It's too bad since I think the topic is fascinating. Adoption and abortion need to be open for discussion. Society needs to removI tried but I can't.
It's too bad since I think the topic is fascinating. Adoption and abortion need to be open for discussion. Society needs to remove the shame they put on those who give children up and be realistic about those who take children in. There needs to be understanding about how teenaged pregnancies happen (spoiler: it takes two!) and compassion for those who admit that it was a mistake which they are not ready to take on.
In this novel, there is something really odd about the writing that I found very off-putting. I think it was the shift from precocious 10 year old Fig to her dull mother and back. Maybe it would have been smoother if it were written in the 1st person? Maybe it was the jarring back and forth between vacuous YA voice and regular general fiction?
But whatever the reason, when I got to page 80 and was rolling my eyes at the series of incomplete sentences, talk of pap smears and prickers, I was relieved to remove my bookmark and set the book down in my 'return to library' pile.
This book made two things blatantly clear to me: 1) I appreciate the use of proper nouns in fiction. Were there any used in this experiment? 2) I am notThis book made two things blatantly clear to me: 1) I appreciate the use of proper nouns in fiction. Were there any used in this experiment? 2) I am not the intended audience because I am old
If twitter is your go-to for 'news' and info-tainment, this book will suit you. It is told in 280 character snippets, one seemingly unrelated to the next. There are a lot of inside jokes and references that only those twitter aficionados between 2017 and 2019 will understand - meme references, fads and situations that were trending for a few hours, people who became famous for an instant and then were forgotten. If you don't twit or spend your waking hours online, 98% of this fiction will not make much sense.
The gist seemed to be that young people are spending too much time online and missing out on real-life experiences and the strong feelings that accompany living a balanced life. See - her whole message could have been a tweet after all....more
It didn't take me long to pass judgement on this book. On page 15, my eyebrows furrowed and I wondered what I had got myself into. During the first chIt didn't take me long to pass judgement on this book. On page 15, my eyebrows furrowed and I wondered what I had got myself into. During the first chapter, which describes the murders of one family, I was already adjusting my expectations of this non-fiction historical crime book due to James' confusing writing. But then he wrote this:
I believe Howard Little [the apparent murderer] to have been an innocent man, although I can't explain to you now why I believe that. Much later in our book, in chapter XXXV, we will return to the Meadows family murders; by then you will have a great deal of background information that you do not have now.
What?? Why are you speaking to me? And why have you wasted 15 pages of text, giving details about a set of murders that you researched but which ended up not being relevant to your crime investigation? And later, in that same excuse-filled paragraph, he dare to write
Perhaps, until then, you will be kind enough to suspend judgement? Appreciate it.
If you, Bill, are going to try to have a conversation with me and ask me a direct question, then you must prepare yourself for a solid "no" answer. But I didn't stop there, believing that an author should be given a 40 page chance. I did however jump ahead to chapter XXXV to see if I was indeed too stupid to understand the complexities to which he referred. And then, I began jumping around through the chapters, attempting to read this pile of nonsense in chronological order. I came to the same conclusion all the same. This is a work of fiction, filled with odd details and a lot of speculation. There are no footnotes, no index, no bibliography, no maps. Shame on the publisher Scribner and the three listed editors for such shoddy work - although there may be more to that story with this quote from Bill's Acknowledgements:
I would also like to thank my first editor at Scribner, Brant Rumble, and my second editor, John Glynn, and my third editor, Rick Horgan; apparently I am hell on editors.
That sentence alone makes me want to leap to conclusions about what actually happened behind the scenes, and call it factual....more
In other reviews, I have seen this novel described as 'dark' and 'magical' and there are endless comparisons to The Night Circus but I found it to be In other reviews, I have seen this novel described as 'dark' and 'magical' and there are endless comparisons to The Night Circus but I found it to be none of the above. The writing is appalling, as if O'Neill wrote every sentence with the Thesaurus.com tab open on her laptop, and it was filled to over-flowing with non-sensical metaphors and similes. I decided to roll with the incestual rape scene in the first chapter and the physical and emotional abuses in the orphanage as O'Neill established her characters but, around disc 3, I simply had enough of her tourettes-style, where she throws 'fuck', 'cock' and 'cunt' into the mix, simply for shock value. Although the content is not at all Young Adult, the writing felt shallow and hollow enough to fall into this genre. There wasn't really a plot, other than two orphans having met and then being separated, and no character was remotely likable. The only good that came of this was that while listening to the audiobook, I managed to create a fantastic looking Meyer Lemon Crepe Cake for our New Year's party tonight. All is not lost!...more
What a strange book. I think it was a story about dealing with depression and grief but I could have that wrong. It could be [yet another] tale of a MWhat a strange book. I think it was a story about dealing with depression and grief but I could have that wrong. It could be [yet another] tale of a Millennial who has too much parental money, too much time on her hands and too many prescription drugs in her system. She essentially sleeps through 300 pages of her book and wakes up for the final four pages. I struggled mightily to get through this, trying to find a plot, a message, a thread of sense but I only found someone who creates problems for herself since life has offered her so few obstacles thus far. About 100 pages in, I figured that there would be a big reveal at the end, explaining that she actually was a house cat. That also was incorrect. As she slept through chapter after chapter, I began fantasizing about all the things I'd rather be doing than reading about her time waste. There are infinite engrossing ways to use the time we have - and reading this book is not one of them. If you simply MUST read this (for perhaps a dare you want to win or a post-doc thesis in Sociology), start at page 200. Honestly, she does nothing but drug herself and sleep until then.
In hindsight, perhaps this was the wrong choice of books to read after having just completed Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, where Saul suffered parental abandonment, death, sexual abuse and neglect in a Residential school all before the age of 10. Moshfegh's NYC 'It' girl with her Manhattan apartment, endless money, size 2 clothing and pathetic love interests seems trite in comparison....more
1.5 stars The premise had potential and Baldacci piqued my interest for about half the novel. But quickly, this story became repetitive and patronizing1.5 stars The premise had potential and Baldacci piqued my interest for about half the novel. But quickly, this story became repetitive and patronizing. I just couldn't stop rolling my eyes. The characters and plot went from intriguing to far-fetched, then ludicrous and finally a waste of my time. A down-and-out woman is given the chance of a lifetime in winning big in the lottery. Despite knowing that it is fixed, she jumps at the chance. Her secretive contact keeps hold of her winnings for 10 years, giving her a healthy sum to live on during those years, and promises to hand the capital back to her after that time. Fast forward ten years and our damsel-in-distress is a force of nature - wielding a gun whenever possible and chopping wood faster than her groundskeeper as well as being indescribably beautiful. In fact, her youthful beauty is so unbelievable that she is often mistaken to be her 10 year old daughter's sister. Of course, there are troubles to deal with [tax-evasion has never been so thrilling] and a man who may or may not be an FBI agent steps in to rescue her. This lottery scam even involves the president! Mercy! Trite and dull, mainly due to over stimulation. I just wanted to say "Focus, David! Focus your book on one thing!"...more
Who reads this kind of crap? At least I know who writes it so I never have to waste my reading time again. The prologue describes, in all its ghastly gWho reads this kind of crap? At least I know who writes it so I never have to waste my reading time again. The prologue describes, in all its ghastly glory, a messy hippy home birthing scene which results in the death of the child and the brain damage in the mother. But, miraculously, an unknown women walks in from the mist and blows air onto the child's face, reviving it back to life (nothing is done for the mother, btw). Ready for more? Chapter one takes place some 30 years later and the first scene describes some woman's menstrual cramps and irregular monthly bleeding in the same type of gruesome detail. Maybe sharing these bodily functions is part of some kind of 'woman bonding ritual' that I have missed at 'finishing school', but I would rather not be subjected to these descriptions. And I was done. What a relief!
PS this book was initially published as "The Shadow Wife" so now you can take two books off your to-be-read list!...more
When I picked it out, I didn't know it was a Young Adult book which has to be my least favourite genre. It is a wonder that any of us ever chose to beWhen I picked it out, I didn't know it was a Young Adult book which has to be my least favourite genre. It is a wonder that any of us ever chose to be readers in our adult lives after the drivel that passes through the hands of our youth. The narrator is a soul without a body. Each day s/he takes shape of a different person, lives their life for 24 hours and then is ripped out and put into someone else. The bodies s/he possesses are always the same age as him/her and always within a range of a few hours drive. There is no explanation for that part. You must just accept it as fact. So the narrator falls in love with the girlfriend of one of the bodies s/he lives in and spends the rest of the book trying to get this girlfriend to recognize him/her in his/her various forms and hopefully fall in love with him/her. What? You've already lost interest? ...more
In the 120 or so chapters, This Book was never listed. I guess that White People simply don't like it. I sure didn't.In the 120 or so chapters, This Book was never listed. I guess that White People simply don't like it. I sure didn't....more
This one completely missed the mark. The characters were flat and predictable and the entire book felt like it was written by a grade 4 student. The pThis one completely missed the mark. The characters were flat and predictable and the entire book felt like it was written by a grade 4 student. The plot was extremely slow to develop and often non-existent. It felt as if the book were written solely to teach a moral lesson about abusing animals. Not recommended at all....more
As many others have said, The Lovely Bones is a fabulous book. I would dare say that LB makes my top ten book list. Who then wrote Almost Moon? I read As many others have said, The Lovely Bones is a fabulous book. I would dare say that LB makes my top ten book list. Who then wrote Almost Moon? I read the first chapter and felt that it should have been the final chapter. The rest of the book looks back on this mother/daughter relationship and analyses where everything went wrong. But, reflecting on her past and how she arrived at this moment is not going to make Helen any less guilty. Why should I continue reading about this loose canon woman who has just killed her own mother and now feels reflective? I think that this book would have had a better chance if it had been told chronologically. If we had been kept in suspense about the death of her mother, we might have been able to sympathize with Helen and see how she ended up making this devastating decision. But instead, I disliked Helen by page 12 and couldn't ever dig her out of that hole. Disappointing....more
Gawd! Am I ever glad that is over with. I listened to the Song of Ice and Fire on audiobook. I prefer to listen to pop fiction trash while taking careGawd! Am I ever glad that is over with. I listened to the Song of Ice and Fire on audiobook. I prefer to listen to pop fiction trash while taking care of our 5 acres. That way I at least get something productive done each day. Repetition! Yikes! There were a few occasions where I honestly thought I had already heard a certain chapter because the setting of the scene was word-for-word the same as a previous chapter. I find this strategy patronizing. Does Martin think I'm asleep at the wheel over here? If I have to hear any of Martin's repetitive phrases again, I think I'll stick him with the pointy end. If he had a nickel for each time he wrote these lines.... "I am the blood of the dragon" "Fear cuts deeper than swords" "Fire cannot kill a dragon" "Winter is coming" "the stallion who will mount the world" "corn,corn,corn,corn,corn,corn" "She wished Jon was there to muss up her hair and call her little sister" "You don't want to wake the dragon, do you?" "I am almost a man grown" "as she bit her bottom lip" "blood of my blood" and the list goes on. Ending The book ends suddenly with no wrapping up of any plot lines. I was a bit stunned when my mp3 player just stopped. The entire Stark family is spread thinly across the lands, having accomplished nothing. I suppose this would compel some readers to jump right into the second book, but it just put another nail in the Martin coffin for me. Perhaps his editors told him that trying to sell a 20,000 page book was a bad idea so he divided his tome into 7 equal piles and submitted it that way. I guess we were fortunate that book #1 didn't end mid-sentence.
If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought. ~Dennis Roth
Zombies and Dragons 835 pages and I am wondering why the reviews mentioned anything about either of these fantastical creatures. Each are alluded to but neither creature forms any part of the so called plot. Sorry to disappoint, zombie lovers. Women's Roles No important characters are women. None. Women are simply walking wombs. Oh - I hope you don't have problems with hearing graphic details about each of their multiple rapes.
I really wanted to like this series. From the rumors, I thought it had potential. But now I am free and can move on to something well-written and cerebral! ...more
How did this get on my kobo book list? I thought that perhaps someone had recommended it to me so I gave it a shot. A 10 year old must have been writiHow did this get on my kobo book list? I thought that perhaps someone had recommended it to me so I gave it a shot. A 10 year old must have been writing it since each important character was given a few paragraphs which described her appearance and her background. There was not even a whiff of a plot. I didn't even bother to get through all the introductions. Life is too short. (no stars)...more
This adventure should have ended long ago. The first book was awesome, the second book was okay (except for the nonsensical ending) and this third booThis adventure should have ended long ago. The first book was awesome, the second book was okay (except for the nonsensical ending) and this third book was a plain silly waste of valuable reading time. Apparently the concussion that Katniss suffered at the end of book two caused her to become a crazy person. Despite her inability to function in her new life and in her new district 13 home, she is relied upon, by the President no less, to head up the rebellion and save Panem. Her role is simply that of a figure-head model, with endless hair and make-up consultations, who is filmed doing fake brave stuff to spur on the real rebels. But when she is not the centre of attention, she is curled up in storage closets, making knots in a short piece of rope and drifting in and out of a morphling stupor. All the while, she is whining about how difficult her life is, lamenting the curse of having two lovers, and hurling insults and insensitive comments at anyone who tries to show patience and sympathy. When she is out for her photo shoots, she is a loose cannon and predictably brings destruction and death to the districts she visits. She makes unrealistic demands on her superiors and is rebellious in an endangering way. She believes that everyone is conspiring against her, yet is surprised and hurt when no one trusts her judgment. Collins wraps the whole trilogy up in a tidy little one-page epilogue, with all the unanswered, loose ends supposedly satisfied by (view spoiler)[marriage and children (hide spoiler)]. Blech.
The only positive side is that (view spoiler)[Gale (hide spoiler)] can now pat himself on the back since he didn't boff the crazy chick....more
I tried to read this for the Book-Of-The-Month club on Ladies and Lit. I kept putting it down in order to read anything else that crossed my path. EveI tried to read this for the Book-Of-The-Month club on Ladies and Lit. I kept putting it down in order to read anything else that crossed my path. Eventually, after getting through about 50% of it, I decided to abandon it, as it was taking up too much of my very valuable reading time. I enjoyed the sections which delved into the past history (1340 AD) of Romeo and Juliet, but I found the modern counterparts to be childish and flat. I really disliked Julie and her obsessive efforts to be different (therefore quirky and unattractive) from her sister. I think I need a new book club.......more
There are some books that you simply cannot put down. This is not one of those. In fact, it was almost painful to pick it up. Sometimes I even chose tThere are some books that you simply cannot put down. This is not one of those. In fact, it was almost painful to pick it up. Sometimes I even chose to do something other than read in order to avoid it. As I read, I found myself wondering how on earth did this book end up in my 'to read' shelf. I remember now that it came from a friend's book club reading list, which is surprising since the other books listed have warranted 4 or more stars from me. The heroine is insecure and negative, yet sees herself as witty and charming. Oh, and fat. She goes on and on about being size 16. Yet as far as I know, size 16 is barely above the average size for an american woman. If this is what the current 20-somethings take as good literature, the future is truly bleak. Blech....more
I didn't find this book very funny and I doubt that I'll sample any other Bryson books. I found his ignorance about living outdoors and his incompetenI didn't find this book very funny and I doubt that I'll sample any other Bryson books. I found his ignorance about living outdoors and his incompetence throughout his AT hikes to be endless and predictable. He does a marvellous job of making the wilderness seem oppressive and uncomfortable. If your idea of adventure is taking the trash out during a rain storm, this book is for you. He will convince you to stay at home....more
I missed the boat on this one. Not only do I not understand the plot (if there was one) or the characters (were there really 17 people with the same nI missed the boat on this one. Not only do I not understand the plot (if there was one) or the characters (were there really 17 people with the same name?), but I also do not understand why this book has been so widely acclaimed. It is filled with non-nonsensical stories of memory loss, insomnia and dreams. It simply feels like one of those masterpieces that professors assign and the students write essays about the deeper meaning within. Too advanced for me....more
If you are considering suicide, this is the book that will push you over the edge. The key themes are hopelessness, bleakness, oppression, passive-aggIf you are considering suicide, this is the book that will push you over the edge. The key themes are hopelessness, bleakness, oppression, passive-aggression and infidelity. Besides, it is a complete copy of Wuthering Heights, set in the USA in 1980. Skip it. ...more
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