps back home to lick her wounds and reassess her life. Then there’s Cordelia, the baby. After she receives some shocking news, she decides it’s time for her to return home and figure out her next step. These three “weird” sisters return back home to their father and his love of Shakespeare in order to care for their mother while she undergoes treatment for cancer.
Review:
I had extremely high hopes coming into The Weird Sisters. I thought the premise sounded great, as I love books about sisters, and on top of that, it’s an Amy Einhorn novel. I’ve learned that Amy Einhorn usually means high quality, fun, and incredibly readable books. It’s a difficult expectation to live up to, yet Eleanor Brown’s The Weird Sisters actually surprised me with how heartfelt, entertaining, and intelligent it was.
The Weird Sisters centers around the works of William Shakespeare. The sisters’ father is one of the leading Shakespeare professors and scholars, and as a result they were raised on the words of the Bard. Indeed, their father continues to communicate with them through lines from Shakespeare’s plays, and they must struggle to decipher his meaning. Additionally, all three women are readers and are very proud of that fact. As a result, this book is really smart. In some ways, it’s a love story to reading and to the power it can have over all our lives. As an avid reader, I adored this aspect of the novel and loved how seamlessly Brown wove it into the narrative.
It’s very difficult to pick my favorite sister - Rose, Bean, or Cordy - and that’s saying something. Usually, in books with multiple main characters, it’s hard to make all of your protagonists appealing while still being honest about their faults and darker sides. I couldn’t believe how much I cared about these women, how invested I was in their lives. Even Bean, who is very self-destrucive, captured my heart. While her antics might have been frustrating in a less fully realized character, they were a part of Bean. I had no trouble seeing that and rooting for her from beginning to end. I really respect Eleanor Brown for her ability to develop such true, three-dimensional women. It astonishes me that this is her first novel because she has the finely honed skills of someone with much more experience under their belt.
I don’t usually talk about literary devices in my reviews, but I can’t help but mention one thing that really jumped out at me - the narrator. The novel is told in first person omniscient - that is, the narrator knew what was happening individually in Bean, Cordy, and Rose’s minds. At the same time, though, none of these individual women were the narrator. However, the narrator referred to “we,” meaning the three sisters. It’s as if the sisters somehow made one whole, and it was that single entity, a part of each woman, that was narrating the story. It was so interesting and I really loved how it created intimacy between the three sisters, making it clear that the reader was outside their unique bond.
I absolutely loved The Weird Sisters for so many reasons - the great writing, the sheer intelligence of the book, the true portrayal of what it means to be a sister. This is a book that isn’t about genres. Instead, it’s about relationships, about sisters, about books that stir the soul, and about love and loyalty, a must-read that I can’t recommend highly enough.
Title: The Countess Author: Rebecca Johns ISBN: 9780307588456 Pages: 304 Release Date: October 12, 2010 Publisher: Crown Genre: Historical Fiction Source: Amazon Vine Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Summary:
At the beginning of The Countess, Countess Erzebet Bathory is being imprisoned in a tower to pay for her crimes of killing young women. She claims her innocence and writes the book as a letter to her son, protesting that she has been falsely accused and trying to explain her life story from her own point of view.
Review:
From the very first time I heard it, the premise of The Countess intrigued me. The story of the first female serial killer? It sounded completely fascinating. I hadn’t heard much of anything about the historical Erzebet Bathory - apparently known as “The Blood Countess” - so I was eager to read her story and see what I could learn about this woman.
Having read it, I don’t know what to think about The Countess. It was alternately fascinating and slow, but I believe that was the point of the book. The reader gives Erzebet the benefit of the doubt as she takes us through her life, starting from a young age. Her marriage was arranged at an extremely young age, and Erzebet was resigned to a life without love, in which her husband could barely stand to look at her. The reader can’t help but feel sympathy for this poor creature, who only wants approval and to feel the warmth of love.
Her darker nature worms its way to the surface insidiously, without the reader even realizing it. In her desire to win the heart of her husband, who has a cruel nature, she begins to exact increasingly twisted punishments on misbehaving servants. Presumably, this escalates, though a lot of what happens goes on behind the scenes. I’m thankful for that in some ways because I really didn’t want to read a book full of gore, but on the other had, the bulk of the book seems to be Erzebet contemplating running her household. This makes sense, because the murder of a servant girl or two would barely register in her mind if she was a serial killer, but it made some parts of the book very slow. At the same time, though, it makes the reader wonder if anything is really going on, or if Erzebet's claim that she is being framed is actually true.
The most fascinating part of this book is watching everything unfold. Erzebet is cold and dispassionate at times, but is that because she is a serial killer, or because her biggest concern really is running her household? The reader is constantly guessing, wondering what is going on behind the scenes.
Another small issue: the pacing of this novel is very strange. I felt like the author jumped over very large parts of Erzebet’s life in a few paragraphs. One page she was thirteen years old, then all of a sudden, a few pages later she was thirty-five. (That’s probably an exaggeration, but that was really the way it felt.) I understand that Johns wanted to focus on the most interesting parts of Erzebet’s life, but at the same time, it threw me off.
The Countess had its flaws, but overall, it was a very interesting peek into the mind of a serial killer. This is a book that would make an excellent book club pick because readers will be itching to discuss whether Erzebet is actually a serial killer and where her darker nature emerged from. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for what Johns does next.
Title: Murder in Plain Sight Author: Marta Perry ISBN: 9780373774722 Pages: 384 Release Date: December 1, 2010 Publisher: HQN Books Genre: Mystery Source: Publisher Rating: 4 out of 5
Summary:
Jessica Langdon is a Philadelphia lawyer working at a big shot law firm from which she is convinced she is about to be fired. She can’t say that eventuality really disturbs her, though, because she doesn’t really fit in at the firm. When she’s called into her boss’s office, Jessica is sure that the axe is about to fall, but to her surprise, they give her a case: an Amish boy has been arrested for the murder of a non-Amish young woman. Someone has hired their firm to represent the boy, and Jessica heads out to Amish country to learn as much as she can about the case, the Amish, and how best to defend her client.
Review:
I really enjoyed the Kate Burkholder series, in which a female Chief of Police bridges the gap between the Amish and non-Amish in her jurisdiction, so when I heard about Murder in Plain Sight, I was very curious. While I’m not necessarily fascinated by the Amish (though I do find them interesting), I find the way they deal with the outside world when it comes to crime very intriguing. Therefore, I was excited to pick up Murder in Plain Sight to see what it was all about.
Jessica was an appealing main character who had a lot to learn when the book began. She knew very little about the Amish and their customs, and as a result, she didn’t understand their reactions to the arrest. Additionally, because she is an outsider and not part of the community, she isn’t trusted by the local Amish. She has a huge learning curve, and she’s slow to begin gathering information, which is frustrating. However, once she realizes how much she doesn’t know, she begins to embrace help. It is touching how invested she becomes in this case and how much she is willing to risk to ensure the Amish receive justice.
I have to admit the romance in the book didn’t really interest me, hence why I didn’t even mention it in my summary. There was nothing wrong or off-putting about it, and if you enjoy a good, non-steamy romance (the best kind in my opinion) with your mysteries, you’ll probably really like this aspect. I was much more invested in the murder mystery than the romance, though, as it’s well-written and gripping. While I saw the ending coming, it was only a few pages before the characters realized it as well, and I enjoyed the way it unfolded.
Murder in Plain Sight is a quick, enjoyable read that I recommend for mystery fans, especially those who are interested in the new wave of books about the Amish religion and culture. It’s not something you have to invest a lot of time in, so it makes great airplane or beach reading. Murder in Plain Sight is the first in a series, and I’m eager to revisit the characters in the next installment.
Title: Trust Author: Kate Veitch ISBN: 9780452296350 Pages: 368 Release Date: June 29, 2010 Publisher: Plume Genre: Contemporary Fiction Source: Publisher Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Summary:
Susanna Greenfield is good. She does everything she can to be a good wife, a good daughter, a good mother, and a a good sister. Her husband Gerry is consumed by his own career and ambitions and has little time to spend thinking about his wife. Her sister, Angie, is a born again Christian who tries to push her beliefs on Susanna and Gerry, and Susanna is continually trying to keep the peace between Angie and their mother, Jean. But when something unthinkable happens, Susanna begins reevaluating her life and makes some difficult realizations about herself and her future.
Review:
Trust is a novel that centers around Susanna Greenfield. Devoted to being a wife and mother, she has begun to question her role now that her children are growing up. She wants to go back and pursue the art she left behind, but isn’t sure she has the confidence to do it. But as things become more complicated and difficult, Susanna turns to art, not for a career, but for a way to express herself. The art becomes vital to her emotional well-being, as it is the only way she can deal with what’s going on around her.
At its core, Trust is about the nature of love, and the trust that comes with it. Trusting your husband to be faithful, trusting your wife to maintain the role she always has. Trusting your children to be honest with you, trusting your mother to protect you and love you. When these solid foundations begin to break down, the characters in the book are forced to examine what they have left and why things collapsed in the first place. The characters in this book are constantly reevaluating themselves and trying to figure out where to go next. It’s an amazing character study and I was completely riveted. These people ring so true and seem so real, it’s hard to conceive of the fact that this is only Veitch’s second novel. She accomplished something amazing with her characters in this book; I was very impressed.
One of the subplots of Trust has to do with Finn, Angie’s young son. Through Finn, Veitch explores the effects of child abuse. We see his outward behavior change through other characters’ eyes, but we also get to understand things from Finn’s point of view. This storyline is heartbreaking, to say the least. I was so engrossed in Finn’s storyline, wanting to reach into the book and comfort him, to make things okay for him. It was very well written and heartwrenchingly portrayed.
Trust deals with so many different issues - abuse, infidelity, death, Christian fundamentalism, homosexuality - that it’s hard to believe that it could all be packed into one book, yet Veitch accomplished it incredibly well. These are characters you will want to get to know, and not want to leave until you know that things will turn out okay for them. I definitely recommend this book if you’re interested in smart, character-driven books that probe the depths of human behavior.
Title: Cleopatra: A Life Author: Stacy Schiff ISBN: 9780316001922 Pages: 384 Release Date: November 1, 2010 Publisher: Little, Brown and Company Genre: Non-Fiction, History Source: Publisher Rating: 4 out of 5
Summary:
In this new biography of Cleopatra, Stacy Schiff takes on the woman who has such a huge part in history and deconstructs the myths and legends surround her.
Review:
The woman we think of today when we hear the name “Cleopatra” is a product of legend, imagination, and hyperbole. Very little solid information about her has made it to present day, and even those sources cannot be fully trusted. It seems that everyone in the ancient world who mattered had an opinion about Cleopatra, and most of these people’s impressions of her were not positive. In this biography, Stacy Schiff attempts to go back to square one and look at the actual woman, rather than all drama that surrounded her in her time.
Schiff portrays Cleopatra as a woman who had more brains than beauty; her power was centered on her wit, charm, and ability to strategize, rather than on her seduction capabilities. Schiff contends that it was easier for the men of the time, whose records are the only ones we have, to portray her as a wanton, promiscuous woman rather than someone who had the capacity to think like the best men of the time. Indeed, Schiff makes a convincing case that Cleopatra did not have the renowned beauty that is ascribed to her today; she achieved what she did because she knew how to make the most of her gifts.
The difficulty with this book is one that is standard with any biography of Cleopatra - there is simply so little that is known about her that it’s hard to say anything definitive. It’s easy to interpret facts to suit a theory, and Schiff does a marvelous job with the little she has, but that doesn’t change the fact that much of it is conjecture. Schiff clearly did her research and she does take the time to present opposing arguments, something which I very much appreciated.
I absolutely adore the cover of Cleopatra: A Life; I think it is beautiful and eye-catching. However, I think it conveys an impression that this book is light and easy to read. That is definitely not the case. It is history; well-presented history, but history nonetheless. It has some dry spots and there is a lot of detail. If you’re solely familiar with books about history through historical fiction, this book might be a bit overwhelming. As I do enjoy reading books about history, I found it engaging, but there was a lot to take in.
Cleopatra: A Life is a well-researched and articulate account of a legendary woman. It succeeds in helping her off her pedestal and turning her into a real woman with strengths and weaknesses. This new look at Cleopatra is a must-read for fans of history. If you aren’t much of a history reader but this book intrigues you, try reading it slowly, chapter by chapter. It’s definitely worth a look if you’re interested in the subject.
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.
Title: The Storyteller of Marrakesh 
Title: Darkfever, Bloodfever, Faefever & Dreamfever 
spoilers for any of the books in the following review). I read all four of them in such close succession in order to be caught up for the release of the fifth and final book in the series, Shadowfever, that they blend together in my mind. I will say right off the bat that this series has some major flaws, but to me, it didn’t matter. The storyline is so engrossing that readers will gladly overlook some of the more frustrating parts of the books, plunging ahead in order to discover what happens next.
des of gray - she is willing to do what it takes to get things done. All I have to say is that if you find the story interesting, but Mac bothers you in the first book, stick with the series. You might be surprised at the turn of events.
Title: Pray for Silence 
Title: The Janus Stone 
Title: Cleopatra: A Life 
