I really loved The Kite Runner when I read it last year and I’ve been longing to read this book, Hosseini’s second effort, ever since its release. I must admit, I had really high expectations. Not only did I expect something just as amazing and moving as The Kite Runner, but I also heard from everyone else that it was even better. That is some high praise, so when I picked it up, I was almost nervous that it would disappoint me.
Mariam spends the first fifteen years of her life in a little shack with her mother, knowing all the time that she is a bastard that ruined her mother’s life and an embarrassment to her father. She knows the first is true, but she denies the second until it becomes startlingly clear to her just when she needs his love the most. Laila has grown up as a more privileged daughter; she is openly acknowledged as intelligent, attends school, and even enjoys the love of her father. She also has a very close friend, Taliq, with whom she barely has to speak to be understood. When civil war erupts in Kabul, Afghanistan, these two women are thrown together, forced to endure the trials and tribulations of a life neither of them ever wanted.
First of all, I’ve discovered that I really like learning about the Middle East through fiction. I can read about current events elsewhere, but very little brings it home like a novel, and this book definitely does that. The civil war in Afghanistan and the horror of the Taliban (which is actually welcomed by some Afghanis) are brought to us through these narrators, with whom it is ridiculously easy to fall in love. There is never black and white, however; Hosseini rounds out each character, giving them reasons for their actions, giving them regrets, making them people. It would be easy to create good and evil, but Hosseini doesn’t do that, and even Rasheed has his motivations. We can’t excuse him for his actions, ever, but you can see the turning point in his life.
The emotional power of this book is breathtaking. It did make me cry – I can count on one hand the books that have made me cry, although there was another one recently – and it made everyone else that I’ve spoken to about it cry as well. It’s so moving in a way that doesn’t seem manipulative, but seems like something that could have actually happened under the circumstances. More than anything else, it feels like you are right there with Laila and Mariam, just as tied to them, and I didn’t want to let them go.
What else can I say? If you love to read, you should read this book, and that’s my honest opinion. It is a fantastic story. I loved it. Buy this book on Amazon.
I had never read anything by Ann Patchett before, but I’d heard a lot about her. When I saw the offer on Book Club Girl for a copy and to participate in a discussion this Wednesday with Ann, I was extremely excited, and I eagerly signed up. I am certainly happy about that!
The book opens with a chapter about the family’s origins. We quickly learn that Doyle and Bernadette only have one natural son and, since she wants more children, they have adopted two little black boys, quite at odds in appearance from them. Bernadette passes away in the first few pages of the book and Doyle and the boys, Tip and Teddy, are arguing after a Jesse Jackson speech when a car comes out of nowhere, causing an accident that does more to their family than just sprain Tip’s ankle.
There is so much to this book, it’s hard to know where to start. It has so many reflections, not just on the Doyle family, but on politics, on poverty, on loss, on living in the spotlight. The characters are wonderful; they have their flaws and they feel human. Kenya was my favorite, though. She’s confused, determined, and so very lost at the beginning of the book. It’s fascinating to see her worm her way into everyone’s hearts without even being aware that she’s doing it, like she just belongs there.
At the end of the book, there’s an interview with Ann Patchett where she says that the book is really, in her mind, about politics. I hadn’t thought that until I saw her response, but it clicked in my head. Not only is it about governmental politics, as in Doyle’s status as former mayor that affects the whole family in both small and large ways, but family politics, how they all fit together and who decides where the family is heading. We can clearly see the gap between rich and poor and how interchangeable those states of being are, which is an incredibly important message that Patchett gets across beautifully. Not to mention the dual meaning of the title; running as in Kenya’s skill, or running away, or as in running for an elected office. Very, very clever.
What a piece of literature this is; as I’ve said before with other books, I can see the paper topics scrolling through in my mind now. I can also say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book as I was reading and even if I didn’t have former English major auto-analyze built in, I would have loved it anyway. I’m very excited to read Bel Canto by this author now; I’ve got it sitting in my TBR pile waiting. In the meantime, I’ll be recommending Run, which you can check out on Amazon.
Lin Kong, a Chinese doctor at an army hospital, has been waiting to divorce his wife Shuyu and marry his girlfriend Manna Wu for eighteen years. Despite his pleas and their trips to the courthouse, Shuyu never agreed. After eighteen years, Lin can divorce her without her consent and marry Manna, who has been patiently waiting for him. This novel weaves a path through strict Communist Chinese culture while telling a story of love that is universal in scope.
This book has been on my radar for some time now, as it sounds just like my type of book. A simple love story, an essential piece of modern history, an exercise in atmosphere and character. It succeeds as all of those things. Lin struggles most with never making his own choices. He did not choose to marry Shuyu; she was chosen for him when his mother became old and ill. He did not choose his career. In a sense, this is not really his story, but rather a story of the currents around him moving him in specified directions. He is caught between women, caught in expectations, and trapped in a culture that doesn’t allow him to explore what he actually feels.
The women of the story are the most interesting. Determined, patient, but unhappy Manna dominates the book. I felt alternately sorry for her and frustrated with her. Lin’s wife Shuyu is also patient, but she is also hard-working and never complains. Oddly enough, I felt the most for her. What must it be like to do all of a husband’s “dirty work” only to see him one week per year and have him attempt to divorce her every single time? And still love him? I do not know and I would not like to know. I liked her and their daughter Hua the best.
Many of the other reviewers report being dissatisfied with the ending. I wasn’t. I felt that it was coming, in fact; just a reflection of the deeper conflict going on inside Lin’s head, and surprisingly suitable for this weak-willed man.
I think I’d recommend this to someone looking for a portrait of the human heart. These characters have faults just like us, and their romantic experiences are universal, which makes it interesting to see them through the eyes of a Communist culture. It’s not my favorite book, but I can tell it’s one that I will enjoy pondering for some time to come. Buy this book on Amazon.
The Waverley family has always been a bit peculiar. Between the magic apple tree and the gifts each member of the family has, none of them can claim normality. Claire Waverley has never wanted to and after a tumultuous childhood, has been content to take her grandmother’s place as the now much smaller family’s head. Her sister, Sydney, is different, and has spent her early adulthood traveling the country, engaging in relationships with dangerous men. When Sydney fears her daughter Bay is in danger, she returns to Bascom and to her sister, for a reunion Claire never suspected and a pleasing change in circumstances for both women.
If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be enchanting, which is conveniently also on the cover of my copy. The characters are charming, the small town is very typical of small towns with some magic involved, and the story is compelling (if somewhat predictable). I wanted Claire and Sydney to put aside their differences. I wished they’d get past their own problems and embrace happiness when it was offered. The romantic bits were sweet and suitable. It’s hard to put the book down; I could predict what was going to happen, but I really liked seeing it happen, too!
All in all, this is a quick, light read that will bring a smile to your face by the end. Buy this book on Amazon.
This book won the Booker of Bookers, so when I saw it sitting on the shelf, it said, “I must be good, take me home!” After all, I’ve adored some other Booker winners.
Not this one.
Saleem Sinai is born at the stroke of midnight, August 15th, 1947, at the same moment that India becomes an independent nation. He knows that he must be special – he even receives a letter from the Prime Minister for such a fortuitious birth time. This book isn’t just about him, though, it is about several generations of his family and the history of his country, all of which makes it into a lengthy literary saga.
I didn’t like Saleem. He drove me crazy with his dodging of topics and endless diversions. I wasn’t interested in his relationship with Padma and I got completely fed up with his self-important attitude. I understand that his condition is reflected by India throughout the novel, but that didn’t mean I enjoyed reading about it just because it had literary value. His connection with the other midnight children was interesting, but once again his arrogance ruined it. He’s an unreliable narrator to an extent, but not in the way that I like, if that makes any sense at all. He’s just trying to make himself sound good. Maybe because he is, apparently, not very attractive.
India, as a country, was by far the most compelling character throughout the book. I loved reading about the different regions, about Bombay and Delhi, about how rapidly India was changing. I’d certainly recommend this book for insight into the culture and that is easily the best part of it. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Kashmir region for myself, now, after reading about it so many times.
So, in the end? I think Midnight’s Children was too literary for me. I can tell that I’d get more enjoyment out of it if I went through in a class and then had to write a paper on it to pick it apart. As I was going through, I actually picked out paper topics that would illuminate the subject matter better. I’m not quite crazy enough to go out and write a paper just now, though. If I ever have fewer TBRs waiting for me, I might pick it up again and see if I can catch some of the threads that I missed this time, but I don’t anticipate that happening for a long time. In the meantime, if you like literary texts or want a better picture of India, I would say buy this book on Amazon. If you’re just looking for a good story, I’d skip it.
Phil Dixon, on the run after his latest bank robbery, desperately needs a place to stay. When he spots young college professor Elias White naked with his clearly underage neighbor, Dixon knows he’s in, and he really, really wants to be in. He’s determined to get out of his criminal lifestyle with this money, but he has to recover from his gun wound first. What Dixon doesn’t expect is just how well that lifestyle will click with Elias, and this unexpected encounter leads to some unlikely consequences for both parties, especially when FBI Agent Denise Lupo comes to town, hunting Dixon down.
I didn’t expect that this book would be hilarious, but it often is. It adds in little touches of sarcasm on nearly every page, sardonic commentary on the way we live. This is at its heart a critical look at our world – everyone is out for themselves, and the best men (or women) win no matter what it takes. I was expecting a mystery, but I got so much more out of this. It’s a great story with a message. I enjoyed it throughout and the plot consistently surprised me as I found I was misled and turned just slightly off track so that Levinson could really deliver his message. In Levinson’s world, you just have to be clever and wily to get by – not smart or hard-working. It’s a depressing theory, but he delivers it in such a way that you don’t mind. You’re too busy having fun, and only when the book ends do you ponder this deeper message. Or so it went for me.
This is a really entertaining book with a more fundamental level of meaning. I read it in a day. I’d recommend it to anyone seeking a quick, satirical read. Buy this book on Amazon.
Jordan Scott’s mother has been accused of killing his father. It could be any murder mystery – until we learn that Jordan’s mother was his father’s 19th wife in a small polygamist cult in Mesadale, Utah. Jordan was kicked out of the cult at the tender age of 14, left alone on the side of a highway for virtually no reason. By the time this novel starts, Jordan has established himself and developed an identity, but that identity isn’t strong enough to keep him from trying to save his mother once she convinces him that she didn’t do it – despite all the evidence against her. Paralleled with Jordan’s story is that of the original Mormon colony, more specifically the background and life of Brigham Young’s 19th wife, Ann Eliza. She divorced him and took her story on the national circuit, making strides in the battle to force the early Mormons to renounce polygamy all together. Of course, they didn’t complete the job, because Jordan’s family is derived from the sect that broke off after the official renunciation.
This story is told through many forms of media – in addition to an ordinary narrative in both storylines, there are also excerpts from newspapers, journals, letters, and even a master’s thesis. All of these are fictional, of course, but they add a feeling of authenticity since some of these could have existed in similar ways, and it’s certainly not unimaginable that a member of the current LDS church would choose to research Ann Eliza.
Both stories are extremely compelling and I love the way that they related to each other. Ebershoff thought the story through on many levels. I suspect it would be difficult to find a non-fiction work that could better expose the evils of polygamy. In addition, I could relate to all the characters and I loved how Jordan picked up several endearing sidekicks along the way. They added flavor and emotional attachment to the story, fleshing out Jordan’s character as we witnessed his relations with them. I was drawn in by Ann Eliza’s narrative, too, so it’s clear that the author can do a very good job with historical fiction in addition to his mystery storyline. I did, however, feel a bit disappointed by the mystery’s ending. It wraps up too quickly and a bit too neatly, in my opinion.
This is a very enjoyable book and I’d recommend it to fans of mystery and historical fiction. Buy this book on Amazon.
When his mother decides to pack the family up to go to Rome, nine-year-old Lawrence isn’t sure what to think. All he knows is that suddenly, his father is everywhere, out to get them, and they have to get away. He watches as his mother sinks into mental illness on their exodus, observing all with the sometimes innocent, sometimes surprisingly wise voice of a child. Intertwined with his story are his descriptions of his various interests, like the Solar System and some of the popes.
I loved this book. I’ve since learned that my feelings aren’t universally felt, and I suspect I know why. Lawrence felt like me. How hard is it to grow up with mental illness in your family? Only those of us who have experienced it think about it, just as with any other familial problem. His struggles spoke to me, his thoughts echoed mine when I was around his age – honestly, it was eerie, but I was so moved. I also liked that it was written in his child’s voice. As I was reading it, I was sucked in and totally believed in this character. Matthew Kneale never slips out of Lawrence’s voice and it’s easy to sink in and fall in love with him as his reactions echo that of every child.
I wasn’t bothered by the spelling errors or the run-on grammar; I took it as an echo of Lawrence’s thoughts, as if we were inside his head or he was telling us the story. It didn’t bother me when he spelled names wrong or the new words he was learning were spelled phonetically. I was willing to accept it as the voice of a child, and I think that’s where people have trouble with this book, because they’re not willing to do the same. They get stuck on “Franseen” and Lawrence’s run-on sentences and can’t fall into the illusion. I think this writing style actually made the book stronger because I can just barely remember when my thoughts were like that, too, although I can’t say I had Lawrence’s spelling issues.
I think what moved me most is his relationship with his sister Jemima. I remember feeling very similarly towards my brother, and of course now everything like that is tinged with the edge of my grief. You pull together in such circumstances, even if you fight the rest of the time. And that’s not to mention the end, which made me cry and just felt so true. I even liked Lawrence’s historical and scientific tangents; it gave us a deeper edge into his personality and related his situation to the wider world, like he was expressing his feelings in a different way.
In essence, I unequivocally loved this book. I’m planning on emailing the author just to tell him how incredibly amazing I think it is. I think you should read it, too, but only if you’re willing to suspend disbelief and accept Lawrence’s story. Otherwise, the spelling and grammar will drive you crazy. In the end, this is an extremely accurate (take it from me, it really is) and moving picture from the head of a child whose mother has a mental illness and who tries to adapt in any way he can. Buy When We Were Romans on Amazon.
Anna Taggert is a recent Ivy League graduate with a dream. She wants to be an awesome teacher, and she seems on track for this dream when she joins the staff of Langdon Hall, a exclusive private school in Manhattan, as an English teacher. There are some pitfalls, namely her tiny paycheck and run-down fifth-floor apartment. She’s determined to instill English literature into her students’ heads in creative ways, but her determination ebbs away as she realizes that neither the parents nor the school appreciate her efforts. Then she discovers tutoring – a fast way to make a ton of money, and she spirals down from eager graduate to shopping-obsessed tutor who has no time for actual teaching.
A lot of other readers enjoyed this book, so I was expecting to enjoy it too. I had an idea that it would be fun and sassy, chick lit with a brain. Well, not really. It was fun at times, but Anna whines about her life a lot in the beginning – and never stops whining even when she’s making big bucks doing rich kids’ homework for them instead of creating lesson plans for her students. She’s never satisfied either, which is what bothered me. She goes on to take more tutoring clients so she can afford more Chanel bags and live in a ritzy apartment building with a doorman. She got corrupted too easily, in my opinion. I’ve never been offered so much money, but I can guarantee I wouldn’t spend it on a $1400 handbag. As a result, the name-dropping was more than I’d have preferred.
If this is real life in elite Manhattan, however, it is quite surprising. I’d never imagined that kids could get out of doing any work whatsoever in school just because their parents were rich. I’ve never read any of the other books that cover this type of lifestyle, (one of which is apparently The Devil Wears Prada), so I had little idea that this kind of lifestyle existed. I don’t think I want it, and perhaps that’s why I didn’t enjoy this book. I couldn’t understand Anna’s motivations. I’m happy with my mountain of $1 used books and my $10 no-name handbag. I don’t enjoy or understand this world that Anna wants to live in. Sometimes the book is fun, though – I liked Anna’s lessons, her interactions with the other teachers and her students, and the ending – just didn’t get the rest.
I can only imagine the spam I’m going to get from this review, but here goes. This is not a family-friendly book, so please, make sure the kids are away from the screen!
The basic summary of the book is that two people, who are the perfect sexual match for each other, meet randomly and start doing it. All they’re interested in is having sex – the male main character, Jim, often can’t even remember what this woman looks like and certainly doesn’t know her name. Nor does he seem to care for a while, all he wants is more. As time goes on, he realizes that this is unhealthy and he seeks to know her name, her face, and eventually she kicks her boyfriend out and they move in together, attempting to form a relationship. The relationship is similarly unhealthy, and they go to see a counselor. Meanwhile, they begin to develop other interests, like television, food, and exercise, in the end becoming what appears to be a parody of a modern couple – one is overweight, the other exercises constantly, and they both are obsessed with television.
The idea behind Erotomania is tracking a couple through development. They begin as “animals”. After all, the purpose of an animal’s life is to stay alive and procreate. They eat takeout almost exclusively, because animals don’t cook and forage for food. When they learn each other’s names and move in together, they’ve transcended the animal phase, but they still mainly eat takeout and attempt procreation. Luckily, no children ever result from this union. Then the book starts in on the stereotypes as they become more “human”. They go to a therapist who is obsessed with his own diagnoses and pays little attention to their actual problems. They discover microwave cooking when Jim’s best gay friend, a chef, leaves them to find their own food. They discover television, which quickly consumes their leisure time. They even discover art, albeit in a way I’d never have expected.
The strangest part, perhaps, is that buried in all the sex and stereotypes, I could actually tell that the couple loved each other by the end. The book’s subtitle is “a romance” and Erotomania pulls it off. I never expected it to. It’s a completely different approach and utterly unlike anything I’ve ever read before. In all honesty, I was definitely bothered by the frequent swear words and the sex that pervades the entire book – it’s not my choice of reading material. I’m still glad I did, though, as it certainly expanded my horizons. There’s no denying that it’s interesting, and for someone who is interested in experimental literature, I’d recommend it. Buy this book on Amazon.
In the meantime, you can still enter to win Marie-Therese, Child of Terror by Susan Nagel here until Wednesday!
I really loved The Kite Runner when I read it last year and I’ve been longing to read this book, Hosseini’s second effort, ever since its release. I must admit, I had really high expectations. Not only did I expect something just as amazing and moving as The Kite Runner, but I also heard from everyone else that it was even better. That is some high praise, so when I picked it up, I was almost nervous that it would disappoint me.
I had never read anything by Ann Patchett before, but I’d heard a lot about her. When I saw the offer on 
This book won the Booker of Bookers, so when I saw it sitting on the shelf, it said, “I must be good, take me home!” After all, I’ve adored some other Booker winners.
. If you’re just looking for a good story, I’d skip it.
Phil Dixon, on the run after his latest bank robbery, desperately needs a place to stay. When he spots young college professor Elias White naked with his clearly underage neighbor, Dixon knows he’s in, and he really, really wants to be in. He’s determined to get out of his criminal lifestyle with this money, but he has to recover from his gun wound first. What Dixon doesn’t expect is just how well that lifestyle will click with Elias, and this unexpected encounter leads to some unlikely consequences for both parties, especially when FBI Agent Denise Lupo comes to town, hunting Dixon down.
Jordan Scott’s mother has been accused of killing his father. It could be any murder mystery – until we learn that Jordan’s mother was his father’s 19th wife in a small polygamist cult in Mesadale, Utah. Jordan was kicked out of the cult at the tender age of 14, left alone on the side of a highway for virtually no reason. By the time this novel starts, Jordan has established himself and developed an identity, but that identity isn’t strong enough to keep him from trying to save his mother once she convinces him that she didn’t do it – despite all the evidence against her. Paralleled with Jordan’s story is that of the original Mormon colony, more specifically the background and life of Brigham Young’s 19th wife, Ann Eliza. She divorced him and took her story on the national circuit, making strides in the battle to force the early Mormons to renounce polygamy all together. Of course, they didn’t complete the job, because Jordan’s family is derived from the sect that broke off after the official renunciation.
When his mother decides to pack the family up to go to Rome, nine-year-old Lawrence isn’t sure what to think. All he knows is that suddenly, his father is everywhere, out to get them, and they have to get away. He watches as his mother sinks into mental illness on their exodus, observing all with the sometimes innocent, sometimes surprisingly wise voice of a child. Intertwined with his story are his descriptions of his various interests, like the Solar System and some of the popes.
Anna Taggert is a recent Ivy League graduate with a dream. She wants to be an awesome teacher, and she seems on track for this dream when she joins the staff of Langdon Hall, a exclusive private school in Manhattan, as an English teacher. There are some pitfalls, namely her tiny paycheck and run-down fifth-floor apartment. She’s determined to instill English literature into her students’ heads in creative ways, but her determination ebbs away as she realizes that neither the parents nor the school appreciate her efforts. Then she discovers tutoring – a fast way to make a ton of money, and she spirals down from eager graduate to shopping-obsessed tutor who has no time for actual teaching.
), so I had little idea that this kind of lifestyle existed. I don’t think I want it, and perhaps that’s why I didn’t enjoy this book. I couldn’t understand Anna’s motivations. I’m happy with my mountain of $1 used books and my $10 no-name handbag. I don’t enjoy or understand this world that Anna wants to live in. Sometimes the book is fun, though – I liked Anna’s lessons, her interactions with the other teachers and her students, and the ending – just didn’t get the rest.
I can only imagine the spam I’m going to get from this review, but here goes. This is not a family-friendly book, so please, make sure the kids are away from the screen!
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