I can easily admit that this is not my kind of novel. Any time I read a story where the majority of the main characters are self-centered and pretentious, who think they are better than everyone else, either intellectually or status-wise or both, I am turned off. Yes, I understand that it is satire; that the author is "laughing" at these self-absorbed, pathetic people living their self-important lives in New York City. One or two characters in a novel with these characteristics can add humor, or depth, of meaning to the storyline and/or other characters, but to have every character in a book so self-serving, is simply too much for me. These characters are so into themselves - and so lacking in understanding and compassion for others - that it was hard to stomach.
So, did I like ANY of the characters...? Not really. I guess the only person I didn't dislike was Annabel, simply because she seemed to be genuinely kind. The person I was most disappointed in was Danielle, who appeared to be the most "normal" one in the bunch initially, until she went off the deep end about Murray. Really? He was so not worth it! She seriously considered ending her life over him?? His over-inflated ego was incredibly annoying. Julius was a jerk. Most of the time I didn't even know what to think of Marina. And why exactly did Seeley marry her? He hated her father and I thought he was just trying to get close to Marina in order to expose Murray...which he doesn't do! I can't imagine that Seeley and Marina actually love each other.
And then there is Bootie. Every time the Thwaites, Julius, or Danielle thought of Bootie they described/thought of him as "plump". Nearly every single time. It was annoying. Even at the end, Danielle first thinks that he looks thinner, but then continues to refer to him (in her head) as plump. Why?? Who cares?? I didn't really like Bootie either, but he was certainly picked on a lot in this book. They saw him as a pathetic mess. I saw them all as pathetic messes. And what's up with the article he wrote? Really? He believed that he stood by his "integrity" by writing the article to expose his uncle - but he did this by reading Murray's "novel" on the sly, a complete invasion of privacy, and writing of things that he had no first hand knowledge about. Not that I liked Murray, but I would have been ticked too.
What a dysfunctional, unhappy group of people. Not my cup of tea. And really, what kind of ending is this?? It's a non-ending.
Wendy's Rating: **
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
I already liked this author a lot for his mystery series. I also like that he is a Minnesota author and that his books are set in Minnesota. This stand-alone novel did not disappoint!
This was a wonderful, if sad, coming-of-age story. I really liked both Frank and Jake, and their relationship as brothers. Their father, Nathan, provided such a strong "center" for the Drum family. I think this family would have completely fallen apart without Nathan's unwavering faith in God, the value he placed on forgiveness, and his belief in redemption. Jake was certainly his father's son. At Ariel's funeral, when Ruth said "For God's sake, Nathan, can't you, just this once, offer an ordinary grace?" I realized that both Nathan and Jake personified "ordinary grace" - and we could all take a lesson from them. At the worst of times, in the midst of personal tragedy, they were the only two that didn't jump to conclusions with the rest of the town, and they both continued to see the best in all people. They didn't judge, or assume, but showed compassion in all things. They absolutely both ended up in the right profession!
Great character development. These characters, like real people, were multifaceted and even in the characters you love to hate, like Doyle, you would sometimes see a glimmer of something positive. I wasn't sure what to make of Gus initially, but he ended up being one of my favorite characters as well. What would this family have done with Gus?! What would Frank and Jake had done without Gus?!
This book demonstrates how much time has changed people's acceptance of things like premarital sex, homosexuality, pregnancy, domestic abuse - or at least how we handle these things as a society. I love that is was set in the 1960's, back when people weren't so "jaded" in their thoughts about people. Sure, they were less tolerant of people of different nationalities (especially the Native Americans!) and sexual orientation, but it was interesting how everyone assumed that people were virgins until marriage; that people only fell in love with people their own age; that people didn't have adulterous affairs. I don't know too many men today that could handle the close relationship between their wife and her ex-fiancee! Most men today would think their wife was having an affair, but Nathan didn't seem to ever think that was even a possibility.
It was a little frustrating for me that Jake didn't figure out who killed Ariel sooner than he did!! Good grief, he was so busy blaming himself for letting Redstone go that he couldn't see the forest through the trees! I kept waiting and waiting for him to figure it out - and had to wait till nearly the last page until he had his "aha" moment. Of course the same could be said for everyone else concerning the relationship between Ariel and Emil. Those were just different times....
Wendy's Rating: *****
This was a wonderful, if sad, coming-of-age story. I really liked both Frank and Jake, and their relationship as brothers. Their father, Nathan, provided such a strong "center" for the Drum family. I think this family would have completely fallen apart without Nathan's unwavering faith in God, the value he placed on forgiveness, and his belief in redemption. Jake was certainly his father's son. At Ariel's funeral, when Ruth said "For God's sake, Nathan, can't you, just this once, offer an ordinary grace?" I realized that both Nathan and Jake personified "ordinary grace" - and we could all take a lesson from them. At the worst of times, in the midst of personal tragedy, they were the only two that didn't jump to conclusions with the rest of the town, and they both continued to see the best in all people. They didn't judge, or assume, but showed compassion in all things. They absolutely both ended up in the right profession!
Great character development. These characters, like real people, were multifaceted and even in the characters you love to hate, like Doyle, you would sometimes see a glimmer of something positive. I wasn't sure what to make of Gus initially, but he ended up being one of my favorite characters as well. What would this family have done with Gus?! What would Frank and Jake had done without Gus?!
This book demonstrates how much time has changed people's acceptance of things like premarital sex, homosexuality, pregnancy, domestic abuse - or at least how we handle these things as a society. I love that is was set in the 1960's, back when people weren't so "jaded" in their thoughts about people. Sure, they were less tolerant of people of different nationalities (especially the Native Americans!) and sexual orientation, but it was interesting how everyone assumed that people were virgins until marriage; that people only fell in love with people their own age; that people didn't have adulterous affairs. I don't know too many men today that could handle the close relationship between their wife and her ex-fiancee! Most men today would think their wife was having an affair, but Nathan didn't seem to ever think that was even a possibility.
It was a little frustrating for me that Jake didn't figure out who killed Ariel sooner than he did!! Good grief, he was so busy blaming himself for letting Redstone go that he couldn't see the forest through the trees! I kept waiting and waiting for him to figure it out - and had to wait till nearly the last page until he had his "aha" moment. Of course the same could be said for everyone else concerning the relationship between Ariel and Emil. Those were just different times....
Wendy's Rating: *****
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
This was the first book I have read by this author, and I really liked it! The main character, Jane Forrester, was so young yet so brave. She went against "society" and stood up for what she believed in, despite what it cost her. She stood her ground with her husband, with her boss, with her coworkers, with her mother. She put everything on the line to help a dirt poor 15 year old pregnant girl. I think that it's awful that she was told - and believed it herself - that she would never make it as a social worker because she cared too much. What a sad statement that is! Jane bucked the system for all the right reasons, in my opinion.
Ivy was also incredibly strong, and she had such faith in Henry Allen - certainly more than I did at times! I really didn't think Henry Allen had it in him to leave his family behind for Ivy. I was definitely disappointed in his father. What a jerk. There were so many half-siblings in the book, I was hoping that Henry Allen and Ivy weren't related!
The exploration of the Eugenics Program in this novel was very interesting. It's amazing to me that not long after the world discovers Hitler's disposal of all people who were not "perfect Germans" - all those "flawed people" who were not blond hair/blue eyed intelligent individuals, America can develop the Eugenics Program and carry it out for decades without batting an eye; without noticing - or caring - about the similarity in thought between this Program and what Hitler was doing in WWII. Incredible. And kudos to Jane for saying "NO".
This book was very well-written with well developed characters. I read it quite quickly because it was such an interesting read. I felt like Robert was made out to be the "bad guy", but I had some sympathy for him. Considering it was the 60's, and he was a doctor, he was a "sign of the times". I imagine it would be difficult, especially in those days, to have a wife like Jane! I think a lot of other men wouldn't have been nearly as patient as he was. I was amused by his comment when Gavin called to tell him that Jane was in jail: "Why couldn't she take up knitting, like normal wives?" :)
I will be reading more by this author!
Wendy's Rating: *****
The Undiscovered Goddess by Michelle Colston
Typically, I'm not a big fan of the "inner goddess" thing. Not that I think that women shouldn't discover themselves, embrace who they are, take time for themselves. I think it's just the terminology that grates on me.
I liked this book though. I found some scenes hilariously funny; some scenes brutally honest; some scenes sinfully indulgent. ;) Holly was so self-absorbed at times I couldn't believe her husband could continue to put up with her. But I loved some of the changes she made to try to become a better person. I could identify with some of them. Rick asked me once why I go to church. I told him that every time I sit in church, I leave it wanting to be a better person: more compassionate, more kind, more forgiving, less judgemental, less impatient...both at home and in my job. So I loved when Holly decides to be kind to people who are grumpy, like the cashier at the store. Really, when you think about it, what an easy thing to do. So often though, instead of being kind to someone like that, I walk away thinking "jerk!" So I've decided to try being kind to the next person I meet like that! :)
I love that Holly went back and re-read what she had written from the beginning - and that she was horrified by her own personality. Because her personality WAS horrifying at the beginning! I also like how she learns that her choices have power. That someone can choose to be in a bad mood all day, affecting everyone around them in a negative way, or they can choose to get over it and think more positively - which also affects everyone around them, but in a positive way. Also, that "life's journey is thousands of baby steps instead of one giant step from A to B. The beginning and end are not life. Life is the passage between the two." I love that! I also struggle to be more "present" when I am with someone, like my husband and my children. Sometimes I do too much multi-tasking and not enough being "present" in the moment. I definitely have been trying to change that, so I enjoyed Holly's journey from being completely self-absorbed and annoyed by her children, to her spending time actually enjoying her children.
So, despite the annoying terminology at times, and the words in "*...*" ;) I quite enjoyed this book. My journey to become a better person continues...in baby steps.
Wendy's Rating: ****
I liked this book though. I found some scenes hilariously funny; some scenes brutally honest; some scenes sinfully indulgent. ;) Holly was so self-absorbed at times I couldn't believe her husband could continue to put up with her. But I loved some of the changes she made to try to become a better person. I could identify with some of them. Rick asked me once why I go to church. I told him that every time I sit in church, I leave it wanting to be a better person: more compassionate, more kind, more forgiving, less judgemental, less impatient...both at home and in my job. So I loved when Holly decides to be kind to people who are grumpy, like the cashier at the store. Really, when you think about it, what an easy thing to do. So often though, instead of being kind to someone like that, I walk away thinking "jerk!" So I've decided to try being kind to the next person I meet like that! :)
I love that Holly went back and re-read what she had written from the beginning - and that she was horrified by her own personality. Because her personality WAS horrifying at the beginning! I also like how she learns that her choices have power. That someone can choose to be in a bad mood all day, affecting everyone around them in a negative way, or they can choose to get over it and think more positively - which also affects everyone around them, but in a positive way. Also, that "life's journey is thousands of baby steps instead of one giant step from A to B. The beginning and end are not life. Life is the passage between the two." I love that! I also struggle to be more "present" when I am with someone, like my husband and my children. Sometimes I do too much multi-tasking and not enough being "present" in the moment. I definitely have been trying to change that, so I enjoyed Holly's journey from being completely self-absorbed and annoyed by her children, to her spending time actually enjoying her children.
So, despite the annoying terminology at times, and the words in "*...*" ;) I quite enjoyed this book. My journey to become a better person continues...in baby steps.
Wendy's Rating: ****
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
I don't know why I don't like this author more than I do. I liked The Poisonwood Bible a lot, but my interest usually wanes in her other novels. I haven't read them all though, so I will stick to this one for now.
Set in Appalachia, this is the story of an unhappy young wife and mother, Dellarobia, who lives on a sheep farm with her husband and his parents. They are dirt poor, with a large balloon payment on their equipment coming due - with no money to pay it. Dellarobia comes across millions of Monarch butterflies one day, that have settled on their land, having left Mexico due to apparent climate change (too hot for them to survive). Unfortunately, although Appalachia doesn't get too hot for them, the fear is that it will become to cold for them to survive and they will die out. Enter the "scientist", Ovid, who has studied the Monarchs for the length of his career, and wants to continue to do so on Dellarobia's in-law's land.
So, this is a study in climate change and how it is affecting our world; a study of Monarch butterflies; a study in relationships: mother/child, husband/wife, friend/friend, unrequited love, unconditional love; unplanned pregnancies; and the search for a happier life.
All of the above, and yet I kept checking to see how many pages I had left to read.... This was simply not "gripping" enough for me. Maybe because I'm not on board with the "climate change" theory being brought on by man, believing that our world is constantly changing whether man is here or not. (That's not to say I don't care about taking care of our world!) Maybe because I love the Monarch butterflies and learning about their breeding and migratory patterns was interesting - but I'm not a butterfly scientist. Maybe because I'm not a big fan of authors who describe everything - especially scenery - in detail on every page. I would read another novel by Barbara Kingsolver....but not anytime soon.
Wendy's Rating: ***
Set in Appalachia, this is the story of an unhappy young wife and mother, Dellarobia, who lives on a sheep farm with her husband and his parents. They are dirt poor, with a large balloon payment on their equipment coming due - with no money to pay it. Dellarobia comes across millions of Monarch butterflies one day, that have settled on their land, having left Mexico due to apparent climate change (too hot for them to survive). Unfortunately, although Appalachia doesn't get too hot for them, the fear is that it will become to cold for them to survive and they will die out. Enter the "scientist", Ovid, who has studied the Monarchs for the length of his career, and wants to continue to do so on Dellarobia's in-law's land.
So, this is a study in climate change and how it is affecting our world; a study of Monarch butterflies; a study in relationships: mother/child, husband/wife, friend/friend, unrequited love, unconditional love; unplanned pregnancies; and the search for a happier life.
All of the above, and yet I kept checking to see how many pages I had left to read.... This was simply not "gripping" enough for me. Maybe because I'm not on board with the "climate change" theory being brought on by man, believing that our world is constantly changing whether man is here or not. (That's not to say I don't care about taking care of our world!) Maybe because I love the Monarch butterflies and learning about their breeding and migratory patterns was interesting - but I'm not a butterfly scientist. Maybe because I'm not a big fan of authors who describe everything - especially scenery - in detail on every page. I would read another novel by Barbara Kingsolver....but not anytime soon.
Wendy's Rating: ***
Sunday, March 15, 2015
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
I really loved this story! It was charming and funny and honest - and showed great character development. This book clearly demonstrates the positive and negative aspects of living with Aspergers. Don was an extremely likable character, despite his obvious eccentricities - or I guess, because of them. One of my favorite quotes in the book is when Don states, "Humans often fail to see what is close to them and obvious to others". I loved when he filled in for Gene and gave the lecture on Asperger's syndrome. That set the scene for the entire book. Loved it!
I thought Gene was a complete jerk. I could not believe the way he treated his marriage and Claudia. I could not believe that she continued to live with such a jerk. I would not have been happy if no one had confronted Gene about his hurtful behavior at some point in the book! He so deserved Phil's punch - and so much more. At least by that point, he knew he deserved it, if not from Phil, then so many others.
Rosie was a wonderful influence on Don, despite having miserably failed the Wife Project test. ;) I thought she was a little hard on Phil though. But, we really didn't know too much about Phil except for her assessment of him. So many lost years for that relationship. Better late than never though I guess. Relationships are hard enough without living with erroneous information.
This is a true love story and I found it completely heartwarming. I will absolutely read the sequel, The Rose Effect.
Wendy's Rating: *****
I thought Gene was a complete jerk. I could not believe the way he treated his marriage and Claudia. I could not believe that she continued to live with such a jerk. I would not have been happy if no one had confronted Gene about his hurtful behavior at some point in the book! He so deserved Phil's punch - and so much more. At least by that point, he knew he deserved it, if not from Phil, then so many others.
Rosie was a wonderful influence on Don, despite having miserably failed the Wife Project test. ;) I thought she was a little hard on Phil though. But, we really didn't know too much about Phil except for her assessment of him. So many lost years for that relationship. Better late than never though I guess. Relationships are hard enough without living with erroneous information.
This is a true love story and I found it completely heartwarming. I will absolutely read the sequel, The Rose Effect.
Wendy's Rating: *****
Monday, March 2, 2015
The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley
I liked this book quite a bit more than the last one I read by Susanna Kearsley (The Shadowy Horses). My main complaint about that one was the lack of character development. I think The Firebird did a much better job, not only with character development, but also establishing relationships between people that were meaningful and believable.
I liked the historical elements of this novel, especially the parts involving St. Petersburg, since I am intrigued by Russian history. It was interesting to read about the developing relationship between Nicola and Rob as they were watching the developing relationship between Anna and Edmund. Nicola & Rob following Anna to make the connection between the Firebird and Empress Catherine was a clever way to share Anna's story. I was surprised that they couldn't make a clear connection between the two, but I happy that Rob found the James Bond books so that Margaret Ross (poor thing) could go on her well-deserved trip! :)
Susanna Kearsley obviously writes a lot about the Jacobites and their fight for King James to claim the throne as his birthright. I have come to the conclusion that no matter how many times I read about James (First-Eighth!), the Morays, Colonel Graeme, King George, the fight between the Catholics and Protestants, Scotland and Ireland, this is just not a part of history that I am familiar enough with to be able to remember it all. I am not sure I am clearer on the history of Scotland in the late 1600s-early 1700s than I was when I read my first Susanna Kearsley book! Slow learner I guess. I did like how Colonel Graeme from The Winter Sea was also a character in this book.
The only thing I took exception to was Rob's insistence that Nicola speak publicly about her "gift". Why? Why couldn't she keep that information private and them still be together? If I were Nicola, I would not want to be "used" by people (ie Sebastian) for my gift. Now that she has exposed her gift, she WILL be used by others. As much as I liked Rob, I did not agree at all with him forcing that issue.
I suspected early on that Captain Jamieson may be Anna's father, but when he pretty much disappeared from the story, I forgot about my suspicions. So, I wasn't surprised to find out that he was indeed her father, but I really thought he was a Jamieson, not a Moray! It didn't occur to me that he would be disguised, since I really believed that he was dead.
All-in-all, a good story.
Wendy's Rating: ****
I liked the historical elements of this novel, especially the parts involving St. Petersburg, since I am intrigued by Russian history. It was interesting to read about the developing relationship between Nicola and Rob as they were watching the developing relationship between Anna and Edmund. Nicola & Rob following Anna to make the connection between the Firebird and Empress Catherine was a clever way to share Anna's story. I was surprised that they couldn't make a clear connection between the two, but I happy that Rob found the James Bond books so that Margaret Ross (poor thing) could go on her well-deserved trip! :)
Susanna Kearsley obviously writes a lot about the Jacobites and their fight for King James to claim the throne as his birthright. I have come to the conclusion that no matter how many times I read about James (First-Eighth!), the Morays, Colonel Graeme, King George, the fight between the Catholics and Protestants, Scotland and Ireland, this is just not a part of history that I am familiar enough with to be able to remember it all. I am not sure I am clearer on the history of Scotland in the late 1600s-early 1700s than I was when I read my first Susanna Kearsley book! Slow learner I guess. I did like how Colonel Graeme from The Winter Sea was also a character in this book.
The only thing I took exception to was Rob's insistence that Nicola speak publicly about her "gift". Why? Why couldn't she keep that information private and them still be together? If I were Nicola, I would not want to be "used" by people (ie Sebastian) for my gift. Now that she has exposed her gift, she WILL be used by others. As much as I liked Rob, I did not agree at all with him forcing that issue.
I suspected early on that Captain Jamieson may be Anna's father, but when he pretty much disappeared from the story, I forgot about my suspicions. So, I wasn't surprised to find out that he was indeed her father, but I really thought he was a Jamieson, not a Moray! It didn't occur to me that he would be disguised, since I really believed that he was dead.
All-in-all, a good story.
Wendy's Rating: ****
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