January

Well, January is coming to a close, and I’ve gone through seven books this month. Not too shabby. Anyhow, hear is a brief rundown, after time has passed on some (as I post the initial blogs near moments after putting the book down). In order of personal preference.

The Other Boleyn Girl – by Phillippa Gregory. I tore through this book, eagerly devouring each new page and allowing each new plot twist to thoroughly effect me. I literally could not put this book down, and only an extreme case of the stomach flu kept me from finishing it in a day’s time.

Lovely Bones – By Alice Sebold. I know, I know, I was all “but one chapter ruined the book for me” and I still stand by that. I still believe that the author’s intention was nice, but handled in a way that was a little too Fantasy Island for my liking. And yet, my mind keeps wandering back to this book. I feel an urge to reread it. To revisit the Salmon family and see how they’re doing. To remember little Susie’s voice. Yes, this book is quite enjoyable.

Mary – By Janis Cooke Newman. While there were times that I fell in and out of interest of Mary’s life, I never fell in or out of interest with Mary herself. I must admit, the Civil War itself is not my favourite portion of American History, though I am fascinated with the world immediately before as well as the aftermath. Quite honestly, I’m not a fan of most war history in general, though I do often like hearing how the war is effecting the common man. This is a book that took me a few days to truly get into, then somewhere around the end of the war, I couldn’t put it down.

Under The Banner of Heaven – By Jon Krakauer. I still believe that this book’s biggest flaw is in how the author chose to tell his story. It is loaded with so much information about Fundamentalist Mormons, information that is horribly fascinating, but very little direction in how the information is spread out. It felt like a text book posing as a novel. Yet despite this, and despite the fact that I stopped reading the footnotes about a quarter into the book, I still find myself thinking of the stories I read, still thinking about the things I’ve learned. Like all religions, Mormons have those extremists that make them shake their head and make the rest of them look bad. It’s very clear in this book that the extremists, the ones we hear about in the news, are very different from most of the Mormon population. And yet, they live in our backyard A haunting read, to be sure.

Bitsy’s Bait & BBQ – By Pamela Morsi. Okay, so I finished this less than 12 hours ago. Still, the characters were engaging. And the story was, I felt, the right kind of predictable. I could see this being a pilot episode for a television show set in the small town of Warbler Lake. And now I sort of wish it was.

The Emperor’s Children – By Claire Messud. I know, I hated the characters, hated how little of the story we heard post 9/11…completely hated the ending. But it has potential. I read online that it was opted for a movie, and this gives me hope. The right actors could bring these characters to life. Make me feel for them in more than just fleeting moments, and perhaps even making me feel for more than just the two of them. Very pretentious, in ways that are both enjoyable as well as demeaning. This book’s biggest problem, I still believe, is that the first half was so engaging, so compelling and setting up these interesting scenarios, and the second half didn’t follow through with those scenarios. It was a year in people’s lives, and a year I felt was more interesting than the characters let on.

Dear John – By Nicholas Sparks. It was okay. I think what this book’s biggest flaw was, the thing that made this quick read the bottom of the list, was the lack of characters. There were four main characters, and I rarely identified with any of them. Years flew by in this book, and I found myself captivated with the secondary storyline of our main character and his father. Perhaps, if the book was marketed as that, with the love story taking the supporting role, I would have enjoyed this a bit more. I don’t deny that it’s a well written book, I just don’t think it was the sort of well written book for me. Still though, I intend to try one of his earlier works.

Currently Reading: Nothing! With my schedule the way it is today, I doubt I will be able to start anything new before the month ends. Next on the list, however is Picture Perfect, by Jodi Picoult. This is my first of her books, so I’m a bit excited. One month down – 11 more to go!

Preditcable in the right way

Bitsy's Bait & BBQ

By: Pamala Morsi

After three weeks of reading about Mormans through the ages and possibly mentally ill members of the Lincoln family, it was nice to turn my attentions to a couple of city girls thrown into small town life.

Bitsy’s Bait & BBQ walked the line between predictability and good story telling in a way that I felt worked very well for the genre. While there was a plot point or two I didn’t see coming, each one was foreshadowed earlier in the book, sometimes only one chapter previously. The pieces all fell together in a way that felt natural for the story, and the results were organic.

It took a few chapters for me to truly identify with the characters, but soon I was invested in each one. Told in a third person style, our point of view fluctuates between four characters, a pair of sisters, an ex husband and his controlling mother. Truly though, the story is about a fifth character, the one who ties them all together, young five year old Josh. It’s hard not to adore the small child.

I did have some problems reading the details on fishing and barbequing, a side effect of being a Vegetarian for nearly fifteen years. Our main characters go into the business knowing nothing of these two topics, so we learn as they do. I will confess to once or twice skimming over how to properly bait a fish, or how to tell of your pork butt is cooked properly. I expect that for most readers though, this would be a non issue.

The best thing, I thought, was early in the book I made my predictions about what would happen, but also thought “well, if I was writing the story, I would want this character’s path to end at point C, rather than at the point A we’re being led to believe would happen, and I’d also like this plot to go there rather than here” and both of those things were actually what occurred. Brava, Pamela Morsi, at showing that we all have different life paths and sometimes the stops along the road mean something different for us all.

A good quick, feel good read.

A character who only gets better with age

Mary

By: Janis Cooke Newman

The Mary in this case would be Mary Todd Lincoln, our nation’s first First Lady and a character far more compelling than my high school history classes ever implied. A historical novel I picked up after my last positive experience, I was excited to start this one, thoroughly curious to read about this woman who was declared insane in her final years.

Oddly enough, I found the book to be much more interesting after (spoiler alert) the assassination of President Lincoln. Which was odd, as I really hoped to find their courtship and early years intriguing. Yet I found myself being annoyed by Abraham, frequently wondering what it was she saw in the man. We saw him through her eyes, yet I didn’t feel they were the love struck eyes of the in love wife that she claimed to be. Her eldest son Robert however, was a very clear character who I alternated between hating and pitying (which is, I believe how Mary herself felt throughout the novel).

The framing device of the book is that while committed, Mary decides to write down her memoirs. I suppose this could explain why in some segments, it really feels as though we’re being told that Mary is a martyr, being mistreated by the men around her. Then in others, she seems to be openly explaining her flaws, sometimes unaware that she’s even describing flawed actions.

Though with all the grief that woman suffered, with how many sons she lost and being there in Ford’s Theatre – can we deny her a little insanity?

A good book, though it may fall short of great. And now, for my favourite part of historical fiction…researching the truth to see how much of the book was based on fact, how much was hearsay and how much was good old fashion artistic license.

Lacking in Focus

Under the Banner of Heaven

By: Jon Krakauer

A non fiction tale that occasionally reads as a terrifying work of fiction, Jon Krakauer takes us into the world of Mormonism, particularly into the fundamentalist sects whose beliefs are so foreign to most of us that I couldn’t help from audibly reacting as I read each strange custom.

Krakauer moves beyond simple Polygamy, into tales of underage, unwilling brides, miserable first wives and welfare fraud. Reading the words, it’s hard to tell if he’s purposely making a case for legalizing Polygamy or simply stating the horrific actions that occur under the radar of the rest of the nation.

As a framing device, Krakauer uses Ron and Dan Lafferty, murderers who believed they were acting under the command of God. There will be a chapter or two about these brothers, then many other chapters about other aspects of Fundamental Mormonism and even a history lesson about Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and the early, sometimes violent, years of the faith.

I suppose this book’s biggest downfall lies in the fact that there was too much interesting information that Krakauer wanted to include. In the author’s notes, he mentions that this wasn’t the book he originally intended to write, and I feel that explains a lot of the jumping around. Many of the names started to blur together to me (I never realized LeRoy was such a common name) causing me to be unsure of how many of the stories were connected, and how many were simply a case of Krakauer having so many stories that he wanted to share. Near the end I finally felt as though the story was truly coming together.

A fantastic read, though I felt it was a bit longer than it should have been, and lacking in some of the spiritual beliefs I was curious read. Still, I recommend it to anyone curious about the frightening beliefs that are hidden within our nation.

Less Sappy Than Expected

Dear John

By: Nicholas Sparks

I know I may lose my title as the girliest girl in all of girldom, but this was my first official foray into the world of Nicholas Sparks. I’ve yet to see Message in a Bottle or The Notebook, and my only experience with A Walk to Remember was a showing one Sunday night on the WB, while I spent most of my time distracted by horribly important conversations involving house relations between Gryffindors and Slytherins. Other females swore by these movies and his other books, telling me with tears in their eyes that my life wouldn’t be complete until I became familiar with Nicholas Sparks.

Having read Dear John, I’m not sure if I agree or not. Yes, I found the writing style to be spectacular, and I did tear through the book in about as much time as my roommate spent playing on his Xbox this evening. However, I didn’t find myself connecting to many of the characters as much as I had hoped. Savannah, our heroine, was a bit too much of a good girl cliché for my liking. I honestly couldn’t tell if we were seeing her through our hero’s love struck eyes, or if this was an accurate portrayal of the girl. It felt as though John, our hero, was the only one with any grey, and I personally prefer my characters to be a bit more morally conflicted.

I also will confess, which may further revoke my girldom tiara, that I was far more moved by the relationship between John and his father, rather than John and Savannah’s love affair. This surprised me, crept up on me while I was still looking for the love story to resurface.

We learn in the first few pages that John and Savannah’s relationship does not last, so naturally, I expected to get utterly depressed by the final pages. Instead, I found myself filled with hope for the characters. That there are many paths we can take in life, and there are many different roads toward happiness. Whether or not this was the author’s intention, I’m not sure.

Either way, I found Nicholas Sparks to be a fabulous writer, though I found this to be less a tale of romance and more a tale of the life of a solider who only loved two people in his entire life – his father, and the woman who taught him how to love.

Compelling

The Other Boleyn Girl

By: Philippa Gregory

I have a confession. I am afraid of historical fiction. As though by placing the book in my hand, I’m now compelled to finish something that is going to feel more like a text book rather than a piece of literature that I’m excited about. (Oddly enough, I love history and occasionally do read non fiction historical works.) Imagine my fear when I picked up a copy of the often recommended The Other Boleyn Girl and saw that there were 700 pages for me to get through. Oh well, I figured, purchasing it with a sigh, it’d probably take a week, but I’d get through it and find a new book to pour over.

That was Sunday night. Less than 48 hours later, the completed novel sits next to me, taunting me with the fact that I no longer can read the tales of Mary and Anne Boleyn. From nearly the first paragraph, I was fascinated. Philippa Gregory effortlessly explains the dynamic of England in the 1500s, and focuses more on character and plot development. Mary, Anne and their brother George become vividly alive as I turned each page.

I’ll admit, some of the dialogue is a bit heavy handed when you know what is to come. “I will be Queen, even if it kills me,” for example (possibly paraphrased). I was smart, I did not reacquaint myself with the history of the time, so many of the plot twists came as surprises to me. Often, I found myself reading a name a handful of times, before my brain clicked that yes, this person would become an important player later in the game. In fact, the one reason I’m thrilled that I have finished is now I can go to webpage after webpage, looking up which parts were actually based on historical fact and which were merely added for a further compelling story.

And of course, now I can’t wait for the movie. I will close by saying that Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn is, I believe, perfect casting. Even before the book told me (by way of physical description) which actress would be playing which sister, I could hear Natalie Portman saying those lines of dialogue. I could picture her in the part so well, that I am thoroughly excited to see her play it out on the screen.

Good characterization, compelling plot twists – this book is definitely worth a read.

So Close

The Lovely Bones

By: Alice Sebold

I wish I could say that this book captivated me from the first page until the last sentence, that I accepted every supernatural turn. I really wish I could say that, because The Lovely Bones came so close. Unfortunately, just after the 300 page mark, it lost me. It came back around, I returned before the story came to a close. But for one chapter, I was taken out of the story, and this supernatural tale that had moments that felt so real now became a work of fantasy.

In the opening chapter, our narrator Susie Salmon (like the fish), a fourteen year old junior high student, is raped and murdered. From then on, in semi non linear fashion, she watches her family as they cope. Watches the people close to her and they fall apart and as they put the pieces back together. Watches her murderer. Ten years pass, and while many of those years are told to us in a blink of an eye, I never felt as though I was missing these pieces.

I really did enjoy this book, and feel as though it could withstand a reread. I even understand why the author felt the character needed those twelve pages that I so disliked. In time, I feel that I’ll remember the bright spots of this book. The love the family felt for one another. The friends who remember Susie after all those years. The neighborhood that loved the girl in her death.

Lovely yes, but the book failed to make its way to gorgeous, spectacular or stunning.

Lost Something Along the Way

The Emperor's Children

By: Claire Messud

I will start off with a phrase that will sound really peculiar out of context. This book reminds me of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. When that movie came out, my immediate circle of friends were all raving about how great it was, and how well it set the scene for what was to come. Well, Episode III came, disappointing us all, and suddenly, Episode II fell from grace.
And so, with Claire Messud’s book, I read chapter after chapter captivated, waiting for the big moment…only to have the big moment appear and disappear with few pages truly dedicated to the event.
A book set in early 2001, New York City, I became intrigued once I realized that before the tale ended, the towers would fall. The complaints I had were easy to push away. How many of the character’s beliefs express those of the author, I only wish I knew. As the characters gushed about Tolstoy, I felt a bit talked down to, for never attempting to get through War and Peace. Even Marina, one of the few characters I wound up identifying with, is mocked for loving Anna Karenina as opposed to something with more depth. When the characters discuss the merits of Atheism, I wonder if the author is mocking me for the faith that I do have.
Despite those complaints though, the first half of the book flows beautifuly, setting the stage for what I only hoped would be fantastic fallout. A magazine is set to launch in mid September. A wedding takes place Labor Day weekend. Characters move around the city, changing residence and employment, causing me to wonder where they’d all be located for the fatal day.
And then…September hit. And then…
I was left with unresolved issues and plot points. Then we moved onto November and got what the characters claimed was closure. The details that in the first half of the book were so compellingly explained now were glossed over.
I find it telling that the only point in the book that I shed tears was early on, when the character of Marina finds her childhood cat dead and loses herself in thoughts and memories of the animal.
Wonderful first half of the book, but I have to wonder if upon rereading if it would hold well, knowing that the plot loses its focus come September 11, 2001.