When I haven't read Tom Perrotta for a while, I forget how good he is. He is insanely good. And I think as far as writing goes, THE LEFTOVERS may be hWhen I haven't read Tom Perrotta for a while, I forget how good he is. He is insanely good. And I think as far as writing goes, THE LEFTOVERS may be his best. It has much of what was so good about his last few books, THE ABSTINENCE TEACHER and LITTLE CHILDREN. The fluid writing, the cleanly drawn characters, the realistic situations and the perfect crystallization of how people feel and think. And it doesn't have some of the hyper-drama that bothers me sometimes, like the suburban mob mentality against the sex offender in LITTLE CHILDREN.
That's not to say THE LEFTOVERS isn't high concept. It definitely is. But that concept is all right there at the beginning. After that, it's an exploration of family and community and the handling of grief and loss. There are still intermittently weird elements, like the Guilty Remnant, a cult-like group that wears white, takes a vow of silence and smokes cigarettes to remind everyone else that their attempts at everyday life are a waste.
The survivors of the "Sudden Departure" do what most people do: find something to hold on to, or let go of everything. The book focuses mostly on the Garvey family; Kevin, who has been roped into the town mayorship, Laurie, who has left her husband and children to join the Guilty Remnant, Tom, who follows a modern-day prophet who's getting increasingly strange, and Jill, a high schooler who sheds her good-girl image and shaves her head.
What I love so much about a Perrotta book is the ability to see a single scene from multiple points of view, whether it's a date in a burgeoning relationship or a conversation at the breakfast table.
The book is not about the Rapture. It doesn't examine religion, especially since the strange cults that spring up have very little to do with God. It isn't about belief. But it's clear that Perrotta's work on THE ABSTINENCE TEACHER and examination of believers has led him to consider belief in more than just God, but in society and the importance of daily life....more
I'm glad I missed this on Netflix Instant by one day. I had no idea it was based on a novel... probably because it wasn't released in the US. But now I'm glad I missed this on Netflix Instant by one day. I had no idea it was based on a novel... probably because it wasn't released in the US. But now it's here and it's an excellent read.
I often find that my favorite crime novels are those that don't have the typical cat-and-mouse approach, or the burned-out cop out for revenge. This novel has two different stories that work well together.
A clerk from the criminal court (who is much more involved in investigations than an American court) retires and decides to write a novel about the case he has never forgotten. Told alongside this story is the clerk's retirement, his reflections on his life, and his ongoing decisions on how to tell his tale.
This is not at all meditative. Both stories are intriguing, though one is much slower and simpler. The writing is strong and while the clerk, Chaparro, narrates his novel his quiet voice resonates.
The main story has plenty of intrigue, starting with the murder of a young wife in Argentina in the 60's, it follows 30 years of Argentina's history, including the horrible years of political kidnappings and murders.
It should satisfy mystery fans and literary readers alike....more
I am torn on this one. Half of the book was really interesting. I found the crash reconstruction pretty cool. But then it turned into this weird existI am torn on this one. Half of the book was really interesting. I found the crash reconstruction pretty cool. But then it turned into this weird existential road trip that made very little sense. Definitely felt like 2 different books and never came together fully....more
I knew virtually nothing about this book and I think I came in expecting something more like The Day the Tripods Came than what I got. Not that this iI knew virtually nothing about this book and I think I came in expecting something more like The Day the Tripods Came than what I got. Not that this is a bad book. It's quite good.
But... the whole time I read it I kept thinking, "I liked this better when it was I Am Legend." They're very similar and I feel like IAL really gets into the head of its characters better while TDOTT is more about society as a whole.
Overall, while an interesting look at an immediately post-apocalyptic society, I found it to be too rushed for my taste. ...more
The more I think about this book, the less I like it.
While I was reading it, I knew about halfway through that I was just finishing it to have it finiThe more I think about this book, the less I like it.
While I was reading it, I knew about halfway through that I was just finishing it to have it finished.
I love dystopian/utopian books and to find those you usually have to spend a decent amount of time in YA, where they're so much more common these days. Condie's universe, like most, is disorienting and strange. Gradually it comes into view and then we realize... it is actually very simple. While I'm glad I didn't have to sit through a lot of clunky reveals, it all felt a little TOO simplistic by the end. There was no villain. There wasn't even a clear enough picture of a big shadowy Big Brother government to be scary or foreboding.
And oh oh oh, must all these YA books be about boys? Yes, when I was 17, I thought about boys A LOT. But how much of my life did they make up? Very little. It hurts me to read these books for teenage girls that may have messages of individuality and such, but that always have to have a boy. In this case, 2 boys. 2 perfect boys. 2 boys with no real flaws and very little distinguishing characteristics, except that they are perfect in slightly different ways. Same goes for all the characters. Perfect parents. Perfect friends. There wasn't enough real-life drama to relate to for this book to really ring true.
I am talking myself into a 2-star rating, but I have to give it some credit for being written decently enough that I didn't quit it, which is saying something with YA these days. And credit for a few things I hadn't yet seen in futuristic societies. But... I will not be reading the sequel....more
Overall, a slightly above-average procedural. It's hard for me to know how accurate it was since it was set in Denmark. (It did seem strange at times Overall, a slightly above-average procedural. It's hard for me to know how accurate it was since it was set in Denmark. (It did seem strange at times that well into the investigation the detective had to review key pieces of evidence she hadn't looked at before.)
I did have to put aside my own biases, since the crimes involved internet dating and I tend to just roll my eyes when I hear such things and think, "How is finding someone on the internet less safe than finding someone in a bar? Isn't it actually MORE safe since you can check someone out in advance?"
It's well paced. The plot isn't too predictable, though she does string you along a couple of times and then pulls a gotcha. The protagonist is a type that I'm seeing more these days: the female cop, devoted to her job, a little messed up in her life. Perhaps we can thank the UK's Prime Suspect for that, since Helen Mirren did it so swimmingly. I don't mind it. I much prefer it to the typical alcoholic washed up male cop out for revenge that is seen so much more often.
The mix between Louise's home life and work life is done well, perhaps that's one of the best things about this book. It moves through her life and you feel like you really do get to know her and her habits.
A quick read, solid enough. Apparently Blaedel is quite popular in Denmark but this is her first book in the US. I'm not sure yet if I'll read her next one....more
Give me a book where there's a bunch of hidden family secrets and I'm probably going to be intrigued enough to read. The thing is that so many of thesGive me a book where there's a bunch of hidden family secrets and I'm probably going to be intrigued enough to read. The thing is that so many of these books don't live up to the initial promise. And a lot of them aren't very well written.
But this book had me from page 1. Right away I thought, "This lady can write. Awesome."
The basic setup, following two women from the same family 100 years apart, both with secrets about boys that have gone missing at the same house so many decades apart, has a nice symmetry to it.
Both stories are interesting on their own terms, and they have little in common except to show very gradually how a strange family came to be how they are.
There are shades here of "Possession," "The Thirteenth Tale" and others, where one character is hunting for the mysteries of a character in the past. But it's also fun and unique and I could have read it for hours.
I also think I could recommend this book to just about anyone, and I don't feel that way very often....more
When I saw a book by M. T. Anderson on sale for the kindle, it was a no-brainer to get it.
I have yet to read something by him that I didn't love. My fWhen I saw a book by M. T. Anderson on sale for the kindle, it was a no-brainer to get it.
I have yet to read something by him that I didn't love. My favorites, of course, being the Octavian Nothing books which I've recommended like a madwoman. (Although no one has taken to them the way I have... except for the National Book Award panel.)
That this is a vampire story didn't deter me. I really wouldn't touch a YA vampire book right now with a ten-foot pole, but this one is from someone I trust so I figured what the heck? I enjoyed Scott Westerfeld's vampire books, so maybe I'd like this one.
And I did. Anderson reminds me a lot of Barry Lyga, in that they both write plots that are not easy or simple, and their characters have the kind of inner lives that you hardly ever get to see in fiction. Anderson also has a good dose of humor.
The plot is not your typical vampire novel. The setting is an alternate reality where there aren't just vampires but witches and evil gods. Nevertheless, it mostly resembles a modern suburbia. (Besides the fact that Boston sacrifices a virgin once a year.) Our hero is a typical teenager who doesn't quite fit among his friends, who has an unrequited crush, and who finds himself caught up in a plot to either save the world from vampires or take over the world for them.
The ambiguity of this book is excellent, the unclear nature of what's happening and who can be trusted is done really well so your loyalties shift back and forth constantly. (I am a big fan of ambiguity, which seems awfully absent these days.) ...more
So far I haven't read a Denise Mina book I didn't like. This one goes farther back with Paddy Meehan than I'd been before, but Paddy remains very muchSo far I haven't read a Denise Mina book I didn't like. This one goes farther back with Paddy Meehan than I'd been before, but Paddy remains very much herself. The reality of the downtrodden Scotland she lives in comes through, as does the strange Catholic/Protestant tensions. Her stories are consistently good and readable. I wouldn't be surprised if I worked my way through everything she's written one of these days....more
This was a fun and quick read, and it's obvious that Grant is talented right from the beginning. She definitely does her homework and makes sure her zThis was a fun and quick read, and it's obvious that Grant is talented right from the beginning. She definitely does her homework and makes sure her zombie apocalypse backstory makes sense and is presented in little portions throughout the book.
I am a little hesitant about continuing to the second because some of the things I liked best about the 1st won't be present. (Sorry, can't give details without massive spoilers.) I may give it a try anyway.
This book really has something for everyone, adventure, zombies, blogging, politics... what more could you want from a good summer read?...more
Another case of my year of harsh judgments. But quality is the idea here and I'm sticking with it.
I didn't hate the book. (I save that for 1 star reviAnother case of my year of harsh judgments. But quality is the idea here and I'm sticking with it.
I didn't hate the book. (I save that for 1 star reviews.) But I felt like it was seriously repetitive. Our heroine, Libby, who wants to make her fortune but has no way to do it, learns the same lesson about 85 times in this book. She also suffers from that syndrome common in YA of protagonists who just happen to be astonishingly brilliant at the very thing they happen to be doing.
The people-are-more-important-than-money thing got a bit old.
And given that the author is obviously knowledgeable about mining, it would've been helpful to get a little more explanation so I could understand what was happening instead of hearing about endless furrowing and pieces of equipment....more
I wanted a thriller I could read in one sitting. I didn't want something that would completely insult my intelligence. (James Patterson, etc.) But I dI wanted a thriller I could read in one sitting. I didn't want something that would completely insult my intelligence. (James Patterson, etc.) But I didn't mind setting aside my pet peeves and suspending my disbelief.
Dominance fit the bill nicely. Yes, it's pushing the boundaries of believability. But it moves along at a nice clip, it's got a decent amount of brain without making you think too hard. It's nicely plotted and the back and forth flipping through time is done well.
I will probably read Lavender's previous book, too. Sometimes this is just what you want to read....more
I've been reading Karin Fossum for years now, so I've had a chance to see her change. Her books started as more traditional crime novels. Procedurals,I've been reading Karin Fossum for years now, so I've had a chance to see her change. Her books started as more traditional crime novels. Procedurals, basically, with a stoic and sensitive Inspector Sejer at their heart. They were always smarter and more emotionally honest than your average crime novel.
Lately she's moved in a different direction. Her novels claim to be Inspector Sejer books but he is only a minor figure in "Bad Intentions." Instead the book focuses on a group of 3 men, friends since childhood, who have something to hide.
The book is not really about detection or finding out who did it. We know who, but we don't exactly know what. What we get to see mostly is how it ripples through their relationships and the lives of those around them.
Fossum's writing is good, as always. Her new style is lovely and spare and heartwrenching. But I kind of miss the old Karin Fossum who made crime novels something better than they generally are. This new one doesn't actually care much about that type of thing anymore. I am thinking perhaps I like the middle-Fossum best, where there was still structure but plenty of artful writing as well. (The Indian Bride comes to mind.)
Plus I miss Sejer himself. He is a great character and he and his partner, Skarre, are little more than window dressing.
I will never have to dump Fossum the way I dumped Ruth Rendell--for sheer lazy writing. But I wonder if Fossum and I will continue to be as close as we always were....more
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