65 posts tagged “fic”
A mom of one of my students brought me the first few books in this
series. I read the Vicious Vet first and then went back and read the
first, third and fourth. I thought the first three were the best, with
a definite bite to them, in particular regards to class/social strata.
The fourth book started to lose it a little and when I read an excerpt
from the fifth, I knew I wouldn't read it. It would be so out of
character for Agatha!
But definitely fun books, light and fluffy with a sharpness and some
laugh out loud moments! Perfect for rainy days or beach reading, though
they are short and go quickly.
Originally posted July 7, 2007
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I tried reading this ages ago, like early high school. Totally didn't
get it. Put it down and felt like people who liked it were in on some
sort of joke that I didn't get. Then when I saw Monty Python for the
first time and didn't find it funny, but rather stupid, I figured
Douglas Adams' humor was of a similar vein and didn't feel bad about
not "getting" the Hitch-hiker's series. It's our May selection for book club. I borrowed a copy from the high school library and cracked up. I think I was just too naive/sheltered to get it at like fourteen years old Now, I found it quite funny and there's tons of quotable stuff in there. I don't think that I will read the rest of them, but I really enjoyed this one. Still don't like Monty Python, though. | |
| Originally posted May 20, 2007 | |
Terry Brooks. Hm. I tried reading one of his Shannara books in high school and just couldn't do it. Honest, I tried. Had to put it down, or maybe I finished it, all I know is I was left with a feeling of "don't do that again". But, I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic fiction. Stand by Stephen King is amazing and holds up to many re-readings. Pierced by the Sword by McFarlane is crap when read after the age of 25, but at 23, I thought it was pretty good. That and it was heavy on the Catholic sutff which I dig.
So, there I was in Off the Shelf obeying my rule of "I can buy whatever book I want as long as I pay cash and don't do it on-line". I saw Armageddon's Children and then I saw who the author was and well, the urge to read another good world-ending story overpowered my desire not to waste time or money on Terry Brooks.
Was it worth it? Sort of. It ends so unfinished because it turns out that it's part of a trilogy (which they really don't tell you on the back of the book) and I'm not sure it's worth it to pick up two more books to find out who dies and who survives. The story was good, the characters good, a little one-dimensional, but there are lots of characters to keep straight, potential for it to happen in my lifetime, probably not ridiculous. John Titor, it ain't, but it probably isn't too far off base.
BUT, I went to check out what some other people said... This story is
the pre-story to Brooks' other series. I am not going to read the other
stories and I think I'm done. It was a lovely diversion, but not that
lovely. If you like his other stuff, you'll love this, but otherwise,
enh.
Originally posted May 16, 2007
2 for the price of 1! I read White Lioness and followed it up immediately with the Man who Smiled. I do really like Mankell's writing. I loaned the White Lioness to a mom at school. I'll be interested in her opinion.
White Lioness takes place partly in South Africa during apartheid. I know some South Africans and it seems like it's just an inappropriate subject. How do you ask people my age and a little older how they felt 13 years ago when apartheid ended? I don't ask. But I am curious. Who would I have been if I were South African? A friend of mine from boarding school was sent to boarding school away from the integrated secondary school (this was in 90-92) in Johannesburg (I'm pretty sure it was J'burg) because she was starting to get in trouble.
Mankell delivered an excellent mystery with both of these, though
they're not always so much of a mystery in the whodunit sense as a how
on earth are they going to catch him/her??
Originally posted May 16, 2007
This is this month's selection for one of the book clubs. The other
book club, one of the women is supposed to select some poetry for each
of us to read. I don't think we're meeting in April.
So, Nicole Krauss wrote History of Love. It's her second novel. She's
my age. I have enough issues with Cecilia Ahern and that blonde Pessl
chick, Krauss just adds to the complex.
History of Love was wonderful and lovely and all that good stuff and I
would have no hesitations about recommending (can you hear the EXCEPT
coming, yet?)
I'm sure it's me. I'm sure everyone else was clever enough to
understand the first time they read through. When the narration
switched from Leo to Alma, I got a little confused. At first, I thought
it was Leo's novel, then I realized that it probably wasn't. Then I
figured out that we had switched to the other person mentioned on the
back of the book. Thank God for the back of the book or I would still
probably be confused.
I'm not sure why/how I missed the transition. Maybe Krauss' overall
voice (in the 6 traits +1 kind of meaning) was too strong so I couldn't
differentiate between the two. I don't know, but I do know I will
probably feel a little stupid at book club. But what else is new.
So, while I thought it was lovely, I'm still a little perplexed by
Bruno. If I remember I will look for Krauss' first novel at Off the
Shelf.
Originally posted April 8, 2007
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A while ago, like maybe a couple of years ago, I posted about the
Flanders Panel and the Club Dumas and how I had been let down by
Reverte and the hype. Haha! Nautical Chart was so good! I didn't even see one of the twists coming! Excellent, excellent story and characters and twists and turns. I think I have another Reverte on the shelf somewhere and I'm now officially looking forward to picking it up! | |
| Originally posted April 8, 2007 | |
| For my other book club meeting next week, Gabriella chose Ines of My Soul by Isabel Allende. I had never read Allende before so I was very much looking forward to this. This novel was historical fiction or even a fictionalized biography and I believe a bit of a departure for Allende's norm. I associate her with magical realism. Ines Suarez was quite a woman! I liked how the book was set up as an old woman's memoirs, primarily taking place in the past as present with occasional asides into the old woman's present. Central/South American history is not my strong point; this book makes me realize the depth of my ignorance. Time for a brush-up, I think. Will check for recommendations on amazon. | |
| Originally posted February 23, 2007 | |
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Finished it over the weekend. I had packed four books for Barcelona
which was a bit optimistic on my part as I only had the chance to start
this one. Of course, I also bought a few books while there, all Gaudi
related (so a Modernisme post is forthcoming), making for a very heavy
suitcase on the way back. Finally finished Trip to the Stars in the off
hours of the PYP librarians' conference in Vienna. Hmmmm, thoughts. It was an engrossing read. I love astronomy and space and geography; this book made me want to pick up good non-fiction on all these topics and soak through them. Definitely spider web like in its interconnectedness and somewhat of a jigsaw as well as all the pieces fit together. Really had a problem with the upbringing of Enzo. Loved picking up on the characters who would turn up in odd places. Stella in Hawaii, hotelier in Philippines, the near misses at the casino and Houston. Mala's story had so much tragedy and was quite the counterpoint to Enzo's good fortune. Still all's well. | |
| Originally posted February 19, 2007 | |
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I've just started reading this, so I'm not quite a fifth of the way
through it. It is as good as my friends said and I'm enjoying it
immensely. It is, however, a borrowed copy, so I can't write in it.
(Yes, I am one of those horrible people who sleeps and eats with her
books, folds corners down if there's not other alternative, writes in
margins and underlines; just not with borrowed books) Anyways, Cassiel
is the name of an Angel and Corelli, the captain of his B-52, perhaps a
hat tip to Bernieres or the original composer? I have a feeling that
I'm missing out on a lot of meanings, but I like how the original owner
of the Canopus turns up in the Philippines. More as I read it... | |
| Originally posted February 4, 2007 | |
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I've traveled a lot. I've been a lot of places. BUT I have never made
it to South or Central America. In fact, when I visit Barcelona, it
will be the first time I have ever visited a Spanish-speaking country.
And, yes, I know, in Barcelona they speak Catalan and don't feel
particularly attached to Spain as a nation. But, that is splitting
hairs. All my travel to Spanish speaking cultures has been through books and while I was home I picked up another one. I had this habit, back when I pretended that I had money, of buying books and putting them aside to read. Going to my parents' house is a literary adventure because I always have something new to read. At Christmas, I finally picked up Who Killed Palomino Molero? by Mario Vargas Llosa. I had read Aunt Julia and really enjoyed it, so I was excited to see that I had another book by him that I hadn't read. It was a pretty quick read and structurally very different from Autn Julia. Vargas Llosa has the ability to make you pay attention and wonder if you missed something. Molero's guitar showed up, but you weren't told that it was his or how the captain (lieutenant? book is at my parents and it's been a month) got hold of it until midway through the chapter that begins with the captain (lieutenant?) playing it. Great story, especially the way the public thinks that there is so much more to the story than there actually is. Twas ever thus. | |
| Originally posted February 2, 2007 | |
