Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Looking at the reviews on Amazon, all I can say is... I glad SOMEONE liked Frankenstein. I sure didn't.
For a book that's only 170 pages, it has taken me forever to read it. And I didn't enjoy it one bit. I blame it largely on the fact that my only connection to the story has been Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (which, if you've not watched it, you really should!) which is entirely my own fault.
The biggest problem for me is that I never entered the world that the book took place in. I never felt as though I was taken to a different time or a new locale. As much as I could empathize and feel for the characters, this book did not transport me to a new time and place as I am so accustomed to feeling when I get immersed in a book. And that is unsettling for me as a reader.
The best part of the book was reading from the monster's side, and going through his journey as he gains a sense of self. It was utterly sad. But I didn't feel as though it was at all authentic, this monster gaining a more complete and refined sense of language and vocabulary than I have myself.
I'm glad it is over. I can get on with my life.
****
Book Count: 32/50
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Books 28 - 31
I am hugely, hugely behind on updating because I suck. Suck. So here's a fast one so I can get on with my life and stop worrying over the fact that I haven't updated.
Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut
I don't even really know how to explain this one.
Billy Pilgrim is in WW2, gets through it, and later learns that he can travel through time, not that he wants to. He calls it being "unstuck" in time, and will walk to the bathroom and find himself 20 years in his past or 10 years in his future.
He travels to another planet and has sex with a porn star while being in the alien zoo.
Yeah.
It sounds completely absurd and it is, but it manages to be good. Good and deep and funny and odd all at once. I guess all I can say is "try it, you might like it." Because you might. I did but I'm not entirely sure why.
The Stupidest Angel - Christopher Moore
God, I love Christopher Moore. He's so funny. He's so disturbing. He's so ridiculous. The combination is delicious.
We find ourselves back at Pine Cove (backdrop for The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, among others) with a recognizable cast of characters, but this time it's Christmas. And an Angel has come down to work a Christmas miracle. Too bad it all goes terribly wrong.
You don't HAVE to have read the other Pine Cove books to read this one. But your probably should. Moore's humour is just that much better if you have all the backstory.
Rose (Bone Prequel) - Jeff Smith
Let me go ahead and say I may have cheated a bit here. The Bone series is in graphic novel form. So.... not really a whole lot of reading. But it's a good story and I stand by my decision LOL
So I had read the first two Bone books (Out From Boneville & The Great Cow Race) before I started my challenge when they were lent to me. So when I got the WHOLE SERIES for Christmas, I was stoked! And I decided to start with Rose, thinking it would give me insight into what I had already read. Let me assure you, THAT didn't happen, LOL. I left confused. Clearly I wasn't far enough into the series. But it was a good little fantastical yarn all on it's own and it was enjoyable but I had no idea what was going on at first.
Eyes of the Storm (Bone 3) - Jeff Smith
Then Rose made more sense, LOL. Apparently, the third book is where the back story to the characters starts really coming out. But I sure have a lot to learn about the world of Bone. I will look forward to returning to these books at some point.
****
Book Count: 31/50
Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut
I don't even really know how to explain this one.
Billy Pilgrim is in WW2, gets through it, and later learns that he can travel through time, not that he wants to. He calls it being "unstuck" in time, and will walk to the bathroom and find himself 20 years in his past or 10 years in his future.
He travels to another planet and has sex with a porn star while being in the alien zoo.
Yeah.
It sounds completely absurd and it is, but it manages to be good. Good and deep and funny and odd all at once. I guess all I can say is "try it, you might like it." Because you might. I did but I'm not entirely sure why.
The Stupidest Angel - Christopher Moore
God, I love Christopher Moore. He's so funny. He's so disturbing. He's so ridiculous. The combination is delicious.
We find ourselves back at Pine Cove (backdrop for The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, among others) with a recognizable cast of characters, but this time it's Christmas. And an Angel has come down to work a Christmas miracle. Too bad it all goes terribly wrong.
You don't HAVE to have read the other Pine Cove books to read this one. But your probably should. Moore's humour is just that much better if you have all the backstory.
Rose (Bone Prequel) - Jeff Smith
Let me go ahead and say I may have cheated a bit here. The Bone series is in graphic novel form. So.... not really a whole lot of reading. But it's a good story and I stand by my decision LOL
So I had read the first two Bone books (Out From Boneville & The Great Cow Race) before I started my challenge when they were lent to me. So when I got the WHOLE SERIES for Christmas, I was stoked! And I decided to start with Rose, thinking it would give me insight into what I had already read. Let me assure you, THAT didn't happen, LOL. I left confused. Clearly I wasn't far enough into the series. But it was a good little fantastical yarn all on it's own and it was enjoyable but I had no idea what was going on at first.
Eyes of the Storm (Bone 3) - Jeff Smith
Then Rose made more sense, LOL. Apparently, the third book is where the back story to the characters starts really coming out. But I sure have a lot to learn about the world of Bone. I will look forward to returning to these books at some point.
****
Book Count: 31/50
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Book 26 - 27
Village of the Small Houses - Ian Ferguson
Ian Ferguson paints an interesting of living in Canada's North in the early 60s and 70s is this fun (mostly fun) book about his family's experiences there. His neighbours were mostly native peoples who were wary of outsiders and especially white folk. But boy, the adventures that ensue from their life there. The characters are colourful and give a really good feeling of the community he was raised in.
As with most books that are based in fact, it's not all happy and the end of the book is a little sad and pretty sobering. But there's enough laughs along the way that it's not the only part that stays with you.
One thing I really liked about this book is that it didn't smack of canadiana like a lot of Canadian stories do. I understand wanting to give voice to your culture and your country and bringing your story to the outside world but a lot of Canadian authors seem to try too hard to do that and the story gets lost behind the the many references to beer or hockey or continuous place name-dropping. And this is NOT one of those books. The story was about the community he lived in, not it's geographic location (although the trials and tribulations of living far from society do add a lot of entertainment)
This is a light, fast read and well worth the effort for anyone from 8th grade up.
A Bride for Tom - Ruth Ann Nordin
I received an e-reader for Christmas and ABfT was the first book I downloaded... it was one of the downloads available for free on the Kobo website and a small download so I figured I would try it.
It wasn't worth the free download.
So far ABfT is only available in e-book format, and there's a very good reason for that.... it sucks. It came in at about 95 e-book pages, which would probably mean even less pages in print form, and if it ever does by some miracle ever make it to print it will end up in the "bargain books" bin for $1.99
For an "historical romantic comedy" it wasn't terribly funny... nor romantic... and really didn't feel true to the era it took place in. If you get a Kobo e-reader and want to try a free download or two... bypass this one.
****
Book Count: 27/50
Ian Ferguson paints an interesting of living in Canada's North in the early 60s and 70s is this fun (mostly fun) book about his family's experiences there. His neighbours were mostly native peoples who were wary of outsiders and especially white folk. But boy, the adventures that ensue from their life there. The characters are colourful and give a really good feeling of the community he was raised in.
As with most books that are based in fact, it's not all happy and the end of the book is a little sad and pretty sobering. But there's enough laughs along the way that it's not the only part that stays with you.
One thing I really liked about this book is that it didn't smack of canadiana like a lot of Canadian stories do. I understand wanting to give voice to your culture and your country and bringing your story to the outside world but a lot of Canadian authors seem to try too hard to do that and the story gets lost behind the the many references to beer or hockey or continuous place name-dropping. And this is NOT one of those books. The story was about the community he lived in, not it's geographic location (although the trials and tribulations of living far from society do add a lot of entertainment)
This is a light, fast read and well worth the effort for anyone from 8th grade up.
A Bride for Tom - Ruth Ann Nordin
I received an e-reader for Christmas and ABfT was the first book I downloaded... it was one of the downloads available for free on the Kobo website and a small download so I figured I would try it.
It wasn't worth the free download.
So far ABfT is only available in e-book format, and there's a very good reason for that.... it sucks. It came in at about 95 e-book pages, which would probably mean even less pages in print form, and if it ever does by some miracle ever make it to print it will end up in the "bargain books" bin for $1.99
For an "historical romantic comedy" it wasn't terribly funny... nor romantic... and really didn't feel true to the era it took place in. If you get a Kobo e-reader and want to try a free download or two... bypass this one.
****
Book Count: 27/50
Monday, December 20, 2010
Book 23-25
Dracula - Bram Stoker
If you aren't familiar with the story of Dracula, then you have lived your entire life under a rock on Mars. Dracula is the original tale of gothic horror, chronicling the hunt for Dracula after he left Transylvania and attempted to relocate in London.
And it was boring.
Okay, it wasn't boring, but I had a lot of trouble getting into it. I think this is largely to do with the format of the book. It's all excerpts from diaries, telegraphs, articles from newspapers, etc. And I guess that the jumping around doesn't agree with me.
I was worried in starting it that it was going to be a long, drawn out lead in to the flesh of the book. Boy was I WRONG. I think the first chapter that takes place in Dracula's castle was the best part, your introduction to the monster that is vampire and it really was kind of freaky and disturbing. So I was set up to really enjoy the remainder of it, but then was a little let down. I felt it went in fits and starts.. I'd be interested for a few pages and then suddenly would have to force myself through the text and not allow myself to skim for others.
I guess when you sit down to read the classics you have an image of what they're going to be like in your head, and this one let me down. Maybe it's something to be said for the desensitization of our society and the fact that things that scared us years ago don't anymore, but I didn't feel the horror and the intrigue that is typically described when people talk about Dracula.
A Touch of Dead - Charlaine Harris
So, this is a collection of short stories that star Sookie Stackhouse, the heroine of the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris. And if you're not a fan of the series, I wont recommend this book. But if you ARE a fan of the books or the series True Blood, then of course you should read it! I bombed through this book in no time and it was a nice pick me up after Dracula.
If you're not aware of the series, here's a quick breakdown. Sookie Stackhouse is a pretty young waitress in a small southern town and she just happens to be a telepath. She becomes the go-to girl for vampires and many other supernatural folks in her area. These are cheap, sexy little mysteries and absolutely the literary equivalent of junk food. And this book of short stories is just a little snack that will hold you over until the next book comes out (MAY 2011!!!!!!!! OMGYAY!!!!!) But don't read it and expect to enjoy it if you haven't read the novels, mmmkay?
To Kill a Mocking Bird - Harper Lee
This is the first book I read on my phone, and I've been reading it little bit by little bit for a few months. I read it in 10th grade and I loved it as much the second time as I did the first.
Set in Depression-era Alabama, this is the story of the trials and tribulations around the Finch family. There's a trial for rape, an attempted murder, the shooting of a rabid dog and race relations laced throughout.
I love, love, love this book. It's sweet and sad and short and long and just a great read for many different reasons.
****
Book Count: 25/50
If you aren't familiar with the story of Dracula, then you have lived your entire life under a rock on Mars. Dracula is the original tale of gothic horror, chronicling the hunt for Dracula after he left Transylvania and attempted to relocate in London.
And it was boring.
Okay, it wasn't boring, but I had a lot of trouble getting into it. I think this is largely to do with the format of the book. It's all excerpts from diaries, telegraphs, articles from newspapers, etc. And I guess that the jumping around doesn't agree with me.
I was worried in starting it that it was going to be a long, drawn out lead in to the flesh of the book. Boy was I WRONG. I think the first chapter that takes place in Dracula's castle was the best part, your introduction to the monster that is vampire and it really was kind of freaky and disturbing. So I was set up to really enjoy the remainder of it, but then was a little let down. I felt it went in fits and starts.. I'd be interested for a few pages and then suddenly would have to force myself through the text and not allow myself to skim for others.
I guess when you sit down to read the classics you have an image of what they're going to be like in your head, and this one let me down. Maybe it's something to be said for the desensitization of our society and the fact that things that scared us years ago don't anymore, but I didn't feel the horror and the intrigue that is typically described when people talk about Dracula.
A Touch of Dead - Charlaine Harris
So, this is a collection of short stories that star Sookie Stackhouse, the heroine of the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris. And if you're not a fan of the series, I wont recommend this book. But if you ARE a fan of the books or the series True Blood, then of course you should read it! I bombed through this book in no time and it was a nice pick me up after Dracula.
If you're not aware of the series, here's a quick breakdown. Sookie Stackhouse is a pretty young waitress in a small southern town and she just happens to be a telepath. She becomes the go-to girl for vampires and many other supernatural folks in her area. These are cheap, sexy little mysteries and absolutely the literary equivalent of junk food. And this book of short stories is just a little snack that will hold you over until the next book comes out (MAY 2011!!!!!!!! OMGYAY!!!!!) But don't read it and expect to enjoy it if you haven't read the novels, mmmkay?
To Kill a Mocking Bird - Harper Lee
This is the first book I read on my phone, and I've been reading it little bit by little bit for a few months. I read it in 10th grade and I loved it as much the second time as I did the first.
Set in Depression-era Alabama, this is the story of the trials and tribulations around the Finch family. There's a trial for rape, an attempted murder, the shooting of a rabid dog and race relations laced throughout.
I love, love, love this book. It's sweet and sad and short and long and just a great read for many different reasons.
****
Book Count: 25/50
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Books 21 & 22
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - J.K Rowling
The sixth installment of the Harry Potter series. This is when the shit hits the fan. Professor Dumbledore is doing "private lessons" with Harry to learn more about Voldemort's past and we start learning about horcruxes and the fact that there's bits of Voldemort scattered about that need to be destroyed. Harry is also at the top of his Potions class with the newly re-instated Potions Master, Professor Slughorn. His borrowed Potions book is full of helpful hints and tips and the apparent author of those tips is the mysterious "Half Blood Prince". The Prince was also a very creative hex maker... the use of which can have bloody results.
Grayson - Lynne Cox
Grayson is a sweet, light little book about a professional swimmer's experience with a lost baby whale... and it's entirely true! Lynne Cox is a famous long distance open water swimmer and swam the English Channel when she was 15 years old, breaking the records of the day and has done tons ground breaking (water breaking?) swims since then. She also wrote Swimming to Antarctica .
Anyway, in Grayson Lynne is training early in the morning in the ocean, as she does every day, when she starts feeling unusual disturbances in the water. She wraps up her training and goes to speak to a friend when he tells her to not come to shore... or the baby gray whale that's following her will be beached! So Lynne and Grayson swim out to see in hope to find Grayson's mom or pod. Along the way Lynne has interactions with a few other sea creatures and her telling of them really paints a picture of the relationship she's developed with the fish, turtles, etc, from being out there every day.
****
Book Count: 22/50
Don't know when I'll get number 23 done... Dracula is taking forever....
The sixth installment of the Harry Potter series. This is when the shit hits the fan. Professor Dumbledore is doing "private lessons" with Harry to learn more about Voldemort's past and we start learning about horcruxes and the fact that there's bits of Voldemort scattered about that need to be destroyed. Harry is also at the top of his Potions class with the newly re-instated Potions Master, Professor Slughorn. His borrowed Potions book is full of helpful hints and tips and the apparent author of those tips is the mysterious "Half Blood Prince". The Prince was also a very creative hex maker... the use of which can have bloody results.
Grayson - Lynne Cox
Grayson is a sweet, light little book about a professional swimmer's experience with a lost baby whale... and it's entirely true! Lynne Cox is a famous long distance open water swimmer and swam the English Channel when she was 15 years old, breaking the records of the day and has done tons ground breaking (water breaking?) swims since then. She also wrote Swimming to Antarctica .
Anyway, in Grayson Lynne is training early in the morning in the ocean, as she does every day, when she starts feeling unusual disturbances in the water. She wraps up her training and goes to speak to a friend when he tells her to not come to shore... or the baby gray whale that's following her will be beached! So Lynne and Grayson swim out to see in hope to find Grayson's mom or pod. Along the way Lynne has interactions with a few other sea creatures and her telling of them really paints a picture of the relationship she's developed with the fish, turtles, etc, from being out there every day.
****
Book Count: 22/50
Don't know when I'll get number 23 done... Dracula is taking forever....
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Books 15-20
Oh my, this will be a list.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K Rowling
Ok, so, if you haven't read any of the Harry Potter books yet, you're behind. Really behind. And, I get it! When Harry Potter I was very "anti everything trendy". Pretty much, if other people liked something, I didn't. So I didn't like the Harry Potter series because it was popular. And then I saw the first movie, and I realized what I was missing to a degree.
When beginning your journey through the world that is the world of Harry Potter, you need to keep in mind one major thing: In the first book, Harry is 11 and it is geared towards audiences of a similar age. So don't expect anything too intensely deep, because you'll not get that. What you will get, though, is a decently written novel for tweens and teens that is pretty captivating. You are able to forget the age of our favourite young wizard and get involved in the story. I can't say the same for the movie, but that's now what this blog is here for....
I think that *most* people in the developed world who have any connection to pop culture understand the basics to the Harry Potter series. Harry is a wizard who doesn't know it, he's raised in a family of "muggles" (non magical people) who have done the best to crush his abilities out of him by years of living under their thumbs. He has no idea what he is or, really, anything about his past until he's accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Then he gets to learn about the amazing, magical world that he's a part of... and famous in. As a baby a very famous, evil wizard tried to fail, and what happened is still a bit of a mystery. What his world doesn't know is that Lord Voldemort is attempting to come back.....
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
So this one, for all it attempts at being mildly creepy still kind of fails since it's geared at 12 year olds. But that doesn't matter because... well... it's Harry Potter. So Harry goes back to school for his second year, having barely survived the first one. But when the caretaker's cat is attacked and a note on the wall says the Chamber of Secrets has been opened, rumours start flying around. What is the Chamber of Secrets, and who would be able to open it? What is that voice that Harry can hear that no one else can? And has one of his best friends set a monster on the school?
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling
This is where the series starts getting good. The darkness that is apparent as a background theme is coming to the foreground now... J.K's target audience has grown with Harry a bit and are able to deal with more intense subject matter. One of Lord Voldemort's biggest supporters has broken out of the wizard prison, Azkaban. And that means a whole lot of trouble for Harry...
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
This was my favourite of the books when they were still new to me, and the movie was a huge letdown. The world of magic was so vivid and apparent to me when I read it, and now Harry is 14 and a lot more mature.
So Harry has survived another year, and this year is extra exciting... the Quidditch World Cup has come to Britain and Harry gets to go. But when the Dark Lord's signature is blasted into the sky when a number of his followers start harassing the muggles who own the camp ground, the amazing night quickly turns terrifying. Then, when Harry returns to school his finds out the Triwizard tournament is being held. He's not old enough to enter and somehow ends up being thrown into the mix anyway. And finally, Lord Voldemort officially rears his snakelike head.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling
I really hated this book the first time I read it. Not because it was badly written (though it's a huge book and there's quite a bit that could/should have been cut) but because I spent the whole time being ANGRY. I remember being at the family cottage and literally throwing the book across the room, I was so angry. I also remember reading it in two days. I'm just not able to put Harry down. One annoying thing about this book is that Harry is 15 and boy, does J.K write the age well. He's an angsty little douche and I get really fed up with him... but it's true to the age of the characters and I have to give J.K kudos for making me hate one of my favourite characters so much.
Lord Voldemort is back, and terribly, his existence is being kept hidden from the wizarding world at large. People refuse to believe Harry's account of Voldemort's return, and the Daily Prophet is painting a picture of a very different Harry, an attention seeking boy who is possibly touched in the head. The searing pain that shoots through the scar on his forehead doesn't help matters. But, there's a band of warriors who will fight Lord Voldemort, the ones who believe he's returned, and they're willing to give their lives to do it. The other part of their job involves keeping Harry alive.
The Dogs of Babel: A Novel - Carolyn Parkhurst
This book is sweet, sad, deep, lighthearted, and easy to read. How's that all possible? I don't really know. But it's true. I picked this one up cheap, on clearance, on my trip to Chicago. I grabbed it for two reasons... it mentioned dogs and I vaguely recognized the name. And I'm glad I did! When Lexy falls from a large tree in her yard, the only witness is her faithful Rhodesian Ridgeback, Lorelei. It just so happens that Lexy's husband, Paul is a linguistics professor and he decides the only way to gain insight into Lexy's death is to teach Lorelei to speak.
This book has a few outwardly funny moments, but mostly it is sad and beautiful.
****
Book Count: 20/50
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K Rowling
Ok, so, if you haven't read any of the Harry Potter books yet, you're behind. Really behind. And, I get it! When Harry Potter I was very "anti everything trendy". Pretty much, if other people liked something, I didn't. So I didn't like the Harry Potter series because it was popular. And then I saw the first movie, and I realized what I was missing to a degree.
When beginning your journey through the world that is the world of Harry Potter, you need to keep in mind one major thing: In the first book, Harry is 11 and it is geared towards audiences of a similar age. So don't expect anything too intensely deep, because you'll not get that. What you will get, though, is a decently written novel for tweens and teens that is pretty captivating. You are able to forget the age of our favourite young wizard and get involved in the story. I can't say the same for the movie, but that's now what this blog is here for....
I think that *most* people in the developed world who have any connection to pop culture understand the basics to the Harry Potter series. Harry is a wizard who doesn't know it, he's raised in a family of "muggles" (non magical people) who have done the best to crush his abilities out of him by years of living under their thumbs. He has no idea what he is or, really, anything about his past until he's accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Then he gets to learn about the amazing, magical world that he's a part of... and famous in. As a baby a very famous, evil wizard tried to fail, and what happened is still a bit of a mystery. What his world doesn't know is that Lord Voldemort is attempting to come back.....
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
So this one, for all it attempts at being mildly creepy still kind of fails since it's geared at 12 year olds. But that doesn't matter because... well... it's Harry Potter. So Harry goes back to school for his second year, having barely survived the first one. But when the caretaker's cat is attacked and a note on the wall says the Chamber of Secrets has been opened, rumours start flying around. What is the Chamber of Secrets, and who would be able to open it? What is that voice that Harry can hear that no one else can? And has one of his best friends set a monster on the school?
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling
This is where the series starts getting good. The darkness that is apparent as a background theme is coming to the foreground now... J.K's target audience has grown with Harry a bit and are able to deal with more intense subject matter. One of Lord Voldemort's biggest supporters has broken out of the wizard prison, Azkaban. And that means a whole lot of trouble for Harry...
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
This was my favourite of the books when they were still new to me, and the movie was a huge letdown. The world of magic was so vivid and apparent to me when I read it, and now Harry is 14 and a lot more mature.
So Harry has survived another year, and this year is extra exciting... the Quidditch World Cup has come to Britain and Harry gets to go. But when the Dark Lord's signature is blasted into the sky when a number of his followers start harassing the muggles who own the camp ground, the amazing night quickly turns terrifying. Then, when Harry returns to school his finds out the Triwizard tournament is being held. He's not old enough to enter and somehow ends up being thrown into the mix anyway. And finally, Lord Voldemort officially rears his snakelike head.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling
I really hated this book the first time I read it. Not because it was badly written (though it's a huge book and there's quite a bit that could/should have been cut) but because I spent the whole time being ANGRY. I remember being at the family cottage and literally throwing the book across the room, I was so angry. I also remember reading it in two days. I'm just not able to put Harry down. One annoying thing about this book is that Harry is 15 and boy, does J.K write the age well. He's an angsty little douche and I get really fed up with him... but it's true to the age of the characters and I have to give J.K kudos for making me hate one of my favourite characters so much.
Lord Voldemort is back, and terribly, his existence is being kept hidden from the wizarding world at large. People refuse to believe Harry's account of Voldemort's return, and the Daily Prophet is painting a picture of a very different Harry, an attention seeking boy who is possibly touched in the head. The searing pain that shoots through the scar on his forehead doesn't help matters. But, there's a band of warriors who will fight Lord Voldemort, the ones who believe he's returned, and they're willing to give their lives to do it. The other part of their job involves keeping Harry alive.
The Dogs of Babel: A Novel - Carolyn Parkhurst
This book is sweet, sad, deep, lighthearted, and easy to read. How's that all possible? I don't really know. But it's true. I picked this one up cheap, on clearance, on my trip to Chicago. I grabbed it for two reasons... it mentioned dogs and I vaguely recognized the name. And I'm glad I did! When Lexy falls from a large tree in her yard, the only witness is her faithful Rhodesian Ridgeback, Lorelei. It just so happens that Lexy's husband, Paul is a linguistics professor and he decides the only way to gain insight into Lexy's death is to teach Lorelei to speak.
This book has a few outwardly funny moments, but mostly it is sad and beautiful.
****
Book Count: 20/50
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Books 13 & 14
The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
This book is really... really... GOOD. A young boy (Daniel Sempere) is taken to the Cemetery for Lost books by his book seller father, and the book that chooses to leave with him is The Shadow of the Wind. Taking the book leads him, eventually, into a Hollywood style mystery. Who is the man with the rough voice that seeks the book so badly? Is he the same man who is systematically burning every book ever written by Julián Carax? This is a book that really draws you in, and satisfyingly so. I absolutely loved it. The book was lent to me and I will happily add it to my private collection in the future.
The Dog Who Wouldn't Be - Farley Mowat
Farley Mowat tells the story of his childhood in the Canadian prairies with tales of his beloved dog Mutt in The Dog Who Wouldn't Be. Mutt didn't fancy himself dog or human... clearly he was above both of them! I really did laugh out loud at this little book, and it was an interesting shot of Canadian geography and history at the same time. Though it really is more of a pre-teen aged book, reading it really helped illustrate to me why Farley Mowat is one of Canada's best known (and best loved) authors.
****
Book Count: 14/50
This book is really... really... GOOD. A young boy (Daniel Sempere) is taken to the Cemetery for Lost books by his book seller father, and the book that chooses to leave with him is The Shadow of the Wind. Taking the book leads him, eventually, into a Hollywood style mystery. Who is the man with the rough voice that seeks the book so badly? Is he the same man who is systematically burning every book ever written by Julián Carax? This is a book that really draws you in, and satisfyingly so. I absolutely loved it. The book was lent to me and I will happily add it to my private collection in the future.
The Dog Who Wouldn't Be - Farley Mowat
Farley Mowat tells the story of his childhood in the Canadian prairies with tales of his beloved dog Mutt in The Dog Who Wouldn't Be. Mutt didn't fancy himself dog or human... clearly he was above both of them! I really did laugh out loud at this little book, and it was an interesting shot of Canadian geography and history at the same time. Though it really is more of a pre-teen aged book, reading it really helped illustrate to me why Farley Mowat is one of Canada's best known (and best loved) authors.
****
Book Count: 14/50
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