One review described this book as a crime novel for people who don't like crime novels. Not quite sure what the means, but I assumed it was a crime novel with more of a story behind it.
I thought it sounded interesting, and I'm a fan of mysteries by British authors.
I found the book to be very readable, it held my interest. But in the end, I was very disappointed with the story. I was so disappointed I was angry with what happened in the end. To me, it felt like very bad storytelling. I don't quite know how to describe what happened without completely giving away what happened, so we'll just leave it as, I didn't like it.
Beatrice returns home to London after learning her younger sister, Tess, has disappeared. Her search for Tess causes her to re-examine her own live. Tess was a free spirit, an artist and in comparison, Beatrice feels as if her own life is stagnant. Because having a stable job and relationship are bad things? Have I mentioned I didn't like this book all that much? I don't quite understand why she was so in awe of Tess, who was still a student (she may have actually quit school - it's been a few months since I read the book) and she was pregnant as the result of an affair with her married professor. All things to admire -- not.
As an artist, I grow so tired of the portrayal of the irresponsible art student. This is why people don't respect artists. News flash - it is possible to be creative, pay your bills and successfully use birth control. It may not be as much fun - but it's possible.
Beatrice quits her job in America and ends her relationship with her boyfriend and becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to her sister. She uncovers so many secrets. Tess discovered her unborn baby has a disease so she agrees to go through some experimental treatments hoping to cure the baby and preventing it from dying the same horrible death as her brother.
But as Beatrice gets closer to the truth of her sister's disappearance, it becomes clear that her decision making skills are not much better than those of her younger sister.
In the end, I felt as if these sisters both made very bad choices which put them in dangerous situations. A little bit of thought, careful planning, and caution could have prevented so much tragedy, but then again, there wouldn't have been a book if that had happened. I simply don't enjoy stories that involve women lacking basic survival skills. And then the twist at the end -- had I not been reading this on my Kindle, I probably would have thrown it at the wall I was so angry.
Disclaimer: I read this in January, I might be fuzzy on some details, but I think my general impression remains accurate.
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Anyone but You by Jennifer Cruise
I was interested in this book because of the basset hound on the cover. I get dog fever around this time of the year. Something about the holidays make me think of puppies. I always assumed I'd grow up and have a dog. I never wanted a husband, I never wanted kids, but I always wanted a dog. But I grew up, sort of, and realized that I'm entirely too irresponsible to have a dog. I'm never home, I'm tight with my money (as in I'd pass out and die if I had to fork over some major, unexpected pet-related medical expenses) and I lack the ability to show affection toward living things. So yeah, no dog for me.
But back in the day when I wanted a dog, I wanted a basset hound because I think they are adorable, and so even now, long after I've realized I can't have a dog, I am still drawn to basset hounds.
I read the description of the book and thought it sounded cute. Not the sort of book I would usually read. But not every book I read has to be dark and deep and serious, right? I later realized this is even part of a Harlequin romance series. I've not read a Harlequin romance since I was in high school and used to take them from my mother.
Day before the end of the year, I had read 34 books and wanted to get that up to 35. So I took this book to bed with me and I read the entire thing in one sitting. Finished it early this morning.
As far as romances go, this was pretty good. A 40 year old, newly-divorced woman moves from her mansion to a small apartment and she decides to get a dog. She wants a perky puppy, but while at the pound, she instead is drawn to a sad, depressed basset hound who only has a day left before he's put down. She takes Fred instead of a puppy. And it's Fred, who Nina trains to use the fire escape to go out, who accidentally walks into her downstairs neighbor's apartment. The downstairs neighbor is Alex, a 30-year-old ER doctor.
Nina is beginning a new life on her own. She married her first boyfriend and for sixteen years, she stood by him as he built up his career as a successful and wealthy attorney. Alex is just getting started with his career, as his family of doctors tries to pressure him into choosing a more distinguished speciality than ER. Though they are both hesitant to admit it, they seem to be exactly what each other needs.
I actually really liked this story. I liked the characters, they seemed real and they seemed like nice people. The story didn't make me cringe like most "romances" tend to do. I liked that it wasn't the typical broken-hearted, lonely woman seeking a big, successful man to sweep off her feet. Nina could take care of herself and she was okay with Alex being a little immature and goofy. She liked the company of a nice guy, she didn't need someone to take care of her.
Maybe it's because I'm closer to 40 than I am 30 and I like the idea that a nice, attractive younger man would find a 40 year old woman attractive. In real life it seems the only men who notice a woman my age now are the creepy old guys who don't have enough money to attract the 20 year olds. Let's just say I'm glad I'm no longer involved in the whole dating scene because it's not pleasant for women my age. It's settle or be single. So even though this book may not have been realistic, it still made me happy to read this story because it's nice to think the possibility is there.
Alex isn't just a nice guy, he's also not one of those guys needing a wife to "settle down" and cook and clean and have babies. That seemed to be the only option out there when I was younger. Never met any guys who wanted to do fun things like travel and watch old movies or attend concerts and sporting events. No, the nice guys just wanted to get married, buy a house and have a couple of kids - boring! And the other guys, well they just wanted, you know...
Okay, so the book is a fantasy, but not the typical romantic fantasy. It's more of a fantasy for women like me. I guess that was what I found surprising about the story. These types of stories rarely appeal to me.
I had a few minor issues with the story - one being that I thought it took way too long for Nina and Alex to get together. He's in her apartment every night watching TV, she's lying on the couch behind him while he's sitting on the floor, they both want each other, and no one makes a move? This goes on for weeks! Then once they got together, there was a bit of weirdness, Alex became something of a jerk for a while. But maybe that's normal? Not all that experienced with relationships. But all of that was brief and resolved rather quickly.
Overall I liked the book. Kind of nice to read something that isn't as heavy as what I usually read. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance novels and wants a quick, light read.
But back in the day when I wanted a dog, I wanted a basset hound because I think they are adorable, and so even now, long after I've realized I can't have a dog, I am still drawn to basset hounds.
I read the description of the book and thought it sounded cute. Not the sort of book I would usually read. But not every book I read has to be dark and deep and serious, right? I later realized this is even part of a Harlequin romance series. I've not read a Harlequin romance since I was in high school and used to take them from my mother.
Day before the end of the year, I had read 34 books and wanted to get that up to 35. So I took this book to bed with me and I read the entire thing in one sitting. Finished it early this morning.
As far as romances go, this was pretty good. A 40 year old, newly-divorced woman moves from her mansion to a small apartment and she decides to get a dog. She wants a perky puppy, but while at the pound, she instead is drawn to a sad, depressed basset hound who only has a day left before he's put down. She takes Fred instead of a puppy. And it's Fred, who Nina trains to use the fire escape to go out, who accidentally walks into her downstairs neighbor's apartment. The downstairs neighbor is Alex, a 30-year-old ER doctor.
Nina is beginning a new life on her own. She married her first boyfriend and for sixteen years, she stood by him as he built up his career as a successful and wealthy attorney. Alex is just getting started with his career, as his family of doctors tries to pressure him into choosing a more distinguished speciality than ER. Though they are both hesitant to admit it, they seem to be exactly what each other needs.
I actually really liked this story. I liked the characters, they seemed real and they seemed like nice people. The story didn't make me cringe like most "romances" tend to do. I liked that it wasn't the typical broken-hearted, lonely woman seeking a big, successful man to sweep off her feet. Nina could take care of herself and she was okay with Alex being a little immature and goofy. She liked the company of a nice guy, she didn't need someone to take care of her.
Maybe it's because I'm closer to 40 than I am 30 and I like the idea that a nice, attractive younger man would find a 40 year old woman attractive. In real life it seems the only men who notice a woman my age now are the creepy old guys who don't have enough money to attract the 20 year olds. Let's just say I'm glad I'm no longer involved in the whole dating scene because it's not pleasant for women my age. It's settle or be single. So even though this book may not have been realistic, it still made me happy to read this story because it's nice to think the possibility is there.
Alex isn't just a nice guy, he's also not one of those guys needing a wife to "settle down" and cook and clean and have babies. That seemed to be the only option out there when I was younger. Never met any guys who wanted to do fun things like travel and watch old movies or attend concerts and sporting events. No, the nice guys just wanted to get married, buy a house and have a couple of kids - boring! And the other guys, well they just wanted, you know...
Okay, so the book is a fantasy, but not the typical romantic fantasy. It's more of a fantasy for women like me. I guess that was what I found surprising about the story. These types of stories rarely appeal to me.
I had a few minor issues with the story - one being that I thought it took way too long for Nina and Alex to get together. He's in her apartment every night watching TV, she's lying on the couch behind him while he's sitting on the floor, they both want each other, and no one makes a move? This goes on for weeks! Then once they got together, there was a bit of weirdness, Alex became something of a jerk for a while. But maybe that's normal? Not all that experienced with relationships. But all of that was brief and resolved rather quickly.
Overall I liked the book. Kind of nice to read something that isn't as heavy as what I usually read. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance novels and wants a quick, light read.
Friday, December 30, 2011
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
I was curious about this book and then a friend of mine went on and on about how it's the best book ever, so I decided to read it.
I like books about magic, stories that can integrate the magic into the story in such a way that it feels natural and normal. This book was full of magic.
Two competitive magicians set up a challenge between their students. Once the students are older they end up involved in a circus. A circus that only performs at night and lasts until dawn. Everything in the circus is black and white, and there are many tents, each with some beautiful, magical treasures inside.
I loved the way the words created images in my mind. The story is so well written that I could easily immerse myself in this circus as I read the story. I used the word "atmospheric" to describe this book. It felt dreamy and misty and each time I picked up the book I felt as if I was drifting into this special world again.
One element of the story that I especially liked were the people who followed the circus, the Revers. They loved the circus so much they would travel around the country, sometimes across the ocean to visit the circus. They made friends with other followers of the circus and they traveled together. "We lead strange lives, chasing our dreams from place to place," one of these Revers explains. I could relate too well with these people. For years, I've followed my favorite bands around the country and to Europe. Some of my best friends are people I've met along these travels, other people who understand what it's like to chase dreams. This gave me a stronger understanding of these people and their love for this beautiful circus.
What I didn't like about the story though was I never fully understood "the challenge." I don't think I was supposed to understand because even the people involved said several times that they didn't understand the rules or the parameters. As a reader, this became frustrating to me as the book reached an end. I assumed as I was reading this that it would eventually be explained. I felt the ending was unsatisfying. I'm not going to give away from happened but the resolution felt too vague to me. I had no idea as to expect, but I certainly didn't expect what did happen.
This is one of those books I may need to read again, just to get a better understanding as to what happened.
But I did enjoy the book. Very well written, very interesting story. And as I said at the beginning, full of magic, always a good thing.
finished reading: Dec. 30, 2011
I like books about magic, stories that can integrate the magic into the story in such a way that it feels natural and normal. This book was full of magic.
Two competitive magicians set up a challenge between their students. Once the students are older they end up involved in a circus. A circus that only performs at night and lasts until dawn. Everything in the circus is black and white, and there are many tents, each with some beautiful, magical treasures inside.
I loved the way the words created images in my mind. The story is so well written that I could easily immerse myself in this circus as I read the story. I used the word "atmospheric" to describe this book. It felt dreamy and misty and each time I picked up the book I felt as if I was drifting into this special world again.
One element of the story that I especially liked were the people who followed the circus, the Revers. They loved the circus so much they would travel around the country, sometimes across the ocean to visit the circus. They made friends with other followers of the circus and they traveled together. "We lead strange lives, chasing our dreams from place to place," one of these Revers explains. I could relate too well with these people. For years, I've followed my favorite bands around the country and to Europe. Some of my best friends are people I've met along these travels, other people who understand what it's like to chase dreams. This gave me a stronger understanding of these people and their love for this beautiful circus.
What I didn't like about the story though was I never fully understood "the challenge." I don't think I was supposed to understand because even the people involved said several times that they didn't understand the rules or the parameters. As a reader, this became frustrating to me as the book reached an end. I assumed as I was reading this that it would eventually be explained. I felt the ending was unsatisfying. I'm not going to give away from happened but the resolution felt too vague to me. I had no idea as to expect, but I certainly didn't expect what did happen.
This is one of those books I may need to read again, just to get a better understanding as to what happened.
But I did enjoy the book. Very well written, very interesting story. And as I said at the beginning, full of magic, always a good thing.
finished reading: Dec. 30, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
The Girl in the Flammable Skirt by Aimee Bender
The description of this collection of short stories sounded so interesting. But the stories were more weird than interesting. And I usually like weird, but this wasn't a cool weird but rather a, "WTF, that doesn't make any sense," sort of weird. There was rarely any sort of explanation or background given to provide any substance for the bizarreness of the stories.
The stories were like, "One day my boyfriend started to go through a reverse evolution. He became an ape, then a fish, then a tadpole, so put him in the ocean." The end. Really? The stories are for the most part delivered with that much emotion and detail.
I never felt any sort of connection or concern for the characters involved in these stories.
And yet, I kept reading them, so I must not have thought they were completely terrible. I suspect I was in some way drawn to the bizarreness. At one point, about a third of the way through the book, I decided I wasn't going to finish reading it, I had too many other books to read to waste my time on this nonsense. But I couldn't stop reading the stories. Maybe I was just hoping that something more would happen. Maybe my curiosity got the better of me. A few of the longer stories had potential, but they felt more like introductions or outlines for what could have been better stories.
The more I read short stories the more I realize I don't like them much. I need to know more about the characters. If I'm going to invest my time in reading about these people, I need to get a better feeling as to who they are. Short stories don't provide the kind of connection I need with what I read.
I really didn't like this book very much. Part of me gets annoyed when I read stuff like this because I don't quite understand why something like this gets published. Maybe I'm not smart enough to get it. But the weirdness too often tipped into the "silly" category. I kind of wish I'd never picked this book up.
finished reading: Dec. 17, 2011
The stories were like, "One day my boyfriend started to go through a reverse evolution. He became an ape, then a fish, then a tadpole, so put him in the ocean." The end. Really? The stories are for the most part delivered with that much emotion and detail.
I never felt any sort of connection or concern for the characters involved in these stories.
And yet, I kept reading them, so I must not have thought they were completely terrible. I suspect I was in some way drawn to the bizarreness. At one point, about a third of the way through the book, I decided I wasn't going to finish reading it, I had too many other books to read to waste my time on this nonsense. But I couldn't stop reading the stories. Maybe I was just hoping that something more would happen. Maybe my curiosity got the better of me. A few of the longer stories had potential, but they felt more like introductions or outlines for what could have been better stories.
The more I read short stories the more I realize I don't like them much. I need to know more about the characters. If I'm going to invest my time in reading about these people, I need to get a better feeling as to who they are. Short stories don't provide the kind of connection I need with what I read.
I really didn't like this book very much. Part of me gets annoyed when I read stuff like this because I don't quite understand why something like this gets published. Maybe I'm not smart enough to get it. But the weirdness too often tipped into the "silly" category. I kind of wish I'd never picked this book up.
finished reading: Dec. 17, 2011
Friday, December 02, 2011
Blue Nights by Joan Didion
This book is so very sad. Blue Nights is Joan Didion's collection of thoughts on the loss of her daughter. She doesn't write specifically about her daughter's death, but rather about her daughter's absence from her life now.
A few years ago, Didion wrote The Year of Magical Thinking about the loss of her husband, and the year that followed his loss. I seem to recall that book being more structured. Blue Nights isn't about a certain time period. It's more about what Didion is going through as a parent who has lost her child, as a parent who assumed that her child would outlive her and be around now.
What broke my heart the most was when she talked about how we hold onto things in hopes of saving memories of important moments, only to look back on those items, cards and photographs and wish that we'd worked harder at enjoying that moment.
Didion has lost so many people in her life, and she's struggling with the idea of getting older and having to do this without the people who were most important to her.
She also reflects quite a bit on parenthood, and worries about things she may have done wrong. She's fixated on certain events. She thinks maybe her daughter was adversely affected by being adopted and that maybe her parenting skills were off. But as a reader, an outsider looking in, and someone who has never been a parent, but has spent plenty of time around children, I can't help but think that it's normal for parents to question their own parenting skills. I think any parent who assumes they did everything right is probably very much in denial. I didn't get the impression that she was a bad parent or that her daughter suffered much. I think that Didion is probably just spending a lot of time thinking and re-thinking and over analyzing the events in her life. She's a writer, that's what writers do. She's seeking an answer, wondering what she could have done differently.
I very much enjoy Didion's writing and this was no exception. But reading this broke my heart over and over again. This book made me think of people I've lost, of moments I tried to hold onto, of things I've done wrong and things I wished I'd done differently and the horror that I can't change the past to remedy my mistakes. It also made me realize that I'm going to grow old alone and it made me a little bit glad that I won't have people to lose and that my own alone-ness will be fully expected, unlike Didion, who thought her daughter would be there with her as she grew older.
I'd recommend this book to anyone. It's just one of those books I think people should read.
finished reading: Dec. 2, 2011
A few years ago, Didion wrote The Year of Magical Thinking about the loss of her husband, and the year that followed his loss. I seem to recall that book being more structured. Blue Nights isn't about a certain time period. It's more about what Didion is going through as a parent who has lost her child, as a parent who assumed that her child would outlive her and be around now.
What broke my heart the most was when she talked about how we hold onto things in hopes of saving memories of important moments, only to look back on those items, cards and photographs and wish that we'd worked harder at enjoying that moment.
Didion has lost so many people in her life, and she's struggling with the idea of getting older and having to do this without the people who were most important to her.
She also reflects quite a bit on parenthood, and worries about things she may have done wrong. She's fixated on certain events. She thinks maybe her daughter was adversely affected by being adopted and that maybe her parenting skills were off. But as a reader, an outsider looking in, and someone who has never been a parent, but has spent plenty of time around children, I can't help but think that it's normal for parents to question their own parenting skills. I think any parent who assumes they did everything right is probably very much in denial. I didn't get the impression that she was a bad parent or that her daughter suffered much. I think that Didion is probably just spending a lot of time thinking and re-thinking and over analyzing the events in her life. She's a writer, that's what writers do. She's seeking an answer, wondering what she could have done differently.
I very much enjoy Didion's writing and this was no exception. But reading this broke my heart over and over again. This book made me think of people I've lost, of moments I tried to hold onto, of things I've done wrong and things I wished I'd done differently and the horror that I can't change the past to remedy my mistakes. It also made me realize that I'm going to grow old alone and it made me a little bit glad that I won't have people to lose and that my own alone-ness will be fully expected, unlike Didion, who thought her daughter would be there with her as she grew older.
I'd recommend this book to anyone. It's just one of those books I think people should read.
finished reading: Dec. 2, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
A Vintage Affair, by Isable Wolff
I saw this book at the store a while back, and wanted to buy it for my friend who owns a vintage shop because I thought it sounded interesting. Also, I've read two other books by Isabel Wolff and really liked both of them. Then as holiday travel approached, I needed a book to keep me entertained while waiting in airports and on planes. I saw this available at the library and snapped it up. Very glad I did.
What I like most about Wolff's books are that her main characters are strong women, who don't need a man to validate their existence. Wolff's stories are never about women seeking men or losing men or trying to navigate life with a man. Instead, her characters are trying to figure out who they are and what they need to "live their best life" - yes, I stole that phrase from Oprah, but it fit. In this book Phoebe has suffered a tragic loss and is trying to reaccess her life - get her act together and move on.
She's ended her engagement, a situation which was tainted with bad energy already - and has left a stressful, but successful career to start her own business. This is the story of how that works out for her.
There are several different storylines - Phoebe dealing with her past, trying to navigate her future, her mother's attempts at moving forward after suffering her own loss, Phoebe's relationships with an elderly women whose life is ending, the storylines of the characters who shop at Phoebe's vintage shop, as well as the stories of the dresses. It never felt like too many things happening, but rather a very realistic snapshot of the life surrounding Phoebe and her store.
There were parts of the book that were very sad, others that felt hopeful. This book is about friendships and guilt and grief and forgiveness and the way all of those things mingle together and affect everyday life. There isn't a nice, happy ending because that wouldn't be possible considering the circumstances. But there is hope at the end.
I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a quick, interesting read. Not too romantic or sappy, but emotionally powerful. Also, the stories about the dresses are interesting. I know nothing about fashion, but this did spark my interest in vintage clothing. A big plus that the story took place in London, in areas that I remember from my time spent there, and there's even a trip to France included (an area I've not visited, but would like to someday.)
What I like most about Wolff's books are that her main characters are strong women, who don't need a man to validate their existence. Wolff's stories are never about women seeking men or losing men or trying to navigate life with a man. Instead, her characters are trying to figure out who they are and what they need to "live their best life" - yes, I stole that phrase from Oprah, but it fit. In this book Phoebe has suffered a tragic loss and is trying to reaccess her life - get her act together and move on.
She's ended her engagement, a situation which was tainted with bad energy already - and has left a stressful, but successful career to start her own business. This is the story of how that works out for her.
There are several different storylines - Phoebe dealing with her past, trying to navigate her future, her mother's attempts at moving forward after suffering her own loss, Phoebe's relationships with an elderly women whose life is ending, the storylines of the characters who shop at Phoebe's vintage shop, as well as the stories of the dresses. It never felt like too many things happening, but rather a very realistic snapshot of the life surrounding Phoebe and her store.
There were parts of the book that were very sad, others that felt hopeful. This book is about friendships and guilt and grief and forgiveness and the way all of those things mingle together and affect everyday life. There isn't a nice, happy ending because that wouldn't be possible considering the circumstances. But there is hope at the end.
I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a quick, interesting read. Not too romantic or sappy, but emotionally powerful. Also, the stories about the dresses are interesting. I know nothing about fashion, but this did spark my interest in vintage clothing. A big plus that the story took place in London, in areas that I remember from my time spent there, and there's even a trip to France included (an area I've not visited, but would like to someday.)
Monday, November 14, 2011
It Looked Different on the Model by Laurie Notaro
I spent two weeks trying to make my way through a non-fiction book about Berlin under the early days of Hitler. Not exactly a light or enjoyable read. I finally gave up on the book and I wanted something fun.
Was so pleased to see this book by Laurie Notaro. I love her writing, she's so funny.
This book was so very funny, one night as I sat here reading it, I was laughing so hard I was crying and my whole body was sore. I couldn't stop laughing. This is one of those books that I've told everyone they need to read and I'll probably buy a few copies to give as Christmas gifts.
Of course, as I found out last time I insisted on everyone reading one of her books, not everyone gets her sense of humor. But then again, I tend to not be amused by things that most people find funny.
Notaro writes about simple, every day situations, that become hilarious. Such as trying on a shirt that's a size too small and then getting trapped in it, or being banned from the satellite post office for wanting to purchase too many two cent stamps. I could especially relate to having lost an iPhone - which I did this summer and felt the same raging hatred for the person who now I had my phone and all my photos and notes. The funniest story was about her husband thinking she was eating candy in bed. I won't tell you what happened, but highly recommend you find a copy and read it.
Was so pleased to see this book by Laurie Notaro. I love her writing, she's so funny.
This book was so very funny, one night as I sat here reading it, I was laughing so hard I was crying and my whole body was sore. I couldn't stop laughing. This is one of those books that I've told everyone they need to read and I'll probably buy a few copies to give as Christmas gifts.
Of course, as I found out last time I insisted on everyone reading one of her books, not everyone gets her sense of humor. But then again, I tend to not be amused by things that most people find funny.
Notaro writes about simple, every day situations, that become hilarious. Such as trying on a shirt that's a size too small and then getting trapped in it, or being banned from the satellite post office for wanting to purchase too many two cent stamps. I could especially relate to having lost an iPhone - which I did this summer and felt the same raging hatred for the person who now I had my phone and all my photos and notes. The funniest story was about her husband thinking she was eating candy in bed. I won't tell you what happened, but highly recommend you find a copy and read it.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
I pretty much loved this book. I finished reading it yesterday morning, and spent the rest of the day and today missing the characters, that's how much I liked this book.
Diana was born a witch, but doesn't really use her magic much. She's also a historian who happens to be working at Oxford, doing research on alchemy. One day, while in the Bodleian Library she notices a tall, beautiful man who happens to be a vampire. Oh. My. God. Do you know me at all? Maybe not, but the author of this book seems to have tapped into all my fantasies at once - witches, vampires, books, research, Oxford and love at first sight in a library? Oh, and not to spoil anything, but the vampire also has a castle in France. Dear god I love this book.
And it's so well written. I realize my description of the book may sound ridiculous: a witch meets a vampire in a library and they fall in love. But it's written in such a way that it doesn't feel at all ridiculous. It was one of those books I was able to dive into and push away all the blandness of the real world. It's so atmospheric, Oxford, then France. I felt as if I was there, in the old building, walking through the castle, sharing the perfect glass of wine with a sexy vampire.
I'm hesitant to say this, but it's almost like a Twilight for grown-ups. As much as I love this book, and feel that it blows Twilight away in just about every aspect imaginable, I'd be lying if I said the similarities aren't there.
I have to admit I did not love the second half of the book as much as I loved the first half. When it was just Diana and Matthew, it was perfect. But then we meet Matthew's family, and then we meet Diana's family. Then we have something called the Congregation that wants to kill Diana because vampires and witches aren't supposed to be together. (Do you see the Twilight comparison now? In Twilight it was a group of vampires in Italy who didn't want vampires and humans together.)
There's also Matthew's hesitation about consumating the relationship, his old fashioned views about women, his extreme protectiveness -- all quite similar to a vampire we all know as Edward. Diana is a much stronger character than Bella, but like Bella, she is more than willing to give up life as she knows it for the vampire she loves, despite the fact that she's never been crazy about the idea of getting married and having children.
And like Twilight, we have the vampire family, the parents and the children. The part that bothered me most is that suddenly Diana, who has only been in love with this vampire for a few weeks, is now referring to his "son" as her son. That was weird and a little icky as far as I was concerned. That detracted some from my love of the book because I noticed myself groaning every time she referred to her "son." He's not your son, you just met him. Technically, he's not Matthew's "son" either, but oh well.
But what's really going to piss me off about this book is if they get all wrapped up in the idea of vampire/witch offspring. That's what killed the Twilight series for me - the weird vampire/human spawn storyline. As soon as they mentioned "conception" in this book, I felt a surge of anger. Don't ruin this story for me!
Why can't two people - witch/vampire - whatever - spend some time being in love with each other, getting to know each other - before they start reproducing? Nothing kills a romance for me like babies do.
Luckily, the subject was mentioned and then they moved on. I think that however the subject is approached, it will be okay.
Despite my complaints just mentioned, I loved the story of Diana and Matthew. This felt truly romantic, not crude or silly or graphic and awkward. I rarely enjoy anything considered "romantic" and usually simply tolerate those scenes or rush through them as quickly as possible. This book though, I savored those scenes, because this couple got to know each other, spent time together, and actually seemed to fall in love rather than fall into bed.
I'm looking forward to the next book, even though I'm not usually a fan of time travel (the end of this book involved Matthew and Diana timewalking). I'm bothered that the sequel won't be out until the summer, but oh well, another reason to look forward to the summer.
I very much recommend this book to anyone who likes vampire stories or witch stories or well written romance stories.
Diana was born a witch, but doesn't really use her magic much. She's also a historian who happens to be working at Oxford, doing research on alchemy. One day, while in the Bodleian Library she notices a tall, beautiful man who happens to be a vampire. Oh. My. God. Do you know me at all? Maybe not, but the author of this book seems to have tapped into all my fantasies at once - witches, vampires, books, research, Oxford and love at first sight in a library? Oh, and not to spoil anything, but the vampire also has a castle in France. Dear god I love this book.
And it's so well written. I realize my description of the book may sound ridiculous: a witch meets a vampire in a library and they fall in love. But it's written in such a way that it doesn't feel at all ridiculous. It was one of those books I was able to dive into and push away all the blandness of the real world. It's so atmospheric, Oxford, then France. I felt as if I was there, in the old building, walking through the castle, sharing the perfect glass of wine with a sexy vampire.
I'm hesitant to say this, but it's almost like a Twilight for grown-ups. As much as I love this book, and feel that it blows Twilight away in just about every aspect imaginable, I'd be lying if I said the similarities aren't there.
I have to admit I did not love the second half of the book as much as I loved the first half. When it was just Diana and Matthew, it was perfect. But then we meet Matthew's family, and then we meet Diana's family. Then we have something called the Congregation that wants to kill Diana because vampires and witches aren't supposed to be together. (Do you see the Twilight comparison now? In Twilight it was a group of vampires in Italy who didn't want vampires and humans together.)
There's also Matthew's hesitation about consumating the relationship, his old fashioned views about women, his extreme protectiveness -- all quite similar to a vampire we all know as Edward. Diana is a much stronger character than Bella, but like Bella, she is more than willing to give up life as she knows it for the vampire she loves, despite the fact that she's never been crazy about the idea of getting married and having children.
And like Twilight, we have the vampire family, the parents and the children. The part that bothered me most is that suddenly Diana, who has only been in love with this vampire for a few weeks, is now referring to his "son" as her son. That was weird and a little icky as far as I was concerned. That detracted some from my love of the book because I noticed myself groaning every time she referred to her "son." He's not your son, you just met him. Technically, he's not Matthew's "son" either, but oh well.
But what's really going to piss me off about this book is if they get all wrapped up in the idea of vampire/witch offspring. That's what killed the Twilight series for me - the weird vampire/human spawn storyline. As soon as they mentioned "conception" in this book, I felt a surge of anger. Don't ruin this story for me!
Why can't two people - witch/vampire - whatever - spend some time being in love with each other, getting to know each other - before they start reproducing? Nothing kills a romance for me like babies do.
Luckily, the subject was mentioned and then they moved on. I think that however the subject is approached, it will be okay.
Despite my complaints just mentioned, I loved the story of Diana and Matthew. This felt truly romantic, not crude or silly or graphic and awkward. I rarely enjoy anything considered "romantic" and usually simply tolerate those scenes or rush through them as quickly as possible. This book though, I savored those scenes, because this couple got to know each other, spent time together, and actually seemed to fall in love rather than fall into bed.
I'm looking forward to the next book, even though I'm not usually a fan of time travel (the end of this book involved Matthew and Diana timewalking). I'm bothered that the sequel won't be out until the summer, but oh well, another reason to look forward to the summer.
I very much recommend this book to anyone who likes vampire stories or witch stories or well written romance stories.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Before I Go to Sleep by C.J. Watson
So this was the other book about a woman losing her memory. Unlike, What Alice Forgot, this one is not at all light-hearted or fun. This is incredibly creepy and disturbing.
Every morning Christine wakes up not knowing where she is, or who she's with. Her husband tapes pictures around the room with explanations. He says they've been married for years, they're very much in love. He writes notes a white board in the kitchen, suggestions of how she can spend her day. She then goes to bed and forgets everything during her sleep, and wakes the next morning and goes through it all over again.
One day though, she gets a call from a doctor who says he's been helping her for a while. She has a journal in which she writes down everything. The doctor calls her every morning and tells her about the journal. He says they're making progress.
Every once in a while she remembers an event, or a person, but she has no context with which to place these memories.
I read this book very quickly. It was due at the library and I didn't want to have to put my name back on the waiting list.
This book reminded me of the Mary Higgins Clark books I used to read. I loved those books when I was younger, as in high school days. But then I grew tired of them. I could guess the ending within the first few chapters. Same with this book. Mid-way through, I already suspected what was happening, but read it too quickly to really dwell on it.
But in the end, I was disappointed. Also, the story was too far-fetched for me. The daily vanishing memory was a little too hard to accept. A doctor so concerned and involved that he called her every day but didn't even suspect what was actually happening? The friends and family who simply disappeared from her life? Most of all though, I didn't like the overt moralizing of the story, as if Christine somehow deserved what had happened to her. It's obvious this book was written by a man, and if I'd known that in advance I probably wouldn't have read it. (I'm very particular about books written by men. It has to be an author with which I'm familiar or has a lot of great reviews from people I respect.) The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. This felt very much like what I imagine to be the perverted sexual fantasies of a deranged man.
It held my interest, I couldn't stop reading it once I started because I was anxious to find out what happened next. It's very suspenseful and it certainly left an impression. The night after I finished that book, I had some horrible nightmares relating to this story. In hindsight, I wish I'd not read this book.
Every morning Christine wakes up not knowing where she is, or who she's with. Her husband tapes pictures around the room with explanations. He says they've been married for years, they're very much in love. He writes notes a white board in the kitchen, suggestions of how she can spend her day. She then goes to bed and forgets everything during her sleep, and wakes the next morning and goes through it all over again.
One day though, she gets a call from a doctor who says he's been helping her for a while. She has a journal in which she writes down everything. The doctor calls her every morning and tells her about the journal. He says they're making progress.
Every once in a while she remembers an event, or a person, but she has no context with which to place these memories.
I read this book very quickly. It was due at the library and I didn't want to have to put my name back on the waiting list.
This book reminded me of the Mary Higgins Clark books I used to read. I loved those books when I was younger, as in high school days. But then I grew tired of them. I could guess the ending within the first few chapters. Same with this book. Mid-way through, I already suspected what was happening, but read it too quickly to really dwell on it.
But in the end, I was disappointed. Also, the story was too far-fetched for me. The daily vanishing memory was a little too hard to accept. A doctor so concerned and involved that he called her every day but didn't even suspect what was actually happening? The friends and family who simply disappeared from her life? Most of all though, I didn't like the overt moralizing of the story, as if Christine somehow deserved what had happened to her. It's obvious this book was written by a man, and if I'd known that in advance I probably wouldn't have read it. (I'm very particular about books written by men. It has to be an author with which I'm familiar or has a lot of great reviews from people I respect.) The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. This felt very much like what I imagine to be the perverted sexual fantasies of a deranged man.
It held my interest, I couldn't stop reading it once I started because I was anxious to find out what happened next. It's very suspenseful and it certainly left an impression. The night after I finished that book, I had some horrible nightmares relating to this story. In hindsight, I wish I'd not read this book.
Monday, October 10, 2011
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
Last year, I remember people being all frantic about the end of the world. I say people, but I mean my silly students. Teenagers believe just about anything they read online or have sent to them via text message, but absolutely nothing told to them by a semi-intelligent adult in a position of pseudo-authority. I found myself trying to explain this idea of the so-called Rapture on a few occasions.
A little background on me - I don't believe in any of this stuff. I think the Bible is a sometimes interesting book and nothing more. I think most religions were created to keep women "in their place." So as I try to explain all this to teenagers, I try to be cautious with my choice of words so as not to offend them. Unlike other teachers who think it's fine to push their political-religious views on others, I try to remain neutral in the eyes of my students. Not always easy.
I was quite amused though when I said at one point, "The Rapture is the idea that God is going to take his followers up to heaven with him and leave behind those who don't believe in Jesus." And one of my students says, "Good, those people are annoying." Oh yeah, these are my kids.
Anyway, this book, The Leftovers, is about a situation in which a Rapture type event happens. Thousands of people just disappear one night. The story takes place three years later, as people are still trying to cope with what has happened. People are furious because they can't understand the random way in which people were selected. They call it the "Sudden Departure" because it doesn't fit their definition of the Rapture. People who viewed themselves as devout Christians were left behind while atheists and Muslims and Buddhists were taken. Families were destroyed as spouses and children vanished.
But eventually, the people have to go on with whatever is left of their lives. There's a mother who lost her husband and two small children, teenagers traumatized by having seen their friends vanish in front of them. There's an angry minister who devotes his life to showing that the people taken didn't deserve to go by publishing a newsletter exposing the sins of those who were taken. Then there are all the strange cults and organizations that form as a reaction to this event. The creepy religious group, the Guilty Remnant, that walk around silently, dressed in white, stalking people who are trying to live a normal life. There's the self-proclaimed prophet who thinks he can absorb pain and has a slew of teenage brides he's trying to impregnate to create the next savior. There are the barefoot people who simply live for fun.
Most of all this is about how people cope with extreme tragedy and figure out a way to move on when all they really want to do is give up.
I liked the book quite a bit. I found it to be such an interesting concept, and handled in a way that isn't ridiculous or too far fetched. The characters seem real and, for the most part, likable. It's a frightening statement about how some people cope with tragedy, there are some horrifying events in here, but also, a statement about how most people pick up the pieces and move on, doing the best they can given the circumstances.
A little background on me - I don't believe in any of this stuff. I think the Bible is a sometimes interesting book and nothing more. I think most religions were created to keep women "in their place." So as I try to explain all this to teenagers, I try to be cautious with my choice of words so as not to offend them. Unlike other teachers who think it's fine to push their political-religious views on others, I try to remain neutral in the eyes of my students. Not always easy.
I was quite amused though when I said at one point, "The Rapture is the idea that God is going to take his followers up to heaven with him and leave behind those who don't believe in Jesus." And one of my students says, "Good, those people are annoying." Oh yeah, these are my kids.
Anyway, this book, The Leftovers, is about a situation in which a Rapture type event happens. Thousands of people just disappear one night. The story takes place three years later, as people are still trying to cope with what has happened. People are furious because they can't understand the random way in which people were selected. They call it the "Sudden Departure" because it doesn't fit their definition of the Rapture. People who viewed themselves as devout Christians were left behind while atheists and Muslims and Buddhists were taken. Families were destroyed as spouses and children vanished.
But eventually, the people have to go on with whatever is left of their lives. There's a mother who lost her husband and two small children, teenagers traumatized by having seen their friends vanish in front of them. There's an angry minister who devotes his life to showing that the people taken didn't deserve to go by publishing a newsletter exposing the sins of those who were taken. Then there are all the strange cults and organizations that form as a reaction to this event. The creepy religious group, the Guilty Remnant, that walk around silently, dressed in white, stalking people who are trying to live a normal life. There's the self-proclaimed prophet who thinks he can absorb pain and has a slew of teenage brides he's trying to impregnate to create the next savior. There are the barefoot people who simply live for fun.
Most of all this is about how people cope with extreme tragedy and figure out a way to move on when all they really want to do is give up.
I liked the book quite a bit. I found it to be such an interesting concept, and handled in a way that isn't ridiculous or too far fetched. The characters seem real and, for the most part, likable. It's a frightening statement about how some people cope with tragedy, there are some horrifying events in here, but also, a statement about how most people pick up the pieces and move on, doing the best they can given the circumstances.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
We the Animals by Justin Torres
I didn't like this book at all. I've grown tired of stories about "Latino" families in which abuse is considered normal and a sign of passion or love. I don't like the way this seems to be presented as part of our culture. Something we tolerate as a result of all of our "intense" feelings. When I read things like this, I get angry thinking that there are white people reading this book and assuming that we all act this way. Not fair, I know, but still. Someday, I'd like to read a story about a Latino family that didn't involve domestic abuse.
This is intended to be some kind of coming of age story, about a rather dysfunctional family. The parents were too young when their three sons were born. The children seem to have no discipline at all, I guess because the parents work all the time. The author writes proudly of the way the boys destroy everything. The mother is helpless to do anything, she never seems to know what's going on because the night shift she works has her confused all the time. And she gets beaten by her husband fairly often, and sometimes she thinks of leaving, but never goes through with it. When they're not fighting, they're fucking, and sometimes right in front of the children. Also, she seems to be having a lesbian affair with a co-worker, which seems random, until you get to the very end of the book.
The book is written like a lot of popular modern fiction these days, a series of short stories, just a few pages describing some big, tragic incident, just enough information to shock and horrify. Then the author moves on to another story. It's a little too much like poetry for me to enjoy. When I read a book, I want to sink into it, and that doesn't happen with this book. It's very sparse, vague, almost, never really letting the reader know what's happening. The ending is intended to be especially shocking and unexpected. Unfortunately, I'd read a few reviews that had hinted at what was to happen, so I wasn't as shocked as I might have been had I not read the reviews. It didn't seem to fit with the rest of the story, but then again, nothing in the story really flowed or fit all that well.
This just wasn't my sort of book. On the plus side, it's very short, so I didn't feel like I wasted all that much time reading it.
This is intended to be some kind of coming of age story, about a rather dysfunctional family. The parents were too young when their three sons were born. The children seem to have no discipline at all, I guess because the parents work all the time. The author writes proudly of the way the boys destroy everything. The mother is helpless to do anything, she never seems to know what's going on because the night shift she works has her confused all the time. And she gets beaten by her husband fairly often, and sometimes she thinks of leaving, but never goes through with it. When they're not fighting, they're fucking, and sometimes right in front of the children. Also, she seems to be having a lesbian affair with a co-worker, which seems random, until you get to the very end of the book.
The book is written like a lot of popular modern fiction these days, a series of short stories, just a few pages describing some big, tragic incident, just enough information to shock and horrify. Then the author moves on to another story. It's a little too much like poetry for me to enjoy. When I read a book, I want to sink into it, and that doesn't happen with this book. It's very sparse, vague, almost, never really letting the reader know what's happening. The ending is intended to be especially shocking and unexpected. Unfortunately, I'd read a few reviews that had hinted at what was to happen, so I wasn't as shocked as I might have been had I not read the reviews. It didn't seem to fit with the rest of the story, but then again, nothing in the story really flowed or fit all that well.
This just wasn't my sort of book. On the plus side, it's very short, so I didn't feel like I wasted all that much time reading it.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
Seemed like I read about a few books that women losing their memories. And every once in a while, when I read about several new books, I go to my public library's website and put my name on the hold lists for these books. So I wasn't even sure which of the "women losing their memories" books I picked up when I checked this out.
This book is fairly light-hearted. Kind of cute and funny in spots, a lot about family and friends and community. The other book about a woman losing her memory is quite different.
In this book, Alice falls at the gym and loses consciousness. When she wakes, she seems to have lost the last ten years of her life. She thinks she's nearly married and pregnant with her first child. She's startled to realize that she's going through a divorce and a nasty custody battle for her three children. In her mind, she's still very much in love with her husband, and has big hopes for their future together, but in reality their future together is over. She doesn't remember the birth of her first child, or the existence of her other two children. She doesn't understand why her sister, with whom she'd once been close, is now so distant and bitter.
This book really made me think about how our past selves would view our future self. I read this right around the tenth anniversary of 9/11, so it was easy for me to remember exactly where I was in my life ten years ago. Twenty-five years old, just started grad school, living in a little (but rather expensive) apartment in a fancy suburb. I was at a job I didn't like much - which is why I was going back to school. I had big plans to get my masters in women's studies, move to New York City and seriously pursue my writing career, focusing on women's issues. Back then, I never would have imagined that I'd end up a high school art teacher (sometimes, even now, I'm still not quite sure how all that happened.)
It's interesting to see how the main character handles this situation. She's determined to save her marriage, wants to repair the broken relationships that seem to have happened over the past decade. But as her memory returns, she realizes she's holding on to things that no longer existed, relationships that fell apart over time, for valid reasons.
I liked the book. As I said, it feels like a light read, but it's deceptively deep. As Alice's memories rush back to her, the reader almost understands why she would allow herself to forget. She suffered a horrible loss that anyone would want to forget. As I said, it really made me think about my own life and the way things can change, or in some cases, remain completely the same, over a decade. Sometimes maybe we need to stop and re-evaluate our lives because sometimes we end up going a direction we never meant to go.
This book is fairly light-hearted. Kind of cute and funny in spots, a lot about family and friends and community. The other book about a woman losing her memory is quite different.
In this book, Alice falls at the gym and loses consciousness. When she wakes, she seems to have lost the last ten years of her life. She thinks she's nearly married and pregnant with her first child. She's startled to realize that she's going through a divorce and a nasty custody battle for her three children. In her mind, she's still very much in love with her husband, and has big hopes for their future together, but in reality their future together is over. She doesn't remember the birth of her first child, or the existence of her other two children. She doesn't understand why her sister, with whom she'd once been close, is now so distant and bitter.
This book really made me think about how our past selves would view our future self. I read this right around the tenth anniversary of 9/11, so it was easy for me to remember exactly where I was in my life ten years ago. Twenty-five years old, just started grad school, living in a little (but rather expensive) apartment in a fancy suburb. I was at a job I didn't like much - which is why I was going back to school. I had big plans to get my masters in women's studies, move to New York City and seriously pursue my writing career, focusing on women's issues. Back then, I never would have imagined that I'd end up a high school art teacher (sometimes, even now, I'm still not quite sure how all that happened.)
It's interesting to see how the main character handles this situation. She's determined to save her marriage, wants to repair the broken relationships that seem to have happened over the past decade. But as her memory returns, she realizes she's holding on to things that no longer existed, relationships that fell apart over time, for valid reasons.
I liked the book. As I said, it feels like a light read, but it's deceptively deep. As Alice's memories rush back to her, the reader almost understands why she would allow herself to forget. She suffered a horrible loss that anyone would want to forget. As I said, it really made me think about my own life and the way things can change, or in some cases, remain completely the same, over a decade. Sometimes maybe we need to stop and re-evaluate our lives because sometimes we end up going a direction we never meant to go.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Darkness Visible by William Styron
I happened to be trapped under an especially dark storm cloud on the day when I saw this offered for a dollar or two on Amazon Kindle's Daily Deals. At first, I scoffed and thought the last thing I needed was another self help book, and then an hour or so later I thought, maybe it's a sign that this book showed up in my facebook newsfeed at that moment, so I went ahead and downloaded it to my Kindle.
It's not a self help book, but rather the story of one man's struggle with depression. It felt somewhat comforting to read this at the time I read it. It doesn't really provide any answers or solutions for how to get through depression. What it does provide though is the sense that someone else knows how it feels not just to be struggling with darkness, but also to be in a situation that no one else seems to understand.
This is a very short read. When I downloaded it, I thought it would be longer. But I'd recommend it to anyone who has dealt or is dealing with depression. I'm tempted to suggest that anyone with loved ones affected by depression also read this, but I don't know that it would help. I can't help but think that people who have never experienced true depression can ever have any sort of awareness or understanding about just how debilitating it can be.
Overall, I felt this was well worth a read.
It's not a self help book, but rather the story of one man's struggle with depression. It felt somewhat comforting to read this at the time I read it. It doesn't really provide any answers or solutions for how to get through depression. What it does provide though is the sense that someone else knows how it feels not just to be struggling with darkness, but also to be in a situation that no one else seems to understand.
This is a very short read. When I downloaded it, I thought it would be longer. But I'd recommend it to anyone who has dealt or is dealing with depression. I'm tempted to suggest that anyone with loved ones affected by depression also read this, but I don't know that it would help. I can't help but think that people who have never experienced true depression can ever have any sort of awareness or understanding about just how debilitating it can be.
Overall, I felt this was well worth a read.
Monday, September 05, 2011
Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her
All I ever wanted was to be Nancy Drew. Anything else that I ever claimed I wanted, it always led back to Nancy Drew. She was smart and confident and always did what was right. Even when others doubted her, she never doubted herself. She drove a cool car and she had a couple of fun girlfriends and a really nice boyfriend who respected her.
Most of all, she never hesitated when following her instinct. When she wanted something, she went after it, she didn't sit around and worry about all that might go wrong. The fear of failure didn't exist in Nancy Drew. Nancy Drew never failed. If she did, in any way, mess up, she was able to fix it, again, without hesitation. She never spent hours in front of the mirror, only to decide later that it was better to just stay home. She never took the easy or the safe route. She never worried so much about rejection that she eventually decided life would be simpler if she just didn't try.
Nancy was everything I wanted to be. As a child, I devoured those books, one after another. My friend, Mollie, and I, kept a list of the ones we'd read. Couldn't get enough of those books. I had a set at home that my aunt had given me, they were the Grossett & Dunlop version, with greyish mauve covers, and each book had two stories. I loved those books so much. Then I started reading the Case Files and kept reading them until I got to college.
I've had this book in the stack of books by my bed for a long time, a few years, maybe. But I was waiting for the right mood before I picked it up. When I want to sink into a book, I usually want fiction. But with this book, I'd read a bit, set it aside, read something else, and then return to it for a while. That's the thing with nonfiction, there isn't the same need to find out what happens because usually, you already know.
I knew all about Nancy having multiple authors. Nerd that I was, I remember having my mom order the research material about Carolyn Keene from Encyclopedia Britannica.
What I loved about this book is the way it explained Nancy's creation and evolution alongside the women's rights movement. This book isn't just the history of Nancy Drew, but also a very thorough explanation of the history of the women's movement toward independence. Women want to be strong and independent and when it felt like the whole world was telling them it was wrong to want that, they had Nancy Drew to serve as an example. They read these books as a child, only to become adults who are told they need to be submissive to their husbands and stay at home and take care of babies. They weren't satisfied with this. Was Nancy solely responsible for this? Of course not, but she did play an important role. I think the problem is that most of us leave Nancy behind as we get older.
I will admit to feeling more than a little bit of sadness at reading this. I kept thinking of the child I was so many years ago, reading those Nancy Drew books, and I thought of how disappointed she would be with the person I've become. That same child who, when not reading, was sitting at a typewriter or a sketching out pictures. I was going to change the world with my words and my drawings. But I didn't grow up to be Nancy Drew. I don't solve mysteries or make great discoveries. No one is in the least affected by my words or my paintings. Nancy would not be pleased.
As I finished reading the book, I found myself thinking of all things I could do, or should do and yet, I know that inspiration will fade soon after I've returned the book to the shelf, and I'll just go back to wishing I could be Nancy Drew.
Most of all, she never hesitated when following her instinct. When she wanted something, she went after it, she didn't sit around and worry about all that might go wrong. The fear of failure didn't exist in Nancy Drew. Nancy Drew never failed. If she did, in any way, mess up, she was able to fix it, again, without hesitation. She never spent hours in front of the mirror, only to decide later that it was better to just stay home. She never took the easy or the safe route. She never worried so much about rejection that she eventually decided life would be simpler if she just didn't try.
Nancy was everything I wanted to be. As a child, I devoured those books, one after another. My friend, Mollie, and I, kept a list of the ones we'd read. Couldn't get enough of those books. I had a set at home that my aunt had given me, they were the Grossett & Dunlop version, with greyish mauve covers, and each book had two stories. I loved those books so much. Then I started reading the Case Files and kept reading them until I got to college.
I've had this book in the stack of books by my bed for a long time, a few years, maybe. But I was waiting for the right mood before I picked it up. When I want to sink into a book, I usually want fiction. But with this book, I'd read a bit, set it aside, read something else, and then return to it for a while. That's the thing with nonfiction, there isn't the same need to find out what happens because usually, you already know.
I knew all about Nancy having multiple authors. Nerd that I was, I remember having my mom order the research material about Carolyn Keene from Encyclopedia Britannica.
What I loved about this book is the way it explained Nancy's creation and evolution alongside the women's rights movement. This book isn't just the history of Nancy Drew, but also a very thorough explanation of the history of the women's movement toward independence. Women want to be strong and independent and when it felt like the whole world was telling them it was wrong to want that, they had Nancy Drew to serve as an example. They read these books as a child, only to become adults who are told they need to be submissive to their husbands and stay at home and take care of babies. They weren't satisfied with this. Was Nancy solely responsible for this? Of course not, but she did play an important role. I think the problem is that most of us leave Nancy behind as we get older.
I will admit to feeling more than a little bit of sadness at reading this. I kept thinking of the child I was so many years ago, reading those Nancy Drew books, and I thought of how disappointed she would be with the person I've become. That same child who, when not reading, was sitting at a typewriter or a sketching out pictures. I was going to change the world with my words and my drawings. But I didn't grow up to be Nancy Drew. I don't solve mysteries or make great discoveries. No one is in the least affected by my words or my paintings. Nancy would not be pleased.
As I finished reading the book, I found myself thinking of all things I could do, or should do and yet, I know that inspiration will fade soon after I've returned the book to the shelf, and I'll just go back to wishing I could be Nancy Drew.
Sunday, September 04, 2011
Family Fang by Kevin Wilson
The reviews of this book led me to believe that it had a supernatural element. When something is described as being like the Addams Family, I assume there's some magic or potions involved. That was not the case, and because of that, I was a little disappointed.
This is still a fairly interesting read, just not what I was expecting or hoping for.
I've spent the weekend sick in bed, and the only reason I got out of bed on Saturday was to run to the library and pick this up. I thought it would be perfect for getting my mind off the fact that I couldn't breathe.
It did hold my interest, and I read the entire book in one day. I did stop a few times to sleep because all the allergy and sinus medicine was wearing me down.
This is the story of two parents completely devoted to what they call "art." They go into random places and create chaos, film it, and consider the reaction to be "art." As an art teacher and something of a wanna-be artist, I despise people who call nonsense like that "art." I know this is fiction, but there are lots of people like that out there - and this is why so many other people hate "art."
In this case, the family has become famous for this, they get grants- enough money that they live rather well -- and have exhibits at museums. People study their work and write about them. But in their devotion to their so-called art, they've used their children as props for years.
This story focuses quite a bit on the effect this has had on the children. They, understandably, have some issues, and have had a difficult time becoming adults, independent of their parents. Because of a series of problems they both suffer around the same time, they end up back at home and fear they have yet again been forced into their parents' "art." Now, as adults, they need to figure out how to deal with this manipulation.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was the ending. It seemed to be building up to something big, and it didn't happen. The end was too simple and didn't produce the result it should have. I was ready for something big and horrible. That's probably why I read the entire book in almost one sitting, I was waiting for the big end that didn't really happen.
It's a pretty good book though, but as I said in the beginning, not at all what I expected. I liked it, didn't love it, probably wouldn't have read it if I'd had a clearer idea as to what it was about.
Read: Sept. 4, 2011
This is still a fairly interesting read, just not what I was expecting or hoping for.
I've spent the weekend sick in bed, and the only reason I got out of bed on Saturday was to run to the library and pick this up. I thought it would be perfect for getting my mind off the fact that I couldn't breathe.
It did hold my interest, and I read the entire book in one day. I did stop a few times to sleep because all the allergy and sinus medicine was wearing me down.
This is the story of two parents completely devoted to what they call "art." They go into random places and create chaos, film it, and consider the reaction to be "art." As an art teacher and something of a wanna-be artist, I despise people who call nonsense like that "art." I know this is fiction, but there are lots of people like that out there - and this is why so many other people hate "art."
In this case, the family has become famous for this, they get grants- enough money that they live rather well -- and have exhibits at museums. People study their work and write about them. But in their devotion to their so-called art, they've used their children as props for years.
This story focuses quite a bit on the effect this has had on the children. They, understandably, have some issues, and have had a difficult time becoming adults, independent of their parents. Because of a series of problems they both suffer around the same time, they end up back at home and fear they have yet again been forced into their parents' "art." Now, as adults, they need to figure out how to deal with this manipulation.
The only thing I didn't like about this book was the ending. It seemed to be building up to something big, and it didn't happen. The end was too simple and didn't produce the result it should have. I was ready for something big and horrible. That's probably why I read the entire book in almost one sitting, I was waiting for the big end that didn't really happen.
It's a pretty good book though, but as I said in the beginning, not at all what I expected. I liked it, didn't love it, probably wouldn't have read it if I'd had a clearer idea as to what it was about.
Read: Sept. 4, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
One Day by David Nicholls
I'm not a big fan of romances, so I probably had no business reading this book. However, I thought the previews for this movie seemed somewhat interesting, and my cousin mentioned wanting to see the movie, so I decided to read the book first. Really wish I hadn't, and more than that, I'm angry that I spent ten dollars to put this on my Kindle. At least if I'd waited for the library, it would have been free. But there was a long waiting list, and I wanted to read it before the movie came out.
I didn't like this book at all.
The first half of the book, I could sort of relate to Emma. She seemed like someone struggling to figure out what she wanted to do with her life, she wanted to be a writer, and decided to be a teacher. She felt like she was doing well as a teacher. But then, almost exactly halfway through the book, at the beginning of chapter 10, I lost all interest in this character. She's described as being on the floor, putting her clothes back on after having sex with the married headmaster of her school. I'm so tired of reading about all these pathetic single women who are so desperate that they must have sex with married men, and in this case, he was her boss. Had I not paid for this book, I would have stopped reading at this point.
The format of book is that one day in each year in Emma & Dexter's lives is described. The reader is supposed to see how their friendship evolves over the years. But I didn't see anything special happening between them. I saw two people stumbling through life, messing up more often than getting it right, who eventually ended up together because they'd burned all their bridges and no one else would have them.
Dexter was an arrogant jerk and Emma was a bit of loser. After a failed marriage and career, and a battle with drug and alcohol addiction, Dexter turns to Emma because no one else wants anything to do with him.
Stop reading this now if you plan to read the book yourself because I'm about to give away the end, which I found to be something of a shocker. (Haven't seen the movie, but I suspect it ends in a similar way.)
After Emma and Dexter finally end up together, and have been together for a few years, their relationship is described as something I felt was very bland and stagnant. I think it's supposed to sound comfortable and cozy. But I read it thinking, that's horrible, I'd rather be single than have that. If I'm going to spend my life with someone, I want to be crazy about that person. And that might mean I'll be single forever, but that's a chance I'm willing to take. But a few paragraphs later, Emma gets hit while riding her bicycle and dies. I think I was supposed to cry or at least be upset, but instead I thought, she's much better off than being stuck in that dull relationship with Dexter.
I didn't like this book at all, I didn't find it romantic or at all passionate. It's what happens when two people decide to give up on life and settle for whatever is available.
Read: August 27, 2011
I didn't like this book at all.
The first half of the book, I could sort of relate to Emma. She seemed like someone struggling to figure out what she wanted to do with her life, she wanted to be a writer, and decided to be a teacher. She felt like she was doing well as a teacher. But then, almost exactly halfway through the book, at the beginning of chapter 10, I lost all interest in this character. She's described as being on the floor, putting her clothes back on after having sex with the married headmaster of her school. I'm so tired of reading about all these pathetic single women who are so desperate that they must have sex with married men, and in this case, he was her boss. Had I not paid for this book, I would have stopped reading at this point.
The format of book is that one day in each year in Emma & Dexter's lives is described. The reader is supposed to see how their friendship evolves over the years. But I didn't see anything special happening between them. I saw two people stumbling through life, messing up more often than getting it right, who eventually ended up together because they'd burned all their bridges and no one else would have them.
Dexter was an arrogant jerk and Emma was a bit of loser. After a failed marriage and career, and a battle with drug and alcohol addiction, Dexter turns to Emma because no one else wants anything to do with him.
Stop reading this now if you plan to read the book yourself because I'm about to give away the end, which I found to be something of a shocker. (Haven't seen the movie, but I suspect it ends in a similar way.)
After Emma and Dexter finally end up together, and have been together for a few years, their relationship is described as something I felt was very bland and stagnant. I think it's supposed to sound comfortable and cozy. But I read it thinking, that's horrible, I'd rather be single than have that. If I'm going to spend my life with someone, I want to be crazy about that person. And that might mean I'll be single forever, but that's a chance I'm willing to take. But a few paragraphs later, Emma gets hit while riding her bicycle and dies. I think I was supposed to cry or at least be upset, but instead I thought, she's much better off than being stuck in that dull relationship with Dexter.
I didn't like this book at all, I didn't find it romantic or at all passionate. It's what happens when two people decide to give up on life and settle for whatever is available.
Read: August 27, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
A Small Fortune by Audrey Braun
I saw this book advertised on Amazon Kindle's facebook page. A thriller, described as a great beach read, for only 2.99.
It is exactly as described, a great beach read, and well worth the $2.99.
A woman goes to Mexico on vacation with her husband and son and ends up getting kidnapped. She soons discovers that nothing is as it seems. Very fast paced story, lots of adventure, some violence, a bit of romance.
And to keep it from being just the usual trashy romance/thriller, there's a nice bit of feminism tossed in there. The main character had spent most of her life dependent on others, and then she begins to learn aobut the women in her family, and how strong they were and what they had to fight against and she realizes that she has the strength to do the same. A little sappy, maybe, but I liked it. Sometimes it takes a horrible experience to make a woman realize that she doesn't need a man to take care of her.
It's not great literature, isn't going to change the world, but it kept me entertained while I was outside working on my tan. I liked it.
Read August 16, 2011
It is exactly as described, a great beach read, and well worth the $2.99.
A woman goes to Mexico on vacation with her husband and son and ends up getting kidnapped. She soons discovers that nothing is as it seems. Very fast paced story, lots of adventure, some violence, a bit of romance.
And to keep it from being just the usual trashy romance/thriller, there's a nice bit of feminism tossed in there. The main character had spent most of her life dependent on others, and then she begins to learn aobut the women in her family, and how strong they were and what they had to fight against and she realizes that she has the strength to do the same. A little sappy, maybe, but I liked it. Sometimes it takes a horrible experience to make a woman realize that she doesn't need a man to take care of her.
It's not great literature, isn't going to change the world, but it kept me entertained while I was outside working on my tan. I liked it.
Read August 16, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven
I first read about this book on Oprah's website, something about travel books. I thought this sounded like something I would enjoy because I love to travel, and am always searching for travel books to learn about other people's experiences with travel. This is the story of two young women, just out of college who decide to visit China in the mid-80s, when people are just being allowed to visit.
The story intrigued me because when I was younger, my plan had been to travel the world as soon as I finished college. That didn't happen. I instead got a job right after college and was 28 the first time I left the country, much too old to have any desire to do the backpacking/hostels, student budget sort of traveling. I'm a grown-up, I only stay in nice hotels. But I've always been curious about what I missed by not traveling when I was younger. This book provides a glimpse into one of those adventures on which I missed out.
I couldn't put this book down. The story is so interesting and very well written.
I admire the courage these two women had, even if they were terribly naive and had no idea as to what to expect when they arrived in China. They were determined to discover the "real" China. No Holiday Inns or Hiltons. This was before the internet and the ever so valuable TripAdvisor. They had only a Lonely Planet guide to provide recommendations. Based on the descriptions of some of their lodging choices, it sounds absolutely miserable, and I was glad I was reading about it, and not experiencing it. Gave me a whole new appreciation for my own travel choices - my style being, the more modern the better. I enjoy learning about the history and seeing the locations and such, but when I'm in my hotel room, I want to be very much in the present.
As if navigating through a foreign land, with no real plan or understanding of the language wasn't difficult enough, the real problem, the author eventually discovered, was her companion's mental health. They didn't know each other very well before they took this trip. They were college friends -- you know how that works, you hang out together, you think you have lots in common because, well, you're at the same school, you take the same classes, you have the same brave, bold ideas about conquering the world, but once you enter the "real world" - set off the college campus, things change. Claire begins to show the classic signs of schizophrenia, but Susie (the author) is in denial, thinking it's just mood swings, the discomforts of foreign travel and homesickness. Then she can't deny it anymore.
What I liked most about this is the way the author presents her surroundings and the people she meets along the way. For me, as someone who travels alone quite a bit, the kindness of strangers is what rang most true in this story. My philosophy is that if you take the initiative to actually step out of your comfort zone and attempt to discover the world, the Universe will help you out along the way when you get in trouble. (Of course, news stories will confirm this is not always true, sometimes awful things happen and there isn't anyone there to help you.) But in my experience, I find that anytime I've been lost or confused, someone takes the time to point me in the right direction, and anytime I've been lonely or feeling abandoned, someone seems to appear and next thing I know I'm spending the evening with a new friend. Someday I hope to write my own collection of travel stories, but until then, I will happily read stories like this.
The story intrigued me because when I was younger, my plan had been to travel the world as soon as I finished college. That didn't happen. I instead got a job right after college and was 28 the first time I left the country, much too old to have any desire to do the backpacking/hostels, student budget sort of traveling. I'm a grown-up, I only stay in nice hotels. But I've always been curious about what I missed by not traveling when I was younger. This book provides a glimpse into one of those adventures on which I missed out.
I couldn't put this book down. The story is so interesting and very well written.
I admire the courage these two women had, even if they were terribly naive and had no idea as to what to expect when they arrived in China. They were determined to discover the "real" China. No Holiday Inns or Hiltons. This was before the internet and the ever so valuable TripAdvisor. They had only a Lonely Planet guide to provide recommendations. Based on the descriptions of some of their lodging choices, it sounds absolutely miserable, and I was glad I was reading about it, and not experiencing it. Gave me a whole new appreciation for my own travel choices - my style being, the more modern the better. I enjoy learning about the history and seeing the locations and such, but when I'm in my hotel room, I want to be very much in the present.
As if navigating through a foreign land, with no real plan or understanding of the language wasn't difficult enough, the real problem, the author eventually discovered, was her companion's mental health. They didn't know each other very well before they took this trip. They were college friends -- you know how that works, you hang out together, you think you have lots in common because, well, you're at the same school, you take the same classes, you have the same brave, bold ideas about conquering the world, but once you enter the "real world" - set off the college campus, things change. Claire begins to show the classic signs of schizophrenia, but Susie (the author) is in denial, thinking it's just mood swings, the discomforts of foreign travel and homesickness. Then she can't deny it anymore.
What I liked most about this is the way the author presents her surroundings and the people she meets along the way. For me, as someone who travels alone quite a bit, the kindness of strangers is what rang most true in this story. My philosophy is that if you take the initiative to actually step out of your comfort zone and attempt to discover the world, the Universe will help you out along the way when you get in trouble. (Of course, news stories will confirm this is not always true, sometimes awful things happen and there isn't anyone there to help you.) But in my experience, I find that anytime I've been lost or confused, someone takes the time to point me in the right direction, and anytime I've been lonely or feeling abandoned, someone seems to appear and next thing I know I'm spending the evening with a new friend. Someday I hope to write my own collection of travel stories, but until then, I will happily read stories like this.
Monday, August 08, 2011
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
This has been on my "to read" list for years, like, most of my life. I've always felt like something of a poser among my friends for not having read it because it's the sort of book that they've all read, that one would think I would have read, but for some reason, hadn't. I have a big, fancy, copy of the book, the Essential Hitchhiker's Guide, that include this book and all the sequels, and I keep waiting for the right time to read it.
A while back, I found a paperback copy of the book for $1.50. I thought that would be easier to take with me when I traveled. So this summer, when I went to Europe, I packed my paperback copy of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy so that I would have something to read when I didn't have my Kindle with me.
I loved the book. It's silly and funny and interesting and yet, still very relevant. For example, while I was on my trip, I was waiting for a concert to begin at a stadium. It's the sort of event for which you arrive early to get a good spot and then sit around and wait and wait and wait for hours be allowed into the venue and then wait and wait and wait some more before the show starts. Because it had been raining off and on during the trip, I didn't want to take my Kindle, so I had my Hitchhiker's Guide. I happened to be reading the part about towels. A towel is essential, you must have a towel with you - according to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I put down my book and looked around me, and what I noticed were towels. The smart people had towels. They were sitting on towels, using towels to wipe the sweat from their faces, using towels to clean their hands (because everyone seemed to bring enough food to last for weeks during these events). Towels everywhere. The people who didn't have a towel were asking to borrow other people's towels or wishing they had a towel.
As those familiar with the book know, the answer to everything is 42. Here's a little story about me, when I was a teenager, I only had one real crush on an actual boy (as opposed to a celebrity), and my one big, huge, ridiculous, unrequited crush was on a boy who wore the number 42 on his football jersey. I always think of that when I think about the number 42. Was it the answer to everything? Not really, but it certainly seemed like it for a few years of my young life.
My only issue with the book is that my $1.50 paperback completely fell apart when I was reading it outside. At one point, there were pages flying all over the backyard. Glad I bought it on clearance -- and it was brand new, not something I bought at a used bookstore -- but not exactly high quality. This version of the book did have quit a bit at the end about the making of the movie, which was somewhat interesting, as I'm a big fan of the movie.
A while back, I found a paperback copy of the book for $1.50. I thought that would be easier to take with me when I traveled. So this summer, when I went to Europe, I packed my paperback copy of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy so that I would have something to read when I didn't have my Kindle with me.
I loved the book. It's silly and funny and interesting and yet, still very relevant. For example, while I was on my trip, I was waiting for a concert to begin at a stadium. It's the sort of event for which you arrive early to get a good spot and then sit around and wait and wait and wait for hours be allowed into the venue and then wait and wait and wait some more before the show starts. Because it had been raining off and on during the trip, I didn't want to take my Kindle, so I had my Hitchhiker's Guide. I happened to be reading the part about towels. A towel is essential, you must have a towel with you - according to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I put down my book and looked around me, and what I noticed were towels. The smart people had towels. They were sitting on towels, using towels to wipe the sweat from their faces, using towels to clean their hands (because everyone seemed to bring enough food to last for weeks during these events). Towels everywhere. The people who didn't have a towel were asking to borrow other people's towels or wishing they had a towel.
As those familiar with the book know, the answer to everything is 42. Here's a little story about me, when I was a teenager, I only had one real crush on an actual boy (as opposed to a celebrity), and my one big, huge, ridiculous, unrequited crush was on a boy who wore the number 42 on his football jersey. I always think of that when I think about the number 42. Was it the answer to everything? Not really, but it certainly seemed like it for a few years of my young life.
My only issue with the book is that my $1.50 paperback completely fell apart when I was reading it outside. At one point, there were pages flying all over the backyard. Glad I bought it on clearance -- and it was brand new, not something I bought at a used bookstore -- but not exactly high quality. This version of the book did have quit a bit at the end about the making of the movie, which was somewhat interesting, as I'm a big fan of the movie.
Sunday, August 07, 2011
The Hand that First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell
I picked this up on a trip to the library during which I had no idea what I wanted. Sort of like entering a grocery store hungry, without a list. I just wanted a book, something fiction, not too heavy, but still interesting.
I went straight to the new release section, looked through a few books, checked out about three of them. This was the one I decided to read first because I thought, based on the book's blurb, that this was a story about independent women succeeding in a difficult world and all that. I like stories about strong women, especially when those women are involved in art and/or writing, which these women were.
There are two story lines happening - one is a young family, with an infant, trying to figure out parenthood, this is happening in the present, the other story takes place in the past and is about a young woman named Lexie who leaves homes and goes to London to make it on her own.
I'm not big on the whole motherhood thing. I believe women are capable of doing much more than just being mothers and because I have that belief, it was very difficult for me to like this book because it focuses so much on the idea of motherhood and how there is nothing more important in the world than caring for a baby.
I found the descriptions of the new parents to be rather horrifying, so much detail about spit-up and diaper changing. Yuck. And these were parents who sort of accidentally got pregnant, and that annoys me also. I have no patience for people who think it's okay to haphazardly bring children into the world.
But what bothered me much more was the story of Lexie. I get the impression that I'm supposed to think of her as vibrant and strong and willful. But to me, she seemed like nothing more than a woman who gained almost all of her success by sleeping with important men. I find women like that to be an insult to women who actually get ahead based on their hard work. Lexie didn't know anything, didn't have any skills when she moved to London, so she hooked up with a married man who ran a magazine. He hired her and trained her and it's supposed to be a great love story, but I don't think there's anything more pathetic than women who have affairs with married men. Doesn't matter that his wife was evil and the daughter wasn't really his. He was simply weak for remaining in the situation and Lexie was an idiot for going along with it.
Then he dies, and Lexie is on her own for a while, until she begins an affair with a successful newsman. But she wants nothing more to do with him after she gets pregnant. Again, I get the impression I'm supposed to view her behavior as being independent, but she just seems a bit childish and selfish. I will never understand why women get involved with men and then have children fathered by men that they think are such jerks. That makes the women seem as foolish as the men with which they are involved. But we're led to believe that Lexie is an amazing mother, always dragging her child to work assignments with her - because, you know, that's good for children?
Point being, I didn't like this character, and being that she was the main character and eventually both story lines led directly to her and her greatness, I didn't like the book very much.
I thought the characters behaved unreasonably. The young father in the current day storyline seemed like a bit of an idiot, when he finally finds out the truth about his past, I don't think he and his father acted fairly toward the woman who raised him. I don't want to give away what happens, in case you want to read the book. It's something of a surprise, though most readers probably figured it out before it's all revealed.
I didn't like this book much, I didn't like any of the characters in this book and sort of wished I hadn't bothered to read this book.
I went straight to the new release section, looked through a few books, checked out about three of them. This was the one I decided to read first because I thought, based on the book's blurb, that this was a story about independent women succeeding in a difficult world and all that. I like stories about strong women, especially when those women are involved in art and/or writing, which these women were.
There are two story lines happening - one is a young family, with an infant, trying to figure out parenthood, this is happening in the present, the other story takes place in the past and is about a young woman named Lexie who leaves homes and goes to London to make it on her own.
I'm not big on the whole motherhood thing. I believe women are capable of doing much more than just being mothers and because I have that belief, it was very difficult for me to like this book because it focuses so much on the idea of motherhood and how there is nothing more important in the world than caring for a baby.
I found the descriptions of the new parents to be rather horrifying, so much detail about spit-up and diaper changing. Yuck. And these were parents who sort of accidentally got pregnant, and that annoys me also. I have no patience for people who think it's okay to haphazardly bring children into the world.
But what bothered me much more was the story of Lexie. I get the impression that I'm supposed to think of her as vibrant and strong and willful. But to me, she seemed like nothing more than a woman who gained almost all of her success by sleeping with important men. I find women like that to be an insult to women who actually get ahead based on their hard work. Lexie didn't know anything, didn't have any skills when she moved to London, so she hooked up with a married man who ran a magazine. He hired her and trained her and it's supposed to be a great love story, but I don't think there's anything more pathetic than women who have affairs with married men. Doesn't matter that his wife was evil and the daughter wasn't really his. He was simply weak for remaining in the situation and Lexie was an idiot for going along with it.
Then he dies, and Lexie is on her own for a while, until she begins an affair with a successful newsman. But she wants nothing more to do with him after she gets pregnant. Again, I get the impression I'm supposed to view her behavior as being independent, but she just seems a bit childish and selfish. I will never understand why women get involved with men and then have children fathered by men that they think are such jerks. That makes the women seem as foolish as the men with which they are involved. But we're led to believe that Lexie is an amazing mother, always dragging her child to work assignments with her - because, you know, that's good for children?
Point being, I didn't like this character, and being that she was the main character and eventually both story lines led directly to her and her greatness, I didn't like the book very much.
I thought the characters behaved unreasonably. The young father in the current day storyline seemed like a bit of an idiot, when he finally finds out the truth about his past, I don't think he and his father acted fairly toward the woman who raised him. I don't want to give away what happens, in case you want to read the book. It's something of a surprise, though most readers probably figured it out before it's all revealed.
I didn't like this book much, I didn't like any of the characters in this book and sort of wished I hadn't bothered to read this book.
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