Thoroughly fun, thoroughly enjoyable. A quick little read that delivers on some big laughs. Yes, it's gimmicky --even kitschy-- but still worth readinThoroughly fun, thoroughly enjoyable. A quick little read that delivers on some big laughs. Yes, it's gimmicky --even kitschy-- but still worth reading because you will forget about life for awhile .... and laugh, oh my how you will giggle and smirk and snort....more
Written in a simple almost childish style, but nevertheless, a compelling, heart-breaking account of life inside the FLDS. The stuff of nightmares actWritten in a simple almost childish style, but nevertheless, a compelling, heart-breaking account of life inside the FLDS. The stuff of nightmares actually. Parts of this book made my blood boil and left me feeling so helpless and frustrated. This is not a book you “enjoy”; rather, one to inform....more
2015 re-read. Magical, wondrous, crazy series continues to feel magical, wondrous and crazy. Like Warren Ellis in his introduction to this volume, I t 2015 re-read. Magical, wondrous, crazy series continues to feel magical, wondrous and crazy. Like Warren Ellis in his introduction to this volume, I too want to find a key that opens up Joe Hill's head and steal from within all the "clever bits" -- because Mr. Hill is just too clever for his own damn good. Can this series possibly end as Herculean strong as it's begun? Also, a resounding standing ovation for the artwork of Gabriel Rodriguez.
2012 review: If you've yet to begin on the wondrous and amazing journey that is Joe Hill's Locke and Key series, what are you waiting for? An engraved invitation? Life is short and our TBR piles huge, but this one? This one you absolutely, unequivocally do not want to miss.
It's so charming and whimsical, a touch of fairy tale mixed in to a raw and rollicking story about grief and loss, ghosts and monsters, mysterious doors and the magical keys that open them. It's about childhood and family and sibling bonds.
And it all comes back to the keys scattered about the magisterial and aptly named Keyhouse that holds a dark and dangerous secret. ...more
I was really hoping for a lot more here. Take away the language and poetry from Shakespeare and you're left with something not much better than Cliff'I was really hoping for a lot more here. Take away the language and poetry from Shakespeare and you're left with something not much better than Cliff's Notes (remember those?) Making Shakespeare more accessible to teen audiences is a lofty goal, but I'm not convinced this is the way to do it. At the end of the day, I don't think compromising Shakespeare is worth it. ...more
Immensely enjoyable read about the devastating powers of peer pressure and conformity. If it's happening to the other guy, it's not happening to me. WImmensely enjoyable read about the devastating powers of peer pressure and conformity. If it's happening to the other guy, it's not happening to me. We learn that early on and too many people take this lesson into their adult lives. We need to teach our children to be courageous and stand up for what's right.
Canada's Chocolate War. Sure to appeal to a teen audience....more
I had hoped this book to move me, to bring me to tears, to make me think, to give me pause, to make me appreciate the fleeting nature of life, or at lI had hoped this book to move me, to bring me to tears, to make me think, to give me pause, to make me appreciate the fleeting nature of life, or at least to offer prose that is worth savoring and reading aloud. Perhaps my expectations were just too darn high for such a little book because I experienced none of this. I did not feel connected to the main characters, hence their plight did not elicit the empathy it should have. Oddly a book that should have been so emotional, I finished completely emotionless. Shame really. ...more
Man, for sheer suspense and page-turning storytelling, its hard to beat Joy Fielding. Whenever I’m distracted and just need a solid, pulpy, “woman in Man, for sheer suspense and page-turning storytelling, its hard to beat Joy Fielding. Whenever I’m distracted and just need a solid, pulpy, “woman in peril” read, I always turn to her and I’m never disappointed. I can’t figure out her secret ... most of the salient plot points I forget soon after I put the book down, and I couldn’t distinguish her books by title and she applies much the same formula over and over again, BUT while I’m reading I’m totally engaged. The world falls away and the only thing I’m thinking about is the story. That’s quite a feat in my books. ...more
Didn't grab me in the first half like the others in the series, but by the end I was hooked as always. Can't wait to see what happens next. Seriously,Didn't grab me in the first half like the others in the series, but by the end I was hooked as always. Can't wait to see what happens next. Seriously, if you have a reluctant reader in your life, child or adult, recommend this series. You will be doing them a solid!...more
Wonderful graphic novel adaptation of Gaiman's classic nightmare for children. My one criticism would be that I loved Gaiman's ability to conjure suchWonderful graphic novel adaptation of Gaiman's classic nightmare for children. My one criticism would be that I loved Gaiman's ability to conjure such powerful imagery with so few words. By definition, the graphic novel has to be very illustrative and leaves little for imagination and that detracts from the tension and dread. ...more
Sweet book with a lot of heart. Really makes you step back and appreciate all the little joys of living a corporeal life -- like ketchup, tomatoes andSweet book with a lot of heart. Really makes you step back and appreciate all the little joys of living a corporeal life -- like ketchup, tomatoes and kissing :-D Live life fully now, don't regret for eternity. ...more
Just not my thing ... didn't like the narrator and I have a mental block for any book set in India - too exotic a locale for me I guess - I don't haveJust not my thing ... didn't like the narrator and I have a mental block for any book set in India - too exotic a locale for me I guess - I don't have the context and find it challenging to nail down a frame of reference that works. I will confess this book did not get a fair shake from me, just because I've been distracted by other books on my to-read pile. As I write this I'm gazing lovingly at Pat Conroy's new book, South of Broad. Cant' wait! ...more
Not what I was expecting AT ALL. It had its moments in the first 50 pages, then it just went downhill for me after that. I skimmed and jumped around aNot what I was expecting AT ALL. It had its moments in the first 50 pages, then it just went downhill for me after that. I skimmed and jumped around and was never genuinely engaged. I guess I just missed the point....more
Amazing. What could have easily been a sensationalist and exploitive book about a horrific event, in Cullen’s hands becomes a sincere, in-depth analysAmazing. What could have easily been a sensationalist and exploitive book about a horrific event, in Cullen’s hands becomes a sincere, in-depth analysis about adolescent depression and clinical psychopathy. Cullen did his research and it shows – the result is the definitive account of the Columbine massacre and the disturbed minds behind it. Cullen’s approach is thorough; he systematically debunks many of the myths that have surrounded the tragedy for years.
The most pervasive and long-held belief about Columbine of course, is that the perpetrators of the shootings – Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold – were bullied outcasts and that it was the daily abuse they tolerated from their tormentors that drove them to kill. The reality could not have been further from the truth, and Cullen’s revelations about each boy are staggering ... and chilling. Cullen uses Eric Harris to show us psychopaths are born, not made. For me, the other shocking truth Cullen reveals about Columbine is that: “It had not really been intended as a school shooting at all. Primarily, it had been a bombing that failed (p 125).” Had Eric’s maniacal plan succeeded, the death toll for Columbine would have been in the hundreds.
The survivors of Columbine and the families of those not so lucky, show how humans are incredibly resilient. Most picked up the pieces of their lives and moved forward. Their stories humbled me, especially that of Patrick Ireland (a.k.a “The Boy in the Window). A quote by Ernest Hemingway appears in the book that especially captures the resiliency of all those touched by the Columbine massacre: “The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places.”
Delightfully horrid as usual, but lacking in the depth and breadth of others in the series. This is a quick mash-up of one-off short stories that atteDelightfully horrid as usual, but lacking in the depth and breadth of others in the series. This is a quick mash-up of one-off short stories that attempt to fill in the background of some of the major players, like the Spook's early days. Alice's story is disappointingly brief, while the story of how Grimalkin becomes the witch assassin is nasty and terrifying. No mention of Tom's mother either, which was also disappointing. ...more
Simply written, but powerful nonetheless. Yolen does not attempt to trivialize or sanitize the brutal reality of the death camps. Hannah is a reluctanSimply written, but powerful nonetheless. Yolen does not attempt to trivialize or sanitize the brutal reality of the death camps. Hannah is a reluctant hero thrown into an impossible situation. She comes to realize the importance of memory and of bearing witness. An unconventional coming-of-age story... this is speculative fiction at its best.
Part of her revolted against the insanity of the rules. Part of her was grateful. In a world of chaos, any guidelines helped. And she knew that each day she remained alive, she remained alive. One plus one plus one. The Devil's arithmetic...(135)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Fiction cannot recite the numbing numbers, but it can be that witness, that memory. A storyteller can attempt to tell the human tale, can make a galaxy out of the chaos, can point to the fact that some people survived even as most people died. And can remind us that the swallows still sing around the smokestacks.
Okay, I liked this book, but I didn't love it. It was amusing in parts and Jacobs has a delightfully quirky writing style that kept me engaged and reaOkay, I liked this book, but I didn't love it. It was amusing in parts and Jacobs has a delightfully quirky writing style that kept me engaged and reading. He's a bit of a geek -- who suffers from mild OCD -- but he's also an all-around "nice Jewish boy" doing his best to be a good husband and father. Hence, his dubious ambition to live biblically for a year -- the logic being perhaps living a literal interpretation of the Bible will make him a better person, bring him closer to a God that he cannot admit exists, or at least add an element of spirituality to an otherwise secular life.
It's difficult to take Jacobs' approach with any seriousness -- after all, the changes he makes are temporary and ultimately superficial, because at the bottom of it, all that effort is to serve the writing of another pseudo-memoir that hopefully becomes another NYT bestseller. Let's face it -- this is a bit of an ego trip in a quest for fame that's hardly genuinely holy (and to his credit, I think Jacobs realizes this).
In spite of it all, Jacobs' heart is in the right place and after living his biblical year with gusto, he actually emerges from the experience changed for the better. Not fundamentalist changed (thank God, cause we need another one of those like we need a hole in the head) but a little more thoughtful, patient and thankful for the little things. That's a kind of spirituality I can relate and aspire to.
Jacobs' experiment reminded me that the Bible remains a bedtime story for me -- an interesting, bemusing, text that's caused the world as much grief as it has provided humans comfort. The problem with the Bible is that its messages are too easily twisted to support evil agendas, promote intolerance, and justify cruelty. I'm not a practicing anything and live a pretty much secular life. I think organized religion is fraught with risk and does little to nurture genuine faith and spirituality. But I do long for a more spiritual existence and I imagine to have real belief in a higher power must be very comforting indeed. ...more
Not quite what I was expecting. Disappointing overall. Too many plot holes big enough to fly a 747 through. I'm very good at suspending disbelief; in Not quite what I was expecting. Disappointing overall. Too many plot holes big enough to fly a 747 through. I'm very good at suspending disbelief; in fact, I will go along with just about anything for as long as I can if I'm having a good time. But Briant's debut effort simply asked too much of me. My incredulity persisted, if anything becoming stronger as the novel neared its climax. I giggled towards the end because the "twist" shrieked "daytime soap opera". It was just too much. More in the SPOILER section.
Another thing that peeved me about this book is that the main protagonist is a “literary” author and the recipient of a Booker prize. Dermot Nolan has some serious misgivings about taking "horror schlock" seriously. He thinks it’s beneath him. Stephen King is mentioned numerous times, so is the reader supposed to draw the conclusion that King sacrificed writing "literature" to publish things that would sell? Take this quote on page 27:
"You sold three million copies and won a Booker. But Stephen King has sold a hundred times that number because he knows his market. If you want the respect and approbation of the literary community, go ahead and wait another ten years for suitable inspiration. In the meantime why not take a year off and write something less cerebral?"
Less cerebral?! I wonder how much Stephen King Briant has actually read himself? For King he is not. Not even close. Is this Briant’s own insecurity showing through about the genre he has chosen to write in? Deep down, does he resent that HE won’t ever receive a Booker? Well guess what Briant. I hate to break it to you man, but it’s not your choice of genre that’s the problem, rather your inadequate storytelling skills.
The premise for this book shows huge potential -- all the nuts and bolts are there for nail-biting suspense, and Briant achieves it in a few places, just not in enough places. The villain "Dream Healer" reminded me of John Doe (Kevin Spacey) from the David Fincher film Se7en and Jigsaw from the SAW franchise. I was also reminded of the Diane Lane film Untraceable. The problem is, this book isn’t nearly as strong as any of those movies.
Killing people as per their "worst nightmare" is clever, but Briant flubs the execution. The big reveal that Nick Hoyle is the Dream Healer was the biggest let-down. I was "underwhelmed" to say the least. Taking the perfect, supportive "best friend" and unmasking him as the mastermind behind all this horror is just weak. The only thing that would have made it worse is if Dermot’s wife had been in on it too. And Nick’s motivation to suddenly become a sadistic, torturing psychopath? The death of his wife and twin babies due to "negligence" on behalf of a cast of characters? And the discovery that Dermot had slept with Nick’s wife and was indeed the father of those twins? How’s this for melodramatic prose:
"My wife lay dead. My children had been burned to death, and now I was informed that my oldest and dearest friend…had fucked my wife when he’d felt horny one day. You’d actually chosen not to give your own wife children, and then had been so careless, you gave my wife twins."
Cue ominous music. Oy vey ... Oh yeah, and the ultimate revenge comes when Nick buries Dermot alive in the wife's backyard and keeps him alive by feeding him fetid compost???? No way! Can you spell soap opera?
I can let some things go, but not that. I try not to nitpick books; after all, some readers are going to love this novel and have a helluva good time reading it. Our reading responses are so subjective. But horror matters to me, in all of its manifestations. And in my opinion, Briant cheated the genre. Maybe he doesn't know it all that well and only thinks he does ... maybe he underestimated the readers thinking they'll swallow any pill if it's violent and sensationalist enough. Who knows? This is his first try, and it shows potential. My advice to Briant - learn more about your chosen genre and its readers - or try something else next time ... maybe something more "literary".
I've been on a memoir kick lately and this one by Jennifer Boylan is quite enjoyable. Boylan's irreverent wit knows no boundaries, and her candid descI've been on a memoir kick lately and this one by Jennifer Boylan is quite enjoyable. Boylan's irreverent wit knows no boundaries, and her candid descriptions of what it was like to grow up as a boy wishing she was a girl revealed to me a heretofore unimagined life. Boylan's plight struck me as heartbreaking - yet her courage and perseverance are ultimately inspiring. What is this life but our search to uncover who we really are and who we really want to be? At its core, Boylan's memoir is an unconventional coming-of-age tale you won't soon forget.
I did not know quite how to assimilate Boylan's numerous encounters with spirits, mists, and otherworldly bumps in the night. In hindsight, even Boylan questions if she really experienced something supernatural, or if it was herself she was haunting all along:
Was it possible, I thought, as I looked at the woman in the mirror, that it was some future version of myself I'd seen here when I was a child? From the very beginning, had I only been haunting myself? (249)
Whatever the case, whether you take the hauntings as literal or metaphorical, Boylan's honesty about her experiences gives the memoir a unique texture that left me questioning my own beliefs in the possibility of an afterlife. ...more
I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ. Slit me at my belly and it might slide out, meaty and dark, drop on the floor so you could stomp on it.
I have a meanness inside me, real as an organ. Slit me at my belly and it might slide out, meaty and dark, drop on the floor so you could stomp on it....Draw a picture of my soul and it’d be a scribble with fangs.
With her second novel, Gillian Flynn has become one of my favorite authors. She blends genres like a mad genius -- crime, mystery, the macabre, the grotesque, family dysfunction, small town Americana -- taking the reader on dark and disturbing journeys, steeped in contradiction -- where the landscape is both familiar yet strange, soothing yet hostile. Her characters are careful, textured, compositions of flesh and bone. Even when you think you know how it's all gonna end, she finds a way to surprise you. Such talent does not fill me with jealousy, but rather a deep and respectful awe. Her prose is precise, cutting, and courageous -- she does not shrink away from the truth (or going for the jugular). ...more
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