This book was a delightful read that was easy to get into and stay invested in. Like any good underdog story – and in the spirt of many greatThe Good:
This book was a delightful read that was easy to get into and stay invested in. Like any good underdog story – and in the spirt of many great sports movies – we get to go from humble beginnings, victories, setbacks, and development from rookie to champion. Every step of the way I found myself cheering, feeling empathy, and sometimes cringing as I made a close connection to our protagonist, Beth Harmon.
The Bad:
There really isn’t much that I would say is bad about this book. There are a few storylines that I thought might play out differently (view spoiler)[ drugs and alcohol (hide spoiler)] and maybe a few opportunities missed. But, not enough to detract from the overall experience
The Chess:
I know how to play chess and how all the pieces move. How long would I last in a chess game? Probably not very long as it has been years since I actually played and, as is reflected in this book, the strategy of those who play a lot is very complex and hard to follow with many, many potential moves needing to be anticipated and prepared for. At times, this book gets deep into describing chess matches and chess strategy. Actually understanding what is going on does not seem to matter, but it does occupy quite a bit of real estate in this book so it is something to be prepared for. If you think pages and pages of chess will not interest you, you can skim and should be fine.
Overall:
I am glad I read this book and I think a lot of people will enjoy it. I am looking forward to checking out the show on Netflix. ...more
This book is oddly relevant to the current political climate of our world. As I have been trying my best to escape that over the past few years, maybeThis book is oddly relevant to the current political climate of our world. As I have been trying my best to escape that over the past few years, maybe this book was not the best one to read right now!
However, it is a very interesting and thought-provoking book with the theater of politics at its core. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends all depending on which leader is saying what is right and what is wrong at the time. We watch one of the fathers of a political philosophy become one of its victims as a new rank of ideas comes to power. In the process, he becomes jailed with the very people he was responsible for putting there. Also, people he knows become guilty by association even though they really haven’t done anything at all.
Really it is all just one big chess match where nothing has really changed except for perceptions and which people decide which ideas are going to be executed. It would almost be funny if it is not so scary in its consequences.
4 stars for this interesting exploration into political folly. But not something to read if you don’t want to be frustrated and possibly angered by the futility of people killing each other over who has the “right” political idea at the time. ...more
This book was a very pleasant surprise! Not that I was expecting I wouldn’t like it, I just never know with classics on must read lists. Often it is hThis book was a very pleasant surprise! Not that I was expecting I wouldn’t like it, I just never know with classics on must read lists. Often it is hard for me to determine what about the book gets people excited about it or what exactly made it a classic. With Death Comes for the Archbishop, it was not difficult to see the appeal at all!
I listened to this book in its entirety in one sitting on the road coming back from Spring Break. The storytelling and the characters were a great way to pass the time and end a fantastic vacation. I wish all books I try as “road books” ended up being this good because I have encountered some that try their best to put me to sleep!
The structure of the plot is a series of short stories all taking place in the world of missionaries in the American Southwest during the expansion of the country. The story is influenced by a lot of real-life circumstances involving cultural clashes, native people, cowboys/frontiersmen, and old religion vs new religion. The characters you meet along the way are extremely interesting and extremely fascinating to follow on their journey.
One thing I think I appreciated the most about this book is that it is quick and too the point. Often it seems like these classics drag things out unnecessarily and it starts to get kind of bloated and boring. Cather sticks to what is important and keeps the story moving along which is I think is much better than overdoing it with excess exposition.
You should give this one a try – I hope you will be pleasantly surprised as well! ...more
I am giving this book 3 stars because I was expecting so much more. And, maybe the author accomplished what he was going for with this book, but afterI am giving this book 3 stars because I was expecting so much more. And, maybe the author accomplished what he was going for with this book, but after his book A Gentleman in Moscow and the expectations I got from the first fourth (or so) of this book, it felt like it tapered off into rambling inconsistency. It wasn’t hard to follow, but I am still not quite sure what I read.
First of all, this book is called The Lincoln Highway and the cover features a car on a road by a train. To me, looks like a road trip book reminiscent of On the Road maybe . . . with the spirt of Route 66 perhaps. Well, that is my fault for judging a book by its cover and title. It is a road trip book of sorts, but not the one you are led to believe you are getting into in the beginning. Also, The Lincoln Highway itself barely plays a part in the whole book – just being mentioned a few times and gives the reader the anticipation that you are eventually going to get to it. But, spoiler alert . . . you never do.
It's not all negative, though. I do enjoy Towles storytelling. I think if I had approached this book thinking of it as a series of tied together vignettes (sometimes tied very loosely), I would have enjoyed it a lot more. It is almost as if he had a bunch of ideas for characters with interesting backstories and tried his best to incorporate them all into one book. So, if you are reading my review before you read this book, keep this in mind and I think you will enjoy it a whole lot more.
In summary . . . still a good book but my experience tainted by it never really living up to my expectations. ...more
Brideshead Revisited is an early 1900’s soap opera. The themes of relationships, alcoholism, religion, etc. – and the conflicts caused by each – serveBrideshead Revisited is an early 1900’s soap opera. The themes of relationships, alcoholism, religion, etc. – and the conflicts caused by each – serve to spice up this story. At times I was reminded of Downton Abbey, Poldark, and other stories of that ilk. While I do enjoy drama set in that era, I did find this one to be a bit drier than I care for. But overall I enjoyed it and would say it is about 3.5 out of 5 stars....more
I got a comment on this review today hinting at the fact that it is taking me months to finish the last 5% and that sounds like a bad deal . . . so, II got a comment on this review today hinting at the fact that it is taking me months to finish the last 5% and that sounds like a bad deal . . . so, I figured it is about time I finally write my review. I did finish this book back in October, but I have not been all that inspired to write a review. That is partially a product of a year+ long book slump I have been going through. It is also partially because this was a very big book with lots to absorb and, because I was slumping, I am not really sure I can do it justice. So, you may want to take my review of this with a grain of salt as I am not sure it would reflect my experience with it during a better year.
Overall – I would give this book 3.5 to 4 stars.
I don’t really know a lot about the history of India, so it was interesting to learn about mid-20th Century India through this book. I cannot say that I know if Rushdie did a good job of being historically accurate – but, it sure feels like he did and I have not seen any complaints hinting at the contrary.
There was a lot of magical realism and mysticism in the story. In general – I tend to really like magical realism. There are a few authors who use magical realism a lot that do not click with me - the main one that comes to mind is Gabriel García Márquez. And, having read One Hundred Years of Solitude recently, Midnight’s Children had a very similar feeling to it. In fact, I would not be surprised if I were to hear that Rushdie was trying to write this book in the same vein. However, and not that I can quantify it in any particular way, I liked Midnight’s Children more than Solitude . . . maybe I just found it more accessible?
Should you read this book?
If you are working your way through the classics and are ready for an epic and complex book – definitely!
If you are not ready for something heavy, extensive, a bit odd, and requiring focused thought, you may want to wait. I go back to the fact that I read this for a book club during a slump – if it was not for that, I think I would have stopped and saved this until my head was in a better and more focused place. ...more
My experience with Gabriel García Márquez so far ( Love in the Time of Cholera and One Hundred Years of Solitude) have not been my favorite reading eMy experience with Gabriel García Márquez so far ( Love in the Time of Cholera and One Hundred Years of Solitude) have not been my favorite reading experiences. I feel that I did enjoy One Hundred Years of Solitude more, but in general I do not think his writing is for me. However, this does not discredit in anyway the writing and story – and I can very easily see why some people like his writing and why it is considered a classic.
I am sure people want an explanation of why I cannot give Márquez and his books a glowing review. Mainly, I just think the subject matter and style are not for me. While I usually enjoy magical realism, the way that he tells his various stories only gets me truly invested 1/5 of the time. The rest of the time I tend to be either bored and/or confused. Often, I find myself revisiting sections to make sure I understood what I had just experienced. With that being said, I did find myself more invested and interested in this book over Cholera – is that because it is a better book or because I knew better what I was getting into? I am not sure.
This book is worth a try if you want an interesting atmospheric, genre-specific historical fiction story (I hope that description makes sense . . . it made sense to me in my mind!). Also, it is worth trying if you are “collecting the classics”. But, if you are looking for an exciting or riveting read, I think chances are low that you will find it here....more
I need to read up on the background behind this book as I am not sure how much is fiction and how much is just actually history told as a story by a cI need to read up on the background behind this book as I am not sure how much is fiction and how much is just actually history told as a story by a character who lived it. To me, Historical Fiction means a fiction story set in a historical time period and maybe told with real historical figures. In this case I am thinking it is more than that; not really a fictional story at all but could possibly be characterized as non-fiction.
I was fascinated by this story. It is a time period that I am aware of but that I don’t really know much about. I knew some of the characters names and a bit about their reputations, but this book really filled in everything else for me. At times it was a bit heavy and I found my mind wandering – picture listening to a history lecture – but I do like history in general, so I was able to enjoy the majority of the book.
One thing that might get tiresome for you if you decide to read this is that it is a bit repetitive. Now, that is not the fault of the author. In this case, the history itself was very repetitive and it was usually the not so pleasant stuff (murder, suicide, corruption, etc.) that was repeated. I guess you could say that it is an early Soap Opera!
This book is not for everyone. If you don’t like history or in-depth – sometimes sterile – narration of events, I don’t think it is worth giving this a try. But, if you like history, tales of the Roman Empire, the development of early Europe, etc. it may be a book that you will enjoy....more
**spoiler alert** WARNING: Here there be unmarked spoilers!
I thought this would be really interesting and mysteriously spooky as a predictor of the Ti**spoiler alert** WARNING: Here there be unmarked spoilers!
I thought this would be really interesting and mysteriously spooky as a predictor of the Titanic disaster that occurred years after the publication of this book. However, this is just a so-so mystery/courtroom drama about redemption of one of the main characters where the sinking of the ship is an afterthought to the main storyline. If I wasn’t going in with bigger expectations for the shipwreck being the key event of the story, I may not have minded its barely being included.
Note: This novella was published as “Futility” and not changed to “The Wreck of the Titan” until right after the Titanic sunk. Talk about cashing in on a tragedy.
Learning about the pitiful life of John Rowland and watching him dig his way out of the hole of his tragic past is interesting and worth giving a shot. But, SERIOUSLY, the ship and it’s sinking are very minor characters/events so PLEASE do not go in expecting anything like the last two hours of the movie Titanic with action and drama as the ship slowly sinks into icy waters. If you go in expecting any more than a couple of pages related to the ship’s sinking, I guarantee disappointment....more
I did enjoy this book, but in the end I was left wondering what it was all for? It richly develops with lots of details to suddenly come3 to 3.5 stars
I did enjoy this book, but in the end I was left wondering what it was all for? It richly develops with lots of details to suddenly come to an end without anything really happening. Basically - here is Oscar's life, some background on why things are the way they are, and here's where it all ended up. The end.
If you like really detailed Historical Fiction, this is the book for you. There is a lot of very descriptive and thorough information about the political and social structure of the Dominican Republic in the mid-20th century. This is something you are really going to love if it is your thing, or it may bring the book to a halt (and cause a few DNFs) if it is not.
The overall language and the treatment of women in this this book is a sign of the times. If you have issues reading historically accurate but rude and crass language and behavior, proceed with caution. The n-word appears a lot and any inappropriate description of a woman you can think of can be found in these pages. Again, accurate to the time and place, but maybe something you should consider before reading.
Overall, a great Historical Fiction read, but the story and its seeming lack of purpose left me wanting more....more
This was an interesting but slightly less than usual graphic novel experience. I picked it out as an impulse borrow from the library as the bright andThis was an interesting but slightly less than usual graphic novel experience. I picked it out as an impulse borrow from the library as the bright and colorful cover stood out in the new graphic novel release section. Ended up being worth the impulse . . .
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A little bit spy/espionage. A little bit unrequited love/coming-of-age story. The protagonist is more of the narrator/storyteller than an actual participant in the events of the story. But, just being in the thick of it all affects him in a big way – both past and present.
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The art is fun and interesting to look at. As you can see from the images I have included, it has a very 1960s feel to it which serves to draw the reader into the time period even more. This is a case where the art is intricately involved in telling the story as well. This title is worth it just to see some of the cool imagery.
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This book may not be for every graphic novel fan. But, if you enjoy espionage and/or period specific art styles, this title is very worth checking out. And, if your interest in graphic novels is just to find something new and unique, this would be perfect for you.
Slaughterhouse-Five is a weird book. In prepping to review this adaptation I saw several mentions of it being practically unadaptable to any other forSlaughterhouse-Five is a weird book. In prepping to review this adaptation I saw several mentions of it being practically unadaptable to any other format. However, I think this graphic novel version does a pretty darn good job.
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Both the original and this version are weird. They are hard to follow. But they are oh so beautiful in their melancholy cynicism that is tainted with a little bit of hope. The story is a non-linear reflection on life that varies from the gut-wrenchingly real to the outlandishly absurd. It really is a story worthy of classic status and it was expertly handled and adapted by Ryan North and Albert Monteys.
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The art is perfect and wonderful to look at. It goes from light to dark and realistic to far fetched with perfect fluidity around our tragic hero, Billy Pilgrim. It is detailed where it needs to be, simple in other perfectly placed areas. I think it was the art that really helped make the unadaptable adaptable. I would love to read more works illustrated by this artist.
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I always say you should read the source material first – and I agree with that statement here. However, this is an adaptation worthy of the original and should be checked out by fans of Vonnegut’s work.
This was a Goodreads Choice winner but I had never heard of it until it appeared on the nominee list. I saw it was available from the library, so I haThis was a Goodreads Choice winner but I had never heard of it until it appeared on the nominee list. I saw it was available from the library, so I had to see what all the fuss was about. It was very good and very creepy . . . but is is award worthy??? Maybe . . . I am not sure I would always come to the conclusion that it moved me to the point I would shower it with victory statues, but I bet a few discussions about it would end with me heaping accolades on it.
The story was very interesting, very creepy, and very unique. If I had a complaint it would be that it was somewhat predictable with the eventual outcome being telegraphed through the narrative very early on in the story. Because of this, I was not surprised by any of the climatic events. But, that aside, it keep my interest and was a pretty cool story.
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If you are looking for a good suspenful mystery with a very dark side and a bit of gore, Mexican Gothic should be on your list....more
Usually the book is better, in this case I think it was the movie.
Shoeless Joe was made into the movie Field of Dreams. While the book w3.5 to 4 Stars
Usually the book is better, in this case I think it was the movie.
Shoeless Joe was made into the movie Field of Dreams. While the book was pretty good, the movie tidied up the narrative quite a bit, streamlined the messy parts, and hit the high emotional moments just right to hit home. In fact, if you remember the movie and all the key tear-jerking moments . . . they are all there in the book, just kind of glossed over.
Also, this is 100% a book about baseball for people who like baseball. If you do not like baseball, there is no point in reading it. Back to the movie; they did a fairly good job at making it accessible to people who do not like baseball even though that is a key plot point. The book, however, is in-your-face baseball lore, baseball statistics, baseball gameplay, etc. I can’t even say give it a try even if you don’t care for baseball. Nope . . . if you don’t have a passion for baseball, do not waste your time.
I do like baseball and overall I enjoyed the book. But now I need to go do a re-watch of the movie because of all the fond memories I now have of it being better than the book. And, I better get my tissues ready!
4 to 4.5 stars (Rounding up because I was so darn entertained)
I read Riders of the Purple Sage several years ago and always wanted to try Zane Grey ag4 to 4.5 stars (Rounding up because I was so darn entertained)
I read Riders of the Purple Sage several years ago and always wanted to try Zane Grey again. However, after reading Riders and looking at several other titles as possible follow-ups, I always assumed my next would be a classic Western. But, that is not the case with Boulder Dam.
While Boulder Dam does take place in the American West just outside of Las Vegas, it is not the typical cowboys and cattle rustler type story. Instead, as the title would indicate, the events of the story take place during the construction of Boulder Dam (eventually Hoover Dam) and deal with corruption and human trafficking in Las Vegas and the newly constructed Boulder City.
I found this title while looking through some options on Audible. Grey was a very prolific writer and this appears to be one of his lesser know titles. But, I think I found a gem! It jumped out at me because I visited Hoover Dam a few years ago and was fascinated by the history of the construction. To read a historical fiction novel based on that time period, location, and the people who built it was perfect!
The story is a perfect balance of action, suspense, intrigue, and history. If you have zero interest in the history of the construction of Hoover Dam, some of the sequences may not interest you. I love how all the characters are sort of caricatures of certain types instead of being realistic written: manly heroes, vile villains, hard-nosed lawmen, damsels in distress. I felt like I was watching a black and white film from the 40s with borderline bad acting and I loved it!
If you love historical fiction and "sort-of" Westerns - especially anything relating to the early days of Las Vegas - do yourself a favor and check this one out!...more
I had to read through several parts of this one twice. Not sure why but sections just were not working for me the first time through. But after re-reaI had to read through several parts of this one twice. Not sure why but sections just were not working for me the first time through. But after re-reading a majority of it a few weeks after finishing the first time, I ended up feeling like it was another good entry in the series.
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Perhaps the need to reread comes from this volume having a different feel than the previous volumes. Each volume focused on the onslaught of one particular type of beast. In this one, the mystery is more of an existential crisis brought on by madness. Instead of the monster being a 20 foot tall sasquatch-cyclops (sas-clops?), the monster may be you!
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The art continues in the same vein as earlier volumes. Since I have enjoyed it all along, I continue to enjoy it here. There is some really cool fantasy-horror imagery; some of which is worth looking at even if you don’t read the story.
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Again, it’s another strong entry in the series. You may encounter some issues getting into parts of it like I did because of the slightly different feel. However, a second look goes a long way with this one!
Creative and creepy. Definitely a take on the Klan I never would have expected. It combines some actual history with an occult, Lovecraftian,3.5 Stars
Creative and creepy. Definitely a take on the Klan I never would have expected. It combines some actual history with an occult, Lovecraftian, Clive Barker-ish twist.
My 3.5 Stars means I enjoyed, but was not blown away. The story felt forced at times. At others it felt like the author was winking at me saying "see what I did there". Also, the way it was written made it a bit hard for me to get into it at times.
However, I will say that I can tell a lot of horror fans are going to be really into this one. Also, there is something to be said for an epic battle between a black heroine and the Ku Klux Klan (I mean, even with my minor complaints, I was cheering). Because of this, I give it some extra points and am rounding it up to 4 stars.
If you really like gruesome horror (this does not pull punches on the gore) and want to see some historically proven baddies get their comeuppance, this is worth checking out....more
“Looking into the biographies of my childhood TV favorites, I found that many of their life stories have a particular tragedy to them. The world uses “Looking into the biographies of my childhood TV favorites, I found that many of their life stories have a particular tragedy to them. The world uses them up and then tosses them out.” - Author Brian “Box” Brown in the Author’s Note for Child Star
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Child Star is a conglomeration of pop culture realities into one fictional tale. If you were a fan of sitcoms in the 80s and 90s, I think you will find a lot of nostalgia and several plot points that will sound familiar from actual stories of child stars from that era. I don’t think it is any secret that in general Hollywood chews up and spits out child stars, and this is that story in words and pictures.
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I enjoyed both the story and the art. I have noticed the art format of limited colors (shades of blue, grey, in this case orange-ish with black and grey) in a lot of the recently released titles I have read. Seems to be common for non-fiction or fiction based on non-fiction titles. I do enjoy this artistic choice and I think it appropriate that stories of former child stars has a “Sunday Comics” feel as well.
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Child Star is a fun little get away with some seriousness and drama included. Your thirst for nostalgia will be quenched but, if you have been paying any attention to pop culture for the past 30 year, I don’t think you will be surprised by anything in this story. ...more
An enthralling but difficult book to read. I could list the trigger warnings, but let's just say if anything you can imagine being diffi4 to 4.5 Stars
An enthralling but difficult book to read. I could list the trigger warnings, but let's just say if anything you can imagine being difficult or going wrong in child birth triggers you, stay far, far away! It is not inappropriate in any way, just very shocking, graphic, heart-wrenching, and real. I was kind of exhausted when I was finished.
This book takes place during the 1918 flu pandemic in Ireland. The setting is a maternity ward full of patients suffering to from the flu. Medicine and disinfection is still very primative and the people suffer financially and socially. It is dark and stark and there is little hope to be found throughout. But, all of this makes for several hours of captivating literature.
I mentioned above the child birth scenes are exhausting. I don't think it is an exaggeration to say that 80 to 90% of this book is childbirth scenes with the rest being stories about the flu pandemic, World War I, Irish rebellion, and even a little unexpected romance (which felt kind of forced to me, but not really enough to matter or ruin anything).
In the afterward, Donoghue mentions she submitted this book to the publisher in March 2020 - right as COVID-19 was taking hold and shutting countries down. It was great that the publisher was able to release it this year as reflections on the 1918 pandemic really hit hard during this current pandemic.
This book is 100% worth checking out - but, don't forget the warnings - it is not a smooth ride....more
I feel like reviewing this could be dangerous. There are many who have strong feelings about this book. Also, as my statWhat just happened to me . . .
I feel like reviewing this could be dangerous. There are many who have strong feelings about this book. Also, as my status updates for this were hitting Twitter, I was getting several likes from random Pynchon fans, so I feel like this could be under more of a microscope than usual.
So . . . here is how I am going to do this review. The first paragraph will be my experience with the book and my star review. This is strictly my experience and does not reflect on how I feel others should feel about this book. If it triggers anyone, that is not my intention . . . but nothing surprises me anymore. After that I will have just a few bullet point observations that are not necessarily pros or cons, but just things that went through my mind while reading.
Here goes!
Overall . . . I am giving this book 3 stars. At times I felt like I was at 1 star and ready to give up. At other times I was at 5 stars and what I was reading was creative genius. So, it only seems fair to average things out around 3. It was not an easy book to read, follow, or stay interested in. I often found my mind wandering and had to go back several times to recap. But, when a section stuck with me, it really stuck with me and, overall, it is a book I will not forget.
Now . . . random Gravity’s Rainbow thoughts . . .
- If David Foster Wallace was not partially inspired by this book to write Infinite Jest, I would be very surprised. There is such a similar feel between the two. - Throughout the book I also kept thinking this felt at times like Catch-22 (released 12 years before this book), so I feel like Pynchon must have had some inspiration from that classic. - I heard that this book won the Pulitzer, but they retracted the award because of the extreme nature of the content. After reading the book, I am not saying it is right that they did it, but I can say that I am not surprised. - If you are sensitive or easily offended (and blush easily), this may not be the book for you. It has been a long time since I have been this shocked about things that were put down on the page. Also, proceed with caution when reading my next bullet point. - If there was a book about The History of the Penis, it would refer to penises less than this book does. To be blunt, I think penises (and ejaculation) came up so much in this book as a symbolism of rockets, their trajectory, and the force of a launch. - This is a book I feel you might need online resources to help you get through/understand it. It has so much bizarre stream of conscious imagery and so many outlandish plot points that a little extra help won’t hurt.
I am going to stop there for now, but this book was so long and led to so many thoughts while I was on my journey that I may come back later to add additional bullet points as I think of/remember them.
Do I recommend this book? Did you like Catch-22 and Infinite Jest? Do you like very epic, very bizarre stories that will likely make your head hurt but also might blow your mind? Are you trying to complete a list of recommended books? Then yes! But otherwise . . . no or proceed with extreme caution. ...more
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