The Feathered Serpent was originally published in China about 10 years ago and last week it was published in English for the first time. I was fortunate to get ahold of an advanced copy of the novel through work (just one of the benefits of working for a bookstore).
The Feathered Serpent tells the story Yushe and the women of her family. Most the novel is third person, though there are some events told through the eyes of various female characters throughout the novel. It is a fascinating portrait of life in China through several generations, including vague references to several memorable moments in Chinese history. It offers an interesting look a completely different culture and lifestyle.
This novel is very much the Chinese version of 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I thought about that novel a lot as I was reading this one, and now may have to re-read it (even though I didn't really like it the first time). While there may not be as much of the magic-realism, is still has the same epic feel.
I realy enjoyed this book, though it was one of those that feels like its getting a lot slower by the end. If you can stick to it, the book as a whole is an interesting portrait of culture, family, love and acceptance.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
The Associate by John Grisham
I started reading John Grisham's novels when I was 11. Which, considering some of the content was probably a little young, but I always read above my reading level. The Client, The Firm, A Time to Kill and The Pelican Brief were among my favorite books. After reading The Associate, I think the John Grisham fad has worn off.
The Associate is your typical Grisham legal thriller, so much so in fact that it reminded me a little too much of The Firm. Don't get me wrong. It was a good read, entertaining and intriguing. It's the kind of book that you would take to read on a plane or on vacation; any time you would want an easy read that doesn't involve too much thinking. However, I have read a lot better books in the last 2 years.
I'm hesitant to say whether it's because my taste in literature has changed or whether Grisham's writing style has changed. I'd like to think it's the latter, because I'm pretty sure his earlier novels were a lot better than this. And this novel was actually a lot better than The Appeal, which I didn't like at all. It's a little hard to describe exactly what I thought of this book.
If you're a Grisham fan who has read every one of his books and still enjoys them then you'll probably enjoy this book. If you haven't read any Grisham but would like to, I recommend one of the four I mentioned in the first paragraph.
The Associate is your typical Grisham legal thriller, so much so in fact that it reminded me a little too much of The Firm. Don't get me wrong. It was a good read, entertaining and intriguing. It's the kind of book that you would take to read on a plane or on vacation; any time you would want an easy read that doesn't involve too much thinking. However, I have read a lot better books in the last 2 years.
I'm hesitant to say whether it's because my taste in literature has changed or whether Grisham's writing style has changed. I'd like to think it's the latter, because I'm pretty sure his earlier novels were a lot better than this. And this novel was actually a lot better than The Appeal, which I didn't like at all. It's a little hard to describe exactly what I thought of this book.
If you're a Grisham fan who has read every one of his books and still enjoys them then you'll probably enjoy this book. If you haven't read any Grisham but would like to, I recommend one of the four I mentioned in the first paragraph.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher
I'm not sure this book should count, since I've already read it. But it is a book and I did read it this year, so I'm counting it for now.
Proven Guilty is the eighth book in the Dresden Files series. Harry Dresden is a PI/Wizard practicing in Chicago and battling the forces of evil. What I like most about this series is that though it deals with magic it still has its own rules and remains fairly grounded in reality. It's not like Harry Potter where anything can be done by magic. In Dresden's world logic still has to follow the laws of Physics, as Harry often points out.
The books are narrated by Harry Dresden himself, and Harry's perspective and point of view are unique. I love the wit and humor in this series, and the fact that as a fantasy/sci-fi nerd myself I actually tend to understand most of the pop-culture references.
These books are extremely well-written and literally get better with every book. In book 8 Dresden has to track down the nasty creatures attacking a local horror convention while also protecting the daughter of one of his best friends. What I love is the fact that even though I had already read this book and knew how it would happen, I still couldn't put it down through the last few chapters.
There are two more books currently out in the Dresden Files series, for a total of 10 and the next is due out in April, I believe. I plan on re-reading the last two before that one comes out. If you're a sci-fi/fantasy fan you might want to check out this series. If you liked the show, the books are almost nothing like it, but they are way better.
Proven Guilty is the eighth book in the Dresden Files series. Harry Dresden is a PI/Wizard practicing in Chicago and battling the forces of evil. What I like most about this series is that though it deals with magic it still has its own rules and remains fairly grounded in reality. It's not like Harry Potter where anything can be done by magic. In Dresden's world logic still has to follow the laws of Physics, as Harry often points out.
The books are narrated by Harry Dresden himself, and Harry's perspective and point of view are unique. I love the wit and humor in this series, and the fact that as a fantasy/sci-fi nerd myself I actually tend to understand most of the pop-culture references.
These books are extremely well-written and literally get better with every book. In book 8 Dresden has to track down the nasty creatures attacking a local horror convention while also protecting the daughter of one of his best friends. What I love is the fact that even though I had already read this book and knew how it would happen, I still couldn't put it down through the last few chapters.
There are two more books currently out in the Dresden Files series, for a total of 10 and the next is due out in April, I believe. I plan on re-reading the last two before that one comes out. If you're a sci-fi/fantasy fan you might want to check out this series. If you liked the show, the books are almost nothing like it, but they are way better.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Anything Goes by John Barrowman
This afternoon I just finished reading John Barrowman's autobiography, Anything Goes. This book is quite possibly one of the funniest books I read in a long time.
For those of you who may not be familiar with the name, John Barrowman stars as Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood and Doctor Who. He has starred in numerous musical productions in London and in the United States as well as several other TV shows and movies.
Anything Goes is an honest portrait of John's life so far, from growing up in Scotland and the US to his various performances and learning experiences and even includes stories from his personal as well as professional life. In this book John holds nothing back. His storytelling ability and his sense of humor makes for a very entertaining read.
Some favorite anecdotes included the time he spent on Valentino's yacht, pranks his family has played on eachother, the "bear" they ran into on a vacation and so many others. This book was full of laugh out loud moments.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of musicals and theatre production. Even if you've never seen an episode of Torchwood or Doctor Who, the behind the scenes look at theatre and television production is very interesting. I gained a new appreciation for theatre actors from reading this book.
However, if you do happen to be a fan of Captain Jack, then this book is a must-read.
For those of you who may not be familiar with the name, John Barrowman stars as Captain Jack Harkness in Torchwood and Doctor Who. He has starred in numerous musical productions in London and in the United States as well as several other TV shows and movies.
Anything Goes is an honest portrait of John's life so far, from growing up in Scotland and the US to his various performances and learning experiences and even includes stories from his personal as well as professional life. In this book John holds nothing back. His storytelling ability and his sense of humor makes for a very entertaining read.
Some favorite anecdotes included the time he spent on Valentino's yacht, pranks his family has played on eachother, the "bear" they ran into on a vacation and so many others. This book was full of laugh out loud moments.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of musicals and theatre production. Even if you've never seen an episode of Torchwood or Doctor Who, the behind the scenes look at theatre and television production is very interesting. I gained a new appreciation for theatre actors from reading this book.
However, if you do happen to be a fan of Captain Jack, then this book is a must-read.
Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk
I'm a relative newbie when it comes to Chuck Palahniuk, but I decided last year I had to read Fight Club because I loved the movie and was really curious about the book. I loved the book and since then have also read Invisible Monsters and Survivor.
Last week I finished reading my fourth Palahniuk book, Lullaby. I've been curious about this book for a while and received a copy for Christmas so I had to read it right away. I wasn't disappointed.
The novel is about a reporter investigating SIDS and discovers a poem that can be used to kill anyone, anywhere. He then embarks on a journey across the country to try to track down and destroy all copies of the book the poem appears in, as well as locate the Grimoire the poem was originally recorded in.
This book is classic Palahniuk; original, creative and somewhat disturbing. If you're looking for a light, fun easy read Palahniuk is not your man. Each of his novels are dark, sometimes disturbing, and contain some sort of social commentary. Lullaby deals with a lot with control, whether it's government, advertising or even our own attempts to control our lives and everything around us.
While Palahniuk's writing may not be for everyone, if you're up for it Lullaby is a fascinating read.
Last week I finished reading my fourth Palahniuk book, Lullaby. I've been curious about this book for a while and received a copy for Christmas so I had to read it right away. I wasn't disappointed.
The novel is about a reporter investigating SIDS and discovers a poem that can be used to kill anyone, anywhere. He then embarks on a journey across the country to try to track down and destroy all copies of the book the poem appears in, as well as locate the Grimoire the poem was originally recorded in.
This book is classic Palahniuk; original, creative and somewhat disturbing. If you're looking for a light, fun easy read Palahniuk is not your man. Each of his novels are dark, sometimes disturbing, and contain some sort of social commentary. Lullaby deals with a lot with control, whether it's government, advertising or even our own attempts to control our lives and everything around us.
While Palahniuk's writing may not be for everyone, if you're up for it Lullaby is a fascinating read.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Fagile Things by Neil Gaiman
The first book I read in 2009 was Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman. This book was one of three given to me by Rose, a friend from work. I've loved everything I've ever read by Gaiman and this book was no exception.
Fragile Things is a collection of short stories and poems written by Gaiman. If you think Gaiman's novels are unique, you should try his short stories. I loved the book on the whole, but some stories I enjoyed more than others. Some were really twisted, while other were just extremely imaginative, some creepy and some were just downright disturbing.
My favorite story was "Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire" (yes, that's the full title). This story was an interesting twist on the traditional gothic mystery/romance and I loved it.
"October in the Chair" was interesting, though it left me feeling dissatisfied, like the story wasn't finished. Though I did find it interesting that this story was kind of like a starting point for The Graveyard Book, which Gaiman was in the process of writing when Fragile Things was published.
"Other People" disturbed me the most, while at the same time I found it morbidly fascinating.
I was also really interested in "Monarch in the Glen," mostly because it was a novella set in the world of American Gods, about two years after the events of that novel. I loved American Gods and enjoyed hearing more about what Shadow has been up to.
I think the story that bothered me the most was "The problem of Susan." It started out well, but took the typical twisted Gaiman turn. The problem being that I am a huge Narnia fan, and the direction this took was just a little too wrong.
On the whole I think I liked Smoke and Mirrors, Gaiman's other book of short stories, better than this one, but I still really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any Neil Gaiman fan (or anyone who is a fan of truly original, but somewhat twisted science fiction).
Fragile Things is a collection of short stories and poems written by Gaiman. If you think Gaiman's novels are unique, you should try his short stories. I loved the book on the whole, but some stories I enjoyed more than others. Some were really twisted, while other were just extremely imaginative, some creepy and some were just downright disturbing.
My favorite story was "Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire" (yes, that's the full title). This story was an interesting twist on the traditional gothic mystery/romance and I loved it.
"October in the Chair" was interesting, though it left me feeling dissatisfied, like the story wasn't finished. Though I did find it interesting that this story was kind of like a starting point for The Graveyard Book, which Gaiman was in the process of writing when Fragile Things was published.
"Other People" disturbed me the most, while at the same time I found it morbidly fascinating.
I was also really interested in "Monarch in the Glen," mostly because it was a novella set in the world of American Gods, about two years after the events of that novel. I loved American Gods and enjoyed hearing more about what Shadow has been up to.
I think the story that bothered me the most was "The problem of Susan." It started out well, but took the typical twisted Gaiman turn. The problem being that I am a huge Narnia fan, and the direction this took was just a little too wrong.
On the whole I think I liked Smoke and Mirrors, Gaiman's other book of short stories, better than this one, but I still really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any Neil Gaiman fan (or anyone who is a fan of truly original, but somewhat twisted science fiction).
Adventures in Reading
A friend from college recently invited me to join a Facebook group she created in which the members must set a number goal of books during the year and see if you can reach that goal. I of course decided to take her up on the challenge.
Since I have no idea how many books I usually read in a month, let alone a year I kind of chose a number at random, and decided to go for 40 books in one year. This blog will be a record of that. The goal is to blog here on a regular basis to keep everyone up to date on my progress. So I guess I'll be trying to stick to two goals here, one to read the books and the second to actually blog on a regular basis, which we all know I'm really bad at.
I actually already have two of the books read, and am almost finished with the third, so expect posts on those books within the next week. Feel free to offer any suggestions for books you think I should read!
I hope you enjoy my adventures in reading.
Since I have no idea how many books I usually read in a month, let alone a year I kind of chose a number at random, and decided to go for 40 books in one year. This blog will be a record of that. The goal is to blog here on a regular basis to keep everyone up to date on my progress. So I guess I'll be trying to stick to two goals here, one to read the books and the second to actually blog on a regular basis, which we all know I'm really bad at.
I actually already have two of the books read, and am almost finished with the third, so expect posts on those books within the next week. Feel free to offer any suggestions for books you think I should read!
I hope you enjoy my adventures in reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
