The Cat: Or, How I Lost Eternity

The Cat: Or, How I Lost Eternity by Jutta Richter
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Enh. For one of the 1001 Children's Books to Read Before You Grow Up, I can think of a lot of others that I'd choose before this one. However, if that editor needed a certain number of books from countries other than the US or UK, then I can understand why they might be included. I just don't see that book (the 1001.... book) being translated into German anytime soon (and if it were, then the editor should have chosen better fare than this - e.g. Cornelia Funke or others).

I *might* have enjoyed it more as a kid, but I kind of doubt it. Too surreal without the charm of most fairy tales.

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Headlong Hall

Headlong Hall by Thomas Love Peacock
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The satire is very heavy-handed, so it was somewhat dull, but fortunately brief. :) The satire is predominantly about three schools of philosophy: those who think that human progress in science/technology is positive, those who think it's a negative thing & that we were better off when humans were hardly more than apes, and the third that the positives & negatives pretty much cancel each other out. It was all right and would - should - be used in courses that examine satire as socio-political commentary, but isn't as entertaining to read simply because it is so heavy-handed. Of course, it doesn't help that I wasn't sure what to expect and was hoping for a sort of 19th Century gothic novel. Sigh!

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The Medusa Plot (Cahills vs. Vespers #1)

The Medusa Plot by Gordon Korman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So this book is the first in the series that I read as a book rather than listened to in the car as an audiobook. It was a little bit harder to get into, but was still compelling once I got going. :) The authors working on the series weave a great story! :D It's nice to see more of some of the minor characters from the first series too - in particular Sinead. It's also nice to see the characters working together again, but one can tell that this alliance is still fragile.

Recommend reading the 39 Clues series first. If you liked that, you'll like this continuation series. :)

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O, Pioneers!

O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think what I like about Cather's novels is their 19th century characters confronting the turn of the century and it's upcoming shift into "modernity." Changes in season that have always existed mirror changes in technology and values. How the characters interpret or confront those changes are really the interesting part in her stories. I also respect that while Cather admires the pioneer people (often, but not always Scandanavian immigrants) none are portrayed as perfect. All her characters are flawed in some way and even the "happy endings" are more accurately described "not as tragic as it could've been." It makes them hard to read because they bring out the pessimist in me & I am relieved at the end that few of the things that I imagine happening really do.

I think that with so many of the characteristics of modernist novels, that these are a good choice for introducing those concepts to high school readers since it does have an overall plot, chapters, punctuation, etc... that make others (Woolf, Joyce, among others) more difficult for teens to approach. That being said, these novels are not for everyone. I think having a Midwestern youth helps me a bit, but isn't necessary for appreciation.

And for my skeptical friends, she does kill several characters during the course of the novel.



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Manon Lescaut

Manon Lescaut by Abbé Prévost
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was all right. I found it a little difficult to sustain my disbelief that the narrator of the story, Chevalier, would stand by such a flighty, inconstant, gold-digger. She must've been really something, I guess - some kind of Helen of Troy. Anyway, though she never speaks for herself (her words always come through the filter of her lover, the narrator), she dies at the end while the narrator survives to become an upstanding guy again after having lived in sin so long. While I can appreciate the author not wanting to seem too scandalous in his day, the double standard of behavior is annoying. Unless you like reading classics/romances from the 18th century, this will probably only irritate you. :D

I like this kind of book and it irritated me. (Whiny main characters - especially male ones - irritate me). This would be a good book to explore in a course about transgressive women in the novel over the course of time. Otherwise, if you aren't a fan of 18th century (1700s) literature, I'd skip it and read something different.

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Mind's Eye

Mind's Eye by Paul Fleischman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Quick read as it's in a play format - without most of the set descriptions & stage directions. The main character, Courtney is not very likable, but neither was Pollyanna right after her accident, so I can cut her some slack. Overall, it was a good book about imagination & the value that literature can have for an inner, mental life that other forms of entertainment don't always provide enough substance for.

I would definitely recommend this book to teens who need to do a book report in a hurry. I'd also recommend it to young people who like the sort of tearjerker where the main character (probably) dies in the end because she had sex once & got HIV or fell in love with a boy who dies at the end, etc... because this book is sort of like the book that comes after that. There's a terrible accident & the girl gets paralyzed, but that's not what this book is about. This is about her first few months in the hospital doing physical therapy & slowly recovering a will to live. It's not a tearjerker, but it deals with a terrible calamity that's befallen a beautiful girl.


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Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights by Maggie Berg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book gave me a lot of insight into Wuthering Heights' enduring status as a classic. I think the reason I disliked Wuthering Heights so violently was because I'd always heard it was a love story & that isn't the case at all. Heathcliff is pretty much a psycho and Catherine is a drama queen. Both are definitely narcissistic. Passionate, yes, but still damaged goods (I mean seriously, who'd dig up the corpse of their beloved - twice?). I liked this analysis of the book because it discussed the fact that all the action in the book is interpreted through at least one filter (Lockwood) and mostly through 2 - Lockwood telling us what Nelly told him what she observed and what the other characters told her. I can appreciate the unreliable narrator aspect and I think I can more fully appreciate the text - even though I still find it disturbing.

I would definitely recommend the book - with the caveat that I think the readers should read something else *about* the book also (doesn't have to be this particular work of criticism). I definitely got a lot more out of it that way.

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Need

Need by Carrie Jones

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Not bad, but not terrific either. I might read the next one in the series to see how Zara resolves the situation she leaves hanging at the end. Overall a pretty fast read and not one that I needed a lot of concentration for (i.e. I was able to read it while in between playing with my 2 year old son if that's any indication).

The characters are fairly stereotypical, but the premise is interesting and the story moves along fast enough to forgive this flaw. As is usually the case, the heroine fairly readily accepts the supernatural goings-on around her while doing some minor protesting and briefly considers fainting. Overall, I'd recommend it to readers who really enjoyed the Twilight series or Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series who are looking to branch out into the larger supernatural realm.



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The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I liked that this was a more psychological novel about espionage. The characters seem a little bland, but there's nothing real about them - even to themselves... They need to *be* their story. Le Carre follows through with this splendidly and it's closer to a mystery than an adventure or suspense story since a lot of the reader's thoughts toward the story are devoted to "who's doing what & working for whom?" / "what's really going on here?"

A definite (& refreshing) change from dashing Mr. Bond. There's no harsh language, graphic violence or sex, and the style isn't as terse as most hard-boiled or noir fiction, but The Spy Who... has that kind of cloak of shadows around it. Even without those devices, though, this is no cozy read. Recommended for fans of espionage fiction (it's a classic of the genre) and for mystery readers who want a little bit different fare from their usual whodunnit.



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My Heartbeat

My Heartbeat by Garret Freymann-Weyr

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I liked that the book was really less about sex and sexuality than about how we "know" those around us - especially those closest to us. How are we really communicating with those we love? I think that this way of exploring identity and sexual identity is much more subtle and thoughtful than what I'd expected.

I also didn't mind that the characters read/discussed classic literature - I read some of that on my own too as a teenager (not the ones mentioned in this book, but others). For somebody looking for clear boundaries, this is not that book - it's more of a reminder that we are all works in progress & that's fine. :) We're only in trouble when we don't realize it.



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The Awakening

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I dislike books with whiny protagonists for the most part. I can sympathize for Edna, though. To have nothing that you can call your own is very difficult. The Awakening in some ways reminds me of Virginia Woolf's A Room of One's Own in the need to carve out a piece of one's life just for one's self without all the demands & expectations of friends, family, etc... Having a toddler at home, I understand the innately selfish demands of children and that they're not allayed just by having someone else around to help with the kids. Having a nanny (or a great daycare provider) & knowing the kids are in good hands doesn't remove the feelings of guilt for not being there yourself, for losing your temper over something small, etc... It is extremely difficult to feel like one is "enough" for this task alone.

And yet.

And yet, I think many women dream about who they might be if they stood on their own. "Who is this woman who is mother, wife, daughter? Who would I be if I really wasn't afraid of what they'd think or say." Though I think Edna overreacted to her situation, I can understand the despair that compels her actions (and having a husband who's considering the nuthatch doesn't help either). This book makes me grateful I live at a time where it's common for women to have a career and a family because it does give us time during the day and a place to be someone other than "Mama."

I'd recommend this book to most mothers of young children - though probably not to one who's depressed or really short on sleep. I think that A Room of One's Own would be a terrific follow-up to this book if reading for school (or pleasure).



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The Bloody Chamber

The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Wonderful use of language and imagery. All the praise from my online book group members is richly deserved! I'd recommend this to (grown-up) fantasy readers looking for something a little different. These stories are definitely not written for children, but are not more violent or explicit than many of the YA books that are being published right now. No foul language, but there are violent scenarios and sexual imagery. For readers wanting to revel in the richness of the English language, these stories will be a delicacy.



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The Wood Beyond the World

The Wood Beyond the World by William Morris

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The plot of The Wood Beyond the World by William Morris is not particularly complex and is trite by today's standards. However, this is one of the books that started the "dude from mostly humble beginnings ends up in magical land and becomes king somehow" fantasy trend. Lots of ye-olde style language, but nothing unmanageable. Overall, definitely should be read by fans of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, as those readers will delight in discovering the ways this book influenced the work of those authors in particular. For other readers, if you like fairy tales, you'll probably like this book.



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Pretty Face

Pretty Face by Mary Hogan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Pretty Face by Mary Hogan is a coming of age/romance novel for teens. Very well-done, I thought. And I also liked how the author didn't tie up things *too* neatly. I'd probably recommend it to fans of Meg Cabot. It's not as funny, but it's similar in that the main characters are female & learning to be themselves while finding their place in the world - with the romantic edge. I have to say that it was the descriptions of Italy (& the Italian boyfriend haha) that really made the book for me.



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Incredible Journey

Another children's book it's hard to believe that I missed as a youngster. Boy, to read these posts, you'd think I hadn't opened a book until 2005! Sheila Burnford's story of a young Labrador retriever, a older bull terrier, and an aloof Siamese cat speaks to a broad audience. Enjoyable by children and adults too! This book is especially great to read if a child's just read Where the Red Fern Grows or Old Yeller. Definitely an uplifting animal story. Not as complicated to read as Call of the Wild or White Fang, The Incredible Journey gives readers the feel of the wilderness and the search for home & those who love us that's both exciting and comforting.

Highly recommended for grades 3-6. Also highly recommended for anyone else who loves animals & enjoys animal stories.

Red Chrysanthemum

In this installment of Laura Joh Rowland's series starring Sano Ichiro (he has various titles depending on how far along in the series you are), we find disturbing parallels to the news in the contemporary United States - the horrors of child molestation and child murder. Rowland explores the political intrigue and dangers surrounding exposing & proving these charges in the setting of feudal Japan. More a thriller than a mystery, Sano and his wife, Lady Reiko, find themselves trapped by the roles they are expected to play in their society. While trying to stop the heinous practices of another member of the aristocracy, Lady Reiko finds herself (and therefore her husband and son) in greater danger than ever before.

Rowland masterfully portrays the feudal Japanese setting, explaining potentially unfamiliar concepts without breaking the action. The tension of the social structure as it existed in Japan at that time adds to the suspense of this thriller/mystery. I've read all the books in this series and look forward to her next! The characters are as well-rounded and complex as the setting. Readers interested in this setting will not be disappointed! The dialogue is rich and not stilted.

Interested readers should start with Rowland's first novel, Shinju and will be grateful there are many more in the series to read after that! Her latest book in the series is The Snow Empress, which I can't wait to get my hands on!

Good-bye Mr. Chips

While many reviewers praise this book by James Hilton on its sentimental interpretation of the story of an English schoolteacher, Mr. Chipping (aka the titular Mr. Chips), I found the story to be sad, though not depressing. I thought of it less as a portrait of an institution or a boarding school Everyman, than as a story of someone passed by & not really thought about by his peers or students. Having the people in his life regard him flippantly (though without malice) as "Mr. Chips" made me sad that no one really knew him. Probably, though he cared for his students, the young men they became probably didn't think twice about him after they left school. The picture I saw was a very lonely one. I suppose in a way, he is an Everyman in the sense that we can never really can know those around us, but still - I'd like to think some of us are more sensitive to the needs of others than most of the people around poor Mr. Chipping. Maybe that's the entire point of the sentimental story.

Recommended for middle and high school students. Also recommended for general audience.

The Dante Club

I believe this was Matthew Pearl's first novel. I really enjoyed it - liking the suspense/thriller aspect of the book. His descriptions are excellent. If you can make it past the first murder and all that entails (it's gruesome - you'll look at houseflies askance for awhile), you'll find a well-written historical thriller filled with literary figures. The characters don't just simper away in their studies, but are written as *people* each with his (predominantly male cast of characters) own foibles and point of view. The other murders that take place in the course of the story I didn't find quite so horrible (as in inducing horror/repugnance as opposed to "terror" - it's not a scary book), so if you make it past the first one and enjoy Pearl's writing style, you won't be disappointed.

I'd never recommend this book to readers of cozy mysteries! It's definitely more in the thriller genre. I suspect that if the jacket copy intrigues to someone and they're aware it has some gruesome scenes & they pick it up anyway, that they'll enjoy the book. I'd also recommend the book to people who like thrillers set in the present. They might find they enjoy the historical setting. :) Not for kids!

Matilda

I can't believe that I'd never read this book as a child! Roald Dahl was one of my favorite authors, though I think he and I had a falling out after I read Danny, Champion of the World when I was in ax. 4th grade - I'm not sure why since I liked reading about Danny and his father living in their caravan. Since the 2nd grade when my teacher Mrs. Stabenow read The Boxcar Children to us, I wanted desperately to live in a boxcar & living in a caravan was very nearly the same thing! I remember not liking that nearly so well as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. At any rate, my Dahl reading tapered off after Danny. sigh... I missed out on a treasure - Matilda is a wonderful book! I would have loved it as a child. I would have loved the child vs. adult aspect of it - I liked other books like that.

I would recommend this book highly to anyone needing a bit of a break from stern grown-up fare, but also interested in a book not dumbed down for children. The book is well-written enough to appeal to grown-ups & helps give us back a piece of that wonder of childhood. Oh - I'd recommend the book for kids too! :)

Dark Water

In this collection of short stories, Koji Suzuki, has put together a set of disturbing tales all centering around the theme of water. While American audiences are somewhat familiar to the titular story from the movie, Dark Water with Jennifer Connelly and Suzuki himself is much more well-known for his Ring series, Ring, Spiral and Loop (and the movies based on them: so far The Ring & Ring 2 and Ringu and Ringu 2).

This is a great creepily sinister set of tales perfect for fans of Koji Suzuki, Japanese horror in general, or just wants a well-written book of spooky stories without having to worry about a lot of gore. Disturbing & creepy? Yes. Gory & icky? No.