I haven't read Ruth yet, it's one of the few Gaskell works I have left to read, so this read-a-long at Gaskell Blog sounds ace, care to join up?
The annotated discussion starts May 15!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Lost in a Good Book, and the rest of the Thursday Next Series, Jasper Fforde
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This is a whole world of awesome right here, and Fforde explores it with style. I love the bookworld, and Jurisfiction is just a genius idea for exploring it. Any book that can convincingly include Miss Havisham as a main character has my vote.
I love the political and social commentary in the alternate Britain "real" world, too. The Goliath Corporation is particularly awful (ly hilarious).
I've cheated somewhat by smooshing the rest of the series into this review. Once we get to Lost in a Good Book, we've got the gist of the rest of the series from here [which are: The Well of Lost Plots; Something Rotten; First Among Sequels; One of Our Thursdays is Missing].
What more to say? These are great fun, smart, witty, page turners, with plenty to think about and feel cool about knowing (did I mention there are classics littered all through these?). Most bookish peeps are going to enjoy them, though you don't have to be bookish to like Fforde's style. Thursday Next is one awesome heroine, she's smart, funny, and solves everything. In the series she also has kids. So it's quite the feminist win, too.
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7.5/10 overall (none are as awesome as the first).
These were a range of purchased "real" books, and Kindle ereads.
[All pics are from Jasper Fforde's site, click through to view]
Labels:
Challenges 2011,
Review
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Eyre Affair, Thursday Next Series, Jasper Fforde
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I don't have a lot to add to a strong recommendation to read this one, really. It's a snappy, clever book set in an alternate reality Britain, where book people are real. The central character, Thursday Next, works for a Special Ops unit in Literary Detection. The classics are front and centre in this version of reality, and when circumstances unfold that threaten the very existence of Jane Eyre (from the novel, that is), it's high crime indeed.
Definitely check it out. Fforde is a prolific author, and has a number of other series I'm going to check out, his style is witty, well read, and snappy, reminded me of Hitchhiker's Guide. Good stuff, and British not American, which is nice to see occasionally. (Is it just me, or do all the best comedies come from the UK?).
This was a library read.
9/10 for a great idea, snappy plot, clever dialogue, and awesome use of the classics.
Labels:
Challenges 2011,
Review
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Memory Lane: Dune, Frank Herbert
What are the books that stand out the most in your memory? Your favourites? That you re-read? That you most wish you could chat to others about? I'm reminiscing about some of my faves here.
Let's start with the book I've read most in my life, on average I'd say I'd read this once a year at least since I first cracked it's spine (yup, I'm a spine bender) when I was 12.
What's not to love? Dune is sweeping saga of family, love, betrayal, triumph over oppression, and giant worms that live in the sand. I still love it's adventure, deep philosophy, and escapist magic. If you haven't tried it yet, give it a go. It's the original and the best.
[image source 1]
[image source 2]
Let's start with the book I've read most in my life, on average I'd say I'd read this once a year at least since I first cracked it's spine (yup, I'm a spine bender) when I was 12.
What's not to love? Dune is sweeping saga of family, love, betrayal, triumph over oppression, and giant worms that live in the sand. I still love it's adventure, deep philosophy, and escapist magic. If you haven't tried it yet, give it a go. It's the original and the best.
[image source 1]
[image source 2]
Labels:
Memory Lane
Monday, April 11, 2011
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Seth Grahame-Smith
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I know, I know, perhaps I cared too much, but I've read some great humourous work over the years, some smart stuff, and I wish one of those writers had got their hands on this idea. I'm not sure I'll bother with any of the other mash ups, this is a cute idea, probably only worth a short story length of attention, that had some promise but relied too heavily on the brilliance of Austen to see it through.
5/10 (with a 10/10 for the original idea itself, which is hilarious, well worth reading the first few chapters for the initial chuckle, then putting it down at that).
Another eRead on Kindle for iPad.
Labels:
Challenges 2011,
Review
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Return of the Soldier, Rebecca West
I've been busy of late, and away with family, here's a post from a book I read last month! I'm back to normal now, here's to more posting!
The Return of the Soldier was an unexpected book, a moving story about the tragedy of war and lost love. Another author I'd never read, but who is just so amazing that I've already ordered more of her work. Rebecca West is a great find, and given she's a major feminist literary figure, again, I'm kinda embarrassed that this is my first encounter with her!
The Return of the Soldier is one of her first novels, published in 1918, it is a beautifully told story of a "shell shocked" man, who develops amnesia, thinking that he is only 20, and in love with a woman other than his wife. Our narrator is There is some shocking classism in this book, at first I was a tad jaw dropped over it, but as the book goes on, quickly realised that this was an essential part of its message. The woman Chris thinks he is love with is now a middle-aged married woman who is barely middle class (apparently) and the scathing descriptions of the narrator were pretty grating at first.
This book is really about love, responsiblity, and the horror of war. The importance of class in the novel is smoothly explored, from the jarring descriptions at the start, to the narrator (Chris' cousin, Jenny) coming to side with Margaret (the long lost love). This is a beautifully written novella that was an unexpected joy, highly recommended!
8.5/10
This was an eread on Kindle for iPad.
The Return of the Soldier was an unexpected book, a moving story about the tragedy of war and lost love. Another author I'd never read, but who is just so amazing that I've already ordered more of her work. Rebecca West is a great find, and given she's a major feminist literary figure, again, I'm kinda embarrassed that this is my first encounter with her!
The Return of the Soldier is one of her first novels, published in 1918, it is a beautifully told story of a "shell shocked" man, who develops amnesia, thinking that he is only 20, and in love with a woman other than his wife. Our narrator is There is some shocking classism in this book, at first I was a tad jaw dropped over it, but as the book goes on, quickly realised that this was an essential part of its message. The woman Chris thinks he is love with is now a middle-aged married woman who is barely middle class (apparently) and the scathing descriptions of the narrator were pretty grating at first.
This book is really about love, responsiblity, and the horror of war. The importance of class in the novel is smoothly explored, from the jarring descriptions at the start, to the narrator (Chris' cousin, Jenny) coming to side with Margaret (the long lost love). This is a beautifully written novella that was an unexpected joy, highly recommended!
8.5/10
This was an eread on Kindle for iPad.
Labels:
1001 Books,
Review
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