Bibliolatry

Help!

2011-04-10T10:30:00.002-05:00

Question for all my reader pals out there:

Have you ever read anything by John Saul, and if so what did you think?

I'm thinking of trying something by him but can't decide what to read. There's just so much to choose from!

Thanks!

Stalled story

2011-03-05T11:32:00.003-05:00

For the second time, I'm finding myself stalled in my reading of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.

Like before, I am just shy of the 100-page mark, and yet I'm not yet hooked.

Can anyone advise me? Shall I suck it up and soldier on, or toss?

apathy and angst

2011-02-05T10:47:00.005-05:00

HELLLLOOOO

The winter blues have me in their icy, apathetic grip. It's all I can do to go to work as of late. My ass has been on the treadmill only a handful of times this year, and I have one in my basement. It's not like I have to drive to a gym. But still.

I'm proud to say my reading pace has not slowed. I've been reading quite a bit; you wouldn't know it from the sight of things around here. For one, blogging has seemed like too much of a chore lately, and I've always shied away from anything that has felt like an obligation. Also, the apathy (see above). Also, I've been blogging here for a loooooong time (5+ years now) and I'm just not feeling it lately.

Any advice, y'all? Pack it in? Keep on chugging along? Anyone even there anymore?

Back from the dead.

2010-12-06T20:00:00.003-05:00

SO, life, in all its wonders has intervened since my last post many eons ago.

Life + stress + work = no time for blogging -- which figures, because I totally killed the RIP challenge. Of course I would be too busy to ~~gloat~~ recap the first time I've ever successfully completed a challenge.

SIGH.

So, anyway, here's a bunch of stuff I've read lately in order of awesomeness:

Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon

SASSENACH! GAH JAMIE I LURVEEEE YOU. Why are you so hot and yet so fictional? WHY OH WHY are there no magical rocks that can buzz me backwards in time?? (Also, why do they not smell? Because the entire time, I just kept thinking that everyone must stink to high heaven.) Anyway, they gave this shit away for free on Amazon. HELLO, THIS BOOK IS WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD. How dare Amazon give this gem away for free? Anyway, completely insane and completely awesome. I immediately finished it and downloaded the second book in the series. Jamie Fraser 4eva!!1

The Gates, by John Connolly

Short, lovely little tale about the gates of Hell opening up in someone's basement. And, there's Nurd, who's actually a lovely little demon. Charming and fun.

Dark Harvest, by Norman Partridge

This one was nice, fast, and spooky. Oh, and it qualified for RIP, for what that's worth. Some pumpkin kid comes to life and the town's teens have to destroy him before Bad Things happen. Note: It was much better than I'm making it sound.

Neverland, by Douglas Clegg

This one was atmospheric, Southern Gothicky, and a little disturbing. Isolated children get up to no good and they may or may not be making sacrifices to the devil. And then Bad Things happen. Also, RIP. This one was pretty good, although it didn't ruffle my muffin or anything.

Dead City, by Joe McKinney

Apparently this one's about zombies, although I needed google to remind me about that. Still, it was a good story and got me through more than a few goes on the treadmill. Also, not a total bummer of an ending. And, RIP.

33 A.D., by David McAfee

This one involves vampires and Jesus. Apparently vampires were the ones responsible for the crucifixion of Christ. Who knew? Actually not as bad as this sounds, although there's a reason it's at the bottom of this list. But still, vampires + Jesus, so take from that what you will. And, RIP.

Finally, I'm also reading like a dozen other things that I've stopped about halfway though because Gabaldon and her web of fantasy have rendered me impossible to read like a normal adult. And, that life thing again.

Hopefully normal posting will resume soon.

RR10: September

2010-10-06T04:00:00.000-05:00

September was a good reading month for me, especially when you remember that I returned to school and have been quite busy with the little devils.

Also, I've been KILLING my first entry into RIP, so I'm proud to say that I'm fulfilling a challenge, and fulfilling it well.

Unfortunately, I have, as before, continued my excellent streak of reading NOT A SINGLE THING on my reading resolution. EXCELLENT.

Anyway, let's get to it.

BOOKS READ, SEPTEMBER 2010

Castillo, Linda. Sworn to Silence
Cottam, F.G. Dark Echo
Harwood, John. The Seance
Maberry, Jonathan. Patient Zero
McGrath, Patrick. Dr. Haggard's Disease
Sigler, Scott. Ancestor
Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome

RESOLUTION TITLES = 0 (9/80)

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES = 7

TOTAL READ IN SEPTEMBER 2010 = 7

TOTAL READ IN 2010 = 53

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

2010-10-04T17:00:00.003-05:00

Dark Echo
F.G. Cottam

Ok, so, awhile ago I read The House of Lost Souls, and I was pleased with its atmospheric creepiness. Fast forward a bit, blah blah blah, RIPV, and here we are. Dark Echo time.

So, the Dark Echo is a boat, and apparently she's cursed. Back in the day she was owned by Harry Spalding, a flamboyant playboy from the 1920s. And then all of a sudden zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Sorry, fell asleep.

Anyway, so Harry Spalding is a devil-worshipper who sold his soul. There are some genuinely spooky bits involving the horrible acts committed by Spalding, but the beginning of the book is all about THE FRIGGIN BOAT. And, give or take one or two spooky bits, the boat is pretty damn boring. (Oh, and the protag's father buys the haunted yacht and plans to sail across the Atlantic on it -- nevermind the fact he knows its haunted. And the protag goes along with him, because, well, it's his father. Meanwhile, everyone's all, OH NOES THE BOAT IS HAUNTED. And therein lies the plot.)

This book is about 350 pages long, but it felt like 3 billion. Dark Echo didn't get really good until AT LEAST page 250, and that's being kind. Unfortunately, Dark Echo did nothing to disabuse me of the notion that boats = BORING.

Sigh.

In a nutshell: The final third was soooo good. Wish the beginning bits were more interesting.

Bibliolatry Scale: 2 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Library'd this one. Sha-zam!

RIPV: Selling your soul to the devil after completing the requisite degenerate acts qualifies Dark Echo for this year's RIP challenge. woot woot

Ethel, I think you underestimated your transmitter!

2010-10-04T05:00:00.003-05:00

The Seance
John Harwood

Can I just say how much I LOVE this time of year? True, the fall also coincides with a return to work which is, of course, full of UGH, but even a return to grading and poorly constructed sentences and forgotten homework can't make me entirely dislike autumn. AND, it's time for SPOOKY READS! Which are, of course, full of win.

So, you might remember John Harwood from The Ghost Writer, which was, as I recall, "a pretty good time." Now he's back with The Seance, an equally atmospheric Gothic mystery set in Victorian England.

Constance Langton has problems. Her father doesn't care about her, and her mother is too busy mourning her dead sister to care much about her, either. Constance begins to delve into the nascent spiritualist community in hopes of helping her mother move on from her grief.

Whoops. So much for THAT. The best of intentions, and all that. Before you know it, Constance learns she has inherited Wraxford Hall, a mouldering old mansion in the countryside, from a distant reputation. The lawyer who tells her of this inheritance warns her to sell the building without setting foot in it -- it has been the site of numerous apparitions, disappearances, and deaths. The Hall remains shrouded in mystery.

But this wouldn't be an entertaining novel if Constance were to listen. Soon she finds herself searching for the truth behind Wraxford Hall.

The Seance is a nice little novel that is both spooky and endearing. My only complaint is that I had a hard time envisioning some of the action (especially as the mystery was explained); however, this confusion is probably due to my unfamiliarity with the layout of such great homes. (Also, I was reading on my Kindle while walking on my treadmill. So I'm sure that didn't increase my comprehension. Oh well.)

In a nutshell: Charming, spooky, mysterious -- great fun.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal Kindle copy here

RIPV: Ghosts, seances, and a mystery? You're darn right The Seance counts toward this year's RIP challenge. BAM!

Want to cure an obsession? Get another one.

2010-10-03T05:00:00.004-05:00

Dr. Haggard's Disease
Patrick McGrath

Oh, Mr. McGrath. You are so wonderful. So literary, yet so Gothic. You tax my brain at the same time you chill my spine. How I love you.

Anyway, not so long ago (or almost two years!? insert obligatory lament re: time flying, and all that), I read a wee little tale called Asylum, and my love for Patrick McGrath was born. Alas, I had not the time nor the insight to seek out more of his work -- until now. Now that I've read my second McGrath, it's nearly all I can do to stop myself from buying every single thing the man's ever written. SO. GOOD.

Ok, so - Dr. Haggard's Disease. Dr. Haggard, injured and alone, has retired to a gothic manor to obsess over his lost love. As a young doctor, he had a brief but torrid affair with Fanny, the wife of a senior staff member. Unfortunately THINGS HAPPEN, and now Dr. Haggard is, well, a bit haggard. Now Fanny-less, he pines for his lost life -- until he receives a visit from Fanny's young son. And then he gets REALLY WEIRD.

In a nutshell: Love. Obsession. Addiction. Haunting, rhythmic prose. A crumbling seaside mansion. What's not to love?

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: This one's all mine. And so shall every other McGrath out there. You've been warned.

RIPV: Thanks to its Gothic nature, Dr. Haggard's Disease most definitely counts toward this year's RIP challenge. I'm killing this challenge! KILLING IT!

I only care about Mookie, not gonna lie

2010-10-01T04:00:00.004-05:00

Ancestor
Scott Sigler

After reading Infected and its sequel Contagious, I couldn't wait to read Sigler's next novel. Would Ancestor live up to my earlier experiences?

Ancestor moves away from the alien invasion that played a part in his first two novels, and instead focuses on a monster much closer to home. A biotech company is seeking to engineer a suitable animal host that can support organs for human transplantation. As cow embryo after embryo fails to do the job, they decide to go back a bit further, introducing genes from an ancestor. It seems to work, and the crew watches as their livestock brings these no-longer extinct animals back to live.

Of course, what seems like a good idea really isn't. These scientists have unwittingly given life to a super-predator, and it isn't long before the dozens of creatures they have bred get hungry. Very hungry. Oh, and they are quite smart. Ruh-roh, guys. Ruh-roh.

Ancestor is grounded in science and sounds eerily plausible, even if such an "ancestor" never existed. My only beef is the first 40% of the novel (thanks, kindle!) was a little too heavy on the science. Had that been condensed a bit, my enjoyment would have been complete.

Overall, I can't complain. Yet again, Sigler has written a fast-paced, thought-provoking novel that delivers. And, he came through with Mookie -- that meant a lot, man.

In a nutshell: Smart and unsettling, Ancestor prompts us to fear the monsters of tomorrow (and, ironically enough, of yesterday).

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: downloaded this one for my Kindle

RIPV: Those freaky ancestors and the spine-tingling suspense that marks the final third of the novel are more than enough to qualify Ancestor for this year's RIP challenge. That would be numero 3. Bam!

Not for the faint of heart

2010-09-28T15:00:00.005-05:00

Sworn to Silence
Linda Castillo

First, a warning: this book is pretty messed up in places. There's a serial killer, and he's not the nice kind that kills you all quick-like. No, he drags things out and makes life extra-painful. In other words, he's just like high school.

Ok, so, background: Kate Burkholder grew up Amish but left the community and is now chief of police. Her skills are put to the test when young women turn up dead. Roman numerals carved into their stomachs indicate the killer's rampage has been a long one -- even though he was presumed dead over a decade ago.

In many ways, the story is cliched: Kate battles the predominately-male police force and fights to prove her worth. She's also hiding a dark secret that could destroy her. An alcoholic detective who is battling his own demons is sent to help with the investigation. What if he uncovers Kate's secret? And what about the hotshot investigator who slowly infringes upon Kate's case?

These cliches, however, do not detract from the novel. Sworn to Silence is a solid mystery that follows genre conventions and delivers chills along the way. I could have done without the predictable and unnecessary romance that pops up midway through the novel -- hello, serial killer on the loose, put it back in your pants until you catch him, mmmkay?

Overall, the story was an intriguing one. The violence and brutality featured in the novel are not for the faint of heart. However, for those looking for a disturbing, atmospheric mystery to complement this time of year, Sworn to Silence is a a perfect fit. That said, I don't think I'll read the sequel that continues the story of Kate Burkholder; one was enough for me.

In a nutshell: Disturbing, taut, and compelling, Sworn to Silence probably shouldn't be read late at night, especially if you live alone.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: downloaded a version o'this for me Kindle

RIPV: Sworn to Silence is the second book that counts toward this year's RIP challenge.

More bore than gore

2010-09-27T17:00:00.004-05:00

Patient Zero
Jonathan Maberry

So, the terrorists are coming, and they've got biological weapons!! What, you've heard this one before?

Ok, then how about: the terrorists are coming, and they've got biological weapons that turn people into flesh-eating zombies. dum dum DUM!!!

So goes the plot of Jonathan Maberry's Patient Zero. Baltimore detective Joe Ledger has just found himself smack in the middle of a terror plot of epic proportions. A group of religious zealots has created Seif al Din, the sword of the faithful, a disease that will wreak havoc on the heathen West. Fast foward a bit, and yadda yadda yadda battle to save humanity blah blah blah zombies.

Yeah, this is a book about zombies, so one should expect a certain level of grit and violence. So far, so good. The action was gritty, the violence was high, and the zombies were hungry. Still, some things annoyed me. The religious zealots, for example. I mean, really? A zombie plague? You sure that won't come back to bite you in the ass? Ok, fine, logical reasoning might not be a fundamentalist's strong point.

But fundamentalist logic aside, those pesky flaws remain. Some parts needed editing and dragged on a bit when they were supposed to be suspenseful. Some aspects were a bit too unbelievable (in a zombie book, I know -- ironic), and some cliches could have been dispensed with. Finally, a few characters were so flat and two-dimensional I couldn't tell them apart. Sigh.

In a nutshell: More cop than zombie. More bore than gore. Oh well.

Bibliolatry Scale: 2.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Checked out this bad boy from the library. Have I cured my shopping addiction, you wonder? Ah, no.

RIPV: Even though Patient Zero didn't make me poop in my pants, it still counts toward this year's RIP challenge.

A RIP-ping good time!

2010-09-24T04:00:00.003-05:00

I've done it!!! I know I generally shy away from challenges, but this is one I pretty much do on my own every year, anyway. So why not sign up?

It's time for the fifth annual R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge. Every year I read ~spooky books~ to complement the time of year. Despite my annual spookiness, I've never signed up for RIP. That changes this year!

I'll be completing Peril the First, which only requires participants to read four spooky books of any length, which I've already done. I plan to read more than that, since spooky books are generally all I read in September and October.

Even though, I've already read several books that qualify for the challenge, I'm going to refrain from listing my books all at once. I plan to get some from the library and I'm unsure which will arrive in time, etc. So let's just say I'll be planning this one by ear.

Stay tuned!

Got any spooky recommendations for me?? Please, please, share them in the comments! I can never get enough Halloweeney reads!

BOOKS READ FOR RIPV
1. Patient Zero, Jonathan Maberry
2. Sworn to Silence, Linda Castillo
3. Ancestor, by Scott Sigler
4. Dr. Haggard's Disease, by Patrick McGrath
5. The Seance, by John Harwood
6. Dark Echo, by F.G. Cottam

The pickles! The pickles!

2010-09-21T04:00:00.001-05:00

Ethan Frome
Edith Wharton

I have a love-hate relationship with DailyLit. On the one hand, it lets me have free reading material at the ready, even when I'm, say, at work. On the other hand, it doesn't give me hard copy, which -- in this case, anyway -- is a BIG problem.

Quite simply, I didn't expect to love Ethan Frome as much as I did. My mind has somehow come to equate Edith Wharton with TEH BORE, and so I figured reading this short little novel via DailyLit was the best way to slog through what was sure to be an excruciatingly slow read. I didn't expect to read it all in nearly one sitting (okay, it was more like two), requesting installment after installment until I had finished.

Ok, so Ethan lives alone with his dour, invalid harpy of a wife, and he's the stolid and "I'll just suck it up" type. BUT THEN his wife's cousin, Mattie, comes to take care of things -- and she's cute! And has a red ribbon in her hair! (symbolism!) And she gives Ethan pickles for dinner! (symbolism!) Meanwhile his wife remains all sick and dour and confined to her room, so one nearly hopes that Mattie and Ethan can continue to share secret glances and long, meaningful sighs in peace.

BUT NO! Of course, this is not to be. The story is told in flashback, and since we know Ethan is miserable at the beginning of the book, we know he'll be miserable at the end, too. But the end! It's so good! The sadness! The irony! The pickles!

In a nutshell: A gem of a novel; it's impossible not to love Ethan. And Ethan. And probably Edith, too, although I'm less convinced about her.

Bibliolatry Scale: 6 out of 6 stars (yeah, I said it)

FTCBS: DailyLit :( booooo I need Ethan all for myself!

When God gives you AIDS ... make lemonAIDS

2010-09-20T20:00:00.002-05:00

The Bedwetter
Sarah Silverman

Here's another August read that I've simply delayed discussing sooner. I'm not sure what led me to read The Bedwetter -- I'm not the hugest fan of Silverman, but that's really due to the fact I'm in bed absurdly early and she mostly appears on late-night tv.

I guess what really made me interested in reading more about her was her video Sell the Vatican, Feed the World. Funny, yes, but not entirely a bad idea, either.

Anyway, long story short - picked this little gem up from the library. The Bedwetter was at times laugh-out-loud hysterical (the story about her brother alone makes it worthwhile) and at others insightful and thoughtful. Reading about her experiences as a bedwetter and later as an SNL writer made for a quick, fun read.

In a nutshell: If you are ultra-PC, you might want to skip this one. Otherwise, it's nearly impossible not to laugh at The Bedwetter, even if you're not familiar with her work.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Libraryed this one. That's like the third library book this year! Awww yeah, kicking it old school.

Bad things hide in the dark*

2010-09-15T18:00:00.002-05:00

Crescent
Phil Rossi

UGHHHHH. I'm SO behind on reviews. Damn you, real job. Ergo, I'm gonna let Amazon do the work today:

Darkness has inspired fear since mankind first watched the sun go down. Bad things hide in the dark, feral beasts with mouths full of razors waiting for a taste of flesh. But now, the darkness is stirring with a life of its own. Crescent Station is the last bastion of civilization, floating in the cold, outer systems where colonized space gives way to the sparser settlements of the Frontier. Like the boom towns of distant Earth's Old American West, Crescent Station is a gateway to power, wealth, and opportunity for anyone who isn't afraid to get his or her hands dirty. But deep within the station's bowels, in Crescent's darkest and most secret places, an ancient evil is awakening and hungry, and it threatens the very fabric of space and time. Will the residents of Crescent Station find a way to stop it before the terror drives them insane? Or is it already too late?

Erm. Well.

Long story short: I downloaded this one for my Kindle. It was either free or only a dollar or two, so it was worth it. Not the best book I ever read, but it kept me entertained while I was on my treadmill. The Big Bad in Crescent was a bit confusing, though, since I was never entirely sure what the ef it was, but it didn't really matter.

In a nutshell: Entertaining enough. And space! The final frontier, and all that.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: personal Kindle copy

*Ugh, I suck so bad, I couldn't even come up with a better title. My brain = barf.

Want to make an enemy? Try changing something.

2010-09-08T18:00:00.000-05:00

Dear Enemy
Jean Webster

So, at some point in August, I hit a mini-slump, and I thought: Self! You fool! You've been saving Dear Enemy for just such an occasion! Don't you remember the quickness that was Daddy-Long-Legs?!?

Alas, my love for Dear Enemy was not quite as great as my love for its predecessor. That's not to say this wasn't a good novel: it was nice, it was quaint, and it even made me long to work in an orphanage, if you can believe that, so long as one could enjoy the beautiful English countryside and a nice spot of tea. But something was still missing.

Dear Enemy is the "sequel" (of sorts) to the aforementioned Daddy-Long-Legs. Also an epistolary novel, Dear Enemy's letters are written not by Judy Abbott, but by her friend, Sallie McBride. It seems Judy has tricked ol'Sallie into being a temporary superintendent of the orphanage where Judy grew up. That slippery Judy, though, never seems to find a permanent replacement, and Sallie is left to deal with all sorts of troubles -- including the "Enemy," the orphanage's doctor.

Ultimately, Dear Enemy was a neat, somewhat predictable little novel that was charming and entertaining -- just not as charming and entertaining as its predecessor.

In a nutshell: Fans of Daddy-Long-Legs will enjoy Dear Enemy, but n00bs should start with the DLL.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: same ol' copy as before, since these two be one

RR10: August

2010-09-07T05:00:00.004-05:00

The beginning of August brought a boon of books to my table, and I read steadily for quite some time. Then, unfortunately, I had to face facts: I needed to prepare for the upcoming school year.

BOOOOOOOO.

As such, August was ultimately a mediocre month of reading. I haven't even had time to post about everything I've read. I have, however, continued my excellent streak of reading NOT A SINGLE THING on the reading resolution I started, oh, I dunno, FOREVER ago.

sigh.

BOOKS READ, AUGUST 2010

Collins, Suzanne. Mockingjay
Harris, Charlaine. Dead to the World
Hjortsberg, William. Falling Angel
Rossi, Phil. Crescent
Russell, Mary Doria. Children of God
Silverman, Sarah. The Bedwetter
Webster, Jean. Dear Enemy

RESOLUTION TITLES = 0 (9/80)

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES = 7

TOTAL READ IN AUGUST 2010 = 7

TOTAL READ IN 2010 = 46

You can't see me, but right now I'm shaking my fists at the heavens. Curse you, brain. It's all your fault.

Return to Rakhat: the Children of God read-along

2010-08-31T05:00:00.001-05:00

Children of God
Mary Doria Russell

A few months ago, I read a little novel called The Sparrow. I was floored. Amazed. Awestruck. Then, I learned that Heather and Florinda were hosting a readalong of Children of God in August. I waited with breathless anticipation. Tenterhooks were involved. Finally, August arrived.

I cracked open the book, eager to see how Sandoz was faring. How was he making out with his wonky, yet badass, hands? Was he still a damaged, broken puppy? And what would Life after Rakhat be like for him? And even more importantly, would Children of God live up to its predecessor?

I needed answers, and I needed them fast.

Sandoz, for his part, manages as best he can, given the circumstances. Unfortunately, I wanted more of him than Children of God had to offer. Then again, the worst has already happened to him, so there isn't, as other reviewers have noted, a great sense of urgency in the novel. I was also disappointed that Children of God is more political and focuses substantially on life on Rakhat. As such, I wasn't as entranced by the story. While I tore through The Sparrow, I found myself taking longer to read Children of God.

The Sparrow was suspenseful in ways this novel wasn't. Also, the moods of the novels were very different. Ironically, one of the discussion questions (I didn't want to post too many for fear of spoilers) reads:

Which book is "darker"? (According to the author, most people like the second book better even though they say it has a darker feeling to it.)

I find myself thinking about this question long after I should have answered it. To be fair, I find them equally dark, although the darkness in each is different. I found the darkness of The Sparrow compelling, but found the darkness of Children of God oppressive.

All of this is not to say it isn't a good novel -- it is. Without the spectre of its predecessor looming over it, Children of God is a solid work. The Sparrow blew my mind, though, and it's hard work overcoming that.

In a nutshell: While I may have enjoyed The Sparrow more, Children of God is an admirable follow-up that gives everyone, both Sandoz and readers, closure. And thanks again to Heather and Florinda!

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal copy

The Summer of Sookie continues

2010-08-26T05:00:00.004-05:00

Dead to the World
Charlaine Harris

Okay, y'all, you said Book 4 would be good, and it was. But it was sooo bad, too. Charlaine Harris, I'm shaking my fist at you.

Let's see. Sookie's just finished wrasslin with the werewolves in Book 3, so now it's on to another superbad baddy. This time, it's witches! (Highlight for small spoiler, I mean it's not gonna ruin the book or anything.)

So, anyway, Sookie's driving home and bam! Naked Eric everywhere. Clearly, this is headed in a good direction. And he's all memory-less (and therefore nice and sweet-like). OKAY!

Basically, Sookie's gotta make things right by going up against the aforementioned, not-really-spoilery baddy(ies). Which she does. While Eric hides in her house. So far, so good.

And it would have been absolutely perfect had it not been for the sheer laughability of it. Sookie is good at prompting second-hand embarrassment (even she admits she isn't the savviest of wits) and her awkwardness delayed me from finishing one particular scene. (We're talking a couple paragraphs. That took me two days. She's just so damn awkward, that Sookie. I mean, at one point Suckie [typo, but it stays] says -- in all seriousness -- "I could tell that flicked his Bic." Really? You really thought that? NO YOU DIDN'T.)

Damn you Charlaine Harris, laughing all the way to the mothereffing bank!

Bizarrely, however, I liked this book all the better in spite of -- or perhaps thanks to -- its absurdity. I just can't quit you, Sookie! See you in Book 5!

In a nutshell: ERIIIIIIIIIIIIICC

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: personal kindle download!

In case you're interested: Book 1, Book 2, Book 3

Spoiler free: Mockingjay!

2010-08-25T05:00:00.005-05:00

Mockingjay
Suzanne Collins

So, the odds were ever in my favor when I learned that the kindle edition of Mockingjay was released at the same time as the "real" version. Woohoo! I could join in with the rest of the fangirls (and boys) and find out how this sitch would play out.

Don't worry, I won't spoil nothin.

So, spoiler free, eh? Okay, I can do this. Collins has achieved the nearly impossible: she has ended her trilogy satisfactorily, without weaseling out of anything painful, and yet somehow still giving her characters the ending they deserve.

At times, I was a little eye-rolley at the continued melodrama of Katniss' love triangle, but Collins anticipates such feelings, as one character snarkily remarks on Katniss' constant boy problems. Also, there are a few places where things get reaallll convenient, but that's part of the fun, too.

Still, the ending was perfect, and the final line? Absolute perfection. Erase any fears you may have that Mockingjay will disappoint. It won't.

What else needs to be said? If you're a fan of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, you simply must read Mockingjay. And if you're not a fan, well...what's wrong with you?

In a nutshell: Ultimately, the trilogy ends well -- but not too well -- for those we have come to love since reading The Hunger Games.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: personal Kindle edition...awwwww, yeah

Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell

2010-08-05T10:00:00.001-05:00

Falling Angel
William Hjortsberg

Where do you search for a guy who was never there to begin with?

Private detective Harry Angel ponders this very question as he searches for his quarry, who has disappeared under peculiar circumstances. Hired by the mysterious Louis Cyphre to find a missing crooner, Johnny Favorite, Angel's search soon takes him to the seedy underbelly of the city and introduces him to the dark world of voodoo devil worship. It isn't long before Angel finds himself irrevocably entangled in these dark events.

I first heard of this novel when Carlos Ruiz Zafon listed his top 10 20th-century gothic novels. He said Falling Angel is "the best mystery thriller ever written. It has the classic elements of a Chandler novel combined with the solid tradition of the 1970s supernatural thrillers .... The writing, plotting and characterisation are superb." He ended his blurb by adding, "This is a hard title to find, but do yourself a favour and go looking." He wasn't kidding.

The harder I looked for this book, the more I wanted to read it. Struck out on Amazon (unless I wanted to pay over 40 bucks for a copy). No luck at the library. I finally ordered a used copy from the UK (thanks, guys). Then, the waiting began.

My book arrived in the late afternoon; a few hours later, I had fully devoured it. Zafon was spot on when he said the plotting is superb; the story hooks you immediately and doesn't relent until you've finished the final page.

In a nutshell: A gripping mystery with a nice dash of horror, Falling Angel is a must for those looking for a gritty, atmospheric read.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Mine, but only because not a single library in my state carried the book. WTF, library system??? W.T.F?!?

RR10: July

2010-08-03T11:29:00.002-05:00

Another un-spectacular month. Let's recap.

Flynn, Gillian. Dark Places
Harris, Charlaine. Club Dead
Mieville, China. Kraken
Pushkin, Alexander. Eugene Onegin

Sigh.

RESOLUTION TITLES = 0 (9/80)

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES = 4

TOTAL READ IN JULY 2010 = 4

TOTAL READ IN 2010 = 39

Victory is mine

2010-07-28T17:00:00.002-05:00

Dark Places
Gillian Flynn

My absence, dear friends, hath nary an excuse to support it. I'd like to say that I've been using my time wisely, filling it with charitable deeds and random works of kindness, but instead I've just been watching every episode of True Blood (Eric!) and biding my time until the return of Jersey Shore.

(Please don't judge me.)

I have, however, done one good thing since my last post: I have -- now, brace yourselves -- VISITED THE LIBRARY.

Now, now, now: I know what you're thinking: have I fallen ill? Fear not, friends, I'm neither ill nor lying: I actually went to the library instead of buying books.

Anyway, that's where I stumbled across Dark Places, and since I'd enjoyed her previous work, Sharp Objects, and because Dark Places has been on my TBR list for awhile now, I thought, why not?

Ok, so, Libby Day's family was murdered by her older brother over twenty years ago. Since the murders, she's been in a fog of sorts, but one day she realizes she has no more money and then she encounters some people who don't believe her brother is guilty and before you know it she just up and decides to find out what REALLY happened the night her family was butchered.

Improbable? Yeah, a bit, but it works. Glad I got this from the library, though. (Take from that what you will.)

In a nutshell: Like Sharp Objects, Dark Places is a bit sensational and a bit unbelievable, but it's ultimately a fast, compelling thriller. Great summer reading.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: The library FTW!

victory is mine

Halfway to zombification

2010-07-14T09:00:00.004-05:00

Club Dead
Charlaine Harris

My patience with Sookie is officially wearing thin.

In fact, I've decided that every time you read some Sookie, God zaps a bit of your cerebral cortex. I'm halfway to zombification by now.

So, let's see, what happens in Book 3? Sookie gets her dumb ass involved with another mystery involving supernatural creatures (this time, werewolves and other shapeshifters). Vampire Bill treats her like shit, but it's cool because Sookie's as dumb as a bag of rocks.

(Okay, okay, she's mad at him [for other reasons than the rape-y bits] by the end of the book. But ten bucks says I know how Book 4 begins: makeup sex.)

Also, I'm kinda unkay (typo, but I like it) with how rape is acceptable so long as you're raped by your significant other. Cause Bill has a tendency to do that, even though I know he's a vampire AND THEY HAVE NEEDS, woman.

Also, it's RIME of the Ancient Mariner, not "rhyme." Who edited this ~~nonsense~~ novel?

In a nutshell: You know I'll be reading Book 4, so who's the real fool here?

Bibliolatry Scale: 2 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: personal Kindle copy

n case you're interested: Book 1, Book 2, Book 4

The Classics Circuit: Alexander Pushkin

2010-07-12T05:00:00.007-05:00

Eugene Onegin
Alexander Pushkin

Poor Pushkin has long suffered the fate of an impulsive buy.

A few years ago, I purchased Eugene Onegin knowing only it was Russian lit, which I needed to read more of beyond Dostoevsky. I arrived home and cracked open my purchase only to find a novel in verse!

[Insert party-stopping record scratch here]

Say what?

And so, poor Pushkin has sat unread on my shelf for many a year now. Thankfully, this latest installment of the Classics Circuit has given me the kick in the butt I needed to conquer this thing.

I'll say this: Eugene Onegin is not what you'd call a summer read. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a difficult read, but it's definitely not an easy one. The translation (by Charles Johnston) makes for smooth enough reading, but our narrator digresses, rambles, philosophizes...oh boy. But I pressed on, ever the loyal CC participant.

The story is simple enough: Onegin is rich and bored with life. He flits from party to party -- oh, the emptiness of his life. Then, his uncle dies and Onegin inherits his house in the county. Alas! The country is just as boring as the city! So, he spends his days TORTUROUSLY: reading, walking by the river, and hanging out with his new friend, Lensky. In other words, his life totally sucks. (At least he doesn't he doesn't assault a remote, though.)

Eugene Onegin: first on the emo scene

Anyway, Lensky is head over heels in love with Olga. Fast forward a bit, and Olga's older sister, Tatyana, soon falls in love with the undeserving Onegin.

Tanya's in love with Onegin, Onegin's in love with Onegin -- this won't end well. And why should it? Onegin is utterly unsympathetic. It's a bit problematic to have a condescending, pompous prick as the work's hero -- I couldn't muster up a bit of feeling for him.

Ultimately, this work left me cold due to the unlikability of the "hero" and the narrator's numerous digressions. (Tatyana's pretty badass, though.) The action was drawn out, so I found myself skimming much more than I should probably admit. That said, Pushkin's achievement is undeniable: at nearly 400 stanzas and featuring an innovative rhyme scheme (a.k.a. the Onegin stanza), Eugene Onegin is no paltry accomplishment.

In a nutshell: Onegin may be a turd, but Pushkin is okay in my book.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal copy

Insert "Release the Kraken" joke here

2010-07-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

Kraken
China Mieville

Dude.

Sometimes, when you finish a book like Kraken, that's all you can say.

Dude.

I've waited a bit to write this review in an effort to allow the effects of the novel to settle a bit. Still, "Dude" is all I can manage even now, days later.

Kraken was my first encounter with Mieville, despite The City and the City being on my TBR list for an eternity now. I had expected his work to be intelligent, weird, maybe even a little difficult to plow through, but I underestimated what was in store for me. Simply put, Kraken is awe-inspiring.

Although a simple summary is near impossible, let's see what I can manage: the novel begins as Billy Harrow leads a tour through the Darwin Center only to find the centerpiece of its exhibit, an eight-meter-long giant squid, has disappeared -- tank and all. Investigators are baffled.

Billy soon finds himself thrown into a world he never knew existed: one full of thugs, sorcerers, Londonmancers, strange cults (like the Krakenists who worship the giant squid, obviously), and more. It isn't long before Billy discovers the missing Kraken will bring about the apocalypse. Oh noes!

my bad

This fast-paced, labyrinthine novel will make you work (it's 500 pages and feels like it), but it's worth it. The large cast of characters might be unnecessary but I was so entertained and fascinated by them that I didn't care. (C'mon -- Tattoo? Hysterical. Goss and Subby? Mesmerizing. Wati? Genius.)

Besides, watching each group duke it out over a giant squid is ANYTHING but boring. And what will happen when the squid is found? Can the end of the world be avoided? Or will it all go up in flames? You'll want to find out -- and the answer will be anything but predictable.

In a nutshell: Awesome, awesome, awesome. Kraken grips readers from the onset and tears right through to the end. Once it gets its tentacles around you, escape is impossible.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal, hardcover copy over here. woot woot

RR10: June

2010-07-01T09:00:00.000-05:00

June: A great month for reading (especially since I spent a week sailing the high seas), but not so great for my reading resolution. Oh well.

Let's take a look at my reading, shall we?

BOOKS READ: JUNE 2010

Christie, Agatha. The A.B.C. Murders
Collins, Suzanne. Catching Fire
Cronin, Justin. The Passage
Harris, Charlaine. Dead Until Dark
Harris, Charlaine. Living Dead in Dallas
Ryan, Carrie. The Forest of Hands and Teeth
Shaffer, Mary Ann and Annie Barrows. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Thomson, Rupert. Death of a Murderer

RESOLUTION TITLES = 0 (9/80)

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES = 8

TOTAL READ IN JUNE 2010 = 8

TOTAL READ IN 2010 = 35

Spellbound by Sookie

2010-07-01T07:00:00.001-05:00

Living Dead in Dallas
Charlaine Harris

Ok, so I SWEAR I did more than read on this cruise. But I'm sucked in and was able to read this book in an afternoon. (It's not exactly Crime and Punishment, nah'mean?)

So...let's see: Sookie and her "disability" get her involved in another mystery. Vampires are there. Sex is had. Stuff happens.

Who cares. SOOOKIEEE.

In a nutshell: Weak writing, weak characters, weak everything...and yet I can't stop reading.

Bibliolatry Scale: I'm feeling charitable. 4 out of 6 stars.

FTCBS: Personal copy purchased from Walmart - victory!

In case you're interested: Book 1, Book 3, Book 4

Good book, bad review

2010-07-01T05:00:00.001-05:00

Death of a Murderer
Rupert Thomson

This was a bit of a serendipitous read, as I happened across it in the library of my cruise ship. The day at sea had been a stormy one, perfect for just reading. I'd read other novels by Thomson, so I felt fairly safe in giving this one a go, especially since one critic called this Thomson's "masterpiece."

The novel opens as an infamous child murderer dies, leaving a bit of a pickle for those in charge of disposing of her remains. One officer (Billy Tyler) is given a twelve-hour shift guarding the body in the morgue. During his time there, he reflects on his life and the life of the murderer.

Hm. That's it. Despite my awfully boring summary, this book was actually pretty good. Tyler is a convincing character, the prose is simple yet mesmerizing ... yadda yadda yadda. I got nothing.

In a nutshell: Please forgive me for such a shite review.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Library copy ... for once!

Kristen Stewart and Katniss = BFF forever

2010-06-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Catching Fire
Suzanne Collins

So it took me forever to read this book because I refused to read anything but the Kindle edition, since that's how I read The Hunger Games. And because Scholastic and Amazon had some kind of pissing contest over the digital version, I couldn't read it until now. Snore.

Anyway, I loved the first book; this one, not so much. Perhaps it was due to the super-long delay? Perhaps. Or perhaps Katniss was just super-annoying this time.

Here's the entire book in short form:

Gale. Peeta. Gale. Peeta. Oh, shit. The president hates me. GaleGaleGale. Peeta. Peeta. Gale. PeetaPeeta. Problems that are a bit more important than this silly love triangle. Gale. Peeta. Peeta. End of book.

AND THEN because Katniss was so annoying I couldn't help but picture Kristen Stewart in her role and then the whole thing went to hell.

you have no idea how long this took me

In fact, Kristen Stewart would seem the ideal person to play Katniss, since all the both of them do is bitch and moan. To be fair, though, Katniss is living under an oppressive regime while KStew is just oppressed by the ravages of fame. Yawn. Go bathe in your millions.

In a nutshell: Not as great as the first, but I'm still looking forward to the third and final installment.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal kindle edition

The Harris chick done got me good

2010-06-29T05:00:00.003-05:00

Dead Until Dark
Charlaine Harris

Reasons why I should hate Sookie:

1. Sookie? SOOKIE?

2. ugh, simplistic writing!

3. ugh, simplistic characters!

4. Speaking of which, Sookie has the intellectual capacity of moldy cheese. (She decides to have sex with Bill WHEN???? And WHERE is the best spot for this adventure???? Sookie, just jump in front of a bus, please. I mean, REALLY.)

5. Every character seems like a joke.

6. SookieSookieSookie

However, I couldn't hate this book. I tore through it while I was on vacation. On a cruise. When I could have been eating, drinking, partying, etc. Also: Eric. And, the simple writing makes for a fast read.

(Don't get me started on the show, though. Even though I'm enjoying it, every friggin male looks like his hair's been cut with a chainsaw, and Anna Paquin's jacked up teeth are horrifically mesmerizing. But: Eric.)

Oh, yeah: Sookie's a telepath and there are some murders and some vampires and by the end of the book the murderer is caught and blah blah blah blah.

In a nutshell: So bad, but sooo good.

Bibliolatry Scale: What in the hell do I give this? A 2? (Under normal circumstances, yes.) A 4? (It was enjoyable enough.) Okay, then: 3 out of 6 stars. For what it's worth.

FTCBS: Sigh. Personal copy. BUT BUT BUT it came from Walmart, so it was only like 5 bucks. BOOYAH!

In case you're interested: Book 2, Book 3, Book 4

mmmmm pie

2010-06-24T05:00:00.005-05:00

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Every once in awhile, a lovely little book comes along that charms and delights. Such is Guernsey.

Juliet Ashton is a writer covering the Second World War and its aftermath. One day she receives a letter from a member of the Guernsey you-know-what society, she plans to write a novel on the war's effects in Guernsey. Soon, the inhabitants of this small island are flooding Juliet with their stories. Typical small-town folk abound: the nice-but-awkward Dawsey, the mean ol' church lady, the fiesty spinster.

Guernsey is a nice little epistolary novel that provides a good story (if a bit predictable) and enchanting (if a bit one-sided) characters. Such a story in another's hands might have felt cloying or oversweet. However, while some aspects of the novel seemed almost too good to be true, the novel doesn't fail to captivate: once I started it, I couldn't put it down.

In a nutshell: Sweet but not overbearing, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a lovely little delight.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal copy. Sigh.

to the Winchester!

2010-06-22T05:00:00.005-05:00

The Forest of Hands and Teeth
Carrie Ryan

This review's gonna be a fast read -- just like this book.

Ok so Mary lives in a village surrounded by the Unconsecrated (aka brain-eating zombies) and soon her (gulp) marriage will be upon her (it's all their good duty to have lots of un-unconsecrated babies) and meanwhile all she can do is wonder was the ocean is like and will she ever see it.

[Pssst. Hey, Mar. The ocean? Full of sand. (Said sand gets all up in your pants. Literally.) And there's sun. (If you're like me, said sun will burn you to a crisp.) And there's jellyfish. (Which are just gross.) Plus you'll have zombies. So, the ocean? Get over it.]

Anyway, the book:

GOOD: Zombies! Angst! Zombies! BRRRAAAINNSS

BAD: Protag was a bit too angsty. You're living in the zombie apocalypse: stop whining about your crush, already. Also, there were a few loose ends that weren't tied up, although they ~~might~~ better be resolved in the second novel, The Dead-Tossed Waves.

BEST: A fast-paced, gripping read read that was perfect for my treadmill. (I read the Kindle version, obvi.)

In a nutshell: Taut and entertaining, TFoHaT takes a look at those who fight to survive under what might be the most disturbing of circumstances.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I got the Kindle version for this, thankyouverymuch!

PS: The title to this post comes from my favorite zombie flick and not this novel. (Although, to be fair, going to the Winchester and having a nice cold pint sounds better than visiting a zombified ocean.)

The long, mostly interesting (but very long) passage

2010-06-18T05:00:00.001-05:00

The Passage
Justin Cronin

Oh, The Passage. I loved it, I hated it, it drove me insane.

Let's break those reactions down a bit, shall we?

ADORE
The best part of The Passage? The beginning. The reader knows shit's gonna hit the fan, but it takes awhile to hit. No problem: the buildup is the best part. Meanwhile, the characters in the first third are complex, interesting, and sympathetic, and the plot is tight and fast-paced. At this point in the novel, glowing ~~vampires~~ virals couldn't tear me away from the book.

SNORE
...that is, until I hit the middle, when anything bright and/or shiny could distract me from reading. At this point, the shit has met the fan, mess = everywhere, and people are fighting for survival. Except that each fight is soooo drawn out and -- dare I say it? -- BORING. (How can fighting deadly creatures be boring you ask? Trust me, it's possible. Had the novel been condensed by, oh, maybe 300 pages, I would have gotten jiggy with it.*) Also, there are SOOOO many characters and many of them are alike, making it hard to differentiate between Dude A who hates vampires and Dude B who hates vampires. The characters who did stand out, meanwhile, weren't terribly likable and/or interesting, with only one or two exceptions.

LAKDJFAKORE
Finally, other aspects of the novel drove me insane. Like, Alicia. We're told again and again (and again) how tough she is, how she's such a badass blah blah blah and how she NEVER cries. And then, once we're introduced to these "facts," she cries in NEARLY EVERY SCENE she's in -- all the while saying "don't tell anyone I'm crying." SHUT UP ALREADY, YOU BIG BABY!

Note: this crybaby is WAY more entertaining than Alicia. LOL FOREVER

Ultimately, The Passage was OKAY. I'm glad I got the Kindle version rather than the hardback. I'll probably read the second and third installments; even though I don't really care about the characters, I'm interested in seeing where this is headed.

In a nutshell: Good, boring, then okay, The Passage makes vampires scary and interminable.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars (I almost did 3.5, but am feeling charitable; take this rating with a grain of salt.)

FTCBS: personal Kindle version, mwah ha ha ha ha ha

*why yes, apparently it IS 1997, thank you very much

Layout fun

2010-06-11T05:00:00.002-05:00

So Blogger has added some nifty layout options, and now -- the day has come at last -- when Bibliolatry can boast a three-column layout.

now we are so happy, we do the dance of joy!

So what do you think? Is the old layout preferable? Anything I should improve? What changes have you made recently?

The Classics Circuit: Agatha Christie

2010-06-10T05:00:00.003-05:00

The A.B.C. Murders
Agatha Christie

I don't read much mystery, especially Agatha Christie -- I read And Then There Were None when I was 12 -- so I was glad when the Classics Circuit gave me another reason to read her.

I settled on The A.B.C. Murders, because it seemed to have serial-killer potential, and those types of mysteries hold more interest for me than the "gah someone stole my diamonds!" type.

It all begins when Inspector Poirot receives a mysterious letter from the killer, kindly informing the inspector of where and when the murder will take place. (God, everyone ise SO POLITE in the UK, even murderers. Even the dicky, "superior" Inspector Crome is rather nice.)

Anyway, before you know it, Alice Ascher of Andover in assassinated. Egads! (Unfortunately no one actually says egads! in the novel, but I'll forgive the omission.) Fast forward a bit, another letter, another town, and bam! Betty Barnard of Bexhill is butchered. (Ok, she's strangled, but alliteration, you know.) The killer, identified in his letters only as "ABC," leaves an ABC Railway Guide at the scene of each crime.

Soon the murders pile up, and it seems not even Poirot's powerful intellect can prevent the killer from tearing through the alphabet!

Just kidding! The murderer turns himself in.

BUT WAIT! Poirot is not so easily fooled -- and soon, he proves to everyone through a series of really dramatic assumptions that SOMETHING ELSE IS REALLY GOING ON.

AND HE'S RIGHT.

even babies are amazed by Poirot's sagacity

Poirot proves to his fellow investigators -- and to the reader -- that the true nature of the murders was always before them (and us), but had been rendered invisible by their previous assumptions.

Oh, Poirot. You are a sly fox indeed.

In a nutshell: A bit dry in places, despite all the murdering. And oy, what an intricate solution.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: You know what I'm going to say, don't you FTC? Yes, yes you do. YES, YES, YES, personal copy here -- all I do is buy shit like books and shoes and DRESSES from FOREVER21, I can't stop myself, GIVE ME A BREAK ALREADY

RR10: May

2010-06-07T05:00:00.003-05:00

Alrighty, not sure why May was such a craptacular entry in my 2010 reading resolution, but it was. June, however, is going to be much better; I've already finished three books, and I don't plan to slow down.

BOOKS READ: MAY 2010

Hynes, James. The Lecturer's Tale
Spark, Muriel. Memento Mori
Straub, Peter. Ghost Story

RESOLUTION TITLES = 1 (9/80)

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES = 2

TOTAL READ IN MAY 2010 = 3

TOTAL READ IN 2010 = 27

Finger lickin' good

2010-06-03T05:00:00.001-05:00

The Lecturer's Tale
James Hynes

Imagine having the power to make your dreams a reality. What would you do? How far would you go?

Nelson Humboldt, a just-fired adjunct lecturer at a middling university, finds himself in exactly this situation after his index fingered is severed in a freak accident. Of course, doctors are able to reattach it, but wait -- his finger now comes with powers!

It isn't long before Nelson realizes he can (to quote from the back of the book because the back is saying it better than I'm thinking it) "force his will on others with a touch of his finger."

Imagine the possibilities! You could create peace, harmony, goodwill among men! Or, a more selfish sort might walk into a bank and emerge a millionaire -- without anyone calling the police. The fate of the free world would be in your ~~hands~~ finger!

Nelson, however, is a simpler sort. He just wants tenure. Securing himself a position in the English department is all the man really wants. And it isn't long before he'll do anything -- anything -- to get it.

Wait -- WHAT???

So, THE MAN CAN FORCE HIS WILL ON OTHERS AND HE JUST WANTS TENURE???

TENURE???

Sorry.

It's good that Nelson aims straight for the middle, though, because he isn't the smartest guy, or the most moral. What ensues is biting satire of both human desire and academia. There are some madcap scenes, lots of literary hijinks, and some outright hilarity.

Unfortunately, there are some flaws. Some scenes could be condensed a bit (although the prose itself is clear and precise), and the end is just ... weird. While some have found the ending to ruin an otherwise wonderful novel, I was able to take it all in stride. I mean, what do you expect -- the dude's got a dead, electric finger. Shit's gonna get weird.

In a nutshell: Despite its flaws, The Lecturer's Tale is intelligent, comic, and full of literary fun.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Yet another personal copy; not sure I even know what a library is anymore.

Awards!

2010-05-31T07:00:00.002-05:00

Although I far from deserve such accolades, several kind bloggers have bestowed upon me some awards. Woohoo!

Cheryl at Wandering (and wondering) through YA Lit and Sarah at Loving Books have given me the Versatile Blogger Award.

The rules of this award are to share seven things about yourself and then to pass this award on to 15 blogs I've recently discovered.

1. Seven things are really hard to think of. This is because I am lazy. There: fact numero uno! Besides, I suppose it's time I face the harsh glare of reality so far as my laziness is concerned.

2. I have three furry children (all dogs) and I love them to pieces. Yes, I am one of THOSE people.

3. Plants vs Zombies never gets old. (See #1.)

4. I love to bake but hate to cook, even though my cooking skills are no longer sub-par.

5. I am extremely anti-social and would probably only leave the house to go to work, if it weren't for my wonderful husband.

6. I am very addicted to celebrity gossip. ONTD, Go Fug Yourself, Dlisted, and (although I hate to admit it) Perez Hilton are my favorite websites.

7. I love cheesy sci-fi / horror flicks, so long as they don't involve mutated insects, dragons, or giant piranhas. Please to zombies, axe-murderers (the Michael Myers kind, not the Saw/Hostel kind), natural disasters, general boogeymen, ghosts, and other creepy (but otherwise impossible) scenarios.

And now for the part in which I side-step out of tagging others, in part because I can't think of anyone who hasn't already received this award and also because I hate to exclude anyone and also because, well ... see #1.

This award comes from Miss Remmers over at Miss Remmers' Review. The rules for this one are pretty simple:

1. Put this on your blog, whether as an entirely new post or on your sidebar.
2. Choose other newly discovered bloggers that you love, and award them!
3. Send them a message/comment to let them know.

I'm going to give this award to the lovelies who have been so kind to me. If you haven't checked out their sites, get on it!

Miss Remmers at Miss Remmers' Review
Cheryl at Wandering (and wondering) through YA Lit
Sarah at Loving Books
Bookquoter at a Thousand Books with Quotes

And finally, Bookquoter at a Thousand Books with Quotes has given me the Prêmio Dardos award, an award to "to acknowledge the importance of bloggers committed with spreading cultural, ethical, literary and personal values, showing their thoughts are alive through their letters and words."

With that in mind, I pass this award on to

Marie at The Boston Bibliophile
Matt at A Guy's Moleskine Notebook
Florinda at 3 R's
Nymeth at things mean a lot

Congrats to ALL book bloggers!! Happy reading, everyone!

Remember you must die

2010-05-19T05:00:00.001-05:00

Memento Mori
Muriel Spark

It's a curious thing to objectively view a novel when you hated nearly EVERY. SINGLE. character. I mean, some seriously AWFUL people inhabit the pages of Spark's Memento Mori that I could barely get past the fourth chapter. Lucky for me, I soldiered on: things much improved (even if their characters didn't), and I found myself -- dare I say it -- even enjoying the novel.

I must say I'm proud of myself for even reading another Spark, since my first encounter with La Spark left something to be desired. But I was intrigued by the premise of the novel: a group of senior citizens begin receiving anonymous phone calls reminding them that they must die.

This is not a group of warm, sweet old people -- far from it. These pensioners are catty, scheming, and forever gossiping. They have secrets, hidden pasts, and a bottomless well of greed, and they are not above blackmail and intimidation to meet their desires. (As I said, the lot of them were vile creatures, which the exception of one (for the most part) sweet little biddy named Charmian. Wait -- Charmian?)

Don't squeeze the Charmian!
(I know, I know: GROAN...don't judge me)

These disturbing calls, however, are not the heart of the novel. Instead, the calls merely bring to light issues that had long been buried. In exploring the twilight of these people's lives, Spark comments not only on their individual foibles but also on what it means to live and grow old in modern times. She confronts aging without becoming sentimental; the result is a deft little novel, and one full of sharp wit.

Needless to say: I was pleasantly surprised.

In a nutshell: An intriguing premise, a slow start, a dash of wickedly sly humor, and a host of awful human beings combine to make a pretty good book.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I'm sure you already know . . . personal copy here.

Do the hop!

2010-05-14T04:00:00.000-05:00

My Google Reader is very angry at me right now. Why? It's the Book Blogger Hop, of course!

It's a great way to find fellow book lovers -- although, I warn you: if you're like me, you'll soon find yourself adding WAY too many books to your never-ending TBR list.

New to Bibliolatry?

If you've just arrived via the Hop: welcome! My name is Jenn, I've been hanging out here for over five years (five years!?), and I love to read.

I focus mainly on the classics and on contemporary/literary fiction, although sometimes something creepy (or quasi-creepy) slips in.

Got any recommendations for me? By all means -- let's hear em!

I ain't afraid of no ghosts

2010-05-11T05:00:00.003-05:00

Ghost Story
Peter Straub

Ugh. I SO wanted to adore Ghost Story. It's scary, it has ghosts (sorta), and lots of people were quoted on the cover as saying "omg scariest book evvar!!1" or some such, so I thought it was right up my alley. And although it may have been "up my alley," it was a reallllly long alley, and not a particularly nice one, either. Oh, wait you say, the alley is supposed to be me? Whatever, you know what I mean. I mean this book bored the pants off me.

Ok, so: the novel concerns "the Chowder Society," a group of old men who meet together and tell scary stories (and presumably eat chowder, although that part isn't made abundantly clear). So they tell scary stories and THEN scary stuff starts happening to them. And then it's happening not only to them but also to their sleepy little hamlet, which is about to experience the worst winter in history. (Side note: do not read this book in May after a particulary snowy winter, since MORE SNOW is the LAST thing I want to imagine right now).

Also, the narrative jumps around a bit, so at one point it's the future, then it's the present, then it's the past, then it's the WAY past, then it's the present, which is fine, I'm no dummy, but some of it was a bit draggy.

Which leads me to Disappointment #1. Simply put, Ghost Story was a wee bit long for my tastes. This novel could have been pared down significantly without losing any momentum. By the end I was just like WILL THIS SHAPESHIFTER / MANITOU / CREEPY THING KILL EVERYONE ALREADY BECAUSE I'M GETTING VERY SLEEPY OVER HERE.

Which leads me to Disappointment #2. One should probably not be sleepy while reading a scary book. However, I fell asleep NUMEROUS times while reading Ghost Story, which leads me to conclude this scary book IS NOT SCARY. True, there were a few creepy moments, but lots of things are creepy without being scary. To wit:

Question: Would you be afraid of this dog?

Answer: Not if you had a brain in your head: this thing is clearly punt-able, syringe or not. And anyone who is afraid of an evil chihuahua deserves what's coming to him.

Which brings me to Disappointment #3. True, the Big Evil in Ghost Story is not an evil chihuahua, but sometimes it might as well be. Some parts were just plain silly, while other parts didn't make sense within the context of the novel. I'd elaborate, but doing so would involve some spoilers. Also, I don't feel like it. So there.

In a nutshell: Yawn. (But yay! for reading another resolution title! [Remember that?])

Bibliolatry Scale: 2 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal copy (insert sad music here)

RR10: April

2010-05-04T04:00:00.000-05:00

Another month down! Let's check my progress in my reading resolution.

BOOKS READ: APRIL 2010

Dumas, Alexandre. Black Tulip
Eagleman, David. Sum
Martel, Yann. Beatrice and Virgil
Ness, Patrick. The Knife of Never Letting Go
Russell, Mary Doria. The Sparrow
Simmons, Dan. Black Hills
Zola, Emile. Therese Raquin

RESOLUTION TITLES = 0 (still 8/80)

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES = 7

TOTAL READ IN MARCH 2010 = 7

TOTAL READ IN 2010 = 24

Delightful, intelligent, insightful, etc. etc. etc.

2010-04-29T04:00:00.002-05:00

Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives
David Eagleman

It's always a pleasure to find that glowing blurbs get it right. Too often in my experience, a surfeit of praise indicates a turd. Not this time. Sum lives up to its praise -- and then some.

Sum is a collection of forty short (some only a page) tales that investigate "entirely new frameworks" (to quote the author in an interview) of the afterlife. You won't find people just hanging out on clouds: instead, you might relive all your experiences of the same type at once (that means sitting on the toilet for five months); you might find yourself with a disappointed God; you might even find yourself with the aliens who created humanity as an experiment. Would you like it if heaven were populated by only those people you knew in life? Perhaps -- perhaps not.

Eagleman's prose is so simple, yet so lovely, he makes it seem like anyone can write like he does. The stories are short, powerful, and intelligent, and I would bet it's nearly impossible to find a reader who didn't like this book.

If you'd like a sample, three excerpts are available online. Click here to read "Expectations," just one of the forty scenarios in which you just might find yourself.

In a nutshell: Why didn't I think of this? Oh, because I'm not that smart. Or that intelligent. Damn you, Eagleman.

Bibliolatry Scale: 6 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: alll miiiiine

Promising but painful

2010-04-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

Black Hills
Dan Simmons

I did it!! I DID IT!! DO YOU HEAR ME EVERYBODY??!?!?

Yes, it's true. It may have taken me months, but I have finally finished Black Hills. I finished last night during a marathon skim-fest that allowed me to cover nearly 150 pages.

First, let me be clear: I LOVE Dan Simmons. Sure, we've had our ups and downs, but I think our relationship is on fairly solid ground.

That's why I was so disappointed to slog through Black Hills. The premise sounded promising: young Paha Sapa, a ten-year-old Sioux, is present at Little Big Horn and touches General Custer as he's dying. The ghost of Custer takes up residence within him and haunts him for the rest of his life. Years later, Paha Sapa finds himself at the construction of Mount Rushmore, and he feels it's his duty to bring the stone giants down.

See, you'd think that would be interesting, right? A ghost, living in you? Haunting you from within?

Well, don't be fooled.

Right: That's me (aren't I skinny?) while reading this book.

Ironically, during one point in the novel, Paha Sapa tries to read Henry James' Ambassadors, but "He simply can not get through it ... The story itself seems so insignificant, so overblown, so petty and obscure..." REALLY?!?!? Am I the only one who finds this totally ironic?!?

That's not to say Black Hills is an insignificant story -- but overblown? Impossible to get through? ABSOLUTELY.

In a nutshell: A great book that needs a fearless editor. As it stands, a bit painful. I still got love for Simmons, though.

Bibliolatry Scale: 2 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I received a review copy from the publisher. Thanks, even though I wasn't so much a fan of this one.

The Classics Circuit: Alexandre Dumas

2010-04-22T05:00:00.001-05:00

The Black Tulip
Alexandre Dumas

I must admit, I was a little daunted by Dumas. I chose The Black Tulip solely based on its length (it's the shortest of his novels), and when I read the book was about growing flowers, I didn't get my hopes up.

The novel begins as two prominent Dutchmen are unjustly executed, the victims of political intrigue. Their deaths, graphic and unsettling, are the first indication of the rollercoaster that is The Black Tulip.

We move from this violent scene to the quiet suburbs, to Cornelius Van Baerle, a rich man who loves nothing but tulips. Van Baerle is seeking to create the elusive "Black Tulip," which many believe is impossible.

Unfortunately for Corn, his neighbor Boxtel hates him. HATES. There's teeth gnashing and all. Boxtel is also in love with tulips, so of course he is envious of Corn's success with the ~~ladies~~ tulips.

Jeez. TWO men in love with tulips?

my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard

So Boxtel sets out to destroy Corn, and then MORE political intrigue happens and then before you know it Corn's in love with NOT ONLY tulips but now also Rosa, the daughter of his jailer. Escándalo!

Oh, and did I mention that the person to first create the Black Tulip will receive a Very Large Sum as a prize? The race to grow the tulip is on! Now throw in a few dazzling fight scenes and some hysterical dialogue, and you've got The Black Tulip.

This short novel was such fun to read. As I got wrapped up in the story, I even began to read a few chapters online while I was at work. The pacing is fast, and I often couldn't wait to read more. Many thanks to the Classics Circuit for the Dumas tour -- I'm not sure I ever would have read this without the tour, and that would have been a shame indeed!

In a nutshell: Fun, funny, and fantastical - a pleasant surprise!

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal copy; also online

Required Reading: The Sparrow

2010-04-19T05:00:00.003-05:00

The Sparrow
Mary Doria Russell

Oh, The Sparrow. Where do I even begin?

I finished this book weeks ago, and yet I have not been able to put metaphorical pen to paper, until now. The interim has been filled with ceaseless pondering, The Sparrow continuing to occupy my mind even as I read several other novels.

Even now, scenes and characters from the novel still wander the halls of my mind, poking in at inopportune moments. When you consider that this is MDR's first novel, my envy is complete. Damn you, woman.

Before beginning with the obligatory summary, I must first state, as others have before me, that, although The Sparrow is classified as science-fiction, you should ignore this label if sci-fi ain't your bag. Although it may feature elements of sci-fi, this is literary fiction all the way.

Okay, on with the obligatory: The Sparrow follows two different timelines; we begin in 2059, when Emilio Sandoz, the lone survivor of an expedition to a faraway planet called Rakhat, returns to earth. Immediately an inquest is opened to discover the fates of the other explorers, but Sandoz is far too traumatized to offer up his secrets.

Before we can get too far, however, we are returned to 2019, as humanity first discovers life exists on Rakhat. While scanning the skies for extraterrestrial radio transmissions, beautiful, hymn-like singing can be heard. Because such music is nearly identical to our own songs of worship, many wonder if Rakhat can offer proof for the existence of God.

Quicker than you can shake a finger (or maybe not, if you happen to be Sandoz), eight intrepid explorers are off to meet the inhabitants of Rakhat. What they encounter is beyond all imagination and prompts them to question the meaning of faith, existence, and humanity. As an agnostic (something I dislike about myself, thanks to Yann Martel), I found this book very powerful; believers and non-believers alike cannot help but be affected by this novel.

In a nutshell: This crap review falls quite short of the power that is The Sparrow; simply put, you MUST read this book.

Oh, and Brad Pitt is set to play Emilio Sandoz? BLASPHEMY!

Oh, and, and -- many thanks to Heather for bringing this book to my attention!

Bibliolatry Scale: 6 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal copy, woot woot

Ambivalating all over the place

2010-04-15T05:00:00.002-05:00

Beatrice and Virgil
Yann Martel

Well, it's been roughly two weeks since I finished Beatrice and Virgil, Yann Martel's newest novel, and to say I'm perplexed is an understatement. Did I like the book? Hate it? Ambivalate it? Hopefully writing this review will help me solve the mystery.

To begin, a brief overview: Beatrice and Virgil is Martel's way of discussing the Holocaust without *actually* discussing the Holocaust. He argues that of all the great atrocities of the world, only the Holocaust has avoided greater attention in fiction, and once those who have lived through it pass away, we are in danger of forgetting -- unless we tell stories about it. To this end, he has written Beatrice and Virgil, a "story" about the Holocaust that uses animals to represent those who suffered.

Okay, so animals as allegorical figures? Check. Conversational, intimate style? Check. Shocking, gut-wrenching ending? Check. Sounds a lot like Life of Pi, eh? Then why am I so ambivalent?

To start, one must know that Beatrice and Virgil is no Life of Pi. Pi remains one of my favorite novels and has for me a mystical quality that Beatrice and Virgil simply lacks. So, perhaps BAV suffers simply for not being Pi. In that case, Martel was doomed before I even picked up the damn thing, which isn't exactly fair.

But even apart from the obligatory Pi comparisons, Beatrice and Virgil has its problems. In my opinion, using animals as an allegory for the Holocaust was somewhat weak, the Beckettian absurdism unnecessary; worse, some parts were underdeveloped, and some parts OVERdeveloped.

That's not to say I didn't like Beatrice and Virgil: it was a short read, as I read it in a few hours and was relatively moved by the experience. The novel made me think, and I enjoyed Martel's narrative voice even if this work was flawed.

Ultimately, even if some elements were a bit weak, Martel achieves what he sets out to do: he reminds us of the atrocities of the Holocaust (even if the reminder only underscores the fact that the animals' suffering in no way compares to that of those who suffered under the Nazis), and he uses fiction as a means of telling the truth.

In a nutshell: I still don't know. It was...okay-ish?

Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I was lucky to receive a review copy from the publisher, and, even though I didn't LOVE it...Thanks!

Not even Stains could save this one

2010-04-12T05:00:00.001-05:00

The Knife of Never Letting Go
Patrick Ness

As part of my on-going effort to avoid another reading funk, I've surrounded myself with "quick reads" to keep me moving. Based on the many reviews I've read of The Knife of Never Letting Go, I figured this combination of dystopia, thriller, and bildungsroman was guaranteed to excite.

The narrator of The Knife of Never Letting Go, Todd Hewitt, lives in Prentisstown, where the thoughts of men and animals are heard by everyone. This Noise, as it's called, makes life nearly unbearable, as true privacy and peace are impossible to find. The novel opens as Todd and his dog, Manchee, find something they've never found before: silence. Soon, Todd's running for his life and yadda yadda yadda. So, did The Knife of Never Letting Go live up to the hype?

Unfortunately, no.

Todd annoyed me. Even Manchee, the talking dog, annoyed me -- and I love dogs. However, I soon replaced my original image of Manchee with Stains, the internet's beloved hypnodog, and my love for Manchee soared.

"Poo! Poo!" says Manchee ... over and over (and over)

Alas, that which annoyed me nearly outweighed that which didn't. Todd's voice was uneven and clunky, the plotting was fast-paced but silly in places, and, while I am intrigued by a world where thoughts are public, the overall execution was a bit weak for me.

Or maybe TKoNLG suffered from poor timing. I've just read several EXCELLENT books, one of which I'm still unable to post about, it was that good (and no, it is NOT The Savage Detectives, thank you for asking), so it was inevitable I'd find fault with TKoNLG. That said, TKoNLG was a fast, light read perfect for breaking a funk.

In a nutshell: Flawed but fast-paced, The Knife of Never Letting Go is relentless and and entertaining, to a point.

Bibliolatry Scale: 2 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal copy (shut up)

The Classics Circuit: Emile Zola

2010-04-09T05:00:00.001-05:00

Therese Raquin
Emile Zola

Today I'm pleased to welcome Emile Zola as part of the the Classics Circuit!

For my stop on the Classics tour, I've read Therese Raquin, which has been on my TBR list for years. The tour finally gave me the kick in the pants I needed in order to get this thing done.

And now that I've read it, I can't help but wonder...what took me so long? Because, hands down, Therese Raquin was an INSANE read. INSANE! I was shocked by how graphic and disturbing this short novel was, and I can only imagine how Zola's readers reacted when it was first published almost 150 years ago.

In Therese Raquin, Zola is more concerned with temperament than character. So he combines three different "humors" and allows them to go crazy. There's phlegmatic Camille (who is NOT a girl, despite what my brain kept telling me), who is married to Therese, who is choleric and therefore full of energy. As you might think, Camille + Therese = unhappy marriage. And the two, together with Madame Raquin, Camille's maman, pass day after day after day doing THE SAME FRIGGIN THING over and over and over. LE SIGH.

Why, yes, there IS a cat in Therese Raquin, but sadly he is lacking bacon

Therese is resigned to her life of eternal return with only other "living corpses" to keep her company as her life unwinds.

BUT THEN! Entre Laurent. He's a beast! He's a man! He's pure sex on wheels! (Oh, and he's also sanguine, so he's creative and extroverted and if you really want to know more about humors then just go here). So Therese starts making googly eyes at Laurent and then before you know it THEY'RE HAVING SEX ON THE BEDROOM FLOOR.

Add lots of animal imagery, some plotting, more sex and what the back of my edition describes as "a crime that will haunt them forever" and you have the book in a nutshell.

Again, I was stunned by the graphic nature of Therese Raquin, and I was pleasantly surprised by the fast-paced nature of the plot. While I hated every single one of the characters (with the exception of Madame Raquin, the feisty little minx), I was still able to enjoy the novel -- surely a testament to Monsieur Zola. So thanks again to the the Classics Circuit for giving me reason to get my rear in gear.

In a nutshell: The melodrama! The gruesomeness! The cat! (Vraiment, Laurent?) Therese Raquin is fast enough to be read in a day, yet powerful enough to last a lifetime. (Possibly. It's only been a few days.)

Bibliolatry Scale: 4.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Personal copy over here.

The Savage Readalong: Week 4

2010-04-05T05:00:00.003-05:00

Ok. I've finally finished Week 4 of the Savage readalong, and I must admit: I skimmed the shit outta this mothereffer.

Sigh.

Again, I must say, were it not for this readalong, I'd have given up long ago. As it is, I'm a week behind. I just couldn't do it last week. I guess I knew what was in store for me.

What was in store for me was an interminable stretch of random accounts of people who barely even knew these two fools. One account lasts 16 pages, yet hardly mentions Lima or Belano. So, yes, I skimmed.

For now, I'm just struggling to get through this behemoth. I'll try to make sense of it later; maybe I can understand what Bolano is driving at after I've finished.

Hopefully.

How about you, fellow Savages? Are you experiencing similar difficulties? Are you also forcing yourself to plow through, regardless of the fact you're deriving little to no pleasure from the experience? Or is it just me?

RR10: March

2010-04-03T13:53:00.004-05:00

Yet another month gone by; let's see how my reading resolution is coming along.

Don't expect much, though: I spent much of March in a reading funk and falling behind on my Savage Readalong (expect a post on Week 4 soon).

BOOKS READ: MARCH 2010

Anderson, Laurie Halse. Speak
DuMaurier, Daphne. Don't Look Now: Selected Stories
Gregory, Daryl. The Devil's Alphabet
Heyer, Georgette. Footsteps in the Dark

RESOLUTION TITLES = 0 (still 8/80)

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES = 4

TOTAL READ IN MARCH 2010 = 4

TOTAL READ IN 2010 = 17

Making biology unique

2010-03-31T04:00:00.003-05:00

The Devil's Alphabet
Daryl Gregory

I'm hoping to salvage some sort of respectability this month, so I picked up The Devil's Alphabet, a fast, quirky little novel that was just the thing I needed.

What if quantum evolution happened in your neighborhood? Would you even know it? According to Gregory -- hell yes, you would.

Fifteen years ago, The Changes occurred in the small town of Switchcreek, Tennessee, mutating its inhabitants and creating three new races: the super-tall argos; bald, brown (and continually pregnant) betas; and huge, meaty charlies. The Changes, which became known as TDS, or Transcription Divergence Syndrome), wreaked havoc in Switchcreed -- but then stopped. TDS didn't spread: it wasn't contagious. It left as suddenly as it had arrived.

Paxton Martin, a "skip" unaffected by the changes, left town not long after The Changes ended, but after the suicide of one of his childhood friends, he's returned. Why has his friend taken her own life? And what sinister goings-on lie at the center of this town?

The Devil's Alphabet is part science-fiction, part mystery, and part quantum speculation, but at its core it's simply a good story. Sure, there are flaws (some explanations, some preachiness, the end), but I was intrigued by the idea of a town-wide spate of mutations and the effects such changes will have.

In a nutshell: Weird, imaginative, and even a little gross at times (does Pax realize what the Vintage is? Because he just ate it.), The Devil's Alphabet will definitely get you thinking.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Isn't this already obvious? Bought this one. Of course I did.

Speak now or forever hold your peace

2010-03-29T04:30:00.003-05:00

Speak
Laurie Halse Anderson

I needed something to break my reading funk, and I knew Speak was just the book to do it.

I feel as though I'm the last person on earth to read Laurie Halse Anderson (I generally don't read YA fiction, not because I'm against it, per se, but more because I simply forget YA titles when considering what next to read), so a summary of Speak is probably not necessary. You want a summary anyway, you say?

Ok: Speak = Teen outcast + freshman year + many problems + no friends + A BIG SECRET. That, in essence, is the novel.

Of course, there's a lot more to Speak than just that. Nearly everyone can relate to Melinda in one way or another, even if you've never experienced some of her problems. While it does have a few flaws -- the end, for one, didn't sit right with me, and some points could have been better developed/resolved -- Speak remains a fast, engaging read by an author whose other books I need in my life. Now.

In a nutshell: Teen outcasts are good for adult non-outcasts, too.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: You can see where this is headed, no? Yep, I bought this one. Surprise!

Don't look now! (Ok, you can look now)

2010-03-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

Don't Look Now: Selected Stories
Daphne duMaurier

I'm officially in love with Daphne duMaurier; it took me forever to read Rebecca, but once I did, I immediately needed more. Enter My Cousin Rachel. That was it. I'm hooked.

I'm glad I came across Don't Look Now, which compiles some of her best short stories into this lovely little collection. While some stories are more striking than others, this collection only served to further whet my appetite for this author. Those who dismiss her as simply a "writer of romances" are truly missing out.

Most stories hinge on a key moment in time (one that is often imperceptible to the protagonist until it's too late) that changes the protagonist forever -- and usually for the worse. In "Don't Look Now," a man and wife vacation in Venice after losing a child only to find that they probably should have stayed home. In "Kiss Me Again, Stranger," a young man finally finds love, although she isn't quite what she appears to be.

"The Blue Lenses" features a woman who, having undergone eye surgery, finds her sight has changed forever. In "Indiscretion," a chance conversation sees lives intersect, with serious -- and life-changing -- effects. In "Split Second," a woman takes a walk only to find life much different upon her return home.

Other stories are more difficult to categorize, and yet hint at a darkness just beyond our reach. In "Escort," a warship receives an unsettling escort home. "La Sainte Vierge" focuses on a young woman who prays for her husband's safety and receives a powerful vision in return. Of course, her most famous story, "The Birds," needs no summary, although it must be noted that the story brings more depth, and less hope, than the movie. Finally, the last work in the collection, "Monte Verita," focuses on those who live in a fortress atop Monte Verita. Who are they, and what do they do there?

As noted earlier, while every story isn't a stunner, I was able to enjoy them all in different ways. In fact, there isn't much to criticize about this collection, expect, perhaps for duMaurier's tendency toward ellipsis, which I found a bit annoying, lending as it did an unfinished quality to the prose. Thankfully, this didn't happen often, so no worries there.

In a nutshell: Bravo! I love you, Daphne.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Bought this one, of course...I seem to buy everything.

The Savage Readalong: Week 3

2010-03-24T05:00:00.002-05:00

Ok. I've finally finished Week 3 of the Savage readalong, and my enthusiasm is beginning to wane.

Section II: The Savage Detectives begins with a bunch of people -- friends, poets, random others -- reflecting on their encounters with Lima and Belano over the next several years. Some of these encounters make for an interesting story; most are only skim-worthy.

In fact, I did a lot of skimming in this section, and I'm not feeling a damn bit guilty about it. Oh, and the total apathy re: the storyline and the characters continues. What a boring bunch of artists.

I do find it interesting that thus far I've heard no mention of our young narrator from Section I. Guess he didn't figure too prominently in the Visceral realist movement, not that he ever did anything but dick around in Section I anyway, so I shouldn't be too surprised that the wannabe didn't get too far. Let's see if that changes the further I move into Section II.

The Classics Circuit: Georgette Heyer

2010-03-22T05:00:00.003-05:00

Footsteps in the Dark
Georgette Heyer

Today I am pleased to welcome Georgette Heyer as part of the Classics Circuit!

First, I have to say that I'm mighty pleased to participate in this Circuit, as I've never even heard of Georgette Heyer before participating, despite the fact that my edition of Footsteps calls her "one of the best-known and best-loved of all historical novelists." Really? [Insert my shame and embarrassment here.]

So, while perusing the Heyer overview, I found that many of her historical romances likened her to Jane Austen. Oh no! I wailed (to myself, obviously). And that's how I ended up with Footsteps in the Dark, a decidedly un-Austen mystery with not a hint of romance. Okay, there's a hint of it. But it's okay because Heyer gives us ghosts, disappearances, and murder as well.

Footsteps in the Dark begins as siblings Peter, Margaret, and Celia arrive at The Priory to inspect their inheritance. The building is old and mysterious, and it comes with an intriguing history: the Priory is reputed to be haunted by a mysterious personage known only as the Monk.

Of course, the new inhabitants put little stock in such rumors. But then they start hearing things. And then they start SEEING things. And then they discover a murder. AND THEN...! Is the Monk supernatural -- or earthly? And why does he prowl about their home?

I enjoyed the wacky cast of characters that inhabit the pages of Footsteps in the Dark. Each is equally likely to be the Monk, and each is sufficiently bizarre enough to warrant some snide commentary from Charles, Celia's wry husband. The mystery was engaging, the characters were colorful (even if a bit flat), and the romance, while a bit silly, was charming enough for the story. Although I don't anticipate reading more Heyer (especially not with all those comparisons to Austen), I quite enjoyed Footsteps in the Dark.

In a nutshell: Fun, wacky, and a wee bit silly, Footsteps in the Dark was a light, charming read.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Bought this one for myself.

A Savage Delay

2010-03-21T12:16:00.003-05:00

My fellow Savages!

I am a brute beast indeed, for I am not yet ready to post on this week's readalong.

Do not beat me about the head for my tardiness; things have been hectic, and I promise to post in a couple days.

My humble apologies, etc. etc.

What is happening to me?

2010-03-16T04:00:00.003-05:00

Dude. I'm totally bummed.

It's March 16, and I've yet to finish a book in this godforsaken month.

????????????????????

The problem is due to
a) an incredibly busy work schedule, and
b) the fact that I have about 10 books going at once

Ok, maybe 10 is an exaggeration. But here's what I'm working on:

The Savage Detectives (for the readalong)
The Collected Short Stories of Daphne duMaurier (I'm almost finished this one, I swear!)
Black Hills (I'm having a tough time with this one, to be honest)
Footsteps in the Dark (for the Classics Circuit)
Daniel Deronda (it's just so...BIG)
Accelerando (via DailyLit)
not to mention a few others that have been on-going for so long that it's too shameful to even mention them here

SO. That's why I've been full of teh suck recently. At least I expect to finish the duMaurier soon. Today? Let's not get our hopes up.

Can anyone commiserate with my reading funk?

The Savage Readalong: Week 2

2010-03-14T09:00:00.002-05:00

Hello again, savages!

Participants in the Savage Readalong have (or are about to) finish the first section of the novel, Mexicans Lost in Mexico, which ends at the start of the new year, our young narrator tearing off into the night with his heroes Ulises and Arturo.

So far, I find the story engaging, even though I don't really care what happens to anyone in the book. I find it odd that I'm not really emotionally invested in any of the characters, even the narrator, and yet I'm still enjoying the book.

I'm also surprised by Bolano's writing; I had anticipated a more tedious read, and yet I'm finding myself able to read great chunks at a time. The final scene (in which Garcia Madero rides off into the moonlight) was fast-paced and hallucinatory. I'm not sure everything he thinks is happening is actually happening, although it's too soon to tell that.

Either way, I'm finding myself enjoying the novel and eager to see what happens to these fools in the next section, The Savage Detectives.

What are your thoughts on the story thus far? What about the style of Bolano's writing?

I'd love to hear your thoughts -- and if you haven't signed up to read with us, it's not too late!

Deep water, deep trouble

2010-03-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

Deep Storm
Lincoln Child

So here I was, feeling all smug that I had finished my February reviews well before the end of the month itself. Then I remembered Deep Storm.

Don't be fooled: my poor memory is not an indication of the novel's quality -- Deep Storm was a real "page" turner. My forgetting is due more to the fact that I had downloaded this one for my Kindle, and, as such, did not have a physical copy lying around as a visual reminder of the outstanding review.

Deep Storm is a bit outlandish, but this quality just adds to the fun. I wasn't expecting literature; I was expecting a fast-paced thriller, and I wasn't disappointed.

The novel begins as naval physician Peter Crane reaches an oil rig to help treat what he thinks is a run-of-the-mill problem. By the time he gets there, however, he learns that he won't be treating people on the rig itself, but rather miles and miles below it. You see, the oil rig is just a cover for a government-run research facility located many miles below the surface. What are they excavating down there? Why all the secrecy? And what is attacking the residents?

Deep Storm provides enough surprises to prevent the tale from feeling predictable, and readers won't have time to feel bored due to the fast pacing. This novel was a fun read perfect for the Kindle, as reading Deep Storm on the treadmill helped me walk through page after page.

In a nutshell: Thrilling, chilling, and just incredible enough, this one is a fun, fast read. I'm on the hunt for my next read by this author.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Bought the Kindle version; this book's perfect for the treadmill!

RR10: February

2010-03-02T16:42:00.006-05:00

Another month has passed in my 2010 reading resolution. Let's see how I did.

BOOKS READ: FEBRUARY 2010

Ammaniti, Niccolo. I'm Not Scared
Child, Lincoln. Deep Storm
Maazel, Fiona. Last Last Chance
Mortimer, Ian. The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England
Pattillo, Beth. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart
Picardie, Justine. Daphne
Preston, Douglas and Mario Spezi. The Monster of Florence
Webster, Jean. Daddy-Long-Legs

RESOLUTION TITLES = 4 (for a total of 8/80)

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES = 4

TOTAL READ IN FEBRUARY 2010 = 8

TOTAL READ IN 2010 = 13

A guide to navigation in perilous times

2010-03-01T18:00:00.001-05:00

The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England
Ian Mortimer

I don't read a lot of nonfiction, and when I do, it's almost never history. Still, Jen's review of The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England forced me to run out and grab this book immediately.

The tone is so conversational, the material so fascinating, that I blew through the book in a day or two. True, I skimmed some parts, but I was pleased overall. Mortimer takes us through Medieval England as though -- you might have guessed by the title -- we were a time traveler having landed in medieval England.

Mortimer very throughly covers the landscape, people, medieval character, basic essentials (such as dates, units of measurement, and manners and politeness), clothing, traveling, where to stay (an inn? what about a monastery?), food and drink, health and hygiene (now there's an eye-opening chapter!), the law, and what to do (which provides not only a discussion of the activities the medieval people enjoyed, but also gives an overview of the literary landscape).

At right: a leper ringing his bell -- stay away!

I began by thinking that this book would be an excellent resource for my classroom; little did I expect it to be such a page-turner. If you're even a little interested in medieval England, you'd do well to check out this very thorough guide. (In fact, despite a few slow parts, this book is nearly perfect.)

In a nutshell: Conversational, fascinating, and thorough, Mortimer's Guide is a must for teachers, students, and readers alike.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Yet another book I purchased for myself. Get off my back, feds!

The Savage Readalong: Week 1

2010-02-28T05:00:00.001-05:00

NOTE: THIS POST IS A WEEK EARLY

So I've finished the first week of The Savage Detectives, and I have to say I'm SHOCKED.

I'm not sure where my preconceived notions came from, but I dreaded reading this book as one would a painful shot delivered by a leering clown. Thank heavens for this readalong, or else I don't think I'd ever have done it.

Despite my fears of The Boring and The Pretentious (hence my beginning so early), the first 75 pages whizzed by (hence my finishing so fast). I didn't think it would be so interesting. I didn't think it would be so easy to read. I didn't think it would be so damn funny.

What are your reactions, fellow savages? Are you finding it as entertaining as I am?

And if you're not reading The Savage Detectives with us -- why not? It's not too late!

Who wants to be my Daddy-Long-Legs?

2010-02-24T05:00:00.002-05:00

Daddy-Long-Legs
Jean Webster

Imagine being told a mysterious benefactor is going to pay to send you to college -- and all you have to do is write him letters detailing your progress! It must be too good to be true, right? Or maybe some people are just good like that.

DUDE. What if someone was like, "Dear Bibliolatrist. Here is 5k a month. Just read books and hang out, and zip me the occasional email to keep me updated." I'd have to address my anonymous friend as "Dear Best-Human-Being-Ever-to-Live-on-the-Planet." Alas. Best not to think of what will never be.

Anyway, that's the idea behind Daddy-Long-Legs. Jerusha Abbot is a poor orphan who is one day sent to college by an anonymous benefactor. His only requirement? Write him letters. Which, of course, she does, because a) that would be a dick move if she didn't, and b) Webster needs a novel.

Daddy-Long-Legs (DLL being the nickname she calls him) is a delightful little novel that is truly a joy to read. It's a little too perfect, but that's part of the charm. Many thanks to Nymeth, who brought this book to my attention. In fact, she discusses the book in far more detail (I'm too obsessed by my own lack of anonymous benefactor), so head on over there for some excerpts and whatnot.

This edition also includes a "sequel" of sorts (called Dear Enemy), but I am saving it for a rainy day. Or a snowicane, which I'll apparently be experiencing tomorrow. JOY.

In a nutshell: A fast, light read that is truly delightful. Also included are Webster's original illustrations (see the cover), which are equally charming.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Bought this one myself, so my love has no strings attached.

Monsters, they are everywhere

2010-02-23T05:00:00.001-05:00

The Monster of Florence
Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi

In this in-depth look at the Monster of Florence, the serial killer plaguing the area since the early 70s, thriller writer Douglas Preston has paired up with Italian reporter Mario Spezi to detail the specifics of the case and highlight whom they believe is the guilty party.

The Monster of Florence began shooting pairs of lovers in parked cars. He didn't stop there, though: the women (of course) were horribly mutilated, and pieces of them were removed -- and never found. Who could commit such a crime? Ten years later, and the killer is still at large, striking fear into the heart of everyone in the area.

Fast-forward a bit, and Douglas Preston arrives in the area to research a new novel. He'll never write this novel, discovering instead the Monster of Florence and his fascination with the case. He begins to research the crime, along with pal Mario Spezi, and the result is this book. Their investigation leads to a number of the investigations inadequacies and mistakes, so it's no surprise when they fall under the suspicious eye of the police. (Preston is unable to return to Italy to this day.)

At right: Douglas Preston

The Monster of Florence is as much about Florence as it is about the Monster. Preston and Spezi explain the underlying ideologies of the city's inhabitants, especially the need to save face and the compulsion to find conspiracy everywhere. Such a mindset, coupled with a particularly wily criminal, have allowed the Monster to escape prosecution.

My biggest complaint is the lack of pictures. A few pages of glossy pictures appear toward the end of the book, and yet not everyone central to the case is pictured. Some people mentioned only once or twice are pictured while others not at all. That's a small beef, though, and anyone interested in the case will be pleased with this effort.

In a nutshell: Mostly fast-paced and entirely true, The Monster of Florence is an intriguing look at some very recent -- and disturbing -- events.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Yet another Christmas present; no publisher ties here.

First Impressions lead to False Ideas

2010-02-22T05:00:00.000-05:00

Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart
Beth Pattillo

In Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart, Beth Pattillo brings us another romantic mystery involving the work of Jane Austen.

Her previous novel, Jane Austen Ruined My Life, involves a bunch of long-lost letters written by the author. This time, the mystery surrounds the long-lost first draft of Pride and Prejudice.

Claire Prescott, arriving at Oxford to present her sister's a paper to a summer symposium, quickly finds herself in the midst of Another Austen Adventure. She meets an elderly woman claiming to have the mythical First Draft tucked into the odd nooks and crannies of her home. BUT, she could be suffering from dementia. OR, she could be telling the truth. WHAT TO DO?

Wait, there's more! Soon after arriving at Oxford, she meets her own Mr. Darcy, a handsome, dashing gentleman also attending the symposium. Ruh roh: what about her boyfriend at home? OH NO WHAT TO DO??

In all, Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart is a light, entertaining little book that even non-Austen fans (like myself) can enjoy. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as Jane Austen Ruined My Life, but Pattillo still provided me with several hours of escape.

In a nutshell: Fast-paced, entertaining, and somewhat predictable, Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart teaches that not every dashing, handsome gentleman deserves to be adored.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: This book was sent to me by the publisher.

I wasn't scared (but I was a little uneasy)

2010-02-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

I'm Not Scared
Niccolo Ammaniti

Be careful reading too many reviews of this novel; some of them give away too much. It's best to know as little about this book as possible.

It's 1978, and nine-year-old Michele Amitrano discovers a horrible secret in his tiny Italian village. (Some reviewers divulge this secret, and while it's true Amitrano discovers it fairly early in the novel, there's no need to ruin the surprise.) This secret will soon teach Amitrano far more than he has ever wanted to learn about the world, his village, and himself.

This novel is fast-paced (one can read it in a day) and never lingers over description, and yet the stark, arid atmosphere of the sweltering summer nearly rises from the pages. Also brought to life are the characters inhabiting Amitrano's small village -- encompassing only five houses, this small hamlet in Tuscany is home to some pretty colorful characters.

The story is told from the child's perspective as he struggles to understand the whys and hows of the secret. Can Amitrano come to grips with the secret and what it means for his family, his friends -- even himself?

In a nutshell: A fast, thrilling read, I'm Not Scared will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Bought this one myself.

The Savage Readalong

2010-02-16T18:20:00.006-05:00

Friends, readers, blogosphere: lend me your ears!

Beginning March 1, I and a few intrepid friends (I hope) (please?) will tackle Roberto Bolano and The Savage Detectives. Because I am (perhaps unreasonably) daunted by this book, I need people to help me (and to kick me in the ass if needed).

So why not a readalong?

ERGO, each week we'll read a small snippet of the novel. These snippets will be small. Or small-ish. (It's not an easy novel to divide: it's divided into three parts. Part II has 26 chapters. Part I has 0 chapters. (Hence the daunting.) Anyway.)

So here's what I'm thinking: each week, we'll read about 75 pages. Every weekend, we'll discuss. Or post. WHATEVER. I've never done one of these before, so forgive me for not knowing what I'm doing.

Anyway, a rough schedule involves something like this (all page numbers refer to the paperback edition; if you're working with something else, let me know):

Week 1: read pages 1-75
Week 2: 75 - 139
Week 3: 143-220
Week 4: 221-296
Week 5: 297 -360
Week 6: 361-420
Week 7: 421-489
Week 8: 490-588
Week 9: 590 - end

So who's coming with me? Give me nine weeks and a fear of failure, and I think I can take this book.

(PS - If these chunks are too much for you, let me know! I'd love to have you either way :)

Sign up below!

The politest argument ever

2010-02-09T05:00:00.001-05:00

Daphne
Justine Picardie

It's no secret that I love Daphne du Maurier; when I saw Daphne, historical fiction centered on her obsession with Branwell Bronte (ooh! and I love the Brontes, too!), I knew this book was destined for me.

The plot revolves around several key characters: du Maurier herself, eager to prove herself a "real" author by completing a biography of Branwell, the forgotten Bronte, that puts him in a new light; J.A. Symington, a former member of a Bronte expert who may not have honestly gained some of his most prized possessions; and, finally, our young (unnamed) narrator who finds herself in the middle of a real-life du Maurier novel just as she struggles to complete her own du Maurier studies.

At right: Daphne at work

While the plot was interesting, several things failed for me. The narrator's journey is simply not interesting, and I hated being taken from the world of du Maurier and Symington in order to return to this fool's problems. She's, what, 23 and married to some recently-divorced scholar 20 years her senior. Not surprisingly, he can't get over his first wife, and he doesn't respect her scholarly interest in du Maurier, and he's so condescending and blah blah blah.

Also, the dialogue. When moving between du Maurier and Symington, no problem. But when writing current dialogue...whoa. Not good. For example, during a scene in which our lovely young narrator argues with her husband's ex-wife, she says, "Rachel, don't be arch with me, and please stop manipulating me." Arch? Really? And, "please stop manipulating me"? This narrator needs a good case of "Bitch, step OFF." Or, maybe even something non-verbal?

'Nuff said.

In a nutshell: Daphne and Symington provide an intriguing tale; unfortunately, the narrator doesn't fare as well. Still, reading Daphne taught me more about one of my favorite writers.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I received Daphne as part of as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.

(what felt like) The Neverending Story

2010-02-03T05:00:00.002-05:00

Last Last Chance
Fiona Maazel

This one is an odd duck, since I both liked and disliked Last Last Chance.

The premise seemed intriguing: A lethal strain of virus -- superplague -- vanishes from a lab. The epidemic, not to mention a healthy dose of panic and paranoia, runs rampant. Even worse, Lucy's (now dead) father is to blame, although Lucy's got bigger fish to fry. She's battling addiction and her own inner demons; her family doesn't fare much better. Her mom's a crackhead. Her "true love" married her best friend. And so on.

Unfortunately, the intriguing premise did not translate into an enjoyable novel, and I nearly abandoned it after the first fifty pages. I just couldn't connect to the story -- there was too much going on, too many characters I couldn't care about. Nevertheless, I persevered, and ultimately found Last Last Chance to be just okay.

The good: Maazel's prose, reminiscent of Amy Hempel, is glorious. Her writing appears effortless and natural, and I was frequently struck by a neat turn of phrase. If it weren't for her prose, I probably wouldn't have finished the novel.

The bad: The length. And, to a certain extent, the story. Last Last Chance is ambitious, and Maazel's tackling a lot in it. Unfortunately, the story feels too crowded -- not to mention too long. The novel could have lost a good quarter without being the worse for wear. I also couldn't find any sympathy for any of these characters (except for the grandma, but c'mon, who doesn't love a grandma?), and I almost wanted someone to get superplague just to take the story up a notch. THAT woulda been entertaining!

In a nutshell: I wasn't a fan of Last Last Chance, but Maazel's prose makes her one to watch.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I received Last Last Chance as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.

RR10: January

2010-02-01T06:45:00.006-05:00

Well, the first month has passed in my 2010 reading resolution -- lets see how I did, shall we?

BOOKS READ: JANUARY 2010

Langan, Sarah. The Keeper
O'Connor, Flannery. Wise Blood
Watts, Peter. Blindsight
Wyndham, John. The Day of the Triffids
Zafon, Carlos Ruiz. The Shadow of the Wind

RESOLUTION TITLES = 4

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES = 1

TOTAL READ = 5

Buried secrets, broken souls, boring story

2010-02-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

The Keeper
Sarah Langan

Things are going bad in the small town of Bedford. Its inhabitants are all awful people, but are they to blame for their own shitty natures? Or are they being slowly poisoned by the noxious town with a malignant paper mill at its heart? One young woman, Susan Marley seems to know the town's secrets -- or is she the cause of them? A series of bad events bring the town's secrets to the surface, and life in Bedford will never be the same.

I loved Sarah Langan's followup to this novel, The Missing, so I was interested in reading the book that started it all. I downloaded it on my Kindle and was prepared to be floored. And I was.

Unfortunately, I was floored not by its awesomeness, but by the lack thereof. The Keeper was BORING. There were a ton of characters that kept melding into one another, and I kept forgetting who was who. The first 70% of the book was setting the stage for the final destruction, but I was so bored that, when it came, I was glad to see the destruction come.

In a nutshell: I'm glad I read The Missing first, or else I might not want to read more by this author. As a first novel, however, Langan proves she has the chops to write some truly disturbing horror.

Bibliolatry Scale: 2 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Back off, I purchased it for my Kindle!

We can never be clean

2010-01-27T05:00:00.000-05:00

Wise Blood
Flannery O'Connor

In Flannery O'Connor's first novel, Hazel Motes, grandson of an evangelical preacher, wants to escape his disturbing understanding of God. Haunted by Christ and unable to escape Him, Motes founds the Church of Christ Without Christ and preaches his ideas to any and all who would listen.

Unfortunately, things happen that stand in his way. And then OTHER things happen which are (a) pretty crazy, (b) contrary to Motes' actions and purported beliefs, and (c) provide the reader with O'Connor's opinions regarding Roman Catholicism.

Clearly, Wise Blood is a Very Important Book with Very Important Things to Say. That much is clear. Additionally, the prose is as fresh and as clear as a mountain spring. (Did I really just write that? I'm sorry.) Anyway, the point is, I was able to tear through this novel in a matter of hours.

At right: Brad Dourif as Hazel Motes

And now, for the single drawback: I couldn't connect emotionally to the book at all. I felt bad for Motes at times (especially by the end of the novel), but I didn't understand him. I "get" what O'Connor is trying to say via his character, but Motes himself is alien to me.

That said, Wise Blood is obviously profound and thought-provoking: I finished the book a couple of weeks ago and have been turning it over in my mind ever since. But that doesn't mean I enjoyed the experience.

Is that necessary, though? To a certain extent, it is -- for me, at least.

In a nutshell: A classic that is not necessarily enjoyable, but one that will leave you pondering for days.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Another Christmas present! Thus, no icky ties to disclose.

The triffids will kill us all

2010-01-25T05:30:00.006-05:00

The Day of the Triffids
John Wyndham

I must thank m'dear Biblibio for bringing The Day of the Triffids to my attention. I'd been woefully ignorant of this novel; what made it so good?

A short look online prompted me to nab the book -- it seemed like something I would love. And I did -- I read it all in one large gulp. The prose is simple and straight-forward, the plot compelling. The two combined created a novel that I couldn't stop reading until I had finished.

The novel begins as Bill Masen, in the hospital with a bandaged head and covered eyes, realizes something has gone horribly wrong outside. He soon comes to understand that nearly everyone has gone completely blind -- the result of staring at a celestial phenomenon the day before. Fortunately for Masen, his recent injury had prevented him from witnessing the phenomenon (something that had angered him at the time, but which later seems to be quite fortunate).

At right: some crazy triffids

Masen leaves his room and searches for survivors. There aren't many though -- and, what's worse, he's got the triffids to contend with. These mobile, carnivorous plants began appearing all over the world years before. Despite their dangerous nature, triffids became quite a lucrative enterprise and were thus cultivated in spades. Now, as the triffids begin killing the helpless blind, that decision doesn't seem too intelligent.

Are the triffids connected to this worldwide blindness? And can the survivors rebuild? How can they prevent the inevitable return to savagery? Will the triffids claim the earth?

In a nutshell: Spooky, thought-provoking, and prescient, The Day of the Triffids is a classic that shouldn't be missed.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Bought this one meself, suckers!

Technology implies belligerence

2010-01-19T05:00:00.000-05:00

Blindsight
Peter Watts

Ok, so, full disclosure: Blindsight has proven that coleslaw is more intelligent than I am. This novel is certainly not for the faint of heart; it discusses the nature of consciousness, delves into bio and genetic engineering, and ponders the essence of human (and alien) life.

Sometimes, I didn't know quite what was happening in the novel, and yet (oddly enough) that didn't hinder my reading. While I might not have understood all the finer points, I *think* understood the greater points. For the most part.

Here's my pitiful attempt at a summary: Somewhere in our solar system (near Jupiter? Saturn? the Oort? ef it -- doesn't really matter), we find evidence of an alien presence. So we send a group of individuals to investigate. And, because making it that far is kinda hard, we like shrink-wrap them or something. At any rate, they're really wrinkly when they come out. Oh, and they're all modified in some way -- ah, our dependence on technology. It'll be the end of us. Or will it?

So, anyway, journey journey journey - and voila! Aliens. Can we communicate with these beings? Are the scramblers even sentient? Is sentience the same thing as consciousness? (I'm still not sure.) And what the ef are they even building? (I'm still not sure.) And what's going on back at earth? (I'm still not sure. Actually, I don't know if we're meant to be sure. So THAT's good.)

At right: my mental image of Watts' "scramblers." Minus the happy smile, of course.

In Blindsight, Watts gives readers an ambitious novel that discusses a variety of topics. While many have to do with the future, one point remains all-too-relevant: that of technology slowly encroaching upon all aspects of life, finally controlling (and even suffocating) us. Will we ever break the chains?? (Not any time soon, according to Watts. Although we probably should.)

In a nutshell: Difficult, ambitious, thought-provoking -- and unlike anything I've read before, Blindsight presents a future in which technology has come to control us.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: This is another present from Santa. HOWEVER, you can read it online, seemingly in its entirety, here.

Memories are worse than bullets

2010-01-14T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Shadow of the Wind
Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Whew! My first read of 2010 was of the magical kind, the type of novel you don't ever want to put down and the kind that haunts you after you do.

Do you even need a summary of this book? Because I feel like the last person to have read it. Also, it seems as though it's the type of novel that defies easy summary, and I am feeling particularly lazy today. (Today, you're thinking? As opposed to how you feel everyday!?!?! Touche, reader, touche. And, ouch.)

Anyway, here's something via Amazon:

The time is the 1950s; the place, Barcelona. Daniel Sempere, the son of a widowed bookstore owner, is 10 when he discovers a novel, The Shadow of the Wind, by Julián Carax. The novel is rare, the author obscure, and rumors tell of a horribly disfigured man who has been burning every copy he can find of Carax's novels. The man calls himself Laín Coubert -- the name of the devil in one of Carax's novels. As he grows up, Daniel's fascination with the mysterious Carax links him to a blind femme fatale with a "porcelain gaze," Clara Barceló; another fan, a leftist jack-of-all-trades, Fermín Romero de Torres; his best friend's sister, the delectable Beatriz Aguilar; and, as he begins investigating the life and death of Carax, a cast of characters with secrets to hide. Officially, Carax's dead body was dumped in an alley in 1936. But discrepancies in this story surface. Meanwhile, Daniel and Fermín are being harried by a sadistic policeman, Carax's childhood friend. As Daniel's quest continues, frightening parallels between his own life and Carax's begin to emerge.

Ok so that was a lot better than I'm capable of doing right now. Suffice to say, I loved reading this novel; it was fun, it was engaging, it was about books, and -- this is key -- the ending was perfect, in a heart-wrenching kind of way.

For some reason, though, I can't give it a perfect score. Why? I'm not sure. At times it was too perfect; I also have beef over some points that seemed important at the time but then didn't come to much. But these are minor quibbles. And I'm giving it a nearly perfect score, anyway.

However, this book made me feel like A Really Stupid American. Spain had a civil war?? That happened when??? For real? Who knew? Clearly, not me. To wikipedia I go!

In a nutshell: Fun, magical, both highbrow and lowbrow -- what's not to love?

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Santa left this one at my mom's house, and she was kind enough to pass it along. Many thanks, mom!

Bibliolatry's most anticipated books of 2010

2010-01-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

Many litblogs, most notably The Millions, has posted a list of highly-anticipated books that are coming out this year. Those lists, however, are not MINE.

With that in mind, I give you Bibliolatry's most-anticipated books of 2010! No need for applause.

Remarkable Creatures
Tracy Chevalier

Arrives: January

Synopsis (via Amazon):From the moment she's struck by lightening as a baby, it is clear that Mary Anning is marked for greatness. On the windswept, fossil-strewn beaches of the English coast, she learns that she has "the eye"-and finds what no one else can see. When Mary uncovers an unusual fossilized skeleton in the cliffs near her home, she sets the religious fathers on edge, the townspeople to vicious gossip, and the scientific world alight. In an arena dominated by men, however, Mary is barred from the academic community; as a young woman with unusual interests she is suspected of sinful behavior. Nature is a threat, throwing bitter, cold storms and landslips at her. And when she falls in love, it is with an impossible man. Luckily, Mary finds an unlikely champion in prickly Elizabeth Philpot, a recent exile from London, who also loves scouring the beaches.

Black Hills
Dan Simmons

Arrives: February

Synopsis (via Amazon): When Paha Sapa, a young Sioux warrior, "counts coup" on General George Armstrong Custer as Custer lies dying on the battlefield at the Little Bighorn, the legendary general's ghost enters him - and his voice will speak to him for the rest of his event-filled life. Seamlessly weaving together the stories of Paha Sapa, Custer, and the American West, Dan Simmons depicts a tumultuous time in the history of both Native and white Americans.

Beatrice and Virgil
Yann Martel

Arrives: April

Synopsis (via Amazon): A famous author receives a mysterious letter from a man who is a struggling writer but also turns out to be a taxidermist, an eccentric and fascinating character who does not kill animals but preserves them as they lived, with skill and dedication — among them a howler monkey named Virgil and a donkey named Beatrice....

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
David Mitchell

Arrives: June

Synopsis (via Amazon): The year is 1799, the place Dejima, the "high-walled, fan-shaped artificial island" that is the Japanese Empire's single port and sole window to the world. It is also the farthest-flung outpost of the powerful Dutch East Indies Company. To this place of superstition and swamp fever, crocodiles and courtesans, earthquakes and typhoons, comes Jacob de Zoet. The young, devout and ambitious clerk must spend five years in the East to earn enough money to deserve the hand of his wealthy fiancée. But Jacob's intentions are shifted, his character shaken and his soul stirred when he meets Orito Aibagawa, the beautiful and scarred daughter of a Samurai, midwife to the island's powerful magistrate. In this world where East and West are linked by one bridge, Jacob sees the gaps shrink between pleasure and piety, propriety and profit. e

The Hunger Games: Book 3
Suzanne Collins

Arrives: August

Synopsis (via Amazon): There isn't any yet. But we all know it's gonna be good anyway.

So what books are YOU anticipating this year? I know I've probably omitted dozens of good ones.

OATES: My first-ever challenge!

2010-01-11T18:00:00.000-05:00

Have you heard about the O.A.T.E.S. Challenge?!

As a rule, I generally avoid all reading challenges, simply because I always stubbornly refuse to do anything that feels like an actual task. I'm lazy; I can't help it.

BUT, when Trish over at Hey Lady! announced the OATES challenge, I knew I had to join. Doing so is an extra kick-in-the-pants that will (hopefully) force me to complete as much of my reading resolution as I possibly can. I have all of 2010 to do this, so I'm thinking positively. I CAN DO THIS.

The rules are simple: Starting with Joyce Carol Oates as O, choose any literary author whose name begins with A, T, E, or S. My list looks like this:

O = Joyce Carol Oates
A = Anne Radcliffe
T = Leo Tolstoy, Anthony Trollope
E = George Eliot, Edith Wharton
S = Stefan Zweig

I haven't yet decided what level of the challenge I will meet (will I read one book per author, or more?) because too many rules make me squishy. I'm just proud I've given a challenge a try.

Wish me luck!

It cannot have happened. It happened.

2010-01-08T06:00:00.003-05:00

The Egyptologist
Arthur Phillips

I think this book is cursed.

I received this on Christmas morn, thanks to Santa. (Ok, it was my husband.) And I squee-ed with glee, because I loved Phillips' Angelica, and I love All Things Egypt, hence I knew I would love The Egyptologist. I began reading it the day after Christmas, and I was hooked from the opening pages.

And then the unthinkable happened. Shuffling across my living room in my cheap, shoddy slippers, I tripped -- I kid you not -- over what could only have been air. The pile of stuff in my hands -- The Egyptologist among the items -- went flying to the four corners of the room as I fell to the floor. I watched my prized novel tumble down slowly, turning over and over and over again (clearly, this happened in slow motion, mind you), and I watched as it landed a few feet away from me. To give you a visual of the event and how I went down like a ton of bricks (although stairs were not involved), I present Exhibit A:

Upon my recovery, I stood, dazed and slightly injured (have no fear, ducks, I am fine), and raced to my dear Phillips. Alas, he did not fare so well. The spine was cracked, the first third of the book lying at a painful angle. The cover was maimed, and a black Sharpie only partially masked the damage. My heart, however, fared far worse. Of all my new books, I prized this one most highly. AND IT LOOKS LIKE A TURD RIGHT NOW.

Anyway. I bring this up because The Egyptologist is GLORIOUS, it is breathtaking, it is heartbreaking -- oh Trilipush! Alas. AND THEN my dear Heather J. tells me that NEARLY NO ONE in the blogosphere likes The Egyptologist, save for us. SAY WHAT?!?!?! Error 404 Page not found. Does not compute. And so on.

Ok fine, let me tell you about the book. There's some Egypt. And some unreliability. (Done right, mind you, unlike, say, THIS.) And, there's a bit of a mystery. And while the great revelation concerning said mystery becomes clear to anyone with a brain about halfway through, that's not the point. The point is how different people totally misread the obvious signs that are right in front of them. It's about yearning, and about loss, and about wanting to be greater than we are. It's also gripping and the ending is INSANE. Trilipush!

So, you should read it. And, because my summary sucks and is mostly about me, here's the summary from Arthur Phillips' website:

Just as Howard Carter unveils the tomb of Tutankhamun, making the most dazzling find in the history of archaeology, Oxford-educated Egyptologist Ralph Trilipush is digging himself into trouble, having staked his professional reputation and his fiancée's fortune on a scrap of hieroglyphic pornography. Meanwhile, a relentless Australian detective sets off on the case of his career, spanning the globe in search of a murderer. And another murderer. And possibly another murderer. The confluence of these seemingly separate stories results in an explosive ending, at once inevitable and utterly unpredictable.

In a nutshell: Read this, dear friends. And don't ef your copy up like I did.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Dear Santa brought me this one. No strings attached here.

Kinda mediocre and somewhat offensive

2010-01-07T05:00:00.001-05:00

The Moth Diaries
Rachel Klein

First of all, I'd just like to say that I read this book in 2009. I caught a bad bug that spanned both decades (sounds crazy right? Not really), which prevented me from updating sooner.

Okay, so the pros: It was a fast read (I read it in one day). It features an unreliable narrator, and unreliability is always super fun. There may or may not be a vampire in it. (The uncertainty! Sqee!) And...did I mention this was a fast read? BAM!

Unfortunately, I felt the cons outweighed the pros: I can't put my finger on it, exactly, but The Moth Diaries just didn't sit right with me. The writing was okay, the plot was okay, the characters were okay. But nothing made me stand up and say good morning, know what I mean? Unlike THIS:

a really, REALLY big moth (and random child)
Good morning!

Also, there is this whole condescending tone of "mental illness as something you choose," which REALLY didn't sit well with me at all. See, the point of the book is that EITHER our narrator is crazy OR ELSE there really is a creepy vamp stalking her schoolmates. Of course, it doesn't help that said narrator is taking a course in Gothic Lit and so therefore may be projecting. Then again, her good friend, who is most likely the vamp's #1 Target, IS named Lucy (a nod to Dracula, right?), so maybe Klein is directing us to the fact that the other chick IS a vamp. WHO KNOWS? (insert dramatic music here)

Now, this is sorta (but not really) spoilerish: The mystery is never truly resolved. Insane narrator? Vamp? The reader must decide. Our narrator, however, has apparently decided it's the former. At the end of the book, she's all: "I just had to decide to become human" or some shit and I was like -- eh? Because you were totally diagnosed as borderline personality + paranoia and a whole bunch of other stuff that is kinda not like a choice. I just felt like that was a shitty way to end the book, but no judgment from me or anything. (SARCASM)

In a nutshell: Kinda mediocre and somewhat offensive.

Bibliolatry Scale: 2 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: This one was purchased for me as a Christmas present. (Sorry, mommy! Don't worry: I liked the next one better.)

Reading Resolution: 2010

2010-01-01T09:00:00.007-05:00

Another year is here, so it must be time for another Reading Resolution. You might remember last year's resolution, which I bombed.

That, however, is okay. This is less a "to do" list than it is a guiding hand. I aim to read these 80, but, if I don't, life will go on. And if something else catches my fancy this year, I plan to read it without feeling the pangs of guilt I felt last year.

Have you read any of these? Any recommendations?

Ahmed, The Land of Invisible Women
Avant, If God were Real
Balzac, Cousin Bette
Balzac, The Unknown Masterpiece
Bambara, The Salt Eaters
Barry, The Secret Scripture
Bolano, The Savage Detectives
Buckley, Boomsday
Cather, Death Comes for the Archbishop
Cervantes, Don Quixote
Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
Chevalier, Burning Bright
Conescu, Being Written
Connolly, Nocturnes
Cox, The Meaning of Night
Daniels, Futureproof
Davis, The Thin Place
Dick, Dr. Bloodmoney
Dick, Now Wait for Last Year
Dick, Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said
Dick, A Scanner Darkly
Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
Eisenberg, Twilight of the Superheroes
Eliot, Daniel Deronda
Eliot, The Lifted Veil
Eliot, Brother Jacob
Groff, The Monsters of Templeton
Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge
Herbert, The White Plague
Hickey, The Painted Kiss
Houellebecq, The Possibility of an Island
Hugo, Les Miserables
Keret, The Girl on the Fridge
King, Under the Dome
Langan, The Keeper
Levine, Illegal
Listfield, Best Intentions
Maazel, Last Last Chance
MacDonald, Fall on Your Knees
MacLean, Why the Long Face?
Mann, Death in Venice
McCabe, The Butcher Boy
Meek, The People's Act of Love
Oates, Because it is Bitter, and Because it is my Heart
Oates, Little Bird of Heaven
Oates, We Were the Mulvaneys
O'Connor, Wise Blood
Oyeyemi, The Icarus Girl
Parker, Ovenman
Pattillo, Mr. Darcy Broke my Heart
Peace, Tokyo Year Zero
Pears, The Dream of Scipio
Picardie, Daphne
Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Powers, The Echo Maker
Powers, Generosity
Preston, The Monster of Florence
Price, Clockers
Pyncheon, V
Radcliffe, The Italian
Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho
Rice, Blood and Gold
Russell, St. Lucy's Home
Straub, Ghost Story
Stross, Accelerando
Svoboda, Trailer Girl
Teuthold, The Necromancer
Thomson, Soft
Tolstoy, Anna Karenina
Tolstoy, War and Peace
Trollope, Barchester Towers
Wallace, Oblivion
Watts, Blindsight
Wellington, Monster Island
Wharton, The House of Mirth
Wharton, The Buccaneers
White, The Aunt's Story
White, Voss
Zafon, The Shadow of the Wind
Zweig, Beware of Pity

TOTAL = 80

TOTAL READ = 5

The Best and Worst of 2009

2009-12-31T07:00:00.002-05:00

Here are my favorite -- and least favorite -- books of the year.

First, the best. I picked my favorite ten, but they aren't ranked beyond that. I tried to rank them in order of favorites, but it was simply too difficult. Quite simply, these were all amazing novels.

THE BEST

- Benjamin, Alice I Have Been
- Collins, The Hunger Games
- DuMaurier, My Cousin Rachel
- DuMaurier, Rebecca
- Phillips, Angelica
- Phillips, The Egyptologist
- Savage, Firmin
- Simmons, Drood
- Waters, The Little Stranger
- Vidal, Julian

And now, for my least favorites. I gave decent reviews of some at the time but found they do not hold up in retrospect. Thus, this list is not so much about "bad" books as it is about books I simply didn't enjoy. (Labeling it "The Worst" is somewhat of a misnomer, but will work in place of the wordier "Books I Didn't Jive With.")

THE WORST

- Brown, The Lost Symbol
- Coupland, JPod
- Fforde, The Fourth Bear
- Freund, I Never Saw Paris
- Hyde, The Abortionist's Daughter
- Koja, The Cipher
- Millhauser, Dangerous Laughter
- Moody, Right Livelihoods
- Oppegaard, The Suicide Collectors
- Sijie, Mr. Muo's Travelling Couch

A Year in Reading: 2009

2009-12-31T05:00:00.000-05:00

Well, folks, it's once again time for my Year in Review.

I didn't read as many books this year as I would have liked. I managed to finish 71, when last year, I read 88. In 2007, I read 77. So this was a pretty crappy year, reading wise. Oh, and my reading resolution? Pretty much crapped out on that one. That's okay: I'll be trying again in 2010.

I'm not going to be too hard on myself for reading fewer books this year than in the last two years; I had some chunksters in there (such as Drood and Armadale) that caused me to slow down a bit. (Sure, let's go with that.)

I'll highlight my best and worst later; for now, here's the full tally:

JANUARY

1. Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
2. Bachelder, Bear v. Shark
3. Coupland, JPod
4. Davidson, The Gargoyle
5. Diaz, The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao
6. Gottlieb, Now You See Him
7. Hyde, The Abortionist's Daughter
8. Lippman, What the Dead Know
9. McEwan, On Chesil Beach
10. Thomas, The End of Mr. Y
11. Tinti, The Good Thief

FEBRUARY

12. Collins, The Moonstone
13. Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
14. Hill, 20th Century Ghosts
15. Millhauser, Dangerous Laughter
16. Moody, Right Livelihoods
17. Przekop, Aberrations

MARCH

18. DuMaurier, Rebecca
19. Lehane, Mystic River
20. Moerk, Darling Jim
21. Moore, Fool
22. O'Nan, Songs for the Missing

APRIL

23. Ferris, Then We Came to the End
24. Freund, I Never Saw Paris
25. Lerman, The Blonde on the Train
26. Mabanckou, African Psycho
27. Matheson, Button, Button
28. Simmons, Drood
29. Thomson, The Book of Revelation

MAY

30. Brown, Angels and Demons
31. Oliver, Evidence: Poems
32. Vidal, Julian
33. Wray, Lowboy

JUNE

34. Brown and Presley, The Liberation Diet
35. von Daniken, Chariots of the Gods
36. Doyle, I Love You, Beth Cooper
37. Eco, The Name of the Rose
38. Irving, The World According to Garp
39. Kurlansky, The Food of a Younger Land
40. Waters, Fingersmith
41. Wood, Lottery

JULY

42. Dick, Martian Time-Slip
43. Fforde, The Fourth Bear
44. Hall, The Raw Shark Texts
45. King, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
46. Sijie, Mr. Muo's Travelling Couch
47. Smith, The Secret Speech
48. Stewart, The Ivy Tree
49. del Toro and Hogan, The Strain

AUGUST

50. Phillips, Angelica
51. Waters, The Little Stranger

SEPTEMBER

52. Benjamin, Alice I Have Been
53. Brown, The Lost Symbol
54. Collins, The Hunger Games
55. Maitland, Company of Liars
55. Sigler, Infected
56. Simmons, A Winter Haunting

OCTOBER

57. Atwood, The Year of the Flood
58. DuMaurier, My Cousin Rachel
59. Niffenegger, Her Fearful Symmetry
60. Sigler, Contagious

NOVEMBER

61. Collins, Armadale
62. Cottam, The House of Lost Souls
63. Koja, The Cipher
64. Preston, The Hot Zone
65. Sapphire, Push

DECEMBER

66. Clark, The Great Stink
67. Klein, The Moth Diaries
68. Long, Year Zero
69. Oppegaard, The Suicide Collectors
70. Phillips, The Egyptologist
71. Savage, Firmin

A mystery, some history, and a whole lotta poop

2009-12-30T05:00:00.004-05:00

The Great Stink
Clare Clark

This is a crazy bit of a book right here. Quite a large...erm, chunk (gag) of the action takes place in the London sewers (the sewers of 150 years ago, mind you), where all sorts of filth rush past one's feet. Filth. And disease. And rats. Oh, and did I say filth? Because I meant poop. VOMIT.

Anyway, our story follows two different individuals, both of whom rely on the sewers to make their livelihood, albeit in entirely different ways. There's Long Arm Tom, a "tosher" who enters the sewers to find and trap rats used aboveground in dogfighting. And then there's poor William May, so traumatized by his time spent in the war that he enters the tunnels for reasons far darker than those required by his official job. (He is an engineer helping to map the current sewer so that it might be improved.)

The two stories twist and turn and ultimately collide at the end -- but in the meantime, readers are treated not only to a look at one of the grossest places ever -- and May does WHAT there?!?!? Does he not understand DISEASE??? -- as well as a look at life in England during the Victorian period.

In a nutshell: A bit slow in places, but an overall an enjoyable read with a satisfactory resolution.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Yep, another one I bought. I'm sensing a pattern here.

Another day, another apocalypse

2009-12-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Suicide Collectors
David Oppegaard

Another book about the end of the world! What can I say, I've been feeling a little apocalyptic.

Anyway, this one's an odd duck. So, right: the end of the world has come, this time due to the suicide of nearly everyone on the planet. After some time, these odd "suicide collectors" arrive to collect the body of the deceased. Time passes, and, as our novel opens, our protagonist (Norman) and his friend (Pops), hearing rumors of survivors in Seattle, decide to leave their homes in Florida to see what's up.

As our story unfolds, taking us through the ruins of America, we encounter survivors, who are handling the apocalypse in different ways. Some are good, some are bad, you get the point. Onward to Seattle.

Upon arriving in Seattle, Norman becomes mixed up with the scientists attempting to solve the suicide problem. And then he blows something up, although what it is, I was never sure. Unfortunately, that's the major problem with The Suicide Collectors: there's no explanation. Why did everyone start killing themselves? I dunno. Why do the collectors collect the bodies? What are they doing with them? Not sure. What is this mysterious thing Norman blows up? Not sure of that, either.

The Suicide Collectors suffers from other flaws as well; some scenes are simply too incredible, the characters somewhat flat. On the positive side, however, the plotting is fantastic and the novel barrels along, allowing me to read it entirely in the course of a few hours.

In a nutshell: Interesting idea, but a lack of explanation and clunky writing undermines the intriguing premise.

Bibliolatry Scale: 2 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Yep, bought this one too.

I can't believe I cried over a rat

2009-12-29T05:00:00.001-05:00

Firmin
Sam Savage

If you're a book lover, you absolutely must read Firmin. Firmin is, well, a rat -- but he's the most likable fellow I've met in a long time.

Living in the basement of a bookstore in the 1960s, Firmin survives his early years by munching on the likes of Joyce and Melville. Soon, however, he learns that books are not for eating, but for reading -- and read he does, becoming arguably the most-educated rat to ever live.

Unfortunately, with his increasing knowledge comes a self-awareness that is none too kind. As Firmin becomes all-too-aware of his own limitations, he yearns for a greater life than the one he must endure.

Filled with allusions and pathos, Firmin is a book for everyone -- but especially for those who love literature. And look: the book comes replete with its own little bite mark. Sigh. I love you, Firmin!

In a nutshell: This is one rat you can't help but love. You can live with me, little buddy!

Bibliolatry Scale: 6 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I bought this one myself.

A disease from the past? Great, something else to fear.

2009-12-28T05:00:00.003-05:00

Year Zero
Jeff Long

About two years ago, I happened upon Jeff Long's Deeper, and I knew I had to read more by this author. A month ago, when searching for some good "Kindle books," I found my second opportunity to hang out with this author.

The plot for this one sounds rather complicated (it doesn't feel complicated when reading the novel, thankfully), so bear with me. A big earthquake levels much of the Middle East. Boo. However, parts of Jesus' actual neighborhood are now accessible. Yay! Unfortunately, some of the artifacts are tainted with disease. Boo. Now a deadly plague is tearing across the globe. Poop.

Nathan Lee, our intrepid protagonist, after numerous adventures that culminate in his imprisonment in a Tibetan jail, finds himself unguarded once the plague begins to rear its ugly head. Finally free, he slowly makes his way to America, specifically Los Alamos, where surviving scientists struggle to find a cure for the plague. Lee's in for an even bigger surprise, though: the scientists are making clones from the DNA found on the artifacts! And then things go from bad to worse. Oh boy.

Year Zero provides readers with an interesting, thrilling scenario. While I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Deeper, I was entertained enough to want to search out more by Jeff Long. And I won't wait another two years to do it, either!

In a nutshell: Intriguing and fast paced, Year Zero was an original and fun read.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I bought this one for the Kindle.

Christmas loot!

2009-12-27T10:11:00.003-05:00

Santa was, once again, very good to me. Here's a list of all the books I received for Christmas. Have you read any of these?

The Oxford Book of Victorian Ghost Stories
Sebastian Barry, The Secret Scripture
Christopher Buckley, Boomsday
Tracy Chevalier, Burning Bright
Deborah Eisenberg, Twilight of the Superheroes
George Eliot, The Lifted Veil and Brother Jacob
Rachel Klein, The Moth Diaries
Flannery O'Connor, Wise Blood
Arthur Phillips, The Egyptologist
Douglas Preston, The Monster of Florence
Peter Straub, Ghost Story
Terese Svoboda, Trailer Girl
Peter Watts, Blindsight
Carlos Ruiz Zafon, The Shadow of the Wind

There isn't enough Purell in the world

2009-12-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Hot Zone
Richard Preston

The Hot Zone is a book I read in November. Thankfully, after this, I'll be all caught up and will be able to cover some December reads. NICE.

I don't know why, but I've been reading a lot of disturbing books lately, mostly one that involves end-of-the-world scenarios. And while The Hot Zone doesn't necessarily concern the end of the world, it was apocalyptic enough for me.

The Hot Zone is all about EBOLA. In fact, that's how I imagine the word in my head: all in caps. It's just that intense. Lord knows I'm paranoid enough about such things, so I can only wonder what possessed me to read this book. (Actually, I do know. It was Heather's review of it. Gee, thanks, Heather.) Needless to say, if EBOLA ever hits my area, I'm throwing myself in front of a bus at the first warning symptom. I'll be damned if I'm going to endure the grueling progression of this disease.

Wait -- what? It sloughs...off? And comes out where???
FML.

Besides the disturbing nature of the book (which the sick part of me took delight in), there were some drawbacks. I had an issue with the organization of the book, since it jumped around a bit in parts, and a few parts dragged while others were repetitive. Overall, however, The Hot Zone was a frightening, all-too-real read. And I won't even mention the part about how EBOLA arrived in Washington D.C. a little over a decade ago. FEARPARANOIAVOMIT.

In a nutshell: Not for the faint of heart, The Hot Zone is a terrifying true story that reminds why I hate leaving my house and interacting with dirty humans.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I bought this one for my library, in case I ever want to enjoy the gruesomeness again.

If you have tears, prepare to shed them now

2009-12-16T05:00:00.002-05:00

Push
Sapphire

Woohoo -- I've finished reviews left over from October; now it's time for some tardy reviews from last month. No more tardy for the party!

So, I was doing a little Amazon shopping a few weeks ago, when I needed just a wee bit more for free shipping -- six buckies, to be exact. Amazon kindly made some recommendations, and I found Push for exactly six bucks. Six bucks?!?!? And it didn't even have the annoying movie tie-in cover? Sold!

Most of you are probably already aware that Push is the novel that has been made into the movie Precious, which has lately taken Hollywood by storm. While I haven't seen the movie, I have seen enough interviews with the actors in the film to know that I wanted to know more about this story.

Prose-wise, Push is a simple enough read, and I read it entirely over my Sunday-morning coffee. Prose aside, however, Push is not an easy book to read. Precious is badly abused by both her mother and her father, and her struggle to escape the cycle of violence is heartwrenching. Some passages are quite difficult to read, and -- I'm sure you could see this coming -- I cried more than once.

In a nutshell: Precious's story might disturb you, but her spirit will enchant you.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: Dammit, I just said I bought this for myself from Amazon!

The real horror is next door to us

2009-12-15T05:00:00.001-05:00

Contagious
Scott Sigler

Another day closer to 2010, another late review.

This time, I'm reviewing another of October's reads -- Contagious, the sequel to Infected, which I read in September. Contagious follows our intrepid hero and anti-hero as they seek to stop the impending invasion.

Contagious, like its predecessor, is relentless in its pacing; once you commit to the opening pages (actually, scratch that -- once you read Infected), you won't be able to put this book down until the last page.

Contagious picks up pretty much where Infected left off. Margaret Montoya and Dew Phillips have teamed up with badass Perry Dawsey to stave off the new wave of the invasion. Doing so won't be easy, however -- these aliens are feisty buggers with more than one trick up their sleeves.

The only thing that didn't polish my brass was a few overly-political scenes in which the President and his Cabinet debate how to handle the attack. I also hated how the female Secretary of State was a bleeding-heart liberal who felt that the loss of any innocent life was unconscionable. I consider myself a pretty liberal person, but in the event of any invasion -- alien, zombie, Canadian -- even I say shoot first, ask later. Sorry, Canada.

In a nutshell: Not as awesome as Infected (I actually felt a slight pang in ye olde heart after reading the ending, which was heart-wrenching, albeit utterly appropriate), but pretty awesome nonetheless. In fact, I'm looking up other Sigler titles as I type this. Hello, Ancestor. I'll be seeing you in 2010.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I purchased Contagious for the Kindle.

The end of the world as we know it

2009-12-14T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Year of the Flood
Margaret Atwood

Gah! The end of the year is when????? And I'm how many reviews behind???? Erm.

Anyway -- Atwood. I read this one back in October, and have been pondering my review ever since. Now, I'm rushed and won't give it the attention I intended. Oh well.

If you aren't familiar with TYoTF, Atwood returns to the world she created in Oryx and Crake. It's the future, things are bad, evil corporations do evil things...you get the point. Now a disease has wiped out much of humanty, and the survivors struggle for survival. TYoTF focuses on some of these survivors, while Oryx and Crake focused on the origins of the plague.

To get to the point, I enjoyed TYoTF, even if I didn't think it was one of her best works. And, while I didn't think it was necessary to have read Oryx and Crake immediately before (I had read it in 2004), I was annoyed that I didn't remember more of the connections. Since some of the characters in Oryx and Crake reappear in TYoTF, I was frustrated more by knowing I was forgetting something, which might have prevented me from better enjoying the book.

One thing that bothered me by TYoTF were those passages I found "skim-worthy," -- for example, the hymns and sermons that precede the chapters. At first they provided an interesting look into the world of TYoTF, but after awhile I felt they were just slowing me down.

In a nutshell: Not her best, but admirable nevertheless.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I purchased this one for my library.

I think Wilkie Collins just blew my mind

2009-11-25T05:00:00.005-05:00

This post is part of the Classics Circuit; please visit the site for more stops on the Wilkie Collins Tour!

Armadale
Wilkie Collins

I just don't get it. I don't understand how anyone can take a story as impossible and outrageous as this one and make it not only credible, but convincing. Clearly, the man was a master.

The events of Armadale (more incredible than those of The Woman in White and The Moonstone) nearly defy easy summary. Long story short, two men end up with the same name of Allan Armadale. One kills the other. Each has a son, also named Allan Armadale, who grows up never knowing of his "other." Years pass, and -- you guessed it -- they meet. (Cue dramatic music.) Then things get REALLY complicated.

There's more, of course -- lots more (the above is really only the first 100 pages of an 800+ monster). As in my previous encounters with Wilkie, the plot hinges on coincidence after coincidence, yet things never feel contrived even though they clearly are. Wilkie makes the impossible possible.

Armadale is also interesting for its comment on identity and the nature of free will. Are the sons of the first generation bound by the sins of their fathers? Can they redeem their fathers? And what of Lydia Gwilt, one of the most fascinating, corrupt villains I've had the pleasure of meeting? In an early glimpse into her character, she writes, "I am in one of my tempers to-night. I want a husband to vex, or a child to beat, or something of that sort. Do you ever like to see the summer insects kill themselves in the candle? I do, sometimes." And that's what she says when she's being charming! I don't want to say too much about her and ruin the fun, but trust me -- Armadale is worth reading for Lydia Gwilt alone.

An utterly fascinating, entertaining, and intelligent novel, Armadale exceeded even my high expectations. What seems like a confusing premise is anything but confusing in its execution. In fact, Armadale might have just toppled The Woman in White. I adored Count Fosco, but he is simply no match for Lydia Gwilt.

In a nutshell: How do you do it, Wilkie? I want to learn the ways of the Force.

Bibliolatry Scale: 6 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I proudly paid for this one! (In fact, I snagged the Oxford edition AND a free Kindle edition, so I always had it at my fingertips!)

Rachel, my torment

2009-11-23T05:00:00.005-05:00

My Cousin Rachel
Daphne DuMaurier

I've been meaning to post about my lastest encounter with the late, great Daphne DuMaurier. Not too long ago, I read Rebecca, and I was floored. I knew I had to read something else by this author, and when I found a discounted version of My Cousin Rachel, I knew fate was on my side.

It wasn't long before fate and I had yet another run-in, this time during one momentous day in October when I was called for jury duty. Thankfully, I remembered my new friend and brought her along for the day. We had a wonderful time together, as we eagerly anticipated hearing each subsequent round of ~~suckers~~ jurors who were next up. I dodged a bullet that day, but if it weren't for the experience, I might not have been able to read My Cousin Rachel. Each hellacious hour was filled with this spellbinding story, and while reading I was able to imagine that I was far from the courthouse that day.

Instead, I was on the estate of Philip Ashley (AKA Idiot Who Needs a Smack in the Head). Philip, who has been raised by his cousin Ambrose, looks back on his life and the choices that have brought him to this moment. Idiot takes us back in time, to a time when Ambrose was still alive. They loved one another. A lot. (But not like that -- jeez.)

At any rate, they love one another so much that Idiot fairly falls apart after Ambrose passes away. Ambrose, a confirmed bachelor (I'm pretty sure he likes to spit on the floor in the face of encroaching femininity or some such) goes off to Italy for a little healthification. While there, he meets his cousin Rachel, whom he -- previous misogyny be damned -- quickly marries. Unfortunately, the happy groom's health takes a turn for the worse, and it isn't long before he's dead. When Cousin Idiot learns the news, he is crushed.

Right: Olivia deHavilland as Rachel squares off against Richard Burton as the Idiot

Impetuously, he blames Rachel. But when he inherits the entire estate, it becomes clear that Rachel has no financial claim on anything. Perhaps his blame was hasty. But then Rachel returns to England, and all sorts of shit hit the fan. Philip is soon torn apart by powerful, conflicting forces: he falls in love with her, but also believes she had a hand in his cousin's death. Plenty of evidence support each side of the argument.

Was Rachel guilty? Did she poison Ambrose -- and does she mean to do the same to the idiot? One can only hope! (He's dumb enough to warrant it.) But don't worry about him: he's got a fool-proof plan for flushing her out into the open. Only, not. Read the book and be flabbergasted at that genius ending! Brilliant!

In a nutshell: The ambiguity! The uncertainty! DuMaurier, you've done it again.

Bibliolatry Scale: 6 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I bought this one meself, so la la la lala.

People, stop going to houses of evil

2009-11-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

The House of Lost Souls
F.G. Cottam

Still focusing on nanowrimo, my reading time is severely impaired. Nevertheless, I managed to find time to squeeze in a little House of Lost Souls. I waited eagerly for it to arrive . . . and then took my good old time reading it. Had I not lagged while reading this novel, I might have liked it better. As it was, I started to forget details, and when things began to get a little complicated, I was confused.

The novel opens on a funeral, but not just any funeral, mind you. This one was to bury a suicide, the young girl offing herself after a particularly traumatic experience in the haunted Fischer House. Now, Paul Seaton -- who survived an encounter in the same house a decade earlier -- has been enlisted to help rid the remaining girls of the affliction that continues to stalk them. To save the survivors, Paul must return to the house and put an end to the evil that stalks the grounds. Before he does so, however, the author rewinds the clock, returning us to the events that unleashed the evil decades before.

The House of Lost Souls is creepy, atmospheric, and unsettling. It's a perfect novel to read while curled up on the sofa with the lights down low. At times, I felt the story was bogged down with extraneous information (while other elements, that I wanted to know more about, weren't given the same treatment), but the novel was nevertheless an entertaining, thrilling read, and intriguing enough that I plan to check out more of Cottam's work.

In a nutshell: A little more complicated in places than it needed to be, but I enjoyed it overall.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I bought this book myself.

This Funhole isn't that fun

2009-11-12T05:00:00.002-05:00

The Cipher
Kathe Koja

Uh-oh. Nicholas, a would-be poet trapped in video store hell, has found a black hole in the basement. He and Nakota, his sometime girlfriend, become obsessed with it, dubbing it the Funhole and staring into its depths for hours on end.

Then they begin to experiment, lowering down a jar of bugs. Then, a mouse. Even a human hand. They do not return unscathed, the Funhole disturbingly altering them. Soon, they get the bright idea to send down a camcorder. Should be interesting, right?

As you might have guessed, things go from bad to worse for poor Nicholas and Nakota. Unfortunately, the same can be said for the book as a whole.

The impressionistic, often hazy style of writing often created confusion as to what was actually happening (it doesn't help that Nicholas is an alcoholic and not the most clear of narrators).

In a nutshell: Great premise, disappointing execution. (So says the hypocrite participating in nanowrimo. Yes, I'm aware of the irony.)

Bibliolatry Scale: 2 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I got this one outta the library...thank heavens.

Is there anybody out there?

2009-11-10T20:45:00.005-05:00

Helllooooo out there!

Am I alive? Dead? Inhabiting a ghostly in-between?

Never fear - I'm here, I'm just occupied with non-readerly pursuits. For the first time ever, I'm participating in nanowrimo, and reading is taking a backseat. While I haven't stopped reading entirely, I'm doing so at a much slower pace, and I intend to post short mini-reviews soon.

I'll return in sounder form come December.

Reading Resolution: September Update

2009-10-20T04:00:00.001-05:00

Hm. This is a bit overdue, eh? Looks like that reading resolution has fallen right in the crapper.

RESOLUTION TITLES READ IN SEPTEMBER: 0

NON-RESOLUTION TITLES READ IN SEPTEMBER: 4

Brown, Dan. The Lost Symbol
Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games
Maitland, Karen. Company of Liars
Simmons, Dan. A Winter Haunting

TOTAL TITLES READ IN SEPTEMBER: 4

CURRENT RESOLUTION PROGRESS: 33 / 88

TOTAL BOOKS READ IN 2009: 55

An unconventional, unsettling ghost story

2009-10-19T04:00:00.000-05:00

Her Fearful Symmetry
Audrey Niffenegger

I've recently had the pleasure of reviewing Audrey Niffenegger's latest novel for Pajiba.

I adored The Time-Traveler's Wife, so I was eager to see what her latest effort was all about.

While it doesn't reach the heights of TTTW, Her Fearful Symmetry is both intriguing and unsettling. To read my full review, kindly click here.

In a nutshell: Compelling and moving, with a truly unforgettable ending. Everyone won't like it, but everyone will have an opinion about it.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars

FTCBS: I received a copy of Her Fearful Symmetry from the publisher.