Masterpiece
Very good
Just okay
Not for me
Definitely not for me'h' authors
Tuesday, July 8th, 2008Review: Daughters of the North
Daughters of the North, known as The Carhullan Army in the UK, is a dystopian novel set in an environmentally and economically ravaged Britain. Citizens are forced to be registered in cities where they are assigned work for the good of the state. Contraception is mandated and every female is fitted with a device for that purpose. Not only that, but they must also submit to periodic checks to insure the device is in place. Unable to remain where she is under such circumstances, “Sister” escapes to an all-female commune that she knew about as a child. Her reception there is at first strained, as the members of the group want to insure she is not a spy sent by the state. As “Sister” gains their trust and tells them of the conditions in the nearby city, it becomes uncertain whether the group will be able to remain in their isolated location for long. A decision must be made to stay or fight.
Author Sarah Hall was nominated for the Booker Prize for her book The Electric Michelangelo. I recommend this title to readers who enjoy dystopian fiction with a feminist slant. While not nearly as captivating as The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, it is worth a look if you enjoy reading the dystopian genre.
2008 in the U.S., 240 pp.
Rating: 
Popularity: 18% [?]
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008Keeper and Kid
Isn’t this a cute cover?! I just love it. Keeper and Kid by Edward Hardy is about a single dad trying to be a father to a 3 year-old child he never even knew he had. It’s about the shock one gets with a child when one realizes your life will never be your own again. It’s also about how our lives are made even richer for it. Struggling to make his job and his relationships work with a new child in his life, James Keeper is just overwhelmed with it all. But little Leo is so cute and says the cutest things. Children are like that. They frustrate and inspire simultaneously. I enjoyed reading this book about child rearing and relationships from a man’s perspective, though the language was a bit strong for my tastes. I’d be interested in reading the sequel if the author decides to write one.
2008, 294 pp.
Rating: 3.5/5
Popularity: 57% [?]
Saturday, March 1st, 2008The Translator: A Tribesman’s Memoir of Darfur
It is almost always easier to learn about history through historical fiction or current world events through memoirs, and this book is no exception. Daoud Hari gives us a harrowing account of his experiences translating for various media outlets in the Darfur region. The violence in Darfur, especially toward women and children, is unspeakable. Though not overly graphic, it is still difficult to read in spots.
Similar to the plight of the Kurds, the people of Darfur have had their lives shattered due to boundaries set by people not of their region. This brief, engaging book will not only enlighten you to the situation in Darfur, but will also make you question the wisdom of meddling in other countries’ affairs at all.
2008, 189 pp.
Rating: 4
Popularity: 37% [?]
Thursday, January 31st, 2008The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon is a very fun, unique book to read- especially if you are interested in mathematics and logic. Christopher is 15, has a form of autism, loves math, and hates the colors yellow and brown. He sees the world through logic and those around him can only reach him through logic. One night he discovers his neighbor’s dog has been murdered and sets out to find the killer. This leads him not only to the perpetrator but also to a personal adventure as well.
I really admire this book. Haddon made Christopher a completely convincing character, and I would love there to be a sequel.
2003, 226 pp.
Rating: 
Also reviewed by:
Popularity: 37% [?]
Sunday, December 23rd, 2007The Kite Runner
The Kite Runner by Khalded Hosseini starts out beautifully:
I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975. I remember the precise moment, crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen creek. That was a long time ago, but it’s wrong what they say about the past, I’ve learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out. Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted alley for the last twenty-six years.
The description Amir tells of his childhood in Afghanistan is mesmerizing. Wanting to please his father, playing (and taunting) his friend/servant Hassan, dealing with the neighborhood boys. The first half of the book is very, very strong. However, the last third of the book I felt was too contrived, too formulaic, and too coincidental. I still became very emotional at times, but the ‘wow’ factor for me was gone. There were just too many coincidences in the end to make it a believable story. Overall, though, I did enjoy it, and I’m looking forward to seeing the movie adaptation. I’ll also be reading A Thousand Splendid Suns in 2008.
2003, 371 pp.
Rating: 4
Also reviewed by:
Popularity: 21% [?]
Saturday, December 1st, 2007Mr. Ives’ Christmas
Mr. Ives’ Christmas by Oscar Hijuelos was a Pulitzer finalist in 1996. Hijuelos had also previously won the Pulitzer in 1990 for The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love.
Mr. Ives seems to have almost the perfect life. He has a successful career and a happy family. He helps with community projects and events for his church. He is a man of faith. Then his son is shot and killed on Chrismas Eve coming home from choir practice. The son, Robert, was only 17 and wanted to be a priest. From this tragic event, Edward Ives struggles with his faith and the meaning of existence. He questions his once firm ideals. He grieves. He grieves for a very long time.
I don’t know if ‘enjoyed’ is proper in this case, so I will say I really appreciated this book, but it is not for everyone. It is definitely not a warm and cozy Christmas story, but it is one that seeks answers to the hard questions in life. If you’ve ever wondered why God allows bad things to happen, you might like this book. It really doesn’t even come away at the end with many very solid answers, but it does show one man’s journey through faith, hardship, and loss in a sensitive and thought-provoking manner.
1995, 248 pp.
Rating: 4
Popularity: 11% [?]
Monday, July 2nd, 2007The Bone People by Keri Hulme
The Bone People
by Keri Hulme
1984 , 445 pp.
Rating: 4 3.5
1985 Booker Prize
I didn’t think I was going to like this book at first, and I didn’t love it, but it definitely kept me reading and I did care about the characters.
Kerewin is an artist who lives in a Tower by the sea. She likes living by herself and even likes the isolation. She is estranged from her family.
Joe is a factory worker with an adopted son who is always getting into trouble. Joe has a bit of a drinking problem and doesn’t keep good tabs on his son. The boy ends up at Kerewin’s place, and the three end up becoming friends, if not a quasi family unit. Secrets, lies, and violence lie beneath the surface, though, and threaten to tear them all apart.
The story takes place in New Zealand with Joe and Kerewin being part Maori. Some of the myths, culture, and history of the Maori are also part of the book.
This is a different kind of book that is written in almost a “stream of consciousness” style. I thought this was a bit distracting at first, but then I got used to it and even enjoyed it. I also don’t like it when authors use the present tense rather than the past tense. This aspect bothered me for about 3/4 of the book, but then I didn’t notice it anymore.
For instance (p. 34) “She picks up the curious pendant one last time, to fondle and admire before she goes downstairs,” rather than “She picked up the curious pendant one last time and fondled and admired it before she went downstairs.” I guess it’s a preference issue.
If you’ve already read this book and would like to talk about it further, we are discussing it right now at BookAwards.
- 1. Laura - July 3, 2007
- Thanks for the review, I have this on my list for the Book Awards Challenge. Looking forward to it!
- 2. Nyssaneala - July 3, 2007
- This book should make for a good discussion. I hope we get a lot of people that chime in!
Popularity: 20% [?]
Thursday, January 4th, 2007Parchment of Leaves & Clay’s Quilt - Silas House
Both completed in September 2006. I enjoyed these books because they gave me insight into the people where I live. The stories take place in central Kentucky. Parchment of Leaves is first chronologically, followed by The Coal Tattoo, and then Clay’s Quilt. I discussed these as part of a book group. It was interesting to hear their perspectives as most of them are from this area, while I am originally from Colorado. Anyone from Kentucky or with roots in Kentucky should read these books. I plan on reading The Coal Tattoo this year or next.
Clay’s Quilt 2001, 292 pp.
Parchment of Leaves 2002, 278 pp.
Rating: 3.5/5 for both
Popularity: 13% [?]
Thursday, January 4th, 2007Parchment of Leaves 2002, 278 pp. See review above…
Parchment of Leaves 2002, 278 pp.
See review above.
Duplicate post to account for having 2 books in one review post.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Thursday, January 4th, 2007Plainsong - Kent Haruf
Completed in September 2006. Words cannot describe how I hated this book. I wanted to like it–I really, really did. I guess the only reason I did want to like it was because it is set in northeastern Colorado where I grew up. I cannot imagine my grandparents reading this novel; they would be disgusted with it if they did. Haruf may have lived and taught in the area, but he DOES NOT get the people or community right AT ALL. When I think of the place where I was raised, I think of people similar to the characters in Gilead
Now, I did hear that the Hallmark movie was good. I may actually like it because I suspect they took out the parts I hated. Well, I know this is a scathing review, but it was well-deserved.
1999, 301 pp.
Rating: 0.5 (only because it got published!)
Popularity: 11% [?]