Caity's Book Log

bookw0rm819 @ 2008-03-12T14:52:00

2008-03-12T18:52:20Z

Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

2008-01-25T16:06:10Z

Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
C+

Oskar Schell was probably one of the most amusing narrators I've ever read. Everyone else, not so much. For example, I hated the parts narrated by the grandparents. They were so damn depressing. I ended up skipping over most of their letters because I can't stand the idea of someone married to someone who doesn't love them back. But Oskar was hilarious.

A very creative book... although the ending was a huge disappointment. Way better than "Everything Is Illuminated"... but still. I don't know. I have a feeling that if Foer comes out with another book, I'm going to read it. But I'm not going to like it any better than I've liked his past two.

The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith

2007-12-14T15:10:29Z

The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith

I sat down and read this little book cover to cover in order to see what the upcoming movie is all about. It was a cute children's story... basically a tale of the poor Scottish family that raised the Loch Ness monster, Crusoe, trying to keep him safe and secret. Part of the story was told by Crusoe's point of view, which was amusing.

His Dark Materials Book 3: The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman

2007-12-11T01:01:39Z

His Dark Materials Book 3: The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman
B+

It took me several months to read this book, because the first three hundred pages were absolute rubbish.

However, by the time Mary Malone meets the mulefa, this book became impossible to put down. The journey into the underworld was phenomenal... By far the best book in the series.

The saddest ending I have ever read; I sobbed while reading the last twenty or so pages. NO LIE!

The trilogy as a whole was earth-shattering... positively profound, revolutionary, controversial, and freakin' AWESOME. I'm a Dark Materials fan for life.

Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons

2007-08-22T18:00:35Z

Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons
B-

This book was beautifully narrated by eleven-year-old Ellen, a tough orphan in the sixties who grew up in the south, going from one home to another. I loved every moment of it, only it was one of the shortest things I've ever read. I would have given it an A if there was more to it.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

2007-07-23T19:20:58Z

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
A+ + + + + +

Incredible. Arguably the best series ever written. No, actually, it's not "arguably"-- it IS the best series ever written.

His Dark Materials, Book 2: The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

2007-07-20T07:28:04Z

His Dark Materials, Book 2: The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman
B+

An all-hands-down AWESOME sequel. For a children's book, this is a rather violent and sophisticated thriller, dealing with deep, spiritual, controversial matters. Subtle Knife introduces new, fascinating, three-dimensional characters, both good and evil, yet continues to develop and nurture our familiar friends from the previous story. This tale is not yet over; I still have the last book of the trilogy to complete before I can rate the story as a whole. But so far, I am loving it. *Politely applauds Mr. Pullman*

His Dark Materials Book 1: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

2007-07-15T03:33:17Z

His Dark Materials Book 1: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
B-

I did not read the book myself, but I listened to it on audiobook and was very enchanted. The story was original and filled to the brim with so many spiritual and political mysteries; I hung on to each word as I listened, late into the night, to this fantastic tale about Lyra Belacqua and her daemon Pantalaimon and Dust and The Gobblers and Mrs. Coulter and Lord Asriel. Because I have not finished the entire series, I cannot write a proper review, for technically the story did not end with the end of this book. All I can say is, for a first installment of a fantasy-adventure, I really enjoyed it.

Unfortunately, I do not have the audiobook for His Dark Materials Book 2: The Subtle Knife, but I do have the book and I've begun reading it. Hopefully I can buy the audiobook for The Amber Spyglass by the time I'm finished reading Subtle Knife. I will be sure to review them as soon as I've finished.

Abundance: A Novel Of Marie Antoinette by Sena Jeter Naslund

2007-06-22T17:23:03Z

Abundance: A Novel Of Marie Antoinette by Sena Jeter Naslund
B+

Thrilling, beautifully and eloquently written, poetic, as well as historically accurate. Naslund has genuine talent. This page-turner takes you from Marie Antoinette's wedding at age fourteen to her death at age thirty-eight. Recommended to all girls and women interested in history, royal culture, French culture, or the true life of Marie Antoinette herself. An epic novel to be remembered.

What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson

2007-06-10T03:56:54Z

What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson
B-

Compelling epic about the after-life, including the varieties of Heavens, Limbos, and Hells. Written as a manuscript from writer Chris Nielson to his brother Robert, recounting, in Chris's narration, his journey from death to Summerland, and then from Summerland into Hell to retrieve his wife and soulmate, Ann.

Written fluidly; an original story. Very dissimilar to the movie, which is good.

The Secret Life Of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

2007-05-27T00:48:34Z

The Secret Life Of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
A+

This book got added to my special Listmania! on Amazon.com (entitled "Books You Couldn't Put Down If You Tried"). Set in the Carolinas during the Civil Rights era, fourteen-year-old Lily Owens narrates this exceptional novel and tells her tale of the summer of 1964.

Lily is tortured by the tragic death of her mother that happened ten years ago- a death which she, Lily, had herself caused, completely by accident. Her father, T. Ray, abuses her verbally and physically.

When Lily's black nanny, Rosaleen, is imprisoned for defending herself against a group of racist men, she gets beaten badly and has to be sent to the hospital. Lily sneaks Rosaleen out of the hospital and together they run away. Lily carries with her a wooden block with a picture of a black Mother Mary on it. It once belonged to her mother; on the back is written "Tiburon, South Carolina," and that is where she decides to go.

In Tiburon, Lily and Rosaleen are taken in by three black sisters, May, June, and August. The "calendar sisters" are beekeepers and Lily fibs her way into staying with them, and helping them with their beekeeping in exchange. And onward begins Lily's life-changing journey as she learns of love, regret, forgiveness, pain, and the secrets of the lives of bees.

If you are a girl, you will adore this book. It speaks of profound feminine power and explores the many different kinds of love. Monk Kidd's descriptions are so poetic and sensational that one can actually taste and smell each character vividly. Kidd is an extraordinarily talented writer and captures every feat of the senses. Not to mention, the story itself and the unfolding of events was so phenomenally expressed that I was up way late into the night and could not close the book, despite the sagging of my eyelids and the aching of my hands. I recommend this book to girls and women who wish to be uplifted, to be reminded of the majesty of nature and of womanhood. A truly touching novel.

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

2007-03-25T03:40:44Z

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
D+

I didn't finish this book either. For one, the summary on the inside cover flaps pretty much gave away the entire story, and for two, it was already ridiculously obvious that Jacob was going to end up with Marlena, so there were no twists or turns to look forward to.

While Gruen is certainly a descriptive and proper writer (a huge breath of fresh air compared to Kim Edwards), her story lacks plot and enthusiasm. Even eventful scenes, like when Jacob jumps the train and is almost pulled under, are described blandly. I had a lot of trouble getting through one paragraph without my eyes starting to close. A lot of times I had to re-read whole pages because it was very unclear as to who was talking and what exactly they were talking about.

The thing that threw me off about this book is that the opening chapters that take place in Jacob's nursing home were spectacular. They were both humorous and readable. But then the story launches into his memories of joining the circus, and it's like all the lights dimmed down. Strangely, one of the most common things said about this book in Amazon.com reviews was that it's one of those books that you "simply can't put down." That's the whole reason I bought this book; I was expecting it to be like Memoirs of A Geisha or The Thirteenth Tale, something gripping and epic that kept you awake through all hours of the night. Water For Elephants is NOT one of these books. I actually fell asleep while trying to read it.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

2007-03-21T19:42:14Z

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
F-

Talentless, cliche, amateur bile. Absolute rubbish; a cheap and trendy novel whose one-dimensional characters have been written a hundred times before by authors (and I use the word "authors" loosely here) equally as silly and unoriginal as Edwards. I did not even do this book the honor of finishing it.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

2007-03-19T07:02:56Z

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
C

In this dramatic yet fairly light fiction, eighty-year-old Lily recounts her life in her memoirs of growing up as a girl in China during the mid-1800s. Born to a Chinese farmer in a world where women are considered worthless, Lily knows that her future depends on who she marries, which is determined by the size of her feet. At age seven, her mother wraps and binds her feet, breaking all of the bones and compressing them to create delicate "golden lillies". Lily's foot-binding is successful and her feet are ideally small, so the village matchmaker renders that she deserves something more significant and privileged than a "sworn sisterhood" (an official group of friends which most Chinese women are assigned). The matchmaker unites Lily with a laotong-- an "old same"-- called Snow Flower. Snow Flower shares a birthday with Lily, as well as a considerable amount of other similarities. Lily cannot believer her luck, for Snow Flower is educated, refined, and lady-like, while Lily is a mere farmer's daughter.

Together, the two girls developed a love for each other deeper than the love they shared with their natal families. They recorded significant events of their lives together in nu shu, a secret form of women's writing, on a special fan. But as they grow and their circumstances begin to change drastically, the two women have a horrible misunderstanding that damages everything and that continues to haunt Lily for the rest of her life.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is culturally and historically interesting, and it is quite readable too. I found it to be rather dry at times, however. Sometimes it felt like all I was reading was a list of different weddings and women in different households who bore no significance to the plot. I also felt that Lily had been unreasonable with herself and needed to forgive herself for what happened. But then again, she lived in a time and place where people-- especially women-- did not know much about forgiveness.

Not recommended to men or feminists.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

2007-03-19T06:41:35Z

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
C+/B- range

Every so often, you find books like Angela's Ashes and you shake your head and click your tongue and think, "How are these really a person's memoirs? How was anybody every allowed to live like this? How did the author ever make it out alive-- and become successful, nonetheless?" The Glass Castle is definately one of these books.

Jeannette Walls recounts her unorthodox and rather disturbing up-bringing by her parents Rex and Rose Mary. Rex Walls, her father, is always on the run from the IRS (or the CIA, as he tells his children). When bills stack up, he takes his family and "does the skidaddle". The Walls family lived everywhere from southwestern desert to the mountains of West Virginia. When Rex wasn't drinking, he was a remarkably outgoing and outrageous man. Rose Mary was a rejected artist and writer who despised all things conventional and conservative, and who also could not handle the responsibilities that come with being a parent. Together with her brother Brian and her sisters Lori and Maureen, Jeannette lives a life of sheer poverty and insanity, being transferred from one run-down house to another, living with cockroaches, termites, and maggots, only to name a few, and seldom with food, proper clothes, heat or air (depending on the season), or frequent baths-- only to name a few. In the beginning, the Wallses stick together, but slowly and surely, through their misery and poverty, they begin to crumble. It is up to Lori, Brian, and Jeannette to make their escapes from their parents and find happiness and success in New York.

I wish I could express how extreme this woman's life was, but there's no way I can. You'd just have to read it. I don't think I would have survived, had I been in Jeannette's situation. But she was born and raised as tough as nails, and my god, is she one hell of a woman today.

Memoirs of A Geisha by Arthur Golden

2007-03-19T06:26:47Z

Memoirs of A Geisha by Arthur Golden
A+

I must say, I thought all the hype about Memoirs... couldn't prove that the book would actually make a good and compelling read. Little did I know that the second time I attempted to read it, I would spend the next week unable to tear my eyes away from the pages.

Chiyo is a young girl in a poor Japanese sea village called Yoroido when her father sells her and her sister into different Geisha districts. Little Chiyo is uneducated and inexperienced, and doesn't even know what a Geisha is. After harsh abuse from the heads of the house and the abominable Geisha Hatsumomo, Chiyo has made many a blunder and has ruined her chances of becoming a Geisha. But one day, she comes across a stranger who shows her great kindness. The stranger inspires so much hope within her that she prays to the gods that somehow she could have another chance to work hard and become a Geisha. Little did Chiyo know that her prayers were to be answered, for not long afterwards, one of the most successful Geisha in the world, Mameha, takes Chiyo under her wing to train her for Geisha-hood.

Reading this book became an addiction. I couldn't put it down. I didn't want to eat, sleep, or get up. Every now and then, there are writers who know how to prevent their words from becoming heavy and strenuous. Not only was this book culturally informative, sophisticated, historically accurate, and in possession of an intricately woven-- and very eventful-- plot, but it wasn't dull. Every sentence was a cliff-hanger. And it is truly remarkable that a grown American man can narrate a book as a young Japanese girl in a truly captivating, convincing, and accurate way!

Ten thumbs up for Memoirs of A Geisha. If you're going to read one book, make sure it's this one.

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang & Gene Yang

2007-03-19T06:09:17Z

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang & Gene Yang
C-

This has got to be one of the strangest graphic novels I have ever read. Although highly symbolic and almost sad, the story is broken into three parts that are all related to each other somehow. The first part is the only part I truly enjoyed reading: these are simply the memoirs of the Asian kid (it's been three months since I've read the book so forgive me for not remembering his name) and how, because of his oriental heritage, he was mocked and looked down upon in grade school. He had a crush on a pretty American girl in his class but struggled with expressing himself to her.

The second part was some weird tale about a monkey who thought he was God or something. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if it didn't look so cartoony and was perhaps drawn with the intention of making the tale fantastic and mythical.

The third part was as if it was part of a sitcom or a movie. It was "episodes" of a white boy's life when his Chinese cousin "Chinkee" visits. Chinkee is the epitome of Chinese stereotypes, confusing his Rs and Ls, eating dishes like dog, spitting when he spoke, and drawn with slits for eyes, bucked teeth, and long black braided hair. It seemed that Chinkee's purpose was to humiliate and embarrass his "normal" white American cousin. This depiction of a Chinese person was incredibly racist and cruel. And it was supposed to be.

In the end, characters from all three stories merge in an unexpected way. I actually don't remember what happened.

As for readability, it didn't take more than an hour to go from cover to cover. But it wouldn't have made a difference to me had I read it or not. There's much better Asian-themed literature out there (see Memoirs of A Geisha and Snow Flower & the Secret Fan).

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

2007-01-22T18:40:57Z

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
B

This was the rather disturbing tale of Humbert Humbert, a pedophile obsessed with "nymphets," or girls in between ages nine and thirteen. Upon coming to America, he lodges in the Haze household with widow Charlotte Haze and her nymphet twelve-year-old daughter Lolita, whom old Humbert falls instantly and helplessly in love with. When Charlotte confesses her love for Humbert, he agrees to marry her in order to be able to "fatherly" touch and carress little Lolita.

This book was, in a way, almost sickening. The horrifying obsession-rather fanatacism- that this mature, educated gentlemen held for a little girl, although psychologically explained in the beginning of the book (I won't give too much away), is simply wrong in our era and culture. Nabokov, however, is a genius with words, throwing rhymes and puns and all sorts of clever word-tricks like hardballs in every paragraph. One of the things I particularly liked about reading Lolita was that I felt like I was really inside of Humbert's head, like he was really talking to me. I developed an ambiguous relationship with him- I despised him and pitied him at the same time. Sometimes I found I was rooting for him and other times I was hoping he'd be caught and arrested for ruining poor Lo's life (again, I won't give too much away, but he does end up ruining her on several levels).

I recommend this book to anyone who can stomach it.

Anything Can Happen by George and Helen Waite Papashvily

2007-01-22T16:29:51Z

Anything Can Happen by George and Helen Waite Papashvily
C

Hilarious narration of Giorgi, Georgian immigrant to America in the early 1900's. All of his adventures were very laughable, written in his own broken dialect of English, although the story did become a bit lacking towards the middle and end. Launching into it, however, was a delight.

For One More Day by Mitch Albom

2007-01-08T02:28:29Z

For One More Day by Mitch Albom
B-

When Charley "Chick" Benetto is a kid, his sports-loving father tells him, "You're either a mama's boy or a daddy's boy. You can't be both." Chick decides then to be daddy's boy, and baseball becomes his life and a connection between him and his father. But no matter how hard he tries, his father can't be pleased. Eventually, his father walks out on him and his family, leaving no explanation to Chick or his little sister Roberta.

After Chick goes through a rough divorce and finds out that his daughter has gotten married without inviting him to the wedding, he tries to commit suicide. But he fails, suddenly finding himself in his childhood home with his dead mother, Posey, alive and well, cooking him breakfast as if she'd never gone anywhere. Here, Chick discovers just exactly how much his mother had done for him, and how much she loved him. Chick wallows in the guilt of his failures at marriage, fatherhood, and at sticking up for his mother during various stages of his life when she was so dedicated and devoted to him.

Enjoyable, but quite whiney.

A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

2007-01-07T05:46:34Z

A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
B-

Thrilling.

Quite the timeless young ladies' novel. Gothic, compelling, terrifying, lovely, and delicious. This novel tells the story of sixteen-year- old Gemma who is fiery and strong-willed, much to the distaste of the stylish, refined Victorians of her era. When Gemma discovers that she has a strange power that lets her tap into alternate realms of reality, her life changes drastically and she is sent off to boarding school in England. There, at the Spence Academy, she discovers friends, feelings, and goddess powers she never dreamed she could have.

There is more to this novel than just gossiping girls. The symbolism and the author's humble messages of forgiveness and of self-exploration penetrate through the common surface and speak to a part of the female reader that she can whole-heartedly identify with. There is always an unhappiness in the monotony of reality, always a serious flaw, always a heavy baggage that haunts every living person and makes her wish she were someone else. "We are all damaged," writes Bray. But the key is to forgive yourself for all of it.

I couldn't put this novel down. It had so many twists and turns, so many mysteries and juicy, delightful secrets, with just a hint of sexuality and a generous helping of genuine feminine power. Many scenes in this book were so poetic and raw with girl power! And one message bored straightforwardly into me: like Marjane Satrapi's Embroideries, A Great And Terrible Beauty conveys the truth that all women are so very alike, despite where or when they live.

The Book of Saladin by Tariq Ali

2006-12-26T23:51:49Z

The Book of Saladin by Tariq Ali
D++

I read enough of this book to deduce the playful, Dumbledore-esque manner of Saladin and to grasp the general Islamic cultural history during the crusade period, but there was no story in this book! No plot! I only have two words: What happened? The prequel to this book was so moving and so eloquent; the characters were touching and inspirational; there was a theme, a motive, a plot. This book consisted of randomly compiled stories about Saladin, recorded and narrated by his scribe. Although the characters were loveable, colorful, and three-dimensional, there was no grand event in which they took part. I couldn't read more than one hundred pages.

Native Son by Richard Wright

2006-12-01T02:41:45Z

Native Son by Richard Wright
C

There are, in my mind, two kinds of authors. Authors who write for a purpose, to push an agenda, and authors who are simply creative, imaginative, innovative, and talented. Richard Wright is, unfortunately, not of the latter. A black Communist, Wright's novel Native Son does, in my opinion, nothing but push Communist agenda and make it appear as if the Communists are the only reasonable, honest, humane characters. He also makes a very bold statement that "it" is, in fact, Nurture, other than Nature, which determines a person's destiny.

This is the story of impoverished, detached, and brooding Bigger Thomas, a young black man who, in a moment of panic, murders a white Communist girl-- the daughter of his new employer, nonetheless. Immediately Bigger's life changes into a wicked and delightful secret, until his plan goes wrong and he suddenly realizes the consequences of his actions.

Bigger gives up hope, repeating over and over again statements like, "I am black, I am going to die, I have no chance, I never had any chance..." to his lawyer, drowning himself in hopelessness, blaming his life's entire outcome of poverty, rape, and crime on the white man's dominance and on others' attitudes toward his black skin. Very much unlike Janie in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, Bigger Thomas cannot get what he wants. He can not "pull down his horizon" and "wrap it around himself," not according to Wright, at least.

I couldn't say I enjoyed this book, despite my respect for it. I think Bigger was a little too lazy and hot-tempered to represent an entire generation or community of African Americans. I also believe that Wright, although he criticizes Hurston for being too romantic and unrealistic, lacks romance in his own story. I have never found realism to be this cold and hard, like a concrete floor in a prison cell; sure, it's a rude awakening, but Native Son was simply morbid. Wright writes to make points and to press his opinions into the reader's brain, as well as to push his political agenda, not to entertain, mystify, teach, or inspire. I don't recommend it outside of studies, although its readability is very good and the first of the three books seems genuinely entertaining enough.

The Coyote Series by Rev. Webster Kitchell

2006-11-23T03:30:17Z

God's Dog: Conversations With Coyote, Coyote Says...: More Conversations With God's Dog, and Get A God! More Conversations With Coyote by Rev. Webster Kitchell
B-

New Mexican Reverend Webster Kitchell of the Unitarian Universalist Church has written some great little philosophical blurbs in his three Coyote books. In the Native American tradition, Coyote is a minor deity who is known for his cunning tricks and remarkable sense of humor. Kitchell reveres the hilarious, playful Coyote as his "spirit guide," his other half, and each book is a series of interesting theological dialogues between the two of them. They discuss Jesus Christ, fortune and misfortune as a relative judgment, the UU Church, money, politics, and dozens of other philosophical hot spots. The conversations are quite entertaining, Kitchell being a progressive liberal and Coyote being a tough cynic.

If you are interested in theology, philosophy, or the thoughts behind a leading mind of the UU Church, I strongly recommend these books. Do not be deceived by their short lengths-- they aren't exactly "easy reads"!

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

2006-11-15T23:45:11Z

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Plotless, ridiculously contemporary, meaningless spew. If Marlon Brando's Greek-chiseled bare chest was not on the cover of this script I highly doubt it would have had any sales. I couldn't stand any of the characters in this miserable story. Why on Earth were the Modernists so obsessed with delirium and health-threatening insanity? Reality check: these people have no reason to be disturbed or unhappy. A Streetcar Named Desire was nothing more than a brief yawn.