After plowing through Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter with still some weeks of October left, I decided to keep with my spooky-genre and read W.G. Griffiths' Driven.
This book has been collecting dust on my shelf for almost a decade, surviving multiple cross-state moves and a dog who likes to eat books. So I brought it down, dusted it off, read the back, and started on the Driven journey, which was - as it happened - full of cheese.
Griffiths' novel reminded me a lot of a Dan Brown or James Patterson; short sentences, equally short chapters, and a great deal of pontificating. The main difference is that Griffiths' is no match for those seasoned authors, experts at weaving intrigue with mystery, drama, romance, and just enough horror to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. But what I appreciated most about Driven is that the crux of the story wasn't to exploit the worst traits of the human population, as most of the horror genre seems geared towards. The culprit - spoiler alert that's easily accessible from reading the back cover - is a supernatural force, stronger than any human, that's been around since the beginning of the beginning.
Gavin Pierce is a police detective, taking the weekend off at pseudo Sea World with his grandfather, when a seemingly drunk driver causes a horrific accident that kills Gavin's grandfather and a host of others, his only calling cards being a lobster claw, too many empty beer cans to count, a dead passenger, and the crumpled mess that was the passenger's car. The most eerie and unexpected result, however, is that the driver manages to escape the carnage with barely a scrape or bruise. Clearly Pierce is dealing with something he never had to before.
Pierce quickly bands together a hodgepodge a civilian superheros to track, find, and apprehend the monster, including fellow detectives, a hypnotist, one lone survivor, a victim's sister-in-law, and a Reverend with a wooden chest he refuses to leave behind or let open.
The story is interesting, keeps you hooked, and winds you down a path of various unexpected, and sometimes obscure, pieces to the puzzle. There is, however, something lacking in the writing that reminds you of the first adjective-laden story you produced as a plucky 6th grader. The emotions are expressed in such a way that the reader almost feels forced to believe this is actually how the character is feeling.
The book has the appropriate amount of surprising twists, and the ending is a true mystery unless you're well-versed in the art of deliverance. It didn't leave me reeling, though; didn't leave me wanting more and I could give the book to charity and not wonder what happened to it days, months, or years from now. It didn't stick with me and there's a part of me that is disappointed I didn't spend my time reading something more Halloween-ish. Then again, any book I add to my done-reading list is a positive.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter
Another great husband-find, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, arrived to me via birthday wrapping and a husband unwilling to wait 12 hours for me to open one of his presents. Good thing, too since I started the book early the next morning and was subsequently hooked (and totally one of those naive enough to believe some of it might be real).
I'm pretty wet behind the ears when it comes to Lincoln's history, so I can only assume there is much more to his story then what lies within these 336 pages. But what a reader will find is interesting, enthralling, captivating, heart-stopping, heart-wrenching, suspenseful, and definitely worth the time and effort.
The author, Seth Grahame-Smith, creates a world in which we already know of Lincoln's accomplishments, but not the extent to which they were brought to fruition; his secrets, his secret battles, his secret allies, and the feelings, thoughts, and memories he kept locked within his heart. The author claims to have found Lincoln's journal, one in which he details his vampire expeditions, and other things only a journal could know.
The book is written in such a way as to convey biography, complete with one-can-only-assume-accurate footnotes. Lincoln's life begins in hardship, his mother taken too soon with only the cold shoulder of his father for comfort. When he realizes the real perpetrators of his mother's death, he vows to rid America of vampires, and thus paves the way for future Buffy the Vampire Slayers.
Grahame-Smith expertly weaves a tale of fantasy and politics, taking careful note that the two are often intertwined. He recites the life of Lincoln with fun - and plausible, if you believe in that sort of thing - ways to fill the gaps.
A great October read, I will be passing along to my friends for an entertaining fright, and recommending to anyone who happens by this page.
I'm pretty wet behind the ears when it comes to Lincoln's history, so I can only assume there is much more to his story then what lies within these 336 pages. But what a reader will find is interesting, enthralling, captivating, heart-stopping, heart-wrenching, suspenseful, and definitely worth the time and effort.
The author, Seth Grahame-Smith, creates a world in which we already know of Lincoln's accomplishments, but not the extent to which they were brought to fruition; his secrets, his secret battles, his secret allies, and the feelings, thoughts, and memories he kept locked within his heart. The author claims to have found Lincoln's journal, one in which he details his vampire expeditions, and other things only a journal could know.
The book is written in such a way as to convey biography, complete with one-can-only-assume-accurate footnotes. Lincoln's life begins in hardship, his mother taken too soon with only the cold shoulder of his father for comfort. When he realizes the real perpetrators of his mother's death, he vows to rid America of vampires, and thus paves the way for future Buffy the Vampire Slayers.
Grahame-Smith expertly weaves a tale of fantasy and politics, taking careful note that the two are often intertwined. He recites the life of Lincoln with fun - and plausible, if you believe in that sort of thing - ways to fill the gaps.
A great October read, I will be passing along to my friends for an entertaining fright, and recommending to anyone who happens by this page.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
The Book of Mormon Girl
Do you ever get into these modes where all you eat is Greek yogurt; or Ramen noodles; or popcorn? Then don't want to look at it for awhile? Yeah, I'm that way with books. Ok, and food too.
After finishing Thirteen Reasons Why, I just didn't feel a draw to any particular book. I tried to pick up a few, including The Friday Night Knitting Club, and Fifty Shades Darker, but it just wasn't happenin'. Then one night while watching The Colbert Report, his guest was Joanna Brooks, author of The Book of Mormon Girl, and suddenly my book-interest was revived. She was so down-to-earth and enigmatic (a Liberal Mormon!), it almost made me want to become a Mormon. But I thought it best to read the book first.
The next day, I went out and picked it up at my local bookseller (sorry, peeps, it's a new release, so by "local bookseller" I mean Barnes and Noble) and was hooked that night, which wasn't hard to do since there are barely 200 pages.
The limited number of pages also meant, however, that there was a certain meat lacking to the story. Brooks gave time and effort to a few anecdotes, but the majority of the book felt more girl-looking-in than girl-navigating-life-and-faith. By the end, I felt the lack of pages represented about 3/4 of the book, or - more appropriate - 3/4 of the story.
Brooks begins her navigation through life with the most open of hearts towards the faith that was thrust upon her. Not that she has any remorse; to this day she continues to be a practicing Mormon. She observes her mother tirelessly research the family lineage in order to properly baptize them all, and to forever record them among the family history. She followers her parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and bonus aunts and uncles through the blind faith that is faith, knowing nothing more than that she wants to belong.
But as Brooks gets older and experiences the trial and tribulations of life that are not separated by faith, she often finds the two conflicting, with her confusion, doubt, anxiety, and multitude of unanswered and possibly unanswerable questions the only outcome.
If nothing else, Brooks provides us all with an unwavering loyalty towards herself. Whether it be her level of dedication to presenting her best self to the world (taking a moment to bow down to Marie Osmond and the extents to which she took to primp), or her underlying desire to ensure her own happiness.
Aside from her level of self-acceptance, we have much to learn from Ms. Brooks. She offers a very interesting perspective of the world, and offers points of view one wouldn't normally consider. Like I said, the only disappointing factor was that the book wasn't longer. If that's not a complaint wrapped in a compliment, I don't know what is.
(Update: My friend and book club amiga, Mer, read the book and enjoyed it as well. It also - naturally - sparked some very interesting conversation.)
After finishing Thirteen Reasons Why, I just didn't feel a draw to any particular book. I tried to pick up a few, including The Friday Night Knitting Club, and Fifty Shades Darker, but it just wasn't happenin'. Then one night while watching The Colbert Report, his guest was Joanna Brooks, author of The Book of Mormon Girl, and suddenly my book-interest was revived. She was so down-to-earth and enigmatic (a Liberal Mormon!), it almost made me want to become a Mormon. But I thought it best to read the book first.
The next day, I went out and picked it up at my local bookseller (sorry, peeps, it's a new release, so by "local bookseller" I mean Barnes and Noble) and was hooked that night, which wasn't hard to do since there are barely 200 pages.
The limited number of pages also meant, however, that there was a certain meat lacking to the story. Brooks gave time and effort to a few anecdotes, but the majority of the book felt more girl-looking-in than girl-navigating-life-and-faith. By the end, I felt the lack of pages represented about 3/4 of the book, or - more appropriate - 3/4 of the story.
Brooks begins her navigation through life with the most open of hearts towards the faith that was thrust upon her. Not that she has any remorse; to this day she continues to be a practicing Mormon. She observes her mother tirelessly research the family lineage in order to properly baptize them all, and to forever record them among the family history. She followers her parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and bonus aunts and uncles through the blind faith that is faith, knowing nothing more than that she wants to belong.
But as Brooks gets older and experiences the trial and tribulations of life that are not separated by faith, she often finds the two conflicting, with her confusion, doubt, anxiety, and multitude of unanswered and possibly unanswerable questions the only outcome.
If nothing else, Brooks provides us all with an unwavering loyalty towards herself. Whether it be her level of dedication to presenting her best self to the world (taking a moment to bow down to Marie Osmond and the extents to which she took to primp), or her underlying desire to ensure her own happiness.
Aside from her level of self-acceptance, we have much to learn from Ms. Brooks. She offers a very interesting perspective of the world, and offers points of view one wouldn't normally consider. Like I said, the only disappointing factor was that the book wasn't longer. If that's not a complaint wrapped in a compliment, I don't know what is.
(Update: My friend and book club amiga, Mer, read the book and enjoyed it as well. It also - naturally - sparked some very interesting conversation.)
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Thirteen Reasons Why
Every summer, our book club takes a break from meetings since it's too hard to schedule them with sporting events and games, vacations, and everything else that makes summer busy. But we do choose a page-y novel to read as our summer book, to be discussed upon meeting again in September. This summer, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher was the pick and it took me barely a week to finish. It was a relatively simple read, categorized as Young Adult, but offered a very clear message with events that will mature even those who still can't say the word vagina without snickering.
Clay Jensen, a high-schooler, comes home one day to a package waiting on his doorstep. It doesn't have a return address, but who isn't excited to receive a package? He is quickly disappointed to learn the shoe-sized box is full of cassette tapes made by the late Hannah Baker, a fellow student who committed suicide just short of Clay receiving the tapes. There are 13 recordings, sides A and B, and each tell a story relating a classmate to a reason why she killed herself; the 13 reasons/people why.
As a premise, the story is a little hard to swallow. Personally, I find it difficult to accept blame for something somebody did when I wasn't aware I was doing anything; to not only selfishly commit suicide, but then unload the blame on my doorstep for me to live with the rest of my life when we could have worked it out in person and gotten over it. Clay vacillated between hurt, anger, and sadness that he'd never get to know her better, but was ultimately grateful he understood her better, and discovered more about his classmates.
The deal is this: the 13 people on the tapes must keep the chain going, listen to all 13 stories, and pass them along to the person whose story is told after theirs. If they break the chain, a second set of tapes "will get out." The threat seems a bit of over-kill, but there actually are some issues that could get certain people in some legal hot water.
Without a doubt, the book is a page-turner (unless you're like me and take it along on Girls' Weekend), with every chapter a new story on a side of a cassette tape. Sometimes you think the worst, and sometimes you hope for the best, and there are some parts I found downright confusing or a bit of a stretch. In my personal opinion, each scenario - taken separately - doesn't, in my mind, equal ending one's life. That is such a final, ultimate decision that strips away so many things from so many people. But the overall moral of the story is that you never really know what someone is going through, and that a small act of kindness isn't too many steps ahead of being selfish or inconsiderate. Regardless of the meat of the story, or real lack-thereof, the book can teach us all something about ourselves and how we choose to interact with people, especially those we don't really know.
Clay Jensen, a high-schooler, comes home one day to a package waiting on his doorstep. It doesn't have a return address, but who isn't excited to receive a package? He is quickly disappointed to learn the shoe-sized box is full of cassette tapes made by the late Hannah Baker, a fellow student who committed suicide just short of Clay receiving the tapes. There are 13 recordings, sides A and B, and each tell a story relating a classmate to a reason why she killed herself; the 13 reasons/people why.
As a premise, the story is a little hard to swallow. Personally, I find it difficult to accept blame for something somebody did when I wasn't aware I was doing anything; to not only selfishly commit suicide, but then unload the blame on my doorstep for me to live with the rest of my life when we could have worked it out in person and gotten over it. Clay vacillated between hurt, anger, and sadness that he'd never get to know her better, but was ultimately grateful he understood her better, and discovered more about his classmates.
The deal is this: the 13 people on the tapes must keep the chain going, listen to all 13 stories, and pass them along to the person whose story is told after theirs. If they break the chain, a second set of tapes "will get out." The threat seems a bit of over-kill, but there actually are some issues that could get certain people in some legal hot water.
Without a doubt, the book is a page-turner (unless you're like me and take it along on Girls' Weekend), with every chapter a new story on a side of a cassette tape. Sometimes you think the worst, and sometimes you hope for the best, and there are some parts I found downright confusing or a bit of a stretch. In my personal opinion, each scenario - taken separately - doesn't, in my mind, equal ending one's life. That is such a final, ultimate decision that strips away so many things from so many people. But the overall moral of the story is that you never really know what someone is going through, and that a small act of kindness isn't too many steps ahead of being selfish or inconsiderate. Regardless of the meat of the story, or real lack-thereof, the book can teach us all something about ourselves and how we choose to interact with people, especially those we don't really know.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
The Lake of Dead Languages
It only took me two years, containing a pregnancy and that child almost reaching the age of 2, for me to finally finish this book. And it's taken me almost as long to write this review. Well, if we're being honest, it took that amount of time, and about 130 pages, for me to get hooked. Once that happened, finishing it proved to be no problem. Although, what stood in my way when I previously tried to read Carol Goodman's The Lake of Dead Languages also proved to be an issue this time around. The one difference: I wasn't pregnant this time, which I firmly believe messes with your concentration and mental energy, and even eyesight.
As a previous card-carrying member of the OCD club (having children will rid you of that to a certain extent), I could never leave a book unfinished. And no matter how bad the story might have been, there was always a small part of me that wanted to know how it ended, no matter how lame. Like that joke your coworker tells you that you don't think is as funny as she does; it's still interesting to a certain degree.
This lukewarm sentiment is exactly how I felt about The Lake of Dead Languages. Based in a Latin class at a boarding school for girls in the Adirondacks, Jane Hudson - an "old girl," - finds her past has come back to haunt her, but for what reason she isn't able to figure out. Unless the campfire stories they tell about the lake are true.....
Jane knows for certain one way or the other, and knows the lake was merely a pawn - and weapon - in the dramas that unfold in the book's present day, as well as 20 years prior, when Jane was a Latin student herself. While the consequences were intriguing - suicides, drownings, murders - the causes weren't so much and, I felt, a bit of a reach. If anything, the book proved girls will be horrendous to each other for no obvious reason, 20 years ago, 100 years ago, 1000 years ago, and present day. The Lake of Dead Languages was nothing more than bullying to the extreme, which really only left me disappointed.
But it's easy to get sucked into the idea that something supernatural is taking place; after reading Twilight and Harry Potter, anything is just about acceptable. I guess I just have low tolerance for stories that remind me all to well of how awful human kind can be.
I've definitely read better stories, and I've definitely read worse, so Goodman's novel wasn't a complete waste of time; it definitely served it's purpose while driving through Wyoming. *snnnnoooorrreee*
There isn't much to say about the characters, at least that I feel is worth mentioning. Mostly, they're like everyone else, just with very unfortunate accidents and/or results. The Lake of Dead Languages is a classic tale of wanting to fit in, have friends, and feel a part of something. The story could have used some tweaking, and didn't need nearly the 400 pages to tell it, but, like I said, not a complete waste of time. Set during the fall and winter, I think I mostly enjoyed it because it provided some mental relief from the intense summer heat. So, thanks!
As a previous card-carrying member of the OCD club (having children will rid you of that to a certain extent), I could never leave a book unfinished. And no matter how bad the story might have been, there was always a small part of me that wanted to know how it ended, no matter how lame. Like that joke your coworker tells you that you don't think is as funny as she does; it's still interesting to a certain degree.
This lukewarm sentiment is exactly how I felt about The Lake of Dead Languages. Based in a Latin class at a boarding school for girls in the Adirondacks, Jane Hudson - an "old girl," - finds her past has come back to haunt her, but for what reason she isn't able to figure out. Unless the campfire stories they tell about the lake are true.....
Jane knows for certain one way or the other, and knows the lake was merely a pawn - and weapon - in the dramas that unfold in the book's present day, as well as 20 years prior, when Jane was a Latin student herself. While the consequences were intriguing - suicides, drownings, murders - the causes weren't so much and, I felt, a bit of a reach. If anything, the book proved girls will be horrendous to each other for no obvious reason, 20 years ago, 100 years ago, 1000 years ago, and present day. The Lake of Dead Languages was nothing more than bullying to the extreme, which really only left me disappointed.
But it's easy to get sucked into the idea that something supernatural is taking place; after reading Twilight and Harry Potter, anything is just about acceptable. I guess I just have low tolerance for stories that remind me all to well of how awful human kind can be.
I've definitely read better stories, and I've definitely read worse, so Goodman's novel wasn't a complete waste of time; it definitely served it's purpose while driving through Wyoming. *snnnnoooorrreee*
There isn't much to say about the characters, at least that I feel is worth mentioning. Mostly, they're like everyone else, just with very unfortunate accidents and/or results. The Lake of Dead Languages is a classic tale of wanting to fit in, have friends, and feel a part of something. The story could have used some tweaking, and didn't need nearly the 400 pages to tell it, but, like I said, not a complete waste of time. Set during the fall and winter, I think I mostly enjoyed it because it provided some mental relief from the intense summer heat. So, thanks!
Saturday, July 28, 2012
The House of Velvet and Glass
My wonderful husband brought Katherine Howe's The House of Velvet and Glass home for me for Mother's Day, seeing the picture of the Titanic on the front and knowing I'm a complete sucker for the fated ship and anything having to do with it (thank you Leo and Kate). While this book entertained me for a good hour total, I found it lacking in several ways, and oftentimes very confusing.
To start, the synopsis reads: "......But when her brother is mysteriously kicked out of Harvard under mysterious circumstances, and falls under the sway of a strange young woman, Sibyl turns for help to psychology professor Benton Derby, despite the unspoken tensions of their shared past. As Benton and Sibyl work together to solve a harrowing mystery, their long-simmering spark flares to life, and they realize that there may be something even more magical between them than a medium's scrying glass......The House of Velvet and Glass weaves together meticulous period detail, intoxicating romance, and a final shocking twist that will leave readers breathless."
I applaud Howe's attempt at suspense and drama but, for me, it just didn't quite hit the mark; and - to start - I was confused as to why her first novel was a New York Times Bestseller, which is of a similar genre. Quite honestly, though, I haven't read it, and, even more honestly, based on this book, I won't be rushing out to read any of her others. Where Howe comes off as dramatic and cliff-hanger-y is actually more confusing; and the weird Interludes between certain chapters is just distracting. And I don't know if it was that or just the story in general that made it seemed like it dragged on forever; never in my reading career have I actually taken more than 2 days to read the last 3 pages of a book. Moreover, this was the first book I gave up on the epilogue halfway though, and didn't even attempt the afterward.
Howe's main character, Sibyl, escapes the tragedy of the sinking of the Titanic by visiting a fortune teller, complete with all the tricks of the trade. But although that was all smoke and mirrors, Sibyl learns her talent for seeing is not, and is in fact, something that has touched her family before, besides her mother being hooked on this particular activity. As an homage, I suppose, Sibyl continued and discovered its apparent usefulness.
What it amounted to for the reader, however, was a lot of blind corners that, instead of leaving the reader breathless, leaved them scratching their heads. And with so many different characters named "Lannie" it was easy to get discombobulated.
I just have to interject, having a crucial character head off to war after a night of passion is something written by male romance writers. Shame on you, Katherine! My heart actually hurt at that moment. I realize it was her attempt at drama and heart-wrenching romance, but it came off as just cruel. Sorry for any spoiling, there.
By the time I buckled down and finished the book - something that eventually just started to feel like a monkey on my back - PUN! - I still hadn't detected the main selling points of the inside-flap synopsis. Why was Harlan kicked out of Harvard? The characters figured it out based on polite head-nods and over-simplified sentences, but, I, the reader, was still left in the dark. And what was really up with the "strange young woman?" Was it all really just because she was an actress? Or was that really just her way of saying she was a streetwalker, as all of the other characters suspected?
Most plaguing, what was the "harrowing mystery"? I was concerned I hadn't figured it out 200 pages in, but - and I don't know if I've mentioned this before - I can be a bit slow at times...most times.....
For most of the book, Sibyl kept her talents to herself, and then the process of revealing them to others was very long and drawn out, and, apparently, required an eventual trip to rehab. I hope the characters knew what mystery they were selected to solve because I sure couldn't wrap my head around it.
While fun, the historical accuracy wasn't anything more than you could pull off from an hour from hanging out on google. And the romance wasn't anything spectacular, but more reminiscent of demure high school days when you silently brooded for your heart's desire instead of pursuing it.
In the end, the book was worth it to me because my husband had thought enough to get it for me. Beyond that, the author didn't keep me hooked, and I spent more time questioning the characters than being captivated by them. And it left me with one burning question still hanging in the air: what was the shocking twist that was to leave me breathless??
If you ask me, I did a lot of sighing throughout this book.
To start, the synopsis reads: "......But when her brother is mysteriously kicked out of Harvard under mysterious circumstances, and falls under the sway of a strange young woman, Sibyl turns for help to psychology professor Benton Derby, despite the unspoken tensions of their shared past. As Benton and Sibyl work together to solve a harrowing mystery, their long-simmering spark flares to life, and they realize that there may be something even more magical between them than a medium's scrying glass......The House of Velvet and Glass weaves together meticulous period detail, intoxicating romance, and a final shocking twist that will leave readers breathless."
I applaud Howe's attempt at suspense and drama but, for me, it just didn't quite hit the mark; and - to start - I was confused as to why her first novel was a New York Times Bestseller, which is of a similar genre. Quite honestly, though, I haven't read it, and, even more honestly, based on this book, I won't be rushing out to read any of her others. Where Howe comes off as dramatic and cliff-hanger-y is actually more confusing; and the weird Interludes between certain chapters is just distracting. And I don't know if it was that or just the story in general that made it seemed like it dragged on forever; never in my reading career have I actually taken more than 2 days to read the last 3 pages of a book. Moreover, this was the first book I gave up on the epilogue halfway though, and didn't even attempt the afterward.
Howe's main character, Sibyl, escapes the tragedy of the sinking of the Titanic by visiting a fortune teller, complete with all the tricks of the trade. But although that was all smoke and mirrors, Sibyl learns her talent for seeing is not, and is in fact, something that has touched her family before, besides her mother being hooked on this particular activity. As an homage, I suppose, Sibyl continued and discovered its apparent usefulness.
What it amounted to for the reader, however, was a lot of blind corners that, instead of leaving the reader breathless, leaved them scratching their heads. And with so many different characters named "Lannie" it was easy to get discombobulated.
I just have to interject, having a crucial character head off to war after a night of passion is something written by male romance writers. Shame on you, Katherine! My heart actually hurt at that moment. I realize it was her attempt at drama and heart-wrenching romance, but it came off as just cruel. Sorry for any spoiling, there.
By the time I buckled down and finished the book - something that eventually just started to feel like a monkey on my back - PUN! - I still hadn't detected the main selling points of the inside-flap synopsis. Why was Harlan kicked out of Harvard? The characters figured it out based on polite head-nods and over-simplified sentences, but, I, the reader, was still left in the dark. And what was really up with the "strange young woman?" Was it all really just because she was an actress? Or was that really just her way of saying she was a streetwalker, as all of the other characters suspected?
Most plaguing, what was the "harrowing mystery"? I was concerned I hadn't figured it out 200 pages in, but - and I don't know if I've mentioned this before - I can be a bit slow at times...most times.....
For most of the book, Sibyl kept her talents to herself, and then the process of revealing them to others was very long and drawn out, and, apparently, required an eventual trip to rehab. I hope the characters knew what mystery they were selected to solve because I sure couldn't wrap my head around it.
While fun, the historical accuracy wasn't anything more than you could pull off from an hour from hanging out on google. And the romance wasn't anything spectacular, but more reminiscent of demure high school days when you silently brooded for your heart's desire instead of pursuing it.
In the end, the book was worth it to me because my husband had thought enough to get it for me. Beyond that, the author didn't keep me hooked, and I spent more time questioning the characters than being captivated by them. And it left me with one burning question still hanging in the air: what was the shocking twist that was to leave me breathless??
If you ask me, I did a lot of sighing throughout this book.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest
I had a love/hate relationship with this series from the very beginning. Not more than 100 pages in and I e-mailed my equally bookish friend: "Have you read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? It's so awful! I'm about 100 pages in and all they've talked about is the state of the Swedish economy!" She e-mailed back: "LOVE those books, especially the third; it was my favorite. Salander is my hero." With that recommendation and a rabid curiosity to find out what on earth a Swedish Ponzi scheme had to do with a girl gone missing more than 40 years ago, I pressed on.
The first book was the final push to be put on antidepressants, and I had to be book-mailed into reading the second (I had to read that, she had to read Marley and Me). But with the abrupt ending of The Girl Who Played with Fire, there really was no question of continuing on to The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
Picking up where the second left off, we're with Salandar after she's been shot in the head, buried alive, and somehow managed to survive it all. Blomkvist, the scrappy journalist who just always manages to show up at the right place at the right time, has done what do one else seems capable of doing: figuring out what happened.
He found Lisbeth is the nick of time and she spends most of this book looked in the hospital. Complicating matters is that her psychopathic father - consequently, the one who helped shoot and bury her - is locked in the same hospital after receiving a blow to the face with an ax. So, my first question is, how on earth are these people surviving this stuff? For the most part, these books are a little more reality than I'm equipped to handle, until we get to the violence and then it's like everyone turns into Batman.
Despite being a complete lunatic, Salander's father presses charges, in addition to the one's she's already facing, so now she must be put on trial. Which means the secrets she's kept for so long are all about to come out.
As we know, Salandar has an aversion to authority and has a bad habit of refusing most of the help she's offered. But unless she finally breaks down and tells her story, her case has too many holes to clear her name. So with the help of a plucky young doctor and a janitor who knows a little too much about Iraqi authority, Salandar tells her story.
In spite of my reservations concerning the story, my heart was pounding through the entire book. It's very cat-and-mouse, and who's brain is faster than the other? And it is sometimes comical with the abundance of investigators snooping around Sweden.
It doesn't keep you guessing, most of the characters are already doing that anyway, but it does keep you wanting more. This book - well, the story as a whole - also has the potential to create more conspiracy theorists. As a citizen, I can read a news story about a liquor store hold-up and not believe anything different, but what if it really *is* some big government scam?
More than anything, I applaud the author, Stieg Larsson, who is able to interweave story and characters so magnificent it makes the head spin. I constantly found myself thinking, where does he come up with this stuff??
On an unrelated note, mostly because I don't understand what the Amazon excerpts have to do with the story besides making you think of something else for a moment, this book interested me in Amazons of Black Sparta: The Women's Regiment of Dahomey. I wasn't aware that such little was known about Amazons, and that most of it was considered legend or untrue.
As always, I recommend reading Larsson's series before seeing the movies. It's an incredibly enthralling story with many different pieces that fit together just so. It shows you the good guys and the bad guys, but that there are usually more good guys.
The first book was the final push to be put on antidepressants, and I had to be book-mailed into reading the second (I had to read that, she had to read Marley and Me). But with the abrupt ending of The Girl Who Played with Fire, there really was no question of continuing on to The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
Picking up where the second left off, we're with Salandar after she's been shot in the head, buried alive, and somehow managed to survive it all. Blomkvist, the scrappy journalist who just always manages to show up at the right place at the right time, has done what do one else seems capable of doing: figuring out what happened.
He found Lisbeth is the nick of time and she spends most of this book looked in the hospital. Complicating matters is that her psychopathic father - consequently, the one who helped shoot and bury her - is locked in the same hospital after receiving a blow to the face with an ax. So, my first question is, how on earth are these people surviving this stuff? For the most part, these books are a little more reality than I'm equipped to handle, until we get to the violence and then it's like everyone turns into Batman.
Despite being a complete lunatic, Salander's father presses charges, in addition to the one's she's already facing, so now she must be put on trial. Which means the secrets she's kept for so long are all about to come out.
As we know, Salandar has an aversion to authority and has a bad habit of refusing most of the help she's offered. But unless she finally breaks down and tells her story, her case has too many holes to clear her name. So with the help of a plucky young doctor and a janitor who knows a little too much about Iraqi authority, Salandar tells her story.
In spite of my reservations concerning the story, my heart was pounding through the entire book. It's very cat-and-mouse, and who's brain is faster than the other? And it is sometimes comical with the abundance of investigators snooping around Sweden.
It doesn't keep you guessing, most of the characters are already doing that anyway, but it does keep you wanting more. This book - well, the story as a whole - also has the potential to create more conspiracy theorists. As a citizen, I can read a news story about a liquor store hold-up and not believe anything different, but what if it really *is* some big government scam?
More than anything, I applaud the author, Stieg Larsson, who is able to interweave story and characters so magnificent it makes the head spin. I constantly found myself thinking, where does he come up with this stuff??
On an unrelated note, mostly because I don't understand what the Amazon excerpts have to do with the story besides making you think of something else for a moment, this book interested me in Amazons of Black Sparta: The Women's Regiment of Dahomey. I wasn't aware that such little was known about Amazons, and that most of it was considered legend or untrue.
As always, I recommend reading Larsson's series before seeing the movies. It's an incredibly enthralling story with many different pieces that fit together just so. It shows you the good guys and the bad guys, but that there are usually more good guys.
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