I read this book simply because I have enjoyed the movies were based on Nick Hornby books. I am glad that I took the chance since I most definetly enjoyed “Juliet Naked”. This book follows a couple, Annie and Duncan, who have been together for 15 years but who have really just settled with each other for matters of convenience. At the start of the book they are on a pilgrimage to sights related to reclusive singer songwriter Tucker Crowe. Duncan is obsessed with the singer and spends a lot of his time on a website devoted to analyzing minute details about Crowe. Annie is along for the ride, although she doesn’t share Duncan’s obsessions she has put up with them so long that Crowe has become a fixture in her life as well.
This book follows the couple, and later even Crow himself as we cover themes of complacency, obsession and loss and waste of years and time. Can relationships that have been neglected for years and years ever be repaired? Are we really unhappier now then people were in the past, or have we been brought up expecting too much happiness to ever be satisfied?
There is not a whole lot to say about the plot without spoiling too much, but Hornby’s writing style was very comfortable to sink into and the pages just flew by. I was sad that it ended as fast as it did, even though it was 400 pages. I will be checking out more of his works in the future.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Alli's CBR-III Review #17 - All Together Dead
I just finished book 7 of the Southern Vampire Mystery series by Charlaine Harris. Here are my other reviews from this series: Definitely Dead, Dead to the World, Dead as a Doornail and Living Dead in Dallas.
There is not really a heck of a lot else to say about these books. There may be spoilers if you haven't read the previous books. Sookie is still a telepath and working for the vampires. This time she has headed out to a vampire summit at a fancy pyramid hotel. She reunites with fellow telepath Barry, they are both working for different vampire royalty to listen in on human minds.
Of course there are murders, and a mystery to be solved. For me it's all about the sexual tension between Sookie and Eric. It must be because of this. Sookie is currently dating the weretiger Quinn, which I guess is pretty good too. Quinn didn't factor much into this book, his company was arranging a lot of the summit so he was always otherwise occupied.
I am already starting on book 8 but I just got a bunch of holds in from the library so I might have to leave this for a while (I bought a few of these books since I got a gift card at Christmas). But I'm hooked and I will see this series through to the end. Plus season 4 of True Blood Starts June 26!!
There is not really a heck of a lot else to say about these books. There may be spoilers if you haven't read the previous books. Sookie is still a telepath and working for the vampires. This time she has headed out to a vampire summit at a fancy pyramid hotel. She reunites with fellow telepath Barry, they are both working for different vampire royalty to listen in on human minds.
Of course there are murders, and a mystery to be solved. For me it's all about the sexual tension between Sookie and Eric. It must be because of this. Sookie is currently dating the weretiger Quinn, which I guess is pretty good too. Quinn didn't factor much into this book, his company was arranging a lot of the summit so he was always otherwise occupied.
I am already starting on book 8 but I just got a bunch of holds in from the library so I might have to leave this for a while (I bought a few of these books since I got a gift card at Christmas). But I'm hooked and I will see this series through to the end. Plus season 4 of True Blood Starts June 26!!
Alli's CBR-III Review #16 - Breaking out of Bedlam
It sounds depressing, but Larson maintains a light tone and the assisted living place that she goes into could be related to a high school or boarding school. I have often thought that this would be the case in places like these as there will always be cliques and bitches and all that, no matter what your age.
Cora feels betrayed by her family, and we are made to relate to her struggle to adjust to her new environment. Soon after her arrival, she meets a man and that gives her the motivation to improve her situation and her health. All is not perfect however, things are getting stolen all over the place and Cora is one of those who is under suspicion. To pass the time, and to extract her revenge upon her children, Cora writes a tell all journal with all her secrets. The novel goes back and forth in flashbacks in this journal and to her current situation.
Overall, this book didn’t change my life, but it was entertaining enough and I would recommend reading it. Cora's tale is relateable. I work in an industry where I have to deal with the elderly quite a bit, this book helped me to relate to my clients more. It must be very difficult to have to leave your home at that age and start all over in a scary new place.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Alli's CBR-III Review #15 - Ender's Game
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card came highly recommended by a friend at work, so I gave it a go. I don't normally read science fiction because it has always been something that my brother was really into and we are like oil and vinegar so I always stayed away but I generally enjoyed this book.
Ender's Game is set in "the future" although since it was published in 1985 (and parts of it are from a short story published in 1977) in all reality it could have been intended to be set in our present day. Certain aspects of the book certainly are actually eerily accurate to the way things are now. The characters in the book have "desks" that seem to be like iPads, and there is discussion of "the nets" and discussions on them that are a more intelligent version of the internet.
As for the plot, we start out the book from the point of view of Andrew "Ender" Wiggin. He is a third child in a society that has a limit of two children per family. The Wiggins got an exception for Ender since his older brother tested very well to the international fleet, but he was too vicious to qualify for battle school. The fleet is looking for someone to train to command their fleet for the third invasion of the buggers. We follow Ender through battle school, then onto command school. In these schools, they are trained using a variety of games, hence the title. He is tested, pushed and isolated, but ultimately still succeeds.
Parts of the book focus on the other two Wiggin children and their life after Ender goes up to school. Peter is the aforementioned vicious brother, and there is also a sister named Valentine. Ender and Valentine have a close relationship and it helps him survive throughout the book.
Although on it's surface it is a science fiction book, it is really about relationships, manipulation and the mistakes and perils of war. I would recommend checking it out.
Ender's Game is set in "the future" although since it was published in 1985 (and parts of it are from a short story published in 1977) in all reality it could have been intended to be set in our present day. Certain aspects of the book certainly are actually eerily accurate to the way things are now. The characters in the book have "desks" that seem to be like iPads, and there is discussion of "the nets" and discussions on them that are a more intelligent version of the internet.
As for the plot, we start out the book from the point of view of Andrew "Ender" Wiggin. He is a third child in a society that has a limit of two children per family. The Wiggins got an exception for Ender since his older brother tested very well to the international fleet, but he was too vicious to qualify for battle school. The fleet is looking for someone to train to command their fleet for the third invasion of the buggers. We follow Ender through battle school, then onto command school. In these schools, they are trained using a variety of games, hence the title. He is tested, pushed and isolated, but ultimately still succeeds.
Parts of the book focus on the other two Wiggin children and their life after Ender goes up to school. Peter is the aforementioned vicious brother, and there is also a sister named Valentine. Ender and Valentine have a close relationship and it helps him survive throughout the book.
Although on it's surface it is a science fiction book, it is really about relationships, manipulation and the mistakes and perils of war. I would recommend checking it out.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Alli's CBR-III Review #14 - Wasted
I have been so bad, I have barely read anything in the past month and a bit. I did finish the book I am about to review a few weeks ago but I didn't get around to writing about it until now.
After I read Unbearable Lightness, Youthfulzombie recommended reading "Wasted" by Marya Hornbacher as a more accurate memoir of someone with an eating disorder. I bought the iBooks version and read it over a couple of days. I could relate to quite a bit of it. I have eating issues that are now mostly resolved, but I am currently on a calorie counting plan and it is sometimes hard to know the difference between being dedicated to my health and being obsessive.
Wasted in some ways offers little hope to eating disordered people. Hornbacher doesn't sugar coat her realities, and it is appreciated. That was one of my main issues with Unbearable Lightness, De Rosi spent 95% of the book detailing her obsessions and 5% saying how magically one day she was all better. Hornbacher also details her processes and the ins and outs of her disorder, but she is clear that there is no magic solution. She also spent the time and did her research, and so it feels that her information is coming from a more authoritative place.
I also appreciated the fact that Hornbacher mentions that pretty much all women suffer from eating disorders. Although not all women have anorexia or bulimia, the majority have an unhealthy images or are constantly dieting. I have a skewed view of this, as I spend a lot of my time on a diet community online. I also read something similar in the book In Defense of Food where it indicated there is a new disorder called "Orthorexia" which is an obsession with eating healthy.
It seems no matter what you do, if you are predisposed to eating disorders then you will find one that fits you. Some of us are just not wired to be able to eat normally. Then again, what is normal? All we can hope for is a balance, to be able to not be self destructive and to try and enjoy all that life has to offer.
After I read Unbearable Lightness, Youthfulzombie recommended reading "Wasted" by Marya Hornbacher as a more accurate memoir of someone with an eating disorder. I bought the iBooks version and read it over a couple of days. I could relate to quite a bit of it. I have eating issues that are now mostly resolved, but I am currently on a calorie counting plan and it is sometimes hard to know the difference between being dedicated to my health and being obsessive.
Wasted in some ways offers little hope to eating disordered people. Hornbacher doesn't sugar coat her realities, and it is appreciated. That was one of my main issues with Unbearable Lightness, De Rosi spent 95% of the book detailing her obsessions and 5% saying how magically one day she was all better. Hornbacher also details her processes and the ins and outs of her disorder, but she is clear that there is no magic solution. She also spent the time and did her research, and so it feels that her information is coming from a more authoritative place.
I also appreciated the fact that Hornbacher mentions that pretty much all women suffer from eating disorders. Although not all women have anorexia or bulimia, the majority have an unhealthy images or are constantly dieting. I have a skewed view of this, as I spend a lot of my time on a diet community online. I also read something similar in the book In Defense of Food where it indicated there is a new disorder called "Orthorexia" which is an obsession with eating healthy.
It seems no matter what you do, if you are predisposed to eating disorders then you will find one that fits you. Some of us are just not wired to be able to eat normally. Then again, what is normal? All we can hope for is a balance, to be able to not be self destructive and to try and enjoy all that life has to offer.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Alli's CBR-III Review #13 - Room
I am trying to wrap my head around "Room" By Emma Donoghue. The book was excellent in a lot of ways, but there were a few things that left me lacking. It is hard to say what those things are without giving too much of the plot away.
The premise of the book is our narrator Jack lives in "Room". Jack and Ma are there together. The first section of the book describes where they live and the routines that they go through in their days. He is a 5 year old and so he has limited understanding of certain things, but thankfully for the reader, he does have a decent vocabulary since Ma spends a lot of time teaching him things.
The reason that they are in this room is that Ma was kidnapped some years ago and she gave birth to Jack in the room which is a converted garden shed. There are parts of the book that are upsetting, but Donoghue manages to maintain a level tone.
I was on the edge of my seat during some parts of this book and the pages just flew by. It is something I recommend reading just for the experience. It has left an impression on me that's for sure.
The premise of the book is our narrator Jack lives in "Room". Jack and Ma are there together. The first section of the book describes where they live and the routines that they go through in their days. He is a 5 year old and so he has limited understanding of certain things, but thankfully for the reader, he does have a decent vocabulary since Ma spends a lot of time teaching him things.
The reason that they are in this room is that Ma was kidnapped some years ago and she gave birth to Jack in the room which is a converted garden shed. There are parts of the book that are upsetting, but Donoghue manages to maintain a level tone.
I was on the edge of my seat during some parts of this book and the pages just flew by. It is something I recommend reading just for the experience. It has left an impression on me that's for sure.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Alli's CBR-III Review #12 - One Day
Wow. . . I just finished reading "One Day" by David Nicholls and I am frankly just floored. I have been reading this one for the past few days and really loving it, but the ending, wow.
I don't even know what to say about this book. It is the story of two best friends, Dexter and Emma, Dex and Em, Em and Dex. The book gives us a glimpse into their lives on July 15th of each year from 1988 when they meet on the eve of their college graduation, through to the year 2007. They struggle along as we all do, sometimes handling things better than others. Dexter is reckless and parties too hard at times, Emma is perhaps too straight laced, and lacks momentum in certain areas. But most of us can relate to both of those things, or at least I can.
This book was like a comfy pair of jammie pants, I fell in love with the characters and I couldn't wait to read what happened to them next. Nicholls took the concept of telling a story in the unconventional method of one day per year and really made it work. There is really nothing I can write to do it justice. I am perhaps being hokey but that is where it has left me this evening.
I strongly recommend reading this book if you have not yet already, if only so we can talk about it together.
I don't even know what to say about this book. It is the story of two best friends, Dexter and Emma, Dex and Em, Em and Dex. The book gives us a glimpse into their lives on July 15th of each year from 1988 when they meet on the eve of their college graduation, through to the year 2007. They struggle along as we all do, sometimes handling things better than others. Dexter is reckless and parties too hard at times, Emma is perhaps too straight laced, and lacks momentum in certain areas. But most of us can relate to both of those things, or at least I can.
This book was like a comfy pair of jammie pants, I fell in love with the characters and I couldn't wait to read what happened to them next. Nicholls took the concept of telling a story in the unconventional method of one day per year and really made it work. There is really nothing I can write to do it justice. I am perhaps being hokey but that is where it has left me this evening.
I strongly recommend reading this book if you have not yet already, if only so we can talk about it together.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)